Fresh Vegetable Dish and ohhhh so simple!

Yesterday I tried the easiest dish that maybe I have ever made.  It is simple, healthy and very good.
Try it - you'll like it!

Summer Vegetable Casserole
2 small yellow squash, washed and sliced
1 smalll zucchini, washed and sliced
1 small onion, sliced (I used a red onion)
1 tomato, washed and sliced
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 tsp basil
pepper to taste

Rub a little olive oil on the side of your baking dish.
Place vegetables into the dish.
Mix other ingredients and put on vegetables.
Toss lightly.
Cover and microwave 8-10 minutes or
cook in conventional oven for 20-25 minutes, 350 degrees
4 servings

Super Foods

By studying dietary patterns experts have comprised a list of super foods that are high in antioxidants and immune building properties.  When eaten regularily these foods help heart health, blood sugar levels and protect against the aging process.  Some may even help prevent tumor formation. 
These include: Avocados;   Beans (Legumes);   Blueberries;     Broccoli;    Cinnamon;  Kefir;  Oats;  
Olive Oil ;   Oranges;   Soy;   Pomegranate ;   Pumpkin  Seeds;   Atlantic Salmon     Spinach; 
Tomatoes;    Green or Black Tea;   Turkey;   Walnuts;  Yogurt with active cultures

Yogurt Healthy Treat
1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt with active cultures
Add 1/8 cup of crushed walnuts and 1/8 cup of cut oranges
sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder with 1/2 teaspoon honey
Drizzle over 1st 3 ingredients.

Jelly Bean Nest

Very cute and festive for your Easter dinner or to give as a treat.              

3 drops of desired food coloring.

1/2 teaspoon milk

1 and 1/3 cups sweetened coconut

6 ounces white almond bark, chopped ( in the baking section)

Jelly beans

In a small bowl, mix food coloring with milk.  Toss coconut with coloring until evenly tinted.  Set aside

In a double boiler, melt almond bark.  Stir in tinted coconut.

Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper.  Make indention to shape into nests.

Cool completely.  Store in airtight container until needed.

Fill with jelly beans.

Yields 10-12 nests

Bunny Cake

You can use a cake mix or the following simple yellow cake mix for 2 - 9" layers.  Mixes have a lot of chemical sounding ingredients and I like to keep it more natural.

2/3 cup of butter, softened to room temperature
1 and 1/3 cups of grandulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups of sifted self rising flour
2/3 cup of milk
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Use an electric mixer to cream the butter until fluffy.  Add sugar and continue to cream for about 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time beating well after each.  Alternate adding  flour and milk to cream mixture beginning and ending with flour.  Add vanilla and mix just enough to blend in.
Grease and flour 2 - 9" cake pans.  Divide batter equally into the pans.  Hold pans 3-4 inches above counter and drop several times onto counter to even the batter and release air bubbles.
Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.

7 Minute Frosting
2 egg whites, unbeaten
1 and 1/2 cups of sugar
5 tbsp water, cold
1 and 1/2 tsp of light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Put all ingredients except vanilla in top of a double boiler.
Mix well by beating with a rotary egg beater.
Cook 7 minutes over boiling water, beating constantly with egg beater.
Frosting is done when it stands in peaks.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and beat until it is thick enough to spread.

Use diagram to cut and arrange the two cake layers. (stack 2 ring pieces to form paw)
Cover bunny with 7 minute frosting.  Decorate ears, nose and bottom paws with coconut tinted pink with a few drops of red coloring.  Sprinkle rest of bunny with 2 and 1/3 cups of plain coconut.   Add a jelly bean nose, tongue  and eyes, a licorice smile and 3 licorice toes on the top two paws or any way you want to decorate it.  Also can add a bow at the neck.

Basis Sugar Cookies with Icing

I remember the wonderful "teacakes" that my grandmother use to make.  We all loved them but no one has the recipe because she used a pinch of this and a cup of that and it was never written down.

I make a similiar cookie and add icing to mine.  All of my family love them too and they know where the recipe is.  All the grandkids love to help ice the cookies so it is a fun time for all.  Maybe some of you would enjoy making them with you children.

