Baked Yam and Potato Casserole

This is a great vegetable side dish. A little prep with all the slicing, but worth it.

• 2 large sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 large potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In the prepared dish, make a single layer of sweet potato slices. Place a few onion slices on top, dot with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat, alternating layers of white and sweet potatoes.
3. In a small bowl, or measuring cup, combine flour and broth. Pour over potatoes.
4. Sprinkle cheese, bread crumbs and parsley over the potatoes. Dot with remaining butter. Cover.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until potatoes and onions are soft.

Much to the dismay of my husband I don't usually follow directions exactly, specifically when it comes to measuring ingredients. I made a few small changes here also. First I didn't actually measure the potatoes and yams, I just cut a bunch and layered them in the dish and I didn't measure the butter either. I just dotted each layer with a few pieces of butter. I used Italian flavored bread crumbs so I didn't use any parsley. Other than that, I followed the recipe and it turned out great :)

Sweet Potato Enchilada

My husband and I have become accidental vegetarians here in Jerusalem.  Meat is expensive and we are poor.  Thus, I've been unearthing all kinds of meatless dishes that don't have anything to do with Tofu.   I have been surprised at the filling and delicious meatless main dishes that abound.  Here is one of our recent favorites.

(can you tell I stole this right from allrecipes.com?)

Ingredients

• 5 sweet potatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 green onions, chopped (I used carmelized white/yellow and it was fine)
  
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 12 (7 inch) corn tortillas (I used flour and it turned out great)
  
• 1 (19 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat, and boil the sweet potatoes until tender, about 30 minutes. Cool and peel the sweet potatoes.
2. Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl, and mash them with the cream cheese, green onions, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until well mixed.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, and fry the tortillas, one at a time, for about 30 seconds per side. Remove the tortillas with tongs, and drain on paper towels. (unless you use flour tortillas)
   
5. Place about 1/3 cup of sweet potato filling down the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and place filled tortillas seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas, and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the enchiladas are bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown.
   

Mom's Homemade Granola

Growing up I LOVED the granola my mom used to make, and it still is one of my favorites. This makes a soft, chewy granola.

10 cups oats

1 cup wheat germ

1/2 lb. shredded coconut

1 cups sunflower seeds

1 cups sesame seeds

3 cups almonds, pecans, or whatever nut you like

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup molasses

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 tsp. vanilla

Mix last 8 ingredients together and pour over all the dry ingredients mixed together in a large bowl. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes (a little more if you like it more crunchy). Store in air tight container.

French Bread

This is a recipe that my family makes all the time and is really simple. I usually use my mixer to make this dough, less messy, and it always turns out fine.

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 T. sugar

1 T salt

2 T. cooking oil

6 cups flour

2 T. yeast

Pour warm water into a large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, salt, oil, half the flour and yeast. Beat vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until all ingredients are well mixed, leaving wooden spoon right in the batter. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes then stir down. Rest dough for another 10 minutes and then stir down again. Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down 5 times.

Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead only until it can be handled. Divide into 2 pieces. Roll each portion into a 9x12 rectangle. Roll up like a jellyroll starting on a long side. Pinch edge to seal. Arrange both loaves lengthwise on a large cookie sheet that has een greased and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

With a sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal gashes on the top of each loaf, then brush with slightly beaten whole egg. Bake immediately at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack.

Chicken a la Chardon (breaded chicken with mushrooms and butter sauce)

I made this for dinner last night and it was a hit. The chicken is really moist and has lots of flavor. You can make most of this meal ahead of time and there is very minimal prep.

6 boneless chicken breasts

1-2 eggs

salt and pepper

2 tsp. garlic powdere (divided into 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp, & 1/2 tsp.)

I cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Butter Sauce:

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter

1 tsp. chopped parsley

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

In a bowl, beat egg and add salt and pepper. Add 1 tsp. garlic powder

In second bowl mix breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese.

Dip each piece of chicken in egg mixture and roll into crumbs. Arrange in single layer in 9x13 pan. Can be done ahead to this point and refrigerated.

Melt butter and stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, parsley, and lemon juice. Pour 1/2 of butter sauce over chicken.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sliced mushrooms and the rest of the butter sauce. Put back in over for 5-10 minutes.

I served this with steamed broccoli and regular white rice. I use my rice cooker and add 1 chicken bouillon cube for every 1 cup of rice. This tastes kind of like a chicken piccatta. Also, when I bake chicken breasts or fry them I almost always filet them. That makes them cook more even and a little faster.

Homemade Pretzels

My kids love these. This is a knock off of Auntie Anne's pretzels you find in the mall.

1 1 /2 cup warm water

1 1/4 tsp. yeast

2 T. brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

baking soda bath: 2 cups warm water and 2 T. baking soda

Toppings: melted butter, coarse salt, cinnamon and sugar, and anything else you like.

Mix yeast, warm water, sugar, and salt. Let sit for a few minutes to make sure the yeast is active and working. Add in flour and mix until smooth. Let dough rise until doubled 30-45 minutes and then break off little balls and roll into long ropes (about 1/2 thick, the thinner the better). Shape rope into pretzel shape and dip in baking soda bath. Place on greased baking sheet and allow pretzel's to rise again. Bake in oven at 450 for 10 minutes or until golden.

Remove from oven and dip in melted butter then top as desired. We like dipping in cinnamon and sugar or just sprinkling with coarse salt. These are best to eat warm, straight from the oven.

***For baking soda bath mix hot water with baking soda. Stir this mixture often. I really don't know exactly what this does, but I know that it is considered a critical step for real pretzel making :)

Tangy Grilled Pork Tenderloin

My husband loves pork so I am always looking for new ways to cook it. This is a very simple recipe I found on Allrecipes. Just marinate and grill.

