Cooking with TLC!

Spinach con Queso

2012-02-20T18:46:00.001-05:00

I used to work at this great local restaurant in northern Minnesota that served an absolutely delicious spicy spinach cheese dip. It's got a little sizzle, but not too much, and tastes wonderful--even non-veggie eaters love this stuff. After work, a bowl of this with chips and a beer were the perfect meal! (We ran a lot, and had two floors. I worked it off.) When bored, I would chat with the bartenders and watch them make drinks (which later earned me a bar tending job) and with the cooks, and watch them make the food. I was lucky to get the recipe for this dip, which was one of the most popular things on the menu. It is always a hit, pretty much foolproof, and because it has spinach in it, you can pretend you're eating it for the iron. We could all use more iron.

Spinach con Queso

*note: amounts are approximate. Sometimes, I add more spinach and chiles, sometimes I make it more cheesy, but no matter what you do, it's great.

1 onion, chopped fine
1 T. butter (or margarine, or oil, I've even used bacon fat with good results)
1 or 2 10 oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped fine
1 or 2 cans chopped green chiles (found in the Mexican foods section)
1 lb. Pepper Jack cheese, cubed or shredded for easier melting
1 lb. sour cream
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt, or you could use salt and a bit of chile powder. I like Tony's--if you haven't tried it, I highly suggest grabbing a can!)

Cook onion in butter until it's translucent. Add spinach and chiles (undrained) and cook until it's mostly dry. Add cheese and half of the sour cream, and cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted. Add the rest of the sour cream and season to taste with the Tony's. (I'd say it's about 5 shakes for me--maybe 1 t., but it will depend on how salty your cheese is.) Serve with tortilla chips, bread or veggies. Chips are my favorite. Make sure they are sturdy--delicate chips can't lift this hefty dip.

You can serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat later. I've reheated it in a small crockpot, a fondue pot, the microwave, and the oven with great results every time. If it gets too thick, you can add more sour cream.

MOIST SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

2012-02-15T17:18:00.002-05:00

By Barb Roberts

This was served at coffee hour last week, and was devoured quickly! I heard many requests for the recipe, so here you go...

Moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 ½ CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR
¾ CUP BUTTER OR MARGARINE, SOFTENED
1 TSP VANILLA
2 EGGS
2 CUPS FLOUR
1 TSP BAKING POWDER
½ TSP BAKING SODA
1 CUP SOUR CREAM

1 CUP CHOPPED PECANS
1/3 CUP FIRMLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR
1 ½ TSPS GROUND CINNAMON

MIX PECANS, BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON. SET ASIDE.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

BEAT SUGAR, BUTTER AND VANILLA IN LARGE BOWL WITH ELECTRIC MIXER ON MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.

ADD EGGS, ONE AT A TIME, BEATING WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION.

MIX FLOUR, BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA. ADD TO SUGAR MIXTURE, ALTERNATELY WITH SOUR CREAM, BEATING UNTIL WELL BLENDED AFTER EACH ADDITION.

SPOON HALF OF THE PECAN MIXTURE INTO GREASED FLUTED TUBE PAN OR 10 INCH TUBE PAN. TOP WITH HALF OF THE CAKE BATTER. REPEAT LAYERS.

BAKE 55 TO 60 MINUTES OR UNTIL TOOTHPICK INSERTED IN CENTER COMES OUT CLEAN.

COOL 10 MINUTES ON WIRE RACK. LOOSEN CAKE FROM SIDE OF PAN WITH SPATULA OR KNIFE. INVERT ONTO WIRE RACK AND GENTLY REMOVE PAN. COOL COMPLETELY…. GLAZE IF DESIRED.

Caramel Popcorn

2011-12-25T22:26:00.003-05:00

by Jean Quinn

Another popular one! If I hadn't eaten so many Christmas cookies today, I'd make some myself. Yum!

2 - 7.5 oz. bags hull-less popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1/2 cup Karo Syrup
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. baking soda
2 T. creamy peanut butter

Put popcorn in a large pan. In a saucepan, melt butter, add Karo syrup and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add vanilla, soda and peanut butter and mix well. Pour over popcorn and stir well. Bake 1 hour @ 250 degrees F, stirring every 15 minutes.

Cheesy Egg Casserole

2011-12-18T14:19:00.000-05:00

This was on the menu today, and it was delicious! Since many asked for the recipe, here you are. Perfect for Christmas morning, too.

