Homemade Christmas Goodies

Keep warm in your kitchen and add a personal touch to Christmas gift-giving this year by making homemade goodies. These recipes, most of these are circulating around on Pinterest, can be doubled or tripled for the family, friends or teachers on your list.
Dress up the packaging to add color and flair. For example, if a canning jar is used, add a circle of fabric and a bit of fiberfil to the top of the lid then twist on the cap or glue a circle of scrapbook paper or Christmas wrap to the lid and add the same paper to the gift tag. Add candy canes to ribbon or raffia tied around the cap. Alphabet stickers spelling out the item in the jar, such as “Cookies” or “Caramels” could be added to the glass.
I will add more photos as I make more of these recipes. I wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

Cranberry Hootycreeks
Cookies in a Jar

5/8 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. white sugar
1/2 C. dried cranberries
1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1/2 C. chopped pecans

Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart jar, in the order listed (be sure to sift together the 1/2 C. flour with the baking soda and salt). Pack each ingredient down as it is added to the jar.

GIFT TAG DIRECTIONS:

Cranberry Hootycreeks

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 36 tasty treats.


Snowflake Mix

Makes 16 cups. Preparation 20 minutes, cool one hour.

Ingredients:
3 C. bite-size rice Chex
3 C. bite-size corn Chex
1 C. small pretzel twists or pretzel sticks
1 C. honey-roasted peanuts
1 12-oz package white chocolate baking pieces
1 12-oz package M&Ms

Directions:
1. In a very large bowl combine cereals, pretzels and peanuts; set aside.
2. Melt baking pieces according to package directions. Pour melted chocolate over cereal mixture. Stir gently to coat. Spread on a large piece of waxed paper or parchment paper. Sprinkle with M&Ms. Cool and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. Makes 16 cups.


Chocolate-dipped pretzel rods

Ingredients:
8 oz. milk chocolate, broken into pieces
27 (8-inch long) pretzel rods
Green, red, and white sprinkles (for topping)

Directions:
1. Place chocolate in microwave-safe measuring cup or mug. Heat, covered with waxed paper, in microwave on High 1 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring occasionally until smooth.
2. Meanwhile, place each topping choice on separate sheet of waxed paper or on individual plates.
3. Holding 1 pretzel rod at a time, dip in melted chocolate, tipping cup to cover about half of rod with chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off pretzel back into cup. Immediately sprinkle coated pretzel with choice of topping. Carefully place coated pretzel rod in pie plate or shallow bowl, leaning uncoated portion on edge.
4. Repeat with remaining pretzels, keeping pretzels from touching one another in pie plate. Refrigerate about 20 minutes to set up coating. Store pretzels in tightly sealed container, with waxed paper between layers, at room temperature up to 1 week.

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Ingredients:
Rold Gold Butter Snap pretzels
Bag of Rolos candy
1 C. pecans

Directions:
Place pretzels in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Top each on with a Rolo. Place in oven preheated to 250 degrees. Closely watch for Rolos to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a pecan into each. Allow to cool.

Tip: Other candies could be used such as Hershey’s Kisses or slices of Snickers. For extra decoration, drizzle with melted chocolate or white chocolate.

Microwave Sea Salt Caramels

I worried a little when I made these caramels – thought they wouldn't turn out because the cooking time wasn't precise. But they are wonderful! The only difficulty I had was that I didn't have cooking spray, and used canola oil but apparently didn't use enough because the caramel stuck tight to the foil. My big tip is: Be sure to use enough oil! My family, including my nephew, couldn't get enough of this good stuff and the caramels look pretty all wrapped up in waxed paper and packaged in a canning jar. This recipe was very easy, and tasty - I highly recommend it!

Makes 24-40 caramels

Ingredients:
1/4 C. butter, cut in 8 pieces
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1/2 C. sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
coarse sea salt

Directions:
In microwave safe bowl (at least 2 quart), add butter, white and brown sugar, syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Stir together and place in microwave, uncovered. Cook in microwave on full power for 6 minutes (for soft and chewy texture) or 7 minutes (for firmer yet still chewy texture), stopping and stirring thoroughly twice during the cooking time (every 2-3 minutes).* Remove from microwave and stir until well mixed. Pour hot caramel into prepared pan.
Line an 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil, generously coat the inside with cooking spray, pour in the hot caramel, sprinkle lightly with sea salt while the caramel is warm. Place in fridge until firm enough to remove & cut (approx. 40-60 min). Pull up on sides of aluminum foil and remove the whole slab of caramel at one time. Place caramel slab on cutting board covered with parchment or waxed paper and cut into pieces of desired size.
If the caramels are oily from the cooking spray, blot them off with a paper towel. Wrap each caramel in a piece of waxed paper and twist.

Tips: Adjust cooking time for your microwave wattage
*The recommended cooking times in this recipe are based 1100 watt microwave. If yours has a different wattage, you will most likely need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Because microwaves vary, there may be some trial and error involved to determine exactly the correct cooking time. Click here for a cooking conversion chart for different wattages. (Microwave wattage can usually found on a label that is visible inside of the microwave.) If caramels are too hard, cooking time should be reduced. If they're too soft cooking time should be increased.

Store caramels in fridge or at cool room temperature. If refrigerated caramels are too stiff to eat, bring to room temperature before eating.

