Spicy Pear Compote

This is from Veronic Southby's canning book and our 5/21 enrichment night!

1 Cup canned Whole Cranberry Sauce
3 Tbs. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 pint (16 oz) canned pears
2 medium oranges, peeled, sliced and halved

In a medium saucepan combine canned cranberry sauce, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ginger; bring mixture to boiling. Drain pears, reserving 1/4 cup syrup. Cut pears in half lengthwise. Add pear quarters, orange slices, and the reserved pear syrup to cranberry mixture in saucepan; stir gently. Return to boiling. Reduce heat;cover and let simmer 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Spoon fruit into serving dishes. Serves 6.

Banana Bread (no sugar!)

INGREDIENTS
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup mashed bananas
* 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup hot water
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, and mix well. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then add to batter. Blend in chopped nuts. Spread batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing.

Fiber Bars

Ingredients

* 2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned)
* 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or stoneground spelt flour)
* 1 cup wheat germ
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
* 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
* 1/2 cup oil (neutral flavor like sunflower)
* 1/2 cup honey
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses (optional)
* 1 cup sugar-free applesauce, thick

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (including oats) and whisk together until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until well blended.
4. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and blend gently until well moistened.
5. Add any of the suggested additions (add up to 2 cups of any of the following): chocolate chips, raisins (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained), unsweetened shredded coconut, sunflower seeds (unsalted), pumpkin seeds (unsalted), dried fruit (like chopped apricots, cranberries), chopped toasted nuts.
6. Press mixture into pan a 9in x 13in pan.
7. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Cut into bars while warm, but let cool completely before removing from pan.

Veggie Burgers

That's right, Veggie Burgers. No, Josh and I aren't getting all Tofu on ya, but once and awhile I like a vegetarian treat - they can be flavorful, cheaper than meat, better for you, and a fun way to shake things up. This recipe seemed right up our alley since it is based on black beans and rice, no weird soy products, and even cheats on the vegetarian aspect of this meal since it uses chicken broth for flavor. I'm not saying that this will be a new family classic, but it was a yummy departure from a traditional summer BBQ.This is actually a 2 part recipe, so we'll start with beans & rice:

For beans and rice, in a 10-inch skillet cook 1/2 cup finely chopped onion until tender, just a few minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice; stir for 1 minute. Add 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to med-low. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Stir in 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained. Heat through. Makes 2 cups.

Veggie Burgers

2 Tbs. finely chopped carrot

2 Tbs. finely chopped red pepper

2 Tbs. frozen whole kernel corn

1.5 cups cooked beans and rice*

1 egg yolk

fine dry bread crumbs

Instructions: Combine carrot, corn, and red pepper in a small microwave safe bowl, cover with loose saran wrap and microwave on high for about 2 minutes until softened. Meanwhile place beans and rice in a larger mixing bowl and mash. Stir in the veggies and egg yolk until well combined. Using your hands form a small palm size ball of the bean-veggie mixture. Roll ball in the bread crumbs then flatten to the size of a burger patty. Repeat until all of the mixture is used, makes about 4 patties. Cook veggie patties in a skillet on med-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until they reach desired doneness. Serve in hamburger buns with all of your favorite hamburger toppings.

*Some fun ideas - before cooking time ends on burgers add some grated cheese and cover with pan lid four about a minute to make veggie cheeseburgers. Top with lettuce, tomato, A1 sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, whatever you like! I also had one patty in a lettuce wrap and it was great!

Kim's "Easy as Pie" Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is an American classic, and one that my husband loves. But, pot pie can be a lot of work, so I threw together this simple way to make it that is wonderful the first and second time eating it.

Kim's "Easy as Pie" Chicken Pot Pie
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked, shredded
20 oz frozen mixed veggies
1 1/2 cans reduced fat cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. milk
3/4 Tbs onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 box prepared, refrigerated pie crusts (there's 2 in a box)

Directions: If not using leftover chicken, I'd suggest boiling it ahead of time. Boiling is an easy way to cook chicken, make it moist, easily shredable, and doesn't add fat or calories. Allow the veggies to thaw slightly, then mix all ingredients except crust in a large mixing bowl. Unroll the first pie crust and press it to sides of a pie dish (glass preferred). Add filling mixture until evenly dispersed in the crust. Top with second pie crust and pinch sides inward to close. Cut venting slits. Bake according to package directions (generally that's around 425 degrees for 60-90 minutes until done).

Special notes: Sometimes I have some of the sauce escape, so to save yourself a dirty oven, put the pie dish on top of a cookie or pizza pan. Also, if you're out of foil, or just hate to make the tents for crust, you can cover the whole pie with an oven-safe plate, then remove it after a half hour so the top can cook.I am a HUGE recipe finder, and love to blog my discoveries. I have lots up on my family blog that can be found at rowofhedges.blogspot.com, and searched with topics on the right side bar. Happy Cooking!

Island Punch (from pass the plate)

I got this recipe from Sis. Ratliff. It is oh so refreshing and really easy to make!

1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice

1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 liters lemon-line flavored carbonated beverage

1. In an empty gallon milk jug or pitcher, pour pineapple juice and orange juice concentrate. Shake to mix and pour in the lemon-lime soda. You may need to let the fizz settle and then return to pouring. This will fill the gallon. Freeze overnight.

* if using a pitcher, pour some into another container to give room to expand in pitcher w/o breaking it.*

2. Let the punch start to thaw 2 or 3 hours before serving. Serve slushy.

Enjoy!

pineapple drop cookies

This recipe is from Ruth W., from Lauren S.'s home ward, in Aberdeen, SD.

Ingredients

1 c butter or margarine

1 1/2 c sugar

4 eggs

1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple (well drained, reserve juice)

4 c flour

4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1 c chopped walnuts

Mix together all ingredients. Refrigerate dough 1 hr. Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 mins at 375 degrees.

Frost with brown butter frosting while still warm:

6 T butter, browned (over medium heat, melt butter in skillet, til it turns brown)

6 T reserved pineapple juice, hot (heat in microwave)

1 t vanilla

3 c powdered sugar

Beat all together.

alfredo pasta

My family loves a good alfredo dish. I found this recipe a few years ago on Top Secret Recipe. This guy recreates dishes from restaurants, and posts the recipe! I've found several that I love to recreate. This recipe is a knock off from Olive Garden. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 c (1 stick) bitter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c heavy cream

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

pinch salt

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

1 12-oz box fettuccine pasta (or your choice of pasta)

1) Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.

2) Add the garlic, cream, pepper & salt, and bring mixture to a simmer. Turn the heat down if the mixture reaches a rapid boil or it could boil over. You just want a simmer. Add the cheese, and continue to simmer sauce for 8 minutes or until thick.

3) While sauce cooks, bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook pasta for about 12 minutes or until done, then drain it.

4) Spoon pasta onto serving plates with Alfredo sauce poured over the top.

Amy's Notes:

I also like to grill chicken and lay on the top of the pasta!! It really does take a while to get it to simmer, so cook the pasta when it says to cook it in the directions.

knock off manwich

This is a great recipe for one of those dinners you need to make in a cinch...

Ingredients:

one ~ 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1/4 tsp dry mustard

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp Worchestire sauce (or however you spell it)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lb hamburger

Brown hamburger, drain fat. Add all ingredients to the hamber, let simmer for about 5 minutes or so, and it's DONE! The mixture is enough for a pound of hamburger, so double accordingly if you have a huge family. I love this moreso than Manwich itself, which is almost too sweet in a way. This was a little sweet, but not overbearingly sweet.

friendly french bread

This recipe is from a friend in Overland Park. She is a fantastic baker. She shared her recipe a few months ago on her blog, and I have since made this twice, and each time it was "ooh, so yummy!"

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c hot water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1/3 c olive oil
2 tbsp SAF yeast
6 c white flour

Combine water, sugar, salt, olive oil, and 3 cups flour in mixer. Add yeast and then add the last 3 cups of flour. Lex mix until well combined, and then let rest for 10 minutes. Mix again for just 5 seconds, then let rest for another 10 minutes. Do this a total of 4 times and then put dough on floured surface. Knead to handle stage. Cut into 2 equal parts and roll each into a 9x12 rectangle. At this stage, you can put butter and garlic powder on the dough, or pesto sauce or just leave plain (whatever you like). Roll up and cinch the seam together and put both facing each other on a cookie sheet, seam side down. Slash the top with a sharp knife 3 times and brush with a beaten egg on top. Let rise for 30 minutes and then bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, in the middle of the oven. Voila! Crispy on the outside, soft & delicious on the inside!

Makes TWO big loaves!