Almond Zucchini Burritos

 Sounds weird, tastes AMAZING!!!
  
Ingredients:
· 6 flour tortillas
· 3 cups julienned zucchini (matchstick size)
· 1/3 cup chopped onions
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 1/3 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot...up to you)
· 2 tablespoons water
· 3/4 cup sliced almonds (reserve 3 tbsp for garnish) 
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
· 1 (4 ounce) cans diced chilies

· For topping
· 6 tablespoons salsa (mild, medium or hot)
· 6 tablespoons sour cream (lite or regular)
· 3 tablespoons reserved sliced almonds (mentioned above)

Directions:
Wrap tortillas in foil; bake at 375°F 10-15 minutes or until soft and heated through. (Can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and microwaved for 1-2 minutes on high until soft.)

While tortillas heat, saute zucchini, onion and canned chilies in oil for three minutes on medium heat.

Reduce heat to low, add water and salsa, cover and cook for three minutes.

Stir in almonds (remember to reserve 3 tbsp for garnish).

Food Memories Journal 4

Recipe Box :  noun

Definition:   My mother’s way of keeping recipes treasured from family, friends, etc. 

Let’s be honest, my mother will probably never read this blog.  The complexity of the computer is too much for her to tackle. But if I ask her for a recipe, she is always able to walk right to that wooden box that she has had FOREVER and pull out the properly filed recipe in a flash.  As a little girl, I looked through Mom’s recipe box often, treasuring the recipes that my grandmother had passed down to all her daughters.  I only knew my grandmother as a very little girl, so this tangible item created imaginary moments of play and  a sad longing for interaction  with a woman I never really got to know.

Truth told, I tried to keep a recipe box over the years, but I find that it is just too difficult.  Mine are never filed, usually food spattered and gooky, or scattered around the kitchen in a multitude of cabinets and drawers.  If someone asks for a recipe, I tell them I will call them back if I manage to find it.

My first recipe box was a gift for a wedding shower.  Betty provided a green plastic flip-top box, and asked all the guests to bring a favorite recipe to the shower to share. (Remember – I had never cooked…)  Valiantly, I tried every recipe at least once.  Some were good, some were not particularly my taste, but there was something very special about pulling out a recipe from Gwen, or Tammy, or Mrs. B, or Joann.

When we are young, we don’t seem to see things too far ahead in the future.  Little did I know where life was leading at that time.  But, true to form, “Life” intruded – people moved away, children were born, couples divorced, people died- you know -LIFE.  

About 18 months ago, I had a profoundly moving moment.  While fumbling through my recipe box, I found the recipe given to me at my bridal shower by Kim.  Kim passed away about 5 years ago after a long battle with a brain tumor. Holding the recipe in my hand I realized for the first time the power of handwriting.  The moment was bittersweet.  Seeing her carefully penned directions on that card brought so many memories crashing back--her indescribable musical gift and talent as an organist and pianist; her beautiful heart-shaped smile.  Watching her run down the street while 8½ months pregnant and asking her if she “should really be running when so close to delivery” as well as the  details of her not-so-easy short life-dating, marriage, birth of children, a rocky marriage and divorce, a remarriage, and then the fight that finally took her life. Kim was my friend and I miss her.

Reflecting on these snippets of time, I realized how short our time is and how precious we are to those whose lives we touch.  Close friends, casual acquaintances, family, friend, or foe – these are the people God places in our lives to make us into the people He wants us to be. 

All this to say, even though I am writing a blog, and sharing my thoughts and recipes online, I encourage each person to find a pen and a recipe card, and share a recipe with those you love.  It may become a precious treasure in the days to come.

Creamy Banana Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Ingredients and Directions

·         6 ounces cream cheese

·         1/3 cup sugar

·         1 tablespoon flour

·         ½ teaspoon nutmeg

·         1 egg

Beat cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Beat egg into mixture until smooth.  Set aside.

·         ½ cup butter, softened

·         1½  cup white sugar

Cream butter, gradually adding sugar. 

·         2 eggs

Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         3 tablespoons hot water

Combine soda and hot water and add to creamed mixture.  Stir until blended.

·         3 cups flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon nutmeg

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon

·         1/3 cup orange juice

Sift dry ingredients together and add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with orange juice.

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         3 ripe, mashed bananas

·         1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Stir vanilla, bananas and pecans (if desired) into batter. 

Spoon 1½ cup batter into a greased Bundt pan.  Spread cream cheese mixture over batter.  Spoon the rest of the cake batter over cream cheese. 

Bake 55-60 minutes.

Cool in pan 15 minutes then invert cake onto a wire rack.  Brush with 1 teaspoon melted butter and sprinkle with Cinnamon and sugar.

Debbie Weitzel

Food Memories Journal 3

Memories are funny things.  You think you have it all remembered, then another one creeps in and takes you by surprise.

Take school lunches, for example.  When I was little, the schools I attended were very small.  No cafeteria lunches for me.  It was strictly carry-your-own.  So begins the unending parade of peanut butter and potato chip sandwiches and oranges.  Or sometimes bologna and lettuce and an apple. 

All my friends  got a small carton of milk each day, complete with paper wrapped bendy straw.  Milk was not a given in my life, due to an allergy, so there was nothing but water in my thermos.  Yes, I felt deprived. 

The school I attended  in fifth grade had a main lunch area where students ate their lunches at long tables.  While enjoing lunch and conversation one day, I was seated at the table with a girl (I can't even remember her name) who had the giggles.  During one fit of giggles, she bent forward and somehow managed to get her bendy straw stuck between the eyelids of her right eye.  It was pretty freaky as I recall.  I grabbed the straw and pulled it out.  Thankfully, her eye was fine.  We all calmed down and finished lunch.  I guess that memory must have had an impact on me.

Memories are funny things.  Go figure.

Roasted Asparagas

Ingredients:

• Fresh Asparagas
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Olive Oil
• Sesame Seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash and trim asparagas. Place spears in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake approximately 15 minutes, until asparagas is crisp-tender. Serve immediately.

***This is also good on the grill.  Prepare in the same manner, then grill over hot grill for 5-6 minutes.

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:

• Fresh Broccoli
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Olive Oil
• Sesame Seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash and trim broccoli. Cut into spears. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake approximately 20 minutes, until broccoli is crisp-tender. Serve immediately.

Marilyn Sjaardema

Food Memories Journal 2

The first time I cooked a meal for company after we were married was for Dave's Uncle Mike and Aunt Carol.

Dave wanted me make spaghetti. Spaghetti was a big deal.  My mother never made spaghetti, so I was very nervous. Now, I should explain that I had never cooked before we were married, but I agreed to cook and show myself to be the perfect hostess.

The table was set with my fine china and crystal.  The flowers on the table were lovely.  The house sparkled, so I was ready to cook.

I browned the hamburger, put it with the sauce in the jar, and had it simmering on the stove.  (Wow - culinary giant.)

It seems that cooking the pasta proved to be a difficult thing for me.  Apparently, I couldn't even boil water properly.  The water came up to a boil, and it started to boil over.  The oil in the water caught on fire and went up in flames.  No huge deal - a cover on the pot solved the problem - except for the smoke smell in the house.  Again - it should not have been a problem - open the doors, turn on the fan, spray the air freshener - situation handled!

Except - Uncle Mike was a firefighter.  I was terribly embarrased when his first comment after entering the house was, "So what did you burn, Marilyn?" 

Not my most shining moment.  Uncle Mike passed away in a farm accident a few years later, so this remains a shining memory.  Mike, this jar of Prego is for you.