Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1 store bought graham cracker pie crust or make your own.

( I find bought crust are too small...usually 8 in... for my liking. The recipe below will make a 10 in. pie.)

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

(About 9 full/long crackers — just throw them in a gallon bag, zip, and crush with a rolling pin.) 

5 tbsp butter, melted

Filling

8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. smooth peanut butter  

½ c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed (I added a little extra to mine)
whipped cream for topping...or use frozen whipped topping, chocolate syrup, and grated chocolate; optional garnishes.
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. 

In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until a crumbly, moist mixture forms. 

Gently but firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom/sides of a pie dish. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in peanut butter and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon mixture into prepared pie crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, with a sprinkling of grated chocolate. Keep refrigerated.

Note: I used frozen topping for the filling and whipped my own cream with a little sugar for the topping. When I make this again I will not bother with the frozen topping. A 1\2 liter size container of whipping cream will make enough whipped cream to use for the filling as well as the topping. Chill the whipping cream, bowl and beaters before beating...beat while adding adding 1/4 c. of sugar until cream firms up. Do not over beat.

Enjoy...I know we did!

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE...as wholesome as apple pie...not!

While sweet potatoes themselves, in their pure form, are considered healthy, it would require a long stretch of the imagination to ever wrap your mind around this dish as being good for you...sort of like believing apple pie is healthy because it's made with apples. Although the bulk of it is sweet potato with a pecan topping, it has added sugar, coconut and butter/margarine that makes it sooooo tasty. Even those who turn up their noses at sweet potato love this dish, which is why I make it for every holiday meal.

 SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE  (I always double this recipe in order to have leftovers...hopefully)

1 ½ c. sweet potato-cooked, mashed and warm
½ c. sugar
4 T. margarine
1 egg-slightly beaten
½ c. coconut
1/3 c. milk
½ tsp. Vanilla

TOPPING
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. chopped pecans
¼ c. flour
4 T. margarine-melted
Dash of salt

Combine first 7 ingredients and mix well. Pour into a buttered casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over top of potato mixture. Bake uncovered  at 350 degrees for 20-30 min.

Gluten Free Pizza

There's nothing like a good bout with the flu to get me rethinking what I put into my body. After a day of not being able to eat at all followed by two that I could only muster yogurt and bananas, gradually reintroducing foods I typically eat is proving to be a slow and gradual process and perhaps a chance to clean up my act. I certainly know I will take a long pause before I wolf down a another hot dog loaded with fried onions, my last meal before getting sick. One of the good side effects of being sick is that I've gone 3 1/2 days without coffee so hopefully I slept through my caffeine withdraw. I've been reading a lot about the gluten free diet and have often thought about giving it a try but...I do love my bread and it's pretty hard to find anything that doesn't contain wheat... but if I'm gonna try it, now would be as good a time as any.

I had some veggies and leftovers in the refrigerator that needed to be use up so I decided to make pizza's. I used the thin crust recipe I normally use for two...a man pizza for the hubby,and a scaled down pizza for my daycare kiddies but for me, I made a mamma pizza...gluten free...less meat, extra veggies and nooooo hotdogs. Instead of a wheat crust I made a brown rice crust that I have been using for my quiches ever since I found this recipe for a lighter, healthier quiche on Pinterest. For my pizza crust, I added an extra egg.

Source: crunchyrock.com via Marisa on Pinterest

Brown Rice Crust for Pizza
2 c. cooked brown rice
2 eggs
1 c. cheddar cheese
Mix together in a bowl, spread onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for about 8 min.
Top with pizza sauce and sprinkle on a couple handfuls of cheese, I used a mix of Mozzarella and Cheddar, add your favorite toppings and seasonings and a little more cheese then pop back it in the oven for 15 to 20 min.

 I added lots of onion, a small amount of hamburger and bacon, green peppers and chopped tomato.

Mamma, Man and Kiddie Pizza's

I have to say I prefer the Brown Rice crust over the regular crust pizza, and the hubby agrees.

 

The Best Damn Squash

Tonight I fell in love for the first time

...with squash.

Although I like squash and have  been eating it for  years,

it never excited me.

