Some Girls' Recipe's

Roated Shrimp

2012-01-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

So...nobody fall over and die or anthing. I am finally breaking my silence. I am posting a new recipe. This one I found on Pinterest. Have you started pinning? If not, don't. Very addictive. I haven't bought shrimp very often but this one has made me change my ways. It's very yummy and healthy! Yeah!

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemon, zested then half cut into thin slices and other half into wedges
3-4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper
spaghetti/pasta, couscous or rice for serving
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh shrimp, medium-sized, deveined with tails off
5 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In an 8x8 glass baking pan combine olive oil, lemon zest and thyme. Olive oil should liberally cover the bottom of the pan, if it doesn't drizzle in a little more. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes, checking every few minutes, if it looks like it is getting too brown remove and proceed to next step. Meanwhile cook pasta, drain and toss with a pat of butter or olive oil.
Remove pan from oven, add butter and move it around a little to melt, add shrimp, garlic and the thin sliced lemons (don't squeeze them), toss to coat with oil mixture. Bake for 8-10 more minutes or until shrimp turn pink and just start to curl, check often. Serve over pasta, couscous or rice tossed with additional extra-virgin olive oil and fresh-squeezed lemon with additional lemon wedges for serving.

I've never done the butter and it's worked great and I cook up 2 lbs for my family.

Split Pea Soup with Barley and Ham

2011-09-15T18:34:00.002-06:00

Okay okay, I know what you are thinking (Camille) ;) I was seriously skeptical about this recipe because I remember really not liking split pea soup. After reading all the the rave reviews (from Mels, slightly modified) I decided to give this recipe a try. It is seriously so good that I have made it at least three time since it's discovery, with plans to make it again this week. It's cheap, easy, and delicious.......my kids even love it. I tell them it's witch's brew (due to the color)

*Serves 4-6

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

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

In a medium round slow cooker (about 4-quart), layer peas, barley, ham, carrots, onion and celery. Do not mix. Pour in the water/spices mixture and add the bay leaf to the slow cooker. Don’t stir! Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or on low eight hours, until the peas reach the desired creamy, soft texture. Remove the bay leaf, stir well, and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Stir in butter and add milk until desired consistency (it will thicken significantly when it cools, the milk keeps it from being too thick). Serve immediately.

Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna

2011-08-21T14:49:00.002-06:00

Also from Mels, very easy and a good use of those extra noodles in the lasagna pkg. I also made it with a half a box of bowties one night to make it look prettier and we loved that!

*Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain tomatoes into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add water to tomato liquid to make 2 cups. Add tomato/water mixture and 1 teaspoon salt to skillet.

Scatter noodles into the skillet, layer tomatoes over the noodles and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally (so the noodles won’t stick!) for about 10 minutes.

Stir in zucchini and squash, cook, stirring now and then, until noodles and squash are tender, about 8 minutes. Add basil and half of the rictotta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese to the noodles, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Dollop remaining ricotta cheese over the noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

The Cornbread

2011-08-21T14:44:00.002-06:00

Slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I've been looking for a good cornbread recipe for awhile now and have tried several that are just so-so, but when I found this one and tweeked it ever so slightly, I found my go to recipe! It really is just so good, and goes with any meal.....and is pretty quick too!

½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Mix dry ingredients together, make a well in the middle and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny – don’t be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.

Sweet or Savory Corncakes

2011-07-12T11:40:00.002-06:00

This is a recipe from Emily. Sorry I took so long getting it on here.

For a savory breakfast, top corncakes with sour cream and store bought salsa verde mixed with scallions, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. The recipe did not specify amounts on the toppings, so it is up to you how much cilantro, etc, to put in the salsa verde. For a sweet version you can spread it honeybutter, or honey and Greek yogurt, or just maple syrup.

1 can (14.75oz) creamed corn
1 cup yellow cornmeal (divided in half)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lg egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat creamed corn in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of cornmeal. Whisk in water, oil, egg. In a bowl mix the remaining 1/2 cup cornmeal with flour, salt, sugar (optional), and baking powder. Stir in wet ingredients into dry ingredients. The consistency is a thick batter, not like pancake batter). Heat griddle over medium heat (brush lightly with olive oil, we have a nonstick griddle so we didn't do that). The original recipe said to drop it in batches of a 1/4 cup onto the griddle. I did it with a 1/3 cup. I dropped it on and sort of spread it out a bit because it is pretty thick it doesn't really spread out on its own. Cook, turning once.

These corn cakes are dense. They made 8 for me. Really yummy with the sour cream and salsa verde. We liked them.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

2011-04-04T12:21:00.003-06:00

from Mel's

Very Yummy, and I love the dipping sauce! This is a very light meal....I served it with rice. Ohh, and it's gluten free!

For the Rolls:

2 pounds chicken breasts or boneless pork chops
about 30 10-inch diameter spring roll wrappers (rice, tapioca, etc.)
1 pound fresh bean sprouts
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced thin
1 large English cucumber, cut into thin strips
large bunch of fresh herbs, washed (I used basil and cilantro)
large bunch of fresh lettuce leaves, washed
warm water in a large shallow bowl or pie plate (large enough to accommodate a spring roll wrapper)

Meat Marinade:
juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chile-garlic paste to taste

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce:
8 oz hoisin sauce (the Y&Y brand is gluten-free)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (I usually add more vinegar)
2 cloves garlic, crushed or pressed through a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon chile-garlic paste

Whisk together all the marinade ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a ziploc bag. Place the meat in the bag and marinate, refrigerated, for an hour or two. Grill or broil the meat until it is cooked through. Set aside to cool. When cool, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices.

For the sauce, mix all of the sauce ingredients together until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add hot water and mix in until you achieve a desired consistency. Set aside.

Assemble the spring rolls by dipping one spring roll sheet into a shallow bowl of warm water for a second or two and setting it flat on your plate. Layer lettuce, herbs, vegetables, and meat in a small strip about 1/3 of the way from the edge nearest you. Roll from the edge nearest you and tuck in the sides as you go if you wish. Roll tightly, but not so tightly that you tear the wrapper. Serve the rolls with the dipping sauce on the side.

For step-by-step instuctions go here

Red Coconut Curry Noodles

2011-04-04T12:17:00.003-06:00

Love this recipe because it's yummy, gluten free, and low cal (if you use the light coconut milk). Just make sure that you add the noodles carefully because the easily stick together!!!

Also from Mels Kitchen Cafe

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips (last time I made this I used pre-cooked shrimp and added them at the end to warm them up.....yummy)
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans light or regular coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cups sweet Thai chili sauce
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 (13.5 ounce) package rice noodles (about ¼-inch wide)
1 yellow onion, sliced into thin half moons
2 red peppers, cored and sliced thinly
1 cup broccoli slaw or thinly sliced matchstick carrots
1 teaspoon salt to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, scoop the cream off the top of each can of coconut and put it in the pot. (If using light coconut milk, there won’t be cream to use, so use the 1 tablespoon oil called for in the recipe). The cream will be used as the “fat” instead of oil or butter. Along with the cream, add the curry paste and ginger. Let this simmer, stirring constantly, for about one minute.

Add the chicken and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. Add the coconut milk, sweet Thai chili sauce, cilantro, and chicken broth. Bring this to a simmer.

Add the red pepper, broccoli slaw (or carrots) and rice noodles and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom, for about 5-8 minutes. The noodles will thicken and plump up as they absorb the liquid. The mixture will be slightly soupy when the noodles are finished cooking.

Take the pot off the heat and let the noodles sit for about 5 minutes. The mixture will continue to thicken. Garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Soft Wrap Bread

2011-04-04T12:14:00.003-06:00

Soft Wrap Bread
from King Arthur Flour

can be made with wheat flour as well. I like to make several batches at once and then use for other wrap type sandwiches or easy pizza crusts!

*Makes about 8-9 breads

3 to 3 1/4 cups (12 3/4 to 13 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) boiling water
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) potato flour OR 1/2 cup (5/8 ounces) potato buds or flakes (I used potato flakes)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon instant yeast*

Place 2 cups of the flour into a bowl or the bucket of a bread machine. Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir until smooth. Lightly cover the bowl or bucket and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes or buds) and 1 cup of the remaining flour with the salt, oil and yeast. Add this to the slightly cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several minutes (by hand, mixer or bread machine) to form a soft dough. It may look like the flour/salt/oil/yeast mixture will never absorb into the boiling water/flour mixture. It will, I promise, but you may need to take it out of your electric mixer, if using one, and knead the flour in by hand or add it very gradually into your electric mixer.

Note: You can allow the dough to go through the entire kneading cycle(s) in the bread machine, but it’s not necessary; about a 5-minute knead in the machine, once it gets up to full kneading speed, is fine. The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat sticky (the dough is fairly stiff, so don’t be worried – just be careful not to overflour the dough). Add additional flour only if necessary; if kneading by hand, keep your hands and work surface lightly oiled. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour (I let mine rise up to 2 hours).

Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each about the size of a handball, around 3 ounces), cover, and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece into a 7- to 8-inch circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute per side (I cooked mine about 2-3 minutes per side and they didn’t dry out), until they’re puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out. Transfer the cooked breads to a wire rack, stacking them to keep them soft. Serve immediately, or cool slightly before storing in a plastic bag.

*This recipe works best with instant yeast because it dissolves during the kneading process, so you don’t have to knead liquid into the dough. If you really prefer to use active dry yeast, use only 1 cup boiling water for the initial dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, and add this mixture to the dough along with the potato flour mixture. It’ll be somewhat “slippery” at first, but will knead in and eventually become smooth.

Chicken Gyros

2011-04-04T12:05:00.003-06:00

Another from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, slightly modified

*Note: Keep in mind this recipe requires straining yogurt which may take overnight and marinating chicken which will take 1-2 hours so plan ahead! Or just by slightly more expensive yogurt and skip this!

*Makes enough chicken and tzatziki for approximately 4-6 gyros.

For the tzatziki sauce:
16 oz. plain yogurt (I used nonfat Greek Gods yogurt and it was great, and no straining!)
1/2 English cucumber, shredded
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (don't use too much or the flavors will be too strong)
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

To assemble:
Soft wrap bread (or pita bread), I recomend the soft wrap bread, it's really yummy!

Avocado slices
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
alfalfa (or other similar) sprouts

To make the tzatziki sauce, strain the yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl. Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible. (You won’t believe how much liquid drains from the yogurt – it makes the yogurt much thicker and creamier. If you want to splurge on Greek yogurt, like Oikos or Fage, you won’t need to strain it like this.)

Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. (I sauted them in a hot skillet.) Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.

Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes, avocado, and sprouts. Serve immediately.

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Caramel Spice Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting.

2011-02-03T14:40:00.003-07:00

This is an adaptation from the cake recipe Crystal posted awhile back. I made these for YW's and they were super yummy!

CAKE:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
2 peeled shredded apples
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, I didn't add any nuts)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl cream together butter & sugar. Add egg & beat well. Add shredded apples & mix well. Stir in dry ingredients & mix until just combined. Stir in nuts. Spoon into muffin liners and bake for about 12-18 mins.

CARAMEL SPICE FILLING:
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

In a small sauce pan on medium heat, melt together butter, sugar & milk. Bring to boil and cook until it reaches soft ball stage (stirring constantly). Remove from heat and add vanilla & nutmeg. Pour immediately from pan into another container with out scraping sides and let cool slightly. Once cooled pour into a pastry bag and fill cupcakes by sticking the tip of bag in the middle of the cupcake and squirting until it starts to come out of the top.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter. softened

2 tsp. vanilla

about 4 C. powdered sugar

milk to thin out if necessary (can use the rest of the evaporated milk)

Beat cream cheese and butter until well blended. Add vanilla and mix. Slowly add in the powdered sugar (taste after you've added about 3 cups and then add till you like the taste). If you need the frosting to be thinner at this point for spreading or piping add a couple Tbsp. of milk until it gets there. I like to put it into a piping bag without a tip on it and just swirl from the outsides in!

Squash Bake

2011-01-27T14:45:00.008-07:00

This is the best way, in my opinion, to eat squash. I love this recipe because it takes boring squash that you can serve during the week and makes it yummy & special without making it super fattening.

