The Blanchard Bistro

Taco Beef Soup

2012-01-31T10:26:00.000-08:00

Source: adapted from The Essential Mormon Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cups water
1 (26-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (1.5-ounce) packet taco seasoning mix (I used a couple tablespoons of a homemade mix I whipped up a while ago)
1 (16-ounce) can corn (I didn't add this because I forgot - it's not in the original recipe - but I thought it might be a tasty addition . . . next time!)

optional toppings:
cheddar cheese, grated
tomatoes, chopped
green onions, chopped
corn chips
sour cream
avocado, chopped

Directions:
In a large saucepan cook ground beef, onion, and pepper until meat is browned; drain off excess fat. Add the water, stewed tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Simmer, covered, for at least 15 minutes. Top with optional toppings - whatever floats your boat (I load mine up with tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheese . . . mmmm!)

Notes:
I've always loved taco soup, but I didn't have tomato juice required for the recipe I'm used to making, so I did a little searching and found this one in my trusty Mormon cookbook. It hit the spot on a windy, cold January evening.

Jalapeno Cheese Scones

2012-01-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

Source: Joy the Baker, via my friend Anika on Pinterest

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing the tops of the scones) (I just used 2% milk because that's what we had and it worked great)
1/4 pound pepper jack cheese, cut into small cubes (I only had sharp cheddar, and it was yummy, but I'm sure pepper jack would be awesome!)
2 medium jalapenos, some seeds removed, diced small (I halved the recipe and still used 2 jalapenos, so if I was making a full batch, I'd definitely double these)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small saute pan and cook diced jalapenos until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the diced peppers cool and them mix with the diced cheese. Toss mixture in 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Work in the cold butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Some butter pieces will be the size of peas and the flour will be nice and crumbly.

Whisk together 2 eggs and heavy cream. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients, fold together with a fork until almost fully incorporated. Add the jalapeno and cheese mixture to the shaggy dough and work together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Form into a disk about 8 inches around and 2 inches thick. Cut disk into six wedges and refrigerate for 10 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake, place chilled scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sea salt (next time I think I'd leave the salt off - the crunch was a little weird to me with the soft and fluffly scone and I feel like they were just too salty with it). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and delicious. These are best served the day they’re made.

Notes:
My friend Anika had shared her love of these delightful little scones with me, so I knew someday I'd like to try them. Well, someday turned into yesterday and I made a little batch to go along with our taco soup dinner last night. Yum. I couldn't really taste the jalapeno flavor (they're definitely not spicy) when the scones were hot out of the oven, but as they cooled down a bit, their flavor really came out. I love jalapeno! Both Gregg and I were (pleasantly) surprised how light and fluffy these were, too - I was expecting something a little more dense, so that was a happy realization.

Chewy Pretzel Bites

2012-01-29T19:19:00.000-08:00

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
Dough:
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
*Note: if using active dry yeast, increase the yeast to 1 tablespoon. Proof the yeast in the warm water and sugar (let it bubble and foam – maybe about 5 minutes) before adding it to the flour and salt.
1 cup (8 ounces) very warm water

Topping:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
Coarse salt (optional)
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix to just combine. Add the water and mix well, adding more flour, as needed, a bit at a time to form a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides and bottom of the bowl. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth and quite slack. The goal is to get a really soft dough that isn’t overly sticky. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a plastic bag (if / when I ever make these again I will NOT do the bag thing - it made a huge, sticky mess - instead, I'll just cover my dough with a towel and leave it in the bowl to rise, like I do for all my yeast dough making); close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Don’t be afraid of the high heat! This is what will help those pretzels to brown up perfectly and stay soft on the inside. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or lightly greasing them.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into about four strips of equal length. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda in a liquid measuring cup (deep enough to dip the pretzel bites into). Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved. (My soda was never fully dissolved, so I just stirred it right before dunking each of my dough pieces.)

Cut each strip of dough into about 6-8 pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ inches in width. You don’t have to be completely exact, just eyeball it. Dip each pretzel bite in the baking soda solution (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. (I think I'd somehow like to drain them a bit before baking next time - they had a rather strong baking soda taste upon the first bite and I think it's because some of my soda water pooled up around each dough blob.) Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 7-8 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Bake one sheet at a time – it won’t hurt the other pretzels to chill out for a little longer.

Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you’ve used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that’s what gives these pretzels their ethereal (Mel's word, not mine - but it's true that they were!) taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave on low heat.

Also - check out Mel's blog for some great step-by-step photo instructions.

Makes about 2 dozen pretzel bites.

Notes:
While reading some of the comments about Mel's split pea soup, which I had already decided to make, I read that someone had made it with these pretzel bites as a side. That intrigued me and I thought I'd give it a shot. Um. Yum. A little different than your usual bread or rolls with soup, but definitely delicious. And they'd make a great after school or football-watching snack, too.

Split Pea Soup with Barley and Ham

2012-01-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

Source: Mel of Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
1 cup dry split green peas
1/2 cup medium pearl barley (not quick-cooking barley)
2 cups chopped ham
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
5 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf

Directions:
In a medium bowl or liquid measure, combine the water, bouillon cubes and spices and whisk to combine (it’s ok if the bouillon cubes don’t completely dissolve).

In a medium round slow cooker (about 4-quart), layer peas, barley, ham, carrots, onion and celery. Do not mix. Pour in the water/spices mixture and add the bay leaf to the slow cooker. Don’t stir! Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or on low eight hours, until the peas reach the desired creamy, soft texture. Remove the bay leaf, stir well, and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately. Upon sitting and/or refrigerating, this soup thickens considerably. Simply add water or chicken broth to thin the soup to the desired consistency before reserving.

Notes:
I never grew up with split pea soup (it's one of the only things I've ever heard my mom say she hated - stemmed from a stay in the hospital as a child, I think). (In fact, the only thing I had ever done with split peas was to extract DNA from them.) But I know Gregg likes it, and after Victoria's comments about loving barley, I thought it was as good a time as ever to give it a whirl. All I can say is Yum! (With a capital Y.) This is really yummy - and probably not too much different than the other split pea soup recipes posted already, but the barley really is a nice addition, I think. I only halved the recipe when I made it because I wasn't sure how much I would love it, but next time I'll make the whole thing. (The half recipe was probably 3 generous servings or 4 smaller ones.)

Easy Coconut Sheet Cake

2012-01-22T16:02:00.000-08:00

Source: Tastykitchen.com, via Pinterest

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 box (18.25 oz. box) white cake mix
1 package (3.4 oz. size) vanilla pudding mix
¼ cups canola oil
½ cups water
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract (my addition)
1 cup shredded coconut

For the glaze:
¾ cups powdered sugar
¼ cups butter
2 ounces, weight cream cheese
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon milk (I used coconut milk, since I happened to have it on hand)

For the frosting:
8 ounces, weight cream cheese
¼ cups butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract (again, I added this to give the frosting more coconut flavor)
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cups toasted coconut, for garnish (I made mine by slowly toasting it on the stove over low heat)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, blend together cake mix, vanilla pudding, canola oil, water, sour cream, and eggs. Blend on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the coconut and mix well. Pour into the greased pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the glaze, cream together the powdered sugar, butter, and cream cheese. Add lemon juice and milk and blend until smooth. Poke small holes in the cake with a knife or toothpick. Pour the glaze over the warm cake. After the glaze has soaked into the cake for a few minutes, place the cake in the fridge and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting, cream together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add shredded (untoasted) coconut and mix well. Gently spread over the cooled cake. Don’t worry if some of the glaze mixes with the frosting while you are spreading it on—it will be delicious! Sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

Store the cake in the fridge to keep it fresh and yummy.

Comments:

This cake was incredible! I made it for Scott's mom's birthday a couple weeks ago -- coconut cake is her favorite -- and it turned out so yummy! Really dense and moist; plus, the glaze and frosting added even more moistness and incredible flavor. As I mentioned, I added coconut extract and coconut milk in the different components of the cake to give it even more of a "coconutty" flavor. This cake is definitely going to go into our dessert rotation!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

2012-01-22T13:56:00.001-08:00

Source: Tasty Kitchen

Not the best photo ever - but they didn't last long!

Ingredients:
for the brownies:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 whole large eggs
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup crunchy peanut butter (we had creamy open, so creamy was used)
1-½ teaspoons canola oil
2 cups mini marshmallows (we had big ones that I cut into fourths)
½ cup chopped and toasted pecans (I was afraid of toasting nuts because I was worried about burning them - it's really not scary - just spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and toast the nuts at 350F for 5 minutes or until they become aromatic - got that tip from food.com)

for the icing:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
⅛ teaspoons salt (don't be like me and misread this as 1/2 teaspoon - that is way too much salt!)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8″ square baking pan with parchment paper or foil. If using foil, spray it with cooking spray. (I just greased my pan really well and they came out easily.)

In medium bowl, combine flour, 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat together 1/2 cup butter, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoons vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir dry ingredients into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes.

When brownie layer is done baking, combine peanut butter and oil in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave on high for 20 seconds to soften. Pour this warm mixture over hot brownie and spread.

Sprinkle the peanut butter covered brownies with marshmallows. Return to oven to bake for 3 more minutes, or until the marshmallows puff. Remove from oven and sprinkle puffed marshmallows with toasted pecans.

To make frosting, combine confectioner's sugar and salt. In small saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, add the 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1/4 cup of the milk and heat until the mixture begins to boil. Pour this mixture into confectioners sugar/salt mixture and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until smooth and glossy. If frosting is not pourable at this point, add remaining 2 Tablespoons of milk. Lastly, beat in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, then pour evenly over puffed marshmallows and pecans.

Let cool completely in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Notes:
Enjoy we did! I saw this recipe pop up on the Tasty Kitchen Blog while visiting my family in Logan last week. My sister came home from work/school that day and starting describing this awesome brownie recipe she had seen online that morning. It was the same recipe. This one. My mom was kind enough to let me take over her kitchen and her ingredients for the morning while I whipped these up. (I told her I probably would never make them at my apartment because I don't have all those ingredients on hand - she did, which made things really easy.) They are super rich, so a little bite goes a long way. But they really are quite heavenly. Just remember 1/8 teaspoon salt in the frosting - NOT 1/2 - and you should be fine. :)

Yummy Spaghetti

2012-01-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

Source: adapted from a recipe by my aunt, Nikie Elwood

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or 1 lb cooked chicken (diced or shredded)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can cream o' mushroom soup
1 bottle spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella but cheddar is good, too)
a bunch of spaghetti or angel hair pasta (I never know how to really measure spaghetti - so just cook enough to fill a 9 x 13" casserole dish.)

Directions:
Boil your pasta according to package directions. Drain and put in a 9 x 13" casserole dish.

In a saucepan, brown ground beef and add onion, green pepper and garlic (if using chicken instead, just saute the veggies in a little bit of oil and then add the chicken when they are soft). Add soup, sauce and parmesan cheese and simmer together.

Pour sauce mixture over pasta and carefully mix so all noodles are coated. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, or until warmed through and cheese on top is bubbly.

Notes:
I remember when one of my little sisters (probably Megan) was born that Nikie brought our family a pan of this "yummy spaghetti" and I loved it. When I was racking my brain for ideas on what to feed the missionaries last night, this seemed to fit the bill because a) I had everything we needed and b) it can feed a crowd - or a couple of hungry elders. So the decision was made. And it was good. And we still have some leftover for today. Score.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

2012-01-17T06:49:00.000-08:00

Source: here, via here, via pinterest

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente (I used whole wheat linguine)
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 thinly sliced green onion
1-2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half 1% milk and half whipping cream)
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (I used fresh minced garlic)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through. Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.

Notes:
Bret and I had a rough weekend, so last night we needed some, hearty, bad-for-you, take-your-mind-off-your-troubles comfort food, and oh boy did this do the trick! Spicy yet creamy, it was soothing and traditional yet exotic enough to bring a little pep into the evening. A few changes that I made were to replace the cajun seasoning with creole, replace the green onion with about 1/2 of a large yellow onion, use milk instead of the cream (plus a tablespoon or two of flour to thicken), and add some extra creole seasoning at the end for a little extra spice.

Rice Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

2012-01-16T13:26:00.001-08:00

Source: this site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
chicken (I used a boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, and browned in a little bit of oil directly in my rice cooker - but you can use whatever you like and/or have on hand)
2 cups rice (or enough for your family - we used 2 cups and that lasts for dinner plus a few lunches for the next couple of days)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup water + 3 cups water

Directions:
In a bowl, mix brown sugar, soy sauce, water and ketchup. Stir until well blended. Set aside. Measure out enough rice to feed your family. Pour it into a rice cooker. If you don't have a rice cooker, you can still do this on the stove, it just takes a little more watchful eye. Measure out the correct amount of liquid for your rice (the teriyaki sauce recipe above makes about 1 cup liquid, so I added 3 cups water to make 4 cups total liquid for my rice to cook). If you want a stronger teriyaki flavor simply increase the amount of sauce you prepare and decrease the extra water accordingly. Pour the teriyaki sauce in the rice cooker. Add the extra water. Dice the chicken and dump it in the cooker as well. Set the cooker to cook and walk away. (I also added frozen peas to the mix, though I think I'd like them better if I just stirred them in towards the end rather then letting them cook the whole time.)

Notes:
Just another quick little recipe I found on Pinterest. Pretty tasty, though our rice was a little bit chewy, so next time I'll probably add a bit more water. Love that rice cooker - makes dinner time a breeze!

Banana Bread

2012-01-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

Source: adapted from The Essential Mormon Cookbook

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips (or both!)

Directions:
Mash bananas and set aside. In a large bowl cream sugar and butter together. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, flaxseed meal and salt. Add to first mixture and stir together. Stir in nuts and/or chocolate chips. Place in two greased, 9x5-inch loaf pans and bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 275F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 (it only took mine about 10!) minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

Notes:
You know the drill - you buy a bunch of bananas, and eat two or three of them, but there's always a straggler or two that turn too brown for regular eating. What else is left to do than make some delicious baked good out of them? That was my situation yesterday. And since my sister Megan wasn't around to make it for me, I turned to my trusty Mormon Cookbook and whipped up a batch of bread myself. I admit I did tweak the recipe a titch - I split the sugar into white and brown and did the same for the flour, plus I took the liberty to add in some flax and chocolate (because I didn't have walnuts and would have definitely loved to use them if I did). I think the finished product turned out quite nice. And the heavenly aroma while it was baking? Oh my!

Cilantro Lime Chicken (Slow Cooker)

2012-01-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

Source (via pinterest)

Directions:
1. In a slow cooker (crockpot), mix together
1 24-ounce jar mild or medium salsa
Juice from one lime
1-4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 package taco seasoning
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)

2. Add 4-6 boneless chicken breast halves (defrosted) and coat with the salsa mixture.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

4. Serve the chicken with the salsa mixture spooned over the top, as a taco filling, or as a layer of taco salad.

Notes: We used this chicken, shredded, in burritos last night - yum! Bret and Melia noticed a lot of spicy heat (I only used mild salsa and 1/2 of a jalapeno), but I didn't taste any. Either way, it was very flavorful, super delicious, and outrageously easy!

Zucchini Rice Casserole

2012-01-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Source (via pinterest)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups diced zucchini and/or summer squash
2 red or green bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, diced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces turkey sausage, casings removed
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos (I used fresh jalapenos, finely diced)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Pour rice into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir hot broth into the rice along with zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and salt. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 35 to 45 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, whisk milk and flour in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until bubbling and thickened, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add 1 1/2 cups jack cheese and corn and cook, stirring until the cheese is melted. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink.
5. When the rice is done, stir in the sausage and cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup jack sheese on top and dollop cream cheese by the teaspoonful over the casserole. Top with jalapenos.
6. Return the casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: With the warmer weather, we've been eating a lot of light, low-calorie meals, but when the snow hit, I was ready for some good old-fashioned comfort food. This was perfect because while it tastes naughty, it's not as guilt-worthy as it seems. I've added a few notes to the recipe to remember next time"
- eliminate the cream cheese dollops on top. They were delicious, but really just unnecessary calories. Plus, they didn't melt like I expected, just remained firm chunks.
- The overall cook time was much less than expected because I didn't have to bake the rice/vegetables again to reduce the liquid like in the directions - when I took the foil off after the first 45 minutes, my rice was tender and the broth was all absorbed. So, start cooking the milk/cheese sauce and sausage about 15 minutes before timer beeps.
- Cook the sausage first and the milk/cheese sauce second. The sauce with thicken as it cools and it needs to be warm and pourable when you add it to the rice/vegetables.
- If you're feeding meat lovers, double the sausage (use 1 lb)

Vanilla Dutch Baby (Puffed Pancake)

2012-01-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Source: A combination of recipes from the trusty ol' BHG cookbook and The Food Network

Ingredients:

2 T. butter

3 eggs

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. milk

1/4 t. salt

1 T. sugar

2 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

Place butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet. (I doubled the recipe and put it in a large, glass cake pan.) Place butter in a 400-degree oven for 3-5 minutes or until butter melts.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs until combined. Add flour, milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth.

Immediately poor mixture into the hot skillet. Bake about 25 minutes or until puffed and well-browned.

Top with whipped cream, syrup, fruit, powdered sugar, etc. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Comments: I've made puffed pancakes/German pancakes/Dutch babies before, but I saw a sweet version on The Food Network this week and decided to try adding sugar and vanilla to the regular recipe. So yummy, they didn't even need toppings!

As I mentioned, I doubled the recipe and baked it in a regular cake pan (so we'd have plenty!). The boys loved seeing the huge, inflated pancake come out of the oven. . .a fun change from our usual wheat pancakes.

Creamy Avocado Pasta

2012-01-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

Source (via pinterest)

Ingredients:
1 medium, ripe avocado (pitted)
1/2 lemon, juiced, plus lemon zest to garnish
2-3 garlic cloves, to taste
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 servings (6 oz) of your choice pasta (I used whole grain angel hair)
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by blending the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender or small food processor until smooth. Add the avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and place in a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Notes: Holy moly. This is delicious! I had some leftover avocados from making my favorite guacamole last night, which gave me an excuse to try this recipe that I've had pinned forever. It was so easy and oh so delicious! The flavor could be described as "avocado pesto." I'm not even the biggest fan of avocados, so if you're partial to the vegetable, then prepare yourself for some serious joy!

Philly Cheeseteak Sloppy Joes

2012-01-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Source: this site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil (skipped it)
1 pound ground beef
1 softball-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons steak sauce (didn't have any, so added 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce + 1 Tablespoon ketchup)
1 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
8 hamburger buns (the smaller ones)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded (only had mozzarella, which was really kind of bland by itself, so I added a squirt of horseradish sauce and a squirt of mustard to sass it up a bit)

Directions:
In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes. (I found that two minutes wasn't quite long enough - it was really soupy stuff, so I let it simmer and bubble for a while longer to let a lot of the moisture evaporate.)

If you like toasted buns, go ahead and do that now. If not, move on to the next step.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir the cheese.

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

Notes:
Just another of those random recipes I've discovered due to the wonderful world of Pinterest. This one looked fun, quick and different, so I gave it a go. I definitely would recommend something a little more flavorful than mozza for the cheese, but other than that I was quite pleased with this recipe.

Tamale Pie

2012-01-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

Source: Kim G. Blanchard, via The Blanchard Bistro Cookbook (but I didn't see it on the blog, so I'm posting it here)

Directions:
Brown and drain:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
Season with garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Add:
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can diced green chiles
1 can whole medium olives, drained (I left these out and substituted for 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained)
1 can tomato sauce
chili powder, cumin - to taste (I added 1 teaspoon of each)

For the crust:
Mix in a large saucepan, cook on stovetop till thick (do not cool, spread hot over filling immediately after making):
4 cups cold water
2 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder

Pour filling in casserole dish. Sprinkle with 2 cups grated cheese. Spread crust over filling. Bake at 350F till crust is done and brown (about 35 - 40 minutes - I found that we needed even more time than that - closer to 50).

Notes:
I was perusing the internet one morning and stumbled across a recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe called Cowboy Dinner. When I gave Gregg a couple options for dinner that night (I just couldn't decide), I included a link to Mel's recipe (we were chatting over gmail) and that sparked a memory of his mom's similar recipe - this recipe for Tamale Pie. I pulled out the binder that Kim gave me at my bridal shower and low and behold they were pretty similar. I decided to try Kim's version because the crust intrigued me. Oh boy am I glad I did. I loved it and I ate the leftovers for days afterward. (I think it got better with age!) I love cornbread, but this crust definitely isn't bready - it's more like a tamale, as the name says. Yummy stuff here.

Cheese 'n' Sausage Calzones

2012-01-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

Source: My mom's recipe box

Ingredients:
15 ounces Ricotta or cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (1 lb.)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
5 1-pound loaves frozen bread dough, thawed (I decided to try a homemade version and used Mel's French Bread Roll dough - the same stuff I made the braid from a few weeks ago)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 16 ounce jar spaghetti sauce, heated

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine cheeses, oregano and basil. In a large skillet, saute onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Add to cheese mixture. In the same skillet, brown sausage; drain and stir into cheese mixture. Divide each loaf of dough into halves; divide each section in half and roll each portion into a circle. (If you're making the homemade dough, just pinch off clumps - one batch should make about 12 or so - and flatten them in your hand or roll them into small circles - about 5-6 inches in diameter.) Spoon 2 tablespoonfuls of filling on half of each circle. Fold the other half over and wet the edges. Seal with a fork or with fingertips. Place on greased baking sheets and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce for dipping. Serves 20 (freeze leftovers for lunch). Optional fillings: mushrooms, olives, scrambled eggs, spinach, etc.

Notes:
This is a yummy and filling meal. It does take a little time to assemble all the calzones, but in the end it's more than worth it. And this recipe makes a TON. We halved it for just Gregg and me, and even that fed us for breakfast, lunch and dinner for days. Also, don't be afraid of the goop - it will most likely ooze out of your dough as it's cooking, no matter how careful you are - just scoop it up and plop it on top! (I don't worry a lot about presentation at my house, can you tell?)

Grandma's Gingerbread House Dough

2012-01-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

Source: My Grandma, Margaret Elwood

Just one of many, many, many houses that have been
created using this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

2/3 cup molasses

1 egg

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Use electric mixer to mix all ingredients together. Use hands to then compact dough into a ball. Put dough in a zip lock bag or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Place dough on a greased jelly roll pan and roll out to evenly fill pan. Place gingerbread house pattern (I'm working on getting this!) on dough and lightly mark outline. Bake at 300 degrees F for about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and use marks to completely cut out shapes (this must be done before the dough cools and hardens). After cutting, remove pieces from pan and cool on a wire rack. Once cool, the pieces should be very hard. If not, place on a cookie sheet and return to oven for 5-10 minutes longer. Pieces can then be assembled using icing or hot glue (I think that hot glue was added by my uncle, Bryan - the cheater! ;) We have found that using meringue powder works wonders for making a really stiff, hard setting royal icing that holds those houses firm . . . though there were years in the early days when there were a few tears shed because of a sinking roof and I really would have loved to use glue!)

Notes:

This is one of those traditions that has been going on and on for as long as I can remember. I've never missed a year of the gingerbread house making extravaganza at Grandma's house (usually takes place Thanksgiving weekend, but not always) till this year. Luckily, my mom whipped up a batch for me and Gregg to take home with us after our trip to Utah for the wedding. She even included a little baggie of meringue powder and directions for making the royal icing. Then we just scrounged around our apartment for "decorations"* and voila! A masterpiece. (*My grandma has been doing this for so many years that she has a big bin of candy that we just keep reusing - think old, hard, stale stuff - replenishing just a few things each year as needed . . . this worked fine till Gregg came along because we never ate our gingerbread houses before - he had a different idea about things, and as it turns out, the houses are pretty dang good to nibble on, too!)

