Cornmeal-Fried Onion Rings

We made these for dinner tonight and they were HEAVENLY!! Another Ina Garten recipe to die for...

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 large Spanish onions (or 3 yellow onions)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (medium) yellow cornmeal
• 1 quart vegetable oil

Directions

Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature.) Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Chicken Pot Pie

Have you heard of The Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten? Well...I love her. I check out all her recipe books from the library (yes, they have recipe books!!) and copy down all the ones that look good to me.

This is one of her creations and it was SOO good. We just did half a recipe and it was still PLENTY, with leftovers. Loved loved loved it on a cold day.

And don't be intimidated. I stuck the chicken breast in the oven a little before 4:00 and we ate at 5:30. Easier then I thought.


Chicken Stew with Biscuits (or Chicken Pot Pie)

For the Stew:

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 cups chicken stock, homemade

2 chicken bouillon cubes

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup heavy cream

2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 min

1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)

1 ½ cups frozen small white onions

½ cup minced fresh parsley

For the Biscuits:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ pound (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, diced

¾ cup half-and-half

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4-6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley.

Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8 inch thick. Cut out with twelve circles with a 2 1/2 –inch round cutter.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top and bake for another 30 minutes until done.

Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry

Does everyone want to hear how cute my husband is? So Sunday after Church he rushes home and starts making dinner. He is a WAY better cook than me and doesn't have to use recipes. So, there is no recipe for this, but if you're looking for a good idea for a quick meal, he just cooked some broccoli, chicken, and spaghetti noodles, and then stir-fried it together with some Teriyaki sauce. It was DIVINE.

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

This is the best stuff ever and seriously easy to make. There are TWO ingredients: Chicken and Italian Dressing. All you do is put some chicken in your crock pot, cover it with Italian dressing, and enjoy!!! Serve it with rice. Just leave it in there however long you normally leave chicken in the crock pot. I used chicken tenders so I did it on low for about 4 or 5 hours.

Mushroom Crepe Filling

I have asked my mom for this recipe about 5 times now and always lose it, so I am putting it up here so I will NEVER lose it! It is so yummy, easy, and a great way to make crepes into a full dinner and dessert.

1 lb mushrooms, or to your preference
5 TB butter
4 TB green onions
5 TB flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I substitute some milk)
salt & pepper to taste

Saute mushrooms & onions in butter 4 minutes or until soft. Sprinkle flour and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and cream. Season with salt and pepper and cook until warm throughout. Fill crepes and enjoy!

Deluxe Peas and Celery

This recipe is SOOOO good.

2 T butter
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 T finely chopped onions
1/2 t. salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 t. seasoned salt
1 10 oz. package frozen peas cooked and drained

In a fry pan, saute celery and onions in butter.
Add seasonings.
Add cooked peas.

Pumpkin Cake

Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspooon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 10 inch bundt or tube pan.
2. Cream oil, beaten eggs, pumpkin and vanilla together.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined. If desired, stir in some chopped nuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a plate and sprinkel with confectioners' sugar.

BLT Dip

I got this recipe from my cousin, Whitney Tidwell. It was FABULOUS!

BLT Dip:

1 C. Sour Cream

1 C. Mayo

1 C. Shredded Cheese

1 C. chopped Seeded Tomatoes

6 Strips of Bacon, crumbled (I use the Oscar Myer ready to serve)

1 Tbs. Chopped Green Onions on top.

Mix & Chill

Serve with crackers. Pretty much any kind!

Coconut Macaroons

A long time ago Oprah highlighted these (made by some company) on her "Favorite Things" show. Well, I love macaroons, and these ones looked divine so I searched high and low for the recipe. Here it is, I've made them many times...and yes, they are fabulous.

Macaroons:

3 C. Shredded Coconut

1/3 C. Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3/4 tsp. Almond Extract

Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 Milk Chocolate chips (ok, this actually calls for semi-sweet, but I think it's better with Milk)

3 Tbs. Heavy Cream

*Preheat oven to 350

*Dump the shredded coconut into a large bowl

*Stir vanilla and almond extract into the condensed milk

*Drizzle the condensed milk over the coconut while tossing the coconut to coat it thoroughly

*When Coconut and condensed milk are well-combined, use a 1 1/4 inch sorbet scoop to mold the macaroons. Press the macaroon mixture firmly into the scoop, and then turn it out onto a sheet pan. Bake the macaroons for 12-15 minutes or until you see the top of the macaroons beginning to turn light brown. Remove the macaroons from the oven and let them cool.

