Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese - (to 3/4)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
serve with noodles and chicken if desired. I used canned chicken but you can you what ever you like.
Mom

Cooking Directions:
In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this
until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and Garlic
powder. Simmer this for 15 to 20 minutes on low. You may wish to season
with a little salt and pepper. It has been made with half-and-half, but
heavy cream is preferred.
serve with noodles and chicken if desired. I used canned chicken but you can you what ever you like.
Mom

This recipe yields 8 servings.

We served our family of 6 adults and 3 little kids and had left overs for lunch for 3 people the next day. I used about 2/3 of a box of Fettuccine that said the whole box was for 8 servings.

Minny's Chocolate Pie from The Help

Minny's Chocolate Pie from The Help

1 refrigerated pie crust
1½ cups sugar
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ teaspoon salt
1-5½oz. can evaporated milk (Double check your can, they also come MUCH bigger!)
1 teaspoon vanilla (you know what kind to use!)
Whipped Cream for serving

Fit crust into 9" pie pan. Crimp edges and prick bottom and sides (I forgot to do that).
Preheat oven to 350° (I used convection at 335°). Mix sugar, cocoa and butter in a mixing bowl. Add eggs and beat with a mixer 3 minutes. Add salt, milk and vanilla. Pour filling into shell and bake for 35-45 minutes or until edges are brown and filling is slightly set in the middle. Cool completely before serving.
Can be refrigerated or served at room temp. You'll also see the pie as a double crust pie in the movie in a scene. But most often Minny makes a single crust with a big dollop of whipped cream!

We made this pie the day after watching the movie it was so good that I made it again for PI day. Mom

Molasses Creams

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup light molasses
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 
  FROSTING:
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and molasses. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Roll into walnut-sized balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets (do not flatten). Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until done (centers will be slightly soft).
• In a small bowl, beat the confectioner's sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Frost cookies while warm. Yield: about 8 dozen.

Love these cookies! But beware, the recipe makes a ton of cookies so I often cut it in half.

Molasses Creams Recipe

Cheesy Garlic Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup mayonaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 loaf french bread, halved lengthwise

preheat oven to 350
in a large bowl, combine butter, mayonaise, garlic, parmesan cheese, and monterey jack cheese.
Cut each half of french bread into 4 pieces.
Spread the cheese mixture evenly on the bread pieces, and arrange the pieces on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
Set the oven to broil; broil until hot and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.

Sour Cream Pancakes

1 cup sour cream
7 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoom baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. place an iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
2. place tje sour cream in a medium bowl. Dump in the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir together very, very gently.
4. whisk the eggs in a seperate bowl.
5. add the vanilla to the eggs and stir to combine.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the sour cream/flour mixture.
7. stir together gently.
8. melt about a tablespoon of butter on the griddle.
9. pour the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time.
10. cook for about 1-1 1/2 minutes then flip over.

Lime Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

1 cup dry white rice, cooked in 2 C water.
2 T real butter
Juice from 1 large lime, or two smaller ones (taste as you go, I add a lot!)
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained. (You may want 2 small cans)
½ – ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough

cooked bacon

shredded chicken

cubed cheddar

1 tsp dry ranch dressing packet

1 1/2 tablespoons powdered parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1. Preheat oven to the heat specified on the pizza dough package or recipe.

2. Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so its anout 12 x 8 inches. Use a pizza wheel to cut the dough into 24 squares.

3. Combine 1 tsp packaged dry ranch dressing with 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered parmesan cheese and set aside.

4. Place cheese, chicken, and bacon in the center of each square and top with about 1 tablespoon shredded cheese, making sure you'll be able to enclose the filling withthe dough.

5. When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan.

6. Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the parmesan-ranch mix.

7. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on the top, checking them every few minutes after 10 minutes.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

2. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

3. Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

4. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.

5. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

6. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa*
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend it. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

Brazilian Lemonade

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they’re the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

1. Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

2. Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

3. Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender. Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times.

4. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.

