Just Peachy Salsa & Mango/Orange Marmalade

Just Peachy Salsa
fresh cilantro diced
3-4 tomatoes
1 peach or nectarine minced
1 lg. chili pepper/or red pepper flakes
1 TBS taco seasoning
1 TBS lemon juice or vinegar
1 TBS sugar
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. whole grain mustard
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 med. onion minced

Whiz all the ingredients in a food processor or chopper. We prefer chunky salsa, so it only takes about 20-30 seconds.

Mango/Orange Marmalade

I am not an expert in the area of jams or jellies. I have played around a bit lately though, since so many fruits have been in season where I live. Yesterday I had about 6 large oranges left from another project and a ripening mango. So I thought why not try to make some marmalade for those of my friends that like oranges. I'm sure it is not the "proper" way to do so, but it worked and is delicious and I don't like orange flavored anything.

4 Lg oranges peeled and sliced into thin wedges
2 Lg oranges halved and sliced into thin slices
1 Lg Mango minced
6+- Cups of white sugar(depending on the juice content)
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp all spice

variation (add 2 tsp red pepper chili flakes) spice it up

I tossed all the ingredients into a saucepan over a med. heat. As it boiled I could see it needed more sugar to thicken it. At this point, I had only used about 4 cups of sugar. I added two more cups of sugar and removed about 1/4c of juice from the pot and quickly mixed it with 2 TBS of corn starch to avoid any lumps. (use a fork) I poured it back into the mixture and let it cook about 1hr or until it began to thicken.

Pizza Pinwheels

Need a snack or light meal fast? This is it!

1 store bought puff pastry
spaghetti sauce (I use leftover sauce from a previous meal)
grated mozzarella cheese

Roll out puff pastry, spread sauce across the pastry, sprinkle cheese over the sauce, then roll the pastry up like a cinnamon roll. Cut it into slices about 1 inch thick, then place them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle additional cheese on top of them and bake at 425F until golden brown. Make a salad and you have a quick meal.

Variation: use pesto for the sauce and left over chopped chicken pieces

Fresh Ideas

Recently I have wanted to freshen up the traditional things we eat. When I did, I got cheers. Here are a few.

1. Instead of red sauce on a pizza, try using pesto instead. Add feta cheese instead of mozzarella. It's a nice change of pace.

2. For 22yrs pancakes have been on our table every Sunday morning. Recently we topped them with strawberries, banana, granola and honey. Yummy!

3. Soft tacos take a twist when leftover soft butternut is mixed in to the seasoned ground beef. It's a great mix of sweet and spicy.

Lamingtons

We're starting a new Christmas tradition! Lamingtons! These babies are delish and fun to make. My friend Jean and I cranked them out in no time. After one taste, we knew they were keepers. The texture of the cake is beautiful.

250g butter, softened
2C caster sugar
6 eggs
3/4C sour cream
2 1/4C flour
1tsp baking powder
2 1/2C desiccated coconut

chocolate icing
4C icing sugar
1/2C cocoa powder
20g butter melted (1/8C)
2/3C milk

1. Preheat oven to 160C or 350F. Line rectangle baking pan with baking paper, spray the sides with cooking spray.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in sour cream and sifted flours alternating.
3 Spread mixture into pan; bake about 55minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack. (I cooled it in the freezer for about 15 minutes)
4. Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl; stir in butter and milk. Stir it over a large saucepan of simmering water until it is of dipping consistency. (If it begins to dry on the surface while still dipping cakes, stir in a TBS or so of water and it will thin again. Lower the heat as well or turn it off.)
5. Trim cold cake so the top is level; cut in to square pieces. Use a fondue utensil or pronged fork to dip the squares into the chocolate sauce, letting excess drip off, then drop into a bowl of coconut and roll them. They will set at room temp. but if you live in a hot place, place them in the fridge until hardened.

Candied Strawberry, Orange White Chocolate Shards

I saw this recipe in a magazine this year and tweeked it a bit. I'm not crazy about orange anything, but liked the way it turned out. It provides just enough bitterness to the sweetness of the chocolate. The original did not have nuts and the orange slivers were not dried or sugared like the strawberries. I sugared the slivers and dried them for half the time of the strawberries.

12 strawberries
1 orange
castor sugar or icing sugar (I prefer castor)
2 100g slabs of quality white chocolate
(Macadamia nuts or nut of choice)
bake at 100C(a very low heat)

Slice strawberries thinly and arrange on a greaseproof paper-lined baking tray. Peel and orange, remove any excess pitch from the peel, cut into very thin slivers, and dust the strawberries and orange with sugar. Place the baking sheet into the oven. Leave the strawberries for 6-8 hours. The orange slivers will only about 3 hours. (You want them to still have color and not be brittle)Once they are dry, melt the slabs of chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. If using the microwave, only heat it in 15second segments, then stir, being careful not to burn it. When it is melted, pour it out onto to baking paper, spreading it quickly to a thickness of about 1cm, or desired thickness. Quickly spread dried strawberries, orange slivers and nuts across the chocolate. Gently give the fruit and nuts a press. Let cool in the fridge until hardened and break into shards.

Coco Butternut Soup

Need an easy soup fast? This is it and delicious too! One bowl won't be enough.

1 med. butternut squash
1 can light coconut milk
1 lg. onion/minced
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. corriander
1 TBS. olive oil

Possible toppings: danish feta cheese and real bacon bits!

Half butternut squash and bake on a lighty greased sheet at about 350F, until soft. Remove the seeds, spoon out the flesh and puree in a blender. Pour in the coconut milk and blend until smooth, then set aside. Brown the minced onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the butternut mixture. Cook over a low heat, adding the spices.

Top each bowl of soup with feta cheese and bacon bits.

Cinnamon Spiced Cream Enchiladas

Wowzer! This ain't your traditional enchilada and it is out of this world! When I saw this recipe by Chef Aaron Sanchez, I knew it was a must try. My family wasn't disappointed! THE FILLING CONSISTS OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAUSAGE, TOPPED WITH A CINNAMON CREAM SAUCE.Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo before everyone dove into it. I have adapted the recipe with products available where I live and to our taste. The original calls for Chorizo sausage, of which I am not a fan.

Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
5 TBS flour
3 cups beef broth
2 TBS chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 cup full cream

Filling
1 lb sausage of choice (I used chili chicken sausage)
1 med butternut/baked and meat removed and pureed

Topping
shredded cheddar cheese
12-16 tortillas/flour or corn

Melt butter in saucepan and whisk in flour, it should form a thick smooth paste. Slowly whisk in the broth, then the other ingredients, leaving the cream until later. Let cook on low to med. heat until it begins thickening like gravy. Let it cool then mix in the cream.

Cut the butternut squash into quarters and bake at 350F for about 45min, on an oiled baking dish. If in a hurry, you can microwave it with a bit of water in your dish. Scoop it out when its soft and puree after removing the seeds.

Brown the sausage in a skillet. If it is link sausage, slice it thinly lengthwise and into smaller pieces. Add the squash to the sausage.

Spread some of the cinnamon sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Fill the tortillas with the sausage/squash mixture and roll them if you like, placing them into a baking dish. (I WAS LAZY AND LAYERED THEM LIKE A LASAGNA. BUT THEN AGAIN, I MADE MY OWN TORTILLAS AND WAS TIRED)

Pour the cinnamon sauce over the enchiladas and top with cheese. Bake at 375F until brown and bubbly. SERVE WITH CHIPS AND SALSA! WE ENJOY MANGO SALSA. I'LL POST THAT RECIPE SOON. ENJOY!

Raspberry Avocado Salad

2 large avocados/diced
1 medium purple onion/diced or in rings
1/3 Cup Danish Feta Cheese/crumbled
2 TBS. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 TBS raspberry jam
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS lime juice

Combine avocados, onion, garlic and feta cheese. Whisk the remaining ingredients and pour it over the mixture. Enjoy chilled.

Sweet, Savory, Strawberry Salad

Lg. bag of mixed salad
12-15 lg. strawberries sliced
2 lg. cucumbers sliced
3/4 c danish feta cheese or blue cheese crumbled
1/2 c browned bacon bits/cooled
1 bunch of chives diced or green onions

Top with any sweet dressing such as honey mustard, lemon poppy seed, or sweet onion

Pumpkin/Pork Chili with Pumpkin Sour Cream

Pumpkin/Pork Chili with Pumpkin Sour Cream

When my monthy subscription of Food Network Magazine arrives, everyone knows Mom's going to be busy reading and dreaming for awhile. My kids joke and say when friends ask them what their mom does, they reply "she likes looking at food." Thanks guys!

When I read the ingredients for this chili in last months publication, I knew it was going to be a family favorite! I was totally wowed by it, adding my own touches here and there. The original calls for poblano and chipotle peppers which are not available where I live, so I made some adaptions. I also added the ingredients sugar, cumin, and cinnamon and used spinach from my garden instead of kale. For those without access to canned pumpkin, I imagine butternut squash might work, but probably not have the wonderful flavor pumpkin does.

(adapted from Mory Thomas, Food Network Magazine)

2 pounds lean pork cut into med. chunks
1 can lager/non alcoholic if you like
Salt to taste ( I used citrus salt)
1 very large red bell pepper cut into large chunks
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1 15oz can of pure pumpkin (1 ¾ cup)
½ cup sour cream
1 can diced mexican tomatoes
1 green bell pepper cut into large chunks
2 medium white onions cut into chunks
1/8 cup chili powder
4 tsp. diced garlic
1 bunch of fresh spinach cut into pieces
3 TBS sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Cumin

1. Combine the pork, three cups of water, salt and lager in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, then skim off any foam. Add the peppers and oregano then cover and cook about 30min.
2. Mix 3TBS pumpkin into 1/2cup sour cream, then salt to taste. Chill it in the fridge.
3. Add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, chili powder and other spices to the pork mixture, then stir in the remainder of the pumpkin.
4. Cook for an additonal 20min adding the spinach in the last five minutes.
5. Serve with crackers and top with the pumpkin sour cream. Wow! It's nice.

African Chicken Stew

African Chicken Stew
Our ultimate family favorite, served over rice.

2 TBS olive oil
5 chicken breasts browned and cut into pieces
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 large onion diced
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander/cilantro
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
¾ cup peanut butter
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans drained
fresh cilantro and green onions diced for garnish

Brown chicken pieces in oil, then set it aside. Saute garlic and onion until tender adding water, beans, can of tomatoes and spices. Once the mixture is boiling, whisk in the peanut butter then add chicken pieces. Cook until the desired thickness is reached. Traditionally the sauce will be thick and creamy and wonderful over white rice. Garnish with cilantro, green onion, peppers or sour cream.

I will post a photo soon!

Fudgy Cinnamon Cashew Pie

This is a real crowd pleaser!

Crust:
2C flour
1tsp salt
2/3C butter or shortening
5-7TBS cold water

In a bowl, add salt to the flour, then cut the butter into the flour with a hand held pastry cutter. The mixture should look crumbly. Add the cold water one TBS at a time using a strong spoon to work it in. Use just enough water to make the dough stick together without it becoming sticky. It should be mold able enough to make into a ball. Dust a flat surface with flour, placing the ball of dough on it. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large circle about 1/4in thick. (I like to spray my rolling pin with nonstick spray and then dust it with flour, to avoid sticking.)This recipe is large enough to use in a spring form pan, which allows the crust to be taller than a normal pie and laps over the edge of the pan, kind of a deep dish pie. Spray the spring form with nonstick spray, then line it with the crust allowing it to overlap the edges. It will have a very rustic look.

A premade crust or puff pastry from the store is fine, if you are short on time.

Filling:
3/4C corn syrup
1/2C sugar
3TBS butter/softened
4 eggs
1tsp vanilla
1tsp caramel flavor
2tsp cinnamon
1C chocolate chips/or chopped chocolate bars
1 1/2C cashews

In a bowl cream butter and sugar. Then whisk in corn syrup, eggs and flavorings until smooth. Add cinnamon, chocolate chips and cashews. Pour the mixture into a unbaked pie shell. Cook at 325F for about 1hr or until pie is set and the crust is golden brown. To avoid over browning, lightly cover the pie with foil for the first 30min of cooking. When handling the foil, avoid knocking off any of the crust that folds over the pan.

Let cool for 2+ hours on a wire baking rack. Carefully remove the outer ring of the pan in a downward motion, to assure that the overlapping crust does not break off.

Guest Serving Ideas: Leave the pie on the metal bottom of the spring form pan and then place on a cake or pie platter. A pedestaled one is nice. Carefully wrap a 1 to 1 1/2 inch ribbon around the pie, covering up the metal bottom and gently tie it into a bow. If there is room on the platter add a few cinnamon sticks for presentation, or add some chocolates and cashews to the center of the pie.

Dijon Dill Flatbread

Dijon Dill Flatbread

This is quick and perfect with any pasta dish or soup!

3C+or- flour
1C water (warm)
2TBS yeast
1TBS sugar
1tsp salt
minced garlic
fresh dill(torn)
2TBS dijon mustard
1/4c butter melted
1/4c olive oil

Dip:

Ranch dressing, bottled honey mustard dressing or pizza sauce is nice

Dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Add olive oil, then one cup at a time stir in the flour. After the second cup, add the minced garlic, salt and fresh dill. Mix in the last cup of flour. If the mixture is too sticky to handle use additional flour. The result should be an elastic, moldable dough. Place on a pizza stone, rolling it out to the edges. Use your fingers to punch deep impressions into the dough. Use a kitchen pastry brush and brush the butter over the dough. Spread 2 TBS of mustard over the entire area, add any additional desired garlic, salt or dill. (We are garlic fans and use about 1TBS or more, likewise alot of dill.)

Bake until golden brown and crispy at 425F.

Cinnamon Apple Scones

2C flour
2tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
1/4C sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1/3C butter or magarine
1/2C buttermilk
2sm. apples, quartered and sliced thinly

Cinnamon Glaze

1/2c icing Sugar
1/2tsp vanilla
1/2tsp cinnamon
1tsp water (or until desired consistency)

Mix dry ingredents, then cut butter into the mixture until it is crumbly. Add buttermilk into the mixture using a heavy spoon. Stir the ingredients until well blended. Fold in the thinly slices apples. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Press it out with your hands to about 1/2in thick, then fold it over halfway, pressing it down again until 1/2in thick, and refolding it over again. 4 times of this process works well and gives the scone a layered texture. After the forth time, use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough out to about 3/4in thick. Cut into cirlces with a biscuit cutter, place on a sprayed cooking sheet. Bake at 425F until golden brown.

Sift icing sugar if needed along with the other dry ingredients. Stir in vanilla and water until there are no lumps and a smooth glaze is formed. Pour over the scones.