Happy New Year!

My Christmas season has been extremely busy, and richly blessed, as I sincerely hope yours has been. As 2014 comes to a close and we begin a brand new year, I want to thank each one of you for stopping by my blog. I can't even begin to express to you how much I appreciate your faithfulness. With a new year comes many new recipe ideas and posts. I hope that you might find some of interest for your family here at The Heart of the Home. Blessings to you and yours for a wonderful new year!

Chili Dip

When the days are crazy busy, as they are this time of year, it is wonderful to have a snack that is as easy to throw together as this Chili Dip. A fondue pot or slow cooker is a great way of keeping the dip warm for a party, otherwise, warm this kid-friendly dip on the stove top, serve, and watch it disappear. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 can (15-oz.) chili with beans
1 pkg. (8-oz.) low-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup salsa
1 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro (or more, to taste)
Frito's "Scoops" corn chips for dipping

1. In a medium saucepan, heat together chili, cheese, and salsa until cheese is melted and mixture is warm. Add chopped cilantro to taste.
2. Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm, if desired.

Yield: 1-3/4 cups
149 calories per 1/4 cup
2 gms. fiber

Eggnog Muffins

I've found that most people have a love/hate relationship with eggnog. My husband absolutely loves eggnog and can't wait until there is a carton in our refrigerator; my son won't allow the stuff to pass his lips, no matter what. In recipes, I have found that the flavor of eggnog is muted and still noticeable, but not overwhelming. What I really like about using eggnog in muffins and breads, is the moistness that it adds to the finished product. In this recipe the addition of golden raisins, or chopped, dried apricots, and nutmeg, make for a very festive addition to the breakfast menu. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 egg
1-3/4 cups eggnog
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup golden raisins or chopped, dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients.
2. In another bowl, combine the egg, eggnog and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
    Stir in raisins and pecans.
3. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full; approximately 1/4 cup batter per cup.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 
    minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack.

Yield: 16 muffins

This recipe was adapted from a "Taste of Home Cookbook".

Curried Cranberry Chicken Salad

This recipe is a bit different from traditional chicken/turkey salad recipes because of the addition of lime juice and curry powder. The combination of these two flavors works
beautifully with the sweet apple chunks and dried cranberries. Serve this salad alone or with a green salad, and maybe a tasty bread for a simple meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lime juice
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups diced apple
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

1. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice and curry powder.
2. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill. This salad is best served within 8 hours.

Yield: 5 cups
1 cup prepared with chicken breast = 260 calories
1 cup prepared with mixed white and dark turkey = 277 calories
3 gms. fiber

This recipe was adapted from a "Taste of Home Cooking School" magazine.

Sour Cream Cranberry Bars

Tis the season for cranberries and cookies. This festive recipe combines dried cranberries and sour cream between a rich, buttery, brown sugar and oatmeal base, and crumb topping. The recipe goes together easily, and the cookies store very well for a week, or more, in the refrigerator. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided use
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.
2. Combine oats and 1-1/2 cups flour; add to creamed mixture until blended. Set aside 1-1/2 cups for topping.
3. Press remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, in another bowl combine the sour cream, yogurt, sugar, egg, lemon zest, vanilla and remaining flour with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in cranberries and pour evenly over crust.
5. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and return to oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies
152 calories each
1 gm. fiber

This wonderful recipe come from a "Taste of Home" cookbook.

Festive Mincemeat Pie

For some, like my mom and my husband, it is not the holiday season without mincemeat pie. They love this pie! For those who don't know much about mincemeat pie, there no longer is meat in the pie, like there was years ago when my mom was a little girl. So, really, it should be called mince pie to be accurate. A jar of mincemeat is spiced raisins and apples, to which I add brandy, more apple, and dried cranberries. This fragrant and spicy pie is then topped off with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream. Yummy! Blessings...

Recipe:

Pastry for a double-crust pie
1 (27- to 29-ounce) jar of mincemeat
1 apple, such as Jonathon, Golden Delicious or Jonagold, cored and diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
4 tbsp. brandy
2 tbsp. sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon for topping

1. Combine mincemeat, apples, cranberries and brandy in a large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, or longer, to develop flavors.
2. Roll out pastry to about 12 inches around. Place in 9-inch pie plate. Pile mincemeat mixture in the crust. Cover with top crust and cut several slits in it for vents, or cut into strips and place across the top in a lattice pattern. Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
3. Place in a 375 degree oven and bake about 30 minutes, or until crust is brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Yield: 6 to 8 pieces

This recipe was adapted from a recipe that I clipped out of my hometown newspaper many years ago.

Savory Thanksgiving Stuffing

If you don't have a favorite stuffing recipe for turkey, may I suggest this one? I've been making it for years, so long in fact, that I don't even remember where the recipe comes from. This stuffing is our family favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas, if we have turkey for Christmas. The stuffing can be made the day before it is
needed and then stored, covered, in the refrigerator until you are ready to stuff the turkey. Never stuff the turkey and store it in the refrigerator because of the possibility of bacterial growth. Stuffing is delicious combined with the mashed potatoes, turkey and turkey gravy. Blessings...

