Friends, Family and Food

Quinoa Burgers

2011-12-08T19:03:00.000-05:00

Found these on Pinterest and they are divine. They are a lot like potato latkes, but with quinoa, so they are really healthy. We had them with soup, Enjoy.

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1 /2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin ( I would leave this out next time)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

To cook quinoa:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
.

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat (you will need to add more oil after each batch). Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-08-04T14:27:00.003-04:00

Kelly told April and April told me about these. These cook up big and fluffy - which is my kind of cookie. The original is from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cups unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (definitely do this).

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the parchment lined sheet 3 inches apart. Bake 15-17 minutes or until edges are lightly toasted. Makes 18 cookies.

Mexican Bean Salad

2011-04-22T14:11:00.003-04:00

The base recipe is from Allrecipes.com, I just added a few things. This makes quite a big bowl, enough for a potluck. If it's 8 servings, then each is about 250 calories, but those are pretty big servings.

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained.

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 clove crushed garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, chili powder and black pepper.

Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Crockpot Split Pea Soup

2011-02-03T16:11:00.002-05:00

Got this one from Dakin Stovall at a recipe swap years ago. It is so easy and very hearty.

1 (16 oz.) package dried split peas, rinsed
2 cups diced ham
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 cups hot water

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given. Pour in water. Do not stir. Cover and cook on low 8 - 10 hours, until peas are very soft. Stir and serve.

Pioneer Woman Chicken and Dumplings

2010-12-20T09:35:00.005-05:00

This was recently posted on Pioneer Woman. Best comfort food ever in my Southern opinion. I will never make dumplings without cornmeal again. If you like chicken and dumplings, this will not disappoint.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 C. all-Purpose Flour
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (I used three large boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was fine)
Salt and pepper
1/2 C. finely diced carrots (1 large or 2 small carrots)
1/2 C. finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)
1 medium onion finely diced
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 tsp. ground tumeric (not essential but suggested)
6 C. low sodium chicken broth
1/2 C. apple Cider (also not essential but suggested for a richer flavor)
1/2 C. heavy cream
Salt to taste

Dumplings

1 and 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. yellow corn meal
1 heaping Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 and 1/2 C. half-and-half (whole milk or a mixture of milk and heavy cream works, too)
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley (optional - I didn't use it and I didn't miss it)

Directions

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.

Melt butter and olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides and remove to a plate. (The chicken will not be cooked through yet.)

In the same pot, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat until slightly softened. Stir in the thyme and tumeric. Add chicken broth and apple cider. Return chicken to the pot. Bring to a slight boil then turn down heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is simmering, make the dumplings. Sift together all the dry ingredients then add half-and-half. Stir gently til combine (it will be a little sticky). Set aside.

Remove the chicken from the pot and shred. Replace and add the heavy cream. Stir to combine.

Drop tablespoons (I went a little smaller) of dumpling mix into the simmering pot. (I ended up using only about 3/4 of the dumpling mixture). Cover pot halfway and simmer for 15 minutes.

Check seasonings. Add salt if needed (I found that it was needed, but not much). Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Tortellini with Primavera Cream Sauce

2010-11-01T11:12:00.003-04:00

I got this from the Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe book. One of our favorites. It's fancy without being too difficult. Makes about 4 servings.

1 C. sliced mushrooms
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 10 oz. package chopped spinach, thawed and very well drained
1 8 oz. container cream cheese, softened
1 medium tomato, chopped (I use 2 Roma)
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 - 9 oz. fresh or frozen tortellini, cooked and drained

Cook tortellini according to directions.

Saute the mushrooms, onion, and garlic in the butter in a large skillet. Add all remaining ingridients except the tortellini. Mix well and cook until it just begins to boil, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tortellini; cook until heated through.

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

2010-10-10T20:41:00.002-04:00

This soup was very easy to make, delicious and cheap! As an added bonus, W1 will eat anything if I tell him it has peanut butter in it, so even he had a bowl.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
4 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrot, and continue to cook and stir about 5 minutes.
2. Pour water or broth into the saucepan, and season the mixture with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Remove the soup mixture from heat. In a food processor or blender, blend the soup and peanuts until almost smooth. Return to the saucepan. Whisk in the peanut butter, and cook until heated through. Serve warm topped with fresh cilantro.

I skipped the blending step and just mashed it up a bit with my potato masher, so it was still nice and chunky. And don't leave out the cilantro!

Chicken Makhani

2010-08-25T17:12:00.004-04:00

Posting this for the same reason April posted her marinade. I'm tired of always having to look for it. This is my absolute favorite dish that I can cook. I think the recipe originally came from Rebecca Rampton.

2 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
1 tsp. cumin seeds (crushed)
1/4 tsp. cloves (crushed)
1 Tbsp. cilantro
1 C. canned tomato sauce
1" cubed fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
1 C. heavy cream
1 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. salt
1 fresh green chili (sliced)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 stick butter
cashews (optional, I never use them)

Cook chicken breasts. Shred and set aside. Crush the cumin and cloves in a mortar (I suppose you could use already crushed, but I've never actually tried it). In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, ginger, cream, garam masala, salt, green chili, red pepper, cilantro, lemon juice, and crushed spices.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add ingredients from the bowl to the hot butter. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for one minute. Add chicken, stirring to coat, and cook til reheated. Top with cashews if desired. Serve over rice.

Fajita Marinade

2010-08-07T09:48:00.003-04:00

I got this from Allie Smith several years ago. When I had to dig around in my recipe binder to find it, I knew it was time to post it here to avoid future searches.

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (if I don't have one I use an onion)
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. each kosher salt and pepper
juice of two limes (I do about a 1/3 cup of the bottled stuff)
juice of one orange (about 1/2 cup of refrigerated orange juice)
1/2 cup olive oil

Put everything in a large container with lid or gallon size baggie and shake well to combine. Add meat (we use a flank steak or 4 chicken breasts). Marinate 3-8 hours and grill. Slice into thin strips and serve with fajita fixings.

Lime Squares with Strawberries

2010-07-05T10:38:00.004-04:00

I got this from The Tasty Kitchen. They are really yummy and pretty easy, especially if you replace the homemade crust with a store-bought one.

FOR THE TOPPING:
1 cup Fresh Strawberries, Sliced
1 Tablespoon Sugar

FOR THE CRUST:
⅔ cups Blanched Almonds (I used regular ol' almonds)
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 4 Oz. or one package)
¼ cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Lime Zest ( I didn't have any, so I left this out)
½ sticks Unsalted Butter, Melted And Cooled (I used salted butter)

FOR THE FILLING:
2 whole Egg Yolks
1 can Sweet Condensed Milk, (14 Ounces)
½ cups Fresh Lime Juice (I didn't use fresh juice)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. (If you don’t have parchment paper, use aluminum foil and butter the foil.)

Hull and slice strawberries, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the strawberries, stir, cover and refrigerate until needed.

In a food processor (or blender), finely grind blanched almonds with graham-cracker crumbs, sugar, and zest. Blend in butter. Press mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.

To make the filling: in a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lime juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust; carefully spread to edges.

Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack; *top with strawberries, patting excess juices off, then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using the parchment paper overhang, lift it out of the pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut. To store in the refrigerator, cover with plastic wrap.

*I would wait until you're ready to serve it before you put the strawberries on. The juice from the strawberries can make the crust soggy.

