I have been cooking lately and here are some of my fav's!

 

 

 

From Mel's Kitchen:

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/07/black-bean-and-sweet-corn-quinoa-salad.html

 

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup frozen sweet white corn
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
2. Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).
3. Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm or chilled – it is delicious both ways!

 

Sea Bass with Garlic butter

http://bbq.about.com/od/fishseafoodrecipes/r/bl50716a.htm

 

This is a wonderful yet simple way to prepare sea bass. The garlic butter sauce blends nicely with this mild flavor of this light and flaky fish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds sea bass
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• lemon pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

Combine onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of fish. To prepare butter sauce, combine butter, garlic, and parsley, in a small saucepan. Remove from heat once butter has melted. Preheat grill for medium high heat. Place fish on lightly oiled grate, cook for 7 minutes. Turn fish and coat with butter sauce. Cook for 7 more minutes. Once fish flakes easily, remove from heat, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Best Homemade Pancakes

My kids love pancakes, when we go out to eat they want pancakes and when it is the weekend they want pancakes.  I find this recipe in the paper and wrote it down and it is so yummy and fluffy.  It is even better with bananas cooked in.

The Fluffiest Thickest Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoon butter, melted

In large bowl with the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, butter and mix until smooth.  Heat griddle over medium-high heat.  (servings: 8 pancakes)

Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting -YUM-O!!

To Die For Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

This was so good.  Telling you so good!  Go make this today-Vanilla bean paste is found at Williams Sonoma. Makes one 8x8-inch pan (double recipe for a 9x13 pan) (Recipe: ButterYum)

 

Cake:

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 mashed super ripe bananas (about 3/4 cup)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used the vanilla bean paste!)

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or equal amount of pure vanilla extract)

1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

 

Frosting - I didn't have any heavy cream, but I had cool whip, so I mixed 1 container of cool whip with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste and 1/2-3/4 cup of confectioner's sugar. It was so yummy!

 

To make cake (easily mixed by hand):

Preheat the oven to 375F (see note below). Cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and 2 tablespoons softened butter. Add mashed bananas and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add flour, salt, and baking soda; mix well. Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

 

To make frosting:

Cream butter and confectioner's sugar together until smooth. Slowly add the heavy cream; stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated. Spread on cooled cake.

 

Note - Bake at 350F if using a glass pan.
Recipe doubles well to fit in a 9x13 pan.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes...yes you read that right!!

Yep, you read that right.  I saw this recipe in a book and was thinking...hmmmmm..good diet breakfast, lets try it out on the kids.  Guess what...... they loved them!  I thought they were darn good too and I even whipped them up and didn't let them rest.   I wonder what they taste like if I let them rest???  They take 5 minutes to mix together and 10 to cook.  To me that is amazingly fast - even on a school day.  Try them out!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

2 cups cottage cheese

4 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup flour

***Update - Cook on greased skillet - it will help flip.  These do cook longer than 'normal pancakes' on each side.

Mix ingredients and let them rest for 1 hour to up to overnight.

Cook as you would a normal pancake.

Put real maple syrup, jam, fruit or honey on top.
Enjoy!

I made these for my VT Sisters.  They are pretty darn good.  I think they would be good on top of brownies or just plain dough without chocolate coating.  I am a sucker for dough though!

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

For the cookies:

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup Greek yogurt (or applesauce or peanut butter) (*** I used greek yogurt)

1 cup semi sweet mini-chocolate chips

For the chocolate coating:

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping

1/2 tablespoon shortening (for shine)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop small or ice cream scoops onto a waxed paper or Silpat lined cookie sheet. Place in the freezer overnight or until frozen, at least three hours.

When ready to dip the balls, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan over a low heat. Remove balls from the freezer and dip into warm chocolate. Return to the lined cookie sheet and return to the freezer to harden. Serve cold from the freezer.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

I have posted on this before, but this time I made one up myself that was soooo good!  If you have not made one of these you are seriously missing out.  My kids LOVE these shakes!!  And they are so healthy.

Ingredients

PROTEIN SHAKE BASE-

Start each shake with this base and blend in the extra ingredients to make the flavored shake of your choice!

·   1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese (or 1 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt). Cottage cheese may sound strange, but TRUST me… this is what makes the ‘MILKSHAKE’ consistency! Also, if you are sensitive to dairy, you can use tofu to get the same consistency!

