Source: Gregg's missionary cookbook compiled by his mom (with some adjustments by me)
Ingredients:
1 large can or jar (~24 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 package (16 oz) spaghetti or angel hair noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 large carton (~16 oz) cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 lb ground beef, cooked and seasoned (I think Gregg used to use sausage, too, and that was tasty)
grated cheese (usually cheddar, but mozza (or a combo) is yummy, too)
Directions:
In a 9x13" casserole dish, place cooked spaghetti noodles in bottom. Mix eggs with cottage cheese and pour over noodles, spreading to cover everything. Crumble ground beef over cottage cheese mixture. Mix spaghetti sauce with tomato sauce and pour over all. Gently stir just to allow sauce to penetrate to the bottom noodles of the dish. Top with grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-40 minutes.
Notes:
This is a recipe that Gregg used to make when we were dating. He'd make a full casserole dish of it and eat it for a week as fuel for his biking escapades. A few times, when I'd be over at his apartment around meal-time, he'd share with me. I loved it. I mean, I love spaghetti and I love casseroles (and I love him) - what's not to love? I've started adding the extra can of tomato sauce because I felt like the full big package of noodles needed a little more sauce than just one big can offered. This way I don't have to guess if I've cooked enough spaghetti and everything comes out saucy and delicious. Win-win. We eat this pretty regularly around these parts and the leftovers are great for lunches for the rest of the week.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Chicken Enchiladas
Source: My mom
Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup (or more) sour cream
1/2 can (use your soup can) or less milk (use this if you don't have chicken juice to add to your sauce)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can chicken chunks (save juice) or 1 lb. cooked, cubed or shredded chicken (I'm a little skimpy lately and can get by with ~1 cup shredded chicken for 8 enchiladas and we haven't missed anything)
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
8 flour tortillas
Directions:
Mix soup, sour cream and chicken juice (or milk). Spread enough of this mixture to cover bottom of 9x13" casserole dish. Inside each tortilla, layer some chicken, a little onion, chiles, and cheese. Roll and place seam side down in dish. Cover tortillas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and salsa.
Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup (or more) sour cream
1/2 can (use your soup can) or less milk (use this if you don't have chicken juice to add to your sauce)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can chicken chunks (save juice) or 1 lb. cooked, cubed or shredded chicken (I'm a little skimpy lately and can get by with ~1 cup shredded chicken for 8 enchiladas and we haven't missed anything)
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
8 flour tortillas
Directions:
Mix soup, sour cream and chicken juice (or milk). Spread enough of this mixture to cover bottom of 9x13" casserole dish. Inside each tortilla, layer some chicken, a little onion, chiles, and cheese. Roll and place seam side down in dish. Cover tortillas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and salsa.
Notes:
This is one of my very favorite comfort food meals of all time. And my mom must have known that since she made them for me while she was here helping after Callie was born. I just love them (and her) so! Very quick to assemble and cook, they make a great weeknight meal. I've also made them on a Saturday night and kept them in the fridge uncooked till Sunday afternoon when I didn't feel like "cooking". Leftovers (if you have any) are the best! Oh! And any other meat can be used in place of the chicken - we used to have these with ground beef or leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.
Tater Tot Casserole
Source: here, via Pinterest
Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey (I used more like 3/4 lb ground beef)
1/2 onion, diced (I threw in the whole onion because we love onions)
1 - 32 oz package ore ida crispy crowns or tater tots (I just used store brand tots - cheap and tasty enough)
1 - 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8 oz container sour cream or light sour cream (I just used a healthy spoonful from a 1 lb package - not quite half, so not quite 8 oz)
1 cup milk (I didn't really measure my milk, but I poured it into the empty soup can about halfway or a bit more full)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
pepper, to taste
seasoned salt, to taste
garlic salt, to taste
Directions:
Brown ground beef and diced onions, adding, pepper, seasoning salt and garlic salt to taste. Drain.
Pour ground beef & onion mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. In a separate bowl mix together the soup, sour cream and milk.