Sweet Dinner Rolls

2010-05-30T21:12:00.002-04:00

This is the roll recipe that I make when I run out of fancy things like butter and honey :). Also, it is dairy free.

1 1/2 cup water
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
4 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp yeast

Mix the yeast, warm water and 1 tbsp of the sugar and let sit until bubbles form. Then add the rest of the ingredients, leaving the flour until the end. After kneading, the dough should be moist but not sticky. I usually end up adding a bit more flour. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise for an hour or so, until doubled.

Punch down the dough, and divide. This will make 12 big rolls (hamburger bun size) or 18-24 small rolls. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Cook at 350 for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Banana Cookies

2010-05-04T08:03:00.000-04:00

Banana Cookies

2/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed banana
2 ¼ cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)
(I also tried them with chocolate chips)
Beat the shortening until creamy and add the sugar. Add the banana and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix them into the other bowl. Drop by the spoonful onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 11-12 minutes. (I say only 10-11 minutes...)

These are our favorite cookies. The recipe is Sarah's and it is a sure fire winner. We always add lots of chocolate chips.

Sarah Silva Salad

2010-04-06T08:22:00.000-04:00

This is the yummy salad that we ate at last year's Relief Society Dinner. I love it and had to track the recipe down from the owner so now I want to post it so I can always find it.

Sarah Silva Salad

1-2 heads romaine lettuce

1 avocado

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed

1 15 oz can corn, drained

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 bunch green onion, chopped

cilantro

Dressing:

¾ cup white vinegar

½ cup oil (I use vegetable)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Boil all ingredients together and cool before serving. The dressing makes a lot, so I usually only make half the recipe. Serve with homemade rolls

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

2010-03-04T17:57:00.009-05:00

I got this off of recipezaar.com and used some of the modifications suggested in the comments. It is the quick, lazy way to make this dish and it makes about four to five servings.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped green pepper (red works, too)
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (undrained)
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 package Sazon Goya without annato (substitution I used: 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. chicken boullion, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (you can use cooking wine, too)
2 cups cooked white rice
pre-cooked ham steak (optional)

Directions
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, sauté onion,green pepper, and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 5-10 minutes.

Add in remaining ingredients and stir until boiling, reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced, about 20 minutes. You can smash some of the beans to add to the flavor. Serve over white rice.

In order to make this more of a main dish, I diced a dinner ham steak and tossed it in.

Pear Crisp

2010-03-04T16:52:00.005-05:00

I got this from Pioneer Woman and it is amazing. The pecans make the dish. I took a picture of it before I put it in the oven, but umm...I took a giant bite out of it before I realized I had forgotten to take an "after the oven" picture. So I used Pioneer Woman's photo as well.

FILLING INGREDIENTS:
4 whole (to 5) Large Pears (Bosc Work Well)
⅔ cups Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
_____
Topping Ingredients
1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
⅓ cups Sugar
⅓ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
½ cups Pecans, Very Finely Chopped
1 stick Butter, Melted

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel, core, and dice pears. Place into a bowl and stir together with 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Stir together. Drizzle melted butter gradually, stirring with a fork as you go until all combined.

Pour pears into a baking dish/pie pan; top with crumb topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Place pan on top rack of oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Crockpot Chicken

2010-02-10T17:01:00.003-05:00

2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 14oz can of black beans-undrained
1 cup of salsa
1 cup of frozen corn
8 oz cream cheese-cubed

Place chicken, undrained black beans, salsa and corn in a crock pot. Cook on high for 5 hours. Shred chicken and dump cubed cream cheese in crock pot. Cook another 45 minutes-1 hour on high. Stir until cream cheese is blended with chicken mixture.
You can use this as a dip with chips or as a filling for enchiladas or quesadillas.

Pork Pitas with Cuke Yogurt Sauce

2009-11-30T09:01:00.004-05:00

I got this from Veronica Haymore a couple of years ago.

Pork

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup onion
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/8 tsp pepper
2 lbs boneless pork chops cut into pieces (I sometimes you a tenderloin)

Yogurt Sauce

8 oz plain yogurt
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tbsp Parsley
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp garlic salt

In a plastic bag, combine all of the ingredients for the pork marinade. Add pork pieces and toss to coat. Seal and refrigerate overnight. Make yogurt sauce and refrigerate for several hours before you're ready to serve it. If you have a George Forman-type grill, use that to cook your pork; otherwise, cook it in a frying pan. Serve in fresh pitas with yogurt sauce.

Raspberry Trifle

2009-11-20T16:14:00.003-05:00

This is a recipe I got from my sister-in-law. Those of you that were at the very last book club at Dorothy's may remember this dessert. My favorite quote from someone after eating this was, "I want to dive into the bowl and eat my way out." Enjoy.

1 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped)

3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

1 large angel food cake

2 bags frozen raspberries

Whip the cram and then add the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Break the angel food cake into small pieces (size of golf balls) and fold into the above mixture. Layer 1/2 of this mixture in the bottom of a trifle bowl or glass bowl. Then layer 1 bag of raspberries over it. Layer the remaining 1/2 of the mixture over the raspberries and pour the remaining bag of berries on the top. Refrigerate and serve.

Pumpkin Waffles

2009-11-20T14:07:00.003-05:00

I just tried these the other day, and they were so good that I was left wondering why I haven't been making them all along. Perfect for a Saturday morning breakfast with maple syrup. Next, I think we will try them for dessert, topped with vanilla ice cream!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
2 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk, and egg yolks. Whip the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form.

Stir the flour mixture and 1/4 cup melted butter to the pumpkin mixture, stirring just to combine. Use a whisk or rubber spatula to fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, stirring gently until incorporated. Fold in the remaining egg whites.

Cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.

I have made these the lazy way, just adding the eggs in whole, and they turn out fine. But, if you take the time to whip the egg whites, they are just that much fluffier.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

2009-11-03T12:59:00.004-05:00

My mom's recipe. These are moist and sweet, great with honey and butter!

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon honey
5 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
2 tablespoons butter
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Mix the yeast, warm water and 1 tbsp of the sugar and let sit until bubbles form. Then add the rest of the ingredients, leaving the flour until the end. After kneading, the dough should be moist but not sticky. I usually end up adding a bit more flour. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise for an hour or so, until doubled.

Punch down the dough, and divide into 24 balls. You can shape these however you want, but I usually just leave them as balls and place them on a cookie sheet close enough that as they rise they will touch. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Cook at 350 for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

A few notes:

If you don't have almond extract, no sweat, just use vanilla. Or, if you don't have molasses, just use honey.
I have also substituted 1 cup of the white flour with whole wheat flour, and this makes them a bit heartier, and (I convince myself), a little bit healthy.

THE Crescent Rolls

2009-10-30T16:04:00.004-04:00

This recipe is a Holmes family tradition. It is one I got from Scott's Mom and it has reached celebrity status among our friends. Enjoy.

2 packages active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup melted butter (cooled to lukewarm)
8 cups bread flour
2 tsp. salt

Mix warm water with yeast and sugar and let sit until bubbles form. Add remaing sugar, beaten eggs and melted butter* to the yeast mixture. Use a sifter to sift in flour and salt. I usually use my hand mixer for the first half of the flour and then use a spoon for the last half (the dough should still be pretty sticky). Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for two hours. Stir down the dough, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight.