5. Add sweetened condensed milk. You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.

6. Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance).

Serves 4.

Pita Chips

Makes 32 chips

4 whole pita breads, either white or whole wheat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

2. Use a pizza wheel to cut each pita into 8 triangles. Drizzle olive oil over the cut pitas and toss with your hands to coat each piece.

3. Place the wedges in a single layer on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

4. Bake for 15-20 minu8tes or until chips are lightly browned and crisp. Cool completley before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

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

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.Use a clean dry cloth to squeeze all moisture out of spinach and then roughly chop. Place in a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese, mayonaise, and sour cream and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine

3. Place in an 8 x 8 inch or 9 x 9 inch pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until bot and bubbly.

Squash Soup

• 1 small onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• dash cayenne pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3 cups mashed cooked acorn squash
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cube cream cheese
  

optional: pasta, bacon crumbles, chives, cheese

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, saute the onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, dill, curry and cayenne until blended. Gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the squash, salt and pepper; heat through.
2. In a blender, process the soup and cream cheese in batches until smooth. Pour into bowls.

SO tasty! Because I fed this to Mike of course we garnished with cheese, however we did omit the bacon. I threw some leftover cold pasta into mine as well. Adding the cream cheese was also my doing. Nummy!

Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients

• Soft butter, for greasing the pan
• Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar, sifted
• 1 cup brown sugar, sifted
• 8 ounces melted butter
• 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour, sifted -
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

I found this recipe on Food Network and its really good! These brownies are really rich and chocolatey, so just eat one and follow it with a big glass of milk :)

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
  
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp thyme
  
• 1 cup cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup cooked medium egg noodles

1. Heat oil in 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook until tender.
2. Stir soup, milk, parsley and thyme into pan. Heat to a boil.
3. Add chicken and noodles. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 5 min. or until vegetables are tender.

This was really yummy and really easy! We love it!! I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com but modified it, added spices so it wasn't bland.

Amish Puff Cookies

Chocolate Chip Amish Puff Cookies

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c softened unsalted butter
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 large egg
1 c chocolate chips
1/4 c sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until combined. Cover dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line several cookies sheets with parchment paper. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown. Cool cookie sheets on wire racks.

These are the best cookies that I have ever had in my life and Mike agreed. YUMMY. We already ate about 10 just between the two of us. Whoops. They taste like fall. These will definitely be the cookies I make for gatherings from now on.

Crockpot Potato Soup

• 6 cups cubed peeled potatoes
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine potatoes, water, onion, butter, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add evaporated milk and parsley, mix well. Take half of the soup and blend in a blender until smooth and creamy. Place creamed soup back in the crock pot, mix well and let cook for 30-60 more minutes, until heated through. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, sour cream and chives.

Yield: 8 servings

I found this recipe online and changed it around a bunch. Its the best potato soup I’ve ever had and so easy to make!

Quick Rise Breadsticks

 

• 1 c. warm water
• 1 T. yeast
• 1 T. sugar
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 t. salt
• 2-3 c. bread flour

Topping:

• 1/4 c. melted butter
• 1/4 c. parmesan cheese
• 1/2 t. garlic salt
• 1 t. dried parsley

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Add olive oil, salt and flour and knead until smooth and elastic. Let rest for 10 min. Shape into breadsticks and place on greased baking sheet. Combine toppings and brush on breadsticks. Let rise 10 min. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min, until golden brown.

Yield: 16 breadsticks

This recipe is from my BYU cooking class’s textbook. These breadsticks are great for when you don’t want to wait 2 hours for dough to rise- they can be done in less than an hour. You can substitute shredded cheddar or mozzarella for the parmesan if you want to change it up.

Ziti with spinach, cherry tomatoes and gorgonzola sauce

Gorgonzola, an Italian blue cheese, gives this grown-up mac and cheese dish pungent flavor. If you'd like to make it more family-friendly, substitute your favorite blue or other creamy cheese. You can also substitute penne or rigatoni for ziti.

