This fruit and pasta salad is one of my favorite side dishes from my childhood. It is always a crowd pleaser and is simple and easy to make. If you need a dish for a potluck or a side for a family dinner, try Pepe Salad.
Pepe is pronounced with two short E's like the e in "egg." When you go to buy it, it can be found in the grocery store's pasta section. Look for Acine de Pepe no. 44. It comes in a one pound box. The original recipe called for 1/2 lb of Pepe but I usually double the recipe and use the full box. The recipe below has been doubled and makes a enough to feed a crowd. If you are cooking for a small family, you might want to halve the recipe.
Cook and drain 1 lb of Acine de Pepe Macaroni. Wash in cold water and set aside.
Sauce
2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp flour
4 beaten eggs
Fruit juice from 6 cans of canned fruit (see below)
Drain and save juices of, set fruit aside
2 cans chunk or tidbit pineapple
2 cans of mandarin oranges
2 cans of fruit cocktail (I don't like the fruit cocktail so I usually add 1 extra can of mandarin oranges and 1 extra can of pineapple)
In a medium sized saucepan, mix the sugar and flour first with a whisk. This helps prevent clumps. Then add fruit juices and beaten eggs. Mix well and cook until thick over medium heat. Cool slightly and then poor over cooked macaroni in a large bowl with a lid. Add drained fruit. Mix and chill overnight.
Add 1 extra large container of cool whip (I think it's the 32 oz size). Mix thoroughly. Serve.
Regular Recipe (not doubled)
1/2 lb box of Acine de Pepe
Sauce:
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
2 beaten eggs
Fruit juice from canned fruit
Drain and save juices of, set fruit aside
1 can chunk or tidbit pineapple
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 can of fruit cocktail (I don't like the fruit cocktail so I use 1 can of mandarin oranges)
Add 1 small container of cool whip. Mix thoroughly. Serve.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Bacon, Pineapple, Chicken Stir-Fry
When my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary a couple of years ago, we decided to have a Hawaiian themed party. My mom has always wanted to go to Hawaii but has never been. I researched Hawaiian themed recipes and we had a fun time at our little luau. We enjoyed the recipes I found but this one we have continued to make over and over again. It is always enjoyed. It was originally posted as a kabob recipe but I have found it is much quicker and easier to make as a stir-fry and that is how we typically enjoy it now. The original recipe came from tablespoon.com.
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can pineapple chunks (reserve juice for sauce)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
12 strips thick cut bacon
Hawaiian Sauce
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Start by cooking the bacon into strips. Remove from pan and drain most of the grease. Cook the chicken until mostly done and remove from pan. Stir fry pineapple and veggies until nearly done and add the bacon and chicken back in.
On the stove, heat the Hawaiian sauce in a small saucepan until it starts to boil. Boil while stirring about 2 minutes. It should thicken. Remove from heat and serve next to the stir fry. Serve stir fry over white rice.
Kabobs: If you want to make this as a kabob recipe, just thread all of the main ingredients onto skewers and grill until done. I find they work best baked in the oven for a few minutes before finishing on the grill. Just lay skewers in the bottom of and over the sides of a roasting pan to pre-bake. This helps make sure the chicken is done before the veggies burn. Grill and then serve with the Hawaiian sauce.
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can pineapple chunks (reserve juice for sauce)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
12 strips thick cut bacon
Hawaiian Sauce
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Start by cooking the bacon into strips. Remove from pan and drain most of the grease. Cook the chicken until mostly done and remove from pan. Stir fry pineapple and veggies until nearly done and add the bacon and chicken back in.
On the stove, heat the Hawaiian sauce in a small saucepan until it starts to boil. Boil while stirring about 2 minutes. It should thicken. Remove from heat and serve next to the stir fry. Serve stir fry over white rice.
Kabobs: If you want to make this as a kabob recipe, just thread all of the main ingredients onto skewers and grill until done. I find they work best baked in the oven for a few minutes before finishing on the grill. Just lay skewers in the bottom of and over the sides of a roasting pan to pre-bake. This helps make sure the chicken is done before the veggies burn. Grill and then serve with the Hawaiian sauce.
Instant Pot Hummus
I love hummus! I go through phases where I will eat it like I can't get enough of it and then I stop and don't eat it for months. However, I decided I should learn how to make my own and I found the perfect recipe IF you have the right kitchen tools. I found the original recipe online at Littlespicejar.com. You can reference it here if you would like.
Ingredients
Garbanzo Beans
8 oz dried garbanzo beans (about 1 1/4 cup)
6 cups water
2 cloves garlic
Hummus
1/3-1/2 cup lemon juice (I use the bottled stuff)
1/2 cup tahini paste (found by the peanut butter in the grocery store)
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup reserved chickpea water
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cumin powder
Directions
Add the beans, water and garlic to the Instant Pot. Set on manual to high pressure for 40 minutes. Allow natural release for at least 30 minutes. This allows the chickpeas to continue to cook. Reserve 1 cup of chickpea cooking water, drain the beans and set aside.
Blend
The original recipe calls for a food processor. I use my Vita-mix. Both will work.
Blend the tahini, garlic and lemon juice until it is smooth. Add half the chickpeas, 1 Tbsp of chickpea liquid and half the olive oil. Add the seasonings and remaining chickpeas and olive oil. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed. If it's too thick add more chickpea liquid or lemon juice.
Refrigerate and use within a week.
If you want to make hummus more frequently, you can always cook more beans to start with and freeze the extras with some of the liquid. Dethaw a day before you want to make hummus.
Ingredients
Garbanzo Beans
8 oz dried garbanzo beans (about 1 1/4 cup)
6 cups water
2 cloves garlic
Hummus
1/3-1/2 cup lemon juice (I use the bottled stuff)
1/2 cup tahini paste (found by the peanut butter in the grocery store)
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup reserved chickpea water
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cumin powder
Directions
Add the beans, water and garlic to the Instant Pot. Set on manual to high pressure for 40 minutes. Allow natural release for at least 30 minutes. This allows the chickpeas to continue to cook. Reserve 1 cup of chickpea cooking water, drain the beans and set aside.
Blend
The original recipe calls for a food processor. I use my Vita-mix. Both will work.
Blend the tahini, garlic and lemon juice until it is smooth. Add half the chickpeas, 1 Tbsp of chickpea liquid and half the olive oil. Add the seasonings and remaining chickpeas and olive oil. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed. If it's too thick add more chickpea liquid or lemon juice.
Refrigerate and use within a week.
