Dilly Snack Mix.......a snack that is meant for sharing

Holidays....whether they are Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter it's always a time for families and friends to be together.  To celebrate each other, to gather and remember to laugh and learn and of course to eat!  In our house 'snacking' is always going on....and especially when the whole family is together.  This recipe for Dilly Snack Mix was given to me by my very good friend Christine.  My family loves it as do my friends.  I encourage you to make some for your family and share with your friends....pour it into a special container and it makes a lovely hostess gift.

 

Dilly Snack Mix....

 

The ingredients you will need.

For the dressing....adding flavour.



 

The dressing combined with oil. Add some dry dill.

Dressing added, everything tossed together and into a paper bag.

 





The paper bag absorbs some of the oil while it sits.

Jarred and ready for sampling or giving as gifts.

 

DILLY SNACK MIX RECIPE

 

1 box Crispix or Rice Chex cereal

1 package pretzels (I like the alphabet ones)

1 box fish crackers (original)

1 box mini Ritz (plain or cheddar)

1 box Bugles

1 can mixed nuts/peanuts or your choice

Dressing:

1 package ranch powder dressing (dill works too)

3 - 4 Tablespoons dry dill weed

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix dressing ingredients together well and pour over cereal mixture.

Put into a large paper bag and shake.

Let sit in the paper bag for an hour - shaking and turning the bag every 15 minutes.

Pour into jars or tins and store on the counter.

Makes about 2 gallons....that is how I store mine....as you can see.

 

'Surround yourself with people who make you Hungry for Life,

Touch your Heart, and Nourish your Soul.'



Quinoa Choco-Nut Balls

December is here and I'm starting to think of getting some treats ready for the upcoming holidays.

I love to have some sweet and some savory snacks on hand 'just in case' someone drops in over the Christmas season and when our family gathers together to celebrate.  These Quinoa Choco-Nut Balls are perfect, not too sweet, nice and chocolaty and have a nice surprise hit of protein.  For those of us who are more conscious of what we are putting into our bodies, these treats are wonderful.  They look so pretty and festive too! ( For those of you that cannot eat peanut butter, any nut butter will work.)

 

 

Quinoa Choco-Nut Balls

 

 The ingredients you will need.



 The Quinoa is in the pot and will cook for approximately 20 minutes.

 



The cooked Quinoa is mixed with the rest of the ingredients...so easy.

 Coconut is set for rolling the Quinoa Choco-Nut Balls in.

 Last one to roll and I'm done.

 



All lined up and ready for the fridge.

A handy trick for 'natural' peanut butter is to mix it together and flip the jar upside down

when you store it.  No more oil separating from the peanut butter!  Works every time.

 

Ready for sampling or sharing.....so tasty. Enjoy!

 

QUINOA CHOCO-NUT BALLS RECIPE

 

3 cups cooked Quinoa (1 cup quinoa with 2 1/2 cups water)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup maple syrup (agave/honey)

3 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter

1 Tablespoon Coconut Butter/oil

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

For Rolling:

1/2- 1 cup unsweetened coconut for rolling

 

Cook the Quinoa for approximately 20 minutes, until all water is absorbed.

 Once Quinoa is cooked place it into a large bowl

(while it is still warm) and stir in all of the ingredients except the coconut for rolling.

Make sure to stir and fold it all together so that everything is evenly mixed.

The warmth of the Quinoa will melt the coconut butter/oil and the peanut butter.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spoon out 1 teaspoon sized balls, drop and roll

into the unsweetened coconut and place onto cookie sheet. Continue with the rest of the mixture until all of it is used up. Place into fridge for approximately 2 hours and then enjoy!

These will freeze quite nicely and are just as good right out of the freezer! (I tested..)

 

'Good for the body is the work of the body, and good for the soul is the work of the soul,

and good for either is the work of the other.'

Henry David Thoreau



Oatcakes.....Memories of Nova Scotia

Memories bring back 'cravings' for certain foods. Foods that I have sampled while travelling.  Today's memory is from Nova Scotia and a trip my husband and I, along with my sister Holly and brother in law John took in October 2007. We visited many little communities in Nova Scotia in the week we were where there and along the way stopped in a local coffee shop in Musquodoboit Harbour for a break. We ordered a few of their Oatcakes and were quite surprised at just how comforting they were.

Crispy, but not too sweet - perfect with the cup of coffee we were drinking and also filling enough for us as we had 'missed' lunch with the errands we were doing. When we returned to BC my sister Holly kept talking about these oatcakes and kept looking in grocery stores and other places for them.  She kept talking about just how good they were and couldn't get them out of her mind.  I came across this recipe by Mae Adams and I finally found the 'taste' that my sister was looking for since our trip in 2007.

Holly, this one's for you! 

 

 

Oatcakes...

 

The ingredients you will need.

 

 

 

OATCAKES RECIPE

 

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat)

1 1/2 cups large flake oatmeal

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 cup chilled butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

Extra oats for rolling

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, soda and salt.

Cut in shortening and butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle in water (more or less) - just enough to hold mixture together.  Divide into 15 balls.

On counter scattered with oats, press out each portion until 1/4 inch thick, flipping once so both sides are covered in the oatmeal.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool completely before storing. 

 To restore crispness, toast in the toaster oven for a few minutes.

You can also roll them very thin 1/8 inch for a different look and crispness....leaving the edges 'jagged' gives them a nice rustic look.

  

 

 

'The best things in life are free... And it is important never to lose sight of that.

So look around you.  Wherever you see friendship, loyalty, laughter, and love....

there is your treasure."

Neale Donald Walsh