Farmers' Market Barley Risotto

Courtesy of BettyCrocker.com

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 min

Total Time: 1 hour 15 min

Makes: 4 generous servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 medium bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• 2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms (4 oz)
• 1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn
• 1 cup uncooked medium pearled barley
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 2 cups roasted vegetable stock or Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half (if large, cut into quarters)
• 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and corn in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is crisp-tender. Add barley, stirring about 1 minute to coat.
2. Stir in wine and 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until liquid is almost absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock and 3 cups water, adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup of stock or water at a time and stirring frequently, until absorbed.
3. Stir in tomatoes, 1/3 cup of the cheese, the basil and pepper. Cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup cheese.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 360 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 740mg; Total Carbohydrate 57g (Dietary Fiber 11g, Sugars 8g); Protein 13g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 50%; Vitamin C 70%; Calcium 20%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 3 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4

Chipotle Guacamole

Courtesy of Epicurious.com

• 2 large ripe avocados (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved, pitted, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 ear of fresh corn
• 1 plum tomato, seeded, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 canned chipotle chile, finely chopped*
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Mash avocados with lime juice in medium bowl. Using sharp knife, remove corn kernels from cob and add to avocado mixture. Stir in tomato and green onions. Combine chipotle and sour cream in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir cream mixture into avocado mixture. Season with salt. Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of guacamole and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Baked Falafel

Original recipe from Chow Vegan

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Bell pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Coarsely chop onion and pepper in food processor
   
3. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Add in food processor.
   
4. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl.
5. Add dry ingredients, lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs to food processor.
6. Mix minimum amount needed to combine ingredients and created the desired texture.
   
7. Form into small balls, about 1 1/2″ in diameter and slightly flatten. Place on a greased baking pan.
8. Bake 15 minutes on each side. If not brown enough, remove from oven and toast in a skillet.

Serving Suggestion:

Hummus

Courtesy of Elder LaFleur, from Food Illustrated

1 large can of chickpeas
3 T juice from a lemon
tahini, stirred well (see note), to taste
2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 small garlic cloves, pressed (about 1 teaspoon)
1 t table salt
1/2 t ground cumin
Pinch Cayenne
1 T minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

1. Drain chickpeas and save 1/2 C of juice. Microwave chickpeas for about two minutes to tenderize.
2. Combine lemon juice, bean juice and spices in the food processor and mix briefly.

3. Add microwaved chickpeas, to food processor mixture and beat the heck out of it.
4. With machine running, add the oil and the tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
5. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes.
6. Drizzle with olive oil, cilantro and whole chickpease as a garnish.

Tips:
The hummus can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 5 days. If you do not plan on serving it immediately, refrigerate the hummus and garnishes separately. When ready to serve, stir in approximately 1 tablespoon of warm water if the texture is too thick.


Original recipe:

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 14 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 garlic clove (minced or pressed through garlic press 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced

1. Drain chickpeas and save 1/2 C of juice. Microwave chickpeas for about two minutes to tenderize.
2. Combine lemon juice, bean juice and spices in the food processor and mix briefly.
3. Add microwaved chickpeas, to food processor mixture and beat the heck out of it.
4. With machine running, add the oil and the tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
5. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes.
6. Drizzle with olive oil, cilantro and whole chickpeas as a garnish.

Cream Cheese Icing

Courtesy of Janet Marshall

Makes enough for two layer cake.

1lb powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1/c C butter or margarine
2 t vanilla

1. Mix butter and cream cheese.
2. Add vanilla.
3. Add powdered sugar.
4. If too thick, add tiniest amount of milk.

Zucchini Bread

Courtesy of Janet Marshall

3 Eggs
1 C oil
2 C sugar
2 C grated, peeled zucchini
1 t vanilla
3 C flour
1 t salt
1 t soda
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t baking powder
3/4 C chopped nuts (optional)

1. Beat eggs until foamy.
2. Add oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Mix well but lightly.
3. Add dry ingredients, mostly mixed together. Mix well blended.
4. Stir in nuts.
5. Pour into two greased loaf pans.
6. 325 for one hour or until done. Just barely pulls away from the edges like a cake does.

Smoothie I

2 C Vanilla Soy Milk
1 Can Orange Juice Concentrate
5 or 6 black berries
15 or so blue berries
3 strawberries

Mix. Freeze for several hours to thicken.

Pork Chops

Use pork ribs, chops, steaks, roasts or loins. Best: 4-6" long sections of boneless rib.

1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 can of water
1 envelope of onion soup mix

1. Brown pork in frying pan with salt and pepper. (Don't cook through.)
2. Combine other ingredients above.
3. Put in crockpot. Insert meat so it's covered in sauce.
4. Put large onion sections on top.
5. Cook on low.

Apple Pie

Courtesy of Cindy Elison

Filling:
4 Granny Smith apples
2 Red apples
1/2 C Flour
Cinnamon, sugar, butter and lemon juice to taste
Tip: Do not prepare ahead of time.

Topping:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C flour
1/2 t cinnamon

Mom's Pie Crust

Courtesy of Cindy Elison

2 C Flour
1 C Shortening
6 T Cold Water

Cut shortening into flour. Set aside 1/2 cup of crumbs. Add water to remainder.
Roll out thin. Sprinkle on the crumbs and roll like a cinnamon roll.
Cut in half. Stack and re-roll flat (so crumbs are layererd throughout).
Tip: Roll the dough onto your rolling pin to transfer it to the pan.

Couscous-Vegetable Salad

Courtesy of Betty Crocker.com

Prep Time: 10 min
Start to Finish: 15 min
Makes: 6 servings

1 cup uncooked couscous
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices (2 cups)
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 1/2 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 container (7 ounces) refrigerated pesto with sun-dried tomatoes or Basil pesto
2 tablespoons balsamic or cider vinegar

1. Make couscous as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper and onion in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender.
3. Toss couscous, vegetable mixture, pesto and vinegar in large bowl. Serve warm or cool.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 310 (Calories from Fat 180 ); Total Fat 20 g (Saturated Fat 4 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 300 mg; Total Carbohydrate 29 g (Dietary Fiber 4 g); Protein 8 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 42 %; Vitamin C 50 %; Calcium 14 %; Iron 8 % Exchanges: 1 Starch; 3 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Fat *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Cookie Tips

Courtesy of NPR.org

Cookies that are soft when fresh, but a box of crumbs with time
Add a tablespoon of water to a cup of flour that's going to be used in the cookies. The two proteins in flour — glutenin and gliadin — grip water and make "springy stretchy, strong elastic sheets of gluten." The gluten will hold the cookies together.

Flat chocolate chip cookies
Use an unbleached flour or a bread flour because they're higher in protein. More protein sucks in more water when they join together to make gluten.

Make cookie batter the night before, a method adopted for the original Toll House recipe. Overnight, the proteins and the starch soak in liquid, the enzymes break the starches into sugar and big sugar breaks down into smaller sugar. Small sugars brown well, she says.

Chocolate crinkle cookie
"My secret weapon is I roll the dough balls in plain table sugar first," she says. "Then I roll them heavily in powdered sugar, so it stays snow white and really dramatic against the black cookie dough. When you bite in, they're crisp on the surface and gooey and doughy inside."

Mom's Cinnamon Bread

Courtesy of Cindy Elison

Bread
2 pkg yeast (4 1/2 t)
2/3 C warm water
1 1/3 C ice cold water
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C butter
1 t salt
6+ C flour

Caramel
1 C brown sugar
2 T light karo
1/2 C butter

Mix bread ingredients together. Knead for 10 minutes. Let dough rise until doubled, 30 to 40 minutes. Punch down. Put in two greased loaf pans. Rise 20 minutes to 3/4 inch above side of pan.

Bake 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. (rolls, 30 min)

Chick Frick

Courtesy of Cindy Elison

1C flour
2 t salt (optional)
1/4 t pepper
2 t paprika (optional, adds color more than flavor)
chicken pieces up to 4#
veg oil
1 C water
1 onion chopped
1T lemon juice
Spices (rosemary, thyme, poultry seasoning, etc)
3 T flour
milk

Mix 1 C flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Heat thin layer of oil in skillet. Cook chicken until brown on all sides. Drain fat from skillet; reserve. Add water and, if desired, chopped onion, lemon juice or herbs, such as dried rosemary or thyme leaves , to chicken. Cover and cook over low heat, adding water if necessary, until chicken is done, 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Remove chicken to warm platter; keep warm. Drain liquid from skillet, reserve.

Heat 3 T reserved fat in skillet. Blend in 3 T flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Add enough milk to reserved liquid to measure 3 C; pour into skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Return chicken to gravy.

8 servings

Cheesy Enchiladas

2 cups small curd creamed cottage cheese
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
4 small tomatoes, chopped (2 cups)
8 medium green onion, sliced (1/2 cup)
4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 small garlic clove, finely chopped
8 flour tortillas (1 pack)
4 cups jarred Old El Paso® taco sauce

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Spray two 14-ounce shallow oval casseroles or one rectangular baking dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches, with cooking spray.

2. Mix cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, the tomato, onions, chili powder, salt and garlic. Spread about 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture on each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; place seam side down in casseroles. Spoon taco sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese.

3. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Soup

2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup chopped onions
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli
1 1/3 cups mashed potatoes (dry)
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 ounces)
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat broth, onion and frozen broccoli to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in potatoes until well blended; stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Heat over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and cheese is melted.

