Recovery Soup

My dear friend sent this recipe to me as she used it often when her husband was in recovery. She called it his comfort soup.  I made it finally and was so surprised how delicious and different it was from my potato soup recipes, it’s wonderful.  Light, mild and thinner.  The celery makes all the difference. 

1 cup water

2 cups chicken broth

3 peeled potatoes, cubed

2 cups celery, chopped 

1/4 Spanish onion chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp caraway seeds. 

Cook above in soup pot.  Till very very soft.  Then put in blender to make smooth. 

Back in soup pot, add 1 cup milk and 3 tbsp butter.  Bring to simmer.  

Serve. 

Chocolate Mousse :::: this is simple but decadent 5 minute dessert

3/4 c half and half cream

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp instant coffee (optional)

3/4 c semi sweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp butter 

4 wine glasses

Can of whip cream to serve and chocolate shavings (or not)

1. Put chips and butter in glass bowl.  Microwave 1 minute.  Stir.  Then again for 35 seconds.  Stir again will be able to blend till smooth.  Use spatula to put into a blender.   I know this sounds odd. 

2. Half n half, egg yolks, sugar, salt, instant coffee, this all goes into a saucepan and you need to whisk together.   On medium heat, keep whisking till it comes to a slight boil.  It will bubble up, do not let it burn or curdle.  Remove and put into blender with chocolate.

3. Blend, till fully mixed.  Pour into 4 wineglass less than half full, use spatula to clean out blender. 

4. Chill for 1 hour.

5. Serve with whip cream on top, grated chocolate.

6. Devour!

Rhubarb custard pie

• Spring is Here,,, rhubarb is ready!  Don’t you love cutting your own and making something fresh from your yard....  
  
• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon milk
• 
  

Chop 2 cups fresh rhubarb. Set aside.

In big bowl add all ingredients.  Mix together. 

Add rhubarb to mix.  Pour into 9 inch pie crust. Bake at 350 f for 50 minutes.  Foil edges to stop dark browning.  

Dark Christmas Cake

One thing we always had every Christmas season was dark christmas cake.  Mom would make it early in November and then it went into the cold cellar.  She would wrap it and there would massive amounts of it.  Every time company came over out came a plate of the cake and a pot of coffee!   I'm not even sure I actually liked it that much, but I do remember the cherries.  Loved those,,, and the dates.

Billy had a similar memory of his Grampa Bert making the christmas cake.  He remembers him soaking it in dark rum or brandy.  Now that sounds good.
I do have Mom's recipe but it makes such a huge amount, 3 cake tins.  We scoured the Internet for a recipe that we could try that was a reasonable size.  Billy said " it has to have lots and lots of cherries".  I totally agree:)
This is our first attempt and we are totally happy with the results.  Thank you Canadian Living Magazine.  We changed just a few of the ingredients, no currants we used dates instead.  No walnuts we used pecans instead. One thing we did find is that the baking time in the recipe was not nearly adequate.  Our cake in a lasagna size glass dish took almost 2 hours.  I kept checking it after 1 hour 15 minutes with a toothpick, till it did come out clean. (checked every 15 minutes).
Ingredients 
16 inch square of Cheese cloth - need to soak in a 1/4 cup of rum or brandy
2 cups chopped dates
2 cups candied mixed peel
3 cups red and green halved candied cherries
1 1/2 cup raisins
1 cup brandy or dark rum
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon each - allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg
pinch of salt
3/4 cups soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup strawberry jam
2 tablespoons fancy molasses
5 eggs
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method 
Line a 13 x 9 pan with double parchment paper.
 In large bowl, combine dates, mixed peel, cherries, raisins and 3/4 cup of the rum or brandy and let stand for 24 hours.  Stir occasionally. 
Next day in a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.  Toss 1/2 cup into the candied fruit to coat.  Stir.
In a separate big bowl beat the butter and brown sugar and jam and molasses till fluffy.   Then beat in 1 egg at a time.  Stir in the flour mixture to the wet mixture.  Now add the candied fruit into the batter.  Stir.  Then finally add the pecans.  Scrape into a 13 x 9 on the parchment paper.
Fill a separate shallow pan with water, half full . Put into the oven at 300F .  It will keep the cake moist as it bakes for the next 2 hours.  Bake the cake on the center rack.
You can lay foil over the top of the cake if it appears to be browning too much... ours did not.
Check for toothpick to come out clean, other wise bake and check every 10 mins.  I wondered if it would ever bake and it finally did.
Let the cake cool in the pan - completely.  Takes a while as the cake is very dense.
Remove the cake from the parchment paper.
Take the soaking cheesecloth and wrap around the entire cake.  Then wrap with plastic wrap.  Again wrap with Aluminum foil and store in fridge.  Can refrigerate for 1 month.  
We waited 1 day!  It was still awesome.  Then we cut 4 inch squares for gifts as the 2 weeks of christmas went by.  We had great reviews.  Mom's friends at her table were very impressed as they all made it every year.  

