Caramelized Onion Hummus

Ingredients:

1large or 2 medium onions, diced
2 tbsp butter or margarine
brown sugar, to taste
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 (16 oz) can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp tahini (make your own with this recipe!)
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp sweet paprika

Directions: Heat butter or margarine in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and brown sugar and cook over medium heat until onions begin to turn golden and are translucent (about 10-15 minutes). Add garlic and cook for an additional few minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. Remove from hear and let cool.

In a blender combine remaining ingredients and blend well. Add a little more oil or water if the consistency is too stiff. Add cooled onion and garlic mixture to blender and blend until smooth. Allow to chill several hours to allow flavours to combine.

Serve with crackers, vegetables, or pita bread that is cut into wedges.

Spaghetti Sauce

If you've ever had a garden, you know how you can get loads and loads of tomatoes from what seemed like very few plants in spring.  We've eaten our share of tomato sandwiches and there's still so many tomatoes left to go.  

 I tried a new recipe this fall (thanks Roxie & Christina) and was happy with the results.  Tasty, tasty spaghetti sauce.

Here's the recipe:

• 12 cups chopped tomatoes (I put everything through my food processor, skins and all.  Easy peasy)
• 1 cup chopped onion (again through the food processor)
• 1 green pepper (still through the food processor)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• chopped half bay leaf
• 1 1/3 tbsp oregano
• 1 1/2 tbsp basil
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 6oz cans of tomato paste
• 3-4 tbsp cornstarch

 Fry onions, garlic and green pepper in the oil.  Add to simmering tomatoes.  Add spice ingredients, sugar and tomato paste.  Simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Mix cornstarch with a bit of water to make a smooth paste and add to tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and pour into jars and seal.

I put the jars into my 300 degree oven for 15 minutes, on a cookie sheet with a bit of water in it.  Then take them out and wait to hear the lids "pop" and you know it's sealed.
One recipe makes 3 quarts.

Homemade Granola

photo by Kezia

Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups 12 grain mix (from bulk barn)
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1 cup sunflower seeds (I used honey coated ones from bulk barn)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch ginger
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup raisins or sweetened dried cranberries (if desired)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil.
2. Combine the oats, grain mix, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds in a large bowl. 
3. Stir together the brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, margarine and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and add vanilla then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. 
4. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. It will clump together and become more crispy as it cools. Be careful not to overcook it.
6. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.

recipe request - chocolate zucchini cake

If someone has an all-time favorite, no fail, delicious recipe for zucchini chocolate cake I really think you should share it! An aunt of mine emailed to ask whether I had a recipe, and I went looking for one because I knew that I made one last year and it turned out well.

The two community cookbooks I have contain a combined total of three recipes. I don't know which one I used! I thought the best way to find a good recipe would be to just come here!

Kansas Cucumber Salad

This is a variation of a coleslaw type recipe.  Except it's even better with the addition of cucumbers and some onion.  Thanks for sharing the recipe Christina!

• 1 cup mayo
• 4 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp dill weed

Mix the above ingredients, which make up the dressing for the salad.  This is a large recipe, so unless you're heading to a family reunion, you might want to half the recipe.  

Add grated or chopped cabbage, chopped cucumbers and green onion or white onion, chopped fine.  

Mix an hour before serving.  Salad does not keep for very long, as it gets watery.  But it's so good, there probably won't be any left anyway!

* Christina also mentioned that mixing this dressing with an equal amount of bought coleslaw dressing is a delicious variation.

Alfredo Sauce with a Kick

Sauce Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/2 -3/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/4-1/2 cup Red Thai Sweet and Spicy Sauce (I like the one from M&M meat shops!)

pepper, to taste

Sauce Directions:

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and mix well. Pour in milk and whisk to combine and stir until no lumps remain. Add garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook until sauce begins to thicken. Add parmesan cheese and Red Thai Sauce and pepper to taste. Continue to cook unto heated through and sauce is as thick as desired. 

Serve over your favourite noodles (cheese ravioli is especially yummy!) and add chopped cooked chicken if you want-it's a perfect way to use up leftovers!

Pizza Rollups

Ingredients

2 (1/4 ounce) packages fast rising yeast

2 cups water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup grated parmigiano cheese

6 cups flour (can use a mix of whole wheat and white)

Directions

In a medium bowl combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Let sit until foam appears on the top.

In the bowl of a stand up mixer combine the yeast mixture with the olive oil, canola oil, and 3 cups of the flour. With the whip attachment, beat for 10 minutes. Clean and remove the whip attachment. Add the remaining flour and cheese. With the dough hook attachment in place, slowly pulse the mixer on and off until the flour is incorporated. Continue kneading on medium speed for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is smooth and no longer clings to the sides of the mixer. If you need to add more flour, do so 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides. Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Place in a warm location and allow to rise for one hour or until doubled in size. Punch down dough and allow to rise a second time. After the second rise the dough is ready to be divided and rolled into 2 large rectangles. Sprinkle your favourite pizza toppings (we like chopped pepperoni and honey maple ham) on top of each rectangle, leaving about 2 inches on one long side for rolling up. Top with your favourite cheese (we like parmesan and mozzarella - and provolone if we have it) and Italian seasoning. Roll up like a cinnamon bun, cut with thread, and bake until golden. Serve with dipping sauces.

I like this one:

Favourite Marinara

• 
  
• 1 large can tomato sauce
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 bay leaves2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 large onions, chopped finely
  Combine all ingredients and simmer over a slow boil for three hours. (I use my slow cooker!) Remove bay leaves before serving.