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Substitute: Oatmeal and cottage cheese for pancake mix

1/2 C oatmeal
1/4 C cottage cheese
2 eggs (or equivalent)
dash of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg

Process in a blender until smooth. Cook the mixture like a regular pancake.

Portebello Pizza

Substitute: Portobello mushrooms for pizza crust

1. Cut the gills out of the inside of the mushroom.
2. Place the mushroom on an oiled cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes so it dries out slightly.
3. Add tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni or other toppings and broil until the cheese begins to melt.

Carbs eliminated: About 20 g per slice

Butter Almond Popcorn

Courtesy of Cindy Elison

1/2 C Butter
1 C Sugar
1/4 C Lite Karo
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t vanilla
2 1/2 Quarts, 10 C popped corn
1 1/2 C toasted almonds

0. Preheat Oven at 250.
1. Melt butter in sauce pan, stir in sugar, karo, salt.
2. Heat to boil stirring constantly.
3. Keep lowest boiling heat for 8 minutes stir once.
4. Remove. stir in soda and vanilla. gradually pour over popped corn, add almonds, finish pouring.
5. Turn into a large, shallow baking pan. Bake 30 mins. Mixing well after 15 minutes.
6. Cool completely.
7. Break apart and store in air tight container.

Banana Bread

Courtesy of Kelly Elison

1-2 C Shortening
1 C sugar
2 Eggs
3 ripe bananas
2 1/2 C Flour
1 t Baking Powder
1 t soda
pinch of salt
1 t Vanilla

Bake in loaf pans 1 hour @ 350 Degree

Aunt Vicki's Corn Bread

1C Buttermilk (1 C milk + 1 t lemon juice/vinegar)
1/2 t baking soda dissolved in the milk
2 Eggs
1/2 t salt
2/3C Sugar
1/2 C butter softened
1C Flour
1C cornmeal (i used fine cornmeal but I like it with coarse)

Mix everything.
Pour into greased 8" square or round pan.
Bake 375, 25-30 minutes.

Cream of Gravy

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 C Sour Cream

Add milk it's too thick.

Chicken Pillows

Courtesy of EmmaLee Bowling

Stuffing:
Chicken, boiled and shredded
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 C butter, soft
Diced mushroom, peppers, onions or other vegetables as desired
Salt, pepper, italian seasoning to taste

Pillowcase:
2 packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Butter, melted
Italian seasoning or regular breadcrumbs

1. Combine the chicken, cream cheese and butter. Everything will mix better if the chicken is still warm (not hot) from boiling.
2. Add your choice of vegetables and seasoning.
3. Lay out the crescent rolls flat. Put in a blob of stuffing and wrap in crescent roll, pinching tightly shut. Avoid stretching the rolls too thin.
4. Brush each "pillow" with melted butter and coat in bread crumbs
5. Bake at 375 until golden, about 15 minutes

Excellent served with gravy.

Banana Bread

Courtesy of a friend of Yancy's
Makes one loaf

Cream:

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs

Mix separately:

• 1 3/4 flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all and add:

• 1 cup mashed banana

Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 in greased pan.

Italian Pasta Salad

Courtesy of Cindy Elison

Dressing:

• 1 C miracle whip (If you're using mayonnaise instead of miracle whip, then use 1C Italian dressing and 2 C mayo)
• 2 C Zesty Italian dressing
• 2 T grated Parmesan

For best flavor, make the dressing a day or at least a few hours a head of time and let sit in the fridge. Don't put the dressing on until just minutes before serving or the pasta will get soggy.

Salad:

• 2 C (8 oz) corkscrew noodles (do not overcook. Definitely al dente. Run cold water over the noodles immediately after draining to prevent further cooking/softening. To prevent the noodles from sticking to each other, spray with cooking spray.)
• 1 C broccoli (again, just barely cooked. Boil for only 2-3 minutes and cool immediately.)
  
• 1.5 C crab
  
• .5 C yellow or red pepper
• .5 C tomato
• 1.4 C green onion
  
• black olives, if wanted, to add another color

Mix salad ingredients together with minimal mixing. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve with pepper.

Granola

Courtesy of Kathy Roesler

Mix:
8-10 C of quick cook oats
cardamom (or cinnamon or nutmeg) to taste
1 C bran, oat or wheat
1 C sunflower seeds

Heat:
1 C of safflower oil
½ C honey
t vanilla

1. Combine the above.
2. Spread evenly on a roasting pan.
3. Cook at 325 for 15 minutes.
4. Flip so it browns all around.
5. When it’s golden, remove.
6. Put in big bowl.
7. Add any dried fruit.
8. Cover and save.