Cranberry Salad

I made this for Thanksgiving. It's a tradition from Aaron's family. I halved it and added vanilla to the whipping cream. I don't have a food processor to slice the cranberries nicely, so I just chopped the cranberries (with an electric chopping appliance).

1 12 oz bag fresh cranberries, sliced
1 10 oz bag mini marshmallows
1 14 oz can crushed pineapple
1 pint whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar


The night before mix together marshmallows, cranberries and pineapple. Refrigerate.
The next day whip the cream using electric beaters. Slowly adding sugar and vanilla as you whip.
Fold whipped cream into the cranberry mixture.

Basic Bread Stuffing

This is the stuffing I made for Thanksgiving. I got it from the Joy of Cooking Cookbook. You can either use it to stuff a turkey or bake it in the oven. We didn't stuff our turkey. You can also adjust the ingredients depending on how moist you want it.

• 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread including crusts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or 10 cups lightly packed bread cubes
• 4-8 Tbsp butter
• 2 c. chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used 2 Tbsp, dried)
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/3 to 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 to 2 large eggs well beaten

1. Toast the bread cubes until golden brown - I put them on a 15x11 pan and broiled them for a few minutes. Turn into a large bowl.
2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add onions and celery. Cook stirring until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in, parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cloves.
4. Stir into the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Depending on how much butter you started with and how firm you want the stuffing, stir in chicken stock and egg, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together.
5. To use as stuffing reheat just before adding to the bird.
6. Or moisten with additional stock and/or egg and turn into large buttered baking dish (I used a 9x13 - a 11x15 would work also). Baking in a 350 F oven until the top has formed a crust and the stuffing is heated through, 25-40 minutes.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

I've used this recipe several times, so I was surprised I hadn't posted it yet. I don't put in the dill weed, and use only a dash of cayenne pepper (instead of crushed red pepper flakes). I've also baked these another way. I cut them into wedges, microwave them for about 4 minutes (about half done), and then mix them with the oil and herbs. Then I pan fry them on the stove in a large skillet.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.
3. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

Chicken Salad Wraps

As always I changed this a little. The recipe reflects the changes. I also shredded the lettuce and mixed it in, but you can leave the lettuce whole as well. I made it last more than 6 tortillas.

Chicken Salad Wraps

• 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
  
• 4 tablespoons fresh salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 12 lettuce leaves

1. In a small bowl combine the chicken, onion, ranch, salsa, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix together.
2. Line each tortilla with two lettuce leaves, then divide chicken salad mixture evenly among each tortilla and roll up, or 'wrap'.

pastry for double-crust pie

From the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 c. shortening

6-7 Tbsp. cold water

1. Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender (I finally have one), cut in shortening till pieces are pea-size.
2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 T. of water at a time, till all the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
4. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry.
5. Trim pastry even with edge of pie plate. Crimp edges as desired.
6. Roll remaining dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Place remaining pastry over filling; trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Bake as directed in individual recipes.
   

Apple pie

I made this last night per David's request. We have an abundance of Granny Smith apples right now. It's the first time I've made apple pie. It is from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I sliced the apples way too thin, so they turned to mush, but it still tasted good. I did not use the lemon juice, the raisins or nuts.

1 recipe pastry for double-crust pie
6 cups thinly sliced apples
1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)
3/4 c. white sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. raisins or chopped nuts (optional)

On a lightly floured surface roll out half of the pastry dough into circle 12 inches in diameter. Place in 9-inch pie plate (you can wrap it around the rolling pin and unravel it into the pie pan). Roll out the remaining dough to a circle about 12 inches wide.
In a large bowl mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add sliced apples and lemon juice if apples are not tart. Granny Smiths are tart enough so I didn't add the lemon juice. Add raisins or nuts if desired. Gently toss till coated.
Transfer apple mixture to the pastry lined pie plate. Trim pastry to edge of pie plate. Cut slits in remaining pastry; place on filling and seal. Crimp edges as desired.
To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with tin foil. Bake in 375 F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes more. or until top is golden. Cool on wire rack.

Chewy Choc-oat-chip Bar Cookies

This recipe comes from the Quaker Oatmeal canister. I made it this morning for a get-together at the park.

1 c. butter or margarine
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c. oats
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. nuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat together margarine, and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well. Press dough into ungreased 13 x 9 in baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Balsamic Bruschetta

I made this for Gourmet Girls (our Enrichment cooking group) on Thursday. As usual I changed a few things. I brushed olive oil on the bread before I broiled it in the oven. I also used grated Parmesan (instead of shredded), and topped it with mozzarella and broiled it again until the cheese was melted.

Balsamic Bruschetta

• 5 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 baguette, sliced and toasted

In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Serve on toasted bread slices.

Mozzarella Mushroom Chicken

I made a few changes from the original recipe. It called for way too much cheese.

Mozzarella Mushroom Chicken

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ( I cut them in half to create 4 servings)
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet, and season with basil and garlic. Cook 1o minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Set chicken aside, and keep warm.
2. Stir mushrooms into the skillet, and cook until tender. Return chicken to skillet, layer with mushrooms, and top with cheese. Cover skillet, and continue cooking 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Very easy, very good.

Creamy Potato Soup

I got this from a class I took at BYU. Nikki brought it in. I changed a few things in the directions. This makes a lot, so you can halve it for 4 servings.

3 c. chicken broth
1 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. onion, chopped
5 c. potatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. flour
1 qt half & half ( I used milk)
2 c. grated cheese (8 oz)

Mix broth, celery, onions, potatoes salt and pepper in a 4 qt pot. Cook for 10 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter. Mix in flour thoroughly with a wire whisk. Add milk and mix until thick and bubbly. Add in cheese and mix until melted.
Add cheese sauce to vegetables. Simmer over low heat until vegetables are tender - no more than 30 minutes.

5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Aaron got this from of the nurses on NICU

1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chocolate chips (optional - but highly recommended)
some nuts (optional)
small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share)

This is also called the most dangerous chocolate cake recipe in the world. Why? Because now we are 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Mostaccoli Mosta

I've made this before but I think it was before I started this blog. It's pretty easy and fast. The only changes are that I had 2 (8 oz) cans of tomato sauce, I used only 12 oz of penne pasta, and not as much butter or mozzarella cheese. I just put it in a 9x13 baking dish before I put it in the oven.

Mostaccoli Mosta

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (16 ounce) package mostaccioli pasta
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until done. Drain. Add tomato sauce, olives, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Simmer 15 minutes.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
3. Please mostaccioli in a shallow, 3 quart baking dish. Toss with butter or margarine. Pour meat sauce over, and top with shredded mozzarella.
4. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Tuna and White Bean Salad

I changed this recipe around a little to make it a main course. I thought it was really good. It would have been better with an herb added like fresh basil - it called for fresh rosemary, but I didn't have any. I also used 1 cup of dried beans soaked and cooked (more than a 15 oz can), so I added more of everything except tuna and lettuce. It's really quick to make once the beans are ready or if you have canned beans.

Tuna and White Bean Salad

• 1 (15 ounce) can white beans
  
• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
  
• 1 tsp lemon juice
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Drain beans well and place half the beans into a bowl.
2. Mash remaining beans with a fork.
3. Combine mashed and whole beans with tuna, onion, and lettuce
4. Dress the salad with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. You can serve this on crackers or put in a tortilla for a great wrap.
   

Spaghetti with Mussels

Since we had only used half of the bag of mussels, and we had to use them up before they died, we had another mussel meal. This recipe came from Italian Cooking.

• 2 lb fresh mussels in their shells
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 4 Tbsp white wine (or water)
• 1 lb spaghetti
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Scrub and debeard the mussels under cold running water
2. Bring large pan of water to a boil for the pasta. Place the mussels with a cup of water in another large saucepan over moderate heat. As soon as they open, lift them out one by one.
   
3. When all the mussels have opened (discard any that do not), strain the liquid in the saucepan through a paper towel ans reserve until needed.
   
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the mussels, their strained juices and the water. Cook over moderate heat. Meanwhile add the pasta to the boiling water.
5. Add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper to the sauce. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as necessary.
6. Drain the pasta when it is al dente. Tip it into the frying pan with the sauce, and stir well over moderate heat for 1-2 minutes more. Serve at once, without cheese.

Aaron and I laughed that they added "without cheese" to the directions.

Mussels Italiano

Aaron bought mussels at Costco yesterday, so I found a recipe that I tweaked. Preparing the mussels is the biggest task. Toss any mussels that are cracked. After they are cleaned and debearded it goes pretty fast. Everyone loved this.

Mussels Italiano

• 2 1/2 lbs mussels
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 c. celery, chopped
• 1/4 c. onions, minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 c water

1. Wash mussels in cold water; using a small knife, remove beards.
   
2. Melt butter in a medium sized pot; saute celery and onions til clear.
3. Add garlic and stir for another minute.
4. Add tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until tomato is soft.
5. Add water and bring to a slow boil.
6. Add mussels, cover and steam for 6- 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mussels are open.
7. Discard any that don't open.
8. Divide into serving bowls and cover with broth.

angel hair pasta with fresh basil, avocado and tomatoes

I got this recipe from my friend Nadine, but then I also found it in my Betty Crocker quick & Easy cookbook. It's really fast and delicious - although Aaron doesn't like it - oh well.

angel hair pasta with fresh basil, avocado and tomatoes

8 oz pasta (angel hair cooks fast, but you can use spaghetti, or something else)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 close fresh garlic, finely chopped
3/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/2 - 3/4 large avocado, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 medium tomatoes, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package
While pasta is cooking, heat oil in 3 qt- sauce pan over medium heat. Cook garlic in oil about 5 minute, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender but not brown; remove from heat.
Stir basil, avocado, and tomatoes into garlic in sauce pan. Toss vegetable mixture and pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Ten minute Enchilada sauce

I use this when I don't have any enchilada sauce in the pantry. It's so easy and I love it. It makes the equivalent to 2 (10 oz) cans of enchilada sauce.

Ten minute Enchilada sauce
Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup New Mexico or California chili powder
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
salt to taste


Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Dutch Oven Enchilada casserole

I got this recipe from my MIL. It is great in the dutch oven, but you can also bake it in a 9x13 baking dish. I often halve it for my family and just use the whole can of tomato soup with out the water. I also skimp on the ground beef a bit. I know I've made this more recently, so I don't know why I haven't posted it yet. I also didn't have enchilada sauce, so I made my own with this recipe.

2 lb ground beef
1 tsp salt
1 large onion, chopped
1 can tomato soup (10 3/4 oz)
2 cans enchilada sauce (10 oz each)
1 can water (10 oz)
flour tortillas
1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef, salt and onion. Drain fat. Add tomato soup, enchilada sauce and simmer together. Place 1 cup sauce on bottom of dutch oven, Then layer tortillas over the sauce (I break them up so the fit), then sprinkle cheese and repeat ending with cheese on top. Bake over coals (or in in oven at 350 degrees F) for 30 - 40 minutes.

Chewy Drizzled Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Aaron made these yesterday. We didn't have any nuts so we didn't add them they were still yummy. Although they could have baked a little longer and still have been chewy. He found the recipe on the Hershey's website.

Chewy Drizzled Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 egg
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips, divided
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely ground pecans or walnuts
• 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening

Directions:
1. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add corn syrup and egg; mix well.

2. Place 1 cup cinnamon chips in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Stir melted chips into butter mixture.

3. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to cinnamon chips mixture, beating just until blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

4. Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in nuts, lightly pressing nuts into dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden around edges. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle with CINNAMON CHIPS DRIZZLE. About 5 dozen cookies


CINNAMON CHIPS DRIZZLE: Place remaining 2/3 cup cinnamon chips and 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

mound bars

Aaron made these on Sunday night. He noticed we had a can of sweetened condensed milk that was past to the expiration date. So we had to use it right??? They turned out very well. Yummy!

mound bars

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter or margarine. Mix and pat into the bottom of one 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
3. Combine the condensed milk and flaked coconut. Spread over the crust and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
4. Spread the melted chocolate chips over the top. Let cool and cut into squares.

Parmesan Potatoes

Hey, I'm back. After a 2 month hiatus I decided to start posting again. I didn't try a whole lot of new recipes while I was in Idaho. Mostly we ate at my in-laws, or had very simple meals at home. So I'm back with another new one. My inspiration came from this recipe, but really I tweaked it a lot, so this is my version:

6 potatoes
1/4 c. butter, melted
3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
Seasoning salt
garlic salt
pepper

Wash the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Boil for about 10 minutes or until barely tender - not falling apart. Dump hot water and rinse with cold water - to stop cooking. Cut into bite size pieces.
Put melted butter in 8x11 pan. Mix in potatoes. Sprinkle them with the Parmesan Cheese, Seasoning salt, garlic salt and pepper and mix to cover. Bake at 375 F for about 10 minutes. Then broil for about 5 minutes or until the Parmesan on top begins to brown.

This was really good. Everyone loved it. I'm glad I made the alterations I did.

Peanut Butter Balls

This is a fun treat that my kids love to make, but rarely get to do so. Some call it edible playdough.
I got this recipe from a FHE lesson from Deseret Book - they got it from 30 Days to a Healthier Family.

1/4 c. smooth peanut butter
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. non-fat dry milk
chopped nuts or shredded coconut

Mix together peanut butter and honey. Add powdered milk. Shape into a ball and roll in either nuts or coconut.

I let the kids make their own shapes, or do whatever they want with it. They usually smash it in their fingers and put it on the their head, and then gobble it up.

Pasta with Sweet Peas

I double this recipe and it's gone quickly. With 16 oz of pasta there are plenty of leftovers. It's really quick. I even cooked up some chicken breasts to go along with it. I sauteed them in the butter and sprinkled the red pepper (I didn't use that much- just a few sprinkles) on them and then added it to the pasta. It would be better with frozen peas, but I had canned, so I used them. This isn't my picture, and those aren't farfalle pasta noodles.

Pasta with Sweet Peas

• 4 ounces farfalle pasta (bowtie noodles)
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1/4 cup canned green peas
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1. In a small pot cook farfalle pasta with the 2 cups of water. Add chicken bouillon and boil until water has reduced.
2. Stir in butter and peas. Add red pepper flakes, if desired.
3. Serve with sprinkled parsley on top.

Chocolate Decadence Cake

I made this for Father's Day. It was something I thought Aaron might tackle, so I thought he's enjoy it. I had all of the ingredients - except the whipping cream. We just topped it with frozen whipped topping. It probably has way too many calories, but it was so good. We ate 1/4 of it last night, and no one (except me) could finish their serving. It was so rich and dense. A few suggestions on the preparation. Another reviewer mentioned whipping the egg yolks and the egg whites separately (using 1/8 cup sugar in each). This worked nicely. Also you have to have a 10 inch cake pan. I used my 10 -inch springform pan, and it filled it as it rose (the cake also condenses as it cools). An 8 or 9 - inch pan will be too small to fit all the batter in. It also took a lot longer than 40 minutes. I let mine cook for 1 hour, and it probably could have gone longer. I sprinkled powdered sugar on top because I saw that in one of the pictures and thought it might look nice. Anyway.... it was really good. Aaron took the rest to a meeting tonight. He snagged another piece for tonight, but I don't think I should be eating that all week!

Chocolate Decadence Cake

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups butter, melted
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 7 eggs
• 2 cups whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch round pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
2. Chop chocolate squares and place in a large bowl with chocolate chips. Add melted butter. Heat water and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a saucepan until boiling, then pour over chocolate. Stir until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whip eggs with remaining 1/4 cup sugar until thick. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into 10 inch pan.
4. Place 10 inch pan on a cookie sheet in the oven and fill the cookie sheet with water.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool and refrigerate for several hours. Be extremely careful not to burn yourself on the hot water when removing the sheet pan from the oven. (I left the sheet pan of water in the oven until it cooled off)
   
6. Dip the pan in hot water to remove cooled cake. (I have a springform pan where the sides can be removed - so I didn't dip it in hot water). Garnish with whipped cream and serve.

Rhubarb crisp

We were given some rhubarb, and I really wanted to make my MIL's rhubarb crisp. This is the recipe she uses most often. These amounts are for a 9x9 pan. Double for 9x13 (we doubled it). It is so sweet and tangy - yum.

1 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. melted margarine or butter
3½ c. chopped rhubarb

Mix all of the above ingredients except rhubarb, until combined and crumbly. Press ½ of the crumb mixture on bottom for crust. Spread rhubarb over top. In a small sauce pan mix together:

½ c. sugar
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. corn starch

Cook until thick and clear. Remove from heat and mix in:
red food color (it looks more appetizing)
1 tsp. vanilla

Pour evenly over rhubarb. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top. Bake at 325° F for 1 hour. Serve w/ whipped topping or ice cream. You can cool it, or eat it warm.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I found this recipe a while ago. We don't typically have bacon in the house. But since we had some in the freezer and not much else I made this for dinner (Last week, before I went shopping). I cut this recipe down to about 3/4 and it fed all four of us with left over. I did get to harvest my fresh parsley for the first time this year! Yum! I omitted the wine, and I didn't use nearly as much oil as it called for. But then it was a little sticky.

