Banana Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup grated zucchini
2 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch bread loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light yellow and frothy. Add oil, brown sugar, white sugar, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla; blend together until well combined. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the cranberries and nuts. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool in the loaf pans on a wire rack before removing and serving.

Recipe:  Heather

 

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Cheese Tortellini in Cream Sauce

1/2cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups heavy cream
salt to taste
2 cups fresh cheese Tortellini

 

 

Red Sauce:

1 14.5 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

Fresh basil
Parmesan Cheese

In a medium sauce pan simmer chicken broth and white wine.  Reduce liquid to 1/4 cup.  Add the heavy cream.  Season with salt to taste.  Set aside. 

For the red sauce:  heat olive oil in a saucepan until barely warm.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until beginning to thicken.  Add garlic, Italian seasonings, and salt and pepper. 

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain. 

Add the cooked tortellini to the cream sauce and bring to a low simmer for about 5 minutes.   Serve in shallow bowls.  Top tortellini with the red sauce and garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.   Makes 4 servings

Recipe: Paula

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World's Best Granola

Large 42 oz. rolled oats

1 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds
3/4 cup sesame seeds (white)
1 lb. flaked coconut (sweetened)
2 cups coarse chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries or raisins
1 1/2 cup dried banana chips

Syrup:

1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups oil
3 TBSP vanilla

1. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl (hold cranberries & banana chips until after baking). 
2. Mix syrup ingredients and bring to a boil.  Pour over dry ingredients and stir until mixed.
3. Pour onto cookie sheets with sides and bake for about 1/2 hour, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown (be careful to not over cook).
4. Remove from oven and cool.  Add cranberries and banana chips.

Recipe: Paula

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Croissant Turkey & Apple Sandwich

Turkey, sliced
Apple slices (skins on)
Provolone or Swiss cheese (sliced)
Green leaf or romaine lettuce
Red onion, sliced (optional)
Green pepper, sliced
Salt and pepper

 

Cream Cheese Spread:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup orange juice

Cream all ingredients together until mixture becomes very spreadable (makes a lot, can half).

 

Slice open croissant and spread with cream cheese spread.  Add turkey, apple, cheese, lettuce, onion, green pepper and salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Paula

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Hot Chocolate Mix

2.5 lbs. powdered sugar

30 oz. “Nesquik” chocolate milk powder

1 can (#10 size) “Morning Moo’s” powdered milk

30 oz. “Cremora” creamer

Mix all ingredients together and store in sealed container.

To make:  Mix 1/3 cup mix with 1 cup water

 

Recipe: Paula

 

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Oven Scrambled Eggs

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

6 eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup and 2 TBSP. milk (5 oz)
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour melted butter into a glass 9x13 baking dish.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and salt until well blended.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Pour egg mixture into the baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until eggs are set.  Serve immediately.

***We love this with ground sausage, green pepper and mushrooms added!!!***

Recipe: Heather

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Lemon-Zuchinin Loaf w/lemon glaze

Makes one 9×5″ loaf

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated zucchini (you don’t need to peel the zucchini before grating it)

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan; set aside.

In large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well, then add canola oil and sugar, and blend well. Then add the buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest and blend everything well. Fold in zucchini and stir until evenly distributed in mixture.

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t overmix.

Pour batter into prepared 9×5″ loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (if your oven tends to run hot, check the loaf after 40 minutes; also, if you make this in an 8×4″ loaf pan, your baking time may be a little longer…about 5 to 10 minutes more). Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, you can make the glaze…

LEMON GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf. Let glaze set, then serve.

Recipe: Heather

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Orange Chicken 2

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed

3/4 cup Smuckers Sweet Orange Marmalade

3/4 cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce {it’s SO good!}

2 tbsp. Soy Sauce

1. Cook chicken in crockpot on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours.   After 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW, drain juices from crockpot.
2. At this point… you can either leave the chicken breasts whole, or remove, cut into cubes, and transfer back to crockpot.
3. Mix together bbq sauce, orange marmalade, and soy sauce.
4. Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes. 

