Recipes~

While my two pumpkin pies are baking in the oven, I thought I'd type out a couple of recipes quick that my/our friend, Kimberly requested recently:

Whole Wheat Crackers~

Mix:

4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour (we just use a total of 5 cups whole wheat flour for this recipe)

2 cups oatmeal (ground)

1 tsp. salt

Add:

2/3 cup and 2 Tbsp. oil in measuring cup, then:

fill to 2 cup line with tap water.

Knead this well. Divide into 4 balls.

Put 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds in middle of pan and dab dough in seeds. (We haven't tried this step.)

Roll out dough onto lightly oiled cookie sheets, then prick and cut to desired shape.

Sprinkle your favorite seasonings on top. The recipe suggests: Garlic salt; onion salt; celery salt or just plain salt. (Garlic is our favorite.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

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Three-In-One Cheese Ball~

*Note from cookbook: For the busy cook, this recipe can be prepared through shaping step 1 week before serving. Do not roll in nuts or parsley. Wrap and freeze. The day before serving, defrost the cheese balls in the refrigerator. Before serving, roll in pepper, parsley and nuts as directed. You may want to label each ball indicating the flavor for your guests.

1 package (8 ozs) cream cheese, softened

4 cups (16 ozs) shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature

2 Tbsp. milk

2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Coarsely cracked black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Minced fresh parsley

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Finely chopped pecans

Assorted crackers

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, onion, and Worcestershire sauce until fluffy. If a smoother spread is desired, process in a food processor until creamy.

Divide into thirds (about 1 cup each).

Shape first portion into a ball; roll in cracked pepper.

Add the blue cheese to the second portion; mix well. Shape into a ball; roll in parsley.

Add garlic powder to the remaining portion; mix well. Shape into a ball; roll in nuts.

Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers.

YIELD: 3 cheese balls.

Another note from the cookbook on shaping a cheese ball: To keep hands and counter top clean, spoon cheese mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Working from the underside of the wrap, pat the mixture into a ball.

My note: I tried making all three of the above flavors and none of us liked the blue cheese one too well. The pepper one was alright, but the pecan one was very delicious and was our favorite!

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Well, my pies should be coming out soon, and Jacob's schoolwork is done, so we're planning on going up to our pasture to ice skate on one of the sloughs (and play ice-hockey)! I'd best post this and be off. Want to come join us? :)

Oh no---The computer's decided to smash my writing together in a jumbled mess once again! Sorry about that...