Take Root and Write

Homemade Pita Chips and Bean Dip

As you have probably noticed, I have taken an extended vacation from writing for "Easy Eats". Because everyone has their limits as to what they can accomplish (including me), I was thrilled when Take Root and Write co-editor and writer, Karen Lowe, offered to share some of her easy recipes! So, I hope you enjoy and will try Karen's following recipes:

I am one who enjoys snack foods. I like some good nachos. And chocolate is certainly on the top of my list of yummy treats. Whenever I can create a healthier version of a snack or dessert, I am one happy woman! Last year, I decided to see if I could come up with a better way to eat tortilla chips and bean dip. I was tickled when not only did I like it, but so did my entire family! Give these whole grain pita chips a try. They're simple to make and delicious to eat!

Whole Grain Pita Chips with Homemade Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• Whole grain pita bread (Be sure to buy one that is truly whole grain and no sugar in it.)
• 1 pound bag dry pinto beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt
• garlic powder
• cumin
• pepper

Kiddie Corner Donuts

All my life I have struggled with cooking and getting out of bed in the morning. One of the biggest challenges of my motherly resolve came compliments of my youngest when he found a way to combine the two.

Unlike his big brother who a decent sleeper at two weeks of age, Eric did not sleep through the night for six tortuous month. On top of that, he was a climber and had to be put into a regular bed at twelve months so the little monkey would not tumble out of his crib. Freedom from the wooden bars wasn't too bad until he morphed from a climbing monkey into an early bird hunting for breakfast before the crack of bed.

I'm not sure which was the most traumatic way for me to be awakened on the mornings Eric was on the prowl: the stealth when he woke me out a dead sleep yelling "eat", or the times I was semi-conscious and heard the swish-swish of his diaper as he charged my bed ready to let loose with choruses of "eat". And to make matters worse, if I didn't crawl out of bed fast enough, my persistent little one would steal my covers as he hollered out his hunger. It was a hideous scene.

Once I was up it was a race to sooth my diaper-clad beast. One of Eric's favorite breakfast foods was donuts. He was especially fond of the ones from the store slathered with frosting and decorated with sprinkles. Unfortunately, without advanced planning those were not always available in the wee hours of the morning. However, if there was a can of biscuit dough available, Eric would get his beloved donuts and I would survive a another day. These donuts make a fun breakfast food for kids of all ages.

• 1 can of basic buttermilk biscuit dough
• All-vegetable shortening
• 1-quart sauce pan
• Cinnamon sugar or chocolate syrup

Pop open the can of dough and tear holes in each biscuit. Set them aside. Heat shortening in the pan. When the shortening melts make sure it is 3/4 inch to 1 inch deep. When ripples appear in the oil, test the cooking temperature by dipping the end of an uncooked donut into it. If no cooking bubbles appear on the surface to the dough, let the oil heat a little more. However, if you get some "frying" action, the oil is ready. If the the bubbles become too violent during the actual cooking process, turn down the heat. When the submerged side of the donut is golden brown, flip the donut. The dounts are done when both sides are brown. Cover with the cinnamon sugar or dip in the chocolate.

3 x 5 Bean Dip

What do chips and salsa, chocolate chips cookies, and chocolate-covered cherries all have in common? Nothing really, other than they are some of my favorite foods. I tend to eat them until I feel bloated and five pounds heavier.

Even though I am not going to share a recipe for any of the above-mentioned favorites, I am going to provide some easy and yummy instructions for my "3 x 5 Bean Dip." This versatile appetizer or side dish often tempts me to overeat and it might tempt you, too.

This recipe is named for its ingredients so it can easily be memorized. That will save you from having to hunt down the recipe like prey whenever you want to make it. You add three measures of each of the five ingredients to the bean base. Check it out.

• 1 can refried beans
• 3 heaping tablespoons chopped/diced green chili
• 3 heaping tablespoons of salsa (whichever is your personal favorite)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 33 fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 sprinkles of garlic powder

Put the refried beans in a sauce pan. Add the green chili, salsa, green onions, cilantro leaves, and garlic powder. (Hint: You can use any number of cilantro leaves leaves you choose; it is not crucial to count exactly 33. I indicated 33 so it would fit the name of the recipe and be easier to remember.)

Ramen Noodle Cole Slaw

Ramen noodles. Gotta love 'em. People all over the world eat them daily. Despite being relatively high in sodium, they are a handy food. They make an easy meal for noodle slurping youngsters and their mothers who often lack the energy to fix much else. For college students on a shoestring budget, the kinky noodles can sustain them until they can get home to mom. Before leaving for college my son, Brian, would make runs to our neighborhood grocery store when he didn't think there was anything edible in the house (which was often since I'm in charge of the food in the house.)

For extremely creative people, the dried, block-shaped noodles can serve many different uses, limited only by one's imagination. They could serve as a makeshift frisbee or as clay pigeons, if skeet is your sport. If cooked just right they could become an emergency hairpiece for a female Irish dancer needing a curly ponytail. However, this month's recipe will focus on the edible aspect of these versatile noodles. This cabbage-based salad is sure to please the most ardent noodle connoisseur.