By Christina Pillot

This recipe is based on a similar dish that is – or, at least, was – served at the Washington School Inn in Park City, Utah. My parents had it there several years ago and asked for the recipe. I’ve made some modifications to the cheese content of the recipe and always make a much bigger batch than the printed-out copy they shared with my parents. The basic recipe I work with is below, and it’s the one I turn to again and again. From time to time, I’ll use different types of cheeses – Gruyere, Havarti – and or I’ll add in chopped jalapeno peppers if I really want to play with it. Otherwise, I’ll put out a side of fresh salsa and just serve it as-is.

Cheesy Egg Casserole
12 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk (any kind)
16-oz cottage cheese
8-oz cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3-1/2 lb shredded Monterey jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking/casserole dish.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Stir in cottage cheese, cream cheese and shredded Monterey jack cheese. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until eggs are set and casserole is not “wet” in the middle.
Dish will deflate slightly as it cools. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving to make slicing easier.
Dish can be served hot or cold.

Serves 12-16

Easiest Bean Dip of All Time

2011-12-05T19:19:00.001-05:00

Rachel made this at last week's coffee hour, and she was asked for the recipe, so here you go! I wish I'd been able to stay and sample it! Sounds delicious, and perfect for holiday entertaining!!!

By Rachel Wagner

16 oz (2 8 oz. packages) cream cheese, softened for easier spreading
2 cans refried beans
24 oz salsa, spiced to your preference (I like Pace's Medium Picante)
16 oz shredded cheese, a mix of cheddar, monteray jack, or other "taco" cheese is good

Spread in order listed into a 9x13 pan. (A gentle touch makes for more even layers.) Heat covered at 325-375 F for 15-30 minutes, until hot throughout and cheese is all melty.

Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad

2011-11-29T13:18:00.001-05:00

By: Jamie Hensley, modified by Viki Stumbers Serves 8-12

This was served at the 2011 Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients

Dressing

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced red onion
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon raspberry wine vinegar

(NOTE: THIS IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT—if you don’t have this, GET IT, it MAKES THE SALAD . . . or use 1 tablespoon white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead . . .but be warned that the salad WON’T BE AS GOOD)

1/2 cup good olive oil

Salad

6 slices bacon
8 ounces crumbled cheese (blue cheese or goat cheese are fantastic for this salad)
½ medium red onion (or more to taste)
2 bags baby spinach, rinsed and drained
1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup mandarin oranges, drained (optional)
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered (walnut or pecan halves work well here too)
½ cup pine nuts (optional)
cracked black pepper

Directions

Prepare dressing:

Roast sesame seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
Mince 2 teaspoons red onion and add to medium bowl; reserve remaining onion for salad. To minced onion add poppy seeds, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, vinegars, olive oil and cooled sesame seeds. Whisk to combine thoroughly; store in tightly-closed container in refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours (overnight is best). *The dressing won’t taste anywhere near as good as the finished product if you don’t give it at least an hour to sit.

Prepare salad:

Fry bacon until crisp; drain, crumble and set aside.
Roast almonds and pine nuts in small dry skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
Thinly slice ½ or more of remaining red onion (depending on how much you like red onion).
In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the cooled bacon, crumbled cheese, sliced onion, cranberries, mandarin oranges (optional) and toasted nuts, reserving 1-2 tablespoons of each to top salad. Toss well but DO NOT ADD DRESSING. Chill salad and reserved ingredients until 15 minutes before serving.

15 minutes before serving, bring salad, dressing and topping ingredients to room temperature.
Just before serving, ensure dressing container is sealed well and shake vigorously to recombine. Add ½ of the dressing to the salad and toss well; add additional dressing to taste and toss again.
After last toss, sprinkle top of salad with reserved salad ingredients and freshly-ground black pepper; serve and prepare to bask in numerous compliments.

In the spring or summer, substitute 1 quart sliced fresh strawberries for the cranberries. AWESOME!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Dip

2011-11-08T15:30:00.001-05:00

by Sylvia Musheno

This is the dip that was served last week and was a big hit with young and older alike! Before I left coffee hour, I tracked down Sylvia to demand this recipe for the blog, and was stopped in the hall on the way to my car with a request for it! So here you go--like a big bowl of cookie dough (without the salmonella fear of raw eggs.) Or, like one bite at a time cheesecake--either way, you win!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 Tb. brown sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips (mini are a great size for this)

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in sugars until well blended, then stir in the chips. Serve with fruit, animal crackers, graham crackers, etc. for dipping. Stand back to avoid the stampede.

