Easy (and really good!) Beef Stew

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

nocoupons

• 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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

• 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
2. 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.
3. Fill each flour tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, cumin, poultry seasoning and onion in a crock pot, and fill with enough water to cover.
2. 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

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

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

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

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

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.