What's Cooking, Good-Looking?

Ducky Dinner Rolls

2011-04-19T10:09:00.001-06:00

Aren't these just the cutest things? I saw this idea over at the Rhodes Bake and Serve website. These would be perfect at an Easter dinner, or any Springtime get-together!

Ducky Dinner Rolls

16 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
1 egg, beaten
sliced almonds

Directions:

Slightly flatten 12 rolls and form them each into a teardrop shape. Place on a sprayed baking sheet. Pinch the pointed ends to make tails and press your finger into the rounded end of each teardrop to make a deep hole. Cut the remaining 4 rolls into thirds. Shape each third into a ball with a pointed end. Dip pointed ends in water and insert into the finger hole on the body for the head. Brush well with beaten egg. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes. Remove wrap and pinch tails again. Bake at 350°F 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven. Make a small slit with a sharp knife and insert a sliced almond for the duck bill.

Serves 12.

Lemon Glazed Butter Cookies

2011-04-12T16:38:00.001-06:00

So, these are the cookies that my friend and RS President, Holly, brought to a recent RS event. They are melt-in-your-mouth good, and perfect for Spring! Enjoy!

Lemon-Glazed Butter Cookies

1 c unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c confectioners' sugar
1 c flour
2/3 c cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together butter and confectioners sugar with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Sift together flour and cornstarch. Add to butter and sugar mixture. Blend until dough is soft, about 1 minute. Drop by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

Glaze (make half a recipe)

2 1/2 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 c butter, melted
2 T fresh lemon juice

Combine 2 1/2 c confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice. While cookies are still warm, mound 1/2 t icing on each. Icing will melt. Cool cookies. Makes 3 dozen

image credit

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

2011-03-19T10:19:00.003-06:00

I made this recipe for St. Patrick's Day. I was a little worried that the little boys wouldn't like it. Boy was I wrong! Matthew has asked me to never make red cabbage again. He wants Green Cabbage Wedges from now on. He wants it today, tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. I found this recipe on line-- see the link at the bottom.

Ingredients

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 medium head green cabbage
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Put the oven rack to the upper middle position. Place a cookie sheet on the rack and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl. Quarter the cabbage through the core and cut each quarter into 1 inch wedges, leaving the core intact. (There will be about 16 wedges.) Brush the cabbage wedges all over with the oil and then sprinkle them with the salt mixture.

Arrange the cabbage wedges on the hot cookie sheet. Roast until the cabbage is tender and lightly browned around the edges-- about 20-25 minutes. Drizzle the cabbage with the balsamic vinegar. And then enjoy!

http://www.grouprecipes.com/101842/roasted-cabbage-wedges.html/print

I ♥ E-mealz

2011-02-19T11:57:00.001-07:00

So, I've gone and whined to John (more than once -- right, Honey?) how time-consuming and tedious menu planning and grocery shopping are for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm always really glad when it's done and my pantry's full, and my family knows what's for dinner. But it comes at a cost. And, that's IF I can find time to bite the bullet and do it! Oh, how I wish I could hire a personal chef...

Here were my criteria --

Please come up with healthy meal ideas for my family.
Quick, easy recipes. I'm busy.
Oh, and we're a small family -- so not a lot of servings.
AND -- I have picky eaters at my house, so no "foofy" food, please.
Oh -- and I'm a Weight Watchers gal, so I need points figured out.
Yeah...and I'm not doing the new points system they just came up with, so...could you please do the old point system?
Oh, and I'll need a prepared shopping list, so I can just take it and go.
Please organize that shopping list by section, k?
Um, would it be too much to ask if you tally up the cost of the shopping list before I go, too? I'm a Dave Ramsey girl, too and budgets are big with me.
Oh, one final thing. I really do like to cook, so you let me do that part and you do all the other tedious work.
Oh yeah, one more final thing. I don't really want to pay you a big, honkin' salary for doing this.

Yeah, anyone looking at a list like that would say, "See ya, lady!"

But I did find someone that would do ALL of that for me. I was messing around on Dave Ramsey's site and saw link to E-mealz and clicked on it. I looked around and starting hearing angels singing in my head! This is a group who believe in Dave Ramsey principles-- they believe in saving families money and time; truly helping them.

They have specific, prepared lists for anybody. They can be diet specific and use current grocery sales. (be still my heart!) Here are some examples they offer:

Point-System Meal Plans
Low-Carb Meal Plans
Vegetarian Meal Plans
Couples-Only Meal Plans
Low Fat Meal Plans
Gluten-Free Meal Plans

Kroger Meal Plans
Publix Meal Plans
Wal-Mart Meal Plans
ALDI Meal Plans
RALPHS Meal Plans
Any-Store Meal Plans

Healthy, family friendly recipes with sides already figured out. Cost of food tallied. Big family, small family and just couples, whatever -- it's figured out for you. Love it!

John and I have been trying it out this week, and we're in love! The recipes have been great, the pantry's full and dinner's figured out for the week. Not a lot of money, time or effort on my part, and no guilt. I'm a good mom, feeding my family healthy, yummy foods.

The best part? I pay $1.25 a week for this. I put it as part of my grocery budget.

I GOT MY PERSONAL CHEF!!! He works for 1.25 a week! Bwahahaha!

Sorry if I sound like a commercial in this post. We really love this service; it's made our life easier, and I wanted to let you know about it.

I put an E-mealz button in the sidebar if you want to take a look at their website...tell me what you think!

P.S If you decide to sign on, you can find coupon codes on line. :-)

Death By Chocolate

2010-12-14T23:46:00.001-07:00

(Yeah, I'm all over the name of this recipe. What a way to go!) This recipe got raves at a recent RS Christmas Dinner here. I am now sharing it with you. Because I refuse to be the only one with a big butt.

Death By Chocolate

1 Devils Food cake mix (bake per directions)
2 small boxes Jello instant pudding
1 12 ounce carton Cool Whip
6 Skor candy bars - crushed (Heath bars can be substituted)
1 Hershey chocolate bar - grated

This is enough to make three layers in your container.

♥ Make the cake - let it cool
♥ Mix the pudding.
♥ Crumble part of the cake into the bottom of the bowl.
♥ Pour a layer of pudding over the top
♥ Put a layer of Cool Whip on top - sprinkle some of the Skor candy bits.
♥ Repeat these layers 2 or 3 times - depending on the size of the dish.
♥ Sprinkle crushed Skor bar and grated chocolate on top.
♥ Refrigerate.

It looks pretty in a clear glass dish where you can see the layers. Use a trifle bowl if you have one.

picture credit

Pumpkin Cookies

2010-10-29T08:58:00.001-06:00

Rebekah reminded me that I haven't posted this recipe here yet. This one is a favorite at my house. I'm already a big fan of pumpkin cookies, but this recipe makes me sing! Fast, easy, take the ingredients right out of the pantry, and yummy! But, best of all - a ONE point treat!!

Pumpkin Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
1 (15 oz. ) can pumpkin
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Combine together. Drop by spoonful on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 18-20 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies. 1 point each. (woo-hoo!)

*Hints:

I have found that using name-brand ingredients counts here. I made these once using generic brands, and I'm sorry...they just weren't as good! Here's what I use:

♦ Libby's canned pumpkin
♦ Guittard milk chocolate chips
♦ Duncan Hines (or any of the other name-brands) cake mix

Cookies and Cream Dessert

2010-09-30T09:14:00.004-06:00

WARNING: This dessert may contain substances of an addictive nature. Eat responsibly.

This is the dessert my friend, Katie K. brought to Isaac's Baby Blessing. The whole family stood around the bowl, taking a spoonful and smacking it on their tongues to determine the ingredients. "Hmmm...there's a hint of vanilla....and yet the creamy texture would suggest...." I actually saw someone drinking a cupful! Well, here's the recipe. Thanks Katie!

Cookies and Cream Dessert

2 small (3.4 oz) packages vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
2 (8 oz) containers extra creamy whipping cream or 1 lb. whipped cream frosting from the supermarket bakery
1 pkg Oreo cookies, crushed

Wisk vanilla pudding and milk together. Stir in whipping cream then add crushed oreos and stir. Refrigerate.

If you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, the cookies get nice and soft.

Homemade Playdough

2010-07-21T10:47:00.001-06:00

I recently taught a class about inexpensive family fun; I sent everyone home with a homemade playdough recipe and samples to play with at home. This recipe comes from Mom, and it's the playdough we kids played with all those years.

I've tried several different recipes for homemade playdough, and many of them leave your hands salty and the dough dries out quickly. This recipe doesn't do that; it's still the best. Enjoy!

Homemade Playdough

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tablespoons alum (find this in the spice section)
3 Tablespoons of oil
2 cups boiling water
food coloring

Mix flour, salt, alum and oil. Add water and knead to desired consistency. Add food coloring. Add more flour if dough is sticky (between 2-4 Tablespoons). Store in a sealed container, in the fridge.

Applesauce Cake

2010-07-12T14:25:00.005-06:00

I was looking for something quick and easy to make and found this recipe. Chris doesn't care much for cakes (which is why we had cheesecake at our wedding instead of the traditional wedding cake), but he likes this cake...and volunteered to go to the store at a horrendous hour to buy more ingredients...

1 yellow cake mix
2 c. applesauce
3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle in greased Bundt pan, coating pan well. Save unused cinnamon-sugar mixture. Combine cake mix, applesauce, and eggs. Pour half of the batter into Bundt pan. Add the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of batter. Add the rest of the batter on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 38 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes and turn out. Serve with a little whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.

Tastes good hot or cold. Enjoy!

Recipes to Remember: Rogers Arkansas Stake RS Cookbook 2001, p. 176

Peanut Butter and Apple Sandwiches

2010-04-26T17:19:00.005-06:00

If you are looking for a healthy sandwich to put in kids' lunchboxes. This recipe from Williams Sonoma is a great one!! (This makes 1 sandwich, so be sure to make more if you are needing more sandwiches)

2 Tbsp whipped plain cream cheese
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp honey
1 granny smith or your favorite apple
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 slices of Bread

Put the cream cheese, honey and vanilla extract in a bowl. Stir to combine. Spread Peanut butter on one slice of bread, and the cream cheese mixture on the other. Place slices of apple (that has been cored) on the cream cheese mixure and top with the slice of bread with peanut butter.

Strawberry Cream Crepes

2010-04-07T13:17:00.001-06:00

Back in high school, I took a gourmet cooking class -- funnest class ever! I still make some of the recipes from that class; here's one of them... Perfect for Spring. Perfect for strawberry season. Perfect for breakfast or a fancy dessert! This is an easy recipe that gets me lots of 'yums!' Enjoy.

Strawberry Cream Crepes

12 crepes

2 pints sliced strawberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 3 oz. package of cream cheese

1 cup whipping cream

sugar to taste

Prepare crepes using your favorite recipe. Toss the strawberries with the 1/4 cup of sugar and set aside. With a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in whipping cream until smooth and thick, but not stiff. Add sugar to desired sweetness.

Place a some cream in each crepe and roll up. Chill. Serve strawberries over the crepes.

Hints:

♦ I double this recipe, especially if company's coming over.

♦ Use a *hand* mixer, not a stand mixer for this recipe.

♦ Sometimes we like strawberries inside the crepes, too.

♦ I've seen this recipe done with chocolate crepes.
Oo-la-la! Try it!

picture credit

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2010-02-16T12:24:00.007-07:00

Imagine a great baked potato with all the toppings, but in a creamy soup. This recipe is a simple and yet so good. It is also from the Cooking Light Cookbook, so you don't have to feel bad about eating it!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

.
4 large baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs.)

2/3 cup all purpose flour

6 cups 2% milk

1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

3/4 cup green onions

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean potatoes, pierce with a fork. Bake for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coursely mash. Discard the skins.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; leve with a knife. Place flour in a large soup pan, gradually add milk; stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 min). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup green onions. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Garnish with sprinkles of cheese, green onion and bacon. Serves 8 (1 1/2 cup) servings. Fat 10.8 g; calories 329.

*I find that it is a little easier to make the soup thicker if a typical roux is made using a little bit of butter and the flour (about 1/4 cup of butter). I always add more salt and pepper and cheese, but I wanted to do it the way it was published first so that the people who have kept their New Year's Resolution to eat healthier will know "the numbers." Another way to keep the numbers down is to use Turkey Bacon instead of pork bacon. I hope you enjoy this on a cold day!