Sweet Rolls

2012-01-06T09:01:00.001-08:00

Source: My mom

photo courtesy: Gregg

Ingredients:
for the dough:
1 Tablespoon yeast softened in 1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk, scalded
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, if desired
about 4 1/2 cups flour

for the filling:
1/4 cup softened butter
"generous amounts" of brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts (if desired), and raisins (if desired - here they are ALWAYS desired!)

* I had some leftover whipped and sweetened cream cheese (I'm not sure what exactly was in it because I didn't make it - we used it at the Blanchard family "Christmas Eve" party for filling in crepes for dessert) that somehow ended up in my cooler on the way home from Utah. I didn't want it to go to waste, so instead of the butter and cinnamon sugar, I spread the dough with this yummy creamy concoction, sprinkled it with cinnamon, brown sugar and some plump and juicy raisins, and rolled it up. Turned out delicious!

for the icing:
mix melted butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and milk to desired glaze consistency

Directions:
Scald the milk, cool to 90°. Add shortening, salt, and sugar. Mix till frothy. Add flour to make a thick batter. Add yeast, eggs and lemon rind. Beat well. Add enough more flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Knead well until the surface is smooth and satiny, and is covered with tiny blisters. Place in bowl, cover and let rise till slightly more than doubled in bulk. Punch down and let rise 30 minutes. Punch down and let rise 10 minutes. Roll into large rectangle. Cover with cup softened butter. Sprinkle generous amount of brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, nuts, and raisins. Roll it up shortways. Slice into 1 1/4" slices with thread. Put in 9x13" cake pans and cover and let rise till they double in size. (I made mine on Christmas Eve - mid day - and just let them do their rising in the fridge. On Christmas morning, I pulled them out of the fridge for about 15-20 minutes and then popped them in the oven.) Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, until brown. Spoon icing over warm rolls.

Notes:
For as long as I can remember we've had Sweet Rolls - these Sweet Rolls - for breakfast on Christmas morning. (Sometimes we'd request them for breakfast on our birthdays, too, and being the amazing mom she is, she'd make them for us.) Since we weren't in Logan for Christmas this year, I took it upon myself to carry on the tradition. I was a little intimidated, mostly because I made some alterations that I had never tried or seen tried before, but in the end they worked out marvelously. Gregg says I can make them whenever I get the hankering. Hopefully for my waistline (maybe not his) that will only be next Christmas.

PB & J Muffins

2012-01-04T14:29:00.001-08:00

Source: here, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour (I used 1 cup white + 1/4 cup whole wheat)
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (don't know what this is - so I just used regular sugar)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (regular salt for me)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2/3 cup whole milk (we have 1%)
1/4 cup jam (whatever you like - I did some with homemade jumbleberry and some with store-bought strawberry)
1 teaspoon vanilla (I added this because my sugar was not "vanilla sugar")

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In another microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter. Lightly beat in the milk until creamy, then the eggs, one at a time. Pour into the dry ingredients and the stir until there are no dry spots.

Using a cookie scoop (I used a rounded 1 Tablespoon), fill each muffin cup halfway. Make a well, add about a teaspoon of jam, and scoop the remaining batter over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Let sit in muffin tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes:
Yep, another muffin recipe from Kimma. I admit I have a problem. But really, these were so yummy! Especially when they were still a little bit warm from the oven with a mug of cold milk.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-12-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Source: Our Best Bites, via Ashlee Webster

Ingredients:

Cakes:

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

1 c. oil

1 c. dark brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

3 c. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Cream Cheese Filling:

1/2 c. butter

1 8-oz. package cream cheese

3 c. powdered sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup or 1/2 - 1 tsp. maple extract

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined.

4. Using a 1 tablespoon scoop or a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon, drop the batter onto a baking sheet (lined, if possible, but not necessary), leaving about 1" between the drops. Try to keep the batter as circular as possible.

5. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

6. To prepare the filling, beat the butter on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, maple, and vanilla and beat until combined. Transfer to a large Ziploc bag and cut 1/2" - 1" off the corner.

7. Flip the cakes over on a flat surface. Squeeze about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per large whoopie pie (less if you used a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon) onto every other cake. Top each pie with the remaining cakes. Serve immediately if possible; otherwise, these can be refrigerated in an airtight container. Makes about 30 large whoopie pies.

Notes: Once again, this treat was sampled at the Webster household and we nearly died. Prepare yourself, these are a calorie-laden celebration of autumn! So wonderful warm or cold!

Croissant Bread Pudding

2011-12-30T22:13:00.000-08:00

Source: Ann Gallagher's family (via The Food Network)

Ingredients:
3 extra-large whole eggs
8 extra-large egg yolks
5 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 croissants, preferably stale
1 cup raisins

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.

Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baked Peach French Toast

2011-12-29T16:17:00.000-08:00

Source: my friend, Ashlee Webster

Ingredients:
1 loaf french bread cut into 1" slices (I have also used a texas toast loaf of bread)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 bottle sliced peaches, drained (I used home-bottled. You'd use a 28 ounce if you buy it at the store)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted margarine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Spread cream cheese on both sides of all slices bread, arrange in 9x13 pan (I usually fit 6), top with peaches, and another layer of bread (or you can leave the top layer of bread off...we love two layers). Stick bread with fork to allow absorption. Whisk together milk through vanilla, then pour over bread. Bake for 25 minutes.

Notes: We've made (and eaten) this with our friends, the Websters, several times. It's so rich, but oh so incredibly delicious. Next time you want a knock-your-socks off, high-calorie breakfast, make this the star of your menu!

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

2011-12-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

Source: Janae Duncan via Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1 (9 ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons dry parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (15 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Use a clean dry cloth to squeeze all moisture out of spinach and then roughly chop. Place in a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Place in an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

*This can be assembled 1-2 days ahead of time, covered tightly, refrigerated, and then baked for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Comments:
This stuff is insanely good! Janae made both this and the caramel toffee dip for my book group Christmas party last week, and we all begged for both recipes. By far the best spinach artichoke dip I've had. . .even if it isn't exactly figure-friendly!

Gingersnaps

2011-12-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

Source: My mom's recipe box

Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light molasses
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger

Directions:
Cream shortening and sugar, add molasses and egg, beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix well. Roll in small balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. (I'd say definitely toward the lower end of that time scale - you don't want them to burn!)

Notes:
A Christmas tradition at the Elwood house. These gingersnaps are so wonderful - and the best part is that they are soft - so maybe not "snappy", but definitely delicious and spicy. (If yours tend to harden up, just keep them in an airtight container with a slice of bread - the bread will dry out leaving the cookies soft as can be.) We love these!

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

2011-12-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

Source: food.com and Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup warm applesauce
2 tablespoons of white glue

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Knead to stiff dough. (You may need to add more applesauce, but a little at a time.). Roll out between sheets of foil to 1/4 inch thick. (I just rolled it out on the counter - if it stuck to the rolling pin, I dusted it with a little more cinnamon so it wouldn't stick.)

Cut out with cookie cutters. Use straw (or, if you don't have a straw, the barrel of a ball point pen) to make a hole near the top for hanging.

Let dry. You may also want to turn over so both sides dry thoroughly. (Martha suggests - and this is what I did - to dry them in a 200F oven for 2 hours, flipping once in the middle.)

Thread the hole with ribbon, thread, twine, or yarn and hang on your tree. They would also make cute gift toppers. Breath deeply and enjoy the magical scent of Christmas!

Notes:
I realize this isn't a recipe that you'd really want to eat, but I just had to share since they smell so good! I remember my mom making these cute little ornaments a long time ago, and I always loved pulling them out of the decoration box to put on the tree each year. When I saw this idea floating around Pinterest, I knew that I had to try them this year for our little tree. They are really easy and fairly quick. I made two batches to get the number of ornaments shown in the picture - about 20.

Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip

2011-12-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (you can use light cream cheese)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (you can add more to taste)
Toffee bits (look by the chocolate chips and try and find the chocolate covered ones if you can! Your dip won’t be pretty, but it will sure taste good!)
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1/8 tsp. (about a pinch) nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla with an electric mixer. When ready to serve, stir in about 1/2 a bag of toffee bits with more sprinkled on top. Serve in a hollow pumpkin with the spooky cinnamon chips and fresh fruit.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Braid

2011-12-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

Source: A combination of a few sites: here, via Pinterest, for the main idea and filling recipe and, here and here, from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, for the homemade bread recipe/use

photo credit: Gregg

Ingredients:

For the bread:

1 1/2 cups warm water

3/4 Tablespoon instant yeast (or 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast)

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour, give or take a few tablespoons (I subbed 1 cup with whole wheat flour)

For the filling:

2 cups chicken chunks, cooked (I had 1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken in my freezer and just used that)

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups broccoli, frozen, steamed and chopped (I used fresh - chopped it up, then popped it in the microwave with a spritz of water for a couple minutes to get it started cooking)

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 egg yolk

fresh rosemary (didn't have fresh, though that would be much prettier, I'm sure, so I used the dry stuff from a bottle)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl by hand, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups of the flour (if you are using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, let the yeast proof in the warm water and sugar for about 3-5 minutes until it is foamy and bubbly before adding the oil, salt and flour). Begin mixing and continue to add the rest of the flour gradually until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough not by the amount of flour called for in the recipe but in how the dough feels (see a tutorial on working with yeast here). The dough should be soft and smooth but still slightly tacky to the touch.

Knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand until it is very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand. Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled (this usually takes about an hour).

While the dough rises, make the filling by combining chicken, cheese, broccoli and mayonnaise.

Roll the dough into about an 11X17-inch rectangle (Mel rolls hers out directly on a silpat liner to make for easy transfer to the baking sheet and oven, but I don't have one of those, so I just carefully lifted the large rectangle onto my cookie sheet). Spread chicken/cheese/broccoli mixture over the center of the dough evenly to create a log. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut 1-inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center (where the "log" of filling is), with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or twist to seal. (Check out Mel's blog for detailed picture instructions.)

Brush the top of the braid with a beaten egg yolk and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top. Bake for 28 – 30 minutes until golden brown. Let the braid rest for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut braid into sections and serve warm.

Notes: Mel's instructions for her braid, using her bread recipe (the one I used here), said to split the dough in half and make two braids. I thought I had too much filling to do that, so I just used the whole bread recipe for one braid. Well, it raised a lot in the oven, and there was a lot of bread around that filling when it came out of the oven. It was still awesomely delicious, but if you like a smaller bread-to-filling ratio, I'd suggest doing it her way.

In other news, this was awesomely delicious! (Did I already say that?) I've seen braids like this before, but have never been brave enough to try it. It's really not hard at all. And if you make it with canned crescent dough like the original recipe said, it would be so speedy. I had time, and no canned crescents, so I went with the homemade version. That bread recipe is a keeper, for sure! This whole braid is - very reminiscent of broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl. And also hinted of a leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich on homemade rolls with a dab of miracle whip. Yumminess all around. (And it's even pretty good cold the next day!)

Gingerbread Muffins

2011-12-08T18:33:00.001-08:00

Source: The Sisters Cafe

Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice (I didn't have any so I did 1/8 teaspoon cloves + 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg)

Glaze
Mix the following together until desired consistency is reached (this makes a lot of glaze - way more than I needed, so I think I'd half it next time)
1 Tablespoon butter softened
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tablespoons milk

Directions:
Heat oven to 400. Grease bottoms only of 12 regular size muffin cups or place a paper baking cup in each muffin cup.

In a large bowl beat brown sugar, molasses, milk, oil, and egg with spoon (or use a mixer). Stir in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened. Divide batter evenly into the muffin cups.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove from pan to wire rack to cool. Drizzle powdered sugar glaze over top. Enjoy!

Notes:
If you know anything about me from reading my latest posted recipes, it is that I really love muffins (maybe even more than soup ... I'll have to see which wins for most posted by me). I also really love gingerbread - especially the smell. And oh my! Does our apartment ever smell good! :)

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

2011-12-08T07:37:00.001-08:00

Source: this site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa (since I used less chicken, I only used 2 cups of salsa - Pace medium - and it was plenty juicy!)
Juice from one lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
One 1.25-oz. package taco seasoning
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)
4-6 boneless chicken breast halves (I used about 2 1/2 ... ish - cut into "tenders")

Directions:
Mix salsa, lime juice, cilantro, taco seasoning and jalapenos in crockpot. Add chicken and make sure it's coated with the salsa mixture. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (My chicken was shreddable after about 3 hours, but I left it in there for a few more, just because we weren't ready to eat just yet.) Serve the chicken with the salsa mixture spooned over the top. If you're feeling crazy, throw a dollup of sour cream on top with some crushed tortilla chips. This is also delicious as a taco filling or in a taco salad (which is the way we ate it. Nachos are good, too. I love nachos).

Notes:
Here I present to you more of that awesome lime/cilantro/cumin combo that I love and adore. Easy. Delicious. 'Nuff said.

The Best Guacamole Ever. Seriously.

2011-12-06T22:40:00.001-08:00

Source: my friend, Ashlee

Ingredients:
2-3 ripe avocados
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon salsa

Directions:
1. Mash avocados
2. Stir in remaining ingredients
3. Serve

Black Bean Soup

2011-12-05T11:10:00.001-08:00

Source: Our Best Bites (love this site!)

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 cup diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 cup diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1 lime, juiced
Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc. (I definitely recommend the cilantro! SO good)

Directions:
Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step.) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 cups soup.

Notes:
Holy smokes! This soup is GOOD! Gregg just kept raving about how delicious it was last night as we were eating, and he even said that it wasn't only because he was ending a fast. ;) Really, though, it is delicious. The combination of flavors really hit the spot - cumin (my favorite spice, I'm convinced), lime, cilantro. Mmmm-mmm. Totally yum!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-12-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Source: Susan Brown
Contributor: Victoria Blanchard

Ingredients

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (Yams)

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans (Sue said she probably doubled the amount of nuts---I'd recommend doing that!)

Directions

Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes until hot and browned. Serves 6 to 8.

Notes: This was my and Ryan's favorite dish at the Thanksgiving dinner potluck we shared with some friends this year. We've never been big fans of marshmallow topping on sweet potatoes, but pecans, mmm, boy! There were several versions of this served at the Ward Christmas Party, so I think this is a pretty classic southern holiday dish. I recommend it (especially with extra pecans for the topping). Also, I'm pretty sure she used fresh sweet potatoes, not canned, which probably makes a difference.

Italian Salad

2011-12-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

Source/Contributor: Victoria Blanchard

Ingredients
Fresh, dark greens (I like Wal-Mart brand organic half-and-half mix)
Pepperoni, cut into quarter slices
Tomatoes, diced
Black olives, sliced
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Italian dressing

Directions
Top your greens with an appropriate amount of each ingredient depending on how many you are serving. Enjoy!

Notes: Although I came up with this "recipe" myself, I'm sure it's not original, but I really can't think of what official source inspired me for this combination. I came up with this for our ward Christmas Party because I wanted something pretty and I had decided to go savory rather than with one of my typically sweet salads (which was a good move since most of the other salads there were sweet). Also, the fact that pepperoni is in a recipe that I came up with is a clear indicator of my gestational status. I usually am only interested in eating pepperoni (or more accurately, I'm ok with not avoiding eating it) once in a blue moon, but when I'm pregnant it's on my A list. Seriously, I probably eat it once a week (mostly on pizza). It's crazy what hormones do to my taste buds.

Vegetable Barley Soup

2011-12-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Source: The back of my Goya brand barley bag (with some alterations by myself)
Contributor: Victoria Blanchard

Servings: 2-3 (I highly recommend doubling this recipe if you are going to serve more than 2 adults and/or want to have leftovers)

Ingredients:
2 cups of vegetable, chicken, or beef stock
2 cups of water
1/2 cup dry barley
2-3 carrots, diced
2-3 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 white onion
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste (I usually don't add any while cooking and let people season their own soup in the bowl; I like salt and Ry tends to go heavy on the pepper, so it makes sense for us)
Optional: meat or substitute other vegetables, but you would probably need to reduce the amount of something else, because this soup is already pretty "full"

Directions

Saute onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil in a large pot for 5-10 minutes so they start to cook. Add broth, water, seasonings, and barley. Let soup rise to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Depending on how high you keep the heat (if you're in a hurry, you can keep it boiling, but you'll have to watch it closer), it will take about 40-60 minutes for the barley to soften. Note that if you have leftovers, the barley will continue to absorb water. By the next day it will have absorbed all the remaining liquid. It still tastes great, it's just not what you could call soup by that point. But it's kind of nice to have big soft veggies and barley to fill your tummy with.

Notes: Ryan and I both LOVE this soup, especially with fresh oatmeal wheat bread on the side (topped with butter and honey, to die for!), and we can even get Katie to eat it without too much fuss. Two of my cooking goals in the past year or so have been to get more comfortable making soups and to start incorporating more grains and legumes into our meals. This recipe has been perfect for both. It is incredibly easy, and has helped me feel much less intimidated about soups. And now we eat barley once or twice a month, although I'd like to find another go-to recipe with barley in it because it is so good (and good for you, of course).

Broccoli Cheese Soup (for the Crockpot)

2011-12-02T09:46:00.001-08:00

Source: food.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine (I used Canola oil - lightening things up (NOT like this can save it!))
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli (I used fresh instead - just chopped some up and didn't even measure)
Black pepper, to taste (my little addition)

Directions:
Sauté onion and green pepper in butter (or oil, if you're like me). I added the broccoli after the onions and pepper were soft and sauted it around for about a minute or so before proceeding on to the next step.

Combine all ingredients on low in crockpot for 3-4 hours. Do not add salt. (Because I didn't think ahead enough about this, I ended up making it in a pot on the stove - worked fine and was done in about a half hour I think. Just be careful to not heat it too hot or the cheese does something funky on the bottom of the pan! Nice and low and slow!)

Notes:
This is definitely not a light or healthy soup. If that's what you're looking for - just turn around now. And I normally wouldn't pick a Velveeta recipe over something with more real ingredients (you know, cheese). But I had some leftover Velveeta from the Taco Plop recipe and decided this would be the way I would use it up. Very creamy and rich and a warm way to cozy up on a very blustery cold day. (Oh, and SUPER easy!)

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

2011-12-02T08:51:00.001-08:00

Source: here, via Pinterest (surprise!)

Ingredients:
1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10 packets (You can find this in your grocery store near the hot chocolate mixes - and I just used the store brand (no need to pay more!))
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups all purpose flour
1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (The blog author says "You really need the parchment!" but I didn't have any and the world did not end - amazing!)

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

With your mixer (or an energetic spoon) cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well. Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined. Refrigerate for about an hour. (If you're really impatient you don't have to do this, but it makes it so much easier to work with.)

When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels. (Oops - we did this first!)

Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut. (I used a rounded cookie scoop-full. My scoop holds about a Tablespoon.) (We just used our hands and pulled out globs.) Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Please don't over-bake!

Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.) If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they'll pop right off. (This sounds really complicated, but we just sprayed our cookie sheets with cooking spray and made sure to scoop them off to a cooling rack before they cooled completely on the pan.)

Yield: about 4 dozen, depending on how large you make your cookies (or how many caramels have been snitched out of your bag before you begin.) Store in an airtight container.

Notes:
I saw this recipe on one of my first days on Pinterest and thought it looked intriguing and tasty. My friend Anika came over yesterday and we whipped up a batch - a fun little First of December activity on a windy day. They are definitely different than any cookie I've ever had - very apple cidery and VERY sweet. And maybe I cooked mine a titch too long, because they are a bit on the crisp side and the caramel is kinda hard now that they are cool. But they're still good - especially when they're warm. (Update: I found nuking them for 11 seconds in the microwave restores their yummy, gooey, warm softness. My faith is restored!)

Black Bean Dip

2011-11-28T19:30:00.001-08:00

Source: my friend, Miki Jackson

Ingredients:
1 block cream cheese (I prefer low or no fat to minimize guilt)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (seasoned might give it a little extra bang)
1/2 - 1 cup grated cheese (I used monterey jack, but cheddar or even pepper jack would also be great)

Directions:
In a very small baking dish, layer the ingredients one at a time, with cream cheese first (on bottom), beans second, and grated cheese third (on top). Bake until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Notes:
This sounds too simple to have any kind of "wow" factor, but I assure you that it does! I happened to have some salsa next to this on my plate, and when the dip and the salsa combined, it was even better! I think next time I make it, I'll add a layer of 1/2 - 1 cup of salsa between the beans and the cheese.

Buttermilk Syrup

2011-11-28T19:07:00.001-08:00

Source: my friend, Ashlee Webster

Ingredients:
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:
1. Mix buttermilk, butter, and sugar in a small saucepan. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. Add vanilla and baking soda. Serve warm.

Notes:
We've enjoyed a lot of extravagant breakfasts with our friends, the Websters, and this syrup has always been a necessity at each meal. It's the fancy, creamy, fattening version of your everyday maple syrup. It would be a perfect companion for the Cinnamon Pecan Waffles that I posted earlier. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Pecan Waffles

2011-11-28T18:56:00.001-08:00

Source: my friend, Ashlee Webster

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon applesauce
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or any kind of nut)

Directions:
1. Crumble the brown sugar to remove all lumps and place in a medium mixing bowl with the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
2. Combine the milk, oil, and eggs; stir until blended and smooth.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans. Let batter rest 5 minutes before using.

Notes:
Ashlee served these to Bret and I a few weeks ago and we nearly died with delight. They were the most hearty, rustic, delicious waffles I have ever eaten! Because this recipe makes a lot of batter, I highly suggest using a standard, small square waffle iron so that you can keep the leftovers in the freezer for a fast and healthy breakfast.

Susan's Apple Pie

2011-11-28T18:44:00.001-08:00

Source: Susan Clement, Mom's neighbor

Ingredients:
1 uncooked pie crust (top and bottom)
about one quart of canned apples (drained) or 4-5 apples, peeled, sliced, and boiled in sugared water until soft.
2-3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 slices of butter (1/2 - 1 tablespoon each)
1/4 cup milk + 1-2 tablespoons

Directions:
1. Drain the apples and put in the bottom crust
2. Sprinkle flour over the apple slices.
3. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Pour all but 2-3 tablespoons over the apple slices.
4. Stir apples slightly to pull flour and sugar/cinnamon throughout the pie.
5. Dot apples with butter. Pour 1/4 cup milk over the top.
6. Add your top crust and seal edge as desired.
7. Wet the top crust with milk and sprinkle heavily with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture. Cut vent slices in the top crust.
8. Bake at 350 F until crust is golden brown.

Notes: This is the amazing apple pie that I make for Thanksgiving each year. It's so simple and oh so delicious! All of the measurements are approximate, so just eyeball it as you go.

Taco Plop (aka Hot Bean Dip)

2011-11-26T11:44:00.001-08:00

Source: My Aunt Nikie, slightly adapted by me

photo courtesy: Kylie Elwood

Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can refried beans
1 can chopped chilies (optional)
1 small brick Velveeta cheese (1 lb)
1 14 oz. can stewed tomatoes (Italian or Mexican or regular - whatever you want/have)
1 small package sour cream (8 oz)

Directions:
Brown the hamburger, onion and garlic. Cut the Velveeta into small cubes (so it melts easier) and add it to a crockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Simmer on low for a few hours, until everything is mixed and melty and gooey and warm. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes:
Taco Plop (as my brother, Nate, called it once and the name has stuck - I know it doesn't sound appetizing, but trust me, it's good!) is an Elwood tradition at Thanksgiving. One year my aunt, Nikie, brought it to Grandma's as an appetizer before the big meal. We loved it so much she brought it the next year, and the next, and now it's not Thanksgiving without it! We now make it for dinner for Thanksgiving Eve, and chow down while watching a movie. Definitely not the healthiest meal/snack/appetizer ever, but something fun and yummy to splurge on once a year!

Jill's Crescent Rolls

2011-11-26T11:29:00.001-08:00

Source: My Aunt Nikie's friend Jill Blotter

Directions:
Mix until frothy:
1 cup soft butter
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. salt

Add:
2 Tbsp. yeast– let soften

Then add:
2 cups flour– mix
2 more cups flour– mix
3 eggs and about 4 more cups flour– mix

Place in buttered bowl. Cover and let rest for 1 hour. Cut into three sections. Roll into circles, cut in pie shapes and form into crescents. Place on greased cookie sheets or pizza stones. Cover and let rise for 2 hours. Bake at 350° for 12-20 minutes. Makes 3 dozen rolls.

Notes:
These are some standard holiday/special occasion rolls around my house - we make them for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or for taking around to friends and neighbors as a Christmastime treat. They're really easy and super yummy! And it's my favorite dough to work with - soft, but not sticky, and just fun to work with. This latest batch I made with 1 cup whole wheat flour (because I ran out of regular all purpose - the horror!) - they turned out fantastic!

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

2011-11-26T11:17:00.000-08:00

Source: this site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package fresh cranberries
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper (it's not hot, I promise - just adds some really good flavor)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
dash salt
2 8 oz packages cream cheese

Directions:
1. Put your cranberries in a food processor or blender. You could also, just chop them up.
2. Chop up your green onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper into small pieces.
3. Add all ingredients (except the cream cheese and the wheat thins) into a bowl. Mix them all together, cover and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours. The sugar needs some time to soak in to the cranberries and break up their bitter taste.
4. When you are ready to serve, place your cream cheese bricks on a plate.
5. Spread the cream cheese out as evenly as you can.
6. Pour your cranberry mixture over the cream cheese.
7. Spread it all around.
8. Serve immediately with Wheat Thins, Ritz Crackers or Tortilla Chips.

Notes:
I saw this on Pinterest a few weeks ago and thought it looked kind of fun and different. Well, it was both of those things. And it was also delicious. I took it to our little Thanksgiving gathering and everyone raved about it. People were spreading it on rolls and Gregg and I even ate it on French toast this morning. One thing that was a little different than I was expecting is that it's really runny - definitely more of a salsa consistency than a jelly, though I don't know why I should have expected otherwise. It was dripping all over the place - so be careful not to get it on your clothes or floor or anything!

Cajun/Creole Seasoning Mix

2011-11-21T20:39:00.001-08:00

Source: this site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
5 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons fine sea salt
4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I substituted 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, since that's what I had)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme

Directions:
Combine all spices together and enjoy!

Notes:
Used this with the Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe I tried tonight and it was delightful. Now I've gotta find some other Cajun recipes. Easy. Quick. Cheap. Good stuff.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

2011-11-21T20:38:00.001-08:00

Source: this site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente (I used spaghetti because that's what I had)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I made my own using this recipe)
2 Tablespoons butter or oil, for frying
1-2 cups heavy whipping cream (I used 1/2 cup 2% milk + 1 cup "homemade heavy cream" substitute - just melt ~1/4 cup butter and add 3/4 cup milk (and 1 Tablespoon flour to thicken it up if you used low-fat milk) and stir it all up ... works like a dream*)
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (didn't have any so just left them out - but I'm sure they would be tasty!)
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (I accidentally added 1/4 teaspoon, and it was definitely peppery, but not in a bad way)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (I used fresh minced garlic)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat, add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and simmer for a couple minutes to thicken everything up. (We even added a little sprinkling of flour to help the thickening process.) Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.

Notes:
This was a random recipe I found and pinned on Pinterest one day because I thought it sounded good and different. Well, I'm sure glad I turned to my cookbook board today when I was wondering what to make for dinner. It was delicious! Basically it's chicken alfredo with a little bit of a kick. Don't worry, though; it's not spicy. Just yummy. And surprisingly quick to come together. We'll be making this one again - especially since I have a bunch of Cajun seasoning left!

*thanks to about.com for this substitution trick! (I really love Google.)

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

2011-11-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

Source: Our Best Bites, with modifications by me

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons cornstarch*
1/2 cup cold water*
1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and juices reserved*
6 Tablespoons ketchup*
2 Tablespoons soy sauce*
4 Tablespoons brown sugar*
2 teaspoon rice vinegar (we just had regular white vinegar and it was fine)*

3-4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs diced into 1 inch pieces
(you could also use pork tenderloin, or sliced boneless pork chops)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I substituted about 1 teaspoon ground ginger because I didn't have any fresh)
3 cups broccoli florets (I probably used more - just didn't really measure - plus, I like broccoli)
1/2 medium bell pepper, stemmed , seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch squares
1/2 medium onion, diced
hot cooked white or brown rice

* the amounts shown here are actually doubled from the original recipe - we like ours saucy! - so adjust to your preferences

Directions:
Start cooking your rice so it will be ready.

Combine cornstarch and water in a medium sized bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar to the bowl and stir to combine.

Heat 2-3 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1-2 teaspoons oil to the pan and add the broccoli, bell pepper and onion. Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the broccoli is bright green, 3-5 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks and sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the hot cooked rice. If desired, top with sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Serves 4 (or more like 6 if you’ve got some kiddos in the mix) - (for us, it lasted for dinner plus lunch for each of us for the next couple of days - there was lots, which is NOT a bad thing!)

Notes:
We like our sweet and sour around here. I loved the addition of the broccoli to this dish. I also loved the ginger with the chicken. And I REALLY loved the sauce - our other sweet and sour recipe was good, but it was really, really vinegar-y. This one is not. One day Gregg commented about his lunch of leftovers that it smelled like he had Panda Express sitting next to him at his desk. Quite the compliment, I'd say. :)

Tuna Casserole

2011-11-15T19:55:00.001-08:00

Source: my mom, Peggy

Ingredients:
pasta - I used elbow macaroni (~2 1/2 cups dry) but we always had it with egg noodles growing up - I just didn't have any egg noodles on hand so I used what I had, and that was mac
1 can cream o' mushroom soup
1/2 can milk
frozen peas
1 can tuna
crackers, crushed - I didn't have any crackers, either, so I used tortilla chips and they were great
cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
Boil the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is boiling, mix together the cream o' mushroom soup, milk and tuna fish. Grate some cheese, too, 'cause the noodles are probably not done yet. Sprinkle some peas in the bottom of a 9 x 13-in pan. When the noodles are cooked, drain them, then pour them over the peas in the casserole dish. Pour the soup-tuna mixture over the noodles and peas and stir to coat everything. Sprinkle the the crushed crackers to cover everything, then sprinkle the cheese over top of everything. Pop the dish in the oven (I had it set at 400F) for about 15-20 minutes, so the cheese gets all bubbly and everything is warmed through.

Notes:
I love reading food blogs and trying new recipes, but every once in a while I just really want something familiar and homey. Tuna casserole is not fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure hit the spot and tasted just like my mom's cookin'. I think next time I'll add some season salt or chopped onion or something for a titch more flavor. But yum. Me gusta.

Enchilada Pasta Bake

2011-11-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

Source: kraftrecipes.com

Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups medium pasta shells, uncooked (I used rotini because I didn't have any shells - and I probably added more like 5 to 5 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoon oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 package (1.25 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided (didn't have any, but definitely would add them if I did)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided (I used a couple of my frozen cilantro cubes, defrosted them for a few minutes in the micro, and tossed them in - I didn't save any for garnish, though, because it's kind of slimy after it thaws, and that's when the fresh stuff would be fabulous)
8 ouces grated cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 375°F.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add yellow onions and peppers; cook 3 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Stir in seasoning mix and tomatoes; cook and stir 3 min. Add chicken, beans and half each of the green onions and cilantro; mix well. Remove from heat.

Drain pasta. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Pour into 13x9-inch baking dish; top with cheese.

Bake 20 to 25 min. or until pasta mixture is heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining green onions and cilantro. (We garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a splash of salsa.)

Notes:
Just another yummy casserole concoction I found in a Kraft newsletter I get every once in a while. Pretty filling and quick to put together. And kind of a fun twist to combine the enchilada ingredients with the pasta. Lots of leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Lasagna Soup

2011-11-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Source: This site, via Pinterest, with some alterations based on what I had in my cupboards/fridge

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
for the soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil (skipped this because I was using ground beef)
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage (I had about 3/4 lb ground beef in the fridge - it seemed to be a perfect amount. Double would be a ton of meat, I think!)
3 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced (I had three, so I used three.)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste (I learned that you can freeze your leftover tomato paste (you know how you get a 6 oz can but only need a tablespoon or two in recipes? annoying!) to use for later - I just scooped out 2 tablespoon sized blobs onto some waxed paper and popped it in the freezer till they were frozen solid, then moved the cubes to a ziplock baggie till I'll need it again in the future.)
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I used one 14.5 oz can of Italian stewed tomatoes and one 14.5 oz can of regular stewed tomatoes.)
2 bay leaves (I don't have regular bay leaves, but I had some random crushed ones that I just added a few shakes of)
6 cups chicken stock (I used three 14.5 oz cans chicken broth + 1 can water)
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta (I broke up 6 big lasagna noodles that I had in an open box and added a handful of rotini)
1/2 cups finely chopped fresh basil leaves (I didn't have any fresh basil, so I just added a few shakes of dried)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta (I used 1 cup cottage cheese)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage (or ground beef), breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock (and basil, if you're using dried). Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil (if it's fresh) and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Notes:
Oh my! Was this ever delicious. I love lasagna and I love soup and this was the perfect combination of the two. Holy smokes, it was amazing. Paired with a slice of homemade French bread (the other loaf from the recipe I made last week), it made a marvelous wintery (it's winter here in Colorado, in case you hadn't heard) meal. Make it today!

Sausage and Beans with Rice

2011-11-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

Source: Peggy Elwood (I think she got it from a Quick Cooking magazine back in the day)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup chopped onion (I probably used 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (Again, I used a lot - closer to a cup - of a mixture of orange and yellow bell peppers - very fallish color pallete!)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb smoked sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (16 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked rice (I think I put more like 3 heaping cups)
1/2 cup vegetable broth (I used chicken broth because that's what I had)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard (I just had regular yellow and it worked fine)

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper, garlic and sausage in oil until onion is crisp tender. Stir in the rice and beans. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix brown sugar, ketchup, vegetable broth and mustard and then pour over other ingredients. Stir to mix. Heat all together and serve from the skillet.

Notes:
I love this meal for a few reasons: a) it's delicious, b) it's quick, and c) it's all in one pot (well, minus the rice cooking step, but I hear you can use minute rice if that's your thing). Yum, yum, yummy, yum.

Homemade Bean with Bacon Soup

2011-11-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz diced smoked ham (about 2 cups)
2 red potatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces (2-2 1/2 cups)
2 cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (I used dry beans instead - soaked overnight and then cooked in the crockpot for ~5ish hours. 4 cups cooked is ~2 cans-worth. I froze the rest in ziplock baggies for easy use in the future when a can or two of beans is called for.)
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (Mine wasn't smoked, though I'm sure it would be delicious.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Didn't add any salt because the ham and bacon are salty enough for me.)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 14 oz cans chicken broth (I did 2 cans broth + 1 can water.)
optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon liquid smoke (I splurged at the store - like $1.50 for a little bottle, but a little goes a LONG way - it's a fun and delicious little addition!)

Directions:
Slice bacon into bite-size pieces. Cook in a large stock pot until crisp. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 Tablespoon bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest.

Add diced onion and garlic to pan with reserved bacon drippings and saute for about 2 minutes. While you do this step contemplate if there anything in the world that smells as good as garlic and onion sauteing in bacon drippings. (Mmmhmmm - yummy!)

Add diced ham, beans, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to pan and stir to combine. Then add the broth and the potatoes. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and stir in bacon and liquid smoke to taste if you choose to use it.

Take 3 cups of the soup and place in the blender (leave the plug in the lid off to let steam escape and cover with a paper towel to avoid splashes while you blend). Blend until completely smooth. You could also use an immersion blender in place of a blender if you have one.

Add blended soup back to pot and stir to combine. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. The need for salt really depends on the ham and bacon you use so she kept it low on purpose. Ladle into bowls and top with extra bacon if desired. It's also great with some crunchy croutons on top!

Makes about 8 cups.