If you want to make hummus more frequently, you can always cook more beans to start with and freeze the extras with some of the liquid. Dethaw a day before you want to make hummus.
Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip
I never used to buy tri-tip because I had no idea how to cook it. I loved eating it but didn't know how to prepare it and cook it well. This is no longer the case. When I make this tri-tip recipe, my family tells me it's one of the best meals I make. They all love it and gobble it up. It's really not hard to make so if you need a little help on cooking tri-tip, try out this recipe. You won't regret it. I found the original recipe on Allrecipes.com. You can find the original recipe here: Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Rub
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp rosemary (I grind mine with a mortar and pestle before I add it in. It adds better flavor)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 beef tri-tip roast (about 2 1/2 lbs)
Marinade
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (If you don't have this, that's okay. I've made it with and without Dijon)
Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl. Coat beef on all sides with spice mixture. Put beef into a glass dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Combine marinade and add to the glass dish. Turn beef to get marinade on all sides. Uncover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. I often do the dry rub and marinade at the same time. It's probably better letting the dry rub sit on the meat for 4 hours before adding the marinade but if you're short on time, you can do both steps at once.
Cooking
I have a small rotisserie machine that I typically cook the tri-tip on. I cook a 2.5-3 lb tri-tip for 30-40 minutes until the center is about 140 degrees. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
You can also pan fry this in a cast iron skillet or grill outside. Place meat on pre-heated grill or cast iron skillet. Brush with the garlic-vinegar mixture. Cook meat 4 minutes, flip and baste. Repeat the flip and baste process every 4 minutes until beef reaches an internal temperature of about 130-140 degrees. (I find that the 130 is a little too rare for our family). Let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!
I often double or triple the dry seasoning so I have extra on hand when I want to make a tri-tip.
Trippled Dry Rub
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp pepper
2 Tbsp garlic powder
4 1/2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp rosemary (I grind mine with a mortar and pestle before I add it in. It adds better flavor)
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Ingredients
Dry Rub
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp rosemary (I grind mine with a mortar and pestle before I add it in. It adds better flavor)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 beef tri-tip roast (about 2 1/2 lbs)
Marinade
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (If you don't have this, that's okay. I've made it with and without Dijon)
Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl. Coat beef on all sides with spice mixture. Put beef into a glass dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Combine marinade and add to the glass dish. Turn beef to get marinade on all sides. Uncover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. I often do the dry rub and marinade at the same time. It's probably better letting the dry rub sit on the meat for 4 hours before adding the marinade but if you're short on time, you can do both steps at once.
Cooking
I have a small rotisserie machine that I typically cook the tri-tip on. I cook a 2.5-3 lb tri-tip for 30-40 minutes until the center is about 140 degrees. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
You can also pan fry this in a cast iron skillet or grill outside. Place meat on pre-heated grill or cast iron skillet. Brush with the garlic-vinegar mixture. Cook meat 4 minutes, flip and baste. Repeat the flip and baste process every 4 minutes until beef reaches an internal temperature of about 130-140 degrees. (I find that the 130 is a little too rare for our family). Let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!
I often double or triple the dry seasoning so I have extra on hand when I want to make a tri-tip.
Trippled Dry Rub
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp pepper
2 Tbsp garlic powder
4 1/2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp rosemary (I grind mine with a mortar and pestle before I add it in. It adds better flavor)
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Best Ever Carrot Cake
This carrot cake was originally from a recipe somewhere online. I'm sorry, I don't have the website to give credit. If I find it, I will post the link. My mother-in-law made it and we all fell in love with it. It's the best carrot cake I've ever eaten. This carrot cake is loaded with healthy ingredients and tastes absolutely amazing! Both the cake and the frosting are not overly sweet like many cakes end up being. I'll include a few tricks and substitutions I have found that work well.
Best Ever Carrot Cake
From Grammy Terry Zachary
1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce (or 2 apples pureed in Vita-mix)
1 ¼ cups sugar (can also substitute coconut sugar)
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots (buy a bag of shredded carrots from the grocery store to save time)
1 cup coconut (I've used unsweetened or sweetened. Both will work)
1 cup nuts, chopped (I use walnuts)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup un-drained crushed pineapple
Bake 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes for 9x13 pan
25-30 minutes for 3, 8 inch round pans. Cool.
*This cake base would make excellent muffins as well.
*This cake base would make excellent muffins as well.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, whip by itself first. Remove to separate bowl.
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 pinch salt
1-2 tsp vanilla
1. In a mixing bowl whip the 1-1/2 cups whipping cream until stiff peaks form. (Move out of mixer).
2. Beat together the cream cheese with sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth.
3. Using a spatula fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
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This frosting holds up well and doesn't melt like plain whipped cream does. It is easy to spread and can be used for carrot cake or regular cake as it doesn't have a super strong cream cheese flavor. It is really delicious!
Monday, March 30, 2020
Birthday Cake
I am pretty picky when it comes to cake. I like my cake moist and full of flavor. I typically avoid most store bought cakes because they usually don't taste that great and have a super sweet frosting that is just sweet but not flavorful. Whenever I make this cake, everyone seems to enjoy it. The best part is, it starts with a cake mix. I originally found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. It was called Too Much Chocolate Cake. I have since modified it to be vanilla as well as chocolate. Both work.
Birthday Cake (Too Much Chocolate Cake)
1 18.25 oz. package devil's food cake
1 5.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup applesauce (original recipe calls for oil but I substitute it with store bought or homemade applesauce and it works great! It doesn't matter if it has cinnamon or not. This step saves a lot of extra calories)
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1-2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a mixer until well blended. Here's some tips for getting FLAT cakes that turn out well from your pans. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with Crisco. Cut parchment paper and lay across the bottom. I just cut a rectangle and lay it in the round pans. I don't bother trimming it to fit. Just push it into the edges as best you can. Pour half of the batter in each pan. Here's a tip that helps you get flat cakes. I learned it from a baker on a TV show. Take a spatula and shape the batter into a mound in the middle of each cake pan. The center of my cake batter is about 1/2-1 inch higher than the outside edges. It looks like a mini mountain. When it bakes, the cake flattens out and I end up with very flat cakes that don't need to be trimmed. It's weird I know but it totally works!
Bake the cakes about 25-35 minutes. Make sure the center doesn't jiggle when you take it out. Set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a spatula around the outside edge of the cake and then flip onto a cooling rack. Peel off the parchment paper. Since I have followed these steps, I almost always have perfect, round cakes that turn out so well and don't need to be trimmed to flatten them. I hope it works for you!