Caramel Sauce

This caramel sauce is perfect. It’s designed to dip with apples, pour over three bags of popcorn, or drizzle over ice cream or brownies, but sneaking a little spoonful on the side - mmmmm, that’s good too! My sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day shared this recipe with me, and trust me, it will knock your shoes AND socks off!
This sauce needs no “extras,” but it is also good to dip the apples in the sauce followed by a dip in a little bowl of chopped nuts, M&Ms or ground chocolate graham crackers, etc., for added texture and flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 C. butter
1 C. light Karo syrup
2 1/2 C. brown sugar
After cooking to softball stage add:
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Combine ingredients in sauce pan, stir constantly over medium to medium-high heat. Using a candy thermometer, boil to softball stage – 240 degrees. You can also test the caramel by dripping a little into a glass of cold water and feeling the caramel to see if it is about right.
Remove pan from heat and add one can of sweetened condensed milk and a teaspoon of vanilla. Stir, and it’s ready to go!

Torta Rustica, Italian Savory Picnic Pie

I’ve held on to this recipe for several years, it’s so good. But I only make it on special occasions because it does take a little extra time. This recipe is based on one I found from Nick Stellino who used to have a TV cooking show. For my version I skip the eggplant to reduce the number of steps – also some members of my family prefer no eggplant – and I make it on a cookie sheet instead of in a spring-form pan for more servings – the layers are very pretty in a spring-form pan though. A few more servings is a good thing! It disappears quickly, and you want to be sure to have enough!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough, see recipe below, or if you buy store-bought, be sure you have enough to fit a double layer in a cookie sheet.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 lb. thinly sliced Black Forest ham or prosciutto
1 (13 to 15 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained or make it your own (see Angel’s Tips)
1 lb. freshly grated provolone cheese (or slices)
1 C. black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

Serves 12-15

Prepare pizza dough a day ahead. While it is rising, heat 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high, add the onion, saute for one minute, then add the garlic, reduce the heat to medium and saute for 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms, basil, oregano, salt, the pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and mushrooms are limp and dry. Take off the heat and stir in the spinach and ricotta. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out 3/4 of the pizza dough to approximately 1/2 inch thick. Press the dough into lightly oiled cookie sheet. Press the dough up the side of the pan. Layer 1/2 of each ingredient in the pan in the following order: ham, spinach mixture, peppers, cheese and olives. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Roll out the remaining dough to fit over the layered ingredients. Lay it over the top and fold the dough on the sides over the top dough, crimping them together to seal the edges. Give the top several pokes with a fork to allow steam to escape and brush with the beaten egg.

Place the Torta Rustica in the preheated oven and bake about 30 minutes until the internal temperature in the middle reaches 120 F. About 20 minutes into the baking, cover with a tent of aluminum foil to keep the top from getting too brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Serve at room temperature or warm in the oven for 5 minutes or so for a nice crunch. Cut into 12 or 15 pieces.

Angel’s Tip: Olive oil is best, but if all you have is canola oil or vegetable oil, it will work fine. If you’d like to make your own roasted red bell pepper, it’s easy. Simply place the pepper on a baking sheet and broil in the oven. Keep a very close eye on it and turn with tongs every minute or less until it is somewhat blackened. Immerse the pepper in a bowl of cold water and when cool peel the skin off and slice and dice. I usually roast mine outside on the grill, again, turning with tongs every minute or so.

Pizza dough

2 C. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil, or canola or vegetable oil
4-5 plus C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt



Place 2 C. warm water in large mixing bowl. Water should be almost hot, not scalding. Add yeast and sugar and whisk a little. Place in warm spot for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil. Mix the salt into the flour and add 4 cups of the flour, add more flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Dust counter with flour with extra on the side. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until elastic. It should not stick to your hands too much, yet not be too dry.

While kneading soak the bowl in warm water. When done, rinse and dry the bowl add a tiny bit of oil (a teaspoon or so) and place dough in bowl getting oil on both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot.

The best method is to let it double in size and then punch down and refrigerate over night. This gives it a better texture, like you find at a pizzeria. If you - like me usually - didn’t think ahead far enough to stick it in the fridge, use the dough at this point for the picnic pie. Sometimes I only let it rise for 30 minutes if I’m in a hurry.

Angel’s Tip: Always looking for a faster way, I usually add the flour to the water and yeast mixture, top it with the salt and, using the teaspoon, stir the salt into the flour then mix it all together with a wooden spoon.

When making a regular pizza, I make it in a cookie sheet and use 1 1/4 C. water, 1 Tbsp. yeast, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3-4 plus C. flour and 1 tsp. salt.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Fresh strawberry jam is so much better than store-bought, wouldn’t you agree? Please believe me when I tell you this recipe is so easy, you will kick yourself for not trying it out sooner! There is no cooking involved, and this brand of pectin uses less sugar than some other brands – it’s a snap!
If you choose to make peach jam, see instructions below – it requires 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
Just remember to get Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin – make sure it says INSTANT – for the quick method.
The finished product makes about 2 cups and can be poured into canning jars or plastic resealable containers, both work great.
Can you taste the fresh strawberries???

Ingredients:
1 2/3 C. strawberries, crushed or finely chopped
2/3 C. sugar or Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 small packet Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin (see picture below)

Directions:
1. Stir sugar and contents of package in a bowl.
2. Add fruit. Stir 3 minutes.
3. Ladle jam into clean jars (or plastic containers) and let stand 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Tips: Plastic freezer jar or glass jars with straight sides work best for freezing. When filling jars, leave 1/2 inch headspace to allow for expansion during freezing. If you use frozen fruit the result will be a little bit runny, but still tasty.

For peach jam: stir peaches, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, let stand 10 minutes. Add pectin gradually to prevent clumping. Stir 3 minutes. Ladle jam into clean jars and let stand 30 minutes.

