Cooking with the Keys

Caramel Apples

2011-11-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

I have been having a love-hate relationship with food for the last 6 months. I am always hungry but NOTHING looks or even sounds appealing to me. Hence my lack of posting anything. Then entered this caramel into my life. After making it, I ingested almost nothing else but this caramel, some apple & my prenatal vitamins for 2 days. SO good. I am pretty partial to The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's caramel apples, but this recipe may even rival those. I highly recommend trying this! I found the recipe along with great tips on dipping the apples at Brown paper packages

1/2 c. butter
1 c. light corn syrup
2 c. brown sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
8 -10 apples

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large sauce pan. When the butter is melted, add the condensed milk. Stirring CONSTANTLY and scraping the sides often, cook to 230 degrees (soft ball stage). Take off heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool for 3 - 4 minutes before dipping apples. Or pour into buttered dish and allow to cool and set up then cut into individual pieces (or if you are a ravenous pregnant woman you can just eat it out of the pan by the spoon full, it's allowed I promise.)

Megan's Enchiladas

2011-09-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

One thing I miss about living in Happy Valley (Utah County) is the abunance of Tex-mex. There are times I'd nearly give my right arm for a Cafe Rio Salad or Bajio Burrito. So when my dear sister-in-law made these for us when we last visited her, I was in extreme bliss. They are easy to make, freeze great and are sooo yummy! Thanks Megan.

2 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 -14oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Pepper to taste
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lb. lean ground beef or shredded chicken
1 -15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 corn or flour tortillas
1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, but do not allow garlic to brown. Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin, oregano, and pepper and allow to cook for a few minutes longer. The finished sauce will be a bit chunky. Stir in cilantro.
Meanwhile, cook beef (or chicken, then shred); drain fat and stir in beans. If using corn tortillas, warm the tortillas in the oven to make them easier to roll; remove. Spread 1/2 cup of tomato mixture into the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Divide the beef (chicken)/ bean mixture and 3/4 cup of cheese among the tortillas. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce on top and bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle on remaining cheese, and bake 5 minutes more until cheese is melted.

Oreo Cake

2011-06-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

This might be it. The chocolate cake that will end my search. It is moist, dense, oh sooo good and all the ingredients are already in the pantry. Seriously, what more could you ask for. The Oreo butter cream is a definite bonus. But this cake can stand on its own 2 feet, no frosting necessary. I have recently discovered the treasure trove that is MBA which is where I found this gem.

Cake
1 pkg. devil's food cake
1 (5.9 oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix (I used a small 3.something oz. pkg.)
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. sour cream
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (I left these out)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottoms of 2 -9 inch round cake pans with parchment and grease pans thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, salt, vanilla, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and divide batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25- 35 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the baking time (yeah, I didn't do that and it was still awesome). Bake until the top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake for at least 30 minutes before inverting. Allow cake to cool completely on wire rack.

Oreo Butter cream
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (I went with the salted, and it was still great)
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 lb. powdered sugar (I figured this was just over 5 1/2 c.)
3-4 Tbsp. very cold milk
25 Oreo cookies, chopped

Cream the butters in a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk, one tablespoon at a time, combining well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency. Fold in chopped Oreo Cookies.

French Coconut Pie

2011-05-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

Since moving to the South I have been trying to unravel the mystery of pie. It is on every dessert menu in nearly every restaurant. People in the South seem to love pie. Now I have nothing against pie, it is a lovely dessert but I am more of a chocolate cake lover. But since making this my love affair with pie has begun. It was the short instructions and the word COCONUT that drew me to this recipe. (Coconut and I also have deep love for one another.) It has a consistency similar to pecan pie which I think the term is chess pie. That is irrelevant though because once you taste this you won't care about it's texture or color of the sky. This has easily made my top 5 favorite desserts. It may not look like much but, wow! I found it on the Tasty Kitchen blog.

3 whole eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. flaked coconut
1 stick butter, melted
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 whole 9" uncooked pie shell

Mix filling ingredients well and pour into the pie shell. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour.

Strawberry Syrup

2011-05-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

One major plus about living in the middle of nowhere is that you are surrounded by farms. Springtime + farms = yummy berries. So I have had my heart set on making freezer jam this year with all the abounding strawberries in season. And might I add that I have been putting off this venture for some time now because I was convinced it would would involve a week of standing over a giant pot of scalding hot fruit mixture that I would in the end have to throw out. This is not the case. I was able to make a batch start-to-finish (clean up included) in less than an hour. So don't fear freezer jam making, it is beyond easy. If you can stir, you can make it. Now back to the syrup. So I was truly clueless to how much 8 quarts of strawberries actually is. A LOT. After making the jam, strawberry daiquiris, strawberry frosting and the girls eating 2 quarts themselves I still had a good deal left. I remembered seeing a recipe for a syrup here and since they never disappoint I gave it a go. Wow, I think I could eat this on everything. The cinnamon gives it an incredible twist. A must try.

1 c. granulated sugar
1 Tb. corn starch
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. thinly sliced and then roughly chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)

Combine sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in saucepan; stir in strawberries. The strawberry juices will dissolve the sugar and make a wet mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Makes approximately 2 c. of syrup.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

2011-04-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is the perfect spring meal for our family. The weather is warm and there are relatively few bugs so we have a tendency to want to play outside right up to half a second before dinner time which means there is no dinner made. Who wants to go in and spend forever making dinner while everyone else is outside playing? Not me, and so I don't. This comes together VERY quickly and only has to bake for about 15 minutes. It is an awesome combo of garlic bread and pizza which also is a plus for my self-proclaimed-vegetarian-carb-loving 17 month old. Yet another gem from the girls at Our Best Bites.

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough (or make your own)
marinara sauce
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil or melted butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings of your choice ( i.e., ham, pineapple, mini pepperoni, sausage)

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package (usually 400). Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares using a pizza cutter. Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (The marinara sauce does not go inside, it is just used for dipping.) When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan. Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter then sprinkle with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them, check after about 10 minutes. Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

2011-04-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

I have this . . . well let us just call it a quirk, there is a very small window of ripeness during which I can eat a banana without the ole' gag reflex kicking in. I'm all about firm fruit. Since my children seem to pick 1 fruit each week that they are willing to eat, I am frequently left with a bunch of brown bananas. I LOVE my mom's banana bread, but I am unable to duplicate it. So I was excited to find this recipe! It comes out great every time, fills the chocolate craving and gets rid of the funky banana stink in my kitchen. And for those who have a distaste for bananas, you'll be glad to know that my picky-eater-baby sister didn't even know they were in there. From The Sisters' Cafe.

1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 1/4 c. mashed bananas (about 3)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom of loaf pan with cooking spray (I spray the entire pan with Bakers Joy). Beat sugar, eggs and oil together in a large bowl at medium speed until combined. Beat in banana mixture on low speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 60 -70 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers

2011-04-06T05:52:00.000-07:00

Like I said in my last post, I am all about Our Best Bites. Haven't made a recipe from them that I didn't love. So with that being said here is another of their gems. The dressing in this recipe that is used to baste and marinate is incredible. It may some day replace ranch dressing in my life. Alright, you can't replace ranch dressing, but it may come close. I excluded the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes because I despise them both and they were still AMAZING. Fire up your grill and give these babies a try.

1 lb. chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. small whole mushrooms, stems removed
1 each yellow and green zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
sweet cherry tomatoes
2 -3 bell peppers (in a variety of colors), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small red onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 recipe Zesty Italian Dressing:
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. canola oil
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese (can be fresh or from a can)
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

In a blender, combine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, salt, seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. Blend. While blender is running, slowly add oil in a steady stream. Turn off blender and add Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese. Pulse blender 2 -3 times to combine the herbs and cheese. Remove 1/2 c. of dressing for basting during grilling and set aside. Place cut up chicken in a shallow dish and pour a little less than half of the remaining dressing over the chicken. Place in refrigerator for 2 -3 hours or until ready to use. Place chopped veggies in a 9x13 pan and pour remaining dressing (except for reserved 1/2 c.) over veggies. Toss gently to combine. Set aside. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes to avoid burning while grilling. When chicken is done marinating, skewer veggies and chicken (use about 2 -3 pieces of chicken per skewer with as many veggies as needed). Preheat the grill and cook skewers for about 10 -12 minutes over medium heat, basting with reserved 1/2 c. of dressing, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender-crisp, turning at least once.

Black Bean Soup

2011-04-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Wow. This is - wow. I was skeptical. I don't usually go for soups with the main ingredient being beans or pea. Some weird food aversion, can't explain it, don't know why, that is just how I am. My husband however mentioned that HE would be willing to try it. SOLD. Anytime I can get him to agree to eat something new I jump at it. So last night after we put the family circus to bed I whipped this up real quick. Which is another major plus to this soup, easy and quick, we're all about that. This soup is really loaded with flavor. It's amazing! Amazing I tell you. Okay, I was starving by the time we finally got to eat so that may be part of why it was so amazing, but I promise you that you will not be disappointed with this. I'm all about these ladies recently, this is one of theirs.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 c. diced carrots (about 2 med. carrots)
3/4 c. diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 c. diced onion (about 1 small-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1- 3.5 oz. can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dry oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
juice of 1 lime
Optional toppings : sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro

Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. when pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes. Add in the black beans, chilies and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for about 20 -25 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup. Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters. Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from 1 lime and pulse to combine. Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 c. of soup.

Pink Lemonade Butter Cream Frosting

2011-02-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

This is a winner. My sister reminded me today that I never did post it, so here it is.

3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar

1 stick, unsalted butter, softened (I use salted)

1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate, thawed (I usually end up using 3 -4 Tbsp)

pink food coloring

Add all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mixer on low speed using paddle attachment until combined. Increase speed to med-high and continue to beat until butter cream is fluffy and uniformly pink.

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2011-01-28T07:37:00.000-08:00

Some how I had lemons and blueberries in my fridge yesterday. No bread, but I had lemons and blueberries. Guess it is time to go grocery shopping but that is beside the point. I spied this recipe a week or so ago and finally decided to make them. They are heavenly. The recipe only makes 12 so next time I will be doubling it. I substituted butter in place of shortening and I used fresh, not frozen blueberries. I also cut the topping in half and it was still more than enough. For the original recipe check out The Sisters Cafe.

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

zest of one lemon

1 egg

1 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

1 c. blueberries

Topping:

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. sugar

Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Beat egg, milk and butter together. (Make sure to warm the milk or it will quickly solidify the butter.) Stir in blueberries. Add dry ingredients and lemon zest. Stir gently to combine. Bake at 375 F. for 20 -25 minutes ( I pulled mine out after about 19 minutes). Combine melted butter and lemon juice. While the muffins are still warm, dip tops in the butter mixture then dip in sugar.

Rainbow Cake

2011-01-18T11:28:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to try this one. Now I have. Probably will never do it again. Okay, maybe for a dear niece or nephew someday when I get to be there for a birthday. The cake itself wasn't bad at all. Of course I cheated and used a box mix which I'm sure saved me a good hour or so. The frosting was what had me nervous. There are certain things that just do not do well in my presence: yeast, living plants, egg whites and cooking sugar. But my dearest was tired of the plain ole' butter cream, so I risked the inevitable flop. And then the unthinkable happened, it worked! Somehow I pulled of the frosting and I was happy beyond belief. Be warned - the frosting ALONE contains a full pound of butter. That's 4, count them, four sticks of the glorious golden stuff. So be sure that you have a good number of people to feed this to. The original recipe called for another 1/2 recipe of frosting to allow for a crumb coat. I found that I didn't need it because the frosting went on so smooth that it didn't pull of any crumbs as I worked. You can find the original recipe at Martha's place.

Cake:

2 white cake mixes (you need 6 cups of batter, each cake mix yields about 4 1/2 c.)

Mix cake mixes as directed on the box. (I used the egg white directions to keep the batter white to make the coloring process easier.) Grease and flour 9" rounds. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of each 9" round. Grease parchment paper and place in the pans. (You can use six disposable aluminum round pans or just bake in turns using regular 9" rounds.) Set aside. Using 6 separate bowl, place 1 cup of batter in each bowl. Color each bowl of batter (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple) with gel food coloring. Pour each cup of batter into an individual prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 -12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cooling rake for 5 -10 minutes before removing from pan. Allow each layer to cool completely, remove parchment paper from bottom the bottom, then wrap cake in plastic wrap to keep from drying out.

Lemony Swiss Meringue Frosting:

9 large egg whites

1 3/4 c. granulated sugar

2 c. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

2 tsp. pure lemon extract

Cook egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. (This took me about 10-15 minutes) Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on high speed until mixture is near room temperature and soft peaks form. (You don't want the egg white mixture so warm that it melts the butter.) With the mixer on medium-low, add butter, one piece at a time, mixing well after each addition. Remove whisk attachment and switch to paddle attachment. Increase speed to high and beat until butter cream comes together, about 5 minutes; beat in lemon extract.

Begin laying the cake, starting with purple, cover each layer of cake with frosting before adding the next layer. Frost top and sides of cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store covered in fridge.

Cinnamon Syrup

2010-12-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's the holidays or maybe I'm just missing my mom. I've been craving things from my childhood lately. My mom made this syrup for us whenever we had french toast as kids. It is so sugary, cinnamony yummy. We also discovered this morning that it is excellent on pumpkin pancakes.

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. light corn syrup

1/4 c. water

1/2 c. light cream or evaporated milk

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cinnamon. Add corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in cream/milk. Serve warm over French toast or pancakes. Makes 1-2/3 cup.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2010-11-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

I love creamy soups! They are one of my fond childhood memories of autumn time. Mom's potato soup, tomato soup and vegetable chowder. Oddly enough I don't have a recipe for any of them. A problem I will soon remedy. In the mean time, this was a great substitute. The cream cheese makes it SO smooth and creamy. You'll love it.

*From My Kitchen Cafe

2 Tbsp. butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 diced carrots
3 c. chicken broth
2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced (I used red potatoes and left the skin on)
1 c. milk
4 Tbsp. flour
1 - 8oz. pkg cream cheese
2 -3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook partially covered, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn't burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft / melty. Place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave for 1 minute at 30% power. (I did it for 2 minutes, checking after the 1 minute.) You'll want it really, really soft so that it doesn't leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-11-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

I was in the need for a festive breakfast food for the kiddies. These were great. I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen. Next time I may add a little sugar for some sweetness.

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

1 1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. canned or fresh pumpkin

1 whole egg

1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk pumpkin, eggs and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful not to over mix. The batter will be thick. Ladle batter in desired portions over a hot griddle and flip when bubbles begin to break on the tops. Cook another few minutes and remove from griddle.

Chicken Cacciatore

2010-08-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to make this dish for quite a while but all of the recipes I have come across call for fryer chickens. I have absolutely no idea or a desire to cut up an entire chicken so this recipe calling for chicken breasts was right up my ally. It was a little more work than I originally thought but it was worth the out come.

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c. white flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped

5 -6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 c. white wine, white cooking wine, apple or white grape juice

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine)

1 bay leaf

1 c. sliced mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon, shake off excess oil and transfer to the blender. Increase heat to medium-high.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Dump the entire bag into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the skillet.

While chicken is draining, add wine (or juice), chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, salt and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5 - 4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta. Serves 6 -8.

Taco Salad Dippers

2010-07-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

My husband, he loves tacos. I am not a big fan. I would say it is more of the taco package mix that I don't see eye to eye with. To much --- well it has to much of something in there. This was a great middle ground for us. He gets his taco fix and I don't get grossed out by the "to much" of something in my food. My 2 year old, who normally won't touch rice or beans with a 10" pole, licked her bowl clean. A great weeknight meal, again from My Kitchen Cafe. This makes A LOT. I had enough left over to freeze for another 2 meals.

2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

6 c. water

1 c. rice

1 tsp. oregano

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

1 (15 oz.) Can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

In a large pot, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, it will thicken to perfection as the rice absorbs water and all the ingredients meld together. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping and other taco garnishes.

Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Avocado

2010-06-18T18:41:00.000-07:00

This pasta is SO good! I have had a jar of sun dried tomatoes sitting in my pantry for about 2 months now while I've mustered up the courage to use them. I loath tomatoes. But these, oh I love these! They are "change your life good". I found it here.

1/2 lb. pasta, cooked as directed on package
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1-2 tsp. crushed garlic
1-2 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1-2 large avocados, chopped
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Drain excess oil from tomatoes and saute with garlic on medium heat for several minutes. Add basil, red pepper flakes and salt to taste. Toss with hot pasta and gently stir in avocado. Top with Parmesan cheese

An Award? For me?

2010-05-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

My dear cousin Sadie gave me a blogging award for my sad little cooking blog. Those who live at my house would probably say that I need to actually cook to get such an award. I've been a bit lazy in the cooking department since having my second baby 6 months ago. Despite that, thank you very much Sadie! Check out her blog, she is Super Mom. This award requires that I do a few things.

