Hummus

So simple and much cheaper in the long run than buying pre-made hummus. This is the closest that I have come to duplicating the wonderful hummus at Aladdin's restaurant.

Ingredients
1 can Chick Peas
2 T Tahini Paste (Seasame seed paste - can be found in the ethnic food section)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 T Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions
1. Drain the chick peas and save the juice
2. Combine the chick peas, tahini paste, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth
3. Add the chick pea juice until the hummus takes on a smooth texture (usually about 1/2 the remaining juice)
4. Salt and Pepper to taste. I also add a bit of Olive oil for a smoother texture.

Serve with carrots, cucumber, pita bread, etc.

Pina Colada Cake

My mother-in-law first made me this cake and I loved how light it is. Very easy to make and a nice summery dessert.

Prep Time:10 min Start to Finish:30 min makes:16 servings

1 package (14 1/2 oz) angel food cake mix
1 can (8 oz) unsweetened crushed pineapple
8 oz fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup (2 oz) toasted coconut

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, stir together cake mix and pineapple. Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely on a rack.
4. Spread whipped topping over cake. Sprinkle with coconut. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information
1 Serving: Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 10); Total Fat 1g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 230mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 21g); Protein 2g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 0% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pumpkin Bread

This bread is great the day after it is made. This has become a staple that I take into work or give friends. It's a recipe that I can make with items from my pantry. The recipe makes about two loaves or can be used for muffins.

INGREDIENTS
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutritional Information - Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 264
Total Fat: 10.3g
Cholesterol: 35mg
Sodium: 304mg
Total Carbs: 40.6g
Dietary Fiber: 1.1g
Protein: 3.1g

Banana Bread

I love this recipe for bananas that are getting too ripe. If I don't have enough bananas I just add some applesauce. This is a very moist bread so feel free to make your own spin depending on how you like your breads.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe banana

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Nutritional Information - Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 230
Total Fat: 8.9g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Sodium: 246mg
Total Carbs: 35.1g
Dietary Fiber: 1.6g
Protein: 3.7g

Frozen Fruit

Eating frozen fruit is a great way to cool off.

I have tried:
grapes
blueberries
raspberries
cherries

warning: they are not the best when thawed, so eat them QUICK!

What else have you tried and enjoyed????

Cabbage Crunch Salad

1 head cabbage, sliced thin
4 green onions, chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, grilled (I use my George Forman and pour a little dressing over it right before it is done)
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 pkg. Top Ramen noodles, broken

dressing:
1/2 cup oil (i use canola)
6 T rice vinegar
4 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg Top Ramen chicken seasoning

I make the dressing in my blender or food processor, pouring the oil in last, slowly. Combine first 3 ingredients in a salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Add almonds and broken noodles right before serving, toss again. Also good with mandarin oranges too.

I usually serve it with baked beans and breadsticks.

Please add your variations in the comment section. I know this is a pretty common salad.

Watermelon Slushy

seedless watermelon, cubed
ice cubes
water (if needed to get things moving)

Throw it all in the blender.

add sugar to taste

Easy and Yummy.

Ice Cream Sandwich

A yummy cool treat without the guilt. . . .

'SKINNY COW' ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Nutrition Specs:
97% Fat free
140 calories per cookie
3 grams of fiber per cookie
0 trans fats

I have found them here at Target and Costco.

You won't be disappointed. :)

Cucumber Onion Dip

I had a few people ask for this recipe after Enrichment, so I thought it would be easiest to just post it. Its embarrassingly easy. Enjoy!

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat until blended. Serve with rye chips or crackers.

Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob

I got this recipe from Paula Dean. A friend says that you can buy corn like this from carts on the streets of Mexico. It sounds wierd, but Ryan loves it.

Ingredients:
Corn on the Cob
Butter
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
Chili Powder

Slather butter and mayonnaise over corn. Sprinkle salt, pepper and chili powder all over it. Spray a little pam on the tin foil and wrap corn in tin foil. Place on grill and let cook while your meat is cooking. Need to turn occassionally. Corn will be done when everything else is done! Don't be afraid to use lots of mayonnaise and chili powder. That's what gives it a unique flavor.

Things You Can Freeze

Okay, this isn't a recipe, but my neighbors and I have been discussing of late all the things that you can stick in your freezer. Please add to it if you have a trick up your chilly sleeve!

1. Gallons of milk can be frozen. Just pour a little off the top to allow for expansion while freezing. Thaw when you're ready to use it. I've had gallons last three months in the freezer this way. They probably could last longer, I just haven't tried it. When milk goes on sale, I buy several gallons to freeze.

2. Olive and Canola oils. These are convenient to buy in bulk, but don't have the longest shelf life. Stick them in the freezer until you are ready to use.

3. Bread! The day old baked goods at the grocery store, and the Pepperidge Farm outlet on Kenny are two of my favorite spots to visit. I buy a month's worth of bread, bagels, and buns at a time and store them all in the freezer until ready to use. You can toast them for immediate thawing, or just let a loaf sit on your counter for a few hours until its thawed.

4. Fresh herbs. You know all those times you make a recipe that calls for a tablespoon of fresh basil or parsley or whatever? The leftover fresh herbs can be finally chopped and put in your ice cube tray with just a tiny bit of water. As soon as they are frozen, empty the cubes into a freezer ziploc, label and then you just pull out a cube to thaw the next time you need fresh herbs. It works particularly well with soups, sauces, and stews, since you can just throw the cube in without thawing it. For salads, defrost in a separate dish before adding.

Microwave Granola

I make about 5 batches of this every few weeks. It is a staple at our house. We like it much better than store-bought cereal and you can use food storage to make it. If you have a big enough pan, you can double the batch. I just extend cooking times by a minute or so in each place to accommodate. I love that this is made in the microwave, so it is faster than the oven. It is also versatile. I add extra of the things I like and skip it if I don't like it.

3 c. oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1/3 c. wheat germ
1/3 c. shredded coconut
1/3 c. sesame seeds (I actually skip these, my sister says flax seeds are good in it)
1/3 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans because I have them from my parents, but walnuts are good and I have also used either of these with almonds)
1/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. oil or melted butter or margarine
1/4 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. raisins

1. Place oats in ungreased 2 qt. dish. Cook in microwave on full power for 2 1/2 minutes (3 if double-batch).
2. Add wheat germ, coconut, sesame seeds, nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon to oats. Stir to blend.
3. Add oil, honey, and vanilla to dry ingredients. Toss lightly until coated. Cook in microwave on level 7 for about 6 minutes, stirring twice (I do 3 3-minute cookings for double)
4. Add raisins. Cook on full power for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Press granola firmly against bottom of dish. Cool. Break into pieces and store in tightly covered container. (I usually do the 2 minutes or sometimes 3. I like my granola fully dried out and toasted. You do have to watch out for hot spots in the middle, cause it can burn.)

Enchilada-Style Burritos

Okay, Natalie. Here's one that you asked for. It was probably so long ago that you don't remember asking me about it. So great! We love these.

2 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 (20 oz.) can refried beans
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin

Cook hamburger and onion until done. Drain. Stir in beans and spices. Place 1/3 c. meat mixture into flour tortilla. Roll and place in a 9x13 pan (with a little bit of sauce on the bottom). Pour sauce over filled burritos. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Makes 2 pans.

Sauce:

1 cube butter or margarine
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. mild chili powder
4 c. milk
1 (20 oz.) can enchilada sauce
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter. Stir in flour. Add other ingredients. Cook to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Follow instructions above.

Cranberry Muffins

Brooke, here's the other one. I have only made these once, but they turned out great. I also didn't have plain yogurt and used vanilla instead.

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/3 c. orange juice
4 Tbsp. melted butter or magarine
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. grated orange rind
2 c. cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400*. In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together yogurt, orange juice, melted butter or margarine, egg, vanilla, and grated orange rind. Blend dry and liquid ingredients by hand until just moist. Fold in chopped cranberries. Pour into greased or paper-lined muffin pans 3/4 full. Bake at 400* for 18 to 22 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

Brooke, here's the recipe you asked me for. Sorry it's taken me so long to get it here.

1/2 c. butter of margarine, softened
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
1 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add molasses, egg, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, soda, and salt. (I usually skip the separate mixing and just add all the dry ingredients to the wet. Now you know what a sloppy cook I am. I just don't need the extra bowl to wash!) Add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling them 3/4 full. Bake at 400* for 18 minutes. Yield: 16 muffins.

Tortillas with Beans and Rice

Tortillas are not really that hard to make. They take some time and practice, but they're so good, and so worth it. This recipe is for bleached flour, but I use whole wheat flour and add a little extra water, because whole wheat flour is "thirsty". They're easier to roll out if they're a little softer anyway. I also like to add spices to the dough, and double the salt. I quadruple the recipe and mix it up with my Bosch mixer, although you can mix and knead it by hand. Adding gluten helps if they crack when you wrap them around the filling. The dough is easier to handle if you let it sit for an hour before you cook it. Take a walnut sized ball and roll it out thinly. Toast them on a medium hot pan until they bubble and the bubbles are toasted on each side. They shrink and thicken as they cook. Be careful not to over cook them, but if you do, you just have some tortilla chips!

1 1/2 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil (some folks like lard, shortening, etc.)
1/2 cup warm water

For the filling: Take some of those dried beans you have in food storage and throw them in the crock pot in the morning. Add salt, chili powder and anything else you like for seasonings. We like lentils with black beans. Cook some rice separately on the stove, and enjoy your dinner. This meal is obviously better with cheese, spinach and anything else you like or have fresh on hand. But if you only have these four items in your food storage (beans, wheat, rice, and salt) you can eat a tasty and complete protein for dinner.

Hello Ladies, did you all forget about us :)? The ward's enrichment activities committee will be having a food storage night in May, in order to help prepare us I thought it would be appropriate to have food storage recipes as our next set of recipes. Feel free to post ideas also, these can be anything from how you rotate your food storage, what you store, how you store. Any sort of tip would be great! Please don't forget to to refer to the side and I promise to do better about keeping up to date. I can't wait to get all of your recipes.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

This was the icing that I made many of you take a taste of today. I hate powdered sugar and super sweet frostings, so this might be my new favorite alternative. Also, it worked great with the low fat cream cheese. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.

Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup

I also made this this past week. It has a really good flavor. I made it on the stove in a Dutch oven, but I am sure you could do it in a crockpot.

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 c. hot water
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 medium green pepper, julienned
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
2 Tbsp. sugar

In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, a little at a time and shake to coat.
In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, brown beef in oil. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Forgotten Jambalaya

So maybe we're weird, but Ryan and I had never had Jambalaya until today. I had this recipe from a cooking magazine and I decided to try it. We have always had the impression that Jambalaya is gross, but we liked it a lot. So give it a try.

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) beef or chicken broth
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 medium green peppers, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (I just used crushed red pepper)
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lb. smoked sausage, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I left this out)
Hot cooked rice

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, broth and tomato paste. stir in the green peppers, onion, celery, garlic and seasonings. Stir in chicken and sausage.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is tender. Stir in shrimp. Cover and cook 15-30 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink. Serve with rice.