Recipes

Below are some seasonal recipes to delight the taste buds.

In the early summer when you harvest your rhubarb, cut into small pieces and freeze.  Around the holiday times get out your  frozen rubarb and try this idea!  After your Rhubarb Spread is prepared, you can put your spread in fancy jars or plastic containers with ribbon, and tags and give for gifts!  This spread is fantastic on toast.

Easy Rhubarb Spread 

• 1 small can crushed pinapple (drained)
• 5 cups diced rhubarb
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 small package of strawberry gelatin

Mix together the first three ingredients and let stand 2 hours, then boil 12 minutes.  Remove from heat, add dry gelatin, stir and pour into jars or plastic containers.  Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.  Can be frozen.  Serves 48; 45 calories; <1 g fat.

What to Do with Pinto Beans???

It may sound strange. .but yes your reading it right!  Blueberry Bean Muffins.  Not only are they tasty, but if no one told you they were made with beans you would never guess.  So if you’ve got some pinto beans to use, try out this recipe!

Blueberry Bean Muffins

(Taken from BEANS, BEANS, BEANS, Californias Finest Recipes)

• 3 cups cooked* or 2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

*1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked

Preheat oven to 375.  In food processor or blender, puree beans and milk until smooth.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter; beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add bean mixture, mixing until well blended.  Mix in combined flours, baking soda, spices and salt.  Gently mix  in bluebrries.  Spoon batter into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups; sprinkle with pecans.

Bake muffins 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans.  Serve warm or cool.