HAMBURGER BUNS

100% WHOLE WHEAT HAMBURGER BUNS
http://www.the-taste-tester.com/2013/05/100-whole-wheat-hamburger-buns.html
We really liked these.  Forgot to put the sesame seeds.  That was the first thing Abagail said, "Where are the seeds?"

100% WHOLE WHEAT HAMBURGER BUNS

Recipe Source: adapted from Taste of Home

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water (110˚-115˚F)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar or honey

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

3 to 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine the yeast, warm water, oil, and sugar (or honey). Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, salt, and vital wheat gluten. Remove the whisk attachment and secure the dough hook. Add the flour gradually until a soft (but not sticky) ball of dough forms.

Turn the mixer on high and knead for 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. When the dough is finished kneading, divide it into ten equal pieces and shape into balls. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I like to press my dough balls out a little so that they are slightly flattened and have a larger circumference. They'll still puff up and get beautiful in the oven even if you do this.

Let the buns rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add the milk to the beaten egg. Brush the tops of the buns with egg wash mixture just before putting them in the oven. You can also sprinkle the tops of the buns with sesame seeds or poppy seeds after brushing them with egg wash. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack.

COPY CAT FRIED RICE

COPY CAT FRIED RICE
http://savingslifestyle.com/2013/05/copy-cat-fried-rice-recipe/
We liked this as a change from Mom's fried rice.  But I still like Mom's better.  Had leftover rice so I didn't do the minute rice.  Just added the rice at the end.

Copycat Fried Rice Ingredients

• 1 tbsp, Vegetable Oil
• 2 cups, Minute White (Brown) Rice (uncooked)
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup, Chicken Broth
• 1 cup, Frozen Vegetables (peas and carrots)
• 3 tbsp, Soy Sauce
• 1 cup, Cooked Chicken

Copy Cat Fried Rice Instructions

{Step 1} Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.

{Step 2} Add Minute Rice and brown slightly.

{Step 3} Add eggs and scramble until cooked through.

{Step 4} Add broth, vegetables, and soy sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil.

{Step 5} Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

CRISPY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD AND SLAW

CRISPY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD AND SLAW
(I had in the freeze Tyson Buffalo Chicken - used that instead of doing below chicken, was spicy by good)

**update: the kids LOVE this chicken.
2 cups buttermilk
2 Tablespoons hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken break halves, about 6 ounces each, cut into fingers
1 box waffle crackers (recommended: Triscuit), pulverized in a food processor or 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (can also add wheat germ, flaxseeds or both to mixture before frying)

1/2 cup vegetable oil
----------
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (was too expensive too buy, so I bought a small packet (they had in the deli) and did 1/4 cup may and sour cream instead of 1/2 cup of each - worked out well because Scott doesn't like the blue cheese taste anyways)

I have also done 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/8 cup ranch and some dry ranch dressing mix. Yum!

---1/2 small heal green cabbage, shredded (4 cups)
3-4 large carrots, coarsely grated
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

Whisk the buttermilk and half of the hot sauce in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and marinate, covered, in the refrigerator, for about 45 mintues - 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the slaw. Combine the mayo, sour cream and blue cheese in a processor blender until smooth. Season with the remaining half of the hot sauce and salt & pepper. You should have about 1 cup dressing. Just before cooking the chicken, toss the cabbage, carrots and celery with about 3/4 cup of the dressing. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup for serving (I didn't do this, since I made less of the dressing I just put all of it on - it was enough for us.)

Put the cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl or plate. Lift the fingers 1 at a time and drain off the excess liquid. Dip into the crumbs and turn to coat on all sides.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add half the chicken and cook, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through, 6-8 mintues. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.

ASIAN BEEF WITH SNOW PEAS

ASIAN BEEF WITH SNOW PEAS
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Asian-Beef-with-Snow-Peas/Detail.aspx
We all liked this.  Had it with egg rolls (Jill Maner) from McCleve 2nd edition.

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
• 8 ounces snow peas

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Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until evenly browned. Add the snow peas and stir-fry for an additional 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth. Serve immediately.

DOLE WHIP

DOLE WHIP

Yum!  Would be a good summer treat.  We also thought it would be a good idea to add 
strawberries, banana or cherries.

2 cans (20 oz. each) DOLE crushed pineapple


2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. lime juice

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream


Drain pineapple: reserve 2 tbsp. juice.

