Stuffed Dates

My wonderful neighbor gave me a huge amount of fresh dates.  What a treasure! This is a recipe from an old Forks Over Knives magazine. If you tackle this recipe, I suggest working in small batches. Enjoy! 

 

1980s Cheesy Bean Dip

Are we eating any healthier these days? We certainly know more about the effects of the SAD diet (Standard American Diet) on our bodies than we did in the 1980s, but do we care at all? I know I do.

I recently learned that a few dairy industries have had to close shop or at least cut way back on production because the demand for non-dairy milk has increased so much in recent years – and that is GOOD NEWS! And I also just learned that some of the disgustingly huge meat companies (think Tyson and Smithfield) have put some of their energies into cruelty free meats (think Beyond Meat and Tofurky …by the way, have you tried the Beyond Meat burger? OMG!)

Well, I regressed this week and ate a batch of this cheesy bean dip, which I lovingly call *1980s* cheesy bean dip….cuz, you know….cheese and all that….so 80s.

Here’s what you need:

2 cans refried beans

1 C shredded cheddar

1 C shredded Monterey jack

1 brick cream cheese

1 C sour cream

½ pack taco seasoning

Hot sauce to taste

Here’s what you do:

Melt and stir, melt and stir, melt and stir. Dip and eat, dip and eat, dip and eat.

Salted Caramel Nuts from Ina Garten

I have not fallen in love with Windows 10 yet, especially the part where I attach my camera and WOOSH my pictures are gone! Well, not gone, but ‘downloaded’ somewhere (SOMEWHERE) *somewhere* on my computer.

For example, I found these photos in a file named ‘casseroles’. Sigh. I think I’ll need to re-organize that file. ….. or leave it alone and check there first for all my sauces, burritos, jams and jellies, pasta, casseroles, AND candied nuts. And these nuts were great! Salty and sweet, easy to grab a handful every time you pass by. Perfect for a gift. Kinda Christmassy, but who cares about that?

This recipe comes from Ina Garten and she makes everything look so dang easy. For example, nowhere in the recipe does it say that the sugar literally goes from solid to liquid in 2 seconds and also that is goes from golden to burned in another 2 seconds. Mine were just on the edge of being burned and ruined. 

Follow Ina's recipe carefully and keep the heat low under the melting sugar. It's like a chemistry experiment.  Basically, you melt sugar, add vanilla, and pour over roasted nuts. Sprinkle with sea salt. Find the original recipe HERE. 

Party Rye

Here's another totally retro recipe I served as a lunch time snack on Thanksgiving. I remember eating these toasty little guys as a young girl when my mom would make them for cocktail parties. Now that I think of it, that probably annoyed her - us kids sneaking around in the kitchen, snatching her carefully prepared party food while she was trying to pull off a party. Sorry Mom! These were worth it!

I veganized the recipe and they turned out exactly how I remember them. What gives this simple recipe its unique taste is the rye bread - do not swap out the rye bread. Search high and low for Rubschlager Brand Cocktail Rye bread .....or take the time to cut tiny squares from another type of rye bread.

Here's what you need:
Cocktail size rye bread (30 slices for a full recipe)
1 small red onion, minced
1 C parmesan cheese (see note)
1/2 C mayo

Here's what you do:
Mash the onion, cheese and mayo together with a fork. Spread over the bread. Broil until brown and toasty - watch carefully!

Note: My vegan parm: 1 C raw cashews, 1/4 C nutritional yeast, 1 t salt. High speed blender. Totally addicting!

Retro Pineapple Cheeseball

I call this Retro Cheeseball because it totally reminds me of the 1970s. In fact, anything with pineapple and green pepper reminds me of the 70s. Lawry's Season Salt, too. I don't know why. Now that I think about it, a cheeseball reminds me of the 70s. Cocktail parties, church potlucks, open houses. Well, it's time to being back the cheeseball - this one is super.

