Beef Oven Roast

Food

in 9x13 foil lined pan combine:
3-5lb beef roast
1/2c italian dressing
2 c beef/chicken stock
one 4oz mushrooms
1 sliced onion
1 t garlic powder
1 oz of onion soup mix
Sliced potatoes and carrots

1.  I Mixed everything in a pan in the morning and let it sit in refrigerator for a few hours.
2. Bake, covered, for 1 hour 15 minutes per pound at 300°F.  Add carrots and/or potatoes during last hour, if desired.  Cooking time is approximate, depending upon how big your roast is.  Whisk cold water with flour to thicken the gravy.

Serve with salad and side of rice or quinoa.

Cauliflower Egg Bake

Delish

INGREDIENTS 
Single       Double
1 head     2 heads of cauliflower, steamed
1c           2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
6+1         1 dozen + 2 large eggs
1/2t         1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2t         1 tsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Chives, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin and set aside.

2. Drop the steamed cauliflower into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they start to resemble a fine grain.

3. Pour the ground cauliflower onto paper towels and twist to wring out excess liquid. Do this up to three times until the cauliflower comes out completely dry.

4. Transfer dry cauliflower to a large mixing bowl. Add cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt and two eggs and stir to combine.

5. Distribute the mixture evenly throughout the muffin tins and use your fingers to press the mixture into the sides and bottom of each cup to form the nests.

6. Bake the nests for 15-17 minutes until brown.

7. Add a couple bits of bacon to the bottom of each cup and crack an egg on top, without breaking the yolk.

8. Bake for 7-8 minutes.

9. Sprinkle with chives and pepper to taste.

Zucchini Sticks with Aioli

A thicker coating on the zucchini sticks
Delicious

• 1 cup Panko*
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
• Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

2nd zucchini sticks recipe, still good but not as good as above
From- Delicious

• 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 
  
• (These definitely were yummy, the topping didn't stick very well to the zucchinis.  I sprayed the zucchini with oil first to get the topping to stay but it didn't.  I wonder if I dip the zucchini in egg then in the topping stuff, then repeat again)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Aioli

small     large
1/2c or 1 cup mayonnaise

1T        2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
1/2         1 lime, juiced (or lemon juice)

• Stir mayonnaise and sriracha hot sauce together in a bowl until the color is consistent; add lime juice and stir.

Word of Wisdom

Friend Magazine articles for the word of wisdom

Ginger cookies

4 c flour
2 c sugar
1 c oil
3 eggs
1/2c molasses
3 t cinnamon
1 and 1/2t ginger
2 t clove
2 t soda
1 t salt
1 t allspice

roll into walnut size balls.  roll into 1/2c sugar with 2t cinnamon.
Bake 375 for 8 min

Roasted Beet salad

The Busy Baker


For the salad:
8-10 cups organic mixed greens of your choice (I like a combination of arugula, baby kale, spinach and whatever other organic greens I have on hand) 
4 beets
2 tsp olive oil (for roasting the beets)
A pinch or two of salt 
2 carrots
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (I use low-fat) 
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped green onion 


For the vinaigrette:
3 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice and zest of one large orange
salt and pepper to taste 


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, line a small baking dish with parchment paper. Wash the beets and cut off the stems. Place them in the parchment-lined baking dish and toss them in 2 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.


There's no need to peel the beets at this time. Once they've roasted they'll be very easy to peel. Keeping the peel on while they cook also helps prevent them from bleeding.

Roast the beets at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes.
After 45-50 minutes, remove the beets from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. They'll still be very warm after this time, but you'll be able to handle them without burning yourself.

While you're waiting for them to cool, measure the greens into a large bowl.

Grate the carrots, chop the green onions, and measure out the goat cheese, walnuts and sunflower seeds. 

Remove the skin from the beets using a vegetable peeler, and chop the beets into bite-sized chunks.
Sprinkle the carrots over the salad greens, then add the beets, the goat cheese, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and green onions.

Set the salad aside while you prepare the dressing.

To a medium mason jar, add the honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard. 

Using a microplane zester (you can find the one I use here), zest the orange and add the zest to the mason jar. Be careful not to grate to deeply...it's a good idea to avoid grating any of the white pith because it can be very bitter. Squeeze as much juice as you can out of the orange after it's been zested and add the juice to the mason jar as well.

Add a pinch or two each of salt and pepper. Close the lid of the jar tightly and shake until all the ingredients are combined. The mustard in the dressing not only adds flavour but also acts as an emulsifier (prevents the oil and vinegar from separating).

Drizzle the dressing over the salad (to your taste), toss gently and serve! 

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BROWNIES

A bountiful kitchen

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks) unsalted, room temperature
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-12 oz package Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter, Skippy or Jif, no natural peanut butter
• Frosting:
• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• dash of salt
• ¼ cup milk or half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• parchment paper or foil

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Set rack in center of oven.
2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or foil, grease lightly.
3. Mix the butter, cocoa and sugar in an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. beat until smooth.
4. Add the flour, salt, vanilla and peanut butter chips to the bowl. Mix on low speed or fold in by hand with a spatula, just until the flour disappears. Do not beat.
5. Spread the mixture into the prepared lined pan.
6. Bake on center rack in oven for about 25-30 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
7. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes.
8. Spread ½ cup of peanut butter on the top of the hot brownies with a spoon or butter knife.
9. Place in refrigerator or on counter until the brownies cool completely.
10. Make the frosting:
11. Beat the ½ cup butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, milk and vanilla together until smooth.
12. When the brownies are completely cool, spread with frosting.

Blueberry & Avocado with grapefruit dressing

A Bountiful Kitchen

• 1 large head of lettuce, preferably Romaine or leaf lettuce, washed,dried and chopped
• OR one 8-12 oz bag of Spring mix or Spinach (about 15 cups total greens)
• 1 pint of blueberries, washed
• 1-2 avocados, cut into chunks or sliced
• 1 cup dried apricots, sliced
• 1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue cheese, crumbled, I used regular white cheese (mozzarella) and sliced it up in small cubes
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds or almonds (salted or unsalted)
• could add cooked quinoa
• 
  

FOR DRESSING- (2 quantities to choose from)
less    More

2/3    ¾ cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1/4    ½ cup white or golden balsamic vinegar
1       2 cups light olive oil or canola oil*
1/2    1 teaspoon salt
1/2    1 teaspoon pepper
1/8    ¼ cup green onion, white part only
1/8    ¼ cup honey or sugar, more or less to taste
optional- 2 cups leftover chicken breast meat, cooked and cut into chunks

I made the less version of the dressing

1. Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with remaining ingredients, reserving some of each of the ingredients for topping the salad for presentation.
2. Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together in blender until green onions are smooth.
3. Drizzle dressing on top of salad or dress the salads individually.
4. Refrigerate any leftovers.

This salad may be made ahead and all of the individual ingredients stored in Ziplock bags until ready to serve. Do not cut the avocados until ready to serve. 
-For serving, reserve some of the ingredients and place on top of the salad after tossing the rest of the ingredients together in bowl. Drizzle dressing on top. 
-If you are doubling the salad, one recipe of the dressing will cover a double or triple batch of salad.
-If you need to cut the avocados early, toss them with some lemon juice and a bit of the dressing and seal with plastic wrap pressed next to the avocado in a bowl or ziplock bag without smashing the avocado. Pressing all of the air out and tossing with something acidic will prevent the avocado from browning! Make sure to refrigerate.
- I used a mixture of Butter lettuce and Spring Mix in the salad photographed, which I love, but don='t recommend if you're going to let the salad sit in the fridge for a while. Butter lettuce is wonderful, but very tender and doesn't hold up well if it has to sit for very long, refrigerated or unrefrigerated! Romaine or other bagged lettuces which have been spun very dry that are pre packaged work well if you have to let the salad sit for a while on a buffet table.

Yellow cake mix to spice cake mix

Original cake recipe- Pilsbury

CAKE-

1 c water

1 egg

1/4c flax

1/2c applesauce

1 and ½ t cinnamon

½ t allspice (or nutmeg and 1/4t cloves)

1/4t ginger

1 (1 lb. 2.25-oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix

1/2c raisins

GLAZE-  Southern Food

1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk or hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven 350 

Mix- water, egg, flax, applesauce, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger.  Let sit 5 min to help flax absorb water.  Then mix in the cake mix and raisins

I baked in two pans, spray both.  #1 pan a small bundt cake 350 for 30 min and #2 pan a pie pan bake for 23-26min

Glaze for the top of the COOLED cake.  If you add the glaze to a hot cake it will melt.

1. In microwave melt butter in a bowl. Then add powder sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in medium bowl and mix until fully incorporated. If glaze is not runny enough, add more milk. You will want glaze to be thick enough to hold it\'s \"drip\" on the cake, but runny enough to pour
2. Using a skewer, poke deep holes all over the top of the cake. Brush the glaze all over the cake in several layers until thickly glazed. Drizzle any remaining glaze on top and let it set before serving..

Glaze variations-

• 1.  For a richer and creamier glaze or frosting, use heavy cream in place of the milk or water.
• 2.  For a citrus glaze, substitute orange or lemon juice for the milk or water and vanilla and add about 1/2 teaspoon of finely grated zest.
• 3.  For a chocolate glaze, increase the butter to 6 tablespoons and melt with 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate. Reduce the vanilla to 1 teaspoon.
• 4.  For a butter-rum glaze, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of rum flavoring and omit the vanilla.
• If glazing a spice cake or cinnamon rolls, sprinkle the glaze with cinnamon-sugar while it's still soft.