Cinnamon Chip Bread (like Great Harvest)

3 T. yeast
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten lightly (*Note from Crystal, 1/4 C. Dry Egg Powder +1/2 C. Water)
3 3/4 cup warm water
4 1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups cinnamon bites (available at Honeyville Grain's Country Stores)
11-12 cups flour (*Note from Crystal, this is a great recipe to disguise wheat in! Try it at least half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose or get really gutsy and try it 100% whole wheat!)

Combine in mixing bowl 4 cups flour, yeast, and sugar. Add water, eggs, and oil. Beat well to "cake batter" stage. Stir in salt, cinnamon bites, and 7 more cups flour to make bread-dough consistency. Let mixer knead it to the right texture (add up to 1 more cup flour if needed). Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour. Shape dough into 4 loaves. Let rise for another hour or until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Slice thick and serve warm with butter, or toast slices in the toaster (be careful, the cinnamon bites can burn your fingers), or make slices into French Toast. Yummy!

Homemade Salsa

4-5 Tomatoes (Garden or Store bought)
1 onion
1-2 jalepenos
2 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro

Chop each item separately in food processor. Then mix all together (or if you're in a hurry throw it all in together). Add salt to taste.

Tomato & Pesto Pizza

This pizza is bursting with flavor! There's somthing about the combination of tomatoes, pesto, and cheese that is just flat out amazing. It's simple and FRESH, yet sinfully mouthwatering.

1 pizza dough, rolled out (homemade or Rhodes frozen bread, thawed)
1/4 c. pesto
2-3 c. mozzarella cheese (FRESH, sliced mozarella is best, but shredded is ok too... that is what we used in the picture)
2-3 fresh tomatoes, sliced
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese
fresh basil, dried and crushed

Spread pesto onto the pizza dough. Layer (or sprinkle) cheese on top of the pesto. Arrange tomatoes on top of the cheese and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Add any remaining mozzarella, then sprinkle with Parmesan and basil. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes (check after 10 minutes). Serve immediately.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalepeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
1 tomatillo
1 jalepeno
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, 1 tomatillo, 1 jalepeno,enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Fall Harvest Alfredo

2/3 C. Magic Mix
1 C. Water
1/4 C. Shredded Parmesan Cheese (If you use canned parmesan cheese it will be thicker)
1/2 C. Cooked and Pureed Pumpkin
1/2 t. Cinnamon
Dash of Nutmeg
1/4 C. Sour Cream or Cream Cheese
1 C. chopped Chicken
4 C. favorite pasta
Chopped Apple (to garnish, 1/2 an apple per person)

Instructions

1. Get you noodles boiling and chicken cooking.

2. Make a white sauce from magic mix by combine magic mix and water in sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens. Once the sauce is thickened, turn heat to low and add parmesan cheese, pumpkin, spices, and sour cream.

3. Combine noodles, chicken, and sauce and serve immediately.

4. Garnish with chopped apples. serves 4

Magic Mix Fudgesicles

1/2 C. Sugar
1 C. Magic Mix
2-3 T. Cocoa (optional)
2 C. Water
1 t. Vanilla

Combine Magic Mix, sugar and cocoa in saucepan and mix well. Add water, stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles. Add vanilla and beat. (*note* you won't refridgerate this like you would if you were making the pudding, just go straight to the next step after adding the vanilla)

Add 1/2 C. milk (1-1/2 T. Powdered Milk + 1/2 C. Water) to pudding and stir.

Pour into ice cube trays with toothpicks or little dixie cups with spoons. The best way to get the toothpicks to stay put while you're freezing is to cover the ice cube trays with aluminum foil and then stick the toothpicks in, as picture below.

McDonald's Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese

(no joke! It tastes just like a McDonald's cheeseburger, what kid can resist? Not to mention it's a complete meal in one and is just as easy and fast as the stuff in the blue box plus it sneaks in vegetables. Try it! Your family will eat powdered milk! :)

Ingredients:
2 C. White Sauce from Magic Mix (See Below)
2 C. Uncooked Macaroni (from food storage :)
2 C. Cheese
1-2 tsp. salt or garlic salt (optional)
1/2 C. Ketchup
1 T. Yellow Mustard
1 lb. Cooked Ground Beef (I cook all my ground beef when I buy it and separate it into 1 lb. bags which makes a meal like this SOO easy!)
1/4 C. Dehydrated Onion hydrated in 1/2 C. Warm Water, drained (optional)
1 Bag Frozen Mixed Vegetables (if you want an easy way to cook frozen vegetables, simply poke the bag with a fork and cook in your microwave for 5-6 minutes. Those new Steamer veggie bags do the same thing but are tons more money!)

Directions:
Cook Macaroni in boiling water until tender. Cook hamburger while macaroni cooks. Drain macaroni and make white sauce in empty pot. Combine all ingredients and heat through. (I garnished mine with fresh tomatoes.)

Magic Mix White Sauce

2/3 C. Magic Mix
1 C. Water
In saucepan combine Magic Mix and water. Stir rapidly (I use a wire wisk) over medium heat until it starts to bubble. (Use Magic Mix White Sauce for all recipes calling for a white or cream sauce.) Makes 1 cup

Magic Mix Pudding

1/2 C. Sugar
1 C. Magic Mix
2-3 T. Cocoa (optional)
2 C. Water
1 t. Vanilla
Combine Magic Mix, sugar and cocoa in saucepan and mix well. Add water, stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles. Add vanilla and beat. Cover and Cool. Makes 4 1/2 C. Servings

Magic Mix

Magic Mix, is just that, MAGIC and a must have in your fridge! It makes a perfect white sauce in minutes (a.k.a cream soups, macaroni and cheese, cheese sauce for broccoli, etc.), makes INCREDIBLE tasting pudding, and of course...uses your food storage, in the powdered milk form.



