Key Lime Pie Frozen Sandwiches

Margarita Pie from historic Rancho de la Osa on page 196 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook is a big hit with us. This recipe from Hungry Girl is very similar but with lower calorie and some different flavors. Try them both.

Key Lime Pie Frozen Sandwiches

Ingredients: 


1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt 

1 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar 

1 tbsp. lime juice (key lime, if available) 

2 sheets (8 crackers) low-fat cinnamon graham crackers, broken into 4 squares



Directions:

To make the filling, combine yogurt, sugar, and lime juice in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Cover and place in the freezer for 25 - 30 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve-like consistency (very thick but soft enough to stir.)


Place two graham cracker squares on a plate with the cinnamon-covered sides down. Give filling a stir and evenly distribute between the two graham cracker squares, about 1/4 cup each. Gently place another graham cracker square over each filling-topped square, cinnamon-covered sides up.



Place in the freezer until filling is firm, at least 1 hour.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, 1 sandwich): 128 calories, 1g fat, 105mg sodium, 24g carbs, 0.5g
fiber, 16g sugars, 7g protein

Family Reunion at the Farm

Since they grow the corn, it can't get any fresher. Folks in Indiana have lots of ways to cook corn but this is the favorite . . . grilling right in the husk.

Just pull back the outer leaves, remove the silk, replace the leaves and soak in a big tub for 4-8 hours. Then place directly on the grill. Yummmm.

The cooler worked great to store the cooked corn for the large group at the reunion.

Any left over corn is wonderful for Corn Salsa, page 33 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 ½ cups roasted corn (about 2 large ears)
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup vegetable juice cocktail
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt to taste

Directions:
Combine the jalapeno chiles, corn, bell peppers, cilantro, onion, tomato, sugar, vegetable juice cocktail, lime juice and salt in a large bowl and toss to mix.

Makes 3 ½ cups

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate

Is there anything better? The Truffle Hill Chocolates in Excelsior, MN is a charming cottage with all handmade chocolates and sweet treats. Phoenix visitor Kathy Holcombe was delighted with the choices.

For your own home made delights, try the Chocolate Peanut Treats on page 162 Tastes & Treasures Cookbook. Margaret Baker made them for a Historical League meeting and they are every bit as good as sweets from Truffle Hill.

Chocolate Peanut Treats page 162

Ingredients

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups (12 ounces) butterscotch chips
1 (18-ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
¼ cup vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
2 (1-pound) packages confectioners’ sugar
1 pound salted peanuts

Directions

Combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Cook until blended, stirring frequently. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Spread half the chocolate chip mixture in a greased 10X15-inch baking pan. Chill until firm.

Bring the butter, evaporated milk and pudding mix to a boil in a saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over the chilled layer. Stir the peanuts into the remaining chocolate chip mixture and spread over the prepared layers. Chill until firm and cut into 2-inch squares.

Makes 30 (2-inch square) pieces

Walking Tacos

Perfect for neighborhood pot lucks, this dish was so-o-o popular at the "Neighborhood Night Out" in Minneapolis. Over 100 neighbors attended to enjoy friendship, food and support the event. Joined by a full-size firetruck that hosed down the kids, a police patrol car, bouncy blow-up building for kids, coloring book stations and lots and lots of bicycles, this evening was a huge success.




Potluck ingredients
1. bags of individual size Doritos
2. Crockpot of taco meat sauce
3. shredded lettuce
4. shredded cheese
5. sour cream
6. taco sauce
7. smashed avocados
8. chopped green onions
9. diced peppers
10. choppped tomatoes
11. what ever people bring to add to the taco
12. plastic forks

Directions
Open Dorito bag and add taco ingredients. Grab a fork and enjoy.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has an authentic recipe for Navajo Taco on page 14 with more accurate ingredients. This recipe is from historic Cameron Trading Post. It is not quite as portable as Walking Tacos, but very tasty.

Wow Salad Presentation

While visiting Costa Rica and dining with friends at their home, Debbie Walker Bauer sent this salad photo. Now This is a Presentation! Love the use of flowers in the food.

Accompanied by the fabulous views, what a dinner party this makes.

"The salad is an arrangement of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, olives, fresh peaches, red onion. It was delicious. They own a restaurant here in CR. He served stuffed pork with an amazing stuffing! mmmmm good!"

Grilled Fruit Kebobs

Grilled Juicy Fruit Kebabs & Dip

Grilling fruit was a new experience for me but fun. And if you're an old pro in the field of fruit grilling, you'll still love this recipe and the dip for the fruit.

Ingredients:
Dip
6 oz. fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. granulated white sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract

Kebabs
1 cup 1-inch pineapple chunks (about 1/4th of a pineapple)
1 cup 1-inch mango chunks (about 1 mango)
1 cup 1-inch peach or nectarine chunks (about 2 peaches or nectarines)
1 cup 1-inch banana chunks (about 1 large banana)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 20 minutes to prevent burning. (4 skewers.)

Combine all ingredients for dip in a bowl. Mix until thoroughly blended and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Skewer the fruit chunks alternately onto 4 skewers, packing the pieces together tightly. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bring a grill (or grill pan) sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add skewers, cover, and cook until fruit chunks are slightly blackened and caramelized, about 3 minutes per side. If using a grill pan, work in batches, removing pan from heat between batches to re-spray.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe, 1 kebab with about 3 tbsp. dip): 135 calories, 0.5g fat, 17mg sodium, 30.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 23g sugars, 4.5g protein

Thanks to www.hungrygirl.com for grilling ideas and food statistics.

Two Sweet and Sour Apple Desserts

SWEET AND SOUR APPLE DESSERT
Here is another easy and delicious recipe from the recipe exchange, thanks to Jean Young from Newfoundland, Canada.
We found a new apple called Envy that was delicious for this recipe.

1. Mix together
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups graham wafer crumbs

2. Press in bottom of 8 x8 or 9x 9 dish

3. Mix together the following and spread over the graham wafer bottom
1 small tub sour cream
1 tin condensed milk
3 tablespoons lemon Juice

Top with 1 can of apple pie filling. Sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake for 15 minutes at 325.
THIS CAN BE CUT IN SQUARES AND FROZEN WHEN COOLED.

A little more complicated (but delicious) apple recipe is found on page 163 Tastes & Treasures cookbook

Apple Streusel Pie

Streusel Topping

½ cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup chopped pecans

Apple Pie

¼ cup chopped pecans

1 unbaked (9 inch) pie shell

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

6 cups thinly sliced tart apples

2 tablespoons butter

For the topping, combine the brown sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon in a bowl and stir with a fork until crumbly. Stir in the pecans.

For the pie, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the pecans over the bottom of the pie shell. Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the apples to the sugar mixture and toss to coat. Mound the apple mixture in the prepared pie shell and dot with the butter. Spread the topping evenly over the top of the pie and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes longer, checking after 30 minutes and covering with foil if needed to prevent the topping from overbrowning.

Serves 6 to 8