Satko Family Recipes

Molasses Creams

2011-09-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

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

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.
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

2010-12-20T19:38:00.001-08:00

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

2010-09-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

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

Heat oil in 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook until tender.
Stir soup, milk, parsley and thyme into pan. Heat to a boil.
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

2010-09-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-23T19:24:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-06T19:05:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-06T18:55:00.001-07:00

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

2010-08-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

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

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
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.
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.
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.
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

2010-06-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-02-25T20:50:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-20T12:08:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-31T12:25:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

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

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
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.
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

2009-11-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

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)

2009-11-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

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.

Praline Pumpkin Dessert

2009-11-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

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.

Jessica Briere's crock pot fajitas

2009-11-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

I read that Jessica was serving these for dinner tonight. Sounds super easy and yummy. Thanks Jess

jar of your fave salsa one packet of fajita mix 2-4 chicken breasts sliced into strips. low 6-8 hours. last hour add peppers/onion. serve w/cheese/guac/lettuce/sour

cream in soft shells. YUM

Fun Recipe Blog

2009-10-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

I found a recipe blog that has some really good recipes and some very fun Halloween/holiday type stuff too. OUR BEST BITES

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-10-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

EDITED: be sure to get smaller mushrooms- I tried it the other day with bigger ones but it was too much mushroom taste for me. I also cooked them for only 8 minutes and I would suggest the entire 10 because they were still a little hard.

24 large fresh mushrooms, 1 1/2 to 2 inches
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1. Rinse and drain mushrooms. Remove stems; reserve caps. Chop enough stems to make 1 cup.

2. In a medium saucepan cook, the chopped stems, green onions, and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in bread crumbs and cheese. Spoon crumb mixture into mushroom caps. Arrange stuffed mushrooms on a baking pan. Bake in a 425 degree oven 8 to 10 minutes.

(I like mushrooms but I don't love them. We made these last night and they were absolutely delicious!!)

Classic Meatloaf

2009-10-15T21:08:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1-1/4 cups onion, finely diced
1-1/4 cups portobello or desired mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
2 eggs
1-1/2 lb. ground chuck
1/2 lb. ground pork
4 slices bacon, finely chopped
1-3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. cider vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large skillet heat butter until melted and foaming. Add onions, mushrooms, and celery. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook 3 minutes, being careful not to brown.

2. Sprinkle thyme over onion mixture. Rub garlic and pinch of salt into paste; add garlic. Cook and stir until onions are tender and translucent. Stir in grated carrot; remove from heat. Cool completely. Meanwhile, soak bread crumbs in half-and-half; lightly beat in eggs.

3. In large mixing bowl combine ground meats, bacon, cooled vegetables, and bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle the 1-3/4 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Using hands, mix until well blended.

4. Turn mixture into rectangular baking dish. Using hands, shape into a 9x5-inch loaf. Make shallow indentation around sides. Serves 8.

For Ketchup Topping: Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar. Spoon over top of meat loaf. Bake on middle rack for 1 hour or until meat thermometer reaches 155 degrees F. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

We had this tonight and it was delicious! We don’t really like mushrooms so I omitted that and added about 1/2 cup extra bread crumbs. We also did 2 lbs ground beef instead of 1 1/2 lbs beef and 1/2 lb pork.

Kettle Corn

2009-10-12T19:10:00.001-07:00

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

DIRECTIONS

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the sugar and popcorn. Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps.

Christina found and made this tonight, it was really good, just like fresh Kettle corn from the fair!

Chicken Tuscany

2009-10-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

2 Red Potatoes, thinly sliced
Olive Oil
2T Parmesan Cheese
1 clove Garlic
Rosemary
Salt & Pepper
2 Chicken Breasts
3 handfuls Peas

Mix potato slices with oil, cheese, garlic, rosemary, salt, & pepper. Lay out in a baking dish. Cook at 425° for 15 min.
Brown chicken with seasonings for 5-6 minutes in a skillet. (Chicken does not need to be fully cooked)
Put chicken and peas on top of potatoes. Bake for 20-25 min, make sure chicken is completely cooked.

This is really good, I got the idea from a cookbook Brian got me for my birthday.
-Laura

The Best Fudge Ever

2009-10-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Place the following in a large bowl (no mixing necessary at this point):

7 ounce bottle of marshmallow cream
1 large Hershey bar with almonds (or a regular Hershey bar if you don’t want nuts)
12 ounce bag of milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine the following in a heavy sauce pan:
1 cube butter or margarine
4 - 4 ½ cups sugar
1 pinch salt
1 can evaporated milk

Heat to boiling, stirring often. Boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over ingredients in bowl and stir until they are all melted and everything is mixed together. Pour into 9x13 pan, then stash somewhere secret so nobody can find it and eat it all before you ever get a piece. It usually does okay without refrigeration, but if the weather's really hot you might want to store it in the fridge.

