Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg. (3 oz) cream cheese
1/2 cube butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:  Mix pumpkin bar ingredients and pour into greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cream together ingredients for the frosting. Spread on pumpkin bars and cut into bars.

Notes: Do a little less sugar than it calls for and more cream cheese than it calls for. Plus, add cinnamon and fresh nutmeg in the frosting.

Source: Kristen Cooley

Layered Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

Spinach
Bacon, cooked and chopped
Sliced almonds
Poppy seed dressing (one with the peach on it)
Feta cheese, crumbled
Hard boiled eggs, crumbled
Apples, sliced
Optional, marinated cooked cubed chicken

Directions: Layer ingredients in a large bowl. Serve immediately, or leave out dressing until ready to serve.

Notes: Martha Stewart has fail proof boiled egg directions here. I prefer Whole Foods ingredients in this salad. I've had it both ways, and there is a HUGE difference. If anything, at least get the spinach from there!!! I omit the chicken because I usually don't eat this as the main course.

Source: Mom

Zuppa Tuscana Soup

                                                            Copy cat of Olive Garden's 

Zuppa Tuscana Soup

Serves 4  •  45 minutes

Ingredients:

3 links Whole Foods Mild Italian Sausage

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (we do without if we don't have)

7 golden potatoes, chopped (bit-sized)

8 slices bacon, chopped (Whole Foods Applewood)

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced

3 cups kale, chopped (remove stem)

32 oz homemade chicken broth/stock

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 TBS Celtic Sea Salt
White pepper to taste (we do without if we don't have any)
Reggiano cheese, shredded


Directions:
1. Sauté italian sausage and red pepper flakes on medium heat. Drain fat, set aside.
2. Sauté bacon. Once cooked they way you like it (we like crispy) add onions and garlic and continue to sauté until soft.
3. Add chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until soft, 15-20 min.
4. Add heavy cream and sausage and cook until heated through.
5. Add white pepper to taste, and salt (easy on the salt because the cheese adds salt)
6. Add kale just before serving.

Notes: The key to this is quality ingredients. Makes all the difference in the world!
Source: Big Oven

Breakfast Porridge

This is my favorite way to eat oatmeal. If you think steel cut oats has a good texture it doesn't; be prepared to fall in love. I can't eat oatmeal any other way now. It tastes too bland without the proper preparation.

Serves 4.

1 cup oats, rolled or cracked
1 cup warm water filtered plus 2 tablespoons whey, yoghurt, kefir, or buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)

Mix oats with warm water mixture, cover and leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours and as long as 24 hours. (I prepare it before I go to bed)

Bring additional 1 cup water to a boil with sea salt. Add soaked oats, reduce heat, cover and simmer. About 5 minutes or less. Remove from heat. Stir in flax seeds.

Serve with plenty of butter or cream. Sweeten with maple syrup or honey.

VARIATIONS: My sister Heather adds apples and spices to the boiling water. Yum!


SOURCE: Nourishing Tradions by Sally Fallon

Apple Raisin Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup water
2 cups rapadura
2 cups grated apples
2 cups raisins
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 cups fresh ground hard wheat

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the water, sugar, apples, raisins, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.

In a large bowl, stir the nuts and baking soda into the flour. Add the cooled mixture to the bowl, and stir until blended. Fill greased miniature muffin tins with batter to the top. Bake for 15 minutes.

Note: Extra muffins can be stored in a re-sealable freezer bag





Source: Regina Bennett via Food Network via Paula Dean

Regina's Homemade Bread

1 cup Rapadura
1 TBS Celtic Sea Salt
1 cup melted butter, or lard, or sunflower oil
4 1/2 cups water 100-110 degrees

Combine and whisk really good, set bowl aside.

Grind Hard Wheat mixed with flax seed (1c. flax to 4-6c. wheat) on medium size, about 8 cups.

Put 6 cups flour in Bosch and 3 TBS yeast (if chilled let it sit at room temp. 5 min. before) Don't level off, just rough estimates.

Add liquid. Stir on medium for about 5 minutes. Add flour one cup at a time on medium speed. About 4 cups. Turn Bosch on low speed and grind more wheat. (about 5 cups)

Add flour on low 1 cup at a time until texture is right. Put dough on counter and knead by hand by pushing, not stretching. Knead about 6 times and form into a ball. Cover with cloth and raise for 15 minues. (20 minutes in winter)

Grease bread pans with a small amount of butter. Separate dough into 4 sections. Punch and roll by hand into shape.

Put bread on bottom rack and turn oven on to 350 for about 15 seconds and then turn off. Let bread sit in there for 35 minutes.

Bake at 330 and set timer for 40 minutes. Check if done. For extra moisture put a bowl of water in the oven, ideally underneath but on a separate rack.

Source: Regina Bennett

Green Bean and Artichoke Casserole

Celtic Sea Salt

Pepper

1 lb green beans, cut and steamed

4 tbs. butter

3 tbs. whole wheat flour

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups raw milk

1 jar (14 oz) artichoke hearts

Cayenne Pepper

6 slices homemade bread (we used 2)

Preheat oven to 425. In a large saucepan heat butter until barely melted and pour half of it in a bowl and set aside. Add garlic and flour to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute, don't let it brown. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir in green beans and artichoke hearts and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish.

Toss bread crumbs in bowl with butter and put on top of casserole. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Source: Martha Stewart