About 5-6 hours before you plan to eat, remove the dough from the fridge, dump onto a floured surface and divide into four equal parts. Roll each part into a circle (about 12"). Brush the entire circle generously with melted butter. Use a pizza cutter to cut it (pizza-style) into 12 equal pieces. Roll-up each piece, starting at the wide end, to form a crescent. Place on a greased cookie sheet and cover with a dish towel. Allow to rise for 4-5 hours. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

*Test the butter before you pour it in to make sure it's not too hot. If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your rolls won't rise. I just use the "finger test". Put your (clean) finger into the butter and hold it there for 5 seconds. Does it burn? If not, dump it in. If it is too hot, stir it for a while to help it cool. The first thing I do when I make these rolls is melt the butter, that way it has plenty of time to cool.

French Bread

2009-10-30T16:01:00.002-04:00

This is a recipe I got at a swap a few years ago. It is very good and accompanies our soup every time.

2 packets active dry yeast
3 cups warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil (olive or vegetable, doesn't matter)
6-7 cups bread flour

Mix the yeast and water and wait for it to bubble. Add the sugar,
salt and oil. Add the flour a cup at a time. I don't really measure
the flour. I just keep adding it until the dough is firm and only a
little sticky. Cover and let rise for an hour. Turn dough out onto
floured surface and divide into three equal pieces. Roll each piece
flat with a rolling pin and into a rectangle (mine rarely look like a
rectangle) and roll up, pinching the ends and seams to form a "french"
loaf. Cut slashes in the top (purely aesthetic). Let rise for about
an hour and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

2009-10-04T16:21:00.002-04:00

I found this on allrecipes.com.

1 (32 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes
8 ounces cooked, diced ham
2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of potato soup
16 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix the hash browns, ham, soup, sour cream, and cheddar. Spread evenly into the baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake for one hour or until bubbly and light brown.

Roasted Vegetables and Garlic

2009-08-13T09:01:00.004-04:00

This is a Wegmans recipe. It is one of our favorites in the summer because we can grow so many of the vegetables. I don't always use everything in the recipe if I don't have it, and I have substituted fresh cherry tomatoes for sun dried tomatoes. Just add them to the rest of the veggies and bake.

1 pkg (16 oz) Italian Classic Whole Wheat Penne Rigate (Grocery Dept), prepared per pkg directions, keep warm
1 medium eggplant,1-inch dice
1 medium sweet green pepper, 1-inch dice
1 medium sweet red pepper, 1-inch dice

1 medium yellow cooking onion, peeled, 1-inch dice
1 clove Food You Feel Good About Peeled Garlic, chopped
1 medium zucchini, 1-inch dice
1 medium yellow squash, 1-inch dice
1 pkg (8 oz) sliced baby bella mushrooms
5 Tbsp Wegmans Basting Oil
5 Tbsp Wegmans Pure Olive Oil
Wegmans Sea Salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg (6 oz) Food You Feel Good About Fresh Baby Spinach
2 oz roasted red tomatoes (Mediterranean Bar), sliced thinly (about 1/3 cup)
4 Tbsp Italian Classics Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (Cheese Shop)
link

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss eggplant, green pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms with basting oil and olive oil in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spread vegetables in a single layer on baking sheet. Roast about 30 min, until softened and lightly browned.
Combine pasta, vegetables, and raw spinach in large bowl. Toss gently until spinach wilts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes; sprinkle with cheese.

https://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&productId=348510&catalogId=10002&krypto=QJrbAudPd0vzXUGByeatog%3D%3D&ddkey=http:ProductDisplay

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake

2009-08-04T09:31:00.002-04:00

I made this for the first time last night at book club. Several people asked for the recipe. Surprisingly easy for such a yummy cheesecake.

The recipe is Anthony Romano's. He is the executive chef at Players on Madison in Lakewood Ohio.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used two packages of crackers ground up in the cuisinart)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, melted

I just put all of the dry ingredients in my cuisinart, mixed them up and then added the butter. Press the mixture into a 9-inch spring form pan.

Chocolate Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
16 ounces Mascarpone cheese (it came in a 17.5 ounce container, I used it all)
6 eggs
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add mascarpone cheese and combine well, scraping sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Put chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir until all of the chocolate is melted. Add half of the cream cheese mixture to the chocolate and combine well. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the crust. Pour the remaining plain cream cheese mixture on top and use a spoon to "marble" the filling.

Place spring form pan in the oven on top of a roasting pan (or any pan with a lip). Pour hot water into the roasting pan so that the spring form pan is surrounded by water. Bake 1 3/4 hours. Remove and cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Remove sides of spring form pan and refrigerate cake for 8-10 hours before serving.

Roasted Beets with Feta

2009-08-03T16:10:00.005-04:00

I'm a sucker for Feta cheese, so when I had some beets from the farm share to use, and I saw this recipe...

4 beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil, and place onto a baking sheet.

Bake beets in preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once done, remove from oven, and allow to cool until you can handle them. Peel beets, and cut into 1/4 inch slices.

While the beets are roasting, whisk together shallot, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar in a bowl until blended; season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

To assemble the dish, place the warm, sliced beets onto a serving dish, pour vinaigrette over the beets, and sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.

From allrecipes.com

Chocolate Banana Bread

2009-07-14T21:29:00.010-04:00

I saw this on Jamie Mitchell's blog. She doesn't say where she got it, but I found the picture she used at http://savorysweetlife.com/?p=1024 (credit to Alice). This is a slightly different recipe, though. It says this makes three loaves, but they come out sort of thin. If you can figure out at what temp and how long to bake it in two pans, give it a shot for a taller loaf.

1 cup butter, soft
2 cups sugar
2 t. vanilla
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 t. salt
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar & vanilla.
Add eggs & mix well. Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix bananas and sour cream together. Add the dry to the butter mixture. Mix in banana mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Grease three loaf pans and lace with cocoa powder or flour. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Test with toothpick.

**The author of SavorySweetLife.com posted a comment below. If you want to make one loaf instead of three, check the above link and try her recipe instead.

Artichoke Spinach Dip

2009-06-22T22:08:00.002-04:00

1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp lemon juice
1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained

Melt cream cheese and butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Then add the spinach and artichoke heats. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with pita chips or bread.

Oven Ready Bran Muffins

2009-03-24T15:14:00.002-04:00

Bran muffins are really delicious when they are hot out of the oven. I just found and tried this recipe on the back of my Hodgson Mill Unprocessed Wheat Bran box:

Mix batter according to directions. Store in refrigerator. Bake muffins at your convenience.

3 cups wheat bran
1 cup boiling water
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk

Mix 1 cup wheat bran with 1 cup boiling water; stir and let water absorb into bran. In a separate bowl blend sugar and butter. Measure and combine flour, baking soda and salt. Combine the moist bran with beaten eggs, the remaining 2 cups of bran, buttermilk, blended sugar-butter mixture, and flour, soda and salt mixture. Stir until well blended.

Place in the refrigerator for future use, or bake at once. Preheat oven to 400F. Stir batter well and spoon into prepared muffin tins. Bake 15 minutes. Keep remaining mixture in airtight container for 2 to 4 weeks. Yield: 2 dozen.

One Bowl Brownies

2009-02-04T15:27:00.004-05:00

Someone asked if I had a good homemade brownie recipe. These are the best.

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Microwave chocolate and butter or margarine in large bowl at HIGH for 2 minutes or until butter or margarine is melted.
Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour.
Spread in greased 13 x 9 inch pan (I line a pan with foil and grease that. That way you can lift the foil out with the brownies in it.). Bake for 35 minutes (do not overbake).