This is actually a Jillian Michaels recipe, so it is pretty healthy...well depending on how much yummy buttery cinnamon pecan topping you add. I usually double the recipe for the topping because Jared always wants seconds when I serve this and he adds more topping than it calls for.

FYI: If you use the recommended amounts than the total calories per serving are 190

Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash (cut into 4 servings)
2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

Instructions

Squash:
Cut squash into 4 equal servings. Remove seeds & fiber. Place cut side down in baking pan with small amount of water in bottom. Bake in a 350 degree oven 45-50 minutes or until squash is tender and can be pierced with a fork. (Or place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe container. Add a little water. Microwave on High 5-7 minutes, turning dish once. Continue cooking, if necessary, until squash is tender.)

Topping:
Meanwhile, combine butter, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Heat on top of stove or in microwave oven until butter melts. fill center of each squash half with one-quarter of the pecan mixture. Mix some of the cooked squash with the pecan filling. Serve immediately.

I serve mine directly out of the oven without removing the skin. Just place on plate add the topping and eat with a spoon.

Shaved Brussel Sprouts w/ Garlic & Lemon

2011-01-27T14:45:00.007-07:00

I'm always looking for healthy ways to make vegetables taste better. This one is my new favorite. I never really thought I liked brussel spouts until I tried this recipe, now I really do. So give it a try.

Remember: this is really more of a method than a recipe so change it up to suit your family.

Ingredients

3 cups Brussels Sprouts
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Clean brussel sprouts by tearing off outer wilted layers & chopping off bottom end. Shave brussels very fine with a sharp knife. Then rinse to wash of dirt.

Place a pan over the burner on med-high heat. Let it get REALLY hot. (I let mine preheat for about 5 minutes). Add the oil, let heat another 30 seconds.
(Note: the goal is to let your pan get really hot and to sear the sprouts; not to steam them. If the sprouts don't brown quickly then your pan isn't hot enough. When the sprouts are done they should still have a bite to them.)

Add Brussel spouts and salt & pepper to taste. Once you have some good color (about a minutes) add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and squeeze in lemon juice. Mix well and serve immediately.

Autumn Glazed Pork Chops

2011-01-27T14:45:00.004-07:00

This is another healthy recipe from Jillian Michaels (The Biggest Loser).

This is a pretty yummy healthy pork chop. However, I added my own step to the process, which is to brine the meat. Awhile back I tried the brine on pork chops (a different recipe) and the difference in the quality of the meat was night & day. So now whenever I make pork chops I brine them first (unless cooking in the crock-pot).

I've had this recipe without using the brine & it is still good but if you have a little extra time I would try the brine.

Ingredients

4 Pork Chops
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup Apple Cider, or Juice
1 can Whole Cranberry Sauce
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Orange Juice
1/4 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven 400

Spray a large nonstick skilled with nonstick coating. Heat over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle both sides of chops with Salt & Pepper. Brown chops on each side in hot skilled, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to 9X13" baking dish.

In a small bowl combine cranberry sauce, honey, orange juice, ginger, and nutmeg. Pour into pan chicken was in; warm through. Pour over pork chops, making sure each chop is completely covered.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until pork chops are done.

Brine

Ingredients

1 gallon Water
1 cup Sea Salt or Kosher Salt(not table salt)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed (I used apple juice & it's fine)
1 1/2 tsp. Whole Black Peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp. Thyme
6 Pork Loin Chops
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

In a mixing bowl combine the water, brown sugar, sea salt, apple juice, peppercorns, and thyme. Give it a good stir to dissolve the sugar & salt. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours to tenderize the meat. Do not brine longer than that or the meat will break down too much and get mushy.

Remove the pork chops from the brine & pat them dry with paper towels.

Strawberry Cake

2011-01-11T16:58:00.004-07:00

Edited Sept. 2011

This is the recipe I used to make Paige's birthday cake, which turned out really yummy! I've made a few modifications and I also made it raspberry instead of Strawberry....although next time I'll just do strawberry. It makes a pink cake.....which is what I was instructed by Paige to make:) Ohh, and also it cooked up perfectly even and without any problems, which is so nice!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups white sugar (I lowered the amount of sugar....and you could probably do even less, it's plenty sweet)

• 1/3 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin, add slowly until the batter is a nice soft pink color. (just eyeball it....the original recipe said to use the whole pkg. but it makes it really dense and almost mushy....didn't like it!)

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 4 eggs (room temperature)

• 2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 cup Buttermilk, room temperature

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely

**Variation: Strawberry Cheesecake Cake - mix 1 pkg. of cream cheese with 2 cups powdered sugar and spoon on top of cake batter before cooking. Really Yummy!!!

14 Grain Whole Wheat Bread

2011-01-11T16:56:00.003-07:00

So this is from one of friends in the ward (actually it's her mom's recipe), and it is really really good! Thx Camille!

9-11 cups whole wheat flour (hard white wheat)
6 cups warm water
2 cups nine grain cereal
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cups sesame seeds
1/3 cups amaranth
1/3 cup millet
1/3 cup flax seed (must be ground)
2/3 cups canola oil
2/3 cups honey
½ cup wheat gluten
3 tablespoons dough enhancer
3 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons real salt

Grind 7 cups of whole wheat flour (hard white wheat).

In a blender grind the flax seed (it must be ground to use properly).

In your mixed combine 6 cups warm water and your grains (highlighted in yellow) plus 4 cups of ground
whole wheat. Let set for 10 minutes. Your mixture will begin to sponge.

Add 2/3 cups oil and 2/3 cups honey to your mixed. Your dough should start to bubble. Add ½ cups
gluten. Mix. Add 3 tablespoons dough enhancer and 3 tablespoons yeast (never add yeast and salt to
bread dough at the same time). Mix well.

Start adding flour ½ cup at a time until your dough is cleaned off the sides of your mixer (you might not
use all 7 cups – it depends on the weather, altitude, moisture, etc...). Add 2 tablespoons real salt at the
very end.

Knead in your mixer on low for 12 minutes (or medium for 8 minutes). Take the dough out of the mixer
and form into 5 large loaves- or 6 smaller loaves. Never add MORE flour to your dough – use oil on your
hands and counter top so that the dough does not stick. Let rise until double in size – time depends on
the temperature and altitude, about 30 minutes. Bake 350 degrees 35-40 minutes. DO NOT preheat
your oven. Put your loaves into the oven when you turn the oven on.

You can buy all the grains (highlighted in yellow) prepackaged at the Bosh store for $3 in Salt Lake /Orem.
If using a kitchen aid you will need to cut this recipe in half.

Gnocchi with Proscuitto, Peas, and Mushrooms

2010-10-05T14:04:00.003-06:00

This recipe is from Anne Burrell (food network). It was Really Really Good! And while the gnocchi was time consuming, it wasn't very hard, plus it makes a ton!!!! Also, for those who don't like peas, I really thought this would taste good with spinach, or kale, or even zucchini, etc. Ohh, and also, after reading the reviews, don't add any of the extra salt until the end......I didn't need any because the proscuitto adds plenty of it!!!!!

1 1/2 cups fresh peas (frozen can be substituted in a pinch)
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper
1/4 pound prosciutto, sliced into 1/2-inch wide slices
2 cups chanterelle mushrooms, brushed or lightly rinsed and pulled apart (I just used Cremini)
Kosher salt
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 recipe Chef Anne's Light as a Cloud Gnocchi (I recommend to make a full recipe and freeze half for another use), recipe follows
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano
1/2 bunch chopped chives

Directions

Bring 2 pots, 1 large and 1 medium, with well-salted water to a boil over medium heat. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Blanch the fresh peas in the medium pot of boiling water until they are cooked but still crunchy and then immediately plunge them into the salted ice water. Remove them from the ice water and reserve.

Coat a large saute pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add the smashed garlic cloves and crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to a medium high heat. When the garlic has become golden brown and is very aromatic, remove it and discard. Add the prosciutto and saute until it starts to get crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, and TASTE to see if they are delicious (they should be!).

Add the peas and chicken stock. Season with salt, TASTE IT (it should be more delicious). Simmer until the stock has reduced by about half.

While the stock is reducing, add the gnocchi to the large pot of salted boiling water. Cook the gnocchi until they float and get very puffy. The gnocchi should be really puffy.

While the gnocchi is in the boiling water, add the butter to the pan with the mushroom mixture. Cook over low heat and swirl to incorporate. TASTE and adjust seasoning if needed.

When the gnocchi are cooked, carefully remove them from the cooking water and add them to the pan with the mushrooms. Toss or stir to combine. Cook the gnocchi with mushroom mixture until it clings to the gnocchi. Add the grated Parmigiano and the chopped chives. Transfer to serving bowls and serve immediately.

Call yourself a superstar!

Chef Anne's Light as a Cloud Gnocchi:

5 large Idaho potatoes
2 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 or 400 degrees F.

Bake the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check them!

While the potatoes are still hot peel and pass them through a food mill or ricer. (I find that the food mill works just as well as a ricer and is much easier to handle) onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. When doing this pay careful attention to keep the potatoes as light and fluffy as possible. This will aid in keeping the gnocchi light. Refrigerate the potatoes on the sheet tray until cold. This is also a very important step. If the potatoes are warm while adding flour they will require more flour which will result in a much heavier finished product.

When the potatoes are absolutely cold, transfer to a clean work surface. Beat together the eggs and cheese and pour onto the potatoes. Season with salt. Cover generously with flour. It should look like snow on the mountains.

Crumble the potato flour mixture between your fingers. Begin to knead the dough until it is a dry homogeneous mixture. The dough should feel slightly moist, but not tacky. If too tacky, repeat the snow on the mountains stage.

Form the dough into a large log. Cut slices off the log and begin to roll into long ropes that are about 1-inch in thickness. Cut the ropes into 1/2-inch lengths. Cover generously with flour. Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a sheet tray dusted with flour. DO NOT PILE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER!!

Use or freeze the gnocchi immediately. If freezing, place tray directly into the freezer. Once frozen, the gnocchi can be stored in plastic bags, in the freezer, indefinitely. When cooking gnocchi they can go directly from the freezer into salted boiling water.

Note: It is a general practice to take gnocchi out of the water when they float. This is a big mistake. Gnocchi need to be cooked in boiling water until they float and get nice and puffy. Not cooking gnocchi long enough will also result in heavy gnocchi.

P.S. These are Chef Anne "Secrets" to great gnocchi, use them and you will be successful every time.

Sugar-Top Coffee Cake

2010-07-26T13:24:00.002-06:00

This is a favorite of mine. It reminds me of special occasions at our house growing up! Super yummy

1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Beat egg until frothym add sugar and butter. Cream until light and fulffy. Add sour cream and vanilla. Bleand well. Sift dry ing. and mix. Pour into 8X10 pan. Sprinkle on topping.

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp. softened butter

Mix until crumbly and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 375 for 25-30 mins. or until it looks done. Serve warm

Cilantro Chicken

2010-07-26T13:19:00.003-06:00

From taste of homes. Great every day type of meal

2 tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. honey
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup finely crushed corn tortilla chips
1 jar salsa (16 oz), I like to either make salsa or buy the fresh kind
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/3 cup, shredded monterey jack cheese

In a shallow bowl, combine lime juice, oil and honey. Dip chicken in like juice mixture, then coat with tortilla chips. Place in an ungreased 8x8 in pan. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 mins. or until chicken is cooked through.
Combine salsa and cilantro; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. makes 4 servings.

Potatoes Supreme

2010-07-26T13:12:00.002-06:00

a.k.a. funeral potatoes, but really good ones.

6 medium red potates, boiled and peeled
1/4 cup butter
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (in my opinion, the sharper the better)
corn flake crumbs

cook potatoes; cool, peel, and grate. Melt butter and mix with soup. Blend in sour cream, onion, and cheese. Fold in potatoes. Spread in a 9x13 pan, greased. Top with corn flake crumbs. Cook at 350 for 1 hour. Serves 10.

you could also add chopped ham if you like it.

The Most Wondering Cherry Jello You Will Ever Taste in Your Entire Life

2010-07-26T13:09:00.003-06:00

quite the title ehh? But really very good!

