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Real Food for Real Life: Hannah’s Complete Recipe Collection

By Hannah Keeley

Published by Team Keeley, LLC

Copyright © 2014 Team Keeley, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any

manner whatsoever for the purposes of resale or redistribution without the written permission of the Publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1491245811

1st Edition Copies of this eBook may NOT be resold or redistributed in any way

without expressed and written consent by Team Keeley, LLC.

www.HannahHelpMe.com  

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This  collection  of  recipes  is  dedicated  to  the  amazing  food,  and  the  even  more  amazing  family  that  

has  always  surrounded  me—    

My  parents,  brothers  and  sisters,  when  I  was  younger,  as  we  gathered  around  the  dining  room  table  for  hours,  until  someone  squirted  milk  out  of  their  nose  

from  laughing  too  hard,    or  fell  on  the  floor  from  leaning  too  far  back  in  

those  rickety  wooden  chairs.    

And  my  husband  and  children,  as  we  continue  to  carry  on  the  dining  room  table  tradition,  with  meals  

stretching  on  for  hours  and  laughter  ringing  out  through  the  years,  both  the  ones  that  trail  behind  me    

and  the  ones  yet  to  come.      

“Come  to  this  table  with  a  gracious  heart,  A  hearty  appetite,  and  plenty  of  time.  Take  from  this  table  a  bountiful  feast  

For  your  body,  your  spirit,  and  your  mind.”  -­‐Hannah  Keeley  

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Real Food for Real Life Hannah’s Complete Recipe Collection

Appetizers and Snacks 7 Beverages 13 Breakfast 25 Breads 53 Soups and Sandwiches 67 Beans & Sides 89 Salads, Dressings, Spreads, Pickles 99 Main Dishes and Veggies 129

Dump Recipes 161 Sweets 171    

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 Appetizers

and Snacks

 

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Power Packed Protein Bars I was going to pick up some protein bars at Sam's Club the other day, and was frozen in mid-reach when I saw how much they cost. Are you kidding me? They were about fifty cents a piece! And that's cheap! When you pick them up at the grocery or convenience store, they can be up to $1 each. I don't know about you, but that's a mighty hefty price for protein! I decided to roll up my sleeves and make my own protein bars. I got in the kitchen and added some of this, a little of this, a lot of that. Before I knew it, I had four dozen protein bars at a tiny little fraction of the cost. Now, before you get in the kitchen and make up some of your own, I need to give you a warning. I'm a big fan of fiber. Fiber cleans out your body. The cleansing process is often accompanied with gas. Do I need to say more? I packed Blair a couple of protein bars to take the work the next day. He called me around 4:00 in the afternoon. I picked up the phone and he said, "Good Lord, Woman! What did you put in those protein bars? I've already had to go on about three walks outside the office building! These are dangerous!" Now, I'm sure I've already shared way more than my husband would want, so if you know him or may visit him at work, please don't let him know I told you this. And if his office door is shut, you may want to stay far away! So, with that warning in place, here's the recipe:

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Ingredients 2 cups vanilla protein powder (whey or soy-based) 1 1/2 cups oat bran 1 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 cup flax meal 1 tsp salt 1 large apple, peeled and cut into chunks (or 1 cup applesauce) 2 cups almonds (or other nuts), coarsely chopped 2 cups raisins (divided) 1 cup peanut butter (or almond butter) 1 cup coconut palm sugar (or sucanat) 4 beaten eggs 1 cup dehydrated cranberries (or other dehydrated fruit) Directions 1. Get one cup of raisins and pour one cup of warm water over them in a bowl. Let them soak while you add up the other ingredients. 2. Combine protein powder, oat bran, flour, flax meal, and salt in one bowl. 3. In a blender, combine apple chunks and 1/2 cup water until it looks like applesauce. Pour applesauce into a new bowl. In that same blender, combine the soaked raisins with the water that it was soaking in until it looks like....umm....."raisin juice?" Add that to the applesauce. 4. To the apple sauce and raisin juice, add almonds, the remaining raisins, peanut butter, sugar, beaten eggs, and dehydrated fruit. Mix this all up and then add to the dry ingredients. Mix well and pour into two greased 9x13 pans. Bake for 30 minutes at 350° or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 5. Stick a cork in your bee-hind.    

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Hot  Boiled  “Bohld”  Peanuts    Way before all those fancy people started eating edamame, southerners had their own boiled-in-the-shell delicacy--hot, boiled peanuts. But don't event think about pronouncing it "boiled." to be a true southerner, you have to pronounce it with one syllable--"bohld." The pronunciation really does affect the taste; trust me. The trick to cooking the perfect boiled peanut is T-I-M-E. Get a slow cooker and allot for at least 24 hours of cooking time to reach perfection. This delight always brings me back to autumn days bleeding into the winter in the deep south. Beside the road, there would be men in work britches and heavy, flannel shirts stirring big, pots of boiled peanuts. For 25 cents, you could get a full bag and a happy heart. Mmmm, love the stuff—memories as well as the peanuts! Ingredients 1 (1 lb) bag of raw peanuts in the shell 2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning 2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning 1/4 cup salt Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and fill with enough water to cover the peanuts (they'll float, no big deal). Cook on low for 24 hours, checking every now and then to replenish water if necessary.

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Regina’s Texas Caviar I remember when my sister, Regina, brought this to my family's Easter dinner. Now, you would think that amidst the ham, mashed potatoes, and yeast rolls, this appetizer would stand out like mom jeans on Project Runway. But, lo and behold, this appetizer was the one every single person was crowding around, clamoring for more. Before you make this, be aware that it makes a TON! Put some in jars and give them to your neighbors. They'll love you forever (or at least until the Texas Caviar runs out). Ingredients 2 cans pinto beans, drained 1 can hominy, drained 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 2 bunches celery, trimmed and chopped 6 small tomatoes, chopped 2 cans Rotel tomatoes, drained 1 jacima, chopped 9 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 yellow onion, chopped 6 jalepenos, seeded and chopped 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 cup balsamic vinegar juice and zest of 2 limes 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp salt 2 tsp coarsely ground pepper 2 tsp adobo Combine all ingredients, and serve with chips and a smile!

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Perfect Popcorn When it comes to stretching a dollar, I’m right up there with the experts. Nothing gives me a thrill like half-price day at the thrift store, free movies from the library, and a big bowl of popcorn. I buy my oil in bulk at shopping warehouses (it’s super cheap that way, and I still get a good quality olive oil). I also order my organic popcorn in bulk at my neighborhood grocery store. All in all? You can score a snack for under a dime. In fact, I can easily feed my entire family this delicious popcorn for about a quarter (try that next time you go to the movies!) Ingredients 1/2 cup light olive oil or coconut oil 2/3 cup popcorn kernels pot with lid (it’s fun to use glass lids because the kids can watch it pop) salt to taste Allow the oil to heat up in the pot on high heat. When it starts to heat up, pour in the popcorn and lower the heat to medium. Cover with a lid but keep it vented to allow steam to escape. This makes it drier and crispier. Shake the pot by moving it back and forth gently over the burner. I usually just grab it by the handles with a firm grip on the vented lid, pick it up, shake it around, and put it back down every few seconds. When it pops, it will seem to do so all at once. As the popping slows down, remove from heat and immediately dump it into bowls (if you leave it in the pot, the bottom pieces can get burned). Salt it to taste and serve nice and hot. Also, get creative and see what other toppings your family enjoys. My kids have just started a kick for garlic and black pepper!

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Beverages    

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Egg Nog Milkshake This is a great treat ANY time of year! All you have to do is put these ingredients into a blender and whip them in to a frenzy. My kids especially love these with whipped cream on top and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Oh, yeah….I can hear those jingle bells right now! Ingredients 4 big scoops of vanilla soy ice cream egg substitute equal to two eggs (do not use raw eggs) 2-3 cups vanilla soy milk 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla    

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Energy Smoothie Are you having a hard time getting up and running in the morning? Try starting the day with this energy smoothie. It’s packed full of protein, vitamin B, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and lots more wonderful ingredients so you can get the ball moving and keep that energy going throughout the morning! Ingredients 2 oz. silken tofu 1/2 cup frozen blueberries 1/2 banana 1 small clementine or 1/2 orange 1 T. wheat germ 1 T. flax meal 1 cup orange juice 1 tsp. agave nectar or honey 1 tsp. unsweetened green tea powder (optional) Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!    

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The Ultimate Breakfast Smoothie This smoothie recipe is for moms who love their bodies, love having unlimited energy, and don't mind cleaning the kitchen later. Yep, it's a messy one. But, Mama, I'm telling you right now. It's worth it. I've started every day with this smoothie for the past two weeks and I'm not about to give it up. It makes me feel energized, healthy, and keeps me going strong all morning (not to mention it gives me an entire day's worth of fruits and vegetables—rock on!). So, here it is: First I gather up some fruits and carrots to juice. If you don't have a juicer, just go ahead and use store-bought juice, but I HIGHLY suggest getting a juicer. Fresh juice gives you all the active enzymes in living food (the stuff that is destroyed with the heat that is used during processing) Ingredients (keep in mind that I usually prepare this for 2-3 people) 1 apple 1 peeled orange 1 peeled lemon 5 large carrots (If something's hanging around in the fruit bin, I may just toss it in along with the other stuff) After I juice the fruit and carrots, I cram a ton of organic baby spinach into my blender. Okay, maybe not a ton, but a lot, until it's about 4/5 of the way full when I push it down. I then top it off with one banana, a generous handful of blueberries (maybe 1/2 a cup), and two scoops of whey protein powder. On top of all that yumminess, I pour the juice into the blender. Then I mix it all up and enjoy a delicious smoothie that is sure to start your day off right! You'll even have enough energy to clean up all the mess.    

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Homemade Milk (20 cents a gallon!) We limit the dairy around my home. And for a cheapskate mom, it's tough to dish out between 3 and 4 dollars for each half-gallon container of almond or coconut milk that I buy. That's some serious money, honey! So, when I began doing some research and found recipes for homemade millet milk and hemp milk, those gears began turning in my brain (yes, that happens on occasion). I didn't have any millet or hemp on hand, so I just used what I had to find out if I could get the same results. The trick is to use whole grains in their original form. In other words, don't use them chopped up, flaked, or turned into flour. Use hemp grains, not hemp flour; flax seed, not flax meal. Well, I had some whole oat groats and some amaranth that I wanted to try out. You probably already have some whole grains on hand—like brown rice. If not, you can always pick up whole grains at your local grocer or natural foods store. Some of the more popular grains for making milk are oats, millet, hemp, and rice. But, as you can see from my little experiment, the oats and amaranth worked just fine. Another important thing to remember is to use organic grains. You don't want pesticide residue or GMO junk in your milk. Grody! Here's how you do it: 1. Rinse the grain ( I used about 1 cup of oats and 1 cup of amaranth and it yielded one gallon of milk). 2. Place it in the bottom of a pot and cover it with twice as much water. Let it soak overnight. This will swell up the grain. 3. Usually, the grains will need a little heat applied to make sure they are soft enough to process. All you need to do is put the mixture on the stove over medium heat and cook until the grains are soft (a bit squishy when you bite into it). You will almost certainly need to add more water, but the amount you will add depends on the grain you

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use. You want to go for a mixture that is the consistency of a thin pudding. 4. Remove your grain and water mixture from the heat and allow to cool before you process. This is important. One time, I didn't want to wait and added a piping hot mixture to my blender and the heat popped the lid off and left me with a huge mess. Learn from my ignorance, please! 5. Once your grain pudding mixture is cooled, put about 2 cups in a blender and add 6 cups of water (any amount will do, just use a 1:3 ratio of grain pudding to water. Less water if you want a thicker milk). 6. Process it completely (it may take a while depending on how well your blender works. My archaic blender is not that powerful, but it gets the job done). 7. Pour this mixture through a strainer and into another container (like a large bowl). 8. Add vanilla flavoring and preferred sweetener to taste (I like a mixture of stevia and honey). 9. Put in a container and start on the next batch. 10. Store in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. One more note: My daughter, Kelsey, loved this milk warmed up with some cinnamon in it. She said it tasted like horchata. Yummy! Now, remember, this is not a specific recipe. I tend to shy away from those even though they offer a sense of security and comfort. Your kitchen is your testing ground and be brave enough to get in there and create some concoctions. This is more of a tutorial than a strict recipe. Bend a little and use what you've got. You are the commander of your kitchen and you are the manager of your wealth!! Make it happen, mama!  

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Coffee Creamer I was looking for a way to indulge my husband’s habit for those expensive creamers without the price tag and the hydrogenated fats and fillers that go along with it. I looked for recipes online but only found them recipes calling for a base of a can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 1/2 cups regular milk. That was still too much money for this tightwad. I finally just got in the kitchen and started doing some concocting of my own. I fooled around and came up with a recipe that is cheap (I like it) and quite tasty (my husband likes it). Check it out! Ingredients 3 cups milk (I used vanilla soy milk) 1/2 cup sugar (can also use honey or agave nectar) 1/2 cup dry milk 2 tsp liquid flavoring* Put all ingredients into a glass jar and shake well. Store in the fridge and shake well before using. * I used vanilla, butter and nut flavoring, but you can also use almond extract, vanilla extract, peppermint, or anything else you may stumble across in the spice aisle. Try something new and see if you like it! If it doesn’t turn out to be a good coffee creamer, you can always mix it with some eggs and try a new recipe for french toast.    

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Frozen Cappuccino Have you ever thrown out that old, murky, dark-as-mud, coffee leftover in the bottom of the pot? Not anymore! Here's a fantastic recipe that is near and dear to my heart. First, because it's super cheap. Second, because it's delicious. Delicious? Cheap? You've already won me over! Now, remember, you don't have to use caffeinated coffee. Actually, I prefer organic decaf. I order the beans wholesale online (and they're delicious!). Here's what you do: 1. Get an ice cube tray (check out the dollar store if you don’t have any). 2. Pour that old coffee into the tray and freeze it overnight. 3. Put these ingredients in a blender and give it a whirl:

4 frozen coffee cubes 1 cup milk 1 Tbsp natural sugar (or a pinch of stevia) dash of cinnamon ¼ tsp vanilla

There you go! That's all there is to it! Enjoy...    

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Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake I had to take Kenna to the doctor once and Klara went along for moral support. She had to get her stitches taken out (in case you missed my newsletter that week, she fell and cut her chin pretty badly and had to get five stitches--yuck!). On the way home, I saw Chick-fil-A up the road. It's been ages since I took the kids out, so I decided at the last minute to pull in and get them both a milkshake. I figured a milkshake is the least I could do for getting five stitches taken out and not even complaining one time! They were elated when I pulled in! Kenna ordered a vanilla milkshake and Klara ordered their holiday special--a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake. On the way home, Klara said, "Mama, would you like a sip?" Well, I wasn't about to hurt her feelings and refuse the offer, so I grabbed the cup and took a sip. BIG MISTAKE! if I didn't limit dairy in my diet, I would be sucking one down every single day! That thing was so, dang delicious that I'm thinking they must put something in there to make it addictive. Wow! It was gooooood. I decided right there I was going to make one at home. And I did! Ingredients 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream (I use rice-based ice cream) 1/2 cup vanilla milk (I used almond milk) 2-3 drops peppermint extract 1/4 cup chocolate chips A palm-ful of peppermint candies (unwrap them first. I used the sugary, melty kinds; but you an probably use the hard, sucky kinds too.) Mix all the ingredients in a blender until it's smooth and creamy. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

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By the way, here are a couple ideas that I have NOT tried out, but am planning on: * Replace chocolate chips with a few chocolate mint oreos. * Add chocolate syrup and/or cherry juice.

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Frozen Latte Ever wonder what to do with that old coffee left in the coffee pot? You know, the stuff that looks like mud? Don’t throw it out! Instead, pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it! It’s a cheap and easy way to make a homemade version of those costly frozen drinks you would normally pay out the nose for! It’s tasty, delicious, and perks up that midday slump. Go ahead—try to get your local barista to make you a frozen drink for less than a quarter! Ingredients 6 coffee ice cubes 1 cup milk 1 tsp cocoa powder 2 tsp sugar (more or less to taste) Put everything into a blender and blend away!    

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Banana Split Shakes My kids love banana splits, but it’s quite an indulgence for us. However, I found these milkshakes really hit the spot. They actually taste like banana splits! It’s a lot easier to make a huge batch for the family, plus by replacing the ice cream with yogurt and cutting back on the toppings, you get a healthier version. But don’t worry—it’s not too healthy to satisfy a sweet tooth. Ingredients 3 bananas 2 cups vanilla yogurt 1/3 cup chocolate syrup 1/2 cup jarred cherries, drained 1/4 cup cherry juice (from the jar) 1/2 cup dry milk 1 cup ice In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. If you like, top with whipped cream, granola, or toasted wheat germ. Mmm…delicious!  

   

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Breakfast

 

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Granola    All you mamas already know I'm a tightwad with my money...especially at the grocery store. I'm totally floored by the price of most dry cereals, especially granola! What's the deal? I mean, if granola promised me I could grow a cup size in my bra or that my kids would all go to bed on time, then sure, maybe I would fork over the big bucks...maybe. But, it's cereal, for cryin' out loud! And it's SO easy to make it yourself at home. I save even more money by ordering my organic rolled oats in bulk from my local health food store (it's also a great workout to lift and haul a 50-pound bag of rolled oats!). Granola is one of those recipes that you can just have fun with. If you don't have one ingredient, just leave it out. If you have something to stick in there, go ahead and stick it in. The only thing it must have is a large base of oats. I've even left out the wheat germ, grape-nuts, and flax meal, and it was just fine. Just aim for about 10 cups of dry stuff for every 2 cups of sugar/oil/honey mixture and you'll be a-okay. Ingredients 7 cups rolled oats 1 cup toasted wheat germ 1 cup grape-nuts cereal 1/2 cup flax meal 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup brown sugar (or natural cane sugar) 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup honey 1 cup raisins (optional) 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut (optional) Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350º. 2. Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.

