Made It . . . Loved It!

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

2012-01-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

I know we haven't been posting for a while, but this recipe I found on pinterest is so ridiculously delicious that I had to share.

This is one of my favorite dishes I've tried on Pinterest. It is delicious. Lots of flavor, not at all dry, and super fast and easy. Everyone loved it. I didn't make nearly enough. It was a bit spicy for some, so I've toned down the jalapeno a bit, but not cut it out altogether, because it really adds to the yumminess. I'm altering the proportions for my family of 6 (with a little bit of leftovers) and based on my personal taste.

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

6 tilapia fillets (or similar thin white fish) - about 2 pounds
1/2 jalapeno pepper
6-7 garlic cloves
3 inch grated fresh ginger (3 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup chopped cilantro
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish

Heat the oven to 475ºF. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish.
Chop the pepper and garlic, and grate the ginger. Put in a small food processor with the soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, and cilantro. Whir until blended. Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through (mine took about 12 minutes). It will be very moist and gelatinous, still.
Garnish with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately. We had it with cilantro-lime rice and a green salad.

Recipe Source: Faith Durand from thekitchn.com

(Cafe Rio-y) Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing

2011-08-26T12:22:00.001-06:00

I've had a couple of requests for this recipe, so I figured it would be easier to just post it here.

Oh, how I love Cafe Rio, especially their salads. After trying, combining and tweaking, this is the closest thing to Cafe Rio dressing that I have found. It is delicious, and more than 20 girls and leaders at Girls' Camp agree. If you're looking for some uber healthy dressing that will extend your life and make you able to complete a triathlon, keep looking. But, if you are looking for absolute yumminess that spruces up even the dullest of salads, this is for you. At camp we also discovered that it is a yummy dip for veggies and tortilla chips.

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry mix)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 bunch of cilantro with just the long stems removed
1/2 – 1 small jalapeno (remove seeds and membranes)
1 cup mayo
1 generous tsp. lime juice
2 tomatillos (remove outer papery skin)-the key ingredient in my opinion
1 garlic clove-minced

Blend all ingredients in blender. It tastes best if you make it ahead and let the flavors mix together, but if you're not a planner-like me sometimes-it also tastes great right out of the blender. This makes about 3 cups of dressing.

Breakfast Pizzas (for dinner)

2011-08-15T12:38:00.000-06:00

As meal planning and cooking have gone right out the window this summer, this quickie meal is one we've had a lot. It's a great one for 6pm when I still haven't nailed down a dinner plan, and I haven't been to the store in weeks, as it uses ingredients I keep in the freezer (ham or bacon, English muffins) or have on hand (cheese, eggs). It is pretty kid friendly also, one of Isaac's favorite meals.

I am just giving my short version of the instructions, as this is a pretty adaptable recipe. If you want the full details the link is here at Our Best Bites.

English muffins of your choice (Costco sells them cheap; we freeze the extras for quick pizzas or breakfast sandwiches)
Eggs (for 6 whole muffins you'll want about 4 eggs)
Milk (2 teaspoons per egg)
salt
Tabasco to taste (be fairly generous, it makes a big difference)
Shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
Toppings (we use bacon or ham and whatever vegetables need to be eaten in our fridge: bell peppers, mushrooms, green or red onions, tomato slices, diced green chiles, even zucchini)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease baking sheet generously or use a silicon baking mat or parchment. In shallow bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and tabasco. Slice each muffin in half horizontally if they are not pre-sliced. Soak each half in the egg mixture (like french toast) and place on baking sheet, cut side up.

Top generously with meat or veggies of your choice and then with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes and serve immediately.

Cold Raspberry Soup

2011-07-27T15:33:00.001-06:00

I love crops that grow without me having to do anything. This year our raspberries have, for the first time, produced more fruit than we can eat while standing there picking. I used a big bowl we picked yesterday to make this Cold Raspberry Soup, like the kind they serve on cruise ships. The recipe comes from my Aunt Cheryl.

Cool Raspberry Soup

1 bag (20 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed (or fresh)

1 1/4 cups water

1 cup cran-raspberry juice (Minute Maid Cran-Apple-Raspberry)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 whole cloves

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 carton (8 oz.) raspberry-flavored yogurt (I used peach)

1/2 c. sour cream (sounds strange but it works, so does plain yogurt)

In a blender, puree raspberries and water. Transfer to a large saucepan; add the cran-raspberry juice, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat; strain and allow to cool. Whisk in lemon juice and yogurt. Refrigerate. To serve, pour into small bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Tutu's Lemon Ice Cream

2011-07-05T11:47:00.002-06:00

This is one of my all-time favorites, second only to Tutu's Orange Sherbet. My grandma knew her ice cream. Is there anything better than lemon in the summer? Plus it is super easy; the hardest part is juicing the lemons-which is not that hard. Sorry, no picture. It's always gone before I remember to take one.

A couple of tips: If you chill the canister and the ingredients before you put them in your freezer, your ice cream will freeze faster. I always allow more time than it says in the freezer instructions, because it always seems to take a little longer. If you have a lactose intolerant family member, I use rice milk. It's not as creamy-more like a sorbet-but equally delicious. I tried soy milk, but it had a weird aftertaste.

I am also including the directions for a mini 1-quart freezer. Some of the measurements seem a little funky, but they work.

Tutu's Lemon Ice Cream

6-quart freezer version

3 quarts half & half

6 cups sugar

Juice of 12 lemons

6 teaspoons lemon rind

Combine the above ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Freeze according to your ice cream freezer's instructions.

mini version:

(This will make approximately one quart of ice cream)

3 cups of half & half

1 ½ cups of sugar

Juice of 2 ¾ lemons

1½ teaspoons lemon rind

Combine the above ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Freeze according to your ice cream freezer's instructions.

**We called my grandma Tutu because she was in Hawaii when her first grandchild was born. Tutu means grandma in Hawaiian-isn't that cute? My Tutu was adorable.

Berry Angel Delight

2011-06-01T18:12:00.001-06:00

It seems like our recipe blog has been in hibernation for a while. So it’s time for some super summer recipes. Let’s see if we can find something to bring on the warmer weather.

This is a great summer recipe because it requires no cooking at all. I have made it several times and it’s always a hit. It’s a Betty Crocker recipe that I adapted to fit in a 9X13 pan. So it won’t be cut into a wedge like the picture, we just scoop it out with a big spoon.

INGREDIENTS:

2 C heavy whipping cream

1/4 C sugar

4 C vanilla yogurt (sometimes I use strawberry or a mixture of both)

1 round angel food cake, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 C fresh blueberries

4 C quartered fresh strawberries

1 C fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, beat whipping cream and sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in yogurt. Add cake pieces gently combine with the yogurt mixture. Spoon half of the cake mixture into a 9X13 pan; press down with a rubber spatula. Top with half of the berries. Repeat with remaining cake mixture; press with spatula. Top with the rest of the berries. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

I use mostly strawberries, but you can switch up the amount of each berry depending on your tastes. Blackberries also work well in this recipe. There are quite a few fruit/yogurt combinations you could use with this recipe.

Toasted Sesame Seed Sugar Cookies

2011-04-03T11:56:00.001-06:00

This recipe comes from McCormick. These cookies were quite tasty. The only problem is that I was too cheap to buy two bottles of sesame seeds, and even though I skipped adding seeds to the batter, I ran out before I could coat all of the cookies. So, I switched to toasted coconut and both versions were delicious.

Note: here is a great article on how to toast sesame seeds.
here is a great article on how to toast coconut.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 jars (1.62 ounces each) sesame seeds, toasted (about 1 cup), divided
and, or toasted coconut
2 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar; beat until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture and 1/4 cup of the toasted sesame seed on low speed until well mixed.

2. Refrigerate dough 2 hours or until firm. (I’m sure I didn’t wait for 2 hours).

3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in remaining 3/4 cup toasted sesame seed. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

4. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is set.

The recipe says it makes 6 dozen, but I don’t know if I got that many. I may have made bigger cookies though.

Navajo Tacos

2011-03-07T14:20:00.007-07:00

I love navajo tacos. But, what I don't love is the canned chili my mom would typically serve on top of the fry bread when I was younger. I am not really a fan of canned chili so I knew I needed to give this dish a little bit of a make over. I know that I probably could have used my homemade chili in place of the canned chili but I wanted something with a bit more mexican type flavor. I checked a book out from the library called "Not you mothers slow cooker cookbook". I have really liked the book and it has lots of different ideas that I have never seen before. The recipe that caught my eye was the "easiest black beans and rice chili" recipe. It got me thinking that I could swap out the canned chili for this black beans and rice chili. The result was a huge success. I even called my mom right after we finished dinner to let her know that I had improved the already yummy navajo taco.

Black bean and brown rice chili:

This chili would be really great on its own too. When everything was done cooking, I did add about 3/4 c. of water to get the thinner consistency I wanted.

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans

1 (14.5 - 16 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 c. brown rice

1 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 -1 whole canned chipotle chili, cut into small pieces (These can be pretty spicy so be aware. Also, you can freeze the remaining chilies for another time.)

Pour the beans and their liquid and the tomatoes into the slow cooker. Add the brown rice and spices. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. (I think this cook time will depend on your slow cooker. I used my smallest slow cooker and the low setting was not high enough so I turned it to high after and few hours and it was fine.)

Here is the recipe for the fry bread. I know that Amy has posted her recipe on here as well so if you have tried that one and like it go ahead and stick with that one. This is the one that I have always made.

3 c. flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. warm milk

1 tsp. salt

Combine ingredients and knead into a smooth ball. Cover and let stand for 30 min. Cook in about 1c.- 1 1/2c. hot oil. I just usually cut off a piece of dough, stretch it out the the size/thickness that I want and drop it into the oil. Cook both sides until lightly browned.

Top Navajo tacos with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, olives, guacamole or salsa. Also, I usually break up the fry bread into smaller pieces before I top it with the chili and the other toppings so that it is easier to eat. The picture shows it in on whole piece because I thought it would look better for the picture. You can eat it however you want I just thought I would suggest it.

Chicken 'n' Garfunkel

2011-02-07T23:21:00.002-07:00

Hey Ladies,

First of all, I'm sorry - I tried to post something from YouTube onto my other blog and it kept posting it here, so if you have about 50 notifications in your emails telling you a new post entitled "Lovely Little Listen" was posted, my bad. My very, very bad.

Secondly, here's one of my favorite recipes of all time. My sister gave it to me forever ago and I don't know where it came from originally, but it was before this thing called the internet took over the world.

It takes some time and a little bit of effort, but it's soooo worth it and your family will soooooo love you when they eat it.

It might be a good Valentine's Day dinner, so I'm posting it for your tasty goodness pleasure.

{rest assured it tastes much prettier than it looks}

Chicken 'n' Garfunkel

6 chicken breasts, pounded flat
6 slices mozzerella cheese
salt & pepper to taste
2 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
2 c. bread crumbs {I've used panko crumbs with great results}
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. white grape juice

1 T. parsley
1/2 t. sage
1/2 t. rosemary
1/2 t. thyme

{If you know Simon and Garfunkel's music, those last 4 ingredients are where this dish got it's name.}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, sprinkle salt and pepper onto each breast, place a slice of cheese on each, roll up and secure with a toothpick. Dip in flour, egg, bread crumbs, and place in a baking dish.

In small bowl, mix together butter, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; drizzle over chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, then pour white grape juice over chicken. Bake 20 more minutes.

Your home will smell of heaven and the angels will dine with you.

Asian Noodle Salad

2011-02-02T13:34:00.005-07:00

Here is the link to the salad from playgroup. I have to thank Lynette for introducing me to this recipe. I went over at her house one afternoon right as she had finished making this salad and since it looked so good she was nice enough to send some home with me. I have to admit that I did not share one bit of the salad with anyone in my family. It really was to good to share.

For the salad at playgroup, I didn't stray to far from the original recipe but I did use regular green cabbage vs. napa cabbage, I didn't have any ginger so I left that out of the salad and I used 1 jalapeno instead of 2.

Enjoy!

Wild Rice Vegetable Soup

2011-01-19T13:43:00.004-07:00

½ cup butter (you can substitute 1/4 cup olive oil for 1/4 cup of the butter)
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen corn
½ to 1 cup chopped celery
1 cup carrots, sliced
½ pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
¾ cup all-purpose flour
6 cups water + 2 tablespoons my favorite vegetable concentrate (0r 6 cups chicken broth)
2 cups cooked wild rice (I use SunWest Rice Pilaf from Costco)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups nonfat half-and-half (I've also used whole milk and cream with good results)

In a large pot melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, corn, and carrots and saute until vegetables are tender--about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and saute 3 minutes more. Add flour and stir 1-2 minutes until vegetables are coated and flour taste is cooked out. Gradually pour in broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until soup has thickened slightly about 7 to 10 minutes.

Add cooked rice, spices and almonds. Pour in half and half. Simmer soup over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Watch that it doesn't come to a rolling boil or milk will curdle.

This is fantastic served in bread bowls.

*This recipe is adapted from Wild Rice and Creamy Chicken Soup on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Granola

2011-01-08T15:56:00.004-07:00

I've had a couple of requests for this recipe, so I figured I'd add it to the blog. My family loves this granola, and it's actually the only cereal that graces our table, since I know what goes into it. I'm sure the calorie count is up there, but you can feel good about most of the ingredients (it just wouldn't be the same without a little sugar :).

Granola

6 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 c slivered almonds

3/4 c raw sunflower seeds

1 1/2 c unsweetened coconut

1/4 c flaxseed

1/2+ c coconut oil (yes, it's a little pricey, but the health benefits are well worth it... plus, the flavor is YUMMY)

3/4 c honey (I use raw... again, because of the health benefits)

1/4 c packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

dried fruit (optional)

In small pan, combine coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and heat on medium until oil is melts (this doesn't take long - don't overcook it). Combine oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and flaxseed in large bowl. Slowly add the oil/sugar mixture and stir well until everything is evenly coated. Divide onto two baking sheets and spread out. Cook at 325 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir granola, rotate sheets in oven, then cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool, add dried fruit, break up and store in airtight container.

Mexican Skillet Pasta

2011-01-08T15:18:00.004-07:00

So, this is a very simple meal, but I think we are always in need of more last minute meals. It's humble, hearty, and it's something that isn't too hard to get my kids to eat :). I apologize ahead of time for my vagueness in measurements... this is just one of those meals that you throw in whatever until it tastes good to you... oh, and I'm really bad at writing things down.

Half a box of elbow macaroni

1 lb burger (you could use chicken if you prefer)

1 small onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

+/- 1 c. salsa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can green chiles

2-3 tsp chili powder

1/2-1 tsp cumin

S & P to taste

2 c shredded cheese

Cook macaroni according to package. Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook burger, onion, peppers, and garlic until burger is browned, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, beans, chiles, and seasonings. Top with cheese, cover and cook until heated through and cheese has melted (5-10 minutes).

Southwestern Chicken Chili

2011-01-06T12:42:00.003-07:00

I saw this on Good Things Utah and decided to give it a try. I didn't make the Cafe Rio dressing, I just used Guacamole. It is super easy and really, really good! There is a video on the Good Things Utah site if you want to check it out.

Pixie's Pantry Speedy Southwestern Chicken Chili

by: Pixie Worthen

Chili
4 - 6 chicken breasts
2 cans diced tomatoes (garlic & onion flavor)
1 small jar salsa
1 can kernal corn
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 - 2 cans diced green chilis
1 pkg ranch seasoning
½ - 1 pkg taco seasoning

Topping options:

Cilantro, "mock cafe rio dressing," crushed tortilla chips, lime juice

In a slow cooker, combine all chili ingredients and cook on low 4 hours. Shred chicken, stir back into chili and serve with desired toppings. If cooked shredded chicken is being used, combine all ingredients in slow cooker or stovetop and cook till warm then serve. Enjoy!

Focaccia Bread

2010-11-23T21:05:00.003-07:00

I love focaccia bread. But, you know what I love about this focassia bread? It's quick and easy. It dresses up soup nights when I finally decide what I'm making for dinner with only an hour to go (someday I'll be on the ball and try out that "planning ahead" thing). I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and made a few changes. I don't have a picture at the moment, but I wish I did, because it is very pretty... I'll have to take one next time I make it.

Focassia Bread

adapted from allrecipes.com

1 c very warm water

1 Tbl active dry yeast

1 Tbl sugar

2 1/2 - 3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbl oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 Tbl olive oil

A few sprinkles of course salt

4-ish Tbl grated parmesan cheese

1/2 - 1 c mozzarella

*Pre-note: I do this in my mixer, so the instructions go that route. Obviously, it would be easy to do this by hand - you just don't get to be lazy in the kneading process.

Proof the yeast in your mixing bowl with the water and sugar. Add flour, salt, oil, and seasonings and mix in. Knead with dough hook for about 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add enough flour that it pulls away from bowl, but no more than that. Remove dough from bowl to lightly oil the bowl, then return it to bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch dough down and place on a greased baking sheet. Pat it into 1/2 inch rectangle (err on the side of thicker, rather than thinner). I bake this on a jelly roll pan, but it does not fill the entire sheet. Brush the top with olive oil, sprinkle with course salt, then sprinkle on the parmesan and mozarella. Cook at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Amy's Jumbleberry Pie with Variations

2010-11-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

This has become one of our favorite pies, and has graced our Thanksgiving table for the last couple of years. I got the recipe from Amy, who is the baking queen in my book! It's also got an open faced variation and a cream cheese variation, which I haven't tried because of Sarah's lactose intolerance. But cream cheese? Of course it must be wonderful. Amy also included a pie crust recipe.

So here you go. This is exactly as Amy e-mailed it to me. I'll take a picture on Thanksgiving if I remember before it is all gone.

For one double crusted pie:

3-4 cups of berries (frozen or fresh) - depending on the size of your pie plate & whether or not you add a layer of cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
2-3 Tbl cornstarch (I'm not exactly sure how much cornstarch you would use because I use Ultragel for my pies. It says that 1 Tbl cornstarch = 2 Tbl Ultragel, so I guess this amount is about right.)
1/4 c. lemon juice

Mix sugar and cornstarch together, then toss berries in the mixture and add lemon juice. If you are not adding a layer of cream cheese, then just mound this into your unbaked pie shell, top with other crust, and seal edges. Make slits in the top of the pie crust then brush on an egg wash (1 egg and a couple Tbls of milk). Cook at 400 for 20 min, then reduce heat to 350 for another 35-45 minutes or until crust is a deep golden brown and juices are bubbly. If edges are browning too quickly, cover with foil ring.

Something that I read, but haven't tried yet (because I never have paper bags) is to cook your pie in a paper bag the entire time. Just make sure it's not touching the sides of the oven. It's supposed to make it brown perfectly.

If you want to add a layer of cream cheese:

1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add egg and vanilla. Smooth into bottom of unbaked pie crust. Add berries on top of layer and finish off as above.

If you want to do an open faced pie:

Cook pie shell and let cool. If you want the cream cheese layer, then cook the pie shell with the cream cheese layer on the oven rack below the middle.

For berry filling:

3/4 c water
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c sugar
5-6 Tbl cornstarch (again, not exactly sure on the amount. Add more if it's too thin, and more water if too thick)
3-4 c berries

Mix sugar and starch together, then whisk into water and lemon juice. Add berries and cook on medium heat until bubbly and thickened. Let cool a bit, then add to cook pie shell and chill in fridge.

I'm not sure if you needed the pie crust recipe as well, but here it is if you want:

2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1 c butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/4 - 1/2 c ice water

In food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 sec). Pour 1/4 c. water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Turn dough out onto surface and gather in a ball. Divide in half, flattening each half into a disk. Cover w/ plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour before using. After it's chilled, remove one portion & roll out on lightly floured surface. Roll out to 12" circle. To help prevent sticking, lift shell up as you roll out and add a little more flour if necessary - also make sure to keep your rolling pin floured as well. Transfer to pie plate, and let the magic happen :)

To bake pie shell: Prick sides and bottom of shell and cook at 400 for about 15 min? (with cream cheese: 375 and about 20 min) or until it's slightly browned. *Keep an eye on it - I'm not positive on those times - I'm too lazy to go and look :)

Green chili enchilada sauce

2010-11-19T20:00:00.007-07:00

Lately, I've been trying to rid my house of MSG & GM products (which equals pretty much any processed food). It gets a bit tricky to find decent replacements for some of the products I use on a regular basis (does anybody have a really good ranch recipe?), but by darn, I'm on a mission. It requires a lot of label reading, and wouldn't you know it, the canned enchilada sauce that I use to use was full of MSG. So, here is a recipe for a homemade version that I found. I can't remember where in the world wide web that I found it, so unfortunately, I can't give due credit.

2 Tbl oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 lrg garlic clove, chopped

3 Tbl flour

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 c. chicken broth (I use the concentrated veg. broth. Thanks again Heather!)

1 c. anaheim or poblano chilies, roasted & peeled OR 1c. canned chopped green chilies (I usually use the canned)

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt (I just use more veg broth, to taste, to add a little more flavor along with the salt - this stuff has been the best substitute for boullion (holy MSG!)

2 tsp chopped jalapenos (optional)

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onions, but not browning them. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes while stirring (it will clump up with the onions, but it's okay). Gradually pour in broth, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon - if it's too thick, add a little water. You can store this in the fridge for a week or so. It congeals when cold, but will return to liquid when reheated.

*If you prefer a less chunky sauce, then blend it in a blender until smooth.

A really good recipe to use this in is these honey lime chicken enchiladas. I highly recommend giving them a try if you haven't done so already. My sister in law brought these to us after I had the baby, and they are now one of our favorites. They are also really good with shredded pork.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

2010-11-17T16:08:00.003-07:00

Since I have been getting Bountiful Baskets I always have a good variety of vegetables in my refrigerator. This week I have quite a few things that needed to be used up so I made this soup. It was well liked by everyone in my family. Abby and Tyler even took some of the leftovers in their lunch the next day.

3 C. chicken broth (or 3 c. water + 1 Tbsp. vegetable broth concentrate)
2 C. cauliflower, chopped
2 C. potato, diced
1 C. celery, chopped
1 C. carrot, chopped
1/2 C. onion, chopped
5 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. flour
3 C. milk
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, combine water, cauliflower, potato, celery, carrot and onion. Boil for about 20 min. or until the veggies are very tender. Puree vegetables with an immersion blender until there are no big chunks. (If you like your soup more on the chunky side you can skip this part. The reason I blended everything was to prevent my kids from picking out the vegetables they don't like.)

Melt butter in a saucepan over med. heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 min. Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk. Return to heat and stir until thickened. Stir in vegetables, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese until melted.

This recipe makes a ton of soup. We had plenty of soup for dinner, Abby and Tyler had some in thier lunch the next day and I also had some to take to playgroup. If you don't need quite that much you should half the recipe.

Ramona’s Pumpkin Fudge

2010-11-10T16:15:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from a friend who used the word “Divine” to describe this fudge. Since I was looking for something different to do with pumpkin I decided to give it a try. It is definitely a rich and decadent candy. A little goes a long way – still, I ate more than a little.

I made it two different ways – vanilla and chocolate - and I decided that both were worthy to take to a gathering. Since several people requested the recipe, I have decided that I am not the only one who thinks this fudge is pretty tasty.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 C sugar
1/2 C canned pumpkin
2/3 C evaporated milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1 (12oz) pkg vanilla or chocolate chips
2 C mini marshmallows
1-1/4 tsp vanilla
chopped nuts if desired

Directions:

Line an 8 X 8 pan with foil, letting the foil hang over the sides of the pan. (I don’t have a square pan, so I just use a round cake pan.) Spray the foil with non stick spray.

It’s a good idea to have the chips, marshmallows and vanilla measured out and ready to add at the end of the cooking time.

In a heavy pan, combine the sugar, pumpkin, evaporated milk, butter, salt and pie spice. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 12 minutes while continuing to stir. This is a lot of stirring, but it’s important or else the mixture will burn and be ruined. It should look like a thick caramel sauce. I have many ideas for how I could use just this pumpkin caramel.

Remove sauce from heat and stir in chocolate or vanilla chips, marshmallows and vanilla until smooth. Poor into the foil lined pan. Cover and refrigerate until set.

* I mixed up my own pumpkin pie spice using: 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp ginger. It’s more than you’ll need, but it’s good to have a little left for other holiday recipes.

Buttermilk Gingerbread with Streusel Topping and Butter Cream Sauce

2010-11-09T17:44:00.004-07:00

We had this at a stake Relief Society meeting I had to go to. It was so, so good!! People were filling up plates to take home with them it was so good. It's making my mouth water to think about it. I can't make it since Rocky doesn't like Gingerbread, or any bread for that matter, and I CANNOT eat a whole pan of this by myself!

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups flour

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp salt

Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the above mixture for the streusel topping. To this, add 1/2 cup chopped pecans, if desired.

To the remainder, mix in

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

Pour batter into a well-greased 13x9 baking pan. sprinkle with the reserved streusel topping. Bake at 350 for 28 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Watch carefully so you don't overbake. Let cool slightly, and serve warm with Butter Cream Sauce.

Butter Cream Sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup butter

dash ginger

Combine and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir 4 minutes. Serve and warm sauce over gingerbread. Refrigerate any remaining sauce.

Sorry no pictures! I STILL haven't purchased a new camera yet.

Three Sisters Soup

2010-10-25T22:59:00.006-06:00

Yes, it's me with another soup recipe. If you haven't figured it out, I love eating soup, and I love making it. I especially enjoy a good hearty soup that fills me up. This soup is super-yummy and surprisingly easy. I found it on allrecipes and tweaked it according to what I had on hand. I was especially glad to find a great new recipe, since most of the new stuff I've tried lately has ranged from disappointing to disastrous. Mark, who adamantly dislikes squash and isn't a fan of meatless, loved it and is taking the rest to work for lunch. Sarah, who doesn't love veggies, had a couple of bowls.

It's name comes from the Iroquois who planted the three sisters (corn, squash and beans) and believed they would only grow and thrive together. Go here for a better explanation.

2 c. frozen corn-you could also use canned corn or hominy
2 c. fresh green beans trimmed and snapped-If you use frozen add them a little later in the cooking process.
2 c. peeled and cubed (bite-size) butternut squash
1 1/2 c. diced (bite-size), peeled potatoes
5 c. water
5 tsp. vegetable broth base-or the equivalent of whatever you soup base you like
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4-1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

Put everything but the butter, flour, salt and pepper in a pot. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 30 minutes). Blend the flour into the butter and stir into the soup. Add the salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and cook a few more minutes until soup thickens.

Crock Pot directions: Put everything but the butter, flour, salt and pepper in the crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. After five hours stir the flour into the melted butter and add to the pot. Add the salt and pepper. Turn crock pot to high and cook until soup thickens.

We served ours with cornbread.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2010-10-11T18:10:00.003-06:00

I found these muffins on Annies Eats. They are worth the extra effort!!

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Muffins:

3 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cloves

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 1/4 cups oil

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

5 tbsp. flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

To prepare the filling, combine the sugar and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350*. Line muffin pans with paper liners. IN a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. The cream cheese filling gets hot.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

2010-10-02T23:29:00.003-06:00

PLEASE NOTE: THIS RECIPE IS FOR A STONEWARE BAR PAN.
IT NEEDS TO BE REVISED TO WORK FOR EITHER A SHEET PAN OR A CAKE PAN.

I like this recipe, because I prefer to make these instead of pie.
They seem to be less work, and they are great for large gatherings.
Plus it’s easy to divvy them up to give away to the neighbors.

CRUST:

1-1/4 C flour
3/4 C oats (quick or old fashioned)
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C pecans, chopped
2/3 C butter, melted

FILLING:

4 eggs
2 (15oz) cans pumpkin
2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar and pecans. Add melted butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of a stoneware bar pan. Bake for 15 min. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and then add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour over cooled crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until filling is set and a knife comes out clean.

I top these with a dollop of whipped cream and they are just as tasty as pie. I even like the brown sugar oatmeal crust better than traditional pie crust.

The Absolute Best Pancake Syrup

2010-09-26T20:52:00.005-06:00

Well, the title just about sums up how I feel about this pancake syrup. I promise I am not exaggerating. Over the past little while I have been on a quest to rid my pantry of all HFCS. It really has not been too hard to do but I have just had to be really good about reading labels. Did you know that some brands of applesauce have HFCS in them? I thought that was really crazy. I figured that the biggest one I needed to get rid of was the pancake syrup. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It is super easy and much better tasting then the fake maple syrup junk. A little goes a long way and since there is butter in the syrup I don't butter the waffles or pancakes. This batch will make enough for two breakfasts.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. buttermilk (I used 1 c. milk + 1 Tbsp. lemon juice)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Bring butter, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, cinnamon to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Once simmering whisk in baking soda (make sure you cook this in a big pot because the baking soda really foams up) and cook for 10 seconds before removing from heat.

I like to make the syrup earlier in the afternoon so it has a chance to cool and thicken. Store leftover syrup in refrigerator.

French Toast Sticks

2010-09-25T23:34:00.004-06:00

Okay, ladies.

I have a ton of recipes I want to post, but I don't have pictures of all of them yet. Here is a recipe with accompanying pictures that I do have, and I took pictures because we got these little trays at Target {for only 2.50 each. My kids have never eaten better, I swear, than off these things. Best money ever spent} and they told their grandparents about them, so they wanted to see them {run-on sentence}.

You can pretty much just use your favorite french toast recipe, but this one is a healthy version from 24 Hour Fitness' website.

see that little hand? that is a hand antsy with excitement.

French Toast Sticks

8 slices whole grain
5 oz. liquid or frozen egg substitute, thawed
2 1/2 T. skim milk
dash nutmeg
1/3 t. cinnamon
1 t. granulated sugar

Slice each piece of bread into 4 slices {I don't do this, I wait until after each slice is dipped and cooked to cut them, but whatevs}. Mix egg substitute with milk. Blend spices with sugar and add to egg mixture. Dip bread pieces into egg mixture and cook on a heated non-stick skillet until golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar and/or sugar-free syrup {or... regular syrup. Or whatever your kids will eat}.

I cut them up with a pizza cutter into even smaller pieces for my kids, and they had a lot of fun dipping them. And they really did eat these so well. David was so excited he had a hard time just letting me take a picture before he dug in.

Give these a shot for an easy Saturday morning breakfast or something!

Broccoli and bacon salad

2010-09-24T22:03:00.003-06:00

I had a request to post this recipe, so here it is. A big pile of broccoli may not sound all that exciting, but trust me, once you add the rest of the not-so-healthy ingredients, it's down right yummy.

Broccoli and bacon salad

2 bunches of broccoli, cut up
1/4 c. chopped green onion (or red onion, if that's what you prefer.. personally, I prefer green)
1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. dried cranberries

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sugar
4 Tbl vinegar

Mix up dressing, add to the rest of ingredients and coat thoroughly.

Epic Waffles

2010-09-20T20:30:00.001-06:00

I am a big fan of breakfast for dinner, which is what we did tonight. We hadn't had waffles in a very long time, and I was really craving some. So, I was happy when one of my new favorite food blogs (Real Mom Kitchen), posted this waffle recipe today. With a name like "Waffles of Insane Greatness" how could I go wrong? They are super light and the cornstarch gives a light crispiness to the outside. They almost melt in your mouth. We had them with fresh peaches. Lizzie felt the name didn't do these waffles justice, so she re-named them "Epic Waffles."

Turns out this recipe gets around, but I got it from Real Mom Kitchen. I tripled her measurements as she recommended. I also added whole wheat flour for part of the flour. I thought about substituting applesauce for the oil, but ended up throwing caution to the wind. Next time I might try half applesauce-half oil since I wonder if eliminating the oil all together might make them hard to get off the waffle iron.

Make Ahead Note: You let the batter rest for 30 minutes before making these.

3/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 ½ cup whole milk (I used plain soy milk)
1 ½ cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/4 tsp. vanilla

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Whisk together to blend. In another mixing bowl, beat together the whole milk, buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk just until incorporated and few lumps remain. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Fill waffle wells and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cook until crisp and golden. Serve immediately. Yield: depends on the size/shape of your waffle iron. We got about 12 Belgian waffles.
Note: To make your own buttermilk, just add 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk and let stand for 5 minutes.

Mom's Cheeseball

2010-09-18T16:45:00.001-06:00

This is my mom's recipe {um. obviously.} and the holidays just aren't the same without it for me. It's easy, and always a hit at the parties.

Before I had two toddlers, I was able to make it all fun and turn it into a snowman with olive halves and a carrot nose {ha! ha ha. haaaa......}. See?

My oldest daughter helped with that part, so it can be fun for the kids to get them involved and do something creative. {I know it's something you'd never see in Martha Stewart Living, but still. Fun. And one year, I was crazy enough to turn it into a pine cone and I shaped it up all perfect and took like 4 hours to place sliced almonds in that thing. Yeah. Never again.}

At any rate, if you're looking for a new cheeseball recipe, I recommend you give this one a try!

Mom's Cheeseball

2 1/2 pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 t. Bon Appetit seasoning
1/2 t. ground mustard
4 green onions, chopped finely
chopped nuts, optional {walnuts, pecans, almonds, whatever you fancy}

Combine everything but the nuts in a bowl - mix and soften 'til smooth. Chill 'til firm. Roll in chopped nuts. {It's good without nuts, but it holds together better with them.} Serve with a variety of crackers or veggies.

Taco Soup

2010-09-16T23:21:00.002-06:00

I love this soup so, so much not only because it tastes great, but it's the easiest thing on the planet to make.

{Remember when I called myself a lazy-face?}

I borrowed the picture from recipetips.com as I don't have any pictures, but this looks pretty much the same.

Taco Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained {I get the kind with tiny onions and chilis in it - Mexican blend I think?}
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can whole kernal corn, undrained
1 pkt. taco seasoning {you can get mild, medium or hot depending on your preference - I like mild}
1 pkt. dry ranch dressing
1 can olives, drained and sliced {<----- the most effort you'll have to make putting this together, or you can get rid of that effort by buying the pre-sliced kind}

Pour all ingredients into a crockpot, stir it all up and cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

This is a perfect recipe to use now, as the weather is getting colder. I have a 6 qt. crockpot, so I always double everything but the tomatoes {only because there isn't room for one more can of something and I haaaaaaate tomatoes} and invite people over. It feeds a large group or gives you plenty of leftovers.

I also like to do the beef on Sat. nights, load up the crockpot Sunday morning and we can have it for lunch, or if you get out of church by noon, you can load it up when you get home, and it's ready just in time for dinner.

p.s. I added a slow-cooker label. I hope that's okay? Look at me, all new and trying to run the place.

Easy Classic Deviled Eggs

2010-09-16T18:26:00.001-06:00

Hi, ladies!

I'll start by introducing myself so you don't think I'm a freak. Or at least you'll know for sure that I am one. Or whatever.

Amy and I grew up around the corner from one another, and I knew exactly when to pick up my bare feet to avoid stepping on the rocks when I ran over to her house to play. We go way back, and I adore her.

I read her blog frequently, and once when I clicked to see her complete profile/stalk her, I found this blog and I must say I love it. I love the idea of people sharing recipes they've found to be tried and true {ly delicious}.

Thanks for letting me in on it.

I'll start by submitting this incredibly easy appetizer - the classic deviled egg. As "classic" as this recipe is, it's so yummy and they're definitely far and above the ones I grew up with. I found the recipe when I googled "deviled egg recipe" forever ago and took them to a Christmas party. I really wish I'd tripled the recipe, because they were literally gone in 2 minutes. Everyone raved about how they were the best they'd ever had.

I've not ventured too far into the waters of different flavors/varieties of deviled eggs, but these really are the best I've ever tasted. Easy, cheap {watch for sales on eggs at your local grocers - you can pretty much steal them sometimes}, and you can take them to a party, bbq, picnic, anything really.

Recipe from The Deviled Egg Gourmet {who also provided the picture Ü}

Easy Classic Deviled Eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise
1/4 c. light mayo or salad dressing
1/2 t. dry ground mustard
1/2 t. white vinegar
1/8 t. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper
paprika for garnish

Remove egg yolks to small bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayo, mustard, vinegar, s & p and mix thoroughly. Fill the empty egg whites with yolk mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover lightly with plastic wrap {or if you're fancy and have one of those egg carrier thingies, put them in there} and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

{They piped theirs into the egg whites to look purty. I don't do that because I'm a lazy-face.}

Zucchini cupcakes with caramel frosting

2010-08-18T20:43:00.005-06:00

I figure it's that time of the year again; more zucchini recipes. I guess I'll go ahead and post the first one. I found this recipe at tasteofhomes.com and really like it. The frosting is heavenly and goes great with the yummy cupcake.

Zucchini cupcakes:
slightly adapted from Taste of Homes

3 eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil (I'm sure applesauce would work... if you're into that)
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder (I actually didn't add this - I like my cakes more dense)
2 c shredded zucchini

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice, extract, and vanilla. Sift in dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in zucchini. Fill lined muffin tins two thirds full. Bake at 350 for 17-22 min. (or until set). Makes 18-24 cupcakes.

Caramel frosting:

1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 c powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan and bring to boil over med heat. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until thickened a little. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to luke warm. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until spreading consistency.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

2010-07-29T17:42:00.003-06:00

These are so good! So much better than the canned sauce. I'm sorry there aren't any pictures. I still haven't gotten a new camera. Hopefully soon!

1 lb hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 small cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. Worchester sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup celery, sliced
salt and pepper

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain and then mix with remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Peach Cobbler Muffins

2010-06-22T10:21:00.006-06:00

I had some peaches in my Bountiful Basket that were REALLY ripe on the outside and hard near the pits. But I still wanted to use them, and figured any cooked peaches are good. These really tasted like peach cobbler. I got the recipe from allrecipes, but I have totally tweaked it. Sarah and Lizzie each had several after dance yesterday, so there's the kid endorsement factor.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups applesauce
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches-I like even more, and the smaller the pieces the better.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 16 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce, eggs, and sugar. Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Fry Bread, a.k.a. scones

2010-06-21T11:04:00.009-06:00

So, I'm posting two recipes today: What I think of when I hear the word 'scone' (deep fried goodness), and also the more biscuit-like, English version of the word. Both recipes are yummy and easy.

I believe I got this recipe from my sister in law, Dani. What I like about this recipe is that it is fast. I love scones, but I don't usually plan ahead and get the dough going in advance. These don't require much raising time, so it works very well with my unorganized self. These are great for Navajo tacos (I use the 'taco plate' meat mixture that I sort of posted on here a while back).

Fry Bread

4 c. flour (more if needed)
2 tsp salt
1/3 c sugar
2 oil
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c very warm water
1 Tbl yeast (I usually use regular yeast, but I imagine that quick-rising would be better)

Dissolve yeast & half the sugar in the warm water and let sit for a few minutes. Mix flour, salt, and the rest of the sugar. Add milk, oil, and yeast mixture to the flour and mix to a soft dough (until it pulls away from your bowl). Add more flour if necessary. Knead for about 5-7 minutes. Let rise in warm place for about 20-25 min. Punch down. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into lengths (I just pull off pieces of dough and stretch to the thickness I want). Fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Strawberry scones

2010-06-21T10:31:00.005-06:00

I found this recipe at Annies Eats. I love this type of scone and these were a good and easy recipe. The strawberries are yummy in them, but I think it would be good with other things as well (blueberries, craisins, currents, etc).

Strawberry scones

1 large egg
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (I didn't have yogurt, so I used sour cream)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. orange or lemon zest
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I had to add a little extra)
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling (I bumped it up to about 1/3 c)
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 heaping cup diced fresh strawberries
I also added 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and citrus zest until blended; set aside. In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse briefly to blend. Add the butter pieces to the bowl with the dry ingredients and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour, until the largest butter pieces are the size of small peas. (If you don't have a food processor, you can just as easily mix up the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives or forks.) Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the strawberries to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a fork or spatula until a sticky dough has formed. Knead just a few times to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough is cohesive. (Only if absolutely necessary, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to hydrate the remaining dry ingredients.)

Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and pat into a disc about 7-8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar. Slice the disc into 8 wedges.

To bake the scones, preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the shaped scones on the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

To freeze, transfer the baking sheet with the shaped scones to the freezer and let them chill until they are firm, 30-60 minutes. Wrap the scones individually and store in a freezer-safe bag until ready to bake. Bake as originally indicated, adding a few minutes to the baking time.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

2010-06-17T12:13:00.005-06:00

Are any of you in need for a new lunch idea for this summer? Did you say yes? Oh good, because I have a fun and creative idea. I found this recipe in kind of a round about way on this website. All of my kids and Drew Sullivan loved these today when I made them for lunch. The mini pepperonis were a huge hit. The kids thought they were great.

Tyler: "Oh man, I love these!"
Drew: "I know, I wish my mom made these!"

Luckily for Drew I know his mom and I will make sure she gets the request.

They all liked them so much they have already requested them for tomorrow's lunch. I think when we make them tomorrow we will try some different variations for the toppings.

At the end of this recipe I have included the recipe I used for the pizza sauce. I have been trying a lot of different pizza sauce recipes lately in hopes of nailing down my absoulute favorite. I found this one on allrecipes.com. I think this may have earned one of the top spots. I will have to try it out on a pizza to be completly sure it is the one. I really liked that it had rosemary and olive oil in it.