1-6 oz pkg. cherry jello
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling
1-3oz pkg. vanilla instant pudding
1 cup milk
2 cups cool whip

Combine cherry gelatin with 2 cups boiling water. Omit 2 cups cold water or ice cubes. Add crushed pineapple with juice and cherry pie filling. Chill. Combine pudding with 1 cup milk and beat. Add cool whip. Spread over chilled jello. Serves 8-10. enjoy!

Grandma Hicks Roll Recipe

2010-07-26T13:03:00.002-06:00

Dissolve 2 Tbsp. yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Set aside.

Beat 3 eggs and add:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soften butter
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
2 scant tsps. salt

Mix until smooth then add yeast. Add more flour (about 2 cups). Should be a sticky dough. Butter a big bowl and put in dough. Let rise until double. Punch down. Butter foil and put on top. Refridgerate overnight then punch down again. roll out in morning (about 3 hrs from time needed) Then cut out with a large mouth glass jar. Dip half in butter and fold into 1/2 moons and press together. Rise until double. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.

These are always very good.....but do take some preparation!

Zucchini Casserole

2010-07-26T12:56:00.002-06:00

So I've decided to start putting recipes on here that maybe you all might already have....but I'm tired of looking through all my papers to find them.

1/4 cup chopped onion
6 cups sliced zucchini (the recipe says to peel it, but I never have)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
2 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
8 oz stuffing mix
1 cube melted butter

Cook onion and zucchini for 5 minutes in boiling water. Drain. Combine soup, sour cream, and cheese. Add drained zucchini and onion. Combine stuffing and melted butter. Put 1/2 stuffing in bottom of 9X13 pan then put veggie mixture on and top with the other 1/2 of stuffing. Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

This is definitely an everyday kind of meal, but I really like it!

Mels Kitchen Cafe Recipes

2010-07-21T12:41:00.005-06:00

Here are a few yummy things I've made recently from Mels Kitchen Cafe:

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Grilled Island Chicken

Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Pie

Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

Field Greens with Blood Oranges, Pistachios and Pomegranates

2010-07-13T11:24:00.003-06:00

This salad is very tasty. Blood oranges are a seasonal fruit mostly found around Christmas. They can be purchased at the Real Foods Store when they are available. However, when not avaibable regular oranges work but they don't have the rich color and flavor of the Blood oranges. If you use regular oranges, you may want to use some red food coloring to enhance the color.

Dressing: ( would probably recommend doubling or tripling this recipe and have a little extra on hand)

3 Tbs. fresh blood orange juice
1 Tbs. unseasoned rice vinegar ( used seasoned rice vinegar and it was fine)
1 Tbs. agave or honey
3 Tbs. hazelnut oil (This is hard to find, but they sell it at the REAL FOODS STORE. Macadamia nut oil or walnut oil could be substituted)

Mix well.

Salad:

2 blood oranges, sectioned and/ or cut up (or you can use clementines)
field greens ( I used Spring Mix)
pistachios
1/3 Cup fresh pomegranate kernals and/or dried cranberries ( can use other fruit as well. I halved some red grapes and added them)

Serves 4

Jade Pearl Rice with Vegetables

2010-07-13T11:18:00.003-06:00

I really love the taste of this rice dish. The Rice is a specialty rice and can be purchased at REAL FOODS.

1 Cup Jade Pearl Rice (Lotus Foods)
1/3 Cup finely cut carrots
1/3 Cup finely cut celery
1/4 Cup fresh parsely, chopped
1/4 Cup grapeseed oil (also available at the health food store)
Herbes de Provence
Real Salt
Beau Monde
Pepper

Cook rice in rice cooker according to directions on package. Meanwhile, using a large sautee pan, sautee carrots and celery in grapeseed oil until slightly tender. Add parsley and 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence - cook a few minutes longer. Once rice is done, add rice to the vegetables and mix well. Season to taste with a little Beau Monde and/or Real Salt and pepper. (If it seems too dry, add a little more oil)

Serves 4

Marinated Flank Steak

2010-07-13T11:09:00.004-06:00

These are the recipes from my healthy friend, Sue. This flank steak recipe is very easy and very tasty. The meat is very low in fat so it is healthy too!

Put 1 large flank steak in a gallon ziplock bag or container; cover in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, turning the bag over after 2 hours.

Broil or barbeque the steak for about 10 minutes on each side or until done to your preference. I would be careful of overcooking as the meat could be dry and tough. Slice in very thin slices cross grain. Serve immediately.

Teriyaki Marinade:

1 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. maple syrup (Sue says this has to be the real stuff-I got it at REAL FOODS)
1/2 C. olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. minced ginger or 1 1/2 T. ground giner
1 tsp. Real Salt
1 tsp. pepper

Or, you can use Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce instead

( This marinade is delicious on chicken, too!)

Our Favorite Lasagna

2010-06-02T11:56:00.003-06:00

This is the recipe I've put together that we all seem to like the most. It makes a ton (I like this because of the leftovers!)

1 pkg. Whole wheat lasagna noodles (better for you, and you really can't tell the difference)
1 16 oz cottage cheese, low fat
1 16 oz ricotta cheese, from skim
1 pkg. sliced provolone cheese
1 pkg. sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pkg. Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 eggs.
1-2 tbsp. dried Parsley
one small pkg. frozen cut spinach, thawed and drained (I like to squeeze the juice out with paper towels)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 bottle's of your favorite canned tomato sauce (I like either Prego's meat flavored sauce, or classico's Italian sausage sauce)

Directions:
1.Cook noodles according to package directions, do not overcook. let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
2. mix together cottage and ricotta cheeses. Add in eggs, parsley, spinach, and garlic powder. Mix. Then add about 1/4 cup. Parmesan and mix.
3. put a little sauce on the bottom of a deep 9X13 or 11X13. Layer noodles than cottage cheese mixture than provolone and mozzarella then another layer of sauce. repeat 2 or 3 times depending on size of pan. top with more Parmesan cheese.
4. Cook 30-45 minutes. let stand for about 10 mins, and enjoy.

Rice Pudding

2010-06-02T11:45:00.002-06:00

I made a ton of brown rice the other day and am trying to use it before we leave town so I just made this and am eating as I post. It turned out sooo yummy, it's very creamy not thick like other recipes I've tried! and it's easy

1 1/2 c. cooked rice (I used brown and it turned out great)
2 c. milk, divided (I ran out of reg, so for the rest I used evaporated)
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg beaten
1 T. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. raisins (I didn't add)

Directions:
1. put rice and 1 1/2 cups milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer for 15-20 mins, until it's thick and creamy.
2. add remaining 1/2 cup milk and beaten egg and cook for two more minutes, stirring constantly.
3. remove from heat and add butter, vanilla, and raisins if you use them.

Also, I added about a 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, and that did it for me! it just enhanced the sweetness.

Deep, Dark Chocolate Brownies

2010-05-18T13:59:00.002-06:00

Camille made these brownies for Emree's blessing, and they were so good that I actually wanted to make them (I usually don't feel this way about brownies!). Thanks Camille for finding them. Ohh and the recipe came from Melskitchencafe.com

2 sticks (8 oz) butter
8 oz good-quality semisweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch metal pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray. Alternatively, you may use parchment. These are pretty sticky at first!

Melt butter and chocolate in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar to the hot chocolate mixture. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Whisk in remaining 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth. Whisk in salt and cocoa powder, then add flour and stir until it disappears (do not overbeat).

Spread in pan and bake until a pick inserted in center comes out with crumbs, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature then chill for an hour or more. Lift from pan, place on a cutting board, cut into squares.
Makes 1 13×9 inch pan (yield depends on how big you cut your brownies, but they are rich, so small is fine.

My version of California Pizza Kitchen's BLT pizza

2010-05-15T12:07:00.002-06:00

We took the kids to CPK awhile back and had their BLT pizza. It was good! I studied it and decided to give it a try.

Your favorite recipe of pizza crust
1-2 T. olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2-3 tomatoes, sliced thin (I also let them sit on a paper towel for a while so they would get the pizza all soggy)
4-5 strips of precooked bacon, crumbled
shredded mozzarella cheese, how much you like on pizza.
Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 head of chiffonade (thinly sliced) cut romaine lettuce
Favorite ranch dressing (I used and a Caesar ranch dressing, it was great)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out pizza dough, brush on olive oil and evenly sprinkle garlic. Put on your cheeses. Put on tomatoes and bacon. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

While pizza is cooking toss lettuce with dressing. When the pizza is baked let it cool for a few minutes. Put the lettuce on top and enjoy! This isn't a pizza that you can save for leftovers. The lettuce wilts a little bit after awhile.

Lemon Buttermilk Cake

2010-05-13T11:44:00.001-06:00

This recipe is from Joyce....we had it at Marsha's shower and it was soooooo good!!! Thanks Joyce!

2 ½ cups cake flour  (I used the substitution listed at end of recipe)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt 
¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature 
3 tbsp grated lemon zest (about 3 lemons) 
¼ cup fresh lemon juice 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar 
12 tbsp (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened 
3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature

FROSTING:
3 cups confectioners’ sugar 
3 tbsp lemon juice 
2 tbsp buttermilk

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a glass 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Combine flour, powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl. Combine buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla.
Beat granulated sugar and lemon zest until moist and fragrant, about 1 minute. Reserve 1/4 cup of sugar mixture; cover and set aside. Add butter to remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix until smooth about 30 seconds.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.
For the glaze:  While cake cools, whisk confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice and buttermilk until smooth. Gently spread over warm cake. Sprinkle evenly with reserved sugar. Cool completely, at least 2 hours.
Variations:  Substitute for cake flour- 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 5 tablespoons corn starch.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

2010-05-05T11:55:00.004-06:00

Apparently these are delicious. I took them to a wedding shower, without really tasting them BTW, and (not to brag just illustrating their deliciousness) they were the hit of the night. I should have doubled the recipe because they were seriously gone in 10 minutes. Everyone wanted the recipe. So I'm sharing with you. (These look a lot harder than they are, these are just extremely detailed instructions.

MAKES ABOUT 30Lemon Cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. Lemon Zest (about 2 Lemons)
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
12 Tbsp. ( 1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes
1 lg. egg yolk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze
1 Tbsp. softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
yellow food coloring (optional)
lemon zest (optional)

Directions Cookies:
1. For the cookies: Adjust oven racks so cookies can cook in the middle; heat oven to 375 degrees F. (Note: I'd wait until you take dough out of the freezer.)

Method 1 : Food Processor
2. In the bowl of food processor, process granulated sugar and zest until it looks damp and zest is thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Scatter butter chunks over. Pulse until mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 15 one-second pulses.In a measuring cup or small bowl, beat lemon juice, yolk, and vanilla until combined.With machine running, add juice/yolk mixture in slow, steady stream (process should take about 10 seconds); continue processing until dough begins to form ball, 10 to 15 seconds longer. Continue to step 3.

Method 2: Stand or Hand Mixer
2. Use softened butter.Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until wet and sandy. Cream softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients in several additions, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be crumbly.Continue to step 3.

3. Turn dough and any dry bits out onto counter (or board); working quickly, gently knead the dough together to ensure no dry bits remain and dough is homogeneous. (Note: My dough was really wet, I think it's because I didn't really measure my lemon juice and used the juice of two lemons. Anyways if it is wet roll it around in extra flour until it's not so sticky.) Roll dough into a large disk.Wrap disk in plastic wrap. Chill dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in freezer or 2 hours in refrigerator. (Note: don't skimp on this part, if the dough isn't cold enough it'll be really hard to work with.)

4. Spray baking sheets with nonstick spray. Remove dough from wrapping and shape into 1" balls. Place on baking sheet, spacing them about 1" apart. Place dough back in freezer between bakings.

5. Bake until edges are barely brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack, or wax paper and cool to room temperature before glazing.

Glaze
1. Whisk cream cheese and lemon juice until no lumps remain. Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. (Note: I added yellow food coloring to my glaze so it would look more lemony and less eggy.)

2. When cookies have cooled, working one at a time, hold them with your fingertips on the side and dip top of cookie into glaze. Shake of excess glaze as your lifting cookie out. Turn cookie upright and give it a little shake to smooth out glaze. (Note: because I was taking them to a shower I wanted people to know they were lemon, so I added zest on top. Make sure you put the zest on right after you glaze them because the glaze dries fast.) Let glazed cookies dry at room temperature, about 1 hour.

