Betsy's Balsamic Salad Dressing (Marie)

3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
1 T. canola oil
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 servings


It is especially good on the mixed green mix lettuces (as Scott
calls them "weeds" :) Cut up an apple add some cranraisins,or raisins and chopped walnuts or pecans and this dressing drizzled over it. Sometimes Betsey uses pears cut up instead of apples. We served it at our women's conference and it was a hit.I think it would be great with avocado and the salad mix too.

Pumpkin Mallow Dessert (Marie)

Serves: 8
Ingredients:
• 12 (2 1/2-inch) graham cracker squares
• 2 cups (one 16-ounce can) pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (4-serving) package JELL-O sugar-free vanilla cook-and-serve pudding mix
• 2/3 cup Carnation Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup (2 ounces) miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup Cool Whip Free
Directions:
1. Place 9 graham crackers in a 9-by-9-inch cake pan.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, dry pudding mix, dry milk powder, water, and marshmallows.
3. Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to boil and marsh-mallows are melted, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat. Place saucepan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
5. Gently fold Cool Whip Free into cooled pumpkin mixture. Carefully spread mixture evenly over graham crackers.
6. Crush remaining 3 graham crackers. Evenly sprinkle cracker crumbs over top.
7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into 8 servings.
Tips: A self-seal sandwich bag works great for crushing graham crackers.
Calories: 104 Fat: 0g Carbs: 23g Protein: 3g Fiber: 2g Sodium: 133mg

From COOKING HEALTHY WITH THE KIDS IN MIND by JoAnna Lund. Used by arrangement with Perigee, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright © 1998 by Healthy Exchanges, Inc.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2/3 C flour
1/3 C corn starch
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/8 t cinnamon
6 T granulated sugar
1 C milk
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/2 C mini chocolate chips
Combine flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl blend together sugar, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Use a wire whisk for a minute so it gets a little frothy.

Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry a little at a time, stirring to combine. Just stir until they're combined and don't over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips. This is a pretty thin batter, so don't be expecting something that looks like a pancake batter. It's supposed to be thin.

Ginger Spice Cookies

If you like the flavor of ginger snap cookies you're going to love the yummy chewy texture of these cookies.

cookie recipe by Paula Deen


3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco (not butter)
1 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/4 C molasses
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt;then add to the creamed mixture. Stir until combined. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.

Place on cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see "crackling" on the top.
Don't overbake! You want to keep them nice and chewy-soft in the middle.

I did a little twist on this recipe.... so here goes
I took those little one inch balls of ginger spice dough (did not roll these in sugar first) and placed each one in the greased cup of a mini muffin tin. I then pressed the dough to form a cup in the muffin tin and baked them for 9 minutes in the oven.
After they were cooled I put the following filling in each ginger spice cup.
They make a little mini ginger snap cheese cake. Yummmmmmy

Spicy Cream Cheese Filling
1 pkg low fat cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8oz pkg thawed cool whip
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend with mixer until smooth.
Fill up a pastry bag with this mixture and fill the mini muffin cookies like this....



You can use this filling and just dip the Ginger Spice Cookies in it. It is really yummy that way too. See the picture at the top of this post.

Creamy Carameled Apple Dip

Mom made this...now we do and love it!



Beat caramel and cream cheese together (cream cheese needs to be at room temp.)

Refrigerate and enjoy with fresh cut apples.

BUDGET COOKING (Marie)

It's the perfect season for bean salads. They're easy on the budget, a snap to prepare and they happen to be good for you. What could be better? If you cook your own dried beans (it's much easier than you think), you'll spend roughly a third of what canned beans cost. As for that nutritional profile, beans score high marks in everything from protein and fiber to carbohydrates, B vitamins and iron- all with very little fat.
To Prepare Dried Beans
Put them into a colander, pick out any small pebbles and rinse well under cold running water. Except for lentils and split peas, dried beans need to be soaked before cooking.
So... Soak beans overnight, refrigerated, in water to cover them by 3".
Or.... Cover beans with water by 3". Bring to a boil, turn off heat and let stand 1 hour.
Either way, be sure to drain off the soaking water and rinse the beans before you cook them. (This step really helps to reduce intestinal gas.)

To Cook Dried Beans
Add 3 c. Water to each cup of soaked beans in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently 1 & 1/2 hr- 2 & 1/2 hrs until tender but not mushy. If desired, add 1/4 tsp. Salt for each cup of beans about 30 min. Before end of cooking time. Drain and cool or freeze.

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Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing
2 C. Vegetable oil
1 & 1/2 c. Cider vinegar
3 T. Dijon Mustard
2 t. Salt
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Sugar
Puut ingredients into a 1-qt. Jar with a tight-fittling lid. Cover & shake until well blended. Makes 3 & 3/4 C. About 65 calories per tablespoon. This dressing will keep well up to 1 mo. In the refrigerator.

************
Tuscan Bean & Bread
2c. Each red kidney beans and chickpeas
4c. Cubed Italian bread
4c. Chopped tomatoes
1c. Chopped red onion
1/2 c. Muustard Vinaigrette
1 & 1/2 tsp. Dried basil
Serves 4 as a main dish.

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Pike's Bean
3 c. Small red beans
2 c. Cooked corn kernels
1 & 1/2 c. Chopped bell pepper
3/4 c chopped onion
1/3 c Mustard Vinaigrette
1 & 1/2 tsp. Bottled barbecue sauce
Serves 4 as a main dish.
(This is also great served with hot dogs & buns.)

Rhubarb Chutney (Marie)

8 cups sliced Rhubarb
7 cups diced onion
2 1/2 cups golden seedless raisins
7 cups of light brown sugar ( I only put 4 cups )
1 cup cider vinegar
2 T. salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cayenne---I didn't put that in mine

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook slowly until desired consistency, about 30 minutes.

2. Pack into Hot, sterile jars, seal Process 5 min. makes 3 pints....I guess I didn't cook mine down as much I got 6 pints! I didn't process mine in a cooker either, just did it like I do for jam or chili sauce. Recipe from Amy Wheelis Stoudsburg Ward PA

Fresh Peach Salsa Recipes (Marie)

From great salsa.com

Ingredients
• 2 cups chopped, peeled fresh peaches
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
• 3 Tablespoon lime juice
• 2 to 3 Tablespoon finely chopped, seeded fresh jalapeno pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
In a medium mixing bowl stir together peaches, onion, lime juice, peppers, garlic, cilantro, and sugar. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Makes 2 cups.

Homemade Danish Dessert (Joycelyn)

1 pkg. Kool-Aid (any flavor)
1 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
Add:
1 3/4 cup water if you want to put on top of a cake
2 cup water if you want to use for pudding (or pie filling)
2 1/2 cup water if you want to use for a sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a pan and bring to a boil.

Use as desired.
If making for a pie filling let it cool slightly before adding fruit.

I use this for Strawberry pie. Yummmmmy

Freezing Tomatoes (Joycelyn)

Check out this video on how to freeze tomatoes
I don't have enough tomatoes to can yet but I have to many to eat. I plan to use these for recipes that call for a can of tomato sauce.
Hope this will be helpful to you.

Cafe Rio Copy Cat Recipes (Joycelyn)

I have had so many people asking where I got my recipes for Cafe Rio dishes that I am going to start this blog with a link to Family Recipes This is where to find the best Copy Cat recipes for Cafe Rio. Thanks Erica for sharing your recipes and your picture of this family favorite.
The Creamy Cilantro Dressing is to die for!!