*As the macaroons cool, prepare the chocolate ganache by combining the chocolate chips with the cram in a small glass or ceramic cup or bowl. Microwave this on 50% power for 1 minute, and then gently stir the chocolate. If the chocolate is not completely melted after a couple minutes of stirring, microwave it again for another 30 seconds on half power and stir. Be careful to not overcook the chips or the chocolate will seize up and your ganache will be grainy instead of smooth. If that happens, start over.

*When the chocolate is melted and smooth, pour it into a squirt bottle (I use a plastic bag with a TINY TINY corner cut off) and drizzle it in thin streams over each macaroon. Let macaroons sit out for a few hours. At room temperature of 72 degrees the chocolate should set up in 3 or 4 hours. When the chocolate has set, store the macaroons in an airtight container for up to 14 days at room temperature or for up to 4 weeks in the fridge.

-Just posting this is making me want to make them. When I do (tonight most likely) I'll take a picture and post it up.

Buttermilk Syrup

This is a recipe from my Aunt Colleen. Trust me, I've tried a few different recipes and this one is by far the best one!!

1 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Buttermilk

1/2 C. Butter

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Vanilla

Over medium heat, melt butter and sugar. Once melted, add buttermilk. When it begins to boil, remove from heat and add rest of ingredients. Stir and enjoy!

Chalupas!

Feel like enchiladas, but don't feel like doing all the work? These were quick, easy, and really yummy!

1 pound ground beef
chopped onions to taste
2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 cup sour cream
8-9 tortillas
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Saute the onion in a little butter until soft. Add beef and brown. Salt and pepper to taste. Add flour and chili powder and 1 cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add soup and sour cream.

Tear tortillas to make a layer on the bottom of a 9x13 dish. Pour 1/3 of meat mixture on top, then sprinkle with cheese. Layer tortillas, meat, and cheese two more times. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Zucchini Bread (from the Lion House Cookbook)

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp vanilla

2 cups shredded raw zucchini

3 cups flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

3 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine oil, sugar, and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat well. Blend in vanilla and zucchini. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to oil mixture and blend well. Add nuts.

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans (8x4x3), well greased and lightly floured. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until loaves test done. Or use 3 medium loaf pans and reduce baking time to about 30 minutes. Let stand in pans for ten minutes, then turn out on racks to cool.

Lasagna

1 pound ground beef (can also use italian sausage)

1 small onion, diced

1 28 ounce can tomatoes

1 12-ounce can tomato paste

1 TB sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 bay leaf

2/3 16-ounce pkg lasagna noodles (about 14 noodles)

2 eggs

15-ounce ricotta cheese

16-ounce mozzarella cheese, diced

1. In a 5 quart pan, cook ground beef and onion until juices evaporate and beef is browned. Add tomatoes, their liquid, and the next 8 ingredients.

2. Heat mixture to boiling, stirring to break up tomatoes. REduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring mixture occasionally.

3. Discard bay left. Tilt pan and spoon off any fat which accumulates on top of sauce. Cook lasagna noodles as label directs; drain well in colander.

4. In 13 x 9 baking dish, arrange half of drained lasagna noodles, overlapping to fit. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. In a small bowl with spoon, combine eggs and ricotta cheese and spoon one-half of this mixture over lasagna noodles in baking dish.

6. Sprinkle with one-half mozzarella; top with one-half sauce. Repeat layers. Bake in oven 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Southwestern Chicken Soup

DIVINE! I just made this for the first time tonight and lucky for all of you...posting this recipe was the FIRST thing I thought of as I ate and enjoyed. TRY IT!

1-12 oz. Jar Salsa Verde (OK, I don't know WHAT this is but I just used a jar of La Victoria Green Taco Sauce and it was fabulous)

3 C. Cooked Chicken Pieces

1-15 oz. cannelloni beans, drained

3 C. Chicken Broth

1 tsp. Cumin

2 Green Onions, chopped

Sour Cream

Tortilla Chips

Empty Salsa into large saucepan. Cook 2 min on medium heat. Add chicken, beans, broth & cumin and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Top each bowl with a sprinkling of onions, sour cream and tortilla chips.

I also think next time I make it (and there WILL be a next time very soon) I'll also add cilantro and avocado to the 'topping' list.

Enjoy. I got this recipe from my Sister in-Law who got it from a Real Simple magazine. Sorry, no picture...but trust me, it was great and super quick and easy to make.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

All my family uses this recipe. Delicious, nutritious...and not too hard!!

6 cups warm water
2 T. salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 T. wheat gluten
2 T. dough enhancer
2 T. instant yeast
10-11 cups wheat, ground

Add water and several cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour to Bosch mixing bowl with dough hook in place. Mix the water and whole wheat flour. Add the salt, honey, dough enhancer, gluten, instant yeast, honey, and oil. Mix briefly. While the Bosch is kneading at a low speed, slowly add whole wheat flour until dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl. Increase mixer to medium speed when it slows down. May need 1-2 cups of white flour - dough will be slightly sticky. Knead with Bosch until gluten is developed (8-12 min). With oil, water, or shortening on hands, remove kneaded dough from mixing bowl. Shape into loaves and place in pans previously greased (if needed). Let loaves rise in a warm place until double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool. Makes 5 regular size loaves.

Mashed Potatoes

This is actually a recipe that Heather gave me, so she might need to get in here and alter a few things...(You might not like me when you realize how fattening I made those mashed potatoes last Thanksgiving! :)

Boil Potatoes - Heather says to use the Red Ones and leave the skins on. I happened to already have brown ones on hand, so I just used those (peeled). BOTH are great!

Once boiled and soft enough to mash...
Load in the following:
1 cube of BUTTER
8 oz. block of Cream Cheese
12 oz. tub of Sour Cream

I like my potatoes smooth so I used a hand mixer to mix mine. If you like them chunky then just use a masher.

Oooh Baby! (Of course you can altar these, but it's all FABULOUS!)

Pineapple-Orance Slush

Jess, this was great because I made it a few days before Thanksgiving and then the drink was all taken care of! One thing checked off the list!

4 C. sugar
6 C. hot tap water
1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange concentrate, undiluted
1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade, undiluted
1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice
1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soda

Stir together sugar and hot tap water. Add other ingredients and mix thouroughly. Freeze in a 5-quart plastic container (ice cream buckets work well). Thaw at room temperature for about 3 hours. At serving time, add lemon-lime soda as desired. Makes 20 1-cup servings.

Mexicali Round Steak

I L-O-V-E crock pot recipes. Throw it in the pot, turn it on, and forget about it. Divine. And this recipe is REALLY yummy.

4 pieces round steak
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup beef broth
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
10 ounces salsa
1/2 can black beans
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese w/ Jalapeno peppers

Trim fat from beef. Cut into servings. Place in slow cooker with all ingredients but cheese. Cook 8-9 hours on low. It can be pretty runny when it is done, so I serve it in bowls with the cheese on top, with sour cream (if you want) and tortillas. Sort of a messy burrito.

Roast Sandwiches

Steph gave me this idea one day for dinner. They turned out divine. A total simple meal to pull together... I bought a loaf of fresh french bread and got some sliced roast beef and provolone cheese from the deli. Put a few slices of warm (I microwaved it a little bit)roast beef on one side and topped it with cheese. I broiled them open faced to melt the cheese and make it crispy. Then I made up some Au Jus Sauce (from a packet)...Gary loved it and so did I. Thanks for the idea Steph!

Monster Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is amazing - nothing like a fresh baked cinnamon roll!

• Monster Cinnamon rolls
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 7 ½ tbsp yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• 5 large eggs
• 8 ½-9 ½ cup all purpose white flour
• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• ⅓-½ cup butter, softened
• 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
• ½ pound cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

For the dough, heat the butter with the milk, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl (I use the Bosch) sprinkle some flour over the milk and water, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Mix. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Add the flour a cup at a time, stirring and using enough flour to form a stiff dough, until the sides of the mixing bowl are clean. Knead approximately 5-7 minutes. Place the dough in a very large, oiled bowl, turn to oil the top and allow to rise, covered loosely with a towel, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and roll out to a large rectangle, 24 inches by 36 inches.

Spread the softened butter on the dough and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll up lengthwise and cut to make 12-18 rolls. Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the rolls for about 20 to 30 minutes or until puffed and browned. Cool to room temperature on racks.
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and soft, not stiff. Frost the cooled rolls and serve immediately.

I usually double the recipe, but it makes tons. But you could freeze them too!

Pasta Dill Salad

I didn't even think to check if Steph has posted this already. We both love it and love to make it...and espeically love eating it! (call me lazy to not go back and check) This is a KEEPER...it's the first menu item that comes to mind when I think of bar-b-que up the canyon. LOVE IT!

Pasta Dill Salad
1 C. Mayonnaise
2 T. Cider Vinegar
1-2 T. fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 C. chopped tomatoes
1/4 C. sliced green onions, chopped, seeded
1 C. cucumber, cut in 1/4 slices
8 oz. pasta shells, cooked, rinsed & drained (and cooled)

Mix all ingredients together. Toss, cover and chill for a few hours. (Can make night before)

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad

Have you eaten at Pei Wei's before? It's the P.F. Chang's guy...a casual restaurant...not one here in Utah (that I know of) Anyhow, this is a salad from there. I've had it...and I've made this, both are unbelievable! I found this recipe online somewhere, can't remember...but I'm sharing it with you for selfish reasons. I NEVER want to lose this recipe again (I've lost and found it about four times). So, consider yourselves LUCKY!

Salad
1-2 heads Romain lettuce
2 tomatoes (chopped)
sugar snap peas (halved)
1 carrot (chopped)
3 sprigs basil (chopped) -*I actually didn't use basil, I used Cilantro...Yummers!
1 bunch green onions (chopped)

Spicy Chicken
Frozen Orange Chicken (can be found at Costco) Cook chicken according to package directions. Use the orange sauce provided in the box (it mixes nicely with the dressing to create the ultimate dressing)
Hot Sauce (totally optional. I did NOT use it...which made this salad not so spicy but totally delicious still)
Lime Vinaigrette
Juice from 2 limes
2 T. water
1 T. sugar
salt & pepper to taste
Oil

Combine lime juice, water, sugar and salt and pepper. Slowly add desired amount of oil while stirring.

As you can see the instructions are vague. But I'm sure you all can put together a salad. TRY THIS! You'll LOVE it! Next time I make it I'm going to add crushed won tons to it too!!! You'll have to let me know what little changes you make when you make it so as to perfect the salad!

Cashew-Curry Chicken Salad

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Honestly, it's the yummiest light meal. I think I might make this TOO often and I have yet to get sick of it yet! I got it from my Sister in-law, Liz

12 oz. uncooked Rotini (spiral pasta)
2 C. cubed cooked chicken
1 C. halved red grapes
1/2 C. chopped red bell pepper
1/4 C. chopped green onions
2 oranges, peeled and chopped (I use a can mandarin oranges)

Dressing:
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3 T. orange juice (can use the juice from mandarin oranges)
1 t. curry powder
1/4 C. sour cream
2 T. honey
1/4 t. salt

Cook rotini as directed on package. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine cooked rotini and all remaining salad ingredients. In small bowl combine dressing ingredients, blend well. Add to salad. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Makes 8 servings.

I like to make this and split it in half to make two meals. I don't put the cashews on it until it's READY to eat because I don't like the soft nuts. And I don't put it on the stuff I'm keeping in the fridge for later (until I eat it).

Jessica...You guys like Curry right? You'll LOVE this!!!

THE cookie recipe

I don't know where this originated BUT I'm the pickiest cookie eater. Most cookies don't even get ONE bite from me because they don't look good enough. These...are good enough! PROMISE!

1 C. Butter (softened)
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
2 1/2 C. Oatmeal, blended (I don't blend mind to a powder, I like the little oatmeal chunks)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1-12 oz bad of chocolate chips (semi or milk)
1-4 oz. Hershey Bar (grated, FREEZE it first to avoid the big chocolate mess)

Mix Sugars and butters, add eggs and vanilla...then the flour and oatmeal. Then the Chocolate Chips..(you knwo the drill). When you put the chocolate shavings in, don't mix it too much. You don't want the shavings to MELT and then it will just become chocolate cookie dough. That's not what this is. I like to 'freeze' the shavings while I make the rest of the dough to make sure it's cold and has less chance of meltage.

Bakd at 350 for 8 minutes. This is an awesome cookie recipe where you can freeze your little cookie dough balls and have cookies on hand. If you do that, then bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Yummers!

Ruby Tuesday Potato-Cheese Soup

I know for all of you living in warmer climates, soup season is over. But this soup is yummy, easy, and great for those occasional rainy days. And the ingredients are things you probably have on hand so good to make if you don't want to go grocery shopping. It is a favorite in our house-hold, and easy to modify and make your own if you want.