If you would prefer a vanilla or yellow cake you can use a white or yellow cake mix with vanilla pudding. Recently, I was making a cake and only had a yellow cake mix and chocolate pudding. That was all we had so we used it and it was delicious. It turned into a light chocolate cake.
* I have used this recipe with a boxed gluten free cake mix one time and it turned out excellent. I can't guarantee it will always work but I'd try it again for sure!
Frosting
There are two types of frostings that I typically use with the cake above. I either make a rich chocolate ganache or a whipped cream, cream cheese frosting. Both are delicious! I'll list the recipe for both frosting but only choose one for the cake.
Ganache Frosting
2 cups of whipping cream
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pour a medium container of whipping cream into a small saucepan. It should be 2 cups of whipping cream. Heat until hot but don't boil. Add two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until melted. Reserve a couple of chocolate chips to add at the end. Cool.
I used to have problems getting my ganache to set. Sometimes it would stay runny. Make sure to use just a little less than 2 cups whipping cream or a little more than 2 cups chocolate chips. You want there to be just a little more chocolate than cream. Also, I found out there are different ways that chocolate can temper (harden). It tends to follow the crystals that are in it. So, now, I throw a hard chocolate chip or two into the ganache as it's starting to cool. I think it helps the chocolate to form the right type of crystals and thicken well. Since I started doing this, I haven't had problems with my ganache anymore.
Birthday Cake (Too Much Chocolate Cake)
1 18.25 oz. package devil's food cake
1 5.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup applesauce (original recipe calls for oil but I substitute it with store bought or homemade applesauce and it works great! It doesn't matter if it has cinnamon or not. This step saves a lot of extra calories)
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1-2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a mixer until well blended. Here's some tips for getting FLAT cakes that turn out well from your pans. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with Crisco. Cut parchment paper and lay across the bottom. I just cut a rectangle and lay it in the round pans. I don't bother trimming it to fit. Just push it into the edges as best you can. Pour half of the batter in each pan. Here's a tip that helps you get flat cakes. I learned it from a baker on a TV show. Take a spatula and shape the batter into a mound in the middle of each cake pan. The center of my cake batter is about 1/2-1 inch higher than the outside edges. It looks like a mini mountain. When it bakes, the cake flattens out and I end up with very flat cakes that don't need to be trimmed. It's weird I know but it totally works!
Bake the cakes about 25-35 minutes. Make sure the center doesn't jiggle when you take it out. Set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a spatula around the outside edge of the cake and then flip onto a cooling rack. Peel off the parchment paper. Since I have followed these steps, I almost always have perfect, round cakes that turn out so well and don't need to be trimmed to flatten them. I hope it works for you!
If you would prefer a vanilla or yellow cake you can use a white or yellow cake mix with vanilla pudding. Recently, I was making a cake and only had a yellow cake mix and chocolate pudding. That was all we had so we used it and it was delicious. It turned into a light chocolate cake.
* I have used this recipe with a boxed gluten free cake mix one time and it turned out excellent. I can't guarantee it will always work but I'd try it again for sure!
Frosting
There are two types of frostings that I typically use with the cake above. I either make a rich chocolate ganache or a whipped cream, cream cheese frosting. Both are delicious! I'll list the recipe for both frosting but only choose one for the cake.
Ganache Frosting
2 cups of whipping cream
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pour a medium container of whipping cream into a small saucepan. It should be 2 cups of whipping cream. Heat until hot but don't boil. Add two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until melted. Reserve a couple of chocolate chips to add at the end. Cool.
I used to have problems getting my ganache to set. Sometimes it would stay runny. Make sure to use just a little less than 2 cups whipping cream or a little more than 2 cups chocolate chips. You want there to be just a little more chocolate than cream. Also, I found out there are different ways that chocolate can temper (harden). It tends to follow the crystals that are in it. So, now, I throw a hard chocolate chip or two into the ganache as it's starting to cool. I think it helps the chocolate to form the right type of crystals and thicken well. Since I started doing this, I haven't had problems with my ganache anymore.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, un-whipped
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 pinch salt
1-2 tsp vanilla
1. In a bowl whip the 1-1/2 cups whipping cream until stiff peaks form. (Move out of mixer into a separate bowl).
2. In the original mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese with sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth. Make sure the sugar isn't crystalized any longer.
3. Using a spatula fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
The beauty of this recipe that it's not overly sweet and it holds up well in on the cake like a regular whipped cream frosting would not. It is a white frosting so you can easily color and decorate this frosting.
Sour Cream Cake
If you want a super quick and easy cake that is super delicious, this is it. The first time I tasted this I was like, WHAT IS THAT!? It was so yummy. It doesn't look as good as it tastes. However, it tastes amazing! It takes about 10 minutes to throw this together and then has to bake for 30 minutes. It's great for a simple dessert for guests or just for the family. I got this recipe from my friend Sahara.
Sour Cream Cake
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cold water
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients in a mixer. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Frosting Sauce (This is half of the original recipe. It is so tasty but it is more than enough!)
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cube butter (1/2 cup)
Mix together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 3-6 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp vanilla. Pour hot sauce over top of the hot cake. You can poke holes to help it sink in better if you'd like. Serve hot.
Sour Cream Cake
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cold water
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients in a mixer. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Frosting Sauce (This is half of the original recipe. It is so tasty but it is more than enough!)
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cube butter (1/2 cup)
Mix together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 3-6 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp vanilla. Pour hot sauce over top of the hot cake. You can poke holes to help it sink in better if you'd like. Serve hot.
Bacon Jalepeno Poppers
If you are following a Keto diet, these are one of my favorite appetizers that work well with Keto. They are delicious and everyone loves them. They save well too if they don't disappear right away. Great for a party or just a snack!
Bacon Jalapeños Poppers
About 15 jalapeños
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 package bacon
Cut and seed about 15 jalapeños. I use my strawberry huller to scoop the seeds out. It works great!
I lay the cut jalapeños on a cookie sheet with a layer of parchment on top. Mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until combined. You can microwave it briefly if needed. (10-15 seconds). Add about 1 tsp of the cheese filling to each half of jalapeño. Open package of bacon and cut bacon into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Lay 1 piece of bacon on top of each jalapeño.
Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The jalapeños should look soft and the bacon should start crisping up. If they aren't done, leave them in for another 10 minutes.
Bacon Jalapeños Poppers
About 15 jalapeños
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 package bacon
Cut and seed about 15 jalapeños. I use my strawberry huller to scoop the seeds out. It works great!