1. Accept and thank the person who sent it to you.

2. List 10 things about yourself

3. List 5 additional thing you don't like

4. Pass the award on to 10 other bloggers

10 things about me:

1. I only have 9 toenails

2. I have no idea what I am doing in the kitchen, just make it up as I go along

3. I lived in Utah for 27 years and only went skiing once.

4. I am terrified of thunderstorms

5. I can not tread water

6. I very much enjoy photography, but again have no idea what I am doing with that either.

7. I have 2 carpet cleaners. As a mom I am convinced you cannot have to many of them.

8. I wash my hands on average 20 -25 times a day (weird, maybe, but I don't apologize for being clean)

9. I eat one hot dog a year (Memorial Day Weekend, 10 cents a piece at Ace Hardware in Delta)

10. I think Sam Waterston is the greatest fake lawyer of all time.

5 things I don't like:

1. The Dentist, I don't like to voluntarily pay to have pain inflicted on myself

2. sick people who don't stay at home. P.S. Nobody want your germs

3. pickles - BLECK

4. giant bugs (regular sized ones are OK)

5. humidity levels over 10%

Awarding to:

1. My cousin Marie. Her cooking blog is one that inspired me to start cooking. She is never afraid to branch out and cook something new. Someday I hope to be brave like her.

2. Yet another cousin, Jenna. What can I say, I have an inspiring family. Jenna started this cooking blog for all the cousins to contribute to. And it was Jenna that introduced me to the all knowing Pioneer Woman. My life as I knew it was changed forever. I owe it all to you.

3. Cousin Amy. Talk about an amazing photographer, mom, and person all rolled up into one. Creative and amazing, that's what you are Amy! You inspire me.

4. My sister Serina, I can't go to her blog and not laugh my guts out. Maybe it's because I know how insane her children are and the chaos they cause for her, but she is hilarious. I so look forward to spending time with her any chance I get because we usually have each other laughing our heads off.

5. I don't know if I am allowed to do this but I am giving it back to Sadie because she is incredible. I know I can always count on Sadie for a recipe when I am in need. And talk about organized. Me and weekly menu planning don't do well together, but Sadie keeps inspiring me to try. I love her blog!

6. Tanya at Trey and Lucy crafts. Where does she find time for all she does? Amazing I tell you.

I know I need to do 4 more. I will, I just need to think for a bit.

Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

2010-05-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

I'm loving my crock pot this week. It is so nice to nearly be done making dinner by 10:00 a.m. This recipe comes from where else but My Kitchen Cafe. Love her blog, love her cooking! We made chicken burritos last night with this chicken and it was incredible. The meat is super tender, juicy and so full of flavor. I ended up using Italian diced tomatoes instead of regular ones because that was what I had on hand and it was still awesome! A definite keeper.

1 lb. (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (14 oz.) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like extra heat)

Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low. Remove chicken from cooker and shred with forks. Return to slow cooker and mix the chicken and juices from tomato/brown sugar mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Crock Pot Pot Roast

2010-05-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

This is fabulous and I hate pot roast. Super quick to prepare and sooooooo good. I found the recipe here. I cooked my roast between 8 - 9 hours on low and added extra water towards the end. It came out so moist and tender and the gravy was out of this world. Highly recommend trying this one.

1 - beef roast (mine was about 3-4 lbs)

1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. Brown gravy mix

1 pkg. Italian dressing mix

1/2 - 1 1/2 c. warm water

In a small bowl combine the 3 mixes. Place roast in crock pot then sprinkle the mix over both sides of roast. Add 1/2 warm water to the pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (or until tender) adding more water if necessary.

Sweet Pork Salad with Cilantro Dressing

2010-03-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

Since our move to Tennessee I have been without Cafe Rio and Bajio. I crave mexican food almost daily and Taco Bell just isn't cutting it. I have been wanting to make this meal for so long now. It is one of my top 5 all time favorite meals! The pork and dressing recipe come from Picky Palate but the rice recipe I got from good old Miranda.

Pork

2 - 4 lb. pork roast

1 1/2 c. Coca Cola

Salt, pepper, garlic seasoning salt

Sauce

1 c. Coca Cola

1 c. Ketchup

Place roast in crockpot with Coke and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Cook on low overnight, until tender. Remove roast from crockpot and discard juices. Shred pork into bite size pieces and place back into crock pot on low. (I let my 4lb. roast cook for about 14 hours on low and it was so tender that it fell apart when I touched it with a fork. I also used nearly 3 cans of Coke for the cooking and the sauce.) Place Coke and ketchup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Heat to a low boil. Pour over shredded roast. Cook on low until ready to serve. (I just used the "keep warm" setting at this point)

Dressing

1 jar Herdez Salsa Verde (mild tomatillo salsa)

Equal amount of prepared ranch dressing (Hidden Valley)

1 bunch Cilantro

Place equal parts of salsa verde and ranch dressing into food processor or blender. Add cilantro leaves and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Rice

2 Tbsp. butter

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. cumin

2 cans diced green chilies

juice of 1/2 a lime or 1 Tbsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

3 c. long grain rice

In a small pan, saute butter, onion and garlic together until onions are clear. In a large pot, combine 6 2/3 c. water, bouillon granules, cilantro, cumin, chilies, lime juice and salt then bring to a boil. Once the mixture has begun to boil, add the rice and onion mixture and reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until liquid is gone.

10" flour or wheat tortillas

shredded green leaf lettuce

black beans

diced tomatoes (I like to use pico de gallo instead)

cheese, sour cream, guacamole

To serve: place tortilla onto large plate. Layer with lettuce, beans, rice, pork, dressing, tomatoes, and cheese.

Candy Chex Mix

2010-03-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

My mom makes this every year at Memorial Day and then again at Christmas time. Our family loves it. Everyone who tastes it loves it. But it is SOOOO addictive, you have been warned.

1 1/2- 14 oz. boxes of corn Chex cereal

1 - 16oz. can peanuts (I prefer slivered almonds or just excluding the nuts all together)

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. Karo syrup

1 c. + 2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium sauce pan, combine sugar, Karo syrup, butter and vanilla. Boil for exactly 2 minutes. Pour over Chex cereal and nuts and stir until completely covered. Pour onto cookie sheet or wax paper to dry. Yields 2 cookie sheets full.

Chocolate Ganache Cake

2010-03-29T13:12:00.001-07:00

I think this one is a Betty Crocker ditty. After I discovered it I made it approximately 1,000 times. It is super fabulous. Then I forgot about it's fabulousness. I remembered it the other day after volunteering to bake individual birthday cakes for the girls in our young women's group. Apparently I also forgot that I have small children and that means everything must be done in small time increments. But since this cake needs to be refrigerated, the couple of hour long breaks we had to take in between steps worked out quite well. It calls for tub chocolate frosting, but I used this frosting recipe instead.

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 1/3 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tubs Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heath bar (or toffee)bits

Combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs and mix until batter is smooth. Bake as directed on the box for 2- 9" rounds. (I used 2- 6" rounds and increased the baking time) Cool completely. Place 1st layer on cake platter and frost top of cake generously. Repeat with second layer and frost sides. Place in fridge. In a small sauce pan, heat heavy whipping cream over medium heat until hot, but do not boil, then remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted smooth. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Carefully pour chocolate ganache mixture onto the top center of the cake. Spread to the edges and allow some to drizzle down the side. Garnish top of cake with toffee candy bits. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until ganache is set. Store covered in fridge.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2010-03-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have had about 6 similar recipes for this cookie, but this is my favorite one. The recipe never fails me, always works! It also happens to be my husband's favorite cookie of all time. So yeah for that. Great for satisfying a mean chocolate fix. I found this on Picky Palate once upon a time.

1 3/4 c. flour

1 1/4 c. cocoa powder

1 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the salt and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Baked Pasta with Turkey Sausage

2010-03-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

I LOVE My Kitchen Cafe. Love it, love it, love it. Say you get a hankeren' for some delicious banana bread, My Kitchen Cafe. Have a phobia of yeast and need someone to hold your hand and show you every little step of the bread/roll making process, My Kitchen Cafe. Want a wicked awesome pasta dish for dinner, My Kitchen Cafe. Rolls will be attempted later this week. This morning, banana bread. Tonight, Pasta. I tell you what dear friends, I ate the tomato sauce right out of the pan, despite the fact that it was boiling lava hot. The taste buds will grow back. So worth it . So so good. My first time using spinach in a dish. Ah, gasp I know. But it will not be my last. I have been inspired.

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 lb. rigatoni pasta

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

10 oz. frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well or 1- 9oz. bag fresh spinach

12 oz. precooked smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4" thick

8 oz. mozzarella cheese (4 oz. cut into 1/2" cubes and 4 oz. shredded)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute. Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add cream and cooked until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot. Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella cheese to the pot and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9"x 13" pan. Top with grated mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

*Freezable meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to 1 hour and 15 minutes. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.

Girl Scout Samoa Cookie Bars

2010-02-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

As I promised my dear sister, I made these bars this morning. She found this recipe on Baking Bites (where I believe you can find recipes for most of the girl scout cookies). Then she promptly sent it to me and demanded that I make them. I'm not sure why, it's not like she lives within driving distance to come and eat the entire pan with me while we watch LOST tonight. So I suppose that task will be up to Colin. I doubt he'll have a problem with that. Anyhow, back to the cookie bars. AWESOME!!!! I mean come on they are Samoas. Of course they are incredible. The only thing I would change in the future is to make the cookie layer a little thinner.

For the cookie base:

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9"x13" pan or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

For the topping:

3 c. shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

12 oz. good-quality chewy caramels

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. milk

10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are OK)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula. Put dollops of the topping all over the cookie base. Using the spatula, spread the topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled. When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large kitchen knife. Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate into a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Buttery Peas with Thyme

2010-02-02T13:44:00.001-08:00

My 2 year old LOVES vegetables. I have yet to find one that she will not eat. Yeah, weird huh. My husband and I on the other hand a little more picky about them. So I am always looking for ways to jazz up vegetable for us adults. I found this again on My Kitchen Cafe. Very yummy!

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped

2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 c. frozen peas

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a non-stick skillet melt butter on medium heat then add onion, sugar and salt. Cook until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in peas and thyme and cook, stirring often, until the peas are just heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.

Salsa

2010-02-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

On our first date Colin and I went to a Mexican restaurant in downtown Provo called Los Hermanos. They have great salsa. This salsa is very much like theirs. No chunks, thin and runny and very addictive. The only change I made was to cut back on the cilantro a little bit. Straight from P-dub.

1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes, with juice

2 cans (10 ounce) Rotel

1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin

1/4 c. onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped (adjust amount to taste)

1/2 whole lime juice

Combine all ingredient in food processor or blender. Pulse until salsa reaches desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Creamy Stovetop Mac-n-Cheese

2010-01-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

OK, so call me weird but I will only eat grilled cheese sandwiches that are made with Kraft singles. Don't ask why, I'm not really sure myself but that's just how it is in the wonderful world of Jami. This small quirk usually leaves me with a lot of Kraft singles floating around in my fridge. Which is why this recipe caught my eye on Tasty Kitchen. It was pretty good. My dear Hubby even liked it. I did have to add quite a bit more seasonings than it called for. Or maybe I am completely clueless to how much a "dash" actually is.

1 c. Dry macaroni (I used a little over 2 cups)

1 tsp. vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c. whole milk

8 - 10 slices American Processed Cheese Singles, unwrapped

2 dashes each of Seasoned salt, regular salt, cayenne pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add vegetable oil to water and pour in dry pasta. Cook until al dente and drain. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. After it is melted, whisk in the flour and continue whisking for about 1 -2 minutes to dissolve and cook the rawness out of the flour. Pour in the milk and whisk slowly until it thickens. Add the cheese slices a few at a time and whisk until they melt into the sauce. Pour over pasta, stir and season to taste.

Chicken and Dumplings

2010-01-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

It wasn't until I had my first Thanksgiving in the South that I tasted this dish. My husband's great Aunt made it. She is the world's sweetest lady and an amazing cook. All of her recipes are from memory. She only shares them with a very few select people. I feel very blessed that she did include me in this elect group while I was in her home. However, I am not big on the idea of measuring Crisco by "fingerfuls". I'm not that advanced in my cooking experience. I'm afraid Aunt Myra would be ashamed of me for this imitation dish, so shh, don't tell her. I also broke a cardinal rule of food photography for this one and used my flash. But I figure since it isn't a real photogenic dish that it really didn't matter all that much. Besides that, the picture I took without the flash was SUPER crappy.

3 large chicken breasts, cooked, shredded

10 c. chicken broth

2 1/2 c. Bisquick

2/3 to 3 c. milk

flour, for thickening

salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot, boil chicken until thoroughly cooked. (I usually add 1 or 2 bouillon cubes while the chicken is boiling) Remove from pot and shred, reserving the broth. Return shredded chicken to pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile mix Bisquick and milk to make a sticky dough. Roll out dough, as thin as possible and cut into 1/2 to 1 inch strips. Drop dough strips into boiling chicken broth. Continue this process until all dough is gone. Allow dumplings to cook. Thicken the broth to a thick gravy texture using a mixture of flour and milk. Mixture will thicken as it cooks.

Birthday Sandwich

2010-01-15T08:05:00.000-08:00

This came from Picky Palate. She called it the "puffy banana peanut butter cup sweet grilled sandwich". Bit of a mouthful for me. Colin and I loved this so much that after I first made it we ran to Costco and bought an entire box of king size Reeses Peanut Butter cups. It is pretty dang rich so we haven't had it for a while. But I decided to make it for the kids on their birthdays. One, because it is REALLY good and two, because it would send you into a diabetic coma if you ate it more often than once a year. My sisters are skeptical of this sandwich and won't try it, but I promise it is really really good. Just make sure you have someone to share it with because you won't be able to eat the whole thing yourself.

2 slices whole grain bread

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 banana, cut into thin slices

24-30 mini marshmallows

1 Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, normal size

2 Tbsp. soft butter

Powdered sugar for sprinkling, optional

Spread peanut butter onto both slices of bread. Lay banana slices over one piece of bread and marshmallows over the other piece, pressing down gently. Break apart the Peanut Butter Cup and evenly place in between marshmallows. Carefully lay the bread with banana over the marshmallow side and press gently. Spread butter onto outsides of each piece of bread and cook both sides in a medium skillet over medium low heat until golden brown and marshmallows are warm and slightly melted. Let cool for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle both sides with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Chocolate Frosting

2010-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

I have found it. The chocolate frosting to replace all other chocolate frostings. I despise the chocolate stuff in the tubs. Refuse to touch it, let alone eat it. So I set off to find a frosting that would save me from the pain and suffering of tub stuff. After a LONG indepth search I discovered this recipe on allrecipes.com. AHHHHHH (me singing praises), this stuff is so good! Super creamy and fluffy. But not too fluffy. Just the right fluffiness. It is amazingly good I tell you.

2 3/4 c. powdered sugar

6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

6 Tbsp. butter

5 Tbsp. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistancy with more milk or sugar. Makes enough to frost a 9"x13" cake.

Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

2010-01-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

I noticed that I have only posted sweet sugary things for quite a while. I do cook actual meals but I refuse to post a recipe without a picture. Mostly because I refuse to make a new recipe without a picture. How the heck am I suppose to know if I've screwed it up if I don't know what it is suppose to look like. And since it gets dark here at 4:30 p.m. (no I'm not exaggerating) that kind of puts a damper on the lighting issue. So until the days get longer, desserts it is. I've been itching to make these cookies since I first saw them on My Kitchen Cafe. Today the stars aligned. The babes was taking a nice long nappy and the 2 year old was immersed in Yo Gabba Gabba so I whipped up a batch. Actually half a batch which made just short of 3 dozen. I don't want to say that they were disappointing but they left me wanting more cheesecake flavor. Next time I might up the amount of cream cheese in the recipe. I am weird though so you may love them just the way they are. Don't get me wrong, these are very good, I think I was just craving actual cheesecake today.

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

2 cans (20 oz.) cherry pie filling

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Place graham cracker crumbs in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll the balls in cracker crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in the dimple. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

French Breakfast Puffs

2010-01-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

I thought that I should at least aknowlege New Years so I made these babies in honor of 2010. Really I just wanted to eat something super yummy with lots of butter and sugar. Eating these while they are still warm will make your eyes cross because they are so amazingly good. PW never lets me down.

3 c. flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. shortening

2 eggs

1 c. milk

For coating:

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

2 sticks butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease muffin pan. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside. In a different bowl, cream together 1 c. sugar and shortening. Then add eggs and mix again. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addtion. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. In a bowl, melt 2 sticks of butter. In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Dip baked muffins in butter, allowing 20 - 30 seconds for it to soak in and coat thoroughly. Then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve warm.

Kissy brownie bites

2009-12-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

I know that these are not an original idea. In fact we made a cookie version of these for my sister's wedding reception. I needed a quick treat to take to neighbors so I threw them together and they were quite delightful.

1 fudge brownie mix (I use Betty Crocker)

1 bag mint truffle Hersey Kisses

Mix brownies according to instructions on box. Grease mini muffin pan and "flour" using cocoa powder. This eliminates the crusty white junk when using flour. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with brownie batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes. I like mine slightly undercooked. Remove from oven and immediately push a kiss into the center of each brownie. After they sit for about 5 minutes, I like to put the in the freezer until they are chilled. This gives them a more chewy texture. Remove from pan with a fork or spoon.

Soft Gingersnaps

2009-12-16T09:56:00.001-08:00

My dear friend brought us a darling homemade gingerbread house the other night. The smell of the gingerbread has been haunting me ever since. These hit the spot for my craving. Soft and chewy instead of the traditional "snap" and oh so yummy. The recipe comes from The Sisters Cafe.

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. shortening

2 eggs

1/2 c. molasses

4 c. flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. white chocolate chips (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Roll dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar. (crystal or raw sugar is prettiest) Bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes. Yields about 7 dozen cookies.

Raisin Filled Cookies

2009-11-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is a sentimental treat for me. My mom use to make these cookies for my dad when he went deer hunting. Dad is not a big hunter, so it was rare that we got these little lovelies. Being that it is now November, I haven't had these in over a year and I can't just run over to my mommy's house and beg her to make them for me anymore, today I braved the task and made them. I was terrified that they wouldn't be as good if mom didn't make them but surprisingly enough after the first bite a flood of childhood memories came rushing back. Despite my elder sister's opinion these are awesome! The sugar cookie recipe is from Picky Palate but the filling is mom's original.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

Filling Recipe:

3 c. Raisins

1/4 - 1/2 c. water

1 1/4 c. sugar

Puree raisins into a paste in blender or food processor adding water as needed to process. Pour puree into medium saucepan and add sugar and remaining water (if any). Simmer on LOW heat, stirring occasionally, allowing the filling to cook down and become candied for about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow filling to cool completely before filling cookies.

Using round cookie cutter or cup cut 3" circles out of the rolled out dough. Drop 1 tsp. of filling into center of circle and fold in half pinching the edges of the dough together to seal. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes depending on thickness of dough. Remove from pan and allow to cool on rack. These can be frozen after they are baked and are really good to eat straight out of the freezer!

Baked Oatmeal

2009-08-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

I just discovered My kitchen cafe. AH, it is wonderful! I've really been lazy about breakfast lately so I thought I'd give this one a shot. BIG hit! Quick and easy to prepare and so good.

3 c. Oatmeal
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. vegetable oil
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 11” x 7” or 8” x 8” pan. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden and toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with milk and fruit.

Hot & Sweet Drumsticks

2009-08-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

Tasty Kitchen supplied this dish and helped me finish off my drumsticks. I am usually not big on hot/spicy meats but the sweetness from the apricot preserves gave it just the right balance. It's a keeper.

1 c. Apricot preserves

½ c. ketchup
¼ c. Soy sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

3 lbs. drumsticks (about 12)

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. In a small saucepan, combine preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until preserves are melted. Arrange drumsticks in a single layer on a 9” x 13” baking pan. Pour sauce over drumsticks, turning to coat. Bake, uncovered, for 45 – 55 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160˚ F, Spoon sauce over drumsticks while baking. Serves 6.

Cube Steak Sandwich

2009-08-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

This is yet another winner by The Pioneer Woman. A must try! I added the green pepper and left out the Tabasco sauce and it was wicked awesome.

2 – 3lbs. cube steak
1 large onion (or 2 small/medium)
4 deli rolls
1½ - 2 sticks of butter (no substitutes)
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
½ c. (approx.) Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)
1 – 2 green peppers

Begin by slicing the onions and pepper. Cook them in 2 Tbsp. of butter until soft and the onions are light brown. Remove from skillet and set aside. Slice cube steak into ½” thick strips, slicing against the grain. Season the steak with Lawry’s Seasoning Salt. In the same skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium high heat until melted and beginning to brown. Add the seasoned cube steak in a single layer Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about 1 minute on both sides. Now add at least a ½ c. of Worcestershire sauce and about 5 to 6 shakes of Tabasco sauce. Now add another 2 Tbsp. of butter to the sauce and allow to melt. Add the cooked onions and peppers then stir to combine. Halve and butter the deli rolls and brown them on a hot griddle or under the broiler. To assemble, lay the bottom half of the roll on a plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of sauce from the pan. Top with other half of roll.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

2009-08-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Another hit from Stephanie's Kitchen. This was fabulous! And I don't even like fried chicken. Technically it's baked but you wouldn't know it.

Vegetable oil, for baking sheet

8 slices white bread
1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. hot-pepper sauce
Coarse salt & pepper

¾ c. grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried thyme (used parsley, onion powder and garlic powder)

4 lbs. chicken parts (legs, wings, thighs), rinsed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Generously rub a baking sheet with oil. In a food processor, pulse the bread until it turns into coarse crumbs. In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk, hot-pepper sauce, ¾ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, thyme and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Remove chicken from fridge and turn in buttermilk mixture to coat evenly. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from the liquid, letting the excess drip back into the bowl; dredge in breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place the coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Leave enough space between the chicken pieces so that they crisp evenly all the way around. Bake until the chicken is golden brown, about 35- 40 minutes.

Banana Bread

2009-08-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

This one came from Tasty Kitchen. For some reason I always over bake my banana bread. So I think I've decided to only do banana bread muffins from now on. Plus the muffins always get eaten and I end up throwing out 1/2 of a stale loaf of bread.

1¼ c. granulated sugar

½ c. butter, softened
2 whole eggs

½ c. milk
4 whole ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. cinnamon
½ c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Cream together sugar and butter, then add eggs one at a time. Mix in milk, bananas and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the remainder of dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to mixture until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased/floured loaf pan. Bake for about 50-60 minutes for a regular loaf or 30 minutes for mini loafs.

Mini Meatloaf

2009-08-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

I found this one on Stephanie's Kitchen. I'm not a big fan of beef. I'll eat it but I'm more of a white meat kind of girl. But I discovered that my 18 month old happens to love meatloaf, so hurray for that!

1 lb. ground beef

1 - 2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

salt and pepper

ketchup

In a small skillet, add olive oil and onions and cook until onions are soft. Add Worcestershire sauce and set aside to cool slightly. Ina a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add parsley, bread crumbs, cheese, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Mix together until well incorporated. Add ground beef and onions and mix with your hands just until combined. Do not over mix. Separate into 4 even patties and shape into loafs. Place on a baking sheet and cover tops of loafs with ketchup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 -40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches between 155 to 160 degrees.

Potato Bundles

2009-08-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

I'm always up for trying a Pioneer Woman recipe simply because she has never steered me wrong when it comes to food. I believe every word she says when it comes to food. I skimped on the butter in this one because I made her chocolate sheet cake with a pound of butter on Friday and was trying to make up for the ginormous caloric intake. Don't skimp, use the butter and the salt, do what the woman says!

6 whole Russet Potatoes

1/2 medium onion, chopped in large chunks

1 stick butter

1/2 c. heavy cream

Kosher salt to taste

Paprika to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

Cut potatoes into large bite sized chunks. Pile potatoes and onions on a square of aluminum foil. Add 2 Tbsp. of butter, sprinkle with salt, paprika, pepper and parsley. LIGHTLY drizzle with heavy cream. Wrap bundles tightly and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes. Serve bundles on dinner plate.

Vanilla Buttercream frosting

2009-08-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

Found this little diddy on PW's Tasty Kitchen and it was awesome. I did double the vanilla because well that's just how I am, can't follow a recipe to the "T" to save my life.

4 – 5 c. powdered sugar, sifted

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 – 2 Tbsp. milk

¾ c. salted butter, softened
¼ c. vegetable shortening

Cream together butter and shortening in mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add ½ c. powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add another ½ c. Add vanilla. Gradually add the remaining sugar and add milk until you reach the consistency you desire. A little bit thicker for piping is best. If you are going to use a spatula to ice with, you can use a little less sugar and more milk for a thinner consistency to spread. Continue to mix on medium speed until smooth.

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-07-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

4 chicken breasts, cooked then cubed or shredded

1 small tub sour cream
1 medium jar Pace Salsa

1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup

2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
8-10 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350º. In large bowl, combine sour cream, salsa, enchilada sauce, cream of chicken soup and mix well. Fill the tortillas with chicken, cheese and sauce mixture. Roll Enchiladas and place in greased 9”x13” pan. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

This is one I got from Miranda during our college days.

Cheesecake Bites

2009-07-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

I found this one on Bakerella and had to try it. All I had was white dipping chocolate but I think it might be better with milk or dark chocolate. These were harder to dip due to the super soft consistency even after freezing but they were yummy!

1 Cheesecake (I used a frozen Sara Lee New York Style), thawed

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 lb. dipping chocolate

candy decorations

Scoop and form small balls (1/2 -1") with the cheesecake. Roll the balls in cracker crumbs. This makes them a bit more manageable. Place on wax paper and place in freezer for 30 minutes to and hour. Prepare candy decorations and chocolate. Melt the chocolate for 30 second intervals, stirring between each until runny. Remove cheesecake balls from freezer and dip. Sprinkle with candy or drizzle with an accent chocolate. Return balls to wax paper and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Hot Chocolate Brownies

2009-03-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

Apparently I am on a chocolate binge lately so here is another one that you could be certain to attain world peace with. This is the first recipe I ever made from Picky Palate and it hooked me good.

