Apple Streusel Bars

We made these for Thanksgiving this year.  The recipe is easy to make and everyone seemed to really enjoy them.  I thought that it was very sweet and wonder if more apples and somehow less butter would help.  I halved the glaze recipe, which I'm glad I did as I drizzled just less than half onto the apple bars and it was a major contributor to the major sweetness.  But to each his own!

SWEET pastry:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup real butter
1 egg, beaten

Apple filling:
3 medium apples (4 cups) sliced, peeled baking apples {Granny Smith}
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 T milk
1 tsp almond extract


Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.  Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until the crust is in pea-size crumbles.  Mix in the beaten egg.  Grease a 13x9 pan with non-stick spray and pat 2/3 of the mixture into the pan.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Peel and slice the apples.  Toss the sliced apples with flour, sugar and cinnamon.  Spread apples out onto the crust.  Sprinkle reserved crust mixture on top.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool completely and drizzle with the glaze to taste.  Allow the bars to harden and cut to serve.

Source: Jone, Kate and Sara Wells.  "Apple Streusel Bars".  Our Best Bites. 3. May 2009.

[Sorry, pictures to come later.  Ran out of storage space.]

Coleslaw

Yesterday I made coleslaw dressing.  It's way better the next day after the flavors have melded together.  Just as good, if not better, than store bought!  However, you can be like me and just buy a bag of coleslaw at the supermarket.

1/2 head coleslaw, coarsely shredded
1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely shredded
1/2 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise, fat free
1/2 tsp mustard
1 tsp honey or sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery seed, optional
2 T milk

For colesaw: combine vegetables in a serving bowl.  For dressing: mix mayonnaise, mustard, honey, vinegar, salt, celery seed and milk together.  If too think, thin with more milk.  Add dressing to salad and toss well.

Source: Merrill, Jane P. and Karen M. Sunderland.  Set for Life.  "Creamy Coleslaw".  Salt Lake City, UT: Sunrise Publishers, 1995. 139.

Pumpkin "Poppers"

I didn't make these as poppers.  I made them more like "muffin tops" as I don't have a mini muffin tin.  I also had to adapt the spices, but it turned out just fine and very autumn-y. 

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon [I used 1 tsp]
1/2 tsp nutmeg [I used 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice]
1/2 tsp allspice [added 1/8 tsp ginger]
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

For topping: 1 stick unsalted butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 T cinnamon

Grease muffin tin and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.  In a separate bowl, mix together oil, sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk.  Slowly add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until incorporated.  Fill muffin tins with batter (almost full with a mini muffin tin and 1/2 full with a normal muffin tin.)  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until baked through.  [I needed to add five minutes with my full sized muffin tin.]  Cool on a wire rack.  Once cool, you can dip the poppers melted butter and the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Source: "Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Poppers". Just the Little Things. 24. Oct 2011.

Chicken, Spinach, Egg Noodle Casserole

After a seven week hiatus from trying new recipes, I finally made something new to post.  I was very worried that the sauce wouldn't thicken up, and it really didn't get that thick, so I wonder if my roux (butter and flour) didn't thicken enough.  I added more flavorings to the sauce: Italian seasoning, black pepper, parsley and no-salt seasoning (with onion and garlic being the top two seasonings.)  I also added more spinach, less pasta and no breadcrumbs.  It reminded me of fettuccine Alfredo.

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (4 T for roux, 2 T for breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup sour cream
12 oz. egg noodles [I used 8 oz, measured on a scale]
5 oz. chopped baby spinach [I used 2 cups chopped spinach]
2 cups cooked cubed chicken or rotisserie chicken
4 slices sandwich bread
salt and black pepper
[Italian seasoning]
[Parsley]
[garlic/onion seasoning]

Boil water and cook egg noodles according to directions.  For sauce, melt 4 T. butter in a medium sauce pan until melted, whisk in flour until bubbly and thick (not brown.)  Slowly add the milk, let simmer and whisk until thickened.  Remove from heat, add the seasonings to taste and stir in the sour cream.  Mix the chopped spinach and chopped chicken into the sauce.  Combine with the drained noodles and pour into a 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle on bread crumbs (made from the 4 slices sandwich bread and 2 T butter.)  Add additional butter on top.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden and the sauce is bubbly.  Cool for five minutes before serving.  [I covered the casserole with foil and let it bake for 20 minutes; however, I wonder if I needed to cover it at all even without breadcrumbs.]

Source: Real Simple Recipes.  "Chicken, Spinach, and Noodle Casserole".  27. March 2012.

