Shrimp Feta Pizza

A local restaurant makes this very tasty luncheon pizza.

 I've come up with this version to make at home.

For each individual pizza you will need:

• 1 - 6 inch pita bread
• 1-2 tablespoons prepared Pesto Sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup small shrimp
• about 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese.

1. Spread pesto sauce over surface of each pita bread.
2. Sprinkle red pepper and shrimp over pesto.
3. Crumble feta cheese over the top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and cheese begins to melt - about 10 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with a few shrimp and a little more feta and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I've enjoyed making this flavorful sweet and spicy soup as an appetizer or lunch. You can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I like it either way.

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet red peppers
• 3 sweet potatoes or yams
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning (rosemary and basil mix)*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups cold water
• 2 cups chicken broth

Method:

1. Cut peppers into into 1-inch strips. Peel and slice yams. Coarsely chop up onion.
2. Toss vegetables, peeled garlic, oil, Italian herbs, salt and pepper in large roasting pan.
3. Roast (covered)  in 400° F for 45 - 60 minutes. Until tender.
4. Stir 1 1/2 cups cold water into roasted vegetables to cool slightly, then blend in blender (in batches) to puree. (A
   n immersion blender works well too)
5. Pour into cooking pot. Add chicken broth and a bit more water, to desired consistency. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Serve with sour cream. Serves 4-6

* I use Pampered Chef Rosemary Herb seasoning mix

Wurst Bubbat / Stir Bread with Smoked Sausage

As a child I was always happy when this was served along side a bowl of soup. The bonus is that this bread is just stirred, not kneaded. Ah soup and bread, the perfect comfort food on a cold winter's night.

• 1 package or 1 tablespoon of quick rise yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/3 to 4 cups of four
• 1 double link farmer sausage or about 1 1/2 lbs of your favorite smoked sausage cut in to 16 pieces.

1. Combine all the dry ingredients including the dry yeast, with 3 cups of flour.
2. Add the beaten egg and milk.
3. Stir with a spoon adding enough flour to make a soft dough til it can barely be stirred anymore.
4. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
5. Add the 16 pieces of sausage to the top of the dough.
6. Let rise about 1 hour and bake in a 350 oven for 40-45 minutes.
7. Serve warm or cold.

White Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies

This is a good cookie jar and lunch box cookie. It also works well for a gift giving idea. Using a clear glass container or jar, layer the dry ingredients along with the craisins and chocolate chips. Tie the recipe onto the jar with a ribbon and you have a sweet little gift ready to deliver to a friend. All they have to supply is the butter, eggs and vanilla, then add the jar of ingredients and bake themselves fresh cookies.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup craisins
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Method:

1. Mix together butter, brown sugar and eggs until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix.
3. Using 2 spoons place medium size mound onto cookie sheets.
4. Bake at 350 for 10-12. Allow to rest on pan for 1 minute and then remove to cooling racks.

Yields approximately 2 dozen cookies. This recipe can easily be doubled. Cookies freeze well.

Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins

Ever have those little bits of jams sitting in jars and you really would like to open up a different kind? I am just too frugal to throw that out. Here is the perfect way to use up those little bits. You can use any kind of jam, I used strawberry this time.

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk,
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Jam

1. In a bowl whisk together dry ingredients.
2. In another bowl mix the rest of the ingredients except for the jam and add to the dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened.
3. Spoon half of the mixture into a greased muffin pan.
4. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam into each muffin cup and spoon the remaining batter over the jam to cover.
5. Bake in a 400º oven for 25 minutes.
6. Cool a few minutes in the pan, remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
7. These muffins freeze well
8. Yield: 12 muffins

Oops, a little jam ran out of that one!

Turkey Chili

This is a great healthy version of chili.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound white meat ground turkey
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 stalks of celery chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cans 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes with green chilies.
• 1 can 15 ounce kidney beans (drained)
• 1 can 15 ounce black beans (drained)
• 2 zucchini chopped into bite size pieces
• 2 yellow squash chopped into bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon each of salt, cumin, and dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in large pot.
2. Add onion and celery and saute till onion is translucent. 
3. Add turkey and season with salt and pepper and cook through. 
4. Add remaining ingredients. 
5. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. 
6. Simmer till the vegetables are cooked through. 
7. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
8. Serve with corn bread.

