Herbed Lentils and Quinoa (or Rice)

I also make this with organic brown rice instead of quinoa. I like the quinoa best and the family seemed to like it better than rice as well. This dish can be adapted to be vegetarian or even vegan.

Herbed Lentils and Quinoa

2 & 2/3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/2 cup dry quinoa or dry brown rice
3/4 cup chopped onion (I omit for the sake of the children)
1/4 cup dry white wine (or extra broth or water)
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss, Parmesan, or cheddar cheese (or a mixture)

Method: Mix together broth, lentils, quinoa OR brown rice, onion, wine, basil, salt, thyme, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour into small greased casserole dish.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Remove from oven. Top with cheese and return to oven until cheese melts.

Here is a dip of the lentils and quinoa along with my favorite asparagus simply lightly sauteed in coconut oil and sprinkled with fresh ground salt and pepper, dilled baked tilapia, and cheese souffle. 

Back Again with Simple Supper thoughts

Okay Friends,

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted recipes. I am back!

Besides ordinary suppers and occasional culinary masterpieces, I have been focusing on something our family has termed "Simple Supper Nights." We choose one night a week for simple suppers.

On these nights, like tonight, everyone gets to choose from a simple variety of staples. The children often choose a bowl of cereal with fresh fruit, homemade granola with Greek yogurt, or a fried egg and a biscuit or piece of toast. Lee and I often have some variation of an egg sandwich or sometimes I have a smoothie. Simple suppers give me a night off from cooking (well mostly) and everyone is happy because they chose what they wanted to eat.

My simple supper this evening was a half a slice of naan bread, 1 tablespoon spinach artichoke hummus, 1 egg, 3 stalks asparagus, 1/4 orange bell pepper, and 5 grape tomatoes halved.

I put 1 tablespoon of good quality coconut oil in the skillet, sauteed the veggies, moved them to the side of the skillet, fried the egg, moved that to the top of the veggies so it wouldn't get overcooked, then put the naan bread in the skillet to brown on both sides. Once browned, I placed the naan bread on a plate, smeared the hummus on top, then the egg, the sauteed veggies on top.

P.S. This makes a great breakfast too!

You can use any combination of veggies, hummus, mayo, mustard, cheese, whatever sounds good. No rules for this one. Let me know if you try it and what you think!

What do you do for simple suppers?

Best Homemade Granola Bars Ever

These have completely replaced store-bought granola bars in our house (except when I run out of time to make them.) But we LOVE them and vary the nuts and dried fruit so we have variety. I double the recipe. Don't let the steps intimidate you. Once you make them for the first time, it is a breeze. I got the recipe from www.debbiekoenig.com.

See the original recipe link here... 

Chewy Quinoa Granola Bars
Adapted from Inspired Taste
Makes 12
ETA in response to reader requests: If you’ve got nut allergy issues (in your family or at school), swap the almond butter for sunbutter, and the sliced almonds for a bit more rolled oats and quinoa. You could also replace the almonds with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or coconut, if those work for your needs.
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper—cut the piece big enough to have paper hanging over the sides a bit.

1. Spread oats, almonds, and quinoa in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, shaking and stirring once or twice, until oats and almonds are golden-brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the dried cherries.
2. Put the honey, nut butter, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fully combined and bubbly. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture over the contents of the mixing bowl and stir well—be careful, since that liquid is quite hot. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in all but a handful of the chocolate chips (set that handful aside). Don’t worry if they melt a bit.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Spread as evenly as you can, then lay a piece of parchment paper over the top and press with your hands—smooth and flatten firmly. Don’t be afraid to press hard, in order to create solid bars that won’t fall apart. Remove the parchment and scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the bars.
5. Refrigerate until completely chilled, then use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the entire block of bars at once. Cut into 12 bars—I like to wrap them individually, to make them easy to toss into Harry’s lunchbox, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Straight from the fridge they’re quite firm, but by lunchtime they’re perfect. (I imagine you could freeze them, too, and let them defrost in your kid’s lunchbox.)