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3. Combine sugar, oil, and honey in a saucepan. While stirring, cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and it begins boiling. 4. Allow to boil for about one minute. 5. Remove from heat and stir the dry ingredients while you drizzle sugar and oil mixture over the top to coat it. 6. Mix it together well and pour mixture into a 9’ x 13’ buttered casserole dish, or buttered cookie sheet. 7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Stir the mixture every five minutes or so during the cooking process. 8. Remove from oven and mix in the raisins and the coconut. 9. Allow to cool in the pan, stirring every ten minutes so that it doesn’t clump together. 10. Store in an airtight container.

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Two-Way Hash Browns Sure, you can buy frozen hash browns at the grocery store. But have you read those ingredients lately? There's a whole lot more than potatoes in that bag! Also, why not hold onto your hard-earned money and make them yourself? Seriously, it's not that difficult! First of all, there is one trick to crispy hash browns. You've got to GET THE MOISTURE OUT! I don't care how you do it. You can squeeze the grated potatoes with some paper towels. You can use a rice crisper. Or you can put them on the roof of your car and take a two-hour drive through the desert. Okay, maybe not that last one. But, get those taters dried out! Ingredients 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and grated Montreal Steak Seasoning (or just plain old salt and pepper) Directions 1. Squeeze all the moisture out of the grated potatoes. 2. Drizzle oil over potatoes and toss to coat. 3. Spread the potatoes out on a greased pan and sprinkle them with seasoning. I also like to put a little onion powder on them. Yummy! 4. Bake at 400 degrees in a convection oven. If you don't have a convection setting on your oven, then turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden and cooked thoroughly. Note: You can also fry these in a skillet and they turn out just dandy!! Hash Browns (the second way)

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Instead of grating those taters, cut them up into small chunks, toss with olive oil and spices, and spread them out to cook on a greased baking sheet. Cook at 400 degrees in a convection oven, or 450 degrees in a conventional oven until crispy (about 30 minutes or so, depending on how big your chunks are).  

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles My kids love peanut butter and jelly. They love waffles. So, why not combine the two? Now, this works beautifully in this case, but I would be careful of other combinations. Sure, they may like nachos and milkshakes, but I wouldn’t be too quick to combine them. Ingredients 3 cups whole wheat flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 cup flax meal 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup oil 4 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter 3-4 cups soy or rice milk Your favorite jelly (sugar free) Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquid ingredients, except for jelly. Stir just until mixed. This makes a great waffle batter, but you can make the waffles even more delicious by putting jelly in the middle. Do this by pouring some spoonfuls of batter over a hot waffle iron. Drizzle a spoonful of jelly on the batter. Pour a few spoonfuls of batter on top of the jelly. Cook the waffles until done.    

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Christmas Morning Casserole If my family ever woke up on Christmas morning and didn’t have this dish waiting for us, I’m pretty they would stage a coup. This is, and always will be, a long-standing tradition in the Keeley home. Yes it’s fattening and not the healthiest, but it’s Christmas—enjoy! Ingredients 13 slices of white bread 1 lb. Velveeta cheese 2 sticks margarine 7 eggs 3 and a half cups of milk 2 tsp. of dry mustard salt and pepper Directions 1. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Tear up bread into small pieces and put in pan. Melt cheese and butter together. 2. Add dry mustard and mix. Pour over bread. 3. Beat eggs - add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Add milk to eggs and mix well. 5. Pour over bread and cheese mixture. 6. Let this sit overnight or for at least 8 hours. Bake in over at 300 for one hour uncovered. Important: Be sure that you pour the cheese and butter mixture over the bread BEFORE you pour the eggs and milk in. It makes a big difference.    

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Quickie Quiche This dish is just part of life around this house. Everyone loves it, especially when I give it a Mediterranean touch. The real reason I make it often? It’s so dang cheap (shh…don’t tell the kiddos). Ingredients 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups milk 1/2 cup dry milk 1 cup biscuit baking mix 3/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp nutmeg pepper to taste 1 cup grated cheese Directions 1. Combine dry ingredients. 2. Add eggs and milk. 3. Fold in cheese and any other ingredients. 4. Pour into greased pie plate. 5. Cook at 425º for 15 minutes, then 325º for 35 minutes. You can customize your quiche any way you like! Check out these options: Country Quiche: Use cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup sausage. Quiche Lorraine: Use Swiss cheese, 1/2 cup crumbled bacon, and 1/3 cup finely chopped onion. Mediterranean Quiche: Use feta cheese, 1/3 finely chopped red onion, 2 cloves garlic (minced), and 1/2 cup frozen spinach (defrosted with all liquid squeezed out).

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You can also double this recipe and cook it in a 9”x 13” baking dish. Increase cooking time by 10 minutes.

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Bacon, Egg and Cheese Muffins One time when we were snowed in, I made this yummy recipe for my kids. They just loved it! Your family will love it too (and it’s way more yummy than the breakfast sandwiches you get at those fast food restaurants). Get the kids to help with mixing everything together and before you know it you’ll have a delicious start to your day! Ingredients 2 cups flour 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt pepper to taste 1 beaten egg 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 cup milk 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup crumbled bacon (or meatless substitute) Directions 1. Mix first 4 ingredients and make a well in the center. 2. Add egg, mayo and milk to the well and then combine with dry ingredients. 3. Add in cheese and bacon. 4. Pour mixture into muffin pan and cook at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.  

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins You know by now that we're crazy about muffins around here. I came up with these delicious muffins as a way to appease my children who never get to have "apple cinnamon" cereal, even though their friends do. Maybe if it actually had any apple in it, I would change my mind. But I thought for sure these muffins would do the trick. They didn't. They still want the cereal. But, they absolutely loved the muffins. Out of two dozen muffins, none were left over! Ingredients 4 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp mace 1 Tbsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt 1 cup milk 3/4 cup melted butter 1/2 cup honey 2 eggs, beaten 3 cups finely chopped tart apples (granny smith) Directions 1. Combine dry ingredients, and make a well in the center. 2. Combine wet ingredients, add to well and combine. 3. Add chopped apples. 4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, yields 24 muffins.

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5. For extra yumminess, sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar before baking. 6. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.    

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Carrot Cranberry Muffins No question about it. These are my favorite muffins to make for Muffin Monday. I used to make carrot raisin muffins until one of my kids, Karis, begged me not to ruin the taste of my delicious carrot muffins with those evil little raisins (his words, not mine). Too bad for him, but last week I bought forty pounds of organic raisins to store in my freezer. The rest of my family loves raisins in oatmeal, cookies, even popcorn. Plus, I can keep them around to use for cruel and unusual punishment for Karis. But back to the muffins. I obliged Karis and replaced the raisins in these muffins with craisins and never looked back. Dee-li-cious! Thanks, Karis. Ingredients 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used half wheat and half spelt) 2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup natural sugar (like turbinado or date sugar, or just go ahead and use the white stuff) 2 cups milk 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup oil 3/4 cup honey 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup grated carrots (or processed in the food processor) 1 cup craisins Directions 1. Measure dry ingredients in a big bowl. 2. Add liquids and blend together. 3. Fold in carrots and craisins. 4. Drop by spoonfuls into greased muffin pans (it makes two dozen).

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Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.    

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Banana Crumb Muffins You probably know by now how much I love to make muffins for my family (not to mention how much they love to eat them). And if you don't know, you should definitely check out the Muffin Monday section of my website. Don't forget to do the muffin dance! I made these banana crumb muffins recently and they were just YUM. Try them for yourself and tell me what you think. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 large bananas, mashed 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/3 cup butter, melted In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, butter. Stir into dry ingredients. Fill 12 muffin cups. Crumb Topping 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon flour 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature Combine first three ingredients, add in room temperature butter with forks. Sprinkle crumbs over muffins. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.    

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Gluten-Free Eggnog Pancakes One morning, my daughter Kelsey and I were the only ones awake in the whole house. It was early in the morning and we had just come back from our walk/bike ride (she rides; I walk). We had a hankering for pancakes, but not just any old pancakes. We wanted something special. We got out the nutmeg and cinnamon and whipped up a batch of pancakes that tasted marvelously like eggnog. By the time everyone woke up, we were working on the last batch. It was delicious! We also decided to make them gluten-free*, just to take the challenge. We milled up some brown rice and oats to make the flour and they rocked! Ingredients 1 1/2 cups rice flour 1 1/2 cups oat flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup natural sugar (like turbinado) 1/3 cup flax meal cinnamon and nutmeg to taste (around 1/4 tsp each) 1/3 cup oil 4 eggs (beaten) 3-4 cups milk Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquids and stir until mixed. Fry on a hot oiled griddle and serve with whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg. * Although oats do not contain gluten, they can often contain trace amounts because the flour is processed in the same facility that processes wheat or other grains that contain gluten.    

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Choco-Cherry Chip Pancakes Let me just tell you right now that I don't cook breakfast like this every day. Usually, it's oatmeal, grits, homemade granola, or our favorite...muffins on Monday. But this Valentine's Day, I decided to do something different. I made up my regular old pancake batter, but then I stirred in some cherry preserves, chocolate chip, and touch of red food coloring to make some spectacular choco-cherry pancakes. They were amazing. And I topped them off with whipped cream to up the awesomeness factor a litte higher. The kiddos loved them!! I'm definitely going to be repeating this breakfast. Here's the recipe and, like I said, it's super easy. If you're making your pancakes from a mix, then add some flax meal to make them more nutritious. Don't worry; they won't be any less awesome. Ingredients For every two cups of pancake batter, add: 2 Tbsp flax meal 1/4 cup chocolate chips 1/2 tsp almond flavoring 4 Tbsp black cherry preserves just a touch of red food coloring That's all there is to it! By the way, I once came across a 9 oz. bag of gourmet pink chocolate chip pancake mix for over $5....are you serious? These are delicious and you can make them super cheap, too. Try it and totally impress your kids!    

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Red, White, and Blue Muffins! You know me and my love of muffins! Every Monday morning is "Muffin Monday!" It's just so easy to mix up the batter and stick it in the fridge on Sunday night. I made these this past weekend for Memorial Day, but they would be delicious any old time. One of my kiddos (Kenna) didn't like the cranberries too much. But, you can also chop up some strawberries and use those instead. Try it out! Ingredients 5 cups milled white wheat flour* 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp salt 1/2 cup natural sugar (like Turbinado--you may want more, so taste it to see) 2 cups milk 2 eggs 1 cup oil 1 cup honey 1 cup frozen blueberries 1 cup frozen cranberries Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Mix up all dry ingredients. 3. Make a well in the center and add milk, eggs, oil, and honey. Mix up the wet ingredients with a fork then combine it into the whole batter. 4. Spoon out into a greased muffin pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (keep checking!). * NO! Do not use white flour! I put a "white" in the title because I milled some soft white wheat. Just use plain old whole wheat flour if you don't mill your grain at home.

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Hannah’s Basic Homemade Muffins I love Muffin Monday!! I always get the muffins ready on Sunday evening before bed, so that the mix is ready to pop into the muffin pan and put in the oven first thing Monday morning. It's a great way to start the week! So, here it is--my basic muffin recipe. This is an awesome place to start and then you can just add stuff and play around with it until you get it how you want it. Delicious!! Ingredients 4 1/2 cups whole wheat* 1/2 cup natural cane sugar 1/2 cup flax meal 2 tsp salt 2 tsp soda 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 3 cups almond milk* 2 eggs (or egg substitute) 1 cup extra light olive oil 1 cup honey 2 tsp. vanilla Combine dry ingredients, add wet ingredients, then whatever stuff you want to throw in there (berries, carrot pulp, chopped apples,...). * more soy milk can be added if it seems too dry. Then spoon it out into the muffin pan, put them in the oven at 350 degrees, and tell the kids they have about twenty minutes to finish their morning chores before breakfast is ready. Yields 24 muffins.    

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Berry Medley Muffins One week, I couldn't find anything to make muffins out of, except a bag of frozen berries I had picked up at the grocery store. I added a cup of them and they were amazing. This recipe definitely became a keeper! Ingredients 4 1/2 cups whole wheat 1/2 cup natural cane sugar 1/2 cup flax meal 2 tsp salt 2 tsp soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 1/2 cups almond milk 2 eggs (or egg substitute) 1 cup extra light olive oil 1 cup honey 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup mixed frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) Directions 1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. 2. Make a well in the center and add liquid ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients together and then stir into the dry mix. 3. When thoroughly combined, fold in a cup of frozen berries. Fill greased muffin pan 3/4 full with the mixture and cook at 350 degrees until done in the center (around 20-25 minutes).  

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Pina Colada Muffins  I made up this recipe after my kids had pina colada popsicles and raved about them for days. It's delicious and nutritious. Mmmmm, you can almost smell the sunblock. Ingredients 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1/2 cup flax meal 2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup oil 3/4 cup honey 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut 1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits (or crushed pineapple if you don't like chunks) 1 cup flaked coconut Directions 1. Combine all dry ingredients. 2. Add wet ingredients. 3. Mix thoroughly and fill two dozen muffin pans. 4. Sprinkle some flaked coconut on top and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Make sure you make these next Monday for MUFFIN MONDAY!

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Stuffed French Toast This is such a delicious breakfast idea (or lunch or dinner or a late-night snack). This recipe calls for sandwiches to be stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese and fruit preserves, but you can also use Nutella, which is one of my kiddos' favorites--and mine, too! Why not make some of this one morning this week and surprise your husband with breakfast in bed? Why? Why not? Who knows...it could make for a very delicious (and adventurous) morning! Ingredients 12 slices whole wheat bread (can also use french bread) 6 Tbsp cream cheese 1/4 cup fruit preserves (100% fruit) 3 eggs 1/2 cup milk 2 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla Powdered sugar, if desired Directions 1. Combine cream cheese and fruit preserves. 2. Use mixture to make six sandwiches. 3. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla together with a whisk. 4. Butter a hot griddle (or spray with cooking spray) and heat skillet to medium-low heat. Dip each side of sandwich into egg mixture.

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Cook sandwiches 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. 5. Transfer to plate and dust with powdered sugar.    

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Six Dozen Breakfast Burritos! The other day I was grocery shopping and looked at the prices on vegetarian breakfast burritos--GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY! Ain't no way this mama is paying that kind of money, so I decided to make some myself. But, as I was making out a list of ingredients that I thought would make tasty burritos, I figured I would make a LOT of them and just freeze them. I love bulk food preparation because it gives me lots of "nights off" as the family chef. Anyway, I ended up making SIX DOZEN BREAKFAST BURRITOS! So, if you're thinking about trying out this recipe, make room in your freezer first! Ingredients for potato and vegetable mixture 2 green peppers, chopped 2 yellow onions, chopped 8 oz. mushrooms, diced (optional) 2 (2lb.) bags of frozen hash browns i cup oil 1 tsp seasoning salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp fajita seasoning (optional) Ingredients for egg and bean mixture: 3 1/2 dozen eggs 4 cans black beans, drained 4 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained 1 Tbsp taco seasoning 1 Tbsp. cumin 1 tsp Mrs. Dash chipotle seasoning (optional) Toppings: 3 jars taco sauce 2 lbs. shredded cheese, such as colby or monterey jack OH, and don't forget the tortillas (soft taco size, about seven inches in diameter)

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1. In a gi-normous pot, saute the peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a few spoonfuls of the oil. By the way, the only reason I used mushrooms is because I had a box of them that were about to go bad, so if you don't want to use them, no problem. 2. After a few minutes, add the two bags of hashbrowns, the spices, and the rest of the oil. Cook it all together in the pot until the hashbrowns are cooked (but not mushy), maybe about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside. 3. In a big bowl, crack the eggs, salt and pepper them the way you like, and beat them together. 4. In another large pot, cook the eggs until they are all scrambled (if you're not used to cooking a lot of eggs at one time, all you do is keep scraping the bottom with a spatula so they don't stick. Eventually, they will all be scrambled). 5. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes and beans. Add the spices to this mixture, and then add the beans and tomato mixture to the scrambled eggs. 6. Lay out a bunch of tortillas on the kitchen counter, gather the older kids to help out, and start an assembly line. Here's how it goes:

• First, eggs and beans. • Second, potatoes and veggies. • Top with taco sauce and THEN shredded cheese (the cheese

on top prevents the taco sauce from spilling out when you roll them up...I learned the hard way).

By the way, I poured the taco sauce into a squeeze bottle that I had salvaged and it made the process go a lot faster. See, mama? THIS is why I don't throw away stuff! After you layer this in a line in the middle, roll up the sides first and then roll the entire thing up like a burrito. Slip it inside a sandwich-

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size zippered plastic bag and roll out the air as you zip it up. This will prevent them from getting freezer burn. Now, stack them up and head for your freezer! Note: You don’t have to marry this recipe. Sometimes, I make breakfast burritos out of just scrambled eggs, some black beans, and cheese. Use what you got, Mama!

