Easy Carrot Salad

Easy Carrot Salad

2 cups shredded carrots,
1 cup raisins,
2 tbsp lemon juice,
1 diced apple,
2 tbsp. honey,
1 heaping tbsp. mayonnaise (Homemade preferred).

Grate, dice, and mix! Stir together and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Excellent for picnics, kid approved, great way to teach kids how to make recipes. 

Bring a smile- enjoy. 

Proof we can have fun with fruits and vegies! 

Recipe also noted in Carrots!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers 

 

I have never actually written this down before, it is just a recipe my mother taught me years ago that I now make without thinking. What I love about it so much is it's adaptability to what you have. It can be made with hamburger, ground turkey, sausage, ground chicken. A little bit goes a long way, making this an easy frugal recipe!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

prep a 13x9x2 casserole dish - I coat the sides and bottom with real butter to prevent sticking.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Cut 3 bell peppers in half and clean out stem and seeds. Place 6 halves into casserole dish.
In a bowl,  add:
2 lbs ground meat
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup oats (if using ground turkey-or chicken eliminate the oats as this will be too dry a mixture to hold)
2 eggs
seasonings - pinch of cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
(Other seasonings that are really good in it are  basil, oregano, green onion, minced garlic, chopped onions, chili seasoning,etc.)
Combine all ingredients in bowl, and form med sized  meat balls - stuffing 6 of them into the pepper halves and the remaining meatballs between the peppers into the casserole dish. I do this because some people do not like to eat the actual bell pepper, but the flavor of them still penetrates the whole dish.Everyone has options that way.
Fill the remaining spaces in the casserole with cleaned and cut potato and carrot wedges.
Top each stuffed bell pepper with a slice of bacon (if available - not necessary) .
Pour over all of it either 1 can of tomato soup, or a jar of homemade canned tomatoes -which is  my favorite-juice and all- and  cover pan with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, remove foil and cut into one of the meatballs to ensure done - no pink middles! if still pink put back in for additional 10 minutes and recheck.

That's it- additions to the casserole can include celery, onions, squash, whatever you feel would match the bell pepper taste. So easy- so versatile. And very filling! Serves at least 6-8. I usually have left overs.

Carrots!

 Carrots!

Carrots are the easiest vegie to incorporate into a meal- they add so much flavor, are simple additions to soups, stews, delicious raw! And colorful!  Rich in beta carotene, they are wonderful for Vitamin A, are considered rich in antioxidants, great for the eyes, skin and metabolism!
I wash them the same as many vegies, in bowl of water with tbsp of vinegar for 10 minutes. To prep I usually cut the tips off and use a peeler to clean the outside edges. After this you can slice into wedges, circular slices, grate,  chop, dice and or -just eat!  The Best way to eat them is raw!  wash, cut into sticks and enjoy!

To Cook on the stove:

Clean 1lb. carrots and slice whatever way you like.
Add to sauce pan filled a 1/4 of the way with water. Add a pinch of salt and bring the water to boil. Cook about 7-9 minutes for slices. Baby Carrots** take about 8-10 minutes. Cook until tender and a fork easily pierces piece. Drain, top with butter if desired and serve.

To Steam on the stove: 

Clean 1lb. carrots and slice.
Fill sauce pan to the bottom of vegetable steamer with water and bring to boil. Add sliced carrots and cover with lid. Steam for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are tender and easily pierced with fork.

To Mash:

Clean 1lb. carrots and slice whatever way you like, for mashed, the smaller the bits the easier to prepare.
Fill a saucepan with water about 3/4 way, add 1/2 tsp salt. Add carrots, and boil for 10-15 minutes until pieces are completely tender and mashable. Drain and place in bowl. Use a potato masher or toss into food processor.  Add 1 tbsp real butter and 1 tbsp homemade yogurt, salt and pepper to taste- mash or process until creamy. Garnish with chopped parsley.

To Bake in oven:

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a casserole dish. Clean 1lb. carrots and slice into 1" pieces. Toss carrots with 1 tbsp olive oil, and seasonings (you can use a great variety of seasonings here, Italian seasoning mix is wonderful and rich, a simple Garlic and herb mix is wonderful with baked chicken, sprinkle with curry and cumin for impact- the choice is yours! Even just salt and pepper and wonderful!) Toss until all pieces are coated, arrange in baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes. If your chunks are thicker- you may need an additional 10 minutes. test with a for for tenderness.

To Foil on BBQ:

Clean 1lb. carrots and slice. Take square pieces of foil and  Add 1 serving size amount of carrots to the middle, add a pat of butter, and sprinkle with seasonings (salt and pepper, or whatever herb spice might match your BBQ preferences). Fold foil over. Roll sides together until resembles completely sealed envelope. Prep remaining carrots into serving sized foil pockets. Bake on BBQ, turning half way for 25-30  minutes.

Grate carrots and add them to pilaf, rices, soups, pasta, salads, dips, cakes, muffins- the options are endless!

Easy Carrot Salad: 2 cups shredded carrots, 1 cup raisins, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 diced apple, 1 tbsp. brown sugar (or honey), 1 heaping tbsp. mayonnaise (Homemade preferred). Stir together and chill for 1/2 hour before serving.   Easy Carrot Salad