I lay the cut jalapeños on a cookie sheet with a layer of parchment on top. Mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until combined. You can microwave it briefly if needed. (10-15 seconds). Add about 1 tsp of the cheese filling to each half of jalapeño. Open package of bacon and cut bacon into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Lay 1 piece of bacon on top of each jalapeño.
Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The jalapeños should look soft and the bacon should start crisping up. If they aren't done, leave them in for another 10 minutes.
Dill Veggie Dip
This dip is super quick and easy to make and is loaded with flavor. My friend, Beth Hykes, made it for a Bible Study and I loved the taste. It is great served with veggies but can also be served with crackers or chips.
Dill Veggie Dip
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp celery salt
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
2 Tablespoons dry onion flakes
Mix and chill at least 3 hours before serving for best flavor.
Dill Veggie Dip
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp celery salt
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
2 Tablespoons dry onion flakes
Mix and chill at least 3 hours before serving for best flavor.
Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls
I'm not sure where I found this recipe originally. I think it may have been on Our Best Bites. These are Brazilian cheese rolls (puffs) and they are delicious! If you need a gluten free side for a meal, these are our go to! Everyone loves them and they are quick and easy to make.
Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (I use olive but you can use whatever you prefer)
1 cup tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Optional: pour the batter into your pan and then sprinkle lightly with salt, cheese or herbs
Place ingredients except for cheese in blender and blend until smooth. Add cheeses and blend just a tiny bit. Pour into mini-muffin tins. Spray first with oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. They should fall right out when they are done. I had three mini muffin pans. They stuck to one of them every time and fell out of the other two. I ended up getting rid of the pan they stuck to.
Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (I use olive but you can use whatever you prefer)
1 cup tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Optional: pour the batter into your pan and then sprinkle lightly with salt, cheese or herbs
Place ingredients except for cheese in blender and blend until smooth. Add cheeses and blend just a tiny bit. Pour into mini-muffin tins. Spray first with oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. They should fall right out when they are done. I had three mini muffin pans. They stuck to one of them every time and fell out of the other two. I ended up getting rid of the pan they stuck to.
2 Hour Turkey
I've taken a LONG 7 year hiatus from this blog but was just reminded of it today and thought I'd add some more of my favorite recipes to share and be able to find later. Enjoy!
You know how turkeys usually take hours and hours to cook? This recipe shows you how to cook a turkey in 1.5-2 hours! It's amazing.
2 Hour Turkey
Clean your oven first. Seriously. It's no fun having the smoke alarm going off when it's freezing outside! The high heat will make any spatters in your oven smoke. I usually do the oven's clean cycle the day before I cook my turkey.
Ingredients:
1 turkey
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Dry turkey then rub spices all over turkey and inside before cooking. Cook turkey for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until heated to 160 degrees. Turn turkey around halfway through the time. You'll end up with a juicy, perfectly done turkey.
You know how turkeys usually take hours and hours to cook? This recipe shows you how to cook a turkey in 1.5-2 hours! It's amazing.
2 Hour Turkey
Clean your oven first. Seriously. It's no fun having the smoke alarm going off when it's freezing outside! The high heat will make any spatters in your oven smoke. I usually do the oven's clean cycle the day before I cook my turkey.
Ingredients:
1 turkey
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Dry turkey then rub spices all over turkey and inside before cooking. Cook turkey for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until heated to 160 degrees. Turn turkey around halfway through the time. You'll end up with a juicy, perfectly done turkey.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
The Perfect Brownie
My friend, Carley, made these brownies and shared them with me. I have since tried other brownie recipes and even adjusted this one to try to make it healthier. However, nothing came close to how tasty these brownies are. Better than any boxed brownie I have ever tried and they come out perfect every time. I learned my lesson though and found that you cannot substitute applesauce for the butter (like I do in my chocolate cake recipe). Make these today! You won't regret it...your waist will, but your taste buds won't.
INGREDIENTS:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.
7. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
Source: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/08/the-baked-brownie/
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Newton’s Sugar Cookies
This recipe is from a friend of mine from college. They are super delicious sugar cookies and some of my friends call them the "best sugar cookies in the world." I love making these in circle shapes (easier to frost and so versatile to decorate). I'll often make a double batch and freeze a bunch of them either frosted or plain. Then, when I want to take cookies to someone, I can just pull out however many I need, frost them if they need it and I'm good to go. These cookies are great anytime but I love them after the frosting has been on for 24 hours and the frosting has dried and the cookie has softened just a little from the frosting.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
Roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Maybe just slightly thicker.
Bake @ 400 degrees about 7-8 minutes. They should not be brown when you take them out. If I see one cookies edge start to brown, I remove the tray.
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk *
2 teaspoons light corn syrup *
* I usually add extra milk and corn syrup until it’s a smooth runny consistency. You don’t want to fight to have to spread it on the cookies. Add a few drops extra at a time.
Dessert
**If I double the batch of cookies, I usually use three eggs instead of two to make it moist enough. If you make a single batch and it's a little dry, you can always add another egg. Don't add the extra egg unless it needs it.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The BEST Granola Bars
My friend, Kendall, introduced me to homemade granola bars. This recipe tastes delicious and can be changed so easily depending on what you have on hand. Feel free to substitute coconut oil for butter, almond or other nut butter for the peanut butter, honey for corn syrup. Make it as healthy as you want and it will still taste delicious. I've included a link to the original recipe at the bottom of this post. This recipe includes some of the extra add-ins I use in my recipe.
You never have to buy granola bars again. Save money and make your own and know exactly what you're putting into them.
Coconut Granola Bars
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips*
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds, shelled
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flax seeds
3 cups old-fashioned oats
*You can use cranberries or other dried fruit in addition or in place of the chocolate chips if you'd like.
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine sugar, nut butter, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Add the mix-in ingredients next and combine. Finally, mix in the oats at the end.
Press into two greased 9x13 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 23-30 or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
Original Recipe Found at:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/coconut-granola-bars/detail.aspx
You never have to buy granola bars again. Save money and make your own and know exactly what you're putting into them.
Coconut Granola Bars
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips*
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds, shelled
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flax seeds
3 cups old-fashioned oats
*You can use cranberries or other dried fruit in addition or in place of the chocolate chips if you'd like.
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine sugar, nut butter, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Add the mix-in ingredients next and combine. Finally, mix in the oats at the end.
