Homemade Cream of Wheat (Multigrain)

3 cups ground wheat (Hard red, on the coarsest setting)

3 cups corn meal

1 Tbsp salt

3 Tbsp butter powder (opt.)

Mix them all together and store in an airtight container.  Cook in a 1:4 ratio (mix:water) on the stove top until thickened.  (you can cook it in the microwave, but it softens the cornmeal more, so you lose some of the grittiness.)  If you don't add butter powder to the mix, you must add butter to the cooked mixture, or it just won't taste right.  

We like to add a handful of teff (tiny grain the size of cornmeal and packed full of great nutrition) to the pot as well to make it even more "multigrain."

Hot Chocolate Mix

I ran out of the cheap Wal-mart stuff the other day, and decided to learn how to make my own from my food storage.  So I created this recipe after comparing, merging, and modifying around 10 different recipes I found online.  I'm not sure if it would qualify as "Transcendent," but it's lots better than Swiss Mix and a lot more customizable to your liking.  (Use semi-sweet chocolate chips for a more dark hot chocolate, or milk chocolate chips for a more classic flavor.  Try mint chocolate chips for that matter.  Mmmm.  Increase or decrease the sugar or cocoa powder as you like too.  You can't really mess it up.)

3 cups powdered milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups mini (or finely chopped) chocolate chips
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered non-diary creamer
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 vanilla bean, ground into powder (optional)

Mix everything together and store in an air-tight container.  (I use an old #10 can and lid.)  Yield: About 25-30 servings.

To make hot chocolate, put 1/4 to 1/3 cup of mix in a mug and add hot water.  Stir until the chocolate chip pieces are all melted.

(Optional) Add milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, whipped cream, marshmallows, mint syrup, caramel syrup, amaretto, or anything else you can think of to make your own gourmet hot chocolate.

Happy Groundhog Day!

I've never "celebrated" this holiday before, but we made these this year and it made the day special.

Vanilla Wafers
Mini marshmallows
White and Milk Chocolate Microwavable Designer Tubes
Chocolate Pudding
Crushed Oreo wafers

Cut some wafers into 8 pie wedges for the paws.  Use broken shards for the ears.  Using the warmed up chocolate as "glue" and "paint", create your groundhogs using a mini marshmallow cut in fourths for the teeth.

Pour pudding into cups.  Mound Oreo wafers to one side, where the groundhog has "dug up".  Place the head and paws in the mound.

Greek Lentil Soup with Mint-Yogurt Sauce

When I got this at our recipe group, I must admit, it sounded weird, and didn't look much better.  But it surprised us all and was an amazingly light and fresh tasting soup.  And the flavor was wonderful!!  This is easily now my favorite soup of all time.

(If you are in a hurry, you can just prepare the Mint-Yogurt Sauce and serve it in some warmed up Progresso Lentil Soup.  It's just as good.)

2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 (15 oz) cans lentils
Mint-Yogurt Sauce (below)
Fresh mint or cilantro sprigs (optional)
Tortilla Chips (optional)

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion and carrot.  Cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  Stir in broth and next 3 ingredients.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until carrot is tender.  While soup simmers, prepare Mint-Yogurt Sauce.

Mint-Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Ladle soup into bowls.  Top with Mint-Yogurt Sauce and, if desired, fresh mint or cilantro.  Serve with tortilla chips if desired.

Tomatillo Chicken

 Alex couldn't stop praising this dish.  Doesn't look like much, but the flavor is stupendous!  Serve on top of the Coconut-Lime Rice (recipe below) and you have an amazing and simple meal!

2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatillos (about 4 tomatillos)
2 Tbsp minced seeded jalapeno pepper (1 pepper)
(Can substitute 1 3/4 cups ready-to-serve tomatillo salsa or salsa verde for the 2 ingredients above)
Lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub mixture over chicken.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm.

Add oil to pan.  Stir in tomatillos and jalapeno pepper (or salsa).  Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until tender and saucy.  Place a chicken breast half on each of 4 plates.  Spoon sauce evenly over chicken.  Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings.

Coconut-Lime Rice

Yes, it is as good as it sounds.

1 cup light coconut milk
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup long-grain rice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp grated lime rind

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.  Keep pan covered, and remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  (I just placed the 4 ingredients in a rice cooker, and it worked great.)  Uncover; stir in cilantro and lime rind.  Fluff with a fork, and serve immediately.

Taco Soup

In a big pot, bring to boil;
2 chicken breasts, shredded (can use canned chicken too)
5 1/2 cups water and chicken broth
1 beef bullion cube
1 chicken bullion cube
1 can corn
1 can pinto or black beans
1 can Mexican flavored chopped tomatoes
1 can sliced olives
1 can diced green chilis
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers

Serve over tortilla chips with cheese and sour cream.

Swirl Cake (Breakfast Pie Bars)

You can bake these and then freeze the whole batch.  Then for breakfast you just pull out the pan, reheat them in the oven or microwave and serve.  We made these ones with apple pie filling.  They were oh, so yummy!

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs (one at a time)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1 large can of pie filling (any flavor)

Mix above ingredients.  Spread 2/3s of the batter on a greased and floured cookie sheet.  Spread with pie filling and dot with remaining batter.  Bake at 350 degrees, for 45 minutes.  (If you want, you can drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze; however, they are definitely sweet enough without; especially for breakfast.)

