A Little Something to Eat

Butternut and Apple Harvest Soup

2011-11-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

Justin found this recipe online and whipped it up for dinner last night! I thought it was fabulous!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup diced carrots
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
1/2 cup light cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potato, squash, carrots, apple, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Once the soup has been pureed, return it to the pot and stir in wine and cream. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives.

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

2011-10-31T11:41:00.000-07:00

My favorite recipe blog has done it again! They've provided me with another fabulous recipe that I know I 'm going to be using over and over again! This time it's a cookie recipe! When I saw this post on the chocolate gingerbread shaped skeleton/mummy cookies I knew I had to try it! So today my second grader's class gets to make mummies for a Halloween treat during their Halloween party. But, because I couldn't take cookies to school that had not been properly taste-tested, I've already eaten a sufficient number of cookies to be able to say that these chocolate cookies a delish! And super simple to whip up too! I got 24 gingerbread men out of one batch of cookie dough, because I wasn't quite sure if that was enough (dang big classes at our school), I made a second batch and made a few extra gingerbread men then put the rest of the dough in the freezer for another day. Hopefully it freezes well!

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies
Recipe slightly modified by Our Best Bites from Cookie Craft via Bake @ 350
Ingredients:
2 & 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder (dutch-process or natural works)
1 cup (2 sticks) regular salted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat if you have either of those.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light an fluffy (1-2 full minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
Whisk flour and cocoa powder together and then slowly add to the butter mixture by spoonfuls with mixer at low speed. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
Lightly dust rolling surface with coco powder or flour or a mixture of both. (I use cocoa powder). Roll dough about 1/4 inch thick. It helps to roll soft dough in between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment and then place them in the fridge for about 15 minutes (or the freezer for 5-10) until firm.
Cut out shapes and place on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until set. Sometimes it’s hard to tell with chocolate cookies when they are done, so just watch for the dough to not look “wet” anymore and the edges should be holding their shape nicely.
Let cookies cool for 2-3 minutes and then use a spatula to place them on a cooling rack.

Muffins that Taste Like Donuts

2011-10-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

Cake donuts are some of my favorite treats and this recipe tastes very similar. I found this yummy recipe on a blog somewhere. I finally got around to mixing them up a week or so ago and the kids loved them--so did I. We'll definitely be making these over and over! Oh...I would be happy if I could have muffins for breakfast everyday!

Muffins:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2-3 tsp. of cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.Combine oil, sugar, egg, and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir til just combined. Spray muffin tins or use cupcake liners and evenly distribute batter between 12 spots. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins when done and shake from pan while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then in the cinnamon sugar. Let cool a bit then eat and enjoy!

French Bread or Buns

2011-10-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with this easy bread recipe from my Our Best Bites cookbook! I've been making it to eat with BBQ chicken sandwiches this summer and they taste great together!

French Bread, Hoagies, and Buns

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

4-5 1/2 c. flour

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg, separated

2 Tbsp. cold water

Go to OurBestBites.com for the instructions! My only notes are that I don't let it rise anywhere near the amount of time mentioned in their instructions. Every time I've tried, it's fallen when I put it in the oven and that does not make for great bread. So I just let it rise in a warm place until it has risen to a bit more than double each time. Secondly, I don't think I've ever come close to using the 5 1/2 cups of flour. My dough is usually just past sticky at about 4-4 1/2 cups, so be careful and add the flour slowly. Finally, I can get a lot of hamburger buns out of this recipe. Anywhere from 12-24 depending on the size. 24 is great for kids and just a cute little sized sandwich. Bigger works great for adults with bigger appetites. I have yet to try to make a loaf of French bread with this recipe. Maybe I'll try that next!

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

2011-10-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Who would have known that I would be such a BBQ chicken lover? But I am after trying this yummy chicken! I love this easy and yummy recipe for BBQ chicken sandwiches. I also LOVE that it makes a lot of chicken and I can have leftovers for lunch the following day and still have enough to freeze some for dinner another day.

5-6 lbs. of chicken
1 12 oz. bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (my husband likes more!)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Italian dressing
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 large yellow onion, diced
2-3 tsp. oregano

Put all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to sauce and cook for at least one hour before eating. Serve on your favorite buns. I like to make my own buns using this recipe! YUM!

Cafe Rio Chicken

2011-09-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

We had a little Cafe Rio style Primary dinner this week and I was in charge of the chicken. I looked around a bit for a good recipe and nearly every one I found was the same, so I gave a it a try. It turned out delicious and I'll definitely be making it again.

The original recipe is:
1 small (8oz.) Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 lbs. chicken

Chili powder makes me nervous (I don't like my food spicy hot) so the first thing I did was decrease the chili powder. And you can really hardly ever go wrong with a nice diced onion so I threw that in just for good measure. I didn't feel like the Italian dressing added enough flavor, so I ended up sprinkling part of a pack of dry Italian dressing seasoning in as well. Throw in a little salt and pepper and it was ready. The ingredients I used ended up being more like this:

1 small (8oz.) Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced (I LOVE that pre-minced stuff you can buy at the grocery store)
1 yellow onion diced
5 lbs. chicken
1 packet dry Italian dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put the chicken in a crockpot. Cover with dressing, diced onion, and spices. Cook on high for 4 hours. An hour before eating, remove chicken breasts from juices and shred in a separate bowl. Some people have good luck with two forks, but I love to use my hand-mixer for this. It works best if each chicken breast is cut into thirds or fouths, then just turn the mixer on low speed and watch how easily the chicken shreds. Be sure to taste it and add more seasonings as needed. I threw in part of my dry dressing packet, added a little garlic powder, and some more salt and pepper. Let the shredded chicken soak in the spices and juices for an hour before serving.

Zucchinni Fries

2011-09-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

Our Best Bites is one of my very favorite recipe blogs. Those talented ladies are always cooking up something delicious. I saw this on their site a while ago and finally got around to trying it this summer. YUMMY! This recipe is definitely a keeper. My only advice: don't bother with cutting all that zucchini into little fry sized strips, just cut into thin rounds instead. This greatly reduces the somewhat time consuming process of dipping the zucchini pieces first in the egg then in the crumb mixture.

Baked Zucchini Fries
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Aggie’s Kitchen

About 1 lb. zucchini
1/2 c. Italian-seasoned panko bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (the crumbly stuff, not shreds)
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Whisk 2 eggs together in a shallow pie plate and set aside.

Cut the ends off the zucchini and then cut the zucchini in half so you have two short, stubby pieces. Set one piece on its end and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut that half in half, making 2 planks. Repeat with the remaining halves (so you’ll get 16 planks per zucchini).

Stack 2 planks on top of each other and cut into strips. Thicker strips will yield “meatier” fries with more zucchini flavor while thin strips will be crispy and taste virtually nothing like zucchini. When all the fries are cut, blot the pieces with a paper towel.

Working with a small handful at a time, dip the zucchini sticks in the egg, shake them to remove any excess, and then roll them in about 2-3 tablespoons of bread crumbs at a time, adding more as needed; you just don’t want to work with all the bread crumbs at once because they’ll soak up moisture from the egg and won’t stick to the zucchini. Place the coated strips on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until all the zucchini strips have been coated.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in the prepared oven then remove from oven, flip the fries, and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the zucchini is not soggy and the coating is crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately with Pizza Sauce or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Caramelized Green Beans

2011-08-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't really been loving green beans for the last few years since one of my dear babies was born--until I found this recipe that is! I LOVE these green beans, but will probably never eat those nasty canned ones again if I can help it. Justin bought me the Our Best Bites cookbook for Mother's Day and that's where I found this delicious recipe. I've copied the recipe from their site, but you'll have to click recipe title below to go to their site and get all of their instructions.

Caramelized Green Beans

By Our Best Bites

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

My note: This recipe really is easy, especially if you leave out the bacon as I always do. I'm sure they're delicious with it, but I just never have bacon on hand and these beans are seriously good without it!

Crepes

2011-08-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

This is our new favorite Sunday afternoon lunch recipe. With our church at 9:00 a.m. this year, we're lucky to get a bowl of cereal or toast before we run out the door. So we save our big yummy breakfast for lunch and this is by far our favorite. Even Justin, who isn't really into breakfast foods at lunch or dinner time, thinks this is delicious! We like to eat our crepes filled with whipped cream and fresh berries and other fruit! Plus, this is fun to eat because it reminds Justin and I of the yummy crepes we ate in Paris last summer!

Basic Crepes
Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 eggs
2 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar (omit if making savory crepes)
1 C flour
1 1/3 C milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until combined, or whisk by hand until there are no lumps.

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Hold pan with one hand while you pour the batter with the other hand. Twirl the pan in a circular motion pouring just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Place on cooking surface and cook until edges are set and you can easily run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan, 30 seconds. Flip crepe and cook an additional 15-20 seconds. Remove crepe from pan and either keep warm in the oven or cool to room temperature.

Fill with your choice of savory (meat, cheese, vegetable) or sweet (pudding, mousse, pastry cream, fruit) filling. Top sweet crepes with with Strawberry Sauce, Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, Hot Fudge, or just a dusting of powdered sugar and sweetened whipped cream.

Unfilled crepes can be stacked between sheets of waxed paper and refrigerated or frozen. To thaw, leave at room temperature.

Makes 12-14 8″ crepes

Dessert for a Crowd

2011-06-25T22:30:00.001-07:00

Gosh, I wish I could remember which fabulous food blog I found this on, but I don't. I made it this weekend though and it was delicious and oh so easy!

1 white cake mix (plus ingredient to make the cake mix)
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 (12oz) container of cool whip
fruit topping *** see not below for options

Mix cake mix according to the package. Spray the bottom on a 13x18 jelly roll pan.
Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
With a mixer, blend cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add cool whip and beat until smooth and creamy.
Spread mixture on top of cooled cake.
Cut into pieces and serve with fruit topping.

Options for fruit topping

canned pie filling
danish dessert prepared according to fruit sauce directions with fresh fruit mix in
Macerated strawberries (see directions below)
any berry sauce recipe you like (I have a few on my site)
or raspberry (blackberries would work too) sauce (see directions below)

To macerate the strawberries, place hulled and sliced berries in a bowl and sprinkle with granulated white sugar about 2 tablespoons per pint. Let the berries and sugar macerate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

For the raspberry sauce you need 2-3 pkgs of frozen raspberries (the kind in heavy syrup is what I have used, but ). In a sauce pan, mix berries with 1/2 cup sugar and enough cornstarch (like 1 Tbp cornstarch) to thicken sauce to desired consistency. Heat until sauce is just bubbly and thickened. Let cool.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2011-05-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

A friend made this for dinner at bunco and I loved it! It's super easy to make and when I make it, I split the ingredients into two 8x8 pans so I have one to eat and one to freeze. Then I have a great fast dinner later too.

5-6 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded or cut into chunks
white American cheese (regular or Swiss flavored)
thin slices of ham (lunch meat works great)
real Swiss cheese, sliced
1 cube of butter
1 box of chicken stuffing

Boil and shred chicken breasts then cover the bottom of the either a 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans with the chicken meat. Place slices of American cheese over the chicken. Next layer the ham on top of the cheese. Then layer the Swiss cheese on top of the ham. You don't have to go overboard with the cheese, but you'll want to make sure the meat is covered completely. Finally mix 1 box of dry stuff with 1 cube of melted butter and sprinkle over top of the entire casserole. Bake on 350 for 20-25 min.

Texas Sheetcake

2011-02-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

I made this last weekend and remembered how fast, easy, and yummy it is! I found this recipe on realmomkitchen.blogspot.com. I've halved the amount of cinnamon here.

2 sticks butter or margarine
1 cup water
4 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Bring 2 sticks butter, water and 4 tablespoons cocoa to a boil in a large saucepan. While still hot, remove from heat and add to 2 cups flour and 2 cups white sugar. Mix well. Add in eggs, cinnamon, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla. Do not mix too long.
Pour batter into greased 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Icing
1/2 cup butter
4 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons water
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (if desired)

Bring 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 4 tablespoons cocoa, 3 tablespoons water, and 3 tablespoons milk to a boil. Remove from heat. While still hot, add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and nuts. Beat well. Ice cake while icing is still hot.

Emily's Yummy Crockpot Chicken

2010-09-20T19:05:00.001-07:00

My sister Emily shared this recipe with me--she got it from her mother-in-law. We recently served it at the annual Jones family campout and it was a big hit! I loved it served taco style with all sorts of taco fixings. Emily also likes it as the main dish served alongside veggies, rolls, and such.

6 chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 can of black beans
1 can corn or 1 bag frozen corn
2 cups salsa

Put ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If serving taco style, remove chicken when done and shred with a hand mixer. Then return to soak in sauces for 30 minutes.

Yummy Potatoes

2010-09-20T18:58:00.001-07:00

Otherwise known as funeral potatoes. This is the recipe Justin's Grami Del always uses and it turns out perfect every time!

6-8 potatoes shredded in a 9x13 pan or one bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns (hashbrowns are super easy!)
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint of sour cream (I use fat free- It makes me feel better!)
1/3 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Stir all ingredients except potatoes together in and saucepan and heat. Put potatoes in a 9x13 pan and dump warm sauce mixture over top. Mix together. Mix 1/2 cup of crushed cornflakes and 3 tbsp. melted better together and sprinkle on top of potatoes. Sprinkle a little shredded cheese then bake at 350 degrees for 40- 50 minutes.

Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

2010-09-20T18:49:00.001-07:00

This is one of my mother-in-laws delicious chicken recipes. It's pretty easy, though a little time consuming. She makes it better than me, so I don't make it too often. Instead I just hope it's on the menu when we go and visit them.

3 chicken breasts, split
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter
2-3 tbsp. green onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. tarragon leaves
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine flour, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt and lightly coat chicken. In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter (or use olive oil) and brown chicken. Remove chicken when browned and set aside. Add green onions to pan and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir well with onions and chicken drippings in pan. Add any remaining flour coating and stir to make paste. Add tarragon and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth. Return chicken to pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove chicken, add remaining butter and cream. Stir with onions and other ingredients to make a sauce. Heat sauce thoroughly and serve over chicken.

Parmesan Chicken

2010-09-20T18:15:00.001-07:00

This is a family favorite! I usually make lots of the bread crumb mixture up in advance and then use it a 1/4 or 1/2 a cup at a a time.

Bread Crumb Mixture
2 cups dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp. paprika
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. oregano

Combine ingredients and save in tightly sealed container in the pantry of the freezer.
When ready to use, mix equal amounts of bread crumb mixture and parmesan cheese. I usually use 1/3 cup of each for 3-4 large chicken breasts that have been split. Dip chicken in melted butter or beaten egg (your choice) and then dip in bread crumb/Parmesan mixture. Place coated chicken in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until done.

*We discovered this summer that this bread crumb/Parmesan cheese mixture also tastes delicious on zucchini and crookneck squash from the garden. After coating the squash with egg, then the crumb mixture, fry in a butter/olive oil combination in a frying pan til tender.

Jessa's Delicious Whole Wheat Bread

2010-09-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I'll ever be able to make this as well as my awesome neighbor Jessa does, but I'm going to keep trying. It's seriously some of the best bread I've ever had!

2 tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
3 heaping tbsp. gluten
5 cups hot water
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. salt
10-12 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (Jessa uses hard white wheat)

Combine 1/2 c. warm water with 2 tbsp. yeast in a small bowl. Allow about 10 minutes to become bubbly. Place 5 cups of hot water into mixer bowl with 6 cups of flour. Blend. Add yeast mixture and gluten. Blend 2 min. Blend in order: oil, honey, and salt. Add remaining flour until dough begins to clean bowl. Leave in mixer to knead for 8-10 minutes. Remove dough and divide equally into four loaves. Shape and place in well oiled loaf pans. Let rise til double (approx. 45-60 min.). Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minute. Remove from pans promptly and place on rack to cool. I like to rub some butter on the top of the loaf while it's still warm.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2010-09-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

My Mom always called these cookie bars, My mother-in-law calls them blondies. Either way they're delicious! I found this recipe here www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com and it looks like she found it here Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I made them today and they were fast, easy, and delicious!

Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 30 bars

2 1/8 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 t vanilla
2 C chocolate chips (I used semi sweet, buy you can use what ever suits your fancy- I also only used 1 1/2 cups and that was plenty of chocolate for me and believe me, I like chocolate)
You could throw in some nuts too, if that's your thing- it's not my thing though

1. Melt your butter in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter. Whisk it around until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.
3. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
4. Fold in your chocolate chips.
5. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Spray it down with some cooking spray and press your cookie dough into the pan. The tin foil is going to make it super easy to pull these bars out of the pan.
6. Bake at 325 for 24-28 minutes.
7. Let your pan cool on a wire rack for a bit. I didn't let mine get all the way cool before I cut them, and it worked out fine. I like to eat my cookies warm!
8. Pull the tin foil out of the pan and on to a cutting board. Cut the bars as desired. ENJOY!

Lesley's Parmesan Garlic Breadsticks

2010-06-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

This is another fabulous recipe from my fabulous neighbor Lesley! Ahh...these breadsticks are delicious! I could probably eat an entire pan on my own. And that would not be good. So mix some of these up, share them with your family, and enjoy! YUM!

1 tbsp. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 warm water
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

For Topping:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 tbsp. parsley
1/4 tbsp. garlic salt.
1/4 Parmesan cheese

Mix yeast, sugar, and warm water together. I like to wait a few minutes and allow the yeast to bubble--just to be sure! Next add flour and salt. Knead for 3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes in the bowl. Spread out the dough in a greased sheet pan. Mix topping ingredients together and spread on top of dough. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Allow to rise for 30 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

2010-05-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Emily, this is for you! Enjoy!

This is my dear friend Alison's recipe! I've been making it for years (since college) and it's so delicious. And yes, you can use rabbit meat instead of chicken meat(see comments)- Alison and I did just that once--in college. It was still delicious. So if you don't have any chicken handy, rabbit it a great option. My husband won't allow it though, so we're sticking with chicken these days!

8 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
1 can of chopped green chili peppers
12-16 corn tortillas
Monteray Jack cheese (cheddar and colby jack works great too)

Mix the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and chili peppers together. Put some of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Reserve a small amount of the mixture to cover the tortillas with before baking. Spray tortillas lightly with Pam spray and heat several at a time for 30-45 seconds in the microwave until just warm and easy to bend. Add chicken to the cream mixture and stir well. Put a few tablespoons of the mixture and some shredded cheese in each tortilla shell, roll up, then place in pan. Cover tortillas with remaining cream mixture and a little shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until sauce begins to boil. Serve with salsa.

Chile Lime Chicken Tacos/Tostadas

2010-05-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

I found this yummy recipe on Real Mom Kitchen and it looked delicious, so I gave it a try and it was super yummy!

1 can diced green chilies
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder (I was nervous and used only about 1 tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 diced medium onion
2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
1 can fat free refried beans, warmed
10 tostada shells
Desired toppings such as: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, light sour cream, sliced olives, guacamole

Add chicken and onion to a slow cooker that is at least 3 1/2 quarts.
In a bowl combine green chilies, garlic, chili powder, and lime juice. Pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Mix in 1/2 cup of juice remaining in slow cooker to the shredded chicken.
Spread warmed refried beans on tostada shells.
Top with hot chicken mixture and any other desired toppings.

Delicious Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

2010-04-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

I've been on a quest to be able to make a decent loaf of bread. This recipe has gotten me the closest! I found it on the internet and gave it a try because the ingredient list is so similar the absolutely wonderful bread that my neighbor makes. I haven't had success with her bread recipe though, so for now I'm sticking with this recipe!

Makes 2 loaves

2 cups warm water

1 tbsp. yeast

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup oil

2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup gluten

5 to 7 cups whole wheat flour, freshly ground if possible

In a stand up type mixer such as a Kitchen Aid combine water, yeast and honey. Let this sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast is nice and bubbly. Add oil, salt, gluten flour and 3 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Knead this with your mixer and continue to add more flour until the dough does not stick to the side of the bowl and does not feel sticky to the touch. Knead for another 7 to 8 minutes.

When dough has finished kneading let it sit in the mixer bowl and rise until doubled in volume. This usually takes about 45 minutes. When it has finished rising, turn on your mixer and knead again for a few more minutes to get all the air bubbles out. Remove from mixer and divide the dough into 2 pieces and shape into loaves and put in bread pans that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Let the loaves rise until they are about to 1 inch above the rim of the bread pan. Bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2010-04-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

YUM!!! This is one delicious salad! It's hands down my new favorite salad. Thanks to Julia who made it at bunco last week! In addition to being delicious and pretty nutritious it's super fast and easy to throw together.

1 bag of baby spinach

1 lb. (give or take) strawberries, sliced

Dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar (Julia says that regular white vinegar tastes great too)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. paprika

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Mix all dressing ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Toss spinach and strawberries together, top with dressing, and serve.

I only used about half of dressing for the salad, then had enough for a second salad later.

One Hour Rolls

2010-04-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here's another good roll recipe that I found on Apron Girls. Thanks Mindy! I've tried this recipe and they turned out fantastic!

Combine:

¾ cup HOT water

1 tsp. salt

6 Tbs. melted butter

¼ c sugar

Cool to lukewarm.

Add:

2 Tbs. yeast dissolved in

¼ cup + 2 Tbs. lukewarm water

Add 1 egg

Beat well and add 3 1/2 - 4 cups of flour until easy to work. Knead.

Roll out and cut. Brush with melted butter.

Cover and let rise until double (about 30-45 minutes).

Bake 425° for 12 minutes.

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

2010-04-09T09:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my awesome neighbor Jessa for sharing this delicious recipe for blender pancakes. My family loves them. I'm not a pancake fan myself, but the batter also tasted great cooked up as waffles.

Combine in blender:
1 cup whole wheat kernels
1 cup milk
Mix on high for 2 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup milk and continue to mix for 2 more minutes.
Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. baking powder
Blend well. Cook on a hot griddle.
Make 8-10 medium sized pancakes. Can also be used in a waffle iron.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

2010-04-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my Aunt Deanne for this delicious salsa recipe!

Makes about 1 quart

3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (approx. 3 cups) or 1 15 oz. can of dices tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1 large gren pepper
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3-4 tsp. fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce (optional- if using canned tomatoes)

Chop or blend all ingredients in the blender. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

Apple Pie FIlling

2010-04-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Katie passed on this recipe for home canned apples. I used it and it turned out beautifully! We've been enjoying apple crisp all winter thanks to this recipe!

1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups Sugar (can decrease for sweet apples)
1 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 drops yellow color

Mix first 5 ingredients in large saucepan. Add 10 cups water. Stir.
Stir and cook till thick and bubbly. Add lemon and color.
Pack into warm quart jars which have been filled with apple slices to 1 inch from top.
Fill to ½ inch with syrup mixture.
Process 25 minutes.
Makes 7 quarts

Caramel Corn

2010-04-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is the recipe for the best sticky caramel corn ever! Thanks to Julieanne for sharing her delicious recipe!

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Bring all ingredients to a rolling boil for 5 min. stirring constantly. Pour over 3 packages of microwave popcorn or an equivalent amount of air popped popcorn. Eat it right up. I think it tastes best when it's fresh!

Chicken Paprika

2010-03-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

I had this yummy dish at bunco night and Heather was nice enough to send along the recipe. I really liked it, but my family wasn't sold. Dang them! When I try it again, I think I'll do a little less paprika and see if they like it better.

2-3 lbs chicken
1 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. paprika
2 cups water
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 cup sour cream (I always opt. for fat free-It makes me feel better)
2 cans of mushrooms of 1 pkg. of fresh mushrooms

Saute the onions and mushrooms with some butter in a large frying pan. After they have been sauteed, add the salt and paprika. Lay the uncooked chicken on top and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes (turn chicken halfway through cooking time). Mix water and corn starch. Pour over chicken. Cook until sauce begins to thicken. Remove chicken from pan and place on serving dish. Add sour cream to mixture in sauce pan and mix well. Cook until heated. Pour over chicken and serve.

Buttercream Frosting

2010-03-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

I love Wilton's frosting recipe! Delicious! I use it for nearly all of the cakes and cookies we frost around here!

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract (regular works too) or 1 tsp. almond extract (I prefer this)
4-5 cups of powdered sugar
2 tbsp. milk

Put shortening and butter or margarine into mixer bowl and mix together until well blended. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add vanilla or almond extract. Add milk. Add additional powdered sugar or a tiny bit more milk until desired consistency is reached. Frost away!

Cheesy Chowder

2010-01-11T20:58:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from my sister Emily's mother-in-law. Emily and my Mom whipped some up for Jenna's birthday party a while back and it was delicious. I finally got around to making it myself over Christmas vacation and again, YUM! A single batch will serve 6-8 depending on how hungry you are.

-Cut 4 slices of bacon into little pieces and fry in sauce pan.
-Remove cooked bacon leaving drippings.
-Add 1/2 cup chopped onion.
-Cook until tender.
-Add 4 T. flour, (you might need to add 2 T. butter) and 2 cups milk.
-Stir until thick then add 2 or 3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese.(It depends on how cheesy you like it.)
-Using a different pan, boil 2 cups chopped potatoes, 1 cup sliced carrots, 3 cups water, 3 chicken -bouillon cubes. Cook until tender. Do not drain extra water.
-Add cheese sauce to cooked veggies.
-Stir until blended.
-Top with crispy bacon just before serving.
-Add a little garlic powder, salt and pepper and parsley.

Sauteed Chicken Breasts in Cream Sauce

2009-12-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

This is one of the very few recipes I have that EVERYONE in my family will eat! That's right--EVERYONE! See miracles really do happen! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and it's fast and easy, which makes it even better. The only thing that keeps us from eating it more often is that I don't always have celery and mushrooms on hand. Enjoy!

2 chicken breasts
1/2 medium onion chopped
2 tbsp. margarine
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp crushed basil
1/4 tsp. chervil
1/8 tsp. crushed thyme
1/3-3/4 cup chicken broth
1 pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
corkscrew pasta

1. Cut chicken into strips and cook in the margarine.
2. Add onions, mushrooms, celery, pepper, basil, chervil, and thyme.
3. Add 2 tbsp. chicken broth and cook til done, stirring occasionally.
4. Cube cream cheese and combine with milk in a saucepan and cook over low heat until smooth.
5. Add remaining chicken broth to cream sauce until desired consistency.
6. Serve chicken over noodles then top with sauce.

We often run out of sauce before noodles when eating this, so don't be afraid to make a little extra!