I've experimented with preparing it different ways and, 

while it was good,

it never had the WOW factor...until tonight!

Cranberry Orange Squash and Rosemary Chicken

Cranberry Orange Squash
1 acorn squash (any type of squash will do)
1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 orange or clementine
butter
1/2 c. water

Cut squash in half length wise and scoop out seeds. Prick squash with a fork. Place skin side down in a baking pan that has been lined with tin foil.

In a bowl mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Add the cranberries and toss. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the squash and arrange orange sections on top. Add a small amount of butter.
Pour about 1/2 c. water into the pan. Cover squash with tin foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for about an hour until squash is tender.

Pour juices that are left in the pan over the squash and serve
...  with a spoon
...because this is so good you want to scrape every bit out.

Eating Well

I wish I could say I eat like this all the time

...but I don't.

 I do I feel so much better when eating healthy foods that it 

baffles me why I fall off the "healthy eatin' " wagon time and time again. 

This meal was fast and super easy to prepare...just lightly pan sear a salmon fillet along with your favorite veggies and add a sprinkling of seafood seasoning...ymmmm!

Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup With Ginger & Orange

I was given this recipe for Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup With Ginger & Orange 

by one of my daycare moms

and it gets
two thumbs up!

Fall is a time for harvest, frosty mornings, the smell of wood stoves, colored leaves and pumpkins, but best of all is the smell that fills the house when those pumpkins are brought into the house and cooked into delicious soups, pies, muffins and squares.

 I just discovered this recipe somewhere on the web 
and tried it for the first time last week. 
We loved it!
It meshes two of our favorite deserts
...cheesecake and pumpkin pie 
into one and is so much easier to make.
The pecans and cinnamon add a nice flavor and crunch to the bars.
This recipe is a repeater!

 

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

1 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
5 tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine flour and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter to make a crumb mixture. Stir in nuts. Set aside 3/4 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Blend until smooth. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars. Makes 32 x 2 inch bars. If you double recipe and put in a spring form pan it makes a wonderful cheesecake (increase baking time).

On a healthier note, 
I bought ten pounds of carrots and have been busy
cooking and pureeing them for the freezer to be used later in soups
...found a great recipe for Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup I'm anxious to try...
and grating them for this yummy 
Carrot Bran Muffin recipe I found.
 

Carrot Bran Muffins 

Carrot Bran Muffins
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of bran
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup soured milk (sour with vinegar) or buttermilk
1/2 cup of oil
1 tablespoons of molasses
1 1/2 cups of grated carrots
1 cup of raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix your bran with the milk and let it sit.
Combine all your dry ingredients and whisk them together.

To your bran mixture add the eggs, molasses and oil, and mix well.Add raisins. (to plump up your raisins heat them  for a couple minutes in a large measuring cup with hot water them for 2 minutes in the microwave0. Drain. Add the grated carrots and mix well. Then add the dry ingredients and combine well.
Line the muffin tins with cupcake papers... they do come out beautifully instead of sticking to the liners. Bake at 350 degrees until the tops spring back when touched, about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. This will make 16 medium sized muffins or 12 large ones.

Homemade Goodness

One of our favorite cookies around here are from a recipe of my Mom's,

"Dad's Cookies." 

Soft, chewy and easy to make!

Dad's Cookies
1 c. butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 c. coconut
2 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
 ***for Thanksgiving, I threw in a couple handfuls of dried cranberries for a holiday touch. The recipe doesn't call for them but you can throw pretty much anything in...pecans are yummy in this recipe.

Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. The easiest way I find to mix  is to just roll up your sleeves and use your hands to mix. Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in milk. Bake in a preheated oven, 375 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until set and just lightly browned. Do not over bake or they will be hard and not soft and chewy. Cool for 5 min. before removing from cookie sheet.

 Double Pumpkin Bars

...another recipe that I tend to make quite often, 

a little healthier than the Dad's Cookies 

but we find them just as tasty!

These are a nice moist bar.

Double Pumpkin Bars

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. rolled oats

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 egg

1/4 c. veg. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped dates

1/4 c. pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan. In a bowl combine the first seven ingredients. Whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir into the dry ingredients. Mix in the dates and pumpkin seeds. Spread in pan and bake 20 min. until top is firm and tooth pick comes out clean. Cool on rack, cut into bars and store in refrigerator for up to a week.

