Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

So tasty!!!!

(Click on the photo to view a close up, yummier image)

Ingredients:

Cherry or grape tomatoes (about 10 oz.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
12 or more fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste if needed

1 baguette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 clove garlic


Directions:

Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic and 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. We usually do not need any because we put extra garlic. :)

Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices.

Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

After the bead is out of the oven we rub some garlic on the slices.

Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Spoon some topping on each slice of bread and serve. Do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Sweet Honey Molasses Wheat Bread - Communion Bread

Sammy and I love to eat plain as a sweet snack!

(Click on the photo to view a close up, yummier image)

Ingredients:

Sift dry ingredients (important!) together three times:

2 c whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 & 1/4 tsp salt

Stir in 4 tsp oil. Set aside.

Mix wet ingredients together until dissolved:

3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp very hot water (minimum of 180 degrees F)
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp molasses

Directions:

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well. Dough should be slightly sticky. Do not knead.

Divide into four balls and flatten each into a 1/4 inch thick disk.

With a knife, score the top of each loaf into eight pie-shaped sections, so that the sections can be more easily broken off while serving. Alternatively, you could score a cross onto the loaf.

Lay the loaves on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush the tops of the loaves with oil. Bake an additional 5-8 minutes. Let cool.

Yield: four 8 oz. loaves. Each loaf serves 60-70 people, depending upon the size of the piece given. The loaves freeze well. 

Recipe Courtesy: Luther Seminary 

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Lance made this for our Mother's Day breakfast at my mom's house.

Along with an "omelet bar". An easy savory twist to just plain hash browns. :)
(Click on the photo to view a close up, yummier image)

Ingredients:
1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup melted butter
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onions (We used green onions)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (Sharp is the best!)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal (Next time we will try it with French's Onions)
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cooked the butter, soup and sour cream till hot and well mixed.
   
3. In a large bowl, combine melted cheese mixture with hash browns, chopped onion, salt and pepper.
   
4. Place mixture in a buttered 3 quart casserole dish.
5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute cornflakes in 1/4 cup melted butter, and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.
6. Bake covered in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Recipe Courtesy: allrecipes.com

Roasted Snack Jack Seeds

We love these and hope to grow some Snack Jack Pumpkins this upcoming season!
Snack Jacks (Cucurbita pepo) are little pumpkins that produce
small hulless seeds that are awesome for roasting and eating!

The seeds on the left are the hulless Snack Jack seeds and the
seeds on the right are from a regular Jack-o-lantern pumpkin.

Ingredients:
2 cups raw whole Snack Jack or regular pumpkin seeds
1 table spoon butter
1 pinch salt
1 pinch Cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter, salt and cayenne. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

Recipe Courtesy: Carsten

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Chili Chicken Bites

We made these for appetizers to bring over to my sister in-law's house for New Years.
(Click on the photo to view a close up, yummier image)

Ingredients:
1 can pineapples
4 chicken breasts
1 package (l lb) bacon
1 cup Sweet Red Chili sauce or sweet-n-sour sauce
(We use Sweet Red Chili sauce by Thai Kitchen from Costco. YUM!)

Directions:
Place the pineapple in a large bowl, and toss with sweet red chili sauce. Cover, and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

To prevent burning, place toothpicks in a small bowl of water and soak 10 minutes.

Place a paper towel over a microwave-safe dish and arrange part of the bacon on the towel; cover with another paper towel. Cook the bacon in a microwave oven on medium just until partially cooked and still pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining bacon. Cut bacon strips in half.

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Saute chicken in lightly oiled pan. Remove before fully cooked, place in bowl and toss with sweet red chili sauce.

Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick inserted on the diagonal starting where bacon seam overlaps.

Add marinated pineapple to top.

Dredge with more sweet red chili sauce.

Coat a rack and broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken on rack in broiler pan.

Bake in preheated oven until bacon is crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Courtesy: Carsten

Raspberry Nut Pinwheels

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (We used more)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (Again... more :)

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Roll out dough between waxed paper into a 12-in. square. Remove top piece of waxed paper. Spread dough with jam and sprinkle with nuts. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 9-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: www.tasteofhome.com

Peppermint Meltaways

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

FROSTING:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions:
In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, extract and food coloring if desired; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: www.tasteofhome.com