Garlic Cheese Pumpkin Dip

Don't worry the pumpkin is only for display.  I look forward every year to Halloween so I can have this yummy cheese dip at my aunts house.  I asked her for the recipe so I could make it for my sister-in-laws baby shower and it was as big of a hit there as it is in my belly each Halloween.  And surprisingly easy!








Cut the top off a small pumpkin and scrape the seeds out. (don't forget people will be eating the dip out of here so cut the top a lower than you would just for carving)

In a bowl mix:
1 package softened cream cheese
1 container garlic and herb allouette cheese
1/8t pepper
2 eggs

Pour cheese mixture into your hallowed out pumpkin.  Place pumpkin and lid on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 225 degrees.  The cheese will bubble up and brown on top.

Serve with crackers!  This is sure to be a favorite go to recipe for a fun and delicious appetizer for fall.  

Be Creative and Enjoy!

Wheat Crackers

It's 9:30, the kids are finally in bed asleep, and you're favorite show is DVR'd and ready for your enjoyment but....You're Starving!  One of my favorite snacks that is healthy and filling is a classic cheese, cracker, and fruit plate.  Yum!  I love these healthy, simple, robust wheat cracker for such occasion!  There's endless possibilities of toppings and mix-ins to make your crackers satisfy your craving!

1c white flour
1c wheat flour
1t baking powder
1/2t salt
2/3c warm water
1/3c olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease two large cookie sheets.  Combine the dry ingredients, and then stir in the water, oil and mix until smooth dough forms. 

Divide the dough in half and flatten each half on a cookie sheet.  Use a small rolling pin, a smooth cup, or even your fingers for a rustic look. 

Once dough is spread thin, use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares.  The elasticity in the dough will make the crackers shrink slightly and pull away form each other;  so easy!

Brush lightly with an egg wash (1 egg white and 2T water) or spray lightly with olive oil. 

Sprinkle with sea salt of other desired seasonings. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 min until crackers are golden and crispy.

IDEAS:  Rosemary and sea salt, sesame seeds, Parmesan cheese, chopped sun dried tomatoes

STATS:  
Better? These are delicious and so versatile!  They've got a good crunch and can hold up to dips. *check*
Healthier? No preservatives, no sugar, made to order! *check*

 Cheaper? One batch makes more than one box of Wheat Thins and costs pennies vs avg $4 for an 8oz box!  *check*

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

We all know there's nothing like a big bowl of warm chicken noodle soup!  Soothing for the body and soul!  This is my grandma's recipe and it's amazing! 






Place a whole chicken in a pot and cover with water and boil away!  tip*when you buy whole chickens be sure they're over 5lbs to make sure you're getting a good deal on the meat and that you're paying for too much bone.

DON'T DUMP OUT YOUR STOCK...this is your broth!

After it's all cooked take your chicken out and when it's cooled, shred it. 

You'll probably need to add more water to your broth as much of it boils out when cooking the chicken.  To your broth add: 4 sliced carrots, 4 sliced celery stocks, and a chopped medium onion, and your shredded chicken.  Let simmer as long as you'd like but at least 30 min.

Noodles:
Beat 2 eggs, and 2T milk, and 1T salt together.  (Your noodles will be very salty but this will help to salt your broth as they boil)  Add enough sifted flour to make the dough thick-start with 1c and slowly continue to add.  Roll out the dough and cut in 1/4" strips-I use a pizza cutter.

my kids love helping with this part!

These noodles can be dried and saved!  


About an hour before serving bring your broth to a full boil to add your noodles.  You need to add your noodles one at a time so they don't stick together.

Let your soup boil until your noodles are plump and soft.  Be sure to taste your broth now to see if you need to add more salt.  Depending on how much extra water you had to add you will probably need add more salt.

Serve with French Bread!


Be creative and Enjoy!

Easy French Bread

We can put down a lot of bread!  Ok-truth...I can put down my own fair share of bread-especially this french bread!  This is one of my all time favorite recipes!  Sooooo good and my favorite-so easy!

1 pkg quick acting yeast (or 2 1/2t  if you buy in bulk like I do)
2c warm water
4c sifted flour
1T sugar
2t salt

Dissolve yeast in 1 c water.  Add flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl, then stir in the dissolved yeast.  Add just enough of the second cup of water to hold dough together.  Mix until soft and rather sticky.  Cover and set bowl in a warm spot- I like to fill the bottom of my sink with warm water and put the bowl in that to rise.  Let rise until double in size.