"Squashed" for Six Word Saturday

"I'm feeling a little bit squashed!"

and 

"If it grows, we'll eat it!"

After planting Zucchini Squash for the last couple of years, we decided to change it up some by planting Hubbard Squash last year and this year...Acorn Squash.
It doesn't matter which variety you choose,
three little plants can soon overtake your garden,
sending vines climbing up nearby shrubs, and can  produce enough squash to feed half the neighborhood.
One can tire very quickly of steamed squash,
so I am always searching for new recipes to liven things up. 
Here are just a few of the ways we've been
enjoying our squash....
 

Rice Stuffed Squash with a side salad.

Baked Brown Sugar Squash
This is the fastest and easiest way to cook squash.

Zucchini Casserole

Just because we didn't plant zucchini ourselves,

doesn't stop other people from giving theirs away.

The hubby brought home the mother load of all zucchinis from work

and I chopped it up to produce this yummy dish.

It is definitely a repeater!

Zucchini Casserole
8 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
2 cups cooked rice (I used Brown rice)
1 cup fat free sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
*(I didn't have Italian bread crumbs so I toasted 4 slices of bread, let them cool and them tore them up into chunky bread crumbs...the more bread crumbs the better for me and I threw a teaspoon of Italian seasoning into the casserole)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first 3 ingredients in a dutch oven, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; partially mash with a potato masher. Combine zucchini mixture, rice, sour cream, cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl; stir gently. Spoon zucchini mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.
Preheat broiler. Broil one minute or until lightly browned.

For a fantastic zucchini recipe

to satisfy the sweet tooth in your family see 

"Dreamin' Zucchini."

Caribbean Zucchini Bread has become 

one of our favorite

zucchini bread recipes.

Join Cate at Show My Face for more Six Word Saturdays.

"YES, GRASSHOPPER, PIE IS GOOD FOR YOU."

...well at least this Lime Pie with Chocolate Macaroon  Crust is. When I saw this recipe on my daughter's blog, Graceful Simplicity,  I knew I would have to give it a try. Her post,  " Food, Love and a Raw Food Pie"  touches on the erotic use of  food "as a prelude, a stirring of the senses, a preparation for or igniter of passion." Judging by the murmurings of "mmmm" and "wow" that passed through hubby's lips as he ate this, he found it very tantalizing. While this is a Lime Pie, the color comes not from limes, but from the surprise ingredient...avocado. Don't let the avocado turn you off...you cannot taste it, only  the lime, and combined with this Chocolate Macaroon crust... is totally divine.

Lime Pie with Chocolate Macaroon  Crust
 (adapted from this recipe)

Lime Filling:
1 ripe avocado (I used two small avocado)
¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
1tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
½ cup honey (or agave)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Pour into Chocolate Macaroon pie molds (see below) and refrigerate for at least one hour and/or until ready to serve. Makes one pie or four, 4” tarts.

Chocolate Macaroon Crust:

1 cup pecans
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp honey if needed to hold it together

Directions:

Add all ingredients into food processor and mix until all ingredients are finely processed and starts to stick  Press firmly into pie form, or for tarts, divide and press into 4, 4” tart molds – place in fridge while making the filling.


Enjoy!

WHY WAIT ?

The hubby's eyes nearly popped out of his head

when he came home from work yesterday

and saw this sitting 

on the

counter.

He loves Rhubarb pie

...Strawberry Rhubarb even better, 

unfortunately, 

the strawberries won't be ready for a few more weeks, 

even longer before the prices come down enough for me. 

When I saw this recipe for Pineapple Rhubarb Pie 

somewhere online

I thought,

"Why wait for strawberries?"

PINEAPPLE RHUBARB PIE
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/4 cups thinly sliced rhubarb (I used 4 cups)
14 ounces crushed drained pineapple (I used a 19 oz sized can)
pastry for double-crust pie
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (to sprinkle on crust)


In large bowl measure 1st amount of sugar and flour, stir.
Add rhubarb and pineapple, stir.
Pour fruit mixture into unbaked pie shell.
Moisten pastry rim and cover with top crust.
Cut slits in top crust to let steam escape.
Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
Bake in 350° oven on bottom rack for 50- 60 minutes until browned and rhubarb is cooked.
* I baked mine in a 11 1/2 inch pie pan and had to increase the baking time by an extra 20 minutes.