·   1 Scoop Protein Powder (Something that has around 100 calories per scoop~I love Designer Whey Protein Powder)

·   1-3 Packets of Splenda/ Stevia/Low Calorie Sweetener (Play around with how much depending on how sweet you like it!)  I use 1 /2 teaspoon of stevia

·   5-10 Ice Cubes (Depending on how thick you like it, use less for a thinner consistency)

·   1/2 Cup-1 Cup Water (Alter this according to desired consistency)

·   *Optional- 1/2 tsp Xanthax gum (you can get this from most grocery stores in the gluten free section! Just a pinch of it makes your shake sooo thick and creamy!) I don't use

CHOOSE ADD-INS TO MAKE THE FLAVOR YOU WOULD LIKE:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake (Add these ingredients to base)

·   2 Tbs Chocolate Pudding Instant/sugar free

·   1 Tbs Creamy Peanut Butter

or try this:

Banana Cream Pie Shake (Add these ingredients to base)

·   1/2 Frozen Banana

·   2 Tbs Sugar Free Banana Pudding

·   Optional: 1 Graham Cracker (or Honey Teddy Grahams) on Top of Shake!

You can try so many combos but we make these almost daily.  Check out the person who made them on 'Dashing Dish'. Enjoy!

Buttery Crisp XXL Chocolate Chip Cookie

(by picky palate)

Okay so I needed a cookie today - really I only needed one! Try it so easy and yum!

Buttery Crisp XXL Chocolate Chip Cookie


2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons beaten egg

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place butter and sugars into a medium mixing bowl, beat with spoon(yes spoon it takes like 1 minute, unless you have a 3 year old stirring then, 1 minute for her and 1 for you) until well combined. Add beaten egg and vanilla, mixing to combine. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Stir a couple times, then add chocolate chips, stirring to combine. Scoop dough into the middle of your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until baked through. Let cool for on baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing. (It taked really good when it was cooked well, no doughy middles for this cookie!)

Ideas for all the preg-os out there

I found this article and thought these sounded good. I haven't tried any yet, but want to!

3 perfect pregnancy breakfasts


Breakfast is more important than ever when you're pregnant. Your body and baby need energy after hours of not eating. These quick and easy breakfast ideas from Nicole Britvan, a dietitian at Kaiser Permanente Outpatient Nutrition Clinic in San Francisco, have a healthy mix of protein and other nutrients.

• Fruity Protein Smoothie Mix 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder with 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit, half a banana, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Add ice for desired consistency. Serve with 1 or 2 slices of whole-wheat toast spread with low-sugar jam.

• Yogurt and Fruit Mix 1 cup low-fat yogurt with 1/2 cup of berries, 1/4 cup of low-fat granola, and 1/4 cup almonds or walnuts.

• Breakfast Burrito Scramble together 1 egg and 2 egg whites. Place inside 1 heated whole-wheat flour tortilla and top with salsa or tomatoes, 1 slice low-fat cheese or low-fat veggie sausage or turkey bacon. Serve with 1 cup strawberries.

Late Thanksgiving post

I made this for Thanksgiving, well one of our desserts for Thanksgiving. We had 5 pies and this (we had 22 people). And this won hands down. Everyone loved it and enjoyed every bite. The crazy thing is, it looks like a hard recipe, but it was pretty easy. Try it, it will become one of your favorites! I know I need to make it again, I only had one slice of it!

*Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used half bittersweet, half semisweet)
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Mousse:
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated at room temperature
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped finely (it is important the chocolate for this mousse layer is chopped finely or it won’t melt completely when added to the warm egg yolks)
1/2 cup sugar

Topping:
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS:

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan; dust with sugar. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt, then flour. Pour batter into the springform pan. Bake until cake just rises in center (tester inserted into center will not come out clean), 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack (the center of the cake may fall slightly). Cover and chill while making mousse.

For mousse:
Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk yolks, 1/4 cup cream and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into bowl with melted butter. Whisk constantly over simmering water until thermometer registers 150°F, about 6 minutes (mixture may appear broken – mine did not but it was very thick like custard or pudding). Remove from over water; add chocolate and stir to melt. Set aside. Beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of cornstarch in large bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg white mixture into warm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg white mixture. Pour mousse over the cooled cake in pan; smooth top. Chill torte until mousse is set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
Run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream over torte. Top whipped cream with raspberries.

Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are so good! I made them today...hard to stop eating but they are kind-of good for you!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies by kitchen café


*Makes about 4 dozen cookies

1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups butter
3 eggs
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups white wheat flour
2 ½ cups oats
2 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars together. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well, then stir in chocolate chips. Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto greased (or lined) baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Eggs

I love eggs, I have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But this has been my favorite so far - my egg omelet!

So easy and so fast -especially for dinners.

This is an 2 egg omelet with veggies:

2 eggs - beat in bowl or cup

salt and pepper

Pour in heated pan covered with Pam spray on stove top. Swirl around pan to cover the whole bottom. As it is cooking, keep swirling so you don't have to flip. So no mess of an omelet. When done, about 2-3 minutes, remove to plate and add:

Cheddar cheese

sprouts

spinach

tomatoes

bacon pieces

Or anything you like (this was just so easy and what I had in the fridge) you can use: onions, mushrooms, peppers (these might need to be cooked first though).

Be creative!

Cocoa Rice Pudding

Cocoa Rice Pudding

¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup brown sugar
1/8 t salt
1 ¼ cups milk
½ t vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups cooked rice
½ cup craisins or dried cherries, or cranberries (optional).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cocoa, sugar, salt in a mixing bowl. Add a splash of milk about ¼ cup and whisk until smooth. Crack eggs into mixing bowl, add vanilla and rest of milk. Whisk to combine. Then stir in rice and craisins or dried fruit. Transfer to baking dish or ramekins.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Smaller dishes bake faster.
Remove when the middle is jiggly when shaking the dish. Cool for 5 minutes.

If you use this as a dessert you can add vanilla ice cream or whipping cream! YUM!

Typo

My blog wont let me correct any post that has already been published. Then of course I see a typo. In the hot fudge it is 14 oz can of condensed milk.

I hope that helps!

Some new recipes

I have some new recipes to post - super easy and yummy - so of course they are both chocolate. I will post one today and the other later (I have to type it out).

I had a lot of visitors this past month and we discovered Poppy's - a frozen yogurt place that is awesome. One part of it is the hot fudge they serve. I have a weakness for that stuff. Hot and gooey and aah so, so, yummy. My sister had a easy recipe so I tried to copy it and this is what I made.

Hot Fudge

14 oz can if condensed milk (the thick one)

2 cups semi-chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Melt chips in a medium size pan. When melted add the milk and the vanilla stir for 4-5 minutes.

Enjoy it on ice cream, cheesecake, or just eating it out of the pan (that is what my kids did and okay me too) So easy and oh so good. Refrigerate the left overs - if there are any!

Cookies - New York Time's chocolate chip

I have been baking way to much lately - I go to the gym so I can eat my cookies! It is hard when I have so many visitors and they demand cookies- well okay I demand that they eat my cookies! But this recipe for chocolate chip cookies is so good and you have to have patience (that is hard when I have cookie dough in my fridge calling my name) but it will be worth it!

They do make big cookies so one will be enough (if you have the will power!)


New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour (I did use all-purpose)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter (I didn't have unsalted and used salted)
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks, at least 60 percent cacao content (I used dark, semi and mint chocolate chips)
Sea salt

Directions:
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Vegetable Lasagna - Easter Dinner Special

This was our Easter dinner. I told you I am crazy, who has Vegetable Lasagna for Easter, well I do and I loved it. It is some work, but make this in two pans, cook one and eat it and freeze the other for a quick dinner some other night. It was yummy to my tummy!



Garden Vegetable Lasagna with Ricotta Mascarpone Layers (by picky palate)


Homemade Pasta Sauce:

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Cup finely diced white onion
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
28 oz can Muir Glen Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes, put in food processor and pulsed until nearly smooth - I use put them in a bowl and smashed them with my hands. I like a more thick sauce (no worries my hands were super clean!)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
6 oz can tomato paste
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes, stirring often then stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, tomato paste and basil leaves. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to use.

Vegetable filling:
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow squash, sliced
1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
½ Cup thinly sliced fennel (I left this out)
2 Cups broccoli florets
2 Cups diced eggplant
4 Cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped (I didn't have enough spinach and added 3 cups of kale with 1 cup of spinach)
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Pinches of salt

1. Heat oil into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute all ingredients for 10-12 minutes, season with a couple pinches of salt, stirring often or until softened to your liking. Cook longer for softer texture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to use.

