Recipe Exchanges

Wilted Chicken Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

2010-05-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

Good salad with flavorful dressing. Although, I don't quite understand the pomegranate seeds. They're seeds. They're crunchy. I love pom juice, but I don't like eating hard seeds in my food. I'll leave those out next time.

Recipe: Better Homes & Gardens

3/4 cup pomegranate juice
14 oz. chicken tenderloins
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, cut lengthwise in thin wedges
1 TBSP fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano)
3/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
12 oz. baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds

Boil pomegranate juice until it reduces to 1/4 cup (5-8 mins.) Remove from heat; set aside.

Cook chicken in 1 TBSP olive oil until done. (6-8 mins.) Remove from heat; keep warm.

Cook onion, oregano, pepper and salt in 1 TBSP olive oil until onion is tender (3-5 mins.) Stir in reduced pomegranate juice and red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. Gradually add spinach, tossing just until spinach is wilted and combined.

Top spinach with chicken, pomegranate seeds and nuts. Serve.

Meatballs & Creamy Rice Skillet Supper

2010-04-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

Recipe: Betty Crocker

This is a pretty good casserole type dish. Easy to put together. I thought it could use a little more flavor, but good overall.

3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup (I used cream of chicken)
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups ready to eat baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 box (12 oz) frozen meatballs, thawed (I used some leftover turkey meatballs)
chopped, fresh parsley, if desired

In 12-inch skillet, mix rice, soup and water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 5 minutes.

Stir carrots and meatballs into rice mixture. Cover; cook 22-27 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until rice and carrots are tender and meatballs are hot. Sprinkle with parsley.

White Chicken Enchiladas

2010-03-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

These are yummy. Recipe here.

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

2010-03-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Really good. Lots of flavor. Easy to prepare. Not fishy! I fell in love with Mahi Mahi when we were in Maui on our honeymoon.

Recipe: All Recipes

3 TBSP honey
3 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp olive oil
4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp vegetable oil

In a shallow dish, stir together honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. (skin side down) Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes to marinate.

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4-6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistency. Spoon glaze over fish. Serve immediately.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

2010-03-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite banana bread. Love the sour cream flavor. I've made this numerous times. Always turns out well. Mine always takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake.

Recipe: All Recipes

1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Tilapia with Jasmine Rice

2010-03-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Very good. Lots of flavor. Tilapia is not fishy tasting. I just used a dry Italian dressing packet and sprinkled some over the top of the fish instead of using dressing.

Recipe: Taste of Home

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1 1/2 tsp butter
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp seafood seasoning (I used old bay)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 tilapia fillets (6 oz. each)
1/4 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing

In a large saucepan, bring the water, rice and butter to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Combine the seasonings; sprinkle over fillets. Place salad dressing in a large skillet; cook over medium heat until heated through. Add fish; cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with rice.

Yield: 2 servings

1 fillet with 3/4 cup rice equals 356 calories, 5 g fat, 91 mg cholesterol, 743 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 35 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 very lean meat, 3 starch, 1/2 fat.

Chicken Biscuit Casserole - Freezer Meal

2010-03-13T16:47:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

This was pretty good. I thought it needed to be "saucier" but a good casserole. Freezes well.

3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
3 cups chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1-inch thick
1 onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup peas, canned or frozen
3 TBSP cornstarch
1/3 cup cold water
10 biscuits, uncooked (homemade or canned)

Bring chicken broth to a boil; add carrots, onions, celery and garlic and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and peas; simmer 5 minutes more. Mix cornstarch with cold water; add slowly until chicken mixture has the consistency of gravy. Remove from heat; cool.

Put mixture into a ziploc bag and freeze.

To prepare: Thaw casserole. Bake in 400-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place uncooked biscuits on top of casserole. Bake for 20-25 minutes more, until mixture is bubbling and biscuits are golden brown.

Honey Lime Chicken - Freezer Meal

2010-03-05T10:20:00.001-08:00

This is pretty good. Has a lot of flavor. Easy to put together. Freezes well.

Recipe: Unknown

2 lbs. chicken (boneless, skinless)
1/2 TBSP garlic salt
1 TBSP peanut oil
1 (20 oz) can pineapple rings
1/4 cup honey
3 TBSP lime juice
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP cornstarch

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt. Brown in oil. Drain pineapple. Add one fourth of the pineapple juice to skillet. Cover and simmer 6-8 mins. until chicken is golden. Remove chicken. Add honey, lime juice, soy sauce, cornstarch and remainder of pineapple juice. Bring to boil. Cook and stir until thick and clear, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Allow to cool. Place chicken, pineapple rings and sauce in freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw. Heat until sauce is hot and bubbly and chicken is heated through. Serve over rice.

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-03-01T09:43:00.001-08:00

Recipe can be found here. Delicious!

1 quart Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
_____
MAPLE FROSTING:
1 bag Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
½ cups Milk
¼ cups Melted Butter
¼ cups Brewed Coffee
⅛ teaspoons Salt

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30minutes, then bake at 375 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting

Potato Leek Pizza

2010-02-22T00:41:00.000-08:00

From this recipe book, but posted here.

An unlikely combination, but delicious.

Vegetarian Lasagna - Freezer Meal

2010-02-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

This one is still in my freezer, so I can't comment on the finished product. Comes together pretty quick. I could only find slices of provolone, so I just used slices for one layer.

20-oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP olive oil
2 (8-oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
12-oz carton ricotta cheese (OR crumbled, drained tofu)
2 eggs, beaten
1 TBSP dried parsley flakes
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated provolone cheese
12-oz lasagna noodles, cooked & drained (or oven ready noodles)
24-oz jar cheesy Alfredo sauce
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain chopped vegetables as directed on package, measure out 3 cups; set aside. Brown onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Stir in tomato sauce and paste, water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, parsley, mozzarella and provolone cheese.

Lightly grease 9 x 13 baking pan. Place a light layer of tomato sauce in bottom of pan. Layer noodles, tomato sauce, vegetables, Alfredo sauce, ricotta mixture and Parmesan cheese, repeating to make 3 layers of each. Cover well with foil and freeze.

To Bake: Thaw overnight in fridge. Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 50 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes longer until bubbling and heated through.

Mim's Mexican Chicken - Freezer Meal

2010-01-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty good casserole. It has a little bit of spice to it. Really simple. It was really cheesy - maybe a little too cheesy. I will cut down on the cheese next time.

Recipe: Organized Home

1 small package corn tortillas
2 cups chicken or turkey, cooked & diced
12 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-Tel brand)
1 1/4 cup milk
1 onion, chopped

Tear tortillas into 1-inch wide strips; set aside.

In a 13 x 9 casserole dish, alternate layers of strips of tortillas, chicken and cheese (reserve 1/2 cup of cheese for topping), until all the chicken is used. You will have about 3 layers each of tortilla strips, chicken and cheese.

Combine the soups, canned tomatoes & green chillies, milk and onion. Pour soup mixture over layered casserole. Top with reserved cheese.

Cover with plastic wrap, then seal with aluminum foil. Freeze.

To Prepare: Thaw casserole before baking. Remove plastic wrap, then replace foil. Bake covered at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly (about 30 mins.) Remove foil 10 minutes before casserole is done and cook uncovered for 10 mins. to melt cheese.

Allow to stand 5-10 mins. Cut with spatula and serve.

Chocolate Pudding Cookies

2010-01-27T09:24:00.000-08:00

A basic chocolate cookie. Instead of cocoa, pudding gives the cookies their chocolate flavor. The dough is stiff and the cookies don't spread much, so feel free to load up the cookie sheet. Half the recipe made about 35 cookies. I baked mine for 10 mins. and I still thought they were overcooked. I like barely cooked, gooey cookies though.

Recipe: Tasty Kitchen

4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 pkgs (3.4 oz) small instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the instant pudding until well blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then cool on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Chicken - Freezer Meal

2010-01-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

Really good chicken. This recipe has been around, but this is the freezer version, so some slight changes.

1 (.7-ounce) envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup butter
2 pounds chicken breast, boneless/skinless
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese

Turn slower cooker on high. Place butter in bottom of slow cooker. When butter has melted, add dressing mix. Stir into butter and mix well. Cut chicken into strips or dice. Place chicken in slow cooker and stir to coat with seasoned butter mixture. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Remove chicken to plate to cool. Add cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Stir to melt and mix well until smooth and creamy. Remove sauce and allow to cool.

Place chicken and sauce into a freezer ziploc bag and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw. Heat until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

Chicken Divan - Freezer Meal

2010-01-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

Very good! Lots of flavor. Easy to throw together. Freezes well.

Recipe: Unknown

2 cups (or more) cooked brown rice
2 bunches fresh broccoli, chopped and lightly steamed
2-3 cups chicken, cooked, diced or shredded
2 cans cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 TBSP curry
1/2 cup grated cheese
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1 tsp melted butter

Combine soup with mayo, lemon juice and curry; set aside.

Lightly grease 13 x 9 casserole pan. Layer rice, broccoli, then chicken. Pour creamed soup mixture over broccoli. Sprinkle cheese on top. Combine bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl and mix together. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

To Freeze: Do not bake. Cover well and freeze. When ready to cook, thaw casserole and bake at 350 for 25-30 mins. Or, cook frozen for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Chewy, Messy, Sticky Bars

2010-01-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Tasty Kitchen

The name says it all. They're definitely messy, and sticky. The crust doesn't stay together very well, but overall a good recipe. Pretty simple.

Base:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter

Filling:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cans (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Topping:
4 ounces, semi-sweet or dark baking chocolate
4 ounces, white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine base ingredients, kneading until a dough forms. Cover and chill in fridge for 30 mins. Once dough is chilled, press into a greased 9 X 13 dish and poke with a fork. Bake for 20 mins. until golden brown and firm. Set aside to cool.

Make caramel by melting all filling ingredients together, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat until simmering for about 5 mins. or until it is thick. Pour caramel over base, then chill in fridge until cold.

Once cold, melt chocolate (brown and white separately) and spread into 4 alternating strips over caramel mixture. Using a toothpick, make swirls through the chocolate. Top with nuts or toffee if desired. Let cool until it hardens. Cut into slices.

Breakfast In A Cookie

2010-01-17T06:40:00.000-08:00

OK, so these "cookies" are supposed to be an easy way to get a healthy breakfast, according to Zonya. And, they definitely tasted "healthy". Not my favorite breakfast cookie. They seemed slightly dry and needed more moistness. It's a perfectly good recipe, but probably not one I'll be making again. Makes a LOT!

Mix together in a small bowl & set aside to soak for 10 mins.
1 cup oat bran (dry, uncooked)
3/4 cup orange juice

Combine in a large bowl, using electric mixer, until smooth.
1 cup + 1 TBSP applesauce, unsweetened
2 TBSP canola oil
1 cup honey
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
1 TBSP grated orange rind or 2 tsp. orange extract

Measure into a sifter and sift over applesauce mixture.
3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Add the soaked oat bran & remaining ingredients to the large bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Drop by slightly heaping tablespoons 1" apart on a cookie sheet.
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2 1/2 cups oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned)
1 cups nuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup ground flax seed (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until slightly browned.

2 Cookies:
Calories: 220
Fat Calories: 29%
Fat: 7 grams
Saturated Fat: less than 1 g
Fiber: 5 g
Cholesterol: 22 mg
Sodium: 127 mg
Protein: 6 g
Carbs: 37 g
Sugars: 17 g

Halibut Weaver

2010-01-12T23:58:00.000-08:00

Recipe: All Recipes

Halibut smothered in cheese. It couldn't be bad, right? Very good. The sauce is very tangy tasting and adds a lot of flavor. I've made this before and I'm sure I'll make it again.

2 pounds halibut
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon mustard powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place halibut in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, shredded Cheddar cheese, shredded Jack cheese, dill, and mustard. Spread cheese mixture over halibut. Sprinkle more dill on top if you like.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until fish is done, and cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Sour Cream Pancakes

2010-01-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

OK, yes, this is another PW recipe - from her cookbook. But, it's posted all over the web. I first saw it here.

Of course it's delicious. And, easy to make. They're tender and melt in your mouth.

1 cup sour cream
7 TBSP flour
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Place sour cream in a medium bowl. Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, & salt) in a sifter and sift over sour cream (or mix dry ingredients together in another bowl then add to sour cream). Very gently, stir ingredients till they are mixed together, but not completely combined. It’s best to have the batter with a little bit of lumpy texture.

In separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, then add vanilla and stir mixture well.

Pour egg mixture into sour cream/flour mixture. Stir gently until all ingredients are mixed well.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter onto skillet/pan/griddle. Pour about 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto the pan. Cook for about 1-2 mins. on each side, until brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Vegetable Stuffing Chicken

2010-01-04T06:37:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Winder Farms

This is a good casserole-type dish. Comfort food. I will make it again. This is half the recipe.

1 (6 oz) package stuffing mix for chicken
1 cup hot water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup carrots, sliced thinly
1 cup celery, sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of dry stuffing mix evenly on bottom of 9 X 13 pan; set aside. Add hot water to remaining stuffing mix, stir until moistened; set aside.

Place chicken over dry stuffing mix in pan. Mix soup, sour cream, cheese and vegetables; spoon over chicken. Top with prepared stuffing.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

Apple Cider Beef Stew

2010-01-01T07:06:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Simplify Supper

This wasn't my favorite stew. It's easy to throw together, but I didn't think the flavors meshed very well. I thought it tasted a little too sweet.

2 pounds stew meat
6 carrots, sliced thin
6 potatoes, medium sized, sliced thin
2 apples, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups apple cider

Place apples and all vegetables in crock pot. Add meat lightly sprinkled with salt. Pour cider over meat. Cook on low about 8 hours. Use flour to thicken sauce if needed.

Thai Chicken Bites with Dipping Sauce

2009-12-30T06:35:00.000-08:00

Recipe: All Recipes

I've been making this recipe for a while and it's one of my favorites. It has a very distinct flavor. Very authentic tasting.

2 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup prepared Thai peanut sauce
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

Directions:
1. Mix sugar and dry seasonings in a small bowl. In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix peanut sauce, coconut milk and broth. Split each breast by cutting in half horizontally. Lightly pound to about a 1/2-inch thickness. Place chicken and oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Sprinkle seasoning mix evenly over chicken breasts.

2. Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, then add chicken. Cook, turning once, until crusty brown and fully cooked, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest.

3. Add peanut mixture to empty skillet; cook, stirring constantly to loosen brown bits, until sauce reduces by half, about 2 to 4 minutes. Return to measuring cup. (Chicken and sauce can be made 2 hours ahead; reheat in a warm oven or microwave.)

4. To serve, cut each breast cutlet into 12 to 15 bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with a little peanut sauce, then sprinkle with peanuts and scallions. Serve immediately with toothpicks and remaining dipping sauce.

Roasted Green Beans

2009-12-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a simple dish, but so delicious. Lots of flavor and easy to throw together. Start with a package of green beans. Add some butter and olive oil (1-2 TBSP) each. Add in some Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, or other seasonings. If you like, also add some minced garlic and dried onions. Bake on a high temperature (425-450 degrees) for about 15-20 minutes. The smell will permeate your house.

Slow Cooker Ham & Wild Rice Soup

2009-12-20T07:40:00.000-08:00

Really good soup. Easy & tasty!

Recipe: Eat Better America

2 cups ham, diced/cooked
3/4 cup uncooked wild rice
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 bag (1 lb.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed/drained
14 oz. reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of celery soup
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups water
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half

In a 3-4 quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except half-and-half.

Cover; cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

Stir in half-and-half. Increase heat setting to high. Cover; cook 10-15 minutes longer or until hot.

1 Serving: 210 calories (50 from fat), 6 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 950 mg sodium, 25 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 13 g protein.

Butterhead Salad with Smoky Ranch

2009-12-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

Good basic salad. I'll make it again. I used cherry tomatoes.

Recipe: Better Homes & Gardens

Dressing:
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2 TBSP snipped fresh Italian parsley (flat-leaf)
2 TBSP snipped fresh chives
1 green onion, thinly sliced (2 TBSP)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Salad:
4 heads butterhead (Boston or Bibb) lettuce, torn
1 cup yellow pear tomatoes, halved

Whisk dressing ingredients together until well combined. Toss with lettuce and tomatoes. Serves 8.

70 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated)
5 mg. chol
158 mg sodium
4 g carbs
1 g fiber
2 g protein

White Chocolate Cheesecake

2009-12-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

The easiest cheesecake I've ever made. And, one of the best tasting. Really good.

Recipe: Prepared Pantry

Crust:
1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 TBSP sugar

Filling:
4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups white chocolate wafers/chips/baking bars

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a 10-inch springform pan, mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter and 2 TBSP sugar together. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Put crust in refrigerator while you mix the filling.

With the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Melt the white chocolate. Drizzle the melted chocolate into the bowl while the beaters are running. Pour cream cheese mixture into crust.

Bake for 50 minutes (mine took longer) or until cake is done. Let cool on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, loosen the sides with a spatula and remove the ring. (Mine was still very soft after 10 mins. I had to let mine sit longer and it still had cracking.) Refrigerate cheesecake to cool completely.

*If the chocolate cools too rapidly, the cheesecake will be clumpy.

Mushroom-Blue Cheese Tenderloin

2009-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Really good - even if you're not really a mushroom person. The marinade is very strong.

Recipe: Taste of Home

1-1/2 cups soy sauce
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 beef tenderloin roast (3-1/2 to 4 pounds)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted

SAUCE:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
4 green onions, chopped

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Drain and discard marinade. Rub the beef with garlic and pepper; place in a shallow roasting pan. Add broth to the pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 45-55 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°). Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute until tender. Add the cheese, Worcestershire sauce and caraway seeds; cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in onions; heat through. Serve sauce with beef. Yield: 10 servings (1-1/2 cups sauce).

Pepperoni-Olive Panini

2009-12-12T07:04:00.000-08:00

Recipe & Picture: Better Homes & Gardens

Really good, easy sandwich. Perfect use for leftover pizza toppings.

Italian bread
mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup sliced pepperoni
1/3 cup sliced olives
bottle of roasted red sweet pepper strips
2 TBSP pizza sauce

Assemble sandwich and cook in panini maker or grill in skillet.

Popcorn Delight

2009-12-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

This recipe was OK. I think the gooey mixes are better.

Recipe: Taste of Home

14 cups popped popcorn
2 cups salted peanuts
2 cups rice krispy cereal
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 lb. white candy coating, coarsely chopped
3 TBSP creamy peanut butter

In a large bowl, combine popcorn, peanuts, cereal and marshmallows. In microwave, melt candy coating and peanut butter; stir until smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat.

Spread onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets; refrigerate for 15 mins. or until set. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Makes about 6 quarts.

Hearty Chicken & Noodle Casserole

2009-12-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

This was a pretty good basic casserole.

Recipe: Campbell's

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 cups egg noodles, cooked & drained
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir the soup, milk, vegetables, chicken, noodles, parmesan cheese and pepper into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish (small square).

Bake for 25 mins. or until chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture. Top with cheddar cheese. Let stand until cheese is melted.

Turkey Enchiladas - Freezer Meal

2009-12-04T06:32:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup frozen corn
2 cans/jars mild enchilada sauce
2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or Monterrey Jack)
6-8" tortillas (you will need approx 10-12 depending on size)

In skillet with small amount of cooking oil over medium heat, cook ground turkey and onion until turkey is cooked through. Drain grease (if any). Transfer to bowl and add sour cream, corn and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce.

In a 9x13 baking dish, spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray and coat bottom with 1/3 cup enchilada sauce. In each tortilla, spoon 2 tbsp of meat mixture and 1 tbsp of cheese and roll tortilla. Place in baking dish seam-side down. Once all enchiladas are in baking dish, pour remaining enchilada sauce over, making sure it is spread well. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Allow to cool, then wrap and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw the day before. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 mins. Remove foil and return to oven and cook until cheese on top is melted.

Tres Leches Cake

2009-12-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Pioneer Woman

One of Mike's favorite cakes. It is moist and flavorful.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pint heavy cream, for whipping
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over flour mixture and stir very gently until combined. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold egg white mixture into other mixture very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can. Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. Whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable. Spread over the surface of the cake.

Spinach Stuffed Shells - Freezer Meal

2009-11-30T06:23:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

1 box jumbo pasta shells
1 (10-oz) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
1 (24-oz) container cottage cheese
1 (15-oz) container ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tsp oregano
8 slices mozzarella cheese
spaghetti sauce

Cook pasta. Heat oven to 350. Combine spinach, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese and oregano. Stuff shells and place in baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over top and place mozzarella slices on top. Bake for 30 mins. Allow to cool. Divide up portions and place in freezer safe containers. Keeps for 2-3 months in freezer.

To Serve: Thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Bake at 350 for 30- mins.

Shredded Beef Taquitos - Freezer Meal

2009-11-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

1-2 lbs. lean roast beef
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 cup water
a few shakes of hot sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
corn tortillas
oil

Seer beef on all sides. Put in crock-pot with onion soup mix, water and hot sauce. Heat on low for 8-10 hours. Remove beef and shred. Soften corn tortillas in oil and drain on paper towels. Add a little cheese and beef to each tortilla and roll up. Place taquitos seam-side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 mins. Turn taquitos once and bake for another 5-6 mins until taquitos are golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve with sour cream, salsa and/or guacamole. Or, freeze individually on a cookie sheet and once solid, place into a Ziploc bag.

To Serve: Bake (follow instructions above) or deep fry

Super Stuffed Potatoes

2009-11-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Taste of Home

4 small baking potatoes
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. velveeta pasteurized cheese, cut into cubes
1 small tomato
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup light sour cream

Prick potatoes with fork several times. Microwave on high 14 mins., or until tender. Turn after 7 mins.

Brown meat in a large skillet; drain. Add cheese, tomatoes and onions; cook until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

Split potatoes; mash insides with fork. Top with meat mixture and sour cream.

Potato Salad

2009-11-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

Recipe: My Kitchen Cafe

A different kind of salad than I grew up with, but delicious none-the-less. A simple salad with lots of flavor.

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise
4 tablespoons powdered buttermilk
2/3 cup water OR 2/3 cup fresh buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons minced dried onions
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mustard

Shake in jar or blend in blender until all ingredients are combined.

Salad:
5 pounds potatoes (red preferred)
1 cup sliced olives
10 hard-boiled eggs, diced

Peel, dice, and boil potatoes until tender but not mushy Drain potatoes well and pour into large bowl. Add sliced olives and hard-boiled eggs. Pour dressing over warm potatoes until desired "dressing-level" is reached. Make salad the night before and pour a thin coating of dressing over the potatoes, olives and eggs while they rest in the fridge overnight. Before serving the next day, add the rest of the dressing and mix until it looks right.

Peachy Chicken - Freezer Meal

2009-11-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

1 (10.75 oz.) can tomato soup
½ cup honey
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
2 TBSP canola oil
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP ground mustard
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
2 lbs. chicken breasts
1 (29-ounce) can peach slices

In a saucepan, combine soup, honey, vinegar, brown sugar, oil and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Whisk in ground mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 mins. Arrange chicken and drained peaches in greased baking dish. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 30 mins. at 350. Turn chicken and bake 30 mins. longer, basting frequently. Remove and cool. Place in freezer bag.

To Serve: Thaw. Heat until sauce is bubbly and chicken is heated through. Delicious over rice.

Dr. Pepper Spaghetti - Freezer Meal

2009-11-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

2 pounds ground beef - brown and drain
1 package (16 oz) spaghetti - cook and drain
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can Dr. Pepper
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Stir onions and seasonings into meat, browning in skillet. Add Dr. Pepper, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce into meat mixture and cook 5 mins, stirring often. Cook spaghetti noodles while doing above, cooking until al dente. Drain and stir in 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Combine all ingredients into 13x9 casserole dish

To Serve: Thaw in refrigerator in the morning. At dinner time, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes. For smaller portions, reduce baking time.

Raspberry Glazed Chicken - Freezer Meal

2009-11-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

1 ½ lbs. chicken
3/4 cup raspberry jam
3/4 cup ketchup
1/8 cup white vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp salt

In a small bowl, combine jam, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder and salt, stirring well. Put chicken in a ziploc bag or freezer container and pour sauce over top. Refrigerate for about 1 hr, turning every 15-20 minutes. Place container or bag in freezer.

To Serve: Thaw chicken in refrigerator overnight. Remove chicken from bag/container and barbecue on the grill or cook in oven at 350 degrees for 35-45 mins. until done. (Should reach internal temperature of 165 degrees). Serve over rice.

I didn't get too many pictures of this dish.

Turkey & Corn Tortellini Soup - Freezer Meal

2009-11-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

Instead of cooked, diced turkey, I made turkey meatballs.

1 lb. turkey
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix together and shape into meatballs.

1 8 oz. pkg fresh cheese tortellini
1 cup turkey, cooked & diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 can low sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 tsp black ground pepper
2 tbsp green onion

In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil along with the garlic. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions. Lower temperature to medium-high. Add chicken broth and stir. Add corn and stir. Bring to a boil again and boil for 2-3 mins. Add chicken and cook for 1 more minute, stirring well. Add green onions and pepper, stir well. Allow to cool to room temperature, then divide into equal portions in containers. Freeze.

To Serve: Thaw overnight in refrigerator, or defrost in microwave. Pour contents of container into a saucepan and heat over medium high heat until heated through. Sprinkle with more fresh ground pepper or parmesan cheese right before serving.