Recipe: 

2 onions, diced
2 cups diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tbsps. butter
2 7-oz. bags plain stuffing cubes
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tsps. ground sage
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups chicken broth

1. Saute' onion, celery and garlic in 4 tbsps of the butter for 3 minutes or until onion softens.
2. Combine veggies, bread cubes and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Melt remaining 2 tbsps butter and add to stuffing with the chicken broth. Mix and stuff turkey for roasting now, or cover the bowl of stuffing and store in the refrigerator for later use. After stuffing the neck cavity and main cavity, there will be stuffing remaining.
4. Bake remaining stuffing in a covered casserole in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until heated through.
5. This recipe can be cut-in-half for a turkey that is 15 lbs. or less, if you don't want a lot of leftovers.

Tip: I toast about 1 cup broken pecans and add to the stuffing along with a handful of raisins. I've also used dried cranberries, chopped, dried apricots, or 1 chopped apple with the pecans.
Tip: If you have limited oven space, put the extra stuffing in the crock pot on low heat until dinner time. This works great.
Tip: We don't care for soggy stuffing, so when I remove the stuffing from the turkey I add it to the baked stuffing, or to the crock pot. Mix well and serve. Wonderful flavor!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

From my kitchen to yours, one of the best sweet potato casseroles I've ever eaten, bar none. There have been many variations of this recipe over the years, but none of them any better than this one contributed to Woman's Day Magazine years ago by a woman named Bette Haney. This wonderful casserole is a favorite on our holiday table year after year. In the picture, the sweet potatoes are on the bottom right of the plate. Tomorrow I will post my favorite recipe for stuffing, pictured between the turkey and mashed potatoes. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 large eggs

5 lbs. fresh sweet potatoes, boiled, drained and mashed (6 cups)

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup heavy cream (fat-free 1/2 and 1/2 works just fine)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. Beat eggs. Add to mashed sweet potatoes with the other ingredients; mix well. Spread in prepared pan.

Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1. Mix sugar, flour and nuts. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potatoes.

2. Bake 1 hour or until mixture is hot and bubbly.

Yield: Serves 12

Note: recipe can easily be cut in half and baked in a 8 x 8-inch pan.

Cranberry Conserve

This fruity cranberry recipe is my husband's absolute favorite for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. It is definitely a family tradition and thankfully others like it, as well. He never tires of it. I really appreciate the fact that the recipe makes a large batch and is easily frozen for up to 3 months.

Have a wonderful time cooking and preparing for your family's Christmas season. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups water

2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 pkgs. (12 oz. each) cranberries (6 cups), picked over and rinsed

2 tbsps. grated orange peel

4 oranges, peeled and chopped

2 apples, peeled and chopped

1 cup chopped nuts

1. Mix water and brown sugar in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling; boil 1 minute.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts. Heat to boiling; lower heat and boil rapidly until cranberries pop and mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Watch very carefully and stir often as the sugar will burn, especially the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

3. Remove pot from heat and stir in the nuts. Set aside to cool and then store in containers in the refrigerator or put into freezer containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Yield: 9-3/4 cups
90 calories per 1/4 cup serving
2 gms. fiber per serving

This favorite recipe comes from Betty Crocker's "Christmas Cookbook".

Stuffed French Toast with Fruit Salad

This brunch dish is wonderful, rich, and not complicated, and can be prepared in advance. If you do prepare it in advance, the only adjustment needed will be when cooking the French toast. Since you will have chilled it overnight, you will want to allow time to warm the bread all the way through, without burning it, so a lower heat may be needed. The syrup can be re-warmed in the microwave, or on the stove top. When we had it for breakfast with our very young grandchildren, I prepared slices of the bread without the filling. This worked very well without making a separate dish.

A large bowl of fruit salad makes a good and very simple side dish.  Add coffee, tea, and juice, or maybe a fruit punch, and you’re ready to enjoy a wonderful meal with your family and friends. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 8-ounce package Neufchatel (low-fat) cream cheese, softened
1 cup apricot jam
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup finely chopped pecans
1 16-ounce loaf sweet French bread
4 eggs
1 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup orange juice

1. In a small bowl beat together the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of the apricot jam, and the teaspoon of vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in the pecans and set aside. Cut the bread into ten to twelve 1 ½-inch-thick slices; cut a pocket in the top of each. Fill the pocket with about 1-½ tablespoons of the cheese mixture.
2. Combine the remaining apricot jam and orange juice in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, whisking as jam melts so the mixture becomes a smooth syrup.
3. Beat together eggs, whipping cream, cinnamon and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat, or use a griddle, if preferred. Using tongs, dip filled bread slices in the egg mixture, being careful not to squeeze out the filling. Cook in lightly greased pan for about 2 minutes per side or until lightly brown. Keep warm in a 300-degree oven while cooking remaining slices.
4. To serve, drizzle warm syrup over the hot French toast. Delicious!

Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Tip: For a lower fat version, use 1 cup refrigerated egg product in place of whole eggs and 1 % milk instead of whipping cream. It is still excellent and a little easier on the waistline.

Pumpkin Dip

The day after Thanksgiving we enjoyed this festive pumpkin dip for our lunch with slices of pear and apple, and sweet potato chips. The dip is mildly flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, keeping it kid-friendly, and deliciously creamy-sweet with the addition of a jar of marshmallow cream. Yummy for a snack, lunch, or light dessert after dinner. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) light cream cheese, softened
1 container (7 oz.) marshmallow cream
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
chopped pecans for garnish is desired

1. Using an electric mixer, beat together all of the ingredients until smooth.
2. Cover and chill for several hours to blend flavors.
3. Serve with slices of pear and apple, sweet potato chips, vanilla wafers or gingersnaps.

Yield: about 2-1/2 cups
1/4 cup serving = 127 calories
.5 gm. fiber

This recipe comes from a flyer sent out by Fred Meyer Grocery Store.