3/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 egg
1/2 c. mozzerella cheese
1/2 c. parmesad cheese
1/2 c. mini pepperoni

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, milk, salt, oregano and egg. Stir in cheese and pepperoni. Let stand for 10 min.

Stir the batter. Divide evenly among the mini muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Easy pizza sauce

1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
1 1/2 c. water (I only used 1 c. because I wanted it a little thicker for dipping)
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Simmer on med-low until ready to serve.

The directions for making a pizza with this sauce (from allrecipes.com):
Mix together the tomato paste, water and olive oil. Mix well. Add in garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and rosemary. Mix well and let stand for several hours to let the flavors blend. No cooking nessesary, just spread on dough.

Good for you blueberry muffins

2010-05-23T15:43:00.008-06:00

For the last few months the only thing Sam will eat for breakfast are muffins. As if that request was not specific enough, he will only eat the "tops" of the muffins. So, every morning I have plenty of "stumps" leftover. Until lately, Sam's muffin of choice has been these. After three solid months of making these almost daily, the other 3 kids don't want anything to do with the applesauce muffins. I realized that I probably should find another recipe to please everyone. I found this recipe on Annie's Eats. These muffins looked like a good and healthy option. The list of ingredients is packed with good for you things with minimal oil and sugar. I did make a couple of minor adjustments. The first time I made these I followed the recipe exactly and the batter was pretty runny. The next time I made them I added an other 1/4 c. flour, more blueberries and switched the brown sugar for white sugar. As a result, the muffins baked up a little taller and so the had more of a "top". Here is the recipe with my changes.

I will post a picture the next time I make them (which should be tomorrow).

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. quick oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 4/ tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. unsweetend applesauce
1/2 c. buttermilk (I just used 1/2 c. milk with 1 tsp. vinegar)
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 -1 1/2 c. blueberries

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, egg and oil. Stir wet and dry ingredients together just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 16-18 minutes at 375 degrees.

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Kabobs

2010-05-19T22:51:00.001-06:00

When these babies are grilled correctly, they are amazing. They trick is to get them cooked through without burning them. Steve can do it, but I can’t. I served them undercooked to my parents, and completely charred to a few guests last summer. I think the trick is to keep the heat low, and make sure the bacon gets crispy.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 Tbls brown sugar
2 (3 pound) boneless turkey breast halves
1 (16 oz) pakage of bacon

You might also need:
Fresh Pineapple Chunks, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Onions, yellow squash, zucchini or any other type of veggies that you want on your kabobs. (Sometimes I save a little marinade for any veggies that might benefit from some extra flavor)

Directions:
Cut turkey into 1" cubes. In a large bag, combine first 7 ingredients and mix well. Add turkey to marinade and let sit for about an hour, or more. Even overnight if you want to.

When its time to put together your kabobs, cut bacon slices in half and wrap each piece of turkey with a 1/2 strip of bacon. Then assemble your kabobs with desired fruits and veggies.

Grill kabobs until the bacon is all nice and crispy and enjoy. Makes about 10 kabobs with 4 pieces of turkey on each kabob. This will vary depending on how many veggies you put on the kabobs.

I get turkey breast halves at Smith’s. Sometimes they have them in the butchers case or sometimes by the chicken in a Jenni-O package.
If you don’t have turkey, I’m sure chicken would also be tasty.

If you didn’t want to use chicken or turkey – how good would shrimp be? Or, how good would bacon wrapped anything be? But seriously,
I have a recipe for bacon wrapped water chestnuts that we make at Christmas time, and I think they might work as a substitute for those of you who are not to hip on poultry.

Chicken Salad

2010-05-15T19:47:00.001-06:00

We had this at a Relief Society dinner a couple years back, and I've been asked for the recipe multiple times. So, I suppose that makes it a keeper. I will add a picture next time I make it.

2 cups cooked chicken, chunked or shredded
2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups grapes, halved
1/2 cup cashews
1/3 cup Light Mayo*
3/4 cup Light Miracle Whip*
1/2 tsp. Onera
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
pepper to taste (optional)

*I switch the amount of mayo and miracle whip because I prefer mayo.

Also, Onera is a locally made seasoning that you can purchase at Days behind the produce section and in front of their seafood case. It is quite tasty, and in the summer we love to saute our zucchini with it.

Alfredo sauce with a little less guilt

2010-05-10T21:21:00.009-06:00

This is what I make when I need/want an alfredo sauce. I hate the bottled stuff and I also cringe at all the cream that 'real' alredo sauce recipes call for, so this is what I came up with. I guess it might not taste like the real deal, but my family really likes it.

3 Tbl butter
1/4 c flour
3 c milk
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
about 1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 tsp chicken bouillon
3/4 - 1 c parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat along with garlic. Let garlic cook a couple of minutes, then whisk in flour and cook another minute. Add half of the milk and whisk until smooth and thick. Add the rest of the milk, pepper, bouillon and whisk frequently until it thickens up (about 10-15 min - be patient). Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

*So, I apologize for the vague measurements - I don't really measure things out (except the first 3 ingredients), I just add everything to taste. This is what I like, but you may not be as big a fan of bouillon as me, so you could just add some salt and other seasoning you feel would work. Also, you can adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more/less milk.

Biscuits

2010-05-06T07:44:00.007-06:00

Adam loves biscuits and sausage gravy (because they're so heart healthy). I love them because biscuits are super quick and easy to make, and my boys will also eat them up. So, if you have a hankerin for some biscuits, give these a try.

2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
4 Tbl butter, chilled, cut into pieces
4 Tbl shortening (I use butter flavored shortening)
3/4 c. milk (or 1 c. buttermilk)

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Cut in butter and shortening (I use my fingers), until it's a coarse meal (don't over-work the fat). Make a well in the center and pour in milk. Stir until dough just comes together - will be sticky. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust with flour and fold over about six times (try not to add too much additional flour). Press into a 1 inch thick circle. Cut out (I just use a 3 inch cup for this) and place on greased cookie sheet so that they are just touching. You can gather scraps and reform into another circle. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 10-12 biscuits, depending on the size you make them.

*Notes:

You can use all butter, if you don't care for shortening.

Lightly brushing the tops of the biscuits with a little melted butter after taking them out of the oven, gives a nicer look, and an extra bit of buttery goodness (I didn't do it in this picture).

Refried Beans-Hold the Refry

2010-05-03T06:13:00.004-06:00

I am on a bit of a "south-of-the-border" kick lately. I have not really been a fan of refried beans, but Sarah loves them, so I have been trying to find an alternative to canned beans. I really like this recipe I found on allrecipes. First, I can make them in my crock pot. Second, they don't call for bacon fat, or other funky ingredients, so they're actually pretty healthy. Third, it makes a lot of beans which keep really well in the freezer or refrigerator. Fourth, even I think they are REALLY YUMMY as a side dish or wrapped in a warm tortilla. I have made several batches over the last few weeks.

1 onion peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans; rinsed with stones removed
1/2 fresh jalapeno; seeded and finely chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic (5-6 average size garlic cloves)
5 tsp. salt
1 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
9 cups water

Add all ingredients to crock pot, adding water last. Cook on high* for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if you need to add more than 1 cup of water, the temperature is too high.

After beans have cooked, drain them reserving some of the water. Mash with a potato masher adding reserved water until you get the consistency you want.

*My crock pot tends to cook really hot, so I cook the beans on high for 1-2 hours and then turn it down to low.

Tomato Basil Soup

2010-04-29T15:09:00.007-06:00

Is it to late to post another soup recipe? I think since I can see snow out my window I am going to say no. I know a few of you may have this recipe already. I thought I would still post it any way because it really is a great tasting simple soup. I love that it uses simple and inexpensive ingredients, is easy to prepare and is loved by all in my family. Lately, have tried a few different variations to change the soup up just a bit. I have included those variations at the end of the recipe. I highly recommend this soup with the french bread I posted a few days earlier.

2 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. sugar

1 c. whipping cream or half & half (I have tried substituting milk and it is just not the same)

1 Tbsp. butter (this helps to cut the acidic taste of the tomatoes)

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 10 min. Add sugar and basil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream and butter.

Variation #1- Just before serving add 1 9oz. package of cooked cheese tortellini.

Variation #2- Stir a spoonful of pesto to your individual bowl just before eating. The great thing about this one is only the people who want the pesto can add it to thier bowl. I tried this the other night and it was really good.

Variation #3- You could get really crazy and combine variation #1 and #2.

Mexican Chowder and A Passionate Product Endorsement

2010-04-28T18:31:00.008-06:00

I don't know if this sort of thing is allowed, Neisha, feel free to delete it.

Some of you have heard me bear testimony of my favorite vegetable broth. My friend told me about broth from the Asian market and how it would change my life, and it has. I don't use any other stock any more.

The ingredients are: kale, cabbage, carrot, radish, turnip, broccoli, and salt--no msg, hydrolyzed soy protein, or anything like that. It has fantastic flavor and no hint of chemical taste.

Unfortunately, the market I got it from no longer sells it, neither do the two other Asia markets I checked. It has been a difficult search since I don't know how to Google in Chinese and Asian market proprietors don't speak much English. Anyway, I finally found it online here. I am going to order a bunch tomorrow (Thursday). If anyone is totally pumped by my endorsement and wants a bottle let me know. (It's $4.50 for 35 oz concentrate, you use 1 tsp to 1 cup water).

P.S. I make no money off the sale of this product.

And since, apparently, it is still soup weather:

Mexican (Chicken) Chowder

1 can cream of chicken soup (I usually use the powdered milk make-a-mix version)
2 C. broth (made from by beloved vegetable broth) or chicken broth
1 C. water
1 40z. can diced green chiles
2 T fresh cilantro
2 T taco seasoning
2 C. corn
2 C. chopped chicken (or 2 cans white beans)

1 C. sour cream

In large pan combine all ingredients except sour cream (unless you are using beans, add those after you have simmered). Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup hot mixture with the sour cream; return to sauce pan and heat through.

(I also added a cup or so of cooked brown rice to bulk it up a bit when I made it with beans)

Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

French Bread

2010-04-27T17:46:00.006-06:00

I know I am probably stating the obvious, but I love cooking blogs. I love that at my fingertips I have countless recipes with mouthwatering pictures, tempting descriptions and helpful reviews. Since discovering all of these cooking blogs, I think the thing that I am most pleased about is my increased level of confidence in the kitchen. I am no longer intimidated to try new recipes, cook a turkey, bake bread, cook from scratch or invite people over for dinner (cooking food for other people used to give me major anxiety). I have now realized how easy and cheap baking bread can be. I have a few no fail recipes that I rely on so I am no longer paying over $2.50 for a package of dinner rolls or french bread. This bread usually makes an appearance when ever I make soup. So even if you don't bake bread a lot, try this recipe and I know you will love it.

1 Tbsp. yeast
2 c. warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
4 1/2 c. to 5 c. flour

In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Stir to combine. Add the salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Knead for about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into 12 in. long loaves.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush entire loaf with egg wash (1 egg and 1 Tbsp. water mix together in bowl). Bake at 450 for 15-20 min. (I have never had to bake mine longer that 15 min.)

Spanish Rice

2010-04-23T11:00:00.023-06:00

This is a great alternative to the boxed stuff. I found it on allrecipes. I took some of the reviewers suggestions and doubled it since we really like Spanish rice, and some people make a whole meal out of it when they don't like the other stuff we're having. If you have a smaller family or don't want a lot of leftovers, I'd half this recipe, but I will add that I think this is actually better the second day.

3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 c. long grain rice
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (I only had red pepper, which worked fine)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 (14 oz can) diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley

Heat oil in deep skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and pepper for a couple of minutes. Add rice and brown well. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Add chili powder, cumin salt and parsley. Cover and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

I want to try making it in my rice cooker, and I think some fresh cilantro stirred in before serving would be wonderful.

THE Soft Ginger Cookies of my Dreams

2010-04-22T09:03:00.005-06:00

I LOVE soft ginger cookies, but the "snap" variety...not so much. I have been looking for the perfect soft ginger cookie recipe for almost ten years. I would even call it a quest. I have tried more recipes than I can count. They have never been "just right"- you know, soft enough, gingery enough, thick enough, etc.,. Then I stumbled upon this little number. They are just what I have been looking for all these years. Dunk them in some cold milk and you're in heaven.

Plus, this recipe makes about five dozen cookies! We were able to share with neighbors and have a couple dozen left. That is until Holly somehow got the container off the table and ate ALL of them. Who knew a Basset Hound could do that? I guess they really are THAT good.

From The Sisters' Cafe

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. shortening

2 eggs

1/2 c. molasses

4 c. flour (I used half whole wheat and half white flour)

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. white chocolate chips (optional-I opted against them)

Mix first four ingredients well, then add the remaining ingredients. Roll into balls and roll in sugar. Crystal or raw sugar is the prettiest. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes. I think they stay softer if you stay closer to 11 minutes.

The shortening is a drawback for me, but I think it may be the key to these cookies. I'm going to try them with butter, but I fear the butter flavor might interfere with their greatness. I think if you want to try butter, it would be best to chill the dough for awhile so they don't spread out too much.

A Grown-Up Lunch: Brie Paninis

2010-04-12T14:07:00.005-06:00

I am always on the lookout for a delicious lunch that I can make in the same amount of time as it takes to grill up my boys' cheese sandwich. Mel's Kitchen Cafe posted this Smoked Turkey, Brie, and Apple Panini and I had to run out and get me some brie. It was divine, and so much more exciting than cheddar on wheat. You can click on the link for more specific instructions, but basically it is sliced apples, sliced brie, caramelized red onions, and turkey lunch meat on a grilled sandwich.

Personally, I'm not a turkey breast person and I left the turkey off my second panini and still loved it, so when I saw this version on Paninihappy.com with pecans instead of turkey I knew it was even more up my alley.

My hybrid version is like this:

French bread
Caramelized Onions
Sliced Brie
Sliced apples
Pecans
French bread

Alas, today I had brie and french bread, but no apples. But, never fear, inspired by this pizza, I made this panini, and I think I might even like it more than the apple version.

French bread
Sliced Brie (Costco has it far better priced than anywhere in Heber)
Fig preserves (The Store in Midway sells it under the Barefoot Contessa Brand)
French bread

Next time maybe I'll add the onions and pecans.

And that is my rather long explanation for a pretty simple lunch.

Lemon Berry Trifle

2010-04-05T10:02:00.000-06:00

I made this Lemon Berry Trifle for dessert on Easter. It was delicious and beautiful. It looked so impressive, and it wasn't really that hard to make. I'm just posting the link to it because this lady, a friend of a friend, deserves 100% of the credit.

Like Emilia, I also used frozen berries. I was too cheap to pay more than $5 for a pound cake at the store, so I used this Lemon Pound Cake recipe from My Kitchen Cafe. For those of you on the Wasatch Back, you can find Lemon Curd with the jam and peanut butter at Day's. Lemon Curd, which I thought was something dairy, is an English jam made with lemon juice, butter and eggs. Butter...need I say more?

Really, this trifle is so good I am trying to think of an occasion to make it again.

I didn't take a picture before it was destroyed, because I guess I am a little superstitious, and didn't want to jinx it. I know, it doesn't make any sense, but that's how I roll.

Also, thanks Liz for letting me borrow your trifle bowl!

Lemon Whoopie Pies

2010-03-28T22:29:00.001-06:00

I thought I would save time and just direct you to this link.
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2008/04/lemon-whoopie-pies/

I made these today. I followed the recipe exactly except that I made them smaller – about 1 Tablespoon of batter for each cookie. The plan was to give them away, but I couldn’t part with them. So much for the weekly exercise – now I’m going to have to start all over again.

Mini Breakfast Quiches

2010-03-11T21:39:00.005-07:00

Breakfast is definitely my least favorite meal of the day. I would say most days I skip it because I get busy and forget or there just isn't anything that sounds good. I haven't wanted to eat cold cereal for a few years now so if I do eat breakfast it's usually toast. Well, toast can get a little bit boring. I was excited when I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites. I was even more excited after I made them this morning. They are just the perfect thing to solve my breakfast problem. They were tasty, easy and much more fancy then my regular breakfast. One of my favorite things about them is they can be frozen and reheated when you are ready to eat them. So, my plan is to eat one of these with a piece of toast every morning. The flavors of these little quiches can be easily changed by choosing different veggies. I really loved the combinations in the recipe. I know the recipe says you need to use foil liners, but I just sprayed my muffin tin with pam and they came out just great.

4 eggs
1 C egg substitute*
3/4 C shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 C cottage cheese
5 oz frozen spinach (that's half a standard frozen box)
1/3 C roasted red peppers, diced (jarred, or make your own)
1 oz finely diced ham, canadian bacon, or crumbled bacon (about 1/4-1/3 C)
1/4 C finely diced onions
1/4 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/2 t hot sauce

foil muffin tin liners

*1/4 egg substitute = 1 whole egg, so if you're using all eggs, or some eggs and some egg whites, you can adjust accordingly.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350

Thaw spinach (you can nuke it in the microwave) and squeeze out all the liquid. Putting it in a clean kitchen towl and ringing the heck out of it works well. After it's drained of all the liquid, give it a rough chop.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well.

Place foil cupcake liners in the muffin tins and spray with cooking spray. Don't forget this step! And yes, they really do need to be the foil ones. If you have a silicone muffin pan, those work great and you don't need to line them. My silicone pan makes them taste like soap, so I don't go there. As you're dividing the egg mixture into the muffin cups make sure to keep stirring it so all of the ingredients are well-dispersed. My pan takes about 1/4 C in each hole and it fills them up perfectly. You want them to fill right up to the top.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The tops should be just barely set on top. Over-baked eggs get tough and spongy so don't do that! They'll puff up while baking and then sink down when cooled. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze them. When reheating in the microwave, make sure to take off the foil liner! And if you're reheating from frozen, I try to take them out the night before so they can thaw in the fridge. Then when you microwave them, set them on a folded paper towel to drain excess moisture.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-03-11T15:33:00.010-07:00

My sister-in-law, Dani, gave me a recipe for some yummy oatmeal pancakes. I had some pumpkin that needed to be used up, so I thought it would be good to use some in the recipe. They turned out really good! We really like the regular recipe, but everyone agreed that it was even better with the pumpkin. Here is the recipe... I'll also put the recipe for the regular oatmeal pancakes for those who may not love pumpkin, or just don't want to use it.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes

1/4 c. melted butter
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 c. pumpkin puree
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. quick oats
1/2 - 3/4 c flour (I usually have to use about 3/4 c.)
3 Tbl sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of cloves

Mix everything together well and cook just under medium heat (these are pretty dense, so you don't want to cook them too high or they won't cook all the way through). Make sure to spray your pan well. Top with your favorite syrup, or some other clever topping. Makes about 12 pancakes. These are very filling, so I recommend making them a little smaller than your average pancake.

**To make regular oatmeal pancakes: leave out pumpkin and use 2 c buttermilk or about 1 c regular milk.

**For either recipe: Add more flour, if too runny, or more milk, if too thick.

Minestrone Soup

2010-03-04T10:10:00.002-07:00

Heather asked me to post this a couple of weeks ago, so since I'm so on top of things, I'm posting it now. I love Minestrone Soup. I've been making this one for a few years now, and I just can't find one that beats it. I think the key is the can of Bean with Bacon soup. I don't love condensed soups, but the smoky flavor in this one really makes the difference. I got this recipe from the Mormon Essential Celebrations cookbook, by Julie Badger Jensen.

1 lb. pork sausage- (I just use ground pork so I don't have to mess with the casings. I've tried using bulk Italian sausage, but it just overpowers the soup.)
4 c. water
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 (10 oz) can beef broth
1 can bean with bacon soup
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 T. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 cup cooked noodles (optional)

Brown sausage in a large pot. Drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients except noodles, and stir together. Simmer uncovered over low heat for at least 1 hour. Add cooked noodles before serving.

This soup tastes even better the next day.

The noodles are completely optional, but there are some in my family that are more likely to eat a soup that has noodles. If you do add the noodles be sure to cook them first before adding them, otherwise they soak up a lot of the broth.

Crock-pot option: You can make this in your crock pot, by browning the sausage, and then dumping everything except the noodles in the crock pot and cooking on low for the day. Then just add the noodles before serving.

This soup also freezes well. Again, just freeze without the pasta, and then add it before serving.

Jack's Salsa Soup

2010-02-03T22:19:00.006-07:00

So this soup doesn't really have a name my sister had it at a baby shower and asked for the recipe it is really easy and good.

1 container of Jack's Salsa from Costco.
(It is by the fresh Mango salsa, you can probably buy it other places but I get it there.)
4 cans white beans with the juice
2 cups cheese
3 breast of cooked diced chicken (I cooked it in a little garlic powder, or whatever you like)
and about 2 Tablespoons of cumin
put it altogether in a crock pot and leave it for about 4 to 5 hours.

I like to eat the salsa too because it is really good so I use about 3/4 of the salsa 3 cans of beans about 1 1/2 cups of cheese and a little less cumin.

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

2010-01-26T21:25:00.004-07:00

So, this isn't really a recipe - just yet another idea for that pork roast. I just wanted to include it because it is one of my boys favorites. All I do is: Cook a pork roast in a crock pot (in beef broth) on low all day, take it out and shred it. Dump the juices, put the pork back in and add bbq sauce. I think the most important part is to use a really good bbq sauce - not the cheap stuff. Once again, I would like to promote Danielle's bbq sauce on this blog - it's great. If I use a bottled sauce, I usually add some apricot preserves to my liking (Danielle's recipe is usually sweet enough). Also, I know some people add a little pop (i.e., sprite) to their sauce, which is also good. Serve on a yummy role and I'm sure your kids will love it (or are mine the only ones obsessed with bbq sauce?).

Southwestern Pulled Pork

2010-01-26T20:22:00.003-07:00

I got this recipe from Taste of Home. It's another one we all like. I'll have to add a picture later.

Southwestern Pulled Pork
adapted from tasteofhome

3 lb-ish pork roast
1 c. barbecue sauce (make sure it's a good one. I suggest trying the one Danielle posted - it's fantastic!)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cans chopped green chiles
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbl chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano

Cook the roast in 1-2 cups of beef broth, with some S&P and garlic powder in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hrs (or you can just cook the roast in all of the ingredients, if you don't care about draining off the drippings). Remove pork and shred. Remove juices from crock pot and add the rest of ingredients. Add shredded pork and continue to cook for about 2 more hours. Serve on tortillas with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.

Sweet Pork

2010-01-26T20:04:00.003-07:00

I got this recipe from the Sister's Cafe. I am a sucker for sweet + pork anything, so it's one of my favorites.

Sweet Pork
adapted from the Sister's Cafe

3 lb pork roast
1/2 c worcestershire sauce (the original recipe calls for 1 c. - I think it's unnecessary to use an entire cup)
1/2 c beef broth (to make up for the above)
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbl minced onions

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hrs. One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out juices, reserving about a cup. In crock pot mix 1 c. red enchilada sauce and 1 cup brown sugar, then add shredded pork. Add 1/2 - 1 cup of juices to your liking (the original recipe doesn't have you add any of the juice back in, but I think it adds to the flavor). Serve on tortillas with beans and rice, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Chile Verde

2010-01-26T19:08:00.008-07:00

Okay. So I LOVE pork loin roasts. They are yummy, cheap (we buy the huge ones at Sam's and divide them into 3-4 smaller roasts), easy and the possibilities are endless. And, since about half our meals end up being some form of pork loin, I decided to list a few of the regulars... sorry, if it's a bit much pork to swallow.

First up, chile verde (or my americanized version anyway).

Chile Verde

3-4 lb pork roast
1 lrg can (28 oz) green chile enchilada sauce
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cans of green chiles (when I'm in a good mood, I like to roast, peel and chop my own)
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
chicken boullion to taste (about 2 tsp)

To cook the roast you could just combine everything in a crock pot, add the roast and cook all day, but I prefer to cook the roast first without the other stuff, so that I can drain off all the fat drippings and gunk. I cook my roast in the crock pot on low with about a cup or two of beef broth, with some S&P and garlic powder on the roast, for 6-8 hrs. A couple of hours before eating, combine the rest of the ingredients in a med. sauce pan and simmer, so that the veggies are soft. About an hour before serving, shred the pork, return to crock pot, and add the sauce . Serve on tortillas with beans and rice, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, etc.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2010-01-21T08:54:00.007-07:00

We really, really enjoy Indian food. Since we live at least an hour from a decent Indian restaurant, I've been trying to learn to make some of my favorites at home. I've been tweaking this recipe for a few months. To be REAL Tikka Masala you would need a tandoor oven, but this comes pretty darn close. This makes enough for all of us, with a little bit for me to have for lunch the next day.

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Marinade and Chicken:
1 cup plain yogurt (I like the 2% Greek variety, but regular is fine)
1 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled is fine)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut in half or quarters to cook faster

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill chicken or cook chicken in frying pan, then cut into bite-size pieces. I prefer the taste of grilled chicken, so I grill it on my panini maker. Also, it's faster. Discard marinade. While the chicken is grilling, make the sauce.

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 1/4 cup cream (I use plain soy milk)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic for one minute. Stir in cumin, paprika and salt, and stir until fragrant (I have learned this is one of the secrets to Indian food. It really brings out the flavors). Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add chicken pieces and simmer for another 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice. We like jasmine or basmati rice.

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe (and I swiped her photo)

Darn good chocolate cake

2010-01-14T10:35:00.006-07:00

I got this recipe from my sister, Steph, a while ago but since then I have seen it on various blogs as well. I'm sure it has made it into most people's recipe box's, but just in case any of you don't have the recipe, here you go. I normally steer clear of cake mixes. Not that I am too good for simplicity - I just think they're weak. But, there are two recipes that I have that use them, and doctor them up terrifically... this is one. It's super easy, and SUPER yummy.

Darn good chocolate cake:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix
1 pkg 4 oz instant chocolate pudding
4 large eggs
1 c sour cream
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 semi sweet choc. chips

Mix everything together very well, add choc chips. Cook in greased and floured bundt pan (12 cup?... whatever the bigger one is). Bake at 350 for 45-50 min, or until toothpick comes out clean... just don't overbake. Cool about 30 min before removing. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or use a chocolate glaze. Here is what I use:

Chocolate glaze:
On stove, melt 1 pkg chocolate chips, one can sweetened condensed milk and 2 tbl butter together. Remove from heat, then add 1 tsp vanilla. You may want to add a couple tablespoons of milk as well, if it is thicker than you want. Drizzle over cooled cake. Also, I usually only use half of the amount that this makes and just save the rest for something later.

** A couple of side notes:
A yummy variation of this is to use butterscotch pudding and butterscotch chips instead of the chocolate. I know that sounds weird (or yucky), but my sister did this when she didn't have chocolate pudding one time, and it was quite yummy.

Another variation I've tried is to substitute 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree for the oil and 3 of the eggs. Again, it sounds odd. I saw this on the Today show and decided to give it a try. The lady said to replace the oil and eggs in a cake mix recipe for the pumpkin. Cake mix recipes call for 3 eggs and this one uses 4, so I did still added one egg (impressive math skills, right?). Now, I'm not going to say that it tasted exactly the same, or that it was as good as the normal recipe (because I hate when people claim you can't tell the difference). But, I was pleasantly surprised. However, I did notice that it took just a bit longer to cook. I took mine out just a bit too early, and it was a little doughy.

Pumpkin carrot bread/muffins

2010-01-12T15:19:00.008-07:00

I like veggie/fruit breads. I like them a lot. I make them a lot. For some reason, my mind has justified these as being 'healthy', as opposed to cakes or cookies or other baked goods. But, that's probably not quite the case, since I end up eating a good half loaf of bread or half dozen muffins vs. a couple of cookies. Anyways, since I eat them a lot, I like to come up with new combos, or new ways of cutting out some lard, while keeping in some moisture, or adding more hidden veggies in them so that I can use the word 'healthy' with less guilt. So, here is a recipe that I came up with that is moist and 'healthy'. I guess it's very similar to the pumpkin zucchini bread I posted, but it's more on the pumpkiny side and even more moist.

Mix:
2 cups pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/2 c milk

1/2 c oil
1 3/4 c sugar

Add:
2 c shredded carrot

Add:
3 c flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

You can also add 1 cup of choc. chips for some extra yumminess. For bread (makes 2 loaves): grease loaf pans and bake at 325 for 50-65 min, or until toothpick comes out clean, cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pans. For muffins (makes about 24): grease muffin tins, fill almost to top and bake at 350 for 18-22 min, or until set, cool for a few minutes before removing. For mini muffins (makes about 48): grease tins, fill almost to top and bake at 350 for 12-16 min, or until set.

Cheeseburger Soup

2010-01-10T21:47:00.005-07:00

Sorry, no pic at the moment. But, this is a super duper yummy soup. I got this recipe from my sister, Steph, and it won me the 'Best Soup' award at a ward party a few years back. If that isn't a testament of a great soup, then I don't know what is :) It does take a bit more time, than a throw-everything-in-a-pot soup, and dirties a few more dishes, but I (and my family) would say it's worth it. Here is the recipe along with way too many side notes. If you have a large family, or like leftovers, then I would definitely double the recipe.

Cheeseburger Soup:

1/2 pound burger (more if you like a lot of meat)
3/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. grated carrots
3/4 c. chopped celery (I always add a bit more carrot and celery)
4 c. diced (smaller is better) potatoes
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 Tbl. butter
1/4 c. flour (I like it a tad thicker, so I use more like 1/3 c)
3 c. chicken broth
8 oz velveeta, cubed (I add an extra ounce or two for more cheesiness)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream (optional - it's good either way)

Brown burger and set aside. In large skillet, saute veggies and spices in 1/2 of the butter until potatoes are soft (I cover it with a lid until almost done to prevent the veggies from burning before they are cooked). In a large pot, melt the rest of the butter and add flour to form a paste, then add 1/2 of the broth and boil until thick. Add veggies, the rest of the broth and other ingredients (I also add chicken boullion to taste - at least a few teaspoons, maybe more?). Simmer 15-20 minutes. This is a really good soup to serve in a bread bowl.

Southwestern Pasta Salad

2010-01-08T13:38:00.001-07:00

I made this on Wednesday for playgroup, and everybody seemed to like it. I love it. This recipe makes a big salad.

1 (24 oz.) bag Rotini pasta – cooked, drained and cooled

2 cans of black olives - sliced

1 can white kidney beans - rinsed

1 can black beans - rinsed

1 red pepper – diced

6 small tomatoes – seeded and diced

1 (12 oz.) bag of frozen corn (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 – 2 C of shredded Colby Jack cheese

2 jars of Lighthouse Salsa Ranch Dressing

1 C sour Cream

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. Add sour cream and dressing – mix well. Top with additional cheese. Chill.

The original recipe called for garbanzo beans. This is a great recipe for using what you have on hand – the possibilities are endless with this salad. For dinner last night, I threw in some chicken – yum!

No Knead Bread

2010-01-06T15:16:00.005-07:00

I've seen no-knead bread on a lot of blogs. I've tried two different recipes. They are slightly different, but have the same idea. Here are the links to both with a summary of the differences.

Sister's Cafe 5 Minute No-Knead Bread (this is the one I brought to playgroup)

Makes 4 small loaves
Uses lots of yeast--takes about 4 hours start to finish
Bake on a stone with a pan of water for the crust.
More mild flavor
I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and the rest white on the playgroup loaf.

NY Times/ Sullivan Street Bakery Bread (this is the one that seems to be the favorite in the blog world)

Makes 1 large loaf
Uses minimal yeast and takes 1-2 days to rise
Bakes in a dutch oven to generate steam and the crusty exterior.
Longer rise time gives the flavor more time to develop.

I haven't decided which I prefer. I do like that I don't have to plan so far in advance for the Sisters' Cafe version, but I kind of like the flavor of the other. You can be your own judge I suppose.

Italian Kabobs

2010-01-02T11:37:00.007-07:00

Every New Year's Eve I let the kids choose some fun party/appetizer foods for dinner. The kids choose these Italian kabobs every year. The kids love them because all of the ingredients are very kid friendly and they are a lot of fun to put together. The kids love to assemble these while sneaking olives and tortellinis here and there. Sometimes if I have leftover tortellinis from dinner the night before I will make these for the kids to take in their lunch. It makes for a nice change from the regular sandwich. The picture is pretty self explanatory but here are the directions.

1 small pkg. tortellini
1 can black olives
4 pkgs. of string cheese
pepperoni

The only thing there really is to explain is the tortellini can be prepared two different ways.

Option #1- After you boil the pasta you can either add and little butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. My kids preferred way to eat them.

Option #2- Cool the pasta, combine with Italian salad dressing. Let marinate while you get the other ingredients ready. The Italian salad dressing adds a lot of great flavor. This is my preferred way to eat them.

Brie and Cherry Pastry Cups

2009-12-26T11:19:00.001-07:00

I made these for company on Christmas Eve. They were a hit, but It was just my mom and my sister, so they probably wouldn’t tell me if they tasted awful. My mom did take the recipe and all of my leftover ingredients to make them for her company, so I think she liked them.

I thought they were quite tasty, and took minimal effort – perfect for busy holiday times. This recipe is from my friend Betty at this site.

INGREDIENTS:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3-ounce package), thawed

1/3 to 1/2 cup red cherry preserves (see substitution note)

4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 1/2x1/2-inch pieces (36 pieces)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (I didn’t add these)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°. Spray 36 miniature muffin cups with cooking spray. Cut pastry into 36 (1 1/2-inch) squares. Slightly press each square into muffin cup; press center with finger.

Bake 10 minutes. They will be all puffed up, so press the center with handle of a wooden spoon (I used the handle of my whisk – it was the perfect shape). Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until golden brown. Immediately press again in center. Fill each with about 1/2 teaspoon preserves. Top with cheese piece, pecans and chives.

Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Substitution

If you like spicy foods, try substituting red or green jalapeño jelly for the cherry preserves. It's a delicious touch of sweet and spice!

(I used green jalapeño jelly – not too spicy, just a little bit of heat like an after burn. We liked these more than the cherry ones.)

Also, since there was extra jalapeño jelly I poured some on top of a brick of cream cheese and we spread this on crackers – good stuff!

Do-Ahead

Go ahead and assemble the cups and bake up to 4 hours in advance, omitting the final bake time for melting the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Right before serving, heat at 375° just until warm and cheese is melted.

Spinach Artichoke Salad

2009-12-23T15:14:00.004-07:00

Heather requested this recipe so I don't have a picture. I don't know why I have not made this salad in such a long time. As I was typing the directions my mouth was watering just thinking about how good this salad is. This salad really does taste better if you make it the day before, so if you can plan ahead your taste buds will thank you.

1 small pkg. cheese filled tortellini
1/4 -1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach
1 (15 oz.) can baby artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
1/2 small red onion
1 clove garlic, cracked from skin
1 lemon, zested
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaved, chopped or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Black pepper
Handful of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, coarsely chopped

Boil tortellini according to package direction. Remember to salt the water. Cool tortellini on cookie sheet in a single layer. Coarsely chop baby spinach. Combine with artichoke pieces, roasted red pepper and red onion. Chop garlic, then add salt to it and mash it into a paste with the flat of your knife. Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and add lemon zest, lemon juice and vinegar to it. Whisk in oil, thyme and pepper. Add pasta and sun-dried tomatoes to the salad. Dress salad and gently toss.

Choco Bake

2009-12-17T19:40:00.003-07:00

Heather Turner sent me a message and asked me if I would give her the recipe for this cake. I figured I would post it here just in case it sounds good to anyone else. This cake is similar to a Texas sheet cake but better because it has a layer of marshmallow cream in between the cake and the frosting. The frosting is thinner than a Texas sheet cake frosting. If you prefer the thicker frosting I am sure you could substitute your favorite chocolate frosting.

1 stick of butter
1/2 c. oil
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 C. water
Boil together. Pour boiling mixture over the following ingredients:

Combine:
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Pour batter into a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 25 min. Let cool for 5 min. Spread 1 small jar of marshmallow cream over the top. (To help the marshmallow cream spread easier, put it in the microwave for about 1 min. to help soften.) Let the marshmallow cream set up on the cake.

Frosting
1/2 C. butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa
6 Tbsp. milk
2 1/2 - 3 C. powdered sugar

Beat until smooth in a saucepan over medium heat. Frost cake

Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

2009-12-15T14:46:00.002-07:00

I saw these in My Kitchen Cafe and I knew I had to make them. Rocky and Brayden LOVE cheesecake, so I knew they would like these. I am the only one who likes cherry, so I used strawberry pie filling instead. I had wanted to use raspberry, but they were all out. I was a little worried at first. I thought the strawberry filling was a little nasty. But, once it was cooked, it tasted fine. These cookies are SOOOO good!! The recipe makes alot, and they are rich, so I am making Rocky take some to work with him tomorrow. No pictures again. My camera is broken. I wanted one for Christmas, but it looks like it will have to wait. Anyway, for a picture, head over to My Kitchen Cafe( I was going to put in a link, but I forgot how. Help anyone??)

Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cans (20 oz) cherry pie filling

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl with and electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Place graham cracker crumbs in a shallow dish.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll the balls in graham cracker crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Place 3 cherries(I put 2 strawberries) in the dimple. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

It really helps if the dough is really cold. I kept the bowl in the fridge between batches.

Lion House Gingerbread

2009-12-13T15:04:00.003-07:00

Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday desserts. I'm not talking about the cookies, but the actual gingerbread itself. It is dense and full of flavor. I love it so much we served it at our wedding, because, yes, we were crazy enough to get married in December. So to celebrate our anniversary here is the recipe.

Lion House Gingerbread

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 eggs-well beaten
1 cups molasses
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. powdered cloves
1 cups hot water

Cream butter and sugar well, about 3-4 minutes in an electric mixer. Add eggs and molasses. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together in a separate and add to creamed mixture. Add hot water and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes minutes at 350. You can serve it with fresh whipped cream, sliced bananas, powdered sugar, or just plain.

Coconut Macaroons

2009-12-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from Alton Brown.

Click HERE to see him make them. I found this video to be helpful.

I made these for neighbor gifts last year. It’s a good thing I gave them away, or else I would have eaten every one of them myself. I didn’t top mine with chocolate – they were quite tasty with out it. These cookies do not taste like the macaroons you get from the store – they are so much better!

P.S. I converted some of Alton’s measurements to cups so that they are easier to measure.

Ingredients:

2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 C sweetened condensed milk
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
2/3 granulated sugar

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
2 ounces finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Alton used his hands, but I found a wooden spoon to be sufficient.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl and microwave until melted.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.

New Categories/Labels

2009-12-09T11:52:00.006-07:00

Some new categories have been added to the right - I have tried to add labels to most of the existing recipes, but if you feel that your recipe should have an additional label, just edit your post and add the label at the bottom.

Caramel Popcorn

2009-12-09T11:00:00.004-07:00

This recipe is so easy, and I always have the ingredients on hand. I can have this stuff made in about 15 minutes. We can't stay out of it and it's usually gone in one sitting. I like it because it makes a big batch and I can divy it up and give some away to the neighbors for Christmas.

Ingredients:

4 quarts popped popcorn (1/2 C Kernels)

1/2 C butter

1 C brown sugar

15 lg. marshmallows - or 2 C mini

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add sugar and marshmallows and stir over medium/hight heat until mixture comes to a boil. Pour over popcorn and mix until the popcorn is evenly coated.

We eat it right out of the bowl, but you could spread it out on a cookies sheet so that it will cool and can be put into some type of a container to give away.

Sugar Cookies

2009-11-30T13:48:00.008-07:00

This is a great sugar cookie recipe that I got from my sister-in-law, Dolly. Jessica, tell Taylor I'm sorry it took me so long to get this posted :)

Sugar Cookies:

Cream:
1 c. butter or shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1/2 c. sour cream

Add:
4 c. flour (more if needed)
1 1/2 tsp b. soda
1 tsp salt

If your dough is really sticky/tacky, then you may need to add a little more flour... just don't add too much. Chill dough for at least an hour. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch (or a little thicker) on a floured surface (helps to make sure you rolling pin stays floured as well). Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes - DO NOT OVER BAKE! They will taste like any other dry sugar cookie, if you do. Error on the side of under cooked - they shouldn't really have any brown on them.

It's just as important to use a good frosting recipe as it is to use a good cookie recipe - so that you end up with a great sugar cookie. Here's the one I use, in case you don't have one:

Frosting:
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c shortening (or use all butter if you don't care for shortening)
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl milk
5 - 6 c powdered sugar (I'm not exactly sure how much I use - I just add a little at a time until it's at the consistency that I like)
A few dashes of salt

Beat butter and shortening together. Add powdered sugar about a half cup at a time until it's smooth and stiff. Add milk, vanilla, and salt, and mix well. Add a bit more p. sugar to get it back to the right consistency, if needed.

Apple Dip

2009-11-27T20:15:00.003-07:00

I got this recipe a few years ago from my sister-in-law, Kelly. It is soooo yummy.

Apple Dip:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 pkg toffee bits

Whip together cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Add vanilla, then toffee chips. If you want crunchy bits, then add just before serving. If you want them more dissolved, then let them sit overnight.

Brined Turkey

2009-11-25T08:10:00.008-07:00

Today we are getting ready to dunk the turkey. For the last 5 years, we have brined our turkey for Thanksgiving. I have never had a better turkey. Moist and flavorful. Some have asked us if it's too salty, but we have not noticed a huge difference. The only drawback is that you can't make homemade gravy from the drippings. So save the gibblets for gravy. This recipe is a mixture of several that Steve has perfected over the years.

Brine:

1 C Salt
1 C Brown Sugar

2 Oranges, quartered

2 Lemons, quartered

6 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs rosemary

You will also need some type of large container.

We use a 5 gallon bucket lined with a garbage bag.

To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water (we do this right in the bucket). Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons into the water, and then throw the rinds in too. Then add the thyme, and rosemary. If you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water. Let the turkey sit in this brine for about 24 hrs. in the fridge or some other cold place. We leave ours in the garage - don't let it freeze though!

We Stuff the turkey with:

1 orange slice
1 yellow onion, cut into big chunks

1 stalk celery, cut into large pieces

1 carrot, cut into large pieces

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of thyme

1/2 bunch sage

3 sprigs parsley

We Season the turkey this way:

1/4 of an orange
Room temperature butter

Salt and pepper

Rub the orange all over the turkey.

Rub butter all over the turkey - even under the skin too.

Season w/ salt and pepper as desired.

This is how we Cook the turkey:

You will need about 2-3 cups of chicken stock.

Cook at 325 degrees. Cook the turkey upside down (breasts down) for the first hour. Flip it over after that. Baste the turkey ever 45 min or so w/ a 1/2 Cup of chicken stock. As the turkey gets brown, tent it w/ aluminum foil. It took our 12lb. turkey about 3 hrs to cook.

We have cooked this in a bag before, and that works great too - it takes less time.

Not your Campbell's Green Bean Casserole

2009-11-24T13:15:00.003-07:00

I've always really liked green bean casserole--even the Campbell's version, and it is a staple at Thanksgiving dinners for us. This, however, is a fresher take on it--better flavor, less mushy. It is an Alton Brown recipe from Food Network. He fries his own onions, but I still use the French's. I guess I'm not ready to give up all my processed foods. But if you are feeling ambitious the instructions are here.

Green Bean Casserole

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound fresh or frozen green beans cooked until barely tender in salted water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (He calls for 12 oz, but it's easier to just throw in an 8 oz package of already sliced 'shrooms .)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1-1/3 cup french fried onions

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms start to release their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and nutmeg and cook for a minute or two more. Sprinkle the mixture with flour, stir until mushrooms are coated, and cook for one minute. Add broth and simmer for a minute more. Reduce heat to medium low and add half and half. Cook until mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Pour mixture into a casserole dish. Top with remaining onions. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pineapple Pie

2009-11-23T14:44:00.004-07:00

I took this pie to Drew's Thanksgiving play at school today. Several people asked me for the recipe so I think that qualifies it for here. I'll have to remember to take a picture when I make it again on Thursday. With such a cute first grader/acorn squash to take pictures of there was no time for food photography.

This pie is super easy and is great to add variety to the usual Thanksgiving pie selection.

Need: 2 unbaked pie shells, top and bottom
1-20 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
3 level Tablespoons tapioca
7/8 cups sugar (are you serious? use a scant cup)
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
sprinkle of salt

Mix the above together and let stand while you make the crust. Put in a pie shell and pat the top with butter. (Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever done this. I don't read instructions very well.)

Cover with top shell. Vent top crust with a fork or cut a pretty design in it. Seal edges with milk or water. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.

Chicken Corn Chowder

2009-11-23T09:46:00.002-07:00

It's soup night again at my house, so I decided to post this since we all loved it, and nobody else is posting anything.

I made this a couple of weeks ago when we had company for dinner. It was a huge hit, with Mark's brother having helping after helping. I was glad I doubled the recipe for guests. This soup received the hard to earn title of "Family Favorite" which means all six of us enjoyed it. I also really like how colorful it is with the celery, corn, and red pepper. PLUS...its really easy.

I'm not ashamed to say this came straight from My Kitchen Cafe, including the picture. Thanks Melanie! My notes are in italics.

*Plan Ahead: This recipe calls for cooked chicken.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (I was afraid of the jalapeno, but with the seeds and membrane removed it added no heat, just a really great flavor)
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I grilled the chicken because I like the flavor)
4 oz. softened cream cheese (To avoid lumps, soften in microwave until almost melted)
1 cup milk (I used plain soy milk to cut down on the dairy for Sarah)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I recommend sharp or extra sharp)

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

2009-11-19T17:53:00.003-07:00

Here is my contribution for Thanksgiving. I always thought I didn't like cranberry sauce. I usually don't care for something that retains the shape of the can it came from. Then one year at Mark's mom's Thanksgiving Dinner, his step-mom brought this (don't even try to figure that out). It is so different from stuff you slice from the can. Now I really like Cranberry Sauce, and best of all...its easy! This is the only picture I could find.

2 juicy oranges (Buy a couple extra, they need to be JUICY)
1 bag cranberries
1/3 cup sugar (This is just to start with. You may need to add more according to taste since cranberries are really tart. No matter how much you add it won't be as much as the stuff you buy.)

Process the oranges and cranberries in a food processor (or a blender) until desired consistency. I like mine a little chunky. Then add the sugar until you get the desired sweetness.

You can also play with this and add spices like cinnamon or cloves. You can also add a little orange juice, or whatever you want.

This will also keep in the fridge for a long time.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Raised Potato Doughnuts

2009-11-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Sam Dyreng. They are fantastic. I don't usually like doughnuts, but I could not get enough of these. I have scaled it down. The original recipe makes 100, but 50 were plenty for us, the neighbors, and the Saturday morning flag football group (rave reviews all around), and so I have scaled it down to 50, and of course, added my notes because I like to share my opinions on things. Be sure and eat them fresh (like within the first hour). They are not the same the next day.

Raised Potato Doughnuts
1-1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shortening (I used half butter half shortening because that's all I could scrape out of my 4 year old can of Crisco. Next time I'll try all butter.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed potatoes (Sam actually made mashed potatoes with real potatoes and milk and stuff. I used potato pearls. Both were good.)
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon dry yeast
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp nutmeg
6-7 cups flour (I needed a little more to get a workable dough.)
Combine milk, shortening, salt, sugar, mashed potatoes, and heat to lukewarm. (Instead of heating it all together I just warmed my milk in the microwave, made sure my potatoes were still warm and threw it all in the mixer. Saved myself a pot.)

Add beaten eggs and yeast that has been dissolved in the warm water.

Add half of the flour and beat until well blended and smooth. Add lemon juice, zest, and nutmeg.

Add remaining flour to make a soft but firm dough (firm enough to roll at least). Knead until smooth.

Let raise until doubled in bulk. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts. Let raise again until doubled (30-40 minutes). (I just realized I totally skipped the second raising. They turned out great anyway.)

Deep fry in fat at 375 degrees until golden on each side. Drain on paper towels then dip in prepared glaze.

Glaze

2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (you can also substitute maple flavoring)
3 to 5 tablespoons of milk

With a mixer mix sugar and butter. Add vanilla and milk to desired consistency.

Apple Cherry Tart

2009-11-17T14:39:00.006-07:00

We seem to be lacking in recipe postings lately, especially since it's coming up on Thanksgiving. So here is a call out for all of your Holiday Favorites.

We are very basic in our Thanksgiving meal. Pretty much the same thing every year. The only place that I get to experiment is with the dessert. I'm not a huge fan of making pies. I think they take a lot of work. In my opinion, you can have a great crisp or cobbler - it takes less time, and usually turns out better. My Mom would completely disagree with this statement, because she is a huge fan of Pie Crust. This recipe works for both of us.

Because this is a Pampered Chef recipe, it is made on a 13" stone, but I'm pretty sure you could make this on a cookie sheet just fine. I will try and make it soon so I can add a photo.

Crumb Topping:
2/3 c flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 C butter, softened
1/2 C pecans, chopped

Tart:
1 Pie Crust*
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling, divided
2 lg. Granny Smith apples - pealed, cored and sliced thin

Preheat oven to 400.
Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. This can be done with a pastry blender or possibly a fork. You are looking for a nice crumbled mixture. Then mix in the pecans. Set aside.
(I've done this step using completely melted butter, so that I don't have to use a pastry blender, and it turned out a little different, but still great.)

Roll pie crust into a 13" circle and place on greased stone/sheet. Layer apples evenly over crust to within 1 inch of the edge of the crust. Spread at least 1/2 C of the pie filling over the apples. (I always use more.) Sprinkle crumb topping over cherries. Fold outer edge of pastry over the very edges of the filling to form a rim. Bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

I like this best served warm, with ice cream. You can top the ice cream with the left over cherries.

* I have always made this with a store bought pie dough - you have to roll it out a little to get it to make 13". I am sure that it is so much better with a homemade dough.

Pumpkin Bars

2009-10-28T08:45:00.004-06:00

Lately the "phantom" has been leaving treats in our neighborhood. One night he left some pumpkin bars. Since people really liked them, he left me the recipe, which he got from a friend (Neisha), who got it from allrecipes.com.

Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 2/3 c. sugar
1-15 oz. can pumpkin puree
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt

Frosting
1-3 oz. pkg. cream cheese-softened
1/2 c. butter-softened
1 t. vanilla
2 c. sifted powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowlmix the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin with mixer until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread batter evenly into an ungreased 10x15 jelly roll pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating until smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares. You can garnish the top any way you like, or if you are a purist, like me, just leave them plain.

White Bean Chicken Chili

2009-10-20T12:17:00.011-06:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes. When it comes to soups and stews, I have found that they are really just a guideline. Throw in what you like. If it's not good - don't do that next time. Maybe it's just the time of year, but when I'm making soup, sometimes I feel like a witch as I throw ingredients into my bubbling cauldron.

This chili is wonderful. I usually make it for gatherings, because it's not the type of soup my family will eat. So I'd rather enjoy it with my friends instead of fighting with the kids about eating it. It's also not that spicy and that's how I like it. If you want more heat, add some.

Below is how I made it last time, for our playgroup.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons oil
1/4 C dried onions
2 tsp. minced garlic

1 pound chicken

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
2 (1 4 .5 once) cans diced tomatoes
2 (4 ounce) can of whole green chilis, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans cannellini/white kidney beans, rinsed

1 can kernel corn with liquid

1 can sweet corn with liquidcd
salt and pepper to taste

IDEAS FOR GARNISH:

limes, cilantro, cheese, avocados, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil, and sauté the chicken with the onions and garlic, until nice and browned. This may need to be done in batches (see note). Add the broth to the chicken and then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 15 minutes. More simmering = better flavor in my book. Make sure that you bring the soup back down to a simmer after it boils, or else your chicken will become tough if it sits in a rolling boil for too long.

Lots of Notes (Sorry, it's a control issue)!

I usually cut up raw chicken into bite size pieces and then cook them. You could easily just throw in whole pieces, but then you should take them out after they are cooked and cut them up. To get a nice browning, your pan should be quite hot and not overfilled with chicken or else it will just steam - which isn't bad - the most important thing is that the chicken is cooked through.

If you have already cooked chicken, just throw it in with the broth after you heat up the onions and the garlic in the oil. You can add more or less chicken depending on how much you have. My friend Heather posted this on her blog and wondered if she might just make it chickenless one day.

I use dried onions, because I have a giant can of them, but feel free to use a fresh onion if you want to. Same with the garlic - mine comes from a jar in the fridge - but if you have fresh cloves, use them.

What are Tomatillos? Well, you can get them fresh also, but I get mine from a can in the Spanish isle at Smiths (not sure if Days even carries them). They seem like green tomatoes to me, and are quite interesting in my opinion, they kind of explode when you chop them up.

I'm sure you could use a variety of different types of tomatoes - fresh, stewed, bottled, diced - I wouldn't recommend paste or sauce, but who knows it might be the best soup you've ever had. Same with beans, there are many varieties - but if you don't use white ones, then you have to change the title.

And finally, corn: really, use what ya got, fresh, frozen, canned, I throw in the juice, but you don't have to - it's all good. I mean isn't that what making soup is all about - using up what's in your pantry/freezer. This is a great food storage recipe - hey, if you're up for it, you can even use canned chicken!

P.S. I just went to look in the fridge to see what kind of "garlic from a jar" I have, and I can only find the lid. Now I'm really worried about where I might find the bottle. Wonder who was watching Henry?

"Souper" Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-10-13T14:59:00.010-06:00

Yes, I am posting again. Some of my favorite recipes are from the contributors of this blog, so I decided if you are too shy to post them, I will.

Monday is soup night at our house. The other day Mark requested homemade chicken noodle soup. I have never made homemade chicken noodle soup, but Mark insists I have, and remembers it being good. I'm sure someone must have brought us some in the last couple of years. Evidently Mark loved it, so I was feeling some pressure. Then I remembered this recipe I got from Sara last Christmas. It must have been the "easy" in the title that stuck in my brain.

Not only is this soup easy, it turned out delicious. Everyone in my family, from Mark right down to Gracie, ate it up. I also love the crock pot option. Thanks Sara!

3 qts. water
10-12 chicken bouillon cubes (or 1/3 cup chicken soup base)
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. basil
2-3 chicken breasts (uncooked)
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion
3-4 large handfuls of Country Pasta noodles

In a large pot, or crock pot*, add water, bouillon. seasonings, chicken and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked. Remove chicken and shred. Return to a boil. Add noodles. Cook until noodles are tender. Put shredded chicken back in and enjoy.

*In a crock pot, follow the above directions, but start in the morning. Allow to cook all day. Remove chicken to shred and add noodles. Replace chicken and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until noodles are tender.

Tips from Sara: If the chicken is frozen, it doesn't need to be thawed.

Also, if your kids won't eat onions, leave the onion whole for cooking and remove it before serving.

Here on the Wasatch Back you can find Country Pasta on the bottom shelf on the noodle aisle at Day's.

Light wheat rolls

2009-10-11T13:18:00.001-06:00

I know I have given out this recipe to some of you, but I have done some tweeking. Basically I reduced the honey and water just a bit because it seemed like I was always adding more flour at the end so the dough would get to the right consistency. I have several roll recipes that I rotate through, but this is the only recipe that uses wheat flour. Since I like to justify eating things that are not good for you. I figure since these have half wheat flour you should be able to eat 2 maybe 3 more than your average roll with all white flour. If any of you have wheat but no wheat grinder, you may come over to my house anytime and use my wheat grinder anytime. Actually, even if you don't have any wheat you may still come over and I will grind some wheat for you to take home.

2 pkgs. active dry yeast or 4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. olive oil
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
2 3/4 c. white flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 min. Combine honey, salt, olive oil and egg into yeast mixture. Add the whole wheat flour. Mix well. Stir in white flour 1/2 c. at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (Sometimes I have to add as much as another 1/2 c. flour.) Continue to knead in mixer for another 4-5 min. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down dough, cover and let rise until it doubles again, about 30 minutes. Punch down dough, and divide into 24 golf ball size balls. Place dough onto a greased jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet. Let rise uncovered in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and brush with melted butter.

Italian Sausage Spaghetti

2009-10-06T22:45:00.003-06:00

I LOVE using my crock pot. Its great for those crazy days when its just easier to make dinner in the morning (which, come to think of it, is just about every day). Spaghetti is always a hit at our house, and this sauce is a favorite of all members of our family. It makes a lot of sauce, so I've also used it when we invite people to dinner. Last, but not least, it freezes well, so I often make a double batch and freeze some for later.

1 pkg. (5-6 sausages) Italian sausage links cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 c. diced onions- or a handful of dehydrated onion
3 T. sugar
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
2 garlic cloves-minced
1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1-15 oz. can tomato sauce
1-12 oz can tomato paste
1-15 oz. can Italian tomatoes-diced, stewed, whatever
1 lb. spaghetti noodles

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker, except the noodles. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over cooked noodles.

Note: You can also use turkey sausage, which I prefer, but I can't always find it here. I've had success with several different brands of sausage. The only time it didn't turn out was when I used Western Family brand. It was gross.

Tortellini Soup

2009-10-05T18:15:00.009-06:00

Soup season is here, and this is one of my favorite soups. It's hearty, and the tortellini makes it a favorite with all the noodle fans at my house. I got the recipe from Liz. I hope you like it.

1/2 lb to 1 lb. Italian sausage
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 c. water
2 cans beef broth
3 sliced carrots
1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 c. sliced zucchini
4 Tbsp parsley
1/2 c. apple juice
1 chopped green pepper
8 oz. package cheese tortellini (I double this)

Brown sausage with chopped onion and garlic. Drain fat. Add everything but the tortellini. Simmer 30 minutes. Add tortellini 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Bliss Cupcakes

2009-09-25T13:14:00.004-06:00

Fall is here Hallelujah! If you only do one thing to celebrate make these.I am serious, if these cupcakes were a religion I would be tempted to convert.

3 Cups Flour
1 T plus 1 t pumpkin pie spice ( I just make my own with spices I already have and google the recipe)
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 Cups Sugar ( I know seriously..it makes alot of cupcakes...does that make the sugar content okay?)
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with liners or spray with baking spray. Sift together Flour, spice, soda, and salt. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin and eggs. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the oil and orange juice until smooth. Add flour mixture and fold together until incorporated-do not over mix. Bake 20-25 minutes and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 T Vanilla(I you can find it with vanilla bean specks it makes these soooo pretty)
5 Cups Confectioners Sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla and beat. Add sugar one cup at a time and continue to beat an additional five minutes.

Whole Wheat Bread

2009-09-17T14:01:00.002-06:00

I have tried 4,975 different whole wheat bread recipes. Liz told me that she heard this one was good so I gave it a go. It is by far the very best and easiest bread recipe. Start to finish one hour. Try it you will not be disappointed.

Whole Wheat Bread

makes 2 loaves

3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 Cup gluten flour or Vital Wheat Gluten

1 1/4 T. instant yeast(or quick rising)

2 1/2 C very warm tap water

1 T salt

1/3 Cup Oil (I used Olive Oil)

1/3 C honey or 1/2 C Sugar ( I used honey)

1 1/4 T Bottled Lemon Juice

2-2 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour

Mix together the first three ingredients in mixer with a dough hook. Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Add salt, oil, honey or sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This makes a very soft dough.

Preheat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turned dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves, place in oiled bread pans. Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches the top of pan. Do not remove bread from oven;turn oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Fresh peach pie

2009-09-15T14:17:00.007-06:00

The highlight of peach season for me: fresh peach pie. As far back as I can remember there was always the debate in my home over fresh v. cooked peach pie. My vote is fresh, so here is the recipe.

Fresh Peach Pie:

2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. cold water
1 3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. cornstarch (or Ultragel works great)
1/8 tsp. salt
1 pkg (3 oz) orange or peach jello (I like orange better)
1/4 c. lemon juice
4 c. ripe, peeled, and sliced peaches

Bring 2 c. water to a boil in saucepan. Make a paste with the cold water, sugar, starch, and salt. Pour into the pan of boiling water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes thick-about 5 minutes. Add jello and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Cool a bit, then stir in peaches. Pour into baked pie shells and put in fridge to set up. Makes 2 pies. Whipped cream (the real kind) is great on top.

Simple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-09-14T09:30:00.001-06:00

Simple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

We had this cake yesterday, and it was delicious. I don't have a food processor, so I just used a fine grater for the carrots. If you like bigger carrot chunks, use the courser grater. The frosting is super smooth and creamy. I didn't use the nuts on top because I am not a nut fan, but I used MKC's picture because we had already devoured half the cake before I thought to take one.

Cake Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp table salt
1 lb. medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil , safflower oil, or canola oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan or two 9-inch round pans. This step is key as I found out the hard way.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside. In a food processor shred carrots, you should have about 3 cups shredded carrots. Use a large shredding disk for bigger carrot chunks or a fine shredding disk for smaller carrots pieces. Transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.

Beat granulated and brown sugars and eggs on medium-high until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil). Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.

Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time (I didn't rotate my 9-inch pans). Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours (Mine didn't take quite that long).

Frosting: (She recommended doubling this for two 9-inch layers, but I had way too much frosting left over, and I love frosting. Next time I'll try doing a 1 1/2 recipe)
8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 Tbsp unsalted butter softened, but still cool
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. confectioners' sugar (4 1/2 ounces)

When cake is cool, mix cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium high speed in mixer with whisk attachment (or in large bowl using hand held mixer) until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute. Frost and eat!

Chicken with mushrooms and zucchini

2009-08-27T11:35:00.005-06:00

Last one. I'm not exactly sure which blog site I got this off of, but I'm pretty sure it was either The Sisters' Cafe or My Kitchen Cafe. We liked this one a lot and the only adjustment I made was increasing the amount of sauce. I have posted the recipe with the changes.

Chicken with mushrooms and zucchini:

1 lb chicken, cut into 1" chunks
cornstarch for dusting
1 Tbl vegetable oil
1 Tbl sesame oil
4 Tbl soy sauce
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbl oyster sauce (the original recipe doesn't call for this)
1 package of fresh button mushrooms
3-4 small zucchinis, cut into 1" chunks

Lightly dust chicken with cornstarch. Heat oils in large skillet or wok and fry chicken until golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Add zucchini and mushrooms to pan and stir fry for a few minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and oyster sauce, and stir fry until veggies are fully cooked. Add the chicken back to pan and stir to coat with sauce. Serve over hot rice. I also through some cashews on top.

Chocolate zucchini bread

2009-08-27T11:28:00.006-06:00

Yet, another zucchini bread recipe. This recipe is adapted from one I found on allrecipes.com

Chocolate zucchini bread:
Mix:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar

Add:
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream (I use light sour cream) or plain yogurt
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

Sift in:
2 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Add:
2-2 1/2 c. grated zucchini
3/4 c semi sweet choc chips

Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 325-350 for 50-60 min (or until toothpick comes out clean. Don't over bake). Let cool before removing from pan.

*since originally posting this recipe, I have found a way to cut out 1/2 of the butter and some of the sugar without sacrificing flavor. I think it may even be better than before (crazy). I have changed the recipe to the newer, healthier version.

Pumpkin zucchini bread

2009-08-27T11:12:00.010-06:00

Here are a few more zucchini recipes for that plethora of zukes... oh wait, Luke keeps picking all of mine before they are longer than 4 inches, so I don't have a mountain of zucchini like I should. First one, you guessed it: zucchini bread. I like pumpkin bread and I like zucchini bread, so I decided to make a two in one.

Pumpkin zucchini bread:
Cream:
3/4 c. oil or butter, softened
1 3/4 c sugar

Add:

1/2 c. milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 c pumpkin puree
2 c grated zucchini

Sift in:
3 c flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
11/2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
few dashes cloves

Add 3/4 c semi sweet choc. chips (optional). Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 325-350 for 45-60 min (take out as soon as that toothpick comes out clean... don't over bake). Let cool before removing from pan. For muffins: fill greased or lined tins almost to the top and cook at 350 for 16-20 min. for reg. muffins or 12-16 min. for mini muffins.

California Grilled Veggie Sandwiches

2009-08-23T17:59:00.002-06:00

It looks like Liz has beat me to it, but if your counter is covered with the same vegetables mine is right now, you can never have enough zucchini recipes.

I made these last week and told Dave, "Call me crazy, but I really love these sandwiches." To which he replied, "I really love these sandwiches too." I turned up my hearing aid and asked for a repeat, but he really did use the word "love" in connection with vegetable sandwiches. I think that's a fair endorsement.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell peppers
1 small zucchini
1 red onion
1 small yellow squash
loaf of foccaccia bread, or other artisan bread, sliced however you prefer for sandwiches
sliced or shredded Swiss or Provolone cheese

Combine mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate while other ingredients are prepared.

Preheat grill to high heat.

Slice zucchini and squash lengthwise, a little thinner than a quarter inch. Slice bell peppers and onions the same thickness as the squash. Toss in a bowl with olive oil. Arrange on hot grill with zucchini and pepper near the middle and onions and squash around. Grill for about 3 minutes each side, or until they start to blacken. Remove from grill.

To assemble sandwiches. Spread each side of bread with mayonnaise. Layer vegetables as desired, top with cheese, and 2nd slice of bread. You may want to use toothpicks to hold it together. Place assemble sandwich on grill over low heat and cook until cheese is melted.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

May I also recommend, for your zucchini eating pleasure:

Pineapple Zucchini Bread, Prudence Pennywise's version that is a bit healthier and less cake-like, so when you eat it for breakfast you don't have to feel guilty, and

Pasta with Squash and Garlic, just a simple, fast way to cook up some zukes on a busy night.

Zucchini couscous

2009-08-23T16:05:00.010-06:00

In honor of the plentiful vegetable we know and love, I am posting not one but two recipes to help you use up some of your zucchini. Actually, I happen to really like the taste of zucchini so I like to use it in dishes that do not combine it with chocolate chips. Don't get me wrong, I love the sweet breads from zucchini but I also like the more "vegetable" type recipes too. I came up with this recipe after watching a similar dish on the Food Network. I did a little tweaking and came up with this. I think other vegetables could be used in place of the zucchini too. Think, chopped broccoli, peas, or squash maybe?

1 1/2 c. chopped zucchini

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3/4 c. plain couscous

1 c. chicken broth

In a skillet heat olive oil on med. high heat. Add green onions, garlic and zucchini. Saute until zucchini becomes softened and garlic and onions are cooked. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Next, stir in couscous and cover with a lid. Remove pan from heat. Let sit for five minutes or until all of the chicken broth is absorbed. Fluff couscous with a fork and serve.

Chocolate chip zuchinni muffins

2009-08-21T08:38:00.007-06:00

These muffins are a great change from the usual zucchini bread. They have just enough sweetness to make them kid friendly. Last time I made them I baked up a bunch in my mini muffin tin so they were the perfect size for little hands. Emily even suggested that I could make for her to take in her cold lunch. I found this recipe last year on this blog. Last time I checked she had 19 zucchini recipes so this website might be a good spot to check if you have a crazy amount of zucchini to get rid of.

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder (I upped it to 1 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup finely shredded zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional, I didn't do the nuts)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper liners. Spray the paper liners with nonstick spray. (This is key, or the muffin will stick to the liner)In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar to blend them smoothly. Whisk in the oil and vanilla until blended. Use a large spoon to stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Stir in the zucchini, then stir in chocolate chips and walnuts (if using) until evenly distributed. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into each paper liner. Bake until the tops are light brown and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 23 minutes. If the toothpick penetrates a chocolate chip, test another spot.Cool muffins in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Using pot holders to protect your hands, invert the muffin pan onto a wire rack and tap the bottom to release the muffins. Turn the muffins right side up to cool for about 15 minutes and serve warm, or let cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Blackened Corn Salsa

2009-08-20T12:53:00.007-06:00

I got this recipe from Prudence Pennywise. Has anyone tried it yet? If you haven't, you really need to! I made chicken enchilada's last night for dinner. My kids are REALLY picky and like them pretty plain. Rocky and I like actual flavor in our food, so I thought I would give this a try. I put it in our enchilada's and it really added flavor! Rocky ate a little bit with tortilla chips and really liked it. Check out her website for a picture. I didn't get a picture of it, sorry!

Blackened Corn Salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups corn fresh or thawed, if frozen
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add corn and onion and cook, stirring from time to time, until corn and onion are blackened in places. Combine with other ingredients in a medium bowl and serve.

Add a little Spice to your chicken

2009-08-11T19:45:00.003-06:00

Grilled Southwestern Chicken

4-(5-6 oz) boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup canola oil
3 Tb cider vinegar
1 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Flatten chicken to even thickness and set aside. In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients an mix well. Place chicken and marinade in resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 1-2 hours. Remove chicken and discard marinade. It is VERY important to grill this on low heat. The marinade will scorch otherwise. That is also why it is important to flatten the chicken.

Serve with salad greens and ranch dressing. YUMMY!

Also, if anyone out there has any great ideas for healthy, filling on the go breakfasts, it would be appreciated. Happy cooking!