Kugel {Jewish casserole}

At my friend's wedding reception, they served a traditional Jewish dish with eggs, cottage cheese, egg noodles, and peaches/pineapples (other fruits).  I didn't catch the name, but I wanted to try to make it myself.  At home I immediately searched for the ingredients and found out that it's called Kugel.  I searched for a recipe that I thought would taste most like the one at the wedding.  This is what I found, and tonight I tried it.  It tastes similar but not exact, and now I know how I want to vary it for the future (namely, more eggs and fewer noodles).

Peach Noodle Kugle
1 lb broad egg noodle
[1 stick] butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
[3/4 cup] sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pint (2 cups) small curd cottage cheese
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp nut butter flavoring {didn't use}
1 large can (28 oz) peaches, cut into pieces (reserve some juice for later)
OR 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, with its juice
apricot preserves

Boil water in a medium saucepan, cook pasta for 7-9 minutes.  Drain and pour into a large mixing bowl.  Add butter, beaten eggs, sugar, salt, cottage cheese, sour cream, vanilla and peaches.  Stir and pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish.  Optionally (because I didn't do this, this time) thin out some apricot preserves with peach juice, spoon onto the top of the dish, spreading evenly with the bottom of a spoon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

*Some notes: first, I would like to find a recipe with more eggs and less pasta.  I would like to try mixing pineapple and peaches.  I'm not sure if you need to cover it in the oven because the top of the dish had darkened pasta (could be solved by adding a cover like the preserves).  I like the fragrance and the taste (especially from the cheese, eggs, and fruit, not so much from the pasta).  It's a sweet dish that makes a great alternative for get togethers and holidays.


Other links to try: Pineapple Noodle Kugle and Top 10 Kugel Recipes

Favorite Pancake Recipes

Here are three of my favorite pancake recipes.  The first recipe, when halved, makes enough for 2 to 3 people; however, when making waffles use the full recipe.

Buttermilk Pancakes or Waffles
2 cups whole wheat flour [I always use half all-purpose and half wheat pastry flour]
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 T sugar or honey [I always use honey]
2 eggs
2 T oil
2 cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients, whisk together.  Pour batter (2 inch circles) onto a hot skillet/griddle, turning once (should take about two minutes before one side is cooked and ready to be flipped.)  Yield: 24, 2-inch pancakes

Favorite Pancakes or Waffles
1 cup whole wheat flour [or use half all-purpose flour]
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1 T honey or sugar [of course, use honey]
1 T oil
1 cup skim milk

Mix dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients, whisking together until just mixed.  Pour batter (2 inch circles) onto a hot griddle/skillet, turning once when cooked.

{Recipes from: Merrill, Jane P. and Karen M. Sunderland.  Set for Life.  "Buttermilk Pancakes or Waffles" and "Favorite Pancakes or Waffles".  Salt Lake City, UT: Sunrise Publisher, 1995. 108 & 106.}

Yogurt Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
[1/4 tsp salt]
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Whisk until just mixed.  Pour the batter into 2-3 inch circles onto a hot skillet/griddle, turning once when cooked.  Optionally you can add frozen/drained blueberries into the batter or one at a time on the pancake before turning once. 

{Recipe from: Bob's Red Mill.  "Blueberry-Yogurt Pancakes".}

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today we made the all American classic chocolate chip cookies.  I've received a few compliments with this recipe (as a young college student), and just got a couple more here at home. ;)

3/4 cup all-vegetable shortening
1-1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 T milk
1 T vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips [of course, I had to use half dark- and half milk chocolate]
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Cream together shortening, sugar, milk and vanilla.  When blended thoroughly, add one egg.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Add slowly to the shortening mixture until just mixed.  Stir in the chocolate chips and optional nuts with a spoon.  Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet, about three inches apart.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes (for chewy cookies) or 11-13 minutes (for crisp cookies) each batch.  Remove from baking sheet (with spatula) and cool on a wire rack.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe from: "Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies".  Crisco.com.

Easy Mini Quiche

I made these for a friend's visit last Friday (the 10th), and as the recipe's name promise, they are easy.  I made them in silicone muffin cup and they came out very easily.  Thanks to Amber for saying they have good flavor! ;)

wheat bread slices
onion, grated [of course I only had dried onions ;)]
1/2 cup cheese
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 tsp dry mustard
pinch black pepper
[add garlic salt, onion powder, Italian seasoning, Parsley, paprika]

Grease muffin tin.  Use a round cookie cutter, or a knife, to cut out bread to fit in the bottom of the muffin tin cups. Add cheese to each muffin cup.  Whisk together the eggs, milk, onion, mustard and spices/herbs.  Pour in each muffin cup, 3/4 full.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Check for doneness.