Turkey Taco Bake

This very easy kid-friendly casserole makes good use of some of the leftover turkey from the grand feast of last week. Of course, when there is no leftover turkey, chicken can also be used very successfully. We served the casserole with a simple salad of greens and fruit that was topped with a poppy seed dressing. Yummy, and so easy! Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups coarsely crushed corn chips
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 cup shredded Mexican four cheese blend
1 cup shredded medium Cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken (I use chopped meat, it's faster)
1 tsp. Mexican or taco seasoning
1 green onion, sliced (opt.)
1 medium tomato, chopped (opt.)

1. Place corn chips in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup of cheese and salsa. Spread over chips.
3. Toss the turkey or chicken with the Mexican seasoning; sprinkle over bean mixture.
4. Top with the remaining cheese; sprinkle with the green onion, if desired.
5. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.
6. Sprinkle with chopped tomato, if desired.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Tip: Casserole can be made in advance and refrigerated. Heat covered casserole in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. Check the center of casserole to make sure that it is heated through.

Cardamom Sweet Potatoes

This is a very simple recipe for the traditional holiday favorite, sweet potatoes. We have them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, as this picture depicts. This recipe is a bit different from other recipes that I have tried in that it has the unusual addition of cardamom. The cardamom can really stand out, so do use the smaller measurement and taste as you go. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 lbs. fresh sweet potatoes
6 tbsps. packed brown sugar, divided
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 tbsp. butter, melted

1. Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until fork tender; drain.
2. Add 4 tablespoons brown sugar, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, cardamom and milk. Mash all together and taste. Adjust seasoning and milk, as desired.
3. Scrape into 1-qt. casserole. Drizzle with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining brown sugar.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Yield: 3 cups or 6 servings
1/2 cup serving = 208 calories
5 gms. fiber

Ruby Cranberry Sauce

The first time I read this recipe in Marcia Adam's cookbook, "New Recipes from Quilt Country", I was intrigued with the idea of a baked cranberry sauce. After trying the recipe, I was hooked. It is so easy and mess-free with none of the spattering that happens when cranberries are cooked down in a saucepan on the stove. I adapted the recipe a bit to fit our tastes by changing the cinnamon to nutmeg, and by decreasing the orange zest from three tablespoons to one tablespoon. Blessings...


Recipe:                                                                         
3-1/4 cups sugar
2 cups hot water
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 12-ounce bags cranberries, washed, drained, and looked over
1 tbsp. grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sugar, water, and nutmeg in a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes without stirring.
2. Remove from the oven and stir in the orange zest. Let the mixture stand until cooled, without stirring. If you think the sauce is a bit too thick, and this will vary, add a bit of orange juice. Ladle into jars and refrigerate until needed. The sauce can be frozen for later use, as well.

Yield: about 5 cups sauce
183 calories per 1/3 cup
2 gms. fiber
Note: Click on picture to enlarge.

Triple Berry Cobbler

We love berries, fresh or frozen, it doesn't matter to us. This recipe was created using frozen berries because they are readily available year around and often are far more flavorful than the fresh berries available for such a limited time during the summer. The juice that is drained off the thawed berries makes for a more flavorful cobbler, I think, than using water alone. A touch of nutmeg and allspice add a subtle change of flavor, and, of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream tops it off perfectly. Blessings...

Recipe:

Biscuit topper:

1 cup unbleached flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup 1% milk
1 egg

1. Place berries in a sieve over a bowl to collect the juice while the biscuit topper is being prepared.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients for biscuit topper in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Measure milk in a 1-cup measure. Add egg and blend with a fork until well-combined. Add to dry mixture and stir just until combined. Set aside.

Berry Filling:

5 cups frozen mixed berries, thawed (see note)
1/4 tsp. allspice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup juice from berries, add water, if necessary, to make a cup of liquid. Set berries aside.
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan, measure allspice, sugar and cornstarch; stir to combine. Whisk in cup of juice from the berries. Cook and stir sauce over medium-low heat until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove pan from heat.
3. Stir in lemon juice and berries. Cook and gently stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until berries are warm. Pour into casserole. Drop biscuit topper onto berries in 6 mounds.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until biscuits are a golden brown color and cooked through. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Yield: 6 servings
277 calories
6.5 gms. fiber
Tip: If you are unsure as to whether or not the biscuits are done, gently lift the center biscuit with a spoon to see if the underside is cooked or still appears doughy. If the biscuit appears doughy, continue to bake another 5 minutes.
Note: I use 1 16-ounce bag of mixed berries and 1 cup of raspberries to make the 4 cups of berries needed.

This recipe was adapted from "Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook".

Minestrone Soup

This wonderful recipe for Minestrone Soup is so easy to put together and is ready for the family in about 1 hour. It is a meal-in-a-bowl; perfect for a cold day served with warm, crusty bread, and maybe a salad. It's full of vegetables, beans, sweet Italian sausage, ground beef and pasta, and it is not loaded with calories. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 lb. 7% ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or 2 tsps. bottled minced garlic
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups sliced zucchini
8 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine or more broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
a few grinds black pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti

1. Cook and stir sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic in a large soup kettle until meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat. (I use a turkey baster to do this).
2. Stir in next 10 ingredients and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add macaroni, stir the soup and recover. Cook for approximately 5 minutes longer. Test vegetables with a fork to make sure they are tender and check the macaroni to make sure it is tender.

Note: When I make this for my husband and I, I cut the recipe in half. I omit the ground beef and cut the other ingredients by half. Use 1 cup kidney beans and 1 cup corn.
Yield: 1/2 recipe is 9-1/4 cups soup
245 calories per cup using the sausage only
3 gms. fiber

Tip: The pasta will continue to cook in the hot broth if the soup sits for very long. If the soup isn't going to be eaten right away, leave the pasta out until the soup is reheated for the meal. Bring the soup to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.

This recipe was adapted from Betty Crocker's "Christmas Cookbook".

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

My family loves pumpkin in just about any form; breads, muffins, soup, cookies and cake are all favorites. These muffins, made with mini-chocolate chips, are a favorite way to use up leftover pumpkin. This is my variation of a recipe that comes from "Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookbook", a favorite cookbook that I have used for years. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 egg white (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup pure pumpkin, not pie mix
1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg white, milk, pumpkin, chocolate chips, and butter together.
2. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients all at once. Stir just until combined.
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins
172 calories each
1.7 grams fiber each

Tip: Leftover pumpkin can be frozen for a future use. If, when you want to use the remaining thawed pumpkin, you find that you are lacking all that you need for your recipe, boiled, mashed carrots can be substituted. I have found that I can substitute up to 1/4 cup mashed carrots very successfully.

Cranberry Fluff

This is a very rich salad, or dessert, whichever you would like it to be. I've always served it as a festive salad, but it could certainly be a fruity, fun dessert. This kid-friendly salad/dessert will keep in the refrigerator for several days, if there is any left after your meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups raw cranberries, ground
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups unpeeled, diced apple
1/2 cup halved, seedless grapes
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup heavy cream, whipped stiff or 2 cups whipped topping

1. Combine first three ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Add apples, grapes, pecans and salt; stir well.
3. Fold in whipped cream, or topping, and stir well.

Yield: 6-3/4 cups or 9 3/4-cup servings
264 calories per serving using whipped cream
202 calories per serving using whipped topping
2 gms. fiber

This recipe comes from a cookbook created by the ladies of the church I attended when growing up. Wonderful cooks!!

Salsa Red Beans 'n' Rice

This very savory skillet meal goes together quickly when dinner needs to be fast and easy. The recipe was written without the addition of the sausage, and is served over rice, but when we had our leftover meal, I added the sausage for my hubbies benefit. We enjoyed the dish both ways. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 green onions, finely shopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1-1/4 cups salsa
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
hot cooked rice

1. In a skillet, saute the green pepper, onions and garlic in oil until tender.
2. Stir in the salsa and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
3. Serve over rice.

Yield: 3 cups
117 calories per 1/2 cup w/o rice
6 gms. fiber
Note: If you want to add a sausage to the dish, simple slice the sausage and brown it along with the pepper, onion and garlic.

Pumpkin Pecan Frozen Yogurt

This wonderful, full-flavored, kid-friendly pumpkin yogurt is great for snacks or dessert, and so easy! Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups frozen Vanilla Bean yogurt, softened (see note)

1/2 cup canned or cooked pumpkin

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients; mix well. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm.

Yield: 8 servings, 1/2 cup each
195 calories
4 gms. fiber

Note: I use Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean frozen yogurt. The flavor is very good, there are live yogurt cultures in it, and there is 3 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup serving.

This recipe was adapted from Taste of Home's "Light and Tasty" magazine.

The Best Macaroni and Cheese

One of our families favorite comfort foods is macaroni and cheese. Yes, it is high in calories, but it is also easy, fast, and absolutely delicious. Macaroni and cheese, made from scratch, puts the packaged mixes to shame, especially if you are an adult. This recipe can be made in advance and reheated in the microwave, which is great for planning ahead. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups elbow macaroni

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon finely diced onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash cayenne pepper, about 1/16 teaspoon

a few grinds of black pepper

2 cups 1% milk

6 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups moderately packed in measuring cup)

1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions. Do not overcook; drain and set aside.

2. Have onion diced and cheese grated, ready for use.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, add onion and saute' until transparent.

4. Add flour to butter and cook and stir over low heat for one minute. Add salt, cayenne and black pepper.

5. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Turn heat up to medium and cook and stir until mixture is thickened and comes to a boil. Turn heat down to low; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.

6. Add all but 1/2 cup of the cheese to the white sauce; stir until the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.

7. Add macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine; pour into a 1-1/2-qt. casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

8. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or cook in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted.

Yield: 5 cups, serves 4 to 6
428 calories per cup using 6 oz. cheese
2 gms. fiber
476 calories per cup using 8 oz. cheese

Note:  For richer cheese sauce, use 8 oz. grated cheese.
This recipe was adapted from "The New McCall's Cookbook".

Buttermilk Waffles

Weekends are for waffles or pancakes in our house. Weekdays we are up at 4:00 a.m. and cold cereal is the routine breakfast, so we look forward to having a bit more time on the weekend for a breakfast of waffles, pancakes, coffee cakes, etc. This has been a favorite waffle recipe in our family for over 35 years. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 eggs
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
chopped pecans for sprinkling on top

1. Beat eggs; beat in remaining ingredients, except pecans, with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake according to manufacturers directions.

Yield:  about eight 7-inch waffles
Tip: Wheat germ or whole wheat flour can be used in place of the wheat bran.

This recipe was adapted from the "Betty Crocker's Cookbook".