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

2010-05-05T11:45:00.013-06:00

I got this recipe from here.

I was surprised at how good this really was. Such simple ingredients made an old boring fruit salad into something worth sharing. I also liked how the few ingredients made it special but the salad is still healthy.

*Note: This fruit salad is best served right away (or at least within an hour of making) because the strawberries tend to stain the light colored fruit. It doesn’t affect the taste at all but is a slight bummer for presentation. I just added the strawberries right before serving.

*Serves 4

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained well
1 can mandarin oranges, drained well
2-3 ripe kiwi, peeled and sliced into thick half moons
1 cup green grapes, halved
1 cup strawberries, quartered
Zest from one lime, about 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 banana, sliced into thick half moons (optional) This was my addition

Combine the fruit in a medium-large serving bowl. Add the lime zest and poppy seeds, if using, and gently toss. Drizzle the honey over the fruit and again, gently mix until the fruit is evenly coated with the honey. Serve.

Star French Toast

2010-04-26T15:57:00.004-06:00

I really like this recipe for French toast.

8 1 inch slices French bread
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup butter

In medium bowl, beat together eggs, cream, honey, salt, cinnamon, orange zest and vanilla.

On a griddle, melt butter on medium high heat. Dip bread in egg mixture and brown on both sides. Serve with fresh berries and buttermilk syrup.

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

2010-03-15T15:23:00.002-06:00

I know, I know. You all have lots of enchilada recipes but here is another one. I thought it was pretty good and I will throw it into the enchilada rotation. I got it as sisters cafe

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced

Enchiladas:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock, storebought (I used bouillon)
Chopped cilantro leaves
1 deli roasted chicken (about 3 pounds), boned, meat shredded - I used chicken breastsSalt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large flour tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup sour cream (plus extra for serving)

Chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves, optional- for garnishGuacamole, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt and cilantro and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Meanwhile heat a 2 count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Now take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler if using an electric stove). (I just microwaved my tortillas for a second - the point is to make them soft and pliable.) Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll up. Place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top.

Garnish with cilantro and tomato.Serve hot with the remaining tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and fresh guacamole, if desired.

Butter Rolls

2010-02-06T21:00:00.002-07:00

This one is for some friends in the ward!

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve 2 pkg. yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in 1/4 cup warm water. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt 4 sticks of butter over low heat. Remove from heat as soon as butter has melted; cool with 2 cups of milk. Beat 4 eggs and add to yeast mixture along with melted butter mixture. Stir gently.
Blend 8 cups white flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp. salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture, 2 cups at a time, until completely blended. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Roll out a portion at a time into a large round, 1/8"-1/4" thick. Cut into long triangular shaped pieces and roll up like crescents.
Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until slightly brown on top. Makes 5 dozen.

tips: This recipe doesn't say to let the rolls raise after you shape them, and I've been told you don't need to, but I always let the raise a little and I think the texture is nicer. Also, don't crowd the pan with the rolls or they won't cook right! (I learned that by experience:))

Cape Cod Chopped Salad

2010-01-29T18:15:00.002-07:00

This salad is so yum! I did double the syrup because I like my dressing more sweet, but it's up to you. By Ina Garten.

Ingredients

8 ounces thick-cut bacon, such as Niman Ranch
8 ounces baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped (see note)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons good apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the bacon slices on the rack. Roast the bacon for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese.
For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Chop the bacon in large pieces and add it to the salad. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve immediately.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Parmigiana

2010-01-29T14:49:00.002-07:00

This is so yummy! I love the sauce, I could just eat that over the noodles. I would recommend cutting the chicken breasts in half before cooking, they are huge if you don't. I made this before Christmas when I wasn't trying to be healthy so it is definitely not healthy but so good.

Ingredients
4 whole (up To 6) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Trimmed And Pounded Flat
½ cups All-purpose Flour
Salt And Pepper, to taste
½ cups Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ cubes Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 pound Thin Linguine

Preparation Instructions

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate.Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.

At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.
Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.

Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

2010-01-28T12:47:00.001-07:00

A not very healthy and not as easy meal by Giada.:) But it was yummy! More of a Sunday meal.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette

2010-01-28T12:31:00.002-07:00

A very healthy easy meal from Giada.

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces ( I just used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was great)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2010-01-28T12:20:00.003-07:00

So good. I made these to eat with Camille's french onion soup. Yum!

*Makes 24 muffins

For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or greased foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In another large bowl combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well 1/3 of the way with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice on top of the batter in each muffin well and gently press (don't press all the way to the bottom but just slightly into the batter). Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the top of the muffin (about 1/3 of the way down) comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls

2010-01-28T12:15:00.001-07:00

A healthy every day type meal.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large red pepper, diced small
1 10-ounce package baby portebello mushrooms, diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 average-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained, diced small
2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 cups of hot cooked rice
romaine lettuce leaves
sesame seeds
scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Add red pepper and mushrooms and saute for 5 - 6 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute an additional minute.

Add chicken to pan and cook for 6 - 8 minutes or until cooked through. Stir chicken and red pepper mixture occasionally while it cooks. Add water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and hoisin sauce and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables. Continue cooking until heated through.

To serve, line a single serving size bowl with romaine leaves. Top with a large scoop of rice, some of the hoisin chicken, and a sprinkle of the sesame seeds and scallions.Alternately, you can serve the hoisin chicken mixture wrapped in lettuce leaves or omit the lettuce leaves completely and serve the chicken over rice.

Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

2010-01-14T13:49:00.002-07:00

This is the best replica of Cafe Rio's I have ever made. I even wanted to lick my plate.:)

1 1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
3/4 cup buttermilk
3-4 tomatillos
1/2 seeded jalapeno
1 bunch cilantro
1 lg. garlic clove or 2 small
juice of one lime
salt to taste

Blend all ingredient in blender until smooth and creamy.

Pomegranate Cheesecake

2010-01-14T12:59:00.001-07:00

If you like cheesecake, you will love this. I made it for our Christmas dinner. It was time consuming, so better for a special occasion. And make it to share because if you don't you'll eat it all!

Crust:1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Filling:4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat worked great)
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Topping:
1 1/2 cups sour cream (again, reduced fat worked great)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pomegranate Glaze:
1-16-ounce bottle pomegranate juice (usually found in the refrigerated section of juices)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

For the crust:

preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat butter on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar. Beat until combined. Add egg; beat well. Beat in flour until combined. Divide dough in half. Cover one portion and set it aside.Remove the sides from a 10-inch springform pan and set aside. Spread first portion of dough on just the bottom of ungreased springform pan base, spreading dough to edges. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely. When cool, attach sides of pan. Press chilled dough onto the sides of the sprinform pan to a height of 1-3/4 inches, using a thin metal spatula, like an offset spatula, to spread dough.

For the filling:

reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the flour on low speed until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla all at once, beating on low speed just until combined. Mix in sour cream and lemon peel. Then, using a wooden spoon or a spatula, gently fold in pomegranate seeds (if you use the electric mixer for this part, the seeds will burst and stain the filling with the juice - and it won't look as pretty).Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 65 minutes or until edges are puffed and center jiggles slightly when gently shaken. Remove from oven. (It doesn't matter if the cheesecake cracks on top since it will have a sour cream topping.)

For the topping:

stir together sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread sour cream mixture over top of baked cheesecake, spreading gently to the edges. Return to oven; bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan; cool completely. Cover; chill 4 hours or overnight.

For pomegranate glaze:

in a medium saucepan bring pomegranate juice to boiling; reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, until reduced to 1 cup (12 to 15 minutes). In a separate bowl, stir together brown sugar and cornstarch. Add to juice. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Transfer to a medium bowl; cover surface with clear plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature. Store, covered, in refrigerator until serving time.When ready to serve, remove cheesecake and pomegranate glaze from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Spoon some sauce over top of cheesecake; pile remaining pomegranate seeds in center of cheesecake. To serve, slice cheesecake. Pass remaining sauce. Makes 16 servings.

Bowtie Pasta Salad

2010-01-14T12:50:00.003-07:00

I love salad for dinner and this was good.

Dressing:

1 cup canola oil
1/3 - 2/3 cup bottled teriyaki sauce (I used 1/3 cup but you may want to add more depending on your taste)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salad:
16 oz. bow tie pasta, cooked al dente, drained and cooled
1 bag fresh spinach (9 - 10 oz)
6 oz. craisins
2 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and slivered
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (I prefer it without the parsley, lately I haven't liked parsley)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted6 oz. honey roasted peanuts
2 cups cooked chicken, tossed with 2-3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until well combined and smooth. Mix about 1 cup of the dressing with the cooked pasta in a large bowl and marinate for at least one hour. Combine the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Just before serving, add pasta and toss. Add dressing to taste and toss. Serve immediately.

Crockpot Chicken Nachos

2010-01-14T08:34:00.003-07:00

I don't think I'm alone when I say that I'm not in the cooking mood. So when I found this recipe I was happy because it's super easy and my (Mexican at Heart) husband loved it! This recipe is super easy, and really good but not too diet friendly.

Prep Time: 3 Minutes
Cook Time: 4 1/2 Hours

Ingredients List

4-5 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Drained Canned Whole Kernel Corn (I used frozen corn and just added what I thought looked good)
1 (15oz) Jar of Salsa (recommend medium or I like Jacks salsa from Costco)
1 (8oz) Package of Cream Cheese

Cooking Directions

1. Take 4-5 frozen boneless chicken breasts put into crock pot
2. Add corn, black beans and jar of salsa. dump it right on top of chicken
3. Cover and cook in crock pot on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken forks apart.
4. Shred chicken and add back to crock-pot
4. Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top) and let sit for about 1/2 hour and then stir in.

I like to serve this on top of a pile of melted cheesy (Tostidas Hint of Lime) chips and garnish with salsa and cilantro. You could also just serve it on rice.

**Mine was a little runny (probably because of the frozen chicken) so if you make it the way it says use a slotted spoon to serve, or you could try fresh chicken.

Creamy Squash Soup

2009-12-08T08:44:00.002-07:00

This is a Paula Deen recipe, and it's really yummy! Devin really doesn't like squash but liked this soup, so give it a try sometime!!! Also, it's a very inexpensive meal:)

Ingredients
2 pounds butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (apparently you can buy cubed squash at Costco, which would make things easier)
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 (13 3/4-ounce) cans chicken broth (I used chicken stock, I just think it has more flavor)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I also used more salt than this)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light cream or heavy cream
Sour cream, for garnish

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine squash, onion, carrots, broth and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup. Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

I think this would be really good garnished with either chives or green onions. And served with garlic bread......just a suggestion!

Fajita Pitas

2009-12-06T13:55:00.003-07:00

This is an everyday type of recipe. It's just another way to do fajita's, but we really have liked it!

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 large onion, sliced
1 large green pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. oil
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
8 pita breads, halved
Sauce:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro (I always add more!)
1 tbsp. oil
Guacamole and sour cream, optional
also, this recipe doesn't call for any seasoning, but I always add salt, pepper, and cumin. But you can do whatever sounds good to you!

Grill Chicken, covered, over medium heat for 16-20 minutes (we don't have a grill, so I cook it in pan with a little oil and salt and pepper). Cut into strips. In a skillet, saute onion and green pepper in oil. Add chicken and cheese. Stuff into pita halves; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine the onion, tomato, jalapeno, cilantro and oil in a bowl; mix well. Serve sauce and sour cream or guacamole if desired with pitas.

French Onion Soup

2009-11-23T11:05:00.003-07:00

I've kind of been on a soup kick lately. I know that I've posted Mimi's French Onion Soup recipe but I liked this one better. I think the trick is to make sure you cook the onions for a really long time until they are caramel colored. This will give the soup great flavor. My onions took about 30 minutes to caramelize.

I doubled this soup thinking that I would have a ton of extra but the onions cooked down so much that it really wasn't that much.

