Recipe Sharing

Heavenly Hummus

2012-01-10T09:36:00.001-07:00

Take 1/8C sesame seeds, 1tsp cumin seeds if you have them, 1/4C water, dump that mixture in a bullet or similar blender, Blend this to a milky like consistency.

1 Can Chickpea, drained
Sesame Mixture from above (my replacement for tahini)
1/8 C Olive Oil
2 tsp chopped garlic (I used the big preminced jar from walmart)
1/8C Lemon Juice (fresh is great but I usually use the big bottle of lemon juice)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP Cumin (omit if you used cumin seeds in sesame mixture)
2 tsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper

Blend everything together in the blender until smooth!

Optional: try adding some avocado if you do you can leave out the olive oil

I use this on sandwiches instead of dressing.

Juicy Turkey

2011-11-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

we kinda followed the citrus brine with this recipe from allrecipes

Prep Time:
20 Min

Cook Time:
3 Hrs

Ready In:
3 Hrs 20 Min

Ingredients

2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary
2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
(we used fresh rosemary, sage and thyme and rubbed under the skin with butter)
1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne
(we skipped the carrots & celery and stuffed the bird with peeled oranges, wedged, & a peeled chopped onion)
We dumped one bottle of sparkling grape juice over our turkeys and didn't even use the chicken broth.

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil that will be long enough to wrap over the turkey.
Stir together the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey, then stuff with the celery, orange, onion, and carrot. Truss if desired, and place the turkey into the roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth and champagne over the turkey, making sure to get some champagne in the cavity. Bring the aluminum foil over the top of the turkey, and seal. Try to keep the foil from touching the skin of the turkey breast or legs.
Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Uncover the turkey, and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 minutes to 1 hour longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Citrus Turkey Brine

2011-11-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe here at Allrecipes

we made this brine for our turkeys this year and "soaked" them for 2.5 days, in my opinion brine-ing is a MUST and turns our wonderfully juicy turkeys!

Prep Time:
10 Min

Cook Time:
15 Min

Ready In:
2 Hrs 25 Min

Original Recipe Yield 1 1/2 gallon

Ingredients

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 gallons water

Directions

Combine the orange juice concentrate, orange slices, lemon slices, lime slices, thyme, pepper, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and water in a large stockpot; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator. Allow turkey to marinate 1 to 2 days before cooking. Remove the turkey carefully. Drain and discard the excess brine and pat dry.
Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster.

Home Lunch

2011-11-03T14:09:00.000-06:00

I have been pretty successful at home lunches, perhaps it is the child, I will soon find out since next year I will have a 1st grader to please. But I wanted to share what I have done in hopes to help out others.

We started Home Lunch because my 1st grader (now 6th grader) threw most of her lunch away everyday... I saw money being thrown in the garbage! :( So we started Home Lunch, she then had her leftovers as an afterschool snack, in the beginning she would throw things away at school. She couldn't lie when I asked and so I started asking daily if she had thrown her lunch away, it only took a month and she learned that was unacceptable. If she had thrown her lunch away she wouldn't get a special snack/treat in her lunch the next day. (see later on when I tell you about our snack system)

in the beginning it was just sandwiches, occasionally a lunchable when they are on sale for $1. We added a short Thermos Food Jar, I was going to snap a picture but it is in her lunch at school with Pizza Rolls in it. :) so here is a picture from the thermos site, we did try a "store brand" thermos but I like the metal food thermos best!

The Thermos has opened us up to lots more options!
What we have done in our thermos:
burrito cut in half so it fits (I used to buy the el monerety kind but I now make my own frozen burritos), chicken nuggets, pasta... even those michelena meals that are about .88 at walmart (we don't do those often once or twice a month), pizza rolls, I get them when they are on sale, so I am guessing sending 5 in her lunch today cost .40 at the most. We haven't done soup but we are thinking of branching out in that direction. Also any dinner leftovers my daughter wants to take we warm up the food to HOT and by lunch it is perfect!

From time to time (when she asks) I allow her to take cereal in a plastic container (an old sour cream with lid) and buy a carton of milk for .30 at school. She loves salad and so she likes to take that often, at our house we usually top our salad with a taco salad like bean mixture. quesadilla. we do wraps with pb & honey in them too.

other supplies that I love, I have bought the solo brand side cups, that you get ranch or sour cream in at a restaurant. They sell them at costco for about $10 for the cups $10 for the lids, so for $20 I have 1000 cups, we use these for dressings for salad, hummus with crackers, pb with apple slices, ranch for veggies.

okay Snacks at our house: the kids can have whatever regular snacks they like, fruit, veggies, slice or bread, hummus, etc, but we have a list of special snacks: string cheese, granola bar, fruit snacks, cookies, cake & candy if we have any, fruit leather, caprisun. They are allowed to have any 2 special snacks per day. This has worked like a charm, they budget their snacks, and know when they are done for the day and then go to the fruit drawer. :)

So each day I suggest main dish/sandwich, a fruit or veggie or both if she wants, and then a snack/special snack, if she isn't using a special snack for a drink we send a water bottle with her. I made her lunches in 1st grade, helped her in 2nd and by 3rd she was making her own but runs what she is putting in it by me.

**She gets to have School Lunch once a week, this way I know she will eat it all cuz it is something she wants**

If this hadn't worked with my daughter, my next course of action would have been for her to loose after school snack until she took time to eat her lunch each day.

I hope this helps others and would love people to leave comments with ideas they have come up with! :)

Homemade Ranch

2011-10-07T14:32:00.000-06:00

I got the basis for my Recipe from "Our Best Bites, Mormon Moms in the Kitchen"

1 1/2 to 2C Mayo
1 1/3C milk (last time I used powdered milk, this time I am trying plain Almond Milk)
1TBSP Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp Parsley (I used fresh, about a handful, this time I used half fresh half dry)
1/4 tsp dill
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I used fresh minced garlic since I blend it in the blender)
1/2 tsp Onion powder
1 TBSP chives (I used fresh, a bunch the diameter of a pencil)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp Kirkland organic no salt seasoning instead of seasoned salt

blend everything in the blender :) refrigerate 4 hours before use. Makes 32oz/4C.

I am going to try adding cilantro & lime juice next time!

24 hour potroast

2011-09-25T18:21:00.005-06:00

YUMMY! The hardest part is smelling it for 24 hours, so fast Sunday may not be the best Sunday to make this.

1 roast

4 beef bouillon cubes

1 pkg Italian salad dressing mix

2 cups water

Put all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 24 hours. Yes, 24 hours! No stiffing or turning necessary.

Potato Soup

2011-09-23T17:00:00.001-06:00

I haven't tried this, but it looked really good. It was posted in a forum where I would forget about it, so I thought I would put it here. I can't wait to try it!

8 potatoes peeled/chopped
6 chicken bollioun cubes
1 pint half and half
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 to 1 pound bacon cooked and diced (depends on what you like, could also use cubed ham)

Add all of these to crock pot on low for about 3-4 hours or till potatoes are soft. Then add:

8 oz cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheese (any combo will work, I used a 3 cheese one from sams club)

Stir this and let it cook on low another 1 hour till its all melted.

This is so good, rich I know but its great

Herb Lentil & Rice

2011-09-20T20:16:00.000-06:00

As a family we are trying to reduce the amount of meat we eat and increase the grains & seeds, so here we go.

Ingredients

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth (I used 2 C water and a tsp of Kirkland Organic no salt seasoning)

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp dry lentils

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp chopped onion

1/4 cup and 2 tbsp uncooked brown rice

3 tbsp dry white wine, or chicken broth (I used 1 TBSP white grape juice concentrate)

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp garlic powder (I used chopped garlic)

1/8 tsp pepper

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese, divided

I also threw in 1/2C of Quinoa and added at least 1/2C of water to compensate for that.

Directions

In a bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients; stir in 1/2 cup cheese.
Transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray
Cover and bake at 350*F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until lentils and rice are tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring twice.
Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

I added 1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes, my hubby said it was a bit too much, so I would go with half a can next time I like the flavor it added. Also on the site I got this from someone suggested to do Mexican Seasonings, I think I will try that next time.

Number of Servings: 3

Chicken Noodle Letuce Cups

2011-09-03T16:27:00.005-06:00

I made these for dinner last night and all the kids had fun helping me cut the veggies and put it all together and on the table. Zoe, Austin & I really liked them. Makayla mostly liked them & Holden wouldn't try them at all. As a shortcut, we used leftover rotisserie chicken, shredded.

2 (8oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts

2 tsp olive oil

sea salt & black pepper

1 Tbsp sesamie seeds

1 Tbsp honey

1 bundle dried fine Chinese egg noodles or rice noodles

1/2 cucumber

2 small carrots, pealed

1 cup snow peas

2 scallions, trimmed

1/3 cup cilantro leaves

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp soy sauce

1 head Bibb lettuce

Optional garnish: 1 red chili pepper, finely sliced

Cook the Chicken: Get your barbecue hot. If cooking indoors, put the grill pan on high heat. Score the chicken breasts with a sharp knife at 1-inch intervals to help them cook more quickly and evenly Drizzle with olive oil; add a pinch of salt & pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Coat the chicken with sesamie seeds and honey. Move to a cutting board, then use 2 forks to shred the chicken.

Make the noodle salad: Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions and rain well. While they're cooling, quarter the cucumber lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, then finely slice Use your vegetable peeler to cut the carrots into ribbons. Slice the snow peas in half, and finely slice the scallions. Toss veggies with cold noodles, cilantro, lime juice , and soy sauce. Peel whole leaves off the lettuce head, wash, and spin dry (or place between 2 paper towels).

Assemble the cups: Take everything to the table and let the family build their own lettuce cups.

Herb Roasted Salmon

2011-08-23T21:17:00.000-06:00

1TBSP Olive Oil
1TBSP Butter, melted
1 tsp thyme
1/2C Onions finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 salmon fillets

Pre-heat oven to 475°

In roasting pan, place the oil and melted butter. "Roll" the salmon in it till well coated. Sprinkle thyme, salt, pepper & chopped onion over the top.

Roast fish in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn and finish cooking 3 to 5 min. (my hubby didn't flip the fish just cooked until an internal temp of 142°)

Chocolate Lava Cakes

2011-05-29T22:18:00.003-06:00

This is from my Family Fun magazine - in the Let's Cook segment (cooking with your child). Makayla helped me for a while until I kept making mistakes and had to keep back tracking. When they were done they were AMAZING - they rivaled anything you could get in a restaurant!

1 stick + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1cup (6oz) bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate bar broken in pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 tsp granulated sugar

3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup flour

Big pinch of salt

1. Heat the oven to 450. Use a double boiler or create your own by filling a saucepan with an inch of water then fitting a heat-safe mixing bowl in the top of the pan. Combine the butter and the chocolate in the bowl over hot (but not boiling) water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.

2. When it is completely melted, stir or whisk the chocolate mixture to fully combine the ingredients. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir in the vanilla extract. Set it aside.

3. While the chocolate mixture cools, butter six (8oz) ceramic ramekins or custard cups (the sides of each cup should measure no taller than 2 1/4 inches). Place 1 tsp of granulated sugar inside each one. Tip and turn the cups to coat them with the sugar, then set them aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk. Add the confectioners' sugar, and whisk again. The mixture will look lumpy at this point, but it will become smooth as more ingredients are added. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then add the flour and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth.

5. Divide the batter among the 6 baking cups and set 5 of them aside. You'll use the sixth cake to conduct a trial run of the baking process.

6. Place your trial cake in the coolest part of the oven and bake it until the top is flat (not sunken or bulging), about 9 minutes. Be sure to monitor the baking closely so that the cake does not overbake and become set in the center.

7. Remove the trial cake from the oven - making not of your exact baking time - and place it on a pot holder to cool for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the cake to loosen it from the baking cup. Place a dessert plate over the baking cup and, using the pot holder, invert the cake onto the plate. Wait 10-15 seconds, then carefully lift the cup off the plate. The cake should have a nice, round shape and be slightly sunken in the center. Use a knife to gently poke the middle of the ckae to find out if it's molten and lavalike beneath the surface.

8. Finish baking the cakes in 2 batches, adjusting your baking time up or down in one-minute increments as needed. Serve the cakes at room temperature (they need about 30 minutes to cool) with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We recommend splitting each cake into two servings, as they are quite rich. Makes 6 mini cakes.

Sweet Grilled Pork

2011-05-29T22:09:00.002-06:00

I got this one out of my Parents magazine. My whole family really likes it and they say that the apricots are rich in beta-carotene.

1 lb. pork tenderloin

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup apricot preserves

2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

4 apricots, halved and pitted

2 tsp canola oil

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. Grill pork, covered, indirectly (I turn on 1/2 the grill and put it on the other half) over medium-high heat for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mix preserves and soy sauce. Brush 2 Tbs. of it on pork. Cover and grill 5-10 minutes more, or until the pork is cooked through. Remove from grill; brush 2 more Tbs. apricot mixture over the pork. Cover with foil and let stand.

2. Brush apricots with oil and grill directly over medium heat for 2 minutes per side, or until slightly softened and browned. Slice pork and serve with remaining apricot mixture and grilled apricots on the side. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition per serving: 259 calories; 25g protein; 5g fat; 30g carbs; 1g fiber; 20mg calcium; 1mg iron; 245 mg sodium

Thai Chicken Tacos

2011-05-18T18:34:00.002-06:00

This was a good way to use up some cabbage. It comes from Better Homes & Gardens. For the most part, it was well received by the family.

1 lime halved (about 1 Tbsp. lime juice)
1 lb. boneless, skinless Chicken breast cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1 large shallot finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (I used oyster sauce. Hoisin sauce would work too)
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2-1 tsp. crushed red pepper. (I used less than 1/2 because of the kid factor, but there was no heat in the end.)
1/2 tsp. hot chili sauce (I used sweet chili sauce)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
corn tortillas (flour would be easier to get down my kids)
1 recipe cabbage slaw.
Toss together:
2 C. shredded napa cabbage
1/2 C. shredded carrot
1/2 C. sliced green onions
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1/4 C. chopped peanuts (optional)
1/4 C. rice vinegar -- not allowed by my family :(

Combine lime juice with chicken, cilantro, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper and chili sauce in a bowl or bag. Marinate at least 1 hour.

In large skillet cook chicken mixture in hot oil until cooked, about 5 min.

To serve, layer two tortillas (I think this is because the tortillas tear, but I think it would be too dry if layered. Do what you want.) Top with chicken and cabbage slaw.

We liked sour cream on top. I think tomatoes would also be a nice addition.

Pork Verde Tacos

2011-04-08T09:52:00.004-06:00

Brittney Goodey made these for us yesterday and they were YUMMY - at least Austin and I loved them. Holden and Makayla wouldn't try them.

4-5 lb pork roast in crockpot (if it's frozen, cook on high 9 hours, if thawed, 5-6 hrs on high, 10-12 hrs on low)

In Blender (looks like a lot, but it's just spices)
1 onion, quartered
3 stalks celery
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed
3 garlic cloves
1/2 c water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
Blend together till everything is chopped. Poor onto roast. Add 3 bay leaves to the pot.

When the roast is shred-able, or 1/2 hour before serving, drain the juice (if you strain it, it makes a good base for taco soup or to use in rice). Shred pork, then add 1 16-oz jar green salsa.

Serve with shredded cabbage and Jalapeno Sauce.

Jalapeno Sauce
Blend together 1 cup mayo, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno (seeds removed), 1 Tbl vinegar, 1 Tbl water, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1 clove garlic.

I like mine with homemade tortillas:
Harina de Maiz flour
Water
Proportions on flour bag.

Cheeseburger soup

2011-04-05T22:17:00.004-06:00

I got this recipe off another blog. I copied this from her blog, but I made a few changes. I halved the recipe - perfect for my family with no left overs. I also put in 1 whole tomato instead of a can since I had some that needed eating. My family isn't big on pickles, so I didn't add the relish to the soup, but I put some in my bowl. Everyone liked this soup, even Makayla who was disappointed that I didn't puree the tomatoes before adding them to the soup.

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

10 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
4 cups of chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10.75 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
2 Tbsp, Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1 (2.8 oz) can of French fried onions

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from the pot and drain on paper towels.
Add ground beef, onion , and garlic to pot with bacon grease. Cook until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain off grease.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cheese soup, and Worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. Mix in pickle relish.
Serve in bowls topped with the cooked bacon followed by the French fried onions. Serves 6 to 8.

Mock Kneaders French Toast w Cinnamon Butter

2011-03-03T17:36:00.002-07:00

Here's a recipe I love from Deals To Meals blog. Makes you feel like you are eating
french toast from Kneaders! It is absolutally {delightful}!! Thanks for letting me share on this blog!
-Amy

Cinnamon Swirl Bread (makes 5 loaves)

5 c. hot water
3 T. yeast
1 c. white sugar
2/3 c. vital wheat gluten
3 T. lemon juice
2/3 c. oil
2 T. salt
14-15 c. white flour

Filling:
1/2-2/3 c. cinnamon butter*
1/2-2/3 c. brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg

In a large mixing bowl (or in your Bosche/KitchenAid mixer bowl), combine the water, yeast, lemon juice, sugar and vital wheat gluten together. Mix together and let the mixture sit until it becomes foamy and bubbly (about 10 minutes). Then add the oil, salt and flour (one cup at a time) to the yeast mixture. The dough should be sticky, but not so sticky that you won't be able to work with it. Once the dough has been incorporated, let it sit in the bowl until it begins to rise (about 15-20 minutes--you don't have to wait too long). Pour a few tablespoons of oil onto the counter and spread into a large rectangle shape. Empty the dough out onto the greased counter. Roll the dough into a very large rectangle shape (doesn't have to be perfectly rectangle). Roll until dough is about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (not as thin as a cinnamon roll dough would be).

Spread the cinnamon butter all over the surface of the dough. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon all over the dough. Roll the dough into a large log, beginning with the end furthest away from you (like you would with a cinnamon roll). Cut the dough 'log' into five equal parts. Take each section and fold the sides underneath the dough piece to try and seal off the cinnamon swirl sections. Pinch the sides and bottom of the dough loaf together as best you can.

Spray each bread loaf with cooking spray. Place the dough pieces into each of the loaf pans and spread the corners of the dough into each corner. Place the loaf pans into a 170 degree oven and let them rise until they are just below the top of the pan. Once the dough reaches the top of the pan, turn the oven to 350 degrees (without opening the oven). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Remove from pans after bread has cooled. Serve with cinnamon butter or cut into thick slices and make into French toast.

Ultimate Cinnamon Swirl French Toast

7-10 thick slices of cinnamon swirl bread
2 eggs
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. pancake mix (the dry powder/mix)
1 t. vanilla
Dash nutmeg & cinnamon
1 t. sugar
Dash of salt

Mix all of the items together (minus the bread) until smooth. Heat a large skillet or griddle until hot and then grease with butter. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and then place on the hot griddle. Cook on each side until golden brown. Serve French toast with syrup, cinnamon butter or whipping cream (or all three :)

*Cinnamon Butter

1 Cup butter, softened (not melted)
1/3 Cup sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup (or 1 T. honey)
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons cinnamon (I liked it with extra!)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together on high speed until light and fluffy.

Pepperkaker (Gingersnaps) ****

2011-02-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

3/4C Butter
1C White Sugar

1/8C Molasses
1 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
2C Flour

Beat together the butter and sugar until well incorporated, set aside.

Stir together the molasses and eggs, set aside.

Combine dry ingredients, set aside.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the molasses mixture, mixing well.

Take a TBSP of dough and roll into a ball, dip in white sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes ( I found 8 min to be the best for my oven/altitude so they were soft still)

Gyros

2011-02-09T10:55:00.001-07:00

Flat bread (you can buy it or make your own. I think navajo taco bread would work well, or scones, or naan)
Roast--pork, beef or lamb
Feta cheese
Tomatoes
Onions (optional)

Roast some sort of meat in the slow cooker. I did pork, but it was rather fatty so I think I'll do beef next time.

Sauce
1 c. yogurt
1/4 C mayo
1/4 C sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 packet italian seasoning mix
1/2 cucumber--grated. Squeeze excess water out.

Mix with a wisk and refrigerate until ready.

Place meat, sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onion and Feta cheese in flatbead and enjoy!

YUMMY Banana Bread

2011-01-29T09:41:00.003-07:00

This recipe comes from a friend of my brother-in-law. It is YUMMY!

Crumb topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp flour

Mix dry ingredients, then cut in the butter.

Cinnamon & Sugar coating (I left this out because it just is messier when you are eating it):

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together. Spray pans with olive oil or pam, then toss mixture to coat bottom and sides.

Banana Bread:

3/4 cup butter, softened

3 cups white sugar

3 eggs

5-6 ripe bananas

1 (16 oz) container sour cream

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking soda

4 1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees for convection, 325 for regular.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon. Then mix in salt, baking soda, flour.

Pour into cinnamon & sugar coated pans. Top with crumb mixture. Bake for 1 hour (usually takes longer) or until toothpick comes out clean from center. (For the small loafs I baked at 350 for 35 minutes). Makes 3 large loaves.

Monkey Bread

2011-01-25T21:57:00.003-07:00

When we were home for Christmas, Carol made this for us Christmas morning. I bought the ingredients 2 other times while we were there so we could have it again. It is so YUMMY and easy - but not in the least bit healthy, so this will be a "special occasion" recipe for my family!

2 loaves frozen bread dough (or 24 rolls)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 lg (2 sm) pkg vanilla pudding, cook variety

2 TBSP Milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Thaw bread, but do not allow it to raise. Grease 9x13 pan. Tear one loaf into pieces & drop helter skelter into pan. Melt butter in sauce pan, add rest of ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour over the torn up loaf. Tear second loaf and throw on top (trying to place in empty spots). Let raise 2 1/2 -3 hours (or overnight in fridge). Place in 375 oven for 30 minutes. Let cool about 15 minutes, turn out on wax paper.

Chili Relleno Casserole

2011-01-20T09:32:00.002-07:00

This is a great way to use up those peppers from Bountiful Baskets. I've tried several different versions of this and this one is by far my favorite. Much more filling and much more flavorful. If anyone has other ways to use the chilis, I'd love to hear it. Also, I discovered freshly made corn tortillas at Harmons. They're soooo much better than the regular ones you find in grocery stores, so I recommend trying those. If your kids don't like spicy, they can easily remove the peppers from their portion after it's all cooked.

*4-8 hot peppers, roasted, skinned, seeds removed
several corn tortillas (10ish), torn into 1-inch strips
1/2 lb. each Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese
2 to 3 tomatoes, sliced
8 to 10 eggs
1 tsp. each: salt, pepper, ground cumin and garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion salt

Preheat oven to 350°F; grease 9 x 13 pan. Cut chilies in half; lay out flat on bottom of pan. Cover chilies with half the tortillas, half tomatoes and half cheeses. Repeat for second layer. Beat eggs and spices; pour on top. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake 40 minutes, uncovered, until knife inserted comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

*To roast peppers, just place them on a pan on the highest rack in your oven and turn the broiler on. Let them cook until the skins char and bubble. You may want to turn them over so it does that on both sides. Then cool in a paper bag. The skins should easily come off, and if it doesn't, just leave it on.

key lime cupcakes

2011-01-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

found these on a blog I follow and they look so good I am going to have to make them!
Key Lime Cupcakes

½ C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 C. milk
1 C. flour
1 (14 oz.) Can sweetened condensed milk
10 graham cracker squares, crumbled
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
5 egg yolks
½ C. lime juice

è Start by creaming your butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add the 3 eggs, one at a time.
è In a medium sized bowl, shift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix in the graham cracker crumbles.
è Slowly add the dry ingredients, and the milk, to the butter mixture. Make sure you alternate between the dry ingredients and the milk. (dry-milk-dry)
è In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks, condensed milk, and lime juice. Pour into your batter and stir slightly.
è Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.

For the frosting, I made a basic cream cheese frosting with a little lemon extract.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz package softened cream cheese
¼ C. soft butter
1 t. lime or lemon extract
4 C. Powdered Sugar

è Mix the cream cheese and butter until combined.
è Add the sugar and extract slowly. Beat on high until fluffy.

Pizza Dough

2011-01-19T18:32:00.003-07:00

Dissolve 2 T dry yeast in 3 C. warm water. After it bubbles, add 1/4 cup sugar or honey and 1 T. salt. Mix thoroughly. Add 4 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add 2 more cups flour. If needed, add up to 2 more cups flour. Knead about 5-10 minutes by machine, adding flour to make dough not sticky.

Cut into 4 pieces. I thick crust pizza is desired, roll out dough onto pizza pan and let rise for 10 minutes. Otherwise, just pat or roll into pizza pan. Spread with sauce, sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Add toppings as desired. Bake 500 until done, about 20 minutes (mine burned on top at 500 so I would probably do it lower next time). Makes several pizzas. Recipe may be halved.

May use dough to make garlic bread. Place 1/4-1/2 of the original batch of dough in a greased bowl, let rise in warm place for 40 minutes. Punch down. Shape into load, let rise 1 hour on greased baking pan. Baking 375-400, 15-20 minutes. Slice, butter, sprinkle with garlic sale, wrap in foil, bake 20 minutes or pop in freezer.

Pistachio Pesto

2011-01-17T20:39:00.004-07:00

My kids loved this one!

1 Cup packed spinach

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, quartered

12 oz dried pasta, cooked and drained

Put the spinach, oil, nuts, cheese, salt, and garlic in food processor. Process until smooth. Toss with pasta and serve. Makes 6 cups.

Nutritional per cup: 361 calories; 10g protein; 16g fat (3g sat. fat); 44g carbs; 2g fiber; 60 mg calcium; 2mg iron; 253mg sodium.

**I added some shredded chicken to the mix before serving**

Crock-pot Mongolian Beef

2010-11-17T19:59:00.002-07:00

This was a goodie and so easy! Everyone in my family liked it, except the 4-year-old who doesn't like anything that's not Cheeto-based. I don't count her opinion anymore.

1 lb beef flank steak, sliced thinly across the grain
1 medium white onion (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup light soy sauce or 1/2 cup Braggs liquid aminos
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup cut scallion, in 1 . 5 inch pieces (green onions)
1/3 cup fruity white wine

1 Slice the flank steak thinly across the grain - the strips should be 2 to 3 inches long each; set aside.

2 Combine the onion, soy sauce, broth, garlic, hoisin, brown sugar, ginger, and pepper flakes, then put the mixture into the crock pot.

3 Put the cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag; add the sliced beef and toss well to coat. (It practically kills me to use up a gallon bag for such a simple task, but I did, and the food was worth it in the end.)

4 Add the coated beef into the crock pot, gently pushing it into the liquid to cover; pour the white wine over - do NOT stir.

5 Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours; an hour before you're going to serve, turn the crock pot to high, add the cut scallions, stir, and cook for an additional hour.

6 Stir, and serve over rice or noodles.

Whoopie Pies (America's Test Kitchen)

2010-09-01T10:42:00.002-06:00

(serves 12...big whoopie pies)

Cookies:

4 cups flour

1 cup cocoa (preferably Dutch processed)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 sticks butter, softened but still cool

2 large eggs, room temp

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups buttermilk

Filling:

3 sticks butter, softened but still cool

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

5 cups marshmallow creme

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer...about 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Pour some of it into the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk..dry mix, buttermilk, dry mix, buttermilk, etc. Drop the batter onto sheet pans covered in parchment paper. Give the cookies plenty of room to spread. Bake for about 7 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven and bake for 7 minutes more OR until the cookies "spring bag" when lightly pressed with your finger.

For the filling, beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat in the marshmallow creme. Mix well. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Dollop on a cookie, take another cookie on top and press together until the filling spreads to the edges. Eat!

found this, this morning and can't wait to find a reason to make them!

Scotcheroos

2010-08-14T23:12:00.000-06:00

Just got done making 2 batches of these for our Trip to Lake Powell!

I can't believe I haven't posted my very Favorite Recipe!!! I guess that is because that is how long it has been since I made them! For good reason I could eat the whole pan NO PROBLEM!!! :)

1C Karo Syrup
1C Sugar
1C Creamy Peanut Butter
6C Crispy Rice Cereal
1C Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1C Butterscotch Chips

1-cook corn syrup & sugar together in a large pan over med heat, stirring to dissolve sigar. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in Peanut butter, mix well. Add Cereal, stir until evenly coated.
2-pour into greased cookie sheet/pan 13x9 and pat into place.
3-melt chocolate & butterscotch chips together in sauce pan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over cereal.
4-Cool at least 45 min, or until firm, cut into bars.

Swedish Berry Cream Dessert

2010-06-26T19:39:00.002-06:00

This was on a blog I stalk. It sounded good so I'm posting it tonight and trying it out tomorrow. The best part is, since it has fruit in it, we can pretend it's healthy.

1 envelope Knox gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
2 1/2 c. heavy cream (to save a few calories, I use 1 1/4 c. half an half, 1 1/4 c. heavy cream)
1 c. sugar
2 c. sour cream (I use fat free)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries -- whatever you love most)

Dissolve gelatine in water.
Heat (do not boil) cream, sugar, and gelatin; stirring gently.
Cool to room temperature.
Fold in sour cream and vanilla.
Pour over berries and chill (you can do individual serving bowls, or a big bowl)
Serves 8

-----

Cafe Rio Pork or Chicken Salad!!!! WONDERFUL!

2010-05-02T09:30:00.000-06:00

I got all these recipes from except the chicken from:
http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2007/11/jared-and-i-love-cafe-rio.html

So I used raw Tortilla shells from Costco for these and fried them up! I love them!

Pork-

2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

You know me I never follow exactly! I added the spicy stuff from the food processor straight into the crockpot with the marinade, I liked that it wasn't covered in enchilada sauce, but it had the taste!

RICE:

I am not going to share the recipe, you can follow the link and find it, because I like the lime rice recipe that Patti has already shared on this blog much MUCH better!!

BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")

And the MOST important part!

The Cilantro Lime Dressing!

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalepeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

We also did Avocados instead of guacamole, shredded cheese & some of my homemade salsa.

It was perfect! and I am excited to have it again today!!!

of and for the chicken I used this recipe:

Chicken

5 lbs chicken breast- boneless skinless

Some zesty Italian dressing

1 Tbsp chili powder, I used crushed red pepper

1 Tpsp cumin

3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together in a large crock pot.

Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred with fork. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken to keep moist. Keep warm. I also added most of a can of caffeine free Pepsi after I shredded it, and returned it to all juices it cooked in! :)

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

2010-02-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

1/3 C Oil or Butter - I used coconut oil
4 tsp minced garlic
about 1 lb chicken
1/3 C flour
1/2 C carrots, shredded
1 stick of celery
1/2 C chopped spinach
2 1/2 C milk - I used 1%
1 1/2 C heavy cream - I used coconut cream
1C chicken stock
cracked pepper to taste
about 16 oz of Gnocchi - I used whole wheat

on med heat
melt butter/oil in a soup pot, add in the garlic and saute, add chicken and cook thoroughly.
Add flour and stir in flour and mix well until flour is cooked in.
add milk & cream
then add veggies
add stock
add gnocchi last it takes 3-4 min to cook through
mix until soup thickens & stir occasionally. cover and simmer for 10 min

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole by Sheryl

2010-02-03T20:04:00.002-07:00

8 slices ham
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 c. parmesan cheese grated
½ pkg Stove Top stuffing (chicken)
Or
¾ c bread crumbs (save the crumbs from slicing home-made bread)
1/4 c. melted butter

Sauce:

1 can cream of mushroom (or celery, chicken (or one of each if tripling)) soup
¼ c. milk
1 sm. Can mushrooms (optional)
1 T parsley
½ tsp garlic or lemon pepper
1-2 Tbsp diced green onions (optional)

Place slices of ham separately in a casserole dish. Place Swiss cheese and then chicken on each slice of ham. Mix ingredients in sauce and pour over chicken. Sprinkle grated cheeses over sauce. Top with bread crumbs. Drizzle butter over bread crumbs. Bake covered at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more.

**For the freezer: Assemble as above except do not add bread crumbs and grated cheese: Add these after defrosting, before putting into the oven. I like to make at least three of these at a time especially when ham is on sale during the Holidays (Easter is coming up!) I buy a spiral sliced ham specifically for this recipe. One ham will easily make 3 casseroles plus plenty for other recipes. Also I just triple the sauce recipe instead of making single batches to save time. Keeps 3+ months.
***A cheap freezer container: line your pan with heavy duty foil before assembling casserole. Assemble then put in freezer-allow to freeze solid. Once frozen, remove foil lined casserole from pan and wrap again with heavy duty foil until it's sealed. Then put back into the freezer until you're ready to use. Once you're ready to use your casserole just unwrap the outer foil layer & pop it back into your original casserole dish.

ENJOY!

Aebleskivers

2010-01-24T15:09:00.005-07:00

These are Danish pancakes, that kind of look like light, fluffy pancake balls. You need a special pan to make them, but they're a lot of fun if you have it. As always, we ate them before I remembered I wanted a picture of the food.

4 separated eggs
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 C. flour
butter, margarine, or shortening

Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside.

Beat rest of ingredients until batter is very smooth. Fold in egg whites.

Heat pan at medium with 1/8 tsp. butter in each hole. Cook for a few minutes on each side.

Serve with syrup, powdered sugar, jam, etc.

Makes approximately 48 pancakes (4-5 servings)

Making your own gnocchi - watch for upcoming soup recipe using gnocchi!

2010-01-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Gnocchi
2 qt water
6 oz all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 lbs russet potatoes
2 tsp salt
OR
1 lb gnocchi (potato dumplings), cooked according to package directions

Procedures
NOTE: You may make your own gnocchi by following the steps below, or you may purchase them already made.

Gnocchi

WASH potatoes and place in water. Cook potatoes until soft (cook time will depend on size of potatoes). Remove potatoes from water and cool in refrigerator.

PEEL cooled potatoes and push them through a fine grater (rice grater) until mashed; do not over-mash potatoes or they will get tough.

COMBINE potatoes, flour and eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix well until dough does not stick to hands (add small amounts of flour at a time if needed).

DIVIDE dough into 4 sections. Roll out each section into a long rope. Cut each rope into &frac; pieces. Push fork tines on each piece for the classic gnocchi appearance.

BRING water to a boil in a sauce pot. Drop in gnocchi and cook until they float.

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-12-13T19:08:00.001-07:00

a friend posted this recipe and it looked so good I had to copy it over for a future date!

Per the requests I got after my last cinnamon roll post, here is the recipe for my tried-and-true vanilla pudding cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. The vanilla pudding is simply added to the dough to make it extremely soft and pliable - and oh, does it ever. (No surprise, this recipe comes direct from my Aunt Marilyn whose recipes have made a great showing on this blog already.) I made these last week and it confirmed my feelings: I am in love with these cinnamon rolls. The dough is so extremely tender and soft, it will blow your mind, and the cream cheese goodness of the frosting is beyond delicious. The filling is made up of brown sugar and cinnamon and it gives a great richness to the standard cinnamon and white sugar combo. Oh my, these really are so good. I'm glad several of you requested the recipe because it gave me a chance to make them and reaffirm my vow to continue making them - it also gave me a great excuse to eat about 13 of them.

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
from A. Marilyn

Rolls:
½ cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
6+ cups flour

Filling:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.

*Freezable Recipe: After shaping the rolls and placing them on the baking sheet, cover with lightly greased saran wrap and a layer of tin foil. Store in the freezer. The night before you want to serve them take out the rolls and put them in the refrigerator. Let them thaw in the refrigerator. Take them out about 8-9 hours after being in the refrigerator and let them rise until doubled. Bake according to the recipe. (If you have less time, you can take the rolls out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter - about 4 hours, then let rise until doubled).

Christmas Scent

2009-12-03T17:03:00.002-07:00

My neighbor gave me this last year and I LOVED it!

4 Cinnamon sticks
1-2 Tbsp. cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/2 orange, sliced
4 C. water

Simmer on your stove. When the water's out, just keep replacing it and the smell will continue. You can also cool and store in your fridge for future use if you want.

Wisconsin Cheese Soup

2009-10-30T11:13:00.002-06:00

This is oh so good and easy. A great comfort food for the Fall.

½ c finely chopped onion
4 t butter
4 t flour
1 ½ t cornstarch
4 c chicken stock
4 c milk
1 c cooked carrots
1 c cooked celery
1/8 t paprika
1/2 pound shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 pound velveeta cheese

Saute onions, carrots and celery in butter until tender. Add flour and cornstarch blending well. Add chicken stock and milk gradually, stirring constantly. When boiling add paprika and cheeses. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted. Add extra rue and salt if necessary.

Ginger Garlic Chicken

2009-10-20T18:02:00.000-06:00

I am currently trying not to eat sugar, dairy or white rice, bread etc, so meals are little bit harder lately, so I made this up and the chicken I have been nibbling at while the rice cooks is delish!

chicken breasts
ginger root
garlic
braggs amino

finely smashed up a small bit of the ginger, added to braggs & minced garlic dumped over chicken. fired up the bbq, sliced up some ginger to put on top of the chicken as it cooked and basted the chicken often with remaining juices! YUM I also took some ginger pieces & half of the water as braggs and stuck them in with the brown rice as it cooked.

Clam spaghetti

2009-10-13T20:07:00.003-06:00

Don't let the title scare you away like my husband did. This is easy and yummy.

1 pkg. spaghetti, fettucinne or linguine noodles
A few cloves of garlic
1/4 C. olive oil
2 cans clams, not drained
1-2 Tbsp. parsley
lemons, cut into wedges
parmesan cheese

Get the noodles cooking. Everything else comes together really quickly.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add garlic and brown. Add clams, with their juice and parsley. Heat through and let simmer while noodles finish cooking.

Drain noodles and toss with clam sauce. Garnish with lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Both toppings are important to the flavor of this dish.

Lettuce Wraps

2009-10-12T20:31:00.000-06:00

we took 2 chicken breasts (diced), some squash (diced), garlic, 1/4 onion, some bean sprouts, some stir fry sauce, stir fry it up. Put a some of rice on a leaf of Ice berg lettuce & top with stir fry, definitely the hardest part is getting the leaves off in one piece. You could use water chestnuts, or celery instead of squash, we used peter pan scalloped squash.

We had these at China Isle and my girls LOVED them, great easy meal!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

2009-09-20T13:16:00.003-06:00

1 C. chopped chicken
1/2 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped red bell pepper

Combine those ingredients and cook. When chicken is fully cooked, add:

2Tbsp. gren onion, chopped
1/2 C. corn
1/4 C. black beans
2 Tbsp. chopped spinach
1 Tbsp. jalapeno, chopped

Cook until warm, then add:

3/4 C. cheese

Cut a raw flour tortilla in half. Place a spoonful of filling near the straight cut. Fold in the sides and roll it closed. Repeat until chicken mixture is gone.
Place rolls on baking sheet sprayed with Pam

Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. Turn them over halfway through the baking time.

These are really good dipped in the following dressing:

Take your favorite ranch dressing and blend it with a few tomatillos and a bit of cilantro. You could add lime too.

Rice Krispy Dessert

2009-09-20T13:16:00.001-06:00

Tastes like fried ice cream!

3 C. Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cubes butter or margarine
1 1/2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 C. coconut
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
fresh strawberries, sliced

Melt butter and sugar. Pour over rice krispies, walnuts and coconut and mix.
Put 1/2 the mixture into greased 9x13 pan. Slice ice cream and lay on top of this mixture. Add the other half of the mix on top of the ice cream and press down firmly. Store in freezer.

Serve topped with berries.

Garlic Shrimp Crostini

2009-09-20T13:14:00.000-06:00

This is both beautiful and delicious. It's a great appetizer to serve as a host.

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. mayo
5 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 Tbsp. minced green onion
1/4 C. butter
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
24 med. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
24 toasted french bread rounds
Garnish: halved cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley leaves

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, 2 cloves garlic and a green onion. Set aside.

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining 3 cloves of garlic and minced parsley. Cook for 3 min. Add shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 3-4 min.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over french bread roudns. Top each with 1 shrimp. Garnish with tomato halves and parsley leaves.

White chili

2009-06-22T09:33:00.002-06:00

We made this on someone else's recommendation this weekend. It was soooo good. All three kiddos even loved it. It was one of those dishes where I was really full but just kept eating because I loved the flavor. Better yet, it's super easy.

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp. oil
small onion, diced
about 6 garlic cloves, minced

Cook those together in a pot on your stove top. Then add:

1 can diced green chilis
2 15 oz. cans white beans, undrained (pinto, navy, etc.)
4 C. chicken broth (I used less b/c I like thicker soups)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Simmer those together for about 1/2 hour. When you're ready to eat, add:

1 C. sour cream
3 C. monterey jack cheese, shredded

Heat through and serve.

Top with:
dallop of sour cream
fresh cilantro
chopped tomatoes
crushed tortilla chips

Fish tacos with mango salsa

2009-05-05T20:06:00.003-06:00

This is a very non-measure type recipe but since it turned out so wonderful and was so quick I wanted to share it. The ingredients are in red.

Fish:

Any mild white fish will work, I used Orange Roughy.

Pat fish fillets dry and squeeze lime juice over. Rub lime moistened fish with chili powder and sea salt. Pan sear in vegetable oil until flakey.

Mango Salsa:

Using food processor chop one small to medium onion and one green pepper. Remove from processor and corsley chop mango (I use frozen mango) and a small handful of cilantro. Add all ingredients together and stir in lime juice and salt to taste.

For info on making the homemade tortillas, go here.

Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese (Rachael Ray)

2009-05-05T09:49:00.001-06:00

I was unsure of this one, but it was good and my kids loved it too. Just don't tell them it's called Mac and Cheese or they'll have expectations that are very different from the result.

Salt
1 pound regular or whole wheat penne
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups milk
A few grates fresh nutmeg
1 box frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces), defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
1 box frozen chopped artichokes (10-ounces), defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
Ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
PreparationPre-heat oven to 350ºF.

Place a large pot of water over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt it well and drop the pasta in. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve.

While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons, and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, veggies, some salt and pepper to the sauce, and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more Fontina and Parmigiano over the top and bake until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Parmesan

2009-04-27T11:18:00.002-06:00

I didn't actually use parmesan cheese so I don't know why it's called that, but this was really good and surprisingly easy.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast (enough to serve your family)
1/2 C. milk
1 egg
1 C. seasoned bread crumbs
Spaghetti noodles
Spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese

Place the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it until it's 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Get noodles cooking.

Mix 1 egg and 1/2 C. milk in shallow dish. Dip chicken in that mixture then coat in seasoned bread crumbs.

Cook it in a skillet with olive oil. It'll be golden and pretty on both sides. Put some mozarella cheese on the top and let it melt, either with the lid on the skillet or in your oven.

Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles with extra spaghetti sauce.

Cherry Chocolate Cake

2009-03-19T12:22:00.002-06:00

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1 can cherry pie mix
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs, beaten

Beat eggs, add extract, cake mix and cherry pie mix. Stir gently. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes in a greased 9"x13" pan. I made cupcakes and baked them for about 18 min.

FROSTING:

1 c. sugar
5 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. milk
1 c. chocolate chips

Boil for 1 minute the first 3 ingredients, stirring constantly. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. Spread on cake.

Coconut Cake

2009-03-19T12:15:00.003-06:00

This is super easy and really yummy!

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 1/2 C. unsweetened coconut milk (I just use one whole can)
4 large egg whites

Beat together. Pour into 2 round 8" greased and floured cake pans or double recipe and pour into 3 round 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 for 22 min.

Frosting
3 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

Combine and frost cake. THen press flaked coconut on top and sides.

I made cupcakes, baking them for 18 min. I frosted them then dipped them up-side-down into a bowl of flaked coconut. They came out really pretty and were so very easy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2009-03-03T09:02:00.005-07:00

I got this original recipe off of allrecipes and changed it a bit to fit my needs better.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbls ground flax seed
4 Tbls water
(you could use two eggs in place of the flax and water)
1 cup Succanot
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup coconut or olive oil
3/4 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup water (could use milk, or almond milk)
3 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 cup shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. mix all dry ingredients together, then add the wet. Lastly add the zucchini and carrots and mixed until just moistened. Bake for 35-45 min or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Serve plain, or add this simple frosting recipe from Robyn, at greensmoothiegirl.com

1/2 cup powdered succanot (if you don't have powdered succanot just put succanot into a coffee grinder and make it)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup water

My boys at this up like crazy! They loved it and I didn't mind so much letting them eat it!

Evil Jungle Princess

2009-02-14T09:21:00.002-07:00

Weird name, I know, but that's what it's called at Thaifoon. This is a list of the ingredients, and while it's not a complete recipe (amounts), I'm entering it here before I lose the scrap of paper I wrote it down on. I'll perfect it hopefully after I try cooking it. If you want to take a stab at it, go for it. It's delicious at Thaifoon.

Chicken cut in chunks, salted and rubbed with fresh ginger
A couple large carrots julienned
Long beans or grean beans or peas
bean sprouts
red pepper julienned
mushrooms (optional)
water chestnuts (optional)
fresh basil

2+ Tbsp. peanut butter
Sweet Thai red chili sauce (found at Walmart)
1 Tbsp. Samall Oelek (found at Asian market)
Red curry
3 cans coconut milk (this seems to me like about 3 times as much as you'd need)

Cook the chicken, then remove from pan. Mix chili sauce, oelik, red curry and coconut milk in pan and heat. Add peanut butter. Add chicken and vegetables.

Serve with rice.

Homade Canned Tomato Soup

2009-02-10T08:08:00.002-07:00

I got this recipe from my neighbor and it is the best!

14 quarts peeled & cored sliced tomatoes
(If you have never canned tomatoes see below for instructions)
14 stacks celery
14 sprigs parsley
4 large onions
a few bay leaves
boil and strain. I osterize them in the blender--not bay leaves.
(I blended them in my blend tech so there was no reason to strain)
Boil again and add about 1/2c salt and sugar( to taste)
Cream 1 lb butter with 3 c flour.
( the 2nd time around I melted my butter and then added the flour and mixed it up well
that seemed to work , and was a little bit easier than the creaming we tried the first time)
Add to vegetables and thicken.
Make sure your bottles are Hot and sanitized,
boil the lids and rings.
Bottle hot. Wipe Rims. and hand tighten the rings.
Then water bathe the appropriate length of time for your jars.

For preparing tomatoes get a large pan of water to a rolling boil and drop in your tomatoes a batch at a time, when there skin splits pull them out into a bowl. It is best to wait for a little bit before cutting them as they are really HOT! After there skin has split the skin should just pull off the tomatoes, then you can cut them in half (which is what I do instead of slicing them) & core them. My advice learned from my mom... put a cookie sheet with sides under your cutting board to contain the tomato juices as you are peeling and cutting them. :)

Unsloppy Joes

2009-02-10T08:06:00.001-07:00

I got this one from Chelsea as well

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 kaiser rolls or whole wheat hamburger buns

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, green pepper, and garlic: saute until tender. Stir in tomatoes, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in kidney beans, and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Cut a 1/4 inch slice off the top of each kaiser roll; set aside. Hollow out the center of each roll, leaving about 1/2 inch thick shells; reserve the inside of rolls for other uses.
Spoon bean mixture evenly into rolls and replace tops. Serve immediately.

Peach Muffins

2009-02-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Chelsea

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cups coconut or olive oil
1 cup raw applesauce
1/2 cup water (may need to add more if it is still to thick)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups succanot
3 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 16 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, eggs, applesauce, oil, and water. Let sit for 15 minutes. Add in cinnamon, baking soda, succanot and salt. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

These are very moist and flavorful! My boys ate them up like crazy, and I took them to a church function and everybody really liked them. You can freeze them as well, and then just pull out a few at a time as you want them. They thaw quickly.

Split Pea Soup

2009-01-17T13:51:00.007-07:00

(I'm seeing the image as html so I can't figure out how to roatate it. Any suggestions?)

I just made this the other day. I'd forgotten how much I liked it. My 5-year-old said, "It looks like dog throw-up." She's right, it did, but it tasted much better than dog throw-up.

I couldn't find an actual recipe for this. Everyone just said to add whatever you want. This is what I did and it was tasty:

16 oz. bag of split peas
1 onion chopped
1 can carrots, or about 2 carrots sliced
1-3 C. ham cubed, or leftover ham bone
2 bay leaves
thyme
Montreal steak seasoning

Put peas in large pot and cover with a couple inches of water. Add bay leaf, some thyme, seasoning, any other spices that sound somewhat appealing. Also add ham and onion.

Bring to boil and let simmer about 2 hours. Keep an eye on it. You may need to add more water as it cooks. If you used a ham bone, pull it out and get all the meat off it you can. Add carrots, and cook until they're tender.

Place about half the soup in a blender and blend until smooth, then mix back in with remaining soup.

Serve with lots of cheese, or a dallop of sour cream. Also very good with whole wheat bread.

Marshmallows

2009-01-05T10:23:00.003-07:00

This is a fun recipe.

Marshmallow syrup. (Most recipes just use corn syrup, but this makes them fluffier and less sticky and is worth the extra steps. This makes enough for about 3 batches of marshmallows.)

2 C. water
5 1/3 C. can sugar
1 tsp. cram of tartar
pinch of salt

Place ingredients in 4-quart pan, stirring until sugar is moistened. Bring to boil and cover for 2 minutes to allow steam to wash sugar crystals from sides of pan. Uncover pan, insert candy thermometer and keep heating. Do not stir again!

Cook to 240 degrees (223 for high altitude at my house). Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes. Store in clean jars up to 2 months. Ignore any syrup that crystallizes.

Vanilla Marshmallows

1/2 C. + 2 Tbsp. cold water
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

3/4 C. water
1 1/4 C. marshmallow syrup
pinch of salt
1 1/2 C. granulated cane sugar

Spray bottom and sides of pan or mold (I like the 9x13x2 inch pan best, but it can also go into a cookie sheet). Wipe with paper towel, leaving thin coat of oil.

Combine cold water and vanilla. Pur over gelatin in a small bowl, stir until there are no lumps, and set it aside.

Place water, marshmallow syrup, salt and sugar into 4 qt. pan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Place lid on pan and let boil for 2 min. Remove lid. Do not stir once lid has been removed. Insert candy thermometer, and boil until temp. reaches 250 degrees (237 at my house).

Pour batter into electric stand mixer. Add gelatin mixture. Beat on high 10-12 minutes, using wire whisk attachment.

Spread marshmallow mixture into pan and let it set up at least 4 hours or overnight.

To cut, lightly sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar, cornstarch or mixture of both. Ease marshmallows from pan and flip over onto work surface, gently pulling the marshmallow out. Cut with pizza wheel sprayed with cooking spray or rolled in powder mixture. Toss marshmallows in powder coating to keep from sticking together. Store them in an airtight container.

You can vary your coatings, or add things to the marshmallows, but this is a good, standard first batch recipe. Just experiment with them. My favorite is to swirl dulce de leche into the marshmallows as I pour them into the pan. I also like to skip coating them with powder and dip them in melted chocolate instead.

Pumpkin pancakes with apple cider syrup

2008-11-01T21:38:00.006-06:00

I got this from Studio 5 http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=4634081). It was a perfect (easy, quick and yummy) Halloween dinner and will be a new tradition in our house. Would be great for any breakfast too. Get the syrup started first so it'll be ready in time.

SYRUP

Ingredients:
1 ½ c. apple cider or juice
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. corn syrup
4 T. butter or margarine
1 t. lemon juice
¼ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground nutmeg
Method:
In a saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

PANCAKES

Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
4 eggs, separated
2 c. milk
1 c. canned pumpkin
4 T. canola oil
Method:
For pancakes, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.
Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with apple cider syrup. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

Martha Stewart's Scalloped Potatoes

2008-10-30T10:49:00.003-06:00

Don't let the name scare you off. These are easy and Austin loves them.

1 large clove garlic, cut in half
1 T. butter
5 lbs. potatoes
4T. fresh thyme (I used dried)
4tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4C. cream
4oz grated Parmesan cheese

Rub a 3quart baking dish with garlic. Using pastry brush, spread butter evenly in dish. Butter a piece of parchment paper. Peel and slice potatoes in thin rounds. Arrange 5 layers of potatoes, thyme, slat and pepper. Pour cream over the potatoes. Place dish on cookie sheet in oven and cover with parchment paper. Bake at 350 until potatoes are tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove parchment and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and browned, about 30 more minutes.

Garden pasta

2008-10-27T12:11:00.002-06:00

I kind of made this up, but it turned out really good and is a great way to use up those home-grown tomatoes.

Fun pasta (my kids are more likely to eat bow-tie than anything else)
About 4 C. cut up tomatoes. (I cut cherry tomatoes in half, but I'm sure it'd work with other kinds)
2-5 cloves crushed/chopped Garlic
thyme
basil
oregano
rosemary
montreal steak seasoning
15 oz. ricotta cheese (I only had about half that and it was good, but a full container would be better probably)
1/2 - 1 C. parmesan cheese

Cook pasta.

Place tomatoes into pan heated with olive oil. Add spices. I just did a couple sprinkles of each. Let that heat and simmer for about 15 min. Tomatoes should break down a bit and make it liquidy.

Add cheeses to tomatoes and heat through. Pour over pasta.

Sausage would also really be good in this I bet.

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

2008-10-25T16:39:00.002-06:00

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons sugar
4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce
2-3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup chopped green onions
1 pound flank steak, cut into very thin slices (easiest to slice when still partially frozen)

In dry skillet, parch sesame seeds until slightly brown. In a gallon ziplock baggie combine rest of ingredients EXCEPT meat. Once mixed, add to meat, using hands to coat all pieces and mix. Marinate all day. Cook in frying pan with a bit of hot oil. Make a dipping sauce with 1/3 part soy sauce to 2/3 part water, bit of crushed red pepper, and a bit of sesame oil - heat to simmer. Serve meat with sides of Large leaf lettuce, sauce, and rice. To eat authentically, use lettuce leaf as a wrap, put meat, rice, and sauce inside, and wrap lettuce around it.

To add a bit of heat, add a dash of red chili pepper sauce to the marinade and sauce.

Waffles

2008-10-20T20:06:00.003-06:00

2 Eggs
2 C. flour
1 3/4 C. milk
1 T white or brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add other ingredients and mix just until blended. Cook in waffle iron.

Baked Potato Soup

2008-10-16T10:09:00.002-06:00

1 pkg. Bacon

1/2 Cup chopped onion

6-7 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

1 cup frozen corn (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the bacon in a large pan (preferably big enough to make the soup in to save on dishes).

Remove half of the crispy bacon and set aside, add onions and saute in the bacon grease.

Stir in potatoes and broth.

Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Remove 3 cups of the potato cubes and the bacon.

Blend in food processor with the milk until smooth.

Pour the puree back into soup, add corn, salt, and pepper. Simmer another 5--10 minutes.

Serve with cheddar cheese and remaining bacon.

**I leave the corn out and serve it on the side.

Chicken Pot Pie with a Biscuit Twist

2008-10-07T16:41:00.004-06:00

I got this recipe out of a Nora Roberts book and twisted the pot pie part to fit my time constraints.

1 fryer chicken
2 cans cream of celery soup
Flour
1 cup potatoes
1 cup carrots
1-2 handful frozen peas
1 can lima beans
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 1/2 T basil
3/4 t oregano
1 1/2 t rosemary
Thyme
Pepper
Salt

Boil a whole fryer in a big dutch oven, covered with water until done through. When the skin peels easily and the legs and thighs separate at the joint it’s done. (about 1 to 1 ½ hours)

Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400.

Skim the grease out of the broth and add cream of celery soup before thickening it a bit with flour. Scoop some broth out – the empty soup cans are handy- and stir some flour in that so it doesn’t lump. Add the garlic and onion poder, basil, oregano and rosemary. Add a sprinkle of thyme, and a dose of pepper and salt. This will thicken as it cooks. Simmer on low. Peel and chop potatoes and carrots. Add them to the broth. Add peas and lima beans.

When the chicken’s cool enough, remove the skin, pick off chunks of the meat and add the meat to the broth until the chicken’s picked clean. Simmer until veggies are done.

While the veggies are cooking, make biscuits.

Baking Powder Biscuits

2 c flour
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
¼ c shortening
¾ c milk

Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Mix in milk and roll out on counter. Cut out biscuits. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Top cooked biscuits with the soup mixture. Enjoy!

Black Bean Tacos

2008-09-08T20:24:00.002-06:00

So I was trying to figure out dinner on Sunday and I didn't want to brown hamburger! (I know I am lazy) So I decided to try inventing a meat free taco. It ended up being really tasty and my girls even liked it! so here goes...

2 cans Black Beans drained & rinsed well
1 can Mexican tomatoes (I also added some fresh tomatoes)
Dry Onion Flakes
Pampered Chef Southwest Seasoning (Taco spices)
Lots of Garlic Salt
& lots of cumin

Mix it all in a frying pan and simmer and cook for awhile, then drain out all the extra juices, apply to taco shells with shredded cheese and waalaa you are done!

Onion Rings

2008-09-08T17:55:00.002-06:00

My husband called these the best onion rings he's ever had. They are really good and super easy. I will say that next time I'll half the recipe...this makes a lot of rings.

1 c. cornstarch
1 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1 egg
1 c. cold water
Black pepper to taste

Beat together all ingredients. Dip sliced onion rings in batter. Deep fry. (I used vegetable oil.)

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

2008-08-26T19:12:00.002-06:00

I got this recipe off www.kraftfoods.com and made a few tweaks to it. My whole family gave it thumbs way up. It had a really great flavor.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.
4 T. Italian dressing, divided (I used Newman's Own)
2 small tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp dried basil, or you can use fresh
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (I didn't have any on hand, so I chopped up a string cheese stick)

Marinade the chicken with 2T. Italian dressing for 10 minutes. Cover 1/2 of grill with heavy duty foil. Heat grill and place chicken on the uncovered side of the grill. Throw away the marinade. Cook for 6 minutes. In the mean time, mix the tomatoes, remaining dressing, basil, and cheese. Turn chicken over and place on foil. Top with tomato mixture and grill for 8 minutes, until chicken is done and cheese is melted.

Rosemary Garlic Beef (from Better Homes and Gardens)

2008-08-10T21:27:00.002-06:00

ROSEMARY GARLIC BEEF
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 rosemary branches, leaves chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 pounds sirloin tips, in thin strips or 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix together olive oil, vinegar, rosemary leaves, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a non-reactive 3-to 4-quart bowl. Immerse the beef in the marinade. Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.

To cook, remove as much marinade as possible from the beef. Thread the beef on skewers, or on sturdy sprigs of rosemary. Sprinkle all sides with the remaining teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning every 1 1/2 minutes, until beef is deeply browned on the outside and still rare on the inside, 8-10 minutes (or to personal preference).

I marinated the steak (I used steak instead of sirloin tips) overnight and then all day. It was fantastic! We ate it with wild rice, rolls, and salad.

Buttermilk Pancakes

2008-08-07T09:10:00.002-06:00

Whisk together:
2 C. Buttermilk (I never have buttermilk on hand, so I make 2 cups of powdered milk, take out 2 T. of the milk and add 2 T. lemon juice.)
2 eggs
1/4 C. oil

Add:
2 C. flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 T. baking powder
3 T. sugar

Whisk until blended (may be slightly lumpy). Cook and serve. If we don't eat a whole batch in one day, I will put the batter in the fridge until the next day.

Grilled pineapple

2008-08-06T08:13:00.003-06:00

I just stumbled onto this recipe somewhere online, and it is soooooo good. It's a great side for a night of BBQ, or pretty much any other dish.

1 pineapple, skinned, cleaned and cut into spears.
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. black pepper

I ususally end up cutting the pineapple into 8 pieces lengthwise, then those into halves or thirds. You want the chunks big enough to grill without falling between the slats.

Combine honey, lime juice and black pepper in small bowl. Baste all sides of pineapple and (if you have time) let it marinate for a couple hours.

Place chunks on hot grill. You want it to cook hot enough that the outsides get carmelized and have nice grill marks, without making the inside mushy. Keep basting honey mixture onto the pineapple as it cooks.

Lion House Tomato Bisque

2008-08-03T22:05:00.001-06:00

My mom gave me this recipe and it's really good, especially with grilled cheese sandwiches. Go easy on the sugar though. I thought 1/2 C. was too much, but my mom puts in more than 1 C. Also, this makes a lot, so I'd suggest halving the recipe.

4 cans Tomato soup
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 Cup Beef Stock
12-15 Roma Tomatoes
1 Bunch Fresh Basil or 2 Tbsp. Dry Basil
1 Cup +/- Sugar (balances acidity of tomatoes)
2-3 Cups Cream (or Half and Half) (fat keeps the soup from curdling)
Salt/Pepper To Taste

Roast tomatoes in 350 degree oven until the tops begin to blacken. (Approximately 1 hr.)
In a large pot combine soup, chicken and beef stock. Place the roasted tomatoes and basil in a blender and puree until smooth. (Tip: may want to cover the lid with a towel to avoid ‘blowout’ when hot tomatoes are pureed.) Add the puree to the soup pot and let simmer. Add the sugar until slightly sweet. (Don’t be stingy with the sugar; it may take more depending on your tomatoes.) Finish with the cream and then season to taste with salt and pepper. You’re looking for a slightly sweet creamy flavor, but not marinara sauce.

Greek Pasta with Tomatoes and White Beans

2008-07-12T19:13:00.005-06:00

I actually got this recipe from allrecipes.com. We tried it tonight and we all loved it.

Ingredients

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and chopped
8 ounces penne pasta
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and beans in a large non-stick skillet. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.Add spinach to the sauce; cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly.Serve sauce over pasta, and sprinkle with feta.

I substituted the feta with some regular cheddar because I didn't have feta.

Cafe Rio Copy Cat Recipes

2008-07-06T21:26:00.004-06:00

Okay so I finally tried some of these recipes

The Chicken is very good, the dressing was a little hot but if I remember right that is how Cafe Rio's is too.... I haven't eaten a salad there for awhile. I thought about trying that lime rice recipe but the one Patti posted on this site is good enough for me!

Chicken

5 lbs chicken breast- boneless skinless

1 small bottle zesty italitan dressing

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tpsp cumin

3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together in a large crock pot.

Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred with fork. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken to keep moist. Keep warm.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 pkg of Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing dry mix (There is a subsitution for this you can make from scratch in my book.)

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mayonnaise

1-2 tomatillos, peel

1 clove garlic minced

1/3 bunch cillantro, chopped

1/2 tsp lime juice

1/2 small jalapeno, seeds removed

Blend ingredients together in a blender. Add additional mayonnaise if dressing is too thin. Keep refrigerated. I tired using Plain Yogurt in place on Mayo and it was just fine.

other copy cat recipes

Crockpot Italian Chicken

2008-07-04T12:59:00.004-06:00

I originally got the base for my recipe from a ward cookbook I got for my wedding.

4-6 chicken Breasts (6-12 chicken tenders)
1/4 C butter, melted (1 stick of butter)
1 pkgs Good Seasons Dry Italian seasoning (any brand Italian dressing mix)
6 oz cream cheese (8 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C water (I usually don't add water, but I start with frozen chicken)
cooked rice or pasta

Chicken breasts can be left whole or cut into pieces. Dip Chicken in melted butter and place in crockpot. Pour 2 packages of Italian seasoning over chicken and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. When chicken is done make a sauce by (adding cream cheese & cream of chicken soup to the crockpot and mix well) mixing in a saucepan the cream cheese, chicken soup and water, stirring until smooth. Pour into Crockpot and stir well with chicken ans seasoning. Warm for 5 (or a few more hours) minutes and serve over rice or pasta.

So that is the original recipe! My modifications to amounts in (). Okay so you can cook the chicken first in the Crockpot, you can also mix everything except rice or pasta in and cook it all together. That is how I usually do it, we ate this almost every Sunday when we were first married! It isn't a super low fat meal but is one I save for special dinners or Sunday dinners.

Hawaiian Kabobs with out the Sticks :)

2008-07-02T21:58:00.002-06:00

Another recipe from my archives that I am not sure where I picked it up.

I took a picture I will add it on Friday.

2/3 C chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp corn syrup
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1tbsp cornstarch
2 C broccoli florets
2 C large chunks chicken
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks

In a frying pan cook chicken chunks, with a little oil, set aside. In small saucepan, combine broth, soy sauce, corn syrup, ginger, and vinegar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. In small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and whisk into boiling sauce. Continue whisking while boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place broccoli florets in medium glass bowl; cover and microwave 4 minutes. Add chicken to the sauce and cook for 5 min. Then mix together the pineapple, tomatoes & broccoli into the chicken & sauce. Serve over a bed of warm rice.

Everyone at my house liked this even my sister Megan! I added the original instructions below in case someone wanted to make actual kabobs.

ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS:
In small saucepan, combine broth, soy sauce, corn syrup, ginger, and vinegar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. In small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and whisk into boiling sauce. Continue whisking while boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place broccoli florets in medium glass bowl; cover and microwave 4 minutes.

Heat broiler. Line a baking pan with foil. Place chicken, broccoli, tomatoes, and pineapple chunks on skewers. Brush with sauce. Broil 4 to 5 minutes, until heated through and browned.

Fresh Berry Cobbler

2008-07-02T14:02:00.003-06:00

This is a great recipe for an easy dessert using raspberries (it called for raspberries or blueberries but I've only done it with raspberries so far). Also, it calls for fresh berries but if you pick/buy too many you can freeze them for later. Since we have raspberry bushes this is the case for us--spread them on a cookie sheet to freeze then bag them so they aren't frozen in one big lump. This is such a great treat in the dead of winter when fruit is so expensive at the store.

1/2 C. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
4 C. berries
2 T. water
1 t. lemon juice
1 C. Bisquick baking mix
1/4 C. milk
1 T. sugar
1 T. butter, melted (margarine is okay too)

1. Heat oven to 425.
2. Mix the 1/2 C. sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Stir in berries, water, and lemon juice. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour berry mixture into ungreased casserole dish.
3. Stir Bisquick, milk, 1T sugar and melted butter just until blended and a dough forms. Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto hot berry mixture.
4. Bake about 15 minutes or until the berry mixture is bubbly and topping is light brown.
5. Serve by spooning out one blob of topping and the berry mixture just under and around it per person. It is also great with a dash of cream or ice cream.

Asian Beef & Broccoli

2008-07-02T08:59:00.004-06:00

from savingdinner.com

1 pound round steak, cut into strips (next time i would cube to make it easier on the little ones)
Salt to taste
Dash white pepper
1 big bunch of broccoli, cut into flowerets (cut stems into rounds, too)(You can easily add more veggies to this recipe! If you have anything hanging out in the crisper, use it up!)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil (available in the Asian section of any grocery store)
1/4 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth (I used beef broth since it has beef in it)
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons grated gingerroot
3 cups brown rice, cooked
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1-Toss beef with salt and white pepper.
2-Place broccoli in 1 inch boiling water; heat to boiling. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Immediately rinse with cold water; drain.
3-Mix cornstarch and soy sauce; stir in sesame oil and broth. set aside.
4-Spray nonstick wok or 12-inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray heat over medium-high heat until cooking spray starts to bubble. Add beef; stir-fry about 2 minutes or until brown. 5-Remove beef from wok. Cool wok slightly. Add a little oil and rotate wok to coat sides. Heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and gingerroot; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in beef and broccoli. Stir in cornstarch mixture; cook and stir about 30 seconds or until thickened. Serve over brown rice.

This was a very yummy & tasty meal. we have broccoli 2 to 3 times a week so it is a nice change to have it included in the meal.

Carbonara

2008-07-01T20:39:00.002-06:00

I just tried this recipe from a friend and it was delicious, as well as easy. My 4 year old and 2 year old even asked for seconds!

1 lb. pasta (bowtie or something fun)
1 lb. bacon
1 onion chopped
4-5 cloves pressed garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 C. chicken stock/broth
2 egg yolks
1 C. parmesan cheese
1/2 C. cream, I used milk and thought it was fine
bunch of fresh parsley chopped
pepper to taste

The recipe doesn't call for it, but I think pieces of chicken or sliced mushrooms would also be great with this.

Get pasta boiling

Saute bacon, onion and garlic. Just before bacon is crispy, add red pepper flakes and cook until bacon is crisp.

Add chicken stock and simmer until it's reduced by half.

Beat yolks, 2/3 parmesan cheese, cream, parsley, and pepper together. Slowly add a ladel-full of pasta water to it.

Add cream mixture to bacon mixture and heat through. Let simmer a couple minutes until it thickens. Add to pasta and enjoy!

Tatertot Extreme

2008-07-01T14:00:00.002-06:00

This is an old family favorite.

1 to 2 lbs browned ground beef (amount depends on your preference)
I brown my ground beef with dry onion and garlic powder or garlic salt.
2 cans Green Beans
2 cans cream of chicken soup
I add all kinds of seasoning: Italian, Garlic Salt, Salt & Pepper
mix everything together well & top with tatertots

bake at 325° for about 30 min

Trick Tip: If you don't have time to brown your ground beef line the bottom of the casserole dish with hamburger patties and top with everything else and bake. It works best if you can break one pattie in half for each end of the dish.

Alfredo Sauce in the Blender with Powdered Milk

2008-06-24T09:19:00.001-06:00

1 1/3 C steaming milk (use powdered milk & make with hot water)
1 small clove of garlic
1 tbsp flour
2tbsp cream cheese (I didn't have cream cheese and so I used sour cream)
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tbsp butter or butter alternative

Blend for a minute and a half. If the sauce is not as thick as you like add 1 tbsp flour and blend again. If still too runny, add small amounts of flour until you get the right texture.

Whole Wheat Angel Food Cake

2008-06-19T20:15:00.002-06:00

I made this for Enrichment this week. Everybody raved about it! It really turns out light and fluffy!!!

¾ Cup whole wheat flour

¼ C cornstarch

1 ¼ C powdered sugar

12 large egg whites (I was going to try powdered, but I couldn’t find any.)

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp cream of tartar

1 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Grind ¾ C wheat on fine. Put the whole wheat flour, cornstarch and 1 ¼ C powdered sugar in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Set aside. Separate egg whites from egg yolks, being sure there is no piece of yolk in the whites. Put the whites in mixer bowl. Add salt and cream of tartar. Whip on med speed until whites will stand in peaks. Turn the mixer down to low speed. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Stop the mixer and sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture and blend again for just a second. Do not thoroughly blend. Add the remaining flour mixture and blend only until thoroughly mixed. Pour into angel food cake pan and bake 30-35 minutes at 375. Invert pan to cool.

Tostadas

2008-06-18T11:31:00.003-06:00

This is a great go-to meal. Easy to make and yummy to everyone.

1 lb. ground meat
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 pkg. dry enchilada seasoning
1 1/2 C. water
8 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. refried beans
1/2 C. evaporated milk

Toppings:
Cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, gr. onion, chips, etc.

Brown meat & onion. Drain if necessary. Stir in enchilada seasoning, water and tomato sauce. Simmer 15 min.

Stir in beans & milk, heat through. Let it sit a bit if you want it to thicken up.

Serve over chips and add toppings.

All-Purpose dough

2008-06-17T15:11:00.003-06:00

I took a basic white dough recipe that I liked, tweaked it just a bit according to what I've learned about bread making and used it in a number of recipes. It works well as bread, rolls, scones, cinnamon rolls, and bread sticks.

1/2 cup luke warm water
1 1/2 T yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 C. hot water
6-7 C. flour
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/4 C. honey
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix the yeast and sugar into the warm water, set aside. In mixer, mix hot water and 3 C flour. Add butter, honey, and salt. Mix well. Add remaining flour, just until dough starts to clean the side of the bowl. Let rise until double. Mix and form.

For bread sticks, roll into rectangle the size of the pan you are using (I usually do 11x7 or 9x9). Pour about 2 T. melted butter in the bottom of the pan, to coat. Slice the dough with a pizza cutter and place in the pan, right next to each other. Top with another 2T melted butter and whatever flavor you want. I like to use garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, or cinnamon sugar. Let rise until double in size. Bake at 350 for 20ish minutes.

For bread, form into loaf and let rise until double in size. Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.

For cinnamon rolls, roll dough into rectangle. Butter the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar (raisins and nuts, opt). Roll up from the long side and pinch together. Cut into 2" rolls and place on greased cookie sheet, or make a caramel sauce with butter and brown sugar and place in cake pan with rolls on top. Let raise until double in size. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Rigatoni Lasagna

2008-06-17T15:03:00.003-06:00

I love lasagna, but I don't like the prep of it. Last night, I thought I had all the ingredients to make it, so I decided, why not. I didn't have lasagna noodles, but I did have some rigatoni, so I used that. It was easier for Holden to eat it that way and turned out pretty good.

cooked noodles (6 lasagna or any other kind)
1/2 lb ground beef
1T. Italian seasoning
1/2-3/4 jar spaghetti sauce
8 oz Monterey jack cheese
8-12 oz cottage cheese

Brown ground beef. I like to add onion to mine, either dehydrated or fresh, depending on what I have. Add Italian seasoning and spaghetti sauce. In a 11x7 or 9x9 pan, place a little spaghetti sauce in the bottom. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the meat mixture, 1/3 cottage cheese and 1/3 of the Monterey jack cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are gone. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot. You can vary temp/time if cooking with something else.

Cinnamon Rolls

2008-06-17T10:28:00.002-06:00

I always get rave reviews on this one, so I thought I'd share it. The dough also makes awesome dinner rolls, but I figure as long as you've gone to the work of making it, you may as well make a dessert out of it!

1 T. yeast
1 1/2 C. warm water
2/3 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 C. shortening
2 eggs
1 C. warm mashed potatoes (I prepare a cup of instant potatoes and use that)
7-7 1/2 C. flour

3/4 C. margarine (at room temp.)
cinnamon
brown sugar
pecans (optional)
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
4 oz. cream cheese (at room temp.)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Stir in sugar, salt, shortening, eggs, potatoes, and 4 C. of flour. Mix until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes in an electric mixer. Place in greased bowl, turn to coat dough lightly in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise.

When dough is double in size (1-2 hours), punch down and roll out to about size of large cookie sheet. Melt 1/4 C. margarine and brush onto dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon, brown sugar and pecans. As far as amounts go, I don't measure so I have no idea. Put it on thick though, then add a little more.

Roll up and slice into 1-2" thick rolls. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until edges of rolls are all pressing up against each other. (This usually makes about 18 rolls for me)

Bake at 400 for 15-25 minutes.

After rolls get out, mix 1/2 C. margarine, powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and 1/2 tsp. salt until smooth. Spread on warm (not hot) cinnamon rolls.

Garlic Lime Chicken

2008-06-15T09:38:00.000-06:00

Garlic Lime Chicken From Savingdinner.com
Serves 6
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I used 10 tenderloins)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons lime juice

In a bowl, mix together first 7 ingredients. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of chicken breasts.

In a skillet heat butter and olive oil together over medium high heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Turn down the heat, remove the chicken (keeping warm) and add the lime juice and chicken broth to the pan, whisking up the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Keep cooking until sauce has reduced slightly. Add chicken back to the pan to thoroughly coat and serve.

This was very Yummy! I got lots of thumbs up, & mhmms. It is on the spicy side. I am going to use a little less cayenne pepper next time, as my little ones thought it was a little spicy.

You definitely need to try the Lime Rice Patti posted with this they were very good together!

Rice Milk

2008-06-12T10:57:00.004-06:00

I have been asked for this recipe several times so I thought I would post it here...

it comes from my blendtec blender cook book & I have modified it. :) like I always do, lol

1/2 C of cooked rice
3 1/2 C water
1 tbsp sugar, xylitol or other sugar replacement
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

So I over cook the rice, I usually just save 1C to 1/2 C from a meal for milk. I add a little water and microwave it to cook it some more so it gets "soggy". I add enough water that with the rice I have 4 C. then add sugar (add the amount you want for taste), vanilla & salt. If you have a blendtech use the whole juice button if not blend at a low speed and increase speed as the chunks get smaller. It takes awhile to get rid if all the little rice pieces.

Mexican Rice

2008-06-10T12:44:00.004-06:00

Serves 4

2 cups minute rice
1 cup salsa
1 cup chicken broth
dash paprika

Combine chicken broth, salsa, and paprika. Bring to a boil. Add rice and turn off heat. Stir and cover for 5 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

This can be made with salsa or a pureed tomato.

Salsa

2008-06-10T12:39:00.005-06:00

2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans Hunts petite diced tomatoes
1 can rotel (mild)
¾ of an onion
Handful cilantro, chopped
Juice from one lime
Shakes of black pepper
7-20 shakes of cumin (really however much you want)
½ - 1 jalapeño
a squeeze of Honey
Salt to taste

Toss onion and jalapeño in food processor or blender and chop. Add rest of ingredients and chop some more. Let sit in refrigerator for a couple of hours so everything can blend together.

Sloppy Joes

2008-06-10T11:26:00.006-06:00

I've been trying to find a good Sloppy Joe recipe that was fairly easy. I got this one out of an old ward cookbook, and it is yummy. I probably like this one so much because it doesn't have green peppers, but I'm sure you could add them if you liked them. Both Austin and Makayla liked it also.

2lbs ground beef - as lean as possible
1 C. onions, chopped (dehydrated onions work well too.)
1 1/2 C. catsup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 T. vinegar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1T. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper

I was going to make the whole thing in the crockpot, but I was short on time getting ready that I browned the ground beef and onion on the stovetop and then put it into the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients all day. The instructions are for stove top and say to simmer at least 1/2 hour on medium heat. Freezes well and gets better each time you warm it up.

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-06-09T20:05:00.002-06:00

I got this recipe out of a Cooking Light Magazine. They are yummy!

For the best frosting, make sure the cream cheese is chilled. If the frosting is too thin, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until spreadable. Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator.

Cupcakes:
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

Frosting:
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (4oz) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, chilled
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and bananas; set aside. Beat 1/2 cup sugar, butter, 1 tsp vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana mixture to sugar mixture; beating well. Combing flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour; mix after each addition.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

For frosting, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and vanilla at medium speed of mixer just until blended (do not overbeat). Spread frosting over cupcakes and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Yeild 1 dozen.

Pad Thai

2008-06-09T12:10:00.003-06:00

This is one of my favorites, but I don't make it often enough b/c it makes so much darn food. It's great for big family get-togethers. I'm using it for a church potluck this week. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but really you just pick and choose your favorites.

1 16 oz. oriental noodles of linguine (I prefer linguine)
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. sweet thai chili sauce (found in the oriental aisle)
3 Tbsp. salad oil
1 sm red pepper
1 green pepper
1 Tbsp. grated ginger root
bunch of green onion chopped
1-2 C. meat (stir fry chicken works well. So does shrimp. I like shredded pork roast the best)
2 C. bean sprouts
red cabbage, sliced
shredded carrots (about 2)
1 shredded zucchini
1 sm tomato, cut in wedges
1/4 C. salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. cilantro or parsley
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
lime wedges for garnish

Prepare noodles, keep warm.

Combine soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, 1/2 C. water. Set aside.

In skillet heat oil and cook peppers, ginger, garlic, all but 1/4 C. green onion. Cook until tender and lightly browned. add meat. Stir in bean sprouts and soy sauce mix. Combine with noodles. Top with zucchini, cabbage,carrots peanuts, tomato, cilantro, limes, etc.

Top with two sauces:

Peanut Sauce
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Combine all and enjoy

Ginger sauce
1 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. rice vinegar
small onion chopped
thumb size ginger chopped

Blend and strain, refrigerate

Cafe Rio Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-06-08T11:50:00.005-06:00

This is my chicken noodle soup, it is the soup I eat when I am not feeling well or need a emotional pick me up! So since I am feeling crappy today I decided to make it & share it with you...

It is similar to Patti's that she already posted, but didn't include my secret Ingredients :)

3 C chicken Broth
2 cans tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can green chili's (4 oz)
1/2 C enchilada sauce
3 cloves garlic
1/2 an onion chopped
dash of cumin
salt and pepper to taste
cooked & shredded chicken breasts
cilantro
limes cut in sections

Simmer all above ingredients, except limes. squeeze a least one lime in each bowl ( this time I made it I didn't have limes so I used lime juice and simmered it in with other ingredients). The lime is the flavor that makes the soup! at least for me it is.

You can also add any of the following you like:
Grated cheese
tortilla chips (we like the lime tortilla chips)
also freshly cooked tortilla shells are great!
sliced avocados
sour cream

I am sure there are many other things you could add but these are our favorites.

Chocolate Cream Cheese cake or cupcakes

2008-05-31T10:30:00.006-06:00

This is my favorite recipe

1 1/2 C Flour
1 C Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C cocoa
1 tsp soda
1 C water
1/3 C oil
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Sift flour, sugar, salt, cocoa & soda and mix well. Add other ingredients. Mix well and fill cupcake papers 1/3 full.

FILLING:
1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1- 6 oz pkg chocolate chips
1 egg
1/3 C sugar
(I add a tsp vanilla as well but the recipe doesn't call for it :D )

Mix well all ingredients and put 1 TBSP filling on top of cake mixture in each cupcake paper. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Eat warm or chilled. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

I also like to do this in a bundt pan and dump the cream cheese mixture in the center and so it is a surprise cake. When I was growing up my mom made a variation of this recipe and they were called treasure cupcakes because the cream cheese was hidden inside.

Crock Pot Indonesian Chicken

2008-05-30T10:42:00.005-06:00

So I think I got this from SavingDinner.com but I am not sure where it came from.

I was skeptical of this recipe at first but it now will find a home on my short list of yummy meals that don't take a lot of time! Everyone loved it at my house ( I stopped counting Meka in everyone cuz she is in an anti eating phase), and our 2 extra guests Peter (Isaac's bro) loved it and wants the recipe and Brit loved it too!

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 4)
8 skinless chicken thighs (I used Chicken Breast and Tenderlion)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (I use Braggs Amino Acids instead of Soy Sauce)
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less depending on your heat index)
1/2 cup peanut butter

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper. Place chicken in a slow cooker. Spoon sauce mixture over the top of the chicken. Cover and cook on low heat setting about 6 1/2 to 7 hours, or until chicken is tender and fully cooked. Remove chicken from crock pot and stir peanut butter into juices until smooth. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

So in posting on this site I have realized I don't always read my recipes all the way through, so I added the PB to the sauce mix cooked it on the PB, next time I will try the other way as stated above, I am sure either way will be good.

Citrus Pork Stirfry

2008-05-22T21:03:00.004-06:00

This is out of an old Kraft Food & Family magazine. The recipe is for the grill, but I made it in a skillet on the stove. Everybody liked it except for the warm oranges. They suggested using orange juice next time.

Prep: 10 min. | Total: 25 min.

1lb. thinly slices pork loin
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups slices carrots
1/2 of a peeled orange, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup Kraft Italian Dressing
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup toasted cashews

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Toss pork, broccoli, carrots, orange, dressing, and soy sauce in a bowl.

Poke small holes in bottom of large disposable aluminum foil pan. Spoon pork mixture into pan. Grill 15 minutes, stirring often, until pork is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Sprinkle with cashews. Serve over cooked rice, if desired. Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each.

**Also good with peanuts instead of cashews.

Lime Rice

2008-05-22T20:59:00.005-06:00

Better late than never, right? This is out of my MILs ward cookbook.

4T butter
2 1/2 c. rice (minute rice will work)
4 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
juice and zest of 4 small lines
4T. cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin

In a rice cooker, melt the butter, then add the rice and coat the rice with the butter. Add the broth, salt, pepper, lime, cilantro, and cumin. Mix well and cook.

This was very good with the garlic lime chicken. I used the extra 'sauce' from the chicken and poured it on the rice.

Fettuccini Alfredo

2008-05-22T16:18:00.004-06:00

I got this recipe out of the new paper.
So my family LOVED this one, I thought it was okay. I think it needs some more flavor maybe a bit of salt or use garlic salt instead of garlic powder. I am still questing for a good easy Alfredo recipe that doesn't use a packet! :)

8oz dry fettuccini noodles
1 can low-fat evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/3 C Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp parsley
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional add-ins: bacon pieces, chicken, broccoli, or spinach

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix until smooth. Slowly add evaporated milk, whisk until smooth. Stirring often, bring to a slow boil until slightly thickened. Turn heat to medium low and add all other sauce ingredients. After sauce is heated through and smooth, add optional ingredients, toss with noodles and serve. Serves 4. Can double for large groups.

Mini Meatloaves or My Favorite Meatloaf

2008-05-20T11:00:00.003-06:00

The original recipe is from SavingDinner.com but I have modified it to my liking.

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 4- with leftovers)
1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs, add more to the consistency you want ( I make my own bread crumbs in the blender, I also add the Italian seasoning to the blender and mix them together well)
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning or more if you like more flavor, I use at least a TBSP
1/4 cup ketchup
2 zucchini shredded (I food process mine as small as possible)
1 egg, slightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except ketchup, mixing with very clean hands (the only way to make meatloaf). Place about 1/3 cup of the meatloaf mixture into each of 12 muffin cups, pressing lightly, but not squishing it in. Then spread a little ketchup over the tops. Bake for 20 minutes, or until centers are no longer pink. Serving size is 2 mini-meatloaves. Use a knife around the edges to get your mini meatloaves out. You will have 4 little guys left over to either freeze or have for lunch the next day.
REGULAR SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve with garlic mashed potatoes

I usually make a loaf these days as I am too rushed to use the muffin pans since I only have one, when I get another muffin pan I will probably go back to the mini meatloaf style. My girls loved the mini meat loaves.

Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes

2008-05-20T10:52:00.004-06:00

8 or 9 Red Potatoes
½ C Butter
2 TBSP Parsley
1 tsp Lemon Zest
3 TBSP Lemon Juice
1 tsp Garlic Salt or real garlic and salt
¼ tsp Pepper
Heat ingredients in casserole dish until butter is melted. Add diced potatoes and cook at 350 for 20 to 40 min until potatoes stab easily and are “roasted” around the edges. Serve Immediately

So as I am dicing the Red Potatoes I put the casserole dish in the oven with the butter in it while the oven preheats. Once the butter is melted I add the other ingredients except the potatoes and mix well, then I add the potatoes to fill the casserole dish and just keep stirring/mixing so the potatoes all get covered. I stir/mix the potatoes about every 5-10 min while cooking so they all get the roasted edges. I no longer measure my ingredients except the butter I just put it together, this is the recipe I started with and then I tweaked it to my liking. I usually don't put in Lemon Zest or Pepper.

Bacon Mushroom Chicken

2008-05-20T10:49:00.005-06:00

This is a yummy recipe, that I love to serve with Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes (see next post)
everyone at my house loves this chicken.

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 4)
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 large chicken breast cutlets ( i usually do 6 breast and only increase the bacon)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, pressed, divided
4 slices bacon (or use turkey bacon)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream OR light cream/ half and half)
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour melted butter into a baking pan or dish. Place the turkey cutlets in the buttered pan or dish. Add salt, pepper and 1 clove garlic over the top of the turkey. Turn cutlets over and add the other garlic clove and salt and pepper to taste. Place raw bacon on top of turkey cutlets, then top with mushroom slices. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cutlets are done. Remove turkey, bacon and mushrooms to a serving plate and keep warm. Pour juice from baking pan or dish into a saucepan and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan or dish (if you are using a metal baking pan, you can just use the pan right there on the stovetop and skip the saucepan). Add the cream and heat over medium heat, being careful not to boil the cream or it will break. Use a whisk to blend in cream. Pour sauce over the chicken.

Enchilada Bake

2008-05-20T10:38:00.005-06:00

I am not sure where I picked up the recipe, but it is very yummy! I was thinking enchiladas when I went to make it but it is actually Enchilada Lasagna.

I used reg flour tortillas since I always have them on hand. I didn't read the part about covering, I just baked it for 20 min uncovered and it was fine.

1 can (19oz) mild enchilada sauce, divided
1 can (15.25oz) corn, drained ( I used frozen)
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed
1 lb. shredded cooked chicken
2 tbsp cilantro
12 corn tortillas, divided
1 ¼ C shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided

Heat oven to 350. In bowl, combine ½ can of encilada sauce, the corn, black beans, chicken, and cilantro. Line the bottom of 9x13 baking dish with 4 corn tortillas, and top with half of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with ¼ C cheese. Place 4 more tortillas on top, and then remaining chicken mixture and another ¼ C cheese. Top with 4 tortillas and cover with remaining enchilada sauce. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes more.

Serves 8
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes

Recipe Sharing

Heavenly Hummus

Juicy Turkey

Prep Time: 20 Min

Cook Time: 3 Hrs

Ready In: 3 Hrs 20 Min

Ingredients

Directions

Citrus Turkey Brine

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 15 Min

Ready In: 2 Hrs 25 Min

Ingredients

Directions

Home Lunch

Homemade Ranch

24 hour potroast

Potato Soup

Herb Lentil & Rice

As a family we are trying to reduce the amount of meat we eat and increase the grains & seeds, so here we go.

Ingredients

Directions

Chicken Noodle Letuce Cups

Herb Roasted Salmon

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Sweet Grilled Pork

Thai Chicken Tacos

Pork Verde Tacos

Cheeseburger soup

Mock Kneaders French Toast w Cinnamon Butter

Pepperkaker (Gingersnaps) ****

Gyros

YUMMY Banana Bread

Monkey Bread

Chili Relleno Casserole

key lime cupcakes

Pizza Dough

Pistachio Pesto

Crock-pot Mongolian Beef

Whoopie Pies (America's Test Kitchen)

Scotcheroos

Swedish Berry Cream Dessert

Cafe Rio Pork or Chicken Salad!!!! WONDERFUL!

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole by Sheryl

Aebleskivers

Making your own gnocchi - watch for upcoming soup recipe using gnocchi!

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Christmas Scent

Wisconsin Cheese Soup

Ginger Garlic Chicken

Clam spaghetti

Lettuce Wraps

Southwestern Egg Rolls

Rice Krispy Dessert

Garlic Shrimp Crostini

White chili

Fish tacos with mango salsa

Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese (Rachael Ray)

Chicken Parmesan

Cherry Chocolate Cake

Coconut Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Evil Jungle Princess

Homade Canned Tomato Soup

Unsloppy Joes

Peach Muffins

Split Pea Soup

Marshmallows

Pumpkin pancakes with apple cider syrup

Martha Stewart's Scalloped Potatoes

Garden pasta

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

Waffles

Baked Potato Soup

Chicken Pot Pie with a Biscuit Twist

Black Bean Tacos

Onion Rings

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Rosemary Garlic Beef (from Better Homes and Gardens)

Prep Time:
20 Min

Cook Time:
3 Hrs

Ready In:
3 Hrs 20 Min

Prep Time:
10 Min

Cook Time:
15 Min

Ready In:
2 Hrs 25 Min