Sugar Cookies
Cream together: 1/2 cup of crisco and 1/2 cup butter (softened)
Blend in 1 & 1/4 cup of sugar,   3 eggs, 1 tsp almond flavoring, 2 tsp vanilla flavoring.
When this is smooth use a mixing spoon to slowly mix in 4 cups of flour.
Roll into 2 balls, wrap in wax paper, saran or foil and chill.
When ready to cut cookies, remove from refrigerator for 10 -15 minutes.  Roll out on a floured board or wax paper.  Sprinkle the dough and rolling pin with flour as you go.  Use a cookie cutter to cut them into shapes.  Bake on 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Icing
Soften 1 stick of butter  ( I had rather use butter - margerine doesn't have anything real in it)
3 cups of sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla flavoring
2 tsp almond flavoring
3-4 tbsp of milk
Using a mixer blend 1 cup of sugar with the butter.  Add flavorings.  Alternate the remaining sugar and milk a little at a time to get the consistency that you want.  You may need a little more or less of the sugar and milk.  Judge as you go.
I usually just leave it white and let the children add sprinkles.  They like shaking those bottles.
ENJOY!

SUPER BOWL DIP

6 LAYER APPETIZER
2-3 large, ripe avocados
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonaise
8 ounces of sour cream
2 - 8 ounces jars picante sauce
3/4 cup chopped, ripe olives
3 cups (3 medium) chopped, peeled tomatoes
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Mash avocados. Stir in garlic powder, lemon juice and mayonaise.
Spread in 12"x8"x2" baking dish. Carefully spread the sour cream on top. Drain picante and spoon over sour cream. Add olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top.
Serve with tortilla chips

Strawberry Ice Cream Treat

Very easy and refreshing strawberry ice cream!
1 envelope of Knox unflavored gelatine
3/4 cup of sugar
2 cups of milk
1 - 10oz pkg. of frozen strawberries in heavy syrup, thawed & chopped
2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream, whipped
In medium saucepan combine gelatine, sugar and milk.
Let stand 1 minute. Then stir over low heat until gelatine is
completely dissolved - about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in strawberries.
Chill; stirring occasionally until mixture mounds slightly when
dropped from spoon.
Fold whipped cream into gelatine mixture. Pour into 9 x 9" baking pan
and freeze until firm. Makes about 1 & 1/2 quarts

Yummy Peach Cobbler

In my area peaches will be in abundance this summer. I want to share my favorite peach cobbler.
1/2 cup of butter
1 and 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
6-7 peeled and sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Melt butter in a 9 x 9 baking dish. Mix 1 cup of sugar with flour, baking powder and milk. Mix well and drop by spoon into baking dish. Arrange peach slices over butter. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Drizzle 1/2 cup water over peaches.
Bake 50 minutes or until brown.

To Freeze Peaches
Peel and slice peaches. Sprinkle with fruit fresh to keep color fresh. Put in freezer bags. I like to use Reynolds Handi-Vac. It does a good job of getting the air out of the bag. You may not need the fruit fresh if using these bags but I haven't tried freezing without it.

Lemons, oranges and limes look so refreshing. Decorate with them whole or sliced in bowls or platters. Add leaves to accent if you like.
Slice lemons and oranges and put in a pitcher of water to make a delicious, basically calorie free summer drink.
Citrus is a great source of vitamin C which helps the immune system and has antioxidant properties. One fourth a cup per day is very beneficial.
Try growing a citrus plant. Their blooms smell wonderful. For beginners try a Calamondin which is a petite orange fruit. A good selection of a larger tree size citrus would be the Improved Meyer lemon. It will do well for several years in a 5-7gallon container which isn't that large. You will need to move citrus indoors for the winter. The need a half day of direct sunlight to do well. Keep soil moist, use an insecticidal soap mist for mites and use a fertilizer for citrus and your plant should be successful.

Last but not least - a delicious dessert - Lemon Delite

INGREDIENTS: 1-13oz can of evaporated milk, 3 eggs, 2/3 cup of sugar, 9 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest, salt and 6 tablespoons of graham crumbs

1. Chill a 13oz can of evaporated milk in a 9 x 9 baking pan until almost frozen at edges.
2. Mix in a bowl 3 egg yolks, 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice,
1/4 teaspoon of grated lemon zest and a dash of salt.
3. Put ice cold evaporated milk and 3 egg whites into a cold bowl from the electric mixer. Use cold beaters, whip with electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.
4. Add 6 tablespoons of lemon juice and whip until stiff. Beat in sugar mixture gradually at low speed until well mixed. Pour back into the 9 x 9 pan. Sprinkle top with 6 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs. Freeze until firm - about 3 hours.

