This soup was yummy! We made it with half and half like the original recipe from 365 Days of Slow Cooking. It was delicious and super creamy but I think it could have been thinner. Considering how much fat this recipe has in it next time we will just add milk. If I ever take it to a soup party I will do it with the half and half though because it is super rich and yummy. Its like spaghetti or pizza in soup form!
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups milk (half and half if you want it really creamy)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, and basil to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly until smooth. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Baked Oatmeal
Holy Cow! This is SO good. Ive made a few changes but the recipe came from Inspired tastes. It is perfect for a nice breakfast and yet not nearly as fattening as Cinnamon Rolls. Plus its super easy to make and you can get ready while it bakes. Its going to be a staple for Sunday mornings around our house.
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices
Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, nuts, and chocolate chips. Melt the butter in a large glass measuring bowl. Add milk, egg, and vanilla and whisk together.
Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shimmy/shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set.
I didnt do this step but it sounds yummy:
For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar on top then place back in the oven under the broiler and broil for 20-30 seconds. Serve warm with an extra sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of maple syrup.
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices
Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, nuts, and chocolate chips. Melt the butter in a large glass measuring bowl. Add milk, egg, and vanilla and whisk together.
Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shimmy/shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set.
I didnt do this step but it sounds yummy:
For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar on top then place back in the oven under the broiler and broil for 20-30 seconds. Serve warm with an extra sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of maple syrup.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Chicken Gyros
I found this recipe on The Girl who Ate Everything. John loves gyros so I was excited to try this recipe. I tweeked a few things for our tastes (thanks Val!) but they were good! Even our boys ate them! Its best to prepare the sauce and marinade the night before and it makes putting them together a cinch. We used the pitas from Costco.
Pitas
Tomatoes
Red onion, we sauted ours slightly
Tzatziki sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (1 Tablespoon)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Directions:
Peel cucumber and remove seeds. Chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (1 Tablespoon)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Directions:
Peel cucumber and remove seeds. Chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend but I think its best overnight.
To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, best overnight.
Cook the chicken in a saute pan. I added quite a bit of the marinade I liked it already cut into strips so it had a lot of the marinade flavor.. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.
Chicken Parmesan
Yummy and easy. I found this recipe off of Food Wishes. He has a great video tutorial. I made the marinara from our freshly canned tomatoes. So yummy!
2tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
hot red pepper flakes, to taste
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 5, but they were huge!)
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped basil
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
4 oz Parmesan, grated
1 (5-oz) package garlic croutons
Drizzle olive oil, garlic, red pepper into baking dish. Place chicken on top. Add marinara sauce and fresh basil. Add half of the cheese, then top with the croutons. Ours were huge and I should have broken them up a little bit. Next time I think I will lightly crush them. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 40 min. I also think next time I will wait 10 to 20 minutes before adding the top cheese because it got a little too done by the time the chicken was done.
2tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
hot red pepper flakes, to taste
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 5, but they were huge!)
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped basil
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
4 oz Parmesan, grated
1 (5-oz) package garlic croutons
Drizzle olive oil, garlic, red pepper into baking dish. Place chicken on top. Add marinara sauce and fresh basil. Add half of the cheese, then top with the croutons. Ours were huge and I should have broken them up a little bit. Next time I think I will lightly crush them. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 40 min. I also think next time I will wait 10 to 20 minutes before adding the top cheese because it got a little too done by the time the chicken was done.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Teriyaki Sauce
This recipe came from Our Best Bites.
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
½ c. white sugar
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. You can use either ground ginger as directed or about 1 1/4 tsp. of fresh ginger. Combine your ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
½ c. white sugar
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. You can use either ground ginger as directed or about 1 1/4 tsp. of fresh ginger. Combine your ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks
Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
This recipe came from Our Best Bites and it is YUMMY! Their recipe is more for a party where we have adjusted it for large dinner.
Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
½ c. white sugar
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. You can use either ground ginger as directed or about 1 1/4 tsp. of fresh ginger. Combine your ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
About 8 oz. lean bacon, NOT thick-sliced (thick bacon is too hard to work with in this recipe)
1 large can pineapple chunks
Homemade Teriyaki sauce (recipe at bottom)
Kebab skewers or toothpicks
Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon slab in half.. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Drain the pineapple and set up a little work station with skewers, bacon, chicken, and a 9x13 baking dish. Wrap a piece of bacon around a chicken piece, add pineapple and onionand repeat until skew is full. Repeat until you run out of chicken. We ran out of bacon first and we did some plain chicken mixed into our skewers. Pour Teriyaki sauce over everything, reserving about 1/4 c., and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, no longer than about 8.
Preheat grill; when about 350-400 degrees, place skewers on grill and baste with reserved Teriyaki sauce. Cook about 7 minutes and flip skewers. Baste again and cook another 7 minutes.
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
½ c. white sugar
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. You can use either ground ginger as directed or about 1 1/4 tsp. of fresh ginger. Combine your ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Grilled Salad
Oh my goodness prepare yourself! This is SOOOO yummy. My sister in law Sarah and her husband Erik introduced us to this.
You need Romaine hearts to do this. The ones from Costco are perfect. Cut the bottom 2 inches off and wash. Then you are going to cut the hearts down lengthwise, from the top of the heart to the bottom. You want to have the two halves that look the same. After they are cut place them on a plate with the insides facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.
Put them face down onto the BBQ and cook for a couple of minutes. Just until the edges are starting to wilt. Take off grill and put face up on plates. Drizzle with Caesar dressing, cut, and enjoy!
You need Romaine hearts to do this. The ones from Costco are perfect. Cut the bottom 2 inches off and wash. Then you are going to cut the hearts down lengthwise, from the top of the heart to the bottom. You want to have the two halves that look the same. After they are cut place them on a plate with the insides facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.
Put them face down onto the BBQ and cook for a couple of minutes. Just until the edges are starting to wilt. Take off grill and put face up on plates. Drizzle with Caesar dressing, cut, and enjoy!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Canning tomatoes
Blanch tomatoes in hot water for a few minutes (usually until skins start to split). Ladle into ice bath and then peel the skins off. I leave Roma tomatoes whole and big round tomatoes I cut into quarters. Be sure to cut off any green parts. Add tomatoes into a pot as you peel them and when they are all peeled turn the pot on and boil tomatoes for 5 minutes.
While the tomatoes are boiling remove clean hot jars from the dishwasher and add 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt per quart jar, or for pints 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Ladle hot tomatoes into hot jars and use any remaining liquid to fill jars. Add boiling hot water if needed to the jars to fill them leaving 1/2 inch head space. Run a nonmetallic spatula around the jar and through the tomatoes to release any trapped air.
Wipe jar rims with clean damp cloth and place lid from warm water onto jar.
Process for quarts 45 minutes/ pints 40 minutes in a hot bath canner. When time is complete remove and set on a towel to cool.
While the tomatoes are boiling remove clean hot jars from the dishwasher and add 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt per quart jar, or for pints 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Ladle hot tomatoes into hot jars and use any remaining liquid to fill jars. Add boiling hot water if needed to the jars to fill them leaving 1/2 inch head space. Run a nonmetallic spatula around the jar and through the tomatoes to release any trapped air.
Wipe jar rims with clean damp cloth and place lid from warm water onto jar.
Process for quarts 45 minutes/ pints 40 minutes in a hot bath canner. When time is complete remove and set on a towel to cool.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Cheesy Chicken Italian-o
My Bro and Sis in law made this while camping and it was so yummy. They even had everything all cut up in bags so there was very little prep while camping. The recipe came from Byrons Dutch Oven Recipes. When they made it they had adjusted a few things and I liked it that way so I adjusted it here the way they made it.
