Creamy Risotto with Spring Vegetables

Another Recipe from San Diego visit;

Creamy risotto with spring vegetables

1 14 oz can veg. broth
2 T olive oil
1 med onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 c frozen baby sweet peas
1/4 c shredded carrot2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 T grated Parmesan
1 T chopped fresh thyme
1/8 t ground black pepper

1.In a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil broth and 1 3/4 cup water.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook until tender.  Add uncooked rice and stir until rice starts to turn golden in parts, about 5 min.
3.  Add 1 cup hot broth mixture to the rice, stirring constantly.  Continue to cook and stir until liquid is absorbed.  Add another 2 cups broth, 1/2 c at a time to rice.  Cook and stir until liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 min.
4. Stir in remaining broth, peas and carrot.  Stir until the rice is slightly creamy and just tender.
5. Remove from heat and quickly stir in spinach, Parmesan, thyme and pepper.  Serve immediately.

I am visiting Grandma and Grandpa Walker in San Diego.  I found a couple recipes I want to try so I am posting them here until I get a chance to make them.

Zucchini-Oat Bread
1 1/2 c sugar
2 1/4 t cinnamon
2 1/2 c flour
1 c rolled oats
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
3 eggs
1 c applesauce
1/4 c melted butter
1 t vanilla
2 c shredded zucchini
1 c walnuts or pecans
3/4 c raisins
Preheat oven to 350 lightly coat a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.  Combine 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon; set aside.
Combine flour, oats, baking powder salt baking soda, and remaining cinnamon;  set aside.  In a large mixing bowl beat eggs with electric mixer on medium speed  for 2 minutes or until foamy.  Add remaining sugar, the applesauce, butter and vanilla.  Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined.  Stir in zucchini, nuts, and raisins.  Spoon into prepared pan.  Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cool completely on rack.  Wrap and store several hours before slicing.

Sweet Pork Burritos

Ingredients:
Pork Roast
Brown Sugar
Salsa

Directions:
Place pork roast in slowcooker and add salsa and brown sugar.  I just eyeball it - whatever looks good - I probably use about 1/2 to 3/4 of a bottle of Salsa and no more than 1/4 C brown sugar unpacked.  It doesn't need a whole lot to give it a little bit of a sweet taste.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours and then shred the pork roast and stir and enjoy in your burritos.

Not your normal Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Any type of pasta - my like using shells about a box and 1/3
1 Can of Tomato Soup
1/4 C Ketchup
(Optional) 1 Can of diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil
Garlic Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasonings (such as basil and oregano, optional) to taste
About 1 cup or cheddar cheese or more if you prefer

Directions
Cook pasta according to instructions on packaging.  Drain water then add all the other ingredients and stir until everything is mixed well.  Enjoy!  This is one or our favorite pasta dishes, it is super tasty!

I learned this Recipe from Aunt Julie while I was staying with her during the summers, it was so simple yet absolutly delicous. She didn't add the tomatoes of extra seasoning - just salt and pepper to taste.  Over time I have added things here and there until coming up with this and making it my own version. I have fun experiementing with recipes. 

Lime Cilantro Rice

About 1 T of Butter
4 or 5 cloves of Garlic minced
2 C of Rice (we use Jasmine Rice)
3 C of Water
1/4 C of Lime Juice
1/4 to a 1/3 of a bunch of fresh Cilantro or to taste.

Saute the Garlic in pan with melted butter.  Add the rice and stir to coat with butter.  Turn off the heat and add water and lime juice.  Let the rice soak in liquid for 30 minutes.  Then bring the rice to a rolling boil cover and turn off the heat.  Let the rice sit cover for 15 minutes without taking the lid off.  After 15 minutes the rice should be perfect!  Stir in chopped cilantro and enjoy! We love this dish as a side to burritos or even on our homemade burritos.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Jucie

Hiram and Jill and I like this breakfast better than the rest of the family.  This is something my mom made for us when I was growing up.  I added cheese to make it appeal to Blair.  Hiram served it to his companions on his mission and one of them made the observation that it looks like placenta.  Enjoy!

Pour 1 qt of tomato juice into a sauce pan and heat to boiling.  Break 4  eggs, one at a time, into the simmering juice and keep simmering until they are set.  Make toast and butter it.  Place toast in a dish and put l egg on top, then cover with hot tomato juice and cheese. 

Granola

This is my favorite standard granola;

Combine in a large bowl:
12 c regular rolled oats
2 c flaked coconut
2 c chopped nuts

In a sauce pan combine and heat to disolve:
3/4 c oil
3/4 c honey
3/4 c water
1 T vanila

Pour over oats and mix well.  Bake on 2 cookie sheets in 350^ oven for 30 minutes.  Switch rack position after 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the granola there for a few hours for a crispy texture. 

Popcorn Granola

Tressia brought us some cracklin oat bran that she made.  She found the recipe on the internet so I decided to look for more homemade cereal recipes and found this place called "Mr Breakfast".  There are all kinds of great cereal recipes and you can even print your own custom cereal box.  There are all kinds of other breakfast ideas too.  I watched a video of a guy who looked like Popeye teaching me how to make a perfect sunny side up egg.  He didn't say anything about adding spinach.  Here is the recipe I tried that was a big hit with everyone, even Blair.  And, of course, I made a few changes.

Popcorn Granola

6 c regular rolled oats
2 c ground flax seed
1/3 c unpopped popcorn - pop it and then chop it fine. ( I used my blender)
2 c flaked coconut

Mix these in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl blend well:

2/3 c. oil
3/4 c. honey
3/4 c peanut butter
1 T molassas
2 T vanila

Combine everything and mix well.  Spread on two cookie sheets and bake in 300^ oven for 40 minutes, switching rack positions after 20 minutes, stirring if you want to.  Watch out, it browns fast!
Let it cool completely before storing.  Good luck letting it cool completely before serving.

Finnish Oven Pancakes

Everyone was complaining that the german pancakes were too egg-y.  One day I found this recipe and it was an instant hit.  It is from a recipe book I found at the Walrus and Carpenter used book store in Pocatello.  Becky Giles and I found this store one day while the men were looking for pawn shops between state wrestling matches at the mini-dome.  We made sure we visited the store every time we attended state wrestling matches, Blair and Denny spent some time purusing the shelves too.  The place was stacked with books and there was a semplance of organization.  If you asked the owner about a particular book he knew exactly where it was.  Good memories.

The recipe;

Preheat oven to 450^.  The recipe called for 2 9x13 pans, but I use 1 9x13 and my two 9" cast iron skillets and make them a little thinner.  Melt 1 T of butter in each of the pans, in the oven, but watch that it does not burn.  Get them out and keep them ready on top the stove until the oven is heated.
Mix: 4eggs
         4 c milk
         2 c flour
         1/2 t salt
         1 t sugar

divide evenly among the hot pans and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy brown on the edges and golden an bubbly on top.  Serve at once with syrup or jam (and or course, we top that off with some vanila yogurt)

Rhu-bars

I found this recipe on the internet and altered it (of course)

Crust: mix together 1 1/3 c. wheat flour, 1/3 c brown sugar, and 1/2 c soft butter until crumbly and press into lightly greased 9 x 13 pan.

Filling:
3 cups finely diced rhubarb sprinkled with 1 small pkg strawberry jello, stir and let sit a few minutes.
In mixer beat together 1 c. sugar, 2 eggs, and 1/3 c flour then beat in rhubarb. Spread on crust then bake in 350^ oven for 45 minutes. 

Pool Kogi

1 ½ T. sesame seeds

¼ c. chopped green onions

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. salt and pepper

1 T. sesame oil

1/3 c. soy sauce

¼ c. water

1 T. sugar

1-2 lb. beef or pork, sliced thin

Opt: 1 T. each

Grated carrots, turnips, cabbage

Directions: Parch sesame seeds till brown. Combine all ingredients. Marinate several hours. Fry or bake meat. Serve over hot rice.

Pool Kogi

1 ½ T. sesame seeds

¼ c. chopped green onions

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. salt and pepper

1 T. sesame oil

1/3 c. soy sauce

¼ c. water

1 T. sugar

1-2 lb. beef or pork, sliced thin

Opt: 1 T. each

Grated carrots, turnips, cabbage

Directions: Parch sesame seeds till brown. Combine all ingredients. Marinate several hours. Fry or bake meat. Serve over hot rice.

Kim Chee

1 head Napa cabbage, about 1-1/2 pounds

¼ c. kosher salt

½ c. rice vinegar

1 t. sugar

2T. hot chili paste (recommended: Srirachi Hot Chili Paste)

1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 scallions, finely sliced

Directions:

Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Cut cabbage in quarters and remove the tough inner core. Slice across sections into ½-inch slices. Put into a colander, add salt, and mix well. Place over a bowl and let drain, covered, until wilted, about 2 hours.

In a large bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the chili paste, ginger, garlic, and scallions and stir. Rinse the salt off the cabbage with a couple of changes of water. Dry well and add to the vinegar mixture; stir well to combine. Put into a sterilized glass jar and pack the cabbage down; add enough water to cover. Close the jar and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This is spicy and gets spicier the longer it sits-add or subtract chili paste to your taste.

Chocolate Granola Bars

Here’s what you need:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup local honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup oats (not quick oats)
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Mini work best, but it doesn’t really matter.)

What to do:

1. Melt the butter, peanut butter and honey in a pot over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. Turn off the burner when melted.

2. Pour in the cup of oats and the wheat germ. Stir til combined.

3. Wait til it cools and stir in the coconut and chocolate chips. Or, if you’re impatient with things like this, like I am, go ahead and dump it all right in. The result will be a more uniform chocolate taste.

4. Pour into foil-lined 8 X 8 pan and stick in the fridge.

5. Once cooled, flip out (the bars….not you) onto cutting board and cut to the size you like.

I pulled this recipe from a website. -Tressia

Pumpkin Muffins

mix together
2 c white wheat flour
1/3 c sugar
1 T baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/2 t salt
In a blender combine:
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1 egg
2/3 c milk
3 T oil
1 t vanilla
Mix wet and dry ingredients until just moistened
stir in 1/2 c chocolate chips
makes 12 average size muffins
bake at 350 for 15 min.

Applesauce Cookies

Another of Grandma Knapp's recipes with a few alterations by me

measure 2 c applesauce and place 2 t baking soda on top
in mixer cream:
3/4 c. canola oil
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
add applesauce and
1 t each - cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
6 c flour
2 c chocolate chips

bake at 400, 10 min.

Cinnamon Orange Carrot Muffins

I stole this from the blog simplepeasantfood.blogspot.com, a really fun blog! I haven't tried these, but they sound really good!

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (use hard white wheat. trust me.)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt 
1 heaping Tbs corn starch (omit if using white flour)

sift together and add: 

1 1/2 cups  pureed carrot (2-3 large carrots)
2 Tbs orange juice concentrate (undiluted)
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs

A good tip: put all the wet ingredients into the blender or food processor, see how much it measures, then add chunks of carrot and puree until you have 1 1/2 cups more.  Most blenders have measurements on the side, so it's easy to figure out how much carrot to add.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups (I like to use the cupcake liners) and bake at 350 for about 17 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I like to mix a little orange juice with powdered sugar and a pinch of salt to make a quick glaze for these muffins, but plain old butter works too. Or jam. Or both. Mmmmm.