Rice Crispy Chivada

This recipe was given to me from Emily during a "Secret Santa" gift exchange. Not your usual snack mixture; has a great Asian flair!

5 c Rice Crispies
1/2 c unsalted peanuts
1/2 c almonds/ cashews (or both)
1/4 c raisins
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander powder
10-15 curry leaves (optional)
salt, to taste
2 tsp icing sugar
2 tbsp canola oil

Heat canola oil in a medium size pot, add nuts and curry leaves, roast well.
Remove from heat and add rice crispies and other remaining ingredients, mix well.
Store in air tight container, or divide into decorative jars for gift-giving.

Raspberry Layered Dessert

As requested from my MIL.

Crust*
2 c Graham crumbs
1/2 c margarine or butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cake:
1 pkg(brick) light cream cheese, softened
1/4 c icing sugar
3 c light whipped topping, thawed
1 c boiling water
2 pkg Raspberry flavour no-sugar gelatin
3 c frozen raspberries

Crust: mix crumbs, margarine and cinnamon. reserve 2 tbsp for topping. press remaining into a 13x9 inch pan. *Next time I may try a premade crust to save time, or a chocolate crust!

Cake: beat cream cheese and icing sugar until blended. Stir in 1 cup whipped topping and spread over crust, refrigerate. Add boiling water to jelly mixes, stir until dissolved (about 2 mins.) add berries, and stir until slightly thickened. pour over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate 30 mins, or until set but not firm. Cover with remaining whipped topping and then reserved crumb mixture. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

Transportation: do not make the mistake I did...put on a cover with 2 ice packs on top. When the lid gets taken off, the whipped topping peels right off and stays on the lid!

Tuna Melts

I've never made tuna melts before, and I loved these!

1 can of tuna, drained
1/2c or more of Gaucamole, or Victorian Epicure Gaucamole, prepared
1 apple or 2 ribs of celery, diced
4 pitas*
3/4 grated cheese

combine first 3 ingredients, and spread over pitas, top with cheese. Heat in oven at 350 for 10-15mins. Enjoy! Recipe easily doubles for a larger family. Serve with tossed salad.

*I used the new D'Italiano Foccacia buns (opened), which were tasty, and the tuna mixture fills the holes in them.

Asian Crunch Salad

Not your usual cabbage salad!

Dressing*:
1 c canola oil
1 c white sugar
1/2 c red wine vinegar
2 tbsp soya sauce
> mix together in a leak-proof container.

Crunch:
2 pkgs "mr. Noodles" (throw out flavour packet)
1/2 c almond slivers
1/4 c pine nuts
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1/4 c butter
> heat butter on low in non-stick pan. Break up noodles while in their package, then empty into pan. Brown lightly and add nuts and seeds. Watch carefully as it is easy to burn. Cool in a separate container.

Salad:
1 head napa cabbage, cut, sliced or shredded
6 green onions, green part only, cut into 'rings'
OPTIONAL: add 2 tbsp Victorian Epicure 3-onion dip mix (straight from the jar)

>>>Combine all components just prior to serving.
*1 full dressing recipe lasts for 2-3 salads-easily reduce mixture by 1/2 or 1/4 for a single salad batch. You can keep the components separated and take some each day for lunch!

www.epicureselections.com

THE BEST Banana Bread!

Hands down, no other recipe can hold a torch to this one!

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar, 1/2 white and 1/2 brown (packed)
1-2* eggs, beaten
2-3* creamed bananas
1 1/2 c white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped walnuts

>Preheat oven to 350F.
>mix wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry in another. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix thoughly.
>Pour into greased pans: loaf pan 1hr, mini loaf pans 40-45mins, bundt pan 40-45 mins, muffins 30-35 mins.
> For ultra-decadent results, brush top a few times in baking process as it also helps prevent the top from cracking. If you have a hot oven, turn down temperature for larger loaves to prevent burning and under-cooked center.

*if using 2 bananas only use 1 egg, 3 bananas-2 eggs.

Bananas are best if they are brown; throw in freezer and wait until you have time to use them! Get them out of the freezer, thaw for a few hours and peel. Do not wait until completely thawed, otherwise they are messy to peel...now they mash very easily!

Easy Strawberry Pie

1 frozen Pie Shell
2 1/2 qts Strawberries, washed, stems removed
1 c sugar, or Splenda equivelant
1 c boiling water
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 pkg strawberry gelatin

-cook shells according to package directions.
-mix sugar and cornstarh, add boiling water and cook on stovetop till thick.
-add gelatin, mix, let cool.
-place whole strawberries top side down in cooked shell.
-pour gelatin over berries and chill.

I was using up strawberries that were slighly off, so I sliced up the good ones for this pie. Likely makes it easier to slice, although the presentation of the whole berries would be very pretty :)

Slow-Cooker Baked Beans

Great recipe to feed a crowd...just ask a few of the blog followers, they've had this recipes before!

3 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 pkg bacon, cut into peices and cooked (or try turkey bacon)
1/2 white onion, chopped small (I like a whole onion)
1/2 c brown sugar, or equivalent measurement brown sugar splenda
1 c brown sugar bbq sauce (Kraft has one, but not as easy to find, can use Bullseye sweet & sticky)
1/2 c molasses

Combine in slow-cooker and bake on high for 3 hours. Enjoy!