Apple and Sausage Strudel

2009-01-14T21:18:00.003-05:00

Jan Jacobson brought this to me after I had Jane. It is now an official member of our dinner line-up.

1 lb ground mild sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 large tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup cooked rice
1 lb sharp cheddar, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
2 puff pastry crusts

Brown sausage in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent, drain fat. Add apples, rice, one beaten egg and 3/4 of the cheese. Mix well, add salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheddar down the middle of one of the puff pastries, top with half of the meat mixture. Cut the sides of the pastry into strips and braid. Pinch ends to close. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Beat remaining egg and brush both pastries. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Enjoy.

Focaccia Bread

2009-01-14T14:23:00.002-05:00

1 cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped red onion

olive oil
coarse sea salt
coarsely ground black pepper

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix into a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface the knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (1 - 1 1/2 hours).

Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead in the sage and onion. Shape the dough into a ball, then roll out into a round of about 10 inches (pizza pan size). Cover and let it rise again until doubled, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400.

Poke dimples in the bread and drizzle olive oil on top, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, until golden.

Serve warm. Tastes delicious dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I often am really lazy and use 1 tsp dried sage and 1/2 tsp onion powder in place of fresh, and it works just fine. I have also used other spices, rosemary, thyme, oregano to change the taste a little.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2009-01-13T17:23:00.002-05:00

Deborah asked for this one.

2 cups chicken (I use a rotisserie, the texture and taste of the meat is just better)
2 cups sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
6-8 tsp. bouillon (or just use 6 cups of broth)
1 box Uncle Ben's Seasoned Wild Rice Mix (reserve seasoning packet)

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups half and half
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine chicken, vegetables and water/bouillon/broth and boil until vegetables are tender. Add rice, cover and cook until rice is done. In a separate saucepan make a roux of the butter, salt, flour and pepper. Add cream and seasoning packet and cook over medium heat until thick. Add to soup and stir to combine. Serve immediately, enjoy immensely!

*I usually make this the day after we have a homemade rotisserie chicken. Here is the recipe as well as instructions on how to make the broth. If you do it this way, I promise you will feel very industrious and exactly like Martha Stewart.

Pizza Dough

2009-01-13T17:18:00.003-05:00

This has been requested by several people. I got this from Deborah. It's nice because you don't have to let it rise.

1 package yeast
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp. oil

Combine yeast and water and wait for it to bubble. Add sugar, salt and oil. Mix in flour. Roll out immediately and top as you please. Bake at 400 until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.

Pasta Fagioli

2008-11-18T17:09:00.005-05:00

A couple of people have asked for this recipe. I got the basic recipe from allrecipes.com, but have modified it a little. Enjoy.

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
5 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 cans or 8 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 can navy beans
1 can kidney beans
1 cup ditalini pasta

Brown meat and drain off excess fat. Add olive oil and vegetables and sautee 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and spices. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer at least 1-2 hours. I will usually do this during Adam's nap and let it simmer until dinner, so don't worry about over cooking. About 1/2 hour before you're ready to eat, add beans and pasta. Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

2008-11-18T15:18:00.002-05:00

From allrecipes.com

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

I just baked these yesterday, and they are delicious. They are pretty sugary, almost like a cookie, so next time I will cut down the amount of sugar. I also won't cook them quite as long so they will be chewier. And I'll play around with other dried fruits, nuts, peanut butter, or chocolate (I might try this one first).

Chocolate Lover's Favorite Mint Brownies (from Dakin Stovall)

2008-11-09T20:17:00.007-05:00

Brownies:
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup broken walnuts or pecans (optional)

Mint frosting:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 cups powerdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Few drops of food coloring

Glaze topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter for the brownie until fluffy. Beat in eggs until well blended; then add melted chocolate. Mix dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture along with vanilla and nuts. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until no imprint is left when touched. Do not overbake.

Mix mint frosting ingredients until creamy and spread on brownies. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

For glaze, combine butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler; add vanilla and blend thoroughly. Pour gently over the frosting and spread by tipping the pan before the glaze cools; refrigerate.

Greek Pasta Salad

2008-11-08T21:50:00.002-05:00

Sauce:

1/2 cup olive oil
1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/4 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar

Combine and mix vigorously until well blended. Set aside.

Cook 16 oz. of your choice of pasta. Drain and let cool.

Add your choice of:

Chopped red pepper
Sliced black olives
Crumbled feta cheese
Chopped red onion
Marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Fresh tomatoes, diced
Chopped cucumber
Can of garbanzo beans, drained

and anything else you can think of that would taste good.

Mix sauce, pasta and everything together and chill for at least 2 hours. This tastes even better the second day.

This is from several different recipes on allrecipes.com

Buttermilk Pie

2008-11-08T21:47:00.003-05:00

Very easy and delicious.

1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
In a large bowl, cream margarine and sugar. Beat in flour and salt. Blend in the eggs. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into pie shell.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 45 minutes, or until filling is set.

From allrecipes.com

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce

2008-10-09T13:26:00.002-04:00

mostly from allrecipes.com

Souvlaki Marinade:
3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

4 large pita bread rounds

Toppings:
1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, halved and sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/2 cup pepperoncini
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 large cucumber - peeled, seeded and shredded

Make the sauce first (I've done it the day before and chilled it overnight, and it turns out fine):

Use a cheese cloth to strain the yogurt over a bowl for 3 to 4 hours, until most of the water has drained.
Press excess liquid out of the shredded cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber and strained yogurt. Mix in the garlic, salt, pepper and mint. Chill the mixture for 1 to 2 hours.

Then marinate the chicken:

In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, juice from 1/2 lemon, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When you are ready to cook:

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
Remove chicken from marinade and place on prepared grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow to sit about 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
Place chicken strips in pita bread, add sauce and any additional toppings.

I've served this cold and it still tastes great. Also, I have made the sauce without mint, I simply didn't have any, and it was very tasty. Oh, and throw the pita on the grill for a minute or so until hot, then fill it with the chicken, etc.

Monster Cookies

2008-09-07T17:46:00.003-04:00

Our favorite cookies. They're practically health food if you consider how much peanut butter and oatmeal are in them (and forget about the sugar and butter). Enjoy!

3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 cups oatmeal
12 oz. bag chocolate chips
large bag M&Ms

Beat eggs, vanilla, butter and sugars until smooth. Add peanut butter and baking soda and mix well. Add oatmeal and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and M&Ms and combine well. Drop by large teaspoonfulls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2008-08-20T12:46:00.004-04:00

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com, but decreased it to two servings instead of six. Scott rarely comments on dinner except to say "thank you". This dish received many compliments and has been added to our line-up. It is pretty rich so I served it with plain rice and steamed green beans.

