Coleslaw with Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette

 This goes great with sloppy joes and Shredded BBQ Chicken sandwiches. To decrease the work with the vegetables a bit, I buy a coleslaw mix that already has the carrots and cabbage shredded. Then I add in the bell pepper, purple onion, and cilantro. For a 16 oz bag of coleslaw mix, I double the dressing, and the bell pepper. 

Ingredients
Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Few dashes Bobby Flay's Hot Sauce, or your favorite

1/2 cup olive oil

Slaw:

3 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 medium head green cabbage, shredded

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. For the dressing: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. For the slaw: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss with the dressing and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bonnie's Chicken Salad

 Bonnie Costley's Chicken Salad

Serves about 8

• 1 Can Shredded Chicken or 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked and shredded
• 1/2 C slivered almonds
• 8 oz can chopped water chestnuts, drained
• 1/2 C chopped celery
• 1 small can of pineapple tidbits
• 1/2 lb of grapes, sliced in half
  Dressing:
• 3/4 C mayonnaise
• 1/2 T soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp curry powder

1. Mix salad ingredients together in a bowl. 
2. Mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. 
3. Add dressing to salad ingredients.
4. Let chill in fridge for 1-24 hours. 
5. Serve on lettuce or croissants.

Zulauf Chili

 From Aunt Kaye

Ingredients:

• 1can kidney beans- drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans- drained and rinsed
• 1 can Hormel Chili with no beans
• 1 lb Ground Turkey- cooked with chopped onion and drained
• 1 small can diced green chilis
• 1 med can diced tomatoes- do not drain
• 1/4 C of brown sugar

Directions

In a large pot, combine bean and chili. Mix well. Add ground turkey, green chilis, and tomatoes. Mix in the sugar. Allow to simmer for 1 hour. 

Tastes great the next day!

Lime Rice

Lime Rice Pilaf
from foodnetwork.com

Yields: 4 C of cooked rice

2 Tablespoons salted butter
1 small onion, peeled, and finely chopped
2 C long grain white rice (I prefer Jasmine)
3 3/4 C vegetable or chicken stock
1/4  - 1/2 C fresh lime juice (depends on how strong you like the lime flavor)
2 teaspoons grated lime zest, chopped
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Directions for cooking in a pan on the stove:

1. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. 
2. Add rice and stir to coat. Add stock, lime juice and lime peel. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. 
3. Remove from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, stir and sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro. 

Directions for cooking in a rice cooker:

1. 1. Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile measure two cups of rice, rinse the rice, and place in rice cooker. Add the 1/4- 1/2 C of fresh lime juice to the rice. Use your rice cookers liquid to rice ratio to measure out the remaining liquid as vegetable or chicken stock. (The lime juice counts towards the total amount of liquid.) For example: My rice cooker calls for 2 1/2 C of liquid for 2 C of rice. So I use 1/2 C lime juice and 2 C of chicken stock. 
3. Add lime zest and sauteed onions, including the butter to the rice cooker, and cook with the white rice setting. 
4. When ready to serve, stir and sprinkle with fresh cilantro or parsley. You can also season to taste with salt and pepper. Note: I have found that when I use salted butter for the onions, I do not need to season more. 

BBQ Chicken Quick

BBQ Chicken Sandwich (serves 4-5) (from http://shopnserve.blogspot.com/2011/07/bbq-chicken-sandwich.html)

Ingredients:

• 3 Chicken breasts
• Your favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 c. Honey
• 1 Tbsp. Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
• Cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 c. Red onion, diced
• Rolls (we like Portuguese best)

Cooking Directions:

Place chicken breasts in crock pot and fill half way with water (I usually dump a little BBQ sauce in for flavor). Cook on low for 2-4 hours, depending on your crock pot. Drain water, and shred chicken. 

I cook mine in the Instant Pot. Chicken in with 1 C of water, cook on high pressure for 12 minutes if raw, 15 minutes if frozen. You can manually release pressure or let it self release. While chicken is still hot, remove from water and shred with forks. Dump out the Insta Pot water, and return chicken to the Instat Pot. 