1 lb. bacon
1/4 cup honey
8 chicken breasts; cut into chunks
2 tsp. ground oregano
3 cloves garlic; minced
2 tsp. basil
1 large yellow onion; sliced
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
6 large tomatoes; diced
(1) 10 3/4 oz. can tomato puree
1 tsp. salt
1 yellow red pepper; cut into chunks
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3 cups Mozzarella cheese; grated
3 cups Cheddar cheese; grated
Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 20-22 briquettes bottom. Slice bacon into 1" strips then add to hot oven and fry until brown. Remove bacon from oven. Remove and reserve all but 2 Tbs. of the bacon grease from the oven. Add chicken and garlic to oven and cook, turning frequently, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Remove chicken from oven and add reserved bacon grease. Line the bottom of the oven with onion slices then put chicken on top of the onion. Add tomatoes and bell pepper.
Cover and bake using 12 briquettes bottom and 12-14 briquettes top for 30 minutes. In a large measuring cup make a sauce with the tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, honey, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Sprinkle bacon over top of cooked vegetables then pour sauce over vegetables. Cover and bake another 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheeses over the top. Replace lid and let sit for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
1 lb. bacon
1/4 cup honey
8 chicken breasts; cut into chunks
2 tsp. ground oregano
3 cloves garlic; minced
2 tsp. basil
1 large yellow onion; sliced
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
6 large tomatoes; diced
(1) 10 3/4 oz. can tomato puree
1 tsp. salt
1 yellow red pepper; cut into chunks
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3 cups Mozzarella cheese; grated
3 cups Cheddar cheese; grated
Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 20-22 briquettes bottom. Slice bacon into 1" strips then add to hot oven and fry until brown. Remove bacon from oven. Remove and reserve all but 2 Tbs. of the bacon grease from the oven. Add chicken and garlic to oven and cook, turning frequently, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Remove chicken from oven and add reserved bacon grease. Line the bottom of the oven with onion slices then put chicken on top of the onion. Add tomatoes and bell pepper.
Cover and bake using 12 briquettes bottom and 12-14 briquettes top for 30 minutes. In a large measuring cup make a sauce with the tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, honey, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Sprinkle bacon over top of cooked vegetables then pour sauce over vegetables. Cover and bake another 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheeses over the top. Replace lid and let sit for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad
While my Mom was sick her friend Suzie made our family the most delicious Jello salad ever! You can use different fruit flavors but I like raspberry the best. Be sure to start this recipe early so you have time to let the layers cool.
Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzels
2/3 cup nuts pecans (optional - they are really yummy in the crust but since Caleb is allergic to nuts we don't do them)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter
Crush the pretzels into small pieces. Mix together with sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Let this cool for about 10 minutes before adding the next layer.
Cream Cheese Layer
8z cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 pt whipping cream, whipped
Mix the cream cheese and sugar and fold in the whipping cream. Layer on top of crust and refrigerate until this layer is set and cooled.
Jello Layer
1 pkg frozen raspberries, thawed
1 large raspberry jello mix
2 cups boiling water
Combine boiling water and jello and mix and add thawed raspberries. Gently ladle over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until jello is set, at least 3-4 hours.
Enjoy!
Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzels
2/3 cup nuts pecans (optional - they are really yummy in the crust but since Caleb is allergic to nuts we don't do them)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter
Crush the pretzels into small pieces. Mix together with sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Let this cool for about 10 minutes before adding the next layer.
Cream Cheese Layer
8z cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 pt whipping cream, whipped
Mix the cream cheese and sugar and fold in the whipping cream. Layer on top of crust and refrigerate until this layer is set and cooled.
Jello Layer
1 pkg frozen raspberries, thawed
1 large raspberry jello mix
2 cups boiling water
Combine boiling water and jello and mix and add thawed raspberries. Gently ladle over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until jello is set, at least 3-4 hours.
Enjoy!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Brazilian Limeade
My friend Valerie made this for us and it became our favorite drink overnight. John recently told me he doesn't like limes but this recipe changed his mind! It seems like it would be too sweet but its actually really refreshing. A perfect summer drink!
5 limes
6 cups water
1 c sugar
6 Tbsp sweet and condensed milk
Juice limes and lightly zest skins into juice. (Most recipes have you grind the entire lime but Valerie told us that it made her batch bitter as time went on. With juicing and only using the zest it does not get bitter).
Mix with water and sugar. Right before serving stir in sweet condensed milk. Serve over ice.
5 limes
6 cups water
1 c sugar
6 Tbsp sweet and condensed milk
Juice limes and lightly zest skins into juice. (Most recipes have you grind the entire lime but Valerie told us that it made her batch bitter as time went on. With juicing and only using the zest it does not get bitter).
Mix with water and sugar. Right before serving stir in sweet condensed milk. Serve over ice.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Fluffy Biscuits
I was sure there was another box of Bisquick in our pantry but when I came up empty handed I went to All recipes to see if I could find a recipe fast enough for our dinner in 20 minutes! I found this recipe and will never make biscuits from Bisquick again! These are SO good and SO fast! I did make a few changes to the recipes directions since I didn't have time to read the actual directions thoroughly before I made them.
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
In a mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add in shortening and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead 20 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Creamy Chicken Italiano
This recipe is from my friend Amanda. I love that its so easy and fast and yet yummy enough for guests.
1/4 Cup water
1 pkg dry Italian Seasoning (It will be by the dry packets of ranch)
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 boneless chicken breasts
Put the chicken in Crock pot. Mix together dressing and water and pour it over the chicken. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Add soup and cream cheese and let warm and then stir. Cook another 1-2 hours or until its all nice and creamy. We eat it over noodles.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Caramel Dumplings
Two of my favorite things combined! This yummy recipe came from our good friends the Brinkerhoffs. It is amazing and the best part is that the ingredients are things you almost always have around!
Sift together:
1 1/4 c flour
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Then cut 2 Tbsp butter into the flour mixture until it becomes fine particles.
Combine :
1/3 c + 1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Add that to the dry ingredients all at once and stir until the dough clings together.
In a dutch oven or large saucepan combine:
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c water
1/8 tsp salt
Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly and then reduce heat to low. Drop dough by tablespoons into simmering sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.
Sift together:
1 1/4 c flour
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Then cut 2 Tbsp butter into the flour mixture until it becomes fine particles.
Combine :
1/3 c + 1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Add that to the dry ingredients all at once and stir until the dough clings together.
In a dutch oven or large saucepan combine:
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c water
1/8 tsp salt
Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly and then reduce heat to low. Drop dough by tablespoons into simmering sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.
Perfect Pie Crust
I got this recipe from Tyece too. It really is a perfect pie crust! The trick is to not handle the dough to much!
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening
1/4 c ice water
Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening in with a pastry knife until crumbly. Stir in water with a fork until mixed. Divide in half and roll out half out on a floured surface until it is about an inch larger than your pie pan. Roll over your rolling pin and then unroll over your pie pan and form to pan. Cut off excess. Add filling and repeat with top. Flute pie edges together and cut 4 slits in the top to vent.
Apple pie bakes at 400 for an hour.
The extra dough is really yummy cut into shapes and baked with cinnamon and sugar on top. My kiddos love it!
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening
1/4 c ice water
Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening in with a pastry knife until crumbly. Stir in water with a fork until mixed. Divide in half and roll out half out on a floured surface until it is about an inch larger than your pie pan. Roll over your rolling pin and then unroll over your pie pan and form to pan. Cut off excess. Add filling and repeat with top. Flute pie edges together and cut 4 slits in the top to vent.
Apple pie bakes at 400 for an hour.
The extra dough is really yummy cut into shapes and baked with cinnamon and sugar on top. My kiddos love it!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Asparagus Rolls
4-6 Tortilla Wraps (depending on the size of the tortilla)
18 asparagus
Chicken (You could do fresh, but I use 1 can of the Chicken Salad from Costco)
1/2 c. nuts (optional)
1/2 c. Craisens
4 oz. regular cream cheese
1/2-1/3 of container of Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese (judge this to taste)
1/4 c. Mayo
Garlic Powder
Mix the Chicken on down all in bowl. Judge to your liking in taste. I usually use closer to 1/3 container of the Garden Vegetable Cream cheese, but I like it with a stronger taste.
Spread the mixture on a tortilla. Roll the already cooked asparagus into the tortilla. I usually use about 4 or 5 per tortilla. Cover the rolled tortilla in Press N' Seal and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Cut tortilla into inch thick pinwheels and serve.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
3 cans peaches
1 can crushed pineapple
1 butter recipe cake mix
1/2 - 1 cube butter
Drain the peach juice into a bowl and add all 3 cans of peaches into dutch oven. You don't have to be real picky about completely draining it. I drain off most of the juice with the lid and then dump them. Add the crushed pineapple without draining it. Mix with a spoon and spread evenly over the bottom.
Sprinkle cake mix over the fruit evenly. Take the cube of butter and cut little slices off of it and spread over cake mix. You can use as little as 1/2 of the cube to as much as the whole thing depending on your tastes. Then drizzle the peach juice over the whole thing as evenly as possible. Place the lid on and then set in the coals and add a few to the top of the dutch oven to cook the top.
I would check it after about 15 minutes to see how quickly your coals are cooking it. If its burning, they are too hot. If it looks the same you might want to add more.
1 can crushed pineapple
1 butter recipe cake mix
1/2 - 1 cube butter
Drain the peach juice into a bowl and add all 3 cans of peaches into dutch oven. You don't have to be real picky about completely draining it. I drain off most of the juice with the lid and then dump them. Add the crushed pineapple without draining it. Mix with a spoon and spread evenly over the bottom.
Sprinkle cake mix over the fruit evenly. Take the cube of butter and cut little slices off of it and spread over cake mix. You can use as little as 1/2 of the cube to as much as the whole thing depending on your tastes. Then drizzle the peach juice over the whole thing as evenly as possible. Place the lid on and then set in the coals and add a few to the top of the dutch oven to cook the top.
I would check it after about 15 minutes to see how quickly your coals are cooking it. If its burning, they are too hot. If it looks the same you might want to add more.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Soup
I don't love cauliflower but this soup is to die for! Its from my friend Pam and we all loved it. Best part you can freeze it!
1 can chicken broth (13 oz - so a little less then 2 cups. 2 cups is 16 oz)
1 small onion, diced
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 c. milk (I wanted it super creamy, so I did 1 1/2 cups 2% milk and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better for flavor)
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
Steamed chopped cauliflower
Steamed chopped broccoli
Optional: Chopped Onion, Carrots, and any other veggie!
Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.
1 can chicken broth (13 oz - so a little less then 2 cups. 2 cups is 16 oz)
1 small onion, diced
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 c. milk (I wanted it super creamy, so I did 1 1/2 cups 2% milk and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better for flavor)
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
Steamed chopped cauliflower
Steamed chopped broccoli
Optional: Chopped Onion, Carrots, and any other veggie!
Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Apple Crisp
I had an apple crisp recipe that was good but we have replaced it with this one which we love! We use apples I have canned in a light fruit syrup and then drained most of the juice off.
1/2 c oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter softened
1/4 c flaked sweetened coconut
Mix the first 4 ingredients. Add softened butter and cut it in with a fork until it is evenly crumbly. Add coconut and mix well. Pour over apples and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
1/2 c oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter softened
1/4 c flaked sweetened coconut
Mix the first 4 ingredients. Add softened butter and cut it in with a fork until it is evenly crumbly. Add coconut and mix well. Pour over apples and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Waffles
This recipe is from All recipes. It caught my eye because the batter can be saved and used the next day. Super yummy!
2 eggs
1 3/4 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 c flour
1 Tbsp white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat waffle iron. Mix ingredients in a mixer starting with the eggs and let them beat for a minute before you add the other ingredients. Ladle into your waffle iron.
2 eggs
1 3/4 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 c flour
1 Tbsp white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat waffle iron. Mix ingredients in a mixer starting with the eggs and let them beat for a minute before you add the other ingredients. Ladle into your waffle iron.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Chicken Ranch Quesadilla
Super easy and fast and my kids liked them minus the green onions. These were even easier because we have been watching at the end of the day for rotisserie chickens to go half off and then shredding the chicken and freezing it. Its been so great to be able to go outside and grab a bag of already shredded chicken!
1 c chicken shredded
1 c Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/2 c ranch
1 green onion, sliced
tortillas
Mix all ingredients expect tortillas. Spread mixture over tortilla and cook on both sides until the cheese is melted and the tortilla nice and toasted.
Yummy and fast! Not a great hyperphe recipe :)
1 c chicken shredded
1 c Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/2 c ranch
1 green onion, sliced
tortillas
Mix all ingredients expect tortillas. Spread mixture over tortilla and cook on both sides until the cheese is melted and the tortilla nice and toasted.
Yummy and fast! Not a great hyperphe recipe :)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
We had a pineapple that was starting to go bad and it was Cooking with Caleb night so we decided to make a cake with our pineapple. It was so yummy!
1/2 c butter
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1 small pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c water
1/4 c oil
1 c sour cream
We made our cake in a large stoneware pie dish. Its was larger than your normal pie baking dish and this cake fit it perfectly. Preheat oven to 350 and add butter to dish and place in preheating oven so that it melts while you are making the cake. Cut pineapple into chunks and place in a bowl. Add cake mix and all ingredients except the pineapple and brown sugar. Mix until the lumps are gone. When butter is melted sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter evenly. Then spread the pineapple evenly and top with the cake mixture. Cook on 350 for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Invert onto a serving dish immediately.
1/2 c butter
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1 small pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c water
1/4 c oil
1 c sour cream
We made our cake in a large stoneware pie dish. Its was larger than your normal pie baking dish and this cake fit it perfectly. Preheat oven to 350 and add butter to dish and place in preheating oven so that it melts while you are making the cake. Cut pineapple into chunks and place in a bowl. Add cake mix and all ingredients except the pineapple and brown sugar. Mix until the lumps are gone. When butter is melted sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter evenly. Then spread the pineapple evenly and top with the cake mixture. Cook on 350 for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Invert onto a serving dish immediately.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Salsa Verde/Enchilada Sauce
This recipe has been updated since I first posted it. It is delicious! We use it to give burritos and tacos a different and more yummy flavor! We also use this to make our own Enchilada sauce. It makes 4 cups total. We freeze them in 2 Ziploc freezer bags quart size bags with 2 cups each. To make enchiladas I use shredded chicken, a cup of cheese, 1/2 cup salsa verde, 1 cup sour cream and mix. Roll sauce into tortillas and then pour remaining 1 1/2 cups of salsa verde over the top.
6 cups tomatillos cut in half
1/2 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c water
olive oil
1 lime
In a saute pan add tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil and saute for a few minutes on med-hi. Add water, cilantro, cumin, and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. When the tomatillos are soft add everything to a food processor and process until its smooth. I did two batches since my food processor would not take it all. You can probably use a blender too. When its smooth cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the salsa. Stir and serve.
