Saltine Crackers Recipe

Kevin and I have been making a conscious effort to eliminate over-processed foods from our cupboards. This is mostly an issue for me, as I am somewhat of a pretzel fiend and must keep crackers of all kinds around "just in case." Maybe you can related. In an case, we opted to try to make our own homemade crackers. With just a few basic ingredients, I know have a 7-cup-container filled with soda crackers that taste EXACTLY like the storebought saltines. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to make the dough, roll, and get into the oven--much less time than going to the store! And no artificial preservatives that make the crackers last for 2 years. (weird, right?)

I am loving the More-With-Less Cookbook
That's where this recipe is found! 

Saltine Crackers Recipe

aka Soda Crackers

Makes 7 cups of crackers

recipe adapted from the More-With-Less Cookbook

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp margarine

2/3 cup soured milk or buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. Cut in margarine until evenly distributed. Stir in the soured milk. 

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and kneed gently into a ball. Separate into 3 sections. Work with the first section and roll as thinly as possible (adding flour to keep dough from sticking). Transfer to a baking sheet (ungreased). 

Sprinkle with addition salt. Prick with a fork across the surface of the dough. Use a pizza cutter to cut into 1-1/2 inch squares (it's totally ok if some pieces aren't square. That's the beauty of homemade). 

Repeat the process with the remaining 2 sections of dough. 

Bake each tray separately for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. (At this point you can let the crackers cool on the baking sheets or place them back in a 250 degree oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp up. This may be necessary if you didn't roll it out as thin as it needed to be. I speak from experience.) 

Store in an airtight container.

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Mango Tomato Salsa Recipe

I had discovered the beauty of mango and spice in the Strawberry Mango Salsa from the first of the month, so I thought I'd try a different combination. This salsa, is more similar to your traditional tomato pico de gallo with the added sweetness and smooth texture of mango. It's delicious AND (seriously) nutritious! Can't beat that on a hot summer day.


Mango Tomato Salsa Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 1 bowl of salsa

Ingredients

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tsp chopped cilantro

cumin

Italian seasoning

salt 

pepper

1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions

In a 2-3 cup bowl, combine mango, tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Sprinkle with cumin, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add in lime juice. Stir to combine. Keep covered and refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips  or tacos. 

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Mexican Tossed Salad Recipe

My husband and I have been eating "Mexican" almost every day, enjoying the bounty of avocados, tomatoes, jalapenos, and peppers. This particular afternoon, I was looking for a new way to serve and enjoy these flavors, and I found a recipe for "Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad" on Tasty Kitchen. I took the basic idea and made it my own--it was a hit! We gobbled it up so quickly, there wasn't time for a photograph. Check out Lauren's post to get an idea of what this salad might look like.


Mexican Tossed Salad Recipe
adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Serves 2 or 3

Ingredients
2 cups shredded leaf lettuce
1/2 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup crushed tortilla (or Dorito) chips, reserved until serving
1 whole avocado, diced, reserved until serving

for the dressing:
1/4 cup fat free Ranch dressing
1 tsp Srirachi (or other chili sauce)
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper

Directions
Combine salad ingredients (except the tortilla chips and avocado) in a large bowl. Toss together.

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients, altering to suit your tastes. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

A few minutes before serving, toss in the crushed chips and avocado.

Serve!

Spicy Strawberry Mango Salsa Recipe

It's STRAWBERRY SEASON, friends! Plus, there have been mangoes on sale in the stores almost every week since Memorial Day. Between those two exciting events and the cilantro steadily producing on my back porch, this salsa was an obvious choice to bring to a party! I knew the dip would be delicious, if only I could get skeptical eaters to partake. Well, it didn't take much prodding before this salsa was gone! Everyone loved it--men loved the spicy jalapeno, women loved the sweet fruit. I don't know how the two flavors work together so well, but they do! 

Spicy Strawberry Mango Salsa Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 1 bowl of salsa

Ingredients

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped

5-6 large strawberries, washed and hulled and chopped

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tsp chopped cilantro

cumin

Italian seasoning

salt 

pepper

1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions

In a 2-3 cup bowl, combine mango, strawberries, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Sprinkle with cumin, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add in lime juice. Stir to combine. Keep covered and refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips. 

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Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe

Ever since I saw Maria's recipe for homemade soft pretzel bites, I have wanted to try my hand at them. But just like with all sweets and snacks, I needed to have a purpose for making them--otherwise Kevin and I would (and could!) eat them all ourselves. NOT good. :) Teenagers are always the best taste testers, so with youth group snack duty, I decided to make a batch of pretzels bites. 

The dough was some of the easiest I have ever worked with--not too much sticking, a beautiful rise, easy to handle. This was the first time I've parboiled dough in water (as you would with bagels) but I can't wait to try this method again. This recipe took me about 3 hours, start to finish (including the 1 hour rise). Not too shabby. 

I can't wait to see what the teens think about the pretzel bites. I know Kevin and I think they're DELICIOUS! 

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe

recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes 3 cookie sheets full 

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp light brown sugar

2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast 

3 ounces unsalted butter, melted

2-1/2 tsp kosher salt

4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

canola oil

for cooking:

3 quarts water

3/4 cup baking soda

2 Tbsp milk

Coarse sea salt

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mix, combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Attach the dough hook. To the yeast mixture, add the salt and 4-1/2 cups of flour. Turn mixer on low  and stir/knead until combine the dough comes together and pulls away from the side of the bowl. This should take about 4 minutes. (If the dough appears too wet and isn't forming a cohesive ball,  sprinkle in additional flour, 1 spoonful at a time.)  

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springs back when touched.  

Lightly coat a large bowl. (I use the stand mixer bowl--no extra washing needed!) Add the dough to the  bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Use plastic wrap to cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. Dough should double in size. (I heat 2 cups of water to boiling in the microwave, then add the bowl of dough and close the door. This creates a lovely warm steam for rising.) 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a 5 or 6 quart stock pot over high heat and *carefully* add the baking soda, 1/4 cup at a time. (This will create a volcano affect if added to quickly. I know. I speak from experience.) 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a knife or a bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. (about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each) Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. 

Drop the bites *gently* into the boiling water, about 15 at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon and place on a plate to drain for a moment. Arrange pretzel bites on a baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat (or spray it with cooking spray.) Pretzel bites can be close together, but not touching.  

Brush the tops with the milk and sprinkle generously sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before eating. 

Serve with your favorite mustard or cheese sauce (or eat plain!) 

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Creamy, Tangy Avocado Dip Recipe

Kevin and I were a bit skeptical about the combination of yogurt and avocado, but with 5 fresh avocados in the house, we thought, "Why not?!" Boy are we glad we put on our grown-up-pants and tried Maria's recipe! This dip is outstanding!! We love traditional guacamole, but this puts a whole new spin on avocado dip. The plain, tangy yogurt is the perfect accompaniment to the jalapeno-spiced avocado. You're going to LOVE this.  

Creamy, Tangy Avocado Dip Recipe

recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes 1-1/2 cups 

Ingredients

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded

1/4 small onion

1 garlic clove

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and seed removed

1/4 cup plain (unsweetened) yogurt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp lime juice

salt and pepper

Directions

Pulse the jalapeno, onion and garlic in a food processor. Add in avocado, yogurt, cumin, Italian seasoning, lime juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. 

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers or vegetable sticks or cheese quesadillas or.... :) 

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Garlic and Herb Breadsticks Recipe

When I make a batch of this Deep Dish Pizza Dough, I end up with just enough leftover dough to make some scrumptious breadsticks. Soft, flavorful, and perfect for dipping.

Garlic and Herb Breadsticks
recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com
Makes 6-10 breadsticks


Ingredients
For the dough:
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp  sugar
1 tsp salt
2-1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of water--added incrementally

For the breadstick topping:
1-2 Tbsp canola oil
garlic powder
Italian seasonings
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a small saucepan heat the milk to just before boiling (to scald.) Turn off heat and stir in butter, sugar and salt. Remove from heat and allow the milk mixture to cool until it is just warm to the touch. Stir in yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of stand mixture and, using the beater blade, mix in one cup of flour at a time, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Add the cup of water one tablespoon at a time. At this point, add additional flour if the dough is still wet and sticky. Change to the dough hook and knead for 8 minutes. The dough should be soft and springy when touched.

Grease a second large bowl and transfer the dough to this new bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet to medium heat. Once preheated, add the ground Italian sausage to the skillet and brown. Don't over-stir. Allow a nice crisp crust to form on the edges. Remove the sausage to a plate.

Once dough is risen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Making into pizza crust:
Punch the dough down to remove the air bubbles. Knead for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 2 or 3 separate pieces, reserved the extra dough balls for another time. (Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze.)

Roll out the dough to a 14 inch circle. Butter the cast iron skillet on the sides and bottom. Press the dough into the skillet and up the sides of the pan.

Breadsticks:
There should be at least an inch of excess dough up or over the edges of the pizza pan. Use a rolling pizza cutter to cut off the excess all the way around. Cut this dough into 6 inch pieces and gently twist into breadsticks. Place on a baking sheet and brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle with garlic, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

Spread with pizza sauce and 1 cup cheese, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheese for the top. Then sprinkle the remaining toppings--sausage, peppers, onions, garlic. Top with remaining cheese. (You may roll down the high edges of the crust in you wish.)

Serve with additional pizza sauce for dipping.


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Fresh Cranberry Scones Recipe

Cranberries are the perfect accent for the Christmas holiday, and these scones are exactly what your table needs to make your breakfast or brunch festive. I decided at the very last minute to try my hand at scones and this is the perfect recipe. It's simple and easy to pull together in 10 minutes, and the scones bake up beautifully. Impress your guests this holiday season!

Fresh Cranberry Scones Recipe

recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com

Makes 10-12 scones

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest

1/2 cup unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup 2 % milk 

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingers. Whisk into the flour mixture.

Add cold butter pieces to the flour mixture. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, fork, or your hands. I prefer to use my hands. Mix until you have pea size chunks of butter.

In a small glass measuring cup, whisk the half and half, eggs, and vanilla extract together. Pour over dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until moist. Gently stir in the fresh cranberries. Transfer dough to a floured countertop and knead until dough comes together.

Shape dough into a large circle. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the scone dough. Cut dough into wedges and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each scone with half and half and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until scones are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

*Note-these scones are best eaten the day they are made. Serve with jam, butter, or enjoy plain.

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

originally posted November 2010

I remember eating this casserole as a child and thinking the only good part was the marshmallows. Now, as an adult, I wanted to stay away from the marshmallow version of the casserole. You know, cause it's the "mature" thing to do. But I'm so glad I didn't listen to my inner adult. This dish rocks. The crispy, toasted, sweet marshmallows are the perfect topper to this nutrient rich root vegetable mash. Yum!

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Recipe adapted from marthastewart.com

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 8), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups mini marshmallows or chopped regular marshmallows

Directions

Note: This can be made up to one day in advance and refrigerated. If you do this, do not add the mini marshmallows until you are ready to bake the dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, then turn the heat down to low. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through (they should be fork tender – this will probably take 10-15 minutes). Drain off the water and return potatoes to the pan. Add milk, butter, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Mash until creamy.

Transfer sweet-potato mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. (At this point, if you want to make it ahead you can refrigerate it for up to 1 day. If you’re refrigerating it overnight, take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking.)

