Cauliflower-Crust Pizza

adapted from sandyskitchenadventures.com

This recipe is amazing – it’s a new favorite of mine! My co-worker Cheryl Hoefler also gave it a try and liked it – judging from the picture, her pizza looks mouth-watering! I first heard about cauliflower-crust pizza about two years ago, and it didn’t appeal to me then, but I gave it a try a couple weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t taste like cauliflower and the texture is great. Is it a New York-style crust? No, but if you’d like a healthier, low-carb, low-fat option, it’s a winner! By the way, I doubled the recipe and made four pizza crusts, one round and three rectangular.

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 C. grated raw cauliflower (about 1/2 a head of cauliflower)
1/4 C. egg whites, from two eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 C. reduced-fat shredded cheese
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. basil
Toppings:
1/4-1/2 C. reduced fat Mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. Italian diced tomatoes, canned
or use pizza sauce, if desired
Add other favorite toppings

Directions:
Measure out 1/2 C. diced tomatoes and puree in blender or chopper, just pulse for a few seconds. Set aside. Your favorite pizza sauce could be used in place of the diced tomatoes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Combine grated cauliflower, egg whites, cheese, garlic powder and basil until mixed thoroughly. Spoon mixture on prepared pan to make two rectangular pizza crusts, or make two round pizza crusts, one at a time.
Make the pizzas on the small side so they bake through, about 5x8 inches for rectangular shapes and 9” for the round pizzas.
Use the back of a spoon to thin out mixture (or your hands) to make the shape, about a 1/4-inch thick or less – the thinner the crust, the less chance it will be soggy.
Bake for 25 minutes then carefully flip the pizza crust – use a spatula to lift all edges of the crust off the parchment first. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until edges are really brown and crisp. Even if they are a little burnt around the edges, it won’t taste burnt. Allow crusts to cool.
Add tomato sauce and cheese on top. Broil until cheese is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Pizza crusts can be made ahead of time, without toppings, cooled and stored in the freezer in gallon-sized Zip-Lock bags. Then bake as you would a normal store-bought pizza: top with sauce and toppings, then bake for about 10 minutes at 425 degrees or until cheese is melted.
The recipe can be doubled for 4-5 pizza crusts, then store extras in the freezer for later!
Angel’s Tip: The original recipe calls for reduced-fat three cheese Mexican blend – this was not available at the store I was shopping at but I found a similar taco blend gave a nice flavor to the crust. Cheryl used a mixture of Mozzarella, Swiss and cheddar for her crust, so be creative with what you have! ... If you get busy and let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few hours, you’ll notice liquid in the bottom of the mixing bowl. If this happens, drain as much liquid as possible and make the crusts.

Thanksgiving Dressing

Don't you love those people who make great food, but when you ask for the recipe, they can only tell you they threw in this and that with no measurements? That is the case here. I love the dressing my in-laws make, and after quizzing one of my sisters-in-law and looking at a couple sites online, I came up with this recipe. I tried it out, and will say it's easy and bursting with great flavor. I recommend adding the browned sausage - Yum! I used Jimmy Dean's sage sausage. This dish will be quick to do a disappearing act on Thanksgiving Day, so be sure to have plenty on hand to serve to the guests!
Ingredients:
2 loaves French bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. butter to grease pans
1-2 onion, chopped
5-8 stalks celery, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. butter, to saute veggies
2 tsp. celery salt
1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. dried sage
2 eggs, beaten
2 C. chicken broth (can use 2 bouillon cubes boiled with 2 C. water)
1/4 C. butter, melted
1 lb. ground sausage, browned (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two cookie sheets and set aside. Cut bread into small pieces, and place in a single layer on the baking sheets. Stir occasionally as it bakes until dried out – about 30 minutes. Allow the bread crumbs to cool and add to an extra-large bowl.
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
While the bread is in the oven, melt 1/4 C. butter in a skillet and saute onions and celery. Stir often, about 10 minutes. If you’d like to add it, brown the sausage at this point.
Add all ingredients to the bowl and stir until all ingredients are combined.
Grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour the mixture in, covering tightly with tin foil.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes and serve immediately. Makes 15+ servings.
Angel's Tip: Add onion and celery according to taste - I like to add more.

