Homemade Salsa

Ingredients

    1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
    1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
    1/2 cup onion, diced
    1 tablespoon pepper powder
    2 tablespoons lime juice
    2 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced

Method

 1.    Combine all of the above ingredients.
 2.    Serve with low-fat baked tortilla (corn) chips, or fresh veggies, cut up.

Green Tea ~ How to Make Green Tea

Ingredients

Dried Green Tea Leaves / powder : 1/2 tsp
Water : 1 cup
Sugar or honey to taste


Method 

Bring a cup of water to boil. Once the water starts boiling turn off the heat and add the green tea leaves. Cover with a lid and set aside for 4 to 5 minutes. Now strain the tea and add the sugar or honey and mix well. Serve and enjoy !!

Radish and Mint Chutney for Tiffins

Ingredients

Grated Radish / Mooli : 1 cup
Fresh Mint Leaves : 1 cup, packed
Green chillies : 3- 5
Tamarind : 1 inch piece
Salt to taste
Oil : 2 tsp

For Tempering

Mustard Seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp
A pinch of hing (optional)

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in water for 10 minutes and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the slit green chillies and fry for a minute. Now add the    grated radish and mint leaves to it and fry for 3 - 5 minutes till the raw smell    disappears. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

3. Grind the radish mix, soaked tamarind and some salt to a smooth paste by adding little    water. Transfer the chutney into a bowl and keep it aside.

4. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan for seasoning. Add the mustard seeds and urad dal and    let them splutter. When the seeds stop popping, add the hing and stir for a few seconds    and turn off the heat.

5. Pour the tempered ingredients over the chutney and combine well. Serve with idli, dosa ,    pongal or upma.

Capsicum Masala Recipe

Ingredients

    2 big capsicum/ bell peppers [substitute with okra, brinjal, Tindora, potato]
    1 medium onion
    ¾ cup shredded coconut
    1 Tbsp  tamarind paste
    Little jaggery (for taste)
    Coriander leaves (garnish)
    1 tsp Mustard seeds
    Asafetida (a pinch)
    Salt
     oil

Ingredients to roast

    1 tsp urad daal
    ½  tsp coriander seeds
    1/4 tsp methi seeds
    ½ tsp sesame seeds
    ¼ cup peanuts/ground nuts
    3-4 red chillies

Preparation

1.Wash all the capsicum/bell pepper thoroughly, chop into bite size pieces and keep aside.   (not too small)

2.Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Chop the coriander leaves and keep aside.

3.Roast all the ingredients in little oil on low flame one by one and keep them aside to   cool.

4.Grind the coconut along with red chillies, salt, tamarind paste and water.

5.Half way through add the roasted ingredients and grind it to a smooth paste. Add water as   required. The paste should be a little thick and not too watery.


Method

1.Heat oil in a thick bottom pan, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Next add the   asaferida and mix.

2.Add the diced onions and sauté until it is semi cooked.

3.Increase the heat and at this point add the chopped capsicum. Stir well.
 
4.After the capsicum is cooked, add the ground masala, salt, jiggery and mix well. Sprinkle   water in between and keep mixing as required.
 
5.Cover with a lid, stirring in between. Once the masala is cooked, stream in little bit   oil. Mix and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Stuffed Bell Peppers ( Capsicums ) Masala

Ingredients

Bell peppers : 5
Onion : 1
Groundnuts : 1 cup
Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut : 2 tbsp
Cloves : 3 or 4
Cinnamon stick : 1 inch piece
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
Green chillies : 2 or 3
Dry chilli 1 or 2
Tamarind : small lime size ball
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 3 tbsp
Grated Jaggery : 1tsp
Salt to taste

For Stuffing

Potatoes : 2
Onion : 1
Few curry leaves
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Chana dal : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp

Method

Potato Stuffing :

Wash, cube and pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles and allow it to cool. Now peel and mash the boiled potatoes with fingers or masher and keep it aside. Heat one tea spoon of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal. When they start to splutter add curry leaves and onion pieces and fry them. When the onions turn light brown, add mashed potatoes, salt and red chilli powder and mix well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes and turn off the flame. Stuffing is ready.

Gravy :

Heat one tea spoon of oil in a frying pan. Add and fry the groundnuts , coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick and finally red chilli to golden brown color. Turn off the flame and let it cool completely. In the same pan add another tea spoon of oil and add the onion pieces, green chillies and fry for 5 to 6 minutes. Finally add the grated coconut and fry for a few minutes. Remove from the flame. When it cools down, add tamarind, salt, grated jaggery, Fried groundnuts, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and grind into a smooth paste using little water.

Wash and cut the top of the bell pepper and remove the seeds. And stuff them with the stuffing curry and keep them aside. Heat oil in a vessel and place the stuffed bell peppers, gravy paste and one cup of water. Mix well, cover with a lid. Let it cook completely. Remove from the heat and serve hot with steamed rice.

Carrot Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

Grated Coconut : 1 cup
Grated Carrot : 1 cup
Green Chillies : 4 to 6
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal : 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds : 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves : 1 sprig
Tamarind : small piece
Salt to taste
Oil : 1 tbsp

Method

1.Heat a tea spoon of oil in a pan.
2.Add the split green chillies and grated carrot and fry for 5 minutes and allow it to   cool.
3.Put the coconut, roasted carrots, salt, tamarind and little water in a blender and grind   into a smooth paste.
4.Heat oil in a pan for seasoning. Add the mustard seeds, urad dal and cumin seeds and let   them splutter. Now add the curry leaves and switch off the flame.
5.Add this tadka to the chutney and mix well. Serve with dosa, idli, pongal or upma.

Alu Capsicum Masala

Ingredients

1 Tsp Jeera.

1-2  Bell Peppers.

3 Medium Potatoes boiled and cubed.

Handful of green peas.

1 1/2 cup Tomato Puree.

2 Tbsp Kasoori Methi Leaves.

1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder.

Pinch of Turmeric.

Salt.

Pinch of sugar.

Chopped Cilantro to garnish.

For the Marinade

3/4 Cup Sour Curds.

1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder.

1 Tsp Kitchen King Masala Powder.

1/2 Tsp Methi Powder.

1/4 Cup  chopped mint leaves.

1/4 Cup chopped cilantro.

Method

1.Take all the ingredients under “MARINADE” in a bowl. Mix them together well and add the   boiled and cubed potatoes to this. Allow to sit for a couple minutes until they are ready   to be added to the kadai.

2.In a kadai add a spoon of oil and allow the jeera to splutter. Now add the chopped bell   peppers and peas and allow to saute for a few minutes.

3.Add the tomato puree to the kadai and mix in well. Keep the flame under medium low as the   puree would splutter out of the kadai as it cooks.

4.Add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, sugar and mix in well. Allow the tomato puree to   cook in a little.
 
5.Then add the potatoes marinated in the spicy curd. This would make the resulting gravy   very rich and creamy.
 
6.Keep the flame under low as we do not want the curds to disintergrate.
 
7.Add a small blob of butter and allow it to slowly melt in to the gravy.
 
8.When you slowly start seeing the butter coming out of the gravy, add the dried kasoori   methi and give it a couple more minutes to cook.

9.When you see the oil seperating, its time to switch off the flame.
  Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with Avocado Parathas or Peas Pulav.

Lean Green Smoothie

This smoothie features kale, a vegetable superstar. Kale is considered to be the most nutritional food in the world:

    It’s a natural fat buster
    Packed with fiber
    Great source of vitamin A, potassium and calcium

This smoothie is great for breakfast, as a snack, or after a workout.

Makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients:

    1 c. coconut milk
    1 c. kale, stems removed
    1 Granny Smith apple, sliced and deseeded
    1/2 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
    1/2 c. frozen banana chunks
    1-2 tsp. Vietnamese cinnamon


Preparation:

    In a blender, combine coconut milk, kale, apple, parsley, banana chunks, and cinnamon.
    Blend until smooth, adding more coconut milk if necessary.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, so we’ve been working on a couple of different gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes, one is somewhat of a secret the other has gotten a little more popular around the house while we perfect our secret recipe. Yes, I know you are all thinking this is such a basic recipe, but that should also be a little comforting.  Since it is a basic recipe, you should have everything on hand to make these with exception to the rice flour.  We hope to get our recipe perfected, in the meantime feel free to use this recipe to satisfy that sweet tooth of yours!

Makes 5 dozen
Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups Rice Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 Cup Butter Flavored Crisco

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar (packed down)

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

2 Cups Chocolate Chips



Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix rice flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl.  Beat sugar, brown sugar, butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until it is creamy.  Add eggs one at a time beating each into the mix, slowly add the flour mixture into the large mixing bowl.  Once it is all mixed well, add chocolate chips into the mixture.

Drop by rounded spoon onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 2 minutes and move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Gourmet Mushrooms Create Creamy Summer Saute

Gourmet mushrooms are a delightful addition to any meal, but especially at the vegan table. Succulent texture, woody fragrance and savory character create a gourmet experience comparable (and compatible!) with the finest wines. And though freshly harvested mushrooms are appealing, restricting indulgence to a few illusive days in fall is not necessary.There are many delicious varieties cultivated in specialized growing environments; and when dried properly, seemingly simple flavors develop complicated depth.

