Kissin’ Kousin’s Puckerup Pumkin Pie Shake

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 tbsp agave
• 1 tbsp pepitas
• Pecans (a few)
• Cinnamon (I like a lot)
• Ice

Ingredients

Quinoa

Onion (I prefer red onion–any will work)

Garlic

Veggies (an easy one is spinach–broccoli, green onions, multi-colored peppers, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes work well)

Cheese (feta and mozzarella work well)

Coconut oil (olive oil also works)

Cook one cup of quinoa in 1 3/4 to 2 cups water or broth.  In a large skillet heat coconut oil.  Saute’ onions.  Now is the time to add any veggies you want to saute/cook,   Add garlic and cook until  heated.   Add quinoa.  Mix.  Turn off heat and add spinach and cheese. Enjoy!

Adapted from “Better Homes & Gardens New Junior Cookbook”   (The measurement I give for the brown sugar is ½ of what the recipe called for.  It’s sweet enough w/ only 1/3 cup.)

My favorite variation is to add first 10 ingredients together and then cranberries and slivered almonds.  Another favorite is to add first 9 and then chocolate chips (and you could add nuts).  Let me know if there’s another variation you come up with!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or ¼ almond flavoring and ¼ vanilla)

1 cup whole wheat flour  (I use ¼ c. white and ¾ c. wheat)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup rolled oats

Cinnamon

1 cup dried fruit, such as raisins, chopped, dried apricots, dried berries

1/2 cup dried banana chips, broken up (I have never used banana chips)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, peanuts, pecans or almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat large cookie sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.

Mix ingredients together except for fruit and nuts.  Add fruit and nuts and stir

Scoop dough with 1/4 cup measuring cup (or you can make spoonful size cookies) and place on cookie sheet, 2-inches apart. Lightly press down on cookies with fingers.

Bake 11 minutes or until cookie edges begin to brown. Let cookies rest for 1 minute, then transfer with spatula to wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 12 large cookies.

1 cup other fruit

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tsp arrowroot (can use cornstarch–simply not as healthful)

1/3 cup water

honey to taste (needs no more than 1/4 cup and as little as a couple of teaspoons)

Mix liquids and arrowroot together before adding berries for easier mixing.  Simmer berries and fruit and water until desired consistency.

Mix wheat and salt, add fat and blend in with fingers until incorporated.  Pour about 1c of water, stir around and add by 1/2 cups more water until you have a tender dough.  Tender is key here.  If the dough is tough the tortillas are tough.  A tender dough with whole wheat will have ever so slight a stickiness to it when you turn it out to be kneaded, and will smooth out and elasticize with kneading.  Or all this can be done in a Kitchenaid and let it do the kneading for you.  Pinch off pieces a little larger than a golf ball, line them up on your surface and let them rest for 10 minutes covered with a towel or plastic wrap while your griddle heats up. 
Cook on each side for about 45 sec. to one minute always remembering that if they are to be warmed up later it is ok if they are not completely done.  Sitting in a hot stack between towels will cause them to continue to cook.

Note from friend who sent the recipe:  Any tortillas that overcook…Crackers!!!  Just put them back on the griddle after no one eats them or even use the entire stack for cracker making day and they are perfect for Guacamole or Pico de Gallo, etc.

Also, the last batch that I made, I preheated my pizza stone in a 500 degree oven and cooked them on it just like a pita bread.  I will never go back to the cast iron griddle.  I didn’t have one scorched tortilla. I was able to cook 2 at a time.

Canola Oil 

Corn Tortillas

Refried Beans

Cheese

Meat (Optional)

If you would like toppings, you can add cilantro, sour cream, avacado chunks or guacamole

Heat canola oil in skillet over medium heat.  Put refried beans in saucepan, add water, and heat on medium low (watch this-it will dry out).  Add tortilla to skillet and fry on each side (not long, you don’t want it crispy.  Remove from oil and dip in bean mixture.  Put on plate and add cheese and meat and whatever seasoning you like (chili powder maybe?).  Fold over and voila!  But that is a French word, so maybe I should say ole?  Maybe you have a better word for me to use?? 

I love this recipe b/c it makes an easy lunch or supper.  My hubby loves it!!!

You will need:

skillet

precooked pasta

olive oil or butter

garlic/spices of choice/salt

Heat oil/butter in skillet.  If using garlic saute’.  Add pasta and spices.  Stir until pasta is hot and toasted.

TaDa!!!  Lunch.

I threw this together one day when I was trying to figure out, “what’s for lunch?”, and we all, including the children, went back for seconds!

Ingredients:

2 cans refried beans (or homemade)

1 c. mild salsa

1 T. olive oil

1 c. shredded cheese (I use fiesta blend from Walmart)

garlic powder

salt

pepper

a dash of Tony’s

Tortilla Chips

Directions:

Mix all together in saucepan; heat over med.-low heat, until heated through.  Serve with chips.  Enjoy!

Posted by: April

This is one of my all time favorite soups.  I have made it for the four years now and love it every time.   I have not added the fresh tomatoes in the past ,because I do not keep those on hand.  Today I did and it was great!    Today–no tomato paste, so I substituted ketchup and added a tad more salt.   I could not tell the difference and neither could my family.  My point is this recipe is forgiving.

3/4 lb smoked sausage (brown)

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup onion

3 green onions

3 1/2 cups water (I sometimes add more~~use your judgement)

16 oz. frozen corn

1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

Directions:

Brown sausage.  Remove from skillet.  Add oil and flour.  Stir until golden brown.  Then add onions, green pepper, and green onions; saute’ until tender.  Stir in remaining ingredients including sausage.  Bring to a boil.

Simmer for 1 hour.

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts

Enjoy!

Check Out Tammy’s Recipes and Blessed with Grace for more great recipes!