No Fail French Bread

2 TBS yeast
5 TBS oil
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 TBS salt
2 TBS sugar
6 cups white flour

Mix all ingred. together and knead in machine 5-10 min. Let rise until double in bowl. Punch down.

Divide and form into 2 french loaves on cookie sheet or baking stone. Gash top of loaves 3 imes with a serrated knife. Brush with beated egg white. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Let rise until double (about 30 min.) Bake for 20-30 min. at 400 degrees. (Shorter for a soft crust, longer for a thick and chewy crust.)

Pulla

This is a Finnish sweet bread.

2 cups milk
2 eggs
½-¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cardamon
2 Tablespoons yeast
6¼cup flour
2 cup margarine

1 egg (beaten)
course decorative sugar
sliced almonds

Heat milk to 110º. Add yeast. Mix in eggs and sugar. Add flour, salt and cardamon. Knead for a few minutes. Add softened margarine and Knead for a few more minutes. Let rise for 2 hour.
Form dough into balls (about the size of a ping pong ball), dip in beaten eggs, then sugar then almonds. Place on cookie sheet. Let rise again until double (about 2 hour) Bake at 390º for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Spinach Salad

2 bunches of spinach (torn into bite size pieces)
1 head of lettuce (torn into bite size pieces)
1 purple onion (sliced)
3/4 lb. fresh mushrooms (sliced)
3/4 lb. Swiss cheese (grated)
1 C drained cottage cheese
1/2 C crumbled bacon
sugared almonds (see recipe)
mandarin oranges
crasins
sliced strawberries

Toss all ingredients together (except onions). Use sliced onions as a garnish. Top with following dressing.

DRESSING

3/4 tsp poppy seeds
3/4 C oil
3/4 tsp grated onion
1/3 tsp mustard
1/2 C white vinegar
1/3 C sugar
3/4 tsp salt

Buzz in blender. Pour on salad right before serving

Pie Crust

This is my mother-in-law's pie crust and Josh uses it for all his pies. It's super simple and oh so yummy.

2 cups flour
1 ½ t. salt
⅔ cup shortening
7 T. cold water

Mix flour and salt. Using a pastry blender (or two butter knives), cut shortening in to flour until the lumps are about the size of peas. With a fork, gently mix water in until dough forms a ball. Divide dough into two balls. Roll to ⅛” thick, place in pie pan. (we've found if you roll it on a sideless cookie sheet it inverts easily into the pie pan)

For cream pies, flute edges, prick with fork and bake at 400º for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

For fruit pies, cut steam vent in top crust. Moisten top edge of bottom crust with water before placing top crust on pie. Trim crust around pan and flute edges.

Makes crust for 2 single crust pies or one single crust pie.

Pecan Cheese Cake Pie

The marriage of two worlds: cheesecake and pie. What could be better?

Blend in blender until smooth:
1 8 oz. cream cheese
⅓C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
¼ t salt

Spread over unbaked pie shell.
Sprinkle with ½C chopped pecans (or walnuts).

Blend in blender:
3 eggs
¼C sugar
1 C dark Corn syrup or maple syrup or combination ( I use any brand maple syrup)
1 t vanilla

Carefully pour over nuts. Decorate with pecan or walnut halves.
Bake at 375° for 40 minutes.

Lemon Ice Cream

2 qts whole milk
4 cups sugar
1 cup FRESH squeezed lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream
1 ½ tsp lemon extract

Combine all ingredients and freeze in an ice cream freezer.

Sugar Roasted Almonds

These are excellent in salads (if they ever make it there)

2½ cups unblanched whole almonds (13 oz)
1¼ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350º. Toast almonds for 15 minutes on a baking sheet.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water almonds and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar becomes golden and granular and almonds are completely coated and separated. Pour nuts onto cooling rack over a cookie sheet and separate.

Mint Sandwiches

My mother-in-law makes these for most every family party and love them. There isn't anything much better than chocolate and mint!

2 lbs molding chocolate (light or dark or combination)
1 lb. green mint molding chocolate*
aluminum foil
tape

Line a large cookie sheet (with sides) with aluminum foil (dull side up). Roll small pieces of tape to tape aluminum to bottom of pan. Tape sides to edges of pan.

