Sloppy Sams

3 cups water
1 cup lentils, rinsed
salt to taste (optional)
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped tomato
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons molasses
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns, split

1. Combine water and lentils in a saucepan; season to taste with salt if desired. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, cook onions with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, ketchup, mustard powder, chili powder, molasses and Worcestershire sauce; simmer 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
3. Drain lentils and reserve cooking liquid. Stir lentils into sauce mixture, adding cooking liquid or water as needed to obtain the desired "sloppy joe" consistency. Serve on buns.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Try #1 - September 1, 2012
We like this.  I doubled the amount of lentils (but kept the same ratio of the other ingredients), and it still worked fine.

Sloppy Joes

From Whitney's blog

Brown:
1 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bell pepper
1/4 cup celery
1 carrot shredded
2 tsp minced garlic

Drain. Add:
1 cup ketchup
1/4-1/3 cup water (depending on how "sloppy" you want!")
1/2 tbls mustard
1/2 tbls brown sugar
2 tsp chili powder
dash of garlic salt and pepper

Reduce heat to low and simmer for up to 30 minutes. Serve over hamburger buns.

Coconut Red Beans and Rice

From Angela's blog

1 cup dried small red beans (soaked overnight, then boiled for 10 minutes)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can coconut milk (full fat is best. if you prefer to not use full-fat, add a drop or two of coconut extract to intensify the flavor)
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long grain basmati white rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 limes, cut in wedges

Sort beans, and soak overnight in a bunch of water. In the morning, drain the water and dump the beans into a large pot of fresh water. Boil rapidly on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes before draining and putting into your crockpot. Red beans MUST be boiled on the stove before added to the slow cooker to kill a possible toxin that occurs naturally.

Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the whole can of coconut milk (the creamy stuff, too), and chicken broth. Stir in raw rice and kosher salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans are bite tender. Before eating, squeeze on a bit of lime juice for a fun tropical twist.

Try #1 - July 2010
I used way more than a cup of beans, but it still turned out well. It had a nice, light coconut taste. I also cooked the rice separately. Nathan LOVED it!

Ground Beef into Sausage

Tip from Whitney!

If you don't have sausage on hand and need it for a recipes OR you don't want the fat of a sausage- ground beef or turkey can be a great alternative.

Here are the seasonings you need to add to get that "sausage" flavor.

For 2 Ibs ground beef
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbls salt
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp pepper

In a bowl mix the raw meat and seasonings with your hands. Form into patties, links or just brown in pan.

Foil-wrapped Grilled Vegetables

1.Coarsely chop your veggies into bit size pieces.
2.Drizzle over olive oil generously and lightly toss the vegetables to coat.
3.Sprinkle with herbs, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste. Lightly toss to distribute.
4.Lay out one or two layers of aluminum foil on your work surface. Pile up the vegetables in the middle. If you are making more than a couple cups worth of vegetables, separate them into separate foil packets.
5.Either fold the foil around the vegetables and secure on top or lay another layer of foil on top and bunch up the edges to secure it. You want your foil packet of vegetables to be closed on all sides. Also be sure that where you close the foil is facing upward. If the seam is on the bottom of the packet or facing down, your oil and other liquids will simply drip out into your grill.
6.Up to this point, you can prepare your vegetable packets slightly ahead of time while you prepare other food or prepare the grill or fire pit. Do not leave the vegetables sitting in the oil for more than a couple hours however.
7.Put your grilled vegetable foil packets directly on your hot grill. After some time they will start to steam and sizzle.
8.Cooking time varies depending on the hardness of the vegetables (more time if hard veggies like potato and carrot are included), the size of the pieces, the size of your packets and the heat of your grill. In very general terms, you will need at least 10 minutes of cooking time and up to 30 to 40 minutes if you have large pieces of potato or carrot which need time to soften. You can also cook more or less to your taste if you like your veggies more well done and soft or more on the crisp and fresh side.
9.If all else fails, remove your foil packet from the grill to a plate or platter (I find a large spatula the best way to do this without the foil packet breaking or falling open). Carefully open the packet (the steam will be hot!) and check your veggies for doneness. If they are not done to your liking, simply wrap them back up tightly and put back on the grill for a while longer.
10.When done, remove the veggies to a serving bowl or platter and discard the foil. Taste for salt and pepper and add some if needed.
11.Your grilled vegetable dish is now ready to serve alongside the rest of your delicious grilled recipes!

