Mexican Sundaes

This is a fun recipe that is easy to make and is a meal almost everyone will eat. At least my currently picky toddler actually had something to eat for dinner tonight!

Mexican Sundaes
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
4 cups cooked rice

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft and beginning to brown. Add garlic and saute one or two minutes until fragrant. Add the water, tomato sauce, sugar, oregano and salt. Stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cook your rice. Once the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, stir the rice into the sauce.

Serve salad bar style with the following toppings: shredded cheese, black or pinto beans, olives, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, salsa, shredded lettuce, corn chips, and sour cream.

Alterations
Okay, I will admit I altered this recipe. For the original recipe you add 1 lb ground beef, 2 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp accent. I changed it up since we don't eat ground beef. After omitting the beef, I found that the sauce was too sweet with the 2 tsp of sugar, so I reduced it to 1. I omitted the accent, since it is just MSG and I don't really know too much about, but everything online that I read said you didn't really need it, so I left it out. So, feel free to make the original recipe when you serve it to your family.

Tips
I didn't have tomato sauce the last time I made this, but I did have tomato paste. I was able to substitute 1 can tomato paste with 1 1/2 cans of water for the 15 oz of tomato sauce.

We always eat brown rice in our house, so if you are planning to make it with brown rice, start that before the sauce, since brown rice takes approximately 40 - 45 minutes to cook. That the way the rice and sauce will be ready at the same time.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins are full of good for you ingredients, and being low in fat (except if you add chocolate chips) they are a healthy breakfast alternative. Besides that, they are very versatile. Elizabeth loves them stuffed full of chocolate chips, I love them with dried cranberries, or you can make them just plain. I have also made this into a protein bar type muffin by adding a scoop of protein powder and a couple of scoops of flax seeds.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup ground oats*
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
couple pinches of salt
1 cup dried cranberries or chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour and ground oats. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, sugar & salt. Stir in the dried cranberries or chocolate chips (if using). In a small bowl whisk together pumpkin, milk, syrup, vanilla and oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined (do not overmix.) Spoon into a lined or lightly oiled muffin pan. Bake for 19 - 24 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes a dozen small muffins.

* To make ground oats, place approximately 1 1/3 cups rolled oats into a food processor or blender and process until the texture of a course flour.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I know, I am suppose to be posting the recipes from Valentine's Day, but I really felt like baking yesterday, so I made these cookies. I actually made them with chocolate chips to please the daughter and husband, but I would have loved the raisins. I got the recipe from my oatmeal container lid. But since it is also posted here, I didn't think it too bad to replicate! I was so happy with these, they turned out chewy and not flat and crunchy like a lot of oatmeal cookie recipes I have tried recently! They definitely are vanishing.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) non-hydrogenated margarine (i.e. Earth Balance)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour**
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or Old fashioned)
1 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, mix on low speed until well combined. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet, flattening slightly. Bake 9 minutes on cold stone***, or 8 minutes on preheated stone pan. Cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet. Finishing cooling on a cooling rack.

Makes about 4 dozen small cookies

NOTES: * I used egg replacer instead of an egg and they worked perfectly. By the way have I mentioned how I love this stuff. It totally saves you if you don't have eggs for baking.
**I have pre-adjusted the recipe for high altitude. You can reduce the flour by 1/4 cup if you aren't at high altitude.
***I always bake everything (cookies, rolls, etc.) on my stone bar pan. I have baked enough cookies recently to know that I usually get the best results by baking the first batch for 1 minute extract (almost always 9 minutes for most cookies) and then letting the cookies cool an exact minute or more before moving. The next batch will automatically cook in less time because the stone takes awhile to cool off. If you have a metal pan, I am not sure how long you should bake them, but check them at 8 minutes, you don't want to see much brown on the edges.

Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce

I have always loved green enchilada sauce. I got this recipe from a tamale book that I have called Tamales 101. I feel okay about posting the recipe though because she has it on her website. This makes about two quarts of sauce, or enough for about 20 - 25 really saucy enchiladas. This is a mild recipe, you can add heat by including 1-3 jalepenos (stems removed) to the pot before boiling. Enjoy.

Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce
1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked and washed (about 18)
8 pasilla or anaheim chilies roasted and peeled and seeded
3 cloves of garlic peeled
2 medium onions quartered
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Place tomatillos, chilies, garlic, onions, salt & pepper in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from the stove and pour off most of the cooking liquid - reserving it for later. In a blender, or with an immersion blender puree until smooth adding cooking liquid until it is the right consistency (what is the right consistency you say - what ever consistency you like!) Season with additional salt & pepper if necessary.

Low-Fat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Since we love pumpkin stuff in our house, and I love pumpkin bread, I decided to try and make my current pumpkin bread recipe a little less sinful. Here is my updated recipe. I think I may even like this version better!

Low-Fat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp canola oil
3/8 tsp salt
3/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/8 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp cloves
3/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 1/8 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/8 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8x4 loaf pan. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg and sugar until creamy and light. Whisk in pumpkin and canola oil until well mixed. Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir until just combined. Add the flour and chocolate chips and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 38 - 42 minutes (or until a toothpick in the center comes out mostly clean.) Let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire cooling rack until completely cool.

Notes:
You can successfully substitute 1/4 cup applesauce for the egg if you don't have one on had - it does make the bread a little moister so it may take longer to bake.

This recipe also works well with Ener-G Egg Replacer. I like to keep egg replacer on hand to use in my baking if I don't have an egg. Plus it is a great food storage item since it lasts for 3 or 4 years.

This bread is also delicious with craisins instead of chocolate chips, plus it saves you 20 calories per slice and over 2 grams of fat per slice.

Nutritional Info: For 1/8 of the loaf (I know how much you really eat!) - 217 calories, 6.5 grams of fat, 38.5 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein. The original bread contained - 303 calories, 16.95 grams of fat, 37.5 grams of crabs, and 3 grams of protein. A savings of 86 calories and 10.45 grams of fat!

Chocolate Mousse Pie

This recipe has become a Thanksgiving tradition in our house. Although Steve likes pumpkin well enough, the only pie he really loves is chocolate. I can't take credit for the recipe, since I stole it from Alton Brown. But I did make some minor changes based on what I generally have on hand. You should make it this Thanksgiving, I promise it will be worth it!

Chocolate Mousse Pie
2 cups whipping cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
4 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp flavorless gelatin
2 prepare 9" Oreo crusts

Pour 1/4 cup of cream into a large metal measuring cup and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. While the gelatin is softening, combine chocolate chips, water, vanilla, and butter in the top of a double boiler placed over simmering water. Melt , stirring constantly until completely smooth. Remove from the heat & cool until just above body temperature.

While the chocolate is cooling, carefully heat the softening gelatin and cream mixture over a low gas flame or candle, stirring with a whisk if necessary to completely dissolve gelatin. Stir into cooled chocolate and set aside.

In a chilled mixing bowl beat 1 3/4 cups cream to medium peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in 2 doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream. Do not overwork the mousse.

Pour into the prepared pie tins and chill at least an hour. Top with additional whipped cream.

NOTES: You can also use milk chocolate chips for a lighter chocolate flavor. The original recipe called for Rum and Espresso (I believe) so you could add those if you have them instead of the water, or you could add some Kahlua Liquor and rum flavoring. You could also use a plain graham crust if you like. This recipe is easily halved if you just want one pie!

Almond Tort

This has been one of Steve's favorite simple light desserts for years. It is easy to make and tastes great. It is also fancy when served with some simple fruit.

Almond Tort

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp almond extract

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

sliced almonds for the top

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 8" pie pans. Beat the eggs and sugar. Add the almond extract and oil and mix. Stir in the flour and salt until well mixed. Pour mixture into 2 prepared pans. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until just golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from my friend Maria. It is a simple and easy soup to prepare and tastes great the second day, so it is a perfect meal to prepare ahead for a busy day. It is especially fun for kids because they get to pick the toppings they want. Steve loves this brothy soup, and I love it because everyone can get just what they want.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 48 oz cans chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded chicken
2 bay leaves
1-2 tsp cumin
Toppings: Cilantro, lime wedges, fried tortilla strips, avocados, tomatoes, cheese, etc.

In a large soup pot over medium heat saute onions in the oil until soft, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 - 2 more minutes. Add broth, chicken, bay leaves & cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until heated through. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes: Steve likes this soup better the next day, once the flavors have had a chance to mellow, so make it ahead and reheat. You may serve with crushed corn chips, though Steve prefers fried tortilla strips. To fry the tortilla strips heat some corn oil to 375 degrees, just below smoking point. Stack 7-10 tortillas and cut into thin strips. Add a handful at a time to the oil and cook until lightly golden (watch closely as then turn from lightly golden to almost burnt in a matter of a minute.) You may also crisp up some tortilla strips in the oven for a more healthful approach. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the tortilla into strips per above. Lightly spray at cookie sheet with oil. Spread out the tortilla strips onto the pan. Spray lightly with oil. Bake for 7 minutes. Turn over the strips and bake for an additional 7 -10 minutes, watching closely so they don't burn.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay, I am going to preface this recipe. I altered this recipe a touch (or maybe a little more), so if you are used to the rich and buttery pumpkin cookies you make, you may find these disappointing. But I love them because I can eat them without feeling quite so guilty about it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl whisk together oil, applesauce, syrup, pumpkin, vanilla and sugar until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. In a medium bowl combined flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg & cinnamon. Whisk until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just well combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 11 - 13 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Move to cooling rack and let cool completely. Makes 3 dozen medium cookies.

Notes: Of course you can use all purpose white flour, which would make this lighter and more decadent. The dough should be fairly wet, but feel free to add 2-3 Tbsp additional flour if needed. You may substitute 1 cup unrefined sugar for the 3/4 cup pure maple syrup, though I would probably add a tablespoon of molasses for added flavor. You can also substitute an additional 1/4 cup canola oil and 1 egg for the 1/2 cup of the applesauce for a more traditional/less cakey cookie.

Spaetzle

What is spaetzle (pronounced shpet-sluh) you ask? I didn't know until last night, but basically it is a German gnocchi type thing. It is similar to gnocchi, except it is much smaller (pea sized as apposed to tootsie roll sized like most gnocchi). My brother-in-law mentioned it while we were discussing a restaurant we both enjoy but had temporarily "forgotten" if it were. They are a pub and do a big Oktoberfest thing at the restaurant all during the month of October. He asked me to learn how to make spaetzle because he has enjoyed the spaetzle from Porcupine and the cook (a friend of his) told him that the real stuff is even better.

Well, being the curious cook that I am, I couldn't wait a couple of weeks until I had an appropriate meal to serve it with, so I just had to try it out. I tried it, and it is delicious. A perfect alternative to rice or potatoes with your next grilled fish or chicken dinner. I just tossed it in a little butter and some freshly grated parmigiana-reggiana cheese and a little sprinkle of parsley. I stole this recipe for Tyler Florence and I don't think he will mind! Try it next time you want a simple side.

Spaetzle

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiana - reggiana cheese

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick (it is like a really sticky pancake batter). Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot and cause the spaetzle to stick together. Cook a few minutes until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Remove the spaetzle from the simmering water using a skimmer and give it a quick rinse with cool water. Repeat with remaining dough.

In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Add the spaetzle, tossing to coat. Cook the spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes to give the noodles some color. Remove from the heat and toss with the grated cheese. Top with some fresh finely chopped parsley for color.

This would work as a large side dish for two or a small side for four.