Cowboy Caviar Bean Dip

2011-10-02T13:21:00.000-04:00

by Ronica Skarphol Brownson

My original recipe is from my Aunt Carol, but I made a few changes to suit our preferences, and it's easily adaptable. (It will probably be different the next time I make it, but this is today's version!) This is kind of a family tradition at the holidays, and it is always a big hit. It makes a lot but keeps well in the fridge since it's in a vinegar/sugar dressing. I mix it up in an ice cream bucket. Serve with a slotted spoon.

2 cans black eyed peas (rinse & drain)
2 cans pinto beans (rinse & drain)
2 cans black beans (rinse & drain)
2 cans shoe peg corn (drained)
1 small can chopped green chiles (drained)
1 can sliced jalapenos, drained and chopped fine
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped fine
1 med. diced onion (chop fine)
1 c. chopped celery (chop fine)
1 c. chopped sweet peppers (I used a mix of red, orange and yellow.)

Bring to boil:

3/4 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
juice of one lime
2 T. Penzey's Bold Taco seasoning (or any taco seasoning)
1 T. Creole Seasoning (Tony Chachere's, or any other all-purpose season salt--to taste.)
1 T. Crystal Sauce (or Tabasco)

Bring to boil----cool and pour over ingredients. I do the dressing first, and by the time the veggies are chopped, it is cool enough to pour over. Allow to marinate several hours in the refrigerator. Serve with a slotted spoon and tortilla chips (scoops are perfect). Keeps a long time in fridge. This can easily be cut in half, but this size serves a crowd!

Creamsicle Fudge/ Marbled Orange Fudge

2011-05-01T19:57:00.002-04:00

This was a hit at the Women of Faith Tea on May 1, 2011. All the fabulous flavor of a Creamsicle, without the tooth sensitivity! Delicious!!!

By Sue Ellen Krupa

This recipe is from Quick Cooking with some modifications.

3/4 c butter (no substitutes)

3 c. sugar

3/4 c. whipping cream ( I use evaporated milk)

1 package (10-12 oz.) white or vanilla chips

1 jar (7oz.) marshmallow creme

3 t orange extract

12 drops yellow food coloring

5 drops red food coloring

Line a 9x12 pan with parchment paper, or grease with butter. In a heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar, cream,and butter. Cook and stir for 4 minutes. Remove from heat: stir in chips and marshmallow creme until smooth. (I pour my boiling sugar mixture into a mixing bowl, add my chips and marshmallow fluff and mix it at high speed with my mixer.)

Remove one cup and set aside. Add orange extract and food colorings to remaining mixture: mix until blended. Pour the orange mixture into prepared pan. Drop reserved marshmallow mixture by tablespoonfuls over top. Cut through mixture with a knife to swirl. Cover and refrigerate until set.

Yield about 2 1/2 pounds.

7 Layer Bars (One Pan!)

2011-04-11T12:43:00.000-04:00

By Ronica Skarphol Brownson

These were taken from my Mom's KMOT TV Minot ND cookbook from the 70's. There were 3 versions of this recipe in there, and probably a million like it on the web. I figured that must mean they are good. I was right! Some people call these Dolly Madison bars, or 7 Story Bars. I love how easy they are, how great the house smells when they are done, how quick they go together, and of course, how delicious they come out!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 small (7 oz.) bag sweetened coconut
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1 can Eagle brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the stick of butter in a 9x13 pan and put it in the oven to melt. When melted, swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides. Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients, in the order given, as evenly as possible in the pan. Do not stir. Drizzle the milk evenly over the whole works. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool well before cutting. Store in the fridge.

Some tips I read:

If the coconut goes on last (or you save some for the top) it will get all toasty.
You can put half the milk over the crumbs, then the rest over the toppings to make it hold together better. I didn't have any trouble with mine, but it's a variation.
Line the pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil for ease of release.
You can mix the butter and crumbs in a bowl, then pat in for a more firm crust. Again, I had no trouble with mine, so I would skip this step.
Change the chips, nuts, etc. for your own variations. This week mine used peanut butter, milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips with pecans. Mainly this is because someone stuck the wrong kind of chips in the butterscotch spot on the shelf at Wegman's and I grabbed the wrong bag. But they were delicious so that was fine with me!