½ c. unsalted butter

2/3 c. heavy cream (heated in microwave for 30 seconds)
2 Tbsp. hot chocolate mix

1 c. flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp. salt (scant)
1 c. sugar

½ c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs

1½ tsp. vanilla extract
Ganache:
¼ c. heavy cream

½ Tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line 11”x7” pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes, or until light golden brown. Stir in cream and hot chocolate mix. Stir until well combined. Remove from heat. In medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine sugars, eggs, and vanilla and beat together, using an electric mixer on high speed, for 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add melted butter/hot chocolate mixture, and beat 1 additional minute. Gradually beat in flour, until just combined. Spread batter into pan, and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack then put in freezer for an hour or two. This gives the brownies a better texture.
To make the ganache, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, until hot, but not boiling. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla and chocolate chips, until well combined and smooth. Pour the ganache over the top of cooled brownies. Freeze or chill, until set, before slicing. You can also freeze the brownies for 20 minutes, frost and cool at room temperature.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

2009-03-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

I think I stole the idea for this one from one of my roomates in college. It is sure to satisfy any chocolate craving, mend broken hearts and establish world peace. I've tweaked it a little by the sticky chocolate frosting instead of hot fudge. I just got tired of throwing away half a can of beautiful sweetened condensed milk so the change lets me use the entire can.

1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix

¼ c. vegetable oil
½ c. + 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

4 eggs
1⅓ c. water

1 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 recipe Sticky Chocolate frosting
Caramel topping

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with electric beaters until batter is smooth. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp flour and 1 Tbsp. cocoa. Grease Bundt pan and flour with the cocoa mixture. Pour batter into pan, making sure to distribute it evenly. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes at 350 ˚ F. Allow cake to cool slightly then remove from pan to cooling rack. While cake is still warm, transfer it to a serving platter. Drizzle Sweetened Condensed Milk, caramel topping and chocolate frosting over the cake until . . . well until you think it is rich enough to rot your teeth out.

Italian Meatballs (blogchef.net)

2009-03-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

1 ½ pounds of lean beef or pork (or use a mixture of both)

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 large slightly beaten egg

½ cup Italian breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

2 teaspoons of salt (or less)

1 teaspoon of black pepper

½ cup of milk

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons of dried parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Shape mixture into small – medium sized meatballs. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350˚ for 25 minutes (cooking time may vary depending on size of meatball). Another method of cooking to the meatballs is to simmer in pasta sauce in a large skillet for 40+ minutes. These can also be frozen and cooked at a later time.

Asparagus

2009-02-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

1 bunch asparagus

3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Lemon Pepper seasoning

Wash asparagus and pat dry with paper towel. Snap off the “woody” bottoms of each stalk and discard. Place the stalks on a foil covered baking sheet. Using a pastry bush, coat the asparagus with melted butter and sprinkle with Lemon Pepper. Next, place the baking sheet in oven preheated to 350˚ F and cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until tender crisp. You can also use the grill instead of the oven.

Scalloped Potatoes (BH&G)

2009-02-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

½ c. onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper
1¼ c. milk

3 medium potatoes (1bl.), peeled

Grease a 1½-quart casserole dish; set aside. For sauce, in a small saucepan, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Thinly slice potatoes. Place half the sliced potatoes in the prepared casserole dish. Cover with half the sauce. Repeat potato and sauce layers. Bake, covered at 350º for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Sometimes I like to add 1/2 to 1 c. of shredded chedder cheese to the sauce before pouring over the sliced potatoes.

Sherbet

2009-02-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

½ gallon orange sherbet

12 – 16 oz. frozen raspberries
2 large bananas, diced

Allow sherbet to soften and empty into a large bowl. Add raspberries and banana. (Depending on how much you like banana you can add more. With the 2 you only taste the banana when you eat one, so it's not overpowering.) Cover and freeze until well set up then serve in chilled bowls. You can also use pineapple sherbet in place of the orange.

Cherry Brunch Bars

2009-02-20T15:23:00.000-08:00

1 c. butter, softened

3 c. flour
1¾ c. sugar

¼ tsp. salt
4 eggs

1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla

1 can cherry pie filling

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add vanilla and all dry ingredients and mix well. Spread 2/3 of batter onto greased 11”x7” pan. Spread pie filling on top of batter. Drop remaining batter by Tbsp. full randomly on top of pie filling. Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes. When slightly cooled, drizzle with thin powder sugar icing.

Apple Pudding Cake (Real Mom Kitchen)

2009-02-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

Cake:

2 cups sugar

½ cup soft margarine

2 eggs

4 large unpeeled apples, shredded (in food processor)

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream sugar, margarine, eggs and apples. Add dry ingredients and nuts. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish.

Pudding Sauce:

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1 cup half & half

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cook until slightly thick and sugar is dissolved (approximately 8-10 min). Cool a little then add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour over sliced pieces of the cake.

Danish Wedding Cookies

2009-02-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

⅔ c. walnuts

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt
1 c. powdered sugar for rolling or sifting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Toast Nuts: Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown and fragrant. Cool. Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of the flour from the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined. Stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or until firm. Form the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 - 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar on the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies (or you can just roll the cookies in the sugar). Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Sugar Cookies (Picky Palate)

2009-02-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

2 c. sugar

1 c. butter, softened
3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sour cream

6 c. flour (more if needed)
2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

In an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results. Once chilled, roll and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350º F for 9 -11 minutes depending on how thick you cut your cookies. Remove and let cool. Frost and decorate as desired

Chicken Salad

2009-02-20T15:03:00.000-08:00

4 c. chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1 - 1½ c. red grapes, halved
1 - 1½ c. celery, diced

1 -2 apples, diced
⅓ c. slivered almonds, lightly toasted

14 oz. sour cream
7 – 8 oz. miracle whip

In a large pot, boil 4 medium chicken breasts until cooked through(about 1 hour or more). Shred the chicken and place in the fridge to cool. Meanwhile, toast almonds and cut up grapes, celery and apples. Once the chicken and almonds have cooled, combine all ingredients. Add sour cream and miracle whip until desired consistency and taste are achieved. Refrigerate before serving.

Aebleskivers

2009-01-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

2 egg whites

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. granulate sugar
½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 c. buttermilk
1 c. vegetable oil or melted butter for frying

Beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar, melted butter and buttermilk at one time and beat until smooth. Gently fold in the egg whites. Put 1 Tbsp. oil or melted butter in the bottom of each well of an aebleskivers pan. Fill wells ¾ full with batter. When the batter starts to bubble on top and dry at the edges (like pancakes), turn the aebleskivers using wooden skwiers. Continue cooking, turning them until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve hot with jam, syrup, butter or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Chicken Stir-Fry

2009-01-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts,

cut into ¼ - ½” strips

Teriyaki Sauce

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

1 c. baby carrots, cut to ½” slices
1 c. asparagus spears, cut into ½ pieces

1 c. zucchini chunks, cut into ½ cubes
1 red bell pepper, seeded & julienned

¾ c. button mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced

½ c. sugar snap peas
¾ c. whole salted cashews

Marinate chicken breast strips in enough teriyaki sauce to nicely coat the meat. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight. Remove chicken from sauce, but reserve sauce for later. In a wok or large skillet, over high heat, add oil.
When oil is hot, add chicken, shallot, garlic, and cook, stirring constantly until chicken turns opaque on both sides. Add broccoli, carrots, asparagus, and stir. Let cook about a minute and add reserved teriyaki sauce stir to incorporate. Add zucchini, red pepper, mushrooms and ginger.
Stir frequently to keep everything cooking evenly. Cook a couple of minutes more until zucchini begins to soften a bit and all veggies are tender crisp. Add snow peas and cashews and stir to incorporate. Let cook another minute or so, careful not to overcook. Vegetables should be tender, crisp but not crunchy.

Chocolate Ganache Filled cupcakes

2008-11-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

1 Devil’s Food cake mix

4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ c. whipping cream

1½ c. powdered sugar

1 tub of frosting or 1 reciepe of favorite frosting

Prepare cake mix and bake as directed on box using cupcake papers in cupcake pan. Allow to cool. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate and whipping cream. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted. Blend thoroughly. Add powdered sugar and stir until thoroughly combined and mixture is smooth. Pour ganache into a small plastic squeeze bottle. Insert opening of squeeze bottle halfway into the cupcake center and squeeze until you see it start to surface. Frost the cupcakes with vanilla or cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with small pieces of chocolate.

