Civil War Cake – Sarah Bastian

Combine:

1 C Flour

1 C butter

1 C nuts (pecan or walnut)

 Mix together and press into 9 x 13 pan.  Bake 15 minutes at 350º.

 Mix:

1 C Cool Whip

1 C Powdered Sugar

1 8ounce package cream cheese

 Spread on baked crust, the crust does not have to be completely cool.

 Mix according to directions:

1 4 ounce package chocolate instant pudding

1 4 ounce package vanilla instant pudding

 Spread on top of the cream cheese mix.  Top with Cool Whip.  Grate a chocolate bar over the Cool Whip and refrigerate over night.

Honey Wheat Bread in a Bread Maker – Sarah Bastian

1 and ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup white flour
1 tsp salt
½ stick real butter
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon dry milk

1/3  cup honey
1/3 cup cracked wheat (if you don’t have this use an additional 1/3 cup wheat flour)
1 cup lukewarm water

Put on whole wheat cycle. This cycle takes about 4 hrs on my machine

Earthquake Cake – Sarah Bastian

1 German Chocolate Cake Mix

1 cup pecans

1 cup coconut

1 cup chocolate chips

1 stick butter

8 ounces cream cheese

1 box powdered sugar

Mix cake mix according to directions. In greased 9×13 inch pan layer pecans, coconut, and then chocolate chips. Pour cake mix over the pecan crust. Mix together softened butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Drop by big spoonfuls onto cake. DO NOT MIX INTO CAKE. Bake for 50 minutes at 350º.

Sarah’s favorite cake on her birthday.

Mountain Mama’s Mud Slide – Sarah Bastian

Combine:

1 C flour

1 C butter

1 C nuts (pecan or walnut)

 Mix together and press into 9 x 13 pan.  Bake 15 minutes at 350º.

 Mix:

1 C  Cool Whip

1 C  powdered sugar

1 8ounce package cream cheese

 

Spread on baked crust, the crust does not have to be completely cool.

 

Mix according to directions:

1 4 ounce package chocolate instant pudding

1 4 ounce package vanilla instant pudding

 

Spread on top of the cream cheese mix.  Top with Cool Whip.  Grate a chocolate bar over the Cool Whip and refrigerate over night.

Homemade Salad Dressing – Sarah Bastian

3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup Tarragon Vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/4 (or a little more) tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp basil

From Mama Gini

Pickled Peaches – Sarah Bastian

1 big can of peach halves drained

whole cloves

1 cup peach syrup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

3 inch stick of cinnamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

 a day or more ahead stud each peach half with 3-4 cloves

simmer with rest of ingredients 3-4 minutes

cool and refrigerate

makes 8 servings

My family enjoys pickled peaches each year as a regular side dish at Thanksgiving.  I personally have always enjoyed eating it with my turkey, similar to cranberry sauce.  Pickled items are a southern tradition and we have had many Thanksgivings that also include pickled green beans, corn, watermelon rind, and of course two or three kinds of cucumber pickles.  The pickled peaches have long been the family favorite and we never have a Thanksgiving without them.  Recipe from Mama Gini

Sicilian Split Pea Soup – Sarah Bastian

2 sweet onions, chopped

1 lb carrots, chopped

4 ribs celery, chopped

8 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 lb dried split peas

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

14 oz can diced no-salt tomatoes

9 oz fresh spinach (chopped fine in the food processor)

Add all ingredients except tomatoes and spinach to soup pot. Bring to boil, cover pot, and simmer for an hour until peas are done. Add tomatoes and spinach. 

One of Sarah’s favorite soups.

Give Peas a Chance Soup – Sarah Bastian

1 tsp olive oil

1 c. chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 c. low-fat veggie broth

1-1/2 c. chopped carrots

1-1/2 c. dried, green split peas

1 c. peeled, cubed potatoes

1 T. grated gingerroot

1/2 t. dried sage

1 c. frozen green peas

9 oz fresh spinach, chopped fine in a food processor 

1/2 c. soy milk (or evaporated 2% milk)

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add broth, carrots, split peas, potatoes, gingerroot, sage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add frozen peas and spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes, until peas are heated through

Working in batches, transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in milk and serve immediately.

A favorite soup of Dallin’s

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies – Sarah Bastian

Mix:

1 1/2 c. old fashioned cooking oats

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. walnuts, chopped (*toasting is an option)

1 c. semi-sweet choco. chips

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 baking soda

Then mix in separate bowl:

1/2 c. apple sauce

1/2 c. maple syrup

2 T. water

4 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and set for 5 minutes. Drop spoonfuls on baking sheet and bake 350 for 8-10 minutes. 

