The Flavors of Friendship

Caramels

2011-12-30T11:29:00.000-08:00

I must confess, this is a holidays-only recipe for me. They are so yummy, but let's be honest. There is nothing good for you in caramels. If you're like me, and still eating like a little piglet until Sunday, then make a batch and indulge. Your mouth won't be sorry (but your waist might).

3 cups whipping cream, divided
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups Karo light syrup

Spray a 9x13 pan generously with cooking spray, then use a paper towel to wipe out excess. Make sure sides and corners of pan are covered.

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar, Karo, and 1 cup whipping cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the mixture bubble (rapidly, but not violently) until it reaches the soft ball stage*. Once it has reached the soft ball stage, stir in 1 cup whipping cream. Let the mixture bubble/simmer until it reaches the soft ball stage again. Stir in last cup of whipping cream. Let mixture bubble/simmer to the firm ball stage**. Pour quickly into prepared 9x13 pan. Let cool, then cut into squares and wrap in individual bits of wax paper to keep fresh.

*I'm sure you can use a candy thermometer to help you get to the soft ball stage, but they've never worked for me and I'm too lazy to track one down and wash it afterward. It takes about 20 minutes on medium-low heat on my stove to get to the soft ball stage. At about 17 minutes, I begin testing it by placing a teaspoon-sized drop of the caramel mixture into a little ramekin filled with cool water. If I can shape the caramel into a soft ball and pick it up out of the water, then it's ready.

**For the firm ball stage, it takes about 25 minutes on medium-low on my stove. I test it just like I would for the soft ball stage, except a firm ball should hold together a bit better and feel slightly more solid (but not hard).

Beef Stroganoff

2011-10-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

This was my grandma's recipe, and despite the fact that I'm not a big meat eater, I love it. It was perfect for a comforting Sunday dinner on a crisp fall night, and makes 6-8 generous portions. It's unlike a lot of other stroganoff recipes in that instead of being creamy and white sauce-based, it's tomato-based. You can stir in 1/2 cup or so of sour cream at the end to make it creamier, but I like it as is.

2 1/2 pounds beef, cut in 1/2 inch cubes (I use top round, trimmed of fat)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 large onion, diced
1 can sliced mushrooms (opt.) or scant 1/4 cup beef broth
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce or 2/3 cup tomato juice
salt & pepper
1 1/2 pound cooked pasta or rice

In a brown paper bag, toss cubed beef with flour until lightly coated. Melt all but 1 Tbs. of butter in large skillet. Brown beef on both sides, but don't worry about cooking it through (about 5 minutes). Remove beef from skillet. Melt remaining butter in skillet, the saute onions until softened. Add in can of sliced mushrooms and their juice (or beef broth), tomato sauce (or tomato juice), and browned beef. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low. Simmer on lowest heat for approximately 1 hour, until beef is tender. Crockpot option: empty skillet into crockpot with additional 1/4 cup liquid, and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours until meat is tender.

When meat is tender, serve over cooked pasta or rice (I like whole wheat egg noodles or penne).

Easy Lemon Cookies

2011-07-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

I needed a quick treat to make for visiting teaching this month, and I saw this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs, Boy Cheese Sandwich. It took me about 30 minutes, including clean up, to have a tasty treat ready to go.

1 lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. With a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, and oil (dough will be stiff). Roll tablespoon-sized balls in powdered sugar, then place on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets (I fit 12 on a sheet, as the dough didn't spread much). Bake for 6-8 minutes (I did 8), or until just starting to crack. Let cool for 2 minutes on sheets, then cool completely on racks. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Spicy (or not!) Chicken Sandwiches with Cilantro-lime Mayo

2011-06-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

I love summer meals, don't you? This recipe is soooooo easy! You just have to remember to get the chicken marinating earlier in the day, but once it's time to cook it, you'll have dinner ready in ten minutes!

I omitted the hot sauce altogether (neither my husband nor my kids are fans of spicy stuff) and it turned out great! The crunch on these is great (it's tortilla chips!). For my girls, I just cut up the chicken into strips and gave them the Kaiser rolls on the side.

As you can see above, we had ours with a simple salad that had a Spring/Baby Spinach mix with sliced strawberries, crumbled bacon, and mozzarella cubes. You honestly don't even need a sauce over it, but Lighthouse's Raspberry Walnut salad dressing would be a fantastic choice.

The link is at the bottom for the recipe.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-chicken-sandwiches-with-cilantro-lime-mayo-10000001860085/

Broccoli Chicken Enchiladas

2011-04-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Can you tell enchiladas are my husband's favorite thing ever? Since I get sick of having the same thing all the time, I try to put new little twists on old favorites. Although this is far from authentic Mexican, it sure tasted good. Plus, this is another meal that makes 2 pans, so it's perfect for freezing.

For the sauce:
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup (I use the 98% fat free kind to lighten this up)
2 1/2 cups fat free sour cream
1/3-1/2 cup dried minced onions
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. canned diced green chilis
1 tsp. lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

For the enchiladas:
1 cup grilled chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups broccoli, cut into small bite-size pieces
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
8-10 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I use part-skim mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 450. Spray one large or two small baking dishes lightly with cooking spray. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onion and pepper until softened. In a small pot, steam or boil broccoli until tender but still crisp (don't overcook--remember it will be baked too). When onions and peppers are starting to brown and broccoli is done, add chicken, broccoli, olives, and about 3/4 cup sauce mixture (enough to make a moist but not runny filling) to the skillet. Spread 1/4 cup sauce mixture onto bottom of prepared pan(s). In each tortilla, place a few tablespoons of the chicken-broccoli filling and a sprinkle of cheese, then roll up. Place seam-side down in prepared baking pan(s). Repeat with remaining tortillas until filling is gone. Spread remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until browned, bubbling, and heated through. Watch closely so it doesn't burn! Serve with black beans and a greens salad.

Lazy Lasagna

2011-04-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else wish this dang snow would go away already? On the other hand, my husband loves it because he can get me to make warm, bubbly casseroles like this one because somehow in my mind it still feels like winter and therefore there's no need to be swimsuit-ready anytime soon. This is not quite as easy as the Crockpot Lasagna recipe, but I like how this can be divided into two pans so one can be frozen for another day.

1 1/2 boxes lasagna sheets
2 jars spaghetti sauce (I like Classico or Barilla, but it's up to you)
1 large container cottage cheese
1 large container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup onion, diced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 pound ground beef (optional)
1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes(optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray either two 8x8 pans or one 9x13 pan with cooking spray. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes until beginning to soften, then add in ground beef (if using). When onions and garlic are translucent, and meat is browned, add spaghetti sauce and heat through.*

In a mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, eggs, and Italian seasoning.

Ladle about 1/4 cup of sauce into sprayed baking pan(s). Cover with uncooked lasagna noodles**, breaking into pieces to fill in all gaps. Spoon 1/3 of ricotta mixture over noodles, covering well. Ladle 1/3 of spaghetti sauce over cheese mixture, spreading to cover. Cover with uncooked lasagna noodles, pressing down lightly to compact layers. Repeat layering with remaining ricotta, sauce, and noodles. In an 8x8 pan, I can fit about 4 noodles (broken to fit) per layer, and 4 layers of noodles in total. Cover last layer of noodles with any remaining sauce and ricotta mixture. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Then remove foil and sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan over the top. Broil 3-5 minutes (watch closely) until browned and bubbly. Serve with a green salad.

*I feel better about using store-bought spaghetti sauce if it's a good quality brand, doesn't have too much sugar, and I doctor it up with onions, garlic, and spices. But to make this even simpler, you could skip the ground beef and onion mixture altogether, and just ladle the sauce into the pans right from the jar.

**You can buy either no-boil noodles, or just use regular lasagna noodles. I've found that as long as each noodle ends up covered with plenty of sauce to give it moisture, and as long as you bake for at least 1 hour, it all works out fine. Plus, it's easier and less messy to skip boiling the noodles!

Meatloaf

2011-04-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

My husband has been gone during the week, so when he came home last weekend, I wanted to make him something hearty and comforting. He loves meatloaf, which I've never made before, so I combined a few recipes I had and came up with this. I served it with mashed potatoes (made so easy by the frozen Ore Ida Steam 'n Mash), roasted asparagus, and these caramel rolls. Oh, and my husband liked it so much he had leftover meatloaf sandwiches 2 days in a row!

1 1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef (I use either 93/7 or 96/4)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Stove Top Stuffing (dry)
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup mix (optional)
1 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup diced onions
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced green pepper
2 Tbs. shredded or grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

In a nonstick skillet, saute onions, celery, garlic, and peppers in about 1 tsp. olive oil until softened and barely browned. Scoop into a large mixing bowl and let cool. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Mix together cooled veggies, soup mix (if using, or just add salt, pepper, and dried onion), dry stuffing mix, beaten eggs, 1/2 cup ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Then mix with beef, being careful to distribute seasonings evenly without over mixing. Shape into a loaf on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper.* Brush remaining 1/2 cup ketchup over the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes until browned and cooked through (I did mine for 45 minutes and it was perfect). Let rest covered with tinfoil for an additional 10 minutes.

*You can also use a loaf pan, but from what I've read, loaf pans steam the meatloaf instead of getting the outside crisp. Plus then you have to wash the pan.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

2011-03-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

The family party was last Sunday, and it was a hit. I ended up doing lime jello jigglers, a huge green salad, broccoli pasta salad, rolls dyed green, and chicken kabobs with onions and green pepper. To go with the salad and chicken, I made homemade pesto sauce and homemade Cafe Rio salad dressing, which were both yummy. I had a little bit of chicken, broccoli, and pesto leftover, so I made this for dinner Monday night:

1 chicken breast, diced and seasoned with McCormick's Rotisserie Chicken seasoning
1 shallot, diced
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil or butter
1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
1/3 to 1/2 box of penne pasta (I like whole wheat or Barilla Plus)
2 Tbs. flour
1/2-2/3 cup skim milk
3 heaping Tbs. prepared pesto sauce
4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
parmesan cheese, for garnish.

In a large pot, boil water for pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding in broccoli for last 2 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt butter or heat olive oil. Saute shallot until it begins to soften, then add chicken, seasoning with salt and pepper. When chicken is browned and nearly cooked through, sprinkle with flour and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk and bring mixture to a bubble. Add in pesto, sundried tomatoes, and cooked pasta and broccoli, until heated through and thoroughly combined.

This made a big, hearty meal for just the two of us, but it can easily be doubled for larger families.

Even Easier Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

2011-03-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

Last night was not my best, culinarily speaking. I was experimenting with new recipes, and I planned on making mini-dishes of 2 different kinds of enchiladas--white sauce and red sauce, and a jello. I had the jello ready to go in the fridge, went to slide it in...and the whole stupid thing tipped over and splashed everywhere! Let me tell you, cleaning reddish orange goo off of carpet, wood floor, the fridge, the walls, the cabinets, etc. was not fun. I had to take apart all the drawers in my fridge and freezer, pull the fridge out, steam clean the carpet, etc. Not my best moment for sure.

So my plans for 2 gourmet types of enchiladas went right out the window. I had about 20 minutes before my hungry husband would walk through the door, and not many ready-to-serve ingredients aside from a leftover rotisserie chicken breast, so I threw together these instead (based on my original recipe for Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas):

1 chicken breast from a Costco rotisserie chicken, skin removed and diced
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed (save the other half for nachos or something)
1/4 cup diced onions
diced green pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
1 can red enchilada sauce (I like Rosarita brand)
4-6 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 450. In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, heat oil Season onion and pepper with salt and pepper, then saute until tender. Add chicken, black beans, and a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce until heated through and mixture is cohesive but not too wet. On the bottom of an 8 by 8 pan, spread a couple of spoonfuls of enchilada sauce. Roll chicken/black bean mixture in flour tortillas with about a tablespoon of cheese (makes anywhere from 4-6, depending on how full you fill them). Place seam side down in prepared pan. Top with remaining enchilada sauce, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 450 for 3-5 minutes until browned and bubbly. Then congratulate yourself for throwing together a decent meal in no time at all!

