hummus

adapted from mccormick

drain 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas reserving 1/4 cup liquid
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. adjust seasonings to taste.

use as a dip for veggies and chips, or in place of mayo in sandwiches and wraps.

oatmeal pancake mix

this is my new favorite pancake mix
from my kitchen cafe

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt (i leave out)
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). with mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

to make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. the mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. when the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. as a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.

homemade whole wheat bread

after my sweet husband gave me a wheat grinder a few months ago, i decided i would make our bread instead of buying it at the store. i believe homemade whole wheat bread from freshly ground wheat is much better for you than the stuff you get on the bread aisle. plus, check out the ingredient list for the bread you buy and don't be surprised when you see high fructose corn syrup listed. that stuff is in everything!

this is the best bread recipe i've found. it's delish, soft, and my hubby says it makes the best PB&J sandwiches. usually i will make two loaves, slice one to keep in our pantry, and freeze the other loaf, unsliced, in a bread bag*. just thaw the frozen loaf on the counter for a few hours, cut into slices, and store in the pantry. my small family only goes through maybe a loaf a week so making bread every two weeks isn't a big deal.
i made a few changes in the directions so the recipe will work in my oven, but you can find the original recipe and a how-to video on the everyday food storage website. plus, she has a good idea on making bread packets to keep in the fridge or freezer so bread making day is much easier.

EZ Wheat Bread - makes 2 loaves
adapted from everydayfoodstorage.net

2 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey or 2/3 cup brown sugar
5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (i use half hard red and half hard white wheat)
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten*
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp nonfat non instant dry milk (or 2/3 cup of the instant)
2 Tbsp butter/margarine/oil
2 Tbsp vinegar (instead i use 4 tsp dough enhancer*)
1/2 cup potato flakes (NOT potato pearls)

Mix ingredients in order listed in mixing bowl of mixer with dough hook attachment (like kitchen-aid) for 12-15 minutes. Let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, and shape into loaves or rolls. To shape loaves, divide dough in half. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-1/2" thick. then start at a short end and tightly roll the dough up. pinch the ends together and tuck them under so it will fit the greased bread pan. Repeat with the other portion of dough. Let rise again until double and bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes, rotating the pans half way, until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped. It won't be easy because the bread smells heavenly, but let loaves cool completely before cutting or they will turn gummy.

If you are making this recipe in a bread machine, follow your bread machine’s directions for wheat or whole grain selection and add the ingredients in the order listed for their recommendations. (only one loaf will fit in a bread maker)

*i bought my vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer, and bread bags at kitchen kneads in west jordan, ut. if anyone knows where to get any of that stuff cheaper, let me know.

toddler truffles

Makes about 24 balls
recipe from gourmet mom on the go

you don't need to be a toddler to love this fudgy dessert. i love how there is no flour, just black beans.

ingredients:

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed*
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (optional) -- i used walnuts
1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 c. cocoa powder
Pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs
sprinkles or powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray or butter an 8 by 8-inch pan; set aside.
In a large, deep bowl, combine the beans, sugars, nuts, butter, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Using a stick blender or food processor, start to work the ingredients around. When they are fully blended, add the eggs and blend to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until firm and the edges get slightly crisp. Cool and cut into small cubes or take a spoonful and roll into small balls in your palms. Dust with powdered sugar or sprinkles.
Store covered, up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Variations:
• Substitute white beans, pintos, or adzuki beans. They can be found in the ethnic aisle of your store. The texture and color may change, but the idea stays the same—a cake made of beans!
• Add a tablespoon of orange zest, try different kinds of chopped nuts, or add dried currants after blending for a chunkier texture.

*jessica's note: a 15 oz can equals 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans. i cooked 3/4 c. dry black beans instead of using canned. it was a little more than what i needed so i made sure to measure 1 1/2 cups for the recipe.

bowtie chicken caesar salad

i got this recipe from my friend meg, who got it from her sister-in-law, joslyn. it makes a ton so it's ideal for bridal/baby showers and other large gatherings. but don't count on having any leftovers.

serves 30-40

16 oz farfalle pasta, cooked per package directions
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed, spun dry, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 - 4 oz pkg slivered almonds, sugared
1 - 6 oz pkg grated parmesan cheese
1 - 6 oz pkg croutons
1 - 8 oz carton mushrooms, sliced
24 oz of your favorite caesar dressing

to sugar the almonds: in a dry skillet, add 1/2 cup sugar and almonds, turn the burner to medium. in a few minutes, the sugar will start to melt. stir to coat the almonds. when the sugar reaches a light golden color-it will happen quickly, remove from heat and spread the almonds on waxed paper to cool, then break apart. you can also follow the directions on this website: jeenaskitchen

to prepare the salad: combine all the ingredients in two+ large bowls. (it make so much, you won't be able to fit it all in one.) toss to coat everything with the dressing.

jessica's note: i'm not a fan of soggy lettuce, so i wait until just before serving to stir it in. also, i didn't bother sugaring the almonds and the salad was still awesome.

coconut waffles with mango-strawberry compote

this recipe came from a chef i saw on oprah many years ago.

