Casseroles Not Included

Berry Pancakes with Riccota and Boysenberry Syrup

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs and have been dying to try it ever since. In fact, we tried them last night for brinner. They were delicious!

Berry Pancakes with Riccota and Boysenberry Syrup

1 lemon
1 pint fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
11/4 cup milk
4 large eggs, separated
Maple syrup, for serving (I used boysenberry)

1. Working over a bowl, use a grater to zest the lemon, being careful not to remove any of the bitter white pith. Cut the zested lemon into wedges, and set them aside.
2. Add the raspberries to the bowl containing the lemon zest. Stir in 1/3 cup sugar, gently crushing the raspberries with a wooden spoon. Set aside while making the pancake batter.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, 1 tbsp. sugar and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the ricotta cheese with milk and egg yolks. Add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture, and stir until just combined. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
4. Beat egg whites with a handheld mixer until they hold soft peaks. Next, gently fold the raspberries with their juices into the batter, and then fold in the egg whites. (You want little clumps of whites in the batter. The important thing is not to overmix it.)
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately low heat. Melt 1/2 tbsp. butter at the center of the skillet, where you will spoon the batter.
6. Spoon batter into the hot skillet, directly onto the melted butter.
7. Cook each pancake until the bottom is golden brown and the bubbles on the surface begin to break, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the pancake quickly. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
8. Serve finished pancakes with maple syrup and lemon wedges. (or substitute bacon for the lemon wedges. That's what I did.)

Strawberry Cake

2011-04-28T09:12:00.001-07:00

Strawberries were super cheap at the Berkeley Bowl last week so I decided to make a yummy strawberry cake. Then I couldn't find my mom's recipe. So after many hours of blog surfing I found one that I was sure would be delicious (you can't go wrong with a Paula Deen inspired recipe, right?). It was the perfect addition to our Easter celebration.

Homemade Strawberry Cake

Adapted from Paula Deen’s Hummingbird Cake

Nonstick vegetable spray
All-purpose flour, for pans
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup pureed strawberries, strained* (I didn't strain the strawberries and the cake turned out great.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 large eggs, beaten
red food coloring**

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.
- Prepare the cake batter; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pureed strawberries, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes. I used one large bundt pan and baked it for around 50 minutes. I didn't get an exact time but keep checking to make sure it is cooked all the way. A knife test works fantastic.
- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting (recipe below); frost as desired and refrigerate until ready to serve.

* You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If you use frozen, let them defrost on a cookie sheet. Then place in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Run through a medium-sized strainer to remove the seeds. If you have some extra strawberries, try whipping up a quick batch of strawberry scones!

** While I did manage to avoid using red colored gelatin, I did add some food coloring to achieve that perfectly pink color. If you don’t care about getting the pink color, feel free to leave it out. I used about 5 drops, but you should add them one at a time until you achieve the color you are looking for.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
~ 3 cups (approx. 1 box) confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 TBL milk (if needed)

Directions:

- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Slowly add the sugar in 1 cup batches until desired sweetness is achieved. You may need less than 3 cups if you like your frosting less sweet.
- Stir in vanilla. Add milk slowly if you need a looser consistency.

Baked Manicotti With Meat Sauce

2011-02-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Wow, 6 months huh? I'm a slacker! And to be honest, I haven't really been trying a lot of new recipes. But I have just gone through all my cooking magazines and I have pulled out the recipes that I want to try and so my goal is to try a new recipe a week. Probably won't happen that smoothly, but it is worth trying! So for the first one, from Cooks Country, 2009 {I have been holding onto these for a LONG time!}

This is the picture from the magazine, looks yummy huh?
Meat Sauce: I will put this up there, but I actually just used some of my homemade spaghetti sauce and it was great with that. But here is their recipe:

1 onion
6 oz sliced deli pepperoni
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 garlic cloves minced {precut ones fine}
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cans crushed tomatoes

pulse onion and pepperoni in food processor until coarsely ground, add beef. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink. add tomato paste, garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Manicotti:
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded provolone
1 large egg-beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
16 no boil lasagna noodles

I wanted to keep it as simple as I can, so like I said before, it worked great with my own sauce. Unless you are feeling ambitious, I would just use your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce and add some ground turkey or something. The rest of it is so simple!
Combine ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1 cup provolone, egg, salt, pepper, and basil in a bowl. Pour 2 quarts boiling water into a 9x13 pan, soak noodles until pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain noodles on a towel, pour off water and dry baking dish.

Spread half the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish, then top each of the soft noodles with 1/4 cup cheese filling, roll it up into a nice "manicotti" looking roll, then place seam-side down over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over the top, cover with foil and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and add remaining mozzarella and provolone. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes then serve.

Cafe Rio House Dressing

2010-07-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Cafe Rio House Cilantro dressing

1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch (not buttermilk kind)
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
clove of garlic or garlic powder
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno

Put in blender and mix for delicious dressing. So good, especially with the Cafe Rio pork recipe of Maren's.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2010-04-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

I love this recipe from here. Of course I changed things up a bit for my liking. I hope you enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

1 whole Recipe For Pizza Crust (mine Makes Two Crusts) I bought a store pizza crust as I didn't have time to make one from scratch...it was a really good whole wheat crust. In so doing you only need about 1/2 of everything listed here.
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
½ cups Barbecue Sauce
Olive Oil, For Drizzling
Salt For Sprinkling
16 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thinly
½ whole Red Onion, Cut In Half And Sliced Very Thin
Chopped Cilantro, to taste I don't like cilantro unless it is a little bit so you could add a little to the top or you could just forget about it like I did. The pizza is good either way.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Salt chicken breasts on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breasts and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and cut into a fine dice. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.

Roll/stretch out one pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt.

Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.

Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.

Here is how I changed it. I didn't buy my own crust as

Basic Pizza Crust

Ingredients

1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
1-½ cup Warm Water
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
⅓ cups Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.

In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.

Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

When you are ready to make the pizza, grab HALF the pizza dough (recipe makes 2 crusts) and squeeze the dough toward the bottom to form a nice, tight, pulled ball. You can roll out the pizza with a rolling pin if you’d like, but sometimes it’s just as easy to throw it around and pull and stretch till it feels right. And when the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and spread it with your fingers. Very lightly sprinkle some salt on the crust.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Snickerdoodles

2010-03-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

This Snickerdoodle recipe is dynamite. If you don't believe me, let me know and I will send you a dozen or so. You'll love them.