Ruby Tuesday Potato-Cheese Soup

2 large russet potatoes
2 Tbsp finely minced celery
1 Tbsp finely minced onion
1 Tbsp grated carrot
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 tsp salt
2 tsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 slices bacon, cooked
1 Tbsp chopped green onions

Peel potatoes and chop them into bite-size pieces (you should have about 4 cups). Make sure the celery and onion are minced into very small pieces. The carrot should be grated into very small pieces, not shredded. Combine the veggies with the chicken stock, salt, and vinegar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the stock to a boil, then turn down the heat. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Whisk together the flour and milk in a medium bowl. Remove the saucepan of vegetables from the head and add the flour and milk mixture. Put the pan back on the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until the soup has thickened.

Add cheddar cheese to the soup and simmer until melted. By then, the potatoes should be tender and falling apart. If not, continue to cook until the soup is as thick as you like it.

To serve, spoon the soup into bowls. Sprinkle cheddar and monterey jack cheese's on each soup. Crumble the bacon on top of the cheese and sprinkle each bowl with chopped green onions.

Creme Brulee

This is for Tara. If anyone hasn't had this before, make it. It is DIVINE!!



2 cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Line the bottom of a baking pan with a damp kitchen towel before adding the ramekins and the boiling water. Preheat oven to 300F and have a pot of boiling water ready.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until steam rises, 5-7 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Pour hot cream into yolks, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until blended. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, and divide mixture among 4 6oz. ramekins. Place ramekins in the ready baking pan and add boiling water to fill pan halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover loosely with foil, then bake until custard is just set, 25-30 minutes (if your ramekins are extra deep, like mine, you may need to cook much longer. Sometimes it takes 45 minutes for mine to set up). Chill 2-3 hours in fridge.



Sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar evenly over each custard. With a kitchen torch, move the flame continuously in small circular motions just above the surface until the sugar is evenly melted, bubbly and browned. Melt the sugar just before serving. They will keep for a few days, but the sugar will go soft if you keep them after melting the sugar.

Serve with mixed berries.

Vanilla Popcorn

This was our dessert tonight - such a yummy treat!

1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
3/8 cup karo syrup

Pop 2 batches of popcorn. Meanwhile, cook all above ingredients in saucepan. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat and pour over popcorn.

Chicken Tostada

This is BY FAR one of our favorite recipes . Try it - you won't be disappointed!!! I have had a hard time finding enchilada sauce up here, but have found a great homemade recipe. If anyone is interested, let me know and I will post it.

Not the prettiest meal, but so tasty

CHICKEN

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 T oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 10 oz can enchilada sauce

Heat 1 T oil in skillet and saute chicken until no longer pink. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Stir in enchilada sauce and bring to a boil. Lower temperature and simmer until ready to serve.

REFRIED BEANS

1 can refried beans
2-4 green chiles, sliced
1 cup jack cheese, shredded

In a greased casserole, layer on half of the beans, chiles, and jack cheese. Repeat. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

LETTUCE

3 cups lettuce, shredded
2 green onions
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa
2 T Italian salad dressing

In a bowl, mix lettuce, green onions, cheddar cheese, and salsa. Toss with salad dressing.

Heat oil for frying. Fry 4-8 corn tortillas until crisp; drain on paper towels. Place tortilla on plate, top with beans, then chicken, then salad.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

2 Chicken Breasts, baked and sliced (I used half of a Rotisserie Chicken, love them!)
1/4-1/3 C. Original flavor barbecue sauce
1 small tomato; chopped (I used a Roma)
1/2 C. jalapeno peppers (more if you like it HOT) - I left these out
1 small onion; thinly sliced (I used a RED onion)
1 T. McCormick All-Purpose seasoning of Herbs and Spices (contains parsley, basic, oregano, red pepper, garlic, lemon peel, celery and paprika)
3 C. Monterrey Jack Cheese (I just bought shredded pizza cheese)
1 Recipe of Pizza Dough

Prepare Pizza Dough and spread on pan. Spread barbecue sauce over dough. Top with 3/4 of the cheese. Sprinkle with chicken, jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, seasoning. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until crust is lightly brown. (All ingredients and baking time are approximate so make however you like it and be careful on the baking) ENJOY!!!

Pizza Crust

Got this from the SIL...I make something from her recipe book at least once a week! Use with the BBQ Pizza Recipe I'm about to post!

