Summer's Recipes

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

2012-01-15T23:39:00.002-05:00

Boil, peel and cut up 6-7 potatoes.

(or you can use a bag of frozen hash brown potatoes)

Sauce:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cube butter-melted and cooled

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup green onions or 1 tblsp dehydrated onion

1 cup grated mild cheese

Mix sauce and stir into potatoes. Top with a handful of crushed corn flakes. Dribble 1 tbsp melted butter over top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on how PRE-cooked the potatoes are).

Crazy Chocolate Cake

2012-01-15T21:14:00.003-05:00

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

6 Tbsp cocoa

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup oil

2 Tbsp vinegar

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups cold water

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda together thoroughly in a bowl. Make 3 holes in the dry ingredients. Pour oil in one hole, vinegar in the next hole and vanilla in last hole. Then pour cold water over the entire mix and stir until moistened. Pour batter into a 9x13 greased pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. or until it springs back when touched lightly.

Crazy Chocolate Cake Frosting:

3 squares un-sweetened chocolate or (9 Tbsp cocoa & 3 Tbsp shortening)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup evaporated milk

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Combine chocolate, butter, milk, 2/3 cup powdered sugar & salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and enough powdered sugar for spreading on your surface (about 3 cups).

Buttermilk Syrup

2012-01-15T21:11:00.002-05:00

Bring to a boil in a large, TALL pan:

2 cubes real butter

2 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

Add:

1 tsp baking soda (makes above mixture bubble up VERY VERY HIGH- be careful and use a tall pot so it doesn't boil over!)

1 tsp vanilla

Grandma's Spare ribs

2012-01-15T21:02:00.002-05:00

2 cups catsup

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

1 tsp mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vinegar

salt

pepper

Pour above sauce over spareribs and bake 3-4 hours at 300 degrees. Baste occasionally.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

2012-01-15T19:49:00.002-05:00

3 lbs hamburger

2 onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2, 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1, 8 oz can water

2 pkgs, sloppy joe mix

salt to taste

Buns

Brown meat in skillet. Pour into collander and rinse well. Put into crock pot and add onions, green pepper, tomato sauce and water. Stir. Salt to taste. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours or on high heat for 5 hours.

Chicken Pot Pie

2012-01-15T19:38:00.002-05:00

3 chicken breasts, cooked (or 1/2 large bottle of cooked chicken) (OR left over rotisserie chicken from Costco)

1 can Veg-All (or 1, 1/2-2 cups frozen mixed vegetables)

1 can cream of potatoe soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 pkg Pillsbury pie crust, double OR 2 homemade pie crusts

1 egg, beaten

Beat eggs at bottom of large bowl. Mix in soups, milk and veggies. Lastly, stir in the chicken.

Place 1 pie crust in a pie pan, pour in chicken mixture. Top with final pie crust, crimp edges. Brush top with beaten egg. Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour or until crust is golden brown. Let sit out for 15-20 minutes at least.

Hawaiian Haystacks

2012-01-15T19:29:00.002-05:00

Gravy:

4 cups seasoned chicken broth

1/4 cup cornstarch

2-3 cups cooked and cubed chicken or turkey

4 cups hot cooked brown rice

4 medium tomatoes

1, 10 oz pkg petite peas, thawed

5 stalks celery-chopped

1-2 green peppers-chopped

8 oz crushed pineapple (or tidbits)

1/2 cup slivered almonds or sunflower seeds

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup Chinese noodles

1 cup grated cheese

6-8 chopped green onions

Twice Baked Potatoes

2012-01-15T19:20:00.002-05:00

6 large potatoes, baked

1 cube butter

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped chives

Bake potatoes for 1 hour at 425 degrees. Do not wrap in foil, so the skins will become hardened. Cut in half and spoon out cooked potatoes, carefully. Mix ingredients and restuff. May sprinkle on cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Sour Cream Potatoes

2012-01-15T16:53:00.002-05:00

1 bag frozen hash browns (32 oz)- chunk type

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 lb (16 oz) sour cream

1, 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 medium chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green onion

bread crumbs (crushed ritz crackers)

Mix hash browns, soup, sour cream, and 1 cup of the grated cheese, and the green onion. Put in 9x13 pan. Cover with 1/2 cup grated cheese then top with bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees till heated through. Should take about 35-40 minutes.

Breakfast Egg Casserole

2012-01-15T16:38:00.002-05:00

Mix in blender:

1 cup milk

1 dozen eggs

salt

Add:

2 cans chopped green chilis

1 cup diced ham/bacon/sausage

1, 1/2 cups grated cheese

Pour into greased 9x13 pan

Bake at 350 for approx 40 minutes or until center is firm

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

2012-01-15T16:25:00.003-05:00

Pork:

Place 3 lbs pork roast in crock pot with 1 cup of water and cook on low heat overnight for several hours until tender. Shred with two forks.

Season with:

1 ts garlic salt,

1/4 cup barbecue sauce,

3/4 cup ketcup,

1/2 cup of sugar

These measurements are relative. Adjust according to the size of your roast and your taste.

Rice and Beans:

Use Zatarains box of rice and rinsed black beans

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing:

2/3 cup tomatillo salsa verde (buy in a jar - salsa verde)

2/3 cup mayo

2 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup salad oil (vegetable oil such as canola)

1, 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup cilantro

Blend all ingredients except oil and cilantro. Add them when blender is on high.

Serve over Romaine lettuce, guacamole, etc...

Texas Sheet Cake (Mortenson)

2011-12-30T14:45:00.003-05:00

Cake:

Bake at 325 degrees for 30 min

1 stick butter

1/2 cup shortening

3, 1/2 tbsp cocoa

1 cup water

Combine and bring to rolling boil

Pour into and mix well

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Add 1/2 cup buttermilk (milk and tiny bit of vinegar can substitute)

2 eggs slightly beaten

1, 1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

Pour over warm cake

Bring to a rolling boil:

1 stick butter

2, 1/2 tbsp cocoa

6 Tbsp milk

Add 1 lb powdered sugar and mix well

Add 1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla

Moist Cupcakes

2011-12-28T21:59:00.002-05:00

1 pkg (18.5 oz) chocolate cake mix

1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 (16 oz) can chocolate frosting

In a mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixers, water oil, and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup batter.

Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost. Decorate with additional chips if desired.

Makes about 2-2, 1/2 dozen

Chocolate Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-12-28T21:29:00.004-05:00

Thick Cake:

1 cup butter

1 cup water

4 Tbsp heaping cocoa

Sift together:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Pour chocolate over dry ingredients, genlty mix

In seperate bowl, combine the following:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp baking soda, dissolved in a little water

1 tsp vanilla

Combine with chocolate ingredients... then add:

1/2 cup sour cream

Gently mix. Do not over mix!

Bake in an 8, 1/2 x 11 pan at 325 for 50-60 minutes

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup Butter

3 cups powdered sugar

milk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 tbsp cocoa powder

cream together butter, vanilla and cream cheese. Add in powdered sugar and cocoa powder until creamy and smooth. Slowly add in milk till the right consistency. I like mine fluffy, so I beat it on high for 3 minutes.

Chocolate cream cheese frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1, 8 oz pkg cream cheese

3, 1 oz squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

dash of salt

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup half and half

1 tsp vanilla

Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add melted chocolate, salt, sifted powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and spreadable.

Chocolate Bundt Cake (Judy Storms)

2011-12-28T21:15:00.004-05:00

1 pkg (18.25 oz) chocolate cake mix

1 pkg (about 3.4 oz) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

4 large eggs

2 cups (12 oz pkg) Semi Sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan or other tube pan

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, milk, sour cream and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed just until blended. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in morsels and optional nuts. Pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 55-65 minutes until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely

Glaze:

2 packets (1 oz each) premelted unsweetened chocolate flavor squares

3 tblsp butter

1, 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2-3 tblsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt Choco Bake and butter in medium, heavy duty saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar alternately with water until of desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour glaze over cake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips

Texas Sheet Cake (Heidi)

2011-12-28T21:03:00.002-05:00

2 sticks of butter

1 cup of water

4 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray bakers 1/2 sheet (same as a jelly roll pan) with non-stick cooking spray. Melt together butter, water and cocoa powder. I use the microwave, but however you want. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon and baking soda. Combine the butter mixture and flour mixture. Stir until smooth. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Pour into prepared sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. While cake is baking, make frosting:

Frosting:

1 stick butter

4 Tbsp cocoa powder

6 Tbsp buttermilk

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Melt together cocoa powder and buttermilk. Add powdered sugar and stir until smooth. Add vanilla. Frost cake while it is still warm. Sprinkle with chopped nuts (optional), if that's how you like your chocolate cake. Enjoy!

Malted Blondies

2011-12-26T20:11:00.002-05:00

2, 1/3 cups flour

1, 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tblsp malted milk powder (in the coffee section of the store)

14 tblsp butter, softened and cut into 1 inch cubes

1, 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup malted milk balls (like whoppers), coarsely chopped

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, place your walnuts in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes or until you start smelling walnuts. Remove and elt cool. Meanwhile, butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan with a parchment sleeve (or a well-greased tin foil, with the parchment paper underneath) to make the removal and cutting of the bars easier.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and beat in the eggs and vanilla until well-blended. Add the dry ingredients in two additions on low speed and beat until just combined. Mix in the malted milk balls, chocolate chips and walnuts. Give the batter a final folding by hand with a spatula to make sure there are no dry pockets and the batter is evenly mixed. It will be very thick. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it evenly. Bake in teh center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the bars are deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the bars to a cutting board and cutting them into 24 squares. Once they cool completely, they can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Makes 24 bars.

'Better than Sex' Cake or Cupcakes

2011-12-26T15:11:00.003-05:00

1 Chocolate cake mix, prepared per package directions

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 jar caramel/butterscotch sauce

1 lg cool whip or whipping cream

4 heathe bars, crumbled

For Cake:

Bake cake according to package directions. While the cake is still warm, punch holes with the end of a wooden spoon halfway down through the cake about 1 inch apart. Fill holes half way with sweetened condensed milk and half way with caramel sauce. Top with Cool whip. Sprinkle Heath bar crumbles on top.

For cupcakes:

Bake cupcakes according to package directions. Must use aluminum foil cupcake wrappers. Poke 3 holes in each cupcake. Pour 1 tbsp caramel/sweetened condensed milk mixture in each cupcake holes. Let the stuff soak in at least few hours before serving. Top with cool whip and heathe bars. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Beet Greens Skillet

2011-12-26T15:03:00.002-05:00

1 pound beet greens, Kale and/or Collard Greens

1 strip of thick cut bacon, chopped

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

3/4 cup of water

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1/6 cup of apple cider vinegar

Wash the greens, drain and wash again. Drain and cut away any heavy stems, seperate from leaves. Cut leaves into bite sized peices. and set aside.

In a large skillet or 3-qt saucepan, cook bacon until lightly browned on medium heat. Add onions and heavy stems. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and onions start to brown. Stir in garlic. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar. Bring mixture to a boil.

Add the Kale or Collard greens 20 minutes before adding the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes until the greens are tender. Stir in vinegar.

Berry Berry Cobbler-Healthy

2011-12-26T14:57:00.003-05:00

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1, 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

2/3 cup soy milk

1 tsp real vanilla

3 tbsp honey or agave nectar

2 cups frozen berries (raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Seperately mix the wet ingredients (except the berries). Fold wet mixture into dry. Stir until combined. Pour into non-stick (Pam-sprayed) 8x8 inch pan. Top with berries and cook for about 35 minutes until golden brown. Must serve with vanilla ice cream of choice.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

2011-12-26T14:51:00.003-05:00

1, 1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 heaping cup peanut butter

3/4 tsp baking soda

1, 1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix together, then add:

1, 1/2 cup flour

2 cups oatmeal

Spread on greased cookie sheet, bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

After cooked, spread a thin layer of Peanut Butter, and then frost with a good layer of milk chocolate frosting.

Fruit Dip

2011-12-26T14:47:00.003-05:00

1, 8oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1, 7oz jar marshmallow creme

1, 6 oz pkg cream cheese (plain or strawberry), whipped prior to mixing together

dash of cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

Fruit to dip in

Best Grilled Pork Chops-marinade few hours

2011-12-26T14:40:00.002-05:00

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 pork loin chops, fat removed

In a deep bowl, mix all ingredients. Marinade pork chops at least 2 hours

remove from marinade and cook over medium high heat on a greased grill for no more than 15 minutes or until done.

Cooking time for second side is shorter by 1-2 minutes.

3/4 inch or thinner:5-6 minutes maximum per side

3/4 inch or thicker: 6-7 minutes maximum per side.

Do NOT Over-Grill, chops with become too tough.

After 2 minutes of grilling on a side, rotate chops 45 degrees for even cooking. Turn over when juice pool on upper surface and meat appears to be cooked half-way through.

Sautee'd Quinoa with mushrooms

2011-12-26T14:31:00.004-05:00

1 tbsp olive oil

6-8 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tblsp butter

1, 1/2 cups of dry quinoa, rinsed

2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium if desired)

1 cup of water

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt/pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the mushrooms, onion and garlic in the hot oil until browned, about 5 minutes; set aside

Melt the butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa to the melted butter and let it brown, about 3 minutes. Pour the chicken broth and water over the quinoa; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the sauteed mushroom mixture and salt and pepper it to taste. Cook another 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to serve.

Colorful Kielbasa (Sausage or Rotisserie Chicken)

2011-12-26T14:25:00.003-05:00

1 can (10, 3/4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1, 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp butter

1 pound smoked kielbasa, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (could also use Sausage or rotisserie chicken)

3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas

1 can corn

1 jar (4, 1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, combine the soup, water and butter; bring to a boil. Add kielbasa and rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18 minutes or until rice is almost tender. Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and peas are heated through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until elted. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Chicken Enchiladas

2011-12-26T14:20:00.002-05:00

In a bowl, mix:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream or 2 bricks cream cheese, softened

1 can green chili's

1 can sliced olives

2 cups shredded cheese

1/2 cup milk

1 can mild, red enchilada sauce

(take 1/3 out and set aside and add 1/4 cup more milk or until saucy)

To the rest of the mixtures, add:

Cooked chicken breast, chopped (about 4 breasts)

Need 12 Flour tortillas

In a 9x13 pan, pour a little of sauce mix on bottom of pan. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, roll and line up in pan. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and top with cheese. It usually makes more than one pan. I freeze the 2nd pan and cook another night.) Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for 30-40 minutes

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

2011-12-26T14:10:00.002-05:00

1, 1/2-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup ketcup

1/3 cup honey

basmati rice and steamed roasted vegetables

Use a 4-quart slow cooker (if using a 6-quart, this will cook faster)

Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Serve with basmati rice and steamed roasted vegetables.

You can make this a freezer meal too:

load all the ingredients into a freezer bag (raw chicken, the sauce ingredients) and then freeze. Thaw the bag overnight in the fridge (or longer), then plop the ingredients into your cooker for a fast morning plug-in.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2011-12-26T13:48:00.002-05:00

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 large times)

2 tsp to 1 tblsp chili powder

2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1, 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large breasts), cooked and shredded OR buy the pre cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco or grocery stores

12-18 corn or uncooked flour tortillas (your preference)

2 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded for the filling

1 cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded for the top

1, 14 oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)

3/4 cup of heavy cream

nonstick cooking spray

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken, add 2 cups shredded cheese and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees). Spray the surface with non stick cooking spray or oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.

Add a large spoonful (about 3 tbsp) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Roll the tortillas up from one side to make a rolled enchilada- it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture and tortillas. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour the mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (I usually fill as many tortillas as possible with chicken mixture and don't add any to the sauce).

Bake the enchiladas for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, sliced avocado, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal. Usually, I just make rice and add a can of black beans, a can of corn and a few jalapenos, chopped finely.

Oven Slow Cooked Roast

2011-12-26T01:00:00.003-05:00

Bakes 11-12 hrs

4 lbs pot roast

Salt and pepper

minced garlic (about 4-5 tsp)

1 Tbsp worchestershire

1 can mushroom soup

1 pkg lipton onion soup

Place roast in the middle of a large sheet of aluminum foil. Then rub roast with salt and pepper. Cut 7-8 slits in the roast and fill each with about 1/2 tsp of the minced garlic. Drizzle the worchestershire over roast. Sprinkle the lipton soup seasoning and spread the mushroom soup over the roast. Wrap fairly tightly in the foil, then double wrap it. Be sure it is well sealed. Bake on low (240 F) for 11-12 hours. (my oven is conventional, so it cooks even lower at 215 F.) Carefully open foil, shred beef and save all liquid. This roast always turns out really tender and delicious. The drippings make a great gravy when strained, and we use the leftovers to make shredded beef enchiladas.

Left over Shredded Roast Enchiladas

2011-12-26T00:45:00.007-05:00

Left over Shredded Beef Roast (and drippings if you have them)-approx 4 cups at least??

1 small onion, diced

1 small can green chiles

1 can tomato soup

1 pkg enchilada seasonings

1, 10 oz can red enchilada sauce

1 can water (use tomato soup can)

1 small 6 oz can tomato paste

6 flour tortillas

2 cans refried beans

2-4 lbs shredded cheddar cheese (or more)

In a large skillet, saute onion and green chilis. Add shredded beef and set aside. Strain roast drippings (if you have them) into a large sauce pan over low heat. Add 1 can tomato soup, 1 can water, tomato paste, enchilada sauce and seasoning pkt. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Coat a 9x13 pan with a thin layer or red sauce. Cut tortillas slightly on each side so they fit perfectly in the pan without folding the sides in. Spread 6 tortillas with 1 can refried beans (in the middle of each), large scoop of the meat mixture, and a generous amount of cheeses. Roll each up and place in the 9x13 pan. Pour the red sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas and top with lots of cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly. May freeze extra sauce for next time.

Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, avocado, sour cream, cheese, beans and rice...

Grandma's Chili

2011-12-26T00:40:00.003-05:00

In LARGE crockpot or stove top pan, Add together:

Precooked hamburger, rinsed and drained

large can of chili

1 can red kidney beans (not drained)

1 can pinto beans (not drained)

1 can white beans (not drained)

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

2 cans diced tomatoes??

Chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Side of shredded cheese, sour cream and saltine crackers

Brazilian Chicken Salad Sandwich

2011-12-26T00:34:00.003-05:00

1/4 cup mayo

2 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided

salt and pepper

4 cups shredded roasted chicken meat

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

3 tbsp finely chopped onion

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup grated beets

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

8 boston or Romaine lettuce leaves

8 slices whole wheat bread

In a medium bowl, whisk the mayo, 1 tbsp of the lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper

Add the chicken, raisins, celery, and onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper

In another bowl, combine the oil with the remaining 1 tbs lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix in the carrots, beets, and cilantro.

Put a lettuce leaf on 4 of the bread slices, then top with the chicken salad, carrot mixture, another lettuce leaf, and lastly the other slice of bread.

Crock Pot Lasagna

2011-12-26T00:24:00.002-05:00

Cooking time in Crock pot: 4-5 hours

1lb lean ground beef

1 small yellow onion

1-2 garlic cloves

1, 29 oz can Tomato Sauce

1, 6 oz can Tomato Paste

1, 1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Oregano

1, 16 oz Cottage Cheese

1, 5oz Grated Parmesan Cheese

1, 8oz Shredded Mozzarella

1, 16 oz Lasagna Noodles, uncooked (will only use half the amount of noodles in pkg)

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frying pan

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano

Cook until meat sauce is warm

Spray crock pot with Pam for nonstick

Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of crock pot.

Add double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with a layer of cheeses

Repeat with meat sauce, double noodles and cheeses

Add 1/2 cup of water around the outside edge of the lasagna.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours

Serves 6

Almond Milk

2011-12-26T00:22:00.003-05:00

I have my own Almond milk maker, but I started out doing it this way:

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight or for 8 hours in 2 cups water

4, 1/2 cups filtered water

.... more to come...

Easiest Chocolate Fudge

2011-12-26T00:18:00.002-05:00

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

Melt together in microwave. DON'T OVERCOOK.

Stir in:

1 can Eagle brand condensed milk

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Lastly, Optionally add:

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Pour into a 9x9 pan lined with wax paper or foil.

Chill and cut into squares

Happy Hearts Toast

2011-12-26T00:00:00.002-05:00

whole grain bread (I use the butts of the loaves)

spreadable butter

cinnamon/sugar

Heart cookie cutter

Toast bread, butter it, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut heart shape into toast.

My little girl doesn't even know I use the butts of the loaves. She loves these and even says, "More cookie please".

A great way to get your kids to eat healthy whole grain bread

Pumpkin Pancakes

2011-12-25T20:31:00.003-05:00

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

2 tblsp flaxseed meal

3 tbsp sucanat or agave or stevia or sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1, 3/4 cup milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp vinegar

In a seperate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, butter and vinegar. Combine the flour, sucanat, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat griddle to 300 degrees. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Chicken Burritos or Quesadilla's

2011-12-25T20:22:00.002-05:00

Put a piece of chicken in the crockpot with diced tomatoes and a can of no bean chili and a tablespoon of taco seasoning (big one from Costco has real ingredients and no MSG).

Cook on low for 7 hours.

In the meantime, cook 1 cup of brown rice or use leftover if you have it in the fridge

1 can, or freshly cooked beans (pinto, kidney or black beans)

whole wheat tortillas

grated cheddar cheese

salsa and sour cream

Serve with can of corn or salad

Diced Chicken with Cream Cheese White Sauce & Pasta

2011-12-25T20:17:00.003-05:00

1 large chicken breast, cut into strips

1 tbsp butter or olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups whole milk

6 oz cream cheese

1 tsp dried basil

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

While you cook your pasta (~12 oz), heat oil over medium heat and cook chicken with garlic powder until no longer pink. Add milk and heat just to boiling. Stir in the cream cheese and basil. reduce the heat, stirring constantly until cream cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Toss hot pasta and sauce. Serve immediately.

Serve with steamed veggies or salad

Guacamole

2011-12-25T20:02:00.004-05:00

3 avocados-peeled, pitted and mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup diced onion of your choice

3 tbslp chopped fresh cilantro

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 tsp minced garlic

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

add few dashes of cumin (optional)

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes , and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately

Good Old Fashioned Pancakes

2011-12-25T19:55:00.003-05:00

1, 1/2 cups flour (1 cup wheat, 1/2 cup white)

3, 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp white sugar (or substitute: sucanat, stevia)

1, 1/4-1, 1/3 cups milk

1 egg

3 tblsp butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Whole wheat Blueberry Pancakes

2011-12-25T19:47:00.003-05:00

1, 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk, plus more if necessary

1/2 tsp salt

1 tblsp sugar or sweetener

1/2 cup blueberries

Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the egg, milk, salt and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries, and stir to incorporate.

Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown. Makes about 6 large pancakes

No Bake Cookies

2011-12-25T19:42:00.002-05:00

1, 3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

4 tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 tsp vanilla extract

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

Oatmeal Bars

2011-12-25T18:26:00.002-05:00

Wet/Sticky Ingredients

1 cup Peanut Butter

3/4 cup corn syrup (1/2-1 cup)

1 cup brown sugar (1-1,1/2 cups)

1/2 cup Agave

3 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups instant oats

4 cups rice crispies

3 tbsp wheat germ

1/4 cup ground flax seed

2 tbsp cinnamon

Add ins:

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chocolate chips or raisins

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 cup nuts (cashews, pumpkin, almond, pecans, walnut...)

coat 9/13 baking pan with no stick spray

pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well

Pour into pan

Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes, till set and edges are slightly browned.

Cool completely before cutting

Store in airtight container

Chicken Salad Sandwich with dried blueberries

2011-12-25T18:15:00.002-05:00

2 cups cubed roasted chicken breast

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1 tbsp finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 cup dried blueberries, chopped or left whole

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

1 tbsp wasabi horseradish

4 large croissants

Sea salt potatoe chips, on the side to serve with

In a bowl, combine chicken, celery, onion, almonds, blueberries, salt sour cream, and wasabi. Mix until blended. chill for 1 hour. Slice croissants in half lengthwise and fill with the chicken salad mixture. Serve with chips. Makes 4 servings

Chicken Salad Wraps (Healthy)

2011-12-25T18:10:00.002-05:00

1, 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast

1 cup carrots, shredded

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

2 tsp garlic herb seasoning

1/4 cup reduced fat mayo

16 large green leaf lettuce leaves (romaine)

Combine all ingredients except lettuce leaves and mix well. Place equal amounts of salad mixture on each lettuce leaf. Roll from on end of the lettuce leaf to the middle. Fold in the sides and continue to roll. Secure with a toothpick. Arrange on a platter to serve.

Banana Chocolate Chip Waffles

2011-12-25T17:59:00.003-05:00

Makes 4 waffles

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp canola oil

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup low fat (1%) buttermilk

1/2 cup carrot puree

1 ripe banana mashed (about 1/2 cup)

2 tblsp bittersweet or dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup flax seed (ground)

For Carrot puree: Peel, trim the ends, and cut into 3-inch chunks. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes. Use a food processor or blender for about 2 minutes, with a few teaspoons of water, for a smooth texture.

Preheat waffle iron on high. In a large bowl or zipper-lock plastic bag, mix the flour, baking soda, making powder and salt. In another large bowl, beat the oil, egg whites, buttermilk, carrot puree and banana with an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 1 minute or until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Add the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined- the batter will be lumpy. Coat the waffle iron with cooking spry. Ladle 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the batter into each compartment of the iron. Cook until the top of the iron releases easily and the waffle is lighly brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cherry CreamCheese Cake

2011-12-25T17:57:00.003-05:00

2 cups powdered sugar

2, 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese

whip together

in seperate bowl, whip 2 cups whipping cream

add in slowly to the cream cheese mixture, continually while beating

Crust:

2 pkgs graham crackers, crumbled

1/2 cup sugar

mix together and place in a 9x13 pan

1 cube melted butter poured over and smashed down, add more if needed

chill the crust 30 minutes in freezer or fridge

then add cream cheese mixture on top

and 1 huge can of cherry pie filling on top of that.

Banana Cinnamon Waffles

2011-12-25T17:42:00.002-05:00

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup white flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

2 tblsp brown sugar

1, 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1, 1/2 cups skim milk

3 tbsp butter

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1-2 large ripe bananas, mashed

lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, flaxseed, and next 4 ingredients (up thru salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine milk, butter, and eggs, stirring with a whisk, add milk mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in mashed bananas.

Preheat a waffle iron. Coat iron with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per 4-inch waffle onto hot iron, spreading batter to edges. Cook 3-4 min or until steamin stops. Repeat procedure with remaining batter.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size 2 waffles)

Homemade Granola

2011-12-25T17:29:00.003-05:00

3-4 cups whole old fashioned oats

1/4-1/2 cup presoaked sunflower seeds

1/8 cup ground flax seed

1/4 cup shredded coconut (not the sugar kind)

1/2 cup nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds)...

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp wheat germ

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl

In stove top pan, bring to a boil (constantly stirring)

1/4 cup apple juice or water

1/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil

1/4 cup maple syrup (Grade B) or molasses

1/4 cup raw honey

add 1/2 tsp vanilla after it comes to a boil

pour over dry ingredients and stir in very well, evenly coated

Bake on cookie sheet at 275 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Stir every 5-10 minutes.

Tiffany's Knots White Rolls

2011-12-25T17:16:00.003-05:00

2 cups warm water (not scalding hot cause the yeast dies)

2 tbsp yeast

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg (stir in, don't use whisk)

2 tsp salt

5, 1/2 cups flour (5 cups total, then add 1/2 cup to knead into)

Dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, oil, egg and salt (stir in one at a time). Put 2 cups of flour in and mix well. Add more flour, one cup at a time until dough isn't sticky. Spray a seperate bowl with pam and place dough in it. Cover with a towel and let rise til doubled (approx 1 hour). Make sure area is very warm. Punch dough down and divide into rolls or tie into knots. Let rise 20-30 more minutes. Bake 12-13 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown. Melt butter and brush on top when cooked.

Raspberry Cooked Jam

2011-09-18T13:06:00.000-04:00

I use MCP fruit pectin made by Sure Jell

MUST BE MCP in the 2oz box.

Need:

-Nine, 6 oz Driscoll’s Raspberries (from fruit market)

OR 9 cups whole berries, or 6 cups crushed berries

-MCP Fruit Pectin

-4 lb bag sugar

-Canner/Boiler with supplies for bottling

-Six, 1 pint bottles with lids (pre washed and dry)

-Extra Large Pan (over 8 quart)

-wooden spoon

-about 2 medium and 1 large bowl

Crush Raspberries one cup at a time till you get 6 cups crushed berries

Place in large Pan/Saucepot

Measure 8, ½ cups sugar (almost a 4 lb bag) in separate bowl and set aside

Stir in 1 box pectin into fruit in stove top pan

Bring to a full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly

Stir in sugar quickly

Return to a full rolling boil and then time it to boil exactly 4 minutes (for jams), stirring constantly. This is the hardest part because it is very hot and splatters. Once it turns to a full boil, I turn the heat down to medium-high to control the rolling boil, continually stirring and using a lid to protect me from getting splattered J

Remove from heat

Skim off foam with metal spoon

Ladle quickly into prepared jars (leaving 1/8 inch space from top)

Wipe jar rims

Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly

Place jars on rack in canner

Hot water must cover jars by 2 inches

Add boiling water if needed

Cover and bring water to a gentle boil

Once boiling, process in canner for 10minutes in Kentucky, 20 minute in Utah (depending on altitude)

Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely

After jars are completely cool, check seals

If lid springs back, lid is NOT sealed and refrigeration is necessary

Let sealed jam stand at room temp for 24 hours

Store in cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year

Unopened jams store in fridge up to 3 weeks

MAKES 6 pint bottles

ENJOY

Homemade Mac N Cheese (Jody Counsel)

2011-09-14T23:21:00.002-04:00

2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked according to pkg instructions and drain

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

dash of pepper

2 cups milk

1/4 cup chopped onion

8 oz cheddar cheese

top with italian bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add the onion and the cheese. Stir until melted.

Mix the cheese sauce with the macaroni. Put into a 1, 1/2 quart casserole or an 8x10 pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serves 6

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Amber Hanks)

2011-09-14T23:11:00.002-04:00

4 cups (almost 5 cups) flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

in another bowl, mix:

1, 1/2 cups white sugar

1, 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups crisco butter

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1, 1/2 bags choc chips (about 11.5 oz)

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes

Play Dough (Not to Eat)

2011-09-14T22:57:00.003-04:00

combine these 3 ingredients and boil:

1 cup boiling water

1, 1/2 tbls vegetable oil

4-6 drops food coloring

Combine these 3 items in a bowl:

1, 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1/2 tbls Alum or Cream of Tartar

Pour liquid over dry mixture and whisk together. Put wax paper on counter and pour play dough on it. Let cool a little, then knead it until its soft

Homemade Honey Butter (Rachel Gubler)

2011-09-14T22:54:00.004-04:00

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter-softened

/14-1/2 cup honey

3 tbsp-1/4 cup powdered sugar (depends on how 'unhealthy' you want it)

whip together till smooth

place in jar(s) and refrigerate

1 lb. butter (softened)

2 cups honey

7 oz bottle marshmallow cream

Whip softened butter. Add marshmallow cream and honey gradually while whipping. Makes 5 cups. Place in jars and refrigerate.

Sweet Apple Salad

2011-09-14T22:48:00.003-04:00

Romaine lettuce

sliced apples (sprinkled with lemon to keep from browning)

craisins

shredded swiss cheese

sliced almonds

Mix Brianna's strawberry and poppyseed dressing together...

Delicious!

Dutch Oven Roast

2011-09-14T22:33:00.002-04:00

Seer your chuck roast on stove top and place in Dutch Oven

Pour in your pckg of lipton onion soup mix and 1/4 cup water

Bake at 225 degrees for 6-8 hours

To clean the Dutch Oven, use hot water only to rinse it out

wipe it out completely (can use a tiny bit of oil) and dry

Put a clean, dry paper towel in it with the lid on until you use it next time.

Green Jell-O with Carrots (UT Deal Diva)

2011-05-28T10:37:00.002-04:00

1 large box of green Jell-O
1/2 bag shredded or matchstick carrots {I like to use the matchstick carrots so that the carrot flavor really comes out. People love carrots mixed in with dessert.}
4 cups water

Prepare Jell-O according to package directions. Add in carrots. Refrigerate until solid. {As solid as jell-o ever gets anyways.}

If you've used a Jell-O mold, run hot water along the sides of the mold to release the Jell-O before turning it onto a plate.

To serve, schlop a big spoonful onto a plate. Remember to nudge plate to get the full effect of the Jell-O. Remember, all good food jiggles, it's perfectly normal.

Garnishes make this dish prettier, wouldn't you agree? Doesn't that looks so pretty?

Enjoy!

Lion House Wheat Rolls

2011-05-28T10:31:00.004-04:00

Pics by Utah Deal Diva

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
2 TBSP molasses
3 TBSP dry milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour {I use bread flour}
3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 TBSP shortening
3/4 tsp salt

Makes 2 dozen rolls

Dissolve yeast and molasses in warm water and let proof until foamy- about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, leaving the flour as the last addition. You'll want the dough to be slightly stick, so make sure to add the flour slowly. You might only need 3 cups of whole wheat flour if the dough looks like it's getting too firm.

Punch down dough and knead lightly. Roll out until dough is about 1/2 inch thin. Cut strips using a pizza cutter. Roll strips and place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. I normally just do my best rolling out a rectangle, then just cutting strips. This time around I tried to make them more similar in size, first cutting the rounded sides off. My opinion; skip trying to be pretty. My rolls still ended up different sizes and I could have saved 10 minutes!

Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Tortellini Chicken Soup

2011-02-02T15:58:00.002-05:00

Combine ingredients in pot and bring to a boil:

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 cup sliced carrots (about 2-3 carrots)

1 can cream of chicken soup

6 cups (about 3 cans) chicken broth

1 cup water

1/4-1/2 cup chopped onion or shake in some dried minced onion

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp basil leaves

Once boiling turn to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add 1 large pckg of tortellini and continue on simmer for 10 minutes

Add 2 cups broccoli and 1 can of corn, continue on simmer for 10-15 minutes

Enjoy with rolls or crackers.

Creamy Bowtie Pasta (with Grilled Chicken and Asparagus)

2011-01-31T10:08:00.004-05:00

TASTES JUST LIKE RESTAURANTS ALFREDO PASTA! DELICIOUS!!!

A FAVORITE OF TYSONS!!!

1pkg bow tie pasta (12 oz)

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter (I might use a little less next time)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 pint heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Parsley to taste

Parmesan Cheese to taste

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

Grilled chicken pieces

10-15 spears of asparagus (boiled and seared in a skillet for a little crunch)

1/2 cup bacon, crumbled

1/4 cup toasted pinenuts

Boil bowtie pasta in salted water, until cooked. In large skillet, melt butter. Add minced garlic and saute a minute or so. Add Parmesan cheese and bouillon cube. When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream and salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered. Add blanched asparagus & chicken. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley and Parmesan Cheese. Serve immediately.

Oh so fattening, but Oh so GOOD!!!

Brookie

2011-01-31T09:58:00.003-05:00

A BROOKIE is a cookie inside a brownie :-)

Need:

Regular roll of cookie dough, flattened out

Brownie mix, prepared as directed on box (egg, oil, water)

Prepare Brownie batter. Spray 9x13 inch pan with Pam. Spread half the brownie batter into pan. Lay a thick layer of cookie dough in middle (flattened). Be sure to not have it touch any of the edges of the pan. (My layer was too thin in the picture below, so be sure it is much thicker, or you won't even notice it). Spread the other half of the brownie batter onto the cookie dough, covered fully.

Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes

Parmesan Crusted Halibut

2011-01-19T22:29:00.006-05:00

Cut Halibut into one inch squares

In a bowl, mix together 1 cup (?) Mayo, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup finely chopped up Grandma's Bread (crumbs)

Place tin foil on top of your pan and spray with Pam

Dip Halibut pieces into mixture and fully coat, then place onto tin foil-lined pan.

Sprinkle parsley on top

Bake 375 for 13-14 minutes (do not overcook)

Couscous Salad

2011-01-19T17:55:00.004-05:00

Light, fresh, healthy and delicious!

1 cup uncooked couscous

1, 1/4 cup chicken broth

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp ground cumin

8 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup frozen corn kernals, thawed

2 (15oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red peppers, cilantro, corn and beans. Toss to coat.

Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

I like it cold and it's good the next day as well. It seems to need a bit more dressing though. Makes quite a bit. May serve with tortilla chips.

Ooey Gooey Butter Bars

2010-12-13T15:26:00.005-05:00

Combine these ingredients for the crust:

1 yellow cake mix

1 egg

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

mix with mixer and press into a lightly greased 9x13 pan

Then, mix these ingredients for topping:

1, 8oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

2-3 cups powdered sugar

poor over top of crust

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes

When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

(Will be gooey in the middle. Don't cook past 50 minutes)

Cinnamon Rolls (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-12-05T17:05:00.002-05:00

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls

4 cups flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 packages regular or fast-acting dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm milk (I used water + powdered milk)
2 TBSP butter or margarine (1/2 stick), room temperature
1 large egg
1-2 TBSP dough enhancer
Cooking spray to grease bowl and pan

Filling

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine (1/2 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup raisins, if desired
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, if desired

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoon butter or margarine, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Microwave milk for about 30 seconds- 1 minute, until very warm. Pour into mixing bowl and add granulated sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add yeast and let proof for about 7-8 minutes, until yeast is bubbling. Add remaining ingredients, save 1 cup of flour. Begin mixing, adding the last cup of flour slowly. You'll want the dough to be slightly sticky. Knead dough for 5-6 minutes, until it's smooth and springy.

2. Spray a large bowl with the cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place about 1 hour 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

{I turn my oven on 350 degrees, then after a minute, turn it off and let dough rise in the oven since my house is usually too cool.}

3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins or nuts. Set aside. Spray the bottom and sides of a large jelly roll pan with the cooking spray. Sprinkle flour lightly on a counter top or large cutting board. Punch dough to deflate it. Pull the dough away from the side of the bowl, and place it on the floured surface.

4. Using your hands or a rolling pin, flatten dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Brush 1/4 cup butter over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Beginning with the long side, roll dough up tightly. Pinch edge of dough into the roll to seal edge. Using a sharp serrated knife or length of dental floss, cut roll into 1-inch slices. Place slices slightly apart in the pan. Let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. (I always let mine rise 40-45 minutes!)

5. Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

6. In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth, adding enough milk so glaze is smooth and pourable. Pour glaze over the tops of cinnamon rolls, allowing it to cover the rolls and drip down the sides.

ENJOY!

Taco Salad

2010-12-05T13:58:00.005-05:00

Cooked Lean Ground Beef ahead of time (let cool)

Taco Seasoning packet added to cooked meat

Layer:

Tortilla chips of choice

chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

chopped tomatoes

ground beef

black beans

garbanzo beans

canned corn

peppers (optional)

diced avocado

shredded mexican blended cheese

Dressing of choice:

I prefer homemade ranch dressing, drizzled over top!

Libby's Pumpkin Roll (modified)

2010-12-05T11:19:00.004-05:00

CAKE: (I make the cake part the day before)
powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tsp lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S 100% Pure Pumpkin (I put in a little more)

FILLING/FROSTING:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter (we recommend LAND O LAKES® Butter), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Note: Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs, sugar and lemon juice in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Let cool.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cooled cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 10 servings

Quinoa Salad (Susan V)

2010-11-23T23:41:00.006-05:00

Quinoa: (cook according to directions on package)

1 cup quinoa, rinsed very well 2 cups water 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

Vegetables:

1 large cucumber, peeled, and diced (or 1 green pepper, diced) 2 medium-large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 cup corn 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 1/2 cup scallions (green onion), thinly sliced 2/3 cup parsley — minced 1/3 cup fresh mint — minced 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced (reserve a few slices for garnish)

Dressing:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (NOT lemon) 3 tablespoons vegetable broth 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste (optional) 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper

add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

combine vegetables into a medium bowl. Add quinoa to the vegetables. In a separate, small container, mix dressing together, then stir the dressing into the quinoa/vegetable mixture. Chill for an hour in the fridge. Enjoy in 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-11-23T23:03:00.004-05:00

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1, 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

frosting is to frost sugar cookies

Pumpkin Bread-recipe doubled (Healthy modified)

2010-11-23T22:55:00.007-05:00

3, 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 2 cups white flour and 1, 1/2 cups whole wheat)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 teaspoons nutmeg
3 cups sugar
1 cup veg oil (or applesauce)
2/3 cup water
29 oz can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
optional: add 1/2 cup flax seed (meal or ground)

add chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 4 mini and 1 large loaf pans with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, water, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and combined.

4. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. Mix until ingredients are combined.

5. Pour the batter into the mini loaf pans, making sure batter is evenly divided. Place the loaf pans onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Place the loaf pans on a wire rack. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then carefully remove the loaves. Cool completely before slicing.

*Note-You can make regular size loaves. This recipe should make 2 8×4 loaves. Adjust baking time to about 60 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Me)

2010-11-04T23:34:00.007-04:00

This recipe makes REALLY moist pumpkin cookies!

This recipe is also DOUBLED

29 oz can pumpkin

2 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (optional)

2 eggs

4 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda (diluted in milk)

2 tsp milk

2 tbsp vanilla extract

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (1 bag)

Mix pumpkin, sugar, oil, yogurt and the egg until well blended. In a seperate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and the rest of the spices. Disolve baking soda with the milk and stir in. Slowly stir in flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.

Drop large spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Cool and enjoy.

Monkey Bars (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-10-18T23:38:00.004-04:00

1 2/3 cups mashed, ripe bananas {about 5 bananas}
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup oil {can use applesauce instead!}
1/4 cup milk {can use powdered milk}
2 large eggs {can use powdered eggs}
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips {I reduce this by half, I know, I'm mean!}
1-2 TBSP ground flax {my addition}

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15x10.5" pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Whisk all ingredients except for the flour and chocolate chips. Gradually add in flour until just blended. Mix in half the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chips on top. Bake 15-20 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely. I've even stuck the entire pan into the freezer so that they'd cut cleaner! Once cool, cut into squares.

If you're preparing these for school lunches, I suggest bagging them individually and freezing them like that. If you freeze prior to cutting, the chocolate on top doesn't make a mess in the baggie.

Apple Walnut Bread (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-10-18T23:34:00.005-04:00

1 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt (I always just use vanilla!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup peeled, cored, and finely diced apple (I use 1 medium sized apple- Pink lady is awesome, but any full flavored, tart apple is good!)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Line a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with waxed or parchment paper (or grease and flour it), then set it aside. Heat the oven to 350°.

2. Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.

3. In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir just enough to combine; do not overmix. Fold in the apples and walnuts.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spoon. Evenly sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar over the top. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes.

5. Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling. Makes 10 servings.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Amber Hanks)

2010-10-11T00:24:00.007-04:00

Soooooo Good and MOIST!

These amounts are doubled:

1 cup butter or margarine

3 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

29 oz can pumpkin

1/2 cup of sour cream (I use vanilla yogurt)

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon (or 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using medium speed of an electric mixer. Beat in the egg, pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture a little at a time, beating until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. If desired, dip the warm cookies in the powdered sugar.

Fresh Salsa

2010-10-06T19:13:00.006-04:00

Horrible picture, but it gives you the idea.

12 tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can sliced olives

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp pepper

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp cilantro

2 tbsp vinegar

Hot pepper to taste (or add one yellow and one red jalopeno)

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice

2010-04-04T18:20:00.005-04:00

One of Tyson's TOP 5 Recipes!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 dashes garlic powder

2-3 eggs

cornstarch

Mix eggs and garlic powder in a bowl. Put cornstarch in another bowl. Dip chicken pieces in cornstarch, then in egg and fry until browned slightly-not necessarily all the way cooked. Put into 8x8 baking dish.

Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water or pineapple juice from tidbits

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 dash salt

1 can pineapple tidbits

1 green pepper pieces (optional)

Mix all ingredients (except pineapple tidbits) together and pour over chicken in baking dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, stirring about every 15 minutes or so. Cook uncovered and add pineapple last 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Creamy Chicken & Cranberry-Pecan Wild Rice

2010-03-17T22:10:00.003-04:00

I LOVE the Craisons in the rice!!!

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp each, dried thyme leaves and black pepper

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (we used 4)

2 tbsp oil

1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisons)

1/2 cup Pecan pieces, toasted or Walnut pieces

4 green onions, sliced, divided

1 pkg (6 oz) long grain and wild rice side dish, prepared as directed on package (we just used whole wheat/long grain plain rice

1 cup chicken broth

6 oz (3/4 of an 8 oz pkg) Cream Cheese, cubed

Mix flour, thyme and pepper; coat chicken with flour mixture. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken to skillet; cook about 6 minutes on each side (I cooked it longer!), or until cooked through-165 degrees.

Stir cranberries, pecans and half of the onions into cooked rice; spoon onto serving platter. Remove chicken from skillet, reserving drippings in skillet. Place chicken over rice mixture; cover to keep warm.

Add broth to skillet, stir to break up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream cheese; cook 2-3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and sauce starts to thicken, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Spoon some of sauce over rice and over chicken; sprinkle with remaining onions. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Grandma Perrero's Crepes

2010-03-12T15:26:00.002-05:00

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in blender; blend about one minute, making sure that all ingredients are mixed in well. Heat small round "crepe" pan to medium high. Pour small amount of crepe batter onto pan and tip pan so batter runs to fill bottom of pan, making a circle. Cook until light brown on bottom; turn crepe over and cook on other side. Makes about 10 crepes. Fill with your favorite filling (Dinner: chicken, spinach, ham and cheese, etc..) (Breakfast: lemon and sugar, raspberry jam, etc..) (Dessert: fruit and icecream, nutella and sliced banana's).

Grandma Gubler's Cole Slaw

2010-03-10T15:55:00.004-05:00

1 head of green cabbage, cleaned, cored and finely shredded

1-2 carrots, peeled and finely shredded

small green onions, chopped finely

1-2 green peppers, chopped

2 tsp dill weed seasoning

lemon pepper to taste

2 tblsp mayo

3 tblsp dill pickle juice

BEST I've EVER TASTED, and I HATE COLE SLAW!!!

Brenda's Rolls

2010-03-10T15:16:00.003-05:00

Brenda’s Rolls

(great for freezing too!)

4 C warm water (110-115 degrees)

1 C powdered milk

1 C sugar

4 eggs

10-12 C flour

2 T instant yeast

1/2 C oil

5 t salt

1 stick butter (for greasing counter and spreading on dough)

Beat water, milk, sugar, and eggs.

Mix yeast in 5 C of flour in another bowl.

Add both mixtures together and mix for 5-10 minutes.

Turn off and let rise for 15 minutes.

Add oil and salt and slowly add more flour and beat for 5-10 minutes.

(Dough is REALLY STICKY...Meghan only adds 1 C at this point, then puts 1 1/2 C flour on her counter and kneads about 1 C of that into the dough)

Turn out on floured counter and knead until the right consistency. (dough is really sticky)

Put into a big buttered bowl with a cloth over it.

Let rise to double the size, about 1 hour.

Punch down and take a stick of melted butter and butter the counter.

Divide dough into quarters so there are 4 sections.

Roll each section into a circle.

Put butter on the dough.

Cut into 12 pieces, like a pizza.

Roll each section from the fat part to the skinny part.

Put on pan so that the rolls are almost touching (shouldn’t need more than 2 large pans)

Let rise 1 hour.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

I've been baking these rolls almost 20 minutes, you don't want the middle ones to be doughy, so just until they are golden brown.

Take out and butter the top.

Makes about 50 rolls

Best Blueberry Waffles

2010-03-09T22:40:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed

Preparation:

In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. Beat egg yolks; add milk and melted butter. Sift dry ingredients together; add egg yolk mixture and mix until smooth and fold in blueberries. Gently fold in beaten egg whites. Bake in a hot waffle iron.
Makes about 6-8 blueberry waffles.

Swiss Chard

2010-03-09T17:27:00.007-05:00

Plain red and green swiss chard side dish... It was only cooked in olive oil. Nothing added, and still tasted great! You may add seasonings or a little lemon/vinaigrette? to your taste..

Grandma's Sugar Cookies & Frosting

2010-03-09T17:10:00.008-05:00

Mix together:

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter (2 cubes), softened/sorta melted

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Add:

Dissolve 1 tsp baking soda into 1/8 cup hot water

1 tsp almond extract

5-5, 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

When rolling out the dough, you will need to use about 1 cup more flour

Roll out THICK!!! Then use cookie cutters to slice into desired shapes

Bake 9-10 minutes for medium-large cookies

Bake 8-9 minutes for small cookies

375 degrees.

Makes about 25-30 cookies

FROSTING:

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese

1 cube butter (softened)

4-5 cups powdered sugar

pinch of vanilla

food coloring of you choice (add 1 drop at a time)

Put in fridge when not using.

Halloween shapes:

(Before baked)

(After)

Beef Stroganoff (All Recipes)

2010-03-09T16:54:00.004-05:00

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces butter
4 green onions, sliced (white parts only)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef broth
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 (6 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup white wine
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Remove any fat and gristle from the roast and cut into strips 1/2 inch thick by 2 inches long. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of both salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and brown the beef strips quickly, then push the beef strips off to one side. Add the onions and cook slowly for 3 to 5 minutes, then push to the side with the beef strips.
Stir the flour into the juices on the empty side of the pan. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and stir in mustard. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
Five minutes before serving, stir in the mushrooms, sour cream, and white wine. Heat briefly then salt and pepper to taste.

Basic Casserole

2010-03-09T16:36:00.006-05:00

3 tblsp margarine

1/2 onion chopped

3 tblsp flour

2 cups milk

Vegetable puree (healthy)-optional

cooked/prepared pasta of your choice

precooked veggies (peppers/broccoli, etc..)

precooked meat (diced chicken, etc..)

1-2 cups shredded cheese

seasonings to your taste (salt and pepper, lemon pepper, garlic...)