Notes: I made this with half whole wheat pastry flour (ground soft white wheat) and half white all purpose flour. I didn't even notice the whole wheat. It was perfectly spiced for my taste, but Tyler does mention seasoning with salt & pepper before serving. Elizabeth claimed she didn't like it, but I think she would next time, especially if I added more cheese to her portion. Also, this is a little "heavy", or maybe the word is rich?, so a small amount will do you fine as a side.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

These are a delicious treat for breakfast and easy to make. They can even be made up the night before and then popped into the oven the next morning to cook. This recipe makes a ton of scones, and is easily halfed. I like to use dried blueberries, but since they are a bit pricey, you can always substitute rasins, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc. I hope you enjoy these.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
4 cups + 1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 lb. cold butter - cubed
4 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup raisins, craisins, dried blueberries
1 large egg + 2 Tbsp milk for egg wash
sugar for sprinkling

Lemon Glaze
1/2 cup fresh squeeze lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
zest of 1 lemon finely grated
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine 4 cups flour, sugar, baking powder & salt in to mixer. Blend in the cold butter at lowest speed until butter is pea sized. Combine eggs & cream and quickly add to flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Combine dried fruit and 1 Tbsp flour. Stir into dough. Dump dough onto floured surface. Roll/pat dough out into a 8 inch square. Cut into 4 squares. For 8 very large scones cut each square into 2 triangles. For 16 medium sized scones cut each square into 4 triangles. For 32 small scones cut each square into 4 squares then each of the smaller squares into 2 triangles. Place scones onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush scones with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for large scones for 20 - 25 minutes until brown on outside. Bake medium scones for 15 - 20 minutes. Bake small scones for 13 - 16 minutes. Remove from oven.

To make lemon glaze place juice, powdered sugar, zest and butter into a glass measuring cup. Whisk together. Microwave mixture for 30 seconds. Whisk again. Return to microwave and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and cool slightly. Lightly glaze scones with the lemon glaze. Let rest a few minutes and serve.

Peanut Butter Dots

These are a family favorite. Steven loves to make these for all occasions. He was recently in charge of a treat for work and decided that since these never disappoint, he would make them. Good thing he took most of them to work because I could probably eat half a batch myself. We hope you enjoy these and make them often for the peanut butter lover in your house!

Peanut Butter Dots

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups flour

2 packages Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Mini

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar & brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls & place into ungreased mini muffin pans. Bake 8-10 minutes. While the cookies are baking remove the wrappers from the mini Reese's pb cups. As soon as the cookies are removed from the oven, press an unwrapped pb cup into the center of each cookie. Cool in the pans for 10 - 20 minutes until they are firm enough to remove. Remove from pans and serve.

NOTES: These can be fun for kids to shape and then help unwrap the candy. They may end up popping a few into their mouths in the process, but then wouldn't you! Elizabeth is also old enough now to help place them into the cookies, but we watch her closely since the pan is still very hot.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I got this recipe from the website Allrecipes.com and we have loved it. Of course I use whole wheat flour to make them, so they are even more dense and full of fiber and goodness. If only I didn't love syrup so much, then I could have a really healthy meal! Elizabeth loves them scattered with chocolate chips, so they are almost like cookies. In her defense, she also enjoys eating spoonfuls of the plain pumpkin while I mix up the batter (sounds gross to me, but I would never tell her that!) We love to enjoy these all year round, but during the fall they are a special treat. We know your families will love these on a cool fall morning!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour

3 Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin

1 egg

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp vinegar

In a large bowl mix together milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. In a small bowl mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin until just combined.

The egg can be substituted in a pinch with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed and 1 Tbsp water mixed together and let to sit a minute so the flaxseed can absorb the water or 1/4 cup applesauce. They work perfectly for me when I have needed a substitute!

NOTES:

To add the chocolate chips, just sprinkle some on the pancake just after pouring it on the griddle. You can push them into the batter slightly so they don't just scorch when you flip the pancake over.

We like to serve these with pure maple syrup or my homemade vanilla cinnamon syrup.

Vanilla Cinnamon Syrup

2 cups water

2 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat bring water and cinnamon sticks to a boil. Turn heat down to medium-low and let simmer about 10 minutes. Strain hot liquid into a measuring cup. Return 1 1/2 cups liquid to the pan (if you need additional water, just add a touch from the tap). Add the sugar and bring to a full boil. Allow to boil until the mixtures becomes thick and syrupy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cool slightly and serve. This thickens quite a bit when cold. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks and served cold or reheated.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

We all love this stuff around our house, especially Elizabeth. I don't make it very often because it isn't really that good for you, but it definitely is a treat worth making. I was preparing a little thank you for some people who attended a shower for me and decided to make a little bread to share. This recipe makes a ton of bread, so be prepared to share or half/quarter the recipe in order to make just what you need. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

5 eggs, well beaten

3 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

4 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

4 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour 4 9 x 3 bread pans. In a large bowl, cream eggs and sugar until well mixed and creamy. Add pumpkin and oil. Mix until the oil is well incorporated. Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Mix well. While mixing on low, slowly add the flour to avoid creating lumps. Combine thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.