Pour the soup mixture over on top of the ground beef layer spread evenly to cover the meat mixture. Top with tater tots, sprinkle with grated cheese over the entire casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
Notes:
Now this isn't going to win any health-food awards. But if you're looking for comfort food, this sure hits the spot. We all really liked it - Cal wasn't a huge fan of eating it with her hands for some reason (usually she's all about the finger food) but when I spoon fed it to her, she gobbled it right up.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey (I used more like 3/4 lb ground beef)
1/2 onion, diced (I threw in the whole onion because we love onions)
1 - 32 oz package ore ida crispy crowns or tater tots (I just used store brand tots - cheap and tasty enough)
1 - 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8 oz container sour cream or light sour cream (I just used a healthy spoonful from a 1 lb package - not quite half, so not quite 8 oz)
1 cup milk (I didn't really measure my milk, but I poured it into the empty soup can about halfway or a bit more full)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
pepper, to taste
seasoned salt, to taste
garlic salt, to taste
Directions:
Brown ground beef and diced onions, adding, pepper, seasoning salt and garlic salt to taste. Drain.
Pour ground beef & onion mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. In a separate bowl mix together the soup, sour cream and milk.
Pour the soup mixture over on top of the ground beef layer spread evenly to cover the meat mixture. Top with tater tots, sprinkle with grated cheese over the entire casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
Notes:
Now this isn't going to win any health-food awards. But if you're looking for comfort food, this sure hits the spot. We all really liked it - Cal wasn't a huge fan of eating it with her hands for some reason (usually she's all about the finger food) but when I spoon fed it to her, she gobbled it right up.
Pineapple Poppy Seed Muffins
Source: I adapted slightly from here, via Pinterest
Ingredients:
for the muffins:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk (I subbed ~3/4 teaspoon lemon juice + milk to 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained and juice reserved
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons (or more) reserved pineapple juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Make a well in center and add the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and butter. Mix until just blended (my mixture was thick), then stir in crushed pineapple and poppy seeds. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter till about 3/4 filled.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are set and light golden brown on top. (They did not “puff” in center too much.) Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice until smooth (may use more pineapple juice if glaze is too thick). Remove muffins from oven and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Drizzle glaze over each muffin while hot. Let cool for about 10 minutes. About 14 muffins.
Notes:
I came across a couple different pineapple muffin recipes on pinterest a while ago and this is the one I ended up choosing for my July Muffin of the Month. Oh me! Oh my! They were amazing! Gregg declared them my best muffin yet. And that's saying something because I've made a TON of muffins in my time. These little beauties taste just like pineapple upside down cake. They're delightful! Note that they are super, super moist muffins, and they really taste best on the first or second day, but we did keep them for about a week and they all got eaten! Another note: the original recipe called for a cream cheese surprise in the middle of the muffin, but I didn't have any cream cheese, so I just skipped that part. They were delightful as is, but if you feel like adding even more oomph, go ahead and check that out.
Ingredients:
for the muffins:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk (I subbed ~3/4 teaspoon lemon juice + milk to 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained and juice reserved
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons (or more) reserved pineapple juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Make a well in center and add the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and butter. Mix until just blended (my mixture was thick), then stir in crushed pineapple and poppy seeds. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter till about 3/4 filled.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are set and light golden brown on top. (They did not “puff” in center too much.) Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice until smooth (may use more pineapple juice if glaze is too thick). Remove muffins from oven and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Drizzle glaze over each muffin while hot. Let cool for about 10 minutes. About 14 muffins.
Notes:
I came across a couple different pineapple muffin recipes on pinterest a while ago and this is the one I ended up choosing for my July Muffin of the Month. Oh me! Oh my! They were amazing! Gregg declared them my best muffin yet. And that's saying something because I've made a TON of muffins in my time. These little beauties taste just like pineapple upside down cake. They're delightful! Note that they are super, super moist muffins, and they really taste best on the first or second day, but we did keep them for about a week and they all got eaten! Another note: the original recipe called for a cream cheese surprise in the middle of the muffin, but I didn't have any cream cheese, so I just skipped that part. They were delightful as is, but if you feel like adding even more oomph, go ahead and check that out.
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Source: Mel (I feel like we should be on a first name basis since I am on her site so much)
Ingredients:
for the brownies:
10 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 drops green food coloring (optional) (I used blue instead and called mine "Aggie Blue Mint Brownies" after a very popular Aggie Ice Cream flavor)
for the chocolate ganache:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk since I had that and no cream - worked like a charm)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
Directions:
For the brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. (If using a glass baking pan instead of aluminum, decrease the baking temperature to 325 degrees F.)
