BBQ Chickettes

1/4 c. olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 rolls Worthington chickettes, torn
2 cans tomato puree
1/4 c. water
1 c. sucanat
1 T. molasses
1 1/2 t. salt
1 T. parsley
1 T. hickory seasoning, opt.
1/2 c. lemon juice
2 T. Bragg’s or soy sauce

Put all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high until completely heated throughout and bubbly.

(You can also cook them on the stovetop, but we prefer not to have to worry about them burning and sticking. Crockpot cooking is just so temptingly easy!)

Spinach Sandwich Spread

We sent this sandwich spread with the bell choir for their sack lunches last Sunday. We also made it for my open house last Saturday night. Several people requested the recipe, so here it is!

1 c. soy mayonnaise (2/3 c. water, 2/3 c. oil, 1 George Washington Broth pkg., 1/2 c. unsweetenedsoymilk powder, 4 T. lemon juice)
1 pkg. mori nu tofu

Blend mayonnaise and tofu.

1 c. diced water chesnuts
1 sm. diced onion
1 pkg. Knorr’s dried vegetable soup mix
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and thoroughly squeezed

Mix all and add spinach last. MUST be refrigerated overnight (or made in the morning and sit all day) because the soup mix needs to soak in mixture to be reconstituted and flavors must marinate.

Multi-Purpose Cake

This is probably my family's favorite cake recipe. We adapt it and play with it. See the variations below. Most recently, we served it at my open house with the last variation. I also made my own variation, a pineapple right-side-up cake with frosting on top when my brother's bell choir came. I'll try to post a picture later.

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare 8x8x2” pan with Pam. Drain 1 8-oz can unsweetened pineapple slices.

Mix in bowl:
1 2/3 c. unbleached flour
1/2 t. salt
2 heaping t. Featherweight or Ener-G baking powder

Mix in separate bowl:
1 c. liquid
1/3 c. canola oil
1/2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. sucanat

Add liquids to dry and mix until moist and lumps are gone. Pour over pineapple slices and bake for 35-40 minutes. Can double it and use larger pan.

Variations
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Mix and spread on bottom of pan BEFORE making the batter:
1 T. pineapple juice
2 T. canola oil
1/3 c. sucanat
Arrange pineapple slices on top and put cherry in center of each piece if desired.
(I made my own variation of this when bell choir came: a pineapple-right-side-up cake with the following frosting on the top.)

Frosting
1 block Mori-Nu Firm tofu
1 pkg. Mori-Nu Mates Vanilla pudding mix
1 pkg. Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese
1 T. Emes Clear Jel
Blend it all together in the blender and then let it chill to set up. Spread on top of cake.

Open House variation
My mom used the above frosting on the plain cake above (no pineapple on the bottom or top) and chopped up fruit for the top. We had canned mandarin oranges, blueberries, sliced kiwi and strawberries.

Summer Pizza

I made this for the OHA bell choir when they came a couple weeks ago. Mrs. Bange wanted the recipe, so here it is.

1 c. water
1 c. cashews
1/8 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. onion salt
1/4 c. dried onion
1 T. yeast flakes
2-3 T. lemon juice
1 T. instant clear jel
2 T. minced fresh onion
1 t. dill weed
3/4 c. Tofutti non-dairy Sour Cream (which I added for the bell choir. It's not absolutely necessary, but it makes this taste "real"--like it has dairy in it or something!)

Blend water and cashews until cashews are very smooth. Add seasonings and sour cream, if using it. Thicken with lemon juice and clear jel. Scrape into a bowl and stir in minced onion and dill.

Spread over 2 pre-baked pizza crusts. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, green pepper, olives, shredded carrots, and shredded fake cheese.

(Sorry, I don't think I have a picture of this, unless my mom sends me one, and I'm not fully sure that she has one.)

Biscuits

Mindy requested this recipe.

FIRST: Turn on oven to 450° and grease pans.

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup soymilk

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix oil and soymilk in another bowl, and then add to flour mixture and mix well. Scoop out quickly with an ice cream scoop onto greased sheet pans. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. (Makes 6-7 big biscuits, made with a 1/2 cup ice cream scoop.)