Lighter Desserts

Desserts are wonderful but they come with so many calories.
Here are a few ideas for cutting back.

1. Don't grease pans with butter or margarine. Use a spritz of cooking spray instead.
2. Omit up to 1/2 of the butter, margarine or oil in cakes, breads, muffins or bar cookies. Use applesauce or fruit-based replacement(as Lighter Bake).
3. Substitute plain or low-fat yogurt or reduced fat sour cream for regular sour cream in cakes and muffins.
4. Use light cream cheese in cheesecakes instead of regular. It will save 6 grams of fat and 60 calories per slice.
5. Use 1/4 cup of no cholesterol egg substitute or 2 egg whites for each egg (up to 2 eggs) in breads, muffins and cakes. Too many egg whites will affect the texture.
6. Instead of the standard size chocolate chips in cookies use 1/2 the amount of mini semisweet chips.
7. Skip the bottom crust of a pie. Pour filling into pie plate and add top crust. This will be cobbler style.
8. Use 1% or skim milk and rather than heavy cream pour in light cream or half and half. (If making whipping cream you will need the regular heavy cream). For evaporated or condensed milk use the low fat or fat free.

Jelly Bean Nest

Quick and easy coconut nest for Easter decorating, eating or just fun for the kids to make. Makes 10-12 nests
Ingredients
green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon milk
1 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
6 oz. white almond bark, chopped
jelly beans
In a small bowl mix 3 drops of food coloring with milk. Toss coconut with coloring until evenly tinted.
Following package directions to melt the almond bark and stir in the coconut mixture. Drop
by tablespoons onto wax paper. Make an indention to shape into nests. Cool completely.
Store in airtight container. Fill with jelly beans when ready to use.

Instant Chocolate Cake (almost)

For those craving chocolate - right now!
For a homemade taste this is about as quick as you can get.

Mug Cake
4 tablespoons flour 4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa 1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
3 drops vanilla flavoring

Add dry ingredients to mug & mix. Add egg and mix. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add chocolate chips if using and vanilla flavoring and mix.
Place in microwave and bake for 3 minutes (1000 watts). the cake will rise over the top of the
mug but will fall - that is ok.
Allow cake to cool a couple of minutes, then tip out onto a plate. Dig in!

Strawberry Bread

Quick and easy comfort food for a cold winter day.

Strawberry Bread
1 10oz package of frozen strawberries
2 eggs
5/8 cup of cooking oil
1 & 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 cups of nuts (optional)

Thaw & puree strawberries,
Add eggs and oil.
In separate bowl combine:
flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, soda, & nuts
Add egg mixture to dry mixture and stir just enough to blend.
Use a 9 x 5 loaf pan; bake 350 degrees for 1 hour

Christmas cookies

These are my special cookies that all of my family love. I make them for a lot of the holidays and just use a simple cookie cutter and butter icing with sprinkles. The kids love to add the sprinkles when they are around and usually the whole kitchen gets sprinkled.

Sugar Cookies

Cream together:

1/2 cup crisco and 1/2 cup of softened butter or margerine

1 and 1/2 cup sugar

Add:

3 eggs

1 tsp. almond flavoring

2 tsp. vanilla flavoring

4 and 1/2 cups of sifted flour - may take a little less

Combine all ingredients; roll into 2 balls and wrap in wax paper; chill

When ready to cook remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until it feels soft enough to roll out with a rolling pin ( a smooth glass makes a good rolling pin) Roll to approximately 1/4 inch or less thick. Cut out the cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

Butter icing

1- 1 pound box of powdered sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter or margerine

4-6 tbsp of milk

2 tsp of almond flavoring

1 tbsp. of vanilla flavoring

Cream butter and sugar; add milk as needed to make icing consistency

Add other ingredients. Spread on cookies and add sprinkles

Artificial coloring is made from coal tar and could be the cause of a variety of health issues.

I usually use white icing and then a small amount of sprinkles.

