Day 11: Guacamole & Tomatillo Salsa

ON THE MENU:

• Leftovers
• Snacks for today Guacamole & Tomatillo Salsa

GUACAMOLE

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING: LOVE IT

So I was told anyway. I am not a fan of Guac...or avacodos. I try them all the time, but every time it gives me the heeby jeebies. I am not a fan. However, I tried this recipe out on extended family that loves the stuff and they said it was very good. So there you have it! A winner! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Ripe Avocados
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
• 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tsp. Ascorbic Acid Powder (optional)
• 1/4 c. Onion
• 1 Medium Tomato (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop out the flesh and place in blender. 
• Add Garlic Salt, Lemon Juice and Ascorbic Acid. Run on medium for 15-20 seconds or until ingredients are mixed. You may need to stop your blender and use a spatula to scrape around the sides to integrate ingredients. 
• Turn machine on again. While it is running drop in onion and tomato. 
• Do not over mix, leave chunky. 

TOMATILLO SALSA

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING: LOVE LOVE IT!!

I'm not kidding....DIVINE!! This is going to be made over and over and over in my house! If you haven't tried a tomatillo salsa, you MUST try this one! Totally my favorite salsa ever! I just wish the picture was better, darn it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 Tomatillos
• 4 Scallions
• 2 Jalapenos, seeded
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1/4 c. Lime Juice
• 1 c. Cilantro Leaves
• 1 tsp. Salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a blender in the order listed. Start with slow speed and quickly increase to medium. Run for 10 seconds or until just chopped. 
• If necessary, stop the blender and use a large spoon to mix it around and then try again. 
• ENJOY! 

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Beef Tamale Bake
• Tomatillo Salsa with Tortilla Chips
• Green Salad (of course) 
• Banana Ice Cream (Non-Dairy, of course!)

DAY 9: Hummus

ON THE MENU: 

• Hummus

HUMMUS

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING:Has Potential

I haven't had Hummus all that much. When I have it has been a flavored hummus, like Sun Dried Tomato, etc. I wanted to try this recipe out since I haven't ever made it myself. We were having dinner at Ryan's parents house and I thought I would take a veggie tray. My opinion on the hummus....this recipe is a really good hummus base. Which basically means that it was missing a bit of flavor. So, if you have a little something you would like to add to a hummus base, this is the one for you! :) And please, pass along your mix-in options. I would love to know where to go from here. I am not ready to give up on this stuff yet, I just need a little direction! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 15 oz can of Chick Peas (Garbonzo Beans), drained
• 1/2 c. Raw Sesame Seeds
• 1 T. Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Lemon Juice
• 1 Garlic Clove
• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

• Place all ingredients in blender container in order listed. Run machine for 1 minute or until smooth. 
• I sprinkled with Paprika for a little garnish (this was my brother-in-laws favorite). 

TOMORROWS MENU: 

• Zesty Beef Pot Roast
• Mashed Potatoes
• Green Salad

DAY 7: Pumpkin Soup & Homemade Bread

ON THE MENU:

• Pumpkin Soup
• Homemade Bread
• Green Salad

PUMPKIN SOUP

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING: NO GO!!

Well, we discovered that we are NOT pumpkin soup people. I've heard people say how much they like it and I have been curious. Turns out, we may be pumpkin pie people, we may enjoy a good pumpkin bread or muffin, perhaps even a few pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but pureed pumpkin soup....Nope! So this recipe is for those of you that can't get enough of the stuff! Enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 1/2 c. unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 3 c. canned Pumpkin
• 1 c. Onions, sauteed
• 3 Garlic Cloves, roasted
• 3 T. Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Paprika (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a Vita Mix or other blender in order listed. Secure lid. 
• Mix on high speed. Run for 6-7 minutes. (This heats the soup in a Vita Mix. I would imagine it would do the same in other blenders.)
• Serve Immediately

HOMEMADE BASIC WHITE BREAD

From: Kitchen Aid Cookbook

OUR RATING: LOVE IT

Ok, so I haven't tried it. I am not a bread person! So, I left this one to the bread critics and this baby is passing with flying colors! It is super soft and moist and one thing that I really appreciate...it is easy and smells DIVINE! Give it a try! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. Low-fat Milk (use coconut milk for non-dairy)
• 3 Tbs. Sugar
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 3 Tbs. Butter or Dairy Free Margarine (Safflower or Earth Balance is best)
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 c. Warm Water (105-115 degrees)
• 5-6 All Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS:

• Place milk, sugar, salt and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm. 
• Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 c. flour. Mix with a dough hook on medium-low for 2 minutes. 
• Continuing on medium-low, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time (dough should clean the sides of the bowl. Add a bit more flour if needed), and mix about 1 1/2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl. Knead on same speed about 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.
• Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. 
• Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. 
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min., or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks. 