How to make Magic Mix Video

The basic instructions for Magic Mix are as follows:
2-1/3 C. Powdered Milk
1 C. All Purpose Flour (Yes, use All Purpose)
1 C. (2 sticks) Margarine (***HAS TO BE REAL MARGARINE, NOT SPREAD***) or Butter, at room temperature
Combine dry milk, flour and margarine/butter into a large bowl and refrigerate.

Tropical Ambrosia

* 5 large egg yolks
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup frozen passion fruit pulp (such as Goya), thawed
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up
* Pinch salt
* 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
* 1 mango, peeled
* 3 kiwi, peeled
* 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cored
* 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges
* 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, plus more for garnish
* 1 frozen pound cake (10.75 ounces), thawed
* 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon mini marshmallows
* 1 cup raspberries

Directions

1. Passion Fruit Curd: Combine egg yolks, sugar, passion fruit pulp, butter and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring constantly, or until mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer. Note: Do not let the mixture come to a boil or it will curdle.

2. Transfer mixture to a medium-size bowl set over an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water). Stir with a wooden spoon until chilled.

3. Fold whipped topping into chilled curd. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

4. Assembly: Cut mango into 3/4-inch chunks. Cut 1 kiwi in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut remaining kiwis into 1/2-inch chunks. Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut slices into 3/4-inch chunks.

5. Drain mandarin oranges. Set aside about 14 pieces of the nicest looking oranges and pineapple and all of the kiwi slices. Toss remaining mango, kiwi chunks, oranges and pineapple with 1 cup coconut to blend (makes about 6 cups).

6. Cut cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices (14 total). Using a 1-1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut a semicircle from the bottom edge of each cake slice. Cut remaining pound cake scraps into 3/4-inch pieces.

7. Spread 1 cup of the fruit mixture in an even layer on the bottom of trifle dish. Arrange a row of the reserved kiwi slices, cut-edge down, along bottom, pressed against the side of dish. Add reserved pieces of pineapple in between each kiwi slice and mandarin oranges on top of kiwi. Set aside 1 cup of the fruit mixture; spread remaining fruit into the serving dish. Spread level.

8. Sprinkle 2 cups of the mini marshmallows in an even layer on top of fruit, making sure they reach the side of the dish. Place raspberries in a single layer along outer edge of dish. Add any leftover berries to the reserved fruit.

9. Place the semicircles of pound cake on top of raspberries, straight-side down, pressing against the side of the dish. Add the cubed pound cake scraps to help support the semicircles. Press down slightly so top is level.

10. Spread passion fruit curd evenly over cake layer. Mound remaining chopped fruit on top and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon mini marshmallows. Garnish with coconut. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 tub (8 oz.) frozen COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Sliced Almonds
Make It


PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round baking pans. Chop 2 of the chocolate squares; set aside. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in chopped chocolate. Spoon into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

PLACE frozen whipped topping and remaining 6 chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken. Place one cake layer on serving plate; top with one-fourth of the chocolate mixture and second cake layer. Spread top and side with remaining chocolate mixture. Garnish with almonds. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

FOR THE CAKE

* 1 (18 1/4 ounce) betty crocker white cake mix
* 1 1/4 cups water
* 1/3 cup oil
* 3 egg whites

FOR THE LEMON CREAM FILLING

* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 4 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 cup heavy cream

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

* 1/2 cup flour
* 1/2 cup powdered sugar
* 1/4 cup cold butter
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* powdered sugar (for garnish)

Directions

1. If you choose to use a different brand of white cake, use the manufacturer's directions instead of mine.
2. TO MAKE CAKE:.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch layer cake pan or springform pan.
4. Mix the ingredients for the cake following the procedure on box. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly, then remove cake from pan to rack to cool completely.

6. TO MAKE THE LEMON CREAM FILLING:.
7. In a medium-size bowl, combine cream cheese and 2 cups powdered sugar in a with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in lemon juice.
8. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on high whip cream until stiff peaks form. Using a spoon, fold cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream; set aside.

9. TO MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING:.
10. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add butter and dribble in the vanilla extract. Cut cold butter into flour mixture until mixture is in pieces no larger than a pea. Refrigerate until ready to frost cake.

11. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:.
12. When the cake is completely cool, cut into two layers. Reserve 1/2 cup of the Lemon Cream Filling. Spread the remainder of the filling on the bottom half of the cake. Place the second half on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining 1/2 cup of the Lemon Cream Filling. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the Crumb Topping, pressing it onto the sides to cover.
13. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

14. TO SERVE:.
15. Cut into slices; dust with powdered sugar.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 egg whites (or 2 T. dryPowdered Egg + 1/4 C. Water)
1/2 cup fat-free milk (1-1/2 T. Dry Powdered Milk + 1/2 C. Water)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
2-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Grease a nonstick 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Mix pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt; stir just until moistened.

SPOON the pumpkin batter into prepared pan.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to loosen bread; cool in pan on wire rack 10 min. Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

Ingredients

* 6 large eggs, beaten
* 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
* Salt and pepper
* 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
* 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
* 1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

Note: I usually use half and half instead of cream. I also use cubed ham instead of bacon and if I don't have swiss I use whatever cheese I have. It usually has to cook longer than 45 minutes.