Goat Cheese Pear Tarts

2 pears
10 oz. goat cheese @ room temperature
1/2 tbsp sugar
dash of cinnamon
1 package puff pastry sheets (in the frozen foods aisle @ the grocery store)

1) preheat oven to 400.

2) roll out 1 puff pastry to a 20 x 20 inch square with a rolling pin,
and cut into 2 x 2 inch squares. grease your tins so the pastry does
not stick. press squares into tins and trim off the excess.

3) chop the pears finely with the skins on. (this adds a little color
to the tarts). stir pears, sugar & cinnamon up. you will probably have
a bit of the pear mixture leftover.

4) spoon and press down 1/2 tbsp of goat cheese onto the bottom of the
pastry and add 1 tbsp of pear mixture on top.

5) bake at 400 for 25 minutes. the edges should be golden brown.

6) take out of oven and let cool for 10 minutes. you will be able to
pop them out if you properly greased your tins.

Grandma Larsen's Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2.5 cups oatmeal
1 pkg chopped dates (optional)

Cream shortening, sugars and eggs. Add flour, soda and salt. Stir in extracts, followed by remaining ingredients. Drop onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Makes 7 dozen small.

Garlic Mayonnaise

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Stir everything together. Yum! Dip for veggies or shrimp.

Oatmeal Cake

Good as a snack or dessert. You can even get by doing it for breakfast, if you wanted.

1 cup of oatmeal (thick rolled or old fashioned) plus 1.5 cups boiling water. Mix and set aside.

Mix:
1/2 C oil (mild-flavored such as canola or walnut)
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
2 eggs

Sift and add:
1.5 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 T cinnamon

Add the oat mixture last and mix. Bake at 350 (in a 9x13" pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray) for 30-35 min.

Optional frosting:
Take half a block of Neufchatel cheese with half a cup of whipping cream. Add powdered sugar to taste. Whip in a stand mixer until very light and fluffy. Frost cake and put in refrigerator to set.


Notes:
This is how the recipe was given to me. When I make it, because I know I can't stay out of it, I use half the oil and 1/2 cup of each of the sugars. I also toss in about 1/2 cup of flax meal. That's how I like it, but you may like it sweeter. I have not tried the frosting, but the cake really is fantastic. It would be perfect for a brunch.

Lefse

3 C potato flakes
1 T sugar
3 C skim milk
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (1/2 cup; do not use margarine)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan heat milk and butter until butter melts and milk is foamy (do not boil). Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients and blend well. Cover with a damp cloth resting on the potato mixture; then cover the bowl. Chill overnight or at least 8 hours.

Blend 1 1/2 cups of flour into the potatoes with a pastry or electric mixer (do not use your hands or the dough will become too warm). Keeping dough cold, roll an ice cream scoop sized bit into a ball. Flatten and dust with flour. Place on a well-floured, cloth covered surface and roll thin using a floured grooved rolling pin, flipping the dough a few times as you roll.

Heat the lefse grill to 500 degrees. Transfer the rolled dough to the grill with a lefse stick. Cook until browned (about 30 seconds); flip and cook the other side (about 15 seconds). Remove the cooked lefse and place between two pieces of cloth where it will continue to cook. Repeat with the remaining dough.

After the lefse is cool it may be kept in a breathable container or frozen for longer term storage. Older lefse may be refreshed by placing it in a microwave oven and heating on high for about 10 seconds.

Makes 15-25 pieces, depending on size.

NOTE: Potato Buds changed their recipe in 2010. Using the newer Potato Buds, adjust amount of potatoes to 2.25 cups.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Puree

1 large or 2 small butternut squash (4lbs)
20 cloves of garlic (1.5-2 heads)
4 T olive oil, divided
¼ C water
2 leeks, finely chopped
5 C stock (chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste
2 T finely chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, seed and cut squash into 1” slices.

In a large roasting pan, combine squash, garlic and 2 T of the oil. Toss. Pour in the water. Roast, stirring occasionally until the garlic and squash are golden and soft, 50-60 min. Add more water if the squash begins to scorch.

While the squash and garlic are roasting, in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 T of oil. Add leeks and sauté until golden brown, 12-15 min. Set aside.

In a blender, in batches, combine roasted squash, garlic and lees with 1 cup of the stock. Puree until very smooth, about 1 min. Transfer pureed squash to a large saucepan. Stir in remaining 4 cups of stock and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with chives.

4-6 servings


[based on 4 servings]

Calories 386
Calories from Fat 134

Total Fat 14.9g (23%)
Saturated Fat 2.2g (11%)
Cholesterol 0mg (0%)
Sodium 985mg (41%)
Total Carbohydrates 65.3g (22%)
Dietary Fiber 10.2g (41%)
Sugars 12.8g
Protein 7.1g

Vit A 981% Vit C 177%
Calcium 29% Iron 25%
Nutrition Grade A

My Favorite Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce (or to taste)
2 tablespoons Splenda (or sugar or brown sugar)
1 heaping teaspoon fresh chopped garlic (a couple cloves)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 drops tabasco sauce (or to taste)
1/3 cup hot water

Mix everything together and pour over soba noodles or spaghetti noodles. Makes a couple cups (2-3 servings).

Also try:
Add chicken or tofu
Add fresh broccoli
Use brown rice instead of noodles
Add 6 drops of sesame seed oil
Substitute a third of the peanut butter with sesame tahini
Top with fresh scallions and edamame