Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

1 loaf French bread, ½ sliced 1” thick, ½ cubed
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 to 2 cups blueberries – frozen or fresh
3 cups milk
4 eggs
1/3 cups maple sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Syrup:

1 cup blueberries
Water (just enough to almost cover the berries)
2 Tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon butter
Maple syrup to taste
Lemon juice to taste
Whip Cream


-line 9x13 pan with slices of bread (cube the rest) and then spread all the cream cheese on the layer of bread

-sprinkle blueberries on sliced bread, toss bread cubes on top of that, and smoosh it down a little

-mix milk, eggs, syrup, vanilla, and sugar, then pour that over everything slowly
-push bread cubes down a little more with a spoon (helps for absorbing liquids)
-cover and refrigerate overnight
-bake at 350 for 30 minutes with foil on
-remove foil and bake 30 more minutes
-let stand 10 minutes before serving


-While French toast bakes, prepare syrup:
-put blueberries in pot and add water to almost cover.
-add cornstarch (mixed in a small amount of cold water before adding)
-add butter and bring to boil
-mush blueberries while cooking (I use a banana masher)
-boil for a while, till blueberries are mostly mushed and cooked, then add maple syrup to sweeten and lemon juice to intensify blueberry flavor.
-Top individual servings with syrup & whip cream

Orange Jello Salad

16 oz cottage cheese

3 oz orange jello package

8 oz cool whip

2 11 oz cans of mandarin oranges

If you don't like it chunky you can blend the cottage cheese if you like the little cottage cheese chunks then just mix the cottage cheese, jello and cool whip and then fold in the drained mandarin oranges.  You can also use any flavor of jello with any fruit.

Black Bean & Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 package (1 oz) taco spices and seasonings

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

1 jar (7 oz) roasted red peppers, drained

12 ounces light cream cheese

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 to 2 teaspoons lime juice

Garnishes: chopped tomato and fresh cilantro

in food processor combine all ingredients except garnishes; mix thoroughly. serve with tortilla chips and/or raw vegetables

Fruit Salsa

1 cup strawberries

2 kiwifruit

1 apple

1 banana

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

2 tablespoons sugar

wash and chop fruit into fine pieces. Mix in juices and sugar. Stir well. serve with cinnamon chips

Cinnamon Chips

4 flour tortillas

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons butter

Spread butter on tortillas. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over tortillas. Place tortillas (two at a time) on a cookie sheet and broil until sugar starts to bubble. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas pizza style to make chips. Cool and serve with fruit salsa

Asparagus Saute

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch fresh asparagus

A few shakes garlic powder or 1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced onion

4 tablespoon Parmesan cheese or as much as desired

Rinse asparagus spears and pat dry. Remove rough ends. Cut into 1-2 inch pieces. This helps it all cook evenly and not be too mushy or too hard.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, minced onion, and asparagus spears. Add salt and pepper. Stir and cook until tender, but still crunchy. Approx. 10 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in for the last couple minutes of cooking.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 Cups flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Cups canola oil
1 Cups sugar
1/4 Cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 Cup sour cream
3 Cup grated zucchini
3/4 Cup mini chocolate chips

Topping:
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans and set aside.
Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes.

Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.

Gently stir in the grated zucchini.

If you only have regular chocolate chips, or a chocolate bar, just give it a chop so it's the size of mini chocolate chips. Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Divide the batter between the two pans. Sprinkle topping over each.

Bake in your preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes. I set my timer for 45 minutes and then keep an eye on it for the remainder.

When it's done a toothpick or skewer should come out without goopy batter on it and the top will be gorgeous and cracked with sugar.

Let it cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and then remove from pans. You definitely have to eat a slice warm. And slathered with butter.

Makes 2 loaves

recipe by Our Best Bites Cookbook

Thai Cucumber Salad

3 cucumbers

¼ Cup lemon juice

¼ Cup canola or peanut oil – I also add a dash of sesame oil for flavor

¼ Cup rice vinegar

¼ Cup chopped cilantro

¼ Cup chopped green onions or snipped chives **(I leave this out usually)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

**I also add sesame seeds for appearance and chopped peanuts if I have them on hand

Peel cucumbers with peeler. Discard green skin. Continue to peel into long shreds. Discard the seed parts of cucumber.

For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, oils and rice vinegar. Add the remaining ingredients. Pour the dressing over the cucumber shreds and give them a stir. Top with cilantro. Serve cold and accompanied by the peanuts.

Recipe by Kristina Barney

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

1 pkg. dry Ranch Dressing mix
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 Tbsp lemon juice then enough milk to fill 1 cup total)
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 small jalapeno (remove seed)
1 cup light mayo
1 tsp lime juice
1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients in food processor. Refrigerate until served.

Note: I use this on salads, tacos, burritos, enchiladas... anything Mexican.

Seasoned Spread for Vegetables and Pasta

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

Mix ingredients until well blended. Serve over hot cooked vegetables or pasta or rice.

Notes: Our chefs used Zesty Italian by Uncle Dan's, Mediterranean Garlic by Uncle Dan's and Bacon and Onion by Watkins. Recipe was halved and still made plenty.

Summer Squash Casserole

6 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken
3 cups seasoned stuffing
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter

Cook squash and onion in boiled, salted water for 3-5 minutes. Drain well. Combine sour cream and soup. Stir in carrots and then drained squash and onion. Combine butter and stuffing and spread 1/2 of it on bottom on baking dish. Spoon vegetable mixture over top and then top with remaining stuffing mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes about a 9x9 pan full.

Vegetable Pizza

2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp minced onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Unroll crescent roll dough on a small baking sheet. Arrange into a single layer to serve as a crust. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned.
3) In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, onion and garlic.
4) Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crescent roll dough crust. Layer with cauliflower, broccoli, and green peppers. Top with cheddar cheese. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.