 






 







 

 

Good For You Muffins

I cannot remember where this recipe came from but I think it was from a colleague at work 35 years ago....  who gave it to me?  Well thank you as this one has been made over and over again.  It tastes really good and just happens to be Good for You!  Any apple in season will work.
Oven 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.

ready for the oven

1) in a small bowl beat 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup vegetable oil (i like canola), 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla.  You can do this by hand with a whisk.
2) in a large bowl mix dry ingredients so you have no lumps - 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup wheat bran , 3/4 cup raisins, 1 apple peeled and diced into small cubes, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt.

Bob's Mills Unprocessed Wheat Bran

  Tip:  Wheat bran flakes are light and airy, not the heavy beady type bran.  Here is the one I like but you can get it by the scoop at the bulk food store too. 
3.  Add the wet to the dry an stir with wooden spoon till mixed well.  Use paper baking cupcake liners in your tin.  no other spray or greasing each tin is necessary.  Have the oven preheated and then pop your tin in the oven.  it will make 12 nice size muffins.
dump out when baked and let cool. 

Luscious Fresh Lemon Bars

When you get the chance to pick ripe lemons off a tree this is the recipe for you.  Really it can happen.  In Tuscon, Arizona at the KOA you can camp and pick a bag of lemons off the tree beside you.  Our friends met us for lunch the other day with a big bag of ripe fresh picked lemons.  Oooohhh, my mouth is puckering now.
I stole this recipe from a cookbook that I found in a lending library.  Cookbook is called "Gramdma's Favorites".   Yes this is one of my new favourites.   The lemon layer is like a custard, gooey and good.

Crust
1/2 cup very soft butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
grated lemon peel from 1 lemon
Lemon Layer
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
grated peel of 1 lemon
juice of 1 to 2 fresh lemons - need at least 6 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla
confectioners sugar to dust before serving

Make the crust in a baking tin 13 x 9 x 2.  I used a foil pan and it worked great.
To save washing a bowl I put the ingredients all together into the baking pan and worked it together with a fork.  When evenly mixed I used a spatula to pat it down.
Bake this crust at 350F for 15 minutes.

In meantime make the lemon layer mix.  Large bowl.  Whisk the 4 eggs together till mixed, I did it with a hand whisk.  In a 2nd bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder and blend with a fork.  Then slowly add this dry mixture to the eggs.  Beating with the hand whisk.  Next add the lemon peel, vanilla and whisk.  Last add is the lemon juice, but slowly while beating with the whisk, not all at once.
Then pour this wet mixture over the crust.  Put the pan back in the oven at 350F for 25 minutes.  After baked let it cool and cut into squares with a wet bladed knife.  Dust with icing sugar when serving.

