Diane Atkins Granola Bars

I got this recipe from my daughter's Mother-In-Law, they are really good.

5 cups coconut
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup chopped dried craisins
2 cups gran. sugar
2 t baking soda mix 1st 9 ingred. well
2 1/2 t salt
5 cups W.W. flour
6 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup chopped choc. chips
1 cup chopped W. choc. chips
2 cups slivered almonds

in a seperate bowl
2 1/2 cups veg. oil
5 eggs
5 t vanilla
1 cup molassas

blend both bowls together, place in 2 cookie sheets and pat down til firm, mix is crumbly.

bake in a 350* oven for 15 minutes"

Sweet and Sour Tomatoes

7 tomatoes
1 small yellow onion
1/2 cup white sugar1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Thinly slice the tomatoes. Cut the onion in half through root end, then thinly slice into half-circles. In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, sugar, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. You may adjust the amounts of vinegar and sugar according to your taste. Serve at room temperature"

Green Beans

4 servingsIngredients
3/4 pound green beans - look for trimmed, raw packaged beans in your produce department
Salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari aged soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
Cut green beans into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Place in a skillet. Add water, salt, to taste and cook beans 5 minutes, then drain beans. Place the skillet back on stove and add vegetable oil. Heat pan over high heat until oil smokes. Add the beans and red peppers and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the soy and sesame oil and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve"

Ginger Flank Steak with Wasabi Smashed Potatoes

4 servings Ingredients

2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1/4 cup tamari aged soy sauce
2 limes, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it
2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
2 pounds flank steak
2 1/2 to 3 pounds Idaho potatoes, 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup cream
1 to 2 tablespoons wasabi paste - how hot do ya like it?
4 scallions, root end trimmed
Handful cilantro leaves
Directions
Preheat a grill pan or indoor/outdoor grill to high.
Combine ginger, tamari, lime juice, oil and grill seasoning in a large seal able plastic bag. Add meat to marinade and coat evenly. Let stand 10 minutes then grill meat 6 to 7 minutes on each side.
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, salt the potatoes and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and add them back to the hot pot. Smash the potatoes with a masher to desired consistency with the cream and wasabi. Adjust salt, to taste.
While potatoes and meat cook, finely chop the scallions together with cilantro and lime zest.
Let meat rest 5 minutes then thinly slice on an angle against the grain. Serve meat on mash potato mounds with a garnish with a generous sprinkling of the chopped scallion-cilantro-lime zest."

Pepper Steak Sandwich

I sliced up thin slices of beef and cooked it with steak seasoning and salt and pepper and add a little beef broth. I added it to a pan of hot oil and cooked it until it was done, I then added onions and peppers to it and cooked until almost tender. Then I added cheese and a toasted roll.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

¼ c butter
½ Apple Sauce
¾-1 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 t vanilla
½ c buttermilk
2½ c flour
¼ c unsweeted cocoa powder
½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
½ t salt
2 c zucchini, grated
½ c chocolate chips
Directions
Grease the baking pan with a bit of butter and set aside. Preheat oven to 325.
Beat together butter, oil, sugar, and eggs, then whick in vanilla and buttermilk.
Gradually add flour, then cocoa, then baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips, then pour batter into cake pan and bake for about 45 minues, until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Let cool before serving"

Hamburger Cupcakes

I use to make these with cookies but they are so much better with cake.

I just bake some yellow cake, I fill up the cupcake pan a little less then half way with the cake batter. Then for the meat I use chocolate cake and add about 1/4 of the way full. I cut them all in half so I have the top bun and the bottom and two meats per chocolate cupcake. I use white frosting for the mayo and tint some more white frosting red, yellow and green so ketchup, mustard and lettuce. I think I will roll out a spearmint leaf next time for the lettuce or just tint some coconut like I use to with the cookies. They were so easy and everyone loved them.

Oh and yes that is sesame seeds on the top.

Crunchy Vegetable Wraps

4 T Tofutti cream cheese or any nondairy cream cheese

4 Wheat wraps or wheat tortillas

1 cup shredded spinach

1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup sliced avocado

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup diced cucumber

2 T diced red onion

salt and pepper to taste.

Spread one T of cream cheese over each wrap, sprinkle even amount of the remaining ingredients on each wrap; roll up and enjoy.

Tamales

OK I do not measure when I cook a lot of stuff but wanted to make sure I wrote this recipe down it was so good.

Pork Tamales

Pork

Garlic powder

salt

pepper

Cumin

Chili Powder

California chili (just throw them in the pan to cook with the meat)

onion

garlic

water

Bake in oven at 350 until meat falls apart easy.

Mean while take off the stems and the seeds out of a handful of California dried chilies and wash them out to take the seeds out. Put them in a pan and cover with water, boil and when it comes to a boil turn off the water and let sit until the water cools.

Soak corn husk in waters.

When meat is done take out onions, chilies and garlic, add to a blended with the chilies and water that you had cooling in the pan. Blend very well. Pour this over your cut up pork and set a side.

Chicken Tamales

sames spices as above but cover with water and boil until tender and cooked

can diced green chili

Green Enchilada sauce

Shred chicken and add can diced chilies and green enchilada sauce, set aside.

I always get my Masa made for me but never will again after making this one.

8 cups MaSeCa instant corn masa for tamales

5 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 cup corn oil

5 cups of the broth you cooked your chicken in.

Mix the first 4 items together well with your hands. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time continue mixing with your hands until the consistency of cookie dough. You should be able to spread this with a knife of a spreader. I find if you did the spreader in water it is easier.

If you add to much liquid you can always add a little more masa to thicken it. I found I had to keep adding broth because I was worried it would be to thin, when it was thinner it was easy to spread. Not to thin though.

Crumb Peach bread

Here is a recipe I made up to enter a contest for peaches

"Servings: Makes two loaves 32 serving
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour five minutes

Ingredients:
2/3 C butter, soften
2 C Sugar
4 Eggs
2/3 C peach juice or water if not using can
2 T vanilla extract
2 C sliced can or fresh peaches
3 1/3 c flour
2 Tea Baking soda
1 Tea salt
1/2 Tea baking powder

Topping
1 cup flour
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 Tea cinnamon
1 Tea nutmeg
1 C butter
1 C pecan



Directions:
Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Breat in juice/waster and vanilla. Stir in peaches. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Slowly add to creamed mixture.
Pour into a greased bread pan.
Mix topping mixture together and sprinkle on top of batter.
Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clear"

Blueberry Bars

2 Cups Blueberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted
GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in butter until well blended. Pat half into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Spoon cranberry mixture over crust. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. Pat gently. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Cool.
Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over bars. Yield: 3 dozen"

We Like It Raw - Raw Food Goodness: Mango Avocado Salad

We Like It Raw - Raw Food Goodness: Mango Avocado Salad: Ingredients
2 Ripe Mangoes, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 Large Avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 Tablespoon Lime Juiced
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Cilantro Leaves
1 Tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
Instructions:
Hand mix all of the ingredients together and serve"

Piña Colada Cake

1box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
3/4cup water
1/3cup vegetable oil
3eggs
2teaspoons rum extract
1container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped white frosting
1/4cup flaked coconut, toasted
1.Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8- or 9-inch) round pans or bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour.
2.In large bowl, beat cake mix, pineapple, water, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon of the rum extract with electric mixer on low speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally (do not overbeat). Divide batter evenly among pans.
3.Bake as directed on box. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4.Stir remaining 1 teaspoon rum extract into frosting. Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting; sprinkle with toasted coconut. Store loosely covered at room temperature"

Zucchini Bread

I can't believe I forgot to take pictures, this was really good though.