Press into two greased 9x13 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 23-30 or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
Original Recipe Found at:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/coconut-granola-bars/detail.aspx
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Coffee Cake
This is the coffee cake recipe I grew up with. It's so simple to make and so delicious. It's not too dry and not too "cakey." I brought it to MOPS this week and every last bite was eaten up. It really doesn't take that long to make but if I know I'm going to be in a rush for time, I will make the batter part up the night before and pour it into a greased 9x13 pan and put the pan in the fridge. I then mix up the brown sugar mixture and just leave it in a Tupperware on the counter. In the morning, I pre-heat the oven and sprinkle the topping over the batter. Once the oven is pre-heated, all I have to do is bake it for 25 minutes and I'm ready to go.
When you add the topping, just sprinkle it fairly evenly across the top of the batter. As it bakes, some of it will stay near the top and much of it will sink into the cake. It ends up looking very pretty and marbled when it's done baking.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
From the kitchen of: Martha Rowlands
Preparation time (start to finish): 30 minutes. Serves 6-8.
Mix together:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons melted shortening/butter
1 cup milk
Add:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
Pour into greased 9x13 pan.
Top with mixture: (Mix in separate bowl with a fork)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Bake 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
This is definitely best when eaten warm although it can also be eaten room temperature or re-heated.
When you add the topping, just sprinkle it fairly evenly across the top of the batter. As it bakes, some of it will stay near the top and much of it will sink into the cake. It ends up looking very pretty and marbled when it's done baking.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
From the kitchen of: Martha Rowlands
Preparation time (start to finish): 30 minutes. Serves 6-8.
Mix together:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons melted shortening/butter
1 cup milk
Add:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
Pour into greased 9x13 pan.
Top with mixture: (Mix in separate bowl with a fork)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Bake 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
This is definitely best when eaten warm although it can also be eaten room temperature or re-heated.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Cinnamon Rolls and Orange Rolls
Growing up, almost every Sunday morning before church, our family would sit down to a breakfast of hot cinnamon or orange rolls. We would wake up and my parents would preheat the oven and throw a pan of cinnamon rolls in the oven. We'd get dressed and by the time we were ready, the rolls were coming out of the oven and quite often my mom would have whipped up a batch of frosting for the top of them. What good memories I have of those days.
I have decided to start a family tradition of gifting cinnamon and orange rolls to my neighbors and friends at Christmas time. What a fun gift to give that can either be eaten immediately, frozen and saved or eaten for Christmas morning. My family enjoys walking around to each of our neighbor's homes and delivering the rolls with a little note that includes reheating instructions and Christmas blessings.
Now, when I make cinnamon rolls, I go back and forth between using my mom's recipe and Pioneer Woman's recipe. They're both good and turn out about the same. When I use Pioneer Woman's recipe, I don't heat it on the stove like she says to do. I just use hot milk and mix in my mixer. It's a big recipe for my little mixer but I make it work. One recipe of Pioneer Woman's makes about 7-8 pans of rolls. One recipe of my mom's rolls makes about 3 pans. Here's the recipe I grew up with. It's called Army Sweet Basic Dough because it's a recipe that was used in the Army for their sweet rolls.
Army Sweet Basic Dough
*Set 2 sticks of butter out to soften for later*
In a small bowl, mix and let stand until foamy:
3/4 cups hot water (as hot as you can get your tap water and not burn yourself)
2 packages yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1 Tablespoon sugar
In large mixing bowl: cream together (with cake beater):
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
After creaming above mix, add and cream together:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Add yeast mixture and:
2 cups flour
Mix well. Switch to a dough hook.
Add:
2 cups additional flour (knead for a long time to break down gluten). I usually add another 1-3 cups of flour at this stage until the dough pulls away from the wall of the bowl. There shouldn't be flour in the bowl that can't be absorbed but if it's sticking to the walls of the bowl, you can add more flour. Don't go crazy with it though. If it sticks a little, it's okay.
Preheat oven to warm for 5 minutes. Grease the bowl, flip the dough to coat both sides with oil (prevents drying out). I generally just spray it with my aerosol spray. Cover with a cloth. Let rise 2-3 hours until doubled. Punch down the dough and let rise for 10 minutes. (If you try to roll it out right away it'll tend to pull back in on itself due to the gluten. Allow the gluten to rest for a short while and it'll be much easier to roll).
Get 2-3 cake pans ready. In each pan put 1/4 cube of melted butter in each pan and 1/4 cup of brown sugar (sugar is optional...butter is not).
Pour dough onto floured pastry cloth or work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, press to cut dough in half. Return half to your bowl. Shape other half into a rectangular shape with your hands and then roll out evenly. At this point, the dough should not be sticky. Use enough flour to make sure it doesn't stick to your work surface or rolling pin. You shouldn't have to add much if you added enough prior to rising. Work the corners out so you don't end up with an oval. You want a large rectangle.
Once you have your rectangle, spread 1/4 cup or so of soft butter over the surface with a spatula. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon, sugar and sprinkle with raisens. The cinnamon and sugar should cover the entire surface. Roll up and cut in half. Keep cutting your sections in halves until you have the size rolls you want. This helps you end up with even sized rolls. Mine are usually only about 1 inch wide when I place them in my pans. *(be sure to put them in pans with butter/sugar on the bottom). Remember, they will rise and spread. I usually end up with 24-36 rolls depending on how I cut them. Don't crowd your pans. I will usually put 6-8 rolls/pan. Think about the size of your family when you place your rolls. If you have 4 people, maybe make pans of 8. We used to use some larger cake pans and put 12 rolls in them so we'd each get 3 rolls to eat. The point is, it's flexible. There's no perfect number.
Place pans in a warm oven and let double in size for 30-60 minutes. The rolls should fill the pan at this point. Remove from oven and preheat oven to 350.
Because we usually weren't eating them right after we made them, we cooked them and then reheated them later which is what the following directions are for. We would always bake our rolls for about 15 minutes until cooked through. (They're a little undercooked at 15 minutes bit still edible. If you want to fully cook them, I'd leave them in for 20-25 minutes). Lay out about 2-2 1/2 feet of tinfoil and flip pan upside down on to the center of the tinfoil. Scrape any remaining sugar from the bottom of the pan and roll up the sides of the tinfoil to close. Turn and wrap with one more layer of tinfoil on the other side. Allow to cool and then you can freeze the rolls in the tinfoil and then just thaw, and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes while still in the tinfoil. This way, you have your pans free for other uses. After you reheat the rolls, unroll the tinfoil, place a plate on the bottom and flip over. Your rolls are now face up and ready for frosting.