In a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa, sugar and honey. Let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
For the mint layer, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, milk, mint extract and food coloring (if using) until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
For the ganache, heat the cream (or milk) and butter until just barely simmering. Pour over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the mint extract. Spread the ganache evenly over the mint layer. Refrigerate for an hour or so until the chocolate layer has set.
Cut into squares and serve. These taste best chilled in my humble opinion.
Notes:
When I first saw these posted on Mel's site I knew I had to try them. But I also knew that I didn't want the temptation of them sitting around my kitchen and me eating the entire pan (with Gregg's help, of course). So I cut them into squares and then wrapped them in saran wrap (not individually or really very well - just sort of used the saran wrap to separate them into layers so they wouldn't all stick together) and then slide the stack into a ziplock bag and froze them. A few weeks later I got them out for our Elwood Family Reunion and they were as good as fresh! Pretty dang delicious, actually.
Ingredients:
for the brownies:
10 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 drops green food coloring (optional) (I used blue instead and called mine "Aggie Blue Mint Brownies" after a very popular Aggie Ice Cream flavor)
for the chocolate ganache:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk since I had that and no cream - worked like a charm)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
Directions:
For the brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. (If using a glass baking pan instead of aluminum, decrease the baking temperature to 325 degrees F.)
In a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa, sugar and honey. Let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
For the mint layer, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, milk, mint extract and food coloring (if using) until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
For the ganache, heat the cream (or milk) and butter until just barely simmering. Pour over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the mint extract. Spread the ganache evenly over the mint layer. Refrigerate for an hour or so until the chocolate layer has set.
Cut into squares and serve. These taste best chilled in my humble opinion.
Notes:
When I first saw these posted on Mel's site I knew I had to try them. But I also knew that I didn't want the temptation of them sitting around my kitchen and me eating the entire pan (with Gregg's help, of course). So I cut them into squares and then wrapped them in saran wrap (not individually or really very well - just sort of used the saran wrap to separate them into layers so they wouldn't all stick together) and then slide the stack into a ziplock bag and froze them. A few weeks later I got them out for our Elwood Family Reunion and they were as good as fresh! Pretty dang delicious, actually.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Dutch Oven Enchiladas
Source: A man doing a demo at a 4-H day camp many, many years ago
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cans enchilada sauce (or you can make your own here - I used about 3/4 of this recipe to equal about 2 cans)
2 cans tomato soup (there's also a nifty substitution you can use for this)
1 small can diced green chiles
9-12 large flour tortillas
2 cups cheese, grated
salt, pepper, and garlic powder
garnish: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, sliced olives
Directions:
Season hamburger and onion with salt, pepper and garlic powder and brown over medium heat. Drain grease. Add enchilada sauce, soup and chiles to meat. Cover bottom of Dutch oven with a layer of sauce mixture. Layer three tortillas, sauce and cheese about 3-4 times - until it reaches the top (I like to aim for 4 layers with 12 tortillas total - it seems to not be quite as soupy that way when it's all cooked up). Cook for 15-25 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve with garnish.
Notes:
One day my sister, brother and two cousins and I were hanging out at the Cache County Fairgrounds at a 4-H day camp. One of the stations or classes that we could attend was about Dutch oven cooking, and since it gave out samples of the finished product, of course we were there! This was the recipe being demonstrated that day and we were all so impressed and amazed and delighted over its goodness (we had apparently never had enchilada casserole before) we made sure to memorize the recipe (I think we went back to the demo at least twice more, cementing the recipe in our minds) to tell our mom when we got home. It's been a staple at family campouts and cookouts and Sunday dinners ever since. We always make it in a Dutch oven, either on the camp chef or with coals if we're outside or straight in the oven if we're home, but really it can be made in any big casserole dish, and we've even been successful with it in the crockpot!
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cans enchilada sauce (or you can make your own here - I used about 3/4 of this recipe to equal about 2 cans)
2 cans tomato soup (there's also a nifty substitution you can use for this)
1 small can diced green chiles
9-12 large flour tortillas
2 cups cheese, grated
salt, pepper, and garlic powder
garnish: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, sliced olives
Directions:
Season hamburger and onion with salt, pepper and garlic powder and brown over medium heat. Drain grease. Add enchilada sauce, soup and chiles to meat. Cover bottom of Dutch oven with a layer of sauce mixture. Layer three tortillas, sauce and cheese about 3-4 times - until it reaches the top (I like to aim for 4 layers with 12 tortillas total - it seems to not be quite as soupy that way when it's all cooked up). Cook for 15-25 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve with garnish.
Notes:
One day my sister, brother and two cousins and I were hanging out at the Cache County Fairgrounds at a 4-H day camp. One of the stations or classes that we could attend was about Dutch oven cooking, and since it gave out samples of the finished product, of course we were there! This was the recipe being demonstrated that day and we were all so impressed and amazed and delighted over its goodness (we had apparently never had enchilada casserole before) we made sure to memorize the recipe (I think we went back to the demo at least twice more, cementing the recipe in our minds) to tell our mom when we got home. It's been a staple at family campouts and cookouts and Sunday dinners ever since. We always make it in a Dutch oven, either on the camp chef or with coals if we're outside or straight in the oven if we're home, but really it can be made in any big casserole dish, and we've even been successful with it in the crockpot!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Source: The original Kim Blanchard
Ingredients:
1 quart water
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
salt to taste
flour to thicken (2-3 Tablespoons)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and boil till thick. Should be the consistency of thin gravy.
Notes:
I never seem to have canned enchilada sauce on hand, which always made me shy away from enchilada recipes that I love. Finally I realized that Kim has this great homemade recipe. Now I'll never be without! I had made (and posted about) a different recipe I found online a couple years ago. It has now been deleted from this blog because this one is so much better! Simple, quick, cheap, tasty. Can't go wrong here.
Ingredients:
1 quart water
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
salt to taste
flour to thicken (2-3 Tablespoons)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and boil till thick. Should be the consistency of thin gravy.
Notes:
I never seem to have canned enchilada sauce on hand, which always made me shy away from enchilada recipes that I love. Finally I realized that Kim has this great homemade recipe. Now I'll never be without! I had made (and posted about) a different recipe I found online a couple years ago. It has now been deleted from this blog because this one is so much better! Simple, quick, cheap, tasty. Can't go wrong here.
Stroganoff
Source: The original Kim Blanchard
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb stew meat, slow cooked until tender (I always just use ~1 lb ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned)
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup (I always use cream o' mush)
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 cup beef broth or water (I always use 1 soup can of water)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream (I always just use a big spoonful - I never measure, but I don't think it's quite a cup)
1 16 oz package egg noodles
Directions:
Saute onion and mushrooms. Add meat. Add soup, ketchup, water (or broth), Worchestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Stir well to mix and simmer for a half hour. While the stroganoff is simmering, boil your egg noodles according to package directions. Drain. Just before serving, stir in sour cream to the stroganoff mixture. Serve over hot egg noodles (I always just mix all the noodles and all the sauce together in one big pot and serve it that way).
Notes:
I know there are a million stroganoff recipes out there, but here's another one to throw into the mix. I found it in Gregg's missionary cook book, compiled by his mom before he left. It's not fancy, but it is quick and really tasty. We have this quite regularly around here and it's a hit with the whole fam.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb stew meat, slow cooked until tender (I always just use ~1 lb ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned)
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup (I always use cream o' mush)
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 cup beef broth or water (I always use 1 soup can of water)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream (I always just use a big spoonful - I never measure, but I don't think it's quite a cup)
1 16 oz package egg noodles
Directions:
Saute onion and mushrooms. Add meat. Add soup, ketchup, water (or broth), Worchestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Stir well to mix and simmer for a half hour. While the stroganoff is simmering, boil your egg noodles according to package directions. Drain. Just before serving, stir in sour cream to the stroganoff mixture. Serve over hot egg noodles (I always just mix all the noodles and all the sauce together in one big pot and serve it that way).
Notes:
I know there are a million stroganoff recipes out there, but here's another one to throw into the mix. I found it in Gregg's missionary cook book, compiled by his mom before he left. It's not fancy, but it is quick and really tasty. We have this quite regularly around here and it's a hit with the whole fam.
Teriyaki Burgers
Source: Kay Lynn Larsen (who I don't know, but it's her name that appears next to this recipe in my mom's old ward recipe book that this came from)
Ingredients:
1 egg, partially beaten
2 slices bread, torn up (I usually like to use the heels of a loaf - they're always left behind and work perfectly in this recipe!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl (don't be afraid to use your hands and just mix it all together!). In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix the remaining ingredients. Then pour liquid over meat mixture and mix till everything is incorporated. Mold into patties (I usually make mine heart shaped - I'm a nerd - and can get 5 to 6 decent-sized patties from a batch) and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Broil just until they hold together, and then turn over. (Do not overcook.) (I don't always broil them - sometimes, if I'm making sweet potato fries to go with them, which is pretty much every time I make them, I just cook them alongside my pan of sweet potatoes at whatever temperature I decide to cook them that day - anything from 375 to 415 usually works great, depending on when I started dinner and how soon we need/want to eat it!) Serve with ketchup and/or horse radish for dipping. (We don't eat these with buns like normal burgers; instead we eat them more like meatloaf or something - just by themselves with sweet potato "fries" on the side.)
Notes:
This is a recipe I remember having a handful of times growing up and for some reason just always loved. It makes quite a regular appearance in our dinner rotation these days. Callie LOVES them and can eat a whole patty herself! If you have a cookie sheet that you don't care too much about, these can also been cooked out on the grill (on the cookie sheet - they're really moist and don't hold up well on a grate) when it's too hot to heat up the oven inside.
Ingredients:
1 egg, partially beaten
2 slices bread, torn up (I usually like to use the heels of a loaf - they're always left behind and work perfectly in this recipe!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl (don't be afraid to use your hands and just mix it all together!). In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix the remaining ingredients. Then pour liquid over meat mixture and mix till everything is incorporated. Mold into patties (I usually make mine heart shaped - I'm a nerd - and can get 5 to 6 decent-sized patties from a batch) and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Broil just until they hold together, and then turn over. (Do not overcook.) (I don't always broil them - sometimes, if I'm making sweet potato fries to go with them, which is pretty much every time I make them, I just cook them alongside my pan of sweet potatoes at whatever temperature I decide to cook them that day - anything from 375 to 415 usually works great, depending on when I started dinner and how soon we need/want to eat it!) Serve with ketchup and/or horse radish for dipping. (We don't eat these with buns like normal burgers; instead we eat them more like meatloaf or something - just by themselves with sweet potato "fries" on the side.)
Notes:
This is a recipe I remember having a handful of times growing up and for some reason just always loved. It makes quite a regular appearance in our dinner rotation these days. Callie LOVES them and can eat a whole patty herself! If you have a cookie sheet that you don't care too much about, these can also been cooked out on the grill (on the cookie sheet - they're really moist and don't hold up well on a grate) when it's too hot to heat up the oven inside.
Dad's Potato Salad
Source: My dad, Richard Elwood
Ingredients:
red potatoes, boiled and cubed
onion, diced fine
eggs, hard boiled and diced
miracle whip
mayonnaise
milk
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, for sprinkling on top
Directions:
Wash and boil your potatoes till they are tender. (Dad always leaves the skins on and peels them after they were cooked using a paring knife to gently peel away the skin from the potato.) Cut them into bite-sized cubes and place them in a large bowl. Dice an onion (or half an onion . . . or less - totally depends on your taste here and I tend to go for less) and add it to the potatoes in the bowl. Peel and chop a few hard boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes and onions in the bowl.
For the dressing, mix equal parts mayo and miracle whip in a small bowl. Add a sqirt of yellow mustard. Slowly add a little milk to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over potatoes, onions and egg and stir to coat. Sprinkle paprika over the top and chill for several hours before serving.
Notes:
My dad always makes the potato salad for big family gatherings like Memorial Day or Fourth of July picnics, Hardware Ranch trips, and even Callie's baby blessing. His is really the only potato salad that I really like. So many times I've seen one served somewhere and thought, "Yeah, potato salad!" And then I take a big scoop and am utterly disappointed. Every time. I'm finally learning to avoid the potato salad at food functions or restaurants and save myself the heartache. ;) This year, on Memorial Day, I attempted to make Dad's "recipe" myself to eat with our Shake and Bake Chicken since he wasn't here to do so for me. I don't think my salad was quite as good as his, but with a couple of decades of practice maybe I can catch up.
Ingredients:
red potatoes, boiled and cubed
onion, diced fine
eggs, hard boiled and diced
miracle whip
mayonnaise
milk
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, for sprinkling on top
Directions:
Wash and boil your potatoes till they are tender. (Dad always leaves the skins on and peels them after they were cooked using a paring knife to gently peel away the skin from the potato.) Cut them into bite-sized cubes and place them in a large bowl. Dice an onion (or half an onion . . . or less - totally depends on your taste here and I tend to go for less) and add it to the potatoes in the bowl. Peel and chop a few hard boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes and onions in the bowl.
For the dressing, mix equal parts mayo and miracle whip in a small bowl. Add a sqirt of yellow mustard. Slowly add a little milk to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over potatoes, onions and egg and stir to coat. Sprinkle paprika over the top and chill for several hours before serving.
Notes:
My dad always makes the potato salad for big family gatherings like Memorial Day or Fourth of July picnics, Hardware Ranch trips, and even Callie's baby blessing. His is really the only potato salad that I really like. So many times I've seen one served somewhere and thought, "Yeah, potato salad!" And then I take a big scoop and am utterly disappointed. Every time. I'm finally learning to avoid the potato salad at food functions or restaurants and save myself the heartache. ;) This year, on Memorial Day, I attempted to make Dad's "recipe" myself to eat with our Shake and Bake Chicken since he wasn't here to do so for me. I don't think my salad was quite as good as his, but with a couple of decades of practice maybe I can catch up.
Shake and Bake Chicken
Source: My momma, Peggy Elwood
Ingredients:
2 cups dry bread crumbs
½ cup flour
3 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup shortening
chicken pieces (I like to use the boneless skinless thighs or regular drumsticks)
Ingredients:
2 cups dry bread crumbs
½ cup flour
3 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup shortening
chicken pieces (I like to use the boneless skinless thighs or regular drumsticks)
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients (minus the chicken) together. Skin the chicken (if it has skin) and roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Bake at ~350 degrees F until chicken is cooked (times will vary depending on the pieces of chicken you're using - a good starting point is usually about a half hour and check from there). This makes a lot (I coated two big packages of chicken legs and I still have some left over!), but the extra crumb mixture will keep for a long time in a ziploc bag in the fridge. Note: put a small amount of crumb mix in a bowl for dipping/rolling your chicken in and add to it as needed. That way your extra crumbs stay chicken juice-free and you can have more deliciousness on another day.
Notes:
According to family legend, this was something my mom made for my dad on one of their first dates . . . and the rest is history! My memories of it usually involve a President's Day outing to Hardware Ranch to see the elk and go sledding, picnicing on cold Shake and Bake and Dad's potato salad in the car afterwards. We recently made and devoured it for a Memorial Day picnic in the mountains of Colorado. Whatever the memories or tales around this chicken may be, it's definitely delicious and worth making. As Gregg loves to quote every time we make or eat this, "It's shake and bake, and I helped!"
Individual Fruit Pizzas
Source: I've seen the idea a few places on Pinterest, including here and here, but I used my mom's tried and true sugar cookie recipe and the cream cheese frosting recipe from this cake
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
6 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 level tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
6 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 level tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
for the icing:
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3.5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (I used 1% milk instead, and while the recipe author said it would be less creamy than cream, I thought it was divinely creamy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt (I skipped this because I had salted butter)
for the fruit toppings:
(*I was making these for a Young Women activity, so I picked fruit that went along with the value colors, but you can use whatever you like/is in season)
bananas, sliced
blueberries
strawberries, sliced
kiwi, sliced
mandarin oranges, drained
fresh pineapple, cut into small, thin slices
purple grapes, halved
fresh peaches, sliced
Directions:
First, make the cookies: Sift baking powder with flour. Work shortening into flour as you would for pie crust. Add sugar, beaten eggs, sour cream, salt and soda. Mix well (I usually have to get my hands dirty and really knead everything together in the bowl). Add flavoring (more kneading by hand at this point to get it all mixed in and stuck together in a big ball). (I usually like to let the dough chill in the fridge for a few hours before rolling it out, but it's not completely necessary.) Roll out, cut into desired shapes (~4-inch circles in this case), and bake at 400° for about 7 minutes or until lightly browned.