Mini Mac-n-Cheese Cups

These Mini Mac-n-Cheese Cups are a fun presentation of a popular comfort food – one of my family’s favorites.
All of my boys enjoyed these, and they disappeared before I could blink – I'll consider a double batch next time! A new twist in this recipe, besides making them in a muffin tin, is adding chives and onion cream cheese. (My pickier eater didn’t mind the hint of onion flavoring at all.) I imagine these would also be fun to serve at a picnic or party as well.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 C. Ritz crackers, crushed
2 C. cheddar cheese, grated and divided
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 1/2 C. cooked elbow macaroni – still hot! (about 8 oz. uncooked)
1/2 C. chives and onion cream cheese
2 Tbsp. butter, cold
2 large eggs
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
While macaroni noodles boil, cooked according to package directions, combine the crushed crackers in a large bowl, 1 C. shredded cheese and the melted butter, mixing well until the crumbs hold together.
Divide the cracker crumb mixture among the muffin cups and firmly press the into the bottoms and up the sides of each muffin cup to make the crust. In another large bowl, combine the cooked macaroni – make sure it’s still hot – and 1/2 C. of the shredded cheddar, the cream cheese and the butter, mixing well.
In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt and red pepper flakes.
Add the egg/milk mixture to the cooked macaroni, and gently mix until all the ingredients are melted and smooth.
Place about 2-3 Tbsp. of the macaroni mixture into each muffin cup. Evenly top with cheese.
Any leftovers can be cooked in a separate dish alongside the muffin tin.
Bake the mac and cheese cups until lightly golden on top, about 20-25 minutes.
Let cool slightly before removing from the muffin pan. Serve immediately. Makes 12 mac-n-cheese cups.

Angel’s Tip: In the future, I may try this recipe baked in a 9x13 casserole dish with plain crushed crackers sprinkled on top in the last 10 minutes of baking.

Inspired by: The Curvy Carrot

Focaccia Bread

This is a mouth-watering bread recipe that I made for my husband for Father's Day. I love the focaccia bread sandwiches at a local restaurant, and a couple years ago a friend of mine brought some of the bread, homemade, to a potluck lunch. I hadn't thought of making it myself. My friend said she found the recipe online. Here's one I found online which I altered to make my own. It makes a soft bread that is perfect for sandwiches - it's baked like pizza, somewhat flat then cut into squares and each square is sliced in half, horizontally (think hamburger bun). Adding toppings to the bread really makes it special – the focaccia bread I made, which is pictured here, had no toppings. Since it is a bit of work – a labor of love, really – I suggest doubling or tripling the batch. The triple batch I made was gone in no time.
Ingredients:
2 tsp. yeast
1 C. warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2-4 C. flour
1 Tbsp. coarse or regular salt
1/4 olive oil, or vegetable oil
Toppings:
2 Tbsp. olive oil, or vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 olives, sliced thinly
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. coarse salt or regular
ground pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
(all optional)
Directions:
In a bowl proof yeast, combining with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand a couple minutes until foamy. Use mixer on low or stir by hand with wooden spoon, slowly adding the flour. Dissolve salt in 2 Tbsp warm water and add. Also add 1/4 C. oil. Continue mixing. If hand stirring, place dough on a lightly floured surface with extra flour on hand. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed.
Form dough into a ball. Set it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap in a warm place until doubled in size – about 30 minutes or more. (I like to turn on the oven to lowest setting for one minute, shut off, and place dough in the oven – make sure the oven is turned off!)
Add a light coat of oil to a cookie sheet and spread around (you can sprinkle with cornmeal if desired).
Once dough is ready, turn it out on counter and roll and stretch the dough into an rectangular shape about 1/2-inch thick. Lay the dough in the pan covered with plastic wrap, and let rest 15 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Saute onion in the oil on low heat for 10-15 minutes until caramelized.
Uncover dough and make dimples (about an inch apart) with fingertip. Brush dough with oil and add onions, garlic, olives, cheese, salt, pepper and rosemary. Bake on the bottom rack for 15-20 minutes. Makes one loaf for about 6-8 servings, depending on sandwich sizes.
The bread is great with any type of sandwich. I last used it with shredded chicken. It's also great with soup – just about anything!
Enjoy!
Angel's Tip: Using olive oil and coarse sea salt makes everything just a bit nicer, but if you don't have these on hand go with what you have in your cupboards, it will still turn out great!

