Compliments To The Chef

French Toast Casserole

2011-12-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

This was our Christmas morning breakfast...and it was perfect. Prepared the night before. Popped in the oven morning of. Ready to be devoured as soon as presents were open.

Lucky for me I had some homemade Challah bread - - we enjoy eating it with clam chowder on Christmas Eve. You can find the recipe here if you want. It is delicious!

French Toast Casserole
Adapted from Virginia Willis’ “Bon Appetit, Y’all”
In a perfect world, you’ll be able to find brioche or challah for this recipe, but if your world isn’t so perfect, go with what you can get your hands on – French bread, country loaf, Texas toast, even cinnamon-raisin bread.
Serves 8
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar ( I thought this was a lot of brown sugar - you could definitely go with less!)
1 loaf brioche or challah, sliced 1 1/2 inches thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Accompaniments: confectioners’ sugar; sorghum, cane or maple syrup
Combine the melted butter and brown sugar in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Arrange the bread slices in the dish. (It’s fine if they overlap.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread, and let it soak in.
Top the bread slices evenly with the pecans.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 to 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the meantime, take the casserole out of the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Bake the casserole until it’s browned and set, 30 to 45 minutes. Let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the casserole, and serve it with sorghum, cane, or maple sugar.

(as found on Ezra Pound Cake.com)

Cheese Garlic Bread {Pizza Dough}

2011-09-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

This one here is a total keeper ladies. I came across this recipe on Pinterest and knew I HAD to try it out. I am a total lover of pizza but even more...BREAD STICKS! Yum! You will NOT be disappointed in this one. The Pizza Dough recipe was great too. Only one thing, if you have a big bosch, I would maybe try to double this recipe, there just wasn't enough dough to mix well enough. I had to take it out and transfer it to my smaller bosch.

Basic Pizza Dough:
Yield: 2-12 inch pizzas, approximately 1 lb. of dough

Ingredients:
1 C. warm water
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 Tbs. honey {or sugar, but go for the honey if you have it}
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive or canola oil
3 C. bread flour {give or take 1/2 c. depending on heat, humidity, and altitude}

Directions:
In mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubble form and mixture starts to foam. Add salt, oil, and half of the flour and mix.

Once flour has been incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch ti it doesn't stick to your hands.

Once you reach this state, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away. Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes. Once done mixing, the dough should be smooth and easy to work with and the bowl should be clean.

Lightly grease the bowl and the dough so it doesn't dry out, cover with plastic wrap (or a clean towel) and let it rise 1-2 hours. Done!

We made our own version of Margarita Pizzas on the grill. Fabulous! I love the Classico Tomato and Basil Sauce, Mozzarella cheese and a little Parmesan because I love it so much, chicken pieces and some basil straight out of my beloved garden. Yummers. Oh yes, and we cook it on the grill which is so much better than the oven!

So, I used half the the dough to make two smaller pizzas and the other half to make some Cheesy Garlic Bread...keep reading.

Cheese Garlic Bread Sticks
Yield: 1-12 inch pizza

Ingredients:
1/2 recipe Pizza Dough (above)
2 Tbs. softened salted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (use the real stuff)
1/4 lb. grated mozzarella cheese
{salt and pepper, if desired}

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone inside. Mix butter and garlic in small bowl and set aside. Roll dough out into 12 inch circle. Spread butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, if desired. Bake 9-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and cool 1-2 minutes before cutting. Serve hot with marinara.

{Recipe from www.laurenslatest.com}

Fabulous Zucchini Bread

2011-09-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the harvest people. I came across this recipe the other day and with a few minor changes (simply because I didn't have the right ingredient) to the original recipe, this has been something I have made quite a few times and will yet make a few more times until I use up all that Zucchini in my fridge! :) It was wonderful...truly wonderful.

The original recipe is for one loaf of bread baked in a 9-inch by 5-inch size loaf pan. However, I made multiple smaller loaves. I like to share the goodness around, you know. Plus, it makes it so that I can't eat as much. :)

Zucchini Bread

1 lb. Zucchini (about 1.5 cups zucchini once is has been shredded and wrung through a towel to rid of excess liquid.
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 c. vanilla yogurt (not fat free)
1 tbs. sour cream
6 tbs. butter, melted

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 375. Generously coat and flour bread pan(s)

Chop the ends off zucchini and finely shred zucchini, peel and all. Place shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel, wrap the towel and wring the ends to squeeze out all the excess water. You will need about 1 1/2 c. dry zucchini. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk the sugar, yogurt, eggs, sour cream and butter until combined.

Gently fold in the yogurt mixture and zucchini into flour mixture, using a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan(s). Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached, 45-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Store well-covered for up to three days.

Notes: I used a couple different sizes of pans. A double batch will yield you 4- 5.75x3-inch pans cooked for about 30-32 minutes and 6-3.5x2.25-inch pans cooked for about 25 minutes.

I should also note that the original recipe came from My Kitchen Cafe.

Chinese Chicken Salad

2011-08-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

My husband requested this salad this week. And when my husband actually wants to eat a salad, you better believe I jump at the request. This tasted fresh and delicious...just what he wanted.

Chinese Chicken Salad

2 green onions
1 carrot, grated
1 celery stalk, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 head cabbage, chopped (or you can do a cole slaw mix, whatever)
romaine lettuce (I added about a cup to mine)
chow mein noodles
cooked chicken, diced or cooked
Asian dressing (I went with store bought because we had some)

Toss everything together and enjoy! Simple as that.

Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Frosting

2011-08-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

My baby turned one this week. I wanted something fun, flavorful and colorful to help introduce her to the magical world of desserts. This did just the trick.

Chocolate Cake

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Set oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x9 cake pan.

Combine eggs, sugar and oil until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to egg mixture while alternating with boiling water. Stir in vanilla extract.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Completely cool before frosting.

Fresh Strawberry Frosting

1 cup strawberries, finely chopped
about 1 lb of powdered sugar
4 T. butter, softened

In a large bowl, combine butter and (2 cups) powdered sugar. With a hand mixer on medium speed, mix the butter and powdered sugar. Add the strawberries and mix on low for about 2 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth. Continue to add powdered sugar until it is the desired consistency.

{recipes modified from Rookie Cookie}

Flag Cake

2011-08-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

My mom's bday is the 24th of July...which is super fun. This year I wanted to try something special for her cake and found this divine recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. It was so patriotic and really really yummy.

Ingredients

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:

(I totally didn't want to use 4 sticks of butter or that much cream cheese. I used maybe a 1/2 stick of butter and half a stick of cream cheese. Do what you want...)

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:

2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.

{From Ina Garten}

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

2011-07-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

A few things to mention before I get into telling you how great these fajitas are. First, I don't know who started this lame trend but I read it in some article the other day that New Mexico and another State (can't remember the other one, but remind me to never consider moving there) primarily use Swamp Coolers as a means to cool their houses. BARF! Did you know a Swamp Cooler basically only cools your house 15 degrees? Yeah, do the math...it's been 95 degrees out there, which means, I still sweat inside my house too. With that being said, I am on an oven strike. I have not used my oven in almost two months and refuse to use it until October when it starts to cool down a bit. It is getting really hard to do you know. How many dinners can YOU make without an oven? I am not even making bread!!! ARGH!

This had lead me to the Internet and lots of attempted creativity. We were given a bbq a few weeks ago, which has allowed me to branch out in my non-oven cooking...or rather, allow GARY to do some cooking! The other night we made grilled pizza, something I am most likely going to be making again tonight as well. :) I'll have to post that one soon too. But last night, we had the missionaries and another member in the ward over for dinner and I attempted a new recipe (I like the missionaries to be my guinea pigs for new recipes) on the grill.

The other thing I ought to mention is this: I don't know where it started but without my permission, there has been some sort of 'reputation' started among the missionaries who serve in our ward. Every time a new one comes to dinner for the first time, he says something like this "Oh, Sister Fears, I've been looking forward to coming to your house for dinner, I've heard so many wonderful things about your cooking" - HUH?! Seriously? I guess it doesn't take much to please a 19 year old boy who is on his own to cook for himself right? But, its like this talk they have behind my back and so now I feel all this pressure every time they are coming over to make sure they get a yummy meal and that it meets their expectations for a good dinner! It is causing stress people! And without an oven?!?!

Anyhow, I decided to try fajitas out on the grill yesterday and boy did they turn out! I will NEVER be making fajitas on the stove again. Honestly! Now, quick...go start thawing some chicken and try this out, you'll LOVE it!

Here is what you need:

1 Onion (I used a red onion) sliced and then cut into 1-inch strips
1 Red Pepper sliced into 1-inch strips
1 Yellow Pepper sliced into 1-inch strips
1 Tbs. McCormick Grill Mates BARBECUE Seasoning (and more to season fajitas if desired)
Olive Oil
Italian Dressing to marinade chicken in - Our FAVORITE is Ken's LITE Northern Italian with Basil and Romano. YUM!
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thirds lengthwise
Flour Tortillas (Of course, the Costco kind you cook on the stove)

Toppings: Sour Cream, Shredded Lettuce, Tomatoes, Salsa, Avocados, Shredded Cheese, etc.

So, the night before or morning of, take your chicken strips (breasts sliced into thirds) and drop them in a zip lock back with enough Italian dressing to cover and marinade well. Let it sit in the fridge all day. Every time you open the fridge, just see that chicken and let your mouth water for the delicious meal you are going to make a few hours from then! :)

When the time comes to start dinner, preheat the grill on to HIGH for 10 minutes. Clean grill with wire brush. Using a soft cloth, coat grill grate litely with vegetable oil. Toss your peppers and onion slices with 1 Tbs. BBQ seasoning and 2 Tbs. olive oil. Pour into a disposable 9x13 inch foil pan. Cover pan tightly with foil, seal well. Reduce heat to MEDIUM. Place pan on grill; close lid.

Cook 10 minutes, shaking pan occaisionally. Remove from grill and set aside. Return grill heat to HIGH.

Lay chicken pieces on grill for about 2 minutes or until it has started to change color about 1/4 the way up from bottom. Turn over, and sear another 1-3 minutes. Turn chicken back over again. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and cook 12-15 minutes until internal temp. reaches 165 degrees. When chicken is getting close, put veggies back on the grill just to get them warm again.
Remove chicken from grill and chop into thin bite sized pieces. Remove veggies from grill and stir chicken into veggies.

Eat up!

Might I mention that last night was the first time in my entire life that I actually grilled dinner? Gary has always done it and he ended up having to work late and wouldn't be home in time. If I wasn't having company for dinner, I would have just waited. After a small panic attack, I decided to try my own hand at this and hope it didn't get ruined. I have to say, it all turned out quite nicely! :)

Oh, and if you have any other grilling recipes that are to die for, send them on my way. I will most definitely be using them in the next two and a half months!

Orange Rolls

2011-06-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is totally not my recipe and although I do love a good orange roll, I have to admit that I have never made orange rolls before in my life. This recipe will absolutely be made many more times in the very near future! These were fabulous. AND, they were still really yummy and quite fresh tasting even two days later, which I am VERY picky about. Of course, nothing beats an orange roll right off the pan out of the oven, but just know that they store quite well for a few days.

Orange Sweet Rolls

*Makes 12 rolls/twists

Dough:

¾ cup buttermilk, warm (I pour the buttermilk in a glass liquid measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute on 50% power)

6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3 large eggs

4 ¼ cups (21 ¼ ounces) flour

¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Orange Filling:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Grated orange rind/zest from two large oranges (reserving 1/2 teaspoon grated rind for the glaze below)

Orange Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice from about 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind/zest reserved from the filling above

For the dough, whisk the warmed buttermilk and butter together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with dough hook (or you can use a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or electric handheld mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and eggs and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (knead for 15-18 minutes by hand). If after 5 minutes of kneading, the dough is still overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but has a slight tacky feel when pressed between your fingertips.

Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, around 2 to 2 ½ hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

For the filling, combine all the filling ingredients (reserving 1/2 teaspoon orange zest for the glaze) in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter (I use my roul’pat for this step--ya'll need one of these babies!) and press it into about a 16 by 12-inch rectangle (if you have doubled the recipe, split the dough in half and roll out one half at a time). Gently brush the filling mixture over the rectangle, using an offset spatula or rubber spatula.

Lift the longest edge closest to you and begin rolling the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log so it is seam side down. Using dental floss, slice the log into 12 evenly sized rolls, more or less. You can slice them thinner or thicker as you like. For a traditional cinnamon-roll-look, arrange the rolls cut side down on a lined or lightly greased baking pan. If you want to try the twist method (see the pictures below), one at a time grab each sliced roll and holding on to either end simultaneously pull and twist the roll into a figure eight and place it on the prepared pan. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden on top and cooked through. While the rolls are baking, mix together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls. (I used a brush and brushed it over the entire roll instead of just drizzling it)

Grasping each side, gently stretch the roll…

…and twist it before placing on the baking sheet.
Place the rolls about an inch to two inches apart. Bake and devour!

Recipe Source: {My Kitchen Cafe}

Homemade Mint Oreo Ice Cream

2011-06-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

Get excited everyone, this one was fabulous!!! Can I just have a proud moment and let you all know that I am the one that came up with this recipe? I mean, obviously, I started somewhere...but with about six different recipes. Needless to say, after tasting this, (and sharing it with a few friends who have all said it was the BEST homemade ice cream they have ever tasted) I am a bit proud of myself.

Sorry, no picture...but don't let that hinder your desires to make this beauty. Just know that the ice cream didn't last long enough to get a picture!

Mint Oreo Ice Cream
3 C. whole milk
3 C. skim milk
6 C. heavy whipping cream
3 C. sugar
1.5 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tsp. peppermint extract
Oreo Cookies - I just estimated, but I would say I probably used between 30-40 cookies

**Note: I'm sure you could probably just use 6 cups of 2% milk. I don't buy 2% milk and so I used the combination of the milk that I do buy. It was wonderful, but I'm sure 2% would be wonderful too!

On stovetop, heat up the milk until it is warm (do not boil). Add sugar, salt, vanilla and peppermint and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour into a bigger bowl and add the whipping cream. (You don't have to cook all the milk if you don't have a pot big enough. Just heat up enough that you can dissolve the sugar and then put it all in a bigger bowl and add the rest of the milk and whipping cream)

Put this in the fridge to cool. This makes quite a bit of ice cream (probably about 6 qts.) so if you need to make less, go ahead and split the recipe. If you have a small 1.5 qt. ice cream maker, you can just make it in batches as well and keep the rest in the fridge.

Mash oreo cookies with a potato masher in a bowl to the consistency you like and set aside until the VERY end of the ice cream making process.

Make ice cream according to the directions on your home made ice cream maker. When the ice cream is very close to being done, stop it and put the oreo cookies in. You want the ice cream to be quite thick at this point. If you do it too early, the cookies will just become mushy because the ice cream isn't frozen enough yet.

I really like to eat home made ice cream when it is soft and just finished in the maker. But if you like it harder, take it out when it is done and put it in smaller containers and freeze it for at least another couple hours to harden.

Yummers!

Another option instead of oreo is to use mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Probably about 3 cups. And if you want to make it green, add 9 drops of green food coloring.

Stuffed Breadsticks

2011-05-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went out to Magleby's Fresh for lunch here in Provo. My husband got the stuffed breadstick...and about passed out. It was delicious. I of course went in search of a comparable recipe on line and found this beauty. They are really really yummy and a fun alternative to pizza with the same ingredients. You could also shape these into larger personal-sized breadsticks if you wanted to be just like Magleby's. We opted for the smaller puff versions (more kid-friendly).

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

1 recipe pizza dough
marinara/pizza sauce
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it’s about 12″ by 8″. Cut it into squares about 2" by 2", or however big you want your puffs to be.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you’re not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it’s for dipping after) Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I’ve used both and there’s not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping!

{as found on Our Best Bites.com}

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

2011-05-11T19:58:00.001-07:00

When my husband isn't around for dinner, you better believe I make breakfast for dinner - usually pancakes. Why? Because my kids devour them. I like to try new recipes to switch things up a little and this week, I tried this one from Our Best Bites.com. It was good. They are healthier than many options, but didn't taste like "healthy overload" (if you know what I mean.) Yum yum.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C all-purpose flour
3 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C low-fat buttermilk *
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking Spray or butter for pan

*As a substitute for 1 C buttermilk, place 1 Tbs lemon juice (or vinegar but I prefer lemon juice) in a 1 C measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 C buttermilk, so do the same thing with 1/2 Tbs lemon juice and remaining 1/2 C milk.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with non-stick spray or a little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Use about 1/4 C batter for large pancakes (5-6″) and 2 T for kid-sized ones (2 /2-3″). Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Makes 12 large or 24 small pancakes.

Freezer Instructions: Just lay out pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet or other pan. Freeze until solid and then place in a zip-lock bag. To serve, just warm up in the microwave or toaster.

{As found on Our Best Bites.com}

Hummus and Pita Chips

2011-04-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have a crush on hummus. It only developed recently. I used to think it was gross. Turned my nose up at it. And then, I gave it a chance. It had something to do with the 3 months straight where they had hummus samples at Costco...and that was when I fell. I love it. It is a healthy yummy mid-afternoon snack! Especially with some home-baked pita chips. Just so you know, it doesn't smell that great. But it tastes delicious!!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1/2 a red pepper
3 T lemon juice
1/4 cup water
6 T tahini (found by the peanut butter in the grocery store. Or try a health food store)
2 T olive oil
1 can chickpeas
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne

Turn your oven broiler on. Slice your red pepper into 3 or 4 wedges and place them on a baking sheet with the inside of the pepper facing down. Broil for 3-5 minutes, until the skin begins to blacken. Set aside to cool.

Combine lemon juice and water. In another bowl, whisk the tahini and olive oil.

Process the chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a food processor. Slowly add the water mixture. Slowly add the tahini.

Once the pepper has cooled, slide the skin from the meat of the pepper and discard it. Add the remaining pepper wedges to the food processor and process until smooth.

Chill for 30 minutes. Serve with pita chips!

For homemade pita chips, buy a bag of pitas (I love the whole wheat kind!). Slice the pockets open and cut each pita into wedges. Drizzle with olive oil or spray with Pam and shake garlic salt over the top. Cook in a 300 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, until they are as crispy as you like.

Enjoy!

Chicken Teriyaki

2011-04-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into thin slices
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons mirin
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan. Stir together mirin and cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir the mirin into the saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce forms a syrupy glaze.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until nicely browned.

Put chicken on serving platter or bowl and cover with teriyaki sauce. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

{Modified slightly from America's Test Kitchen:2006}

Cream Cheese Chicken Potato Soup

2011-03-28T19:16:00.001-07:00

Just made this soup tonight and it was fabulous!!! With easy, normal ingredients. My kind of meal! I thought I'd just put a link to the blog in case any of you want to check out any of her other recipes. They're mostly desserts.

French Onion Soup

2011-03-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

There is something so delicious and wonderful about this soup. My husband, who hates onions, even likes it. This recipe was fast and easy.

To make it even easier, instead of sticking the whole soup bowl in the oven I just put the baguette slices covered in cheese on a cookie sheet and put that in the oven. That probably helped it be a little healthier as well because I don't know about you, but I have a weakness for cheese and tend to engulf my soup bowl with it before sticking it in the oven.

French Onion Soup

1 Tablespoon butter
5 medium onions ( a mix of yellow and red)
1/2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
6 cups beef broth
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
Freshly cracked pepper

Sourdough baguette bread, sliced
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese (I also used jalapeno monterey jack cheese, which was divine)

Heat the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the onion and salt. Cover the ot and cook over low heat until very soft, about 30 minutes.

Add the bay leaves, broth, and thyme. Simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes. Season with pepper. Discard the bay leaves.

Preheat the broiler. Divide the soup among 4 oven-proof bowls. Top each with a slice of baguette and cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Honey-Mustard Salmon

2011-03-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

I know that fish is usually a love it or hate it thing. I love it. And you might hate it. That makes me feel sorry for you, because this salmon was delicious. And so easy!!

Honey-Mustard Salmon

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, until they have melted together. Stir in the mustard, honey, and soy sauce.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add to the pan flesh-side down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fully browned and flip. Brush with half of the glaze and place the pan in the oven until the salmon is firm and flaky (before the white fat begins to form on the surface) about 5 minutes. Remove, brush the salmon with more of the honey mustard and serve!

{From Cook This, Not That}

Stovetop Chicken Fajitas

2011-03-21T06:24:00.002-07:00

2 tsp canola oil

2 red bell peppers,stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin

1 red onion, halved and sliced thin

salt and pepper

4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, pounded if necessary

1/2 cup orange juice

3/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1 TB Worcestershire sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1 tsp yellow mustard

1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped, medium

3 scallions, sliced thin

8 whole-wheat flour tortillas, warmed

1. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add the bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and well-browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cover to keep warm.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Combine the orange juice, 1/2 cup of the cilantro, Worcestershire, garlic, and chipotles in the skillet. Add the chicken and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. When the liquid is simmering, flip the chicken over, cover and continue to cook until the chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes longer.

3. Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred it into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, continue to simmer the sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes.

4. Off the heat, stir in the mustard, tomato, scallions, remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, and shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with the pepper-onion mixture and warm tortillas.

From America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ultimate Spicy Beef Nachos

2011-03-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

SALSA

1/2 small red onion

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 TB fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, peeled

2 TB canned pickled jalapeno chile, drained

1/4 tsp salt

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes drained

REFRIED BEANS

1/2 cup canned refried beans

1 ounce pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)

1 TB chopped canned pickled jalapeno chile

SPICY BEEF

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TB chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

12 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef

2 TB tomato paste

1 tsp brown sugar

1 medium canned chipotle chile, chopped

plus 1 tsp adobo sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tsp fresh lime juice

ASSEMBLY

1 9 1/2 ounce bag tortilla chips

16 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)

2 jalapeno chiles, sliced into thin rings

Sour cream (optional)

Diced avocado (optional)

cilantro sprigs (optional)

1. For the Salsa: Pulse the onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, and salt in a food processor until roughly chopped, about five 1 second pulses. Add the tomatoes and pulse until chopped, about two 1 second pulses. Transfer the mixture to a fine mesh sstrainer and drain briefly; place in a small bowl and set aside.

2. For the Beans: Pulse all the ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

3. For the Beef: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, breaking the meat into small bits with the wooden spoon and scraping the pan bottom to prevent scorching, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain grease if there is any. Add the tomato paste, sugar, chile, and adobo sauce and cook until the paste begins to darken, about 1 minute. Add the water, bring to a simmer, and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is nearly dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and transfer the mixture to a plate lined with several layers of paper towels. Use more paper towel to blot up excess grease.

4. To assemble: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread half of the chips on a large, oven-safe serving platter or a 13 x 9 baking dish. dollop half o the bean mixture over the chips, then spread evenly. Scatter half of the beef mixture over the beans, top with 2 cups of the cheese and half of the jalapenos. Repeat with the remaining chips, beans, beef, cheese and jalapenos. Bake until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Top with the salsa and garnish with sour cream, avocado, and cilantro leaves if desired.

From Best of America's Test Kitchen, 2008

Everything Bread

2011-03-09T12:01:00.000-08:00

This bread is delish. And beautiful.

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
1 egg white
2 tsp water
1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp each sesame, caraway, and poppy seeds

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, egg yolk, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a firm dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes) (or just use your Bosch). Place in greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Punch dough down. Turn onto lightly floured surface; divide dough into thirds. Shape each into a 20-inch rope. Place ropes on a large greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Combine egg white and water; brush over dough. Combine the salt, onion and seeds; sprinkle over bread. Bake at 375 for 22-28 minutes or golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

{From Taste of Home magazine}

Ultimate Oatmeal

2011-02-25T13:26:00.000-08:00

And yes it is ultimate indeed! It is a little more time consuming than just regular oatmeal but trust me, it is well worth it.

Ultimate Oatmeal

3 C. water

1 C. 1% milk (do not use skim milk here)

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 C. steel-cut oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1. Bring water and milk to a simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, then add the oats and toast, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

2. Stir the toasted oats into the simmering liquid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the mixture is very thick, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the salt and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and the oatmeal is creamy, about 10 minutes longer. Let the oatmeal stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations:

Ultimate oatmeal with cranberries and walnuts

Add 1/3 c. dried cranberries, 1/4 c. toasted walnuts, chopped, 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the salt.

Ultimate oatmeal with apple cinnamon and raisins

Use a sweet cooking apple here such as Fuji, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Jonathan, or Macoun.

Add 1 peeled and grated sweet apple, 1/3 c. raisins, 1/4 c. maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the salt.

Ultimate oatmeal with bananas

Add 2 mashed bananas and 1/4 C. packed light brown sugar with the salt.

Recipe Source {America's Test Kitchen}

Baked Apple Dumplings

2011-02-19T06:57:00.000-08:00

Half an apple, stuffed with raisins, sealed in dough, smothered in cinnamon and sugar served with ice cream and cider sauce. Sound yummy? It is.

These took a little time to put together. I made the dough and the cider sauce early in the day and it made it a little faster to assemble. Just pretend you are Snow White while you work away in the kitchen...you know, the seven dwarfs start salivating when she says she will make them apple dumplings??

Never mind. You obviously don't have 3 small children like I do :)

Baked Apple Dumplings

{serves 8}

Dough
2 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons shortening, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Apples
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons raisins, chopped
4 Golden Delicious apples (you can also use Braeburns or Galas)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. For the Dough: Process the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter and shortening over the flour and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the buttermilk until a dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead briefly until the dough is cohesive. Press into an 8x4 rectangle. Cut in half crosswise, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm {1 hour}.