Milky Way Cookies (Picky Palate)

2008-11-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

2 sticks butter, softened

¾ c. sugar
¾ c. brown sugar

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

2¾ c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt
1 pkg. mini Milky Way candy bars (about 40), coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350º F. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined, scraping edges with a spatula. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to wet along with the chopped candy bars. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cooked to your preference. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-11-11T10:16:00.001-08:00

2 -3 chicken breasts

6 -8 cups of water
2-3 stalks celery, sliced

2- 3 carrots, sliced
2 -3 potatoes, peeled & diced

1 onion, chopped
2 c. uncooked egg noodles

chicken bouillon
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot boil chicken in water with 1- 2 tsp. of chicken bouillon until done. Remove chicken from broth and shred. Return shredded chicken to broth along with celery, carrots, potatoes, onion and noodles. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked at a soft stage. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Sometimes if too much of the broth boils off, I add a can of chicken broth, or more water with bouillon.

Chicken Parmesan

2008-11-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

4 -6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry

Olive Oil (for sautéing)

½ c. flour
2 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp. water
1 c. plain bread crumbs

1½ c. finely grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. fresh Parsley, finely chopped
Kosher Salt and ground pepper

1 jar Marinara sauce
1 (8oz) ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼” slices

¼ c. fresh basil, chopped

In three different containers, build coating elements. In first container, add flour and season well with kosher salt and pepper. In second container, mix beaten eggs, water, and season with a little salt and pepper. In third container, combine breadcrumbs, 1 c. parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, and a little black pepper.
One at a time, place chicken breasts in flour mixture, coating both sides, then shake off excess and place in egg mixture, coating both sides, then coat both sides in breadcrumb mixture. Then set aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet, heat 3 -4 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Carefully add coated chicken breasts to oil and fry about 4 minutes until golden brown, then turn and sauté second side until browned.
Spoon Marinara sauce over chicken breasts and place fresh mozzarella slices on top of each breast. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and basil. Place pan in oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve atop a bed of spaghetti.

Waffles

2008-11-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

1½ c. flour

1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

¼ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs

1¼ c. milk

Beat all ingredients together until almost smooth, batter will still be slightly lumpy. Bake in hot waffle iron for 3-5 minutes or until golden.

Corn Bread

2008-11-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

1¼ c. flour

¾ c. corn meal
¼ c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp salt (optional)

1 c. skim milk
¼ c. vegetable oil

2 egg whites or 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400º F. Grease 8 or 9-inch pan. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in milk, oil, and egg, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm. Yields 9 servings.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

2008-11-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells

1 lb. ground beef
2 c. salsa

1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1 c. corn

½ c. black beans, rinsed & drained
1 c. Mexican cheese blend or cheddar, shredded

Sour cream
Salsa

Olives, sliced
Green onions, sliced

Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. In a nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa, tomato sauce, corn and beans. Spoon mixture into pasta shells. Place shells in a 9”x13” baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350º F for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with sour cream, salsa, olives, and onions. Yields 8 servings.

Tater Tot Casserole

2008-11-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

1 -1½ lbs. lean ground beef

1 medium pkg. frozen tater tots
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

4 – 6 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
¾ - 1 c. of milk

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. mined garlic

Salt & pepper, Mrs. Dash

In a skillet, brown ground beef with onion, garlic, and season with salt & pepper and Mrs. Dash. Drain grease and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine soup and milk until a gravy consistency is reached. Add cheese and mix thoroughly. Add ground beef and tater tots and mix until well combined. Pour into a greased 9”x13” pan and bake at 350º F. for 20 – 30 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

Italian Sausage & Peppers

2008-11-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

3½ c. uncooked penne pasta

1 lb. Italian sausage links
½ c. each julienned red, yellow, orange & green pepper

¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. caraway seeds

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
2 cans (14½ oz each) diced Italian style tomatoes, drained

2-3 c. Pasta sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat; drain. Cut sausage into ¼ in. slices. In the same skillet, sauté the peppers, basil, garlic, oregano, thyme, caraway seeds, and sliced sausage in oil until the peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes and pasta sauce. Cook and stir until heated through. Drain pasta; add to skillet and mix well.

*This recipe originally called for turkey sausage, but Colin doesn’t like it so I use pork. I increased the pasta from 2 cups and added the pasta sauce so that it is not so dry. I don’t bother to use the caraway seeds because the sausage I buy already has them in it. You can also exclude them all together.

Beef Stoganoff

2008-11-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 c. water
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak strips

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup

3 c. uncooked corkscrew pasta
1 can beef broth

½ c. sour cream

Heat oil in skillet then add beef, cook until browned, and juices evaporate, stirring often. Add soup, broth, water, Worcestershire sauce and pasta. Heat to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked, stirring often. Add sour cream. Heat through. Yields 4 servings.

*I usually use ground beef in place of the steak strips because I always have it. If I do not have corkscrew pasta I just replace it with cooked egg noodles and it is just as good. When substituting with cooked egg noodles, I only use 2/3 c. of water to keep the sauce from becoming too thin.

Sloppy Joes

2008-11-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

1¼ lbs. ground beef

¼ c. brown sugar
2 tsp to 1 Tbsp steak seasoning

1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat to the pan, spread it around and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar, spice mixture to the skillet, and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook mixture for 5 minutes longer.

*The original recipe called for a small red pepper but I excluded it and it was still great. I also used 1 tsp. of Lawry’s season salt and 1 tsp. of Mrs. Dash in place of the steak seasoning.

Chicken Pillows

2008-11-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese

¼ c. melted butter
2 c. chicken, cooked & shredded

2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls
Cracker crumbs (best with Ritz or Town House)

2-3 green onions, chopped
1 can Cream of chicken soup

½ - ¾ c. milk

Salt & Pepper

Soften cream cheese and mix together with chicken, green onion, and a dash of salt & pepper. Unroll crescent rolls and flatten each piece of dough with a rolling pin. Put a spoonful of chicken mixture into each roll and fold edges up together around the filling. Dip pillow in melted butter and then roll in cracker crumbs. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile in a small sauce pan combine cream of chicken soup and milk until at a gravy consistency and heat through. Serve Pillows with rice and cover with cream of chicken gravy.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2008-11-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

3 chicken breasts

2½ c. grated Jack cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup

½ can sliced olives (optional)
1 c. milk

1 (4oz.) can green chilies, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped

10 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350º. Boil chicken in large pot, cool and shred. In a saucepan, warm soups with milk. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and chicken, and then fold into ½ of the soup mixture. Spoon into tortillas, roll and place in a 9”x13” pan that has been greased or coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with remaining soup mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling. Yields 8-10 servings

Orange Crock Pot Chicken

2008-11-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

4-6 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless

½ tsp. ginger, ground
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate

2 green onions
1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper
1 can Mandarin Oranges

shredded coconut (optional)
Cooked rice

Combine chicken, OJ concentrate, ginger, salt & pepper in a large Crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add oranges and green onions to Crockpot 15 minutes before serving. Serve over rice and garnish with coconut. Yields 4-5 servings

Chicken Spaghetti

2008-11-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

2 c. chicken, boiled & shredded

2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

¼ c. green pepper, finely diced
½ c. onion, finely diced

1 (4oz.) jar diced pimentos, drained
3 c. dry spaghetti, broken into 2” pieces

2 c. reserved chicken broth from pot
1 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot, boil 3 chicken breasts for 40-45 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reserve the chicken broth from pot and cook spaghetti in it until al dente. Reserve 2 c. of chicken broth from the pot. Do not overcook the pasta because it will still need to cook in the oven. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except 1 c. of sharp cheddar cheese. Use chicken broth, a little bit at a time, to moisten the mixture. This will prevent it from getting to dry while baking. Place mixture in greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. If cheese on top starts to be too cooked, cover with foil.