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti with Meatballs Florentine

• 1
  

  pound 93 percent lean ground beef
• 5
  

  ounces (5 cups) baby spinach, (1 cup chopped)
• ½
  

  cup panko bread crumbs
• ¼
  

  cup whole milk
• ¼
  

  cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2
  

  garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper
• ½
  

  teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1
  

  large jar organic pasta sauce

  
  

    
• 2     tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2
  

  teaspoons sugar

• Instructions

  SERVES 6

  1. 1. Using hands, mix together ground beef, chopped spinach, panko, milk, Parmesan, one-third of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes in bowl until uniform. Pinch off and roll mixture into twelve 2-tablespoon-size meatballs and arrange on large plate. Microwave meatballs until firm, about 5 minutes.

  2. 2. Combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes in slow cooker. Transfer microwaved meatballs and any accumulated juices to slow cooker. Cover and cook until meatballs are tender, 4 to 5 hours on low.

  3. 3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add several large spoonfuls of sauce (without meatballs) and remaining 4 cups spinach to pasta and toss until spinach is slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed.

  4. 4. Divide pasta among individual serving bowls and top with meatballs and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

• 
  

Chocolate Whip Cream Pie

Oh my. Oh my. Oh my.  This is Yummy.
I picked up this cookbook in the lending library at our RV park in Arizona and it has some great recipes.  The book is called "Grandma's favourites". 

Buy a graham cracker pie crust. 

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Hersey milk chocolate bar 7 oz.  big bar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Simple directions:

Heat milk to boil then turn to low and melt both chocolates in milk.  Let sit and cool to room temperature . This is very important, cannot be warm when you mix to the whip cream. 

In a separate cold glass bowl Whip the cream. 

Whip one cup of whipping cream till thick and standing peaks. 

Fold chocolate into Whip cream.  Pour into pie. Refrigerate a few hours. 

Serve by itself or garnish with a few strawberries or dollop of more Whip cream...... haha. Yum. 

Pear chutney

Free pears.... So what will I do with them. 

 Called my son for the Old Farmers Preserving and canning cookbook recipe for pear chutney.  He sent me one for apple, tomato, pineapple and peach.  All a little different but not one specific for pear... Hmm. So I decided to use the apple version and substitute it with my pears.  Now how am I going to do this on the Motorhome????   I could see Billy shaking his head, thinking what will she do next.  It worked great since it makes a small batch - I did it all outside on a portable burner. 

 Even sterilized the jars and bathed them after too.  Here is the recipe with such a unique twist.  Dates!!! I love dates.  

My perfect appetizer is a slice of baguette with creamy Brie cheese and a dollop of chutney.

  8 cups peeled and chopped pears

  2 cups chopped dates 

  Grate the peel off 2 large oranges 

  4 1/2 cups white gran sugar

  1/2 cup cider vinegar

  1/3 tsp cloves, cinnamon and ginger

  Combine in large pot and heat to rolling boil then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.  Ladle into small sterilized jars and hot bath for 20 minutes.   

Flourless peanut butter cookies

1 cup peanut butter 

1/2cup gran sugar

1 egg

Mix all together with beaters till thick, spoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet bake at 325 F for 18minutes.  You will be surprised..... Quite good and no flour?  How simple😉

 

Leek potato soup

This fall and winter my friend and I quilt every Friday at her home.  I bring the soup and Bon does the  crackers, cheese, fruit and dessert.  It's always a great day.  Sometimes we do more coffee drinking and chatting than quilting!!!  Last week we had leek and potato soup- we both enjoyed the comfort of a piping hot bowl of soup.
Oops .....no picture - we ate it and then said it needed to go up on the blog for future reference.  Lol.  Next batch a picture will get posted.  One nice thing is that this is a creamy soup but not thickened.   Tip: don't skip the celery in the recipe or the bay leaf .  It's all about the flavour.

this is a half batch of the recipe

Ingredients:
Leek
Potato
Celery
White pepper
Kosher salt 
Bay leaf
Half and half creamer
Milk

Start in large pot - 2 large leek cleaned,chopped, not much green stalk - with 3 tbsp butter.  Low heat simmer 5 mins.  Add 2 big celery stalks cleaned and chopped. Weep about 8 mins more on low.  Add 1 bay leaf , 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp white pepper. 
Add 4 potato cleaned and chopped in small pieces.  Also add 4 cups water and 1 knorr suisse chicken bouillon.  Low to simmer for half an hour to 45 mins.   Use a fork to check all veggies are soft.   Remove bay leaf. And remove pot from heat. 
Using a mixer beat the soup.  You will get a creamy soup but still a few small chunks and pieces.   There will be some celery strings on the beaters, clean and discard. 
Return to heat on stove .  Add 1 cup half and half cream plus 1 cup milk.  Cook for another 15 minutes on low.  (Do not boil the milk .). Stir occasionally.   Finished!   
Serve with grated cheese and bacon bits 😊

Slow cooker banana bread

This is a 2 person loaf, small and moist and easy to bake.  I also like that it takes small amounts of ingredients. Cooks without heating up your kitchen which is nice in the RV.  Copied this recipe from a slow cooking for two cookbook by Cynthia Gruabart

1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 banana)
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Place a cookie cutter, Mason jar ring, or a ring made from aluminum foil inside the slow cooker. Butter or spray with PAM a 5-inch mini loaf pan and set aside.  I used the little tin foil trays you get at the dollar store. 

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Add oil, brown sugar, egg yolk, banana, milk, and vanilla, stirring just until flour mixture is incorporated. 

3. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan. Transfer loaf pan to sit on top of ring in slow cooker.

4. Place 2 paper towels, still attached together, folded as necessary, over the top of the slow cooker. Don't let them touch the batter. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours. When a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean, the bread is cooked. If it does not emerge clean, continue cooking an additional 30 minutes.

5. Carefully remove the loaf pan from the slow cooker. Run a knife around the inside of the loaf pan and turn the loaf out onto a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Thanks to Canadian Living Magazine for this recipe.  When Mom harvested her carrots this fall we reviewed all our cake recipes (about 10 of them) and found this one to be so good.  We discarded the rest of the recipes - why mess with it when its perfect?  We make 2 small to medium size cakes with this recipe.  One to eat now and one for the freezer.  Ice before you use it.

Cake Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup gran. white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups fresh grated carrots
1 cup drained crushed canned pineapple
1/2 cup to 1 cup raisins - or nuts or both if you prefer..... matter of personal taste(I use 1 cup raisins but my Mom uses 1/2 and 1/2)
Icing Ingredients
Soften - 1 pkg 250ml Philadelphia Cream Cheese not the low cal or generic name - This is critical in the taste of the dessert (I use low cal and generic and can tell the difference when we use the real thing) :)
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup icing sugar

Grease and flour 1 13"x9" pan or 2 small 9" x 9" pans.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350f.
In large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.  In a separate bowl beat the eggs till frothy and add the brown and white sugars and beat again.  Add the oil and vanilla and beat further till mixed.  Pour the wet over the dry ingredients.  Stir till moistened.  Add the drained pineapple, carrots, raisins.  Stir till mixed.  Pour into the pans, split roughly in half for the 2 pans.
Bake in center of oven at 350F for 40 minutes.   A toothpick needs to come out clean.
Let cool in pan on a rack on the counter.  When cool you can ice the cake.
For the icing put all ingredients into a bowl and with mixer beat till smooth.  Spread on cake.

Keep in refrigerator if you have any left...... this cake never makes it past the counter in one day!!!

  

Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potato Biscuit

Often when grocery shopping we pick up a rotisserie chicken at the deli.  It's such a good deal; already cooked and in a healthy way.  When we get the little chicken home I "don" some clean rubber gloves and tear all the meat from the skin and bones.  I use the meat for this dish and also sandwiches or on top of salads and any other dish that needs cooked chicken.  These are handy to have in the freezer for busy days.  If you get a chance you can thaw them before heating in the oven for 15 minutes at 400F; otherwise if frozen cook at least 30 minutes or more till bubbly.  Use whatever you can find in the kitchen to cut the rounds with, I use a large mug often or glass.

Recipe makes about 4 to 6 small pies - preheat oven to 400F - use small aluminum foil tins about 4 inch size or onion soup dishes.
Filling

• 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup chicken bouillon Knorr Suisse 
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

In bowl add the cup of milk and flour and whisk.  Into saucepan heat chicken bouillon and add the milk/flour.  Bring to soft boil until thickened to gravy consistency.  Add chicken pieces and peas and carrots. Add salt/pepper/sage/poultry seasoning to taste. Stir and remove from heat.

Biscuits

• 1/2 cup of  buttermilk - I use regular milk and add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and stir - voila you have the substitute for buttermilk
• cook a medium sized sweet potato (microwave on baked potato setting, don't forget you need to prick the skins) - clean skin off and mash - you need 3/4 of a cup
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp melted butter in a separate cup for the top of the biscuit before baking
• rolling pin
• waxed paper, or parchment paper, or clean counter - lightly flour before putting dough on to roll and cut biscuits

Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix milk and mashed sweet potato.  Add wet to dry.  Mix with fork and then with clean hands form a ball.  On clean counter or paper roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut rounds.

In bowls or pie tins scoop the chicken mixture till 1/2 inch from top.  Top with biscuit round.

Use the melted butter to brush the top.

Pop in the oven and bake for 15 mins at 400F - should be bubbly.

Serve steaming hot!  

Slow Cooker whiskey glazed pork ribs

I like the subtle flavour from the glaze and was really surprised that the meat just falls off the the ribs, it was so tender.  Perfect crockpot recipe- works super in the motorhome.

Up to 4 lbs of pork side ribs cut into 2 rib pieces.  

1 1/1 cups beef broth ( I like the Knorr- Suisse)

2 bay leaf 

4 cloves chopped garlic

Salt and pepper

Reynolds slow cooker bags or parchment paper - I line the pot for easy cleanup

Combine above on pot and cook on high for at least 6 hours.  Remove to platter to grill on BBQ or in a Broiler, even the broil in a toaster oven would work.  Only need 5 minutes to grill with the glaze. 

Glaze

In a saucepan add 

2 cups whiskey or bourbon (cut this back by the weight of hour ribs- if u do 2 lbs cut in half)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce

Salt and pepper

On medium heat cook to boil and continue for about 12 minutes.  It will reduce and coat a spoon.  It will not thicken. Pour over ribs and then grill them.  Return ribs back to platter to absorb more glaze I put them meat side down.  Delicious !

Dill Pickle Dip

This stuff is so so bad you will not be able to stop eating it!!!!  We had this at friends place and one fellow wanted a spoon.... He would not let go:)

Serve with thick potato chips since it is so creamy. 

1bar cream cheese softened

5 -6 dill pickles (I used the deli kind)

1 small clove garlic finely chopped

2 tbsp pickle juice

Shredded cheddar cheese -handful

Mix together and let sit a few hours in fridge. 

Pulled pork crock pot style

Sometimes your kids can teach you a few things and this recipe is one of them!!! Thank you Calea and Kevin this is so tender and so easy 

Serves 6 hungry people

3 lbs of pork loin

3 cups root beer

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 Spanish onion sliced

Combine everything into your crockpot and cook on high for 8 hours. 

Pork will tear apart.  Serve on buns with BBQ sauce on the side plus homemade coleslaw on top. 

Cherry cheesecake Danish

These are better than the Danish you buy!!! And a bit if a cheater too.

In a square pan lay parchment paper on the bottom. 

Pop open a roll of Pillsbury crescent and divide in half - squeeze the seam together, lay in bottom of pan.  U will use the other half on top. 

In bowl beat 1 small tub of Philadelphia cream cheese+ 3/4 cup icing sugar + 1 egg white.  Blend and spread on dough in pan.  Use half a can of cherry pie filling spread on cream.  Top with other half of pastry. Bake at 350 fir 30 minutes. 

