One of our favorite breads

This is a delicious white version of Irish soda bread. We have a more traditional version using whole wheat that you can find if you click here. In my studying on the subject, I have found that, because soda bread does not traditionally contain extras such as eggs, this recipe would more likely be considered "cake" in Ireland. I'm going to keep calling it bread. Either way, it's easy and delicious, especially with a lovely dose of honey butter.

THE RECIPE:

1 1/2 c. buttermilk*
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold butter, cut into small chunks

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk together buttermilk, egg and baking soda in large measuring cup, and set aside while preparing other ingredients. Eventually it will start foaming.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients with pastry blender -- or rub chunks into flour between clean fingertips -- until mixture is coarsely combined. Stir in 1 1/4 cups buttermilk mixture, adding more as needed, until dough is a shaggy mass -- wet, but firm enough to hold its shape. Scrape out into a mound onto prepared baking sheet. Brush remaining buttermilk on top and sprinkle with flour, if desired, for a rustic look.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Baking times may vary by location. I live in a high-altitude state.)



*I usually make my own sour milk. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar into a large measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes before adding egg and baking soda as written above.

Mexican-Italian mashup

Wow! I really took quite the hiatus from this blog. It feels good to start posting again. These pepperoni quesadillas are a tasty way to make a comeback. They are unique and delicious! Using corn tortillas is a must. I used the 6-inch tortillas, but the bigger ones would work, too. These quesadillas are great for lunch or dinner, served alongside some healthy veggies or fruit.

THE RECIPE:

Corn tortillas

Spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce

1 package pepperoni slices*

Shredded cheese

Heat an electric skillet to 400-425 degrees. Lay several slices of pepperoni on skillet -- enough for one batch. (For example, I laid out 10 slices, because I needed five slices per 6-inch tortilla and could only cook two tortillas at a time.) Don't cook all the pepperoni at once, because you need each batch to have its own drippings. Cook pepperoni until they release their drippings and become crispy. Using tongs, remove pepperoni from skillet to a plate lined with a paper towel. 

Swirl tortillas around in pepperoni drippings, then top half of each with sauce, a little cheese, cooked pepperonis, then a little more cheese. Doing two layers of cheese helps the quesadillas stick together. Fold over. Cook a couple minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. In the meantime, push them off to the side and start cooking the next batch of pepperoni to move things along.

Let finished quesadillas cool on paper towels, then enjoy!

*I often look for ways to reduce fat and sugar, but the reduced-fat pepperoni just didn't work in this recipe. They didn't release any drippings, and the corn tortillas really need oil in order to taste right and crisp up.

Note: This recipe is made with ingredients that are generally gluten-free, but be sure to check labels of particular brands.

Homemade syrup

We have an apricot tree. We love it...that is, when it grows apricots. This year we got NONE. Last year, we got like 200. Utah has crazy spring frosts that can be detrimental to early bloomers such as the apricot tree. So sad.

We were pleasantly surprised when a kind soul brought us a big bag of apricots a couple of weeks ago from trees that had made it through the frost. That meant we didn't have to go without our beloved apricot syrup this year!

If your apricots are naturally sweet, you can really limit the added sugar. I like to add as little sugar as possible so I'm not covering my breakfast with candy. The fruit on our own tree is always very sweet and delicious. We prune our trees and thin the fruit. I have gotten away with adding as little as 1 1/2 cups of sugar to my syrup. Many syrup and jam recipes call for equal amounts of sugar and fruit puree. I think that's insane. If your apricots haven't been thinned or ripened, they might have little flavor and require more sugar. This was the case with the apricots that were gifted to us. I had to use 3 cups of sugar.

This syrup, or you could call it a sauce, is delicious. Enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

6 c. apricot puree
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Bring a pot of water to boil. Set a bowl of ice water nearby. In batches, place whole apricots in boiling water for 1 minute, then remove and place in ice water. This is called blanching. The skins will slip right off the apricots now. They should also break open very easily so you can remove the pits. I never need a knife, but I do get a little messy.

Puree apricots in a blender, then pour into a pot, along with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. The sugar will dissolve, and the puree will eventually boil up then back down. At this point it starts to look glossy and more syrupy. It will never get really sticky, though, like pancake syrup because I don't add enough sugar for that. That's a good thing. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. The syrup can be canned or frozen.

Summer refresher

Try this coconut limeade slush for a unique and delicious way to cool off this summer. My whole family downed it. The recipe came from Smitten Kitchen, but I had to increase the sugar because Deb's version, which was 3 tablespoons, was too tart for my taste. There was coconut milk leftover from the can, so I made a mini batch after the first since we hadn't had our fill yet. Yum.

