Family Recipes

Baked Potato Soup

2012-01-31T20:43:00.000-08:00

12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2/3 cup margarine
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper (I added less. Seemed like a lot to me)

Melt margarine in large pot. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and green onions. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and bacon. Allow cheese to melt.

I tried this soup today and everyone loved it, even my kids. It's very creamy and good. Plus it's easy to make with simple ingredients.

Sweet Barbacoa Pork

2012-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

Stephen voted this top three things I've ever made! Woohoo! It was very, very good! I found it on www.skinnytaste.com and I'll be sure trying other recipes from there! We ate this over rice and black beans, with avocado on top!

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:

2.5 lbs pork loin roast, all fat trimmed
salt and pepper
garlic powder
6 oz Coke zero
1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
1/4 cup water

Step 2

8 oz Coke zero
6 oz can sliced green chilies
8 oz tomato sauce
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

Directions:

Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the crock pot. Add 6 oz of coke and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight turning meat at least once while marinating.

Remove crock from refrigerator, add water, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily). Remove pork from crock pot and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks.

Step two: In the crock pot, combine 8 oz coke, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and remaining brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot and combine with sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours more.

Sweet Chex Mix

2011-12-13T13:28:00.001-08:00

1 Box of Corn or Rice Chex
1 Box of Golden Grahams (or 1/2 of a bag)
4 C. Coconut
1 Bag of Sliced Almonds

2 C. Sugar
2 C. Karo
1 C. Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla

Boil sugar, karo and butter for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over chex, grahams, coconut, and almonds. Mix well. Pour out on waxed paper and cool completely. Store in a loose fitting container. (an air tight lid will make it go soggy)

Homemade Salsa

2011-12-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

Every time I make this it disappears quickly. It is so easy and super yummy

Homemade Salsa
2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 can green chiles
1 bunch of cilantro (just the tops)
4-6 green onions
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lime juice or lemon juice
1 pinch of sugar
2-3 cloves of garlic
In a food processor chop up the cilantro, green onions, and garlic until finely chopped. Add in the green chiles, tomatoes, lemon/lime juice, sugar and salt. Pulse until combined and the desired consistency is reached.
(add a fresh jalapeno to increase heat, add it in with the cilantro to chop it up finely)

Baked Chicken Taquitos

2011-12-12T15:13:00.001-08:00

These have become one of our family favorites. They get eaten quickly!! They are great with homemade salsa!

Baked Chicken Taquitos
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ C. salsa, red or green
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 green onion, sliced finely
1 C. cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
10 flour tortillas, taco size or 25-30 small fajita size
2 C. chicken, cooked and shredded
Cooking spray
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. (or line sheet with a silicone mat)
In a medium sized bowl combine first 7 ingredients and mix well. Then add in cilantro and green onion. Add chicken and cheese and stir until incorporated. Heat the flour tortillas in a microwave with a damp paper towel covering them to make them pliable about 45-60 seconds.. Take 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and place on the lower third of tortilla (use only 1 Tbsp for small tortillas). Keep the mixture about ½ inch from the edge, and roll up tightly. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Continue with all tortillas. Spray tops with cooking spray. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.
From www.dealstomeals.com

Cranberry Chicken

2011-12-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

4-5 Chicken Breasts

2 Cans of Whole Cranberry Sauce

1 Packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Place all three ingredients in your Crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Shred the chicken then continue cooking on low until ready to eat. I cooked mine almost all day last time. We like to eat this on tortillas (the ones you cook at home are our favorite) with white rice, black beans, sour cream and cheese. Tomatoes and lettuce are also really good on this as well. This recipe is extremely easy and very good!

7up Biscuits

2011-12-01T14:43:00.001-08:00

I L-O-V-E biscuits. And I really love this recipe because it's semi-homemade, quick, and easy. I've seen these all over the Internet and I found the recipe here, except I don't like 7up. So I used Sprite instead. So technically they're Sprite biscuits, but doesn't sound as good as 7up biscuits. Either way, give them a try.

7up Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream (I used lite)
1/2 cup 7-up (I used Sprite)
1/4 cup melted butter
(I added a few shakes of salt the second time I made them and liked it better than the first time)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the sour cream into the bisquick. Add in the lemon lime beverage. It will make a very sticky dough. Sprinkle some additional biscuick on a working surface and pat out the dough. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan. Place cut the biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Baked Sweet Potatoes (Thanksgiving Yams)

2011-11-20T08:25:00.001-08:00

Baked Sweet Potatoes (Thanksgiving "Yams")
2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute or equal amount of real egg
1/2 cup plus 2 T buttermilk
2 T butter or margarine
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes (I use golden grahams instead ;) )
3 T shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans
can also add mini marshmallows last few minutes of baking if desired.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with non stick coating. In Large bowl combine sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 T margarine, and salt. Mix well and pout into casserole dish. Bake 20-30 minutes until set around edges but not in center. Meanwhile, combine cereal, pecans, 2 T buttermilk, and 1 T margarine-melted. Sprinkle over top and bake 15 -25 minutes more. If desired, add marshmallows last 5 minutes.

-Kitty

Indian Corn Cookies

2011-11-18T10:28:00.001-08:00

We have lots and lots of leftover Halloween candy. I found this idea on pinterest and knew my girls would love it. They love m&m's. I let the girls help by sorting through the m&m's, finding me the fall colored ones and devouring the rest. I used Erika's sugar cookie recipe she posted on this blog (it's under cookies and it's yummy) some frosting, m&m's and fruit roll ups. I cut the fruit roll ups into their shape with my kitchen scissors. Easy peasy and now we're excited for thanksgiving.

Monster Mouth Snack

2011-10-13T10:13:00.001-07:00

Again, I'm loving pinterest. It's so fun and I love not having to email myself recipes or other things I find interesting on the Internet. Yesterday we made these cute little snacks. So easy, mostly healthy, and lots of fun.

1 Apple, quartered
Peanut butter
Mini marshmallows

Take each section of apple and cut out a mouth. Be careful not to cut too deep because you want the apple to hold it's shape. Then put a dab of peanut butter along the back of the mouth to hold in the teeth. I cut the mini marshmallows in half because I was using a small apple. After that, stick in the marshmallows and it's done! I've also seen this done with slivered almonds for teeth but my girls love marshmallows.

Savory Chicken Kabobs

2011-09-30T13:17:00.001-07:00

My family really enjoyed these. Be sure and make them ahead of time so they can soak up the flavor of the marinade. Also, soak your wooden skewers in water so they don't catch on fire.

1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/4 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 lb. chicken tenderloins or breast chunks

Place all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and mix it around until the chicken is well coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight. Grill until the chicken is cooked through.

Angel Chicken

2011-09-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

So this recipe has been making the rounds on pinterest. Angel chicken originally came from the Cleverly Inspired blog. It looked yummy and even better, it's a crock pot recipe. The recipe is simple and it was very good. I would recommend eating it on rice after we tried it both ways. The sauce is a little runny and the rice soaks it up better than noodles. I changed the recipe slightly for what I had and use regularly.