Apple Slab

Anytime is a great time for apple pie, but now that it’s fall and getting cooler, it sounds even better! Apple Slab is apple pie made to fit a cookie sheet. It's also known as Apple Squares. This recipe comes from my wonderful sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day – she’s a great resource for creative recipes! She adapted this dessert from one she saw in “Cook’s Illustrated” magazine. The above picture is Rachel’s creation. I’d never made Cream Cheese Pie Dough before – yum! Slathered with a drizzle of apple-cinnamon glaze and a dollop of ice cream on the side, Apple Slab is a new favorite!

Cream Cheese Pie Dough: (double this for Apple Slab)
1 1/4 C. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. ice cold water

Mix up dough as you would a pie crust dough.

Apple Pie Filling:
12-16 apples peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 C. flour
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
little lemon juice (optional)

Glaze:
Combine 1 1/2 C. powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, add apple cider and/or milk, a little at a time, until it is a consistency good for drizzling.

Make pie filling first, and let juices develop while making the crust. Mix up the crust like any other pie crust – Rachel uses a Kitchen-Aid mixer, but see tips below for another method. Be sure to double the pie crust recipe then cut the dough in half. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill a little or, if you’re in a rush, start rolling!
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll out one of the halves to the size of a cookie sheet, and big enough to go up the sides of the cookie sheet. It doesn’t have to look pretty because this is a rustic apple dessert. Spread filling evenly on top and place about two tablespoons of butter in little dollops all over the apples.
Roll out the other half of the dough and lay it on top. Rachel rolls it big enough to cover the apples, but doesn’t tuck it in around the edges as with a round pie – if it’s too big when you lay it on top, cut off excess.
Cut slits in the top, and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Angel’s Tips: I found a method I like for making pie dough which I once saw on a Julia Child’s TV show when she had a guest pie baker in her studio – this works well if you don't have a mixer. Stir the dry ingredients in a bowl. Place this on a large work surface. Cut chilled butter – I just open butter and make about 7 slices in each. Place the pads of butter in the flour mixture, covering them with some of the flour, and roll out with a rolling pin. Keep rolling and moving the butter a little bit, piling it in the flour, so it doesn’t stick to the counter. Then place it all back in the bowl. I added the cream cheese at this point, which was just slightly softened, not warm. Then add the ice cold water and lemon juice. Use wooden spoon or other big spoon for the stirring and mixing, not your hands. Once everything is mixed in, divide dough in two and chill, covered in plastic wrap.

My first time making Apple Slab, I placed it in a 9x13 baking dish, so my crust was a little thicker. I also doubled the Apple Slab recipe and used the same amount of apples for one recipe. Next time, I'll make it in the cookie sheet – more servings! – with the full amount of apples.

This recipe will work with other pie fillings as well – pumpkin, cherry, blueberry ...

Heavenly Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I found this recipe on my niece’s Pinterest page via Facebook. I’m not set up on Pinterest yet, but would love to try it sometime – when I have oodles of hours to kill!
Since chicken enchiladas are a family favorite, I end up making them at least once a month. I had been making them with all the sauce inside and just cheese on top, but I’m sold on trying it the way this recipe suggests – and with homemade cream of chicken it is sooooo very good.
I made 12 of these so that each family member could have two if they wanted – they disappeared quickly! No leftovers!
See my tip at the bottom, in case you don’t have chicken broth or want to lower the fat content.
Do you have a favorite recipe you’ve discovered? Feel free to share it with me at angel@bmeagle.com, and please send a picture if possible. Thanks!

1 lb. chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 C. grated Colby-jack cheese or other
1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. flour
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth
1 C. sour cream
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

In a skillet, add oil and cook chicken and chopped onion until chicken is just done.
Divide cooked chicken in equal portions between the 8 tortillas. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of cheese to each.
Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil then roll enchiladas and place seam side down.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan and stir in flour to make a roux. Whisk over medium heat continually until bubbly. Gradually add chicken broth, then bring to a boil, still whisking.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and green chilies. Pour sauce evenly over enchiladas then top with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.

Angel’s Tips: When I made these last week, I didn’t have any chicken broth in the pantry, so I cooked my chicken with 2 C. water and 1-2 tsp. chicken bouillon, simmering for 25-30 minutes with the lid on.
Since my two youngest don’t care for spice or sight of little green chilies, I poured 1/2 of the creamy sauce over enchiladas on one side of the pan, added the green chilies and poured it over the other half.
To lower the fat content, omit butter and use 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, instead of flour, mixed with a 1/4 C. cold water, also use light or fat-free sour cream and less cheese.

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats

This is a nice little treat for kids, young and old. The Rainbow Chip cake mix adds a fun flavor as well as a slightly softer texture. You’ll notice my picture is lacking the white chocolate topping – they are great with or without this part. This recipe would be perfect for family gatherings, class parties, bake sales ... you name it!







Ingredients:
12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
10 oz. bag mini marshmallows
1 1/2 C. Betty Crocker Rainbow Chip cake mix, or similar product
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 C. Rice Krispies
2 Tbsp. rainbow sprinkles
1/3 C. white chocolate melting chips (optional)

Directions:
Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter and add marshmallows over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low, and stir in cake mix and vanilla until just combined.
Stir in half of the Rice Krispies and 1 Tbsp. sprinkles – mix well.
Add remaining Rice Krispies and stir until combined.
Pour mixture into prepared baking pan using a large spoon and spread evenly. I used the butter wrapper under my hand to press it down nicely.
Microwave chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted. Drizzle over Rice Krispies. Sprinkle with remaining sprinkles.
Let cool and cut into squares.

Angel’s Tip: Place melted white chocolate in Zip-Lock bag, snip off one bottom corner for an 1/8-1/4 inch opening and squeeze out to drizzle over the top in zig-zags.