Recipe credits: The Best of Cooking Light Cookbook, Baked Potato Soup, pg. 329

Salsa

2010-01-30T17:59:00.005-07:00

Just in time for the Big Game in a week! This salsa is so fast and easy to make, and the happy thing is, people will never know you did it in 5 minutes!!!

Salsa

1 lg can of Hunt's whole tomatoes
1 Serrano or jalapeno pepper
1/2 of a small onion, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp garlic salt
pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Drain the juice from the tomatoes into a blender. Add the Serrano or jalapeno (for a milder flavor, remove the seeds) and the onion and salt. Blend well. Then add the tomatoes and pulse 2-3 times. Add pepper to taste and chopped cilantro if desired.

*Note* If you get a spicy pepper and would like to make the salsa more mild, you can add 1 can of tomato sauce. This is really good with the Tostitos Lime Chips!
Also, we like the Hunts brand of tomatoes. This is one thing that I buy name brand on. We bought the Kroger brand once and there was literally a lot of juice and 3 tomatoes out of that whole can.

Recipe courtesy of Debbie B.

Crispy French Toast

2010-01-26T16:20:00.001-07:00

Hey -- here's one of the recipes from the breakfast calendar I won in the WCGL giveaway! (Thanks, Deb!) This calendar is filled with delightful, delicious, decadent breakfast recipes. We tried Crispy French Toast the other night.

Think State Fair meets breakfast: there's a crispy coating and some deep-frying involved. Yummy -- and a fun change from regular, ol' boring french toast. Give it a try...

Crispy French Toast

8 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
6 thick slices of white bread (Texas toast)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 cups cornflakes

Preheat deep-fryer to 375° F. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. Beat well. Place cornflakes in separate bowl. Dip bread slices in egg mixture and press into cornflakes.

Carefully slide coated bread slices into hot oil. Fry on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Hints:

► It doesn't say to crush up the cornflakes in the original recipe. Do it. Smaller cornflake pieces make for a more uniform, crispy coating.

► More eggs, a little less milk -- the coating will stick better.

original recipe: Beyond Oatmeal, 2010 calendar from Carlene Duda

Baked Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

2010-01-24T17:58:00.014-07:00

Baked Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

14 slices of Texas Toast, with the crusts removed, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen (then thawed) blueberries, picked over and rinsed
12 larges eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk

For the sauce:
2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen (then thawed) bluerries
Zest of 1 lemon (optional, it just makes the flavor pop a little more)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Cut the crusts off the bread, then cut into 1 inch cubes

Arrange half the bread in a buttered 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Scatter the cream cheese over the bread, and sprinkle the blueberries over the cream cheese.

Arrange the remaining bread pieces over the blueberries and cream cheese. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, maple syrup and milk. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake the French Toast, covered with foil in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes until it is puffed and golden.

To make the sauce:

In a saucepan stir together the sugar, the cornstarch, and the water and cook the mixture over medium high heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened. Stir in the blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the berries have burst. Add the lemon zest if you want it then add the butter and stir the sauce until the butter is melted. Served topped with freshly whipped whipping cream if desired.

Recipe was slightly adapted from a recipe from Emory Creek Victorian Bed and Breakfast.

Happy Anniversary!

2010-01-24T17:49:00.004-07:00

Thirteen years ago today, Cory and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple. I am so in love with this good man of mine. Together we have been through sicknesses, pregnancies, loss of loved ones, as well as laughter and fun memories. With Jason being only 1, we couldn't go and escape the world this year, so I tried to recreate the breakfast we had at the B&B we stayed at. Here is a recipe that is amazingly yummy! (The B&B we stayed at closed it's doors, so I couldn't get their exact recipe, but maybe that was a good thing, because this recipe for Baked Blueberry French Toast is even better!!) Cory said it was the best breakfast he has ever had!! See the recipe above and enjoy!

Easy Herb Chicken

2010-01-22T14:08:00.002-07:00

I love this easy, fall-off-the-bone-tender-goodness crockpot recipe.

Easy Herb Chicken

1 whole chicken (giblets removed)
poultry seasoning
salt

1. Rinse the chicken.

2. "Blacken" the chicken with poultry seasoning and sprinkle salt on the chicken.

3. Put the chicken in the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Stuffed Manicotti

2010-01-11T14:13:00.004-07:00

I can never get a picture of this one-- we eat it too quickly!

This is Aunt Liz's recipe (see p.108 of the the family cookbook) and I've been making it since I was a newlywed. It's so good and so easy. I haven't been able to tolerate toast or crackers for the past 3 months (morning sickness, bleh)-- but I could eat this!

Stuffed Manicotti

8 uncooked Manicotti noodles
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 jar Prego spaghetti sauce
2 Tbsp Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated (and some extra to sprinkle on top)

Combine mozzarella, cottage cheese, beaten eggs, 2 Tbsp parmesan or romano cheese, soft butter, salt and pepper. Stuff uncooked noodles with the sauce and place in a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Heat spaghetti sauce to boiling and pour over the noodles. Sprinkle generously with extra parmesan or romano cheese.

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Noodles will be a little firm, but not mushy.

(Adding hamburger or sausage is optional)

Jen's Soft Italian Bread Dough

2010-01-08T13:05:00.007-07:00

Matthew won't eat Mac and Cheese. He won't eat Spaghetti-O's. He doesn't even like pizza. BUT, he will eat pizza if I make the dough using this recipe. I call it "Jen's Bread Pizza." (You can also use it to make breadsticks.) Jen found this recipe on "Taste of Home." See bottom for credits.

Jen's Soft Italian Bread Dough

1 cup water (70 to 80 degrees)

3 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups bread flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Topping (if making Breadsticks)

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Put water, butter, salt, flour, sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and yeast in the bread machine pan.

2. Select the dough setting (after a few minutes, check your dough. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of water or flour if needed to get the right consistency).

For Pizza:

Once the dough cycle is complete, roll the dough onto a cookie sheet (cut in half if desired) and add pizza sauce and toppings. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

For Breadsticks:

1. Roll on a floured surface. Cut in half. Then cut each portion into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 4 to 6 inch rope. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 20 minutes).

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Immediately brush with butter and sprinkle on the parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

"Soft Italian Breadsticks." Christy Eichelberger. Taste of Home. http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Soft-Italian-Breadsticks.

Give-a-Way!!!!

2010-01-03T21:36:00.009-07:00

First Prize is a $20 gift card to Target and a 2010 Calendar by Carlene Duda called Beyond Oatmeal. Each month has a new recipe for a breakfast or a dessert, including Smooth Cream Cheese Pancakes, Lemon Almond Pull-aparts, and Blueberry Peach Cake. What better way to start those New Year's Resolutions than with a calendar with beautiful pictures of food!!

Second Prize is a 2010 Michael VaughAn Calendar of Black and White pictures of Temples, which include the Oquirrh Mountain, Nauvoo, Provo, Mt. Timpanogos, Salt Lake, Bountiful, Rexburg, Manti, Draper, St. George, Jordan River and Logan Temples.

I know that this isn't a food related prize, but I saw it and loved it and thought that it might make your day too!

To enter, add a comment to this entry of the blog and a winner will be chosen on Friday morning (January 8th 2010). Your entry can be a note about a recipe that you tried on the blog and liked. It can be an entry on what your favorite entry was on this blog. It can even be your favorite food related Holiday Tradition (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, etc.) You can do as many entries per day that you want.

Thank you so much for checking in with our blog! We truly treasure our friends and love to sit and chat while cooking and eating great food!

John's "Man" Cookies

2009-12-28T20:37:00.001-07:00

Step back chocolate chip! Sugar cookie -- tremble in fear! Brownies? You're going down! John's "Man" Cookies are in the house! :-)

John loves oatmeal raisin cookies, but doesn't see them very often around our house, 'cause Katie and I aren't big fans. Well, one day he had enough. He took over the kitchen and made some big beefy oatmeal fellas -- not only with raisins, but chocolate chips *and* pecans too! These are rugged, chunky...and delicious!

John's Man Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375°. Mix all ingredients except oats, flour, and raisins. Stir in oats, flour and raisins. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Christmas Scrooge

2009-12-22T15:02:00.002-07:00

I have no excuses for not doing any posts in December other than I tried unsuccessfully to pause time for a day so I can play catch up and do the things that I want to get done. I do have some recipes that I want to post after Christmas is done, including Mom's chocolate truffle balls, but I just have to get through the next few days. To make up for the Scrooge-like attitude with no posts, I will be doing a give away. Stay tuned for the prizes!
I did want to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas and through all the hustle and bustle of the season, I hope you can still feel the Christmas Spirit!
Love to you all!
~Deb

Lion House Rolls and Honey Butter

2009-11-13T08:15:00.001-07:00

John had a birthday last week, and knowing he has a thing for the Lion House Pantry restaurant, Katie and I grabbed him and made a bee-line to the home of these famous rolls! We all swore to pass up all the delicious entrees next time and fill our plates with nothin' but these rolls and honey butter. :-)

Use this recipe to make them at home! Wait. That might not be a good thing....

Lion House Dinner Rolls

4 points per roll

2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
2/3 cup non-fat dry milk (instant or non-instant)
2 Tablespoons dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening or margarine (butter is best for flavor)
1 egg
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour
oil for bowl

In bowl of stand mixer with flat attachment combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Add 2 more cups of flour; mix on low speed until incorporated, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. (Dough will be getting stiffer so switch to kneading attachment at this point). Work in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is soft, not overly sticky, but workable and not stiff. (You probably won't use all the flour).

Scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl and pour about a tablespoon of vegetable oil down the sides. Rotate the dough ball so that all sides are covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise til double in size (about 45 minutes).

Flour a surface for rolling out the dough and turn the dough out. Roll and cut as desired and place in a greased pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise again until double in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the rolls in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Brush tops with melted butter immediately when removed from the oven. Serve warm with honey butter.

NOTE: The Lion House cookbook suggests rolling the dough into a rectangle that is 8 inches by 12 inches then cutting that once down the middle the long way, then cutting that into two inch wide strips (to make 12 2 inch by 4 inch strips). Then just roll the strips up from their short end and place into the pan seam side down. It will look like you rolled individual cinnamon rolls and placed them in the pan on their sides.

Makes 1 to 1 1/2 Dozen Rolls

:::

Lion House Honey Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup honey

Whip softened butter. Add vanilla and honey gradually. Beat for 20 minutes or until light and fluffy. Makes 1 cup.

credits:

Lion House Bakery book cover

Lion House rolls rising

Lion House rolls recipe

Butternut Soup

2009-11-09T09:49:00.001-07:00

Nothin' beats warm soup and homemade bread on a cold, blustery day. We're talking comfort food, baby! I'm finding out that soup is pretty ~~souper~~ super -- it's healthy, low-point eating, and better yet -- great for a tight budget. So, we're trying to incorporate soups into our menu planning a little more these days.

Here's a little autumn soup we tried not too long ago. Loved the flavor of the roasted butternut! Perfect for the season. Give it a try and tell me what you think...

Butternut Soup

2 points per serving

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 Tablespoons minced fresh sage, or 2 teaspoons rubbed sage

3 cans (14.5 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

cooking spray

Place squash in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon oil; sprinkle with pepper. Toss around to coat. Bake uncovered, at 425° F for 30-35 minutes or until tender, stirring it every 15 minutes.

In a Dutch oven pan, saute the onion, the celery and the sage in the remaining oil until tender. Stir in broth and reserved squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Cool slightly.

In a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan; heat through if needed. Serves 8.

:::

This recipe comes with Parmesan croutons to go with it. We chose not to make the croutons when we served it, but here's the recipe in case you do! Adding the croutons makes the soup a 3 point dish.

Parmesan Croutons
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2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon rubbed sage

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups French bread (1/2 inch cubes)

additional grated Parmesan cheese, optional

cooking spray

In a small bowl, combine the cheese, oil, sage and garlic. Add bread cubes and spritz with cooking spray; toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° F for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Serve with soup and sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

recipe credit: Healthy Cooking magazine, October/November 2009, p.40

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

2009-11-07T11:24:00.001-07:00

Get these cookies away from me. For reals. These are so good! I can't think of a better way to get me off my weight watchin' plan. It's the whole peanut-buttery, milk-chocolatey kissy, slightly crispy sugary thing that gets me. Every time. I'm gonna type out this recipe for you, and then go get my workout clothes on. See ya!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

makes 37 cookies

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1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 9 ounce package milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Cream the peanut butter, sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Sift the salt, baking soda and flour together. Combine with the wet mixture. Shape into balls; dip into additional white sugar.