Stuffed Boned Chicken

I want to call it de-boned, but apparently “boned” is the way to say it. My friend, Doreen invited me over last week to show me how to bone a chicken. Removing the rib cage from a chicken is not for the faint of heart and takes a bit of time, but all the work is done ahead and you may actually be able to put up your feet before dinner. I am posting Doreen’s recipe today and should really call it Almost Boneless Stuffed Chicken, since we left the bones in the wings. We each did two and I would suggest that once you are in the mess, you may as well. You can freeze both or cook one and freeze one.
Ingredients:

• 2 whole fresh chickens (3-5 lbs)

Seasoning:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ginger
• 1 tablespoon flour

Stuffing:

• 8 cups cubed bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• ½ chopped onion
• ¼ cup diced celery (optional)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chicken broth

Method:

1. Prepare stuffing by cooking onions (and celery) in butter until soft. Mix all ingredients and set aside to cool.
2. Remove rib cage and leg bones from chicken.
   Pictures and instructions are on my blogThere are a number of online videos you can check out as well. I have linked two:
   http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-de-bone-a-chicken
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe4qSPojwtw
3. Once you have boned the chicken, lay it skin down on a working surface. Sprinkle lightly with some of the seasoning (mixing the ingredients called for)
4. Beginning at tail end, sew up half way.
5. Stuff with filling and continue sewing, folding flap from around neck over to sew shut.
6. Rub outside of chicken with a little oil and the rest of the seasoning.
7. Lay, breast side down, in roasting pan. ( I like the old black, speckled pan)
8. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 375° F.
9. Cover, reduce heat to 325° F and bake another 1 - 1 ½ hours, depending on size of chicken. (1/2 hour per pound total) I added carrots in the last half hour, then snap peas and frozen cranberries for the last 10 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Cover and let sit 10 minutes. If you wish to serve it with gravy for mashed potatoes, mix 1 tablespoon flour and 1 cup water in a covered container and stir into drippings in pan, stirring and bringing it to a boil.
    
    
    Note: If you are preparing a chicken for a later day, freeze uncooked stuffed chicken immediately and later thaw in fridge overnight

Andersons' Pea Soup

This recipe comes from the famous Andersen family. Somewhere down the line...it's been referred to as Andersen's Pea Soup. I looked this up online and now I realize it's been around for years. I still remember my mother in law coming home saying that she had the recipe to Andersen's Famous Pea Soup. We love this recipe and on a cold day, there's nothing better than a hot bowl of soup, which brings a spirit of wholesome family warmth around the table.

Ingredients

• 8 cups of water
• 2 cups green split peas
• 1 stalk of celery chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 pound farmer sausage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 pinch of cayenne
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Fill the pot with water, add bay leaf and bring to a boil.
2. Add split peas and boil hard for 20 minutes, then turn heat down until peas are tender.
3. It suggests to strain through fine sieve and reheat to boiling point. I skip this process.
4. Add celery, carrots and onion to pot and continue to simmer slowly for 1 hour.
5. Add about 1/2 pound farmer sausage.
6. Add spices.
7. Add extra boiling water if it becomes to thick.

I do not strain my soup as I love the chunky peas the way they are and it becomes quite tender while adding the other ingredients to the stock.
I love to add farmer sausage or bacon to this soup. It just adds that extra smoked flavor.
I served it for supper tonight and the bowls were all licked empty, once again.

Perfect Steamed Rice

Making perfect steamed rice without a rice cooker can be a challenge.  This rice sticks together and fluffs up wonderfully with a fork. 

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1  1/2 cup water

1. Put the rice in a colander and rinse it well.
2. Dump the rice in a saucepan and cover it with the water. 
3. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat.
4. Once little craters form on the surface of the rice, turn the heat to low and put the lid on.
5. Simmer rice about 15 - 20 minutes without lifting the lid.  This is when it will steam so do not peek for at least 15 minutes.  At the 15 minute mark lift the lid and check to see if any water is remaining.

If you want more rice. ..just add more rice and water using the same quantities.

Do not use butter or salt.  Add these after the rice is finished cooking and fluffed.

This will make 3 cups

I loved this additional hint from Kate today in comments. . . so I am adding it here. . .

Kate says  "Remember when the rice and water are boiling not to stir. There is no stirring until after the rice has steamed and then it's fluffing. I was taught to let the water reduce until it is under the surface of the rice and bubbles are still forming in the "craters" so about 75 percent of the water has been absorbed."

Thanks Kate.

For brown rice, my favorite is calrose brown use the same method but for 1 cup of rice use 2 1/2 cup water.  This rice takes longer to cook so you will need more water to boil away until the point of covering. 

Bread for the Journey

As a young girl I loved going to Sunday School, and listening to the stories of Jesus. One of my favourites was the story in Matthew 14:13-21 where Jesus fed 5000 from a little boys lunch.

I'm sure the mother of that little boy had no idea that her son would be asked to share his lunch and that Jesus would be able to turn five loaves and two fish into enough to feed 5000....and have left overs. The message I learnt from that story as a child was that God can do miracles.

Today this story asks me the question, 'what small thing do I have that I can give to Jesus?'

I know that He is able to take a small seed and produce a harvest.

This past year as us girls from MGCC have been working on our upcoming cookbook, we have marvelled at how God has given us the opportunity to use our gifts right at home in our own kitchens. He placed a dream in our hearts to feed hungry children, and continued to open the right doors for us to preserve the recipes handed down to us from our moms and grandmas.

Our kitchens have turned out many loaves of bread. It is our joy and privilege to be able to give so that hungry children can be fed, and find hope.

The crowds in the miracle story were not only physically fed by Jesus, He also spiritually nourished them through His teachings. This nourishment is available for everyone.

John 6:35

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst."