Black and White Bean and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

·       1/3 cup (75 mL) quinoa

·       1 can (19 oz/540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed

·       1 can (19 oz/540 mL) navy beans, drained and rinsed

·       1 cup (250 mL) diced cucumbers

·       1/4 cup (60 mL) diced red onion

·       1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

·       1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh coriander

Dressing:

·       1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil

·       2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice

·       1 tbsp (15 mL) cider vinegar

·       1 clove garlic, minced

·       1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder

·       1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander

·       1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano

·       1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

·       1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper

Hummus

This is Moiya's recipe

Hummus

2 c. Garbanzo Beans (drained but reserve some liquid) *below
3 Tblsp. Tahini
1/8 c. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Salt
3-4 cloves Garlic
1 Tblsp. Olive Oil
¼-1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 – 1 tsp. Cumin

Blend together until smooth.

*In Power Pressure Cooker make dried Beans

1 lb. dried beans – 8 c. water
cook for 35-40 min (with Natural Pressure Release)

Egg Foo Yong

Sauce:

3/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 t. soya sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
 T cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water
peas (optional)

Bring chicken stock to boil.  Add soya sauce, salt and then cornstarch mixture.  Lower heat and cook for 2 minutes until sauce is smooth and clear.  Keep warm at low heat ntil ready to sere with Egg Foo Yong.

Egg Mixture:

9 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp accent
pepper to taste
1 lb bean sprouts
1 cup celery shredded
1 cup fresh mushrooms 

2 green onions, shredded or 1/2 Spanish onion 1 cup choice or mix of the following: shredded barbecue pork, shredded chicken, 1 can crab meat, 1 can shrimp

Rise bean sprouts in cold water, drain.  Beat eggs well with fork; set aside.  Heat oil and season with salt, accent and pepper.  Stir fry celery, mushrooms and bean sprouts.  Add green onions and choice of meats and seafoods.  Fry until meat is pink or seafood is almost cooked.  Fold mixture into bowl of beaten eggs.  Ladle eggs mixture into heated fry pan, with boil on bottom, 1/2 cup at a time and fry like an omelette (cook for about 2 minutes until gold and flip over to cook for another minute).  Keep cooked egg pancakes warm in moderate oven until ready to serve.  Arrange neatly on a platter.  Pour hot sauce over top to serve.

Note: This is the recipe I got in the 1970's when I took a Chinese Food Cooking course in the Calgary Board of Education Night Class with that name.  It was reprinted in  Bow Valley's Best I Love Homemaking Cookbook (1989).

Christmas Tree Buns

... roll the buns and place on the tray ...
... make sure to leave lots of room for the dough to rise ...

Moiya has gone to Calgary to hug and cuddle the new little Elizabeth Wood at Matthew and Stacey's house.

I don't know if she will be called Elizabeth or any of the lovely nicknames that go along with Elizabeth:Lizzie, Beth, Betty, Eliza -- the list is endless.

Before Moiya left Salmon Arm, she was in the middle of making something with a Christmas tree theme for a weekend party.

She settled on a Christmas tree made out of cheese buns.

Now this is a lot of work, but it really made me laugh.

There is not much cheaper to play with than bread dough.

I asked Moiya for the recipe.

When the buns are finished proofing,
they will look like this.

She said that it is just Marina's cheese bun recipe.

Well, thankfully she sent me pictures of steps, one, two and three.

It does look like Moiya is using parchment paper.

I don't know when parchment paper because a staple in my pantry.

Perhaps 10 years ago?

Having the tree on parchment paper looks like the secret.

... I can almost smell that fresh warm air above the buns...

As well, Moiya put little stars on the top bun, by rolling tiny piece of dough and then artfully making them into a star.

She did a couple of extra buns in case the first one didn't work out.

Now why she did any of this I will never know since the first person in the buffet line will ruin that art of the creation and it will just be a pan of buns after 10 people have taken one.

Still, it is something I would have tried.

Something I may still try.

Arta

Fresh Cranberry Salsa Dip

Description

The perfect sweet & savory holiday appetizer: bright and tangy cranberries combine with spicy jalapenos and are cooled by creamy cream cheese.

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Ingredients

·       12 oz bag fresh cranberries, washed

·       2 jalapenos, minced (adjust according to taste)

·       1/2 cup sliced green onions, roughly chopped

·       1/4 cup chopped cilantro, roughly chopped

·       1/2 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

·       1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

·       1/2 cup sugar, more to taste if desired

·       2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

---

Instructions

1.    Place cranberries, jalapenos, green onions and cilantro in a food processor and process until fine. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in lime juice, salt, and sugar. Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or more. To serve, spread cream cheese evenly in a pie plate or other shallow serving dish. Spread salsa on top and serve with crackers.

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Notes

·       Feel free to adjust this basic recipe to taste. I like to be heavy-handed with the onion and cilantro, and if you like a kick, add more jalapeno peppers! One recipe makes enough for 2 blocks of cream cheese. Often I’ll just serve it over one block at a time and save the extra salsa for another night.

