SPINACH, CHEESE & BACON STRATA
4 cups sliced & buttered French bread, cubed
1 bag frozen spinach (16 oz)
6 to 8 ounces diced, cooked bacon, ham, or turkey ham
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can (10oz) cream of mushroom soup (the 98% fat free is fine)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
5 eggs
1 tablespoon minced dried onion (optional)
Lightly butter a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker/Crock Pot. Layer with half of the buttered bread cubes, spinach, bacon, and cheese; salt and pepper to taste. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Whisk together the soup, milk, eggs, and dried onion. Pour over slow cooker/Crock Pot mixture. Chill for 1 hour or overnight. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Serves 4 to 6.
Ace’s Favorite Cheesy Dog Biscuits
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 pound margarine — corn oil
1 clove garlic — crushed
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup Milk — or as needed
Grate the cheese into a bowl and let stand until it reaches room temperature. Cream the cheese with the softened margarine, garlic, salt and flour. Add enough milk to form into a ball.
Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll onto floured board. Cut into shapes and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until slightly brown, and firm. Makes 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size.
Yield: “24 biscuits”
Shrikhand
Ingredients
1/2 kg. curds
300 gms. sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
few strands saffron
1/2 tbsp. pista & almond crushed
Method
Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth overnight. (6-7 hours).
Take into a bowl, add sugar and mix.
Keep aside for 25-30 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.
Rub saffron into 1 tbsp. milk till well broken and dissolved. Keep aside.
Beat well till sugar has fully dissolved into curd.
Pass through a big holed strong strainer, pressing with hand or spatula.
Mix in cardamom powder and dissolved saffron and half nuts.
Empty into a glass serving bowl, top with remaining nut crush.
Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.
Making time: 20 minutes (excluding tieing and keeping time)
Makes: 6-7 servings
Shelflife: 3-4 days refrigerated
Variations: To make fruit flavoured shrikhand eg. mango, add pulp at the stage of adding cardamom and saffron.
Crunchy Chocolate-Coconut Balls
4 ounces sweet chocolate squares
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg — slightly beaten
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 1/2 cups coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flakes — crisp
Melt chocolate and butter in sauce pan over low heat. Stirring constantly
Remove from heat, beat in egg and sugar. Add 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and the cereal. Shape into 1 inch balls. and roll in remaining coconut. Chill until firm. store in covered container in the refrigerator.
Cranberry Coconut Fruit Balls
12 ounces dried apricots
1 1/2 cups pecans
2 cups fresh cranberries — rinsed and drained
grated orange peel — from 1 orange
1/4 cup butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
13 1/2 ounces graham cracker crumbs
7 ounces coconut flakes
red food coloring
green food coloring
Coarsely grind apricots with pecans and cranberries. Stir in orange rind, butter, sugar and crumbs. wrap and chill for 2 hours.
shape mixture into 3/4 inch balls. Roll balls in coconut. Tint coconut red and green by using a few drops of food coloring and rubbing each color into coconut.
Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Chicken Salad Balls
1 cup chopped chicken
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 tablespoons pimentos — chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped pecans
Stir all together and mix well. Chill 4 hours. Shape into 1 inch ball.
Black and Blue Olives
6 ounces jumbo ripe olives — canned, pitted
3 ounces blue cheese
3 ounces cream cheese — softened
2 teaspoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons dry sherry
Drain olives. Using a fork, combine blue cheese, cream cheese, parsley and sherry into a smooth paste. Using a pastry bag or the tip of a small knife, fill the olives with the cheese mixture. Chill.
Serves 10 to 12
CURRIED CHICKEN BALLS
2 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. orange marmalade
2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 c. finely minced cooked chicken
3 tbsp. minced green onion
3 tbsp. minced celery
1 c. finely chopped almonds, toasted
In a mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Beat until smooth. Stir in chicken, onion and celery. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in almonds. Cover and chill until firm (can refrigerate up to 2 days). Yield: about 5 dozen appetizers.
Lone Star Dip
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. onion powder
dash salt
dash paprika
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and let them chill for 1-2 hours.