When dough is high and spongy, punch down-Get that aggression out!  Divide into 2 parts, form into loafs and put on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover and let rise again.  Brush the top with melted butter and with a sharp knife slash 3 or 4 cuts in the top.  Here's the nice crust secret *put a bowl of ice in the bottom of your oven*.  Bake for 25-35 min at 400 degrees until top is just starting to turn brown.  Rub a cold butter stick on the top of your nice crust and then sprinkle with salt and enjoy!

Nice risen dough

Place your shaped loafs on greased cookie sheet

Don't forget the most important part-the ice!

Mmmmmm butter

The cut slashes will give the bread room to expand as it rises

Perfectly starting to be brown! And my favorite part-melted butter and sprinkled salt on top!

Mmmmmmm!!!!



Be creative and Enjoy!

Breakfast Cookies

These are a HUGE hit in my house!  My 4 year old girl ate 6 the other morning for breakfast!  They are easy, yummy, of course healthy, and the ingredients are in your pantry!

Preheat oven to 350

Mix:
 1 1/2c oats
1 c unsweetened applesauce
2-3 very ripe bananas
Handful of Craisens
Cinnamon to taste (I do at least 1t)










Spoon out onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Perfect breakfast with a little glass of milk!

Be Creative and Enjoy!

Black Bean Corn Salsa

My aunt makes this and I LOVE it!  -Like sort of obsessed frequently eat mass quantities by myself love it!  In the words of my 4 year old "This is Delishness!"  This is an easy, pretty, salsa that's is great to take as a dish to a party or as a side to your homemade Enchiladas!


Black Bean Corn Salsa

1c frozen corn, thawed
3 green onions, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed


1/2 cucumber skinned and chopped (adds a good crunch)
Cilantro to your liking
Chopped Jalapeno to your liking
Salt and Pepper to your liking


Dressing:
1T olive oil
2T red wine vinegar
1/2t crushed garlic (maybe from your freezer?)

Make 30 minutes before serving so all the flavors can soak together! 

Be Creative and Enjoy!

Don't you worry I ate this ENTIRE bowl BY MYSELF!!!!  Yeah  that's right!

Mmmmmm Wheat Bread

Fall is in the air and nothing and I mean NOTHING is better than homemade warm wheat bread with a lot more than necessary slab of butter.  Mmmmmm!  (maybe a little honey too :)  I'm the first one to say-I am not a baker!  I am still trying to figure out this whole bread thing and this recipe is the best I've found!  Its delicious, easy, makes a ton for freezing, and very versatile!  This is my health idol, Mindi Bennett's recipe!

5 c warm water
12 c flour (half wheat/half white)
1/2c dry milk (optional)
2T salt
1/2 c oil or butter
1/2 c sugar or honey
2 c rolled oats
1/2 c ground flax seed (optional)
2T yeast

Layer ingredients in order from above in a big mixer (Kitchen Aid or Bosch, maybe a bread machine if it's big enough).  Mix with a bread hood for 10 min.  Let rise for 1 hour +/-.  Divide into 4 loaves or 50 rolls, let rise again 45 min to an hour.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min and check for done-ness.  Usually takes between 20-30 minutes for a nice golden crust.  Put butter on top while hot.

My pile in my mixer-use a HOOK attachment to mix tho

(I forgot to switch it before I took the picture)

my mixer can be a little whimpy so I like to knead it on my counter for a few minutes

Be sure to grease your bowl and the top and sides...It's alive!

Grow baby grow!

I make a full batch of this bread  about every 2 weeks.  I'll make usually 4 loaves and then a small pan of rolls.  The loaves freeze great!  I stick the rolls in a bag in the freezer and pop them in the microwave (sorry mindi) for 30 sec for a quick yummy after school snack-or put one in my son's lunch box and it's thawed by lunch time and not soggy!

Be Creative and Enjoy!

Yours will most likely be much thicker than mine-it's a personal curse.

STATS:Better-Oh man....Sooo good!!!  Just taste it and you'll be hooked! I haven't bought bread in 6 months! *check!*
Healthier-Did you know most store bought wheat bread still has enriched flour as the ingredient! That means that they take the flour-either white or wheat- strip it of the nutrients during processing and then...whoops I guess we better put a few synthetic chemicals that represent nutrients back in and then we can call it "enriched"!  You don't fool me! *check*
 Cheaper-This recipe makes 4 loaves.  4 loaves of the good natural wheat bread is $4.50 to $5.50/ loaf!  Ahhhh!!  If you buy the big bag of flour from Costco it's about $.06 a cup of flour! so for 4 loaves it's $2.88 for the flour!  *check*

Mmmmmm