What's For Dinner?

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

2011-12-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

Bon Appétit | November 1998

5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives.

Butter Finger Candies

2011-12-23T04:33:00.001-08:00

These taste just like Butter Fingers!!

Ingredients
1 (10 oz.) box original Wheat Thins crackers
1 cup creamy peanut butter
16 ounces dipping chocolate or almond bark

Directions
Sandwich about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter between two Wheat Thins crackers; repeat until all crackers have been used. Melt chocolate in microwave at 50 percent power for one minute; stir. Return to microwave at 30 second intervals until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Dip cracker "sandwiches" in chocolate to coat. Set on wax paper. Place in refrigerator or freezer for 10-15 minutes to set completely. Store in an airtight container.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

2011-12-23T04:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

4 ounces saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.
In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes. Spread melted chocolate. Cool completely and break into pieces.

2011-07-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

S’mores Bars

½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
5 HERSHEY’s Milk Chocolate Bars (1.55oz each)
3 cups miniature marshmallows

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
3. Sprinkle mini chocolate bars over baked layer or arrange unwrapped chocolate bars over baked layer, breaking as needed to fit. Sprinkle with marshmallows; scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming top layer. Bake 10-15 minutes or just until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes 16 bars

Here is a link for a picture of them. I couldn't figure out how to add the picture to this post. The recipe on the link is a little different than mine but the bars look the same.

Mint Brownies

2011-03-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

I made these for St. Patrick's Day and they were delicious! (Recipe from: http://www.make-it-do.com/cook-it-bake-it/famous-mint-brownies/)

Here’s how I make them: (I am making 1 1/2 times the recipe in the pictures.)

1. Melt butter in the microwave. In a large bowl add melted butter and cocoa. Whisk together until smooth. (This is important as cocoa can be lumpy)

2. Add whisked eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt to the cocoa mixture. Whisk until smooth.

3. Measure flour and sift into brownie mixture. Stir in by hand. Do not over mix.

4. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. (Or Baker’s Half Sheet/large cookie sheet if making 1 1/2 times recipe.) Pour mixture into pan and smooth out.

5. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25-28 minutes… depending on how you like your brownies.

6. Cool for a few minutes then place brownies into freezer for 20 minutes.

7. Make mint layer. Mix together all the ingredients using a mixer.

8. Frost smoothly and place in the freezer for 20 more minutes.

9. While brownies are in the freezer make the chocolate ganache. Place chocolate chips and butter in the microwave for 1 minute. The chips may not look melted, but whisk together well and usually they are. Don’t overcook in the microwave!

10. Pour melted chocolate ganache over the brownies and working quickly spread it evenly over the brownies. Don’t skimp on the freezer time. If the brownies are too warm, the ganache just melts the mint layer and you have a mess. If the brownies have been in the freezer for too long… the ganache sets up really quickly and it’s hard to get it smooth.

11. Place brownies in the freezer for another 20 minutes until ganache is set up. Cut up into bars.

As you can see, I usually make one and a half times the recipe and cook it in a baker’s half sheet (large cookie sheet.) It seems like I’m always making brownies for a crowd! The cookie sheet makes 4 dozen brownies. I always cut around the edge of the pan to keep all the brownies perfect and even. My kids wait for those edges like baby birds…. so they never go to waste!

One trick for cutting the brownies evenly is to cut down the middle first. Then I make marks on the edge before cutting across the pan. For the cookie sheet, I always cut six rows on the width and 8 rows on the length.

Here’s the recipe:

Chocolate Mint Brownies – (Recipe for 1 1/2 times is in parenthesis)

Whisk together:
1 c. melted butter (1 ½ c.)
½ c. cocoa powder (3/4 c.)

And then add:
2 c. sugar (3 c.)
4 eggs beaten (6)
1 tsp. vanilla (1 ½ tsp.)
½ tsp. salt (3/4 tsp.)

Mix well and then add:

1 ½ c. sifted flour (2 ¼ c.)

Stir in by hand. Do not over mix.

Pour into 9×13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. If making 1 1/2 recipe pour into Baker’s Half Sheet (large cookie sheet.) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes. Cool for a few minutes and then place in freezer for 20 minutes.

While brownies are in the freezer make first layer of topping.

Mint frosting:
½ c. butter softened (3/4 c.)
2 Tbsp. milk (3 Tbsp.)
2 c. powdered sugar (3 c.)
1 tsp. peppermint extract ( 1 ½ tsp.)
green food coloring

Mix thoroughly. Evenly frost brownies and put back in freezer for 20 minutes. Make chocolate ganache top layer.

Chocolate Ganache Topping:
½ c. butter (3/4 c.)
1 ½ c. good semi sweet chocolate chips (2 ¼ c.)

Melt and whisk together. (I melt them together in a Pyrex measuring bowl in the microwave for one minute. Be careful not to overheat. It won’t look melted but once whisked it is.) Drizzle warm chocolate over brownies and spread smooth with a spatula. Put back in freezer for another 20 minutes.

(Easy) Caribbean Steak with Coconut Rice

2011-01-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

Steak:

1/2 c fresh orange juice or pineapple juice

2 tbsp jerk seasoning

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.5 lbs steak

Rice:

1 c canned coconut milk

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 txp salt

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. For the steak, in a small bowl combine orange juice, jerk seasoning and cilantro. Transfer to a large resealable plastic back. Add steak; seal bag. Refrigerate 8-24 hours turning occasionally (ours marinated for about 2 hours and was great!).

2. For the rice, in a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, coconut milk, rice and salt; bring to boiling over medium-high heat; season with salt to taste.

3. Meanwhile, remove steak from marinade. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium (300F to 350F). Place steak on grill and grill for 8-10 minutes for medium-rare (145 degrees) or to desired doneness.

4. Service with rice and sprinkle with cilantro (optional).

Serves 4

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2011-01-18T15:10:00.001-08:00

1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing or ranch salad dressing
2 cans (12.5 ounces each) Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® RedHot® sauce (we prefer Frank's Buffalo sauce)
Assorted fresh vegetables, crackers or tortilla chips
Directions:

Heat the oven to 350° F.
Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth.
Stir in the dressing, pepper sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. (also works well in a crock pot)
Stir before serving.
Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

Super Easy Molten Chocolate Cakes

2011-01-11T14:02:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter or unsalted margarine*
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, or bars, cut into bite-size chunks
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 teaspoons flour (or matzo meal, ground in a blender to a fine powder)
8 extra-large paper muffin cups (or use regular paper muffin cups, which will make 12 cakes)

Garnish:
1 (6 ounce) container raspberries, barely moistened and rolled in about
1/2 cup sugar right before serving
Directions

Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Beat eggs, sugar and salt with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Beat egg mixture into chocolate until smooth. Beat in flour or matzo meal until just combined. (Batter can be made a day ahead; return to room temperature an hour or so before baking.)
Before serving dinner, adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a standard-size muffin tin (1/2 cup capacity) with 8 extra-large muffin papers (papers should extend above cups to facilitate removal). Spray muffin papers with vegetable cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups.
Bake until batter puffs but center is not set, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift cakes from tin and set on a work surface. Pull papers away from cakes and transfer cakes to dessert plates.
Top each with sugared raspberries and serve immediately.

Whole Wheat Bread

2010-10-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Found this one on allrecipes.com and tried it out yesterday - so delicious!

Ingredients
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1/3 cup honey

5 cups bread flour

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon salt

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

I also added about 3 TB of flax seed meal and 2 TB of oat bran to my whole wheat flour

Directions

1.In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

2.Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

3.Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

**I only baked one loaf. I shaped the other two on saran wrap, wrapped them tightly and then put them in a freezer bag to freeze for later. To use from frozen, just put a loaf in the fridge for 24 hours, then put it in greased loaf pan and allow to rise the second time (1 inch above pan) before baking as in recipe.

Monkey Bread

2010-10-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 package of Cook and Serve Butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used pecans)
1/2 cup raisins (I omitted)
Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch Bundt® pan (solid bottom).

2. Finely chop pecans/walnuts and sprinkle in bottom of Bundt pan. Shake half of a package of butterscotch pudding mix over the nuts.

3.Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along.

4.In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.

5.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a plate. The bread just pulls apart with the help of a fork (the nuts make it a bit messy but yummy!).

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2010-08-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

I love ourbestbites.com as a place to get yummy recipes:

Here is one of my favorites:

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese (it is spicy, so you can use a mixed bag of cheese that has pepperjack cheese in it)

flour tortillas (you can also use corn)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing. (You won't need to do this with flour tortillas)

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

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

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

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

You can also freeze these and bake when you want

Fudge

2010-04-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

While I LOVE Kristen's Fudge recipe... one day I found myself without the correct ingredients. I scrounged around for a recipe with things I had and came up this this one...it is SOOOO easy and has fantastic results

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter
25 marshmallows, quartered
2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
(frankly just use whatever chocolate you have - I've made it with all milk, all semisweet, a mix - just depends on how you want it to taste and what's in the pantry!)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional_

Directions

Grease 1 - 11x16 inch jelly roll, or cake pan for thicker fudge. Set aside.
Combine sugar, milk, vanilla and butter in large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add marshmallows, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in nuts. Mix well.
Pour into prepared pan. Let fudge sit at least 24 hours before cutting into squares (let's be honest... I never do that). Refrigerate for easier cutting.

Easy (and really good!) Beef Stew

2010-02-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1-2 pounds stew beef
2-3 cans sliced potatoes
drained1 lb. bag of baby carrots
1 can green peas, drain and reserve the juice
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can tomato soup

Directions
In a 9 x 13 baking pan, layer the above ingredients in the order listed. Combine reserved pea juice with the cream of celery and cream of tomato soup. Pour soup mixture over the layered ingredients. Cover with foil and bake at 275 for 5 hours or at 325 for 3 hours.

Jon's Peanut Butter Goodies

2010-01-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

Our friends Jon and Angel came to visit and Jon brought these... I wouldn't let Jared touch them!

2 C. Graham cracker crumbs
2 C. creamy peanut butter
2 C. powder sugar
1/2 C. butter, melted.
1.5-2lbs chocolate

Blend all ingredients (except chocolate) until paste-like. Roll into balls and chill until hardened. Dip into melted chocolate.

Honey Glazed Chicken

2010-01-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

Another new one we had tonight combined these two recipe instructions from here and here. We all liked it.

Honey Glazed Chicken

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup butter

4 chicken breasts (I used the 5oz. frozen chicken breasts from Sams Club and cut into chicken tenders)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, salt and cayenne pepper together in a large ziploc bag. Drop chicken in bag and shake to coat. Melt butter and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place flour coated chicken in baking dish and turn to coat both sides with butter. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Honey Glaze Sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup butter, melted (I actually forgot this and it was still good- but with butter sounds pretty yummy!)

Melt in a sauce pan until sugar dissolves. Pour over chicken pieces. Bake for an additional 30-45 minutes. Serve over rice.

Parmesan Ranch Chicken and Ranch Chicken Pizza

2010-01-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

Here are two new recipes I tried this week. Of course they are easy, but we liked them! I found them both on this website: http://karaskitchencreations.blogspot.com/

Parmesan Ranch Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup crushed corn flakes

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp dry ranch dressing mix

2-3 Tbsp melted butter

Rinse chicken breasts and set aside. Combine corn flakes, cheese, and dressing mix in a shallow container. Dip chicken in butter, then in crumb mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or till juices run clear. (Well, I baked mine a lot longer, but they were frozen to begin with, and I had party potatoes in the oven at the same time)

And this one:

Chicken Ranch Pizza
1 recipe for pizza crust (I used pillsbury)

2-3 chicken breasts

1/2-3/4 cup Ranch dressing

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes

1/4-1/3 cup green onions

1-2 cups cheddar cheese

Cook and shred chicken. Spread dressing over crust. Sprinkle mozzarella, then tomato, green onions, and chicken. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake until crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted (maybe like 15 min).

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-01-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

I made this the other night, and it was so easy!

3 uncooked chicken breasts
3 (14.5 ounce) cans of tomatoes with liquid (I use the ones with green chilies mixed in)
10 ounce can enchilada sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
15 ounce can chicken broth
15 ounce can corn, undrained
10 ounce can cream of chicken soup concentrate
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 10 hours. You can also cook on high for 6 hours or some combination, just make sure the chicken breasts are cooked and can be shredded easily with a fork. You can add extra liquid if the soup is too thick and adjust the spices to your liking. The enchilada sauce tends to make it pretty tangy. Serve over tortilla chips and cheese! :)

Fancy Banana Cream Pie

2010-01-07T04:53:00.001-08:00

This past New Year's Eve we went to the neighborhood party. I was in charge of a dessert. While I love to cook I can leave baking to a bakery any day so it was a challenge to think of what I wanted to make.

My mother has been raving about a Banana Cream Pie dessert at Chesters lately so I decided I would try to create a fancy martini glass version that I could serve up individually (because really what is more ugly than a gloppy scoop of banana cream pie at a fancy party?!)

So here's what I came up with (Cassi - this may seem like an intimidating amount of steps but they are all simple and SOOOO worth it!):

For the Filling:

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in whipping cream and whole milk, then egg yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add vanilla bean. Whisk over medium-high heat until custard thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Discard vanilla bean. Transfer custard to large bowl; cool completely, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour.

For the Crumble:

3 cups walnuts (about 12 ounces)
1 cup whole almonds
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled

Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely chop all nuts with sugar in processor. Add butter and blend until well combined. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet and cook until lightly browned

For the Chocolate Sauce (this is so good on icecream too!):
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur (recommended: Kahlua) this can also be coffee if you don't want the alcohol or nothing at all for a basic chocolate fudge sauce

Place the chocolate in a mixing bowl.

Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from stove and pour hot milk over chocolate. Allow mixture to sit for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Add coffee liqueur and whisk to combine.

Caramel Sauce (also GREAT on icecream!):
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup whole milk

Place all of the ingredients into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes then take it out and stir. Continue to microwave for 1 minute at a time until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce reaches your desired consistency(may take awhile).

ASSEMBLY:

Chop up a few bananas

Take your martini glass and spoon some of the crumble into the bottom, top with a scoop of filling some of each (warmed) sauce and some bananas. Repeat each layer one more time for a fantastic parfait!! (Sorry no pictures... we ate them all)

Grown Up Mac and Cheese

2010-01-04T17:29:00.001-08:00

I made this tonight after Brandon's mom made it for him and it was delicious. I cooked the bacon in a microwave and didn't use bread crumbs...

Ingredients

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

2010-01-03T11:20:00.001-08:00

Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe

(Recipe may be halved):
2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal**
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

** Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque

2009-11-29T16:07:00.000-08:00

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
10 ounces fresh crabmeat
1 tomato, seeded, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups clam-tomato juice (such as Clamato)
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup bottled clam juice
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 of crabmeat, tomato, 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, and garlic. Sauté 2 minutes. Whisk in flour; stir 2 minutes. Whisk in clam-tomato juice and next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Cool soup slightly.

Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in 3/4 cup water and lemon juice; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Divide soup among 6 bowls. Sprinkle with remaining crab and 3 tablespoons basil and serve.

Spinach pasta chicken salad

2009-11-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

12 oz box campanelle pasta (cooked) (you can also use bowtie pasta if you prefer)
1/4 cup sesame seeds (toasted)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (toasted)
6 cups shredded cooked white meat chicken (I usually just bake up a bunch of chicken breasts for this then cube them)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
8 cups torn fresh baby spinach

Dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Spicy Shrimp and Fettucine (from Cooking Light)

2009-11-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

Another one from Cooking Light that Brandon and I tried. Very good!

8 ounces uncooked fettuccine (I actually used whole wheat linguine)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes (about 5)
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. Drain.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients (through salt); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Place pasta mixture on plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve immediately.

Caramel Sea Salt Icecream

2009-11-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

We made this for Thanksgiving -it was delicious!!

For the caramel praline (mix-in)
½ cup (100 gr) sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream custard
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300 gr) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 gr) salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup (100 gr) of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan: I use a 6 quart/liter pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.

2. Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.)

Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it's just about to burn. It won't take long.

3. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don't even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

4. To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they're floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

5. Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.

6. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go.

The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk.

7. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C).

8. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

9. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

10. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch, or 1 cm). I use a mortar and pestle, although you can make your own kind of music using your hands or a rolling pin.

11. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they're intended to do.

Credit

Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

2009-11-12T03:50:00.000-08:00

3 tablespoons minced shallot
2 (3-inch) fresh thyme sprigs plus 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 Turkish or 1/4 California bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 lb dried Black Mission figs, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup Port
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
12 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonally cut baguette slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 oz soft mild honey goat cheese at room temperature
2 fresh ripe figs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Garnish: fresh thyme leaves

Make savory fig jam:
Cook shallot, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf in butter in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add dried figs, Port, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until figs are soft, about 10 minutes. If there is still liquid in saucepan, remove lid and simmer, stirring, until most of liquid is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs and transfer jam to a bowl. Cool, then stir in minced thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

Make toasts while jam cools:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F.

Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush tops lightly with oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack.

Assemble crostini:
Spread each toast with 1 teaspoon fig jam and top with about 1 1/2 teaspoons goat cheese and 2 pieces fresh fig.

notes:
•Fig jam can be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
•Toasts can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cheri's Layered Pumpkin Torte

2009-10-28T13:27:00.001-07:00

Created by Cheri... discovered by my mom

Cheri’s Layered Pumpkin Torte

Ingredients:
24 Graham Crackers crushed
3 Egg yolks, save egg whites
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Can Pumpkin (approx 2 cups)(not pie filling)
½ Cup Butter, melted
½ Cup Sugar

½ Teaspoon salt
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
¾ Cup Sugar
1 Envelope unflavored gelatin
8 Ounces Cream Cheese
¼ Cup Cold water

¼ Cup Sugar

1 Pint Whipping Cream or Cool Whip

Directions:

Crust: Finely crush graham crackers using a food processor or rolling pin.
Mix graham crackers with sugar and melted butter.

Press into a 9x13 pan.

Filling # 1 2 eggs
¾ cup sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

Beat ingredients together and spread over crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool.
Filling # 2 1 can (approx. 2 cups) pumpkin (not pie filling)
½ cup sugar

3 egg yolks, SAVE Egg Whites

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
Combine gelatin and cold water in small bowl and set aside.
Combine all other ingredients (not gelatin mix) in a 2 quart sauce pan
Boil/cook til thickened.
Remove from heat and add the gelatin mixture.
Cool.
BEAT 3 EGG WHITES with ¼ cup sugar til stiff peaks form.

Fold egg whites into pumpkin mixture.
Spread pumpkin mixture over cream cheese layer.
Topping
Top with whipped cream, sweetened slightly with powdered sugar.
Can use Cool Whip in place of whipped cream – but it won’t be the same!
Refrigerate.

Pizza Sauce

2009-09-10T04:30:00.001-07:00

1 (14-to 15-ounces) can whole tomatoes in juice
5 large garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 basil leaves plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.

Pizza Crust

2009-09-10T04:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.

Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.

Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Granola

2009-09-10T04:27:00.003-07:00

Jared is not a breakfast eater, but he's a snacker. This creates a problem because he eats horribly during the day when he gets hungry from his lack of morning food.

I was determined to fix this... and the solution was granola! I don't love store bought granola so I decided to use a few recipes to fashion one that was the perfect blend for us.

Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix next 6 ingredients in large bowl. Combine oil, honey, and sugar in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour hot liquid over oat mixture; stir well. Using hands, toss mixture until thoroughly mixed.

Spread granola on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sheet to rack; cool granola completely.

My granola doesn't clump... it stays loose like a cereal. That's how Jared eats it - with milk and a banana sliced up. So, if you'd rather it clump add some more honey and don't toss it during the baking.

Chili Crab

2009-09-10T04:27:00.001-07:00

Tonight Jared and I discovered a great deal on crab meat at Byerly's. I just knew it was time for some Chili Crab!

Chili Crab is a dish introduced to us by my aunt and uncle. They lived in Singapore for a while and brought this yumminess back with them. It's a fascinating meal because it's served over french bread - owed to the influence of the french over the colony. It's usually made with whole crabs, but then eating it is a lot of work. I'm looking more for the shovel it into my mouth (it's THAT delicious) method so having just the meat from the store was ideal.

Here's the recipe:

1 lb. crab meat
4 T vegetable oil
4 T garlic, minced
3 T ginger, grated
1 egg
3 T siracha (adjust this depending on how hot you like it)
1 cup ketchup
2 T sugar
2 T soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
1 T cornstarch
1 cup water

In a small bowl combine the ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch and water.

Heat oil in wok, then add the garlic, ginger and siracha. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add contents of bowl and heat until boiling. Add crab meat and heat through. Beat egg in bowl then add to the wok. Heat through for 2-3 minutes

Serve with french bread.

Here are some pictures Jared took during the prep...

Grating ginger:

Our delicious crab:

Ginger, garlic and siracha:

Sauce added:

In goes the crab:

Then the egg:

Finished product!

Served up with some french bread:

And seriously, who could resist cannoli for desert?!?!?? (yes, I know cannoli and chili crab seem like an odd combination.. but two delicious things are always ok in my book)

Corn Dip

2009-09-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Not Healthy. AT ALL. But it's really, really, really good if you need another appetizer - particularly if you are making some Tex Mex food or something similar. I highly recommend it!

Ingredients:
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 16oz. bag of FROZEN corn
1 stick of butter
1 jar of jalapenos
Chips. I always use fritos, but all are good.

Directionss:
Using the microwave or the oven, melt the butter in a good size dish (I like to use my corningware.) Then, add the corn, jalapenos, and 1/2 of the jar of the jalapeno juice. You can add more or less, depending on how spicy you want it! Microwave or put in the oven until it's good and hot. You might have to stir and reheat so that it thoroughly heats. Serve! It's so good!

Fruit Salsa and Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Chips

2009-09-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, Allison. I am putting this recipe up specifically with you in mind. You tirelessly provide me with food to feed my husband, so I owe you one great recipe at least!!! This is it. It's not hard AT ALL, but it's a pretty impressive little appetizer, and people RAVE about it!

Ingredients:
2 kiwis- peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas (these are the really small ones!)
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar (you can make your own...like 1 or 2 tbsp cinnamon to every cup of sugar or such. Just mix til it looks right!)

Directions:
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. (I usually spray a tortilla, then lay another one on top and spray it, then another, until I reach about 4 or 5 layered tortillas. Then I cut with a pizza cutter. It saves time.) Sprinkle wedges thoroughly with cinnamon sugar, coating them as best as you can. Spray one more time with the butter cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture. Great, great appetizer!

Parmesan Chicken

2009-08-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, minced
1 stick unsalted butter melted
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
A large pinch of Italian seasoning (herb mix)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 lbs of skinless, boneless, chicken meat, cut into pieces no larger than 2x2 inches

Instructions:

1 Preheat oven to 450°F.
2 In a bowl, combine the minced garlic with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat.
3 Place coated chicken pieces on to a 9x13 baking dish. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

Serves 4-6. Got recipe here. I altered a few things a bit depending on what I had on hand, but it was still delicious!!

We served with Party Potatoes.

Spinach Topped Tomatoes

2009-08-11T07:31:00.001-07:00

My Aunt Ellen served these last weekend... they were really wonderful!

Ingredients:

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Salt
3 large tomatoes, sliced
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

In a saucepan, cook spinach according to package directions with bouillon; drain well. Cool slightly; press out excess liquid.
Lightly salt tomato slices; place with cut side down on a paper towel for 15 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine spinach with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, butter, egg, garlic, pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
Place tomato slices in a shallow baking dish. Divide the spinach mixture over tomatoes. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese if desired. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes or until heated through.

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

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

1 box Oreo cookies
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cool whip
1 can Kraft hot fudge topping

Crush 1 of box Oreos and mix half of them with 1/2 c. melted butter. Press into a 9x13 pan. Spread heated Kraft hot fudge topping on top of crust. Freeze until hardened. Layer on 1/2 gallon softened vanilla ice cream. Spread cool whip across the top and sprinkle as many oreos as you want. Easy and always good!

Chicken Ole

2009-07-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

Got this recipe from my sister. Brandon loves it and it's super easy!

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 can condensed cream of chicken
3/4 cup chunky salsa or diced tomatoes with green chiles
4 cups corn chips
2 cups Monterey Jack or Mexican mixture cheese

Arrange chicken in 11x17 baking dish. Combine the soup with the salsa, pour over chicken breasts. Top with corn chips and shredded cheese. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until bubbly and chicken is completely cooked.

Mango Bean Salsa

2009-07-07T07:12:00.001-07:00

19 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed

14 ounces corn kernels, rinsed and drained

1.5 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1 mango, diced

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon siracha (adjust to make it as hot as you'd like)

1/8 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients, except avocado, in a large bowl and mix well. Chill.

Just before serving, peel and chop avocado. Combine and mix well.

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-07-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

Made this for Jared to eat this week... he said it was a hit

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can jalapenos (chopped up)
2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat
3 cup shredded mexican blend cheese, divided
10 flour tortillas
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onion until tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add jalapenos, cream of mushroom soup, taco seasoning and sour cream. Mix well. Reserve 1/2 of this sauce and set aside. To the remaining 1/4 of the sauce in the saucepan, add the chicken and 2 cups of shredded cheese. Stir together.
Fill each flour tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the reserved 3/4 of the sauce with the milk. Spoon this mixture over the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Jambalaya

2009-07-01T07:11:00.001-07:00

I found this on Real Simple. It's fantastic!

3/4 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille, sliced into rounds
1 large red pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups rice
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sauté the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Add the red pepper to the Dutch oven; sauté 2 minutes. Add the celery, scallions, parsley, garlic, and thyme, stirring well. Cook another 3 minutes, then add the rice, still stirring. Add the chicken, combining well. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is done. Stir in the shrimp and lemon juice and cook until the shrimp are just done, another 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Lasagna

2009-06-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

I ripped this off of allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1.In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4.To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

5.Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Easy Icecream Cake

2009-06-24T18:21:00.001-07:00

1 (16 ounce) can chocolate syrup
3/4 cup peanut butter
19 ice cream sandwiches
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup salted peanuts

Pour the chocolate syrup into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave 2 minutes on high. Do not allow to boil. Stir peanut butter into hot chocolate until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with a layer of ice cream sandwiches. Spread half the whipped topping over the sandwiches. Spoon half the chocolate mixture over that. Top with half the peanuts. Repeat layers. Freeze until firm, 1 hour. Cut into squares to serve.

Parisian Chicken Curry Sandwiches

2009-06-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

Jared and I had some DELICIOUS chicken curry sandwiches in Paris while on vacation. We have both craved them ever since. Here's as close as I've gotten to duplicating them:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
6 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
3 teaspoons red curry powder
1 tablespoon sriracha hot chilli sauce (omit if you don't want it hot)
3 cups finely diced chicken from 2 purchased roast chickens (1 pound total)
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 cups shredded hearts of romaine
1 tomato sliced
french bread

Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder and sriracha in medium bowl. Mix in chicken and green onions. Season chicken salad to taste with salt and pepper. Divide chicken salad, tomato slices and lettuce into 4 portions. Place the chicken mixture, tomato slices and romaine on french bread. DELICIOUS!

Caesar pasta salad with chicken and homemade ciabatta croutons

2009-06-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is so delicous...just thought I'd share with you all.

Prep:
For chicken:
1-2 chicken breasts
1 egg, yolk broken
1/2 c. AP flour
salt, pepper to taste
olive oil/Enova/canola oil for cooking in pan

Defrost and slice one or two chicken breasts into 2 inch chunks (or smaller). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dip in egg and coat with AP flour.
Warm up oil over medium heat and place chicken pieces in one at a time. Cook on both sides until browned and cooked through. Remove to plate.

For croutons:
Cut into 1 inch chunks either ciabatta bread that has been thick sliced or ciabatta rolls (I used the Take N' Bake rolls from HyVee/Target).
Brush olive oil onto chunks generously and place on baking sheet.
Oven at 400, cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with a little garlic salt (or leave plain if you'd rather). Store in airtight container (trust me, these won't last long once you taste them...I was eating them plain all afternoon).

Cook farfalle pasta according to directions, drain and rinse with cold water.

Stop eating the croutons now or there won't be any left for the actual salad!

Assembly:
In large bowl, place cooked pasta, 1/2 cup Brianna's Asiago Caesar dressing (or your favorite kind), a couple spoonfuls of shredded parmesan (I got a little container at Hyvee pre-shredded) and chicken chunks. Stir to distribute dressing.

Cut up pieces of romaine lettuce and add to bowl. Cut croutons if they are too large and toss into bowl. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with extra cheese if you like and dig in!

Hope you like it!

PS: I made this just for me (Carter wouldn't eat this if I coated it in chocolate) since I'm by myself and ended up only using a few noodles, a half heart of romaine, 3 chunks of chicken, a teeny bit of cheese and a couple tablespoons of salad dressing. And tons of croutons. I'll just make up another salad with the leftover stuff tomorrow. You can do this for however many you like, just up the ingredient amounts for what you need.

Raspberry Limeade Cake

2009-06-14T17:17:00.001-07:00

From Paula Dean - to a friend of my mom - to my mom

I made these up as cupcakes - delicious - but any way you make it would be great!

Not quick or easy.. but so worth it

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar1 tablespoon lime zest
3/4 cup limeade concentrate
5 large eggs
3 -3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 -3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 - 1/2 cups whole buttermilk
raspberry filling (see below)
cream cheese icing (see below)
garnish of lime slices and whole raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray three 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lime zest at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the limeade concentrate, beating until combined (mixture will look curdled).Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk,beginning and ending with flour mixture.Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean from center. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes once finished bakingand then remove cakes from pans. Allow to cool completely on wire racks. Once cooled, spread raspberry filling evenly between layers and ice with cream cheese frosting.Garnish as desired.

Raspberry Filling
1 (10 oz.) package of frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup butter cut in pieces

Blend raspberries until smooth in a food processor. Strain mixture and discard solids. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add raspberry puree, egg yolks, and lemon juice, whisking to combine. Cook over medium heat whisking constantly for 7 to 8 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat, whisk in butter gradually until melted. Cool mixture slightly then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cream Cheese-Limeade Icing
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cups butter, softened
3 tablespoons. limeade concentrate
1 tablespoon lime zest5 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add limeade concentrate and lime zest, beating at low speed until combined. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

2009-05-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

SO good

INGREDIENTS

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1T Poultry seasoning
2t Cumin
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, each biscuit cut into 6 pieces
optional - frozen vegetables: corn, peas, carrots

DIRECTIONS

Place the chicken, butter, soup, cumin, poultry seasoning and onion in a crock pot, and fill with enough water to cover.
Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High (or all day on low). About 45-60 minutes before serving, shread the chicken and return it to the crock pot. Place the biscuit dough pieces in the crock pot(if the crock pot isn't on high, put it on high for this portion). If you are adding vegetables add them at this point. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Outback Alice's Spring Chicken Recipe

2009-05-05T16:09:00.001-07:00

I got this from Kristen, but my wanted to put it online here! We half the recipe.

Honey Mustard Marinade:
1/2 cup Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Chicken:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms (10-12 mushrooms)- we leave this out
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
paprika
8 slices bacon, cooked
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Using an electric mixer, combine mustard, honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Whip mixture for about 30 seconds. Pour about 2/3 of marinade over the chicken breasts and marinate them (covered) in the refrigerator, for about 2 hours. Chill remaining marinade until later.

2. After the chicken has marinated, preheat oven to 375°F and heat up an ovenproof frying pan (large enough to hold all four breasts) with 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish for the baking. Sear chicken in pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the pan from heat, but keep the chicken in the pan. As the chicken is cooking, saute the sliced mushrooms in butter in a small frying pan.

3. Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the reserved honey mustard marinade (not the portion the chicken marinated in), being sure to save a little extra to serve as a side.

4. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika. Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise, on each chicken breast. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms on the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly. Spread 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese onto each breast, followed by 1/4 cup of Cheddar.

5. Bake the pan of chicken for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble.

6. Sprinkle each chicken breast with teaspoon parsley before serving. Place extra marinade in small bowl to serve on the side.

Delish! You can serve with cheesy mashed potatoes.

Chicken Satay

2009-04-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

We made this tonight on the grill and it was delicious!

6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pack chicken tenders (or breasts....I just love the tenders)

In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, curry powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate at least 2 hours (or 1.5 hours on the counter:) .

Preheat a grill to high heat.

Grill chicken for 5 minutes per side, until done.

Chocolate Almond Cake with Raspberry Sauce

2009-04-13T10:50:00.001-07:00

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

8 oz. almond paste (not marzipan - that has sugar added)

¼ c. butter

2/3 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. brandy

1/3 c. flour

½ tsp. baking powder

Cream together almond paste, butter, and sugar. Add cooled chocolate, eggs, and brandy. Stir in flour and baking powder just till mixed. Spread batter in an 8-inch round cake pan that has been lined with 2 sheets of parchment paper. (Do not grease the pan.) Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out fairly clean. Cool completely. Cut around the cake with a knife and turn onto serving plate. Serve with raspberry sauce, garnish with fresh raspberries and mint if desired.

Raspberry Sauce: Blend together a thawed 12-ounce bag of frozen raspberries (no sugar added) and 2 tablespoons sugar. Push mixture through a sieve with a rubber scraper to remove most of the seeds. If you have fresh berries, use 2 cups berries and 2 Tbsp. sugar.

-Terri Narr

Key Lime Sorbet

2009-04-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

If you love tart... you will love this!

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup key lime preserves
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
4 cups lime flavored club soda or seltzer
Kosher salt

Directions
Combine sugar, preserves and 1 cup of the soda in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar and preserves are melted. Add citrus juice and zest. Stir in the remaining soda, move to a clean, lidded container and chill thoroughly, 2 to 3 hours.

Turn mixture in ice cream maker per maker's instructions or until mixture reaches the consistency of a firm slush. Return mixture to lidded container and harden in freezer 1 hour before serving.

If sorbet is to be held frozen for longer than 2 hours, move from freezer to refrigerator for about half an hour before serving. If you'd like a more assertive sorbet, double the amount of citrus zest.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries

2009-04-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

Jared's Favorite

For meringue:
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

For filling:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups mixed berries

Make meringue:

Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle. Trace an approximately 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet.
Whisk together superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks.
Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more.
Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer).
Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center (the "crater" is for curd and fruit). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (inside will still be marshmallow-like).
Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.

Make Lemon curd while meringue bakes:

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-qt heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.

Assemble Pavlova:

Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/4 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

World's Best Potatoes au Gratin

2009-04-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

This was my very favorite dish this Easter.. I will make it often now!

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded Gruyere
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or similar sized casserole dish.
Arrange the sliced potatoes in the prepared dish. In a medium saucepan, saute the minced garlic in butter over medium heat until softened and fragrant. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the cream until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes in the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until browned.

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham with Baby Carrots

2009-04-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 (8 to 10-pound) smoked ham, bone-in, skin on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
2 tangerines, sliced thin, seeds removed
2 cups tangerine juice
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
11/2 pounds carrots, peeled

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Put the ham in a large roasting pan, fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the ham with cuts across the skin, about 2-inches apart and 1/2-inch deep. Cut diagonally down the slashes to form a diamond pattern; season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Chop about 8 of the sage leaves and put it in a bowl; mix with the oil to make a paste. Rub the sage-oil all over the ham, being sure to get the flavor into all the slits. Bake the ham for 2 hours. Now there is plenty of time to bang-out the tangerine glaze.

For the glaze: Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chunks of butter, tangerines, tangerine juice, brown sugar, water, and spices. Slowly cook the liquid down to a syrupy glaze; this should take about 30 to 40 minutes.

After the ham has being going for a couple of hours, pour the tangerine glaze all over it, with the pieces of fruit and all. Scatter the remaining sage leaves on top and stick the ham back in the oven and continue to cook for 11/2 hours, basting with the juices every 30 minutes.

Scatter the carrots around the ham and coat in the tangerine glaze. Stick the ham once again back in the oven and cook for a final 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, the ham is dark and crispy, and the whole thing is glistening with a sugary glaze.

Set the ham on a cutting board to rest before carving. Serve the carrots and tangerine glaze on the side.

Honey Bun Cake

2009-04-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine from college got this off of AllRecipes.com, and then she blogged about it. So then I made it, and now I am blogging about it. It is good! It is also relatively healthy because of the applesauce and egg whites. (Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 piece) equals 185 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 198 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.)

I have to confess that I made this last night, and I DID NOT have the applesauce, so I substituted unhealthy oil for it. haha Oh well. So, I put 1/3 c of canola oil. Also, after already not using the healthy fat, I went ahead and put 3 eggs instead of the 4 egg whites. SOOOOOO mine wasn't healthy. But either way, it is GOOD! :)

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow or whitecake mix
4 egg whites
1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

For Filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*By the way, I used a bundt pan. I think this is the kind of cake that is perfect in that pan, but I'm sure you can use whatever.

Directions:1. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, egg whites, sour cream and applesauce. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.2. Pour HALF into a greased 9 x 13 or bundt pan. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Cover with remaining batter; cut through with a knife to swirl. Bake at 325 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (If using bundt pan, bake for 40-45 minutes). Cool on a wire rack. Flip over onto serving dish.3. For glaze, combine confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over warm cake. Store at room temperature.

Best Ever Potato Soup

2009-04-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

I know that we are kind of getting out of the "soup weather," so that's why I haven't posted this. But then this morning as I felt the cold wind blowing, I thought, "There is still time." So here it is:

Ingredients:
10 bacon strips, diced
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 can (14 ½ oz) chicken broth
1 small carrot, grated (we don’t put this in)
½ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon each celery seed, salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
8 oz Velveeta cheese cubed (or you can use 8 oz of cheddar)
2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; drain. Remove about half of bacon to put on top of soup. Add potatoes, broth, carrot, onion, parsley, celery seed, salt & pepper. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).

Combine flour and milk until smooth; add to soup. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add cheese; stir until cheese is melted and the soup is heated through. Garnish with green onions and reserved bacon.

*You can add an extra potato or two and then mash some of the potatoes to help with the thickening. Also, it's not a bad idea to double the recipe because it goes fast!

Asian Salad

2009-03-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) Asian sesame oil
1 navel orange
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
Cut off peel and white pith from orange. Cut orange into 1/3-inch rounds; cut rounds crosswise in half. Add spinach to dressing; toss to coat. Add avocado and orange; toss gently.

Dinner in a Jar - homemade caramel sauce

2009-03-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

I found this whilst blog hopping the other day and decided I should share it with all of you after telling Kristen about it earlier!

Here goes:

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
1/3 c. butter (5-1/3 Tb), cut into chunks
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tb light Karo syrup

Combine all ingredients into a pot and cook and stir over Medium heat until it begins to boil. Remove from heat. You can serve right away or store in a tupperware in the refrigerator. When you are ready to have some, take out of fridge and microwave approximately 20 seconds (less if you've already eaten some of course) and caramel will thin down a bit for you.

This really is the best caramel sauce I've tasted and I am so glad I found this recipe! I ate almost half of the batch I made just with a spoon, no ice cream, cookies, sundaes or desserts involved. It is delicious!

recipe found at www.armellejewelry.blogspot.com

Crockpot turkey breast, mmm!

2009-03-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely delicious and about the easiest way I've ever made a turkey breast.

You'll need:
Large crockpot (big enough to hold a turkey breast plus some liquid)
1 turkey breast
1 medium yellow onion, chopped in BIG chunks
1 can chicken broth (or 2 cups white wine)
1 stick butter in chunks
salt and pepper to taste (no salt if using chkn broth that isn't low sodium)

Refrigerate turkey breast for 1-1/2 to 2 days in refridgerator.

Remove turkey from netting and wrapper and more netting (if you have one like mine). Put pouch of gravy on plate and store in fridge for later. Wash turkey in sink with water and then pat dry with paper towels. Place in bottom of crock pot. Wash hands.

Chop up onion in big chunks and place all around and on top of turkey breast. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Drop in chunks of butter. Pour can of chicken broth all over turkey.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. I cooked mine (still partially frozen after 1 day in fridge, eek!) on Hi for 5.5 hours then checked temperature and it was 190+ and already done. I left it on Stay Warm for the remaining 2 hours til dinner and it was perfect!

I served mine with:
Cornbread stuffing and Green Bean Casserole

Toasted cornbread stuffing:

For the stuffing, I just made a box mix because they're easy and I like them! After it was cooked, I put it in a casserole and put in the oven for about 5-10 minutes with the green bean casserole at 350.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cans French cut green beans, drained
1 can Cream of Mushroom
1/2 can of milk
Couple shakes of pepper and a shake of cayenne paper
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I'd have used more but I ran out! Try 1/2 cup in yours)
french fried onions

Stir all ingredients together in medium bowl, then transfer to a glass casserole. Top with fried onions and bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes or until warm through and bubbly.

Cafe Rio Chicken, Lime Rice, and Beans

2009-03-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

[ CAFE-RIO CHICKEN ]

1/2 bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
3 cloves garlic minced
2 chicken breasts (frozen)

Place all ingredients into crock-pot for 4 hours on high. Shred and Cook an additional hour.
(I didn't go the full hour, I just let it cook while I made the rice and beans)

[ LIME-CILANTRO RICE ]

1 Tbsp. oil
2 c. long grain rice (3 c. water)
cilantro, finely chopped
juice of a lime
1 tsp. crushed garlic

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes).

[ BLACK BEANS ]

1 Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

(I've made it that way too but last night I just added some Cumin and Minced Garlic to the can of beans and heated)

[ TORTILLAS ]

Take a pan of heated oil, place a flour tortilla in for a few seconds until it starts bubbling up, then flip over and do same thing.

Or, I've also made the following homemade tortillas, which never seem to turn out quite in the shape of tortillas, but maybe you'll have better luck!

Homemade tortillas:
3 C. flour
1/2 C. veggie or olive oil
1 1/8 C. luke warm water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients and knead. If too hard to knead, add a little water but if too sticky add a little more flour. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Makes about 12 small balls. Flatten each by rolling them out and then cook them in a frying pan

[ INSTRUCTIONS ]

Place Rice, Beans, Chicken, (Cheese optional) all on the tortilla! You can wrap as burrito or eat taco style. Enjoy!

Asian Pork and Mushroom Burgers

2009-03-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
1 3/4 ground pork
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
redpepper, carrot, cilantro and lettuce for burger toppings if desired

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool in skillet. Once they are cool, roughly chop up the mixture.

Place pork in large bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, cracked pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, then fold in mushroom mixture. Shape into patties.

Whisk hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, chili sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons sesame oil in small bowl for sauce. DO AHEAD: Burgers and sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately; chill.

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat ). Grill burgers until cooked through. Place burgers on buns and top with sauce, pepper, lettuce, carrot and cilantro however you like it!

Ham and Swiss Party Sandwiches

2009-02-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe a couple of years ago, and everytime I make them they are such a hit!!! Don't underestimate the name. They are SO good and SO good for parties or large crowds. I have already been getting email requests from Chris' classmates wanting this recipe, so I thought I would post it for you all too.....

What You Need:

2 packages of Dinnner Rolls (I bought some soft ones I found at Target..not sure the name....!!)
Swiss Cheese slices
Deli Ham
3 tbsp. mustard
3 tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tsp minced onion
2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 sticks butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice both packages of rolls horizontally and place on pan or cookie sheet. Melt the butter/margarine in the microwave. Add poppy seeds, mustard, onion, & worchestershire to butter. Whisk together. Brush mustard mixture evenly and liberally on both sides of rolls. On the bottom top the mustard mixture with a layer of ham and then a layer of swiss. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Chicken Ranch Pizza

2009-02-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Jared was a big fan of this one...

INGREDIENTS

1 package chicken breast tenders
flour for dusting
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
4 strips of bacon, cooked

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to according to the package directions on the pizza dough.
Dust the chicken with flour
Place chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Cook until no longer pink, and juices run clear. Cool, then either shred or chop into small pieces.
Unroll dough, and press into the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes to let crust set up then take out.
Spread ranch dressing over partially baked crust. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Place tomatoes, green onion, chicken and bacon on top of mozzarella cheese, then top with Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for the remaining time according to crust directions, or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

French Dip Sandwiches

2009-02-20T07:13:00.000-08:00

Cassi - this is for you! It's easy but sooooo good.... we've decided it's way better than any restaurant French Dip we've ever had.

1 roast (cheapest one at the store - don't buy a nice one)

2 loaves of day old bread from Jimmy Johns ($.40 here!)

2 packs of Au Jus gravy powder mix

butter

mozzarella cheese

Stir up 1 Au Jus packet with 1-2 cups of water (depending on the size of your crock pot) and place the roast in the crock pot with the water/ powder mix. Add water until it's about half way up the pot.

Let the crock pot cook it on low all day.

When you get home from work, take a fork and shred up the meat (you can do this while it's still in the crock pot). It should just pull apart really easily.

Heat up the second Au Jus packet according to the directions.

Cut the bread in half length-wise and then again width-wise so you have 4 pieces of bread for 2 sandwiches/ loaf. Butter the inside of the bread and place it on a cookie sheet butter side up. Add cheese if you want (I don't like it but Jared does) on top of one of the buttered sides.

Broil the bread until it's toasted.

Put the shredded meat on the bread and make sandwiches then dip it in the Au Jus you heated up.

Sooooo good!

Skinny Tortilla Soup (the easy way)

2009-02-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

Here's what we had for dinner tonight. I tried it this time in the Crock-Pot and it worked great! (Now I know it's not fancy- I'm so intimidated by all your fancy recipes, but hey, we liked it!)

SKINNY TORTILLA SOUP

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth (or bouillon and water)
1 ½ C. frozen corn (we omitted this)
¾ C. chunky salsa
½ C. water
1 C. chicken breast (I used one large frozen chicken breast)
2 C. shredded cheese
tortilla chips

Combine beans, broth, corn (or you know, not), salsa, water and chicken in crock pot. Heat on high for 4 hours (or you could do low for longer). About 30 min before serving, shred chicken and add 1 C cheese.

Serve with remaining cheese sprinkled on top and tortilla chips. I also put flour tortillas filled with cheese in a pan of oil and made yummy cheese crisps.

Black bean salsa quesadillas

2009-02-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

I just whipped up one of these quesadillas for lunch and thought I'd share the recipe with you since they turned out awesome!

1 can black beans, drain some of juice off
1/2 cup salsa
shredded cheddar cheese, the sharper the better
few leaves of cilantro, torn
reduced fat sour cream
tortillas, soft taco size, regular or whole-wheat

Using a vegetable processor, pour in 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4-1/2 cup salsa (too much salsa and the quesadilla might end up a bit messy!), and a few leaves of cilantro (torn). Process until chunky and well blended, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Butter sides of tortillas. Spread one tortilla with black bean/salsa mixture. Top with cheddar cheese. Place butter side down in pan and cover with other tortilla. Cook until light brown on bottom side, then flip. Cook until second side is browned as well.

Transfer to cutting board and divide into quarters with a pizza cutter. Top with sour cream and more salsa.

YUM :) These would be great for kiddos too--a sneaky way to get them to eat some veggies!

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-02-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

24 large mushrooms
2Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1-8oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
4oz crabmeat
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp. bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp. cognac
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
fresh parsley sprigs
lemon wedges

Remove mushroom stems;clean caps and set aside. Discard stems. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except mushrooms, parsley and lemon wedges. Beat well. Fill each mushroom cap with enough of the mixture to form a dome. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes. To serve, place mushrroms on a platter and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Salmon Marinade

2009-02-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

Got this from my mom. It's really good.

1/4 c soy sauce

2 cloves garlic minced

2 T olive oil

2 T fresh grated ginger (I just grate mine on the cheese grater)

1/3 c brown sugar

Mix the ingredients and then put them into a gallon ziplock.

Put as many salmon steaks in there as you want and then let it marinade for 1/2-1 hour (not any more according to my mom or they're gross)

Then just grill them up on the stove top or grill and they are fantastic.

I put them with rice and broccoli and it was very yummy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2009-01-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

REALLY GOOD WITH FRENCH BREAD

INGREDIENTS

4 cloves garlic
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins.
In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.

Caramel Nut Brownies

2009-01-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

These are GREAT

1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking dish.
Melt caramels and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk over very low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Combine cake mix, melted butter, the remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk, vanilla and nuts. Mix well and spread 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the partially cooked brownies. Pour the melted caramel mixture over the top and with a teaspoon drop the remaining 1/2 of the batter evenly over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Let brownies cool in pan then cut into bars.

Roasted Pork Sandwiches with Rosemary Au Jus

2009-01-16T12:49:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 (2-ounce) French bread rolls
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; add 1 teaspoon oil. Rub over pork. Let stand 15 minutes.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand 5 minutes. Remove pork from pan; cut diagonally across grain into 12 slices.

Return pan to medium-high heat, and add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add sherry and tomato paste; stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

Cut rolls in half horizontally. Place 2 slices pork on bottom half of each roll; top with lettuce leaf, if desired. Cover with roll tops. Serve with jus.

Raspberry Crumbles

2009-01-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 8 inch square pan, and line with greased foil.
Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats. Rub in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender to form a crumbly mixture. Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, and lightly press it into the jam.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Hummus

2009-01-14T08:38:00.001-08:00

I've been looking for a good hummus recipe for a while... this one is really great.

We serve it with naan or pita.

Ingredients

1 (16-oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Process first 6 ingredients and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours or up to 3 days.

Sesame-Crusted Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Pineapple, Mango, and Red Pepper Relish

2009-01-14T08:36:00.000-08:00

Found this in Cooking Light and it was really good.

Ingredients

RELISH:
1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled mango
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (about 1 inch thick)
4 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Preparation

To prepare relish, combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl; set aside.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steaks. Coat both sides of each steak with 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, pressing gently to adhere. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with relish.

Ranch-y snack mix

2008-11-29T10:47:00.000-08:00

Delicious to munch on at Christmas-time, this snack mix sells at Hy-Vee for 4 bucks for a tiny container...why not make your own?

I have a container of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix but you could use 1 packet instead of the same thing.

3 Tb ranch mix (equal to 1 packet of dressing mix sold at grocery store)
3 Tb vegetable oil
1-2 c. each chex cereal, oyster crackers, goldfish (or whales), pretzels

Pour all cereal/crackers into a big bag (paper or huge ziploc both work). Pour in vegetable oil, close bag, and shake like crazy. Open bag and pour in ranch mix. Close and shake like crazy again.

Pour into a tupperware to store and snack on for days to come! Enjoy!

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

2008-11-29T10:41:00.001-08:00

I made these for our Thanksgiving dinner and they were a hit!

Start by making basic mashed potatoes:
6 medium potatoes
2 Tb butter
1/2 c. cream
dash of salt and pepper

Peel and cook potatoes until done. Drain and mash in large bowl. Add butter and cream (start with a little and work your way up, you may not need all of the 1/2 cup). Add salt and pepper.

To make them loaded:
1/2 c. milk
1 pkg cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used white cheddar but yellow is good too!)
1/2 lb bacon (I used one pkg of ready-cooked bacon from target)

In same large bowl that potatoes are in already, add milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley flakes and garlic salt and mix with hand mixer on medium speed until creamy.

Spread into greased 9x13 pan and smooth out top. Break up bacon pieces and sprinkle over top of potatoes. Sprinkle top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until warm inside.

YUM!

Peanut Butter Pie

2008-11-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a friend, and it is SOOOOOOOO GOOD! I'll try to post more than just desserts, but I have a major sweets addiction. I highly recommend this, and I'm not even a pie person.

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 c chocolate chips
1 small instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 c. milk
1 container of cool whip

Directions:
Mix peanut butter and sugar (it makes a weird but yummy crumble mixture). Pat crumbs on top of crust, saving some to sprinkle on top of the pie.
Whisk pudding and milk according to package (2 minutes) pour over top of crust.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Add Cool Whip and peanut butter crumbles and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Monster Cookies

2008-11-17T09:16:00.001-08:00

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies, so they are perfect if you are giving baked goods away for the holidays and need large quantities. I also LOVE that they have M & M's in them...yummy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar PACKED
3 eggs
2 cups peanut butter
3/4 tsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla
4 c minute oats
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup M&Ms
1 6oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream butter and add sugar to it. Then add in the eggs, corn syrup, peanut butter vanilla, salt & baking soda. Add oats & mix into batter. Stir in M&Ms & Chocolate chips. Roll into large balls and place on cookie sheet & press into circle. (Warning - the dough feels gooey-er than most cookie dough, and that's ok!)Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Watch them closely. My oven cooks faster than most, so I put it on 325 and took them out around 10-12 minutes. They are really good!

Pumpkin Bars

2008-11-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

Guilty confession...David and I ate an entire pan of these ourselves last week. They are THAT good. :)

Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined.
Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven. (You can also use a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.) Cool before frosting or the bars will get flattened (but if you can't wait and don't mind flat bars, this is okay!).
To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve!

Banana Bars

2008-10-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

We had frozen bananas coming out of our ears and you can only eat so much banana bread:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese frosting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese frosting.

Italian Chicken Calzones

2008-10-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 (14 ounce) can marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained, liquid reserved
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup white wine
2 tubes pre-made pizza dough
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
pizza sauce (for dipping)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven according to directions on pizza dough package.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in oil and butter for 5 to 7 minutes per side; remove from skillet, and set aside.
Place artichoke hearts and mushrooms in the skillet, and saute until mushrooms are brown and tender. Return chicken to skillet, and pour in reserved artichoke liquid and wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Roll out pizza dough and portion the dough into as many calzones as you want.
Place some of the chicken mixture into the center of the dough piece. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Seal the dough around the chicken mixture being careful to completely enclose the contents.
Place the calzones on a greased cookie sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown.

Dip the calzones in the pizza sauce if desired.

Macaroni and Cheese

2008-10-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Chickpea and Potato Curry

2008-10-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
One 14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes with chiles (If you can't find canned tomatoes with chiles you can add half a 4-ounce can of diced green anaheim chiles to a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes.)
6 baby (new) Yukon Gold potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 In a large pot, combine the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, butter, ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir to mix and nestle the potatoes into the liquid.

2 Set the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Simmer vigorously for about 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add more salt to taste. Serve the curry in bowls over Jasmine rice.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

2008-10-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is a yummy recipe from a friend. So I thought I'd share it! We love this meal

16oz. farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 cup whipping cream
3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 Tbsp. pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 12oz. bottle Lawry's mesquite with lime juice marinade
*2-3 cloves crushed garlic (optional)

Cook chicken in crock pot with marinade, 4-6 hours. Boil pasta. Melt butter; add whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, & bacon. Whisk together on low heat 5 min. In a large bowl add pasta and sauce, mix well. Cut up chicken into small cubes and add to mixture. Serve with garlic toast.

Also, I half the recipe because it makes a ton!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

2008-10-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner last night and Brandon enjoyed it. It wasn't that spicy either which I like!

Prep Time:
20 min

Total Time:
10 hr 20 min

Makes:
10 servings

10 chicken thighs, skins removed (2-3/4 lb.)

1 jar (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. curry powder

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S FREE or KNUDSEN FREE Fat Free Sour Cream

PLACE chicken in slow cooker. Combine salsa, onions and curry powder; pour over chicken. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (or on HIGH for 5 hours).

REMOVE chicken to serving platter; cover to keep warm. Add sour cream to slow cooker; stir until well blended. Serve over the chicken.

Serving Suggestion

Serve over hot steamed vegetables. Or, spoon over 2/3-cup servings of hot cooked brown rice.

Cooking Know-How

Heat releases the fragrant flavorful oils in curry. For optimum flavor, measure the curry powder into a small microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH for 30 sec. before adding to the slow cooker.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

2008-10-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

My cousin made this for our family reunion and it was a total hit! I made it and it was easy and delicious!
INGREDIENTS
1 Fuji apple - peeled, cored and diced
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
**You can really use whatever fruit you have laying around. We used apples, pears, peaches, raspberries and strawberries in ours. Honestly...use whatever fruit is in the fridge or whatever you think sounds yummy! Just be sure to cut everything small enough it will be easy to scoop up with the chips!

1 cup oil for frying OR cooking spray
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together Fuji apple, strawberries, kiwis, bananas, lime juice, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 20 minutes.
For fried tortillas:
Heat oil in a medium heavy saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Slice flour tortillas into triangles. Carefully place tortilla triangles into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Place white sugar and cinnamon in a large ziplock plastic bag. Drop fried tortilla triangles into the bag and shake to coat.
For baked tortillas:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut tortillas into triangles. Spray both sides with cooking spray and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top. Bake until crispy(about 10-15minutes).

Serve the cinnamon chips warm (room temp is fine, too!) with the chilled fruit salsa.

Alex Streeter's Famous Pie

2008-10-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

I had a craving - got the recipe from him - and now I'm posting it here so that I can't lose it

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12-oz. container firm silken tofu
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 9-inch premade graham cracker crust
1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered pretzels

DIRECTIONS

Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Stir chocolate, and heat 30 seconds more. Repeat heating and stirring until chocolate is just melted. Set aside.

