Monthly Archives

October 2011

Marinara in Minutes

Original Recipe Yields  approximately 6 cups marinara

Ingredients

  • 3 cans stewed tomatoes- do not drain
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic -minced
  • 1/2 tbs dried basil
  • 1/2 tbs dried oregano
  • 1- 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbs dried parsley

Directions

  1. Saute the onion and garlic  with olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium head until transparent, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Either submerge immersion blender  blender into pan  and blend until completely Puréed or add to a food processor and pulse until puréed.
  3. Add Parsley and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stir frequently.
  4. Enjoy!

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Honey Wheat Challah

Original Recipe Yields 1 large Loaf

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 1 tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 2 tbs yeast
  • 5-7 cups flour- I use a 50/50 ratio of whole wheat and white

Directions

  1. Combine water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Allow yeast to activate.
  2. Once yeast is activated, stir in honey, eggs, olive oil, and salt. Add just enough flour to make a firm yet slightly sticky dough.
  3. Place dough onto a lightly floured service and knead, adding additional flour as needed, for 5-8 minutes or until dough is soft and bounces back when pressed. placed into a lightly oiled bowl, cover  and allow to rise until doubled in size- approximately 1 hour.
  4. Once risen, punch down and place on to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 portions.  Shape into 16 inch long tube shapes and braid. Place braid on a lightly buttered cookie sheet, cover with kitchen cloth and allow to rise once again until double- approx 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°.
  5. Beat 1 egg and brush over braided loaf. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden!
  6. Allow to cool slightly before serving and Enjoy!
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Herbs | Money Saving Tip

I use a extreme amount of herbs. Basil, Rosemay, Oregano, Dill… you name it I use it! But herbs are expensive and I have found over the last 7 years of grocery shopping for the my family it can really strain the grocery budget. The solution? Purchasing in bulk at your local natural food store! Most all “Whole Food” stores carry bulk dried herbs  and, believe it or not, at 1/10 the price of Walmart.

Walmart: McCormmick’s Rosemary  .6 oz bottle = $3.88

My local Whole Food Store: Approximately  1.5 oz $1.10

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My Sister’s Muffins

My  9 years-old sister has become quite an expert baker the last few weeks.  This afternoon She bounced into the kitchen, spotted some very ripe bananas and declared the need to make a batch of her most exquisite Banana Nut Muffins!

Original Recipe Yield 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup Flour
  • 3 very ripe bananas (mashed)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (Ruth suggests walnuts!)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease  muffin tin.
  2. Cream Butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Then add flour, soda, and salt. fold in bananas until well combined.
  3. Pour into muffin cups and and sprinkle with nuts.bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and baked through (use a tooth-pick inserted into center to double check!)
  4. Sit back with a delightful cup of coffee – or cold milk- and Enjoy!

1 Comments

Home-made Tortillas made Healthy

Home-made tortillas made healthy by substituting the crisco/lard for olive oil and adding whole-wheat!

Original Recipe Yield 8-12 Tortillas

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups white flour
  • 1  cups wheat flour
  • 1 tbs baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Add water and oil. Stir until combined.
  2. Kneed on a lightly floured surface for approximately 1 minute adding additional flour if needed.
  3. Place a stainless steel pain on stove-top over medium heat. Meanwhile, form into gulf ball size pieces and roll each ball into a large flat disc.
  4. Place each tortilla on to the hot pan, 1 at a time, for approximately 15 seconds per side or until bubble and golden. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  5. Enjoy!
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Pilgrim Pies

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

Psalm 84:5

For 7 years I have made these pilgrim pies but I honestly doubt the pilgrims ever experienced such a delightful delicacy! It has become somewhat of an unspoken tradition for me to make my first batch in the first week of October(can any one believe it is already October?!). If I don’t make these pies as soon as the 1st of October twirls around, I am reminded by 1/2 dozen kidlettes that, “it is officially Pilgrim Pie Season”!

Original Recipe Yield 12-15 “pies”

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 (15oz) can Pureed Pumpkin or 2 cups freshly pureed pumpkin(I used freshly pureed)
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1tbs pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
Filling
  • 4 oz cream cheese – softened
  • 1/2 cup butter – softened
  • 2tsp vanilla
  • 4-5 cups powder sugar

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees .
  2. Beat eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin  in large bowl. Add flour, pumpkin pie spice, soda, powder, and salt until well combine.
  3. Using an ice cream scoop(my favorite kitchen tool) or large spoon, spoon 1/4 cup dallops onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Let cool on tray for 5 minutes then remove from tray and let  cool completely on parchment.
  4. Prepare filling. Combine all filling ingredients and blend on high speed until smooth and fluffy!
  5. Pipe filling onto 1 cookie and top with the second cookie. Continue with remaining cookies and Enjoy!
2 Comments

Fresh Fruit Cheese Cake

Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups  Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 5 (250 g) packages PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 eggs
  • The zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F if using a silver 9 inch springform pan (or to 300 degrees F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
  2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time then zest of lemon and lime, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
  3. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until centre is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with fresh fruit before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
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