Sinfully Decadent Spaghetti Squash Bake

Sinfully Decadent Spaghetti Squash Bake

Sinfully Decadent Spaghetti Squash Bake

Recipe from: Created by Noble Pig | Serves: Serves 10-12

INGREDIENTS

·       2 medium sized spaghetti squash, sliced lengthwise, seeds removed

·       cooking spray

·       1/2 cup unsalted butter plus 2 Tablespoons, melted ~ divided

·       3 large eggs, room temperature

·       1 cup sour cream (let sit out 15 minutes to warm slightly)

·       1/2 cup sugar, plus 3 Tablespoons, divided

·       6 ounces cream cheese, softened

·       1/2 cup golden raisins plus 2 Tablespoons for sprinkling on top

·       2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

·       1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·       1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

·       Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. Place squash cut-sides down and bake until tender, about 40-45 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F.

·       After squash is baked, let it cool for a few minutes, or until you are able to handle it. Scrape squash with a fork towards you, making long strands. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

·       Place eggs and sour cream into the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fully combined. Mix in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter and cream cheese. Stir in 1/2 cup raisins. Set aside.

·       Heat 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in 2 Tablespoons sugar, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Add apples and gently toss to coat. Cook, tossing occasionally, until soft and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir apples (cooled slightly) into egg mixture.

·       Pour the apples over the spaghetti squash strands, tossing gently to combine. Pour into a buttered 2-1/2 quart baking dish. Place remaining 2 Tablespoons of raisins on top and sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon of sugar. 

·       Bake in oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F until top is set. Wait 10 minutes before serving.

Taco Soup Keto Diet

From Mary

Here’s the link to the taco soup recipe I make on the Keto Diet.

Mine is a little different every time I make it depending on what I have in the fridge.

I have done it with chicken instead of beef.

Even with tofu.

I usually don’t use 2 packages of cream cheese (one recipe calls for 2).

 Leo and I both find it has a lot of broth. You could put in noodles or cabbage to get more volume of “stuff” in it.

 https://hip2keto.com/recipes/slow-cooker-keto-taco-soup/

https://perfectketo.com/slow-cooker-taco-soup/

I also use the taco seasoning recipe to make my own taco seasoning.  Why I have I been buying those little packages of taco seasoning all of these years?

Mary

Taco Seasoning

Make your own Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. 

Hot and Sour Noodle Soup

1/3 head of cabbage

2 chorizo sausages

1 cup celery

1 cup carrots

4 cups broth

1 cup shiitake mushrooms

1

Moiya asked me to write her up the recipe for my new favourite soup.   I don't really have a 'recipe', but I do have a method!

1.   Fry up an onion or two in a big pot (we did 3 last time).  I also sometimes throw in 1 large chopped up chorizo sausage/bacon to cook along with it (obviously, skip the sausage if you want it to be vegetarian)

2.   Add in other vegetables!

• Cabbage:  slice it up thin-ish, so it is almost like noodles.  It can cook quite a bit, so add it in once the onions look good.  We did about 1/3 of a green cabbage or about 3 cups.
• Mushrooms:  I put in a cup or more of shiitake mushrooms.  i often use fresh, but it is also great to use reconstituted dried ones (1/2 cup)... but then you need to pour boiling water over them 20 minutes ahead to reconstitute and remember to take off the stems...then slice them up, and the water from the mushrooms can go into your soup
• Celery or Shredded Carrot or Peppers (red or orange if i am thinking about colour).  We put in 2 peppers last time we made it.
• The liquid in the vegetables will gradually evaporate

3.  Clear a spot in the bottom of the pot and add a spoonful or two of oil (regular, or coconut or whatever you like), then put a big spoonful of chopped garlic into the oil patch, so the garlic can brown up a bit... maybe 3 minutes?

4.   Add broth, or water (any stock powder that you like) to cover over the vegetables, or as  watery you like.  Then add some soya sauce and vinegar and hot sauce (franks, or siracha, or sambal olek or whatever).   This is totally about your own enjoyment of the balance of hot and sour.  you will get salt from the soya sauce, sour from the vinegar, and hot from the chilis.  This is totally to taste.  I like this to taste, which is irritating to read.  So start with 1 cup of soya sauce and 1 cup vinegar if it look like you have about 12 to 16 cups of soup in your pot by now.  If there is chicken left over from another day's meal, you can shred this up and put it into the soup.  

On adding the hot sauce?  This is going to vary per family.  We like it very hot.

no calories
Look at the back of the package!

5.  Add a package or two of shirataki noodles if you want (good if you are on a low carb diet, but are craving noodles).  Put in any noodles you want.

6.  IF you like your soup thick, you could use a spoonful of cornstarch in water at the end, to thicken it.  I don't because i am trying to keep the carbs low, but if you DO, then it will look more like the hot and sour soup you would get in a restaurant.  

Kettle Corn

                                         Kettle Corn  (made with the Whirlypop Popcorn machine)

5 Tblsp.    Sunflower Oil, or Coconut Oil 

½ c.           Popcorn

¼ c.           sugar

                  Sea Salt

1.   Heat oil in a stovetop popcorn maker with a hand crank over medium-high heat. Add a few popcorn kernels and cover. When popcorn begins to pop, add remaining kernels; cover and stir to coat with oil. 

2.   Add sugar; cover, and cook, stirring constantly, until kernels are popped, about 2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.

3.   Transfer popcorn to a large bowl and season with sea salt; let cool for 1 minute while separating the popped corn so it doesn't stick together.

                                                Regular Popcorn
          
             Use 3 Tblsp. of Coconut Oil to make regular popcorn in the Whirlypop.