6 cups tomatillos cut in half
1/2 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c water
olive oil
1 lime
In a saute pan add tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil and saute for a few minutes on med-hi. Add water, cilantro, cumin, and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. When the tomatillos are soft add everything to a food processor and process until its smooth. I did two batches since my food processor would not take it all. You can probably use a blender too. When its smooth cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the salsa. Stir and serve.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
2-4 chicken breasts
4 slices good thick ham
Swiss cheese slices
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2-4 Tbsp butter
Cut chicken and ham up into bite size pieces. Mix and place half of the chicken and ham in a 9x9 baking dish. Cover with swiss chesse slices and then place remaining chicken and ham over the top. Combine soup, sour cream, and Worcesershire sauce in a bowl. Pour over top of chicken and ham. Top with a layer of breadcrumbs and melt 2-4 Tbsp butter in a dish and drizzle over break crumbs.
Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.
4 slices good thick ham
Swiss cheese slices
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2-4 Tbsp butter
Cut chicken and ham up into bite size pieces. Mix and place half of the chicken and ham in a 9x9 baking dish. Cover with swiss chesse slices and then place remaining chicken and ham over the top. Combine soup, sour cream, and Worcesershire sauce in a bowl. Pour over top of chicken and ham. Top with a layer of breadcrumbs and melt 2-4 Tbsp butter in a dish and drizzle over break crumbs.
Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Jeannie's Homemade Bread
This bread recipe is the BEST. You can make it in 1 hour from start to finish. I use it for everything now. Cinnamon rolls, rolls, scones, pizza...everything! The yeast and soy lecithin might be something you can only get in Utah at stores but it can be ordered off the Internet. Best part is it costs 25 cents a loaf to make this. We only eat homemade bread in our house now! I make a half recipe on Sunday and we eat a warm loaf of bread with dinner and use the other loaf for sandwiches and toast during the week. When we do Movie night on Friday I make a second half batch and use half for pizza dough and make another loaf of bread. Pantry Secrets has classes on how to make this bread and perfect it.
Mix dry ingredients. Add lecithin and water. To add the lecithin, squeeze or pour approximately 3 tablespoons of lecithin directly into the bowl. Do not measure, it’s too sticky. (An amount about the size of a quarter equals 1 Tablespoon)
Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add more water a little at a time but only 2-4 Tbsp. If dough is too moist, add more flour (You want nice soft dough). It’s better to be on the sticky side than to be too dry and hard. The stickier dough will stretch out better when you roll it. Mix for 5 minutes in mixer or knead by hand for 10 minutes. Do not add water or flour to the dough after it has finished mixing or it will be unstable.
Spray counter and pans with Pam (do not put flour on counter; it will dry out your bread, the gluten doesn’t develop in the extra flour and the dough won’t stretch as well and the breads will crack. Get a little Pam on your hands. Cut; don’t pull the dough into four pieces, shape loves and cover with a dish towel to keep the dough moist. Let raise 25 minutes.
Bake at 350º for 25 minutes on the middle rack in the oven. This recipe makes four loaves of bread. You can half the recipe for 2 loaves of bread.
For a year’s worth of bread (4 loaves a week)
6-25 bags of flour
6 pkgs of Saf-instant yeast
4-6 bottles of lecithin
You can keep a loaf of dough overnight in the fridge. Spray the inside of a bread sack with Pam. Put dough in and tie loosely. Put in Fridge. You might have to punch down the dough before you work with it. Great for pizza, scones, braids, etc. Might not form a pretty loaf of bread though.
- 10 ½ cups White unbleached bread flour (NOT all purpose- they do not have enough gluten)
- ½ Cup Sugar (white or brown or you can use 1/3 honey or molasses but it will not freeze well)
- 3 rounded/heaping tablespoons Saf-instant yeast (Macey’s sells it, keep in freezer and add to the recipe directly from the freezer, it does not have to warm up)
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 3 tablespoons liquid Lecithin* (use instead of oil, it’s made of soy, it cleans arteries has a 4 year shelf life and you can buy it at Kitchen Kneads, Bosch or any health food store and buy the liquid in squeeze bottles not the granules)
- 4 cups hot tap water (you can use powdered milk and for Wheat flour you add 1 cup applesauce in place of hot tap water) mix for 10 minutes.
Mix dry ingredients. Add lecithin and water. To add the lecithin, squeeze or pour approximately 3 tablespoons of lecithin directly into the bowl. Do not measure, it’s too sticky. (An amount about the size of a quarter equals 1 Tablespoon)
Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add more water a little at a time but only 2-4 Tbsp. If dough is too moist, add more flour (You want nice soft dough). It’s better to be on the sticky side than to be too dry and hard. The stickier dough will stretch out better when you roll it. Mix for 5 minutes in mixer or knead by hand for 10 minutes. Do not add water or flour to the dough after it has finished mixing or it will be unstable.
Spray counter and pans with Pam (do not put flour on counter; it will dry out your bread, the gluten doesn’t develop in the extra flour and the dough won’t stretch as well and the breads will crack. Get a little Pam on your hands. Cut; don’t pull the dough into four pieces, shape loves and cover with a dish towel to keep the dough moist. Let raise 25 minutes.
Bake at 350º for 25 minutes on the middle rack in the oven. This recipe makes four loaves of bread. You can half the recipe for 2 loaves of bread.
For a year’s worth of bread (4 loaves a week)
6-25 bags of flour
6 pkgs of Saf-instant yeast
4-6 bottles of lecithin
You can keep a loaf of dough overnight in the fridge. Spray the inside of a bread sack with Pam. Put dough in and tie loosely. Put in Fridge. You might have to punch down the dough before you work with it. Great for pizza, scones, braids, etc. Might not form a pretty loaf of bread though.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Tater Tot Casserole
I got this recipe from Pam. This makes the kiddos happy and its yummy for Mom and Dad too. The best part is that if you keep the a spare bag of tots in the freezer its a great meal when you don't know what else to make. I like to make it early in the day and leave in the fridge until about an hour before we are ready to eat.
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lg onion diced in processor
1 pkg or 1/4 c taco seasoning
2 cans of cream of chicken
2 cans of cream of chicken
1 can evaporated milk
1 bag frozen tater tots
Cheese
Monday, January 4, 2010
Spinach, Caramelized Pecans, and Parmesan Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing
Pepper Jelly Dressing:
3 Tbsp Pepper Jelly
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Dijon Mustard
In a small bowl whisk together ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds and allow to cool.
Toss 6 cups Spinach, 1 cup Caramelized Pecans, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Toss with dressing and serve.
3 Tbsp Pepper Jelly
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Dijon Mustard
In a small bowl whisk together ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds and allow to cool.
Toss 6 cups Spinach, 1 cup Caramelized Pecans, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Toss with dressing and serve.
Caramelized Pecans
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup pecans
Add butter to a med sauce pan and allow to melt on low. Add sugar and pecans and cook over med heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar caramelizes. It will start to turn brown and the sugar will lose the appearance of the grains. It takes about 5 minutes.
When it is done spread out onto a cookie sheet with foil.
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup pecans
Add butter to a med sauce pan and allow to melt on low. Add sugar and pecans and cook over med heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar caramelizes. It will start to turn brown and the sugar will lose the appearance of the grains. It takes about 5 minutes.
When it is done spread out onto a cookie sheet with foil.
Alfredo Sauce
Got this off All recipes from the Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce. The original recipe used garlic powder but I prefer the real thing. Its wonderful with Roasted Red Peppers or Sun Dried tomatoes added in!
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups whole milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic, stirring with whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups whole milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic, stirring with whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Homemade Laundry Soap
My Friend Tyece sent me this recipe. Not the best for whites but great for all the other loads and SO much cheaper!
Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 fels-naptha soap bar
1 cup Arm and Hammer laundry soda
½ cup borax
Grate (I use my food processor) bar of soap and add to saucepan of water. Stir continually over med – low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half way with very hot tap water. Add melted soap washing soda and borax. Stir until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more very hot tap water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken. *optional: you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons, add once soap has cooled.