THE RECIPE:

2 1/2 c. ice
1 c. coconut milk (shake can first)
1/3 c. lime juice
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Puree ingredients in a blender until very smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. Makes 3 cups.

Super fast fish tacos

If you are looking for a really easy dinner, make fish tacos using frozen fish sticks! My husband and I loved these. There is a delicious sauce that you can adapt to suit your tastes. The version below is very mild but very flavorful. And, of course, you can use whatever toppings you have on hand. The fish sticks take about 20 minutes to bake, but other than that, there's very little time commitment. The sauce tastes better the longer it refrigerates, so make it first. Don't we all love achieving great results with very little effort?

THE RECIPE:

20 frozen fish sticks, baked according to package directions
10 6-inch tortillas (I used flour)

Optional toppings:

Corn
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded cheese
Lettuce, spinach or cabbage
Green onions
Cilantro

Sauce:

1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. lime juice
1/8 tsp. each chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and dried basil

Mix sauce ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. Assemble tacos as desired, using two fish sticks per tortilla. Top with sauce.

All the right attributes

Everyone loves this strawberry pretzel Jell-O. It works as a dessert, or it could be a side dish for a holiday cook-out. It has all the best attributes -- creamy, salty, sweet, crunchy. Note that this dish requires several hours of refrigeration time.

THE RECIPE:

2 c. chopped/crushed pretzels
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. butter, melted

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip

6 oz. package strawberry Jell-O
1 c. boiling water
1 c. cold water
1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced

Chop pretzels in food processor. You'll get a nice mix of chunks and powder. I found about 4 cups whole pretzel sticks reduced to 2 cups chopped. Mix with sugar and butter, then press into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Place cream cheese and sugar in dish and microwave until soft so sugar can easily be stirred in. Let stand to room temperature. Stir in Cool Whip. Spread over pretzel crust, ensuring that cream mixture reaches edges of baking dish and seals off access to pretzels. Refrigerate several hours.

Stir Jell-O into boiling water until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water, then sliced strawberries. Pour over cream layer, which should be firm enough by now to handle liquid. Arrange strawberries evenly. Refrigerate about 3 hours, or until Jell-O is set.

Pumpkin year-round

I am aware that it's springtime, but for some reason I wanted to open a can of pumpkin. I don't know what got into me. I made this pumpkin mac 'n cheese, and my whole family was happy with it. It's something different from the ordinary, and it's fast and easy to make. We will definitely remember this one for when fall rolls around.

The recipe is adapted from Taste and Tell. The ingredients are kind of crazy, so I recommend going on faith. Don't taste the sauce until it's all put together. Then you'll love it! I could have eaten it like a soup.

THE RECIPE:

8 oz. whole wheat penne*
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
Shake of cayenne pepper
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp. honey OR brown sugar
1 c. milk
1 c. pumpkin puree
2 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan. While it melts, put flour and seasonings in a small bowl. When butter is melted, whisk in flour mixture until smooth, then whisk in chicken broth. Mixture will start to thicken quite rapidly. Mix in milk and honey and continue cooking until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in pumpkin, then 2 cups cheese.

Preheat broiler to high. Combine pasta and sauce in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and place in oven. Broil until cheese is melted, bubbling and browning in spots.




*Don't substitute enriched noodles. This isn't just a health thing. The ingredients are written to complement the nutty flavor of whole wheat, and it makes a huge difference. I made this recipe both ways, and my entire family thought the whole wheat version was way better. The enriched version lacked flavor.

Not your everyday breakfast

This praline french toast casserole makes a delicious breakfast for special occasions. I adapted the recipe from one by Paula Deen. I cut the butter in half and used whole milk instead of half-and-half. I'm sure the original was....to die for. My version is still plenty decadent, and my family loved it. This is a make-ahead dish. It's extremely easy to throw together, but plan for a long bake time. Enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

1 16 oz. loaf french bread*
8 eggs
3 c. whole milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

Topping:

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

The night before serving, rip french bread into chunks and place in greased, deep 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together casserole ingredients and pour evenly over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Combine topping ingredients thoroughly with fork, then cover and set aside for later use. No need to refrigerate. (Or just make the topping in the morning.)

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place casserole, still covered, in oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and plop small blobs of topping all over the casserole. It's easiest to just use your fingers. Bake, uncovered this time, for 55 minutes more, or until a knife inserted in the middle of a bread portion of the casserole comes out clean. (Paula Deen listed a total of 40 minutes baking time, which was completely off for me. I live at a high altitude, though, so you might want to keep an eye on your dish.)


*I like to rip up my bread a couple of hours before assembling the casserole and leave it on the counter to dry out. Dried out bread often has better absorption. Paula Deen didn't do this, though, so it might not be necessary.

