Simple Spinach Dip & French bread

by Adriana Burk

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, well-drained

2 c. dairy sour cream (16 oz container)

1 c. mayonnaise

3 green onions, chopped to make about 1/2 cup

1.5 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup slivered almonds, optional

THAW spinach and hand-squeeze out all liquid before mixing the dip.
COMBINE: In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until blended.    

IMPORTANT: Refrigerate 4-6 hours or until ready to serve: This allows flavors to blend and it makes a big difference in taste! Taste test after the 4-6hrs in fridge and prior to serving.  Add more onion powder, garlic powder, or salt if desired. 

SERVE: Serve with French Bread, crackers, corn chips, or assorted raw vegetables

I like this recipe because it has no 'Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix' and no water chestnuts as ingredients.  It's a great party food!

Cheesier-than-Kraft Mac N Cheese

 The secret ingredient that makes it taste so cheesy is evaporated milk

1 box 7.25oz  generic brand Mac n Cheese (Walmart brand, Smith's brand, etc)

1 t. salt

¼ c. (or less) butter or margarine

2 Tbsp 2% milk 

6 Tbsp (¼ c. + 2Tbsp) evaporated milk

In a small pot, bring water to a rolling boil.  Add salt.  Stir in macaroni.  Boil on Med High for no more than  3.5 - 4.5 min, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Drain in noodle strainer.

Add butter/margarine to empty pot.  Return macaroni to pot.  Stir until butter melts.  Add 2% milk and evaporated milk.  Stir.  Add packet of powdered cheese. Stir until uniform color.  Taste test. If too thick, add 2% milk until desired consistency. 

Serve immediately.

Cucumber Chickpea Salad

      by Kayleigh Evans

Salad dressing:

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar, or white vinegar

1.5-2 tablespoons natural cane sugar, to taste

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Salad:

2 medium field cucumbers, seeded and chopped

1 red pepper, diced

1 cup red or white onion, diced

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1 can 15 oz. chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

1. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or mason jar. Adjust to taste. Feel free to add more sweetener if you prefer. Set aside.

2. Peel cucumbers, slice off the ends, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon (see photo in post if necessary). Slice halves into 1/8-inch “half moons” and toss into a large bowl. If your cucumbers are really big you can slice the half-moons in half as well.

3. Dice the red pepper and red onion and add into bowl. Roughly chop cilantro and add into bowl. Add chickpeas. Pour in the dressing and toss to combine.  Let this salad sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge, tossing every 10 minutes or so to help the dressing soak in.

4. Portion into bowls and top with peanuts. Serve immediately.

Beef Barley Lentil Soup

1/4 lb. ground beef, sautéed (optional)

1 onion chopped, or 1/4 cup dehydrated onion

3 q. water

1/2 c. barley, dry

2 c. brown lentils, dry

2 stalks celery, finely diced

3 carrots, finely diced

3 T. beef bullion

salt and pepper to taste

Sauté ground beef and onion in a large Dutch oven pot. Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer til veggies and grains are done, about 30-40 min

Crockpot Version: Cover, Cook on High for 3-4 hours.  

Oven Version: Bake in 250 degree oven, Cover tight w/ tin foil, for 3-4 hours. 

The Crockpot and Oven versions of the recipe make a good Sunday lunch.

It's hot & ready-to-eat when church is over.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancake MIX

Speed up a breakfast of pancakes by making a MIX 
ahead of time!

The combination of wheat flour and oatmeal is nothing but whole grain goodness.

Adding cooked oatmeal increases moisture.

 

#1. To make the MIX:

     Stores for 6+ months.

8 c. whole wheat flour

1  c. dry powdered milk

½ c. sugar

¼ c. baking powder

2 t. salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine all

ingredients.  Transfer to a #10 can (above)

or another airtight container.  

 

#2. To make pancakes:

     Use a medium mixing bowl.

2   eggs, beaten

¼  c.  oil

2+ c. water

1  c. cooked oatmeal, or other cooked hot cereal
2 ½ c. whole wheat pancake MIX

With a wire whisk, combine

ingredients in order, first to last. 

Cook on a hot griddle med heat.

Refrigerator mashed Potatoes (make ahead)

This recipe was given to my mom by a friend, Lisa Hill in Mesa, Arizona. It is a great recipe for Thanksgiving because you can make them ahead and not have to mess with peeling and boiling potatoes the day of. Lincoln and I have made them a couple of times for the family and they are a huge hit full of flavor, creaminess and deliciousness!

5lbs of potaotes, peeled and quartered (Yukon Gold are the best)

6 ounces of cream cheese

1 cup of sour cream

2 teaspoons onion salt

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

2-4 Garlic cloves sauteed in butter

Cook potatoes until tender in lightly salted boiling water for about 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth. In a large bowl mix mashed potatoes with the rest of the ingredients. Beat with a wisk or electric mixer. Let cool and place in an air tight container and refrigerate. 

Stays fresh for 1 week. 

One suggestion, place 2-4 cloves of garlic in the water with the potatoes as they boil then mix as you mash.

Enjoy!

- Lincoln and Amber Turley, Lyneer Andersen family

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

3  1/2 c. whole wheat flour, fine ground

1  t. baking soda

2  t.  baking powder

1  t. salt

2  c. sugar, reduce to 1  1/2 c. if you prefer less sugar

2  t. cinnamon

1/8  t. nutmeg and 1/8 t. cloves, optional

15 oz. can pumpkin, or 2 c. frozen 

        pumpkin puree defrosted and drained  

4   eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 c.  oil

1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. milk, or prepared powdered milk

12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Mix first 7 ingredients, then add the rest.  
Grease muffin tins with oil, not with oil cooking spray. 
Makes 24 tall muffins or 36 short muffins. 
Fill greased muffin tins 1/2  to  2/3 full.  

Bake 15-20 min at 325 degrees. 
The smell of autumn will fill your kitchen. 
Lightly touch the center of a few muffins, if it 
bounces back, they are done. 
Wait 2 min before removing from tin. Enjoy them warm! 

These muffins freeze very well. 
They also make a great, somewhat healthy,
       after-school snack. 
We like to make '36 short muffins' because they 
cook fast, fit in kid-sized mouths, and if frozen, defrost easy.

No need to spread extra butter on top of these babies.  The butter is inside.

Pumpkin Nutrition:

Great source of  Vitamin A

Low in calories and fat

High in fiber

Can replace oil for pumpkin in many recipes.

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.

Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.