Mint Fudge Variation:

Substitute a Hershey’s Special Dark bar instead of a milk chocolate with almonds and use a bag of Andes mint chips instead of the milk chocolate chips.

Corn and Chicken Chowder

2009-10-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

1 Red Onion, diced

1 Green Pepper, diced

3 cups Corn

Salt

Pepper

1 T Thyme

2 cups Milk

1 can Chicken Broth

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

2 Chicken Breasts

Use a large saucepot

Saute onion, green pepper, corn, salt, and pepper for about 5 minutes. Add thyme.

Puree half the mix in a blender and return to pot.

Add milk, broth, soup, and chicken and let simmer for a while. (until it is hot enough)

Top with bacon bits and a small amount of cheese.

I had a corn and chicken chowder at the Cannon Center a week ago and really liked it. This one is a lot better though. It has a nice consistency and I came up with it myself. So try it because it is good! (I didn't get a picture of it so this one is not mine)

-Laura

Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe

2009-10-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

EDIT: I just tried this- let it sit in the crockpot on high for 4-5hours and I'm not sure if it was because of the cheese I used but it was a little weird in the consistency. It was good but not really a soup that I'd clean bowl- more like potatoes and ham in cheese (still pretty good).

This if for Emily- I haven't tried it yet but I think I might today. I don't normally have Velveeta but I suppose you could use other cheese or I think I may pull the Velveeta packages out of the deluxe mac & cheese we have and use it. I got this recipe from a friend who says it's really good.

3 cups of water
1lb Velveeta cheese
cubed potatoes (I'm just going to cut up regular potatoes)
diced ham (optional)
(1) can of corn (optional)

She said just add whatever you like in it, but at least you have the base.

(If you are going to use other cheese or want to figure out what a 1 lb is I know it's a bit different when you are using more of a liquid based ingredient as compared to a dry ingredient but 1lb converts to 16ounces which is about 2 cups.)

Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe?

2009-10-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

Does anyone have a good recipe for potato soup in a crockpot? I have been looking around online and there are so many. Thanks!

Layered Mexican Casserole

2009-09-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

1-1/2 cups TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Cottage Cheese

1 container (8 oz.) BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

5 cups tortilla chips, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Brown meat in large skillet; drain. Add corn and salsa; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Mix cottage cheese and sour cream.

LAYER 2 cups of the chips, 1/2 of the meat mixture, 3/4 cup of the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture in 2-quart casserole dish. Repeat layers of chips, meat mixture and cottage cheese mixture.

BAKE 35 minutes. Insert remaining chips around edge of casserole; top with remaining 3/4 cup cheddar cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This was super yummy! We didn't have cottage cheese so we just left it out. It was a great dish to just use things that we had on hand and not have to go out and buy something special. I always make the recipe different because just cooking for two I put the meat that we will eat then cut back on whatever the recipe says so mine is always different. I don't measure stuff out but it turned out to be really good! If you have the last layer be chips then cheese it makes it like nachos on top!

Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-08-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

Box brownie mix
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Prepare brownie mix as directed and put in pan. Mix sugar, peanut butter and egg in a small bowl. Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter mix into brownie batter. Swirl with a knife to make marbled look. Bake as directed on brownie box.

This is so easy and really good! I always want to make peanut butter brownies and this way you don't have to make them from scratch!

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

2009-08-14T21:22:00.001-07:00

Ingredients
For the base:

    * Butter, for greasing
    * 2 tablespoons sugar
    * 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    * 9 graham crackers, crushed
    * 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

    * 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
    * 2 eggs
    * 1/2 cup sugar
    * 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
    * Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
For the base:

Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with butter. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add the melted butter. Pour into the baking pan and gently pat down with the base of a glass. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until golden. When done set aside to cool.
For the filling:

Add cream cheese, eggs and sugar and mix until well combined. It should have a smooth consistency. Pour onto the cooled base and then cover with blueberries. They will sink slightly but should still be half exposed -- as the cake bakes they will sink a little more and break down.

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours. Dust with powdered sugar.

Italian Style Chicken Roll-Ups

2009-07-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Here's another one of the Kraft recipes I tried. This one is not easy to make with chicken tenders because they are very skinny and its hard to roll stuff inside them. They tasted fine though. They just don't look very good because all the cream cheese spills out and you are left with a piece of chicken floating in red goop. I really liked the taste, delicious, it just doesn't look too appetizing.
-Laura

Cheesy Fiesta Pasta Bake

2009-07-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

2 cups Pasta, medium
1/2 cup Milk
3 handfuls Cheddar Cheese, grated (it needs to be very cheesy)
1 T Butter
1/4 t Cumin
1/4 t Garlic Powder
1/2 Tomato, chopped
1/2 Green Pepper, chopped
6 Saltine Crackers, crushed

Cook pasta noodles, drain.
Add milk, butter, and cheese. Mix until butter and cheese are melted and well mixed.
Mix in seasonings and small pieces of chopped vegetables.
Put in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with more cheese and top with crushed saltine crackers.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

This is a very good homemade Macaroni & Cheese meal. I like how it has real cheese that I eat and the vegetables make it crispy. I used red peppers. This seems like kids will like it as well as adults, but I haven't tried it on any kids so you'll have to tell me. I got this idea from the Sam's Club & Craft 2 Weeks of Meals but changed it a bit. They say this makes 5 servings but Brian and I ate the whole thing by ourselves because it was so good. If you make it like Kraft then it should cost about $5.
-Laura

Disney World Boardwalk Brownies

2009-07-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

I found this blog that claims she got a recipe for brownies that are the ones they make on the boardwalk at Walt Disney World. I figured since many of you love Disney world I would share it with you and maybe it will bring back fond memories. So here it is.

South of The Border Chicken & Pasta Skillet

2009-07-16T09:35:00.001-07:00

This is another Sam's Club & Kraft Idea. I really like this one especially with the cream cheese. It is very easy and takes not very long. Brian loved it even with his sore throat.
-Laura

Cheesy Southwest Chicken Sandwiches

2009-07-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from Sam's Club & Kraft's 2 Weeks of Meals plan. They created 2 weeks of meals with stuff you can buy at Sam's Club and they give you a shopping list of everything you need for the 2 weeks. We made these chicken sandwiches and they are really good. You could make them on the BBQ with some seasoning.
-Laura

S'mores Brownies

2009-07-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

8 Graham Crackers
3 cups Marshmallows
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1 brownie mix

Lay graham crackers in bottom of a 9x13 pan to cover the entire bottom.
Make brownie mix according to package. Pour mix on top of grahams.
Cook at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Top with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Cook for another 3 minutes.
Add nuts.

Homemade Brownies
1 cup Butter
2 cups Sugar
1 t Vanilla
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Cocoa
2 cups Flour

Mix butter and sugar together with a mixer.
Stir in vanilla and eggs with a wooden spoon.
Add cocoa and flour.
(Enough for 9x13)

I got this idea from Real Mom Kitchen. These are very delicious because I love s'mores. I lined the pan with foil to easily remove the brownies afterward. I used large 'mallows and it makes easy small servings. Mini would melt better and be more like a coating. I used this brownie mix recipe and it was very good, thicker than the box but good. The basic idea is make brownies with grahams, marshmallows, and chocolate; be creative and try something new! -Laura

Lo Mein

2009-06-29T21:15:00.001-07:00

8 ounces noodles (spaghetti)
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (less than that, just coat bottom of pan)
1 t Crushed Red Peppers
1 Carrot (2 full size)
1 Bell Pepper (yellow)
2 T Garlic (2 cloves)
1 Cucumber
1/2 Cauliflower Bunch
Meat (3 chicken tenders)
1 T Cornstarch
1 cup Chicken Broth (from bullion)
1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce
2 T Honey
1 T Soy Sauce
1/4 t Curry Powder (chili powder)
salt & pepper

Cook pasta in boiling water.
In a small bowl mix chicken broth and cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat oil in pan or wok. Add crushed red peppers and cook for 30 seconds.
Add all the vegetables you would like. You can also add some kind of meat at this point, small slices are best. Stir fry for a while, probably 15 minutes or until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are soft.
Add cornstarch mix, hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, and chili powder. Stir until thick and mixed well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix the cooked noodles in with the vegetables so it will get the juicy flavor.

I got this recipe from Real Mom Kitchen. The real recipe is in black and what I did is in red. For most of the sauces I just threw some in and didn’t measure it. You can tell that’s how I cook, I just throw together what I like and it tastes good. The only thing to make sure of is to have the right portions of noodles to vegetables to sauce. Don’t have too much of either one. What we made feeds 4. This is so delicious! The sauce is worth buying because that’s what makes it so good. I also like how you can make it how you like, spicy or not or whatever vegetables you enjoy.

-Laura

Grilled Yams

2009-06-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

1 yam
olive oil
seasonings

Cook the yam in the microwave for about 5 minutes. The time depends on the size of your yam. Just cook it enough so the whole thing is soft.
Slice the yam into 1/2 inch thick pieces.
Coat with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with some seasonings. (I added chili powder but you can make it sweet with cinnamon)
Grill on the BBQ on high for 10-15 minutes per side or until crispy, not burnt.

We got this HUGE yam from Buy-Low and it fed Brian and I as a main dish. It is really good grilled. Just make sure you cook it long enough in the microwave first because it's not as good when it's still hard.
-Laura

Baked Rigatoni

2009-06-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

16 oz pasta
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 lb. ham, lunch meat (chopped up in small pieces)
italian seasoning

Cook noodles according to package.
Melt butter in saucepan, mix in flour.
Add milk and stir until thick.
Add seasoning, ham, and 1 cup cheese. Cook until cheese is melted
Combine noodles and sauce in 9x13 pan.
Top with 1 cup cheese and more seasoning.
Cook at425 for 25 minutes.

Brian loved this dish. It is very delicious! It doesn't cost much either. It is a very creamy meal. I served it with a salad and some vegetables. I got the recipe from a recipe blog called Real Mom Kitchen.
-Laura

BBQ Chicken Ranch Pizza

2009-06-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

Toppings
Chicken
(Marinate in BBQ sauce for an hour or so then cook on the BBQ and cut into small pieces)
BBQ Sauce
Ranch
Tomatoes (chopped)
Bacon Bits
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Pizza Dough

2 t Instant Yeast

1/2 t Sugar

1 1/2 cups Warm Water

1 t Salt

2 T Olive Oil

3 1/3 cups Flour

Mix yeast, sugar, and water and let sit 1-2 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, using enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead a few times.
Roll out on a large greased cookie sheet. Poke dough all over with a fork.
Bake at 475 degrees for about 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and add toppings. Bake for 10-12 more minutes

I got this idea from Jenna's Recipe Blog. This pizza is so delicious! I love the BBQ chicken with the ranch. This dough is really good and quick.
-Laura

Flatbread Cream Cheese Chicken

2009-06-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Persian Nane Sangak (flat bread)

2 cups warm water
1 package dry yeast
5 cups flour

-Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand for 5 minutes.Pour the dissolved yeast into 2 1/2 cups flour and beat vigorously till the batter is smooth.
-Reserve 1/2 cup flour for kneading, and beat in the remainder to obtain a soft dough.
-Let dough fall onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in the remaining 1/2 cup flour by pressing down on the dough with the heels of the hands, folding back toward center, and giving 1/4 turn. Knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth. If dough sticks, add a bit more flour.
-Place ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn once to oil top. Cover with wax paper and a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.
-Divide dough into 6 parts and form each into a ball. With floured hands flatten each ball and shape into a circle 1/2" think.
-Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 3 at a time at 475 for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chicken
Cut frozen chicken into small chunks and season with spices (I made it spicy and added chili powder). Cook in a pan on the stove.
In a small bowl mix in cream cheese to the chicken, enough to coat the chicken. Just add how much you want.
Add crushed nuts, I cracked some pecans into it. These are just for taste and however much you want is good.

Rip flat bread in half and stick the chicken mixture inside it and eat.

I found this bread recipe in a book from the library. It's supposed to be made with whole wheat flour and cooked on a bed of rocks but I didn't do that. It turned out great! You can just use store bought pita bread but it's not as delicious and you could put anything you want inside it too. This is just really good bread and doesn't take long to cook.
-Laura

Chocolate Caramel Sticky Buns

2009-06-06T10:14:00.001-07:00

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 egg

3 cups flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons bread machine or quick active dry yeast

3/4 cup pecan halves

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except pecans and 2 tablespoons margarine in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.

Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use any delay cycles.

Remove dough from pan. Cover and let rest 10 minutes on lightly floured surface. Prepare Caramel Topping in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Sprinkle with pecans.

Roll dough into 15x10 inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread 2 Tablespoons margarine over dough. Prepare Chocolate Chip Filling; sprinkle over margarine. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 15 inch side; pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Stretch and shape roll to make even. Cut roll into fifteen 1 inch slices. Place slightly apart in pan. Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until double.

Heat oven to 350. bake 30 to 35 minutes or until dark brown. Immediately turn pan upside down onto heatproof serving platter or tray. Let pan remain over buns 1 minute; remove pan

Caramel Topping

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

Mix ingredients together in pan until well blended.

Chocolate Chip Filling

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix ingredients together.

Berry Cobbler

2009-05-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

1 cube of butter- melted in a 13x9 pan
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk

Mix together and put into pan with the melted butter

4 cups fruit
1 cup sugar

Put berries and sugar into pan on top of the flour mixture

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes

I got this recipe from mom, who got it from Brother Cline. Its the best berry cobbler I've had, and easy to make too!

Original Ranch Cheddar Chicken

2009-05-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup
Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Dressing

1 tablespoon
All-purpose flour

4 (about 1 pound)
Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup
Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 25 min.

Combine dressing with flour in a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast with dressing mixture. Place on ungreased baking pan. Combine Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses; sprinkle on chicken. Bake at 375°F. for 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

Makes 4 servings.

The whole family loved this one we had to make twice as much we
usually do for a chicken dinner.

Original BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate Cake

2009-05-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

We love this cake it is so yummy especially still warm
from the oven. I like to make mine in a 13 x 9 pan
instead of the layers because it is faster but if you want
it to look fancy the layers are nice. I always forget
that you only need half the frosting for a 13 x 9 so we
always have extra to just eat. It is yummy too although
I am sure it is really fattening but just don't think
about that.