Cookies:
1 cup margarine, room temperature
1-1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt

Cinnamon sugar coating:
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

prepare cinnamon sugar coating; set aside. Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, beat together margarine, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, beating until blended. Shape into 1-1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar coating. Place on cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until golden. Don't overcook these suckers or they'll be hard and crunchy and no good. Remove from cookie sheets; cool on rack. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk.

Cat Head Biscuits

2010-03-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

I know weird name, but they are called this because they are as big as a cat head. One of my favorite restaurants here, Hash House a Go Go, has these killer buttermilk biscuits that they bring out before your meal. They are huge, warm, and drizzled with melted butter and honey. Honestly, they are divine! So imagine my excitement when I opened this month's Cook's Country {fabulous magazine} and saw this recipe for Cat Head Biscuits. And they were crazy good, I may even say just as good as the Hash House ones! So rearrange your menu and make these suckers soon!

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup cake flour {they have a very long explanation why, just make sure you use both!}

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces and softened

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Adjust the oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 9 inch cake pan.

Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Rub butter and shortening into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk until combined.

Use a 1/2 cup measure or a large spring loaded ice cream scoop to transfer 6 heaping portions of dough into the prepared pan. 5 on the outside and 1 in the middle.

Bake until puffed and golden brown 20-25 minutes. Cook in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack.

**I hate to buy buttermilk, you have to buy the huge thing of it and only use about 1 cup. So I have been using the SACO cultured buttermilk blend that you can find in the baking isle and it works wonderfully! I really can't tell the difference and it is really easy to use.

Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

2010-01-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

These enchiladas are delicious. I probably make them every other week because we like them so much. Make them as spicy or as mild as you like. I usually use mild taco seasoning and medium enchilada sauce. I also use low fat cottage cheese and sour cream. They still taste great.

Ingedients:

1 Tbs olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (boiled, shredded)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can chopped green chili peppers (7 oz)
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cottage cheese
1 tsp salt
pinch of ground black pepper
12 tortillas (6 inch)
1 can enchilada sauce (10 0z)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:

1. Meat Mixture: heat oil in skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken, onion, green chili peppers. Saute until brown. Then add taco seasoning and prepare as packet instructions direct.

2. Cheese Mixture: in large bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 350 F

4. Assemble: heat tortillas until warm. In each tortilla, spoon meat mixture, cheese mixture, and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place in lightly greased 9x13 inch casserole dish. Top with enchilada sauce and any remaining meat or cheese mixture.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Margarita Spaghetti

2010-01-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

This is one of our favorite recipes. If you like spaghetti, you will love this. It makes a lot of food, so I generally half the recipe. Two of us can't eat a pound of spaghetti. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti
8 oz fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup Romano cheese
Fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs butter
10 Roma tomatoes (finely chopped)

Directions:

1. cook spaghetti
2. In sauce pan, mix and let simmer olive oil, butter, garlic salt, Roma tomatoes, salt, pepper,
sugar
3. Chop basil
4. Cut up mozzarella
5. Gate Romano cheese
6. In large bowl, combine spaghetti, sauce, basil and cheese

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

2009-11-21T12:29:00.001-08:00

So, I really don't fry things often because oil kind of itimidates me. It splatters all over, is hard to keep at a consistent temperature, and is easily combustable. However, this recipe is so totally easy and delicious that it is worth the risk! Happy fall and enjoy!

Whisk together in large bowl until frothy

- 1 egg

- 1 egg yolk

Add

- 1 cup pumpkin

- 1/2 c sugar

- 1/2 c buttermilk

- 1/4 c brown sugar

- 3 T melted butter

Stir until combined then stir in

- 4 tsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

Gradually fold in 3 cups of flour until a sticky dough forms. Cover in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 min. Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of oil to 370 degrees in an electric skillet or straight-sided pan over medium heat. Pat dough out on a well floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Dip a biscuitt cutter or rim of a 3" wide glass in flour then cut out your doughnuts transferring to a floured baking sheet using a spatula that has been dusted in flour. ( I use a glass to cut out the main doughnut and then cut the hole out of the center with a sharp knife). Fry doughnuts and holes in batches in the oil until browned, about 3 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towel and finish with sugar or glaze.

Apple Cider Glaze

-1/4 c apple cider
- pinch of salt

- 3 c powdered sugar

Heat cider and salt in small sauce pan until hot. Off heat stir in sugar
until smooth. Dip cooled doughnuts in glaze and let stand about 5 min.

Cinnamon Sugar

- 1 c sugar

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small paper bag. Toss donuts and holes while still hot.

Hostess Cupcakes

2009-09-01T21:56:00.000-07:00

So this is a fun one to bake, especially if you have fond memories of Hostess cupcakes like I do! I actually saw this recipe in the Food Network Magazine, but I chickened out and changed it a little bit. Here is what I did:

Cake: {Because I am leery of making cakes from scratch!}

1 devils food chocolate cake mix

1 cup milk

4 eggs

1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup sour cream

So mix the ingredients together and place into cupcake liners. This is a really thick batter, so don't be alarmed! Bake according to the box- careful not to overcook. Remove from oven and let cool completely

Filling:
4 tbs unsalted butter {room temp}

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbs heavy cream

1 cup marshmallow creme

Using a mixer, cream the butter until fluffy, beat in confectioners sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tbs heavy cream, beat until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbs heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Bean in the marshmallow creme and set aside.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top. Fill the cupcake until it is heavier {this is tricky to know how much you put in, you may want to play with it a little bit}.

Ganache and Icing:

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 stick plus 1 tbs unsalted butter

2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

For the ganache:

Place chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tbs butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 tsp vanilla and let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid. {note: this will firm up the longer it sits, you don't want it to be too runny, so wait until it has a little bit of thickness}. Take the filled cupcakes and dip the top of the cupcake into the ganache. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

For the Icing:
With a mixer beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 tsp vanilla, milk and powdered sugar until smooth. Spoon into a pasty bag and with a small tip, pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Mo's Meatballs

2009-09-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

I know that Meatballs are a strange thing, but I swear these are so delicious it is a must try. Thanks Kristen for the recipe! This makes quite a bit, so I halve the recipe for my little family

3 lbs ground beef
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
2 cups oatmeal-slow cook
2 tsp chili powder- you can omit this if you don't like a kick!
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Sauce:
4 c. ketchup
1 1/2 c brown sugar
4 Tbs liquid smoke
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup finely chopped onions

So you will want to prepare the sauce first, saute the onions for a few minutes to help them tenderize, then add the other ingredients and let it simmer

While the sauce is simmering, combine the other ingredients and mix well. Add 1/2 cup sauce to the meat. Then form the meat into baseball {yeah you read that right, not golf ball- baseball} size balls. Bring the sauce to a boil then pour over the top. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Seriously, I know this seems like a man's meal, but they are FANTASTIC!

2009-08-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

I think I may be giving away anceint chinese secrets here, but these are sooooooo good. Caramel, chocolate and goey. You can't go wrong! Click on the picture to see it larger and actually read the recipe!

Green Chicken Enchiladas

2009-08-28T20:01:00.001-07:00

Shannon clued me into this recipe from Cook's Country {great magazine}. It is incredibly easy and very tasty, if you like cilantro

2 10 oz cans green enchilada sauce
1 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite size pieces (approx 3 cups)
2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Salt and Pepper
12 small corn tortillas

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Use Pam on bottom of 9x13 baking dish

Puree enchilada sauce and 1 cup cilantro in a blender. Combine 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture, chicken and 1 1/2 cup cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper

Wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and microwave until pliable, 30 to 90 seconds. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup chicken mixture and roll tightly. Arrange seam side down in baking dish. Spray lightly with cooking spray, then top with additional 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture and remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through, 15-2o minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and top with remaining sauce.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-05-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

So I think I'm going to start calling these the "Peacemaker Cookies" or the "Something for Everyone Cookies". I don't know, I'm still comming up with a good name! But it cracked me up when I read the comments before that said something like "Want to make some cookies, but don't know what kind you want? Try these, they have it all!" Totally true!

Ingredients
1 cup (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Preparation
1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
2. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips, oats, and peanuts.
3. Drop dough in rounded 2-tablespoon portions, 3 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. With a lightly floured fork, flatten slightly into 2 1/2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Bake in a 350° oven until cookies are golden and tops feel set when lightly pressed, 12 to 14 minutes (they will feel underdone but will firm up as they cool); if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.
5. Let stand 5 minutes on sheets, then, with a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Recipe from Sunset Magazine

Banana Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

2009-05-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

I am a HUGE bread pudding fan. I love finding great bread pudding {which if you ever are in Mesa, you just go to Cracker's Cafe and have theirs- it is to die for!} So anyway, the picture totally sold me on this and I had to try it. But it is kind of a mix of a couple of recipes so this is what I did!

Ingredients
1 loaf challah bread
4 large eggs
4 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup mashed overripe bananas, about 2 large
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped

Directions
Cut bread into 3/4-inch slices. Trim away crust, then cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes, to make 8 cups.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs until well beaten.
Whisk in half-and-half, banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Pour mixture over bread. Add chocolate.
Mix with rubber spatula until bread is well moistened. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Set rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Coat a 9x13 pan with butter or cooking spray. Scoop soaked bread mixture into pan, filling it to top.
Bake until top is browned and puffed, and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
Pour warm vanilla Sauce over and serve, with dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Vanilla Sauce:
In a sauce pan melt,

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

Add 1 cup heavy whipping cream and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Take off heat and add 1 tsp vanilla.

**So I thought this was delicious, but there are a couple things I may try next time. . .

1st: I may not mash the bananas, but chop them into chunks so the whole thing is not overrun with banana flavor.
2nd: I saw this recipe that was essentially the same, but they cut the half and half down to 2.5 cups and added 1.5 cups maple syrup. How can you go wrong with that?
3rd: I may try this caramel sauce next time:

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
½ cup water
1 (13-ounce) can evaporated milk
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1.Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil, without stirring, 10 to 14 minutes, tilting pan occasionally to keep color even until Stir in evaporated milk (mixture will foam up); do not scrape sides of pan. One tablespoon at a time, add ¼ cup butter, stirring well after each addition. Stir in remaining butter and vanilla extract until smooth.

My New Favorite Salsa

2009-04-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to Sunshine for this recipe. It is so stinking easy and so delicioius, I think I will probably always have some in my fridge. I love that there is no chopping, and I love that it is not chunky {kind of like the salsa at Chiles Resturant}.

3 cans 14 ½ oz. Tomatoes (I use 2 cans diced and 1 can Ro-tel diced with green chiles)
½ bunch cilantro
½ onion
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. sugar
1 serrano pepper (You can add more if you like up to 4 but that would be crazy hot)
1 tsp. salt

Throw all the ingredients in the blender and blend it up. It tastes best if you make it and let it refrigerate for a couple hours so the flavors can blend. So easy and so delicious!

Asian Sesame Chicken Stir Fry

2009-02-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

So I know how much a picture helps you want to cook something, so here is one I borrowed from some one's blog, it made me want to try this! So I made it for my cooking group using the original recipe with I thought turned out well, but when I ran out of the salad dressing {I have very poor math skills} I changed it up a little bit when I made the second batch. So I commented on the things I changed. . .

1/2 package of chow mien noodles {or you can use angel hair}

2 cups small broccoli florets

2 cups sliced carrots {I added this becuase I like them, I bought the ones already cut into butter slices}

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into thin strips

3/4 c. Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (on the salad dressing isle)

3 Tbsp. soy sauce {I only used 2 Tbsp, it was too salty with 3}

2 Tbsp. sugar {This was my addition because I like a little sweetness}

1/4 tsp. each: ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper {I used less red pepper}

1/3 chopped dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Cook chow mien according to package

Steam broccoli and carrots until soft, but not mushy

Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook the chicken with salt/pepper, ginger, garlic powder and red pepper. Stir in dressing, soy sauce and sugar. Coat well, then add veggies and coat with sauce

Drain pasta and place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture and mix together (lightly). Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

**Recipe and picture from Shelley Brown blog

BBQ Chicken Pizza (the easy way)

2009-01-29T10:54:00.001-08:00

A friend at work gave me this recipe. I know it isn't fancy but it sure is tasty.

Ingredients:
3 flour tortillas
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese
jar of your favorite bbq sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once oven is heated, place tortillas on a cookie sheet and leave in oven until crispy (about four minutes). While tortillas are baking you want to warm up your chicken on the stove. To do this pour 2 Tbsp. bbq sauce in a pan with shredded chicken until the bbq sauce coats the chicken.
When tortillas are crispy, take out of oven. They might have bubbles in them so flatten them out. Take one spoon full of bbq sauce and coat the top of the tortilla (like the tomatoe sauce on a pizza). Put chicken on top of the sauce and then cheese on top of the chicken. Put back in the oven until cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

If you are like me and have a husband that works crazy hours, just half the recipe and you will have the perfect, basically no clean up meal.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

2009-01-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

We probably have these once a month...it is definitely a favorite. This recipe makes at the most 3 sandwiches. The ingredients will be in terms of what I buy at the grocery store. Let me know if it is a little confusing, we altered it from a Rachael Ray recipe.

Ingredients:
3/4 diced onion
2 swirls in pan of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cans of beef broth
a package of sliced roast beef (or 3/4lb. roast beef from deli)
Sandwich rolls (we tried it last night with the Sara Lee rolls and they were tastier than baquettes)
1 package provalone cheese
1 package parmesan cheese

Directions:
Slice rolls in half, butter and sprinkle with parmesan. Put in oven on broil until cheese is melted or the bread looks toasted.
While toasting the bread saute onions in skillet with the 2 swirls of extra virgin olive oil. Once the onions are soft pour in the 2 cans of beef broth. Turn stove down to low-medium and start separating the roast beef and putting it directly in the broth.
At this point the bread should be toasted. Take out of oven but leave the oven on. Start taking the beef out of the pan and placing on one half of each roll. Top the beef off with the provalone cheese (it usually takes 2 slices). Put the rolls back in the oven, leaving the top of each roll off the bottom half so the cheese can melt. Once the cheese has melted remove from oven and start putting top of each roll on top of the cheese.
Now it is time to plate. Put some au ju in a bowl and slice the rolls in half. Enjoy!

Sage-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2009-01-03T12:38:00.001-08:00

I know this sounds all complicated but I promise it is really easy and really good too.

- ¾ cup crushed Ritz crackers or bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
- 1 pork tenderloin trimmed
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425. Combine bread crumbs and sage and salt and pepper to taste. Brush tenderloins with mustard then coat in crumbs, pressing them to adhere. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat oil in skillet and brown both sides about 4 or 5 minutes. Transfer to oven in oven proof skillet or baking dish. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until pork reaches 150 degrees. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes then slice into medallions.

Maple-Orange Glazed Chicken

2009-01-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

I made this for dinner tonight- oh wow, it is up there with the new favorites!

1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
4 chicken breasts, halved crosswise

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk maple syrup, mustard, zest, vinegar and thyme in a bowl. Set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper

2. Heat oil in a large, oven safe skillet, over medium heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, until well browned, about 3-5 minutes. Turn chicken to other side and transfer skillet to the oven. Cook until chicken is deep golden brown and cooked through (about 10-15 min). Transfer chicken to plate and tent with foil.

3. Wearing oven mitt (pan handle is VERY hot), pour off any fat in skillet and add maple mixture to empty pan and cook over medium heat, scrapping up any browned bits with wooden spoon, until thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Off heat, return chicken to skillet and turn until well coated with glaze.

This recipe actually calls for the chicken to be skin on, but that kind of grosses me out and so I just did normal Costco chicken breasts. If you use the skin on chicken, cook the skin down on the skillet first and then put skin up with in the oven. Enjoy!

Ideas. . .

2008-11-19T20:46:00.001-08:00

I don't know how many people look at this blog {for all I know, no one may look at it}, but if you do and you want to contribute some of your own recipes or ideas, leave a comment and I would be happy to add you. We are always looking for some suggestions!

Yogurt Chicken

2008-11-19T20:41:00.000-08:00

I made this one tonight for dinner and I thought it was delish! As weird as it sounds, the yogurt was really good, and even better it is SUPER easy.

4 chicken breast sliced into tenders
8 oz of plain yogurt
2 packages of Ritz crackers- crushed
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil

Combine Ritz, Parmesan and garlic powder. Dip the tenders in the yogurt and coat well. Roll in the cracker mix and place in a Pyrex. Melt butter and add olive oil, then drizzle over the chicken in the pan. Cook uncovered at 350 for 30-40 minutes or whenever it is done.

Oriental Chicken Salad

2008-10-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

This is another one of Maren's gems. Just don't try to burn your house down while toasting the peanuts, sunflower seeds and raman noodles. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 boiled chicken breasts (cubed)
1 head shredded Green Cabbage, or you can do one package of coleslaw cabbage
½ cup almond slivers (I used peanuts)
¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 packages Oriental Flavored Raman Noodles
1 bunch chopped green onions
Dressing:
2 Tbs cider vinegar (or you can use rice vinegar)
1/3 c sugar
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 packages of Raman Flavoring
3/4 cup olive oil
Break the packages of Raman noodles, put on cookie sheet with sunflower seeds and almonds toast for 15 minutes. Mix together with shredded cabbage, green onions, and cubed chicken. Mix together dressing and combine. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour and serve cool. Again makes a lot so you can halve.
*it seriously makes a ton, we will have leftovers for the next week.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-10-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Maren gave me this recipe a couple years ago and it is definitely one of our favorites. Plus it is seriously quick and easy, the hardest part is waiting 20 minutes for it to simmer.
Ingredients:
-1/2 onion chopped
-1 green bell pepper chopped
-4 cups chicken broth
-2 cans cream of chicken soup
-3 cooked chicken breasts shredded
-1/2 cup medium picante sauce
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper
-1/2 tsp. chili powder or chili pepper
Directions:
Put a little butter in the bottom of your sauce pan and sauté the onion and pepper until soft. Then add everything else and simmer 20 minutes.
Crush tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl. Pour soup over the chips and grated cheese (sour cream is optional). Makes 4-6 bowls of soup

Honey Lime Enchiladas

2008-09-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

Long time no posts! These are DELICIOUS! Thanks Amber and Leticia for the recipe, I was a HUGE fan! They are sweet with a little kick to it. This makes a lot, so you can half the recipe

3/4 cup honey
Lime juice (1-2 limes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (or chicken breast/tender)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first five ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top

Amber added:
**Here is my addition: I didn't have any left over marinade, so I just added a bit of each of the marinade ingredients to the enchilada sauce and it worked!

My new addition:
I also added a can of cream of chicken soup to the meat mixture to make it a little more creamy (as if you needed the extra calories!) but it just helped so the meat didn't taste too dry. You could probably even get away with 1/2 a can and use the healthy version!

Bacon & Baked Potato Soup

2008-08-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is super yummy and super easy!

Ingredients:

1Tbsp. Butter or Margarine

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 can reduced sodium chicken broth

1-1/4 cups milk

2 baking potatoes, baked, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled and divided

3/4 cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. green onion sliced, divided

1/4 cup sour cream

Melt Butter in heavy saucepan or dutch oven. Add onions and celery; cook and stir 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add broth, milk, potatoes, salt and pepper; bring just to boil, stirring constantly. Slightly crush potatoes with back of spoon (I put them in the blender with the juices to make a puree). Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Reserve 2 Tbsp. each of the bacon and cheese and 1 Tbsp. of the green onions for toppings; set aside. Add remaining bacon, cheese and green onions to soup just before serving; cook until cheese is melted, stirring constantly.

Serve topped with reserved bacon, cheese, green onions and sour cream.

Fruit Triffle

2008-03-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth made this for a baby shower, and I had been dying to make it ever since. And when I finally did, it was just as good as I remembered, so everyone needs to try this one it is delicious, light, and actually can be made pretty low fat!

1 can sweetened condensed milk (You can by the fat free stuff and it still tastes fine)
1 1/2 cup cold milk- combine and mix the two together in a bowl until smooth then add
1 large box of vanilla instant pudding mix (sugar free good)- mix well, it will set up like pudding.
Fold in 8oz of cool whip
Cake cut into squares (I use angel food, but you can do yellow, white, whatever)
Variety of fruit, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, bananas, raspberries, etc

Start with a layer of cake on the bottom, then add a layer of the pudding mix and some berries. Repeat layers until you are at the top of the bowl. Then remember presentation is everything so save a little pudding and berries to make a pretty design on top (totally kidding about presentation everything, it is only about 85%)!

Lemon Pasta

2008-03-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am not usually a huge lemon flavored fan, it is usually a little too much for me. That being said, this is so wonderful. It is light (in flavor not calories!) and you can't stop eating it!

1 box Pasta (I either use bowtie or Rotini)
2-3 boiled chicken breasts
Couple leaves of fresh basil chopped
Grape tomatoes
sliced and cooked zucchini

Sauce:
1 clove of garlic minced ( or 1 tsp of the prechopped stuff)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 small thing of heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs butter
Juice from 1 lemon
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan
Lemon zest if wanted

So you cook all of the above ingredients and combine in a bowl. To cook the sauce, saute the garlic in the olive oil for a couple of minutes then add the heavy whipping cream, turn the heat to low because you don't want the whipping cream boiling (makes it sour). Add butter and Parmesan and lemon zest and let it get warm. You want the cheese and butter melted, but again don't let it boil. Then pour over the Pasta and other ingredients, then add a little more shredded Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Yummy!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2008-02-17T22:51:00.001-08:00

OK, it is a really busy time for Pork Roast recipes - I told Laura I would post this recipe for Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Pork Roast (Boston Butt or shoulder pork roast are best) - 6 or 7 pounds

Dry rub:

3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

5 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you don't want it spicy)

for a 7 lb roast, I cut it into 3 big pieces, then rubbed the rub on all the sides of it, then threw into the crock pot, poured a little bit of Worcestershire Sauce on low for 9 hours (overnight or all day), then put two forks into the crockpot and pulled all the roast into little shreds. When it is all pulled apart, pour a whole bottle of barbecue sauce over the whole thing and warm that up for about 30 minutes or as long as you want. Serve on buns/rolls.

This makes a lot - probably enough for 15-20 sandwiches (at least). I made this for a ward activity and it was a pretty big hit (I liked it anyway). I would say 3-4 people for each pound of meat - depending on how much they are planning on eating anyway.

Our version of Cafe Rio Pork

2008-02-04T14:22:00.000-08:00

Well I know everyone has their version of Cafe Rio Pork, but this is pretty darn good and it is really easy so I told Michelle I would post it. . .

1 pork butt roast
Season with salt, pepper and a little Lawrys Seasoning. Add a cup or 2 of chicken broth and cook on low in a crock pot until it is literally falling apart as you try and get it out of the crock pot.

In a blender combine
1 1/2 cans of Coke
1 Cup sugar
the sauce from one can of Chipotle Pepper in Adobo sauce (the sauce is what you want, not the peppers, too spicy!)
1 tsp Cumin seed
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp minced garlic

Blend until it is all 1 consistency and mixed well.

Take pork out of the crock pot and shred. Get rid or the cooked juices and fat. Put the shredded pork back in the crock pot, add the sauce mixture and cook on low for another hour or two. Then you are done! easy and really good.

For a tip, it is hard to get the Adobo sauce out of the can, so I dunked the peppers in the coke to clean off the sauce and then threw away the peppers as I was done!

Salmon Burgers with Dill Mustard

2008-02-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

1 ½ lbs. Skinless salmon filet cut into chunks (I use canned salmon)
2 Tbsp capers chopped
Grated peel of ½ lemon
1/3 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tsp seafood seasoning (or just seasoning salt)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
¼ seedless cucumber, chopped or sliced thin
2 plum tomatoes chopped or sliced thin
½ small red onion, chopped or sliced thin
½ cup Dijon or Honey Mustard
3 Tablespoons fresh dill chopped
4 kaiser rolls
4 red-leaf lettuce leaves

Using a food processor, coarsely chop the salmon, transfer to a bowl. Mix in the capers, lemon peel, parsley and seafood seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties
Preheat the broiler. In a nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes and red onion (if chopped). In another small bowl, mix the mustard with the dill.
Toast the rolls under the broiler and slather each side with the mustard-dill sauce. Squeeze the lemon half over the cooked burgers. Set a lettuce leaf and burger on each roll bottom and top with the tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Roll-Ups

2008-01-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
8 chicken breast cutlets (or tenderized filets)
½ lb. deli-sliced provolone cheese
extra virgin olive oil (I use Pam olive oil spray)

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease the foil.
Place the beaten eggs and bread crumbs into separate shallow bowls. In another bowl, mix the ricotta and sun dried tomatoes. Dip the chicken cutlets into the egg, then coat with the bread crumbs and place on a work surface. Place a slice of provolone and a heaping tablespoon of ricotta mixture on each cutlet. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
Place the chicken roll-ups side by side on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil or spray with Pam. Bake until the chicken is golden and the cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Black Bean Soup.

2008-01-27T19:32:00.000-08:00

Delicious. Fast. Easy.

Black Bean Soup

1 cup salsa (fresca is best, but any type will do) plus more for garnish
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth

sour cream, for garnish
lime, for garnish

Heat salsa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Stir in beans and broth; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cool slightly and spoon half of soup into blender or food processor to puree.

Serve with sour cream and salsa. Also good with shredded chicken, tortilla strips, avocado, tomatoes, and cheese.

2008-01-23T18:43:00.000-08:00

Crockpot chicken Tortilla Soup

4-6 chicken breasts (I usually just put them in the crock pot frozen)
2 cans black beans
1 can of corn
1 can chicken broth (water and chicken boullion cubes also works)
1 packet taco seasoning mix1 cup salsa (any kind, sometimes I'll just add the whole jar)
Top with grated cheese, sour cream, and chips before eating.

This recipe is great because you can throw it in the crock pot in the morning, cook it on low, and it's perfect by dinner time. The chicken usually shreds on it's own, but you may want to shred it yourself before serving it.

Fiesta Casserole

2008-01-18T08:40:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I know casseroles are not included, but we may have to make an exception for this one. This recipe is in a new cookbook my dad gave Maren and I for Christmas. I made it a little different but let me start by giving you the recipe as the book says:

3 cups chicken broth
2 cups instant rice
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (15.5 oz) can of black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 Tbsp tabasco
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded cheese
6 oz Fritos, crushed to course crumbs
lime wedges for serving

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450. Combine broth, rice, corn, beans, salsa and tabasco. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Then stir in chicken and sprinkle cheese evenly over the top, then sprinkle Fritos evenly over the top. Bake until edges are bubbling and crumbs are toasted, about 8 to 12 mintues longer. Serve with lime wedges.

Ok, so that is the original, let me give you Shannon's version. So, I really don't like rice with my Mexican food so I left out the rice and only added about a cup or so of the chicken broth for the beginning bake. I also am weak and therefore left out the tabasco but instead I added a Tbsp or so of chopped cilantro (which I love!!!). From there the rest of the bake is the same but we washed up a bunch of leafy greens to place our servings of the casserole on. I am telling you it was delicious and the Fritos crushed on top were awesome! Heads up though, this does not serve as well for left overs because the fritos aren't crunchy.

Stuffed Green Peppers

2008-01-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

I made these last night and they were SO good (and I think it is pretty good for you). I tweaked this recipe from one I got online and I loved it! This makes enough to serve 6.

6 Green Bell Peppers
1/2 c. uncooked brown rice
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 bag mixed frozen veggies
1 c. frozen corn
dried chopped onion (if you use fresh I'm sure it would be even better)
Shredded cheese (mozzarella or Mexican mix)

Make rice, as directed on bag. Brown turkey, pour off grease. Add spaghetti sauce (i used Prego Mushroom and Garlic) rice, frozen veggies/corn and chopped onion. Mix and warm in pan.

In separate pan, boil water and put peppers in for about 3 minutes. Remove peppers and put into cold water (apparently, this is called blanching). Put peppers in your baking dish and fill with filling prepared above. Cover and bake on 350 for 45 minutes. Take cover off and put cheese on top. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Pear and Cherry Buckle

2007-12-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe from Sandra Lee. It is so yummy and especially on a cold winter day! I think we are going to make it for desert for our Christmas dinner. Mmmmmm.....

1 (26-ounce) can cherry pie filling
2 (15-ounce) cans diced pears in syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 (1.19-ounce) packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Whipped topping, for serving

Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter-flavored cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pie filling, pears, and almond extract. Pour into prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle cake mix over fruit mixture. Dot with butter. In a small bowl, combine oatmeal packet and almonds. Sprinkle over cake mixture.
Place 8 paper towels over slow cooker bowl and secure with lid. (This helps to trap steam.) Cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours. Do not lift lid to check cake for the first 3 hours.
Serve warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.

Hobo Pork Chop n' Pineapple Dinner

2007-12-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

I watched Paula Deen make this one and it looked oh so good. The same day I watched the episode, I went out and bought the ingredients to try it for myself and it was oh so good!!

Pork Chops
Bell Pepper
Onion
Canned pineapple slices
Teriyaki sauce (I used Kikkoman)
Salt and Pepper

For each serving, lay a pork chop on a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Top each chop with the onion, green pepper, and pineapple slices. Drizzle with the teriyaki sauce. Top with the margarine and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in the foil, rolling ends to completely seal the package. Place on the grill for 15-20 minutes. (mine took 22 minutes on medium heat)

P.S. For those of you who don't like onions or bell pepper, I'm sure it would still taste yummy without them.

Peanut Butter Cups

2007-12-05T18:13:00.000-08:00

If you love Reeses Peanut Butter Cups you will love these. We love them at our house.

Peanut Butter Cups

2 cubes butter
1 cup peanut butter
Melt together then add
2 cups powdered sugar
1 ¾ cup gram cracker crushed ( can buy crushed at Target)
Mix all together and put in a 9x13 pan
Melt 1 bag milk chocolate chips and pour over peanut butter mixture.
Put in freezer for 30 min to set. Take out and let them get back to room temp. Enjoy

Pulled Pork (or Carnitas)

2007-12-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

I saw that this was on sale for $0.99 a lb at Ralphs so I thought I would share a delicious and very versatile roast. Hurry and try this one while you can do it cheap~

1 pork butt or pork shoulder roast (it is better if it is boneless)

Season both sides generously with salt, pepper and paprika

Place in a turkey sized baking bag
(before you put in the baking bag, put 1 Tbs of flour in the bag and shake to prevent the bag from sticking)

Put 1/4 c. of water

Close the bag and slice 5 one inch slits in the top of the bag for venting.

Cook at 300 degrees for 5-6 hours (or until fork tender, should literally fall apart with the swipe of a fork)

This is great couple of different ways. As carnitas, serve with warm tortillas, black beans, cheese, guacamole to make into burritos. For another way to serve, add some BBQ sauce and place on hamburger buns. In fact, you will probably have left overs so do it as Mexican the first night then re heat for BBQ the second.

Chicken Pot Pie

2007-11-14T19:51:00.001-08:00

This is a great meal for our family. I love getting Costco's rotisserie chicken for dinner but we don't eat the whole thing in one meal and I'm never good with leftovers, so this recipe is great to use with the leftover chicken. I imagine eventually our kids will eat more and then I'll have to buy two chicken to accomplish the two night's of meals, but for now...Enjoy!

3-4 c. chicken(or whatever you have leftover from last night's Costco rotisserie chicken), cooked and cubed
2 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
6 T. flour
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. forzen peas
6 T. butter
1 c. milk
I pie crust

In a small saucepan, cover the carrots and potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and let boil 5 minutes. Drain and putin a 2 qt. round casserole or deep pie pan. Add the frozen peas and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper again. Melt butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion is soft. Add the flour, stirring constantly until it is a smooth paste. Add the milk and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the broth is thick and bubbly. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Top with the pie crust. Cut holes in crust to vent. Bake at 425 (400 for glass pans) for 25-35 minutes, until crust is brown. Put a piece of foil on the rack under the pie to catch any broth that drips out during baking.

Spicy Cinnamon Cake

2007-11-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

Oh this is so easy and so yummy. I stole it from Paula Dean so you know it is good. We make it for a brunch recently and I have been craving it again ever since!

- 1 spice cake mix
- 1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
-1/2 cup oil
-5 Tbsp sugar
-2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or not for me, I put them on half the cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well a bundt pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs and oil and beat together well. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Pour half the batter into the prepared bundt pan then sprinkle half the cinnamon and sugar mixutre over the top (sprinkle the nuts on the desired part of the cake but make sure you can tell what section so you do the same on the top layer). Pour the remainder of the batter into the pan and finish sprinkling the sugar mixture and nuts. Bake one hour and let cool before removing from pan. This does not need to be served hot and we ate it without anything on it but maybe it would be good with whipped cream because everything is! Yum~

Pumpkin Soup

2007-11-08T22:44:00.000-08:00

This has become our family's traditional Thanksgiving dinner appetizer. It freezes really well too....just a little FYI!

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 turn of the pan 2 tablespoons butter
1 fresh bay leaf
2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
***I don’t add the celery or onion****
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
6 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can cooked pumpkin puree
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat a soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, and onion (optional in my opinion). Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste. then cook a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Add the Chili powder, honey and ground cinnamon. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

Bruschetta

2007-11-08T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ok, sorry for the tomatoes Maren! I had to share this though. It is a great appetizer to dinner or finger food for a party. Enjoy!

Serving 20

Prepare:
Cut 5 baguettes into 20 slices each
Toast in the oven
Set aside to dry out

Separately combine and set aside in fridge:
1 cup mayo
1 cup parm cheese

Combine:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. fresh chopped basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
5 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. pepper
2 T. sugar
2 T. parsley
Mix well
Then add:
1 cups olive oil
1 red onion (finely chopped)
10 roma tomatoes (chopped)
Marinate for a few hours
Serve:
Spread cheese/mayo mixture lightly on toasted bread
Add 1 T. of tomato mixture
Sprinkle with fresh parm cheese

French Dip Sandwiches

2007-11-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

As long as I am on a sandwich kick! I made these tonight for dinner and it was really good and quite easy.

3-4 lb. sirloin tip roast
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
2-3 whole peppercorn (I just used some from my pepper grinder and it seemed to work fine)
1 tsp dried crushed rosemary leaves
1 tsp garlic powder

Trim off fat from the roast and place in a crock pot
Mix all the ingredients and pour over the roast.
Add water until the roast is almost completely covered
Cook on low for 10-12 hours
Thinly slice meat and place on crusty rolls (slightly toasted) with a few slices of Swiss cheese
Use the juice as As Jus

Meatball Sandwiches

2007-11-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I don't know if this really counts and a recipe that you "cook" it is one of those semi-homemade meals, but they are Cam's favorite and they are SUPER easy!

5-6 Meatballs (I get the ones from Costco, they are bigger and have great flavor)
1/2 bottle of marinara sauce (whatever is on sale)
french hogie roll
mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese

So all you do is heat the meatballs, I personally like them better if you heat them in the oven (they aren't chewy that way).
Heat the marinara sauce.
Slice the hogie rolls and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on the inside and toast
Place the warm meatballs on bread then top with marinara sauce and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top and Viola! Delicioso!
Complete with a side salad and it is an easy dinner!

Cobb Salad

2007-11-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

OK, this is really easy (if you have all the stuff anyway), and even my kids love it - my daughter even requested this for her birthday.

Romaine lettuce - 1 head
Tomatoes
Cheese
Turkey (sometimes I use thickly sliced lunch meat, but I love the cooked turkey breast from Costco that you can cut into chunks)
Chicken (rotisserie chicken is really good) in chunks
hard - boiled eggs (1 per person that is eating)
bacon (i use the Costo pre-cooked that is by the eggs - not the one that is not in the fridge) or you can cook it up from fresh, then chop it)

Put all the ingredients together and mix with ranch. Delicious.

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

2007-11-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

. . . or so they say!

Breaded chicken strips cooked and cut up. (I grill mine)
5 cups of mixed romaine lettuce, cabbage, or greens of your choice.
Carrots, if desired
Sliced almonds (sometimes I toast them under the broiler)
Rice noodles (I use La Choy found in the oriental section)
1 small can mandarin oranges

Dressing:
3 T honey
1 ½ tsp white vinegar
4 tsp mayonnaise
1 T grey poupon dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sesame oil

Caramel Popcorn

2007-11-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

I made this the other day and it was fantastic. I tell you, there is not much better than freshly made caramel popcorn, especially in the fall

5-6 cups of cooked popcorn (I just used microwave popcorn)

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, milk and salt together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes (do not over cook, I did that and it made the caramel too hard). Remove from heat. Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and stir. Pour over popped popcorn and mix

Easy Apricot Chicken

2007-11-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

1 envelope onion soup mix
1 small bottle Russian Dressing (Catalina)
1 c. apricot preserves
4 chicken breasts

Stir all ingredients together and pour over skinlss/boneless chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Let it marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Serve over rice.

