Grilled Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob
Olive Oil in an oil mister
Garlic salt
Aluminum foil

Shuck the corn on the cob.  Get a square of aluminum foil, spray the foil with olive oil, then spray the corn with oil, and sprinkle on the garlic salt (I love my garlic salt grinder from Trader Joe's!).  Role up the foil and they are ready put it on the grill!

For charcoal grilling:  make a 'doughnut' with the coals around the outside of the grill.  Put the corn in the middle and grill 7 minutes on one side, 7 minutes on the other, and 4 minutes indirect heat (use an upper shelf if your grill has one).

For gas grilling:  grill on medium heat 15 minutes on one side, 15 minutes on the other, and 5 minutes indirect heat use an upper shelf if your grill has one).

Chocolate Monkey Tales!

4 bananas, cut in half

8 popsicle sticks

3/4 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

2 T coconut oil

chopped nuts, sprinkles, etc.

Line a backing sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Cut Bananas in half and insert popsicle sticks.  Put in the freezer and let freeze overnight or  until frozen solid.  

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Add vanilla and coconut oil.  Stir until smooth.

Coat frozen bananas with chocolate.  I have found using a spoon helps.  Work quickly so that bananas don't thaw.  

After each banana is coated with chocolate, add chopped nuts or sprinkles.  Do this quickly, the coconut oil makes the chocolate set very fast.

Bananas should be ready to eat right away, or you can put them in the freezer for later.  Don't do more than 4 bananas.  The last 2 I did were starting to thaw and I ran out of chocolate.  The white ones on the end were my Yogurt Monkey Tails.  

Crock Pot Chili

One of the tricks I've learned when using a crock pot is to wait until the last 20 minutes before adding ground spices.  This prevents the spices from overcooking and diminishing in flavor.  Don't be afraid of the cocoa and cinnamon in the recipe.  In Mexico, it is common to use these spices in savory dishes.  There is just enough to add richness to the flavor of the chili, but not enough to overwhelm it.  Also, the butternut squash is a way for me to sneak extra nutrition to my family and make the chili go a little farther.  They never even know it's there.

1.5 lbs hamburger, browned

1 can corn, drained

1 can kidney beans, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can black beans, undrained

12 oz package frozen butternut squash

8 oz tomato sauce

16 oz diced tomatoes, undrained 

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 T chili powder

2 T cocoa powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cinnamon 

Put hamburger, corn, beans, squash, tomato sauce, tomato paste and garlic in your crock pot and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  20 minutes before serving, add chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon.

Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives, etc.

NOTE:  For thicker chili, drain beans and diced tomatoes.

Banana Milk

Need a recipe to use up those over-ripe bananas?  I have the perfect one for you.  It is quick and easy to make and my kids love it.  This recipe was taken and modified from the Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts.  I've made it a little healthier by leaving out all the brown sugar and have added a little nutmeg.  This recipe makes two 8 oz servings

1 ripe banana
3/4 cup milk
1 T agave nectar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 pinches nutmeg

Put banana, milk, agave, and vanilla in a food processor and blend until pureed and foamy.  (My Magic Bullet is the perfect size for this recipe)  Pour into two  8 oz mugs and sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg in each.

Vegetable Curry Soup

I went to a local organic grocery store and had the most delicious vegetable curry soup.  I thought, "I need to get the recipe!" but figured that they probably wouldn't give it to me.  Then I realized that I could make it myself.  This soup has lots of vegetables and the trick of getting my husband and kids to eat them is to cut the veggies up really small.  

4 T coconut oil

5 T Flour

4 tsp madras curry

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, grated

1 zucchini, pealed and grated

1 turnip, pealed and grated

5 cups chicken stock*

4 red potatoes, chopped

1 small head of cauliflower, chopped very small

1 15 oz can coconut milk

2 tsp lemon juice

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat.  Add flour and brown.  Add garlic and curry and stir to combine.  Add carrot, zucchini, and turnip and stir to coat.  Add the stock, potatoes, and cauliflower.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until veggies are cooked through.  Add coconut milk and lemon juice, stirring until heated through.  Do not boil.  Serve immediately. **

*If I don't have fresh stock available, I use Better Than Bullion 

** You can make the soup before hand, but wait to add the coconut milk and lemon juice until just before you serve it.  

shred carrots, zucchini, and turnip

stir to coat

chop cauliflower very small

serve immediately

Grandma Moore's Carrot Cake

My great-grandma did not like cooking, but was a great cook.  She believed if you were going to do something, you should do it right.  Here is her recipe for carrot cake, which uses pineapple instead of raisins like many recipes.  Trust me, you won't miss the raisins!

Carrot Cake

3 C flour

2 C sugar

1 tsp soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1 small can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, DO NOT DRAIN

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups grated carrots

1 ½ walnuts chopped

 

Mix dry ingredients together.  Make a well in the center and add oil, pineapple with juice, eggs, and vanilla and stir.  Fold in carrots and walnuts.  Bake in a greased and floured bunt pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 ½ C powdered sugar

3oz package softened cream cheese

1 T corn syrup

½ tsp vanilla

Beat until smooth with an electric mixer.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.  

This is a carrot cake my mom made for Easter last weekend.