tasty.

Chewy Pretzel Bites

2011-02-13T20:18:00.000-08:00

I made these for Superbowl and they are Delicious! They aren't super difficult, but you may want to go to Melskitchencafe.com and check out the picture-by-picture tutorial if you make these. It was very helpful. I doubled this recipe and it made a TON. I would suggest making the recipe as is and it would be a great afterschool snack, poolside snack or movie snack. They are yummy dipped in a marinara sauce, too.

**** If you use active dry yeast (which I did), use 1 Tablespoon yeast and proof the yeast in the warm water and sugar (let it bubble and foam about 5 minutes) before adding it to the flour & salt.

*Makes about 2 dozen pretzel bites.

Dough:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 c. very warm water

Topping:
1/2 c. warm water
2 Tablespoons baking soda
Coarse salt (optional)
3 Tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix to just combine. Add the water and mix well, adding more flour, as needed, a bit at a time to form a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides and bottom of the bowl. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth and quite slack. The goal is to get a really soft dough that isn't overly sticky. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a gallon ziploc bag; close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500F. Don't be afraid of the high heat! This is what will help those pretzels to brown up perfectly and stay soft on the inside. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or lightly greasing them.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into about four strips of equal length. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 c. warm water and the baking soda in a liquid measuring cup (deep enough to dip the bites into). Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved. You may have to lightly stir it before dipping each bite.

Cut each strip of dough into about 6-8 pieces, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in width. Just eyeball it. Dip each pretzel bite in the baking soda solution (this will give them a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets, Sprinkle them lightly with coarse salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake pretzels for 6-8 minutes or until they're golden brown. Bake one sheet at a time.

Ground Beef Tacos

2011-02-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

Okay. So, it may seem that I'm trying every recipe on Melskitchencafe.com, but I think I am because everything I've made here is a hit at my house. I was a little skeptical about making these because of the tomato sauce, but my kids beg for these tacos. The meat is juicy and very tasty.

2 Tablespoons canola oil
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 lb. ground beef
1 to 3 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander (I didn't have this spice, so I just used paprika)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 jalapeno, seeded & finely minced (I omitted this, but you could also just add hot pepper sauce)

Taco shells
Additional taco garnishes

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller chunks, until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the tomato sauce and jalapeno. Turn the heat to low and simmer the meat mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in taco shells with your choice of toppings.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2011-02-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

This replaces the old homemade Oreo cookies recipe which is like these cookies ugly, rude, and offensive cousin in comparison. This pic and recipe is from the blog mybakingaddiction.com, which frankly, lives up to it's name. Made these tonight and Basil asked me to bake MORE. That rarely happens. Enjoy! BTW these are great, even without the filling and would be an awesome ice cream sandwich cookie. They taste like the chocolate wafers in the yellow box.

I made my own adjustments on the recipe so if you want the original, go to the blog site.

makes 25-30 sandwich cookies

Ingredients
For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa (I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (I only had butter Crisco so the filling was more yellow)
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (If you want the center pure white, you'll need clear vanilla extract)
Optional- Gel dye (I made it pink... so cute!)

Method
1. Set rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.

2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass. NOTE- mash the butter by hand into the mixture before adding egg and turning it on. Unless you have a covered mixer or food processor. I didn't and the dry ingredients flew everywhere. I am going to try to add it in slowly like traditional cookie recipes and see how it goes.

3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands (or use the back of a spoon which works great since my hands are rarely moist), slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy. (Optional: Blend in a tiny bit of gel dye until you reach the desired color.)

6. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie.(I just used a large generous tablespoon on each with a spoon and spread it with my finger) Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

2011-02-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here's another winner I found from Melskitchencafe.com Best Recipes List. We just ate this for dinner tonight and I think I've found my favorite spaghetti sauce. I'll type the recipe up as she posted it, but I did make some changes.

My personal changes: I omitted the mushrooms and red pepper. I used 1 lb of Italian sausage only since my kids don't like the sauce too meaty.

*This batch makes a TON. I fed my family of 5, then filled two 48 oz. containers with the leftovers and put it in the freezer. Mel of Melskitchencafe.com says that the finished sauce freezes well. To serve, thaw in a refrigerator (about a day) and reheat over medium-low heat in a pan on the stove. It's always nice to have delicious spaghetti sauce on hand.

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 c. onion, chopped and divided
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
2 lbs. hamburger
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12 oz. can tomato paste (or two 6 oz. cans)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoons dried oregano
3 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 14-oz. cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 carton fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 1/2 c. beef stock or beef broth
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add beef and cook until no red is showing. Drain beef slightly. Blend up the remaining onions and red pepper in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. Add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine, cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar (and mushrooms, if using). Stir until combined and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2011-02-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

I have found a bunch of yummy recipes from Melskitchencafe.com Particularly from her The Best Recipe List. This chicken dish is very good. My entire family eats it and it's super easy. It tastes like chinese take out, but even better -- cuz you made it!

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 c. cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Cut chicken into approx bite size pieces (maybe a little bigger). Season with salt & pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg mixture. Fry in a pan with the oil until lightly brown, but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
3/4 c. sugar
4 Tablespoon ketchup
1/2 c. vinegar (I use whatever I have, which happens to be apple cider vinegar)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt/powder

Bake for one hour at 325. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve chicken over rice. Toss some chopped green onions on for garnish.

Eggnog Cookies

2010-12-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

If you like Eggnog, you'll LOVE these cookies.

21/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg, plus extra for sprinkling

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup salted butter, softened

1/2 cup eggnog

2 large egg yolks

Preheat an oven to 300. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer to form a grainy paste. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks. Beat at medium speed till smooth.

Add the flour mixture on low until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 inch a part. Sprinkle lightly with a little nutmeg. Bake 23-25 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Immediately transfer to cooling rack.

Austrian Goulash Suppe

2010-12-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that has been passed down to me from my mother, who got it from her mother. I've modified it a bit since I couldn't remember the exact details.

Ingredients:

1 lb. stew meat (cut small bite size pieces)
1 large onion or 2 small chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons paprika
4 cups water
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon
oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot brown the onions and garlic in oil. I used olive oil. Add meat until brown. Cover with water and add paprika and bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Serve over hot noodles, rice, or potatoes. Great for a rainy or snowy day.

Pumpkin Bars

2010-10-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

Bars:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened (or up the ante and use 1/2 pumpkin cream cheese which makes it that much more amazing!)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

2010-10-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 cans 28 oz. diced tomatoes or 4 cans 14 oz. diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 to 1 onion (chopped)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic (minced)
pinch of baking soda
1 tablespoon fresh basil (chopped) or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups cream

Directions:

Mix tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, butter, onion, garlic, baking soda in a pot. Simmer for 1 hour. Then heat cream in a small pan, stir to avoid burning or use a double boiler. Add cream to hot soup mixture.

Sprite Cake

2010-05-17T08:51:00.001-07:00

This cake is super moist and tastes almost homemade! (For this cake I doubled the recipe, you could probably get a decent two layer cake if you only did one)

1 box white cake mix

1 10oz can Sprite (mini can)

4 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1 3oz box instant Vanilla pudding

Mix all ingredients together, but don't over beat. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 (or 3) 9 inch round cake pans.

Separate mix into however many bowls of different colors you'd like. We had 4, I've seen Rainbow before with 7 bowls. Food color away. Remember, the more vivid the color, the better and brighter it will bake. For the first color, use a 1 cup (or smaller depending on how many colors you have) and drop one circle into the center of the pan. Repeat with alternating colors, dropping the next on top of one another, creating concentric circles, like above. The previous color will get pushed out as the color on top hits. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool, cut tops off to make flat. You can leave the top one rounded or flatten it, whatever you like.

We used a whipped cream filling that was light and airy with fresh strawberries.

Icing

3 cups heavy whipping cream, beaten into soft, but firm peaks

3/4 cup powdered sugar beaten into the peaks

any food color

you want this icing pretty firm- almost like a regular buttercream icing.

Strawberries diced with a little sugar. Don't over sugar them or you'll get a ton of syrup and the cake will be really wet and can affect the icing.

When layering, put the icing first, then the strawberries on top, then the next cake layer.

click on picture to see the color swirls better

Mandarin Spinach with Caramelized Walnut Salad

2010-04-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

Really good with shredded chicken too.

Caramelized Walnuts:

2 cups water

1cup ¼” diced walnut pieces walnuts

3 Tablespoons white sugar

Boil water. Add walnuts and cook for 40 seconds. Strain the walnuts. Combine walnuts and sugar in a bowl. Stir to coat. Place sugar covered walnuts on a sheet pan and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dressing:

2 cups canola oil 1 ¼ cups fresh orange juice

1 cup white sugar 6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon Spanish paprika

1 Tablespoon table salt

Combine ingredients and whisk to thoroughly dissolve the sugar

Yields approximately 4 ¾ cups.

Salad:

8 cups chopped spinach

1 ½ cups Mandarin oranges

1 cup caramelized walnuts

¼ cup ¼” diced red onions

3/8 cup dressing

Combine ingredients and toss until evenly coated with dressing.

Summer Lemon Salad with Spiced Pecans

2010-04-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

This is from Souplantation and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this salad! It's light and really good if you add Manchego cheese instead of Blue.

Dressing- Yields 5 cups

3 cups Mayonnaise- whole egg
2 cups Lemonade Concentrate
2 ½ TBLS Dijon Mustard

Combine ingredients and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with sugar.

Spiced Pecans

1 ¼ cups ¼” Diced Pecans
¼ lb Butter or margarine
2 TBLS White Sugar
¾ tsp Ground Cumin
½ tsp Table Salt
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Melt butter in pan. Add sugar, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper. Heat until bubbling and sugar dissolves. Immediately add pecans and stir to coat. Spread pecans on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until brown and toasted.

Salad

4 cups Chopped Romaine
2 cups Spring Mix Lettuce
½ cup Spiced Pecans
½ cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
½ cup Diced Craisins
½ cup Lemon Vinaigrette

Combine ingredients and toss and ENJOY!!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

3 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3 sticks butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 lg eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips/chunks

1 1/2 cup coconut

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars till fluffy, about 6 minutes. On med-low, add vanilla, then eggs one at a time till fully combined. Mix drys together then into butter mixture till just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and chunks and coconut. Using a 1/4 cup measure, create balls of dough, rounding with your hands. On parchment paper, refrigerate 1 hour (or freeze). On parchment lined trays, bake 6 at a time. Bake at 350 (preheat oven with racks in upper and lower thirds) for 17-18 minutes, rotating trays halfway thru baking time.

Pretty Darn Good and Super Easy Chili

2010-02-15T20:23:00.001-08:00

Those of you that have had Basil's chili know that he's a picky guy. If I can't get him to make his, this one is a close second. If you want it closer to his, add one Chipotle pepper in adobo and some chopped up fresh jalapenos.

2lb ground turkey

1 chopped onion

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 8oz jar red salsa

4T chili seasoning mix or 1T chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1T seasoned salt

2 cans kidney beans

Sautee onion and garlic with all spices till tender, add meat and break up with wooden spoon. Add salsa, tomato sauce, and beans.

You can substitute any type of meat, beans, and add corn if you like!

Tres Leches Cake

2009-12-02T01:10:00.000-08:00

From the Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients

1 cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
5 whole Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cups Milk
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
¼ cups Heavy Cream
1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Separate eggs.
Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla.
Pour egg yolk mixture over flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.
Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold egg white mixture into other mixture very gently until just combined.
Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out surface.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small pitcher.
When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times.
Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.
Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes.
Whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

(Almost) Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

2009-10-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk (I use 2%)
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup sliced celery (I omitted before and it still tastes good)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups diced, cooked chicken (about two breasts)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, & cauliflower combo)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 dried rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (9 inch) refrigerated pastry crust

Preheat oven to 400'F.

Pour chicken broth, salt, and pepper into a glass measure bowl; add enough milk to equal 2 1/2 cups.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils. Add chicken, vegetables, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Pour into 1 1/2 quart deep round casserole dish.

Roll out pastry. Cut slits or make cutouts. Place pastry on top of casserole. Roll the edges. Bake about 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Dream Bars

2009-10-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Nat could you please post this recipe? I love these. I think I may have eaten the whole pan myself!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/3 cups sweetened condensed milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a 9 x 13 inch pan pour in melted margarine. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the margarine. Next place the chopped nuts over the crumbs, and spread the chocolate and butterscotch chips over the nuts. Add the coconut over all, and pour the milk evenly over the top.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Cool at least 20 minutes then cut into desired sized bars.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-06-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

these are fluffy and lovely!

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp each baking soda and powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup banana

1 cup chocolate chips

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix yogurt/sour cream, oil, vanilla, and egg just till combined. Stir in dry ingredients just till combined. Add banana and chocolate chips. Fill lined cupcake tin almost to the top, more than 2/3. These dome really nicely. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes (when edges are slightly golden). Cool on rack (if you can wait that long!)