"3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 T lemon zest
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool"

Wheat Bread

3 Cups warm water

2 pkg dry yeast

1/3 C honey

5 C Bread Flour

3 T butter melted

1/3 C honey

1 T salt

3 1/2 C whole wheat flour

2 T butter melted

In a large bowl mix water, yeast, honey. Add 5 cups bread flour, stir and combine. Let sit for 30 minutes or until big and bubbly.

Mix in 3 T melter butter and 1/3 cup honey. Stir in 2 C wheat flour. On a flat surface kneed in enough flour until it is still a little sticky but pulls away from the surface, this can take from 2-4 cups more flour.

Place in a grease bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a dish towel in a warm place until double.

Punch down and divide into three sections. Place in a greased 9x5" pan. Allow to double until the dough is 1" above the rim of the pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, do not over bake. Brush lightly with butter, remove from pan and cool.

Refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

Cake mix, any flavor you like.

chocolate frosting.

3 eggs

1 1/3 C water

1/3 C oil

Roll cookie dough into balls with 1 tablespoon cookie dough and freeze for two hours.

In a mixing bowl mix eggs until broken up, add cake mix, water and oil and mix as directed on box. Fill liner almost 3/4 of the way full and add a frozen cookie dough ball to the center of each one. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Only push it in the cake not the cookie dough.

Stuffed Zucchini

12 oz Pork Sausage

1 lg Zucchini

3 eggs, beaten

1 C shredded Colby Cheese

2 C Cottage Cheese

1 1/2 C shredded Italian cheese blend

1/2 C chopped onion

2 T Italian seasoning

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 pinch garlic salt

1/2 chopped tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 Butter a baking dish size depends on zucchini.

Place crumble sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.

Partially cook zucchini in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from the microwave and let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine eggs, Colby cheese, cottage, Italian blend cheese, onion, Italian seasoning, sale and pepper.

Slice the zucchini in half lenghtwise, remove the seeds and rinse. Place both halves in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with garlic salt. Layer sausage, tomatoes and cheese mixture in each half.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Then broil for 5 minutes to brown the cheese.

Peach and Mint Ice Tea

This is sooooooo soooooo good.

1 1/4 cups lightly packed mint leaves

3 ripe peaches, pitted

4 cups ice cubes

Pour 6 cups water into a pan and cover, bring to a boil over high heat. take of the burner add one cup of mint leaves,. Cover: steep 30 minutes to allow mint to infuse water. Strain mint tea into a pitcher, discarding leaves. Chill until cold.

Mean while, coarsely chop 2 peaches; place in a blender. Puree until smooth, adding a couple tablespoons of mint tea if needed to help create puree. Strain through fine mesh sieve, chill.

Thinly slice remaining peach. Add peaches and remaining mint leaves into glasses. Divide peach puree among 4 glasses. Stir in chilled mint tea and enjoy! I think I like it without the puree in it. Try and see what you think.

My kids all have their favorite birthday dinner they request and cake. Our youngest daughter Kim turned 23 May 29 but we will have her dinner Sunday since her husband and son took her to San Francisco for the day. Kim wanted a Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake for her birthday, so this is what I came up with. OK kids lets stick with a more normal cake next time LOL. The frosting is great, I just hope it holds up for tomorrow. :o) She likes the Twix Peanut Butter candy so I figure I might as well go all out and add a bunch of those to the cake, I will come back tomorrow and let you know how it taste.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake
I did not use the crust because I wanted it as a filling for my cake.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with aluminum foil.
To Make Crust: In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, peanuts, and cinnamon. Stir in butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of an ungreased 8 or 9 inch springform pan, and set aside.
To Make Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolk all at once, beating on low speed until combined. Stir in half-and-half and chocolate chips.
Pour batter into the springform pan. Place the pan in a large baking pan, pour boiling water into the baking pan until it comes 1/2 way up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes.
Let cake cool completely, and keep in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Chocolate Banana Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 13x9 inch pan.
Beat cake mix, mashed bananas, oil and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 33 to 36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cake cool then frost with your choice of frosting, if desired
I used the Peanut Butter Cheesecake for the middle filling.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Heavy Whipping cream, as needed until it is nice and fluffy.
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Chicken and Dumpling

s:

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 bunch thyme
1 bay leaf
Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup heavy cream I added a 1/4 cup more because someone posted it was dry, they turned out perfect.
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 ribs celery, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
3 cloves finely chopped garlic

I also add bag of frozen peas

I also thickened mine with cornstarch mixed with a little water.
Directions
In a very large saucepan or Dutch oven, add chicken, chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf to cover. Turn on heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. *Cook's Note: You'll want to poach the chicken on a low simmer and start with cold stock so the chicken cooks evenly.
Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a 13 by 9-inch casserole dish and let cool. Reserve broth and discard the thyme and bay leaf. When chicken has cooled, shred. Use your hands or a fork and make sure to get all the meat off the bone. Discard the skin and bones.
Dumplings:
Add flour, salt and pepper, to taste, and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk together. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream, butter and herbs to a low simmer then add to the dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Using your hands, form dough into dumplings.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add oil. Once oil is hot, add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Saute until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add reserved broth to Dutch oven with vegetables and add the chicken. Bring to a low simmer. Add dumplings 1 at a time into the simmering soup. Cover pan with a lid and cook for 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste, if necessary.

Toasted Hazelnut and Shredded carrot salad

1/2 cup peeled hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, eyeball it
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound shredded carrots
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup currants or black raisins
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, a couple of handfuls
Directions
Place a small skillet over medium heat, add the chopped hazelnuts and toast until golden, stirring and flipping them about for about 5 minutes. While the nuts are toasting juice the lemon into a salad bowl and add the mustard and some salt and pepper. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream. Add the shredded carrots, red onion, currants and parsley. Toss to coat in the dressing and sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts.

Flank Steak Pinwheels

Serves:
8 to 10 pinwheels

Ingredients
1 large flank steak, butterflied along the grain
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces Asiago, shredded
8 ounces curly loose spinach leaves, washed, patted dry, stems removed
6 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
4 scallions, left whole
8 to 10 wooden skewers, soaked in water
Directions
Preheat grill or grill pan to high.
To butterfly the flank steak, start with the meat grain running up and down in front of you. With your knife, begin cutting the meat in half. Essentially, you want a thinner, larger flank steak. Continue cutting the flank steak in half until you reach about 1 inch from completely cutting through. Lay the cut flank steak open and even out the middle so there is not a thicker piece in the center. Or just ask the butcher!
Spread the flank steak out so that the grain is running left to right. Begin layering the flank steak with salt and pepper, the Asiago, then the spinach, the Gorgonzola and scallions. Begin rolling the flank steak tightly and away from you. Evenly insert the skewers 1 to 2 inches along the seam of the pinwheel to hold it together on the grill. Cut in between each skewer but not against the skewer; you want the same amount of meat on either side of each skewer. Grill the pinwheels on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes or until your desired doneness.

These are a do over ot the Levain cookie. I have to say I like the old recipe better.

Now this is the sweetest cookie ever. :o)

2 sticks ‘cold and cubed’ unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 to 3 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I usually use half semisweet and half milk chocolate)
1 cup walnuts (Toast the nuts for more flavor, if desired. Use any kind of nut you like. I love macadamias in these)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time.. and beat until well incorporated.
2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips/chunks and nuts.
3. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 12 equal portions, **about 4 oz each
4. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes depending on how gooey and raw’ish’ you like the interior, until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat in an airtight container.
These are best eaten on the day they are made (ESPECIALLY warm out of the oven – like most chocolate chip cookies). To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
Also, once again, the Levain Bakery does not use vanilla extract in their chocolate chip walnut cookies. If you’d prefer to use it, add 1 tsp along with the eggs.
Makes about 12-14 cookies
* 6 oz portions will give you about 8-10 cookies – bake another 3-5 minutes at 375F.