3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half

16 ounces of fresh button mushrooms, quartered

1/4 cup butter

1 0.7-oz. pkg. Italian dry salad dressing mix

1 10-3/4-oz. can condensed mushroom soup with garlic

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 of an 8-oz. tub cream cheese spread with chives and onion

Hot cooked rice or angel hair pasta

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add in the Italian dressing and mix well. Then stir in the soup, broth and cream cheese until it is all melted together. Quarter the mushrooms and place them on the bottom of the crock pot. Next place the chicken breasts on top of the mushrooms. Then pour the sauce over the top of the chicken. Cook on low for five hours. Serve over hot rice or noodles.

Banana Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-08-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

I've seen lots of cookie recipes lately that use instant pudding to jazz up an ordinary cookie. On Two Peas and Their Pod I read a vanilla pudding chocolate chip cookie recipe and it sounded good. I thought I had some vanilla pudding but it turned out to be banana cream. I decided to give it a try and I liked the way they turned out. They have just a hint of banana and I'll be making them again, or I may try another flavor pudding next time.

Banana Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3.4 oz. package banana instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add in pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slight golden and set. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Enchilada Pockets

2011-08-25T12:57:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on the Dashing Dish website. My kids love them. Who doesn't like to eat dinner with your hands? The hardest part is getting the little pockets sealed so the yummy filling doesn't ooze out while baking. We've made these several times now. They make a quick and easy dinner.

Ingredients:
1 package reduced fat crescent rolls
1/2 (8oz) package fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat mexican blend grated cheese (or mozzarella/2% cheddar)
1 cup chicken, cooked and diced (or pulled) *I use ground turkey or beef*
1/2 cup enchilada sauce (or taco sauce/salsa) *I use enchilada sauce*
1 tbs enchilada seasoning, (or taco/any mexican seasoning) *I use taco seasoning*

Preheat your oven to 375.

Place the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and soften the cream cheese for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Next stir in the enchilada sauce and seasoning. Then add the meat and grated cheese to the mixture.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray foil with Pam. Next separate the crescent rolls on the sheet. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on the largest part of the roll. Fold the edges over the filling and be sure to seal the seams shut. (I've always had leftover filling so next time I'm going to buy more crescent rolls and make a few more.) I sprinkled a little additional cheese on top too. Bake for 15 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.

Crock Pot Chicken

2011-08-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

Put all ingredients in crock pot, cook on low 6 hours and enjoy! I ate it on tortilla chips with a little pepper jack cheese and State ate it on corn tortillas. Either way we liked it.

1 -1.5lbs chicken breasts

1 can of rotel

1 can corn (drained)

1 can black beans (drained)

8 oz cream cheese

Oreo Cake Balls

2011-08-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

I don't like Oreo's but I loved these cake balls!

Oreo Cake Balls-

1 package oreos

8 oz cream cheese

1 brick of white chocolate or vanilla almond bark

Use a blender or mixer to blend together Oreos and softened cream cheese. After blending form walnut sized balls and chill for an hour. Melt almond bark, use a toothpick to dip the balls into the melted almond bark. Let them set, we put them back in the freezer and serve!

Peanut butter frosting

2011-08-18T10:40:00.001-07:00

I made a Reese's peanut butter cake for Derek's birthday. The chocolate cake was average but the frosting was AMAZING! Forget frosting the cake, just eat this frosting! I found this recipe on the food network. It was a recipe by Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa). She called it Kathleen's Peanut butter frosting. Thank you Kathleen! Whoever you are.

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Beat the first five ingredients on medium-low speed until creamy. Be sure and scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Add the cream and beat on high until it's light and smooth.

Burrito Bowls

2011-08-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on the Food Newtork and decided to try it. It was so yummy and pretty easy. I put the pork in the crock pot and forgot about it and came home to a house that smelled delicious and dinner was almost ready. Matt said this moved it's way into the top 10 recipes he loves. It was a winner!

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked white rice (I added cilantro and lime to my rice when I cooked it to make it even more flavorful)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 to 2 cups Simple Fresh Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
2 cups Pork Carnitas, recipe follows
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
Directions
In a medium bowl, toss the rice with the cilantro and the orange zest. Divide the rice evenly among 4 individual serving bowls. Top with the black beans and half of the pico de gallo. Add warm carnitas and top with the rest of the pico de gallo. Sprinkle on the cheese, and spoon a dollop of the sour cream on top. Finish with the chopped green onions.

Easy Pico de Gallo:
Salt
Pinch of sugar
2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed, and chopped
1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon salt with the pinch of sugar. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes gently with the salt mixture. Add onion and jalapeno and combine. Place the avocado on top of the tomato mixture and squeeze with lime juice to coat the avocado. Sprinkle on the cilantro, and stir to combine. Serve.

Pork Carnitas:
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped
1 orange, cut in half
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side. Serve.

By Melissa d'Arabian from Food Network

Pizza Stromboli

2011-06-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

I took a picture of this and now I can't find it! Arg. Well, anyway. . . this is a yummy easy pizza dinner. I found it in a Taste of Home recipe book and changed it slightly. My kids love it, especially because I slice it up and they can dip it in marinara sauce.

1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed

2 eggs, separated

1 T grated Parmesan cheese

1 T olive oil

1 1/2 t Italian seasoning

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t ground pepper

8 ounces sliced pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni)

8 ounces sliced Canadian bacon

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small can sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup diced bell pepper

1 small can sliced olives

1 15 oz can pizza/marinara sauce

On a greased baking sheet, roll out dough into a 15 inch by 10 inch rectangle. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. Brush over the dough.

Sprinkle with the pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, bell pepper and olives. Roll it up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal and tuck the ends under.

Place seam side down; brush with egg whites. Do not let rise, cook immediately. Bake at 35o degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Warm the sauce and serve with the stromboli.

Blueberry French Toast

2011-06-09T15:06:00.001-07:00

I love make a head meals. This is a breakfast dish you make the night before. The blueberry sauce is divine. This came from the Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes cookbook and we loved it!

12 slices day-old Texas toast, crusts removed

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

12 eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 T cornstarch

1 cup water

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 T butter

Cut bread into 1 inch cues; place half in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cut cream cheese into 1 inch cubes and place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread cubes.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk and syrup; mix well. Pour over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-30 minutes longer or until golden brown and center is set.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium hear; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in blueberries; reduce hear. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until blueberries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve over the french toast.

Asian Crunch Salad

2011-06-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Courtney invited me to contibute to this blog a LONG TIME AGO, but all of a sudden I feel an urge to conribute. Maybe I will more often? Let me know if you like this salad! This may sound like a weird combination of ingredients, but this tastes amazing.

Asian Crunch Salad

Green stuff:

1 head cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Crunchy stuff:
2 (3 oz.) packages ramen noodles, crushed
1 c. slivered almonds
2 t. sesame seeds

Sauce stuff:
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Mix crunchy ingredients together. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with PAM. Spread crunch ingredients out over the cookie sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes or until lightly toasted.
Cut/chop all the Green stuff.
Prepare the Sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients.
Keep all the parts of the salad separate until it is time to eat. You want the crunch to be crunchy!

Enjoy!

-Mary

Cilantro Lime Rice

2011-06-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Cilantro Lime Rice
2 T. butter
1 1/4 c. rice
2 1/4 c. chicken broth
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 lime, juiced
2 T. cilantro, chopped
1/4 t. cumin
Directions
In a skillet, melt butter and add rice. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

I served this with the Easy Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas. Also from the Deals to Meals website.