Ten pounds of fresh mushrooms are needed to produce one pound of dried. So while they seem expensive when compared to fresh, the value is ten fold. And as they last indefinitely, there is no risk in stocking the pantry.

Mushrooms are a great addition to a plant-based diet. They generally are high in vitamin B and iron, as well as trace minerals, and contain stable antioxidants that aren’t destroyed in a short cooking process. If you rehydrate them in a sunny window, they actually MAKE vitamin D, much like our own skin. Nutrient levels and immune boosting-benefits are not affected by the drying process.

Premium Mushroom Blend or bulk Dried Porcini Mushrooms are available through the Great American Spice Company. The blend is a bit pricey, but the eclectic selection can last a long time if you use them sparingly.
Gourmet Mushrooms Create Creamy Summer Saute, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

 Ingredients:

    1/2 pound cashews (soak)
    1/2 cup dried mushrooms (soak) (any gourmet mushrooms will work)
    Fresh seasonal ingredients of choice: greens, peppers, squash, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, beans, tofu, etc.
    4-5 cloves freshly chopped garlic
    2 tbsp each of seasonings: parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic salt, black pepper (or fresh if you have them!)
    1/2 cup yeast flakes
    1tbsp ground mustard

Gourmet Mushrooms Create Creamy Summer Saute, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Preparation:

1-2 hour in advance:

Soak 1/2 lb of cashews in water for an hour or so. (They plump up just like dried beans and turn white…perfect for cream!)

Boil 5-6 cups plain water and pour over dried mushrooms in a mixing bowl. Add just enough to cover the mushrooms and discard the remainder. Let them soak (in a sunny window if possible) until they are tender.

20 minutes before serving time:

Drain cashews and put them in a blender. Cover the nuts with about half of the broth produced by soaking mushrooms. Add yeast flakes, ground mustard and 1 tbsp each of seasonings. Puree until thoroughly blended. Taste it with your finger and fine tune as needed. I usually add a bit more salt. If it’s too thick, add a bit more broth.

Cook pasta of choice according to package directions. I like Farfalle Pot Pie Bow Noodles (egg free) because it’s very light in texture and flavor. Add 1-2 tbsp salt to the boiling water, and the subtle flavor will pop.

In a skillet, add the soaking mushrooms and remaining broth to desired veggies and garlic. Cook on medium heat until everything is tender, but brightly colored with a bit of crunch. Add seasonings just before removing from heat.

Pour cashew sauce over sauté. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Serve over, or mix into, the pasta. Take compliments graciously.

Gourmet Mushrooms Create Creamy Summer Saute, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Rod and Shiela’s BBQ Rub

This is a simple BBQ rub that goes well with beef, chicken or pork. We use this quite often on our favorite meats. Make larger quantities than the recipe states so you have enough on hand especially if you are having a large BBQ party.
Rod and Shiela's BBQ Rub, 3.0 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Makes 2 3/4 cups
Ingredients:

    1/4 cup ground cumin
    1/4 cup paprika
    1/4 cup garlic powder
    1/4 cup onion powder
    1/4 cup chili powder
    1/4 cup sea salt (can be eliminated if you do not desire salt)
    1/4 cup black pepper
    1/4 cup white pepper
    1/4 cup tomato powder
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    * for some extra kick add cayenne pepper powder or jalapeno powder to taste.

Rod and Shiela's BBQ Rub, 3.0 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Preparation:

    Mix all the ingredients in a food processor or in a large mixing bowl
    Rub the mix all over the meat till coated.
    Wrap the meat in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for six hours or overnight.
     Grill as to your preference.
    * If you have a domed type grill such as a Weber we recommend that you use indirect cooking.

Image Credit: Mark Jenniskens
Rod and Shiela's BBQ Rub, 3.0 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

French Toast Recipe

Looking to wow your family for breakfast?  We’ve got just the french toast recipe for you on this early Saturday morning!  French toast is often overlooked as a simple but delicious breakfast meal, but if you’ve got 15-20 mins and some basic baking ingredients along with some bread, we can help you out.  We’ve found slightly stale bread often gives us the best results.

This is a basic recipe, feel free to add some ingredients of your own.  Lately we’ve been mixing in a little pumpkin spice or apple pie spice just to spice things up a little.

Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 15 minutes


French Toast Recipe, 2.7 out of 5 based on 3 ratings

Makes 4
Ingredients:

    4 eggs
    2/3 cup milk
    2 teaspoons of Vietnamese Cinnamon
    8 thick slices of 2-day-old bread, better if slightly stale
    Butter
    Brennemans Maple syrup
    Optional:
    2 teaspoons freshly grated Orange Zest
    2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
    2 teaspoons Pumpkin Spice
    Fresh berries

French Toast Recipe, 2.7 out of 5 based on 3 ratings

Preparation:

    Mix milk, eggs, milk, cinnamon together. If using optional ingredients like pumkpin spice, apple pie spice or orange zest add it now as well.  Whisk until well blended well. Pour into a shallow bowl.
    Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, allowing bread to soak up some of the mixture. Melt butter over a large skillet on medium high heat. Add as many slices of bread onto the skillet as will fit at a time. Fry until brown on both sides, flipping the bread when necessary.
    Butter and serve with maple syrup, and if available, fresh berries.
    Add some bacon to this meal if you really want to make memories!  Seriously!

French Toast Recipe, 2.7 out of 5 based on 3 ratings

Bacon Wrapped Pickled Watermelon Rind

Looking for a new appetizer to wow your friends at your next party or tailgating event?  Looking for a sure fire way to grab their attention, look no further this recipe uses bacon which is always a sure thing combined with an unusual snack like pickled watermelon rinds.  Quick, easy, bacon, Cajun, what else could you seriously ask for.  This is a great appetizer and very easy to fix, bacon wrapped pickled watermelon rind!  The only thing you need to be careful of in this recipe is to be careful when cooking your bacon and watermelon rinds, often times Cajun seasonings have a high amount of sugars in them and they can cause blackening or burning which is good in moderation.  Try this recipe out and let us know what you think.
Bacon Wrapped Pickled Watermelon Rind, 3.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Makes About 30
Ingredients:

    1 jar (16oz) Jake and Amos Pickled Watermelon Rinds
    Tony Chachere’s Cajun Rub or your favorite Cajun seasoning
    1 lb Bacon

Bacon Wrapped Pickled Watermelon Rind, 3.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Preparation:

Wrap a pickled watermelon rind with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle liberally with Tony C’s or some other cajun-like rub. Cook at 350 on a fish/veggie grid on a raised grill until the bacon is done. You have to watch them closely and rotate them often, because with the high sugar content they burn easily.
Bacon Wrapped Pickled Watermelon Rind, 3.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Turkey Meat Loaf

Turkey meat loaf is a new and exciting lean way to do meatloaf.  Did you ever think of substituting turkey for your ground beef?  We have been looking for a great recipe for “turkey loaf” forever, we finally found one and have made it our own by doing a little creative kitchen work.  Meat loaf is generally always made with ground beef, but most poultry products such as chicken, duck and turkey are great healthy alternatives to the standard meat loaf.  Not to mention, why not change things up a little, do you really need to continue cranking out that same meat loaf recipe your mother taught you how to make 30 years ago?  Bring a little spark back to the dinner table, I’m sure your whole family will enjoy one night of living on the meat loaf edge!  Seriously, give this delicious recipe a try, this turkey meat loaf recipe will not let you down.
Turkey Meat Loaf , 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Makes 4
Ingredients:

    1 lb. pkg. Turkey Sausage Roll
    1 (4 oz.) pkg. Egg Beater
    1/2 cup crushed Stuffing Croutons
    1/4 cup Dried Soup Greens
    1/4 cup Dried Tomato Pieces
    1/4 cup Catsup
    Dried Onion Flakes to taste
    Salt and Pepper to taste

Turkey Meat Loaf , 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Preparation:
    1. Mix everything but the turkey together and allow the dried vegetables to rehydrate approximately 30 min. (You may need to add a little water) 2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F 3. Mix in the turkey and form a loaf. cover it with catsup or Bar-B-Que sauce, bake 45 min. or untill the internal temperature reaches 160 to 165 degrees. Allow to rest 15 min. before slicing and serving. Note: The Soup Greens and the Tomato Pieces can be purchased at americanspice.com
Turkey Meat Loaf , 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Quick Pumpkin Bread with Stevia

In our search for pumpkin bread we found it increasing hard to locate a good recipe that was also diabetic-friendly and gluten-free.  Over the course of our search for the perfect pumpkin bread recipe, we found hundreds of great recipes, however the majority were not gluten free and most were not diabetic-friendly.  We stumbled across the recipe that used Stevia and thought we would give it a try.  Stevia is a genus of the Sunflower family and is increasingly known for it’s sweet leaves which are a great substitute for sugar.  As a sweetener and sugar substitute, Stevia’s taste has a slower onset and longer duration than sugar.  We thought the use of Stevia in our pumpkin bread may be a perfect transition into the pumpkin flavors and the sweet combination of spices from the pumpkin pie spice.  Give this recipe a try, serve warm with some hot pumpkin spiced coffee for a delicious healthy breakfast, or just keep around the house for a snack.
Quick Pumpkin Bread with Stevia, 1.5 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:

    • 1 CUP CANNED PUMPKIN (not pumpkin pie filling)
    • ¼ TEASPOON PREMIUM STEVIA POWDER
    • JUICE OF ½ A LEMON JUICE OR 1 TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE
    • 2 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR
    • ½ TEASPOON BAKING SODA
    • 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
    • ¼ TEASPOON SALT
    • ⅓ CUP OF OIL
    • 1 LARGE EGG
    • ½ CUP PLAIN YOGURT
    • 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
    • 1 TEASPOON PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

Quick Pumpkin Bread with Stevia, 1.5 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Oil a loaf. In a small bowl, mix the Stevia and lemon juice into the pumpkin and then set aside. Mix the flour, leavenings, spices and salt together in a bowl. Beat the oil and egg together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the yogurt and the vanilla. Stir the pumkin mixture into the liquid mixture. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring as little as possible. Put in loaf pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick or knife stuck in the middle comes out clean. Turn out the loaf and cool on a rack.
Quick Pumpkin Bread with Stevia, 1.5 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Carrot Cake Bars (tea bread)

Looking for a carrot cake recipe, we’ve got one here submitted by one of our great customers.  This recipe has a couple of secret ingredients, only a few know about these ingredients and lucky for you, we know right where to find some of these ingredients.  Who would’ve thought Tangerine Oil and Coconut flakes could be used in Carrot Cake Bars?  Sound to good to be true?  Not a chance, we are going to make this recipe a not so secret anymore thanks to Shirley.

Carrot cake can come in many different forms, you can make carrot cake, carrot cake cupcakes, carrot cake scones, etc. etc.  This is one on the first time we heard of someone making carrot cake bars, but we have to tell you, what a delicious and simple recipe to try at home.
Carrot Cake Bars (tea bread), 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating



Makes 9x13 cake ; 2 9x13 bars; 8 mini loaf pans or 2 large loaf pans
Ingredients:

    1 1/2 cups oil
    2 cups sugar
    4 large eggs
    3 cups flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 1/2 teaspoons soda
    1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
    1 teaspoon tangerine oil
    2 teaspoons cinnamon
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 lb carrots — grated
    1-cup coconut flakes
    1 cup golden raisins
    1 8oz can crushed pineapple in juice (do not drain)
    1 cup toasted pecans — chopped fine

Carrot Cake Bars (tea bread), 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Preparation:

In large bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside. In another bowl stir together carrots, coconut, raisins, nuts and pineapple. In very large mixing bowl blend oil and sugar very well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well, after each. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients (mixture will be thick) Spray a 9×13 pan with Pam, add mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Small breads and bars I bake for about 35 minutes. Muffins and large loafs would be different . Cool in pan on wire rack. When completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting, refrigerate, covered These also freeze very well.
Carrot Cake Bars (tea bread), 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

How to make Homemade Chocolate

Submitted by Cecilia

With Valentines Day right around the corner, literally fellas, it is tomorrow.  You can thank us later for bailing you out, but today we are going to give you the recipe on how to make homemade chocolate.  Want to dazzle her, add one of her favorite flavors like coconut, cinnamon, etc.  Its generally the thought that counts right, when she finds out you slaved over a hot oven for hours making her a customized and thought provoking gift, she will be forever greatful to have you as her Valentine.  Here’s the secret guys, it takes less time than baking up chocolate chip cookies, but don’t worry we wont tell if you don’t tell!  Put away your bill folds and forget about those high priced flowers, make her dinner and her own homemade chocolates, you can thank us later.
How to make Homemade Chocolate, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

 Ingredients:

    1/3 cup coconut oil
    1/3 cup cacao butter (optional)
    2/3 cup cocoa powder - Dutch processed cocoa powder
    ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
    ¼ cup milk powder (optional)
    1 tsp Vanilla extract
    Nuts, spices, or filling of your choice
    Molds or tray

How to make Homemade Chocolate, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Preparation:

To get started you want to melt your coconut oil and cacao butter in a double boiler.  If you only have coconut oil that will work by itself but the chocolate will be softer and have a little different taste. If you want a smooth creamy sweet chocolate a Dutch processed cocoa powder goes through a process that removes a lot of the bitter flavor and is used in many modern chocolates. If you want to go for the most natural you can get raw cacao powder at many health food shops and it has a very strong robust flavor, however any cocoa powder will work. Mix the cocoa, milk, and sugar powders together and sift them through a mesh strainer or flour sifter to ensure that there are no clumps. If you prefer a dark chocolate you can leave out the milk powder. This recipe makes a semisweet chocolate but you can change the milk and sugar content to your preferred taste.  Once your oils are melted add the vanilla extract and stir. Next you want to shake a thin layer of the cocoa powder mix over the top of the oil whisk it in and repeat until you have added all your powder.  Adding the powder a little at a time helps it to mix and smooth and evenly.  You can pour into the mold as is or add almost anything you want like mint oil, nuts, or caramel. You can shake a little spice, such as cinnamon, ginger, or chili powder, into your molds before you add the chocolate for a fun twist. If you don’t have any molds you can pour it on to a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper and break it up into bark when it cools. If you put your molds into the freezer for an hour or two it will be much easier to remove the chocolate. Now enjoy your delicious chocolates and happy experimenting.
How to make Homemade Chocolate, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Nothing wakes you up in the morning like the smell of a warm homemade cinnamon roll recipe baking in the oven.  The smell of fresh cinnamon rolls baking in the oven may be one of my favorite things in this world, since I’m not exactly a “morning person” this may be one of the best tricks to get me out of bed.  Accompany that with the aroma of a freshly ground coffee beans from one of my favorite local coffee shops and look out, mornings have never been better!  While there may be a small time commitment in whipping these up from scratch, we’ve found making them up the night before is often the best way to go.  We call it wake and bake, baking is as easy as tossing them in the oven, we can generally have the coffee beans ground and a hot pot of coffee brewed and ready to go when the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven.  Add a little homemade icing to your homemade cinnamon rolls, and it’s go time!

This cinnamon roll recipe is a must for waking up early on the holidays or whenever you have overnight guests.  Just watch the excitement on their faces as they enter the kitchen asking what the delicious aroma is, you will seriously have to ask them to leave, be careful as you may find your guests sticking around a little longer than anticipated.

Enjoy your breakfast and start the day off right!
Cinnamon Roll Recipe, 5.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Makes 12-15 Rolls
Ingredients:

Step 1.

    1 packet active dry yeast 
    1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted) 
    1/4 cup warm water (105 – 110) 
    1 T white sugar
    1/4 T brown sugar

Step 2.

    1 cup warm milk
    1/2 packet (3.4 oz) vanilla pudding
    1 egg
    4 cups flour
    ½ t salt

Step 3.

    1 c brown sugar
    4 T Saigon Cinnamon
    1/4 c melted butter

Icing Ingredients:

    1/2 Softened butter
    2 cups powdered sugar 
    3 tablespoons heavy cream 
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon Roll Recipe, 5.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Preparation:

    Mix the ingredients from Step 1 together and set aside for at least 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. It is ready when the mixture is quite foamy. One of the mistakes that I find that many home cooks make when working with yeast is that they don’t use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the mixture they are adding yeast to. In order for the yeast to activate and fulfill its rising potential, the mixture needs to be between 105°F and 110°F. If you get much less than that, the yeast won’t activate, meaning it will not rise, and if you get too much hotter than 110°F the yeast will die. So it is important that you keep track of the temperature of things when working with yeast.
    Mix ingredients from Step 2 together except for flour.  Whisk in the yeast mixture. Finally add the flour one cup at a time until it forms a ball. Knead dough for 5 – 7 minutes. Place the dough into a clean bowl, pour 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for one hour. After the dough has risen for an hour, remove the dough from the bowl and place on a well floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. It should measure approximately 18″ by 24″. The closer it looks to a rectangle, the better. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Coat the dough with the melted butter. Now spread the brown sugar mixture over the dough. The butter will allow the brown sugar mixture to adhere. Starting on the bottom of the dough rectangle, roll the dough into a log. Roll the dough as tightly as you can. This helps keep the rolls together later on. Once you have your dough log created it is time to cut the rolls. Slice the log every inch or so to form the rolls. This should make 12 – 15 rolls depending on how big you decide to slice them.
    Place the rolls onto a baking sheet, let them rise for another hour after placing them on the baking sheet before baking them.  Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
    While the cinnamon rolls are baking you can whip up the frosting for them.  In a medium sized bowl, cream the butter.  Alternate adding the sugar and the cream until the frosting comes together.  Finally, mix in the vanilla. Once the cinnamon rolls are done, pull them out of the oven and frost immediately.
    Enjoy your fresh cinnamon rolls!