Top- loading machine: 5/8 cup per load
Front - loader: ¼ c per load (approx 400 loads)… and you just spent $2
From the DuggarFamily.com
Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 fels-naptha soap bar
1 cup Arm and Hammer laundry soda
½ cup borax
Grate (I use my food processor) bar of soap and add to saucepan of water. Stir continually over med – low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half way with very hot tap water. Add melted soap washing soda and borax. Stir until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more very hot tap water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken. *optional: you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons, add once soap has cooled.
Top- loading machine: 5/8 cup per load
Front - loader: ¼ c per load (approx 400 loads)… and you just spent $2
From the DuggarFamily.com
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Pepper Jelly
This is a delicious appetizer. I like to buy red peppers when I see them for less than a dollar and then bottle a couple of batches. Each batch makes about 17-18 half pints. We like it served best over cream cheese and eaten with Ritz crackers. The recipe comes from the cookbook Putting Up by Stephen Dowdney although I have changed it a little bit.
*I have changed this since first putting it up because I always do a double batch
2 1/2 c very small diced red peppers, seeds removed
2 1/2 c very small diced green peppers, seeds removed
1/2 c fine diced jalapeno peppers, seeds removed
3 c cider vinegar
13 c sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/2-1 Tbsp red pepper flakes depending on how hot you want it
2 pack liquid pectin Certo brand, found in the canning section or by the Jell-O
Bring all ingredients except pectin to a rolling boil. Add pectin and return to a boil. Time for 1 1/2 minutes and take off burner. Hot pack in warm jars for 15 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 24 hours. The jelly will set up as it cools.
I'm not going to go into all of the details of how to bottle but it you have any questions please just ask in the comments section. You can also find some helpful canning hints in this post on peaches.
*I have changed this since first putting it up because I always do a double batch
2 1/2 c very small diced red peppers, seeds removed
2 1/2 c very small diced green peppers, seeds removed
1/2 c fine diced jalapeno peppers, seeds removed
3 c cider vinegar
13 c sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/2-1 Tbsp red pepper flakes depending on how hot you want it
2 pack liquid pectin Certo brand, found in the canning section or by the Jell-O
Bring all ingredients except pectin to a rolling boil. Add pectin and return to a boil. Time for 1 1/2 minutes and take off burner. Hot pack in warm jars for 15 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 24 hours. The jelly will set up as it cools.
I'm not going to go into all of the details of how to bottle but it you have any questions please just ask in the comments section. You can also find some helpful canning hints in this post on peaches.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
I finally found one I love!!!! Found it on All recipes and adjusted it a little bit because I don't love mayonnaise. Serve on rolls or croissants. Perfect for showers, parties, and pretty much any other time because its so stinking yummy!
4 c chicken, cubed
3/4 c mayo
1/2-3/4 c sour cream depending on how saucy you want it)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 c diced celery
3 green onions, diced
1 c chopped pecans
1 1/2 c craisins
1 c diced apple
Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, paprika, and seasoning salt. Add remaining ingredients and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors have time to combine. You can also wait and add the pecans right before serving so they have more crunch.
4 c chicken, cubed
3/4 c mayo
1/2-3/4 c sour cream depending on how saucy you want it)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 c diced celery
3 green onions, diced
1 c chopped pecans
1 1/2 c craisins
1 c diced apple
Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, paprika, and seasoning salt. Add remaining ingredients and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors have time to combine. You can also wait and add the pecans right before serving so they have more crunch.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Applesauce
Its hard to gauge how many apples to a batch because apples differ so much in size. So for me I just took my big colander and filled it to the top and that was one batch.
You need to first get a large bowl filled with cold water and treat it with something that will make is so the apples wont change color. I used Fruit Fresh (found at my Walmart in the canning section) but I know some people use lemon juice.
Then I put the stopper in one side of my sink and place a cutting board right next to that. Meanwhile on the stove I get a large Saute pan (really large diameter but short with a lid...does that make any sense!?!) ready with 3-4 cups of water, depending on how runny you want your applesauce. Also have your deep bath canner full of water starting to warm up and a small sauce pan with your lids on simmer to stay warm. Also be running your jars through the dishwasher and set it for heated dry.
Peel...Peel...Peel. Some people cook the apples first and then use a strainer to squeeze the apples through but I like it chunky and also I think you get a lot more when you do it this way. Throw the apples into the big bowl of water until the whole batch is peeled. I just peel them straight into the sink that is clogged. Its easier on your back than doing it into a trash can and I just let it fill up all day and empty at the end of the day.
Take and rinse out your strainer and put that in the open part of the sink when you have peeled all of the apples. Take the apples one at a time and quarter and cut out seeds and then throw them into the stainer and discard the rest into your peeling pile in the sink.
When the strainer is about half full rinse apples well and put them into the saute pan. Do this with all of your apples. Your saute pan should be really full.
Cook on med-hi covered for about 50 minutes. Take lid off and add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 c sugar and mash with a potato masher. You can adjust the cinnamon and sugar to fit your tastes and depending on the type of apple you are canning.
When you have mashed the apples to the consistency you would like use a rag to get a hot jar from the dishwasher and spoon applesauce into jar. Its really helpful to have the canning funnel so that you don't get the edges of your jars dirty. Place jar on counter on a dishtowel and run a clean wet rag around the lip of the jar to be sure its clean. Place a warm lid from the simmering water on the jar and screw a ring on.
Repeat for the whole batch. Process in deep bath canner for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and make sure they have popped by the next morning and that they have sealed properly.
You need to first get a large bowl filled with cold water and treat it with something that will make is so the apples wont change color. I used Fruit Fresh (found at my Walmart in the canning section) but I know some people use lemon juice.
Then I put the stopper in one side of my sink and place a cutting board right next to that. Meanwhile on the stove I get a large Saute pan (really large diameter but short with a lid...does that make any sense!?!) ready with 3-4 cups of water, depending on how runny you want your applesauce. Also have your deep bath canner full of water starting to warm up and a small sauce pan with your lids on simmer to stay warm. Also be running your jars through the dishwasher and set it for heated dry.
Peel...Peel...Peel. Some people cook the apples first and then use a strainer to squeeze the apples through but I like it chunky and also I think you get a lot more when you do it this way. Throw the apples into the big bowl of water until the whole batch is peeled. I just peel them straight into the sink that is clogged. Its easier on your back than doing it into a trash can and I just let it fill up all day and empty at the end of the day.
Take and rinse out your strainer and put that in the open part of the sink when you have peeled all of the apples. Take the apples one at a time and quarter and cut out seeds and then throw them into the stainer and discard the rest into your peeling pile in the sink.
When the strainer is about half full rinse apples well and put them into the saute pan. Do this with all of your apples. Your saute pan should be really full.
Cook on med-hi covered for about 50 minutes. Take lid off and add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 c sugar and mash with a potato masher. You can adjust the cinnamon and sugar to fit your tastes and depending on the type of apple you are canning.
When you have mashed the apples to the consistency you would like use a rag to get a hot jar from the dishwasher and spoon applesauce into jar. Its really helpful to have the canning funnel so that you don't get the edges of your jars dirty. Place jar on counter on a dishtowel and run a clean wet rag around the lip of the jar to be sure its clean. Place a warm lid from the simmering water on the jar and screw a ring on.
Repeat for the whole batch. Process in deep bath canner for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and make sure they have popped by the next morning and that they have sealed properly.
Play Dough
Quick, easy, and most importantly soft!
1 c water
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 c salt
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 cup flour
food coloring
essential oils (optional)
Mix water, oil, salt, food coloring in a pan and mix. Turn on low and add flour and cream of tarter. Mix with wooden spoon for a few minutes, it will get thick fast. When nice and thick, add to mixer (at least I did cause Im lazy) and let kneed for about 5 minutes. I added 3 drops of lemon essential oil to one batch and 3 drops of orange to a second color to make them smell good while it was mixing. Remove from mixer and let cool for a few minutes.
