Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate

Ashland Bread

2012-02-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

I will post a pic later.

This is the easiest and fastest wheat bread ever!!! LOVE it!!

Ashland Bread
adapted from With Love and Butter
A yeasted batter bread, Ashland Bread receives only one, brief rising and is extremely easy. Yields 2 medium loaves

6 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
3 cups warm water
3/8 cup honey (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons quick-rise yeast (or 3 packets/1 strip)
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat bran
1 cup wheat germ
4 tablespoons brown sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Generously grease two 4 x 8-inch loaf pans and sprinkle one tablespoon sunflower seeds in each.
Place the remaining 4 tablespoons sunflower seeds and the rest of the ingredients in a mixer bowl and blend with the dough hook at medium speed for 8 minutes. Divide the batter between the 2 pans. This dough is very sticky so don’t be alarmed. Just plop it in there, it bakes up all rustic and pretty. Loosely drape with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place just until the batter reaches the top edge of the pans. This will take only 10 to 14 minutes if you're using fine-grained whole wheat flour and 20 to 30 minutes with a coarser grind. When you set the loaves to rise, preheat the oven to 400 degree F with the rack in the center position.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the bread for 15 minutes, rotate the pans, and bake another 10-15 minutes. The bread will be firm to the touch and molasses-colored, but won't rise much above the rim of the pan (don't look for a rounded top). Remove from the pans and cool on a rack but you must eat half of one all by yourself before it cools. Enjoy with butter or cheese

Austrian Bread Spread

2012-02-14T08:50:00.001-08:00

This is so easy and so yummy!! Huge hit everywhere, with everyone!!

8 oz Cream Cheese- softened
1 stick of Butter- softened
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Mustard
2 tbsp Red Onion- finely minced
2 tbsp Green Onion- chopped

Mix together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 tbsp of green onion for garnish. Mix well. Add the green onion garnish. Serve with bread slices. I got a few different breads from Panera-- Sesame Semolina, Cracked Rye and Country. Loved them all!!

Shrimp Tacos

2012-02-09T11:26:00.001-08:00

(Sorry for the picture quality. My camera isn't working- so I had to take a picture with my phone.)

I cannot find the original recipe- so I can't give credit to whoever came up with this recipe (I will keep looking- and if I find it, I'll post it on here). But let me tell you. These are A-MA-ZING!!! I LOVE them. I crave them. They are SO yummy!!!!! And SO easy!! They are light and refreshing.

INGREDIENTS:
Slaw:
Mix together.
4 Cups shredded Green Cabbage
3 tbsp Lime Juice
1 1/2 tsp dried Oregano

Dressing:
Blend together.
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Cilantro
1/2 Avocado
3 tbsp Lime Juice
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 lb cooked Shrimp (deveined, peeled, tail off)-- very lightly season with salt and pepper.
1 Cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Corn Tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS:
Lightly fry your corn tortillas (about 30-45 seconds on each side). Add your shrimp, dressing, slaw and top with cheese. Serve warm.

***You can of course top it with other toppings- tomato, fresh cilantro, whatever you like.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2012-02-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

One day I'll get fancy with my food pictures. Maybe I'll even stop using paper plates ;). Until then, I'm keepin' it real. Don't judge!!

These are SO good!! Even my picky little eaters ate seconds (and thirds!). My tips at the bottom of the recipe!!

1 small, onion, peeled & diced (use a sweet onion if you can find it)
3 chicken breast halves
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic, minced (2-3 cloves)
salt & pepper (to taste)
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce (we like Las Palmas brand, but any brand is great)
1/2 c. heavy cream

Saute onion in a little butter until it becomes transparent and soft. In a crock pot* add chicken, chicken broth, sauteed onion, chili powder, garlic, and salt & pepper. Cook on low for about 8 hours (or high for 3-4) adding more broth if needed (you don't want it to cook out completely). Remove chicken from crock pot and shred, then return to crock pot and simmer another 5 min. Drain out some of the juices (but not all of it... keep about 1/4 c.) and add honey and lime. Place seasoned, shredded chicken in a Ziploc bag and seal tightly, pressing out as much air as you can. Marinate at least 30-40 minutes.. longer if you can (I did about an hour). While chicken is marinating spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, then pour about 1/2 c. of enchilada sauce over the bottom. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and shredded cheese, saving about 1 c. of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with heavy cream. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top. Serve hot and top with your favorite enchilada toppings.

*If you don't have a crock-pot, just boil chicken in the same ingredients in a large pot with a little extra chicken broth until cooked through and can shred.

*** MY TIPS*** I used a rotisserie chicken. I didn't let anything marinate. I just sauteed the onion for a minute, added the garlic, let it sautee for about 2 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, the lime juice, honey, salt, pepper and chili powder. Let it simmer together for about 5 minutes. Then follow remaining directions. It took about 15 minutes to put it all together and then about 45 minutes to bake.
Adapted from favfamilyrecipes.

Crepes

2012-01-31T16:38:00.000-08:00

We make these very often in our house! My kids love them!!!! My kids like them with Cool Whip, fresh chopped fruit and cinnamon sugar. They are DE-LISH. I have just recently tried more savory filling. Super yummy!! You can store them in the fridge for about 5 days (they won't last that long).

1 1/4 c Flour
2 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Oil
1 cup plus 3 tbsp Milk

Mix together. Put about 1/4 of mixture on a pan or griddle. Spread out thin. Cook for about 30-45 seconds on each side.

Crepe

2012-01-31T16:29:00.000-08:00

YUM-O!!! My new favorite!!! I don't have a name for it...

1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (I used shiitake because that's what I had.)
2 eggs, slightly scrambled
2-3 tbsp chopped onion (I prefer sweet onion.)
1 tbsp butter

Melt butter in a frying pan. Add onion. Sautee for about a minute (not quite translucent). Add mushrooms. Sautee for about another minute. Add spinach. Sautee for about 30 seconds, until spinach just begins to wilt. Add eggs and cook until eggs are cooked through. Put eggs in a crepe, roll and top with hollandaise sauce.

Recipe for CREPES
Recipe for HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

2012-01-31T16:26:00.000-08:00

Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using salted butter, skip the added salt)

Method

1 Melt the butter slowly in a small pot. Try not to let it boil – you want the moisture in the butter to remain there and not steam away.

2 Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne (if using) into your blender. Blend the egg yolk mixture at a medium to medium high speed until it lightens in color, about 20-30 seconds. The friction generated by the blender blades will heat the yolks a bit. The blending action will also introduce a little air into them, making your hollandaise a bit lighter.

3 Once the yolks have lightened in color, turn the blender down to its lowest setting (if you only have one speed on your blender it will still work), and drizzle in the melted butter slowly, while the blender is going. Continue to buzz for another couple seconds after the butter is all incorporated.

4 Turn off the blender and taste the sauce. It should be buttery, lemony and just lightly salty. If it is not salty or lemony enough, you can add a little lemon juice or salt to taste. If you want a thinner consistency, add a little warm water. Pulse briefly to incorporate the ingredients one more time.

Store until needed in a warm spot, like on or next to the stovetop. Use within an hour or so.

Makes about 1 cup of sauce, good for about 4-6 servings.

Adapted from Simplerecipes

Pork Potstickers

2012-01-29T12:15:00.000-08:00

These potstickers were super yummy!!! It looks like a lot of instruction- it's really not. It's not complicated at all.

Ingredients

1 head Napa cabbage, shredded
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons chicken stock
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely minced scallions
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 garlic clove, minced
1 pound ground pork
1 pkg wonton wrappers (round, if you can find them)

Instructions
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the cabbage and blanch it for 1 minute. Drain the cabbage, rinse it immediately with cold water, then drain it again. Over a sink or bowl, squeeze small handfuls of the cabbage to release as much water as possible, then wrap it in two layers of paper towels and squeeze again. Wrap and squeeze the cabbage one more time, then set it aside.

Whisk together the egg white, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Stir in the cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Add the pork and stir the filling until it's thoroughly combined.

Fill a small bowl with cool water. Lay 4 dumpling wrappers on a work surface, covering the remaining wrappers with a damp cloth.

Spoon 2 level teaspoons of the filling onto the center of each wrapper. Using your fingertip, moisten half of the outer edge of the wrappers with water.

Pick up each wrapper and bring the opposite edges together over the filling, forming a taco shape. Press the edges together, pinch a few pleats to seal the dumpling, then gently squeeze around the filling to eliminate any air pockets.

Transfer the stuffed dumplings to a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper, spacing them so they don't touch. Keep them covered with a damp cloth while stuffing the remaining dumplings.

Refrigerate pork and shrimp dumplings, on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours before cooking. Vegetable dumplings should be cooked or frozen immediately (moisture in the filling can soften the wrappers).

Heat 1-1/2 teaspoons peanut (or vegetable) oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Arrange half the dumplings in the skillet and cook, without disturbing, until their sides are golden, about 2 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup water and immediately cover the pan, reducing the heat slightly. Cook shrimp and vegetable dumplings for 3 minutes, pork for 5 minutes.

Uncover the pan and raise the heat again. Cook off any remaining water, shaking the pan a few times, and continue frying the dumplings until their sides become crispy, about 2 minutes more.

Transfer them to a plate and serve immediately, or keep them covered in a warm oven until the remaining dumplings are cooked.

***slightly adapted from FamilyFun recipes.

Pecan Pie Bars

2012-01-24T19:32:00.000-08:00

These were so yummy!! And so easy!! You know I like easy ;)

Very lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Put down a roll of crescent dough (I love this stuff!!) Bake it at 350* for about 7 minutes.

Now for the filling. I know it sounds like a lot- but really- it's so good.

Filling:
6 eggs
2 cups light corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, corn syrup, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread the filling evenly over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. If the top starts to brown, cover it with aluminum foil.

Cool. Cut into squares.

Adapted slightly from the-girl-who-ate-everything.

Phat Cow Fudge

2012-01-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

This fudge is amazing. Best I've ever had.

Phat Cow Fudge

Source: Eat Cake For Dinner

20 ounces Hershey's® milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces.

1(12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cut into pieces

4 cups sugar

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

4 cups frozen mini marshmallows

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped

*Place four cups of mini marshmallows into the freezer until frozen.

In a large bowl, place broken milk chocolate bars, chocolate chips and butter pieces; set aside. In a large pan, combine sugar, evaporated milk and 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly, then, continue to cook and stir at a light boil for 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate/butter mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and loses its shine. Don't worry if it looks separated, just keep stirring. As it starts to cool it will lose its shine. Stir in the vanilla. Add the frozen marshmallows and walnuts/pecans. Spread into a large buttered cookie sheet (for a full batch I used two 9x13 baking dishes).

Cool completely. You can speed this up by putting it in the refrigerator. Cut into pieces and serve. Store in an airtight plastic container. Makes about 60-70 pieces.

***Make sure to freeze your marshmallows. It seriously makes all the difference.
Use a larger pot/pan to make your marshmallow cream-- Mine wasn't big enough and the stuff expands!!

Adapted from the-girl-who-ate-everything.

PB Brownies

2012-01-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

Not the best picture. But I had to snap one while there were fingers grabbing at the plate- so it is what it is!
I made these brownies on accident a few months ago, for a cub scout meeting (I was going to make a peanut butter cream to put on top- but I ran completely out of time.). They were a huge hit. And so easy!!

Make your brownies. Yes, I make my brownies from a box. When you get the brownies out of the oven, put some crunchy peanut butter on top. Dollop a tbsp here and a tbsp there- all over the top. Give it 30 seconds or so to start melting. You can also put them back in the oven (turned off but still warm) for a minute if you want. Then just spread the peanut butter over the top. Let it cool. Top with mini chocolate chips. As you can see in my picture, my family can't wait for the brownies to cool, so my chocolate chips on top are half melted ;)

Enjoy!!

Diabetes Cake

2011-12-15T12:11:00.001-08:00

This is deliciously horrible for you. The first time I made it, it was really gooey inside, so i cooked it longer, and the edges got overcooked, so dont overcook it. Really good with ice cream on top. I really liked it the next day.
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix
1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes.

To half this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, just half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients. Enjoy!

Chicken Poblano Soup

2011-11-27T06:59:00.000-08:00

This is a super yummy soup. I have made it a couple of times and everyone loves it. I serve it with Tortilla scoops. Make sure to plan ahead and have your cooked rice ready. Enjoy!

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups diced or chopped carrots
3 poblano peppers, veined, seeded, and diced
3 quarts chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter, melted
1/4 cup flour

1 small bag frozen corn

2 cups cooked rice

Pour olive oil in a large saucepan. Mix the cumin, chicken bouillon, thyme, salt, and pepper in the oil. Pull the cilantro leaves off the stems and chop. Add the cilantro, garlic, onions, carrots, and poblano chilies to the oil and spices. Stir and cook until soft. Add the chicken broth. Next, make a roux with the butter and flour and add to the soup. Remove skin from roasted chicken and discard. Tear the chicken into pieces and add to the soup. Stir in cooked rice and frozen corn; simmer until warm. Serve and enjoy.

Note: The original recipe is above, I changed a few things when I made it. I doubled the cilantro, used brown rice instead of white, you couldn't even tell and so much better for you, andI doubled the roux, because I wanted it thicker like a chowder

from ldsliving soup competition

Pumpkin Pie Bites

2011-11-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

We made these for Halloween, they were super yummy. They could also be made for Thanksgiving just drizzle melted chocolate over the tops, or just serve with whip cream.

Pumpkin Pie Bites
2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 3/4 wide Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, or a round cookie cutter just be sure to make a stem in the pan

Optional

1/2 cup chocolate morsels

vegetable oil

re-sealable plastic bags

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other. I ended up making alot more out of them and they didn't touch.Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.Bake for 12-15 minutes.Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.
Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.
To decorate, melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on medium. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Add a little vegetable oil to make the chocolate more fluid. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the corner off. Drizzle or draw faces on pies.

From Bakerella

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-06T12:10:00.001-07:00

These are my all time favorite cookie. I love them and they are so easy!!

1 spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz) of pure pumpkin
1 bag chocolate chips

Mix together the pumpkin and the cake mix until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for about 14 minutes. 3 ingredients- super fast- super yummy!!

Coconut Rice

2011-09-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

2 cups Instant Rice
1 cup of Water
1 cup of Coconut Milk
Salt/Pepper to taste

Bring to boil. Cover. Remove from heat. Let set 5 minutes. Serve.

**This rice is wonderful served with Hawaiian chicken.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

2011-09-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 cups soy sauce (the soy sauce and water just needs to be a 1:1 ratio)

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
1/4 cup of a white onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk

Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.

Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. If you do not have a grill you can use a indoor grill pan.

**I saved the marinade after I put the chicken on the grill. I boiled it for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, and used it as a gravy- DELISH!!!! Just let it begin to thicken.
I served this chicken with coconut rice.

Chicken Pillows

2011-09-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tbsp fresh chives (or 1 1/2 tbsp dried)
2 tbsp minced onion
3 cups chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent rolls
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup(ish) seasoned bread crumbs

Gravy: (optional- we don't like it)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (0.87) package chicken gravy mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and sour cream until well combined. Mix in salt, pepper, onion, chives. Stir in diced chicken.
Take crescent rolls; take 2 triangles and push them together at the perforated seam to make a square. Seal the perforations well so your filling doesn't ooze out. Divide mixture evenly into the 8 squares. Fold the corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow.

Roll each pillow in melted butter. Roll in bread crumbs. Shake off any excess. Place pillows on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the rolls are cooked through and the rolls are golden brown in color.

Make gravy by mixing one package of chicken gravy mix, one can of cream of chicken soup and 1/2 can of water in a small pot. Mix together and heat until warm.
Thank you Kristy for the recipe!

Mashed Potato Casserole

2011-09-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

5 cups mashed potatoes (I used 7 medium russet potatoes)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 melted butter
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 pkg bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Peel, dice, and boil potatoes for about 10 minutes or until soft. Drain potatoes and beat with a mixer until desired consistency (I like little chunks of potato). Add milk, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup cheese, bacon and scallions.

Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes- until cheese is melted.

Easy/Yummy Breadsticks

2011-09-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Breadsticks

3 cups warm water

4 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. yeast

Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:

7 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

Mix until smooth then let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Brush with melted real butter mixed with garlic, like for garlic bread. Fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist and place on a cooking sheet. Brush with garlic butter and grated parmesan cheese. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with more garlic butter & sprinkle with more parmesan cheese at this point if you like.

Serve with marinara or alfredo sauce for dipping.

Citris Drink

2011-07-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

This drink is really refreshing!

Ingredients:

5 oranges

5 Limes

5 Lemons

1 Cup Sugar

5 Cups of Water

Mix all together. You can mix more sugar or water if you would like. It all depends on how sweet your fruit is.

adapted from real mom kitchen

Cheesesteak Hoagies

2011-07-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

2 lbs steak (cheap steak- I used skirt steak) FREEZE for 20 minutes before slicing.
1 medium yellow onion (I used a vidalia)
1 green pepper
4 hoagie rolls
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
provolone cheese (6 slices cut in half)
1-2 tbsp butter

Slice the onion and pepper in a food processor. Place in a bowl. Slice the meat in the food processor. Heat the butter in a pan on medium- medium/high heat. Once melted, add the steak. Cook steak for about 4 minutes with the salt and pepper. Add the pepper and onion. Cook for another 4 minutes. Put lid on pan and let steam about 5 minutes. Spoon mixture over the hoagie rolls. Top each hoagie with 1 1/2 slices cheese. Microwave until cheese is melted- about 30 seconds. OR (as I prefer) place in the oven (around 450*) for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the hoagie roll is just starting to crisp.

EASY Lemon Cake

2011-07-18T18:00:00.001-07:00

This cake is the easiest cake I've ever made. It is super moist, mild and delicious! My whole family loved it!!

1 Angel Food cake mix
1 can Lemon pie filling

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a bundt pan with pam. Mix together the cake mix and the pie filling . Bake for 20 minutes. Cool. Serve.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-07-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

These are AMAZING! It made about 2 dozen of them. I wish I could've eaten them all. They are SO GOOD!! We will have these often!!

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c green salsa
1T fresh lime juice (I didn't have any limes- I used lemon juice)
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T sliced green onions

3 c shredded cooked taco chicken
2 c grated pepperjack cheese

small flour tortillas
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until combined well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Heat tortillas for about 20 seconds in the microwave, 5 at a time.

Place 1/8 c of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

My tips: We dipped them in sour cream and guacamole. Of course you could dip them in salsa, too... I'm sure that would be yummy! I altered this recipe quite a bit. You can see the original recipe on Our Best Bites.
**Adapted from Our Best Bites

Taco Chicken

2011-07-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

This is really good- juicy and very flavorful.

1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs
A couple of juicy limes
A splash of red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Juice the limes and combine with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

Heat an outdoor grill (you can also use a grill pan inside. Or your broiler in your oven.) Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken.

Grill about 7 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn’t lose its juiciness. You can either eat the chicken as it is, maybe with Mexican rice and beans, or use slice it up and use it as you would taco meat.

My tips/alterations: I used a George Foreman grill. I added only 1/4 tsp of each, salt and pepper. I didn't have lime juice- so I used lemon juice.

**Adapted from Our Best Bites

German Potato Salad

2011-07-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

I was really worried about trying this. I was scared that it would taste like vinegar. But it didn't! It was good. I still prefer the more fattening traditional mayonnaisey potato salad- but this was very good. My kids liked it. My husband wasn't a huge fan. It's nice to change things up every once in a while- so I'm sure this will make it back to our table.

2 lbs. small baby potatoes (red, Yukon gold, etc.)
6 oz. bacon (about 1/2 of a standard package)
1/2 c. minced onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. water
2 tsp. Creole mustard (or a mild coarse-grain mustard, not a strong one in the stout little glass jars)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 c. fresh dill or 1 Tbsp. dry dill

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating, quarter or slice the potatoes. When the water comes to a boil, add the potatoes and cook until you can pierce them with a fork but not to the point where they are mushy or falling apart. Drain the potatoes and run some cold water over them.

While the potatoes are cooking/cooling, cut 6 ounces of bacon into bite-sized pieces. Place the bacon in a cold skillet and then turn the heat up to medium and cook until the bacon is crispy. While the bacon is cooking, whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, and mustard. Set aside. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pan.

Add some minced onion and minced garlic and cook until fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add the vinegar/mustard mixture and turn the heat to high. Cook on high for about 3 minutes or until the dressing has reduced by about 1/3. Remove from heat and add the cooked potatoes. Gently toss the potatoes in the dressing and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Add the bacon and dill and gently toss again and then transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and serve immediately. Serves 6-8.

**Adapted from ourbestbites

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter-Chocolate Brownies

2011-07-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

These are SO GOOD! They are ooey and gooey and delicious! These will be a new staple in our house!!

3/4 C sweetened condensed milk, divided (fat-free is fine)
1/4 C butter, melted and cooled (1/2 stick)
1/4 C non-fat milk
1 box devil’s food cake mix (18.25 oz)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
cooking spray
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
1/2 C peanut butter morsels (I used a full 12 oz bag!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With an electric mixer, combine 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, milk, butter, cake mix, and egg white. Mixture will be very thick. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use either floured hands, or spray your hands with cooking spray in order to press it down without having it stick to your fingers. The layer will be thin. Bake for 10 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk and marshmallow creme in a bowl and combine until smooth. Stir in PB morsels. No one will tell if you stir in some extras. Spread marshmallow layer over brownie layer in pan. Carefully drop remaining brownie batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. (The original recipe calls for 30 minutes, but many readers have noted that 20 minutes was perfect, and I usually only bake for about 20-25). Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.
Adapted from Cooking Light

Layered Drinks

2011-07-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

Choose 2-3 drinks with different sugar contents for the layers (for example: 30 g sugar, 15 g sugar, 0 g sugar). Now put a little bit of ice in the bottom. Pour the drink with the highest sugar content into the cup, filling it approximately one third full.Put more ice in the cup all the way to the top. For the second layer, pour the second drink with the lower sugar content slowly through the ice to fill approximately the second third of the glass full. Finally, pour the sugar-free or lowest sugar drink slowly through the ice until you’ve reached the top of the glass. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from sisterscafe.com

(4th of July Layered Drink: Minute Maid punch, Powerade, Gatorade) Mix it up for holidays, birthday parties, whatever!

White Chocolate Cheesecake

2011-07-07T19:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup almonds (whole, slivered, sliced, whatever)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (2 pkgs)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
1 cup white chocolate chips
4 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
4 large eggs plus 2 yolks
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
(Optional-- you can add fruit on top if desired. I added blueberries and raspberries- about 2 cups of fruit.)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350*.
Make crust. Finely grind graham crackers and almonds. Add melted butter. Mix until combined well. Press into bottom and up sides (leave about 3/4 inch at top of sides) of 10-inch springform pan.
Make filling. Melt chocolate in microwave (30 second intervals until smooth). Beat cream cheese in mixer until fluffy. Add sugar. Add eggs and yolks, 1 at a time. Beat in flour and vanilla. Then slowly stream in the melted chocolate. Mix well. Pour on top of crust. Bake for 45-60 minutes (check at 45 minutes- and then every 5 minutes) until cake is set 3 inches from edge. Cool. Serve chilled.

***Chocolate can be melted in a double boiler.

Buckeyes

2011-07-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

2 1/4 cups peanut butter (I use creamy)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate)
2 tbsp shortening

(1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 1/2 tsp shortening and food coloring for drizzle if desired)

Cream together peanut butter and butter. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Form into tsp-tbsp size balls. Refrigerate on wax paper for 30-45 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and shortening together in microwave or a double boiler. Once melted, remove peanut butter balls from the fridge and dip (with a toothpick) in chocolate until peanut butter is about 3/4 covered. Make drizzle (same melting instructions as the chocolate dip) and drizzle over balls. Refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Lime Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

2011-06-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

These are so easy and so yummy. I made them tonight and my kids all asked for seconds (and even a third!) and asked me if we can have them 'a lot of times'!!

Flour tortillas
Rotisserie chicken
1 lime
Black beans- I used 1 can per 4 burritos
Shredded cheese (I prefer colby jack- but tonight I just had cheddar- so that's what I used)

Shred your rotisserie chicken. (You could use any kind of chicken you prefer.) Add the juice and zest of one lime. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the lime flavor. Layer 2-3 heaping tbsp of beans, some chicken and some cheese into a tortilla. Roll them up burrito style (tucking the ends). Put them on a griddle (or a pan on the stovetop) for about 2 minutes on each side. Let each side brown lightly. Unroll and add toppings of your choice: guacamole, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, chopped tomato, sour cream.

Hobo Stew

2011-06-22T13:03:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite soup recipes... there really isn't a recipe. You just throw in whatever you have! I always add veggies, beans and spices. Beyond that, I let the kids each pick out a can of something from the pantry, we throw it in and eat it! So, it's always different. It's SO yummy!! This batch turned out really good.

4 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup kale (rough chopped)
1 can of corn
1 can of green beans
1 can of white beans
1 can of red beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 lb of cooked hamburger
6 cloves garlic
1 can of vegetable stock
3 cups of water
1 tbsp beef base (3 beef bouillon cubes)
Spices to taste- garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin

Cook hamburger with onion, garlic and carrots. Drain. Drain cans of veggies and beans and add to soup. Add all remaining ingredients. Heat through. Serve.
Great served with rolls or cornbread.

***Like I said- add whatever you have, whatever you like. Change the veggies, the meat, the spices. It is always different and always yummy! Normally I add potatoes- I forgot this time. If I have celery, I always add it. I don't like tomatoes- so I don't add them unless my kids pick the can out of the pantry.

Cinnamon Roll Pancake Sauce

2011-06-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

Not a great picture- my camera battery was dead- so I used my cell phone!
This stuff is SO GOOD!!! I seriously could've licked the bowl!

Cinnamon Roll Pancake Sauce

Melt ¼ c. butter

Add:

¾ c. brown sugar

2 T. half and half or milk

1 T. ground cinnamon (I used 2 tsp)

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Microwave until bubbly (1-1 ½ min)

Add:

1 T.half and half or milk

1 T. flour

Whisk until well blended.

Thank you brownpaperpackages.com for the recipe!

Easy Grilled Chicken

2011-06-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

This is so easy and very yummy. We marinate it overnight or even for 48 hours. It is super moist every time with super flavor.

recipe from www.food.com
Ingredients
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
4 -6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Directions
In a bowl, add the Italian dressing, teriyaki sauce and minced garlic; stir to combine.
Add the chicken breast halves; cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Grill over hot coals for approximately 10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Stromboli

2011-06-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

We made this last night and it was so yummy and so easy. Everyone loved it. Some of the cheese oozed out on the pan and it was delicious. We just used the cheapest salami from the deli.

Recipe from The Sisters Cafe(http://www.thesisterscafe.com/)

1 Rhodes bread dough
1/4 lb ham, sliced
1/4 lb hard salami (I goofed and made it with pastrami and it was still so good!)
1/4 lb provolone
mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil, divided
1/2 tsp dried oregano, divided
melted butter or olive oil
cornmeal

Set out bread dough to thaw. Once thawed, spread the dough out on a cookie sheet or silpat (which works perfect). Layer the ham and then the salami along the middle of the dough going lengthwise. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp each of basil and oregano then layer on cheeses. (I used approximately 1 cup shredded mozzarella but it’s entirely up to you how much you want!) Sprinkle with remaining basil and oregano. Wet edges of the dough and fold over the long edges and roll up the ends. Brush olive oil over dough and sprinkle lightly with corn meal. Carefully flip stromboli over and repeat on other side. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Serve with hot spaghetti sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Joy Bundles and Rice

2011-05-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

(adapted from Taste of Home)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut crosswise in half

1 pinch salt and pepper

1 pkg. (8 oz.)Cream Cheese, softened

4 green onions chopped

1/4 tsp dried Tarragon (or 1 tsp fresh chopped)

8 strips turkey bacon (I didn't have turkey bacon- I used good ol' pork bacon)

4 Tbsp. butter, divided

2-1/4 cups chicken broth

2 cups uncooked rice pilaf (I used Minute rice- with just 2 cups of chicken broth)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup fresh Lemon Juice

2 tsp. lemon zest

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tbsp dry dill weed)

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 375°F.
Season the 8 chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange in a row to add filling and have space to roll.
Cream together cream cheese, green onions and tarragon. Spread equal amounts of cream cheese filling on the chicken breasts.
Starting at the smaller end, roll each chicken breast gently towards the wider end until closed. Wrap each with a slice of bacon.
Place in ungreased baking dish. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and brush onto chicken bundles. Cover with foil.
Bake 20 to 25 min. on middle oven rack. After 20 to 25 min.; uncover and brown under the broiler 5 to 7 min. It will get a light brown kiss from the additional heat.
While chicken is baking, prepare rice by bringing chicken broth, rice and garlic to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 min. or until liquid is absorbed.
Remove rice from heat and add remaining butter, lemon juice, zest and dill. Place rice on a serving platter. Place bundles on the rice. Generously ladle the pan juices down the center of the bundles. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

Southwestern Beef Wraps

2011-05-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

(adapted from Our Best Bites) with a few alterations ;)

1 onion, chopped
2 lb. beef roast
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 bell peppers (at least one green) chopped
1 can Rotel
Flour tortillas
Desired toppings: salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, sour cream.

Chop onion. Place in bottom of crock pot (or slow cooker). Mix chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt together and rub on roast. Place roast on top of onion. Add chopped bell peppers on top of your roast. Pour Rotel over the top. Simmer in Crock pot all day (8 hours) on low. Shred meat. Place shredded meat back into the sauce. Serve!

Easy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole

2011-05-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Recipe by Our Best Bites

4 c. Southern/country-style hash browns (cubes), completely thawed (if they’re not thawed, they won’t cook correctly)
1 12-oz. package bacon
1 1/2 c. pepper jack cheese
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 eggs
1 c. milk
about 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
about 10 turns freshly ground black pepper

Begin cooking bacon. While the bacon is cooking, place the potatoes in a 9×13″ baking dish or a deep-dish 9″ pie plate. Mix the cheeses together and sprinkle it over the potatoes. When the bacon is done cooking, drain it on a paper towel and reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Cook the onions in the drippings for 2-3 minutes or until they’re tender and fragrant. Spread the onions over the cheese mixture and then sprinkle everything with the crumbled bacon. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper and, whisking constantly, pour the egg mixture evenly over the potato mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for 7-8 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly but not brown.

BBQ Ribs

2011-05-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

(Thank you to my husband for taking the picture.)

I refuse to eat any meat on a bone. I refuse to remove the bone from meat as well. I have never cooked a turkey or bone in chicken, beef, pork chops, etc. But these ribs are AMAZING. I will seriously lick the bone! I gag when I'm preparing them- but oh they are SO good once they're done!!! And SO easy!!

2 cups Brown Sugar
1-2 cups BBQ sauce-- your favorite kind
2 slabs of ribs (not frozen- fresh or thawed)

Place ribs on a pan (I just use a cookie sheet with sides). Blot with paper towels. Lather them up with the brown sugar. Let set for a few hours (I try to do 4 hours). Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350* for 2 hours. Remove from oven. Take the ribs off the pan and put them on the grill. Baste one side with BBQ sauce. Grill for 5 minutes. Flip and baste the other side. Grill for another 5 minutes. Remove and ENJOY! If you want more BBQ sauce, add a little more.

Banana Bread

2011-04-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

This is Martha Stewart's recipe- and it is awesome!!

1 c butter, at room temperature

2 c sugar

4 large eggs

3 c flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 c very ripe bananas, mashed (~4 bananas)

(I like to do this ahead of time with my mixer)

1 c sour cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9x5x3 inch loaf pans; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, allowing each one to incorporate, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla; mix by hand, just until combined. Stir in nuts (if desired) and pour into pans. Bake until toothpick or butter knife inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let rest in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Cooking time will vary depending on your loaf pan (ie glass, wide, narrow, metal, dark, coated, etc) and an overbaked loaf of bread is a dry loaf of bread, so be cautious.
My bread took almost an hour and a half.

Baked Salmon

2011-04-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

We love this recipe. I usually don't like fish ,but I love this salmon.
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons light olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 (6 ounce) salmon fillets ( I use 4, 4oz frozen boneless, skinless salmon fillets from aldis)

Directions
In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley.
Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade.
Marinate in the refrigerator for a couple hours(no more than a couple, 4 max, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal.
Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

Ryan likes his plain, I like to put tartar sauce on mine.

Rhodes Buttery Breadsticks

2011-04-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

24 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

1/2 Cup Butter

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Salt

Thaw 24 rhodes dinner rolls. Its best when they are still cold.Place cheese onto separate plate. Roll each roll into an approximately 6" breadstick. Melt 1 stick butter. Place melted butter on 11x17 baking sheet and coat entire surface with butter. Roll each breadstick in the butter. Next roll each buttered breadstick in Parmesan cheese. Place breadstick on baking sheet in 2 rows of twelve each. Sprinkle with garlic salt, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: I have never used fresh Parmesan, although the recipe says it is the best. I always used grated. I always mix the Parmesan and the garlic salt on a plate , then roll the sticks in it. If you run out of parmesan just add more. Sometimes I add more garlic salt after they are all lined up. We all love these with a big plate of spaghetti

Buttermilk Dressing

2011-04-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is a new recipe that we have tried for home made ranch , it is super easy and yummy. Ryan loves it and so do the kids. It has a strong garlicky onion flavor I think, so if its too much just decrease the amounts of onion and garlic.

3/4 C Mayonnaise ( Don't use low fat)

1/2 C Buttermilk

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 clove of garlic minced

dash of pepper

Mix all ingredients. Cover and Refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing.

I haven't tried this alteration but here it is

*For Buttermilk Parmesan Dressing: Add 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp paprika

Recipe From www. sisterscafe.blogspot.com

Pork Chops with Lemon and Rosemary

2011-02-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

(Adapted from Taste of Home)

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
4 pork chops (1-inch thick) ***I used 8 1/2 inch thick chops)

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk garlic, lemon juice, peel, oil, rosemary, basil and pepper. Pour 1/3 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the pork. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade, turning occasionally.
Drain marinade; brush the remaining marinade on the chops while cooking. Grill chops over medium heat about 6 minutes per side or until juices run clear. ***Adjust grilling time if you are using thinner chops.***

Shrimp in Sage Sauce

2011-01-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

(Adapted from Taste of Home)
This recipe is incredible. It couldn't be easier and it is DE-LISH!! My kids and husband all asked for more. Next time I will have to make a triple batch!! I will be making this again really soon and I will take a picture and post it when I do :). Even my kid that has never liked any shrimp begged for more. When I said it was gone, they asked if we can have it again tomorrow night for dinner!! Of course I altered it a bit... This dinner went from frozen to on the table in LESS than 10 minutes!!!

1 1/2 lb Shrimp (I used frozen, precooked, tail off, peeled, deveined)
1/2 cup Shallot, minced
8 oz Heavy Whipping Cream
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
6 Sage leaves, thinly sliced

Add olive oil to a warm pan. Add shallot, cook until tender- about 1-2 minutes (don't burn it!). Add salt and pepper. Stir. Add whipping cream. Bring to a boil and let boil for 30-45 seconds, until it slightly thickens. Add cooked shrimp and sage leaves. Heat through. Serve!

You can serve this over pasta, if you want.

(If you use fresh- uncooked- shrimp, start by cooking your shrimp in 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Keep warm and then continue on with the recipe. Also if you use uncooked shrimp, add the salt and pepper to the shrimp instead of the shallot.)

Pepperoni Pinwheels

2011-01-16T17:31:00.000-08:00

This is one of my kids' new favorites. And one of mine since it's so easy :)

1 tube refrigerated pizza crust
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup chopped pepperoni (I used minis)
1/2 cup pizza sauce

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Sprinkle with cheese and pepperoni. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Cut into 2-in. slices. Place cut side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet; lightly press down to flatten. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce.

Lettuce Wraps

2011-01-16T17:19:00.001-08:00

I made the best ever lettuce wraps. I could eat these every day! I made up a corn and black bean salsa recipe and made these wraps. So in this recipe, nothing is exact!

1 head of bib lettuce
grilled chicken (I am lazy and used frozen pre-grilled chicken strips)
guacamole

Corn and Black Bean Salsa
1 lb bag frozen corn (fresh grilled corn on the cob if you can)
1 can of black beans, drained
1/4 jalapeno, diced super small
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cumin
(Also, I added a chopped tomato for my husband- but ended up making another batch without the tomato for myself. I HATE tomatoes.)

Guacamole
1 avocado mashed
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 cup minced red onion
garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste (I think I used about 1/2 tsp each of the onion and garlic powder and maybe 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper)

Heat the chicken strips. Spread a little guacamole on a piece of lettuce. Add a few pieces of chicken. cover with salsa. ENJOY!!

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

2010-02-09T18:41:00.000-08:00

These are delicious!! My kids (and my husband and I) all loved them.
Adapted from Cook's Country

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramel candies
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

Whisk egg white(s) in another bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, 10 to12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Southwestern Black Bean Soup

2010-01-21T17:31:00.000-08:00

Recipe adapted from 'Healthy Cooking'

1 tbsp Canola Oil
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper- chopped
1 Onion- chopped
2 Ribs of Celery- chopped
2 cans Black Beans
1 can Chicken Stock
1 can Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can Green Chiles (4 oz)
1 1/2 cups cooked minute rice
Sour cream

Saute the red bell pepper, onion and celery in the canola oil. Once the veggies are soft, add the chicken stock, beans, tomatoes and chiles. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve soup on top of a spoonful of rice. Add a dollop of sour cream.

*** I added a can of corn as well. And we topped our soup with shredded cheddar cheese and crunched tortilla chips, as well as the sour cream. I also added the rice into the soup instead of serving the soup on top of it. I didn't have a can of green chiles- so I used 1/2 can of diced tomatoes and a can of ro-tel.

Cranberry Cocktail

2009-11-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

Great for holidays!! My kids love this juice and love to use fancy glasses!

1 64 oz bottle of cranberry juice cocktail (I used cran-apple)
1 liter bottle of lime Perrier water

Gently stir together. Cut lime wedges to garnish glasses.

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

2009-11-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

This is very good! I sprinkled some fresh grated parmesan cheese on top, too (which the recipe doesn't call for). Also if you are serving this to young children, I would recommend omitting the red pepper flakes- they tend to make it a tad spicy!

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Canola/vegetable oil

Salt

6 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons olive oil

9 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chopped parsley

grated zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

12 ounces linguine

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, 7-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minutes. Don't burn the garlic. Add the shrimp, salt and pepper and saute just until shrimp turns pink, five minutes. Remove from heat. Add parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices and red pepper. Toss to combine. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and serve.

From Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

Spicy Corn Chowder

2009-11-05T18:25:00.000-08:00

This is not that spicy- it is tasty- and it was not too spicy for my kids- who are 4, 5 and 6!

1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 small-medium onion, finely chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 large red potatoes, diced
1 cup milk
16 ounces frozen corn
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute bacon until crisp and browned and the fat is rendered. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel and reserve. There should be about 4 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan. Add the onions, garlic and red pepper to pan. Saute until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook the flour about 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock, potatoes, bay leaf, milk, corn and cayenne. Simmer about 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Garnish with crispy bacon.