Serve with rice and Enjoy!!

Recipe:  Devon

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Chocolate Chip Muffins

2  cups all-purpose flour

1⁄3 cup light-brown sugar, packed

1⁄3 cup sugar

2  teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

2⁄3 cup milk

1⁄2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2  eggs, lightly beaten

1  teaspoon vanilla

1 (11.5 ounce) package milk chocolate chips

1⁄2 cup walnuts or 1⁄2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add milk mixture and stir just to combine.
4. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
5. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups.
6. Now bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.
7. Remove muffin tin to wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes then remove from tins to finish cooling.

Serve warm or completely cool.

These muffins freeze well.

Recipe:  Devon

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Mongolian Beef

4 tsp. vegetable oil

2 tsp. ginger, minced

2 Tbsp. garlic, minced

1 c. soy sauce

1 c. water

1 c. brown sugar (packed)

2 c. vegetable oil

2 Lb. flank steaks

1/2 c. cornstarch

3 large green onions

Make the sauce by heating 4 tsp. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Don’t get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens a little bit. Remove sauce from heat.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit about 10 min. so the cornstarch sticks. As the beef sits, heat up 1 c. oil in a wok (or skillet). Heat the oil over medium heat until its hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and saute for just 2 minutes, or until beef just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat around a little bit so that it cooks evenly.

After a few minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour most of the oil out of the skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce, cook for 1 minute while stirring and add green onions. Cook for 1 more minute. Now at this point you can either remove the beef with a slotted spoon or tongs and discard the sauce  OR thicken the sauce with a cornstarch-water mixture to desired thickness and serve it over rice with the beef.

Recipe:  Heather

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Curry in a Hurry with Jasmine Rice

• Jasmine Rice
• 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs or combination of both, cut into chunks
• All-purpose flour
• 2 T. peanut or sesame oil
• 1 yellow med. Spanish onion, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/4 inch strips
• 1 piece fresh gingerroot, about 2 inches, peeled and grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz.) no fat, low sod. chicken broth
• 3 T. mild curry paste
• A handful (about 1/4 c. packed) golden raisins
• 2 to 3 T. mango chutney (found in the condiments aisle) or ¼ cup mincemeat (found in baking goods section)
• Salt to taste
• pita bread

Toppings: Spanish peanuts, chopped cilantro, mango chutney, chopped scallions, orange segments, edible flowers, coconut flakes, pineapple chunks.

1. Make, rice following the directions on the box for 4 to 6 servings. The rice will take longer than the dish to prepare.
2. Dust chicken lightly with flour. In a large skillet over med high heat, brown the chicken for 4 min on each side in the peanut or sesame oil. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
3. Add onion, gingerroot, and garlic to pan. Sauté until the onion is tender about 3 min. Add broth and scrape up all of the good junk stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add curry paste and raisins. Return chicken to the pan. Heat through to a boil. Give the pan a good shake. Reduce heat to med. low. Stir in chutney to thicken and sweeten. Simmer 5 to 10 min to desired thickness.

**Serve with suggested toppings, jasmine or white rice, and warm flat

     or pita bread.

Recipe: Paula

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Carbonara

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 lb. rigatoni

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped

  (bacon also works great)

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

5 or 6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, such as Locatelli

1 handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Put a large pot of water to boil.  Add liberal amt. of salt and rigatoni, cook to al dente, about 8 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil and pancetta. Brown pancetta 2 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more.  Add wine and stir up all the pan drippings.  
3. Beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water.  This tempers the eggs and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta.
4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with pancetta and oil.  Pour the egg mixture over the pasta.  Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg.  Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, lots of pepper, and a little salt.  Continue to toss and turn the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens. 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and extra cheese if desired.  Serve with green salad on the side. 

Recipe:  Paula

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Asian Ginger Broth

4Tb. Ginger paste (found in produce section)

3 Tb.  finely minced garlic

2 Tb. canola oil

6 Tb. cornstarch

16 cups water

6 Tb. vegetable broth

    (I like Costco – “Better than Bullion”)

Add in options:

Wonton strips

Sliced green onions

Shredded carrots

Sliced Mushrooms

Chopped Spinach

Chopped toful (of chicken)

1.Combine ginger, garlic and oil in a large pot and sauté for 5 minutes.