Basic Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
Drop of almond extract
(Personally, I always like a good cream cheese icing but this one's easy and works good as well)
Variation: Orange Rolls
My mom would switch back and forth between cinnamon and orange rolls. As a child, I preferred the cinnamon rolls but now I really enjoy the orange rolls as well.
Make everything as normal but instead of cinnamon, sugar and raisens, use the following filling and a different icing to create orange rolls.
Orange Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
Stir together and sprinkle over buttered dough
Orange Glaze Icing:
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
I hope you have fun making cinnamon rolls for your family and make many wonderful memories!
I have decided to start a family tradition of gifting cinnamon and orange rolls to my neighbors and friends at Christmas time. What a fun gift to give that can either be eaten immediately, frozen and saved or eaten for Christmas morning. My family enjoys walking around to each of our neighbor's homes and delivering the rolls with a little note that includes reheating instructions and Christmas blessings.
Now, when I make cinnamon rolls, I go back and forth between using my mom's recipe and Pioneer Woman's recipe. They're both good and turn out about the same. When I use Pioneer Woman's recipe, I don't heat it on the stove like she says to do. I just use hot milk and mix in my mixer. It's a big recipe for my little mixer but I make it work. One recipe of Pioneer Woman's makes about 7-8 pans of rolls. One recipe of my mom's rolls makes about 3 pans. Here's the recipe I grew up with. It's called Army Sweet Basic Dough because it's a recipe that was used in the Army for their sweet rolls.
Army Sweet Basic Dough
*Set 2 sticks of butter out to soften for later*
In a small bowl, mix and let stand until foamy:
3/4 cups hot water (as hot as you can get your tap water and not burn yourself)
2 packages yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1 Tablespoon sugar
In large mixing bowl: cream together (with cake beater):
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
After creaming above mix, add and cream together:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Add yeast mixture and:
2 cups flour
Mix well. Switch to a dough hook.
Add:
2 cups additional flour (knead for a long time to break down gluten). I usually add another 1-3 cups of flour at this stage until the dough pulls away from the wall of the bowl. There shouldn't be flour in the bowl that can't be absorbed but if it's sticking to the walls of the bowl, you can add more flour. Don't go crazy with it though. If it sticks a little, it's okay.
Preheat oven to warm for 5 minutes. Grease the bowl, flip the dough to coat both sides with oil (prevents drying out). I generally just spray it with my aerosol spray. Cover with a cloth. Let rise 2-3 hours until doubled. Punch down the dough and let rise for 10 minutes. (If you try to roll it out right away it'll tend to pull back in on itself due to the gluten. Allow the gluten to rest for a short while and it'll be much easier to roll).
Get 2-3 cake pans ready. In each pan put 1/4 cube of melted butter in each pan and 1/4 cup of brown sugar (sugar is optional...butter is not).
Pour dough onto floured pastry cloth or work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, press to cut dough in half. Return half to your bowl. Shape other half into a rectangular shape with your hands and then roll out evenly. At this point, the dough should not be sticky. Use enough flour to make sure it doesn't stick to your work surface or rolling pin. You shouldn't have to add much if you added enough prior to rising. Work the corners out so you don't end up with an oval. You want a large rectangle.
Once you have your rectangle, spread 1/4 cup or so of soft butter over the surface with a spatula. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon, sugar and sprinkle with raisens. The cinnamon and sugar should cover the entire surface. Roll up and cut in half. Keep cutting your sections in halves until you have the size rolls you want. This helps you end up with even sized rolls. Mine are usually only about 1 inch wide when I place them in my pans. *(be sure to put them in pans with butter/sugar on the bottom). Remember, they will rise and spread. I usually end up with 24-36 rolls depending on how I cut them. Don't crowd your pans. I will usually put 6-8 rolls/pan. Think about the size of your family when you place your rolls. If you have 4 people, maybe make pans of 8. We used to use some larger cake pans and put 12 rolls in them so we'd each get 3 rolls to eat. The point is, it's flexible. There's no perfect number.
Place pans in a warm oven and let double in size for 30-60 minutes. The rolls should fill the pan at this point. Remove from oven and preheat oven to 350.
Because we usually weren't eating them right after we made them, we cooked them and then reheated them later which is what the following directions are for. We would always bake our rolls for about 15 minutes until cooked through. (They're a little undercooked at 15 minutes bit still edible. If you want to fully cook them, I'd leave them in for 20-25 minutes). Lay out about 2-2 1/2 feet of tinfoil and flip pan upside down on to the center of the tinfoil. Scrape any remaining sugar from the bottom of the pan and roll up the sides of the tinfoil to close. Turn and wrap with one more layer of tinfoil on the other side. Allow to cool and then you can freeze the rolls in the tinfoil and then just thaw, and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes while still in the tinfoil. This way, you have your pans free for other uses. After you reheat the rolls, unroll the tinfoil, place a plate on the bottom and flip over. Your rolls are now face up and ready for frosting.
Basic Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
Drop of almond extract
(Personally, I always like a good cream cheese icing but this one's easy and works good as well)
Variation: Orange Rolls
My mom would switch back and forth between cinnamon and orange rolls. As a child, I preferred the cinnamon rolls but now I really enjoy the orange rolls as well.
Make everything as normal but instead of cinnamon, sugar and raisens, use the following filling and a different icing to create orange rolls.
Orange Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
Stir together and sprinkle over buttered dough
Orange Glaze Icing:
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
I hope you have fun making cinnamon rolls for your family and make many wonderful memories!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Fresh Burrito
I was at my friend, Kendall's, house for dinner a couple of weeks ago. She made these burritos for dinner and they were so delicious! In the past couple of weeks, I've probably eaten one of these burritos at least every other day. Once I cook the chicken, it lasts for about a week in the fridge. I can then throw together a burrito in about 3 minutes! Here's how to make it:
Shredded Chicken:
Add about 3 chicken breasts to your crock-pot with half a jar of salsa (I prefer the green salsa but use whatever you have) Great way to use up those jars of salsa that get opened and linger in the fridge once the chips are gone! Turn your crock-pot on high and cook until you can shred your chicken with a fork. Use a little for your burrito and store the rest in the fridge.
Organic, whole wheat burrito size tortilla
Shredded chicken, warmed up
Shredded cheese
Avocado
Lettuce
Tomato
Sour Cream
Warm your tortilla in a pan and flip. Make sure it stays soft and doesn't become crunchy. Remove and add a little of all of the above ingredients. Fold in sides and roll up. Eat immediately!! This burrito tastes so fresh and is so quick and easy to make.