While the cookies are baking, mix together the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream (or milk), vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of cream (or milk) to thin out, if desired. (I ended up with about 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk and it was silky smooth and easy to spread.)
When the cookies are cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting and top with fruit as desired.
Makes about 3 dozen 4-inch diameter cookies (and frosting to cover each one of them).
Notes:
As I mentioned above, I prepared these little treats for our New Beginnings refreshments. Instead of icing and decorating cookies for everyone, I decided to make it a do-it-yourself dessert bar. I put all the fruit into individual bowls (with cute labels - I don't know what came over me), had a tray of cookies and a few bowls of frosting and let the young women, parents and leaders go to town decorating their own. It was a huge hit with everyone who attended (and with Gregg and me who got to eat the leftovers for the rest of the week!).
 |
| My cute fellow leaders showing off the spread. (We also had someone bring some mini cupcakes, pictured in the top left corner there - just so you know that's not part of the fruit pizza dealio.) |
 |
| Smiles all around. |
Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
for the sauce:
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
for the pasta shells:
24 large pasta shells (about 3/4 of a 12 ounce box)
(*If you want to use the entire box of shells (there are usually about 32 shells total in a 12 ounce box), prepare an 8X8-inch pan in addition to the 9X13-inch pan and consider increasing the filling and sauce by half.)
for the filling:
16 ounces (2 cups) cottage cheese
15 ounces (about 2 cups) part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess liquid
(*Make sure to squeeze as much liquid out of that spinach as possible so the shells don't have excess liquid (letting the sit for a few minutes after baking will help that, too).)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
(* If you'd like to reserve some of the cheese (or shred extra) for sprinkling on top of the shells and sauce before baking, feel free!)
Directions:
For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
While the sauce simmers, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta shells al dente according to package directions. Drain and immediately place them in an even layer on paper towels or parchment.
For the filling, in a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and basil. Add the spinach and mix until combined. Stir in the cheeses.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon about half of the sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly. Fill each pasta shell with an even amount of the filling (about 1/4 cup per shell, more or less) and place the shells on top of the sauce in the pan - making three rows of eight shells.
Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake five or so more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the shells sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
(*This makes a great freezer meal. Before baking the shells, after they have been fully assembled and covered in sauce, cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze. I usually bake from frozen, adding an hour onto the baking time and uncovering for 15-30 minutes instead of just a couple of minutes (so it would be about an hour and a half covered and then 15-30 minutes uncovered).)
Notes:
So this was pretty much amazing! But really, how could it not be? Pasta filled with ooey-gooey cheese topped with a lovely marinara? Pretty much heaven, if you ask me. It's kind of similar to a manicotti recipe that I grew up with, but instead of having to stuff the cheese mixture into a tube-shaped shell (or a trick we learned was to cut the cooked tube open, place the filling at one edge and roll up the noodle around the cheese), you just scoop it directly into an open shell. Super easy. Don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients. This really came together quite quickly (not super fast, but not as scary and long as it seems) on a recent Saturday evening. I didn't bake it at the end but instead kept it in the fridge for Sunday dinner. I think it took about an hour to cook cold from the fridge, but it was worth it to not have to do any prep. Just pop, bake and devour. Delish!
Ingredients:
for the sauce:
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
for the pasta shells:
24 large pasta shells (about 3/4 of a 12 ounce box)
(*If you want to use the entire box of shells (there are usually about 32 shells total in a 12 ounce box), prepare an 8X8-inch pan in addition to the 9X13-inch pan and consider increasing the filling and sauce by half.)
for the filling:
16 ounces (2 cups) cottage cheese
15 ounces (about 2 cups) part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess liquid
(*Make sure to squeeze as much liquid out of that spinach as possible so the shells don't have excess liquid (letting the sit for a few minutes after baking will help that, too).)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
(* If you'd like to reserve some of the cheese (or shred extra) for sprinkling on top of the shells and sauce before baking, feel free!)
