Ready to Cook Up Some Fresh Summer Fare?!?

We had the funnest Summer Fare night at my house for RS... Food demos & sampling were what it was all about and it turned out to be a blast.  I learned a lot and had a great time socializing with the 50+ people here.  Mysti showed how to make a salsa with canned tomatoes (incredible- you must try- this has been my favorite recipe for years!), Kelly Beeson gave us the in's and out's of fresh salsa which was super informative and tasty, and Susie did two great demo's on refried beans (AMAZING!) and easy yummy guacamole.  Below is the handout and recipes!  Wish I had taken pics of everything but oh well... :-)  And the pic above was before the party started and I didn't get one of it brimming over with tasty food!

Yay for Spring & Summer Fare!

Such an important part of nurturing and being a mom or Grandma is bringing to the table fresh and healthy meals for your family.  Make mealtime important at your home!

Think Fresh!

·      Local in season produce…

·      Lots of fresh fruits and veggies to incorporate in meals! 

·      Superstition Farmers Market, Sprouts, The Backyard Farmer, Bountiful Baskets…

Think Healthy!

·      Great time of year to eat healthy because of all these in season fruits and vegetables!  Fresh yummy salads, salsas, fruits and veggies with every meal…

·      Grilling is a great way to eat healthy…

·      Dips and dressings are great for veggies and salads and we need to think healthy when for these too…

·      Making your own dressing/dips is so much healthier than the processed store bought kind!

·      Add cottage cheese for half sour cream in Dips Ranch and serve with veggies… Blend cottage cheese with milk for a ranch dressing instead of using mayonnaise…

Think Kids!

·      Kids are home for the summer!  If they aren’t already helping with setting the table, cleaning up after dinner, etc. assign them each a night!

·      Whether boy or girl they can be assigned a dinner night – so they can be in charge of cooking!  Great life skill to learn.. and great time spent together!

·      Teach them how to shop at the grocery store since you have them home so much in the summer! How to find best produce, best prices, look for expiration dates, etc.  Let them each choose a fruit of their own instead of a candy bar!

·      Let them make their own sandwich for lunch… they will most likely have fun doing it and eat more of it because they made it themselves!

·      If they are too little to be in charge of a dinner let them help with something… fruit kabobs… or putting napkins on the table… they love feeling like they are helping and are a part of things!

Think Fun!

·      Picnics at the park- egg salad sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches are super yummy to pack for that…

·      Dinner up the canyon- tin foiled dinners, hoagies, dutch oven dinners are such a fun way to appreciate the out of doors and be together as a family! Smores by the fire

·      Fruit kabobs! A fun and yummy way to get kids to eat lots of fruits… and they love making them!

·      Bananas with peanut butter… 

·      Homemade fruit and yogurt parfait’s

·      Homemade sorbets… homemade fruit slushes… homemade popsicles… homemade fruit leather… root beer floats…

·      Summertime is a great time for blending up healthy and fresh and delicious smoothies.  Whether for breakfast or snack or dessert, smoothies are really easy and super versatile!

♥ SLOP ♥

Kim Dover

3 oranges, peeled OR 1 cup OJ

1/2 lime, sliced

1 cup pineapple, chopped and frozen

2-3 handfuls Spinach

1 handful of ice

Place ingredients in blender in order listed. Turn on and increase to high. Blend well. (Add 1/2 cup water too if you need it!)

♥ Bacardi Smoothies ♥

Kim Dover

1 Bacardi Mixer (Strawberry Daquari our fav!)

1 can Fresca

1 handful ice

Whatever frozen or fresh fruit we have on hand!

Just add fruit to taste/desired consistency. We love adding everything from berries and mangos to peaches and pineapples. The kids love helping make these and each adding their own choice of fruit. Gerron even loves to squeeze a lime in for a little kick.  Great for movie nights with popcorn too! ;-) NOTE: Bacardi Mixers are found in the Freezer section by frozen juices and are NOT alcoholic.

♥ Orange Smoothie ♥

Kim Dover

2 oranges, peeled and seeded

2 TBS sugar (can substitute Stevia etc)

4 cups ice

Place all ingredients in blender in order listed. Secure lid. Turn on blender and increase speed to high. Blend until smooth if you want a smoothie, or blend until four lump mounds form in mixture for sorbet! Serve immediately. (We love adding fresh strawberries too!)

♥ Mysti's Salsa ♥

Mysti Brown

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

1- 8 oz can tomato sauce

1- 4 oz can diced green chiles

1 bunch chopped green onions

1/2 bunch cilantro

3 diced hot chili peppers (they come in a jar)

1 tsp salt

3-4 TBS sugar

2 diced avocados

In a blender throw in all the ingredients except for the avocados. Pulse a few times so that it is all chopped up. Pour into a bowl and then add the avocados. Refrigerate!

♥ Guacamole ♥

Susie Dover

Avacodos (as many as you would like)

Herdez brand Salsa Verde(comes in 16oz glass bottle)

Chopped tomatos(optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix/smash avacodos in a bowl then gently stir in chopped tomatos and then add around half of the Salsa Verde or to taste, the more you add, the more of a kick it will have!  Season with salt and pepper.

♥ PINTO BEANS ♥

Susie Dover

2-3 cups cleaned pinto beans

Water

2-3 tsp salt

3-4 TBS honey

Shredded Cheese

Cayenne Pepper

Add 2-3 cups of cleaned pinto beans in a crock pot.  Fill to within 1" of top with water. Cook on high for 6-8 hours, stir occasionally. Stir in 2-3 tsp of salt and 3-4 TBSP of honey at end of cooking.  Turn crock pot off and let beans sit for 10-15 min to soak up the flavor of honey and salt.  Then transfer all of the beans and some of the liguid into a large bowl.  Add shredded cheese and cayenne pepper to taste.  Either mash them with a masher or mix them up with a hand mixer.  If you prefer not to mash them into refried beans, you can eat them as a soup with spanish rice!

♥ Kelly’s Basic Salsa ♥

Kelly Beeson

3 cups ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/4 white onion, chopped (more, if you cook your onion)

1/2-1 jalapeno or serrano, minced (more, if your peppers are mild)

6 cilantro sprigs, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

To assemble the salsa, I use the food processor. 

Start with an onion. Don't chop it too finely, or they get watery and taste very strong in the salsa. Cook them for a few minutes on the stove top in olive oil. Finely chop your garlic, and throw it in the pan with the onion for just a minute. Remove from heat. Sometimes I will chop a little extra raw onion to add at the end. The cooked and raw have very different flavors.

Next, process your tomatoes. Blend some more than others, so you get both sauce and chunks.  I like to use Roma and cherry tomatoes. They are fleshier, so my salsa doesn't get too watery. If you use other tomatoes, squeeze out a little liquid before you chop them, before you add the other ingredients.

How many tomatoes you use depends on the variety and size.  Put tomatoes aside in a separate bowl.

Next, remove seeds (and membranes, too, depending on the heat) of your peppers. I like serranos best, but I will use anything I can find in my garden or in the produce area at the 99 cent store! Even regular bell peppers make a great addition, although they taste better in combination with something hotter. If you are using regular jalepeños, you might only need one or less. You can also roast your peppers in the oven, to lessen the heat, and give the finished salsa a smoky flavor. Remember to use gloves! How many you chop really depends on how hot your peppers are and how hot you like your salsa. Process peppers a little, then add cilantro to the bowl of the processor and chop again. (The peppers help the cilantro chop more smoothly.)

Add onion/garlic to the tomatoes. Add pepper/cilantro mixture a little at a time, tasting in between until you get the right amount of heat. Add some salt and lime juice, then let it sit for a few minutes, and try it again. It will get saltier and spicier as it sits, so don't oversalt at the beginning! Too hot? Add more tomato!

Your salsa will taste best after a few hours in the fridge!

♥ Cowboy Caviar ♥

Melinda Anderson

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoons tabasco hot sauce

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 firm-ripe avocado (about 10 oz.)

1 can (15 oz.) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (11 oz.) corn kernels, drained

2/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 pound Roma tomatoes, chopped

Salt

1 bag (6 oz.) tortilla chips or 2 cups finely shredded cabbage

In a large bowl, mix vinegar, hot sauce, oil, lime juice and pepper. Peel, pit, and cut avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to vinegar mixture and mix gently to coat. Drain and rinse beans and corn. Add beans, corn, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes to avocado; mix gently to coat. Add salt to taste. Serve mixture with chips as an appetizer, or add cabbage and mix to make a salad.

♥ French Cream ♥

Lori Henningson

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Pineapple juice

Soften cream cheese and then whip with powdered sugar. Whip cream and sugar together until it forms soft peaks. Combine beaten cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon juice and zest; continue to beat, adding just enough pineapple juice to achieve desired consistency. Serve with fresh fruit tray or fruit salad.

♥ LAYERED CARIBBEAN CHICKEN SALAD ♥

Kay Scott

Salad:

4 cups torn romaine lettuce

3 cups cut-up chicken

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed (Sometimes I use 2 cans)

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

2-3 ripe medium mangoes, peeled & chopped

Dressing:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup lime juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

dash of ground cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

In a 3-qt. glass trifle bowl, layer lettuce, chicken, black beans, tomatoes and mangoes. in jar with tight-fitting lid, shake dressing ingredients. Drizzle over salad; serve immediately.  Or, cover and refrigerate salad and dressing separately up to 4 hours (make sure chicken is completely cooled before doing this so the lettuce doesn't get soggy on the bottom); drizzle salad with dressing just before serving.

Note: Sometimes I double the dressing, and marinate the chicken (with a little extra salt and pepper) in it for an hour or so before grilling. It turns out tender and flavorful.

We LOVE Muddy Buddies at our house... so couldn't resist this recipe my sister Jenny sent!  Who doesn't love white chocolate and cake mix!?!  They are extra rich but a super yummy treat... and fun to make with the kids! Only takes ten minutes and is super easy.  If you have another version of Muddy Buddies let us know! ;-)

Chex Funfetti Cake Batter Buddies
Ingredients:

• 5 cups Chex cereal 
• 10 oz (5 squares) vanilla flavored Almond Bark
• 1 1/2 cups Funfetti cake mix (any kind of cake mix would work)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vegetable shortening

Directions:
1. Melt Almond Bark according to the package directions, adding vegetable shortening to thin (I heard that you can make it without the shortening, but it worked great for me to use it).
2. Pour the cereal into a large bowl and drizzle the melted Almond Bark over the cereal. Mix gently with a large spoon or spatula.
3. Dump the cake mix and powdered sugar onto the cereal and mix gently with large spoon until all the cereal is evenly coated.
4. Enjoy!! It's so good! :)

Bah. It's one of those crazy busy weeks... lots of cleaning, laundry, ironing, dishes, and more cleaning... oh ya and organizing and throwing a big RS event... It's all making me wish we were here right now...

playing on the beach...

with our toes in the warm sand...

with not a care in the world!

No dishes to do... but just spending time together...

having adventures...

doing a few fun things for the first time...

and loving every second of it!

Welp... guess since that's not going to happen it's back to the ironing for me! I'll have to post more pics eventually of our Dover Family Reunion Disney Cruise from February... It was the trip of a lifetime!

YUM! Loving hummus and veggies lately... hummus and pita chips... hummus on sandwiches... it's just so yummy and so good for you too! Hummus has protein, calcium, fiber, lots of vitamins and minerals, and a healthy balance of fat. Allie loves it... still working on the other kids! :-) If you have a yummy recipe please pass it along!

♥ PITA CHIPS

♥

6 pitas

3 T olive oil

1 tsp Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

1 tsp fresh crushed garlic (Trader Joe's is great!)

1 tsp dried oregano (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Split each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Mix olive oil, kosher salt, ground pepper, garlic, and oregano in a ziploc bag. Add pita wedges and shake until mixture is evenly distributed over pitas. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color, turning over after 6 minutes.

OPTIONS!

**If your pitas don't split or have a pocket that's fine too!

**Instead of seasoning pita wedges in a ziploc, you may also arrange dry wedges on a large baking sheet and then brush each side of the chips with the seasoned olive oil mixture).

♥ Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
♥

• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 cup drained and chopped roasted red bell peppers

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon coriander

• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (or 1/4 heaping teaspoon of red pepper flakes)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Place all ingredients except for the oil and cilantro in the work bowl of a food processor or in the jar of a heavy-duty blender. Process until smooth, then add the oil in a steady stream and process until desired consistency is reached. Add the cilantro and pulse a few times until the cilantro is evenly distributed. Chill for at least an hour if possible before serving. Serve with pita chips and fresh veggies. You can also spread it on a tortilla or bagel and top with your favorite sliced veggies and turkey for a protein-packed lunch. Makes about 2 cups of hummus.

Recipe from The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

♥ Basic Hummus ♥

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
• 1 19 oz can of garbanzo beans, liquid reserved
• 4 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2-3 TBS tahini
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper OR cumin to taste
• 2 TBS olive oil

In a blender or food processor place all ingredients, with 1/3 cup reserved liquid. Blend until creamy and well mixed, adding more reserved liquid if necessary. Transfer mixture to a medium sized bowl and chill. Tastes even better next day!

Why YOU should eat hummus too! :-)

1. Health Benefits of Chickpeas

The nutritional benefits of hummus can be rooted down from each of its ingredients. For one, chickpeas are very healthy because they do not contain any cholesterol or saturated fats. They are also rich in protein. This makes hummus a favorite among vegetarians. Chickpeas are also known to be effective in preventing build up of cholesterol in the blood vessels. Apart from that, it can maintain correct blood sugar levels.

2. Nutritional Value of Tahini

Tahini, meanwhile, is full of fat and calories. However, the fact that it is used sparingly in most hummus recipes and that it mostly contains unsaturated fat means there is not much to worry about. Like chickpeas, tahini is also high in protein. Apart from that, it is a great source of calcium.

3. Healthy Ingredients in Olive Oil

Another healthy ingredient found in hummus is olive oil. As most people know, olive oil is a healthy fat. It has high monounsaturated fat content but low in saturated fat. This oil can thus help regulate cholesterol and protect the heart from various diseases.

4. Health Benefits of Garlic and Lemon Juice

Garlic and lemon juice, meanwhile, are filled with antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress in the body. They also work to improve immune functions and fight of bacteria and viruses.

5. General Health Benefits of Hummus

Hummus as a whole contains plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are great for improving intelligence and maintaining a healthy heart. On top of it all, this dish also has iron, vitamin B6, manganese, copper, folic acid, and amino acids. Tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine are the amino acids found in hummus that can promote good quality sleep and uplift one’s mood.

Humus is loaded with nutrients that can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Include this in your diet by using it as spread on sandwiches and wraps, as dressing to your salad or pasta, as dip for raw vegetables, or as side dish for main courses.

Chicken Caesar Pizza

One of my favorite pizzas is from Sauce- a Chicken Caesar Pizza. It's perfect for Spring/Summer and it's easy to make so give it a try! The dough recipe I use is from my Pizza Margherita recipe, below. So make the dough, shape into pizza, cook it for 5 minutes (on pizza stone preheated as directed below), add parmesan cheese and cook it for 3-5 minutes longer. Then top it with a classic Caesar Salad lightly tossed with dressing. My salad consisted of romaine, Costco chicken, tomatoes, a little cheese, and a Light Caesar dressing. So easy. To make this family friendly I just make extra dough for the kiddos to make their own pizzas- they love that. Any recipes you love for this time of year? Let me know!

PIZZA MARGHERITA (courtesy of Cook's Illustrated, although modified just a bit)
This recipe makes 2 pizzas, but as they're thin, it only serves about 3-4 adults. You can shape the second pizza while the first is cooking. They cook quickly and get cold quickly so be ready to eat when the first pizza comes out!
Crust:
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 c water
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 c cake flour (Substitute: One cup all-purpose flour minus one Tablespoon)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
Topping:
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1 small garlic clove, pressed through a garlic press or minced
1/4 c chopped fresh basil (I just roughly chop it)
table salt
8-oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk yeast into water to dissolve. In food processor, combine flours, salt, and sugar to combine. With machine running, pour liquid slowly through feed tube. Continue to mix until comes together in smooth, cohesive ball. If dough sticks to bowl, add a little flour at a time until it forms ball. Or, if dough appears dry, add a little water at a time until ball forms. Turn out of food processor bowl onto floured surface, and divide dough into two smooth balls. Place on greased baking sheet about 3 inches apart and cover loosely with greased plastic. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.

In clean food processor bowl, process tomatoes two or three 1-second pulses, until broken up a little. *Be cautious here, if you like chunkier bits of tomato, process less. If you process too much, it ends up almost like juice. Pretty much useless! Transfer tomatoes to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl and let drain 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to release liquid. Transfer to bowl and add sugar, garlic, 1 T of chopped basil and 1/4 tsp salt.

When dough has risen, working with one round at a time, carefully stretch or roll dough into 12" round (will be thin) on parchment paper. Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce over the round, leaving about 1/2 inch border. Quickly remove pizza stone, slide parchmant paper with dough onto stone, and replace in oven and bake until crust just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly sprinkle half of cheese cubes evenly over, then replace in oven. Bake just 4-5 minutes more until cheese is melted. Shape 2nd pizza crust while baking. Remove pizza to large cutting board so stone is free to cook 2nd pizza. On finished pizza: sprinkle 1/2 of chopped basil, drizzle 1 tsp olive oil, and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Slice and serve (while cooking the 2nd pizza!). Delizioso!

Happy Easter!

We hope each of you had a wonderful Easter reflecting on the resurrection of our Savior and enjoying time with family and friends!

He is Risen... Matthew 28:6

I love the new actor who is portrayed as Jesus in these new videos the church has put out...

" At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).

Because of the Savior’s resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend." First Presidency