Variation: My husband prefers to make chicken tacos. He heats up small corn tortillas, adds chicken and then tops it with pico de gallo. Also delicious!
Shredded Chicken:
Add about 3 chicken breasts to your crock-pot with half a jar of salsa (I prefer the green salsa but use whatever you have) Great way to use up those jars of salsa that get opened and linger in the fridge once the chips are gone! Turn your crock-pot on high and cook until you can shred your chicken with a fork. Use a little for your burrito and store the rest in the fridge.
Organic, whole wheat burrito size tortilla
Shredded chicken, warmed up
Shredded cheese
Avocado
Lettuce
Tomato
Sour Cream
Warm your tortilla in a pan and flip. Make sure it stays soft and doesn't become crunchy. Remove and add a little of all of the above ingredients. Fold in sides and roll up. Eat immediately!! This burrito tastes so fresh and is so quick and easy to make.
Variation: My husband prefers to make chicken tacos. He heats up small corn tortillas, adds chicken and then tops it with pico de gallo. Also delicious!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Potato Soup
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion. Saute until translucent.
3 cups potatoes, diced
2 cups water or broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped or shredded
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, dried marjoram, celery salt, dried dill weed, or paprika
Add, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. For a creamier soup, remove some of the cooked potatoes, puree them and return to the saucepan.
2 cups milk
3 Tablespoons flour
Mix together until smooth. Add to soup and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Optional additions: 1 cup cubed cooked ham ~ 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ~ 1/2 lb. browned ground beef with 1/4 cup plain yogurt stirred in just before serving ~ substitute 2 cups corn for one of the cups of potatoes ~ dumplings: combine 1 large beaten egg, 1/2 cup flour and 2 Tablespoons milk, drop dough by teaspoons into simmering soup and simmer 5 more minutes.
1/2 cup onion, chopped
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion. Saute until translucent.
3 cups potatoes, diced
2 cups water or broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped or shredded
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, dried marjoram, celery salt, dried dill weed, or paprika
Add, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. For a creamier soup, remove some of the cooked potatoes, puree them and return to the saucepan.
2 cups milk
3 Tablespoons flour
Mix together until smooth. Add to soup and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Huevos Rancheros
Eggs poached in tomato sauce.
Saute in skillet:
3 T. oil (I use lard)
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped (I use 1/2)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Add:
2 large fresh tomatoes, finely chopped OR 2 c. stewed tomatoes, drained
1/2 c. tomato sauce (I use an 8 oz. can)
1/2 t. salt
1-2 T chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, occasionally mashing tomatoes.
Break into hot sauce:
6 eggs
Cover eggs with:
6 slices mozzarella cheese
Cover skillet and poach eggs over low heat 3-5 minutes, or until as firm as desired. (I find it takes longer than that, and I'm not going for hard yolks either).
Serve with green salad and corn muffins. I serve it over rice.
Recipe from More-with-Less cookbook, page 152
Saute in skillet:
3 T. oil (I use lard)
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped (I use 1/2)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Add:
2 large fresh tomatoes, finely chopped OR 2 c. stewed tomatoes, drained
1/2 c. tomato sauce (I use an 8 oz. can)
1/2 t. salt
1-2 T chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, occasionally mashing tomatoes.
Break into hot sauce:
6 eggs
Cover eggs with:
6 slices mozzarella cheese
Cover skillet and poach eggs over low heat 3-5 minutes, or until as firm as desired. (I find it takes longer than that, and I'm not going for hard yolks either).
Serve with green salad and corn muffins. I serve it over rice.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Spaghetti
Cook 1/2 package of extra thin noodles.
Saute 1 chopped green pepper in lard, when mostly done add 1 lb. ground beef to brown. Then add:
4 cloves garlic, minced
grind pepper over all
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried basil
1-2 TBSP ground oregano
Salt
1 4oz. can mushroom pieces2 15oz. cans tomato sauce
Simmer, add to drained noodles, let sit for a bit for flavors to absorb.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Borscht
½ head cabbage, cut up
4 beets, in strips
2 big carrots, in strips
4 potatoes (often I use less or no potatoes)
1 lb. stew beef, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 small can tomato sauce (optional, I leave out)
1 tsp. each dried dill and parsley, use more if fresh
salt to taste
pepper - I use 1/8 - 1/4 tsp.
sour cream
Boil meat, add salt when it starts to boil (I use beef stock when I have it). When it’s almost done, add the potatoes and cook midway. Meanwhile in a different pan put oil (I use lard) and the beets and carrots cut into strips. Add ½ cup water and simmer until softer, continue watching and stirring. When halfway cooked, add onions and tomatoe sauce/paste and cook until almost soft. Then dump it all into the other pot of meat and potatoes and add cabbage. Let it all cook together until the cabbage is cooked. At the very end add the dill and/or parsley and black pepper, then let it simmer 5 minutes to get the full flavor. Serve with sour cream stirred in. It's delicious!
There are many, many ways to make Borscht. The above are the instructions I got from Russian friends. Other methods include: Put it all in the crock pot. ~ Simmer all the veggies together, then add cooked meat. ~ Simmer everything together except the beets, omit the carrots. Steam the beets, then add (I guess that's quicker? Beets do take a long time to soften). ~ Use ground beef instead of stew meat, make small meatballs with salt & pepper added, put these in at the end as they cook quickly. ~ Add diced tomatoes and garlic. ~ Use browned ground pork sausage instead of beef. ~
4 beets, in strips
2 big carrots, in strips
4 potatoes (often I use less or no potatoes)
1 lb. stew beef, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 small can tomato sauce (optional, I leave out)
1 tsp. each dried dill and parsley, use more if fresh
salt to taste
pepper - I use 1/8 - 1/4 tsp.
sour cream
Boil meat, add salt when it starts to boil (I use beef stock when I have it). When it’s almost done, add the potatoes and cook midway. Meanwhile in a different pan put oil (I use lard) and the beets and carrots cut into strips. Add ½ cup water and simmer until softer, continue watching and stirring. When halfway cooked, add onions and tomatoe sauce/paste and cook until almost soft. Then dump it all into the other pot of meat and potatoes and add cabbage. Let it all cook together until the cabbage is cooked. At the very end add the dill and/or parsley and black pepper, then let it simmer 5 minutes to get the full flavor. Serve with sour cream stirred in. It's delicious!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sahara & Megan's Sow Your Own Oats Cookies
There's a local bakery that makes DELICIOUS (but expensive) breads and pastries. Earlier this week, my friend, Sahara, came over to my house and brought a couple of their delicious oatmeal cookies. After enjoying them together, we decided to try to knock-off these cookies. Today, I purchased another of their oatmeal cookies called "Sow Your Oats Cookie" and we "dissected" the cookie and attempted to recreate it. Let's just say what we ended up with is extremely close to original cookie. We were both very impressed with ourselves that they turned out so close to the original. So, if you'd like to try a hearty, oatmeal cookie chalk full of goodness, make these today!
