Teriyaki Chicken Dip

Many of us love the layered shrimp and cream cheese dip.  
Here is another variation made with chicken and teriyaki  sauce.  
Actually the variations of this layered dip are limited only by your taste preferences and imagination. 
It's a great appetizer to bring to that neighbourhood BBQ.

• 1  (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• about 1 cup  prepared or bottled Teriyaki Sauce* (recipe follows) 
• 2 cups finely cubed cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped carrot
• 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts or cashews
• fresh chives, finely snipped

* You could substitute a Thai Sweet Chili sauce or a Peanut sauce for the Teriyaki)

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

(This is also good brushed over chicken. If you are doing it on the barbecue, only brush it on for the last few minutes of cooking.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 finely minced clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water or pineapple juice

1. Mix all the Teriyaki sauce ingredients except cornstarch and water in microwaveable bowl.
2. Heat in microwave at 1 minute intervals, stirring in between until mixture is heated.
3. Mix cornstarch and water or juice and stir into hot mixture.
4. Return to microwave and cook until it bubbles.  If sauce seems too thick, add more water or juice.
5. Cool to room temperature before spreading over cream cheese layer.
6. This makes quite a thick sauce.  If using it to brush over barbecued or baked chicken, you may want to thin the sauce with more juice.

To Assemble Dip:

1. Prepare  Teriyaki sauce and let cool to room temperature. Or prepare a day ahead, refrigerating the sauce.
2. In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese with sour cream and mayonnaise until smooth and creamy.
3. Spread cream cheese in a thin layer on a serving platter.
4. Spread a layer of Teriyaki sauce evenly over the cream cheese layer, leaving a bit of the cream cheese showing around the edge.
5. Mix cubed chicken with about 1/2 - 1/3 cup Teriyaki sauce.  You just want to be sure the chicken all has a light coating of sauce.
6. Spread chicken evenly over Teriyaki sauce, leaving a bit of the sauce showing around the edge.
7. Sprinkle chicken with chopped carrot, nuts and chives.
8. Serve with crackers or multigrain chips.

Blueberry Cucumber Salad

The local blueberries are ripe...and oh-so-good!  Fresh from the garden, on a parfait for dessert or on a salad for lunch, they are the taste of summer.

Salad:

• 6 cups of mixed greens or baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cucumbers
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1. In a large bowl, combine greens, chives, cucumbers, and blueberries.
2. Toss with vinaigrette dressing and place on serving platter.
3. Sprinkle with feta and sunflower seeds. 
4. Serve with additional dressing on the side.

 Serves 4. 

Creamy Honey Vinaigrette Dressing:

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons liquid honey
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup olive oil

1. Whisk together vinegar, honey, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper.
2.  Gradually whisk in oil.
3. Blend in minced garlic.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups dressing.  

Bread for the Journey

The DRESS!
We are having a wedding in our family this summer,
 and so I pulled out my Mother's wedding dress, which was carefully sewn by her mother.
This summer it takes precedence as it hangs in our hallway.
It is not only a daily reminder, that we are having a wedding...but much more than that.
A few years back, while I was on a cleaning binge, I discovered the dress.
I called my sister to see if she would like to keep the dress.
The decision was made to give it to Good Will.
When suddenly, she blurted out,
 "No, we can't get rid of this dress. This dress means COMMITMENT!"
We knew our mother worked hard, stayed loyal, and committed,
knowing that her life was not without challenges.

Remember your wedding, with all its festivities, showers, parties, preparations,
the wedding itself, and just the two of you on your honeymoon?

Today's media has rediscovered the word 'commitment' as an optional plan.
'Happily ever after' has been transformed into, "Make me happy or I'll find some who will."
Excuses for today's world which seem to be prominently acceptable:

"I couldn't breathe, so I had to come up for air"
"I don't want to be tied down
 "We are two people going in two different directions."
"Why go through this hell?"
"I never was truly in love."
"Divorce is the norm..."

What is real COMMITMENT?
God has committed himself to us regardless of how we perform.
God wasn't attracted to you and didn't choose you because you were big and important—the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love.
A good marriage is not something you find, it's something that you work for.
It takes struggle.  Let go of your selfishness.
At times you need to confront and at other times confess.
The practice of forgiveness is essential.
Let's honor the call to holiness rather than to happiness.
We all know that Christian marriages will be struck by lightning,
sexual temptation, communication breakdowns, frustrations, and unrealized expectations.
Water your marriage with an unwavering commitment to please God above everything else.
Think about the analogy of Christ and his church.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant
of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."
Deuteronomy 7:9

'Keep the Dress'... revisit your vows, and say "I do" every day.

