Recipe of The Week

Recipe of the Week: Veggie Pasta Salad 
Equipment
  • Pot
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
  • ½ c. popcorn kernels
  • ½ cup (50 grams) uncooked farfalle pasta or 1 cup of cooked pasta
  • ¼ cup (40 grams) fresh peas or frozen and thawed
  • 1 carrot diced
  • ½ cucumber peeled and diced
  • ½ red bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup (40 grams) steamed corn kernels

For the Dressing: 

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice optional
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Check the doneness before removing it from the by tasting 1 piece. Or cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  2. Simmer veggies for 5-7 mins and mix the pasta with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and serve at room temperature or cold.
Recipe of the Week: Popcorn Snowballs
 
Equipment
  • Saucepan
  • Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
  • ½ c. popcorn kernels
  • 3 tbsp. canola oil
  • ½ c. sugar
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 5 c. mini marshmallows
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. M&Ms
  • sprinkles or peanuts (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place a heavy bottom dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and popcorn and stir the kernels so that they are evenly coated.
  2. When the oil becomes hot and sizzles, add the sugar. Shake the pot or pan until the first few kernels pop.
  3. Place the lid on top and continue gently shaking back and forth while the remaining kernels pop.
  4. Once the popcorn stops, remove from heat and place into a large mixing bowl to cool.
  5. Next, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and marshmallows.
  6. Stir continuously until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and add the salt and vanilla extract.
  7. Pour over the popcorn and coat evenly. Add M&Ms, sprinkles or nuts.
  8. Cover your hands with a light layer butter or coconut oil.
  9. Form the popcorn mixture into 3" balls. Set them on a piece of wax (or parchment) paper to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Recipe of the Week: Marshmallow Snowman Hot CoCo

Equipment

  • Cup

Ingredients

  • 4 cups hot chocolate
  • 12 large marshmallows
  • 16 small pretzel rods
  • 12 mini chocolate chips
  • 4 candy corn candies
  • melted chocolate for decorating

Instructions

  1. Make the snowman by placing a toothpick halfway through one of the marshmallows.
  2. Place a second marshmallow on top and repeat to get three marshmallows in the shape of a snowman.
  3. To the bottom marshmallow add two pretzels for legs and two in the middle marshmallow for arms.
  4. In a small bowl melt some chocolate and place into a plastic baggie.
  5. Pipe buttons and add the mini chocolate chips.
  6. Decorate a face and stick a candy corn nose in the marshmallow.
  7. Heat up the hot chocolate and serve in mugs.
  8. Place one snowman in each mug and enjoy.

Recipe of the Week: Reindeer Cupcakes (12/14/2020)

Equipment:

  • Knife
  • Spoon
  • Bowl
  • Patty cases (cupcake liners)

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
Chocolate Cake:
  • 1 box devil's food cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 C. oil
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 C. milk or buttermilk
  • 1/2 C. sour cream
Chocolate Frosting:
  • 1 C. butter
  • 1/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2-3 C. powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • Pretzles, for antlers
  • Nilla Wafers, for muzzles
  • Brown M&M's for noses (some red for Rudolph)
  • White Mint M&M's for eyes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
  2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla extract, milk and sour cream until smooth.
  4. Stir in cake mix.
  5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
  6. Let cool.
  7. Chocolate frosting: Beat butter. Add cocoa powder, 2 C. powdered sugar and milk. Slowly add more powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.
  8. Prep reindeer "faces" by using frosting to stick brown M&M's on Nilla Wafers (some red for Rudolphs if you want). Melt down a few chocolate chips, put in a small plastic bag, snip off the tip to make a mini piping bag and "dot" little eyeballs on the white M&M's to make eyes.
  9. Frost cupcakes.
  10. (See photos below) Place Nilla wafers with M&M's on cupcakes, then place pretzels above. Use a little frosting to stick on 2 eyes and there you go!

Recipe of the Week: Gingerbread Cookies (12/04/2020)

Equipment:

  • Knife
  • Spoon
  • Bowl

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Vanilla frosting of your choice
  • Red and green paste food coloring

Instructions: 

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 4 hours or overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  3. Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Tint some of the frosting red and some green; leave remaining frosting plain. Decorate cookies.

Recipe of the Week: Apple Critters

Equipment:

  • Knife
  • Spoon
  • Bowl

Ingredients:

  • 2 green apples, each quartered
  • sunflower butter
  • chocolate chips (for eye pupils)
  • Marshmallow (for outer eye)
  • 32 sunflower seeds
  • 2–3 strawberries, sliced
  • 1–2 homemade googly eyes per apple bite

Instructions: 

  1. Cut the middles out of each quarter of the apple to create a mouth. 
  2. Coat the inside of the cut gap with a filling of sunflower butter.
  3. Place 4 sunflower seeds on the top of the “mouth” for the teeth.
  4. Place 1 sliced strawberry inside the mouth for the tongue.
  5. “Glue” each eye above the mouth with a dab of sunbutter to stick.

 

Recipe of the Week (10/12/2020): Oogly Googly Eyes (Deviled Eggs) 

Equipment:

  • Knife
  • Spoon
  • Bowl

Ingredients:

  • 10 to 12 boiled eggs
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 tbs dill relish
  • sliced black olives
  • mayonnaise (optional- add 1 tsp at a time as needed to achieve optimum creaminess)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • red food coloring
  • soft (brand new) paint brush

Instructions: 

  1. Peel eggs and cut in half, lengthwise. Scoop out yolks.
  2. In a bowl mash together egg yolks, avocado and lemon juice. (My avocados were not super ripe, I found I needed to use a food processor.
    If the egg and avocado mixture needs more creaminess, add 1 tsp of mayo at time to achieve desired creaminess
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add a tiny bit of red food coloring to a spoon and using the paint brush, “paint” the red blood shot eyes onto the eggs.
  5. Spoon avocado mixture into eggs and top with a sliced black olive. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve and best if served within 6 hours.

 

Recipe of the Week (10/05/20): Halloween Treat Parade 

Equipment:

  • Knife
  • Spoon

Ingredients:

  • 4 Avocados
  • Bananas
  • Clementines Bag
  • Celery
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Large chocolate chips
  • Mozzarella sticks
  • Green or red bell peppers (feel free to mix and match)
  • Cream cheese

Instructions: 

  1. For the pumpkins, peel your clementines and top with chopped celery.
  2. To keep your bananas fresh, freeze them before using in the platter. Cut each banana in half. Press large chocolate chips in each banana to create a mouth, and use mini chocolate chips for eyes.
  3. For the severed finger string cheese, cut each string cheese in half and chop up bell peppers into small squares. (Sliced almonds also make great finger nails!) Use a butter knife to carve out knuckles. Use cream cheese as glue to attach your pepper fingernails. For an even scarier display, stick the fingers in your favorite dip, positioned like they’re coming out of the bowl.
  4. Assemble and enjoy!

 

Recipe of the Week (9/28/20): Avocado Toast Ghouls

 

Equipment:

  • Knife
  • Spoon

Ingredients:

  • 4 avocados
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 sheets of seaweed
  • radishes
  • black olives
  • mini dill pickles
  • grape tomatoes
  • walnuts
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • 4 pieces of toast

Instructions: 

  1. 1. Slice the avocados in half, remove the stone, and scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl. Add the lemon juice and pinch of salt and pepper, then mash with a fork.
  2. Prepare the toppings for the facial features of the toast faces. Use sharp scissors to cut out shapes from the seaweed. You’ll need circles for eyes, zigzags for hair, and thin strips for smiles, scars, noses, and eyebrows.
  3. Chop the red bell pepper into small pieces to make lips, fangs, nostrils, and pupils. Slice the radishes for eyeballs. Slice the olives into rings for eyes.
  4. Spread the mashed avocado onto the toast pieces and decorate.

 

Recipe of the Week (9/20/2020): Frozen Berry Bites

Equipment:
• 6-cup muffin tin and liners

Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup crushed almonds (or almond meal)
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, (feel free to use more for a sweeter FroYo Bite)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, low-fat
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 cups fresh chopped strawberries and/or raspberries

Instructions: 
1. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with silicone or parchment cupcake liners, or add directly to nonstick muffin tin.
2. In a small bowl, stir together crushed almonds, coconut sugar, and coconut oil. Spoon a small amount into the bottom of each muffin cup.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and honey. Spoon 2 tablespoons into each muffin cup, covering the crust.
4. Top with fresh chopped berries. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. To serve, remove from silicone wrapper and allow to set at room temperature for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!