Peanut Butter Bars

These are just like the ones we had for school lunch!

3/4 C Peanut Butter
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1 1/2 C Quick Oats
1 Egg
1 1/2 C Flour
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla


Cream butter and egg then add remaining ingredients and press into greased pan. Bake 20 min. @ 350.

Frosting:
2 C Powdered Sugar
3 Tbs. Peanut Butter
3 Tbs. Cocoa

Mix ingredients with enough milk to make creamy.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It is that time of year again. Here is an easy recipe for roasting up those seeds:

	One medium-sized pumpkin
	Salt
	Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes or until the seeds begin to brown. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole.

Balsamic Chicken

This is an awesome low fat recipe I just came across. You HAVE to try it!

This makes 2 servings...

2 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 TBS Olive Oil
1 TBS Tomato paste
1 tsp dried Tarragon
1/2 C Chicken broth
2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
2 TBS Heavy Cream


Season the chicken breasts how you like. Heat olive oil in skillet and cook chicken breasts all the way through. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add tomato paste and tarragon to skillet. Cook briefly, stirring constantly. Whisk in chicken broth and balsamic vinegar and cook until thickened. Stir in cream and reheat to simmering. Slice chicken breasts and fan out slices on dinner plates. Drizzle sliced chicken with sauce.

Thai Noodles

I made this recipe last night for dinner. I added tofu to the sauce and just used the noodles I had on hand - spaghetti.

It rocked.

The only suggestion I have is to add a little salt to the sauce.

I am going to make this many times in the future. Although the list of ingredients seem long, I had most of them in my cupboard. It really is a very simple dish to cook. It has a really good mixture of spices and flavorings that make it really yummy. My pickiest eater gobbled his up!

Snickerdoodles

Prep Time: 40 min
Makes: 4 dozen cookies


1 1/2 C Sugar
1/2 C Butter or Margarine, softened
1/2 C Shortening
2 Eggs
2 3/4 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt

For Coating
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp. ground Cinnamon


Heat oven to 400.
Mix sugar, butter, shortening and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
Shape dough into approx. 1 1/4 in balls. Mix the 1/4 C sugar with cinnamon and roll dough balls in the mixture and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 min or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool.

I like to under bake mine a little so they come out softer and stay that way longer, but if they do get a little hard after some time, you can place a slice of bread in with the cookies and they will soften again.

Another side note: if you have self rising flour, you don't need to use the cream of tartar, baking soda or salt.

Enjoy!

Easy and Tasty (but not healthy) Chocolate Frosting

Hi Gals,
Here is an easy chocolate frosting I whipped up in an emergency. It turned out pretty good I think!

6 oz melted semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz cream cheese
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk

Just combine all the ingredients and you've got yourself a bowl of frosting!

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

by Eileen's Cuisine

These were created out of necessity when I received an unexpected eggplant from my food co-op. They are not really quick, not really easy, but the ingredients list is short and the payoff is spectacular!

1 8-10" eggplant (even and narrow for uniform slices if you can manage it)
3 eggs
1 c. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Canola Oil

1 small can of tomato sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 c. Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 Hoagie rolls

Wash the eggplant and cut and discard the stem. Slice the eggplant thinly and place in a large bowl of cold water to soak for 20 minutes. This is supposed to cut the acid and keep your mouth from itching so much if you're sensitive to eggplant like I am. Put a bowl on top of the eggplant and fill it with cold water to hold them down as they will all float to the top otherwise.

In the meantime, crack the eggs into a gallon ziplock bag. Scramble them with your hand through the bag and zip it closed for now.

Drain the eggplant after 20 minutes and rinse. Dry them on a several layered paper towels and drop them into the ziplock bag of eggs. In an electric skillet, set the heat to 350, or in a regular skillet, to around medium/medium high and pour enough canola oil to cover the entire surface without creating much depth. While the oil heats, toss the eggplant around in the eggs in the sealed bag, coating them with the egg. Pour some breadcrumbs into a bowl and one by one, place the eggplant slices into the crumbs, jiggling the bowl to coat the slice. Flip the slice if necessary. Then place each piece carefully into the hot oil to avoid splashing yourself. Cook until browned, checking frequently, then turn with a fork and cook until brown. Remove from oil and place on a plate layered with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

In a pot, combine the can of tomato sauce with the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Heat through. (Feel free to use your favorite jarred sauce. The can is simple because it is the perfect small amount for four sandwiches).

Preheat the oven for 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and open your hoagie rolls face up on it. Layer a row of eggplant (5-6 slices), then a slathering of sauce, a sprinkling of parmesan and some of the mozzerella. Repeat for a second layer on all four sandwiches. Bake until the mozzerella is melted, about 10 minutes. Put the roll tops on, slice in half and enjoy!

Taco Soup

Taco Soup from Heather's Kitchen

2 lbs. Hamburger
3 16 oz. cans Pinto Beans
1 16 oz. can Stewed Tomatoes
1 4 1/2 oz. can Green Chilies
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 16 oz. can Kidney Beans (optional)
1 chopped Onion
1 can Whole Corn
1 15 oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 pkg. Dry Ranch dressing (optional)

Brown hamburger, drain and add onion. Combine with rest of ingredients in large pot and heat through. Serve with your favorite chips, sour cream, cheese or whatever your heart desires!

Heather's Comforting Chicken Soup

Comforting Chicken Soup

2 Quarts Water
8 Chicken bullion cubes
6 1/2 Cups Uncooked wide egg noodles
2 (10 3/4) cans Cream of Chicken Shop
3 Cups Cooked cubed chicken
1 Cup Sour Cream
Fresh Parsley (Optional)

Bring water and bullion cubes to a boil, add noodles and cook for 10 minutes. DON'T DRAIN...
Add cream of chicken soup and chicken and heat through. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and serve with parsley if desired.

Spicy Chicken and Beans

by Eileen's Cuisine

This is a very healthy meal (if you go easy on the cheese and sour cream!) that can be made quickly with items you can keep on hand. You can easily omit the chicken for a meatless meal that is still packed with protein. Increase or decrease the seasoning to add heat or make it more mild to suit your taste. When I'm making it for the kids, I omit the cayenne and only use one teaspoon of cumin. You could also add chili powder for an added kick. Enjoy!

2 T. Olive Oil
2 Chicken Breasts (cubed)
1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
1/2 sm. yellow onion (diced)
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans (rinsed well)
1 (15 oz) can black beans (rinsed well)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro
2 t. cumin
1/8 t. cayenne (optional)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cilantro (fresh if you've got it!)
1 can of whole kernel corn
sour cream and shredded cheddar to garnish

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook halfway. Add peppers and onions. Cook until onions are caramelized (browned but not burned) and the chicken is cooked through. Add both beans and heat through. Add tomato and all seasoning. Heat through and finally add corn. Cook for about five to ten minutes and serve over rice with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

So quick and easy, not to mention YUM!
A favorite at our house as well.
Thanks Shizzle!

Pasta with Peas and Spicy Sausage

At our house we shorten the name of this dish to "Pasta Yum," and it ends up being made nearly every week per my kids request. Despite the spice it really is not too hot for kids or people that don't like spicy stuff. It just adds a bit of flavor and interest. It is a simple quick dish that is a cinch to keep supplies for. It is our "pinch hit" favorite.


Pasta Yum:
Servings 10, Prep time: 10-15 minutes

1 - 1 pound package Jimmy Dean 'Hot' ground sausage. (You can use any kind you love but don't skimp on cheap stuff as there are so few ingredients the flavor of the sausage really defines the whole dish)
1 - 16 oz package of frozen peas
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. Red chili pepper flakes
1 - 16 box medium shell pasta (I prefer Barilla as the shells aren't too thick)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
* Start a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
* In a skillet brown the sausage mixing in the pepper flakes. Eliminate excess fat off by letting the cooked sausage drain on some paper towels while you finish up the noodles.
* Add pasta to boiling water and cook for the time listed on the box (usually about 10 minutes)
* When the pasta is about 4-5 minutes from being done add in the bag of frozen peas to cook with the noodles. When finished drain the water from the pot reserving a 1/4 cup of the pasta water in a measuring cup or something.
* Combine pasta and peas with sausage and cheese and stir until everything is incorporated.
* Add in pasta water a tablespoon or so at a time to kind of bind it all together. You don't want it "wet" so less is more but it really does make a difference to use some.
* Salt and pepper to taste.