Recipe adapted from 365 Days of Baking

Summer Sandwiches

When it’s hot out and turning the oven or stove top on just sounds like a bad idea, try these sandwiches – of course, they taste delicious anytime of the year. They're easy to make and our family loved them. If you have any picky little ones, they may wish to opt out on some of the ingredients, so gather up their orders and make half with “the works” and the other half a whittled down version, if needed.
Make it a picnic, and enjoy! If you try one of these sandwiches, let me know what you think!

Dad’s Sandwich

Our family calls this simple yet delicious sub “Dad’s Sandwich” because my husband invented it – I love it when he takes a turn in the kitchen, and it’s always something wonderful!

Ingredients:
2 French bread loaves
2 packages of your choice of meat, such as turkey and ham
1 package Provolone cheese
1 package shredded iceberg lettuce, or shred your own with thin slices
2 large tomatoes, sliced
Stackers pickles, we like Bread and Butter flavor
Ranch dressing, we use Hidden Valley Light
pepper, to taste

Directions:
Slice loaves completely in half, layer the meat, one variety on top of the other – we use about 10 slices of each meat across each sandwich. Top with Provolone cheese, 8-10 slices, and lettuce. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Add tomatoes and pickles and sprinkle with pepper if desired. Dig in!
Makes 8 large sandwiches.

Sicilian Submarine Sandwich

I remember a little shop that my dad used to go to when I was young that had this type of a sandwich served – the place smelled heavenly, and I’ve always wanted to try that kind of sandwich.
It was very tough to find all the ingredients locally, so I went with my own version. To get a nice bread texture and to melt the cheese, I lit the gas grill, on low, and placed the sandwich on some foil and closed the lid for about three minutes. Toasting the sandwiches in the oven for 3-4 minutes at 450 degrees F would also work.
Someday, I’ll hunt down the authentic ingredients and give it a try – I’ll list those special ingredients below the recipe. This makes about 3 sandwiches.

Vinaigrette ingredients:
1/2 C. light olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Dash ground black pepper
Dash salt
Dash garlic powder

1 baguette, about 20+ inches long
1 C. red onion, thinly sliced
2 handfuls of shredded green leaf lettuce
1 package deli-style ham slices
1 package Genoa salami slices
1 package Provolone cheese
2 oz. roasted red peppers, can make homemade
4-5 small basil leaves, fresh
tomatoes, sliced

1. In a small bowl mix the vinaigrette and add the onion slices. Marinate for an hour or more, if possible.
2. Cut baguettes open without slicing all the way through, and brush marinade on both sides.
3. Add lettuce and sliced meats to your liking.
4. Top with Provolone, red peppers, tomatoes, then basil leaves.
5. Grill the sandwiches one at a time, or place in 450 degree F oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese is slightly melted.
6. Slice to make 3 sandwiches.

Those hard-to-get ingredients (deli-sliced, if possible):
2 oz. prosciutto ham (instead of Black Forest)
2 oz. capocollo
2 oz. mortadella
2 oz. Genoa salami

Also, you can see from my picture that I used lettuce shreds that I had on hand, instead of the green leaf lettuce.

Angel’s tip: To make your own roasted red bell pepper throw one or two on the grill, or in the oven in a pan on broil, turning occasionally until blackened. Then place in a bowl of ice water. After it has cooled, peel the skin off and slice, removing the stem and seeds. Place slices on sandwich before toasting.

Easy Key Lime Pie

I had never made a Key Lime Pie before, and when I came across this one online it looked so good, and easy, I couldn't pass up trying it. I adapted this from allrecipes.com, but adjusted it using one less egg and a little more lime juice. I also prepared my own graham cracker crust (see below). If you need an simple, yet tasty, dessert this would be a good one!

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, fat free
3/4 C. key lime juice
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Combine beaten egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Mix well and pour into unbaked graham cracker shell.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Pipe whipped topping on each piece and garnish with lime slices.

Angel’s tips: I made my own graham cracker crust by putting one sleeve of graham crackers, broken up a bit, in a food processor until fine. In a mixing bowl combine the crackers with 1-2 Tbsp. butter or margarine. Press into 9-inch pie dish.

Also, our local store didn’t have key limes so I used equal parts fresh lime and lemon juice – two limes and one large lemon.

If you don't have a pastry bag, place Cool Whip in a Zip-Lock bag, trim a corner off for a 1/2-inch opening.

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I just received this recipe from my wonderful sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day.
These look scrumptious – a “buffalo wing” twist on taquitos!
I don’t know why I’ve never thought to make homemade taquitos. I think my family – including my four growing boys – would love these, and I may have to make a double batch just to keep up with them!

Rachel serves these with Red Rice and her El Mercado’s Mexican Coleslaw - a recipe that is also available on my blog.

Load your plate up and enjoy!

Ingredients: 
4 C. cooked, shredded chicken
12 soft taco, flour tortillas
2 C. grated mozzarella cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 C. Franks Hot Sauce
1/3 C. milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Melt butter in small saucepan over med low heat. Add Mrs. Dash and garlic powder. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and completely combined with butter and spices.
Wisk in hot sauce and milk and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Add salt to taste. Combine chicken and sauce.
Lay out warmed tortillas, fill each with about 1/4-1/3 C. chicken and 2 Tbsp. shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Tightly roll up each taquito and place on greased baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken mixture is used.
Brush taquitos with vegetable oil on all sides.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Rotate every 5 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with blue cheese dressing if desired.

Homemade Yogurt

This yogurt is delicious, creamy and easy to make. Also, worth it!


