This is one of those quirky, quintessential Mormon salads/desserts (it's Jell-o for heaven's sake!), and I'm pretty sure the missionaries we had over last night ate half the pan.
2 1/4 cups pretzels, crushed*
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. butter, melted*
2/3 cup sugar
1 block cream cheese, softened
3 Tbs. sugar
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 tub Cool Whip
1 large package raspberry Jell-o
1 small package raspberry Jell-o*
3 cups boiling water*
1 bag frozen raspberries, thawed
Crush pretzels in a food processor or a Ziploc with a rolling pin until they are pea-sized crumbs. Mix with melted butter and 2/3 cup sugar, then pat into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes, then let it cool.
Dissolve Jell-o in boiling water, then stir in raspberries. Refrigerate until thickened and syrupy. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese with 3 Tbs. sugar and pineapple. Gently fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled pretzel crust. When raspberry mixture is this consistency of a thick syrup (but not set yet), spread it over the top. Refrigerate until fully set.
This keeps for a few days in the fridge before the crust gets soggy, but it never lasts that long at my house!
*The original recipe calls for 2 cups of pretzels, 3/4 cup butter, 1 lg. pkg. of Jell-o, and 2 cups water. However, I like a slightly thicker crust and a slightly thicker Jell-o layer, so I modified it. This definitely fills up a 9 x13 pan to the brim, too, so do with it what you will. I also barely spray the bottom of my pan with Pam before baking the pretzels. I never did before, until I saw a crust completely adhere to the bottom--weird with all the butter in there--so now I err on the side of caution.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Easy Guacamole
I don't know about you, but we love avocados and Mexican food at our house. I always bought Wholly Guacamole pre-made from the store, but I decided to make my own last night and it was awesome!
4-5 ripe Haas avocados
1/2 red onion, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, diced (optional)
juice of 2 limes (or you can use bottled lemon or lime juice, but this tastes fresher)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tsp. garlic powder
2 roma tomatoes, diced or 1/3 cup jarred salsa (or 1 tomato and a scant 1/4 cup salsa)
scant tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Lawry's seasoned salt
pepper
When I made this, I just kept tasting as I went, so feel free to start small on the seasonings and work your way up until it tastes right to you. I started out by scooping the avocados into a bowl, and tossing them in lime juice so they wouldn't brown. I tossed in both types of onions, jalapeno, 1 tomato and a scant 1/4 cup salsa. I added garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin, and sprinkled the mixture liberally with Lawry's salt and pepper. Then I mashed everything together with a fork. I don't like my guacamole pureed into baby food, so I left it a little chunky. When I tasted it, it needed a bit more flavor, so I added a touch more chili powder, salt, and pepper. I like my guacamole to have a distinct citrus-y and onion-y flavor, so if you don't, cut back on the onions and the juice and just add them bit by bit to taste.
4-5 ripe Haas avocados
1/2 red onion, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, diced (optional)
juice of 2 limes (or you can use bottled lemon or lime juice, but this tastes fresher)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tsp. garlic powder
2 roma tomatoes, diced or 1/3 cup jarred salsa (or 1 tomato and a scant 1/4 cup salsa)
scant tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Lawry's seasoned salt
pepper
When I made this, I just kept tasting as I went, so feel free to start small on the seasonings and work your way up until it tastes right to you. I started out by scooping the avocados into a bowl, and tossing them in lime juice so they wouldn't brown. I tossed in both types of onions, jalapeno, 1 tomato and a scant 1/4 cup salsa. I added garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin, and sprinkled the mixture liberally with Lawry's salt and pepper. Then I mashed everything together with a fork. I don't like my guacamole pureed into baby food, so I left it a little chunky. When I tasted it, it needed a bit more flavor, so I added a touch more chili powder, salt, and pepper. I like my guacamole to have a distinct citrus-y and onion-y flavor, so if you don't, cut back on the onions and the juice and just add them bit by bit to taste.
Chicken and Rice Burritos
I got this recipe from another blog, and it was a big hit. It also made a ton (for my little family), so I made them into frozen burritos for quick lunches. It's not fancy by any means, but pretty quick and filling. You can completely adapt this to your own family's tastes and size, too. I served them with homemade guacamole and blue corn tortilla chips.
2-3 chicken breasts, diced
1 6.9 oz. box Rice-a-Roni, Spanish flavor
2-3 Tbs. butter or olive oil
2 cups water
1 16 oz. jar salsa, any flavor or brand
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn (don't need to defrost)
6-10 tortillas, depending on size (Everyone raves about the uncooked kind from Costco, but since I didn't have time last night to make an extra trip, I just used regular Mission brand flour tortillas)
baby spinach, for serving
shredded cheese, for serving
guacamole, for serving
In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, saute onions and bell peppers in butter or olive oil. When onions are translucent, add rice and chicken. When chicken and rice are starting to brown, add water, the seasoning packet from the rice, salsa, beans, and corn. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice and chicken are cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
If you're ready to eat, fill tortillas with rice and chicken mixture, baby spinach leaves, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. When I made some to freeze, I only added cheese to the rice-chicken mixture in the burritos, since I've never seen how guacamole and sour cream freeze, and I didn't want the spinach to wilt.
2-3 chicken breasts, diced
1 6.9 oz. box Rice-a-Roni, Spanish flavor
2-3 Tbs. butter or olive oil
2 cups water
1 16 oz. jar salsa, any flavor or brand
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn (don't need to defrost)
6-10 tortillas, depending on size (Everyone raves about the uncooked kind from Costco, but since I didn't have time last night to make an extra trip, I just used regular Mission brand flour tortillas)
baby spinach, for serving
shredded cheese, for serving
guacamole, for serving
In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, saute onions and bell peppers in butter or olive oil. When onions are translucent, add rice and chicken. When chicken and rice are starting to brown, add water, the seasoning packet from the rice, salsa, beans, and corn. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice and chicken are cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
If you're ready to eat, fill tortillas with rice and chicken mixture, baby spinach leaves, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. When I made some to freeze, I only added cheese to the rice-chicken mixture in the burritos, since I've never seen how guacamole and sour cream freeze, and I didn't want the spinach to wilt.
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