Creamy Bowties With Asparagus

2009-09-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

1 pkg. bow tie pasta
1/2 c. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 pint heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
10-15 spears asparagus, blanched
1/2 c. bacon, crumbled
1/4 c. toasted pinenuts (optional)
Fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, to taste

Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente. Do NOT over cook.In heavy skillet melt butter. Add minced garlic and saute a minute or so. Add Parmesan Cheese and bouillon cube(s). When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream and salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered. Add blanched asparagus. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley & Parmesan cheese and toss together. Serve immediately.

Summer Pasta Salad

2009-09-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

1 16 oz box tri-colored rotini pasta
1 large crown broccoli, chopped
2 thick slices Provalone cheese, cubed
2 thick slices hard salami, cubed
1 can large black olives, sliced
1 16 oz bottle Ken's Italian with Aged Romano salad dressing

Cook pasta till al dente. Rinse with cold water, drain, and pour into large serving bowl and add everything but the dressing. Chill till ready to serve(chill dressing separately). Take dressing bottle and do not shake. Pour off half the oil at the top of the bottle, then shake the rest and pour on pasta till well covered, about half a bottle. Add more dressing if necessary or on leftovers.

Creamy Crab Dip

2009-03-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

This crab dip is so yummy! Even if you don't like crab, you should try this recipe! You really can't taste the crab. It's very tasty! I made it once and sent some home with my parents. My brother and his wife tasted it and called right away asking for the recipe! **I don't like real crab (too chewy)-- so I use imitation.**

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2-1 tsp minced garlic
2 tablespoons chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3-6 drops hot pepper sauce (go with more if you like heat)
12 ounces premium crabmeat, drained
4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Paprika
Assorted crackers

Directions:
In a large heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the first nine ingredients. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is heated through. Stir in crab and 2 tablespoons parsley; heat through.
Transfer to a serving bowl; sprinkle with almonds, paprika and remaining parsley. Serve warm with crackers. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3-1/4 cups.

Yummy Tortellini Salad

2009-03-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe up- then I shared some with my mom and my sister and they both asked for the recipe- so here it is! Just add whatever meats/veggies you want- this is what I had on hand! But it is DE-LISH!!

1 pkg tortellini (I used 4 cheese tri-colored)
1 can black olives
4 oz cheese chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/3 c chopped artichoke hearts
1/2 stick summer sausage chopped
1 handful of bacon pieces

Mix together 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 1/2 tbsp white vinegar and 1/2 tsp Salad Supreme seasoning. Pour over top. Serve! YUMMMMMM!!

Creamy Chicken

2009-03-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1 Italian seasoning packet
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken
4 tbsp butter/margarine

Mix all ingredients except for the chicken. Put chicken in the crock pot. Pour soup mixture on top. Cook on high for 3-4 hours- or low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken and let it set in the sauce for 10 minutes. Serve. I served mine with noodles. I'm sure rice or potatoes would be fine with it, too. My kids and husband all loved it :)

My Favorite Banana Bread

2009-02-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

This bread is easy (my kids love to make it). And it is the most moist banana bread I've ever had!

* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1-1/4 cups sugar
* 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
* 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 5 eggs
* 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4 to 5 medium)
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup chopped nuts, optional
* 1 cup chocolate chips, optional
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, bananas, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in nuts if desired.
Transfer to two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

*** My chocolate chip tip... Do you ever make bread or muffins with chocolate chips and the chocolate all sinks to the bottom? Well, this tip will eliminate that frustration! Shake your chocolate chips around in flour and then add them into the batter! They will be evenly distributed in your bread (or muffins or whatever)!

Hazelnut Brownies

2009-02-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Make your favorite brownies. While they're still warm, spread Nuetella over them. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. Serve. YUM!

Southwest Cheeseburger Soup

2009-02-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

Brown one pound lean hamburger and drain. Add 2 cans Rotel, 2 cans minestrone soup (I like Progresso), and 2 cans beans ~ rinsed and drained (I use 1 can kidney and 1 can black ~ your choice). Simmer on stove until mixed and hot. Before serving, cube 1 pound of Velveeta and add to soup. Warm and stir until cheese is melted. Serve with chips.

Awesome Carrot Cake

2009-01-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

This is the cake that my mom requested on her birthday. It is the most moist carrot cake I've ever had!

• 3 cups grated carrots
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
•
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking
powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in eggs, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, pineapple
and 3/4 cup chopped nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted
into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, cream cheese,
1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until smooth, then
stir in 1 cup chopped nuts. Spread on cooled cake.

Snickerdoodles

2009-01-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 3/8 cups sifted flour (for high altitudes add 1/4 cup additional flour.)
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together:softened butter, sugar, and egg. Sift together: sifted flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix and set aside: sugar, and cinnamon. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Roll the dough into balls about the size of walnuts. Roll the balls in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place the balls about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until center is almost set and cookie appears lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Cookies will puff up at first, then flatten out with a crinkled top.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-01-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-½ lb.)
6 Thin Slices Smoked Ham
1 can (10-¾ oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
6 Slices Swiss Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.

PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with ham. Mix soup and mustard; spoon over chicken. Top with prepared stuffing.

BAKE 25 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165°F). Top with cheese. Bake an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Yields: 6 servings

This is from the Kraft magazine 'Food & Family'.

Crescent Bacon Cheese Tartlets

2009-01-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

1 can crescent dinner rolls
1/3 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon
1 tbsp chopped green onion
1 egg
3 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp melted butter

Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle on work surface. Press into 12x9-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Cut dough into 12 squares. Gently press squares into 12 ungreased mini muffin cups, shaping edges to form rims 1/4 inch high. Spoon cheese evenly into dough-lined cups. Top each with bacon and onion. In small bowl, beat egg and whipping cream with wire whisk or fork until blended. Spoon slightly less than 1 tablespoon mixture into each cup. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling is set. Remove from oven and brush edges lightly with melted buttter. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups

Aunt Elizabeth's Caramel Crackers

2009-01-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

1 box of Club Crackers
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup chopped Pecans
1/2 cup sugar

Melt butter in a pan, I use a heavy one. Add sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has melted. Keep stirring and add pecans. When the mixture is smooth remove from stove. The crackers need to be laid out on a foil lined cookie sheet. Put about 1 tsp of mixtue on each cracker. Bake in oven on 350* for 2-10 minutes. You need to keep an eye on them. When they cool you can break them apart and they are ready to go!!!

This recipe was shared by a lady from our church. She brought them to a church function and they were awesome!!

Swiss Roll Cake

2009-01-11T21:53:00.001-08:00

YUMMO!!!!!!!!!! If you like swiss cake rolls (don't kid yourself- you know we all do ;)), you have to try this cake!

1 package (13 ounces) Swiss cake rolls
2-3/4 cups cold milk
2 packages (3.9 ounces each) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
2 cups whipped topping

Cut each cake roll into eight slices; set aside any chocolate coating that separates from rolls for garnish. Line a 9-in. springform pan with cake slices, completely covering the bottom and sides. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Pour over cake. Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with any reserved chocolate coating. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
(From Simple and Delicious magazine)

Chocolate on Chocolate Cookies

2009-01-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 bag chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together.Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Cool.

**If you want to add a little more flavor, of course you can also add peanut butter chips. You can add them to the recipe or omit the chocolate chips and just add the pb chips.**

Chocolate Turtle Cake

2009-01-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup cocoa
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules (use pero instead)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened orange juice
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups canola oil or vegetable oil

STREUSAL FILLING:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coconut (optional)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Set oven to 350 degrees.
Set rack to second-lowest position.

Generously grease and flour a bundt pan (I use my Pan Release for this, make certain to well-grease your pan!).

If using the streusel, mix all streusel ingredients;set aside.

In an extra large mixing bowl, dump ALL cake ingredients; mix well until combined on medium speed of an electric mixer for about 3 minutes.

If layering with streusel, pour half of the cake batter into prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle the streusel mix evenly over batter. Top with remaining cake batter.