NOTES: Make sure you don't over-fill your pans. This makes it so that center doesn't cook but the edges are burned and dry. Fill only each pan no more than 1/2 full. If you have extra batter put it in a small pan and bake.

If you are making small loafs, check them after 25 minutes.

Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies

These have become my new favorite cookies. I love them! They always turn out perfect. The recipe is from Dreena Burton, and is vegan, but I love them for how well they turn out. The scary thing is that because there is no butter to cream, you can mix them up in about 5 minutes and have them baked in just under 10 making it hard to avoid whipping up a batch when a craving hits! These were originally posted by Dreena here and are from her cookbook Vive le Vegan. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Just make sure not to eat the whole batch!

Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup unrefined sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 tsp blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup canola oil (a little generous)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium size bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips. In a small bowl whisk together maple syrup, molasses, vanilla extract and canola oil until well combined and emulsified. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir through until just well combined (do not over-mix). Add large spoonfuls to a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes (if you bake much longer they will dry out). Let cool on the sheet for no more than 1 minute (again, to prevent drying), and transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 10 - 12 medium to large cookies.

NOTES: You can obviously use regular sugar and basic maple pancake syrup. Using pancake syrup produces a little different flavor. The dough will look a little wet. Resist the urge to add additional flour, they will end up dry and crumbly if you do. I don't usually flatten my cookies. I only bake my cookies for exactly 8 minutes on a preheated stone baking pan. If you are using a non-preheated metal pan you may need to bake for an additional minute or two. They won't look done, but will flatten slightly as they cool. They can dry out easily within a day or two, so eat or give away within a 24 hours!

Cowboy Caviar

My sister-in-law first made this for me on Mother's Day this year, and I loved it. I have made it numerous times this summer and just can't seem to get enough. I love eating it with chips as a snack, or making it a dinner by serving it with tostada shells. My friend recently served it at a baby shower, and I was reminded that I hadn't made it in a while. What a shame, because it is delicious and with the beans, tomatoes, and avocado, it is also very healthy. Enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 clove garlic minced
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 avocado diced
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
Kernels from two ears of corn (about 1 cup)
2/3 cup chopped cilantro
2/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
8 oz Roma tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
Salt to taste (approximately 1/2 - 1 tsp)

In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, combined vinegar, oil, hot sauce, garlic, pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk to combine. Add avocado, peas, corn, cilantro, green onion and tomatoes. Toss gently to incorporate all the ingredients. Check the taste and add additional salt as needed. Serve immediately.

Notes: Instead of vinegar you could easily use lime juice. I use frozen corn most of the time and use about the 1 cup listed or more to taste. For the tomatoes, I generally use regular tomatoes because that is what I have on had. 8 oz is about 2 -3 medium tomatoes, but you can really add them to taste. By seeding the tomatoes you get less juice and have more of a chuncky salsa.

Lemon-Herb Tofu

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Tofu is mushy, has a weird taste and well do you need another reason to steer clear of it? But, both Steve and I really enjoyed this dish. I am generally more interested in and open to trying tofu. However, Steve generally is a little more cautious on his tofu ordering and eating. This had a great texture, plus a lot of flavor. The trick to it is freezing and then thawing the tofu. The premise behind freezing the tofu is that it allows you to squeeze more of the liquid out of the tofu before marinating or cooking it. This provides a firmer texture and allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavors of the marinade. I found this recipe in a cookbook I have called Vive le Vegan by Dreena Burton. She has posted the recipe here, and gave me permission to repost it. I hope that you will be adventurous and give this recipe a try. I have never had good luck cooking tofu at home, but found this recipe to be a delicious way to reacquaint myself with tofu.


