Large Family Recipes

Black Bean Brownies

2012-03-01T20:12:00.001-05:00

These are so good, you are just going to have to trust me. If you didn't know they were made with black beans instead of flour you would never know!

Black Bean Brownies

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
a pinch of salt
3 T. extra virgin coconut oil (or oil of your choice, coconut oil is SO healthy!)
1 t. instant coffee
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Blend all in a food processor, except chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 8 by 8 baking dish. Sprinkle on chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

That's it.

Delicious! Seriously

In Christ, Laura

Taco Style Lentils and Rice

2012-03-01T11:11:00.000-05:00

This is the easiest lunch or dinner! It is healthy, economical and delicious! Most of the children had their lentils wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. I had mine on a plate, topped with sour cream, cheese and romaine lettuce (trying to cut some carbs). If I were doing this for dinner, I would double the recipe.

Taco Style Lentils and Rice

3/4 c. dry lentils
3/4 c. brown rice
4 c. chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (4.5 oz.) can green chilies
2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder

Simmer all in a large pot with lid on for 45-50 minutes. Fill tortillas with lentil rice mixture and top with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, etc.

Enjoy!

Lentil Pate Sandwiches

2011-11-17T11:50:00.001-05:00

First, let me say Wow! Was this AMAZING! SO good! I have got to share this healthy, easy, yummy recipe with you. It made such a good lunch! My children LOVED it! Anna made the pate yesterday and today we used it for lunch.

Lentil Pate

5 c. chicken broth
2 c. red lentils
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. sesame oil (can use olive oil)
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
1 t. thyme
2 T. parsley (or 1/2 c. fresh--if using fresh, add this after the onion is done cooking, not with the onion)
1/4 c. bread crumbs, divided
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. rice vinegar

Cook the lentils in the broth, bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, saute the onion, garlic, and herbs in the sesame oil for about 10 minutes. When the lentils are done, they should be mushy and dissolved. Add the onion mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 T. breadcrumbs to this, as well as the 1 t. rice vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Oil a 9 inch loaf pan and coat with 2 T. bread crumbs. Pour the lentil mixture into the loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. We refrigerated this overnight until it was firm.

To Assemble the Sandwiches:

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise (I used mayo made with olive oil) on slices of bread. Place on a large baking sheet. Slice the pate thin and put two pieces on each piece of bread. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and broil for 6-7 minutes until the cheese is melted.

That's it! So good!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Spoon Cornbread

2011-11-16T15:52:00.003-05:00

This is my mother's-in-law recipe. It is NOT low-fat, but for once a year, it is SO good! It is sweet, and bread-like, but more creamy. You definitely eat it with a fork, not like typical cornbread.

Spoon Cornbread

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
1 can whole kernal corn, drained
1 can creamed corn (undrained)
1 c. melted butter
1 c. sour cream
4 eggs, beaten

Combine all and pour into a 10 in. by 15 in. baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Casserole

2011-11-16T15:40:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is fast approaching. I thought I would post a few recipes that will definitely grace our holiday table. This is my mom's recipe that she has been making for Thanksgiving ever since I was a little girl. It is my favorite! It is like a dessert!

Butternut Squash Casserole

2 (10 oz.) packages of butternut squash (or 1 large that you roast and scoop out)
salt a pepper
2 eggs, beaten slightly
4 T. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
6 T. butter
1 c. chopped walnuts

Cook squash, 4 T. butter, salt and pepper. Add squash to the eggs. Mix well. Pour into a casserole dish. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, 6 T. butter, and walnuts. Sprinkle it on top of the squash. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup

2011-11-06T19:36:00.003-05:00

I found this recipe today at recipezaar.com and it was SO good! Even baby Tru was taking bites! What a great way to incorporate some of this rich fall vegetable into dinner and not a dessert or baked good!

Pumpkin Soup

2 cans (15 oz.) pureed pumpkin
8 c. chicken broth
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. pork sausage
1 T. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 c. heavy cream

Brown sausage with onion and garlic. Drain. Add pumpkin, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Add heavy cream and serve!

Easy and delicious! Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

2011-10-05T17:05:00.001-04:00

I came up with this recipe several years ago. It is still a family favorite.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

6-8 sweet potatoes baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (pierce all over with a fork and bake on a baking sheet)
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 t. cumin
1 t. cinnamon
4 gloves garlic minced
Flour tortillas
Salt and pepper
Enchilada sauce (recipe to follow)
cheddar cheese

Peel sweet potatoes and mix until smooth. Add whipping cream. Add spices and then fold in beans. Spoon filling in tortillas and pour enchilada sauce over. Top with cheese and bake. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes

Enchilada Sauce

1 small onion, minced
1 T. olive oil
2 1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. sea salt
1 t. sugar
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

Saute onion and then add spices. Cook 1 minute and add tomatoes. Boil and simmer 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Roast Chicken with Vegetables

2011-10-05T16:30:00.005-04:00

My children LOVE when I make this, especially when I make it with homemade gravy. However, I am going to have to start making TWO chickens to feed my hungry brood!

Roast Chicken

1 chicken
8-10 carrots, cut in big chunks
8-10 red-skinned potatoes, cut in big chunks
1 onion, chopped
green beans (1 large bag of frozen, or use fresh)
1/2 lemon
garlic cloves

(can also include 2 parsnips, cut in chunks)

1-2 T. parsley
water
1/4 - 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

I place my chicken and veggies in a roasting oven, but you can use a large roasting pan and use your oven. I cook it at 300-325 degrees for 3 hours or more. Place veggies in bottom of pan, chicken in the middle. Add water just to cover the bottom of the veggies. Pour balsamic vinegar over veggies. Add the lemon half and a couple of whole cloves of garlic into the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle all with parsley, salt and pepper. The balsamic vinegar really adds a depth of flavor to the veggies that is out of this world! The drippings make excellent gravy.

To serve:

Remove all to a platter. Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan. Add 1/2 c. flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups or more of liquid from the roasting pan and stir on high until thickens. Remove the garlic cloves from the chicken and add to the gravy. Serve over meat and veggies.

YUM!

In Christ, Laura

Brussel Sprouts

2011-10-05T16:26:00.004-04:00

I made these brussel sprouts this week, from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, and they were so good that my children were fighting over the last ones! I am craving these!

1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts
2 T. olive oil
salt
1/2 lemon

Steam brussel sprouts for 8 minutes. When cooled slightly, cut in half and lay cut side down in a heated pan, in olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes without moving. Flip over and cook 3 additional minutes. You may have to cook these in batches. Resist the temptation to move them; let them caramelize. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with salt and squeeze a lemon over.

YUM!

In Christ, Laura

Blueberry Quinoa Muffins

2011-09-30T12:36:00.007-04:00

This recipe is from the Hillbilly Housewife. They are so good!

Quinoa Muffins

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup oil
2 cups freshly ground soft whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 c. frozen blueberries

Cook the quinoa in a cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. You will end up with 2 cups of cooked quinoa. Set it aside to cool.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the quinoa and stir until it is worked into the flour mixture.

Combine the remaining ingredients, then pour them into the flour mixture. Stir it just until everything is combined. Add blueberries.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Fresh Tomato Soup

2011-09-30T12:28:00.005-04:00

This soup is so delicious and is a great way to use up the last of your summer tomatoes. I got this recipe from the latest copy of Taste of Home magazine. It is so good!

Tomato soup

15 tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1/4 c. plus 2 T. olive oil, divided
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 c. water
2 t. salt (to taste)
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
fresh basil or 1 t. dried

Places tomatoes in a baking pan, drizzle with oil and add garlic. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, then remove skins. Saute onion in olive oil. Add tomatoes with garlic, water, salt and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Process with a hand blender until smooth. Add heavy cream and basil.

(This served 6 for lunch. For a dinner, I would double the recipe. My children had elbow noodles in theirs. I roasted the tomatoes one day, put them in the fridge and they were ready to go to make a quick lunch the next day.)

Yum!

In Christ, Laura

"Messy Mexican"

2011-07-27T10:57:00.003-04:00

"Messy Mexican" is the name my children came up with for this dish, and it is one of Jonas' favorites! This is the version I came up with that doesn't use any canned soups--I am trying to eliminate them from all my recipes because they just aren't good for you. This version proved to be just as delicious as the original recipe!

"Messy Mexican"

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion
1 can refried beans (or make your own from pinto beans!)
3 T. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. homemade chicken broth
1/4 c. sour cream
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. oregano
8 corn tortillas
3-4 c. cheese--use co-jack, pepper jack, cheddar or a combination

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat with onion, then drain. Add back to the pan and add refried beans over low heat, stirring to combine. In a separate pot, melt the butter, then add the flour. Cook for a few minutes then whisk in chicken broth. Bring to a boil to thicken, then reduce heat. Sir in sour cream, then add tomatoes, green chilies and spices. Puree this mixture. It should be thick. Add the meat/refried bean mixture. In a 10 by 15 inch baking dish layer corn(or flour) tortillas, tearing to make them fit. Next, ladle half of meat mixture over. Add a layer of cheese. My favorite is pepper jack. Layer more corn tortillas, the remaining meat mixture and end with cheese--I like to do cheddar on this layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing or it will be really messy (hence the name!). Serve with Spanish Rice (see previous post) or a salad or some Mexican cornbread.

In Christ, Laura

Spanish Rice

2011-07-26T20:46:00.004-04:00

I came up with this version of Spanish Rice to go with fajitas recently. So delicious, you will never buy a boxed version again!

2 1/2 c. rice
2 cans stewed tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
1 onion, chopped
2 T. each of red, yellow, orange, green peppers--whatever you have on hand
1/4 c. olive oil
4 c. chicken broth, (homemade) plus the juice from the tomatoes to equal 5 cups
1 t. oregano
3/4 t. garlic powder
2 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. salt

Saute onion and peppers in oil until soft. Add rice and saute for about 10-15 minutes, until rice is golden and toasted. Add tomatoes, spices and the chicken broth/tomato juice mixture. Bring to a boil, cover and turn low, simmering for 30 minutes.

That's it! Serve alongside any Mexican dish.

In Christ, Laura

Swiss Chard

2011-07-26T20:36:00.002-04:00

I am loving summer and all of the fresh fruits and vegetables! We don't have a garden this summer because we haven't bought a house yet, but my mom generously bestows on us large quantities of the excess produce from her garden. This week she gave me a bag of Swiss Chard. I followed this recipe I found online and thought it was delicious! Katria, Anna, and Elyse all asked for seconds!

Sauteed Swish Chard

1 large bunch of Swiss Chard, chopped in bite-sized pieces, with stems removed and discarded
1 1/2 T. butter
1 1/2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt
juice of half a lemon
pinch of red pepper flakes

Melt the butter and heat with oil in a large saucepan. Saute the garlic cloves for about a minute. Add the Swiss Chard. Season with salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Saute for a few minutes until the Swiss Chard is wilted. Squeeze a lemon over and serve.

So simple, yet so delicious!

In Christ, Laura

Cauliflower Soup

2011-07-22T12:12:00.003-04:00

This soup is so satisfying and good. Honestly, my whole family turned up their noses when I told them we were having this for lunch one day. However, they all cleaned their bowls, asked for seconds and declared that they enjoyed it more than potato or broccoli soup! It works for me since I am trying to watch my carbs--cauliflower is so good for you!

Cauliflower Soup

2 heads of cauliflower, chopped into florets
2-3 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. butter
olive oil
flour
6-8 c. chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
2 c. milk
cheddar cheese--or whatever cheese you have on hand, be creative!
salt and pepper

Saute onion in olive oil and butter--the olive oil ensures that the butter doesn't burn, the butter ensure a good flavor! Add carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add cauliflower and garlic and continue to saute. Add maybe 1/4 c. flour and mix to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Puree with a hand-blender. Stir in 2 c. milk and 1-2 c. cheese until melts.

That's it!

In Christ, Laura

Chicken Caesar Salad

2011-07-21T10:37:00.002-04:00

We had salad twice yesterday--for lunch and dinner! It is just so hot here and salads are so refreshing. This salad was devoured by all of my children and Cameron has already asked that I make it again soon. It was really easy!

Chicken Caesar Salad

Romaine lettuce--as much as you need to feed your family. I used 4-5 small heads.
3 chicken breasts, diced
croutons
Caesar dressing (recipe to follow).

Shred lettuce. Cook chicken, seasoned with salt. Cool. Assemble salad and drizzle dressing over, tossing to coat.

Anna made her own croutons. She diced some leftover bread into cubes, tossed it with olive oil and a salt seasoning blend and toasted them at 375 for 12 minutes. They were so good!

Caesar Dressing (without egg!)

2/3 c. olive oil
1/4 t. garlic powder (or 2 garlic cloves minced)
2 t. worcestershire sauce
juice of one lemon
2 t. hot sauce
2 t. dijon mustard
1 c. Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Blend all with hand blender or in blender.

That's it!

In Christ, Laura

Spinach Salad

2011-07-21T10:24:00.003-04:00

It is hot here in Michigan--100 degrees!--and this makes salads a great choice for lunch. I made this yesterday by throwing together whatever I had on hand! The original recipe comes from my friend Gabrielle. Thanks, Gabby!

Spinach Salad

2 bags of prewashed spinach
6-8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (my addition)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 package grape tomatoes
1/2 c. shredded asiago cheese

Gabby's Salad had:
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
sliced mushrooms
1 small red onion
cooked chicken
4-5 hard-boiled eggs

Dressing:
2/3 c. olive oil
5 t. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. plain yogurt
1 T. sugar
1/4 t. dry mustard
2 T. fresh parsley or 2 t. dried
salt and pepper

Whisk together.

Combine ingredients, drizzle dressing over, toss to coat!

That's it!

In Christ, Laura

A Mommy Lunch--Marinara over Zuchhini

2011-07-19T13:21:00.004-04:00

In my previous post, I mentioned that I am eating low-carb in order to lose the last bit of baby weight. I am not going totally carb-free, because I think carbs are necessary, but concentrating on healthy carbs--whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc. (which we were already doing) and cutting back on, to the best of my ability, the last bit of unhealthy carbs I eat occasionally--white pasta, white flour tortillas, white rice, desserts, etc. Lunch is a tough meal for carbs because most things I serve for lunch involve a carb--sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, quesadillas--you name it, it had carbs. I have been making omelets loaded with fresh veggies. Today, I came up with another dish that was so delicious I just had to share!

I had some leftover pasta sauce from the zucchini lasagna I made. I heated that up and threw in some leftover spinach. For the children, I boiled up some elbow noodles and served the sauce over the pasta. For me, I sauteed a small, sliced zucchini in olive oil, poured it into a bowl and topped it with the pasta sauce and a small handful of feta cheese. It was SO good! Healthy and low-carb--just what I need!

Zucchini Lunch

1 small zucchini, sliced
1-2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 c. marinara or spaghetti sauce (mine had mushrooms, green pepper, onion, ground beef and spinach in it)
1/4 c. feta or parmesan cheese

Saute zucchini with salt and garlic powder in olive oil, until soft, browned and caramelized (YUM!). Serve with spaghetti sauce poured over and sprinkled with cheese.

In Christ, Laura

Zucchini Lasagna

2011-07-19T11:43:00.003-04:00

I made this the other day and all of the children enjoyed it. I am trying to go more "low-carb" to lose the last of my baby weight. This dish omitted the pasta, but we did not miss it at all.

Zucchini Lasagna

1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 cans of tomato paste
1 lb. ground beef
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. red wine
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
2 t. salt
2 t. sugar
1 t. parsley
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
2-3 small zucchini, sliced
16 oz. cottage cheese
2 eggs
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
2 c. mozzarella cheese

Slice zucchini and throw into a colander. Salt these and let them drain for about an hour. Brown ground beef with onions, pepper, and garlic. Drain. Add tomatoes, spices, red wine, salt and sugar and simmer until ready to use. In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, and parmesan cheese. In a 10 by 15 inch baking dish, ladle a scoop of the sauce. Layer zucchini slices on top. Spread 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture. Layer all of the spinach over this. Top with mozzarella cheese. Ladle more sauce, zucchini, cottage cheese, then sauce, then end with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour. This has the potential to be watery when done, due to the zucchini. You can either make sure your sauce is really thick, by adding another can of tomato paste, or make sure you have drained a lot of the water out of the zucchini. I got this recipe online and one commenter said to put a handful or two of dry rice in the bottom of the dish to absorb the water. Also, you will probably have extra tomato sauce--save for another use.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Quinoa Greek Salad

2011-07-07T12:37:00.000-04:00

This recipe is so delicious! I could eat bowlful after bowlful. Good thing it is so healthy! This is a great recipe to bring to a potluck.

Quinoa Greek Salad

2 c. quinoa
4 c. chicken broth

1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1/4 c. red onion, diced
1 package grape tomatoes, halved
green, red, yellow, orange peppers--chopped small--I did maybe 1/4 c. of each
1/2 bag of fresh spinach, chopped small
1 c. feta cheese
green onions
black olives--optional
fresh parsley--optional

Basically any veggies you want! :)

Dressing:

2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
salt and pepper
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
1/4 t. garlic powder

Rinse the quinoa and then toast it over med-high heat for 10-15 minutes. This gives the quinoa a great flavor. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until liquid absorbed. Meanwhile, chop all of your veggies. Combine dressing ingredients. Cool quinoa then add to veggies. Add feta. Pour dressing over and toss.

In Christ, Laura

Thai Veggie Pizza

2011-05-27T14:42:00.004-04:00

Although I have never had a Thai Veggie Pizza before, I decided to make one for dinner last night. I looked up a couple of recipes online and came up with this version. It turned out great, most of my children loved it, and so I decided to share it here. So yummy!

Thai Veggie Pizza

1 whole wheat pizza dough crust, homemade

3 carrots, peeled and shredded in the food processor
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 can bean srouts
mozarella cheese
Thai peanut sauce (recipe to follow)

After rolling out my pizza dough, I smoothed the peanut sauce all over. Next, I spread the toppings evenly over the sauce: carrots, green pepper, onion, and bean sprouts. You could also use cilantro, red pepper, chicken, mushrooms--whatever you have on hand. Lastly, top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Peanut Sauce

3/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t. ginger
1 T. sugar

Blend all together--I used an immersion blender because it was difficult to get the peanut butter smooth in the soy sauce. This should be enought for 2 pizzas.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Wheat Berry Enchiladas

2011-05-19T07:09:00.001-04:00

We had this for dinner last night--it is amazing and often requested by Cameron. The kids loved it. Healthy, economical and delicious!

Wheat Berry Enchiladas

1 c. wheat berries
6 c. water
2 c. Garden Sauce (recipe to follow)
wheat tortillas
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 c. fresh chopped spinach
1 t. oregano
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 T. lime juice
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. salsa
1-2 c. cheese

Cook the wheat berries in about 6 c. of water. Cook for about 50 minutes or so, until berries soft (will still have a slight bite to them) and water is evaporated. Meanwhile, make your Garden Sauce (recipe to follow). Next, saute onion, jalapeno pepper, and spices. Add in lime juice, wheat berries, black beans, and 2 c. Garden Sauce. The mixture will be soupy/thick. Spread about 1/2 c. salsa in a 10 by 15 pan. Spoon 1/2 c. wheat berry mixture into each tortilla, roll up, and place in baking dish. Cover with salsa and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Garden Sauce

2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 c. carrot, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. flour
1 c. red wine
6 c. water
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. thyme
salt and pepper
3 bay leaves

Saute onion, carrot, and celery until tender. Add mushrooms and garlic. Add tomato paste. Cook 10 minutes until mixture is browned, stirring constantly. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute. Pour in wine, scraping bottom to loosen browned bits. Add water and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmering for 45 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve. Discard solids (or retain for another use). Add 2 c. to wheat berry mixture and freeze rest for another dinner.

So, not a quick recipe, but SOOO worth it! Try it and let me know if you did!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Huevos Rancheros--of sorts

2011-05-17T19:18:00.003-04:00

We had this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I needed to make something quick and came up with this. It will be a keeper! :)

Huevos Rancheros

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 T. chili powder
1 t. oregano
1 t. cumin
1 t. salt
8 eggs
green onions
cheddar cheese

garnish~hot sauce, sour cream

Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add beans, tomatoes and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes. Crack 8 eggs onto bean mixture, tyring to spread them out as much as you can. Put a lid on the pan and cook until eggs set and yolks hard--about 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on and green onion. Serve with sour cream and hot sauce.

~This would be good on a corn tortilla, fried until crispy. My family ate this with blue corn chips (not me).

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Quinoa Muffins

2011-05-11T21:36:00.000-04:00

Anna has become quite the baker recently. She has been making breads, cakes, muffins and cookies nearly every day. While this is good experience for her, it is not so good for this postpartum momma who wants to lose this baby weight. So, I asked her to make a healthy muffin for breakfast this morning and suggested quinoa as a main ingredient. We found this recipe on the Hillbilly Housewife website. I fell in love with this muffin! I have copied the recipe here with our changes.

Quinoa Muffins

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup oil
2 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour flour--we used hard wheat this time.
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plain yogurt--use homemade if possible
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 c. frozen blueberries

Cook the quinoa in 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is soft.

Combine whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the quinoa.

Combine the remaining ingredients, then pour into the flour & quinoa mixture. Stir until everything is combined.

Fill a greased muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini

2011-05-11T21:12:00.001-04:00

At my favorite restaurant, which is Middle Eastern, they have this amazing cauliflower appetizer. My mom ordered it one time for us and ever since then I have been hooked! Every time we eat there, we have to order this dish. Even those who do not like cauliflower love this dish. I wanted to replicate it at home and I found a recipe online today. The results were fantastic, so I thought I would share. You have got to give this a try.

1 large head of cauliflower
1 onion, sliced in strips
2-4 T. olive oil
2 t. salt, divided
1/3 c. tahini
1/3 c. water
1 garlic clove minced
3 T. fresh lemon juice

Break up the cauliflower florets and slice onion and place on a baking sheet. Coat with 2-4 T. olive oil and sprinkle with 1 t. sea salt. Bake at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring and turning occasionally. Bake until cauliflower is soft and slightly browned. In a bowl, combine minced garlic, 1 t. salt, tahini, water and lemon juice. When the cauliflower is done, place on a serving platter and drizzle tahini sauce over. That's it! It is amazing.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Shepherd's Pie

2011-04-07T08:07:00.001-04:00

I am going to break my rule of posting only healthy dinners and post one that is pure comfort food! Someone first made this for us after Jonas was born and we have enjoyed it ever since. It is simple, but so yummy! I made this for dinner recently and made an extra batch to freeze for when the baby comes! I had to triple the recipe just to get 2 meals out of it for our family. We were marveling that there was a time that I made it just as posted below and it fed our family with leftovers for lunch the next day. Not any longer--no leftovers anymore! :)

Shepherd's pie

1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can green beans, drained, or use frozen green beans, cooked until tender (what I did)
mashed potatoes--a generous amount, made with butter, milk, however you like them!
cheddar cheese

Brown the beef and drain. Combine in a casserole dish with green beans and cream of mushroom soup. Mix well. Smooth mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

That's it! Nothing fancy about this one. :)

In Christ, Laura

Italian Stew

2011-04-04T19:50:00.003-04:00

I got this recipe from THIS blog. It is very similar to a recipe that I have been making for years from a friend of mine back when we lived in Family Housing when Cameron was in medical school. This recipe is SO delicious! My children loved it! I included the changes we made, based on combining both recipes into one.

Italian Stew

1- 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 carrots, diced
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
4-6 c. beef broth or 4-6 c. water and 4 bouillon cubes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. parsley
1/2 t. basil
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 c. elbow noodles
Shredded Parmesan or asiago cheese

Brown meat with carrots, onion and garlic then drain. Return to pot and add beef broth, or water and bouillon, tomatoes and tomato sauce and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes--or you could dump this into your crockpot. About 10 minutes before serving add pasta. You may need to add more water at this point in order that the pasta doesn't soak up the remaining broth. However, the soup should not be too watery, but thick and chunky. Serve with either Parmesan or Asiago shredded cheese sprinkled on top.

YUM!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Sesame Chicken and Noodles

2011-03-23T20:44:00.006-04:00

I don't remember where I got this recipe, but I have had it for years--since Anna or Jonas were babies. I had a craving for Chinese food tonight and decided to make this--we haven't had it in a long time! The kids loved it! It was so quick, easy and it is really versatile. We were already thinking about what vegetables to add next time (I included our ideas in the recipe to follow).

Sesame Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into thin strips against the grain--I used 2 large breasts for our family.

Marinade:
1/2. c. soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, diced
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 t. ginger

Noodles and Sauce:
32 oz. spaghetti noodles
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. sesame oil
1/3. c. brown sugar
3-4 green onions
sesame seeds

4 carrots, sliced into thin strips
1 small onion, sliced into thin strips
1-2 green pepper, sliced into thin strips
~snow peas
~mushrooms
1-2 stalks celery, diced into small pieces

Conbine marinade ingredients: soy sauce, garlic, ginger and brown sugar in a shallow dish and add the chicken strips. Refrigerate for a few hours.

Cook the spaghetti noodles. Combine the sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, green onions and sesame seeds in a small bowl. While the noodles are boiling, heat a few Tablespoons to 1/4 c. of sesame oil in a skillet and add chicken, discarding marinade, along with the onion. Cook until the chicken is almost done and then add the vegetables of your choice and cover with a lid to steam. Drain pasta and toss with the sesame oil/soy sauce mixture. When the vegetables are tender add this mixture to the noodles. Toss to coat. Serve while hot!

That's it!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Mujadrah--Lentils and Rice

2011-03-16T21:07:00.005-04:00

My kids like most of what I make. However, there are not many recipes that my children eat seconds, thirds, fourths and even fifths of! This was one of those recipes and it was so simple. And, there were no leftovers! I found a similar recipe online and tweaked it, of course. ;)

Mujadrah

2 c. brown lentils
2 c. brown rice
1 onion, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2. t. cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
8 c. chicken broth

Carmelized Onions:
3 onions, sliced in strips (I will do 5 or 6 next time!)
1/2 c. olive oil

~Middle Eastern Pita Bread
~Plain yogurt

Saute chopped onion in olive oil until soft, then add lentils and rice. Toast for a few minutes and then add broth, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes until rice and lentils are soft and water is evaporated.

Meanwhile, slice up 3-6 onions in about 3/4 inch strips. I used 3 and my family begged that I double the amount next time. All of my children gobbled up these carmelized onions, which were so sweet, that we used to garnish the lentils and rice. Saute the onions in about 1/2 c. olive oil for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. These will cook down and become brown and sticky. Cook them over medium heat, being careful not to burn them.

Serve the lentil and rice wrapped inside Middle Eastern Pita bread, topped with carmelized onions and plain yogurt. Or, do as we did, since I did not have any bread on hand--we ate this in a heap on our plates, topped with the onions with yogurt on the side, served alongside a salad.

All of my children devoured this. Jonas ate 5 helpings! I guess this one is a keeper!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Ginny's Black Bean Soup

2011-03-16T17:59:00.004-04:00

I have been "nesting" and that means cooking up a storm and freezing it all for when the baby comes. I tripled this recipe today and it is all ready to be stored in our deep freezer. I got this recipe from my friend, Ginny, and it is SO good!

2 T. oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 T. cumin
1 16 oz. bag dried black beans, cooked until tender or 4 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 c. broth (I use chicken broth)
2 c. salsa
1/2 c. sour cream
juice of one lime

Saute onion in oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add cumin, salsa and broth. Then add beans. At this point, I let mine simmer on the stove or in a crockpot for a few hours. Puree with an immersion blender and then add sour cream and lime juice. Serve topped with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

That's it!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup

2011-03-05T12:56:00.003-05:00

I love making soups--and coming up with new soup recipes! Soups are economical, filling, healthy and often are great to feed to a large family. I came up with this version of Cream of Broccoli soup and I make it often for lunch. Everyone in our family, including our littlest ones, enjoys this creamy soup.

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup

1/2 c. butter
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 c. flour
48 oz. frozen broccoli
10 oz. package frozen spinach
12 c. chicken broth (can use 12 c. water and 12 chicken bouillon cubes)
4 c. milk
2 c. cheddar cheese
pepper

Saute the onion in butter and oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook one more minute. Add broccoli and 2/3 c. flour. Cook for a few minutes, stirring to coat with flour and butter. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is soft. Add frozen spinach--I didn't even bother to drain it. When this is thawed and broccoli is soft, add the 4 c. of milk. Puree all with an immersion blender (or can dump in batches into a blender, but this often causes a mess and can burn you--it is worth it to buy an immersion blender--I use mine at least 3-5 times a week!). Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with pepper.

That's it! It is SO good!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Macaroni and Cheese

2011-03-01T12:16:00.004-05:00

Macaroni and cheese: the ultimate comfort food. My kids love this for lunch. I love to try new recipes for macaroni and cheese, as well as experiment to improve recipes. I came up with this one today for lunch and it turned out SO good! I had to hurry up and type it out before I forgot what I did! I did not measure anything, so you will have to bear with me! :)

About 20 oz. macaroni
1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1 squirt dijon mustard
a couple of dashes of hot sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
salt
paprika
milk
cheddar cheese

Cook the macaroni and drain. Melt the butter in a large pan. Stir in flour and cook for a few minutes to get rid of the "flour-y" taste. I then added a squirt of dijon mustard, a couple of dashes of hot sauce, maybe a teaspoon or so of salt, a dash of paprika, and a dash of garlic powder. I then added milk and whisked constantly to combine with flour until lumps were removed. I let this simmer until it thickened and then added a bit more milk. It is always better to add too little, than too much! I have no idea how much I added 2-4 cups? I then added a couple of handfuls of cheddar cheese and stirred until it was melted and creamy. Lastly, I poured the macaroni back into the pot and stirred until blended. Next, I dumped it all into a 9 by 13 inch pan and baked for only about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

That's it! The dijon mustard and hot sauce really gave this a great flavor! My children devoured this MORE than any other version I have made! Be careful with the mustard, just 1 Tablespoon will do--otherwise it can be overpowering.

Experiment yourself and see what you come up with!

In Christ, Laura

Maple Oatmeal Muffins

2011-02-26T18:13:00.005-05:00

We usually have muffins for breakfast on Sunday mornings, in order to make church preparations easier--there is little prep, because I do most of it the night before, and little to clean up. I tried this new recipe yesterday and we loved it! I used homemade maple syrup, and I will include the recipe, but you can use bottled maple syrup, of course. These muffins call for NO sugar since the sweetness comes from the sugar in the syrup.

Maple Oatmeal Muffins--makes 24, or half recipe.

2 c. whole oats
1 c. buttermilk (I added a tad more to make sure the oats were covered)
1 1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. melted butter
2 eggs
2 c. freshly ground soft whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. chopped walnuts

Soak oats in buttermilk overnight. I make my own buttermilk with milk and lemon juice or vinegar. Just measure milk into a measuring cup and add about a t. of vinegar (lemon juice) per cup. I really don't measure. The next morning, add syrup, melted butter and eggs. Add dry ingredients (I also had these pre-measured the night before) and blend until just moistened. Stir in nuts. Fill greased muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Homemade Maple Syrup

This is so easy to make that we never buy bottled syrup anymore. I got the recipe from the book Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn.

1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. water
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1 t. salt
1 t. maple flavoring
1 t. vanilla

Bring sugars, water and corn syrup to a boil unitl thickened, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt, maple flavoring and vanilla. Cool before using or store for future use.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Shake-and-Bake Chicken Legs

2011-02-26T18:10:00.004-05:00

I made these tonight for dinner--I don't really like chicken legs, but my kids LOVE them. I didn't eat them, so I can't tell you how they tasted. I can only tell you that there were no leftovers! These were really easy!

Shake-and-Bake Chicken Legs

1/2 c. freshly ground soft whole wheat flour (or just use white flour)
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground thyme
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. milk
14 chicken legs (or whatever is in your package)

Combine the flour and spices in a large Ziploc bag. Dip the legs in milk and then one at a time, throw them in the bag and toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

That's it!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew

2011-02-15T08:48:00.004-05:00

I tried this recipe for the first time yesterday and it is a keeper! I was craving black beans and sweet potatoes, thought that would be a good combo, so I went in search of a recipe online. I found one that sounded interesting and decided to give it a try. I always feel torn between posting the original recipe or posting the recipe as I made it. I have decided that it is best to post the recipe as I put it together since that is the only version to which I can attest! Also, when I post recipes as I make them, those with large families will not have to make conversions--which is the point of this blog! LOL!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew

1 large bag (32 oz.) of dried black beans, cooked until soft
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. sea salt (we added more to ours at the table)
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 T. lime juice
4 (14.5) oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 (4 oz.) cans green chilies or use a jalapeno, seeded and diced if you like heat.
2 T. cumin
2 T. chili powder
2 T. cocoa powder

**Other options:
~cilantro--to garnish at the table--we do not like cilantro, so I omitted this, but I know others like it.
~you can use 8 cans of drained and rinsed black beans if you prefer to do it a quicker way than dried. The original recipe calls for 4 cans of black beans.
~the original recipe calls for a red pepper, but I didn't have one
~the original recipe calls for jalapeno and cans of diced tomatoes. I used 2 cans of Rotel and 2 cans of diced tomaotes and it was too spicy for my children (must have been the brand I purchased). Next time, I will do as I posted above: 4 cans of diced tomatoes and green chilies.

I threw everything into my crockpot and cooked on low for 6-7 hours. The sweet potatoes were really soft and Cameron requested that I add them a little later next time so they are not quite so mushy.

~We served this over rice.

That's it! Very easy, healthy, economical and delicious! This has such good flavor!

In Christ, Laura

Chickpea Roll-ups

2011-01-29T13:56:00.002-05:00

This recipe was so good! I found this recipe on a recipe website and modified it a bit, as usual. The results were incredible. WHEN you try this (!) you have to come back and post a comment and tell me what you thought. All of my children devoured this. It was the easiest lunch!

Chickpea Roll-ups

2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 T. onion, finely chopped
3 T. mayonnaise
3 t. lemon juice
1-2 T. fresh dill (or you can use 1 t. dried)
1/4 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper

Add all to your food processor and process until smooth. That's it!

To assemble:

Spread a layer on flour tortillas. This made 8 for me. Next, layer cucumbers, lettuce, sliced carrots (if desired) and yogurt sauce (recipe to follow) and roll up. Cut in half and enjoy!

Yogurt sauce:

1 c. yogurt
1 T. mayonnaise
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. lemon juice
1-2 T. fresh dill

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Thick and Creamy Vegetable Soup

2011-01-29T10:58:00.004-05:00

I tried this recipe for the first time the other night and it was SOOO good! I just had to share! I got it out of "The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook" because we have been listening to Focus on the Family's Radio Theater Drama of Anne of Green Gables as a family. The girls were so excited to try this!

I doubled the recipe, but will triple it, or even quadruple it, next time because there were no leftovers and Cameron wasn't even home for dinner (on-call that night). I will post it here as it is in the book and you can adjust according to your family's size.

Thick and Creamy Vegetable Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
2 T. butter
2 carrots, diced
2 small potatoes (or 1 large), diced
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 c. diced or stewed tomatoes (I used stewed and when I doubled it, I just used a 14.5 oz. can)
2 c. chicken broth
2 1/2 c. milk
salt and pepper
1 t. basil
1 T. parsley

Saute onion and celery in butter until soft. Add carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, peas, chicken broth, and herbs. Bring the soup to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Boil about 15 mintues. Puree the soup in a blender or with your immersion blender (this is what I did). Add milk but don't let it bowl. I poured mine into my crockpot and let cook on low all day.

That's it!

You can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

This is a great way to get lots of veggies into your kids, but they may enjoy it more because it is so rice and creamy! This is also a great soup to serve for a lunch, especially if you are having some girlfriends over. :) Serve it with muffins or good bread! I will be making this again soon! I am craving it already!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Stuffed Zuchinni

2011-01-27T07:50:00.000-05:00

This recipe is delicious! I started making this when Anna was a baby. We haven't had it in awhile, though, and when I made it the other day I remembered why this was so good! It's great in the summer if you have an abundance of zucchini from your garden. Although a bit time-consuming, it is worth it!