Cornmeal Pancakes

From cooks.com

1 1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 c. buttermilk
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 egg yolk, white beaten

Mix in order given. Beat well and fold in beaten egg white. Let batter stand for 10 minutes. Bake on hot griddle. Makes 16 (4 inch) pancakes.

Try #1 - June 28, 2010
These were very fluffy! We could definitely taste the cornmeal, so if you're not a fan of cornbread you might not like these, but we thought they were a great alternative to traditional pancakes. Definitely let the batter stand for 10 minutes before cooking - I think it helped with the fluffiness.

Vinegret Salat

2 medium beets, boiled
3 Tbsp oil
5 medium potatoes, boiled and diced
3 medium carrots, boiled and diced
3/4 cup steamed green peas
3 pickled gherkins, finely chopped
2 hardcooked eggs, finely chopped
1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 bunch scallions, finely chopped
3 Tbsp vinegar
Salt, pepper, and sugar
1 bunch parsley or dill, finely chopped

Pour oil over the beets as soon as you have chopped them up, so that they do not discolor the other ingredients. Thoroughly mix together all ingredients, season with salt and pepper and garnish before serving with pieces of fish and freshly chopped herbs.

Olivier Salat

3 hardcooked eggs
3 medium potatoes boiled in their skins
1 large carrot, boiled
2-3 pickled gherkins (cucumbers)
1/4 cup peas, boiled
10 Tbsp mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
Salt
Pepper
2 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp finely chopped dill

Peel the hardcooked eggs and chop small. Peel and slice the cooked potatoes and slice the carrot. Chop the gherkins small. Mix together all the solid ingredients. Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream together, season with salt and pepper, add the capers and chopped dill, and carefully add to the solid ingredients.

French Bread

3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter
1 5/16 cups (10 1/2 fl oz) water
1 tsp dry yeast

French setting, 6 hours (can use timer too)

Try #1 - June 23, 2010
We made this to go with plov. Tastes exactly like French bread! :) Really good.

Breakfast Casserole

Part of a delicious Father's Day breakfast!

4 slices bread
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 eggs
2 cup milk
1 teaspoon ground mustard (or 1 Tbsp regular mustard)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1.Cut bread into 1-in. cubes. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. In a skillet, brown the sausage and onions over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Sprinkle the sausage and cheese over bread cubes.
2.In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over the sausage and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Try #1 - June 20, 2010
For Father's Day... turned out well, although the dijon mustard could definitely be tasted (Nathan liked the slight spicyness of it... I might have preferred less). Also, it took longer than 30 minutes to really firm up.

Hamburger Buns

3 3/4 cups bread flour (or try 1 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, and 3/4 cup oats)
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk, slightly warmed (probably not necessary for my bread machine)
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1. Place all ingredients in pan of bread machine according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Select dough setting (2 hours 20 minutes for me).
3. When cycle is complete, turn out onto floured surface. Will be sticky!!
4. Cut dough in half and roll each half out to a 1" thick circle.
5. Cut each half into six 3 1/2" rounds with inverted glass as a cutter (I used our big pint glasses).
6. Place on well-greased baking sheet far apart and brush with melted butter.
7. Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour. (Really only need to let rise for about 15 minutes - they do most of their rising in the oven.)
8. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes.
Note: Oven temperatures vary so check after 9 minutes to see if done. Some reviewers baked these anywhere from 12 to 30 minutes.

Source: recipezaar.com

Try #1 - June 20, 2010 (Father's Day!)
These came out great, despite the fact that I totally screwed up! I couldn't fathom how I should roll the dough out to 1 inch thick, so I did it to about half that. Turns out the 1 inch dough would make a single bun (that you then slice in half), rather than a bunch of half buns... duh, makes sense, but I'm so used to pre-sliced hamburger buns that I just figured I was making the halves separately! I also didn't bother to let them rise for an hour... my family was hungry. I let them sit for about 15 minutes, but they seemed to finish rising in the oven. Bake time was closer to 10-12 minutes.

Also, for the flour I used just a little over 2 cups bread flour, just under 1 cup whole wheat flour (all I had left), and 3/4 cup oats. Worked great! I think you can be fairly flexible with the amounts (but probably always keep at least 1 to 1/2 cups bread flour) as long as you have 3 3/4 cups total.

So, summary: Using different flours - fine. Rolling dough to 1/2 inch - fine. Only letting rise for 15 minutes - fine. Maybe next time I'll try the actual recipe! :)

Try #2 - July 10, 2010
Used 1 1/2 cup bread flour, 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup oatmeal. Rolled them out thicker - still not quite 1 inch, but much closer to hamburger bun size. Turned out great!