Barbecue Chicken Ranch Salad

Ready for something new, healthy, yet filling? I think this salad fits the bill. This is my own version of similar recipes I’ve seen and tried. Of course you can add your favorite ingredients; one restaurant where I tried this salad topped the dish with onion ring bits. It was delicious, but not so healthy!


Ingredients:
One head of lettuce, cleaned and chopped
(or two bags of salad mix)
1 C. frozen corn, prepared
1 tomato, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
juice of one lime
1 1/2-2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 chicken breasts, thawed
salt and pepper
1/2 C. barbecue sauce
Ranch dressing
Optional ingredients: chopped mushrooms, cilantro, green onion, cucumber, red bell pepper, croutons or tortilla strips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken in a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the barbecue sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until done. Shred the chicken.
Evenly distribute the ingredients on four dishes. Plate up the lettuce and layer with chicken, beans, corn and tomatoes. Add croutons or tortilla strips and top with cheese. Squeeze lime juice on top and add ranch dressing to your taste.

Angel's Tip: This can also be made in a big bowl if you prefer - I like stacking the ingredients.

Wingin' It Soup

This soup could easily be called Hamburger Veggie Soup, but what fun would that be? This is a throw-what-you-got-in-the-pot meal – and it’s easy on the budget too – so have fun with it. If you want to go meatless make it without the hamburger. I enjoyed this soup for lunch at a friend’s home a few years ago. I was surprised that something so simple tasted so good! For this recipe, I just threw in what I had on hand and for a kick, I added 1/2 tsp. red curry paste to my bowl of soup – yum!

Ingredients:
9 C. water
6 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 medium-sized potatoes, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. dehydrated onions
3-4 green onions, sliced
3/4 C. frozen corn
1/2-1 C. hamburger, cooked with salt and pepper
Thai red curry paste, optional (about 1/2 tsp. per serving)

Directions:
Bring water and bouillon cubes to a boil and add the diced potato. Return to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Slice and dice the other ingredients and add them and the cooked, drained hamburger to the pot. Return to a boil, giving an occasional stir, and simmer for another 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Serve with rolls, toast or crackers. Serves 5-6.

Angel’s Tips: I added dehydrated onions instead of extra salt to keep the sodium lower. You could also add peas, green beans, a can of diced tomatoes and/or a cup of your favorite pasta (such as rotini or macaroni salad pasta) to the mix – add pasta at the right time (according to package directions).

Game On! Super Bowl Snacks

Here is a delicious collection of appetizers to add to your Super Bowl table of goodies. Many thanks go out to friends and family who shared recipes!

Bacon Cheese Potato Skins
This is a recipe I had wanted to try out for quite some time – they were even better than I imagined! Definitely worth a try!

Ingredients:
5 medium russet potatoes
1/2 C. sour cream
3-5 green onions, sliced, reserve a tablespoon to top dish of sour cream
1/4 C. butter (1/2 stick) or 1/4 C. olive oil
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, then bake potatoes for 1 hour and allow to cool.
While potatoes bake, cook bacon and drain.
When potatoes are cool to the touch, cut them in half lengthwise, then scoop most of the potato out of each one and leave about 1/4 inch of potato on each skin. You can reserve the potato flesh to make mashed potatoes.
Rub each potato with cube of butter inside and out, or brush with olive oil.
Place potato skins, like little boats, on a baking sheet and broil 6 minutes or until edges turn brown.
Remove baking sheet from oven and divide cheese, bacon and sliced green onions evenly between each potato and return to oven for 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and additional sliced green onions.
Serves 5.
Angel’s Tip: These would be great with a variety of toppings – finely chopped broccoli with cheese; shredded chicken with barbecue sauce and cheese; cooked hamburger with diced green chilies and cheese – whatever you enjoy on a baked potato!
Angel’s Tip: To opt for a healthier version, just use light sour cream, olive oil (to brush potatoes), less cheese and small amount of turkey bacon or use cubed ham.

Hot-Wing Dip
This fabulous recipe comes from a high school friend, Julie VanAuker of Georgia. I whipped this up and - YUM! - this one is a keeper! Thanks Julie!