Happy eating!
Marisa

SOUNDS GOOD... LOOKS GOOD...TASTE YUMMY!

Since planting our first rhubarb patch last summer I have been waiting for our first picking in order to try a new recipe given to me last summer by a friend Carol from PEI. The first crop did not disappoint, nor did the recipe for Rhubarb Torte, and if you like rhubarb, you will be sure to like this. Good food is meant to be shared and I'm sure Carol won't mind if I pass this one on.

...freshly picked rhubarb 

and lots more

to come.

Rhubarb Torte has a shortcake type base  

topped with a layer of a creamy rhubarb custard like filling 

and 

a golden meringue top.

...yes it taste as good as it looks!

RHUBARB TORTE

Base

1 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2  Tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. margarine

Mix dry ingredients together and cut in margarine with a pastry blender. Press crumb mixture into an 8x8 baking dish and bake in a 325 degree oven for 25 min.

Filling
While base is in oven cook the filling. Watch filling very carefully...it will burn to the bottom of the pan unless you stir it constantly.
1 1/4 white sugar
2 Tbsp. flour

3 egg yolks

1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 1/4 c. rhubarb, cut into one inch pieces
Cook until the rhubarb is cooked up and the sauce is thick. Cool and then pour over base. Top with meringue.

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 c. white sugar
Beat egg whites on high speed until thick. Gradually beat in 1/4 c. sugar. Spread meringue over rhubarb filling.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 5 - 9 min. or until meringue is golden brown.

Enjoy!

FOR THE LOVE OF FLAX

I have a thing for flax seed...you might call it a love affair, that's been  on going  for well over five years...and the power of my attraction for flax, unlike most love affairs,  has not waned over time. I don't keep my liaison a secret, engaging in it openly, and I'm willing to share with anyone, even the hubby. And it's true what they claim, that  in matters of love, size doesn't really matter, because this tiny little seed is powerful. It is one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet, and while it's not a  grain, it has a similar vitamin and mineral profile to grains... but has way more antioxidants, and Omega-3 fatty acids than grains. As a bonus, the flax seed is very low in carbohydrates making it ideal for people who limit their intake of starches and sugars. Its combination of healthy fat and high fiber content make it a great food for weight loss and maintenance -- many dieters have found that flax seed has been a key to keeping them feeling satisfied. What's not to love?

I start off every day with a heaping teaspoon of ground flax seed sprinkled on my yogurt, along with a spoonful of All Bran cereal and a helping of fruit. " Fiber-ing-up" in the morning is a good way to warn off feeling hungry before lunch. I also throw some ground flax seed in most of my baking, sprinkle it on salads or add it to smoothies. With my family history of colon cancer, the more fiber the better...it gets things moving to really clean out the pipes!

I made these two muffin recipes on the weekend, each containing a whole cup of ground flax seed, and they turned out wonderfully. While most "healthy" muffins tend to be a little on the heavy side, these were amazingly light and airy.

CRANBERRY FLAX MUFFINS

    1 cup (250 ml) flax seeds
    1 cup (250 ml) all purpose flour
    1 cup (250 ml) whole wheat flour
    1 cup (250 ml) natural bran (I used Natural Wheat Germ)
    1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
    1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
    1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
    1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
    2 eggs
    1-1/2 cups (375 ml) buttermilk (I used regular milk)
    1 cup (250 ml) packed brown sugar
    1/3 cup (75 ml) vegetable oil
    1-1/2 cups (375 ml) dried cranberries (I used frozen cranberries)

Set aside 2 tbsp (25 ml) of the flaxseeds. In food processor, finely grind remaining flaxseeds; transfer to large bowl. Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, natural bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt ; whisk to combine.

In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, sugar and oil; pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with cranberries; stir just until combined.

Spoon into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups; sprinkle with reserved flaxseeds. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until tops are firm to the touch, 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes; transfer to rack and let cool completely.

 ORANGE BRAN FLAX MUFFINS

(Whole oranges give these muffins a wonderful flavour)
1 ½ cups (375 ml)  oat bran  (I used chickpea flour) 
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour   
1 cup (250 ml) ground flax seed   
1 cup (250 ml) natural bran   (I used Natural Wheat Germ) 
1 tbsp (15 ml)  baking powder   
 ½ tsp (2 ml)  salt   
2   whole oranges  (peeled, quartered, seeded)
1 cup (250 ml)  brown sugar   
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk (I used regular milk)
½ cup (125 ml ) canola oil    
2     eggs    
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda   
1 ½ cups (375 ml)  raisins - optional


In a large bowl, combine oat bran, flour, flax seed, bran, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a blender or food processor, combine oranges, brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs and baking soda. Blend well.
Pour orange mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Stir in raisins.
Fill paper lined muffin tins almost to the top.
Bake in 190 C (375° F) oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.
Cool in tins 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.


Enjoy!

A WEEK OF FIRST

Last week's Hurricane Earl, our first of the season, did a no show here in the valley, choosing instead to steer off it's expected course and honor the eastern coast with a visit. While they experienced wind damage and power outages, we had merely a windy, wet day no worst than we would normally get this time of year. Hyped up for a real storm and not wanting to be caught with our pants down this time, we were prepared... all the garden and patio furniture was either put away or tied down tight, our meat was relocated to the bottom of the freezer, the flashlights and the cell phone recharged, and lots of water was drawn for drinking, cooking and flushing. When the storm passed us by with nary a bluster and only a flicker of lights, we were left feeling a little bored and let down. While the forecast hurricane brought little excitement to our part of the valley, it did bring cooler fresh air after a week 35 + degree temperatures hot enough to melt the tits off a polar bear.

I had my first deer sighting of the season while returning from my morning walk...there were two (and I almost missed them so there may have been more) that crossed in front of me but I had been looking down and just happened to look up at that instant. I had my earphones in so I didn't hear them, a reminder that being "wired" is not always a good thing. We miss so much of what is going on in the natural world around us. I will be doing more of my walking "unplugged" in the future.

I ate my first "hot" apple of the season, swiped from the neighboring orchard on one of my walks. Gasp! ...I know... I know...I'm on a spiraling descent into the fiery pits of Hell but don't despair for me... as my daughter always says, "That's where all the interesting people are."

Always thinking of my stomach, I enjoyed my first corn boil of the season, late I know, but it was just too hot before now to enjoy it ...and I had my first taste of BORSCHT. I have heard people say how good it is so I decided to use some beets from our garden and give it a try. It didn't disappoint and I will be making it again.

BORSCHT - BEET SOUP

2 c. beets (canned or cooked & peeled)
1/2 c. carrots, peeled & cut
2 c. beef bouillon or broth
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. dill weed

garnish
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. sour cream per serving (opt.)

I cooked beets from my garden the day before. Wash beets and cook in water until tender, drain and run cold water over them. The skin will easily slip off. Refrigerate until you are ready to make your soup.

Cook carrots in bouillon. Do not drain but allow to cool enough so you can puree the mixture in the blender. Blend in portions...some carrot/bouillon along with some beets, pour into soup pot and repeat until all the carrots and beets have been pureed...If you don't have a blender, mash with a potato masher. Add vinegar and dill weed. The pureed version is very elegant. Reheat soup ladle into bowls and top soup with 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon dill weed. This soup can be served hot or chilled.


Footnote:
Don't try this one on kids unless you are wearing head to toe protection. I offered it as "Christmas Soup" to my daycare kiddies after first setting the scene by singing Jingle Bells with them, but I couldn't pull the wool over their eyes this time. The one little guy I expected not to eat it did while the rest balked. The baby spit out the first spoonful and sent the second one flying hence the warning about full body protection. Lets hope the Tomato Orzo soup planned for tomorrow goes off better than the Borscht.

