Dutch Apple Pie

Filling

7 apples, peeled and sliced
1 C sugar
2 T flour
1 t cinnamon
dash nutmeg, salt

Combine. Pour into crust.

Topping

1 C flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1 cube (or less) butter (not melted)
cinnamon

Cut butter in with a pastry blender. Set topping over apples in pie tin.
Cover with foil for half of baking, so the topping won't burn.
Bake at 350 for 40 min.

part of our Thanksgiving spread

Eggplant Lasagne

2 large eggplants, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, basil  

Parmesan cheese

pasta sauce

grated mozzarella cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Brush on both sides using 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through, about 25 minutes.

Spread half of pasta sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Lay eggplant slices on top followed by a layer of cheese.  Repeat layers.  Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.

Optional:  add sautéed mushrooms and onion, or sliced (uncooked) zucchini

 

Falafels

·                         2 C cooked chickpeas

·                         1 red onion, chopped

·                         1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (or whole wheat breadcrumbs or quick oats)

·                         1 1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic

·                         1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

·                         1/2 tbsp. ground cumin

·                         3/4 tsp. salt

·                         1/2 tsp. baking powder

·                         1/4 tsp. lemon juice

·                         1/8 tsp. paprika, or more to taste

·                         black pepper, to taste

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place all ingredients (except baking powder) in a food processor, and give them a good chop.  (or mash with a potato masher)   Transfer into a bowl, add the baking powder and stir together. Using a potato masher, mash any big chunks that remain – Mixture should remain slightly chunky, not smooth.

            Spray a baking sheet thoroughly with olive oil nonstick spray. One at a time, take spoonfuls of mixture in your hands and form 15 balls, each about the size of a ping pong ball, and gently place them on the baking sheet.   Spray the top of each ball with olive oil nonstick spray, for a total of about a 2-second spray.

              Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

          Remove baking sheet from the oven, and carefully turn each ball over, gently reshaping if the bottoms have flattened.     Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool and set for at least 5 minutes.

               To serve:  Cut the whole pitas into halves, fill with spinach, 3 falafel balls, diced tomato, and top with spinach and sauce.

                                Cucumber Sauce:                         

  6 ounces plain yogurt or light sour cream                        

  1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1    1 teaspoon dried dill weed

      salt and pepper to taste

  optional:  1 tablespoon mayonnaise  

      Hummus sauce:  combine 2 parts hummus to 1 part water, and stir until blended. Season to taste with salt / black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Best (lowfat) Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar (or less)

1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar (or less)

1 large egg

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups quick oats

stir in: chocolate chips or raisins, or white chips and craisins and walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, with a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars on medium speed.  

Add the egg, followed by the applesauce and vanilla extract.

Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain; stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls (approx 1 tbsp each) of the dough onto prepared baking sheets, flattening each cookie slightly. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies become light brown at the edges. (do not overcook)

Let cool on baking sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vegan version:  use flax seed for egg substitute, and use mashed bananas or margarine in place of butter

Lowfat chocolate cake

3 C flour        
1 ½ C sugar      
1 t salt         
 2 t baking soda
6 T cocoa        

2 t vanilla          

1/3 C oil        

2 T vinegar

2 1/3 C water             

Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix well. 350 for 30 minutes.

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

 3 oz. soft cream cheese  (or soft butter)       

1/4 C creamy peanut butter

2 C powdered sugar         

2-4 T milk               

1/2 t vanilla

Beat until creamy. Add milk as needed. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top of frosting, after frosting the cake.

Vegan frosting:  omit cream cheese and butter.  Use almond milk, stirring until frosting is thick.  Refrigerate frosted cake.

World Cup 2006 cakes for Isaac's 13th birthday in Germany

Fajitas

Cook chicken strips in oil until done (10 min or less). 

Add sliced onions and sliced bell peppers, cook til crisp-tender. 

Add taco seasoning, 2 T water (or so), and pepper. 

Add sliced tomatoes before serving on tortillas.  Serve with toppings:  cheese, guacamole, olives, sour cream, salsa, etc.

Vegan version:  omit chicken, cheese and sour cream.  Use cooked black beans and corn in place of meat.

ASIAN: Thai Peanut Noodles, Lumpia, etc.

Version #1:  Thai peanut noodles 

12 oz. linguine or spaghetti, cooked         
 2 garlic cloves
2/3 c. chunky peanut butter                    
1 c. chicken bouillon
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 c. shredded zucchini                    
up to 1/3 c. soy sauce

1-2 tsp sugar

optional: add shredded carrot

Add garlic, peanut butter, bouillon, chicken, zucchini, soy sauce, and sugar to a 3 quart crockpot. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Stir until smooth. Serve over pasta. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired. 

To make it on the stove:  Use cooked chicken cubes.

Vegan version:  omit chicken.  Use veggie bouillon instead of chicken bouillon.

 Version #2:  My new favorite Thai noodles:

Thai Peanut Noodles - Nora Cooks

Version #3: Thai peanut noodles

2 garlic cloves

⅔ C peanut butter

1 C chicken broth

1 C shredded zucchini

⅓ C soy sauce

1 t sugar

Red pepper

T lime juice

Cilantro peanuts

Green onions

Lumpia  /  Sweet and sour chicken

Gnocchis

5 C mashed potatoes           

 2 ½ C flour       

1 T salt      

1 egg

2 T olive oil      

Blend.    Knead until dough forms a ball. Shape small portions of the dough into long "snakes". On a floured surface, cut snakes into half-inch pieces.    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop gnocchi into boiling water and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi have risen to the top; drain and serve.  Serve with pesto sauce or tomato sauce.

Sauce for gnocchis:  tomato sauce simmered with onion, garlic, oregano, basil, olives, green pepper, salt, pepper, thyme, beef, bay leaf, mushrooms.  Eat on Christmas Eve.

Grandma Shirley's berry dessert

Riley Family Favorite Dessert -

CRUST:
2 C flour                    
1 C chopped walnuts                    
 1 C brown sugar           
1 cube butter (NOT MELTED) -- or less

Press crust into 13”x 9” pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, stirring it every 4 minutes. Reserve ¾ C to sprinkle over the top.

FILLING:

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened                 

1 C powdered sugar                 

1 container of Cool Whip (12 oz?)

Beat until smooth. Layer over COOL crust. Chill in refrigerator before pouring berries on top.

Topping: Stir (approx.) 2 T corn starch and 1/4 sugar into 1/4 C water.  Simmer with one pkg frozen berries, or use  fresh berries.    Cool.

Berry dessert for Isaac's 19th birthday.  Dad got to watch (from Kuwait) on Skype

Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry Stew

2 tsp oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 peeled and chopped eggplant

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 large carrots, diced

2 tbsp curry powder

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked through

  2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

  1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes and juices

1 8 ounces tomato (or pasta) sauce

 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1 inch pieces

  3 cups baby spinach

optional:  one chopped bunch of broccoli

Heat oil on medium heat and sauté onions, garlic, eggplant, celery and carrots for 6-7 minutes. Sprinkle curry powder and stir well. Add broth, lentils, canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add sweet potato chunks, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until lentils are tender. Add broccoli for last 10 minutes of simmering.  Stir in baby spinach and cooked chicken. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
-----------------
Another version (we usually look at a few recipes and make our own version)

LLentil sweet potato stew

2 Tbsp coconut or extra-virgin olive oil

·                                 1 tsp ground cumin

·                                 1 tsp ground turmeric

·                                 1 Tbsp curry powder

·                                 1 diced large onion

·                                 Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

·                                 4 minced cloves garlic

·                                 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

·                                 2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes

·                                 1 diced (stemmed, seeded) red bell pepper

·                                 1 1/2 cups rinsed red lentils

·                 6 C broth

·                 Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1.                               Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook cumin, turmeric and curry powder until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion with a few pinches salt, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and bell pepper and cook 1 minute.

2.                               Add lentils and  Broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro before serving.

Cherry Bars

Cream together:

1 3/4 C sugar          

1 C butter (I've tried using less but it's never as good)           

1 t vanilla                  

Add 4 eggs.

 Add:      

 

4 C flour             

 

1 1/2 t baking powder                     

 

Spoon 2/3 of batter onto greased jelly roll pan (15" x 10").  Spread one can of cherry pie filling over batter. Top with rest of batter.   Bake at 350 til done. (15 min?)

When cool, top with glaze.             Glaze:  

    

1/2 t almond extract                       

1 C powd. sugar

1-2 T milK

 

This recipe was from Holly Allred in Guam and is Rachel's favorite dessert.

No-bake cookies

Boil for one minute in saucepan--       

1 C sugar                     

1/2 C milk                    

2 T butter (or 2 T corn syrup)              

 2 T cocoa

Remove from heat and add: 

 

1 t vanilla       

 

1/2 C peanut butter       

 

2 1/2 C quick  oats      

 

Mix, then spoon onto plate and  chill.

Rice Pudding

2 C milk         
1 1/2 C cooked rice         
1/2 C raisins, optional        
1/3 C sugar       
1 t cinnamon          
 1 t vanilla          
2 eggs

Mix everything together.  Pour into a buttered 9" square glass dish.   Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Carefully stir pudding.  Cook an additional 10-20 minutes, until firm enough for your liking.  Serve warm or cold, for breakfast or dessert.

Easy Coconut Pie

2 C milk             
¾ C sugar                
 4 eggs               
 ½ C flour            
1 t vanilla               
½ t salt     
(Optional: add melted butter)

Blend the above in a blender for 10 seconds. Scrape the sides and blend for another 10 seconds. Add 1 C shredded coconut and blend for another 10 seconds. Pour into greased pie pan and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. This pie makes its own pie crust as it cooks!

 

Note for vegans:  do NOT try to substitute flax seed for the eggs in this recipe.

Lowfat pie crust

1 1/3 c. flour            
1/2 tsp. salt           
1/3 c. oil (Puritan, Canola, etc.)             
3 tbsp. skim milk

Combine flour and salt in bowl. Blend oil and milk in bowl. Add to flour mixture. Stir with fork until forms large clumps. Press into ball. Flatten to form 5-6 inch "pancake". Roll between sheets of wax paper. Peel off top sheet. Flip into 9 inch pie pan. Remove other sheet. Press dough into pie plate. Trim and flute.

This recipe really is "easy as pie."  My 11-year-old makes this by himself because he loves apple pie all year long, and I usually only make pies at Thanksgiving (and we eat enough for the whole year that week).

Another crust:  Oat crust

1 1/3 C oats
1/3 C brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
5 T melted butter

Apple Cake

2 C sugar     
¼ C oil         
1/4 C water            
2 eggs  (or flax seed)          
4 C diced apples   

Combine.

2 C flour        

1 t salt        

 2 t cinnamon         

1 t nutmeg      

2 t baking soda

Combine dry ingredients and add to apple mixture.  Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 40 min. or so.

Another good one:

DUTCH APPLE CAKE

1 1/2 C flour            

2 t baking powder            

1/2 t salt              

1/2 C sugar  

              

 1 cube butter, melted ( I substitute part applesauce for lower fat)                    

1/2 C milk                

1 egg

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients and add to dry. Stir. Pour in greased 8" square pan.

Lay peeled apple slices (about 5 apples) on top of cake in pan (before baking). Press them down. Sprinkle 1/2 C sugar (+ 1/2 t cinnamon) over it, plus 2 T raisins, if desired. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

1 cup rolled oats          
1 cup buttermilk            
1 cup flour               
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder             
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda           

1/4 teaspoon salt              

 

2 T soft butter or oil             

6 T applesauce             

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar        

1 beaten egg  (or flax seed)      

1 cup raisins  (or craisins, or blueberries, or chocolate chips)                

 

Mix dry ingredients.  Mix wet ingredients.  Add wet to dry.  Stir.  Bake at 350   for 25 min

MYSTERY PECAN PIE

Topping:    
3 eggs    
1/4 C sugar    
1 c corn syrup   
1 t vanilla

Pie:

 

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar     
1/4 t  salt   
1 t  vanilla extract      
1 egg

1 un-baked deep-dish pie shell       

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.    

 

Whisk topping ingredients until well combined. Set aside.     

 

In a medium bowl using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and egg until smooth. Pour into pie shell. Top with chopped pecans. Pour topping over pecans. Bake for 45 min.  Cool completely.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES (from the Nauvoo Scovil Bakery)

1 C sugar      
1 C molasses        
3/4 C oil          
1/2 C hot water              

Combine.       

Add 2 eggs.

Mix: 

 

1 t baking soda       

1 t cinnamon           

6 or 7 C flour (use 1/3 whole wheat)  

½ t salt       

1 ½ t ginger

Refrigerate dough.  Roll out and cut.  Bake at 350, 10 minutes.

Reduce oil (replace with water) for lower fat.

 

Vegan option:  use flax seed in place of eggs