Mustard BBQ Sauce

This is a very simple recipe from my mother. She made it for us the last time my father smoked ribs and it was awesome.

1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 cup regular mustard (I like French's)
1/2 cup red wine or cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce (I've also substituted Soy or Dale's sauce)
2 tbsp tomatoe paste
2 tbsp molasses (optional, I don't usually keep this in the pantry)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, depending on how much heat you like in your sauce)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for at least 15 to 20 minutes. We usually let it simmer for an hour or so for a thicker sauce.

Pickled Okra

This is a quick and simple recipe from the Victory Garden Cookbook. Okra has been so plentiful this summer, I thought this would be a great one to share.

1 1/2 lb freshly picked, small, young okra
3 cloves garlic
3 small hot peppers
1 1/2 tsp dill seeds or 3 good sized sprigs of fresh dill
3 tsp mustard seeds
2 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp pickling salt or kosher salt

Wash okra well, removing fuzz and stems. Leave the caps one; do not cut into the pods. In each of 3 pint jars, place 1 garlic clove, 1 hot pepper, 1/2 tsp dill seed (or 1 sprig fresh dill), and 1 tsp mustard seeds. Pack okra evenly into the jars, alternating tips and caps up and down so they fit in snugly. Bring vinegar, water, and salt to a boil and pour over okra up to within 1/2 inch of the jar rim. Fasten lids and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes, no longer. Remove jars and cool. Let sit for 4 weeks before using and enjoy!

Water Bath: Put jars on a rack in a kettle: cover with boiling water, topping by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil, cover kettle and boil for 5 minutes. I found out the hard way, that if you process for more than 5 minutes, the pods will begin to split open.

Side Note: If the spines on the okra feel soft and tender when pressed by your fingernail, they are perfect for pickling. If the spines feel firm or tough, the okra is too mature for pickling.

Garden Tomato Sauce

I think this recipe actually came from one of our books for babyfood, but it has become one of our favorites. We've used it for pizza sauce and quesadillas. It has a great, fresh flavor.

1 lb vine ripened tomatoes, pureed
1 tbsp evoo
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2/3 cup diced sweet bell peppers
1 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp honey

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, 3 herbs, salt, broth, tomato paste and pureed tomatoes to skillet and stir. Simmer mixture, uncovered, over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add honey and cook for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Note: If using fresh tomatoes, preheat oven to broil. Pierce each tomato with a small knife and place tomatoes in a baking pan. Broil tomatoes until skins split and begin to turn brown, about 15 minutes. Once cooled, skins should peel off easily and quickly. Puree peeled tomatoes in food processor.

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

I came across this recipe by accident and I am so glad I did. This is a very quick and simple recipe. They are a delightful little snack that actually tastes like pecan pie! Unfortunately, one is never enough!

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flour (all purpose)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Divide mixture into greased mini muffin tins (should make 24). Bake for 18 minutes at 350. Enjoy!

Mary Lynn's Pumpkin Bread

This is a masterpiece from my Mother-in-law, Mary Lynn. She is very creative with her breads and this is one to keep on hand. It is light and moist and filled with lots of good stuff. Thanks Mary Lynn!


2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking soda
2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup honey


Sift together the flours, salt, sugar and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, water and spices together. Stir in apple sauce and honey. Combine wet ingredients with dry mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour into two greased 9x5x3 loaf pans and bake at 325 for 50 to 60 minutes. Enjoy!


Notes:
The recipe is also great with other squash. My wife loves to make this with butternut squash throughout the summer. She roasts the squash and doesn't need to puree it becuase it isn't a stringy squash like pumpkin.
You can also try this with zuchini. We bought a golden variety at the local farmers market this morning and tried this recipe. She grated the large zuchini and substituted it for the pumpkin. One large zuchini equaled about 2 1/2 cups. It was heavenly!