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Leftovers
• On the brightside....Pumpkin Muffins for breakfast...and they are DELISH!

Day 5: White Chili

ON THE MENU: 

• White Chili
• Green Salad

WHITE CHILI

From: Worldwide Ward Cookbook

OUR RATING: LIKE IT

Ok, I have to admit that I need to try this again! I would double the broth...and maybe even more. There is a limey green chili-ness about it. The flavor is great...it's just the lack of broth that left me wanting. I will have to say...I had some family over and everyone else totally loved it. Ryan said he wants it to make it back to our table again. So....it will! By the way, I doubled the broth and it's seasonings & made a couple other little changes for you below! Your welcome! :) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 c. Water
• 2 tsp. Lemon Pepper
• 2 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 3 1/2 c. Cubed Chicken Breast (Season with an additional 1 tsp lemon pepper & 1 tsp cumin. Cook thoroughly) or replace with Tofu for a vegetarian version.
• 1 c. Onion, chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. Butter (can use a dairy free version)
• 2 (19 oz) Cans of White Corn (can use frozen)
• 2 (4 oz) Cans Diced Green Chiles, undrained
• 2 (15 oz) Cans White Beans, undrained
• 5 Tbsp. Lime Juice

DIRECTIONS:

• Bring Water to Boil with Lemon Pepper and Ground Cumin. 
• Add Chicken to water. 
• In a frying pan, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender; add to soup. 
• Stir in Corn & Green Chiles. Bring to a boil. 
• Add Beans & Lime juice. Cook until heated through. 
• Can serve with chips, sour cream, and cheese. 
• Makes (8 Servings)

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry

DAY 4: Eclairs (with dairy free option)

YOUR WELCOME! 

I mean, lets just start there, shall we? You are going to LOVE me for these! 

Today is leftover night. Busy busy! But there must be a post, so let's give you a treat! I whipped these up for a scout meeting Ryan was having at our house. BIG HIT! They always are! And as a bonus, I put my wheels into motion and figured out a way to make them dairy free for my hubby! He loves me more now...and he thinks I am a genius! :) 

I have to be honest. I kinda broke the rules on this one. This didn't come from the cookbooks, it was an old favorite. However, I did have to re-invent it to make it dairy free....and they are divine, so I let them in! :) 

ECLAIRS

OUR RATING: LOVE IT! 

Oh, and perhaps I should mention that these babies are RIDICULOUSLY easy! A little more involved than  chocolate chip cookies, but not much and I would turn to these first because of how delicious they are! 

Let's start with the puffs. 

Just a note....follow these directions EXACTLY. Puffs can be finicky. 

• In a small sauce pan boil 1 c. water & 1/2 c. of butter (for dairy free I used Safflower Butter. You can use another brand if you can't find this one by the butter at your store. Just make sure there isn't any dairy.) 
• When the water is boiling and the butter is melted, remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl. 
• Add 1 c. of flour, mix well. 
• Microwave the bowl and mixture for 30 sec. Remove and stir. Repeat for 30 more seconds in the microwave.
• Add 4 room temperature eggs. Beat until creamy. 
• Spoon batter onto lightly sprayed cookie sheet. 12 large or 24 small....or whatever you feel like. 

• I usually get a little bowl of water and wet my fingertips just a little bit and form the puffs a little. Seriously, go easy with the water. You want just enough to keep your fingers from sticking to the batter. 
• Bake @ 400 degrees for 30 min, or until starting to turn golden brown. Start watching them at about 20 min. Warning...only use your oven light or slightly crack the oven open for just a moment. Cold air will make these puffs collapse and then you will have to start over....you don't want to do that. 

• Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the puffs in the oven to cool until it cools completely. Every once in a while 1 or 2 might collapse a bit. You can try to salvage them with the cream. Sometimes they are just a loss, but most times you can get them to fill up. 

This is how they should look when they are done. YUM!

While the puffs are cooking, let's make the filling!  

Dairy Free option for filling & frosting, with pictures, at the end of the post. 

• Mix 1 large box of Vanilla pudding mix with 1 1/2 c. milk. (coconut milk for dairy free) 
• In a separate bowl mix 2 c. of Cool Whip with 1 Tbsp of Sugar until stiff peaks form. 
• Mix cool whip mixture with pudding. 

• Creamy or Rich & Creamy Milk Chocolate frosting, either Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, is the best frosting for these. It combines perfectly with the puff and filling. SO GOOD! 

This is what I use to fill the puffs. You can use any frosting bag sort of thing. You just want to make sure that you have a pointy tip to stick through the side of the pastry. 

Like this! 

Fill each puff. If you have left over filling go back through and make sure that each is filled all the way. 

NOTE: Another option is to cut the puff in half and fill the center. Kinda like a roll. Then close it and frost the top. This is slightly more messy for the eater, but if you are doing a lot of these, this might be a good option. Just make them smaller. 

Frost the top and chill for at least an hour, more time is better. 

Serve and enjoy the happy faces! These babies are PERFECT! 

Now, for the Dairy Free portion. 

Ghiradelli makes semi-sweet chocolate chips. That makes chocolate anything SO much easier! 

I didn't measure this out. Just eye ball it. Depending on how many you are making. I also added a bit of coconut whip cream to thin out the chocolate. Adjust your amount of chocolate, if you would like to add the cream. Otherwise, melt the chocolate for 30 sec or so in the microwave and stir until it is all smooth. Microwave a little longer, if needed. Frost the eclairs and the chocolate will harden during chilling process.  

To make the cream open 2 refrigerated cans of full fat coconut milk. (do not shake) Skim the thicker cream off the top of the milk. Turn the mixer on medium high. Add sugar and vanilla to desired sweetness. 

Mix a little bit of this cream with the chocolate, if desired. Mix remainder with the pudding, instead of using cool whip. This will keep your filling dairy free. Fill according to above directions. 

My cream turned out pretty thin. Coconut milk cream is finicky like that. Sometimes you get a lot of thick cream and sometimes it is thinner. When I mixed that with the chocolate it made it thin. I spooned a bit over the top of the puff and immediately put it in the fridge. The cool thing about coconut milk is that it hardens in cold temperatures. This means that by adding it to the chocolate it becomes magic shell! 

After the chocolate hardened, I took it out of the fridge spooned more chocolate and put back in the fridge. These were seriously beautiful! They looked so good! 

Alright, I know the instructions make these seem super involved. They are actually very easy. I just wanted to make sure to be VERY detailed! Let me know if you have any questions! 

ENJOY!! 

TOMORROW'S MENU:

*White Chili

DAY 3: Parmesan Chicken, Italian Rosemary Bread, Strawberry Limeade and Apple Cherry Crisp!!

ON THE MENU: 

• Chicken Parmesan
• Strawberry Limeade
• Italian Rosemary Bread
• Green Salad
• Apple Cherry Crisp (DF)

CHICKEN PARMESAN

From: "The Pampered Chef: "It's Good For You"

OUR RATING:  LOVE IT!!

Oh, I wish I had my new camera going for this one! The picture DOES NOT do justice! I have to say that every single bite my hubby took was followed by an "Oh my gosh babe!" Yeah, I'll take that as success! This is SO going on our permanent menu! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
• 2 egg whites
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 c. seasoned croutons, grated (1/2 c. crumbs)
• 1/4 c grated fresh Parmesan Cheese (I skipped this for dairy free)
• 1 tsp. dried Oregano leaves
• 1/8 tsp. black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 4 oz cooked Angel Hair Pasta
• 1 Jar Prego (or other favorite marinara)
• 1/4 c. shredded Mozerella Cheese (I skipped this for dairy free)

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
• Beat egg white until frothy. 
• Press garlic into egg whites using a garlic press. 
• Grate croutons and Parmesan cheese (I used my blender). Place on a plate or in shallow bowl. 
• Add Oregano & Black Pepper to the crumb mix, mix well. 
• Coat chicken with flour. Dip into egg white mixture. Coat both sides of each piece of chicken. Shake off excess. Discard any remaining mixture. Place each piece of chicken on a lightly sprayed pan. Bake for 20-25 or until chicken is no longer pink. 
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain. 
• Heat marinara sauce. 
• Plate pasta. Top with chicken and a small amount of marinara. Top with mozzarella. 