• 1 lb prepackaged, shredded cabbage or Cole slaw
• 2 packages ramen style noodles (chicken flavor), uncooked
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1'2 cup sunflower kernels (plain or salted)
• 3-4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or whatever is available)
• 3 TBSP white vinegar
• 2 packets ramen noodle flavor

Kiddie Corner Banana Candles

Happy New Year!

Moms are some of the coolest people ever. My mom fits into that category, but it wasn't until after I left home and had children of my own that I figured that out.

One of the areas my mom quietly excelled in was feeding my siblings and me. Not only was she a great cook, but each year she would fix our favorite foods in honor of each of our birthdays. I remember two of my favorite meals included "pigs in a blanket" (hot dogs encased in bread) and "sweet and sour pork." (Note to self: get hot dog recipe from Mom...no wait, ask her to fix them for me.) Going above and beyond the cooking call of duty, Mom would even strain the tiny pieces of mushroom out of canned soup because, as a youngster, I thought mushrooms were slimy and gross.

But alas, for as cool as my mom was, she was not perfect. When my brother, sister, and I were around elementary-school age, Mom got on a health food kick and started making a creepy concoction she called Pep-Up. She tried to convince us that this miracle drink would "pep-us-up." I'm not sure what the ingredients were, but it was disgusting! ...especially when a batch turned out lumpy. The lumps would stick to our teeth and trigger severe gagging. We were all glad when the Pep-Up reign of terror ended several years later; Mom must have thought we were plenty "peppy."

On the up side, one of the most memorable things Mom made for us was Banana Candles. They tasted great and were fun to look at. They lit up our day anytime they were on the menu. These edible candles are a treat for everyone, but they really ignite a child's taste buds. Brighten up your table with this festive food.

• Bananas (one per serving)
• Pineapple slices (one per serving)
• Maraschino Cherries (one per serving)
• Chocolate syrup (according to taste)

Cinnamon Lemon Cookies

I love the cookie exchanges that often accompany the holidays. The only bad thing about this type of event is that in order to get cookies, you have to make cookies. I just want to show up, socialize a little, gather my cookies, and scamper home with my edible treasures. Maybe my gourmet friends are on to my crummy cookie attitude because it's been a few years since I've been invited to such a gathering. Hmm, I wonder?

The last cookie exchange I attended found me scrambling for a recipe...imagine that. I couldn't just go buy ready-made cookie dough at the store, slice it up, throw it in the oven, and feel comfortable amongst all the cookie queens in my circle of friends. So, I sat down with some recipe cards from "Great American Recipes" that came via the United States Postal Service and, viola, I found a recipe that was actually stamped "Easy and Tasty!" Just what I needed. It wasn't really a Christmas cookie, but it did call for cinnamon which is kind of popular around the holidays. That was good enough for me and the cookies were a big hit. If you are cookie challenged, I encourage you to try this recipe. If I can do it, so can you.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
cinnamon sugar

Cornbread Dressing

Upon getting married 22 years ago I informed my husband that I would never stick my hand into a turkey cavity. So for the last two decades he has prepared our holiday turkeys in addition to many other items featured on our menu. However, dinner rolls and dressing quickly became my responsibility.

I usually buy no-brainer brown and serve rolls, but I do make more of an effort with the dressing. My favorite, and relatively easy, recipe is over fifty years old. My mother used it when she and her roommates made their first Thanksgiving meal away from their childhood homes. Mom had never attempted dressing before and bought a November, 1950ish issue of Ladies Homes Journal and took a chance. Her dressing has been a big hit ever since and is definitely worth a try.

• 12 slices of toasted bread

• 1 pan cornbread

• Butter or margarine

• 1 onion chopped

• 5 stalks of celery, sliced/chopped

• Sage

• Salt

• Pepper

• Chicken Broth (from a can, the turkey, or from bouillon)

Kiddie Corner Pizza

It's funny what memories we retain from our childhood. When I attended school as a youngster I remember being a model student...most of the time.

One day in high-school choir I dangled a huge rubber spider in the face of a girl standing in front of me on the risers. She was deep in concentration as our teacher led us through a difficult passage of music. The last thing she expected was a big, black spider bouncing inches from her face.

I anticipated a reaction, but I certainly didn't expect a blood curdling scream and the uncharted flight Mr. Spider took across the room after my victim swatted him. I was even more horrified when my spider's trajectory took him straight toward the teacher who had to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

When the dust settled and the class stood in stunned silence, my teacher picked up the hapless arachnid and asked who it belonged to. I don't know if it was integrity or stupidity that caused me to claim my spider, but I came clean. When the teacher saw it was me, he shot me a sharp look, returned my little friend, and said nothing more. He had come to expect and, in a way, appreciate my mischievous sense of humor.