PLAY!
1 c water
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 c salt
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 cup flour
food coloring
essential oils (optional)
Mix water, oil, salt, food coloring in a pan and mix. Turn on low and add flour and cream of tarter. Mix with wooden spoon for a few minutes, it will get thick fast. When nice and thick, add to mixer (at least I did cause Im lazy) and let kneed for about 5 minutes. I added 3 drops of lemon essential oil to one batch and 3 drops of orange to a second color to make them smell good while it was mixing. Remove from mixer and let cool for a few minutes.
PLAY!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Teriyaki Meatballs
I don't remember where I got this recipe but we really like it!
Meatballs:
1- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 dry oatmeal
2 eggs beaten
2/3 c diced onion
1/2 c milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
I put this all in my kitchen aid and let it mix it so I don't have to use my hands. Place a large skillet on the stove and turn it on med-high. Make meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place them in the saucepan and brown them really good on the outside. I do it until they are even starting to look a little burnt. When they are browned place them in a 9 x 13 pan and do this until all the meatballs are browned.
Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c BBQ sauce (for this recipe I prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Stir up sauce and it should be slightly thick. Pour over browned meatballs and gently turn meatballs over to coat them.
Bake in oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through. Serve over rice.
Meatballs:
1- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 dry oatmeal
2 eggs beaten
2/3 c diced onion
1/2 c milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
I put this all in my kitchen aid and let it mix it so I don't have to use my hands. Place a large skillet on the stove and turn it on med-high. Make meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place them in the saucepan and brown them really good on the outside. I do it until they are even starting to look a little burnt. When they are browned place them in a 9 x 13 pan and do this until all the meatballs are browned.
Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c BBQ sauce (for this recipe I prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Stir up sauce and it should be slightly thick. Pour over browned meatballs and gently turn meatballs over to coat them.
Bake in oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through. Serve over rice.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Cheese Polenta
I found this recipe on All recipes and did adjust it a little for our tastes but its so yummy. We had it with grilled chicken, homemade salsa, and slices of avocado! Yummy! Seriously you should try polenta its one of my favorite sides and is great instead of potatoes.
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Pizza Sauce
With all the Friday night Pizza we have been having I haven't really been satisfied with canned Pizza sauce. I got a recipe off of All recipes for Exquisite pizza sauce and then changed it for our tastes and this is what we came up with and its really good!
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
6 oz of warm water
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 med garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp honey
! Tbsp Marsala cooking wine
3/4 tsp chopped onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
In a small bowl combine all ingredients and make sure to break up any clumps of cheese. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to let flavors blend. This was enough to do 2 full pizzas. Next time I make it I think I will double it and split into 4 and freeze 3 of the containers of sauce.
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
6 oz of warm water
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 med garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp honey
! Tbsp Marsala cooking wine
3/4 tsp chopped onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
In a small bowl combine all ingredients and make sure to break up any clumps of cheese. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to let flavors blend. This was enough to do 2 full pizzas. Next time I make it I think I will double it and split into 4 and freeze 3 of the containers of sauce.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Pizza Dough
So its been 3 months and no new recipes posted...our little baby is also 3 months old so that probably explains things!
We do Pizza every Friday night with our movie night and we have wanted a thicker crust. On the web site Being Frugal is Fabulous she posted her pizza crust and we tried it and loved it. It makes 8 small personal pizzas or 2 big crusts. We make the recipe and then wrap half of the dough in saran wrap and place in a freezer bag and freeze for the next Friday. Or if we want bread sticks you can quickly make bread sticks out of the second half.
Place in kitchenaid:
1 1/2 c warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
pinch sugar
Let proof until its foamy and then add:
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp salt
~4 cups flour or until dough pulls away from the bowl and looks smooth.
I let it rise for about 30 mins and then I roll it out. Be sure to bake for about 8-10 minutes at about 425 BEFORE you add your sauce and toppings. Pull it out of the oven and add sauce, cheese, and toppings. This makes sure the dough is cooked all the way through.
Enjoy!
We do Pizza every Friday night with our movie night and we have wanted a thicker crust. On the web site Being Frugal is Fabulous she posted her pizza crust and we tried it and loved it. It makes 8 small personal pizzas or 2 big crusts. We make the recipe and then wrap half of the dough in saran wrap and place in a freezer bag and freeze for the next Friday. Or if we want bread sticks you can quickly make bread sticks out of the second half.
Place in kitchenaid:
1 1/2 c warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
pinch sugar
Let proof until its foamy and then add:
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp salt
~4 cups flour or until dough pulls away from the bowl and looks smooth.
I let it rise for about 30 mins and then I roll it out. Be sure to bake for about 8-10 minutes at about 425 BEFORE you add your sauce and toppings. Pull it out of the oven and add sauce, cheese, and toppings. This makes sure the dough is cooked all the way through.
Enjoy!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Creamy Green Beans
So yes, this is just a variation of Green Bean casserole but I have a mental block towards the word casserole. I played with a few different versions that I could find and added my own twist to it and this is what we came up with. Just as a reference point when I told my hubby I would be making it for Christmas dinner he turned his nose up at me. At dinner he had about 4 helpings of it!
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1-2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 c sour cream
3/4 c cheddar cheese, grated
2 cans green beans
1/2 can french friend onions
Add butter to a skillet and allow to melt. Add onion and cook on med until its starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute or so. Add flour to make it thick and pasty. Add sour cream, salt, and sugar and stir until combined. You can add more sour cream or even a little milk if you want it more runny but we wanted it thicker. Add cheese and green beans and stir slowly so as to not crush green beans. Add to baking dish. You can refrigerate at this point until about 30 minutes before you want them ready, I would just wait to add the french friend onions until right before you pop it in the oven. I ran our french friend onions through the magic bullet and pulsed it 7 or 8 times to break them up smaller. Sprinkle over top and place in oven about 350 for 30 minutes or until warm, bubbly, and the onions are crispy and brown.
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1-2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 c sour cream
3/4 c cheddar cheese, grated
2 cans green beans
1/2 can french friend onions
Add butter to a skillet and allow to melt. Add onion and cook on med until its starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute or so. Add flour to make it thick and pasty. Add sour cream, salt, and sugar and stir until combined. You can add more sour cream or even a little milk if you want it more runny but we wanted it thicker. Add cheese and green beans and stir slowly so as to not crush green beans. Add to baking dish. You can refrigerate at this point until about 30 minutes before you want them ready, I would just wait to add the french friend onions until right before you pop it in the oven. I ran our french friend onions through the magic bullet and pulsed it 7 or 8 times to break them up smaller. Sprinkle over top and place in oven about 350 for 30 minutes or until warm, bubbly, and the onions are crispy and brown.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Anytime of year Salsa
For those who know me well they know I'm kind of a snob when it comes to fresh ingredients. I think it has a lot to do with Romania where you only had fresh available and it makes a HUGE difference in cooking. My friend Tasha brought us this salsa and we all fell in love and I just about fell off my chair when she said it uses canned tomatoes because I never thought salsa like this could come from canned tomatoes (see I told you, I'm an ingredients snob). Its a huge recipe so feel free to cut it in half, but beware it goes fast. My little 2 year old even eats it with a spoon!
6-8 cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 med yellow onion
1 jalapeno seeded
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
One of the reasons this is so great is that you are going to use your blender but puree the cans to different consistencies.
Puree in blender 2 cans tomatoes, 1/2 onion, and all other ingredients. It will most likely turn very green. Pour into bowl. Next add two more cans to blender and other half of onion and chop to a medium consistency, pour in bowl. Add last two cans to blender and pulse to leave chunks as big as you like them. If the salsa is to spicy you can add one to two more cans. Mix all together and let sit overnight and then enjoy!