Notes:
One of my most favorite Saturday afternoon meals growing up was a piping hot bowl of Campbell's Bean With Bacon Soup and a piece of toast with cheese on top. And a glass of milk. Mmmm. Delicious memories. When I stumbled across this homemade version, I knew I had to give it a whirl. It did not disappoint! Hearty, warm, delicious. And I'm sure a little more on the healthy side than the canned stuff. I will be making this one again, for sure.

Italian Vegetable Soup

2011-10-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Source: Allrecipes.com, with a few alterations by me, based on what I felt like at the moment

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (I didn't have any on hand, so I just left it out)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (I only used 1 small 8 oz. can)
2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups water (I used three tomato cans + 1 tomato sauce can of water)
5 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (I only added 4 ... I think)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I added 1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (I added 1 tsp)
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn (I decided to leave this out because it was so full of other good stuff, I didn't think anyone would notice - and then I could save my corn for something else)
1 (15 ounce) can green beans
1 cup macaroni

Directions:
Place ground beef in a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain excess fat. (Since I didn't have or use ground beef, I heated a couple tablespoons of oil in my pot and then added the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and sauted for a few minutes, until the onions became soft. I also seasoned these veggies with seasoned salt and pepper - just a few shakes.) Stir in onion, celery, carrots, garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, water and bouillon. Season with parsley, oregano and basil. Simmer for 20 minutes (or longer - I did about an hour and I say the longer the better!).
Stir in cabbage, corn, green beans and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until vegetables are tender and pasta is al dente. Add more water if needed. (I read in some comments on the recipe that many people don't like their pasta to go mushy - if you're that kind of person, you can boil your noodles separately and just add a few to your bowl. Then, when you reheat your leftovers for a midnight snack or lunch the next day, just add a few more cooked noodles and you don't have the soggy, mushy problem. Me? I just cooked them in the soup and I'll enjoy the soggy mess tomorrow!)

Notes:

It snowed today in Colorado - pretty much all day long - beautiful, white, fluffy snow! It was gorgeous. And it made me want soup. I knew I didn't have any meat (well, one lowly frozen chicken breast in the freezer) but I figured I could find something full of vegetables and flavor anyway. And I did. This was it. Really quite delicious. I especially loved all the kidney beans. And the cabbage was a nice touch, since I had half a small head in the fridge and didn't know what I would do with it. We enjoyed this soup with a hot slice of freshly baked French Bread and it was a delightful little dinner.

French Bread

2011-10-26T19:42:00.001-07:00

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoon oil
5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured

Directions:
Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof -or sit- for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well. Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too sticky – but be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.

Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds or, if you're like me and don't have a mixer, just use a spoon to stir it/punch it down) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Notes:
(Read Mel's helpful instructions about yeast dough and flour usage on her post if you're new to the yeast world.) I knew I wanted something warm and bready to dunk in my Italian Vegetable Soup that I made tonight, and I remembered that I had read a recipe for homemade French bread on Mel's site a while ago. I found it easily and I'm SO glad I did. This was outstanding! And it really looks and smells and tastes like the French bread from the bakery in the grocery store. (I can't say whether it is true to the real stuff from France, but by golly it was good enough for me!) I was so excited!

The recipe does make two loaves, and since it's only me and Gregg around here, I decided to freeze half the dough for another time. Mel suggests putting it in a greased ziplock before shaping and the final rise and tossing it in the freezer (that's what I did). Then, when you're ready to use it, let it thaw 6 or so hours before you're ready to use it, then proceed with the shaping, final rise and egg wash and then bake it as usual (that's what I plan on doing).

One more note: I tried using whole wheat flour for part of it (I think I had about 3 cups all purpose and 2ish cups whole wheat) and it worked out beautifully! A little bit denser than all-white flour bread, but super soft on the inside and a nice crust on the outside. I will most definitely be making this one again! Oh Yum!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

2011-10-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Source: This site, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1 apple, cored and chopped (skins on)
1 cup water
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Then add the oats, apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Adjust the heat to low and let the oatmeal is simmer for 2-3 minutes while you stir and feel hungry. That's all there is to it. Serve it with a splash of milk and a little or a lot of brown sugar sprinkled on top. Serves one hungry adult or two lucky children.

Notes:
Gregg is a big oatmeal eater in the mornings, and I've become so, too. Usually we just have some brown sugar, raisins and a sprinkle of cinnamon stirred in, but we had some diced fresh peaches mixed in one day that were divine and left me wanting to find some other fun variations on the theme. I found this (and others including this version of peaches and cream oatmeal and banana coconut oatmeal that I'm excited to try) when I was snooping around Pinterest one day. Good stuff!

Apple Cider Muffins with Cinnamon Crumble

2011-10-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Source: Jennelle Clark, in the USU Statesman Newspaper delivered to me by my sister, Heather

Ingredients:
For the muffins:
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup apple cider, "the real stuff that you have to shake before drinking"
1/4 cup buttermilk

For the cinnamon crumble:
4 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons cold butter

Directions:
To make the muffins, start by reducing the apple cider. Place it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and let simmer gently, reducing to 1/4 cup. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Set reduced cider aside. (Note: if you want to put a cinnamon stick and a few whole cloves in with your apple cider while it is reducing, this will add extra spice to your muffins, not to mention make your house smell heavenly while you wait.)

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, or until it becomes fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.

Combine the buttermilk and reduced cider with butter-sugar mixture. (Note: if you don't keep buttermilk on hand it's really easy to make your own. Just put about a teaspoon of white vinegar into whole milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the batter.)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until combined. It's okay if there are lumps, it's worse to over mix the batter than to under mix it because it will make the muffin crumb tough and chewy instead of tender and moist.

Fill 12 greased or paper-lined muffin tins just over halfway full with batter and set aside while you make the topping.

To make the cinnamon crumble, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter into little pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Use a fork, butter knife, pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour and sugar until a crumbly mixture - a streusel - forms.

Distribute the streusel evenly over the muffins (about 1 heaping tablespoon on each). (Note: if you want to make a healthier version of these muffins, leave off the cinnamon crumble and replace half of the butter with applesauce. This will also add to the apple flavor of the muffins.)

Bake at 350F for 5 minutes, then turn the oven up to 375F and finish baking until the muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the milddle of a muffin comes out clean, about 12 minutes. (Note: If you want to add nuts to the crumble, chop and toast them ahead of time and then stir them into the crumble after you've already cut the butter in.)

This recipe should yield 1 dozen muffins.

Notes:
While my family was visiting us in Colorado last weekend, Heather brought a copy of the Statesman from that week with this delightful recipe inside. We decided to give them a whirl on Saturday morning and they were quite delicious. My only complaint is that it didn't make very many muffins - "should yield 1 dozen muffins" turned into 7 muffins for us, just enough for each of us in the apartment that morning to have 1 muffin each, as a little taste. But they were definitely yummy and apple cidery!

Whole Wheat Bread Sticks

2011-10-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

Source: Peggy Elwood (with some advice from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3+ cups flour (I used half white, half whole-wheat)
3 Tablespoons butter (you can definitely do more, if you wish, but this was plenty to coat all the sticks)
Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, or seasonings of your choice (for topping)

Directions:
Soften yeast in water and sugar. Add salt. Add flour and mix. Knead for 3 minutes, adding flour (but not too much!), if needed, till your dough forms a soft ball. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Melt butter and pour on a rimmed jelly roll pan (or just melt the butter directly on the pan in the oven for a few minutes - watch it so it doesn't brown!). Roll out dough into a rectangle about the size of your cookie sheet. Using a pizza cutter, cut the rectangle in half long ways ("hotdog style" if you remember that from elementary school). Then cut each half of dough into one inch strips. Place each strip of dough on the cookie sheet and flip over to coat both sides with melted butter. Sprinkle all the bread stick dough with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese (or other seasonings/spices that you come up with). Let bread raise for about 20-30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes:
We ate these bread sticks a lot growing up - they're especially good with soup and chili! And they're really quite quick and easy. I decided I wanted to try a whole-wheat twist on them, and they turned out fabulous! It was interesting, too, to see the same basic recipe showing up all over the place - I found this not only from my files from my mom, but also a version from my grandma and my mother-in-law, as well as from Mel of Mel's Kitchen Cafe, who I don't even know! Must be a good one, eh? But you don't have to take my word for it. ;)

Pizza Muffins

2011-10-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

Source: this blog, via pinterest

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour (I did part whole wheat)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
pinch of salt (optional)
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) (I left them out, only because I didn't have any)
3/4 cup whole milk (we just have 1% and it was fine)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed pepperoni
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce (I just opened a can of tomato sauce and dumped in some pizza seasoning, stirred, and bam - "store bought" pizza sauce!"

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes (if using) ; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. (Some mini muffin tins are bigger than others, it seems, so if you have extra batter, just use a regular sized muffin with the left over.) Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Notes:
So it would seem that I am on a muffin kick as of late - in the last week I've made three different batches of muffins, two of which were definitely less than traditional. But traditional or not, these little muffin puffs are delish! How could they not be, though? Cheese, pepperoni, mini muffins? Perfect! We ate them as a meal, with a nice green salad on the side, but they are definitely appetizer-able, perfect for football watching or New Years Eve-ing or whenever it is that you chow down on appetizers.

Southern Baked Yellow Squash

2011-10-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Source: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds yellow summer squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Place the squash in a large saucepan, cover with water, and boil until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the squash well, place in a large mixing bowl, and mash until slightly chunky. Stir in 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, onion, eggs, 1/4 cup of butter, sugar, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined, and spread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the top of the casserole with 1/4 cup melted butter, and sprinkle 1/4 cup bread crumbs over the butter.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is cooked through and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour.

Kielbasa and Tortellini Soup

2011-10-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Source: Based on this, adapted by Laurel

Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced or diced
1 package kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 24-oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 cups beef broth or stock
2 cups green beans
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1 package cheese-filled tortellini
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large pot, saute onion and kielbasa in butter or olive oil until onion is soft/transparent, and kielbasa is lightly browned.
2. Add tomatoes, seasoning, broth, and green beans. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 15-30 minutes.
3. Add cabbage and tortellini. Increase heat to medium, and cook for 5-10 minutes or until pasta and cabbage are tender. Serve immediately.

Corn Dog Muffins

2011-10-03T16:06:00.001-07:00

Source: RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients:
2 (8.5 ounce) packages corn bread mix (or just use your favorite corn bread recipe and add the hotdogs and cheese - I used this one and it was delish.)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
9 whole hot dogs, diced
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
ketchup, mustard, sour cream, honey mustard (for dipping)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease mini muffin tins.

In a large bowl, stir together cornbread mix and brown sugar. In a small bowl whisk together eggs and milk, and then stir into dry mixture until moistened. Mix in hot dogs and cheese.

Spoon a good Tablespoonful into muffin tins, making sure you get some hot dog in each spoonful.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan before removing. For easy removal, cut around outsides of the muffins, then tip upside down onto a large cutting board & urge the muffins out using a knife to tap the bottoms of the muffin tins. They should slide right out.

Serve warm with desired dipping sauces.

Notes: Anyone who knows me (and Gregg) knows that we quite enjoy a good corn dog now and again, so when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. Of course, they're nothing gourmet or fancy, but they certainly were kinda fun. And really, really good.

White Pizza

2011-09-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Victoria Blanchard
Source: Inspiration from various pizzas I've eaten and researched online

Ingredients
Pizza dough (preferably homemade)
A few tablespoons of pesto
About 1 cup of alfredo (preferably homemade)
About 2 cups mozzarella
1-2 fresh tomatoes, chopped or sliced (optional)

Spread a thin layer of pesto over pizza dough (most pesto is so salty and flavorful you really don't need much). Spread alfredo sauce over the pesto covered dough. Top with cheese. Add tomatoes if desired. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

Notes: This pizza refrigerates well after cooking, but I like to nuke my leftovers rather than eat them cold. I make pizza for dinner every Friday and we always make one red, one white because we love both so much.

Buca di Beppo Marinara Sauce

2011-09-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Victoria Blanchard
Source: Buca di Beppo Cookbook

Yields 6 cups

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red onion chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt to taste
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil (dry works, too)

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until golden brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomoatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil.