Ricotta Mascarpone Layers:

1 ½ pounds part skim ricotta cheese (about 1 ½ big containers)
1 Cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
½ Cup soft mascarpone cheese
2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic salt

1. Place all ingredients into a large bowl; stir until well combined.
9 oz oven ready lasagna noodles, try the whole wheat, it was great
2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese

To Assemble:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat bottom of a large 9x13 inch baking dish with a couple ladles of homemade sauce. Next, layer with lasagna noodles. Spoon 1/3 Ricotta Mascarpone mixture over noodles, spreading slightly (I used my fingers). Top evenly with 1/3 vegetables. Repeat this process 2 more times or until all ingredients are used up. The top layer should be lasagna noodles. Pour remaining sauce over noodles then sprinkle with 2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake covered for 45-50 minutes, then remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
2. Let sit in pan for 15 minutes before cutting into it. Serve and enjoy!
8 servings

Get in the boat FISH, FISH!

We are talking fish. I love fish all kinds. But the tilapia fish is so good and cost efficient. I was wondering a new way to eat it and tried my "chicken Parm" recipe with a twist on it. It was a huge hit in our house!


Baked Tilapia Fish Fillets

1 ½ cups Panko (Japanese styled breadcrumbs – a must buy, at Trader Joes!)
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup flour
3 large egg whites (or heck use the whole egg (then use 2) - no worries)
1 T water
Vegetable Oil Spray
6 (4 oz) tilapia cutlets

Lemon Pepper or your favorite fish seasoning
Salt and Pepper


1. Heat oven to 450 degrees on middle rack. Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil and panko, stirring often until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. (IF time doesn't permit this, it is okay to skip this step - but it gives the panko a nice crisp feel.)
2. Transfer crumbs to pie dish, cool, and then add Parmesan cheese (yes, this cheese tastes good with fish). Combine flour and salt and pepper into anther pie pan, then one more pie pan add the egg whites and whisk with water.
3. Spray a wire rack with PAM spray over a baking sheet. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper. Now dip in flour mixture dust a little then go to the egg mixture, turn over get all covered now last dip in panko and make sure it is all covered with the crumbs. Lay the fish on the prepared wire rack. Now add the seasonings-lemon pepper or your favorite fish seasonings.
4. Spray the tops of the fish with spray. Bake 10-15 minutes (depends on your fish size and how done you like your fish).

Yum - Baked fish - we had this last week and John already wants it again.

Post for Easter

My friend Karissa sent this to me and I thought it would be fun to try with the kiddos this year. I LOVE their ages right now, so fun and willing to do anything - Matthew 5 and Izzie 3 in 2 weeks. Wow the time flies-it feels like I should still have a newborn!


However, I still don't know what I am making for Easter dinner -we don't usually cook on Sunday, but a special Holiday makes me want to. Plus, we love crazy food like, sushi, Thai, a lot of vegetation foods, that a Easter Ham is not on the menu for us. So any ideas is welcomed!



EASTER STORY COOKIES
To be made the evening before Easter Sunday

You need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important-don't wait until
you're half done with the recipe)!

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the
wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was
arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar
to drink.
Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus
gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and
brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty
tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because
He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks
are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in
God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie
sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus'
body was laid.
Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that
Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the
oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was
sealed.
Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice
the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the
first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and
empty.
Read Matt. 28:1-9

Smoothie

I have tried so many smoothies. And I love Jamba Juice (My sis-in-laws work there in UT = free smoothie, when we visit!) I have tried all sorts with, oatmeal, flax, spinach, and I don't knock them, sometimes I enjoy them in my smoothie, but mostly I just want the basics-fruit and ice!

The kids and I were in a fruit/smoothie mood this afternoon and this is what we made. We loved it!

Good Morning Fruit Smoothie

1 cup ice
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 ripe banana, cut into pieces
1 cup frozen strawberries or blueberries (I did half strawberries half blue)
1/2 cup cranberry or orange juice (I did OJ)

• Crush ice in blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for 30 seconds. Pour into cups or glasses and enjoy!

Smores-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies

(However mine turned out puffy - and I used mini chips-fyi)


We are having the missionaries over for dinner tonight and we are having:

Chicken Parmesan

Garlic Angel Hair

60 minute rolls

Crystal light-Raspberry lemonade

and for dessert:

Smores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies!

So I have to make them and test them before passing them out-(of course!) Holy cow - if you love chocolate these are the cookies for you. Crisp graham crackers with melty chocolate goodness and gooey marshmallows ready to mess your pretty little face up! They are about the size of 4 cookies- in one. So if one doesn't do it (as in fill you up), well my hat goes off to you! Check out the recipe for the cookies here:

http://picky-palate.com/2011/02/21/smores-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/


Enjoy!