Let cool and drizzle top with icing - 1/2 cup icing sugar mixed with dash of vanilla and milk till consistency is just right. 

You can use pie filling in apple, blueberry or any other fruit of choice.  Now get that  pot of coffee going:)

Devilled eggs

Summertime food.  Just can't beat a plate of these anytime you have a few people over. Never one left:)

Boiled eggs -the trick is fill your pan with number if eggs and add enough cold water to cover.  Stay beside the burner till you see the water boiling.  From that point put on the timer for 4 minutes.  Leave the heat high enough to keep a constant boil.  Turn off after 4 minutes.  Leave eggs in water till cooler.   Then put what's in fridge. 

Shell the eggs by tapping and running under water.  Then peel and wash to remove any bits of egg shell. 

Cut in half and plate the whites.  Take the yolks out with spoon into a bowl.  Add sprinkle of cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, 1 good size teaspoon of dry mustard, 2 tablespoons of Hellmans Mayo.  Mix with fork and taste.  Add mayo if needed for whip type consistency.   Spoon egg yolk mixture back into eggs and cover.  Can be made 1 day ahead.   

Taco Salad

A salad everyone will love.

1lb lean ground beef (get the best cut as you will taste the difference) - fry the meat till brown - then rinse the meat with water in a strainer and pat dry with paper towels

2 cups old cheddar cheese grated

Half a head if romaine lettuce chopped into fork size pieces

Half a bag of Doritoes crunched in a bag with your hands 

Mix all together in a large bowl with Kraft Russian Dressing. 

Slow cooker chicken with salsa verde

Delicious and so so tender!!!!

Place number of boneless chicken breast in slow cooker - if you want to serve 2 use 2. 

Pour half jar of salsa verde over top for 2 breast and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. 

Meat literally falls apart when placed on top of a tortilla !   Shred cheese on top of each and microwave for 20 seconds till melted.   Top with avocado or lettuce + tomato salsa and sour cream if desired. 

Spicy Black Bean Soup - Slow Cooker

This soup may not be the most appealing looking but it has so much flavour and is so good for you.  When traveling in the south black beans are a big staple in all the Mexican restaurants.   It can be made quite thick or thin.  Today I made it thinner by adding a higher ratio of stock to beans.  Also you will have to have a blender or food processor to finish properly.  A hand masher will not quite work.

Optional:
Long method is to start with black beans and soak them overnight in water.  Short version would be to purchase canned black beans.

In slow cooker combine the following:
4 slices of ham finely chopped
1/2 finely chopped sweet onion
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 large tomato skinned and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder 
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed with water
6 cups Knorr Suisse chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream to top

Set on high and cook for 4 to 6 hours/low 6 to 8 hours.
Allow to cool completely - at least 1 to 2 hours.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.  You cannot blend if hot, the top will pop off your blender.
Pour in about 1/4 at a time and blend on ice setting.  Doesn't take long.  Gradually add more or remove blended soup to a serving bowl.  Once all the soup is blended then you can serve in soup bowl servings.  Microwave till heated through about 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Optional: thinner version, use 1/2 half the beans.

Green Omelet - Spinach Omelet

This was my St. Patty's Day Breakfast! 

1 tsp olive oil brushed on non-stick pan
2 eggs mixed in a bowl
2 handfuls of raw spinach
1 slice swiss cheese cut in half
1 non stick pan

1)heat pan on stove med-high with olive oil and pour eggs into it
2)while cooking cover with handfuls of spinach
3)cook about 5 minutes then using flipper separate omelet in half if you are not good at flipping all at one time - or flip in 1 piece
4)top with swiss cheese and flip over on top each other making omelet
5)shut off heat and put lid on to melt cheese

Oats Plus - Your everything meal

I have found a very easy breakfast or lunch for on the go and it will stay with you for quite a few hours.  Just need to put it in the fridge the night before no cooking required!  This meal will give you everything you need - healthy fats, low glycemic carbs, high fiber, protein.  Steel cut oats are chewy and have a bit of a nutty flavour.  Give them a chance and you might become addicted to them, you'll notice once you finish eating they really stick to your ribs!  In other words you will feel full till the next mealtime.

