Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 dash salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine the water, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a saucepan over low heat; whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir the vanilla into the sauce. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Tofu sloppy joes

Ingredients

1. 1 (12 ounce) packages firm tofu
2. 4 diced organic tomatoes
3. 2-3 TBS chili powder
4. 2 -3 garlic cloves, crushed
5. 1/4 cup ketchup
6. 2 TBS mustard
7. 1 tsp brown sugar
8. oil
9. diced onions (optional)
10. diced green peppers (optional)

1. Directions

   1. Crumble the tofu to small bits (this can take a bit of time).
   2. Heat oil in frying pan and add tofu and chili powder 
   3. Cook on medium high heat until tofu is crispy.
   4. Add garlic and onion and cook 5-7 minutes.
   5. Add tomatoes, 
   6. a brown sugar and add ketchup
   7. and a dab of mustard and a drizzle of extra oil if you like.
   8. Let simmer, bubbling until sauce is thickened and tofu is tasty (about 30 minutes).
   9. Serve on whole wheat buns with salad and homemade fries.

Roasted Beet and Goat cheese Salad

4 large beets, quartered and  drizzled with olive oil, 

Roasted for 60 minutes at 400.


the Nuts:
1 cup walnut halves
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbs butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
dash of cinnamon
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika


For the Dressing:1/4 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
2 tbsp maple syrup
juice of one lemon and a bit of zest
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated or minced 
fresh cracked pepper and sea salt

Salad:

Spinach ( or whatever kind of greens you prefer)
goat’s cheese as much as you like
1/2 an avocado, cubed
the candied walnuts
the roasted beets
Sliced pear
beets 
and dressing

1. For the Beets: In a roasting dish, toss the quartered beets unpeeled  with the oil. Bake at 400°F for 60 minutes or until the flesh gives easily when pierced with a small knife.

2. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Skins can now be easily removed. Cut beets into bite size pieces and set aside.

3. For the Nuts: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, salt, paprika and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer and cook for  three minutes.4. Add the walnuts and stir to coat. Cook for another three minutes.5. Transfer the nuts to a baking sheet, Bake for 10 minutes.

6. Cool and break apart (as it cools over 30 minutes).

PFLAUMEN KUCHEN

PFLAUMEN KUCHEN (GERMAN BLUE PLUM
CAKE)

1/4 lb. butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla essence
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. milk (or more)
2 1/2 to 3 lb. sm. Italian plums, depending on size of pan
About 1 c. chopped nuts (almonds work well).

Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle

Cream butter and sugar. Mix well the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and milk. Grease a jelly roll pan and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread dough on pan. Halve, pit and wash plums. Lay plums on dough with cut side up and touching one another. Sprinkle plums with sugar and cinnamon. Then dot each plum with a little piece of butter. Sprinkle nuts over the plums. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Colombian pulled pork

An old employer of mine used to have a feast at the office once a month.... 

Seriously good Colombian eats... now if only my rice would turn out like theirs....sigh.

Colombian Pulled Pork

3 pounds of pork shoulder ( add whole to crock pot)

1 quart of veggie broth ( or chicken or beef broth whatever you have made fresh.) 

                                        (use as much broth to cover the pork)

1 large onion, chopped

7 garlic cloves, diced.

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon Chile powder

Salt and pepper... I use kosher salt, a little on the heavy side (1tbs?) direct on the pork. you can add more later.

Add to you crock pot on low, cover and let it sit all day....

Shred when the pork falls apart when touched with your fork... (melt in your mouth good.)

Cilantro Sauce

1 bunch cilantro

4 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 - 3/4 cup virgin olive oil

4-5 Tbsp water 

sherry vinegar to taste

Add cilantro garlic, cumin and salt in a food processor or blender to create a paste. While blending, add 1/2 cup olive oil slowly... Add small amounts of water until the sauce is thick, not paste-y...Add 1-2 tsp vinegar or more, to taste you prefer....  I've made this with Parsley as well...

Use on meats,soups, potatoes, fish anything for a little extra zing!

Served nice with: Black bean and Corn salsa
(minus the shrimp! make the shrimp for another meal.. SO GOOD!)

 

 Black Bean, Corn, and Shrimp Salad

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Cooking spray

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 3/4 cup bottled salsa
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat.
Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Remove shrimp from pan. Add corn to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in salsa, cilantro, and beans; cook 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. Serve shrimp over bean mixture.

Clare's Carrot Cake

Clare's Carrot Cake    (new family favorite carrot cake recipe)                                                                                                                

2 cups of grated carrots                                                                                                          
1/2 cup raisins ( optional )                                                                                                            
1/2 cup walnuts                                                                                                                      
1 1/2 cups flour                                                                                                                 
1 1/4 tsp baking powder                                                                                                                                1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil (safflower or canola)
1 1/4 tsp of baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

Sift flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, add sugar and oil , beat for 2 mins then add the baking soda.
Add flour mixture and mix until smooth, fold in carrots, raisins and walnuts. Pour into a well greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until done.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz of cream cheese room temp
1/2 cup soft butter
2 tsp Vanilla
1cup powdered sugar ( or less, we don't like it to sweet let the butter flavor come out)

Broiled Shrimp Over Black Bean-and-Corn Salad

Broiled Shrimp Over Black Bean-and-Corn Salad

I've been making this recipe for years...always good!

from Cooking Light

• YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup salad and 4 ounces shrimp)

Ingredients

• Marinated shrimp:
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
• Cooking spray
• Salad:
• 2 cups coarsely chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15.25-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

To prepare marinated shrimp, combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top bag. Add shrimp to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove shrimp from bag; discard marinade.
Preheat broiler.
Place shrimp on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes or until shrimp are done.
To prepare salad, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (tomato through jalapeño) in a large bowl. Combine 1/4 cup lime juice, oil, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Pour dressing over bean mixture; toss well. Spoon salad onto each of 6 plates; top with shrimp.