Melt margarine over medium heat, add in onion to saute, Add flour and whisk briskly. Gradually add milk, whisking continuously, until it reaches a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, or until sauce thickens and is bubbly. Add in puree, cheese, and seasonings. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Add cooked pasta, vegetables, and/or meat. Place into 9x13 pan (or smaller, depending on size of casserole you are making. Sprinkle additional cheese on top. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Hidden Valley Salsa Ranch Dip

2010-03-09T16:19:00.007-05:00

1 packet (1 oz.) "Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Dips Mix"

1 countainer (16 oz.) sour cream

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

Mix Ranch dip packet with sour cream. Add Salsa. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy with favorite tortilla chips

Basic French Toast

2010-02-05T22:21:00.002-05:00

Beat:

3 eggs

3 tbsp milk

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinammon

Dip THICK TEXAS TOAST into egg mixture. Cook on frying pan 2 minutes each side. Enjoy with maple syrup and dashes of powdered sugar

Pumpkin Puree (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-02-05T21:27:00.005-05:00

I bought 2 pie pumpkins for $1.99 each. I scooped out the yuck {reserving the seeds of course!} and baked them for about 1.5 hours at 350 degrees. Be sure to put about 1 inch of water in the dish and cover the entire contents with foil, to keep the pumpkin moist. Use a potato masher

Using a jack O Lantern Pumpkin is cheaper, but be sure to strain it for about 2 hours because it had a much higher water content than the pie pumpkins.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-02-05T21:27:00.004-05:00

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup diced apples, softened in microwave {2 minutes worked for me}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with oil. Mix ingredients and spoon into muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full. I like to make mini muffins because they bake in less time and they're fun for my kids to eat. Mini muffins take about 13 minutes to cook. Regular sized muffins take about 18-20 minutes to cook.

Cool and enjoy!

Freezing Apples (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-02-05T21:25:00.001-05:00

One of the most basic things I did with my apples is peeled, cut, cored and diced them to freeze. I borrowed one of those handy apple Peeler-Corer-Slicers and it made a daunting task quick and bearable! After you peel, core & slice the apple, put it in a bath of water mixed with Fruit Fresh to sit for about 5 minutes. Next, set the apples out on a cloth to dry out a bit. You can then dice or slice them. I did both! I did 3 layers of each on large trays (pieces of Saran wrap between the layers), which I then put in the freezer. Once they were frozen, they break up individually and I put them all in a large ziplock bag. I love to use diced apples for pancakes, muffins, bread, pie...
The nice thing about freezing diced apples is that when thawed, they're soft, so they bake into these items nicely.

Freezer Apple Pie Filling (AllRecipes.com)

2010-02-05T21:20:00.003-05:00

Ingredients

18 cups thinly sliced apples
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 cups water

Directions

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and set aside. Pour water into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add apples and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
Ladle into 5 freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cool at room temperature no longer than 1 1/2 hours.
Seal and freeze. Can be stored for up to 12 months.

Apple Crisp (AllRecipes.com)

2010-02-05T21:20:00.001-05:00

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
2 quarts peeled, cored and sliced apples
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly.
Take half of the mixture and pat it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Cover crumb mixture with apple slices, then sprinkle apple slices with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender.

Cinnamon Apples (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-02-05T21:18:00.003-05:00

I just peeled them with a potato peeler and then used the corer-slicer that slices them into larger pieces. I used 30 medium-small apples and this process took me about 20 minutes. I searched the Internet for a good recipe, but didn't want something loaded with sugar, so I came up with my own. It worked out great! The only thing is, despite using several tablespoons of corn starch, the juice didn't thicken much at all! The apples taste delicious though, so I consider it a success. Here's what I used:
30 medium- small apples, peeled, cored & sliced
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
a few dashes of nutmeg
2 TBSP butter
3 TBSP cornstarch
Place sliced apples in crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients, except butter. Pour over apples and stir well. Dot apples with butter. Cook on medium for 4 hours, stirring intermittently. Enjoy!
Note: Depending on how many apples you use, the time required to cook them will vary. Check often after about 3 hours. You want to apples to be tender, but not mush!

Baked/Dried Cinnamon Apples (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-02-05T21:18:00.001-05:00

I don't have a fruit dehydrator, so I made these the "old fashioned way." It was easy!
Use the apple peeler-corer-slicer and place apples in the Fruit Fresh bath afterwards. Dry apples on a cloth and then make 1 cut through the apple, so that the slices separate. Lay apples out on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit more Fruit Fresh, then follow with a bit of cinnamon-sugar mix. Bake in low oven for 10-12 hours. The lowest my oven goes in 170 degrees. I baked the apples for 12 hours, then turned the oven off and just let them sit for another several hours.
My plan was to use my Food Saver to make pouches of apples, to eat over the next year or so, but each time I make a batch they disappear! Note: you can reuse the pieces of parchment paper several times!

Soft Ginger-Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting (Utah Deal Diva)

2010-02-05T21:17:00.001-05:00

1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (I used butter flavored Crisco!}
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger {I used 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger I had left over from another recipe and the other half ground ginger.}
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger {I omitted this and my cookies still had plenty of ginger flavor!}
1 tsp cinnamon {my addition}
1/2 tsp vanilla {my addition}
Frosting

1/3 cup butter {do not use margarine!}
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-4 TBSP milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, ginger, the 3/4 cup butter, pumpkin and egg. Beat with a mixer until well blended. Add remaining ingredients to form soft dough. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes so that your cookies will have more shape. Roll into 1-inch balls and flatten slightly on tray. Bake 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. {The cookies don't spread much at all, so I ended up baking about 20 on a tray!} Remove from tray immediately and place on cooling rack.

In a small saucepan, heat the 1/3 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until butter turns a nice golden brown. It took mine about 5 minutes and when it turned, it turned very suddenly. Remove from heat. Add in remaining ingredients, stirring until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Let cookies cool for about 20 minutes before frosting. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Yam's (AllRecipes.com)

2010-02-04T17:02:00.001-05:00

Ingredients

2 (29 ounce) cans sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 (16 ounce) package gingersnap cookies
1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix the sweet potatoes, butter and lemon juice. Break the gingersnap cookies into the mixture. Stirring occasionally, cook until thick, about 15 minutes.
Cover the mixture with desired quantity of marshmallows. Remove from heat and cover 5 minutes, or until marshmallows have melted. Serve warm.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

2010-02-04T17:00:00.001-05:00

Classic Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions
Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.
Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
For Broccoli Casserole, substitute 4 cups cooked broccoli flowerets for the green beans.
For cheese lovers, stir in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese with soup. Omit the soy sauce. Sprinkle with an additional 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese when adding the remaining onions.
To add a festive touch, stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with the soup.
To add crunch, add 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds to the onion topping.
For bacon lovers, add 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, to the bean mixture.
For Golden Green Bean Cassrole, substitute Campbell's® Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup for the Cream of Mushroom Soup. Omit the soy sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with the green beans.
RECIPE TIPS
Tip: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 ounces) frozen green beans, 2 packages (9 ounces each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 ounces each) green beans or about 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans for this recipe.

Lighter Green Been Casserole

2010-02-04T16:59:00.001-05:00

Lighter Green Been Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Healthy Request® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup milk (2% fat)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 pound cut fresh green beans (about about 3 cups), cooked and drained
2 tablespoons crushed French's® French Fried Onions
Stir the soup, milk, onion powder, black pepper, soy sauce and green beans in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Top with the onions.
Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.