Fresh and healthy

Making applesauce from scratch was one of the most satisfying things I've done in the kitchen. It was so fun to know we grew the apples in our own yard, then slow-cooked them into this delicious, healthy puree. It was by far the best applesauce I've eaten in my life. Halfway into the cooking, your house will smell like a cider factory.

This is beyond easy! You can make as big or small a batch as you want. Use naturally sweet apples whose flavor you love, and you won't have to add a single bit of sweetener. I used honeycrisp apples from our tree, which we have been told are some of the best apples people have ever eaten. They made the sweetest, most flavorful sauce. I am excited to make this pie with it.

THE RECIPE:

Apples
1/2 c. water

Peel and core apples before slicing into eighths. It doesn't matter if the air turns the apples a little brown while you're working. Fill Crock-Pot with desired amount of apple slices. A full pot will cook down and make about half a pot of applesauce. Pour 1/2 cup water over apples. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low for 8 to 10 hours.*

Puree apples to desired consistency. An immersion blender is fantastic for this. A regular blender works as well, or if you like a chunkier sauce, use a potato masher. Eat your applesauce warm, right out of the pot! Refrigerate leftovers. (Applesauce is also great for canning.)



*I do high for 6 hours, but every Crock-Pot is different, so you'll have to figure out what's best for you. I have two Crock-Pots, and one of them has a tendency to burn the top edges of food, so I spray the sides of that one with cooking spray before I put apples in it.

Satisfying stroganoff

This is a simple and delicious recipe for stroganoff. It's fresh and well seasoned. My kids love mushrooms, so they devour this meal. It can be served over noodles or rice. Although the picture above shows enriched noodles, I usually use whole wheat, which I highly recommend.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
16 oz. mushrooms, rinsed and quartered
6 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. milk
3 c. beef broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. sour cream

In a very large skillet -- I use my electric skillet -- start breaking up and browning beef. Add onion, pepper and mushrooms. Cover and cook for several minutes, until beef is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Add cream cheese and cover to melt.

In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold milk until smooth. Pour broth into skillet, then add cornstarch mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper. Cover and bring stroganoff to a boil. Uncover, add sour cream and simmer until thickened. The longer it sit, the thicker it gets. Serve over rice or noodles.


*Note: This recipe can be made gluten-free with very little hassle.

Crispy, buttery crumbs

The recipe for this plum tart comes from Ina Garten. It was very easy to make, and the crust was divine. You can substitute peaches or nectarines for the plums, which I will definitely be doing now that my nectarine tree is ready for harvest!

THE RECIPE:

2 c. flour
3/4 c. finely chopped walnuts (not ground -- leave a little texture)
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
12 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
2 lbs. plums, pitted and quartered (for me, this was 8 plums)
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, nuts and sugar, then add butter and egg yolk. Mix with a pastry blender or fork or food processor until crumbly. Press 2 cups of crumbs into bottom of 9-inch springform or tart pan.

Arrange plum quarters, skin side down, in pan. Make a ring of plums around the outside edge and work inward. Sprinkle sugar over plums, then sprinkle remainder of the crumbs evenly over plums. Bake about 40 minutes, or until tart is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Cool, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

Below is a picture of a pastry blender. It's a great tool to have for cutting cold butter into flour:

Best Spanish rice

This is an extremely easy and delicious recipe for Spanish rice. We make it all the time. It's fantastic! On nights when I want to go meatless, I have served this rice as the main dish with a bunch of veggies on the side. The recipe came from Lizzy Writes.

THE RECIPE:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 c. uncooked long-grain white rice*
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. salsa (I used mild Pace Picante)

In a pot over medium-high heat, cook onion in oil for a couple of minutes. Add rice and cook until it starts to brown, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken broth and salsa. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until rice is tender. No need to check until the end. Stir and serve.


*Obviously this would be healthier with brown rice, but it would require some important adjustments, and I haven't taken the time to make them. Let me know if you give it a whirl.

**If you want this recipe to be gluten-free, then be sure to check your chicken broth.

Island cuisine

I am so excited about this Caribbean corn on the cob. It has great flavor and texture. I researched seasonings to come up with a blend that would give accurate Caribbean/Jamaican taste but without the traditional spiciness. It's a winner!

THE RECIPE:

6 corn cobs
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. homemade Caribbean seasoning
Shredded sweetened coconut
Lime wedges (optional)

Mix mayo and seasoning, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes so flavors can blend. Cook corn however you like. I like to boil mine for a few minutes, then toss it on the grill just long enough to get a few scorch marks. Spread mayo mixture onto plate and generously roll corn cobs in it. Then roll in coconut. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Caribbean seasoning:

2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. coriander
1/8 tsp. thyme or basil
1/8 tsp. onion powder
Shake of red pepper

Mix ingredients well. Store seasoning in a small airtight container.


*If you are going for gluten-free, be sure to check your mayonnaise. Some contains gluten, and some does not.

Take your BBQ up a notch

For the Fourth of July, we tried these saucy hot dogs, from Our Best Bites. They got rave reviews from everyone. It's fun to take something traditional and simple and give it a twist. I made the sauce in advance and refrigerated it. When dinnertime came, I reheated the sauce to serve over freshly grilled hot dogs. Sprinkle cheese on the finished product, if desired, or melt some cheese onto a toasted bun.

Despite all the positive reviews, I have to express one drawback. I couldn't really taste the bacon, so I was disappointed to have the extra fat content. I'm interested to see what would happen if I left it out and used a little canola oil to saute the onion. If I ever do that, I'll let you know. It might take away depth of flavor.

THE RECIPE:

3 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 12-ounce bottle chili sauce *
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. apple juice

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towel. Add onion to bacon drippings and saute until tender, adding garlic a couple of minutes into it. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Crumble bacon and stir into mixture. Cook a few minutes, or until desired consistency is reached. Makes enough for about 10 hot dogs.

*Such as Heinz, Homade, or store brand, found near the ketchup and BBQ sauce -- not Asian chili sauce.

Thai enchiladas

Thai enchiladas. Does that sound like an oxymoron? These Asian-inspired enchiladas are delicious, and I love how different they are. They aren't spicy at all. They are just flavorful and good. They are jam-packed with all kinds of tasty tidbits. Feel free to adjust the ingredients according to your preferences.

THE RECIPE:

1 1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken (I used 4 chicken tenders)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 carrot, shredded
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, cleaned out and chopped
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. shredded cabbage (I used bagged coleslaw)
1/4 c. sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 c. chopped peanuts
Handful cilantro, chopped
8 to 10 flour tortillas
1 can coconut milk*
1/4 c. sweet Asian chili sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare chicken and set aside. In large skillet, heat oil and saute onion, carrot, mushrooms and pepper for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce and garlic. Pour over sauteed vegetables and mix thoroughly. Turn off heat and add cabbage, coconut, peanuts and cilantro. Mix well.

Spoon mixture into tortillas, then roll up and place seam-side down in 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together coconut milk and chili sauce, then pour over enchiladas. Bake about 25 minutes. Let enchiladas rest about 20 minutes before serving. Spoon extra sauce over enchiladas and garnish with extra peanuts and cilantro, if desired.

*Try to find coconut milk that has not been diluted with water. Read the ingredients list on the back of the can. Some companies are tricky. Either way, you'll enjoy this meal, but the creamier version is nicer.