Combine tofu and maple syrup in food processor, and blend 3 minutes, or until smooth.

Add peanut butter, and process until smooth. Add melted chocolate, and process once more until smooth.

Pour peanut butter-chocolate mixture into pie crust, smoothing the top; refrigerate 20 minutes.

Sprinkle pretzels on top, and serve, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Asparagus Roll-ups

2008-05-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

1 bunch asapragus, cut to length of bread slice
8 oz. cream cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch of green onions, sliced very thin
1 loaf of whole wheat bread
butter
freshly grated parmesan

Steam/ blanch asparagus. Do not overcook! Lay asparagus on a paper towel until it drys and is cool. Roll bread flat and cut off crust. Combine cream cheese, bacon and onion. Spread cheese mixture on bread slice. Place spear on bread. Roll up on angle. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake 10 -15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Creamy Spinach Lasagna

2008-05-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top.

Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples

2008-05-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
4 cups (1/2-inch) slices peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt

Combine first 3 ingredients, and sprinkle over the pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the pork from pan. Cover and keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add apples and remaining ingredients, and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Serve the apples with pork.

Cherry Nut Bread

2008-05-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

I've been looking here periodically for a few months and love all the great recipe ideas, so I figured it was time to share one. Thanks Allison!

Cherry Nut Bread

2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup soft butter
2 eggs beaten
½ tsp. vanilla
1 13 ounce can evaporated milk

Mix all ingredients together. Lastly, add 1 10 ounce jar of cherries and juice to the above mixture, fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans.
Bake at 350 for one hour. Makes 2 loaves.

penne and italian sausage with cream sauce

2008-04-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

I am in love with this dish so I wanted to share with you all!

1 batch of cooked penne pasta
1 pkg sweet italian sausage (turkey)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
dash of garlic powder
dash of black pepper

Cook pasta and drain. Squeeze sausage from casings. Cook sausage in hot pan until browned. Drain all grease from pan and dab meat with papertowels to get any extra off. Return to pan and pour in heavy cream. Sprinkle with seasonings. Bring to boil while stirring and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes over a medium heat until sauce thickens some. It will still be pretty runny but will thicken more as it cools. Add pasta and toss. Serve with toast to soak up all the delicious sauce.

You can top this with parmesan cheese if you like. You could also add chopped scallions and mushrooms while cooking if you like them.

Extreme Bruschetta

2008-04-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-03-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

1 Devil's Food Cake
2 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 bag (I used a little less) chocolate chips

Mix ingredients together and drop in spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.

So easy and yummy!!

The Most Fantastic Drink Ever: Frozen Hot Chocolate

2008-03-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates
2 teaspoons storebought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings

Preparation:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy with a spoon or a straw. . . .or both!

BEST Brownies Ever

2008-02-27T10:52:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love these brownies!

3 Layers- Brownies, Marshmallows, Fudge... what could be better?

INGREDIENTS
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 (1 ounce) square unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the white sugar and cocoa. Mix in the melted butter until well blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Fold in walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cover with an even layer of miniature marshmallows. Return to the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Pop it in the fridge so it's ready for the next step.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, water and unsweetened chocolate. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the marshmallow layer. Allow frosting to set before cutting into bars.

Don't store these in the fridge, they become rocks! Keep them at room temperature. They are especially good if you microwave them for 30 seconds before eating! Also great with icecream ;)

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

2008-02-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

2 cans Campbell Chicken and Wild Rice
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 box Rice-a-Roni Grain Wild Rice
2 Chicken Breasts- cooked and shredded (or you can use 2 of those Sams club Chicken Breast cans)
2 cups Chicken Broth (1 can)

1. Mix 2 cans Campbell Chicken and Wild Rice and 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup. Simmer.
2. In a different pan, mix Rice-a-Roni like directions on back of box say. After you bring to a boil, when you turn it down to simmer, add the Chicken Breast and Chicken Broth, and the Chicken and Wild Rice/Cream of Chicken mixture.
3. Simmer for about 30 min or so.
4. Enjoy!

Tuscan Soup

2008-02-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

Jared really liked this one...

I cut the recipe in half and we still had more than enough

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
6 potato, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch fresh spinach, tough stems removed

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Malaysian Chicken Pizza

2008-01-31T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 pilsbury pizza crust
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preparation
Preheat oven to whatever the pizza crust says.
Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken, and sauté 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Pour rice vinegar mixture into pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook mixture 6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. (Mixture will be consistency of thick syrup.)

Sprinkle cheeses over prepared crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and top with chicken mixture. Bake for 12-18 minutes on bottom rack in oven or until crust looks done. Sprinkle with green onions. Place pizza on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.

Yield
6 servings

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

2008-01-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

Cooking spray
1 1/4 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 chicken breasts
1 head of broccoli cut into florettes
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions

Preparation
Place a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Sprinkle pepper and salt over chicken. Place chicken in grill pan; cook until done. Remove from heat.
Combine broth, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Throw in broccoli at the end and heat through. Spoon glaze over chicken; top with green onions. We served this over rice

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 breast and 1 tablespoon glaze)

Asian BBQ Chicken

2008-01-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

MMMM...another 2 person meal. I let Jared do it on the Foreman (I hate it- but it made him feel manly)

Ingredients
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 chicken breasts

Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove chicken from bag.

Place chicken on grill until done in the center.

Sesame Orange Shrimp

2008-01-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to do better by cooking a little more healthy and in smaller portions. So. this made 2 medium sized portions...

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter (I use crunchy for the texture)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons fresh garlic
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1 cup instant rice (or noodles)
1 cup sugar snap peas (you can also add whatever veggies you have here.. broccoli, carrots etc)
1/2 pounds shrimp (chicken or beef would also be really good!)
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Preparation
Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.
Cook rice according to package directions (I always throw out the package: for minute rice it's 1 cup rice 1 cup water covered in the microwave for 5 minutes.)

Brush shrimp with 1 T sesame oil, and saute until cooked. Add the sugar snap peas to heat through

Mix the shrimp and peas with the rice and add the sauce mixture until it is flavorful enough for you. I didn't need all of the sauce but Jared added more to his so see how you like it.

What's For Dinner?

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Butter Finger Candies

Saltine Cracker Toffee

Mint Brownies

(Easy) Caribbean Steak with Coconut Rice

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Super Easy Molten Chocolate Cakes

Whole Wheat Bread

Monkey Bread

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Fudge

Easy (and really good!) Beef Stew

Jon's Peanut Butter Goodies

Honey Glazed Chicken

Parmesan Ranch Chicken and Ranch Chicken Pizza

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Fancy Banana Cream Pie

Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Directions

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque

Spinach pasta chicken salad

Spicy Shrimp and Fettucine (from Cooking Light)

Caramel Sea Salt Icecream

Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

Cheri's Layered Pumpkin Torte

Pizza Sauce

Pizza Crust

Ingredients

Directions

Granola

Chili Crab

Corn Dip

Fruit Salsa and Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Chips

Parmesan Chicken

Spinach Topped Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Directions:

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

Chicken Ole

Mango Bean Salsa

Chicken Enchiladas

Jambalaya

Lasagna

Easy Icecream Cake

Parisian Chicken Curry Sandwiches

Caesar pasta salad with chicken and homemade ciabatta croutons

Raspberry Limeade Cake

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Outback Alice's Spring Chicken Recipe

Chicken Satay

Chocolate Almond Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Key Lime Sorbet

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries

World's Best Potatoes au Gratin

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham with Baby Carrots

Honey Bun Cake

Best Ever Potato Soup

Asian Salad

Dinner in a Jar - homemade caramel sauce

Crockpot turkey breast, mmm!

Cafe Rio Chicken, Lime Rice, and Beans

Asian Pork and Mushroom Burgers

Ham and Swiss Party Sandwiches

Chicken Ranch Pizza

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

French Dip Sandwiches

Skinny Tortilla Soup (the easy way)

Black bean salsa quesadillas

Stuffed Mushrooms

Salmon Marinade

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

REALLY GOOD WITH FRENCH BREADINGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Caramel Nut Brownies

REALLY GOOD WITH FRENCH BREAD

INGREDIENTS