Lemon-Herb Tofu
3 1/2 - 4 Tbsp freshly squeeze lemon juice
2 Tbsp tamari
2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
a few pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg (12 oz) extra firm tofu, cut into squares about 1/4" - 1/2" thick, and patted gently to remove excess moisture


Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In an 8"x12" baking dish, combine the lemon juice, tamari, olive oil, oregano, thyme, basil, honey alternative, and pepper, and stir through until well incorporated. Add the tofu and coat each side. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Turn the tofu over, and continue to bake uncovered for another 13-15 minutes, turning again when there are just a few minutes of cooking time remaining. At this time, the tofu should have soaked up most of the marinade. Remove from oven and let cool a little before serving; pour any remaining herbs and oil over the tofu.


Notes: I actually prepared this like little cutlets, so instead of cubing and baking, I sliced the tofu into about 1/2 inch slices and marinated. Then I cooked it over medium-high heat in a pan that had been lightly coated with oil (I just sprayed my nonstick pan until well coated.) The slices browned up nicely and didn't stick at all because of the oil in the marinade.

Grilled Pizzas

Steve and I made these again last night and remembered how fun they are for entertaining and how much we like them. The idea has come from a few places, a food network show I saw once (not sure which one), and one of our really fancy cooking magazines (once again not sure which one)! The nice thing about them is that everyone gets exactly what they want. A few notes about these pizzas, first the crust is crunchy, so if you like a soft doughy crust, this may not be for you. Second, if you aren't careful they can end up charred, so turn the grill down really low once you are ready to cook with toppings on.

Pizza Crust
I got this recipe from a class I went to at a wheat store. I made a few small modifications.

5 cups whole wheat flour (you can substitute part or all with white flour if you want)
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp Italian spice
1 1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in mixer and mix for 5 minutes. The dough will be very soft. Cover with a towel and let rise until double. Punch down and knead until smooth, adding more flour if necessary to make it workable*.

Cut dough into 4 pieces. Cut each 4th into 2 pieces for adult size pizzas and 4 pieces for child size pizzas. Coat the counter with oil or white flour to roll out dough. (Make sure not to roll out with whole wheat flour as too much will create a crumbly crust.) I find that oil works great, and you will need to oil the crust anyway in order to grill it. Roll out each piece to the size of a plate. Brush one side of dough with oil. Place dough oiled side down onto plate. Brush other side with oil.

Preheat grill to approximately 400. Place two large or four small crusts on the grill and cook with cover on for about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn crust over and cook for one minute. Remove crusts and place on a plate. Cook remaining crusts the same way.

Turn grill down as low as it goes. Have everyone place toppings on their pizza. Place pizzas on grill and cook with cover on until cheese melts and is bubbly (approximately 5 to 8 minutes).

Topping Ideas: Olives, peppers, tomatoes, sauteed onions, chicken, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, zucchini, pineapple tidbits, fresh basil, regular pizza sauce, pesto, sun dried tomato pesto, barbecue sauce (for a BBQ chicken pizza).

Notes: This dough can also be used in the oven. I like to pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes at 400 before topping. Top and return to oven until cheese melts.

*Make sure not to add too much extra whole wheat flour as this can make the dough crumbly.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

Elizabeth decided to pull out her play dough yesterday. It has been awhile since we have played with play dough. We decided that she needed some new colors, so I pulled out the Kool-Aid I had been saving and we made some more. I really love this recipe for those of you who haven't made it before, it works great. If you ever find that the dough gets a little sticky, just knead in some extra flour and voila, it is perfect again. Elizabeth really had fun helping me make it. I am not sure where I got the recipe, but somewhere on the Internet. Enjoy!

Kool-Aid Play Dough
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 pkg Kool-Aid
1 cup boiling water
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar and the Kool-Aid. In a small bowl mix together boiling water and oil. Pour water and oil over dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Let mixture cool slightly until you can handle it. Pour out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough until you achieve a smooth consistency. If the dough is a little sticky, add some flour and knead in until it has been fully absorbed. Store in airtight container and enjoy!