Easy Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

2011-06-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

I tried a new recipe tonight and it was delicious! Thought I would share it with everyone. I got it from the Deals to Meals website, which I have been trying this week.

Easy Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas
2 c. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
6-8 flour or corn tortillas
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (Mexican blend if desired)
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute chicken and 1/2 onion until cooked through with a little olive oil or butter. Turn off the heat and add the chopped cilantro, cumin, black beans, chili powder, and green chilies to the chicken and onions. Stir until combined. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x17 baking dish. Place 1/2 of the tortillas on the bottom of the pan, overlapping if needed. Spoon 1/2 of the chicken mixture onto the tortillas. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of the tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes in the oven. Remove the cover and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Serve.

Grandma Nila's Sugar Cookies

2011-05-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

These are so yummy they will ruin your diet, trust me I know. I made these on Sunday thinking I had enough will power to resist, but I didn't! They are super moist and have the perfect texture for a sugar cookie. They are wonderful on their own, but even better with frosting.

Sugar Cookies
2 Cups butter, or lard
4 cups white sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups cream (sweet or sour)
2 tsp. vanilla
(I added 1 tsp. almond extract too because I like it in the cookies as well as the frosting)

Mix these ingredients together and then add:
6 tsp. baking powder (sweet cream)
or 4 tsp. baking powder, & 2 tsp. baking soda (sour cream) and 4 cups flour.

Mix together slightly then add 4 more cups of sifted flour. (You may need more flour if dough is still pretty sticky) Roll into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Put in fridge for 1 hour or freezer for 30 minutes. Don't skip this step because the dough needs to firm up again to roll out nicely. If you skip it the dough will stick and become a big mess.

once chilled, roll out to about 1/2 in thick and cut out. Put on a parchment lined or silicone mat lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Cool for about 3 minutes on pan before moving to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting. Makes a lot of cookies

Grandma's Pink Frosting
1 cube butter, room temp
4 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp. milk
Mix until your desired consistency and tint color of your choice (my grandma always did pink). Spread on cooled cookies.

Alfredo Sauce

2011-05-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from a Worldwide Ward Cookbook series and it's full of recipes from around the world-I can't wait to try everything! Here is the first one we tried and we really liked it!

Alfredo Sauce

1/2 C. Sweet Butter

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 C. Heavy Cream

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese, grated

3/4 C. Mozzarella Cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic, cream, and white pepper, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth. When sauce has thickened, add mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. STIR FREQUENTLY! Makes 5 servings.

Serve on your favorite noodles. We also like to add grilled chicken. So yummy and easy!

Creamy Mexican Noodles

2011-05-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

I originally found this recipe on foodgawker.com from Annie's Eats. It's quick and easy and yummy. Below is her original recipe and what I did.

Ingredients:
1¼ lbs. ground turkey (I used beef)
8 oz. dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp. taco seasoning (I only used 3 1/2 T., I was worried it would be too salty if I put it all in. I thought this was enough seasoning.)
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional (I topped each serving with cheese.)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Resurrection Rolls - Easter Treat

2011-04-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

1 8-count package refrigerated crescent roll dough (I used the large rolls)
8 large marshmallows
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Separate the dough into eight triangles. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Dip each marshmallow in butter. Next roll the marshmallow in the cinnamon-sugar and place one on each triangle. Roll up the marshmallow and seal the edges very well. Dip the top of each dough ball in the remaining butter and cinnamon-sugar. Place the dough ball sugar side up in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes.

The Symbolism

Marshmallow : the body of Jesus

Butter and cinnamon-sugar : spices and ointments (Luke 23:56; John 19:40)

Dough : the tomb (Luke 23:53)

Hollow roll : empty tomb (Luke 24: 6; Mark 16:6)

My girls loved learning about the true meaning of Easter this month. This is a simple recipe the girls could do all by themselves and it teaches a beautiful message. Our Savior died for us, broke the bands of death and rose again on the third day.

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." -Matthew 28:5-6

Steak Rub Recipe

2011-04-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Because my husband loves me he made dinner yesterday. Yum. Why can't everyday be Sunday?

We tried out a new steak rub recipe too. It was very tasty and used simple spices we already had in the cupboard. So if you're looking to jazz up your steak routine try this one:

1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 tablespoons ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

I halved the recipe and we used it twice this week.

Sweet Corn Bread Recipe

2011-03-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

I love me some sweet corn bread. Derek usually isn't a fan of corn bread but he liked this version because "it wasn't too gritty." This is one of those top secret recipes on the back of the box (Albers yellow corn meal box to be exact).

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup yellow corn meal

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and butter in a small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, but serve warm.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-03-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

For the Mathews' FHE this month we decided to do a soup sampler for dinner. Everyone brought different yummy soups and I love getting to try a little of each. We (and by we, I mean Derek) made Chicken Tortilla Soup. I found this recipe (see I'm a good help) on the Pioneer Woman's blog: ( http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/chicken-tortilla-soup/ ). I suggest that you check it out as we puts up pretty pictures and takes you step by step through making the soup. My only suggestions is don't skip the garnishes, especially the avocado.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
_____
FOR THE GARNISHES:
Sour Cream
Diced Avocado
Diced Red Onion
Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it!

Smores Bars

2011-03-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

Smores Bars

I found this recipe in a Family Circle magazine. I love smores and my family loved these smores bars.

Ingredients

Crust

14 graham crackers crushed (2 1/4 cups)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (3/4 stick)

Brownie

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter (11/2 sticks)
3 eggs
11/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

1 – 7.5 oz jar of marshmallow cream (about 11/2 cups)
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup mini chocolate Kisses*
3 graham crackers, broken up

* I used chocolate chips

Crust Instructions

In a small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter until evenly moistened. Transfer crumb mixture to a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan; press crumb mixture evenly over the bottom and up sides of pan. Refrigerator until chilled and set.

Brownie Instructions

Combine bittersweet chocolate and butter in a microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave 1 minute. Stir the chocolate mixture until smooth. If necessary, microwave another 15 seconds to melt.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended. Reduce speed to medium and gradually add the melted chocolate mixture; beat until smooth.

Stir the flour and salt into the above mixture; stir in vanilla until smooth. Scrape brownie mixture into the crust-lined baking pan; smooth the top level.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center tests clean.

Topping Instructions

While crust/brownie is baking whisk together the marshmallow creme and the milk until well blended and smooth.

When the crust/brownie is done, pour the marshmallow topping mixture over the brownie layer. Tilt the pan to level the topping or spread it, covering the brownie layer completely.

Sprinkle the mini chocolate Kisses evenly over the marshmallow topping, then scatter the broken graham crackers over the top. Bake at 350° for 3 minutes or until chocolate Kisses are glossy and the marshmallow topping is set. Let cool completely in the pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

2011-03-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for recipes that are different from our normal routine. I tend to season our food with the same seasonings and everything tastes similar. But this recipe used curry powder and it was yummy and tasted very different from what we usually eat. And best of all, it was quick and easy. If you love artichokes (which we do) definitely give it a try.

2 cans (14 oz each) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and quartered

2 T. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup mayonnaise

1 t. lemon juice

1/2 t. curry powder

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. butter, melted

In a bowl, combine the artichokes, oil and garlic. Place in a greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish. Top with chicken. Combine the soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry; pour over the chicken. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter; sprinkle over the top.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Produces 6-8 servings.

Mint Brownies

2011-01-24T14:35:00.001-08:00

A family friend made these for my sister's wedding reception and they were super yummy!

1 1/2 Cup Butter

3 Cup Sugar

6 Sq. unsweetened chocolate

Beat together

Add:
6 eggs

1 Tbsp peppermint extract

1 1/2 cup flour

3/4 tsp. salt

Bake in ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 25-30 min.

Cool completely & freeze. Cover with foil and plastic wrap.

Frosting:
6 Tbsp butter

2-3 tsp. peppermint extract

6 tsp milk

2-3 drops green food color

3 cups powdered sugar

Spread on top of frozen brownies

Glaze:

6 1/2 oz dark chocolate candy bar (Hersheys)

1 cube butter

Melt together. Pour over frosting and tilt it and let it glaze over the top.

(When cut in 1" squares makes about 80-90 per pan)

Rollo Cookies

2011-01-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

These cookies are so good and always a crowd pleaser! I hope you like them as much as my family does. :)

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cp. peanut butter

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 bag of Rollo Candy

Cream together the first 6 ingredients. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Wrap dough around the Rollo candy and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Slow Cooked Beef Stew

2011-01-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite winter recipes and it couldn't be easier!

4-6 potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 pkg stew meat (about 1 lb)
1 pkg. Onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2-3 bay leaves
salt and pepper

In an oven proof pot or in a crock pot layer 1/2 of the stew meat, followed by half of the potatoes and carrots. Salt and Pepper each layer. Then repeat with the rest of the stew meat and potatoes and carrots. In a a small bowl combine the soups (cream of mushroom and cream of celery), and tomato sauce. On top of the meat and veggies add the bay leaves and sprinkle the dry soup mix evenly over the top. Then pour the soup/tomato mixture on top of that. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven on 275 for 4-6 hours or in the crock pot on high for 4-6 hours or until bubbly and the veggies and meat are tender. Enjoy! (sometimes I cut up celery in chunks as well and add that if I have it)

Broccoli Salad

2010-12-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

I've had several version of this salad and this one is by far my favorite (Thanks Aunt Kerry)!

Broccoli Salad

2 big bunches of broccoli

½ red onion, chopped

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup sunflower seeds

2 cups craisans

Combine all in a large bowl.

Dressing:

1 ½ cup mayo

½ cup sugar

2 T vinegar

Combine dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and then add enough dressing to coat the salad well. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving, I prefer overnight.

Pizza Meatballs

2010-11-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

Pizza Meatballs (yummy)

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
4 oz. Mozzarella cheese cut in cubes
1 c. dried bread crumbs
½ c. milk
3 Tab. Flour
2 Tab. Instant onion
2 Tab. Oil
1 tea. garlic salt
15 1/2 oz. ounces Pizza sauce
1/8 tea. pepper
4 c. rice

About 45 min. before serving: Mix well first 6 ingredients; shape into balls with cheese in the center of each. Coat each meatball lightly with flour. Cook meatballs in skillet of hot oil until brown on all sides.
Add pizza sauce to skillet; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Fall Treat - Pumpkin Crunch

2010-10-19T08:24:00.001-07:00

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

1-15oz. can pumpkin

1/2 tsp. salt

1-12oz can evaporated milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans), optional

Whipped cream, cool whip, or ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with nuts, if desired. Drizzle melted butter on top. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Check after 30 minutes. Cool and serve chilled with topping of your choice.

I made this last night for FHE and it was yummy. It was like a pumpkin cobbler. Derek loved it made exactly as the recipe recommends. I thought it was a little on the sweet side so next time I'll probably try reducing some of the sugar. But it is one that I will make again. It was super easy and I love anything pumpkin!

Pumpkin Rolls

2010-10-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

3 eggs
1 C -sugar
2/3 C- pumpkin
1 tsp- lemon juice
3/4 C- flour
2 tsp- cinnamon
1 tsp- nutmeg
1 tsp- ginger
1 tsp- baking powder
1/2 tsp- salt
1 C chopped nuts

Filling
1 C confectioner sugar (powder sugar)
1 3 oz package cream cheese
4 TBS- butter
1/2 tsp- vanilla

Beat eggs 5 minutes at high speed. Gradually adding sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice and dry ingredients except nuts. Spread batter on greased and flour an lined with wax paper. Sprinkle nuts over top. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until done. Turn off on towel dusted with powdered sugar. Roll towel and cake together and cool. While cake is cooling, mix filling by adding all ingredients and mixing to frosting consistency. After cake is cool unroll cake and spread filling. Roll cake back up and refrigerate.

7 Layer Bars

2010-09-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

I took this picture off the internet. I wanted you to see what they looked like, but I was being too lazy to take a picture!! ha

1/2 c butter

1and 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c peanut butter chips.

Place butter in a 13X9 baking pan. Place butter in a 350 oven until melted. Remove baking pan from oven. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs evenly over butter. Poor the milk evenly over the crumbs. Sprinkle with chips and press down firmly. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

I added coconut, walnuts, and then put all the chips on top. Oh yeah I also added butterscotch chips. they are so easy and fun for the kids to help with!! The coconut and walnuts is what makes them 7 layer bars!! 7 ingredients.....you get the picture right??

Baked Spaghetti Squash w/ Beef & Veggies

2010-09-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

I make this every year with spaghetti squash fresh from the garden. It's a pretty forgiving recipe, so if you like something, you can add more or withhold others. Always best with ingredients fresh from the garden! Enjoy!

1 spaghetti squash, halved & seeded
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup each of green and red bell peppers
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes, Italian style, diced & drained
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place squash on baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, cool, and shred pulp with fork.
3. Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees, lightly grease casserole dish.
4. In a skillet, over medium heat cook beef until evenly brown. Drain, mix in the peppers, onions, and garlic and continue to cook and stir until veggies are tender.
5. Mix the shredded squash and tomatoes into the skillet, and season with w/ oregano, basil, salt & pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove skillet from heat and mix in 2 cups of cheese until melted. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
6. Bake 25 minutes, sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Eggplant Parmesan

2010-08-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

I got an eggplant in my bountiful basket a few weeks ago and tried to find a good use for it. I found this recipe online at Food Network and it was a success. If you have never tried eggplant, this is a good "first" it was really easy and tasted great!

Eggplant Parmesan
1 C. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 6 (1/2 inch) rounds
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. red chili flakes
2 (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place breadcrumbs on a shallow plate. Put eggs into another shallow plate and beat. Take a round of eggplant and dip into egg, then into breadcrumbs. Place on a wire rack that has been placed on a cookie sheet. Continue until all rounds are dredged. Cook for 15 minutes in the oven.

While eggplant is baking, heat olive oil in a 5 qt nonstick saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Add the chili flakes. Stir. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until blended. Bring to a simmer and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil and remover from heat.

Remove eggplant from oven, leave oven on at 350. Transfer eggplant to a baking dish (about 13 x 11 inches) Pour tomato sauce over the top of the eggplant. Top with cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is soft and bubbly. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Devil's Food Cake

2010-08-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading a book by Josi Kilpack called Devil's Food Cake and in the book is a recipe for just that. I decided to try it out and mmmmmmmmmmm is it good. One of the best chocolate cakes I have ever had!! Top it with the best chocolate frosting I have ever tasted as well and you will be in a chocolate coma. Who doesn't love chocolate right?

Devil's Food Cake
1 C. sour milk (1 cup milk + 2 tsp. white vinegar or lemon juice OR use 1 C. buttermilk)
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
2/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 C. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda

For sour milk, mix milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the water and baking soda. Mix until batter is smooth. Add the soda to the boiling water (kids love this part because it bubbles). Add soda/water mixture to the batter. Mix well-batter will be thin.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until middles is set. If using round cake pans, grease pans VERY well and cut a round of wax paper to fit inside the bottom of the pans to prevent cake from sticking when removed. Let cake cool five minutes in pans before turning out onto a wire rack.
Serves 12

Sandra's Chocolicious Frosting
1/2 C. butter
2 Tbsp. shortening
1 C. baking cocoa
8 oz. cream cheese
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter and shortening. Whisk in cocoa and stir until smooth. Let cool until it is cool enough to touch. Add cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mix well. Will cover rwo 9-inch layers or a 9x13 cake.

Zucchini Casserole

2010-08-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is a great casserole for fall when you have a lot of zucchini and don't know what to do with them all. I recently substituted sausage in place of the hamburger and thought it was even better. Give it a try!

2 1/2 lbs. zucchini, sliced thin
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 lg. onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 1/4 c. uncooked minute rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
1/2 C. zucchini cooking liquid (reserved water)
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Slice zucchini thin and cook for 3 minutes in salted boiling water. Reserve 1/2 C. water.

Brown hamburger, onion, green pepper, garlic salt and oregano in a saute pan. Add rice and the 1/2 c. of zucchini water. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish. Spread zucchini on top in an even layer. In a separate bowl combing the soup and milk together. Pour mixture over the zucchini and then top with shredded cheese. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

No Fail Cinnamon Rolls

2010-07-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

I don't claim to be a bread maker. I haven't had that much success whenever I make bread. Although I keep trying. But every time I make these, they always turn out. They take a little time rising, but are well worth the end result!! (I usually half this recipe and it makes 16-18 big rolls)

1 qt. water
1/4-2 Tbsp. dry milk (I do 1 Tbsp. for a half recipe)
1/4 C. shortening
4 eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp. dry yeast
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/2 C. sugar
12-13 C. flour
1/2 C. margarine
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all together and beat for 10 minutes or kneed by hand for 10 minutes. Let rise until doubled in size. Flour surface and roll dough out into a rectangle. When rolled out, pour melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon on top. (raisins optional). Roll up long ways and cut to desired size. place on greased pan and allow to raise again (45 minutes - 1 hour). Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Frost as desired when cooled.

I usually do a cream cheese frosting when cooled.

Banana Snack Cake

2010-07-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

The other day I had ripe bananas on my counter and started looking through recipe books trying to find something other than banana bread to make with my ripe bananas. I found this recipe in the Taste Of Home Best Church Supper Recipes Book and it was a winner

1/2 C. shortening
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 C. mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 medium)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. all-purpose or Whole wheat flour (I did half and half)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 Chopped nuts (if desired)

Frosting: 1/2 C. packed brown sugar, 1/4 C. butter, 6 tbsp. milk, 2 1/2-3 C. powdered sugar.

Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating well
after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine dry ingedients and add alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

For the frosting combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over med. heat and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading comsistency. Frost the cake.

Meat Marinade

2010-07-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp salad oil
1/4 tsp tabasco
1 clove minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper

This marinade is good on almost anything. I prefer to use it on either beef or chicken. I also recommend the minced garlic over the powder, but either will work. It is best if you marinade the night before and let it sit.

Caramel Popcorn

2010-07-05T12:53:00.001-07:00

2 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup Karo Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Butter
-Bring these items to a boil and take off heat then add...
1 tsp Vanilla
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
-Return to heat and boil for 2 minutes.

This recipe is so easy and it makes a really good caramel for popcorn. You can also add cashews for a different twist. Enjoy!

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

2010-06-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

1 Can tomatoes
2 garlics minced
I package of stuffing mix
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp basil
1 cup low fate mozzarella cheese
Stir tomatoes, garlic, stuffing mix, and water.
Spray pan, add chicken, basil and cheese, then the stuffing mix. Bake at 400 for 30 mins.
(6 servings, 6 W.W. points per serving)
I used a large can of tomatoes to make sure that it wasnt too dry. Stephen really liked this one and we have had it a couple times recently.

Crab stuffed Portabello Mushrooms- A house divided

2010-06-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

I really liked this simple simple recipe and Stephen hated it. So if you like crab (or imitation crab) and mushroom then you will probably like this too.

8 4-inch portobello mushrooms
1 8-ounce package fat free cream cheese softened
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Old bay seasoning
Dash of ground red pepper
1 pound crab ( I used imitation)
1 cup quarted cherry tomatoes ( I left these out because I dont like the flavor)
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat Swiss cheese
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Preheat to 425. Remove brown gills from underside of mushrooms using a spoon. Remove stems.
Beat cream cheese til smooth, add green onion, mayo, lemon juice, old bay, and ground red pepper.
Stir in crac meat, tomatoes, and cheese. Spoon mixture into caps. Sprinkle each cap with a tablespoon of creab crumbs. Bake at 425 for 15 mins until tops are lightly browned.

P.S. these are only about 200 calories a piece or 4 W.W. points. I only ate one and I was happy.

Lemon Sheet Cake

2010-06-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is a quick and easy dessert. It uses a cake mix, canned pie filling, eggs and you just mix and bake. Nice. Homemade cream cheese frosting on top...yum. It is very lemony and yummy for summertime.

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) lemon cake mix

4 eggs

1 can (15-3/4 ounces) lemon pie filling

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cake mix and eggs in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Fold in pie filling.

Spread into a greased 15 inch x 10 inch x 1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Spread over cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Buttermilk Syrup

2010-05-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our annual Memorial Day camping trip and this new syrup I tried was a successs! Of course everything tastes good when you are camping, and the calories don't count, right!

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/2 C. white sugar
3/4 C. buttermilk (or sour milk)
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes then add 2 tsp. vanilla extract. Serve over pancakes, waffles, or french toast. Cool slightly if pouring into jar. (I doubled this for the camping trip.) Makes about 2 cups.

Red Velvet Cake

2010-04-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me!!! I decided to make a red velvet cake for my birthday cake this year because I had never had one before. At first I was a little surprised when I tasted it because it was so different from any other cake I've had. The taste has grown on me and now I really like it. Plus it's such a beautiful red color!

