Baked Acorn Squash

In this simple recipe, acorn squash are baked and then seasoned with salt and pepper, and sweetened with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.

INGREDIENTS:
2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter, diced
6 tablespoons firmly
packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place squash in a shallow baking pan, cut side down.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tender.
4. Turn cut side up; season with salt and pepper, dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
5. Bake for 20 minutes more.

Turkey Meatballs in Garlic Sauce

This recipe makes a satisfying dinner for two, served over hot rice or noodles.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce
2 drops hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup finely crushed
butter-flavored crackers
1 tablespoon minced fresh
parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound lean ground
turkey
1 cup V-8 juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
Hot cooked rice
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into six meatballs. Place in a greased 9-in. pie plate. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the V8 juice, broth and garlic. Turn meatballs; spoon sauce over top. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake 20 minutes longer, basting every 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Alaska Salmon Broccoli-Cheese Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

2 (4.8-ounce) packages pasta with 4-cheese sauce
1/2 cup milk
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
1 (14.75-ounce) can Alaska salmon, drained and chunked
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. In large saucepan, prepare packaged pasta according to low-fat directions, stirring in an additional ½ cup milk.
2. Microwave broccoli on HIGH for 3 minutes, rotating occasionally and pulling apart to thaw.
3. During the last 3 minutes of pasta cook time, blend in broccoli, salmon and lemon-pepper seasoning.

Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

My hubby and I went to Farmers' Market yesterday and we bought fresh vegetables and fruits. Unlike the vegetables that they sell at the stores which are not fresh and the fruits were laden with wax to make it look shiny, the veggies and fruits that they sell there are feshly picked from the farm. The prices at Farmers' Market are almost the same as the price in the store but still a lot of people buy there because of the freshness of the veggies. We bought okra, green beans, tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers, onions and peaches. I wanted to buy cantaloupe but it cost much. Just for 1 cantaloupe, it costs $5. I will just wait till the price will go down a bit.

Cassava Cake

I just love cassava cake. It's been a few years since the last time I made this. I hope I can make it again one of these days.

Ingredients

* 2 lbs grated cassava
* 14 oz can coconut milk
* 13 oz can coconut cream
* 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
* 12 oz. can evaporated milk
* 1 cup grated coconut
* ¾ cup sugar
* 3 eggs
* 3 egg whites

Topping:

* Sweetened condensed milk
* 3 egg yolks
* vanilla and lemon flavoring to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. In large bowl, combine the cake ingredients, reserving 1/3 of the condensed milk for topping. Mix well.
3. Pour equally into two large greased rectangular pans.
4. Bake until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Mix topping ingredients - the reserved sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and flavourings - and spread evenly on the two cakes.
6. Bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Cool cakes completely and cut each cake into squares.

Country Style Steak

A simple and easy recipe for cube steak that can easily be stretched to feed as many as you like. Serve over rice or potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 pound cube steak, cut into bite size pieces
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for coating
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
* 2 cups water, or as needed
* salt and pepper to taste
* garlic salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat cube steak pieces with flour, and shake off the excess. Fry steak pieces in the hot oil just until browned on each side and there are some juices in the pan. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Stir together the onion soup mix and 1 tablespoon of flour; sprinkle into the skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until it starts to brown. Gradually mix in the water to make a gravy. Return the cube steak to the pan, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cover, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.

Wild Rice Salad

Easy to make and tastes wonderful. You can use either turkey or chicken. You can serve it plain, on salad greens, or in a pita. Very versatile.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (6 ounce) package wild rice
* 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon white vinegar
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 cups cooked, cubed turkey meat
* 1/4 cup diced green onion
* 1 cup seedless red grapes
* 6 ounces blanched slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in rice, turkey, onion and grapes until evenly coated with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Before serving, sprinkle slivered almonds over the top of the salad.

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Chicken Salad

We spent the night yesterday at our friends' house and she prepared chicken salad and other recipes last night for our lunch. I enjoyed eating her chicken salad and so I decided to make also a chicken salad. I had to research the web and came out with this recipe. It's so easy and simple.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked
* 1/4 cup creamy salad dressing
* 4 tablespoons cole slaw dressing
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1/4 onion, chopped
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a food processor, combine the chicken, creamy salad dressing, cole slaw dressing, celery, onion, and salt and pepper. Mix until well chopped.

Texas Coleslaw

This goes great with barbecues and picnics. For a more mild salad, use less green onions.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon lime juice
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 medium head green cabbage, rinsed and very thinly sliced
* 1 large carrot, shredded
* 2 green onions, sliced
* 2 radishes, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the cabbage, carrot, green onions and radishes and stir until well-combined. Chill at least an hour before serving.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

These spring rolls are a refreshing change from the usual fried variety. They are great as a cool summertime appetizer, and are delicious dipped in one or both of the sauces.

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 ounces rice vermicelli
* 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
* 8 large cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined and cut in half
* 1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 leaves lettuce, chopped
* 1 pc shredded carrots
* 4 teaspoons fish sauce
* 1/4 cup water
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
4. Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.

SAUCE:
For an easy and excellent peanut dipping sauce, mix 1 part crunchy peanut butter to 2 parts hoisin sauce. Whisk over medium heat until blended, adding a few splashes of water to make the sauce less thick. This sauce truly MAKES the dish!

Ginisang Ampalaya

I just love this vegetable, ampalaya or bitter gourd anyway it's cooked. Others may not like it because they said it's bitter, but it doesn't taste bad to me. The ampalaya I cooked taste good especially ginisang ampalaya.

Ingredients:

3 pcs sliced ampalaya

1 chopped onion

1 chopped tomatoe

3 crushed garlic

1/4 c ground beef or pork

patis to taste

2 beaten eggs

Heat oil and brown the meat..add garlic onion ..tomatoes and patis to taste..sautee for 5 minutes and add ampalaya..cover and cook for another 5 minutes..Pour in the beaten eggs and cooked for another 2 minutes and serve with white rice...

Beef Embutido

Embutido is the Filipino style of meatloaf. I love to eat this whenever I attend weddings in the Philippines because they always served it. But since I removed pork in our diet, I used beef instead.

Ingredients :

500 g. of ground lean beef
2 onions, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 c. of grated carrots
1/3 c. of sweet pickle relish
1/3 c. of fine breadcrumbs
1/2 c. of powdered cream of mushroom soup
1 tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. of dried parsley)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. of salt
1/2 tsp. of pepper
1 tsp. of Worcestershire sauce
3 pcs. of aluminum foil, 12" x 12" square

Cooking procedure :

Mix together all the ingredients. Divide into three portions. Take one portion and roll into a tightly packed log about 3" to 4 " in diameter. Wrap with a piece of aluminum foil, sealing all edges. Repeat the procedure for the remaining two portions of meat-vegetable mixture. Place the uncooked embutido in a baking tray and bake in a moderately hot oven (about 375-degrees Fahrenheit) for 20-30 minutes. Cool and slice into rings. Garnish with mayonnaise, mustard and catsup.

Pineapple Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, beat well, then stir in the vanilla and pineapple. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pita Pizza

"Pita Pizza is a quick snack or meal that can be customized to your liking!"
PREP TIME 5 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 20 Min


INGREDIENTS

* 1 pita bread round
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 3 tablespoons pizza sauce
* 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
* 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
2. Spread one side of the pita with olive oil and pizza sauce. Top with cheese and mushrooms, and season with garlic salt.
3. Lightly oil grill grate. Place pita pizza on grill, cover, and cook until cheese completely melts, about 5 minutes.

BBQ Tuna Fritters

You just got home and you're hungry now. You'd never know these delicious recipe only take 20 minutes to prepare and it's delicious.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (6 ounce) can light tuna in water, drained
* 1 egg
* 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
* 3 tablespoons barbeque sauce
* 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
* 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon dried savory
* 1 pinch salt
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, egg and oats until blended. Mix in the barbeque sauce, green onion, hot pepper sauce, savory, and salt.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Spoon tablespoonfuls of the tuna mixture into the pan, and flatten slightly. Smaller patties hold together better. Cook until browned on each side, about 3 minutes per side.