Fresh Tomato Salsa

2009-05-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of All Recipes.com

3 or 4 tomatoes, chopped (I like the vine ripened tomatoes)
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 clove of garlic minced
2 serrano chiles, remove seeds and finely chop
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lime juice

Add all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Then refrigerate for one hour before serving. This was seriously the best salsa. If you want to make it spicy keep the seeds in the chiles and you can always add more. We like it mild in our family.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2009-04-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
5 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup low-fat or regular buttermilk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring (be careful, I have a red hand!)

In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix and the ingredients listed above. Do not add the ingredients listed on the cake box. Check the box directions to see how long you need to mix the batter and then bake according to the directions on the box for the size pans you are using.

Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1(8 oz.) package cream cheese, softned
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 box plus 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a mixer, blend all of the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Frost your cake.

Enjoy.

PW's Mexican Lasagna

2009-03-29T10:46:00.001-07:00

This is SO easy and tastes even better than you think it will! On Pioneer Woman's site the recipe is to serve about 20 billion people. I condensed it for a family of 6... and you'll still have leftovers.

1 jar Salsa Verde

2 sm or 1 large bag Mexican shredded cheese

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans

1 large onion chopped

5-6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups rice (Basmati is great if you have it)

1 can chicken broth

1 pack flour tortillas (1o count is plenty)

1 8oz can or jar of enchilada sauce

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I used turkey and it's really good too)

Taco Seasoning or Chili powder, Paprika, and Cumin

Salt

Sour Cream

Cilantro (optional)

Prepare rice as directed with chicken broth instead of water. If you have a rice cooker, I just dumped the rice and broth and hit cook. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet and sautee onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Add approx 1 1/2T chili powder, and 1T of each Paprika and Cumin (Or 2 1/2T of taco seasoning). Stir till nicely combined. Add black beans (no need to drain). Mix cooked rice into this. Brown the ground beef with 1 1/2T chili powder and 1T of each Paprika and Cumin (or taco seasoning). Salt to taste. You can add 1/2 cup of water if you want the beef more saucy. I just left it dry.

Let the layering begin!(Press each layer flat with a spatula or wooden spoon to ensure enough room in the pan).

Spread 1/2 container of salsa verde on the bottom of a casserole pan. Layer on tortillas covering the salsa. You will have some overlap. I cut one into 4 and used the corners to cover the edges of the pan. Divide rice mixture in half and spread into a flat layer on the tortillas. Divide cheese in half and create another layer on top of the rice. Add another layer of tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over that tortilla layer and spread evenly. Add layer of ground beef. Add the drained can of corn on top of the beef. Then the remaining rice mixture on top of the corn layer. Then the remaining salsa verde and then the remaining cheese. Sprinkle with some taco seasoning or cayenne pepper.

Bake at 375 for 25-25 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown.

Serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro, if desired.

If you'd like to see the play by play tutorial, click here

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/08/cooking-with-pastor-ryan-delicious-mexican-lasagna/

Chicken Pasta Salad

2009-03-21T21:48:00.000-07:00

5 cups cooked chicken (3 breasts)
2 cups green grapes (I use red--whichever you prefer)
2 cups torn spinach
2 1/2 cups sliced celery
7 oz. corkscrew pasta
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts--quartered (optional)
3 green onions chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds (toasted--or not, either way)

Dressing:

1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. dried minced onion
1 t. lemon juice
2 T. minced fresh parsley

Beef and Burgundy

2009-03-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

*Be aware that this takes about 2 hours to make, 90 minutes of which is spent baking in the oven. It's well worth the wait for fork tender beef!* sorry for the crappy picture of a picture!

3 tbsp EV olive oil

4 slices bacon, chopped

2 1/2 pounds sirloin or sirloin tips cut into large, bite size pieces

salt and pepper

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

1 pkg frozen pearl onions

2 tsp sugar

5 tbsp butter

1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered

1 lb wide egg noodles

handful of fresh chives

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat 2T of olive oil in a dutch oven or oven safe heavy bottomed pot over med heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove bacon to a towel lined plate.

While the bacon browns, season the chopped sirloin with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, brown the meat in the hot bacon fat, stirring occasionally until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to the bacon plate as each batch is browned, add more olive oil if needed.

Add the wine to the pot and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a bubble and cook for a couple minutes to reduce it, then add beef stock. Return the meat and bacon to the pot, cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 90 minutes.

When the meat has cooked for 60 min, place the onions, sugar, and a splash of water in a small saute pan. Cook over med heat until the water has evaporated and the onions are tender and heated through, 4-5 min. Reserve and keep warm.

While the onions are cooking, heat a med skillet with 1 tbsp butter and remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil over med heat. Add mushrooms and cook till golden and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the noodles. Add some salt to water and cook until al dente. Drain the noodles and return to pot. Add 2 tbsp butter and chives, toss to combine.

After 90 minutes, remove the beef from the oven and place the pot over med high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and bring stew up to a bubble. Place the pan the mushrooms were cooked in over med high heat and melt the remaining 2T of butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and cook mixture for 1 minute. Ladle about 1 cup of the liquid from the pot into the skillet with the roux and whisk to combine. Cook for a min or two to thicken then stir the sauce back into the stew. Simmer till thickened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the orange zest. Serve the stew over the buttered noodles.

Ice Cream Lime Pie

2009-03-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

One of my husband's favorite desserts. You have to start at least one day before you plan to serve it. I start mine 2 days before.

2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lime juice
1 tbsp grated lime peel
3 drops food coloring
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cream/top milk
1 pint or 2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Beat eggs until they are thick. Gradually add sugar until light. Add food coloring, cream/milk, lime juice & lime peel. Pour into a freezer safe tray or pan and freeze.

Remove frozen lime mixture. Breaks into chunks and beat with a beater until firm, then put back in the freezer to partially freeze.

Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs. Line a tin or glass pie dish with the mixture.

Beat the ice cream until smooth. Then spread into the pan with crust and top with the lime mix.

Put the pie back in the freezer until you are ready to serve.

Cream Puffs

2009-03-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't posted this one already. Well here it is:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs

In medium pan heat butter and water until boiling. Take off heat and add flour. Stir with a wooden spoon quickly until mixture becomes a dough ball. Add the eggs, one at a time. Make sure you stir until the mixture is smooth and then add the next egg. Spoon out onto a buttered and floured cookie sheet or use parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes at 400' then turn off the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove and set on cooling rack

Filling

1 cup whipping cream
1 small pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 1/4 cup of milk
1 tsp almond extract

Whip cream until peaks form. Set aside. Mix pudding and milk until thick. Add extract. Then add cream, gently folding it in.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp milk

Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan. Stir over heat until the mixture melts and becomes smooth. Drizzle over the filled cream puffs.

Enjoy.

Warm Caramelized Potatoes

2009-02-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

My sister Julie makes this and it's amazing. I love the balsamic and sweet combination. Goes great with pork or chicken dishes, but can totally be eaten on its own it's that good!

2 lbs small red potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb asparagus cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 cup butter

1 large onion chopped

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

Boil potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt until tender. Drain and set aside.

Boil asparagus until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. Combine both in serving dish.

While vegetables are cooking, melt butter in skillet. Cook onion in butter till softened about 5 minutes and until golden brown. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Pour over asparagus and potatoes. Stir until coated. Sprinkle with pepper.

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

2009-02-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

My kids loved this....they ALL asked for seconds the other night! A rare occasion in our home.

*coarse salt and ground pepper
*2 large eggs
*3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (I use grated)
*1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs (I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs)
*1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
*1 3/4 cups tomato sauce, homemade or storebought
*4 oz. mozzarell, shredded (about 1 cup, or however much your heart desires)

Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip tenders in egg, then in Parmesan mixture; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden, 2 to 4 minutes per side.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Then top with chicken, remaining 3/4 cup sauce, and finally mozzarella. Bake 15-20 min. or until cheese is melted.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2009-02-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

SO GOOD. I made this tonight and I have to say this is the best I've ever had of this soup. I used garlic salt instead of regular salt. Serve it with crusty French bread for dipping.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves,

shredded

1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long

grain and wild rice with seasoning packet

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
2.	In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
3.	Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Cutting Back

2009-02-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

I came upon this blog a couple weeks ago. This woman feeds her family of six on $60 a week. She shares how she does it. Really inspiring. While I don't think I could cut back that much, I could definitely take a few tips from her.

I know this isn't a recipe, but she does list some recipes of the things she makes each week.

Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup

2009-02-17T17:55:00.000-08:00

image from myrecipes.com

(from Cooking Light via my mother-in-law)

Ingredients:

4 cups water
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed and cut in half crosswise (I used frozen peas)
1 package (5 3/4 ounce) pad thai noodles (wide rice stick noodles)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup thinly slice shallots
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground corriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups light chicken broth (I used regular)
1 can (13.5 ounce) light coconut milk (I used regular)
2 1/2 cups shredded chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 small hot red chiles, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (I omitted, for a non-spicy version for kiddos)
7 lime wedges

Directions:

Bring water to boil in a large sauce pan. Add spinach and peas; cook for 30 seconds. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add noodles to pan; cook 3 minutes. Drain; add noodles to spinach mixture in bowl.

Heat canola oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken, onions, sugar, and fish sauce to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Pour chicken mixture over noodle mixture in bowl (I added the noodle mixute to my pan instead). Stir in cilantro and chiles. Serve with lime wedges.

Yield: 7 servings

Looks lengthy, but goes together quickly. And very yummy flavor.

Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin

2009-02-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

I put this recipe together to force myself to eat vegetables. Ed calls it Ratatouille even though it's not. Enjoy!

Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin

2 Zucchini

2 Yellow Squash (or 2 more zucchini)

½ block of Gruyere cheese, grated

1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes

about 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese, grated (NOT THE STUFF IN THE CAN!)

olive oil

crushed garlic to taste

Slice zucchini into 1/8 inch slices. Sauté zucchini and squash in small batches in olive oil until browned. Add a little crushed garlic toward end. Be careful that you sauté in small batches or they will steam not brown.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon enough tomato sauce into the bottom of an oval or round casserole dish to cover the bottom. Layer sauteed zucchini slices into dish, overlapping the slices a bit. Add another layer of tomatoes then sprinkle one third of each type of cheese before adding another layer of zucchini. Finish with remaining tomatoes; sprinkle the remainder of the cheese until top is completely covered.

Bake 40 minutes or until cheese is melted. Then put under the broiler for about 3 minutes (watch carefully!) until the cheese gets brown and crusty.

Let casserole set for about 10 minutes before serving. (I know it’s hard to wait but not burning your tongue in the cheesy goodness is worth it!)

Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie- Rachael Ray

2009-02-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

4 large Idaho or russet potatoes (2 1/2 to 3 pounds),
peeled and cut into chunks

Salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 slices bacon, chopped or snipped with kitchen scissors

2 pounds ground turkey or ground turkey breast

Freshly ground pepper

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, such as Bell's

2/3 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons snipped or chopped chives

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 teaspoon paprika

1. Place the potatoes in a small, deep pot, cover with water and bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes, then add the turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes; push it to the side and add the onions and carrots to the center of the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then mix everything together. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and poultry seasoning. Lower the heat to medium and cover the pan with a foil tent to keep in some of the moisture. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Preheat the broiler to high. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the warm pot. Using a pot holder to hold the pot, add 1/3 cup cream, salt and pepper, the egg, butter and chives and smash away with a masher until the potatoes are almost smooth but still a little lumpy.
4. Remove the foil from the pan and stir in the peas and the remaining 1/3 cup cream. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and turn off the heat. Scrape the turkey mixture into a casserole dish and top with the potatoes. Broil until the top is golden brown. Sprinkle with the paprika.

Cheesy Onion Bread

2009-02-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

So good with pasta, salads and soups! A nice alternative to garlic bread. YUM!

French loaf, any size, cut into 1 inch slices

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese (powder will NOT work)

3/4 cup mayonaise

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to broil on low. Mix all ingredients together and spread on cut sliced bread. Bake until top is brown and bubbly.

Deconstructed Lasagna

2009-02-01T11:41:00.001-08:00

This is a fun way to have lasagna... without all the layers!

Salt and pepper

1 pound long pasta such as fusilli or mafalda

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb ground beef sirloin

1 small carrot finely chopped

1 med onion finely chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

1 cup beef broth

1 20 oz can crushed tomatoes

a handful of torn fresh Basil leaves

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped parsley

2 tbsp butter

1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese and more to pass around the table

Cook pasta to instuctions, drain. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, crumbling into bits, cook until lightly brown- 3-4 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook till softened, 5 minutes. Stir in beef broth then the tomatoes and basil. Simmer. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta and parsley. Toss the pasta with the butter, then stir in the romano and meat sauce. Scoop some ricotta mixture in to a bowl and then top with the meaty pasta. Pass more romano for on top!

Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake- Jill Lutz

2009-01-28T09:56:00.000-08:00

Mix in a microwave safe bowl:

1 1/2 C. semi sweet chocolate chips

1 C. Butter

Melt, stirring every minute until smooth.

Then Mix in:

1 1/4 C. Sugar

1 C. Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

6 Large Eggs

Beat with a spoon until thick and smooth.

Pour into a greased 10" round spring form pan

Bake 45 minutes or until raised in the middle.

Cool completely in pan. Remove and pour ganache over. Refrigerate for several hours or days. Can be frozen. It actually tastes better after a day or two in the fridge or freezer.

Ganache

In a small sauce pan heat 1 C. cream until bubbly around the edges. Remove from heat and add 1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir with a whisk until smooth and melted and completely incorporated. Allow to sit 2 hours or until cool and thickened.

Claim Jumper's California Citrus Salad

2009-01-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

5 oz romaine-iceberg lettuce mix
2 oz citrus dressing
1 ½ oz Mandarin orange sections
1 ½ oz pecan brittle
1 ½ Pippin apples cut 1/4" dice
¾ oz raisins
¼ avocado cut 1/4" dice
¾ oz dried cranberries
1/8 oz green onions sliced 1/4"
¾ oz blue cheese crumbled

Toss ingredients together. Serve chilled.
This recipe yields 1 serving.

Citrus Dressing

3 cups soybean oil
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup honey
3 tbsps sugar
1/2 oz dehydrated onion
1 1/2 tsps dry tarragon
2 tsps dry thyme
2 tsps fresh garlic
2 tsps Kosher salt
2 tsps ground black pepper
1/4 tsps onion powder

Combine ingredients well and refrigerate to meld flavors.

Before serving, whisk well to combine again.

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

2009-01-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

1/2 c. butter
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
2 t. minced garlic
1 1/3 c. milk
6 oz. parmesan cheese
1/4 t. pepper
a couple dashes of nutmeg

Melt butter in medium saucepan and add fresh garlic, sautee over medium heat. Add cream cheese and stir with wire whisk until smoothe. Add milk a little at a time, whisking to smoothe out lumps. Stir in parmesan, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. This recipe makes quite a bit. Enjoy!

The Best Granola Ever!

2009-01-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

4 C old-fashioned rolled oats
2 ½ C sliced almonds (1/2 lb)
1 ½ C sweetened flaked coconut
¼ tsp salt
½ C vegetable oil
½ C honey
1 C dried cranberries (5 oz)
1 C golden raisins (5 ½ oz)

Instructions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large shallow baking pan with foil and oil foil.

Toss together oats, almonds, coconut, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together oil and honey (takes awhile to mix together well), then stir into oat mixture until well coated. Spread mixture in baking pan and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15 to 30 minutes. Stir in cranberries and raisins, then cool completely in pan on a rack.

Makes about 10 cups.

Apple Toffee Dip

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

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese softened
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg almond brickle chips (7 1/2) or English toffee bits (8 oz)

Beat first four ingredients together with a hand mixer. Fold in toffee chips. Serve with apples. Yummy!!

Caren Garlock's Artichoke Dip

2008-12-04T10:25:00.001-08:00

if you were there last New Years Eve... you've had this and been obsessed ever since!

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c. mayo

1 14 oz. water packed quartered artichoke hearts, DRAINED

1 small can chopped green chili's

4 oz. shredded parmesan cheese

In a bowl, smash with fork, cream cheese and mayo. Add artichoke hearts and green chilies and keep smashing.

Add parmesan cheese and mix in.

Put in a quiche dish or pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with Tortilla chips. Mmmmmmm...

Cook's notes:

*I use 1/3 less fat one - sometimes called Neufchatel or something like that and can not tell any difference from making it with full fat cream cheese. The fat free one makes it gross!

*If you can only get whole artichoke hearts, it isn't the end of the world - it's just more work.

Caren Garlock's Killer Shish Kabob Marinade

2008-12-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Use about 1 1/2 lbs of flank steak or cut up sirloin per batch
3 T. oil (I used Canola)
1/4. c. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. brown sugar

Put it in a ziploc and mush it around a bit so as to dissolve sugar and mix
ingredients. Add the meat, and marinate it overnight, turning the bag over a
couple of times. I've marinated it for as little as 4 hours and it still tastes great.

C Lo's Strawberry Spinach Salad

2008-12-04T10:19:00.001-08:00

2 bags of prewashed spinach

1 quart strawberries

1 8 oz. bag of slivered almonds (candied)

Candied Almonds

1 8 oz. bag of slivered almonds

¼ cup water

¾ cup white sugar

In a pan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil for 2 min. stirring constantly. Add almonds. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 min. or until lightly golden.

Dressing

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ cup vegetable oil

1 tbl. Poppy seeds

Mix all dressing ingredients together. Toss salad with dressing and almonds. Serve immediately. Enjoy!!!

C Lo's Creamy Crockpot Chicken

2008-12-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

*this is super good over bowtie pasta!*

2-3 boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts

8 oz. cream cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 package dry Italian salad dressing mix

1 can chicken broth

Place all ingredients in crock pot and simmer on low all day (8-10 hours). Shred or chunk chicken about an hour before serving; continue to simmer. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, or toasted French bread. Make a big pot and freeze it for several dinners.

Gingered Apple-Cranberry Pie

2008-12-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie

5 large tart apples (I used Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise

1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons. all-purpose plain flour

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into smalls bits

2-3 tablespoons heavy (double) cream

1-2 tablespoons demerara sugar or raw sugar (I used baking sugar)

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

- On lightly floured surface, roll out the larger pastry portion into an 11-inch round. Fit carefully into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the pastry so there is about 1 inch overhang. Fold the overhand under and press it down against the pan rim. Roll out the remaining pastry dough into a 10-inch round for the top crust. Set the prepared pie pan and top crust aside.

- In a large bowl combine the apples, ginger, cranberries and lemon zest. In a small bowl toss together the flour, granulated sugar, salt and allspice. Add to the bowl of fruit and toss well. Arrange the fruit in the prepared pan, pilling it high in the center. Dot with the butter (I left this out). Brush the pastry rim with water and lay the top crust over the fruit. Press down around the rim, then trim and flute or leave a plain edge. Make 2 or 3 slits in the top.

- Press together the pastry scraps and roll out 1/8 inch thick. Cut out leaf and berry shapes and use to decorate the pie. Brush the top with cream where you wish to place decorations. Press the leaves and berries in place. Lightly brush the crust, including the decorations, with cream. Sprinkle with the demerara or raw sugar.

- Cover the edge with foil to prevent from over browning. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender when pierced through one of the slits, 50-55 minutes longer.

- Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Accompany with whipped cream.

Serves 8-10

Fruit Gobbler

2008-11-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

I found this in the November Family Fun Magazine last year and thought it was so cute and would be fun to try. I'm thinking of attempting it this year....we'll see.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Bosc pear (head)
Melon (body)
Cheese (beak and tail feathers)
Red pepper (snood, feet and side feathers)
Raisins (eyes)
Grapes (tail feathers)
Bamboo skewers
Toothpicks

1. Stabilize the melon body by cutting a shallow slice off the rind to form a flat base. Using a section of bamboo skewer, attach a Bosc pear head to the melon, as shown. 2. Cut a cheese triangle beak and red pepper snood. Attach both, along with raisin eyes, to the head with sections of toothpick. 3. Cut red pepper feet and set them in place. For tail feathers, skewer cheese cubes and red grapes, then insert the skewers as shown. Pin pepper side feathers in place with toothpicks.

Bean 'n' Bacon Dip

2008-11-25T11:04:00.000-08:00

4-5 cans of Bean and Bacon
8 oz. Velveeta
1 can diced green chilies (or jalapenos..depends on how spicy you like it)
1 can of water

Mix all of the ingredients together in a pot on the stove until melted and heated through.

Whipped Sweet Potato Bake

2008-11-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

6 medium sweet potatoes
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup half and half
¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows

Peel and cook potatoes in boiling water until tender; drain. Add brown sugar, half and half, and butter. Whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Place in a lightly greased 2 ½ quart baking dish.

Smooth top of sweet potato mixture; place marshmallows uniformly over the top, covering completely. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before serving. Makes 10-12 servings.

Tortilla Soup

2008-11-24T14:20:00.000-08:00

1 lb bacon

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large onion, diced

12 cups chicken broth

28 oz can diced tomatoes

4 carrots, diced

4 potatoes, diced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

In a skillet fry bacon until golden brown. Reserve drippings. Chop bacon slices to be used as a condiment for the soup. Use just enough of the bacon drippings to sauté the garlic and onion until soft. Transfer to a soup pot. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Roasted Garlic

2008-11-09T20:38:00.000-08:00

an amazing addition to just about anything! throw it in your mashed potatoes for an instant yum factor!

6 heads garlic
1.4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp oil

Preheat oven to 400. Remove any loose skin form the garlic heads and cut a 1/4 inch slice off the tops, exposing the tips of the cloves. Set the garlic heads cut aside up on a sheet of aluminum foil and sprinkle with the olive oil and salt. Wrap the heads in the foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool before peeling.

White Chili

2008-11-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

1 package (1-1.2 lbs) ground turkey

1 can corn- drained

2 cans white beans- drained

1 jar chili verde salsa

1 chopped onion

6 cloves garlic chopped

2 tbsp cumin

1/3 cup sour cream

1 can chicken or beef broth

Sautee onions and garlic in a little oil till onions are soft. Add cumin and heat on med heat for 3 minutes. Add ground turkey, sautee till cooked. Add corn, beans, broth, salsa, and stir. Simmer on med heat for 5-10 minutes or heated through. Add sour cream and stir in completely.

Serve with grated cheese and olives if desired.

Italian Style Mac and Cheese

2008-11-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

1 lb ziti, penne, or any other short pasta

1 lb italian sweet sausage, casings removed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter

3 or 4 garlic cloves chopped

12 mushrooms sliced

2 tbsp flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 ten ounce sack Italian 4 cheese blend

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta per directions on package.

In a non stick pan, brown and crumble sausauge. Drain crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Return pan to heat, add oil, butter, garlic, and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3-5 minutes till mushrooms are golden.

Preheat broiler to high.

To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble , then stir in 2 cups of the 4 cheese blend. When cheese is melted and comes to a bubble, remove from heat. Combine cheese sauce, sausage, and pasta and transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 4 cheese blend and parmesan on top. Broil till brown and bubbly.

Pain Perdu

2008-11-03T11:11:00.000-08:00

Quite possibly the most delicious thing you'll ever eat for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner!)2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 slices stale white bread or 6 slices thick cut stale bread
Butter, for griddle pan
Warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and/or fresh berries for topping
Three Berry Compote, recipe follows

Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time. Serve hot with your favorite toppings or Three Berry Compote

Three Berry Compote:
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

Combine sugar, lemon and water in a small sauce pot. Over moderate heat, dissolve sugar into water. Stir in fruit, coating it in sugar water and bring the fruit and water to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 7 or 8 minutes. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and add maple syrup or honey to the pan. Thicken syrup 5 minutes and pour over fruit. Serve with French toast, pancakes or waffles.
I like putting this on top, before the berries or any fresh fruit.Devonshire CreamCream in bowl with electric mixer-1 8 oz block cream cheese1 tsp vanilla1/4 cup sugar1/4 cup sour cream1/4 cup light cream or half and half (I've also used milk which works just fine!)

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

2008-11-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

Cake: 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 egg 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 8 tablespoons butter, melted 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

Check this out...

2008-11-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

I found the cutest blog with great ideas.

Bakerella

Creamed Spinach

2008-10-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Tried this one last night and got rave reviews!

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and tough stems removed or 10 oz. box of frozen, chopped spinach
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. (Or follow package directions for frozen spinach). Drain in a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a large spoon to release as much water as possible. Finely chop and set aside.

Melt the butter in medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until the liquid is released. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until the cream is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the parmesean cheese. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

It's Emeril's recipe but I added some cheese to it -- so I'll call it mine!

Taco Soup (crock pot)

2008-10-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

3-4 chicken breasts (*Note: I put mine in frozen)
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
2 cans corn
1 can Mexican seasoned stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced green chillis
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg hidden valley ranch dressing

Dump all the ingredients together in the crock pot. No extra water needed. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4. Remove chicken and shred. Put the shredded chicken back into the pot. Stir and serve.

Serve with sour cream, corn chips, cilantro, and avocado (optional)

So easy and it's yummy.

Sloppy Joes

2008-10-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

These are pretty amazing and easy!

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, roughly chopped

2 ½ lbs ground beef (85% lean)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2/3 cup smokey bbq sauce

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

4 dashes Tabasco sauce

Freshly ground pepper

8 to 12 potato rolls

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and cool, stirring, and breaking up the meat, until it is finely crumbled, the liquid boils off, and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and keep stirring until all the meat is coated. Add the barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worchestershire, soy sauce, Tabasco, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. You can make the sloppy joe up to 2 days in advance and reheat it over low heat or in the microwave.

Wrap the rolls in aluminum foil and warm in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Serve the sloppy joes hot with the warmed rolls.

S'more Brownies Recipe

2008-10-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

This looks so yummy. We need to try this recipe from Food Network out.

Ingredients

Crust:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Curried Shrimp

2008-09-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

I love curry and so does my husband. I take no credit for this recipe, but I did find it at MarthaStewart.com. And I don't know about you, but I love to see a photo of what it should look like. Made it last night and I loved it.

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 oranges
1 pound large shrimp, tails on, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 stalks celery, strings removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup heavy cream or yogurt
Sprigs fresh oregano, for garnish

Directions

Using a citrus zester or the small holes of a box grater, zest oranges. Squeeze juice of oranges into a small bowl. Set zest and juice aside.
In a large bowl, combine half of the zest with shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook shrimp until bright pink, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add onion, celery, oregano, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder; cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add orange and tomato juices; cook until liquid starts to thicken, about 8 minutes.
Return the shrimp to saute pan, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream. Add the remaining orange zest; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh oregano, and serve.

Happy Eating, Eva

Cheesy Potatoes

2008-08-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

1 stick butter
1 bag Ore Ida hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint sour cream
1 large onion chopped
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except hash browns in pot, reserving 2 cups of the cheese. When all is combined and melted together, mix with hashbrowns in pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until browned on top and heated through.

"Bomb" Turkey Meatloaf

2008-08-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

*nicknamed by Emilie and Steph Lee*

3/4 cup ketchup
2 lbs ground turkey
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 whole wheat bread pieces torn into small pieces
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 chopped dill pickle
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lg beaten egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dry mustard powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Mix 1/2 cup ketchup and all ingredients in bowl. Put in cupcake tins mounded. Brush remaining ketchup on top. 45 minuted or until thermometer reads 170 degrees

Lawry's Creamed Corn

2008-08-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

3 Cans corn- drained
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 stick unsalted butter

Melt butter in saucepan, add flour stir till combined. Add cream and salt. When thickened, add corn and sugar.

Souplantation's Joan's Broccoli Madness Salad

2008-08-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

*this IS the amazing recipe for their super yummy broccoli salad*

6-8 servings
1 bunch uncooked broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 cup cooked bacon crumbles
1/2 cup cashews
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup red onion

dressing
1 cup mayonaise
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Toss altogether

Kahlua Bundt Cake

2008-08-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

*this is one of the BEST cakes I have ever had!*

1 box Devil's food cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Kahlua
8 oz sour cream
8 oz chocolate chips

Topping: melted together in pan
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mix first 6 ingredients together for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream and chocolate chips with wooden spoon. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes in a very well greased Bundt pan. While warm, punch holes in top and pour topping into holes. Cool in pan.

Chicken Spinach and Poppy Seed Salad

2008-08-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

1 head romaine chopped
1 bag spinach
1/2 red onion quartered and sliced
1 lb swiss cheese grated
1 lb cooked bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
2-3 cooked chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1/2 cup candied almonds (1/2 cup sugar melted with 1/2 cup almonds stirred in then spread and cooled on wax paper- then broken up)

Dressing:
1 cup sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup oil
3 tbs poppy seeds

Blend till smooth

Combine all ingredients together, dress before serving

Bow-ties with Peas and Ham

2008-08-18T17:04:00.001-07:00

*kids love this and it's so pretty with the pink, green, and white colors (great for a shower!)*

1 lb box farfalle or bow-tie pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 diced onion
2 cups (10 ounces) frozen peas
1 cup half and half
1/2 lb cooked ham cut in strips or squares (you can use luncheon meat)
Parmesan for grating
salt and pepper

Boil pasta till al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot. Heat butter in saucepan over med heat, add onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add frozen peas and half and half. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add ham to sauce, cook until heated through. Toss sauce with pasta, serve with grated Parmesan.

Cranberry Chicken

2008-08-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

super easy and tasty for only four ingredients!

3-4 chicken breasts cut into tenders or pounded flat
1 packet onion soup
1 can whole cranberries
1 cup French dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken in glass pan. Cook about 35-45 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Blueberry French Toast

2008-08-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 15 Hours
Servings: 12 - 16

1 lb. loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, diced small
1-2 c. fresh blueberries
12 eggs
2 c. milk
1/2 c. maple syrup (or any kind)

Place half of the bread cubes in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle cream cheese on top of bread cubes. Top with blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk and maple syrup. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, remove pan from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover pan and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until golden brown and center is set.

~ Buttermilk Syrup ~

Use this syrup to pour over the individual pieces of Blueberry French Toast. It's absolutely sinful.

1 ½ c. white sugar
¾ c. buttermilk
½ c. butter
2 T. corn syrup
1 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla extract

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. It may be frothy on top and that makes it even better.

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

2008-08-18T15:28:00.001-07:00

There are 3 parts to this recipe.

~ Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing ~

3 fresh tomatillos, cut into quarters 1 c. fresh cilantro (about one bunch)
juice of half a lime 5 stalks green onions with ends
½ c. buttermilk 2 cloves crushed garlic
½ c. mayonnaise ½ - ¾ tsp. salt
½ c. sour cream ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 pkg. Dry Ranch Buttermilk Dressing Mix 4 tsp. sugar or other sweetener

Place all ingredients in a blender. Combine well and refrigerate one hour.

~ Easy Cilantro Rice ~

6 c. just cooked rice, hot
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2 – 3 cloves garlic
½ sweet yellow onion (Maui, Vidalia or Walla Walla)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

While rice is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients as follows:
Remove stems from cilantro, roughly chop then put into a food processor with garlic and onion. Process until everything is finely chopped. When rice is cooked and still very hot, combine with cilantro mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. At this point you can let sit covered for 5 – 10 minutes to blend flavors then serve, or bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes and then serve. Either way is good. I prefer to cook rice in a rice cooker and when the rice is done, I stir in the cilantro mixture and leave the lid slightly propped open for 10 minutes. The rice takes on a greenish hue that looks pretty. This dish goes well with Mexican dishes as a substitute for Spanish Rice. Serves 6 – 8.

