Pumpkin Bars

As good as Old Grist Mill (do I dare say...?)

4 eggs
1 2/3 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil (I used applesauce)
15 oz can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mix eggs, sugar, oil (or applesauce) and pumpkin together. Sift dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet (with sides) and bake at 350 for 25 mins or until done. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Wait to frost until it cools.

4-6 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 tsp vanilla
2 c powdered sugar

Blend until smooth.

Best ever Birthday cake!

From Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook (yellow cake pg. 186)

1 box yellow cake mix (18 oz) - I used strawberry and it was really good!
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
2 tbls vegetable oil
3 eggs
6 ounces nonfat lemon, banana or vanilla yogurt (little less than a cup) -any kind really

Preheat oven to 350, coat 9X13 baking pan with spray/flour.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Pour the batter into cake pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. About 20 min. -I think I baked mine a lot longer, just keep an eye on it I guess!

We made this for Holly's birthday. It was sooooo moist! The best birthday cake I've ever had. I'll never go back!

Chicken Salad Pitas

From Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious Cookbook Chicken salad (pg. 84)

2 large eggs hard boiled

2-3 pieces cooked chicken (boiled, BBQ'd, or rotisserie)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1-2 tbs mayonnaise

2 stalks celery finely chopped

1/2 cup cauliflower puree

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/2 cup grapes, coarsley chopped

Chop hard boiled egg whites up, discarding the yolk. Chop up chicken into bite size pieces. Combine eggs and chicken into a bowl and add seasonings. Depending upon how much chicken you used add cauliflower, yogurt and mayo. (Add in small amounts, so its not too wet, its just supposed to moisten everything up) Mix in celery and grapes. Serve on pita bread with lettuce.

My friend and I made this one day for lunch, and thought it was very delicious!

Greek Dip (hummus)

Really, really good hummus! Recipe from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned chopped artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

In a food processor, process the chickpeas until chopped. Add the artichoke hearts and remaining ingredients until pureed.

Serve with any vegetables (carrots, celery, bell peppers) or pita chips or baked torillas cut in strips.

Very delicious and healthy! I made this for a girls night and it was a big hit!

PEACH CAKE

All thumbs were up on this dessert.  We made it from our peaches

that are just falling off the tree.  We also canned about 30 qts. for the winter

Serve this peach cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

 2 large eggs

 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

  1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  1/2 teaspoon salt

   3 to 4 large peaches, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced

    Topping:

    .  1/3 cup all-purpose flour

    .  4 tablespoons brown sugar

    .  3 tablespoons butter

    .  1 scant teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Butter and flour a 9-inch spring form pan. Heat oven to 350°.

In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat 10 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl combine the 1 2/3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until well blended, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times. Spread/pat the batter into the prepared pan. Slice the peaches and arrange over the batter, pressing lightly, in a concentric circle, overlapping as needed.

Combine the topping ingredients with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumbs over the peaches. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until golden brown and peaches are tender and bubbly.

I think you could use apples or berries as a substitute, would be good!

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE

Was e-mailed this recipe from Stefani sounds like a good fall one

Orange Chocolate Cake

1 devils food cake mix

8 oz. lowfat plain yogurt

1/2 c. orange juice

2 egg whites

2 T. cooking oil

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. water

Grease a fluted pan and dust with unsweetened cocoa.  In large bowl, mix cake mix, yogurt, 1/2 cup orange juice, egg and egg whites, oil, cinnamon and water.  Beat on low for 4 minutes.  Pour into pan.  Bake @ 350 for 40 - 50 minutes.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove and invert into serving platter.  Drizzle chocolate and orange icing over.

Chocolate icing:   combine 1/2 c powdered sugar, 1 T. cocoa, 2 t. orange juice and 1/4 t. vanilla

Orange icing:  combine 1/2 c powdered sugar, 1 t. orange juice and 1/4 t. vanilla

SUMMER GARDEN VEGGIES

The garden is producing its nice to have fresh veggies to eat. The farmers market

calls it field to fork. John's favorite lunch in the summer grilled cheese with fresh
tomato and cucumbers. We also made salsa the other day with our jalepeno
peppers and canned tomatoes from last years garden. Scrambled eggs and zucchini
are yum! The fruit trees haven't done so well one apple tree got to heavy and broke,
the other one has worms in them (guess we should spray). We had to fight the birds
for the cherries. A squirrel got to our apricots. And Raccoons are in the grape vines.
Learn something new every year.
GARDEN FRESH
Wish I could claim the Bread Great Harvest High five fiber.

Pumpkin Cookies moist, delicious and Low in Fat

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar(I used brown and a little less)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups canned pumkin

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray cookie sheet with pam or use parchment

In large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and

beat until light, beat in the pumpkin and buttermilk

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and beat into

pumpkin mixture.

Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the prepared pan, put them close they don't

spread much. Bake for about 12 min. or until very lightly golden on edges.

Icing:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 TBL butter

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 TBL nonfat milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

In microwave-proof bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Microwave for about

20 seconds, until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and

beat to combine.

Use a tsp. of icing on top of each cookie while warm.

Makes 36 cookies

By Kim

Artichoke Pesto Spread

Here Jeremy a recipe for you! 

This picture is from the wedding they were yummy

We made this recipe at my niece Jolene' s wedding and served it

on toasted sliced baguettes.  I had requests for the recipe so here you go.

1-8 oz. frozen artichoke hearts (I used the kind in a jar)

1-cup fresh flat leaf parsley packed down

1/2 cup toasted walnuts chopped

1-lemon, zested and juiced

2-cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup olive oil-drizzle in slowly

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

mix all ingredients accept last 2 ingredients in food processor

scraping sides down. Drizzle in olive oil slowly.  Fold parmesan cheese in. 

Chill serve on sliced toasted baguettes or crackers

We also made Gorgonzola and Cream Cheese balls

12 oz cream cheese at room temp.(use light or fat free)

1 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbled

1/4 c finely minced celery

2 tbl. finely minced onion(I used purple)

1/4 c. finely minced flat leaf parsley

4 tsp. chives minced

salt and pepper to taste and a couple of dashes of cayenne pepper.  

Mix all ingredients well, you can either make one big ball or like I did

small mini ones.  then roll them in finely chopped walnuts.  To make

them easier to take we stuck a pretzel stick in them and sat them on a cracker

they stick better if you don't roll the nuts on the bottom.  They were a real hit.

Kim

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups quick oats
1 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 or 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350.

Put water on to boil.

Mix butter, brown & white sugars and vanilla thoroughly. Add in flour and salt. Mix.

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and mix into dough.

Mix in oats, white chocolate and cranberries.

The dough will be thick and not gooey. Form into 1 1/2″ balls and put on lightly greased cookie sheet (I prefer to use parchment paper).

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

McCALL SALAD

Serves 8-10

1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped (if its small use it all)

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 lb. genoa salami, thinly sliced and stripped

 (we made this and used deli sliced ham thinly stripped

   you could use turkey or chicken as well)

2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained

1/2 c. diced tomatoes

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

Dressing:

1 tsp. mustard(I used spicy brown)

1/2 c red wine vinegar

1- 1 1/2 cups olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Toss ingredients with dressing serve immediatly

By Rebekah

Pineapple upside down cake

A request for a family favorite(The person making a request needs

to add  a edible  post:) BEN!

1 box cake mix I like to use pineapple flavored

   I think Duncan Hines makes it but if not you 

   can use a yellow butter cake mix 

1 can sliced pineapple-drained

1 cube butter(I have cut the butter down before but original

   is one cube)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts walnuts, almonds or pecans are all good

mar-chino cherries are optional

directions:  Make cake mix according to package directions, changing 

water for pineapple juice adding water to make enough 

(use the juice from your drained pineapple)

melt butter and pour in 9x13 or two round pans or even a large 

cast iron skillet.

Add brown sugar and nuts.  

Add pineapple slices with cherry in middle of slice.

Pour prepared cake mix over all.  

Bake in oven according to cake mix directions.

Let cool 5 min.  loosen sides of cake place cake platter or 

whatever will fit over it on top of cake and quickly flip it over

be careful hold on and don't burn yourself.

Serve with cool whip, whip cream or ice cream.  YUM YUM

posted by Kim

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD

OK finally something new. Recently I helped the young women learn how to make bread. We did a white bread
and an english muffin bread. It was really easy and good.
Good especially for toast! Kim


400*-25min.
yields 2 loaves

Ingredients: 6 cups flour
2 pkg. yeast or 1 1/2 Tbls.
1/4 tsp. baking powder

mix 3 cups of the flour and the yeast, and soda set aside

mix following ingredients in a sauce pan, heat and stir just till warm
(really barely)
2 cups milk(good way to use up powdered milk)
1/2 cup water
1 Tbl. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Stir flour mixture and milk mixture(make sure milk isn't to hot) together with a wooden spoon

Stir in remaining 3 cups of flour, you may need to use your hands to mix in last bit of flour.

Divide dough in half. Place in two greased pans that have been sprinkled with cornmeal.(4x8 pan)
Sprinkle cornmeal on tops of loaves.

Let rise until double (about 45 min.)

Bake in 400* oven or until golden brown. Immediatly remove from pans and cool on wire wracks.

Yummy hope you try it. Kim

Banana Split Cake

So this is the first time I'm posting--Thanks for the invite! I love to cook and I love new recipes.
We had Stella's 1st birthday party tonight and I made this cake. I'm just putting the link, since it's from the web anyway. Oh my word it was delicious! Everyone who came, which was about 15 people of all different tastes raved! I would put a picture of the actual one I made, but it looked exactly like this, but not as good of lighting. I'm not kidding . . .it turned out great. I even put the strawberries in the middle and then gave everyone a half a strawberry on their plate with ice cream when I served it. Cute and tasty.

So, enjoy! It is a bit labor intensive, but worth it.

Banana Split Cake from verybestbaking.com.

                        Jodi Made it also, for Rebekah's birthday it was SO Yummy! Loved it! 

Edited to show my version of the cake. I got the pictures from Stella's birthday uploaded, so thought I would prove it to you, it looked just as good, right?

And here's a picture of the birthday girl. She had a yellow cake from a mix to smash around. But I did try to make it look cute. For fun and some simple decorating ideas go to familyfun.go.com.

Mexican Monkey Cake

Farmgirl's Mexican Monkey Cake
Makes One 8-Inch Square Cake

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick/4 ounces) butter, softened (or 1/2 cup trans-fat free margarine, such as Earth Balance)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (they cannot be too ripe)
2 Tablespoons yogurt or sour cream
1 Tablespoon milk
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half wheat flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using a glass pan such as Pyrex). Grease an 8"x8"x2" baking pan. In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts (if desired), and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and egg with an electric mixer until fluffy (I use a hand held mixer). Add bananas, yogurt, and milk, and mix well. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt just until blended.

Spread slightly more than half of the batter in the pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon streusel. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the streusel and then top with the rest of the streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This cake tastes even better the next day, and it freezes beautifully. You can freeze the cake whole or cut it into pieces, wrap them tightly in plastic, and place them in a zipper freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature--or in the microwave if you are being attacked by The Chocolate Force.

Posted by Kim from Farmgirlfare.com

Yummy Mac and Cheese

1lb. large elbow Maccaroni
1 large block of Sharp Chedder Cheese
2 Eggs
3 cups Milk
1/2 stick of Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

*Cook the maccaroni and pour into a 9x13 pan
*Cut the cheese into small cubes and place all throughout the noodles in the pan (press some into the noodles as well so they are evenly placed)
*Do the same with the butter, placing it evenly throughout the noodles
*Beat the eggs and add the milk, then pour it over the noodles and cheese
*Bake for 45 min. at 350

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

a good way to use your wheat

1 cup whole wheat
1 cup milk
mix in blender for 3-5 minutes
then add: 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (you can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for oil)
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 TBL. baking powder
mix well adjusting milk to desired thickness. Cook on hot sprayed griddle.
In the summer I have added grated zucchini. Yum!

Kim

No-Knead Bread

No-Knead Bread from NewYork City's Sullivan Street Bakery

Makes one 1 1/2-pound loaf of crusty outside soft inside bread

ingredients:
3 cups all-pupose or bread flour, plus more for
work surface
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
Olive oil, as needed

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups
water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky.
Coat a second large bowl with olive oil(or spray with pam).
Transfer dough to oiled bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap.
Let dough rest at least 12 hours, but preferably up to 18, in a room
about 70 degrees in temp. When surface is dotted with bubbles, dough
is ready.

2. Lightly flour work surface. Place dough on work surface and sprinkle
with more flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice. Loosely
cover with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 min.

3. Sprinkle just enough flour over work surface and your fingers to
keep dough from sticking; quickly and gently shape dough into a ball.
Generously coat a cotton towel(not terry cloth) with flour, cornmeal, or
wheat bran. Place dough seam side down on towel and dust with more
flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran. Cover with a second cotton towel and
let rise until it has more than doubled in size and does not readily spring
back when poked with a finger, about 2 hrs.

4. After about 1 1/2 hours, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place a 6-8 qt
heavy covered pot, such as cast-iron or Pyrex(dutch ovens work great),
in oven as it heats. When dough has fully risen, carefully remove pot
from oven. Remove top towel from dough and slide your hand under the
bottom towel; turn dough over into pot seam side up.
Shake pan once or twice if dough looks unevenly distributed; it will
straighten out as it bakes. Cover, and bake 30 min. Uncover, and
continue baking until browned, 15 to 30 min. Cool on a wire rack.

We've tried this recipe and it works great. You can also use part wheat
flour or change it up using sunflower, sesame or poppy seeds on top.
Kim

BERRY PUDDING CAKES

PREP: TIME 20 MINUTES BAKE: TIME 20 MINUTES OVEN 400*F

Nonstick cooking spray
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tspl vanilla
Dash of salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups fresh or frozen berries(such as raspberries
blueberries and/or sliced strawberries)
2 tsp. powdered sugar (optional)


Posted By Kim
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat six 6-ounce
individual quiche or ramikin dishes with nonstick spray.
Arrange in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. In a
medium bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla,
and salt; whisk until foamy; whisk in milk until combined.
Add flour and baking powder; whisk until smooth.
2. Divide berries among prepared dishes. Pour batter
over berries. (Batter will not cover berries completely)
Bake about 20 min. or until puffed and lightly browned.
Serve warm. If desired sift powder sugar over each serving.
Makes six.

Another Quick and easy recipe

Round Steak with Mushroom-Onion Sauce

reposted with pictures turns out very good and easy to do...we were all to

hungry on sunday and we ate it without taking a final picture.

SLOW COOKER

2 lbs. bonelss beef round steak
cut 3/4 inch thick
1 TBL cooking oil or pam coat pan
2 medium onions, sliced
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 12-ounce jar beef gravy
1 envelope mushroom gravy mix

1. Trim fat from meat. Cut into 8 serving-size pieces.Lightly
salt and pepper them.
In a large skillet, brown meat, half at a time, in hot
oil over medium heat. Remove from pan and and set aside.
(at this point I made my own gravy with pan drippings 2 tbls.
flour and about 2-3 cups beef broth) instead of using the
gravy mixes.

2. Place onions in a 4 quart slow cooker. Add meat and mushrooms.
In a small bowl, (if using gravy mixes) stir together gravy mixes.
Pour over mixture in cooker or pour the gravy from the pan you made
into the cooker.

3. Cover; cook on low-heating for 8-10 hours or on high-heat setting
for 4-5 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.
We cooked this dinner for Sunday dinner and it was good and easy

From Better Homes and Gardens Quick and Easy recipes.

6 weeks ALL BRAN muffins

You can have hot muffins every morning with this recipe
last for 6 weeks in the fridge

2 cups 100% All Bran Cereal
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine(3 cubes)
3 cups sugar (can use half as honey)
4 eggs, beaten
1 qt buttermilk
5 cups flour
3 tsp salt
5 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
4 cups All Bran
1 cup each
raisins, craisins, nuts, all are optional

Mix first 2 things let stand. Cream butter sugar and eggs. Stir in buttermilk.
Add bran and water mixture, stir. Add flour, salt, soda, Mix. Add All Bran
and raisins and nuts if desired gently stir. Store in tight container if fridge. When
your ready for some spoon into sprayed muffin tins. Bake at 400* for 20min. or till done.
DO NOT MIX AFTER PLACING IN CONTAINER.

recipe could be cut in half if desired

Kim

Orange Chicken

*Oil for frying
*2 lbs chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
*1 cup flour
*1/2 teaspoon pepper
*2 teaspoons salt

(combine last three ingredients and dredge chicken pieces in it.)

Make Batter:

*2 cups of flour
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*2 teaspoons sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 cups iced water

(combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Set your bowl onto another bowl with ice in it to keep batter cold.)

Heat oil on medium, coat dredged chicken pieces with batter, fry in oil until golden brown.


Sauce:

*2 cloves minced garlic (sautee')
*Add a cup of water
*2 cups organge juice
*1 cup brown sugar
*1/2 cup ketchup
*2 chicken bullion cubes
*1/4 teaspoon black pepper

(simmer above ingredients)

Meanwhile, dissolve 2 tablespoons cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water. Slowly add to sauce, stiring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add orange zest from one orange. Add 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes if desired.

Serve sauce over chicken pieces.


SO SO SO delicious! Restaurant quality orange chicken!



Stefani

Ham Fried Rice

Fried Rice with Ham

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

*2 eggs
*1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
*2 Teaspoons soy sauce
*Salt and Pepper to taste
*Half an Onion
*80z cubed, cooked ham (can use chicken or turkey)
*1 green onion
*6 Tablespoons oil
*1/2 cup peas and carrots (fresh or frozen)
*4 cups cold cooked rice

Directions:

Lightly beat the eggs with a half teaspoon each of the oyster sauce and soy sauce. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

Peel and dice the onion. Dice ham and green onion.

Heat a wok or frying pan on med-high to high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and add the eggs and scramble lightly. Remove from pan. Clean pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan or wok. When oil is hot, add the onion and stirfry briefly. Then add ham and peas and carrots. Stir-fry and remove from pan. Clean pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan or wok. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rice stiring with chop sticks to break up clumps. Stir in remainder of soy sauce and oyster sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cooked meat and vegtables back into the pan and stir in the scrambled egg and heat through. Add green onion. Serve hot.

Makes: 4-6 servings.




Stefani

(Recipe found at about.com)