The healthier chocolate chip cookies have become a family home evening favorite.  I have made a couple of changes here as well, instead of oil it uses applesauce and of course I increased the vanilla 🙂

Sarah Bastian

Sarah’s Chocolate Chip Cookies – Sarah Bastian

2¼ C   All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp    Baking Soda

1 tsp    Salt

½ C     Butter Flavored Crisco

½ C     Regular Crisco

¾ C     Brown Sugar

¾ C     White Sugar

2 tsp    Vanilla

2          Eggs

½ C     Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips/Chunks

1 C      Milk Chocolate Chips/Chunks

½ C     Chopped Walnuts/Pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Cream together Criscos & Sugars
3. Add Vanilla & Eggs, mix well
4. Add Flour, Baking Soda, & Salt, mix well
5. Fold in Chocolate Chips/Chunks & Nuts
6. Scoop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet
7. Bake approximately 12 minutes at 350°
8. Remove when light brown begins to appear

Serving Suggestion: With Milk & Loved Ones

Here is a copy of my chocolate chip cookie recipe, although I’ve changed it a bit the original came from a long time family friend, Faye Gold.  She made these cookies for several important things in my life including my mission farewell and bridal shower.   She gave me the original recipe as part of a wedding present, along with everything to make them including the cookie sheets and cookie scoop.  Her husband was also my bishop for quite some time.  Anyway, the changes I made was to increase the chocolate and vanilla, these changes are reflected in the version I have included.  Dallin, loves the cookies and refers to them as “crack.”  Anytime he wants to score some points he asks me to make them for people at work.  Around Christmas I end up making at least 10 batches.  In fact it has become ritual, Dallin goes with me to the commissary around Thanksgiving and we stock up on the chocolate.

Sarah Bastian

Green Smoothie – Sarah Bastian

½ bag (9 oz) of fresh spinach (we can only get the bagged fresh express stuff here)

1 tablespoon flax seed

1 banana

½ bag (16 oz) of frozen strawberries

½ bag (16 oz) frozen mango

1/3 block (100 grams) of tofu (optional)

1 ½ cups of either soy milk or a juice (apple, pineapple) fresh squeezed is best 

Blend and yum yum, the kids can’t get enough and they can’t taste the spinach. 

As for going organic that is great, you might find the book “Disease Proofing You Child” by Dr. Fuhrman very interesting.

Sarah Bastian

Nutritarianism – Sarah Bastian

Dallin and I have made some big changes in the way we eat recently.  Since we’ve been getting quite a few inquiries I thought I would elaborate.  We try to eat nutrient dense foods which are high in nutrients and low in calories as opposed to the other way around, this is how we came in contact with kale, since it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods available to us.  It quickly became a family favorite and the kids love it.  We’re always looking for new ways to prepare kale.  We currently have kale about three times a week. 

In case you’re wondering our diet isn’t really vegetarian or vegan.  It doesn’t really fit into any traditional category, that is why one of the books we read coined the term ‘nurtritarian’ for people who try to eat nutrient dense foods.  We consume very little animal products due to calorie density and try to avoid processed foods, but we eat tons of fresh fruits and vegetables.  In social situations we eat whatever, but always have the goal of being healthier in mind.  The result is a diet very high in nutrients but low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol. 

This has been an extremely positive change for us and we have a lot more energy since making the switch.  It is important to mention that this isn’t a “diet” it is a permanent lifestyle change.  We had a friend who has been teaching a class on it for quite some time and we decided to take it and found the information very refreshing.  Anyway, if you ever want to know more about it the book “The China Study” by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and the book “Eat to Live” by Dr. Joel Fuhrman got us started.  I also thought I would include our recipe for Creamed Kale.  Mary Elizabeth often asks for this recipe.

Creamed Kale – Sarah Bastian

2 bunches of kale

2 tablespoons minced onion

½ cup cashews

1 cup unsweetened soymilk

 

Remove the kale leaves from their stems and steam the kale until tender (not mushy).  In a blender combine minced onion, cashews, and soymilk and blend into a creamy sauce.  Cut the kale into smaller pieces (I just use a pair of kitchen shears to cut it up a bit).  Pour the sauce over the kale and mix, serve immediately.  This is surprisingly yummy and as I said the kids love it.