Melt 1 lb of chocolate in microwave 1 minute at a time at 30% power. Stir between each minute. It will probably take 4-5 minutes. Don’t overcook and don’t let it get too warm.
Spread chocolate thinly on pan. It should be just under ⅛” thick. Let cool at room temperature until it just looses its gloss. Don’t let it cool too long. Don’t refrigerate it.

While first layer is cooling, Melt the green molding chocolate. When the first layer is almost dull, carefully drizzle green chocolate over it. Don’t let it clump or it will melt the bottom layer too much. Carefully spread drizzled green over the brown. It should be a little less than ⅛” thick. Let it cool until it looses its gloss.

While second layer is cooling, Melt the rest of the chocolate. When second layer is almost dull, carefully drizzle chocolate over it. Carefully spread drizzled chocolate over the green. It should be a little less than ⅛” thick. Let it cool until it looses its gloss.

Before it hardens completely (when chocolate looses its gloss) cut into squares. When it has hardened completely remove from pan and peel off aluminum foil.


*Green mint can be substituted with other colors and flavors. If you want other colors with mint flavoring, use vanilla flavored molding chocolate (any color) and add a few drops of Peppermint Oil (it must be oil not extract)


You can make different flavors by using vanilla flavored molding chocolate (any color) for middle layer and add different flavors of oil (not extract).

Cranberry Orange Cheese Ball

This cheese ball is sweet and really yummy on the new cinnimon wheat thin crackers.

2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
3 T. orange juice concentrate
1 t. cinnamon
1 T. sugar
¼ cup chopped craisins
¼ cup chopped pecans


Mix all ingredients together. Roll in chopped pecans.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.

Quoted from:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/California-Grilled-Veggie-Sandwich/Detail.aspx

Bush's Black Bean Burgers

Cami was telling me about her black bean burgers and said she would post the recipe up here. She didn't and so I was forced to scour the internet for something else. Here's one that I tried and liked. It was a little more pancake-y than I expected but it was good. They actually tasted better the next day. We don't have a grill so I cooked them on my stove.

2 cans (15 ounces each) BUSH'S BEST Black Beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup chunky salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Hamburger buns

Place beans in food processor; process until fairly smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salsa, cumin and garlic salt. Process until well combined. Spoon mixture into 6 balls on a large plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before cooking.

Heat barbecue grill or ridged grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill or pan lightly with oil. Form each ball into a 4-inch patty about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill or in pan and cook until browned and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.

Koula's Best Ever Chicken Gyros

Here's another one from allrecipes. It's probably against some cosmic law to make gyros with chicken, but when it's all you got, it's all you got! These were so good, though!

INGREDIENTS
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
4 pita breads, cut in half
2 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken strips side by side in a broiling pan. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the ketchup, olive oil, white wine vinegar, oregano, mustard powder and curry powder. Pour over the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate while you preheat the oven's broiler.
Broil uncovered for 15 minutes with the meat about 6 inches from the heat. Just until the chicken is cooked through, but not browned. If left too long, it will turn stringy and dry.
Place hot chicken into pita pockets and spoon some of the juices from the pan over it. Top with salad greens and plain yogurt.

Black Bean Avocado Salad

I got this one from allrecipes.com. It's easy and nutritious. I think it works great as a vegetarian main dish (just add some rolls or biscuits on the side) or if you want meat, just throw in a handful of diced chicken.And, um, yes, I do like black beans this much. MMMM, fiberific!

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
1 1/3 cups chopped peeled avocado
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice

DRESSING:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat

Cheese Ball

This is another recipe from my mother-in-law. It is surprisingly simple and very very yummy. You can easily make a small ball for yourself to munch on or make it bigger to take to a party.

1 8oz pkg of cream cheese, softened
2 tsp minced garlic (eyeball to taste; I use jarred garlic)
3-4 green onions, diced (I use my kitchen scissors)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans, my mother-in-law uses sliced almonds)

Mix the first three ingredients together well. Form into ball and roll in nuts to cover entire surface of ball. Double or tripple according to the crowd.

Diced red pepper makes a nice addition during the holidays (get it--red and green)

*My measurements on the garlic, green onions, and nuts are guesses. I just eyeball it to get a pretty good amount throughout the ball and to completely cover it with nuts.

Simple Pumpkin Cookies

This recipe is simple and straight out of the pantry-no perisables needed. It's a great treat in a crunch.

1 box spice cake mix
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
chocolate chips (optional and amount to preference)

Mix it all together. Scoop by tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake about 12 minutes at 350.

Creamy Cauliflower Salad

3/4 cup mayonnaise dressing
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup bacon bits
1 head cauliflower, in pieces
6 cups torn Romaine lettuce leaves

Mix dressings, cheese and sugar in large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly.

Eggplant Parmigiana

I would always see eggplants on sale at the grocery store but wouldn't know what to do with them, until I found this recipe by Mario Batali. It's simple enough but looks rather fancy and tastes yummy. I use one eggplant to feed my family and adjust recipe from there.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large eggplants-about 1 lb each
salt and pepper
3 cups basic tomato sauce (I use jared pasta sauce)
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves removed and cut
1 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch think slices-you will need 12 slices
1/2 cup fresh grated parmigiano
1/4 cup lightly toasted bread crumbs
1 pkg spaghetti noodles

Preheat the oven to 450. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil.

Cut each eggplant into 6 slices. Lightly season each disk with salk and pepper and place on oiled sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until deep brown on top. Transfer to a large plate and let cool. Lower oven temperature to 350.

Arange the 4 largest disks in a 9x13 baking pan, spacing them evenly. Spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce over each disk, and sprinkle each with a teaspoon of basil. Place one slice of mozzarella over each and sprinkle with 1 ts of parmigiano. Top with 4 more slices of eggplant and repeat layers. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs over the top.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and tops are lightly browned. Cook noodles and warm remaining sauce.

Serve eggplant with noodles and sauce.

Funeral Potatoes

I'm not sure why they call this funeral potatoes. My sister prefers to call them "Happy Potatoes". All I know is that they are really yummy!

1 bag frozen shredded hash browns
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped onion (fine)
2 cups crushed corn flakes
2 Tbs butter melted

Put hash browns into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Combine soup, sourcream, cheese, 1/2 cup melted butter and onions (you may want to saute the onions to make sure they are tender. it depends on how small of a dice you can get). Gently bend into potatoes. Combine crushed corn flakes and the 2 Tbs of melted butter. Sprinkle on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. makes 12 servings.

Spinach pies

Another arabic bread that my great-aunt makes. I use half a bread dough recipe and use the other half of the dough for sfeeha.

2-10 oz blocks of frozen spinach
1 onion, finely chopped
4-5 Tbs of lemon juice
2 Tbs oil
salt and pepper to taste

Defrost spinach under running water in strainer. Squeeze out excess water with hands. Sprinkle with salt and alow to sit in strainer for 15 minutes.

Mix with all the ingredients.

Pinch off 2 1/2" balls of dough and roll out into 4" squares. Put a heaping tablespon of filling on each circle (kind of in a triangle shape, pointing to one of the corners of the square). Fold up from the bottom of the triangle and bring in the sides to the center. you will have formed a triangle. Press down seams firmly and pinch ends together.

Place on greased cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake at 400 until golden brown.

Sfeeha (meat pies) & Laban

This is another arabic dish that my family makes. You can use your favorite bread dough (I used my mother-in-law's roll dough) to make these. I usually make one batch of dough and use it to make both sfeeha and spinich pies. The recipe is adjusted to use half a bread dough recipe for each. These are great dipped in laban-a yogurt spread.

1 lb ground beef (or lamb)
1 onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper and allspice to taste


Brown the pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.

Saute the onion is butter. Add meat and spices. Saute until tender. Add browned pine nuts and lemon juice. Mix well.

Roll dough into small balls (raquet ball size), flatten into 3 inch circles in greased cookie sheet. Spread meat stuffing evenly on top of circles to within 3/8" from the edge.

Bake at 400 until meat and dough are lightly brown (about 7-8 minutes)


Laban:

Plain yogurt
Cheesecloth

Put your yogurt in the cheesecloth. The yogurt will start to drain off liquid. Allow it to drain over night in the refridgerator. (you will have to figure out a way to hang the cheesecloth over a bowl without touching the liquid) The result is a creamy spread that is yummy on meat pies and pita bread.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

This is a family recipe from my Grandpa, or rather his sister-my great aunt Farida. I just love Arabic food, I guess it's in my blood, and this is one of the recipes that we make a few times a year and it makes me think of grandpa. This year we are doing it for Easter along with some other Arabic dishes.

