Apple Pecan Pudding

6 peeled and cored apples, dried
2 cups milk (We use goat.)
2 cups pecans
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp cinnamon
5 dried dates
2 cups sun-dried apples
Soak dried apples in milk overnight.
Blend with remaining ingredients and place in small ceramic ovenware bowls.
Cook at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
Cool in refrigerator before serving.

Another recipe complements of Sarah Albright.
The recipes says it will serve 3-6. I found it filled 7 bowls.
I placed the bowls on a cookie sheet to ease in getting them in and out of the oven.
A little Cool Whip would be wonderful on these. However, I haven't progressed that far in my cooking for Bear.
The next time I make these, I will chop the sun-dried apples and add them by stirring them in with a spoon. The food processor did wonderful up till I added the sun-dried apples and then it wasn't happy.

Green Beans and Sausage

1 qt, green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 carrot, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb sausage, either ground or link cut into 1 inch pieces
1. Combine all ingredients except sausage in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on high 3-4 hours. Add sausage and cook another 2 hours on low.
The recipe is from Sarah Albright.
This recipe should be served with bread or something as the sauce/juices are really flavorful and need help getting off your plate and into your mouth.
Also, I used more than a quart of green beans (fresh) and a large bell. And more thyme than just a 1/4 tsp.
 I used Andouille links from the smoke house at the local grocery store. YUM!
Additionally, this is SUPER easy. The hardest part of snapping the green beans.

Crockpot Beans & Rice

1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 cup brown rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried onion flakes

Put olive oil in crockpot.  Add rice and swirl in oil until coated.
Drain and rinse beans.  Add to crockpot.
Drain tomatoes, but save liquid in measuring cup.  Add tomatoes.
Add water to measuring cup with tomato liquid.  Add mixture of liquid with water to crockpot totalling 2 cups.
Add seasoning, stir well, and cover.
Cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.  It is done when the rice is tender.
*Can, also, cook rice on stove and microwave other ingredients.

Above is the recipe as it was shared with me by Sarah Albright.
However, the next time I make this, I am going to use Cajun seasoning in place of the Italian seasoning and add Andoulli sausage during the last 1/2 hour or so of cooking.  Going for a red beans and rice idea.
I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the brown rice cooked up.  I cooked it for four hours on high.  You don't want to over cook this because at the end of the 4 hours there was condensation on the lid but that was about it for water left in the crock.

Grain-Free Apple Flax Muffins

LINK

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flax seed meal

2 tsp baking soda

1 Tbs cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup Stevia

4 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil (For MSPI, use coconut oil)

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1 large apple, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Method:

Mix dry ingredients. Beat the eggs and add to dry mixture along with oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add apple and nuts and stir to combine.

Allow fully incorporated mixture to stand 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease muffin tins. Spoon into tins (the batter will be very thick) and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 18-24 large muffins.  

We store them in the refrigerator, per the suggestion of the author of the blog we got the recipe from.

Hummus

 Spinach Salad
with Layered Greek Dip using hummus & Spiced Pita Chips.

Recipe adapted from HERE.

2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 c. garbanzo beans (I cook mine in the crockpot.)
2/3 c. water
4 T lemon juice
2 T tahini
1 t. salt

Mix in blender until creamy.

 

French Bread

adapted from HERE
Make into Super Stuffed French Bread Pizza

6 c. all-purpose flour
6 t. active dry years (2 1/2 packages)
1 1/2 t. salt
2 c. warm water
1 T cornmeal
1 egg white
1 T water

Mix 2 c. flour, yeast, and salt.
Mix in 2 c. warm water until well blended (using a dough hook).
Stir in the remaining flour (as much as you can).

Knead on a lightly floured surface to make a stiff, smooth dough. 
Knead for 10 minutes.
Shape into a ball.
Put in a greased bowl and turn once.
Cover and rise until doubled.

Punch down and divide in half.
Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Roll each half into a large rectangle.  Roll up and moisten edges with water to seal.  (Taper ends.)

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Place loves, seam side down, on the baking sheet.  Beat egg white and water then brush on loaves.
Cover with damp cloth and rise 40 minutes (until doubled).

Use a sharp knife to make 4 diagonal cuts 1/4 in deep across each loaf.
Bake 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Brush again with egg white mixture.
Bake 15 to 20 more minutes.  (You may need to cover loosely with foil to prevent browning.)

Cool on a wire rack.

 

Don't eat too much or you'll have a FAT BELLY like our toddler!

Pita bread

  

These are good to make spiced pita chips or to eat with Layered Greek Dip.
adapted from HERE
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (one package)
1 1/4 c. warm water
2t. salt
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a mixing bowl.  Stir in salt and enough flour to make a dough.  Knead on a floured surface for 7 minutes.  Do NOT let rise.  Divide dough into six balls.  Knead ball for a minute then roll into a 5 inch circle. 

Cover and let rise until doubled- 45 minutes.  Place upside down on greased baking sheet.

Bake 500 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from pan to wire rack to cool.