Sweet Potato Cashew Bake

1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 cup broken cashew pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 lbs sweet potatoes (canned), drained
1 - 8 oz can sliced peaches, drained
3 T butter

Cut sweet potatoes into about 1" thick slices. Slice peaches into 1/2 " slices. Combine sugar, nuts, salt and ginger. In 10x6x2" (approx) baking dish, layer 1/2 of the sweet potatoes and 1/2 of the peaches and 1/2 of the sugar / nut mixture. Repeat. Dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 min. Serve.

Fresh Tomato Bisque

2 lb. ripe tomatoes (about 6)
1 onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon butter
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 whole cloves
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
1 pint light cream
1 cup milk
6 large toasted butter croutons
2 tablespoon chopped chives
Skin and seed the tomatoes. Sauté onion in butter and add tomatoes chopped.

Add bay leaf, sugar, cloves, salt, pepper and basil. Simmer, stirring occasionally,
until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and cloves and transfer mixture to blender to purée (or strain
through a coarse sieve). Add cream and milk and heat through. Serve topped
with toasted butter croutons.

Cheese Calzone with NY Style Dough

1 lb. ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
pinch of black pepper
NY Style Pizza Dough

Preheat oven to 500F. Take a 6 oz. dough ball and place on floured surface. Spread,
with finger tips, to a 6 inch circle. Place 2/3 cup cheese mix on one side and fold over other side. Seal with finger tips making sure no cheese mixture is in the seal.

Pinch the edge to assure a tight seal. Pat calzone to even filling inside. Check seal again for leaks. Repeat with the others. Place calzones on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cut a 1 inch slit in the top of each for venting while baking.

Place in center of oven and bake for 10−12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce, warmed, either on top or on the side for dipping.

NY Style Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water (105F)
4 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbls. olive oil
2 1/2 teas. sugar
2 1/2 teas. salt
1/2 teas. yeast

In a large bowl, mix water with sugar and salt until dissolved. Add oil, and then flour. Stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute. Turn out to a floured board and press into a circle (it will be quite dry). Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and knead for twelve minutes.

Divide dough into portions:

6 oz. for Calzones, 10 oz. for 9 inch, 18 oz. for 12 inch, 25 oz. for 15 inch
(This recipe makes about 34 oz. Adjust ingredient amounts for your purposes)

Shape each portion by sliding your palms across the top portion of dough while curving your fingers inward toward each other and "tucking" the dough into the center. You want a dough ball without visible seams except the bottom. Set formed dough balls on plate, cover with plastic, and allow to proof for 1−2 hours at room temperature to use the same day, or store in refrigerator to use the next day. To stretch dough, place dough ball on lightly floured surface, and lightly flour the top. Use fingertips to evenly flatten out the dough ball. Work from the edges to the center. Place both hands within the shell edge and stretch with fingertips and palms maintaining an even pressure. Or, use a lightly floured rolling pin to stretch to desired shape.

Cooking pizzas with this dough should be done on a baking stone. Using a pan will produce a very soft "doughy" crust. The stone in the oven should be preheated to 500F for an hour prior to baking, and should be placed in the middle of the oven. After stretching the dough, liberally sprinkle cornmeal or semolina on pizza peel (a wooden paddle with a handle to slide the pizza in the oven) or a cutting board. The cornmeal allows the pizza to slide onto the stone easily. After topping the pizza, when you are ready to cook it, pick up an edge of the dough and lightly blow air underneath. This will loosen any sticky areas under the dough and redistribute the cornmeal. Shake the peel or cutting board to make sure none of the dough is sticking. Carefully slide the pizza into the oven.

Apple Pancakes With Cinnamon Nonfat Yogurt

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons nonfat egg substitute
1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 tes baking powder
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons maple syrup
4 granny smith apples or other tart apples peeled/cored/sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
mint leaves

Combine the flour, egg substitute, 1 cup yogurt, baking powder, orange juice, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup into a batter. If you like thinner pancakes, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water at this point. Let rest for 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, saute the sliced apples with 1 tablespoon water until the slices are tender and caramelized. Combine the remaining yogurt and maple syrup with the cinnamon. Using a nonstick omelette pan, make thin crepes by pouring 3 tablespoons of the batter into the preheated pan and rolling it around to uniformly cover the surface of the pan.

Italian Wedding Soup

1 pound extra−lean ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups spinach − packed, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 cup seashell pasta
3/4 cup diced carrots

In a medium bowl, combine the beef, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil and onion. Shape mixture into 3/4−inch balls and set aside.

In a large stockpot heat chicken broth to boiling; stir in the spinach, pasta, carrot and meatballs. Return to boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, at a
slow boil for 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Safe Household Products

As an Independent Distributor for Shaklee, I'm proud to represent a company
that is GREEN and has awesome science to back our nutritional line of products.

One of my all time favorite products is our Basic H2 cleaner. (See picture - Click to enlarge)

Honey Mustard Meatloaf

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or combination of beef and turkey
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs, plain or seasoned
2 eggs 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chopped dried leaf basil, or less if bread crumbs are seasoned
1/2 teaspoon seasoned or plain salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons Dijon style mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onions, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir in eggs, mixing gently but thoroughly. Shape into loaf. Place loaf in baking pan. Combine honey and mustard, brush half of the mixture on loaf.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Brush with remaining honey and mustard mixture. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped green onion. Serves 6 to 8.

CHOCOLATE APPLE CRISP

Here's a new twist on an old favorite! Yumm.....

3 Apples, unpeeled if desired, chopped
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup of uncooked Quick oats
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup Pecans or walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup Butter
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 packet semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels, divided (12 oz)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. With 2 knives or pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in oats; press half of oat mixture into greased 13x9" baking pan. To remaining oat mixture, add Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels, apples and pecans; stir to combine. Sprinkle over base. Bake at least 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool slightly; cut into squares.

Minestrone Soup

10 cups cooked red beans
1 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 zucchini, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1 carrot, diced
5 leaves spinach or chard, chopped
8 oz. tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes

Crush 7 cups of beans and leave the remaining beans whole. Combine all remaining ingredients except macaroni and basil. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add basil and macaroni and cook an additional 15 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Apple Crisp

4 cup of Sliced Apples
1/3 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup butter or melted margarine

Put Sliced Apples in a baking pan and sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine all dry ingredients with butter or melted margarine and mix with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle all this over apples and bake at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Beef Noodle Soup

It is soup season! I'll be posting several soup recipe's and fall menu's.

1 pound cubed beef stew meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
5 3/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups Frozen egg noodles

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, saute the stew meat, onion and celery for 5 minutes, or until meat is browned on all sides.

Stir in the bouillon, parsley, ground black pepper, carrots, water and egg noodles. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 - 60 minutes.

MK's Home Made Mac n Cheese

My family begs for this frequently so I decided to put it on 'paper' as its just been in my head for all these years!

This makes a 9x13 panful and serves 3 hungry guys and me for one meal.

6 cups cooked elbow macaroni - (3 cups dry yeilds 6 cups cooked)

In a medium mixing bowl add:

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/3 cup flour

2 cups each of the following cheeses, cubed about 1/2" cubes: sharp cheddar, monteray jack and mozzarella

1 cup cubed swiss cheese

Coat the cheese cubes well and in your 9x13 lightly greased pan layer cooked macaroni and cheese cube mix ending with macaroni.

Pour in milk until it is visible through the macaronis. Do not add too much but do check it while it is cooking to be sure it does not dry out.

In a bowl or ziplock baggie, crush ritz or club crackers to equal about 2 cups. Add 1/3 cup melted butter and stir well, with your hand sprinkle the cracker/butter mix over the top of the macaroni, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 min, checking it about half way through. If it is getting dry you can add a little more milk but be sure that everything is well heated and the cheeses are melted.

When the cheeses are well melted, uncover and turn on the broiler for about 3 min or so to brown the cracker / butter topping slightly. Watch this carefully while the broiler is on as it will burn fast.

Remove from oven and let sit for about 3 min to let the cheese set up. Cut into squares and serve with a large spatula.