Halloween Candy Cookies

This wonderful cookie recipe is a fun way to use some of the leftover candy from Halloween, if there is any leftover! If there isn't leftovers, buy regular size candy bars and cut them up; this recipe is well worth the little bit of time that it takes. This is basically a buttery-rich chocolate chip cookie recipe that has been expanded and chopped up candy bars are added instead of chocolate chips. What a treat for the family. Blessings...

Recipe:

3-2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups chopped candy bits (such as Butterfingers, Baby Ruth's, Heath Bars, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, etc.) 3 cups is best!

1. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugars together with a mixer until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low, gradually add flour mixture and mix just until combined. You will need to stop the mixer in order to scrape the bowl because the dough is thick and heavy.
4. Stir in the candy bits using a large spoon.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Drop dough by tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes to set cookie. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies
Per cookie (using jelly beans): 100 calories according to the recipe publisher. It would be impossible to do a calorie count because of the variety of candy available; just enjoy!

This recipe came from a 2013 newspapers insert called, "Relish Magazine".

Pineapple-Carrot Gelatin Salad

Cool, easy, and refreshing; what could be a tastier addition to the dinner menu? And, children usually love gelatin. So, if you have children or grandchildren, this recipe might be a helpful way to get a little more of the good stuff, like pineapple and carrots, down them. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
Scant 1 cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup crushed, drained pineapple
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot, about 1 medium carrot

1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water in a 5" x 9" loaf pan.
2. Add pineapple and lemon juice; stir. Refrigerate until partially set, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Stir in crushed pineapple and carrots.
4. Chill until firm, about another hour.

Yield: 8 servings
67 calories per serving
less than 1 gm. fiber

Tip: One 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained, will yield enough juice for this recipe. The remaining pineapple can be used up in a variety of ways, such as a carrot salad, or coleslaw.

Pineapple Coleslaw

Let's face it; cabbage is generally not a favorite food of most people, especially children. The addition of drained, crushed pineapple in this recipe sweetens the coleslaw without adding extra sugar and calories. The taste so refreshing and naturally sweet! This is a very pleasant change from traditional coleslaw recipes, and it works well with any menu. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/3 cup mayonnaise

1. Combine cabbage, pineapple and carrot in a salad bowl.
2. Whisk together celery seed and mayonnaise and stir into salad. Serve chilled

Yield: 4 to 5 servings
1/2 cup = 48 calories
1/2 cup = 1 gm. fiber

Tip: To lower the calories, I use half low-fat mayonnaise and half fat-free plain yogurt in place of regular mayonnaise. My calorie count is based on the low fat ingredients.

This recipe was adapted from a "Taste of Home" recipe.

Pumpkin-Maple Dip

This wonderful dip, with the fall-flavors of pumpkin, maple syrup and spice, comes from a monthly food-insert in our local newspaper called, "Dash". The dip is wonderful with slices of apple for a simple dessert, but would be equally good for snacking. This is a fun, kid-friendly recipe for any aged "kid". Blessings...

Recipe:

4 oz. low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
3 tbsp. maple syrup (honey would work)
2 tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
pinch salt
ground peanuts for garnish if desired

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth.
2. Serve with sliced apple or pear, graham crackers, or sweet potato chips.

Yield: 1-2/3 cups
27 calories per tablespoon

Easy Cream of Vegetable Soup

This very easy recipe was created using frozen vegetables when there was no fresh broccoli to make the Cream of Broccoli Soup posted on 4/19/2013. I've updated the recipe making the soup more flavorful without added calories, yet, it is mild enough to be kid-friendly. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped green onion
2 tbsp. chopped yellow onion
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth (3-1/2 cups)
1 cup peeled, diced potato
2 12-oz. pkgs. broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, thawed (3 cups)
2 cups 1% milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. savory
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1. Warm olive oil over low heat in a large saucepan; add onion and saute until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, potato, thawed vegetables, salt, pepper and savory. Heat to boiling. Lower heat; cover and simmer for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Set pot aside and allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes. Cooling the mixture makes pureeing simpler.
3. Puree vegetable-broth mixture in small batches in a blender until smooth; return to a soup pot.
4. Add milk, Tabasco sauce and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low flame, don't boil, and adjust seasoning if needed.

Yield: 8 cups
84 calories per cup
2 gms. fiber

Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits, posted on 9/26/2013, would be wonderful alongside this soup.

Pajaro Valley Coleslaw Crunch

This wonderful salad recipe is another of those that goes back to the days when we lived in the Aptos/Santa Cruz area. I got this recipe from a lady at church and have no idea where it comes from, but I do know that this type of salad was very popular in the 1980's and I saw many variations of it. The recipe feeds a crowd, so it is great for potlucks and barbecues. I also make it a main dish salad by adding chopped cooked chicken; we love it. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1 head cabbage
8 green onions
4 tbsps. sesame seeds
1 cup cashews
2 pkgs. ramen noodles, chicken flavor
Chopped cooked chicken, if desired to make it a main dish salad

1. Chop cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Slice onions and add to cabbage. Add sesame seeds and cashews.
2. Break uncooked noodles into small pieces and add to salad. (I put the noodles in a plastic bag and gently use a meat mallet on them to break them into small pieces.)

Dressing:

1 cup peanut oil
6 tbsps. apple cider vinegar
4 tbsps sugar, dissolved in vinegar
seasoning packets from noodles

Mix in blender or whisk together, and toss with cabbage using the amount desired.