Blue Cheese Pecan Dip

2011-04-11T12:32:00.000-04:00

by Ronica Skarphol Brownson

1 lb. cream cheese
3-6 T. blue cheese (or more, depending on how much you like blue cheese)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 T. milk (or more as needed)

(Also could use whipped cream cheese.)

Whip cream cheese and milk together until light and fluffy. Add more milk if needed to get the texture you want. 1 T. makes it firm, and it will form a ball nicely, but if you want it creamier, add a bit more milk. Add blue cheese and pecans, and stir a bit to mix. Allow it to sit in the fridge for several hours or overnight to blend flavors. Serve with crackers or your other favorite dippers. Also makes a fantastic burger topper!

Fast and Easy Tailgate Apps

2011-04-07T16:16:00.000-04:00

by Viki Stumbers

Here’s a non-recipe favorite:

Arrange on a large platter:

·         fresh apple wedges
·         pretzels
·         crackers
·         small slices of cheddar cheese

Serve with 1 jar of Herlocher’s Dipping Mustard and 1 container of Caramel Apple dip (found in the produce section). Set out two spoons (for the dips) and toothpicks. Just about everything goes with everything else, and prep time is nearly nil.

Ways to stretch/expand the apps (and still just about everything goes with just about everything else):

1.        Need to make it heartier? Add cubes of ham and cubes or cracker slices of Swiss cheese.
2.       Heartier than that? Also add chunks of kielbasa or smoked sausage and a small container of horseradish.
3.       Need it to be sweeter? Add plain store-bought cookies (sturdy/crisp) and a jar of Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread—find it near the peanut butter).
4.       Need it to be healthier? Add natural peanut butter, raisins and celery sticks.
5.       Need to feed a crowd? Add all items from 1-4 to make a super-platter.
6.       Need it to be faster? Buy the cheese pre-sliced for crackers (near the shredded cheese section) and the apples pre-cut (in produce aisle)
7.       Need it faster than that (as in, you’re on your way to the tailgate/party/whatever and realized you forgot to get anything)? Almost all items are available at Sheetz—grab and go!

Easy Lasagna

2011-04-06T14:02:00.001-04:00

by Jean Ross

1 lb. ground been
1 box lasagna noodles - uncooked
26 oz. spaghetti sauce
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
1 lb. ricotta cheese
4 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Brown ground beef and add to spaghetti sauce.
Mix mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan and eggs.
Pour 1/3 of sauce into glass baking dish.
Arrange layer of uncooked lasagna noodles covering area completely.
Cover this with sauce and cheese mixture.
Continue alternating ingredients til all used.
Cover tightly with foil and let stand for 24 hours in cook place.
Next day sprinkle with Parmesan cheese - cover again and bake 75 minutes at 325.
Remove foil the last 15 minutes to brown.
Let stand 15 minutes for ease in cutting.
Serves 8

Becky's Hot Wing Dip

2011-04-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

by Jean Ross

Combine: 8 ounces of cream cheese
          6 ounces of hot sauce
          1 jar of Marie's Blue Cheese Salad dressing
               (usually found refrigerated with the dips and other salad dressings)
Stir in: 4 cooked boneless chicken breasts that have been diced or shredded
Heat in oven, crockpot or microwave.

Cinnamon Rolls

2011-04-06T13:59:00.004-04:00

by Jean Ross
(this is a variation of Caramel Monkey Bread.)

2 loaves frozen bread dough
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 large or 2 small boxes vanilla pudding (not instant)
2 tablespoons milk
Cinnamon to taste

Thaw bread, but not raise (approximately 8 to 9 hours in refrigerator).
Break 1 loaf in chunks in bottom of 13x9 inch cake pan (ungreased).
Melt butter; mix in brown sugar, pudding mix, milk and cinnamon.
Pour over dough. Break second loaf into chunks over top; let rise 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350. Let cook 10 minutes and flip out onto a tray.

