Blue Cheese Herb Spread

I found this recipe in a small allrecipes magazine (p.16) I received and I just had to try it. I figured with this combination of herbs, cream cheese, and blue cheese, I had nothing to lose. Result? Wow, it was just as I hoped! One of the best cheese ball-type dips I've had. And my three-year-old must take after me in his love of blue cheese because he loved it as much as I did. So this is destined to become a new favorite...

Note: The original recipe calls for 2 Tb. walnuts, which I did not include because my mother is allergic to them and I don't like them.

Blue Cheese Herb Spread

2 Tb. chopped fresh parsley (or 1/2 Tb. dry parsley flakes)
2 Tb. chopped fresh chives
1/2 c. blue cheese, crumbled
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cold

Place parsley and chives in bowl, add blue cheese and mix.

Place cream cheese in bowl of food processor (or small mixer) and process until smooth.

Add herb mixture to cream cheese and process until thoroughly blended.

Noe: Can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered tightly.

Gingerbread Cookies (with no refined sugar)

First posted two years ago, this beloved recipe from long ago is an all-time favorite among kids of all ages--particularly, but not exclusively, during this time of the year.

Original post:
Everyone agrees that this whole wheat cookie recipe is extremely tasty. And every time I eat them I wonder why anyone would ever make another kind of gingerbread cookie--and why some people think frosting is necessary.

They are particularly appropriate around the Christmas season, of course, but we would love to eat them year round with milk, if I made them that often.

Gingerbread Cookies

1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
1 egg
1/3 c. molasses
2 3/4 c. flour (more or less, depending on whether you're making round or cookie cutter cookies and how stiff you need the dough)
1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger

Cream butter and honey. Add egg and molasses; mix well.

Sift and stir in dry ingredients. Blend thoroughly.

Chill dough (optional, but does tend to make it easier to use cookie cutters). Drop by teaspoons on lightly greased sheet 1" apart, or roll out on floured table and use floured cookie cutters.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Hummus

Hummus is one of our family's favorites and is particularly inexpensive when I make it myself--especially when I can buy sesame seeds in bulk (for example, at WinCo). I love having my kids get excited over a bean recipe!

First posted over three years ago:

I've really been on a hummus kick lately. There's just something about it that really satisfies me. (And it really does need that tahini, so don't leave it out!)

I found a good recipe for it on About.com and made it by cooking dry garbanzo beans, rather than using the canned variety, as per the recipe. A longer process, yes, but cheaper and more nutritious. And hey, I wanted a large batch, so it was perfect!

One thing that has made me so excited about hummus is that my picky little eater likes it! I have tried so many bean recipes on her and she will have nothing to do with beans. But this "dip" she loves. I love being sneaky...

1 16 oz can chickpeas or garbanzo beans (or cook 2/3 c. dry beans until tender)

1/4 c. liquid from can of chickpeas (or from pot of cooked beans)

3-5 Tb. lemon juice (depending on taste)

1 1/2 Tb. sesame seeds

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt

Crush garlic in garlic press. Let sit for a few minutes. (Reason.)

Heat olive oil in pan on stove top. Add sesame seeds, stir and toast until golden brown. (This is your tahini.)

Drain garbanzos and set aside liquid. 

Pour beans into bowl, pulverize with immersion blender. (Can use regular blender, but it's quite the laborious process.) Add 1/4 cup of liquid from garbanzos as you go--more if needed, until smooth.

Cook garlic on stove top until partly browned, then add to bowl of pulverized garbanzos. 

Combine remaining ingredients, blend until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Taste test and add more of anything it needs.

Enjoy with tortilla chips, crackers, or veggies!

Zucchini Bread

I originally posted this recipe a couple years ago. Since it continues to be a Family Favorite, I'm reposting it now, with an updated picture. Don't finish up zucchini season without making this at least once!