WELL WORTH THE WAIT

The strawberry:
"Doubtless God could have made a better berry,
but doubtless God never did."
Dr William Butler, 17th century English writer

Since being served this delightful desert by our friend Carol on our last visit to PEI, I have been waiting for the strawberry season so I could try it myself. The berries were wonderful this year, thanks to the cooperative weather, and we have taken full advantage, eating strawberries every which way you can imagine...jammed...short caked...on ice cream...or just on their own. This recipe for Pavlova is very easy to make, is light and airy and really satisfies the sweet tooth.

Pavlova
4 egg whites
1 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. vinegar
2 c. whipping cream
Fresh fruit of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi or pineapple)

Whip egg whites until they form peaks. Gradually add sugar, vanilla and vinegar and continue beating until very stiff.
Spread over parchment paper on a round pizza pan. Bake one hour at 275 degrees. Turn off the oven and leave meringue for several hours (4 - 6) or overnight. It should come out lightly golden as pictured below.
If you're serving a crowd you can top the baked meringue with whipped cream and strawberries just before serving. You can spread the whipped cream with a knife or go for the "wow" reaction and pipe the cream on... or just do what I did since it was just hubby and me...cut the meringue into serving size pieces, then top with whipped cream and strawberries.
I have to admit, my 26 week X-weighted challenge was put on hold for a week because I certainly ate my share of this one.



During our visit, we took in a hike at the Greenwich National Park . I felt like I was in another world...the sand dunes were so amazing.

The western tip of Greenwich, a peninsula that separates St. Peters Bay from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, became part of Prince Edward Island National Park in 1998 to protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources found in the area.

The site contains an extensive and fragile coastal dune system, wetlands and various natural habitats in which numerous rare plant species are found. Among the most spectacular natural characteristics to be protected at Greenwich are the unusually large and mobile parabolic dunes with their associated counter ridges or Gegenwälle . This phenomenon is very rare in North America.

And look at what awaits you on the other side of those dunes!

WHAT'S ON YOUR PLATE TUESDAY!

Onion Mushroom Meatloaf/Sweet Potato Fries/Salad and Raw Baby Carrots

Yes, it was as good as it looks!

Tahini Garlic Salad Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons flavored vinegar ( I used basil vinegar I made with basil from my garden)
1 teaspoon Honey Dijon Mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste or more to taste
2 teaspoons tahini

Pumpkin seeds (Optional...to sprinkle on top of salad)

Add all ingredients to a bottle and shake well. Toss with your favorite salad ingredients ( I used lettuce, red peppers, tomato, chopped avocado and chopped apple) Spoon onto a plate and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on top.

Onion Mushroom Meatloaf

1 pound lean hamburger
1 to 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (reserve a few to garnish the top)
1 large onion chopped fine
1/2 pepper (I used red)
2 eggs
3/4 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 package onion soup mix
pepper to taste
3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients (except cheese and reserved mushrooms) together in a large bowl. After you've mixed it well, spoon into a large loaf pan or an 8x8 inch baking pan. Top with reserved mushrooms. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle on cheese. Bake another 15 minutes.

Bon Appétit!

Marisa

FIELD COOKIES

Last week, Jacqueline, one of my daycare moms brought me some freshly baked cookies to try and they were so delicious I had to have the recipe. Aptly named "Field Cookies" they are loaded with goodness... lots of seeds and grains, but low in fat and sugar. This recipe calls for only one cup of butter and two cups of sugar to make seven dozen cookies which is not a lot compared to what most recipes call for. While Jacqueline's turned out like thicker drop cookies, mine flattened out during baking like typical chocolate chip cookies and I ended up with nine dozen instead of seven. These are a great and very tasty way to "fiber up" your diet!

FIELD COOKIES

2 c. unbleached flour (I used 1 white and 1 whole wheat)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1 c. flax seeds
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. poppy seeds
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. coconut
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

2 c. brown sugar
1 c. unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the first 12 ingredients. In a separate bowl beat together the butter, eggs , sugar and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients. The recipe says to roll dough into balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten balls with a fork but I didn't. I just dropped mine by a teaspoon and didn't bother to flatten them. They flattened out on their own in the oven. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

TOASTED OATMEAL BREAD

Whenever I find a good recipe for bread like this one, thanks to my daughter Grace, it quickly becomes a "regular" in our household. I've made this one twice already this week. It's so good it doesn't last long. Simply delicious when eaten while still warm, it is also great thickly sliced and toasted with your favorite spread.

