October Recipe Group-Fall Recipes Part II

We had another enjoyable recipe group today.  It is always wonderful to get together with such great people.  Tonight we ate yummy muffins, bread, and a lentil, steak, and rice dish.  Everything tasted awesome. 

Lentils with Beef in Crockpot(serve on brown rice)

1 bag lentils
2 c. chicken broth
5 c. water
3 cloves garlic
1 med. chopped onion
carrots- 1 1/2 c. shredded
1 can Rotel or stewed diced tomatoes
salt & pepper
Italian seasoning
1 cooked steak, cubed

Combine & cook 6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high

Notes:
I have used 7 c. water and 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes, and that works too.
I use minced garlic instead of cloves.
I don't cook the steak ahead of time, I just use a cheap cut of beef (definitely under 1 lb.), stick it in with everything else (raw), then take it out, shredded it, and add it back in, an hour or two before serving. But, it would be a great way to use leftover meat or poultry. :)

Here is a recipe for quick and easy biscuits! 
Never Fail Biscuits
 2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp sugar
½ cup butter
2/3 cup milk

 Sift together dry ingredients. 

Cut in butter.  Add milk all at once.  Spread mixture out in an 8X8 pan.  You don't even have to shape biscuits.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy!
***** The less you mix and work with the dough, the more light and fluffy the biscuits will be.******

Zucchini Muffins

3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1/1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Note: You don't need a mixer for this recipe, if you add walnuts and dried fruit, the batter makes about 14 muffins

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter.  Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture.  Stir in walnuts, raisins, or cranberries of using. 

2.  Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray.  Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely.  Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them. about 25-30 minutes.  Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done.  Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.

September Recipe Group-Fall Recipes

We had a Great Turnout for our September Recipe Group!  We had a large table full of such YUMMY, DELICIOUS FOODS!  Here are some of the recipes.  Happy Cooking! I hope you have a wonderful Fall! 

Zucchini Cupcakes
Yields 1 1/2-2 dozen cupcakes

Wet:
3 eggs
1 1/3 C sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C orange juice
1 tsp almond extract
Dry:
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 C flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 C shredded zucchini

In two separate mixing bowls beat wet and dry ingredients. Combine them together and add zucchini; mix well.
place paper cups in muffin tins. Fill cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

Caramel Frosting
1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter or margarine
1/4 C milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2-2 C powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
 Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Cool to lukewarm.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until desired spreading consistency. 

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup
2 chicken breasts Boneless, skinless, and cubed
1 small onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)
4 cups of chicken broth
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 mild green chile, seeded and chopped  (I've also used 1 small can of
diced green chiles- not quite as good though)
2 T vegetable or canola oil
4 corn tortillas, halved and cut into thin strips (1/4 inch thick)
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese to go on top of each serving.  (I use
the pre-shredded Mexican mix)
Optional: fresh cilantro or Italian parsley, to sprinkle on each
serving (we left this out)


Cube or shred chicken, chop onion, garlic, chile, and tomatoes (if
using fresh).  Combine chicken, onion, garlic, chile, tomatoes, black
beans, corn, broth, salt and pepper in a crock pot and cook on low for
7-8 hours.

Before serving, heat oil in a skillet.  Cook tortilla strips over
medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels.   (I am not a fan of
the greasy strips, so I "toast" them on the skillet over medium-high
heat dry until they are crispy)

On my lazy days I use mostly canned ingredients, and serve with a bag
of tortilla chips. The meal takes a total of 5 minute prep time and is
still great.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
15 ounces pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups white or spelt flour
1 1/2 cups cinnamon chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces cream cheese, cut in half lengthwise

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the eggs,brown sugar, and coconut oil. Beat until fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree, baking powder, salt, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix together just until combined.Fold in the cinnamon chips.
Grease and flour a large loaf pan.Spoon all of the batter into the pan, then use a spoon to scoop a strip of batter from the center of the bread pan. Place the cream cheese edge-to-edge in the middle of the batter, then cover the cream cheese with the remaining batter.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350degrees for about an hour, or just until the center of the bread springs back to the touch. Cool completely before turning out of your bread pan, slicing,and serving. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Flax Quickbread
Ingredients
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
6 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan.            
2.   Whisk together flax seed meal and water. Mix in sugar, pumpkin and apple sauce.             
3.    In a large bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt,  baking powder, nutmeg, and cloves. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.             
4.   Bake in preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.