Split Pea Soup - Use up that Easter ham

I know this sounds gross, but it is really good. It is my mother in law's recipe and I politely tried it several years ago when she made it, fully expecting to hate it and I ended up eating two bowls and asked for the recipe.

I use this recipe after Easter each year to use up my leftover ham and cook something with the ham bone. I made it yesterday and some gals from home group tried it and loved it and asked for the recipe so I thought I would post it for them and you all...

1 lb (2 1/2 cups) dried green split peas
1 meaty ham bone
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup or more diced celery
1 cup or more diced carrots

Cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight, OR simmer them for 2 minutes and soak 1 hour. (I always to the latter. I never think of it a night in advance.)
Add bone, onion, seasonings. Bring to boiling. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer (not boil) for 1 1/2 hrs. Stir occasionally.
Remove bone. Cut off and dice meat. Return to soup. Add veggies. Cook slowly uncovered 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Dutch Babies

This is a great quick meal. Now I mean quick to prepare but it does take 35 minutes to cook, so that takes some time, but it comes together quickly.

I have fond memories of these. We used to make them as kids. Once we got old enough, this was a meal we could make ourselves when mom had the "night off." (The nerve...what would she need a night off for? ;-) Now my kids love them. It is all stuff you generally have on hand, so it's a no brainer. Great for when you are out for the night and a sitter is coming.

Basically it is an oven pancake or German pancake.

2 Tbsp butter
1 c milk (can sub soy milk and it still tastes great)
2/3 c flour
2 eggs
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400. Melt butter in 9 inch metal* pie pan or cake pan. Watch it to make sure it doesn't burn. Whirl remaining ingredients in blender, starting with the liquids, until smooth. Pour batter over the butter. Bake 35 minutes. Serve with syrup (see Easy Maple Syrup recipe below), powdered sugar, jam, applesauce or other fruit. Serves 1-3 depending on who is eating. Right now one Dutch Baby serves my 3 kids ages 6, 4 and 1.

* A glass pie pan can shatter. I learned that lesson as a teenager, since you are pouring cold liquid into a very hot pan. Oops! Sorry Mom!

Easy Maple Syrup

You can make your own maple syrup for pancakes, etc.! If you want to avoid all the high fructose corn syrup and all the other stuff in syrup, here is an easy recipe. I used to make it all the time and am going to start again. It isn't thick like Mrs Butterworth's, so it will be different, but if your kid's don't know any different or care, it is great.

2 c sugar
1 c water
1/2 - 1 tsp maple flavoring (adjust to taste)
(I like to use Watkins brand, but I'm sure any will do)

Bring all to a full boil and boil for one minute.

Refrigerate leftovers until next time. I bought a Rubbermaid condiment squeezer thing and keep it in the fridge.

Sweet Potato Casserole

* 3 cups diced sweet potatoes or yams: cook and mash them
(I always use more. Probably 5 cups. This last time I used 4 medium yams. I like the color of yams better than sweet potatoes.)

Add:
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Pour into a 9 x 13 dish

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup soft butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix until crumbly and sprinkle on top. Then sprinkle with additional 1/2 cup pecans.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

This really is more like a dessert than a side dish, but it just doesn't seem right to have sweet potatoes for dessert. I'm polishing off the left overs from our Easter dinner. I absolutely love this dish!

Dee Dee's Pasta Salad

This one's for you Annette! Maybe you are looking on the computer for more Easter updates? My teenie bopper wrote the recipe down as I made it. A toddler's help is a super bonus when making this salad too. As I sliced, diced and chopped the veggies, my helper put the goodies in the "monster" bowl.
Serves: A Crowd
Ingredients:
17 oz of favorite pasta (I use Italian pasta or whole wheat pasta)
1-six ounce can of extra large olives (I slice them myself)
1 pound of baby carrots (sliced)
4 stalks of celery (diced)
1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 orange bell pepper (diced)
2 small zuchinis (quarted and sliced)
3 green onioned (sliced)
1 small red onion (diced)
1 container of cherry tomatoes (whole or halved) or 3-4 roma tomatoes (quartered & then sliced)
1 container of shaved or shredded parmesen
2 sixteen ounce bottles of prepared Kraft's Zesty Italian Dressing
Favorite spices - Mine: dried oregano, sweet basil, sea salt, tellicherry pepper, dried lemon and roasted dried garlic.

1. Start cooking pasta.
2. Slice, dice and chop all your favorite veggies (except tomatoes). Add to monster bowl.
3. Check and stir pasta several times while preparing veggies.
4. Drain pasta. Add pasta to veggies.
5. Saturate pasta with ONE bottle of dressing. Add your favorite spices.
6. Stir. Plastic wrap bowl, let goodies marinate overnight. If you don't have a night, chill for an hour or two.
7. Just before serving, add tomatoes (save a few to garnish), parmesen cheese, and more dressing from other bottle of dressing (if needed). Stir. Add to favorite salad bowl. Garnish with leftover tomatoes and fresh parsley or basil leaf.

It's seems like a lot but honestly: It's just noodles with all your favorite veggies and slapping on the dressing and spices. All the veggies listed are optional. Use your favorite. I use the Italian pasta when making it for a crowd but when serving it to my family, I use the whole wheat pasta. I have also added chicken or italian meats for a main course meal on a hot summer night.

Blessings,
Dee Dee

Fruit Juice Knox Blox

Because our family has red dye allegeries, this is a great alternative to JELLO brand gelatine. Your product will not be as "jiggily" but much healthier. I got this recipe on the back of the Knox Gelatine Box.

4 envelopes of KNOX unflavored gelatine
1 cup of cold fruit juice (I use Welches 100% fruit juice)
3 cups fruit juice, heated to boiling
2 TB of sugar or honey optional (I use honey)
Lightly coat 13x9x2 pan or favorite molds (I have egg shaped ones) with veggie oil.

Start heating the 3 cups of fruit juice.
While waiting, sprinke gelatin over cold juice in large bowl; let stand one minute. Add hot juice to cold juice mixture and stir until gelatin completely dissolves about 5 minutes.
Stir in sugar or honey if desired.
Pour into 13x9x2 pan or favorite molds.
Refrigerate until firm, about three hours, generally longer for molds. When using pan, cut into squares or have fun with the cookie cutters--super fun thing with the toddlers.
TRICK for pouring into molds: Pour gelatin mix in smaller measuring cup and pour into molds. Makes about 12-14 eggs for egg mold.

TRICK for opening molds: Run both sides of mold under hot water for a few seconds.

Fruit Dip

*16 oz sour cream (I use light)
*small package instant vanilla pudding
*juice from a 20 oz can of pineapple
- then I use the pineapple left over on my fruit tray


Just mix it together. That's it!

Every year for Easter dinner I'm in charge of a huge fruit platter (for 30 people) and my famous dip. They all love it!