Recipe adapted from "Easy Mini Quiche Recipe".  Allrecipes.com.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

For Julia's third birthday, I made her pink lemonade cupcakes (with decorations!)  So far she's been eating just the frosting and candy!  The cupcake recipe is good but the frosting was hard to keep smooth.  P.S. I first made these when Julia was just a month old, and got rave reviews from Grandma Bonnie!

Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T vegetable oil
5 egg whites
3/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup + 2 T buttermilk
[red food coloring]

In a mixer with whisk attachment, combine sugar, oil, egg whites, pink lemonade and vanilla.  Mix until blended.  In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk (into thirds) into the creamed mixture.  Mix until blended (but don't over mix.)  Add optional red food coloring until desired color.  Pour cupcake mixture into cupcake liners-- 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Yields 24.

Frosting:
1 cup butter
4 cups powder sugar
6 T pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp vanilla
[red food coloring]

First whisk the butter until fluffy then add the remaining ingredients.  Add more water if the frosting is too thick.  If adding food coloring, mix in one drop at a time. 
[I found that I had enough frosting with half the recipe].

 colorful butterflies!

cute flowers!

Recipe from: "Pink Lemonade Cupcakes & Pink Lemonade Buttercream Frosting".  Let Them Eat Cake! {And Ice Cream}.  30 Jan 2012.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I made these for a family gathering and they were very popular!  They're a little unique and look and taste terrific!

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4-3/4 cup (to your taste) Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, mixing well.  In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in Craisins and white chocolate chips.  Drop teaspoon-sized rounds onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Source: "Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies".  Recipe.  OceanSpray.com.

Chili Biscuit Bake

I found this recipe in the Taste of Home cookbook and thought it was something that I would actually make.  It came together really well, except that the baking dish over flowed with too much chili, and some of the biscuits were not baked through in the center.

1 lb ground beef [ground turkey]
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen mixed vegetables [I used 1 can of corn and 2 cans of beans (kidney and black) hence the overflowing]
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
*flavor for taste: chili powder, taco seasoning, black pepper, onion/garlic powder, etc

Biscuits:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 T shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

In a skillet, cook beef or turkey and onion until cooked through, drain extra grease.  Add flavorings.  Stir in tomatoes, vegetables, beans and tomato sauce.  Pour into a prepared 11x7x2 baking dish.  Cover and baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine flour and baking powder in a bowl.  Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  With a fork, incorporate milk and mustard and stir until it forms a soft dough.  Add six Tablespoons of cheese.  Drop onto the top of hot chili casserole.  Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

 made June 29th

Source: Brenden, Darlene.  Taste of Home Annual Recipes.  "Ground Beef Biscuit Stew".  Ed. Michelle Brett.  Greendale, WI: Taste of Home Books, 2007. 68-69.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I first made these with greek yogurt and lemon juice-- not so light and fragrant.  Then I made my second batch with low-fat yogurt and fresh lemon juice and -peel.  Wow!  What a difference!  So fragrant, light and moist. There are no substitutions in this recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt [8 ounces of plain low-fat worked well]
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
Cooking spray

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  Combine oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, yogurt and egg, pour into the well and stir into the dry ingredients until just moist.  Pour batter into a greased 12 muffin tin.  Bake at 400 degrees for 14 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove muffins immidiantely from tin and cool on a wire rack.

first batch made June 28th

Source:  "Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins".  Recipe.  MyRecipes.com.

Beef Stew

On May 8th, I made a crock pot meal.  In the weeks since, food has not been my friend and I've been avoiding it at all costs (that's not always a good thing.)  Thomas loved it and I may have loved it at a different time...

1/4 c flour
1 lb stew meat
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 can diced tomatoes in juice (don't drain)
3 potatoes, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
celery [didn't use]
1 garlic clove [didn't have, used garlic powder]
1 tsp dried thyme leaves [or Italian Seasoning]
chopped carrots

Combine 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper in a resealable plastic food storage bag.  Add beef, close bag, and shake bag to coat the beef.  Place floured-covered stew meat in the crock pot. Add remaining ingredients.  Stir and cook on low for 8-12 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.

Before serving, turn slow cooker to high, combine a little flour (about 1 T) and water (about 2 T) and stir until a smooth paste.  Stir into the stew as as a thickener, cover and cook until desired consistency.

Recipe adapted from: Fix It Quick™ Favorite Name Brand™: Slow Cooker. "The Best Beef Stew".  Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, 2004. 112.

French Apple Cobbler

We have some Granny Smith apples on our counter.  Yesterday I thought, for fun, that I would make a cobbler.  I looked for a recipe online, found this one, and made it.  I like the idea of this cake topping.  It came out very sweet and the apples had a bit of a strange texture (I didn't peel them and I doubt that I cut them too small.)  Anyway, it was a nice change to have dessert.

Filling:
5 cups apples, peeled, sliced
3/4 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon [maybe make this 1 tsp?]
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract [maybe make this 1/2 tsp?]
1/4 cup water
1 T butter, softened

Topping:
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar [I wonder if 1/4 cup would be enough?]
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 T butter, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten

In a large bowl combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and water.  Dump into a lightly buttered 9x9 square baking dish.  Pat cut-portions of butter on top of the apples, evenly. For topping, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and egg.  Cream until smooth, using a wooden spoon.  Drop batter on top of the apple filling, distributing evenly throughout as it will meld together during baking.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until apples are done and crust is browned.  Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Source: Rattray, Diana.  "French Apple Cobbler Recipe".  SouthernFood.About.com

Chicken, Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas with Greek Yogurt Sauce

Last night I tried a new variation to my chicken enchiladas.  We both liked the flavors.  I thought the filling was dry and not heated through enough, so I might increase the length of time in the oven and put some sauce inside the enchiladas as well.

Filling:
Cubed or shredded cooked chicken (2 cups - 3 lbs)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup chopped baby spinach
Black pepper to taste
3/4 cup cheese
10 tortillas

Sauce:
1/4 cup flour
2 T butter
1 can chicken broth (about 1-1/2 cups)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
2-4 T chili powder

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with vegetable oil.  Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Combine cut chicken, spinach, and pepper.  Gently stir in black beans.  For the sauce, whisk butter and flour to make a roux and add chicken broth, salt, pepper and chili powder.  Stir while thickening, on medium high heat.  When bubbling, stir in Greek yogurt or sour cream.  Ensemble the enchiladas by warming up tortillas, adding 1/3 cup of filling and 2 tsp shredded cheese.  Once the tortillas are laid in the baking dish, pour remaining cheese and filling and cover with sauce.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Adapted from: Goodman, Katie. Good Life Eats. "Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas". 13. Jan 2010.

octopus hot dog-with-spaghetti lunch

In the last couple of months I've found all my cooking ideas from Pinterest.  Yesterday I found a link for some cute recipes to make with preschoolers.  Julia enjoyed trying to stick the spaghetti through the hot dogs; she equally enjoyed throwing them into the pot of boiling water.  She did eat them, being the sausage fanatic that she is, but not without some prodding from her mom. :)

 Break several uncooked spaghetti in half.  Insert spaghetti through hot dog pieces, cut sausage, or the like...

 Boil in a pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes.

They look pretty silly in this picture, and they are, but they're fun to make anyhow!

Source: Quirky Momma Kids' Activities Blog.  "Octopus Hot Dogs".  Cooking With Preschoolers - 5 Cool Things!  23. April 2012.

No-Bake Energy Bites

These have been all over Pinterest... so time to give them a try!  Well, I did attempt to make these last month, or so, without coconut and with almond butter.  It really didn't turn out well, and I didn't even try rolling them.  This time, I followed the recipe closely and I was able to *tediously* make 22 energy bite balls.  I didn't find it easy to smash the ingredients together in order to make them into balls.  They are like granola bars and very hearty.

1 cup oats
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Stir together all the ingredients.  Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Roll into balls, should make 20-25.  Will keep refrigerated for a week.

Wow!  They actually look decent!

And this is why it's annoying... all this that can't be molded into balls

Sources:  I have found this recipe on Gimme Some Oven, Smashed Peas and Carrots and Food Doodles.

Mashed pototates with Greek yogurt

I'm starting to use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  I recently found a link (yes, through Pinterest!) for Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Greek Yogurt and Chives.  It makes a lot and we ate the leftovers all weekend long.  By Sunday, I was used to the Greek Yogurt and could taste the similarities between sour cream and Greek yogurt. 

3-4 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup warmed milk
2 T butter
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt or light sour cream
4 T chopped fresh chives, divided
black pepper

Wash, (peel), and chop potatoes.  Bring a pot to a boil and cook until tender.  Drain.  Return to pot and mix in warm milk, butter, and season with salt and pepper.  Transfer mashed potatoes into a serving bowl, spooning the yogurt into the top layer.  Sprinkle chives on top with more black pepper.