Transparent Apple Perishky

Every year I keep my eye open at Neufeld Farms for the green tart Transparent Apples that make such delicious pies and apple sauce.  It is the earliest apple of the summer and they are usually favoured for baking.  This is my mom in law's recipe.  The dough is so easy to work with and it turns out tender and flaky every time.  This recipe also freezes really well.  Once the perishky have cooled, simply wrap them in heavy foil and then in a bag and freeze them.  To serve later, open the foil  and slip the perishky on the foil in the oven until heated through.

• 5  1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup lard
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs beaten with enough evaporated milk to make 1 1/2 cups total liquid
• 2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup minute tapioca
• 4 pounds fresh transparent apples

1. Cut the lard and butter into the flour with a pastry blender.
2. Add the salt and the baking powder with a fork.
3. Add the liquid into the flour and stir with a fork until mostly combined.
4. Turn onto a floured counter and bring together with several kneads into a large disc.
5. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
6. Divide the dough in half and roll out the first piece of pastry on a well floured surface into a large rectangle measuring about 2 feet long and a foot and a half wide.  It should be quite thin. Make sure you keep the dough from sticking underneath by adding a bit more flour and to the top as well.  ( a pastry mat is a wonderful tool for rolling our pastry)  Try to use flour sparingly as it helps later when you fold the pastry over to make a better seal if it is not dusted with flour.
7. Cut the large pastry into four rectangles and then work on one at a time...rolling a bit thinner if you notice it is a bit thick on one side.
8. I typically peel and slice one apple at a time which is enough for one long strip.  They brown so quickly that I try to work quickly.  Once baked they look wonderful so don't worry too much about the browning.
9. Sprinkle a bit (maybe a half teaspoon  to teaspoon per row) of tapioca down the center and then the diced apples and then sprinkle sugar on top of the row.  I usually use about 1/4 cup sugar per row and a teaspoon of tapicoa.  
10. Bring the long sides together. .overlapping as best you can.   Bring the ends up and overlap on top.  Pat the dough lightly.  It will stay together fine unless you have flour dusted on the edges.  Even if they come apart slightly they will be delicous.
11. Bake in a 375 F oven until golden brown and the juices clear.

Hot Beef Wraps

 

I've made these wraps a few times now when I've had some leftover steak and black bean salad. I tell you, it's worth making the black bean salad just for these wraps.  A perfect combination!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow sweet pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 - 8z steak, cooked medium well, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• a good shake of Mexican spice (optional)
• 3 cups black bean salad - posted here ( if you are preparing it for the wraps, do 1/2 recipe)
• 5 large tortilla wraps

Method:

1. In a small amount of olive oil, cook onion until caramel in color, adding sweet pepper part way through and then the steak to heat through.
2. Season according to personal preference with cumin and Mexican spice.
3. Top with bean salad and let sit until steamed through.
4. In the meantime, warm tortilla wraps. Fill and enjoy!

Potato Skins

Add a salad or cut up veggies and these loaded potato skins become a meal.

They are also a great addition to an appetizer bar. 

Ingredients: to serve 4

• 4 large russet baking potatoes
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• chives, snipped fine (or use green onions)
• sour cream

Method:

1. Wash potatoes and poke each with the tines of a fork in several places.
2. Bake potatoes unwrapped directly on oven grills at 400º until done. Approximately 45-60 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and cool. Cut each baked potato length wise into four pieces. 
4. Scoop out potato flesh leaving a thin layer of the flesh on each skin. Save scooped out flesh for fried potatoes in the next day or two. Your family will love 'em!:)
5. Fry bacon until crisp. Crumble.
6. Grate cheese and snip chives. 
7. Place potato skins on a baking sheet. Brush each with melted butter. Broil for 3-4 minutes to just crisp them up. Watch so they do not burn. They should start to become golden.
8. Remove from oven and top with bacon, chives and cheese.
9. Place back under the broiler until the cheese is nicely melted and just begins to show signs of browning.
10. Top with remaining chives and sour cream.

Lemon Curd Cookies

It's been awhile since I made anything with lemon. I love cookies with a filling tucked into the middle. And if it's lemon how could I resist? These cookies are chewy in the middle with crusty edges. They freeze well but it's a small recipe so I'm thinking they won't make it to the freezer.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Lemon curd
• Icing sugar and extra lemon zest

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until well combined.
3. Stir in flour and salt just until blended.
4. Roll out dough to 1/4 " thickness and cut with a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter.
5. Drop approximately half a teaspoon lemon curd on half of the cookies and cover each cookie with another cookie pinching the edges together.
6. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets.
7. Bake in a 350º oven for 12 minutes.
8. Cool, dust with icing sugar and lemon zest. You can omit this step but it sure makes the cookies look pretty.
9. Yield: 16 cookies

Bread for the Journey

A year ago we welcomed a new grandson into the family on the same day of his grandpa's birthday.

