Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Packets

In each bag: ( I made 24 in 20 min)
1/4 cup Quick Cooking Oatmeal
1/8 teas salt
1 teas sugar (I used brown)
1 heaping teas of crunched up dehydrated apples (can you say food storage people?!)
1 dash of cinnamon
2 T powdered oatmeal (I processed a large batch in my blender and you could do it in a food processor as well)



When ready to eat, place packet in a bowl with 2/3 cup of boiling water and presto! You have breakfast with no corn syrup or weird unpronounceable ingredients. I'm all about quick and nutritious. It also helps that we have a hot water dispenser at our house...

Whole Wheat Crackers

3 cups rolled oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Put in blender to emulsify: (I use a stick blender for this)
3 Tablespoons honey
3/4 oil
1 cup water
Add liquid to dry ingredients. Combine. Split dough into two equal portions and press into 2 large cookie sheet pans...the thinner the better. Score with a pizza cutter. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 min until the edges are golden.

(You can add lots of different spices and toppings to these crackers. Next time I think I'll do some fresh ground pepper and maybe some parmesan.)

Whirled Peas

I have had several inquiries after this recipe...it's not my own. Marilyn Carpenter taught a soups class 11 years ago. My family has enjoyed it ever since. Let me preface this by saying that my husband absolutely hates split pea soup. So this is the alternative that we enjoy. It's best enjoyed in spring on a rainy day with a crusty loaf of bread and a green salad.



32 oz of frozen peas
2-3 cups of chicken broth
1 heaping tsp of curry
1 celery stalk
2 carrots
1/2 medium onion
2 tbls butter
1/4 to 1 1/2 cup of ham or other meat
1 cup of either cream, milk, or half and half



Saute in a large pot with 2 tbls of butter, 1 celery stalk finely chopped, 1/2 medium onion finely chopped, 2 small carrots finely chopped. (If you like garlic, add a clove or two minced now) While the veggies are softening, take 32oz of frozen peas and place in blender.



Pour 2-3 cups of hot chicken stock over the peas and puree until smooth. You can use homemade chicken stock, bullion, canned, or just plain water or vegetable stock. It's really a personal preference. I am one of those nut jobs who makes her own chicken stock but in a pinch, I love the chicken base you buy in the spice aisle at Costco. When onion is soft, add the pea puree. Next, add a cubed potato. At this time you can add some kind of meat to flavor your dish. I added some chopped ham lunch meat. I've added bacon bits, sauteed summer sausage, and ham. You can flavor it with a 1/4 cup or so or if you are in the mood for a hearty meal, add up to a 1 1/2 cups. The soup will be thick and bubbly, but if you prefer a very thin soup, thin with extra liquid now.



Add one heaping tsp of curry and cook on medium until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. At the very end, add 1 cup of cream/half and half/ milk to your soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy you Vegetables! ( You can very easily make this into a very low fat soup by using 1 tsp butter and 2 tsp water to saute your veggies and adding non-fat milk...but I like that fat personally)

Peanut Munchies...Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven!

In my quest for a yummy treat to put in my kids lunches, I came across this promising recipe in Better Homes and Gardens (March 07 issue). These cookies have a dark chocolate cookie wrapped around a slightly sweet peanut butter center...its like eating a peanut butter cup, only much better....beware, you'll have to eat a few immediately upon cooling.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup +2 tbls sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tbls milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside. In large mixing bowl combine butter, and 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup peanut butter; beat with mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can with mixer. Using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture. Shape dough into 32 balls, each about 1 1/4 inches. Set aside. For filling, in bowl combine powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter. With mixer beat until smooth; knead by hand if necessary. Shape into 32 small balls. Preheat oven at this point to 350 degrees. On work surface, flatten a chocolate dough ball; top with peanut butter ball. Shape flattened dough over peanut butter ball, completely covering peanut butter ball; reshape into ball. Repeat. Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped into the 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake 8 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Then cool on wire rack. It says it only takes 35 minutes...It took me and hour and a half to make a double batch so be prepared to spend some time on this one!

Cherry Chocolate Cake...by request

Since I made this cake last week, I have had several requests for the recipe. It's not my own, but I did make a few changes to this recipe that I think are worth implementing....

Chocolate Cherry Stack Cake...from Better Homes and Gardens

3/4 cup plus 1 tsp all purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream (I used yogurt)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 6x2 (or 8x2 that is what I used)round cake pans. Mix 1 tsp each flour and coca powder; dust pans. Set aside.
2. In bowl combine flour cocoa powder, baking powder baking soda cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3. In large bowl mix butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until smooth and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. And sour cream and flour. Pour batter in pans; spread evenly (this batter is thick so you have to spoon it in and spread it out.)
4. Bake 22 to 26 min or until to springs back. Cool in pans for 10 min on wire rack then remove from pans and let them cool completely.

Cherry Frosting
In large bowl combine one cup sour cream ( I would have used plain vanilla yogurt..Nancy's) one cup whipping cream and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, and two tbls of Maraschino Cherry juice. Beat until fluffy. ( I would beat the whipping cream separately until fluffy then fold in the yogurt and sugar mixture afterward to give the frosting more loft. I also added a drop of red food coloring just because.)

Chocolate Dipped Cherries. Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips with a tbls of shortening. Dip cherries in chocolate that have been patted dry with a paper towel and place on wax paper. You can place them in the fridge to harden more quickly.

Assembly
1. Cut cakes in half. Place approximately 2/3 cup of frosting on first layer then place next layer on. I would add some cherry pie filling to the next layer if I had it to do over again just for a surprise punch, then add another 2/3 cup frosting. Then place remaining frosting on top. Adorn with chocolate cherries...make sure to have enough for everyone. It's a simply adorned cake that packs a punch, high in protein, low in fat, and a great taste to boot!...6 grams of protein!!!

Homemade Bread...a Labor of Love...

Can you by cheap bread? Yes, but it doesn't taste like this. It doesn't stay with your kids until they come home from school. It doesn't hold your homemade jam the way your homemade bread can. And I love the people I make it for, so it tastes even better.

1/4 cup warm water
1 T yeast
pinch of sugar
Place in small bowl or cup and stir. Leave undisturbed for 10 min while getting other ingredients ready.
3 T honey
3 T melted butter or oil
1 T salt
2 cups very warm water
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 cup of flour
Mix above ingredients in stand mixer until combined well. Add in Yeast mixture. Slowly add 1/2 cup of flour at a time. Add flour until ball of dough forms and no longer sticks to the sides. (about 6 cups of flour in all)Knead for few minutes until an impression of your finger, bounces back. Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic. Let rise in warm spot until doubled. Punch down and divide into two pieces. shape into loaves and place in two greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise until they rise at least 1 inch above the lip. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes. The color will be a gorgeous golden color and easily release from the sides. Enjoy!

Harvest Soup

I know it's been forever since I posted on this sight. Not because we haven't been eating, but the energy required to actually remember what I make has been absent for a while. Halloween has been a busy time in our household. We have been eating lots of great things, but unless I write it down, I can't remember what exactly I did to make it so great.
Last night, was a stroke of creative genius that comes only every so often. I usually don't follow a recipe exactly unless it's something I have never tried before. Last night I completely came up with this one on my own...and not a drop was left. Even Anderson ate it!

Harvest Time Soup
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 small sugar pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 can of creamed corn
1 lb of smoked sausage
4 T butter
1 medium onion chopped finely
6 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken bullion cubes
salt to taste

Place butternut squash and pumpkin cubes in a bowl and fill with water to cover. Microwave for 10 to 12 min. Drain 2/3 of water and mash with fork. To large pot, add butter and onion and sausage. Saute until onions are translucent and sausage is browned. Add can of creamed corn, squash mixture, and milk. Next, add chicken bullion, sage, pepper and heat until bubbly. Add salt to taste.

This is sweet and savory at the same time. I served it with a salad, and homemade bread. I didn't have to hide the vegetables in this and my kids loved it and my husband who doesn't like squash or pumpkin, loved it!