Fresh Fig Newtons

This is a great summer treat! My wife's grandmother got this recipe a long time ago from her friend, Phillis. It is a great addition to our cookbook. Even if you don't like figs or those thin, dry newtons from the grocery store, I have no doubt you will love these. They are moist and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh figs
2 cups sugar - divided
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 tblsp cream or milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cup flour

Dice figs and soak in water for an hour. Add 1 cup sugar and cook on medium heat until mixture is like a thin jam consistency. Set aside.
Beat remaining sugar with butter, egg, milk & vanilla until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Place half of dough on well floured dough cloth and knead about 6 times. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and line the bottom of a 9x13 glass dish. Cover bottom layer of dough with fig mixture. Knead and roll out remaining dough to cover fig mixture. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares. Enjoy!

Sidenote: Fresh figs can be hard to find. Most grocery stores don't carry them because they ripen so quickly. Check your local farmer's market in late summer. We bought some this morning at the market and I'm very eager to make these.
(You can also substitute 1 lb of dried figs instead of fresh and double the water.)

Tomato Pie

I've never been a big fan of tomatos. I love the smell of the tomato plant, but have always been slightly nauseated by the smell of the actual tomato. However, I do love salsa. My wife has slowly found more and more meals with tomatos that I will eat. They are actually starting to grow on me, but just a little! A friend passed along this recipe and I admit I was hesitant to try it, but I'm glad I did. It is incredible and too good not to share. Thanks Fiona!

We planted a lot of tomatos in the garden this year and have been enjoying this fantastic dish with fresh picked tomatos. I hope you will enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust

3 - 5 medium sized tomatos, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup mayo (my wife swears by kraft)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 tbsp fresh basil (we just diced up a small handful)

1 cup chopped green onions (can use red or sweet)

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bake pie crust at 425 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Spread sliced tomatos on bottom of baked crust. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over tomatos. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

This is an amazing recipe from Cascadian Farms. It was on the back of a package of frozen blueberries. I just thought it was too good not to share. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin pan.
Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl - set aside. In large bowl, beat milk, oil, honey & egg with fork. Stir in flours, baking powder & salt; just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter into muffin pan (should make 12 muffins). Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture on top of batter. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. (13-15 minutes in a convection oven.) Remove from pan and enjoy!

Sidenote: The batter seemed too thick to me, so I also add a 1/4 cup applesauce. I think it helps to keep them very moist.

Carol's Peach Cobbler

Carol is a very sweet friend that shared this with me. This is the quickest cobbler recipe I've seen yet and is an excellent standby for those last minute desserts. She said she always kept a jar of peaches in the pantry because you never knew when you would need something quick.

1 can/jar of peachs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 stick butter

She said you litterally "dump" the first three ingredients into a 9x13 baking dish in this order and then sliver the butter on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Carol told me it was the perfect amount of time to enjoy dinner and then have dessert hot out of the oven.

We love to buy fresh peaches in the summer. We always slice some to freeze for smoothies. The quart sized bags of frozen peaches are perfect for this recipe. I thaw a bag in the microwave for a couple minutes and dump it into a baking dish. I prefer a deeper dish that isn't as wide. I admit I do mix everything together first, but it all works out the same. I also add a little cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Top it off with a little yogurt or ice cream and it is the perfect dessert! Thanks Carol for sharing!!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

We had a really big bag of apples that were starting to go bad faster than we could eat them...so I thought why not try to make some apple cinnamon pancakes? They are my new favorite!

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1 cup milk
2 apples - peeled and cut into small chunks

Combine all dry ingredients in mixing bowl and stir. Set aside. Combine apples and milk in microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 3 to 5 minutes - stirring every 60 seconds. The cook time depends on the size of the apple chunks and your desired crunch in the apple. I like them cooked but still with a little bite to it. Now combine cooked apples & milk with remaining ingredients into mixing bowl and stir. You may have to add a little more milk if the batter is too thick. It seemed like the longer I cooked the apples, the more milk I needed to add - usually another tablespoon or two, not too much. Then cook on griddle as usual and enjoy!

Chocolate Apple Bread

We recently bought a 1/2 bushel of green apples with the intention of making apple jelly. We didn't realize how over ambitious we were with a 4 month old child. There is just too much going on in our lives right now for the process of jelly so I've been making lots of quick apple recipes later in the evening after our daughter goes to sleep. This is a combination of several great recipes to make the best apple bread. We enjoy this in the morning with our coffee (but is is great anytime!)

