cucumber slices with cream cheese

Found these recipes on facebook

 Cucumber slices with cream cheese

Cucumber Bites

Ingredients:

4 oz. Cream cheese

2 Tbsp. Fresh dill chopped

¼ C. Ranch dressing

3 Cucumbers cut into 1 inch sliced

15 Cherry tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise

Salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber salad

Ingredients

3 Med. Cucumbers Peeled and Sliced 1/4″
1 Med. Onion sliced and separate into rings
3 Med. tomatoes cut into wedges
1/2 C. Vinegar
1/4 C. Sugar or Stevia
1 C. water
1/4 C. olive oil
2 tsp.salt
1 tsp. ground pepper

Vegan stuffed bell pepper

 Vegan Stuffed Bell Pepper

A lady on facebook (cindy cheney) posted this recipe and right now on my computer I dont have microsoft word to save it on that to try, so I will directly post it here for me to try, it looks so yummy

Okay, not much of a recipe but I'll try. Just guessing because I didn't measure anything. I cooked up one whole onion, chopped, half of a large bell pepper, diced, and some minced garlic. Added 1 can diced tomatoes, about 1/3 cup raw orzo, some Italian seasoning, a dash of chili powder, a teaspoon of dark brown sugar (you could leave that out or use maple syrup), some paprika, worcestershire sauce, a little seasoned salt and about 3/4 cup? leftover spaghetti sauce. Simmered until the orzo was tender (10-15 minutes?). Added cooked short grain brown rice and quinoa that were cooked in vegetable broth. (sorry, but I have no idea how much - maybe 2 12/ - 3 cups total). Add those grains until the sauce is mostly soaked up, but still a little saucy and not dry. Add more seasonings to taste. For half the filling I water-sauteed about 6 -8 oz. mushrooms and then added a big handful of chopped kale and some chopped parsley to the pan and steamed those until tender, then stirred those into the rice mixture. Hope this helps. When I bake the stuffed peppers later, I will probably top with just a little more spaghetti sauce so the rice doesn't dry out.

Slow Cooker Brown Butter Carrots

 

This is from the Food charlatan.com she has wonderful recipes

Slow Cooker Brown Butter Carrots

Serves Serves 10    

This sweet tender glazed carrots recipe gets a boost from brown butter. A secret ingredient puts these slow cooker carrots over the top!

Ingredients

•  2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
•  1/4 cup (half stick) salted butter
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 cup brown sugar or raw sugar
•  1 or 2 bay leaves
•  1 teaspoon  Mexican Vanilla
•  fresh parsley or sage, chopped (to garnish)

Instructions

1. Peel and slice the carrots. I tend to like the thicker chunks of carrot, so don't go too crazy, just roughly chopped is fine. Set side.
2. In a small saucepan add the butter. Turn the heat to medium or just above medium. Stir occasionally until the butter starts to foam and ultimately turns brown. There will be silty brown "bits" that have separated from the yellow liquid. Immediately transfer the mixture to your slow cooker.
3. Add the salt, sugar, bay leaves, and vanilla and stir. Add the carrots and stir to coat.
4. Cook on high for about 3 hours or until tender.
5. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or sage.
6. The glaze is really great drizzled over mashed potatoes too...just sayin.

you can find her post and picture of them here

Fried Riced Cauliflower

I bought a bag of frozen riced cauliflower and on the back of the bag was a recipe we tried and enjoyed.

Fried Rice Cauliflower
2 bags (24 oz) Riced Cauliflower
2 Tblsp sesame oil
1/2 cup frozen carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen edamame
2 beaten eggs
3 Tblsp low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
6 green onions, minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger

In a skillet, heat 2 Tblsp sesame oil in a non stick skillet.  Once hot, cook riced cauliflower, carrots, edamame, garlic, and ground ginger over medium high heat for 5 minutes.  Then, turn heat down to low and add the eggs.  Stir gently and continuously until eggs are cooked.  Stir in the soy cause and green onions before serving.

(we halved the recipe and it turned out delicious, we didn't have the ginger so I am not sure what it tastes like with the ginger, but want to try that next time!)