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup water

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cover bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; grease sides of pans. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and the vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into batter. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small metal spatula around cake layers in pans. Cool in pans 15 min.; remove layers from pans to wire racks. Remove and discard wax paper. Cool cake layers completely. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

2009-05-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Creamy Shephard's Pie

2009-04-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Mash potatoes with a little of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
In a large skillet, cook ground beef until brown over medium-high heat. Drain fat from pan. Stir in mushrooms, mixed vegetables, mushroom soup, celery soup, and salt and pepper; heat through. Pour into prepared baking dish, cover with mashed potatoes, and dot with butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are golden and beef and vegetable mixture is hot and bubbly.

I wanted to make shepherd's pie but we didn't have any tomato soup...so I tried this one! It was super good, I just put in peas and green beans (instead of mixed vegetables since we didn't have any of those either...can you tell it's the end of the semester?). And of course cheese on top for Mike. Both of us really liked this...maybe even more than the red kind!

Cinnamon Rasin Bread

2009-04-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

"Raisin bread the way it is meant to be -rolled around the sweetened cinnamon butter so that the spice ribbons throughout the loaf. This generous recipe will give you three lovely loaves."

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45

degrees C)

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

3 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup raisins

8 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons milk

3/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1.	Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
2.	Dissolve yeast in warm water, and set aside until yeast is frothy. Mix in eggs, sugar, butter or margarine, salt, and raisins. Stir in cooled milk. Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
3.	Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes. Place in a large, greased, mixing bowl, and turn to grease the surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled.
4.	Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Moisten dough with 2 tablespoons milk. Mix together 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly; the roll should be about 3 inches in diameter. Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends. Place loaves into well greased 9 x 5 inch pans. Lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise again for 1 hour.
5.	Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when knocked. Remove loaves from pans, and brush with melted butter or margarine. Let cool before slicing. This was so good! I got the recipe from allrecipes.com because I wanted to get some cinnamon bread to eat for breakfast before work. It turned out to be so good! It's like a cinnamon roll in a loaf. When it first came out of the oven we ate it and it didn't even need any butter. This morning Neil and I ate it as toast. I want to make more! Beware, it makes 3 loaves!! :)

Garlic Roasted Potato Wedges

2009-04-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

4 large red potatoes
1/4 c butter
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 425. Cut potatoes in wedges. In 3 qt saucepan place potato wedges add enough water to cover Bring to a full boil. Cook over med. heat until potatoes are tender. (8-12 min). Drain. In a 13 x 9 pan melt butter in the oven for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except the potatoes. Add potato wedges and coat both sides with the butter mixture. Bake for 10 min, turn potatoes then continue baking for another 10 minutes until lightly browned. 6 servings

We had these for Easter dinner 2009 and everyone loved them.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2009-04-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, or grease and flour cups.

In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, shortening and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

I topped these with a homemade chocolate frosting and chopped peanut butter cups. Yummy!

Rasberry Freezer Pie

2009-04-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
2 cups raspberry sherbet, softened
2 cups whipped topping
1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth. Stir in sherbet. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust. Freeze until firm. remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. The pie may be frozen for up to 3 months.

This is such a tasty recipe! It is a perfect, cool summery or spring recipe...perfect for a bridal shower or barbecue!

Cheesy Bacon Chicken

2009-04-10T18:59:00.001-07:00

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
4 slices bacon, cooked until nearly crisp
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and saute until just cooked; don't brown. Place chicken on a lined cookie sheet.
Spread a little barbecue sauce, then a little mustard, evenly on top of each breast. Arrange a bacon slice on each breast, then cover all with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

This tastes like a restaurant dish. It would probably be even better with things like diced tomatoes or bell peppers on top. If you don’t have or like mozzarella, you can just use 2 cups of cheddar cheese instead.

Sugar Cookie Bars

2009-03-28T11:06:00.001-07:00

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

5 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.
Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13x18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

4 cups powdered sugar

5 Tbsp. milk

food coloring

For frosting, combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.
Add vanilla and salt.
Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk and mix until smooth and spreading consistency.
Spread over cooled cookie.

This is from Brian's sister's recipe blog My Favorite Recipes. I made these and they are really good although I had to cook them 6 extra minutes either because I am at a high altitude or they were just too thick. Anyways, these are great especially if you don't want to roll and cut out millions of cookies.
-Laura

Chicken 'n Dumplings

2009-03-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1lb. mixed vegetables
1 can chicken broth
3 teaspoons parsley flakes
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup flour
1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Melt butter in 4 quart saucepan over medium-high.
Add chicken, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook 12 to 15 minutes until chicken is cooked.
Add mixed vegetables, broth, and parsley. Bring to a boil, stir frequently.
Combine milk and flour in separate bowl then add to chicken mixture. Cook until thick and bubbly then reduce heat to low.
Place biscuits on top of chicken mixture and cook covered for 25-30 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.

I got this from Mom because I wanted to make it so I put it on here because it is really good and a classic. With only Brian and I it made dinner for 5 nights. So, credit goes to Mom or whoever she stole it from.
-Laura

Beef Taco Skillet

2009-03-18T18:35:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed Tomato Soup
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup water
6 flour tortilla (6-inch), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.

Stir the soup, salsa, water, and tortillas in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir the beef mixture. Top with the cheese.

Creamy Mexican Fiesta: Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream with the soup.

Ranchero Style: Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas and shredded Mexican cheese blend instead of Cheddar.

I got this recipe from the campbell soup site. Its so easy and really good. We served it over tortilla chips for an extra crunch.

Homemade Baby Wipes

2009-02-24T14:41:00.001-08:00

1/2 roll of paper towels (cut in half to make short rolls)

1/4 c. baby shampoo

1/4 c. baby oil

2 cups lukewarm water

1 plastic container that the rolls fit in

Remove the cardboard from the center of the roll. Mix the liquid ingredients together. Put one half roll of paper towels in a container and pour liquid mixture over it. Let sit for about an hour before using. Wipes will easily dispense from the center of roll.

We’ve started making our own wipes, we were spending a fortune on baby wipes. These are really gentle on sensitive little bums. The best thing about this is that you can make nice scented wipes or ones with aloe or vitamin E in them, just like the expensive Huggies ones. Just choose a soap or baby oil that has the scent that you want in it. I use Earths Best Organic brand Lavender Shampoo and Body Wash. It smells so good! Sometimes I use wipes to wash my hands just so I’ll smell good. The hardest part about this recipe is finding a good container to put them in. We just use a big tupperware container. I’ve heard that a 1 gallon ice cream bucket works best, but we don’t usually buy an entire gallon of ice cream. The best way to cut the paper towel roll in half is to use an electric knife, or a big serrated bread knife.

Bacon, Turkey and Avocado Sandwiches

2009-02-23T17:05:00.001-08:00

2 slices of bread
2 pieces of bacon
2 avocado slices
2 slices of turkey
2 slices of swiss cheese
Lettuce
Mayo

Assemble all ingredients on sandwich and grill.

Bob likes provolone on his sandwich instead of swiss. For great flavor, leave the grease from the bacon in the pan and fry the sandwich in it (really fatty but delicious.) Otherwise just spray a little pam and cook it. This makes a great lunch, or pair it with soup and/or salad for dinner.

Cranberry Turkey Sandwich

2009-02-19T22:02:00.001-08:00

2 slices of your favorite bread

2-3 slices of turkey

2 T. cranberry sauce

2 T. cream cheese

Mayo

Lettuce

Butter

Soften cream cheese in the microwave until its warm and easy to spread. Assemble all items in a sandwich except for butter. Spread butter on outside of sandwich and grill.

My favorite bread for this is cracked wheat sourdough, Bob likes whole grain. You can make this with thanksgiving leftovers, or deli turkey any time of year. The best cranberry sauce is the canned kind with whole berries (instead of the smooth jellied kind).

2009-02-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

Angie Vach posted some of the things she absolutely loves on her blog and this recipe was one of them. It sounded like something we might want to try.

Spaghetti Carbonara - This recipe is absolutely delicious! It's definitely a favorite in our household. 1 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more.
Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty).
Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers

2009-02-03T12:47:00.001-08:00

1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into strips
Chopped parsley, garnish
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pecan pieces, bread crumbs, and Essence. Pulse for 1 minute to combine. Pour into a shallow dish.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, olive oil and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. One at a time, dip the chicken into the egg mixture then dredge in the pecan mixture, shaking to remove any excess. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to 4 plates. Garnish with parsley and serve with the Honey Mustard Dipping sauce on the side.

*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Creole mustard or other hot whole-grain mustard
Pinch salt
Pinch cayenne, or to taste

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. (Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce will keep, refrigerated in a covered non-reactive container, for 2 weeks.)

Yield: approximately 3/4 cup

You can find Emeril’s Essence at most grocery stores in the spice aisle. Its really good, I use it when we make fried chicken too. The honey mustard sauce for this is really really good. If you don’t have a food processor to chop the nuts in, just use a blender. I also use chicken tenders instead of breasts.

Cafe Rio Pork

2009-02-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

3 lbs. pork
1 can coke or Dr. Pepper (I prefer the latter...just do NOT use diet or it's weird)
2 cups brown sugar
14 oz. salsa

Cook just pork and water for five hours in crock pot on high. Dump out water then cut pork into 3 sections. Add blended coke, salsa and sugar. Cook on high for three hours then shred pork. Keep on low until ready to serve.

Cinnabon Clones (Cinnamon Rolls)

2009-02-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
4 1/2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

ICING:

1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl. Mix in the white sugar, margarine, salt and eggs. Add flour and mix well.
Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled and size. After the dough has doubled in size turn it onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon/sugar mix. Roll up dough and cut (with dental floss) into 12 rolls.
Place rolls in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 3o minutes.
Preheat oven to 400. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown - about 15 minutes.

ICING:
While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

2009-02-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

12 ounces cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar the in orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

If you want a more jelly like sauce, pour sauce through strainer (catch juice in bowl). Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash berries, mash over the bowl. Once done, place mashed berries in bowl with juice.

I made this for Christmas and couldn't believe how much I liked it...I have always hated cranberry sauce (from the can) with a passion, and I had seconds of this!

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

2009-02-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups Italian Sauce
Vegetable cooking spray
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1) Stir 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese into the Italian sauce

2) Spray a 12 - inch skillet (I just used a regular frying pan) with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for one minute. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.

3) Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, turning to coat with sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

4) Top with the mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

2009-01-29T17:25:00.001-08:00

16 ounces baby carrots
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup water
dash salt
pepper, to taste

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, combine the baby carrots with remaining ingredients. Stir to blend ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling (uncovered) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until carrots are tender and the liquid has evaporated.
Serves 4 to 6.

Tacos

2009-01-07T19:54:00.000-08:00

Bob makes the best tacos :)

Shells:
Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium high heat until bubbling. Place one corn tortilla (white or yellow, your choice) in the oil.

Once bubbles start appearing in the tortilla, fold it in half using a pair of tongs. Hold the shell open with the tongs while cooking so the 2 sides don't stick together.

Cook for about 30 seconds, or until it gets stiff, then remove from oil.

Meat:
Brown 1 lb ground beef in a frying pan and drain. Reduce heat to medium and stir in about 2 tablespoons chorizo and cook well. Add about 2 tablespoons tomato sauce and chili powder to taste.

*If you don't have chorizo, just increase the tomato sauce

Spanish Rice:

Prepare rice as normal, but replace half of the water used with tomato sauce. When rice is done, add a little more tomato sauce and chili powder to taste. This is great in tacos, burritos, or just on its own with a little melted cheese on top.

Old Fashioned Pancakes

2009-01-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon and/or nutmeg (optional)
1 can of blueberries, drained (optional)

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon or nutmeg; mix until smooth. Gently fold in drained blueberries if desired.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Cheesecake Brownie Bites

2009-01-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

1 package brownie mix of your choice
8 oz cream cheese, softened
5 T. Butter or margarine
1/3 c. Sugar
2 eggs
2 T. flour
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 F. Prepare brownie mix according to directions on the box, set aside. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla. Mix well. Spoon about 1 tablespoon brownie batter into prepared muffin cups (save about 1/2 cup of batter for the last step). Spoon about 1 tablespoon cream cheese mix on top of brownie batter. Put a small dollop of brownie batter on top of the cream cheese mix in each cup. Using a butter knife, swirl the batter in each cup. To make a heart patter on top, just run the knife straight through each dollop of brownie batter. Bake at 325 F for about 40 min. Makes approx 15 muffin sized brownies.

Saucy Meatballs with Creamy Dipping Sauce

2009-01-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

Saucy Meatballs with Creamy Dipping Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg Shake 'n Bake BBQ Glaze Seasoning, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix meat with 3 Tbsp. of the coating mix; shape into 20 meatballs, about 1 inch each. Place remaining coating mix in shaker bag. Add meatballs in batches; shake gently until evenly coated. Place in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with any coating mix remaining in bag.

Bake 15 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in centers.

Mix mayonnaise and BBQ sauce. Serve as a dipping sauce for the meatballs.

Cheese 'n Ham Spirals

2009-01-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

Cheese 'n Ham Spirals

1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 of 17 - 1/4 oz pkg), thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
8 slices ham

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg and water until blended; set aside. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14x10-inch rectangle; cut in half lengthwise. Brush both pastry halves lightly with some of the egg mixture. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. of the cheese mixed with the pepper evenly over one of the pastry pieces; cover with ham slices. Place remaining pastry piece, egg-side down, over ham. Roll gently with rolling pin to seal. Brush with additional egg mixture.

Roll up tightly to form a 14-inch log, starting at one of the long sides. Cut log crosswise into 24 slices. Place, cut-sides down, on parchment-covered baking sheet. Brush with remaining egg mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. cheese.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

HELPFUL TIPS

Make Ahead:
Prepare as directed except for baking. Wrap securely; freeze. When ready to defrost; slice and bake as directed.

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2009-01-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 can (14oz) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped
1 pkg (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients; spoon into 9 inch pie plate. Bake 20 minutes. Serve with Flour Tortilla chips, Triscuit crackers, or an assortment of cut up veggies.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

2008-12-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

1 sleeve of saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F . Line cookie sheet with foil and lay saltine crackers in single layer. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil on medium heat and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread over crackers completely. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces.

This is yummy and really easy. Its a great way to make toffee without needing a candy thermometer. Both salted and unsalted crackers work well.

No Bake Cookies

2008-12-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

* 1 3/4 cups white sugar
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup butter
* 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
* 3 cups quick-cooking oats
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Fantastic Fudge

2008-12-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks)

3 cups sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 12-oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 jar marshmallow cream

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Lightly grease 13x9-inch pan. Mix butter, sugar and milk in a heavy 2-3 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes on medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234° F, stirring constantly yto prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Cool at room temperature, cut into squares.