Spaghetti Carbonara

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 slices bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.
3. Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty).
4. Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.

Garbanzo Tomato Pasta Soup

This was very easy, and very good. I used 4 cups of chicken broth to cook the noodles in, and used a little over 1 cup of sea shell pasta. I didn't have a 28 oz can of tomatoes, so I used one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, and one 14.5 oz can of Italian stewed tomatoes. I also cooked the onions and garlic in a 4 qt pot while the pasta was cooking, then added the remaining ingredients to the onions instead of to the pasta. When the pasta was done I drained about 1 cup of liquid off and then added the rest to the larger pot. It made it a little thicker. I really liked it and the kids did too. Again, not my picture they added cheese to their soup.

Garbanzo Tomato Pasta Soup

• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup small seashell pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Stir into pasta and add garbanzo beans, tomatoes, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat through and serve.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

I made this last night. It was very easy and delicious. I just used 4 chicken tenders, and I only had 8 oz of mushrooms. Since the boys didn't want the mushroom sauce there was plenty. Sadly I also ran out of balsamic vinegar, but it was fine even with a little less. I really did use 6 cloves, and it wasn't too much. This isn't my picture, but it might as well be, we also had potato wedges and broccoli.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon butter
  

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).
   
2. Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

Easy Chicken with basil cream sauce

This was a very fast and tasty dish. It came from my Wymount ward cookbook. Submitted by MaryAnne U* I used two chicken breasts and a little less than 1/2 c. of Parmesan. I also used more garlic salt.

1 pkg (12 oz) bow tie pasta
1Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 c. milk
1 pkg(3 oz) cream cheese, cubed
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt; cook 2 minutes on each side or until it is no longer pink. Add milk and heat just to boiling; stir in cream cheese and basil. Reduce heat, stirring constantly until cream cheese is completely melted and chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Toss hot pasta and sauce; serve immediately.

Chinese Chicken

I could have sworn I'd posted this one too. But I guess not. I am making this tonight. This is from our HP ward cookbook, submitted by Tara B. You can use a whole chicken cut up, or boneless skinless chicken breasts.

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. margarine
1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Whole fryer chicken

In a small sauce pan, combine ingredients, mix well. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Let cool for 3-4 minutes. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Place skinned chicken, breast side down in sauce. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 F.

So easy, so good. It goes great with streamed rice or fried rice.

Cheddar biscuits

This is supposed to be similar to the one biscuits at Red Lobster. My MIL found it in the newspaper. They are very yummy, and very fattening.

2 1/2 c Bisquik
4 Tbsp cold butter
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 c. cold whole milk (we just used skim)
1/4 tsp garlic powder

To brush on top. Mix together:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400 F
Cut butter into bisquick. There should still be little clumps of butter about the size of peas. Add remaining ingredients. Mix by hand. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet - about 1/4 c. of dough per biscuit - an ice cream scoop works well. Bake 15-17 minutes until the tops are light brown, but not too dark. Brush the butter mixture over the tops.

Cream puffs

This recipe comes from my MIL's ward cookbook. It is so easy. You can fill it with pudding, for a dessert, or for a lunch or dinner- tuna or chicken salad.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs

Add butter to boiling water; stir until butter is melted. Add flour, salt and mix together. Cook stirring vigorously, until smooth and forms a soft ball. Cool mixture slightly (2-3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time. Beat vigorously after each egg. Beat until smooth. Drop onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325 F for 25 minutes. Cool, clean out and fill.

I tried to make mine small, but they turned out bigger than I had planned. I made 17. Random I know. I probably makes 12 huge ones, or 18 smaller ones. I filled mine with cookies and cream pudding and banana cream pudding.

Fruity swirl coffee cake

Aaron made this to take to work, but there was plenty enough for us too. It was pretty yummy. He used cherry pie filling. He made it on a 12 inch pizza pan and my 10 inch spring form pan. They were a little thick, but turned out fine. We don't have any Bisquick, but we got a recipe for that from my MIL. I'll have to post that when I find it again.

Fruity Swirl Coffee Cake

4 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
3 eggs
1 (21 oz.) can cherry, apricot, or blueberry pie filling
Glaze (below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch or 2 square pans (9 x 9 x 2 inch). Mix all ingredients, except pie filling and Glaze; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Spread 2/3 of the batter (about 2 1/2 cups) in jelly roll pan or 1/3 of the batter (about 1 1/4 cups) in each square pan. Spread pie filling over batter (filling may not cover batter completely). Drop remaining batter by tablespoons onto pie filling.

Bake until light brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Drizzle with glaze, while warm. Serve warm or cool. 18 servings.

Glaze: Beat 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and of desired consistency.

Peanut Noodles

I thought I had posted this a long time ago. But I couldn't find it. So this may be a repeat. We have this often. It's really easy, the kids love it. We usually do it when Aaron isn't home because he gets tired of Thai food. He's gets a lot of it at lunches, journal clubs etc. I do it pretty much as written, only I use the whole green onion and just a dash of red pepper.

Peanut Noodles

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced (white parts only)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine oil and onions in a small skillet. Saute over low heat until tender. Add ginger; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat.
3. Toss noodles with sauce, and serve.

Devil's Food Cake Cockaigne

This is the cake Aaron made for my birthday on Sunday. It is from the Joy of Cooking.
The directions are a bit confusing so hopefully I can write this so you can follow. I'll do the ingredients first (even though that's not how it is in the book). And yes, sugar and buttermilk are listed twice, on purpose.
As for the buttermilk -we just used milk with lemon juice to sour it (1 cup milk to 1 tsp lemon juice). And cake flour can be made by adding 1/4 c. cornstarch to 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour (to make 2 cups)

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened nonalkalized (whatever that means) cocoa
1/2 c. buttermilk or yogurt
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk or yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs


Have all ingredients at room temperature. Grease and flour 0ne 9-inch tube pan or 2 9x2 inch round cake pans. Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk together 1 c. sugar, cocoa, 1/2 buttermilk. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl combine 1/2 buttermilk and vanilla.

In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 c sugar, on high speed, until lightened in color and texture. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in cocoa mixture. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 parts ( i.e add 1/3 of the flour, 1/2 of the buttermilk, 1/3 flour, 1/2 buttermilk and then remaining 1/3 flour). Beat on low speed or stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Scrape the batter into the pan(s) and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes in round pans, 45-55 minutes for the tube pan.
***important. Know your oven. Go the full 55 minutes in a tube pan unless you think it's done. We checked ours at 45 minutes and it fell :( But it still tasted good!***
Let cool in the pan(s) on a rack for 10 minutes. Slide a thin knife around the cake to detach it from the pan(s). Invert the cake. Let cool right side up on the rack.

Aaron glazed it with a Chocolate Ganache, also from the Joy of Cooking. It would have been really rich if we'd had heavy whipping cream. But even using skim milk, it was great! And I don't think he used this much chocolate, probably 1/2 of the recipe.

3/4 c heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Bring cream to a boil in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat and add chocolate, Stir until most of the chocolate is melted. Cover and let rest of 10 minutes. Stir or whisk very gently until completely smooth. Stir in 1 Tbsp liqueur (optional) - we used vanilla. For a pourable glaze, let stand at room temperature stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 85 to 95 degrees. F. For frosting, let stand until spreadable. It can be soften again slowly if necessary.

Southern Made Cheese Ball

Aaron had a meeting tonight and threw this together to share. He only used 1/3 of the ingredients, but used less garlic powder and a little more cream cheese. We don't have onion powder so we subbed minced dried onion. We didn't have any diced ham. Oh, and we NEVER use Miracle Whip - it's gotta be real mayo! After he rolled it, he sprinkled some parsley on top (we didn't have enough green onions or enough time for chopped nuts) and sliced up some red pepper to garnish it.

Southern Made Cheese Ball

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Creole-style seasoning
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1 tablespoon creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip ™

In a large bowl, mix by hand cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, green onions, chili powder, Creole-style seasoning, Cheddar cheese, ham and creamy salad dressing. Form the mixture into one or more balls. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

Herbed Rice Pilaf

I made this to accompany something great that Aaron made (I'm trying to remember what it is so I can post it) It was really easy and tasty. I didn't have very much celery, and I just cooked it on the stove top (for 20 minutes). Very easy!

Herbed Rice Pilaf

• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

In a skillet, saute rice, celery and onion in butter until the rice is lightly browned and the vegetables are tender. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. casserole. Combine all remaining ingredients; pour over rice mixture. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F for 50 minutes or until the rice is done.

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

Aaron made this for a Sunday dinner a few weeks ago! They were so good! I think he followed the recipe. But I guess I should ask. I think he ended up using more flour than it called for.

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil; add oats and butter. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; cool to lukewarm. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oat mixture, sugars, salt and 4 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; allow to rest for 10 minutes. Shape into 18 balls. Place in two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire racks.

Greek Seasoning

Aaron made up his own recipe for gyros, and since we had used up the pita pockets we made them into tortilla wraps. He sliced up some pork and sauteed it in olive oil and used this seasoning. He used fresh garlic and about half of the recipe.

Greek Seasoning

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

For the gyros he used lettuce, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, and sour cream. We didn't have any cucumbers, or that would have gone well with it too.

Pita Chicken

This recipe was fabulous. It's a little like fajitas with a twist. I totally forgot the sour cream, but Aaron added ranch dressing and it was fabulous!. It's supposed to feed 2 people, but it fed our family of 4 - with no leftovers. I was worried about it being too spicy for the kids so I let people add on the salsa to their liking, and I only put a dash or two of cayenne pepper instead of 1/4 tsp. We used up 6 pitas and a whole avocado - we all love avocado! And I only chopped up one tomato. David even put lettuce on his - I was thrilled! David's second pita broke while he was opening it, so he ate it like a sandwich. This is a keeper.

Pita Chicken

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 2 pita breads
• 8 ounces diced tomato
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup sliced avocado
• 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

1. Cut chicken into strips. In a skillet, saute in hot oil until almost done. Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper over chicken. Add salsa and simmer until done (about 5 minutes).
2. Split pitas in half, fill with chicken and garnish with tomatoes, lettuce, avocados and sour cream. Add whatever garnishes you like and eat!

Split Pea and Potato soup

I found this in an old Reader's Digest Healthy cookbook that I got at half-price books. I thought it was really good especially with my home made croutons. I didn't have any low-sodium broth, the regular stuff had to do.

1 Tbsp margarine
1 med onion, chopped
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 c dried split green peas, rinsed and sorted
2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered (I diced them)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and cook uncovered until soft - about 5 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and water and bring to a boil - about 4 minutes. Add the peas and potatoes, adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the peas and potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

*In an electric blender or food processor, puree the soup in 5 batches, whirling each batch about 15 seconds. Return to the pan, set over low heat and bring to serving temperature, stirring often. Add the pepper.

*I have an immersion blender so I just pureed the soup in the pan, no need to cool or reheat.

Rice with Black Beans

Rice with Black Beans

I don't have any instant rice, but if you increase the liquid a bit and cook for at least 20 minutes it turns out just fine. I also used real garlic, and olive oil instead of vegetable oil.

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup instant white rice

1. In a large saucepan, cook and stir onion in oil until tender and translucent, but not brown. Add tomatoes, beans, oregano and garlic powder. Bring to boil. Stir in rice, return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cover.
2. Let mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Greek Pasta

Greek Pasta

This was really good. I had some mushrooms that needed to be used up and some feta cheese I didn't want to go bad. I only had 8 oz of mushrooms and it was fine. I also used a little more garlic, less oil, and since we sprinkled the cheese on top I didn't used that much feta and David preferred Parmesan. I used more than just oregano, I added, marjoram, basil and parsley as well. It was really good. Oh, and I didn't blanch or peel the tomatoes, I just chopped them up.

