Seafood is not that big a thing around Gear Live’s virtual offices. And while I can’t speak for the other editors, I’ve been known to hit up the neighborhood Red Lobster solely for the biscuits. Unfortunately, the staff at the ol’ RL didn’t take kindly on a person who goes in alone and has nothing but biscuits, a side salad and water. That left me trying to recreate the little starchy wonders at home.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups of baking mix (I use Bisquick)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Click to continue reading Recipe: Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits

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I can’t even come up with words to properly convey my feelings for tzaziki. Cool, creamy, and fantastic with everything from vegetables to steak. It’s incredibly easy to make, and incredibly easy to customize to your own taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain yogurt (this can be regular yogurt or Greek yogurt, fat free or as fatty as you’d like, as long as it’s plain)
• 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 1 or 2 pinches of salt
• 1/4 cup fresh mint
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic or 1 tablespoon of pre-minced garlic from a jar

Click to continue reading Recipe: Tzaziki

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These Sausage Ball appetizers are great for entertaining. They come together quickly, freeze well, and can be baked up in a snap.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups baking mix (I use Bisquick)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pound ground sausage (any kind), uncooked

Click to continue reading Sausage Ball Recipe

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Some people can take or leave oyster crackers. Often overlooked when they arrive with your soup or salad, I say that these little hexagonal nuggets of salty, starchy goodness are completely underrated. This recipe, passed to me by my mom via her godmother, has been not only a party hit but a comfort food when I’m craving something savory.

Click to continue reading Ranch Oyster Crackers Recipe

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Our family likes to make up a batch or two of these healthy oatmeal cookies to keep in the freezer, they work great for when we are feeling like something sweet but not wanting to be “bad.” They make a healthy treat for the whole family, and they are so easy to make. I make these cookies if I am wanting to do some cooking with the kids but don’t have time to make something that is really involved. Because you don’t have to bake these cookies, they make up in less than 30 minutes.

Vegan No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or other shortening of choice)
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, less if you don’t like a really rich chocolate flavor
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat combine the maple syrup, oil, cocoa and cinnamon. Boil for three minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, rolled oats and vanilla until well blended.
3. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper (I used foil and sprayed it so they wouldn’t stick) and chill to set, about 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated.
   
   
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I made these muffins last night to go with our dinner and, wow, they were awesome! The kids loved them--in fact, I think they would have preferred to just have muffins for dinner! I got this recipe from All Recipes and altered it quite a bit. I was very happy with how they turned out, very moist and full of flavor. If you want a little sweeter muffin, add more honey, or just drizzle a little honey on your warm muffin. These were great, we will be trying them again soon.

Click to continue reading Recipe: Blueberry Pecan Whole Grain Muffins

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About three years ago my family took the plunge and left white flour behind. We have switched from using white flour to using only whole wheat flour. It’s been a slow process, I began with exchanging portions of white flour for wheat in recipes that called for all purpose flour. This slow change allowed our palates time to get used to the change in flavor and texture. Now we use almost 100% whole wheat in all our recipes. Most people who prefer the taste and texture of white flour, will be surprised that these cookies are made from 100% whole wheat flour. In fact my neighbor told me, “I think these are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten!” I adjusted this recipe from an old church cookbook from my childhood. These have definitely become a family favorite, but we try not to make them too often, you can’t just eat one!

Click to continue reading Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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I love this time of the year, when the weather starts to turn a little colder, and forces us indoors. I love the changing of seasons - it makes me feel creative, as there are so many different fresh food options with each season. In Washington, August through October is the season of bountiful apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, and many other tree ripening fruits. I think that many people buy applesauce because, it’s less expensive at the stores, but even more than that, they don’t realize how easy it can be to make yourself. If you have apple farmers in your area, take a family trip and buy a box or two of apples, I think you will be surprised how much you will spend. The farmers in this area charge around $.40 a pound for seconds (perfectly edible apples that don’t look perfect so they can’t sell them in the stores, which are perfect for saucing). I love making applesauce because it makes the house smell delicious all day long. When I first started making applesauce a few years ago I had tried different recipes that all called for sugar. Every time I made the sauce I added less sugar until I realized, it doesn’t need any! This is such a simple recipe and such great apple flavor. I try to make it a fun event for the kids as well, they get to help me sauce the cooked apples and of course they get to taste the fruits of our labor!

CROCKPOT APPLESAUCE

Ingredients:

• As many apples as you can fit in your Crockpot, quartered (the best sauce is made of 2-3 different kinds of apples, varying in sweetness)
• 1/4 cup water
• Dash of cinnamon to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and quarter apples, place in Crockpot.
2. Add water and cinnamon. Cover and let cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
3. Towards the end I lift the lid and mash up a bit with a potato masher, that way I can see if it’s ready or not. It’s ready when the apples are very soft and mash easily with the masher, if there are still big chunks you need to cook the apples longer.
4. When the apples are ready, ladle the cooked apples into a food mill and sauce the apples, leaving behind the apple peels and seeds. If you don’t have a food mill you can peel and core the apples and mash with a potato masher for a little chunkier sauce, but very pretty. Be creative with this, if you like more seasoning you can add some allspice or nutmeg, some people like to add sugar and lemon juice, I prefer less sugar.
5. I always freeze my applesauce, it’s so easy. I just ladle the applesauce into quart freezer Ziplock bags and label, that’s it! You can thaw in the refrigerator or in warm water if you need it to thaw more quickly, then place the sauce in a jar (or freeze it right in the jar, leaving a 1/2 inch of room at the top for expansion.

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This is a recipe I got from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook. This cookbook is an amazing resource for traditional food preparations, I’ve gained a wealth of information on how the foods we eat break down in our system to provide us with the nutrients we need to be healthy. I love this simple recipe because while almonds are a very nutritious snack they are even better for you when prepared this way. When nuts are soaked overnight in a salt water brine then dried in a warm oven or dehydrator, they are easier to digest, and their nutrients more readily available. When the temperature is kept low for drying the nuts, the enzymes that are activated through the soaking stay in tact providing more nutrients than if they were roasted in a hot oven.

My whole family loves it when we make these, they are a yummy treat. The kids love helping me make them as well! As you can see from the photo, my little girl Guenna is being quite the little helper, moving the Crispy Almonds from the dehydrator tray to the airtight container. Check out the recipe after the break.

Click to continue reading Crispy Dehydrated Almonds Recipe

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With all of the crazy holiday and national recognition days out there, we love when there is one we can get behind whole-heatedly. Today just happens to be such a day, what with it being National Corn Fritters Day and all. I mean, is there anyone out there who doesn’t enjoy these incredible morsels of yellow goodness?

In all seriousness, today is National Corn Fritters Day, so we’ve got a recipe for Southern Style Corn Fritters for you. Check it out after the jump.

Click to continue reading Happy National Corn Fritters Day!

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