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 oz. red food coloring
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

4. Make sure you have cake pans buttered, floured, and nearby. In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Working quickly, divide batter evenly between the cake pans and place them in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. To remove the cakes from the pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, then gently lift the pan. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. Frost with cream cheese icing (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy. Frost cake.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

2010-04-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Jessica Seinfled's book Deceptively Delicious. It is a book teaching how to incorporate fruits and vegetables into kids food without them knowing. This is one of my favorite recipes and is soooooo good. The bread is very moist and my kids gobble it right up. I don't feel bad about them eating a lot of it because it is low in sugar and has all the whole grain in it. Give it a try!!

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

3/4 C. Whole wheat flour
½ C. All-purpose flour
½ tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Cinnamon (optional)
½ C. Firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 C. Vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1 ½ C. Banana puree
½ C. Cauliflower puree
1 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or 2 mini pans with cooking spray.

In a bowl mix the flours with the baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon (if using). Set aside. In a large mixing bowl mix the sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined (or in a Kitchen Aid mixer) Mix in the eggs, purees, (if I don't have cauliflower I just add another 1/2 C. bananas) and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake until the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes for the large loaf, 25-30 for the mini loafs. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn bread out of the pan to cool before serving.

(Sometimes I add nuts or 1/2 c. chocolate chips, makes it even better)

Buttermilk Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy

2010-03-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Southern Livings

Best Buttermilk Biscuits

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick real butter)
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
additional Self-rising flour
(for counter surface to knead dough)
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cut butter with a sharp knife or pastry blender into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle butter slices over flour in a large bowl. Toss butter with flour. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas. (I used my hands) Cover and chill 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 or 4 times, gradually adding additional flour as needed. With floured hands, press or pat dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Sprinkle top of dough with additional flour. Fold dough over onto itself in 3 sections, starting with 1 short end. (Fold dough rectangle as if folding a letter-size piece of paper.) Repeat entire process 2 more times, beginning with pressing into a 3/4-inch-thick dough rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Press or pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with a 2-inch round cutter, and place, side by side, on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased jelly-roll pan. (Dough rounds should touch.) Bake at 450° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; brush with 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

Prep: 20 min., Chill: 10 min., Bake: 13 - 15 min.

Southern Chocolate Gravy
(pour over homemade biscuits)

3/4 cup white sugar
2 heaping tablespoons flour
1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add all the dry ingredients to a medium sized pot. Add the milk, using a whisk combine the dry ingredients with the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir constantly to prevent the mixture from scorching. The mixture will start thicken up. When it thickens remove from heat and add the butter and the vanilla extract. Pour over biscuits, I tear my biscuit up in a bowl first and then pour the gravy all over it.

* If by chance your gravy is not at the consistency that you want. You can mix a bit of flour and milk together and add it to the boiling chocolate to thicken it as much as you like. Some people like their chocolate gravy a bit thin and some a bit thicker.

Avery was in chocolate heaven. The biscuits weren't the best I've ever had but they were good. This was my first time making homemade biscuits so that could have had something to do with it as well. The chocolate gravy was yummy though!

Three Cheese Tortellini Casserole

2010-02-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

1 lb. Hamburger
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg dry spaghetti seasoning mix
1 pkg family size three cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
1 C. grated Parmesan Cheese (fresh)

Brown hamburger, drain grease. Mix alfredo sauce, tomato sauce, and spaghetti seasoning together. Boil tortellini for about 6 minutes if using fresh, or about 3 minutes less than package directions for frozen. Mix tortellini, meat and sauces together. Pour ino greased pan and top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Easiest Homemade Salsa

2010-02-08T09:17:00.001-08:00

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
6 green onions, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor, or blender, and process until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate a few hours before serving to blend flavors.

Tortilla Pinwheels

2010-02-08T09:12:00.001-08:00

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. grated cheese
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1/2 C. chopped olives
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
8-10 flour tortillas

Mix first 8 ingredients until well combined. Spread over tortillas and roll up. Place all rolls in refrigerator overnight for best flavor. When ready to serve cut into about one inch pieces. (I usually cut the ends of and save them for a snack, they don't look as nice as the center pieces). Serve with salsa.

Corn and Crab Bisque

2010-01-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

We tried this Emeril Lagasse recipe and really liked it. We had to make a few changes because we couldn't find fish stock or Zatarain's Concentrated Crab and Shrimp Boil and because we accidentally bought minced crab meat instead of lump crab meat (oops!), but it turned out good. I've never had a soup like it before so it was fun to try. As follows makes 4 to 6 servings (we doubled it when we made it).

3 T. vegetable oil
3 T. bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup corn kernels
2 T. minced shallots
2 T. minced celery
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1 cup chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 t. Cajun seasoning (I use Louisiana Fish Fry, Inc's seasoning)
1/2 pound minced crab meat
1/4 cup minced green onion (green part only)

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour a tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until blended. Continue stirring to make a light brown roux, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the onions, corn, shallots, celery, garlic, salt and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 4 minutes. Slowly stir in the stock. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Add the milk, cream, and the Cajun seasoning. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Stir in the crab meat and green onions and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Serve hot ladled into bowls.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

2010-01-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is of request of my brother Derek:

Filling Ingredients:
1 c. butter or margarine
2 2/3 c. peanut butter
2 2/3 c. powdered sugar (may need a little more)
2 tsp. vanilla

1 package of dipping chocolate melted

You just mix this all together then in either a pan or your peanut butter cup molds spray a little Pam. Then you add just a thin layer of the melted chocolate and let it sit in the freezer or fridge for 2-3 min (or just until settled.) Then depending on whether you have done it in a pan or in the molds you add the filling mixture on top however thick you want. If in the molds roll the peanut butter mixture so it makes a ball the size of a penny or so. then you add the rest of the chocolate on top and let it set. Then you enjoy!

Meatball Subs

2010-01-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

I tried out a new no recipe recipe yesterday and it was delicious so I thought I would share. Matt's favorite sandwich at Subway is the meatball, so we were anxious to see how this compared.

Meatball Subs
In a crockpot put 1/2 package (about 40 meatballs) of frozen, traditional store bought meatballs. Add 1 can Spaghetti sauce. Cover and let cook in crock pot on high about 3 hours.

When ready to eat serve on a hard crusty roll or hoagie bun. Top with cheese, olives, banana peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, lettuce, cucmbers, and red onion. (all optional of course) It was super yummy and passed the Matt test!! Serves 10.

Green bean bundles

2009-12-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
4 (15-oz.) cans of whole green beans ~ not “cut”, not “french-style”
bacon strips, cut in half
1 cup melted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. soy sauce
Gather 10 beans into a bundle. Wrap bacon around beans and secure with a toothpick. Arrange in a 9×13 pan.
Combine melted butter, brown sugar, garlic salt, and soy sauce in a bowl. Mix well. Pour over beans.
Chill overnight or for several hours. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until bacon is cooked.

Here you go!!! You should drain the pan so that they are easier to dish.

Green Bean - Bacon Bundles

2009-12-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

OK SUMMER, WHERE'S THE RECIPE?????

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

2009-12-18T15:03:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

Jalapeno Jelly

2009-12-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

This is a fun thing to make for the holidays.