- See more at: http://debbiekoenig.com/2013/10/26/chewy-quinoa-granola-bars-picky-eater-lunchbox/#sthash.795VKKJF.dpuf

Chewy Quinoa Granola Bars
Adapted from Inspired Taste
Makes 12
ETA in response to reader requests: If you’ve got nut allergy issues (in your family or at school), swap the almond butter for sunbutter, and the sliced almonds for a bit more rolled oats and quinoa. You could also replace the almonds with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or coconut, if those work for your needs.
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper—cut the piece big enough to have paper hanging over the sides a bit.

1. Spread oats, almonds, and quinoa in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, shaking and stirring once or twice, until oats and almonds are golden-brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the dried cherries.
2. Put the honey, nut butter, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fully combined and bubbly. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture over the contents of the mixing bowl and stir well—be careful, since that liquid is quite hot. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in all but a handful of the chocolate chips (set that handful aside). Don’t worry if they melt a bit.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Spread as evenly as you can, then lay a piece of parchment paper over the top and press with your hands—smooth and flatten firmly. Don’t be afraid to press hard, in order to create solid bars that won’t fall apart. Remove the parchment and scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the bars.
5. Refrigerate until completely chilled, then use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the entire block of bars at once. Cut into 12 bars—I like to wrap them individually, to make them easy to toss into Harry’s lunchbox, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Straight from the fridge they’re quite firm, but by lunchtime they’re perfect. (I imagine you could freeze them, too, and let them defrost in your kid’s lunchbox.)

- See more at: http://debbiekoenig.com/2013/10/26/chewy-quinoa-granola-bars-picky-eater-lunchbox/#sthash.795VKKJF.dpuf

Chewy Quinoa Granola Bars

2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup almond (or nut butter of your choice or sunflower seed butter)
1/4 cup butter, cut into pats (sometimes I use coconut oil)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Method: Spread oats, quinoa, and almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Shake or stir twice. Transfer to large mixing bowl and add dried chopped cherries.

Put the honey, nut butter, butter or coconut oil, brown sugar, and salt in medium sauce pan and heat, stirring until fully combined and bubbly. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over oats/quinoa mixture. Be careful because the sauce is hot. Stir well and allow mixture to cool slightly. Add all but a handful of the chocolate chips. It is okay if the melt a little.

Transfer mixture to an 8X8 square baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread as best you can. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and press the bars hard with your hands. Remove the top parchment paper and scatter remaining chocolate chips on top.

Refrigerate until completely chilled. I use the overlaying parchment paper to turn the bars out onto a clean cutting board to cut into squares. Can be wrapped individually for lunches and snacks. YUM!

Chewy Quinoa Granola Bars
Adapted from Inspired Taste
Makes 12
ETA in response to reader requests: If you’ve got nut allergy issues (in your family or at school), swap the almond butter for sunbutter, and the sliced almonds for a bit more rolled oats and quinoa. You could also replace the almonds with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or coconut, if those work for your needs.
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper—cut the piece big enough to have paper hanging over the sides a bit.

1. Spread oats, almonds, and quinoa in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, shaking and stirring once or twice, until oats and almonds are golden-brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the dried cherries.
2. Put the honey, nut butter, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fully combined and bubbly. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture over the contents of the mixing bowl and stir well—be careful, since that liquid is quite hot. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in all but a handful of the chocolate chips (set that handful aside). Don’t worry if they melt a bit.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Spread as evenly as you can, then lay a piece of parchment paper over the top and press with your hands—smooth and flatten firmly. Don’t be afraid to press hard, in order to create solid bars that won’t fall apart. Remove the parchment and scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the bars.
5. Refrigerate until completely chilled, then use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the entire block of bars at once. Cut into 12 bars—I like to wrap them individually, to make them easy to toss into Harry’s lunchbox, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Straight from the fridge they’re quite firm, but by lunchtime they’re perfect. (I imagine you could freeze them, too, and let them defrost in your kid’s lunchbox.)

- See more at: http://debbiekoenig.com/2013/10/26/chewy-quinoa-granola-bars-picky-eater-lunchbox/#sthash.795VKKJF.dpuf

Chewy Quinoa Granola Bars
Adapted from Inspired Taste
Makes 12
ETA in response to reader requests: If you’ve got nut allergy issues (in your family or at school), swap the almond butter for sunbutter, and the sliced almonds for a bit more rolled oats and quinoa. You could also replace the almonds with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or coconut, if those work for your needs.
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper—cut the piece big enough to have paper hanging over the sides a bit.

1. Spread oats, almonds, and quinoa in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, shaking and stirring once or twice, until oats and almonds are golden-brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the dried cherries.
2. Put the honey, nut butter, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fully combined and bubbly. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture over the contents of the mixing bowl and stir well—be careful, since that liquid is quite hot. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in all but a handful of the chocolate chips (set that handful aside). Don’t worry if they melt a bit.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Spread as evenly as you can, then lay a piece of parchment paper over the top and press with your hands—smooth and flatten firmly. Don’t be afraid to press hard, in order to create solid bars that won’t fall apart. Remove the parchment and scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the bars.
5. Refrigerate until completely chilled, then use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the entire block of bars at once. Cut into 12 bars—I like to wrap them individually, to make them easy to toss into Harry’s lunchbox, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Straight from the fridge they’re quite firm, but by lunchtime they’re perfect. (I imagine you could freeze them, too, and let them defrost in your kid’s lunchbox.)

- See more at: http://debbiekoenig.com/2013/10/26/chewy-quinoa-granola-bars-picky-eater-lunchbox/#sthash.795VKKJF.dpuf

Herb Bread

I tried this last night for the first time. Our 5-year-old son, Eli, said it was the bestest bread in the whole wide world. I made turkey sandwiches for my husband's and son's lunches with slices of this bread today and they looked delicious! I am making egg salad (find recipe here) today to spread on this bread for yummy sandwiches tomorrow.

I got this recipe from A+ Recipes From Hickory Hollow Christian School, page 30, submitted by Joyce (Falb) Showalter.

Herb Bread

3 cups warm water
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic granules (I used a heaping teaspoon of Wildtree's Garlic Galore Blend)
5 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons (dry) yeast
2 Tablespoon basil flakes
3 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
8 cups flour (1/2 whole wheat and half white, or your preference. I used 3 cups wheat and 5 white.)

Method: Combine warm water and yeast. Add sugar, oil, salt, and herbs. Mix well. Add flour until no longer sticky. Knead until smooth. Let rise until double. Punch down. Let rise again. Place shaped loaves into 3 greased 5X9 inch loaf pans. Let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.  Yield: 3 loaves.

Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

Okay, here's the plain hard truth, I do not have enough skill to make meat loaf LOOK attractive and appetizing, but I can assure you that if Southern Comfort Food is on your radar, you should definitely give this meat loaf twist a try! I balanced out the calories by serving roasted cauliflower and steamed butternut squash seasoned with melted butter and salt and pepper. I also served fresh veggies for the kiddos.  Let me know if you try this meatloaf recipe and what you think. (I got this recipe from the Hickory Hollow Christian School A+ Recipes, page 101, submitted by my very good friend and classmate, Deborah Heatwole.)

Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

1/2 cup Ketchup, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs or oatmeal (I used rolled oats)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoon dill pickle relish or chopped dill pickle (I did more like 2 tablespoons)
4 slices American cheese or 1/2 cup grated cheddar (I used cheddar)

Method: Mix 1/4 cup of ketchup, egg, onion powder, bread crumbs OR oatmeal, whichever you are using. Add ground beef. Mix well. Pat half of meat mixture into a loaf pan. Spread with ketchup, mustard, dill pickles, and then top with cheese. Carefully add remaining meat mixture on top. Spread out and seal edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Garnish top with American cheese triangles or a drizzle of ketchup if desired. (I added another 1/4 cup of grated cheddar and allowed it to just start melting before cutting and serving.)

Yield: 6 servings

25 Cent Memories - Priceless (Hot Cocoa Recipe)

The more my world expands, the more I become all about the little things. Today I stopped by Goodwill and besides snatching up 7 pairs of pants for Eli, I found two Christmas mugs for .25 a piece. When Eli got home from school, I made homemade hot cocoa for Eli and Elsie and served it up in their "new" very own mugs while Christmas tunes played in the background.

I know, I know, Thanksgiving isn't even here yet, but in our household we celebrate Christmas and Give Thanks all season long.

One would have thought it was Christmas morning by the delight in the children's voices as they helped make and then drink the hot cocoa. The afternoon's activities generated smiles and created memories that cannot be bought; not for .25, not for a million dollars... Its the small stuff.

Here's the hot cocoa recipe from my childhood memory. I think it is also on the side of the Hershey's Cocoa Powder box. (I use "Special Dark" cocoa powder so it is not on there, but regular is great too.)

Homemade Hot Cocoa

2 cups milk
1/8 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
Splash of vanilla flavoring
A very slight pinch of salt

Pour milk into heavy-bottom sauce pan. Add cocoa powder and stir until blended. Add sugar and heat slowly. Add vanilla and salt. (This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.)

To make it really special serve with mini marshmallows or place a peppermint stick or candy cane in the mug when serving.

Peanut Butter Snowballs/Protein Snacks

These are so easy and yummy and can be healthy in small doses :) And kids LOVE them!

Peanut Butter Snowballs/Protein Snacks

1 cup dry powdered milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter

Mix well. Shape into balls. Enjoy.

Homemade Soft Pretzels with Cheese and Honey Mustard Sauces

We usually have popcorn, fresh veggies and fruit, and sometimes leftovers for Sunday night supper, but occasionally we go all out and make the delicious pretzels. The kids think it is the best fun they could ever have to roll out the "snakes" and try to shape their own pretzels. If you try these, I'd love to hear your experiences. How did they turn out? Were kids involved? Don't let the steps intimidate you. Just relax and have fun and enjoy some family time doing "the pretzel twist."

You can easily half this recipe. Full recipe makes about 18 medium-sized pretzels. You can also half the sauce recipes for a smaller crowd.

Soft Pretzels

3 cups warm water (very warm)
2 Tablespoons dry yeast
2/3 cup brown sugar
10 cups flour
Mix these ingredients together in a bowl and let rise 5 minutes. Roll out pretzels. Not sure how to explain shaping them... Take small pieces of dough and roll out each piece like a snake and twist into the shape of a pretzel.

3 cups boiling water
3 Tablespoons baking soda
Boil the water in a heavy-bottom skillet on the stove top. Add baking soda. Quickly dip pretzels into soda water making sure the whole pretzel gets wet. Remove with a fork or metal spatula and place onto greased cookie sheets. Bake the pretzels at 425 degrees for about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. You can sprinkle with coarse salt or if you want a sweet pretzel coat with a cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cheese Sauce

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar or Colby cheese
1 teaspoon mustard
salt to taste

In a 2-quart sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour and stir until bubbly. Slowly add milk and stir until thick and bubbly. Add cheese, mustard, and salt and stir until smooth. Serve warm with fresh sift pretzels.

Honey Mustard Sauce

1 and 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
1/2 (or a tad more) honey

Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate. (This is great with chicken and on salads too.)