STRAWBERRY LIMEADE 

From: "Worldwide Ward Cookbook"

OUR RATING: LOVE IT!!

Totally just like Sonic! So so good! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Liters Lemon-Lime Soda (Sprite or 7 UP)
• 1 qt. Frozen Strawberries with syrup
• 6 Limes

DIRECTIONS: 

Pour lemon-lime soda into a punch bowl or large pitcher. Stir in frozen strawberries (I had to chop at them a bit for them to break up). Squeeze 4 limes into punch. Slice the 2 remaining limes and add to the bowl. 

ITALIAN ROSEMARY BREAD

From: "Worldwide Ward Cookbook"

OUR RATING: LOVED IT!!

I know! We have a lot of  "LOVED IT"s so far! But that is good! We are trying to add things we would like to have and I made my list based on things I thought we would like! 

I am not a bread person. However, I tried this and it was good! Ryan ate almost the entire loaf! He absolutely loved it! I set out a plate with olive oil, balsamic vinegar & cracked pepper! YUM! And super easy! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. Water
• 3 Tbs. Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. Pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Dried Rosemary
• 2 1/2 c. Bread Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. active Dry Yeast

DIRECTIONS:

• This recipe is designed for a bread machine. If you have one, place ingredients in the machine in order suggested by manufacturer. Select white bread and press start. 
• I do not have a bread machine. I proofed the yeast mixing the warm water, yeast & sugar in a bowl and setting aside. I mixed Oil, salt, Italian Seasoning, Pepper, Dried Rosemary & 1/2 of flour in my mixer until well blended. Then I added the proofed yeast and the remainder of the flour. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl. If it doesn't add a little flour until it does. When it does, set a timer and allow to mix for a few more minutes. Let the dough rise, covered, in a warm spot in your kitchen. Once it is risen form it into a loaf and place on a sprayed pan. Cover and let rise again. Once it has doubled it is ready to cook. 
• Bake @ 350 until done. (I can't remember, but I think it was about 30 min)

APPLE-CHERRY CRISP

From: "The Pampered Chef: "It's Good For You"

OUR RATING: LIKED IT!!

Ok, Ryan actually loved this. I really liked it. It was seriously good. I didn't jump out of my seat, but it was delish! I will totally make this again! 

FRUIT FILLING: 

• 6 medium Granny Smith Apples, sliced (About 8 cups)
• 1 can (21 oz) Cherry Pie Filling
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

STREUSEL TOPPING:

• 1/4 c. 70% Vegetable Oil Spread or Crisco, melted
• 1/4 c. Sliced Almonds, chopped
• 1 c. Old Fashioned or Quick Oats
• 1/4 c. Flour
• 1/4 c. Packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and slice apples. 
• Combine apples, pie filling and cinnamon in large bowl. Mix gently. 
• Place chopped almonds, oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix well. 
• Pour melted Crisco over the top and stir until well mixed. 
• Spread fruit mixture over the bottom of 9x13 pan. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the top of the fruit. 
• Bake 35-40 min or until apples are tender. Cool slightly. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream, whip cream or for dairy free option, make whipped topping out of coconut milk. Open a can of refrigerated coconut milk (do not shake), skim the thick cream off of the top. Place in mixer and blend on high until it thickens. Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and vanilla, to taste. YUM! 

ENJOY! 

TOMORROWS MENU: 

*Leftovers

*ECLAIRS! Don't miss it!

DAY 1: Almond Chicken Stir Fry & Dairy Free, Sugar Free Fresh Pineapple Shake

ON THE MENU: 

• Almond Chicken Stir-Fry over Brown Rice
• Perfection Rolls
• Garden Salad
• Dessert: Fresh Pineapple Shake (Dairy Free-DF, Sugar Free-SF)

Here is the low down.....

ALMOND CHICKEN STIR FRY over Brown Rice

From "VitaMix Whole Foods Recipes For Better Living" 

OUR RATING: LOVE IT!!

