Eat It and Weep

Potato Cumin Soup

2010-06-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

My friend Marrya gave me this recipe and it is SO good. It doesn't sound like it would be that great, but it is in my top 3 favorite soups of all time.

Ingredients:
1/4 c. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c. flour
6 c. chicken broth (I substitute water and bouillon and it's fine!)
6 medium potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 c. medium cheddar cheese, grated
2 c. whole milk (I cheat and use half and half and it's even better)

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic in butter. Add flour and stir to dissolve. Add broth, potatoes, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes. Turn down heat. Add cheese and milk, stirring until soup is thickened.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-02-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

I finally got the recipe how I liked it! After taking many recipes, and combining and changing and adding whatever to it, I am happy with how it is now!

Ingredients:

one whole chicken

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. boullion

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. pepper, or to taste

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

Directions:

Cover chicken with water and above ingredients. You can certainly add carrots, onions, and celery to this, but I like to do that in a different step.

Once chicken is done, take out of water to cool. I strain the broth at this point to get any bits of skin or even bones out of it. You don't have to, but I just like to!

Put broth back on stove to keep boiling.

In another pot, mix the following

Ingredients:

4 carrots, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery ribs

1/4 c. butter

Directions:

Simmer those together until everything is tender and turning a golden brown on outside. Stir in 1/4 c. flour and let that turn thick and golden brown with the veggies for a couple minutes. Turn of heat.

At this point, I make some homemade noodles. My kids love them. I think they are fun to make! I use THIS recipe. Just make sure you roll out thin enough and also slice them thinly (I use a pizza cutter). They poof up while cooking, so that's why you want them pretty thin.

Debone chicken and throw the pieces back into the boiling broth. Add the veggies with everything in the pan, scraping it to get all the bits of veggies and butter. Place the noodles, one at a time, into the boiling broth. They don't take long to cook. *I heard that you can put vinegar in the water to keep them from sticking, or some people say they put the noodles in a bag with flour and toss them so they are coated with flour. That might save time, but I've never tried either of those. Turn off heat because it now is SUPER hot and will stay hot for a long, long time!

You can be done and it's great at this point, or you can mix in some milk or half and half. My mom always made her chicken noodle soup with milk, so I sometimes add 2 cups milk or if I have it, the half and half.

Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Sauce

2010-02-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is just plain easy and plain good. The ingredients can be costly, so I normally only make this if we have company coming over. My mom gave me the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 box angel food cake
1 c. ghirardelli chocolate chips--very important that it is a good quality chocolate chip, otherwise, it just won't taste the same!
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. milk
whipping cream, whipped with sugar

Directions:
Make cake mix according to directions on box. Melt chocolate chips over medium heat with sweetened condensed milk, stirring frequently. Add a little milk at a time until desired consistency. Serve with whipped cream!

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

2010-01-10T21:11:00.001-08:00

Holy moly, it's been a long time since I've posted any recipes!!! This one is a great one though! Dillon got me the America's Test Kitchen cookbook for Christmas, and I've been loving trying out some new recipes!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1/4 c. hot water
3 T. lime juice
2 T. ketchup
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. minced cilantro (I didn't have any, so I used dry)
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:
Heat all ingredients and transfer to a serving bowl. So easy!

Pulled Pork

2009-06-23T18:49:00.001-07:00

(Aren't you proud, I took my own picture for this one). I found this recipe HERE while trying to find out how to do some cute fonts on my blog. Oh. My. Goodness. This is so mouth-watering good. Seriously, it was just the type of recipe I was looking for. The leftovers were a little bit dry the next day, so we just had it with BBQ sauce which was also really yummy. But that first day? Dee-vine.

Ingredients:
1 whole boston butt (4-5 lb.)

Dry Rub:
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix well and store in an air tight container.

Brine Solution:
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts cold water
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp dry rub mix

Directions:
Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub, and bay leaves and stir well to combine.

Pork shoulder preparation: Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container, pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Then remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle dry rub onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is facing up before cooking!*** At this point I just put it in the crockpot with the fat layer on top, for about 10-12 hours, shredded the meat, and added some of the dry rub for more seasonings. It was great that way!*** However, you can do the following method as the original recipe does:

Place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Place baking pan uncovered in a 225 degree oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees. When the shoulder has reached 200 degrees, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove from oven. Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks, it will pull apart very easily. Serve for friends and family! :)

Grain and Nut Whole Wheat Pancakes

2009-06-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe (and the picture) off of allrecipes.com. I just love that website! I didn't add the nuts, but I did try adding some blueberries just on top of the batter after I poured it on the skillet, and those were good too. Talk about healthy! You could probably even omit the oil and do applesauce like a lot of people say they do in recipes. The best part of it? My kids loved them. Yum.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine. In a large bowl, combine ground oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, oil, egg, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix wet ingredients into dry with a few swift strokes. Stir in nuts, if desired.

Lightly oil a skillet or griddle, and preheat it to medium heat. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet; cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until brown.

Easy Strawberry Lemonade

2009-06-12T09:36:00.001-07:00

For some reason it never occurred to me that it was so easy to make this! Even if you have no fresh lemons or no lemonade concentrate, you can still have strawberry lemonade for much cheaper than in a restaurant! Our friends had us over for dinner and we had this. I mentioned that Dillon would want me to get the recipe for it, to which I was told the recipe was just on the back of the Real Lemon lemon juice bottle--she just added the strawberries. Now...why didn't I think of that?!

Ingredients:

6 1/2 cups water

1 c. bottled lemon juice

1 c. sugar

5-6 large strawberries

Directions:

Mash strawberries in bowl and add to rest of ingredients! Yum! You could, of course, use a can of lemonade concentrate, and I'm sure frozen strawberries would work great too.

Picture found here.

Wheat Bread

2009-05-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe from Michelle, but I also had it from my friend Jill. Michelle said the trick to good wheat bread is in the wheat--she uses white wheat, as it has the same nutritional value as red. The white wheat makes a lighter, fluffier bread than red wheat. Yea! I was so happy to get this recipe and knowledge from her. I had this at her house and it was delish!

Ingredients:
3 cups warm water
2 pkgs yeast (4 ½ tsp.)
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. dough enhancer (optional)
¼ cup gluten (optional)
5 cups whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp salt
1/3 cup honey
Whole wheat flour

Directions:
Mix together water, yeast, 1/3 cup honey, dough enhancer, gluten, and 5 cups flour. Cover and let rise for about half of an hour. Stir in melted butter, salt, and 1/3 cup honey. Add enough flour to make dough soft and still slightly sticky. Form into a ball and place in bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Divided dough into 3 balls. Shape and place in greased bread pans (9x5). Cover and let rise until the dough is about an inch higher than the pan. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. (I always pull them out after 25 minutes). Brush tops with butter to keep crust soft. Remove from pans to let cool.

*The original recipe is yummy too, just not quite as good as grinding your own wheat. It calls for part whole wheat flour and part white--I tried it with red wheat flour from the store and it was still good. Here is the link on allrecipes HERE , although I had to change the serving size as my Kitchen Aid only makes 2 loafs, not 3. Hope that helps!

Picture found here.

Granola

2009-05-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Michelle. I have not made it yet, but tasted hers. It was good because it kind of sticks together so you break it apart in chunks and can snack on it, or have it for cereal or make into granola bars. Yum!

Dry mixture Ingredients:

8 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cup wheat germ* (look below on *'s)
1 ½ cup oat bran*
1 cup sunflower seeds*
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Wet mixture ingredients:
1 ½ tsp salt
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¾ cup honey
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups raisins, craisins, or dried blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Combine wet mixture ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir to coat. Spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheets
Bake until for 10 minutes, stir, and bake for 10 more minutes (longer if you like it crispy). Cool, then stir in dried fruit.

*Note from Michelle on what she does: I change these three ingredients according to what we have. My favorite, though, is to leave out the sunflower seeds and oat bran (I couldn’t find it at the store), then add milled flax seed (I found it at Costco), and AllBran (a wheat bran cereal) along with the wheat germ. I also substitute 2 cups of the rolled oats with quick oats for texture.

Beans

2009-04-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

I love the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog. Ree is so funny, and full of great recipes. I have liked nearly every recipe I have tried from her website. This picture is found here, along with more detailed instructions. I love that this recipe is so cheap! Seriously, what a great way to learn how to cook something that is inexpensive, yet totally filling. Who knew you didn't have to soak beans before cooking them? Not me! And better yet, it really tastes totally yummy. I was pleasantly surprised that beans could be so good. I make it with homemade whole wheat rolls or bread. She serves hers with cornbread. Either way, it's just a filling, satisfying, and inexpensive meal. Yum!

Ingredients:
4 c. pinto beans
4 slices bacon (can also use salt pork, ham hock, or diced ham--I've only tried bacon)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Rinse beans in cool water; pour into a pot and cover with water by 2-3 inches. Slice bacon into 1" thick pieces and mix in with beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Add water to pot as needed. Beans should have a thick broth. Toward the end of cooking time, ad salt and pepper and season to taste. (It was pretty hot with the pepper, but I loved it that way. I suggest adding some to taste, rather than just putting in the whole 2 tsp. pepper...you know, just in case it's too much for your tastes). For variety you can add chili powder, garlic, or Tabasco. Serve with grated cheese, chopped onions, chopped fresh jalapenos, sour cream, and/or cilantro. (I just had sour cream, and that was fine!).
*I like to mash the beans a little with a potato masher before we eat it. Kind of adds more variety in the texture and a little thicker broth.

Ginger Pancake Roll-ups with Lemon Sauce

2009-02-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on the Today Show back in November and thought it looked awesome! I originally was going to make them for my husband for his birthday breakfast, but he was like, "I don't like fancy pancakes."--the loser! Anyway, I made them the weekend before his birthday, just for fun, and he loved them so much he said he actually did want them for his birthday afterall. I love the spices in the pancake batter and paired with the cream cheese and lemon sauce they are just amazing!

Ingredients:
Pancakes:
3 cups Bisquick biscuit mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
Vegetable oil for brushing pan (or cooking spray)
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature

Directions:
In mixing bowl, combine Bisquick, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. In another bowl, combine egg and milk. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry; mix well into a smooth batter. Heat a pancake griddle or nonstick pan on medium-high and brush with oil or spray with cooking spray. Ladle batter onto griddle and cook pancakes on one side until bubbles are visible on top, then flip and cook other side until golden.

Cut each cream cheese package into 6 pieces. Roll each pancake around a piece of cream cheese.
(I used my own pancake recipe instead of the Bisquick and just added the spices and they turned out fine. You want to make sure the pancakes are thinner, however, so they will be easier to roll up; if they are too fluffy add more milk to the batter. I only used 1 package of cream cheese for mine and it seemed to be enough--it just depends on how much cream cheese you want in each pancake.)

Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, well-beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
For sauce, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, gradually add ingredients -- butter, egg, sugar, lemon zest, water and lemon juice -- one at a time. Continue stirring constantly (otherwise egg will cook) until mixture thickens slightly. To serve, pour warm sauce over pancake roll-ups. Makes 12 to 14 pancakes.

Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder

2009-02-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

I love this soup! I order this almost every time I go to Mimi's Cafe (or I should say everytime I went, seeing as there isn't one in Michigan). This recipe used to be listed on their website, but it's no longer there, so I'm glad I copied it before they took it down.

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
6 Tbsp onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, diced
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 cups raw potato, peeled and cut in 1/2" cubes
1 quart Half & Half
3 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbsps sugar
2 tsps salt
1 pinch white pepper
3 Tbsps flour

Directions:
Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat, then simmer onion and celery for 5 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add water, potatoes, corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender. Whisk the flour into 1 cup of the Half & Half, and stir into the soup. Add the remaining 3 cups of Half & Half. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup has thickened to a creamy consistency. If needed, add additional salt and pepper to taste. To thin soup add milk; to make it thicker, simmer another 5-10 minutes. Yields 2 1/2 quarts.

No-Chop Chili

2009-01-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes. Most of the ingredients are all pantry (or food storage) staples, so it's an easy weeknight dinner. My kids love it!

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. ground beef, browned
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 cup bottled salsa (we like Herdez)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can chili beans, undrained (we like the Western Family brand)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained (again, WF brand)

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 4-8 hours. You can also do this on the stove, cooking for 30 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and crackers. Yum!

Zuppa Toscana

2009-01-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

Last night Dillon and I got to go on a date with my Olive Garden gift card. (Thanks mom for the present and for watching the boys!) I love their Zuppa Toscana soup so much. I have the recipe and after eating it there last night, I have to say that the recipe I have tastes really exactly like theirs. It's so good, and easy to make as well.

Ingredients:
1 lb. spicy Italian sausage *(I do just use normal and add a bit of cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes--just add a little at a time at the end till it's as spicy as you like, so just a couple shakes, then taste)
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
4 c. water
1 cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, sliced thin and cut in half, with skins
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I add more usually)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 c. chopped kale (the green leafy stuff in the soup)
1 c. heavy whipping cream (half and half is fine, or even milk would probably work great)
salt and pepper to taste (don't forget this part! It's also important to watch it with the bacon being salty as well, so add a little at a time)
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown sausage. Drain and set aside. Cook bacon--drain an dset aside. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes and onions are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serve with rolls or breadsticks!

Eggless Eggnog

2009-01-24T12:37:00.001-08:00

If you're one of "those" people who don't like eggnog, then skip this post. But if you are one of "the" people who do, then read on, baby. Dillon and I love eggnog. But, we've become eggnog snobs, in that we found the BEST eggnog ever and never want to buy anything else. That eggnog is Southern Comfort Vanilla Spice eggnog. Yummmmm. To my dismay, I couldn't find eggnog at all after Christmas, even before New Year's. Everywhere either stopped selling it, or they were out. Welcome to Tooele Valley, I suppose. Anyway, I've had this recipe for years and only recently tried it. Dillon said it was good, but I didn't know how much he liked it until he told his brother that it was better than what you buy in the store. Have I talked it up enough? Don't be disappointed please, but really, it's good. And since I'm paranoid about drinking raw eggs anyways, and it kind of spoils my appetite thinking about drinking them, this is a great way to get around that!

Ingredients:
1 small package french vanilla pudding mix
5 cups milk
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. cool whip or whipped whipping cream

Directions:
Mix pudding mix, milk, and sugar in blender. Let chill in fridge about 4 hours. Blend in nutmeg, cinnamon, and cool whip and enjoy!

You can put less of the spices in, just do it to taste, but we like ours full of those spices, so that's why there is so much of them. The original recipe doesn't call for cinnamon and calls for just 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, so do it that way if you prefer.

Spice Drop Cookies

2008-12-22T20:29:00.001-08:00

Sorry, no picture, but I thought I'd better share a holiday favorite the Hurst family has. This is Grandma Rita's recipe, and it isn't Christmas until these cookies are made!

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. shortening
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped pecans, optional
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and placed on paper towels

Directions:
Combine baking soda with buttermilk and set aside. Beat together shortening, sugars, and eggs. Mix rest of dry ingredients together (except pecans). Add flour mixture and baking soda with buttermilk gradually to shortening mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 c. chopped pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Top with 1/2 maraschino cherry. Bake at 375 degrees, 8-10 minutes, until light brown. Cool and place in airtight covered containers. Best when fresh!

Bread and Jam Loaf

2008-11-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is Thursday and I don't have any great recipes for that, so here's one I do for Christmas. I did these a couple of years ago as gifts and so many people asked for the recipe. I originally got this recipe off of a recipe card from Rhodes Rolls but I changed it just a smidge. Sorry I couldn't find a picture of it, but it looks really pretty when sliced with the white bread and colorful jam. Here's their recipe and the slight change I did to it.

Ingredients:
-20 Rhodes Dinner rolls, thawed but still cold (less if you're making a smaller loaf)
-1/2 cup jam (your favorite flavor, you might need a little more, or a little less, just depends, I used homemade strawberry jam)
-2 TBS sliced almonds (optional)

Icing ingredients:
-1 TBS butter, melted
-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 or 2 TBS water
-1/4 tsp almond extract
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Flatten each roll into a 4-inch circle. Place a teaspoon of jam in the center of each roll. Pinch edges of dough together to enclose filling. Place filled rolls in a 9x5-inch sprayed loaf pan, (or what I did was get the little loaf pans and made smaller loaves for individual people. I put 5 or 6 rolls in each little pan) just fill the bottom of the pan and start stacking on top. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let dough rise to the top of the pan. Do not let dough over rise. Remove wrap and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or with the smaller loaves, you'll have to watch and check every few minutes after the first 15 minutes to make sure they don't burn. Cover with foil the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from pan immediately and place on a cooling rack, right side up. Combine icing ingredients and mix well. Drizzle icing over cooled loaf.

It's very tasty!

Eyeballs

2008-10-30T21:46:00.001-07:00

These didn't look as much like eyeballs as I had imagined--I think I'll try something different with boiled eggs next time (lots of ideas online!).

Ingredients:
grapes
raisins
cool whip
toothpicks
1/2 an orange

Directions:
Stick toothpick in grape, letting it stick out the top a little and put the raisin on that. I tried putting on the cool whip afterwards, just since it seemed messy to put the raisin on top of the cool whip, but that is where it was a bit hard--maybe the spraying cool whip would make it easier! I just used my finger to put on the cool whip--the spoon wasn't cuttin' it! Stick the toothpick in the orange.

Bloody Cups for Halloween

2008-10-30T21:42:00.001-07:00

This is so easy, it seems funny to post it, but I had a request for the recipes or ideas, so here it is:).

Ingredients:
honey
red food coloring

Directions:
Heat the two together (about 1 Tbsp. honey and a couple drops red food coloring) in the microwave. What I had read was to dip the rims, but that was going to get sticky, so I just took a spoon, scooped up some of the mix, and ran it around the top of the glass. I served it with lemonade mixed with chocolate sprinkles and raisins to make it like bugs in their drinks. The honey mixture actually stayed on for a while before dissolving into the lemonade.

Spiderweb Green Dip with Witches' Hats

2008-10-30T21:33:00.001-07:00

My kids didn't really love the guacamole, but that just meant there was more for us grown-ups:). They still ate the chips and thought it was cool though.

Ingredients:
tortilla chips (those are the witches' hats--it'd be cuter with colored ones, but I couldn't find any)
2 avocados
2 Tbsp. salsa
garlic salt
sour cream

Directions:
Mash avocado with the salsa, garlic salt, and a spoonful of sour cream. Spread in bowl. Put a Tbsp. of sour cream in a baggie, twist, and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Swirl around in circles and make it like a spider web. Serve with tortilla chips! I think I'd add some green food coloring to make it more Halloween-ish.

Witches' Fingers

2008-10-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

I know, these are so gross-looking, but fun for the kids!

Ingredients:
Hot Dogs
Ketchup
Slivered Almonds

Directions:
Take knife and cut where the joints would be in a finger. Cut part of the tip off, at an angel. Glob ketchup all over the bottom, and a dab on the tip, and add a slivered almond for the fingernail. I baked mine for about 10 minutes, then set it on broil to get it looking really gross!

Chicken Mexican Meal over Rice

2008-10-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

Got a crock pot? This recipe is so quick, easy and cheap. Serve over rice and top with cheese, sour cream, even tomatoes and lettuce would be great! I think Janina told me about it. Thanks sister!

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 jar salsa
2 chicken breasts
rice
shredded cheese
sour cream

Directions:
Place beans, salsa, and chicken in crock pot and cook until chicken is done. Chop chicken and add back in crock pot. Serve over rice!

Sugar Cookies

2008-10-24T15:59:00.001-07:00

This recipe is actually from my neighbor, but they are the best sugar cookies ever! They turn out perfectly every time and are great for any, and all, holidays.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1 stick) butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 to 2 1/4 cups flour

Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

4-5 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 cups powdered sugar

food coloring

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Gradually add to butter and sugar mixture. Roll out dough to desired thickness on floured surface and cut out with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 8 minutes or until barely golden. Place on cooling rack until ready to frost.

Combine frosting ingredients and stir until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring. Frost cooled cookies.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cookies

2008-10-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this recipe a short while ago and am in LOVE. Seriously. These cookies are absolutely heavenly. I'm not a nut fan so I omit those and use white chocolate chips or simply sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. They are also great plain or for homemade Oreos or ice cream sandwiches. The dough is so good, you'll probably only get 17 servings out of this recipe. I do.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup dairy sour cream (or I used non-fat plain yogurt last time and they turned out great)
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
½ cup shortening, melted
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325° and grease cookie sheets.

Cream eggs, sugar & vanilla. Blend in sour cream, butter & shortening. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a separate bowl, then add to sugar mixture. Stir in nuts (if you are insane). Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased sheet or refrigerate dough for an hour and roll into balls. Bake 12-13 min or until just set-cool slightly; remove from sheet to wire rack until cooled completely.

Servings: 48

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2008-10-22T08:55:00.001-07:00

I love this soup! And it only takes about 20 minutes to make, especially if the broccoli is already cut up into bite sized pieces.

Ingredients:
About 6 cups of water
1 head of broccoli
3-4 chicken bouillon cubes
About 2 cups milk

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup flour

1 cup cheddar cheese OR
1 can cheese whiz

Directions:
Put the water, broccoli cut into small pieces, and bouillon cubes into a large pot. Boil until broccoli is cooked (about 10 minutes). Pour in the milk, turn heat down to medium and heat until the milk is warm.

In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-medium/high. Add the flour and stir it together. Let simmer while stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes. Stir butter/flour mixture into the broccoli water. Stir until somewhat thick. Add the cheese or cheese whiz. Season to taste.

Enjoy!

Yummy Fruit Dips

2008-09-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

These are fruit dips that we had at Christies baby shower...really really good!

Strawberry Fruit Dip
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 c. cool whip (add more to get the taste you want)
3 tsp. strawberry jam (add more to make it more sweet)

Mix together with beaters and chill.

Carmel Fruit Dip
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. maple extract

Mix together with beaters and chill.

Serve with strawberries, bananas, pineapple etc. you can use any fruit.

Enjoy!

Taco Pizza

2008-09-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! This is my first post on this blog. Took me long enough! I have just been sitting in the background taking in ideas until today, my big debut. Anyway, I thought I would share a super easy idea I got from a co-worker for taco pizza.

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust (which ever kind your prefer)
1lb ground beef
Taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
cheese (use at your discretion and type preference)
1 small can black olives
1 small tomato diced
Lettuce
Sour Cream

Directions:

We used a Pilsbury Pizza Crust (find them with the pre made cookie dough, etc) and rolled it out on a pizza pan. Next spread a layer of refried beans on to the top of the crust. Add the ground beef on top of that (already browned and seasoned). Sprinkle cheese to your hearts desire on top of that. Finally add toppings you and your family like. We just did olives and tomatoes. Preheat oven according to the label on your pizza crust as well as the bake time on the label. Once it is finished baking add lettuce, sour cream, guacomole, etc. Serve like a traditional pizza and enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

2008-09-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

We got this recipe with a cookie sheet as a wedding gift from the Worthington family. We love it! Soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients together and then mix that with wet ingredients. Make into small balls and roll in 2 T. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-09-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

This soup is quick and I believe pretty healthy. I know it's not soup season, but I guess I was craving it the other day!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 chicken breasts halves
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies, with juice
1 can black beans, rinsed (you don't have to, you can throw the whole can in, but it kind of discolors the soup)

Toppings:
cheese
cilantro
sour cream
tortilla chips (or corn tortillas cut into strips and baked 7-8 minutes at 400 degrees--a little better than the chips as they don't get as soggy)
lime juice

Directions:
For the chicken, I like to cook it in the crockpot with some chicken broth, cumin, and garlic so it's nice and tender. Or you can just cook it however you want to! Chop chicken, cook onions in some oil or in the crockpot, mix everything together and heat through. Top with cheese, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, and mix with tortilla chips or tortilla strips. Easy!

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-08-22T11:42:00.001-07:00

My friend requested I post this recipe, so here it is! Great for something a little different around the holidays--especially if you aren't a traditional pie lover like myself. I got this off Allrecipes and used the reviews of people to make it better.

Ingredients:

2 packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

3/4 c. pumpkin pie filling

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Caramel Sauce

Frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Remove 1 c. of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.

Add pumpkin and cinnamon to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust. Place on cookie sheet (can add some water to the bottom of the cookie sheet to prevent the cheesecake from cracking) and bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes (the original recipe says 35-40 minutes, but some people were complaining that it wasn't done--I honestly don't remember how long it cooked since it's been so long since I've made it). Drizzle caramel sauce and top with whipped topping before serving.

Spaghetti Del Este

2008-08-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

I get so excited for summer-time with fresh vegetables in the garden so I can make this yummy recipe my sister Janina gave me (it's in the family cookbook, in case you are wondering). Two recipes in a row from you Stumps:). Thanks for being great cooks! I think you can use this as a main dish, or as a salad (if using as a salad, I usually just change the pasta type to bow-tie or something else bite-size).

Ingredients:

1/2 c. olive oil (I sometimes use less, then add more if needed)

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, cubed

1 tsp. basil (fresh is always better)

1 tsp. oregano

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1 small can sliced black olives, drained (I don't always add these)

6-8 large tomatoes, chopped into small pieces (in the picture, I used some green and red tomatoes, not non-ripe ones, but a tomato called Green Zebra that doesn't turn red)

Angel hair pasta

Directions:

Mix everything together except for the pasta. Set aside at room temperature for 3 hours, stirring occasionally (still yummy if you don't have that much time!). When ready to serve, boil angel hair pasta until done, drain, and quickly stir into the mixture and serve. Janina says she usually makes about 6 c. of pasta, I think I make less, but then use less olive oil too. I like to add sliced mushrooms to mine. I've tried it with shredded mozzarella cheese, but the chunks are good, kind of like a meaty addition. I also think some grilled chicken would be fabulous in this!

Sour Cream Pancakes with Homemade Syrup

2008-08-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

Scratch my other pancake recipe--this one is lots better. They are moist and yummy, and the syrup is buttery and sugary and oh so yummy. These recipes are from Greg, my brother-in-law--I stayed at their house a few weeks ago and they made this for breakfast--YUM! My boys love these, and Dillon loves how moist they are. Thanks for the great recipe Greg!

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 T. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 c. milk

Directions:
In large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs, add sour cream and mix well, then add melted butter and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing lightly to form a smooth, thin batter. Makes about 20 medium-sized pancakes.

Syrup Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. buttermilk (I use regular milk and it's still yummy)
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 T. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
In a large saucepan (large because it boils really high), combine the first five ingredients. Bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Yum!

Curry Chicken Sandwich Filling

2008-07-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture of this, but it is kind of salad-ish since you can eat it plain or on bread. I got the recipe from a lady in our ward in Nibley, who just happens to be my sister Janina's old college roommate:). I love the chicken sandwich filling with grapes and cashews, but this one is a bit cheaper and usually you have all of these items on hand.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. shredded, cooked chicken
1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. onion powder (or 2 T. grated onion)
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. sour cream or plain yogurt
3/4 tsp. curry powder
pinch cayenne pepper
2 shakes black pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least one hour to blend flavors. If eating on sandwich, you could add tomatoes and lettuce or any other veggies you like. It's good just plain as well. Easy and tasty!

Quick Stew

2008-06-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to this now that warm weather is here. I meant to post this 3 months ago when most people eat stew, but oh well. I'm all for meals that are cooked in a crock pot! You just toss everything in sometime in the morning and it cooks all day without anymore effort on your part! Anyway, here it is.

Ingredients:
2 pounds stewing beef (or just get some kind of roast and chop it up)
15 baby carrots, halved (I add more carrots cause I like 'em)
1/2 cup dried minced onion
3 large potatoes, cubed (again, I add more then that)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) tomato soup
1 soup can worth of water
1 tsp. salt
2 T. vinegar
pepper to taste

Directions:
(now here comes the easy part)
Combine all ingredients in greased (or not greased) 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat 5-6 hours or on low heat 10-12 hours. Makes 4-6 servings. You can serve in bowls or bread bowls. If the liquid seems too runny, you can add small amounts of instant potato flakes until it reaches the desired thickness.

ENJOY!

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing

2008-05-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

(Sorry no picture, but it really looks just like the green dressing from the restaurant.)

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Ranch Buttermilk Dressing Mix
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo (or 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup sour cream if you don't have buttermilk, and you would use 1/3 cup regular milk, which is the only way I've made it)
3 fresh tomatillos
1 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for a couple hours, this isn't necessary but helps to thicken it a little. After being in the fridge, it was suggested you could add more mayo to make it thicker or more milk to thin it out, but the consistency has always been perfect for me. It makes a lot but I just make it when I have a lot of people eating and I use the leftovers to dip tortilla chips in. So good! :) I believe it is good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

"Cafe Rio" Chicken

2008-05-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

(Sorry I don't have a picture. This is supposedly Cafe Rio's chicken. To me it's not the same, but it is still very yummy and super easy.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. chicken
12 oz Kraft Italian dressing
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cloves minced garlic

Directions:
Combine all in crock pot. Cook for 4 hours on high. Shred with a fork.

I have used this chicken with taco salads, like in the taco shell bowls (whatever they're called) and especially when used with the tomatillo dressing, it is delicious.

Salmon Marinade

2008-05-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

I don't like fish very much. But this doesn't even taste like fish after it has been in this marinade for 3-4 hours -- it tastes sweet, almost like candy. I love this salmon marinade!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions:
Cut filet(s) into 1 inch strips. Marinate for 3-4 hours. Discard marinade and grill. Or if you want oven directions:

Put salmon in a foil-lined 9x13 pan (throw the marinade away) and cook at 350 for 20 minutes. The skin will stay on the foil when you pick up the salmon.

Mixed Vegetable Grill with Feta

2008-05-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

No picture, sorry, but can you say YUM?

Ingredients:
2 c. (1/2 inch thick) zucchini slices
1 - 4 oz. pkg. feta cheese with basil and tomato
1 c. (1/2 inch thick) green pepper strips
1 cup tomato wedges
1/2 c. (1/4 inch thick) onion rings
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano, crushed
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Wrap mixture in foil. Place on grill. Grill 10 minutes. Turn packet over. Grill 8 more Minutes.

Grilled Shrimp

2008-05-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

I love shrimp, any kind at all--Dillon mostly loves the fried shrimp, but found this recipe online once--it's pretty spicy with the cayenne pepper, but also sweet, so it's a great combination of flavors:). Yum!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. large shrimp, uncooked (I actually just use cooked shrimp and warm them up on the grill after marinating them in the sauce)
1 finely chopped onion (minced onion works fine too)
1 c. olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. maple sugar
1 lb. bacon (optional--to wrap the shrimp in, but honestly, we've only done that once and it's wonderful without the added calories!)

Directions:
In a bowl, mix everything together except shrimp and bacon. Stir in shrimp and make sure it's all covered with the marinade. Let marinate for at least a couple hours--or if you are short on time, you can just brush on the marinade while grilling and dip the shrimp in the sauce after it's grilled (you can boil the sauce to do this, so it's warm like the shrimp, or drizzle over the top after grilled). Put shrimp on skewers and grill until hot--don't overcook the shrimp though. Can wrap in the bacon before grilling.

S'mores Bars

2008-05-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for camping season to get here already!?!? If you can't wait to do the official version of s'mores, here's something to tide you over. (Setting up a tent in your living room would also be helpful.)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
18 whole graham crackers, crushed, about 3 cups
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 milk chocolate bars, approximately 1 1/2 ounces each
3 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in crushed graham crackers, flour, and salt. Reserve 2 1/2 cups of the graham cracker mixture, and press remaining mixture over the bottom of a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Arrange chocolate bars, in a single layer, over graham cracker mixture in the pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Crumbled reserved 2 1/2 cups graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut into bars and cool completely.
Makes about 2 dozen bars.

NOTE: DO NOT OVERBAKE! Mine are usually done within about 18 minutes or so and it will vary in your own oven. Keep a close eye on them. Allow the marshmallows to brown a little bit, but if they liquify completely, the marshmallow will carmelize into a very hard substance and the bars won't be very good! (And sometimes, inedible.)

Calzones

2008-05-10T09:11:00.001-07:00

This meal is great because you can put anything you want in it. I have seen ones with ham, salami, and other sorts of lunch meats, and ones that were made of all vegetables. So be creative and don't feel like you have to follow the recipe exactly. (the picture is of a chicken single fold calzone)

Also, I am guessing on the amounts, since we usually just sort of put on however much we want (or have handy) so feel free to change that too.

Bread:
Rhodes Bread loaf dough (1 per calzone)
butter (the spray kind is easiest)
garlic salt or powder

Pizza Calzone filling:
1 jar spaghetti sauce (you won't use all of it)
1-2 cups graded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup graded parmesan cheese
1 package pepperonis
4-6 precooked sausage links, diced
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
Italian seasoning (a couple of shakes)

Chicken Calzone filling:
1 jar alfredo sauce (you won't use all of it)
1-2 cups graded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup graded parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken breasts, cooked, cut in long slivers (preferably already seasoned with salt, pepper)
1 cup broccoli, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
Italian seasoning (a couple of shakes)
garlic powder (a couple of shakes)

Directions:
Let dough rise according to package directions (this can take 2-7 hours, depending on the method).
For a "single fold calzone", roll out dough into a long rectangle. Spray the dough with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place a thin layer of sauce slightly to one side, then lay down cheese and other toppings. Fold the dough over to cover toppings and connect securely to the other side, pinch ends shut (use the butter to help make this easier). Spray the top with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and some of the graded Parmesan cheese. Place on a cookie sheet (you can make the calzone on the cookie sheet if you feel nervous moving it).
For a "double fold calzone", roll out the dough into a big square. Spray with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place a thin layer of sauce directly down the center, then lay down half of the toppings. Fold one side over the center pile. Butter and garlic the newly exposed bread. Add the rest of the toppings (with more sauce if you want) on top, then fold the last flap over, connecting securely to the other side, pinch ends shut. Butter and garlic the top, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Slice like a subway sandwich and eat plain or dip in extra sauce.

here is the process for the single fold pizza calzone

Caesar Chicken Pasta Salad

2008-05-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is possibly my favorite salad ever. We rarely eat all the salad in one day, so I keep the romaine lettuce out and just mix all the other ingredients together. Sometimes, we use baby spinach and that's great, too! When we eat it over the next couple of days, we put a bed of romaine lettuce/baby spinach on a plate and put the pasta salad on top. The fresh basil is essential. Delicious!

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed (In a rush, the canned kind works great!)
3 cups penne pasta, cooked
2 cups romaine lettuce, sliced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (I usually just use chopped tomatoes.)
1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing, more or less to taste (I love Ken's Steakhouse Creamy Caesar.)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a large bowl; toss well and serve.

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo

2008-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, if this picture makes you want to puke rather than eat it, totally understandable! Anyways, I've been on a little of a health-kick lately, and this is really NOT healthy. I tried to counter the cube of butter by using the light cream cheese and 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, so I felt a little bit better, but hey, it's the fat that makes it so good I guess. I really didn't taste any difference however with those changes, so maybe they're worth it!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 package dry italian dressing mix
1 cube butter
1 package Neufchatel
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Put melted butter in crockpot. Place chicken in and sprinkle with italian dressing mix. Let cook until chicken is done (my crockpot is hot and on high only takes a couple hours). Take chicken out and put the cream cheese and soup in--soften cream cheese first though to make it less lumpy. Let that heat up a bit while you shred the chicken. Whisk the cream cheese and soup together and add enough milk to make it a thinner sauce. Add chicken and heat through. Serve over noodles. Very easy!

Orange Knots

2008-05-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

1 medium orange rind, grated

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

Citrus Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix grated orange rind with sugar. Roll each roll into a 9-inch rope. Tie in a loose knot. Roll each knot in melted butter and then in rind/sugar mixture. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let double in size. Remove wrap. Bake at 350°F 15-20 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. Brush with citrus glaze while still warm.

Grilled Fish

2008-04-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

My husband requested a fish dinner for his birthday. I am not a huge fan of fish, but this recipe turned out great! Sorry no photo...I'll have to start remembering to take pictures for the blog.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
4 frozen orange ruffy fillets, thawed (can be slightly frozen)

Directions:
In a stainless steel or glass bowl, combine garlic, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and parsely. Place the fish fillets in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the fish. Seal and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, turning occasionally. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat. Remove the fillets from marinade and drain off the excess. Grill fillets 5 minutes per side or until the fish is done.. Fish is done when easily flaked with a fork.

Ham and Bean Soup

2008-04-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

Can you tell we've had to try and use ham leftovers this week!? This was actually really yummy and a great way to use up that ham! Aren't you impressed--I actually took these two pictures myself (with recipe below). I was surprised that it has kind of a tomato broth base to it, cause I've never had ham and bean soup like that, but it turned out yummy and quite healthy as well. Makes a ton of soup, but the good part is, you can FREEZE it!

Ingredients:
1 (20 ounce) package 15 bean mixture, soaked overnight--(I just used white beans and navy beans)
1 ham bone
2 1/2 cups cubed ham
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
5 large carrots, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 (12 fluid ounce) can low-sodium vegetable juice (like V8)
3 cups vegetable broth (I just used water)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons lemon juice
5 cups low fat, low sodium chicken broth (might need more, depending on if you like it thinner)

Directions:
Remove and discard seasoning packet, if any, from beans. Place beans in large stockpot. Cover with water to 2 inches over beans and soak overnight. Drain the soaking water from the beans. Cover beans with fresh water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Drain. Add the ham bone, ham, onion, celery, carrots, tomatoes, vegetable juice, and vegetable broth. Season with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, chili powder, bay leaves, pepper, parsley and lemon juice. Pour in enough of the chicken broth to cover the ingredients. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 hours. Add more chicken broth as needed throughout the day. Remove the ham bone and season with salt if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Ham and Cheese Bisquits

2008-04-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

We just had these as a side to our weekly "breakfast" dinner.

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. milk
1/2 c. finely chopped ham
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in separate bowl; pour into flour mixture until just moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 16-20 minutes. Makes 12 bisquits.

Oreo Cookie Truffles

2008-04-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

A lady brought these to book-club and everyone LOVED them. We all got the recipe. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bag Oreo Cookies, ground in blender or food processor (filling and all)
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 package Almond Bark (white chocolate candy coating)
1 square of the Chocolate Bark for drizzling

Directions:
Mix ground oreos and cream cheese until well combined. Roll into 1 inch balls and place onto baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate overnight or until very firm. Melt white chocolate according to package directions. Dip balls into chocolate and place onto parchment paper to harden. Once dry, melt chocolate bark and spoon into the corner of a ziplock baggie. Snip a small corner and drizzle back and forth over the truffles. Let dry. About 30 truffles each recipe. Store in freezer or refrigerator.

Chicken and Asparagus Crepes

2008-04-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

I made these for dinner tonight. My husband and I loved them. My three year old ate them very well. My 5 year old said he "didn't like the sauce on the inside of the pancakes" (it was cream of mushroom soup!) Go figure. I got the recipe from foodnetwork.com and Paula Deen.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/8 cup dry sherry (I used water)
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese (I used cheddar & swiss)
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
8 asparagus spears, steamed until crisp-tender
Savory Crepes, recipe follows
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cream of mushroom soup and onion and cook for 2 minutes, Stir in sherry, fontina cheese and chicken. Cook until cheese is melted.
Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center 1/3 of each crepe. Place 2 asparagus spears over chicken mixture. Fold edges of crepe over filling, and place, seam side up, in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Swiss cheese over crepes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crepes are hot.

Savory Crepes Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, egg yolk, and butter. Gradually add flour mixture to milk mixture, whisking until smooth.
Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter into skillet; cook for 30 to 45 seconds. Loosen crepe with a spatula, and carefully turn over. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds; transfer to plate. Repeat procedure with remaining batter, stacking crepes on a plate.
Yield: 4 servings

Tuna Patties

2008-04-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

These are from the Kraft magazine. They are cheap, easy, and pretty tasty (if you like stuffing!). Devon really liked them, and Carson took a bite and said he liked them but didn't eat anymore (BUT, he is an extremely picky eater, so that's not really saying much). They aren't fabulous, but serve with a side salad and fruit, and you have a quick, healthy meal.

Ingredients:
2 cans light tuna, drained and flaked
1 pkg. stove-top stuffing, chicken flavored
1 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded carrots (optional--I didn't add them because I was in a hurry)
1/3 c. mayo
2 Tbsp. sweet relish
3/4 c. water

Directions:
Mix all together, cover, and put in fridge for 10 minutes. Heat skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Put about 1/3 c. (smashed so it stays together) for each patty on to cook, for about 3 minutes per side. I think it'd be tasty with some type of tarter sauce or dip, but they were good without it as well (I ended up dipping mine in ranch from my salad).

Beef With Broccoli

2008-03-24T10:51:00.001-07:00

I'm thinking this picture is totally unnecessary, it probably makes you not want to make it, but I thought I should put proof that I actually make this. It is actually quite easy and surprisingly yummy. I think it tastes like what I've had at restaurants and even my husband can't get enough and he can be very picky.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs lean steak (any cut, sliced thin)
1 Tbls. cornstarch
1 1/3 cup water
1 Tbls. canola oil
1 head broccoli (1 lb., cut small)

Marinade:
3 Tbls. teriyaki sauce
3 Tbls. apple juice
1 Tbls. cider vinegar
1 Tbls. brown sugar
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp. hot pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Add beef to marinade for 20 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate. Add cornstarch and 1/2 cup water to remaining marinade and set aside. Heat oil in skillet on high. Stir fry beef until brown, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add 1/3 cup water to skillet. Bring to a boil, scraping browned bits. Add to marinade. Stir fry broccoli 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup water. Stir fry 4 minutes. Add marinade and bring to boil until thick. Toss in meat and season with salt and pepper (definitely needs salt! but I like to let each person put the amount they like on their own serving). Serve over steamed rice.

Turkey Wrap

2008-03-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have eaten this wrap every day this week for lunch. I crave it! And I feel like I'm kind of trying to be healthy by using whole wheat tortillas and spinach (although the ranch dressing may cancel out the healthiness).

Lay out one whole wheat tortilla. Put two pieces of thick sliced deli turkey in the middle of it. Put two or three slices of cheddar cheese on top of that. Pile with spinach, drizzle with ranch dressing, and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top. Roll it up and voilà! So good!

Does anyone else have thoughts on what you put in wraps to make them yummy? I'm tired of the same old pb&j sandwich every day!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-03-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

These are my fallback cookies. You know, the ones you always come back to because you make them just right every time, and you love them. People almost always ask me for this recipe when I take them places. They are so soft, and stay soft for days. (Although I have been known to eat the entire batch in less than 48 hours!)

Mix together:

2 cubes butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar

Add:

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 - 3.9 oz box chocolate Jello Instant pudding (you can use devil's food if you prefer the darker color and flavor)
12 oz chocolate chips (I use 1/2 bag chocolate chips and 1/2 bag peanut butter chips)

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Makes 4-5 dozen.

Apple Dumplings, courtesy of the Pioneer Woman Cooks

2008-03-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

So, as I've stated before, Melanie pointed me to this website, and I tried these most delicious apple dumplings, and they were so very easy and fattening and yummy. You should really read her blog, it's hilarious. And she has pictures for every step plus some, so it's great to look at, but here's just the plain ol' recipe, and of course, a picture from her website (why should I try and make a picture look better than this??? Cause it wouldn't happen!).

Ingredients:
2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew

Directions:
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 barely stir. 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 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Link to her site (this one is the 2nd recipe down right now):
The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2008-03-10T19:53:00.001-07:00

I feel bad always stealing pictures off the internet, and I don't even know where I got this one anymore, so sorry! It's not mind, it's somewhere online. This is one of my favorite salads. You can candy the almonds if you'd like in some melted butter and sugar over the stove-top, but I don't normally do that with this recipe, since it's already got a sweeter dressing.

Ingredients:

2 T. sesame seeds
1 T. poppy seeds
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. minced onion
10 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
1 qt. strawberries, sliced
1/4 c. slivered almonds (I like to toast them first)

Directions:

Whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Teriyaki Chicken

2008-03-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe off of my cousins' blog, Come Hungry. I took a picture, but it was really ugly and unappetizing-looking. But I made it for dinner tonight, and my kids couldn't get enough. My four year old ate more than I did! We made rice, and scooped the teriyaki sauce from the pan on top of the rice, and my two year old asked for thirds. So good!

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs cut up chicken (my chunks were pretty big. The smaller chunks seemed to be more tender)
1 can evaporated milk

Directions:
Wash and dry chicken. Place in shallow container. (I used a gallon sized ziploc baggie.) Cover with evaporated milk for 1 hour. Drain and then coat with flour. Brown in oil and drain. Place in large shallow baking pan (I used a 9x13), marinate in teriyaki sauce for 45 minutes turning once. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with rice and veggies.

Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c water
1 c sugar
1 T pineapple juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 ts. ground ginger (I don't like ginger, so I didn't use it)

Banana Cream Pie

2008-03-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

This is my grandma's recipe. It is a from-scratch french custard, and it is my favorite pie ever. But it is so easy because you make it in the microwave!

Ingredients:

Crust: either make a regular baked pie crust, or make/purchase a graham cracker pie crust.

French Custard:

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. flour (rounded)

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups milk

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Mix together dry ingredients. Add milk and mix with whisk. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave 4-5 minutes until boiling, stopping every minute to stir it. Slightly beat the egg yolk. Add about 1/2 cup of microwaved mixture to egg yolk and mix, then add that mixture back to the bowl. Microwave one more minute. Then add vanilla. Stir. Cover with a new piece of waxed paper, pushing the wax paper down to touch the top of the custard (this will make it so the custard doesn't get a crusty top). Refrigerate for about 4 hours.

To make banana cream pie: Cut banana slices into the bottom of the crust. Fill pie with custard. Top with Cool Whip if desired.

Snickers Candy Bars

2008-02-29T08:54:00.001-08:00

I got a little tired of looking at chicken and beans, so I decided to post something sweet and scrumptious. These take a little more effort to make than some desserts (as in time, not in the ease of making), but so worth it! Found on internet somewhere--can't remember where!

First Layer:

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

In a small saucepan over low heat, add milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Stir often until completely melted and smooth. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking pan lightly coated with nonstick spray. Using a spatula, spread the mixture to an even layer and place in the refrigerator until set.

Second Layer:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts

In a medium heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Mix in sugar and evaporated milk. Once it comes to a boil, let cook 5 minutes while stirring. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in marshmallow creme, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir in peanuts. Pour over the set chocolate layer and gently spread mixture in an even layer. Place in the refrigerator until set.

Third Layer:
14 ounce package caramel cubes
1/4 cup heavy cream

Place the unwrapped caramel cubes and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the mixture has completely melted and is smooth. Pour in the pan and quickly spread to an even layer. Place in the refrigerator until set.

Fourth Layer:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

In a small saucepan over low heat, add milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Stir often until completely melted and smooth. Pour over the third layer and spread to an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Pasta with Chicken

2008-02-26T22:03:00.000-08:00

This isn't a very appealing picture but this pasta is a great twist on the same ol' boring spaghetti.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. thin spaghetti (or whatever pasta your family likes)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. garlic
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2-14.5 oz. cans diced Italian tomatoes
1-2 chicken breasts, grilled and cubed
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese (if you have it)

Directions:
Cook Noodles. In separate pan saute garlic in olive oil. Stir in diced tomatoes & vinegar. Add grilled chicken, cook at med-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss pasta w/sauce and season to taste.

**Please Note: This recipe was originally posted by my sister in law Melanie. There was some problems with the html when I was fixing the spaces in all the posts, so I had to repost it! Sorry Mel!***

Indonesian Chicken

2008-02-26T19:01:00.001-08:00

This is what we had for dinner tonight. It's different, if you are looking for something different--Dillon and I always are. We love to try new foods. This is a slightly spicy (not too much--you control it) peanut dish. Found (as a lot of mine are) on Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (I love basmati rice, so that's what I use)
2 cups water
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
4 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons red chile paste (or hot sauce, although red chile paste is better)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
chopped peanuts (optional--you can see in the picture I was too lazy to chop ours)

Directions:
Cook rice according to directions with rice. Place green beans in a pot fitted with a steamer basket over boiling water, and steam 10 minutes, or until tender but crisp.

Heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the chicken 5 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear (note: I really like it better if you marinate the chicken for a couple hours in the oil and lemon juice it calls for, plus a little garlic--makes it more tender and more flavorful).

Mix the chicken broth, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, chile paste (another note: I did not like the tabasco sauce when I tried to sub that in!), lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until slightly thickened--you might have to let it come close to boiling to thicken. Mix in the green beans. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.

Banana Bread

2008-02-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

This banana bread it super easy and so good, below is a picture of what I recommend the bananas to look like, you know what they say(the darker the berry the sweeter the juice)!

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
4 very ripe bananas (mashed)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, powder & salt. In a large bowl cream together eggs & sugar. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla, oil & cinnamon. Stir in flour mixture a third at a time until just combined. Divide batter into 2 greased bread pans. Bake at 350 for 45 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cracked Wheat Bread

2008-02-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

I make bread twice a week. I have tried many different recipes, but I always come back to this one because my family loves it so much. My grandma has been making this recipe for 20 years. You can buy cracked wheat at any health food store, or kitchen specialty store. (P.S. My bread is ugly...I can't seem to make a pretty loaf of bread :), but it sure does taste yummy!)

Mix in a mixing bowl for a minute:
½ cup shortening
1 cup powdered milk
3 cups very warm water

Add to mixing bowl:
8 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp salt
1 cup cracked wheat
5-6 cups bread flour (I do 2 cups whole wheat flour & 4 cups bread flour)

Stir in a separate bowl while above is mixing:
1 cup warm water
1 ½ Tbsp yeast
pinch of sugar

Directions:

Let the yeast grow for 5-10 minutes while the other bowl is mixing. Add yeast mixture to bowl. Mix for 2 minutes, then add more flour until ready (1-2 more cups). Let it knead with a dough hook for 15 minutes (or knead by hand, ugh.) Let it rise until double in size, around an hour. Cut into 3 loaves. Shape and place in loaf pans lined with Crisco. Let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 35 or so minutes. To check if it is done, knock on the underside of the crust – it should sound hollow.

Sweet Corn Tomalito

2008-02-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

This tastes sweeter than cornbread--but it's very yummy. Makes a perfect side to any Latino dish. Similar to Chevy's Tomalito (back when Provo had a Chevy's!). Recipe found on: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons margarine, softened
1/4 cup masa harina (or 1/8 c. cornmeal, 1/8 c. flour)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons milk

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the margarine, masa flour, and sugar until light and fluffy. In a food processor or blender, blend one cup of the corn kernels with the water and cornmeal just until smooth. Stir into the masa mixture. Mix in the remaining corn, baking powder, salt, and milk until the batter is smooth. Pour into a microwave-safe 8x8 inch glass baking dish that has a lid. Cover, and cook in microwave for 7 minutes at 30% power, mix, then cook an additional 4 minutes at full power (this may vary a little depending on your microwave). Stir and serve!

Here it is!

2008-02-23T14:57:00.001-08:00

Okay ladies (and gentlemen, if there happen to be any--if there are, we can say Cuisine Queens and Kitchen Kings on the side in case any of them post--let me know if any of your hubby's would post so I can change that!). You can see what I'd kind of like to do on the side here with everyone's pictures. If it doesn't let you add your picture on the side (which I'm really not sure of), then email me a pic (and a new one if you don't like the one I added--that was mostly for an example!) and what you want it to say underneath it and I can do that.

I think we should label our posts with the type of recipe it is:
Appetizers
Beverages
Soups
Salads
Vegetables and Side Dishes
Main Dishes
Breads and Rolls
Desserts
Cookies
Candy
*This will make certain recipes easier to find--just do that at the bottom of the post that says 'labels for this post'.

I also think it'd be good to just request recipes of some sort, like "does anyone have a recipe for..." and then people can post some if they have them.

I'm totally excited! Happy cooking everyone! I can't wait to get your scrumptious recipes! Oh yah, and pictures of your recipes would be great--I might just use the ones I find online.

Love ya,
Christie

PS I need a few people's email addresses still so I can add you as an author for this blog! Let me know it--go to my family blog and click the link in the 'Okay, next step post' :). Thanks!!!