2. For the Apples: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a second bowl, combine the butter, raisins, and 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Peel the apples and halve them through the equator. Remove the core of the apple with a spoon or melon baller. Pack the butter mixture into each apple half.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough half into a 12-inch square (my dough was quite sticky so I had to use quite a bit of flour on this step). Cut each 12-inch square into four 6-inch squares. Working 1 at a time, lightly brush the edges of each dough square with the egg white and place an apple half, cut side up, in the center of each square. Gather the dough 1 corner at a time on top of the apple, crimping the edges to seal. Using a paring knife cut a vent hole in the top of each dumpling.

4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the dumplings on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with egg white, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake until the dough is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes or so and serve with cider sauce and ice cream.

Cider Sauce

To make the sauce in advance, reduce the cider mixture until it measures 1 1/2 cups, then refrigerate. When ready to serve, return the mixture to a simmer and whisk in the butter and lemon juice off the heat.

1 cup apple cider (I used apple juice with good results)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Bring the cider, water, sugar, and cinnamon to a simmer in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and reduce to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Drizzle the sauce over the dumplings and ice cream and serve.

{Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011 Cookbook}

Sauteed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce

2011-02-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

This was incredible.

I was interested in this recipe because of the mustard/cider combination. America's Test Kitchen knows what they are doing. It was the perfect combination of sweet and interesting flavors that paired perfectly with the pork.

Just wait until you see what we had for dessert (I'll post it tomorrow!!)

Sauteed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce

Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds boneless country-style pork spareribs, cut lengthwise into 2 or 3 cutlets about 3/8 inch wide each
4 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter cut into 6 equal pieces
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
1/4 cup apple cider (or I used apple juice and it worked great)
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage (or dry)
Pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

1. Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt and the sugar in 2 cups water in a medium bowl. Gently pound each pork cutlet until 1/4 inch thick (I had a hard time getting mine this thin, so I had to adjust the cooking time accordingly in steps 3 & 4). Submerge the cutlets in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (DO NOT OVERBRINE!).

2. Meanwhile, melt 2 pieces of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the flour and dry mustard and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in the broth, smoothing out the lumps. Stir in the cider and sage, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Remove the cutlets from the brine, dry thoroughly, and season with pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 more piece butter, let it melt, then quickly lay half of the cutlets into the skillet. Cook until browned on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Using tongs, flip the cutlets and cook until browned on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a large plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining cutlets and 1 more piece of butter.

5. Return the empty skillet to medium heat, add the reserved broth mixture, and bring to a simmer. Cook, scraping up the browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened and has reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes.

6. Off the heat whisk in the whole-grain mustard and remaining 2 pieces butter. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, spoon it over the cutlets and serve immediately. It is delicious with mashed potatoes!!

{The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011 Cookbook}

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

2011-02-14T21:20:00.000-08:00

Another America's Test Kitchen recipe. I make this to go with the Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets and they went together fabulously. Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil
Serves 4

1/3 C. extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional. I used half the amount)
Table Salt
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley leaves (optional. I actually sprinkled dry parsley on at the very end)
Ground Black Pepper

1. While preparing/cooking noodles according to directions on box, heat oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook stirring frequently, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 5 minutes; remove pan from heat.
2. When draining pasta, reserve 1/4 C. cooking liquid, drain pasta and return to pot. Add garlic mixture, reserved pasta cooking liquid, and optional parsley; toss well to coat. Adjust seasoning with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

2011-02-14T20:41:00.001-08:00

In honor of Valentines day, allow me to share with you the menu tonight. Not sure if you've figured out that Jess and I are pretty much in love with America's Test Kitchen...but uh, we are. And my entire meal consisted of their recipes, including dessert. It was fabulous...so, enjoy! And next time you're standing in the checkout line at the grocery store and you see a magazine called "Cook's Illustrated" - it will be the best $8.00 you ever spent! :)
Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets
Serves 4 (can easily be halved to serve two or doubled to serve 8...can I come?)

-2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins removed, breasts trimmed of excess fat and halved horizontally (see note)
-Table Salt & Black Pepper
-1/4 C. plus 1 Tbs. flour
-1/4 C. Parmesan cheese, grated (I used the powder stuff you get at the grocery store, or you could grate some fresh stuff on a mircoplane rasp grater. Either way, it needs to be very small)
-3 large egg whites
-2 Tbs. minced fresh chives (optional. I did not use this tonight)
-2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded (buy a block and grate it like you would cheese on the largest holes of the grater. )
-4 teaspoons olive oil
-1 lemon, cut into wedges

Note: chicken breasts are easier to slice into cutlets if you freeze them for 15-20 minutes until firm but not fully frozen. To slice in half, place one hand on top of the breast to secure it, hold a chef's knife parallel to the cutting board, and slice through the middle of the breast horizontally.

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 200 degrees.
2. Set a oven safe cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together 1/4 c. flour with 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese in a pie plate. In medium bowl, whisk egg whites and chives (if using) together until slightly foamy. Pour into a pie plate. In third pie plate, combine shredded Parmesan and remaining Tbs. of flour.
3. Using tongs and working with one cutlet at a time, coat chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Transfer chicken to egg-white mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Coat chicken with shredded Parmesan mixture, pressing gently so that cheese adheres. Place on wire rack. Continue with the rest of chicken cutlets.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place 2 cutlets in skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook until cheese is pale golden brown, about 3 minutes (I actually cooked 4 minutes on each side). Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until cheese is pale golden brown on second side and meat is no longer pink in center, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towel and return to medium heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoon oil and cook remaining 2 cutlets. Serving immediately with lemon wedges.

I served this with Spagheti with Garlic and Olive Oil. - I'll post this quick fix too.
For Dessert we had the recipe that Jessica posted today. Fallen Chocolate Cake. Oh heavenly.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes, or the perfect Valentine's Dessert

2011-02-14T07:03:00.001-08:00

I got this amazing recipe book for Christmas called "The Best of America's Test Kitchen: 2011." Every recipe we have tried has been delicious.

But this is the crowning jewel. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved these. We made these last week and I am already craving them again.

They are just like Molten Lava cakes, if you have ever had those. If you haven't, they are amazing little cakes where the outside is like a brownie and the inside is underbaked and saucy. I have wanted to try making them for awhile but I was intimidated. They seem sensitive and hard to get just right. But these were really easy and there are not many ingredients! They are so light and fluffy and are paired perfectly with a scoop of ice cream and berries. And with only 2 tablespoons of sugar, go ahead and help yourself to two!!

Trust me, your Valentine will love this dessert.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes for Two

Cocoa powder, for the ramekins

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6-ounce ramekins and dust with cocoa powder.

2. Combine the butter and chocolate in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until melted, 1 to 3 minutes stirring often. Stir in the vanilla.

3. In a large bowl, whip the egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy (about 1 minute). Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until soft, billowy mounds form (about 1 minute). Gradually whip in the granulated sugar and salt; continue to whip the egg until very thick and pale yellow, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

4. Scrape the egg mixture onto the chocolate mixture, then sift the flour over the top. Gently fold the mixtures together with a rubber spatula until just incorporated and no streaks remain.

5. Divide the batter between the ramekins, smooth the tops, and wipe any drops of batter off the sides. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake the cakes until they have puffed about 1/2 inch above the rims of the ramekins and jiggle slightly in the center when shaken very gently (about 10-13 minutes).

6. Run a small knife around the edges of the cakes. Gently invert each ramekin onto an individual serving plate and let sit until the cakes release themselves from the ramekin (about 1 minute). Remove the ramekins, dust with confectioners' sugar (if using), and serve immediately.

{The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011}

Fruit Soup

2011-01-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

My mom has made this 3 times now and every time we are licking the bowl. It is that good.

You might think this is "chick food" because it is a fruit dish. But guess what? Boys like it, too.

Fruit Soup

¾ c. sugar (we have used as little as 1/4 cup without noticing a difference!)
1 c. water
1 c. peach juice (or another cup of water)
3 Tb tapioca (be sure to use the “minute brand” quick cooking tapioca!)

6 oz orange juice concentrate
1 ½ c. water

2 cans mandarin oranges (with or without juice)
1 quart sliced peaches - (you can use 1 large can of peach slices, but I would not add the heavy syrup – I always try to use Lite peaches that have been bottled with pear juice and water, in which case I add the juice. Also, cut up the slices so they are bite-size.)
2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced, just before serving
2 bananas, just before serving
1 bag frozen raspberries, thawed but still cool and firm (or an equivalent amount of fresh) or other berry mix (raspberries give the juice a red tint, without raspberries it is an orange color. We used the tri-berry mix from Costco which includes raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.)

Bring sugar, water, peach juice and tapioca to a boil. Continue boiling on medium high for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Some tapioca will be clear and other granules will have a white center. Take off heat. Let sit for 30 minutes. (This is when the tapioca will become more clear.)
Add 6 oz orange juice concentrate and 1 ½ c. water. Chill overnight.

Add mandarin oranges and peaches. Before serving add strawberries, bananas, and raspberries.

{from Sister's Cafe}

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

2011-01-25T17:21:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so fast and goes delicious with pizza, pasta, salad, soup, fruit...you get the idea. They literally come together in 5 minutes and cook in 10, which means I make them weekly. I usually sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top but this time we were out, so I tried mozzarella and LOVED it. The cheese got all crunchy and delicious.

Just try them and you'll see what I mean.

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 cups warm water

melted butter

cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar...whatever you want to try!)

Add 3 cups flour, salt, yeast, and honey to a bowl. Slowly mix while adding warm water. Knead until shiny and smooth. If you need to add more flour, do so until the dough isn't sticky.

Roll into rectangle. Put dough on cookie sheet and slice with pizza cutter.

Spread melted butter and sprinkle grated cheese (I love mozzarella!) on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-14 minutes until golden brown.

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Mozzarella

2011-01-24T17:08:00.000-08:00

This fit the bill for dinner tonight - I could make it ahead and stick it in the fridge, pop it in the oven when we were ready and it turned out delicious.

I have a love/hate relationship with sun-dried tomatoes. Sometimes they are yummy. Other times they really turn me off. I added them this time, but this would still be really good without them.

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Mozzarella

{serves 4}

Topping:

3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

1 bunch broccoli (about 1 pound), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces

8 ounces penne pasta

1 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, minced

3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half worked fine for me)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

3 ounces mozzarella, grated

4 ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped into pieces (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter and set aside. Lightly grease an 8X8-inch baking dish and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in some salt and the broccoli. Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.

Wipe the pot dry. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese and the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

{Modified from Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

Classic Italian Lasagna

2011-01-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

In a way I see it kind of pointless to copy a recipe from another recipe blog just to put on my own recipe blog. What do you girls think? Well, The only reason I'm going to do it here is because next time I'm going to do a few things differently (and there WILL be a next time) I make this. It was fabulous and I thank Mel from mykitchencafe for posting this recipe from wherever she got it from. Here it is...make it. I don't even really love Lasagna but this was fabulous! I made two 8x8 pans and froze one and we had one for dinner two nights in a row...can't wait for the frozen one!

Classic Italian Lasagna

Red Sauce:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped (omitted these, thanks but no thanks)
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano and basil)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

White Sauce:
3 cups milk (not skim)
5 Tbs. flour
4 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

9 lasagna noodles, boiled for half the time on the box. - I used the no-boil noodles (Barilla Brand) obviously don't boil these...skip the boiling step.
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (I would use a little less cheese next time, there was plenty of cheese)
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the turkey. When cooked through, drain. (I like to put it in a strainer and run hot water over it to get as much grease off as possible) Set aside.

In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs olive oil and 1 Tbs butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When oil/butter is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly. When garlic is lightly browned, but NOT burned, add the onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft and browned and the fluid has mostly cooked out. Remove from heat and blend vegetables into a paste-like mixture - because I did not use mushrooms in this recipe, I opted to NOT blend my onions. Return the pot to the heat (pour the pureed vegetables back in pot) and add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Then add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved ground turkey. - NEXT time I make this I think I'll 1.5 this red sauce and meat part of the recipe. I could have used just a little more of this when I made (and ate) my lasagna.

While the red sauce simmers, boil your noodles if you need to. Once cooked (for half the amount of time on box) drain but do not rinse. Add a dab of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. If you are using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.

Also, while the red sauce is cooking, melt the four Tbs. butter and when melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk he shite sauce, ensuring it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat. Continue slowing stirring or whisking while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes. Add a pinch of mozzarella for good luck, if you wish! (Oh yes I wish!)

To begin layering the lasagna, keep in mind that you'll have three layers of noodles as well as three layers of the sauces and cheese - so plan on splitting all the sauces and cheese into thirds so you don't run out at the end! On the bottom of your lightly greased baking pan, layer three pre-boiled noodles or four no boil noodles, slightly overlapping the no-boil noodles. Layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges and top with another layer of noodles. Again, layer the red sauce, white sauce Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and top with the final layer of noodles. Layer the sauces and cheeses again.

Cover the lasagna with a greased layer of aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Removes the foil and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!!