As I was struggling with this mound of cheese, trying to roll it in the walnuts, I realized that this might be the very first cheeseball I have ever made. I served it at lunch on Thanksgiving Day and we polished it up the next day for leftovers.

Here's what you need:
8 oz cream cheese (I used Tofutti brand vegan cheese - it's excellent!)
1/3 C crushed pineapple (drained well)
2-3 T minced green pepper
1-2 T minced green onion
1-2 t Lawry's season salt
1 C chopped walnuts

Here's what you do:
Bring the cheese to room temperature. Using a fork, mash in the pineapple, green pepper, green onion, Lawry's, and 1/2 C of the walnuts. Place cheese mixture in fridge to completely chill.

Spread the remaining walnuts on wax paper and plop the completely chilled cheese on the nuts. Carefully, press the mass into a ball and place on a serving plate.

3 Noteworthy News stories you may have missed – Plus my favorite Tapenade

In honor of the 20^th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death, NPR recently interviewed a man who has written his 2^nd book about the man. I had no idea there was even one book about Cobain, but I have since learned there are many, many, many. Why? I don’t know. Nirvana fans, my apologies. What’s so fascinating about this guy?

"Kurt loved plaid."

Well according to the radio interview, Cobain is responsible for the word *grunge* and all that is associated with that term – including, of all things, fashion. You can literally google the term ‘grunge fashion’ and see entire lines of clothing. Thanks, Kurt.

"I'm now going to add a stick of butter....."

And speaking of drug abuse, how about recent news that Nigella Lawson was barred from entering the United States for previous drug use? Seriously? Please compare that to the dozens of American celebrities and politicians (including our current president) who flaunt their drug use in our faces and continue to live very happy and productive lives in the lime light. Rob Ford, anyone? Uh, no thank you. Let’s cut the domestic goddess some slack. Any woman who snacks while standing at the fridge in the middle of the night is all right with me.

"Honey, let's eat in tonight."

Have I upset anyone? Well here’s my last noteworthy news story. I hope you are sitting down. A Michigan couple recently burned down their apartment complex while using a blowtorch to remove the fur off of a squirrel they were planning to eat for supper. More drug abuse? Possibly. They don’t call it dope for nothing.

Here’s what you need for the world’s BEST Tapenade – everyone RAVES about this:

1 lemon – zest and juice

2 small cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces best quality black olives, minced

½ C fresh flat leaf parsley, minced

4-5 green onions, minced

½ C walnuts, minced

1 C fresh parmesan cheese, grated very fine

4 T olive oil

Mix well and serve with crackers. If using a food processor, watch that you do not pulverize anything beyond recognition. Leave it a bit chunky for the best taste.

Strawberry Hand Pies

Anyone out there interested in participating in the Vegan Month of Food 2013?  (VeganMoFo) The fun starts in September. You can see my VeganMoFo2012 posts by clicking here. 

Let’s play a simple game. Who among us has not ‘liked’ and ‘shared’ random recipes that filter through our Facebook page? I can usually resist, but I must admit that there is some mighty great looking food streaming past my eyes all day long (not that I’m on FB all day long, but you know what I mean).  I ‘liked’ and ‘shared’ a really interesting pasta creation the other day….basically you just add all kinds of veggies, a can of tomatoes, lots of veggie broth and broken pasta….heat, cover, simmer, stir and voila! You have dinner. Intriguing, right?  I’ll try it and let you know.

This recipe for hand pies was going around the internet last month and I couldn’t resist. They seem so old-fashioned and comforting to me. I totally veganized them – swapped out the butter, cream cheese and cream. I also left out an egg, which I have done before with absolutely no noticeable difference. It must have been too much swapping, or my dough was too moist or too dry or too something, because I was not too successful with the crust; it was too tender and broke apart after the first day, but we didn’t mind.  Not so much HAND pies…. more like FORK pies. Maybe you need the egg to stabilize the dough?