Cinnamon Roll Recipe, 5.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Homemade Iced Tea Recipe

Making Your Own Tea Blend After years of picking out different teas that I thought I would enjoy and reading the labels to see what types of ingredients were in each one, it dawned on me one day, that I have most of the ingredients with the exception of the tea leaves. So I bought some green and some black tea and started to make my own homemade iced tea recipe. If you look through a tea catalog it would appear that there are a million kinds of teas, but they are mostly different varieties of the same kind of plant and are often distinguished by their region and they way they are processed like wine for example. The four basic types of tea black, green, white, and oolong, are distinguished by the oxidation and fermentation processes. The other varieties are mostly from added ingredients and flavors. If you start with one of those you can add spices or dried fruit and flowers to make your own tea blends to serve to your friends or give as gifts to fellow tea lovers.

Drinking tea is also a great way to get the health benefits of herbs and spices without all the effort of cooking. You can even save your orange and lemon peels, berries, or flowers from your garden, such as marigold or hibiscus, and dry them and add those to your teas. Finding ingredients that go well together such as; ginger, mint, orange, green tea or cinnamon, apricot, vanilla black tea becomes an experimental quest like baking or cooking. A little bit about each tea.

    White tea comes from the buds of the tea plant. It is light and slightly sweet and floral.
    Green tea is famous for its antioxidants and caffeine, and is minimally oxidized. The flavor of green tea is kind of earthy and herb like, sometimes grassy and sometimes smooth. Green tea blends well with citrus and honey if its flavor is too strong for you.
    Black tea is full bodied and crisp, the taste is often described as oaken and is more oxidized than green or oolong. Black is wonderful blended with sweeter spices like cinnamon and clove and can be combined with milk and sugar, as you sometimes see with chai teas.
    Oolong tea has a wide range of flavor due to the vast differences in time that can spend oxidizing and fermenting. The fermentation process can range from 8% to 85%. It can be sweet and fruity with honey aromas, or woody and thick with roasted aromas, or green and fresh with bouquet aromas, all depending on the horticulture and style of production.

Preparing teas for different occasions is also a lot of fun. Making sweet cinnamon Christmas tea or a pumpkin spice fall tea can really enhance that warm holiday feeling you get during celebrations with friends and family. You can also add different ingredients to suit your needs, lavender is relaxing if you are feeling stressed and chamomile is excellent if you are having trouble sleeping. Peppermint is soothing if your throat is sore and tends to pick you up a bit in the mornings. So I encourage you to drink tea to boost your health and your mood and have fun coming up with the perfect recipes.

Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit

Ingredients

    1    tablespoon powdered gelatin
    1    15 ounce can coconut cream (Daisy prefers Coco Lopez brand)
    1    13 1/2 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
    2    cups chilled whipping cream
    1/4  cup confectioners' sugar
   
    Tropical fruits, such as kiwi, mango, papaya, star fruit, pineapple, or kumquats,     peeled, if necessary, and sliced or cut up (1-1/2 cups total)
    Dark rum (optional)

Method

1. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over 1/4 cup cool water in a small bowl. Set aside to soften.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut cream and coconut milk over medium heat until the sides begin to bubble. Reduce heat and whisk in the softened gelatin, stirring until completely dissolved.

3. Fill a large bowl with ice cold water. Strain coconut mixture into a bowl that will fit easily into the bowl of cold water. Set bowl of coconut mixture into bowl of water to cool, stirring every few minutes with a rubber spatula until the mixture starts to thicken and replacing cold water occasionally. If mixture starts to set, remove it immediately.

4. Remove bowl of coconut mixture from bowl of water. Empty water and wipe the bowl dry. In dry bowl, stir cream and confectioners' sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Stir into coconut mixture. Divide among six 7- to 8-oz. custard cups. Chill until firm, at least 6 hours.

5. To serve, top with fruit and a drizzle of rum. Makes 6 servings.

Pisco Sour Drink

Ingredients

    1    cup pisco (a south American brandy) or white rum
   
    1    cup guava nectar
   
    2    teaspoons superfine sugar
   
    1/4  cup lime juice
   
    Angostura bitters
   
    Lime wedges
   
    Mint leaves

Method

1.In a glass pitcher combine the pisco or rum, guava nectar, sugar, and lime juice.

2.Add a few shakes of Angostura bitters, stir well to dissolve sugar.

3.Divide mixture among 4 glasses. Add ice, top with a lime wedge and fresh mint. Makes 4   servings.

Crispy Toffee Cookies

Here's a cookie for toffee fans. The original recipe was built around a Swedish candy bar called Daim that, fortunately, has two nearly identical relatives in the States. The candy bars typically are small, so you'll need to buy several to equal 7 ounces. Don't buy the miniature bars; they'll have too much chocolate and not enough toffee. If you want to dispense with the chocolate altogether, Heath sells Toffee Bits in 8-ounce bags.

MAKE AHEAD: The dough needs to be wrapped and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 1 month.