Pizza Crust
1 C. hot water
2 T. dry yeast
2 T. oil
2-3/4 C. flour
1 T. powdered milk
2 t. salt
2 T. sugar

Mix water and yeast until dissolved. Knead all ingredients together for several minutes. Mixture will seem dry at first until well blended. Cover and allow to rise until doubled (about 20-30 minutes). This recipe makes enough to fitt on the Pampered Chef Round Pizza Stone plus some extra for a few bread sticks.

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

Sorry, no picture...it didn't last long enough to get one. It was THAT good! This is FABULOUS! I got it off another blog who got it from a book, mentioned below!

Very rich flavor...and probably NOT low-fat! But try it anyways, you will NOT be disappointed!

Tools: cookie sheet, sauce pan, strainer, ice cream maker

Ingredients:
1/2 C. shredded sweetened coconut
1 C. sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. half-and-half
1-1/2 C. unsweetened coconut milk
1 C. heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract (I used 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. coconut extract)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil Place in the hot oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the coconut turns a light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the sugar into the eggs with a hand held mixer until thickened and pale yellow. Beat in the cornstarch and salt. Set aside.

Combine the half-and-half with the coconut milk in a heavy medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and slowly beat the hot liquid into the eggs and sugar. Briefly rinse your saucepan and rub dry with paper towel or cloth. Pour the eggs, sugar, etc. mixture back into the saucepan and place over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thicken slightly. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from the heat and pour the hot custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl. Allow the custard to cool slightly, about five minutes, then stir in the toasted coconut, heavy cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold (about 5 hours) or overnight.

Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in 1 or 2 batched in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 3 hours.

This recipe actually comes from: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, and More by Bruce Weinstein. I'm just tempted to purchase this beauty!

Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

This is SO easy and super yummy for those cold, wintery days.

5 cups water
2 T. instant chicken bouillon granules
1 large can (46 ounces) chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
15 baby carrots cut in thirds, or large carrots sliced up
1/2 cup celery
3 cups egg noodles (or to your preference)

Combine all ingredients except egg noodles in crock pot. Cover and cook on low heat 4-6 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, add egg noodles. Cover and cook 30 minutes - do not overcook.

Sante Fe Chicken

Hey Girls! I LOVE recipes that I can make and then put half in the freezer to prepare later...two meals with one meals worth of work! It's FABULOUS! Anyhow, this one is great! I made this two nights ago and Gary loved it...we cleaned it up (well, the first half of it) for dinner last night! It's really easy too!

Ingredients:
3 c. cooked & chopped chicken (I just bought one of those rotisserie chickens and used that!)
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
1 (12 oz.) can Ro-Tel tomatoes*
1 (15 oz) jar picante sauce
1 T. Chili Powder (if you prefer less spice, use less)
2 t. Cumin
1 C. Shredded cheddar cheese

*Ro-Tel is a brand of canned tomatoes with chopped chili peppers added. You'll find it by the Tomatoes in the grocery.

Assembly Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, corn, black beans, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, tomatoes, and picante sauce. Add the chili powder an cumin, stirring until evenly mixed.

Freezing Directions:
Put mixture in a one-gallon freezer bag (or I sometimes use the tin 9 x 9 pans too). Put the shredded cheddar in a quart freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze both bags. (I didn't freeze my cheese, I figure "WHO doesn't have cheese?" - I'll just grate up some cheese when I take this baby out to thaw!

Serving Directions:
Thaw both bags, if frozen. Pour chicken mixture into a spray-treated 9"x 13" pan (or if you're halfing it like I did, 9"x 9"). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until heated through. Remove foil. Top with shredded cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

I served it over brown rice and it was fabulous!!! (I should have taken a picture of it eh? I'll try to remember to do that from now on)

Yummy Hot Sandwich Spread

My sister in law made these yummy sandwiches a while back when our family was at Bear Lake! It's really simple- just make the spread and use it on your favorite rolls with whatever combination of meat/cheese and you will have yourself a delicious sandwich!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard (regular or dijon, not the powdered)
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp onion powder
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Spread inside and on top of dinner rolls, and then top with meat/cheese. Bake sandwiches (closed, not open faced) in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown and cheese is melted!
*Note: I usually half the recipe or even 1/4 for just my husband and I. If you have a large group of people then make the whole recipe.

Strawberry Tsunami

...nope, didn't come up with this one either...Kneaders did...and I don't know where I got it, just that Gary and I make it EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! No lie!

1 1/2 c. cranberry juice
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt (fat free if you please)
1/2 c. pineapple sherbet
1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. frozen peaches

blend blend blend

Makes a perfect amount for two!