2.Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch and 2 cups cold water until dissolved.

3.Add corn starch mixture, vegetarian base, and remaining water to the pot and bring to boil.

4.Reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes.

5.Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:  place hot soup on table with bowls of the all raw “add in’s” and let everywhere put their desired ingredients in.

Recipe: Alison

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Pear Gorgonzola Farfalle

***This is a family favorite***

8 ounces farfalle (bowtie) pasta

3 medium pears

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons cream

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.  
2.  Peel and core pears and cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Cut slices in half.  
3. Melt butter in a large skillet.  Add pears and sauté on medium heat for 2 minutes until slightly tender.  Use a slotted spoon to remove pears from pan and set aside.  Leave any remaining butter and pear juice in pan.  
4. Add chicken broth, salt and pepper to pan and bring to a simmer.  Whisk cream and cornstarch together and add to pan.  Return to simmer and cook 2 minutes longer, until slightly thickened.  Add cranberries and previously removed pears and simmer about 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and immediately add Gorgonzola cheese, parsley, Parmesan cheese and pasta.  Toss to coat.  Add nuts just before serving and top with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Recipe: Heather

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Raspberry Sauce: 

12 oz. frozen raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tb. Water

1 Tb. Cornstarch

Crust:  

2 1/2 cups oreo crumbs (about 25 cookies)

6 Tb. Butter, melted

Cheesecake: 

1 cup white chocolate chips

3 (8oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, at room temp.

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbs. flour

3/4 cup sour cream

Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Sauce: place berries, sugar and 2 Tb. Water in pan over medium heat.  Stir occasionally, mashing berries with spoon, until mixture boils.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes (after this I strain mixture to remove some seeds). Combine 1 Tb. Water and cornstarch in small bowl and then add to sauce.  Simmer 1-2 minutes till slightly thickened.  

Crust:  Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter,  Press into bottom and 1” up sides of 10’ springform pan (I have done this a pie plate as well). 

*preheat oven to 350 deg.

Cheesecake:  Place the white chocolate chips in microwave and heat in 30 sec. intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.  In separate bowl mix cream cheese and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.  Add extracts, flour and sour cream, beat until combined.  Add white chocolate to running mixer to incorporate.

Pour 1/2 of cheesecake mixture in pan.  Drizzle 2 Tb. of raspberry sauce over and use a knife to swirl it in.  Add remaining cheesecake mixture and add another 2 Tb. sauce and swirl it in again.

Place cheesecake on top of 2 layers of foil.  Wrap the foil up the sides of the pan to prevent water from leaking into the pan (not necessary if using pie plate). Place into a larger shallow pan and place in oven.  Pour enough hot water into larger pan to reach about 2/3 up the sides of cheesecake.  Bake 70-80 minutes or until it is set on top and very lightly golden around edges.

Remove from oven and let continue to sit in water bath for 30 minutes.  Remove from water and place on cooling rack till room temp.  Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

To serve remove from springform pan and cut into wedges.  Serve with remaining raspberry sauce drizzled over top.

Recipe: Heather

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Tomato Basil Ravioli

 2 Tb. olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 Tb. Thin sliced garlic

Salt and pepper

6 fresh Roma Tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 Tb. Butter

1 Pkg. four-cheese ravioli (we use costco’s)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a 10-12 inch saute’ pan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft and translucent  Stir in garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roughly chop tomatoes and add to the onions.  Cook for about 5 mintues, then add ¼ cup cream or more to lighten the sauce to taste.  Turn up the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the sauce is reduced by about a third.  When the sauce is nearly at desired consistency, add basil and cook for a couple minutes longer.  Add butter and stirr till blended in.

Meanwhile, prepare ravioli according to pkg. Transfer to bowl and add 1/2-3/4 cup sauce and mix gently.  Add more sauce to each portion when serving.  Top with graded parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Heather

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