Fruit Soup- Ashley

6 Tbsp tapioca
1 cup water
1 can orange mango juice concentrate
1 small tub frozen strawberries
1 can pineapple tidbits
2 cans mandarin oranges
2 bananas, sliced
1 mango, cut into chunks

Bring water to a boil.  Gradually add tapioca, whisking constantly for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add frozen juice concentrate.  Whisk well and remove any chunks.  Add strawberries, mango, and canned fruits (mostly drained).  Add sliced bananas right before serving.

Pie Crust- Candis

This recipe is for a single crust.  Double if you are using a double crust.

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp shortening
2 to 2 1/2 Tbsp cold water

Mix flour and salt together.  Add shortening and cut in with pastry cutter.  Sprinkle water around mixture and mix quickly with hands.  Roll out.

Apple Pie- Candis

3/4 to 1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
6 to 7 sliced apples (use Jonathan, Rome, or Granny Smith apples)
2 Tbsp butter

Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix in the apples.  Pile apples into the pie pan and dot the top of the apples with small sections of the butter.  Cover edges of crust with tinfoil.  Bake at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until crust is browned.

Tom Kha Coconut Soup- Candis

Makes 2-3 Servings

1/2 cup straw mushroom
3 cups water
3 thai chili peppers
1 lime
2-3 slices galangal
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 cup coconut milk
3-4 kaffir lime leaves (with central stem torn off)
1 stalk lemon grass (cut off top part, leaving 2/3 stalk, cut 1 1/2 inches long)
3 sprigs cilantro
1 chicken breast, sliced thin
1/2 cup baby corn, cut (optional)

Put coconut milk, water, galangal, lemon grass in pot.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to simmer and stir frequently (otherwise coconut milk will curdle).  Add sliced chicken, kaffir lime leaves, and fish sauce.  Add straw mushroom (drained) and baby corn and bring to boil again.  Turn off heat.

In serving bowls add crushed fresh thai chili peppers.  Squeeze 1/3 lime into each bowl and serve hot.  Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Mexican Wedding Cookies- Mom

Makes about 36

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Additional powdered sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 325.  Beat sugar, butter, and extracts until light and fluffy.  Stir in flour, salt, and nuts.  Shape into 1" balls.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes.  Watch closely until set but not browned.  Remove from cookie sheet and cool slightly.  Put additional pow. sugar in a large Ziploc bag and gently shake cookies until coated.  Cool cookies completely, then, coat with more pow. sugar.

How to do make ahead muffins- Mom

Stir up your muffin batter as the recipe states.  Scoop the batter into well greased or paper-lined muffin tins.  Do not bake.  Freeze.  (Not you, the muffins.  This is not a hold up.)  Once the muffin batter is frozen, take the frozen batter balls out of the tin and place them in a freezer bag.  Store them in the freezer for up to three months.

When you need muffins, do one of two things:

1.  Place frozen, unbaked muffin batter balls into muffin tins overnight, set it in the fridge, then bake the muffins as normal the following morning.  Or
2.  Place frozen, unbaked muffin batter balls into muffin tins right when you need them, bake as directed, only adding a few more minutes of baking time.

COCONUT-CARROT MORNING GLORY MUFFINS- MOM

Makes 1 dozen

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, plus 2 Tbs. for garnish

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2 large eggs

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted if necessary

2 cups finely shredded carrot

1/2 cup shredded coconut, plus 2 Tbl. for garnish

1/2 cup raisins

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

2.  Whisk flour, 1/2 cups oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a medium bowl.

3.  Whisk eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla in a large bowl.  Whisk in coconut oil.  Gently stir      in the flour mixture just until moistened.  Fold in carrots, 1/2 cup coconut and raisins.

4.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups.  Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbl. oats and coconut.

5.  Bake the muffins until they spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the

     center comes out with only moist crumbs attached, 25-35 minutes.  Let stand in the pan for 

     10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition per muffin:  186 calories; 8 g fat; 28 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber