Monthly Archives: September 2005

Heidi’s Savory French Bread

Heidi

Mexican Dip Casserole

Mexican Dip Casserole

1 can vegetarian refried beans (I mixed some left over mashed chipotles in adobo for some heat for the mature taste buds in my family)
1 can kidney or black beans, drained & rinsed
cumin
1 block firm tofu, cubed, or 1 lb ground turkey (I did 1/2 one side

Finally Got it Right Chili

Finally Got it Right Chili

Pour acouple tablespoons olive oil in bottom of pot add onion and garlic (to taste). When they are brown add a good meaure of molasses (about 1/8-1/4 cup). Add one can tomatoe paste and one large can sliced tomatoes. You can add pepper, chili powder, etc. to taste.Let simmer acouple minutes and then add beans of your choice I’ve used all combinations :) about 3 cans worth. Simmer and enjoy. I usually have a small green salad, cornbread or biscuits, and the kids love to add cheddar cheese on top.

I’ve been unable to have a garden where we lived but I’m hoping that next year we can finally have a garden. So I use store bought tomatoes and paste. You can use canned beans, or dried (I’ve used both). Whatever is handy this recipe is very forgiving.

Healthy Jello recipe

Jello making is sooooo easy! The only ingredients are fruit juice and Knox gelatin! It’s actually as easy, or even easier, than using the box, and so much more healthy. I have used a couple of different recipes over the years. Here’s my current one, adapted from the La Leche League cookbook “Whole Foods for the Whole Family”, along with my comments.

Gelatin

1 T. unflavored gelatin (I use Knox because I haven’t gotten a vegetarian kind to gel properly)–I used four packets of gelatin, but for REALLY firm “jello blocks”, so toddlers and small children can handle them with their hands, I’d need to use 5, I think.

1/2 c. cold fruit juice–I used 1-1/2 cups, and it was really not that cold, either. They say you can use water, but I didn’t see the point of watering down the flavor.

1-1/2 c. fruit juice–I used 4-1/2 cups.

Optional–chopped fruits or vegetables (except for fresh or frozen pineapple, mango, figs, or papaya).

Sprinkle gelatin over cold juice in saucepan. Heat over low heat until gelatin dissolves, while stirring. (doesn’t take more than a minute or two, really)

Stir in remainder of juice, and any optional ingredients you’re using. Pour into container of choice. Chill until set.

I poured the gelatin into a large glass roaster once, and used two 8X8 pans another time. I poured any leftover into small tupperware-type cups to use for school lunches.

Heidi’s Honey Vanilla Yogurt

Heidi’s Honey Vanilla Yogurt
By Heidi

4 cups milk (any kind)
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered milk (any kind)
1 package yogurt Starter

Heat milk, powdered milk, honey, and vanilla until
just before boiling. Let cool to luke warm (100 – 110
F), I put a little on my wrist and when it feels warm
not hot it is ready. Add the yogurt starter to a small
amount of the milk mixture and mix well then add to
the rest of the milk. Place in yogurt maker for 6 to
10 hours, the longer you leave it the tarter the
taste. If it is not set after desired time has elapsed
close maker and give it another hour. It will set a
little more in the refrigerator as it cools. You can
drain some of the whey off using a gold coffee filter
or several layers of cheese cloth resulting in a
thicker consistency.

Veggie Wrap

Veggie Wrap

2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup diced eggplant
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Tbs chopped Garlic
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1 package tomato and basil wrappers (large size
usually 8 to a pack)

Saut

Brunch Casserole

Brunch Casserole

2 lbs potatoes scrubbed and peeled
1 onion chopped
1 lb breakfast meat, chopped ham, or sausage cooked and crubled, or smoked sausage sliced
2 C shredded cheese
12 eggs
1 C milk
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Layer 1/3 of potatoes,onion, meat and cheese 3 times. Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour over the top. Cook on low for 8 hours (overnight works great). There are 5 of us in our family and we ate exactly half for Sunday lunch (we eat a lot and the kids really liked it), so I think it would feed 10 if a couple are kids.

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion ,chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-8 oz cans tomato sauce
2/3 C water
1-6 oz can tomato paste
1 t salt
1 t dried oregano
9 dry lasagna noodles (whole wheat works well)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1

Baked Pumpkin Bread

Baked Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Mix in the pumpkin, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and butter until well blended. Pour into a 9×5 inch loaf pan and smooth the top.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Economical Eating

Need to prepare meals on a tight budget? Here are some healthy ideas!