Top casserole with marshmallows. Bake at 375F until the center is warmed through and marshmallows are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Crescent Rolls Recipe

Thanksgiving was a relaxed occasion for us this year. We weren't eating until 5pm, so we took our good old time getting around to baking. Thanks to the extra time, I decided to try my hand at homemade crescent rolls. I love me some Pillsbury rolls from the cans that scare the crap out of me when they POP, but there is nothing like homemade bread. I like that you can control the amount of butter and sugar by making your own rolls. And this recipe really isn't that challenging. There are a lot of steps, but I promise--You can handle it!  

Crescent Rolls Recipe

recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Makes 16 rolls

Ingredients

1 Tbsp dry active yeast

1/4 cups warm water

1/4 cups butter

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 whole beaten eggs

2-1/4  cups flour,  Up To 1/2 Cup More If Necessary

Directions

Dissolve yeast into 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees). Set aside and allow yeast to activate.

Heat butter and milk until butter is melted. Allow to cool.

Add sugar, salt, eggs, and yeast mixture to the milk mixture.

In a stand mixer, combine 2-1/4 cups of flour and the milk mixture. Mix until smooth and mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If mixture is to sticky, slowly add up to 1/2 cup of flour while the mixer is running. The dough should be slightly sticky, but workable. Remember, a soft dough makes a light roll.

Cover the mixer bowl, and allow to rise until double, approximately an hour.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and form into balls.

Turn first ball onto a large floured board or clean counter. Using a rolling pin, dusted with flour, roll out ball into a 16″ to 17″ disk. (optional--at this point, you can spread butter across the dough before rolling. Yum.)

Cut like a pizza into 16 pieces. (Cut it into quarters, and the quarters into half, and then half again. This keeps the size of the rolls even.) Each piece of dough now looks like a long triangle. Taking hold of each end of the bottom of the triangle, stretch the dough gently and roll up to the point.

Place each roll onto a cookie sheet, curving it into a crescent shape. Make sure to tuck the end under the bottom of the roll (otherwise it will pop up and burn). 

Allow to rise for about an hour. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Brush the tops of the hot rolls with butter. Best served warm.

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Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

That jellied cranberry sauce from a can has always weirded me out. I might take a bite or two just to be polite, but that was it. My life has been changed by this fresh cranberry sauce, though! SO easy, perfectly tart, and the best compliment to those turkey dinners and hot panini sandwiches. I'm never going back. It is easy and fun to learn to cook  with fresh ingredients, and the taste will knock the pants off pre-packaged and processed meals.  

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

recipe adapted from Ocean Spray

Serves 6-10

Ingredients

1/2-1 cup sugar (depending on taste and tartness)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup orange juice

1-12 oz bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

Directions

In a 2 quart sauce pan, combine sugar, water and orange juice and bring to a boil. Add in cranberries. Maintain a slow boil, stirring frequently. Cook approximately 15 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled. 

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Cranberry Bread Recipe

I was a fresh cranberry newbie. I don't know what it was about these beautiful berries, but I had kept my distance. After receiving a baking order for cranberry bread, I thought it was about time to start incorporating cranberries into my holiday baking. I bought 3 bags of berries--so don't be surprised if there is a surprising number of cranberry-ful recipes in the near future!   

Cranberry Bread Recipe

recipe created by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 1 - 9x5 loaf

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups fresh cranberries

raw sugar

Directions

Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Meanwhile combine egg, milk and oil in a small bowl. Beat in sugars. Add dry mixture to the wet ingredients and combine thoroughly. Gently stir in cranberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Run a knife around pan to loosen bread. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Sugar Free Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe

You may have seen the other applesauce recipes I've posted in the past. Those are all delicious, but this one takes the cake because it has the fewest ingredients and absolutely no sugar. It's fast and easy, and amazingly delicious--especially during apple season.