Tomato Basil Soup with Orzo

2011-01-18T20:55:00.000-08:00

Imagine standing in line at Zupas waiting to order your favorite soup - Tomato Basil. Oh wait, you no longer have to go wait in line for soup at Zupas (although, if I was ever in town, I still would because that's a fun place to eat) because you can make it in your very own home!!! You heard me folks! I made this today for dinner and Gary said "Put it on the docket" - that always means he likes and wants to have it again really soon. In this case, it will most likely be this week because I had leftovers! Yeah!! Or maybe I'll freeze it for another meal another day. I served it with yummy buns I made but next time I think I'll put a little grilled cheese on the griddle as well! Enjoy! (You can thank me later!)

Tomato Basil Soup with Orzo

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 C. apple juice
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped **see notes at the bottom
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 4 because I love garlic)
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
4 C. chopped fresh or canned tomatoes. (I used 42 oz. - a 28 oz. can and a 14.5 oz. can of whole tomatoes)
1 C. vegetable stock (I used chicken broth)
1/3 C. Orzo pasta - (because I love this and used more tomatoes than it called for, I used more Orzo too)
1/4 C. chopped fresh basil - (If you have it totally use it. NOTHING replaces fresh basil, but in my case, I didn't have it and didn't want to run to the store for one thing...so I used a small amount of dried. Can't wait to make it with fresh though)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 C. butter

In soup pot, heat oil and apple juice over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and red pepper 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is soft but not brown. Add small amounts of water if mixture becomes dry). Remove from heat. Add tomatoes and broth. Stir. Puree in blender and return to the pot. Add Orzo pasta; cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add butter and cream. Stir. Simmer 15 minutes stirring as often as possible. DO NOT BOIL. Add basil and serve immediately.

**yes, I use my Vidalia chopper EVERY.SINGLE.DAY and if you don't have one, go buy one right now! They are only like $19.00 and it will be the best $19.00 you ever spent in your whole entire life! :) I like to buy a big bag of onions at costco and then chop them up and freeze them, one onion at a time, in small sandwich freezer bags. It's AWESOME! I do this because 99.9% of the time I need a yellow onion, it is going to be cooked and put into something and I don't need it fresh. So, to save time and make my life just a little more simpler, I chop and freeze. Plus, I LOVE my Vidalia chopper and try to get as much use out of it as possible because it makes me happy! (and yes I used it on the red pepper too)

Recipe Sourse: I googled it because I wanted that Zupas soup and found this on a website about family cookbooks. Random...but thank them very much!

Carrot Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-12-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

I halved this recipe and it still made a lot. So beware.

And this frosting? Amazing. Light, fluffy, like-your-fingers delicious.

Carrot Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

4 large eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 pounds carrots, washed and ends trimmed (they don’t need to be peeled)

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3-4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with liners. Shred the carrots, finely, on a box grater or food processor. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, oil, applesauce, water and vanilla. Whisk in the sugar to combine until evenly mixed.

In a second bowl mix flour, spices, salt, soda and baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until moistened. Gently fold the carrots into the batter until evenly distributed. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.

For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, vanilla and butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the frosting and whip to combine (don’t overmix or the frosting will become too stiff). The frosting should be smooth and creamy.

{Modified from Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

Healthy Ranch Dip

2010-12-15T08:16:00.001-08:00

I'm not kidding. This stuff is great. You can smother your veggies in it without feeling guilty!! I love it.

I don't have an actual recipe (or pictures) but all you do is put some cottage cheese in the blender, add a little milk, and some ranch dip powder.

I used about a half carton of cottage cheese (the small carton) and maybe I'd say a tablespoon or two of milk, and then I just poured in some of the powder, I think I used about a third of a packet of powder. The dip will thicken up in the fridge so it's okay if it starts out a little runny.

Lemon Pound Cake...to die for

2010-11-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday night I volunteered to take dinner to a few families in the neighborhood freshly home from the hospital. And I feel that dinner is not complete without a dessert, so the dilemma of what to make began.

Of COURSE I opted for this recipe (I can't believe I haven't shared it with you yet). Lemon is my favorite and this pound cake melts in your mouth it is so delicious. It was gobbled up so fast I forgot to take a picture.

I think it is best still warm from the oven, but don't take my word for it.

Lemon-Glazed Pound Cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

6 large eggs

2 tsp pure lemon extract

1 T. grated lemon zest (2 medium lemons)

Glaze

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, blend flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add butter, buttermilk and 3 eggs. Beat on low until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add lemon extract and lemon zest and blend at medium speed. Add the remaining 3 eggs one at a time, beating at high speed for 30 seconds after each addition.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While pound cake is baking, prepare lemon glaze. In a small pan heat lemon juice and sugar over low heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves.

When cake is done, remove from oven and leave in pan. With a toothpick poke holes in the surface of the cake and pour half the glaze over it.

Cool in pan 15 minutes then invert on cooling rack. Brush top of pound cake with remaining lemon glaze. Cool to room temperature, and dust with confectioners' sugar if you want.

{Modified from Mrs Field's Cookie Book}

Orange Rolls

2010-11-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

These Orange Rolls? Amazing. I shared them with family and they couldn't stop raving. So so yummy.

The only thing to work on for next time - when rolling them up, lots of the filling oozed out making an ooey gooey mess. But still amazingly delicious.

Orange Rolls
1 recipe dinner rolls (below)
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated orange rind from two large oranges

Follow directions below for dinner rolls. Combine butter, sugar, orange juice and orange rind in a small bowl and mix well. When dough is ready to shape into rolls, punch down and divide in thirds. Roll each portion into large rectangle about 9 X 13 inches, 1/4 inch thick. Spread each rectangle with one-third of the butter/orange/sugar mixture. Starting with the long side, roll up jelly roll style. Seal edges well, then cut with a sharp knife or dental floss into 1 inch slices.

Twist and stretch each slice, then place on a well-greased baking sheet (the “twist and stretch” may be confusing but all you do is take the cinnamon-roll like circle you just cut from the log and stretch it while twisting it into a figure-8…if that is not your thing than by all means bake them cinnamon-roll style and they will still be very delicious and pretty). Let rise away from draft until dough doubles. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Remove rolls from pans and cool on wire rack. When rolls are cool, drizzle with orange glaze: Mix together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 T. freshly squeezed orange juice and 1/2 tsp. Grated orange rind.

Lion House Dinner Rolls
2 T. dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 1/2 tsp. Salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
5-6 cups flour
1 egg

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add 2 more cups flour, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add about one more cup flour, 1/2 cup at a time until well mixed. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and satiny (I simply use my very-well-loved Bosch mixer to knead for me). Return dough to an oiled bowl and cover to let rise until about triple in size.

Use last of the flour as needed on the board for rolling and shaping the dough. Let dough rest on board for 10 minutes so it will be easier to manage if you roll it. Separate dough into three portions. Roll out each portion into a circle and cut into 8 pie-shaped pieces (or 12 pieces if you want smaller rolls). Roll up crescent-style and place on baking sheet (I line mine with a silpat liner or parchment paper). Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Makes 2-3 dozen rolls.

{From Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

Tomato Sauce with Butter

2010-10-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

This is another family recipe, created by one of my uncles. It is amazing and really not hard to make! The veggies are delicious.

A bonus? This freezes and reheats well.

Tomato Sauce with Butter

2 lb ripe plum tomatoes (or 2 cups canned work as well)

1/4 lb butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 med. onion, peeled and quartered

1 med. carrot peeled and quartered

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

If using fresh tomatoes, wash and cut in half and cook over low heat in a covered pan for 15 minutes. Put through a food mill to have a fine puree. If using canned tomatoes, measure 2 cups into a food mill along with about 1/2 cup of the juice and process for a fine puree (or press through a sieve to puree and remove seeds).

In a medium saucepan, put butter, onion, carrot, sugar and salt. Add tomato puree. Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes uncovered. Stir frequently and make sure it doesn't turn to a boil. Add more salt if needed and serve over pasta.

Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce

2010-09-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else out there love rhubarb? I love it, but have a hard time thinking of anything better to do with it than throw it in a cobbler/crisp. I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe and it was delicious. Because I love Rhubarb, I would recommend adding more than she suggests...but maybe you aren't as big a fan as me.

Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce

*Serves 6

Cake:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Vanilla Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for the cake. Beat in the egg. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating just until moistened. Fold in the chopped rhubarb. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the batter to the edges.

In a medium bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients, mixing them together until the mixture is coarse and combined. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

For the sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened (it will thicken more as it cools slightly). Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm with the cake.'

{from Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

2010-08-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

I have been cooking...lots actually. I just forget to take pictures (and partly on purpose because I can't take nice pictures like Jessica) and then figure why post a recipe for something yummy without a picture? No one will even be tempted to make it because, let's be honest...we all love pictures of good food, right? Well, sorry to say. No picture here. But Ryan (brother) was visiting us for a few days and I made this recipe and he said to me "This is really good. Is this on the food blog?" - Uh, he KNOWS about the food blog? Yeah, because his wife is the one that mostly posts on this blog. So, I decided to post it on the food blog. Just for him...and for his wife, if she ever wants to make them. Make them...they were yummy. And it's a little bit of New Mexico right in your home! :)

Filling:
1 Rotisserie Chicken, skinned, and chopped...or about 3-ish cups chopped chicken
2-4 oz. cans of diced green chiles
1-8 oz. package of softened cream cheese, cut up into cubes
1 can black beans
1 cup corn (I use costco corn and just run tap water over it to thaw it out a little bit)

Sauce:
2 T. Butter
1/2 C. chopped onion*
2 Tbs. Flour
1/3 C. chicken broth
1/4 C. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-10 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce
1/2 C. sour cream

8 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded (I've used mozzarella but it just wasn't quite the same)
Flour Tortillas (I use the Costco ones....love them!)
Fresh Cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combing cream cheese, and green chiles. Mix together well. Add the chicken, black beans, and corn. Mix to combine. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and begins turning translucent, this will take about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions as you stir. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until it begins to bubble and has thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in enchilada sauce and sour cream.

Spread about 1/4 C. of the green sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 dish. (Or, if you have a smaller family, like me. Use a 8x8 pan and a tin 8x8 pan and freeze one of them for another quick dinner in the future. This freezes well!) Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 C. of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple Tbs. for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 C. cheese for the top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full.

Pour the green/white sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

*Go buy a Vidalia Chopper right now if you don't already have one. Jess, do you like yours? I LOVE LOVE LOVE mine. Honestly, if there was a fire in my house, it would be the second thing I'd grab second only to my child! :) I buy a big bag of onions at Costco and chop about half of them up right away and freeze them (about one onion per freezer bag) and it makes it SO nice when I'm cooking something with onion, which I do often. I just pull out an already chopped, frozen bag of onion. If I know I'm going to use it early enough, sometimes I'll pull it out and let it thaw, but it really doesn't matter.

I adapted this recipe from my kitchen cafe

Ricotta and Spinach Calzones

2010-07-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

I have been too intimidated to try this recipe. But now that I'm living with my mom for awhile she showed me the ropes. It was surprisingly easy and very very delicious. We added sausage to some calzones and that was delicious.

DOUGH

4 cups flour

1 T yeast

1/2 T salt

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 cups water

Add yeast to warm water. Let it begin to foam. in food processor fitted with plastic blade mix flour, salt, oil and yeast mixture. Pulse until dough forms a ball and is smooth and elastic. Put dough aside to rise in a covered bowl for 1 hour. Cut dough into 6 pieces, roll each into a ball, and then cover to keep warm for up to 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 500 F.

FILLING

2 cups ricotta

8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

1 cup grated parmesan

1 egg yolk - or whole egg

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 T olive oil plus 2 T for brushing calzones for baking

1 yellow or red pepper cut into small chunks

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

4 cups chopped frozen spinach or 1 pound fresh, washed/dried baby spinach

SAUCE

1 T olive oil

28 ounces crushed tomatoes in puree

2 medium crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp sugar

1/2-1 tsp salt (to taste)

1/2 tsp pepper

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling and the sauce. For filling, mix the cheeses, egg, oregano, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the oil, then add the peppers and cook for about 3 minutes until they are beginning to soften. Add the garlic, spinach, and dried red pepper flakes. Cook until the spinach is just beginning to dry. Set aside cheese mixture and vegetable mixture.

For sauce, heat oil in a small sauce pan. Add garlic and cook only until fragrant - don't let it brown. Carefully add tomatoes. This will spatter if you add the tomatoes too fast, so guard your clothes and stove. Add oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. continue to cook very slowly to thicken a bit while you finish the calzones.

Preheat oven to 500F.

Roll the balls of dough into 9 inch circles. Keep each of the circles separated from each other with plastic wrap or parchment paper. To form each calzone, cover half a circle with 1/6 of cheese mixture, leaving a 1 inch edge. Cover the cheese with 1/6 of the vegetable mixture. Fold the dough over the filling, this time leaving a 1/2 inch edge, sealing the top dough to the bottom. Form each remaining calzone the same way. Cut a few air vents in the top of each calzone, brush with olive oil, and bake for 12 minutes.

Serve with the tomato sauce either hot from the oven or after cooling for 30-60 minutes.

Grilled Pizzas

2010-06-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

During the summer I hate turning the oven on. So for dinners, my favorites include anything cooked on the grill. This pizza was perfect, fast, and really, really yummy. this recipe suggest tomatoes, sausage and fresh basil but I just did personal size pizzas and let each person make theirs as they wanted. They were a huge hit.

Dough
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used half white and half wheat flour)
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil cooking spray

Topping
1 lb red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved (or only red if your grocery store doesn't carry yellow)
1/2 lb turkey sausage, cooked and thinly sliced
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella (I used half fresh mozzarella and half grated)
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Or, really, whatever toppings you want.

Directions:
Mix flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Gradually add 1/2 cup warm (110°) water until a soft dough forms. Divide dough into 4 portions. Using hands, roll dough into balls, coat with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise 30 to 45 minutes. When ready to cook, place each ball of dough on a piece of wax paper and flatten into a 4-inch circle. Coat grill with cooking spray and heat on high. Gently lift dough onto grill and cook until dough puffs and underside stiffens (about 30 seconds); flip and reduce heat to low. Mix topping ingredients, then divide among crusts; cover grill. Grill until cheese melts, 5 to 6 minutes more. Slice and serve.

Chocolate Toffee Crumble Cake (or BTS Cake)

2010-05-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

For my husband's birthday he requested this delicious cake that his aunt makes which I had never made before. But, being the loving wife that I am, I did a little research and found some recipes online...categorized as the "Better than Sex Chocolate Cake." Every single recipe I found used a cake mix and cool whip. I couldn't bring myself to use either, so I did my own thing. And I'm sorry, but the name...has got to go. So here is the Chocolate Toffee Crumble Cake. Delicious.

Chocolate Toffee Crumble Cake

(double this recipe for a double layer cake)

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

6 ounces caramel sauce (I used squirt-on ice cream topping kind)

3-4 Chocolate covered toffee candy bars

Whipped Cream

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and oil and beat with a hand mixer. Alternating with boiling water, add flour mixture in 3 additions. Stir in vanilla.

Pour into a prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is cooling, heat sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce until warm.

(For making my double layer cake, I used whipped cream between the cake and sprinkled with crumbled candy bar)

While cake is still warm, poke random holes into the cake with chopstick/end of spoon/whatever you want. Poor the milk and caramel sauce mixture into the holes.

Whip your own whipped cream to your desired taste. Use this as frosting on the cake. Sprinkle the whipped cream with crumbled candy bars.

(the Chocolate Cake recipe is from Rookie Cookie).

Corn Chowder

2010-04-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's sort of getting to be beyond soup season, but I wanted to post this anyhow. This is a recipe that I tweeked and really really liked! So...if you have a cold spring day...make this! You'll love it. Well, if you like corn.

1/3 C. Bacon Pieces (I just buy that large bag from Costco) - Or you could just bake and chop some regular bacon.

2-4 Tbs. Oil

6 C. corn kernals (again, frozen from Costco)

1.5 C. cubed red potatoes (about 1/2 inch in size)

3 C. chicken broth

1/2 C. heavy cream

1/2 C. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbs. sugar (optional)

1/4. tsp. cayenne pepper (optional if you want a little kick. I did it once with and once without)

Cook your bacon pieces and oil on medium high heat for a few minutes. Obviously, this is already cooked stuff...but I just crisp it up a bit and get the bacon taste in the oil/drippings/pot. Remove all or most of the bacon from the pan leaving the oil and set aside. Add corn and potatoes to pot with oil. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer uncovered over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer 3 cups soup to blender. Puree until smooth. (Be careful to not let blender splash or spill this. It's hot!) Return puree to soup in pot. Stir in cream, cheese, and bacon...(and sugar and/or cayenne if using this). Bring chowder to simmer, thinning with more broth if too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy this bad boy! I LOVED it. Sorry there is no picture. You'll have to just imagine it. It's fabulous!

Texas Whopper Cake

2010-04-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite chocolate cake. Maybe because it is my mom's recipe. I don't know. But every time I make it, I fall in love all over again. And guess what? I'm not that big of a chocolate fan! I know. Crazy, but true.

Texas Whopper Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter

1 cup water

4 T. cocoa

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp soda

In large bowl, put sugar, flour, and salt. In heavy pan bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Take cocoa mixture from heat as soon as it boils. Add immediately to dry ingredients and stir well. Add sour cream, eggs, and soda, mixing in one at a time until well blended (batter will be very thin.) Bake in a greased pan at 375 for 25 minutes (I usually bake it in a 9x13 pan. This time I tried two 8" pans and the cook time was about the same). Make frosting while cake is baking and frost immediately after cake is removed from oven.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

6 T. canned milk (evaporated)

3 3/4 cup powdered sugar

4 T. cocoa

Boil milk, butter, and cocoa in heavy pan until bubbly. Stir in sugar and vanilla one at a time until well blended and smooth. Spread over hot cake.

Oven Fried Chicken

2010-03-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

I have a confession: I love fried chicken. KFC is a slight weakness of mine...of course, it is a real blessing that up here in Canada they don't have the biscuits (love that hot, crumbly goodness) which means we never go. My waistline thanks me.

In an effort to assuage my craving I have been trying a few baked, or oven-fried, chicken recipes. I tried a few with bread crumbs which were good, but just didn't compare with the taste of fried chicken.

Then Rookie Cookie pulled through (like always).

Her recipe uses cornflakes which stay crispy and help fake out your mouth to thinking you are crunching away on fried chicken.

I also love the idea of having the cornflake/spices mixture already mixed up so dinner can be thrown together quickly.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

3 1/2 lb chicken, legs or thighs or both

Kosher salt and pepper

3 cups corn flake cereal

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp butter, melted

Set oven to 350 degrees.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine corn flakes, basil, thyme, oregano, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Process until corn flakes are coarse crumbs. Pour corn flake crumbs into a pie plate and set aside.

In another pie plate, combine eggs and milk. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Set up your breading station. In order, line up seasoned chicken, egg mixture, corn flake crumbs and a greased rimmed cookie sheet. With one piece at a time, dip the chicken in the egg, then into the crumbs (coating well) and then onto the sheet pan. Repeat until all chicken is breaded. Drizzle each piece with a little bit of the melted butter.

Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the chicken's internal temperature is 165-170 degrees.

{Recipe from Rookie Cookie}

Banana Muffins

2010-03-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

For lunch today, we had grapes and banana muffins. And of course big glasses of milk.

I threw a few chocolate chips in the batter to liven things up but the flavor of the muffins was delicious either way.
**Healthy option: I have substituted whole-wheat flour for flour and buttermilk for half the oil with delicious results!**

Banana Muffins

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

3-4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Set the oven to 325 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend.

Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana.

Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.

Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

{Recipe from Rookie Cookie}

Bagels

2010-03-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

OK, you might just want to stop what you're doing right now and go make these! Seriously! I've always been a little intimidated at the thought of 'making bagels' but when I came across a recipe I thought I might be able to handle, I decided I'd take the challenge. I even changed the recipe around a bit and they still turned out fabulous! No, seriously. Go make them and then tell me how you liked them!

Ingredients:

1 1/8 C. warm water (110 degrees)

1.5 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. sugar

3 C. bread flour

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 Quarts boiling water

3 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs cornmeal

2 Tbs. melted butter (or 1 egg white)

1/3 C. sugar

1 Tbs + 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

Combine warm water, yeast and 2 Tbs. sugar in mixer and let sit for about five minutes. Add flour, cinnamon, and salt and mix until good dough consistancy.

Turn dough out onto a roul'pat if you have one-if you don't...you NEED one! (or floured surface). Divide dough into eight equal parts (yes, I have a scale because I'm ocd so I got them pretty equal, but it doesn't really matter). Roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten the balls and poke a hole in the middle and twirl the dough around your finger to enlarge the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth and let sit for about 30 minutes.

While bagels are sitting, bring the 3 quarts water to boil. Stir in 3 Tbs. sugar and prepare your pan.

I baked my bagles on a silpat and perforated baking sheet (without cornmeal). If you have these items, use them! If you don't, then sprinkle cornmeal on an ungreased baking sheet. Transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute on each side. Drain breafly on a clean towl. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. With baking brush, brush the tops of each bagel and top with preffered topping. I used cinnamon sugar. I actually coated with butter and then dropped each bagel in the cinnamon sugar mixture to cover completely.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until well browned.

Other alternative toppings:

Honey Wheat: Use honey instead of sugar (omit the cinnamon), and use 2 c. whole wheat flour and 1 C. all purpose flour. Top with Oats.

Poppyseeds

Dry Onions

Add 1/2 C. cheese (Agiago, or Parm, or other) to dough and then sprinkle on top as well.

Chicken Corn Chowder

2010-02-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

We ate this for dinner tonight and were scraping the bowl by the end. Delicious. Such great flavors and so great for a chilly winters day. Or any day if you live in Canada. I'm so ready for winter to be over.

Chicken Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I found that the olive oil all rose to the top when the soup was done and made it look more unappetizing, hence no picture, so I would try less)
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (this is important for flavor - but doesn't add heat because the seeds and membranes are removed and it is cooked with the other veggies)
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat.

Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (I had a difficult time getting my cream cheese to completely whisk into the milk so my soup had some minor small lumps but next time, I'll soften the cream cheese until almost melted in the microwave). Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.

{recipe from My Kitchen Cafe}

Lemon Chicken

2010-02-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Looking for an easy main dish? That is delicious? This fits the bill. Of course, I am a lemon nut. But my husband, who thinks my obsession is a little over-the-top, loves these as well.

Lemon Chicken

2 chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 to make thinner
1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper
2-4 T butter
1 lemon

Once chicken breasts are cut, pound to make as thin as you can. Pound in the flour and salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the chicken. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Pour out all but 2 T. of the butter/juice (I like to leave any bits of chicken/flour in that may have come off). Add juice of 1 lemon to pan. Stir. Bring to boil. Add the chicken back in. Flip and cover with the sauce. Serve. And enjoy.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2010-02-08T18:48:00.000-08:00

Confession: I made these cinnamon rolls way back in...November. And I'm just now getting around to posting it. I don't want to lose this recipe because, believe me when Fall rolls around again I WILL be making more. Many more.

My friend Jessica entered this delicious recipe in a contest for Utah Valley Magazine and won. Try them and you will see why.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
original recipe by Jessica CrApo

DOUGH:
1/4 c. warm water
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/3 c. margarine, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
5-6 c. flour

FILLING:
1/2 c - 2/3 c. canned pumpkin puree (to your preference)
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 T cinnamon
*optional: 3/4 c. raisins, 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 T butter

1/2 tsp vanilla
2 - 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine warm water, yeast, and teaspoon of sugar in small bowl. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until froth doubles.
2. In mixer fitted with dough hook, combine milk, eggs, pumpkin, margarine, the 1/2 c. sugar, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Mix until smooth.
3. Add 4 cups flour to mixing bowl. Pour frothed yeast mixture on top of flour. Knead about 5 minutes, adding flour 1/2 c. at a time until dough barely begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. Dough should be smooth and moist, but not sticky.
4. Spray a bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover with wet towel, or plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Allow to raise until doubled, about 1 hour.
5. While dough is raising, prepare filling. Place room temperature butter and pumpkin puree in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth. In another small bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon, set both bowls aside.
6. Pour dough out on slightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle 16x21 inches, dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the pumpkin/butter mixture over rectangle. Next, evenly spread the sugar/cinnamon mixture on top, slightly pressing it into the dough.
7. Roll up long side of dough, forming long tube. Cut tube with sharp knife about every 2 inches, making 12 rolls. Place rolls in lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

9. Bake rolls in oven until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to make frosting. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Marble Brownies

2010-02-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate (or 5 TB cocoa)

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

Combine margarine, water and chocolate (or cocoa) in saucepan; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in combined flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add eggs and sour cream; mix well. Pour into greased and floured 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.

For cream cheese mixture:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing until well blended. Blend in egg. Spoon over chocolate batter. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect. Sprinkle with 6 ounces of chocolate chips. Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes or until tests done.

Sweet Potato Fries

2010-01-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

This was the only picture I could get before my battery died. But it does this trick.

These fries were really good. I cut them a little too thin so they were a little flimsy, but the flavor was amazing. Rookie Cookie does it again.

1 large sweet potato
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Set your oven to 450 degrees.

First, cut a very thin slice off the bottom of the potato so it doesn't roll. Then cut off 1/4" slices and slice into julienned 1/4" slices. Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with oil and spices. Toss well, making sure to coat evenly. Then spread out evenly and with space between the fries. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning once at about 20 minutes.

{I got this from Rookie Cookie's blog}

Loaded Potato Skins

2010-01-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

These made a great side dish. Easy and delicious...and pretty, too!

4 russet potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/w cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. Rub potatoes with a bit of olive oil and lightly salt the skins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until tender.

Cut potatoes in half and, when cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh in a bowl (leave a thin layer of potato intact around the skin to help prevent it from tearing). Add the milk, butter, cheese, and green onions and stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. Carefully scoop the mashed potatoes into the skins. Top with a bit of extra cheese and place until the broiler until the tops are brown and crispy (3-5 minutes).

Top each with bacon, jalapenos, sour cream and green onions.

{Adapted from Cook This, Not That Recipe book}

Apple Crepe Filling

2010-01-16T20:18:00.000-08:00

I love crepes, and now that it isn't fresh fruit season any longer it can be hard to think of yummy dessert fillings. Last time I made them I made this and it was delish.

Apple Crepe Filling

1 apple (I used a granny smith, but any apple that is good for cooking will be great.)
cinnamon
sugar

Slice up the apple and put in a frying pan on medium heat. Sprinkle the apple with cinnamon and sugar, to your preference. Put inside a crepe and top with whipped cream.

Also delicious on ice cream

German Pancakes

2009-12-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

My first enrichment activity here in Canada we did a little menu planning. We were trying to brainstorm easy breakfasts and I, of course, suggested German Pancakes because our family eats them...oh...a couple times a week.

The other sisters looked at me like I was crazy: What kind of pancakes?

I thought they were joking. These babies are a STAPLE meal.

German Pancakes (or Hootenanny's)

1/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
6 eggs
pinch of salt

Turn oven on to 400. Put butter in 9x13 pan and stick in the oven until melted. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together (either in blender or by hand with a whisk). Mix until smooth. Dump into the pan and let cook for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed up.

Enjoy with syrup and powdered sugar.

Apple Raspberry Pie, or: melt-in-your mouth pie goodness

2009-11-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

So I just loaded ALL my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. I had to share. But mostly, so when next year rolls around I will already have all the recipes together.

I'm not a huge pie person. But you guys. Seriously? This was amazing. I loved the tangy, sweet flavor. And paired with vanilla ice cream? Just deathrow dinner good. Don't wait until next Thanksgiving to break this baby out.

The insides, before covered. So lovely.

APPLE-RASPBERRY PIE
{from the crafty of all crafties, Martha Stewart herself}

2 3/4 pounds assorted baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
6 ounces fresh or partially thawed frozen raspberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Pate Brisee
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir apples, raspberries, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 12-inch round. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Press edges to seal. Fold overhang under, and crimp as desired. Make five 3-inch slits in top crust. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
Whisk egg yolk and cream in a bowl; brush over top crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Place foil on rack below to catch juices. Tent pie with foil if browning too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 4 hours (up to overnight).

Punkin' Pie

2009-11-28T19:02:00.001-08:00

My husband is a huge fan of pumpkin pie. Obsessed, you may say. So every Thanksgiving without fail I make pumpkin pie. I've been searching and searching for "that" recipe and have combined a few to make..."THE ONE." And it is good.

PUMPKIN PIE

{mostly from Martha Stewart.com}

Makes one 9-inch pie

1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree, or canned
3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
crumbled gingersnap cookies
chopped pecans
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate; trim dough evenly along edge, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch to form a decorative edge. Push gingersnap cookie and pecan pieces into the crust in the bottom and along sides of the crust. So it looks like this:

Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell. Fill pie shell with pumpkin mixture. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes more (or until it is set - I cooked mine for more like 45 minutes). Cool on a wire rack.

Pie Crust

2009-11-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

I like this Pate Brisee Dough recipe from Martha Stewart.com

Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

Thanksgiving Turkey

2009-11-28T18:55:00.000-08:00

Wow does cooking a turkey intimidate me. But guess what? I've done it successfully for 2 years. Yahoo!

I loved this recipe. The meat was really moist and delish.

Now we just need to work on learning how to carve that darn bird.

Aunt Marilyn's Incredible 2-Hour Turkey

{From My Kitchen Cafe}

1 18-22 pound turkey (I used a 14-pound turkey with great results)
carrots, celery (cut into large chunks), onion (peeled and cut into large chunks), garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
butter
brown paper bag

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and let it heat for one hour. Meanwhile, remove giblets and neck and wash the turkey. Fill the cavity of the turkey with carrots, celery, garlic and onion. Combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. With your hands, rub the entire turkey with the lemon juice mixture.

Place the turkey breast down (this is opposite of how a turkey is normally cooked - so just flip the turkey upside down) in a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the hot oven for as many minutes as the turkey weighs (ie. 19 lb. turkey = 19 minutes). Bake for the allotted time.

Meanwhile, grease a large brown paper bag with butter on both sides. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully (because the turkey and roasting pan are HOT) make a tent out of th paper bag and drape it over the turkey, taking care to tuck the sides of the bag into the roasting pan (you can see pictures at My Kitchen Cafe if you need a visual). Turn the oven down to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for two hours.

Remove the roasting pan and turkey from the oven and let turkey sit for 20 minutes. Remove turkey from the roasting pan and pour the drippings into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Make a slurry from flour and water (to the consistency of thick, heavy cream) and add to the drippings until desired consistency is reached.

The BEST stuffing

2009-11-28T18:49:00.001-08:00

So last year was my first year doing Thanksgiving dinner by myself. I didn't attempt homemade stuffing. This year, I decided to go for it. And it was way easier than I thought. And 100% worth it. It was great because you can do almost everything before hand, then just put it in the oven. Heavenly.

Celery Herb Stuffing
{from My Kitchen Cafe}

*Makes a 9X13-inch dish*

7 tablespoons butter, plus more for dish and baking
1 loaf rustic/artisan/crusty white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 9 1/2 cups bread cubes)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced in half-moons
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (rubbed between fingers to crumble lightly)
3 to 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 5 tablespoons butter. Toss with bread cubes in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast in the oven, tossing once, until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely (overnight).

Heat the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter has melted. Add celery, onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes. (You can store this in the fridge overnight)

Put vegetable mixture and toasted bread into large bowl. Stir in poultry seasoning, herbs, and 2 cups broth into stuffing. Stir in 4 eggs until bread mixture is well coated. Spoon into a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and dot generously with butter. Cover with foil, and bake in a 375° oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet

2009-11-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

Totally easy recipe and so yummy! It only makes 4 servings so it's good for a small family or just a couple. I'm lazy, so here's the link to the recipe from kraftfoods.com. Enjoy!
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/cheesy-chicken-noodle-skillet-95128.aspx

Triple Berry Muffins

2009-11-08T14:42:00.001-08:00

I have a really great extended family full of amazing cooks. My uncles are no exception. This is a recipe that my Uncle Bruce gave me and they are oh-so good. The ultimate test was when he fed them to his own children, who are some of the pickiest eaters I know, and they all gobbled them up.

I love that this uses the Costco Triple Berry mix, which I love. I used whole wheat flour and they turned out scrumptious; very crumbly, but yummy.

Triple Berry Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries
OR 2 cups Costco triple berries, thawed and lightly chopped

Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients together. Lightly beat eggs, butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Chop fruit - pieces shouldn't be too large and fold into batter. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

{From Uncle B.}

Easy Alfredo Sauce

2009-11-08T14:29:00.001-08:00

Another great, easy, yummy recipe from allrecipes.com. We've made this a couple times and I love it because I usually have all the ingredients on hand and it is fast to whip it up for a delicious dinner.

1/2 cup butter

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 cups milk (or to the consistency you like - I usually add about 1 1/2 cups)

6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Challah Bread

2009-10-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Growing up, every Christmas for our "neighbor gift" my mom would bake this bread. She would make batch after batch after batch. And we just couldn't get enough. Not only is it beautiful, but it is so so so delicious. So good that you shouldn't make it ONLY at Christmas time.

Challah Bread

1 1/4 cup warm water
5 cups flour
1 TB yeast
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
2-3 drops yellow food coloring

1 egg yolk + 1 TB water

Put warm water in the Bosch. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the flour, then instant yeast. Mix slowly. Add eggs, sugar, salt, oil, and food coloring. Slowly mix in flour 1/2 cup at a time until a nice dough has formed. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down and divide into 3 parts (if making one loaf). Braid on long cookie sheet.* Let rise 1 hour, or until doubles. Very carefully brush egg yolk and water mixture on top and sides. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

1 recipe = 1 large loaf or 3 small loaves. You can fit 3 recipes in the Bosch at once.

*To braid, form each part into a long rope (about 18 inches long). Line up the 3 ropes 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Braid loosely, beginning in middle and working towards ends. Pinch ends and tuck under.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-10-10T19:50:00.001-07:00

I got this from my sister in-law and have made it a few times already. We really like it! It makes quite a bit, so I usually take dinner to someone when I make it to share some. I LOVE coming home from work to dinner all ready to eat!!!

6 large russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3-14 oz. cans chicken broth
1/4 c. butter
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 C. whipping cream
1 c. (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (I omit these)
1-8 oz. container sour cream
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (or be lazy like me and use the fresh bacon bits)
shredded cheddar cheese

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a 5 qt. slow cooker
2. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender
3. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped/mashed and soup is slightly thickened; stir in cream, cheese, and chives.

Top with sour cream, bacon, and cheese
If desired, serve with half sandwiches

Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn

2009-10-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

I seriously never have the desire to make the true real sticky caramel popcorn ever again. This just totally did it for me! It's divine! Of course, I don't have a picture of this either, but I'm eating it RIGHT NOW! :)

2 cubes butter
3/4 C. brown sugar
4 C. marshmallows
2 pkgs. microwave popcorn (any flavor, I like "natural") - remove all the seeds if possible.

Melt butter and sugar on stove. Add marshmallows and remove from heat. Stir until melted (I had to put it back on the stove for about 45 more seconds, but try to have it on as little as possible or you'll make your goods harden when it cools, we want it to be STICKY!) - Add to popcorn and start eating immediately. You won't be able to stop until it's gone!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

2009-10-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I just finished the last one and totally told myself I was going to take a picture before I started eating it. I just totally forgot and snarfed it down...it's good!

1 1/2 - 2 C. cooked rice (I use brown rice), warm or at room temp.
1 C. cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 red or green pepper, diced (I used a little of each)
1/4 C. fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
3/4 C. corn, cooked
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 C. shredded cheese
sour cream (optional)
Flour Tortillas (of course, I only use the costco ones!)

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for the cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas then dot sour cream down center. Arrange chicken mixture down center. Roll stuffed tortillas. Arrange wraps seam side down on skillet (med-high heat) and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Recipe adapted from mykitchencafe

Chocolate-Chip Zucchini Bread

2009-09-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

My friend brought me over some zucchini from her over-abundant garden. So I hopped-to it and made some zucchini bread. I got this recipe from Rookie Cookie {I love her recipes!}, but I was worried her recipe would be TOO chocolaty for me {yes, there is such a thing as being too chocolaty} so I took out the cocoa in her recipe. But I do love the chocolate chips. And since it is made from a vegetable it is healthy for you. Right?

Just let me think that, ok?

Chocolate-Chip Zucchini Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9x5 inch bread pans. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. While the machine is running, drizzle in the oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the vanilla to the buttermilk. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the beaten butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold the zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter. Divide the batter between the bread pans. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans before unmolding and slicing.

{Adapted from Rookie Cookie}

Chicken Curry

2009-09-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

One of my dear friends gave me a collection of her favorite recipes for our wedding. As a mother of 5 kids, she definitely knows what it means to make a fast, easy, and delicious meal. So this is one of those recipes.

This recipe was perfect when I wanted something exotic, but not as time-intensive as this dish. Because... lets be honest. We make Indian food in our house once a week. We just can't get enough. And I feel like when you make Indian food you just have to have Naan bread. And a strawberry lassi is such a cool, refreshing contrast to the spice, so you have to have that. Sooo if I want to cut down on time prep, I go with an easier main dish. This was perfect.

Curry Chicken

4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon slat
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
cilantro (optional)

Melt butter and saute onions. Stir in flour and spices. Cook 5 minutes. Add broth and cook until it thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken and sour cream. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Note for Next Time: I thought the sour cream made it a little too....sour creamy. Next time I would substitute at least half of the sour cream with plain yogurt.

Chicken and Black Bean Salad

2009-09-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

This meal fits right into my mantra of "yummy meals, fast and easy." My mom made this salad growing up and it is flavorful, beautiful, and filling.

Chicken & Black Bean Salad

Dressing

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all together.

Salad

1 can black beans
1 can corn or Mexicorn
1 red bell pepper
1/2 bunch green onions
1 chicken breast
lettuce
cilantro
lime wedges

Combine black beans (rinsed and drained) and corn (drained). Marinate in dressing.

Cook chicken breast in drizzle of olive oil. Slice into chicken strips. Slice red pepper and green onions.

Mix lettuce with black beans, corn, and chicken. Top with red pepper, onions, lime wedges, and cilantro.

NOTE: I usually find that this is enough dressing, but if you need more, drizzle some Italian dressing on your salad.

Naan Bread...the real deal

2009-09-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have already posted one recipe for Naan bread, but this is more like the Bombay's House...which is basically the gold standard, as far as I'm concerned.

We served this bread to Ryan's grandma when she came over for dinner last week andshe dreamed about it the night after. It is just that good.

Naan Bread

2/3 cup warm water
3/4 teaspoon yeast
2 cups flour (the recipe recommends cake flour, but I just used all-purpose. I think the cake flour would have helped it be lighter...)
3 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
sunflower oil or melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
garlic, minced (optional)

Pour the water into a bowl. Whisk in the yeast, then add half the flour. Mix together with a fork, then cover the bowl and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Stir in the yogurt, then add the rest of the flour, the salt, and baking powder. Mix together with your hands into a soft, sticky ball. Spoon 2 teaspoons oil or butter into the bowl and rub it over the top of the dough, then pick the dough up out of the bowl and roughly squeeze it once or twice. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and leave for 15 minutes.

Pour another 1 teaspoon oil or butter onto the dough and rub lightly all over, then turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Knead lightly for 30 seconds, then return it to the bowl. cover and leave for 15 minutes.

By this time the dough should be much smoother. Knead lightly on the oiled surface for a minute, dust with flour and leave for 5 minutes. Begin heating the wok over medium heat.

Take one piece of dough and roll it out into a teardrop shape, dusting well with flour as you go. You want to get the dough as thin as possible. The best way we have found to do this step is to roll out a chunk of dough as thin as you can into a 12" circle (or so) and cut the dough into pizza-shaped slices with a pizza cutter. This works PERFECT!

When the wok is very hot, gently lay the dough on the wok. Brush the surface with butter, mixed with herbs and garlic (if you are using them). Place the lid on the wok and leave for 1 minute while you roll out another piece of dough.

The naan should rise slightly and bubble. With tongs, lift the bread. If it is slightly browned on the under side, flip it and cook for 1 minute longer.

Remove from wok and wrap it in a clean dish towel while you finish rolling out the rest of the bread.

{Adapted from The Cook's Book}

Lemon Coconut Layer Cake

2009-09-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

I am a complete sucker for lemon anything. So when it came time to make my birthday cake, of course I went lemon. I tried this new recipe and it was delicious. I loved the lemon-coconut combination and the pudding in between the layers was so flavorful and divine.

I didn't have 3 cake pans, so I just did two layers. I think it would be even better with 3 layers because there would be more of the pudding filling. But either way...delicious.

Lemon Coconut Layer Cake

CAKE

1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
3/4 cups granulated sugar
grated rind of 1 lemons
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (save the rest of the juice for the filling)
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line three 8 or 9-inch cake pans with wax paper and grease. In a bowl, sift together the flour and salt and set aside.

Place 6 of the eggs in a large heatproof bowl set over hot water. With an electric mixer, beat until frothy. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture doubles in volume and is thick enough to leave a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted, about 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the hot water. Fold in half the grated lemon rind and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice until blended. Fold in the coconut.

Sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 3 batches, folding in thoroughly after each addition.

Divide the mixture between the prepared pans.

Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pan, about 25 minutes. Let stand 3-5 minutes then unmold and transfer to a cooling rack.

FILLING

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon (I just used the remaining juice of the lemon I squeezed for the cake)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

In a bowl, blend the cornstarch with a little cold water to dissolve. Whisk in the eggs just until blended. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the lemon rind and juice, water, sugar, and butter.

Over a moderate heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the eggs and cornstarch, and return to a boil. Whisk continuously until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with wax paper so a skin won't form.

FROSTING

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
6-8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the lemon rind and enough lemon juice to obtain a thick, spreadable consistency.

To assemble:

Sandwich the 3 cake layers with the lemon filling mixture. Spread the frosting over the top and sides. Cover the cake with the coconut, pressing it in gently.

{Adapted from Complete Baking, by Martha Day}

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-09-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

I love enchiladas. Might be because I life up in the frigid north where there is no such thing as Mexican food (ok I may be exaggerating a little, but not much).

I love using this recipe and splitting it into two pans, freezing half for later.

2-3 Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can chopped green chiles
1/4 cup chicken broth from chicken just cooked (or to your preference...depending on how saucy you like it)
1/4 cup cream cheese, diced
1 cup sour cream
8-10 flour tortillas (have you tried the uncooked tortillas at Costco? We buy like 5 bags every time we are down in the states. So yummy)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Place chicken breats in saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done (about 30 minutes). Shred chicken and save the broth.

Saute the onions and green chiles in the oil until golden brown. Drain off any excess fat. Add broth, cream cheese, and sour cream. Heat through.

Lay out tortillas one at a time. Put in each about 1/3 c. of filling, 2 T. chicken, and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up. Line up each enchilada in a 13x9 inch casserole pan (or two smaller pans). Spread remaining sauce and cheese over top.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.

Mexican Rice

2009-09-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

This was an excellent side dish for anything Mexican. Easy. Yummy. Just what I like.

Mexican Rice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/2 cup stewed tomatoes, chopped small
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt,cumin, and taco seasoning.
Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Waffles

2009-09-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. Sometimes, we have breakfast for dinner. Like when I haven't gone to the grocery store yet. Or I don't have any time. Or we just feel like it. Like...tonight.

This is my favorite waffle recipe. And it sure hit the spot tonight with some homemade strawberry-rhubarb syrup.

WAFFLES
2 eggs, separated
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil

Whip the egg whites until stiff. Set aside. Mix all other ingredients together. Beat on low until moistened then mix on medium until smooth. By hand, fold in egg whites gently. Cook on waffle iron.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

2009-09-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

This is oh-so similar to Ryan's favorite dinner that I made our first Valentine's as a couple, with some delicious changes. Sentimental? Just a little.

Another great easy to throw together freezer meal. I served this over rice and it was the perfect sauciness.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

1 package stuffing mix

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp pepper

3-4 thick slices of deli ham, cubed
2 cup combination of swiss and cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cooked chicken breasts ( I used shredded)

Prepare stuffing mix according to directions on box. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine soup and milk. Put chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, half of the cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer.

To make into a freezer meal, I would recommend preparing this in two separate smaller pans (especially if you are a small family like ours...this was plenty for two meals). Prepare both pans until ready to bake in oven and then stick one in the freezer for later!

{Recipe, with adaptations by me, from Sister's Cafe}

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-08-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

I've been in a recipe slump lately...trying lots of new things, but nothing good enough to share.

Finally I went back to a tried-and-true recipe. This recipe makes a yummy cookie. I love the blended chocolate chips and oatmeal because it disperses them equally through the cookie. They are melt-in-your-mouth good.

They make a lot, so I bake some and roll some of the dough into tubes, syran-wrap them, and stick them in the freezer. When I need a little treat I pull out the dough, slice it up, and throw them in the oven. When frozen they might need to cook a tad longer..but not much.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs. Mix in salt, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and flour. Blend together (in blender) oatmeal and chocolate chips. Once blended, add to other mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Mold dough to golf-ball size and flatten down. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 400.

Home Made Salsa

2009-08-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

I have made this 4 times in the last week and it is oh so good. All of the ingredients were from my garden and my dad's garden except the cilantro and garlic salt. I didn't have a recipe to go off of, I just put in the basics and it turned out great. Add as much as you want of everything until you like it. Add jalapeno peppers if you like spice. Brandon and I are not fans of spice.

Tomatoes

Green Peppers

Onions

Cilantro

Garlic Salt

Ham and Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-08-09T18:25:00.000-07:00

It has been raining every day this week and we were in need of a nice warm dinner. This little number did just the trick.

You will be surprised how yummy this is...the swiss cheese gave it a really unique flavor from other similar soups I have tried.

This is definitely the recipe we will be using in the future. I am not one to eat the same thing for days in a row (I'm a little OCD about it, my husband says), but I ate this for three days straight. It was just that good.

Ham & Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 can chicken broth
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste

2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
steamed chopped broccoli (I like lots of broccoli so I used about 3 cups...but use to your preference)
ham (again, use as much as you want. I used about 1/2 cup)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses, steamed broccoli, and ham. Serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2009-08-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

I know we have already posted a few recipes for Sweet and Sour Chicken, but this recipe is a little-bit different. It is baked in the oven and more like what you would get in a Chinese restaurant (as in not saucy, more breaded). It was fast, easy, and yummy. Definitely a good stand-by for those nights you are out of ideas.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

{Found on My Kitchen Cafe}

Bran Muffins

2009-08-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet. Family favorite. We make it ALL the time.

The thing about it is...it makes a ton. But the wonderful part is that you can have fresh baked muffins for breakfast for a long time.

Bran Muffins

2 cups Bran Flakes (in the cereal aisle)
4 cups bran buds (in the cereal aisle)
2 cups boiling water
4 eggs
1 cup shortening
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a very large bowl combine cereals and boiling water (You can do any combination of bran flakes and buds, just as long as it is 6 cups worth). Mix until it is the texture you like. I like really smooth muffins (no bran chunks) so I mix for awhile, making sure to mash out any chunks. Let stand.

In another bowl combine eggs, shortening, sugar, and buttermilk. Mix and add to bran mixture. Don't worry if the shortening still looks chunky (sort of like cottage cheese). That's ok.

Add flour, salt, soda, and stir into bran mixture.

Bake in greased muffin pans at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

You can refrigerate the batter for up to 7 weeks in covered containers. Put saran wrap directly on batter to keep from discoloring.

Jambalaya

2009-08-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I have posted! Vacations have a way of putting the rest of your life on hold...

I tried this recipe awhile ago, froze most of it, and reheated it a few weeks ago. It was delicious! We especially love it with some Red Hot Chili Sauce. Yummy.

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 pound smoked sausage, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped cooked ham
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into bit-sized pieces
4 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound, chopped)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onion
Creole seasoning
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
18 medium peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp

Preheat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, ham and garlic. Saute for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions are tender.

Add chicken, cook and stir fry for 1 minute. Add tomato, broth, tomato sauce, salt, hot pepper sauce, black pepper, and bay leaves. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in green onion, cook 2 minutes more. Season to taste with Creole seasoning.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pan from heat. Stir in uncooked rice and shrimp. Bake, covered, about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and shrimp are opaque, stirring halfway through baking. Remove bay leaves before serving.

TO FREEZE: Prepare all the way. Place in a freezer container and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost in refrigerator. Reheat at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until heated through.

{From Super Suppers Cookbook, which I picked up at my local library and have liked a lot!}

Cornbread Muffins

2009-07-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

I love cornbread, but not-so-much the texture of it {if that makes any sense}. These muffins are to DIE for and are so light and fluffy with the taste of cornbread.

These go SOOO perfectly with a soup, salad, anything that you need that extra little something.

Cornbread Muffins

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (about 5 ounces) yellow cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces) sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup sour cream (substituting plain yogurt or buttermilk for this = DELICIOUS!)
½ cup milk

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set aside (when I made them, it made about 16 muffins).

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl to combine; set aside. Whisk the eggs in a second medium bowl until well combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar to the eggs; whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add the melted butter in 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add half the sour cream and half the milk and whisk to combine; whisk in the remaining sour cream and milk until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix gently with a rubber spatula until the batter is just combined and evenly moistened. Do not over mix. Using a large spoon sprayed with cooking spray, divide the batter evenly among tins.

Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes, rotating the muffin tin from front to back halfway. Cool the muffins in the tin 5 minutes; invert the muffins on a wire rack, stand the muffins upright and cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.

{Brought to you by My Kitchen Cafe}

Shish Kabobs

2009-06-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night we made some awesome shish kabobs. I thought I would share it here just to give people ideas. I think this mostly needs to be done for a party-sized group, it seems like it would be hard with just two people.

What we used:
Marinated beef
Marinated chicken
Fresh pineapple
Green peppers
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Onions
Mushrooms
Squash

They were so good!!

Cafe Rio Salad...with a twist

2009-06-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

One thing I'm dying without is Cafe Rio. None of that amazing fresh-mex up here in the wintry north.

Making them yourself is a daunting task - making the rice, beans, meat, dressing, guac, tortilla strips...because you have to have EVERY PART to make it the real deal.

Another reason I don't like to make them is that only Ry and I eat them (Mady hasn't learned the joys of lettuce yet) which means TONS of food leftover.

Solution? Hint: it has to do with my new quest to simplify and stock my freezer!

I used all the leftovers in an assembly-line to put together some amazing burritos which I stuck in the freezer for quick lunches. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Ryan ate one today and about passed out from the goodness.

So lets start with the recipes:

Shredded Sweet Pork

3 lb pork roast

1 c brown sugar

1 c Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp powdered ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tb dried minced onions

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low all day (abt 8 hours). One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out all cooking juices and place shredded pork back into crockpot and add...

1 c brown sugar

1 c red enchilada sauce

Cilantro Lime Rice

3 c water (or a little bit more...whatever ratio you use for cooking your rice)

3 c rice

4 cubes chicken bouillon

4 tsp garlic, minced

1 Tb canola oil

2 Tb fresh lime juice

1/2 bunch of cilantro

1/2 onion

1 can green chilies

Blend cilantro, onion, and chilies in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Garlic Black Beans

1 can black beans

1/3 c tomato juice

2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)

1 tsp cumin

2 Tb canola oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tb chopped cilantro

Heat oil then add cumin and garlic until garlic begins to pop. Add rest of ingredients and serve warm.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

3 tomatillos, peeled and quartered

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 c buttermilk

1/2 c mayonnaise

1/2 c sour cream

1 pkg dry buttermilk ranch dressing

1 c fresh chopped cilantro

6 green onions with ends, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)

3 tsp sugar

1 jalapeno, sliced thin - add to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Tortilla Strips
*Cut corn tortillas into thin strips using a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking oil ( like Pam), sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in 350 oven until lightly brown and crisp.