Recipe Requests

2011-02-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

I need help! My husband's family has started a new tradition where we get together on Fast Sunday each month to have a family party and celebrate all the birthdays in that month. I'm in charge of March, and I want to do a fun St. Patrick's Day theme. At first I thought we could do traditional Irish food, but I'm thinking with tons of picky kids that might not go over so well. So instead I'm just going to do my best to make everything green.

Here are the ideas I have so far:
Chicken kabobs skewered with green pepper and onion
Pesto sauce and/or chimichurri sauce (both really green) for either a marinade or to serve alongside kabobs
Green salad
Broccoli pasta salad made with spinach tortellini instead of plain pasta
Rolls made with dough dyed green with food coloring
Lime jello
Grasshopper pie

I'm thinking it might be fun to make some sort of punch or slush with lime sherbet so it would be green. Any ideas or recipes for that, or any other suggestions?

Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

2011-02-16T14:01:00.000-08:00

This isn't much of a recipe, but the flavor is so yummy and unique. I brought them to a Super Bowl party along with this pasta salad and this caramel apple dip, and they were a huge hit. We had the leftovers in toasted rolls with melted provolone, spinach, onions, and peppers, and they were fabulous too.

1 jar grape jelly
1 jar salsa (I used Pace Picante-medium)
1/2 bag frozen meatballs (I used the Italian-style ones from Costco)

Mix equal parts grape jelly and salsa, then pour over meatballs in the crockpot. Cook 4-6 hours, or until jelly has melted into sauce and meatballs are heated through.

Soft Sugar Cookies

2011-02-15T19:26:00.000-08:00

*Please excuse bad pictures and sloppy frosting job--I was in a hurry!*

There are many wonderful sugar cookie recipes out there--this one's my favorite. The technique is a little different from most recipes, and I think it really makes a difference. I like my sugar cookies soft and thick, but not cake-like, and since these aren't overly sweet, they are the perfect vehicle for vanilla buttercream. I love them so much that self-control becomes a bit of a problem, so I usually only make them twice a year--Valentine's Day and Halloween.

5 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 heaping tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt, then pour into mixing bowl. Cut in 2 cups shortening (I use 2 butter knives and just slice back and forth until the shortening is in small pieces, then I quickly use the flat beater and my mixer on low until the shortening is about the size of peas). Add in eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and baking soda until thoroughly combined (but don't overmix). Wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Roll on floured surface to desired thickness (I like between 1/4 and 1/2 inch). Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, until edges are firm and just starting to brown (don't overbake). Makes 48-60 cookies, depending on size and thickness.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2011-02-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

2/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar (more or less, until desired consistency)

Mix butter, vanilla, and heavy cream with an electric mixer. Pour in powdered sugar starting with one pound of powdered sugar, then adding more about 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Notes:
-Use salted butter--it really does make a difference. One time I used unsalted butter, because most cookbooks call for it, and it was a gloppy, flavorless disaster. Never again.
-I like my frosting a bit stiffer since I usually pipe it with a pastry bag and I want it to hold it shape and set up a bit as it sits.
-Feel free to exchange the vanilla extract for whatever flavor you want. I've done lemon and mint before, and I know lots of people like almond (for me it tastes cloyingly sweet).
-Makes enough to frost 48 sugar cookies or 24 cupcakes with a pastry bag.

My Nan's Banana Bread

2011-01-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

There are already lots of yummy banana bread recipes on here, but I thought I would add this one anyway. This is my Nan's, and whenever I make it, the whole house smells wonderful and I think of her (and how I miss her). The ingredients are standard and simple, and I always have everything on hand--especially overripe bananas. I also usually double this recipe to make two 9x5 loaves, since the first one always seems to mysteriously disappear before it's even cooled.

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup nuts (optional--I leave them out)

Grease 9x5 loaf pan. Cream together shortening and sugar. Add in eggs, vanilla, and bananas, and mix until fairly smooth. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in nuts (if using). Bake at 350 for about 1 hour (start checking around 55 minutes), or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Since my loaf pans are dark and nonstick, I lowered my oven to 330 and baked them for about 57 minutes.

Soy-Vinegar Marinade

2011-01-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

I don't remember where I got this recipe from, but I use it all the time. It gives meat such a yummy flavor. I usually do flank steak, chicken breasts, or pork tenderloin. This recipe makes enough for 1 large flank steak, 2 pork tenderloins, or 4 big chicken breasts.

1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tbs. onion flakes
1 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned Salt or McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

Whisk marinade ingredients together, then pour into a Ziploc with meat and marinate 1-2 days.

I had this marinade on chicken last night with steamed broccoli and this rice pilaf.

Enchilada Soup

2010-12-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

This is a newfound staple at our house. It is kind of creamy and easy peasy! Plus everyone loves it! I can't remember where I found this one.

1 can corn (drained)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 lb. chicken

1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce - mild
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese

Add corn, tomatoes, beans, pepper, and onion to the crock pot and stir to mix. Place chicken on top of veggie mixture. In a separate bowl whisk enchilada souce, cream of chicken soup and milk together. Pour over top of chicken. DO NOT STIR. :) Cook on low all day or high for 4-5 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken and stir all ingredients to combine. Top with cheese (and sour cream, guacamole, tortilla chips or whatever else you like).

Berry Slush

2010-12-27T14:58:00.000-08:00

This is a great drink for when you are serving a large crowd and you want the drink to be extra pretty! It can also second as a fruit serving. I remember drinking this every year at our Young Women's Christmas Brunches and it was always something to look forward to! It does take some preparation and planning, but it is worth it! As written below this makes 40-50 servings.

2 quarts water (8 cups)
1 quart suger (4 cups)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups pineapple tidbits
2 16 oz. bags frozen raspberries
2 16 oz. bags frozen blueberries
8 sliced bananas
sprite (optional)

(You could substitute 32 oz. of a frozen berry mix for the raspberries and blueberries if you prefer...I like to get the mixed berries at costco)

1-2 days before you plan to serve the drink - stir water, sugar and lemon juice together until dissolved and freeze in tupperware or bundt pan. (it doesn't have to look pretty frozen)

1 hour before serving - dump pineapple tidbits over frozen block in your serving bowl and keep out at room temp.

15 minutes before serving - mush with fork to get slushy. Add berries and bananas. Add sprite for a more liquid slush (I prefer this method).

Party Punch

2010-12-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

I think I saw this recipe on One Charming Party and wrote it down because I really wanted to give it a try. We served it at our Christmas Night open house and it was perfect!

2 liter sprite
1 can frozen lemonade
3 cans water
1 package kool-aid lemonade
1 cup sugar
fresh or frozen berries (I skipped this, but it does look pretty and probably adds some yummy berry flavor)
lemon slices
ice

Mix all ingredients together in a large drink container.

Grandma Tate's Hot Chocolate Recipe

2010-12-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Seth's cute family made a compiled recipe book for Christmas this year and we have been having so much fun trying the new recipes. One of our new favorites is Grandma Tate's hot chocolate. Grandma Tate is one of the most wonderful people I have ever ever met and everything she makes tastes even better because you know she came up with the recipe with lots of love and caring!

2 2/3 cup dry milk
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa
pinch of salt
7 1/2 cups water
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix the first 4 ingredients well in a saucepan. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Heat over low and serve. Do not boil.

Almond Poppyseed Bread

2010-12-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

Cake...bread, you could consider this recipe to be either one! I ended up delivering mini-loaves to some neighbors as Christmas gifts this year and got some rave reviews. This is another recipe from Our Best Bites (told you I was obsessed) and you can find their directions complete with pictures here. Delicious!

bread:

1 1/8 cups canola oil
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tsp. poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oil, sugar, eggs and flavorings and beat for 2 minutes. Add baking powder and salt and mix in. Alternate adding flour and milk (I like to go in this order - 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk). Add poppyseeds and mix until just combined. Pour into greased pans (2 large or 5 mini-loaf pans) and bake for 35-40 minutes for mini pans or 1 hour for large pans. I prefer the taste of the bread when made into mini-loaves...not sure why, but I do. When done baking, let cool in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Glaze:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
1/4 cup orange juice

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl. Spoon over the tops of the loaves as they are cooling on the rack. Be liberal with your glazing because the glaze is delicious! It makes a sort of crusty top that is just delicious.

Flavorful Sugar Cookies

2010-12-27T14:04:00.000-08:00

The kids were determined to make sugar cookies for Santa...like ask-me-every-day-25-times-until-I-finally-cave-and-make-them determined. The catch is...I'm not in LOVE with my sugar cookie recipe and it makes a gazillion cookies. So, when they finally convinced me, I went to my new favorite resource - Our Best Bites - and found this amazing sugar cookie recipe! It did not dissapoint. I also tried a "soft cookie" recipe with sour cream, and while they were delicious too, this one was definitely my favorite. They are ultra flavorful even without frosting, hold their shape so well, and with the trick from the recipe, SO EASY to cut into shapes! I may even be willing to do sugar cookies more than once a year! Plus, it doesn't make a gazillion cookies...just a normal size batch.

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (or other flavor, like vanilla or peppermint or whatever your heart desires - I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream the butter and sugar (make sure it is light and fluffy before you stop whipping!). Add in egg and extract and mix. Add baking powder and salt. Mix. Add flour gradually until completely mixed.

Chill dough for about an hour... OR make your life so so so much easier by doing this:

Place a ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough flat. This way you won't have to add more flour, and you won't have to attempt to roll cold dough. :) Chill for about 20-30 minutes on a flat surface in your fridge, then peel off the top layer of parchment paper and start cutting out your shapes. Ummm...yeah, I love this part. No floury mess all over my counters, no trying to smash a cold ball of dough, just out of the fridge and onto the table for the kids to get shaping! Awesome!

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. I like mine more on the soft side, so I think I was closer to 8 minutes, but if you like them buttery crisp, then go closer to 12.

Of course, I topped these with my favorite buttercream frosting and sugar sprinkles.

Homemade White Bread

2010-12-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I reeeeeally wanted some hot bread and jam, but I really prefer white bread to wheat bread and every single recipe I have is for wheat bread. While I could have settled for a wheat loaf, I don't keep wheat flour on hand, and I don't have a wheat grinder, so I googled white bread recipes. I am so happy that I did, because I found a total gem! The recipe makes 3 (giant) loaves. They came out of the oven yesterday afternoon at 1:00 pm, and by 1:20, we were down to 2 loaves. As of right now, we have part of one loaf left. The best part is...the bread is soft and delicious after it cools as well. Of course bread is good right out of the oven, but not all bread is delicious after it cools! I did modify a few of the original instructions, so this is my take on it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

3 cups warm water
3 Tbsp. dry active yeast
3 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cups bread flour (I did not use bread flour. I buy Lehi Roller Mills Turkey Brand flour from costco and it is amazing for all kinds of baking...seriously the flour makes a huge difference. Next time you buy flour, give this brand a try and you will never go back!)

