New Poll-Please Vote and let us know what you want to see more of

The new thing in the DeL Kitchen is that we a going to try and cook straight through one cookbook, giving ourselves of course a deadline! Give us your opinion!

Please vote on the Poll on the side bar!!!

Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is one of our favorite lunch foods and is great for when we are on the go, especially on the days we take music lessons:) The other thing we like about Hummus is that you can change the flavors around, like the other day, Hannah made a roasted red pepper flavor(that's before the very bad thing she did:)! Plus chickpeas are chocked full of good things, they are readily available cooked and dried. Look for a even kaki color, and don't worry about wrinkly outside that's normal.


A couple other tips on chickpeas, try them in your salad with some minced garlic and marinated artichokes, also try subbing them in your meat loaf for some of the meat.
It is also shown that 10 -12 cloves of garlic a day help to keep down bad cholesterol, also it is shown that the some large amounts of garlic enhance the process by which our body's break up potentially dangerous blood clots. And for all those worried about there sodium in take, garlic is essentially sodium free!


Kitchen tips for garlic:
For easy peeling drop in boiling water for 5 seconds
Love garlic but don't like the breath it leaves you with? Chew on a sprig of fresh parsley
Or if you don't that the smell it leaves on your fingers rub them with a bit a toothpaste and rinse







1 can chickpeas 3 T. liquid reserved from chickpeas
1 Head Roasted Garlic
1T. oilve oil
3 T. Tahini
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. red pepper flakes(more or less to your liking)




Pour into blender and blend on high till creamy!

Figgy Nutmeg Smoothie

A few weeks ago our whole family trekked out to a local apple and fig orchard.............and picked to our hearts content! We've had so much fun experimenting with the figs, it was our very first time picking these yummy little treats! Coming soon, a new faze in the Del sisters kitchen!

1/2c. milk

2 figs

1/4t. -1/2t. nutmeg

1/2. ice cubes

1 banana

Blend and enjoy

Garlic Herb Challah

We made this special bread a few weeks ago for a friend who just had a baby!

13/4 c. very warm water

2T. honey
1/2 c.olive oil

4 eggs

1 T. salt

8-81/2 c. flour

4 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. crushed rosemary

1 tsp. dried thyme

In a large bowl combine water, honey, yeast and spices and garlic. Let stand 10 min. Using a wooden spoon stir in eggs, oil and salt. Gradually stir in as much flour as you can. Turn dough on to floured surface. Knead in enough flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic. About 5-7 min. Shape dough into ball let rise for 1-1/2 hrs. Punch dough down turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with a clean towel, rest 10min. Divide dough into 3 portions divide each portion into 3 parts totalling 9 portions. Gently roll each into a 24 inch rope. Braid three ropes at a time to make three ropes; shape each into a spiral loaf. Place braid onto baking sheets. Let rise 1/2hr.

In small bowl combine 3 T. melted butter,1tsp.basil,tsp.thyme,tsp. rosemary and 1 tsp. minced garlic. Brush over loaves. Bake in 350 oven. Bake 30-35 min. or till hollow when tapped. Immediately remove from pans and cool.

Makes 3 Large loaves, 16 servings each.

Espresso Banana Smoothie

1 banana
1/2c. milk
1T. maple syrup
1/2c. ice
2T. espresso cooled

Blend throughly, and enjoy!

Hot Cakes with Fresh Blueberry Compote

We made these the other night for dinner and oh boy where they good! We normally don't eat breakfast for dinner because our Dad thinks it strange:) But we had a very special reason why we made these, Phillip our little brother(9yrs old) decided to buy us a griddle! Isn't that sweet, he spent every last one of his pennies because he thought we needed one, so now we are sure going to be using it a lot more! If you like blueberries and even if you don't, you will after eating these pancakes and sauce. You really do have to make that sweet cream spread.......... doesn't taste the some without it:)

Esther

Honey-Wheat Hotcakes

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. milk

3 T. oil

1 egg

Mix together all ingredients. Bake on hot griddle.

Yields: 12 hotcakes.

Serves 4

Warm Blueberry Compote

4 c. blueberries

1/4-1/2 c. sucanat

1 T. lemon zest

and juice of 1 lemon

Simmer on low heat for 10 min. Mash blueberries slightly. Serve over hot cakes!

Sweet Cream Spread

1/2 c. sour cream

2 T. sugar, or more to taste

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together. Serve on top of the blueberries!

Refreshing Summer Salad

This salad is great for summer when all fruit is in season!

We just chopped some romaine lettuce and topped it with:

Coarselychopped Cashews
Coarsely chopped Macadamia nuts
Diced Oranges
Diced Apples
and Poppy Seed dressing( we made up the recipe but don't know the measurements)

The dressing contained, yogurt,honey, poppy seeds, sour cream, and a little milk I believe?:) That's what happens when you don't write things down..........

You could change this salad around by adding what ever fresh fruit you have on hand, or any other nuts you might like better. Enjoy!