Toasted Oatmeal Bread

This recipe is for a bread machine and makes a 2-pound loaf, but there is no reason that it couldn't be made by hand using traditional bread making methods.

1/3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
*3/4 cup milk
*1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 1/3 cups white flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast

* The directions do not say to warm the milk and water but, I mixed them together, added the butter and warmed it slightly (the traditional bread making method) in the microwave before putting it in the bread machine pan. I guess it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

Spread the oats in a shallow baking pan.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown, stirring occasionally; cool.
Add the ingredients to a bread machine according to the manufacturer's directions, adding the oats with the flour. If available, select the whole grain cycle, or select the basic white bread cycle. Remove hot bread from machine as soon as it is done. Cool on a wire rack.

***The bread pictured above was baked in the oven. I prefer the look and shape of my loaves when I form them myself for a regular bread pan and bake them in the oven so whenever the oven is being used to cook something else, I bake the bread along with it, otherwise I let it bake in the machine.

Check out another of our favorite bread recipes...Rosemary Bread

A FULL SERVING OF VEGETABLES...EH!

Have you seen the latest ad pushing Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli as a healthy food choice for kids. The commercial shows a kid eating a bowl of the crap while his Dad is trying to say "There's a full serving of vegetables in every bowl of Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli . Each time he opens his mouth the mom tries to prevent him from letting the cat out of the bag by making a lot of noise so that their son cannot hear. The voice-over eventually announces: "There's a full serving of vegetables in every bowl of Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli . Just don't tell them."

How stupid do they think we are? Amazing, aside from the fact that the smell alone when you open a can is enough to get the gag reflexes working, which in my mind puts it in the same category as pet food, kids really like this stuff and would eat it for every meal if given the chance. Since the kids don't control the buck, the targeted consumer is the parent, who chooses what they will or will not buy to feed their children. Does the ad company really believe that telling us there is a full serving of vegetables thrown in with a handful of other questionable ingredients will reassure us that it is OK to include Chef Boyardee Ravioli as part of a healthy diet?

Although the first ingredient on the label is tomatoes, biologically a fruit but considered by most as a vegetable, just read on:

In each one-cup serving there are 240 calories (70 of them from fat), 8 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and ...get this...900 grams of sodium. That's a lot of fat and salt!

I admit, when my kids were little, they did eat canned pasta, but only occasionally when stressed for time...just spoon it into a bowl, warm it and serve, but I was never under any illusion that it was good for them. It was just a stop gap measure to hold them over until their next meal of real food.

I believe that if you start out serving kids healthy foods patterned on your own eating habits they will naturally navigate toward a healthy attitude about food and will be more willing to try new things. My own kids have always been good eaters, but as a daycare provider I've encountered my share of fussy eaters over the years. I always offer healthy foods, only occasionally opening a can of soup, and they slowly but surely become good eaters even it they refuse to eat the same foods at home. I've had to resort to some pretty ingenious acts of trickery to get my daycare kids to eat foods that good for them. Aside from the usual con of coming up with fun names like "broccoli trees", bean "rocket boosters", "Sunny Soup" for pumpkin soup or "Shreck Soup" for any soup on the green shade, I also blend foods they might bulk at in with other foods to disguise it. But the most effective means of getting fussy kids to eat is to be a bit of a "hard ass"...and not offer them something else...they will eat. Hearing a group of two and three year olds asking for more avocado and cottage cheese is music to the ears.

Devious to the core, I even pull the "blend" one on adult family members. They won't hear it from me that the Maui Black Bean Soup and the Cream of Turkey Soup I served over the holidays were both loaded with onions. A pureed soup will hide just about anything.

I've also made Tofu Brownies as well as brownies whose main ingredient.. beans... were delicious, and, if I didn't point out what was in them, no one would be the wiser.

Sometimes I have to trick myself when it comes to eating something I don't like but know is good for me. Never fond of lentils, except for when cooked in a Split Pea Soup or this recipe for Lentil Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes , I normally have to puree them and add them to other dishes.