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins I had a fridge full of zucchinis the other day. Finally, I decided to grate all of them and store the grated goodness in my freezer. Now, the big question... "What do I do with twelve sandwich-size plastic bags of grated zucchini?" I searched all over for some good recipes for chocolate zucchini muffins, and then just decided to create my own. I figured if they turned out good, I would post the recipe. They were delicious! My youngest son, while eating his fourth muffin, piped up and asked, "Mama, these are so good. What did you put in them?" Without hesitation, I said, "zucchini." He stopped mid-bite. "Seriously?" he asked. "You put zucchini in these?" "Yep," I answered. He paused, investigated the muffin in his hand, and then stuffed the rest in his mouth. "Well, they're great!" he said, with his mouth full of chocolate zucchini goodness. If your child looks closely enough, they may see some green flecks here and there. Just be prepared. Ingredients 4 cups grated zucchini, with moisture squeezed out. 2/3 cup boiling water 1 cup oil 4 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups natural sugar (or date sugar)

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3 cups whole wheat flour 1/2 cup flax meal 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup (or more) chocolate chips Directions 1. Now, if you're careful, you can make the whole recipe in one bowl (I never use more than one bowl for my muffins). First, put the grated zucchini in the bowl and cover it with the boiling water. Let it sit for a few minutes to soften the zucchini. 2. Add the oil and mix together slightly (just to cool the boiling water). 3. Add the eggs and vanilla and combine well. 4. Add sugar and mix together. 5. In the center of the mixture, add the flour. DO NOT STIR. 6. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon on top of the flour. Using a fork, mix all the dry ingredients together on top of the liquid ingredients (just combining the dry ingredients together). Don't worry. You don't have to do this perfectly. That's just my step so I don't have to use two separate bowls. 7. Add flax meal and combine all the ingredients thoroughly. 8. Fold in chocolate chips. 9. Cook at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clea

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Breads  

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Mediterranean Black Olive Bread I made this bread the other day and when the aroma filled our home, I felt like I was visiting a cafe in Italy. And the taste was just as good as the smell. Honestly, mama, I prepared this and some fresh bruschetta and ate so much of it that I didn't have room for dinner. I ate half a load. Did you hear me? HALF A LOAF...and I'm dang proud of it. With fresh ingredients and whole grains, you can't go wrong with this recipe. Pair it with some fresh bruschetta you'll be one happy mama, guaranteed. Ingredients 3 cups white flour 3 cups whole grain flour (I used whole wheat) 1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 Tablespoon spaghetti seasoning (or you can use 2 tsp salt, and half teaspoon each of garlic, oregano, and basil). 1 can black olives, drained and chopped 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 cups warm water Directions 1. In a large mixer, mix together all ingredients. 2. Knead it for about 12 minutes. 3. Allow to sit and rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until doubled in size. 4. Punch down and knead it for another 12 minutes. 5. Put the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand until it's elastic and workable.

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6. Form into loaves and place in baking dishes (makes about three loaves). If you don't have any loaf pans, you can just plop the loaves right onto a baking pan. 7. Put the loaves into an oven with the light on (it makes it a touch warmer), with a pan of water on the bottom rack (it increases the humidity). 8. After they have doubled in size, turn the oven temperature to 375 degrees (leave the loaves in there). 9. Bake at 375 degrees until they are nice and golden (about 30 minutes or until done).

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Best Bagels Evah! The other day I got an extreme hankerin' for some bagels. But I wanted something I could sink my teeth into without feeling guilty about the poor nutrition. So, I set out to create the perfect bagel. And I dare say, I did it. I collected some recipes, tweaked it to pump up the nutrition, and then set to work. After all the kneading, the rising, the boiling, and the baking... I pulled the bagel out of the oven. I spread cream cheese inside. I took a big bite. And I'm pretty sure a lone tear welled up in my eye and trickled down my cheek. Mama, oh, mama...these bagels be goooood! Ingredients 2 cups hot water 1 cup soy or almond milk (sweetened) 4 teaspoons of active dry yeast 1 tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons agave nectar 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 3 cups spelt, kamut, or whole wheat flour (I milled spelt) Directions 1. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, or just a big-mama bowl, combine the hot water and milk. 2. Add yeast, salt, and nectar. 3. Add flours and mix into dough. Knead for about twenty minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

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4. Allow to rise an hour, until about double in size. 5. Knead for another fifteen minutes or so, turn it out on the counter, and allow to sit for another ten minutes. 6. While the dough sits, put a big pot of water on high and allow it to come to a boil. When it comes to a boil. Keep it around medium-high so it's pretty active, but not boiling over. 7. While the water is coming to a boil, pull some of the dough into a two-inch ball and roll it in your hands until it's smooth (you may need to sprinkle a little flour on it to keep it from being sticky). 8. Stick your finger through the ball and then spin it around between your two pointer fingers to stretch it out. 9. Place on a well-oiled cooking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. 10. After you finish with the last of the dough, the first bagels should be risen (don't allow it to rise for longer than fifteen minutes or so). 11. Place bagels into boiling water (enough to give them some room to swim around. I put four in my pot). There is an art form to this. You have to gently, but very rapidly, take them off the cooking sheet and plop them into the water. Don't try to use a spatula. You will just make them deflate. Just be smooth and quick. It helps to pretend like you're James Bond or Jason Bourne 12. Let them boil for about 90 seconds on one side. Then flip them with a spatula and give them another 90 seconds on the other side. This is what makes them chewy. After they finish boiling, take them out and place them back on the cooking sheet. You’ll see steam coming off those bad boys! 13. Cook at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until they're nice and golden.

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The Second-Best Cornbread in the World Cornbread is sacred in my family. My mama makes the very best cornbread in the whole world. As a matter of fact, that's why my recipe is called the "Second-Best Cornbread in the World." If I said it was the best cornbread, Mama would slap me upside the head. I'm not going to risk that. But, true to my southern heritage, I know the importance of a good pan of cornbread. A perfect cornbread can put any bowl of soup to shame by demanding center stage in a meal. It can also heal any heartache if you get a warm slice and spread butter inside. And, if you're like my daddy, it can bring a day to a lovely finish by sticking a few pieces in a glass and then filling it with milk (or as Daddy likes to call it, "bookie"). As a matter of fact, I think their marriage has survived this long thanks to innumerable glasses of mama's cornbread and bookie. Thank you, cornbread. Thank you, bookie. If it's been a while since you whipped up a batch of cornbread, then it's high time, Mama. Make this cornbread and then just throw any old soup on the stove. Everyone will rave about the meal later. Ingredients 2 cups yellow corn meal 2 cups sifted flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 Tbsp baking powder 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup margarine or oil 2 cup milk 2 egg, beaten

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Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 2. Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 3. Add oil, milk, and egg and mix together (don't overmix, make it quick and easy). 4. Bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. This recipe makes two dozen muffins or a 9"x13" pan.    

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Oh My Lordy! Biscuit Mix This recipe enables you to put a plate of biscuits on the table quicker than you can pop open a can of “fiscuits” (“fake biscuits”). It gets its name from the day I was making it with my (then) two-year-old daughter, Kenna. She was helping me in a way that only a two-year-old can help a mama and she poked a fist into the mixing bowl and flour flew everywhere. She looked at the mess and immediately chirped, “Oh My Lordy!“ We were all in the kitchen when it happened and fell apart laughing. Try it out. It’s quick. It’s easy. And if your little ones are helping you, don’t freak out when flour lands in peculiar places. It’s worth a good laugh! Ingredients 5 cups flour 2 rounded Tbsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup oil* milk to desired consistency (usually around 2-3 cups) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375º. 2. Combine the dry ingredients. 3. Add the wet ingredients. 4. After you mix the dough thoroughly, drop mounds onto a greased pan and cook for 20 minutes or until nicely golden on the top. You can vary this recipe to go with whatever you are cooking. If it’s a Mexican stew, you may want to add some red pepper to the dry ingredients and some jack cheese to the biscuit dough. If it’s

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spaghetti, try garlic powder in the dry ingredients and mozzarella to the biscuit dough. Get creative! When you are adding the milk, keep in mind that it takes more or less depending on what you are making. If you want to make drop biscuits, you'll use a little more milk so you can just spoon it onto the pan. If you are going to the trouble of rolling out the dough and cutting biscuits, then you will use less. By the way, if you are cutting biscuits the best biscuit cutter in the whole wide world is the lid ring of an old canning jar. * if you want to store this biscuit mix to use later, you can mix in shortening instead of oil and it will have a long shelf life. This way, it is exactly like that “other” biscuit mix and you can use it for all of those “other” biscuit mix recipes.    

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Biscuit Baking Mix I just included this recipe so you wouldn’t have to do any guessing on the amounts if you want to make some to keep in your pantry. Keeping some of this mix on hand is very helpful when you want to make a quick batch of biscuits or pancakes. It is very easy to mix and store. And if you are used to buying the brand name, it will save lots of money. Ingredients 10 cups flour 1/3 cup baking powder 1 Tbsp. salt 2 cups shortening or coconut oil Directions 1. Sift together dry ingredients. 2. Cut in spoonfuls of the shortening. The mixture should be the texture of coarse cornmeal. You can store this mixture in an airtight container for up to 6 months. However, if you are planning to keep it longer than that or if the weather is very hot or humid, you may want to store it in the refrigerator.        

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Cornbread Cakes A hurricane paid a little visit to us here in Virginia once, and wiped out all our electricity and internet (for about a week!). But, as any God-fearin' mama would do, I rolled up my sleeves and went into "survival mode." And guess what--we had a BLAST! Fortunately, the weather was cool enough to hang out outside all day and then when meal times approached, we just gathered up sticks from the woods that surround our home and made a fire. I made a little stove out of bricks and the rack from my oven, and it worked beautifully. One evening, we rustled up some grub (sorry, I think you just have to talk that way when you spend a week around a campfire) and I wanted to make some cornbread to go along with it. Nothing accompanies beans better than cornbread. I got my recipe and adjusted it a bit since we didn't have any refrigeration. I used dry milk and water instead of milk and egg replacer instead of eggs. Lo and behold! It was amazing! The kids were raving about them! You can cook these into muffins in the oven, but when I cooked these babies in oil on my iron skillet, I vowed I would never bake them again. They were soooo good! Ingredients 1 cup yellow corn meal 1 cup flour 1/4 cup natural sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup oil 1 cup milk 1 egg, beaten

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Directions 1. Combine all dry ingredients. 2. Mix in wet ingredients. 3. Cook on a oiled skillet over medium heat, flipping until done. Now, rustle up some grub to go with them, and you're set!    

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Pizza Dough It’s not often you find a recipe that every single member of the family enjoys. But when pizza night is on the menu calendar, everyone comes to the table with smiles on their faces. Homemade pizza is a lot simpler than you may think it is. The trick is to plan ahead. Pizza dough is not something that can be rushed because of the time it takes for the dough to rise. But with a little bit of planning, dinner’s a breeze. This is also a recipe that all ages and stages can get involved with, from kneading the dough to topping the pizza. Why not have a family pizza party tonight? Ingredients 5 cups all-purpose flour (or 3 cups whole wheat and 2 cups white), plus more for dusting 1/2 cup cornmeal 2 Tbsp rapid rise yeast 4 tsp salt 2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing Directions 1. In a food processor, pulse together flour, cornmeal, yeast, salt, and seasoning. With processor running, add oil and then 2 cups cold water in a steady stream until the dough forms a ball. 2. Put dough on a floured surface (like a countertop). Knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-4 minutes. This is a great activity for the kids, too. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a slightly damp towel. Let rise until doubled in size (about two hours at room temperature). 3. Divide dough into four equal portions. Roll into balls and cover with the same towel until puffed, about 20-30 minutes.

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4. Preheat oven to 450º during this time. 5. Place each dough ball on a baking sheet. Using your hands, flatten the dough and pull into 8x10 ovals. 6. Top as desired. 7. Bake until crust is golden brown and toppings are hot, about 10-12 minutes.        

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Soups and

Sandwiches  

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The Science of Soup I love making soup. And I've never used a recipe. To me, there is just something spiritual about soup. It's an act of taking what you've got and making a whole lot more. It's a manifestation of gratitude over what you've got instead of grumbling over what you lack, kind of like the servant who was given ten talents and out of his ingenuity and effort, got ten more. I'll supply the ingenuity. The effort is all on you. When it comes to soup, just use what you've got. Soup is so forgiving and gracious. You can purge your fridge and pantry of all your odds and ends and come up with something outstanding. When it comes to soup, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts! The other day, I made an amazing soup out of some stuff I had on hand. And the coolest thing was that it made so much, that I was able to bring a pot of it to another family for dinner. See? Soup IS spiritual! So, I thought instead of just passing along another recipe, I would show you a formula for pulling together soup out of what you already have on hand. Here's what I had on hand Turkey Kielbasa One onion A bunch of celery About 8 carrots Cannellini beans some brown rice a bag of collard greens Chicken broth

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• First, you need veggies. I always try to keep the "magical

trio" on hand when it comes to making soup: onions, carrots, and celery. I went searching for some more veggies and found a fabulous bag of collards. Other great veggies to keep on hand are frozen chopped spinach, squashes of all sort, eggplant, you name it. Basically, if it grows in a garden, you can toss it in your soup pot.

• Next, you need proteins. I keep beans on hand, especially dry beans because they’re so inexpensive. I used a bag of northern beans for the soup, but forgot to toss them in there because I cooked them separately (dry beans take a while to cook if you don't pre-soak them). I also found a can of cannellini beans in the pantry and grabbed them. I also found a turkey kielbasa that I got on sale the week before--woohoo! Beans and meat. That's your protein. Use them well.

• After your veggies and protein, you need some grains. Well,

you don't need them, but I like to use grains for two reasons--they're healthy and they're cheap. For this soup, I found some brown rice to stick in the mix. I also like to use spelt and barley. Yummy!

• Make sure you’ve got some good spices on hand. Some go-to

spices I always use in soup are Italian seasoning, garlic, seasoning salt, parsley, and steak seasoning is always a nice addition. You can add cumin (to give it a south-of-the-border kick) or soy sauce (to give it some Asian flair). I also love McCormick Spaghetti seasoning. And, no, McCormick did not pay me to say that. In fact, I’m pretty sure they don’t know I exist.

• Last, you need some juice to hold it all together. I found

some organic chicken stock and some diced tomatoes (yeah, I know it's a veggie, but they're so juicy, I threw them in this category). You can use anything you've got on hand, even that leftover spaghetti sauce in the fridge. You can also add a

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splash of wine (red for tomato-based soups, white for cream-based soups). Heck, you can even just use water, if you add enough flavor with spices. You'll probably need to add more water to your soup as it begins to shape up.

Directions 1. To make your soup, first you need to saute in olive oil the veggies and grains that require a little more cooking, like the onions, celery, and carrots.

2. Then I added the ingredients that require less cooking time—like the kielbasa and the collards. Hey, collard and kielbasa soup. Cool name--I'll keep it! That's another plus about making up your own recipes. You can come up with cool names. 3. After that cooks down, then add your juices and your spices. Here's the lineup I used in "Collard and Kielbasa Soup." 4. Everyone's got their favorite go-to spices. I love these spices. I also like to use McCormick Spicy Spaghetti seasoning in my soups. And, no, McCormick did not pay me to say that. In fact, I'm pretty sure they don't even know I exist. 5. Now, if you cooked up beans earlier, add those to the pot. 6. Let it cook. Pray over it. And serve it up.

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Taco Soup I remember a couple years ago when we went on a whirlwind vacation--four days in the mountains with my family for Thanksgiving and then on to Orlando for a week. By the end of ten days, we were exhausted and stinking to high heaven. But we had to make one more stop before heading home--Greenville, SC to see some of our favorite friends, the Baxley family. Cindy and Mike have been my friends since we went to college together. Now both of our families are very close. So, there was only one place I wanted to go for dinner (and it's probably the only place that would accept us, smelling like we did). We dropped in at the Baxley's and they filled our bellies with some delicious taco soup. Yummy! Cindy had some toppings for us to sprinkle on--green onions, crushed corn chips, and cheese. It was the perfect way to end a perfect vacation. Wonderful soup and wonderful friends. But when we arrived home the next day, there was NOTHING in the kitchen. So, inspired by Cindy's soup, I raided my pantry and pulled together something that was pretty, darn close. I found some cheese in the freezer to sprinkle on top and it was a great meal. This is one recipe that I have gone to over and over again. It's a winner! Ingredients 1 can kidney beans, drained 1 can black beans, drained 1 can chili beans 2 cans fiesta corn (corn with peppers) 1 can diced tomatoes with peppers 2 cans tomato sauce 1 (14 oz.) jar pizza sauce 1 packet taco seasoning 1 lb ground meat or vegetarian substitute (optional) 3-4 cups chicken broth 1 cup mild salsa (optional)

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Empty everything in a large pot and let it cook on a low temperature until it is nice and hot.

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Mystery Meat Chili This is my favorite vegetarian chili recipe in the world (and, mama, I've tried them all). Now, I've had to explain this to people over and over, so let me go over it one more time. The reason my recipes make so much food is two-fold. First, I've got a ton of people to feed. Second, my theory is that if I'm going to make some food, I'm going to have enough for another meal or two. This chili recipe makes plenty to feed your family and anyone else who stops by. Plus, you can mix up the rest with some whole-grain elbow noodles, layer it in a baking pan with cheddar cheese and have some delicious Chili Mac the next day. A couple of weeks ago, I had some friends over for dinner. We had "chili tacos"--a bowl with chopped lettuce in the bottom, brown rice on top of that, Taco Chili on top of that, and then all dressed up with sour cream, corn chips, salsa, green olives, avocado, and whatever the heck you want to put on it. My friend tasted my chili and said, "This is delicious! But, Hannah, I didn't think you ate meat." "I don't," I answered. So...what was that "meat" in my chili? Ingredients 4 cans drained black beans 4 cans chili-flavored beans 2 cans tomato sauce 3 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes 2 packs taco seasoning (without MSG) 1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal (yep, that's right) 2 yellow onions, chopped and sauteed in olive oil until softened

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Combine all the ingredients in a HUGE slow cooker or large pot. Also, you can just half the recipe (use two cans of diced tomatoes) if you don't have a slow cooker that's big enough. Try it once and you'll make it again, and again, and again.    

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Eggplant and Tortellini Soup I made this soup at the last minute one day when I had some leftover spaghetti sauce and an eggplant in the crisper that was about to see it’s last day. It turned out to be absolutely delicious. Even the kids, who protested a purple egg-shaped vegetable, had to admit that they enjoyed this soup. Pair it with some crusty bread and you have the perfect meal. Ingredients 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 eggplant, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 cups chicken (or veggie) broth 1 large can (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes 2 cups spaghetti sauce* 1 pound tortellini 1/c cup chopped spinach, with all liquid squeezed out. Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste Directions 1. In medium pot, sauté the eggplant and the garlic in the olive oil. 2. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about five minutes or so. 3. Add the broth, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and spaghetti sauce (*you can leave out the spaghetti sauce, but I usually have a bit left over in a jar in the fridge so I always add some for taste). 4. Bring to a slow boil, add the tortellini, and cook until tender, about five minutes. 5. Stir in the spinach and serve. For extra yumminess, top with grated parmesan cheese.  

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Hearty Black Bean Soup My family loves black bean soup! It’s hearty and delicious—the perfect meal to end a day. What you may not know about black beans is that it is one of the richest sources of magnesium. Magnesium is like the mom miracle mineral. It helps regulate your mood during PMS, it alleviates menstrual cramps, and it increases your sex drive. Wowsers! And you just thought it was a yummy dinner. Who knew, right? Ingredients 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 cups of black beans, uncooked 6 cubes chicken bouillon 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes 2 tsp dried cumin lots of water! Directions 1. Rinse black beans and put in a large pot with enough water to cover the beans by a couple of inches. Allow to boil for about fifteen minutes. Add the bouillon and turn heat on low. 2. Saute the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until veggies are tender (about five minutes) and add to the beans. Cook for about an hour, watching to make sure that it doesn’t run out of water (keep adding water to give it a soupy consistency—sorry, I cook like my mama and have no idea about measurements). 3. Add the tomatoes and the cumin, and keep cooking on low until beans are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

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This is delicious served with a Caesar salad and some cheesy-garlic biscuits.    

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Embarrassingly Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup You know those recipes that you take you three trips to two different grocery stores? That you need to start the night before? That cost more when you make it than if you just got in the car and went to a restaurant? This is NOT one of those recipes. This is a recipe that I got from my sister, who was embarrassed because it was so easy. Now, I'm giving it to you. And, believe me, I feel the same way. You will not see Bobby Flay whipping up a batch of this soup anytime soon. But I guarantee that some bee-hind whoopin' busy mamas are going to making broccoli cheese soup this week. Ingredients 2 (10 oz) boxes frozen chopped broccoli 2 (10 oz) cans Cheddar Cheese Soup 2 (10 oz) cans Cream of Potato Soup 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes Combine everything in a pot. Fill up one of the soup cans twice with water and add that to the mix. Heat it up and keep it cooking on low until the broccoli is done (about 20 minutes).    

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Clam-free Chowder While we were in Cape Cod, I kept seeing restaurant after restaurant advertising their "Authentic New England Clam Chowder." I love taking in the sights, sounds, and flavors, but I just couldn't get myself to dig into the chowder. Since I'm a vegetarian, you can probably understand why. That's why I came up with this yummy alternative. Try it out and let me know what you think. Ingredients 2 cups chopped oyster mushrooms 3/4 cup firm tofu (chopped in small pieces) 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash chipotle seasoning 3 teaspoons dried thyme 3 teaspoons dried sage 1/4 teaspoon dried dill 1 bay leaf 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth 6 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 2 cups milk (or unsweetened soy milk) 1 10 oz. container sour cream salt to taste Directions 1. Put the oil in a soup pot and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. 2. Add the chopped tofu, onion, celery, thyme, sage, dill, and bay leaf and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. 3. Add potatoes to the soup pot with the vegetable broth or water. 4. Simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.

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5. Add the milk and the mushrooms. 6. Stir in the sour cream or flour/water mixture. Heat thoroughly for another 10 minutes. 7. Salt to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf. 8. Serve with oyster crackers.    

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Minestrone Soup--A Keeley Family Favorite One time I was driving down the road with my son, Karis. It was a chilly day and we were talking about our favorite foods. Totally out of the blue, he asked me, "Mama, what do you think the best word in the world is?" Well, I thought and I thought, and I was thinking of so many beautiful words. But first, I wanted to hear from him. "That's a hard one," I said. "What do you think is the best word in the world?" Without hesitation, Karis replied, "Soup. That's got to be the best word in the world." After some thought, I decided he was absolutely right. When the temperature drops and families gather close and keep warm, the best memories are ushered in with a soup pot. Soup does a miraculous thing. It takes the outcasts, the leftovers, the bits and pieces that never found a home in a proper meal, and creates something wonderful--filling the belly and warming the heart. I don't mean to get carried away, but soup just has a way of doing that to me. I've decided to share with you a favorite soup recipe of mine. It's minestrone soup and it's delicious! Now, don't get all caught up in the recipe. Minestrone is one of those recipes that you can add a little of this and a little of that and it forgives you and makes something even tastier. Once I had a little spaghetti sauce in the fridge. I tossed it in and it was great. Another time, I grabbed a handful of frozen peas and threw them in. It was a winner, too.

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So, try this recipe for a sure-fire family winner. And if you serve some warm, crusty bread alongside, you'll be serving up sheer love. Ingredients 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 small zucchini, chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 4 tsp garlic, minced 4 cups vegetable broth (can also use chicken broth) 1 (30 oz.) can red kidney beans 1 (30 oz.) can white cannellini beans 1 (14 oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes 1 carrot, chopped 3/4 cup frozen green beans, Italian-cut 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground pepper 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/4 tsp dried thyme 3 cups hot water, or more broth 1 box frozen chopped spinach (all moisture squeezed out) 3/4 cup shell pasta Directions 1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. 2. Saute onion, zucchini, celery, and garlic for about five minutes. 3. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, beans, carrot, green beans, hot water, and spices. 4. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for about twenty minutes. 5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. Serve it up and enjoy the love!

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Excitable Cabbage Stew (as exciting as cabbage can get...) This is a recipe I’ve made some improvements on over the years. I thought it was funny because the other day when I was making it, one of the kids smelled something delicious cooking and asked, "what's for dinner?" When I told them "cabbage stew," they got all excited and ran around the house telling their brothers and sister. Okay, so maybe we need to get out more...but cabbage stew actually gets my kids excited. They LOVE it! And I do, too. It's easy, healthy, cheap, and delicious! Who can beat that? By the way, I invented this recipe after finding a bag of cole slaw getting ready to expire. Just shows you what can happen with a little ingenuity Ingredients 1 small pack of cole slaw (in the produce section) 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 (32 oz.) box chicken broth 1 (26 oz) jar tomato-based pasta sauce 1 small pack frozen spinach, defrosted with all liquid squeezed out 1 lb. Italian sausage (or veggie replacement) 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic 1/2 cup brown rice salt, pepper, and desired seasonings Directions 1. Saute cole slaw, onion, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until softened. 2. Add remaining ingredients and let it cook on low to medium heat for about 30-40 minutes, or until rice is cooked and no longer chewy.

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3. Here’s a tip: Add the pasta sauce before the chicken broth. Then you can put some of the broth in the jar to rinse out the remaining sauce. Get every little bit!! This is especially delicous topped with some freshly grated parmesan cheese!    

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Hannah's Green Machine! This is one of my favorite sandwiches in the whole, wide world! I also make it a lot for Blair and he thinks it's scrumptious (or at least that's what he tells me...). It's green and it's glorious!! Try it at home and you will not be disappointed! Ingredients 2 pieces whole grain bread 2 Tbsp hummus 1/2 avocado (sliced) 1 slice non-dairy cheese 2 tsp olive tapenade a big handful of sprouts Toast the two slices of bread. On one of the slices of toasted bread, put a slice of cheese and stick it under the broiler until it is melted (maybe for about a minute or so; watch it closely or it may burn). Spread the hummus on the other slice of toasted bread. On the hummus, place sliced avocado. Pile the sprouts on top of the avocado. On the melted cheese, spread some olive tapenade (if I'm all out of tapenade, I just drizzle some flax oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper). Put the sandwich together and enjoy!    

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Chipotle Potato Soup We have potato soup a lot around here. And there's a good reason--IT'S CHEAP! I can make enough soup for my entire family for about the same price as one meal out at a restaurant (and that's a cheap restaurant, too...none of this fancy schmancy stuff!). But, let's face it. Potato soup can get pretty dull, pretty darn quick. I decided to add a festive touch to it the other day and it turned out deeeeeelicious! Try it. You'll like it. Ingredients 4 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 huge (or two small) Spanish onions, chopped 2 Tbsp minced garlic 1 red pepper, finely chopped 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock) 2 cups milk 1 Tbsp flour 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp Mrs. Dash chipotle seasoning 2 cups grated cheddar cheese salt and pepper to taste fresh cilantro for garnishing Directions 1. In a large pot of salted water, cook potatoes for in a slow boil until they are softened, maybe about thirty minutes depending on how big or small the potato chunks are. Drain off the water. 2. While the potatoes are cooking, saute onions, garlic, and red pepper with olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.

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3. Smash up some of the drained potatoes with a potato masher. You can do it a lot and have a smoother soup, or not too much and have a chunkier soup. It's totally up to you. I mash mine a lot. 3. Add the stock, spices, and onion mixture to the potatoes and bring to medium heat. In an old jar with a tightly-fitted lid, combine the flour and milk and shake thoroughly until there are no lumps. 4. Add this flour/milk combination to the soup. Stir it a little, add the cheese, and stir some more. 5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a bit of sour cream.    

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Mushroom and Swiss Panini We got a new electric grill recently and it is absolutely perfect for paninis (a Keeley family favorite). Katie is my budding chef and decided to try her hand at panini making. She came up with this yummy concoction and we all just loved it! You can always add chicken or a meat substitute to the sandwich to add more protein. Do you have a delicious panini recipe? Send it to me - I’d love to check it out! Ingredients 1 sliced yellow onion 1 8 oz. package slice baby portobello mushrooms 1 tsp. fresh thyme 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise 8 slices Italian bread 8 slices Swiss cheese salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. Heat large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. 2. Coat with olive-oil flavored cooking spray. 3. Add onions, cook 3 minutes. 4. Add mushrooms, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 5. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. 6. Cook one minute and remove pan from heat. Spread 1/2 tbsp. mayo on one side of each bread slice and top with a slice of cheese, mushroom mixture and second bread slice. 7. Coat sandwiches with cooking spray. Place them on grill and cook until golden and cheese melts (3 to 4 minutes).

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Beans and

Sides    

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Tomato Pie Right now, you may be thinking, “Hmmm…Tomato? Pie? I don’t get it.” The point is not to get it, the point is just to enjoy it. Don’t try to understand this mysterious, but utterly delicious combination. Just sit back and take in its southern glory. Oh, and this dish must absolutely be made in the summer, when the tomatoes are so ripe they almost burst. And don’t go thinking you can make this recipe with those mealy, tasteless grocery store tomatoes. No siree! It’s fresh or it’s forgotten! Ingredients: 1 9-inch pie shell 2-3 large tomatoes, thickly sliced and drained 2-3 green onions, chopped salt and pepper to taste Cook pie shell according to package instructions and allow to cool. Fill cooled pie shell with layers of tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise and cheese. Spread mixture over tomatoes and onions. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes It’s not every day you come across a root vegetable like the sweet potato. Rich in beta carotene, it is one power-packed potato! You can prepare it as part of a savory entrée or sweeten it up a bit and you’ve got a scrumptious side dish. I love these mashed sweet potatoes—simple and delicious! I got the tip of using creamer when I was home visiting my mama and saw her searching all over for some milk to put in her sweet potatoes. Daddy had used the last little bit as part of his favorite snack—cold slices of cornbread covered in milk. Being ever the resourceful woman, she just grabbed the bottle of coffee creamer and used that instead. It was an instant hit! She has prepared them that way ever since. Ingredients 4-6 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/4 cup hazelnut creamer 1/2 cup brown sugar (or more to taste) 1 Tbsp cinnamon Directions 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. 2. Drain potatoes and mash with a fork or potato masher. 3. Stir in creamer, brown sugar and cinnamon and serve.    

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Clean Out The Fridge Risotto If you ever need to clean out the fridge, you usually have two choices—soup or risotto. This risotto is a wonderful way to use up all the bits and pieces left in the vegetable crisper, before they lose all their “crispiness.” Ingredients Brown rice 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2-3 stalks celery, finely chopped (optional) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups any leftover vegetables, chopped (squash, mushroom, broccoli, leeks, carrots) Directions 1. Saute the onion, celery, garlic, and rice (and any chopped leftover veggies that are raw) in the olive oil until rice is toasted and veggies are softened. 2, Add the stock one cup at a time and continue stirring as the rice absorbs the liquid. Risotto usually takes about thirty minutes to cook. About 5-10 minutes before the rice is cooked al dente (firm to the bite). 3. Add any cooked leftover veggies and anything else you can get your hands on that may make it flavorful—maybe some parmesan cheese or some ground pepper.    

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White Bean Supreme Whether you call them navy beans, or go for the fancier title of cannelloni beans, these beans make an awesome side dish. Pair up a bowl of these stewed beans with a pretty spinach salad and some crusty bread, and you’ve got a great dinner to put on the table. The main reason I love beans is because they are so darn cheap!! I buy dry beans by the pound and prep them by cooking them the day before I am planning on using them in a meal. I cover them with water, boil for about five minutes, cover the pot, turn off the stove, and let them sit overnight. Make sure if you prepare your beans this way that you use ample water (at least twice the amount of beans). For the sake of convenience, I have used canned beans in this recipe but remember, you get more for your buck if you go with dry beans and plan your meals ahead of time. Ingredients 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 large sweet onion (like Vidalia), chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp flour 4 cubes chicken or vegetable bouillon 3 cups water 2 cans cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained (or about 4 cups cooked beans) 3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried) 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 large jar (about 12 oz) roasted red peppers, julienned 2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar Directions 1. Dissolve the bouillon in the water and set aside. In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender (about five minutes). 2. Stir in the flour.

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3. Add the flavored-flavored water then the beans and spices. 4. Reduce heat and cook, covered for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peppers and vinegar and cook for a few minutes more. Serve it up with a smile!    

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Not-Your-Granny's Brussel Sprouts I know, I know. You're probably thinking what I was thinking when I first brought home two boxes of brussel sprouts. YUCK! But, boy, oh, boy, was I wrong! These Brussel Sprouts are knock-down, drag-out fabulous! You've got to try them at your home. Every single one of my kids--that's SEVEN of them, at last count--fell in love with this side dish. I'm serious! They were THAT GOOD! Ingredients 1 1/2 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved 2 Tbsp butter 1 red onion, diced 1 tsp coursely-ground salt 1/2 tsp brown sugar 2 cloves garlic, minced juice of half a lemon Directions 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 2. Add onions and cook in the butter until softened, about three minutes. 3. Add brussel sprouts and garlic, turn the heat to high, and stir for about 5-7 minutes, or until the halves turn a brilliant green and soften (bite into one to test). DO NOT OVERCOOK! If you do, you're going to wind up with your granny's soggy sprouts. 4. Season with salt, sugar, and lemon juice, and serve them with a smile!  

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Creamy Eggplant and Mushroom Risotto It was nearing dinner time and I didn't have a side to go with the collard greens and barbecued tofu I had prepared. So, as usual, I rummaged through my fridge to find some odds and ends I could use to conjure up something delicious. Here are the odds and ends I had to work with, some leftover eggplant and a handful of dried mushrooms (the remainders of the big jar I had in the pantry): What I came up with was a real shocker. Everyone loved it! This simple pulled together recipe became a keeper. Try it out. Ingredients 1/2 eggplant 3/4 cup dried mushrooms 3 stalks celery, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cups brown rice 1 cup spelt (if you don't have this, you can use another grain, or just an extra cup of brown rice) 2 Tbsp flour 6 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock) 1 Tbsp dried parsley 1 tsp all-purpose salt-free seasoning salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. Put the mushrooms in a bowl and added a cup of water to let them soak while you prepare everything else. 2. Chop up the eggplant. I had to chop it up pretty small. When my kids come across a big chunk of eggplant, they are likely to plot a coup. Don't want that.

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3 Saute the eggplant, onion, and celery in the olive oil over medium-high heat for about five minutes. 4. Add the garlic, spelt, and rice and saute for about five more minutes or until the ions are softened and translucent (don't burn the garlic). 5. Next, take if off the heat and stir in 2 Tbsp of flour. After you stir in the flour, add six cups of chicken stock and place it back on the heat. 6. Now's the time to chop up the mushrooms. Add the liquid you soaked them in to the big pot of goodness that's already simmering on the stove. 7. Add the chopped mushrooms and give that goodness some seasoning. I added some parsley, Mrs. Dash, and a touch of salt-free garlic seasoning (only because I didn't have enough garlic). 8. Let it simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until it has turned into something glorious. It took about 40 minutes. Don't rush it. This is REAL food we're talking about.    