Flatten balls with a fork. Bake 8 minutes, remove from oven and press a chocolate kiss into each cookie. Return to oven; bake another 3 minutes.
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Hints:

♥ We put the additional sugar in a ziploc storage bags and toss 3-4 dough balls around in there at a time.

♥ Flatten the dough balls with a fork, but not too flat! Barely flatten the cookie. Makes for a better peanut butter cookie...

♥ We keep our chocolate chips and chocolate kisses stored in the freezer...(must be a thing leftover from our Texas days) and it works well for this recipe. We unwrap the frozen kisses and plop them on the cookies. They keep their shape and don't melt.

♥ Stick to this recipe. Click here to see what happened when I tried to substitute candy corn kisses for the chocolate ones! LOL

Easy Witch Hat Cookies

2009-10-27T12:48:00.008-06:00

Aren't these little witch hat cookies the cutest? They are my new favorite Halloween treat. Saw this idea over at No Fuss Fabulous. We made them last night for family night -- it was our turn to be the "neighborhood spook" (where you leave a treat on one of our neighbor's doorsteps, ring the doorbell, and run like heck and disappear like a phantom into the night....).

These witch hat cookies are easy enough to make that your kids could do it, but still cute enough that you can bring them to your grown up Halloween party...

Here's how to make them: buy a package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies, and Hershey's Chocolate Kisses. Put a little dollop of orange icing on the bottom of a Kiss, and stick it to the chocolate side of the Keebler cookie. As you can see, I used ready-made orange frosting. I know, hate me. I'm Martha...
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That's all there is to it!
Okay... we're ready for spooking!

Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions

2009-10-14T08:57:00.008-06:00

I haven't posted a recipe in a month of Sundays! It's time. And this one's a favorite. And it's a yummy, healthy, low-fast dish... score! This one's a perfect fit for October and Halloween -- complete with its own trick and treat. The finished product would delight any little ghoul on All Hallow's Eve...

The trick to this recipe? Instead of cooking the onions for a long time in butter and oil to bring out their sweetness (and all those calories!), we'll cover the pan and add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. The treat is...it's ready in half the time!
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Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions
5 points
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4 (4 ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (2 cups)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar

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1. Place pork chops between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound slightly to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chops and cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove chops from pan, and keep warm.

3. Add onion to pan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with brown sugar; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon onion mixture over pork chops.

Yield: 4 servings (1 chop and about 1/2 cup onion mixture)
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** Hint: Even though the recipe doesn't call for it, we cover the chops while cooking, keeping a close eye on them. They cook faster this way. We always use a meat thermometer to check the chops for safety and doneness. We ignore the recipe's overall cooking time and go by the chops' temperature to tell us when they're done.
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C'mon -- tell me -- served like this -- that it isn't a perfect candidate for the main dish of a Halloween meal! Bwahahahahaha! Enjoy...

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recipe credit: Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient, 15 Minute Cookbook, Winter 2008, p. 53

Skirt Steak Marinade

2009-09-24T11:31:00.005-06:00

This is one of our favorite marinades. It was on Alton's Brown's Good Eats show for Fajitas. It is also fabulous if you use a pork tenderloin and cut it into medallions.

Skirt Steak Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 green onions, washed and cut in 1/2
2 large cloves of garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes (to your taste)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp dark brown sugar (or reg brown sugar is okay too)
2 lbs skirt steak (or whatever meat you want)

Combine all ingredients except for the skirt steak in a blender and blend until smooth. Put meat in a zip lock bag and pour marinade over meat. Squish around a little to make sure everything is coated. Put in fridge until you are ready to BBQ it.

Creamy Garlic Chicken

2009-09-22T12:31:00.007-06:00

Creamy Garlic Chicken

1/2 cup butter, divided (the butter helps make the sauce)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, cut into strips

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 to 1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 to 2 lbs Penne Pasta

Cut up chicken to bite sized pieces, saute in a large skillet in 1/4 cup butter and 3 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook until done, and set aside. In the same pan add 1/4 cup butter and add the onion, red and yellow bell pepper. Cook until soft. Add the 3 garlic cloves that have been minced. When you can smell the garlic, add the unwhipped whipping cream and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

Add chicken to the cream mixture. Cook pasta and toss with the cream mixture. Top with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

This recipe serves about 8-10 people. This recipe is adapted slightly from a recipe given to me by Kelli M.

Navajo Fry Bread

2009-09-16T13:40:00.012-06:00

Navajo Fry Bread

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
about 3 cups of white bread flour ( you may need just a little bit more flour)

In a mixer, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Allow it to rest for a few minutes to make sure the yeast is activated. Add oil and salt. Add the flour and mix with a dough hook to combine. The dough should be a little tacky still. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for about 30-45 minutes. Put dough on a floured surface, and cut into equal pieces (usually 8-10 balls of dough).

Begin with a ball of dough and with a rolling pin, flatten out the dough until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. It doesn't have to be a perfect circle (my kids like rectangles personally).

In a large fry pan on the stove, heat a little canola oil. When the dough starts to bubble it is about time to flip. It should be golden brown.

After it is cooked on both sides, drain on a paper towel and enjoy!

This fry bread is a great substitute for tortillas. You could do Tacos as well as Chicken, Beef or Pork Fajitas.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

2009-09-06T17:31:00.004-06:00

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

1 -1 1/2 lbs fresh Asparagus
1 package Center cut Bacon
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Asparagus has woody or fibrous ends. If you snap the bottoms off, they will break where the fibrous part ends.
Snap off the bottoms of the asparagus. Lay the asparagus out flat on a cookie sheet. Drizzle them with oil and sprinkle with salt (just a little since the bacon will be salty) and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
Take a strip of bacon and wrap it around 4 spears of the seasoned asparagus. On a grill preheat to medium, put the asparagus bundles horizontally (so they don't fall through the grates) on the grill. Rotate the bundles after 5 minutes. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the bacon is cooked through and a little crispy.
My oldest son loves asparagus, but my other 2 kids don't really like it. So imagine my surprise when that was the first thing gone off of their plates. :-)
** You can also substitute Prosciutto for the bacon if you want to.

Lime Butter

2009-09-06T16:53:00.002-06:00

For the picture, you are just going to have to close your eyes and imagine this since the corn was devoured so fast! On the Food Network, I have seen a variety of different chefs flavor the butter for the corn. Well, we decided to try it with our Labor Day Weekend Steak Grill Off. It added an extra layer of flavor to the sweetness of the corn. So yummy!!!

Lime Butter

1 stick of salted butter, that is at room temperature (you can soften it in the microwave until it is almost melted)
the juice of 1 lime, or if it is really juicy, just half a lime
3-4 shakes of Cayenne Pepper (or more to taste if you like it spicy)
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Using a hand mixer, stir on low speed to mix. Let it rest while you cook the corn.

Years ago, Wendy taught us how to cook corn without having to boil it.
Take a piece of wax paper, put the corn on, roll up, then twist the end like a piece of candy to keep it closed up. Doing 3-4 ears of corn, microwave on high for 4 minutes, then rotate the corn (if you have some in the middle, move them to the outside) and microwave again on high for 5 minutes.
To serve, put the Lime Butter on the corn with a pastry brush.
We had to move the bowl with the Lime Butter away from my 5 year old daughter because she kept trying to dip her corn with every bite. Like I said...so yummy!

Donsa's Beef Enchiladas

2009-08-23T14:12:00.011-06:00

This meal is a special one in our family because it was Cory's Mom's specialty. We make this often, but we make a special point of having it for her birthday which is Aug 24th. With tomorrow being the first day of school, we decided to do it today to be able to savor it. She passed away in March of 1998 and we miss her very much. We know that she watches over our family, especially our children since she wanted more than anything to be a Grandma.
Happy Birthday Donsa!!
*This recipe really isn't as complicated as it looks. The tomato sauce can easily be made ahead of time.

Donsa's Beef Enchiladas

Meat Filling:
2 lbs ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed, then put the beans back into the can and refill with water. (or you can add the beans undrained, just be sure to have everyone take a Beano before they eat for the health of all the people around you!) :-)

Tomato Sauce:
3 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1 lg. can (29 oz) Tomato Puree
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 beef bouillon cube (I like the knorr brand)
1 cup hot water, heated in the microwave
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
dash of ground cumin (about 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
dash of fresh pepper (about 6 grinds)

Enchiladas:
8-10 burrito size flour tortillas
1 lb grated cheese (cheddar or colby jack)

To Prepare the Meat Filling:
Brown the ground beef, drain. Add the garlic and saute until you can smell the garlic. Then add the salt mixed with the chili powder. Add the vinegar and water. Then stir in the drained kidney beans. Set aside.

To make the Tomato Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, add the canola oil and the onions. Saute until translucent. Add garlic. When you can smell the garlic, add the flour. Stir to combine. Turn off the burner and add the tomato puree. Add the bouillon cube to the water and mix well, then add to the tomato mixture. Add the vinegar, green chilies and spices. Turn on the burner and heat through.

We add 2-3 ladles of the sauce to stir into the meat filling. We think it is yummy that way, but you don't have to do that.

To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350.
Grate the cheese. Spray a 15x10 inch pan with nonstick spray. (if you want to use a 9x13 inch pan, get the smaller size tortillas instead of the burrito size. Put the meat into the tortilla, and add cheese to your preference. Roll up. Place in the pan, with the tortilla seam down (so it doesn't unravel). Repeat until the pan is filled. Top with the tomato sauce and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

*to make this recipe gluten free...use corn tortillas instead of flour, and use gluten free flour for the tomato sauce to help the sauce thicken.
*for people who can't have milk products, this recipe still tastes great without the cheese!

This recipe is adapted from the McCalls Cook Book.

Cheesy Focaccia Bread

2009-08-11T18:57:00.004-06:00

Cheesy Focaccia Bread

1 package refrigerated pizza crust
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese ( I actually like to do both)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (or crumbled fresh mozzarella)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 Roma tomatoes

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out pizza crust to fit a rectangular sheet pan. Spread garlic over crust. Use half the Romano/Parmesan cheese over the garlic then top with mozzarella and oregano. Finish with the remaining Romano/Parmesan Cheese with a little more oregano. Bake for 20-26 minutes. Top with fresh tomatoes. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pampered Chef's Fantastic Focaccia Bread. I just put the tomatoes on after it is baked instead of before. I think that the flavor is better, but feel free to try it both ways. (They suggest that you do 1/2 of the Romano then 1/2 mozzarella then 1/2 the oregano. Then the tomatoes, the rest of the Romano, the rest of the mozzarella, oregano.) It is a nice summer dinner with garden fresh tomatoes available with a cool green salad on the side.

Wicked Good Peanut Butter Bars

2009-08-05T14:30:00.006-06:00

I'm sorry.... I've been sitting here for 5 minutes trying to give an accurate name to these "you-are-so-good-you-are-trouble" peanut butter bars we made recently. I'm pretty disciplined when it comes to watching what I eat, but I lost *all* control with these babies! Should I open this Pandora's box and unleash its power on you? Hey -- if I have to suffer, I want company. So here's the recipe. I dare you to stop at one bar. Good luck.
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Makeover Peanut Butter Bars
5 points per bar (including the PB layer AND the frosting. oh yeah.)
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1 3/4 cups reduced-fat creamy peanut butter, divided
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
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FROSTING:
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4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup peanut butter, the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (batter will be thick).

2. Spread into a 15x10 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° F for 18 to 22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; spread with remaining peanut butter. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, beat frosting ingredients until light and fluffy. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Cut into bars.

picture credit: Healthy Cooking magazine, June/July 2009 issue, p. 26
original recipe: Lori Stevens

Jason's opinion

2009-08-01T17:49:00.004-06:00

This is Jason trying to make himself feel better since he couldn't have any pie. He misses y'all!

Black Bottom Berry Pie

2009-08-01T17:35:00.004-06:00

.What is better than chocolate and raspberries??!!! Shauna had put this recipe in the family cookbook, and I wanted to remind everyone how fabulous it is since it is raspberry season. It is one of our family's summer favorites.

Black Bottom Berry Pie

1 prepared Keebler Shortbread pie crust

8 oz good quality milk chocolate pieces

3 Tbsp milk

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Fresh strawberries or raspberries

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted (for garnish)

.Melt chocolate with milk in microwave (I do 1 minute, then do 20 second intervals at 50% power). Stir until chocolate is well incorporated and smooth. Pour into the Shortbread pie crust and chill until firm (about 1 hour). Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Evenly coat the chocolate layer. Place washed berries, stem side down close together, on the cream cheese layer. Warm the seedless jam in the microwave and drizzle over the fruit. As a garnish, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle over fruit in thin threads. (you can use a zip-lock bag then cut the very tip off of one of the corners if you don't have a piping bag) Chill pie for 2 hours to give it time to firm up. (You can use Guitard Chocolate Chips 1 1/2 cups for the bottom layer..they melt very smooth. You can't get them in Vegas though. I always stock up when I go to Utah at Maceys.)