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

• 4  ounces  uncooked ziti
• 1/2  teaspoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  cup  cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 6  tablespoons  half-and-half
• 3  tablespoons  Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1  cup  fresh spinach

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 335 (28% from fat)

Fat: 10.4g (sat 5.9g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.4g)

Protein: 12.3g

Carbohydrate: 49.9g

Fiber: 3.6g

Cholesterol: 26mg

Iron: 2.6mg

Sodium: 485mg

Calcium: 129mg

This dish was delicious! Bob said it tastes like it belongs at Olive Garden. Don’t be afraid of the Gorgonzola, it made a smooth cream sauce, not pungent or strong at all. I used Rigatoni (couldn’t find any ziti at our store). We had extra people over, so I tripled the recipe and it easily fed 6 adults and 2 kids. Serve it with breadsticks and salad for a complete meal.

Lasagna

Ingredients
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage
1 lb. Ground Beef
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 (28 ounce) Can of Crushed Tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) Cans of Tomato Sauce
2 (6 ounce) Cans of Tomato Paste
1/2 cup Water
2 T Sugar
2 t Basil
4 T Parsley
1 t Salt
1 t Italian Seasoning
1/2 t Pepper
23 ounces Ricotta Cheese
1/2 t Nutmeg
1 Egg
1 lb. Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
12 Lasagna Noodles
–Serves 12 people–

Start with the following in a pot:
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 lb. Ground Beef
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped

Brown the ground beef, Italian sausage, onions and garlic in a pot until they start to cook. It takes about 6 to 9 minutes to brown the meat. It is optional to remove the grease from the meat once it is finished browning, your choice.

Add the following:
1 (28 ounce) can of Crushed Tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans of Tomato Sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans of Tomato Paste
1/2 cup Water

Gently stir this into the cooking meat.

Add the following:
2 T Sugar
2 t Basil
2 T Parsley
1 t Salt
1 t Italian Seasoning
1/2 t Pepper

Gently stir these seasoning into the sauce.
Cover the pot and let the meat sauce simmer. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes This is the ideal simmer time but not mandatory. If you don’t have time it will still be great after one hour of simmering.

I will sometimes make this sauce and refrigerate it after it finishes simmering. I will use the meat sauce the next day to put the rest of this recipe together. For some reason Italian meat sauce taste even better the next day. But that’s up to you.

Soak 12 lasagna noodles.
The lasagna noodles need to be soaked in hot tap water for 15 minutes.

Put the following in a mixing bowl:
23 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1/2 t Nutmeg

Grate fresh nutmeg over the Ricotta cheese.

Add the following:
1 egg
2 T Parsley

Mix these ingredients together with a spoon

Now we start building the lasagna layers.
In a 9x13 pan layer as follows.
Meat Sauce- 2 cups
Lasagna Noodles-6 (shake off excess water)
Ricotta Cheese Mix- 1/2
Mozzarella Cheese- 1/2 Parmesan Cheese- 1/2
Meat Sauce- 2 cups
Noodles- 6
Ricotta Cheese Mix- the rest of it
Mozzarella & Parmesan (save some for a topping)
Meat Sauce- the rest of it
Mozzarella & Parmesan- the rest of it

Cover with foil
Bake at 350 for 25 min.
Remove foil and bake for another 25 min.

I found this recipe here. When I made this Brian said it was the best lasagna he ever tasted. I had never tried making lasagna before and it turned out well. We only made a 8x8 pan and it can feed 6. It was very good but takes 2-3 hours total, maybe make the meat sauce the day before.
-Laura

Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons hot water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.
5. For the icing, melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving.

The filling makes A LOT so either double the dough and give half to your friends or half the filling. Or just have a lot of extra pudding...it tastes good with strawberries :-)

Don't be scared of the slightly long directions, these are surprisingly easy and SO delicious. You wouldn't find anything better at a bakery. I used a 230 Wilton cake tip to fill (a long and skinny one) so use that if you have one, it is a lot easier than cutting off the tops and then you can dip the eclairs instead of drizzling, if you want to. Oh and I used a ziplock bag with the corner cut off to pipe the dough for the pastries. These PUFF A LOT so leave a few inches between each one!