Jalapeno Jelly
3 Jalapeno Peppers
1 green pepper
1 C. white vinegar
5 C. sugar
1 bottle liquid pectin (Certo)

Remove seeds from Jalapeno and green peppers. Run them through a food processor until finely chopped. In a heavy saucepan pour in the peppers, the 1 C. vinegar, and the 5 C. sugar. Cook for 10 minutes to a rolling boil. Take off heat and add one bottle liquid pectin (Certo). Return to heat and boil 1 more minute. Pour into jars. Put on hot lids and rings and turn upside down to seal. Makes 2 quarts (We usually do about 10-12 small jars). You may add red or greed food coloring. Serve with lamb or cream cheese and crackers.

Pie

2009-12-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. They have some really good recipes that are rated by their viewers...join for free! This turned out really good and was very easy! Enjoy!

German Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

1/3 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups milk
1 (4 ounce) bar German sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
1 egg
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in the milk, chocolate, and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Gradually stir about 1 cup of mixture into egg yolks. Return mixture to saucepan; bring to boiling. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir in vanilla.
Turn the hot pie filling into the baked pie shell.
In another saucepan, combine the beaten egg, evaporated milk, the 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Cook and stir over medium heat just till the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
Spread the pecan mixture evenly over the chocolate filling. Cool the pie on a wire rack; chill thoroughly.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup

2009-12-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

This is my FAVORITE soup from the Olive Garden, I absolutely love it. We tried this recipe last year for New Year's Eve and it was a huge hit! It tasted exactly the same! Try it!

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft.

3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4.Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

TO LYNDSEY!

2009-11-29T15:48:00.000-08:00

PLEASE, POST YOUR GERMAN CHOCOLATE PIE RECIPE!!!!!
Thanks,
Kerry

Chocolate Cream Pie

2009-11-28T13:45:00.000-08:00

This is the pie I made for Thanksgiving this year. It was beyond chocolately and probably too much so for my taste. But if you're looking for something super rich, this is it, Emeril Lagasse's Chocolate Cream Pie.

Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus 1 3/4 cups
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
4 egg yolks
4 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Graham crackers to yield 2 cups crumbs
Chocolate sandwich cookies (white centers removed) to yield 1 1/2 cups crumbs (recommended: Oreo)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, process the graham crackers and chocolate cookies to make crumbs.
In a bowl mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar and butter with your hands. Press the mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie pan. (It will seem like an excessive amount of crumbs, but will compress down quite a bit with pressure.) Cover the crust with plastic wrap and top with another 9-inch pan, pressing quite firmly to make a smooth surface. Remove the pan and the plastic wrap from the pressed crust prior to placing it into the preheated oven. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Remove the crust from the oven and let cool completely before filling.
Yield: 1 (9-inch) crust

Filling Directions
1 (9-inch) Chocolate Cookie Crust, baked, recipe follows
In a small saucepan combine sugar, 3/4 cup heavy cream, buttermilk, cornstarch and pinch of salt, and whisk until smooth. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, whisking from time to time for the sugar and cornstarch to dissolve and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking at a low boil for an additional 5 minutes, whisking constantly.
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and whisk thoroughly. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and whisk over the heat until thoroughly combined and very thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, and whisk in the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Continue whisking until thoroughly combined (mixture will be very thick). Cover the mixture with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface and refrigerate until cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Place 1 3/4 cups heavy cream in a chilled mixing bowl and add the confectioners' sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cool chocolate pudding mixture, then spoon the chocolate mixture into the prepared pie crust and refrigerate until firm and cool, at least 4 hours. Refrigerate the remaining whipped cream until you are ready to serve the pie.
When ready to serve, top the pie with the remaining sweetened whipped cream and serve immediately.

Cranberry Nut Bread

2009-11-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

I have had this bread before made by my Grandma Yancey and had forgotten how yummy it was. So I got out the recipe and made some this morning. Yum!! It is so good and something different from the usual banana or pumpkin bread.

Cranberry Nut Bread

4 C. flour
2 C. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 C. orange juice
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. grated orange peel
2 eggs, well beaten
3 C. Fresh or frozen cranberries (12 oz bag), coarsely chopped
1 C. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 loaf pans (I use the med size disposable pans). Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, oil, orange peel, and eggs. Mix until well blended. Chop cranberries (Mine were frozen and I threw them in the food processor for about 15 pulses and they were perfectly chopped). Add cranberries and nuts. Blend. Spread batter evenly into loaf pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely!

Cinnamon Syrup

2009-11-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

This recipe was given to me by a friend and I hope she won't mind me sharing. This is so yummy on french toast or pancakes. I especially like it on pumpkin french toast or pumpkin pancakes because they usually have cinnamon in them as well.

1 C. Light Corn Syrup
½ tsp. Cinnamon
2 C. Sugar
½ C. Water
1 C. 2% milk

Bring to a boil the corn syrup, cinnamon, sugar and water. When it comes to a good rolling boil turn off heat. Add Milk and stir. Keep refrigerated. Makes 2 pints.

LOVE IT!!!!

2009-11-11T11:50:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would add my new favorite cookbook!!

Pumpkin French Toast

2009-11-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

I made this the other day and it was so yummy. I too love everything pumpkin and decided that this recipe needed to be shared.

4 eggs
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
8-10 slices bread (I use whole wheat)

In a bowl whisk all the ingredients together. Preheat a griddle to 360 degrees. Right before dipping the bread spread the griddle with a little bit of butter. Dip the bread in the egg mixture and place on griddle. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup or cinnamon syrup.

Frosted Pumpkin Cake

2009-11-10T14:04:00.001-08:00

I tried this recipe out of the latest Cooking Light Magazine and it was very yummy. I love all things pumpkin!

Cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
Cooking spray

Frosting:
2 T butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) package 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Set aside. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 t. vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture; beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin; mix well. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter into a 9 X 13 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare the frosting, combine 2 T butter, 1/2 t. vanilla extract and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.

Hot Little Hammies

2009-10-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

Stephen loves hot little hammies!
2 pkgs Hawaiian King rolls
3/4 pound of sliced ham
3/4 pound of sliced swiss cheese

Mix- 1 Stick of butter, 2 T poppy seeds, 3 T mayo, 1 T Dijon Mustard, 1 t of worcestershire

Cuts rolls horizontally, Spread mix on both sides, place ham and cheese on bottom half. Put top half back on. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cut rolls apart.

Cookies

2009-10-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats, uncooked
1-3/4 cups (11-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Butterscotch Chips(or 1/2 butterscotch 1/2 milk chocolate)

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips; mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Baked Frech Toast with Berries

2009-10-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

I had something similar to this while I was on scrapbooking retreat and thought it was great. Found a recipe when I got home and it was pretty tasty! Erika

1 8 oz loaf or 1/2 of a 1 lound loaf of French Bread, cut in 3/4 inch slices
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 C. milk
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
2/3 C. flour
1/3 C. packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. butter
1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 C. sliced strawberries
Frozen whipped topping, thawed (optional)

Lightly greasea 3 qt. rectangular baking dish. Arrange bread sliced in baking dish.

In a large bowl stir together eggs, milk, granulted sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour over bread. Press lightly with the back of a large spoon to moisten bread. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.

Combine cinnamon, flour, brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Cover; chill in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Before baking sprinkle blueberries over bread; sprinkle flour mixture over berries. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until a knife inserterd off center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes; top with berries and cool whip, Cut into squares. Makes 8 servings.