However, the same couldn't be said about my seventh-grade home economics teacher. We had no chemistry whatsoever and I was awful in her class. She didn't appreciate my humor or anything else about me and the feeling was quite mutual. I don't remember much about her class other than our disregard for one another, but I do recall a recipe she taught us. It was an easy pizza that saved me on many occasions, years later, when I had kids of my own. It took the passage of time and the memory of a simple recipe for me to find something to appreciate about that teacher. Thanks, Mrs, Campbell!

• 1 can of buttermilk buscuit dough
• 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
• Spices (your choice)
• Parmesan cheese

Imitated Shrimp Salad

Although there is shopping in our small town, my family often enjoys making the forty-five minute jaunt to Santa Fe when faced with a long shopping list. That way we can make it a fun day of treasure hunting and eating out. On one such occasion we decided to deviate from our usual routine and ate at a restaurant belonging to a well known chain.

The shrimp salad I ordered was absolutely delicious. Using a fork, I tunneled through my dish in order to identify the tantalizing tidbits that created such a treat for my taste buds. When I returned home I added the ingredients to my grocery list and went shopping. I was full of a rare excitement at the prospect of duplicating the mouth-watering restaurant dish in my own kitchen. When I was done my efforts were rewarded with an edible trophy. Now you, too, can enjoy my imitated shrimp salad inspired by a well known eatery.

• Fresh spinach leaves (bagged baby spinach works well)
• Medium sized pre-cooked shrimp (7-10 per serving)
• Green onions (1-2 per serving)
• Red bell pepper
• Sliced almonds (prepackaged is easiest)
• Bacon bits (prepackaged is the way to go)
• Poppy seed dressing

If necessary, thaw the shrimp but no additional cooking is required. Chop the green onions. Slice the red bell pepper and saute in a pan with about a tablespoon of oil. If you are feeling adventurous you can roast the almonds under the broiler for a few minutes, but it's not required. Add all the ingredients together. (Hint: I've discovered that if you put the spinach on the bottom, when everything else is piled on it makes a pretty dish.) You can either top the salad off with the poppy seed dressing before it is served or the dressing can be added after dishing it up individually.

Contemporary Cherry Cobbler

When anyone mentions cobbler, the vision of a kindly, utensil-wielding granny wearing a checkered apron dances through my mind. Maybe the reason I've never created a stampede causing cobbler is because I'm few years short of being a granny and I don't wear a checkered apron. Never mind that I don't enjoy cooking.

Despite my deficiencies, I do have a recipe to share. It may fall short of a traditional, mouth-watering cobbler, but my contemporary recipe does have certain advantages. It has fewer steps and doesn't require a journey into the great outdoors for fresh fruit. And because most of us are a far cry from Martha Stewart, I think my recipe is very appropriate. Besides, since it uses canned fruit it can be ready in less than an hour. Give it a try:

• 21 oz can of cherry pie filling          
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1 egg or egg substitute
• 2 TBSP butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tsp cinnamon-sugar
• 4 TBSP sliced almonds (more of less to taste)

Pour cherries into a pie pan or 8-inch square pan. Stir in the almond extract. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, egg, and melted butter together. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients to make a stiff dough. Spoon the mixture over the pie filling in the pan, making 4 to 6 equal-sized portions. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until the cherries are bubbling and the topping is lightly browned. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar and almonds. (Hint: I sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar on prior to cooking and if you like the taste of toasted almonds, the almonds can be added the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking.) This recipe makes 4 nice sized servings, but you may want to double it if you need to feed more than 6. It can be served warm with ice cream, room temperature, or straight out of the refrigerator.

This dish is a wonderful last-minute dessert. In the horrifying event you forgot you promised to make something for a potluck or picnic...if you have an hour, you have a dish!

Welcome to my Unconventional Kitchen!

God must have a sense of humor. Why else would I have a cooking column? I hate to cook! What started out as an offer to do a book review for my local newspaper somehow turned into a freelance opportunity called "Easy Eats". Thus, it can only be assumed that God does, indeed, have a great sense of humor while working in mysterious ways.

This unexpected challenge has turned out to be a lot of fun. I love matching simple stories with equally simple recipes and, for Take Root and Write, topping it all off with a pinch of spiritual seasoning. The writer in me loves to craft each word and you, my readers, get a whimsical approach to cooking. So come back often (the first of every month) and enjoy "Easy Easts for the Cooking Impaired." On August 1, I will share a Contemporary Cherry Cobbler when I post my first official recipe. I'll see you then!

Intro: Easy Eats; For the Cooking Impaired!

"Dear Lord, Help me, I hate to cook!" Has this prayer ever tumbled out of your mouth? If so, you're in luck. Visit this column and enjoy a short story, a simple recipe, and a spiritual reflection. It probably won't make you love the kitchen, but it's a light-hearted approach to cuisine for the truly cooking impaired or those who love simple recipes and spiritual truths.

By, Shona Neff
Column Posted First Day of every month/Also Group in CWTR Here.