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Megan loves to cook and has been finding some fun recipes to share, she made this tonight and said it was yummy, I am going to make some tomorrow night then! She found it on pinterest from Iowa Girl Eats

Cauliflower Fried Rice
serves 3
Ingredients:
1 Tblsp plus 1 tsp sesame oil
2 eggs
1 small head cauliflower
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 green onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
3 Tblsp Tamari or soy sauce 

Directions:
Combine 1 tsp sesame oil with eggs in a bowl then whisk to combine and set aside.  Chop cauliflower head into big chunks then send through a food processor fitted with the grating attachment.  Alternatively you could grate the cauliflower on a box grater (or now a days you can buy frozen "riced" cauliflower in the freezer section)
Measure out 4 cups grated cauliflower then save the rest for another use.
Heat remaining 1 Tblsp sesame oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Add cauliflower, green onions, and frozen mixed vegetables then stir fry until cauliflower is just beginning to turn tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and then continue to stir fry until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds or so.
Push mixture to the sides of the wok to create an opening in the center then add the eggs and scramble.  Toss mixture to combine then drizzle in Tamari and mix again to combine.  Serve hot!

I will let you know how I like it !  Looks yummy!

Mac and Cheese Cauliflower

I follow Trim Healthy Momma on Facebook, here is a recipe one reader shared:

it comes from a blog called "all day I dream about food"

Mac and Cheese Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower cut into pieces
4 oz cream cheese
4 Tbslp butter
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
Steam cauliflower until tender
Add ingredients to pot   stir until creamy, add pepper so good

Megan's Green Beans

Megan makes the green bean casserole for our Thanksgiving and they are so good, here is her recipe from "thenovicechefblog"

The Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe:

serves 8 (megan doubles this)

Ingredients:
2 Tbslp kosher salt
1.5 lbs fresh green beans, rinsed and ends trimmed
2 Tblsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
2 large portabello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tblsp all purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
6 oz french fried onions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375, grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and set aside.
Blanch the beans: In a large pot bring about a gallon of water and 2 Tblsp of salt to a boil.  Add the green beans and boil for 5 minutes.  Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and stir to combine.  Then add the half and half and simmer until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in all of the green beans.  Transfer the green bean mixture to prepared casserole dish.  Top with bread crumbs and then layer the french fried onions on top.
Place casserole in the oven and bake until bubbly, about 20 min If the onions start to brown too quickly then cover casserole with foil. Serve immediatley

Becky's Butternut Squash Fries

Becky's Butternut squash fries

Look for Butternut squash that have long necks, slice them into rounds and from the rounds slice into fries.
Spray a jelly roll pan with coconut spray, layer the whole pan full of the squash fries (stack them along side eachother)
spray the tops again with the coconut spray (like pam but made of coconut oil)

She sprinkles on top of them Mccormick grill mates montreal chicken and garlic powder

over the coconut oil

Put in the oven for 40 minutes, check at 30 or 35 so you dont burn them

She likes them a little crispy and then she makes a sauce out of
 1 oz parmesan cheese
Litehouse Ranch Dressing  (her favorite cuz it doesnt have sugar in the top 5 ingredients) h
2 Tblsp of ranch dressing

(her rule is in anything she eats the sugar has to be the fifth or lower ingredient)

She said bake at 500 degrees

Cauliflower Quinoa with Spaghetti Sauce

I follow a lady on facebook, Becky Sampson, who has lost over 100 lbs and is awesome.  She recently started sharing a few of her recipes.  Tonight me and Lacey tried this for dinner and we both liked it alot, thus it is going on my post so we can remake it again and again!

Cauliflower Quinoa with Spaghetti Sauce/Ranch/parmesan

Take a whole head of cauliflower and cut into bite size pieces and steam or boil til just right texture you like.

