Creamy OREO® Pie

This was so easy and really yummy. I made it for the farewell BBQ that Ali and Tara put together for all of us who are leaving. I followed the directions exactly, but the picture they have doesn't look like mine, especially since I used the Spring Oreos that had yellow filling.

Oreo Pie
39 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping


CRUSH 26 of the cookies; mix with butter until well blended. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

CHOP 9 of the remaining cookies; set aside. Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add chopped cookies and whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Spoon into prepared crust.

REFRIGERATE at least 2 hours or until firm. Halve remaining 4 cookies; stand on cut edges around center of pie. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Cinnamon rolls

These are a favorite in our house, but I can't make them often because there are not waist friendly! But since my playgroup friends are coming to swim tomorrow I thought I'd treat them one last time. So if you're wondering if you should come... take a look!

2 cups milk (warmed)
1 cup white sugar
½ cup shortening
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 eggs beaten
2 pkgs yeast - dissolved in ½ cup warm water
1 tsp salt
7 cups flour

Mix milk, sugar, shortening, salt, potatoes and eggs and 4 cups of flour. Beat 5 minutes, with beaters. Add the yeast and remaining flour (add 1 cup raisins if desired). All but last cup can be mixed with beater. (Unless you use a stand mixer i.e. Kitchen Aid or Bosch) Dough will be slightly sticky.

Refrigerate about 2 hours before rolling out. Roll out and spread with soft or melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon (sometimes I also sprinkle brown sugar over the cinnamon). Roll up and cut about 1” thick (you can use string or thread or unflavored dental floss). Place on greased cookie sheet with a lip. Let raise about 2 hours until doubled. (A little trick is to preheat the oven to 200ºF while cutting them, TURN OFF the oven, cover the rolls with a towel, and place them in the oven. It will cut your rising time in half!) Bake in 375ºF oven for about 12 minutes.

Icing: 1 pkg (2 lb) powdered sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
2 tsp vanilla
enough milk to make spreadable (about 2 Tbsp)

This recipe is easily halved as the whole recipe makes two cookie sheets worth!

I use instant mashed potatoes - without the milk, salt and butter. It's easier unless you have some leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge. And yes that is a BYU ice cream bucket that I store my flour in.

I learned this trick from my SIL Amy.
When measuring shortening, put plastic wrap over the measuring cup.

Then fill it up.

And just dump it in. No mess to clean up, or scraping out the measuring cup!

The "sponge" part is ready time to switch to a dough hook.

I have a small Kitchen Aid Stand mixer, so the recipe doesn't fit. This is when I wish I had a Bosch!

So the rest is kneaded by hand

In a bowl ready to rise - yes in the fridge.

Because after two hours in the fridge it looks like this!
Divide it in half and roll it out

My rectangle isn't perfect, but its doesn't need to be.

What you'll need after rolling it out

I have started adding brown sugar on top of the cinnamon - mmm - Love it!!!
Spread with melted butter - or margarine about 2 Tbs per pan.

Cover that thing with cinnamon - no dough showing :)
Sprinkle with brown sugar

roll it up

I cut them using a piece of thread - I shouldn't have used white. I hope you can see it.

I cut off the end, and then in about 1 inch pieces.

Just cross the thread over and pull through

I fit about 15 rolls on one pan. The left over pieces - the smaller ends I put on a separate pizza pan. Cover and let rise 2 hours.

Now for the frosting
Mix some of the powdered sugar and the soft butter together. It might take a while to stop being crumbly, but don't add the liquid yet!
Wow that is a lot of frosting!

I wait at least 20 minutes after they come out of the oven to frost them. I don't want to tops to dry out, but I don't want to frosting to melt either.

Delicious! Sorry it's not a great picture.

Focaccia Bread

We have made this many times. Aaron made this last night to compliment the Balsamic chicken he made for Mother's day. It was great dipped in the sauce. It is also great with any Italian dish, especially dipped in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. We often don't put the mozzarella cheese on it, and it taste just as good.

Focaccia Bread

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle (we have also done it in a circle). Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

This is what Aaron made for Mother's day dinner, he can't leave a recipe alone either, so I included the changes. We served it over noodles for the boys and dipped bread in the sauce.

Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 chicken breasts cut into large chunks
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and reduce heat to low. Allow onion to caramelize, stirring only enough to prevent sticking and to be sure that all sides are fully cooked. Add garlic and saute briefly.
Increase heat to medium. Add chicken hindquarters to skillet and brown on both sides. Remove chicken, onion and garlic and place in a slow cooker.
Combine the stock and vinegar and corn starch. Pour mixture over chicken and stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Cook on high in slow cooker for 20-40 minutes, or until chicken is done and juices run clear.

Corny Mexican Salad

I made this a few days ago, and it was delicious. I didn't have Mexicorn, but I did have a can of corn and some chopped sweet red pepper. I also didn't use as much oil as it called for, it's a little healthier, and I don't have a lot of oil left. Why buy a new one when we are leaving in 10 days?!!!
Corny Mexican Salad
INGREDIENTS
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine the beans, corn, tomato, avocado and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and hot pepper sauce; pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Serve with tortilla chips if desired.

Jambalaya

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Everything I have made this past week has either been stuff I've already posted, or stuff like hot dogs. I am running low on food, and I can't justify buying things for a new recipe, because we leave in two weeks!!!
But a friend of mine posted this recipe on her blog, and I pretty much had everything for so I tried it. Soooo good.
Jambalaya
1 rib chopped celery
1/4-1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 green sweet pepper, chopped
2 Tbs. margarine or butter
1 14.5-oz. can stewed tomatoes, cut up
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
2 c. long grain rice
1 tsp. dried basil or thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. bottled hot pepper sauce (adjust according to preference-- this amount is quite mild)
Salt, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 lb. smoked sausage
2 c. cubed chicken or turkey

Slice sausage into disks, and sautee in a large skillet till brown. Meanwhile, chop celery, onion, and pepper. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside. Cook vegetables in margarine or butter till vegetables are tender but not brown.

Stir in undrained (and cut up) tomatoes, chicken broth, water, uncooked rice, basil or thyme, garlic powder, pepper, hot sauce, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or till rice is tender. Stir in cooked chicken and sausage; heat through. Discard bay leaf. Serves 6-8.

Note:The sausage I had was a little spicy for the kids, but Aaron and I loved it. I did need a little more liquid for the rice, and I used up the frozen bag of onions and peppers, so no green peppers for me. My tomatoes also weren't stewed, but canned seemed to work just fine.

The Best Ever Muffins

The Best Ever Muffins
From my MIL. These are like the breakfast cake, only in muffin form - they don’t take as long.

1 ¾ c. flour
¼ c. sugar
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 well beaten egg
¾ c. Milk
1/3 c. Oil

Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl; make well in the center. Combine egg, milk and oil. Add at once to dry ingredients. Stir quickly ’til moistened. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.

Topping:
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ c. walnuts (optional)
1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. melted butter
Mix together and sprinkle over muffins.
Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes.

Microwave Monkey bread

We made this for an easy FHE treat on Monday. Aaron said he got the recipe from a 4-H microwave class.

Monkey bread
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. margarine
1 Tbsp. water
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough

Mix the 1st 3 ingredients in a glass pie pan. Microwave it on high for 1 minute. Cut each biscuit into fourths. Coat the pieces with the melted topping. Put a microwave safe cup in the middle (it makes a makeshift bundt pan). Microwave on high for 2-2 ½ minutes. Invert onto a large plate and serve.