Root Beer Cookies

2011-04-03T22:51:00.001-04:00

by Gerry Krupa

1 c packed brown sugar

4 oz margarine

2 oz (1/2 a stick) butter

1 egg

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 3/4 c flour

2 t root beer concentrate, such as McCormick's

for the icing:

2 c confectioner's sugar

1/3 c butter

2 to 4 T water

1 t root beer concentrate

For the cookies: Beat brown sugar. margarine, butter and egg for several minutes until well blended and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla,baking soda, salt, the flour in increments and the root beer concentrate. The batter will be stiff. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls spaced about 2 inches apart onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. The cookies will spread.

For the icing; Combine confectioner's sugar with the butter and mix well. In a measuring cup, combine water and root beer concentrate. Add to sugar-butter mixture and mix well, adding more water as needed to reach desired consistency. Spread on the cooled cookies.

Cherry Pear Almond Crock Pot Dessert

2011-03-31T16:23:00.000-04:00

by Sheila Merrill

I made this and took it to one of the Wed. night dinners. I came home with an empty crock pot. It was a hit!

1 28 oz. can cherry pie filling
2 15 oz. cans diced pears in syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 1.9 packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
Cool whip for topping

Spray crock pot with butter flavored cooking spray, set aside. In a large bowl, combine pie

filling, pears, (with juice) and almond extract. Poor into prepared crock pot. Sprinkle cake

mix over fruit mixture, dot with butter. Sprinkle oatmeal over cake mixture. Place a thickness of

8 paper towels over crock pot and secure lid. This helps to trap steam. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

Do NOT lift lid for the first 3 hours. Serve warm with Cool Whip.

Leek and Potato Frittata

2011-03-27T21:08:00.001-04:00

by Christina Pillot

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, cleaned, thinly sliced (3 cups)
3 tsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 pound small red or white potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
6 large eggs
Freshly milled black pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley for garnish

1. Set a rack on the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 400 deg. F

2. In a large ovenproof skillet over high heat, warm the oil. Add the leeks and 2 tsp of salt and sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.   Lower the heat, add the thyme, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover by 1/2 inch. Cook over medium heat, covered until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, 8 - 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to the skillet.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the remaining tsp of salt. Season with black pepper.   Add the eggs to the skillet and stir to combine.   Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until firm and slightly puffed, about 20 minutes.

5.   Sprinkle with parsley, cut in wedges, and serve hot or warm.

Real Hummus Recipe

2011-03-27T21:06:00.001-04:00

from Christina Pillot (via the web)

You shouldn’t, and can’t, compete with people who have been making hummus all their lives. On the other hand, you can still make a very tasty hummus the first time you try. It will taste 10 times better than any packaged hummus you can buy, and be 10 times healthier as well (read more here). With time, you will get the touch and become a hummus expert.
A hummus made right, will not make you feel heavy or bloated after you eat it. It will not make you – excuse my French – fart like crazy, either. It should go down smoothly, leaving you light and happy, and in a cheerful mood.
To solve the gas problem, BTW, you should soak the chickpeas in clean water for 10-15 hours, switch them at least once, and take off the foam that appears over the boiling water during the cooking. That’s all (and if you’re extra sensitive, put one bay leaf into the cooking pot).
Also, washing the chickpeas well between every two steps of the making, will help you leave out the aftertastes.
There are lots of different hummus recipes. I came across dozens of hummus recipes, and practically tried them all. The recipe before you is the best, in my opinion. Accurate and well tested – although you should feel free to experiment. Good luck!

Ingredients[4 extra-large bowls of Hummus]

1 cups dried chickpeas (the smallest you can find)
1/2 cup tahini
juice from 1 squeezed lemons
1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon + 1/8-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
salt
olive oil
parsley

How do I make that into Hummus? (Directions)
[Brut: 10-20 hours. Net: 30 minutes]
1. Poor the chickpeas over a large plate. Go over them and look for damaged grains small stones, or any other thing you would rather leave out of the plate.
2. Wash the chickpeas several times, until the water is transparent. Soak them in clean water over night with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Then, wash it, and soak again in tap water for a few more hours. The grains should absorb most of the water and almost double their volume.
3. Wash the chickpeas well and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, add the rest baking soda and NO salt. Cook until the grains are very easily smashed when pressed between two fingers. It should take around 1-1.5 hours, during which it is advised to switch the water once again, and remove the peels and foam which float over the cooking water. When done, sieve the grains and keep the cooking water.
4. Put the chickpeas into a food processor and grind well. Leave it to chill a little while before you continue.
5. Add the tahini and the rest of the ingredients and go on with the food processor until you get the desired texture. If the Humus is too thick, add some of the cooking water. It should be thinner than the actual desired texture.
Serve with some good olive oil and chopped parsley.