Carob Crunchies

This one is to supply Tim's request...

1 1/2 c. carob chips (NOT non-hydrogenated or they won’t melt properly)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 c. rice crispies
1 c. nuts

Spread peanut butter on bottom of crockpot. Then add chips. Cook on low for 35 minutes. Add other ingredients. Drop onto party papers and freeze to cool.

pecan cookies

3/4 C. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 C. chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 C. maple syrup
3 T. canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients separate from wet ingredients
Whip wet ingredients together, then add to dry.
Combine well, then put in freezer for 30 min. Remove
and form small logs. Place on greased baking sheet for
9-13 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove, cool completely
and dip in melted carob chips, almond bark or baking
chocolate. Enjoy.

Pecan happiness just ahead

For those of you who are waiting for the Pecan Cookie Recipe, just hang in there because tomorrow is the day. I will have a picture and also the recipe. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Blessings!

Incredible Nacho Cheese

This recipe is really yummy and yet vegan... enjoy!

1 cup raw cashews
2 cups of water
4 oz. can pimentos
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup soy cheese (optional)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy
Pour mixture into saucepan and cook over medium heat 5-6 min., stirring constantly

Add the following ingredients after preparing the cheese. Mix well, warm in a slow cooker and serve with tortilla chips

1 can of refried beans
1 small jar of salsa
1 container of tofutti sour cream

Pineapple Date Bars

To supply the demand for a healthy dessert recipe, here we go.

1 1/2 c. wheat or white flour
1/2 c. nut butter (I use peanut butter, personally. Works like a charm!)
3/4 t. salt
2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. water and 1/2 c. honey mixed together
1 c. crushed pineapple with juice
1 c. date pieces
1 t. vanilla
1 c. raisins or combo of dried fruit (I like to use chopped dried apricots instead of plain ol' raisins)
1 c. dried pineapple

Place flour, salt, and nut butter in bowl and work together until evenly mixed. Stir in salt, oats and coconut. Add honey and water mixture to dry mix and stir together. Place half of mixture on the bottom of 9x13” pan that has been sprayed with oil or pam. Press with fingers like pie crust. Bake 10 minutes at 350°. Blend dates and canned pineapple. Spread over baked crust. Sprinkle evenly with raisins and dried pineapple. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture evenly over top. Press gently into filling with fingers. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350° until browned. Remove and cool before cutting into squares.

Cow Sweat

You thought you knew this was going to be a weird post. :-) This is actually not as weird of a recipe as it sounds. It's almost a curry-type of sauce. Definitely find some lemon grass stalks someplace, because lemon grass adds a flavor that you can't get anywhere else.

1 large onion, diced fine
1 lg. garlic clove, minced
1 can diced Fri-chick
3/4 t. tumeric
1 can mushrooms
3 c. water
1 can coconut milk
2 t. salt
1-2 stalks lemon grass
4-5 T. chickpea flour

Saute first 3 ingredients til golden. Add tumeric and stir a few seconds. Add everything else but the flour all at once. Mix the flour and a small amount of water and add to thicken.

Serve over noodles with raisins, chopped cilantro, chopped onion, cucumbers, and peanuts.

Anybody feel like Alfredo?

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

1/2 c. cashews
1 1/4 cups water
1 T. white flour
1 T. chicken seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon basil

1. Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.
2. Pour blended mixture into saucepan and bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly.
3. Ladle over fettucine noodles OR mix one recipe of sauce with 6 cups precooked noodles and bake for 30 minutes.

What I want to try next time I have extra time: making white vegetable lasagna with this sauce instead of the tomato sauce. You know, that super-cheesy kind of lasagna. I can't eat cheese anymore without feeling slightly sick. So that's on my "to cook" list for someday. If anybody tries it before Mel or I do, drop a comment...

vegan ... what?! yes and it's good

Hey everyone out there in hogland... we hope you really enjoy this recipe sharing party we are going to have on this site. Let us know if you like what you try!