Here’s what you need:

3 C flour

¼ t baking soda

1 t baking powder

½ t salt

1 stick Earth Balance (or dairy butter)

1 C sugar

3 oz cream cheese (I used Tofutti brand)

3 T almond milk (or cream)

1 t vanilla

(you could also add an egg to the dough)

4 C strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced

2 T cornstarch

1/3 C sugar or to taste

1 – 1 ½ C powdered sugar

3-4 T almond milk

Here’s what you do:

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a mixer, combine the butter, almond milk (or cream) and sugar and mix well. (This is where you could add the egg, if using.) Add in the cream cheese and vanilla. Beat well. Add the dry ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Right before assembling, prepare the fruit by mixing the berries, cornstarch and sugar. Mix well and allow to sit and get juicy.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour work surface. Roll out dough to 1/8” , lifting and rotating to prevent sticking. Use a round cutter or a bowl to create 5-6 inch circles. Transfer the circles of dough to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place several spoonfuls of fruit mixture on ½ of the circles. Fold dough over and crimp to seal edges.

Before placing in oven, you may give the pies an egg wash and sprinkle them with sugar. (I omitted this step.) Also, poke them with a sharp knife to release steam while baking.

Bake 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until brown. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Create a glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and almond milk. It should be thick enough to stick, but thin enough to drizzle from a spoon.

(printable recipe)

Pink Food for your Valentine’s Menu

What is it? I’ll give you three guesses……

Raspberry sorbet with raisins (that’s what it looks like to me)

Whipped frosting with candied cherries (this is the ‘throw-away’  option)

Roasted beet hummus with roasted beets (you guessed correctly!)

So, I’m sitting peacefully at home a few weeks ago, scrolling through my email and I came across this recipe. It was posted on a fellow Michigan blogger’s page…..well, she no longer lives in Michigan, but that’s another story. (click here to see Noelle’s blog).  I love hummus in a big way and I love beets in a huge way, so I knew this was for me. I actually jumped up from my chair and made it that morning!

Luckily, I had these gorgeous beets in the garage. I was literally eating this by the spoonful. No time for a dainty chip. The added benefit for me was the extra roasted beets to put on as a garnish….they were as sweet as candy…. And that’s no exaggeration!

I ate a HUGE amount for lunch and then slathered it on a pizza crust with a little feta cheese for dinner. HEAVEN!!

Here’s what you need: (I changed the original recipe quite a bit; my changes are reflected here.)

1 C roasted beets

About ¼ C olive oil

Sea salt

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 T tahini

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ C lemon juice

¼ C water (or more as needed)

Here’s what you do:

Roast the beets: peel and cube them. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt. Roast in 375  degree oven until soft. Mine took about 30 minutes. Allow them to cool for a bit.

Place all ingredients in a high powdered blender or Cuisinart and blend until smooth and creamy. (Do you know the trick of dropping a whole clove of garlic in the Cuisinart while it is going? Do it before you add any other ingredient. This produces great minced garlic!) 

Pumpkin Granola: Yes, I still have canned pumpkin!

Homemade granola is ridiculously easy to make at home, just takes the tiniest bit of time and effort. And the bonus? Great taste. It’s better for you too. This one is better for you at least; whole grain oatmeal, flax seed, pumpkin and almonds. Gotta steer clear of those granola recipes laden with oils and sugars.   Just take a second and read the calorie count on store bought granola and I bet I will convince you to try making it at home. This ones earns a 'heart-healthy' tag from me! 

And although it tastes great, you shouldn’t be adding chocolate chips to your so-called ‘healthy’ stuff--although I’ve been known to add a chip or two to my oatmeal. In fact, my next post is going to be a super healthy oatmeal breakfast bake with nuts, dried fruit, flax seed and yes, chocolate chips. Stay tuned.

How to eat granola? Sprinkled on yogurt or over ice cream, in a bowl with milk, or straight (my personal favorite). I actually have a tupperware of this stuff in the closet in my classroom as I write this. I love a good mid-morning snack!  You should see me shovel the stuff down. I do feel a tiny bit guilty as my students open their tiny packets of cookies and pop tarts while I dig in to my homemade goodness, but hey, I share.

This recipe comes from Liv Life. Check out the recipe here.

Here’s what you need: (do NOT let the long list scare you away!)

2 ½ C rolled oats

3 T flaxseed meal (I’m starting to use this stuff all time lately, just sprinkle it on where it seems tasty. I actually add it to smoothies and my morning oatmeal.)

1 handful whole raw almonds

¾ t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

1/8 t ginger

Pinch cloves

Pinch allspice

½ t sea salt (original recipe called for ¼ t salt)

1/3 C brown sugar

¼ C pumpkin puree (regular readers know my fondness for canned pumpkin!)

2-3 T corn oil (original recipe called for grape seed oil, which I don’t have)

2-3 T maple syrup (a secret ingredients to lots of stuff – don’t skimp here)

½ t vanilla

You add these in at the end:

1 handful dried cranberries

2-3 T salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds – so yum!)

Here’s what you do:

Mix the oatmeal, flaxseed, almonds,  cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt in a big bowl. Whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, syrup and vanilla. Mix it all together. Pour out onto a baking sheet which has been lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.  Stir. Bake 10 more. Stir. Bake 10 more. Stir. Allow to cool. Simple, right? When the granola has cooled down, add the cranberries and pepitas.

Your house will smell great – think Thanksgiving and Christmas and sitting by a roaring fire all rolled into one. 

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: Lemon Chicken

One Year Ago: Buckwheat Pancakes

One Year Ago: Chocolate Flan

Basic Hummus

Maybe some of you have figured out by now that I am a part-time Middle School geography teacher. (I also teach other classes, but let’s not get into that now. When you work at a small Lutheran school, you have to be flexible and able to teach/do lots of different things – keeps life interesting, I say!) My 7^th grade curriculum this year is the Eastern Hemisphere and we started at the logical beginning – the Middle East. Remember learning about Mesopotamia, the Cradle of Civilization?

I love to cook for my students. I know they learn tons about culture and places through taste. It’s a very powerful experience for them. Sometimes I go all out and make an entire meal: paella when studying Spain or turkey in mole sauce when studying Mexico. This week I kept it simple and made hummus. Admittedly, not all the kids like all the food I make, but it’s good for them to be exposed to it.

So this is my basic, basic hummus recipe. If you have never tasted hummus, you are in for a great treat. You can bump up the flavor by adding cumin or cayenne pepper, more garlic or even scallions. But we like it plain. If you have never used tahini, you will be surprised how unusual it is!

Healthy, low-fat and totally addicting! Dip Away!

Here’s what you need:

2 cans garbanzo beans (chick peas) well rinsed

6 T tahini

1 large clove garlic

6 T lemon juice

½ C water

1 t salt

Here’s what you do:

WHILE THE BLADE IS RUNNING, drop the garlic in a food processor. This is the best trick to get teeny pieces of garlic.  You can see the little specs in the photo.

Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Adjust water and seasonings. Mine here is a bit thick. Serve with crackers, pita, or sliced veggies. To make a beautiful presentation, you can drizzle olive oil over it and sprinkle a bit of paprika for color.

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: Texas Caviar
                          Tomato Press (this is a good post for those of you who love kitchen gadgets)

Spice Rack Challenge: Cumin (Edamame Hummus with Spiced Pita Chips)

My camera did no justice to the beautiful, beautiful color of this dip - trust me!

As you may know, I am participating in a monthly Spice Rack Challenge, hosted by Mother’s Kitchen. Her post announcing cumin as August’s spice is especially fun and interesting…. What do chickens, Ann Arbor and cumin have in common? Click here to find out!  

If you are a cumin lover (like me) then you will absolutely LOVE this dip and these pita chips. Both recipes can be found on  www.finecooking.com . Originally from Ellie Krieger, you know they will be excellent! We polished all this off in one day and I will definitely be making more soon.

Here’s what you need for the dip:

2 C edamame (I used fresh. You can also use frozen and cook according to package directions)

1 C silken tofu, drained

½ t salt

Black pepper to taste

1 ½ t cumin

3 cloves garlic

¼ C olive oil

1/3 C fresh lemon juice

Place everything in a food processor and blend until very smooth. (Do you know the trick of dropping the garlic cloves into the processor while it is running? The result is very finely minced garlic. No one wants to bite into a big piece of raw garlic, right?)

Here’s what you need for the chips:

6 whole wheat pita breads, cut into 6-8 wedges and split

¼ C olive oil

2 t cumin

1 t ground coriander

½ t cayenne pepper

1 t garlic powder

½ t black pepper

½ t salt

Combine the oil and spices in a bowl. Add the pita bread and use your hands to mix it well. Bake on 2 baking sheets at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the chips over after 7 minutes. 

(printable recipes)

One Year Ago: Pesto (need I say more?)

A Trio of Tasty Tidbits

Mini Florentine Cups, Cheddar Ham Cups and Chicken Taco Cups
(My 100th post)

Hors d’oeuvre. According to the dictionary (which I had to use to check on my spelling)  “out of the ordinary, apart from the main work, a relish or more elaborate preparation served before the first course of a meal.”

I also found this definition, which I love: “a small bit of appetizing food, as spicy meat, fish, cheese, or a preparation of chopped or creamed foods, often served on crackers or small pieces of toast, for eating at cocktail parties or other gatherings where drinks are served with no other food.”  I love how in this official definition they mention specifically where to eat hors d’oeuvres – at a cocktail party or gathering where drinks are served. Don’t let that scare you away from eating them any old night of the week. They make a great casual dinner, with or without drinks.

The recipes below come from two cookbooks I recently purchased: “Kraft Philadelphia Cheesecakes and More” and “Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes.” I tweaked them each a tiny bit. Isn’t it fun that each hors d’oeuvre used something different for its ‘cup’? The spinach cup uses turkey, which I thought would never work, but it is outstanding! These were probably my favorite of the three and I love that they are carb free. They reheated beautifully and made an excellent cold lunch the next day.

The cheddar ham hors d’oeuvre uses a biscuit for its cup, so you know how good those are. Tender, cheesy, a bit chewy. These were my son’s favorites – a great after school snack the next day. These also reheated beautifully.

The chicken taco uses a wonton wrapper for its cup – you can find wontons in the produce department of larger grocery stores. Super easy and super fun to use. They were really crisp and chewy. These could be garnished with black olives, jalapenos, green onions or even more cheese. Really, really fun! We all loved these!

Mini Florentine Cups (makes 24)

1  9 ounce package frozen chopped spinach-thawed, and well drained

½ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 Cup low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese)

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

24 slices Oscar Mayer Deli Style Shaved Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Allow the spinach to thaw for a while and then run hot water over it through a wire sieve. When all the icy parts are thawed, squeeze every drop of water out of it. Using a fork, mix together all the ingredients (except turkey). This takes some elbow grease, but be persistent. Arrange the turkey carefully in ungreased mini muffin tins. Divide the cheese mixture evenly between the ‘turkey cups’ – I resorted to using my hands because the mixture was way too stubborn for spoons. Bake 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Cheddar Ham Cups (makes 2 ½ dozen)

2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

5 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, finely diced

3 slices bacon, diced and fried until crisp

½ Cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tube refrigerated flaky biscuits (10.2 ounces)

Cut each biscuit into thirds and press each tiny section into ungreased mini muffin tins, using your fingers and thumbs to press them up the sides. Mix the remaining ingredients and divide evenly between the biscuit cups. One important note: if you are using a nonstick pan, these will come out like a dream. I don’t recommend an aluminum pan because the cups won’t come out nicely. (I know this from experience!) Bake 9-11 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Allow to rest in the pan for a few minutes before removing.