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Zucchini Fritters The summer bounty is on its way. And if you are a gardener, then you know that a few zucchini seeds in the spring are good for sacks and sacks of zucchini in the summer. If you are wondering what to do with all of that surplus squash (and if your neighbors are starting to lock the door and turn off the lights when they see you coming with another bag), then why not try out this recipe? We prepared these this week and everyone—yes, everyone—in the family loved them! Ingredients 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (excess moisture squeezed out) 1 egg, beaten 2 Tbsp butter, melted 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs 1/4 cup minced onion 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning 1/4 tsp seasoned salt 1/4 cups all-purpose flour for coating 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying Directions 1. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg, butter, and seasoning. Stir in breadcrumbs and onion. Mix well. 2. Shape mixture into patties and coat with flour. 3. In a medium frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and then fry patties until they are golden brown on both sides. You can serve these with an herbed yogurt sauce, but when it comes to kids, nothing beats good old ketchup!

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Salads, Dressings,

Dips, Pickles

     

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The  Best  Salsa  in  the  World    I'm picky about several things in life--finding the right man, the perfect cup of coffee, and salsa. Not just any old salsa will do. I've got to have the good stuff. And I've finally discovered how to make it. As one of my kids put it, "This stuff is addictive." I have to admit, it is. So, if you are currently trying to avoid salsa addictions, do not make this recipe. However, if you're ready for the most epic salsa your nachos could ever desire, then here it is. Ingredients 28 oz. can whole tomatoes 2 cans Rotel tomatoes with diced green chiles, drained Juice from one lime (add some pulp, too) ½ cup chopped white onion 2 tsp chopped garlic 2 jalepenos, chopped and seeded 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp salt ½ tsp cumin 1 cup cilantro Directions 1. Put all ingredients in the blender. Now, I’m all for substituting ingredients, but under no circumstances can you leave the cilantro out. It makes the salsa. If I didn't have any cilantro on hand, I would just pop some popcorn and forget about the salsa. That's how important it is. 2. Put on the top, and blend it all up in a fit of salsa madness!

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Egg Salad You may be thinking, 'egg salad? You couldn't come up with anything better than...egg salad?' Well, the reason I'm posting this recipe is because it's the best egg salad I've ever come across. I knew it was good, but I realized it was killer when one of my daughter's friends asked if she could pack up some and take it home with her. I think the thing that makes this so good is the seasoned rice vinegar. Don't be afraid to give it a splash more. It's delicious! You can find the seasoned rice vinegar, as well as the Srirachi in the Asian food section at your local grocery store. Oh, and one more tip? I often add some firm tofu to the egg salad to make it stretch further and add protein without all the cholesterol. It's got the same texture as eggs, and you don't even know it's there! For this recipe, I would add about 1/3-1/2 cup of tofu. Try it and see. I bet your kids won't even know it's there. Ingredients 8 eggs 2 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed 1 teaspoon paprika 2 teaspoons dried parsley seasoning salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar dash of Sriracha sauce (that Asian hot sauce) Directions 1. Chop up the eggs, leaving it kinda chunky. 2. Add the rest of the ingredients.

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3. Mix it all up, make a sandwich, and then put it away before you make another one...and another one...and another one.

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Yummy Hummus Everyone in my family loves hummus. We eat it with fresh vegetables as a dip, spoon it into pitas, and even use it as an ingredient for sandwiches. I believe we would bathe in it if we could. But that would be gross. Let’s just eat it. Ingredients 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup of tahini 1/2 cup silken tofu 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 cup green olives, drained 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt dash of hot sauce Directions 1. Put all ingredients in a large food processor. 2. Add water gradually as you combine the ingredients until the mixture is smooth. 3. Just add a little bit of water or else the mixture will be too thin. You want it as thick as pudding. 4. Enjoy in or out of the bathtub  

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Creamy Salad Dressing This delicious and creamy dressing doesn’t have a bit of dairy in it, but you would never guess it! It is delicious on salads, but equally as yummy on baked potatoes, raw vegetables, and even pasta. Ingredients 1/2 package of silken tofu (or approximately 7 ounces) 4 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tsp. olive oil 1 tsp. seasoning salt 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning blend 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper (or regular pepper) 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley 2 cloves garlic 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve room temperature or chilled to your satisfaction.    

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Avocado-Feta Salsa

Ingredients 1 large avocado 2 plum tomatoes ¼ cup chopped purple onion 1 clove garlic, minced ½ tsp chopped fresh oregano 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp red wine vinegar ½ pkg crumbled feta (basil flavored) Directions 1. Peel and seed avocado. 2. Chop avocado and tomatoes and place into bowl. 3. Add onion and all other ingredients except feta. 4. Toss to coat. 5. Fold in cheese and serve immediately. Great with tortilla chips or over grilled fish or chicken!    

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Cost Busting Croutons Those poor little heels of the bread loaf. The kids always leave them in the bag - abandoned and alone. This recipe is an easy and cost effective way to take any bits of leftover bread and turn it into something tasty. Ingredients 1 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper (to taste) 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 3 cups bread cubes* 1/2 tsp. onion powder (or less to taste) 1/2 tbsp. Mrs. Dash (any flavor) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a small microwave safe bowl, mix garlic and olive oil and warm in microwave for 30 seconds. 3. Stir in Mrs. Dash and onion powder. 4. Place bread cubes in bowl with the garlic/oil mixture and toss to coat. 5. Spread bread out on baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until golden brown, about 15 - 20 minutes. 6. Store in an airtight container. These taste best if they are allowed to sit for a day before serving. Makes 3 cups. *Tip: Use scissors to snip leftover bread into cubes.    

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Creamy Caesar Dressing I’m always looking for ways to get my kids to eat more salads. Et tu, Brute? Then check out this fabulous (and super simple) dressing for Caesar salad. Making your own salad dressing is less expensive and much healthier than most of the bottled stuff. It also tastes delicious. The traditional Caesar salad is a simple combination of Romaine lettuce, croutons, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. But don’t let that limit you. I always toss a few extra ingredients in there to pump up the nutrition and my kids like it just the same. Ingredients 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp salt Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Or if you want an upper body workout, shake it all up in a jelly jar. Remember to save your small pickle or jelly jars because they are the perfect size to shake up a dressing and store in the fridge for later.    

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Hot Feta Artichoke Dip I was at a New Year’s Eve party one year and had the most fabulous dip ever! As a matter of fact, it was so delicious that I followed the host into her kitchen and wouldn’t let her get back to her guests until she handed over the recipe. Here it is! This is perfect for a party, family movie night, or just any time you get the urge (and believe me, you will!). Ingredients 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1 package (8 oz.) feta cheese, crumbled 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (not in the shaker jar) 1 jar (2 oz) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced Directions 1. Mix all ingredients 2. Spoon into a shallow baking dish. 3. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. 4. Top with chopped tomatoes and green onion if desired. Serve with toasted pita chips  

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Chopped-Up Salad When it comes to eating a salad, my kids are picky little pickers—pulling out a tomato here, a cucumber there. By the time they finish, it looks as if they have massacred the salad instead of devouring it. That’s why I started making “chopped-up” salads. I cut the pieces so small that it is almost too laborious to even try segregating the vegetables (but that’s not to say that they don’t still try!). By the way, another way to get them to eat more veggies in their salads is to let them help you prepare the dish. If they make the salad, then chances are they will eat it (or at least give it a good try). Ingredients 1 romaine lettuce heart, chopped into small pieces 5-6 slices cooked turkey or veggie bacon, chopped 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1 zucchini, chopped 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped 1/2 red onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped walnuts salt and pepper Mix together all ingredients and toss it with your favorite dressing immediately before serving. My kids like blue cheese or ranch, but you can also just make your own with 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon sugar, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper. You can also turn this into a complete meal by combining it with some cooked and drained pasta!    

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Judy’s Noodle Salad It was at a fourth of July celebration in our neighborhood when I first tasted this delicious salad. I immediately went searching for its creator and met Judy, a wonderful woman who certainly knows how to whip up some goodies in the kitchen. This salad is a reminder to me that some of the best recipes, the best tips, and the best friendships happen when one mom needs another. We all have strengths. We all have weaknesses. And just like a delicious salad, the separate ingredients are far better when they’re together. Saute the following in one stick of butter (it tends to burn if you’re not careful): 3 pkg. uncooked Oriental flavor Ramen Noodles (crushed) 1 flavor packet 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup slivered almonds Whisk together these ingredients: 2 tsp soy sauce 4 tsp apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup sugar Combine noodles and nuts with: 1 1/2 bags of broccoli slaw 1 red pepper (chopped) 4 green onions (chopped) Toss together with dressing and enjoy!    

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Pepper Pasta Sauce It all started with red, yellow, and green peppers that were quickly deteriorating in the fridge. I cut them into chunks, along with an onion, and sauteed them on medium heat until they were softened. Then I added some garlic and cooked it a bit more. Already the aroma was filling the kitchen! I tossed in a couple cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (which I keep stocked in my pantry), and added a little salt and some Italian seasoning. Now, for the super easy shortcut (Mama, you know I'm full of them). I added a big ole jar of spaghetti sauce. Doctoring up convenience foods is such an easy way to get the taste of homemade without all the fuss. And it's still pretty healthy, too! Now, you can use this succulent sauce to top your favorite pasta. Sprinkle on some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and you're in business! Quick, easy, and deeee-licious! Ingredients green pepper, chopped yellow pepper, chopped red pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp salt Directions 1. Saute peppers and onion for five minutes on medium heat. 2. Add garlic, saute for three minutes more.

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3. Add remaining ingredients, let simmer on low heat for ten minutes. 4. Serve it up!  

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The Yummiest Cole Slaw Ever

Seriously, I was never a fan of cole slaw. If we were ever at picnics, I just passed it by on the way to the baked beans and brownies. But last week, I made veggie burgers and sweet potato french fries, and I felt compelled to do the traditional thing and round out the meal with a side of cole slaw. So, I found a recipe on the back of the Dole cole slaw bag (the shredded cabbage and carrots in the produce section) and adapted it to suit my taste. It turned out fabulous! Here's the recipe I made up if you want to try it (and, mama, you should try it) Ingredients 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt 1 Tbsp honey 2 Tbsp minced cilantro 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (I added some pulp, too) 1/2 tsp ground red pepper 1/2 tsp salt Whisk together all ingredients until well blended, and toss with some coleslaw mix. Of course, I don't even have to tell you that I tripled the recipe for my family. And the whole thing was GONE at the end of dinner. That's how good it was!    

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Salad Sublime There’s layered salad, and then there’s layered salad. This is definitely the latter. If you are trying to make a salad to help lower your fat and calorie intake, then this is not the salad for you. But if you just want to make a side that everyone will love and beg you for later, then this bad boy will do the trick. Ingredients 1 head of lettuce, chopped 1 cup shredded carrots 1 cup red cabbage 8 diced boiled eggs 1 small bag frozen peas 8 pieces crumbled bacon (or meat substitute) 3/4 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup cheddar cheese 2 cups mayonnaise 2 tbsp sugar In a large glass bowl, layer the first 8 ingredients in order. Make sure you don't mix them together! Combine mayo and sugar (this really is to taste, so whatever floats your boat!) and drizzle on top. Yummo!      

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Fruit Salad (Yummy! Yummy!) I'm reposting this recipe from last year at the same time, when summer is drawing near. This is an awesome recipe to welcome those warmer days ahead. I love this fruit salad; but the Wiggles have cursed me. I can't make this dish without singing, "Fruit Salad, Yummy! Yummy!" when I'm in the kitchen. Oh, well. It could be worse, I guess. The thing about this salad that makes it so yummy is the delicious sauce made out of instant pudding and juice. Wowzy, Woo Woo! Salad: 1 pint strawberries, halved 1 small bunch green grapes 2 bananas, sliced 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced 1 green apple, cubed 1 pear, cubed 1 can mandarin oranges 1 can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve the juice for the sauce) Sauce: 1 small pack of vanilla instant pudding mix 1 can of banana strawberry nectar (you can find this in the international section) juice from the can of pineapple Prepare sauce by combining all three ingredients and whisking them together. Toss fruit with the sauce, refrigerate for an hour, serve. By the way, you can add any fruit you like. I didn't include blueberries because they are often pretty expensive. If you find a good deal, toss them babies in there!! YUMMY! YUMMY!

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Simple (and Cheap!) Bruschetta It was Sunday afternoon. I was working on my computer in the office and Blair was working on his computer in the living room. We wanted to get our slates clean before Monday because we are taking a week-long staycation. Anyway, it wasn't long before my tummy was growling and I knew the kids were probably getting hungry, too. I pulled some "emergency" pizzas out of the freezer for the kids but that just wasn't going to cut it for me and Blair. I pulled some tomatoes out of the fridge and chopped them up. Then I grabbed some basil that was growing in a pot on the back porch. Toss in some olive oil and some spaghetti seasoning and it looked fabulous! Then I remembered some baguettes that I had in the freezer. I found them on sale at the grocery store about a month earlier and stocked up! What resulted was the most delicious "appetizer dinner" that I could have ever concocted. It just goes to show you that some yummy meals are probably hidden in your kitchen. All you need is a little creativity (and a rumbling belly). Ingredients 2 cups chopped ripe roma tomatoes 1 handful fresh basil leaves (chopped up) 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp spaghetti seasoning (in the spice aisle) 1 baguette, sliced and toasted Combine the first four ingredients. Toast the baguette slices and top with bruschetta.    

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Yum Yum Sauce This sauce is perfectly titled, “Yum Yum Sauce,” and once you taste it, you’ll see why. I usually double or triple this recipe and store it in a big, glass jar in my fridge. The kids love it on stir-fry, but I’ve also caught them using it as a salad dressing and spreading it on sandwiches. It’s amazing! I use tomato past for this recipe, but it only calls for a little bit, so I usually dip out tablespoon-size mounds on wax paper and freeze them. When they’re frozen, I just plop them all into a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. When it’s time to make sauce I just grab a frozen lump of tomato paste and defrost it. By the way, you can also just use a squirt of ketchup—way easier! Ingredients 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tsp tomato paste 1 Tbsp melted butter 3 Tbsp honey 2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp paprika pinch cayenne pepper Thin it to desired consistency with water or milk. Enjoy!

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Crazy Cheap Salad Dressing Here's a super simple and ridiculously cheap way to make your own salad dressing. Check out the video to see how to label your jar in the right measurements and then you can mix up some salad dressing anytime the hankering hits! Ingredients 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup water 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 1 Tbsp spaghetti seasoning 2 tsp parsley 1 tsp garlic powder (or garlic and herb blend) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar Directions In a jar, combine all ingredients and shake it up (with the lid on, of course). While you have all the spices out, make sure you get some snack-size zippered plastic bags and prepare some spice packets for future dressings. So easy! Try it out today!

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Spinach and Cranberry Salad The thing I absolutely love about this salad is that it looks too fancy for the tiny bit of work that was put into it. You can substitute dried tart cherries for the cranberries. This salad can also be a complete meal when topped with goat cheese and served with crusty bread. Anyway, I think any salad served without bread is a crying shame. What the heck are you going to use to mop up every drop of that delicious dressing? Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 3 Tbsp sugar 4 tsp red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard 8 oz. baby spinach 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cups sliced almonds Combine vinegar, mustard, oil, sugar, and salt and pepper in a glass jar. Seal the lid and shake until thoroughly combined. Put the spinach, red onion, cranberries, and almonds in a bowl, drizzle dressing over the top, and toss to coat completely. Serve immediately.

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Homemade Hot Dill Pickles A friend dropped off some delicious veggies from her garden and there were some nice cucumbers in there. It JUST so happened that we had eaten our last pickle that morning and I didn't feel like running to the store. Hence, these cute little cukes were going to be transformed...into pickles!! Now, if you've never canned a thing in your life, don't freak out on me. Pickles are easy and I never said you had to can anything (even though canning things is a whole heap of fun--especially if you do it with a friend). This recipe is for refrigerator pickles, which means you don't need to preserve them by canning them. You just add the spices and the hot vinegar/water, let them sit in the fridge for a while, and you're done! Easy, peasy, mac and cheesey! Ingredients 2 pint-size (approximate) glass jars (old pickle or jelly jars work fine) 2 cucumbers, sliced 1/2 tsp mustard seed 1 tsp chopped onion 2 sprigs of fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill) 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp red pepper flakes (I like mine hot) 2 Tbsp salt 1 cup vinegar 2 cups water Directions 1. Inside each glass jar, put 1/4 tsp mustard seed, 1/2 tsp chopped onion, 1 sprig of dill (or 1/2 tsp dried dill), 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and one clove of garlic. 2. Fill the jars with cucumber slices. You can also quarter the cucumbers and put them in the glass jars like that.

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3. Heat the vinegar, water, and salt to boiling. Pour into glass jars, filling to the top. 4. Cap the jars and store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before enjoying. Side note: You can also add a squirt of agave nectar to the vinegar water if you like them a tad sweet.

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Lemon Orzo with Red Pepper & Spinach I believe that some of the best recipes I've ever made are not really recipes at all. They are just concoctions I've thrown together out of stuff I found in the fridge or pantry. Well, this is no exception. When I got started making this dish, I didn't even know what I was doing. And it turned out amazing! Ingredients 1 (1 lb) box of orzo 1/4 cup olive oil juice (and zest) of one lemon 1 red pepper (chopped) 1 cucumber (chopped) 1 small red onion (chopped) 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives 2 cups of fresh baby spinach 3/4 cup feta cheese 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp Italian seasoning ½ cup Italian or Greek salad dressing salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. Prepare orzo according to package directions. 2. Pour in about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and the juice of one lemon (I even put in a little bit of the pulp). You could also put in the lemon zest. Hmmm, I should have done that. Okay, note to self for next time... 3. Add remaining ingredients and toss together. Serve chilled. Remember, when it comes to cooking, my advice is to follow the recipes the way some people follow the speed limits....see them as "suggestions." Use what you've got and have fun with it. Don't run to the store just because you don't have a red pepper. Just use that small

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jar of marinated artichokes in the back of your pantry. Try something new and you just may fall in love!

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Six-Layer Festive Dip This recipe is most popular around our home at playoff time, when a lot of people are gathering around the television to watch football. And I don't think it's physically possible to watch football without having a snack in one hand and a drink in the other. This is also a time when friends are opening up their homes and enjoying food and fellowship together. There's no need to fuss over what to bring, because this recipe is always a winner. Heck! You don't even need an invitation. Show up at someone's house with this concoction and a football jersey and you'll be friends for life. Ingredients 3 cans of black beans (drained and rinsed) 3 Tbsp taco seasoning 1 Tbsp cumin 1/2 cup salsa 1/3 cup taco sauce 12 oz. guacamole 12 oz. sour cream 2 tomatoes, diced one head of lettuce, shredded 1 cup of shredded cheese Directions 1. Process the beans, cumin, salsa, taco sauce, and TWO tablespoons of taco seasoning. If you don't have any taco sauce, no big deal, just add a touch more salsa. This is just to flavor the beans. After your process them, give them a taste and see if you like it. After the beans are thoroughly processed and look more like dip, spread it around in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. This is the first layer. 2. On top of the beans, spread the guacamole. This is layer two. Mmmmm, you can't have too much guacamole, can you?

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3. For layer three, grab a wisk and mix in the remaining ONE tablespoon of taco seasoning with the sour cream. Dump it all on top of the guacamole and spread it all around. This is layer number three. 4. For layer four, I like to sprinkle diced tomatoes. When I went to make it this time, I didn't have any tomatoes, so I just grabbed some chunky salsa, spooned it out with a slotted spoon to drain it a bit, and sprinkled some of the tomato chunks on top. Not bad, if I have to say so myself. Sometimes you just have to make do (and I did). 4. Now, chop up some lettuce. Katie always helps me do this. She shreds that bad boy like nobody's business. 5. Now spread the lettuce on top. This is layer number five. Hoooweeee! It's almost there! 6. For layer six, sprinkle some cheese on top. There you have it--SIX LAYERS OF SHEER LOVE! Now step back and take in the glory of it all before you put out the bag of chips and watch it get destroyed.

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Hannah’s Amazing 2¢ Salad Dressing I still don’t understand why anyone would buy salad dressing when you can make your own. It tastes so much fresher, it doesn’t have all the chemicals and additives, and it is sooo cheap. This simple salad dressing costs less than 2¢ a serving—try to find a deal like that at a store! Also, it tastes delicious and you can customize it however your heart desires. Ingredients 1/4 cup vinegar 3/4 cup oil 1 Tbsp mayonnaise (not low fat) 1/4 cup water salt and pepper Give the vinegar, oil, and mayonnaise a good whirl in the blender. Season to taste. You can also skip the blender, put all this in a jar with a lid, and shake it up reeeeaaaaaal good! Italian Dressing: Use balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and Italian seasoning. Mexican Dressing: Add some lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of cumin. Asian Dressing: Use rice vinegar, substitute with some sesame oil, add some soy sauce, and a pinch of ginger.

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Hannah's Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing This dressing is my all-time favorite! I use it on practically every salad I make as well as a whole mess of sandwiches. LOVE IT! Try it today, you won't be sorry. Ingredients 1/2 cup spicy mustard 1/2 cup honey 1 cup mayo 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp dried parsley 1/4 tsp garlic powder salt and pepper to taste ½ cup milk (or so, to thin it to desired consistency) Whisk together all ingredients except the milk. Whisk in milk a little at a time until it gets to a consistency that you like. Enjoy!! Honestly, though. The measurements are totally "whatever." I just use 1 part honey, 1 part mustard, 2 parts mayo and sprinkle this and that until it tastes yummy.    

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Main Dishes

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Pad Thai Pad Thai is one of those dishes that I catch myself eating at a Thai restaurant wondering, "This is delicious, but why the heck did I pay so much for it?" After all, it's just noodles, eggs, sprouts, and little bit of somethin' somethin', so what am I paying for? I finally decided to take matters in my own hands and perfect a Pad Thai recipe that everyone in the family could enjoy. Oh, and I hope I don't make any foodies chase after me with pitchforks and torches, but I'm so cheap that I will often use linguine noodles if the rice noodles aren't on sale. I know, I know, it's an abomination. But, it sure is gooooood. By the way, this recipe is supposed to feed four. Yeah, right...four what--LA runway models? No way! I actually multiplied this recipe by SIX in order to feed my family, and the leftovers the next day were snatched up by two of my teenagers before I could get my hands on it. Dang! I guess I learned from that little incident. From now on, I'm eating Pad Thai leftovers for breakfast before my kids can get to it for lunch. Ingredients 8 ounces dried, wide and flat rice noodles 2 Tbsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 3 green onions, white and green parts, sliced thin 1 clove garlic, minced 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup of mung bean sprouts 1/2 cup cilantro 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts Directions 1. Prepare noodles according to package directions.

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2. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce. 3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. 4. Add the whites of the green onions and the minced garlic, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Add eggs and cook, like you would scrambled eggs. Transfer everything to a plate. 5. Add noodles, the green parts of the green onion, and sauce to skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are covered with sauce and are nice and warm (about one minute or so). Add egg mixture and toss to coat the noodles. 6. Serve the noodles, with cilantro, mung beans, and chopped peanuts on top, and a lime wedge for good measure. Also, I put some Sriracha (a hot sauce found in the Asian food section) on the table. Blair and I love it on top of the Pad Thai.

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Baked Vegetable Campanelli You probably already know that when I cook, I COOK! I wanted to come up with a new vegetable lasagna, but I was way too lazy to do the layering. So, I decided to just dump everything in one big bowl and dish it out. It turned out to be fabu-tastic (and I don't just go throwing around a word like THAT!). If you have a hankering for white vegetable lasagna, try out this recipe. Now, remember, when you make a casserole or any main dish like this, you should consider doubling, tripling, or even...dare I say it?...quadrupling the recipe. You can just freeze the extra meals to eat later. I made four 9" x 13" pans--one to eat that night and three more for the freezer. Ingredients 1 (16 oz) bag of campanelli noodles (they look like fluttery trumpet flowers) 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach 8-10 oz of any frozen vegetable mix that you think looks good 1 egg 3 cups either ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, or a mixture of both 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 1/2 cups grated mozzerella cheese 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp dried parsley salt and pepper to taste (not too much salt; there's already salt in the cheese) white sauce: 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup flour 1 tsp salt

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1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 3 cups milk topping: 1/2 cup grated mozzerella cheese 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup nutritional yeast Directions 1. Cook noodles according to package directions. 2. While those are cooking, start preparing the cheese and vegetable mixture. 3. Partially defrost the vegetables (it can still be a bit frozen, helps with the chopping). 4. While the veggies are defrosting, prepare the cheese mixture. Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add all cheeses and spices. Combine thoroughly. 5. Chop partially defrosted into tiny pieces (if kids are a bit oblivious of the veggies, they are more likely to eat them). 6. Mix the veggies into the cheese mixture. 7. Prepare white sauce. Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat (white sauce is a kinda medium thing). 8. When it's melted, whisk in the flour, add the spices and milk, and turn up the heat, whisking continually. When the sauce thickens, take it off the heat and add it to the drained noodles (you can use the pot you cooked the noodles in). 9. Add the saucy noodles to the cheese and veggie mixture and spoon it out into a 9" x 13" pan. Smooth it out and top it with grated mozzerella cheese, bread crumbs, and nutritional yeast. By the way, do not ever buy bread crumbs, that’s what stale bread is for! I toss

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old pieces of bread in a plastic bag in my freezer. When I need bread crumbs, I just whirl it around in my food processor. 10. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees and enjoy!!

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Veggie Tray Saute Surprise So, here was the problem. It was 5pm on Sunday night; and it had been a crazy weekend. Dinner plans? Not likely! Everyone was getting hungry and I started nosing around the kitchen for something to pull together besides scrambled eggs. On Friday night, we had a reception at the church. As part of the reception committee (fancy name for the moms who stay late and clean up the church), I was left with all the food that no one wanted to pack back up and carry home. But, mama, you know me. I'm totally digging this! As a matter of fact, that's secretly why I took the position in the committee...Yay! Free food! Okay, maybe I'm not that desperate. But, I will say that I took home some nice oatmeal raisin cookies and a barely touched veggie tray...(why is it always the veggie trays that are leftover??) So, while I'm nosing around the kitchen, I saw the leftover veggies from the tray that I brought home Friday night. The carrots were all gone because everyone in my family likes carrots. Tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli? Not so much. So, I kept searching and found a bundle of beautiful asparagus that I couldn't pass up in the grocery store on my last trip, a red onion, a red pepper, and some mushrooms that were closing in on "nasty." I chopped those babies right up, right along with everything from the veggie tray! Well, except the tomatoes. I just kept popping those in my mouth while I chopped. Then I cooked up some pasta. I had some bowtie noodles on hand. While that was cooking, I sauteed the veggies with some olive oil and spices—like garlic, salt, Italian blend seasoning, and some all-purpose seasoning. The aroma from the veggies was heavenly! And I made sure to toss a little olive oil with the pasta while it drained to keep the noodles from sticking together. Then it was time to serve it up. Let me tell you what! That was some kind of succulent dish! If I had had some fresh parmesan cheese to

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grate on top, it would have been the bee's knees. All I had was the sprinkle kind, so it was the bee's ankles. Which is still a grade-A dinner in my book. Everyone ate it up! And the boys were shoveling it into their mouths so quickly, I had to remind them to slow down. When I did, Karis said, "but, it's...just...so...good!” I'm checking off this little experiment as a success story. Now right about now, you’re thinking, ‘okay, but I don’t have a leftover tray of vegetables.’ Mama, I’m including this recipe because it is an experiment in using what you’ve got and thinking outside the box. You don’t need a recipe. Just think creatively and see what you can come up with! And it doesn't hurt to sign up to be on the reception committee!

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Angel Hair Pasta with Basil Cream Sauce A good friend of mine brought this dish to a church supper and it was gone in seconds. Everyone asked for the recipe (including me), so here it goes. Ingredients 1 Large chicken breast, cooked and cut up (she used 6-8 boneless chicken tenders. I use meatless chicken pieces). Set aside 1 lb. Angel Hair Pasta, cooked and drained Sauce: 3 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp flour 1 quart half and half 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 Tbsp fresh snipped basil (about 25 leaves) 4 oz. prosciutto, cut up into small pieces 1 cup frozen baby sweet peas (can also use canned) 1/2 cup fresh or shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese 4-5 Roma tomatoes (seeds scraped out and diced) Directions 1. Melt butter and add flour to make a thick paste. Add half and half slowly until blended. Continue to stir and sauce will thicken slowly as you cook. Add bouillon, garlic, basil, and pepper to taste, and continue to stir. Add peas and cheese. Sauce should be pretty thick now. Lastly, add the tomatoes (you don’t want them to cook, just to get warmed up in the sauce. 2. Combine cooked chicken, pasta, and sauce in a large baking dish. 3. Cut up the pasta in the dish so that it will stir together and scoop out more easily (you can even use kitchen scissors for this trick). Top with more Romano or Parmesan and decorate with additional basil leaves.

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Sneaky Spaghetti Spaghetti seems to be one of those kid-friendly meals that we can depend on, day in and day out. Whether it’s slurping up the noodles or smearing the sauce all over the table, spaghetti just seems to work for families. Here is a recipe for spaghetti sauce that is not only delicious, but is a pretty sneak way to pump up the nutrition. And cooking it in a slow cooker makes it rich and tasty. Yummy-licious! Ingredients 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium jar of your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce 1 can petite diced tomatoes 1 can crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup merlot or cabernet sauvignon 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning or spaghetti seasoning Heat oil in a medium skillet and sauté onion, pepper, carrots, and garlic until the onions are translucent and the other vegetables are tender. Put into a slow cooker with remaining ingredients. Hint: Empty the jar of pasta sauce, then pour the wine into the jar and swirl it to get every last bit of sauce. Cook on low heat for approximately six hours. Serve over whole grain pasta.

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Penne de Provence Is there anything better than pasta to warm our hearts and put a smile on my face? I love this pasta dish because it’s so simple to pull together, but the name actually makes it sound like you know a thing or two! Ingredients 1 lb. penne pasta 1 cup chopped oil-marinated sun-dried tomatoes 1 cup firm silken tofu, drained and crumbled 3 cloves garlic, chopped 4 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. herbs de Provence (optional, but very yummy) 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 small can marinated artichokes, drained and chopped 1/4 cup chopped black olives 3 Tbsp. pine nuts Directions Cook the penne al dente. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the tomatoes, tofu, garlic, basil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Process to a smooth consistency. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and artichokes. Mix in the black olives and pine nuts and serve with parmesan or soy parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes four servings.  

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Mock Meatloaf This is a super healthy take on the traditional meatloaf. I made this last week and all of the kids enjoyed it (I was actually pretty shocked—in a good way!). This recipe is a real money saver, too, because the main ingredients are lentils and brown rice. Whenever I make entrees like these I always make enough for about four meals so that I can freeze extras for a busy evening. This recipe makes four loaves. Go ahead and enjoy one tonight and freeze the other three (uncooked) for a day when you need a little help. Ingredients 3 yellow onions, finely chopped 1 bunch celery, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 1/2 cups lentils, uncooked 4 cups brown rice, uncooked 2 cans tomato-based meatloaf sauce (in the canned tomato section) 1 cup dry whole wheat breadcrumbs (use those leftover heels) 8 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 2 packets meatloaf seasoning 2 Tbsp sage 4 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce 2 Tbsp Maagi liquid seasoning (or you can just use some soy sauce) 2 tsp Mrs. Dash (any variety) Salt and pepper Directions 1. Cook lentils and rice according to package directions. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 3. Saute onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil until translucent 4. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

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5. Spray four loaf pans with non-stick baking spray and fill all four with mixture. 6. Press down. 7. Bake 45 minutes, 15 minutes uncovered. 8. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Tip: When you’re making extra to stock your freezer, spray the loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray, line them with aluminum foil so that it overlaps the edge, and spray the foil before filling with mock meatloaf mixture. Freeze in the loaf pans overnight. In the morning, pull the pans out of the freezer, and remove the meatloaf AND the foil out of the pan. Wrap them up tight with more foil, date them, and stick them back in your freezer. Now you have clean loaf pans you can use (and not taking up needed space in your freezer). When it comes time to cook them, remove the foil wrapping and stick the mock meatloaf in a loaf pan to cook. Defrost thoroughly before cooking.  

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Slow Cooker Lasagna Everyone loves lasagna, but not everyone adores the labor that goes into it. This recipe takes care of that! All you need to do is layer everything in your hugest slow cooker, and let it go to work for you! This process also satisfies that obsessive-compulsive bent in a lot of people to piece together the broken lasagna noodles like a customized jigsaw puzzle. Have fun! Ingredients 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked 1 lb. Italian sausage, cooked (I use the veggie stuff) 1 tsp Italian seasoning 32 oz. jar spaghetti seasoning plus 1/3 cup water 1 small box frozen spinach, thawed with all liquid squeezed out 15 oz ricotta cheese (you can also use soft tofu) 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, reserving a bit for the top Directions 1. Grease the slow cooker and place four noodles in the bottom. You will have to break them up to fit. That’s cool. 2. Spread half of the sausage on top of the noodles and sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. 3. Put half of the spinach on top of the sausage and seasonings. 4. Cover with 1/3 of the sauce and water mixture. 5. On top of sauce, spread half of the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese. 6. Repeat layers. 7. Cover with 4 noodles and remaining 1/3 of the sauce and water mixture.

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8. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella cheese on top. 9. Cover and cook on low for five hours.        

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Quick Quesadillas We have quesadillas regularly around here in the Keeley home. It makes the perfect last minute meal because, even if you don’t have any onions and peppers in the house, you can always pull a can of beans and corn out of the pantry. I also like to use whole wheat tortillas to add fiber to the dish. This is also great served with guacamole (and don’t even bother buying it at the grocery store. It’s so easy to make at home. Just mash up some avocado, add some onion and garlic powder, a splash of lime juice, some salt, and a touch of hot sauce). Ingredients 1 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup onion, sliced thinly 1/2 cup green bell pepper, sliced thinly 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp lime juice 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can corn, drained 2 cups Monterey jack cheese 8 tortillas Directions 1. Cook the pepper and onion in oil over medium heat in a large skillet. 2. Add the cumin and lime juice and cook until the peppers and onions are soft, about three minutes (the thinner you cut the peppers and onions, the quicker the cooking time). 3. Salt and pepper to taste. 4. On a large, hot griddle, lay two tortillas, sprinkle half of the peppers and onions, and top with half of the corn and beans. 5. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the two tortillas.

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6. Cover with tortillas and cook until cheese is melted and veggies are thoroughly cooked. 7. Flip over to brown the other side and serve quesadillas sliced up with a side of salsa.    

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BBQ Pizza This is one of those recipes that is almost embarrassing for me to put on my website. The reason? It’s so dang easy! But if I know anything about motherhood (and I definitely know something about motherhood), it’s that when it comes to cooking, we all like “easy.” This is also a recipe that the kids love to prepare with me. Why not bring the whole family in the kitchen and whip up this delicious take on the same-old pizza? Ingredients 1 pizza crust 1 jar of BBQ sauce 1 yellow onion 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1-2 cups Colby Jack cheese, grated Leftover Rotisserie chicken (or one bag of frozen veggie chicken pieces) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve the onion, slice it, and place in a medium pan with the oil. Roll out the pizza crust and cook until it is firm but not golden. While the crust is cooking, cook the onion in the oil over medium heat until it is beginning to caramelize (starting to look brown). Remove crust from oven and spread the sauce on it. Top it with chicken, onion slices, and grated cheese. Put the pizza back into the oven and cook until the cheese is melted. This is delicious served with broccoli slaw and corn on the cob.    

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Easy Peasy, Mac ‘n’ Cheesey Okay, this is really just a kid-friendly name for Pasta Primavera, but something magical happens when you call a dish a silly name—kids are actually willing to eat it! I love Pasta Primavera because you can use the same dish to incorporate a whole host of veggies (a great way to clean out the crisper). Fresh asparagus, broccoli, and sweet peppers are some of my favorites, but we always include a can of peas. Basically, because it’s so dang easy to do! Ingredients 12 oz. box of pasta (fettuccini, linguini, or even just good ole elbow noodles are fine) 3 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp flour 12 oz. chicken or vegetable stock 12 oz. cream (or use milk and add 1/2 cup dry milk) 1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch slices 1 can peas, drained 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for sprinkling on top) salt and pepper to taste

Directions 1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to directions. 2. While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Cook the garlic for about a minute (until it becomes aromatic). 3. Add the flour to make a paste. Then add stock, cream, and lemon zest to the paste, stir and cook over high heat until it begins to boil. 4. Add the asparagus and cook until asparagus is tender-crisp (about three minutes). Add the peas and remove from heat.

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5. Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and add to the sauce pot. Mix to coat the pasta. 6. Add the lemon juice, basil, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Toss again and serve immediately.    

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Easy Chicken Pot Pie  I love comfort food and Chicken Pot Pie is definitely one of the all-time greats. I once made a chicken pot pie that took me over an hour to assemble. I thought, “yeah, right! That’s the last time I make that recipe!” Well, this one is quick and simple and just as yummy! You can easily throw this simple recipe together in minutes and have a wonderful meal that will be sure to get everyone around the dinner table. This is also a great way to use up leftovers from cooking a whole chicken. I like pairing Chicken Pot Pie with a fresh Caesar salad. Mmmm….delicious! Filling 1 (14 oz) bag frozen vegetables (like carrots, peas, and potatoes) 1 1/2 cups cooked, chopped chicken (or vegetarian substitute) 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can condensed cream of potato soup 1 cup milk 2 tsp. parsley 1/2 tsp. thyme 1 tsp salt-free seasoning (like Mrs. Dash) pepper to taste Crust 2 cups biscuit baking mix (get recipe here) 1 tsp parsley 1/2 tsp pepper 1 cup milk 2 eggs, beaten Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine filling ingredients in a bowl and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. 2. Combine crust ingredients and pour over chicken mixture in the baking dish.

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3. Cook for 45 minutes or until crust is golden and pie is bubbling at the sides. (If the crust is golden before it begins bubbling, then cover loosely with foil and continue cooking until bubbling.)                    

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Make-a-Mix: Meatloaf I love making my own spice mixes for three reasons: 1. It saves money. 2. It's way healthier (no MSG, hidden sugars, or preservatives). 3. It makes me feel totally superior. I'm just being honest here. When I see those jars of spice mix all lined up and I know that I made them myself,...well, I can't help myself. I feel so proud! Making your own spice mixes beats those envelopes in the grocery store any old day of the week. Also, they make really nice gifts to give away at the last minute (like a bag of dry beans and a small bag of spice mix for soup). Here's one of my favorite mixes for meatloaf. You can use 3 Tbsp per meatloaf (just substitute it in your favorite recipe where it says "1 envelope meatloaf seasoning mix"). Ingredients: 2 Tbsp no-salt seasoning (like Mrs. Dash) 2 Tbsp dry mustard 2 Tbsp paprika 1 1/2 Tbsp salt 3 Tbsp sage 1 Tbsp onion powder 1 Tbsp garlic powder 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning 1 Tbsp pepper 1 Tbsp thyme 1 Tbsp parsley    

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Chicken and Rice Casserole As summer winds down and we gear up for the school year, are you finding yourself pressed for time to get everything done? Well, that's the perfect moment to get out your slow cooker and add some time back to your day. If you spend 15 minutes in the morning putting everything together, you don't have to stop what you're doing later in the day to prepare and cook dinner. Just serve it up! It makes getting the family fed so simple—not to mention tasty. Give this chicken casserole a try and let me know what you think. Ingredients 1 cup uncooked brown rice, rinse and drain 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped carrots 2 4 ounce cans mushrooms, drained 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup slivered almonds 3 chicken bouillon cubes 2 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt 2 pounds chicken breast, cubed (you can also use tofu or meatless substitute) 3 cups water Directions Place ingredients in slow cooker in the order they are listed. Cover and cook on low 6 - 8 hours or until rice is tender. Stir before serving.    

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Veggie Joes I love Sloppy Joes! But, alas, I am a vegetarian and said, "adieu!" to the ground beef and canned sloppy joe mix of my past long, long ago. I tried the frozen veggie crumbles and canned sauce, but it just didn't hit the spot. Plus, I try not to just replace the meat with a vegetarian substitute, but instead be a little more innovative with my recipes. So does my friend, Pat. She was over the other day and we decided to perfect the ultimate vegetarian version of the sloppy joe. And, by dawg, I believe we did it. The ultimate test, however, was if our kids would eat it. Sure enough, her two kids and my seven gobbled them up in no time flat! Try this recipe out at home. It's a winner!! We sure enjoyed them! Ingredients 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 jalepeno peppers, seeded and chopped 2 red bell peppers, chopped (or green if you don't think your kids will pick them out) 1 large sweet onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (puree one of the cans in the food processor) 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp chili seasoning (the kind in the packet) 1 Tbsp Hamburger seasoning 1/2 tsp seasoning salt 2 (15 oz.) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes with garlic 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 Tbsp molasses 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup grape-nuts cereal 1 lime

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Directions 1. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the peppers and onion until they are tender. 2. Stir in the black beans (whole and pureed), spices, tomatoes, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and cereal. 3. Mash up mixture with a potato masher until the tomatoes are nicely crushed. 4. Allow this mixture to simmer for several minutes until it looks nice and sloppy, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and serve it upon buns with pickles on top. Yummy!

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Pasta and Peppers This is the perfect pasta dish to make your tummy smile from rib to rib! I love this because it's so simple and easy (and delicious!). If I'm making this for dinner, I usually accompany it with some grilled tofu and veggies. If you're a meat-eater, you could even make this to accompany some grilled fish or chicken. Try it out!! Ingredients 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 lb bell peppers (different colors), seeded and sliced 1 large red onion, cut into thin strips 1 lb. bowtie pasta (or whatever shape you like) 2 (8 oz.) zucchini, cut into 2-inch strips 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 1 tsp minced garlic 1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted and halved salt and pepper Directions 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While that warms up, saute the peppers and onions in the olive oil over medium heat for about ten minutes (stir often). 2. Go ahead and pour the pasta in the boiling water (it should be boiling by now) and cook according to package directions. 3. While the pasta is cooking, add the zucchini, garlic, and olives to the onion mixture and cook uncovered for about ten minutes or so until the vegetables are tender. 4. The pasta should be done by now, so drain it and add it to the vegetable mixture, along with the feta cheese and a little salt and pepper. 5. Transfer to a serving bowl and dish out the love!

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Vegetable Frittata A frittata is a great way to use up veggies before they get lost in the crisper. One time I made this out of some red bell pepper, zucchini, chopped sun dried tomatoes, black olives, and feta cheese. It was fabulous! Also, cooking in a cast iron skillet adds iron to your diet—how about that?! The pricey item in this recipe is the cheese, but you can make it fit into your budget by purchasing large blocks at wholesale stores and dividing it up into smaller chunks to store in your freezer. You can even add some veggie bacon or sausage to spice it up! Ingredients 1 small onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 red pepper, chopped 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 bunch spinach, chopped 12 eggs 1/4 cup tomato juice 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese Directions 1. Heat broiler. 2. In a cast-iron or ovenproof skillet. Cook first four ingredients in vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook for about three minutes or until tender. 3. Add spinach. Cover and cook for five minutes or until wilted. 4. Meanwhile, in a bowl beat the eggs and mix in tomato juice and cheese. Pour into the skillet. 5. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for about ten minutes or until eggs are almost set. Broil for three minutes or until cooked through.

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Barbecued Tofu Wraps I went to a restaurant with my family a few weeks ago and ordered a barbecued tofu wrap with sweet potato fries. It was delicious. It was also expensive. Now, you know me well enough by now. If something is pricey, I'm going to figure out a way to do it cheaper and better. And I did! If you're not into the tofu thing, then I'm telling you, Mama, you're missing out! Tofu is a great source of protein and calcium and you can prepare it so many ways. A lot of people are intimidated by tofu. They will buy a container of tofu and then just keep it in their fridge, glancing at the white cube every time they open the door and wondering what on earth they are going to use it for. Well, THIS is what you can use it for! First, the barbecue sauce. If you're used to buying bottles of barbecue sauce, then it's time for a change. You can make it cheaper and better yourself. Try this recipe on for size: Hannah's Barbecue Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup ketchup 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp mustard 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp onion powder

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2 tsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp olive oil Combine all ingredients and tweak if you want with some liquid smoke or a dash of hot sauce. Now, for the tofu. Here's the secret for chewy tofu that has the texture of meat. First, buy some extra firm tofu. When you get it home, drain all the water off of it, cut it into pieces that look like rectangular cubes (editor's note: if there's not such thing as a rectangular cube, there really should be). Now put them all in a zippered plastic freezer bag and freeze them. When you want to prepare the tofu, thaw it out at room temperature and drain it on some paper towels to get all the moisture off. When your tofu is ready to prepare, dump all the pieces in enough barbecue sauce to coat them generously. Spread them out on a baking pan and cook them in the oven at 400° until the sauce is bubbling and they look a little darker (about 20-30 minutes). After your tofu is cooked, put some pieces on a tortilla, top it with some cole slaw, and wrap it up. There you go, a delicious barbecued tofu wrap just waiting to be eaten up (and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than the one at the restaurant).    

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Spaghetti Squash with Pesto, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes Let me begin by saying that I came up with this recipe after being inspired at a restaurant by a dish that my oldest daughter, Kelsey, ordered. Let me also say that as we walked into the restaurant at 3:45, I clearly remember telling every single one of my kiddos to order off the lunch menu, which was still effective until 4pm. For some strange reason, Kelsey was the only one who didn’t clearly hear that message…Which is also why Kelsey’s meal was $16 and every one else’s was under $9. I’m just telling you right now, that if my leg could have stretched all the way down to the end of the table while she was ordering, that girl would have had a big, fat bruise on her shin! So, anyway, because she ordered the most expensive dish, I felt she was obliged to give me a taste, right? Right! Turns out this fancy schmancy spaghetti squash dish was out of this world. In my mind, not quite worth $16, but still, out of this world. I came home inspired to recreate it in my kitchen—but better. C’mon, mama, we always have to raise our standards. So, I cooked the spaghetti squash. And if you’ve never cooked spaghetti squash, please don’t do like I did the first time I made spaghetti squash. I peeled the whole thing, chopped it up, and threw it in a big pot of boiling water. I figured since it had the word, “spaghetti” in the name, you just cooked it the same way…WRONG! All you need to do is poke it a few times with a knife, stick it on a pan, and cook it at 350° for about an hour (or until it begins to looked all warped and a little brown in spots). Cut it open, scoop out the seeds, scoop out the rest of the “meat”, and toss it in a bowl. The dish turned out delicious!! But FAIR WARNING! It definitely leaves you with breath that could kill.

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The next day, I warmed up some for lunch. Later, as I was talking with Katie, she wrinkled up her nose and said, “EEWW, what s that smell?” I asked, “what smell are you talking about?’ She replied, “It smells like a big, fat, sweaty man ate a ton of garlic and then died.” So, there’s the fair warning. Enjoy the meal. Then gargle! Ingredients 1 spaghetti squash ½ cup prepared pesto 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (I gave it a couple splashes)handful of pine nuts 1 tsp spaghetti seasoning (in the spice aisle) After you scoop out the cooked spaghetti squash, toss it with the remaining ingredients and enjoy. (And, again, gargle. If not for yourself, then for the unsuspecting children).    

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Dump Recipes

   

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Dump Recipes Before you conjure up any disgusting images in your head (or is it too late for that?), let me explain the origin of “dump recipes.” Sometimes, moms are super busy. Strike that. All the time, moms are super busy. That’s why little short cuts help a lot. It’s so easy to gather a bunch of ingredients and pre-make your meals, especially if it means all you need to do is to “dump” ingredients. These are the recipes where you just dump all the ingredients in a gallon-size zippered bag and smoosh it all together. That’s all there is to it. After you dump in the ingredients you can either put it in the slow cooker for a day’s worth of cooking, let it marinate for a while and throw it on the grill, or just cook it in the oven at 350º until it’s done. The coolest thing about dump recipes is that you can make as many as you like at one time—dump one in the oven for dinner tonight and dump the rest in the freezer for later. But just remember, if you make one, go ahead and make four, five, or a dozen to put in freezer bags for later! You’ll be happy you did. Hence the name, “dump recipes.” Most of these recipes call for chicken, but you can easily substitute your meat of choice. Tofu is great! And if you’re making dump recipes, you may as well make about ten at a time—catch my drift?

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The Pesto Dump Ingredients 4-6 Chicken Breasts 1 package prepared pesto 1 jar roasted red pepper 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese Ground peppercorn Directions Preheat oven to 350. Slice uncooked chicken breast lengthwise and fill with scoop of pesto, 1 strip of roasted red pepper, and handful of cheese. Line stuffed breasts in Pam sprayed baking dish and sprinkle with ground peppercorns. Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is done. Best served with pasta or rice.  

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The Cranberry Dump Ingredients 2 Tbsp melted butter 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1/4 cup orange juice 1/8 tsp cinnamon 1 1/2 lbs. chicken (about 4 breasts) Directions Melt butter in microwave, but let cool slightly before dumping in the bag. Dump all ingredients except chicken in a gallon-size zippered plastic bag and smoosh it together. Add chicken, seal completely and smoosh some more to thoroughly coat chicken. Empty into a casserole dish and cook at 350º for 40 minutes or until done (juices run clear); cook in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours; or allow to marinate for two hours and toss on the grill.    

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The Blackberry BBQ Dump Ingredients 3/4 cup ketchup 6 oz. blackberry fruit preserves (about half a small jar) 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/8 tsp salt Directions Dump all ingredients except chicken in a gallon-size zippered plastic bag and smoosh together. Add chicken, seal completely and smoosh some more to thoroughly coat chicken. Empty into a casserole dish and cook at 350º for 40 minutes or until done (juices run clear); cook in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours; or allow to marinate for two hours and toss on the grill.    

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The Caribbean Dump Ingredients 8 oz. pineapple tidbits in juice 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/3 cup orange juice 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 1/2 lbs chicken (about 4 breasts) Directions Dump all ingredients except chicken in a gallon-size zippered plastic bag and smoosh it together. Add chicken, seal completely and smoosh some more to thoroughly coat chicken. Empty into a casserole dish and cook at 350º for 40 minutes or until done (juices run clear); cook in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours; or allow to marinate for two hours and toss on the grill.    

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The Citrus Ginger Dump Ingredients 1/3 cup orange marmalade 1 tbsp. honey mustard 1 tsp. ginger 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 1/2 lbs. chicken (about 4 breasts) Directions Dump all ingredients except chicken in a gallon-size zippered plastic bag and smoosh it together. Add chicken, seal completely and smoosh some more to thoroughly coat chicken. Empty into a casserole dish and cook at 350º for 40 minutes or until done (juices run clear); cook in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours; or allow to marinate for two hours and toss on the grill.    

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The Honey Ginger Dump Ingredients 4 Tbsp chopped red onion 2 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp minced ginger 1 tsp minced garlic 2 Tbsp apple cider or apple juice (the rest of the juice that was left in the cup after your kid didn't finish it--DON'T WASTE ANYTHING!) 1/4 cup chives Directions Add above ingredients to about 1 1/2 pounds of chicken in a gallon-size plastic freezer bag. Mix it up then freeze or dump in the slow cooker.    

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The Crazy Easy Dump

Ingredients 1 bottle Italian dressing 1 cup Dijon mustard 3-4 lbs. chicken (about 10-12 breasts) Directions Combine everything and toss it in the slow cooker. This is good over rice with some side veggies. You can also marinate it for a few hours and then toss it on the grill!      

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Sweets

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Three  Ingredient  Chocolate  Treats    I  stumbled  across  these  delicious  goodies  at  church  one  morning.  A  lovely  woman  was  placing  some  out  on  a  platter.  It  was  chocolate,  so,  of  course,  I  put  one  in  my  mouth.  It  was  delicious,  so  I  immediately  went  to  find  that  lovely  woman  (who,  in  my  mind,  had  become  all  the  more  lovelier).  She  gave  me  the  recipe,  which  consisted  of  only  three  ingredients.  She  was  becoming  lovelier  by  the  second.  However,  when  I  went  to  the  grocery  store  to  pick  up  the  ingredients  to  make  them,  I  couldn’t  find  any  raw  pumpkin  seeds  and  the  price  of  dried  tart  cherries  made  me  want  to  run  home  and  cry.    So,  as  usual,  I  went  by  the  old  “use  what  you’ve  got”  philosophy.  I  had  a  big  bag  of  raw  hazelnuts  I  had  bought  for  a  bargain,  and  some  dried  cranberries  in  the  pantry.  I  substituted  those  ingredients  and  the  end  result  was  delicious!  Don’t  tie  yourself  down  to  a  recipe.  Use  what  you’ve  got  and  don’t  be  afraid  to  substitute.  Sometimes  it  doesn’t  always  turn  out  great.  But  other  times,  it  turns  out  like  these  babies—wonderful!    Ingredients  1.  2  cups  raw  pumpkin  seeds  2.  ¾  cup  dried  tart  cherries  3.  1  ¾  cup  semi-­‐sweet  chocolate  chips    Directions  1.  Melt  chocolate  chips  in  a  microwave  safe  bowl,  stirring  every  30  seconds  until  thoroughly  melted.  The  lovely  lady  used  a  double  boiler.  I  was  too  lazy.      2.  After  it’s  melted,  add  seeds  and  cherries  and  combine  thoroughly.  Drop  the  mixture  by  rounded  spoonfuls  onto  a  sheet  of  foil  or  wax  paper.      3.  Allow  to  cool  and  harden  (or  stick  them  in  the  fridge  if  you’re  in  a  rush).      

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 You  can  use  the  following  replacements:  Pumpkin  seeds—chopped  hazelnuts,  walnuts,  peanuts,  almonds,  or  shelled  sunflower  seeds  Cherries—raisins,  golden  raisins,  chopped  prunes,  dried  cranberries,  dried  blueberries  Chocolate  chips—white  chocolate  chips,  butterscotch  chips    

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Black  Bean  Brownies   Beans? Brownies? The answer is yes. Using black beans in this recipe gives the brownies added moisture and a nice dose of fiber. And they are rich and delicious! Try this recipe and find out for yourself! Ingredients 1 (15 oz) can black beans 4 Tbsp (2 oz) butter 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 (2.25 oz) package baby food prunes 2 cups sugar 3 Tbsp flour 3/4 cup cocoa  Directions 1. Rinse beans THOROUGHLY and shake off water. 2. Process beans and one egg in a food processor until the mixture is extremely smooth. 3. Melt the butter in a mixing bowl. 4. To the butter, add bean and egg mixture, the remaining two eggs, vanilla, and baby prunes and mix thoroughly. 5. Add sugar, flour, and cocoa. Bake in 9” x 13” pan for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Sweetheart Cookies Valentine's Day is one of our favorite family holidays! It's like an ocean of red, pink, and hearts here at the Keeley house. And to top it off, we always make these yummy Valentine cookies (the kids don't even realize it's whole wheat flour and flax meal...just another great way to show them how much you love them). Ingredients 1 cup softened butter or margarine 1 3/4 cups natural sugar* 2 eggs 3 Tablespoons milk or soymilk 2 tsp. vanilla 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup flax meal 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 2 1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats half a bag (about 6 oz.) of red and pink M&Ms 1 cup craisins (dehydrated cranberries) Directions 1. Heat oven to 375º F. 2. Cream together butter and sugar. 3. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Combine well. 4. Add flour, flax meal, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. 5. Stir in oats, candy, and craisins. 6. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. 7. Bake approximately 10-15 minutes.

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8. Cool and enjoy. * Can be replaced with 1 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup white sugar.    

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Oat Bran Chocolate Chip Cookies I got a real hankering for something delicious last week and didn't want the guilt that usually goes along with my usual choices (aka, Sour Patch Kids). So, I modified one of my favorite cookies recipes and the results were fantastic! With no white sugar or white flour, these cookies are actually good for you! But you would never guess it! Ingredients 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup natural sugar or date sugar 1/2 cup honey 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups whole-grain flour 1/4 cup oat bran 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 3 cups oats 1/2 cup raisins 3/4 cup chocolate chips Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and honey until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, bran, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, raisins, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. 3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  

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Pumpkin Cookies These are the most delicious pumpkin cookies I have ever tasted! My friend, Pat, makes them and whenever she comes to visit it is an unspoken rule that these cookies must accompany her! On her last visit, she brought a plastic container the size of a small suitcase full of these cookies. They were gone before she left that evening. Ingredients 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 rounded cup pumpkin 1/2 cup butter 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. salt Directions Mix first five ingredients together until well blended. In middle of batter heap flour and add other ingredients on top. Stir dry ingredients together before mixing into batter. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Remove from baking sheet immediately. Let cool and let them disappear! If any remain, store in airtight container. Optional icing: 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1-2 teas. half and half

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1 tsp. vanilla On medium heat, stir sugar and butter until butter is melted. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Ice cooled cookies. Sore in airtight container  

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Peanut Butter Pie This was one of the first recipes I ever made. I didn’t even have any kids at the time. I just found a recipe somewhere, threw it together, and so began my love affair with the kitchen. If I had a nickel for every time I made this recipe…. …Then I would probably buy more ingredients and make it again! Ingredients 1 cup chunky peanut butter 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese or soy alternative 1 (16 oz.) whipped topping 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 chocolate cracker pie crusts Mix well. Divide mixture between two pie crusts. Freeze. Decorate with chocolate syrup and enjoy.  

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Summer Fruit Dessert This is the perfect dessert to serve your family, especially after a sun-filled day at the pool when you want something sweet, but still healthy and light. Fruit Salad: 1 pint strawberries, halved 1 small bunch purple grapes, halved 2 bananas, sliced 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced 1 granny smith apple, cubed 1 pear, cubed 1 small can of mandarin oranges 1 small can of pineapple chunks Sauce: 1 small pack of vanilla instant pudding mix 1 can strawberry-banana nectar (or whatever you prefer) juice from the can of pineapple Stir together the ingredients for the sauce. Toss with the fruit and serve.    

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Easiest Cobbler on the Planet I am always looking for super easy recipes for my kids to try out, and a friend told me about this recipe. I told my kids how to make it, and I left the kitchen (sometimes a mom just has to do that). The surprise? The cobbler was absolutely delicious! I know it’s not the healthiest thing to eat, but you’ve got to indulge sometimes. Go ahead and top it with some ice cream for a super scrumptious and super easy finish to a meal. Ingredients 2 small bags frozen fruit 1 yellow cake mix 1 can of 7-Up Directions 1. Preheat your oven to 350° and grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan. 2. Pour the two bags of frozen fruit (I used blackberries) in the bottom of the pan. 3. In a bowl, combine the cake mix and the can of 7-Up. 4. Pour batter on top of fruit. 5. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 40 minutes. Allow to cool for a bit before dishing out and topping with ice cream or whipped cream.    

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Strawberry Mango Crisp This is a delicious way to finish off a meal, especially topped with a healthy helping of vanilla ice cream (soy vanilla ice cream if you prefer). Ingredients Fruit mixture: 4 cups quartered strawberries 2 cups diced mango 4 Tbsp. sugar 4 Tbsp flour Topping: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup rolled oats 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup margarine Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400º F. 2. Mix the fruit mixture ingredients together and spread into a 2-quart casserole dish. 3. Mix the dry topping ingredients together and cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles small peas. 4. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes, until bubbly. 5. Serve warm topped with delicious vanilla ice cream (our family prefers Soy Delicious non-dairy ice cream).    

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The Very Best Sugar Cookies My search is over! I have finally found the best sugar cookie recipe EVER! This is one of those “short lister” recipes that I love because it’s so easy, but the delectable taste and perfect texture is what really won me over. Not too sweet, delicate and chewy, and that home-baked taste that can never be replicated. Try them out and see for yourself. Ingredients 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place them onto a baking pan (you can spray it lightly with cooking spray, but it’s not really necessary).* 3. Bake 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven, or until golden around the edges. Let stand on the cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool (actually, we whipped these babies right off and stuck them in our mouths, but it’s up to you!). * You can also roll these out in plenty of flour and cut them into shapes.

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Pistachio Muffins

We go a bit green crazy around here when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around. For dinner we enjoy split pea soup with a crisp green salad. We all dress in green clothes so we don’t get pinched. And for a yummy snack, we all enjoy these delicious pistachio muffins. Okay, so there are no real pistachios in it. But for the kids, it’s a yummy way to green up a snack! Easy and delicious, these muffins hit the spot and the aroma coming from your oven is intoxicating! 2 cups whole wheat flour* Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour* 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 box instant pistachio pudding 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/4 cups milk 1/2 tsp almond extract 3/4 cup vegetable oil Directions 1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and dry pudding mix. 2. Combine eggs, milk and oil; add to dry mixture and mix until just moistened. 3. Fill baking cups full. 4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in preheated 375-degree oven, or until muffins test done. * can also use 3 cups all-purpose flour  

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Pina Colada Cake

We made this scrumptious cake over the weekend and it got rave reviews from everyone in the family. It’s just like the drink….but yummier!!! I’m not going to say it’s diet-friendly, but it is absolutely delicious and a little indulgence here and there never hurt anyone. One bite and you’re swept away to your own tropical island (family in tow, of course). Oh, and if you have a hard time finding the cream of coconut in the grocery store like I did, then look in the section of the store that has the mixes for drinks, like Margaritas. Ingredients 1 package yellow cake mix 1 (1 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding 1 can Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut (same place in the store as the Margarita mix) 1 oz. rum flavoring 1/3 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice whipped cream 1 cup flaked or shaved sweetened coconut marischino cherries Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350ª. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, rum flavoring, vegetable oil, eggs, entire can of pineapple, and 1/2 cup cream of coconut. 2. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into well-greased 9”x 13” pan. Bake for around 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. 3. With a chopstick or skewer, poke holes about 1 inch apart in cake. Spread remaining cream of coconut over the cake. Refrigerate the cake.

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4 Before serving frost with whipped cream, sprinkle coconut over the top, and top with cherries. Yummy!!    

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Frozen Lemonade Pie I mean, seriously, does it get easier than this? If you want the perfect way to enjoy a summer afternoon, then you have got to try this pie. OMJeepers! Totally magnificent. One time I brought this to a barbecue that a friend was having and from then on, you wouldn’t believe how many invitations we got from neighbors. I thought it was just because they liked me. But when they would call and ask if I could bring those lemonade pies, I realized that they were just inviting me for the pie (and not my vivacious personality…what gives?!). Ingredients 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (6 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 (9-inch prepared graham cracker crusts Combine first three ingredients and pour mixture into the two crusts evenly. Freeze until firm. Before serving garnish with lemon zest strips.    

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Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants

This is, hands down, my kids’ favorite breakfast. I don’t like to start their day with a lot of sugar but we all need to make exceptions now and then. This is what they have for breakfast every year when they start their first day back at school. They also get to have it every now and then throughout the year as well. It’s just too good to make only once a year. Try it and see if your kids like them as much as mine. Oh, and they are way too easy. It’s almost embarrassing to include it as a recipe! Ingredients 1 tube refrigerated plain crescent rolls (I love using Grands crescent rolls) 3 Tbsp Nutella spread 1/2 cup chocolate chips Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Spread out crescent roll and spread approximately 1 teaspoon of Nutella on it, and sprinkle about two teaspoons (enough to grab with your fingertips) of chocolate chips on top. 3. Roll it up according to package directions and place it on a cookie sheet. Cook according to package directions and enjoy!    

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S’more Snack Mix My son, Karis, discovered the beauty of the snack mix after I found a bunch of yummy stuff in our pantry and mixed it all up together. He grabbed a chow mein noodle, stuck a mini marshmallow on the end, and held it over a birthday candle. After he toasted it to perfection, he smooshed it between two mini graham crackers with a chocolate chip stuck in the middle. Wow! Mini s’mores—perfect for your next Barbie doll/action figure campfire or just for a fun after school snack. I don’t have precise measurements for all of the ingredients because, like most moms, I make do with what I’ve got and have learned the magic of improvisation. Use this recipe as a guideline and feel free to play with it to suit the tastes of your family members. Ingredients 1 box graham cracker cereal (like Golden Grahams) 1/2 bag mini marshmallows 1 can chow mein noodles 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 2-3 cups raisins 1 bag pretzels shaped like goldfish 1 jar honey roasted peanuts Mix it all up and divide mixture into individual serving sizes by putting 1/2 cup into small plastic zippered bags. This step will not only make it easy to grab a snack but will also prevent people (i.e., your kids) from coming along and just picking out the chocolate chips and marshmallows!    

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Layered Ice Cream Cake

Indulgence at its best! This recipe has become a family favorite of ours and I’m sure it’s going to score for your troops, too. Ingredients 24 ice cream sandwiches (2 boxes) 8 oz. Cool Whip (we actually use more—the 12 oz. size) 2 king-size Butterfinger candy bars (chopped up) 1 squeeze-bottle Hershey’s chocolate syrup 1 squeeze-bottle Smucker’s caramel topping Arrange in six layers in a 9x13-inch pan: Directions First layer: 12 ice-cream sandwiches (I usually cut some in half to make them fit) Second layer: half the Cool Whip Third layer: half of the chopped-up Butterfinger bars topped with half of the chocolate syrup and half of the caramel topping. Fourth layer: 12 ice-cream sandwiches Fifth layer: the rest of the Cool Whip Sixth layer: the rest of the Butterfinger bars and syrups. Freeze and enjoy!!    

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Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches During Christmas, instead of just gingerbread men, why not pump it up a notch and make gingerbread ice cream sandwiches? First, you make the cookies using this absolutely delicious recipe. Then, decorate the cookies (try the yummy frosting recipe below). To turn them into ice cream sandwiches, slice pieces of ice cream, cut out shapes using cookie cutters, lift the ice cream with a spatula, fill the cookies, and press them together. Sprinkle the sides with decors and stick them on a baking sheet to freeze. Ingredients 1/2 cup margarine or shortening 1 cup brown sugar 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. allspice 1 1/2 cup molasses 2/3 cup cider 7 cups flour Mix first two ingredients, then add remaining ingredients. Roll out on floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Add flour as needed to keep from sticking. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes, until a little crinkled on top. Let cool and then decorate. Edible Glue (icing) 3 egg whites (room temperature) 3/4 teaspoon cream or tartar 1 lb. box powdered sugar Beat ingredients together on high for 7 - 10 minutes until very stiff. Store at room temperature.    

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Chocolate Mousse Cake If you haven’t tried this cake recipe, you’ve been missing out. It’s absolutely delicious. I mean, can you ever really go wrong with chocolate mousse? I don’t think so! In fact, Karis refuses to have any other cake on his birthday and couldn’t believe it when his brother Korben chose devil’s food cake when he turned 8 recently (and secretly, I kind of agreed). Trust me, your family will love it too! Ingredients 1 pkg chocolate cake mix 1 cup sugar 4 tbsp. cornstarch 2 pkg. unflavored gelatin 3 tbsp. cocoa 3 cups milk 4 cups whipped topping 1 cup miniature chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped nuts Directions 1. Prepare cake mix according to directions on package. 2. Bake and let cool. 3. Prepare Mousse: Mix sugar, cornstarch, gelatin and cocoa. Stir in milk slowly until well mixed. Cook over medium heat until thickened and mixture comes to a full boil. Cool. 4. When cold, beat well with mixer until fluffy. 5. Fold in whipped topping, then nuts and chocolate chips. Spread over cooled cake and refrigerate. Spread 2 cups whipped topping over mousse and garnish with more chipped nuts and chocolate chips, if desired (or use chocolate curls).    

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Hot Fudge Cake For some reason, I always seem to want to make this cake at a certain time once a month—go figure! I love this hot fudge cake recipe. It’s warm, gooey and rich - the perfect sweet treat any day, but especially when your hormones are raging. Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 6 tbsp. baking cocoa, divided 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup milk 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 3/4 cups hot water whipped cream or ice cream (optional) Directions 1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt. 2. Stir in the milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. Spread in an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. 3. Combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour hot water over all, do not stir. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.    

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The Perfect Chocolate Cake After my daughter and her friend attempted to make a gluten (and taste) free cake recently, I decided I needed to show them that sometimes the real thing is the only way to go. So I whipped up this easy and divine chocolate cake for them. Boy, did they appreciate the difference! Chocolate Cake: 2 cups sugar 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup cocoa 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water Heat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and beat together. Stir in boiling water. Pour into pans and bake 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool completely and then frost (recipe below). Chocolate Frosting: 1 stick butter 3 cups powdered sugar 2/3 cup cocoa 1/3 cup milk 1 tsp. almond extract 1 tsp. vanilla extract Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add milk and sugar, beating on medium. Stir in vanilla and almond. Add more milk, if necessary.