Poppy Seed and Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ok ladies here it is as promised. ENJOY.

2 bags baby spinach (wash)
1 carton feta cheese (broken in small pieces)
1 basket of strawberries (sliced)
1/2 red onion (sliced thin)
5-8 slices of crispy bacon (cut in to small pieces)
Mix all together.

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice (I always add a little more until it tastes more tangy)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
Blend in blender and pour over salad.

This makes enough for about 8-10 people. It is delicious.

Pizza Pizza!

I made this pizza last night:


1 T Sugar
1 cup Warm Water
1 T Active Yeast
3 1/4 C Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Put the warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle water with yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil, and about 3 cups flour. With wooden spoon, stir into a soft dough. Place on lightly floured board. Knead until dough is elastic and shines - 10 to 15 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in oiled bowl, turning to oil dough all over. Cover bowl and let raise until doubled in size. Press into 15 to 16" circle. Brush with oil and put on toppings. To brown crust, brush with butter. Bake at 500 for 10 minutes.

Our favorite is a Greek pizza, with the following toppings:

Fresh chopped Basil
Garlic
Roma Tomatoes
Feta Cheese
Purple Onions, chopped
Fresh Chopped Spinach

Chicken with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

Sorry Jessica this is NOT a meatless dish, but I had to post it becaues it is sooo good.

2-4 bonless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER spread, divided
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
3/4 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 heavy cream
2 tablespoons loosley packed basil

Season chicken, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper.

In non-stick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Spread over medium-high heat and cook chicken 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once. Remove and set aside.

In same skillet melt remaining 1 tablespoonbutter. Spread and cook tomatoes, onion, and salt, stirring occationaly, 3 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Stire in chicken broth, cook for 2 minutes, stirring occationally. stir in cream. Reduce heat to low and return chicken to skillet. simmer uncovered 4 minutes or until sauce thickens a little. Garnish with basil.

Serve with Bowtie pasta, and your favorite veggie.

I only made 2 chicken breats and the sauce was a good amount. If you make more chicken maybe increase the ingredients for the sauce a bit. It is sooo yummy.

A little help?

So meat up here in Canada is INSANELY expensive. I am on a desperate search for all good meatless recipes. If you have any favorites, please post them and I will be ETERNALLY greatful!

Easy Chicken Parmesan

I found this recipe on Kraftfoods.com and made it on Friday night. It really is easy and it was soooo yummy.

Prep time: 5 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Serves: 6

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1.5 cups shredded mozarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Pour spaghetti sauce into 13x9 baking dish. Carefully stir in 4 Tbsp. (1/4 cup) parmesan cheese. Add chicken; turn over to evenly coat both sides with sauce. Cover with foil.

Bake 30 minutes. Uncover.

Top with mozarella cheese and remaining 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese; continue baking 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted.

I served mine over pasta and then I also made beans and garlic cheese french bread. I buttered the french bread, sprinkled garlic salt over it, and then added some fresh shredded parmesan cheese and put it in the oven on broil for a few minutes. The edges got a little too toasty while we were saying the prayer. It usually looks a little better than this. :)

Strawberry Ice Cream

I'm just going to town this morning! I'm actually sitting here watching "The Music and the Spoken Word" while I put in some of my favs of the day. So, this recipe is divine! I mean... AMAZING! Try it for a FHE activity/treat some night! - It makes quite a bit.

Make this irresistible ice cream in a 6-quart ice cream freezer. Use peaches instead of strawberries for another fabulous flavor!

4 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. boiling water

3/4 c. orange juice frozen concentrate (undiluted)

3/4 c. lemonade juice frozen concentrate (undiluted)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

5 c. whole milk

3 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, mashed (mash really good if you don't like chunks)

Red food coloring (optional)

2 (7 pound) bags of ice

Rock Salt

Combine sugar, salt, and boiling water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the orange and lemonade concentrates. Stir in whipping cream, evaporated milk, whole milk, and strawberries. Add red food coloring, a drop at a time (I don't do this), until mixture reaches desired color. Freeze in a 6-quart freezer, using ice and rock salt according to freezer manufacture's directions. Makes 5-6 quarts.

To make peach ice cream, substitute 3/12 c. mashed fresh peaches for the berries. Use a combination of red and yellow food coloring to attain the proper color.