Almond Cranberry Granola Bars

These are a seriously delicious breakfast on the go.  I keep them wrapped in saran in the freezer and pull one out in the morning to warm up a little before eating.  Mmmm.

3 cups oats
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed Milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup cranberries, dried
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Grease 13x9 inch pan.  Mix together oats, milk, butter, almonds, cranberries, coconut, and chocolate chips.  Mix with your hands until well blended.  Press into pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned around edges.  Let cool 5 minutes, cut into squares, and then let cool completely.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cans (10.75 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
2 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
2 pkgs (16 oz each) frozen whole or cut green beans, cooked and drained
1 can (6 oz) french-fried onion, divided

In a bowl, combine soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper.  Gently stir in beans.  Spoon half of the mixture into a 8x12 baking dish.  Sprinkle with half of the onions.  Spoon remaining bean mixture over the top.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining onion.  Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the onions are brown and crispy.

Tasty Beets

2 cans (13.25 oz each) sliced beets, drained
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

In a large saucepan, combine the beets, cranberry sauce and orange juice concentrate.  Cook and stir over low heat until heated through.  Serve with a slotted spoon.

Fire-Roasted Ziti with Sausage

1 pkg (8 oz) ziti or small tube pasta
1 can (28 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar (26 oz) fire-roasted tomato and garlic spaghetti sauce
1 package (16 oz) smoked sausage, sliced
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (8 oz) small-curd cottage cheese

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to the pan.  Stir in the tomatoes, spaghetti sauce and sausage; heat through.  Stir in 1 cup mozzarella and cottage cheese.  Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover and heat over medium heat for 2-5 minutes or until mozzarella is melted.

Asian Noodle Salad

1 lb thick spaghetti
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp honey
A few shakes of hot sauce
1/2 cup cashews
Snow peas
Sliced carrots

Combine wet ingredients including peanut butter into a sauce.  Make noodles as directed and toss in fresh ingredients.  Mix all with sauce.

Mediterranean Pizza Wrap

1 whole wheat wrap (10" diameter) (We used tortillas just fine.)
2 Tbsp hummus (store bought or recipe posted under Sauces)
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp chopped red onion
1 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1 Tbsp tapenade (store bought or recipe posted under Sauces)

Place the wrap on a work surface.  Spread the hummus in a line across the center of the wrap, leaving a 1 1/2" border at each end.  Top the hummus with the tomato, cucumber, onion, cheese, and tapenade.

Fold the right and left sides of the wrap so that they cover the very edges of the filling, then fold the bottom over and roll up burrito-style.

Hummus

1 can (15.5-19 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tahini
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4-1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

Place the beans, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the water, and salt in a blender.  Process until smooth.  Add more water, if needed, until the hummus reaches the desired consistency.

Tapenade

Alex hates olives, but he loved this tapenade (olive spread) on his Mediterranean Pizza Wrap (recipe will be posted).  Serve it on the wraps, or use as a Sandwich spread, or as a pasta sauce (lightly, like a pesto sauce.)  Anyway you serve it, it tastes great! 

Tapenade
2 cups Nicoise olives, pitted (I couldn't find these so I used 1 cup black and 1 cup green olives.  Tasted great)
2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine the olives, capers, and garlic in a blender.  Pulse until coarsely chopped.  Combine the oil and lemon juice in a measuring cup.  With the machine running, add the oil mixture through the feed tube to blend into a rough paste.  Add the pepper and pulse to combine.

Transfer to an airtight container.  Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

All-Purpose Cake Mix (From Make-A-Mix-Cookery)

10 cups all-purpose flour
6 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
5 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp salt
(1 1/4 cups whole egg powder, opt.)
5/8 cups dry milk
2 1/2 cups shortening

In a large sifter, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt (and egg powder).  Sift into a large bowl.  Use a pastry blender to cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal in texture.  Store in an airtight container.  Label and use within 10-12 weeks.

Mom's Chicken Salad (the one with stuffing)

Toss together:
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, uncooked
1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
1 cup miracle whip salad dressing
Salt & lemon pepper to taste

Top with:
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup seasoned stuffing mix (stove top one step)
sliced olives (opt.)

Chill for 1 hour before serving

OR

For Hot Chicken Salad:
Spread main mixture in 9x13 pan.  Top with cheese and stuffing mix and bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Hawaiian Haystacks

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken
4 cups hot cooked rice
1 can chow-mein noodles
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks
1 (2 oz) jar pimiento, drained and diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
bunch of green onions, chopped

Add chicken broth to cream of chicken soup and heat through until hot.  Serve all other ingredients in separate bowls and allow everyone to create their own haystacks.

Blackened Chicken

1 Tbsp paprika
4 tsp sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 to 2 tsp pepper, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cider vinegar

In a small bowl, combine paprika, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, garlic powder, thyme, lemon-pepper, cayenne and 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; sprinkle over both sides of chicken (Note: spices are potent!  Don't over coat.).  Set aside.  In another bowl, combine mayonnaise, water, vinegar and remaining sugar, salt and pepper; cover and chill 1 cup for serving.  Save remaining sauce for basting.

Grill chicken, covered, over indirect medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting frequently with remaining sauce.  Serve with reserved sauce.