Healthy Applesauce -Oat muffins

Mel's Kitchen Cafe
www.melskitchencafe.com

1 cup rolled/old-fashioned oats
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 F.Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combine (do not overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!

Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inerted comes out clean. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry.

remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer ziploc bag, suck all the air out and seal the bag, then freeze pulling them one by one to stick in my kids lunches or warm slightly for a snack.

Makes 12 muffins

Texas-Style Chili

Better Homes and Gardens
www.bhg.com

2 1/2 lb chuck roast 3/4-inch chunks
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 (10 oz) condensed beef broth
2 cans pinto beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons oil

In a Dutch oven brown meat in oil . Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer covered for 1 hour. Uncovered and cook for 30 minutes.

Add mixture of:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup masa harina

Thicken the chili. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with warm flour tortillas and Monterey Jack cheese, shredded.

Note: I add less masa harina because I do not like it very thick.

Saucy Beef Chili

Cuisine Magazine, Splendid Soups and Super Sides.

Cook:

1 lb ground chuck
1 cup minced onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

Stir in:

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can tomato puree (10.75 oz)
1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (16 oz)
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Shredded Cheddar
Sliced scallions

Cook chuck in a large saute pan over medium heat, until cooked through and no longer pink. Strain chuck through a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse under running water to remove additional drippings; drain. Return chuck to pan with onions and garlic. Crush mixture with a potato masher until meat is a very fine consistency.
Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, celery salt and cayenne; cook 1 minute. Add tomato puree and broth. Bring chili to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid nearly evaporates, about 15 minutes.
Add beans just to heat through and stir in vinegar. Serve chili topped with cheese and scallions.

Make 5 servings (about 5 cups)

Note: I served it over baked potatoes.

Mom's Applesauce Pancakes

All Recipes, Shirley Smith
www.allrecipes.com

2 cups dry pancake mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice


In a large bowl, stir together pancake mix and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the pancake mix. Add the applesauce, milk, eggs and lemon juice. Stir until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

NOTE. I added 1/2 cup finely chopped apples to the batter.

Makes 4 servings

Rolo-Filled Chocolate Cookies

All Recipes Website. Recipe by Malory Larson.
www.allrecipes.com

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
48 chocolate-covered caramel candies (such as Rolo).

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

Mix flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together in a small bowl. Beat 1 cup white sugar, brown sugar and butter together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and eggs. Beat well. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture; mix well.

Lightly flour hands. Shape about 1 tablespoons dough around 1 chocolate-covered caramel candy, covering it completely. Repeat with remaining dough and caramel candies.

Place 2 tablespoons white sugar in a small bowl. Press one side of each ball into sugar. Place balls, sugar side up, onto a baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake in the preheated oven until cookie is set and slightly cracked, 7-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.


Makes 48 cookies

Tomato Soup

Cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks Dinnertime.

www.thepioneerwoman.com

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 large carrots, finely diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Three 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil, plus leaves for garnish
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a big ol' pot, melt the butter in the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Then, add the garlic, onion and carrots.
Stir the veggies around and cook 'em for 5 minutes or so, until they start to soften.
Add the tomato paste and stir it into the veggies, letting it cook and release its flavors for a couple of minutes.
Next, add 1 cup water along with the broth.
Add the tomatoes. Stir the mixture around, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Blend the tomato soup or use an immersion blender and puree it about halfway. Be careful when you blend hot soup in the regular blender.
To soften the tomato flavor a bit, add the cream.
Then stir the soup and let it cook for a few minutes more.
Finally, sprinkle in some chopped parsley and basil along with some salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 12 servings

Judy's Poppy Seed Cake

Recipe courtesy of Judy Smith

1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/2 small boxes instant butterscotch pudding
1/2 cup salad oil
1 cup warm water
4 eggs
1/4-1/3 cup poppy seed

Mix all the ingredients and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour into a well-greased and floured Bundt cake pan.

Bake at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes. Do not overbake.