Fruit Platter Pie

This is such a great summer recipe with yummy fresh fruit. Enjoy on a hot summer evening!
Pie crust dough
Clear Orange Sauce
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 can pineapple spears, drained
1 1/2 cup seedless grapes
1 medium banana, peeled and sliced
2 Tbs. sugar

Dough:
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening
8-10 Tbs. cold water
In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the water over part of flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Repeat using 1 Tbs. water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Roll dough 1 inch larger than 14-inch pizza pan. Ease into pan; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of pastry. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool. (Make sure you bake it so that it is well cooked)

Sauce:
Mix 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt and 2 Tbs. cornstarch. Stir in 1 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 tsp. each grated orange and lemon peel. Cool.

Arrange fruits in baked pastry sheel, beginning with strawberries around the edge. Sprinkle fruit with sugar. Spoon some of the orange sauce over fruits. Cut pie into wedges; serve with remaining sauce.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These were so good and a somewhat healthy snack for the kids in the afternoons. There is no butter or oil - use applesauce and I used whole what flour (use the hard white wheat). We all loved them, especially the boys!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar (I added 3/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweeted applesauce
1 egg white, well beaten (I used a whole egg)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Beat egg; add applesauce and mashed bananas. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add oats and chips; mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 35o degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Enchiladas Verde

This isn't the greatest picture, but these were so delicious! We had them with salad and corn bread. In the recipe it has you fry the corn tortillas in 1/4 oil before adding the meat mixture, it sure was delicious, but maybe not the best thing for us. Next time I will try just misting some oil in a frying pan and cooking them that way, we'll see.
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. (8 oz.) process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
12 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1/4 cup canola oil
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, garlic, and salt over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in cheddar cheese; set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook and stir the soup, process cheese and milk over medium heat until cheese is melted. Stir in the chilies.
In a large skillet, fry tortillas, one at a time, in oil for 5 seconds on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Place a scant 1/4 cup of reserved meat mixture down the cetner of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13 in. x 9 in. baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Homemade Fries

So good with a hamburger or bean burger!
Cut pototoes into wedges. Coat with butter. Sprinkle with season salt. Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes, stirring once while cooking.

Black Bean Burgers

I put this recipe up a couple months ago, but I had to put it up again with the picture...doesn't it just look oh so good, trust me, it is!! I absolutly love this recipe and the salsa and avacado just make it even better!
1 can black beans (add cumin and chili spices if you want)

1 cup (maybe a little more) crushed saltine crackers

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 Tbs. oil

5 hamburger buns, toasted

mayo or salad dressing

mustard

tomato

avacados

salsa

Place beans in a food processor (or just mash beans with fork). Cover and process until slighlty mashed; remove from food processor. Mix beans, crackers, and egg. Shape mixture into 5 patties, each about 1/2 inch thick. coat each patty with cornmeal. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in oil about 10 minutes, turning once, until crisp and thoroughly cooked on both sides. Place on toasted buns and add the extra. Can serve with carrots, fries, fruit, chips or anything you would with a regular barbecue.

Black Bean Tacos

These are so yummy and a fun variety from the usual hard tacos. The bean mixture has a really good flavor with all the spices.
12 taco shell
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Whole cumin seeds
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1 can diced mild green chilies, drained
1/3 cup water, or more as necessary
3 Tbs. ketchup
1 tsp. Chili powder
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Onion powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. Ground cumin
1/4 tsp. Salt, or to taste
Black pepper to taste
Toppings: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, salsa
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the taco shells on a large ungreased baking sheet. Bake on the midde shelf until crisp, 3-5 minutes. Keep warm in a low oven until needed. Meanwhile, in a medium deep-sided skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Add the black beans, corn, chilies, water, ketchup, and all spices; bring to a brisk simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. To assemble the tacos, place about 2 heaping Tablespoons of the bean mixture in each shell and add the desired toppings.