NOTE: All three of these recipes come from page #41 of the A+ Recipes from Hickory Hollow Christian School cookbook. This is the school I attended as a child. The cookbook is filled with so many great recipes, some that are more healthy and some that cater to the meat, potatoes, and gravy crowd. I highly recommend this cookbook for personal use or for Christmas gifts. If you are not sure where to find one, I can get you in touch with the right people. Eat up and ENJOY!

Warm French Lentils and Sunday Ramblings

I don't usually cook on Sundays. I cook every other day of the week so nearly every Sunday after attending church at Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren, we stop at Dairy Queen and all four of us split a 6-piece chicken strip basket. Since that is usually the only time we eat out during the week and the four of us split one meal, I don't feel guilty about it. Sunday evenings we always have air-popped popcorn and fresh veggies and fruits for snacking. Growing up, Sunday lunch was the biggest meal of the week for us and was always made from scratch and included all food groups. Those memories are special, but it is fun creating traditions for our own family.

Today, however, was different. I was home with Eli because he was coughing and sneezing a lot. I made lunch for us here and used THIS RECIPE. The Warm French Lentils were fabulous, but the Tablespoon of salt has to be a misprint! I used just a pinch of salt. Aside from the salt, I followed the recipe exactly. One problem I ran into was wanting to eat all of the leeks and carrots before the lentils were cooked lol. I was a little leery after I mixed the dressing and dipped a pinky in to taste... seemed like an odd combination. But after the dish was assembled, it was a winner, hands down! I wanted to eat the whole dish by myself, but felt obligated to share. :) It is on the "Make Again Soon" list here.

Because I was home and we needed bread for the week I made a batch of whole wheat dinner rolls, two loaves of whole wheat English muffin bread, and a batch of our favorite sugar cookies for "dessert" for the week. I also froze some of the sugar cookies for our Sadie Rose Foundation Support Meeting this Friday. 

Again, here is the link to the Warm French Lentils. I hope you and yours love them as much as we did!

Warm French Lentils

 The children also enjoyed making "apple teeth" with apples, peanut butter, raisins, and marshmallows.

 This evening we enjoyed our popcorn supper and hot cocoa around the fire pit in our back yard.

Our dog, Sampson, loves when the children "share."

What "Sunday traditions did you have growing up? Have you established meal traditions for your own family?

Chickpea Nuggets your family will love!

I made these chickpea nuggets in place of chicken nuggets for supper this evening and the consistency, texture and taste were awesome. If I hadn't told the kids they were not chicken nuggets, they would have never made the distinction. But so simple, healthy and more than tasty enough for all the picky palates in the family.

Chickpea Nuggets

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or dried chickpeas cooked until tender)
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
Seasoning of choice (I used Wildtree's Rockin Moroccan Rub)
1/2 cup flour
1 large egg

Method: Pulse chickpeas and onion in food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until mostly smooth. Heat 1/4 inch oil of your choice in skillet and heat medium high. Using a table spoon, dollop into nugget-size pieces in the skillet and fry until golden brown on both sides. Serve with your favorite "nugget" sauces. (I used Greek yogurt with Wildtree's Java Rub mixed in for my dipping. The husband and children used ketchup and BBQ.) YUM!

Wonderful Fresh Fruit Dip

I pulled out an old Every Day with Rachel Ray and came across this creamy fruit dip recipe. Besides the fact that I had all the ingredients on hand that made it wonderful, the fresh taste had all of us digging in for more. (Even the children!) 

Creamy Fruit Dip

1 Cup Sour Cream (I used Greek Yogurt)

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice plus 1/4 teaspoon orange zest 

Salt and pepper 

Mix all ingredients together and serve with fresh apples, pears and pineapple or your choice I fresh fruit. (Melon and grapes would be great with this too!) 

Basil Parmesan Chicken Salad

I am always looking for new ways to make an ordinary dish into something spectacular. For me, this one was a real winner! These ingredients are approximate, so increase or decrease to taste and desired consistency.

