January Recipe Swap- Crock Pot Meals

Thai-Style Chicken Thighs (submitted by Nancy D.)

1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1 cup mango or pineapple salsa

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

3 tsp. Asian fish sauce

4 (5 oz) skinless chicken thighs

2 red bell peppers, coarsely chopped   (I usually substitute thinly slicked carrots for the peppers)

1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh mint, basil, or cilantro (I use cilantro; or sometimes 2 of them)

juice of 1 lime

Combine onion, salsa, garlic, and 2 tsp. of the fish sauce in a slow cooker. Top with chicken and peppers (or carrots). Cover and cook until chicken and vegetables are fork tender, 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

Transfer chicken to a platter (or large bowl). Stir mint, lime juice, and remaining fish sauce into slow cooker. Pour vegetables and sauce over chicken.

Serve with white, brown, or basmati rice.

African Peanut Chicken (submitted by Nancy D.)

1 14 ½ oz. can diced tomatoes w/garlic and onions

4 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced

2 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced

3 T low-fat peanut butter (or regular peanut butter; this is a Weight Watchers recipe!)

3 T cayenne pepper sauce (didn’t have; I used a red pepper jelly that I had)

1 ½ t. ground cumin

½ t. cinnamon

4 skinless chicken thighs (boneless works best)

4 skinless chicken drumsticks (I just used the thighs)

2 T cold water

1 T cornstarch

½ c. chopped fresh cilantro

Combine tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, peanut butter, pepper sauce (or jelly), cumin, and cinnamon in crockpot. Top with chicken. Cover and cook until chicken and vegetables are fork-tender, 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

About twenty minutes before cooking time is up, whisk water slowly into the cornstarch until smooth. Stir cornstarch into slow cooker. Cover and cook and high until mixture simmers and thickens, about 15-20 min. Then stir in the cilantro before serving.

Easiest and Best Black Bean Soup (submitted by Elyse S.)

2 cans black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup chunky salsa

1 teaspoon cumin

Cheddar cheese (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Green onions (optional)

In a food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth. Pour into medium saucepan and heat thoroughly. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and green onions, if desired.

Refried Beans  (submitted by Elyse S.)

1 onion
3 c (dry) pinto beans
1/2 jalapeno
2 T garlic
5 t salt (bouillon)
1 3/4 t pepper
1/8 t cumin
9 c water

Cook for 8 hrs. in crockpot. Leave one cup of liquid and throw rest out. Put in food processor/blender and blend. You can use this for bean burritos. I would guess it makes about 4 cups of beans.

Smothered Burrito Sauce (submitted by Elyse S.)

1 c. water
3/4 c. salsa
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. corn meal
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 c. tomato sauce

Put beans in shells. Fold into burritos. Put sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees for 10 min. If you don't have time to make the sauce you can buy the red or green enchilada sauce. 

December Recipe Swap- Cookie Exchange

This month we had a cookie exchange for recipe swap and it was a great turn out! Unfortunately i don't have very many recipes from that night but i hope to track down more...

Crisp Chocolate Bites (aka chocolate crinkles) submitted by Shaunna B.
6 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup confectioners sugar

In a saucepan combine butter and chocolate on LOW heat. and stir until melted. Pour mixture into large bowl and let cool. stir in granulated sugar, add egg and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. lightly grease baking sheets. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls and roll in cofectioners sugar to coat. Bake until puffed and cracked on top, about 12 minutes. Makes about 42 cookies.

Mint Oreo Cookie Crunch (submitted by Maggie T.)

Mint Chocolate Cookie Crunch  1 bag mint chocolate chips (or, Andes Mint Chips) 2 1/2 bags (or 5.5 C) dark chocolate chips (we LOVE Hershey's Special Dark!!) 1 pkg. Oreo cookies 4 C Rice Krispies First, melt the chocolate chips (and mint chips) until just melted. Then, finely crumble the Oreo cookies. We use a blender/food processor to do this, and purposefully leave a few larger random pieces. Combine the Oreo, Rice Krispies and melted chocolates in a large bowl. Stir until well coated. Using a spoon or an ice cream scooper, create cookies on top of waxed or parchment paper. Then, lick the bowl :) Allow cookies to harden up on the counter for a few hours before eating. This recipe makes 124 cookies! They are great to give as gifts, if you're willing to share :) You can also easily cut the recipe in half. Use 1/2 a bag of Andes mints, 1 (12oz) bag of chocolate chips, 2 C Rice Krispies and a half a package of Oreos.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (submitted by Maggie T.)

• 1/2  cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3  cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1  cup raisins

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

November Recipe Swap- Dips and Appitizers

i am still waiting of people to send me the recipes from this swap...stay tuned!

October Recipe Swap- Canning

This month we learned about canning and we canned apple pie filling for everyone to take home. Yummy! 

The list of ingredients includes:

7 quart jars with seals and lids.

In the case of 7 quarts we would need 1/2 c. cornstarch, 2 1/2 c. sugar, 1/8 t. nutmeg, 1/2 t. salt, 1 t. cinnamon, 1/2 T. lemon juice, and yellow food coloring for the apple pie filling....and of course apples.

 

 

September Recipe Swap- Family Favorites

Empanadas (submitted by Sherie C, from her mother in law who is from Argentina)

Empanadas (The Empanada Rounds I know you can get at Market Basket in the freezer section)

 2 1/2 lbs lean hamburger

1 med-large white onion, chopped small

3-4 hard boiled eggs, chopped smll

Raisins

Chopped green olives (optional)

Salt,  black pepper, cumin, paprika

 

1 fresh egg

 

Cook onion and brown hamburger.  Drain.  Add all other ingredients and condiments to taste.  Let it set to cool a bit.  Make sure the tapas (empanada rounds) are not frozen.  Work one at a time.  Have a small bowl with water on hand and a fork.  Put ~ 2 spoons of the meat in the center of the tapa.  With your finger, wet the edge of the tapa with water.  Form the empanada, make sure it's closed well and press it with the fork all around the seam.  Set them on a cookie sheet sprayed with pam.  Beat the raw egg and "paint" the top of each empanada.  Bake at 400 until golden all around, ~15 min.  Makes ~36.

August Recipe Swap- Summer Dishes

Raspberry Streusel Muffins (submitted by Meg C)

Batter:
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed dark sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

½ cup milk

1 ¼ cup fresh raspberries

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Streusel Topping:

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Glaze:

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 table spoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners
2. To make muffin batter, sift the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together into a medium-size bowl and make a well at the center.
3. Place the egg, melted butter, and milk in the well. Stir with a wooden spoon just until ingredients are combined. Quickly stir in the raspberries and lemon zest. Fill each muffin cup three-fourths full with the batter.
4. To make the streusel topping, combine the pecans, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir to combine. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of each muffin.
5. Bake until nicely browned and firm, 20 to 25 minutes. 
6. To make the glaze, mix the sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over the warm muffins with a  spoon. Serve the muffins warm. 

June Recipe Swap- Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes (submitted by Ellen P)

Mix well and set aside: 1 8oz. cream cheese (softened), 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/8 t. salt, 1 small pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

In separate bowl mix together: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. salt

Combine and add to dry ingredients: 1 cup water, 1/3 cup oil, 1 T vinegar, 1 T vanilla

Fill baking cups half full with chocolate batter. Top each with a generous spoonful of cream cheese batter. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 16 cupcakes.