Recipes!!!

I'm sitting here with the front door open, the rain pouring, laptop in my lap, while being surrounded by coupons and recipe books! It's delightful!

I will have to try to figure out how to post a document on this blog (if anyone knows how to do that please leave me a reply!). I'm almost finished with my May menu, recipes, and grocery list and want to share it with you.

Here are some cheap recipe ideas for your monthly planning:

We had never had lentils before until a friend made this lentil dish for us. After trying it I had to ask her for the recipe....I loved it! Besides, lentils are healthy, low calories, & cheap.....

Lentils are a low calorie, low fat and cholesterol free food and they contain folic acid. The U.S. Health Service recommends that all women of childbearing age consume 400 mcg of folic acid per day. Most women do not meet this guideline. One cup of cooked lentils provides 90% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Lentils provide more folic acid than any other unfortified food.

Lentils are also an important source of iron, especially for women, whose iron needs are greater. Eating lentils with foods rich in Vitamin C, such as tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, and citrus fruits or juices, helps the body absorb iron more efficiently.Lentils are also protein rich. They lack only one protein, methionine. Adding grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, dairy products, or eggs will provide a complete protein.Soluble fiber is also found in lentils. Soluble fiber acts as a scrub brush, cleaning the digestive system. This type of fiber also decreases serum glucose and cholesterol and decreases insulin requirements for people with diabetes.

Tasty Lentil-burgers

• 1 1/2 C. cooked lentils
  


• 1/2 C. chopped onion
  


• 2 gloves of garlic
  


• 2 Tbs. butter, divided
  


• 1 heaping Tbs. of tomato paste
  


• 2 slices bread, cubed
  


• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  


• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
  


• 1tsp. mustard
  


• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
  


• 1/2 tsp. salt



• 1/4 tsp. pepper



• 1/4 C. Italian bread crumbs
  


• 4 slices sharp Cheddar cheese
  


• 4 Whole-wheat buns

Drain lentils very well, placing in a sleve and pressing gently with spoon, if necessary. Set aside.
Saute' onion, adding garlic later, in 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add tomato paste, bread, eggs, vinegar, and seasonings. Combine well, adding lentils to mixture. Shape into 4 large patties. Mixture will be moist, but if too wet, add more crumbs or some wheat germ. Coat each patty in dry bread crumbs. Chill about 1hr. (this makes the patties easier to fry). Heat remaining butter until sizzling. Fry patties about 5 minutes each side until crisp. Turn gently. Cover each with a cheese slice, if used. Cook until melted.Serve on heated whole wheat buns. Garnish with green pepper and onion rings, or any other burger garnishes.

Tips: One pound dried lentils = 5 batches of lentil-burgers.

***Mixture may be placed in a buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle or place cheese for last 5 minutes of baking. - This is the way we normally make our lentils. I love it with cheese and ketchup on top! It tastes good reheated as well.ENJOY!

Here is a recipe that I found for making your own mayonnaise:

Mayonnaise

• 1 egg *use 1 pasteruized egg or 1/4 C. cholesterol-free egg substitute if you're concerned about using raw eggs*



• 2TBPS white wine vinegar or white rice vinegar
  


• 1 tsp. honey
  


• 1/8 tsp of dry mustard



• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper



• Salt to taste
  


• 3/4 C. canola oil

Blend all ingredients, except the oil, in a blender until smooth. With the machine running, add the oil very slowly in a steady, then stream, until the mixture is well combined and thickened. (Homemade mayo will not be as thick as store bought mayo.) Taste and adjust the seasoning, Transfer the mayonnaise to a glass container with a tight fitting lid.

Variations:
You can add flavor to your mayonnaise.....

Garlic mayonnaise - add 4 cloves of garlic or 2 tsp prepared minced garlic with the first group of ingredients.

Basil Mayonnaise- Stir in 1/4 C basil pesto ( 1 C. loosely packed fresh basil leaves, 1/4 c. pine nuts, 2 TBPS of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, or 1tsp prepared minced garlic, 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper.....all those ingredients makes 1/3 C of basil pesto) and add an extra dash of salt and some freshly ground pepper.

Herb Mayonnaise- Stir 1-2 TBSP minced fresh herb, such as flat-leaf parsley, watercress, basil, oregano, or tarragon into the completed mayonnaise.

NOTE: This recipe makes 1 cup of mayonnaise and it can be stored in a tightly closed container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Here is another quick & easy breakfast recipe that I got from a friend several years ago!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

• 1 spice cake mix




• 1 large can of pumpkin pie mix
  

Mix ingredients together until well combine. Scoop spoonfuls into muffin tins with paper liners.Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!!!

** Those muffins work great for breakfast with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee!***