Set aside.

Place pineapple, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and reserved pineapple juice in blender.

Cover and blend until smooth.

Pour into two 1-quart freezer zipped bags.

Store bags flat in freezer.

Freeze 1 1/2 hours or until slushy.

Stir pineapple slush gently into whipped cream until slightly blended in large bowl. Return 

to freezer until completely frozen, about 1 hour and serve.

SIMPLE CREAM SCONES

SIMPLE CREAM SCONES
http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/05/simple-maple-pecan-scones-recipe.html
These were tasty!  Made for Mother's Day 2013.  We made the Maple-Pecan ones.  Used real maple syrup.  I didn't have any pecans so used walnuts.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in pieces and chilled
• 1/2 cup currants (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Scatter cold butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture has coarse crumbs and some slightly larger butter lumps remaining, about 12 pulses. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in currants, if desired. Stir in cream until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

Empty the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for about 5-10 seconds, until dough forms a rough ball. Press dough into a 9-inch round pan (10" worked). Flip dough out onto surface and cut into 8 wedges.

Arrange wedges on prepared baking sheet. Bake until tops are a light golden brown, 12- 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway though. Move scones to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Add 1 tsp orange zest to flour mixture with butter and sub 3/4 c dried cranberries for currants.

Maple-Pecan Scones

Omit sugar. Sub 1/2 c coarsely chopped, toasted pecans for currants. Whisk 3 Tbsp maple syrup into cream before adding to flour mixture. For glaze, whisk 6 Tbsp confectioners' sugar (measure accurate)and 2 Tbsp maple syrup together. Taste before putting on scones.  Then drizzle glaze over cooled scones.

Notes

The key to the perfect scone is to handle the dough as little as possible.

See Martha Stewart paper for more ideas.  Have tried the lemon-ginger and loved them.

FAUX FRIED ICE CREAM

FAUX FRIED ICE CREAM
http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/07/faux-fried-ice-cream-and-cinnamon.html
This was a fun dessert.  I actually used a different recipe, but used this one for the cinnamon roll idea.  I didn't really like the ice cream fried (or maybe I didn't do it right).  I think next time I would do it this way.  Plus less calories due to no oil.  Then I won't feel so bad having a cinnamon roll too :-)  The caramel cinnamon rolls were on sale.  Spread just a little of that frosting on top of the waffle.
But I really liked the topping here is the recipe I used:

5 cups corn flakes, crushed (had lots left - 3 should work)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 quart of vanilla ice cream
3 cups crushed corn flakes cereal (I crushed them in the food processor)
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
2 tsp of sugar
1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls (regular, not Grands)
chocolate sauce

Scoop ice cream into 8 – 1/2 cup size rounded balls. Place on baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

In a shallow dish combine crushed corn flakes, cinnamon and sugar. Roll the ice cream balls in the corn flake mixture, covering completely. Repeat as needed.  Freeze ice cream again, until firm (about 3 hours).

When ready to serve make cinnamon roll waffles.

Spray waffle maker with cooking spray. Heat waffle maker.

Separate dough into individual cinnamon rolls. Place up to 4 cinnamon rolls at a time on waffle maker. Close lid of waffle maker; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until light golden brown. 

Place cinnamon roll waffle on plate, top with ice cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

SALSA

• QUICK AND EASY BLENDER SALSA
• Scott really liked this.  I would have liked it better with mild.  So easy to make.  Fresh tomatoes work too.
• 
  
• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes (had a can with oregano and other spices)
• 1- 10 oz can orginal Rotel (prefer Mild)
• 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded or not (depends on how spicy you like it)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed (didn't add)
• juice of 1 lime

Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips or over tacos.

FRESH TOMATO SALSA

This is the salsa recipe Lisa likes to use.  She got it from allrecipes.

3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup finely diced onion
5 serrano chiles, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice

In a bowl mix all together and chill 1 hour before serving.

SHERBET CUPS

We had these as refreshments (Valley View Ward) after a workout class.  They were very tasty!

Slightly thaw a gallon of pineapple sherbet (or any kind would do).  Add in chopped strawberries, blueberries, bananas, pineapple or any kind of fruit.  Freeze in individual cups.  Before serving top with crush graham crackers.  Could top with whipped topping too (but doesn't need it).