Vanilla Spiced Pear Butter

This is SO yummy! We had some on toast and it was absolutely delish. You can use it on anything you would use jam on... toast, rolls, muffins, crepes etc. I still don't have any cardamom so I didn't add it, and I didn't miss it, but it would probably be delish with it as well.

Vanilla Spiced Pear Butter
Makes 8 - eight ounce jars or 4 pints

Ingredients:
7 lbs. pears, peeled, cored, and coarsley chopped
1/2 cup water
zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
juice of 1 orange

Directions:
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine the pears, water, lemon zest and juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, occasionally stirring, for 20 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer mixture to a blender and puree just until a uniform texture is achieved. Do not liquefy. Measure 8 cups of pear puree (you can use the excess as Pearsauce).

In a clean large saucepan, combine pear puree, sugar, orange juice, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and holds it shape to a spoon and liquid does not separate (about 2-3 hours).

Ladel into resealable containers to freeze or jars to can.

Goat Cheese and Tomato Toast

I was trying to figure out a way to use up some of the goat cheese that I bought and I made this for lunch one day. It was tasty! I don't know that you could call it a "recipe" but I'm posting it here anyway. :) You could also do this on small baguette slices for an easy appetizer. I think it would also be good with feta cheese.

Goat Cheese and Tomato Toast

Good, multi-grain bread
Fresh Tomatoes, sliced
Goat Cheese
Italian Seasoning
Crushed Rosemary

Slice the bread about 1/2" think. Put sliced tomatoes, in a single layer, on top of bread. Sprinkle with crushed rosemary and Italian Seasoning to taste. Crumble goat cheese on top. Put under broiler in oven or toaster oven until cheese is golden brown. Watch closely so that it doesn't burn.

Stuffed Peppers

We had these a couple nights ago and they're yummy. I used ground turkey when I made these and we really liked it, but you you could use beef, too, which is what the recipe originally called for.

Stuffed Peppers

1 pound ground turkey (or beef)
1 1/2-2 C. cooked brown rice
6 bell peppers
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Italian seasoning
cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, cook the meat until evenly browned.
Remove and discard tops, seed and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange in a baking dish with hollowed end facing upwards. (Slice a little off the bottoms of the peppers, if necessary, so they will stand upwards. Be careful not to slice off too much.)
Combine the meat, rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Spoon an equal amount into each pepper. Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl and pour evenly over each pepper. Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven, sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top, and continue baking until cheese is melted.

Serves 6

From Allrecipes.com

Five-Star Chili

Today was rainy and cold - the perfect day for a hot bowl of chili and this chili was goooood! Jeff bought this really thick bacon the other day, which I usually don't like, but it worked great in this recipe and it had a great smoky flavor. One of Jeff's friends gave us some elk meat a while ago so I used that, but this would be great with any kind of meat. And I didn't have any fresh onion so I used dried onion and I don't think I'll change that next time I make this.

Five-Star Chili

4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp brown sugar
3 C. beef broth
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 pound bacon
2 pounds stew meat, trimmed and diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, optional

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and saute for 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in the beef broth, vinegar, tomato paste, chicken broth, cumin, Cayenne pepper and chili powder. Cook at a low boil for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture is reduced by about half.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and allow to cool. Drain bacon grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons of grease in the pan. Cook the stew meat in the bacon grease until well browned and no longer pink in center.
Break the bacon into small pieces and add the bacon, stew meat and beans to the simmering pot. Mix everything together thoroughly, cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired.
Serves 6

Greatly adapted from allrecipes.com

Four-Cheese Panini

These are so simple and really a delicious change from regular grilled cheese. The Gorgonzola gives it a nice kick. We had these for dinner the other night and I thought, "Oh, Chad would love these!" - being the cheese connoisseur that he is. The author says you can leave out one of the cheeses but to be sure you use the Gorgonzola and I couldn't agree more. I didn't use the Fontina because they didn't have any at the store and I didn't feel like checking other stores and the sandwiches were just great without it.

Four-Cheese Panini

4 oz shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese

4 oz shredded or sliced fontina cheese

4 oz shredded or sliced provolone cheese

2 oz crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

4 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise

Layer cheeses on roll bottoms, putting slices on first then shredded and crumbled cheese. Replace roll tops and place in hot panini grill. Cook for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yum!

Altered ever so slightly from Panini by Carlo Middione.

Lentil Tacos

You will notice Carrie is actually enjoying a Taco! This is perhaps her first taco she has ever enjoyed because it doesn't have any meat in it!



I found a link http://www.blestwithsons.com/index.php?s=Blestwithsons%27s+Lentil+Tacos&submit=Search to this recipe from another link on another blog and made the tacos last night. Okay that was supposed to be a live link :( Anyway, it's just a recipe on a blog.
This is another great way to use food storage lentils and brown rice.

Lentil Tacos

3/4 cup lentils
1/2 cup brown rice (I soaked mine all day, you don't have too)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
3 cups water (a little scant on the 3rd cup)

Mix in a covered casserole dish. Cover, bake for 100 minutes at 300 degrees. Use just as you would regular taco filling.

Apple Pecan Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

This salad is so delish and there's not even any sugar in the vinaigrette! I forgot to add the pecans but I don't doubt that they would be delicious. I forget ingredients quite regularly these days... I think I'm losing it! I also got this recipe from the last issue of Simple and Delicious.

Apple Pecan Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

7 cups torn Bibb or Boston lettuce (I just used romaine)
1 medium apple, sliced into bite size pieces
1/3 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp honey mustard
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In serving bowl, combine lettuce, apple and pecans. In small bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey, oil, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.