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar - firmly packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup grated or chopped semisweet chocolate
4 green apples - peeled & coursely grated

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, extract and oil. Fold in the grated apple. Add this wet mixture along with the chocolate to the dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. (Over mixing may cause the bread to be tough.) Pour batter into two greased loaf pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. (I always test it first at 45 minutes just in case.)
Cool in pan on wire rack for about ten minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Best if wrapped and stored overnight before slicing.

Pancakes

I think a plain recipe is often overlooked. This is a simple one that we use ALL the time. I love pancakes! This recipe is so easy to modify with whatever is in season - see my notes below.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 egg
2 tbsp oil
1 cup milk (you can use buttermilk, but only use 1 tsp baking powder and add 1/4 tsp baking soda)


Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Then add wet ingredients and stir just until moistened. (it is usually a little lumpy - thats ok) Pour desired amount onto hot skillet or griddle. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until pancakes are golden brown. Serve hot with syrup of choice.

Note: In the summer we love to add blueberries or strawberries (about 1/2 cup) to the batter. Blueberry pancakes are my favorite! In the fall I like to make pumpkin or sweet potato pankcakes. I add 1/2 cup puree (it doesn't have to be fresh, you can use it from a can too) and use less milk depending on how thick the puree is - I usually use about 3/4 cup instead of a full cup.

Dark Chocolate Pear Cake

We were given a bag of home grown pears and I have been trying to find different ways to use them. I've modified several recipes to come up with this one, and it is my favorite use of the pears so far.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup Special Dark Hershey's Cocoa
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup butter, unsalted - at room temp
4 oz cream cheese - at room temp
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange extract
2 large green pears (or roughly 2 1/2 cups) - coursely grated
1/2 cup milk (or cream)

Sift together the flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
Beat together the butter, cheese, sugar & extracts until smooth and lightly fluffy. Continue beating, adding the eggs one at a time. Fold in pears & milk. Stir this mixture together with the dry ingredients.
Pour into any of the following greased pans & bake at 350.
Muffins - 16 to 18 minutes
Mini Muffins - 10 to 12 minutes
Loaf (8.5 x 4.5 inch) - 38 to 42 minutes
Bundt (10 inch) - 45 to 50 minutes
Any of these are great sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with a glaze (mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbs milk & 1 tsp vanilla - whisk smooth)

Note: I also tried this with Green Apples. It is amazing! Substitute 3 to 4 apples for the pears - peeled and coursely grated.

Sweet Potato Fries

My mother-in-law made these for us recently and we just loved them! They are super quick & easy and we have found they are a great side for those last minute meals.

2 sweet potatos - peeled & cut into chunky fries
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
oregano (ground, fresh or flaked - it doesn't matter)

Place fries & oil in a ziplock bag and shake to coat them all evenly. Pour over baking sheet into single layer. Sprinkle with salt & oregano to taste. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes & serve.

Note: we usually buy the really big potatos, so one potatoe makes the perfect serving size for the two of us.

Sarah's PB&J Chocolate Bars

"Saltines call for peanut butter...which calls for chocolate or jelly. So I layered them all in this sweet-salty bar!" - Sarah Copeland

This is Sarah's creation based from an old favorite. They are incredible.

Base Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg - beaten
1 sleeve saltines (40 crackers, regular or whole wheat), finely crushed
3/4 cup finely chopped roasted peanuts

Filling & Glaze Ingredients:
1/4 cup jelly of choice (we favor homemade strawberry preserves)
7 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter - softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
4 ounces semisweet chocolate - chopped

Making the base: Line an 8 inch square baking pan with foil, extending it over the sides. Put the butter in a medium heatproof bowl; position the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water). Once the butter melts, stir in the sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the egg; cook, whisking, until the mixture is warm and the consistency of hot fudge, 6 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in the saltine crumbs and peanuts. Press the crust into the lined pan and set aside.
Making the filling: Spread the jelly over the crust in the pan; place in the freezer for a few minutes. Beat 5 tbsp plus 1 tsp butter, peanut butter and confectioners sugar with a mixer until light. Spread over the jelly layer and return to freezer.
Making the glaze: Place the chocolate and remaining 2 tbsp butter in a heatproof bowl; set over the pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. When cool but still runny, spread the glaze over the chilled peanut butter layer. Freeze for about another 30 minutes.