Comments: Ry used to make marinara all the time, but since I've been the household cook for more than the past year, we've been using Hunts canned spaghetti sauce for everything since I was so intimidated to try to make sauce as good as his. If you're the same way, let me assure you: this recipe is incredibly easy, pretty fast, and SO WORTH THE EFFORT! I made a half batch two weeks ago and for the first time we used fresh sauce on our homemade pizza dough and we were going out of our minds. The sauce has kept in the fridge for the two weeks since, and has been enough to make 3 large pizzas (each week I make one red sauce pizza and one white sauce pizza). I vowed on Facebook to never go back to canned sauce except under conditions of duress! I will say, the flavor of the sauce changes if you store it in the fridge versus using it fresh. The flavor just gets heavier with time. But still, so good!

Authentic Italian Bread/Pizza Dough

2011-09-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Victoria Blanchard
Source: Brother Metzger, Schenectady Ward, who learned it from his Italian grandmother

Makes 2 large loaves or two large pizzas

Ingredients
Flour (probably 4-8 cups, I'm really not sure)
2 cups warm water
1 Tbs yeast (regular kind)
1 Tbs salt
A little olive oil

In a large bowl, add 2 cups warm water to 1 Tbs yeast. Begin stirring immediately with a whisk and add in 1 cup of flour till smooth (you should see the yeast start to activate). Stir in another cup of flour before adding the salt. (I don't know if it's true, but I heard salt can kill yeast.) Keep adding flour one cup at a time until it is too hard to stir (after the second cup or so you'll want to switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon).

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface. As you knead for the next 10-15 minutes, keep incorporating enough flour until the dough is no longer sticking to your hands or the counter. When the dough is smooth, wash your hands and the bowl.

Put a little olive oil in the bowl, put the dough back in, and turn in upside down so that the dough has a light coating of olive oil (this keeps it from drying out). Cover with a cloth (you can dampen it slightly if you live in a dry area) and let rise for 1.5 hour or until the dough has doubled in size (apparently you can skip the rise if you're doing pizza dough, but I haven't tried this yet) .

Next, punch down the dough and then dump it onto a floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half (don't pull it in half).

If making bread, gently shape it into two elongated loaves. Let rise another 45 minutes. Then cook at 400 for 50 minutes. If you want, you can make a ball, pinch a hole though the middle, and then twist the loop over a few times to make a pretty twisted loaf.

If making pizza, gently shape into balls and then roll out and put on pans coated with cornmeal (or greased). Add sauce and toppings and cook for 15 minutes at 450. You can cover with foil and refridgerate your pizza before cooking, but I usually don't do it for more than a few hours. If you wait a whole day to cook it, there is a definite decrease in yumminess. Apparently, if you skip the rise, you can cook the dough by itself and then freeze it for later use (I'm going to try this one of these days). But don't let it rise and then cook it without toppings because it will get all puffy in the oven (that was disappointing).

Note: You can double the recipe if you want twice as much, but that's a lot of bread/pizza for a small family, especially since it dries out fairly quickly, even if you freeze it. It's best to consume it all in a day or two unless you're going to make bruschetta with it, in which case if you use enough oil, you'll be fine. Apparently this type of bread differs from many because you want to incorporate as much flour as the dough will accept. Traditionally, women would make the dough right in their flour bins, and the dough would naturally pick up whatever flour it needed as it was stirred around. Also, as you may guess from the ingredient list, this bread is pretty bland, which is fine if you're using it for pizza or bruschetta. Apparently you can add herbs or spices to give it flavor, which I think would be fun, but I haven't experimented with that yet. Also, I was really intimidated about making a rising bread, but this is a great recipe to start with because it's very forgiving. I started making it once a week, and within a month I had the recipe and procedure memorized and felt very comfortable with it. So stick with it!

Parmesan Sausage Zucchini Boats

2011-09-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

Source: Zucchini Houdini by Brenda Stanley

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini
1 pound bulk sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
⅔ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten (or ¼ cup egg substitute)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup water

Directions:

Cut zucchini lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard them. Scoop out the pulp, leaving a ¼-inch shell. Chop the pulp. In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Add the onion, garlic, and chopped zucchini pulp. Sauté for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add breadcrumbs, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, and egg. Mix well. Sprinkle salt in each zucchini shell. Fill evenly with meat and zucchini mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Place shells in ungreased baking dishes. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of each dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Comments: Another stuffed zucchini recipe, but with different ingredients than Laurel's. Incredible. . .these things got inhaled! Finally, after this recipe and the zucchini artichoke quiche, we've used up our zucchini (well, this week's anyway). Two fantastic new recipes to add to our regulars!

Fruited Chicken Pasta Salad

2011-09-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Source: My cousin, Charilyn Peterson Wright

Ingredients:

2 16-oz. rotini pasta (cooked and drained)
1 20-oz. cans pineapple tidbits (drained)
6 green onions (chopped small)
4-5 c. celery (about 1 pkg., chopped small)
6 chicken breasts (cooked in CrockPot, shredded, and cooled)
1 6-oz. pkg. dried cranberries
2 c. cashews

Mix all of the above.

Add:

2 c. mayo
2 16-oz. bottles coleslaw dressing (Kraft or Litehouse)

Comments:

This was the chicken salad recipe that all the Wihongi family made for Charbri's very Polynesian (Maori & Samoan) wedding reception in July. It's a lot like the other chicken pasta salad I posted on here when the Bistro was first "founded," but a bit more "fruity" with the pineapple and cranberries. (I personally prefer it without the cashews. . .just not wild about nuts in my chicken salads.) A huge hit!

Artichoke Zucchini Quiche

2011-09-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

Source: Zucchini Houdini by Brenda Stanley

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten (or 1 cup egg substitute)

½ cup oil

3 cups grated zucchini

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup biscuit mix

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon oregano

Directions:

Mix together eggs, oil, zucchini, garlic and artichoke hearts.

In a separate bowl mix together cheese, biscuit mix and spices. Add to zucchini mixture and blend well.

Pour into a greased 9-inch pie plate.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Serve warm.

Comments:

This crust-less quiche was so good! For some reason, when I made this, the amount was enough to fill two 9-inch pie plates. . .not that I'm complaining about more quiche. A fun, delicious, light recipe. . .and yet another way to get rid of the surplus zucchini!

Rolo Cookies

2011-09-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

Source (via pinterest)

Ingredients:

1 package of Rolos, unwrapped

1 box Devils Food cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

Directions:

1. Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs.

2. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie.)

3. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for 7-8 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Yields about 3 dozen.

Meatball Stroganoff

2011-09-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Source: based on this, adapted by me

Ingredients:
1 8-oz. carton sour cream
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules or base
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 large onion, diced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter, margarine, or olive oil
1 bag of frozen meatballs (I like turkey homestyle meatballs)
3-4 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1. Cook meatballs in oven, according to package directions.
2. In a small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Stir in water, bouillon, and pepper; set aside.
3. In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in hot butter/oil for 3-5 minutes, then add mushrooms and continue to cook until desired doneness.
4. Stir sour cream mixture into skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cooked meatballs. Cook and stir for 5 more minutes.
5. Serve over rice.

Notes: I love stroganoff, Bret does not. For the 5 years of our marriage, I've been trying to convince him to let me try making a version that will change his mind. On Sunday he finally gave in and I created this masterpiece. To say the least, he changed his mind. :) This really is incredible, if I do say so myself.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

2011-09-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

Source: Allrecipes.com, with modifications by my co-worker, Sue Taggart

Serves 10

Ingredients:

Salsa:
• 2 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced
• 2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and diced small
• 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen peaches, diced
• 8 ounces raspberries
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
• ¼ C fruit preserves, any flavor (I’ve used strawberry and peach - orange marmalade sounds good too)

Tortilla Chips:
• 20 small flour tortillas (6 inch if you can find them)
• butter-flavored cooking spray
• 2 cups cinnamon sugar (1 c sugar to 1 t cinnamon)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix cut fruit and fruit preserves. Add Fuji apples last and stir well (need to cover completely with preserves to eliminate apples from browning). Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Coat both sides of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray, stacking 5 at a time as you go. Cut into 8 wedges. Put pre-mixed cinnamon sugar in a plastic bag. Drop 2 or 3 sectioned stacks of tortilla into bag and shake to coat thoroughly. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes (tap a couple of chips, if they feel a little crispy and are golden brown, they are done). Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Comments:

This salsa is incredible, but it gets eaten too fast before I can take a photo! (The photo I used was the closest I could find.) My friend Sue entered this salsa in our school's annual salsa competition last year, and won the non-traditional category. Refreshing, sweet, tart. . .it's the best appetizer/light dessert, especially in hot weather. I like using raspberry jam, but I used some leftover Kneaders Strawberry-Peach jam once, and that was amazing. Depending on the tartness of the fruit, adding a little sugar or extra jam might be needed as well. Enjoy!

Honey Chicken

2011-09-04T02:59:00.001-07:00

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

2 lbs. chicken breast, diced
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste (I’ve been loving my Steakhouse Grinder lately & used it for this)
6 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 cup honey
6 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350. Combine flour, garlic powder, & salt & pepper in a shallow dish.
Melt 2 Tbsp. of your butter & pour into the bottom of a baking dish large enough to fit all of your chicken a single layer.
Coat chicken pieces evenly in flour, then arrange in bottom of dish.
Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan on medium heat, combine remaining butter with honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, & ginger. Stir constantly until butter is melted & sauce is well blended.
Remove chicken from oven & increase temperature to 375. Flip over each piece of chicken.
Pour sauce evenly over chicken, then place back in the oven & bake another 20 minutes, basting with a spoon a few times (twice was fine for me) during that time. The chicken will be nice & glazed & delicious.
Serve over rice.

Notes: This is a great dish. Although, I think the name "honey" chicken is a little generous. The sweetness barely registered on my tastebuds. Ryan, who is much more sensitive to sweetness, begs to differ. So next time, I might add even more honey. And more lemon. I was expecting a little bit more of the flavor I get at P.F. Chang's, and this recipe is just a bit more savory. But savory isn't a bad thing. (Just not as good as sweet!)

Gratin Dauphinois

2011-09-04T02:50:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.cuisine-france.com/recipes/gratin_dauphinois.htm

Ingredients
2lb (1kg) potatoes (waxy potatoes such as pink fir apple, russet)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, mashed
2 oz butter
2 cups (50cl) whole milk
5 oz (160g) French or Swiss Gruyère cheese
1 pint double cream
Salt and pepper

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 360ºF (180 ºC). Slice the potatoes into thin slices (1/8 inch thick). Rinse in cold water. Drain and dry in a towel

Step 2: Put the potatoes in a pan and cover with milk. Add salt

Step 3: Bring to the boil starting at moderate heat for 5 minutes then low heat for 10 minutes. Stir from time to time.

Step 4: Rub a fireproof dish with garlic and grease it well with butter. Transfer half of the potatoes in the gratin dish. Add half the cheese, double cream and pepper to the layer. Put the second half of the potatoes and cover with the cheese and double cream left.

Step 5: Put the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour at 360ºF (180 ºC). Gratin Dauphinois is ready when the top is gold and brown.

Notes: I grew up eating potatoes au gratin on Christmas (even though I usually didn't like cheese growing up, I always loved this dish), with our traditional Christmas ham. When we went to Brussels, I had Gratin Dauphinois (wikipedia provides a nice explanation of the name) that were absolutely unreal. The only way I can describe them is that they tasted like Ryan's love. We wanted to try to recreate them, so we tried this recipe out. For the record, the gratin we had in Brussels was so far beyond what I made, you really can't compare (we were basically eating gourmet food there, so what do you expect?). But, this recipe was still really good. And please, for the love, buy the gruyere (at Walmart the cheapest was $16, but look around because at another grocery store, I found a block for $6). And the cream. If you want to skip the fat and flavor and go with low-fat milk and cheddar, just buy the boxed stuff off the shelf rather than make the effort! Also, this recipe had a ton of extra cheese sauce. We saved it and drizzled it over our stuffed zucchini (great recipe, Laurel!) and it was fabulous!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-09-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies-i/detail.aspx

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar (can do half brown sugar)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes: Had these at an RS activity this week. Have to be up there in the top 5 cookies I've ever had: just the right sweetness, chocolateyness, and chewiness. Note the option to do half brown sugar, suggested by the woman who made them.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2011-09-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Source: Kim Blanchard

Servings: 6 generous servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Vegetables:
1 peeled thinly sliced small carrot
½ onion diced
1 green pepper coarsely diced
1 lg can drained pineapple tidbits (retain the juice to use in sauce)

Chicken:
3 raw chicken breasts cubed
Cornstarch and flour to coat chicken
Salt
oil

Sauce:
Mix in blender or bowl:
3 cups pineapple juice
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 T. sugar
2 T. ketchup
3 T. cornstarch

Directions:
Place the diced chicken pieces in a plastic bag and put in about ¼ cup flour and 2 T. cornstarch
Shake bag to lightly coat chicken
Heat 2 – 3 T oil in large fry pan and add chicken. Stir fry, salting lightly, until pink is gone and chicken is cooked, do not overcook
Remove chicken from pan and set aside on plate

In hot fry pan, add 1 T. oil and add onion, carrots and green pepper. Stir fry until vegetables begin to get soft.

Add the sauce mix to fry pan and cook until sauce thickens and bubbles, stir often

When sauce is thick add the pineapple and chicken and heat thoroughly

Simmer for about 5 more minutes

Serve hot and bubbly over cooked rice
Comments:

Grandma Elwood's Macaroni Salad

2011-08-23T20:52:00.001-07:00

Source: Margaret Elwood (my Grandma, of course!)

Ingredients:
Salad macaroni or small seashell pasta
peas
onion, finely diced
tuna
Miracle Whip
mayonnaise
milk
salt and/or seasoned salt

Directions:
There isn't really an official recipe for this deliciousness - I just called my grandma up and this is the gist of what she told me and what I did:
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss in some frozen peas (they will thaw from the heat of the pasta). Add a can of tuna (1 can per package pasta) and diced onion if you like it. In a small bowl mix up some Miracle Whip, mayonnaise and a little bit of milk - Grandma says she generally uses more mayo than MW, but she didn't give a real amount - just do enough cover the amount of pasta you cooked. Also, just add enough milk to make it smooth and creamy, but not too runny. Season your dressing mixture with salt (we used seasoned salt). Then pour the sauce over the rest of the salad ingredients. Stir to coat. If you need more dressing, mix up some more. If it seems like too much, it'll probably be fine because you want your salad to chill in the fridge for a while before serving. (We made ours the night before we were going to eat it.) While it is in the fridge, the pasta really soaks up a lot of the dressing and right before serving you'll likely need to add a little more dressing just to make things moist again.

Notes:
Gregg was in charge of bringing a salad to his work picnic this week, and this is the one we chose to bring. It's one of my top ten favorite foods - something that my grandma is famous in our family for concocting for every get together. I don't know if ours tasted quite like hers, but it was definitely close. And super delicious.

One Pot Southwest Chicken and Rice

2011-08-21T20:03:00.001-07:00

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe (my new favorite place for recipes - she's brilliant!)

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced (I didn't use this much - my really huge clove was probably equal to maybe 2 normal size cloves)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn (I just used a can)
4 ounces cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salsa and sour cream for serving (we got it out, but didn't even use any because the rice and chicken were so flavorful by themselves)

Directions:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. The chicken will cook more in a subsequent step. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

To the pot, add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook until the edges are just slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Return the chicken to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter or plate. Stir the black beans and corn into the pot. Add the cheese and cilantro. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the rice with the chicken, adding salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Notes:
I tried this in my rice cooker - worked like a charm. I loved the one pot idea, and combining that with the rice cooker feature meant that I didn't have to heat up the house with the stove. Lovely concept on a 95 degree day! We both thought this dish tastes a lot like the tortilla soup that we made a ton of this winter - just in a thicker, non-soup form. Mighty tasty. And easy. Win win.

Lemon Curd Cheesecake

2011-08-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

Source: Me (Laurel)

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/3 cup softened butter

Filling:
2 8-ox packages cream cheese (softened/room temp)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Topping:
1/2 jar of lemon curd

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. For crust, stir together wafer crumbs and softened butter until crumbly. Press into the sides and bottom of a 9" pie plate. Set aside.
2. For filling, beat cream cheese, zest, juice, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. (It's important that the cream cheese be room temp, or else your filling will be lumpy.) Add eggs, mix just until blended. Pour into prepared pie crust.
3. Stir lemon curd in a small bowl until smooth and thin (it helps to microwave for a few seconds). Pour curd in stripes about 1" apart on top of filling. Drag knife in an "S" pattern through the stripes to create a marbled design in the curd.
4. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool, then refrigerate at least 3-6 hours before serving.

Pesto, Olive & Tomato Grilled Cheese

2011-08-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Source: Tasty Kitchen, via Pinterest

Prepare sandwich as follows:

Layer 1: Bread
Layer 2: Pesto (I love the Christopher Ranch brand)
Layer 3: Sliced Tomato
Layer 4: Cheese (I suggest Mozzerella or Monterey Jack)
Layer 5: Chopped Black Olives
Layer 6: Miracle Whip or more Pesto
Layer 7: Bread

Cook in a panini press or on a stove top like a grilled cheese sandwich.

Notes: It's not much of a recipe, but it's so incredible that I had to share.

Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna

2011-08-13T18:10:00.001-07:00

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe with my own little twist (mostly because I didn't have everything that she calls for so I improvised)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced (I only used one - but it was pretty big)
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes (I used one 14.5 oz can Italian style stewed tomatoes that I roughly chopped in the can with a knife, plus a medium-ish tomato from my garden)
Salt and pepper
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths (the box I had only had 9, so I used them all)
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil (didn't have this, though it would be lovely, so I just sprinkled in some dry)
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese instead)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I didn't have any of the fresh-grated stuff, so I used the boring stuff from a shaker - worked fine, though maybe not as fancy)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large 12-inch skillet (I don't have a skillet this big, so I just used a sauce pan so I'd have enough room) over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain tomatoes into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add water to tomato liquid to make 2 cups. Add tomato/water mixture and 1 teaspoon salt to skillet.
Scatter noodles into the skillet, layer tomatoes over the noodles and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally (so the noodles won’t stick!) for about 10 minutes.
Stir in zucchini and squash, cook, stirring now and then, until noodles and squash are tender, about 8 minutes. Add basil and half of the rictotta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese to the noodles, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Dollop remaining ricotta cheese over the noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Notes:
I love lasagna. And I love that this lasagna is cooked on the stovetop so you don't have to bake it for a long time in a hot oven that makes your small apartment even hotter than it is. This was quite delish. Hit the spot. I'll be making it again, that's for sure.

Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad

2011-08-12T08:35:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

5 medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 Kirby cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
A generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons
2 splashes red wine vinegar
Coarse salt and black pepper

Directions

Dress the tomatoes, onions, and cucumber with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Let stand while you prepare dinner, about 20 minutes. Re-toss and serve salad with crusty bread for mopping up juices and oil.

Fresh Nectarine (or fruit) Pie

2011-08-07T18:35:00.001-07:00

Fresh Nectarine Pie

Nectarine is my favorite, but I have made this pie with fresh raspberries, fresh blackberries or fresh peaches.

Filling Sauce:
In blender blend:
1 cup fresh berries or fruit
1 cup water
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
Juice from ½ lemon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Orange food coloring if using nectarines or peaches

In large saucepan cook the above until very thick
Remove immediately from stove
Stir in 2 teaspoons butter

Let filling sauce cool

Slice into a bowl ripe sweet nectarines (do not sweeten) (it usually takes about 10 to make a pie)
Or
About 5 cups fresh berries or peeled sliced peaches

When filling sauce is cool, gently fold in fresh fruit into sauce

Put fruit filling into a baked pie shell (I have even used prepared graham cracker crust- but I don’t like it as well)

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours

Serve chilled with freshly whipped cream

Yum!

Chicken Tortellini Bake

2011-08-07T17:54:00.001-07:00

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
16 ounce package of cheese tortellini (our package was 13 oz, but it was plenty for two of us)
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces
1 clove garlic, minced (Kim's own addition)
3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts
2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces (1 cup) chicken broth
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat with good results)
8 oz (2 cups) shredded Monterey jack cheese (Mel suggested any combination of cheeses, like cheddar, mozzarella or monterey jack would be good, and that's precisely what I used - a lot of odds and ends cheese from my fridge)

Directions:
Mel's directions say to boil some water and cook your tortellini before putting it in the dish, but I just opened the frozen bag and dumped it in to the bottom and it worked out awesomely. So save yourself a step and don't boil the noodles.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken and minced garlic for 1-2 minutes and add the fresh mushrooms and green onions, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened.
Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of 9X13 pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
Bake covered with tin foil at 350 for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

Notes:
We bought some tortellini on sale a few weeks ago and every time I open the freezer door it's practically begging to be eaten. After perusing some of the bookmarked recipes I had stashed away in my browser folder, I stumbled across this delight and decided to risk overheating my apartment to try it on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Oh boy, was it worth it! SO DARN DELICIOUS. (In capital letters!) I've eaten a pasta bake similar to this at Fredrico's restaurant in Logan, only that one had green and red bell pepper slices and big slices of onion, too. I think I might try that next time I make this. Because there most certainly will be a next time. (One of the commenters on Mel's blog said she added bacon, which also would be out-of-this-world heavenly, I think.)

Marv 'n' Joe

2011-07-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Source: Hazel's Bakery in the USU food court - originally inspired by two engineering professors, Marv 'n' Joe, this has been sold in the food court for years.

Ingredients:
1 inch-thick slice of bread or half a bagel (anything you like, really - I love wheat or Hazel's Italian Herb and Spice or Salsa Cheese breads, and the parmesan cheese bagel I tried tonight was heavenly, but a nice thick slice of french bread will do the trick, too)
garlic butter (I just mixed some softened butter with a few shakes of garlic powder and dried parsley)
sliced tomatoes (better if they're fresh off the vine, but use what you have)
salt and pepper
vinegar and oil (which I didn't use, and it turned out just fine)
provolone cheese
parmesan cheese

Directions:
Spread your bread or bagel with garlic butter. Arrange tomato slices on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dash of vinegar and oil to taste. Top with a slice of provolone cheese followed by a shake or two of parmesan cheese. Broil on the highest rack in your oven (or if you have a toaster oven, you're even luckier - use that!) for a few minutes, until the edges of your bread turn golden and toasty and your cheese is bubbly and brown. Eat with a knife and fork if you can't wait to dig in, or let it cool for a minute and pick it up with your hands.

Notes:
This is one of my all-time favorite lunches at USU - super simple, quick, cheap and filling. And oh-so-delicious. Today I picked my first juicy red tomato from my plants on the back patio and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Oh goodness, was it delightful!

White Bean Lime Chicken Chili

2011-07-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

White Bean Lime Chicken Chili
Sweet Tomatoes Copy Cat Recipe recreated by Paul and Kim

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz) cans small white beans (Do NOT rinse or drain- use all liquid)
2 (4 oz) cans fire roasted chilies
1 (12.5) can cooked chicken (retain broth)
1 large yellow onion diced
2 Tablespoons diced bottled jalapenos
2 fresh diced roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons garlic minced (we used bottled)
1/8 teaspoon coriander
½ Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh finely minced cilantro
Juice from 1 ½ limes
S and P to taste (we used very little- the canned beans already have salt)

Directions:
Open cans of beans, chilies and chicken
In blender blend ONE can of beans with the broth from the canned chicken (do not puree, just mix for about 10 seconds)
You will add the other can of beans to the soup without blending

In large soup pan sauté onion and garlic in 2 T olive oil
When onions are soft, add the two diced tomatoes, cook/stir for another minute until tomatoes are soft

To pan with onion, garlic and tomato mix:
Blended bean/ broth mix
Both cans of chilies
Remaining can of beans
Cumin, coriander, cilantro, sugar, salt and pepper if desired
Lime juice

Mix well and simmer on low for 15 – 30 minutes

Enjoy!