Here is a recipe for Lasagna that I added lentils to which turned out well...I hardly knew they were there. I will post the recipe for Toasted Oatmeal Bread later in the week.


Low Fat Lasagna with Lentils
8 wide lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 lb. lean hamburger
1 onion finely chopped
chopped veggies of your choice/mushrooms/peppers/celery
2 cloves minced garlic if you like
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 jar spaghetti sauce (low fat/low salt)
1 can lentils drained and rinsed
1 container (500 g) fat free cottage cheese
1/2 c. light Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

This will make a large lasagna so use a large, deep baking dish.

Cook noodles and rinse under cold water ***I always cook the whole package of noodles and use what I need. The rest I spread out between layers of waxed paper, roll up like a jelly roll, bag it and freeze it until the next time I make lasagna.

In large frying pan cook hamburger til browned, add onions veggies and cook until tender. Add tomatoes, spaghetti sauce and lentils and simmer uncovered until sauce thickens some.

Meanwhile, mix spinach, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.

Spoon some cooked sauce into the bottom of baking dish and spread. Top with 4 noodles. Spoon 1/2 the remaining sauce over the noodles. Top with the spinach/cheese mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Layer. with the remaining 4 noodles. Spread the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let set 5 minutes before serving.

AN UNEXPECTED GIFT

Expecting only two children today I was given a welcomed and unexpected gift of time when both parents called this morning to cancel out due to illness. It couldn't have come at a better time as I was suffering from a severe case of "post Christmas blues".

With time on my hands I was able to cook up an easy Pineapple Jelly from a recipe I found over the summer, give the house a quick clean and still had time to go out for my first cross country ski for the season before the after school kids arrived. I'm pleased with all I accomplished today, including the bruises on my butt from the first of many falls to come...must learn how to ski...
My one regret is that I didn't take my camera with me as I missed some great shots of two hawks soaring directly over my head.

EASY PINEAPPLE JELLY

4 c. Pineapple juice (use a good quality...I used Dole)
2 T. Lemon juice
7 c. Sugar
2 Pouches liquid Certo (170ml ea.)

Prepare jars and lids by washing well and sterilizing with boiling water.

Mix pineapple juice and lemon juice in large pot and heat until warm. Add sugar, mix well and heat on medium high, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Stir in Certo and boil for another minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Pour into hot jars to 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe rim with clean cloth and add lids and rings tightening to just hand snug. You can let them cool until you hear the lids pop meaning that they have sealed or to be extra safe, you can place them in a hot water bath and process them for 10 to 15 minutes.

ROSEMARY BREAD REVISITED

Some people have asked me if I had tried the Rosemary Bread recipe I had previously posted, using old fashioned muscle power instead of using a bread machine, and to answer them, I hadn’t, so... this morning I put it to the test and gave it a try. This recipe flies in the face of what I had previously learned about bread making methods, where you always started your yeast by sprinkling it over a small bowl of warm water to which a little sugar had been dissolved, and that the sugar was necessary for the yeast to work. While this recipe does not have any sugar at all, when mixed in the bread machine the dough rises as well as any other dough containing sugar, so it only follows that it would work as well when made by hand.

My test results:
I found the bread made by hand turned out with good results.
I mixed the wet ingredients and added them to the dry ingredients and used my hands to mix the dough well. I found that I didn’t have to work in any extra flour. After kneading it some in the bowl I turned the dough out onto a floured counter and continued to knead it well for another 10 min. then placed it into a bowl greased with olive oil, covered it with a damp cloth a let it rise until double in volume. I then knocked the dough down, shaped it into dinner rolls and baked it at 400 degrees for 30 min. Before removing from the pans, I rubbed butter over the tops and
…voila!

I highly recommend you eat at least one, spread liberally with butter. while still hot from the oven.

They went well with Roasted Zucchini with Garlic and Basil Pesto and a side salad tossed with “Asian Miracle Dressing," a recipe I got from my daughter Grace.
Asian Miracle Dressing
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 TB maple syrup
a pinch of salt
a grind of pepper
1/2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 TB extra virgin olive oil

Combine and whisk with a fork until well-blended.