• 1 pound linguine pasta
• 3 tomatoes
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Plunge whole tomatoes in water briefly, until skin starts to peel. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in cold water. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. While pasta is cooking peel blanched tomatoes and chop.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Stir in garlic and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms begin to give up their juices. Stir in tomatoes and oregano and cook until tomatoes are tender.
4. To serve, plate pasta, top with hot tomato sauce and sprinkle with feta and olives.

Sharktooth pasta

I have been slacking on my recipe blog for a few weeks, so I hope to make up for it today. Here are a ton of recipes we have used over the past few weeks. I didn't even get to mention that my little recipe blog is over a year old now (as of March 9th) and has almost 200 recipes!

Sharktooth Pasta

This was a simple easy one I used while Aaron was on call. It wasn't all that spectacular, but the kids ate it up and it was really easy. I added some frozen mixed veggies in there too.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces dry farfalle (bow tie) pasta
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Return pasta to pot; stir in soup and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Add cheese; cook and stir just until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Baked Salmon

Aaron made this last night for dinner. He changed it of course. He used half olive oil and half butter (the real stuff). He also baked it a little less. The flavor was really good. It was great straight out of the oven, but as it sat it got really dry. Next time we'll have to stick with grilling or broiling.

Baked Salmon

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon

1. In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

Shrimp Scampi

Aaron made this Saturday. We didn't have any angel hair, just spaghetti. And the wine was substituted with apple juice. It made it really sweet, but very tasty. We didn't have 1 1/2 lbs of shrimp, more like 1/2 lb, but it was still really good. I'm not sure I liked the breading though.

Shrimp Scampi

• 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add angel hair pasta and return pot to boil. Cook until al dente. Drain well.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter, saute garlic until tender, remove garlic and discard. Add shrimp and cook until colored pink. Stir in white wine. The bread crumbs are used as thickening, so stir in a little at a time until desired thickness is reached.
3. Serve shrimp over angel hair pasta, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair

I made this Thursday when I was running low on groceries, but had company coming over. I doubled it (I was expecting 4 adults - only 3 came, and there was a ton of leftovers). I used half fresh tomatoes, and one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. Other reviewers suggested it needed more flavor so I added oregano, basil and garlic powder to the tomatoes and let them marinate for a hour. I also marinated the chicken in Italian dressing for 3 hours. And grilled them (on the George Foreman grill). I used more garlic as well. I wish I has fresh basil, but I had to settle for the dried variety. And I didn't put the hot sauce in, because I wasn't sure the kids would eat it. Aaron tried it on the leftovers, and loved it. And I let people add their own Parmesan Cheese.

• 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook angel hair pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.
3. Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Potato Supreme

This is my MIL's version of funeral potatoes. Very yummy, and we all love it. I'm sure I've made it in the last year, but haven't posted it for some reason. You can also reduce the amount and use it as a side dish.


4-6 medium potatoes, boiled, then skinned, and sliced very thin
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
4 Tbsp butter
1 pint sour cream
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. onions, chopped (I use green onions)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook potatoes, slice, and set aside - it is important not to over cook, or they will be difficult to slice. I use a hand held slicer (it's one side of my rectangular cheese grater).
Mix together remaining ingredients. Then mix gently with the potatoes and spread into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.

Empanadas Saltenas

This is a recipe Aaron got in Argentina. There are tons of different ways to make these. We tend to use this recipe with either ground beef or chicken. I included a link for the pastry. In TX there was a little Argentine shop/cafe that sold the pre-made pastries. We haven't found one here. It took a VERY long time to make the dough, roll it our, cut it and fill and seal them. But they are so worth it!

About 2 lbs grounds beef or chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 onions, minced
1-2 red peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp. oregano
2-4 Tbsp. cumin (according to spicy preference)
4 medium boiled potatoes, diced
4-6 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 small (5.75 oz) jar green olives (with or without pimento), diced
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook beef or chicken in a little olive oil. Add onions, and peppers (add hot peppers too, if desired). Cook until vegetables are tender. Add oregano and cumin.
Stir in potatoes, eggs, and green olives; heat through.
Place about 2 Tbsp of filling on half of the pastry circle. Dampen the edge of half the circle with moistened fingertip (dip it in a little water). Fold pastry over top of filling and seal well with fingers, pinching it together. You can press a fork around the edge to seal it, but we like to make twists in the pastry all the way around. I should have taken a picture.
Place on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat for remaining dough and filling. Brush tops with slightly beaten egg whites. Bake at 350 F for about 25-30 minutes. They will brown slightly.

For the pastry shell recipe go here.

This recipe made about 4 1/2 dozen empanadas, so feel free to reduce it, and use a different pastry dough - since it only takes one egg. Someone will have to eat the remaining green olives (or omit them if you don't like them.) Some people add peas, but Aaron doesn't like peas in his.

Basic Crepes

For Valentine's Day I made these (yes I realize that was over a week ago). We all enjoyed them. This recipe came from my Wymount ward, but I can't remember who gave it to me. This batter can be used immediately or let batter stand 1-2 hours - that will produce slightly more tender crepe. Refrigerate batter for up to 3 days.

1 c. flour
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Place ingredients in blender container in order given. Blend 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down sides. Blend 30-60 seconds until smooth. Or mix in bowl with wire whisk, or mixer. First combing flour and eggs, adding liquid gradually. Beat until smooth. Add other ingredients. makes 16 crepes. Measure flour and liquid carefully - consistency is important - about like heavy cream.
* My notes. If you have a crepe maker use it. I don't, so I use a small skillet, and cook them one at a time. I try to use a larger skillet, but then they don't cook evenly, or are shaped funny.

corn muffins

This recipe is from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I think I've used it before, but I haven't posted it, and we made it again last week sometime. The Jiffy muffin mixes don't feed our family anymore, and I can't find them for 4 for $1 anymore either. I think my kids just like the honey butter I make to serve with it.

