It is a busy time of year. There are play days, soccer and ball games, wedding celebrations and graduations. Do you find that you are eating on the run?
Here are some tasty springtime recipes that will help you get through the day. They can all be served on the go, but without sacrificing great taste.
Deep dish pizza
1 loaf of frozen bread dough, thawed
1 pound Italian sausage, 500 g
pepperoni or ground beef
2 cups mozzarella cheese 500 mL
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shredded
1 cup fresh, sliced mushrooms 250 mL
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive or canola oil 10 mL
2 cups pasta sauce 500 mL
3/4 teaspoon oregano 3 mL
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 mL
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 mL
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 125 mL
Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased nine by 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan. In a skillet cook meat, then sprinkle over the dough. If using pepperoni, simply slice and put over the dough, as no cooking is necessary. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Sauté mushrooms and onion in oil. Add the pasta sauce, oregano, salt and garlic powder. Mix and spoon over the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 25-35 minutes or until crust is brown. Serve sliced warm. It is even tasty cold.
Apple pie square
Pastry:
21/2 cups flour 625 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
1 cup margarine or butter 250 mL
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup milk 175 mL
Filling:
4 cups sliced apples 1 L
1 cup sugar 250 mL
2 teaspoons cinnamon 10 mL
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 mL
Mix the flour, salt and butter together. Add the egg yolk and milk and mix to a good pastry consistency. Divide the pastry in half and roll out first amount to approximately nine by 13 inches (22 x 33 cm). Place the dough on a cookie sheet that is larger than the pastry and has raised edges.
Next, mix the apples, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Spread over the pastry, staying a half inch (one cm) from the edge.
Roll out the second half of the dough and place over the apple mixture. Trim and pinch the pastry together. Brush the top of the pastry with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 25 minutes.
Icing: Blend one cup (250 mL) of icing sugar, one tablespoon (15 mL) water and 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) vanilla and drizzle over the bar while hot.
Slice and serve. These treats freeze well.
Energy bars
This recipe is tasty, just like the store bought bars. In fact, these are even better. They are from the kitchen of Debbie Mcllhargey, Rosetown, Sask.
1 cup brown sugar 250 mL
1/4 cup sugar 60 mL
1/2 cup butter or m argarine 125 mL
2 tablespoons honey 30 mL
1/2 cup peanut butter 125 mL
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 mL
1 egg
1 cup flour 250 mL
1 teaspoon cinnamon 5 mL
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
11/2 cups oats 375 mL
11/4 cups rice crispies 310 mL
1/4 cup sunflower seeds 60 mL
1/2 cup wheat germ 125 mL
1 cup chocolate chips 250 mL
1 cup coconut 250 mL
1 cup raisins or craisins 250 mL
(dried cranberries)
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and grease a nine by 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan.
Cream the sugars with the margarine or butter. Add honey, peanut butter, vanilla and egg, mix well. Add flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, oats, rice crispies, sunflower seeds and wheat germ. Mix. Add chocolate chips, coconut and raisins or craisins and again mix well. Turn into the pan, press and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Is juice OK?
Dear TEAM: In the media, in our school newsletters and during conversations with friends and fellow parents, we are being told to eat more fruits and vegetables. For some of us who live with picky eaters, is juice a suitable option? How do I know if it is nutritious or sugar water with added nutrients? – M.F., via internet.
Dear M.F.: There are so many options when buying juice. There are fruit blends, the new fruit and vegetable mixes, calcium enriched and vitamin C added. If you drink pure, unsweetened fruit or veggie juice, you are consuming something healthy, but without the wholesome fibre that we get from a piece of fruit or a vegetable. If you drink too much juice you will get too much sugar, even though it is natural fruit sugar.
Many nutritionists recommend drinking only one cup (250 mL) per day. Fruit juice should not be given to infants younger than six months. When it comes to children aged one to six, too much fruit juice can cause stomach upset and it replaces other nutritious foods they should be consuming. Too much juice can lead to weight gain. So remember to read the labels and choose only 100 percent pure juice. Don’t drink the ones labelled fruit drinks, beverages, punch or cocktail because these will have added sugar.
Perhaps you would like to try our family’s new beverage called fancy water. To make, add a small amount of fruit juice to some cool carbonated spring water. It tastes like pop.
Enjoy juice, but in moderation.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