This was seriously YUM! We are off to a good start with this one! This is SUCH a great stir fry! The almonds, the sauce, the red peppers, they all make this so fabulous! And it was super fast and easy to make! Huge hit and a definite for the family cookbook! 

• Spray or heat a little olive oil in a large pan or wok. 
• Stir fry 2 c. diced chicken breast until thoroughly cooked. (Skip the chicken for a vegetarian option. You can add tofu instead, if you would like.)
• Add 1 c. chopped broccoli and stir fry for approx. 3 min. 

• While chicken & broccoli are cooking prepare and dump in a large bowl:

*1 Garlic Clove, Minced

*1 C. Carrots, Grated

*1 C. Celery, Chopped

*1 C. Red Bell Pepper, Chopped

*1 C. Green Bell Pepper, Chopped

*1 C. Green Onions, Chopped

*1 C. Mushrooms, Sliced (Optional)

*1 C. Sliced Almonds

• Add all items in large bowl to the chicken and broccoli. Add a little more oil or spray, if needed. Cook until Crisp-Tender. 

• Mix in blender: 

*1/4 C. Lite or Regular Soy Sauce

*1 1/2 C. Water

*2 Tbs. Cornstarch

* 1 T Cooking Sherry (water may be substituted)

*1 tsp. Stevia (or other natural sweetener)

*1 tsp. Chicken bouillon

*Red Pepper, to taste

• When Veggies are Crisp - Tender, Pour sauce over stir-fry.

• Cook until thickened. Serve over steamed brown rice. 

BEST. STIR-FRY. EVER! 

PERFECTION ROLLS

From "World Wide Ward Cook Book Mom's Best Recipes"

OUR RATING: 3 out of 5

Don't take my word for it. I do NOT like most breads. Oh the yeast! It almost kills me! The smell, the taste! Oh my! My hubby said these were great and I don't really feel like the rating is all that fair since this was my first roll baking experience EVER! Not to mention, I made them with heavy duty whole grain wheat, instead of the flour it calls for. I will try the again with flour and see if they get a higher rating. I will keep you posted on this one! 

Ingredients: 

*2 Pkgs Dry Yeast

*1/4 c. Lukewarm Water

*1 c. 70% Shortening (this is the lower fat version)

*1 c. Sugar

*2 Eggs

*2 tsp. Salt

*1 C. Boiling Water

*1 C. Cold Water

*6 1/2 - 7 C. Flour

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Set aside. Using electric mixer, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, salt, and boiling water. Add cold water and yeast mixture. Sift in half of the flour and mix with mixer. Add rest of the flour and mix by hand. Place dough in greased bowl. Brush top of dough with shortening. Cover and let rise 2 -3 hours or until doubled in size. If you live in a dry and arid climate, cover the dough with a warm, moist cloth with the bread rises; in more humid climates, use a dry cloth. For rolls, place in greased pan, and cover. Let rise for 1 hour. Place pan of rolls in cold oven. Back at 400 for 25 min. Makes 9-12 Servings.  

 FRESH PINEAPPLE SHAKE

From "VitaMix Whole Food Recipes For Better Living"

OUR RATING: LIKE IT

The lower rating is because this was supposed to be ice cream! :) It just didn't want to set up like the recipe said. That being said, we loved it as a shake. It was fresh and light instead of heavy and over sweet. We will have this again! 

INGREDIENTS: 

*4 C. Frozen Liquid Lite Non-Dairy Creamer (pour into ice cube trays and freeze ahead of time)

*1 Fresh Pineapple. Remove skin and core. Cut in large chunks. 

*1/2 tsp. Vanilla

*Stevia (or other natural sweetner), to taste. 

DIRECTION: 

In a heavy duty blender place all ingredients in the container, in the order above. Blend until the sound of the motor changes and 4 mounds form, or until blended thoroughly. You may have to stop the machine and press the ingredients down, if you are not using a VitaMix or other heavy duty blender. If the mixture is thick, you can eat it as an ice cream, or add liquid creamer or coconut milk to thin out a bit. 

TOMORROWS MENU: 

*Sweet & Saucy Meatballs

*Mashed Potatoes

*Green Salad

*Dessert: Strawberry Ice Cream (DF,SF)