We absolutely love this fudge! It's the best ever! But remember don't make it on a rainy day! :)

Bob's Shepherds Pie

2008-12-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can green beans
1/4 cup minced onion (optional)
1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
mashed potatoes (4-5 medium potatoes or 3-4 cups instant)
1 grated cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef, drain. Stir in tomato soup (do not add water), green beans, onion and olives. Put into a large bowl or casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top, sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes. If you'd like the cheese melted, place the entire dish in the oven on broil until cheese is melted.

This is a classic in our house. It makes great leftovers for Bob to take to work the next day. If you're making the mashed potatoes from scratch, start them before browning the ground beef.

Molten Chocolate Cake

2008-11-09T18:07:00.001-08:00

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1) For filling, in a small heavy saucepan combine the 3/4 cup chocolate pieces and whipping cream. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove pan from heat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Cover and chill about 45 minutes or until firm.

2) Meanwhile, in a medium heavy saucepan cook and stir the 1 cup chocolate pieces and the butter over low heat until melted. Remove from heat; cool.

3) Preheat oven to 400 F. Form chilled chocolate filling into six balls of equal size, set aside. Lightly grease and flour six 6-ounce souffle or custard dishes. Place dishes in a cake pan, set aside.

4) In a mixing bowl beat eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until lemon colored. Beat in cooled chocolate butter mixture on medium speed. Sift flour and cocoa powder over mixture; beat on low speed just until combined. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each dish, add one ball of filling to each dish. Spoon remaining batter into dishes.

5) Bake about 13 minutes or until cake edges feel firm. Cool in dishes 2 to 3 minutes. Using a knife, loosen cakes from sides of dishes. Invert onto dessert plates. If desired, sift with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

These are so tasty and really very easy! If you have ever had the lava cake at Chili's it is pretty much exactly the same. This either makes 6 cupcake sized cakes (of course as usual I simplified...no custard dishes for me!) or 3 larger ones if you have the tiny cake pans). To further simplify I also used just chocolate chips as opposed to chopped up semisweet baking bar and it tasted great. Next time I am going to make it white chocolate!

White Chili

2008-11-08T16:31:00.000-08:00

White Chili

3 or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3 to 4 tbs olive oil
5 cans (15 to 16 ounces each) great northern beans
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) chicken broth
1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 can Rotel “Chili Fixin's”
1 packet of McCormick White Chicken Seasoning
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder

Season chicken with salt and pepper and sauté in the olive oil until browned. Meanwhile, put remaining ingredients in a big soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer. When the chicken breasts are browned, cut them into small pieces and add them in the chili. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

(I don't have a picture for this but I made this chili for the Chili Cook-Off at church on Friday night and it was really good.)

Crepes

2008-11-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Crepes

INGREDIENTS:

3 Eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter

1. Put all ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Briefly blend the mixture again. Set the covered blender in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or even overnight.

2. When it's time to cook the crepes, use a paper towel to spread about 1 teaspoon of butter or vegetable oil in the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch nonstick frying pan and place over medium heat. Blend the batter again to smooth it.

3. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into a measuring cup to gauge how much to use. Cook each crepe.

4. Adjust the heat if they brown too quickly or too slowly.

Makes 12 Crepes.

HOW TO FLIP A CREPE:

1. Pour the batter into your heated pan, well to one side. Immediately tilt and swirl the pan to evenly coat the bottom. This should take about 5 seconds.

2. Cook the crepe on the first side for about 45 seconds, then quickly flip it with a spatula and cook the other side for about half as long (time here depends on your burner heat- we did it a tad bit longer just to get a nice barely browned look).

3. Grasping the pan securely, swiftly invert is so the cooked crepe will fall onto a large plate. Rub a little butter in the pan before cooking the next crepe.

CREPE FILLINGS:

-Jam and cream cheese
-Mini chocolate chips and banana slices
-Cream cheese and berries with chocolate syrup

When we made the crepes I took a couple of spoonfuls of cream cheese put it in a bowl and used a hand mixer to mix up the cream cheese and make a bit smother. I then added just a bit of sugar to the cream cheese and mixed again. Then I used a rubber spatula and mixed it together by hand just to give the cream cheese that smoothed texture. After the crepe was on the plate I filled about half an inch to an inch wide down the center with cream cheese. I then rolled up the crepe (seam side on bottom of the plate). I topped the crepe with mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) and drizzled chocolate syrup all over the top.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

The last five recipes I posted are not things I've tried yet but are a few recipes I found online that go with the South Beach Diet that I've been doing this last 5 1/2 weeks. I plan on making a few of these- not sure which ones yet for Thanksgiving so that there is plenty of stuff I can eat without feeling like I'm carbing up with all the mashed potatoes and rolls at Thanksgiving. Some of them actually sound really good and I know I'm going to definitely make the Pumpkin Cheesecake because Cheesecake is my favorite dessert!

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