Original post:
This is--so far--the only guaranteed way I've found to get my kids to eat (and enjoy) zucchini. I'll continue trying other ways--which my husband and I like--but for now, thank goodness for this recipe! It makes a good dessert, yet is healthy enough for a snack or even breakfast.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

Makes 2 loaves

3 eggs
1 c. oil
1 c. honey
3 tsp. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini

3 c. whole wheat flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs. Add honey, grated zucchini, vanilla, and oil. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients, mix well. Pour batter into well greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until done.

Homemade Spinach (or Chard) Dip

This is a very popular recipe, which I am re-posting here as a Family Favorite, even though it's not liked by all the kids. I recently discovered that it can also be made with fresh chard from the garden, in place of spinach, if desired.

In 2011 I wrote:

Like a lot of people, I love the spinach dip that is made with an envelope of Knorr vegetable soup mix. But a few weeks ago I wasn't surprised, in checking the ingredients, to find monosodium glutamate listed (and not at the end). So, last week I determined to find a recipe to make it from scratch and see how it turned out. It didn't taste exactly like the Knorr mix variety (though the inclusion of MSG I consider cheating; who knows what it really tastes like), but it was quite tasty and we enjoyed it on raw vegetables, tortilla chips, and crackers. (I found the recipe at vivianskvetch.blogspot.com and then made a few modifications.)

SPINACH DIP FROM SCRATCH

1 c. sour cream
10 oz. spinach
1 c. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced or put through press
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped
1 c. red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz. water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste (I thought it needed at least double this amount)
Freshly-ground pepper to taste
dill weed, to taste
garlic salt, to taste

If you are using fresh spinach, tear off stems (unless it's baby spinach, in which case you can get away with leaving the stems on). Wash and leave some of the water on. Cook until wilted--a couple of minutes on stovetop. If you're using frozen spinach, thaw. Either way, squeeze out excess water and chop. (If using chard, wash, dice, and cook till soft, then cool.)

Mix sour cream and mayonnaise together in bowl. Add garlic, onion, red pepper, water chestnuts, and spices and mix well. Blend spinach into mixture. Chill for a couple of hours.

If you are using a bread bowl, prepare it just before serving so bread won't get soggy. Slice the top off and cut or scoop out inside, leaving walls of reasonable thickness, at least an inch or so. Spoon dip into hollowed-out bread. Cut up leftover bread (from the top and inside) to use for dipping.

If you're not using a bread bowl, serve dip in ordinary bowl with your choice of raw veggies, crackers, tortilla chips, etc.

Homemade Baked Pretzels

Updated Note: I first posted this recipe 3 years ago and am now reposting it as a family favorite, along with an updated picture. My kids get excited whenever I make these.
                  * * * * *
This is one of our favorite recipes and everyone else I have made it for has really enjoyed it too. It's also super easy and a fun recipe for kids to help you with. If you use red wheat flour, you may need to use a portion of refined white flour instead of all whole wheat flour to make it pliable enough to shape into pretzels. But if you use white wheat flour, as we do, no refined white flour is needed.

WHOLE WHEAT PRETZELS
(makes 12)

Stir 1/8 c. honey into 1 1/2 c. warm water in large bowl (or bread mixing bowl).

Sprinkle 1 Tb. yeast. Let sit 5 min.

Stir in 4 c. whole wheat flour. Kneed (or let mixer mix). Divide into 12 lumps and let rest 5 min.

Make 12 ropes, form into pretzel or other shape.

Boil 1 c. water with 2 tsp. baking soda in shallow pan. Place pretzel in water for 10 seconds.

Place on greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with margarita salt (found in liquor section of grocery store) or course Kosher salt.

Bake at 450 for 8 min.

Enjoy with honey butter or other dipping sauce.

Strawberries and Cream

When I was a missionary for my church, a couple of fellow missionaries introduced me to this simple, yet delicious way of eating strawberries and cream. I remembered how wonderful it was and it has since become part of my family's tradition. Nowadays, I have modified it from brown sugar to raw sugar, and it's just as yummy.