Freezer Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2009-11-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 6-oz pkg chocolate chips

Combine both flours and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and shortening and beat for 30 seconds. Add both sugars, beat until mixture is fluffy. Next, beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Combine well. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and flash freeze. Transfer to ziploc bag. Makes about 72 cookies.

To Serve: Do NOT thaw cookies. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 12 mins. Place on cooling rack. Store in airtight container.

Chicken Caesar Wraps

2009-11-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Food & Family Magazine

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup croutons
1/2 cup caesar dressing
4 flour tortillas (8-inch)

Place first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing; toss lightly. Spoon mixture onto tortillas. Roll up.

Pesto Hamburgers - Freezer Meal

2009-11-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Unknown

I made freezer meals a few weeks ago. This is one of the recipes I tried. I haven't served these yet though, so I can't comment on the finished meal.

Hamburgers
3 lbs. hamburger
3 bread slices
2 onions, chopped
3 eggs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 TBSP pesto sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced

Basil Mayo
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 TBSP pesto

Combine egg, bread crumbs, onion, cheese, pesto and garlic, mixing well. Add ground beef, stirring until fully combined. Divide into 12 burgers (about 5" diameter), making sure to depress the center of each slightly. Flash freeze on cookie sheet, then transfer into freezer ziploc bags. Or separate each with wax paper and freeze stacked.

To Serve: Thaw burgers the night before in refrigerator. Cook on grill until center of burger reaches 160 degrees. Serve with basil mayonnaise on a bun with your choice of burger toppings.

Freezer French Toast

2009-11-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 TBSP corn syrup

Place brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a saucepan. Heat until melted and combined. It will be like a thick syrup. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan.

Cut slices of 1 loaf of french bread (about 1 inch thick) and place bread on top of syrup mixture.

Mix 5 eggs, 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla in medium bowl. Mix well. Pour over bread. Place in fridge for a few hours to cool and then cover and defrost. Bake covered with foil for about 40 mins. at 350 degrees. Then uncover, and cook 5-10 mins. more until done.

We had another freezer meal day and we made some french toast. I didn't get pictures of the completed dish, but it looked delicious.

Artichoke and Diced Chicken Stuffed Shells

2009-11-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Tasty Kitchen, butterbean

1 whole onion, diced finely
1 jar artichokes, diced finely
1 small container ricotta cheese
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 TBSP parsley, chopped finely
2 TBSP basil, chopped finely
1 whole block of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 package large pasta shells, cooked in salt water (pkg. directions)
3 cups marinara sauce
1 whole chicken breast, diced

Cook onions until slightly golden. Add chicken until cooked and juices run clear. Add chopped artichoke and cook for 2-3 minutes - just to heat through. Add this mixture to the basil, parsley, parmesan and ricotta cheese mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread half of marinara sauce on the bottom of pan to prevent sticking. Stuff cooked shells with mixture. Cover with other half of marinara sauce. Top with slices of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes until the cheese turns a golden brown.

A good dish with lots of flavor. I'll probably make it again.

Snickerdoodle Chex Mix

2009-10-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

Recipe: Taste of Home

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups chocolate chex cereal
2 cups cinnamon chex cereal
4 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup butter

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the cereals and popped popcorn.

In a 1 cup microwave safe measuring cup, microwave the butter on high about 40 seconds or until melted. Pour over cereal mixture; stirring until evenly coated.

Microwave on high; stirring after 1 minute. Sprinkle half the sugar mixture evenly over cereal mixture; stir. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture; stir. Microwave mixture 1 minute longer. Spread on waxed paper or paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

Really good. A simple mix.

Oatmeal pancake mix

2009-10-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

Oatmeal Pancake Mix
Printable Version

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (I've never had to add additional oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. As a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.

Recipe Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour The Baker's Companion

I saw this on a blog (My Kitchen Cafe) a while back and finally got around to trying it. Yummy!! I'm glad I have some mix left over and will definately be making this again.

Grilled Parmesan Potatoes and Carrots

2009-10-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Simple recipe. I didn't grill them, just baked them in the oven. Lots of flavor.

Recipe: Pillsbury

4 small red potatoes (about 1/2 lb.), unpeeled, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup ready-to-eat baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise if large
1 1/2 TBSP butter, melted
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp season salt
1 1/2 TBSP shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP fresh chives, chopped

Heat grill. Cut 18 X 12-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. Place potatoes and carrots on center of foil sheet. Drizzle with butter. Sprinkle with seasonings and cheese; stir together slightly to mix and coat vegetables. Fold up foil and seal edges - making a tight 1/2-inch fold. Allow space for heat circulation and expansion.

Place packet, seam side up, on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 35 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Open packet carefully to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with chives.

Brown-Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2009-10-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Really good frosting. A little different. Really smooth, shiny frosting. Really tasty! It's pretty simple - I actually like making this compared to regular buttercream.

Recipe: Martha Stewart

5 large egg whites
1 2/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature

Put egg whites, sugar and salt into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture registers 160 degrees, about 4 minutes.

Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition. The meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added. Beat until frosting is smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes. Buttercream can be refrigerated airtight for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and beat before using.

Maple Cinnamon Cake

2009-10-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

A delicious moist cake. Perfect for decorating. Makes a lot of batter.

Recipe: Unknown

1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups + 2 TBSP buttermilk
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round springform pans and two 5-inch round springform pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs - one at a time, then stir in maple syrup, cinnamon, buttermilk and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. (This makes a big texture difference) Set aside.

Beat in the flour mixture one third at a time, then pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. (8-inch pans will take about 5 mins. longer) Allow the cakes to cool before frosting.

Broccoli Casserole

2009-10-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

I made broccoli casserole with no broccoli. I originally bought broccoli to make this recipe, but I guess I used it or waited too long and threw it out or something, because when I went to make the casserole, I didn't have any broccoli. So, I just used a mix of vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, cauliflower, etc.) and it was still delicious! An easy casserole with lots of cheesy flavor.

Recipe: Simplify Supper

20 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, cooked, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cup rice, cooked
1/4 cup butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 jar cheese whiz, 8 oz
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup milk

Melt butter in skillet. Saute celery and onions until tender and add soup and milk. Pour into a large casserole dish and mix in broccoli, cheese, and cooked rice. Mix well. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Optional: add chicken into the mix before baking. In last 5 minutes, sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and return to oven to melt before serving

I used brown rice because that's all I had in instant. Turned out fine.

Easy Cheesy Rolls

2009-09-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

Delicious! But dough filled with butter and cheese usually is. This is the best way to make refrigerated biscuits even more fattening than they already are. Who would have thought that was possible?