Yield: 10 - 12 servings
Calories for the dressing: 81 per tablespoon

Sandy's Favorite Homemade Sausage Recipe

When my niece and I were in a recipe group together, she posted this very tasty and simple sausage recipe. I've made the recipe a few times now using ground turkey breast with very good results. We love the flavor of the sausage in recipes and alongside eggs for breakfast. And, that is saying a great deal where my husband, the pork lover is concerned. Any type of ground meat can be used in this recipe, so I certainly will use ground pork another time. I've used the sausage in Sausage Cheese Balls, posted on 1/30/2014 and in Sausage Lentil Soup, posted on 1/31/2014. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 pounds ground meat
2 tsps. ground ginger
3 tsps. rubbed sage or poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 tsps. salt

Use hands to mix all ingredients together well. My niece freezes the mixture in 1 pound pkgs. for use later.

For 1 pound of ground meat:

3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. rubbed sage or poultry seasoning (I used sage)
1/8 tsp. (slightly rounded) cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt

Slow Cooker Southwestern Beans and Rice

This savory slow cooker version of beans and rice is very good as is, or it can be served as a filling for burritos. For a burrito filling, mix some of the bean mixture with some rice and tuck it inside a flour tortilla topped with a dollop of sour cream. Yummy! The ham hocks add a wonderful smoky flavor but provide very little meat, so, if you prefer not to mess with them, you might like to add 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke instead. Either way, the recipe is full-flavored, and very easy to prepare. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 ham hocks
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained (black beans are also very good)
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried cilantro, crushed and added to the slow cooker or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro sprinkled over dish at serving time.
Hot cooked rice

1. Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker except the fresh cilantro, if using, and the rice.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Remove the ham hocks during the last hour of cooking and cut off the meat; return to the slow cooker. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve over rice.

Yield: 3 cups
3/4 cup = 139 calories without rice
7 gms. fiber
Note: Calorie count includes 2 to 3 ounces ham from ham hocks.

Berry Yogurt Scones

Different kinds of breads for breakfast, whether served with fruit and tea on an early workday morning, or alongside an egg dish being enjoyed with guests on the weekend, are such a wonderful change of pace. This recipe is adapted from one that I cut out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine years ago. The original recipe was made with fruit yogurt and was difficult to work with because the dough was very sticky. Greek yogurt is thick and causes the dough to be much denser and sturdier. The addition of dried fruit adds great flavor and a bit of fiber. Fresh fruit, unless it is a hard fruit like apple, would not stand up to the kneading of the dough.  Blessings...

Recipe:

2-1/2 cups biscuit mix such as Bisquick

1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for sprinkling on top

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup vanilla 2% Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dried blueberries or cranberries

1. Combine biscuit mix and 1/4 cup sugar.

2. Stir together egg, yogurt, berries and butter.

3. Combine the two just until mixture comes together.

4. Scrape dough out of bowl onto smooth work surface. Dough will be very thick and dense. Knead 8-10 times so that dough is well combined and forms a smooth mass.

5. Gather dough up and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Pat into a 6" circle and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cut into 6 wedges.

6. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes rotating pan halfway through baking time. If the scones are already browning, cover them with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Yield: 6 servings
317 calories each
2 gms. fiber
Note: I have found that the best way to tell if a scone is done is to use a sharp knife and cut through one horizontally. If it still appears sticky or doughy, give it another minute or two.

Pineapple Beets

Generally speaking, beets are probably not thought about much when we are planning our weekly menus. For years the only thing I did with a can of beets was to make Pickled Beets, a dish I remember from growing up. But, when I came across this version in a Taste of Home cookbook, my mind was changed forever. The addition of pineapple and a sweet-and-sour sauce really dress up a can of ho-hum beets. Of course, if you would like to cook fresh beets and slice them, that would work wonderfully well. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits, undrained (1 cup with juice)
1 can (16 oz.) sliced beets, drained (1-3/4 cups)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. butter, opt.

1. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, cornstarch and salt; add pineapple and juice and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thick, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the beets, lemon juice and butter, if using; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 2-1/4 cups, 4 servings
105 calories, without butter, per serving
1 gm. fiber

Best Baked Custard

Yesterday was a very difficult day for my husband and I due to a medical procedure that he had to have. Thankfully, there was nothing to remove and no lab tests to wait on for results. So, as I'm looking at the doctor, I'm wondering to myself, "what's the problem with my husband's digestive system then?" The doctor suggests my husband may be lactose intolerant. Oh, dear, this is not good for this man, at all! So, on the way home we pick up some lactose-free milk and I don't think another thing about it until I walk into my kitchen and begin thinking about meals. Second, oh, dear. There isn't much that doesn't have lactose in it when I start thinking things through and take a look at packaging in the fridge and the pantry. My husband is discouraged, and I'm thinking, "how can I make this lactose-free week a bit better?" Custard. One of my husband's favorite comfort foods is baked custard, and thankfully, the recipe was very simple to adjust with the substitution of the lactose-free milk.

If you like baked custard, this recipe from Betty Crocker's cookbook is simple, basic and fast. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
dash salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups milk, scalded (see note)
Nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Gradually stir in milk. Pour into six 6-oz. custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
3. Place cups in baking pan, 13 x 9 x 2-inches; pour very hot water into pan to within 1/2-inch of tops of cups.
4. Bake about 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.
Remove cups from water. Serve custard warm or chilled.

Yield: 6 servings
124 calories per serving
Note: Normally I use 1% milk, so that is how I figured the calorie count.

