Baked Butternut Squash Fries

Love these fries but hate the calories? Try this baked version.

Baked Butternut Squash Fries
Ingredients:
One 2-lb. or half of a 4-lb. butternut squash (20 oz. once
peeled and sliced)
1/8 tsp. coarse salt, or more to taste
Optional dip: ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.

 Peel squash and slice off the ends. Cut in half width wise, just above the round section. Cut the round piece in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut squash into French-fry-shaped spears. Thoroughly pat dry. Lay spears on the sheets and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes.

 Flip spears and bake until mostly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 15 minutes.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Thanks to HungryGirl for the recipe.

Unique Birthday Cake

Time to celebrate a birthday but no cake available? Ruth Ann Hogan got creative when her daughter came to visit their cabin in the mountains. Sometimes the simplest of recipes become family memories.
Ruth Ann writes, "I wanted to do something fun and didn't want to have cake leftover so I bought the Nestles Chocolate Chip slice and bake cookie roll.  Sliced about 6 cookies into an iron skillet and baked it until it was browned!  The candles wouldn't stand up in the cookie so I put a hard scoop of ice cream in the middle so she could blow out some candles!  It was funny!  We added lots more ice cream and divided it by 3!"  

Healthy Carrot Cake and Oatmeal Bake

Like healthy granola in a bar . . . this one is filled with oats, fruit + veggies.

If you like this, you might enjoy Granola page 196 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook too.

Carrot Cake and Oatmeal Bake
Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
3 tbsp. plain protein powder with about 100 calories per serving
5 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Truvia)
1 1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup (about 4 large) egg whites
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrots, finely chopped
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple packed in juice, lightly drained
3 tbsp. raisins, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" x 8" baking pan with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine oats, protein powder, sweetener, chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well.

In a medium-large bowl, combine almond milk, applesauce, egg whites, and vanilla extract. Mix until uniform.

Add mixture in the medium-large bowl to the large bowl. Stir until uniform.

Fold in chopped carrots, lightly drained pineapple, and chopped raisins.

Transfer the mixture to the baking pan, and smooth out the surface.

Bake until top is light golden brown and entire dish is cooked through, about 35 minutes.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Thanks to HungryGirl for the recipe.

Normandy awaits National History Day students and teachers

Last week, in Normandy, France, fifteen teenagers delivered eulogies at the memorials of men they never knew. These students spent months researching the bravery, selflessness, and courage of these strangers in order to better understand the sacrifice these Silent Heroes made in WWII. The students in the Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student and Teacher Institute truly are Normandy Scholars. The Historical League is pleased to assist Chandler student Arysap Nejat and teacher Stacey Trepanier through National History Day.

Patriotic Fourth of July Taco Salad

Festive Fourth of July Taco Salad







Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 envelope taco seasoning
6 cups tortilla or corn chips
4 to 5 cups shredded lettuce
9 to 10 pitted large olives, sliced lengthwise
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato paste and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Place chips in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Spread beef mixture evenly over the top. Cover with lettuce. For each star, arrange five olive slices together in the upper left corner. To form stripes, add cheese and tomatoes in alternating rows. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.
Editor's Note: If you wish to prepare this salad in advance, omit the layer of chips and serve them with the salad.
Originally published as Patriotic Taco Salad in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2002,

T. Cooks at Royal Palms Resort

Cathy Shumard, Ruth McLeod and Linda Corderman enjoy T. Cooks

Beautiful arches at Royal Palms entry

Tough job, but someone has to do it - visit beautiful historic restaurants around Arizona and talk to them about being involved in our new cookbook, Tastes and Treasures II. Cathy Shumard, Linda Corderman and Ruth McLeod stopped in at T. Cooks at Royal Palms Resort. We munched on bowls of delicious Muhammara and hummus with grilled pita, black olives, thickly sliced cucumbers and giant black radishes. Joined by Director of Sales and Marketing, Mark Lindsey, it was exciting to hear compliments about our first edition of Tastes and Treasures and to hear the interest in participating in the second volume.

Wyoming Whopper Cookies from Janelle

Well worth making, these are delicious. Pour yourself a glass of milk and try not to eat more than one!
Thanks to Janelle Olson for sharing the recipe.

Wyoming Whopper Cookies
Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup chunky-style peanut butter
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
6 cup old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup raisins
2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Blend in peanut butter, sugars and eggs; mix until smooth. Add oats, chocolate chips, raisins and baking soda (dough will be sticky). Drop on greased baking sheets with ice cream scoop or large spoon. Flatten slightly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 2 dozen