Recipe: Real Mom Kitchen

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese (in a can)
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pkg. Pillsbury Grands Biscuits

In a bowl, combine melted butter, Parmesan cheese, dried basil, and garlic powder. Mix shredded cheeses in a separate bowl. Remove biscuits from can and separate into individual biscuits. Flatten each biscuit slightly and put some cheese in the center of each biscuit and fold the dough around the cheese to form a ball. Pinch the dough together to seal the cheese inside. Roll each ball of dough in the melted butter mixture and place on a baking sheet. if there is any left over butter mixture, spoon it on top of the rolls on the baking sheet, Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until rolls are golden brown. Makes 8 rolls

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

2009-09-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

A very delicious little cookie. The caramel is the best part.

Recipe: Cook's Country

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramel candies
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

Whisk egg white(s) in another bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, 10 to12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Kneader's French Toast Souffle

2009-09-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

Really good. It has cream cheese, how can it not, right? The chunky cinnamon bread is delicious! It's just not the same without the bread.

Recipe: Kneaders

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cube butter
1 cup maple syrup

Microwave above for 30 seconds and beat until smooth.

1 1oaf of Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon

Break into 1 ½ inch pieces and put in a 9 by 11 inch baking pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over the top of the bread.

12 eggs
2 cups half & half
1 tsp vanilla

Beat until frothy, pour over Chunky Cinnamon bread in pan. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Dust with powder sugar, fruit, or syrup. Serve hot. Can be made the night before and put into hot oven 1 hour before you serve.

Peach Salsa

2009-09-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

I tried this the other day off of the same blog. I am giving it out for Christmas.

Homemade Peach Salsa

6 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches (about 12 peaches)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 jalapeno peppers finely chopped (remove seeds and ribs)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small box fruit pectin crystals (49gram)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 – pint canning jars

Wash jars and lids in soapy water. Rinse well. Dry bands and set aside. Place jars and lids in water and allow to simmer (not boil) until ready to use.

In large saucepan, combine peaches, onion, pepper, cilantro, garlic, cumin, vinegar, and lime zest. Mix pectin with 1/4 sugar and add to your peach mixture. Bring to a boil and then add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Pour into prepared pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch air space. Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean damp cloth. Place lid and rings on jars, just until resistance is met. Place jars in large pot and cover them with water 1-2″ over jars. Boil for 15 minutes. Carefully remove jars and allow to cool completely. After jars have completely cooled check for proper seal. Press on center of lid. It should be firm, pulled down and not flex. Tighten rings.

Makes 6 pints

Pour Peach Salsa over a brick of cream cheese and serve with crackers! YUM!!

These look awesome

2009-09-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog post to learn how to make these.

I am going to be trying them for FHE next week with ice cream!

http://www.gourmetmomonthego.com/2009/08/balloon-chocolate-bowls.html

Meatballs

2009-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Very simple, only 4 ingredients. Pretty good. The stuffing gives the meat flavor. Works in a pinch.

Recipe: Kraft

2 lb. ground beef
1 package (6 oz.) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1 1/4 cups water
2 eggs

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 (15 X 10 X 1) pans with foil; spray with cooking spray. Mix ingredients until blended; shape into 32 (1 1/2-inch) balls, using 1/4 cup for each.

Place 16 meatballs in each prepared pan. Bake 16-18 minutes or until done. (160 degrees)

Eat or freeze.

Gyro Pita Burgers

2009-09-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

This recipe was pretty good. I didn't think a gyro was made from ground beef, but that's what this recipe calls for. I used pita wraps instead of pitas and just cooked the hamburger on the stove rather than grilling it. It does have a unique flavor. I liked it. Mike thought it was too sweet tasting from the yogurt. It was lowfat yogurt, but I think it was kind of tangy tasting.

Recipe: onesassy

16 ounces plain yogurt, divided
1 ounce, dry weight ranch dressing mix
1 stalk cucumber (peeled, seeded, chopped)
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup onion (diced)
6 pieces round pita bread
2 cups lettuce leaves, torn
1 cup diced tomato

In a medium bowl, combine 1 container of plain yogurt with the envelope of ranch dressing mix. Remove half of the mixture to another bowl. Into one of the bowls, add the remaining container of plain yogurt and diced cucumber; mix well. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat grill and lightly oil grate.

Mix the ground beef and 1/4 cup onion into the remaining half of the yogurt mixture. Shape into 6 hamburger patties.

Grill patties on medium heat for 7 mins. on each side, turning once.

Cut off 1/4 end of the pita pockets and fill with torn lettuce, grilled burger, creamy cucumber sauce and diced tomatoes.

What's The Deal?

2009-09-09T22:03:00.000-07:00

I have several recipes to share, but my USB is still being impossible to work with, so I'll share them as soon as I can.

Penne w/ Sausage, Potatoes & Green Beans

2009-08-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

This dish was very good. I didn't expect it to have much flavor, but I was wrong. It was very flavorful. Simple. Comes together quickly. The potatoes worked perfectly and added to the recipe. I will make again.

Recipe: The Food Nanny

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
4 small red potatoes, quartered
8 ounces Italian sausage
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb. green beans, cut in half
1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Romano, Asiago, or
Parmesan cheese, plus additional

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.

2. Steam the potatoes or cook them in boiling salted water until tender. At the same time, steam the beans or cook in the microwave until tender, 6 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion is soft and the sausage is completely cooked. Pour in the broth and simmer for 3 minutes.
Stir in the oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the green beans, potatoes, and pasta. Mix well with a large spoon. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Decrease the heat to low and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the mixture. Cover the pan and cook a few more minutes until the cheese is melted.

5. Serve immediately in the same pot or spoon the mixture into a large, shallow serving bowl or deep platter. Pass the extra cheese.

Peaches and Cream Pie

2009-08-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

This was a pretty tasty pie. Warning: must like peaches in your food. The crust was interesting - obviously different from a normal flaky pie crust. It was more like a cake. But, the star of this pie is the cream. Mike liked it, so I'll probably end up making it again at some point.

Recipe: All Recipes

3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 (3 oz.) pkg. non-instant vanilla pudding mix
3 TBSP butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 (29 oz) can sliced peaches, drained
3 TBSP reserved syrup from canned peaches
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBSP white sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides and bottom of a 10-inch deep dish pie pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and pudding mix. Mix in butter, egg and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into pie pan. Arrange the peach slices on top of the pudding mixture.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3 TBSP reserved peach syrup. Beat for 2 minutes. Spoon mixture over peaches to within 1inch of pan edge. Mix together 1 TBSP sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Chill before serving.

White Sauce for Pizza

2009-08-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

This sauce was pretty good. It basically tastes like ranch dressing, because it is ranch dressing. Very simple to mix up. Nothing spectacular, but works in a pinch.

Recipe: Real Mom

1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Mix all ingredients together and place on your pizza crust.

Williamsburg Butter Frosting

2009-08-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

This frosting was delicious. Very heavy, rich frosting. I had to add extra liquid to it. Will probably make again. It worked perfectly to frost a cake I covered in fondant. The stiffness of it worked perfectly and didn't slide or melt when I put the fondant on.

Recipe: All Recipes

1/2 cup butter, softened
12 TBSP orange liqueur (I used orange juice)
1 TBSP orange zest
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, blend butter with powdered sugar. Stir in orange liqueur/juice and orange zest. Beat until light and fluffy. Use to frost cooled cake.

Yellow Cake Mix

2009-08-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Recipe: All Recipes

This cake mix recipe was pretty good. I did try the orange variation using orange juice and it did not have any orange flavor whatsoever. So, stick with the yellow cake. I couldn't put my finger on the flavor. I mean, it tasted like cake, but it wasn't really sweet tasting, if that makes any sense. The recipe makes a thick batter and dense cake, which is perfect if you're using it for decorating or shaped cake molds. Works a lot better than cake box mixes.

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening until fine crumbs are formed. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat at low speed for 1 minute, then high for 2 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.

Pour batter into greased and floured 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Pesto Chicken Roll Up

2009-08-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

This recipe is pretty good. Simple to put together. Plan some time for the puff pastry to thaw. I will probably make again.

Recipe: The Hub Café/Fox News

1 package of puff pastry (2 sheets)
pesto sauce (7 oz. container or 1 cup of homemade)
2 cups of baby spinach
2 cups of cooked chicken cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp garlic salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Cook chicken in a little bit of oil and season with pepper and garlic salt. Drain and set aside.

Roll out pastry sheets onto a cookies sheet. Divide all ingredients into two and evenly use on both sheets.

Spread Pesto over both sheets. Top with mozzarella, 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese, spinach and chicken. Roll the pastry sheet into itself until it is into the desired shape. Place the seam on the bottom and adjust it on the cookie sheet.
Do this with both rolls.

Brush each roll with the egg and then sprinkle it with the rest of the Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Make several slits in the top of the roll to vent. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Slice into individual servings.

Ross Becker's Ultimate Golf Course Tuna Sandwich

2009-08-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

This sandwich was really good. It has a lot of flavor. Way better than boring plain tuna. I agree with Ross -- everybody should make their tuna this way.

Recipe: ABC 4

1 can of tuna in spring water
1 half cup of chopped green onions
1 half cup of chopped carrots
1 half cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon of fresh dill
1 teaspoon of fresh basil, chopped
Salt, pepper, garlic salt
2 tablespoons of mayo or salad dressing
juice of one half lemon

Drain the tuna and using a fork flake the tuna into a mixing bowl. Make sure you don’t have any large pieces. Add the onions, carrots and cheese and combine the ingredients. Add the fresh dill and basil

Add one tablespoon of the mayo and mix with the other ingredients. After they are combined, add salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste and then add the final tablespoon of mayo and continue mixing the tuna with the other ingredients.

Squeeze the lemon into the tuna and mix again.

Toast sourdough bread. Butter the bread lightly and spoon a tennis ball size portion of the tuna on the bread. Cut and serve with a dill pickle.

Jillian's Hot Fudge Sauce

2009-07-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a girl I work with. I made it (sorry no pics), and it is pretty tasty. We had it on ice cream with brownies, but I must say...I liked it even better to dip raspberries in. Delish!
It's very easy, so here you go.

Melt in microwave:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup karo syrup
Then add: 1 can sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt
microwave 2 more minutes

Macaroni Shepherd's Pie

2009-07-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

Recipe: Tyler Florence

Overall, a pretty good casserole. It's nothing completely out of this world, that you'll crave until the day you die, but it's a perfectly good weeknight casserole. It sure does dirty a lot of pans though. I used hamburger instead of turkey, because I had some that needed to be used and tomatoes are the devil in my house, so I omitted those from the top. It would have made it pretty, but I wouldn't have touched it with a ten foot pole. There's a lot of instruction, but it's not as complicated as it looks.

Turkey Base:
2 pounds lean ground turkey
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 medium sweet onion , diced
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tsp. fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remainder of Pie:
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 medium sweet onions
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta
2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella
1/2 cup panko
1 tomato , thinly sliced
Chopped fresh parsley to finish

To make turkey base: Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and turkey and brown well all over. Add onion and continue to cook until onion is lightly caramelized. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and combine well before adding stock. Continue to cook until slightly thickened. Taste once more and adjust seasoning if required.

To make remainder of pie: Boil pasta in salted water until tender. Add frozen vegetables to a colander. Holding a strainer above the colander, pour out the pasta and water into the strainer so the hot water blanches the frozen vegetables.

In a pot, add chicken stock, bay leaf and chopped onion. Simmer for 15 minutes until liquid has reduced by half and onion is very tender. Remove bay leaf and puree in a blender. Add ricotta and season well with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth and thick. In a large mixing bowl, add cooked pasta, shredded mozzarella and pour over sauce. Combine well.

In a medium-size gratin dish or lasagna pan, add ground turkey, top with frozen vegetables and then pour over the sauced macaroni. Sprinkle with panko and top with slices of tomato. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Finish with freshly chopped parsley.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes

2009-07-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

A very flavorful pasta salad with lots of layers. And, simple! One of my favorites.

Recipe: Betty Crocker

1 box Suddenly Salad Classic pasta salad mix
1/2 refrigerated poppy seed dressing
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut up
3/4 cup halved red grapes
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cups slivered almonds, toasted

Boil pasta for 12 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add chicken, grapes, celery and almonds to pasta. In a separate bowl, mix seasoning mix packet and poppy seed dressing together. Pour over pasta. Mix lightly.

Oh' Henry

2009-06-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

You can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate. This is another one of those recipes that I've had forever. Not sure where the original came from.

Mix & Bring to a Boil:
1 cup karo syrup
1 cup sugar

Remove from heat and add:
1 cup chunky peanut butter

Stir until dissolved.

Add:
6 cups rice krispies

Stir until well coated.

Melt 1 package of chocolate chips and spread over the top. Cut into squares.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

2009-06-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

I've been making this bread for a long time. It always comes out perfect. Very moist, delicious bread.

Recipe: All Recipes

3 cups white sugar
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
1 TBSP ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9 x 5 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill pans ½ to ¾ full.

Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from pan.

Teriyaki Rice Bowl

2009-06-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Very good. I love this with brown rice.

Recipe: Rumbi

1 cup rice (brown/white), prepared
1 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cup chopped vegetables, julienne (carrots, broccoli, zucchini)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
chili garlic sauce

Cook rice according to package directions; keep warm.

Grill chicken breast, or bake in oven.

Pour sesame oil in hot wok or skillet and sauté vegetables for about 3 minutes.

Mix teriyaki sauce and a few drops of chili garlic sauce together. Chop chicken breast into slices and pour teriyaki sauce over chicken.

To serve: Place rice in bottom of a large bowl. Put sautéed vegetables over rice. Top off bowl with seasoned chicken.

Honey Butter

2009-06-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup butter to 1/4 cup honey. Butter should be softened. Mix with beaters to get a fluffy consistency. I like to add a few dashes of cinnamon. Perfect for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread.

Cosmopolitan Jell-O Cups

2009-06-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

Simple and good.

Recipe: Kraft

1 pkg (3 oz) strawberry jello
1 cup orange sherbet
cool whip topping (can)

Add 1 cup boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl. Stir 2 mins. until completely dissolved.

Stir in sherbet until melted. Pour into 4 martini glasses.

Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Top each with 1 TBSP cool whip just before serving.

Red Radish Salad

2009-06-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

I am in love with this salad. Really good. It's pretty tart. Perfect for a hot summer day. I'll make it again.

Recipe: Rachael Ray

2 tsp sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup sour cream
8 red radishes, thinly sliced
2 Red Delicious apples, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
2 TBSP chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper

Combine sugar, lemon juice and sour cream in medium bowl with a fork. Add radishes, apple and cucumber.

Turn vegetables and fruit in dressing to coat. Season with dill, salt and pepper, toss again; serve.

Millionaire Rotissiere Chicken Salad

2009-06-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

This was really good. I made it while Mike was gone because it probably wouldn't have been one of his favorites. A chick-dish. Tamari is awesome. Easy to throw together and lots of flavor. I'll make it again.

Recipe: Rachael Ray

3 TBSP vegetable oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced on angle
2 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
grated peel and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce)
3 TBSP honey
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded & meat thinly sliced
4 cups napa cabbage, shredded

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, ginger, garlic, black/red pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the lime peel and lime juice, then whisk in the Tamari and honey to combine. Turn off heat.

In a large bowl, toss chicken and cabbage with the sauce to combine well.

Whole Wheat French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

2009-06-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

Recipe: Zonya Foco

This was good. Mike said the bread was a little "harsh." I used really grainy whole wheat nutty bread and it was very distinctive. You couldn't taste much else besides the bread. I will make it again with different bread.

1 egg
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 TBSP skim milk
3 dashes cinnamon
3 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries
8 slices whole grain/multi grain bread
1 tsp. corn starch

Toss eggs, vanilla, milk and cinnamon lightly with a fork. Dip bread in egg mixture and cook on griddle.

Place blueberries in microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 4 mins. These will cook down to 1 1/2 cups. Add corn starch. Continue microwaving for an additional 2 minutes until thick and bubbly.

I cooked the blueberries on the stove. Or, try this blueberry sauce. It's my favorite blueberry sauce.

Recipe: All Recipes

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cold water
3 TBSP corn starch
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup of water and orange juice and sugar. Stir gently. Bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Gently stir in the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries. Simmer gently until thick, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and add almond extract and cinnamon. Thin sauce with water if it is too thick for your liking.

Fish Tacos

2009-06-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Very good. We both loved them. I used halibut and it worked perfectly. The sauce was really good. I only used the taco seasoning in the sauce. For the fish, I just used lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning salt. Will make again.

Recipe: Pinching Your Pennies

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix, divided
1-2 lb fish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 TBSP oil
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 package Taco Shells, hard or soft

Combine sour cream, mayo, cilantro and half of the taco seasoning for the taco sauce.
Combine oil, lemon juice and rest of taco seasoning and mix with fish. Saute until fish is done – only about 4 minutes.
Fill shells with fish and whatever other topping you want (shredded cabbage or lettuce, tomatoes, taco sauce, etc.)

New Mexican Stacked Enchiladas

2009-06-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

These were very delicious! I used the mini white corn tortillas and they worked perfectly. Even with 3 mini tortillas stacked, it was a lot of food. The egg on top was really good. Mike loved it, but he is partial to eggs. I added ground beef. I will make again.

Recipe: About.com

12 corn tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cans enchilada sauce
1 cup onion, chopped
4 fried eggs
oil for frying tortillas

Put 1 inch of oil in small skillet. Fry tortillas a few seconds until limp. Place on paper towels to drain. Dip a tortilla in sauce and place on plate. Sprinkle on some grated cheese and onion. Repeat for two more layers. Makes 4 stacks. Pour on any remaining sauce and sprinkle on remaining cheese and onions. Top each stack with a fried egg. Can add meat or lettuce too. Each enchilada is assembled stove top on it’s own plate.

Frosty Orange Creme Layered Dessert

2009-05-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

Recipe: Kraft

This was better than I expected. Simple to make, as long as you have enough freezer space. Mike liked the sherbet, but he thought the "white part" was too sweet. It's definitely sweet, but the sherbet balances it out.

2 cups orange sherbet or sorbet, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed

LINE 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil. Spread sherbet onto bottom of prepared pan to form even layer. Freeze 10 min.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually add condensed milk and juice, beating until blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread over sherbet in pan.

FREEZE 3 hours. To unmold, invert pan onto plate; remove foil.

Spinach Salad

2009-05-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

There's several versions of this salad. I got this recipe about 8 years ago from a former co-worker. It's one of my favorite salads.

1 cup cottage cheese, large curd
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked/diced
1 bermuda onion, sliced thin
3/4 to 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced umbrella style
2 packages fresh baby spinach
1 head lettuce (or small bag salad mix)
3/4 lb. swiss cheese, grated

Dressing:
2/3 cup vinegar
1 1/4 cup corn oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 TBSP poppy seeds

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. Mix dressing ingredients in a separate bowl or bottle with a tight lid. Mix or shake dressing before pouring over salad. Don't put dressing on salad until right before serving, otherwise the salad gets too wilted.