Green Bags

How long does your produce last?

For 1 1/2 years I have been using the GREEN BAGS from Debbie Meyer. I love them. My produce will ast 2 weeks & even longer. I resuse the bags & only have to buy new once maybe twice a year. SUCH a good deal.

Find it at Walmart in the "as seen on TV" section (by the checkout stands)

WHAT ELSE do you do to preserve your produce?

Sweet Potato ROLLS - Okinawan RECIPE

*makes 16 medium sized rolls

INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb (1 large) sweet potato, peeled & cut into chunks
1 t dry yeast
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 C all purpose flour
2 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T salt
2 large eggs
1 egg - whisked for egg wash

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Put sweet potatoe in pan w/2 c water, bring to boil. Cook for 15 minutes, until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Mash or puree potatoe & place in large bowl. Let potatoe & water cool to lukewarm.

2) Measure 1 C of cooking water & stir in yeast to dissolve. Add yeast misture to potatoe, stir in brown sugar & 1 C flour. Add butter & salt and stir, then add 2 eggs & mis well. Add 2 more cups of flour, a cup at a time.

3)Dust a work surface with flour & turn out the dough. Knead for 5 minutes till soft, & somewhat elastic. Place in clean bowl, cover w/plastic wrap & let rise until doubled - 4 hours.

4) Pull dough away from sides of bowl and turn out onto a floured surface. Lightly grease a backing sheet w/butter.

5) Use sharp knife to divide dough into 16 pieces. Using your palm press the dough lightly into your work surface. roll 1 piece into a round roll. Place shaped roll on baking sheet. Place rolls 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet. Cover w/plastic wrap & rise another 30-40 minutes.

6) Brush tops of rolls with egg wash. Place rack in center of oven & Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Rolls should be a deep brown on top & golden orange at sides. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

YUM!

*I tried these a few days ago...and did not estimate enough time for rising...so I finished baking the day after. LOVE them, very yummy to just munch on.

Happy Friday Fruit and Veggie Friends

What did the green grape say to the purple grape?

Fresh Tomato Soup w/ Basil recipe

from Paige Nemrow:

3 Tbsp. butter or marg.

1 large onion, sliced

1 large carrot, shredded

4-6 large tomatoes, peeled (by dipping into boiling water), seeded, and coarsely chopped (4-5 cups)

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves or 4-5 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. white sugar

1/8 tsp. white pepper (or black)

2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp. tiny soup pasta (pastina or I have used little salad sea shells)

In a 3 qt. saucepan cook onion and carrot in butter for about 10 min. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min.

Whirl tomato mixture, a portion at a time, in a food processor or blender until smooth; set aside.

Pour broth into pan and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer about 7 min. Stir in tomato mixture and heat through.

CRANBERRIES??

IDEAS:

Orange Blosson Cranberry Muffins

*From Audrey & "The Muffin Book"

2 t sugar

3 t orange zest

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1/2 C sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 C milk

1/4 C butter, melted

2 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 1/2 C cranberries - food processed with orange juice

1) preheat 400 F, lightly grease muffin cups/line cups

2)For topping combine 2 t sugar, 1 t orange zest, set aside

3) In large bowl stir together: flour, baking powder, salt, 2 t orange zest. Stir through the 1/2C sugar. Make a well ni the center.

4) In a small mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, melted butter, & orange juice concentrate/cranberry blend. Add all at once to the flour mixture & stif until just mointenet (lumpy is good).

5) Spoon batter into cups, fill 2/3rds full. Sprinkle tops of muffins w/Sugar-Orange Peel mixture. Bake till golden brown: 12-15 min. Let cool 5 min.

Cranberry Sauce

Only 3 ingredients for cranberry sauce...Allrecipes are GREAT:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cranberry-Sauce/Detail.aspx

What do you do with Your Cranberries?

Banana Bread

POSTED BY ANGIE:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
6 bananas mashed

4 eggs

1c butter

2c sugar
2 tsp baking soda

1tsp Salt

4c Flour

*Chocolate chips (Optional)

Mix together first 4 ingredients. Add last 3 ingredients*.
Pour into 2 loaf pans (I like to line it with Parchment paper) Bake for 40 minutes (or until a fork or skewer comes out clean.)
I like to put it in a ziplock bag while it is still warm (not hot) to keep it nice and moist.

POSTED BY MOLLY:

I use this one from all recipes. I'm a sucker for brown sugar...
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx

Spinach Recipes

POSTED BY: Paige

Here is our favorite Spinach Lasagne (it was a recipe contest winner). It's different than any other that you've probably had and sooo good!

10 oz. frozen spinach (or 1 bunch cooked fresh)

6 oz. lasagne noodles

1 lb. ground beef (can also add 1/8 lb. pork sausage if you like)

3/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. oregano

3/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce parmesan cheese sprinkled on top

Brown meat in skillet. Add salt, pepper, oregano & worchestershire. Stir in cooked & well-drained spinach. In oil dripped pan arrange 1/2 cooked noodles, 1/2 meat mixture and 1/2 cheese. Repeat layers. Heat soup & milk together. Stir until well blended and pour over top of casserole, separating noodles a bit to let seep down in. Pour tomato sauce over top and sprinkle generously with parmesan chees. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

POSTED BY MARIKO:

It's very easy, also, to throw a handful of spinach into your smoothie. You can't taste it at all. We also sautee a HUGE bunch of spinach, blend it up, and mix it into the egg before cooking scrambled eggs. Again, you can't taste it, and Amaya doesn't seem to mind that they're green at all.