Almond Mandarin Green Salad

2011-03-21T20:39:00.000-04:00

by Lora Price

1 head romaine lettuce-shredded
1 can mandarin oranges-drained
½ cup celery-chopped
2 green onions-chopped
candied almonds
Dressing

Combine first 4 ingredients. Toss. Add Dressing and top with candied almonds JUST
before serving.

Candied almonds
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar.
Melt butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add sugar and almonds. Cook
until golden brown, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Pour onto wax paper. When
cool, break apart into small pieces. (This is good if doubled.)

Dressing
¼ cup salad oil
2 tablespoons vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)
1 ¼ teaspoon each salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
dash red pepper

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-03-21T20:37:00.000-04:00

by Lora Price

3 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
½ cup margarine, melted
1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup milk

Mix all ingredients together. Place in a greased baking dish.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup self-rising flour
½ cup margarine, melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix ingredients together and spread over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 35 – 40 minutes.

AWESOME Nacho Bean Dip

2011-03-21T20:34:00.000-04:00

by Lora Price

8 oz. softened cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1 can refried beans
1 package chili powder seasoning mix
½ cup taco sauce
1 can jalpenos (optional)
1 ½ c. each – sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, grated (reserve ¾ cups of each
for topping)

Beat cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth. Stir in beans, chili powder,
seasoning mix, taco sauce and (optional) jalapenos. Stir in ¾ cup each cheddar and
Monterey Jack cheese. Spoon into lightly greased casserole dish and top with an addition
¾ cup each of the cheeses. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
Leftovers warm up great. (There are never any leftovers. =)

Easy Fresh Fruit Cobbler

2011-03-21T20:32:00.003-04:00

by Lora Price

2 cup fresh fruit (peaches, blueberries, blackberries, etc.)
¼ cup sugar
½ stick margarine
½ to ¾ cup sugar (to taste)
½ cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Mix fruit and ¼ cup sugar in bowl. Let stand 30 minutes or until juice forms.
Melt margarine in 2 quart baking dish. Make batter of remaining ingredients.
Pour batter over butter. Do not stir. Pour fruit and juice over batter. Do not stir.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until brown.

FISH!

2011-03-21T16:09:00.002-04:00

Come and have some good eats. Come and be served by some energetic youth. Come and support youth mission in Tennessee this summer. Come to the Mountain TOP Fish Dinner Friday, April 1 from 5pm-7pm. Sign up on the fellowship hall doors.

(from Pastor Mike)

Caramel Monkey Bread

2011-03-20T20:41:00.001-04:00

by Ronica Brownson

This is my favorite thing for breakfast, ever. Perfect for company or Christmas morning, or in my case, as a birthday cake. Hey, when you're the baker, you make what you want!

18 frozen Rhodes bread rolls (you can use a loaf of their bread dough, but waiting for it to thaw and cutting it in pieces is kind of a pain. This is much easier. Resist the urge to add more--there won't be enough caramel and the rolls will start creeping out of the pan like The Blob.)
1 box NOT INSTANT butterscotch pudding mix (the instant just turns the whole thing into a crusty, not caramelly mess.)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon (optional, I don't use it because I'm allergic. It's still fantastic.)
1/2 cup or so of chopped nuts, if desired
1 stick butter, melted
2 T. milk or cream

The night before, or at least 8 hours before, grease a Bundt or tube cake pan. Add the nuts, if using, and the frozen rolls. Mix the pudding mix, sugar and cinnamon (if using) together, and add melted butter and cream or milk. Stir until it's fairly well mixed, then pour over the rolls in the pan. Cover with a piece of foil sprayed with nonstick spray, or the non stick foil. Set aside in a warm place to thaw and rise. (Overnight is ideal--do this just before you go to bed.)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Bake rolls about 25 minutes or until golden. To be safe, I usually set my bundt pan on a half sheet cookie pan just in case some caramel tries to escape. Nothing worse than burnt sugar on the bottom of the oven! Remove from oven, and turn out onto a large plate with higher sides to contain any caramel overload.

Mmmm... caramel overload.

Photo by Lori D. Stone.