July- Vegetarian S'mores Pie

Vegetarian S'mores Pie

CRUST

1.5 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs(I use HoneyMaid)
1/4 Cup turbinado sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
1/4 Cup vegan margarine, melted (I use Willowrun)

Preheat oven to 375f
Mix all ingrediants together until well blended
Press firmly into bottom and sides of a 9" pie dish
Bake 8 minutes, or until lightly browned



FILLING

6 Oz. Plain milk chocolate (vegan chocolate can be used but makes it much richer)
15 Oz. Dandies vegan Marshmallows (about 1.5 bags)

Bring oven temp down to 325f
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in one layer on top of the crust
Add the marshmallows on top of the chocolate
Place in the oven and cook until the marshmallows are starting to melt and connect, about 5 minutes depending on the oven. *WATCH CONSTANTLY*
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

June Vegan Scones

2 Cups Flour
3 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Turbinado Sugar *
1/4 Cup Margarine, Softened
3/4 - 1 Cup soy/rice/ etc. milk *
1 Cup Add-ins of Choice *

*What I used when I made them*
-doubled the recipe
-Sugar in the Raw
-Vanilla Soy Milk
-Raisins, dates, craisons, crushed hazelnuts (not measured, just as many as I wanted)
-A drop of almond extract
-Added cinnamon and cloves to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 450F. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in margarine until crumbles form. Stir in milk and Toppings. Roll out your desired size for each sconeonto an ungreased baking sheet. (These do not expand, so the size you make is the size you get). Bake at 450F for about 10-12 minutes, or until just brown on top.

Preparation time: 10-15 min

This recipe is very easily changable to make your own creations!

May Cool Cucumber Soup

Cool Cucumber Soup

Ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
5 cucumbers, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 onions, diced
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
pepper to taste
1 cup soy milk

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and sautee the cucumbers, garlic, and onions until onions are transparent, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and simmer until the cucumber is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. While the mixture is still warm, stir in the dill and season with pepper.

Chill. Stir in the soy milk just before serving.

March Mock Meat Loaf

Classic Mock Meat Loaf
Serves 6

9 slices (8 ounces) commercial whole wheat bread
(such as Arnold or Pepperidge Farm)
2 cups (8 ounces) walnuts
3 large eggs
3 medium onions, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 small celery rib, minced
1 small bunch parsley,
stems discarded and leaves chopped
2/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes or
1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained very well
1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
Generous seasoning freshly ground black pepper

1. Toast the bread slices either in the toaster or on a baking sheet placed under the broiler. Let cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom with wax paper and butter the paper.

3. Tear up the toasted bread slices and make crumbs out of them in a food processor. Place in a large bowl.

4. Process the walnuts until finely ground and mix into the bread crumbs. Combine the eggs and onions in the processor and process until fine but not liquefied. Stir into the bread crumbs. Place the green pepper, celery, parsley, tomatoes, and oil in the processor and grind until fine but still with some texture. Stir into the loaf mixture along with the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix this all very well until evenly moistened. (The mixture may be prepared to this point and refrigerated up to 8 hours in advance.) Scrape it into the prepared loaf pan and smooth over the top. Cover the loaf with foil.

5. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out dry. Let sit 5 minutes, then run a knife all along the sides of the loaf to help loosen it. Unmold the loaf onto a platter and remove the wax paper. Let the loaf cool 20 minutes or so before slicing it. It's best to serve the loaf warm and the gravy hot. Serve with Mushroom Gravy (below).

Tips:
If you don't have a food processor, you can grind everything in a blender, but it will have to be done in many batches so the blender is not overfilled.

You can also cook the loaf a few hours in advance, then reheat slices on an oiled baking sheet in a 350-degree oven.




Mushroom Gravy
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup unbleached flour
2-1/2 cups vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper to taste



1. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour; it will become very pasty. Cook this roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It will stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit; that's okay.

2. Stir in the stock, wine, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce at a lively simmer for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any crusty bits that adhere to the bottom of the pan. Serve in a sauceboat.

January- Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
10 ounces broccoli florets
10 ounces cauliflower florets
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound processed cheese food, cubed (Velveeta)
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of broccoli soup (any condensed creamed soup should work)
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery round crackers

*Note, you will need to use 4 burners at one time! Plan accordingly!

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

2. In a medium saucepan, cook 1/2 cup rice according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. Fill a large pot about half way with water. Bring to boil, then lower hear and simmer broccoli and cauliflower florets in water for 10 minutes.

4. In a medium saucepan, mix together Velveeta, cream of broccoli soup and milk. Heat until the cheese melts and ingredients are well blended. Remove from heat.

5. In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute onion until just browned.

6. Stir cauliflower, broccoli, and rice into the saucepan with the onion. Once the vegetables and rice are coated, stir in the cheese mixture. Transfer the entire mixture to an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the crackers on top.

7. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes.

December Autumn Apple Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing

DRESSING
1/4 cup Hungry Jack® Microwave Ready Regular Syrup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

SALAD
1 (5 oz.) bag mixed baby greens
2 Gala or Red Delicious apples, cored and chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted*

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:
1. WHISK together syrup, mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar in medium bowl. Whisk oil in gradually until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. TOSS together greens, apples, cherries and half the walnuts in a large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat.
3. DIVIDE salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Serve.

TIP
*To toast walnuts: place nuts in dry nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool before adding to salad.

November Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

This recipe calls for 7 potatoes, but only 6 of them make it to the table. The remaining potato is used for its flesh; you should have 5 cups of scooped potato flesh in step 2.

Serves 6

Ingredients
7 large russet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), scrubbed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , 3 tablespoons melted
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack on top of the cookie sheet for your cooking surface.

Prick potatoes all over with fork.