Bake for 45-60 minutes (may take a little longer to bake if making the cake with the streusel filling).

YUM!!!

Montreal Steak Seasoning

2009-01-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon dehydrated onion

1/2 tablespoon dehydrated garlic

1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary

1/2 tablespoon dried fennel

Directions:

Mix together and store in a shaker.

Shake or rub 1 tablespoon seasoning onto steaks, pork chops or hamburgers before grilling.

4 Cheese Farfalle Pasta

2009-01-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes (I like to use the roasted garlic kind)
1 package (16 ounces) farfalle pasta (bow ties)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1&1/2 cups milk
1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1&1/2 cups grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1. Drain tomatoes. Reserve 1&1/4 cups juice and set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk and reserved tomato juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Add basil.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, and reserved tomatoes. Stir in all cheeses & parsley. Toss gently. Place in a greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

2009-01-09T16:51:00.000-08:00

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cube butter
1 ¼ cup heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and butter and bring to a boil. Cook to 237 degrees on a candy thermometer. Slowly add ¾ cup of the cream and bring mixture back to 237 degrees. Then add the remaining ½ cup cream and vanilla. Stir just until incorporated then take off heat and let cool slightly and thicken up a bit before drizzling over ice cream.

Creamy Crab Dip

2009-01-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

* 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 tablespoons white wine or chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons grated onion
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 3 drops hot pepper sauce
* 6 ounces premium crabmeat, drained
* 4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided
* 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
* Paprika
* Assorted crackers

In a large heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the first nine ingredients. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is heated through. Stir in crab and 2 tablespoons parsley; heat through.
Transfer to a serving bowl; sprinkle with almonds, paprika and remaining parsley. Serve warm with crackers. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3-1/4 cups.

This is really yummy! And, it is not 'crabby' at all-- I would actually even add a little more crab than the recipe calls for.

Old Bay Seasoning

2009-01-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

1 tablespoon ground bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Combine all ingredients, then store in an airtight container.

This seasoning is great on seafood.

Teriyaki Sauce

2008-12-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

3/4 c Water
1/2 c Soy Sauce
1 c Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tbsp Cornstarch

Combine all ingredients, whisk to mix well. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils & thickens slightly. Yields 1 1/2 cups sauce.

**Lite soy sauce will prevent the sauce from being salty.

This sauce is fantastic over chicken or shrimp. I haven't tried it over beef. If you have ever been to Teriyaki Stix, this recipe tastes a lot like their teriyaki chicken bowl!

Artichoke Cheese Bread

2008-11-26T10:05:00.000-08:00

Artichoke Cheese Bread

1 loaf french bread
1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*. Lightly drizzle bread with olive oil. Bake until crispy (about 5-7 minutes). In a small bowl, combine the artichokes, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and garlic; spread evenly over cut sides of bread. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted (I like the cheese to be bubbly and starting to brown). Slice and serve warm.

Cheesy Meatballs

2008-11-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Meatballs
3 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound lean ground beef

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Yield: about 4 dozen.

***My directions: I had a pound of ground beef already cooked- so I just mixed everything together with 2/3 cup water. Then I baked them for the same time/same heat. My kids LOVED these! They looked a little like cookies, though :) ***

Easy Egg Rolls

2008-11-25T19:54:00.000-08:00

Easy Egg Rolls

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (or chicken or pork)
1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 scallions- chopped
15 egg roll wrappers (1 pkg)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Place a heaping tablespoonful of meat mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling.
In a small bowl, combine flour and enough water to make a paste. Moisten top corner with paste; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat. In an electric skillet, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
(Chicken is my favorite)

Parmesan Knots

2008-11-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I just used the Parmesan in the can...not fresh. But I'm sure you could use either.)
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
dash pepper
3 cans (12 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (I used "original flakey")

In a small bowl, combine oil, cheese, parsley, oregano, garlic powder and pepper; set aside.
Cut each biscuit in half. Roll each portion into a 6" rope; tie in a loose knot. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake at 450 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown; immediately brush with the Parmesan mixture. Serve warm or freeze for up to 2 months. (NOTE: To use frozen biscuits, bake according to package directions.)

They are best when served hot.

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

2008-11-11T10:43:00.001-08:00

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

2 1bs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs.
1/2 c. low sodium soy sauce
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Whisk together remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken.Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 or 4. Serves 4 - 6.

Root Beer Cookies

2008-11-11T10:42:00.001-08:00

Root Beer Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/4 c. buttermilk
1 t. root beer extract
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Mix brown sugar, butter, and egg until fluffy.
Stir in buttermilk, root beer extract, flour, baking soda and salt.
Mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400°.
On greased cookie sheet, drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart.
Bake 6-8 minutes or until almost no impression remains when lightly touched.
Remove cookies immediately from pan.
Place on rack and frost with glaze.

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 t. root beer extract
1 T. hot water

Mix sugar and butter. Stir in root beer extract and water. Spoon over cookies and let set.
Enjoy! (***You really must like root beer to like these cookies!***)

Lemonade Cake

2008-11-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

Lemonade Cake

1 package lemon cake mix
3 oz. lemon jell-o
4 eggs
¾ cup oil
¾ cup water

Beat 5-6 minutes and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Poke with fork and pour glaze on top.

Glaze:
½ cup frozen lemonade concentrate
2 cups powdered sugar

Optional Frosting: (after cake cools)
3 cups whipping cream
1 large box lemon jell-o
1 lemon, juiced
Whip until stiff peaks form.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Crackers

2008-11-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

These are a huge hit in our house! And they are SO easy. They are also always a big hit at parties... it's funny how many adults really do like peanut butter and jelly :)

Ritz Crackers
Peanut Butter
Jelly- your favorite flavor

Spread about 1/2 tsp of peanut butter on the cracker. Top with about 1/2 tsp of jelly- not spread. Enjoy!

Three Cheese Chicken & Penne

2008-11-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

1 lb pkg Penne pasta
1-2 lbs Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
1 pkg (9 oz) Fresh Spinach (chopped)
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce
1/2 Onion- minced
4 cloves Garlic- minced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz Cream cheese- cubed
1 1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Shredded Parmigiano- Reggiano Cheese

Cook pasta. While that's boiling, work on the remaining ingredients.
Cook chicken in oil. Remove to a large bowl. Add garlic and onion to chicken drippings. Sautee until tender. Add to chicken. Pour Spaghetti sauce in with chicken mixture. Add basil. Before you remove the pasta, add the chopped fresh spinach for about a minute. Then drain and add to bowl. Add cream cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Mix well. Pour into baking dish and bake at 375* for about 15 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano cheese. Bake for another 5- 10 minutes, until cheese starts to bubble. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2008-11-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

Broccoli Cheese Soup
10 oz. broccoli, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
Add in the flour.
Mix well and then slowly add in the liquids, stirring after each addition.
Increase the heat to medium.
Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking, until it begins to thicken.
Add in the broccoli, onion and garlic powder.
Allow to cook for 15 minutes.
Add in the cheese and then cook for another 5 minutes.
Garnish with additional cheese and croutons if desired.

Corn Chowder

2008-11-02T17:55:00.001-08:00

SERIOUSLY easy and SO yummy! My mom made this for us the other day... I love it!

Corn Chowder

4-6 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
5-6 potatoes, chopped
1 can corn
1 can evaporated milk
Salt & pepper
2-3 T margarine

Brown bacon & onion together. Add potatoes & enough water to just cover potatoes. Cover with lid & boil potatoes, bacon & onion in the bacon flavored water until potatoes are done. In a small saucepan, heat corn, milk, salt, pepper & margarine to melt margarines. Add this to the potato mixture & serve immediately. Serve with dinner rolls. (not good leftover)

Cinnamon Rolls

2008-11-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

This is my mom's cinnamon roll recipe and these cinnamon rolls are to die for!
Cinnamon Rolls

3 c flour
1 c oil
1 c sugar
4 T yeast
5 t salt
4 c hot water
1 c powdered milk - dry
5 eggs

14 c flour or less

Add all ingredients except the 14 c flour, beat with mixer for 3-5 minutes. Add additional flour 1 cup at a time until barely cleans side of bowl or just so you can handle. (The secret of good rolls is a soft of dough as possible.) Let rest 10 minutes, beat down, let rest 10 minutes. Put in oiled bowl, let rise till doubled (1-1 ½ hrs). Punch down & let rise until doubled (about 45 minutes – 1 hr). Divide dough in ½. Roll in rectangle about 1/3 inch thick.