Rolls

This is a very easy Roll (or BUN) recipe that all my in-laws use. They are SO yummy!!! Mine aren't quite like theirs, but I'm still working on it! Try this one out if you're wanting to try a little home made roll making! (If you want to make BREAD, I've got a different recipe for that) Another thing that I like about this recipe is that you can put it in the fridge overnight to use the next day, which is nice if you're going to have a busy Sunday morning doing other things... then you've already got half of the roll stuff done!

2 tbs. yeast

2 tbs. sugar

1/3 c. warm water

3 eggs

Mix the yeast and sugar together. Add 1/3 c. warm water. In separate bowl, beat 3 eggs until fluffy.

Add:

1 c. hot water

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. sugar

scant 1 t. salt

Add yeast and mix. Add 4 1/2 c. flour. Beat until kind of pulls away from bowl. Let sit for 1 hour. Roll and put on pan OR refrigerate overnight and then roll out. - When rolling out, dip in butter and put in glass (preferred) 9x13 pan. Let raise three hours. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Makes 40 rolls! (20 on each 9x13 pan)

Banana Bread

This is a FABULOUS Banana Bread Recipe. I'm posting it because I'm going to get up and make it as soon as I'm done here! This is by far my favorite banana bread recipe!

1 3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1 3/4 c. mashed ripe bananas (3-4 medium)

3/4 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. chopped nuts if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of loaf pan. Mix sugar and butter in bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients, except nuts, until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan. Bake 1 1/4 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf and remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. Makes 1 loaf. If using little bread pans, cook for 55 minutes. For alternative, add nutmeg to batter. (Watch the time on the baking part, for some reason, it seems that every time I make this the baking time is different!)

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Salad:
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup cashew halves
15 wontons, cut into strips
1 large head red leaf lettuce
1 pkg spinach
1/3 cup cooked bacon, broken into pieces
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 cup sliced strawberries

Dressing:
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp strawberry jam

To make dressing, mix together vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard, salt, and strawberry jam. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Heat a medium fry pan and add sugar and nuts. Stir constantly over med low heat until nuts are coated and slightly brown. Remove from heat and set aside. Fry wontons in oil on med high heat and drain onto paper towel. When ready to serve salad, put lettuce, spinach, bacon, onion, and strawberries into a large bowl and toss. Add dressing (blend again). Add sugared nuts and wontons last. This is my favorite salad!

Enchilada Casserole

4 chicken breasts
4 medium size tortillas
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 jar of salsa (pick based on how spicy you like it, we use medium and it is really good)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese

1. Boil chicken until cooked (you can boil in chicken broth for extra flavor but you don't have to), shred chicken into pieces.
2. Mix both cans of cream of chicken and the jar of salsa.
3. In a 9x13 casserole dish, put two tortilla shells, pour in half of your mixture, then use half of your shredded chicken. On top two more tortilla shells, pour the other half of the mixture and then the rest of the chicken. Cover with shredded cheese.
4. Place in the oven to bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

This one is SUPER easy and a yummy pleaser, easy ingredients that we usually have on hand.

Love the idea Jess and I'm excited to see everyone's recipes

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Today I was in desperate need of a comfort food, so I baked one of my nostalgic favorites.

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

1/2 cup Water
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 cup Nuts (optional)
1 cup Raisins
3/4 cup Shortening
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 cups Oatmeal

Add water to raisins and boil for 5 minutes. Let cool. Beat together sugar and shortening. Add egg and beat well. Then add vanilla, cooled raisin mixture and blend. Then add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, oatmeal, and nuts. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Note: For a healthy option I substitute applesauce for at least half the shortening. It also makes the cookies lighter.

The BEST Chocolate Cake

This recipe is FABULOUS! I can't take credit for it, but I CAN give it credit for giving me about 7 unwanted pounds! - I'd have to say, this, my friends...is worth it!

1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 small box of instant Chocolate Pudding
1/2 C. Sugar
- Mix with wire wisk to remove any lumps

Add:
3/4 C. Vegetable Oil
3/4 C. Water
3 Eggs
1 C. Sour Cream
- Mix with electrix mixer for 2 minutes

Add:
1 C. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Put in Bundt Pan and bake 60 minutes at 350 Degrees.
Take out of oven and let cool for 15 minutes...then flip over. (Don't let it cool for much longer because then the cake will sweat and you won't get it out!)

Enjoy this wonder of a cake!

Here we go!

Enough talking about it - lets start exchanging recipes. Invite everyone and anyone you know. Anything you've tried, something you want to try, a recipe you are looking for - this is the place to find it!