Chicken Taco Cups (makes about 36)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 package low-sodium taco seasoning

1 small onion, diced

2 C red salsa

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

36 wonton wrappers

Stir the chicken cubes and taco seasoning until well blended. Cook chicken until juices run clear- about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to food processor and process until finely chopped.  In a bowl, combine chicken, salsa, onion, and cheese.

Press wontons in greased mini muffin tins and bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees or until lightly browned. (Peek in the oven and make sure the wontons don’t fall in on themselves – you want them to remain wide open.)

Remove from oven and fill with chicken mixture. Bake for another 15 minutes or until warmed through. Garnish as desired.

I think all three of these would be great served not only as hors d’oeuvres or as a light dinner but at a breakfast buffet or with a salad luncheon. The Cheddar Ham Cups and the Chicken Taco Cups both froze and reheated perfectly. Enjoy these! 

my maple nut snack mix

Have you ever poked around the General Mills website and seen how many recipes there are for Chex Mix? Sweet, salty, savory, chocolate and even gluten free. There must be 100 different types! Of course, everyone has had the original recipe and I’m betting that if you have kids then you have made Muddy Buddies. (chocolate and powdered sugar) That was a favorite when my kids were young. It was the standard treat which they all loved to take to school on their birthdays.

This is a combo I stumbled upon when I mixed a few suggestions from standard recipes and the ingredients from my pantry. I’d say it’s the new favorite of my kids who have grown past the powdered sugar phase. Enjoy.

Here’s what you need:

3 C honey O’s cereal

3 C rice chex shape cereal

2 C fish shaped pretzels or butter flavored pretzels (extra yummy)

1 C pecan halves

2 T sesame seeds

½ C real maple syrup

½ stick real butter

Here’s what you do:

Mix the snack ingredients. Melt the syrup and butter. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well with two huge spoons.

Turn out onto a greased baking sheet. Bake 250 degrees for 40 minutes.

(printable recipe)

Have you ever tried the Buffalo Chex Mix snack? It’s super spicy!

honey pecan loaf

This honey pecan bread is a brand new recipe. Well, new to me at least. I found it in an old cookbook called “Soupcon [pronounced 'soup's on'] – Seasonal Samplings from the Junior League of Chicago,” copyright 1974. I own a few Junior League cookbooks, and they never let me down. My Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole comes from a Detroit Junior League Cookbook, and that casserole never lets me down either!   I would imagine that if a person is going to submit a recipe to be published in a substantial cookbook, chances are it will be pretty good. I’ll be making more things from “Soupcon.”

This was really, really good toasted and slathered with orange marmalade. We’ve been munching on it all week. It would be perfect served with a salad or soup luncheon. Very unusual.

Here’s what you need:

¾ C milk (I always use skim)

¼ C orange juice

1 t grated orange zest

1 C honey

¼ C sugar ( I think this could be eliminated….)

¼ C butter

2 eggs

2 ¼ C flour

1 t baking soda

½ slat

½ cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

1/8 t cloves

1 C chopped pecans

¼ C brown sugar

½ t cinnamon

¼ chopped pecans

Here’s what you do:

Combine milk, orange juice, zest, honey, sugar and butter in a sauce pan. Heat and stir until all melted together. Cool. 

Stir honey mixture into eggs a tiny bit at a time so the eggs don’t ‘scramble.’ Mix very well after each addition.

Add dry ingredients to honey mixture: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. 

Stir in 1 C of pecans.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.

For the topping: Mix the remaining nuts with the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the bread.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool bread in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Mine was just the tiniest bit over baked…. bummer….. so watch yours closely.

(printable recipe)

What are some of your favorite quick breads to make? Ever get tired of always making banana bread?