Other than birthdays, we rarely have chicken nuggets. For birthdays, the kids enjoy dinosaur nuggets eaten in a very specific way. Make them some dinosaur nuggets one day and ask if you are curious.
The other day, Andrea really wanted some nuggets, so she made some along with homemade chips. Thank you camp Patmos and Career Center for teaching Andrea the proper way to deep fry 🙂
Allan was introduced to Caribbean rice and beans many years ago when a friend brought some extra into work to share. While ours in no where near as good, here is a recipe we often make and enjoy.
While it is tempting to garnish this with cheese or sour cream, it is wonderful as is. Serve next to a simple, but colorful side salad.
Our original recipe did not call for bacon, so if you prefer not to use it, just replace it with 2 Tbl of oil to saute the onions in. Both recipes are great!
We discovered this recipe many years ago in a cookbook at Grandma Reble’s house. I do not know the name of the cookbook, but it has a bright pink cover and it is a collection of recipes from different people in CO. We try new recipes from this book every time we visit Grandma’s house.
These are larger cookies, so we usually make a half batch.
This is probably one of our top five recipes that require a lot of time. However, most of the time is “waiting”.
Allan prefers muesli to granola. I enjoy muesli, but I like the crunch of granola. So, when I discovered dehydrating granola, instead of baking it, we tried it. It is a favorite, and I make it when I have the extra time.
I use raw nuts in this recipe because I soak them and then dehydrate for a different taste to the nuts. I have also learned that soaking and dehydrated seeds are often recommended because of health benefits. If you are interested in learning more, a lot of research can be done online. I would recommend dehydrating as much as your machine will hold at one time to save on time later.
Be creative when personalizing this recipes. Macadamia and hazelnuts are good nuts to add. Cocoa nibs and dried tart cherries are great additions. Use more oats and less nuts if desired. If you want to use less maple syrup, increase amount of raisin “slurry”. If you prefer to bake this, see notes. This is a very adaptable recipe.
We tried vodka sauce when a we had a coupon for a name brand jar. We liked it and bought it a few times. Then we discovered how easy it was to make. This sauce is great plain, but it is even better when cream is added. We often use it instead of pizza sauce.
Some simple recommendations for this recipe:
If you can, use at least half Roma or Amish tomatoes. Then mix and match assorted tomatoes for a fuller flavor. Different amounts of tomatoes will product different amount of liquid in the sauce, so you may need to strain it or boil it longer.
Adding olive oil is optional, but I recommended it.
Use a cheap bottle of vodka. What you do not use in the sauce, use for vanilla extract 🙂
Feel free to adjust seasonings, but do not alter amounts of tomatoes or onions if you plan to can the sauce.
With zucchini growing nicely this year, Mom looked for a new recipe to use some of the extra up. She gave us a loaf of this bread that Adrian decided was a lot better than the chocolate cake we usually make because of the lemon.
The loaf Mom gave us was frozen and it defrosted very nicely. She recommended not glazing it until ready to eat. We decided to only make half the glaze and it was plenty.
There are so many different recipes for granola. This one is very versatile, so experiment to find favorite combinations. For example, use all pecans, or add pepitas in place of the almonds. Replace cherries with dried mango slices or peaches. Another option is to try adding hemp hearts or flax seed near the end of baking.
I would recommend keeping track of favorites, because it can become addictive, experimenting to find the perfect granola.
This is the first recipe that Megan learned to make on her own. She loves peanut butter, so she quickly memorized the recipe. This has turned into “her” specialty and she asks to make it often.
To make it different, Megan will sometimes add mini chocolate chips, or add melted chocolate to the top.
It is always nice to have some sort of treat while backpacking. We usually save this treat for an extra hard day on the trial or the very last night out. It does not make a lot, we usually make two batches for the seven of us, but it is enough for something special.
This also works at home. Use canned pineapple slices and skip the step for re-hydrating.
Since we were planning on car camping, we wanted to try some new recipes. This turned out to be a favorite. It would also be a very easy week night meal.