Ingredients:
8 medium or 6 large onions, peeled and sliced thinly
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup sherry wine (could use water but the wine helps the flavor. I just bought sherry cooking wine at Walmart for $2.00, find by vinegar.)
Approx. 2 tsp. sugar
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 cloves garlic, left whole
1 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 lb. swiss cheese, grated
slices of sourdough or favorite bread

Preparation:

Saute onions in olive oil in large skillet (I just used soup pot) on med. heat for 5-7 minutes. Turn up heat to med. high and cook 10 more minutes, or until bottom of pan is starting to brown. Add sherry to deglaze pan. Add some sugar and continue to saute until onions are very dark caramel color. Deglaze again with sherry. Add in broth,garlic, bay leaf and seasonings. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Before serving remove garlic and bay leaf. Ladle into soup bowls. Toast sliced bread at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes and place on top of soup. Sprinkle cheese on top. Place bowls on bake sheet and put under broiler until golden brown.

Creamy White Chili

2009-11-18T14:08:00.005-07:00

I made this delicious soup that I found on a blog called My Kitchen Cafe. I noticed that Crystal might be getting some of her yummy recipes from there as well. So I had this brilliant idea...why not share some of my favorite food sites as links on our website. I added on the right side at the bottom. So Please, Please, Please add to it!

1 pound chicken breasts, cut into cubes (I used pre-cooked chicken)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth (I think I used about 3 cups of stock)
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Garnish Cilantro
Garnish Tortilla Chips (I just Tostitos Hint of Lime)

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.

Makes about 6 servings.
For some of you (Crystal) you may want to double this because we gobbled it up in 2 days.

Grandma Thompson's Apple Pie

2009-11-11T13:14:00.003-07:00

Makes one apple pie.

My Mom's version:

6-8 Golden Delicious apples (more likely to use 6 than 8) shredded
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
dash of Nutmeg
3 tbsp. Flour
2 Tbsp. butter

My version:

6-8 Apples

1 C sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 dash Nutmeg

1 1/2 Tbsp. Flour

2 Tbsp. Butter

Make Pie crust.
After the bottom crust is prepared and in the pie tin, shred peeled apples and put into a large bowl. Mix in sugar, spices, and flour. Put into pie shell making sure there's about 1/4 inch space along the edges. Top apples with butter pieces and prepare top pie shell. Cover with pastry and seal edges (flute if you like). Brush top with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then turn oven down to 350 and finish baking for another 40-45 mins. Let cool and enjoy.

Grandma Thompson's Pie Crust

2009-11-11T13:06:00.002-07:00

I'm putting this on here for the benefit of my ward members:) But it's always good to have around!

Makes 2 crusts

2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 sticks butter minus 2 Tbsp. (cold)
1/2 Cup. Ice cold water

Mix Flour and salt together. Add butter (cut into tbsp). Using pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it's the size of large peanuts. Using your hands, work the mixture until it resembles the texture of crumbled feta cheese.
Add water, starting with 1/4 cup. (this may be enough) and bring together into a ball, be very careful not to overwork at this point. Dough should be wet enough to stick together but not be sticky. Divide into two and roll out using a pastry cloth and flour (don't use too much flour). Fold over one side of cloth to get the pastry off and put into pie tin.
Bake according to pie recipe or 425 for 10-15 minutes for a one crust pie shell.

Pumpkin waffles or pancakes

2009-11-11T09:11:00.002-07:00

Today the kids don't have school because California observes Veterans Day. So, we are having a lazy day at home. And what says lazy day better then waffles for breakfast. And these just aren't just waffles these are warm and aromatic. Happy fall to me! I am serving them with buttermilk syrup. Another way to make them yummy would to be to add cinnamon to the buttermilk syrup.

Here it is:
1 cup flour (I always do wheat flour)
1tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tb. Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TB. Sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1/4 cup Canola oil (sometimes I use half the amount and it turns out great)
1 tsp. Vanilla

Whisk all ingredients together until well blended and cook on hot griddle of waffle iron.

I double this for my family. I guessing this recipe makes about 6-8 belgian waffles. This is also a great way to use some food storage!

MAGELBY'S RASPBERRY SAUCE

2009-10-25T15:55:00.004-06:00

This recipe calls for raspberries but we made it with the mixed berries from Costco.

Toss together in a bowl:
2 packages of frozen raspberries (12 ounces each)
1/2 C. powdered sugar.

On stove combine:
1 Cup of sugar with 1/8 Cup of cornstarch and wisk
Add 1/2 Cup cold water and bring barely to a boil

Pour berries from the bowl into the pan with the cornstarch mixture
Continue cooking just until berries boil and thicken. Remove from heat
and add red food coloring for extra color and 1/2 tsp. almond extract

This berry sauce is a great topping for ice cream too!!!

BUTTERMILK PIE

2009-10-25T15:46:00.002-06:00

This was a great pie to serve for the luncheon. It doesn't need to be refrigerated and it can be made several days in advance.

1/4 Cup flour
1/2 Cup melted butter
1/2 Cup buttermilk
1& 1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 nine-inch pastry

Place flour in a large bowl. Mix with melted butter, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, eggs and blend until smooth. Pour mixtgure into prepared pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes until center is firm and it is a medium golden color. Top with Magelby's Berry Sauce.

ITALIAN GREEN BEANS

2009-10-25T15:26:00.004-06:00

I have had several requests for the recipes used at Duke's wedding luncheon. Two of the recipes are already listed on the blog. The first, Mona's Teriayaki Chicken, and the second, Everything Tossed Salad. The Chicken turns out wonderfully if done exactly as the recipe says. However, Candace, thought it would be more attractive if we did the chicken on skewers. Therefore, we cut the chicken thighs into 1/2 inch-3/4 inch strips before we marinated it. After marinating, we put the strips onto skewers. We baked the skewers in the oven until the meat was done, which took less time then the recipe, because the chicken pieces were smaller. We made the sauce as explained in the recipe.

The Everything Tossed Salad is a family favorite shared with us by Rob's sister Mashelle. The recipe is great. However, for the luncheon, we omitted the apple, and the avacado so we didn't have to try and keep them from browning. We also decided to use red wine vinegar instead of white wine vinegar (the red wine vinegar is a little prettier for serving) . we used canola oil instead of Olive Oil ( it is cheaper) and we whisked about a Tablespoon of sour cream into the dressing (this was to try and help keep the dressing emulsified better). If I were making the salad for my family, I would double the dressing recipe.

ITALIAN GREEN BEANS

This recipe was borrowed from the Lion House Classics recipe book. Candace and I thought this was a great recipe and very easy.

4 slices thick bacon
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
1 can (16 ounces) green beans, drained (we used frozen, cut green beans)
1 can (16 ounces) italian seasoned diced tomatoes (we used S&W brand)
1 teaspoon salt

Saute bacon in hot frying pan until cooked but not crisp. Remove from pan. Measure 2 tablespoons drippings into frying pan. Add onion and green pepper, cook until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add green beans, seasoned tomatoes, salt, and bacon pieces. Stir, cover and simmer until beans are heated through. Makes 6 servings. I would recommend serving these with a slotted spoon so that you avoid extra liquid on your plates.

The last recipes to post are Buttermilk Pie and Berry Sauce

Rice and Black Bean Pilaf

2009-10-21T19:27:00.003-06:00

The other night I made Crystal's yummy Baked Chicken Taquitos which we loved. On the side I served this beans and rice dish and we thought it was really good. So I hope you like it too.
I adapted this recipe from Ellie Krieger of the Food Network.

Ingredients
1 cup rice (my favorite rice is uncle ben's. If you haven't tried it you should.)
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small tomato, finely diced
3 Tbsp. roughly chopped cilantro

Directions
Place rice and chicken broth in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook rice, covered, until tender and all the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and fluff with a fork. (I ignored these instructions and cooked the rice in my rice cooker how I normally cook rice...with a little salt, butter, 2c. water and 2 chicken boullion cubes.)

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, celery, carrot, cumin and chili flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender but not mushy, about 6 minutes. Stir in black beans and tomato and cook until just warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.

Combine onion-black bean mixture and hot rice in a serving bowl and toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro.

Chocolate Eclair Cream Puffs

2009-10-21T18:45:00.005-06:00

So this is the recipe for the cream puffs that were at my wedding. These really aren't as hard as they appear and I thought they were really fun to make. Also who doesn't like an eclair/cream puff right?

Makes about 12 large

Puff Dough
1 cup water
4 eggs (room temperature - **this step is very important**)
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 tsp. salr
1 Tbsp. sugar

Step 1
Bring water to boil with salt and butter. As soon as butter melts and full boil begins, add flour all at once. Stir Rapidly. Remove from heat and continue stirring till mixture looks like cornmeal mush.
Tip:(Since I have never made cornmeal mush before I kind of stopped stirring until I couldn't stir anymore. Which is basically until it is just combined.)
Step 2
Add eggs one at a time. Beat each one till it blends in well. (I would definitely use a hand mixer for this unless you want a workout)
Step 3
For miniature puffs, drop by teaspoon on to greased, heavy cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place puffs in oven and turn down immediatly to 400 degrees. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or till light brown on top. (It is important that they are cooked long enough, under cooking will cause them to collapse.) Remove from oven and slit sides to allow steam to escape. (I did this and eventually ended up cutting the whole top off because it was easier to fill them that way.) After cutting take out any loose batter. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Step 4
For dessert size puffs, drop from large spoon in desired shape. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes then 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Follow the same instructions as for miniature puffs after they are removed from oven. (I don't think I cooked them the entire time so make sure to keep an eye on things.)

Cream Filling
1 small pkg. Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream (you could substitute cool whip)

Step 1
Prepare pudding with milk and let set-up in fridge.
Step2
Whip cream like you usually would...with sugar and vanilla.
Step 3
Fold pudding and cream together.
Step 4
Fill cooled puffs.
Tip: If you like a lot of cream in your puffs (which I do) you may want to double this or add more cream to make it go further. When I made these I had enough to fill all mine but 2.

Chocolate Glaze/Frosting
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. boiling water (or a little more, if necessary
2 c. powdered sugar

Step 1
Mix all ingredients together. Play with powdered sugar and water until you get the right consistency.
Step 2
Spread on top of filled cream puffs.

TORTILLA CASSEROLE

2009-10-18T18:40:00.002-06:00

This is a great family meal that is easy and tasty. Next time I make it I am going to try an additional layer of cheese. Between step 9 and step 10. ENJOY!

¾ lb extra lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
1-2 minced garlic clove
1 can dark red kidney beans or black beans, drained and rinsed ( I use black beans)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14 ½ ounce)
1 can green chilies, chopped (4 ½ ounce)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
6-8 corn tortillas’
¾ cup sour cream (Can use more)
8 ounces of mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese ( I use mozzarella cheese)
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 350 degree, spray large nonstick fry pan with veggie spray, heat over high heat until hot.
Add ground beef, onion, and garlic, brown 8-10 minutes, until thoroughly cooked, stirring constantly.
Drain well, return beef mixture to fry pan.
Add beans, tomatoes, chilies and chili powder, mix well.
Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, spray 12x8 (2quart) baking dish with veggie spray.
Cut each tortilla in half, place 6-8 halves in bottom of sprayed baking dish, overlapping slightly.
Spoon half of the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas.
Spoon sour cream over beef mixture, spread evenly.
Top with remaining 6-8 tortilla halves and remaining beef mixture.
Cover tightly with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese.
Cover, let stand 3 minutes or until cheese is melted, sprinkle with cilantro

Apple spice cake with caramel spice sauce.

2009-10-17T14:59:00.003-06:00

So, while all of you are enjoying your beautiful fall, I can only dream of a beautiful fall. I miss the cool weather, sweaters, apple orchards, leaves changing and all of the greatness of fall (my favorite season). So, I have to pretend it's fall. This recipe made my house smell all warm and spicy; even if it's 80 degrees outside (and 90 in my kitchen because the oven is on).

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
2 un-peeled shredded apples
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl cream together butter & sugar. Add egg & beat well. Add shredded apples & mix well. Stir in dry ingredients & mix until just combined. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan & bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve with caramel spice sauce & whipped cream.

**double recipe for 9x13 pan & bake for 45-60 minutes.

Caramel Spice Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

In a small sauce pan on medium heat, melt together butter, sugar & milk
for 10-15 minutes (do not boil). Stir frequently. Add vanilla & nutmeg.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

2009-10-10T11:16:00.003-06:00

If you can't tell, I've been in the mood to cook lately. I'm also trying to eat healthily as well. I got this one off the the eatbetteramerica.com site. But I did change it quite a bit. I will list what I did.

8oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 T. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1small onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 -3 bunches broccoli florets
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 TB cornstarch
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (2 medium)

1. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package; cover to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add beef; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes until beef is no longer pink; remove from pan.

3. Add bell pepper and onion to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute. Add broccoli; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in water and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

4. In small cup, mix teriyaki sauce and cornstarch. Stir teriyaki sauce and beef into broccoli mixture in skillet. Cook and stir over high heat until sauce is thickened and heated through. (I added extra water because the sauce was to thick for my liking.) Toss broccoli mixture with spaghetti. Garnish with green onions.

You could omit the noodles and serve over rice too.

Beach Street Chicken Pasta

2009-10-10T11:10:00.003-06:00

This is another light and healthy meal. Great for everyday! I did cut the oil in half so if you want more oil feel free to double what you see.

**This recipe requires marinating the chicken for 3-12 hours so plan ahead!**

1 lb. linguine
1 tablespoons olive oil
Zest from one lemon
Juice from one lemon
3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (smashed with the back of a large knife or saucepan)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (cut this down to 1 1/2 teaspoons if you want less heat but don't omit entirely or you will lose great flavor)
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, sliced

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly before pouring into a ziploc plastic bag. Pat chicken dry and toss in marinade to coat. Refrigerate 3-12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat skillet over medium heat and pour contents of plastic bag (both marinade and chicken) into the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked.

Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.

While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguine in boiling salted water until done; drain and return to warm pot. Pour lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and mix lightly. When chicken is finished cooking, add hot pasta mixture to the skillet with the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss in parmesan cheese. Serve warm

Creme Brulee French Toast with Raspberry Cream Syrup

2009-10-04T20:42:00.003-06:00

Mmm, yummy fat and sugar. This recipe is not for those on a diet. I'm trying to make fun traditions in our family and I decided to make this for our conference brunch. It was yum!

1/2 c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 T corn syrup
6 (1 inch thick) slices French Bread
5 eggs
1 1/2 c. half & half
1 t. vanilla
1 t. orange extract
1/4 t. salt

Melt butter in small saucepan over med heat. Mix in sugar and corn syrup, mixing until sugar is dissolved. Pour into 9 x 13 pan. Remove crusts from bread (optional). Arrange in single layer in pan. In small bowl, whisk eggs, half & half, vanilla, orange extract and salt. Pour over bread. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Remove dish from fridge and bring to room temp. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes until puffed and lightly browned.

raspberry cream syrup

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pint fresh raspberries

In a medium sauce pan stir all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. let cool slightly & transfer to the blender. blend on high power with lid on loosely. pour into a bowl & stir in raspberries. cool completely as the syrup will thicken as it cools. (I did not put in a blender and it turned out great.)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

2009-10-03T19:00:00.002-06:00

This recipe is mainly for me so I know where it is when I want to make it again. I made it for John's Birthday, his favorite. It was really good!

3 1/2 C chopped strawberries
3 1/2 C chopped rhubarb
1 1/2 C sugar
2 T corn starch
2 T tapioca
dash of salt
2 pie crusts (Grandma Thompson's)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix. Stir in strawberries and rhubarb. Let sit for 15 minutes. Pour into pie crust. Place remaining crust on top and slie to vent. Brush crust with milk, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Begin checking after 20 minutes, and place pie ring when edges begin to brown. (I don't have a pie ring, but the edges didn't burn.)

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

2009-09-30T10:04:00.003-06:00

This was a great every night kind of meal. It is definitely one that you don't have to be exact on. A little of this a little of that, according to taste. My kids and husband gobbled these right up.

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (I used the leftover Kalua pork, it gave it a great smoky flavor)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, rinsed to defrost
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas (as usual I made these with the uncooked tortillas)

Mix all ingredients together. Arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Heat a large skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Spray pan with pam. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Shrimp Enchiladas

2009-09-28T18:09:00.001-06:00

This recipe was sooo yummy! Camille and Jared were my guinea pigs and I thought it turned out well.

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, divided (you can use half pepper-jack cheese for great results)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups ripe tomatoes, chopped
8 (9-inch) flour tortillas

Saute red pepper, onion and green pepper in 1/4 cup butter until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, cream and flour; blend well. Continue cooking for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; stir until melted. Add sour cream, stir to blend. Set aside.

In another skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Saute shrimp and 1/2 cup onion until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and chop; return to butter and onion. Add chopped tomatoes and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture into each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top of shrimp mixture. Roll up tightly. Arrange seam side down in a 9X13-inch glass baking dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Garlic chicken pasta with spinach.

2009-09-28T17:59:00.002-06:00

This recipe was light, healthy and yummy. I used the Barilla plus penne for extra health. If you are serving this to kiddies you might not want to use the red pepper or use very little, just a suggestion.

6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound penne pasta1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
6 tablespoons juice from 2 lemons
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, combine garlic, pepper flakes and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the garlic/red pepper oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat until oil is rippling. Add chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to boiling water and cook until tender but still slightly firm (al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Stir in chicken, spinach, basil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and remaining garlic mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Maple Brown Sugar Ham

2009-09-11T13:10:00.002-06:00

This was delicious! If you like ham. I served it with good ol' Funeral potatoes. Great, easy Sunday meal.

adapted slightly from Year of Crockpotting

7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (yes, please use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup)
2 cups pineapple juice

Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the slow cooker stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

Aaron and Linday's Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravanganza

2009-09-11T13:05:00.002-06:00

Who are Aaron and Lindsay? I don't know. I got this recipe from the This week for dinner blog. This soup tastes a lot like Cafe Rio's Tortilla soup. Just fry up some uncooked tortillas and voila, you have restaurant food and home.

-1 onion, finely chopped
- olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
- ½ bag frozen corn
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 lime (one extra for garnish)
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 4-5 corn tortillas, cut into strips
- 1 avocado, diced
- cayenne pepper
- chili powder
- cumin- salt and pepper
- cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream

Sautee onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, green onions, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Sautee until fragrant (a minute or two). Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add tomatoes, corn, black beans.

Grill up chicken spiced with cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You can also pan-fry it, but it won’t add the smokiness that the bbq does). Cut up or shred chicken and add it to the soup. Try the soup and add more seasonings according to taste, if needed. Add lime juice, cilantro, and avocado.

In large fry pan over medium-high heat, crisp up tortilla strips. Add salt. You may do this with oil or cooking spray. (For a shortcut, use tortilla chips instead).

Serve soup garnished with cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

2009-09-09T19:03:00.002-06:00

I'm putting this recipe on here for my benefit:) I found it on another blog and used it. I really liked it so I wanted to make sure I'd be able to find it again. But hey if you want to try it, it's really yummy!

3 1/4 cups crushed rapberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 1/2 cups sugar1 cup light corn syrup
1 box MCP fruit pectin (I used a different brand and it was fine)

Wash and prepare glass or plastic containers to store jam in. You can buy these or I have found that old sour cream containers work just fine.
Next, crush your berries using a potato masher or food processor. I know the instuctions inside the package say not the puree but I alsways have with my rapberry jam and it has always worked.
Measure your sugar into a bowl.
Measure your berries and put into a seperate large bowl.
Add the lemon juice to the berries.
Gradually stir in the box of MCP Pectin.
Set aside for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to dissolve the pectin thoroughly.
Next, stir in corn syrup. This prevents sugar crystals during freezer storage.
Gradually stir in the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy.
Pour into prepared containers leaving 1/2 inch at top for expansion during freezing. Cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then store in freezer for up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks (I've done mine longer). Makes 7 cups.

Easy Chicken Tacos

2009-08-28T13:39:00.002-06:00

These tacos have great flavor. We loved them. Next time I think I will cut the chipotle amount in half...just cuz of our little non spice lovers.

3 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Salt and pepper
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 12-13 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. When the chicken is done cooking, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture left in the skillet until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the yellow mustard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro to the skillet and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with tortillas topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and avocado.

**To warm the tortillas, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

Shrimp Stir Fry with Snow Peas and Coconut Curry Sauce

2009-08-24T10:36:00.003-06:00

This recipe was sooo good. John loved it and he doesn't even really like Asian type food. I doubled the whole thing except the garlic and ginger. I thought it would be way too much. I hope you all try it and like it.

Shrimp Stir Fry with Snow Peas and Coconut Curry Sauce
adapted from The Best 30-Minute Recipe

1 recipe Coconut-Curry sauce (below)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen and thawed them beforehand)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced (any type will do)
8 ounces snow peas, strings removed
1 cup bean sprouts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Prepare the sauce and set it aside (I doubled the sauce recipe because we love lots of sauce). Toss the shrimp with soy sauce. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up any clumps, until curled and lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a clean bowl.

Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in snow peas and bean sprouts and cook for one more minute.Clear the center of the pan and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic and ginger. Cook, mashing garlicmisture into the pan with the back of a spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cooked shrimp. Whisk sauce to recombine and add to pan, bringing to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Coconut Curry Sauce
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-2 teaspoons red curry paste (I used 2 teaspoons for a doubled recipe - this paste can be found in most grocery stores in the Asian foods aisle near the Thai ingredients)
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine ingredients in medium bowl and use as directed.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice Bowls

2009-08-14T10:31:00.005-06:00

As you can probably tell this recipe takes some time and a ton of ingredients. Really most everything I already had on hand other than the produce. This was so yummy! I promise it is worth the money and effort. Jared described that it's a mixture between Cafe Rio and Rumbi, two of my favorite places. Yum!!

About 8 servings

Tip: marinate the chicken and make the dressing the night before

Ingredients

Cilantro Lime Marinade

4 Lg. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¾ cup vegetable oil

Juice and zest of two limes

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ C finely chopped cilantro

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

1 pkg. Ranch Dip

1 cup sour cream (or yucky mayo)

1 cup buttermilk

5 tomatillos husked, cleaned, and chopped in half

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. garlic, minced

Juice and zest of two limes

1 jalapeno (seeded or not depending on how spicy you like it)

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

Cilantro-Lime Rice

2 cups uncooked rice

4 cups water

4 tsp. garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. butter

2 chicken bullion cubes

4 tsp. granulated sugar

Juice and zest of two limes

2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Mango Salsa (You could buy some but home-made is so much better)

2 mangoes, finely chopped

2 roma tomatoes, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno (with or w/o seeds), finely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lime

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Olive oil, to taste

Assembly Ingredients

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 ½ cups Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded

Extra cilantro and limes, for garnish

Preparation

1. Prepare marinade by mixing everything together (I just used the same bag I marinated the chicken in. Place chicken breasts in a re-sealable plastic bag. Add prepared marinade and mix to coat. Marinate for 4 hours to overnight.

2. While chicken is marinating, prepare tomatillo ranch dressing. Place everything in a food processor until smooth. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

3. 30 minutes before removing chicken from marinade, prepare cilantro lime rice. I put the first six ingredients in the rice cooker and mix in the lime juice/zest, and cilantro once it’s cooked. Set aside for later use.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and grill in skillet or on the grill. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then cube.

5. While chicken is cooking prepare mango salsa by mixing everything together,

6. To compile rice bowl, place desired amount of rice in an oven safe bowl (I like to do individual servings and preferably the same bowl you’ll serve it in) Top rice with the following in this order: shredded chicken, cilantro, mango salsa, and finally shredded pepper jack cheese.

7. Place rice bowl under the broiler just until cheese is melted and the dish is warmed through. Serve with a drizzle of the tomatillo ranch dressing, garnish with cilantro and lime.

8. Enjoy!

Steel Cut Oatmeal

2009-08-11T08:28:00.002-06:00

I saw this on a Food Network show a couple of days ago and thought it looked good (I like to make a hot cereal every once in awhile and regular oatmeal was getting old). So I gave it a try and it is really yummy! So if you have about 40 minutes to cook something (it does take awhile) give it a try!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast. Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.

Combine the milk and half of the buttermilk with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

suggestion - check it about 20 minutes, mine didn't need a whole 25. Also, I served it with raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I don't think I would've liked it with more buttermilk, but to each his own! Ohh, and I think you could make it with just milk and it would taste great!