Source: Natural Health.  "Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Greek Yogurt and Chives."  2012.

Frog Eye Salad

This salad is a family favorite.  I think we've enjoyed it all year round, spring, summer and even at Thanksgiving.  I talked to Grandma Bonnie about it back in February and she commented how much she likes it.  The recipe might be from her, my mom, or from the acini de pepe pasta box.  Who knows, but I wanted to make it for our Easter dinner.  Both Mom and Dad said that it's perfect and tastes like I've been making it for years. :-)

1 package (8 oz.) acini di pepe
3 cans mandarin oranges
2 (20 oz.) cans crushed pineapple
1 (20 oz.) can chunk pineapple {reserve the juices from the cans}
9 oz. Cool Whip
coconut to taste
2-1/2 cups marshmallows
1-3/4 cups pineapple juice
2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
2 beaten eggs
1 T. lemon juice.

1.  Cook acini di pepe for 7-8 minutes in 3 quarts water with 2 tsp. salt and 1 T. oil.  Drain and let cool.
2.  In a saucepan mix pineapple juice, flour, salt, sugar and eggs.  Cook, stirring until thickened.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice.
3.  Cool sauce and mix with pasta
4.  Refrigerate several hours or over night
5.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients (pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows and Cool Whip)

This salad can keep for one week in the fridge.

Carrot treats (and egg craft) for Easter

Here are two more ideas from Pinterest:

1. frosting bag, green ribbon, Goldfish (or other orange looking) crackers:: idea link

 2. (baby) carrots and pickle slices:: idea link

Bonus~ "Magic eggs"~ I cut out egg shapes (traced an egg cutter with a marker), drew a picture or design with a white crayon, and sent these with water colors to my cousin's daughter asking her to paint over the eggs to reveal the design... like magic!  Idea link:: including other magic tricks for toddlers

April Fool's Day "Chocolate Cream Pie"

Another inspiration from Pinterest.  In honor of April Fool's Day, I decided to make "dessert" for dinner.  I tried out a new (to me) recipe for meatloaf using ground turkey and Panko breadcrumbs.  Then I tried to spread mashed potatoes on top to look like whipped topping.

Turkey Meatloaf
2/3 cups panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
3 pounds lean (7 percent) ground turkey, preferably organic
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl mix Panko with milk and let stand for five minutes.  Add ground turkey, onion, eggs, (1/4 cup) ketchup, parsley, mustard, salt, sage and pepper.  Mix the turkey mixture well.  Place the meat into a loaf pan, brush on top the 2 Tablespoons of ketchup and bake for 90-105 minutes.  Inner temperature should be 165 degrees when done.  While baking, you may need to drain the extra grease.  I halved the recipe, and it was finished in 1 hour.  Next time, I'll just make the recipe as is.  It's a great tasting turkey loaf, flavorful and moist.  Thomas liked the ketchup incorporated inside (he didn't realize the ketchup on the outside because I piled mashed potatoes on top of it.) 

For the mashed potatoes, I washed, peeled, cut and boiled 5 yukon gold.  I added about 1/4 cup milk, 3 Tablespoons melted butter and garlic powder to taste.

Source for meatloaf: "Turkey Meatloaf".  The Martha Stewart Show, February Winter 2008.
Inspiration from: Huntley, Amy.  "April Fool's Day".  The Idea Room. 16. March 2010.

Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies

This is the first recipe from my Food board on Pinterest to come into fruition.  And it is interesting, for sure.  First I had a hard time deciding which recipe to try, the one that everyone was pinning or the blog post that provided the inspiration.  I finally decided to try the adaptation.  It really isn't a healthy cookie.  It looks like it with the peanut butter and Quinoa but that is all these cookies have going for them.  The batter is way stiff so I had a hard time incorporating the Quinoa and chocolate chips.  The end product is fluffy, peanut buttery, and light.  It's a pretty good recipe after all, if only for taste!

1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
[1/4 tsp salt]
1-1/2 cups Quinoa (cooked and cooled to room temperature)
1 cup chocolate chips {preferably dark}

 Cream together butter, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla, and brown sugar until very smooth

 Combine together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (especially if your peanut butter is salt-free)

Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture

 Stir in the cooled Quinoa and chocolate chips

 Spoon onto a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes.

 Cool on a wire rack.

 Makes at least two dozen cookies.  I made 25, but they weren't uniform and kept getting bigger and bigger.

Watch them get gobbled up!  Hopefully, anyway!

 Source: "Quinoa Coconut Cookies".  Food and Whine. 1. Apr. 2010.