Jello and Cottage Cheese Salad

This very old-fashioned fruit-and-cottage cheese gelatin salad recipe has a wonderful creamy texture due to the addition of a package of Dream Whip topping. Dream Whip topping, in- and-of-itself, is also very old-fashioned; you just rarely even hear of this product being used anymore. I find Dream Whip at Walmart, but not in my regular market, if that is of help to you who might want to give this recipe a try. We love this salad that is almost dessert-like in flavor and texture. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 envelope Dream Whip topping from a 2.6 oz. package or 2 cups whipped topping
1 cup cottage cheese (I use 2%)
1 pkg. (3 oz.) orange gelatin
1 can (11 oz.) Mandarin oranges, drained well
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice, drained well

1. Prepare the Dream Whip according to package directions.
2. Mix cottage cheese and dry gelatin together; add pineapple and oranges.
3. Fold the cottage cheese mixture into the whipped Dream Whip.
4. Pour into a 8 x 8-inch square pan and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Yield: 9 servings
112 calories per serving using Dream Whip
no fiber
Note: One envelope of Dream Whip prepared according to package directions equals 2 cups of topping. Two cups of whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, is a good substitution. I'm sure whipping cream would also work, but the calorie count would soar.

Savory Drop Biscuits

These delicious little biscuits are filled with cheddar cheese, mild green chilies and spices that make them a perfect accompaniment with  savory soups and stews. Here they are served alongside Vegetarian Black Bean soup, recipe posted 10/8/2014. Blessings...

Recipe:

2-1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2/3 cup milk (I use 1%)

1. In a medium bowl, combine the first six ingredients; mix well.
2. Stir in milk just until moistened.
3. Drop by tablespoon 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets.
4. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. Serve warm.

Yield: 24 biscuits
69 calories each
no fiber

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Another black bean soup recipe? Yes, this is the third recipe that I make regularly, and I want to share with you because it is so easy. It doesn't have to be made with vegetable broth, of course. I use chicken broth because we like the flavor much better, and we are not vegetarians. The biscuits that we ate alongside the soup are full of cheese and mild green chilies making them a perfect accompaniment for this meal. I will post the recipe for the biscuits tomorrow. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) vegetable or chicken broth, divided
2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced peeled potato
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (I use 1/4 tsp. keeping the soup mild in flavor)
2 green onions, sliced

1. In a saucepan, bring the onion, garlic and 1/4 cup broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is tender.
2. Stir in the beans, potato, thyme, cumin and remaining broth; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavors. Test potatoes with a fork to make sure they are tender.
3. Stir in tomatoes and hot pepper sauce; heat through. Sprinkle with green onions.

Yield: 5-3/4 cups
164 calories per cup
7 gms. fiber

This is another favorite recipe from a "Taste of Home" cookbook.

Cranberry-Pecan Pound Cake

Fall is here and with it comes fresh, seasonal, delicious cranberries in the produce department of the market. This lovely, buttery-rich pound cake is studded with toasted pecan pieces and chopped cranberries; perfect for the upcoming holidays or, for my family, anytime.

This recipe comes from the January 1990 edition of "Bon Appetit" magazine, with a few adaptions from me. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup chopped pecans (broken into small pieces, not finely chopped, 3-1/2 ounces)
1-1/2 cup cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
5 large eggs
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice or brandy (calorie count is done with orange juice)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1-1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

1. Grease and flour a 2-1/2 quart tube cake pan or two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans.
2. Place pecans on cookie sheet and bake until lightly colored and fragrant in a 350 degree oven, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.
3. Coarsely chop cranberries.
4. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl once. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in sour cream, then orange juice or brandy, vanilla and orange peel.
5. Sift unbleached flour, cake flour and salt together. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stop when all flour has been added. Mix by hand until just combined.
6. Fold in pecans and cranberries. Pour batter into prepared cake pan(s). Tap pan on counter to release any air bubbles.
7. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, rotating pan(s) halfway through baking time, about 50 to 55 minutes for loaf pans and about 1 hour for tube pan.
8. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cake can be frozen up to 1 month. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.

Yield: 20 servings
262 calories per serving
1 gm. fiber
Note: The flavor of the cake is best the day after baking.

Fruit Bran Muffins

Bran muffins are a favorite of mine, and this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens "75 Years of All-Time Favorites" cookbook is no exception. What sets this recipe apart from other recipes, is the addition of fresh fruit rather than raisins. That isn't to say that raisins couldn't be used; my favorite addition is cut-up dried apricots in place of the fresh fruit. So, be creative and use whatever your family will like. These muffins are great on their own with a bowl of fruit for breakfast, but would be equally good alongside a brunch casserole or quiche. Blessings...

Recipes: 

1-1/2 cups whole bran cereal, such as All-Bran Original
1 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 egg
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots.
The recipe is written for 1 cup fresh fruit ( such as chopped, peeled apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches, or plums; halved dark sweet cherries; whole blueberries or raspberries; or chopped bananas)

1. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper bake cups.
2. In a small mixing bowl combine bran cereal and milk; let stand 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in egg and oil; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, lemon peel, and salt.
4. Add bran mixture all at once, stirring just until moistened (batter will be thick). Fold in fruit.
5. Fill prepared muffin cups two-thirds full of batter. Bake in 400 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins
140 calories each according to the cookbook
4 gms. fiber each according to the cookbook
3 gms. fiber each using 1/2 cup dried apricots

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

My friend, Patti, and I got together for our monthly catching-up-with-each-other-time today. We shared this Broccoli Cheddar Quiche and some wonderful late-harvest peaches from her yard, while we enjoyed our visit together.