All you need to make this is a gallon jug of milk, a cup of yogurt and some sugar and vanilla! Supplies needed include a candy thermometer, quart-size jars plus one pint, and a cooler (such as Coleman or Igloo), then you're set!
This recipe comes from Rachel Carpenter of John Day – thank you! She found this online, adapted from Frugal Girl.
I never thought of making fresh yogurt, but after watching Rachel make this a couple weeks ago, I realize that it is totally do-able. It tastes fantastic with a bit of strawberry freezer jam and granola, or even a bit of brown sugar. Blueberries would be another nice topping – the possibilities are endless!

For any questions, please email me at angel@bmeagle.com.

Ingredients:

1 gallon of milk, whole or 1-2 percent (see tip below)
1 C. yogurt starter (can use a cup of plain yogurt such as Dannon or Yoplait, with yogurt cultures, or you can use a cup from your previous batch of homemade yogurt)
1/2-1 C. sugar (or Agave nectar, if you prefer)
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Place four quart-size glass jars, four lids, and four screw-tops in a large pot. Fill with an inch of water; cover with lid and heat to boiling. Boil ten minutes. Leave the lid on the pot and move it off the heat until you are ready to use the jars.

Pour one gallon of whole milk into a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot. Over medium heat, warm the milk to 190 degrees F. Make sure to do this slowly, you don’t want the milk to scorch on the bottom of the pan.

Place the pot in a sink filled with cold water and let the milk cool to 120 degrees F. While the milk is cooling, stir in the sugar or agave and vanilla. Once the milk has reached 120 degrees F, stir in the cup of yogurt starter using a whisk. Stir well to ensure that the starter is thoroughly incorporated into the milk.

Pour the milk into jars and put the lids and bands on. Place them in a cooler (such as an Igloo or Coleman cooler).

Shut the cooler lid and leave in a warm place for six hours (don’t open the cooler lid). When the six hours are up, place the yogurt in the refrigerator.

Angel's tip: If you go with a 1- or 2-percent milk the consistency will be a bit runnier than yogurt from the store. I tried the yogurt made with 1 percent and thought it tasted wonderful!

Blueberry Zuchinni Bread

I can attest, this recipe is golden! Marissa Williams of Canyon City – publisher of the Blue Mountain Eagle – had some extra zucchini on her hands and adapted this recipe found at allrecipes.com.
The texture is moist with a light crunchy crust, the blueberries bursting with flavor – you might want to double the recipe to be sure there is enough to go around!
Thanks Marissa for sharing this recipe!
If you have a recipe you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to email it to me at angel@bmeagle.com – pictures of the dish are appreciated. Please include your name and the city you’re from.

Ingredients:
* 3 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 C. vegetable oil
* 3 tsp. vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 C. white sugar
* 2 C. shredded unpeeled zucchini, use large side of shredder
* 3 C. all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1/4 tsp. baking soda
* 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 pint fresh blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in shredded zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Angel’s tip: For an extra wow-factor add a crumble topping to the bread mixture before baking.

Ingredients:
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter

Directions:
Mix first three ingredients in a small bowl, cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle over the bread mixture that has been poured into the mini-loaf pans.

Spicy Romano Chicken

I enjoyed this delicious pasta made by Alicia Hall a couple months ago during a potluck held at her home. All the food was delicious, but the pasta was so good I had to get the recipe. She referred me to a blog called "Junk in Their Trunk," - www.junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com – created by some sisters who have a lot of wonderful recipes, great ideas, crafts and furniture makeovers, etc.

This recipe is a "copycat" of a dish served at Johnny Carino's restaurant, and, oh my, it is good. Try it!

I would like to find some ways to make it more healthy, so if you have some ideas, please let me know!

Alfredo sauce:
1 cube butter
1 pint cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1/8 tsp. minced garlic

Melt above ingredients together stirring with whisk to break up cream cheese pieces, then add:
1 C. Parmesan cheese

Stir until smooth

2 Tbsp. butter
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 C. diced green onions
1/4 C. sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 C. Romano cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
bow-tie pasta, cooked

In a skillet, melt butter and saute chicken, mushrooms, green onions, and sun-dried tomatoes until chicken is cooked through. Add Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, artichoke hearts and cayenne pepper. Simmer. Serve over bow-tie pasta. You can start by making the chicken first. Makes 6-8 servings.

Campfire Dinners and Banana Boats

Getting ready for summer camping and outdoor cooking? Here are two recipes to please the taste buds, and because each person can add the foods they like, everyone should be a happy camper.
Not going camping? These Campfire Dinners can be made right at home on a gas or charcoal grill, or even in the oven.

Campfire Dinner

– Inspired by the late Whitey Tout of Seneca

• Steak (thinly sliced, any cut will work)

• Diced vegetables such as: carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, green, yellow and red peppers

• Sea Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic

• Butter

Instructions: Place steak on a piece of tin foil approximately 8x18 inches in size. If desired, rub Montreal Steak Seasoning on the meat. Take 1/4 cup each of your choice of diced vegetables add a pinch of sea salt, pepper and garlic. Add a tablespoon of butter and close it up tight by folding up the edges.

Cook on a grill over an open campfire. This can also be done on a gas grill, charcoal grill or in an oven.

Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes depending on how hot the camp fire is. The timing is the same for a gas grill on low with lid closed. To make in oven, place tin foil dinners on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees, or make in a casserole dish and cover with lid or foil.

If meat is not thinly sliced, cook longer until meat is done.

Campfire Banana Boats

– From Andrea Combs of Seneca

• 1 full banana including peeling

• Mixed chips such as chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, etc.

• Small marshmallows

Instructions: Split banana down the middle but not going through the base of the peel. Add your choice of chips and marshmallow to the inside of the banana.

Close up tight with tin foil and roast for approximately 10 minutes, until the candy and marshmallows are melted.

Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole

This recipe comes from Lisa Wells of Salt Lake City, Utah, who is a former high school classmate of mine. It's fun connecting with old friends on Facebook, and when I saw this posted on her page I decided to give it a try - YUM! It's a very easy recipe and if a meal can look cute, this is one of them. The little pieces of biscuit "bubble up" into bite-size morsels. This was a thumbs up for all members of my family. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Ingredients:
1/4 C. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. canola oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
salt and pepper, to taste
1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cans refrigerator biscuits
1 1/2 C. shredded cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add oil to a skillet on medium high and saute the onion and garlic, add ground beef, salt and pepper and brown the meat. If necessary, drain oil. Add enchilada sauce and tomato sauce, warm through and pour the mixture in a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Open cold biscuits and cut each into four pieces and add these to the pan. Roll them around enough to get sauce on them, but make sure they lay on top to ensure thorough baking. Bake for 11 minutes, or until biscuits are golden. Top with cheese and bake for another 2 minutes. Enjoy! Serves 8, or 6 large servings.

When I made this, it was from memory. I didn’t add the tomato sauce, and I thought it turned out just great. Also, I used mozzarella cheese because that’s what I had on hand – when I make it again, I’ll try Colby-Jack cheese. The original recipe called for ground turkey and reduced-fat biscuits; she also added taco seasoning to the meat.

Pudding Pie Dessert with Nut Crust

Graduation is just around the corner and if you have a grad, like I do, you’re probably planning a get-together with family and friends where food will be served. I thought this Pudding Pie Dessert with Nut Crust would be perfect to end the meal. I enjoyed this recipe at a family reunion a few years ago. Pistachio or chocolate puddings work well, or try your favorite! Congrats to all the graduates out there! Your hard work has paid off!

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 C. (one stick) butter, sliced in chunks
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut butter and flour using two knives until butter chunks are the size of peas. Stir in walnuts or pecans. Mixture will be pretty dry. Pat into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool.

Filling:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 C. powdered sugar
1 (3.9 oz.) pkg. instant pudding, your favorite flavor
3 C. milk
1 16 oz. frozen whipped topping optional
extra chopped walnuts or pecans to sprinkle on top of the dessert

Beat the cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. Use mixer to combine pudding and milk, mixing well. Spread over the cream cheese mixture. Spread remaining half-container of whipped topping over pudding and sprinkle with nuts if desired. Refrigerate until served – can refrigerate up to a day in advance (cover with plastic wrap). Serves about 15.

Angel’s tip: I can imagine this would also taste great with banana pudding – just before serving, banana slices could be added around the border with chopped nuts. A topping of strawberry slices could be great with vanilla or cheesecake pudding. Experiment!

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

I love No-Bake Chocolate Cookies, not only for their chewy deliciousness, but for the speed at which I can have a finished product. The other day I had a limited amount of time to throw together a school snack for one of my sons and this recipe was the ticket – it all came together in less than 30 minutes, and that includes a few minutes to let the cookies set up. This recipe comes from Joelene Floyd of Canyon City – bless you Joelene! I've tried other recipes which have not been as reliable, and have sometimes left me with a dry, crumbly mess – that's no fun. I've used this recipe three times now and they've turned out perfectly scrumptious every time! Woo hoo!

Ingredients to start with:
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. milk (I used 1 percent milk)
1 3/4 C. sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Melt butter most of the way over medium to medium-high heat, add milk, sugar and cocoa powder and mix with wire whisk until combined. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium low and simmer for – set your timer for this – 1 1/2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Add these ingredients:
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. peanut butter
3 C. oats

Stir with spoon to combine and drop by heaping small spoonfuls onto wax paper or foil. Allow to cool completely. The cookies set up as they cool. Makes about 2 dozen small cookies or 1 1/2 dozen larger cookies.

Angel's tip: Be sure to have your measuring spoons and cups ready and ingredients on the counter to quickly add them to the mix.

Greek Gyros

A craving for Greek Gyros (pronounced year-ohs) overcame me a while ago and I spent a Saturday afternoon making everything needed, down to homemade soft pita bread. Other than a couple pitas that got a little overdone I was totally pleased with the results. Gyros are traditionally made with lamb or pork – you'll notice from the picture that I used beef that day – but this recipe is for chicken.

My guess is that the nearest Greek restaurant is hundreds of miles away from John Day, Oregon – the last time I remember having a Gyro was at the county fair in Redmond last summer. So, rather than driving for hours to a city to find a Gyro, I decided to buckle down and make one myself.

In my opinion, each part to the recipe is important: the fresh soft pita bread, the tasty marinated chicken, using a grill or skillet, and the tzatziki sauce, so I’ll include instructions for making each component. If you don't like to make bread from scratch, see if there are any packages of soft pita bread or soft Indian Naan bread at your local store.

Of course, for Gryos, the pita is wrapped around the ingredients – chicken, lettuce, spinach, red onion slices and chopped tomatoes – and topped with the delicious tzatziki sauce! Definitely worth the effort!

Tasty chicken marinade:

1/2 C. olive oil
1/2 C. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine marinade ingredients in a large Zip-Lock bag, reserve 1/4 C. marinade for basting, add chicken last, mixing around to coat. Marinate in refrigerator overnight or while at work. No Zip-Locks? Use a plastic container with tight fitting lid or casserole dish, making sure to coat the chicken well.

Prep grill before lighting by spraying rack with cooking oil or brushing with oil. Grill chicken over medium heat, closing lid, and turning after about 4 minutes or so. Brush with extra marinade and cook until chicken is no longer pink inside (170 degrees in the thickest part if using a meat thermometer).

