Helpful Hints~Vegetables & Side Dishes

• When preparing a casserole, make and additional batch to freeze. Your back-up meal is always secure.
• A sprinkle of salt or flour in the pan before frying will keep hot oil from splattering.
• A drop or two of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep the grains separated.
• Clove, garlic, and pepper flavors get stronger when they are frozen.
• Sage, onion, and salt get milder when frozen.
• Cooked egg whites get tough when frozen.
• Grill veggies along with your meat for an quick and easy side dish.
• Store dried pasta, rice(except brown rice)and whole grains in tightly covered containers in a cool dry place.
• Refrigerate or freeze grains if they will not be used within five months.
• Play-up those buttered, cooked veggies with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, chopped nuts, canned french-fried onions, or slightly crushed croutons.
• A little vinegar or lemon juice added to potatoes before draining will make them extra white when mashed.
• To bake potatoes in a hurry place them in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Pierce their skin with a for before baking in a preheated oven.
• Avoid those tough beans or corn by adding salt about half way through cooking.

Herbed Yogurt Spread- Mayonnaise Alternative

Are you looking for an healthy mayonnaise alternative if so Herbed Yogurt Spread might be the one for you!

In January, I was wanting to eat healthier but my husband was a hinder-er. Now the scales have tipped a little too much for him and he's really making dietary changes. So to answer his need for an alternative to mayonnaise I have this Herbed Yogurt Spread that is quite a yummy addition to your 3. It also takes that ordinary ham sandwich to being an extraordinary ham sandwich.

The ingredients are easy to find and the directions are so simple.

We've declared this recipe a winnner!

Herbed Yogurt Spread

Total time to prepare: 5 minutes

Yields: 1 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1/4 cup capers (rinsed and drained)

3 tablespoons lemon juice 

salt (dash..just to taste)

Directions:

1. Puree yogurt, parsley and capers.

2. Add lemon juice just until smooth.

3. Season with salt.

                                            Enjoy!!

Veggie Pizza

This Veggie Pizza recipe is great for a party or your next get together.

 It offers light, fresh vegetables along with the rich cheeses all flavored  up with the perfect seasonings for a vegetable lover's dream come true. You will not want to skimp on quality when choosing your ingredients for this recipe. It's a dish served cold. It can be cut in typical pizza triangles or in smaller bite-size pieces for a great party appetizer.

Let's get our oven preheated and chop these veggies!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 cup salad dressing(Miracle Whip)
2  8-ounce blocks of cream cheese(softened)
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
Chopped, raw vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, purple hue onion, red pepper, green pepper, orange pepper, etc.)
Parmesan Cheese(grated)
Cheddar Cheese(grated)

Directions:
1. Layout crescent rolls flat on large ungreased cookie sheet, press and pinch together.
2. Bake at 350 degrees until golden.
3. Spread the 1/2 can of tomatoes over crust return to oven for 3-5 minutes.
4. Mix together cream cheese, salad dressing, and dry dressing mix.
5. Spread cheese mixture over the top of cooled crust.
6. Layer chopped vegetables on top of cheese mixture.
7. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese and Shredded Cheddar Cheese over vegetables.
8. Chill until serving.

Potato Dumpling Pie

Wanting for comfort food? Maybe, you're yearning for some Potato Dumpling Pie!

This Potato Dumpling Pie recipe can be cooked in a pie dish, iron skillet, or a casserole dish. Slices of potato and onion seasoned up with garlic and black pepper enveloped in a thick, creamy texture,all along with spoonfuls of rolled buttermilk dumplings simply beckon you to the supper table.

Very few ingredients and a simple technique make this recipe a winner. 

Let's get started and gather up some ingredients!

Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes (approximately)

Bake Time: 1 hour

Preheat Oven: 425 degrees

Ingredients:

4-5 medium size potatoes

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

2 cup Self-rising flour(Martha White or White Lily)

3 tablespoons shortening(I prefer butter flavored Crisco)

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt for dumpling plus approximately 1 tablespoons to flavor potatoes

black pepper season to taste

water-enough to boil potatoes in

Directions:

1. Slice potatoes into disc and onion into rings

. 

2. Place potatoes, onions, salt, and pepper in a medium pot. Fill pot approximately 3/4 full with water.

3. Bring to boil. Turn temperature down to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes.

4. Prepare dumplings by combining flour and salt in mixing bowl. 

5. Cut-in shortening.

6. Add buttermilk a little at a time while stirring with a fork. When dough will follow fork around the bowl there's enough milk.

7. Turn out on board, kneading just a little. Roll out and cut into squares.

6. Add dumplings to potatoes. Be very careful not to get burned by bubbling. Turn down the temperature on the potatoes if there's a danger of getting burned. The mixture will get quite thick and extremely hot.

7. Turn temperature down to a simmer after adding all your dumplings. Simmer approximately 5 minutes or until thickened.

These potatoes & dumplings could be served as is and be quite good but to achieve the brown crust you'll want to pour it in your dish to bake.

8. Pour in dish.

9. Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour or until top is browned over.

Do enjoy!

This recipe is also shared on the Farm Blog Hop

Powered by eRecipe.com

Peanut Butter Delight Bars

This Peanut Butter Delight Bars Recipe is simple decadence. 

Blending of rich cocoa flavor with a crunchy peanut filling and the final topping from the honey-bear makes this dessert an absolute treat. It is an adaptation from what most southern folk call the Preacher Cookie. Although the recipe contains a bit of sugar it is also fairly healthy if you take in the quantity of peanut butter and oatmeal.

Most importantly, my kids say,

"It's Good!"

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 2 quart Yields: 7 x 11 inch or 2 quart (recipe can be doubled if not being served individually)

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Cocoa

1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk(regular whole milk can also be used)

2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine

1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter plus 1 or 2 cups to spread as filling

2 Cup Quick Cooking Oatmeal

Honey for drizzling over top

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, cocoa, and evaporated milk in a saucepan. 

2. Bring to boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes then remove from heat.

3. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and butter until smooth.

4. Fold in oatmeal until well blended.

5. Spread into pan or casserole dish.

6. Cool until well set.

Bars can be served as the are but doubling with peanut butter in the middle is what really adds the extra to this dessert. Don't forget to drizzle the honey on top.