2 chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded flat (about 1/2 to 1/4 inch)
2 slices swiss cheese
2 sliced ham (use more if you are using the thin deli meat)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup white wine or fruit juice
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place ham and cheese on chicken breast and roll, secure with toothpicks. Mix paprika and flour and coat chicken rolls in flour mixture. Brown chicken in butter over medium heat on all sides (it doesn't need to get cooked through at this point). Remove chicken and add wine and bouillon. Whisk together to get all the little bits off the bottom of the pan. Add breasts back in, cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cream. When breasts are cooked remove from the pan and whisk in cream mixture until heated through and thickened. Pour sauce over chicken and enjoy! Oh, you might want to remove those toothpicks. Unless you're mad at your husband then, by all means, leave them in.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Wrap with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

2008-07-20T20:23:00.000-04:00

4 Each Tomato Tortilla Wraps (12)
1 Each Red Bell Pepper
1 Each Eggplant
1 Each Red Onion
1 Each Zucchini
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, Minced

1/4 Cup Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
1/4 Cup Fresh Mayonnaise

1 TBSP Fresh Chopped Basil
1/4 lb. Feta Cheese Diced

1/2 lb. Baby Lettuce Mix
To Taste, Kosher Salt; Black Pepper

Method of Preparation:
Cut Vegetables into thick Slices. Coat with oil, salt and pepper. Grill until tender. Allow to cool. Once cooled dice into large pieces. Toss with basil and feta cheese. Chill.

Mix Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Fresh Mayonnaise. Hold on the side.

Warm tortillas. Place equal amounts of vegetable mixture; baby lettuce and pesto mayonnaise on each one. Wrap tightly and cut in half. Serve.

Zucchini Bread

2008-07-20T20:21:00.000-04:00

1 Cup sugar ( I use ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar)
2 eggs
½ cup oil (can also substitute ¼ cup oil for applesauce)
1 – 1 ¼ cup grated zucchini
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cup flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp baking powder
¾ - 1 cup chocolate chips

Beat eggs and mix in sugar. Stir in oil, zucchini, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Asian Summer Salad

2008-07-20T20:19:00.001-04:00

Salad

8oz uncooked vermicelli pasta

¾ cup julienne-cut carrots, 2 inches long

¾ cup julienne-cut zucchini, 2 inches long

¾ chopped red pepper

¼ cup sliced green onions with tops

¾ pound deli roast turkey or chicken breast, cut ½ inch thick

Dressing

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 TBS rice vinegar

3 TBS soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

1 tsp finely chopped, peeled fresh gingerroot

1 garlic clove, pressed

Break vermicelli into quarters and cook according to directions. Drain and run under cool water. Add all the ingredients to the vermicelli. Make the dressing and pour over noodles and vegetables. Allow the salad to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. May be made a day in advance. Garnish with chopped peanuts and/or cilantro if desired.

Mojo Chicken Kabobs

2008-07-18T02:17:00.004-04:00

I'm sparingly using up my precious Wegmans ingredients. We just grilled this one up tonight and, wow, was it delicious. It's from the Summer 2008 Menu magazine.

1 pkg (about 1 lb) Wegmans Mojo Marinated Chicken Breast Cutlets, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used my own chicken and marinated it with the Wegmans Mojo Marinade which I found on the salad dressing isle).

1 sweet red pepper, cored, 1-inch dice

1 large sweet onion, peeled

salt and pepper

Assemble kabobs: 1 piece chicken, pepper, chunk of onion, chicken, pepper, onion, chicken, pepper onion. Preheat grill on HIGH 10 min. Clean grill with wire brush. Using soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil. Season kabobs with salt and pepper; place on grill. Sear kabobs about 2 min, until they have changed color one-quarter of way up from bottom; turn over. Sear 2-3 min, turning kabobs. Reduce heat to MEDIUM; close cover. Cook 8-10 min until internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Transfer to clean platter.

Brown Sugar Lemonade

2008-07-14T09:48:00.004-04:00

6 lemons, juiced
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ice cubes

In a large pitcher, combine fresh lemon juice and water. Stir in brown sugar until it dissolves. Stir in ice cubes.

The brown sugar adds a great flavor to this lemonade. It's perfect for a summer barbecue! Found this on allrecipes.com

Fresh Peach Dessert

2008-07-13T15:09:00.003-04:00

I made this last night. It is a no-bake cheese cake, but the walnut crust is really yummy and it is great with any of the fresh fruits in the summer time. I usually make it with fresh strawberries or peaches.

Crust

2 cups flour

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream sugar and butter. Add the rest. Press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 325° for 15. Cool. Crumble with fork and leave in pan.

Filling

8 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

¾ cup powdered sugar

1 12 oz tub of whipped topping (cool whip)

Cream together the cream cheese and the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and then fold in the cool whip. Spread over cooled crust.

Topping

2 cups water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 small package peach jell-o (or the flavor that matches the fresh fruit)

4 cups diced peaches (or other fresh fruit)

Bring the water, cornstarch and sugar to a boil. Add the jell-o and stir until dissolved. Cool and fold in fresh fruit.

Creole Pork Chops & Corn Salsa

2008-07-13T14:59:00.012-04:00

Creole Pork Chops

4 large pork loin chops, trimmed *(7-8 thin pork chops)

4 tsp Emeril’s Creole Seasoning (see recipe below)

1 Tbl olive oil

Serve with Tomato Corn Salsa

Prepare Tomato Corn Salsa first. It can be done the day before. Sprinkle the pork chops with the Creole Seasoning , using ½ tsp per side. With your hands, coat the meat. Heat the oil in large skillet over high beat. Add chops and sauté for 7 minutes on each side, or until done. The pork should be very dark on the outside and pink and juicy on the inside. (serves 4)

*I usually use thin pork chops (found at Wal-Mart), and I grill them for 4 minutes on each side on medium heat.

Tomato Corn Salsa

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen, blanched (I use 1 can)

5 tomatoes, chopped

½ cup minced onion

1 tsp minced jalapeno (I omit)

3 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tbl lime juice

1 Tbl lemon juice

1 tsp salt (I only use 1/2 tsp)

fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir thoroughly. This salsa improves in flavor after it sits awhile. Make approx 3 cups. Serve along side Creole Pork Chops.

Emeril’s Creole Seasoning

2 ½ Tbl paprika

2 Tbl salt

2 Tbl garlic powder

1 Tbl black pepper

1 Tbl onion powder

1 Tbl cayenne pepper ( I omit)

1 Tbl dried leaf oregano

1 Tbl dried leaf thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Make approx 2/3 cups.

Italian Pasta Stir-Fry

2008-07-11T08:54:00.002-04:00

I've been going through recipes trying to find things to make with all of my zucchini. This one is really easy and tastes good, especially with homegrown zucchini and tomatoes.

8 oz linguine, uncooked
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley (or dry if I don't have fresh)
1 TBS olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp dried basic
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup grated (about 1 oz) fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook linguine according to package. Drain and keep warm. Chop tomatoes and onions and cut the zucchini. Heat oil over medium heat until hot. Press garlic into skillet and stir-fry 15 seconds. Add zucchini and onion. stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add tomatoes, parsley and seasonings. Heat 1-2 minutes, stirring gently until heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in linguine and add grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-09T12:58:00.002-04:00

These cookies came from a family friend, Marty Larkin, who always made yummy chocolate chip cookies for our family. When she moved away, I asked her for the recipe and have used it my whole life. I think the secret to good chocolate chip cookies is taking them out at 12 minutes and letting them cool on the cookie sheet for another few minutes so they are no longer puffy. I then transfer them to a paper towel on the counter. They turn out really soft and yummy and some of the extra grease is absorbed by the towel too.

Blend together until smooth
1 Cup Shortening
3/4 Cup white sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons water

Blend in well 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix in 2 1/4 cups flour until smooth

add 6 ounces chocolate chips

spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (until just barely golden brown) Let cool on paper towel.

Pioneer Woman's Apricot Bars

2008-06-01T21:25:00.003-04:00

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 3/4 sticks (regular, salted) butter, cut into pieces
1 10-12 ounce jar Apricot Preserves

Mix all ingredients except Apricot Preserves. Press one half of the mixture into a buttered 8" square (or small rectangular) pan. Spread with a 10-12 ounce jar of apricot preserves. Sprinkle second half of mixture over the top and pat lightly. Bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes or until light brown. Let cool completely, then cut into squares. Eat as many as you want because they don’t have any chocolate in them and therefore, they’re totally healthy and non-caloric.

BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing from the picky palate

2008-06-01T21:21:00.003-04:00

3 Cups thinly sliced Green Leaf Lettuce
¼ Cup corn
¼ Cup black beans
8 grape tomatoes, halved
1 cooked grilled chicken breast
¼ Cup favorite BBQ Sauce
¼ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ Cup prepared ranch dressing
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro leaves

1. Place lettuce into a salad bowl. Layer with corn, black beans and tomatoes. Dice cooked chicken breast and mix with BBQ sauce. Top over salad and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

2. Place ranch dressing and cilantro leaves into a small bowl to combine. Drizzle over salad and serve.
**This recipe is for 1 large serving, double accordingly**
the picky palate.blogspot.com
next time you grill, add some extra chicken and set it aside for this.

Almond Butter Cake Recipe

2008-05-27T19:15:00.002-04:00

Shelly Jones made this dessert for a Stake Relief Society meeting and it was so yummy. It is a very dense cake that was just the right sweetness.

1 1/2 c sugar

3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t real almond extract
1 t real vanilla extract
1 1/2 c flour
~1 T sugar (to top)
~ 1/4 c sliced almonds

Stir together sugar (1 1/2 c) and melted butter until smooth. Add eggs and stir until creamy and all one color. Add salt, almond extract, vanilla, and flour, and stir vigorously until blended. Pour into a greased 9" cake pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with sugar (~1 T) and then sliced almonds. Bake at 350 for about 35 mins or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Cool at least 30 mins. Serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream, ice cream and warm fruit sauce, etc.

Karla's Fast Gooey Bars

2008-05-24T15:50:00.003-04:00

1 white or yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x13" pan. In a medium size bowl, mix the first three ingredients together. Press 2/3's of the cake mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a different microwave-safe bowl, combine the last three ingredients. Melt in the microwave for one minute; then stir until all melted. Pour chocolate mixture over cake mixture in pan. With the rest of the cake mixture, take tablespoonfuls and press flat, then lay on top of the chocolate mixture, leaving space in between the flat pieces to form an aesthetic-looking dessert! bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

My mother-in-law found this recipe in a book complied from her ward in Moroni, UT; Karla Bench is author of these delicious treats. I have found they are best after cooling completely. Even after refrigeration or the next day they are so good. My husband doesn't like semi-sweet chocolate, so I use milk chocolate chips and they taste just as good.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

2008-05-21T18:09:00.004-04:00

Sorry the picture's a little blurry, I need to figure out how to take better food pictures with my camera. I got the recipe for the dumplings from Pioneer Woman's post where she had people leave their favorite recipes in the comment section. I concocted the soup my self and it's delicious, if I do say so myself. And I do.

6 cups chicken broth (4-5 cans)
1 Boneless skinless chicken breast
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 red potato, cut into chunks (I leave the skin on)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 cup milk (optional)

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup ice water
dash of salt

Bring 6 cups of broth to boil in a large pot. Add in the chicken breast. While the breast is boiling chop the vegetables and add them to the pot. Add the salt and parsley as well. Let the mixture boil for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken breast and shred, return chicken to the pot. Keep soup simmering while you make dumplings.

Use a pastry cutter or a fork to combine the flour, salt and shortening until small, pea-sized balls form. Add a little water at a time and mash with a fork until you have a tough dough. Roll out the dough and use a pizza cutter to cut it into 1"x1" squares. Bring soup back to a boil and add dumplings. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes. Add milk at the end of cooking for creamier soup.

Lethal Layer Bars

2008-05-07T20:09:00.003-04:00

I got this recipe from a book I was reading. I can't remember the author but the character she wrote about was a chef and at the end of the book she included a few recipes that were mentioned in the book and this was one of them. They are so delicious.

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. pecans
2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
Additional Flour
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

Combine the butter, brown sugar and flour until crumbly. Press into a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 mins. Let cool. Spread pecans over the crust.

Beat the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Place the salt and baking powder in a 1/4 measuring cup. Fill the rest of the measuring cup with flour. Combine this with the egg mixture. Pour over the pecans and top with the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 mins.

BBQ Meatloaf

2008-05-07T19:55:00.003-04:00

This is a twist on traditional meatloaf. I typically do not care for meatloaf as most recipes call for bread and it ends up tasting soggy. But the stuffing mix binds the meat well and the BBQ sauce gives it a little kick. I use Dinosaur BBQ Sauce but you can use any that you prefer.

2 eggs beaten
2 lb ground beef
1 6oz pkg of chicken flavored Stove Top stuffing mix
1 c. water
1/2 c. BBQ Sauce

Preheat oven to 375

Beat eggs in bowl. Add in ground beef, dry stuffing mix, water and 1/4 c. of BBQ Sauce. Mix together and place in loaf pan. Top loaf with remaining BBQ Sauce. Bake for 1 hour till 160 degrees.

Soft Vegetable Tacos

2008-05-05T13:14:00.006-04:00

Something fun for Cinco de Mayo.
This is an easy, inexpensive meal that our family enjoyed this weekend. Recipe is from the Taste of Home Simple and Delicious cooking magazine and can also be found on their website that has great easy and tasty recipes. www.bestsimplerecipes.com

1 2/3 cups, fresh corn or frozen corn, thawed.

1 small zucchini, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup salsa

8 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, saute the corn, zucchini and onion in oil until tender. Stir in beans and salsa. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cupful onto half of each tortilla; top with sour cream and cheese. Fold tortillas over filling; serve immediately.

*we made guacamole to go with this and it was so yummy. This is a new family favorite and I love that it is a meatless dish that my family will eat.

TIP- most of the seasoning/flavor for this dish comes from the salsa you use. I recommend Wegman's Brand Roasted Tomoato. It adds some great spice and minimal heat.

Orange Chicken

2008-04-25T13:15:00.007-04:00

4 raw chicken breasts-cut up
1 egg
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups uncooked rice
4 cups water

Dip chicken pieces into egg and then into cornstarch. Cook battered chicken in oil until done. Drain onto a paper towel and discard oil. In a large bowl combine sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic powder; mix well. Pour sauce mixture into pan with cooked, battered chicken and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Combine rice and water in a medium pan; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve sauce over rice.

Hong Kong-Style Beef with Udon Noodles

2008-04-24T08:29:00.005-04:00

This is a new favorite recipe of ours. All the ingredients can be found in Wegmans oriental market section, but I'm made it with regular oyster and soy sauce too.

1 lb Beef Sirloin Strips for Stir Fry
3 Tbsp water
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 pkgs Myojo Instant Japanese-Style Udon Noodles
2 Tbsp Oriental Mascot Vegetarian Oyster Flavored Sauce
1 Tbsp Pearl River Bridge Mushroom flavored Superior Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 8 oz pkg Bean Sprouts
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, cut in thin strips 2-2 1/2 inches long (about 1 cup)
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp fresh ginger root, peeled, sliced thin
1/2 large onion, peeled, 1/4-inch slices (about 1 cup)

Place beef in small bowl. Add water, 1 Tbsp at a time, working in with hands until water is absorbed into beef. Sprinkle cornstarch over beef and work in with hands to coat all pieces. Loosen noodles by hand; set aside. Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in small bowl; set aside. Blanch sprouts and green onion in large pot of boiling salted water 5 seconds; drain and set aside. Drizzle oil around sides of stir-fry pan; tilt pan to distribute evenly. Heat oil in pan on HIGH until oil faintly smokes. (If oil smokes too much, pan is too hot.) Add beef, ginger, and onion slices. Stir fry 3-4 min. Add noodles; stir fry about 1 min. Add sauce; stir fry 30 seconds, until heated through. Add sprouts and green onions to pan. Stir fry briefly to heat through and blend. Serve.
(Wegmans Magazine, Winter 2008)

Chicken Cardamom Masala with Cashews

2008-04-22T14:56:00.002-04:00

If you like Indian food, this is really good and fairly easy to make:

2 tablespoons garam masala
6 to 10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 piece (1 inch) cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons red chile flakes
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 4 chicken thighs, halved
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped
4 to 6 tablespoons cashews
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
3 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup heavy cream or yogurt (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Place garam masala, cardamom, cinnamon stick, chile flakes, ginger, and salt in a mortar and lightly crush with a pestle. Place chicken, yogurt, and spice mixture in a large bowl, turning chicken to coat. Let marinate, covered and refrigerated overnight.

Using a rubber spatula, wipe excess marinade from chicken; reserve marinade. Pat chicken with paper towels to dry; sprinkle with turmeric.

Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch-oven over high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until skin is nicely browned, about 10 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot and set aside. Reduce heat and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot, along with reserved marinade, cashews, and tomato paste. Cover and cook, 10 to 15 minutes. Add carrots and cauliflower, cover, and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Stir in cream or yogurt, if using, and cook 2 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Some notes:
Serve over white rice.
It's pretty spicy, so if you want mild, cut down on the red chile flakes.
I leave the cardamom pods whole, then pick them out before serving, they are pretty strong.
I usually just use 2 chicken breasts, instead of a whole chicken.
I found garam masala at the spice store a couple buildings behind Lori's Natural Foods. If you need any of these spices just to try it, I have plenty.
This is from "Where Flavor was Born" by Andreas Viestad.

Crockpot Fajitas

2008-04-07T09:31:00.005-04:00

I got this recipe from Veronica Haymore. I think she said she got it from Tiffany Johnson. It is super easy and so very, very good.

2 lb. chuck roast
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning*
juice of two limes**

Combine everything in a crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours. Shred meat and serve with taco fixings. You can adjust the quantity of seasoning if you have a bigger/smaller roast.

*Dinosaur Barbecue makes a Cajun seasoning that is really great. You can buy it at Wegman's
**I keep a bottle of lime juice in the fridge and just use that. Some would turn up there nose at that, but it is just easier. I use about 1/3 of a cup.

Feta Chicken Salad

2008-04-06T20:52:00.003-04:00

3 cups diced cooked chicken
2 large stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons sour cream
1 (4 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

In a serving bowl, mix together the chicken, celery, pepper, and red onion. In a separate bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, feta cheese, and dill. Pour over the chicken mixture, and stir to blend. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving (it tastes even better the second day).

Found this on allrecipes.com

Easy Parmesan Cheese Chicken

2008-04-06T12:20:00.003-04:00

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing mix
6 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix cheese, dressing, and garlic.
Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Pioneer Woman Lasagna..my kids FAVORITE

2008-04-06T12:00:00.003-04:00

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. hot (spicy) breakfast sausage
2 cloves minced garlic
2 (14.5) cans whole tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 T. dried parsley
2 T. dried basil
1 tsp. salt

brown beef, sausage,and garlic until brown. Drain off fat. Add tomatoes, paste, parsley, basil, and salt. Simmer for 45minutes.

Cook lasagna noodles in 1 tsp. salt and 1 T. olive oil. Lay flat on foil and set aside.

3 C. cottage cheese
2 beaten eggs
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese
2 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt

mix all the above well.

1lb. mozzarella cheese

put (3-4) lasagna noodles in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Put half the cheese mixture on top of the noodles, add half mozzarella cheese, and half of meat mixture. Repeat. Top with a generous layer of Parmesan cheese.You can either freeze at this point or Put in oven for 20-30 minutes at 350.

Zucchini Soup

2008-04-05T09:07:00.004-04:00

8 Zucchini and yellow squash
green onions
dill (to taste)
sour cream (about 1 cup)
cream cheese (8oz.)
6 chicken bullion cubes
3 C. Water

cook zucchini, dill and onions until tender. Add chicken broth (water and bullion), cream cheese, and sour cream. Blend in blender. Add back to pot and eat hot. This is actually a cold soup, but I don't like cold soup so we always eat it hot. It is also a recipe that I usually do by taste, but this is what we start with.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2008-04-03T15:20:00.005-04:00

This recipe came from my mom's ward cookbook. It's easy and yummy too.

6 C. water
½ C. chopped onion
2 peeled, diced carrots
1-2 stocks broccoli
1 stick butter
3-4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/3 C. Flour
2 ½ C. milk
¾ C. grated cheddar cheese

Vegetable Mixture: In 6 cups of water, boil onion, carrots, and broccoli until soft. Set aside.

White Sauce: Melt 1 cube butter in large pan. Add ½ C. of water from vegetable mixture (if there is not any water remaining in the vegetable mixture add what is left plus chicken broth to equal ½ cup)Add 3-4 bouillon cubes. Whisk in 1/3 C flour; stir in 2 ½ C milk; bring to a boil and simmer until creamy.

Add grated cheddar cheese and vegetable mixture. (I strain out any remaining liquid in the vegetables).

I love that you don't have to puree it. Makes it easier for me to make and I like the chunkiness.

Aunt Marty's Jello Salad

2008-04-03T14:30:00.006-04:00

A recipe from my in-laws. And though I've asked, I still do not know who Aunt Marty is. But I love this stuff! I was not sure what label to put on this...any suggestions are welcome. I will edit them if I need to.

2 3oz. pkgs. lemon jello
8 oz. cream cheese
20 oz. crushed pineapple
1 pt. heavy whipping cream
1 small jar marachino cherries

Strain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Make jello according to directions, substituting 1 cup of the required cold water with a mixture of pineapple juice and 2 Tbsp cherry juice (mixture should make 1 cup total). The cherry juice is mostly for color. Allow to soft set in the refrigerator(about 2 hours).

Mix softened cream cheese into the jello.

Whip the heavy cream. Fold in the whipped cream and crushed pineapple into the mixutre. Allow to set for at least an hour. Garnish with cherry halves.

Carmelitas

2008-04-03T14:16:00.016-04:00

This is the Sarah S. recipe, of course (read entire recipe for all ingredients needed).

2 Cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 ½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cup soft butter

Mix above ingredients together. Reserve ½ of the mixture. Press remaining ½ into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°. While crust is cooking, combine the following:

12 oz. Mrs. Richarson's Butterscotch Carmel topping (or similar topping)
3 Tbsp. flour

Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle 1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips over the caramel layer. (you may also add ½ cup chopped nuts).

Top with remaining crust mixture by crumbling over the top of the caramel. Bake for 18-22 minutes at 350. Allow to cool 1-2 hours before serving.

