I made this for a shower last night and it was so yummy! I had lots of requests for the recipe, but one doesn't exist because I just threw a bunch of stuff that sounded yummy together. However, for everyone who asked and anyone else who wants to try it out, this is a general idea of what I did. If you make it and have any measurement suggestions or additional ingredient suggestions, let us know in the comments. The chicken is also great alone if you need a quick and easy crockpot BBQ chicken recipe. Also, this is a party-sized recipe, so if you are making it for the fam, reduce the recipe or you will have leftovers for days.
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 head Red or Green Leaf lettuce, washed and chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup roma tomatoes, chopped (I'm sure other tomatoes would work fine too)
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup jicama, peeled and chopped
1.5 - 2 lbs. chicken tenders
1 container BBQ sauce
1/2 can chicken broth
Ranch Dressing
Chicken:
Arrange chicken in a crockpot. Pour in chicken broth and BBQ sauce and stir to mix and coat chicken tenders. Set crockpot and let it cook all day. When finished cooking, remove from crockpot with a slotted spoon and shred or cut into bite sized pieces. Leave sauce in crockpot to be used for the dressing.
Dressing: Depending on how much dressing you want/need/like, combine about 1 part ranch dressing with 2.5 parts BBQ sauce. Adjust the ratio to taste. You will not use all of the BBQ sauce. Some people like just the BBQ sauce as dressing, so you can leave out the ranch entirely if you like.
Salad: (I arranged everything on a platter so it would look pretty, but you could also toss everything in a bowl.)
Toss green or red leaf lettuce and romaine together and arrange on a platter. Top with corn, beans, jicama and tomatoes. Top with shredded or chopped chicken. Sprinkle basil and cilantro on top. Pour dressing over top of salad and serve immediately. Goes great with breadsticks or rolls.
Serves 15 - 20.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Mandy's Zucchini Bread
I am sure everyone has their own version of Zucchini bread to utilize the giant zucchini's from yours or your neighbors harvest, but Mandy brought me a loaf of this wonderful bread and it was so good I had to get her recipe. I haven't made it myself yet, but I have eaten it.
P.S. Thanks to Erin, I didn't make 15 loaves of Zucchini bread with ONE giant zucchini - instead I shreded it, measured it out and froze it in ziploc baggies and now have enough zucchini ready to go for 2 loaves a month all winter - I haven't even used my zucchini's yet! Brilliant!
2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cups shortening
3 cups zucchini (I usually add 1 - 1 1/2 cups extra zucchini)
2/3 cups water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups white flour
2 teas. baking soda
1 1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. ground cinnamon ( usually add a little more of this)
1 teas. ground cloves ( add a little more than this, not alot though)
2 teas. vanilla
1/2 teas. baking powder
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2/3 cup raisins (optional)
Heat oven 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and pour into loaf pans.
If using small loaf pans bake about 40-50 minutes.
If using regular bread pans bake 60-70 minutes.
P.S. Thanks to Erin, I didn't make 15 loaves of Zucchini bread with ONE giant zucchini - instead I shreded it, measured it out and froze it in ziploc baggies and now have enough zucchini ready to go for 2 loaves a month all winter - I haven't even used my zucchini's yet! Brilliant!
2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cups shortening
3 cups zucchini (I usually add 1 - 1 1/2 cups extra zucchini)
2/3 cups water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups white flour
2 teas. baking soda
1 1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. ground cinnamon ( usually add a little more of this)
1 teas. ground cloves ( add a little more than this, not alot though)
2 teas. vanilla
1/2 teas. baking powder
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2/3 cup raisins (optional)
Heat oven 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and pour into loaf pans.
If using small loaf pans bake about 40-50 minutes.
If using regular bread pans bake 60-70 minutes.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Banana Bread
½ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. grated lemon peel (optional)
¾ cup ground walnuts (optional)
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (approx. 4 medium bananas)
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9x5” loaf pan.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until blended. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a bowl. Add lemon peel and walnuts. Stir until combined.
Slowly add dry mixture and bananas, alternately, to butter, sugar and egg mixture and mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for approx. 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert from pan and cool completely on rack.
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. grated lemon peel (optional)
¾ cup ground walnuts (optional)
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (approx. 4 medium bananas)
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9x5” loaf pan.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until blended. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a bowl. Add lemon peel and walnuts. Stir until combined.