Stuffed Zuccini

10 small-ish zucchini
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 c. cooked rice
3 eggs
1 t. dill
salt and pepper
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 t. parsley
6 c. spaghetti sauce
parmesan cheese

First, cut your zucchini in half and scoop out all of the seeds and some of the pulp, leaving a small amount of the flesh so that the zucchini resembles a boat. You can discard the insides. Brown your beef with onion, and add garlic near the end and drain. Combine meat with cooked rice, bread crumbs and 3 eggs. Season with parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Fill each "boat" with a generous amount of filling in a large baking dish--I needed 2 10 by 15 inch dishes. Spoon spaghetti sauce over (I made my own) and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

That's it!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Tomato Soup

2011-01-24T16:45:00.001-05:00

Tomato Soup

This soup was my grandpa's recipe. The original one calls for onion, celery, and potatoes. It is delicious and I can never make it quite as good as he did. However, for a quick and easy, not to mention economical, lunch, here is the modified version of the recipe.

2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
a pinch of baking soda
1 stick butter
1/4 c. flour (the original recipe called for less, but I found it needs a tad more in order to thicken it a little)
8 c. milk
salt and pepper
1-2 T. sugar

Heat the tomaotes in a saucepan. After heating through, add a generous pinch of baking soda to remove the acidity of the tomatoes. This is key, believe me. The tomatoes will sort of bubble and foam. Add the sugar and taste to make sure the acidity of the tomatoes is gone. Next, in a separate large soup pot, melt the butter and stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes. Add the milk to the butter mixture. Lastly, ladel the tomatoes INTO THE MILK-- and not the other way around or the milk will curdle. Season with salt and pepper and serve. That's it! A quick and healthy lunch!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Chimichangas

2011-01-15T13:19:00.003-05:00

This is my friend, Lori's, recipe. It is easy and freezes well. There are really no measurements, but you can't go wrong.

chicken breasts
salsa
black beans
cheddar cheese
flour toritllas
butter

All you do is throw some frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot and top with a jar of salsa. You may need more or less salsadepending on how many chicken breasts you throw in. Last night, I threw in 7-8 breasts and dumped in a very large jar of my homemade, canned salsa. Let this cook all day and when you are ready, shred it with 2 forks. It will all just fall apart. Add as many cans of drained and rinsed black beans as you want. I did 4 yesterday. Spoon filling, with a slotted spoon, onto warmed flour tortillas, placing right in the center in a heap, not too much, or they will not close. Sprinkle with cheese, a decent amount. Fold up all four sides and place seam-side down on a sprayed baking sheet. This will resemble a "pocket". Can you picture it? Brush melted butter on all of the chimichangas and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Make sure you cut them in half when serving to release any steam and let them cool or you could burn your mouth! Also, wait at least 5 minutes or so before cutting or the cheese will ooze everywhere.

That' it! Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Spinach Enchiladas

2011-01-15T13:09:00.004-05:00

I found this recipe somewhere years and years ago, back when Anna was just a baby. I have been making it ever since. We all love it, and it is a great way to get spinach in kids. It is quick, economical and delicious. It is often the recipe I go to if I don't have any meat thawed and am in a pinch for dinner.

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained, or use fresh
2 T. butter
2 (10 oz. pkgs) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 c. cottage cheese
2 c. sour cream (can use low-fat, but I never do)
2 c. Monterrey jack cheese
flour tortillas, as many as needed (can use corn, if desired)
10 oz. can Enchilada sauce, or make your own! :)

Saute onion in butter. Add mushrooms and garlic. Add spinach and stir in cottage cheese and sour cream. Add 1 c. cheese. Spoon into flour tortillas, roll, and place in a 10 by 15 inch baking dish. Top with Enchilada sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through and all bubbly.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Black Forest Cheesecake Cupcakes

2011-01-11T13:41:00.005-05:00

I made these for Christmas when I was assigned to bring dessert for Christmas dinner. They were SO good that Anna requested them for her birthday this past weekend. YUM!

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. cocoa
15 chocolate sandwich cookies, with creme filling
1 can (20 oz.) cherry pie filling
whipped cream (optional)

Remove tops from chocolate sandwich cookies and set aside. Place the bottom portion of the cookie, including cream filling into the bottom of a foil liner in a muffin tin.

Place the remaining cookies in a food processor and crush. Set aside.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and cocoa. Bat in eggs until blended. Fill cupcake liners to top. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs and bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool and then refrigrat. Just before serving, spoon 2 T. cherry pie filling on top. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Sloppy Joe's

2011-01-07T17:06:00.004-05:00

Anna turns 10 on Monday and we are having her birthday party this Sunday. Our children get to choose their birthday dinner. First Anna requested chickpea's over rice, which is her favorite! However, I explained to her that although delicious, this isn't really party food and some people may not enjoy what we like to eat. So, then she asked for Eggplant Parmesan. Again, I had to tell her that we had to think "party food". We finally agreed on Sloppy Joe's, which is what Cameron's family traditionally had on birthdays when he was growing up. We haven't had this in a LONG time! On her actual birthday, I will make her first choice dinner as requested for our family. For dessert, she chose Black Forest Cheesecake Cupcakes (I will post those next!)

This recipe comes from my friend, Megan:

Sloppy Joe's

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion

Brown meat and drain. Throw into a crockpot

Add:
2 t. dark vinegar
2 t. brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
2 t. mustard
2 t. worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Cook on low until ready to serve. Serve on hamburger buns. We will greatly increase this recipe in order to have enough to serve our guests (both our families).

Cranberry Orange Bread

2011-01-07T16:57:00.004-05:00

I made this for breakfast the other day (found online, modified by me) and we all enjoyed it! I have tons of frozen cranberries (like 20 bags) because fresh cranberries went on sale at Aldi's for $.25 after Thanksgiving! You can't beat that.

Cranberry Orange Bread

2 c. freshly ground soft whole wheat flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 egg
2 T. butter
2 T. hot water
1 c. cranberries
1 c. walnuts, chopped
grated peel of one orange
1/2 c. orange juice

I double this recipe to make 2 loaves.

First, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, combine butter, egg, water, orange juice and orange peel (I squeezed several oranges I had, but I am sure you can use regular ol' orange juice and probably grated orange peel you can buy in the spice section, instead of manually grating oranges). Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Pour into two greased 9 by 5 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Zuppa Toscana Soup

2011-01-03T20:00:00.000-05:00

You may recognize this soup if you have eaten at the Olive Garden. I decided to make a similar version for dinner tonight. It was hearty, delicious, and kale is so good for you! Everyone loved it, including Semaiah who especially loved the kale! She kept asking for more! Sure, this soup is probably loaded with calories, but it is a good stick-to-your-ribs dinner on a cold winter's night! :)

1 onion, chopped
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 lb. bacon
5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
12 c. chicken broth
1 large bunch kale, torn into small pieces
1 c. heavy whipping cream

Bake the sausages at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. While that is baking, cut bacon into bite-sized peices and cook with onion until bacon is browned and crisp and onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove all from grease with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add sliced potatoes to chicken broth and cook until tender. Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Then, add sausage, bacon, and kale, torn into tiny pieces and continue to simmer. Lastly, add the cream to the soup. I simmered this for about an hour on low.

That's it!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

2011-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

First let me say: Man was this good!!! :)

We are starting homeschool again today after our 2 week Christmas vacation, and lots of sleeping in. In anticipation of being really sleepy today, once we are back to our early morning routine, I decided I had better throw something together last night. I wanted to make Baked Oatmeal, but thought it would be fun to have a different version, so I created this one: Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal. The kids loved it!

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

1/4 c. butter (you can reduce the amount of butter because the peanut butter has oil in it)
2 c. milk
5 c. whole oats
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flax seed (optional)
4 eggs
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. peanut butter
(I omitted cinnamon and nuts with this one)

Combine all and spread in a sprayed 10 by 15 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or so. When done, cut into squares and serve warm, either with warmed milk pored over, or yogurt, or plain! :)

One option, that I tried but wasn't fond of, is to spread a thin layer of jelly on about 10minutes before it is done baking, making it PB & J Baked Oatmeal. I thought this made it too sweet and somewhat mushy, but the kids liked it. Next time, I will just stick to peanut butter. :)

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Crockpot Black Beans and Brown Rice

2011-01-02T19:36:00.003-05:00

Cameron got me a new crockpot cookbook for Christmas (isn't he sweet?) and I am excited to try a bunch of new recipes. I made this one last week and we all really liked it! It is very easy, healthy, and economical. It could also be used as a side dish to accompany enchiladas or any Mexican dinner.

Here is my version, doubled for our family size. However, this made A LOT, and we used the leftovers the next day in burritos.

7 1/2 c. chicken broth--most economical is to use homemade!
3 c. brown rice, uncooked
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 t. cumin
2 t. salt
4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed--or use dried beans that you have previously cooked
2 T. lime juice
sour cream
chopped green onions

Place chicken broth, rice, onion, jalapeno pepper, garlic, cumin and salt in the crockpot. Cook on Low for 7 hours (this is what the book says, but mine was done in about 4 or 5 so watch it). When rice is tender, stir in beans and lime juice. Cover and cook 15-20 minuts more. Garnish in bowls with sour cream and green onions.

Use leftovers to stuff tortillas with cheese for a quick lunch the next day. Or fill tortillas, adding cheese, place in a baking dish and top with enchilada sauce or a white sauce made with green chilies and sour cream and bake!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Bowties with Sausage and Cream Sauce

2010-12-31T10:48:00.003-05:00

Here is what I am serving for dinner because my brother and sister-in-law are coming for dinner and it is New Years' Eve! This is a great recipe to serve to company, paired with a salad and some garlic bread.

Bowties with Sausage and Cream Sauce

1 package of bowtie pasta
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. onion
1 (28 oz.) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
3 T. minced fresh basil

Cook pasta, drain. Cook sausage and pepper flakes. Sit in onion, garlic. After onions soft and translucent add tomatoes and 1/2 and 1/2. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir cooked pasta into sauce and heat through. Sprinkle with basil.

We will be doubling this!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Morning Glory Muffins

2010-12-31T10:32:00.003-05:00

I fell behind with Christmas preparations in posting recipes. Now I have quite a few floating around in my mind that I need to share! Here is a great recipe we just tried--so delicious and healthy!

We often have muffins for breakfast and I am always on the lookout for recipes that my children will enjoy as well as ones that satisfy that mommy-longing in me to get some good stuff in them while they enjoy the treat of a muffin--vegetables, fiber, protein, etc.

This recipe is a keeper!

Morning Glory Muffins

2 c. freshly ground soft whole wheat flour (or use 1 c. whole wheat, 1 c. white if you don't have a wheat grinder)
3/4 c. ground flax seed
3/4 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
3 eggs
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. oil (or you can just do 3/4 c. oil if you don't have applesauce--I didn't)
1/3 c. orange juice (I just squeezed the juice of an orange I happened to have)
1 t. vanilla
2 carrots, peeled and shredded (I used my food processor)
1 Granny Smith Apple, shredded (I left the peel on and used my food processor)
1/2 c. nuts, chopped fine (pecans, walnuts, etc. I used walnuts because they are my favorite!)
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. raisins

This sounds like a lot of work, and it kind of is, but it is worth it, especially if you double the recipe and freeze the extras for another day.

In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs, applesauce, OJ, oil, and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Add carrots, nuts, coconut, raisins and apple.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Bean Burritos (From the Leftovers From Ginny's Burrito Bowl Recipe

2010-12-16T16:56:00.011-05:00

Here is another one of my creations, take it or leave it! :) We had Burrito Bowl for dinner last night, and had PLENTY of leftovers because everyone was still full from our tea party! So after having burrito bowl again for lunch today, and STILL having plenty of leftovers, I decided to concoct a recipe to use those beans up! Since the main part was already cooked, the yummy bean mixture, this recipe was a snap, and a great way to use up leftovers without them tasting like leftovers.