Homemade refried beans

I made my own refried beans the other day. I'm not in love with refried beans, but I thought these homemade ones tasted better than the ones in the can. I used them in seven-layer dip -- a huge win -- and then we ate the dip for dinner. Some nights are just like that.

These refried beans are all-natural and fat-free. They are very easy to make. Most of the work is done in a slow cooker. The beans can be frozen for later use -- tacos, burritos, etc. Making them at home is a good way to use the dried beans you have in your food storage. The recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. dry pinto beans, rinsed and sorted for any stones
1 tsp. salt
1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 cans diced green chilies
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste

Place beans in large saucepan with plenty of room and cover with water by at least an inch. Bring to a boil and cover, cooking for 15 minutes. Drain beans, then place in slow cooker and cover with water by 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.

When beans are tender, ladle out a cup of cooking liquid and set aside before draining remaining liquid. Puree beans and veggies, along with vinegar and green chilies, with an immersion blender OR in a food processor. Add reserved liquid as needed until desired consistency is reached. I only needed about 1/4 cup. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and add chili powder and cumin to taste. The final product has a mild flavor. Makes 5 1/2 cups.

A taste of my history

This bowl is full of nostalgia for me. My Papa (grandpa), who died when I was 13, used to make this rice pudding. It was his specialty. His mother, my great-grandma Pearl, made it before him. It's a little old-fashioned, but we think it tastes great, and it's creamy goodness is imprinted on the memories of generations of Griffins.

Papa made it in a huge stainless steel salad bowl. It was probably the only thing big enough to hold all the milk. In keeping with tradition, I do the same thing. If you have a baking dish large enough to hold the mixture, feel free to try that instead.

THE RECIPE:

3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
8 c. whole milk
1 c. uncooked long-grain rice
2 tsp. imitation vanilla (optional)
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large oven-safe bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly, except cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon generously over top. Bake, uncovered, for 2 1/2 hours. Stir once or twice partway through. Pudding is done when rice is tender and milk is mostly absorbed. It will look like there's still a layer of milk on top, but when you stir it, everything comes together in a creamy way. It will thicken a little more as it rests. If you accidentally overcook it, and it's pasty and thick, just add milk. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.


*NOTE: I have modernized this recipe over the years and reduced the sugar. I use short-grain pearl rice, which chefs will tell you is the preferred rice for making pudding. I use only 3/4 cup sugar, which necessitates reducing the lemon extract to 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon. I make it in a deep 9x13 pan, and cook it for 90 minutes, whisking once at the halfway time. My kids like to sprinkle fresh or frozen berries on top.

Sweet and sour specialty

This is a recipe passed down from my grandma to my mom to me. Everyone enjoys these sweet and sour meatballs. Feel free to make your own meatballs, as long as they are really flavorful, but I just use frozen ones for a quick and easy weeknight meal. My whole family eats this meal like it's going out of style. It's tasty stuff!

THE RECIPE:

14-16 oz. frozen precooked Italian meatballs, thawed
20 oz. can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/3 c. water
1/3 c. sugar
1 green bell pepper, cleaned out and sliced into strips

In a saucepan, stir together pineapple juice (should measure 1 cup), cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, water and sugar. Stir while ingredients are still cold, or cornstarch won't dissolve. Over medium heat, bring mixture to boil and stir for a minute, until thickened. Add peppers and cover, cooking until peppers reach desired tenderness. Stir in meatballs and pineapple chunks. Serve over rice.

Soup's on!

My family gobbled up this broccoli cheese soup in no time. It was delicious. We are broccoli fans around here. This makes a fast and easy weeknight meal. I have made this with several different combinations of cheese, depending on what I have on hand. My family said they would eat this any time.

THE RECIPE:

4 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1 head broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces

In large pot, saute onion in butter for several minutes over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, place broccoli in microwavable dish with lid and sprinkle with salt. Add a shot of water, cover, then steam in microwave for about 3 minutes, or until tender.

Add flour, salt and pepper to onions, and stir to make paste. Pour in chicken broth and mix thoroughly. Cook until mixture thickens. Add milk and cook until desired consistency is reached. Stir in cheese, then add broccoli. Allow the soup to stand, covered, on lowest heat until ready to serve so broccoli has time to absorb soup's flavors. Serves 4.

Creamy, buttery, lemony

This is a lovely pie. Lemon chess pie, as it is called, is a cousin to my beloved chocolate chess pie. It tastes like lemon bars instead of the traditional lemon meringue pie. I will definitely make this again. My family gobbled up this pie in no time. The recipe comes from Cook's Country.

THE RECIPE:

5 eggs
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 9-inch pie shell, well chilled
1 tsp. sugar

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon zest, juice, cornmeal and salt. Whisk in butter. Let stand while pie shell cooks so cornmeal can soften.