Honey Wheat Bread

2008-04-02T15:19:00.004-04:00

This recipe came from the packet that June Seibach handed out in Relief Society on ways to use your wheat. It is the best homemade wheat bread I've ever had.

1/2 cup water
2 packets yeast
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup wheat germ**
2 tablespoons wheat gluten*
3 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups bread flour

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. In a microwave safe 4-cup measuring cup, melt butter. Add milk, honey, brown sugar and salt to melted butter and mix well (this is a good way to do it because you only use one measuring cup and the honey won't stick). Add milk mixture to yeast and stir. Add wheat germ, gluten and 3 cups wheat flour to yeast mixture and mix well. Add 2 cups of bread flour. Continue adding bread flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Remove dough from bowl and knead for 5 minutes using bread flour. Cover dough mound with a damp towel and allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Punch down dough and divide in two. Roll each half into a flat rectangle and roll up, pinching ends, to make a French loaf. You can slit the top with a knife to make it pretty. Allow loaves to rise for an hour and then bake on greased cookie sheets at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

The original recipe called for bread pans but my loaves were often doughy in the middle. The French loaves are a little thinner and allow better baking.

*Wheat gluten can be found next to the flour in the baking isle. You can add it to any bread recipe (1 tsp. per cup of flour) and it substantially improves the texture of the bread.

**Wheat germ can usually be found in the health food section.

Turtle Brownies

2008-04-02T11:32:00.002-04:00

I found a recipe similar to this one when I was blog surfing. Unfortunately, I can't remember the actual blog I printed it from. Sorry.

1 box chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup butter
1 bag chocolate chips
1 jar caramel sauce
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter in the microwave and add butter and milk to cake mix. Mix well and add chopped nuts. Pour 1/2 of batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. It will be pretty think and hard to spread. I spray some Pam onto a piece of plastic wrap, lay it over the batter and use it as a mess-free way to spread the batter flat. Bake the first layer at 375 for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and pour caramel over baked portion and spread evenly (again, this will be hard unless you heat the caramel first or use the plastic wrap). Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel and cover chips with remaining batter (use your plastic wrap again). Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely before serving. These are very gooey and serve better the next day, after they've had time to set up.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

2008-04-02T11:22:00.011-04:00

Again, found a basic recipe on allrecipes.com but modified it in so many ways that I'm taking ownership.

1 lb. cubed beef stew meat
2 cans condensed golden mushroom soup (different than cream of mushroom)
1 onion, chopped
1 packet beef onion soup mix (Lipton makes this)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
12 ounces sour cream
*1/3 cup chopped green pepper (optional)
1-2 large bags egg noodles

In the crockpot combine the first 9 ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 6 hours. Right before you're ready to serve add sour cream. You can either mix in the noodles or serve them with the sauce on top.

I grew up with green pepper in my stroganoff. The problem is that if you put it in with the other ingredients, it adds a strong flavor to the sauce. I sautee the green peppers with some olive oil until they're soft and then add them with the sour cream.

Mexican Spaghetti

2008-04-02T11:22:00.010-04:00

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. (13-16 oz) spaghetti
1 can Rotel chilis and tomatoes
1/2 pound Velveeta cheese (cut into chunks)
2 Tablespoons chicken base

Boil chicken and shred. Set aside. In a large pot, bring 6-7 cups of water to a boil. Add chicken base and spaghetti. Cook until tender. Do not drain. Add Rotel, Velveeta, and chicken. Stir until cheese is melted. You can drain excess liquid if it's too runny.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2008-04-02T11:10:00.004-04:00

This recipe is a great next-day meal after having Rotisserie Chicken because you can use the meat and stock that were leftover. I found a basic recipe for this on allrecipes.com but have severely modified it, so I'm calling this one mine.

6-8 cups chicken stock
2 -3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 package long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups half and half or heavy cream (pick your poison)
Salt and pepper to taste

Pour olive oil into a large soup pot and add all vegetables. Sautee over medium-high heat for several minutes, until onions become translucent. Add stock and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil and add rice (save the seasoning packet for now). Cover and allow rice to cook for as long as the package says. While it is cooking, put butter into a small sauce pan over medium heat and allow it to melt. Add flour and seasoning packet to make a roux. Add your heavy cream and let it heat until it begins to thicken. Add cream mixture to soup and combine well. Let the soup cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Rotisserie Style Chicken

2008-04-02T10:47:00.002-04:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It is presented here in pretty much it's original format. I had somehow managed to prepare meals for nine years without cooking an entire chicken. I don't know how I did it. This recipe is to die for. The leftover meat, bones, skin, etc. can be boiled and used to make a base for soups that is far better than anything you'll find canned at the store.

4 teaspoons kosher salt (regular will work too)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/ teaspoon garlic powder
2 onions, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 large roasting chicken (5-8 lbs.)

Remove that package of yuckiness from inside the chicken (you can save this to boil later to make broth, or just toss it). Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with a towel. Mix all spices together and rub them all over the chicken, inside and out. Place onion and garlic pieces in the body cavity. If you have time, wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 4-24 hours, this really improves the flavor of the meat. When you're ready, place the chicken on a roasting rack (for me, this consists of my cooling rack placed in a pan). Bake uncovered at 250 degrees for 5 hours. When done the skin will be brown and crispy but the meat will be moist and delicious. Again, if you have time, let the meat "rest" after you take it out of the oven by covering it loosely with foil for 15-20 minutes. This helps the meat to absorb juices that would run out if you cut it immediately.

This recipe requires you to get really friendly with a complete chicken that looks like something that was once alive and is now dead. I was a little afraid to do this at first and I still crinkle my nose as I handle the raw chicken, but I promise it's worth it.

Note: As soon as we are done eating, I put everything (carcass, extra meat, pan juices, onions and garlic from cavity and "packet of yuckiness") into a large stock pot and cover it with water. I let it simmer for several hours while I clean up, put the boy to bed, whatever. Before bed, I put a strainer over a gallon-size pitcher and pour the contents of the pot in. Once I've squeezed all of the stock out I pick out all the meat I can find and put it right into the pitcher with the stock. Cover the pitcher with a lid and put it in the fridge. Throw everything else away. When you're ready to use the stock, skim the fat off the top and discard it. The stock will have a "jelly-like" consistency, this is normal, it will liquefy as it heats. Use the stock the same way you would a can of chicken broth. You may need to add salt and you can usually water it down a bit as it is a bit more concentrated than what you find at the store.

Let's Get Started

2008-04-02T09:21:00.004-04:00

I've spoken to several of you about wanting to start a food blog as a way to share recipes. Well, here it is. We are all constantly feeding each other and saying how good things are and that we need this or that recipe. So, this is a way to have constant access to our friend's best recipes. When you post a recipe please use the "labels for this post" option at the bottom of the text box. That way we can categorize recipes into sides, breads, main dishes, dessert, etc.

This is also a place to post tips and ideas to improve cooking. So, if you post a tip about making better bread, label it "bread" and "tips". If you have pictures to post with recipes, we love that too! Especially if it is hard to explain processes, pictures are worth a thousand words.

Please feel free to invite others to post here. I'm pretty sure that anyone who is an author can invite others to be authors. If not, let me know and I can add people.

In the spirit of giving credit where due, please site where you got the recipe. A link to a site, a name, anything. Recipes aren't intellectual property, so they aren't protected by copyright, but it's always nice to credit the original author.

I'm looking forward to lots of tasty recipes!