Place directly on oven rack for 30-40 minutes.
OR....
For less time, you can cook them in the microwave. Place them on a paper towel, and microwave on high until tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning potatoes over after 10 minutes. Some potatoes may take longer than others to cook, so check them every so often, making sure they don’t overcook.

Once cooked, slice and remove top quarter of each potato. Let cool. Sscoop out flesh into a medium bowl, leaving 1/4-inch layer of potato on inside. Remember, one potato is going to be used for its filling and then discarded. Once you have all 7 potatoes scooped out, toss one of the empty shells.

Brush remaining shells inside and out with melted butter and sprinkle interiors with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Some butter will be left over to use later.

Transfer potatoes scooped side up to baking sheet fitted with wire rack and bake until skins begin to crisp, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix 3/4 of the Boursin and all of the half-and-half in bowl until blended.

Cook remaining melted butter with garlic in saucepan over medium-low heat until garlic is straw-colored, 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, then stir in Boursin mixture until combined. This will make the Boursin mixture warm up for better usage.

Use a ricer, or potato masher to break up the potato innards so they have a nice consistency for the filling.

Gently fold in warm Boursin mixture, 3 tablespoons chives, remaining salt, and pepper until well incorporated with the potato filling, set aside.

Remove potato shells from oven and fill with potato-cheese mixture.

Top with remaining crumbled Boursin and bake until tops of potatoes are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Serve.

*Notes

Bigger, Better Stuffed Potatoes During testing for our Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes, we found that most recipes called for the baked potatoes to be cut right in half before being filled. But these skimpy spuds were far from the super-stuffed garlic potato I was looking for. Instead, I found the best way was to cut off only the top quarter of the potato—leaving a much more substantial spud to stuff.

Boursin is a soft, spreadable cheese that comes in several varieties available in every supermarket. The Garlic and Fine Herbs flavor is a key ingredient in our Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes, as it adds creamy texture, cheese flavor, and a big hit of aromatic garlic and herbs. This versatile cheese works well as a sandwich spread (try it with roast beef), as a stuffing for chicken breasts, spread on steaks, in mashed potatoes, on crackers, in dips, or as part of a cheese plate.

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen- Cook’s Country TV
From the episode: Steakhouse Favorites

October Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes
from Charline French

2 1/3 Cups Bisquick Baking Mix
2 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 Teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
1 1/4 Cups milk
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 Cup mashed pumpkin
1/4 Cup vegetable oil

Beat all ingredients until well blended.
Pour batter by scant 1/4 cups full onto hot, lightly greased griddle or skillet.
Cook until tops are bubbly and edges are dry.
Turn and cook until golden brown.
Bring some to Sandra so she can eat them

June Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/3 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Egg
3 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat margarine at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy
Gradually add brown sugar and beat well
Add egg and vanilla, beating well

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add flour mixture to margarine mixture, mixing well.
Stir in oats and chocolate chips

Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.
Using two teaspoons, drop dough onto cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
Portion the dough so that you make about 3 dozen cookies (I never get that many out of this recipe, but that's what it says)

Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Store in an airtight container

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Baking Time: 10 Minutes
Yield: about 3 dozen

Per Serving (serving size 2 cookies):
Calories: 101
Carbs: 14g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 4g
Sat Fat: 1g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fiber: 1g
Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 fat
Carb choices: 1

*Note: I usually double this recipe if I'm making it for more than 2 people

this recipe from www.diabetesselfmanagement.com

May Homemade Mac & Cheese

Recipe from Judi Stevens

Homemade Mac & Cheese

6 Ounces Elbow Macaronie (1.5 Cups)
3 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Dash of Pepper
2 Cups Milk
2 Cups American or Cheddar Cheese (I do one cup of each)
1 Cup Toasted Bread Cumbs

Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain.

For Fresh Bread Crumbs-
Cube Italian bread into large pieces
Put in food processor and pulse until crumbs are desired size- equalling 1 cup
Toast crumbs in melted butter in frying pan until golden brown
Set aside

For Cheese Sauce-
In a saucepan, melt butter or margaring.
Cook the onion in the butter until tender, but not brown.
Stir in the flour, salt and pepper.
Add milk all at once.
Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.
Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more.
Add cubed cheese (American or Cheddar)
Still until melted.


Finishing-
Stir macaroni into cheese sauce.
Turn into a 1.5 qt. casserole.
Pour bread crumbs over top.
Bake in a 350 degree over for 30-35 minutes, or until heated through

April Apple Chicken Goodness

Chicken with Apples and Cider

Makes 4 Servings

3 Tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
Four 4-ounce skinless boneless chicken breasts (or one package Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets-vegetarian but not vegan)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
½ cup apple cider
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 cups hot cooked wide noodles

*I recommend starting the noodles when you start the dish so they are done cooking when the chicken is.

1. In a large, nonstick skillet, melt half of the margarine
Sauté the apples until lightly browned, about 5 minutes
Sprinkle with the brown sugar
Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 3-5 minutes longer
Transfer to a plate

2. On a sheet of wax paper, sprinkle the chicken with the cinnamon, salt and pepper
In the skillet, melt the remaining margarine
Sauté the chicken until browned, 4-5 minutes on each side
Transfer to another plate (don’t worry, it will cook more in a bit)

3. In the skillet, cook the onion, covered, until tender, 6-8 minutes
Stir in the cider and vinegar
Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes
Return the chicken to the skillet
Simmer, spooning the sauce over the chicken until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes

4. Return the apples to the skillet; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes
Arrange the noodles on a platter
Top with chicken mixture, pouring any remaining juices over the chicken

Per serving:
287 Calories
6g Total Fat
1g Saturated Fat
76mg Cholesterol
273mg Sodium
34g Total Carbohydrates
3g Dietary Fiber
24g Protein
34mg Calcium
Points per serving: 6