Potatoes With Yogurt Sauce
2 pounds new potatoes; small
3 tablespoons light flavored vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin and anise seeds
1 medium onion; chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 small fresh hot red and green chilies
cut into thin rings
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 green onions; minced salt
Cover the potatoes with water and boil until tender but still showing some resistance when pierced with the point of a small sharp knife. Drain and peel. In a heavy skillet or wok, heat the oil over a high heat. Add the cumin and anise seeds and stir in the oil until they begin to crack and pop almost like popcorn. Add the onion, garlic and chilies. Stir fry only until the onions are translucent but not yet browned. Add the potatoes and stir fry until they are evenly coated with spice mixture and lightly browned. Put into a serving bowl and add the yogurt, cilantro, mint, parsley, and green onions. Stir and add salt to taste. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
NOTES : Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Biscuit And Pancake Mix
9 c Flour,sifted
4 t Salt
1/3 c Baking powder
1 3/4 c Shortening,vegetable
1 c Milk,powdered
Chill shortening. Sift all dry ingredients. Cut shortening into flour till mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Store, well covered, in a cool, dry place.
Use for pancakes, biscuits, shortcake, cobblers or anything that you would make from a packaged biscuit mix. All you need is water.
For pancakes add 1 tb each sugar and powdered eggs to each cup of mix.
Tortilla Pinwheels
1/4 Cup Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Salsa
1/4 Cup chopped green onion tops
1/2 Teaspoon chili powder
4 Flour Tortillas, 6−inch
In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese with a fork until the cheeser is incorporated. Stir in the salsa, green onion, and chili powder. Spread the mixture evenly on the tortillas. Roll up and chill.
Slice into rounds.
Six−Layer Mediterranean Dip
8 ounces prepared hummus
1 1/4 sour cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 ripe avocado, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup peeled and chopped cucumbers
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons minced kalamata olives
pita chips
Combine 1/4 cup sour cream with the prepared hummus, then spread mixture on the bottom of a 9 inch pie dish. Combine remaining sour cream and cumin and spread over the hummus layer. Toss together the garlic powder, salt, lemon juice, chopped tomatoes, and avocado, then spread over the yogurt layer. Add a layer of the cucumbers and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Add a layer of feta, then finish it all off with olives. Let chill for an hour before serving with pita chips.
Honey Nut Huddle Spread
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 8−oz. package soft cream cheese
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped honey−roasted nuts
Blend orange juice, honey and sour cream. Stir in raisins and nuts. Chill for at least one hour. Serve with crackers or potato chips.
Fruit Salsa And Cinnamon Chips
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples − peeled, cored, and diced
1 (8 ounce) package raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit and spice mixture.
Arby’s Horsey Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp. Bottled horseradish cream
1 tbsp. Sugar
Mix all ingredients and chill
Classic Pizza Crust Recipe
Ingredients:
* 1 package active dry yeast
* 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup warm water
* 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 1 cup of flour, and the salt. Mix. Next, add the water and oil. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to beat on high speed for 3 minutes. By hand, stir in enough flour to make the dough stiff. Knead until smooth which can take up to 10 minutes. Place in a well greased bowl and turn the dough until it is lightly greased.
Cover and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch it down and chill for 2 hours. Cut the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll the halves into 12 inch circle and about 1/8 inch thick. Brush the surfaces of the dough with olive oil and add the toppings of your choice. Cook at 425* for 25 minutes.
DIABETIC DATE DAINTIES
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. liquid sweetener
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. dates, chopped
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. nuts
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
Beat eggs, sweetener and baking powder. Add dates, flour and nuts. Stir in bread crumbs. Chill, then measure by teaspoon on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
Chocolate Spiders version #1
4 cups semisweet chocolate baking chips
Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler. Let stand over the water until water is cool, about 10 minutes. Place wax paper on cookie sheet. Pour chocolate into a pastry bag that is fitted with a 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch tip. Squeeze chocolate onto wax paper in the shape of spiders. If chocolate is runny it needs to be cooled longer. Chill the spiders for about 10 minutes. When hard peel off wax paper. Store in refrigerator laid flat.