6-8 cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 med yellow onion
1 jalapeno seeded
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
One of the reasons this is so great is that you are going to use your blender but puree the cans to different consistencies.
Puree in blender 2 cans tomatoes, 1/2 onion, and all other ingredients. It will most likely turn very green. Pour into bowl. Next add two more cans to blender and other half of onion and chop to a medium consistency, pour in bowl. Add last two cans to blender and pulse to leave chunks as big as you like them. If the salsa is to spicy you can add one to two more cans. Mix all together and let sit overnight and then enjoy!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Cranberry Sauce
My friend Mandy made this for Thanksgiving off of the Year of crock potting Blog and even though I normally don't like cranberry sauce or turkey....I loved this recipe and will definitely make it!
12 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c water
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Rinse cranberries and place in crock pot (if you have a huge crock pot place them in an oven proof dish in your crock pot). Add remaining ingredients and cover and cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. When the cranberries get soft enough smash them and stir well. Heat until it is warm all the way though and then take the lid off and let cook for another 30-45 minutes.
12 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c water
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Rinse cranberries and place in crock pot (if you have a huge crock pot place them in an oven proof dish in your crock pot). Add remaining ingredients and cover and cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. When the cranberries get soft enough smash them and stir well. Heat until it is warm all the way though and then take the lid off and let cook for another 30-45 minutes.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Buttermilk Coffee Cake
Being on bedrest doesn't give me much time in the kitchen but yesterday morning it was like 64 degrees in our house and I wanted something warm for breakfast. I pulled out my Better Homes cookbook and whipped this coffee cake up and was really happy with the way it turned out.
1 1/4 c flour
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
2/3 c buttermilk (or 2/3 cup milk with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar)
1 egg
1/4 c pecans
Add flour, sugar, salt to mixer and mix. If you are like me and forget to have room temp butter I put my butter In the microwave for 10 seconds and it was somewhat soft but still had its form. I let me kitchen aid cut the butter in for me, instead of doing it by hand. Add the butter and let it mix for a few minutes until it resembles coarse crumbles. Scoop out 1/4 of this mixture for the top and set aside. Add remaining ingredients, except nuts, and mix well.
Scoop into a square baking dish that has been greased. Add 1/4 c chopped pecans to the reserved topping and sprinkle over the cake. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
1 1/4 c flour
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
2/3 c buttermilk (or 2/3 cup milk with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar)
1 egg
1/4 c pecans
Add flour, sugar, salt to mixer and mix. If you are like me and forget to have room temp butter I put my butter In the microwave for 10 seconds and it was somewhat soft but still had its form. I let me kitchen aid cut the butter in for me, instead of doing it by hand. Add the butter and let it mix for a few minutes until it resembles coarse crumbles. Scoop out 1/4 of this mixture for the top and set aside. Add remaining ingredients, except nuts, and mix well.
Scoop into a square baking dish that has been greased. Add 1/4 c chopped pecans to the reserved topping and sprinkle over the cake. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Herb Foccasia
After some good news at work for my hubby I wanted to make a nice dinner. I bought artichokes this week, our FAVORITE and so I wanted to make a yummy Italian bread to go with them. I found this recipe off of the Sisters Cafe Blog. I only changed a few things to it and it was yummy and shockingly fast!
2 packages active dry yeast
Herb Glaze
Mix yeast, sugar and water in kitchenaid and let sit until bubbly. With kneading attachment add remaining ingredients (except the glaze) adding the flour last. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. You can just leave your mixer on until it starts to look like this. It takes time for it to all pull of the sides of the bowl but you should see a change in the consistency of the dough. If after two minutes there is still a little flour in the bottom I just add a tsp of water until it all pulls clear.
Let rise in warm place for about an hour. Grease baking sheet. Punch dough down and divide evenly into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a disk; place on baking sheet. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tops of each bread with herb glaze. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown. We ate two loaves and froze two for another meal. Look at this yummy dinner! Artichokes with lemon butter and olive oil and balsmic vingar to dip for the bread.
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
1 c warm water
3 c flour
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/4 c chopped kalamata olives
3 Tbsp olive
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp salt
Herb Glaze
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (we did rosemary last night) or basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried garlic salt
Mix yeast, sugar and water in kitchenaid and let sit until bubbly. With kneading attachment add remaining ingredients (except the glaze) adding the flour last. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. You can just leave your mixer on until it starts to look like this. It takes time for it to all pull of the sides of the bowl but you should see a change in the consistency of the dough. If after two minutes there is still a little flour in the bottom I just add a tsp of water until it all pulls clear.
Let rise in warm place for about an hour. Grease baking sheet. Punch dough down and divide evenly into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a disk; place on baking sheet. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tops of each bread with herb glaze. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown. We ate two loaves and froze two for another meal. Look at this yummy dinner! Artichokes with lemon butter and olive oil and balsmic vingar to dip for the bread.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Refried Beans
Often when we make Mexican food we want some beans to go with it but I also want to make them in about 3 minutes. On Sunday I just added a few things we had and it turned out so good. Not what you would expect but I have been experimenting with stuff you would expect and it hasn't been great. So here it is....yummy beans in a matter of minutes!
2 pieces of bacon, we use turkey bacon
3 garlic cloves
1 can refried beans
cheese
Using kitchen scissors (this is fast) or you can use a knife, cut the bacon into thin strips across the length of it into a saucepan and start to cook. After bacon has cooked for a minute or so use a garlic press to dice 3 garlic cloves into the bacon. Cook until bacon is done and the garlic is browned, don't let it burn. Add can of beans and turn to heat to low and mix bacon mixture in good. Let cook for minute or two until warm. Place in serving bowl and top with cheese.
2 pieces of bacon, we use turkey bacon
3 garlic cloves
1 can refried beans
cheese
Using kitchen scissors (this is fast) or you can use a knife, cut the bacon into thin strips across the length of it into a saucepan and start to cook. After bacon has cooked for a minute or so use a garlic press to dice 3 garlic cloves into the bacon. Cook until bacon is done and the garlic is browned, don't let it burn. Add can of beans and turn to heat to low and mix bacon mixture in good. Let cook for minute or two until warm. Place in serving bowl and top with cheese.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Snickerdoodles
I'm sad to say that I cant remember where I got this recipe from, although I'm pretty sure it was on the web somewhere. So please know I'm not trying to plagiarise you and will give whomever is credit when I can find out who they are!
Whoever they are though did make the perfect Snickerdoodles. These are so soft and so chewy and perfect in every way!
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c butter Crisco
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tarter
Mix separately
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar until creamy. Slowly beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, and cream of tarter until combined.
Now if you are like me you most likely forgot to soften your butter and so you decided to nuke it for just a few seconds in the microwave to soften, which is impossible! So your dough might be a little warm. I usually stick the dough in the fridge for a half hour or so to cool and get a little firmer.
Roll dough into balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar mix and place on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 min or until the edges are barely turning golden.
Whoever they are though did make the perfect Snickerdoodles. These are so soft and so chewy and perfect in every way!
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c butter Crisco
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tarter
Mix separately
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar until creamy. Slowly beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, and cream of tarter until combined.
Now if you are like me you most likely forgot to soften your butter and so you decided to nuke it for just a few seconds in the microwave to soften, which is impossible! So your dough might be a little warm. I usually stick the dough in the fridge for a half hour or so to cool and get a little firmer.
Roll dough into balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar mix and place on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 min or until the edges are barely turning golden.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Breadsticks
This recipe came from my sis in law Karey and they are so good! Pretty quick and easy for such good bread sticks.
Mix together:
1 1/2 c warm water
1 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar
Let sit for about 5 minutes (or until it becomes frothy).