Bean Burritos

Leftover burrito bowl beans
rice (I had some leftover from lunch)
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. sour cream
1 (4 oz) can green chilies (optional)
hot sauce
cheddar cheese
flour tortillas

Mix beans and rice together, as much as your family needs to make your burritos. I made A LOT so that we could have leftovers for lunch tomorrow (one 10 by 15 inch pan and one 13 by 9 inch pan). This is my secret as a homeschooling mom. I rarely make lunch, but instead we usually heat up leftovers. This frees my time up to focus on school during the morning instead of food preparations. I can then work right up until lunchtime with the kids and knock out most of school so we can focus on read-alouds in the afternoon, as well as free time. Or if you are sick of beans by then, you can freeze the second batch and pull them out for lunch another time! Anyways . . .

I then added a few dashes of hot sauce (well more than a few since I made so much :) ) and several handfuls of cheese--it all depends on much you make.

To make your sauce: Melt butter in a sauce pan, add flour to make a roux, stirring constantly. After cooking a few minutes (to get rid of that flour-y taste) add chicken broth and blend well until thickened. Add green chilies and blend in sour cream. (I had to double this to cover both of my pans!) You CAN make your own creamy sauces and don't have to rely on those cans of cream of chicken, mushroom, etc. You may need to season your sauce with salt, esp. if you are like me and make your chicken broth without salt.

Assemble your burritos. Pour sauce over. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through~25-30 minutes. This made 13 HUGE burritos. I stuffed those babies FULL!

Serve with a salad or some corn mixed with green chilies and Enjoy!

My children ate this up!

**Another idea I had to use up leftover burrito bowl was to assemble the filling in the same manner, but top the burritos with salsa and cheese and bake.

In Christ, Laura

Christmas Tea Party

2010-12-14T13:03:00.004-05:00

The girls and I are hosting a Christmas tea party tomorrow for some of their friends. They are so excited! During the party, we are decorating Christmas sugar cookies (pre-baked!), making Christmas cards, drinking tea, and eating goodies. I am serving cucumber cream cheese sandwiches (recipe to follow), fudge, fruit, cheese cubes, and chocolate chip and apricot scones, cut into festive shapes. It should be fun!

Cucumber cream cheese sandwiches

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped tiny
16 oz. cream cheese
2-3 T. mayonnaise
salt
garlic powder
dill
grated onion
bread, crusts removed (use either white or wheat, but white is more traditional for tea party, finger sandwiches, I think)

First, drain your teeny, tiny cucumber pieces in a colander, sprinkled with salt to remove excess water. Let drain for a few hours. In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, mayo, garlic powder (maybe 1/4 t.?), dill (maybe 1-2 t. dried, but I like to use fresh, maybe 1/4 c.?). Grate some onion and add--not too much, raw onion is powerful stuff! Fold in cucumbers and season with salt. Spread on bread, top with second piece and cut into triangle wedges.

That's it! An indulgence for a special occasion. I have a weakness for creamy and salty food rather than sweets so I have to limit myself with these! You will not find me at the dessert table at a party, you will most likely have to pull me away from the appetizer table with all of its dips and such! LOL!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Taco Soup

2010-12-12T15:31:00.006-05:00

I got this recipe from my friend, Gabby, who made it for us after our daughter Elyse was born. We have a winter storm today so I thought this would be great comfort food. I threw this in the crockpot after church for dinner. It is quick and easy. I tripled the recipe so we could have leftovers tomorrow. ;)

1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 can corn, drained (or use frozen, as I did)
2 cans pinto beans, drained (I used dried that I had cooked and frozen)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 package ranch dressing mix (I used homemade)
1 package taco seasoning (or make homemade)
4 c. chicken broth (I used homemade I had frozen)

I tripled this and threw it in the crockpot. I had some ranch seasoning pre-made that I used, and I would have made my own taco seasoning, but I didn't feel like it. ;) Usually, I would, though. Cook for hours and serve with cheese, sour cream and chips for dipping.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Oatmeal Balls

2010-12-10T14:53:00.003-05:00

I don't know how I missed posting these on here! These are usually a staple snack in our house!

Oatmeal Balls

3/4 c. dry milk powder
3/4 c. whole oats
1/3 c. honey
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. dried fruit--raisins, dried apricots, chopped, dates, cranberries, etc.
1-2 T. wheat germ
1-2 T. flax seed
1/4 c. sunflower seeds

Mix all and roll into 1" balls. Refrigerate. I usually triple this recipe.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Fried Rice

2010-12-10T07:22:00.006-05:00

This is a great way to use leftover rice, but I sometimes just make a big batch of rice and let it dry out a bit before I use it. Fresh rice just is too wet, or sticky, or something to use with good results. Sometimes, I collect rice in a bowl in the fridge from all of our leftover dinners during the week. Then, at the end of the week, I make fried rice. There is no right or wrong with this recipe, it is so versatile. You can add or omit vegetables to your liking and use any type of meat you like or that you have leftover. I have used pork tenderloin, chicken, sausage, and ham with delicious results. Lastly, do not omit the sesame oil, it really makes fried rice taste like fried rice. You can find it in any Asian section in the grocery store.

Fried Rice (the way I made it last night)

carrots, diced
green pepper, diced
(other options are mushrooms, onions, red peppers, cabbage, etc.)
smoked beef sausage, cut into tiny pieces
olive oil
rice
4-6 eggs, scrambled
sesame oil
soy sauce
green onions
peas

~Saute veggies and meat in olive oil until vegetables are tender. (save peas and green onions until last)

~Add dried out rice (meaning not new, sticky rice). I add A LOT because we like to have leftovers for lunch the next day. I used 14 c. of cooked rice last night and this is enough for us for more than 2 meals. I also used 2 large frying pans and needed a third. 8 cups is much more manageable for one meal. At this point, you may need to add a bit more olive oil so it doesn't stick. Cooking only in sesame oil would be too overpowering. It is great to add taste.

~Scramble 4-6 eggs in a separate pan. Add to rice mixture and stir to combine.

~Add sesame oil and soy sauce TO TASTE. I do not measure. I add a generous amount of sesame oil and taste and add, etc. We also put soy sauce on the table so people can add their own if so inclined. Then, you don't need salt.

~Fry until heated through, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick to the pan. I fry mine about 20 minutes or so.

~Add frozen peas and green onions. Cook until peas are soft.

Serve!

That's it! Full of veggies, a great way to use leftover meat, veggies and rice. Economical, healthy and delicious!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Easy, Cheesy Lasagna

2010-12-08T18:10:00.003-05:00

I came up with this recipe this week by tweaking a recipe my family really enjoys--Husband's Delight, which is a recipe that is not listed on this blog, but it is in my recipe book. I turned it into a lasagna and it was SO good that there were NO leftovers, even from a 10 by 15 inch pan! My children ate thirds and fourths--they gobbled it up! So, I thought that I should share it here! :) You could easily make this vegetarian by omitting the meat in the spaghetti sauce.

Easy Lasagna

12 cooked lasagna noodles
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. parmesan cheese (maybe a bit more, I eye-balled it)
several cups mozzarella cheese :)
spaghetti sauce with meat

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 10 by 15 inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Ladle another layer of sauce, a layer of noodles, a layer of the cheese mixture, etc. until you are done. I end with sauce and then mozzarella cheese on top. That's it! Very easy, really. I baked this at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Here is the spaghetti sauce recipe I made, but you can use your own. We like a sweet sauce.

1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
4 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 small can of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
2 t. Italian seasoning
1 c. brown sugar (this is a guess, I added about 1/2 c., thought it was still not sweet enough, too acidic and then added more and more until it tasted right).

Brown meat, onion, and garlic. Drain. Add remaining indgredients and simmer until ready to use.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

My Kids' Favorites

2010-12-03T12:24:00.012-05:00

I thought it would be interesting to post my children's favorite recipes, might give you an idea of which recipes are kid-friendly. :)

Anna--
Breakfast: Oatmeal Pancakes
Dinner: Honey Lemon Chicken
Dessert: Lemon Chess Pie

Jonas--
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs Burritos (scrambled eggs with sausage, cheese, and salsa wrapped in a tortilla)
Dinner: Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
Dessert: "Gain a Pound" Pound Cake

Katria--
Breakfast: Fried Egg Sandwiches on English Muffins
Dinner: Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups
Dessert: Chocolate Chess Pie

Elyse--
Breakfast: Breakfast Casserole
Dinner: Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
Dessert: Pumpkin Cake (she only eats the frosting, then she changed her answer to "frosting" for her favorite dessert. That's Elyse.)

Haven--
Breakfast: Dutch Pancake
Dinner: Honey Lemon Chicken
Dessert: Whole wheat chocolate chip cookies

Looks like I have some posting to do in order to share their favorites that are not yet listed on this blog! ;) Oh, and I didn't list lunch, because it is usually leftovers.

In Christ,
Laura

Chili

2010-12-03T12:04:00.002-05:00

I am a midwest girl at heart, so anything that says "comfort food" to me, especially during the winter, is a plus! I am one of the rare people out there who loves winter for this very reason! Give me a cold winter's night, a roaring fire and a bowl full of piping hot chili, or soup, and I am SO content. Bring on the cold! There are hundreds of chili recipes out there. My mom's is amazing and I need to get her to write it down. Mine is full of vegetables, which I love.

Chili

1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
2 garlic cloves
1 green pepper
4 celery ribs
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained, or use dried
2 T. chili powder
1 T. parsley
1 1/2 t. cumin
1 1/2 t. oregano
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
6 cups beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
cheese, sour cream

Brown the meat with the onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Drain. Add tomatoes, beans and beef stock. Simmer for several hours to boil down the liquid and concentrate the flavors or you can throw this into your crockpot. The longer you cook it, the more the flavors will "marry". If you do not have long to cook this, do not add as much broth. If you are only using a crockpot, do not add all the broth because it will not have a chance to evaporate and it will be soupier. Serve with cheese, sour cream and chips.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Dutch Pancake

2010-12-01T16:29:00.000-05:00

Dutch Pancake, one of our favorite breakfasts!

12 eggs
2 c. milk
2 c. flour (I try to use freshly ground soft whole wheat, but I also use white.)
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
4 T. butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 10 by 14 inch pan. When the oven is about 350 degrees, put the butter in the pan and place in the oven to melt. Blend all ingredients til smooth. Remove pan from oven and pour in batter. Bake for about 15 minutes until puffy. Sift confectioner's sugar on and serve. Spread jelly on each slice.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Potato Soup

2010-12-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

I made this with my leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving. It was really good! I was SO looking forward to leftovers for lunch the next day, but Cameron took them all and I was so disappointed. Warning: This is NOT low-fat or healthy, but it is delicious!

Potato Soup

10 strips of bacon, cooked and snipped into small pieces
1 onion, chopped
7 T. butter (or bacon drippings if you use to cook in--my grandma did and she lived to age 90!)
6 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 1/2 t. paprika
7 c. mashed potatoes
green onions, chopped
1 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. milk

Saute onion in butter (or bacon drippings, I will admit, I added a tad!). When translucent, add broth, salt, pepper, and paprika. Blend in your leftover mashed potatoes, that have preferably already been made with butter and cream and such.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and add cheese, sour cream and milk til cheese melted. Mix in chopped green onions and bacon bits.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Lentil Rice Casserole

2010-12-01T12:31:00.001-05:00

Can I tell you how good this is? It may not sound good, but it is amazing! We first had it at a friend's house--another large family. We knew it was a hit when Jonas, after already having seconds, and then dessert, asked for MORE dinner! LOL! Try it, you will be surprised!

Lentil Rice Casserole

9 c. chicken broth (I use homemade--or use vegetable broth to make it truly vegetarian)
2 1/4 c. uncooked lentils
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
3/4 c. minced onion
1 1/2 t. basil
3/4 t. oregano
3/4 t. thyme
1 t. garlic powder
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all in a casserole dish and bake covered at 300 for 2-2 1/2 hours--until tender and liquid gone.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Brazilian Black Beans

2010-12-01T12:30:00.001-05:00

Here is another great recipe. It comes from my friend Miranda.

Brazilian Baked Black Beans:

1 8 oz pks dry black beans or 2 cans black beans drained
2 1/2 qts water
3 Tb olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato chopped or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 carrot, cubed small
1/2 lb bacon strips, diced
1 Tb parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Soak beans with the water if using dry. Saute onions and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in tomato, carrot and bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy. Dump in the crockpot with the beans and cook High 3 hrs or low 5-6. This should not be "soupy" but kind of thick. Serve over rice--brown or white or eat alone. I double mine, of course, with such a big family and we like to eat leftovers for lunch to save time in prep work for me!

Enjoy!

Laura

Hot Chocolate

2010-12-01T12:29:00.000-05:00

Here is the recipe I use. It is from Taste of Home Cookbook and is SO much better than the store-bought mix that you add water to.

Hot Chocolate:

1 T. butter (do not omit--makes it SO good)
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. baking cocoa
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt (brings out chocolate flavor)
1/4 c. hot water
4 c. milk

Melt butter in a pot. Add sugar, cocoa, salt and hot water. Bring to a boil. Add milk and vanilla. Heat through and serve with marshmallows if you like (I don't, but my kids do).

Enjoy!

Unstuffed Pepper Soup

2010-12-01T12:28:00.001-05:00

UnStuffed Pepper Soup

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
2 chopped green peppers
1 onion chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz) of beef broth (I usually use homemade chicken broth, but I didn't have any last time I made it and used beef broth and Cameron says he likes it better)
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) cream of tomato soup
1 can (4 oz) mushrooms
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
rice

Cook beef and drain. Throw all into a stockpot or crockpot and cook until green peppers soft. So easy. I always double this recipe. I DO NOT add the rice or it will puff up and get mushy. We serve this over rice in our bowls, so I usually make about 6-8 cups of rice. We season it with pepper and sea salt at the table. We usually have leftovers, so I will throw the remaining rice in the soup and refrigerate. It is much thicker the next day for lunch, but it is quicker than making fresh rice for leftovers.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Pockets

2010-12-01T12:27:00.000-05:00

Scrambled Egg Tortilla Pockets (From: http://www.recipezaar.com)

Approx. a dozen eggs
1 lb. bulk sausage (of your choice-turkey sausage, pork, etc.)
1 c. salsa
milk
cheese
butter
tortillas

So, I fry up a lb. of bulk pork sausage and drain. Then I whisk together the eggs with a splash of milk and salt and pepper. I add that to a frying pan and throw in the sausage and 1 c. salsa. I scramble that up. (You can also add green pepper, onion, mushrooms, whatever you like). I warm up the tortillas, take some of the fully cooked egg mixture and place in the center, then add a small handful of cheese. I fold all 4 sides to the center so it resembles a pocket (can you picture this? it is not like a burrito) and place seam side down on a cookie sheet. I then brush them with melted butter and bake at 350 for 25-30 mintues. After they cool, I freeze them so that Cameron can grab them individually.

Granola

2010-12-01T12:26:00.002-05:00

Granola (from the More with Less Cookbook)

4 c. oats
1/2-1 c. coconut
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. wheat germ
1/4-1/2 c. sesame seeds
1 c. peanuts or chopped walnuts

Mix together in a large bowl. In a saucepan, bring to a boil:

1 c. honey or brown sugar (if using sugar, increase oil to 3/4 c. or add 1/4 c. water)
1/2 c. oil
1 T. cinnamon

Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Spread on greased cookie sheets and bake about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. When cool, break apart and store. I, of course, double this. I use walnuts and do a combination of brown sugar and honey. I also use olive oil. In addition to wheat germ, I also add 1 c. of flax seed. You can also throw in some dried fruit after it is done cooking--just don't bake it in there--it kind of puffs up and gets gross.

Minestrone Soup

2010-12-01T12:26:00.001-05:00

Minestrone Soup

3 T. olive oil
1 onion
1 zucchini
1 can green beans (can do frozen)
2-3 celery stalks
4 t. garlic
4 c. broth ( I did not measure this, just dumped a frozen container of my chicken stock I made)
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans--I used a whole bag of dried and soaked them and cooked them.
1 can diced tomatoes (probably could have, should have done 2, but I didn't have)
5 carrots, diced
2 T. parsley
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 1/2 t salt (I didn't measure this, but just added some to taste)
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t. basil
1/4 t. thyme
3 c. hot water (why? I don't know. See my instructions below)
4 c. fresh spinach (I omitted, because I didn't have any. I also didn't want to push it. I figured if I could get my kids to eat this soup without the spinach, I was already doing great. Why risk it? Yes, they do eat spinach, but not floating in soup. ;)
1/2 c. small shell pasta (I used whole wheat elbows and just dumped the rest of the box in)

Here is what I did: I took my pre-soaked dried beans (I soaked them all night and then drained off that water. My brother told me that this helps you to digest them better (a.k.a.--not have gas). I have also read you should put a T. of yogurt in beans when you soak them--the enzymes in yogurt predigest the beans so that our bodies can digest them easier) and put them in a pot with some water and let them boil--maybe 6 or more cups of water. I added all my ingredients to this and the beans absorbed some water and some evaporated. I sauted my onion, celery, zucchini and garlic in olive oil and added that to the beans. I added my spices and cans of green beans, tomatoes, and drained and rinsed kidney beans. I then dumped in my frozen chicken broth and let this all cook. So, it was much more than 4 c. broth and 3 c. water. I didn't measure it. I made it this morning, let it cook for awhile, turned it off and then heated it back up right before dinner to cook the pasta.

I served this with shredded parmesan cheese and some crusty bread. The kids LOVED it! It has such great flavor. We will be having leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Meatless and cheap and easy and healthy--what more could you want?

In Christ, Laura

Kielbasa Bean Soup

2010-12-01T12:23:00.002-05:00

Here is a recipe that my mom sent me. We had it today after church and it was really good. Our children really liked it, too.

Kielbasa Bean Soup

1 can chickpeas
1 can kidney beans
1 can great northern beans
3/4 lb. kielbasa (Polish sausage)
4 1/2 c. water (I did chicken broth)
2 t. bouillon (I didn't since I did my homemade chicken broth)
2 bay leaves
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 zucchini
1 onion
2 celery ribs
2 t basil
2 1/2 t. chili powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 garlic cloves

I threw it all in a crockpot, turned it on high and left it until we got home from church. Full of flavor and full of vegetables!

In Christ,

Laura

Honey Muffins

2010-12-01T12:21:00.003-05:00

We eat this often with soup at dinner, instead of rolls or biscuits.

Honey Muffins

2 c. flour (I used freshly ground soft whole wheat)
1/2 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. honey

Combine dry in one bowl. In 2nd bowl, combine wet (sorry for my shorthand). Stir into dry until just moistened. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Red Beans and Rice

2010-12-01T12:20:00.000-05:00

Red Beans and Rice

1 lb. dried red kidney beans (I used a bag of small red beans)
2 qts water
2 medium onions
2 celery stalks
1/2 green pepper (I used a whole green pepper--but I LOVE green pepper)
2 1/2 t. salt (I used sea salt)
1 1/2 t. thyme
1 1/2 t oregano
1 1/4 t garlic powder
3/4 t. cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 lb. smoked sausage (I used 1/2 lb. Polish kielbasa because this is what I had)

Bring water and beans to a boil, simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. (I did my own method of simmering the beans for an hour or so and then draining the water and then adding about 4 cups more). Add onions, celery, and green pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Do not stir--beans will get mushy. Stir in seasonings and sausage. Serve over rice with cheddar cheese and green onion (we didn't use either of these). I bet you could do this whole thing in the crockpot--after you cooked the beans and then drained the first batch of water, you probably can throw it all in the crockpot for a few hours. I will try that next time. Love my crockpot! With 7 kids and a busy house, it is my best cooking friend! By the way, does anyone know if crockpots come in a size larger than 6 qts.? We could use one!

Tomatillo Enchiladas

2010-12-01T12:19:00.000-05:00

This recipe was originally given to me by my good friend, Gabby, but I have adapted it--not because it wasn't delicious to begin with, but because I do it a "convenient" (or lazy) way and leave out a lot of the "kick". All of our children ate this up! As always, everything is an approximation.

Tomatillo Enchiladas (green enchiladas)

1 onion, chopped
10-20 tomatillos--these are those little green tomato-looking things. You peel the husk off before using. (I did about 12, but should have done more)
garlic
sea salt
1 small can of diced mild green chilies
2 c. chicken broth
chicken, cooked and shredded
corn tortillas
mozzarella or any other kind of cheese

I cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot, made my own broth, cooled the chicken, deboned and shredded it and set it aside. In a pan, I sauteed onion in olive oil, then threw in the tomatillos whole. After 10-15 minutes, I added 2 c. of my homemade chicken stock, the green chilies, and some minced garlic and some sea salt. I cooked this covered on low for about 30 minutes. Then, I pureed it all, in the pan with a hand blender (love those things!). I quick-fried some corn tortillas in some heated oil so they would be pliable. I filled them with shredded chicken, rolled them up and put them seam-side down in a 13 by 9 AND an 8 by 8 pan (gotta make a lot when you are feeding a crew!). I poured the pureed tomatillo mixture on top and baked at 350 for 10-15 minutes, took them out, topped with cheese and baked 10 more minutes. I served this with spanish rice and some corn mixed with green chilies and cream cheese.

The spicy sourness of this is SO good!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Refried Bean Soup

2010-12-01T12:18:00.000-05:00

Refried Bean Soup (how I made it)

1/2 an onion, chopped
green pepper (you can add celery or red pepper, I only had 1/2 a green pepper left, so used what I had)
garlic
1-2 cans of diced tomatoes (I only had 1)
1 can of green chilies (I didn't have any, but this would have been a great addition, also, you could just combine the green chilies and diced tomatoes and add a can or 2 of Rotel, instead)
4 c. of chicken broth (I used homemade, and remember, this was me doubling the recipe to feed 7 of us)
2 cans of refried beans (you can use fat-free or vegetarian--whatever)
2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (you could do pinto, chili beans or a lb. of ground beef)
optional: 1 can of corn (I didn't have any)
1-2 t. of cumin
1-2 t. chili powder
sea salt

So, I sauteed the onion and green pepper in olive oil for about 5 minutes til soft. Then I added some minced garlic. I then threw in my can of diced tomatoes, chicken broth, refried beans, black beans and spices. Heated it through and served with cheddar cheese. Very easy, cheap and delicious and all of my children finished their soup! You could also serve this with blue corn chips to dip. Really, this soup is very versatile and fool-proof--you just add what you have.

Southwestern Spinach Salads

2010-12-01T12:17:00.000-05:00

We tried a new recipe tonight and it was a hit! If you get "Taste of Home" magazine you will probably recognize this recipe because it is from the latest issue. All of my children ate this, with no complaints. Either they are great eaters, or they know better than to complain :). Most of them did have seconds, though, and there were no leftovers.

Southwestern Spinach Salad

1/2 c. picante sauce (I used salsa because this is what I had)
1/4 c. prepared Italian dressing (I made mine--recipe to follow)
1/4 t. cumin
4 c. baby spinach (I used a large bag of spinach)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms (I didn't have any)
1 c. red pepper (I used green pepper)
1/2 c. sliced red onion (I omitted)
*My additions*--cucumber, grape tomatoes--
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I added more since I used more spinach)
4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced (I used 6)

In a bowl, combine picante sauce (or salsa), italian dressing and cumin. Set aside. Combine spinach, beans, veggies and bacon. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat. Garnish with eggs.

My Italian Dressing recipe:

4 oz. balsamic vinegar (I love the stuff!)
12 oz. olive oil
1/2 t. oregano
1/4 t. basil
1/4. t onion powder
1/4 t. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. sugar

Remember--I only used a 1/4 c. of this dressing. However, I used more spinach, but not more dressing. While the salad was delicious, it could have used a little more dressing. So, if you make more of the salad, be sure to increase the dressing!

African Peanut Soup

2010-12-01T12:16:00.000-05:00

African Peanut Soup (my version)

1 whole chicken
water
peanut butter
1 can of corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
green pepper
rice
onion

So, here's what I do: I throw a whole chicken into the crockpot and cover it with water and and throw some chopped onion in. I cooked that for 5 hours on High. By the way, my crockpot is 6 qts.-so about 10 c. of water. This feeds us for one dinner and one lunch and there are 8 of us eating, so it makes a lot. I then pull the chicken out (it all is falling apart) and I let it cool and debone it--gross, but necessary. I add some peanut butter to the broth--I think I added about 4 c. I just added and tasted, added and tasted. I dumped in 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 can of corn. I sauteed some green pepper and added that ( I could have added it when I was cooking the chicken, but I forgot). I added the chicken back in and seasoned with some sea salt. I served this over a generous helping of rice in each bowl. I am contemplating adding sweet potato next time. Good flavor. Very hearty. And, I didn't have to heat my house in this HOT weather. Gotta love that crockpot. I am using it today to make lasagna roll-ups (courtesy of my mother-in-law).