I recently tried a natural coloring but it did not much for the white icing. It did however make a very soft nice looking sugar when mixed with plain white sugar. That is not used in this picture. I ordered the natural flavoring from seelecttea.com

Banana Muffins

Things are somewhat stressful right now with my mom in the hospital and I never seem to catch up. Here is a quick and easy recipe that might be good for holiday guest to munch on or to serve with breakfast.

Banana Muffins

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cups toasted chopped pecans (optional

1. Beat Crisco at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time beating just enough to blend after each addition.

2. Stir together mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sugar mixture alternating banana mixture and flour mixture. Do not overbeat.

3. Spoon batter into 12-18 greased muffin pans (you can use the paper muffin cups to line the pan to save on cleanup). Sprinkle with toasted chopped pecans.

350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center is clean.

If you don't have buttermilk stir 3/4 tsp lemon juice or vinegar into 1/4 cup milk.

Holiday Corn Casserole

For the past 24 hours I have been sitting in the hospital with my 88 year old mother who was in a little car accident. She has a broken clavicle and hairline fracture of the hip. She's very sore but will be fine after some rest and recuperation. Here is one of her wonderful holiday vegetable recipes. It is loaded with calories but feeds a lot of people.
Corn Casserole
2 cans of Shoe Peg* (white) corn, drained 1 Tbsp. grated onion
2 cans of French style green beans, drained 1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup sour cream 1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup mayonnaise 1 package Ritz crackers**, crushed
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Place corn and beans on the bottom of a large casserole dish.
Mix all other ingredients together except crackers crumbs and butter.
Spread over the top of the corn and beans.
Mix cracker crumbs with the melted butter.
Spread over the top of the casserole.
350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes
* Corn may be labeled white corn with shoe peg in small print.
**1 pkg. is from a box that has 3-4 individual rolls of crackers
I use low fat where possible (sour cream, mayo, cheese, soup)

Creamy Cranberry Salad

Here we are in the Thanksgiving season. I will be adding some favorite family recipes thorough out the month that can be used for Christmas also. This cranberry salad is very good, quick and can be prepared the day before. That is always a plus when you are having guests.
Creamy Cranberry Salad Serves 12
1 (3oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 cup of whipping cream ( you can use something like Cool Whip but remember it will have a lot of artificial additive)
1-2 tbsp sugar
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drain
2 cups whole cranberry sauce
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Whip cream adding 1-2 tbsp sugar to taste
Set cream aside and blend mayonnaise with softened cream cheese. Then add the whip cream into the cream cheese mixture.
In a separate bowl combine drained pineapple, cranberry sauce and almonds. Pour whip cream dressing over it. Cover and refrigerator overnight. Before serving mix together.

I have been trying to decide what to do with my blog but since I am new at this I will continue with this plan for now. I have added a shopping tip section and my first post there is a list of pesticide levels of some foods. One day my 5 year old grandson grabbed an apple and started eating it and I said wait, let me wash it because it could have bug spray on it. He said "I like bug spray." That is funny now but we don't know what many years of eating pesticides, preservatives, flavor enhancers and who knows what else that is in our foods. So I think it is best to keep it simple. Here is a simple main dish that is easy and my sons loved it when they were growing up.

Onion-Beef Macaroni Casserole
preheat oven to 400 degrees 6 servings
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 envelope of onion soup mix (Hain's is a natural brand or you can use Lipton's)
1 - 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp. of flour
2 cups of water
1 cup of raw macaroni, cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup of grated cheddar cheese
In large skillet brown meat, drain off fat. Stir in onion soup mix, flour, tomato sauce and
water. Simmer covered 5 minutes. Stir in macaroni. Turn into 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes.

I like the idea of eating healthy. It is not always easy to do but just look at an ingredient label on some of the packaged food and you may began to wonder "what is all that stuff?" Tonight I made some baked french fries. I wanted to get them kid tested but I don't think that my two grandsons who were at the table even tried them. (They are picky) My daughter-in-law and I both loved them. For those interested the recipe for 4 servings is:
Oven Fries
2 baking potatoes 1 tablespoon of olive oil salt
Preheat to 425 degrees.
Cut potatoes in half and then slice halves lengthwise into 3/4 inch strips by 1/2 inch. Toss with olive oil and salt. Place on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 30 minutes. Turn over with a spatula and bake the other side for 10-15 minutes. Fries should come up easily or cook a little longer. Remove with a spatula and serve

Olive oil is a healthy oil that has monounsaturated fat that is good for the heart.