Slowly add dry mixture and bananas, alternately, to butter, sugar and egg mixture and mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for approx. 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert from pan and cool completely on rack.
Chocolate Layer Dessert
Can you tell I'm pregnant and majorly craving sweets lately? This is a staple at our family BBQs (thanks to my cousin Dusti) and probably my favorite dessert ever. Perfect for any end of summer BBQs you are bringing a pot luck dish to.
1st layer:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flour
1 cube butter
Mix together and pat in a 9x13” baking dish. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Let cool.
2nd Layer:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
Beat and spread on cooled crust.
3rd Layer:
1 small package instant chocolate pudding
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
Beat together and spread on top of cream cheese layer. Top with cool whip and chocolate shavings.
1st layer:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flour
1 cube butter
Mix together and pat in a 9x13” baking dish. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Let cool.
2nd Layer:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
Beat and spread on cooled crust.
3rd Layer:
1 small package instant chocolate pudding
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
Beat together and spread on top of cream cheese layer. Top with cool whip and chocolate shavings.
Gooey Chex Mix
My good friend made this and brought it to share with us in Bear Lake a few weeks ago, and I have been craving more ever since. Again, make sure you have someone to share with or you will eat the whole batch yourself! This is a fun snack treat for kids!
1 cup butter
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups rice chex
6 cups honey grahams
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashew halves
1 cup coconut
Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Stir butter, karo syrup and sugar in a pan and boil for 3-4 minutes. Pour hot mixture over dry ingredients. Mix well.
Spread mix on wax paper and let sit for 1 hour (or don't, I start munching as soon as it is mixed!).
1 cup butter
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups rice chex
6 cups honey grahams
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashew halves
1 cup coconut
Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Stir butter, karo syrup and sugar in a pan and boil for 3-4 minutes. Pour hot mixture over dry ingredients. Mix well.
Spread mix on wax paper and let sit for 1 hour (or don't, I start munching as soon as it is mixed!).
Caramel Popcorn
Our Young Women had a little recipe swap tonight, and it made me realize what a slacker I have been about posting recipes. When you never feel like cooking (thank you pregnancy) you don't think about recipes much. Anyway, this caramel popcorn is a family favorite and really easy to make. But, be warned, it is utterly addicting, so make sure you have somebody to share it with if you don't want to eat it all yourself!
5 quarts popped popcorn
10 oz. bag of mini-marshmallows
2 sticks (1 c.) butter
1 1/3 c. sugar
½ c. light Karo syrup
½ tsp. vanilla
Pop popcorn. Mix marshmallows with popcorn. Mix butter, sugar and Karo syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Add to popcorn and marshmallows. Mix together and form into balls/shapes/etc or be lazy like me and eat it straight from the bowl!
5 quarts popped popcorn
10 oz. bag of mini-marshmallows
2 sticks (1 c.) butter
1 1/3 c. sugar
½ c. light Karo syrup
½ tsp. vanilla
Pop popcorn. Mix marshmallows with popcorn. Mix butter, sugar and Karo syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Add to popcorn and marshmallows. Mix together and form into balls/shapes/etc or be lazy like me and eat it straight from the bowl!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Simple Broccoli & Pasta
I made this recipe last night as an attempt to recreate a dish my husband's grandma made him when he was little. She was 100% Italian and an incredible cook, but this dish was just so simple. It's not very strongly flavored, so if you want more spice, salt and pepper it or add red pepper flakes.
1/2 pound short cut pasta, any shape
2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets (or you could substitute 1 pound of asparagus tips)
4 Tbs. olive oil (or 2 Tbs. olive oil and 2 Tbs. butter)
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
parmesan cheese
Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. About half way through the cooking time, throw broccoli in with the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic until softened and slightly browned. When pasta and broccoli are done, toss in the skillet with the garlic and olive oil. To serve, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and black pepper.
This tastes good hot, room temperature, or even chilled as a pasta salad.
1/2 pound short cut pasta, any shape
2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets (or you could substitute 1 pound of asparagus tips)
4 Tbs. olive oil (or 2 Tbs. olive oil and 2 Tbs. butter)
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
parmesan cheese
Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. About half way through the cooking time, throw broccoli in with the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic until softened and slightly browned. When pasta and broccoli are done, toss in the skillet with the garlic and olive oil. To serve, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and black pepper.
This tastes good hot, room temperature, or even chilled as a pasta salad.
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