Enjoy!

Jambalya (without seafood)

2010-12-01T12:15:00.002-05:00

Jambalya:

1 whole chicken, cooked in the crockpot in water to make chicken broth
4 T. butter
1 lb. polish sausage
3 cans stewed tomatoes (chopped)
I used about 12 c. chicken broth (some of it cooks down)
1-2 green peppers, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, diced
sea salt
rice
3 t. hot sauce

I threw a whole chicken in the crockpot and covered it with water. I didn't add anything to it because I didn't have time--you can add all the "goodies" to make it rich stock, if you like. I melted some butter in a large pot and threw in my green pepper, onion and celery and cooked until soft. Then I dumped in my cans of stewed tomatoes (I coarsely chopped these once I opened the cans). I added the sausage, which I diced into small bite-sized pieces. I cooled my chicken and deboned it and added it in pieces to the pot. I added about 12 c. of broth and seasoned this with sea salt, pepper and hot sauce. We ladeled this over rice in bowls and put the bottle of hot sauce on the table. The recipe calls for 3 t., which for me is not enough. Most of our children wanted additional hot sauce, including Elyse (why am I not surprised?).

Easy, cheap and good! (especially if you get chickens when they are $.49 a lb!).

Enjoy!

Turkish Meatballs

2010-12-01T12:15:00.001-05:00

Turkish meatballs (Smyrna meat balls)

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
1 c. bread crumbs
1 t. pepper
1 T. cumin
1 T. oregano
1 T. thyme
salt
oil for frying

4-6 potatoes (maybe more? I am guessing and I have a big family, remember)
2 tomatoes (or 2 cans diced tomatoes)
2 green peppers

Mix together beef, onion, egg, bread crumbs and seasonings. Roll into a ball and press flat into an oval shape. Peel and slice potatoes thin. Fry in batches and transfer to a 13 by 9 dish. Fry meatballs in same oil, then green peppers. Lay the meatballs on top of the potatoes and put the fried green peppers around them. Pour the tomatoes over. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

A healthier version is to put everything--unfried, but still layered--in the baking dish. Season each layer with salt and pepper. Add some water to cover the potatoes then bake. I have tried this, but of course, frying everything gives it more flavor. This recipe came from Kadriye Ozbas Caglayan of Turkey.

Enjoy!

Mercimek

2010-12-01T12:13:00.002-05:00

Mercimek

1 potato, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
3/4 c. RED lentils (HAS TO BE RED. You can buy them at an Arabic grocery store or online. Maybe Whole Foods has them??)
1/2 c. DRY white rice
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. crushed red pepper (I halfed this, even with doubling the recipe)
6-8 c. water
salt and pepper
I also added 4 beef bouillon cubes--my addition.

Saute onion in olive oil. Add potato, carrot and saute a few minutes. Add lentils, rice, tomato paste and water (maybe pot half full). Throw in bouillon cubes. Let boil and thicken. Lentils kind of just dissolve and rice softens and puffs up. Add more water--I don't know how much--maybe 4 more cups. Add spices and PUREE the WHOLE thing. I love my hand-held blender!

Serve with sauce:

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. olive oil
2-3 t. paprika

1 lemon

Melt butter slowly and then add olive oil. Stir in paprika. Drizzle sauce on top of soup in each bowl and give each person a lemon wedge to squeeze on top. The sauce is optional, but the lemon wedge REALLY makes the dish.

Serve this soup with Arabic flat bread to dip--called pide in Turkish.

Baked Spaghetti

2010-12-01T12:13:00.001-05:00

Baked Spaghetti

spaghetti noodles or elbows, cooked (don't ask me how much, I never measure)
1 lb ground beef
green pepper
2-3 garlic cloves
onion
mushrooms
28 oz. can diced tomaotes
2 t. oregano
2 c. cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. water
parmesan cheese

Brown meat and drain. Saute onion and green pepper. Add mushrooms then garlic. Then add can of tomatoes and oregano. Add meat. In a 9 by 13 pan, layer pasta, tomato sauce, then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Add another layer of pasta, tomato sauce and cheese. Mix together soup and water and pour over top of casserole (you can double this if you want). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Voila! Two "comfort food" dishes, totally not low-fat, but oh-so-cheesy and good! These are also good for large families because both recipes stretch 1 lb. of ground beef a long way!

In Christ, Laura

Messy Mexican Casserole

2010-12-01T12:11:00.002-05:00

I love comfort foods. For me, anything cheesy and gooey says "comfort". I thought I would share a recipe that is not low-fat or healthy, but really yummy. I know this rules out some of you who only eat health foods, don't eat dairy, or don't eat meat. But for the rest of you who love to indulge in some cheesy goodness, enjoy! These recipes are versatile--very forgiving if you don't have everything on hand, thus they are both an "end of the month" stand-by--and I can throw them together really quick.

Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 can beans, drained and rinsed (kidney, pinto, black--whatever you like)
1 can refried beans
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies (4.5 oz) (or you can do 1 can of Rotel in substitution of the diced tomaotes and green chilies)
Cheese--colby jack, cheddar, pepper jack, whatever you like
4 flour tortillas

Brown the beef and drain. Put back into pan and add can of beans and refried beans. In a blender, mix diced tomatoes, green chilies and soup until smooth. Dump into pan with meat and beans and mix well. In a 9 by 13 pan, sprayed, place 2 flour tortillas, Spoon half of meat mxture on top, then sprinkle cheese on. Layer with another round of tortillas, meat then cheese. Bake at 350 until hot. This casserole is really sloppy, but the longer it sits, the more "firm" it gets--like lasagna. My children LOVE this dish. I recently added some taco seasoning and everyone liked it better without. I usually serve with with Mexican rice, salad or corn.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Summer Garden Quiche

2010-12-01T12:11:00.001-05:00

Summer Garden Quiche

1 can of crescent rolls
1-2 zucchini, sliced
1-2 yellow squash, sliced
1-2 tomatoes, diced or 1 can of diced tomatoes
garlic
onion
6 eggs
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
oregano
salt and pepper

Saute squash, onion and zucchini in olive oil. When it is tender, add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes--til it looks like a big soupy mess. Meanwhile, spread the crescent rolls in the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan, pressing perforations together. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add some mozzarella cheese--maybe 1-2 generous handfuls (sorry) (Also, the original recipe calls for 3 eggs, but that was never enough in my opinion--however, you decide). Dump, yes, Dump the juicy, soupy zucchini, squash-tomato mess onto the crescent rolls. Just trust me. Next, pour and spread the egg and cheese mixture on top. Lastly, sprinkle Parmesan cheese liberally on top. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (until quiche done). That's it!

Vegetable Medly

2010-12-01T12:10:00.002-05:00

Vegetable Medley

1-3 yellow squash, chopped (depending on size and the amount of people you want to feed)
1-3 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, chopped
a bunch of carrots-maybe 6-8 diced tiny
fresh mushrooms (I omitted)
1-3 tomatoes, diced
2-3 garlic cloves chopped
lemon juice
Parmesan cheese
butter
Italian bread crumbs
oregano
salt and pepper

Here is what you do: Steam the chopped and diced carrots, zucchini and squash (I boiled mine in water, but I am sure steaming is healthier, retaining all those great nutrients that go down the drain in the discarded water.) Saute the onion in butter (maybe you can steam it?) . Drain the veggies and pour into a 9 by 13 pan. Take some butter--maybe 1/4 c. or half a stick and cut in and drop it in with the veggies. Take a lemon and squeeze the juice on or add 1-3 T. lemon juice. Add the chopped garlic, the onion, some oregano and mix all this together. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Spread diced tomato on top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all. Melt 1-2 T. butter and add some Italian bread crumbs, I don't know how much--1/2 a cup? Maybe a tad more. When it looks moist, spoon over the veggies. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. This smells wonderful when it is cooking.

Lahmajoon

2010-12-01T12:10:00.001-05:00

Lahmajoon (La-Man-Jun)

Dough

1 packet of yeast (or 2 1/4 t.)
1 c. warm water
2.5 c. flour
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 c. oil
1/2 t. sugar

Bloom the yeast in the water for 5 minutes, until foam appears. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Create a well in the center and pout in the oil and yeast mixture. Fold together until combined. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and thick. Cover and let it proof for 2.5 hours (I didn't let it sit that long, maybe 45 minutes).

Once risen, punch down and divide into 13 egg-sized balls, and roll each by hand. Roll each ball into a 7-8 inch diameter circle, about 1/8 of an inch thick.

Meat topping:

1 lb. ground beef
3 T. tomato paste
1 T. kosher salt
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1 T. dried mint (very important)
1/2 t. allspice (very important)
onion chopped really fine
2 garlic cloves crushed and finely chopped
3 T. finely chopped green pepper
1 t. jalapeno pepper, chopped fine (I omitted)
1/2 t. chopped fresh parsley (I used about 1 T. dried)
1 14 oz. can seedless diced tomatoes, well drained

LEMON WEDGES--VERY IMPORTANT

For the meat topping: Combine meat, tomato paste, salt, garlic power, pepper, paprika, mint, and allspice in a bowl. In a food processor, pulse onion and garlic, until it has a thick-chunky texture, Then add to meat mixture. Next, add green pepper, jalapeno, parsley to food processor and pulse until fine and add to meat mixture. Lastly, add tomatoes and puree, then add to meat mixture. Mix well and marinate in fridge for 2 hours covered (I didn't do this). Spread a thin layer of meat mixture onto each piece of dough an pace on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, until meat is cooked through and edges of dough start to brown. The meat will have a red appearance due to the tomatoes, don't be fooled that it is still raw because it isn't browned.

To eat: squeeze lemon wedge on each "pizza". This is an important step and really gives it a good flavor.

So good! It may seem like a lot of work, but it is really worth it. If any of you DO try this, please leave a comment and let me know what you think--I am really curious if others will think this is as good as I do!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Falafel

2010-12-01T12:09:00.001-05:00

Falafel with Cucumber Sauce

1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 onion chopped
1/2 c. parsley, fresh (I used maybe 2 T. dried, but that was tripling the recipe)
2 cloves garlic
1 egg
2 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
1 t. salt
dash pepper
1 pinch cayenne
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. baking powder
1 T. olive oil
1 c. bread crumbs
Oil for frying (or you can bake them!)

Cucumber Sauce

1 6 oz. container of plain yogurt, or sour cream
1/2 cucumber, chopped fine
1 t. dill
salt and pepper
1 T. mayo

Combine and chill for at least 30 minutes

For the falafel:
Mash the chickpeas, but don't use a blender or the mixture will be too thin. Add onion and parsley. Combine lemon juice, egg, baking powder, and spices and stir into chickpeas with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture holds. (just so you know, I just threw all the ingredients in at once) Make into small round patties smooshed flat. My batch made about 36 patties. You can either fry them in oil or bake them for 25 minutes. I experimented and did both. I liked the browned crispiness of the fried version, but Cameron liked the baked version better. I know the baked version is healthier. It's your choice.

To serve: Cut pita bread in half and open up the pocket. Stuff with falafel, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce and top with the cucumber sauce.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

In Christ, Laura

Strawberry Cake

2010-12-01T12:08:00.001-05:00

Strawberry cake

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
1 c. mashed strawberries
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar (okay, I accidentally used 2 sticks of butter instead of 1, maybe that was why the cake was so good???). Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Combine flour and baking powder and add alternately with milk. Add vanilla and strawberries (I used some I had frozen that we picked). Pour into two 8" round layer cake pans. Bake and frost when cool. (a double-decker cake).

Here is the frosting I made. It was so easy and light--not too sweet and gooey and not full of a lot of junk. (I usually HATE frosting unless it is made with cream cheese, then I could eat it with a spoon.)

