Fantastic Foods

So, I am in serious passion with  Pinterest . Seriously. I get a multitude of awesome ideas from the website, and it is so helping me expand my horizons in the cooking field! I tried a recipe for soft pretzels last night, as a side for my shepherd's pie. I wasn't sure how they would come out, but I am blessed with a bundle of guinea pigs who enjoy it when I try new stuff. This recipe  is absolutely amazing.  I need to quadruple the recipe next time, though, because they disappeared FAST! Perfectly soft on the inside, with a light, slight crunch on the outside, it was exactly what I had been looking for in terms of a salted snack that was not crunchy. Check out the link for the recipe; it's a million times worth trying! - S.

Due to current issues in my own life, I have been seriously craving some comfort food. I know some people go toward mac and cheese, cheesecake, or even pork and beans, but one of my go-to's on this is tuna casserole a la Grandmére's epic recipe. Tuna Casserole 8 oz. uncooked noodles 14 oz. tunafish, drained 14 oz. sour cream 3/4 c. milk 1 small can of mushrooms, drained (or 1 c. sliced button mushrooms) 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper, or to taste 1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese 4 tbsp. butter, melted Preheat oven to 350* Fahrenheit. Cook noodles according to directions, and combine all ingredients but the breadcrumbs, cheese and butter in a casserole dish. Separately mix breadcrumbs, cheese and butter. Bake for 30 minutes, then add cheese and breadcrumb mixture to top; bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until golden. I am sorry not to have pictures of this delicious phenom-nom-nom-enon.  - Sara

I feel the need to share this recipe. I didn't create this recipe, but a friend sent it to me because I love all things food. It is full of all things win, tasty, and CHOCOLATE!!!! Make with the clicky for deliciousness! ~ Sara

See, I think everyone has certain kinds of comfort foods. Some like mac and cheese, others like pickle loaf. For me, one of my personal faves is chicken and dumplings. The canned stuff has never tasted right to me. I don't know if it's the extra salt added during canning, the texture of the dumplings, or what... it simply never tasted right unless homemade.  My mum makes some serious chicken and dumplings. She got her recipe for dumplings from my Grandma West, who, while she was not fond of my mother, could cook like a fiend. Today, I successfully made my mother's chicken and dumplings. I have made chicken and dumplings before, but they never tasted quite this fabulous. Thus, I share with you a piece of my heart, as well as happiness from my tummy to yours. Chicken and Dumplings 1 whole medium-sized chicken. 10-12 cubes chicken bouillon, or to taste 2  1/2 tbsp dried minced onion Handful of celery leaves. (Yes, the LEAVES!) Pepper to taste Co

I hated squash as a kid. Heck, I am picky about my consumption of any gourd to this day, except for pumpkin. However, my Grandma West had within her grasp the sole means I would eat squash happily. Delectable, bread-and-butter pickled squash. I completely forgot this stuff was squash. I remember making myself sick on them a time or two, even, before I recalled that they were, indeed, slices of stuff I normally shrunk away from. All that said, here's my Grandma West's pickled squash recipe. I hope you enjoy it. :) Pickled Squash 8c. sliced squash 4 onions, chopped 2 bell peppers, chopped ½ c. canning salt 3c. sugar 3c. vinegar 1 tsp. celery seed 1 tsp. mustard seed Put vegetables in sink and sprinkle salt over. Cover with ice cubes and let stand 3 hrs. or overnight. Drain well. Combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seed and celery seed. Bring to boil and boil 1 minute. Put vegetables in and boil for 2 minutes. Put in jars and seal.

I just found this recipe via DailyBurn Tracker, and since it is gluten-free as well as dairy-free, I had to share it! Hope you all like it. 2 1/2 cups All purpose gluten-free baking flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 3/4 cup natural peanut butter 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup local honey 1/2 cup finely ground carrots 1/2 cup finely ground zucchini 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup all fruit no sugar added jam - your choice of flavor PB&J Morning Muffins It's always a struggle to get kids to eat their veggies, so why not hide a serving in their breakfast?  This PB&J Morning Muffin recipe includes grated carrots and zucchini masked with the familiar flavor of peanut butter and jelly that kids love. These muffins are gluten-free and dairy-free, plus they are packed with fiber and healthy fats. These muffins are a little high in calories because they are intended to serve as a complete breakfast. Studies sh