Pie crust

Ingredients/directions: 

pie crust. 

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

( mi together)

1/3 cup coconut oil

With pastry blender mix together

Press into pie pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

black beans and rice

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp olive oil (sometimes we just use coconut oil)
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 5-6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent cooked beans)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 C chicken broth (I was so excited to use my own :)
• 3/4 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1/2 C water (i actually omitted this and loved it)
• 2 T finely chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 cups hot. cooked rice

Directions:

1. in medium sauce pan saute peppers, onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
2. stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay lear, oregano, and water and bring to a boil.
3. reduce to simmer and stir occasionally until sauce thickens (about 30-45 minutes)
4. serve over rice and garnish with cilantro

Review:
We got rave reviews from everyone except tj on this one (but he's the super picky, gag on everything kinda kid lately...) I even asked if this was one to add into our monthly rotation (see here on my monthly meal planner :) sb replied we should have it every week!  This is also another great one for our joseph who is allergic to eggs, wheat, dairy, corn, soy, peanuts, and dog... not that we eat dog... but he can eat this for sure :)

Acknoweledgements:
this is from melskitchencafe blog... if you haven't checked her out yet i strongly urge/suggest/admonish whatever... go... do it... you won't regret what you find!

Pumkin Pancakes!

Ingredients:

• 2 C flour
• 6 Tbs sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 2 C plain yogurt (we used plain greek from costco)
• 1/2 C canned pumpkin
• 4 Tbs butter, melted and cooled... (i just used the butter that's been on the counter and was soft)

Directions

1. mix all dry ingredients together
2. in a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients and then combine with the dry.
3. use about 1/4 C batter per pancake...

These don't really bubble up like traditional pancakes to let you know when to flip, but they are pretty thick and fluffy :)

Also, this made plenty with some left over for our family of 6.

for the syrups, check out these posts here.

Review: OH MY GOODNESS! Fall just EXPLODED in my mouth :) got "Awesomes" all the way around the table :)

Acknowledgements:
This came from a ward cookbook put together and given to me by a friend...

Re fried Beans and Rice

So, sometimes our family gets down to that last week and the grocery budget is almost as much as is in my kid's piggy banks...this is one of those meals that is super cheap and actually pretty nutritious and quick and easy to make too.  add a simple green salad and you have a terrific, filling meal.

that being said, this is also one of our favorite meals to make regardless of where we are in the month.  :) 

try this out... and i'd also love to hear some of YOUR favorite bean dishes!

Beans

• 3 Cans of Beans (whichever your preference... we enjoy pinto) OR 6 Cups prepared beans
• 3/4 t salt
• 3/4 t garlic powder
• ~ 1 Cup Shredded Cheese (whatever you have on hand, we like a mexican blend, but have used all sorts when we get down to the bottom of the grocery budget ;)
• some water

1. Drain and rinse canned beans and then place in a skillet with a little bit of the water on medium heat.
2. sprinkle your salt and garlic powder (and other seasonings if you wish) on top.
3. using a fork, mash your beans adding water as you mash for the desired consistency that your family prefers :)
4. when all the beans are mashed and the way you want them, add in your cheese and stir.

Rice

• 2 C rice uncooked
• 3 -4 cups water (depending on the rice, white: use 3, brown: use close to 4)
• 1-2 Cups salsa

1. Cook your rice (simple, right?)
2. Stir in your salsa

serve your rice and then put your beans on top :) sprinkle a bit of extra cheese and away you go!

(These beans are also PERFECT for making burritos.  When I find that PERFECT recipe for tortillas i'll post that too.)

Review

Everyone in our family loves this one...

Acknowledgments:

I got the basis of the recipes and then altered them to our families liking from Crystal's I Can't Believe It's Food Storage over at www.everydayfoodstorage.net and from Miserly Mom's, the book :)

Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 8 slices rye bread
• 4 quarter-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
• 3 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
• 1 cup fresh basil pesto (recipe follows... or use store bought stuff)
• fresh ground black pepper

(basil pesto)

• 1/2 cup pine nuts (we've used sunflower seeds as a substitute :)
• 2 C fresh basil leaves (we put the stem in too)
• 1 C fresh italian parsley
• 1/2 cup parmesan or romano cheese 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 t salt
• up to 1/2 C EVOO

Directions for pesto

1. toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still a bit rough-textured
2. Use either a panini press or skillet on medium heat...
3. assemble the sandwiches by smearing the insides of the bread slices with pesto, arrange a layer of sliced tomato an season with a few turns of fresh pepper.  layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place the other slice of bread on top.  if not using a panini press, use something to form a "press" over the sandwiches.  turn after 2-3 minutes.  they are done when golden brown and the cheese has melted around the edges.

Review

uhm, SOOOOOO delicious!  and the pesto can be used for all sorts of dishes! the possibilities are endless :)

Acknowledgement

this came from www.anediblesymphony.blogspot.com

ritzy chicken

This is a delicious favorite of ours that was introduced by my good friend wendy barlow! (thanks wendy!!!!)

i apologize for no picture but we'll get one up soon... OR if you make it and want to send me your picture I can post it too!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken breasts (I cut them up into kid-friendly sized pieces... also helps them cook faster)
• 20 crushed Ritz crackers (generic works fine too)
• 1 T dried parsley
• 1/8 t pepper
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 t garlic powder

1. preheat the oven to 350.
2. Melt the butter an pour just a little to cover the 9 X 13 dish, the rest will be used to coat the chicken.  
3. combine all the other dry ingredients in another bowl.  
4. roll the chicken in butter, then in the dry ingredients.
5. place in the baking dish and sprinkle any remaining crumbs and butter on top.  bake for30 minutes or until chicken is done.

serve with chicken rice, salad, favorite veggie ect....

Review

seriously one of our FAVORITES and definitely good as a leftover too! EVERY family member enjoys this meal!

Acknowledgment

as i mentioned above we learned this recipe from one of my favorite friends, (she's an awesome cook and mom too...) wendy. 

French Toast and homemade syrups

French toast is soooo yummy. Especially when made with homemade bread! in fact we will NEVER go back to french toast any other way!

• Bread
• eggs
• milk

So to make french toast, it's not really tricky. get your loaves of bread and cut them up, then in a bowl of some sort combine eggs and a dash of milk, i usually use 1 egg per 2-3 slices of bread.

pre-heat your griddle or pan (i love using my griddle:)

Dip slices of bread in your egg/milk mixture and cook on each side till done/crisp/toasted (hence the name french TOAST)

top with whatever you want, powdered sugar, fruit, whipped cream, or syrups!

which brings us to our next part, homemade syrups!!!!

I have 3 for you, Maple, Cinnamon, and Buttermilk. (not for the non-sugar dieters or calorie watchers :)

First: Maple

• 1 lb of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 C water
• 2/3 C light Karo syrup
• 2 t maple flavoring

1. Combine all ingredients and heat until dissolved.  Keep leftovers in a jar in the fridge.  If it crystallizes just heat gently to dissolve the sugar when next used.

Cinnamon

• 2 C white sugar 
• 1 C water
• 1 t vanilla
• some good shakes of cinnamon (i prefer my saigon cinnamon)

1. Combine all ingredients in a pan on the stove, stir well and then don't touch till it starts to bubble up to the ridge of the pan. quickly remove and let cool and enjoy!

Buttermilk

• 1 Stick butter
• 1 C white sugar
• 1/2 C buttermilk (or milk with vinegar or lemon juice mixture) (we also have just substituted plain greek yogurt and it works out fabulously!!!)
• 1 t Karo syrup (I've substituted agave nectar for the syrup and LOVED the results!)
• 1/2 t soda
• 1 t vanilla

1. bring everything to a roiling boil EXCEPT the vanilla for about 5 minutes.  Take of heat and add vanilla.

REVIEW: OHMYGOODNESS we just love these.  the buttermilk is best in my opinion over german pancakes, but they are all just delicious. 

Acknowledgements: the cinnamon recipe is one i learned growing up from my friend, Natalie Morris and her family.  The Buttermilk is from my friend, Wendy Barlow, and the maple syrup is from the Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook (can be found at walmart... pretty good book overall :)