Mona's Teriyaki Chicken

2009-07-27T18:49:00.002-06:00

We usually halve this recipe for our family!

6 lbs chicken thighs (try to get the boneless skinless ones, they're so much easier)
1/2 cup cornstarch
6 cups Mr. Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce (usually by the ketchup and BBQ sauces)
chicken broth
Water

Marinate chicken in 5 cups of Mr. Yoshida sauce for at least 2 to 8 hours. Make sure chicken is well coated with sauce. For best flavor, marinate overnight in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator.
Remove chicken from marinade and place in baking pans. Discard marinade.
Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pan(s) and cut into strips and put onto a serving dish or into a crock pot if not serving till later. Save drippings from pan
Sauce: Strain drippings from baked chicken into a saucepan. Add water or chicken broth to make 2 cups. Bring to boil. In a mason jar, put 1 cup Mr. Yoshida sauce then add 3 cups water and 1/2 c. cornstarch. Cover tightly with lid and shake well. After drippings in saucepan have come to a boil, add contents of jar. Bring to a boil and pour over chicken and serve.

*When I make this I usually serve it with rice and steamed broccoli and carrots, but you can do whatever you want!:)

Apple Snickers Salad

2009-07-27T11:22:00.003-06:00

Mom got this recipe from a neighbor and it is delish. I figured I better post it or you'll never get the recipe from her.

Ingredients:
3-4 lg. or 5-6 sm. granny smith apples ( I use more when I make it)
4 lg. (not king size, unless you want more snickers than apples :)) Snickers bars (I think I use 5)
1 (12 oz.) container or cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 lg. Cool Whip, thawed

Instructions:
Chop apples (you can peel if you prefer but I don't) and snickers bars.

Beat sugar and cream cheese until combined. Fold in Cool Whip.

Mix everything together and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Strawberry lemonade bars

2009-07-23T12:57:00.002-06:00

What says summer better than strawberry lemonade? How about strawberry lemonade bars? Yum!

Crust
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar & salt until light & fluffy. Add flour & mix until just combined. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper that hangs over the long sides. Spray parchment paper & sides with non-stick cooking spray.
Press crust into the bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until just starting to turn golden. (my modification. I doubled the crust and put into a jelly roll sheet, but I didn't double the rest of the recipe)

lemon curd layer
8 egg yolks
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients & pour over hot crust. Return to oven & cook for an additional 25-30 minutes. Chill in the fridge while making the next layer. (if you use the jelly roll pan you don't need to cook as long because it is a thinner layer)
~
lemon cream layer
2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
grated zest from 1 lemon
1 pint strawberries, hulled & sliced

In a medium bowl, whip together all ingredients until thick & fluffy. Spread over cooled lemon curd layer. Arrange the sliced strawberries over the top of the cream layer. Place in the fridge to chill while making strawberry glaze.

strawberry glaze
1 pint strawberries, pureed in blender or food processor
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 TBSP corn starch

In a medium pot, over medium heat, combine strawberries & water. In a small bowl, combine sugar & corn starch. Whisk sugar into strawberry mixture. Bring just to a boil, whisking constantly. Spread over sliced strawberries. Return to fridge to chill completely.

Enjoy!

These took me a long time to make. It may just be that I was trying to make them in a small kitchen with feedings for baby in between. But they were worth it.

Fresh Lime

2009-07-06T10:28:00.006-06:00

Okay so this recipe is really a no-brainer but we love it. We drank fresh limes or limonadas like crazy on our honeymoon in Mexico and this is my re-creation of that. This drink is light and refreshing. You could really use any citrus fruit that you like.

Makes about 8-12 servings (could easily be halved)

Ingredients:
1 recipe sugar syrup (recipe follows)
6 limes, juiced or about 1 cup
2 liters club soda
sugar rimmed glasses with a lime twist (dip glass in lime juice then in sugar finish off with a lime slice)
ice

Sugar Syrup Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 limes, zested

Directions:
First make the syrup by boiling sugar and water until sugar is dissolved about 1 minute. Immediately add in lime zest to infuse flavor. Cool completely before using. (Once mixture is cool you could strain out lime zest...but I never do.)

Now just mix everything together (except for the glasses of course) and enjoy!

Baked Chicken Toquitos

2009-06-18T17:04:00.002-06:00

I crave these now. My family really like them. I did have to double the recipe to feed my large and hungry brood.

Makes 14-16 taquitos

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely (white and green parts to equal about 2 tablespoons)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cook large batches of chicken in my crockpot with a little chicken broth and salt, shred it and freeze it for meals like this)
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese (use pepperjack if you like a little heat)

small yellow or white corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

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

In a medium-sized bowl, mix softened cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare this step ahead of time (which I did - I made it the morning of). Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and pliable and don't crack while rolling. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of a soft tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. (A few of mine wanted to rebel and come unrolled so I stuck a toothpick through them to keep them right and tight.)

Place filled taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure they don't touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and lightly sprinkle some kosher (coarse) salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve immediately. Taquitos can be dipped in in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or any other combination you can dream up.

Anything and Everything Granola

2009-06-10T10:34:00.004-06:00

Well I've been looking for snacks that are sweet but good for you too. So I came upon a granola recipe and tried it out. I've added and taken things out, but no matter how I've made it, it's been really yummy! We actually really like to have it as cereal, since it isn't like a gooey granola. Also it's very helpful for the digestive system:) Any way, you can add or take out stuff, but I'll just tell you what I've been doing.

4 cups regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts would taste good too)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/3 sunflower seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (the recipe called for cooking oil, coconut is healthier, but a lot more expensive. I'm sure it would taste great with regular)
1/8 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup honey (if you don't have agave nectar just use all honey)
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. molasses (sometimes I don't add this)
1 1/2 cup craisins or raisins or both

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl mix oats, nuts, wheat germ, coconut, seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

In a saucepan combine oil, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, and molasses. Heat until warmed. Carefully pour over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish by hand.

Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then add dried fruit.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopies

2009-05-19T13:26:00.003-06:00

This is a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, and it is soooo good! Make sure you have someone to share it with or you just might eat them all and be sick!

1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 c softened butter
1 pkg. spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 recipe Marshmallow-spice filling (below)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl combined softened butter and pumpkin and beat until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs, and milk; beat until combined, then for 1 more minute,

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil (grease if using). Drop batter by heaping tablespoons 3 inches apart onto cookie sheet; keep remaining batter chilled. Bake for 15 minutes or until set and light brown around edges. Carefully remove from parchment or foil; cool. Repeat.

Spread about 2 1/2 tbsps Marshmallow-spice filling onto the flat side of one cookie; top with a second cookie. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 2 hours. Makes 15 cookie sandwiches.

Marshmallow-Spice Filling:

1/2 cup softened butter
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 of 7 oz. jar of marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly. Mix in marshmallow creme and vanilla. Then add in spices.

Devin's Desert

2009-05-19T13:10:00.003-06:00

This is the dessert I made for Devin's birthday party. It's pretty yummy!

Cake:

3/4 c butter, softened
2 eggs
2 3/4 c All purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c buttermilk or sour milk
1 small can sprite (8 oz, I think)

Allow eggs and butter to come to room temperature. Meanwhile grease 9X13 pan WELL. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl beat butter, than add sugar and vanilla, beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time mixing well after each addition. In a measuring cup, Mix 3/4 cup Sprite with Buttermilk. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to butter mixture until just combined. Pour into pan then pour the rest of the sprite on top.

Bake for 30-50 minutes (the recipe says 50, but mine was done in 30). Cool Completely

Pudding mixture:

2 pkgs white chocolate instant pudding
3 cups cold milk
whipping cream

Mix together pudding and milk and allow to set. Whip the cream. Fold in about 1 cup of the unsweetened whipped cream.

Sweeten the rest of the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla for topping.

To Assemble:

Put cake on bottom (it will crumble so let it!). Put fruit on top of that (any fruit will work, but I really like blueberries, they make it taste like a blueberry cheese cake to me.....oh and frozen works well too). Then put pudding mixture on top of that and top with whipped cream and enjoy!

Thai Chicken

2009-05-12T09:29:00.003-06:00

I'm always on the search for easy, good, and inexpensive everyday kind of meals. This is one that I will definitely be making over and over again. It was delish and I don't usually like Thai food.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
Honey Roasted Peanuts
cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Place chicken and bell pepper in a 9"X13" greased pan.

In a separate bowl mix broth, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour mixture over chicken. Put in oven uncovered for 30 minutes.

Right before chicken is almost done mix cornstarch with warmed lime juice and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. When chicken is done Stir peanut butter mixture into chicken.

Put chicken back in oven for another 15 minutes.

Serve over rice. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.

Pot Stickers

2009-05-11T12:17:00.003-06:00

These were really yummy if you like pot stickers. I made them as the main dish and served with rice.

Makes about 60 potstickers or one package of wonton wrappers

Ingredients:

1 package wonton/dumpling wrappers (2-inch circle)
1 C thinly sliced Napa /Bok Choy cabbage
1 lb ground pork
2 t minced fresh or bottled ginger (I had ground ginger and used 1 tsp. and it worked fine but it would probably be better with fresh)
2 finely chopped green onion
1 t salt
1 t soy sauce
1 t rice wine vinegar
1 t sesame oil

1. Dice 1 C. cabbage into very tiny pieces. In a large bowl add all ingredients except for wonton wrappers and dipping sauce, mix well with hands.

2. Lightly flour 2 cookie sheets, get out a small bowl of water to dip your fingers in. Wet one side of the wonton wrapper, spoon 2 t. filling on the center of the wonton wrapper. Fold in half and pinch edges closed.

3. Place pot stickers on a lightly floured cookie sheet. Continue until mixture is gone.

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve

To serve:
1. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a non-stick skillet (Must be non-stick. They are called pot stickers for a reason). Place the wontons in the skillet on med-high heat (wait for the oil to get hot before placing them in.)

2. Add water to cover the pouches one-third of the way up. Cover and reduce temperature. Cook until liquid is gone. (7-8 minutes)

3. Flip and cook reverse side until crispy. Serve hot and dip in sauce to eat.

*A more healthy way to cook pot stickers is to drop the pot stickers into a pot of boiling water . When they float to the top they are done. Serve warm with sauce.

*These freeze really well. If you want to freeze simply freeze them on the cookie sheet for 1-2 hours. Then transfer to a freezer bag.

Dipping sauce:

4 T. soy sauce
4 t. balsamic vinegar
4 t. brown sugar
3-4 clove minced garlic
Crushed red pepper flakes

Combine ingredients and place in small bowls for each person to dip their pot stickers in.

*This doesn't make a ton of sauce.

Kneaders Key Lime Tarts

2009-04-29T10:27:00.005-06:00

These were very fun to make! I got this recipe from Good Things Utah and it didn't come with the tart shell. So I found the recipe on Food Network from Ina Garten. It was very easy and turned out great. If you love Lime then you will Love these!

Tart Shell

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons cold shortening (recommended: Crisco) Note: I didn't use any Crisco I just added more butter and they turned out great
1/4 cup ice water

Directions

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times, or until the butter is in the size of peas. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the dough and fit into 4 (4 1/2-inch) tart pans with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pans or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of each pan. Line the tart shells with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill them with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil, prick the bottom of the shells all over with a fork, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until almost done. Set aside to cool. (If adding filling you'll be cooking another 5 minutes so make sure you don't overbake)

Lime Filling

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
4 teaspoons grated lime zest
4 egg yolks
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 (4 1/2") tart shells

Directions

1. It’s easiest to remove the lime zest from whole limes so start with that.

2. Cut the limes in half and squeeze out the juice being careful to not include any seeds.

3. Whisk the egg yolks and lime zest together in a bowl until tinted light green. This takes about 2 minutes.

4. Beat in the milk, then juice and set aside at room temp till it thickens, about 5 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

6. Pour mixture into tart crusts, bake for 5 minutes until the center is set, but still wiggles when shaken.

7. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp.

8. Refrigerate for at least three hours until well chilled.

9. Serve with whipped cream topping and decorate with a lime wedge or zest.

Makes 4 Tarts

The Ultimate Potatoes Au Gratin

2009-04-07T19:21:00.002-06:00

This is Tyler Florence's recipe from foodnetwork.com. It is really good! takes a while to cook though, so give yourself plenty of time (I didn't and the kids were crying from hunger while waiting for it to cook!)