  • Soups can be made with cheap ingredients such as beans, and can be stretched with a bit of water, if needed (just add more seasonings). They also make well in bulk (doubling or tripling the recipe), and freeze well (with the possible exception of cream soups or ones with white potatoes).
  • Minestrone can be made with any scraps of leftover veggies you have on hand, even ones not quite at their prime anymore. After your dinner is over, don’t throw away leftover tiny bits of veggies–put them in a plastic container in the freezer. Add to the container anytime you have a couple of spoonfuls of veggies you’d otherwise throw away. When the container’s full, make “surprise soup”! I got that idea from the La Leche League cookbook “Whole Foods for the Whole Family”. Calling it “surprise soup” was my idea, though. I think that name will go over with kids a lot better than “leftover scrap soup”! LOL!
  • BTW–dry beans are cheaper than canned, so buy a couple of bags of dry beans and cook them up yourself rather than buy canned. It’s easy to do, and they can also be cooked ahead and frozen, to have ready when needed.
  • And please don’t forget my most favorite meal of all–”see-food night”! I’m sure the “regulars” here are sick of hearing about it (please don’t all groan at once! LOL!), but it’s a wonderful way to make good use of leftovers and odds and ends (the last three crackers in a box, and the last slice of cheese, for instance). One night a week, just get out all the leftovers from meals throughout the week, and put them on your kitchen counter–the last two inches of a roast, the last chicken leg, the last 1/2 container of stew–whatever. BTW–the chicken and roast can also go into your soup! Cut them up and freeze them in baggies for the day you make soup, to add a bit of extra protein.
  • Anyway, to get back to “see-food night”. After you’ve gotten the “good” leftovers out, and thrown away the ones that were definitely NOT good *shudder*, now check the vegetable drawer. One last apple hiding in there? A few berries in the bottom of the box? Get them out! Celery that you can salvage two good stalks off of? These would be great cut up, with a little peanut butter or the last 1/2 inch of salad dressing in the bottom of the bottle as a dip!
  • Now the pantry. Three crackers left in a box? Two slices of bread left in the bag? One lonely can of beets you won’t otherwise really make use of? Put them on the counter (be sure to open the can of beets and put them on a plate, of course)! What might seem like unwanted odds and ends normally can look pretty interesting as a “smorgasbord”! Don’t forget to put out butter or jelly, and a knife, to put on the bread, or it will get ignored.
  • Then hand your family members each a plate, and let them choose whatever they like. No matter what they pick, it will be nutritious, so who cares if the five year old picks three grapes and a cracker, right? Right! No one’s starving, no one’s eating junk food, you’re not fighting over them cleaning their plates, you’re making good use of leftovers and foods that otherwise would not get eaten, and you are not having to cook, so please don’t check their plates for the “four food groups” tonight! :) Yes, I know it’s the “Food Pyramid” now, but that just sounded better! :) Plus, if you use paper plates, there’s not much clean up involved, either, so no work for you other than maybe the serving dishes. I’ve done this on occasion myself. Then after they’re all done eating whatever they’re going to eat, decide what’s still worth keeping, and how you’re going to store it, and chuck the rest. Easy?
  • This is going to be annoying but… BEANS AND RICE. They can be dressed up and dressed down. A 10 lb bag of rice in CA is $7. Since everyone is bringing up crock pots, you could buy dried beans and find someone who uses a crock to cook them (generally you HAVE to soak and then change the water). Once you get thoese two staples, you can fix up or fix down. You can make dirty beans and rice (Cajun) with the addition of celery, onion, and green peppers. Add tomatoes with juice and cajun spices. The addition of meat is up to you. Beans and rice are protein perfect.
  • For Mexican meals, add cheese (if you’re not vegan), chili, some shredded meat and use corn tortillas. Making a chili from this isn’t hard with the rice as “filler” or a binder to make it more hearty.
  • The other option is to use eggs (get rid of every other yoke if cholesterol is a problem). There are many egg casseroles that use few ingrediants, but can feed many. My favorite uses a pound of cooked sausage (OK, I use tempeh — soy meat substitute) and a cup or two of shredded cheddar on the bottom of a casserole. You blend together 4 eggs, 2 cups of milk, and a cup of bisquick with spices (usually just salt and pepper) for 1 minute. Pour over the eggs/sausage and place in a preheated (400 degree) oven for 30 minutes. Slice and serve with salad or more bread if you like.