Sugar Free Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes about 7 cups 

Ingredients  

10-12 medium apples (Ida Red are perfect) 

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups water

Directions

Peel and core apples. Cut into quarters (or smaller for a faster cooking time.) Add to a 5 or 6 quart pot and stir in cinnamon and water. Turn burner to high and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to medium. Stirring occasionally, cook 5-10 minutes. Begin breaking apart apples with a potato masher or spoon. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10-20 minutes, stirring now and again, continuing to break down apples. (Secret tip--Using a wire whisk will result in a smoother sauce. Love it.) Cook until your desired consistency is reached.   

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Apple Walnut Cranberry Salad

Salads are one of my favorite go-to lunches. Fresh, fast, and easy...but they can also become mundane, boring, and predictable. This salad blows mundane out of the water! Combining juicy, sweet, crisp apple slices with crunchy, hearty, nutty walnuts, and the tartness of Craisins and balsamic results is a lunch that you will love! Delectable! 

Apple Walnut Cranberry Salad 

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 1 

Ingredients

4 leaves romaine lettuce, torn

1/2 apple, sliced 

5 walnuts, chopped

2 Tbsp dried cranberries

Balsamic vinegar

Directions

Combine lettuce, apple slices, walnuts, and dried cranberries on a plate of your choice. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar twice around the salad. Toss to combine. Enjoy!

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Cinnamon Pear Sauce Recipe

In this "fruit belt" of Western New York, we have generous friends with fruit trees filling their yards, dropping ripe pears left and right. We've had at least 15 pounds of pears shared with us in the last week, and pear sauce was a beautiful way to use some of the pears up (particularly those that were a bit hard, or too soft, or just plain imperfect.) 

This was my first attempt and taste of pear sauce and I have to admit--I'm hooked!

Cinnamon Pear Sauce Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes about 5 cups 

Ingredients

15-20 small pears, peeled and quartered 

3/4 cup water

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions

Place quartered pears in a 4-6 quart pot. Add in water, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Stir until evenly combined. Turn burner to high heat and allow the water to boil. Turn down to medium-low and cover. Cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer, remove lid and use a potato masher to begin mashing the pears. Simmer up to an hour, mashing periodically until sauce reaches desired consistency.  Allow to cool completely before storing in airtight containers.     

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Italian Potato Salad Recipe

In an effort to take a delicious dish to our first potluck at our new church, I new some sort of potato salad would be a winner. I'm really not a huge fan of mayo-laden salads. Yes, I eat them and even enjoy them, but I can rarely bring myself to add that much mayonnaise to a dish. :) I decided to create a mayo-free version. Basically I took my traditional salad ingredients and replaced the lettuce with cooked potatoes. It turned out delicious! And no worrying about how long it's been out of the refrigerator! Bonus. :) 

Italian Potato Salad Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 6-10 

Ingredients

8-10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 medium onion, diced

1-1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

salt 

pepper

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 tsp Paprika

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar 

Directions

Add cubed potatoes to a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Bring to a boil and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to warm pot to allow water to evaporate for 10-20 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients, drizzle in olive oil and vinegar (2 turns around the pan for each). Gently toss together. Keep refrigerated until serving.  

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Rhubarb Sauce Recipe

I am a bit new to the rhubarb thing. I hadn't even heard of this vegetable/fruit/anomaly until Kevin's family introduced me to Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. It was delicious, but I still wasn't sure what part the rhubarb played in the pie. It seemed like a strange filler to me. 

Thankfully, when we were given 15+ stalks of fresh rhubarb from a friend's garden, my husband had loads of ideas--sauce, jam, muffins, cakes. The sauce intrigued me. What would you use this sauce for? I quickly heard my answer--"It's great on top of pancakes or vanilla ice cream or yogurt or just on its own." I started researching recipes and discovered how easy this was going to be.

Sure enough, with 3 ingredients and within 10 minutes I had a beautiful, delicious sauce. This is one of the easiest recipes of all time and totally worth it! Now, to go make some vanilla ice cream!

Rhubarb Sauce Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 3 cups 

Ingredients

8 cups rhubarb (8 large stalks)

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar 

1/2 cup water

Directions

Chop rhubarb into small (1/2 inch or less) pieces. Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in a large pot. Turn burner on high heat until water begins to boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until no large pieces of rhubarb remain. Taste the sauce, adding additional sugar until desired sweet to sour ratio is attained. Store in an airtight container. Serve warm or cold, on its own or as a condiment for meat, a topping for dessert, etc. 

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Refried Beans Recipe {from dry pintos}

I have become a big fan of refried beans--especially now that Kevin and I have, what we call, "Mexican fiesta" at least once a week. I make a quick batch of pico de gallo and guacamole. We doctor up a can of refried beans. He grabs the chips and sour cream. And we're off to deliciousness!

After tasting homemade refried beans made by my authentically Mexican friend, I knew I needed to try to make my own. I had no idea they were made with pinto beans, but once I discovered this, I thought why not try them from dry beans--cheaper and bit a more gratifying. Yes, the process takes a little longer, but if I used my crockpot, there would be hardly any work to do. I'll try that next time!

This bowl of beans makes a perfect dip, an appetizer for your next party, or a side dish to Mexican meal!

Refried Beans Recipe {from dry pintos}

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried pinto beans

canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeded to remove heat)

1/2 tsp cumin

salt

pepper

Directions

Drain and rinse beans until water runs clean. Be sure to remove any small stones that may have sneaked their way into the package.

In a large sauce pan or stock pot, combine beans and 3 cups water. Bring to boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then simmer for 2-3 hours, or until beans are completely cooked. 

Drain beans. 

While the beans are draining, in the bottom of the stock pot, drizzle canola oil and heat over medium. Saute garlic and jalapeno until softened. Add beans to the pot. Stir in cumin, salt and pepper. Mash beans until desired consistency is reached. 

Serve warm, as a side or as a dip. 

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Baked Summer Squash Fries

With the abundance of squash in this summer's harvest, I wanted a fun way to incorporate the vegetable into our evening meal. When I came across Two Pea's Zucchini Fries recipe, I knew I had been inspired. I altered a few ingredients, assuming the method would work well for squash as it did for zucchini. It was total success!! Kevin and I loved these so much, they comprised our entire meal and I had to make a second batch! You can't beat eating baked fresh vegetables for dinner! 

This is a perfect side dish or a great party appetizer. Fun to dip in marinara or ranch dressing, everyone will love these! 

Baked Summer Squash Fries 

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com

serves 2

Ingredients

2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch thick rounds

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp chili powder

salt 

pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a shallow bowl, beat egg until light and frothy. 

In a second shallow bowl, stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. 

Working in assembly line fashion, take one squash slice, dip it in egg to coat, then gently dip it in bread crumb mixture to coat on both sides. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all slices are battered and arranging on the baking sheet. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each slice over. Bake another 10 minutes. 

Serve with pasta sauce or ranch dressing. 

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Steamed Corn on the Cob

There is nothing like fresh corn on the cob, straight from your local farms! The crunch is perfect, the kernels are so sweet, the typewriter style of eating is too much fun. My mom used to tell us stories of eating ear after ear of corn for dinner during the summers of her childhood. I still don't think I've reached mom's level of corn-eating-ability, but I'm getting there. This season has produced fantastic corn, and steaming is the best way to cook it. 

With just an inch or two of water, you get perfectly cooked corn and you maintain all of the nutrients and flavor that would get lost in the water if you boiled it (as I did traditionally.) Try this new method sometime soon!

Steamed Corn on the Cob

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 ears of corn, shucked 

Directions

Fill a large stock pot with 2 inches of water. Stand the ears on their ends in the water (or use a steaming rack). Heat the water to boiling. Cook for 20 minutes. Serve with (or without) butter and salt!

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