Sprout Bean Dip

My husband loves this dip.It was a strange concept to me when we first go married. Sprouts on top of chip dip?
Plain weird!
I have converted though, this is the only way I'll make it now.

Layer in the bottom of a lg pie dish or 8x11 pan
You want a thin layer of each ingredient so every scoop has a taste of it all.

• 1/2 - 3/4 can of refried beans mixed with a few dashes of hot sauce
• 2 - 3 ripe avocado's mashed until smooth, add a little lime juice to prevent browning. One of these works fabulous for this.
  
• approximately 1 cup of sour-cream mixed with 1/2 bag of taco seasoning
• shredded cheese
• diced: onions, chives, tomatoes, olives, & jalapenos
• top with a container of sprouts, chopped with a scissors first to make the dip easier to eat

Chill the dip for at least 12 hours, 24 is better.
Serve with tortilla or corn chips.

Fall Food

I love the smell of pumpkin meshed with cinnamon oozing from my oven. It reminds me of when I was a child. My sister and I were experts at sneaking food from the pan and rearranging the bars, frosting or topping to appear like we didn't. I am sure my mom knew, because I can know tell when my children do the same thing, but she rarely said anything. I hate to admit it, buuuuuut.......
I've done it as an adult too, with my sister as an accomplice.
I guess somethings we never out grow :)

If you are having company and want to make your house smell delicious, try these easy pumpkin bars. I pared them with dense granola bars.

Pumpkin bars

1. Beat:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
  

2: Mix in:

• 15 oz pumpkin
• 2 tsp cinnamon
  

3. Add:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
  

4. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350* for 20 - 25 minutes.

5. Frost with a cream cheese icing*. I drizzled colored icing** over the bars to dress them up.
*Icing: Cream 4 oz cream cheese, 4 oz softened butter, vanilla, 2 - 4 T milk, and enough powdered sugar to make a thick icing. **Warm icing slightly to thin, color then drizzle.

Granola Bars

1. Mix together in a large bowl:

1 cup blended graham crackers
4-5 cups oatmeal (more oatmeal will be drier bars, less oatmeal, sticker bars)
4 1/2 cups rice crispies

2. Set aside above mixture.

3. In a large sauce pan, melt together:

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey

4. Add:

24 oz mini marshmallows

5. Stir, on low heat, until marshmallows melt.

6. Pour liquid mixture over dry mixture and stir well.

7. Mix in:

2 cups raisins or diced dried fruit

1 cup chopped peanuts, optional
1 cup chocolate chips*, optional

8. Press in to a greased jelly roll pan.
* if you mix in the chocolate chips before the mixture cools your chips will melt. I sprinkle them on top and then press the chocolate chips down in so they stick.

Homemade Marshmallows

Who knew you could make marshmallows? Not me until a couple of years ago. Once you feel comfortable making the recipe, the ways to tweak it are endless. Add food coloring to create colored marshmallows. Change up the flavoring, use peppermint,almond, lemon... instead of vanilla. Spread it on a jellyroll pan and use greased cookie cutters to cut out shapes, roll them in hot cocoa mix...
These are just plain delicious!
Ingredients:
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
3/4 hot water
1 cup light corn syrup, divided
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar to roll marshmallows in

Butter an 11x8 pan, set aside

In a large mixing bowl (stand mixer bowl works best) soften gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water.

In a 2 qt saucepan, combine hot water, 1/2 cup syrup and sugar. Heat over high heat, while stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Clip on a candy thermometer and cook until the mixture reaches 238-244*. Do not stir mixture after it comes to a boil.

Remove syrup from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 cup syrup.
Using an electric mixer on low speed(stand mixer is easiest), slowly and carefully pour hot cooked syrup into the gelatin mixture. Once all of the syrup has been added, increase mixer speed to high. Beat for 10 - 15 minutes.

Taste some to make sure it is good.

Spoon marshmallow mixture into buttered pan.

Let cool approx 3 hours.
Flip out onto a powdered sugared surface.
Cut marshmallows with a knife dipped in hot water.

Roll marshmallows in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.

Store in an air tight container to prevent drying out.

I am so making this...

for a Christmas appetizer. I found it at MarilynMoll.

"The BLT Bruschetta recipe below is a simple gourmet delight, very delicious, you must try it!"

BLT Bruschetta

5 Slices Maple flavored Bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ C. finely chopped seeded tomato
½ C. finely chopped leaf lettuce
½ C. prepared pesto, divided
½ C. shredded Mozzerella, optional
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 10 ½ oz loaf French Bread, sliced thin
3 Tbsp Olive oil

Brush French Bread with olive oil and toast by baking at 400° F 9-10 minutes – watch closely- until golden brown. Mix crumbled bacon with finely chopped tomato. Spread pesto mixture on each slice.
Sprinkle with a little Mozzerella. Heat until cheese is melted and garnish with chopped lettuce and basil.

On the Go Food Idea's

Need on the go food ideas for your busy back to school schedule?

Try some of these...

Pita's filled with tuna, veggies, eggs, diced chicken, cheese. I have a great whole wheat pita recipe I will share soon.

Wraps filled with nitrate free lunch meat, veggies, cheese, mashed banana and PB,

Banana and PB Bread Wraps flatten a slice of bread with a rolling pin. Spread with banana and PB. Roll up, slice into pinwheels or leave in a log.

Hot Ham and Cheese baked in tinfoil. Stick in a cooler (without other cold items) to keep warm.

Calzones Make ahead, freeze, warm and wrap in foil to keep warm, stick in cooler to keep warm for a longer period of time.

Homemade Lunchables Dice lunch meal, cheese and crackers. Add a treat. Package.
Nuts A mixture is good to add various nutrients to your diet. You can also roast them in your oven with a little olive oil and seasoning of your choice (salt, garlic, pepper, lime, chili powder, cumin...) My boys love Pistachios in the shell, shell spitting contests are fun :)

Red Hot Popcorn

Pop popcorn on the stove top or in a stir crazy popper with red hots and oil. The red hots will melt and coat the kernels when they pop.

Coconut Oil Popcorn Pop popcorn in coconut oil instead of oil or butter. Lightly salt. Yum!

What are they eating?

They said 'it' tasted better than candy!

While I am not sure I agree,I have a very LARGE sweet tooth, I do like munchin' on' it' too.

'It', is the apple peelings from our homemade apple pie :)

Candy Grapes

We loves grapes at our house. This recipe has been dubbed 'Candy Grapes' by my children.
Start with a bowl full of fresh cleaned grapes, about 3-4#.
Let them air dry, or dry them with a towel.

Cream 4 oz (softened) cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Spoon over grapes and mix. Chill for several hours or overnight. These keep for several days, however they never last that long unless I hide them in the back of our fridge :)

Homemade Potato Chips

Hungry for something salty?
No chips?
Try these tasty little things...

INGREDIENTS
Potatoes, scrubbed with skin left on
olive oil
salt
pepper
any other seasonings you want
(taco seasoning, season salt, ranch mix, Italian spices, cumin...)

1.Slice potatoes very thin.
(try a few thick ones too if you wish, cook separately)

2. Place potatoes, oil, salt/pepper/seasoning in a bowl. Toss to coat evenly.

3. Oil a microwave proof plate
4. Place the potatoes on the plate.

5. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or until some slices are just starting to brown.
6. Flip chips and microwave for 2-3 more minutes.
**WATCH carefully the chips can go from no brown to burnt in a matter seconds!

Thicker cut chips to the L thinner cut chips to the R.

Party Mix

Dump into an 18qt electric roaster & gently mix:
1 Large Box Cheddar Cheese bits
1 Box White Cheddar Cheese bits
1 Box Wheat Thins
1 Large Box Honeycomb
1 Large Box Corn Chex
1 Large Bag Pretzels
Nuts if desired

Seasoning:
2 cups Oil
1/3 cup Bacon Grease (cook 1#bacon, save grease)
1 T Garlic Salt
1 T Seasoned Salt
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
*Mix all together, pour over dry mixture.
Bake in an electric roaster @ 200* for 2 hours. Stir every 15 minutes. Store extra in an airtight container or freezer.

WW Grapes

Frozen Grapes.
A yummy snack!

Ranch Pretzels

Ranch is a staple at our house. Ranch Dressing, Ranch Dip & Ranch Powder. My husband and children like Ranch with salad, veggies, pizza, casserole, chicken, chips and salsa, really anything! I have tried and tried to create our own ranch mix, but really, nothing compares to Hidden Valley.
Please, pass on a recipe if you have one!

Ranch is a fun way to jazz up your pretzels.
But beware, they are messy to eat!

Ranch Pretzels
Ingredients:
*Pretzels
I like one bag of regular sticks and one bag of butter flavor sticks
*approx 4T Powder Ranch Mix
*3/4 cup oil
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 tsp garlic powder
*1 - 2 tsp dill weed

Mix pretzels. Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

Pour oil mixture over pretzels. Stir to coat.

Bake at 250* for 30 - 45 minutes or until they look dry.
Stir every 10 - 15 minutes.

Canning Dill Pickles

We LOVE Dill Pickles at our house! My children will eat them anytime, anywhere and with any meal. We like whole 'baby' dills the best. Which means I must keep close watch on the cucumber patch, checking it almost every day.
Did you know pickles are soothing for sore throats? Try it next time you have one.

Our Recipe ~ Dill Pickles
To make the Brine you will need:
1 Qt White Vinegar
3 Qt water
Canning Salt
*Mix Brine ingredients and bring to a boil.


Wash and clean your freshly picked cucumbers with a soft vegetable brush.

Next add the following to the bottom of your canning jars:
A few onion chunks
A spoonful of garlic chunks
1 Jalapeño slice

A couple of Dill Sprigs
(or if you get to close to your dill in the garden with the tiller like I did, use dried dill)

Then start packing your cucumbers into the jars. Pack the jars as full as you can. The cucumbers can be double stacked if you are using quart jars.

*This part is KEY for crisp pickles*
Once your brine is boiling, and the hot water in your canner is at a rolling boil, ladle the jars with the boiling brine almost to the rim. Put the lids and rings on quickly & tightly. Place jars in the boiling canner. The boiling may cease for a short while, but should quickly return to a boil. Process the jars for 5 minutes. If you process too much longer, your pickles will not be crisp.

Take your jars out of the canner and flip over. Let your jars sit that way until cool or overnight. In the morning, flip your jars back over, they should all be sealed. If you have one that doesn't seal, store it in the refrigerator. Let your pickles cure for 3 weeks before eating.

On another note...

My mom gave me these lids for Christmas one year. They are great lids for opened jars in the refrigerator. I store candy, and dried items in old jars and they work perfect for that as well. You can find them here.

Happy canning!

Stir Fry Zucchini

If you have ever planted zucchini, you know one plant can mass produce! What does a family do with all that zucchini? Muffins, chocolate cake (recipe in previous post), fried, and stir fry a a few ways to use them. Last night we had stir fry zucchini, it was delicious.

Slice a young zucchini into thin stripes.
I left mine slightly larger so little fingers could pick them up better.

Dice 1/2 - 1 medium onion.

Dice one large tomato.

In a skillet put several tablespoons of fresh, minced garlic and your onion.

Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, 1tsp sea salt, pepper to taste, and 1/2 - 1 tsp thyme. Saute until the onion is clear.
Scoot the onion over, add diced tomatoes. Cook on medium heat until heated through. Mix tomatoes and onions. Let simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors blend.

Add zucchini, cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes, constantly stirring. Turn heat down, cover tightly and let steam for 2-4 minutes.
Remove from stove and keep covered until you are ready to eat.