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in the mixing bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add salt, oil, sugar and 4 cups flour. Mix. Let sponge (the gooey pre-dough that you have) rise until doubled in size (I let mine sit for about 10 minutes). Gradually add the additional 4 cups flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Move dough from mixer bowl into a greased bowl and roll dough ball around to coat all sides in butter (or cooking spray if that is what you sprayed your bowl with). Rise until doubled in size. I like to turn my oven on broil for 1-2 minutes (until it is just warm, not hot) and then turn it off and place a small glass bowl of hot water on the bottom rack and my bowl of dough on a middle rack. It seems to speed up the rising time without negatively affecting the dough. Punch down dough and let rest a few minutes. Divide dough into 3 equal parts (I don't think 3 was enough because my loaves were gargantuan. I will probably do 4-6 smaller loaves next time). Shape into loaves and place into 8 1/2x4" greased bread pans - I just shaped them into loaves and placed them side by side on a jelly roll pan. Let rise until almost doubled. Brush loaf tops with butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes (mine only took 35 min). You may want to place a piece of aluminum foil over the tops of the loaves for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking so they don't get over browned. Brush butter over tops of warm loaves when they come out. ENJOY!

Our Best Bites

2010-12-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

I have recently discovered Our Best Bites. It is a recipe blog and my.oh.my I am obsessed! I will be sharing some of my favorite new recipes from their site on here, but seriously...head on over there and check it out...I promise you won't be disappointed!

Stuffed Shells

2010-12-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

This was a perfect, easy, comforting meal I made yesterday to use up stuff I had hanging around in my fridge. It made for a huge dinner last night, plus plenty extra to freeze for on-the-go meals whenever I need them. I followed the directions on the back of the box, with a few little adjustments:

1 box stuffed shells, cooked
1 large contained part-skim ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (important so your filling isn't too wet)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I cheated and used a bottle from my food storage that was about to expire)

Preheat oven to 375. Boil shells by following directions on the package--you want them to be almost fully cooked, but still a little underdone. In a 9 x 13 glass pan, spread 1/2-3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, or until well coated. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, spinach, eggs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. When shells are done boiling, drain and spread out on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper so they don't stick together. Fill each shell with approximately 2 tsp. filling, and place in glass pan. Since I had more than 2 pans' worth of shells, I spread whatever shells I wasn't baking immediately on a cookie sheet and froze them solid, then place them in labeled freezer bags.

Spread remaining spaghetti sauce over filled shells, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and broil until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Serving suggestion: green salad and garlic bread

Sinful Caramel Corn

2010-12-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

I cannot get enough of caramel corn, and while I know there are tons of yummy recipes out there, this is my favorite. Using microwaved kettle corn makes it quick, and it makes so much that if it's just for my little family, I'll half the recipe.

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 3.5-oz. bags microwave kettle corn, popped

Spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray. Weed out unpopped kernels from the microwave bags, and pour popcorn into the bowl.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, Karo syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until it reaches the "soft ball" stage (be warned: when it's fully boiling, this happens fast . To test it, drop a teaspoonful of the caramel into a little dish filled with cool water. If you can shape it into a ball, and it holds together, it's done.) Off the heat, sprinkle baking soda and let the mixture foam (stirring if you see any baking soda lumps).

Pour caramel over popcorn, and stir until well coated. Store uneaten (if you have any) caramel corn in Ziplocs, or make sure the bowl is tightly covered.

Pumpkin Cream Pie

2010-11-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

My friend posted this recipe from The Pioneer Woman blog on facebook and I couldn't wait to try it for our Thanksgiving dinner. Delicious! It is like having toned down pumpkin pie with lots of cream on top, only it is all mized together. If you go to the link you will get the whole process in pictures as well, but here is the rundown.

Crust
1 1/2 packages of graham crackers (abotu 10 crackers)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Turn the graham crackers into crumbs using a food processor or blender. Add powdered sugar and butter and mix together. Smash into a pie tin and bake at 300 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Filling
1 (3 oz.) box of cook and serve vanilla pudding
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Pour pudding mix into a soucepan and add half and half, 1/2 cup of cream, and small pinches of the spices (don't overdo it here, you can always add more later). Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir frequently and boil for a few minutes until it is nice and thick. Add pumpkin puree to the hot pudding mix and stir in. Let it cool enough that you can put it in the fridge and then let it cool some more.

Meanwhile, whip the remaining 1/2 cup of cream and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy. When the filling is chilled, mix the cream and filling together. Pour into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap and then return to the refridgerator to cool for a few hours or overnight. You can sprinkle some graham cracker crumbs on top or just eat it plain. Mmm.

Lion House Rolls

2010-11-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

I love rolls! I feel like I am always trying new roll recipes just wondering if anything will be better than the recipe I normally use. I used the Lion House Cookbook roll recipe for our Thanksgiving Feast rolls and WOW! I could stop trying new roll recipes forever. The rolls were fluffy and yummy and even amazing the next day...and the next day. And with cranberry sauce, and tiny bit of mayo and leftover turkey...lunch was a little bit of heaven! They do take a long time (not active prep, but rising time), but it is worth it!

2 Tbsp. dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter (soft or melted)
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1 egg
5 to 6 cups flour

In the large bowl of an electric mixer add yeast and water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, salt, milk, egg and 2 cups flour and beat until very smooth. Add 2 more cups flour, one at a time and beat until smooth. Add 1 more cup of flour 1/2 cup at a time and beat until well mixed. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and satiny (I usually let the mixer do this and just turn it onto the board to create a ball). Scrape bowl clean and grease it with shortening. Return dough to bowl and grease the dough lightly with shortening. Let rise in a warm (not hot) place until about triple in size. (This can take 1 1/2-3 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. They recommend placing the bowl in a cool oven with a pan of hot water on a lower rack and it seriouslly works like magic).

When trippled in size, turn dough onto a lightly floured board (I do this in segments so I don't have to work with all the dough at once) and let sit for 10 minutes. Then roll it out into whatever shapes you want. (to make them actually look like lionhouse rolls, I roll the dough into one long rectangle and then use a pizza cutter to cut it the short way into rectangles. Then I roll semi-tightly from one end to the other so that the center bulges out a little more than the outside. You can do any shape you want though). Place shaped rolls on greased baking sheets, brush the tops with melted butter and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (12-13 was long enough in my oven) or until lightly browned on top. Makes about 3 dozen rolls.

Easy French Bread

2010-11-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

My cousin gave me this recipe and it is kind of amazing! The bread is not as fluffy/light as french bread like you buy at the store, but it is really quick and easy for bread and tastes delicious! It makes 2 giant loaves so sometimes I make both and freeze one, or give one to my mom for her family to devour, or I'll just half the recipe and that works fine too. I use this recipe a lot with the appetizer recipes for dips and such that recommend using french bread for dipping.

3 c. warm water (about 110-120 degrees - I just use mine straight from the tap)
1 1/2 Tbsp. active dry yeast (not instant)
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1/4 cup melted butter
8-9 cups flour
1 egg white, beaten

In a 4 cup pyrex (or any bowl you want...just not your mixer bowl because you will need that in a minute) combine warm water, yeast, and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Let sit until hot and bubbly (about 10 minutes).

In your mixer bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. sugar, salt, and butter. When the yeast mixture is ready pour it into the butter mixture and combine with beater attachment. Change to dough hook (if using a kitchen aid mixer) and add 4 cups of flour. Mix until smooth.

Add 3 more cups of flour in 1/2 cup increments, mixing until smooth after adding each 1/2 cup.

Add 1-2 more cups of flour (I usually only add 1) in 1/4 cup increments, mixing until smooth after adding each 1/4 cup.

Mix for 5-10 minutes on speed 2 (if using a kitchen aid).

Let rise in a greased bowl for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Break dough into 2 equal loaves and shape into long french bread loaves and place side by side on a greased jelly roll pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and let the loaves rise until the oven is ready. Cut 3 diagonal slits across the top of each loaf and paint the beaten egg white on top of each loaf. You won't use the whole egg white, and be careful not to get the egg white on the pan or it will burn.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

2010-11-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite treats to make! I found the recipe while looking for a petit fours recipe for Chloe's birthday party earlier this year and, while the petit fours are too much work for a day to day treat, the pound cake is utterly fabulous! You can find directions and pictures here. But here is the synopsis in case the link ever goes away.

3.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Using a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar for about 6 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and milk until combined. Add baking powder and flour until completely combined. Pour into two greased and floured 9 X 5 loaf pans.

(You can also stir in 2-cups diced berries or fruit lightly coated with flour if desired. I have done this with strawberries and it is so so so good).

Bake for about 60 minutes or until done.

You can top with cream cheese frosting, drizzled icing or just slice it up and eat it plain. Delicious!

Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

We have baked Sweet Potatoes at our house about once a week or so and I usually wrap them like a baked potato in tin foil, but for our Thanksgiving feast I thought I would actually look up a recipe and figure out how you are supposed to do it. ;) I found one (which I can't find now to reference) that was perfect.

Wash your whole sweet potatoes (or yams...whichever you buy). Place on a rimmed cookie sheet and brush vegetable oil over each one. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees or until a fork goes in easily.

I found that this method carmelized the outside a little better than the tin foil method and was much faster as well.

Crock Pot Glazed Carrots

2010-11-21T12:40:00.000-08:00

Last week I made a full Thanksgiving dinner for the kids and the hubby (well, the hubby did a lot of the work, so I should say we made Thanksgiving dinner for the kids) since we don't have to cook it for anyone else this year. I usually do roasted carrots in the oven, but this year, I thought it would be great to simplify and try a crock pot recipe. I found this one in the "Mormon Pantry Slow Cooker Cookbook" and it turned out yummy.

2 lbs. baby carrots (I actually had purchased the regular long carrots already thinking I was doing my other recipe, so I sliced them and used those and they were great)
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine in a slow cooker; cook high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours until carrots are tender. Stir before serving. I loved that I didn't even have to mix the ingredients around in the slow cooker before turning it on and by the end everything was beautifully melted together and made my house smell yummy all day!

Thanksgiving Etiquette

2010-11-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

So, I have a question for all you cooks out there. It's my in-laws' turn to host Thanksgiving this year. My assignment is to bring a jell-o and homemade rolls, and I feel confident making those. I'm making my grandma's perfect rolls, and raspberry pretzel jello.

By way of information, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving food. Call me Chandler Bing, but I don't particularly like turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, or gravy (ick). My family just does Thanksgiving differently. I have recently learned to like mashed potatoes, but only the way I make them--with lots of flavor and seasoning, and no gravy whatsoever. But here's the problem: my in-laws like to make really traditional, simple food. They like their meat really, really well done (like shredded) and prefer their potatoes with butter and milk only--no salt, pepper, chives, sour cream, or anything like that. And they like to make the turkey and potatoes themselves, rather than assign them to their children. At the other Thanksgivings I've had at their house over the years, I barely eat anything and wind up starving by the time we finally get home (thank goodness for cold cereal)!

So here's my question: would it be rude to bring some mashed potatoes I made myself, the way I like them? I would of course make enough to share with others, but I don't want to offend my in-laws. On the other hand, since I know I'm not really going to like anything else at the meal (that I didn't bring), would it be so bad to bring something else I know I would eat, so I don't have to eat cold cereal at 10 p.m.? Or would that be too rude, and I should just suck it up?

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

2010-10-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite dessert!!!

For the cookie dough:

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla2

1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the cupcakes:

3 sticks softened butter

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:

3 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the cookie dough, combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

**If you don't feel like doing the cupcake batter from scratch, you can use a cake mix and just prepare as directed for cupcakes**

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.
Using a 3 tbsp scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

To make the frosting, combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Call for Help

2010-10-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'm in need of some creative assistance. My sister-in-law had to have some serious surgery today, and I'm planning on bringing her dinner on Monday when she gets out of the hospital. She has five darling but very picky kids and a food-loving husband.