Cook Quinoa or used cooked quinoa you have already prepared

In Medium bowl put in 2 to 3 Tblsp ranch dressing (she uses Lighthouse homestyle Ranch dressing)
, and 1 to 2 oz Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce and she used 4 oz of Quinoa (I put in more). Stir that all together and then put in the Cauliflower (that has been cut real fine)

It was really yummy and very filling.  Me and Lace are so stuffed we can hardly eat anything else!

Perfect Roasted Vegetables

I have been roasting my vegetables more and more lately and enjoying them.  I found this recipe and tips on how to do that on Mels kitchen cafe and am going to send you to her site, as I do follow her tips, 
I usually put all my veggies into a big bowl, put a little oil over the top and then with my hands stir them all around so they are very lightly coated and then put them onto the cookie sheet.  
I used to roast them at 400 degrees, but she is right, 425 is better!

go here to see her tips and her pictures ! 
ENJOY!

Sesame Ginger Green Bean Salad

SESAME GINGER GREEN BEAN SALAD

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So easy and almost completely make ahead. Just throw it together at the last minute and expect rave reviews!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Recipe type: Side

Serves: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. haricots verts or slender green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoons sunflower (or other neutral tasting oil) oil
• 1 tablespoon finely minced or grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• 1 cup tiny frozen peas, thawed
• 2-3 teaspoons light sesame seeds
• 2-3 teaspoons black sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water (I do this right in my sink.) Have a large strainer ready to drain the beans.
2. While water is heating, prepare sauce (glaze) by combining oil, ginger, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and Sriracha in a small bowl.
3. Add beans to boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally (if your beans are really small and thin, only cook for 3½ minutes). Drain well and immediately plunge into the bowl of ice water (this will stop the cooking process) then drain again and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Shake strainer occasionally to remove as much water as possible.
4. Spread drained beans out on several thicknesses of paper toweling or a clean kitchen towel and pat to dry as much as possible. At this point, beans can be wrapped in dry paper towels, placed in a ziplock bag and refrigerated till just before serving.
5. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add sauce and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and starting to thicken slightly.
6. Add green beans and stir gently for 2-3 minutes or until veggies are glazed and warmed through. Add peas and sprinkle with about ½ teaspoon of kosher or regular salt and a generous grind of fresh pepper. Stir again for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with light and black sesame seeds. Serve hot or at room temperature.

NOTES

Sriracha sauce is a spicy chili sauce. You can find it in the Asian section at most larger grocery stores or online.

Farm Style Green Beans

Here is a good way to cook green beans:

Farm-Style Green Beans

3 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
15 oz can green beans
1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled

Cook bacon in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion: cook for five minutes, or until onion is tender.  Stir in green beans and bouillon. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 min.  Serves 4.

Can be doubled!

Creamy Cheesy Carrot Casserole

I got this recipe from chef in training , it is her family favorite!
I love carrots, this is a way to get your kids to eat carrots!

Creamy Cheesy Carrot Casserole

Ingredients:
3 cups peeled and sliced carrots
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half and half
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery salt
6 - 7 slices white bread
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp butter
Instructions:
Make white sauce:  In a large sauce pan, melt butter in saucepan, add flour, and stir to combine.  Once you have your roux, add half and half and stir constantly until sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in salt, onion powder, dry mustard, pepper and celery salt.
In a 9 x 13 pan, layer peeled and sliced carrots, then white sauce, then evenly sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over white sauce.
Place slices of white bread in blender and blend until it turns into bread crumbs.
In a skillet, heat 3 Tbslp of butter and then saute bread crumbs in the butter until golden in color.
Evenly sprinkle bread crumbs over shredded cheese on the casserole
Cover casserole with foil and Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.  After 20 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Cream Corn

This recipe is from my daughter in law Krista.  She brought this to a family potluck and we loved it!  It is now tradition!

CREAM CORN

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
3 cans corn

Put all ingredients in a crock pot.  Cook on medium heat until butter and cream cheese mix smoothly with corn.

Can be doubled!
It is yummy!

The thought for today:
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.  -Helen Keller

Let's make our lives an adventure!  go out and LIVE!