Bring the bars to room temperature. Use the foil flaps to remove the bars from the pan and cut into squares.

Chewy Granola Bars

If you can make Rice Crispy Treats, this is a piece of cake!

Ingredients:
2 cups oats
3/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup peanuts, crushed
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 oz dried fruit

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix peanuts, wheat germ, oats & seeds in baking dish/sheet. Toast 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning. Line 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish with wax paper and set aside. In sauce pot, bring brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla & salt to a simmer, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Mix wet & toasted ingredients together in large bowl and pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Spread with wooden spatula. Fold over sides of wax paper or add a sheet to the top to cover. Press firmly over mixture to compact it together. Let sit for 2 to 3 hours to harden. Lift out of baking dish and place on cutting board to cut into bars.

Note: My wife started making these because I recently became allergic to pecans and the kind of granola bars we liked used pecan flour. Its an easy recipe and works well for substituting whatever you have in the pantry. I love to crumble one into my cereal in the mornings!

Ultimate Pizza Sauce

This is a great marinara that my wife makes for both pizza and spaghetti. It makes enough that we can make pizza one night and then still have enough for spaghetti the next night.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp fennel seeds

In a large skillet, melt butter with oil. Add the onion, celery and garlic - saute until soft & transparent. Add tomatoes (you can first blend them if you desire a smoother texture) and stir until combined. Add remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer. Simmer 30 - 60 minutes (or not at all depending on how hungry you are...). The longer it simmers, the more infused the flavors will be. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Note: If using just for spaghetti, we usually omit the fennel seeds or use ground fennel.

Sensational Strawberry Dessert

This is a very simple but excellent cake from Kraft. My Mom has made it for several parties and still hasn't gotten a chance to taste it because it disappears so quickly.

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh strawberries - divided
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip Whipped Topping - thawed & divided
8 oreo cookies
1 tbsp butter - melted

Shape foil onto outside of 8x4 loaf pan. Line inside of pan with shaped foil, with ends extending over sides of pan.
Mash 2 cups of the strawberries in large bowl. Stir in condensed milk and juice.
Stir 2 cups of the whipped topping into strawberry mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
Finely chop cookies. Combine cookes and butter. Spoon over whipped topping mixture in pan.
Cover cookie mixture with ends of foil and gently press cookie mixture into whipped topping mixture. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
Invert dessert onto serving plate when ready to serve; remove pan and foil. Spread remaining whipped topping onto top and sides of dessert.
Slice remaining 2 cups of strawberries; arrange on dessert. Store leftovers in freezer.

Tangerine Chiffon Cake

This cake is great served with fresh fruit.

Ingredients:
zest of 3 tangerines
1/2 cup tangerine juice
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tbs sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 egg whites
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup oil

Preheat oven to 325. In food processor, combine zest & sugar (minus the 2tbs) and process until smooth. Combine zested sugar with with flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat slowly with the juice, oil and yolks. Set aside.
Beat egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Stiff peaks should form when beaters are lifted from mixture. Gently fold beaten whites into flour mixture.
Coat bundt pan with oil or nonstick spray. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 35 - 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen edges and flip out onto wire rack. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Magic Cookie Bars

This is another one of Mom's best. She used to make a batch of them for me to take to school. My teachers always loved them, especially my 4th grade teacher who never could quite make them like Mom.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 bag (3 1/2 oz) flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts of choice

Preheat oven to 350 (325 if using glass dish). In 13 x 9 pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle crumbs over butter. Pour milk over crumbs. Top evenly with remaining ingredients and press down firmly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars.