Power Bars

These power bars are nothing like you get from the health food aisle. These are moist and full of flavor. They have lots of protein and give you energy to get you going in the morning. You wouldn't think the pinto beans would taste good in these, but you really can't taste them at all and they add protein and fiber without a nasty taste like those store-bought bars. These can be a little pricey to make, but I guarantee they're way cheaper and better tasting than the store-bought kind. I will post a picture next time I make them.

Power Bars

1 2/3 cup crushed granola cereal (I like Cascadian Farms Oat N' Honey best.)
1 cup chopped dried dates
1 cup flaked coconut
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed well, and mashed well
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup honey
3 tbs. butter, melted
2 tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

1) Line a 13 X 9 in. baking pan with foil. Lightly coat foil with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.

2) Combine cereal, dates, coconut, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in beans, raisins and nuts. Combine honey, butter, oil, vanilla and salt in a small bowl. Add to cereal mixture; stir until well combined. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

3) Bake in a preheated oven about 35 minutes or until set and dry. Cool completely; use foil to lift out of pan. Cut into bars. (Mine were really moist and didn't really cut into bars well, but the flavor was excellent!)



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Baked Oatmeal

This is a picture of the version with the dried cranberries, coconut, raisins, and almonds added.

This recipe makes such a yummy, wholesome breakfast. After eating this, I can never eat the mushy instant oatmeal again. I love to top this with syrup and to make it healthier and heartier, I will mix in dried fruits and nuts. My husband likes to top this with milk. Either way you go, it's delicious and very economical! I like to double this recipe and stock it in the freezer in individual serving-size containers. Just pop in the microwave and you've got a fast breakfast. I actually like to eat mine cold from the fridge.

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
(Mix first.)

To make it healthier, I like to also add:
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Mix all ingredients together and put in a greased 8 X 8 square pan. Bake at 350 deg. F. for 30 minutes. Let cool, and cut into squares (mine fall apart, but still taste good) and serve with syrup if desired.

To double recipe, cook in 13 X 9 pan and bake for approx. 40 minutes.



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Favorite Salisbury Steak

This recipe has become a favorite in our house, especially with my husband. I make it with homemade mashed potatoes. He's a meat and potatoes kind of guy! I use ground chuck instead and it makes such a moist and tender salisbury steak and I use fresh mushrooms as well which makes for a much better flavor. These are so yummy!

Favorite Salisbury Steak

Serves 6

Patties

1 lb extra-lean ground beef (I use ground chuck)
1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg white
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
(I just eyeballed the salt and pepper and added garlic powder to taste as well.)

Gravy

3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine or beef broth (I used beef broth and bouillon cubes to save money and it tastes better to me without the wine flavor.)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves (I used dried italian seasonings)
1 (2.5 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
(Instead, I sauteed 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms until browned for better flavor.)

1) In medium bowl, combine all patty ingredients; mix gently. Mixture will be moist. Shape into 6 oval patties, about 3/4 inch thick.

2)Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove patties from skillet; drain, if necessary.

3) In small bowl, combine broth, wine, cornstarch and thyme; blend well. Pour into same skillet. Cook over low heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in mushrooms. Return patties to skillet. Cover; simmer about 15 minutes or until patties are no longer pink in center.



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Cinnamon-Sugar Glazed Carrots

This was a recipe I just made up because every other glazed carrot recipe I tried was nasty, wasn't sweet enough, or didn't have enough sauce. I love butter on vegetables, and the cinnamon and sugar add a nice sweetness and it has a wonderful-tasting sauce that my family, especially the kids loved. I even dipped my dinner roll in the left-over sauce and it was so yummy! I'll add a picture next time I make it.

Cinnamon-Sugar Glazed Carrots

4 cups chopped carrots (I used baby carrots. You could leave them whole too.)
4 tbs. butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt

Bring water in a large pot to a boil. Add carrots, bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer 7-9 minutes or until carrots are to desired tenderness. Drain and set aside. Over medium heat, melt butter, then add brown sugar and stir. Stir continuously and cook until boiling, then add cinnamon and salt. Stir well, remove from heat and mix with cooked carrots. Serve.

You could easily cut the sauce in half if it's too much for you, but it's great for rolls!



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Lentil Oat Loaf

This recipe is one I made by combining elements of a few different recipes together. I wanted something that was economical and yet tasty to make. Most lentil loaves have a lot of expensive ingredients in them or they're really lacking in the flavor department and dry as well. It's not a substitute for a meatloaf, but it is a nice healthy, cheap meal that you can easily double. I'll add a picture after I make it next.

Lentil Oat Loaf

SERVES 6 , 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 ½ cups dried lentils
3 ½ cups of water
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup rolled oat (quick or large flake)
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s Vidalia Onion BBQ sauce best.)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoon seasoning salt (Could use less if you find it too salty….I like salt.)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1) Cook lentils in water until tender. Slightly mash.
2) Mix lentils, onion, oats, and cheese in a large bowl and mix well.
3) Add the beaten egg and mix well.
4) Add sauce, garlic, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper.
5) Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and pour/scrape the lentil mixture into it. Even out the top surface with a spatula or fork and top with more barbecue sauce.
6) Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes at 375 deg. F.



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Wheat Raisin Bread

This raisin bread is much easier to make than the cinnamon swirl bread recipes I've found and it has great flavor and a moist texture. You could make it less healthy by using all white flour instead, but I like the wholesome taste it has. You could also try adding 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans and decrease the raisins to 1/2 cup to make it more like a breakfast bread. It's great toasted and topped with butter and cinnamon sugar along with a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and a glass of OJ. This is making me hungry!

Wheat Raisin Bread
"Bread Machine version"

1 ½ pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup warm water (110 deg.)
1 1/2 tablespoons shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
3 tbs. sugar
3 tsp. wheat gluten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

(Add raisins after the first five minutes of the second knead cycle so they don't turn to mush and get all chopped up, unless of course, you like it that way.)
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

1) Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in order listed and select the Basic Light setting. When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.


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Homemade "Wonder"ful Bread

This bread is called Homemade "Wonder"ful Bread because it's supposed to be like the Wonder Bread you buy at the store. This bread is very soft like Wonder Bread, but it tastes so much better than the Wonder Bread because you don't have all those chemicals in it. This isn't your healthiest version of bread but it makes a great PB&J like you remember as a kid, only better. It makes any sandwich taste great!

Homemade "Wonder"ful Bread
"Bread Machine version"

2 pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups warm water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tsp. salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry potato flakes
1/4 cup dry milk powder (1/4 cup milk)
1/3 cup white sugar
4 tsp. wheat gluten
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1) Add ingredients in the order listed. Select the basic and light crust setting.
When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Sunflower Seed Bread

This bread is also a version of the Homemade "Wonder"ful Bread recipe. It reminds me a lot of the Publix Sunflower Seed Bread I used to buy before it got to be too expensive.

Sunflower Seed Bread
"Bread Machine version"

2 pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups warm water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tsp. salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry potato flakes
1/4 cup dry milk powder (1/4 cup milk)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
4 tsp. wheat gluten
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1) Add ingredients in the order listed. Select the basic and light crust setting.
When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Wheat Bread

This bread a variation I made from the Homemade "Wonder"ful bread recipe. It's a nice, plain wheat bread that's not too dry and great for sandwiches, and grilled cheese.

Wheat Bread
"Bread Machine version"

2 pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups warm water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups wheat flour
1/4 cup dry potato flakes
1/4 cup dry milk powder (I've heard other people substitute 1/4 cup milk instead, but I haven't tried it yet.)
1/3 cup white sugar
4 tsp. wheat gluten
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1) Add ingredients in the order listed. Select the basic and light crust setting.
When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Wheat Oat Nut Bread

This bread reminds me a lot of the Arnold brand Health Nut Bread I used to buy. I loved the flavor and healthiness and heartiness of it. But, it was almost $4 a loaf. You can make an even better-tasting version for a fraction of the cost with just a few minutes of prep time. This is probably my favorite sandwich bread. It's a variation I made off the original Oatmeal Bread recipe.

Wheat Oat Nut Bread
"Bread Machine version"

1 ½ pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tbs. honey
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tsp. wheat gluten
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1) Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order listed. Use regular light setting.
When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Wheat Oat Bread

This bread is very moist, chewy, and you can't even taste or see the oats at all. The oats add a little healthiness to it without sacrificing flavor and using half wheat and all-purpose flours give you the health benefits of the wheat, but it's not too dry. If you use entirely whole wheat flour, you tend to get a dryer and more tasteless loaf. This recipe is the exact same as the oatmeal bread recipe except for the addition of wheat flour.

Wheat Oat Bread
"Bread Machine version"

1 ½ pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tbs. honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tsp. wheat gluten
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order listed. Use regular light setting. When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Onion and Oat Bread

This bread is very moist, chewy, and you can't even taste or see the oats at all. The oats add a little healthiness to it without sacrificing flavor. The onions add a nice flavor and sweetness that is great for sandwiches. This recipe is the same as the Oatmeal bread except I just added the dried onions.

Onion and Oat Bread
"Bread Machine version"

1 ½ pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tbs. honey
2 tbs. dried onions (I like to add these with the liquid ingredients so the onions get moist and rehydrated.)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tsp. wheat gluten
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order listed. Use regular light setting. When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Oatmeal Bread

This bread is very moist, chewy, and you can't even taste or see the oats at all. The oats add a little healthiness to it without sacrificing flavor.

Oatmeal Bread
"Bread Machine version"

1 ½ pound loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups water (110 deg.)
2 tablespoons margarine melted
2 tbs. honey
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tsp. wheat gluten
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order listed. Use regular light setting. When bread is done, let it sit in pan outside of bread machine for 10 minutes otherwise you'll squash the top of your loaf when taking it out. Let it cool on a baking rack and slice once completely cooled.

TIPS:

1) When the dough is mixing, if it seems too dry and isn't sticking together, slowly add more water until it comes to the right consistency. A slightly, sticky formed ball of dough. If it's too wet, slowly add more flour until it comes to the right consistency.

2) I find that adding wheat gluten to the all-purpose flour seems to help the bread have a better consistency and it's cheaper than bread flour. You coud use bread flour instead of the all-purpose flour and wheat gluten if you prefer. I also found that using warm ingredients (not hot and not cold) make the bread rise just right.

3) Another tip, if you don't want some of your slices to break apart from the hole left by the paddle, take the dough out right before it gets to the third rise cycle, take the paddle out, spray it with cooking spray, and form the dough neatly and put it back. Then, you only have a tiny hole instead of a large slice through your bread left by the paddle. This also helps you not have a lop-sided loaf which can happen sometimes by the machine not forming the dough evenly.



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Garlic Salt

No, this isn't a homemade recipe, but I just had to post this. This is our family's favorite seasoning ever! The House Seasoning is a close second. We top all of our meals with it practically. I have tried tons of brands of garlic salt and nothing comes close to the flavor of this. I use it mainly to top my foods once they're on the plate already, and not so much when I'm cooking because the flavor tends to be lost when it's mixed into your food, rather than topped with it. It's great on buttered bread, oven fries, all meats, baked potatoes, and just about anything. We stock up on it when it goes Buy One Get One Free (to save money of course) at our local Publix and we go through it too! I find other brands to be either too salty or have too strong of a garlic taste and this one seems just right.


Lawry's Garlic Salt



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House Seasoning - The best!

This seasoning was originally made because it is called for in a Short Ribs recipe I have by Paula Deen. She has such good food! Well, we liked the seasoning so much that we started using it with everything. I have used it to roast a turkey in the oven with olive oil. I use it to season chicken, beef, pork, and just about anything. If a recipe calls for salt and pepper to taste, then I add this instead. I make up a batch of this and store it in a Lawry's Garlic Salt container because it's big enough with a shaker top on it.

House Seasoning

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

You could easily half or quarter this recipe if it was too much for you, but we always use a full recipe fast enough.



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Cream of Chicken and Vegetable Soup - Easy meal

I just made this last night for dinner and made a double batch. I panfried the chicken with my House Seasoning (This is posted under seasonings.) and olive oil. Then I cubed it as stated. I thought it needed more seasonings like I said below and then the taste was wonderful with such a rich, creamy texture. Others might find it doesn't need more seasonings. I'm a seasoning and garlic junkie!

Cream of Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Estimated Times:
Preparation - 10 min | Cooking - 15 min | Yields - 6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 package (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, prepared according to package directions (I didn't bother and just put the vegetables straight into the soup and warmed it up.)
2 (about 8 oz. total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1 can (14.5 fl. oz.) chicken broth (To save money, I used 14 oz. water and 1 1/2 cubes chicken bouillon)
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
I also added more onion salt, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste to give it more flavor.

Directions:
MELT butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add vegetables, chicken, broth and onion salt. Heat through.



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Falafels

Falafels are a Middle-Eastern dish. I hate chickpeas, but I love this recipe. These falafels are so yummy and moist and there's no need to buy the yucky, expensive box-mix stuff. I just made these last night and my kids gobbled them up. I made a triple batch and stuck the leftovers in the freezer for a quick meal. I will say that they didn't look anything like the picture. I have no idea how they got them to stay in such a nice patty shape. Mine were not uniform in shape, but it didn't matter. The taste was so delicious. You're supposed to serve this with a yogurt sauce, but we didn't like the recipe. We just dip it in homemade ranch dressing or my homemade French or Russian dressing. I posted the dressing recipes as well. You can also serve them in pita breads like in the picture.

Falafels

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh curly parsley, stems removed, tightly packed (I used dried parsley and just eye-balled how much I put in.)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Vegetable oil for frying


Yogurt Dipping Sauce: (Like I said, I didn't like this sauce, but you might.)
6-ounce container of plain yogurt
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh curly parsley (could use dried, but use less)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse the chickpeas, then soak them in a medium-size bowl in several inches of water overnight in the refrigerator. (we've found the patties won't hold together as well if you use canned chickpeas.)

2. To make the sauce, whisk together the yogurt and water in a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Makes 1 cup.

3. Drain the soaked chickpeas and place them in a food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend, scraping the sides if necessary, until the mixture is creamy, about 1 minute total.

4. Heat an inch of oil in a large, heavy frying pan to 375 degrees (a spoonful of the mixture should sizzle as soon as it's immersed). Scoop up a heaping dinner tablespoon of the falafel mixture and gently place it in the heated oil. Place 4 or 5 more spoonfuls in the pan. Fry the patties until they're thoroughly brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip them to brown the other side.

5. Drain the patties on a plate covered with a paper towel and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired. Serve with yogurt dipping sauce. Makes 16 to 20 patties.



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Sticky or Crunchy Caramel Corn

This is one of my favorite recipes. I try not to make it very often only because I have a hard time controlling myself. It is so addictive I want to eat the whole thing in one sitting! I usually put the leftovers in a ziploc bag in the freezer to make it last longer, but I find myself snacking on it from the freezer as well and it usually only lasts tops a few days in our house. It's that good! Save yourself some money and don't buy that Crunch N' Munch stuff. Make it yourself. It makes a lot for a fraction of the price and you can't beat the taste. My favorite version is the sticky caramel corn. It's messy, but it's so yummy and chewy!

Sticky Caramel Corn

1 stick butter (yes, a whole stick!)
3/4 cup corn syrup
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 gallon freshly popped and salted popcorn (To save time I usally pop 2 regular-size bags of microwave popcorn and it seems to be enough for the recipe.)
chopped nuts if desired (I like to add pecans or peanuts to make it like the boxed stuff, only better)

Put popcorn in extra large bowl. Remove unpopped kernels. Melt butter in sauce pan on med-high heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat to a bubbly boil. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Stir. Add nuts or other add-ins if desired. Pour mixture over popcorn and stir until well coated. Serve.

Crunchy Caramel Corn

Make as directed above. Preheat oven to 275 deg. F. Place popcorn mixture on greased baking sheets. Stir every 15 minutes for an hour. May take longer to bake if you want it more crisp and crunchy. This will be like the Crunch N' Munch boxed stuff, but better.

Popcorn Balls

Make as directed above, but when cooled slightly, butter hands if necessary and form into balls. You could add food coloring and flavorings before mixing it with the popcorn to have around the holidays. You could have red or pink popcorn balls for Valentine's Day or Christmas, etc. I've also seen people add candy corn to popcorn balls around Thanksgiving/Halloween, but I haven't personally made it that way yet. You could also add M&M's, but wait until it's cooled a little so you don't melt it all. If you're using brown sugar, I'm not sure how well the colors will show up. You might want to use white sugar instead, but like I said I haven't tried it yet, but then it wouldn't technically be caramel corn anymore. Let me know if it works out.



Here is a picture of a strawberry flavored popcorn ball.



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Classic Banana Bread

This banana bread is so moist and flavorful. It's the best banana bread I've ever tried. I think it's the yogurt that makes it taste so good. I always make a double batch and keep the extra loaf in the freezer for later. It makes a great house-warming gift.

Classic Banana Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cooking spray

1) Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.

2) Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3) Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.

4) Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 deg. F. for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf



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Rice Crispy Treats and Variations

These are so easy and cheap to make and great for kids. You can make them fancier by drizzling chocolate on top or using flavored marshmallows or flavored cereal such as Fruity/Cocoa Pebbles. You can also mold them into shapes or use cookie cutters to cut them out and decorate them with icing and candies.



Rice Crispy Treats

3 tbs. butter
1 pkg. (10oz. about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups crisp rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
vegetable cooking spray

1) Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2) Add crispy rice cereal and mix it quickly before it starts to stiffen up. Stir until well coated.

3) Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 X 9 pan coated with cooking spray. Cut into 2 in. squares when cool.

Yield: 24 squares

Microwave directions: In microwave safe bowl, heat butter and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above.


Here's the Fruity Pebbles Treats. These are a sugar rush!


This is the Cocoa Pebbles Treats version. This is my favorite.



Oat Bar Variation:

Instead of using crisp rice cereal, use toasted oat cereal (Cheerios). To make it healthier, you can add 1 cup of dried raisins or cranberries.



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Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pan Variation

Save yourself a bunch of money and don't buy the prepackaged dough. It costs a fortune and you get a fraction of the cookies. Besides, what a fun way to spend with the kids while making a fresh batch of chocolate chips cookies. The best part is the dough! Oh, I know it's really bad, but I like to freeze the dough and eat it frozen. You can also take the dough, freeze it, break it into chunks and mix it in vanilla ice cream and voila, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Icecream. It tastes so much better than the pre-made cookie dough icecream and you can control how big of dough pieces you get. So yummy!

Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1) COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree F. oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies (We make bigger cookies and cook them a little longer.)



PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Prepare dough as above. Spread into greased 15 x 10 jelly-roll pan. (I use a lasagna pan.) Bake in preheated 375-degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen bars. (Mine doesn't go as far because we like BIG bars!)



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