Cinnamon (or Orange) Rolls

Compliments of Marilyn N

About 3 dozen rolls

3 cups hot water
1 cup instant powdered milk
½ cup potato flakes (not pearls)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 eggs
½ cup sucanat
1½ tbsp yeast
½ cup butter (very soft)
2 tsp salt
8-9 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Filling
3 tbsp melted butter
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon OR grated orange rind

Frosting
4 tbsp melted butter
powdered sugar (½ bag or so)
vanilla
cold milk OR orange juice (again, add till consistency is right)

Combine water, powdered milk, potato flakes, 2 cups flour and eggs. Add sugar and yeast. Mix well and add butter and salt until smooth. Add flour, enough to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth, at least 5 min.

Place dough in greased bowl. Cover with towel and place in warm oven. Let rise 1½ hrs. Punch down. Let rise 45 min. Punch down.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a large rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with mixture of sugar and cinnamon (or orange rind and sugar). Roll up from long side. Cut each roll using dental floss into ¾ inch slices. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise 30-45 minutes or until double.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Frost rolls while still hot, using pastry brush.

Vegetable Frittata

I didn't measure any of the ingredients for this.  I just added what looked good.  So be creative and make this to your family's tastes!  Here's my best guess:

6 eggs

3/4 cup pureed spinach (I had it on hand but 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and throughly drained would work just as well.)  :)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 small potatoes, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp canned green chilis (I had some open from a previous recipe.  My kids don't like it, so it was more for a bit of flavor.  So add more if you like.)
2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup olives, chopped (I think green would be fantastic!)
1 tomato, diced
grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350'F.

Beat eggs and spinach together in a bowl.  Set aside.

In a large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add potatoes, onions, garlic, a pinch of salt and saute for about 5-8 minutes.  Add red pepper, mushrooms, chilis and oregano.  Continue to saute until potatoes are tender about 10 minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add olives and mix together.  Level vegetables in pan and gently pour egg mixture over top.

Cook frittata for 30 minutes or until egg is set.  Top with tomato and cheese.  Serve with a side of pasta al olio and a green salad.

Tuscan Soup

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

12 oz Italian sausage
8 cups water
2 tbsp vegetable broth powder
2 tbsp onion soup mix
4 large potatoes, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
8 oz penne pasta

Brown sausage in frying pan.  In large pot, combine sausage, water, broth powder, soup mix and potatoes.  Cook on medium heat until potatoes are just tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente.  Drain.

Add spinach and pasta to soup.  Continue cooking until spinach is lightly cooked, about 5-10 minutes more.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

If you use Russet potatoes, they will break down and it will thicken the soup considerably.  I used Yukon Gold. They held their shape and it was more soup like.

3½ cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped (or 2 tbsp dried onion)
¾ cup cooked ham, diced
3¼ cups water
2 tsp vegetable broth powder
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp ground white or black pepper, or to taste
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (or 1 cup if using Yukon Gold)

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham, water, broth powder, and salt and pepper in a stockpot. Bring to boiling and cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately with warm rolls.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Green Chile Sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp arrowroot starch dissolved in a little cold water
1 generous cup chopped roasted green chiles, hot or mild
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin or chili powder, hot or mild, to taste

Enchilada Filling
1 15oz can organic black beans, rinsed, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh lime juice from 1 big juicy lime
2 heaping cups cooked diced sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped roasted mild green chiles
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder mild or spicy
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

2 to 4 tbsp vegetable oil, as needed
8 white or yellow corn tortillas
4oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Make Green Chile Sauce by combining ingredients in a sauce pan and heating over medium-high heat. Bring to a high simmer. Simmer until thickened. Taste test and adjust seasonings. Set aside.

Meanwhile, make Enchilada Filling by combining black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat the beans and set aside. In a separate bowl combine sweet potatoes and green chiles; add the spices. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Green Chile Sauce into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish.

To assemble the enchiladas, heat some oil in a skillet. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften them, one at a time, as you stuff each one.

Lay the first hot tortilla in the sauced baking dish; wet it with the sauce. Spoon 1/8 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/8 of the black beans. Roll tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. Top with a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and sauce is bubbling around the edges.