Roasted Tomato Sauce

2009-09-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

Need something to do with all your tomatoes now that summer's almost over? Try this! It's easy and so yummy!

3-4 pounds ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
a large pinch of dried herb, crumbled (marjoram, thyme, basil or oregano) or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 375. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise, then arrange them cut-side down, in one layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet (mine is 12-by 17-inches), lined with parchment paper, if you like, for easier clean-up. Arrange the onions, garlic and herbs over the top, then drizzle the whole thing evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, sugar, and pepper. Bake for an 1-1 1/2 hours or until the tomatoes are browning in spots and have ful1y collapsed. Around an hour in, the tomatoes will be sitting in a flood of juice in their pans, and then this juice will reduce as they cook further.

After cooking, put everything in the blender. Salt and add more salt or sugar as needed. Allow it to cool, then freeze.

Pumpkin Dessert Squares

2009-09-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and I have several recipes that I can't wait to make--including this one. My fabulous sister Emily got this one from Williams Sonoma where she works. They sell the pumpkin butter that you need for this recipe, though I've seen it elsewhere including the local kitchen specialty store. Just a warning: this pumpkin butter stuff is NOT cheap. Luckily Emily stocked up for me after Thanksgiving last year when it went on clearance in her store. So I have a few jars that I've been itching to use for a while now!

1 box yellow cake mix
1 jar Muirhead Pumpkin Pecan Butter
3 eggs
I tbsp. Flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon

Reserve 1 cup of the cake mix and set aside.
Mix remaining cake mix with 1/2 cup of melted butter and 1 egg. Press mixture lightly into the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan.
Mix 1 jar of Muirhead Pumpkin Pecan Butter with 2 large eggs and 3 tbsp. of milk and pour over cake mixture in pan.
Mix to a crumble reserved cake mix and 1 tbsp. of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup soft butter and 1 tsp cinnamon- crumble over the top of the pumpkin layer.
Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden.
Cool and serve! It tastes great with whipped cream!

Snickerdoodles

2009-09-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

My Mom was always making cookies when I was a kid. Delicious, yummy cookies. I especially remember how she would often mix up a batch of cookies before school and baking enough that we could take some to school in our lunch! I've gotten most of my cookie recipes from my Mom including this fast and easy one for snickerdoodles.

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Cream sugar and margarine together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add all dry ingredients and mix well. Dough will be quite soft and sticky. Scoop into 1 inch round balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 min. Do not overcook and do not press balls down on cookie sheet!

Sweet Muffins

2009-09-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Another yummy recipe from my great neighbor Lesley! These yummy muffins almost taste like cornbread, but sweeter.

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in muffin tins at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Crepes

2009-09-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

We had crepes for breakfast one day at girls camp this summer and I've been meaning to make them ever since. I didn't get around to it until today though. I found this recipe online this week and it looked pretty simple. I made them for breakfast this morning- we filled them with various fruit and whipped cream of course, and they were delicious! I did the regular version of the recipe without the dehydrated and powdered stuff. I think I ended up with 8-10 crepes before I ran out of batter- more than enough for our family!

Basic Crepes
4 Eggs (1/4 C. Dehydrated Eggs + 1/2 C. Water)
1 C. Flour (1/2 C. Whole Wheat Flour + 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour)
1 C. Milk (3 T. Powdered Milk + 1 C. Water)
2 T. Butter, Melted
2 t. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt

Measure all ingredient into blender (you don’t need to re-constitute your eggs or milk just throw the powder and milk in and let the blender do the work!). Pour scant 1/4 C. batter onto lightly greased 8″ pan. (You’ll know your pan is hot enough when you throw water on the pan and it “dances” around the pan.) Tilt pan to coat bottom evenly with batter. (Basically, move the pan around until the batter is a circle and fills the pan) Cook over medium heat until brown and turn to brown second side. Fill with fruit, jam, syrup, whipped cream, whatever sounds good really!!!

Peach Cobbler

2009-09-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

Mmm... I love cobbler. We just returned from the annual Jones Family Campout and I must admit the cobbler I made turned out divine! The recipe isn't really an exact science, but with the right ingredients it's still going to be delicious!

1 boxed yellow cake mix
2 14.5 ounce cans of peaches (fresh peaches are fabulous too!)
1 can of Sprite
1 cube of butter or margarine

Dump the peaches and about 2/3 of the liquid into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over top of the peaches. Pour the remaining liquid and about 1/3-1/2 cup of the Sprite on top of the dry cake mix. Cut up the butter or margarine and small chunks on the top (you decide how much butter, 1/4 to 1/2 a cup is usually great!). Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown on top and bubbly on the edges. Serve with ice cream and or whipped cream.

Easy Cheesy Potatoes

2009-08-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

I love potatoes of all kinds--baked, mashed, fried, and so on. These are some of my very favorite fast and easy potatoes. They're great for an easy lunch or to make with leftover baked potatoes.

Ingredients:
1-2 medium potatoes per person, baked in oven or microwave, then cooled slightly if possible
shredded cheese
butter
seasoned salt
salt
pepper

Bake potatoes, cool, then remove skins, and slice. Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a frying pan on medium to high heat. Add potatoes, sprinkle generously with seasoned salt and a little black pepper. Stir to spread the melted butter around a bit and lightly coat all the potato slices- be sure to add more butter if needed. Cover and allow potatoes to brown and crisp, then turn and brown and crisp the other side. Add cheese and allow to melt. Serve!

Chocolate Lasagna

2009-08-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

I really miss this dessert. It was definitely one of my favorites and going to Olive Garden hasn't been the same since they discontinued it a couple of years ago. Justin actually paid a small fortune and bought an entire cake to share with our friends and family on my 30th birthday--the best part was that there were several leftover pieces and I had this fabulous dessert everyday for several days in a row. Yep, that was a good birthday!
I've been craving it lately and my sweet sister Emily sent me this recipe. I think I'll make some tonight! You'll want some too--I promise, it's that good!
Olive Garden's Chocolate Lasagna

1 18.25 ounce boxed devil's food cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs

**I actually just followed the instructions on the cake box. They were similar, but not exact.

Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar (I used more like 6, I think, to get the consistency I wanted)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (I actually prefer almond extract)
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chilled

Directions:

1. Make the cake in a 13x9-inch baking pan following instructions on the box of cake mix (Preheat oven to 350 degrees; mix cake mix, water, oil, and eggs together in a large bowl; pour batter into pan greased generously with shortening.). Allow the cake to cool completely.
2. When cake is cool, make buttercream frosting by first whipping the soft butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Add two cups of the powdered sugar, mix well, then add remaining powdered sugar. Add 1/4 cup of whole milk and vanilla, then mix on high speed for 2 minutes or until frosting is smooth and creamy.
3. Turn cake out of the pan onto wax paper. Using both hands, carefully flip the cake over, so that it's right-side-up, onto another strip of wax paper. Now you're going to cut through the cake twice, creating three layers. We'll start at the bottom slice. First slide the cake over to the edge of your kitchen counter. This way you can drop your hand with the knife down below the counter at the edge to get a nice, straight cut through the cake. Using a long bread knife or other long serrated knife , cut through the bottom third of the cake. Spin the cake and wax paper so that you can cut through all sides (your knife probably won't get all the way through to the other side). When the cake is sliced, carefully flip the top section over onto the other sheet of wax paper. Frost the bottom layer of cake with approximately 1/3 of the buttercream frosting. Break the chilled semi-sweet chocolate into little bits that are a tad smaller than chocolate chips. A good way to do this is to put the chilled chocolate into a large zip-top bag, then use the handle of a butter knife to smash the unsuspecting chocolate into pieces. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the chocolate bits over the frosting on the bottom layer.
4. Turn the top section back over onto the bottom layer. Again, slice through the top section creating the final two layers. Carefully flip the top over onto the wax paper, and frost the new layer as you did with the first layer, adding chocolate bits as well. You may, at this point, wish to slice the top into thirds across the width of the cake. This makes flipping over the top layer much easier. It's also how you're going to slice the cake later, so you'll never see the cuts. Any cracks or breaks are no big deal since you'll just cover up the goofs with frosting.
5. Carefully reassemble the top section on the rest of the cake. If you have a large bulge in the center of the cake, you may wish to slice that off so that the cake is flatter on top. Throw that slice away. Frost the top of the cake with the remaining frosting, then sprinkle on the remaining chocolate bits.
6. The cake is served as triangular slices. So, slice it up by first cutting through the middle of the cake, lengthwise. Next cut across the cake through the middle (widthwise) twice. Now you have six slices that just need to be cut from corner to corner one time each, creating 12 triangular slices. Chill any cake you don't eat that day.
Makes 12 servings.

Fudge Jumbles

2009-08-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

I first had these at Young Women Camp this summer. And YUM! They are so delicious! So of course I had to get the recipe and make some! Justin loves them too- but was a little distraught when he saw me mixing the melted chocolate, sweetened milk, and butter all together. I assured him that the 3 cups of oatmeal made up for anything else that was less than healthy in the recipe. He didn't believe me of course, it was a pretty flimsy lie. However, this yummy treat has earned a new name at our house "Oatmeal Excuses".

Ingredients:

1 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. quick oatmeal
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and mix. Add vanilla. Sift flour, soda and salt, stir. Add oatmeal and stir. Spread 2/3 of mixture in a greased 9 x 12 pan.

Melt in microwave sweetened milk, chocolate chips, butter, salt. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour over mixture in pan. Drop remaining dough in dots over chocolate mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup

2009-06-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

This is one of our family's favorite recipes. I can't believe I haven't posted it before. Justin found this recipe on the Recipe Zaar website, but we've made just a few changes so I've typed it up the way we do it. A word of warning: this makes a lot of soup. We can easily feed two families with just one crockpot full.

3/4 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion chopped
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
3-4 stalks of celery thinly sliced
2 cans Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces beef broth
3 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
5 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional- I don't ever use it, but Justin always adds a little to his own bowl)
1 20 oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 cup small shell or other small pasta noodles

Brown the beef in a skillet. Drain fat from beef then add all ingredients except pasta to a large crockpot. Cool on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. During the last 30 min. on high or last hour on low add pasta.

Chicken Brunch Club Salad

2009-06-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe at a Pampered Chef party and it was delicious.

1/2 cup mayo
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. chopped onion
1 tbsp. parsley
1 13 oz. can of chicken
1/4 lb. cooked bacon
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 tomato

Combine mayo and mustard. Add onion and parsley. Mix chicken, swiss, and bacon in a separate bowl. Add mixtures together. Serve on bread with tomato.

At the party, they served it on French type bread that had been brushed with olive oil and topped with a bit of crushed garlic and Italian dressing packet spices then toasted in the oven. Yum!

Pollo Durango

2009-06-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious chicken dish from a fabulous local restaurant Cafe Sabor. It's fast and easy and tastes fantastic!

2 medium chicken breasts sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
3/4 cup tomatillo enchilada sauce (I couldn't find any of this- instead I mixed 1/4 cup mild green chili sauce with 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatillos)

Cook chicken and mushroom in a buttered pan. Drain grease off chicken and add remaining ingredients. Cook til creamy. Add a pinch of cilantro. Serve on a tortilla shell. This tastes great with other Mexican foods like beans, rice, and tortilla chips as well.

Lemon Bars

2009-05-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

I didn't think I could like lemon bars as much as I do, but this recipe is addictive. Delicious! I got this one from my fabulous neighbor Lesley.

Crust
1 1/4 cups butter
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 powdered sugar

Beat butter until soft. Add flour and sugar and mix until just combined. Spread dough evenly in a 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and our filling over crust.

Filling
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
6 tbsp. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk or on low speed for a couple minutes. Pour on top of crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool slightly and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Hawaiian Haystacks

2009-04-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

This is a family favorite. I've been eating this at family parties since I was just a little girl and I never get sick of it!

1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup of chicken broth
1 small baked and shredded chicken breast
dried parsley

Heat all ingredients together on the stove top. I think it tastes even better if it simmers in the crockpot for the whole afternoon.

Serve on top of rice. Then top with other toppings.

Hawaiian Haystacks are all about the delicious toppings. Some of our favorites are...
shredded cheese
tidbits or crushed pineapple
chow mein noodles
chives or green onions
cashews
sliced almonds
raw peas
diced tomatoes

Glazed Frosting

2009-03-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

This is super easy and a fun, different way to frost sugar cookies. I got this recipe from Our Best Bites. You should check out that site, it has some fun ways to use this frosting.

4 cups powdered sugar
6 tbsp. milk
6 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

Whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the corn syrup and extract. Whisk together some more. Add desired coloring. Use a spoon to put a small amount on each cookie and then spread to cover the entire cookie. Or if you're in a hurry pour a bunch on each cookie, spread a little, and the extra will just drip over the edges. YUM!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-02-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

This is my Mom's recipe and I've been making it for years. I love them right out of the oven, though they're pretty good once cooled off too- just as long as they aren't overdone, so don't forget to set the timer!

1/2 margarine or butter (I almost always use margarine- and usually the light kind)
1/2 cup shortening
12 tbsp. brown sugar
12 tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups + 6 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 a bag of chocolate chips

Cream margarine, shortening, and sugars together (I love my kitchenaid for this). Add vanilla and cream. Add eggs and cream. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Add flour, soda, and salt and mix thoroughly. Test dough for consistency- it needs to be just past the sticky gooey mess stage, but firm enough to form into soft balls. I use my cookie scooper to scoop out even sized cookie dough balls. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes at 365 degrees until slightly golden in color.

The Very Best Cheeseball

2009-02-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

This is seriously the very best cheeseball I've ever had. I just love it and it's always a hit when I take it somewhere with me! I got this delicious recipe from my mother-in-law Derra Ball.

2 8 oz. Packages cream cheese
1/4 tsp. bon appetit
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 bunch finely chopped green onions

Mix ingredients together in mixer. Roll cheeseball in crushed pecans or grated cheese. Refrigerate.

Makes one large cheeseball or two small cheeseballs.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

2009-02-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

Katie also makes this soup and it is delicious. I haven't actually made it myself...yet. I plan to soon. I'm not real into super spicy things, so I need to find a good sausage with a little spice, but not too much.

SERVES 6-8
Ingredients

* 1 lb. spicy sausage
* 4 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices
* 1/4 cup onion, diced
* 1/2 cup REAL bacon bits
* 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 cups kale leaves, cut in half, then sliced
* 2 tablespoons chicken base
* 1 quart water (or substitute water and base for 2 cans chicken broth )
* 1/3 cup heavy cream

MY NOTES: I buy about a half to 3/4 a pound of mild Italian sausage for this recipe and I don't use the bacon bits.

Directions

1. If sausage is in links, take out of wrapper (or slice).
2. Cook ground sausage, set aside.
3. In soup pot, saute onion and garlic cook 1 minute.
4. Add chicken base, water, and potatoes; simmer 15 minutes.
5. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale and cream.
6. Simmer 5 more minutes, then serve.

Salsa Chicken Soup

2009-02-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

Even my kids love this recipe. I got it from my sister-in-law Katie who is always making something yummy. I love that I can make this in under 45 minutes!

2 chicken breasts
2-3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup onions
salt
1 can of diced tomatoes
14 oz chicken broth
14 oz beef broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder (I leave this out- I don't care for chili powder)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can black beans drained
1 can corn drained
1/2- 1 cup salsa

Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients and cook until chicken is done (about 10 minutes). Take chicken out and cut it up. Return chicken to pot, add salsa. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

I usually just boil my chicken in a separate pot first, then add it to the soup once it's completely cooked and chopped up instead. Just my personal preference.

Vegetable Dilly Dip

2009-02-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

This is a fantastic vegetable dip. It makes those boring carrots and broccoli taste oh so much better!

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo (I don't often have mayo on hand, so I usually just use 16 oz. of sour cream and no mayo--still tastes great)
2 tsp. dry dill
2 tsp dry minced onion (I've used 1 tsp. onion powder as well)
2 tsp. Bon Appetite

Mix together well and serve well chilled.

Basic Roll Dough

2009-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

This is my go to roll recipe when I want a light, buttery, delicious roll. It takes 2-2 1/2 hours from start to finish (depending on the temperature in your kitchen) and these rolls turn out right almost every time.

1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup scalded milk
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
5-6 cups flour

Dissolve sugar and yeast in water. In separate bowl combine margarine and sugar. Add milk and mix until well combined. Add eggs and yeast mixture. Stir. Add salt. Stir. Add flour, enough to make a soft dough that is just past sticky. Place dough in greased bowl and cover and rise until double. Shape and rise til double again (don't let over rise!). I like to shape into crescent shaped rolls. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter right as they come out of the oven and serve. They're best hot!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2009-02-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from a dear friend of my Mom's named June Jerney. It's long been one of my favorite cookie recipes. This type of cookie is at its best once it's completely cooled.

Blend together...
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Then add...
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa

Refrigerate overnight (I never do this- I simply don't plan far enough ahead!). Roll dough into nickel sized balls and roll each ball in powdered sugar. Flatten to 1/2 inch thick on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 8 minutes or until the edges fall down but the center is still puffed. Leave on cookie sheet to cool.

30 Minute Rolls

2009-01-14T23:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've never managed to get them ready in 30 minutes- but 45 is doable. I found this recipe at realmomkitchen.blogspot.com and I've used it lots of times. I still prefer my other roll recipe, but it takes a bare minimum of 2 hours and some days I just don't have that much time.

1 1/8 cups plus 2 tsp. warm water
1/3 cup oil
2 T yeast
1/4 cup sugar or honey
½ tsp. Salt
1 eggs
3 ½ cups flour

Mix 1st 4 ingredients and let rest for 15 minutes. Add salt and eggs - gradually add flour. Shape into dinner rolls, or use in your favorite recipe that calls for dough. After shaped, let rest for 10 minutes. For rolls, Bake 10 minutes @400 degrees ‘till golden brown.

Frozen Berry Dessert

2009-01-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

This is a family favorite! The crust can be made with or without the nuts.

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Berry Filling:
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 package frozen berries
1/2 pint whipping cream
9 oz. Cool Whip

Mix together crust ingredients and press onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Crumble crust into small pieces as it cools.

Whip egg whites until foamy, then add sugar and frozen berries and beat together on high for 15 min. Whip whipping cream, then fold together with Cool Whip. Combine with berry mixture. Put about 2/3 of crumbled crust into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, then top with berry mixture. Sprinkle remaining crust on top and freeze for 6 hours.

Super Easy Cheesecake

2009-01-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite easy cheesecake recipes. It tastes great every time!

8 oz cream cheese (I like to use the lower fat Neufchatel Cheese)
1/3 C. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can sweetened and condensed milk

Mix till smooth. Pour into crust, set up in fridge and add fruit topping!!!

White Chicken Chili

2009-01-14T22:55:00.000-08:00

I made this for dinner last week and it turned out fantastic! Thanks for the recipe Alison!

1lb. Chicken, cubed (2 medium chicken breasts)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. oil
Saute together in frying pan

ADD:
2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 (4 oz) cans green chilies diced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp oregano

Boil 30 minutes uncovered. Remove from stove.

Add:
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whipping cream

**Just a personal preference on the chicken--I like to boil it til done first, then chop it up and toss it in the soup.

Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies

2009-01-07T23:01:00.000-08:00

I found this delicious recipe on OurBestBites.com. I made them a few times during the holidays and they were fabulous every time!

Brownies:
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (4oz)
1 C butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1t vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 t baking powder

I'm sure this brownie recipe is divine, but if you're in a hurry or just plain lazy like me a Betty Crocker milk chocolate brownie mix will do the trick!

Frosting:
2 C powdered sugar
4 T butter, softened
1 1/2 t peppermint extract
1 T milk
pink food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz (about a cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ,you could also use dark
6T real butter

Additional:
1/2-1 C crushed candy canes (Use Bob's NOT Spanglers!)

First, the Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
The chocolate you want is baking chocolate, which is sold in bars by the chocolate chips. Make sure it is unsweetened. If you're not familiar with baking chocolate, it comes in squares like this:

Give those squares a rough chop so they'll be easier to melt:
Then place them in a microwave-safe bowl along with the 2 sticks of butter (also chopped)
Melt in 30-45 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Set aside. Don't accidentally stick your finger in the melted butter and chocolate combo because it will laugh at you for forgetting that it is unsweetened.
In a stand mixer or with electric beaters, beat eggs for about 3 minutes until thick and frothy, like this:
Add sugar and vanilla and beat to combine. Then add in the melted chocolate and butter that you set aside. Combine flour and baking powder and whisk into brownie batter by hand until just combined. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. If you want to make the job much easier, line your pan with foil first.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness and don't over bake! When brownies are done, cool on a cooling rack. When completely cool, pop in the fridge to chill. (makes the frosting spreading easier)

Next layer is the frosting:
Combine all frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Add extra milk by teaspoonful if you need a little more. Spread evenly over cooled/chilled brownies and place back in the fridge to chill again while you do the final step.
Chocolate Glaze:
Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in 30 second intervals until smooth.
Set aside for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, so it can cool off just a bit. Remember in the first step when I told you to not accidentally let your finger fall in the chocolate butter mixture? Totally doesn't apply to this chocolate butter mixture. Quickly spread on top of brownies. I say quickly because the frosting is cool and the chocolate is hot. If you take your sweet time and over do it, you'll make a big gooey mess. Just spread it on quick.
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and return to the fridge until chocolate is set on top.
Remove from fridge a few minutes before serving. Cut into squares, eat, ooh and ahh, and then eat another one. Or two.

Thumbprint Cookies

2008-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 small egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt

sprinkles (I prefer the longer skinny ones to the hard little balls)
chocolate icing

Mix the first group of ingredients together. Roll into small balls and then roll in sprinkles. Place on cookie sheet and use a finger or thumb to press down the center of each dough ball about halfway. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Make chocolate icing and put a Hershey's kiss sized dollop of icing in the center of each cookie! Store in a sealed container.

Homemade Oreos

2008-11-06T13:25:00.000-08:00

1 devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup shortening (don't use less, but a tbsp. or 2 extra won't hurt, especially if the dough seems dry- it varies slightly depending on the cake mix)
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together. Roll the dough into dime-sized balls and place onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 35o degrees for 8 minutes. Cool cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. of butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Frost the backs of the cookies and place two cookies together.

Teresa's Fast and Easy Cheesecake

2008-11-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

1 can sweetened, condensed milk
12 oz. cool whip
1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix ingredients together and pour over a graham cracker crust in a 9x13 pan. Chill 2-3 hours before serving. Top with your favorite topping.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2008-10-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

I hope she doesn't mind my sharing, because my neighbor Leslie gave me the best recipe for chocolate zucchini bread!

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Beat eggs. Add sugar, oil, and cocoa. Blend in zucchini. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Fill 2 bread pans 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degress for 50-60 minutes.

The Best Pie Crust

2008-10-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their favorite pie crust recipe. This is mine. I got it from my Mom and I've been using it successfully for a very long time! I like that it turns out nice and flaky.

Oil Pie Crust

8-9 Inch Pan
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
2-3 Tbsp. cold water

10 Inch Pan
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
3-4 Tbsp. cold water

Combine flour and salt. Add oil and mix well. Start by adding the minimum amount of cold water and very gradually add more water until desired consistency is reached. You don't want it dry, but too much water turns the crust tough and chewy. Roll and put in pie pan.

Mom's Sugar Cookies

2008-10-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, this is the best sugar cookie recipe ever. Just don't forget the cream of tartar- they're never as good without it!

3 cups flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, and vanilla and mix well. Now add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix well. Roll out to about 1/4 an inch thickness (I like them on the thick side) and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool and frost with your favorite icing.

Chicken in Lemon Sauce

2008-09-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and every time I make it for someone new, I end up giving them recipe too. It only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and tastes delicious!

1/4 c. margarine (I use as little as possible)
4-5 chicken breasts, split
1 lemon (I use bottled lemon juice if I don't have a lemon on hand)
2 tbsp. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 pint of cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms

1. Melt margarine in a skillet, add chicken, cook 10 min or until brown.
2. Put chicken in oven safe pan.
3. Drain drippings from skillet.
4. Grate 1/2 tsp of lemon peel, squeeze out 2 tbsp. of lemon juice, and add to skillet.
5. Cook 1 min., then add salt and pepper
6. Gradually add cream, stirring constantly- simmer until hot.
7. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with mushrooms and cheese. Broil 6 min.
(I usually just put in lower temp. oven while I finish the rest of dinner)

Fast and Easy Breadsticks

2008-09-25T16:09:00.001-07:00

We love bread at my house. Which is why this recipe became an instant hit. These breadsticks take about 25 minutes total to make and can quickly be thrown together and eaten alongside just about any meal! The recipe is originally called Baking Powder Breadsticks- I found it on a blog, I just can't remember which one! And don't worry, the finished product does not taste like baking powder biscuits.

1/4 cup melted butter (I use Pam spray with butter instead)
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk

Mix together all the dry ingredients, then add milk. Knead then roll out into an 8x8 square. Cut into 1/2 inch strips and dip in butter. Place in an 8x8 pan and bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

I sometimes like to sprinkle mine with Salad Supreme before baking!

Zucchini Chicken

2008-09-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Recipezaar's website. We've had it a few times and it's delicious!

I medium onion, sliced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms (optional)
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can of diced tomatoes (they say drained, but I didn't)
3/4 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 13x8 inch baking dish and place the sliced onions on the bottom. Place the chicken on top of the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer mushrooms and zucchini over chicken. Combine garlic, tomatoes, basil and oregano, and pour over vegetables. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until juices run clear in the chicken. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese!

Jam Filled Muffins

2008-09-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes! Super easy and delicious too!

1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
jam of choice- I like apricot best

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease the the muffin tin (I love Pam with flour!) Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add oil, milk, and then the egg. Mix until moistened. The batter will be a little lumpy. Fill the bottom of each muffin tin with 1 or 2 tbsp. of batter. Place a tsp. or so of jam on top of the batter. It seems to work best if you can create a small crater for the jam to sit in. Then cover with remaining batter. You can top with streusel topping if you like- I always do! Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Struesel Topping
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2-3 tbsp. of butter or margarine
a dash of cinnamon

My Recipes!

2008-09-07T09:14:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while I actually cook (something other than cookies) and sometimes people even like it and want the recipe. It's a miracle, really! I thought I'd try this blog as a way to share some of my favorite and tastiest recipes. I've been collecting delicious recipes off of other people's blogs for months now and I've found some really good stuff. And if nothing else, I'll always have easy access to my recipes as long as I have access to the internet!