Lime- Cilantro Rice

2008-11-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

2 Tbsp. butter

1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

8 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
½ bunch cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. cumin
2 cans diced green chilies

1 Tbsp. lime juice
½ tsp. salt

3 c. long grain rice

In a small pan, sauté butter, onion, and garlic together until onions are clear. In a large pot, combine 6 2/3 c. water, bouillon granules, cilantro, cumin, chilies, lime juice and salt, then bring to a boil. Once the mixture has begun to boil, add the rice and onion mixture and reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until liquid is gone. (Miranda Townsend)

Zucchini Cakes

2008-11-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

1 large zucchini

½ - ¾ c. seasoned bread crumbs
1 heaping tsp. minced garlic

½ - ¾ c. Italian cheese blend (Asiago, Romano, parmesan, provolone)
1 -2 eggs

a pinch of kosher salt
olive oil

black pepper

Start by chopping the ends off the zucchini, then using a cheese grater shred the zucchini. Next, place the shredded zucchini in a clean towel and squeeze out the liquid. You should see a good bit of liquid come out of the zucchini. This will help to create a less runny version of what we are making. Then toss the semi-dry zucchini into a large bowl. Add garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese, 1 egg, salt & pepper and stir with a fork. If mixture looks to dry add an additional egg. The mixture should look batter-esque. If it is too dry, mixture will fall apart in the pan. In a frying pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Use enough oil to cover the bottom of pan by about ¼”. When the oil is nice and hot, drop a glob of batter and flatten it down a little. After about 2 minutes or when cakes are golden-brown, turn them over. Cook for approximately 2 minutes more and then transfer to plate. Can be served with ranch dressing for dipping sauce. (The Pioneer Woman)

Chicken Pasta Caesar Salad

2008-11-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

1 head Romaine lettuce

2 large chicken breasts
½ lb. bow tie pasta

1 bottle Caesar salad dressing
Croutons

Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on box. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the pasta cooking. Cube and season (I use Mrs. Dash) chicken and cook in a skillet until completely cooked. Allow to cool or refrigerate. Wash and tear lettuce into bit size pieces and refrigerate to crisp. Just before serving mix all ingredients and toss. Yields 6- 8 servings

Sweet Potato Fries

2008-11-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

2 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes into French fry chunks. Drizzle with olive oil.Mix sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a sealable plastic bag. Add fries and shake to coat evenly.Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and lay out sweet potatoes so that they are not touching. Bake for 30 minutes turning every 10 minutes.If you have leftover sugar mixture, you can sprinkle on the last 10 minutes of baking. (Sadie Lyman)

*These fries are also really good if you drizzle with oil and then sprinkle with Lawry’s Season Salt. Yummy! A good dipping sauce for that is fry sauce mixed with barbeque sauce. I don’t bother to turn them while they are cooking.

Seasoned Oven Fires

2008-11-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

6 medium baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
Season Salt

Cut each potato lengthwise into thirds; cut each portion into thirds. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the butter, oil and seasoned salt. Add potatoes; shake to coat. Place in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with Season Salt. Bake the fries, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tender.

Oven-Fried chicken

2008-11-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

1 beaten egg

3 Tbsp. milk
1¼ c. finely crushed crackers (saltine or Ritz)

1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
½ tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. black pepper
2½ - 3 lbs. skinless chicken pieces

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

In a small bowl, combine egg and milk. In a shallow dish, combine crushed crackers, thyme, paprika, and pepper. Set aside. Dip chicken pieces, 1 at a time, into egg mixture; coat with crumb mixture. In a greased 9”x13” baking pan, arrange the chicken, bone side down, so the pieces are not touching. Drizzle chicken with the melted butter. Bake, uncovered at 375º for 45-55 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Do not turn chicken pieces while baking.

Orzo Pasta Salad

2008-11-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

1 c. uncooked orzo pasta

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
½ c. green onion, chopped

¾ c. green pepper, chopped
6 oz. Canadian bacon, diced

1 (9oz.) pkg. sugar snap peas
1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning

¾ c. half-n-half
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
¼ -½ tsp. salt

In large saucepan, cook orzo in lightly salted boiling water for 6-8 minutes or until just tender. Drain; cover to keep warm. In same saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and bacon; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until onions are tender. Reduce heat to medium. Add sugar snap peas; cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in lemon-pepper seasoning, salt and half-n-half. Simmer 2 minutes or until warm. Stir in cheese, parsley and cooked pasta.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-11-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

1 lb. chicken, cooked & shredded

3½ c. chicken broth
1 tsp. ground cumin

½ c. uncooked regular long-grain rice
1 can (11oz.) Mexicorn, drained

1 c. Pace chunky salsa
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp. lime juice (optional)
4 corn tortillas

non-stick cooking spray

In a large pot, combine shredded chicken, broth, cumin and rice. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in Mexicorn, salsa, cilantro, and lime juice and heat through. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into thin strips and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray and bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Top soup with strips.

Mexican Beef Stew

2008-11-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

1½ lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped

½ tsp. garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can tomato soup

1 c. water

1 can beef broth

2 Tbsp. chili powder

3 medium potatoes

1 can corn, drained

shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until browned. Pour off fat and transfer beef into large pot. Add tomato soup, beef broth, water, chili powder and potatoes. Heat to a boil then cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add corn and heat through. Top with cheese and sour cream. Yields 6 servings.

Pico de Gallo & Gaucamole

2008-11-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

Pico de Gallo
5-6 Roma tomatoes, firm

1 small onion
3 jalapeno peppers

1 bunch cilantro
juice of ½ of a lime

Salt and or garlic salt

Dice tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, and mix in a medium sized mixing bowl. Depending on the desired spiciness, you may want to remove the seeds from 1 or 2 of the peppers. Next, chop the cilantro. You can cut off the long stems, but there is no need to peel the leaves from the stems. Chop fine but not minced. Combine with tomatoes, onion and jalapenos. Squeeze the juice from the ½ of a lime into the mixture. Stir and salt to taste. I added a little garlic salt for some extra flavor.

Guacamole
3 large buttery-soft avocado

salt

Halve the avocados and remove pits. Scrap meat from the skins onto a plate with a spoon. Using the bottom of a cup or a fork, mash the avocado, leaving it relatively chunky. Add salt to taste.
You can mix the two and it is very yummy! (The Pioneer Woman)

Creamy Yogurt & Berries

2008-11-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

1½ c. plain yogurt
1¼ c. heavy whipping cream
½ - ¾ c. brown sugar

Begin by pouring yogurt into a bowl. Add the cream and using a whisk, stir the mixture well. It will still be surprisingly thick when you are finished. Now sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. You do not want any to land in a big clump. Just sprinkle lightly to ensure even distribution. DO NOT STIR THE MIXTURE now. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours. The brown sugar will slowly dissolve into the creamy mixture underneath. Before serving, whisk the mixture to make it smooth. Serve with fresh berries or other fruit.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-11-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

4 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

2 c. sugar
¾ c. butter, softened

4 eggs
½ c. water

1 (15oz) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 tsp. sugar

1½ c. + 2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease bottom only of 2 loaf pans with shortening and lightly flour. In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until mixed; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat 2 c. sugar and the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in water and pumpkin on low speed. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed for about 1 minute or until moistened. Stir in 1½ c. of the chocolate chips. Pour mixture into prepared pans and spread evenly. Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 Tbsp. of chocolate chips and the 2 tsp. of sugar. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling rack. (Betty Crocker)

*I usually end up using the majority of a 29 oz. can of pumpkin, if not the entire thing. The recipe originally called for 2 Tbsp. of chopped pecans to sprinkle on top but I usually exclude them altogether. I have messed this recipe up about every way possible and it still always comes out yummy!

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

2008-11-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

This came from the Betty Crocker website. It is a great summer dessert! The cake is light and moist because of the yogurt with a hint of strawberry flavor. I usually use a buttercream frosting instead of the store bought tub frosting.

1 white cake mix

1 (6oz.) strawberry yogurt (2/3 c.)
¾ c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil

3 large egg whites
1½ tubs vanilla frosting

1 qt. strawberries (4 c.)

Beat cake mix, water, oil, egg whites and yogurt with electric mixer until batter is no longer lumpy. Pour batter into 2 - 9” rounds that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350º for 20 – 30 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Meanwhile, wash and cut strawberries in half. After cake is cooled, place the first layer on platter and frost. Place strawberries on top of frosting almost to the edge of 1st layer. Top with 2nd cake layer and frost it. Place another layer of strawberries on top of frosted 2nd layer. Serve or refrigerate.
*I like to make sure the strawberries are as dry as possible before putting them on otherwise you end up with a drippy cake.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2008-11-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

2/3 c. granulated sugar

2/3 c. brown sugar, packed
½ c. butter, softened

½ c. shortening
1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

2 eggs
3 c. old-fashioned or quick oats

1 c. flour
1 c. raisins or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375º F. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients except oats, flour and raisins with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in oats, flour and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack to avoid over baking. Yields about 3 dozen. (Betty Crocker)

Chocolate cookies with Vanilla chips

2008-11-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

2-3 c. flour

¾ c. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

2½ sticks butter, softened

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Stir together: flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well and gradually add flour mixture. Stir in vanilla chips. Place tsp. size drops of dough on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 8-9 minutes.

Chocolate chip cookies

2008-11-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

This is by far one of my favorite recipes and it came from Betty Crocker herself. These cookies are so yummy buttery that I have to immediately give them away or my waist grows another 10 inches.

1½ c. butter, softened
1¼ c. granulated sugar
1¼ c. brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp. vanilla

4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt.

1 (24 oz) bag chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. When well combined, stir in chocolate chips. Drop 1” balls of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 12-15 minutes or until light brown.