1 jar grape leaves (found by the pickles in some grocery stores. Safeway carries them)

1 1/2 cups ground meat, raw--traditionally lamb but I use beef
1 c rice (uncooked)
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnimon
2 tbs butter (use if you are using a lean meat)

Mix the above ingredients together well. This is your filling for the grape leaves.

Remove all the grape leaves from jar carefully, unfold, separate, and rinse leaves. Remove stems, place 1 tsp of filling near base of leaf fold in sides and roll up the leaf like a cigar. Should be very tight or it will come unrolled while cooking. Place in a large sauce pan, add 1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce and water to cover the rolled leaves. Sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low for 50 minutes, checking to make sure there is still water and they are not buring on the bottom. Check to make sure the rice is cooked in the leaves. Add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and heat through. Serve warm or they are good cold too.

Strawberry Shortcake

Growing up my mother often resorted to using the recipe on the back of the bisquick box for strawberry shortcake. Josh is a little more adventuresome (and less kitchen tired) though and prefers my mom's own recipe for shortcake. We look forward to when strawberries are on sale and plentiful so we can make this simple dessert.

2 c flour
3 ts baking powder
3/4 ts salt
3 Tbs sugar
1/2 c shortening
1 egg beaten
1/3 c milk

sliced strawberries mixed with sugar to get them to juice

Mix together until you get a ball of dough. Place ball in greased pie pan and squish it down to fill the pan evenly. You do not need to push it to the sides of the pan. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes, until deep golden brown and toothpick comes out clean in center. Cool slightly, cut into wedges. To serve place wedge in bowl, slice it in half lengthwise. I like to butter mine then put strawberries (with the juice) in the middle, place the top back on and top with more strawberries and whip cream. Really yummy served when the shortcake is warm.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

There are a lot of variations of this cake out there, here's one that I use (or adapt from). I just love the fresh taste of the lemon glaze.

1 yellow or lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1 c water
2 ts vanilla
1/2 c oil
1 T flour
poppyseeds (couple tablespoons, I eyeball it)

Mix it all together and bake in a greased bundt cake pan at 400 degress for 45 minutes. Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes then transfer to plate. Poke with fork then pour glaze over entire cake.

Glaze:
2 c powdered sugar, sifted
Lemon Juice
milk
Beat these ingredients together until you get a glaze consistency and lemon taste that you like.

M&M Party Cookies

This is another old recipe from my mother. We like to make it with the seasonal M&M's and Elijah loves to help put the M&M's on the cookies.

1 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2 ts vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 c flour
1 ts baking soda
1 ts salt
1 1/2 c M&M's

Blend together shortening and sugars. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Add dry ingredients. Use cookie scoop to put 1-1 1/2 inch balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place M&M's on top of balls, pressing in lightly (alternatively you could mix the candies into the dough). Bake at 375 until just golden and set, 7-10 minutes, do not over bake. Let cool on cookie sheet then transfer to wire rack.

Basic Sweet Roll Dough

This is one of those recipes that my mother taught me when I was an early teen. This dough works great for cinnimon rolls as well as orange rolls. I mix it all in my bosch and let it do all the work for me.

2 1/2 cup warm/hot water
2 Tbs yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup dry milk solids
2 ts salt
2 eggs beaten
6-7 cups flour

Sprinkle yeast over water, let sit and soften. Add sugar, shortening, milk solids, salt, 4 cups of flour and stir until smooth. Add beaten eggs and 2 cups flour and mix well. Add additional flour until soft dough results. Kneed well, keeping the dough very soft. Let rise until doubled, and roll as desired.

Cinnimon Rolls: roll out the 1/3 off dough in a thin rectangle. I use a butter spread and spread butter all over the rectangle. Sprinkle with a cinnimon/sugar mixture. Roll dough up with cinnimon inside and cut into 1 1/2 inch rings with a thread.

Orange Rolls: Combine 6T butter, 1 cup sugar and grated rind from one orange. Cook on stovetop to spreading consistancy. Roll out dough the same as cinnimon rolls, spread on orange mixture.

Place on greased cookie sheet or muffin pan, let rest in pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes (time could be less).

I use a tub of cream cheese frosting to glaze the rolls while they are still warm.