Add and mix together:
1 tsp salt
~4 c flour, enough so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer and is not super sticky
Let the dough rise for 15-20 minutes.
Melt 1 cube of butter in a 11x13 jelly roll pan in the oven. Shape the dough into bread sticks and place on pan. I rolled mine out on the counter to just a little bit smaller than my jellyroll pan and then cut them into nice bread stick shapes with my pizza cutter. Just be sure before you cut them that you have a enough flour on the bottom side so they don't stick to your counters. Sprinkle with garlic powder and with grated Parmesan cheese, I left just a little bit of room between my bread sticks and the butter came up over them as I was placing them in pan. Let rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top and edges.
Mix together:
1 1/2 c warm water
1 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar
Let sit for about 5 minutes (or until it becomes frothy).
Add and mix together:
1 tsp salt
~4 c flour, enough so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer and is not super sticky
Let the dough rise for 15-20 minutes.
Melt 1 cube of butter in a 11x13 jelly roll pan in the oven. Shape the dough into bread sticks and place on pan. I rolled mine out on the counter to just a little bit smaller than my jellyroll pan and then cut them into nice bread stick shapes with my pizza cutter. Just be sure before you cut them that you have a enough flour on the bottom side so they don't stick to your counters. Sprinkle with garlic powder and with grated Parmesan cheese, I left just a little bit of room between my bread sticks and the butter came up over them as I was placing them in pan. Let rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top and edges.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Pesto!
Pesto is not a hard thing to make but my Aunt Linda was the one who introduced me to Pesto and gave me a lot of the love for cooking that I have. I have tried countless Pesto recipes and they are always disappointing so I went straight to the source of Pesto goodness and last night we feasted! So here is the best Pesto ever!
2 cups basil cleaned and dry
3 cloves garlic
2/3 Tbsp olive oil
Place basil and garlic in a food processor and start to process, then start to drizzle olive oil through the top and mix until combined.
Here is the secret. In a saucepan melt 2-4 Tbsp butter and add 1-2 cloves garlic depending on how spicy you like it. Saute garlic in butter until just starting to brown and add pesto. Let simmer for a minute or two.
Toss sauce with noddles, pine nuts, and lots of Parmesan! Its heaven!
2 cups basil cleaned and dry
3 cloves garlic
2/3 Tbsp olive oil
Place basil and garlic in a food processor and start to process, then start to drizzle olive oil through the top and mix until combined.
Here is the secret. In a saucepan melt 2-4 Tbsp butter and add 1-2 cloves garlic depending on how spicy you like it. Saute garlic in butter until just starting to brown and add pesto. Let simmer for a minute or two.
Toss sauce with noddles, pine nuts, and lots of Parmesan! Its heaven!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Peaches
No I haven't given up on blogging here is what we have been doing...
If you have never canned peaches its the best and its pretty easy canning. Here is what we do.
Preparation:
To get the Peaches in jars:
We are gleaning the fields off of the peach farm here and we came home with over 50 pounds of free peaches! call around and ask if you know of some where around you where they have peaches. Often times they will let you go in after they have harvested and get the leftovers!
If you have never canned peaches its the best and its pretty easy canning. Here is what we do.Preparation:
- Place jars in dishwasher and wash and then have them on a hot dry cycle so they will stay nice and hot.
- Have a small pan with your lids on the stove on low, just to keep them very warm
- I use a deep bath canner so fill that about half way and turn on to get it to start boiling
- Make a syrup for your peaches. I like a light syrup so we do 5 1/2 c water to 2 1/2 c sugar. Bring this to a boil so the sugar dissolves and then turn to low.
- Have a good sized pot of water filled 3/4 full and bring to a boil.
- Place cold water with ice in a big bowl next to the sink
To get the Peaches in jars:
- In the big pot of boiling water stick your ripe peaches in the boiling water and let sit for 30 seconds to a minute. Scoop out and add to ice bath immediately. This will make it so the peach skin comes off very easy.
- Peel the peaches and then cut in half and remove pit. Scoop out the red part where the pit was with a spoon carefully. You don't have to remove it all I just like to remove whats loose and comes off easy. Some people cut his out entirely.
- Place a rag on the counter and with a second rag remove a hot jar from the dishwasher and set on other rag. Quarter Peaches and drop into jar carefully. You should fill the jar to the top. I fill it to the top of the inside of the jar. Not to the very top of the opening but about 3/4 inches below that. Tap very gently to see if there is more room but don't pack them in. Holding jar with rag again ladle hot syrup until it comes to 1/2 inches before the top of the jar.
- Place back on counter and with a wet and clean rag, wipe the ring around the top of the jar. Take a lid out of the water and place on jar. Screw ring onto jar.
- Process in hot water bath for 30 minutes if you are doing quarts or 25 minutes if you are doing pints.
- Remove from water set back on rag on counter. Allow to cool and you should hear a pop after a while and you know that it has sealed itself. Sometimes this can take a few hours. The jars will be sticky so you need to wash them off before storing.
- Canning is about timing. Get your timing down and it will start to go fast. It helps to have 2 people. My hubby will peel the peaches for me and I do the rest.
- There are some tools you can buy that are really helpful
- The funnel helps to put the syrup in without getting it everywhere
- The little stick at the bottom has a magnet on it and it helps you get the lids out of the hot water without burning your hands
- The last tool that I feel is essential is the one right in the middle and that gets your cans out of the hot water bath.
- My mom taught me to have two types of rings. I have 12 rings that are rusty and yucky and these are the one I use on the jars when they are in the hot water bath. Then after it is done and cooled when I wash the jars I take of the rusty rings and put on a nice shiny ring. The hot water bath will make your rings rusty so I only use the same 12 in there to keep my other rings nice.
We are gleaning the fields off of the peach farm here and we came home with over 50 pounds of free peaches! call around and ask if you know of some where around you where they have peaches. Often times they will let you go in after they have harvested and get the leftovers!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Mozarella, Tomato, and Basil Salad
It does not get better than THIS salad! Happy Summer!
Mozzarella cheese
Basil
Tomatoes (I wont lie, home grown make this about a million times better)
Salt
Olive oil
Kalamata Olives (optional)
This is the easiest and best salad for the summer. Usually its best to use fresh mozzarella but I didn't have it and I had the other kind and it still works. Slice tomatoes and cheese and then for the basil I think the easiest way to cut it is to roll the leaf up and then slice. Then it unrolls the perfect size for this salad. Layer the tomatoes with cheese and sprinkle very lightly with salt. Add basil and just continue to layer in that manner. When you are done with your layers drizzle with olive oil and we garnish it with the olives because they add a lot of flavor and are so yummy!
Mozzarella cheese
Basil
Tomatoes (I wont lie, home grown make this about a million times better)
Salt
Olive oil
Kalamata Olives (optional)
This is the easiest and best salad for the summer. Usually its best to use fresh mozzarella but I didn't have it and I had the other kind and it still works. Slice tomatoes and cheese and then for the basil I think the easiest way to cut it is to roll the leaf up and then slice. Then it unrolls the perfect size for this salad. Layer the tomatoes with cheese and sprinkle very lightly with salt. Add basil and just continue to layer in that manner. When you are done with your layers drizzle with olive oil and we garnish it with the olives because they add a lot of flavor and are so yummy!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Oriental Side Salad
This salad is light and yummy. Great as a side and even as a main dish when you live in Southern Utah in the summer!
Lettuce (I prefer green leaf) Package of Ramen noodles, broken into pieces and toasted in the oven until they are starting to turn golden
Green onions
mandarin oranges
Toasted almonds
Sesame Seeds (otional)
Dressing:
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
¼ c olive oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
Mix the lettuce, oranges, and onions together. Add dressing and toss. Then toss in noodles and almonds.
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