1 pounds pork tenderloin

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Mix last found ingredients together for marinade. Put meat in with marinade and let sit for at least 4 hours. Let meat come to room temperature before grilling (about 20-30 minutes) and pre-heat grill. If using outside grill prepare for indirect heat. I just used my grill pan and cooked over medium-low heat. Lightly oil pan and grill for about 7-10 minutes per side, or until done.

This meat has a nice sweet flavor and a little kick. It was nice for a summer bbq dinner.

Thai Peanut Noodles

Whenever I ask my kids what they want for dinner, they always ask for the "spicy peanut noodles". Seriously, this is a favorite at our house and I know it is similar to a lot of recipes, but I thought I should post it anyway. This recipe comes from www. ourbestbites.com, which is a great food website.

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 T. cream peanut butter

1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite and 2 is hot-I usually do about 1 1/2 tsp.)

1 1/2 T. honey

2 T. soy sauce

1 1/2 T. fresh minced ginger

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small box of linguine noodles ( I also have just used regular spaghetti noodles)

chopped green onions, cilantro, green peppers, cucumber, edamame, carrots, and anything else that sounds good.

limes, cut into quarters

chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in salted water until done. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey , soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in small pan over low heat. Wisk until smooth and then remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with peanut sauce and serve buffet style with all the chopped veggies, and peanuts. Squeeze lime juice over the top and eat!!

My kids love to be able to choose what goes on top. You can also make this more heavy by adding meat (chicken or shrimp would be great).

Fiery Pork Skewers

These were yummy. It has been a while since I made kabobs, but they were a hit. The marinade is a little spicy, but we like it that way (so those with tender taste buds you might want to decrease the amount of red pepper flakes).

2 T. teriyaki sauce

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. vegetable oil

1 tsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

3/4 pound pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes

In a medium bowl mix first 5 ingredients. Place pork tenderloin cubes in mixture and marinate for a few hours. I marinated these for about 3 hours. Preheat grill on high heat and cook away. You can continue to brush with sauce if you want while cooking. I actually used our indoor grill pan and just cranked the heat up high. Cook about 10-12 minutes or to desired doneness.

*The recipe doesn't call for any vegetables, but I added green peppers, onions, and pineapples. They were delicious and I highly recommend adding them.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

6 servings
prep: 15 minutes
cook time: 6-8 or 3-4

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, cut and peeled
1 can (28 oz) whole stewed tomatoes
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of parika
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 tsp of cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 fresh basil leaves, chopped


1. Combine all ingredients except for basil and cook in slow cooker for 6-8 hours in high or 2-4 hours on low.

Three Pepper Pasta Sauce

4-6 servings
prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 7-8 hours (low) 3-4 (high)

1 green bell pepper, cut small
1 red bell pepper, cut small
1 yellow bell peper, cut small
(I just use whatever color I have around)
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes undrained
1 cup chopped onion
1 can tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. combine all incredients and cook in the slow cooker. Makes a really fresh tasting pasta sauce.

Spicy Tex-Mex Bowl

1/3 cup lentils
1 1/3 cups water
5 strips bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 can (16 oz) pinto beans, undrained
1 can (16 oz) red kidney beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz0 diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons ketchup
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes


1. Boil lentils with water for 20 to 30 minutes, drain
2. In small skillet, cook bacon until crips; remove, drain. In same skillet, cook onion in bacon drippings until soft
3. Combine all ingredients in teh crock pot and cook for 5 to 6 hours on high or 3 to 4 on low.
4. Add pay leave before serving.

Everyday Pancakes

So, over at one of my favorite recipe sites (My Kitchen Cafe) she has a recipe for Zephyr Pancakes. These pancakes are delicious. The only drawback to these pancakes are that they use a good amount of heavy cream and egg yolks--definitely not so good for the waistline on a regular basis. So, using her recipe, I've substituted a few things to make them more "everyday" friendly.

2 c. flour
2-1/2 T. sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1-1/4 c. milk
1-1/4 c. buttermilk (or 1 T. + 1 teaspoon vinegar and enough milk to make 1-1/4 c. let it sit for 5 minutes)
2 T. butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook on a 350 degree griddle.

Homemade Brown Bread

I made this last night to go with our salads and our strawberry freezer jam. It's delicious. I think I'm going to have another piece right now.

1-1/2 cups boiling water
1-cup old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons salt
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
3/4-cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2-teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4-cup molasses
4-3/4 to 5-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter or margarine



In a bowl, combine boiling water, oats, shortening and salt. Cool to 110°-115°. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Sprinkle with sugar. Add oat mixture, brown sugar, molasses and 3 cups of flour; mix well. Add enough remaining flour to form soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1. Hour. Punch dough down. Divide in half and shape into two loaves. Place in greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. Brush with melted butter. Yield: 2 loaves.

Baked Lemon Pasta

This is such a great recipe for a hot summers day. It tastes so fresh. It is one of the pioneer woman's favorite recipes so if you follow her cooking blog you will like this.

1 pound thin spaghetti (don't substitute for regular, thin makes it seem so light and fresh)

1/2 stick butter (4 T.)

2 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

2 cups sour cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt (more if desired)

grated parmesan cheese (fresh is best)

flat leaf parsley, chopped

extra lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Cooke spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan and turn off the heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together. Pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes. Don't bake too long or the pasta will drive out. When you remove it from the oven squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley.

Serve with crusty french bread and a simple green salad.