Now you know how to put the salads together, so I will just assist in the freezer burrito part.

Step 1: Set up an assembly line with rice, beans, pork, tortillas, cheese, leftover dressing, and salsa (if you want).

Step 2: Center a tortilla on parchment or wax paper. Fill with desired ingredients.

Step 3: Fold the bottom and sides of the tortilla towards the center as tightly as possible. Fold the paper around the burrito as tightly as possible

Step 4: Pack burritos in a freezer ziploc bag.

To eat, microwave for 1 minute on each side or you can cook it in the oven at 375 for about 20-25 minutes.

Glad to help you with those leftovers.

{Recipes for the salad are from The Sisters Cafe}

Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Bake

2009-06-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but dinner time at my house is C-H-A-O-S. Think baby screaming, toddler who is hungry and irritable, house that is a mess, and me...wondering what we are going to have for dinner.

To maintain my sanity I have been experimenting lately with freezer meals, using 1/2 for dinner and freezing 1/2 for later. So far I have found some REALLY great recipes to share and I have a stocked freezer (yippee!).

Here is one that we liked, with a few changes by moi:

Chicken & Vegetable Pasta Bake

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 garlic clove, crushed
About 3 cups dried risoni pasta
2 chicken breasts
1 1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
1 cup grated cheddar

Bechamel sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups milk, warmed
2/3 cup grated cheddar

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, corn, and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. In the same frying pan, brown chicken until no longer pink.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until well combined. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Add the pasta, bechamel sauce and chicken to the veggie mixture and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta mixture into a 3L (12-cup) capacity ovenproof dish.
Combine the breadcrumbs and cheddar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serve.

Freeze: At the end of step 5, set aside to cool. Divide among freezerproof, ovenproof dishes. Cover with lids, plastic wrap, or foil. Place in fridge for 4 hours or until cooled. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking 6-8 hours. To bake, leave foil on and cook at 375 for 25 minutes or so. I think you could cook it frozen, just adjust the cooking time accordingly. In case you forget to take it out in the morning...

{Photo & Recipe, with slight changes, from taste.com}

Whole Wheat Bread

2009-05-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

I needed to make bread today and decided to try a NEW recipe because trying new things makes life exciting. It turned out SO yummy I just might convert to this recipe instead of the one I grew up with...if my Mom won't disown me!

This makes a LOT of dough, so I would recommend halving the recipe unless you have a Bosch or a heavy-duty mixer.

Whole Wheat Bread

3 1/2 cups hot tap water

1 (12oz) can evaporated milk

3 Tbs instant yeast

2/3 cup oil
1 cup honey (use the same measuring glass as the oil and the honey slide right out)

1 cup white flour

3 Tbs vital wheat gluten

2 Tbs dough enhancer (this is optional--I just happen to have some)

12 cups whole wheat flour (I used white wheat: approx 8c wheat berries= 12 c flour)
1 1/2 TBs salt

Grind your wheat (in your electric wheat grinder) while getting everything else ready. Then, using a Bosch or other heavy duty mixer, combine ingredients in the order given, mixing well after half the flour, then add the other half of flour and salt. Add a little extra white flour as needed if dough is too sticky. Knead in mixer for 8 minutes. Dump out dough on your countertop and spread with your hand. Form into 5 medium loaves or 4 large ones. Press down the sides of each dough piece to fill the bottom of the pan, leaving the top round and smooth. Let rise in a warm spot until almost desired bread size. (about 1 hour). Bake in preheated 350 oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven to wire racks and brush tops of hot loaves with butter, if desired. Let cool about 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely before slicing. Actually, it is best when served hot, slathered with butter or jam. YUM!

{Picture & Recipe from Sisters' Cafe}

Easy Chicken Skillet

2009-05-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

To save time, I'm just going to post a link for this recipe. I printed it off like a year or 2 ago and finally just made it tonight. It is so easy and tastes absolutely amazing!

Spring Stir-Fry in Peanut Sauce

2009-05-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

Jess, I talked to Ryan about this recipe in Phoenix and told him I would post it on here so you could make it for him. I got it from kraftfoods.com. It's so yummy!

1/2 cup Catalina Dressing

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp. oil, divided

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

4 cups mixed cut-up fresh vegetables (broccoli florets and red bell pepper strips)

8 oz. fettuccine, cooked and drained, reserving 2 Tbsp. of the pasta cooking water

2 green onions, sliced

MIX dressing, peanut butter, soy sauce and crushed red pepper; set aside. Heat 2 tsp. of the oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to large serving bowl; cover to keep warm.

HEAT remaining 1 tsp. oil in same skillet. Add broccoli and bell peppers; cook and stir 5 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

ADD pasta, vegetables and dressing mixture to chicken; mix lightly. If desired, gradually stir in enough of the reserved pasta cooking water until sauce is of desired consistency. Sprinkle with the onions.

Nutrition information can be found here.

Glazed Mini Meatloaves

2009-05-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

These were cute little suckers - and super tasty. The glaze was a little strong for Ryan, so may want to sample yours before you slather it all over the meat.

Glazed Mini Meatloaves
adapted from The Best 30-Minute Recipe

Makes 4-5 mini meatloaves.

Meatloaves:
17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I used a combination of lean ground chuck and lean ground pork)
2 teaspoons oil (I used canola oil)

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Add ground meat and combine until uniform. Shape mixture into oval loaves (shoot for 5).

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling. Add meatloaves (without letting them touch sides) and brown well on one side, 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip loaves over and tidy up edges using a spatula. Brown on this side for another 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together until smooth. Transfer mini meatloaves to a foil-lined baking pan and spoon the glaze over the top of each meatloaf. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

{Recipe & Photo from My Kitchen Cafe}

Raspberry Lime Rickey

2009-05-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming, folks...and for those of us without a Sonic nearby we are going to have to create our own refreshingly cool beverages. Here is a great one we tried out last week:

Raspberry Lime Rickey

12 oz. package frozen raspberries
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons grated zest and 1/2 cup juice from 4 limes (It took 4 limes to get the 1/2 cup juice but I only used the zest from 3 limes - it was plenty)
Club soda, chilled
Ice

Heat raspberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the raspberries begin to release their juices, about five minutes. Mash the berries with a potato masher until the berries break down, then stir in the lime zest and juice. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, about five minutes.

Pour the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing on solids to extract the liquid. This works best done in batches so the seeds don't clog up the bottom of the mesh strainer. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups syrup. Discard the berry solids. Refrigerate the syrup until completely cool, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 week. To serve, combine 3/4 cup club soda and 3 tablespoons syrup in tall, ice-filled glasses. (We put ours in the blender with ice cubes and it turned out heavenly!)

{Recipe & Photo from My Kitchen Cafe}

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

2009-05-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and ground pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

For the sauce:
4 Tbsp butter
2 8 oz packages sliced mushrooms
Salt and ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cream

Set the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add two chicken breasts. Cook on each side until well-browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Once browned, place chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil into the pan and brown the other two chicken breasts. Remove the pan from the heat and set the chicken breasts in the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Leave the skillet off the burner until there is 10 minutes left until the chicken is cooked. When the chicken is almost done, put the pan back over medium high heat to make the mushroom sauce. Add the butter and the mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Once chicken is done, remove from the baking dish. Serve chicken breasts with the mushroom sauce ladled over the top. I served mine with mashed potatoes, using the extra sauce as a gravy.

{Recipe from Rookie Cookie}

Strawberry Lassi

2009-05-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

This drink is a traditional Indian drink, but you can make it for ANY occasion. So yummy.

Strawberry Lassi

2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
12-15 frozen (or fresh) strawberries
handful of ice

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2009-05-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

Not a big fan of Indian food? Don't be deterred by the name! TRY IT! It isn't too curry-ish, just lots of yummy spices and flavor.

So this is one of the best dishes at Bombay House and we have been searching high and low for a recipe that compares. This one was DELICIOUS. Ryan couldn't stop eating. It was perfect with this, this, and this. Great birthday dinner.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (If you no-likey spicy, cut it down to 1/2 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped (again...leave out if you don't want it too spicy)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

{As found on mykitchencafe.blogspot.com}

Chicken Salad Sandwich

2009-04-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

This was soooo tasty!!!

Canned Kirkland brand chicken (from Costco) - drain first
red grapes (cut up)
dried cranberries
cashews (chopped)
Mayo
Salt & Pepper
Croissants

Add as much of everything as you like and enjoy!!!

Lemon Muffins

2009-04-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

I just noticed my last three posts have all had a citrus-y ingredient. So I'm a bit obsessed...

This one is a favorite of mine. My mom made these growing up and they would be inhaled before they had even cooled down. They are best hot out of the oven.

Lemon Muffins

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon rind (optional)
additional sugar for topping

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in egg yolks and beat until light.

Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with lemon juice.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into muffin mixture along with lemon rind, mixing just until ingredients are blended.

Fill greased muffin tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of sugar if desired. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Pineapple-Glazed Chicken

2009-04-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

A few things about this recipe...

I'm a pineapple freak, so of course I loved this recipe. Ryan, who is not-so-much a pineapple freak, still thought it was tasty.

Also, I added about 5 slices of pickled jalapenos from a jar and it was soooo spicy. And I like spice. So beware.

Ingredients

6-10 chicken drumsticks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups pineapple juice
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced pickled jalapenos (if you want it spicy!!)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cooked white rice for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove skin from drumsticks. Season drumsticks with salt and pepper.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Saute chicken in two batches until golden, 5 to 7 minutes per batch, transferring each batch to a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Wipe skillet clean; add pineapple juice, ginger, and jalapeno. Cook over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken. Add scallions; toss to coat. Serve with white rice, if desired.

{this recipe is from marthastewart.com}

Sesame Chicken

2009-04-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Wow was this ever yummy and easy. Try it. Tonight.

Sesame Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of any fat and cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbsp flour
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Cooked white or brown rice

In a bowl, combine soy sauce and sugar and stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken pieces and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add chicken. Cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer chicken pieces onto a plate and put the pan back on the heat. Pour in the soy sauce mixture. With a wooden spoon, scrape the cooked bits on the bottom of the pan while the soy sauce mixture simmer. Let simmer for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the chicken back into the pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and toss well, coating all the chicken pieces in the soy mixture.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

{The credit for this recipe goes to Rookie Cookie}

Pulled-pork sandwiches

2009-04-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

We made these for lunch in between conference sessions (had the meat cooking overnight). It was a fun summery meal, even though it is still freezing. So I'm excited for the warm weather - can you blame me?

1 pork roasts
1/2 can of vegetable broth
1 small onion, sliced
BBQ sauce

Put sliced onion in bottom of crock pot. Put in pork roast. Pour can of broth over the top and cook on low for 8 hours or more. Shred the pork and then pour your favorite bbq sauce over the top. Cook on low for 2-3 more hours until all flavors are blended. Serve on a bun with coleslaw on top.

{thanks to my cousin, Nicole, for the yummy recipe!}

Cereal Candy

2009-04-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

OK, I can't find the blog I found this recipe from, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due (and use her picture too!) But I can't...I think it might be bookmarked on my other computer and I'm too lazy to go switch. But this turned out AMAZING.

Cereal Candy
5 C. Cheerios
5 C. Rice Chex
6 C. Speicial K

measure those into a large bowl. Then, in a large sauce pan put:

2 C. sugar
3/4 C. white corn syrup
1/2 C. butter (the real stuff please)
1 dash salt

Stir constantly and bring to a boil. Then add:

1 C. whipping cream

Now, use your candy thermometer and cook to soft ball stage, stirring constantly. (Let me add something here, she actually says that she cooks hers to 230, which is cooler than softball stage according to the thermometer. We did it to about 232 and it was yummy, but once it all cooled, it got pretty hard so I would stick with the 230 or maybe a tiny bit earlier than that even) Once at soft ball stage, remove immediately from the heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir in vanilla and pour over your cereal. Gently toss anc coat the cereal. Once all coated, pour out on a large cookie sheet to cool. Then enjoy!

Snickers Cookies

2009-04-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

I tried this recipe from HERE and they were FABULOUS! So, I'm posting them here for you all to crave and enjoy. You really should consider making these beauties.

Snickers Cookies
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, room temperature
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
30 mini sized Snickers candy bars. (one bag)

In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter. Add vanilla and egg. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to peanut mixture. Shape dough smoothly around each candy bar, making sure the bar is completely covered, without haveing a lot of excess dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bakt at 350 and check at 12 minutes, and take out when they are slightly golden. Cool a minute or so and remove from cookie sheets. They are FABULOUS when they are warm and just as good after they've cooled.

Tortilla Soup

2009-03-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so easy and very tasty.

Tortilla Soup

3 chicken breasts cut in cubes and cooked
2-3 cups of chicken broth
2-3 cups water
1 TB chili powder
1/4 C fresh chopped cilantro
3 Roma tomatoes diced or 1 can stewed tomatoes

Boil together for 15 minutes

Serve in bowl and cover with:
broken tortilla chips
grated cheese
diced avocado with fresh lime juice over top