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into small cubes
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 stick of butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut milk*
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, roughly chopped
whipped cream

to make compote: toss mango, strawberries, and sugar in a medium bowl. cover and let stand for about 90 minutes.

to make waffles: heat a waffle iron and lightly oil the grids. whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl to combine. make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter, milk, eggs, and coconut milk. whisk just until smooth - do not over mix. fold in the coconut. spoon waffle batter into the waffle iron, cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. serve the waffles hot, spooning the compote and whipped cream on top.

*this recipe only uses about a half can of coconut milk so make this recipe with the other half.

thai chicken and rice

this is based on a recipe i found on the website 365 days of slow cooking. i'm not sure how authentic it is to thai food, but it turned out pretty tasty and my family likes it a lot. you can find the original recipe here.

serves 6

1 1/2 lb chicken cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup carrots, cut in short strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2" piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 red bell pepper, cut in short strips
1/2 can of coconut milk*
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

hot cooked rice
3/4 cup peanuts or cashews, chopped (i prefer cashews)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped (i leave it out)

place the first 7 ingredients into a slow cooker. cook on low for 3 hours. mix cornstarch and lime juice. turn slow cooker to high. stir in peanut butter, cornstarch/lime slurry, coconut milk, and red bell pepper strips. cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through. place broccoli and 1/4 cup water in a microwave safe bowl. cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until crisp-tender. drain the broccoli. serve the chicken and sauce over rice, add steamed broccoli to each serving, and sprinkle with nuts and cilantro.

*check out this recipe to see what to do with the leftover coconut milk.

pumpkin bread

i know pumpkin bread is made a lot around christmas time, but my little boy and i couldn't wait that long.

see, he's totally eyeing the bread while planning his next move.

i found this recipe on allrecipes.com, it makes 3 loaves or 6 mini loaves. i only have 4 small loaf pans so i use those plus a regular sized loaf pan. the original recipe can be found here as i made some minor adjustments.

pumpkin bread
adapted from allrecipes.com

• 3 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup applesauce
  
• 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
• 6 ounces dark chocolate chips
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and chocolate chips; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

spring pasta

i got this recipe from a local cooking class many, many years ago. it tasted so delicious then, but i never got around to making it until today. the recipe says it serves 8 -- that would be as a main dish, 12-15 as a side dish. today i used spaghetti, a few pinches of dried thyme, and a diced roma tomato because that's what i had on hand. i think i'll cook up some chicken breasts and serve this for dinner.

ingredients:

1 pound linguini pasta

sauce:
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons white wine
1/3 cup olive oil
1 stick of butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 teaspoons cavender's greek seasoning (found in the spice aisle at any grocery store)

1 bunch fresh asparagus (1-1/2 lb.)
1/2 lb. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 bunch of green onions, finely chopped
1 can olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

cut woody ends off asparagus. boil asparagus for 5 minutes then run them under cold water. cut into 1" pieces. sauté the mushrooms in a tablespoon or two of butter until golden brown, set aside. prepare sauce in a food processor, all ingredients except butter. transfer sauce to a small pan, add butter and heat until the butter melts, but do not boil. meanwhile, cook linguini according to package directions, drain. add all vegetables and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese to the pasta. pour warm sauce over pasta and vegetables, toss. sprinkle remaining cheese on top and serve immediately.

*jessica's note* i love this pasta dish, but am not a big fan of raw garlic. so the next time i make this recipe, i will either sauté the garlic with the mushrooms, or use roasted garlic. see how to roast garlic here.

breakfast burritos

we have a hard time with leftovers at our house. no one wants to eat them, but i feel bad when food goes to waste. the other night i made some tasty street chicken tacos. we had quite a bit of
tortillas, rice and beans left over so i had to come up with a good use for them. these breakfast burritos are quite delish and are a great way to start the day out with some protein. i may just keep rice and beans in the fridge from now on.

breakfast burritos
-serves 1

2 - 5-6" corn tortillas
1 egg, scrambled
4 tablespoons cooked black beans
4 tablespoons cooked rice
2 tablespoons salsa
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

warm the tortillas on both sides in a hot, dry pan. warm up the rice and beans for a few seconds in the microwave. divide the egg, beans, rice, salsa, and sour cream evenly between the two tortillas. roll them up (if you can) and enjoy.