Directions:
For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
While the sauce simmers, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta shells al dente according to package directions. Drain and immediately place them in an even layer on paper towels or parchment.
For the filling, in a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and basil. Add the spinach and mix until combined. Stir in the cheeses.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon about half of the sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly. Fill each pasta shell with an even amount of the filling (about 1/4 cup per shell, more or less) and place the shells on top of the sauce in the pan - making three rows of eight shells.
Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake five or so more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the shells sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
(*This makes a great freezer meal. Before baking the shells, after they have been fully assembled and covered in sauce, cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze. I usually bake from frozen, adding an hour onto the baking time and uncovering for 15-30 minutes instead of just a couple of minutes (so it would be about an hour and a half covered and then 15-30 minutes uncovered).)
Notes:
So this was pretty much amazing! But really, how could it not be? Pasta filled with ooey-gooey cheese topped with a lovely marinara? Pretty much heaven, if you ask me. It's kind of similar to a manicotti recipe that I grew up with, but instead of having to stuff the cheese mixture into a tube-shaped shell (or a trick we learned was to cut the cooked tube open, place the filling at one edge and roll up the noodle around the cheese), you just scoop it directly into an open shell. Super easy. Don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients. This really came together quite quickly (not super fast, but not as scary and long as it seems) on a recent Saturday evening. I didn't bake it at the end but instead kept it in the fridge for Sunday dinner. I think it took about an hour to cook cold from the fridge, but it was worth it to not have to do any prep. Just pop, bake and devour. Delish!
Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Source: here, via Pinterest and my sister Megan
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (later you'll see that it says to process the oats in a food processor, since I don't have one, I decided to just use quick oats instead; my sister Megan also didn't blend her oats and she has used both old fashioned rolled and quick oats with success)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened (I used salted)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
for the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
(*I halved the icing recipe because I thought it seemed like it would be way too much - turns out it iced exactly half of my batch, so the amounts are right. But the un-iced cookies were tasty, too, so you can do what you like.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour oats into a food processor and pulse until partially ground, about 15 seconds (as noted above in the ingredients list, both Megan and I did NOT do this step and the cookies were totally great). In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground oats, for 30 seconds.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and light-brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined (scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed). Allow cookie dough to rest 10 minutes at room temperature.
Scoop dough out about 2 Tbsp at a time and drop onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven 11 - 15 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and milk and dip tops of cooled cookies in icing and allow excess to run off or alternately spread icing over cookies. Return to wire rack and allow icing to set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes:
When my family came to visit at the beginning of June they brought a batch of these cookies along for the trip. They were nice enough to share with us after dinner one evening, and oh boy! What a treat! I didn't hesitate long after they had left to whip up my own batch of these marvelous goodies. They're so good. Just like the ones from the store. But better. I love the spiciness from the cinnamon and nutmeg and the sweetness from the perfectly hardening glaze. Triple yum!
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (later you'll see that it says to process the oats in a food processor, since I don't have one, I decided to just use quick oats instead; my sister Megan also didn't blend her oats and she has used both old fashioned rolled and quick oats with success)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened (I used salted)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
for the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
(*I halved the icing recipe because I thought it seemed like it would be way too much - turns out it iced exactly half of my batch, so the amounts are right. But the un-iced cookies were tasty, too, so you can do what you like.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour oats into a food processor and pulse until partially ground, about 15 seconds (as noted above in the ingredients list, both Megan and I did NOT do this step and the cookies were totally great). In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground oats, for 30 seconds.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and light-brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined (scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed). Allow cookie dough to rest 10 minutes at room temperature.
Scoop dough out about 2 Tbsp at a time and drop onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven 11 - 15 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and milk and dip tops of cooled cookies in icing and allow excess to run off or alternately spread icing over cookies. Return to wire rack and allow icing to set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes:
When my family came to visit at the beginning of June they brought a batch of these cookies along for the trip. They were nice enough to share with us after dinner one evening, and oh boy! What a treat! I didn't hesitate long after they had left to whip up my own batch of these marvelous goodies. They're so good. Just like the ones from the store. But better. I love the spiciness from the cinnamon and nutmeg and the sweetness from the perfectly hardening glaze. Triple yum!
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