Strawberry frosting

1 egg white
1 c. strawberries with juice
1 c. sugar

Beat for 20-25 minutes. Covers and fills 2 layer cake.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Cranberry Muffins

2010-12-01T12:06:00.003-05:00

Cranberry Muffins

1 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla
4 eggs
2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries (I use fresh that I freeze--I recently found cranberries on sale at Aldi's for $.25 a bag and I bought 20 bags, no joke!)
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (Or walnuts--my preference, my favorite!)

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

***I made these recently with freshly ground soft whole wheat and the results were amazing! So good.

"Cowboy" Stew

2010-12-01T12:06:00.001-05:00

This recipe is our family's favorite stew recipe. It was given to me by a friend of mine from church; she made it for us after Elyse was born. We now make it quite often. It is very thick and we serve it over rice.

Cubed Steak Stew

1 1/2 lb. of cubed steak (this is NOT cubes of beef, but a flat steak called "cubed steak" that has some texture to it, like it has been tenderized or something.
flour, salt & pepper (a mixture on a plate or bowl to coat the meat)
1/4 c. butter
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 c. white cooking wine (please do not omit, it gives such good flavor)
1 c. water
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 T. parsley
4 carrots, chopped in big chunks
4 potatoes, chopped in big chunks
1 t. thyme
1 bay leaf

Melt the butter in a large stockpot. Coat the steaks in flour, salt and pepper and brown in the butter. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook a minute longer. Throw everything else in, stir and cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours. At this point, sometimes I transfer it to my crockpot and simmer it for several hours. When it is done, the veggies are soft and the meat falls apart (I also help break it up with my spoon). The whole thing is thick and resembles a big mess, kind of all blends together. Sometimes, I add a little more water if it needs it, but it will not be soupy at all. It may not look appetizing, but oh man! My children LOVE this dinner. They call it "Cowboy Stew". Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-12-01T12:05:00.001-05:00

Cinnamon Rolls

4 T. melted butter
1/4 c. warm water
1/2 box instant vanilla pudding
1 c. milk
1 egg, beaten and at room temperature
1/2 t. salt
4 c. flour
2 1/2 t. yeast
1 T. sugar

Put all in your kitchen aid or bread maker and use a dough hook, or select dough cycle, and let it mix and knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise for 45 minutes to an hour or however long you feel like :). (If you don't have either of these appliances, just do it by hand. It may take a little longer, but not a big deal.) Roll out into a 24" by 10" rectangle.

Spread with Filling:

Filling:

1/4 c. butter softened
1 c. brown sugar
5 t. cinnamon
3/4 c. chopped pecans (I usually omit, but added them this year).

Spread the butter all over, then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top. Finally, sprinkle nuts, if desired. Use a rolling pin to press the filling into the dough. Roll tightly lengthwise (like a big log) and pinch edges closed. Slice into thin slices--I use dental floss to slice. I take a long piece and run it underneath the log, cross the ends and slice through. Place the rolls onto a greased baking sheet or circular cake pans or whatever you have. Then, you can either let rise until doubled and then bake or like me, you can let it sit in your fridge until the morning and take out before you bake to warm up and rise a little more. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
2 c. confectioner's sugar
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
3 t. milk

I can't remember if this makes too much frosting or not, but you may have some leftover. I usually freeze the extra, if I have any.

This recipe may seem like a lot of work, but once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy and is worth it.

Enjoy!

Soft Pretzels

2010-12-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Soft Pretzels

4 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. warm water
2 t. kosher salt
1 T. sugar
1 package yeast (2 1/4 t.)
2 oz. melted butter

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in a bowl or stand mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit 5 minutes until it begins to foam. Add flour and butter and knead 4-5 minutes. Oil a bowl and put dough in when done. Cover and let rise 45-55 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring 10 c. water to a boil with 2/3 c. baking soda. Break off small amounts of dough and roll into a snake-like coil. Shape it into a pretzel form and place into boiling water for abut 30 seconds each. Remove and place on greased baking sheets. Beat 1 egg mixed with 1 T. water and brush on the pretzels. Sprinkle kosher salt on and bake for (hmmmm . . . this is not written down on my recipe, so I am going guess here) 20 minutes?? Just check them and when they are lightly browned, they are done. YUM! I like mine with mustard, but they are good all by themselves. You can also experiment and add other toppings if you would like.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Burrito Bowl

2010-12-01T12:03:00.005-05:00

This recipe comes from my friend, Ginny. It is so easy, economical and delicious! We call it Burrito Bowl and I make it a little different from Ginny because I use my crockpot. This recipe is also found in my recipe book. You have to try it!

Burrito Bowl

1 (16 oz.) bag dried pinto beans
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
1 onion chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 T. cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
sea salt
water

So, I usually double this recipe, except for the onion. I dump 32 oz. of dried pinto beans in my crockpot and pour lots of water on top--8-10 cups maybe? I throw in a chopped onion and let this cook all day, until the beans are tender and a lot of the water has been absorbed. Then, I add a large can of green chilies and a 28 oz. can of diced or crushed tomatoes. I add 2 T. cumin and season with plenty of sea salt.

We serve this over rice, topped with cheese and hot sauce. Sometimes we add sour cream and dip blue corn chips in.

YUM! Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Cabbage Soup

2010-12-01T12:03:00.002-05:00

Vegetable Soup

cabbage
garbanzo beans
diced tomatoes
chicken broth
carrots

Here is what I did: Cut up a whole head of cabbage and threw it in my crockpot. I then peeled and diced 6-8 carrots and threw them in. I added 3 cans of diced tomatoes and 4 cans of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (remember we have a big family, you may have to adjust for your family size). Then, I added water to just barely cover everything and threw in some chicken bouillon cubes (I am out of homemade chicken broth) and then let it cook all day. That's it! And, the best part of it is that my children loved it!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Turkish Salad

2010-12-01T12:01:00.002-05:00

Turkish Salad

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced peeled cucumber
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup green onion
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients and chill for at least an hour before serving.

That's it! So easy, fresh and healthy! In almost every restaurant in Turkey, this salad is placed on the table, sort of as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Black Bean Burritos

2010-12-01T12:01:00.001-05:00

Black Bean Burritos

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomaotes, (or you can use fresh since they are in season)
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chilies
1 T. chili powder
1 t. oregano
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. salt
1 t. lime or lemon juice (my addition)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 T. oil
~cheddar cheese
~sour cream
~lettuce
~tortillas

Saute onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and saute 1-2 additional minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Either serve in tortilla wraps and add extras at the table or, as I did yesterday, fill the tortillas, sprinkle on a generous amount of cheese and place in a large baking dish seam side down and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve with toppings. It was much easier to eat this way, with a fork, then like a taco because my little ones spill all the contents out and get frustrated. I doubled this recipe.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-12-01T12:00:00.002-05:00

These cookies are SO easy! It is a great recipe for your children to make on their own.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c. peanut butter (must have some oil in it)
1 egg
1 c. sugar (may want to try to play with this to see if you can successfully do less).

That's it! Mix all and bake at 350 degrees for I don't know--12 minutes??

Enjoy!

Trail Mix Cookies

2010-12-01T12:00:00.001-05:00

These are sort of my own creation. I got this recipe for Oatmeal cookies from a friend a few years ago, but have changed it so much that I changed the name to Trail Mix Cookies. These are really good and are full of healthy stuff. They probably aren't healthy for you, but are much better for you than just ordinary cookies! If my kids are going to get a "treat" I want to sneak some good things in! :)

Trail Mix Cookies

1 c. butter (I never use margarine)
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. freshly ground whole wheat flour (or you can use store-bought wheat flour or white flour--I have never used store-bought wheat flour, not sure if it would be too dense. Freshly ground whole wheat is SO light. I probably would use white first. If I used store-bought wheat flour, I may use less than the recipe called for)
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
3 c. whole grain oats (I don't use quick oats)
1 c. sunflower seeds
4 T. ground flax seed (approximately, I just eye-ball it)
4 T. wheat germ (again, approximate, I just pour until it looks right)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. chocolate chips, or raisins, dried cranberries--whatever you like! We, of course, like chocolate chips best!

Combine sugars and butter and cream. Add eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Add extras and mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Butternut Squash Soup

2010-12-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cut in cubes
chicken broth, enough to cover the chunks of squash in the soup pot (maybe 6-10 cups?)
whipping cream--maybe 2 cups??

Throw the squash chunks in a soup pot and cover with chicken broth. Cook until tender. Puree. Add 2 cups (more or less) of whipping cream and puree again. Voila!

It is rich, creamy and satisfying! There are many recipes which include spices, but this is the only recipe I have tried and I am telling you, it doesn't need a thing!

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-12-01T11:57:00.002-05:00

Pumpkin pancakes (from the More-with-Less Cookbook with my changes)

1/2 c. white flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I just do 1 cup of freshly ground whole wheat flour--soft, or hard wheat that is ground as fine as possible)
1 c. buttermilk (I make my own by adding lemon juice or vinegar to whole milk)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 salt
1/2 c. pumpkin (I don't measure this, I just scoop, so I am totally guessing and I triple this recipe--Maybe I add 1 c. when I triple the recipe?)
2 T. oil
1 egg
2-3 T. flax seed
1-2 t. pumpkin pie spice

Combine milk, oil and egg. Add remaining ingredients until just moistened. Fry and serve with syrup.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-12-01T11:57:00.001-05:00

Pumpkin Muffins (from http://www.recipezaar.com, with some changes by me)

2 c. flour (I use freshly ground soft whole wheat--similar to whole wheat pastry flour)
1 c. whole oats
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. water
1 can pumpkin
1-2 t. pumpkin pie spice
chocolate chips (optional)

Honestly, I am sure there is a method, but I just throw it all into a bowl randomly and mix by hand and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. These are the most moist pumpkin muffins ever. I don't know if it is because I use soft whole wheat flour or not. This flour is so light, it tends to make baked goods amazing.

Quick and Easy Salsa

2010-12-01T11:56:00.001-05:00

Quick and Easy Salsa

2 (14.5) cans diced tomatoes
1/4 onion
2 garlic cloves
3 slices jalapeno pepper
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. sugar
salt to taste

Throw 1/4 of an onion, 2 garlic cloves and 3 slices of jalapeno pepper (I used the convenient kind from a jar) into a food processor and pulse until chopped. Dump in cans of tomatoes and season with cumin, sugar and about 1 T. salt. Pulse quickly, but do not over-puree.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Chicken Cacciatore

2010-12-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

Chicken Cacciatore

1 whole chicken, deboned
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 c. white wine
2 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1/2 c. brown sugar (trust me, it is supposed to be slightly sweet)
1 zucchini, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 (4 oz.) can of mushrooms or use fresh
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

I cooked a whole chicken in my crockpot all day, took it out, deboned it (threw the bones back in the broth to cook all night in order to make some rich broth). Saute onion, green pepper, and zucchini in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook a few more minutes. Pour in white wine. Next, add crushed tomaotes and stewed tomatoes. Stir in sugar. Season with bay leaves, oregano, basil. Lastly, add chicken in bite-sized pieces. Taste and re-taste and keep adding salt and pepper as needed. ;) Cook on low for an hour or so to allow flavors to marry or pour into your crockpot to simmer all day. Serve over rice. YUM! Everyone loved this one! It was even better today as lunch!

Coffee Shop Fudge

2010-12-01T11:54:00.003-05:00

I found this recipe for fudge in my recipe box and decided to give it a try. I copied it from somewhere, at some point, and have no idea from where or when! I love fudge and this recipe is a keeper for the holidays!

Coffee Shop Fudge

1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. walnuts
2 T. strong brewed coffee, room temperature
1/8 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon

Line an 8 inch pan with wax paper. Melt chocolate chips with the condensed milk in a saucepan. Remove from heat when smooth and stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan and chill for 2 hours. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura

Chocolate Chip Scones

2010-12-01T11:53:00.001-05:00

Chocolate Chip Scones

2. c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. butter, cold and cut in small pieces
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. buttermilk

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut butter in until it resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in chips. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix until it just sticks together. Do not overmix. Knead the dough 4-5 times and pat inot a large 1 1/2 inch thick circle. Cut into 6 wedges. Sprinkle top with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

In Christ, Laura