Basil Parmesan Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked, diced/shredded chicken
About 2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves (more or less to taste), plus 1 Tablespoon water to process
1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise (more if needed)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Dash of salt and pepper (I used Wildtree's Rancher Steak Rub

Method: Place diced chicken in a medium mixing bowl. Process basil leaves and just enough water to mince in a blender or smoothie maker. Process until very finely chopped, but not pureed. Pour onto chicken and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well and refrigerate for an hour or more. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil. Serve on Italian Herb Bread.

(For the bread, I made my favorite whole wheat recipe and shaped 2/3 of it into a regular loaf and made a disc with the remaining 1/3. I placed the disc in a greased round cake pan and brushed the top with Wildtree's Basil Pesto Grapeseed Oil and sprinkled with Wildtree's Tuscany Bread Dipper Seasoning. Then I cut it into triangles to serve with the chicken salad. It was scrumptious!!!!)

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

I made these for a source of something sweet and dense during my 30-day Eat Clean challenge. I have always put oatmeal and sweet into the same category, so it threw me when I tasted the batter and it was NOT sweet. I was tempted to add some maple syrup or honey or raw sugar, but instead, I added enough currants and raisins that it sweetened it up for me that way.

I made an extra batch since I was dirtying the dishes anyway and put them in the freezer to get out as I want them.

The only thing I did differently than the recipe calls for was used Wildtree's butter flavored grapeseed oil instead of canola oil, I used whole flax seeds instead of ground and I added chopped pecans. Now that I have adjusted to no added sugar, I am enjoying them a lot. I got the recipe from Sparkpeople.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

1 Cup dry old fashioned oatmeal
1 Cup unsweetened applesauce (I make my own all the time)
1/2 Cup almond milk (unsweetend) Can use other milk if desired
2 egg whites, beaten
2 Tablespoon ground flax seed
2 Tablespoons plus one teaspoon of canola (or grapeseed) oil
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 Cup whole wheat flour
1/4 Cup dried cranberries, cherries and/or raisins

Method: Preheat oven to 350* F. Prepare muffin tin by lining with paper or silicone liners. I greased them with coconut oil.

Combine Oatmeal, applesauce, milk, eggs, flax and and oil in medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, including dried fruit. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into it. Stir until all ingredients are just combined.

Divide batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Avocado Salad Dressing

I am in a 30 Eat Clean challenge where everything I eat for 30 days has to be unprocessed. That requires creativity, but the group involved in the challenge is sharing great recipes! Here's my version of my new favorite salad dressing shared on that site. 

1 Avocado 

1/2 teaspoon (or more) chili powder (the best chili powder I've ever had is Wildtree's Leslie's chili blend! 

1 1/2 Tbsp olive or grapeseed oil

Juice of  half a lime (I used whole one)

1/4 Cup fresh cilantro

Hot sauce to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Approximately 1/2 cup water

Add everything except the water in a blender or smoothie maker and purée. Pour in water until desires thickness. 

Regina's Sausage Gravy

I have been making sausage gravy since I was a young teen. Over the years I have tweaked my recipe to this below. The recipe is requested every time I serve it. I believe that part of that is the combination of seasonings and the other reason is because of the method.

I never measure ingredients for the gravy so I am giving it my best guess. Adjust to you liking or as necessary. The picture below was obviously a large batch to feed a crowd. This is great for Easter Sunrise breakfasts.

Regina's Sausage Gravy

1 pound ground sausage
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon or more garlic powder
A shake of onion powder (Instead of using these two separate ingredients, I use about a 1/2 teaspoon of Wildtree Rancher Steak Rub.)
A quart or more of milk
A dash of hot sauce (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Brown sausage slowly in skillet, breaking apart any large clumps. (I like it really fine.) I do this at medium low heat.

Turn burner temperature up a little higher for the rest of the process.

Do not drain sausage. Add flour to sausage in skillet and stir to coat. Add seasonings, but not hot sauce. Continue to stir until flour starts browning.