Strawberries and Cream

Whole strawberries, washed
Sour cream
Raw sugar

Dip whole strawberries into bowl of sour cream until thinly coated. Roll in plate of raw sugar until coated. Enjoy!

Note: As you can tell from the picture, these need to be dipped immediately before eating (in other words, everyone dips their own while they're eating), as the sugar and cream tend to melt and slide off quickly.

Homemade Granola

I love granola but I hate buying it, because it's so expensive. It's also typically full of sugar (and other unnecessary ingredients). But why buy it when it's so easy to make your own? I have tried a couple of different recipes over the years, but this one from my friend, Jennalee (which she got from Beverly Nye's recipe book, "A Family Raised on Sunshine") is my favorite. It doesn't have a lot of ingredients and it doesn't take hours (or even one) to bake. Of course, the best thing about making your own granola (and everything else)--besides the improved health factor--is that you can put in it whatever you and your family like most. For example, the original recipe calls for peanuts, but I'm not a fan of peanuts in my granola, so I have used either a different kind of nut, or eliminated it altogether (which is how my children prefer it).

Homemade Granola

Spread 4 c. rolled oats on ungreased sheet cake pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Stir in:
1 c. flaked coconut
1 c. peanuts, coarsely chopped (see my above comment)
3/4 c. wheat germ

Then add:
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix until dry ingredients are coated. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. After baking, stir in 1 pkg. dried fruit or 1 cup raisins (I prefer to use 1 c. dried cranberries, if possible, or a mix of cranberries and raisins).

See how easy? The only sugar in this granola is the small amount in the sweetened coconut (or you can use unsweetened) and dried cranberries, if you use them. And it's so tasty and sweet, there's simply no reason for refined sugar.

Fruit Crisp (Sugarless)

This is an extremely versatile dish that is one of my favorite sugarless fruit recipes. We have eaten it as dessert, but because it has no refined sugar, we have also eaten it as part of breakfast, or simply as a snack. I adapted and modified it from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (p.246). I prefer my "crisp" more like cobbler and have therefore. over time, learned to triple the amount of topping (which includes the oats, honey, flour, butter, and coconut). If you prefer yours with less topping, just cut it back down. So far, one of my favorite fruit combination has been fresh apples with several sliced fresh strawberries. Strawberries and rhubarb is also wonderful, and is what is shown in this picture.

Fruit Crisp

5 c. sliced, peeled cooking apples, pears, peaches, apricots, berries, or a combination (can also use frozen, unsweetened fruit in place of fresh)
1 1/2 c. regular oats
1 c. honey (or less, depending on how sweet you want it)
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon (or, if you're like me, you might add skimpy 1/4 teaspoons of two or all three of these)
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. shredded coconut (optional)

For fruit filling, thaw fruit if frozen. Do not drain. Place fruit in a 9 X 13 baking dish.

For topping, in a medium bowl combine the oats, honey, flour, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in coconut, if using. Sprinkle topping over fruit.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until fruit is tender and topping is golden.

Note: At higher altitudes, like mine, (and with the soft winter apples I last used), cooking it this long would turn it into mush. So I would suggest setting your oven to 15 minutes and then checking how tender the fruit is at that point.

Homemade Granola Bars

I've been having to eat several small meals every day for the last few months, instead of my usual three regular ones. But sometimes, due to my schedule or other factors, I just need a good, quick, portable snack. So a week ago or so I started looking at the selection of granola bars in the stores. I almost bought a box a couple times, but I just couldn't bare to do it, not with all the high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, brown sugar, sugar, etc listed in the ingredients. After all, I didn't want dessert, I wanted a healthful snack. So I determined to figure out how to make my own. After all, I knew I already had the ingredients on hand and it couldn't really be that hard. I found quite a few recipes online and weeded them down to one I found on FoodNetwork.com. Then, of course, I modified it to include no sugar. We all loved the result and I felt good knowing I didn't give in to the easy, unhealthful option. :)
Plus, when you make them yourself, you can switch up the fruits, nuts, etc, so they are just the way you want them. I doubled the recipe and made two varieties: one with dried dates, papayas, and cranberries; and the other with sunflower seeds and raisins (though I didn't use nearly 1 1/2 c. of raisins).