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. cornmeal
2 to 4 Tbsp. sugar (adjust to your preference)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 c. cooking oil or shortening, melted

Grease muffin tins, or line tins with baking cups; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.
in another bowl combine eggs, milk, and cooking oil or melted shortening. Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir until just moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared tins, filling 2/3 full. Bake in 425 F oven for 12-15 minutes or until brown.

Stove-Top Lasagna

I made this last night. It's from my Betty Crocker cookbook. As usual I didn't have the exact ingredients, so I substituted and improvised. I only had half of a red pepper (no green), and only about 4 oz of mushrooms. I didn't have tomato pasta sauce, so I used a can (14.5 oz) of Italian Style tomatoes and 8 oz of tomato sauce. I also didn't have Italian seasoning, so I added some Rosemary and marjoram. After tasting it I added basil, oregano, parsley, black pepper, and garlic powder. And I only had mozzarella for the cheese. Is that enough changes for ya?

1 lb bulk Italian sausage
1 green pepper, sliced (oops I chopped mine)
1 pkg (8 oz) mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 c.)
3 cups uncooked mafalda (mini-lasagna noodle) pasta (6 oz) - I actually had this because I found it at Grocery Outlet really cheap - the sausage came from there too!
2 1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 jar (26-30 oz) chunky tomato pasta sauce (any variety)
1 c. 4-blend Italian or shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz) -

Cook sausage, pepper, mushrooms and onion in a 12-inch skillet or 4-qt dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese (I just sprinkled a little on each serving).

oatmeal pancakes

I made these for breakfast the other day (OK about 2 weeks ago), and the kids loved them! I don't have buttermilk, so I used soured milk (add 1/2 tsp to the milk and let it sit for a couple minutes)
The strawberry syrup was delicious. No extra butter needed! From my Betty Crocker Cookbook.

1/2 c. quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. fat-free milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg

Make strawberry topping and keep warm. Beat remaning ingredients with hand beater or wire whisk, just until smooth (for thinner pancakes, stir in additional 2-4 Tbsp milk.)
Spray griddle or 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat griddle to 375 or heat skillet over medium heat. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 c. batter from cup or pitcher onto hot griddle. (Do I really need to tell you how to make pancakes?)
Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. turn cook other sides until golden brown. Serve with topping.


Strawberry Topping
1 jar (12 oz) strawberry preserves
1 c. quartered fresh or frozen strawberries
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
( I halved this recipe and it lasted one meal - yikes!)
Heat all ingredients over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and mixture is hot.

Salsa-Rice Burritos

This was quick and easy, even without instant rice. It came from my Betty Crocker cook book. I used a 14 oz can of corn drained, and chopped up some red and yellow peppers (about 1/4 c). I don't think I used that much cheese. I had a half of an avocado and that went very nicely on top. I thought it would be too spicy for the kids, but it wasn't.

1 1/2 cups salsa, plus additional if desired
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 c uncooked instant rice
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11 oz) whole kernal corn with red and green peppers, undrained
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (6 oz)
8 flour tortillas (8 inches in diameter)

Heat 1 1/2 cups salsa and the chili powder to boiling in 10 inch skillet. Stir in rice; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. * see note if you don't have instant rice* Stir in beans, corn and cheese.
Spoon about 1/2 c rice mixture onto center of each tortilla. fold up bottom of each tortilla; fold over sides. Secure with toothpick if necessary, Serve with additional salsa.

*I used regular rice so I added 1/2 c of water to the salsa and cooked it for 20 minutes.

One Dish Vegetarian Dinner

I made this because I opened a can of olives and then discovered I already has some in the fridge. So olives had to be a major ingredient. This needed a lot of extras. I added a little bit of cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. I tried leftovers with feta cheese - yum! I used about 1/2 cup of olive oil, and after I cooked the pasta, I tossed it with the garlic infused oil in the pan for a few minutes. It was really quick and easy. Also, I only had 8 oz of penne pasta, so I used some shell pasta too. Sorry no picture.

One Dish Vegetarian Dinner

• 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large head fresh broccoli, blanched
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives

1. Cook pasta in large pot with boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat cook garlic in olive oil, being careful not to allow garlic to burn.
3. In a large bowl add the cooked broccoli, cooked and drained pasta, and black olives.
4. To serve, pour garlic oil over pasta and vegetables. Serve warm.

Death By Chocolate

Aaron made this for dessert on Valentine's day. Instead of putting it in a glass dish he made them individually in glass ice cream dishes. We used the Betty Crocker brownie mix that had chocolate chunks in it. We didn't have any Skor or Heath bars, so he chopped up some Twix and Hershey bars. It was very rich, and I was glad we shared with Nathan and Amy.


Death By Chocolate

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
• 2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee

1. Prepare brownies according to package directions. Let cool.
2. Mix pudding according to package directions.
3. In a glass punch bowl, layer in the following order: 1/2 of the brownie, crumbled; 1/2 of the pudding; 1 toffee bar, crushed; 1/2 of the whipped topping.
4. Repeat layers in the same order. Save the last toffee bar to crumble and sprinkle on top before serving.
5. Refrigerate. Best if made the day before you serve it.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

David wanted a dessert tonight, and I agreed since we ate an early dinner. Brownies sounded good, so I found this recipe. I followed it pretty closely, except I didn't measure exactly on the Peanut butter. I hate getting it out of the measuring cup, so I just estimated. I agree with other reviewers, that it doesn't have a huge peanut butter taste. But it's still a good brownie recipe. And I actually remembered to take picture this time. Maybe because I actually had time, since they had to cool a bit. Oh, and we ate them warm, with a glass of milk - mmmm!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease bottom of one13x9 inch pan.
2. In a small bowl blend the cream cheese, peanut butter, white sugar and 1 egg. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Stir in peanuts and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the brownie mix, water, oil and 2 eggs. Beat for fifty strokes with a wooden spoon.
4. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Drop filling by tablespoonfuls over brownie batter. Spoon remaining batter over filling. Pull a knife through the batter in wide curves, turn pan and repeat for a marbled effect.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars. Sore tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Boudreaux's Zydeco Stomp Gumbo

We celebrated Mardi Gras a little late this year (on Thursday because that's when Aaron was home). Basically we just eat Gumbo to celebrate, that's it. We started the tradition two years ago when were invited to a Mardi Gras party at John and Pamela's. Our friends from New Orleans were there (temporarily displaced because of Katrina) and brought a King Cake.
Anyway, so now we make Gumbo occasionally, and love this recipe. I halved it this time, since we weren't feeding a crowd. It was a little tricky to halve. Instead of the can of tomatoes and green chiles I add an extra tomato, and three green chiles from a can (I had used part of a can earlier in the week). I had also made apple juice the night before and substituted that for the beer. I also forgot to get red chili peppers at the store, so I just put some sweet red bell pepper in. Aaron noticed that it wasn't as spicy, but I thought it was good. Still too spicy for the kids. We also had Creole Seasoning instead of Cajun, but they are pretty close. I didn't cook it as long (I started it too late) as it said to and it was still good. But I think the flavored mingle better if cooked longer. I would recommend eating it with some crusty bread to quell some of the spice, unless you like making your nose run and your eyes water. Enjoy!

Boudreaux's Zydeco Stomp Gumbo

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - chopped
• 1/2 pound pork sausage links, thinly sliced
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 quarts chicken broth
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
• 6 stalks celery, diced
• 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 sweet onion, sliced
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, with liquid
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh red chile peppers
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat, and cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Drain chicken and sausage, and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, blend olive oil and flour to create a roux. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly. Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 minute.
3. Gradually stir chicken broth and beer into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, and mix in celery, tomatoes, sweet onion, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, red chile peppers, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 40 minutes, stirring often.
4. Mix chicken, sausage, and shrimp into the broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.

Creamed Eggs on Toast

This is one of the few recipes I brought to our marriage. Well, Aaron's mom made this too, but put cheese in it, and didn't always add eggs. This was a favorite breakfast food in my family growing up. We decided to have breakfast for dinner last night and chose this recipe - Aaron's family called it cheese sauce on toast. I don't really have a recipe, but I'll break it down for you.

Make a white sauce: equal parts butter and flour and stir in milk. what you want a recipe? J/K
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
4-6 boiled eggs, shelled and sliced
1/2 c. grated cheese
salt to taste
pepper to taste
(our my family's favorite - Morton's seasoning)
toasted bread

To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in flour (makes a roux). Pour in 1/2 c. milk and stir in until smooth. Return to medium heat stirring frequently. As it thickens add milk 1/2 c. at a time. When white sauce is thickened add cheese and stir until melted. Then stir in sliced eggs, and seasonings.
Break toast into bite size pieces on each plate (the kids love to do this by themselves) and pour sauce over top. So yummy!

Parmesan-Dijon Chicken

I've been neglecting my recipe blog (trying to finish my book club book and watching LOST). So These next few recipes were made over the last couple of weeks.

This was really good. Very tangy. I was worried the kids wouldn't eat it because it was a little spicy, but they liked it. Aaron said the leftovers were even better (there wasn't enough for us all to eat leftovers). It came from the Betty Crocker cookbook. I only used 2 chicken breasts, and cut them into strips. So even though there was less chicken you still need the same amount of coating. I also thought it was better to put the coating on a plate, instead of shaking it in a bag. The bag got all gooey quickly, and the coating wouldn't stick. But, maybe if it was a whole breast, it would have worked. 20 minutes is plenty of time for the chicken strips.

3/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 3/4 lb)

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Grease rectangular pan 13x9x2 inches (with only 2 chicken breasts, I fit it in an 11x7 pan).
2. Mix bread crumbs and cheese in large resealable plastic food storage bag. Mix butter and mustard in shallow dish. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then shake in bag to coat with crumb mixture. Place in pan.
3. Bake uncovered 20 -25 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

Minestrone Pasta Salad

This was really good. I had small shell pasta, so I didn't need 3 cups (about 2 was enough). This came from my new Betty Crocker cookbook, so it's fast and easy.

3 cups uncooked medium pasta shells
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 can (15-16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15-16 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian-style stewed or diced tomatoes, drained
2/3 c. Italian dressing
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan

1 Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
2. Toss pasta and remaining ingredients. Serve warm or cold.

I thought it was better cold, and the leftovers the next day were great.

Quick Chick

Honestly, I didn't think this was very good. It was easy, but no one wanted to eat the leftovers, and the kids didn't want to eat it in the first place. But maybe you'll like it. I only did one onion, and I didn't have a can of mushrooms, just fresh ones.

Quick Chick

• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 onions, sliced, separated into rings
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, with liquid
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Saute chicken until all sides are well browned, then stir in the celery, onions, mushrooms with liquid and soy sauce. Cover skillet and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until celery is tender and chicken is cooked through.

Scandinavian Spice Cookies

I also made these for the multi-cultural night at David's school.
These are kind of like Oatmeal raisin cookies, but a little crispier (even when I removed them after 12 minutes) and it uses nutmeg - yum. I've seen some with cardamom too, but I didn't have any.

Scandinavian Spice Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add egg and mix well. Beat in salt, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until well-blended. Stir in flour, oats, and raisins. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden brown. Remove cookies immediately from sheet. Makes 5 dozen cookies.