Try #3 - January 23, 2012
These are still awesome. I really should have read my previous notes, because letting them rise for an hour did nothing. They only rose once they were in the oven - so 15 minutes resting time it is. I wonder if it has anything to do with the multiple flours I use...

Mango Salsa (no tomato)

From simplyrecipes.com

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 Jalapeño chile, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Also good with diced red bell pepper and jicama.

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for your taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This cookies are AMAZING.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light. Add the egg and mix until fluffy.
3. Blend the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together well. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips.
4. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°.

Adapted from southernfood.about.com

Homemade Crackers

From http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--1973/homemade-crackers.asp

1 1/4 cups flour (divided) - white, whole wheat, rye, or any finely ground grain such as cornmeal or buckwheat
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, canola oil or olive oil; more as needed
4 tablespoons water; add more as needed
1 teaspoon seasoning such as chili powder, dried herbs etc (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Mix together well, preferably in a food processor, 1 cup of the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and oil or butter ( use smaller amount for crisper crackers, or a larger amount for a richer flavor). Add 3 tablespoons water and mix well. Gradually add more water, mixing after each addition, until mixture forms a compact ball. If it seems too sticky to handle, add more flour.
3. Sprinkle a work surface (or a baking sheet-sized piece of parchment paper) with some of the remaining flour then press and roll the dough to about 1/8th inch thick. Try to get it fairly uniform. If the dough is too dry to roll out, return it to the food processor and add a little more water. If necessary to prevent sticking, dust your hands and the rolling pin with a little more flour.
4. Put the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet dusted with a little flour (if you've used parchment paper, transfer dough and paper to baking sheet) and bake 10 - 15 minutes, until somewhat brown.
5. Cool and break into pieces. If making several batches, mix another while the first one bakes. You can re-use the parchment paper several times.

Salad Dressing for Spinach Salad

1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3-4 teaspoons honey (or to taste)
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil, plus
2 tablespoons olive oil
black pepper

1. In a bowl whisk together garlic, salt, Dijon, honey and balsamic vinegar; add in olive oil in a slow steady stream until emulsified.
2. Adjust honey amount adding in more if desired for a sweeter taste, then season with more salt if needed, and black pepper.
3. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours before using.

Source: recipezaar.com

Try #1 - December 2010
Yummy!

Garlic Pizza Crust

From allrecipes.com

2 cups bread flour (or 1 cup bread flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
6 fluid ounces lukewarm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1.Place the ingredients into the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Close the lid, select the Dough cycle, and press Start.
2.When the machine signals the end of the cycle, remove the dough and knead into a tight ball on a lightly floured surface. Let rest for about 15 minutes.
3.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Stretch the dough out to fit your desired pizza pan. Let rise for about 20 minutes for a thicker crust.
4.Top with sauce, cheese and desired pizza toppings. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust is lightly browned on the bottom when you lift up to take a peek.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half
1/4 cup barbeque sauce, divided
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 (16 ounce) package pre-baked pizza crust
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken breast in the skillet, and top with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce. Cook 10 minutes, turn, and top with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce. Continue cooking 10 minutes, until juices run clear. Cool slightly, and cut into chunks.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. In a small bowl, mix the remaining barbeque sauce and marinara sauce. Spread evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Arrange cooked chicken chunks and red onion slices over the top.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cilantro, and let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

Carpet Stain Removal

Coffee:
1. Blot the area with a clean, white cloth to absorb all the liquid you can. Blot from the outside of the stain in to avoid spreading the stain.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon clear, mild liquid dish washing detergent with 1 cup lukewarm water.
3. Sponge the area with the detergent solution. Blot again with a clean, white cloth.
4. Mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup lukewarm water.
5. Sponge the area with the vinegar solution. Blot with a clean, white cloth.
6. Sponge the area with clean water. Blot with a clean, white cloth.

Creamy Pesto Sauce

From Whitney's blog

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp butter
4 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp pesto (or 2 pesto ice cubes)

In pan over medium heat, heat olive oil, butter, garlic and onion until onion is translucent. Add flour, pepper and milk. Reduce head to medium low. Make sure to stir well so there are no flour lumps. Let simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Add cheeses, stirring constantly. Add pesto. Let cook 5 minutes.

Serve over pasta with chicken or fish.