Cream:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix in:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 to 2 cups flour
Add:
2 cups oatmeal (try to use old fashioned oats or thick rolled oats)
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
Form into 1/4 cup balls of dough. Slightly flatten with hand. Only put four cookies per cookie sheet as they will spread.
Bake 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until edges turn brown.
Recipe makes 13-15 extra large cookies.
Cream:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix in:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 to 2 cups flour
Add:
2 cups oatmeal (try to use old fashioned oats or thick rolled oats)
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
Form into 1/4 cup balls of dough. Slightly flatten with hand. Only put four cookies per cookie sheet as they will spread.
Bake 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until edges turn brown.
Recipe makes 13-15 extra large cookies.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
My friend, Carley, made this recipe for my friends and I the other week. She had just been watching my kids and when I arrived at her home, she had this meal prepared for us and it was so delicious! One of my other friends and I each had four multiple servings. It was seriously so good! If you want something quick, easy, and delicious, throw this together for dinner.
1 family can of cream of chicken soup
2 7 oz cans of diced green chillies
1 finely chopped onion (optional)
2 big chicken breasts diced (cooked)
extra spice add 1 can of jalapeño (optional)
Mix together
Layer corn tortilla, then mixture, then shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot throughout.
1 family can of cream of chicken soup
2 7 oz cans of diced green chillies
1 finely chopped onion (optional)
2 big chicken breasts diced (cooked)
extra spice add 1 can of jalapeño (optional)
Mix together
Layer corn tortilla, then mixture, then shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot throughout.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Dark Gingerbread
If you're looking for something delicious to eat and you want your house to smell heavenly in a fallish-holiday type of way, then you should definitely give this dark gingerbread a try. It's a recipe my mom made when I was growing up. It's moist, flavorful and very enjoyable both hot and warm. It's currently in my oven and I'm planning on topping my piece with a spoonful of my favorite coconut whipped cream. I am so excited to be enjoying this recipe for dessert tonight!! If you have molasses on hand, you probably have all of the other ingredients already.
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.
½
cup shortening
½
cup sugar
1
egg
2
½ cup flour
1
½ teaspoon soda
½
teaspoon salt
1
teaspoon cinnamon
1
teaspoon ginger
½
teaspoon cloves
1
cup dark molasses
1
cup hot water
Melt
shortening. Cool. Add sugar and egg. Beat. Sift dry ingredients.
Mix molasses and water. Add alternately with sifted dry ingredients to sugar
mixture. Pour into 9x9x2 inches pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45
minutes. Serve with a dollop of whipping cream.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Baked Potato Curls
This is practically a meal in itself, but also goes great with steak or anything else on the grill. It was designed for The Pampered Chef's Deep Covered Baker stone, but could be made in any casserole dish. I served it for my husband's birthday, with grilled steaks and a tomato and fresh mozzarella salad, and he said the meal was better than going out to a steakhouse!
Peel and slice 4 potatoes and place in casserole dish. Chop 1 bunch green onion tops and place in medium bowl. Fry 4-5 strips bacon and chop into fine bits, then add to green onions (real bacon bits work fine, too). Press 2 garlic cloves into bowl and mix with one cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup melted butter. Mix together and spoon over potatoes. Cover; bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Peel and slice 4 potatoes and place in casserole dish. Chop 1 bunch green onion tops and place in medium bowl. Fry 4-5 strips bacon and chop into fine bits, then add to green onions (real bacon bits work fine, too). Press 2 garlic cloves into bowl and mix with one cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup melted butter. Mix together and spoon over potatoes. Cover; bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Coconut Whipped Cream
If you like coconut and you like whipped cream, you're going to love this! I had heard about it and thought it was an interesting idea but I absolutely LOVED it when I tried it.
Buy a can of Coconut Milk. It needs to be full fat and preferably not generic (the generic ones are too thin). I buy the Thai Kitchen ones at Vitamin Cottage. They cost less there than my regular grocery store. Leave the can in the fridge for awhile and then open it and scoop off the thick, white part on top. Do NOT shake it before you open it. Save the clear liquid part for smoothies or to drink.
Put the thick part of the coconut milk in your blender and beat until fluffy. Add a small amount of vanilla and a little sugar if you'd like. Serve on pumpkin pie, smoothies or anything else that floats your boat. This stuff is SO good. It saves well for a few days so just put the rest in the fridge for later.
Buy a can of Coconut Milk. It needs to be full fat and preferably not generic (the generic ones are too thin). I buy the Thai Kitchen ones at Vitamin Cottage. They cost less there than my regular grocery store. Leave the can in the fridge for awhile and then open it and scoop off the thick, white part on top. Do NOT shake it before you open it. Save the clear liquid part for smoothies or to drink.
Put the thick part of the coconut milk in your blender and beat until fluffy. Add a small amount of vanilla and a little sugar if you'd like. Serve on pumpkin pie, smoothies or anything else that floats your boat. This stuff is SO good. It saves well for a few days so just put the rest in the fridge for later.
Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup
This is another Vita-mix recipe and it's delicious! I love the flavors the rosemary and dill bring into the soup. It's hearty and yet still healthy. I substituted ham for the bacon as that's what I had in the freezer.
Speed: Variable to High to Variable
Time: 4 minutes
Ingredients
Meal Type: Soups
 Yield: 4 cups |
Time: 4 minutes
Ingredients
| 2 cups (480 ml) skim milk |
| 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, baked |
| 1/3 cup (40 g) shredded, low fat cheddar cheese |
| 1/4 small onion, sautéed |
| 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed |
| 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| 2 ounces (55 g) turkey bacon, cooked, crumbled |
| 1. Place milk, one potato, cheese, onion, dill weed, rosemary and salt into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. 2. Select Variable 1. 3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. 4. Blend for 4 minutes or until heavy steam escapes from the vented lid. 5. Reduce speed to Variable 3. 6. Remove the lid plug. Drop in remaining potato and bacon. Blend for an additional 10 seconds, until chopped. |
| Health Classification: Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Heart Healthy, Gluten-Free |
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