I am just so sick of all the things I usually make when I bring dinners to people. I need new ideas! Since they live in Layton and I have a day job, I would prefer something that travels really well, holds heat well (if it's meant to be served hot, that is), and could be mostly assembled the night before or in the morning before work. Oh, and even though I like lots of out-there flavors and veggies, I think she and her kids only like pretty standard stuff. In the past I've made things like chicken enchiladas, lasagna, chicken pot pie/casseroles, soup, chili, etc. I just need help out of my rut!

Thanks!

Pretzel Jello

2010-08-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Easy Guacamole

2010-08-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Chicken and Rice Burritos

2010-08-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

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.

The best traditional homemade pizza recipe

2010-07-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Pizza
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

Ingredients
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°), divided
10 ounce bread flour (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
4 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup Basic Pizza Sauce
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup small fresh basil leaves

Preparation
1. Pour 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with a knife. Add flour to 3/4 cup water; mix until combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and yeast in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add yeast mixture, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to flour mixture; mix 5 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover surface of dough with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 24 hours.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, 1 hour or until dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Press dough out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured baking sheet, without raised sides, sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a 1/2-inch border. Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap.
3. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on lowest rack. Preheat oven to 550°. Preheat the pizza stone for 30 minutes before baking dough.
4. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Sprinkle dough with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread Basic Pizza Sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange cheese slices evenly over pizza. Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide. Bake at 550° for 11 minutes or until the crust is golden. Cut pizza into 10 wedges, and sprinkle evenly with basil.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
421
Fat:
10.9g (sat 4.7g,mono 4.7g,poly 1g)
Protein:
16.9g
Carbohydrate:
62.8g
Fiber:
6.5g
Cholesterol:
22mg
Iron:
4.4mg
Sodium:
754mg

Basic Pizza Sauce
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/3 cup)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove tomatoes from can using a slotted spoon, reserving juices. Crush tomatoes. Stir tomatoes, juices, salt, and oregano into garlic mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
66
Fat:
4.7g (sat 0.7g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.6g)
Protein:
1.2g
Carbohydrate:
6.2g
Fiber:
1.4g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
1.4mg
Sodium:
175mg
Calcium:
48mg
Try it and let me know what you think. It makes your house smell soooo yummy. Just an FYI, the dough is INCREDIBLY sticky and is supposed to be. I mixed it with my hands and spent 5 minutes trying to rub off as much as possible into the bowl. To make the crust I just kind of held it by the edge and rotated it around and let gravity do it's work. It really is a very simple recipe, just needs planning to make the dough the night before. But it's tasty and filling without the heavy food coma afterward!

Jen's Favorite Buttercream Frosting

2010-02-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

I LOVE frosting! In fact, yesterday Morgan (4) said..."I think we should make cupcakes because then I can lick the frosting right off the top," and I laughed out loud because I knew EXACTLY where he learned that from! ;) Anyway, I have tried a lot of recipes for buttercream frosting and I have never been head over heels in love with one, so finally I decided to break the mold and experiment instead of following recipes that were never just right.

Seth doesn't like frosting - at all - it is almost like a Jack Sprat thing - I eat his frosting he eats my cake, but when I made this frosting, he loved it! Yesterday I took cupcakes with this frosting to a baby blessing and I had a couple of requests for the recipe, so without further ado, I give you my favorite buttercream frosting recipe - and it is easy! There are a lot of extra instructions I am adding in because I learned a lot about frosting success while experimenting so I am sharing with you...I will list the un-noted recipe below the noted one if you want it easier to read!(One note: because this is modified I usually eyeball it and don't measure precisely, so if it doesn't taste just right to you, don't be afraid to make adjustments!)

1 cup butter (room temperature - if you don't store your butter at room temperature, you can put it in the microwave in a small bowl on defrost for 10-20 seconds and it will soften without melting)
1/2 - 2/3 cup crisco shortening (I don't measure this I just add 2 large heaping spoonfuls)
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract (not immitation vanilla - the pure stuff makes a difference - if you want white frosting, get the clear vanilla extract - McCormicks and Watkins make good ones)
2 tsp. almond extract (optional, but it really neutralizes the taste of the powdered sugar...sometimes I substitute other flavors here, but I always add at least 1/2 tsp. of almond extract)
4 cups confectioners sugar

4 Tbsp. cream or milk (you can use either or both, but I have found that I like the taste best when I use 3Tbsp cream and 1 Tbsp milk)
1/2 tsp. glycerin (optional - this thickens up your frosting to counteract the liquid food coloring or flavors without more powdered sugar)

I usually mix this in my kitchenaid with the whipping attachment, but if you are using a handmixer, I recommend using your whipping attachment. Cream butter and crisco until smooth. Add vanilla and almond extract and whip. Gradually mix in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time - scraping sides as needed. Add milk. Whip for 2-3 minutes. Adjust ingredients to taste. Add glycerin if needed.

Adjustable ingredients:
To thicken a lot without more butter taste add more crisco.
If it is too powdery add more milk or cream.
If it is the right consistency but tastes too much like powdered sugar add more vanilla or almond extract.
If it tastes just right, but isn't thick enough add more glycerin.

Recipe without notes:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 - 2/3 cup crisco shortening
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
4 cups confectioners sugar
4 Tbsp cream or milk
1/2 tsp. glycerin (optional)

Cream butter and crisco until smooth. Add vanilla and almond extract and whip. Gradually mix in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time - scraping sides as needed. Add milk. Whip for 2-3 minutes. Add glycerin.

Super Easy Black Bean Chili

2010-01-28T08:05:00.000-08:00

Super Easy Black Bean Chili

by Erin Taylor

This chili is super fast, super easy, and super good! Make some on a cold night and serve with your favorite cornbread and honeybutter! (I use Marie Callendar's brand!)
Easy Mexican Salad recipe follows using same chili! It's delicious!!!

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (red beans would work, too, but black has more flavor!)
2 C. water
2 tsp. chopped garlic (or garlic powder)
1 Tbsp. ground Cumin
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
Salt and pepper

Brown the meat in a pot. (making this all in one pot saves dishes!)Drain any excess fat. Add contents of cans, garic, and seasonings. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese.

*hint- this chili is PERFECT as an Easy Mexican Salad! Crumble corn tortilla chips onto a plate. Top with shredded lettuce. Pour chili over the top. Add shredded cheese, sour cream,sliced olives, and salsa. Enjoy!!!

Healthier Taco Salad

2010-01-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

So, in line with my post about trying to eat healthier and cook more often, tonight I went to the grocery store. There's nothing more refreshing for me than to clean out my fridge, clean out my cupboards, clean the kitchen, then go to the store and fill up my fridge and cupboards with healthy, fresh foods. I'm also making an effort to make better choices at the store when I can--watching sales, using coupons, and buying organic and local as much as possible. Since my fridge was practically bare, I can't believe I was able to buy about 10 days' worth of meals (3 a day plus snacks), all organic produce, for under $200.

Anyhow, I had some ground turkey breast in my freezer that I wanted to use up, so I came up with this recipe (it made enough for 2 very generously portioned salads--probably too generous--and enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow too):

1 pound ground turkey breast
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained*
1 packet of organic, low sodium taco seasoning mix
1 medium red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced and tossed in 1 tsp. lime juice
blue corn tortilla chips**
romaine lettuce
green onions
shredded cheese
fat free sour cream
fresh salsa
sliced olives

1. In a nonstick skillet, saute onions in 1 tsp olive oil. Add ground turkey breast and taco seasoning, letting it brown while breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add black beans when turkey is nearly cooked through.

2. Layer turkey-bean mixture with a few chips, cheese, romaine lettuce, olives, green onions, diced avocado, sour cream, and salsa.

*I used to really hate beans. But since my husband grew up eating tons of Mexican food in southern California, he made me try them again...and now I love them! They are such a quick way to get protein and complex carbohydrates, plus they're super cheap. I think black beans have the most health benefits, but feel free to substitute whatever you have.

**I had blue corn tortilla chips from Whole Foods in my pantry. I read that as far as tortilla chips go, blue corn chips have at least some antioxidants in them despite the fact that they're chips and therefore a splurge. They're really tasty too, but again, substitute what you have.

Roasted Winter Vegetables: Updated

2010-01-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

With the beginning of a new year, I always try to make one of my resolutions an effort to cook healthier and more frequently (as opposed to going out). Do you ever find that when you make the effort to buy great produce, plan meals, and eat at home, you eat healthier and save money? I sure do. So I'm trying my best to eat better, which means a variety of colorful, healthy foods while saving money (and getting my husband to eat something besides bean burritos!).

For Christmas Eve with my family, I knew I wanted to make these roasted veggies. My hands-down favorite way to eat veggies is after they've been roasted in the oven, and even my super picky husband always gets seconds when I make them. But since we were having a lot of people over for Christmas Eve dinner, I wanted to change them up a bit, especially since we were already having mashed potatoes. So here's what I did (and they were oh so delicious):

1 sweet potato
1 yam
6-8 carrots
4 parsnips
1 red bell pepper
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions, defrosted
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 packet McCormick toasted onion & garlic potato seasoning (I'm sure you could replicate this with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion flakes)

Peel and cut veggies into 1 inch pieces. Toss with olive oil and seasoning, then spread onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Roast at 425 for 20-25 minutes, or until just tender. Then broil an additional few minutes until everything is browned and crispy.

If you have leftovers (since this makes a ton), and you like veggie soup, just puree all the veggies in a blender with chicken broth, then reheat.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2009-12-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

These are like little chewy brownies in a crispy, powdery shell! Yummmmm! Peppermint extract can be added for a perfect holiday cookie!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
preheat oven to 350

Combine:
2 C. sugar
1/2 C. oil
4 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla (or 1 tsp. peppermint extract)
1 C. baking cocoa

add:
2 C. flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
(1/2 c. crushed candy canes can be added as well for a fun, festive treat!)

roll into balls and then roll into:
1/2 C. powdered sugar

Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 -12 minutes, or until puffy in the center. Remove from oven while still puffy in the middle. (do not bake until they flatten out- they will be too hard.) Let cool and flatten for a few minutes before eating. Have lots of milk on hand!!!

Falling-Off-The-Bone Turkey recipe

2009-11-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

Truly, my turkey was completely separated from the bone when I took it out...it is that amazing!

I got some inspiration from this site which goes into detail and has pictures if you want to check it out, and combined that with the recipe I used last year (which was the best Turkey I had ever eaten up to that point) to come up with this. Not only does it taste amazing, but it is oh.so.easy!

3 sprigs Rosemary
3 sprigs Thyme
1/2 cup butter, partially melted so it is soft
1 orange
1 onion
1 stick celery
1 carrot
2 bay leaves
1/4 bunch sage
3 or 4 sprigs parsley
turkey

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey (or ask your husband to do it for you if that stuff grosses you out). Spread butter in between the skin and the breast of the turkey and shove one sprig of each fresh rosemary and thyme in there (the site has a disturbingly good picture of this).

Quarter the orange and rub it on the outside of the turkey skin. Pour the remaining butter on the outside of the turkey and rub it over the outside skin. Salt and Pepper the skin. shove the orange quarters, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, sage, and parsley inside the turkey cavity. Tie the legs with

Place the turkey in a covered roasting pan and bake at 475 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 250 degrees, without removing the turkey from the oven. Cook the turkey at 250 degrees, 20 minutes for each pound (18 lb. turkey = 6 hours). No basting is neccesary. Check the internal temperature of the bird to ensure doneness (breast meat - 170 degrees, thigh meat - 180 degrees).