Spread with:
1 stick softened butter
2 c brown sugar
3 T cinnamon
lightly sprinkle with white sugar
Roll up. Cut into 12 cinnamon rolls & lay on greased cookie sheet. Let rise, bake 400* for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

***Put pan of very hot water in the bottom of the oven & close oven door while dough rises each time. It helps keep the dough soft. Then take the pan of water out of the oven before you bake the rolls so that they bake in the dry heat. I do this for all breads that are rising.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together for 5 minutes:
8oz Cream Cheese -soft
1 Cup Margarine -soft

Add slowly & beat for another 5 minutes:
3 ½ Cups 10x Powdered Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Flavor
½ tsp Lemon Flavor
Spread on cinnamon rolls while still warm & eat! I make an extra batch of frosting so that we can add more when eating them later.

Donut Acorns

2008-10-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

These are so cute and yummy- and kids love to make them too!

Donut Holes
Chopped Nuts
Peanut Butter
Pretzel Sticks- broken in half

Take a donut hole, dip 1/2 of it in peanut butter (or spread the peanut butter on half of the donut), dip the peanut buttered end in chopped nuts and put a pretzel stick in the top!

So easy...

Southwestern Soup

2008-10-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

· 3 cups water
· 4 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
· 2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
· 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
· 2 cups frozen corn
· 2 cups salsa
· 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
· 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
· 1 to 2 teaspoons dried basil
· 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
· Tortilla chips, optional

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Sprinkle individual servings with cheese. Serve with tortilla chips if desired. Yield: 12 servings (1-1/3 cups each).

Artichoke Pesto

2008-09-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

I served this pesto on slices of grilled ciabatta bread and it was fantastic! It would also be wonderful on pasta! (I will try it tomorrow with the leftovers :))

1 (8-ounce) pack frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (I couldn't find frozen-so I just used a jar of marinated artichoke hearts)
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed down
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan (2 teaspoons per cube)

1 (12 to 16-inch) ciabatta loaf, cut into slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Run the machine to finely chop all the ingredients, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. Then, with the machine running, drizzle in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Mix in the Parmesan. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the ciabatta slices with the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Grill until toasted, about 5 minutes. Spread the artichoke pesto over the toasted slices and serve. If you want to freeze the pesto, omit the parmesan cheese, then freeze the pesto. Then when you're ready to serve it, thaw the pesto and add the parmesan cheese. Voila!

Turkey Artichoke Stuffed Shells

2008-09-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 6 cups

Cookie Cups

2008-08-27T13:45:00.001-07:00

Make your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe (you could really use any cookie- peanut butter cookies would be great). Instead of baking your cookies on a cookie sheet, use a muffin pan (I used a mini muffin pan since I was making them for kids). Fill muffin cup about 1/2 full. Bake. Push in center with a tart shaper.

Let them cool. Then fill them with ice cream. Top with cool whip, nuts, hot fudge, caramel, banana, fresh fruit, etc... like a small ice cream sundae! These are a huge hit with kids!!

Alfredo Ham 'n Cheese Pizza

2008-08-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of my kids' new favorites!! They each ate like 4-6 pieces! This is the recipe- but I didn't follow it exactly (do I ever??). I just used these ingredients and made it like a regular pizza- I know I used more/less of each of the ingredients :)

* 1/4 cup Alfredo sauce (your favorite)
* 5 pita breads (approximately 6 inches- I used flat bread)
* 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
* 1 3/4 cups cubed fully cooked ham
* 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 1 tablespoon minced chives

Spread Alfredo sauce over pita breads. Top with Swiss cheese, ham, mozzarella cheese and chives. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garlic Pizza

2008-08-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

If you cut this pizza into thin wedges, it's fantastic as garlic bread!

* 1 prebaked pizza crust
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/2 small red onion, chopped
* 3 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano

Place the crust on a pizza stone/pan or just a cookie sheet. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, onion, garlic and oregano; spread over crust. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.

Wheat Bread

2008-08-21T11:28:00.000-07:00

I am not a big fan of making homemade bread... however I am a big fan of eating homemade bread :) I tried this new recipe today and it is way easy and it is very yummy!

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour- your choice (all wheat, all white, 1/2 and 1/2...)
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Put the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix it all together. Add the flour and yeast and knead it for about 10 minutes. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and flip it one time to get oil on the top. Cover with a towel (preferably a clean one :) ). Let it rise for 45 minutes. Punch down and form into a loaf. Put it in a greased loaf pan. Cover with towel and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes- or until golden brown. Remove from oven and butter the top.

Easy Chicken Parmesian

2008-08-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so easy and was a big hit in our house!

Frozen chicken patties (1-2 per person)
Your favorite marinara sauce
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook your chicken (as directed on the pkg). Heat up the marinara sauce. Pour 1/4 cup of sauce over top of your chicken. Sprinkle a little bit of both cheeses over top.

That's it... SO easy!!

Lemonade Pie

2008-08-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

One box of ginger snaps
6 tbsp butter
12 oz can of lemonade - thawed
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2- 8oz tubs of cool whip

Crush the ginger snaps and mix it together with 6 tbsp of melted butter, to make a pie crust. Blend all remaining ingredients together, until it is smooth and then pour it into pie crust (makes a 9x13 pan). Freeze. Serve.

Pig Cookies

2008-08-18T17:58:00.001-07:00

My mom made these cookies with my kids the other day. They are really cute and it's a great creative way of getting the kids busy in the kitchen :)

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cute-Pig-Cookies

Peach Cobbler

2008-07-29T13:53:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite desserts! It's easy and it's a really comforting food :)

1 stick Margarine
1 c Sugar
1 c Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 c Milk
1 lg can (29 oz) Peach Slices

Melt margarine in a baking dish. Mix together sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Pour batter over dish. Pour peaches on top of batter (**do not drain**). As cobbler rises, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes (or until middle doesn't jiggle if you shake the pan).

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

2008-07-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

This is sooooo good! My aunt made this not too long ago, at my mom's house, and it was really yummy!!

4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed, divided
8 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. butter melted

Line 8X4 inch loaf pan with foil. Mash 2 cups of strawberries in large bowl. Stir in Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk, juice and 2 cups of the Cool Whip, pour into pan.

Top with combined chopped cookies and butter; press into mixture. Cover

Freeze at least 6 hours. To serve, invert onto plate. Remove foil. Frost with remaining Cool Whip. Top with remaining strawberries, sliced. Makes 12 servings.

Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta

2008-07-29T13:02:00.001-07:00

1 lb. penne pasta
2-12 oz. jars roasted red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 T balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp. hot sauce (like Louisiana)
2 T. -1/3c cream, milk, or silken tofu
spicy chicken sausage (like Emeril's habanero chicken sausage), cut into half moons
1-2 T olive oil (depending on how much sausage you used)
1/2 c grated pecorino cheese (although parmesano-reggiano will work just fine)
1 sprig of basil leaves, chopped

Bring water & salt to boil. When boiling, add penne pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, toss in a pasta bowl with 2 tsp olive oil.

In blender, add bell peppers, garlic cloves, balsamic vineger, hot sauce, and cream. Puree until smooth but still retains some chunks of red bell peppers.

Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat and add the chicken sausage. Brown sausage slightly. Pour the roasted bell pepper puree over the sausage and simmer over low-medium heat until the sauce darkens in color slightly. This will help to mellow out the garlic. Pour over cooked penne pasta. Toss to coat the pasta. Add grated pecorino cheese and chopped basil over the top and serve.