Wheatberries and Blender Wheat Pancakes

I know you've been wondering where I have been.  Well, I was just called as Relief Society President in our ward so I've been BUSY!  The first activity we had (2 weeks after I was called) was a ward activity on cooking with wheat.  I didn't realize you could make such delicious foods using wheat--actually using wheat berries.  Cooking wheat berries provide an excellent way to extend meats, enhance soups and stews, add nutrition to desserts and introduce your family to the wonderful taste of wheat.

Pictured above are the Blender Wheat Pancakes, which were absolutely delicious--and so easy.  I've also included some of the other recipes we made that were unbelievable.  Yes, unbelievable because they tasted so good.  So hope you enjoy, but be careful if you're not use to eating wheat.  Don't eat too much at one time.  But these recipes are so good it will be hard to stay away!

Wheat Berries

1 cup wheat kernels
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups water

Combine ingredients.  Bring to a boil and let simmer about one hour.
Now you can eat them hot and cooked (great breakfast food).  You can add brown sugar and milk, or even a little honey.  You can use wheat berries like you would use rice and you can use them in the following recipes.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

1 cup uncooked wheat berries
1 cup milk
Blend about 3 minutes and then add:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
Blend until well mixed.

Cook on hot griddle and serve with toppings of your choice.


Boston Baked Wheat

4 cups wheat berries
1/2 - 1 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce
1 onion , sauteed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup molasses
3 - 4 teaspoons mustard
3 slices bacon, cooked and diced
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees. 


Wheat Chili

1/2 pound hamburger
4 ribs celery, chopped
l large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cups cooked chili beans
1 quart whole tomatoes, chopped (or use diced tomatoes)
2 cups wheat berries
3 - 4 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Brown hamburger with onion, celery and green pepper.  Add beans, wheat, tomatoes, and seasonings.  Bring to a simmer for the flavors to blend.  Taste test for personal spiciness.
**You can add wheat berries to your favorite chili recipe.


Tuna Wheat Salad

2 large cans tuna (drained)
2 1/2 cups wheat berries
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Mix all together and serve as salad, sandwiches, or on crackers.


Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad

5 cups wheat berries
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix together and serve.  You can also add craisins and mandarin oranges.


Well, better end this post now.  Gotta go to a meeting!

Uncle Alan's Mock Crab Vegetable Medley

I didn't know this, but my brother-in-law, Alan, is a great cook.  He makes this mock crab vegetable dish that is so good.  He made it up himself.  I'm impressed!

Uncle Alan's Mock Crab Vegetable Medley

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Olive Oil

fresh mushrooms

1 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 - 2 packages imitation crab (pull apart)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

fresh tomatoes

Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
pasta

In olive oil, saute the onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper until tender.  Add the imitation crab and juice.  Simmer until the crab is fork tender.  Add fresh tomatoes and remove from stove.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve on top of pasta.

Here's Alan joking around, showing off his culinary skills!

5 Cup Salad

I love when my friends share their recipes with me.  Here is one my friend Kathi shared with me.  It is so light and fruity.  Plus, I love anything with marshmallows.

5 Cup Salad

1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup pineapple chunks (drained)
1 cup coconut
1 cup mandarin oranges (drained)
1 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients, mix well and chill before serving. 

For variations, you can add a cup of whipped topping.  Of course, then it becomes a 6 cup salad :) 

Kathi has also added small amounts of food coloring to "jazz it up" for special occasions--like pink for her daughter's baby shower.

Easy Cookie Recipe

My friend, Angelyn, shared this easy cookie recipe with me.  She made our family some using a spice cake mix.  She said you can use any kind of cake mix, so I used chocolate and I also made some with the confetti cake mix.  Each one was delicious.  So choose your favorite cake mix and make you a batch of these delicious, easy cookies.

Easy Cookie Recipe

1 cake mix (your choice)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together.  Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

**The ones pictured above are the cookies made with spice cake.  Just sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar on top.