If you don’t have a grill, then cook chicken in a skillet. Preheat the skillet at medium high. Add the chicken and marinade and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer then cover, cooking for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

When chicken is done shred it with two forks.

Tzatziki Sauce:

1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 tsp. dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
2 small containers of plain Greek yogurt

Mix first four ingredients in a food processor. In a small bowl, add yogurt, then add cucumber mixture and stir in salt and pepper to taste. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Angel’s tip: The last time I made this I could not find small containers of plain Greek yogurt in my local store (only large-sized), so I took a chance and subbed with honey-flavored Chobani Greek yogurt. The honey taste was so mild, it worked just fine!

Wraparound Pita Bread:

3/4 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 C. flour
1-2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
warm water

Heat up oven for about 30 seconds at 150 degrees, then turn off (make sure it’s off!).
Combine yeast and sugar and stir in 1 C. warm water. Place mixture in the warmed oven and allow to ferment for 10 minutes.

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture in and stir. Mix and knead dough with hands gradually adding about half a cup of warm water. Mix until dough doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl or to fingers. On a flat surface, lightly floured, knead the dough about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic adding a drop of water if needed.

Now gradually add the oil, kneading the dough well. Place in bowl and cover with a cloth. Place in the oven that is turned to off. Let double in size, about one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C.). Knead dough again for about 2-3 minutes until smooth. Divide dough into six equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface in a circle about 1/4-inch thick.

Place two pitas at a time on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake on lower rack about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Pitas should be white and soft.

Wrap the baked pitas in a clean towel until cool and store in plastic bags.

Angel’s Tip: I recommend doubling the pita recipe if you have a family who loves bread, or you want to share this with friends! It was suggested that I place a pan of water in the oven on a higher rack as the gyros bake – I’ll try that next time.

Now assemble your gyros, wrap the pita around your ingredients: the chicken with your choice of lettuce, spinach, red onion slices and chopped tomato. Top with tzatziki sauce and enjoy all your hard work!

Easy Spring Salad

Here's an easy salad for spring. I was craving a light salad with some substance to it and threw this together in a jiffy. The "substance" comes from some turkey bacon - now, if you're the type that will only eat full-fledged bacon, by all means, go for it!




Ingredients:
10 oz. pkg. Fresh Express Italian (Romaine)
1 1/2 C. frozen green peas, prepared and cooled slightly
red onion, a few thin slices, to taste
8 slices turkey bacon, cooked and sliced into small strips
1 C. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 C. Kraft Creamy Poppyseed dressing, or to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper

Toss ingredients and serve!
Makes 3-4 servings.

Apple Pie Baked in the Apple

This looks like a perfect recipe for spring. My co-worker Winnie Browning of Seneca shared this idea that came from friends on Facebook. If you try it out, let me know how it goes! This would be fun to try out with my kids this weekend!


Ingredients:
6 granny smith apples
1 pie crust
1/4 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preheat oven at 375 F. Cut off the top of four apples off and discard. Remove the inside of each apple with a spoon very carefully, as to not puncture the peel. Remove skin from two additional apples and slice very thinly. These apple pieces will give you filling needed to fill the four apples you are baking. Mix sliced apples with sugars and cinnamon in a bowl. If you prefer more or less cinnamon and sugar, make adjustments as desired. Scoop sliced apples into hollow apples. Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4-inch strips. You can also add a strip of pastry inside the top of the apple almost like a liner to add a little more texture/sweetness to the pie. Cover the top of the apple in a lattice pattern with pie crust strips. Place apples in an 8×8 pan. Add just enough water to the cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and sliced apples are soft.

Ham and Potato Soup

The calendar says "spring," but we know Grant County, Oregon – the chill could hang on for who knows how long. Here's a lovely Ham and Potato Soup from the kitchen of Rachel Carpenter of John Day. The recipe is so simple that you may have everything on hand for this. Just about the only ingredient I didn't have in the kitchen was dill – I must have run out after making potato salad a few months ago – but never fear, the local health food store had some at a very reasonable price!

Dill adds a nice surprise to this recipe, so if you can, give it a try!

If you love onions, by all means, add more. A diced yellow onion can be used if you prefer. Rachel uses dehydrated onions to "hide" them from her children who otherwise may not eat the soup. It's same with the finely chopped celery – if you have no picky children at home, then regular slices are just great!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 quarts water
4 C. diced potatoes (Yukon Gold)
3 sliced green onion, or a handful of dehydrated onion
2/3 C. celery, chopped fine

Combine in a big pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

Soup base (rue) ingredients:
6 Tbsp. butter
6 Tbsp. flour
2 1/2 C. milk

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk. I like to add about a cup of the milk and continue to whisk out the lumps and then add the remaining milk and whisk some more. Simmer until thickened slightly and smooth.

Add in:
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dill

Remove from heat and add:

1-2 C. cheddar cheese, grated
16 oz. canned corn (or prepared frozen or fresh)
2 C. ham, diced

Stir to combine, then add the rue mixture to the pot of potatoes.

Good idea: If you use yellow onion for this soup or other recipes, my co-worker Kim Kell suggests storing diced onions in the freezer in a Zip-Loc bag for convenience.

