Granola

This granola is DE-LI-CIOUS and more healthy than most too as there is no added sugar, just a drizzle of real maple syrup. As Nathan would say, "Yum-o". The only danger is that it is hard to stop eating once you have started. It is just too good.

Spray a sided cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with olive oil. I just used cooking spray.

Put as much as you like of each of these things on the pan:

Oatmeal

Sweetened coconut

Slivered almonds

Walnuts and/or pecans (we don't do either due to allergies)

Dried Cranberries

Raisins (my addition)

Chia or flax seeds (optional)

Sprinkle with cinnamon

Lightly spray top of concoction with olive oil

Drizzle a little maple syrup on top.

Bake on 350 for 4-6 minutes until golden.

A bigger batch will take longer...mine takes more like 15-20 minutes.

Baked Beans

I've made my sister, Patty's baked bean recipe for many years with booming success. But my husband found this other recipe in the newspaper a few weeks ago, so I made it for a neighborhood barbecue the other night, and they were amazing! It's from Dear Abby's cookbook (I also make her pecan pie- yum!). I usually make a new recipe just as it says the first time, but I found the original made a pretty small pot, and I needed a BIG pot, so I'll give you my altered recipe. The orginal also called for you to bake the beans in the oven, but I wanted to do them in the crock pot- so much easier and it doesn't heat the house.

The writer requesting the recipe in the article said she gets invited to parties just so that she'll bring these beans. I believe it; they were good. Everyone at our party loved them and they were gone in a flash!

Baked Beans

6-8 slices bacon, diced

1 cup chopped onion

2 cans (16 oz. pork and beans)

1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

1 1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

Cook the bacon and onion together in a skillet until bacon is crisp and onion is browned. Put in crock pot with the other ingredients and cook on low several hours- probably 6-8 hours, depending on your crock pot.

Enjoy with your next barbecue!!

Pasta Taco Salad

I tried this recipe from another food blog and tried it while Kristen was here visiting. It was really good, and the leftovers were yummy for several days after. I love dinners like this in the summer when it's just too hot to heat the oven.

Pasta Taco Salad

1 pound pasta ( farfalle, wagonwheel, spiral, whatever you like)

Salt

1 (10 oz pkg.) frozen corn (I used two cans of drained canned corn)

1 1/2 cup salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3 roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3 T. fresh lime juice

1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

Dash of Tabasco

Cook Pasta in salted water until Al dante. Drain pasta and stir in frozen corn to cool the pasta and stop the cooking. Toss the pasta with the salsa, beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese. Make a dressing with the lime juice, spices, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well, then whisk in the olive oil and Tabasco. Add the dressing to the pasta. In a small bowl, toss the avocado with some more lime juice. Serve the salad with the avocado on the side to be added. If you don't add the avocado, the salad will keep for several days and makes great leftovers.

Peach syrup

Blake made pancakes w/ this yummy syrup on his birthday--so yummy! We have a BlendTec blender (where we got the recipe) which heats it up as it blends. So just use your blender and blend til totally smooth then heat it up either on the stove or microwave.

Peach Syrup
-3 cups peaches, peeled and pitted
-3/4 cup sugar
-1 tsp. lemon juice

Enjoy!

Traditional Mother's Day Dinner

Years ago, I taught what was then called the "Merrie Miss" girls. Every year, just before Mother's day, our activity would be to teach them how to make the whole dinner so they could make it for their moms(most done on Saturday before) on Mother's Day. We would make Lasagna, Italian Salad, and garlic bread and Sherbet Dessert. Since then, it's become our traditional Mother's Day dinner. I remember getting lots of phone calls every Saturday before Mother's Day from little girls cooking for their families, most for the first time.

This is a very easy and tasty lasagna recipe. The noodles "soak" all night in the fridge because you prepare the day before, so they don't have to be cooked.
Lasagna
1 32 oz bottle spaghetti sauce ( I like Prego- but use your favorite jar sauce)
1 8 oz/ pkg. lasagna noodles
1 lb. grated mozarella cheese
1 pint cottage cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Parsley flakes
1 lb. hamburger OR 1/2 lb. hamburger and 1/2 lb. crumbled sausage, browned with
1 chopped onion

In a large frypan, brown the hamburger and onion, drain and add the spaghetti sauce. In a bowl, mix cheeses with parsley and egg. Layer in a 9 x 13 pan: dry noodles, filling, sauce, noodles, filling sauce. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and store in fridge until Sunday. Put in timebake while you're at church at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.



Italian Salad
1 bunch broccoli, chopped fine
1 head cauliflower, chopped fine
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped fine
1 bottle Italian dressing
Sunflower seeds, opt.
Grated cheese, opt.

Pour dressing over vegetables and marinade overnight.

Garlic Bread

Slice a large loaf of French bread and spread both sides generously with a mixture of barely melted butter, Parmesan, garlic salt and parsley flakes. Put back together, wrap in foil and heat in oven just before serving. Serve warm.

Sherbet Dessert

1/2 gallon sherbet (lime, orange, or raspberry)

Frozen Whipped Topping (12 oz.)

1 box vanilla wafers

Crush the vanilla wafers. Line a 13x9 pan with 1/2 of the crushed wafers. Soften the sherbet and whipped topping. When soft, mix together in a very large bowl. When well combined, spoon over the crushed vanilla wafers. Top with the remaining wafers. Freeze.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Enchilada Soup

We found this recipe and tried it last night...YUMMMMO! It was super easy too.

2 cups chicken broth

1 19 oz can enchilada sauce

1 4.5 oz can green chilies

1 20 oz package bone in chicken breasts, skin removed (I just used boneless skinless)

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 12 oz bag frozen corn, thawed and drained (I just used a can)

Shredded Mexican cheese blend (if desired)

Chopped fresh cilantro (if desired)

Crushed tortilla chips (if desired)

1. Spray 4 or 5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix broth, enchilada sauce and chilies. Place chicken into enchilada sauce mixture; spoon sauce over chicken.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours. (I did it on high for 2 1/5 hours, added beans and corn and cooked on low for another 2 or so hours because that is what fit our schedule.)

3. Remove chicken from cooker with slotted spoon. Stir beans and corn into mixture in cooker. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 5-10 minutes longer. Meanwhile, shred chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks; return to cooker. Cook until thoroughly heated.

4. Top each serving with cheese, cilantro and tortilla chips.

DELISH!

Lemon Drop Cookies

Ready for another of my Top Ten Favorite Cookie recipes? These are so yummy . . lemony, but not too lemony. You use crushed lemon drops (those sugary lemon candies- pictured above) I hope you enjoy!

Lemon Drop Cookies

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter flavored shortening

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon extract

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Zest of one lemon (save the lemon for the frosting)

1 (6 oz.) pkg. lemon drops, crushed in the blender or food processor

Frosting

2 cups (more or less) powdered sugar

Juice of two lemons

Preheat oven to 350. In mixing bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and eggs; Add flavorings. Turn off beater and add dry ingredients. Turn on and stir in. Add lemon zest and crushed lemon drops. Mix well. Roll into balls. Flatten slightly and put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat (very important as these cookies will stick) I'm thinking waxed paper may work, too. Bake for about 10 minutes. Don't overbake. Let cool slightly, then glaze while still warm. You can use a brush and brush on the glaze. Let cool. Makes 4-5 dozen.