Cucumber Dill Toasties

2007-11-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, I love these, I could eat these as a meal alone, especially the ones Laura makes, she has it down to a science. Anyway, it is a great appetizer for a party

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 .7 oz pkg good season Italian dressing mix
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 cucumber sliced (English)
2 tsp dried dill weed

Toast bread slices under the broiler. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, dressing mix and mayonnaise. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on each slice of toasted bread, and then top with a slice of cucumber. Sprinkle with dill. You can make this ahead and keep it in the fridge, chilled.

Garlic and Ginger Marinated Tri Tip

2007-10-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

Garlic & Ginger Marinated Tri Tip
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup oil
½ cup sugar
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup black pepper
½ cup garlic salt
½ cup chopped garlic
¼ cup chopped ginger
½ cup chopped dried onion
2 (4 pound) tri tip steaks, trimmed
Mix all marinade ingredients in large plastic container. Then pour over meat. Let stand in refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Heat grill to medium heat. Place tri tips on the grill at 45 degree angle to establish grill marks and cook to desired doneness. Let meat rest for a few minutes before slicing. Always slice against the grain. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Syrup

2007-10-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the syrup that goes with the waffles. It is to die for.

Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk

Melt butter, add sugar buttermilk. Bring to boil. As soon as it starts to boil put in 1/2 tsp baking soda. Stir one or two time. Boil 1 min. Watch it. Take off heat add 1 tsp vanilla.
Refrigerate after done using it.

Overnight Yeast Waffles

2007-10-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

These are hands down the best waffles. Gavin loves them. Someone made them for us when we had Payton.

Overnight Yeast Waffles

1 (1/4 oz) pkg active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 tsp sugar
2 C warm milk (110-115 degrees)
1/2 C butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt

In a LARGE mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar; let stand for 5 min. Add the milk, butter, and eggs; mix well. Combine flour and salt; stir into milk mixture. Cool and refrigerate overnight.
Stir batter. For each waffle, pour by 1/4 cupfuls into heated waffle iron; bake according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown

Pasta Fijole

2007-10-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

-1 lb ground beef -2 14oz cans of diced tomatoes -1 tsp. dried basil
-1 c diced onion -1 15oz can tomato sauce - 1/2 tsp. pepper
-1 c diced carrots -1 15oz can red kidney beans (with liquid) -1/2 tsp. dried thyme
-1 c diced celery -1 12oz can V8 juice -1 1/2 tsp oregano
-2 cloves minced garlic -1 Tbsp white vinegar -1/2 pound of
ditali pasta

In a large pot brown beef then drain the fat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Let saute for 10 minutes or until tender. Add remaining ingredients except the pasta. Bring to a boil and let simmer 1 hour. Cook pasta just until about done then add to the soup. Let simmer another 5 to 10 minutes then enjoy. I also add salt and if you can't find the ditali pasta just use any type of small pasta. This is great!

Lazy Salsa Chicken

2007-10-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

-Three or four chicken breast halves (I use the frozen ones from Costco)
-One medium sized jar of your favorite Picante salsa (I use Pace- medium)
-1/4 cup water
-salt and pepper

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with Pam then place the chicken at the bottom. Poor the entire jar of Salsa and the water over the chicken then season with salt and pepper. Let cook on low for 6-8 hours and then shred. This is so good on tortilla's with black beans and cheese or even good with chips! Yum!

Thai Chicken Pasta

2007-10-19T15:20:00.001-07:00

I personally believe anything with a peanut sauce is delicious! This one has a little kick, but it is good!

1 cup Picante sauce
¼ cup peanut butter
2 tbs Honey
2 tbs orange juice (or 1 tbs frozen concentrate)
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp ginger
¼ cup peanut halves
2 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
6 oz Fettuccine Pasta

Directions:
1. Combine picante sauce, peanut butter, honey, orange juice, soy sauce, and ginger in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir until mixed well and keep warm
2. Cook fettuccine until done, drain and put in a large bowl
3. Cook chicken in a frying pan with 2 tbs olive oil until cook through
4. Combine sauce with chicken and noodles. Top with peanuts.

It is also good if you add some zucchini to it!

Grilled Asain Kabobs over Rice

2007-10-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

1 pound sirloin steak or beef round cut into 2 inch cubes
1 large zucchini cut into ½ rounds
Metal or wooden skewers
¼ cup black bean sauce (in Asian isle)
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Skewer steak and zucchini on separate skewers, set aside
2. In a small bowl, whisk together black bean sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. Brush mixture all over beef and zucchini.
3. Place skewers on the hot grill. Grill skewers for 5 minutes, sprinkle sesame seeds all over skewers and cook until seeds are golden brown
4. Cook rice, adding bell pepper at the beginning of cooking time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve skewers over rice

American Lasagna

2007-10-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used the stuff that you can buy already minced, much easier)
1 Tbs basil
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 (29 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
12 lasagna noodles
2 eggs, beaten
1 pint part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grate Parmesan cheese
2 tbs dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 Tbs grate Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In a skillet, brown ground beef, onion and garlic; drain fat. Mix in basil, oregano, brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp salt, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook until al dente; drain and lay flat on a non-stick surface.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley and 1 tsp salt
4. Layer 1/3 of the noodles in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pyrex. Cover noodles with ½ ricotta mix, ½ mozzarella cheese and 1/3 sauce. Repeat. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese over the top.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Good Home Cookin'

2007-10-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

Hello there to everyone! Welcome to our recipe blog. I really hope this takes off because I am really stuck in a rut when it comes to cooking dinner during the week. I feel I have this 2 week rotation of food and that is about it! And most of the new recipes I find are really too involved or use ingredients I label as "GROSS" So anyway, feel free to post whatever recipes you love, main dishes, appetizers, desserts, side dishes, whatever you feel inclined to share! Hope to hear from you soon!