Ingredients:

1 head savoy cabbage, cored, cleaned, and shredded (I couldn't find savoy so I used Napa...worked great)
1 (2-inch) piece slab bacon, thinly sliced (or about 4 pieces regular bacon)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped to 1/4 cup
2 pounds baking potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced (about 1/8-inch), see Cook's note*
2 1/2 cups heavy cream (I only used two, and think that's plenty)
2 cups grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Finely shred the cabbage. Cut the bacon into 1/2-inch chunks. Place a small skillet over medium-low heat and fry the bacon, until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to bacon fat in frying pan. When it has melted add 1/2 the garlic and give it a quick stir with a wooden spoon to soften. Add the cabbage and coat it with the butter. Slowly let it wilt. Add the bacon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and add most of the chives, reserving a little for the garnish.

Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch ovenproof casserole dish. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 1/2 cups of cream, 1 cup of Parmesan, and the remaining garlic. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, place a layer of potatoes in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and repeat with 2 more layers. Spoon the cabbage mixture on top and spread it out evenly over the potatoes. Top it off with 2 more layers of potato and Parmesan. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream over the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives.

*Cook's Note: Slice the potatoes immediately before using so they don't turn brown.

Classic Bran Muffins

2009-04-07T19:12:00.004-06:00

This is a very yummy recipe!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/3 c. pumpkin to make healthier....so good!)
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Molasses (optional - I added it)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.
Beat together oil, egg, sugar, molasses and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
( I also squeezed a tiny bit of honey on the tops before baking, it was really good because these aren't super sweet! It kind of tastes like a Mimi's muffin...kinda)
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy! Makes 12

Soft Gingersnaps

2009-04-02T21:03:00.002-06:00

Ingredients:

3/4 c. shortening (I always use butter)
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I usually add a tiny bit more ginger/cinnamon/nutmeg.....just until I like the taste.....but it's good as written)
sugar for rolling

Cream together first 4 ingredients. Add remaining ingredients, except sugar for rolling. Mix well. Chill for 1 hour. Roll into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar, and bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Makes 45 cookies.

BBQ Chicken Salad Puff Stackers

2009-03-29T13:00:00.003-06:00

I have been haunting recipe blogs the last little while. Always on the look out for yummy and easy meals. This is one I found and I really thought it was yummy.

2 sheets thawed puff pastry, each sheet cut into 16 squares (I'm sure this is very delicious. For Health reasons I used Cibata rolls. These would also be delicious in croisants.)

Homemade BBQ Sauce
1 ¼ Cups ketchup
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
4 Tablespoons worstershire sauce (I didn't have enough of this so I put some jarred BBQ sauce in)
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (used to taste, this is a lot of pepper)
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of salt

1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (I don't like how much fat a rotisseries chicken has so I roasted some chicken breasts. Pour a little olive oil over the chicken, salt and pepper to taste and bake in oven at 350 degrees. Only takes 15-20 minutes and the chicken is so tender. I prefer this method over boiling.)

4 Cups Baby Arugula, or salad of choice
4 Tablespoons prepared Ranch Dressing

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place squares 1 inch apart on a large baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until puffed and slightly golden.
2. Combine all BBQ Sauce ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and stir in shredded chicken. Let simmer.
3. In a medium bowl, toss salad with ranch dressing. Spoon a bit of salad onto a puff pastry square then top with a spoonful of chicken. Top with another puff square and repeat layering. Serve warm. (You could also add some provolone and avocados if you want, that what I did.)
10 stackers

Southwest Corn and Chicken Soup

2009-03-17T09:19:00.003-06:00

I tried this recipe the other day and I thought it was really yummy. It even got a 2 helping approvoal from John (that's how I know he really likes it).

3 fresh cobs of corn (I used a 2 bags of frozen corn, store didn't have fresh)
1 chicken breast
3 green onions, spring onions, shallots
1 banana pepper or red pepper
2 cloves garlic
3 T. Semolina Flour (used regular flour it worked just fine)
1 cup chicken stock (I'm not sure exact proportions I used but I used more to make it stretch)
1/2 cup half & half (I used 3 cups to make it stretch for my family)
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 avocado, cut into small chunks
chips
cheese

Roast the chicken in a little olive oil and salt in a hot oven.Meanwhile shuck the corn and then slice the corn from the husks. Cut the pepper and green onions into a few pieces. Place all into a food processor. Add the garlic and flour. Blend altogether for a minute or two, until ground to a nice paste.Pour into a saucepan and add the stock and cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-20 minutes.At some point the chicken should have been done. Cut or shred it and add it to the soup at any point. Add the cilantro. In the mean time, lay some corn chips out onto a cookie sheet. Top with cheese and broil in the oven until toasted and melted -being careful not to burn.Place some chips in the bottom of the bowls. Top with soup and avocado and a few more chips and serve, garnished with more cilantro. Enjoy!

Aunt Mashelle's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-03-16T18:08:00.002-06:00

These are the cookies I took to our Girl's Night Out the other night. I halved the recipe.

Cream Together:

2 cups butter
2 cups Brown Sugar
2 cups White Sugar

Add eggs and vanilla. Mix

4 Eggs
2 tsps. Vanilla

In a separate bowl mix together:

6 Cups Flour
2 tsps. Baking Soda
2 tsps. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
(I also sometimes add 1/2 cup. coconut and 1/2 c. oats)

Add to other ingredients and mix. Stir in:
4 Cups Chocolate chips or 2 Large sympony bars cut unto chunks.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until barely brown (in my oven it takes about 10 mins). They still look doughy on the inside.

Oven-Barbecued Pork Chops and Sautéed Kale

2009-03-05T12:55:00.006-07:00

I got these recipes from Good Things Utah. This is a really easy, inexpensive, and healthy meal.

When I saw the recipe for Kale I wasn't so sure about it, but I thought I'd give it a try. It is a dark leafy green that when cooked doesn't loose it's bite. I want to say it tastes smiliar to spinach. Also like spinach, it has lots of good vitamins it it. Jared and I both liked the way it tasted. It's a great alternative if you're getting sick of the usual veggies you cook.

I also made some brown rice to go along with this meal.

OVEN-BARBECUED PORK CHOPS

Ingredients
6 Pork loin chops

Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
1 lg onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup orange juice
1 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Head a large ovenrproof skillet over high heat. Drizzle both sides of pork chops with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Add the pork chops and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add about 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add orange juice and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in barbecue sauce. Return the pork chops to the pan, turning several times to coat with the sauce.

4. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Serve the sauce over the pork chops.

SAUTEED KALE

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch Kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)

½ cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 teaspoons balsamic, sherry, or red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons bacon bits (make your own or store bought)

Salt and Pepper

Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons, until bright green, about 1 minute. Add water, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Push kale to one side, pour out any remaining water. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Toss with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste and top with bacon bits.

Tips
When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it--allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Herb Marinated Rack of Lamb

2009-02-23T16:15:00.002-07:00

I made this for Devin and I on Valentines. I had never even had lamb before and just wanted to try it, cause it looks cool. I was pleasantly surprised with this recipe. It cooked exactly like the recipe says (which seems like it never happens) and was really good!!! I would definitely make this again, and it is easy! Ohh and, to learn how to "french" (trim the fat) the lamb I just checked out a how to video on youtube......helped a lot!

Ingredients
2 lamb racks (about 8 to 9 ribs each)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed
2 (4-inch) rosemary sprigs, crushed
6 thyme sprigs, crushed
4 rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

Directions
Clean the rib bones well by scraping off meat and sinew with a small sharp knife. Cut the racks in 1/2 so that each has four ribs. Mix together the olive oil, crushed garlic, crushed rosemary and thyme sprigs in a large bowl. Add the lamb and coat well. Grind some coarse black pepper over all. Wrap well and marinate the racks overnight.

The next day remove the lamb from the marinade and scrape off as many herbs as possible.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the lamb well with salt; no additional pepper should be necessary, and sear fat side down until golden, about 7 minutes. Turn over so that the fat side is up and roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the rack rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

To serve, cut each lamb rack into 4 equal pieces, 2 bones per chop and serve on individual plates or a platter with the accompaniments of your choice.

Apple Dumplings

2009-01-29T09:42:00.003-07:00

Okay so...this is seriously the BEST dessert! Jared is still talking about it. He says it's one of the best desserts that he's EVER had.

2 Lg.Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and cook for a couple minutes, don't boil. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes(I only cooked mine for 35). Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Suggestion:
If you want lots of sauce to serve over dumplings and ice cream, I would make a recipe and a half of the sauce. (This is what I'll do the next time I make it.)

Crockpot Mango Chicken

2009-01-25T13:55:00.003-07:00

I'm eating this very thing as I post this. It is really yummy and really easy.

4 chicken breasts (I used more to feed the troops)
2 cups tomato based mango salsa (I used the Costco mango salsa)
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt

Combine ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred and use for tacos, burittos, enchiladas, salads...etc. Enjoy!

Five Layer Bars

2009-01-20T08:37:00.008-07:00

Okay so I know that just about everyone is on a diet right now but these were too good not to post, and easy!

FYI: this recipe is from Paula Deen on the Food Network

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup butterscotch morsels

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom of a Greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Layer next four ingredients onto crust. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the layers. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into bars.

Spinach Salad

2009-01-01T14:08:00.002-07:00

This is one of our favorites! It makes a lot, so it's great for a large crowd!

2 bunches spinach (or one large bag)
1/2 head iceburg lettuce
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 sliced red onion (I like to dice them smaller)
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 c. shredded swiss cheese
Crasins (optional)

Combine all ingredients. You can even make this the night before, and just refrigerate it!

Dressing:

1 c. red wine vinegar
1 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tbsp. finely grated onion (I like to use a little less onion in the salad, and grate the uncut end, so that you don't have onion smelling fingers.....if that makes sense)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard

Combine and pour over salad just before serving.

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars

2009-01-01T14:03:00.002-07:00

These are very decadent, and very good!!! I also think that they would taste good with any type of candy on them, or even without!!!
Ohh, and this recipe is from the Food Network Kitchens.

Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil.

For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack. (I had to cook the filling about 5 minutes longer than what it said here)

For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.
Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.

Truffle Pie

2009-01-01T13:59:00.002-07:00

This is Paula Deen's recipe off of The Food Network. Its REALLY good, and also very rich.....so have it after a light dinner:)

Ingredients

Truffle Filling:
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Whipped Chocolate Filling:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (again I used milk chocolate)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Garnish:
1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate
1 1/2 ounces white chocolate
1 1/2 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate

Directions
For the truffle filling, in a saucepan, bring 2/3 cup cream to a simmer. Place the 6 ounces chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then gently whisk until smooth. Spread truffle filling over the bottom of the prepared piecrust. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the whipped chocolate filling, in a double boiler or a microwave set on low power, heat the 6 ounces chocolate chips with 1/2 cup of the cream until the chocolate is just melted, stirring often. Let cool to room temperature. In a chilled bowl, beat the chocolate mixture, remainint 1 cup of cream and the vanilla until soft peaks form (tips curl). Spread the whipped chocolate mixture over the truffle filling in the crust. Refrigerate overnight.
For the topping, just before serving, beat 1 cup cream on medium speed of an electric mixer until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and whip until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie. Using a grater or vegetable peeler, make pieces or shavings of milk chocolate, white chocolate, and semisweet or dark chocolate. Garnish pie with chocolate pieces. Serve immediately.

Holiday Spinach Salad

2008-12-20T20:09:00.002-07:00

1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach
3/4 c. glazed almonds (I've also used pecans and they were very good!)
4 tbsp. sugar
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 pomegranate, seeds separated
1/2 chopped unpeeled red delicious apple
1/2 chopped unpeeled golden delicious apple
1 small can mandarin oranges (optional)

To glaze almonds: Stir with 4 tbsp. sugar in frying pan until sugar melts and nuts turn golden brown. Spread on foil to cool. Break into small pieces. Mix all ingredients together and toss with Dressing

(double recipe for larger groups)

Dressing:

1/3 c. olive or vegetable oil
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar (I always use red wine)
1 tbsp. sour cream
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients and shake or blend well.