Amish Bread

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cups bread flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.


THIS IS NOT the amish "friendship" bread that some of you may have had before (the cinnamon one that has to "proof" or "ferment" like sourdough). It is way better. The easiest homemade bread I have ever made and ALWAYS turns out delicious. I used to make it about once a week when we were going to BYU. You might want to make two batches so you have some left for breakfast the next day.

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie

We love this apple pie. Be sure you use the first recipe tip at the bottom and add some whipping cream to the pie the last 5 minutes. Makes it extra yummy!!!!




BLUE RIBBON APPLE PIE

Crisp pastry filled with a juicy apple filling is an American favorite.

Preparation time: 1 hrs Baking time: 45 min

Yield: 8 servings

Crust Ingredients:

2		cups all-purpose flour
1		teaspoon sugar
1/4		teaspoon salt
1/4		teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4		teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3		cup cold LAND O LAKES® Butter, cut into chunks
1/3		cup shortening
4 to 5		tablespoons cold water

Filling Ingredients:

1/2		cup sugar
1/4		cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4		cup all-purpose flour
1/2		teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2		teaspoon ground nutmeg
6		medium (6 cups) tart cooking apples, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch
1		tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Butter
1		teaspoon sugar

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in large bowl; cut in 1/3 cup butter and shortening with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water just until flour is moistened.

Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap 1 ball of dough in plastic food wrap; refrigerate. Roll out remaining ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan; set aside.

Combine all filling ingredients except apples, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar in large bowl. Add apples; toss lightly to coat.

Spoon apple mixture into prepared crust. Roll remaining ball of dough into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough over filling; unfold. Trim, seal and crimp or flute edge. Cut 5 or 6 large slits in crust. Brush with melted 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Cover edge of crust with 2-inch strip aluminum foil.

Bake for 35 minutes; remove aluminum foil. Continue baking for 10 to 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool pie 30 minutes; serve warm. Store refrigerated.

Recipe Tip
If desired, remove pie from oven when lightly browned and bubbly. Run knife through slits in crust. Pour 1/2 cup whipping cream evenly through all slits. Return to oven for 5 minutes to warm whipping cream.

Recipe Tip
Read more about this recipe on Recipe Buzz™ Blog.

Nutrition Facts (1 serving): Calories: 400, Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 170mg, Carbohydrates: 60g, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Protein: 4g

Pasta Shrimp Toss

8 oz uncooked dried linguine or spaghetti
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion or shallots
12 oz fresh medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, drained (we used cooked shrimp from costco)
1 medium (1 cup) green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/4 cup half & half or whipping cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
5 to 6 (2 cups) Roma tomatoes, cubed 1/2 inch
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain. Set aside; keep warm.
Meanwhile, melt butter in 10" skillet until sizzling; add onion, shrimp turn pink (6 to 7 minutes) or if using cooked shrimp just until heated through and veggies are cooked.
Combine half & half and flour together in small bowl until smooth; stir into shrimp mixture. Continue cooking until mixture just comes to a boil (about 1 minute). Stir in tomatoes and basil
Place hot, cooked pasta in large pasta bowl or onto serving platter; top with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Serves about 6

This was so good! It sounded like something fancy and hard just because it has shrimp in it but it was really easy!

Baked Potato Soup

2 large baking potatoes (about 8 oz each)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (3)
3 tablespoons all purpose-flour
2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill or chives or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups shredded cheese (5 oz)
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled

Preheat oven to 425 F. Scrub potatoes with a vegetable brush; pat dry. Prick several times with a fork. Bake for 40 to 60 mins or until tender. Let cool. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; gently scoop out pulp, breaking up any large pieces. Discard potato skins. (We peeled, cubed and boiled the potatoes instead of baking them and it worked just fine.)
in a large saucepan, met butter over medium heat. Add half of the green onions; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour, dill, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. cook and stir for 12 to 15 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Add the potato pulp and 1 cup of the cheese; stir until cheese melts.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with the remaining cheese, remaining green onions, and bacon.
Makes 5 to 6 servings


Sorry that we took so long to get this up Laura. We really liked this recipe! It was one of the best Potato Soup recipes that we have had.

Potato Soup?

Hey I was wondering if anyone, Emily or Mom, could post the recipe for potato soup that was made when we were all home. Brian really liked the recipe that includes mashed potatoes instead of mostly potato chunks and broth. So that would be great.

Lazy Day Breakfast

This sounds like my kind of Breakfast! I haven't tried it yet but will soon. Mom

German Mush
Makes 4 Servings
Try something different this weekend with a hot, comforting breakfast. This recipe takes a delicious twist on traditional Cream of Wheat.

• 4 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup Cream of Wheat
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)
• Butter
• Optional add-ins:
• Raisins
• Peanuts
• Sliced bananas

Whisk eggs into milk until froth forms on top and no more egg bits can be seen. Whisk in Cream of Wheat, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cook on stove over medium heat, stirring constantly with flat-tipped wooden spoon to avoid clumping. Cook until mixture begins to boil.

Spoon into bowls and add 1 tablespoon of butter to each. Stir in raisins, peanuts, sliced bananas, or other additions, if desired.

Zip-Lock Bag Fudge

2 oz. (1T) Cream Cheese
3 cups (3/4 cup) Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup (1T) Margarine
1/4 cup (1T) Cocoa

Measure ingredients in a gallon freezer zip-lock bag. Push the air out of the bag and seal well.
Squish the mixture to mix well. It will be dry at first, but will soon become fudge. It will take about 20 minutes of work.
Slit the sides of the zip-lock bag and roll the fudge between the plastic of the bag to 1/2" thick and cut into squares.
Press in chopped nuts if desired.

We made this in my cooking class. It is so good! The amounts of ingredients in parentheses are for making a single serving in a sandwich size bag.
-Laura

Spencer's Mac and Cheese

1 lb. macaroni or other pasta, cooked

1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

1 lb. cottage cheese

8 oz. sour cream

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

paprika

Bake pasta, mix together with all ingredients. Place in greased 9x13 casserole dish with paprika on top. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This stuff is SO SO SO SO good. Spencer (my sister Whitney's husband) made this for us again last night, it is definitely in my top 10 favorite meals. So easy and so dang good.

Candy Bar Hot Chocolate

1 Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy Bar
1 cup Milk

Heat milk in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Chop up candy bar into very small tiny pieces or even powder in the food processor.
Mix chocolate with hot milk until melted.
Drink!

You can make this in any size batches. Just 1 candy bar to 1 cup of milk. This hot chocolate is very creamy and I like it a lot because it is just candy bars which are really good anyways. Just make sure to heat up to milk enough so the chocolate melts all the way and you don't get a goop at the bottom of your cup. Making this on the stove in a big batch worked well.

Rosemary Bread

• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select white bread cycle; press Start.

If you don't have a bread machine I am sure its very easy to figure out how to make this regularly. We had this with dinner last night and it was great - reviews say that it tastes just like the bread at Macaroni Grill, I've never been there though so I don't know. All I know is that it is very tasty and filling.

Cocoa Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Combine granulated sugar and oil in large bowl; add cocoa, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to cocoa mixture, beating well.

2. Cover; refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle, at least 6 hours.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly and tops are crackled. Cool slightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

This is a great recipe if you don't want to use your butter, it takes oil instead...a little cheaper way to do it.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:

• 38 to 40 REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease. Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups. Cut each peanut butter cup into 4 pieces; set aside.

2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and cocoa; stir to blend. Remove from heat; stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, salt and baking soda; stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in peanut butter cup pieces.*

3. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set and edges are firm. Do not overbake. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
About 4 dozen cookies.

I got this off of the Hershey website. I used Reses peanut butter chips instead of the cups because it was what I had in the cupboard. You could probably try all kinds of chips like white chocolate or mint chips instead of pb. The recipe is right! DO NOT OVERBAKE! If you do then the cookies get pretty hard after they have cooled. (this happened to my first tray, but I just heat them up in the microwave and they get soft again) These were sooooo good...I totally recomend.

Pumpkin Chili

• 2 cups fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin
• 3 lbs ground beef (I used ground turkey)
• 2 (16 ounce) cans red kidney beans

1 can black beans

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms

1. 1

   Brown the ground beef (or turkey!) and pour off grease.

2. 2

   Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, stirring well. Simmer for 1 to 2 hours.

Mmmm...yummy. This stuff was really tasty. We sprinkled cheese over the top (of course). I just cooked it in the crock pot for a few hours. A really good twist, thick and creamy and surprisingly delicious!

Mini Chip Snowball Cookies

Josh took these cookies to work today- not as yummy as the mint brownie cookies yesterday but still good. These poor cookies didn't stand a chance next to the brownie ones because they aren't full of chocolate but they are good :). I didn't have any mini chocolate chips so I just used regular. I didn't sprinkle the powdered sugar over them either I stuck them in my container of powdered sugar and rolled them so they were coated. So mine were definitely whiter than the picture here.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=29549

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

Made these cookies for Josh to take to work yesterday and they were so good! I used some peppermint flavoring I had in my candy making stuff so it wasn't peppermint extract or anything but it worked!

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32387

Nestle has lots of other really yummy things on this site!

Oven Fresh Seasoned Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into eighths

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Place Parmesan cheese, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and potatoes into a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, then shake to coat the potatoes with the seasoning. Spread the potatoes over a baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.

I really, really enjoyed these! Although I did more than 2 potatoes and doubled the other stuff. It was more than enough for like the 8 potatoes that I did. I didn't have any onion powder but it worked fine without it. I also baked these for about 50 minutes before they were crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. Go here to see the original recipe from All Recipes and there are more comments and tips.

Homemade Rootbeer

25 cups Water
2 1/2 Cup + 9T Sugar
5t or 1 oz. Root beer Extract
4-6 lbs Dry Ice

Get a large water jug, like the big ones with the spigot.
Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water.
Add extract until well mixed.
Add dry ice and let sit for a while, maybe 20 minutes or so until the root beer is carbonated.
(Carbonation only lasts a day or two then it goes flat)

Kneaders Famous Fresh Cranberry Sauce

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Prepared by Chef Tami Vincent www.kneadersbakery.com Ingredients: 1 quart fresh cranberries 1 cup white sugar 2 to 3 oranges to equal 1 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon orange zest option #1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cloves option #2 ¼ cup chopped pecans Method: Squeeze oranges to equal 1cup fresh orange juice. In a large saucepan with a heavy bottom combine cranberries, sugar and orange juice. Add orange zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until cranberries begin to pop. This will take 15 to 18 minutes. Do not over cook Remove from heat Let cool. Blend to desired consistency. For option #1, blend spices into sugar before cooking. For option #2 add pecans after blending. This recipe can be make 2 days ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Nothing tastes as good as fresh.

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Praline Pumpkin Dessert

We tested this out on the missionaries tonight and it was a hit. Very nummy!!!

Eat cake instead of pumpkin pie! Made easier with a cake mix and baked in a pan everyone has, this dessert feeds a crowd!

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 1 hour 45 min
Makes: 12 servings

1	can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1	can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3	eggs
1	cup sugar
4	teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow or spice cake mix (any flavor you like)
1 1/2	cups chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4	cup butter or margarine, melted
	Whipped cream, if desired
	Additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired

	Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into pan.
	Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Pour melted butter evenly over top.
	Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes.
	To serve, cut dessert into 4 rows by 3 rows. Serve warm or chilled with dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.