A Cup of Sugar

Perhaps the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

2011-06-09T14:13:00.004-06:00

I love cooking. I also love looking through cookbooks for new recipes and now with the internet and recipe blogs, I am able to look at A LOT of recipes. I love it! I also love chocolate chip cookies. I have mastered my own recipe and quite enjoy it. One day I came across this recipe which claimed to be the best chocolate chip cookie ever. I didn't believe it, but had to try it for myself. They may in fact be my new favorite chocolate chip cookies. I guess the recipe came from the New York Times and I would recommend following it exactly....the chilling time is necessary! Enjoy!

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour*
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate chips in and stir just til combined. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop heaping tablespoon scoops onto baking sheet. Bake until golden brown but still soft, about 12 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.

*If you do not have any cake flour, simply measure 1 cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 TBS. and replace with 2 TBS. cornstarch

Churros

2011-05-07T18:25:00.004-06:00

What? I didn't even know it was possible to make churros yourself. I like to do themed dinners and so Cinco de Mayo was a perfect excuse, the only problem.....I got sick! I was bummed that I couldn't celebrate that day with food, but we went ahead and did a late version. I made some delicious taquitos (recipe coming later) and we ended the meal with churros. This is the recipe I used and it actually worked, of course I altered it a little bit. We were all in AWE at how light, fluffy and delicious they are!!! (unfortunately there is not a good way to photograph churros, but we tried)!

1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball and begins to leave the sides of the pan.

On high speed of an electric mixer, beat in eggs, one at time, beating after each addition, until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla.

In a deep frying pan or electric skillet, heat 3/4" of vegetable oil to 375. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 3 inch strips into hot oil (we used scissors to snip the dough into the oil).

Fry churros, a few at a time, for about 3 to 4 minutes or until a deep golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil using a slotted to; drain on paper towels.

Combine 4 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a clean brown paper bag. Toss churros in the cinnamon mixture to coat well.

Serve immediately or store in in a tight container for up to one day.

Makes approximately 3 dozen churros.

Dutch Babies or German Pancakes

2011-04-30T10:26:00.000-06:00

These have become an absolute family favorite. If I tell the kids we are having breakfast for dinner, I get cheers instead of moans. I like making these because they are easy, I can make them GF, we can just add some turkey sausage and fruit on the side and we are set for a relatively healthful dinner. My kids like this topped with powdered sugar, but I always like to add some fresh berries (strawberries or raspberries are my favorite) or peaches. There are countless possibilities when it comes to toppings or varieties . . . you can add blueberries to the batter, or layer thinly sliced apples over the butter and then pour over the batter, or cook them in muffin tins, etc. My mother-in-law (and husband) think they should only be cooked in a cast iron skillet, but I don't have the patience to clean it afterwards (neither do I have a large enough skillet) I know there are a lot of recipes out there, but this is the one I have finally come up with that is our favorite and works every time!

3 TBS. butter
1 c. milk
1 c. flour
6 eggs

Melt butter in 9X13 oven safe pan at 450 while preparing batter. Mix milk, flour and eggs well (can use a blender, but I have found it works just as well in a bowl with a whisk).

Pour blended mixture over hot butter. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Enjoy the puffiness, because it will be gone moments after leaving the oven . . . then the deliciousness begins! Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Serve with cooked apples, berries, or peaches on top!

Strawberries and Cream Pie with Chocolate Drizzle

2011-04-24T15:20:00.004-06:00

It's Easter which means the pressure is on to make a fabulous dessert. I just wasn't feeling it this year and wasn't sure what to do. Friday afternoon I stumbled across this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs "Our Best Bites." I thought it looked intriguing, but it wasn't until late Saturday night I decided to whip it up for Easter Sunday (good thing I had all the ingredients on hand). SO easy! And there is nothing I love more than chocolate and strawberries together . . . adding a cream cheese mixture and graham crackers just makes it all that much better! I changed the recipe a bit from the original to make it my own - I needed more chocolate!

1 quart fresh strawberries
1 8-oz. package cream cheese at room temperature (I used light)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 9″ graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade)
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate (chips work great)

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate large bowl, beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Add about 1 c. of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture and mix until just combined. Spread in the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare the strawberries.

Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Blot dry with a paper towel and then gently press, cut side down, into the whipped cream mixture. Set aside.

Pour 1/4 c. whipping cream in microwave safe dish. Heat about 1 minute until cream starts to bubble (or heat on stove). Remove and pour over chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Let sit for a few minutes to cool (ganache thickens as it cools, so you can decide what consistency you like best). When ganache is ready and cool drizzle it over the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Serves 8.

No Bake Chocolate Silken Pie

2011-03-04T21:41:00.003-07:00

My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me. When I read the ingredients, I wasn't so sure it was for me . . . BUT I have been attempting to introduce more healthful foods into my diet, tofu being one of them. I decided to give it a try. First, let me say how SIMPLE it was to make. Secondly, it was so RICH that I could barely eat an entire piece. It was so yummy and I felt okay about eating it because it wasn't full of fat and too much sugar. I would highly recommend it.
I wasn't able to find Silken tofu at every grocery store. I don't know what the difference is but once I found it, I did use it. Enjoy!

1 graham cracker crust (either pre-made, or make your own)
My recipe:
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 TBS sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
In a medium bowl, melt butter. Stir in sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling, or bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

Filling:
16 oz. Silken tofu
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla (or almond)
Whipped cream to garnish

Melt chocolate in microwave or in a double boiler.
Place tofu in a blender and blend until smooth. Add chocolate and extract. Pulse until mixed. Pour into graham cracker crust and chill at least 1 hour.
Serve with whipped cream.

Kneaders Double Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

2011-03-04T19:23:00.004-07:00

I have this friend. We met in high school when we worked at the video store together. She is AWESOME! We always had the best time together. Then we grew up. We went to college. One of us got married (that's me). One of us traveled the world (that's her). Through it all, we kept in contact. She is currently living on the other side of the country. She recently got married and is now expecting baby #1!! I'm so excited for her. Anyway, when I was expecting baby #3 and we found out about my mom's cancer, she happened to be in town. Since she is so awesome, she came for a visit and brought some of these beauties with her. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE peppermint brownies and these may be the best I've had!! Did I mention she is the best? I realize it is no longer Christmas time, but believe me you can eat these anytime and you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!

Brownie
1 cup butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2 quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every 20 – 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted. Cool slightly.
Add sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well with a spatula.
Add the flour and stir to combine.
Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a buttered 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Do not overcook. Cool.

Filling
½ cup softened butter, margarine, or shortening
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 drops mint flavoring or to taste
1 drop pink food coloring
(I had to add evaporated milk to this as well)

In a small bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter and mint flavoring until smooth.
Add food coloring to make a light pink.
Spread evenly over cooled brownies and then chill.

Chocolate Ganache
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream crushed peppermint ( red and white)

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a small bowl.
Microwave on high for 1 minute stirring every 20 – 30 seconds until chocolate is melted. Do not over heat. Immediately pour over the brownies.
Decorate with crushed peppermint.

Do not refrigerate. Mixture will set up on brownies in about 15 – 20 minutes.

The chef's notes: Instead of doing the ganache, I just substituted chocolate frosting which I just made with powdered sugar, evaporated milk, softened margarine and some cocoa powder. Once I put on the mint frosting I put them in the fridge to let the frosting harden and then added the chocolate frosting. I think the brownies ended up cooking about 30 minutes instead of 25 - but your oven might be different. Enjoy!

Quick-Fix Burrito Skillet

2011-03-04T19:15:00.003-07:00

My lovely sister found this recipe, tried it, loved it, and passed it along to me. I made it, loved it and am passing it on to you. It is SO easy to make. Contains ingredients we all have around. And is tasty. We will definitely be making this many times in the future.

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix

1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed

1 cup Salsa

1 cup water

4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces (I used corn tortillas to make it gluten-free & I liked that flavor better myself)

1 cup Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese (I used cheddar and only about 1/2 c. to keep the calories down)

1/3 cup Sour Cream (I omitted)

1 large green onion, chopped (I omitted because didn't have, but think it would be a nice addition)

Brown meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min.

Stir in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling

2011-02-21T13:28:00.006-07:00

Somebody around here had a birthday last week. Audra turned 1 on Friday. Amazing how quickly a year has gone by! I have been looking forward to making a girl birthday cake, since I made Conner his first birthday cake. Many months ago I came across some small cake pans, I ordered them knowing I would be using them to make her a cake at some point. It was very difficult to frost, but turned out cute and she was our most destructive 1-year-old eater.

But the rest of us needed a treat, so I combined a bunch of recipes and came up with these delicious cupcakes. I definitely think I will use more filling next time, but they were a hit. Oh, and I could have been much generous with the frosting - I was worried about running out. Turns out I had quite a bit left over! I kind of feel like I've been on an episode of "Cupcake Wars" (on the Food Network), so I think I'm done with cupcakes for awhile. Enjoy!

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ tsp almond extract
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350F. Place liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until it looks creamy.

Beat in the egg and the vanilla and almond extracts until mixture is smooth. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until almost combined. Add buttermilk and stir, again, until almost combined. Add the rest of the flour and stir until all ingredients are mixed in.
Divide batter evenly into muffin cups.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350F, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool before filling.

Strawberry Filling
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese, chilled (I used cream cheese)
1/2 cup thawed and drained frozen strawberries (I used fresh strawberries)
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a food processor combine the mascarpone cheese, strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice. Process the mixture until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a small tip. Push the tip gently into the bottom of a cupcake and squeeze in the strawberry mixture until the cupcake plumps. Continue with the remaining cupcakes.

The Best Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter (soft)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons of whipping cream

Cream butter and powdered sugar together. Then add vanilla and whipping cream!

Cream-filled Cupcakes

2011-02-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

It was my brother-in-law's birthday. I am the assigned Sunday dinner dessert maker, so he requested chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Well, I couldn't just stop there. I mean I love chocolate and all, but I watch "Cupcake Wars" (on the Food Network) and needed to make these cupcakes a little more special. I decided a filling would be the best choice. I found a recipe I thought sounded delightful and turns out it was! Here's how it went down.

I made this recipe, but turned it into about 20-24 cupcakes. Filling paper cup liners 2/3 full. Baking them for 18-22 minutes.

Once they were cool, I used my handy-dandy apple corer to remove some cupcake from the center, taking care to not go all the way down. If you don't have said corer, just use a small spoon to remove. Or, you can just make the filling, put it in a piping bag and pipe directly in the center of the cupcake. No piping bag? No problem, just spoon some filling in the center and it doesn't have to look pretty because you'll be covering it up with frosting.

After filling the cupcakes, frost with your favorite chocolate frosting. One of my favorites is listed below. I kept these guys refrigerated. And they were devoured in no time!

Filling:
2 tsp very hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dissolve the salt in the hot water and allow to cool.
Whip the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it begins to get fluffy. Add the water and whip well.

For the frosting:
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 – 8 ounce block cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Slowly add in cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Spread and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Mints

2011-02-13T21:53:00.004-07:00

Two things I love: cream cheese frosting and anything peppermint. These lovely mints were right up my alley. They were fairly simple to put together - even the kids had fun getting in on the action which is what I wanted so we wouldn't have to make sugar cookies this year. They are pretty rich, but are cut small so it's just enough. I also made these to give away to my Visiting Teaching sisters and thought they turned out cute. A very fun and easy idea.

4 oz. cream cheese
1 TBS. butter
1 TBS. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
3 c. powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter, corn syrup & extract until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. When the mixture starts to come together, turn out on clean work surface and knead, adding up to 1/2 c. more powdered sugar as necessary to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth. Divide into 3 even pieces. Tint 1 part dark pink and 1 part light pink with red food coloring. Leave the third part white. Roll each portion into a 15" long rope. Twist the 3 ropes together and roll into a single rope about 3/4" wide; flatten slightly and cut into 3/4" tri-colored pieces. Spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover and chill 4 hours.

Peanut Butter Balls

2011-02-13T21:46:00.004-07:00

This recipe (and picture because I forgot) comes from my Parents magazine. In the past I have made Peanut Butter Cups several times, but never just balls. I like the balls because it is less chocolate, although a bit trickier to dip. I also like the added element of sprinkles, it made it more festive. I made these to give to my Visiting Teaching ladies for a little Valentine's Day treat.

1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
5 TBS. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. chocolate candy melts, or chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together; knead until smooth, adding up to 1/2 c. more powdered sugar as needed to prevent sticking. Roll dough into 1" balls and set on wax paper-lined baking sheet. Chill 1 hour. Line 2 more baking sheets with wax paper and set aside.

Microwave candy melts (or chips), stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Drop the balls in a few at a time to coat. Remove balls with fork allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Roll balls in sprinkles to coat. Place on lined baking sheets; chill until chocolate is set.

Ham Croissant Sandwiches

2011-02-13T21:35:00.003-07:00

Lunch is not my favorite meal of the day. Either nothing sounds good, I don't have time, or it's just grabbing what's available. It's nice to sometimes have a lunch plan. It's even nicer if that plan includes good friends. This recipe comes from a friend and has been used many times at many such lunch get-togethers. Including this past week when we had a little Visiting Teaching luncheon. My partner and I decided to have all 3 women we visit come over for lunch. It was fun to spice things up and get to know these women in a different way. Plus, now that we have been notified that in 1 week our ward will be changing, it was a good to have one last shindig. You really can't go wrong with these sandwiches. They are easy, rich, and satisfying!

croissants (depends on what size you use, if I use the big ones I always cut them in half)
1 lb. shaved deli ham
Swiss cheese slices

Sauce:
1/2 c. melted butter
1/4 c. dehydrated minced onion
1/4 c. mustard
1 T. poppy seeds or to taste

Melt butter in saucepan, add onion, mustard, poppy seeds.
Spread on croissant, stack ham and cheese. Bake @ 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Makes about 9 large croissant sandwiches.

Fruity Chewy Granola Bars

2011-01-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to make is homemade granola. My 7 year old loves eating it mixed in yogurt after school. I like making it myself because I can control the ingredients. I find that most pre-made varieties, or even recipes for that matter, call for far too much sugar & fat. The same can be said for granola bars. I came across this recipe on another site I like to look at. I decided to make them, but I definitely added my own variations.....they sounded more like cookies, if not worse, and I wanted them to be somewhat healthy. My kids are super excited about them and it was fun to make them. Enjoy!

3-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (I used 1 1/2 c. quick-cooking, 1 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats, and 1/2 c. puffed millet)
1/2 cup whole almonds, chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup butter, melted (WHOA, way too much butter so I used 1/3 c. butter, 3 TBS. canola oil, and 2 TBS. unsweetened applesauce)
1/2 cup honey (I used 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sunflower kernels (didn't have any, so omitted)
1/2 cup shaved sweetened coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)
1/2 cup chopped dried apples
1/2 cup dried cranberries (didn't have any and don't really like, so I just used dried apricots, peaches and pears)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (totally omitted)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(I also added about 2 TBS. ground flax seed for some more added nutrition - beautiful thing with that stuff is you can't even taste it)

Spray a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan (I don't have a pan this size. I have plenty of 9X13 and jelly roll pans,which are about 12X17, so I just went with the jelly roll pan) with cooking non-stick cooking spray. Add oats and almonds to the pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, mix the egg, butter, honey and vanilla together. Then add the sunflower kernels, coconut, apples, cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir to coat.

Then stir in oat mixture and press into a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray (I was worried since I lessened the amount of honey that it wasn't going to hold together, so I did add about 2 TBS. maple syrup). Bake at 350° for 13-18 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Carrot Cake

2011-01-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing fancy about this recipe. Just the carrot cake recipe I always make. Really, how can you mess up carrot cake - it is moist, simple to make, and covered in that luscious topping called cream cheese frosting. I made this miniature cake for my hubby for his birthday. You see, our birthdays are just 4 days apart so when we gather as an extended family on Sunday to celebrate we get to pick what we want to eat and what kind of cake. I usually don't have an opinion because as long as I don't have to cook it, I don't care what it is :-), so I let him pick. He suggested carrot cake. I shot it down (I know I said I don't usually have an opinion). If there's one thing in this world I couldn't live without it is chocolate. I didn't want a birthday cake made out of vegetables :-). I felt bad, so on the night before his birthday I made him a mini-carrot cake. It was delish, but certainly not chocolate so at least we both got what we wanted!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs

Grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add carrots, oil, and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer till combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan(s).

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans or 35 to 40 minutes for 13x9-inch pan or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool layer cakes on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or, place 13x9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and store in refrigerator. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
4-1/2 to 4-3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in enough of the remaining powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.

Cake Pops

2011-01-10T21:52:00.005-07:00

Yip, it's me! I'm still here, can you believe it? It would seem that becoming a mother of three has thrown my life in the air. It has been an adjustment for sure. Lots of things have had to give, including this blog & cooking for that matter. My time is not my own anymore. I have always LOVED to cook, but just don't have the time that I use to. I know this is just a phase and that soon I will be able to get back to trying new recipes, introducing my family to a more advanced variety of foods, and baking, baking, baking (my favorite). It's not that I haven't been cooking. I have. It's just that when I do cook, it is usually thrown together quickly and I am just happy to get it on the table and be done with that part of the day. I don't even think about taking a picture and then documenting what has been created. I will try to do more in future, because I have been told (in my absence) that there are a lot of you out there who want me to update......
For now I bring you this little ditty. I wanted to thank some gals in my life and had been wanting to try this recipe, so I put two and two together and whipped some up for them. I learned a lot along the way (see my notes), one of which was that I am not nearly as talented as many folks out there. This is not a new recipe - just search 'cake pops' and you'll see what I mean. And mine are not nearly as cute as some out there, but I think they fit the bill. I would encourage you to try them out....the varieties/possibilities are endless. This recipe is kind of up to you, but here is a basic idea with some of my notes included.

1 Package of any boxed cake mix, baked as directed on the box (I whipped up a yellow cake from scratch *see recipe)
1 (16oz) can of frosting (I made some cream cheese frosting **see recipe)
1 Package of Wilton’s candy melts. White or dark chocolates (I used melted milk & semi-sweet chocolate)

(I think making a chocolate cake, using cream cheese frosting and then dipping in pink candy melts would be darling and delicious as well)

Bake cake and allow to cool completely (about one hour).
Crumble cake in large bowl and add frosting. (Enough frosting that the mixture holds together, but is not too sticky)
Put cake mixture in fridge and chill for 30 min
Shape dough into balls or press into favorite cookie cutter.
Dip end of stick in candy melts and insert into cake ball. Allow to harden. This helps cake to stay on the stick. (I did not do this and wish I would have; another option is to put the sticks in the balls and then freeze for about 30 minutes)
When ready, dip cake pop in candy melts and dry by sticking in a piece of Styrofoam. At this point you can add decorations.
Have fun and enjoy!

*Yellow Cake
2 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 375; grease a 9X13 pan and set aside. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each one. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beating on low speed after each addition just till combined. Pour batter in prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes till toothpick comes out clean.

** Cream Cheese Frosting
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until creamy. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar. (May not need to use all this frosting in the cake crumbs)

Flourless Chocolate Cake

2010-08-10T16:49:00.000-06:00

For those who don't know, my 2 year old is gluten-intolerant, as is my mom. And since I would prefer that the little girl (currently 5 months) does not end up with the same condition, I myself am not eating gluten while nursing her. That means finding lots of recipes that don't contain gluten (wheat, barley, rye, etc.), which means no wheat flour. I have a neighbor who has celiac disease and she has shared some of her secrets with me, including a great flour substitute. Unfortunately, a lot of gluten free foods have a grainy texture due to the rice flour. I thought there must be some sort of flourless desserts out there, so I headed to Google. I found A LOT of recipes. . . . this is one that I found and then altered to make it my own. It was amazing! Really fudgy and extremely rich. I served it with sweetened whipped cream, and macerated strawberries. It would also be good a la mode. Enjoy!

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chocolate chips
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 9-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs yolks and whisk well. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold these into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with powdered sugar and serve!

Cucumber Salad

2010-08-09T16:00:00.004-06:00

So, I just pulled 12 cucumbers out of the garden. That does not include the about 10 that could have been picked, but I decided they were only "ordinary" sized and not huge so they could wait a few days :-)! Now I'm desperate to find something to do with these beauties. I love cucumbers and am a HUGE fan of cucumber salad, so here is my version! Enjoy!

4 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4-1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tablespoon dried dill, or to taste

Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Mango or Peach Slush

2010-06-21T16:22:00.000-06:00

A good friend made this years ago for a get-together. I have been addicted ever since. It is SO simple to make, simply refreshing, and always a hit. I have had a hard time finding mango sorbet at every grocery store, but peach is a great replacement. This is a perfect summertime treat!

1 pint mango, or peach sorbet
1 pint vanilla yogurt
1 (12oz) can frozen white grape juice, undiluted
1 (12oz) can frozen lemonade, undiluted
7-Up or Sprite

Thaw all ingredients until soft and blend together until there are no lumps. Refreeze. To serve, scoop 1/2 cup mixture into bottom or large glass. Fill up with 7-Up or Sprite and stir.

Favorite Fruit Salad

2010-05-18T20:41:00.000-06:00

Every Sunday we include a fruit salad in our menu. It is usually fresh fruit just cut in chunks
and mixed up which is quite delightful. A few weeks ago, I was asked to do the fruit salad and I decided I wanted to try to spice it up (literally). I searched for fruit salad recipes online and came across one that included a sauce to pour over the top. The sauce almost reminds me of wassail, which I love. This is a variation of that recipe, I've changed it up for my liking. And you can really use any fruits.....apples, blackberries, blueberries, grapefruit, watermelon, etc. We liked it so much that my mom requested it again for Mother's Day dinner.

2 medium bananas, sliced
2 cups pineapple chunks (I like fresh pineapple)
2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned (or 1 small can mandarin oranges)
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 pint strawberries, sliced
2 pears, diced

Dressing:
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I omit because it is sweet enough without)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick

1.In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice and zest, lemon juice and zest, brown sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
4. Layer the fruit in a glass serving bowl.
5. Remove the cinnamon stick from the sauce; pour the sauce over the fruit.
6. Cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Brownie Mousse Trifle

2010-05-08T20:56:00.005-06:00

This is a recipe I concocted years ago because it incorporated some of my favorite treats: brownies, mousse, toffee - I mean you can't go wrong. It is a family favorite. I remember my Grandpa Bell used to request I make "that brownie" thing for our Sunday dinner dessert. I hadn't made it in awhile and decided it was time to divulge!

1 (9x13) pan brownies, prepared & cooled
1 recipe chocolate mousse, this is my fave
1 pint whipping cream
2-4 toffee bars, crushed

Prepare brownies as directed and let cool to room temperature; cut into 1" squares. Prepare mousse as directed. Whip cream using 1/4 c. powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla (I use 3 TBS. agave nectar) until stiff peaks form.

In a trifle bowl put one layer of brownies (I kind of break them up just a bit as I drop them in the bowl), about a cup of mousse, and between a cup and a cup and half of cream, then sprinkle with some toffee chunks. Repeat 2 more times. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve and try to not go back for seconds.

Perfect Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2010-04-12T16:29:00.004-06:00

I am in love with berries.....I love this time of year when the strawberries are starting to come out and you can also find blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I also LOVE chocolate, so it would make sense that dipping berries in chocolate would just make my day! But, I feel like you need a reason to go to the effort of doing this. This last weekend, a reason presented itself --- my sister blessed her new little baby boy. We had a lunch with the families afterwards and I insisted on making these delicacies. Even I couldn't believe how well they turned out. The chocolate was soft and didn't crumble off, which I always find annoying. I actually dipped them the night before and at lunch time they were just starting to "sweat" or leak their juices, so this is definitely something you can't do too far in advance.

2 lbs. fresh strawberries
11 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz. (1 cup) milk chocolate chips
3 TBS. shortening

Wash strawberries well and then set out to completely dry - may take several hours. Place a baking sheet lined with wax paper in the freezer for several hours before dipping.

In a double boiler melt chocolate chips; stir in shortening until completely melted. Dip strawberries 2/3 of the way up and carefully set on cold baking sheet. Decorate* as desired and enjoy within 24 hours!

* I decided to drizzle white chocolate over mine. I just melted about 1/4 c. white chocolate chips, and a teaspoon of shortening in a ziploc baggie in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then I massaged the bag until they were all melted; I snipped the corner of the bag and went to town!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

2010-03-28T15:02:00.006-06:00

A friend made these recently and they were so yummy I decided they would make the perfect treat for the ladies I visit teach....I'm not going to take the new baby out so treats and phone calls will have to do. I made mini cupcakes because let's face it, anything mini just tastes better and is more fun to eat. I even whipped up a gluten-free batch so my little guy could have some. They freeze really well, so you can always have some on hand. I think they are better frosted, but you can't go wrong just plain.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 (6 ounce) package chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small bowl, combine first four ingredients. Add chocolate chips and set aside. Mix remaining ingredients well. Fill muffin tins, lined with paper cups 1/3 to 1/2 full with this mixture. Drop a large spoonful of cheese mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

*If making minis: fill cups about half full and drop about a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture on top. Bake 9-11 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean in the cake part.

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup butter, softened
3 TBS. cocoa powder
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 TBS. milk
dash salt

Mix together well until nice spreading consistency.

German Chocolate Cake

2010-03-26T13:48:00.004-06:00

German Chocolate Cake has always been one of my favorites. I would always request it on my birthday growing up. I haven't had/or made it for years, but my aunt requested it for her birthday cake and I was asked to make it. Now I know why I love it so much......butter. There is so much butter it is frightening, but there is no way around it. My suggestion is just to enjoy every delicious, moist bite!!

1/2 cup water
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease, flour and line 2 - 9 inch round pans with parchment paper or wax paper rounds. Sift the flour, add baking soda and salt to flour. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture, alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Do not over mix.

Pour into 2- 9 inch pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack. Wrap in Saran or other plastic wrap and place in freezer until frozen and ready to fill and frost cake.

Coconut Pecan Filling

4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 pkg. (7 oz.) flake coconut, I used sweetened (about 2-2/3 cups)
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans

Beat egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with wire whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12-15 minutes or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add coconut and pecans; mix well. Cool to room temperature before frosting cake.

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter. Stir in cocoa and salt. Add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 1 1/2 cups frosting.

Assembly:

Take cake layers out of freezer.

Place one layer on serving plate.

Top with half of filling.

Lay other layer on top.

Frost sides of cakes with chocolate frosting.

Spread rest of filling on top of cake.

Shred some chocolate on top of cake.

Valentine Sugar Cookies

2010-02-12T21:13:00.003-07:00

The tradition of Valentine cookies dates back twelve February's ago.....Dave and I were newly engaged and we spent the evening making, baking, and frosting heart shape treats!! He doesn't remember that, but it's true. I have been making sugar cookies every year since - some years with friends, some with Dave, and now with my kiddos. I think it is a great tradition and one I didn't think would happen this year (thought baby would have arrived by now). I have experimented with many different recipes - some with lemon, almond, strawberry....varying amounts of flour, butter, etc. This has become one of my favorites. The dough doesn't spread and they stay nice and chewy (not crunchy)! Of course, the best part is in the decorating! Conner helped me this year and I think he did a great job.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat together butter and sugar. Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla; beat well. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Dip cookie cutters in flour then cut dough into desired shapes. Place cookies 1-inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes (cookie will be a very light tan on bottom - tops will still be pale). Remove to wire cooling rack. Frost when cooled.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
4-6 tablespoons cream or milk
gel or paste food coloring (optional)

Beat together butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and 1/4 cup cream or milk. Add additional cream, 1-2 teaspoons at a time and continue to beat until frosting is smooth, creamy and is desired spreading consistency. Beat in food color, one drop at a time, as desired.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

2010-02-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

Probably one of my favorite pizzas of all time is BBQ Chicken Pizza (especially from CPK). Something about the smoky chicken, red onion and cilantro just speak to me. I have attempted to recreate this in the past and just haven't been super impressed.....I found this recipe and decided to give it one more try. OUTCOME: Total success! We all loved it. It was fun to work on it as a family and then enjoy the results. I really think the BBQ sauce makes all the difference. I have tried using some of the "cheaper" brands and they just didn't cut it. I happened to find some "Stubbs" on clearance at Target and that is now my new favorite. Of course you could always make your own and that would be good as well. Who needs to go out now?!! Enjoy!

Dough (makes 2 14" pizzas):

1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 package yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
4-5 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
I also added about 1/2 tsp of garlic salt, basil leaves, and thyme!

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes until foamy.
In large bowl mix eggs and salt, add yeast mixture. Add flour a cup at a time, just until dough pulls away from bowl. If using mixer, continue mixing with dough hook attachment until smooth and elastic. Put dough in large oiled bowl, and sit in warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled.

Filling:
3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded
BBQ sauce - your favorite
2 1/2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese (I omitted this because it wasn't available and we really didn't miss it)
2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 425-450 degrees. Important to have the oven HOT when placing pizza in oven.
Place the chicken in about 1/4 cup barbeque sauce and let sit for a few minutes. Roll out the pizza dough into a 14" circle and place onto a pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or dusted with cornmeal. Spread about 3/4 cup of barbeque sauce onto the crust. Top with half of the chicken, half of the Gouda and mozzarella, red onion and cilantro. Repeat the process with the ingredients on the other crust. You should have two 14" crusts and assembled pizzas.
Bake at 425 for about 12-15 minutes on lower half of oven, or until cheeses are melted and bottom of crust is golden.

Waffle Cones/Cups

2010-02-06T17:00:00.005-07:00

I have wanted a waffle cone maker for years, I don't know why. It's one of those specialty kitchen appliances that really doesn't get used much, but I love having those. It is fun to get them out on special occasions and sometimes just for fun. Dave listened to me and I got one for my birthday! We have used it twice since and are still figuring out the tricks, but we found a recipe we like A LOT! This is a thick batter; other recipes are more like a crepe batter but not as yummy. I prefer waffle bowls myself but we have struggled with make them look just right. I guess we'll just have to keep practicing....no one seems to be complaining about all the taste testing!

1 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 TBS. cornstarch

In a bowl with a whisk, whip the cream with the vanilla until mousse-like (it won't form peaks).

Sift the remaining ingredients together and stir them into the cream to make a batter.

Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Heat up the waffle cone iron. I used heat setting 2.5.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Waffle Cones

1 whole large organic egg
1 egg white from an organic egg
1/4 ts kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2/3 cup white rice flour
2 tb coconut oil, melted
1 ts pure vanilla

Heat waffle cone press to about darkness level 3-4.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together whole organic egg, plus egg white with salt. Blend well with fork. Next add sugar, blend until sugar dissolves, add coconut oil, white rice flour and vanilla and combine.
When your light comes on and the machine is hot, spoon 2 full TB of batter into the center of the waffle plate. Press down lid and let cook 60 seconds, check for doneness, if more time is needed, go another 30- 60 seconds (depending on how brown you want the cone to be).
When waffle cookie is ready, lift off the press with a spatula gently, and place on a clean flat towel, using the cone shaper tool roll the cookie, making sure to pinch the bottom.

Bruschetta

2010-02-04T16:54:00.003-07:00

I have always loved bruschetta....what's not to love with the crusty bread and perfectly seasoned tomato topping. A friend of mine made this for our monthly dinner group and even after I ate way more than I should, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I just knew I had to make it again, but it's more fun to make for an event. I asked her for the recipe and whipped it up for Christmas Eve. It was a hit!! Enjoy!

6-8 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 TBS. red onion, chopped
2 TBS. fresh chopped basil (about 4-6 small leaves)

1 clove minced garlic (I omitted and just sprinkled a tiny bit of garlic powder)

1/2 TBS. olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

dash o pepper

One large crusty loaf French Baguette cut at 45 deg angle

Brush on a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Broil till browned. Top with tomato mixture and try not to eat and eat and eat!!

White Chocolate Key Lime Cheesecake

2010-02-02T11:50:00.003-07:00

A good friend made this years ago for a little lunch get together. I've had the recipe since then and have wanted to try it. I finally did!! Okay, so there are a few steps involved, but really it was simple and just as good as I remember it. My husband couldn't stop thinking about it and wanted even more to cut himself another slice.
I have begun to notice that most recipes call for WAY too much sugar, so I have been experimenting with less sugar and so far everything has turned out and tasted just fine. I will include what I did to lessen the sugar in this recipe.

Crust:
2 c. Nilla wafers or graham crackers, crushed
2 TBS. sugar (I omitted, the crackers already have enough sugar)
5 TBS. butter, melted

Combined all ingredients and press into a 9" springform pan. I then put in the freezer while I was making the filling.

Filling:
6 TBS. key lime juice (Nellie & Joe's recommended) 1 env. gelatin
2 1/2 c. whipping cream
9 oz. white baker's chocolate, chopped
3- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 c. sugar (I only used 1/2 c.)
1/2 TBS. lime zest

Place lime juice in a small bowl with gelatin and let stand.

Simmer 1/2 c. whipping until warm enough to melt chocolate. Combine until chocolate is completely melted. Add to gelatin mixture and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, and lime zest until light and smooth. Gradually add cooled chocolate mixture.

Whip remaining 2 c. whipping cream to stiff peaks and fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour into springform pan and let chill at least 4 hours.

Cookie Kisses

2010-01-21T11:35:00.004-07:00

FINALLY, a new post! I'm thinking posting is going to be fewer and even more far between with the new baby approaching - we'll see. I'll try to do what I can. My hubby promised to be my photographer since he got his fancy new camera, but that hasn't played out yet.
So, these cookies! I made them once years ago (and I mean like 10 years ago) after seeing them on Martha Stewart. I remembered how cute they were and wanted to make them again, plus they seemed kinda Valentinesy! I don't remember them being quite this big last time, I must have piped too much dough out. Big, or small they are tasty and quite cute!

Cookies
1/4 c. blanched whole almonds
1/2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter, room temperature
1 egg
2 TBS. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting
1 1/2 TBS. strawberry jam (I only had raspberry jam and it worked just as well)
2 TBS. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 TBS. heavy cream (I only had evaporated milk and it also worked great as a substitute)

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with Silpats, set aside (I only have one silpat, so I just lightly greased the second baking sheet). Place almonds and 2 TBS. sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until very fine. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining 6 TBS. sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat on medium until combined. Add reserved almond mixture, flour and salt and beat until combined

Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with a 1/2" opening. Pipe out the cookies onto prepared baking sheets; with wet fingers shape top of each cookie into a point. Bake rotating sheets halfway through cooking, until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven, and transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

While cookies are cooling, prepare frosting: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, cook strawberry jam, stirring until completely melted, about 2 minutes. Pour into a small bowl. Add melted butter, powdered sugar, and heavy cream, and stir until combined and smooth. When cookies are completely cooled, join pairs of cookies together: Spread, or pipe 1 tsp. frosting on the bottom of one and press the bottom of second against it; place on wire rack until frosting has completely set.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

2009-11-16T14:14:00.003-07:00

I found this recipe looking through a ward cookbook. I am not normally a fan of fruit and chocolate together (I especially don't like orange and chocolate), but for some reason this sounded really good. Maybe it's the pregnant hormones :-)! Turns out, it IS really good! I think it is a great combination and it's not too rich. As you can see in the pictures, I had some issues with the glaze. I figured it would kind of drizzle down the sides of the cake, but it didn't. It ended up just plopping down on the plate. Next time I think I will just keep it on the top! Who cares what it looks like, it tastes great and was really simple to put together!

2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. boiling water

Heat oven to 350. Spray three 9" round pans with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl stir together dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed. Slowly stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove to wire racks, cool. Layer with raspberry filling.

Raspberry Filling:
1 12 oz. bag frozen raspberries
1 c. whipping cream
2 TBS. sugar

Whip cream with sugar until stiff. Mix in raspberries. Layer cake and filling - cake being last layer. Glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
1/4 c. water
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a small saucepan over low heat melt butter, add cocoa and water stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add powdered sugar and vanilla beating with a wire whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 tsp. water if needed. Spread glaze over top of torte. Refrigerate until ready to serve and any leftovers.

Hidden Snickers Cookies

2009-11-09T19:28:00.003-07:00

We all know the drill....it's after Halloween and it's always fun to find recipes that allow us to use up some of that dreaded candy. I remember a long time ago hearing about, or maybe even making some Snickers cookies. But I couldn't find a recipe in my collection; so I turned to Google....found tons of recipes.....and altered it to make my own! These were so fun to make with Conner, he loved unwrapping the candies and shaping the dough around the bars. I don't really like peanut butter cookies, but I sure like these!

1 c. sugar
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. soft butter
1 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

20 SNICKERS® or MILKY WAY®s fun size bars, cut in half (1/2 per cookie), or use the Minis.

Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Scrap down bowl and add dry ingredients. Shape dough around each candy, cover completely. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-13 minutes.

Chocolate Truffle Pops

2009-10-30T16:00:00.004-06:00

I saw Giada make these on the Food Network and thought they were adorable. I really wanted to try them, because they seemed easy enough and make quite a statement. Okay, so they weren't as easy as originally thought but I did figure out my own tips and tricks (see below). They are still so fun and creative; oh, and quite tasty. Who doesn't want to eat chocolate off of a stick?

8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) bittersweet chocolate chips (I used 1 c. Ghiradelli Extra Dark chocolate chips and 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I omitted this, but did add 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)
2 cups (12 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips (I used half semi-sweet chips and half dark chocolate chips)

TOPPINGS (about 1 cup of 3 different types):
mini-chocolate chips
chopped nuts
SKOR bar, crushed
Butterfinger bar, crushed
graham cracker crumbs
toasted coconut

For the ganache: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon. Refrigerate the ganache until very firm, about 2 hours. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure, scoop the ganache into 18 (1-inch) round pieces and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. (I found that I had to let this mixture sit out at room temperature for over an hour to be able to work with it). Working quickly, with dry hands, roll the mixture into balls. Put a pop stick into each ball and freeze, stick side up, until firm, about 30 minutes.

Add the 2 cups of chocolate chips to a medium stainless steel or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes.

Put the toppings 3 small bowls. Dip the pops in the melted chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip off, and then dip into the toppings until coated. Arrange the pops, stick side up, on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the chocolate has set. Let the pops stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Store the pops, refrigerated, in an airtight container.

Overnight Spinach Salad

2009-10-28T14:51:00.000-06:00

Absolutely my favorite salad ever!! In fact this past week I was totally craving it, so I was delighted to be asked to bring a green salad to Sunday dinner. I even made enough that I could keep some at home to satisfy the weekly craving :-)! This picture doesn't show the dressing which I do in a large glass jar and that contains the mushrooms and onions. A great salad for any occasion.

2 pkg. Spinach
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 lb. bacon (or less)
1/2 red onion sliced
3/4 lb. Swiss cheese, grated
3/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cottage cheese, rinsed so curds remain

Dressing:
3/4 TBS. poppy seeds
1/3 c. vinegar
3/4 c. cooking oil
1/3 c. sugar
2 TBS. grated onion
3/4 tsp. salt
1 TBS. dry mustard

Mix dressing ingredients in a glass jar, and add mushrooms and red onions and let sit overnight.

Gooey Caramel Popcorn

2009-10-28T14:08:00.003-06:00

I came across this recipe and since I am such a huge fan of caramel popcorn, I decided it was worth a try. It sounded so easy. My biggest concern was whether it would be gooey and chewy --- I don't like the crunchy caramel corn. Oh boy was it gooey!! And it stayed gooey for days (I had forgotten about it and found some several days later that was still just as gooey). This recipe is so much easier than other caramel corn so I think it will become our favorite!!

1 bag microwave popcorn (or 1/3 c. unpopped corn, popped)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
8-10 big marshmallows

Pop the popcorn and remove all of the obnoxious unpopped kernals. Microwave the butter, sugar, and marshmallows until melted (I started with 1 minute and found it wasn't completely melted, so probably did 20-30 more seconds). Stir to make a caramel goo. Pour the goo over the popcorn and stir to coat the popcorn.

Try to not eat it all in one sitting!!

Homemade Nutty Granola

2009-10-20T21:59:00.000-06:00

I just love homemade granola mixed in some yogurt, and so do my kids. I almost always have some on hand. When I became pregnant and all cooking ceased, we turned to the store for an alternative. Unfortunately the store-bought stuff contains wheat and gluten so Logan can't eat it; and quite frankly I don't think it is as good. Below are two recipes that I make. I really prefer the first as I'm not really into dried fruits, but both are good!

2 c. almonds, chopped
2 c. pecans, chopped
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. sesame seeds (I usually omit these)
1 c. wheat germ (I omit this when making some for Logan)
5 c. old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 TBS. cinnamon
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. maple syrup (the REAL stuff)
3/4 c. molasses (I'm not a huge molasses fan, so I usually add about 1/2 cup instead)
3/4 c. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 large baking sheets. Stir together nuts, seeds, wheat germ, oats, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a saucepan, heat together honey, syrup, molasses, and oil just until warm. Pour honey mixture over nut mixture and mix well. Divide evenly between the two sheet pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven when golden brown. Stir occasionally while cooling to break up clumps. Store in airtight container for up to 8 weeks, or freeze up to 6 months.

OPTION #2:

3 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. toasted wheat germ (I omit when trying to be gluten free)
3/4 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 c. packed light-brown sugar
2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 c. dried cherries, raisins, or other dried fruit, halved or chopped if large (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. Lightly coat a 9 X 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Add oats, wheat germ, and walnuts, stirring to combine. Bake until oats are lightly toasted, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Raise oven temperature to 350. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, stir together apple juice, sugar, and oil. Pour over oat mixture; stir to combine. Return to oven, and bake until oats are crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool in pan, about 25 minutes (toss with cherries, if desired). Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Park City Beef Stew

2009-10-13T12:32:00.004-06:00

I know I just got done saying that beef & pregnancy are not mixing, but I did make this recipe. We recently went to Bear Lake over Conference weekend with my family and the weather was a bit chilly, so it was decided that stew would be a good dinner option. I love, love, love this recipe! It is SO easy and SO delicious. Put everything in the crock-pot in the morning and that night you have the most tender and yummy warm stew waiting! I served it with homemade breadsticks - it was a hit!

1 lb. stew meat
3 potatoes, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cream of mushroom
1 cream of celery
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf

Pu all ingredients in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours.

Turkey Burgers

2009-10-13T12:21:00.003-06:00

This recipe comes from Oprah, but has quickly become a family favorite!! So far in this pregnancy, beef is not a popular ingredient so turkey has become a natural replacement. This burgers have a lot of flavor and everyone in my family enjoys them, so this is definitely a keeper!

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed

Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Chocolate Cream Pie

2009-09-22T14:11:00.004-06:00

I came across this recipe and thought it must be tried. It is not a typical chocolate cream pie; it is much more decadent, "chocolately," and isn't as heavy because it is made without eggs. I was a little worried at how dark chocolate it might be (me not being a huge dark chocolate fan) with the bittersweet chocolate addition, but it really is one of my new favorite recipes! So easy to make too.

9" pie crust, baked & cooled (see recipe below)

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup chilled heavy cream

Whisk together cornstarch, 1/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking, two minutes (mixture will thicken). Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until smooth.

Pour filling into cooled shell and chill, its surface covered with wax paper (if you want to prevent a skin from forming), until cold, at least two hours.

Just before serving, beat cream with remaining two tablespoons sugar until it just holds soft peaks. Spoon onto pie and garnish with bittersweet chocolate shavings.

BEST Pie Crust (from the Barefoot Contessa)

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan.

Prick bottom and side of shell all over with a fork, then chill shell 30 minutes. While shell chills, preheat oven to 375°F with a baking sheet on middle rack. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights.

Bake on baking sheet until pastry is set and edge is pale golden, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil, then bake shell on baking sheet until pale golden all over, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool shell.

Banana Cream Pie

2009-09-22T13:59:00.004-06:00

I had decided to make a chocolate cream pie recipe that I had come across (see above) and for some reason that made me want to also make banana cream pie. I didn't think one pie would be enough for everyone coming to Sunday dinner, so I decided on two different types. This is a pretty standard recipe --- just make a vanilla pudding base and add bananas! I really think the crust made it so be sure to try out that recipe.

9" pie crust, baked & cooled (see recipe below)

1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1 TBS. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 bananas

Mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a medium-sized saucepan. Slowly pour in the milk, combining well. Stir over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Bring to a boil and stir at a low boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk half of the hot milk mixture into the 2 eggs. Mix well. Pour this back into the remaining milk mixture and return to heat. Stir constantly and boil again for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour half of the filling into a prepared pie crust. Slice the bananas evenly over the top. Spoon remaining filling over the bananas. Press wax paper to the top to prevent a skin from forming. Cool and top with whipped cream.

BEST Pie Crust (from the Barefoot Contessa)

Prick bottom and side of shell all over with a fork, then chill shell 30 minutes (I skipped this step due to lack of time and had not problems). While shell chills, preheat oven to 375°F with a baking sheet on middle rack. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights.

Jenny's Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2009-09-14T13:55:00.004-06:00

I'm back!! I have taken a little break from this blog, and actually have taken a little break from cooking. I am now 17 weeks pregnant and feel like I may be able to step back into the kitchen -- safely :-)! I am grateful to a great husband who is ever so willing to stop and pick up anything for dinner and who makes a great breakfast for dinner :-)! I also feel so blessed to have such great friends who have brought enough food/dinners to keep my family going. I'm glad to be feeling better because that meant I could go on my annual friends get-away. And I actually had a craving for chicken salad, so I whipped up this recipe. I got it from my friend Jenny, and it is always a hit!

5 c. cubed, cooked chicken
2 TBS. orange juice (I didn't have an orange, or any orange juice so I just added 2 TBS. orange juice concentrate)
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. seedless grapes
1 c. toasted slivered almonds (I didn't have time to toast)
1 (14 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
3 TBS. cooking oil
2 TBS. vinegar
3 c. cooked rice (I just cooked 1 cup rice and used what that yielded)
1 1/2 c. sliced celery
1 1/2 c. mayo

Combine chicken, oil, orange juice, vinegar and salt. Marinate at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate overnight. Add rice, grapes, celery, pineapple, oranges, almonds and mayo to chicken mixture. Mix well. Keep refrigerated until serving time. Serve on croissants.
Makes 12 servings.

Tollhouse Pie

2009-07-12T21:40:00.003-06:00

Ever been to the Dodo restaurant? It is the best! Dave and I have been freqenting them for years and have followed them from location to location. Not only are they famous for their turkey sandwich, but also for their Tollhouse Pie. There's is so warm, gooey, and just to die for. I have experimented with different recipes and have yet to figure out how they make theirs so delicious (I even tried asking). This is a pretty standard recipe, and even though it isn't as good as the Dodo's, it is still tasty! I like serving it slightly warm and with whipped cream, or even vanilla ice cream.

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (I omitted these)
Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

BEAT eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.

BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

Chocolate Strawberry Pie

2009-07-12T21:29:00.004-06:00

I needed to make Sunday dinner dessert and wasn't in the mood for dessert. I asked for Dave's opinion, he said to do something chocolate. I definitely didn't want anything chocolate, so began looking around for a recipe that might strike my fancy. I found a recipe for a strawberry pie that sounded pretty darn good, but then I decided I should also appease the hubby so I added a little chocolate twist to it! I have to admit it was pretty tasty and everyone was happy with it!

1- 8 inch baked and cooled pie or tart crust
1 ½ - quarts strawberries, washed and hulled, divided
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons strawberry jam

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 oz. cream cheese

Whipping cream

Melt chocolate chips in microwave for about 30 seconds. Once they are completely melted, stir in cream cheese until well mixed. Spread this mixture in the bottom of the pie crust.

Mash about ½ to 1 cup of the strawberries in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and strawberry jam. Stir to dissolve. Whisk in cornstarch, and cook over medium heat until bubbly and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut the remaining strawberries in half and place in large bowl. After the sugared mixture is cooled, pour over the fresh strawberries, and mix gently. Pour all of the strawberries into the pie shell. Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours. Top with whipping cream.

This is best served within 6 hours of assembling. Keep it refrigerated! Also, you can omit the chocolate and have a delicious strawberry pie.

Flag Cake

2009-07-05T17:44:00.001-06:00

I have been making this cake on either the 4th or 24th of July for most of our marriage (10+ years). It is a Barefoot Contessa classic and the first time I made it I had no idea how good it was going to be. Seriously, one of my favorite cakes ever. I love the combination of the moist yellow cake, cream cheese frosting and berries! Not only does it taste good, but it looks so darn festive - almost makes it hard to cut into :-)! I have used both raspberries and strawberries ( just slice the strawberries and lay them flat). I also rarely have blueberries around, so I have actually tinted mini-marshmallows blue (just put some mallows in a plastic bag with a few drops of food coloring and mix it around) or I have tinted a bit of frosting blue and just piped blue stars. There are endless possibilities. This is one tradition that will be around for years to come!

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 ½ c. sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature
1 ½ c. flour
2 ½ TBS. cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

To assemble:
½ pint blueberries
2 pint raspberries

Heat the oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9X13 baking pan. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, on high speed until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the frosting, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer, mixing just until smooth.

Spread ¾ of the frosting on the top of the cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake, like a red stripe. Put the remaining frosting in a pastry bag fitted with the star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes (or stars) below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and frosting until the flag is complete. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
I store this in the fridge after serving.

Berry Banana Ice Cream

2009-07-05T16:12:00.003-06:00

Isn't it a requirement to have homemade ice cream on the 4th of July? Well, it is in our family and I'm so glad. There is nothing like that flavor and texture! This year I wanted to try something new, I have been making the same old strawberry or peach ice cream for years. I was browsing some cooking blogs and came across this beauty. I decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. I was worried about the addition of bananas, because they have a tendency to be somewhat over-powering, but I loved the combo of strawberries and bananas. Also, I am lucky enough to own an awesome Cuisinart ice cream maker which eliminates the need for ice and rock salt; however it will only make half as much ice cream. Whichever method you use, I would recommend this recipe. One other note, I find that fresh homemade ice cream (like right out of the maker) is a little soft, so I make my ice cream at least 4 hours ahead of time and freeze it. Then about 30 minutes before serving I stick it in the fridge and it comes out the perfect consistency!

3 ripe bananas
Juice of 3 lemons
Juice of 3 oranges
6 cups fresh strawberries or raspberries, cleaned and hulled
3 cups of sugar
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
Ice
Rock Salt

Place first 5 ingredients in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade (or use blender and blend bananas and orange juice, then sugar, strawberries and lemon juice, then combine). If using raspberries, leave whole do not process. Add cream slowly, then add milk. Pour entire mixture into a 6 quart ice cream maker and freeze according to freezer instructions.
makes 1 gallon.

Seven Layer Bars

2009-07-05T09:04:00.000-06:00

I can remember having and making these cookies since I was very young! It seemed that we had them at every family function, and it seemed that EVERYONE loved them. Once I was old enough to cook, imagine my surprise at how easy they are to concoct! Just a bunch of measuring and pouring.....doesn't get simpler. I decided to make them for the 4th along side some yummy Strawberry Ice Cream. Oh by the way, you'll notice in the picture that some of the cookies are darker, that is because I experimented and put marshmallows on half. I read that somewhere on someones recipe and wanted to try it out. I'd say it was an excellent addition, making the cookies much gooier, but also a little darker.

1/4 c. butter
1 1/3 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. coconut
1 c. chopped nuts, optional
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter in a 9X13 pan in preheating 350 degree oven. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over butter and make a crust, using a fork or glass. Layer remaining ingredients and drizzle sweetened milk over the top. Bake at 350 for 20- 30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

2009-07-03T23:03:00.002-06:00

It's the end of the month ..... how did June manage to slip right by! Perhaps it was because here it didn't feel like June until the end of the month. With all the rain and cooler temps, it felt more like early Spring. Needless to say neither Dave or I out to do our Visiting or Home Teaching (terrible, I know :-()! I'd seen this recipe on another blog and wanted to give them a try; seemed like the perfect thing to make them and drop them off to our respective teachees! I personally REALLY like oatmeal cookies, and I'm also a fan of butterscotch so this was an ideal combination. And frankly putting the white chocolate on top just made this the ultimate cookie in my mind!

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 c. butter-flavored Crisco

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups oatmeal

1 package butterscotch chips

Cream butter, shortening and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla. Add all dry ingredients except oatmeal. Mix in oatmeal. Do not over mix. Just until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated. Mix in chips. Scoop out golf ball sized amount of dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in 350 degree oven. When cookies are almost done, at the 8 minute mark, open oven and flatten a bit with a spatula. Continue baking for about 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

For chocolate drizzle: Melt about 1 cup of white chocolate or vanilla chips in a small Ziploc bag in the microwave. This takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Squish the chips around in the bag a bit until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off the end of one corner of the bag. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookie. Let cool again until drizzle is set.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 4 inch cookies.

Chocolate Marshmallow Brownie Cookies

2009-06-06T21:26:00.000-06:00

There is a local sandwich shop (Cutler's) that I have loved since I was young. Their turkey avocado sandwich (on wheat) is the best! And they just happen to have the best cookies around. I've had their sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies, but my all-time favorite is their Brownie Marshmallow Cookies (or their Brownie Mint Cookies). The cookies are so moist and chewy and it is just the BEST combination. I was so excited to find an imitation recipe!
I think they are a great treat to bring because everyone is drawn to them - they look like someone has taken a lot of time to make them. And they are not the plain old chocolate chip cookie or rice krispie treat. Well, Conner had Kindergarten graduation and we were asked to bring a treat - I decided it was time to test out the recipe once again. This time I used a half marshmallow, rather than the marshmallow creme because I find that the creme is really runny unless kept refrigerated. I actually really liked it with just the marshmallow - it made the cookies really chunky! I am including two recipes below. This last time I used the first recipe, but I think I like the second one better. I found the cookies to be a little dry, and they stayed in their ball shape until I pressed them out. Whichever one you use, just make them because they are a most delicious treat!

1 egg
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. milk
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 c. cocoa
small jar marshmallow creme*

Beat egg, sugar, vanilla, and shortening in a medium bowl until fluffy. Slowly beat in milk. Blend in flour, salt, soda, and cocoa. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2" apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until firm in the center. When cool spread with marshmallow creme and top with chocolate frosting.

Frosting

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 TBS. cocoa
dash of salt
2 TBS. milk
1 TBS. butter, softened
1 TBS. shortening

Mix all together until desired consistency and spread over marshmallows.

I like to keep these in the fridge because the marshmallow creme likes to run.

* Another alternative is to use regular marshmallows. Either put a halved large marshmallow or 3 small marshmallows on top and return to oven for 2 more minutes, then top with frosting.

RECIPE #2

1/2 c. butter
6 TBS. sugar
6 TBS. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 TBS. buttermilk blend (you can omit this if you don't have it)
4 TBS. cocoa
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
small jar marshmallow creme

Cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat in egg. Mix in buttermilk blend and cocoa. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. When cool spread marshmallow creme on top. Let sit for a few minutes and spread chocolate frosting on top.

Frosting

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 TBS. cocoa
dash of salt
2 TBS. milk
1 TBS. butter, softened
1 TBS. shortening

Mix all together until desired consistency and spread over marshmallows.

Smoky Orange Barbecue Sauce

2009-06-06T20:38:00.004-06:00

Also found this recipe on another blog, as I was looking for a new tasty grilling recipe. This is absolutely one of my favorite bbq sauces ever! I will definitely be pulling this one out over the summer! You can store this in the refrigerator for up to one month.

3/4 ketchup

1/4 cup dijon

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup honey

2 tablesooons worcestershire

juice and zest of one orange

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in medium skillet. Simmer for fifteen minutes.

To use with chicken: Trim excess fat off of chicken breasts and put in tupperware container (or ziploc bag); pour a small amount over and let marinate at least an hour. Cook on grill, basting frequently with sauce and pass extra sauce when serving!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars AKA Blonde Brownies

2009-06-06T20:18:00.004-06:00

Saw this recipe on another blog and I was immediately hooked! What is better than gooey chocolate chip bars. The thing I love about these, over just regular ol' chocolate chip cookies, is how caramely they are. I think it is because they have SO much brown sugar. The original recipe said to cook for a lot longer, but mine got golden brown after about 25 minutes so I took them out and they were perfecto!

1 cup butter, softened

1 and 3/4 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup granulate sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with no stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream butters and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, stirring well. Stir in powder, soda, and salt. Add flour and gently stir until just incorporated. Add chips and scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool before slicing...if you can wait.

Beef & Broccoli

2009-06-01T20:48:00.000-06:00

Absolutely one of my favorite "Chinese" dishes is beef and broccoli. I was thrilled to come across this recipe, because it is super easy to make and I love the flavor. I just keep a can of the French Onion soup on hand so I can whip this up whenever the desire strikes. I also always buy the big bag of broccoli flowerettes at Costco and some of them were a little large so I cut them up smaller for this dish. See some of my tips throughout the recipe.

1 can Campbell’s French Onion Soup
1 TBS. soy sauce
¼ tsp. ground ginger
2 TBS. cornstarch
3 TBS. vegetable oil
1 lb. thinly sliced sirloin steak (it is easier to slice the meat if it is slightly frozen)
4 c. broccoli flowerets
1 medium red pepper, cut in strips (optional)

In bowl stir soup, soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch until smooth, set aside. In skillet over medium heat stir-fry beef in hot oil until it is cooked through (about 7-10 minutes). Add broccoli and pepper. Stir fry 3 minutes. Add soup mixture. Heat to boiling. Cook until mixture boils and thickens. (I decided the broccoli was a little too crisp still, so I covered the pan with a lid and turned the heat to LOW and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or as long as it took to get the kids inside and ready for dinner). Serve over hot rice.

This is another recipe that was given to me by a good friend. It is a VERY tasty recipe as well, so I thought I would list both options!

Broccoli Beef
1 Flank Steak (1 1/4 lbs. Sliced)
Mix with:
1 TBS. Cornstarch
1 TBS. Soy sauce
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 TBS. Oil
Salt to taste

Have ready:
4 cups Fresh Broccoli (1" flowerettes)

Gravy ingredients, mix together:
1 TBS. Cornstarch
1 TBS. Soy sauce
1-2 TBS. Oyster sauce
1/2 c. water

Salt and saute broccoli with about 3 T. Oil over high heat for about 1 minutes. Add 2-3 T. Water and cover to steam until barely tender - takes less than 5 minutes. Lower heat and stir if necessary to prevent scorching; remove from pan.

Saute meat in 2 separate batches on red hot heat with 2 T. Oil until meat is browned on the outside and pink in the middle. Add mixed gravy ingredients, scraping bottom of pan; let gravy bubble once around. Return first batch of beef and broccoli; toss to blend.

Hershey's Chocolate Cake

2009-05-31T15:38:00.000-06:00

By far my FAVORITE chocolate cake recipe. Honestly, I don't love the chocolate cake, chocolate frosting combination but this cake always comes out moist and delicious - no matter the topping. If it were up to me I would use my favorite mousse frosting, but it is my brother's birthday and he requested just plain old chocolate frosting. I used the frosting recipe listed below, but I one and one-halved it and it barely made enough to cover the cake. I rarely get fancy with my frosting spreading. I like when it looks swirly, messy and homemade (plus it is easier than trying to make it smooth). We decided to dress it up just a bit with some M&M's! Looks fun, huh? I think he'll like it!

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Frost with Perfectly Chocolate Chococlate Frosting.

VARIATIONS:

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 SKOR bars, diced, optional

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla and SKOR bar if desired.

German Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

2009-05-27T18:43:00.004-06:00

So over a year ago, I took Conner to some book fair and came across a fun looking cookbook. After getting home, I marked all the pages/recipes that looked interesting. I had been wanting to try this recipe since I found it. I LOVE German chocolate anything! I finally had an excuse to make them and am glad I did. First of all, they look so fancy (great first impression). Secondly, they are super simple to make. And lastly, they are delish! Very rich, but decadent and a great little treat!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker or Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 TBS. butter, melted
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 eggs
3 TBS. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 - 3/4 c. caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 325. Combine the first three ingredients in a medium size bowl. Then press evenly in the bottom of a 9X13 pan. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add condensed milk, chocolate, eggs, cornstarch, and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes. Pour batter over the top of crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350. Sprinkle top of cheesecake with coconut and return to oven for 10-12 minutes, or until coconut is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Drizzle caramel topping evenly over top of bars. Garnish with chocolate curls and dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Razzelberry Lemonade

2009-05-27T18:37:00.002-06:00

Drinks are one of those fun and usually easy things to make; and they just make the meal or gathering a little more thoughtful. I love trying new recipes, but rarely have a chance. I am also a huge lemonade fan and love experimenting with difference lemonade varities. This is very simple to make (really straining the seeds takes the most time) and is really fun and tasty to drink!

2 (12 oz.) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, partially thawed
1 1/2 c. frozen raspberries, divided
2-L. bottle club soda
1 lemon, sliced

Blend lemonade and 1 cup raspberries in blender; strain to remove seeds. Pour back into blender, add 2 cups ice. Blend until smooth. Divide between two (2-quart) pitchers; add club soda to fill. Top with ice. Garnish with remaining raspberries and lemon slices. Makes 1 gallon.

Fruit Salsa

2009-05-21T20:55:00.001-06:00

I've seen several different recipes for this, and knew that it was something I was eventually going to make. Well, once again I decided to experiment with it on my fellow book readers. I must say, that even I was impressed. It is quite yummy and a fun little treat to share. I really think the cinnamon chips make it, but you could just use plain tortilla chips. Also, I spent A LOT of time dicing my fruit extremely small because I was making a salsa and eating large chunks can be tricky. I think next time I may save some time and settle on bigger fruit pieces. Mine also turned out quite runny, not sure how to remedy that. I did notice that the longer is sat, the runnier it got; I considered draining off some of the liquid but wasn't sure how that would affect the taste. I think I would have been fine to lose some liquid, so keep that in mind. Overall, a very tasty treat indeed!

1 orange, juiced
1/2 pomegranate (these are not in season, so I used 1 c. of frozen raspberries, thawed. I didn't even chop them, just dumped them in whole)
1 qt. strawberries, chopped fine
2 kiwi, peeled/chopped fine
2 granny apples, peeled/chopped fine
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. apple or grape jelly (I only had strawberry jam so that's what I used)
2 dozen flour tortillas
Cinnamon and sugar
Pam spray

Mix all fruits put in fridge to combine flavors. Cut tortillas into either strips or like a pizza into individual "chips." Put on cookie sheet and spray liberally with Pam; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes turn and bake 1-2 minutes (I did not want to take the time to turn all the chips over, so I ended up baking them for about 10-11 minutes rotating between the top and bottom rack of the oven - they turned out golden and crispy). Serve with salsa. Makes 2 quarts.

Oreo Truffles

2009-05-20T18:28:00.005-06:00

I'd read this recipe on several blogs and knew that I had to make them, but needed the right time. I hosted a book club last night and decided that would be the perfect time. Who knew that oreos and cream cheese could be so yummy!! I dipped about half of the truffles in white chocolate and drizzled with milk chocolate, and then dipped the other half the other way around! I think I like the white chocolate ones best; they taste like an inside-out Oreo (or at least that is what Dave called them)! See below for some of my tips!!

1 package Oreo cookies
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 pound dark chocolate (I used a combo of semi-sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips)
white chocolate (for decorating)

Crush the cookies in a food processor until there are no big crumbs. Mix together with softened cream cheese until the mixture comes together and there are no lumps of cream cheese. (I used a hand mixer, but this could easily be done by hand or even in the food processor).
Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper (or silicone mat) covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
Melt the dark chocolate over a double-boiler (I did this in the microwave one 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds), then dip the cookie/cream cheese balls into it, tapping off extra. Set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

Melt the white chocolate in a small sandwich bag by microwaving about 30 seconds. Knead the chocolate until smooth and melted. Cut the corner and drizzle the chocolate decoratively over the truffles.

Chill in the fridge until the chocolate is set or you're ready to serve.

Key Lime Parfait

2009-05-17T15:15:00.004-06:00

So I was surfing the web ..... not very often that I get to do that and it wasn't even just for fun, I was a on a mission to find a great camp craft! Needless to say I was browsing some of the most amazing crafty blogs and sites - why are people so dang talented??? Anyway, I came across a recipe for Key Lime Parfaits and it sounded like the perfect thing to make for my dad's birthday celebration. It was super simple to whip up and I wish I would have had some coconut extract - I think it would have been a delicious addition. Probably make it taste more Pina Colada like, which I also love! This would be so fun as individual parfaits as well. Enjoy!

{An individual one I made for my mom with gluten free graham crackers -see how cute}

2 cups of water
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1/2 cup of cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
4 tablespoons of butter, but into bits
3/4 cup of Nellie and Joe's Double Strength Key Lime Juice
1 tablespoon of coconut extract (I did not have this, so I didn't use)
Graham crackers (for my big trifle bowl, I used 2 sleeves)
Whipped Cream (I used 1 pint; and I whipped and sweetened it)

Bring the water to a boil in a medium to large sized pot. Once water boils remove from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool somewhat.

While the water is boiling/cooling separate eggs and stir together eggs yolks until smooth. Measure out coconut extract and set aside.

Next whisk together sugar and cornstarch until completely incorporated. Add the sugar/cornstarch mixture to the water and whisk until smooth. Return pan to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will likely be thick.

Add a ladle full or so of hot key lime mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Now add the tempered eggs back to your pot whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Cook for another minute or two until the mixture is completely incorporated and smooth.

Remove from the heat and stir in key lime juice and coconut extract until smooth. Next add the butter until it is completely incorporated. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

To Make the Parfaits:

In a dish or individual serving vessel crumbled graham crackers and completely cover the bottom surface of the bowl/dish.

Next spoon in a layer of key lime custard to cover the graham crackers.

Now add a layer of whipped cream on top of the key lime custard.

Repeat this process until your dish/bowl is filled.

Chill for at least 2 hours and serve.

Monster Cookies

2009-05-04T13:49:00.003-06:00

Okay, so these amazing cookies don't have any flour. When I saw the recipe, I knew I had to try them just to see if they would in fact work. YES they did!! They are so delicious, soft and chewy - that is my favorite for cookies. Even a few days later they weren't dried out, still chewy, moist and yummy. I made a few adjustments to the recipe, just because I don't love the taste of peanut butter .... see below!
3 eggs
1 cup plus 2 TBS. packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups peanut butter (I used half almond butter, just to cut the peanut butter flavor)
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup M&M's candy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Cream butter and peanut butter together. Add the sugars and stir until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Mix oatmeal and baking soda separately, then stir into batter. Add M&M's last. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes. (I ALWAYS undercook my cookies to make them moister and chewier, so I only cooked these for 10 minutes and they were perfect!).

Strawberry Pizza

2009-05-03T21:56:00.000-06:00

Another great recipe from my fabulous aunt! It is definitely the time of year to start really cooking and baking with strawberries! This sounds so fresh and delicious to me, plus really simple to put together!

1. Prepare Strawberries
Wash, hull, and slice 2 baskets of Strawberries.
Cover with ½ c. sugar and ¼ c. water. Let stand for 2 or 3 hours.

2. Crust
1 c. Flour
½ c. Butter (soft)
3 T powdered Sugar

Mix all ingredients with mixer. Press into greased pizza pan with hand.

Crust will be about ¼ inch thick. Flute edges. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Crust will NOT be brown, but will be firm.

3. Cream Filling
2 Eggs
1 8oz. package Cream Cheese
½ c. Sugar
1 T Lemon Juice

Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in lemon juice. Pour cream mixture into hot crust – spread evenly.

Bake at 350 10-12 minutes more until firm. Cool.

4. Glaze
1 c. Juice from drained strawberries
¼ c. Sugar
1 T Lemon Juice
2 T Corn Starch

Drain and reserve juice from Strawberries.

Mix cornstarch and sugar together in pan. Pour juice over sugar mixture.

Stir until melted and then add lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook until cornstarch is clear and mixture has thickened.

Cool. When cold enough, pour over strawberries and gently fold to glaze. Pour strawberries and glaze evenly over cooled pizza. Chill well.

Decorate with whipped cream.

Rocky Road Fudge Brownies

2009-05-03T21:35:00.005-06:00

I got this tasty recipe from my sweet aunt who is super creative and always has the best recipes. She says that this recipe is a bit step-consuming, but sooooo good that everyone requests it constantly! She got from a friend 15 years ago and those are always he best recipes - the ones that have stood the test (and taste) of time! These are good any way, but they are extra yummy kept cool in the refrigerator!

Brownie Bar
½ c. Butter
1 – 1 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate Square

Melt butter and chocolate together; add and mix well:

1 c. Sugar
1 c. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
¾ C. Nuts – chopped

Stir in nuts. Place in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Filling/topping
6 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
½ c. Sugar
2 T. Flour
¼ c. Butter (softened)
1 Egg
½ tsp. Vanilla
¼ c. Nuts

Mix well, except nuts, until fluffy. Stir in nuts. Spread filling mixture on top of brownie bar mixture in pan.

Sprinkle 1 c. chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. (Filling mixture should be lightly browned).

Sprinkle 2 c. mini-marshmallows on top and bake 2 minutes more.

Frosting
(Have frosting below ready when they come out soft).

Melt and mix over low heat:
¼ c. Butter
1 – 1 oz. Unst. Chocolate Square
2 oz. Cream Cheese
¼ c. Milk

Beat in:
1 lb. (4 cups) Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Pour over oven-softened marshmallows and swirl chocolate frosting with marshmallows lightly.

Cool well before cutting.

Frozen Banana Split Dessert

2009-05-02T17:52:00.001-06:00

Absolutely one of our FAVORITE family desserts. We've been making this since I was a teenager and none of us have ever tired of it. I'm not a huge fan of banana-type desserts, but the combination of chocolate, bananas, and ice cream is just perfect. It is very simple to make, and I would recommend making it at least a day in advance as it does take a while to completely freeze. One more thing: chocolate is definitely my favorite thing, so why not have lots of it? Most of the time I will 1 1/2 the recipe of chocolate sauce ..... it is such a gooey, yummy sauce that the more the better :-)! I've never altered the ice cream flavor, but that could be fun! Enjoy and definitely give this one a try, I promise it will become a favorite!

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 or 3 bananas, sliced thinly
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla
1 pt. whipping cream

Mix butter and crumbs together; cover bottom of 9X13 pan with graham cracker crumbs. Layer sliced bananas over crumbs. Slice ice cream 2 inches thick and place over bananas. Freeze until firm.

Melt butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan. Add powdered sugar and the milk. Cook at a slow boil for about 15 minutes until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool.

After above mixture has cooled, pour over mixture in freezer. Whip cream, adding some ¼ cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over chocolate mixture and top with more graham cracker crumbs. Store in freezer.

Fabulous French Bread (Charlie H.)

2009-05-01T21:17:00.000-06:00

So if for some reason you didn't know, a few years ago we moved just 2 blocks North from our house. We LOVE our neighborhood and ward so much that we just couldn't bear to leave, but were anxious to find a newer/bigger home. Our current home was purchased from an "older" couple who only had one teenage daughter at home. They are an amazing family and we love them so much. A year and a half after moving in the wife and daughter came back for a visit and to see our touch on their former house. They were nice enough to bring a WARM loaf of this bread! I was instantly hooked. It is probably the best homemade bread I have ever had.

Dissolve and let stand 10 minutes:
2 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 C. warm water
3 T. sugar

In large bowl mix together:
2 C. hot water
1 T. salt
5 T shortening, melted, or vegetable oil
3 C flour, unsifted

Add yeast mixture and mix well.

Add:
2 – 3 C additional flour, as needed to form dough ball

Leave spoon in batter, allow to rest again for 10 minutes.

Stir vigorously.

Allow to rest again for 10 minutes.

Stir vigorously.

Repeat 3 more times.

Turn out dough on lightly floured board.

Knead once or twice until lightly coated with flour. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 9” x 12” rectangle. Starting at long edge, roll loosely as for a jelly roll. Seal edge. Place both rolls seam side down, on one large baking sheet.

Slash top of each loaf diagonally 3 times with a sharp knife. Brush with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rise 30 minutes. (Do not cover)

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes (until golden brown)

This recipe is from Winnifred Jardine, she was a food editor for Deseret News for several years and is a great-granddaughter of Brigham Young.

Teacup Lemon Cakes (Angie's)

2009-05-01T15:04:00.001-06:00

A good friend made these a few weeks ago for a girls lunch we had! They were SO cute and super delicious. We all begged for the recipe and she was happy to oblige. I have not made these myself yet, so no pictures. These sound so easy to make and I can tell you they are delicious. Plus, who doesn't like a special-looking dessert?! She made ours look amazing by slicing a strawberry on top.

Teacups
1 T. Melted Butter
Brush the inside of 6 teacups with butter and sprinkle with sugar
Put 1 slice of lemon in the bottom of each teacup

Cake
1-T. Melted Butter
1-T. Lemon Zest
1-Egg
1-Jiffy 9 oz. yellow cake mix or 1/2 of a regular cake mix
1-8 oz. Sour Cream
Whisk together for 1 minute or until smooth

Scoop batter into cups (about 1/2 full)
Place all teacups in a circle on the turntable of the microwave
Cook on High 4-5 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Carefully remove from microwave
Cool for 5 minutes and turn upside down on saucer and tap all sides of the cup to release
Pour glaze over the top and top with favorite fruit

Glaze
2-T. Melted Butter
2-T. Lemon Juice
1/4-cup Sugar
Cook on High 30-60 Seconds in the Microwave

Delicious Pizza Dough (Natalie's)

2009-04-30T15:10:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago our family and a few other friend's families got together to make pizzas! It was such a fun night; the kids had a blast rolling out their own dough and dumping (literally) the toppings on! And we were all pleasantly surprised by how much they ate :-)! I have tried many, many times to make homemade pizza dough and thus pizza and it just hasn't turned out well. Either the pizza remains doughy, or it's just a strange consistency. For our little "party," Natalie was in charge of dough and she made this recipe. It is SO yummy, and cooked up perfectly! It will definitely be a staple in our house.

3/4 c. warm water
3 t. yeast
3 T. oil
1 t. basil
1 t. marjoram
1/2 t. onion salt
1/2 t. garlic salt
1 t. salt
2 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in water (until foamy). Add other ingredients. Mix well with dough hook.
Let rest 10-15 minutes. Roll out, add toppings. Bake @ 400 until cheese in center is melted and
edges begin to turn golden brown (12-15 minutes).

Honey Butter

2009-04-25T22:07:00.001-06:00

I remember making this as a kid. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it on warm (homemade) bread. It is super simple to whip up and makes a great gift. Another variety is substituting raspberry or strawberry jam for the honey - that is delicious on rolls! I had to make some today to top our breads!

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Whip room temperature butter, until fluffy. Add honey and vanilla, combine well. Keep refrigerated.

Oatmeal Wheat Bread

2009-04-25T20:32:00.003-06:00

I have had this recipe for years and I have wanted to try it. Then recently I saw it on another blog. And finally, as was mentioned today was bread making day. So it was time to try it, plus I wanted to make two different types of whole wheat bread and see how they differed and/or turned out! This one was actually a bit lighter than the first variety of wheat bread, but does take longer as it needs to rise twice. It is YUMMY!

2 cups whole milk (I actually used my powdered milk, because I have it and would like to use it up --- couldn't tell the difference. I used 2 cups of water and about 6 TBS. powdered milk)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking) plus additional for topping
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 cups whole-wheat flour
About 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
Vegetable oil for oiling bowl
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
2 8x4 loaf pans

Heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat until hot, but not boiling. Then remove pan from heat and stir in oats Let stand, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooled to warm.

Stir together water, yeast, and 1 tsp. honey in a small bowl; let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture, melted butter, and remaining honey into cooled oatmeal.

Stir together whole-wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, and salt in a large bowl. Add oat mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead with floured hands, adding just enough of remaining unbleached flour to keep from sticking, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic, about 10 minutes (dough will be slightly sticky). If using a mixer, or Kitchenaid, use dough hook and mix for about 10 minutes until dough forms a ball and all flour is mixed in. Add up to 1 cup of additional flour if needed. Transfer to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel; let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 hour.

Lightly grease loaf pans. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times to remove air. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf, then place 1 loaf in each pan, seam side down, tucking ends gently to fit. Cover loaf pans loosely with a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in lower half of oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly brush tops of loaves with some of egg wash and sprinkle with oats, then bake until bread is golden about 30 minutes. Remove bread from pans and transfer to a rack to cool.

Whole Wheat Bread

2009-04-25T16:37:00.000-06:00

Today I decided to wake up my domestic skills and make bread. It was time to grind more wheat and that inspired me to try out some wheat bread recipes ---- what is better than homemade bread? I always keep a canister of ground wheat (wheat flour) in my cupboard to add to anything I make. I usually use half wheat flour and half unbleached flour, just make it that much better. Anyway, this recipe came from my good friend who passed it along as the best whole wheat bread recipe. It actually was the Utah State Fair winner. I have never had a problem with this bread and that is saying A LOT from me. I highly recommend it and think you should make some too! Oh, and serve it up with some amazing Honey Butter!

2 ½ cups scalded milk
½ cup honey
¼ cup butter or vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons yeast
1 egg
2 Tablespoon dough enhancer
¼ cup Vital Wheat Gluten
4 ½ cups whole wheat flour
2 ¼ cups white flour

Generously grease two loaf pans. In large bowl, combine scalded milk, honey, salt, and butter or oil. Cool slightly (temperature should be less than 105 F). To cooled mixture add 3 cups whole wheat flour, yeast, egg, gluten, and dough enhancer. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Add remaining whole wheat flour and mix well. Add white flour until dough pulls cleanly away from the bowl (Be careful to not add too much flour. Dough should be slightly sticky but pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl).

If you have a heavy duty mixer you can knead the dough with the machine for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand it will take about 10-15 minutes to get the dough smooth and elastic. Form into loaves and place in pans. Let rise until double in size, about 45-60 minutes.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350º until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pans immediately. (If you want a soft crust, quickly pass the loaf of bread under running water, place on wire racks and top with melted butter).

Yummy Brownies

2009-04-17T22:59:00.002-06:00

Every Friday at one of the offices Dave works at, they have a big lunch. Some of his co-workers became aware of this blog of mine, so Dave requested I make something for this weeks lunch. Boy, was the pressure on :-)! I had never made this recipe, but it sounded so good and I figured I couldn't go wrong with brownies. I love, did I mention LOVE cream cheese frosting and these have it! Sandwiched between a delicious brownie and a light chocolate topping - YUM! One of the lucky participants described them as "ice cream in a brownie." Try them soon!

5 T. cocoa
1 c. butter, melted
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients. Pour into a greased 9 X 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Layer: 1/2 cup butter, 6 oz. cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar. Whip until nice and light. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until hardened.

Melt together 1 cup chocolate chips, 4 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons water. Cool to touch, pour over cream cheese layer. Keep refrigerated.

Homemade Twix Squares

2009-04-05T21:51:00.007-06:00

When we were visiting So. California, we were lucky enough to spend a few hours with my "twin" cousin and her family. They were nice enough to entertain us, and even nicer to feed us a delicious lunch. Amy, my cousin, made these cookies for dessert and I was immediately hooked. One of my absolute favorite combinations is caramel and chocolate, and one of my favorite all time candy bars is a Twix. I was so glad that she shared the recipe with me . . . these will definitely become a favorite in our house!

Crust:
1 ¼ c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter

Carmel:

½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
½ c. sweetened condensed milk

Crumble crust ingredients together. Pack into ungreased 9x9 inch pan. Bake on 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Combine caramel ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly as it burns easily. Remove from heat. Beat with spoon slowly until it shows signs of thickening.* Pour over crust.

Top layer: melt approximately 2 c. chocolate chips with a little shortening over low heat or in the microwave. Pour over carmel layer and spread carefully. Chill. Cut into 36 squares.

(*Amy’s note: I put the crust into bake and then start making the carmel. It will be finished before the crust is done, so it just sits and I stir it every so often. It seems to thicken a bit during that waiting time.)

Frittata

2009-04-05T21:46:00.002-06:00

What is a frittata? If I had to define it, I would say a flat omelet that is SIMPLE to make, so YUMMY, and can use any number of INGREDIENTS! This is the last recipe I showed my Young Women how to make. It is a stand-by in our house. We have it for dinner a lot. I love how easy it is to make, and I can throw any vegetables or meats into it. There are two methods to cooking this. I prefer the oven method, but you must use an oven-proof pan. I actually used the stove-top method to teach my YW and have learned to love that one as well! Enjoy this, morning or night!

6 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1 TBS. Vegetable oil
1 c. vegetables or meat*
1/2 c. shredded cheese (cheddar, parmesan, etc.)

Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook vegetables in oil for about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Meanwhile beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper thoroughly with a fork or whisk, until uniform in color. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook about 10 minutes until set in the center.

OVEN METHOD: Prepare as above, except use an oven-proof skillet. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until set in the center.

*Vegetable or meat options: broccoli, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, hashbrown potatoes, bacon, ham, etc.

Orange or Lemon Pull Aparts

2009-04-05T21:43:00.004-06:00

Another recipe I shared with the YW. I actually found this recipe MANY years ago in the Rhodes rolls cookbook. These pull aparts remind me of being in high school. I used to make them almost every Sunday evening. My family and I would go on a walk while these were raising, we'd come home, cook them and enjoy! These really are so yummy and are simple to whip up, it's just hard to wait for them to be ready :-)!

20 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed
Grated peel of 1 orange, or 2 lemons
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted

Citrus Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 TBS. butter, melted
2 TBS. fresh orange, or lemon juice

Grate orange or lemon rind and mix with sugar. Cut thawed rolls in half and place in greased 9X13 baking dish. Pour 1/4 c. melted butter over rolls. Sprinkle with rind/sugar mixture, reserving 1/2 c. of mixture to sprinkle on just before baking. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake @ 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan and place on wire rack (I usually just put them on a plate or leave in pan, so no glaze is lost) within 4-5 minutes. To make citrus glaze, combine sugar, melted butter and fresh juice until thin. Cover rolls with glaze while still warm.

Orange Julius

2009-04-05T20:58:00.000-06:00

For our YW activity last week, I decided to do a little get ready for General Conference breakfast class. I thought I would show the girls how to make a few of my favorite breakfast items. Some of them quick, and all of them delicious. Orange Julius has been a favorite since I was little. I remember my dad making it on Saturday's. I loved it, and I loved learning how to make it so I could have it anytime. I also enjoy putting it in paper cups and freezing it and then eating it frozen. You can even do different varities by adding strawberries, peaches, etc. The young women had fun making this and drinking it :-)!

1 c. milk
1 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. vanilla
10-12 ice cubes

In a blender mix milk, water, sugar, orange juice and vanilla until combined. Add ice cubes a few at a time until combined. Serve immediately, or pour into paper cups and store in freezer.

Devil's Food White-Out Cake

2009-03-29T22:01:00.004-06:00

Some of the foodie blogs that I follow participate in a weekly baking event called "Tuesdays with Dorie." They all bake the same thing from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. I saw this recipe and decided to try it out! It's a pretty good combination of dense deep chocolate cake and a fluffy marshmallow frosting. Plus, it is just plain fun to break up a cake layer and use the crumbs!

For the cake
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the filling and frosting
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet. (I used three 9-inch cake pans; I made a 2-layer cake and crumbed the third layer).

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don't worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable—don't try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it's really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don't worry about smoothing the frosting—it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it's more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)

Cinnamon Popcorn

2009-03-17T09:39:00.000-06:00

Tonight for FHE we had a "serious" discussion of safety issues. Thanks to the Safety Kids website, I got some great ideas on how to share this info with Conner. We talked about "Checking First" (always ask your parents before doing anything with anyone, if you can't check the answer is NO)! And about the "Power of NO" (saying no to anyone that is trying to hurt you, or make you do something you don't want to do; and saying no to other kids doing things that aren't right). You get the idea. It needs to be discussed, but to lighten the load I decided to try this recipe just given to me by a neighbor. It sounds strange, but is surprisingly addicting. I did find that it ended up getting pretty grainy so I wonder if boiling for 2-3 minutes would be better. I can't wait to experiment with other flavors.

Pop 1/2 cup popcorn kernels in a large bowl.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
7 TBS. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
dash of salt
food coloring (optional)

Boil above ingredients for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. flavoring (such as cinnamon, cherry, etc.). Stir in well and pour over popcorn.

It was devoured!

Brownie Pudding

2009-03-16T12:55:00.004-06:00

Okay, I have a confession: I watch the "Barefoot Contessa" on the Food Network every Saturday. Mainly because I LOVE her kitchen - it is my dream kitchen (someday, I hope)! Anyway, occasionally she will make something that will strike my fancy and isn't too complicated. A few weeks ago she showed this amazing concoction. I had to try it and boy are all of us glad that I did. Who doesn't love brownies and pudding? Put them together and you've got one of the best desserts around!

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (I just added a teaspoon of vanilla)
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional (I omitted)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool (but not too long, who doesn't love warm brownies with cold ice cream melting over top) and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Baked Alaska

2009-02-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Shortly after I got married, I purchased the Joy of Cooking. It is one of those fancy schmancy cookbooks, but also covers all the basics. I started making different things out of it and started to learn a few of the basic baking skills.....one of those skills that now I LOVE to make is meringue. It is fascinating to me that you can simply take egg whites, beat them for a few minutes, and you get this amazing white cloud. It is such a beautiful thing and VERY difficult to mess up. About this same time I came across a recipe for a Baked Alaska Pie in the Lion House cookbook. I just knew I had to try it.....just to see if it would really work. I mean you must be crazy to even consider putting frozen ice cream in a 500 degree oven. That is when my love of meringue grew even more. That simple cloud layer keeps the ice cream from melting and makes the entire pie look gorgeous. Baked Alaska can be made a lot of different ways. Some have brownie as the base; some use a cake layer; any flavor of ice cream can be used, or a combination. This particular recipe is a favorite and simple to whip up.

1 9" baked pie shell
1 quart peppermint ice cream
1/4 c. chocolate syrup
4 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar

Spoon ice cream into pie shell. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Place in freezer until ready to use.

Heat oven to 500. Beat egg white, vanilla, and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar until mixture is stiff and glossy. Completely cover ice cream in pie shell with meringue, sealing well to the edge of the crust and piling high (this is very important. If the meringue is not sealed to the crust it will shrink away as it bakes). Pie may be frozen up to 24 hours at this point.

When ready to serve, bake pie on lowest oven rack for 3-5 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve immediately, or return to freezer until ready to serve.

Raspberry Trifle

2009-02-07T18:41:00.004-07:00

Thanks to my NY buddy, Kathy, I now have a new favorite dessert! She made it for my birthday lunch and I just had to recreate for our Sunday dinner dessert! This trifle is absolutely amazing (how could it not be with that list of ingredients)! It is very easy to make, looks incredible, and tastes divine. To attempt to make it "healthy" I used low-fat cream cheese and would have used low-fat sour cream if I had it, and it turned out fine! I would totally recommend this - it would be great at a girls luncheon, a shower, a potluck dessert, or just for the heck of it! Enjoy!

2 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 c. heavy cream (whipped)
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen raspberries
1 angel food cake

Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla and almond extract together and mix well. Set aside. Whip the heavy whipping cream and combine with the cream cheese mixture. In a trifle bowl layer angel food cake torn into large bite-sized pieces, cream cheese mixture, frozen raspberries. Do this 2-4 times ending with the raspberries on top. Refrigerate 12-24 hour before serving.

*If you don't have a trifle bowl, just use a large glass bowl.

Spinach Dip

2009-01-30T08:57:00.001-07:00

This is just a classic, stand-by appetizer that is pleasing to everyone! We will be making it for our Super Bowl party and serving it with vegetables and sourdough bread pieces! It is simple to make and is super tasty!

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pkg. Knorr Spring vegetable soup mix

Mix all ingredients. Chill. Serve in large bread bowl. This dip is great for dipping French bread, cut into squares, as well as for vegetables.

Homemade Cafe Rio

2009-01-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

For Dave's birthday dinner, he requested homemade Cafe Rio. I decided to try as many recipes as I could, so here they are. Since many of us in my family aren't eating pork, I thought I would attempt to make the pork recipe using beef. Not only did it work, but I think we all liked it better. We had all fixin's for this meal, including the tortillas from Costco that you cook yourself, guacamole, salsa, cheese, black beans, and homemade corn tortilla strips. It was very fun and pretty simple to put together.

Cafe Rio Pork or Beef
2 pork tenderloin, or 1 large pork roast OR 1 3 lb. chuck beef roast
1 16 oz. bottle of Pace Salsa
1c. of brown sugar

Put in crock pot and cook 8 hours. Shred meat and cook an additional hour.
Serve on Tortillas or in Salad.

Cafe Rio Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced (I omitted this)
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Cafe Rio Rice
3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion
3 c rice (see note)

Blend cilantro, green chiles and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.

Pico de Gallo
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t lime juice
1 t salt1/2 t pepper
Mix all together.

Tomatillo Dressing
3 Tomatillos, cut in chunks
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 pkg. Ranch Dressing
1c. chopped cilantro
1 c. mayo
1 clove garlic (minced or pressed)

Blend in a blender until smooth.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette Dressing
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. fresh chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 small jalepeno, seeded & diced

Combine in blender or food processor.

Gruyère-Stuffed Crusty Loaves

2009-01-26T16:05:00.002-07:00

I don't even know where I found this recipe, but it sounded TOO good to pass up. I made it for my monthly dinner group and think it was a success. I made individual rolls, but cutting the roll into 12 slices and I put pesto on half of the dough. I also used a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese and it worked great! You need to start these the day before, so plan ahead!

Starter

1 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup cool water

Dough

all of the starter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor (optional)
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
*Use the greater amount of water in winter, when conditions are dry; and the lesser amount in summer, when the weather is humid.

Filling

2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese, or the grated/shredded cheese of your choice (a mixture of provolone and mozzarella is tasty)
1 tablespoon garlic oil (optional)
1 tablespoon pizza seasoning (optional)

Directions

1) To make the starter: Mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a medium-sized bowl. Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature; it'll become bubbly.

2) To make the dough: Combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast. Knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle—to make a smooth dough.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, till it's nearly doubled in bulk.

4) Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Spritz with water, and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

5) Starting with a long side, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Place the log, seam-side down, on a lightly floured or lightly oiled surface.

6) Cover it and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till it's puffy though not doubled in bulk. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

7) Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices, for mini-breads; or simply cut the dough in half, for two normal-sized loaves. Place them on one (for two loaves) or two (for four mini-loaves) lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, cut side up. Spread them open a bit, if necessary, to more fully expose the cheese. Spritz with warm water, and immediately place them in the preheated oven.

8) Bake for 20 minutes (for the mini-loaves), or 35 minutes (for the full-sized loaves), or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Peppermint Marshmallows

2009-01-01T00:08:00.004-07:00

I tried these at a YW activity and knew I had to figure out how to make them myself. I researched a few recipes and decided to combine a few to make my own. This was my favorite! These are SO good on regular hot chocolate, even better on White Hot Chocolate, and just plain yummy by themselves. Marshmallows are so easy to make; a bit messy, but it's worth it!

2 Envelopes of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons COLD Water
1/2-1 tsp Peppermint Extract
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 cup +2 Tablespoons Water
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy canes (about 6)
1/4 tsp Salt
Confectioners sugar

Directions:
1. Brush 8x8 glass dish with veg oil and line with wax paper (I used aluminum foil), brush wax paper with oil also and then dust with confectioners sugar and set aside.

3. Put 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons cup COLD water into a stand mixer bowl; sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let soften for 5 minutes.

2. Combine sugar, candy canes, corn syrup, salt, and the remaining 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons cup of water into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat stirring to dissolve sugar (about 7 minutes). Cook without stirring until mixture is at a soft boil stage (238 degrees) (I didn't use my candy thermometer, just cooked for 7 minutes and it worked perfectly).

4. Turn mixer on low and beat in hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high. Beat until mixture is very stiff about 8-10 minutes. Beat in peppermint extract.

5. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan. It will be sticky and rather hard to work with. Smooth as much of the mixture into the pan. You can decorate the top of the marshmallow with red food coloring swirls with a tooth pick.

6. Allow marshmallow to set up for several hours. Sprinkle confectioners sugar all over marshmallow. Brush knife with oil and cut marshmallow into 2 inch squares and roll in a bowl of powdered sugar to cover completely.

* After I sprinkled the powdered sugar in the pan, I sprinkled on some candy cane bits. I did the same thing after pouring the marshmallow mixture into the pan. That way there were little crunchy bits of candy cane throughout the marshmallow. *

Wassail (my favorite)

2008-12-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

This has always been a favorite of mine. We always had wassail on Christmas Eve, so it is a tradition. We also enjoy cheeseballs and Chex Mix on Christmas Eve, so when drinking Wassail I seem to have a craving for something salty! I love this particular recipe. It is very easy to make. Sometimes I will double the recipe and freeze some for later.

1 quart water
sprinkle of allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or 2 sticks)
1 tsp. salt
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate (or the juice of 5 lemons)
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
10 cloves
2 quarts Apple cider

Bring sugar and water to a boil with spices. Add juices and heat until warm. Serve!!!

Chocolate Molten Cakes

2008-12-21T20:27:00.007-07:00

My friend made these delicious concoctions the other night for our monthly dinner group. They are truly one of my favorite desserts. I felt like re-creating them today for our Sunday dinner dessert. I looked at a couple of recipes and mixed a few to come up with this one. I was so worried they wouldn't turn out (I always get anxious when making something right then and there), but I just put them in the oven during dinner and they worked great! There's nothing like a warm, chocolaty, gooey dessert!

4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate(or 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup flour

Heat oven to 425°F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with whisk until chocolate is completely melted.

Beat whole eggs, yolks, and sugar in a mixer until light in color and thick. Stir in flour. Gradually beat into chocolate mixture.

Line12 (2-1/2-inch) muffin cups with paper liners; spray with cooking spray. Fill with batter.

BAKE 8 min. or until cakes are firm around edges but still soft in centers. Let stand 1 min. Carefully remove cakes from pan. Invert into dessert dishes; remove paper liners. Serve immediately with ice cream.

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

2008-12-21T18:15:00.002-07:00

I crushed some candy canes to use last night at Young Women (we had a hot chocolate bar with all kinds of fun toppings) and we didn't use them all. I wanted to find some cookies I could add them to and came across this recipe. I almost screamed for joy just looking at the picture - don't they look amazing??? I will definitely be trying them and would suggest everyone else do the same. So festive!!
UPDATE: I made these for a family party and they are so FUN, yummy, and definitely worth making.

For Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening)
1 large egg

For Filling:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (definitely needs more, I used about 3 cups)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used 1/4 c. butter and 4 oz. cream cheese)
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring
1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)

For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.

Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cup Treats

2008-12-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

I saw these on another blog and just fell in love with them. I knew I had to make them because I love mini and individual things. We had a family Christmas party and decided that would be the perfect time to make them. They sure are cute and combine two of the best treats - chocolate chip cookies and rice krispie treats :-)!

½ batch of your favorite cookie dough recipe

3 Cups Mini Marshmallows
2 Tablespoons butter
3 ½ Cups rice crispy cereal

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons coconut oil (you can also use heavy cream) (I used shortening)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press cookie dough into mini cheesecake tins or mini muffin tins filled about ¾ way full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and drizzle 1 teaspoon caramel ice cream topping over each cup.

2. Place marshmallows and butter into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until puffed up. Stir in rice crispy cereal until well combined. Scoop a spoonful of mixture and place over cookie cups. Spray hands with cooking spray and press gently to even out.

3. Place chocolate chips into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in coconut oil or heavy cream until shiny and smooth. Drizzle over top of brownies.

Cheese Biscuits

2008-12-20T20:00:00.002-07:00

Saw this recipe on another blog and since I was making chili and my husband happens to LOVE (really that doesn't come close to describing his feelings) biscuits I figured I couldn't go wrong. It was after school and my 5 year old was following me around asking me what he could do - drives me crazy. So I put him to work. I had him mix all the ingredients; even had him use the pastry cutter. Then I rolled out the dough. He picked the cookie cutter shape and cut away. I thought they turned out pretty cute. And they were good. I added some dried rosemary for color and flavor and really liked it. These are definitely an easy last minute side dish.

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 generous cup shortening, I like Butter Flavor Crisco

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar

3/4 cups buttermilk

2 teaspoons pesto, optional

Combine first 4 ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in cheese, pesto, if using, and buttermilk. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on floured surface. Using biscuit cutter or glass cut into shapes and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden on top and bottom.

Yummy Popcorn Treat

2008-12-14T21:57:00.001-07:00

This recipe came from my Aunt Mary many years ago. She has the best recipes and this one certainly did not disappoint. My mom used to make it nearly every Christmas and give it to the neighbors. After I got married, I continued that tradition and have had so many people ask me for the recipe. It is truly addictive so it is a good thing this recipe makes a large batch. Pop some up for your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers this Christmas - you won't be disappointed!

1 c. popcorn – popped in an air popper (put in 2 larger bowls to make mixing easier)
Add: 12 oz. can honey roasted peanuts (last time I made it the honey roasted peanuts were twice as expensive as the Toffee Covered Peanuts so I used those and that was an excellent addition)
10 oz. pkg. mini marshmallows

Melt 1 ½ lbs. good dipping chocolate, or use 4 cups white chocolate chips with 2 TBS. butter-flavored shortening at 50% power for about 3 minutes until melted and thin. Pour over the popcorn mixture and toss to coat. Spread out on waxed paper in a single layer.

Melt ½ lb. semi-sweet chocolate, or use 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips melted with 1 TBS. shortening. Drizzle over popcorn mixture.

Melt ½ lb. milk chocolate, or use 1 ¼ cups milk chocolate chips melted with 1 TBS. shortening. Drizzle over popcorn mixture.

Let set up, then break into pieces.

Lil' Smokies

2008-12-14T14:32:00.003-07:00

Growing up, we had these every Christmas Eve. They are definitely a family favorite and are so easy to make that they make a great appetizer.
When I make them and need to take them somewhere, I mix the grape jelly and chili sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until they are well blended. I then add the links and heat to a simmer. Then I pour it in my mini-crockpot and they are ready to go!

1 lb. pkg. Little Smokies smoked sausage links
1 bottle Heinz chili sauce
1 (18 oz.) jar grape jelly

Combine ingredients and simmer at least one hour before serving.

Jo's Chili (Weight Watchers)

2008-12-14T09:32:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. She got it from her sister who got it from Weight Watchers. It is SO good! I am really not a huge chili fan, but this one is tasty and just the right consistency. I used a combination of kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and white beans. It made a whole bunch so I was able to freeze some and still had plenty for leftovers.

1 lb. ground turkey
1 c. celery, chopped
1 c. carrots, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
Garlic

In a large stockpot, brown turkey and mix in vegetables. Add to sauted mixture:

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (whir in blender) (I used a can of crushed tomatoes)
1 can fat free refried beans
1-2 cans Herdez salsa (2 c.)
2-3 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

Add: 5-6 cans drained beans (any combo). Cook together until ready to serve. I let it simmer on the stove for 3-4 hours before serving.

Freezes well.

Mounds Pie

2008-12-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Since I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin or apple pie, I volunteered to bring a pie to Thanksgiving this year. I decided to try this pie. I love cream pies and really liked the addition of the chocolate. It was a fun surprise when you cut into the pie. Overall, the pie was a hit and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

¼ c. butter, melted
1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs
2 TBS. sugar

1 ¼ c. sweetened, shredded coconut
2 TBS. butter
4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate (1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 recipe Vanilla Pudding

Mix melted butter, crumbs and sugar well; pat firmly into a 9-inch pie pan and chill for 1 hour.
Melt 2TBS. butter and chocolate in microwave for 1 minute; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour over bottom of crumb crust.

Toast ½ cup of the coconut in a 350 degree oven in a single layer for about 10 minutes; watch it carefully and stir as needed. Place ¼ cup of the toasted coconut on the chocolate.

After preparing Vanilla Pudding mix in 1 cup of coconut and pour over chocolate and toasted coconut. Immediately cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. When ready to serve garnish top of pie with remaining ¼ cup toasted coconut; and serve with sweetened whipped cream if desired. Also very good with hot fudge sauce drizzled over pie.

Pesto Pizza

2008-12-12T14:39:00.001-07:00

My sister found this recipe on A Bountiful Kitchen and we decided we just had to try it. Glad we did! We decided to have Changeling night. Neither of the husbands had seen it and that is just a classic "scary" movie that everyone has to see. So, we made pizza and some Popcorn Treat and tried not to be scared :-)! This pizza was very simple to assemble and came out perfect. She included a pizza dough recipe, but to make it even easier just buy a pre-made crust or use Dick's Scone Dough.

Pizza dough:

1 cup lukewarm water

1 package yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoons salt

Place water and yeast into a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar. Let sit, until yeast begins rise. Add 2 cups of the flour and salt. Mix well. Knead dough and add remaining flour just until dough is no longer sticky. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise for about one hour, or until dough is doubled in size. Punch down, and let rise for another half hour. Makes approximately 1 pound of dough, or enough for two- 9" pizzas.

Topping:

2 chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless

1 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 container pesto sold in refrigerated section of grocery or deli

fresh Roma tomatoes

Parmesan cheese, grated

Season chicken breasts with salt and fresh ground pepper. Broil in oven for about 7-12 minutes, depending on thickness. Chop or shred chicken.

Roll out dough, place on greased pizza pan or cookie sheet. Spread dough with a few tablespoons of pesto. Lay slices of mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and chicken pieces on to of dough. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. If you like vegetarian pizza, omit the chicken.

Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes.

Sausage And Potato Breakfast Casserole

2008-12-12T14:23:00.001-07:00

It was one of those nights when it was getting close to dinner time and I didn't have anything prepared or anything in mind. I went through the fridge and freezer and decided breakfast for dinner would work. I had bought a box of turkey sausage links at Costco that I wanted to use, so I googled breakfast casseroles with sausage and ended up making this one. It was a hit; everyone young and old enjoyed it!

1 pound bulk breakfast sausage (I used turkey sausage links)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup whole milk (not low-fat)
1 pound package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh parsley
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish.
Cook sausage in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown, breaking into small pieces with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. (I cooked the sausage links in a pan, removed them and chopped them up. Then continued with the recipe). Mix in flour, then milk. Cook until mixture thickens and comes to boil, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Arrange potatoes in prepared dish. Top with 1/3 of green onions, 1 cup cheese, 1/3 of green onions, sausage mixture, sprinkle the herbs on top, and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake casserole until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 of green onions and serve.

Fudge-filled Cheesecake

2008-12-12T11:40:00.003-07:00

Ali's favorite dessert is cheesecake, so on her birthday I sent her a bunch of recipes to pick from. They all sounded good, but we decided to try this one. It was very simple to make and turned out quite well. I honestly don't love cheesecake - it is SO many calories and just doesn't satisfy my sweet tooth, it's too rich - but this one was good. The recipe suggests serving it warm, what I did was make it the day before, chilled it until 2 hours before we ate and then we served it almost room temperature. The chocolate was a little firm, but not bad. I'm not sure how it would work being served warm, it just seems like the actual cheesecake part is too runny. Overall, it was very easy and made quite an impression!

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted

Stir together all ingredients; press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 10" springform pan. Chill 1 hour.

4 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 large eggs
1 (12 oz) pkg. semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
2 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually adding the sugar, beating well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. stir in vanilla. (Do not overmix).
Pour half of batter into prepared crust; sprinkle with chocolate morsels to within 3/4" of edge. Pour in remaining batter, starting at outer edge and working toward center. Place cheesecake on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until set. Cool cheesecake on wire rack for 1 hour. Serve slightly warm with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Tasha's Pomegranate Salad

2008-12-11T22:42:00.003-07:00

This recipe comes from my sis-in-law. She made it for us at Thanksgiving and it was so good I just had to have the recipe. It is very easy to make, especially if you buy the pomegranate seeds from Costco (then you don't have to get messy by doing it yourself). I made once using Bleu Cheese and didn't like it nearly as much as the Gorgonzola (the Bleu cheese was too strong). It is a pretty salad and very tasty.

Celery Seed Dressing

1 tsp celery seed
1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt
It calls for 3 green onions, diced, but I sprinkle onion salt and onion powder instead

1 tsp dry mustard

1 cup sugar (I do 1/2 to 3/4)
3/4 cup oil (I use canola)

Mix and pour over salad and toss.

1 head Romain lettuce
1 pkg. Gorgonzola or blue cheese

1 head Red Leaf lettuce
1 large pomegranate or 2 small

1 pkg. bacon, diced (I use 1/2 pkg.)
1/2 cup roasted walnuts (I use pecans)

1-2 pears

Cook and crumble bacon. Peel and slice or dice pears. Add all ingredients and toss.

Southwest Chicken Pockets

2008-12-08T16:27:00.006-07:00

I think we're all familiar with the standard Chicken Pillows and all their deliciousness. This is another version which actually I like better. They are just as easy to make, but have a bit more flavor to them. This last time I served them, we had a little Mexican Fiesta of sorts and served them with the Blackbean Salsa as well as Lime Cilantro Rice. A very nice combination! Everyone likes these, so whip up a batch and enjoy!

2 cups diced cooked chicken
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies
1 TBS. chopped green onions
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cumin
2 (8oz) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
3 TBS. butter, melted
1 cup seasoned stuffing, coarsely crushed
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds (optional)

In a large bowl cream together cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, green chilies, green onions, chili powder and cumin. Add chicken and combine. Separate crescent rolls to form 8 rectangles, pressing seams together. Place 1/2 cup of chicken mixture in the middle of each rectangle and roll up ends to cover filling. Seal edges securely. Dip each folded roll into melted butter and then carefully roll in stuffing mixed with sunflower seeds. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Top with Blackbean Salsa.

Blackbean Salsa

1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBS. chopped green onions
1 TBS. chopped red onions
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 TBS. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped ripe tomatoes, drained

In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, cilantro, green onions, red onions, lime juice, oil and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill at least 2 hours, or overnight. Just before serving stir in tomatoes.

Lime Cilantro Rice

2008-12-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is just plain good! It's good to serve on the side, or even added to burritos or enchiladas. It is refreshing and tasty and I haven't met someone who doesn't like it.

1 cup uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, mined (I omit and just add a dash of garlic powder)
1 tsp. lime zest
1 can chicken brother
1 1/4 c. water
2 TBS. lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 TBS. chopped cilantro

Combine rice, butter, garlic, lime peel, broth, and water. Boil. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot rice and serve.

Skinny Chimichangas

2008-12-03T16:32:00.002-07:00

I found this recipe on goodeatsblog.com. I was skeptical, but had all the ingredients and didn't have the brain power to figure out something for dinner so I jumped right in. First of all, these are so simple to make - took no time at all. Secondly, they were very tasty! And finally, they are good for you. The recipe comes from the Weight Watchers cookbook (see nutrition info at the end of the post). I would definitely recommend them. I didn't warm my tortillas, just used them at room temperature and had no problem rolling them, but the filling did spill out of some of them while baking so I guess I need to wrap tighter.

½ pound ground skinless turkey breast
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped mild green chiles
⅓ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.

Spray a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; set over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and the chiles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar.

Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven to warm for 10 minutes. Spoon about ½ cup of the filling into the center of each tortilla.

Fold in the sides, then roll to enclose the filling. Place the chimichangas, seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with nonstick spray. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Do not turn. You can top these chimichangas with your favorite salsa and 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream.

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1 chimichanga)
241 Calories
2g Fat
1g Sat. Fat
46mg Cholesterol
613mg Sodium
34g Carbohydrates
3g Fiber
22g Protein
184mg Calcium (makes 4 servings)

Best Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-12-03T16:19:00.004-07:00

My sister sent me this recipe and told me I had to try it, so I did! They really are chewy and moist! I was concerned about making them that big, because I didn't want to eat such a big cookie in one sitting, but I'm glad I did. They are fun to have that big and you really can eat one in a sitting :-)! I used my 1/4 cup measure to scoop the dough out and it worked perfectly.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Cream Puffs with Ice Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce

2008-11-29T11:43:00.001-07:00

Who doesn't love cream puffs or eclairs? This is a very fun variation by using ice cream. I like to make these at Christmas time and use peppermint ice cream (which happens to be my favorite kind of ice cream from December - March when it is available)! I know some people think these French pastries are hard to make, but they really are simple - just 4 ingredients. And they make a very big impression!

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for baking sheets
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp. water, for egg wash
2 to 3 pints vanilla ice cream, for serving
Hot Fudge Sauce

Make the Dough: 1. Preheat oven to 425, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Butter two large rimmed baking sheets. 2. Combine butter, 1 cup water, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until butter melts. Reduce heat to medium. 3. Add flour; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool 1 minute. 4. With an electric hand-held mixer, beat in eggs, a little bit at a time, until completely incorporated (dough should look shiny and be soft enough to slowly fall off a spoon).

Bake the puffs: 1. drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto baking sheets (you should have 24 to 28), about 2 inches apart. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush puffs with egg wash (do not let it drop on sheets). 2. Bake, rotating sheets between racks halfway through, until puffed and brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; turn oven off. 3. With a toothpick, poke a hole in each puff. Return to oven (still off) for 10 minutes (this helps puffs dry out).

Fill the puffs: 1. When coo, halve each puff horizontally with a serrated knife. 2. Working in batches (to prevent ice cream from melting), place a small scoop of ice cream (2 to 3 tablespoons) in each bottom half. Replace tops; press gently. Arrange on one rimmed baking sheet; freeze until firm. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze up to 2 days. 3. Arrange 3 filled puffs in each of eight shallow bowls; drizzle with warm fudge sauce. Serve immediately.

Chewy Caramel Brownie Pie

2008-11-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite dessert stand-bys. It is easy to make, I usually have all the ingredients and it is always a winner. Serve it up slightly warm with some vanilla ice cream and I know you won't be disappointed.

Brownie
1/2 c. butter
2 unsweetened chocolate squares
1 c. sugar
¾ c. flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Caramel
8 oz caramels, unwrapped
3 TBS whipping cream (I sometimes substitute evaporated milk)
1/2 c. chopped pecans (I omit)
1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. In 2 quart saucepan combine butter and chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Stir in remaining brownie ingredients. Spread batter into greased 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brownie is firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, in a 1 quart saucepan cook caramels and whipping cream over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are melted.

Remove brownie from oven; spread melted caramel mixture over entire baked brownie. Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chips. Return to over and bake for 3-5 minutes or until caramel mixture is bubbly. Let stand for 30-45 minutes, cut into wedges and serve warm with ice cream.