Chocolate Molten Cakes

2009-07-26T15:38:00.008-06:00

I wanted to make a special dessert for Cory for Valentine's Day, and one of the ladies in the ward had given me this recipe. It took a while for me to try it because the recipe was pretty long, but I have to say, it was totally worth it!!!! I know that Paula Deen has a little bit simpler recipe, but this one is really really good. Just right for a special occasion.

Chocolate Molten Cakes

1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Tbsp unwhipped whipping cream

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup flour, sifted

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1. For the filling, combine 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and whipping cream. I use a double boiler to gently melt the chocolate. (That is a pot of low simmering water not touching a bowl set on top) Remove from heat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Cover and chill for about 45 minutes or until firm.

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

3. Form filling into 6 equal balls (I did 5 since we had 5 members of our family and it made it even gooey-er) then set aside. Lightly grease and flour 6 (or 5 in my case) ramakins (6 oz custard cups). Place dishes in a 15x10 pan; set aside.

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

5. Bake at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes or until the cakes feel firm at the edges (it should not be set in the middle). Cool in dishes for 2-3 minutes. Using a knife, loosen cakes from the sides of the dishes. Invert onto dessert plates. You can garnish with powdered sugar and raspberries or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe was given to me by BJ L. in my ward, and she is a master of chocolate desserts! I hope you enjoy it!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2009-07-24T13:32:00.004-06:00

Sweet and Sour Chicken

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp garlic salt
Cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten with about 2 Tbsp of water
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vinegar (I use the non-seasoned rice vinegar)
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp soy sauce (I like the low sodium one since you are already adding salt)

Cut up chicken into about 1 inch cubes (bite sized, but not too small). Sprinkle with garlic salt and let it sit for about an hour. Dip in cornstarch, then in the beaten egg. Fry in hot canola oil until golden brown (does not have to be completely cooked through since it will cook in the oven). Place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Combine sugar, vinegar, ketchip, chicken broth, salt and soy sauce in a medium mixing bowl and microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through. Pour over chicken and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. If you want your sauce a little thicker add 1-2 tsp cornstarch to 1 Tbsp cold water. Stir into the sauce then return to the oven for a minute until it comes to a boil. Serve over rice. Serve 6-8 people.

This recipe was from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook under "Little Pink Chicken" on page 108.

Southwest Lettuce Wedges

2009-07-21T12:49:00.003-06:00

I decided to try something new and found a fun recipe. We really like this one.

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast meat
1 medium red pepper, chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 jar of salsa
1 (15.5 oz) can of lower sodium kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 head of iceberg lettuce cut into 4 equal parts (to make wedges)
1 medium tomato, chopped (optional)
1 small container nonfat Greek yogurt

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute. Add the meat, red pepper (optional), chili powder, ground cumin and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook until the meat is done (about 8 minutes).
2. Add the salsa and beans to the meat and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Make lettuce wedges and arrange on everyone's dinner plates. Top each lettuce wedge with the meat mixture, Greek yogurt and fresh, chopped tomatoes (optional).

You could also make these as lettuce wraps.

Delicious!

**Adapted slightly from "Southwest Chicken Wraps", Good Housekeeping, p. 207. (I need to find out the month, year)

Granmary's Special

2009-07-21T12:47:00.004-06:00

This is one of our favorite special drinks, courtesy of Chris' grandmother!

1 pkg. Black Cherry Kool-Aid
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c. sugar
enough water to make 2 qts.

Stir it all together and enjoy!

How to Make Your Post Look as Good as your Recipe

2009-07-20T08:57:00.004-06:00

Hi Deb (and all y'all),

You asked a couple of good bloggy questions --

Here's how you post a bigger picture. When you are choosing and inserting your picture, there is an option to the right on the size. I think the default is small, but you can choose medium or large, too. There's also an option to have that be your default layout every time. That's what I do to get the size of the picture I do.

As far as spacing goes (like between the list of ingredients and the instructions below), sometimes you type a space and then when you go to publish, it disappears. The text looks smooshed together.

I don't know enough about HTML to say why that happens, but John taught me a little cheat to stop that from happening. Type a period (.) and then go up to font color and make it white to blend in with the background. It becomes invisible and you look like you have a space there.

Hope this helps. Please continue sending in your SCRUMPTIOUS recipes, Deb! Let's hear from the rest of you, too!! I'll post more once we get Katie out of this recovery stage. Hugs to everyone. ♥

Shauna's Chicken Artichoke Pasta

2009-07-19T23:02:00.007-06:00

This dinner is what Cory wanted for his birthday dinner. I like to have all the chopping and everything done when I start cooking because it does come together pretty quickly. Thank you Shauna for putting this in our family cookbook, and since that was done about 10 years ago, I thought I would add it here to remind everyone how yummy it is! Here is a tip: I save time by getting the chicken already roasted at the store.
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Chicken Artichoke Pasta

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

12-16 oz fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (be sure to get the cans of non-marinated artichoke hearts in the vegetable aisle)

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine (may be substitute for chicken broth)

1 cup heavy cream

2 1/2-3 Chicken, roasted, skinned and deboned then shredded into bite-sized pieces

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 lb Fusilli Pasta

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the garlic and mushrooms and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano, and chicken broth, and turn up the heat to high. Boil until broth is reduced a little bit, add the wine (or substitute with chicken broth), and continue boiling until it is reduced some more. Add cream; add chicken when the sauce is slightly thickened. Heat through, stir in salt and pepper and parsley. Toss with hot pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese. If you like it a little more "saucey" add a little more chicken broth and cream. Serves 6-8 people.

Red, White and Blues

2009-07-05T17:43:00.006-06:00

These were a big hit at our recent family reunion; I brought these treats for our 4th of July BBQ. The recipe comes from my friend, Elena. All the credit (and I say all the calories, LOL) go to her!

Red, White, & Blues

1 1/2 c melted butter (real, salted butter)
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar

Cream together then add:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix until light and fluffy.

Add:
4 c. flour (this is a fairly soft dough, but if it seems really wet, add a little more.)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Mix together then add:
1 package white chocolate chips
1/2 package dried blueberries (add more berries if you like)
1/2 package dried cranberries

Bake at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes, let cool on pan before removing. (Helps keep them soft.)

Stuffed Burgers

2009-06-21T22:04:00.008-06:00

Cory and I love to watch the Food Network. While watching Diners, Drive-In's and Dives, we saw a diner that stuffed their burgers. Yummy! So we tried it, and it was fabulous. You will need to be creative with this recipe so you can fit it to your taste.

Stuffed Burgers

2 lbs 80-20 ground beef

Your favorite steak seasoning...we used Famous Dave's Burger and Steak seasoning

8 slices of your favorite cheese (we did Pepperjack and American)

Hamburger Buns

Your favorite toppings...lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayo, etc.

With using 2 lbs, we got out about 8 burgers. Season the meat in a bowl, then divide into 16 (or 1/8 lb) balls. Place the rounds between 2 pieces of wax paper and roll them flat with a rolling pin until you get them into the desired size..about 4 inches wide. Tear the cheese slices in to fourths. Take one patty, place the cheese on top, then top with another patty. Pinch the edges together to seal the cheese inside the meat. Preheat your BBQ grill to about med-medium high heat...about 350 and grill each patty for about 10 min each side or until done. Be sure to check your patties as they are cooking. There are different things that will effect the cooking time..how hot your grill cooks, how done you like the burgers, how big the burgers are, so our cooking time is a guess based on what we did.

(I am sure that you could subsitute turkey or pork for the beef if you want to.)

Another thing we do, is season the burgers with a little Tabasco before grilling them, but that depends on if you like things with a little bit of a kick. Grilling your buns for just a minute also makes it awesome!

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

2009-06-21T19:21:00.006-06:00

Summertime means BBQ! Having grown up in Texas, BBQ was a staple in the summer. We add Cole slaw for a twist to an old favorite.

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

1 Pork Roast (whatever is on sale...bone in or boneless and big enough for your family)

garlic salt, salt and pepper

1 bottle of your favorite prepared BBQ sauce

1 can of Coke or Dr. Pepper

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp prepared mustard

Rolls

Cole Slaw (optional)

Season the roast with a little bit of garlic salt, salt and pepper. Put it in the crock pot. Add 1 can of Coke or Dr. Pepper with enough water to come about 1/2 way up the roast. Cover and simmer for 4-6 hrs on high or 6-8 hrs on low. When the meat is tender pull it out onto a cutting board. Pour out the juices into a large measuring cup. Into the crock pot, add the bottle of BBQ sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Skim off the drained juices and add to the BBQ sauce mixture until it is your desired consistancy (you may not need all of it depending on how much drippings you have). Stir to combine. Shred the pork and add to the BBQ sauce. Heat through. Serve on rolls. We like to top ours with Cole Slaw (I cheat and get 1 lg container of Cole slaw from KFC) it adds a nice cool crunch to go with the tender, flavorful pork. Yesterday at Costco we found a bottle of Famous Dave's (our favorite BBQ restaurant...try the bread pudding it is amazing!) sweet and spicy pickles and those are really good on it as well.

Opa's Potato Salad

2009-06-06T21:07:00.006-06:00

I have so many memories of summertime traveling from Texas to Utah and visiting Omi and Opa. While we were there, Omi always took us to the park; sang to the monkeys and gave us "tea parties" in the backyard. Opa always made his Potato Salad for us. Since it is kind of a "by taste recipe", I have tried to get as close as I can to recapture those memories. (I will tell you that if you want it to taste like Opa's you have to use the brand names that are specified for the recipe.)

Opa's Potato Salad

6 heaping Tbsp Best Foods Mayo

1 tsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

1 tsp Rice Vinegar

1 tsp water

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2-3 shakes of Maggi

8 small Yukon gold potoates or white potatoes

2 dill pickles, seeded and diced

1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped

3 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and chopped

In a large pot, boil potatoes with skins on. The cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes. When you insert a fork, you should have some resistance towards the middle. Basically you want them done, but not mushy. In a large mixing bowl combine Mayo, mustard, vinegar, water, salt and pepper and Maggi. (When I said heaping TBSP for the Mayo I am talking about the large spoons (grown up spoons is what we call them at our house), not the measuring spoons, same with the tsp for the mustard.) Stir to combine. (You should taste a hint of the dijon flavor but not too much) Add pickles, onion and hard boiled eggs. (I put the eggs in tap water, bring it to a boil on the stove, cover it and turn off the burner. Let it sit for 10 minutes and they will turn out perfect everytime.) After the potatoes are boiled, allow them to cool and then peel and chop into bite sized pieces. Lastly add the tomatoes. It is really important to take the seeds out first and also to add them last or it will turn the sauce pink. Enjoy!

Glazed Pork Roast

2009-06-02T13:22:00.004-06:00

This is a tried and true recipe here at our house; we've tweaked it a little to our tastes, and it's a favorite now. The citrus seasoning really works with the pork roast, and the mandarin orange garnish is delish... perfect for spring and summer menus. This crock-pot recipe makes a great Sunday dinner entree. One slice is 4 points, which makes it light and healthy, too. Win-win! Enjoy.

Glazed Pork Roast
(4 points per slice)
.
1 boneless whole pork loin roast ( 4 pounds), trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2/3 cup orange juice concentrate
1/3 cup water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Glaze
.
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained (optional)
.
Cut the roast in half. In a large skillet, brown roast in oil and butter on all sides. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the orange juice concentrate, water, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until a meant thermometer reads 160 ° F, and the meat is tender.

For the glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice concentrate, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Brush over roast. Garnish with oranges if desired.

* Our tweaks:

Double the glaze recipe. You'll be glad you did. We like to serve rice with this dish to "soak up" any extra glaze.
I've used a normal pork roast and it works just as well. (Didn't cut it half...)
I don't brown the meat every time, but when I do, I only use the olive oil. It's enough to brown the meat by itself.
Try the mandarin orange garnish. I love it.

original recipe: Light and Tasty magazine, February/March 2008, p. 49

Ham Fried Rice

2009-06-01T11:17:00.006-06:00

Cory went on his mission to Japan, and so he is really good at making up Oriental recipes. So this is his recipe, not mine. We tried to do measurements as we went along, but some things depend on how much rice you use.