Homemade Granola Bars

2 c. rolled oats
1 c. sliced almonds
1 c. shredded coconut, loosely packed (this can be found unsweetened to further reduce the refined sugar content)
1/2 c. wheat germ
3 Tb. butter
About 1 c. honey (I may cut it down a bit next time because it seemed a little too sweet to me, but the rest of my family didn't notice.)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. dried fruit(s) of your choice (of course, varieties with less or no sugar are the most healthful)

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and line it with parchment paper. (I didn't have parchment paper and therefore can't vouch for its necessity, but I unfortunately did find out how necessary greasing the pan is! I know, I should've known better, but sometimes I space things...)

Toss oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 min, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer mixture to large mixing bowl and stir in wheat germ.

Reduce temperature to 300 degrees.

Place butter, honey, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over toasted oatmeal mixture. Add dried fruit and stir well.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 25-30 min, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

I wasn't sure how long these would stay good outside of the fridge, so after a couple days I wrapped the individual bars in tinfoil and put them in the fridge.

Cranberry-Orange Caramel Corn

I came across this recipe in my November 2010 Better Homes and Gardens magazine (p. 222) and couldn't wait to try it. I did modify it (of course) to substitute healthier alternatives for the brown sugar and corn syrup, and include slivered almonds instead of whole, which I thought would be easier and safer for my children to eat. But the poor kids didn't get any because my husband and I ate it all (over a few days)--oops! Darn...now I'll have to make another batch...

Cranberry-Orange Caramel Corn

12 c. air-popped popcorn (about 1/2 c. kernels)
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. raw sugar
1/8 c. honey
2 Tb. orange juice (I might even use more next time, since it wasn't very orangy)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a very large bowl combine popped popcorn (be sure to sift out unpopped kernels), cranberries, and almonds; set aside.

In a 2-quart saucepan cook and stir butter, raw sugar, and honey over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in orange juice. Bring to boiling over medium heat. Boil at moderate, steady rate for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture will foam up).

Pour syrup mixture over popcorn mixture in bowl; stir to coat well. Transfer to a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan (cookie sheet with a lip) or shallow roasting pan. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring twice. Transfer caramel corn to large sheet of greased heavy foil; cool. Makes 20 (1/2 c.) servings.

Wheat Crackers

This recipe tastes just like the one my mom used to make when I was little, but it's a little easier. The crackers are kind of bland, so depending on what you like, you can add more salt, different spices or cheeses, or just eat them with a tasty dip (like hummus). Once again, a nicely versatile recipe--and it's super easy to make.

WHEAT CRACKERS

1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 c. water

salt for sprinkling

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
  
• Pour in vegetable oil and water; mix until just blended.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough as thin as possible - no thicker than 1/8 inch. Place dough on ungreased baking sheet, and mark squares out with a knife, but don't cut through.
  
• Prick each cracker with a fork a few times, and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and light brown. Baking time may be different depending on how thin your crackers are. When cool, remove from baking sheet, and separate into individual crackers.

Popcorn

We don't eat a lot of snacks, but one of our favorites is hot air popped popcorn, topped with about 3 Tb. real butter and a few turns of the sea salt shaker. Now I don't even like microwave popcorn. There's just something about home-popped that is so much more satisfying! My husband gave me a popper like this one about three years ago and it has been in regular use ever since. In addition to being much healthier than microwave or prepackaged popcorn, it's also more economical: I can find it for less than $2 per 32 oz package at my local grocery store, which makes a lot of large bowls full (I only have to buy it about every two months and we generally eat it once a week or so). And unlike with the microwave variety, very few kernels are left unpopped and none are burned.