Hearty Chicken Pot Pie (gluten-free)

Sandy Bupp of John Day shared this Betty Crocker meal at a recent “Gluten-Free Lady” meeting. It’s hearty chicken pot pie with a gluten-free twist. Here Sandy uses Bisquick Gluten-Free mix and she’s careful to choose other items that also have no gluten. The hearty pot-pie dinner is ready in about 45 minutes and is packed with vegetables and herbs. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables
1 1/2 C. cut-up cooked chicken
1 3/4 C.Progresso® chicken broth
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 C. milk
3 Tbsp. cornstarch

Topping:

3/4 C. Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
1/2 C. milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Heat oven to 350ºF. In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in vegetables, chicken, chicken broth, salt and thyme; heat to boiling. In small bowl, mix 3/4 cup milk and the cornstarch with wire whisk until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Heat just to boiling. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole.
In small bowl, stir all topping ingredients except parsley with fork until blended. Drop topping mixture by small spoonfuls over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with parsley.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of topping comes out clean.
Makes 6 servings

Sandy’s Tip: Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Afton Bloxham's Meatloaf

You could say that when I was growing up I never met a meatloaf that I liked. But, sometimes, you get older and tastes change, thank goodness. This succulent and savory meatloaf was served at a church dinner about a year ago. ... I can say this is a memorable dish because this week I made three calls trying to find the recipe. I tracked it down. Darlene Muzzy of John Day had a copy of this gem which Afton Bloxham, also a resident of John Day, had given her. Thank you ladies!

Afton she said she clipped this out of a Montana Livestock newspaper several years ago. I’m so glad she did! The meat turns out perfectly and the sauce – I can’t get enough of the sauce. When I make it again I will make extra, separately, heat it up and serve it on the side.

Afton suggests you double the recipe, which I agree with – you will have more to feed the troops later (or sooner) or share with a friend.

Meatloaf Ingredients:
(for one meatloaf)
2/3 C. soda cracker crumbs (13-14 crackers)
1 C. milk
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 beaten eggs
1/4 C. grated onion
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. sage

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, soak crumbs in milk, add other ingredients. Mix well. Lightly grease a bread pan. Form meatloaf in pan, cover with sauce before baking. Cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Meatloaf Sauce:
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 C. catsup
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dry mustard

Angel’s tip: This meatloaf also works well with wild game hamburger, and I added a clove of garlic, chopped.

Sandi's McDonald's-Style Asian Salad

I’ve been on the hunt for healthy salads for the new year. My co-worker Sandi Gubel shared her version of McDonald’s Asian Salad. She suggests that if you'd like to make it a heartier meal add orange-glazed chicken. I’m leaving the measured amounts of ingredients up to you chefs - so customize to your heart’s content! I love this combination!


Ingredients:
spinach
cucumbers
snow peas
orange pieces, or mandarin oranges
sliced almonds, toasted if you like
Asian salad dressing

Note: McDonald’s adds Newman’s Own Low-Fat Sesame Ginger dressing – if that brand is not available, try using another brand such as Kraft.

Just-Like-Jamba-Juice Smoothies

Here are six ways to have your fruit! My sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day invited our family to her home recently and she prepared several kinds of smoothies for a dessert. They are replicas of Jamba Juice smoothies. The first recipe in the line up, Mango-licious (left), is one that Rachel created herself. I tried it and have to say, the yum factor is sensational! I’ll be gathering up ingredients to try all the recipes!

If you’d like to share your favorite dish on the Angel’s Kitchen blog, please email your recipe to angel@bmeagle.com and, if possible, a photo of the food. Thanks!


Mango-licious

12 oz. Orange-Peach Mango frozen juice, prepared
1 C. mango, chopped and frozen
1/2 frozen banana sliced
2 scoops orange sherbet

Chop mango and slice banana and freeze ahead of time. Prepare the Orange-Peach Mango juice (The Dole brand is available in the freezer section). Combine ingredients in blender and mix on high speed until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add more juice - too thin, add more sherbet. Makes one large serving or two small.


Fruit Blast

12 oz. passion-mango juice
2 scoops pineapple sherbet
2/3 C. frozen whole strawberries
1/2 banana, sliced and frozen

Prepare as above.


Orange-A-Peel

1 1/2 C. fresh orange juice (fresh squeezed)
2/3 C. frozen whole strawberries
1 banana, sliced
2 scoops vanilla nonfat frozen yogurt
1 C. ice

Prepare as above.
(Angel’s tip: Try freezing an extra cup of juice in an ice cube tray or small cups, and use instead of ice. Also, each recipe can be adjusted to taste - such as switch fruits or add more of one than another.)



Peach Pleasure

12 oz. peach nectar juice, such as Kern’s
1 C. peaches, sliced and frozen
1/2 banana, sliced and frozen
2 scoops orange sherbet
1 C. ice

Prepare as above, see Angel’s tip.


Cranberry Craze

1 1/2 C. cranberry juice
1/2 C. frozen whole strawberries
1/4 C. frozen blueberries
2 scoops raspberry sherbet
1 C. ice

Prepare as above, see Angel’s tip.


Get Up and Mango

8 oz. peach juice
2 scoops frozen yogurt
1 mango, sliced and frozen
1 peach, sliced and frozen
1 C. ice

Prepare as above, see Angel’s tip.

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
1 sweet potato
2 eggs
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/3 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
sliced radishes, optional


In the mood for healthy food? If you have a healthy salad recipe you would like to share please email me at angel@bmeagle.com with a picture, if possible – please include your name and city.

This Sweet Potato Salad is not only a treat for the taste buds, but packs a punch with beta-carotene, complex carbs, fiber, and Greek yogurt supplies some protein. It features mainly regular spuds with the addition of one sweet potato. My co-worker, Cheryl Hoefler of Prairie City, shared this at work, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the slightly sweet taste! I'm definitely making this one at home! ... By the way, the eggs came from Editor Scotta Callister's Boulder Creek Ranch chickens.

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and fill with cold water until eggs are covered. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water; cool, peel and chop.
3. Combine the potatoes, eggs, celery and onion.
4. Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, garlic salt and pepper. Add to potato mixture, toss well to coat. Refrigerate and serve chilled. Serves 6