Ingredients:
2 C. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3/4 C. (or to taste) buffalo wing sauce (see tips below)
1 pkg. 1/3-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 C. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
optional, top with French-fried onions
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add cooked, shredded chicken to a 9x13-inch casserole dish, spread cream cheese on top. Place in oven for 2 minutes to further soften cream cheese then spread across. Top with freshly shredded cheese. Heat through for 15 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers such Wheat Thins or Triscuits.
Angel’s Tip: I used what I had on hand – Taco Bell brand hot sauce and Colby-Jack cheese.

Fruit Dip
I remember making this tasty and easy fruit dip years ago, and I found the recipe again. Serve up with your favorite fruit such as apple slices, strawberries, pineapples and bananas.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. 1/3-fat cream cheese, softened
1 7-oz. container marshmallow creme
2 tbsp. orange juice concentrate
Directions:
Place marshmallow creme in a bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Mix together with other ingredients until smooth. Chill then serve with your favorite fruit.

Zucchini Pizza
From the kitchen of Chantel Jensen of Utah, this would make a delicious, healthy option for game day. Thanks Chantel!

Ingredients:
zucchini
olive oil
pepperoni
garlic cheese
Parmesan cheese, optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice the zucchini in half. Brush with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with pepperoni and cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until soft.
Angel's Tip: If you don't have garlic cheese available, sprinkle zucchinis with garlic powder before adding toppings and use Mozzarella cheese.

Grape Jelly Meatballs
From the kitchen of Cammie Haney of John Day, this is "easy-peasy" with only three ingredients! Thanks Cammie!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. fully-cooked frozen meatballs
1 12-oz. jar grape jelly
1 12-oz. jar chili sauce, such as Heinz
Directions:
In a large pot, stir jelly and chili sauce to combine, add meatballs and stir to coat. Simmer 25-30 minutes, until meatballs are warmed through. These can be made in a crockpot – cook on low for 1-2 hours.

Cheesy Dip
This cheesy, meaty dip is a favorite for Hailey Delaney of Canyon City and her family. Thank you Hailey!

Ingredients:
1 lb. sausage
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 jar salsa con queso (cheesy salsa dip)
1 jar regular salsa
Directions:
Brown the sausage and drain. In a crockpot, add all ingredients. Cook on low for an hour or two until mixed and warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips or Doritos-style chips.
Angel’s Tip: If you don’t have a crockpot, use a skillet to warm the ingredients through on low, stirring occasionally (after the sausage is browned and drained).

Pizza Bites
From the kitchen of my sister-in-law Christy Carpenter of Utah, these pizza bites are easy and awesome! Thanks a bunch Christy!

Ingredients:
crescent roll dough, such as Pillsbury
cheese sticks
pepperoni
marinara sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place 3-4 pieces of pepperoni on each triangle of dough, top with a 1/3 of cheese stick, roll up as you would a crescent roll. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown on ungreased baking sheet. Serve with warm marinara sauce. Can be made 2 hours ahead - cover and refrigerate.

Winnie's Sweet Slaw

This yummy recipe comes from my co-worker at the Blue Mountain Eagle Winnie Browning. It’s easy to put together and has a nice zing and crunch to it. I’m definitely adding this one to my list!

Ingredients:
medium head of cabbage, chopped
6 oz. almonds
3-4 green onions, sliced
2 granny smith apples, diced
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
5 oz. dried cranberries
1 C. poppy seed dressing, such as Kraft
      
Mix all together. Enjoy!
Serves about 10.

Cookie Dough Dip

At an office potluck party, we were calling this the "deadly" cookie dough dip, because it is so delicious we could hardly stop eating it - good thing there were plenty here to share it! Thanks go out to Marissa Williams, the Eagle publisher, for bringing it and giving me the recipe!
This dip is great with graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers or vanilla wafers. It's just like cookie dough, but no eggs or flour in the dip.

Ingredients:
1/2 C. butter, softened
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 T. vanilla
1 C. powdered sugar
2 T. brown sugar
1 C. chocolate chips
1 C. toffee chips (or, if you love them, add the whole bag)

Directions:
Cream the softened butter and cream cheese with electric mixer. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and brown sugar and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee chips. Serve with graham crackers.

Slow-Cooker Cashew Chicken

Here’s a winner! I found this Asian-inspired meal on the Internet and adapted it for slightly more sauce. This recipe combines a nice, moist chicken with a flavorful sauce and soft, but crunchy cashews served over rice. It turned out to be the perfect meal for our family – sometimes “the perfect meal” means that even my pickiest child loved it (although he set the cashews aside). You can’t ask for more than that when the whole family loves a meal!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/3 C. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 C. cashews

Directions:
Put flour and pepper in a large Zip-lock bag (or an extra plastic fruit bag) place thawed chicken in bag and shake to coat. Add oil to a skillet and heat to medium-high, add chicken and brown slightly on both sides.
Meanwhile mix up the sauce in a small bowl and add to the slow cooker. When chicken is browned, add to the sauce and cover. Heat on high for four hours, or low for eight hours.
Serves about 6.

Angel's tip: If you find yourself in a hurry, you can cook the chicken barely covered in water or broth for four hours on high, then remove most of the water, add the sauce, thicken with 2 Tbsp. flour or cornstarch. One family member preferred their cashews crunchier, so setting some aside may be a good idea.

Shaker Salad

This recipe comes from Kathryn Manitsas of John Day. It's a twist on the Salad in a Jar recipe at the "Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body" blog. It's reminiscent of the McSalad Shakers that McDonald's used to sell. It's a totally customizable salad made in a jar. The idea is to keep the salad dressing on the bottom and layer other ingredients, adding lettuce or spinach last so you don't wind up with a soggy mess. It's a great healthy option when you're on the go, and it can be made the night before – simply layer in a canning jar, store in fridge, shake and eat!

Ingredients:
(Use your favorite salad ingredients)
2 Tbsp. red onion, sliced
1/2 medium tomato, diced
corn, cut off of one cob, (cooked)
 1/4 C. mushrooms
2 handfuls of lettuce or spinach
2 Tbsp. or less of favorite salad dressing
1/4-1/2 C. cooked chicken, chopped, optional

Directions:
Layer ingredients in a canning jar, or tall plastic container with lid, starting with salad dressing, then add diced tomato, corn, mushrooms (or replace with your favorite salad ingredients) and top with a couple handfuls of lettuce or spinach.

Check out the "Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body" blog for a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and great ideas for healthy eating.

Food Flair for the Fourth

Need recipes to punch up your holiday picnic table? Here are three easy ideas to add some red, white and blue flair to the fare.
• Dress up a cool cheesecake with berries. Made in an oblong dish, 9x13 or smaller, it can look just like Old Glory, with a square of blueberries in the upper left and stripes of sliced strawberries. The design would also have the look of a flag using the berries on a cheesecake made in a round pan – or try decorating a baked cake.
• For a fun Fourth drink, try this patriotic layered look. Using a tall clear glass, add cran-apple juice, filling it a third of the way. Fill the glass with ice, then slowly pouring on top of the ice cubes, add white Sobe Pina Colada to the two-thirds mark, top off with blue G2 Gatorade. Remember to pour slowly! I bet children - and adults - will be amazed to see the "heavier" drinks stay low and the lighter ones float up.
• For a healthy treat, pull out some skewer sticks and using blueberries, strawberries (cut in half) and large marshmallows, make a flag design. If you want to stick to super healthy, replace marshmallows with cubes of jicama.  Cubes of watermelon could also be used in place of strawberries, if you'd like. The presentation on a platter, or a foil-covered cookie sheet will look dynamite!

If you have a fun red-white-and-blue food idea to share please comment! I hope everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July!

Hearty Lentil Soup

Lentils are a delicious way to add a healthy boost to the diet, providing the highest amount of protein of any legumes, after soybeans, also adding cholesterol-lowering soluable fiber.
This recipe comes from Chely Carpenter of John Day who served this up for a crowd of ladies a while ago. It’s easy and hits the spot!

Ingredients:
2 C. lentils
2 C. onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes, chopped
4 C. chicken broth (use bouillon instead if needed)
6 carrots, chopped
2 cloves, garlic, crushed
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. curry powder
Shredded cheese to garnish

Directions:
Do a quick check of the lentils for any small stones or debris, then rinse them in a colander (no soaking needed). Place lentils in a stockpot and add water, twice the depth of the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.
Keep in mind, red lentils cook faster than brown lentils, so check for desired tenderness.
While lentils are boiling, place onion, celery, tomatoes, carrots, chicken broth, garlic and seasonings to a saute pan. Slowly saute these ingredients until your lentils are done boiling. Rinse and drain the lentils and combine all ingredients in a large stockpot.
Cook ingredients, simmering on low-medium heat for 1 hour or 1 1/2, covered, to desired tenderness. Add additional chicken broth or a small amount of water for desired consistency.
Serve in bowls and garnish with you favorite cheese!

Serves a crowd, about 14

Angel’s tip: In the photo above, I cut the recipe in half, and made it a stew-like consistency. Sour cream is also a nice topping. I recently enjoyed adding the stew, without the carrots and celery, to chicken burritos.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Here’s a recipe that is sure to please the whole family, and it’s healthy too! It’s good to the last bite!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
3/4 C. sugar or brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 C. cold water plus 1/4 C., divided
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube)
7 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 C. pineapple juice
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 can pineapple tidbits or chunks
1 green bell pepper, diced
1-2 carrots, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced

Directions:
Preheat a large skillet and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium heat. Add salt and pepper.
Meanwhile make the sauce by combining water, vinegar, pineapple juice, bouillon, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and cornstarch. I like to boil the bouillon cube in the water in microwave for 2 minutes, and use a little extra cold water, 1/4 C., to mix the cornstarch, stir until smooth, then add to other mixture. Stir to combine.
When chicken is browned, remove and cut into bite-size pieces.
With chicken set aside, stir fry the bell pepper, carrots and onion (add a little bit of oil, and water if needed). Stir fry for 3 minutes, until vegetables are slightly tender, add chicken, and pour the sauce mixture over. Boil over medium-high until it thickens – should thicken quickly – and let simmer for 10 minutes. At the last minute add the pineapple chunks.
Serve with rice.
Makes 6 servings.

Chocolate Chip Cake

This cake was a hit at a Mother’s Day gathering held in honor of my mother-in-law – no “mother-in-law jokes” apply with her, she’s the best one I could ever ask for! This Chocolate Chip Cake is moist and rich and is adapted from a recipe that's in a cookbook on my shelf called “The Cake Doctor” by Anne Byrn. I wanted to make something delicious for the get-together, but not so plain as brownies – this was the ticket! And there wasn’t a crumb left to take home when the party ended!

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray for the bundt pan
Flour to dust the pan
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 C. whole milk
3/4 C. vegetable oil, such as canola
4 large eggs
1 1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees with the rack in the center. Lightly spray a 10-inch bundt pan with vegetable oil, then dust with flour and shake out excess. Set aside.
Take a 1/2 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips and chop into smaller chunks, set aside.
Place the dry cake mix in a large mixing bowl and add the dry pudding mix, milk, oil and eggs. Using an electric mixer, blend on low for a minute, then stop to fold in the 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate chips. Scrape down the sides and continue to mix for 2 more minutes. Fold in remaining chocolate chips, distributing them evenly, then pour into the prepared bundt pan, smoothing the top.
Bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown and springy. Invert cake and cool before slicing into serving sizes. Top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream or a side of ice cream, if desired.

Serves 16.

Breakfast Cupcakes

Has anyone tried this recipe? My co-worker Cheryl Hoefler saw this on a Facebook friend’s page and thought it would be a great breakfast dish to add to Angel’s Kitchen. It looks like a fun one for any breakfast gathering, or for families on the go. I'm eager to try this one and will add a picture when I do. If you give it a whirl, please comment and let me know how it turned out! Thanks!

Ingredients:
1 20-oz. pkg. shredded hash browns, thawed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp. flour
1 small sweet onion, coarsely grated
2 thick slices deli ham, chopped into small bits (about 1 cup)
1 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 dozen cooked
eggs, scrambled*
chives for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the first eight ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon potato mixture into each prepared muffin cup until about 1/3 full. Gently press the potato mixture down in the middle and up the sides of each cup. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. If the nests have puffed up too much in the center, scoop out a little with a teaspoon. Fill each nest with scramble eggs and top with chives.

This recipe is also featured on the blog Just a Pinch.

Savory Cooked Carrots

Savory, simple and healthy would describe this side dish from my co-worker Cheryl Hoefler. This is a creative way to add vegetables to the dinner plate. I gave this a try the other evening, and updated the picture. I have to say, I've never tasted anything quite like it – I loved the flavor!

Ingredients:
6 C. shredded carrots (about 2 pounds)
3/4 C. chopped green onion
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 C. butter

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the carrots, onions, brown sugar, salt and celery salt. Place mixture in an ungreased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.

Tip: Since I had some on hand, I added 2-3 Tbsp. of chopped red onion - yum!
Also, if you think a full 6 cups of shredded carrots in this recipe won't disappear fast enough at your home, try halving the recipe, or freezing leftovers.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole with red sauce

People taking part in free classes at the Families First Resource Center in John Day recently enjoyed this casserole dinner made by Katrina Randleas of Mt. Vernon. My co-worker Cheryl Hoefler happened to be there that evening and enjoyed the dinner so much, she recommended it to me for Angel’s Kitchen. Enchilada Casserole is a quick dinner to prepare, and letting the slow cooker do most of the work makes it even easier come dinnertime! Thank you Kim and Cheryl!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, frozen or thawed
12 oz. jar salsa of choice
15 oz. can black beans
12 corn tortillas
16 oz. can red enchilada sauce
8 oz. shredded cheese
1/4 C. sliced olives, optional

Directions:
Place chicken, salsa, and beans in the slow cooker and cook on low setting for 8 hours.
Shred cooked chicken and thoroughly mix with beans and remaining liquid.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Break four corn tortillas in half and spread evenly in the pan.  Layer 1/3 of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas. Spread 1/3 of remaining enchilada sauce on the chicken and layer 1/3 of the cheese on top of the sauce. Continue layering remaining ingredients, ending with cheese on top. Top with olives if desired.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

Skillet Lasagna

Here's a winner! In other words, my entire family loved it - that's always nice! This recipe was adapted from one I saw at Taste of Home online. I first saw it in the magazine rack at the grocery store, calling my name, practically. Making this went fairly fast, which was also great!

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 jars (24 oz. jars) spaghetti sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 C. lowfat cottage cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 C. shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1/2 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet*, cook ground beef and garlic over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. Warm through and set aside in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese and Italian seasoning.
Return 1 C. of meat sauce to skillet, spread evenly. Layer with half cottage cheese mixture, one-third of remaining meat sauce and half of noodles, breaking to fit in the skillet.
Repeat with layers of cottage cheese mixture, sauce and noodles. Top with remaining third of meat mixture.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until noodles a tender.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheeses and cover for 1 or 2 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Makes 6 servings.

* I used more spaghetti sauce (all of the two jars) and made the recipe in two medium skillets. Our family had leftovers the next day - yum!

Coffee Cake, gluten free

I'm including some gluten-free recipes contributed by Sandy Bupp of John Day, also known as The Gluten-Free Lady. She has a way with adapting recipes for the gluten-free diet. Although I don't have gluten issues, I know there are many people who do and I'd like to provide some recipes at this blog for them.
I'd love to know how these recipes turn out for you if you try them. Thanks!

Ingredients:
1 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour blend of choice
1/2 cup sorghum flour
2 tsp. xanthan gum*
1/2 tsp. salt*
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 C. coconut yogurt or soy yogurt (flavored yogurt works well)
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 Tbsp. baby pear puree
1/2 C. peeled, chopped ripe Bartlett, Bosc or red pears or diced canned pears, drained

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan.
Combine sugar, flour blend, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine yogurt, vegetable oil and pear puree in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Fold in chopped fruit.
Spoon half the batter into prepared pan, smoothing to the edges to cover the bottom. Cover with half the Crumble Topping. Spoon remaining batter over Crumble Topping and smooth to pan edges. Sprinkle remaining Crumble Topping over top.
Place pan in preheated oven and bake 50 to 55 minutes until cake tester comes out clean and center springs back when gently touched.
Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the rim of the pan and cool cake completely on a wire rack.
*TIP: If your all-purpose flour blend already contains xanthan gum and salt, reduce the gum to 1/2 teaspoon and omit the salt.

Crumble Topping Ingredients (makes 1 1/4 cups):
This topping can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
1/2 C. rice flour
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter or dairy free buttery spread, room temperature

Directions:
Combine rice flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Add butter and use fingertips or a fork to combine just until mixture is crumbly.

Each serving contains 372 calories, 14g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 12mg cholesterol, 457mg sodium, 63g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 2g protein.