Ham Fried Rice

2 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms, button or cremini
pinch of salt
a couple of shakes of Sesame oil...a little goes a long way
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2-2 Tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
1 1/2 cup cubed ham
2-3 large eggs, beaten
3 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup soy sauce or tempura sauce
4-5 green onions, sliced

Heat oil (Canola and sesame) in a large saucepan. Add mushroom and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5minutes, then add garlic and ginger. When you can smell the garlic, add the ham. Stir to combine. Beat eggs and then add to the mixture. Stir around until eggs are cooked and mixed throughout mixture. Add rice and soy sauce or tempura sauce. Stir well to combine. Just prior to serving add green onions, reserving some for garnish.

Honey BBQ Chicken with Apple Cole Slaw

2009-05-24T21:44:00.010-06:00

We first saw this recipe on the Food Network on Emeril Live and made it while we lived in Bountiful. I was going through old cookbooks recently and all of a sudden I was craving this again. I know that it is long and has quite the list of ingredients, but it really is a yummy recipe (which I can not take credit for at all since Emeril did it!) and is worth the effort.

Honey BBQ Chicken

1 cup soy sauce (I use the less sodium one)

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1-2 Tbsp sriracha (hot red pepper garlic chili paste found in the oriental section) we do 1 Tbsp so it isn't too hot for the kids

2 Tbsp white sesame seeds

2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp sesame oil

12 skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds) (we usually de-bone them to make it easier to eat)

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, onions, rice vinegar, honey, sriracha, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Stir well to combine. Place the chicken in the marinade. Toss to combine, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.

Preheat grill to medium..about 300-350 degrees. Leave the skin on the chicken to help keep it moist. Cook on the grill on both sides until done. Use a digital thermometer to verify the temperature.

Apple Coleslaw

1/4 cup mayo, plus 2 Tbsp

1/4 cup sour cream

1Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

3 cups green cabbage, chopped (about 1/2 head)

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded1/2 head Romaine Lettuce, washed and cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well. Add cabbage, apples, carrot, Romaine, onion and parsley. Toss to combine. Cover and put in fridge until ready to serve.

This recipe was slightly adapted from Emeril Lagasse from Emeril Live.

Creamy Fruit Dip

2009-05-20T16:12:00.004-06:00

There is nothing better than dipping strawberries into a creamy dip on a warm summer day!!

Creamy Fruit Dip

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 regular size Cool Whip

Mix together the condensed milk and the cream cheese with an electric mixer then with a rubber spatula, fold in the Cool Whip until well mixed. Dip with Strawberries or any other favorite fruit. This freezes really well too!!
This recipe was given to me from Holly M.

Creme Brulee French Toast

2009-05-20T15:41:00.002-06:00

From dinnertime in the Jungles of India to brunch in a street cafe in Paris over-looking the Seine. One of my favorite memories while living in Germany was the trip to Paris that I went on with my Mom and 2 of my sisters. While a lot of people love the richness of French dinner cuisine, I love the simple baked desserts, breads and crepes.

Creme Brulee French Toast

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 c brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
Bread, sliced, to cover butter mixture
5 large eggs
1 1/2 c half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

In a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Pour into a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread pieces on top. Beat eggs together, half and half, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over the top of the bread. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
*I would recommend that if you are doubling the recipe, that you do the butter mixture, bread, half and half mixture, then more butter mixture, bread and half and half. Then cover, chill and bake the next morning.
Recipe courtesy of Susie Powers featured in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook, pg. 28.

Chicken with Curry Sauce

2009-05-07T12:17:00.007-06:00

In this day of budget cuts and "stay-cations," it can be hard to visit other countries. Take a journey with me through the jungles of India and taste the spices of that land. This recipe was originally featured by Robin Miller on the Food Network and was slightly adapted by Melanie G. I tried this recipe with chicken and I liked it, and I have done it with a pork tenderloin, and it was fabulous as well.

Chicken with Curry Sauce

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
Salt and freshly gound black pepper
Olive Oil
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 tsp curry powder *
1 tsp Garam Masala**
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup couscous, cooked according to package directions
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro for garnish

*There are two different types of curry spices. One is a green curry (which is the one Robin used) and there is a red Indian curry. I used the red curry because it smelled better to me, but either one will work for this recipe.

**Garam Masala is an Indian spice combination, just like Italian Seasoning is used in Italian cooking. I had trouble finding it at Smiths, so I had Cory go the International Market. I read that you can get it at Walmart. If you get desperate and can't find it, let me know and I will mail you some! :-)

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes per side until golden brown. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together coconut milk, green chilies, curry powder, garam masala, and cumin. Add mixture to chicken. Simmer 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly. You can choose to add 1 tsp cornstarch to 2 Tbsp water and pour that in the sauce and let simmer to thicken it, if you want it a little thicker. Serve the chicken and sauce over the couscous and garnish with the cilantro.

+for the pork tenderloin, I sliced it into medallions and pressed them with the palm of my hand to flatten them slightly. I followed the instructions as listed for the chicken.

With the chicken I did fry bread and couscous with it. With the pork I did a regular dinner roll (for time's sake) and sticky rice and both versions were great. We are sauce people, so you might want to 1 1/2 times the sauce recipe if you like to have it with rice and have leftover to dip your roll in. This dish is not as spicy as it sounds. Brynley eats it just fine, and I always add red pepper flakes to it. I hope you enjoyed your trip to India with me. I wonder what country I am going to do next???? :-)

Shauna's German Pancakes

2009-05-07T11:51:00.007-06:00

Shauna was still living in Bountiful when she first cooked this for me. Whenever I make it, it reminds me of her and Andrew and their children. I am writing the recipe as Shauna gave it to me years ago..divided up into a 9" pie plate and then a 9x13" pan.

9" Pie Plate

1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

9x13" Pan

2 1/4 cups milk
1 1/8 cup flour
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 + a little more nutmeg
3/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in the pan and turn up the heat to 425 degrees. (I don't know how much butter Shauna uses, but I use 1/3 cup salted butter...but that may be the Paula Deen in me talking) Blend all ingredients in a blender. Pour into the heated pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350 and bake for 8 minutes longer.

In the Fall this is especially good topped with apples and sour cream and brown sugar sauce.

Peel and slice 2-3 apples.
Add a little lemon juice.
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Cook on the stove until the apples are tender. Serve with sour cream mixed with brown sugar, to taste.

For the 9x13 inch pan recipe, the recipe is 1 1/2 timed. For a 15x10 pan double the recipe (the original size is the pie plate size).

Italian Beef Sandwiches

2009-05-03T19:26:00.007-06:00

Whoever I have to thank for inventing the slow cooker, I would personally like to shout several Hallelujahs their way! Not only is it easy, but it doesn't heat up the house for summertime. This recipe was adapted from allrecipes.com. I found it on My Kitchen Cafe blog by Melanie G. This has become my family's favorite meat sandwich ever...or in the words or my husband...please put it away before I have 500 sandwiches!

Italian Beef Sandwiches

1 1/2 cups beef broth*

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp onion salt

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 bay leaf (or 2 small ones)

1 (0.6 oz) packet of Good Seasons Zesty Italian dry salad dressing mix

1 (5 lb) chuck roast

*I used one of the extra large Knorr brand beef bouillon cubes that does 2 cups, so I did 2 1/2 cups of water plus the beef cube instead of doing separate broth and water and it turned out great!

Combine water, beef broth with seasonings. Whisk to combine. Season roast with salt and pepper and seare on all sides in olive oil. (I cut the 5 lb roast into four parts so it would lay better in the crock pot) Place meat in the slow cooker and pour seasoning mixture over the meat. Cover and cook on Low for 10-12 hours or on High for 4-5 hours. When done, remove Bay leaves, and shred the meat with a fork. Put the shredded meat back in the juices for about 45 minutes to get extra yummy. Serve on crusty rolls with Provolone cheese.

German Oven Pancakes

2009-04-29T14:08:00.008-06:00

This recipe goes by many names. German Oven Pancakes, Dutch Babies, and my personal favorite -- from toddler Katie, way back when -- "Poofy Pancakes"! She thought they were magical.

They're a favorite around our house. (I try not to have them too often anymore, as they're not too point-friendly, but the rest of the family still wants them all the time.) This recipe makes any cook feel good. What is it about 4 simple ingredients that makes this dish such a showstopper? The picture above was Katie's first attempt. Look at those "poofy pancakes"!! :-)

German Oven Pancakes

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3 large eggs
dash of salt
1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

Preheat your oven to 425° F. We always make German Oven Pancakes in a 9x13 pan, but a round pan or skillet can also be used. (Oh, and we always double the recipe. If you use a 9x13 pan, *definitely* double it.)

Place the butter in the bottom of the pan and place it in the oven while it's preheating to melt it. Mix your milk, flour, eggs and salt in a bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend, but make sure all the lumps have disappeared before moving on. (Some people blend this in a food processor.) When you've got your mix ready, pour it over the melted butter in your pan, and place it back in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Edges will be puffed up.

This are a fun breakfast, and it can also make a beautiful brunch. Katie loves them plain -- just a little syrup for her, but depending on your mood or the season, they could be filled with berries, peaches, or sauteed apples. A dusting of powdered sugar or even whipped cream could top it off. I think Deb and Shauna have gourmet versions of these pancakes. I'd love to hear what they do.

Casual or fancy, you can't go wrong with German Oven Pancakes.

Orange Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup

2009-04-28T12:02:00.005-06:00

Orange Waffles

6 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz can orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 c butter, melted
3 3/4 c flour
3 c milk

In one bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, salt, orange juice, butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Alternate adding flour and milk. Fold in egg whites into batter. Bake in waffle iron. Serves 5.

This recipe is in the WorldWide Ward Cookbook in the Breakfast Section, listed by Janice Richards Call from Rexburg, ID.

Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Cook in a pot over medium low heat until bubbly. Take off the burner and add:

1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Stir until foamy. Serve over waffles, pancakes, french toast or vanilla ice cream.

These waffles were perfect on a warm spring day with their citrus taste. I have to admit that we love breakfast for dinner, especially those days when we have school, homework, scouts and FHE all on the same day! We cheated an added additional calories by topping the waffles with whipped cream. Just posting this recipes makes me hungry for them all over again! Stay tuned for Creme Brulee French Toast to be coming soon! :-)..... (those are drops of drool! heehee)

Meat Ring

2009-04-22T22:34:00.003-06:00

I know that Meat Loaf is not the most healthy thing in the world. But sometimes you've gotta do what you gotta do....and that means comfort foods! A few years back I got a book by Anita Stansfield called "A Star in Winter" and in it she published her recipe for a Meat Ring. It is not dry at all and worth a try on a day when you just don't have a lot of time to stand in front of the stove stirring stuff.

Meat Ring

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 beaten egg
3 /4 cup milk

Mix all together and mold into a round pan, leaving a hole in the center. Cover with sauce and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Sauce:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp mustard

For my family I used 2 lbs of lean ground beef (you want to get as lean as you can get) and I upped the other ingredients a little bit (1 cup oatmeal, 2 tsp salt, almost 1 tsp pepper, 1 cup milk. I kept the egg the same and I did 1/2 cup diced onion) I also doubled the sauce recipe, spooning some on top and saving the other half to top on each portion after it has been cooked.

I am sorry that I don't have a finished picture to show you, but I had to feed the baby and by the time I got back downstairs my family gave me the best compliment by have most of it already gone!

Smoked Bacon and Tomato Pasta

2009-04-18T13:54:00.006-06:00

This is one of my family's favorite dishes and one of my most requested recipes. For those with milk allergies, you can omit the cream and it is still yummy!!

Smoked Bacon and Tomato Pasta

12 oz. smoked bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large can Hunts whole tomatoes or 2 cups fresh tomatoes that have been peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 cup fresh basil

1 Tbsp salt

1 lb dried pasta, penne or rigatoni

1/2 c heavy cream

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Saute bacon over medium-high heat until done, but not crispy. If there is a lot of grease, you can drain some of it. Return bacon to pan and add onion, until the onion is soft and lightly golden; about 5 minutes. Add garlic. Pulse tomatoes in a blender and add to the bacon and onion and garlic mixture. Add half the basil and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the heavy cream and remaining basil. Serve over cooked pasta of your choice and top with grated Parmiganio-Reggiano cheese. This is excellent served with lettuce, tomato and fresh mozzarella topped with your favorite balsamic vinegarette.

Matthew's Chicken Nuggets with Dipping Sauce

2009-04-07T16:30:00.003-06:00

Mc What? Matthew prefers these homemade nuggets and sauce to any breaded, deep-fried mystery meat meal. Chris and I really like them, too. More sauce, please!

CHICKEN NUGGETS:

1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders or chicken breasts sliced into strips
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. honey mustard
1/4 c. light mayonnaise
6 c. cornflakes

SAUCE:

3/4 c. peach or apricot preserves (we're slightly partial to peach)
3 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey mustard
1 tsp. rice vinegar, or to taste

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl or ziploc bag, mix together the chicken, salt, pepper, mustard and mayonnaise.

To make the coating, place the cornflakes in a sealed bag and crush them. Then transfer the crushed cornflakes to a large shallow bowl or plate.

Dredge the chicken in the cornflakes and arrange the pieces on a cookie sheet. (Or on a rack over a baking sheet, if you are lucky enough to have one of those). Try to space the pieces an inch or so apart for even cooking and browning.

Bake the chicken for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and crispy on the outside (they will crisp even more as they cool).

For the sauce, mix together the preserves, mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Refrigerate until it's time to eat!

Adpated slightly from "Crunchy Chicken Tenders With Apricot Dipping Sauce," Family Fun Magazine, June 2008, p. 88.

Mushroom Pork Chops

2009-04-07T10:05:00.006-06:00

I found this recipe on-line at Allrecipes. My carnivores--- I mean, men--- loved it. I loved it too because it was cheap, easy to make and easy to clean up. One-pan-cooking-goodness. Enjoy!

4 pork chops

salt and pepper, to taste

1 pinch garlic salt, or to taste

1 onion, chopped

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

Season pork chops with salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. In a large skillet, brown the chops over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute for one minute. Pour cream of mushroom soup over the chops. Cover the skillet and reduce the temperature to medium-low. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pork chops are cooked through.

Note: Pour the leftover onion-mushroom gravy over some baked potatoes. Add a little shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes and sliced green onion. Wow. Delicious.

Two meals for the price of one.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mushroom-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx

Garlic Chicken Pasta

2009-03-30T11:14:00.005-06:00

Garlic Chicken Pasta

4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp dried basil (crush in hand first), use 2 Tbsp if using fresh basil

6 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used halved grape tomatoes)

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 pkg. grilled chicken strips (or own chicken)

1 box pasta, (bow tie or thin spaghetti) cooked and drained

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

(If you are cooking your own chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces and season with salt and pepper; cook in Olive oil then add basil and garlic)

Cook pasta. In large skillet heat oil, basil & garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken and heat approximately 4 minutes. Add pasta, onion, and tomato. Stir & heat 2 minutes. Stir in cheese, season with salt & pepper.

My kids had been begging for shrimp so I added it to this recipe (and I had forgotten the green onions, so they aren't in this picture). This is a great weekday meal that won't heat up your kitchen. You can even grill the chicken out on the BBQ'er for even better flavor.

Chicken Pasta Salad

2009-03-30T11:05:00.004-06:00

As the temperatures start to climb, I love to cook recipes that don't require me to heat up the house. This is one of our family's favorite dinners. This recipe is versatile, so if you like more celery or grapes or whatever, just add it.

Chicken Pasta Salad

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes.
Grapes, halved (to taste like 1 cup)
Celery, sliced (to taste like ½ cup)
1 (15 oz) can of pineapple tidbits, drained
4 green onions, sliced
2 apples, peeled, cored, sliced and chunked, fuji’s are our favorite
2/3 to 1 box of bow tie noodles, cooked as per instructions on box

Season chicken with garlic salt. Fry in salted butter with a little olive oil (to keep the butter from burning) until done but not dry. In a large mixing bowl make the dressing:

Dressing
2 (one serving containers) Yoplait French Vanilla yogurt
½ cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp honey
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp)

After the dressing has been combined, add pineapple, grapes, apples, celery, green onions, chicken and cooked and drained noodles. Stir to combine and enjoy.

White Velvet Sugar Cookie

2009-03-30T10:38:00.003-06:00

Growing up, Sunday afternoons meant making something sweet with Mom in the kitchen and fighting off siblings for the chance to lick the spoon, or better yet, the whole bowl. Yesterday we spent the afternoon making cookies, (reminding the kids about a million times that they have to cool before we could frost them) and decorating them just in time for a bedtime snack. They are the best sugar cookies I have had, and I thank Melanie G. from her blog My Kitchen Cafe for finding a sugar cookie recipe that I couldn't mess up! Now I just have to work on my decorating skills.

White Velvet Sugar Cookie

2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
4 1/4 to 4 3/4 cups flour (I used the 4 3/4 cup, but I live in a very dry climate)

Cream butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add sugar, egg yolks and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour. The dough will be VERY soft, but will get firm as it cools in the fridge. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge (I split it up into thirds to chill) for 2 hours or until firm. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes; place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until set, but not browned. Place on wire racks to cool.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
a pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4-6 Tbsp milk
Food Coloring (if desired) (Using the food coloring drops might thin your frosting, so just add more powdered sugar, or use the food coloring gel, Wilton's is the brand Melanie recommends)

Combine butter, vanilla, salt and beat until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined. Add milk and food coloring until you reach your desired consistancy.

Whipped Frosting

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. (Using a chilled bowl and beaters help) Fold whipping cream gently into the cream cheese mixture. This frosting is not sickly sweet and stays soft so all the little sugars and stuff stick very well.

Low-fat Cupcake Brownies/Brownie Babies

2009-03-25T11:32:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I just HAVE to have brownies. No, really. The world will end if I do not satisfy my chocolate brownie craving. Lucky for you, and the rest of the planet, I found a way to soothe the choco-beast and still keep my girlish figure. Found this Weight Watchers recipe on-line.

Brownies for one point. Bring it, baby.

I made some up to show you -- but Brian and John scarfed them all down. Sheesh. Boys. ;-)

Weight Watchers Cupcake Brownies/Brownie Babies
Serves 12
.
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, plus...
1 tablespoon brown sugar, all firmly packed
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
3. In a second bowl, stir together remaining ingredients.
4. Pour liquid mixture over flour mixture.
5. Stir until batter is smooth.
6. Pour into a non-stick 12 hole muffin tin coated with cooking spray.
7. Fill cups until half full.
8. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
9. Remove from oven.
10. Let stand 5 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool.

A couple of things here:

Katie ran from the room screaming (ok, not really) when she saw me putting in cider vinegar and applesauce into a BROWNIE recipe. Trust me: it works. Go with it.

Also, I like to double this recipe. It doesn't quite fill 12 cups in my cupcake pan as the recipe's written.

My favorite way to make these is to use my *mini* muffin pan.
I call them Brownie Babies. Just cook them for 10 minutes instead of 18. I can make lots of little mini-brownies and have TWO for one point. You feel very naughty for chomping a bunch of these brownies babies, but you're still being good.
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Brownie Baby Sundaes
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We like to make brownie sundaes by warming the babies up, putting them in the bottom of a bowl, and topping them with low-fat ice cream and light chocolate syrup. Maybe some fat-free Reddi-Whip too. Yummers.
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Choco-beast happy. ♥

Menu Planning

2009-03-13T14:20:00.011-06:00

I saw a post out there in blogland today about menu planning -- they gave a lot of good ideas. (I'll share some of the links below.) Made me wonder how everyone else does their menu planning.

Are you a "standing in front of the fridge at 4:30pm" kind of person? (been there, done that)
Do you have yours all worked out meticulously for set period of time?
Do you freeze meals ahead of time?
Do you ever repeat menus to save time and effort?
Do you have set nights of the week for certain meals?

Here's what I do: I plan our menus for 2 weeks at a time. Why? It matches pay periods, perishable foods usually last in that time period, and I find menu planning pretty tedious and I can't bear to plan it out longer than fortnightly! LOL

With our new Weight Watchin' kick, I find if I plan more what we're going to eat, then that double-cheese-baconburger doesn't find my behind, 'cause we're not hungry and desperate to find something to eat at a drive-through. With our current job loss, it's become really important to make meals that match our budget, and keeps us from making miscellaneous trips to the grocery store. Don't you just love that $27 can of cream of mushroom soup? :-)

To help me, I made a menu planning sheet; a table on one sheet of paper. It shows my 2 weeks and the days of the week. It also has spaces for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I usually only plan the dinners. During the week, breakfasts are do it yourself. Lunches are either leftovers or a quick sandwich or eaten at school. I do plan brekkies and lunches (a little) on the weekends. If you want a copy of my menu planning sheet, leave a comment and I'll send you one.

Some of my resources are:

Healthy Cooking magazine (used to be Light and Tasty)
Katie's favorites
old family recipes, the "tried and trues"
some old Weight Watchers mini cookbooks (the 5 ingredient ones are the best!)
a couple of really useful old cookbooks
the internet

Here are some links to some really good ideas on menu planning. Please share yours! What's cooking with your menu planning?

http://simplemom.net/how-to-menu-plan/
http://simplemom.net/menu-planning-resources/
http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/2009/03/meal-planning-guest-post.html
http://www.flylady.net/ Search for menu planning.

Cookie Sundae... Pzookie... Whatever!

2009-03-10T17:35:00.006-06:00

Oh yeah. Come to Mama.

.
(sorry. did I say that out loud?)
(ahem!)
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So, John and Katie and I were all feeling a little sorry for ourselves with the recent snowstorm that hit our neighborhood. (Let's just say we are more than just a little ready for spring to get here.) We needed a little pick-me-up.
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This takes a smidge of creativity when you're working on a spartan budget, but I was just the woman for the job. :-) I remembered something that took us to our happy place before, at a local restaurant called Pizza Factory. A dessert called "Never on Sundae".
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It's slightly undercooked cookie dough served in a hot skillet, topped with ice cream and chocolate, etc. I've seen it called Cookie Sundae, Pzookie (pizza+cookie, get it?), Skookie ... I really don't care what you want to call it. It's. Good. And it's just what we needed.
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Here's how we did it:
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Scrounged around and found some cute heart shaped baking pans leftover from Valentine's Day. Much cuter that some old skillet -- and hey, it'll keep the portion size down. Then, we made us up some chocolate chip cookie dough, and pressed it into the bottom of the pans.
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We put the pans in the oven at 350° F, for about 8 minutes. Watch the dough -- you want it to look like this:
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barely cooked, still ooey-gooey in the center.
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Ice cream and chocolate on standby... using the lighter versions of each will keep this dessert to about 6 points.
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Plunk a big scoop of vanilla on top of the cookie dough...
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...and drizzle with chocolate sauce.
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There you go. Whatever you want to call it, I'm in my happy place right now. Enjoy. ♥

Spaghetti Sauce

2009-03-08T22:11:00.004-06:00

Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs ground beef, or you can do 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb italian sausage
2 onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 (16 oz) cans of Tomato sauce (I do 2 of the big cans)
3 (6 oz) cans Tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 tsp dried oregano
3 tsp dried basil
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp marjoram

Brown the hamburger then drain. Rinse the pan of fat the add olive oil and onions; cook until translucent. Add cooked hamburger and minced garlic. Warm through; when you can smell the garlic, add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and seasonings. Stir to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over pasta or use for homemade lasagna.

*This recipe freezes really well. You can certainly brown the meat and onions together, but I like to do them separately to avoid the fat.
This was originally made for our family by the MiaMaids in our ward right after Cory's brain surgery. They brought dinner that night and 2 more bags of sauce to put into the freezer. It is my kids' favorite sauce, and mine as well. Not only is it yummy, but it reminds me of the thoughtfulness of my family-away-from-family.
Recipe courtesy of Nell W.

Red Lobster Biscuits

2009-03-06T14:30:00.003-07:00

I don't think I've used this recipe since our Wymount Days. Thanks for requesting it; I feel like I've reunited with an old friend. (:

2 c. Bisquick
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 c. melted butter or margarine
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. parsley (optional)

Mix together Bisquick and milk (stir just until moistened). Fold in cheese. Drop by teaspoons on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 450 degrees. While baking, mix together melted butter, garlic powder and parsley. After biscuits are cooked (and before they're too cool), brush with butter mixture.

Recipes to Remember: Rogers Arkansas Stake Relief Society Cookbook, p. 154

Low-Fat Black Forest Trifle

2009-03-02T15:35:00.006-07:00

This recipe is a favorite at our house. Lots of yummy goodness, and not a lot of calories! The way we're making it in this recipe has only 3 points per serving (serving = 1 cup). Woo-hoo! That's a pretty good lookin' dessert, and your caboose stays good lookin', too! ;-)

Here's what we need: reduced fat angel food cake (we make it all the time with regular angel food cake, and just add a point), light cherry pie filling, sugar free-fat free chocolate pudding mix, and light Cool Whip (thawed).

Start by cutting up the angel food cake into bite-sized pieces. Then, get your pudding ready. Open up your cherry-pie filling can.

Time to start layering. First, put about half of the bite-sized cake pieces in the bottom of the bowl. Then add about half of your chocolate pudding on top of the cake pieces.

Now it's time for the cherry pie filling. Again, just use half. Spread it around on top of the pudding to make the cherry layer. Now, add half of the tub of Cool Whip for the whipped cream layer.

Repeat! Use the remaining ingredients: layer the cake, pudding, cherries, and Cool Whip again.

Easy, peasy, huh?

Broccoli Slaw

2009-02-27T13:26:00.004-07:00

1/2 pkg broccoli slaw

1 med apple, diced

1/2 c pineapple tidbits

Mix together and serve with raspberry vinaigrette. This is the recipe on the slaw package, but it was so good we wanted everyone to know about it. We served it with panko breaded tilapia.

John's Pizza Rolls

2009-02-27T12:31:00.006-07:00

We're on an ultra-tight budget, and a lot of the little extras are just not happening right now. Instead of pulling a long face about it, John got creative. He popped into the kitchen, pulled a few things out of the pantry and *voila*, we were having pizza rolls, all hot, melty and yummy out of the oven! They were a real treat! These are perfect teen food -- they're fun and easy, and I could see Katie and her friends making these.

I like 'em better than the processed ones you buy in the store -- they're healthier too. Way to go, John! You rock. ♥

Pizza Rolls (aka Poor Man's Pizza)
2 points per roll (including the sauce) .

1 can homestyle biscuits
cheddar or mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rectangles
pepperoni slices
Pizza Sauce for dipping (see recipe below)

Preheat your oven, and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Open the can of biscuits. Stretch the biscuit from a round shape to a rectangle shape.

Place one slice of cheese and 2-3 pepperoni slices on one side of the biscuit. (We used cheddar, 'cause that's what was in the house. Mozzarella would be really yummy here, too!) Fold the other side over and seal.

Cook according to your biscuit's package directions (ours were 400° for 10 minutes), or when golden brown. While cooking, make your pizza sauce ... this is our *favorite* pizza sauce; we think it tastes better than any canned stuff out there. You've already got all the ingredients for this in your pantry -- it takes only 5 minutes! Give it a try!)

When your pizza rolls are done, spritz lightly with butter spray. Sprinkle on top with Parmesan cheese. Dip rolls into pizza sauce. Enjoy!

Pizza Sauce
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16 oz tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried onions (minced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for five minutes. May also be microwaved for 4 minutes, stirring once.

Pizza Sauce: Bright Impressions Busy Family Cookbook, p.66

Skinny Cacciatore

2009-02-25T16:05:00.004-07:00

Pasta, dah-ling! I've missed you! LOL

Here's a low-fat version of cacciatore we tried last week. I loved it. So flavorful! It's 8 points a serving, but, baby, you get a *plateful* of food! You will not be hungry after this meal. (In fact, it made a lot for our little family, and we froze half. It'll be perfect for some crazy busy night. Yum!)

I found this recipe easiest to cook when I "Martha-ed" it. You know how all the cooks on TV have everything set aside, all prepared and measured out for them? We would all be gourmet chefs if we had a little assistant doing that for us, every time we knocked out a recipe! LOL This recipe does call for a lot of veggies and spices; if you have them ready to go when they're called for, this recipe's a breeze!

Enjoy. Ciao for now!

Skinny Cacciatore

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms**
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 garlic cloves, minced**
1 can (29 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
9 oz. uncooked spaghetti
(additional shredded carrot -- optional) **

1. In a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken in 2 teaspoons of oil; drain. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute the green pepper, celery, and onion in remaining oil for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrot and garlic; saute 2-4 minutes longer or until all the vegetables are tender.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until thickened. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions.

3. Stir chicken into tomato mixture; cook for 8-12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Discard bay leaf. Drain spaghetti; serve with chicken mixture. Garnish with additional carrot if desired.

Serving: 1 1/3 cups of chicken mixture with 2/3 cup spaghetti
Yield: 6 servings
8 points per serving

** We used canned mushrooms from the pantry, instead of fresh. We used minced garlic spice. Both times these substitutions worked fine. BTW, we skipped the shredded carrot garnish on top. Bleh.

recipe and picture credit: Healthy Cooking magazine, December/January 2009, p.55 (original recipe: Anita Webb)

Shauna's Hamburger Vegetable Soup

2009-02-24T13:49:00.003-07:00

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 quart bottled tomatoes, undrained or canned tomatoes if fresh bottled ones are not available
6 cups water
6 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup regular barley
1 lb. package frozen mixed vegetables (may be subsituted with any desired fresh vegetables)
1 1/2 cup chopped celery
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook beef, onion and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until beef is browned; drain fat. Add tomatoes, water, bouillon, pepper, and basil to meat mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes. Add barley and vegetables. Simmer 15 more minutes. Recipe from Shauna W.

Bratten's Clam Chowder

2009-02-24T12:53:00.005-07:00

Bratten's Clam Chowder

3 stalks celery, sliced (chop up the leaves too)

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 lb. mini carrots, sliced

3 medium russet potatoes, diced

4 (6oz) cans minced and chopped clams, with juice

3/4 cup salted butter

3/4 cup flour

1 quart Half and Half

Tabasco, to taste

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Combine vegetables (use the celery leaves too, they add great flavor) in a stock pot. Add juice drained from the clams (reserve clams for the end) and enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then cover and turn off the burner and let it sit for 5 minutes. While you are waiting for the vegetables to come up to the boil (before you turn off the burner) combine butter and flour in a separate pan. Whisk until smooth. Add half and half and stir until thick. Add this mixture to the cooked vegetables. (after they have boiled for 5 minutes and sat for 5 minutes) Stir until desired consistancy. Remove from heat then add clams, tabasco and salt and pepper.

Crescent Rolls

2009-02-24T12:44:00.003-07:00

Crescent Rolls

2 Pkg. (or 4 1/2 tsp) Yeast
4 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5 cups bread flour

Directions:Heat water and milk in the microwave until it is just warmer than body temperature. Add yeast, sugar and oil. Let the yeast grow. Add flour and salt to a mixer bowl with a dough hook. Add eggs to yeast mixture. Then add mixture to flour. Knead on low until dough is soft, about 5 minutes. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until about doubled. Divide dough into thirds. Roll out flat in a rectangle shape until it is pretty thin. Using a knife cut dough into rectangles.

Using a knife, cut rectangles in half diagonally, making triangles.

Starting at the wide end of the triangle, start to roll dough toward the small pointy end. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet with the point side down so it doesn't unravel while baking. Brush with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam and let rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. This recipe was given to me by Debbie B. These rolls are great with just about anything, but are fabulous with a hot bowl of soup on a cold day!

True Love Chocolate Cake

2009-02-22T18:16:00.010-07:00

Has there ever been a cake more perfectly named? I doubt it! This is the dessert we had for our Valentine's Day dinner.... Oh. my. gosh. it was good.

This cake is my go-to chocolate cake from now on. Better than the mixes! It's not just for Valentine's Day, either. Replace the hearts with any other colored hard candy or sprinkles to match the occasion or holiday.

You know, I miss chocolate cake. A regular piece of cake with frosting is a whopping 13 points -- this one is FIVE -- with the frosting, peeps! Woo-hoo!

It was rich and dense and chocolaty. John and I kept looking at each other and saying... 'Five points? Are you sure?' Yep, I'm sure. I had the nutritional info right there. Chocolate + cake + low-cal = hurry and cut me a piece! LOL

True Love Chocolate Cake
(5 points per piece)
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1/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (we used milk chocolate chips)

Frosting:
1 package (8 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen reduced fat whipped topping, thawed
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Topping:
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup candy hearts

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce.

2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Fold in chips. Pour into a 9 X 13 baking pan coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 350° F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

4. For frosting: in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Fold in whipped topping. Frost cake. Refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with coconut and candy.

Yield: 24 servings

Healthy Cooking magazine, February/March 2009, p. 44

Peach Syrup

2009-02-18T13:10:00.005-07:00

Peach Syrup

12 cups pureed fresh peaches
1 can frozen orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with the juice
1 pkg Pectin

Bring to a boil then boil for 1 minute. Then add:

7 1/2 cups sugar

Bring to a boil then boil for 4 minutes.

To can:
Water Bath: 30 minutes
Steam canner: 15 minutes
Inversion: 5 minutes

Makes 12 (12 oz) jars or about 4 1/2 qts.
*note* We tried the inversion method for canning, but we had less seal that way. I would recommend trying the other two.
Yea! We found out about a orchard near St. George that has great peaches! So we made a whole bunch (3 20 lbs boxes worth!!)

Buttermilk Syrup

2009-02-18T12:57:00.002-07:00

1/2 c buttermilk
3/4 c sugar
1 cube butter

Cook in pot over med-low stove until bubbly.
Take off burner and add:

1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Stir until foamy. Pour hot over pancakes, waffles or French toast.
You can also put it on vanilla ice cream and it is yummy!

*I got this recipe from Debbie B., who got it from a friend, so I don't know who to give the credit to.

Sticky Coconut Chicken

2009-02-16T21:29:00.006-07:00

Sticky Coconut Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Marinade chicken in coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes for at least 1 hour (the flavor is a little better if left to marinade for 4 or 5 hours). Grill on barbeque.

Glaze:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes

While chicken is grilling, bring the glaze ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce until mixture is thickened, which takes about 8-10 minutes. Once it reaches a "syrupy" consistancy, removed from heat. Glaze both sides of the chicken the last few minutes of grilling and serve chicken over rice.

Note: When cooking the rice, you can add the remaining canned coconut milk with water for a slightly sweet flavor.
Serves 4-5. Recipe courtesy of Melanie G.

Heart Pancakes

2009-02-14T11:26:00.007-07:00

♥♥♥ Happy Valentine's Day! ♥♥♥

Here's what we did for breakfast. Valentine pancakes! They were SO easy. All you need is regular ol' pancakes, a heart-shaped cookie cutter, your favorite red jam (strawberry's our favorite here), and powdered sugar in a shaker. Lay the first pancake on the plate, and spread jam on it. Take your cookie-cuttered pancake and lay it on the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Done! (I think next time, I'm going to sprinkle the top pancake separately and then lay it on top...)

Think of the possibilities -- cookie cutters with any theme: holiday, birthday, stars, a favorite animal, etc., could turn any boring pancake breakfast into something special and fun. Love it!

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

2009-02-08T08:35:00.013-07:00

How about a little "lovin' from the oven"? ♥ It's Valentine's Day this week, and I made a little treat for John and Katie this weekend to start things off. These are pretty easy to make and a fun way to show your sweeties you love 'em. The original idea is found here; complete with a recipe, frostings, and a how-to that includes a little video tutorial. Check it out. Here's how I did it at my house...

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

1 egg plus enough water to equal 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (yes, put the egg in the measuring cup)
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except the 2 tablespoons margarine in the breadmaker, in the order the manufacturer recommends. (I always put wet ingredients in first.) Select the dough cycle.

Remove the dough from the pan, using lightly floured hands. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.

Grease a cookie sheet. You'll want a cookie sheet, so the heart shape of the rolls is not ruined when the rolls rise. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Spread the 2 tablespoons of margarine over the dough. Sprinkle generously with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Start rolling the dough from the long side -- but this time roll from BOTH long sides, meeting in the middle. You can pinch the seam shut on the top. We didn't (forgot to) and you can see how our rolls turned out in the picture above. Go here to see how they'd turn out if you did.

Cut into 1 1/2 inch rolls. (easiest way is using dental floss -- see the little video here on how to do that) Place slightly apart in pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 40 minutes, or double in size.

Heat oven to 375°. Bake 20-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack. Frost with Light Cream Cheese Frosting (see below). Serve warm.

Light Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. light cream cheese (Neufchâtel cheese)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Put all ingredients into a bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until smooth.

Enjoy! Happy Valentine's Day! ♥

Cinnamon Roll recipe: Gold Medal "Best Bread Machine Recipes", p. 82

How to Search for Recipes

2009-02-06T09:40:00.008-07:00

One more organizing post, and then back to the yummies. Wondering how to search for recipes? There are two ways:

1) Use the side bar categories
2) Use the "Search Blog" at the top of the blog.

:::

1) You can go over to the side bar, and look under a category. Say you're looking for Rebekah's Easy Cafe Rio recipe. You know that it's made with pork and it's a slow cooker recipe. Click on Main Dish Pork, or Crock Pot/Slow Cooker -- it will be under both of those.

2) If you can't remember what's in the recipe, and all you know is you want her Easy Cafe Rio recipe .... then just go to the top of the page and look for the black bar. See the "SEARCH BLOG" there? Just type in what you're looking for, click on "search blog" and the blog will pop it up for you.

Someday, I'll figure out how to add a little search gadget for us down on the sidebar, but for now the one at the top will do just fine.

There's already some very delicious recipes up. Dig in!

Recipe Labels II

2009-02-06T09:27:00.012-07:00

Look at those kids! That's okay.

Chocolate cake has that effect on me, too. LOL

(Just adding the rest of the labels to our blog.)

Recipe Labels

2009-02-06T08:52:00.008-07:00

For those of you new to blogging, this post will give you some hints on labeling your recipes. After you type in your recipe to share (hint! hint!), look down at the bottom of the box. You'll see "Labels for this post:". If you click on "Show all", a list will pop up and you can choose from there to classify your recipe. The blog will organize our recipes for us. Easy peasy.

Here are some that Rebekah and I came up with:

Allergy Friendly, Appetizer, Bread, Breadmaker, Breakfast/Brunch, Canning, Cooking Basics, Desserts, Dips/Sauces, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Heritage/Family Recipe, Holiday, Main Dish Beef, Main Dish Chicken, Main Dish Pork, Main Dish Seafood, Main Dish Turkey, Pasta, Salads, Side Dishes, Soup, Snacks, Vegetables

Can you come up with any more that we missed?

Sloppy Joes Simplified

2009-02-05T21:40:00.004-07:00

I don't know how I came up with this....One day (back in Hawaii) I think we were out of ketchup so I substituted chili sauce for this recipe. Chris liked it so much, I've never gone back to the "old" way of making Sloppy Joes.

1 bag of hamburger buns or several slices of sandwich bread
1 lb. ground beef*
1 (12 oz.) jar chili sauce
1/2 tsp. mustard
brown sugar, to taste

If you've got this on hand, it's nice to add:

1/4 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. green pepper, chopped

Brown the hamburger meat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook till the onion is clear. Then add the chili sauce, mustard and brown sugar to the mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. If you have the time, it's nice to cover the pan, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for a while. Otherwise, (if you're like me) just go on ahead and serve it up!

*Want the lean ground beef but can't afford it? Buy the cheap stuff and then after cooking it, rinse it in HOT water.

Chicken Souvlaki

2009-02-05T13:48:00.004-07:00

The Washington D.C. Temple Visitors Center Missionaries recommended we try the chicken souvlaki at Continental Pizza (in Kensington, MD). It was so amazing that when we moved, I had to create my own recipe in remembrance.

1 pkg. pita bread (whole wheat, if available)

7 fl. oz. Balsamic Vinaigrette made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or half of a 14 oz. bottle)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced into strips

1 8 oz. container plain, non-fat yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled (one half shredded*, the other half sliced)

1/2 tsp. garlic salt**
1 tsp. rice vinegar**

a pinch or two of sugar (as needed)

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

4 red-leaf or green-leaf lettuce leaves, cut in half or chopped

1 small container feta cheese, original or Mediterranean Herb

Put Vinaigrette and chicken in a Ziploc bag and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of half an hour.

In a small bowl, mix yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic salt, rice vinegar and sugar (if needed to combat bitter cucumbers). Put your tzatziki sauce back in fridge until ready to use.

Cook chicken and marinade over medium-high heat until chicken is done and sauce has reduced.

Stuff pita pockets with lettuce, chicken, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. Add tzatziki sauce and sprinkle with feta.

Enjoy

*Dab your shredded cucumbers with a paper towel to absorb excess water.

** Chris and I like a strong tzatziki sauce; you may want to first try 1/4 tsp. garlic salt and 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar and then add more if you think you'd like more kick.

Tip: Chicken is easier to slice this way if it is still partially frozen.

Coconut Snowball Crisps

2009-02-03T20:23:00.014-07:00

Here's a recipe I spotted over at another blog called Delightful Home. (It's originally from a Rachael Ray magazine.) These are good any time of year, but I liked the snowy-whiteness of the cookie -- makes it perfect for a winter treat!

We tried this recipe this week and really liked it. Think grown-up Rice Krispie treat, chewy, with a taste of coconut... best of all -- if you make them according to the recipe, you're talking two cookies for 1 point. Huzzah! (If you make them a little bigger like I did, count 1 point per cookie. Hey, that's still a good deal...

Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished product -- they're already gone! :-)

Coconut Snowball Crisps

makes 3 dozen

3 large egg whites

1 pinch salt

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

2 cups crispy rice cereal

1/4 cup cornstarch

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until thick & foamy. Sprinkle in the confectioners' sugar &, once incorporated, beat at high speed until firm and glossy, about 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, toss together coconut, rice cereal and cornstarch.

3. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold into the egg mixture until combined.

4. Drop rounded teaspoons of the mixture about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

5. Bake until firm and dry to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool completely. Enjoy!

Super Fast Chicken Parmigiana

2009-02-01T16:17:00.005-07:00

I made this recipe a lot in Hawaii while Chris was in school. He thought it was fancy. I thought it was easy. Everyone was happy.

16 oz. package thin spaghetti noodles
1 jar or can of spaghetti sauce
4 frozen or refrigerated, fully cooked breaded chicken patties or cutlets
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Prepare noodles and breaded chicken patties as directed on their packages. Warm spaghetti sauce. On dinner plates, place desired amount of noodles and top with chicken, sauce, cheese and parsley.

Serves 4

Don't have parmesan and mozzarella? Substitute with whatever cheese you've got in the house; it still tastes great. Want to make it healthier? Use grilled chicken and homemade spaghetti sauce.

(Last night I couldn't find any jars of spaghetti sauce in the pantry, so I used some of Jen and Eric's home-canned tomato sauce and tomatoes to make a Chunky Garlic and Onion Spaghetti sauce. It tasted great with this meal.)

Adapted from Campbell's Easy Family Meals, p.4

Layered Mexican Bean Dip

2009-01-29T11:05:00.003-07:00

So, we call this 7-Layer Dip at our house, and I was surprised to find how low-cal and good for you this is! Two points for a serving!? Woo-hoo! Here's a Weight Watchers version. Combine it with some baked chips and get your snack on, just in time for the Superbowl! Enjoy.

Layered Mexican Bean Dip

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16 oz fat-free canned refried beans
3 medium avocado, Hass, finely mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons fajita seasoning mix
1/2 cup(s) Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican-Style Cheese
1 small tomato(es), chopped
2 medium scallion(s) (aka green onions), sliced
10 medium olive(s), black, sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped

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Spread beans evenly over bottom of a 9- X 13-inch glass baking dish or a medium-size glass bowl.
In a small bowl, combine avocado, salt and lemon juice. Spread avocado mixture over beans; top with sour cream.
Sprinkle fajita seasoning over sour cream layer. Next, layer remaining ingredients on top in order listed.
Serve immediately or chill until ready to use. Yields about 1/4 cup of dip per serving. Makes 16 servings.
.
This dip is also great topped with diced bell peppers and shredded lettuce. Add jalapeno slices for extra heat. Only 2 points per serving.

Weight Watchers Quickbites, January 26 2009, picture credit

Low-Fat Quesadillas

2009-01-26T13:08:00.018-07:00

Just in time for the Superbowl.... this simple recipe lets you make low cal quesadillas that could be easily mistaken for the fat-filled real thing. Found this recipe at Hungry Girl's website. These go from 12 points per serving to just 3! SCORE!
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Low-Fat Quesadillas

1 La Tortilla Factory Low Carb, Low Fat Whole Wheat Tortilla (small size)
1/4 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese (or ff mozzarella, ff American, ff jack)
2 oz. chicken breast, grilled and sliced
1 tablespoon green onion, diced 1 tablespoon salsa
1 teaspoon light sour cream

Directions: In a pan lightly spritzed with nonstick cooking spray, set down your tortilla. Spread the cheese, chicken and green onion evenly on top. Let set (cheese will just be beginning to melt), then fold over. Cook on medium heat for a minute or so, flipping quesadilla halfway in between. Slide your quesadilla onto a plate and serve with the salsa and sour cream. Enjoy!

Picture credit: HG's Cheesy-Good Chicken Quesadillas, Hungry Girl site

Favorite Potato Bread

2009-01-26T10:56:00.003-07:00

There's nothing like a loaf of fresh-baked bread on a cold day. This is one of our favorites.

1 1/2 cups water
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine (softened)
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1- Measure and add liquid ingredients to the bread pan.
2- Measure and add dry ingredients (except yeast) to the bread pan.
3- Use your finger to form a well (hole) in the flour where you will pour the yeast. Yeast must NEVER come into contact with a liquid when you are adding ingredients. Measure the yeast and carefully pour it into the well.
4- Snap the baking pan into the breadmaker and close the lid.
5- Select the Basic setting.
6- Select the desired crust color. (We like it Light)
7- Press the Start button.

Makes a 2 lb loaf.

Oster 2 lb. Expressbake Breadmaker User Manual & Bread Recipes, p. 39

Easy Café Rio

2009-01-22T13:34:00.006-07:00

Café Rio Pork

3-4 lb pork butt
1 cup salsa
1 cup brown sugar

Place the pork butt in the crock pot. In a seperate bowl, mix the salsa with the brown sugar, then add on top of the pork. Cook all day in the crock pot (on Low setting) then shred the meat when it's done.

Use as a taco meat or with cilantro lime dressing, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

Café Rio Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 1/3 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
1 bunch of cilantro (chopped)
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (dry)
4 tbsp salsa verde (green salsa)
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce
juice of one lime (I like to add lime zest, too)

Mix together in a blender and serve on top of Café Rio pork.

Want to make it low-fat? Use light sour cream and light mayonnaise!

Recipe from Peggy Steward. Thanks for this one!

Low-Fat Potato Pancakes aka Reibeküchen

2009-01-21T14:58:00.010-07:00

From the time I was a little girl, I remember Dad making Reibeküchen for us kids. I loved to eat it then with strawberry jam on top. My tastes have grown up a little, and now I love it served with applesauce and maybe a little light sour cream on the side. Talk about comfort food! Another one of my memories is of Dad and John and I enjoying Reibeküchen right from a stand in front of the Cologne Cathedral on a chilly spring morning. Schmeckt gut!

This recipe tastes good, too. Give it a try!

Low-fat Potato Pancakes
(3 points for 3 pancakes)

1 1/4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 scallions, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Soak the potatoes in cold water 30 minutes; drain and blot dry. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, egg whites, flour, scallions, and salt. Form into 12 pancakes.
3. In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat one-third of the oil. Cook the pancakes, 4 at a time, until just golden, about 2 minutes on each side; transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat twice more with the remaining oil and pancakes, making a total of 12 pancakes. Bake until crisp and cooked through, 5-7 minutes.

* You can prepare the pancake mixture up to an hour ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it...

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, p. 362

Blondies

2009-01-20T23:06:00.001-07:00

Chris prefers this Southern version of brownies. Take just one bite and you’ll know why!

Note: We had to take a close-up shot of these because by the time I got my camera out, over half the pan was gone. Oh yeah, they’re that good.

Blondies

2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
A handful of Semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan heat brown sugar and butter over medium heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.
4. Stir in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
6. Bake at 350 degrees oven 25-30 minutes (at UT elevation, mine was ready at 25 minutes) or until done.
7. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Cut into bars while warm.

Adapted slightly from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, p. 186

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-01-19T20:12:00.009-07:00

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 oz. package chocolate chips (we love the milk chocolate chips at our house)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix shortening, butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together well and add nuts and chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees (F) for 8-10 minutes or until delicately brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet. Makes 8 dozen cookies.

NOTE: to make bar cookies, spread cookie dough into greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Bright Impressions Busy Family Cookbook, p.100

Bon Appetit!

2009-01-19T16:56:00.007-07:00

Welcome to What's Cooking, Good-Looking! This is a little space in cyberspace that's going to be an on-line recipe box for my good-looking family members. I have some VERY talented cooks in my family. Bring on the delicious!