Below are some chocolate ones I made and I added some sprinkles.  I've also made chocolate ones with sugar sprinkled on them.

Fruit Sushi

My little grandchildren (with the help of their dad) made this Fruit Sushi for Family Home Evening dessert.  I thought it was so cute, and surprisingly it tasted good!  They found the recipe in the June 2011 Friend.  All you need is 1 banana, 1 piece of fruit leather, and some sprinkles.  Wrap the fruit leather around the banana and cut into 1 inch slices.  Use toothpicks to hold it together.  Add a few sprinkles on top and there you have it--Fruit Sushi!

Notice that they served it on their Princess plate :)

Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever!

I love making and eating desserts--especially chocolate desserts.  When I saw the name of this recipe, it was almost like it was daring me to make it to see if it truly was the "Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever".  I must admit, it is a Chocolate Lover's dream.  Happy eating!


Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever!

1 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/3 cup water
4 eggs (or 1 egg and 3 egg whites)
1 package chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into bundt pan sprayed with Baker's Joy or grease and flour.  Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick comes our clean.  Let cool about 15 minutes and then remove from pan.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar (or more to consistency)

Combine first 3 ingredients in saucepan.  Heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and pour in powdered sugar.  Pour over top of cake.

**I serve at the Columbia South Carolina Temple once a week and took this cake for the workers to eat.   I over-heard one worker tell another, "This is the best chocolate cake ever!"   Enough said! 

Susan's Berry Peach Fruit Cobbler

Here is a delicious recipe from my friend Susan.  It is very similar to my Peach Cobbler recipe.  Susan mixed peaches with blackberries and served it with vanilla ice cream on top.  Mmmm!  It was sooooo good! 

Susan's Berry Peach Fruit Cobbler

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix above ingredients and crumble over sliced fruit (peaches, blueberries, blackberries, or mix them up!).

Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter and pour over batter.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Another Mexican Casserole

So here is another Mexican casserole that I tried.  No, it's not Brandi's recipe, but it is similar. This one doesn't have the beans in it.  My family really liked it and I think you will too.

Another Mexican Casserole

4 -6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, chopped and divided
1 small piece of celery
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I used the Mexican blend)
1 small can/jar taco sauce
1 cup broth, divided
1 package nacho cheese flavored Doritoes (I used the baked Doritoes)

In a pot, boil chicken in salted water with a small slice of the onion and a small piece of celery for about 30 - 45 minutes).  Remove from pot and cut chicken into pieces.  Save 1 cup broth and set aside.

Mix taco sauce, soup, 1/2 cup broth, and onions with the chicken.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam and line bottom with Doritoes and alternate layers of Doritoes, chicken mixture and cheese.  Top with the grated cheese and pour the remaining 1/2 cup broth over dish.  Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 25 - 30 minutes.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Talk about an easy dessert.  You can't get any easier than this recipe!  But it is ooey gooey like mud.  Maybe that's why they call it Mississippi Mud!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

1 brownie mix
1 jar of marshmallow cream
1 can of chocolate frosting

Make brownies according to package directions.  Remove from oven and while hot spread marshmallow cream on brownies.  Then spread on the chocolate frosting.  (Chocolate frosting was hard to spread so I just took a knife and swirled it.)

Swiss Chicken Parmesan

Here's a delicious, easy chicken main dish that you and your family will enjoy.  I added Parmesan cheese to the stuffing mix so I call it Swiss Chicken Parmesan. Really good.  Really good!  It does take 2 hours to bake, so plan ahead.

Swiss Chicken Parmesan 

6 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste
6 - 8 slices Swiss cheese
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) water
1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons butter

Place chicken breasts in a greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Top each piece of chicken with a slice of Swiss cheese. Mix soup and water together.  Be sure to mix well.  Pour over chicken.  Combine stuffing mix and Parmesan cheese and toss with the butter.  Sprinkle over the chicken.  Bake for 2 hours at 300 degrees.