This quiche is mild in flavor and works well for brunch or dinner, and it is very kid-friendly. Our little granddaughter thoroughly enjoyed it when I made it a few years ago for brunch on Thanksgiving weekend. Blessings...

Recipe:

Pastry for a 10-inch one-crust pie
1/2 lb. bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup diced fresh broccoli
1/3 cup minced onion
1-2 tsps. butter
4 eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 few grinds white pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg


1. Line 10-inch pie plate or 10-inch quiche dish with pastry. Make high fluted edge and set aside.
2. In small frying pan over low heat, melt butter. Add onion and fry until golden in color, remove pan from heat.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Carefully spread cooked onion in pie plate.
5. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and broccoli pieces over onion.
6. Whisk together last 5 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Carefully pour cream mixture into pie plate.
7. Bake 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees; cover quiche with foil to prevent over-browning and bake another 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove quiche from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 6 to 8 main dish servings

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

Slow cooker recipes are wonderful anytime of the year, but I especially appreciate them when the weather starts to turn cool. My niece contributed this recipe in a recipe group that we were a part of last year, and I readily tried it. The recipe is very easy, and so flavorful. Inexpensive chicken thighs are slow cooked until the meat falls off the bone. It is then shredded, added back into the sauce and served over stir-fried broccoli and cooked rice. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seed and dinner is ready! This recipe comes from www.emilylovesfood.com  Blessings...

Recipe:

6 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in
1/2 an onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water (I used chicken broth; it adds better flavor)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. sesame oil to stir-fry the broccoli
rice
toasted sesame seed, if desired

1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and turn the heat to high while the sauce is being prepared.
2. Whisk together the onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, tomato paste and oil in a bowl; pour over the chicken. Cook on high heat for 1 hour; reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 hours.
3. About 20 minutes before serving, remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. It's easy to shred the chicken in a large flat dish.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the water, or chicken broth, and stir into the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn the heat up to high to thicken the sauce.
5. Prepare the rice according to package directions.
6. Shred the chicken and add it back to the sauce to warm through.
7. In a skillet, heat the 1 tsp. sesame oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the broccoli pieces until they turn a fresh rich green color, their outsides look moist and they are crisp-tender. This only takes a few minutes.
8. To serve, top rice with broccoli, then chicken and sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired. Yummy!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

The Family Dinner Hour: A "Recipe" for Building Strong Relationships

The family dinner hour is that precious time when we stop the frantic pace of life and focus on our loved ones. During this time, ignore the phone, television, the knocks at the door, and the stuff of the world, and listen closely as your loved ones share about the events of their day. Connect. Pay close attention. In so doing, we pay value to those who are the most valuable to us.

Life can get really frantic, and the level of stress in a family can soar out of control very quickly. Children are the most vulnerable to the stress levels in the lives of their parents. The family mealtime can be a time of quieting down and re-connecting. This time of connecting and relationship building is vital to the well-being and health of the family.

Prepare a simple meal, focus on your loved ones, and strengthen your family. Blessings...

Broccoli Scalloped Potatoes (with ham)

This all-in-one-dish meal was created by Denell Syslo, from Fullerton, Nebraska. Her wonderful recipe was contributed to, and accepted by, "Taste of Home" for one of their cookbooks. As you have probably noted by this time, I have used many "Taste of Home" recipes over the years. I love the ease and simplicity of recipes  shared by home cooks, and this one is no exception. The recipe is very easy, but it does take time to prep the vegetables and make the sauce. Once this is done, pop it in the oven for an hour and dinner is ready. I served Autumn Tossed Salad, recipe posted on 9/24/2014, alongside. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 tbsp. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
5 tbsp. unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. white pepper ( black pepper would work just fine if you don't have the white)
1/8 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, divided use
2 pounds medium potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 6 potatoes)
2 cups julienned fully cooked ham (see note)
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and patted dry (see note)

1. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter for 3-4 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour, pepper and salt until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1 cup of cheese. Reduce heat; cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted (sauce will be thick).
3. Remove from the heat; gently stir in the potatoes, ham and broccoli.
4. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish or line pan with non-stick pan lining paper. (I love pan lining paper for ease of clean up!)
5. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
6. Uncover and test potatoes with a fork to make sure they are very tender. If they are, sprinkle casserole with remaining cup of cheese and return to the oven for about 5 minutes to melt cheese.

Yield: 8 servings
Note: I used packaged cubed ham; so easy to just take it out of the package and throw it in the pot.
Note: I used fresh broccoli and it worked perfectly.

Autumn Tossed Salad

Dinner salads can get so boring, so when I come across one that is loaded with cheese, nuts and fruit, I gladly give it a try. This combination of cashews, Swiss cheese, cranberries, pear, and apple in a lightly-sweetened poppy seed dressing is wonderful. This is a reader-contributed recipe from a "Taste of Home" cookbook. Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. poppy seed
1 bunch romaine, torn
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup cashews
1 medium apple, chopped
1 medium pear, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, sugar, onion, mustard and salt. While processing on low speed, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Stir in poppy seed. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine, cheese, cashews, apple, pear and cranberries. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Yield: 10 servings
Note: I cut the dressing recipe in half and the yield is 3/4 cup. For two of us, I used 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup cashews, 1/4 apple, 1/4 pear, 2 tbsp. cranberries and a few lettuce leaves. There will be plenty of dressing for two more salads. You might use this as a guide for your family's needs.
Note: The addition of cubed, cooked ham makes this a wonderful main dish salad.