1/3 cup Steel cut oats
2/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup blueberries fresh(any dark berry you like)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped natural nuts
1 tbsp flax seed
1 tbsp protein powder - any flavour

Mix the steel cut oats and milk together in fridge overnight in a plastic sealed container.   When ready for breakfast or lunch just add the rest of the ingredients.  Also add these in the morning if you want to take it with you while traveling or to the office.
With the coconut milk you don't need to worry about keeping it cold.

Slow Cooker Brown Rice

This seems like a no-brainer but I have to post it since I have always been curious about cooking rice in the Slow Cooker.   The few times I have made it was with white long grain and I always found it was overcooked.  But this time with the Brown Rice it turned out perfect.  In the motorhome this is the easiest and least cleanup way to make rice.
2 cups of Whole grain natural brown rice
3 2/3 cup of organic chicken stock
(you can substitute water or vegetable or other stock if you choose)
I use the slow cooker bag from Reynolds and pour in the above 2 ingredients.  Set the machine on high and within 3 hours it is perfect.  Stir a few times if you think of it.

This will make enough for a week of eating with other dishes.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs - Slow Cooker - Potluck

I first had these years ago when my parents belonged to a  Street Rod Car Club.  They used to have potluck dinners and one of the members brought this dish.  It is the best sauce I have come across....  Unfortunately I cannot give credit to the wonderful cook as my Mom's memory just can't come up with a name.  But we can all enjoy it.  Get your prep work completed before starting the meatballs.  While the meatballs are cooking you have time to make the sauce if you have all the ingredients ready for the saucepan.
Once the meatballs are baked and the sauce is ready just add the 2 together into the crockpot.  Perfect to make ahead and wait to cook in the crockpot till the next day when you have to take it somewhere.

Prep work
Layout 2 cookie sheets that have rims (jelly roll pans)- brush lightly with olive oil.  Not necessary if you use lean ground but necessary if you use extra lean meat.
1 medium size bowl of all purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups
paper towels or a sink of warm soapy dishwater for rinsing your hands after
preheat oven to 350F
put oven trays at least a few inches apart so you can put the sheets in to bake the meatballs
have a flipper handy
Meatballs - Homemade are by far the best and you will get the raves from others by making them. 
2 lbs extra lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp ground onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
Mix together with your hands in a large bowl.  
Start shaping small meatballs about 1 1/2 inch.  Not too big and not too small.  Think of the perfect bite size to eat.
Make about a dozen and put them into the flour one at a time as you finish rolling each.
Once you have about a dozen then fluff them into the flour without crumbling the balls.
Place each ball 1 at a time on the about a finger apart from each other. 
Wash hands, dry hands with papertowels.  Then go back and make another dozen balls. 
Continue this till both pans are full.  If you still have meat mixture left you will have to do another batch later.
Pop the pans into the hot oven and bake for about 1/2 hour.  Every 10 minutes roll the meatballs in the pan and use a flipper for the stubborn ones. 
Try one meatball after the half hour.  If baked enough take them out of the oven.  I do this done-ness test since not everyone makes the same size meatballs.  If they are not baked through put in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Sit them on top of the stove to cool.
Sauce
6 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce - low sodium
liquid from can of crushed pineapple
6 tbsp ketchup
1 10oz can of crushed pineapple
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Put all wet ingredients but not the crushed pineapple int a large saucepan.  Slowly add the dry to the wet in the pan and whisk to avoid lumps.  Then heat on medium till sauce comes to a low boil and thickens.  Stir often.  When complete add crushed pineapple to the sauce.  Ready to go on the meatballs when you are.

Warm Country Smile in Canada, Barn Burner in the US

Not long ago our friends had us for Canadian Thanksgiving and had this hot drink to welcome us into their home; it was such a nice day to spend with them.  Today the weather was cooler and rainy and we had to go to a Happy Hour for campers and my husband thought it would be a different thing to bring - and it's festive too!   Everyone loved it.  In the Southern US they call it a "Barn Burner".
Ingredients
1 jug of Apple Cider - 64 oz
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
1 pint of Southern Comfort - we call it a Mickey in Canada
When we stopped at the liquor store to buy it Billy asked for a Mickey and the lady had no clue what we wanted.  He described it "you know it fits in your coat pocket".....  "oh she says you want a pint".  Sure we do!

So we put the cloves and allspice in a small piece of clean cloth (scrap) and tied it with a twist tie.  Pour the jug of cider in the pot and put in the bag of spices.  Throw in 3 cinnamon sticks.  Warm up slowly on the stove then transfer to a slow cooker to stay warm.  Take this to the Happy Hour and plug in.  Take a ladle and cups and mickey of SC.  In each cup everyone can put as much Southern Comfort in as they like - perfect is about 1 1/2 oz to every cup of cider mix.   SMILE.

Italian Pinwheels

We had a Happy Hour at the clubhouse today in the RV park and this is a great one to take that will not be messy finger food. It also does well if it sits out on a table for a while - you don't have to worry about temperature.  It only takes about 5 minutes to prepare and the ingredients are simple.  Makes about 20 bite size apps.  I borrowed this recipe from the Pillsbury site.

Ingredients
1 can of Pillsbury crescent rolls
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup of chopped pepperoni
1 egg yolk and 1 egg white - separate them
1 tsp oregano
parchment paper 
Preheat oven to 375F.
Open crescent roll package and pinch seams together to make one piece of dough.  In a small bowl mix the cheese, pepperoni, egg yolk and oregano.  Spread on the dough.  Roll up long ways.
I use a kitchen scissor to cut into pieces.  Start at the half way point and then work both ways with a full scissor cut through.  It kind of squishes together but when you lay them flat on the baking pan which you need to put parchment paper on first....  I just kind of form them back into a circle.  Using a brush - dip into the egg yolk and sweep on the pinwheels.  I cover them twice.  Then bake for 12 minutes.  Best warm but still good even in a couple of hours.

Cranberry Coffee Cake

While camping in South Carolina we had a shared driveway site which we thought would be ours for the week.  After a few days we got some new neighbours, real nice people who owned a KOA.   I was in the middle of making a coffee cake and while it was cooling I took a large part over to make friends!  Nothing works like a warm coffeecake :)

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a bowl mix together with a spoon:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In a separate bowl with a beater:
Froth 2 eggs, then add
1/4 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup milk

Mix wet to dry with large spoon.  Once mixed and it feels a little thick.  Add 1 cup fresh cranberries.
Dump into a greased pan.  I use a silicone ring.
Then top with this following mixture, mix all together in a bowl:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 tsp cinnamon
Roughly spread on top it will smooth itself when baking.

Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool about 30 minutes before removing from pan.  When you flip it out onto a dish you will be able to flip it back so crumble top is up.   Finish cooling and then serve.
This is my favorite recipe from Jean Pare - Company's Coming Muffins and More.

Apple Dumplings

I use homemade pastry dough when I make these but you can buy the pie dough as well in the grocery store.  These are like an apple pie only individualized.  We top it with caramel sauce or ice cream or whip cream or "all" of the above depending how decadent we feel!  Great when you bring home those fresh fall apples.
To make 4 servings I use only 1 large apple.
Roll out enough pastry dough for 1 large pie.

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Cut into 4 sections with a knife.
In a bowl add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup of raisins and 1 large apple, cored and skinned and cut into small pieces.  Mix together and spoon onto the 4 sections of pie dough.
Fold pastry dough over the apple mixture.

Brush with milk or egg white.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar or brown sugar.  Bake in oven at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve individual while warm.