Pour ample amounts of BBQ sauce over. Pour honey, mustard and sprinkle garlic powder over. Keep warm for another 20 minutes, or until you serve. 

Serve on rolls with cilantro and onions to add on top if desired

Coconut Layered Cake

From Elizabeth Brown’s Easter Party
This is the recipe:

The cake is a white cake
Mix. Not yellow or vanilla. Make sure it’s “white”. I bake 2-3 cake rounds. If you do two cake rounds - after they are baked and cooked, I cut them in half - making four thin layers.

The filling is
2c sour cream
2c sugar
2c shredded coconut
Mix the sour cream and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Add in coconut and mix until blended. Now divide this in half. One half will go in between the cake layers.

For the frosting, take the other filling portion and mix it with a container or cool whip.

To assemble - spoon filling over each layer. Stack however many layers you dream of ;)

Frost with cool whip mixture! Viola!

Honey Sriracha Ground Turkey Meatballs

From a Tone and Tighten Meal Plan that tiff bought

This is a great recipe for the whole family! For those who prefer no spice, you can serve the meatballs without the sauce drizzled. For our family of 6 I make the recipe 1.5 times.

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings (6 meatballs/serving): 7 

Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 C whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 C onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper

For the sauce:
1/4 C honey
2 Tbsp sriracha
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Garnish (optional):
1/4 C green onions, diced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Lightly spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray (or cover with foil)
• In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients for meatballs until thoroughly combined. 
• Shape into balls that are about 1 1/2 inches in size. Should make between 35-40 meatballs,
• Set each metball on the prepared baking sheet. 
• Cook for 20-25 minutes or until meat is cooked through to 165 degrees. 
• While the meatballs are cooking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan. 
• Bring to a boil over medium heat while mixing sauce continuously, then reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer for 3-5 minutes. 
• Remove meatballs from over and pour sauce over the top. If desired sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. 
• Serve with cooked quinoa, brown rice, or vegetables. 

Jacob’s Rolls

Plowman House Rolls
Jacob learned how to make these rolls from Brenda Plowman

2 tablespoons SAF yeast

½ cup warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ½ cups whole milk

½ cup butter

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

3 eggs

6 cups+ King Arthur Bread Flour

In a 2-cup glass Pyrex, melt ½ cup butter ( one stick).  Add 1 ½ cups whole milk to the melted butter and warm in microwave for 60 seconds. Mix gently. 

Set aside to cool enough that it is just warm to the touch. Remember you don’t want anything too hot that will kill your yeast!

In another 2-cup glass Pyrex, fill ½ cup very warm water (like bath water temperature for a baby) 

Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar to dissolve.

Add 2 tablespoons yeast and stir to dissolve.

This should bubble up within 3-5 minutes indicating your yeast is active!

In bowl of stand mixer with dough hook attachment, add 

½ cup sugar, 

2 teaspoons salt &

3 beaten eggs and mix slightly.

Add butter/milk mixture and mix to combine.

Add yeast/water mixture and mix to combine.

Add 5 cups flour and start mixer on low speed and gradually increase speed.  Your dough at this point should look like banana bread dough.

Slowly add your last cup+ of flour.  You want your dough to pull away from the sides, but not from the bottom.  

Allow your machine to knead for a good 3-4 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.  

Pull dough from bowl.  Butter bowl and return dough.  Cover with plastic and allow to proof for up to one hour, until it has about doubled in size.  To hurry this first rise along, place a pan of hot water at the bottom of your cold oven and the covered dough on a higher rack.

Once dough has risen, punch dough down to deflate.  

Shape rolls using the C-pinch method and place on parchment-lined ½ sheet pans.  Give each roll an ittty-bitty pat of butter on each top and gently cover again with plastic wrap.

Depending on the size you want your rolls, you could yield anywhere from 24 large or 40 small rolls per batch.

Allow for a second rise in a warm place—this could be in your garage, outside in the shade or in your oven with the proof function orrefresh your pan of hot waterand replace at the bottom rack of your oven.

Allow to rise for approximately 30 minutes until shaped rolls are nearly doubled in size.  

Set pans aside to preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake rolls for 12 minutes and then check for doneness.  You want a golden brown top with very light brown sides.  Depending on your oven temperature (if it runs hot or runs cooler) keep adding a minute or two.  This is the time you have to WATCH YOUR ROLLS! 

When you take from oven, immediately skate a stick of butter across each roll to give a nice glisten.

If you can, wait a good 5 minutes to let your beauties cool enough before slathering in more butter and popping in your mouth!

Lasagna Rolls

From Bubba
This is a family favorite, freezes great, and a good one for a meal drop off.

Lasagna Rolls – 8 Rolls

½ lb. Italian sausage (or hamburger)

½ C. White Onion chopped

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 14 oz. can of cut up tomatoes

8 oz. tomato sauce

½ tsp. basil

½ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Lasagna noodles (one per roll)

Filling:

8 oz ricotta

1 1/2 C mozzarella shredded

3/4 C parmesan grated

1 egg

2 Tbl parsley

1/4 tsp salt

• Lasagna noodles: cook until almost done, drain and spread out to cool
• Sauce: Sautee onions with garlic, add sausage & brown, drain and add to combination of tomatoes and tomato sauce (with basil, oregano, salt & pepper)
• Cheese Mixture: combine ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, parsley, and ¼ tsp. salt)

• Place a short layer of sauce on the bottom of pyrex.
• Spread cheese mixture onto cooked noodles. Roll up noodles. Place in pyrex on top of sauce.
• Pour sauce over the rolled noodles.
• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees; 25-30 min

Bran Flax Muffins with Carrot

Bran Flax Muffins- from my friend Elizabeth

1 ½ c Unbleached White Flour (you could probably substitute with whole wheat flour for an even healthier muffin)

¾ c Flaxseed Meal

¾ c Oat Bran

1 c Brown Sugar

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 ½ c Carrots, shredded

2 Apples, peeled and shredded (or diced, which is what I did)

½ c Raisins (optional, I substitute Dates sometimes)

1 c Nuts, chopped (optional)

¾ c Milk

2 Eggs, beaten

1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts.  Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla.  Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients.  Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.  Fill muffin cups ¾ fill.  Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.  Yields 15 medium muffins.

Note:  I  didn’t use muffin cups and instead greased my muffin pan with a little olive oil.  I filled each muffin very fill to make 12 total muffins.  This is because I’m lazy and didn’t want to clean two muffin pans. 

No Fail French Bread

This bread is DELICIOUS and the recipe makes two big loaves! Totally worth the time. Goes great with a ladies' lunch salad or even for french toast!

Diane's No Fail French Bread (from abountifulkitchen.com)

2 tablespoons dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups hot water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon (yes tablespoon) salt

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cups flour, divided

1 egg, beaten- for glazing bread

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.

In a separate large bowl combine hot water, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Stir well.

Add the yeast mixture to the hot water-flour mixture. Mix together with large wooden spoon or paddle attachment.

Add the remaining 3 cups of flour a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

After all of the flour is added and mixed in, let sit in bowl for 10 minutes.

When the dough has risen, stir down with a large spoon. If making in a stand mixer, turn the machine on low for a few seconds until the dough is deflated.

Repeat 5 times, every ten minutes, for a total of 60 minutes of rising and then punching down.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half of dough in a 9x12 rectangle on a floured surface. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll (long way).

Place the dough on a greased baking pan (jelly roll pan), with the seam side down. Both loaves fit on one pan.

Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times, and brush with beaten egg.

Let rise for 20-30 minutes in warm place.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes in lower half of oven, until golden brown. Or you may bake at 350 convection for 20 minutes.

Yield 2 large loaves french bread

Tips:

-I make this all of the time in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Just use the paddle attachment until you have mixed in the first 3 cups of flour. Then switch to the dough hook to mix in the final 3 cups of flour.

-I often forget the mixing down step (5 times every 10 minutes) and have never had a problem with the bread turning out perfect. Just make sure the bread raises in the bowl until it has almost doubled in size, or for about 45 minutes. Then proceed to the rolling out step.