Tuesday, May 18, 2010

homemade ice cream!

We have a cuisinart ice cream maker... but you can mix this in a mixer and freeze in a container.
Makes 1 qt.
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cup soy or almond milk
Mix well and add...
1 tsp vanilla (for vanilla)
OR
1 tsp almond
OR
use chocolate soy milk and add 1 tsp mint extract and 1/4 c mini dark chocolate chips
OR
1 T. caramel and 1/4 choc chips
OR
1/2 cup crumbled oreos
ETC!!! 
Pour into container or ice cream maker and freeze!
 ENJOY!

sauteed mushrooms

1 pack mushrooms, washed and dry and sliced
salt and pepper
2 T butter
place in skillet and sautee just til browned. Serve alone or on filet or chicken!







baked green beans

1 large bag frozen(thawed) green beans, or 4 cans (drained) or a bag of fresh
4 slices of uncooked bacon cut in 1 inch or so squares
3 T. sliced butter
salt and pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
2 T brown sugar
put bacon pieces in glass rectangular casserole dish and bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes, take dish out of oven and add remaining ingredients, tossing with a fork to coat green beans.  Return to oven and continue baking at 350 for 10 minutes, stir/toss and bake 10 more minutes until bacon is done.

roasted asparagus

EASY and quick side!
1 bunch asparagus washed and dry.  Break off ends where they naturally snap!
place on baking sheet
drizzle with olive oil or butter
salt and pepper
place in 350 oven for 10 minutes, drizzle with oil/butter again and serve!

roasted potatoes...with a twist!

sweet potatoes
melted butter (1/4 cup, depending on # potatoes)
kosher salt
cayenne pepper/ regular black pepper


wash and slice sweet potatoes.  Place on parchment paper lined pan.  Brush with melted butter (or olive oil).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper of choice, flip over and repeat.  Bake/roast at 400 for 30 minutes. 

smashed potatoes

8-10 yukon gold potatoes, peeled (we peel half)
cut up and boiled in pot of water until firmly soft.  Drain water and add...
1/2-1 cup soy or almond unsweetened milk
1/4 cup soy sour cream
1-2 tsp salt
2 T. veg based butter
sprinkle (1 T.) parsley 
2 pods roasted garlic
Mash until blended
Variation...add sharp cheddar or crumbled blue cheese to hot potato mixture.


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Life After Ramen

this is a link to a new book that is a great resource!  I, unfortunately, am no longer a "twentysomething", but am happy to encourage others to get it too!  You see, one of the authors of this book was nice enough to share her "babies" with me many years ago... I was their sitter when I was away at college!  I grew very close to the MacDonald family!  Randy would have dinner prepared for me to warm and feed the kids when they got home from school...pantry and refrigerator always stocked! (can you tell she had a little of an influence on me!)  I am hoping to instill the desire to eat at home in my kids that this book promotes! Get a copy and cook!
www.lifeafterramencookbook.com

Saturday, May 8, 2010

baked beans

In a dutch oven...
sautee:
8 strips sliced bacon... then add and sautee
onion chopped
1/2 c roasted red peppers
1 T red wine vinegar
add...
6 cans drained navy beans
2 cups water (add more to desired consistency)
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c real maple syrup
1/4 c ketchup
1 tsp dry mustard
2 T bbq rub
1 tsp mustard
small can tomato paste
Bring to a boil and shut off. Place on green egg (or in oven) at 350 for 1-1 1/2 hours.
Big enough to take as a side dish to a cookout, or have at home with a couple of meals.




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