Ingredients:
1 t. beeswax
2 t. coconut oil
2 drops vitamin E oil
2-3 drops flavor oil
Instructions:
Melt beeswax and coconut oil.
Stir in vitamin E oil.
Add flavor oil
Place in tube or pot.
Note: This can be made without the flavor oil if you don't have any on hand.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Tea Tree Oil Shampoo
This is a handy shampoo to combat dandruff or scalp build up.
What You Will Need:
What You Will Need:
- 1 Bottle Shampoo (preferably dye and fragrance free)
- 1 Bottle Tea Tree Oil
- Dropper
- Using a dropper, add 2 drops of tea tree oil per ounce of shampoo.
- Replace the shampoo bottle cap and shake well to mix.
- Shake shampoo before each use.
- Use shampoo as you normally would.
- Do not ingest tea tree oil.
- Do not use tea tree oil undiluted
- Watch for allergic reactions, especially if it is your first time using tea tree oil.
- Do Not use tea tree oil if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
- As with any essential oils, use with caution.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Easy Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 lb. shrimp cooked shrimp, deveined.
1 lemon
2 t. Italian Seasoning
Directions:
1 stick butter
1 lb. shrimp cooked shrimp, deveined.
1 lemon
2 t. Italian Seasoning
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Melt a stick of butter.
- Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Thinly slice lemon and lay out on the baking sheet.
- Layer on the shrimp over the lemon.
- Pour the butter over the shrimp.
- Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Parmesan Zucchini
Ingredients:
- 4 medium zucchini, cut in half
- olive oil
- 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
- 1 T. Rosemary (fresh)
- 1 T. Thyme (fresh)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Brush cut zucchini lightly with olive oil.
- Place zucchini on foil lined baking sheet.
- Mix Parmesan cheese, rosemary and thyme.
- Sprinkle cheese mixture on zucchini halves.
- Bake 15 minutes
- Broil 3-4 minutes, until cheese is golden brown.
Note: If using dried herbs, use sparingly because the Rosemary can be overpowering.
Modification: Try Mozzarella instead of Parmesan, and Italian Seasoning instead of Rosemary and Thyme.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
White-Bean and Sausage Stew
Ingredients:
Directions:
Note: Stew can be kept, frozen and tightly sealed, for up to 1 month.
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Serves 4
- 6 (3 oz.) Italian sausages
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 (15 oz.) cans white beans (Great Northern or navy), rinsed and drained
- 1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained
- 1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Poke holes in sausages and put in a large nonstick skillet.
- Add 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and cook sausages, turning, until lightly browned and water has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
- Add beans, tomatoes and thyme.
- Put half of bean mixture into a slow cooker.
- Arrange sausages on top, followed by remaining beans.
- Cook on high for 4 hours.
- Check after 2 hours and add water if mixture looks dry.
- Remove sausages; slice thickly.
- Season beans with salt and pepper.
- Return sausage to stew.
Note: Stew can be kept, frozen and tightly sealed, for up to 1 month.
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Serves 4
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Tortellini & Zucchini
This is a pretty versatile recipe. Pick your favorite tortellini. Add peppers if you like.
Ingredients:
2 medium to large zucchini, sliced thin
1/4 c. diced onion
1 T. Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
9 oz. tortellini, cooked according to package directions
2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 t. basil
1 t. parsley
Directions:
Ingredients:
2 medium to large zucchini, sliced thin
1/4 c. diced onion
1 T. Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
9 oz. tortellini, cooked according to package directions
2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 t. basil
1 t. parsley
Directions:
- Cook the tortellini according to package directions
- Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet
- Saute onion until translucent
- Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds
- Add basil and parsley
- Add zucchini to skillet and saute until lightly browned
- Add cooked tortellini to zucchini mixture
- Add tomato sauce, stir.
- Cook until everything is heated through.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Pork Cutlets
Ingredients:
Directions:
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded into fine powder)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour plus a few tablespoons for dredging
- 2 eggs
- 4 small, boneless porkchops
- salt, pepper, seasonings
- Worcestershire (optional)
- Cabbage
- 3 - 4 Tablespoons Coconut oil
Directions:
- Pound pork lightly until thin
- Season pork with salt and pepper
- Dredge pork in coconut flour
- Beat eggs, dip pork into egg mixture
- Combine Parmesan and coconut and then dip pork into that mixture as well
- Heat oil
- Fry porkchops until dark golden brown and then flip it on the other side (10 min, depending on thickness)
- Serve with cabbage
Shrimp and Avocado Salad
This makes a nice appetizer or light lunch.
Ingredients:
Directions:
If you need to prepare this ahead of time, combine all ingredients except the avocado and cliantro. Refrigerate. Add the avocado and cliantro immediately prior to serving.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 limes, juice of
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.
- Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.
- In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño.
- Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
If you need to prepare this ahead of time, combine all ingredients except the avocado and cliantro. Refrigerate. Add the avocado and cliantro immediately prior to serving.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Basic Tomato Sauce
If you are looking for a tomato sauce recipe with no added sugar, here is a simple, yet tasty recipe. An added benefit is the extra vegetables added, and no one will know!
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil1/2 medium onion, finely chopped1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped2 T. chopped fresh parsley1 clove garlic, minced1/2 t. dried basil or 2 T. chopped fresh basil1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped1 t, tomato pasteSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley.
- Stir to coat.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.
- Remove cover and add the minced garlic.
- Increase the heat to medium high.
- Cook garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes.
- Add the tomato paste and the basil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- If you want, you can push the sauce through a food mill, or blend it with an immersion blender, to give it a smooth consistency.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Cherry Tomatoes with Broccoli Filling
I served these at our Christmas Eve party and they were a very popular appetizer.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Ingredients:
48 cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 pints) 1 10-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise1/2 cup nonfat sour cream1/4 cup grated Parmesan1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Slice tops off tomatoes; reserve.
- Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out pulp; discard pulp.
- Invert tomatoes onto paper towels, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill
- Squeeze as much moisture as possible from broccoli and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place in bowl of a food processor and add mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan and crushed red pepper.
- Pulse a few times to thoroughly mix, but do not completely puree.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Spoon 1 tsp. filling into each tomato, mounding filling slightly.
- Set tops on filling.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
10 Servings
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Cinnamon Apple Pecan Squares
Ingredients:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tablespoon Cinnamon Extract
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple
Directions:
Note: 1 cup chopped walnuts can be substituted for the pecans if desired.
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tablespoon Cinnamon Extract
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix sugar, butter and extracts in large bowl until well blended.
- Stir in egg.
- Add flour and baking powder; mix well.
- Stir in pecans and apples.
- Spread in greased 8-inch square pan.
- Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on wire rack.
- Cut into 16 squares.
Note: 1 cup chopped walnuts can be substituted for the pecans if desired.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Almond Apple Bars
Crust ingredients:
1 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 t. kosher salt (or 1/4 t. table salt)
3 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temp.
2 oz. (4 T.) unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
1/4 t. pure almond extract
1/4 t. pure vanilla extract
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. light brown sugar
1/3 C. almonds, finely chopped
Topping ingredients:
2 T. all purpose flour
2 T. granulated sugar
2 T. light brown sugar
1/4 C. almonds, coarsely chopped
Filling ingredients:
5 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temp.
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of salt
2-3 medium (~ 1 lb) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & cut into thin slices
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment.
- Butter the parchment.
To make the crust:
- Sift flour and salt.
- Set aside dry ingredients.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the almond and vanilla extracts and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
- On low speed, mix in the flour-salt mixture and the 1/3 cup of finely chopped almonds just until the dough comes together. It should be crumbly.
- Reserve about 2/3 cup of the crust mixture (for the topping).
- Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until light golden, about 16-18 minutes.
- Remove crust from the oven.
To make the topping:
- While the crust bakes, make the topping by adding the flour, granulated and brown sugars to the reserved dough.
- Mix until well combined. It should be crumbly.
- Set aside topping and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds while you make the filling.
To make the filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Beat in the egg, lemon juice and salt until well mixed.
To assemble:
- Arrange the apple slices over your baked crust.
- Pour the cream cheese filling over the apples and gently spread the filling to cover.
- Crumble the topping over the filling.
- Sprinkle with the almonds.
- Bake until light golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for about 30 minutes.
Makes one 9x9 inch square pan
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Lemon and Lavender Cuticle Cream
Ingredients:
Directions:
1 ½ oz. Shea Butter
½ oz. Cocoa Butter
¼ oz. Beeswax
½ tsp. Vitamin E Oil or Coconut Oil
5 drops Lemon Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
Directions:
- Add the butters, beeswax and coconut oil (if using) to the double boiler, and heat gently to melt, stirring occasionally.
- When fully melted, turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Before cuticle balm starts to solidify add the vitamin E oil (if using) and essential oils.
- Mix gently to combine ingredients and pour into your container.
- Leave to fully cool and set.
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