Let the turkey sit uncovered for at least 20 minutes before covering it, after taking it from the oven.

Try it out...you'll be amazed!

Pumpkin Cake

2009-11-24T18:51:00.000-08:00

We were in charge of throwing a Thanksgiving for our ward (for more than 150 people) last Thursday. We served this Pumpkin Cake and these Pumpkin Cookies and people are still calling me to request the recipes every.single.day. In fact, one of the 18 year old boys in the ward asked Seth to have me make the cookies for a post-Thanksgiving-Morning-Football treat...now that is saying something! We cut it into squares and topped it with whipping cream for the party, but you can also top it with cream cheese frosting (listed below).

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes in a jelly roll pan/1" deep cookie sheet.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese frosting
5 Tbsp. softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. milk

Knox Blox

2009-11-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

I wanted to so something fun for my niece and nephews to go with dinner, and I just loved these as a kid. They're just like Jell-o Jigglers, but firmer. You can either cut them into squares, or use seasonal cookie cutters to make fun shapes (tonight I used a pumpkin, turkey, Christmas tree, and candy cane because it's all I could find).

This makes 1 9x13 pan:

2 large boxes Jell-o (I always buy sugar-free, but I'm sure it would work with regular)
2 2/3 cups boiling water

--Dissolve Jell-o in boiling water in a large bowl

3 pkgs. Knox unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups warm water

--Dissolve Knox in warm water in a separate bowl

Once everything is dissolved, combine contents of bowls, then pour into glass pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

Creamy Potato Soup

2009-11-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law had surgery on Thursday, and I wanted to bring her dinner. But I also wanted to try and minimize cost by using mostly what I already had in my fridge and pantry. This meal was super easy, came together quickly, and was enjoyed by my picky niece and nephews (and my picky husband). It also makes a lot--this easily fed 10, so cut it in half if your family is smaller.

1 stick butter
1 lg onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. crushed garlic
6 cups water
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 quart half and half
6 Tbs. flour
3 cups shredded cheese, divided

Garnish:
green onions
sour cream
bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Saute onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and potatoes (seasoned with Lawry's seasoned salt and pepper) over medium heat for 15 minutes or until nearly tender. Add worcestershire sauce and flour, cooking an additional 3-5 minutes. Add in water and chicken bouillon cubes, bringing to a boil to thicken soup and dissolve cubes. Boil 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Off heat, stir in half and half and 2 cups cheese (do this a handful at a time so it doesn't clump). Keep warm on stove or pour into crock pot. Just make sure it doesn't boil once the half and half and cheese are in, or it could curdle and separate.

Garnish with extra cheese, sour cream, green onions (my favorite!), and crumbled bacon. Serve with rolls (I just fill a rimmed, sprayed cookie sheet with Rhodes rolls--mine fits about 35--let them rise, then bake at 350 for about 18 minutes) and a green salad.

Fabulous Minestrone

2009-11-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

One day, I wanted some Olive Garden Minestrone soup...but I couldn't actually go to the Olve Garden, and I didn't want to follow a complicated recipe, and I hadn't been to the grocery store in a while, so this is what I came up with. And it is pretty darn amazing. (Amounts are approximate)

1 italian sausage, with it's grease (I like Collosimos)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
veggies - I used a frozen medley - something with green beans and carrots, but you could really use any veggies here
3-4 leaves fresh Basil, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. italian seasoning
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 package of small shell noodles (cooked)

Cook sausage in a frying pan, saute onion with it for a few minutes. Combine all ingredients, except shell noodles in a large stock pot. Simmer until hot. While simmering, cook 1/2 package of shell noodles according to package directions. Just before serving, add noodles to soup. Serve hot topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

2009-11-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so easy, makes a ton, and can be changed up a million different ways. This made 8 huge enchiladas that fed me, my husband, my two (enormous) little brothers, and I still have leftovers. I usually make stuff like this on Sundays, so I can throw everything in the crockpot before church and just assemble a few things when I get home.

3 chicken breasts
2 large cans red enchilada sauce
1 jar salsa
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 large onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
8 large tortillas
sour cream, green onions, guacamole, sliced olives for garnish

In a slow cooker, combine salsa, 1 can of enchilada sauce and brown sugar. Stir in chopped onions, then add chicken breasts (turning to coat). Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until cooked through. During last 30 minutes of cooking, add in black beans. Take chicken breasts out, shred with 2 forks, and return to the sauce. If you'd rather just have tacos or use this for Cafe Rio-type salads, just stop here and enjoy.

To make enchiladas, preheat oven to 375. Spread about 1/4 cup of the second can of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Fill each tortilla with a few spoonfulls of the chicken-black bean mixture (with sauce), then sprinkle with about a tablespoon of cheese. Roll up and place, seam side down, in prepared pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top, the sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Halloween Eyeballs

2009-10-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

I know it's a bit late to post this one, but it's soooo cute...a good one to have on record for next year's parties!

2 Cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup Karo syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

Mix together peanut butter, Karo syrup and butter. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix until it is a smooth, soft dough. Roll into 1" balls. Place in cool area to set up (NOT the fridge or freezer)

1 pkg white candy melts (melted) you can get these at most craft stores...you can also try white chocolate chips, but I found the candy chips to work better
1 small package M&M candies
Red gel frosting (or- at specialty craft stores they have write-on decorating pens that work terrifically for this!)
Black gel frosting

Using a fork or dipping tool. I used a fork like a spoon and placed the ball on top of the fork, dropped it into the melted candy chips and just spooned the candy over it. Then pick up the ball with the fork (like a spoon) and gently shake it to let the candy evenly coat the ball and drip off the excess.

After dipping, immediately place and M&M on top, gently pressing down (if the chocolate sets before you put the M&M on, it will crack) Let the dipped balls sit to set up. Lastly, decorate with the red gel for blood vessels and black gel for the pupil.

Scarily Delicious!!!

Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-10-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

What do you do with all those green tomatoes you have now your garden is through? This southern-inspired treat is the perfect solution! And sooo yummy, too!

Fried Green Tomatoes

-Sliced Green Tomatoes (slice about 1/4" thick)- figure 1 tomato per person

-2 eggs, beaten with 2-3 Tbsp of water

- 2-4 Cups bread crumbs (plain, or seasoned- doesn't matter)

Salt and pepper
Canola oil for frying

Dip tomato slices in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs. Dip again in eggs and breadcrumbs, then place in frying pan with 1-2 inches of hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides and remove to a paper-towel lined cooking rack or plate. Salt and pepper to taste. Eat with fantastic yogurt dipping sauce (below)

Fantastic yogurt dipping sauce:
1 C. plain yogurt
1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 C. parmesan cheese (the cheap Kraft kind in the bottle is great!)
1 Tbsp. Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Mix all together in a bowl and serve with fried green tomatoes! Yummy!!!

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

2009-10-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a chain email that was going around forever ago and had never tried it, but this week I was feeling a little adventurous and wanting something sweet so I decided to give it a go. New favorite go-to-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe. So, so good! It makes a gazillion cookies (ok, I exaggerate, but it does make 112), so I made a 1/4 batch and it was perfect!

5 cups oatmeal
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 (8 oz) Hershey's bar, grated (I don't like hershey's so I used an IKEA chocolate bar)
3 cups chopped nuts

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix together. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips, Hershey's bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes at 375 degrees.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

2009-10-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right, I am still trying to find stuff to do with tomatoes and have been making tomato sauce using this recipe (as a guideline anyway...I don't have a kitchen scale so I basically use a bucket of tomatoes - which ends up being 8-10 cups - and then adjusting the other ingredients to taste). I have been freezing most of it, but I think you could can it if you wanted (if you process for 50 minutes). I used some for spaghetti the other day and you would have thought we were eating at a 5 star restaurant from the way my family reacted...to spaghetti!

20 lbs. tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh torn basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 yellow onion chopped

Crush tomatoes into stockpot (I pureed mine first). Turn burner to medium high and add remaining ingredients. When bubbling nicely turn down to a good simmer. Simmer 5 hours stirring occasionally.

Dill Pickles

2009-09-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

Haven't tried these either, but give it a go!

8 lbs. 3-4 inch cucmbers (make sure they still have their bumps on the skin)
4 cups white vinegar
12 cups water
2/3 cup pickling salt (I used Kosher and hope it works ok)
16 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
8 sprigs fresh dill weed
8 heads fresh dill weed

Wash cucmbers and place in sink with cold water and lots of ice. Soak for at least 2 hours replacing ice as needed. Sterilize 8 1-quart canning jars. In a large pot over med-high, combine vinegar, water and pickling salt. Bring brine to a rapid boil. In each jar place 2 garlic halves and 1 sprig of dill. Add cucumbers to fill the jar. Add 2 more garlic halves and 1 more sprig of dill. Fill jars with hot brine leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal and process 15 minutes. Store at least 8 weeks before eating.

Peach Butter for Canning

2009-09-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

Here is another canning recipe...this stuff is soooo good on pancakes or toast! Mmm!

6 cups peaches, pureed (leave them a little chunky or blend them really smooth depending on the consistency you want for your peach butter)
3 cups sugar
1 cup apricot nectar (aka apricot juice...you can substitute apple juice or peach juice if desired)
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours. Remove cover after 2 hours so fruit and juice can cook down. Spoon into sterilized jars and process for 15-20 minutes.

Stewed Tomatoes for Canning

2009-09-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

These looked so pretty after I canned them that I took pictures and posted them to my personal blog. Hillary requested the recipe, so I am posting it here before actually trying the goods. I will comment on how they taste when I open a jar. Also, I found the Plus...I did request canning recipes and haven't posted any myself...

4 qts. washed/cored/chopped tomatoes (here are some instructions for how to do this)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
4 tsp. celery salt
4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Bring all ingredients to boil in a saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Pack hot jars with hot tomato mixture leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by tilting the jar and scarping the inside of the jar with a butter knife. Process 40-50 minutes in a steam canner.

More Cafe Rio Salad Recipes to try...

2009-09-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Cilantro Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry mix)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2- 1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 – 1 small jalapeno (remove seeds)
1 cup mayo
2-3 tsp. lime juice
1-2 tomatillos (remove outer papery skin)
1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients in blender!

Cafe Rio Chicken

1-8 oz bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
3 cloves minced garlic
5 lbs chicken breasts

Cook together in a crock-pot for 4 hours shred meat

Cafe Rio Pork

5-6 lbs pork roast
1 tbsp cumin
1-cup brown sugar
12 oz bottle La Victoria Taco Sauce
20 oz bottle Coke

Cook the roast for 12 hours in crock-pot with water added ½ way up the roast.
After 12 hours drain the water off and add the remaining ingredients; continue
cooking 4 hours; shred the meat and cook another 2 hours.

Green Chile Rice

1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth
4 oz. green chiles
1 sm. onion, diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. cumin
3 green onions.

Mix together and pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until rice is done at 350. (I wonder if you could try this in the rice cooker. Hmmm, I think we will celebrate The Office season premier tomorrow night with some Cafe Rio salad experimenting).

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Dressing

2009-09-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

Another one of the recipes from Aania. She also gave me the pork recipe and I will post that soon.

1 1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
1 bunch of cilantro
1 package of ranch dressing mix
4 tbsp. green salsa
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp of tabasco sauce
juice of one lime.

Mix together and pour over Cafe Rio-esque salad (tortilla, cheese, beans, pork/chicken/barbacoa, rice, lettuce, mexican cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo/salsa, and tortilla strips).

BEST Corn Bread Ever

2009-09-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

I am on a posting roll today! My sweet friend, Aania, threw a birthday party for her little guy and had the yummiest spread of food there...so of course, I asked her for the recipes and she was wonderful enough to share them!

So, on behalf of Aania, I give you.....the BEST cornbread I have ever eaten (if you happen to be in my ward and are coming to the chili cookoff this weekend, feel free to use this recipe for cornbread to bring along as a potluck dish! wink, wink!)

1 1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn Meal
1 Tbsp. baking Powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

honey
butter

Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together milk, eggs, oil, and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.

Pour into a WELL greased glass pan (not floured) and bake at 350' for about 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven, poke holes in cornbread with toothpick and pour melted butter and warm honey over the cornbread. Use as much melted butter and honey as you would like (because that is what makes it so yummy!)!

Lemon Chicken

2009-09-16T13:02:00.001-07:00

Here is the other recipe from dinner with the Banks...soooo yummy served with the lemon rice!

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marinate for at least 20 minutes (it is best if you let it marinate for 6 hours or more, though). Cook in a large frying pan for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

I think you could do this recipe in the crock pot or on the grill as well. If you grill it though, make sure you don't chop your red peppers, just slice them long and toss them on the grill as well. We like the stovetop method because the marinade/sauce is delicious poured over the lemon rice - after being cooked, of course.

Lemon Rice

2009-09-16T12:56:00.001-07:00

When we stayed with our good friends, the Banks, in California, Angie made us the most delicious dinner and was nice enough to share her recipes. We love this rice so much it is on the menu about once a week now. I am going to try it with less butter next week and see how it goes, so check out the comments after a week or so to see about any adjustments.

2 cups rice
4 cups chicken broth
8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick)
6-8 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. turmeric
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker and cook. Gotta love it when food prep is as easy as that! If you don't have a rice cooker, I am sure you could make this stovetop as well, I just don't know any cook time specifications. Besides, everyone should have a rice cooker...it is a kitchen staple!

Call for Canning Recipes and Tips

2009-09-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Alright all you domestic divas out there...it is the thick of canning season and we want all your best tips, secrets and recipes for canning. We would especially love any recipes for salsa, jams, stewed tomatoes, strawberry sauce and spaghetti sauce.

Best Tri-tip Rub

2009-09-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

In our tri-tip experimenting, we found the greatest tri-tip rub. All you do is rub it on the tri-tip at least 6-8 hours in advance and leave it in a ziploc bag in the fridge until you are ready to grill. You can find it at any grocery store. It is called

Spade L Ranch Beef Marinade and Seasoning.

Manti Chicken Marinade/7-up Chicken

2009-09-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to post my grilling recipes from the recipe call. This recipe is from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook, but it has been around for years. This is enough marinade for chicken for a very large crowd. You could 1/2 or 1/4 it for a family of 4. You could also make a full recipe of marinade and divide it into 4 ziploc bags with 3 or 4 chicken breasts in each and freeze. Then move it to the fridge in the morning and it would be succulent and ready to grill by dinnertime. Best.Grilled.Chicken.Ever!

1 cup soy sauce
1 cup oil
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. garlic salt
24 oz. lemon lime soda (sprite or 7-up)
Boneless skinless chicken pieces

Mix marinade ingredients together; add chicken pieces and marinate for at least 7 hours. Grill and enjoy.

We also tried this with steak as the recipe suggested would be good - not as good - unless you want your steak to taste like chicken.

Baby Tomato and Squash Pasta

2009-08-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Another random concoction of stuff I had in my kitchen that shouldn't really be called a recipe, but my family loved it so I thought I would share. All measurements are approximate.

1 pkg. penne pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small summer squash or zucchini, diced small
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. minced garlic
1-2 tsp. kosher salt
7-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1-2 cups ripe cherry, pear or grape tomatoes (or any combination of the 3)
1 Tbsp. corn starch
1 cup feta cheese

Cook pasta according to directions on package. While pasta is cooking, coat bottom of a saute pan with olive oil and add summer squash. Cover. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add balsamic vinegar, garlic, kosher salt, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes to saute pan. Continue cooking over medium heat, uncovered, until tomatoes have split their skins and squash is soft and cooked through. Add corn starch to veggies and sauce and stir to combine. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for 3-5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken a bit.

When pasta is cooked and drained, place in a serving bowl and toss with feta cheese. Pour veggies and sauce mixture over top and stir to combine and melt feta. Serve hot.

Fresh Salsa

2009-08-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

I have been making a lot of salsa lately. There is no secret to this recipe, it is just a list of ingredients which you eyeball and adjust to taste, but my family seems to think that I am the master salsa maker and requests salsa every time I make it (and frequently when I don't). So, here it is...my not-so-secret formula for delicious fresh salsa...just make sure you have a couple bags of chips on hand! Also, a stipulation, use your own jusgement and make sure to taste test as you go because all my measurements are approximates and based on a GIANT batch for freezing.

fresh tomatoes: I like to mix different varieties - for a large batch to freeze, I usually combine a large heirloom or two, 1-2 handfulls of cherry tomatoes, and chunky pear and roma tomatoes which I chop by hand and add at the very end after the other stuff is blended (Before I got into gardening, I used to use 1 can of whole tomatoes, drained, and it was pretty tasty too)
cilantro : I use 1/2 the bunch that you buy in the store or a fistfull fresh from the garden (I usually cut off the long part of the stem so that the bunch is mostly leaves.)
green peppers (or red or yellow or whatever) - 1-2 medium-sized
onion - 1/2 of a large onion - or more if you like onion
minced garlic - 1-2 heaping spoonfulls
kosher salt - 1 tbsp.-ish
lime or lemon juice - just a small squirt, maybe 1 Tbsp.

Add onion, green pepper, garlic, cilantro lime juice, salt and 1 juicy tomato to a food processor (I have been lazily using a vita mix for this, because it holds a lot more than my food processor, but the result is much more liquid salsa) and blend. Add remaining tomatoes and do another quick blend. If you like chunky salsa, cut a couple tomatoes and part of your pepper into larger chunks and stir in by hand at the very end.

Clam Dip

2009-08-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is my late grandmother's recipe, and although I'm not a big seafood eater, it really is delicious! You probably wouldn't even guess there are clams in here!

2 pkgs. light cream cheese, softened
1 can minced clams, undrained
1/4 red onion, grated into mixing bowl
1 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. dill
seasoned salt (such as Lawry's)
pepper

Mix ingredients together with an electric mixer, then serve with potato chips.

Orange-Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

2009-08-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

I made these for a bridal shower this past weekend, and they turned out great!

*Cake:
1 Duncan Hines orange supreme cake mix
Ingredients called for on package

**Cream Filling:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pint fresh raspberries

***Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. orange zest
juice of 1 orange
2 lbs. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line nonstick muffin tins with paper cups.
2. Mix cake batter according to package directions, but follow the high altitude directions (usually a little extra flour and water).
3. In a separate bowl, mix together filling ingredients. For a smoother filling, add raspberries before mixing everything together with an electric mixer. For bigger raspberry chunks, whip filling together before stirring in raspberries by hand. I like to go half and half--put half the pint in and blend with mixer, then stir in other half by hand.
4. Fill muffin cups half full with cake mixture.
5. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of cream filling on top of each muffin cup.
6. Tap muffin tins on counter so everything settles in--they should be about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean except for a few very tiny, moist crumbs.
8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then loosen edges to remove cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.
9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients except powdered sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer. Then gradually add powdered sugar until it is stiff yet still spreadable (about 2 lbs.).
10. Frost and decorate as desired. I like to use a pastry bag because it looks clean and really is a lot faster.
11. Store cupcakes in the fridge--it makes the cream cheese filling taste better and is there anything yummier than cold cake? I think not.

*I adapted this recipe from one of my mom's for "black bottom cupcakes". The original recipe used a devil's food cake mix, but I've done this with white cake, yellow cake, lemon cake, spice cake, carrot cake, etc.

**The original recipe just calls for the sugar, salt, cream cheese, and egg, plus chocolate chips. But I've added cinnamon, mint extract and green food coloring, orange extract and orange food coloring, etc. You can change this up a million ways.

***This orange frosting is really just a dressed-up version of vanilla buttercream, which is my favorite frosting ever. Just omit the orange zest and juice for plain vanilla, or add mint, cocoa powder, various extracts, or food coloring to customize it.

The Best Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe (& healthy too!)

2009-08-10T20:56:00.001-07:00

Yield
10 servings (serving size: 1 casserole slice and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup prechopped fresh onion
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash of ground red pepper
2 (15.5-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, divided
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, divided
Cooking spray
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (16-ounce) jar green salsa
10 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prechopped onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in beans; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chicken, 1/2 cup green onions, and 7 tablespoons ripe olives; stir well.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Layer 6 tortillas on bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 6 tortillas.
Combine milk, chopped cilantro, and salsa in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour over top of tortillas. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining 1/2 cup green onions, and remaining 1 tablespoon olives. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
353 (30% from fat)
Fat:
11.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:
23.5g
Carbohydrate:
45.8g
Fiber:
7.9g
Cholesterol:
45mg
Iron:
2.5mg
Sodium:
734mg
Calcium:
396mg

Grilled Eggplant and Veggie Sandwiches

2009-08-07T10:31:00.001-07:00

Eggplant? Wait... just give it a try!

4 hoagie buns, split in half lengthwise
1 medium eggplant, sliced in 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise
1 -2 green or red peppers, sliced in rings
1 large Portabello mushroom, sliced (or sliced button mushrooms)
(caramalized onions are also a great topping)

4 slices swiss cheese
Olive Oil

topping:
1/2 c. Mayonaise
1 tsp. Lime juice
1 Tbsp. season salt (I use greek seasoning or Lawreys)
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese (kraft kind is fine)

Sprinkle salt onto eggplant and let sit for a few minutes, then wipe off moisture that beads on top. Brush eggplant, green pepper, and portabello mushrooms with olive oil and place on grill. (if using button mushrooms, slice but do not grill.) Grill until eggplant begins to brown and is softer. Salt and pepper to taste. While veggies are grilling, brush buns with olive oil and place on grill to toast. Mix up the topping while waiting.

Stack the green peppers and mushrooms onto eggplant and cover with cheese, close lid of grill to let cheese melt. (remove buns when toasted!) Spread topping onto each bun lid and place veggie stacks onto the bun bottoms. Eat and enjoy!

*can substitute zucchini for the eggplant if you have lots of zucchini to get rid of. It tastes fantastic too!

A Call for Grilling Recipes

2009-08-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you probably do a lot of grilling during the summer months (or, more accurately, have your husband do a lot of grilling - haha). So, I thought it would be fun to add your favorite recipes for the grill. I have a few I will be posting over the next couple of days, too. It can be for meats and marinades, grilled veggies, grilling tips (so you don't have to wait for your husband to fire up the grill), or even side dishes or desserts that are perfect for an outdoor barbecue! Can't wait to see all of your favorites for the grill! Isn't summer the best!?

5 Ingredient Potato Salad

2009-08-07T07:51:00.001-07:00

I very strongly dislike potato salad. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have had a palatable potato salad (not to the fault of anyone who has made them...I just don't like traditional potato salad), but this recipe has changed that forever! Not only is it the best potato salad I've ever eaten, it is so easy! All of the measurements are approximates and can be adjusted to your liking.

7-8 large (Costco-sized) potatoes (or 12-14 smaller potatoes)
8-10 hard boiled eggs
2 cups mayonnaise
2 Tbsp (or so) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
2-3 chopped Green Onions

Mix together. Serve warm or cold.

Spicy Asian Lettuce Wrap

2009-07-09T12:13:00.001-07:00

This is from "Cooking Light"

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 3 lettuce wraps)

Ingredients
2 1/2 ounces bean threads (cellophane noodles) (I used Rice Noodles, just as long as they're really really thin)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken (I just grabbed a Rotisserie chicken)
12 large Boston or Romaine lettuce leaves (I used Green Leaf Lettuce)

Preparation
Cover bean threads with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes or until softened. Drain, and rinse under cool water. Chop noodles.
While bean threads soak, combine cilantro, soy sauce, chile paste, and oil in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add noodles and chicken to soy sauce mixture; toss well to coat. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each lettuce leaf; roll up.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
213 (21% from fat)
Fat:
4.9g (sat 1g,mono 1.8g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:
23.2g
Carbohydrate:
18.3g
Fiber:
0.7g
Cholesterol:
60mg
Iron:
1.7mg
Sodium:
641mg
Calcium:
31mg

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars

2009-06-27T20:06:00.001-07:00

Yield
24 servings (serving size: 1 square)

Ingredients
Crust:
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons orange juice
Cooking spray

Filling:
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened (mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. To prepare filling, combine cranberries, sour cream, granulated sugar, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

15 minute Pizza Dough

2009-06-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

I found this delightful recipe on littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com and it is wonderful. It is so fast and with the help of a stand mixer requires almost no effort on your part! Now that is my kind of cooking! And, as an added bonus, you can feel like a gourmet chef by getting creative with your toppings. There are some wonderful suggestions from the post where I found this and I will share some of my favorite pizza toppings below.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp rapid Rise or breadmaker yeast
1 cup hot water (120-130 degrees on a candy thermometer - mine was this hot out of the tap)
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mix dry ingredients (including yeast) together. Add water and oil. Mix for 5 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes. - I wanted to get the authentic pizza bottom texture, so I sprayed my cookie sheet with PAM and covered it with cornmeal) Press dough on pizza pan (or cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan). Bake at 500 degrees for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and add toppings. Return to oven and bake an additional 8-10 minutes.

Chicken Artichoke Pesto Pizza

Pesto Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Grilled chicken sliced
Mushrooms
Artichoke hearts
Olives
Sun Dried Tomatoes

Quick and Easy BBQ Pizza

BBQ Sauce (we love Sweet Baby Rays)
Mozzarella Cheese
Carmelized Red Onions (directions below)
Canadian Bacon Slices
Bacon Crumbles

To carmelize onions saute 1/2 - 1 thinly sliced red onion in 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp. sugar until limp and slightly browned.

If you have other yummy gourmet pizza toppings, post them in the comments!

Carmelized Onion-Stuffed Baked Potato

2009-06-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

Another one from Cooking Light - this one is easy peasy and the perfect side dish for grilled steak or chicken. I was a little leary of the whole microwaving thing...but trust me, 15 minutes for a delicious and gourmet side dish is worth trying it out!

2 medium baked potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Gruyere cheese, divided (I didn't want to fork out the $$ for a cheese I have never tasted so I used Gorgonzola instead...mmmm!)
2 Tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. butter
2 cups vertically sliced red onion
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. dry sherry (I just omitted this - still was great!)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 garlic clove, minced

Pierce potatoes with a fork, arrange on paper towels in microwave and cook on high 10 minutes or until done. Rearranging potatoes after 5 minutes - let stand 5 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over med-high. Add onion and sugar; saute 8 minutes or until browned.

While onion is sauteing, cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch-thick shell. Arrange shells on a microwave-safe plate. Combine potato pulp with 1/4 cup cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Spoon potato mixture evenly onto shells.

When onions are browned, stir in sherry, Worcestershire, thyme, and garlic; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Top each potato half with about 2 Tbsp. onion mixture and 1 Tbsp. cheese. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until thoroghly heated.

Jamaican Banana Bread

2009-06-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Cooking Light and it is so yummy!

Bread:
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) 1/3-less-fat-cream-cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 Tbsp. dark rum OR 1/4 tsp. imitation rum extract and 2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
2 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed. Add sugar; beating well. Add egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stirring well.

Combine banana and next 5 ingredients (through vanilla), stirring well.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternatively with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix after each addition. Stir in pecans and coconut.

Pour batter into an 8x4 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. butter
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. dark rum OR 1/8 tsp. imitation rum extract and 2 tsp. water
2 Tbsp. chopped pecans, toasted
2 Tbsp. flaked sweetened coconut

In a saucepan combine brown sugar and butter, lime juice, and rum. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans and coconut. Spoon over loaf.

Coconut Curried Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

2009-06-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

This is such a yummy curry recipe but oh.so.easy! If you even remotely like thai food and/or asian style curry you should give this recipe a try. I think you could make it with regular potatoes if you wanted and it would be equally good...in fact, I think I will make it that way from now on because regular potatoes are so much cheaper and almost always on hand. :) This recipe was given to me by my sister-in-law - I have got to get her to add recipes on here! Enjoy!

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast tenders (or any kind of chicken really)
2 large shallots, finely sliced (I sustituted 1/4 c. sweet onion and 3 garlic cloves here)
1/2 c. coarsely chopped red onion
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt (or more...I think 1 1/2 tsp. is more like it)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
2 green onions chopped

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a lareg Dutch Oven over med-high heat (I used a large non-stick frying pan with a lid and it worked just fine). Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute 5-7 minutes until center is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and cover.

Add remaining oil to Dutch over. Saute shallots and onion 3-5 min. Add spices and salt. Add potatoes and coconut milk; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low and simmer 10 minutes. While simmering, dice chicken.

Add chicken to curry; simmer 5 more minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Top with green onion and cilantro. Serve over jasmine rice.

Easy Grilled Tri-Tip

2009-05-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ever since our recent trip to Northern California (close to where Seth served his LDS mission) Seth has rediscovered his love of Tri-Tip...so much so that he scoped it out at Costco and popped it in the cart. Tri-tip is a bit on the pricey end when you aren't buying it on sale in Cali and you usually have to ask the butcher for it specifically around here because they don't stock it in their displays, but Seth loves it and that makes it worth it! We have done the same sort of thing with London Broil, though, and it turns out so delicious (and is easier to get right on the grill) for about $2/lb. instead of $5. We tried a recipe from allrecipies.com with our own adjustments and marinated it in the fridge for 4 days. Melt-in-your-mouth meat! My brother, who has never eaten a bite of any kind of roast or steak in his life (I know - total wierdo), was lured in by the yummy aroma enough to try a bite and admitted that it was pretty darn good!

1/4 cup soy sauce (or teryaki or Worchestershire)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp water (I substituted 1 Tbsp. water and 1 Tbsp. Worchestershire)
4 cloves of garlic (pressed)
black pepper to taste
4 lbs. Tri-Tip (I think ours was just over 2 lbs.)
kosher salt

Rub the meat with kosher salt. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Place meat in a large ziploc bag and pour marinade in with it. Grill for about 20 minutes on each side (make sure you don't overcook...I am a medium to medium-well girl myself, but the thick roasts on the grill need to be medium or rarer! A little pink in the middle is neccesary - not chewy, just pink). When finished on the grill, place in a foil tent for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. (Tri-tip is served in thincut slices). Our kids LOVE this and it is perfect for a backyard BBQ, though we can eat nearly the whole roast - just the 4 of us!

Happy Grilling!

Canning Recipes

2009-05-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

I am getting excited for this year's canning and preserving season! I dipped my toes in last year and was hooked. This year, I am more excited than ever about my growing garden (and I probably went a little overboard with all that we planted) because I know that we will be able to enjoy the harvest throughout the coming year.So I am looking for new recipes and I need your help! I am specifically after a strawberry sauce recipe that is canning friendly and the best recipe for canning tomatoes and tomato sauce, but post any canning/preserving recipes you want to share! Happy growing season!

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-05-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe from my mom. Recently I decided that I was sick of spending the $$ on the break and bake cookie dough from the grocery store and thought I would try freezing my own cookie dough. It was perfect! I made this recipe (which makes SOOO many cookies) and baked 2 dozen for the family to enjoy and then froze the rest of the dough. When I made the next batch from the frozen dough they worked great too. I think I am going to try putting the dough in the flexible ice cube trays from Ikea next time I do it so they are ready to go directly onto the cookie sheet! I LOVE flexible ice cube trays from IKEA!

1 lb. butter (no one said these were healthy...only that they were yummy!)
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups chocolate chips
3 cups nuts (optional)

*you could also substitute raisins and oatmeal for chips and nuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Ha Ha...that is truly what my Mom's recipe card says...she isn't one for detailed directions! I am though...so here is my instruction.

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add salt and baking soda and half of flour. Mix well. Add remaining flour. When combined stir in chips and nuts.

Roll into balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. remove from oven when still slightly doughy in the center. Let stand on cookie sheet for about 30 seconds and move cookies onto a paper towel until cooled. This is my secret to soft, but fully cooked cookies. You maky have to experiment a bit to get it perfect, but when you do it will be well worth it! :)

Dale's Root Beer Cookies

2009-05-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from one of Seth's neighbors and came with rave reviews...I made it tonight with the kids, but I had to substitute some ingredients and got some measurements wrong (that's cooking with kids for you) so I don't know what they should really taste like, but they were pretty good. Bet they are really yummy when you get everything right.

Cookies:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk*
2 tsp. root beer extract
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs; mix well. Add extract. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix well. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes. When cool, frost with root beer frosting.

*Buttermilk substitute: 1 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to make 1/2 cup. Allow to sit 5 minutes before adding to recipe.

Root Beer Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. root beer extract
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. hot water

Mix well. The key is to wait until cookies are cool before frosting.

You could also try this recipe with other flavors: cherry, orange, mint, etc.

Green Chili Quiche - Super Duper Easy

2009-05-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

Another delightful dish found while perusing blogs. I made this for Brynn's blessing and it was such a hit that I had to send out many emails with the recipe. I thought I had already posted it, but apparently not, so sorry for holding out on you!

Also, you can make the mixture in advance and freeze it so all you have to do is defrost and bake. It makes 10-12 servings, so I usually half the recipe when I am making it for my little family for breakfast.

10 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pint small curd cottage cheese
1 lb. monterey jack cheese (other kinds of cheese can be substituted as well)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 small can diced green chilies

Blend eggs, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake in a 9x13 pan for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with sour cream and salsa or by itself. I like to serve it alone...just because I am boring that way. I have added bacon (fresh or the refrigerated bacon bits from costco) and it is really yummy. You could try lots of variations and I bet they would be good: spinach, sausage, etc. If you try something delicious let me know!

Homemade Granola

2009-05-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe a couple of months ago on one of the many many craft blogs that I read and now I can't remember which one so I can give them credit, but it is so easy and so yummy...not to mention WAAAY cheaper than store-bought granola. There is so much you can do with it too...eat it as cereal, add some m&ms, nuts and craisins to make trail mix, or add it to yogurt and fruit for a yummy parfait. I plan to try some variations on the recipe to change things up...maybe add coconut, cashews and dried mango for a tropical version or almonds and dried raspberries and blueberries for a version that just sounds really yummy!

Enjoy!

7 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ (I used wheat bran instead - found it at Sunflower Market in the bulk section)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup cinnamon
1 cup oil
1 cup honey (I ran out of honey mid-recipe and made it with just 1/4 cup last time and it was still yummy, just not as many clusters)
1/4 water
2 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients and spread on a greased cookie sheet (I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup). Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir and bake another 15 minutes. Scrape the bottom of cookie sheet as soon as it is doneto prevent sticking (not neccesary if using parchment paper).