~ Shredded Pork ~

Pork roast/tenderloin

2 c. fresh salsa
1 c. Brown sugar

Put all items in slow cooker for 8 hours on low. Shred.

Serve individually on plate in this order: Rice, Pork, Black Beans (opt.), Lettuce, Cilantro, Guacamole (opt.), tomatoes (opt.), Dressing

CPK Spinach Artichoke Dip

2008-08-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

This recipe makes a lot. Good for large or small groups. I've also frozen leftovers and reheated it and it's delicious. The best way to make this is to prepare all ingredients in small bowls/containers beforehand. It's a lot of work, but definitely worth it.

¼ c. olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
¾ c. diced white or yellow onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1 ½ T. minced garlic
½ c. cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ c. chicken stock/broth (I get the boxed kind)
1 ½ c. heavy cream
¾ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. dehydrated chicken stock base or crumbled bouillon cubes
1 ½ T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 t. sugar
¾ c. sour cream
12 oz. chopped frozen spinach, defrosted, drained, & wrung out by hand
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped (14 oz. can)
1 c. finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¾ t. Tabasco Sauce

In a large saucepan, warm the olive oil & butter together over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion & cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic & cook 2 - 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently & stopping before the onion & garlic brown.

Sprinkle the flour & continue cooking, stirring continuously, until the mixture turns a golden-blond color, 5-10 minutes. Then, whisking continuously, slowly pour in the stock until it is smoothly incorporated. When the mixture begins to simmer, stir in the cream. Let it return to the simmer. Remove from the heat, add the parmesan, chicken base or bouillon cubes, lemon juice, & sugar, & stir until thoroughly blended.

Using a whisk, add the sour cream, spinach, artichoke hearts, Monterey Jack cheese & Tabasco sauce, & stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined & the cheese has melted. Transfer to a warm serving bowl & serve immediately, accompanied by blue & white corn tortilla chips. Can also be served with warm foccacia bread or pita bread or pita chips.

Southwestern Prime Rib Chopped Salad

2008-08-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

*this recipe is to serve about ten people as a main dish salad. You can scale it down to whatever you need*

2-3 lbs steak or prime rib cooked and chopped into bite size squares (Bill Bailey's Santa Rosa meat is what I use and you can find it at Costco or Albertsons. If you buy your own meat, rub it with Lawry's Seasoned Pepper before cooking to get a nice flavorful coating)
4 heads Romaine lettuce chopped
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can corn drained
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1 purple onion diced
4 Roma tomatoes or 2 med tomatoes
1 block Pepper Jack cheese cut into cubes
2 small bell peppers (I like red, orange, or yellow for color and sweetness)
Lawry's Seasoned Pepper blend (a few good shakes into the salad)
Crushed tortilla chips (or if you have time, thinly sliced corn tortilla strips deep fried)

Dressing: 2 parts Ranch to 1 part BBQ sauce (I've tried a number of types of BBQ over the years, they are ALL good!)

Combine all and top with tortilla chips and dressing right before serving.

Lemon Chicken

2008-08-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) whole chicken (you can use breasts w/bones too)
2 lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried sage (you can substitute marjoram)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cut 1 lemon in half. Stuff the cavity of the bird with half a lemon and rub the skin with the olive oil. Then cover the opening of the bird with the other lemon half. (Note: if you use breasts, slice one lemon and place the slices under each breast) Pour the juice of the second lemon over the bird. Season the bird with the salt, paprika, rosemary and sage (I like to rub it in the skin).
Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 to 2 hours. Remove the cover half way through baking to brown. Baste often.

If you want really juicy flavorful chicken try this....

1 hour to 5 hrs prior to cooking. Soak chicken in a brine. 1/2 cup kosher salt dissolved in warm water (2 quarts). Then put in fridge. Rinse w/ cold water and pat dry. If you have time return bird to the fridge and let it air dry for 1 hour or overnight before roasting.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2008-08-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Killer Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2008-08-11T23:34:00.000-07:00

2 lbs potatoes cubed and cooked till fork tender
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup Romano cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
8 cloves roasted garlic (full bulb drizzled with olive oil wrapped in foil @ 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes)

Combine all in pot and mash. Add a shot or two of milk if you like your potatoes more wet.

Spring Salad

2008-08-11T23:29:00.000-07:00

1 package spring mix
1 cup feta cheese
2/3 cup craisins
1 green apple diced
sugared pecans (1 1/2 cups sugar melted with 1 cup pecans)

Dressing: 1 cup oil, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 Tbsp pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper (blend in blender till combined)

Quick Peach Cobbler

2008-08-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 cans peaches with syrup
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter, pour in pan. Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add milk then stir. Pour into pan. Pour 2 cans of peaches with syrup on top. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake for 1 hour or until golden on top.

Hummus

2008-08-11T23:25:00.000-07:00

4 large garlic cloves
1 16-19 oz can garbanzos
1/3 cup tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp cumin
3 tbsp juice from garbanzo can or water

Pulse in food processor till smooth.

Jenna's Fumi Salad

2008-08-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

1 head cabbage finely chopped
4 green onions chopped
4 tbsp butter
8 tbsp sliced almonds
8tbsp sesame seeds
2 pkgs crushed ramen (noodles only)

Dressing: 4 Tbsp sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 6 tbsp rice vinegar- well combined together

Brown almonds and seeds in butter and cool. Mix cabbage and onions in bowl. Before serving add almonds, sesame seeds, noodles, and dressing.

Evon D's Famous Banana Pudding

2008-08-11T23:18:00.000-07:00

1 box Nilla Wafers
10 sliced bananas
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8oz cream cheese softened
2 8 oz cool whips
1 lg box instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk

Mix pudding and milk with blender. Add cream cheese, condensed milk, and one cool whip. Layer pudding, cookies, and bananas in alternating layers. Top with cool whip and chill.

Coconut Cupcakes

2008-08-11T23:17:00.001-07:00

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes

2008-08-11T23:15:00.000-07:00

CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ICING:
Vanilla Buttercream (recipe follows) or Chocolate Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.

Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Note:
If you are icing a 3-layer cake, use the following recipe proportions:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
8 to 10 cups confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cheese Dip

2008-08-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

1 box Velveeta- cubed
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
2 cans Chili con Carne (no beans or beans depending on preference)

Put all in Crockpot on low. Stir periodically. About 3-4 hours.
Serve with chips or bread

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

2008-08-11T23:06:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits
1 cup MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes(optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until blended.

2. Stir in oats, toffee bits and coconut, if desired, with spoon. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack. About 4 dozen cookies