Add milk, stirring constantly. Either have additional milk or some water handy to thin if needed. Continue stirring until gravy has reached desired thickness. Add hot sauce. Add more milk (I usually use water) to thin if needed. If it does not thicken as you would like, take an additional 1/4 cup flour, mix with cold water until all clumps are stirred out and add to gravy. Just remember, gravy always thickens as it stands.

Serve with biscuits or pancakes.

Fruit Pizza

This is a beautiful tasty treat that will have your guests and family asking for more... AND the recipe.
This recipe can easily be doubled and can be fun for theme parties. For Christmas, use red and green fruit, for July 4th, red and blue. You can also use star fruit for something different.

Fruit Pizza

Crust:
1 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg or 2 small (if doubling recipe use 3 eggs)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Filling:
2 cups whipped cream
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Optional - 4 teaspoons of Wildtree's very berry cheesecake blend

Fruit:
Your choice entirely! This one has kiwi, strawberries and blueberries. Use your creativity and imagination. We also love peaches, mango, papaya, and kiwi for the fruit. Mandarin oranges, pears, pineapple chucks or slices and halved grapes are also yummy. (Frozen blueberries are not recommended.)

Optional - Glaze: 
The pizza above does not have the glaze on it.
Juice drained from mandarin oranges plus enough water added to ale 1 1/4 cup liquid. (Or you could just use orange juice mixed with water.)
1 1/4 Tablespoon cornstarch
sugar to taste

Method: Mix together the ingredients for the dough. Roll out into a jelly roll pan or on a large round pizza stone. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until slightly golden. Do not overbake.

Cool the crust

Mix together filling ingredients and spread on cooled crust.

Top with sliced fruit.

For glaze, heat the mandarin orange juice, cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until thickened. Cool. Pour over sliced fruit.

Quick and Easy Chicken Salad

You can vary this recipe SO many ways. Use your imagination with the ingredients in your cabinet and enjoy. Just don't eat bland chicken salad ever again. :)

2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded (Use leftover grilled chicken breast for added flavor or even use canned. Your choice.)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream

Now here's where it gets fun. For this recipe, I used 2 Tablespoons Wildtree Absolutely Onion Blend (similar in nature to Lipton's onion soup mix) and about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Wildtree Dill Dip Blend. I enjoyed my husband's raves from this combination.

Use whatever seasonings you like from your own spice cabinet. Just zest it up with something.

You can also add finely chopped celery and/or onion for a little crunch. Sometimes I use milder seasonings (like Wildtree Opa! Greek Seasoning) and add grapes (quartered), chopped walnuts and the smallest amount of bleu cheese.

Mix, refrigerate for a minimum of 1/2 hour so flavors can blend and enjoy!

Wyoming Bars

I just tried these for the first time and they were a big hit. I think these are a good compromise for something sweet but not to unhealthy. I will use them for packing lunches.

I got the recipe from A+ Recipes from Hickory Hollow School.

Wyoming Bars

2/3 cup butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (I used sunflower seed butter)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups rolled (old fashioned) oats
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

I also added
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In large saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Blend in sugars, peanut butter and eggs. Mix until smooth. Cool. Add remaining ingredients. Dough will be somewhat sticky. Press into greased jelly roll pan (I use coconut oil to grease most of my pans.) Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Lunch

A vegetable salad with mixed greens, chopped yellow bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, Feta cheese and Wildtree's honey Dijon dressing and dipping sauce.

To drink... Yogi Raspberry passion perfect energy tea.

Buttermilk Pancakes

A little late on sharing this for Shrove Tuesday, but this is what we had for dinner tonight.

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons oil (I use Wildtree Butter flavored grapeseed oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg

Optional: After pouring the batter onto the griddle in individual cakes, drop a few chocolate chips or fresh blueberries on top before flipping them over to come te the frying.

Mix all together. Fry on griddle or non-stick skillet.