Veggie Bread

So. . . .this is one of my most favorite things to eat, and I have never really had a recipe for this, just guessing how it was made.  Jenna went on a date and the father of her date made this as an appetizer for all of them, she came home and described it and this is what we came up with:

Veggie Bread!

1 loaf of french bread
butter and garlic powder for the bread
parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Zucchini, chopped
Onions, chopped
Red peppers, chopped
Mushrooms, diced
Tomatos, diced  (I dont always have tomatoes so leave out if you
wish, still yummy!)                           

In Saucepan saute up the chopped vegetables in some butter, I add some balsamic vinegar (maybe 2 Tblsp) and I squeeze a little honey over the top, so it makes a kind of glaze. Let it all simmer for just a bit. 

I butter the french bread and sprinkle on garlic powder and parmesan cheese and I broil the bread under the broiler just a bit until lightly browned.  Pull out of oven and spoon the vegetables on top of the bread, then sprinkle some mozzarella cheese over the top.  Put back in oven to broil, watch closely as it only needs a little bit of time to melt the cheese and finish lightly browning!

Pull out of oven and serve!  DELISH!

Thought for the day:
The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important - John Dewey

The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.  -William James

Grandma Harrah's Green Beans

Dan's mom Beth is a wonderful cook.  One thing I have learned from her is how to cook good green beans.  Of course fresh beans are the best, but when you have to use canned green beans, she would Drain the green beans (let's say 3-4 cans green beans), pour into big pan for stove.  Then add water to cover them, sprinkle in like 2 -3 Tblsp dill weed and 1 to 2 Tblsp dried onions, bring to boil and boil for a bit.  She would also boil the little small red potatoes and then add them to the boiling green beans for the last bit, maybe cut the potatoes into halves or thirds.  
Drain the green beans and season with salt and some butter.

YUMMY!

Veggie Pizza

This recipe is a fun one that never dissapoints, great for appetizers.

Veggie Pizza
1 can crescent roll dough
1 pkg dry Ranch dressing mix
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Carrots, shredded
Cucumbers
Cheese
Tomatoes
Press dough into 9 x 13 pan.  Cook according to package directions.  Mix Ranch dressing mix with 16 oz container of sour cream. Spread over cooled crust.  Cut veggies into small pieces and spread on top.


Nourishing of the soul:
This is taken from the book I read "An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love" by Richard Carlson and Kristine Carlson
"Another thing I am absolutely certain of is this: If I could live my life over again, I'd rarely if ever be in such a hurry.  What is the point? You get to the end of your life and you finally pause and reflect and it all becomes so clear.  You see the absurdity of all the rushing around . . we rush around and for what?  All it does is keep us from truly experiencing life in any sort of meaningful deep way.

Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

I love French Fries.  I love baked Fries.  I love to dip them in fry sausce too!  Came across this recipe and made them and really liked them

Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries
1 pound of medium russett potatoes (approx 3 medium)
1 1/2 Tblsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/8 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning (if you dont have it can leave it out)
2 Tblsp of Kraft Paremsan Style Grated Cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Wash and cut potatoes into 1/8ths
Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil and spray with Pam or lightly grease
Mix all of the spices and the parmesan cheese in a small bowl
Place all of the poatoes into a gallon size freezer bag, add olive oil and the parmesan cheese /spice mixture to the bag
Seal the bag and shake until the potatoes are evenly coated
Once thoroughly coated dump onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread in a single layer
Bake 30-45 minutes or until tender and lightly golden brown. (Baking time will vary according to how many potatoes you make and the size you cut them)
You can double this recipe or triple this recipe but only do it in these amounts (3 potatoes) at one time as you can only fit the 3 lbs potatoes in the freezer bag at one time!

and now for the nourishing of our souls:  Psalm 100:1-3
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.  Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the Lord he is God:  it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

I like the Serve the Lord with Gladness part, we need to be a joyful people and be glad to serve in our callings or serve as visiting teachers or home teachers and if we are suffering, we need to find joy in our suffering.  To help me, I like to sing my heart out to songs I find on you tube and so forth, so again, here is a link to a good song that Shayla pointed out and I liked found here
I love good songs! Enjoy!