Poke pie shell all over with fork. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position. Bake shell about 8 minutes, then remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees.

Whisk filling briefly to recombine. Pour into pie shell and bake until surface is light brown and center jiggles slightly when shaken, about 45 to 55 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Cool for 4 hours on wire rack before slicing into pie. Refrigerate leftovers.

Secret layer of deliciousness

This was my first time making banana cream pie. I did it for Thanksgiving for my auntie, who said it was her favorite. It turned out awesome! I was so excited when it got rave reviews. The success came because I made something called a black-bottom banana cream pie, which has a layer of chocolate right above the crust. Score! I don't think I could ever eat it any other way now.

I made my own custard, which isn't difficult at all. Any kind of crust will work, but I think the crunch of a chocolate or graham cracker crust is divine.

THE RECIPE:

1 prebaked crust
3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. whole milk
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/4 c. cream
1 or 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 ripe but firm bananas
1/4 c. orange juice
2 c. sweetened whipped cream*

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt. Whisk in cornstarch thoroughly. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm milk until almost boiling, stirring frequently. Drizzle hot milk slowly into egg mixture, whisking the whole time. If you do this very patiently, you will temper your eggs gradually and prevent them from scrambling.

Return combined mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cool for a few minutes, then place plastic wrap directly onto custard to cool completely. The plastic will prevent the custard from forming a skin.

Combine chocolate, cream and sugar, and microwave in small increments until smooth. Let cool completely, then pour into pie crust. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Toss with orange juice, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Fold bananas into custard, then spread into pie crust. Pipe whipped cream on top as desired.




*Whipped cream doesn't hold up long, so if you need to make this pie in advance, or if you need it to hold up for a long time through a party or extended refrigeration, you should consider stabilizing your whipped cream. This way it will hold up for days. See recipe below.

Stabilized whipped cream:

4 tsp. cold water
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
1 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Place cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top and mix in. Let stand for a minute to thicken. This process is called blooming. Microwave gelatin in small bursts, stirring each time, until melted into a translucent liquid.

Start beating cream, sugar and vanilla with mixer until cream starts to thicken. Pour in gelatin and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Makes 2 cups.

Ginger beef

My family can't get enough of this ginger beef. It is so fast and easy to make, and it tastes fantastic. It does have quite a bit of sugar, but the meat is intensely flavorful, so a small amount of it goes a long way over a large bed of rice.

THE RECIPE:

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 lb. ground beef
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger*
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar

Brown beef in sesame oil. Drain fat if necessary. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly while cooking for a couple of minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

*For convenience, I often use bottled ginger, found in the refrigerated produce section of the store.

Note: With the purchase of gluten-free soy sauce, this dish could easily be made gluten-free.

Unleash your inner artist

Years ago, I posted this recipe for cornmeal cookies. Click here to see my old post, which contains the recipe. We use clean, fine-tipped craft paintbrushes and dip them in straight food coloring to decorate the cookies. This time around, it was Halloween style! We had so much fun, I thought the recipe deserved another shout-out.

*Note: The recipe calls for finely shredded lemon peel. I didn't have any fresh lemons this time, so I replaced the peel and the vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon lemon extract. Worked perfectly.

Autumn muffins

Remember all that lovely applesauce I made? Well, I used some of it to make a big batch of these healthy applesauce muffins. My family enjoyed them for breakfast several days in a row. They taste healthy and hearty, but they are moist and have a lot of flavor. We were really happy with them. As my husband said, these muffins taste like fall. You can't really taste the applesauce, but it adds great moisture and health value.

THE RECIPE:

2 c. rolled oats
2 c. applesauce
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tins, or line with paper liners. In large bowl, mix oats, applesauce, milk, eggs, vanilla, butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda and seasonings. Add dry ingredients to large bowl and stir just until combined. Don't overmix.

Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups (make each about 2/3 to 3/4 full). Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Set the timer a little early and check so you can remove muffins as soon as toothpick test allows. Overbaking will lead to dryness. Makes 24 muffins.

*Note: Refrigerate leftovers after 24 hours so they don't spoil. Reheat them in the microwave. Muffins can also be frozen.

Base recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Tender, sweet and savory

This dish requires a ridiculously small amount of work. Yet, it is so delicious. That is my kind of meal. We call it sweet rosemary chicken. I wrote the recipe for the oven, but the Crock-Pot would be a fantastic substitute. Serve the chicken on a bed of rice; we mix white and brown.

THE RECIPE:

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs*
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried rosemary

Mix sauce ingredients, then pour over chicken thighs in 8x8 baking dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Spoon juices generously over rice.


*Make sure you use thighs. Dark meat cooks differently from white meat.

Note: With the purchase of gluten-free soy sauce, this would be a very easy gluten-free dish.

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.