Green Bean Casserole

1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups Milk
3-4 teaspoons dry ranch style salad dressing mix
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 Cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/4 lbs fresh green beans, cooked until crisp-tender
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, toasted

Too make the sauce, melt butter stir in flour. Cook for few mins stirring it constantly. With whisk stir in milk, bring to boil. Whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in dressing mix and white pepper, set it aside.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray medium skillet with non stick cooking spray, heat over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook and store 2-3 mins until tender, remove half mixture and sett aside.

Add mushrooms to remaining mixture in skillet and cook approx 5 mins until mushrooms are tender.  Combine mushroom mixture, green beans and white sauce in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Combine bread crumbs with reserved onion mixture. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered, until heated through, approx 20-30 mins

Tadaaaa!!
Amazing

Nova Scotia Hodge Podge

by movita beaucoup
From http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/nova-scotia-hodge-podge/

Description
A traditional Nova Scotian recipe—farm fresh veggies swimming in cream and butter!

Ingredients
10 whole To 12 Whole New Potatoes, Scrubbed/not Peeled, And Halved; Quarter Any Large Potatoes, And Don’t Cut The Small Ones; You Want The Potato Pieces To Be About The Same Size
2 cups Up To 3 Cups Baby Carrots, Chopped Into Bite-Sized Pieces
1 cup Chopped Yellow Beans - 1 Inch Long Pieces
1 cup Chopped Green Beans - 1 Inch Long Pieces
1 cup Shelled Pod Peas - You Want The Peas, Not The Pods
1 cup Blend Or Half-and-Half – You Want Something Around The 10% Fat Mark (FYI – Some People Use A Higher Fat Cream, And Up To 1.5 Cups Of It)
6 Tablespoons Butter
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation
Note: This is a traditional maritime recipe. It is not heavily seasoned. The broth is just that—brothy. If you’re looking for a stew, this isn’t it. The cooking times listed below are what I use. Generally, you want the veggies, especially the beans, to be tender crisp. Some people like their veggies softer, and will cook longer, thus the frequent use of the word “about”.

Fill a Dutch oven about halfway full with water, and salt the water lightly (about 1/2 teaspoon of salt). Bring water to a boil.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes. Then add the carrots to the pot, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.

Next add the yellow and green beans to the pot, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Finally, add the peas, and continue cooking for about 3 minutes.

Drain off most of the water but leave about an inch of water (no more) in the bottom of the pot with the vegetables. Return the pot to the stove, and reduce burner heat to low. Add the blend (or in the US I think it’s called half-and-half) and butter, and some salt and pepper (I start with 1/4 teaspoon of each). Gently stir to combine, allowing the the blend and butter to heat through. As you’re stirring, the potatoes might break up a bit. Not to worry. As the blend and butter heat through, the broth may begin to thicken. This is normal. Don’t allow the mixture to boil.

Once the mixture has heated through, it is ready to serve. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread to sop up the extra broth.

Store any unused portions in the refrigerator, and re-heat before serving.

Garlic Scape & Honey Dressing

Ingredients:
2 garlic scapes, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or similar brown mustard
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
dash salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:
In a blender, combine the garlic scapes, onions, honey, mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. With blender on low, slowly add the olive oil until well blended.

Makes 1 cup.

Watermelon Feta & Basil Salad

• 3 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• 1 cup traditional Feta cheese crumbles
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

Simply mix all of the ingredients together et voila!  You have a fine summer salad that’s fresh, light, sweet and savory – all of the best flavors that summer has to offer.  

If you like a bit more finish to yours salads, you can top this off with a a dash of balsamic vinaigrette.  We prefer it undressed, but you might like a little more savory flavor on yours.  

One thing I do recommend is that you wait to mix this salad just prior to serving, as the watermelon tends to break down if done too far in advance.

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked dried beans
3 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup Coconut Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips





Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 pan. Place beans in food processor and process until mashed. Add eggs, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and oil. Process until smooth. Pour into pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

These brownies are VERY popular with the staff at Cochran's!

Avocado Banana Chocolate Pudding

2 ripe avocados
2 bananas
4 tsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
sweetener (optional) - you can use honey.

What to do...

Cut open the avocados, scoop out all the deliciousness and place it in a food processor.

Add the bananas to the avocados.

Turn on the food processor and mix until it is nice and creamy.

At this point, you could leave it and eat as is.
However, if you love chocolate like I do, continue on with the recipe.

Add the vanilla, cocoa powder and sweetener to the food processor and blend it up until it is evenly distributed. Check the pudding before serving to make sure you have reached a consistency and flavour that you prefer.

You can eat it right away or chill it, covered, in the fridge. I recommend not leaving it in the fridge for too long as a thin skin will start to form on the top.

Now, grab a spoon and dig in!

Slow-Cooker Mushroom-Herb Bread Stuffing

Photo: Alan Richardson

[From Woman's Day]
Serves: 8
Total Time: 6 hr
Prep Time: 25 min

Nutritional Information
(per serving)
Calories 200
Total Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 56mg
Sodium 699mg
Total Carbohydrate 23g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars n/a
Protein 6g
Calcium --



Ingredients
1 stick(s) (1/2 cup) butter
2 medium onions,  chopped
2 cup(s) chopped celery
12 ounce(s) mushrooms,  sliced cup(s) chopped parsley
2 teaspoon(s) dried sage
1 teaspoon(s) each poultry seasoning and dried thyme
1/2    teaspoon(s) dried marjoram
5 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2    teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
2 3/4 cup(s) chicken broth
2 large eggs
1 loaf(s) (1 lb) whole-wheat bread, torn in pieces,  left out overnight to dry directions

Have ready a 5-qt or larger slow-cooker.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery; sauté 8 to 10 minutes until translucent. Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Transfer to cooker

Whisk broth and eggs in a bowl to combine. Stir, with the bread, into cooker mixture until blended. Cook on high 45 minutes then reduce heat to low and cook 4 to 6 hours.

Avocado and Goat Cheese Dip

1 large avocado
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
2 oz of goat cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

You can dip Baked Beet Chips in this fabulous dip.

Baked Beet Chips

3-4 large beets
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the beets into thin slices.











Toss with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lay into one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp.


Cool on a wire rack until completely cool.

I recommend you serve them with our Avocado and Goat Cheese Dip.

Tim's Fresh Guacamole

You'll need...

3 ripe Avocados 

Pinch of sea salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

1/2 Lime

1/2 Sweet Onion

Medium Tomato

1/4 of a fresh Jalepeno Pepper

3-4 Corriander Leaves

Mash 3 ripe avocados, add a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper,

juice of 1/2 of a fresh lime squeeze over it. Stir.  

Add 1/2 a sweet onion chopped fine, a medium tomato chopped coarse,

a 1/4 of a fresh jalepeno pepper chopped fine and 3 or 4 corriander leaves chopped fine. 

Stir together and chill for 20 minutes and serve.