I've watched this little one during the year and in particular the other day it occurred to me that the relationship once one-sided is becoming a bond between the two. 

•  0 -  2 months...he valued the strong secure arms that willingly carried him when it was necessary to wait until Mommy's arms were free.
• 3 - 4  months... he valued those same strong arms bouncing him on his lap.
• 5 - 6  months...he counted on those strong arms to keep him from toppling while he learned to sit.
• 7 - 8 months... those strong arms held out encouragement for him to crawl towards a goal.
• 9 - 10 months...those strong arms reached down allowing the grasp of tiny fingers as he tentatively took his first steps.
• Tomorrow he will be a year ....  and he runs to the arms of the Grandpa who has always smiled encouragement and has loved him...even before he loved Grandpa back.

We can't even begin to compare human relationships with the relationship between us and God and yet  God created these relationships in part so that we can see the heart of God and his faithfulness to us even before we can see our need for him.  We can never know the mind of God but we have seen his heart of love towards man kind.  He longs to have us reach out to him and wants us to communicate with him.  

Father in heaven, thank you for the beautiful examples of human relationships that you have given us.  Thank you for the gift of families and for each opportunity to share life together.

Lord, may we be faithful in speaking love into the lives of these little ones so that when they grow older and need wise counsel, we will have built a safe place for them to invite examples from our own life experience.   Teach us Lord and give us hearts to be more like Christ each day.

In all this Lord... we give you glory and praise.

In Jesus name,

Amen

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:5

Green Beans and Peppers in a Sweet Chili Sauce

Vegetables are a very important part of our everyday meals.  This dish is very quick and easy to make with steam fried assortment of vegetables that is low in fat, beautiful to look at and very tasty.  This dish brightens up the table of any  simple supper.  This is what I used~

• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• One small onion sliced very thin
• 1 yellow pepper cut in strips
• once carrot per person cut into sticks
• enough green beans that you would need for the amount of people that you are serving. (I used frozen)
• sweet chili sauce to pour on top
• or a squeeze of fresh lime

1. Heat a large saute pan or wok, add the oil.  
2. Then add the onion, pepper, and carrots.  Stir well and cook for one minute.  Add a 2 tablespoons water, cover the pan and cook until the carrots are tender crisp.  If the water disappears add a bit more, you want to steam the veggies until tender.  
3. Then when the carrots are tender, add you frozen green beans, stir  and cover the pot again until the green beans are cooked through and bright green.  
4. Pour over desired amount of the Sweet Chili Sauce.
5. Serve, with fresh limes to squeeze over. This is always one vegetable dish that gets reached for a second helping.

Toffee Topped Sheet Cake

I recently found several recipes for this cake on Pinterest and because we love the chocolate Texas Sheet Cake I thought it would be nice to try a "white" version.  

I added toffee bits and toasted almonds to the frosting and everyone who tried it gave me a thumbs up.  So here is the recipe as I made it.

For the cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 4-5 cups icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• salt to taste
• 1 1/4 cups toffee bits (you can buy these in the baking aisle)
• 1 1/4 cups almonds, lightly toasted*

*I toast these in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until nicely browned.  They will burn very quickly so watch them closely.

Method for the cake:

1. Grease and flour an 11x15 inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees..
3. Place butter and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.
4. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
5. In a measuring cup, mix buttermilk with eggs  and vanilla until blended, stir in vanilla.
6. Add  buttermilk/egg mixture to bowl of dry ingredients and mix just until all the flour is moistened.
7. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, add large dollops of this batter to the butter/water mixture in the saucepan, mixing very well between additions.
8. When it is all combined, pour into prepared baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake is set.
9. Let cool 10 minutes before preparing icing.  You should ice the cake while it is still warm.

Method for Frosting:

1. Bring butter and buttermilk to a boil in a large saucepan. (It will look a bit curdled)
2. Remove from heat and mix in 3 cups icing sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt if desired.  Continue to add icing sugar  and mix until desired consistency is reached.  (This frosting will thicken as it cools so work fairly quickly. I was almost a cup short of icing sugar when I made this and even though the icing looked fairly runny when I poured it over the cake it still set nicely.)
3. Stir in toffee bits and all but 1/4 cup of the almonds.
4. Spread over warm cake and sprinkle with remaining almonds.
5. Let cool before serving.
6. Makes 20 generous sized pieces.  This freezes very well.