Spider Cookies

2009-10-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

I used the Double Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe for the cookies

2 C. all-purpose flour
2/3 C. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. Milk Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 350 degress. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a mixer cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. When that mixture is light and fluffy gradually add in the cooca mixture, beating well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful onto an ungreased pan. (I use a Silpat they come off perfectly!) Bake 8-10 minutes (I went 12 because I wanted them a little more firm). Cool slightly then remove from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 1/2 dozen small. (I got 3 dozen big cookies)

After the cookies cooled completely I frosted them with Milk Chocolate Frosting (from the can :( ) and then I separated 1 can of vanilla frosting into 5 sections. I made white the biggest section because it is neeeded the most for the webs. Then I made, pink, green, blue, and purple to match what was going to be used as the spiders body. On Bakerella she used Trix cereal. I couldn't fnd Trix so I used Captain Crunch with Berries and used the berries for the spiders bodies. After separating the frosting. I put the frosting into ziploc baggies and snipped the very tip off to make it into a piping bag. I then piped 3 circles onto each frosted cookie. Using a toothpick I drug the frosting from the center outward to create a web. Then I piped 8 little legs out of the colored frosting and placed 1 crunch berry in the center for the body and presto!! The cookies are finished!! Enjoy!! Erika

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-10-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from the Hershey's Choclate website and I absolutely love it when I am in the mood for a lot of chocolate!! Enjoy!! Erika

2 C. all-purpose flour
2/3 C. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. Milk Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 350 degress. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a mixer cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. When that mixture is light and fluffy gradually add in the cooca mixture, beating well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful onto an ungreased pan. (I use a Silpat they come off perfectly!) Bake 8-10 minutes (I went 12 because I wanted them a little more firm). Cool slightly then remove from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 1/2 dozen small. (I for 3 dozen big cookies)

Oven-roasted Tomatoes, Olives and Capers Pasta

2009-10-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from chef Curtis Stone's recipe for Rigatoni with Spicy Italian Salami, Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, Olives and Capers. I cut down on the oil, upped the meat(using sausage instead of salami), added artichoke hearts, used chicken stock instead of wine and replaced the rigatoni with penne pasta. This is one of our family favorites.

Ingredients:
25 cherry tomatoes on the vine
3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup extra-fine capers
10 ounces penne pasta
2 t. minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
12 oz chicken sausage (I preferred Bistro sensations smoked mozzarella with artichoke and garlic)
1 cup marinated California style artichoke hearts
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the tomatoes on a small baking sheet and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until they begin to split. Remove from oven and set aside. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for 30 seconds on each side until light golden in color. Remove the sausage from the pan and reserve. Return the pan to the heat, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until tender. Add the chicken stock and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, olives and capers to the hot pan and toss gently. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the sausage, artichoke hearts and parsley. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Strain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the sauce. Season the pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to plates, spooning any sausage and tomato mixture from the pan around the pasta, and serve.

Hoppin John Chowder

2009-10-15T13:04:00.001-07:00

This recipe is yummy and easy! (My two favorite things for a recipe to be)

Hoppin John Chowder (this makes quite a bit 18 cups)
4 (15.8 ounce) cans black-eyed peas undrained
2 (10) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles undrained
1 (14 oz) can of beef broth
1 pound smoked sausage sliced ( I use turkey less fat)
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 family size package boil in bag rice

Combine all ingredients except rice in crock pot
cover and cook on low for 6 hours
Pour uncooked rice into slow cooker and stir.
Cook on high for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
This recipe can also be done in a big pot on the stove!

Chicken Rolls

2009-10-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

2 cups cooked chicken (or turkey)
8 oz. creamed cheese
4 TBS melted butter
***
6 TBS melted butter
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
24 Pillsbury crescent rolls

Mix first three ingredients together. Divide up rolls, place spoonful of chicken mixture on each and wrap into a ball. Roll in 6T melted butter and 2/3 cup cracker crumbs. Bake at 375 until golden brown.

Gravy: 1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBS lemon juice
dash of garlic powder

Heat together but do not boil. Serve over hot rolls.

* The "full fat" version is better but we've tried it with reduced fat cream cheese, butter, rolls and sour cream. We've even done it without rolling them in butter and cracker crumbs. It all works and isn't too much different.

Low-fat Zucchini Bread

2009-10-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Low-fat Zucchini Bread

This recipe makes a dense, very moist zucchini bread that is almost more like a brownie in consistency. My mom is a super zucchini grower so I shred it and freeze it to use in this recipe for months after the harvest.

3 eggs
1 ½ cup sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts (I usually only put half in, Derek isn't crazy about walnuts)
½ cup raisins (I usually add in more)

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and applesauce until fluffy. Add zucchini, then dry ingredients. Stir in pineapple, raisins and nuts. Pour into a 9x13 dish that has been greased and floured. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2009-10-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 package Ritz crackers
1 cube butter
1 TBS poppy seeds

Boil chicken breasts, cut into small cubes. Place chicken in the bottom of a casserole dish. Warm soup and sour cream in a small sauce pan on stove, mix together and pour over the chicken. Crush Ritz crackers and add melted butter and poppy seeds to the cracker mix, the top the chicken with cracker mix. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Soup

2009-10-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

Creamy Potato

8 bacon strips, diced
3 c. cubed peeled potatoes
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken broth (or 14 oz water & 2 chicken bullion cubes)
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 c chopped onion
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1/s tsp. each: celery seed, salt & pepper(or celery salt & pepper)
3 T. flour
3 c. Milk
1(8 0z) pkg. American Cheese (or Velveeta) cubed
2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional
2 tsp. chives, optional

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; drain and reserve drippings. Add potatoes, broth, carrot, onion, parsley, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Combine four and bacon drippings in separate bowl and whisk until smooth, then add milk. Stir this mixture into the soup. Bring soup to a boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add cheese and bacon; stir until cheese is completely melted and heated through. Garnish with grated cheese, pieces of bacon, green onions or chives if desired. Makes 8 servings.

EASIEST SWEET PORK EVER!

2009-10-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Large Pork Roast about 5# (with or without bone)
1 Cup Pork Roast Juices
1 Cup Pepsi (can use rootbeer or no caffeine)
1 Cup Salsa
1 Cup Brown Sugar

Cook roast in crock pot until it falls apart when you poke a fork in it. (6-8 hr)
Remove roast from crock pot, reserving the juice. Use a fork to pull the
pork apart. Mix other ingredients together and put into crock pot. Add
the pulled pork. If you need more moisture in the meat just mix more
sauce using equal amounts of each to get the desired amount. Cook together
in crock pot on high til it heats through, or at least an hour.Serve on buns,
or on tortillas with any of the following, black beans, sour cream,
shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, or whatever else sounds good.

Calling all Cooks...

2009-10-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

I love trying new recipes and I know I have wonderful cooks in my family, so thus, the creation of this blog. I thought it would be fun to invite whoever wants to participate and post some of our favorite recipes here. As long as we include the appropriate labels for each post (salad, dessert, quick dish, crock pot, etc.) it should be super easy to find something new to try. Best of all, someone we know has already tried it and worked out the kinks. Feel free to post as often as you want, the more the merrier!