Makes about twenty 3-inch cookies

Ingredients

    7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
    1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
    Pinch salt
    1 1/4 cups flour, plus more for the work surface
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    7 ounces crushed hard toffee candy bars, such as Daim, Heath or Skor (see headnote)
    1 large egg, lightly beaten

Method

1.Beat the butter and sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held mixer on   medium-high speed until light, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the   almonds, salt, flour, baking powder and toffee bits. Finally, incorporate the egg.

2.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a uniform log   about 3 inches in diameter and 10 inches long. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate   for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

3.Preheat the oven to 440 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4.Use a sharp knife to slice the log of dough into 1/2-inch rounds. Transfer the rounds to   the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a   time for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are light brown, rotating the sheet front to   back about halfway through baking.

5.If the cookies lose some of their shape during baking, you can remedy that during the few   minutes immediately after they come out of the oven. Use a metal spatula to push in any   wayward dough and coax the cookie back into roundness.

6.Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool   thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.

Healthier Lasagna

Ingredients

     1 pound turkey sausage

    3/4 pound lean ground turkey

    1/2 cup minced onion

    2 cloves garlic, crushed

    1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

    2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

    2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce

    1/2 cup water

    1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

    1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

    2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

    12 lasagna noodles

    16 ounces ricotta cheese

    3/4 pound low fat mozzarella cheese, sliced

    3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1.Heat a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir turkey sausage, ground   turkey, onion, and garlic until well browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes,   tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with basil, fennel seeds, Italian   seasoning, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours,   stirring occasionally.

2.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water,   stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.

4.Spread 1 1/2 cups turkey sauce in bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles   lengthwise over sauce. Spread half the ricotta over noodles. Top with a third of the   mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups turkey sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle   with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and   Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil; make sure foil does not touch cheese to   prevent sticking.

5.Bake in preheated oven until sauce is hot and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes more.   Remove foil and bake until cheese is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes   before serving.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

"This is a delicious recipe for ham and potato soup that a friend gave to me. It is very easy and the great thing about it is that you can add additional ingredients, more ham, potatoes, etc and it still turns out great."

Ingredients

    3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

    1/3 cup diced celery

    1/3 cup finely chopped onion

    3/4 cup diced cooked ham

    3 1/4 cups water

    2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

    1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

    1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste

    5 tablespoons butter

    5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    2 cups milk

Method

1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then   cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the   chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and   cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to     allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over     medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve     immediately.

M&M Bars

This is an easy one-bowl recipe. The bar cookie was designed to please young customers of Vienna baker Mary Lee Montfort, but it has been a huge hit with adults. You can change the colors of the candies to match the holiday or season.

MAKE AHEAD: The bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month.

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

    2 3/4 cups flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
    1 cup packed light brown sugar
    Rounded 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
    4 teaspoons vanilla extract
    2 slightly rounded tablespoons sour cream (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
    12 ounces plain M&M candies (about 2 cups)

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use nonstick cooking oil spray to grease a 9-by-13-inch   metal baking pan, then line the bottom of it with enough parchment paper so that some of   it sticks up/out beyond the two short sides of the pan.

2.Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3.Combine the butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric   mixer; beat on low speed until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add   both sugars; beat on low, then on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is   light and fluffy. Add the eggs one a time, beating to incorporate after each addition.   Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream; beat on low speed   to incorporate.

4.Gradually add the sifted ingredients, beating (on low) to form a soft dough. Stir in the   M&Ms. Transfer the dough to the pan, patting it in evenly and smoothing the surface. Bake   for 25 minutes; the cookie slab should be puffed and slightly golden.

5.Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until just set at the   center. Cool completely in the pan. Use a round-edged knife to loosen the edges of the   cookie slab, then use the parchment paper to lift and transfer the cookie slab to a   cutting board before cutting it into 24 bars.

World's Best Lasagna

Ingredients

    1 pound sweet Italian sausage

    3/4 pound lean ground beef

    1/2 cup minced onion

    2 cloves garlic, crushed

    1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

    2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

    2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce

    1/2 cup water

    2 tablespoons white sugar

    1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

    1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    1 tablespoon salt

    1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

    4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

    12 lasagna noodles

    16 ounces ricotta cheese

    1 egg

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

    3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1.In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well   browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with   sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2   tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling     water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl,     combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4.To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.     Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese    mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over     mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with     remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either     spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

5.Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.      Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    3 bananas, mashed

    3/4 cup white sugar

    1 egg, lightly beaten

    1/3 cup butter, melted

    1/3 cup packed brown sugar

    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    1 tablespoon butter


Method

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line       with muffin papers.
2.In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In     another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana        mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin      cups.
3.In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1      tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over      muffins.
4.Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a    muffin comes out clean.