Katie’s Pumpkin Pancakes

4 cups flour (2 white, 2 wheat)

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Small Can of pumpkin

add milk to reach muffin consistency

Grandma Schroeder's Crullers

Crullers and Watermelon was a favorite summertime meal at my Mennonite grandmother's home in central Kansas. We anticipated this treat every time we went to Grandma's house. I don't know why we never did it in our home, but when I became a mom, I decided to carry on the tradition. And now my children call me and ask for this recipe to feed to their own children. There is something about the saltiness of the cruller and the juicy sweetness of the watermelon that compliment each other. You can't have one without the other.

A word of warning, they are addicting and you will find yourself stuffing yourself until you are beyond full.

1 beaten egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
about 1 1/2 flour.
add enough flour to make dough so you can roll it. Roll out very thin. Cut into wedges and fry in deep hot oil until golden brown. They puff more when rolled thinner.

Place the freshly fried crullers in a large paper towel-lined bowl and lightly salt. When one layer is complete, add another layer of paper towels and continue until all crullers are fried. A triangle with 3-4 inch sides will make a very puffy cruller which gives plenty of room for a large chunk of watermelon inside.


I looked up "crullers and watermelon" in Google and found several varieties, some with sugar, more like a donut.
here are the links for fun:
This one looks more like what we make
This one makes you wait for the dough to rest
This one has nutmeg and is rolled in powdered sugar
This one is called Roll Coka, which is what Grandma called them in low German
This is my Google search results

Lion House Dinner Rolls

If you live in Utah, chances are you have tasted Lion House Dinner Rolls
Her is a wonderful recipe that takes you through all the steps to yummy rolls. mmmmm
click on this link

White Chili

Not to compete... but I also have a white chili recipe I've been meaning to post. So to make it not a competition I would like to say that i don't know if its soul warming or will fill you with love but it is SUPER easy. And all canned, which is cheating, and that also cuts down my competitive edge.
Here goes

2 cans white beans (northern)
2 cans chicken (costco is usually cheapest)
1-7 oz can diced green chiles
(if you want to give it extra kick add a 4 oz can of diced jalepenos)
16 oz tub of sour cream
4 tsp minced garlic (it comes in a jar at the store... i saw it once in the produce section, but i'm not sure where it usually is carried)
2 TBSP dried minced onion
2 tsp cumin
3 tsp oregano
1 cup of shredded cheese (i use fiesta blend or mexican or something)
1 can diced tomatoes i do drain this but you don't have to (if you want to use mexican stewed that gives more kick too)
i think that's all

dump it all in a crock pot (don't drain) 2 hours on high.
the end. YUM. :)

Marinara

I have always used Ragu spaghetti sauce. I never thought that I could make a marinara sauce that would taste as good as the store bought. I also disliked homemade sauce that was too watery/runny. One day I went down to the basement to get a jar of spaghetti sauce and we were out! *gasp! I wasn't sure what to do. But I did have a can of crushed tomatoes... So I started an adventure of making my own recipe. And guess what- it is the BEST spaghetti sauce that I have ever had... if i do say so myself. :)

What you need:
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
3 carrots (cubed)
3 sticks of celery (chopped)
1 onion (finely chopped)
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 red pepper (cubed)
a hand full of basil leaves (minced)
oregano 2 teaspoons
garlic powder
sausage or ground beef/turkey
(i use chicken sausage)

Start by sauteing onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. In a separate sauce pan add crushed tomatoes, and when the veggies are finished sauteing add to sauce pan. Add seasonings. Saute the meat of your choice and let it rest for a few minutes. Add to sauce.

Add to noodles, and top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

White Chili

I love white chili, it is creamy and delicious. It fills your soul with happiness and your family's tummies are filled with love.

What you need:

4 cans of White Beans
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 red bell pepper (cubed)
3 sticks of celery (chopped)
3 carrots (cubed)
1 can of corn
1 onion
1/4 cups of sour cream
1 cup of cooked chicken
chicken bullion
ground pepper
cumin
garlic powder


Start out by sauteing the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. On a separate burner on a medium heat add the beans and when the other veggies are finished sauteing add to the pot. Add seasoning and let it simmer for 30 min or until beans are soft. Add chicken, corn, and sour cream toward the end so you don't over cook them. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or cheese.

Gracamole

This looks like a great guacamole recipe. I don't want to lose the link, so I am posting it here. Haven't tried it yet.

new posts

I have a few new posts that I'm working on... but I can't do anything until next week. Sorry I have been MIA.

Evelyn's Delicious Salad

Evelyn is my most favorite neighbor to the west and is an inspiration to me. I absolutely love her. She is near to my mom's age, and is one of my dearest friends in this town.


Three years ago, she began to lose weight. I never felt she looked overweight, but as she lost, she looked even lovelier (if that is possible) than before. She purchased new clothes and turned from a wonderful lady into an even more elegant woman.

I asked her secret. She said she changed her eating habits. She had started eating more fruits and vegetables, less meat and bread. She eats what she wants, but she makes sure she eats a good helping of her salad. I think this is her invention. It is something she makes every week. She makes a large batch and stores it in an air-tight bag, scooping out what she needs for each meal. As she told me about this salad, she opened her refrigerator and gave me a taste. It is all manner of vegetables and fruits chopped into 1/2 inch squares and mixed together. It needs no dressing. As you experience this, multi flavors burst in your mouth. You taste sweet, tart, onion (what kind of flavor is onion?), and crunchy all at once. I asked her how much she ate every day, and she replied "As much as I want."

Recently I popped over to visit Evelyn and as I was leaving she gave me a generous helping of this salad to take home and share with Sailor. That night I put a helping on each of our dinner plates and we were converted.

The next day I went to the store and purchased all the ingredients and began to chop. I use a  Williams Sonoma vegetable chopper to cut up my vegetables. It cuts the vegetables into 1/2 inch squares (and smaller if desired).

I demonstrated it to her and let her try it. She asked me to order her one right away. She figured it would save her hours of time chopping. Depending on how much vegetables and fruits you use, you can create a huge batch for the week, or a small batch just for tonight's dinner. I think once you taste it, you will feel like I do, that it is an essential part of the daily menu. Today I had two helpings for breakfast. mmmm

And so, without further adieu,  I give you

Evelyn's Delicious Salad

red, yellow and/or green peppers
green onion minus the roots
jicama
celery
chayote squash
radishes
Fuji apples
these next two she doesn't add, but I do      
 turnips                         
carrots
chop all above ingredients into half-inch squares
add a bag of crasins
mix together

Evelyn takes two of the vegetable bags and puts one inside the other to create a double bag, then she fills it. Try to get all the air out of the bag and twist closed. Place upside down in a bowl.

This gradually marinates and creates a most delicious juice by the end of the week.

Every day you have a salad ready to enjoy. If you would like to add other vegetables or fruits at the time of serving, such as oranges or when
tomatoes get ripe you can do this. But don't add these squishy fruits and vegetables to the original batch. All the above vegetables  are hard crispy vegetables and don't rot too easily.

Sweet & Sour Stir Fry

Every time I make stir fry, I change the recipe, because I make it up each time.But this one turned out so good, I thought I would make sure I wrote this down.

Sweet & Sour Stir Fry

Begin to boil rice. I use 1 cup of rice to 2 cups water. I cover the pan and start it cold allowing rice to soak up water as it starts to boil. Turn down heat to medium low and boil for 20 minutes

Cut a variety of  vegetables into 1 inch cubes including: Onions, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, bell peppers, water chestnuts and soy sprouts (from can),  mushrooms (add last) and anything else that looks like it would be good in stir fry. At this point add precooked, cubed chicken* if desired.

1 Tablespoon olive oil in wok. Heat until almost smoking. Add cut up vegetables. Saute and stir until tender. 

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

In sauce pan combine the following ingredients

1 cup concentrated frozen orange juice

any liquid drained off canned vegetables added to stir fry

2 cups water

1 Tablespoon ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1tsp garlic salt

pepper to taste

soy sauce to taste

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 to 1 cup sweetener to taste (I use brown sugar)

Bring to boil and allow to boil for 5 to 10 minutes continuing to stir.

Slowly add:

1/4 cup cold water mixed with corn starch

continue to boil stirring vigorously while sauce thickens.

Remove from heat and pour over vegetables

Remove cooked rice from heat. Make sure no liquid remains.

Add 

1 can unsweetened coconut milk from can (found in Chinese food section of grocery store)

Serve with Sweet & Sour Stir Fry Vegetables and breaded, pan fried shrimp* from a box. 

*If  served with shrimp, the chicken is not necessary