Added bonus: your house will smell all cinnamony and delicious!!! :)

Browned Butter and Parmesan Pasta

2009-04-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

The other night I needed a quick and easy solution for dinner, but didn't want any of my normal "go-to" quick meals. So, I looked in my fridge and cupboards and came up with this delicious dish, taking a cue from one of my favorite dishes at Spaghetti Factory - Spaghetti with Browned Butter and Mazithra Cheese. Hope you enjoy!

2-3 Tbsp. butter
1 package pasta (I used Gemelli, but you could use anything), cooked according to package directions
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese (Mazithra would be much better if you can find it)
1-2 cups broccoli
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a small frying pan and cook until it turns brown. Mix pasta, cheese and broccoli together in a large serving bowl. Pour browned butter over the top and stir until combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

This is a very versatile recipe. Change up the pasta or veggie with what you have on hand. Would be great topped with grilled chicken.

Lemon Bars

2009-04-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

For part of our family's Easter feast last night, I made these simple and tasty lemon bars and some carrot cake cupcakes, which I'll post later. These were easy and pretty quick, thanks to a cake mix.

1 pkg. lemon cake mix (or you could use yellow cake mix, but it won't be as lemon-y)
3 eggs, divided
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
2 tsp. lemon zest (about 1 large lemon's zest)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
powdered sugar, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking pan.
2. Combine cake mix, 1 egg, and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with mixer until coarse crumbs form. Reserve 1 cup. Pat remaining mixture into baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Combine remaining 2 eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in another mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and foamy. Pour over hot crust, then sprinkle reserved crumbs over the top.
4. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
5. Cool completely, the sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-04-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

This recipe uses 1/2 the butter and they are SO soft!

Cream the following ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter
3 oz Apple Sauce (the individual containers work great)
1 package sugar-free jello (vanilla, cheesecake, etc)
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix in:
2 eggs (whip one egg in, then the 2nd)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cup flour

Add chocolate chips~ Try using half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate.

The dough will be a little sticky but if you chill it before you roll it, it turns out just fine.

Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.

Summer Poppyseed Salad

2009-03-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

I am a big fruity salad fan, so this is one of my favorites.

Combine in a large salad bowl:
Romaine or green leaf lettuce
1 can mandarin oranges
1 avocado, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 apple, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 dried cranberries
1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola crumbles

Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp onion flakes or crushed onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. poppy seeds

Pour dressing over salad and toss immediately before serving.

Crock Pot Barbeque Beef Sandwiches

2009-03-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in a magazine at my doctor's office and tried it last night. It was so yummy and so easy. A new favorite for us!

3 lb. roast, well trimmed
1/2 cup cola (I used Dr. Pepper)
3/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3 Tbsp. Corn Starch
1/2 cup warm water
8 Hoagie Buns

Place roast in crock pot. In a separate bowl combine cola, ketchup, mustard and worchestershire sauce. Pour over meat. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. About 15-20 minutes before serving, mix corn starch and warm water and pour into sauce to thicken it up. Slice meat thinly and serve on buns. Yum!

Taco Soup

2009-03-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

So I am done with Girlfriends Kitchen and have started cooking again. This is my first recipe contribution. It is a crockpot hamburger recipe. Sorry I am month late since this was a February request.

1/2 lb browned hamburger
1 can kidney beans
1 can pork and beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 pkg of taco seasoning

Combine above ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 4 -6 hours. Serve over tortilla chips with shredded cheese and sour cream on top.

Crock Pot Hawaiian Haystacks

2009-03-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make Hawaiian Haystacks for the kids because I knew they would love piling on the toppings, but wanted something with quick prep, so I experimented in the crock pot and it turned out fantastic. If you have any suggestions for making the recipe better since I am no cooking expert, feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.

1 lb. chicken breasts or tenders cut into bite sized pieces (I am lazy and just used my serving spoon to shred tenders into smaller pieces right before serving)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup water
cooked white rice

toppings (chopped or diced):
tomatoes
celery
green peppers
pineapple
mandarin oranges
olives
water chestnuts
grated cheese
coconut
almonds
crunchy chow mein noodles

Line bottom of crock pot with raw chicken. In a separate bowl, combine soup, sour cream, and water in a small bowl and stir until mixed. Pour soup mixture over chicken and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

To assemble the haystack, put a pile of rice on your plate, cover with chicken and sauce, top with cheese (so it will melt) and whatever other toppings you wish (I put everything in small bowls and let everyone top their own with the stuff they like). Enjoy!

Easy Roasted Vegetables

2009-03-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a no-brainer, delicious, and super convenient since it has both your starch and veggies all in one. My husband, who is really picky, liked them so much that he's requested this dish 3 Sundays in a row! It also makes a ton--way too much for our small family--but I save the leftovers to puree with chicken broth into a vegetable soup.

2 large Russet potatoes
4-5 carrots
2 parsnips
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions, defrosted
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning (or a mix of 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. garlic powder)

Other substitutes:
Butternut squash
Sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 425. Dice vegetables into large bite size pieces. Make sure you cut everything relatively similar in size, and a little larger than you normally would since the veggies will shrink up a lot when they roast. Toss all veggies onto a rimmed cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with seasoning. Toss until well coated, then spread into 1 layer. Roast for about 40 minutes or until veggies are tender, turning once with a spatula about halfway through the cook time. If you like extra crispy, browned veggies, broil for an additional 1-3 minutes.

"Fancy" Whole Wheat Pizza

2009-02-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

I like this the best when we roll the crust to really thin. Ethan normally doesn't like home made pizza, but he said he really liked this. Even Ava liked it...

"Fancy" Whole Wheat Pizza

Crust:
2/3 C water
¼ oz. pkg. active dry yeast
¾ tsp sugar
¾ C all-purpose flour
¾ C whole wheat flour
¾ tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp extra-virgin oil
Cornmeal

1. Stir the yeast, sugar, and water together and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Combine flours and salt together (you can do this by hand or with a food processor)
3. Pour in yeast mixture and oil continuing to mix with hands (or pulse with processor) until a shaggy dough is formed.
4. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until dough is elastic.
5. Place dough in a large oiled bowl. Cover with a dampened towel. Let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
6. Punch down dough to deflate, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes more.
7. Transfer dough to floured surface and roll out to desired size.
8. Transfer dough to a pizza pan dusted with cornmeal

Toppings:
Tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Onion
Fresh Spinach
Fresh Mushrooms

1. Saute onion, spinach, and mushrooms in some olive oil until spinach wilts and onions are tender.
2. Sprinkle sauce with desired amount of seasoning. Spread on pizza dough.
3. Spread cheese then top with sautéed mix.
4. Bake at 500 degrees for 10-13 minutes.

Homemade Mayonaisse

2009-02-22T20:23:00.001-08:00

This stuff is great!

3 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 C. canola oil
salt to taste

beat egg yolks. Add lemon juice and salt. While beating (with electric beaters), VERY slowly drizzle the oil in. As the mixture begins to thicken, continue adding the oil and beating constantly until all the oil is incorporated. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a bit of water and beat it in until soft and fluffy.

Store in air-tight container and refridgerate.

variations:

-substitute 1/4 cup of the oil with Olive oil
-Add 1 tsp of yellow mustard, or deli mustard
-Miracle Whip: Add 1 Tbsp. white vinegar for the lemon juice, and 2 tsp sugar

Red Pepper Chicken

2009-02-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe and tried it yesterday for Sunday dinner. It was so yummy and absoutely delicious. I served it over rice and with corn on the side. A side note - I hear you can find roasted red peppers at the dollar store in a little smaller jar, but they would still work just fine. Enjoy!

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves or 1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (15 oz) roasted red peppers, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the beans, red peppers, tomatoes, onion, salt, and pepper (or just add them directly to the crock pot and stir everything together). Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken juices run clear.

Easy Quiche

2009-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

Easy Quiche

1/4 C. Melted Butter

1 1/2 C. Milk

1 tsp. Salt

dash pepper

3 eggs

1/2 C. Bisquick mix

1 C. shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss, or pepper jack)

Additional optional add-ins:
1/2 C. crumbled bacon (great with cheddar cheese)

1 C. chopped Spinach and 1/2 Can quartered artichoke hearts, cut in pieces (great with pepper jack cheese)

1/2 C. cubed ham, (swiss cheese)

Chopped Spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms with swiss cheese and blue cheese crumbles

Preheat oven. Mix first 5 ingred. together, then stir in bisquick and additional items (save a little cheese for topping). Pour into greased 9" pan. Top with a little cheese and bake about 45 minutes, or until puffy in center, and golden around edges and top. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-01-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

This is from the Taste of Home cookbook. It's not very light, but definitely comforting on a cold, snowy night.

4 large baking potatoes (about 2-3/4 pounds)
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
6 cups milk
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Bake potatoes at 350° for 65-75 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Peel and cube potatoes.
In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes and green onions. Garnish with bacon and cheese. Yield: 10 servings.

Ideas for lightening the recipe:
--Use 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup olive oil
--Use 3 cups 2% milk and 3 cups chicken broth
--Use fat free sour cream
--Use reduced fat cheese
--Use turkey bacon

Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-01-06T11:38:00.001-08:00

This soup is easy, ready in about 10-15 minutes, and tastes great! It makes a lot too (I doubled the recipe for a Relief Society dinner for 30 sisters), but it reheats well.

1 medium onion, chopped
6 Tbs. butter
6 Tbs. unsifted flour
3 cups water
5 cups fresh broccoli, cut into large bite-size pieces
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups half & half

In a large pot, cook onion in butter until tender; stir in flour until smooth. Slowly add the water while whisking. Then add bouillon cubes, broccoli, and Worcestershire sauce. Don't worry, it will look like a lot of broccoli and not a lot of liquid. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and slowly add half & half. Then add cheese one handful at a time, stirring each addition until melted before adding the next handful. Return to the lowest heat setting possible until ready to serve, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to let the soup boil once you've added the cheese, or it will curdle and separate.

Soups

2009-01-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to see some new recipes on here! I've been thinking of trying something new and exciting on here - seasonal requests. I will post a call for recipes based on the season, holiday or event and anyone who wants to can post any recipes they have. Feel free to keep posting anything and everything you want to on a whim, this is just a way to get us all thinking and keep us from feeling like we need to post all of our recipes at once!

So, since it is officially freezing cold in good old Salt Lake City, Utah, this is a call for soups. If you have a favorite soup, post the recipe here for all to enjoy! I am seriously lacking in the soup recipe department, so I only have one recipe of note and I have already posted it, but I will search for some new ones and let you know if I find any good ones!

Happy souping!

Crab omelet

2009-01-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

This decadent omelet is a perfect lazy Sunday morning entree, drizzled with a lemony hollandaise sauce.

4 eggs, beaten
1 C. shredded imitation crab flakes
¾ C. shredded cheese (cheddar, mont. Jack, or other)
Pinch of salt
2 T. oil for pan

Heat frying pan on med. with oil and pour in omelet eggs. Cover with lid for a minute or two, or until the eggs begin to firm up. Sprinkle ½ C. of the cheese and crab in center of omelet, fold over and recover, turning heat to low. (if necessary, add a little water to pan to help keep moist while cooking).
Remove omelet from heat and place on serving plate. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cover with Hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise sauce:
3 egg yolks, beaten
½ C. butter
1 T. + 1 tsp. Lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
Dash white pepper
2 T. hot water

* for extra fancy omelet, top with steamed asparagus before adding saucy and cheese.