Caress Family Favorite Recipes

Fresh Nectarine Cupcakes

2011-06-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

McKayla was thumbing through an issue of Martha Stewart Living. Oo-ing and Ah-ing at everything. (What is it about that magazine? Every month Martha convinces me that I can be Martha, too.) She decided that the cupcakes on the last page were a must-make. Coincidentally, I had been seduced by a particularly fragrant bag of nectarines at the grocery store earlier that day. Coincidence? Fate? Karma? Luck? Who knows. But one thing I do know, these are amazing!

So here is the recipe, with the adjustments I made ... (always making some adjustment ...)

Boil water in a pot. While heating up, set up a water bath. (Water bath: bowl full of ice cubes and water that will immediately stop the cooking process.)You are going to be peeling off the skin of the nectarines. When the water is boiling rapidly, gently submerge 4 clean, ripe nectarines. I like to stir them. After a minute, take out one and submerge in the water bath. Test to see if the skin comes off easily. If it does, take them all out and submerge in the water bath. If not return to the pot and continue cooking for about 15 seconds before you test again. Repeat until skin comes off easily, but the fruit should not be cooked. Congratulations! You have just learned how to BLANCH.

Peel, slice, remove pit and chop up the fruit in small chunks. Not itty-bitty so it is just mush, but so you can still see nice chunks. Set aside.

Let's make some cupcake batter!

1 1/2 cubes softened butter (12 tbsp or 3/4 of a cup)
1 1/2 cups sugar

Mix until fluffy. Add the following:

2/3 cup milk (Martha said whole, but I used 1% and felt just fine with it.)
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

Sift together the dry and then add to the wet:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Mix until everything is smooth and fluffy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and insert two dozen paper cups in muffin tins. Fill each cup with 1 heaping-tbsp of batter. Then fill with 1 heaping-tbsp of nectarines. Top with 1 heaping-Tbsp of batter. Bake for 25 minutes. The tops should be golden brown. Let cool. Remove from tin.

Let's make some topping:

1 1/2 cups cold whipping cream
1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp powdered milk (this stabilizes the whipped cream)

Beat together on high speed until it looks like whipped cream should look. Dollop on cupcakes right before you eat. Add a slice of nectarine to make it look super pretty!

Makes 2 dozen.
El yumm-o!

German Pancakes

2011-01-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

German Pancakes are one of those foods that while you are eating it, you know you shouldn't. The first time I had them, one of my BYU roommates had made one. When they came out of the oven she sprinkled it with a generous layer of powdered sugar and then squeezed a lemon over it. Heaven! I could not believe I had lived so long and never eaten it before.

A few years later, I ran across a recipe in a cookbook, made it and passed my love onto my young family. McKayla, who is not a big fan of pancakes/waffles/french toast fell madly in love. It became her favorite breakfast food of all time. It is regularly served as her "birthday breakfast" and usually gets one or two additional appearances for a holiday or general conference breakfast. But it remains special. Not just an everyday or any day treat.

By the way, I was fine with my recipe. I had ordered it in a couple of restaurants through the years and found that it was always good, mostly the same. Consistently good. Sometimes served with apples, or syrup, or lemon juice. But the pancake itself was pretty much the same.

Switching themes for a moment. My friend Sheila is the most positive, gracious person out there. Having had her difficulties, she is not only a survivor, but one with a smile on her face. She does not dwell on the negatives, but looks for the opportunities in the future. I love and admire so much about her. She would have been great on the pioneer trail. But I digress, this is a recipe blog and I am not going to cook Sheila. I bring this up because during one of those incredibly generous moments, she made this for us. We were staying with her while the girls were attending a BYU sports camp. I though it was enough for us to stay in her beautiful home, but no. She also made us breakfast every morning and dinner every night. I mean come on, 5-star all the way. I could do a whole post on how wonderful that week was. I think I did (right here and then continuing through several more posts) There I go digressing again.

Bottom line: Sheila made us German Pancakes one morning and they were so much better than other I had ever had. I needed that recipe. Here it is:

Take a cube of butter and put it into a 13 x 9 can pan (I use a glass one) put it in the oven and turn the oven on to 450 degrees. Keep an eye on it. The butter needs to melt and the pan needs to be hot. But you don't want it to burn.

While that is going on mix the following:

6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Stir until smooth. When the butter is melted and the oven is hot, keep the pan in the oven and pour the mixture into the pan. Do not stir. The melted butter will stay separate and that is how you want it. Let bake for 15-20 minutes, checking after 15. It will balloon up and you don't wan the edges to get too dark/burnt.

Serve immediately. You can used the lemon juice/powdered sugar way or just maple syrup or plain. Experiment. Enjoy.

Madison's Famous, from scratch, Mac & Cheese

2010-11-25T17:41:00.000-08:00

4 cups uncooked pasta

Boil the pasta, following the directions on the package. Mix the sauce while the pasta cooks so that the sauce is ready for the drained pasta. Drain the pasta and then put in into a large bowl to mix it with the sauce.

Cheese sauce:

Melt together in a sauce pan:
1/2 stick of butter
8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine:
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup (Campbells)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp black pepper

Pour the butter/cheese mixture into the bowl and combine. Dump the drained pasta into the bowl and stir until the pasta is completely sauced. At this point it can be refrigded for later or cooked right away.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (40 minutes if coming from the fridge.) Cover with an additional 2 oz of shredded cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 10 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Thanksgiving Menu for 2010

2010-11-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

Our Menu for this year:

Appetizers (which doubles as brunch):
Veggies & Dip
Artichoke Cheese Dip in a Sourdough Breadbowl
Cold Shrimp Platter
Grilled Bacon Wrapped Fresh Pineapple
Carrot Raisin Bread

Main Dinner:
Turkey
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Cornbread Stuffing
Cranberry Sauce
Steamed Veggies
Green Bean Casserole (my children have never had a proper one, so I thought I would introduce it to them.)
Sweet Potato Souffle with Praline Pecan Topping
Homemade Rolls
Homemeade Mac & Cheese
Green Salad

Desserts:
Maple Sandwich Cookies
Brownies
Pumpkin Pie w/ Whipped Cream
Fall Leaf Sugar Cookies

This menu was designed by the children. They each got to pick one dish that they could not live without.

White Chicken Chili

2010-08-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

My versions of chili always consist of using leftover meat. So this recipe assumes that I made rotisserie chicken the night before (or two nights, but not more.) My family eats the chicken and we always seem to have enough for something else as well. So here it goes.

Take my left over chicken carcass complete with meat attached and put in a big pot with enough water to cover. Bring to boil, put the lid on, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour.

Drain the chicken in a colander but drain the stock into another pot. This is your chicken stock.

Let the chicken cool a little (just until you can attack it without bodily injury.) Go ahead a strip it. Get all the meat and discard the rest. The meat should be easily shredded by hand, but don't worry. It will keep breaking up in the last step, so you can leave it in big chunks for now.

Now for the chili part.

1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 whole can diced green chilies, do not drain - we want the liquid
1 pound dried great northern beans - white ones, rinse
10 cups chicken broth - this is approximate and will vary so just use the stuff you just made and we can add more later. Some people like thick stew like chili and some people like thin soup like chili so this is a place to add your personal touch
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 - 2 cups whole milk (this makes it creamy - if you don't want creamy, then adjust the water)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Grated Monterey Jack cheese and avocados are our favorite toppings.

You can always add sour cream, guacamole, chopped, fresh cilantro, pico do gallo, Fritos, etc. for toppings. To quote my favorite line from Tortilla Soup: "I love toppings. Sometimes I go to restaurants and I just order toppings."

Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until soft. Pour into the pot with the chicken stock (from above) and add the green chilies and rinsed beans, cumin and a little salt and pepper. (Remember it is easier to add more salt than to remove it, so be conservative.) Bring to a boil and place a lid on the pot and reduce to a simmer. Cook for two hours or until the beans are done.

Add the chicken and the milk. Give it a good stir. This is where you have to make the adjustments for thick or thin. Add more chicken broth or milk. Check the seasonings. Add more salt, pepper, or even cayenne depending on your tastes. Let simmer for about 10 minutes and then serve.

Garnish with any or all toppings. Serve with warmed tortillas or Fritos or cornbread. Or all three. Live a little.

My new menu ideas

2010-08-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ever get tired of having the same old thing? I get into these modes where every week tastes the same as every other week. I lack the creativity, the energy, the motivation. I just want to give my kids something that I know they will like and the next thing you know, we get caught in a rut.

My new idea is to brainstorm all my ideas for food I know they will like and then cook all of them before I go back and remake any of them. I broke down the list into categories and we will see how it goes. Here is the starting list. Some things might be switched out, but at least I know they like everything on the list.

Chicken

Pot Pie

Rotisserie

Enchiladas

Orange

Tenders

Parmesan

Grilled

Alice Springs

w/ Dumplings

Shepherdress Pie

Chicken Salad

Soup

Broccoli Cheese

Chicken Noodle

Minestrone

Clam Chowder

Corn Chowder

Chili

Baked Potato

Chicken & Mushroom

White Chicken Chili

Chicken Tortilla

Split Pea

Pumpkin

Pasta

Sausage & Veggie

Tomato-fredo

Straw & Hay

Lasagna

Spaghetti

Kodi's Bowties

Lemon

Alfredo

Mac & Cheese

Florentine

Fish

Sticks

Salmon

Scallops

Shrimp

Tuna Casserole

Tilapia

Halibut

Cod

Lobster

Crab Cakes

Turkey

Cutlets

Turkey Burgers

Roast Turkey

Meatloaf

Pork

Ribs

Pork Chops

Pai Gu

Ham

Beef

Stroganoff

Roast

French Dip

Tacos

Beef Pie

Steak

Burritos

Carne Asada

Shepherds Pie

Beef & Broccoli

Other

Jambalaya

Quesadillas

Monte Cristo

Hot Dogs

Baked Potatoes

Pizza

Breakfast for dinner

I will be adding in the links as I go.

Guacamole Salad

2010-03-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Serve as either a side salad, a condiment for tacos, or a dip with chips. We do all three.

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced small
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
4-5 ripe avocados, diced in medium chunks

Dressing:
zest & juice of two limes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt (add more later, as needed)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (add more later, as needed)
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Make the dressing separately and whisk until combined. Mix together all the rest of the ingredients and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasonings. Serve as either a side salad, a condiment for tacos, or a dip with chips. We do all three.

Why My Children Like Fish

2010-03-11T07:26:00.000-08:00

Several friends have asked me, how do I get my children to eat fish? Here is my explanation:

Ryan and I like fish.

My children love to eat fish: salmon, scallops, tilapia, halibut, cod, shrimp, calamari, snapper, swordfish, sushi, ahi, tuna fish sandwiches, crab, etc. Ryan and I love it too. If you do the math, that means everyone in the family loves it. That means when we order calamari as an appetizer, there is an all-out scramble for it.

Let me tell a little story to illustrate: In Kindergarten, Madison, along with 200 other students in her school, had a writing prompt: Tell about your favorite sea animal and why you like it. Every student wrote something like "I like sharks. I like their teeth." or "I like starfish. They are pretty." or "I like dolphins. They are fast." or "I like seahorses. I wish I could ride one." You get the idea. 199 students all followed the same pattern. Except for one. Madison wrote: "I like crab dipped in butter." The teachers howled over that one and word spread that they had an out of the box thinker. The point of the this story is that my children have always loved it.

I should clarify that they are not fans of just any fish. It you put overcooked, dry fish in front of them, they will react like any normal child. One bite and it will sit there for a very uncomfortable amount of time. They won't touch it. It must be moist and just cooked through, not overcooked. They like their ahi rare. Just seared on the outside and red and rare inside. They also don't like it heavy seasoned. No fancy-smancy herbs, spices, seasoning. Their favorite is basic salt and pepper with a little lemon. They will tolerate a little teriyaki or other Asian influenced flavors.

I usually will not cook fish in an oven or broiler, because I feel like I don't have enough control over it. There are essentially two ways I prepare a standard fish. One is sauteed in a pan and the other is BBQ'd on a cedar plank. The method of pan saute is one of feel and experience. The cedar plank is pretty much fool proof. It will produce a moist fish.

You must purchase cedar planks. You can buy them in gourmet shops or kitchen supply stores. You can also get them at a place that sells lumber. You want them to be about a half an inch thick, completely untreated and the right size. Small enough to fit inside a covered BBQ, large enough to hold enough fish to feed your family. The ones sold at Williams Sonoma and Sur la Table are about 12" by 6" roughly. That will hold a nice sized fillet.

First, you must soak the plank in water for at least two hours. It is going to be put directly on the grill so if it is not wet enough, it will burn up before the fish cooks. Soaking it does two things: it keeps it from catching fire and burning, and it produces steam for cooking the fish.

When you are ready to cook the fish, remove the plank from the water, tap dry and lay your fish on top, skin side down. (I am assuming at this point, it has already been cleaned and ready to cook.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you desire. If you wish, you may spread a little butter on it. I don't do this because generally the cedar plank gives it a butter taste naturally and salmon already has enough fats in it. However if you are using this method with a less fatty fish, you might want to add butter. It is a matter of personal preference.

Depending on the heat of the grill, check the fish after about 10 minutes and it will usually not take more than 20 minutes. Now, here is the key: take it off right before you think it is done. It will continue to cook after you take it off, so let it have a little rareness when you remove it from the fire. By the time you get it on the table, it will be perfect. If you wait until it is done, it may be overcooked. Remember overcooking is bad ... is dry ... will make a person hate fish.

When sauteing in a pan, I coat the pan with olive oil, add a tiny bit of butter for flavor and heat it up. Cut up the pieces into the serving sizes. Sprinkle both sides with a touch of slat and pepper. Next, put the fish in the pan. It should be hot enough to sizzle immediately. Let it cook until you notice that you can see that about two-thirds of the way up looks cooked. Flip the fillets. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the fillets. This will produce some steam and more sizzle. When you see the sides of the fish appear to be fully cooked, remove the fish. Remember, the fish will continue cooking. You want it to be slightly uncooked in the very center when you remove it. I don't give times because the thickness of the fillet has everything to do with the amount of time. Thin fillets will cook extremely fast. One-inch fillets of salmon will take about five to seven minutes (and that depends on your heat level as well.) I generally make sure everything else is ready and on the table before I put the fish in the pan. Fish is definitely and infinitely better when it is cooked immediately before serving.

To summarize & add a few more points:
1. Never feed your child a piece of overcooked, dry fish.
2. Be careful to not overly season your fish.
3. Cooking your fish with a little fresh ginger will diminish the fishy smell and taste.
4. Using the freshest fish possible will also diminish any smell and taste better.
5. Start feeding your children fish at an early age. That includes sushi, crab, lobster, caviar, calamari and other types that are typically more of the adult fare. Let them taste the good stuff. It will develop their taste buds for seafood in general.
6. Don't treat them like they will hate it. Act like it is the best thing ever. Have a positive attitude yourself. Don't pass on any negative feelings towards any type of seafood.
7. Never expose them to overcooked, dry fish. I might have already said that. It is very important.

Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray

2010-03-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

I am reading this book for a book group I just joined and had to share this one:
I held four chicken breasts in my cupped hands. I stared into the cold, translucent flesh, wondering how I could make them sing. I got tired of cooking dinner. Everybody gets tired of cooking dinner. There's too much responsibility. Did we eat this last week? Is this good for you? Is it balanced, is it green, will he like it, will she eat it, do I have the right ingredients, enough time, will this new recipe fail me? Camille wouldn't eat red meat anymore and had recently informed me as I set a plate of chops on the table that pork, so widely advertised as "the other white meat," was in fact as red as a flank steak. "Pigs are more intelligent than dogs," she said. "Why don't we just eat Benjy for dinner?" Lately she had been talking about giving up chicken and fish, maybe even becoming a vegan, which would reduce me to coming up with fascinating ways to cook broccoli every night without benefit of cheese sauce. My mother clipped chilled-salad recipes from women's magazines and taped them onto the refrigerator to voice her own preferences. Sam was deeply suspect of anything that he hadn't eaten before and had been known to pick dishes apart until he could clearly identify each of their elements. Wyatt, my vacuum, the only truly brilliant eater in the family, was a junior in college and enjoying the deep, hot wells of cafeteria food that could be ladled onto a tray. As for me, I couldn't have cared less. I think I would have been happy with a carton of lemon yogurt every night if it meant I didn't have to cook. Dinner, I think, would be fascinating if I only had to do it once a week. Dinner could be riveting if there was a way to make it cake.

I washed the chicken breasts and stripped out their tendons with pliers. As I was beating them flat between sheets of wax paper I started thinking about making a carrot cake. I had plenty of carrots. I had been planning on making glazed carrots for dinner but there was no reason why I couldn't shred them instead. My family tended to grumble when there was too much cake in the house. As a rule, they liked to see cakes go right out the door, to school bake sales, to sick friends, for someone's birthday. When Camille's friends came over they told her she was lucky. "My mom wouldn't know how to bake a cake if you threw a box of Duncan Hines at her," her friend Becca said as she lobbed off a hunk of chocolate chiffon, but Camille only snarled. Still, if I made the carrot cake without frosting, if I put a minimal amount of sugar in it and baked it on a sheet pan so that I could slice it into squares, I could practically pass it off as cornbread.

For some reason, I can totally relate.

Fried Rice

2010-03-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

After many requests ... here is one of my best recipes.

I first learned how to make fried rice on my mission. I served in Taiwan and most of my companions were native Chinese. Some could cook and some could order take out. I learned a few things about fried rice. First, it is so yummy and each time it is different. It is called leftovers and they eat it for breakfast. It is hard to find in restaurants. I mean why would you go to a restaurant to order leftovers? I only saw it in one restaurant my entire mission. They always served steamed white rice. Sticky. Oh how I love sticky rice. By the way, the proper way to cook sticky rice is half the battle, so here it is:

STICKY RICE

Measure the rice in the ratio of 3:4 rice to water. For this recipe, I made 1 1/2 cups of rice to 2 cups cold water. But I am getting ahead of myself. First measure the rice and pour it on a pot or bowl. Add water to cover and swish the water around with your hands. The water will turn cloudy white. Pour the water out without loosing your rice grains. Repeat. Repeat again and again until the water no longer turns cloudy but stays clear. This usually takes three or four times depending on how good of a swisher you are. Get all the water out and then add the cooking water following the above ratio. Make sure it is in a pot big enough for it to triple. It will probably only double, but you need lots of room for the steam. Put in over high heat and watch it until it boils. As soon as you see the bubbles, turn the heat to a low simmer, cover with a lid and set the timer for twenty minutes. When the timer goes off, DON'T touch it. Turn off the heat and set the timer for another twenty minutes. When that is done, you may lift off the lid and VOILA, sticky rice. Or you can buy a rice cooker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

So now on to FRIED RICE.

So in the Chinese home, they make a lovely dinner of rice, veggies, and a little meat with yummy sauce (not sweet) and then seasonal fruit for dessert. The leftovers go in the fridge and in the morning, all that goes in a wok with a little scrambled egg. And there you have it: Fried Rice. It is indeed a breakfast food. In many homes, it is eaten every morning. Sometimes people will take take it for lunch if there is still some leftover. It is the ultimate Chinese comfort food.

So how do you put that in a recipe? It has taken a while. When I make it, it is always a little different. But I have developed a standard recipe. This is a sure fire winner. My girls love this and will eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner so I make a big pot.

You will notice that this version uses bacon. I do this for several reasons, not the least of which is because it tastes so good. For one thing, bacon is so flavorful that you can actually use less meat and get more bang for your buck than using other types. I spoke with my friends from Taiwan about whether that was kosher. They now have several Costco's throughout Taiwan and bacon is one of the most popular items. The Chinese are not food snobs. They will use anything that tastes good. Bacon is becoming more and more the rage with people who have access to it. Why? Because it has a lot of flavor.

So here goes, for real this time:

FRIED RICE

1 1/2 cups rice cooked with 2 cups water so it is nice and sticky. (This can be cold or hot. Usually they start with it cold, because it was in the fridge.)

1 medium brown onion, chopped and sauteed until very soft
1 lbs bacon, or other meat of your choice; cooked and chopped
3 eggs, scrambled
1 small bag mixed frozen veggies (I like to get the pea, carrot, green bean mix)
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

On top of the cooked rice, dump in the onions, meat, scrambled eggs(cook them ahead of time) and frozen veggies. In a small cup, mix the water and soy sauce and then pour over the rest. Mix it all up with a spoon until everything is all distributed. (If you pour the water and soy sauce separately, it won't mix as well and some portions may be more strong tasting than others.)Now you are going to fry this in thirds, depending on the size of your pan. Add oil (you can use the bacon grease, peanut oil, or regular canola oil. If using olive oil, add a little butter to cover the taste. Do not use sesame oil, it is far too strong although a few drops will add a nice flavor.) Add just enough oil to cover the bottom and get it hot. Add one third of the mixture and spread it out on the bottom of the pan. Let it get nice and crusty and then start turning it and mixing. It is the crusty part that you want. When the moisture is cooked out and you have lots of crusty parts, Take it out of the pan and repeat with two more batches. Remember, you want as much rice to get cooked on the bottom of the pan as possible. Add more oil each time too, but just enough to cover the pan, not to deep fry.

Mix all three batches and season to taste. If using bacon and bacon grease, you most likely do not need to add any salt. So definitely taste it BEFORE you add any. I usually add quite a bit of pepper, 'cause that is how I roll.

Now that you have the hang of it, go nuts. Try different combinations. Soon you will be cooking Chinese food for dinner just to get leftovers so you can make it for breakfast in the morning.

Easy As Pie: Pie Crust

2009-11-25T16:35:00.000-08:00

I used to think my method was kind of cheating, taking the easy way out. Then I saw a pie maker on Bobby Flay's Throwdown do it and I knew I was in good company. It is not cheating, it is simply smart. This method allows you to have a positively flaky crust because you add no extra flour for rolling AND you don't overwork the pastry.

Here are a few ground rules for pie crust:
Butter = firm & crumbly
Shortening = flaky and light
Over mixing = tough crust

I know, I know: shortening? I use shortening for only two things in this world: pie crust and buttercream frosting that will be piped on a cake. Sorry, but even the Culinary Institute of America, which promised no-trans fats on campus, had to make an exception to that. There is simply no way to achieved the right texture with either of those without the dreaded shortening. Luckily Crisco has a no-trans fat formula so we can live with ourselves.

This will make one 9 inch bottom crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
3-4 Tbsp cold water

This will make one 9 inch double crust:

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter-flavored Crisco
6-7 Tbsp cold water

Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl and toss together. Drop in the Crisco.

With your hands, blend the ingredients together, working quickly until you have a mixture that looks like bread crumbs. Sprinkle on the water, just 1 Tbsp at a time. Continue mixing with your hands.

Add just enough water for the dough to come together as one mass.

Take two pieces of wax paper that are square. Put the dough in between.

Roll out and continually adjust the wax paper and dough. Use the pie plate as your guide and try to keep it as round as possible. You should have about two inches wider than the pie plate all the way around. Pull one piece on wax paper off, replace. Flip.

Pull the other side off.

Put down the pie pan and flip both over so the pie crust is in the pan.

Pull the top wax paper off and use you fingers to fit it the pan.

Trim off the excess crust around the tin.

Prick several (by several, I mean go nuts) fork holes into the sides and bottom. This will keep the crust from becoming soggy. You can also brush it with an egg wash at this point. Sometimes I do, sometimes I forget. But if you prick enough holes, you shouldn't HAVE to.

For a single crust, decorate the edges and trim. If it should be pre-baked, baked for 15-20 minutes, keeping an eye on it at 425 degrees.

For the double crust, fill it and them repeat he same procedure with the next crust and set on top. Pressing the top and bottom crust together and decorate and trim. Follow the individual recipe for temperature and baking times.

Truffles

2009-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

I have decided that truffles are my new thing. Since I have learned how, and practiced, and now I am blowing my mind with how good they are, I just cannot stop. Here is my offering. More will follow.

Cranberry Orange Filling

300g good white chocolate

¼ cup whipping cream

½ tsp orange oil
½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp grated orange zest or rind

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Warm the cream in a saucepan or microwave but be careful not to scald. Add the warm cream to the chocolate (still in the double boiler) and mix together until evenly combined. Remove from heat, add the remaining ingredients and beat the mixture until smooth and glossy.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture until it has set, 4 hours or overnight – remove mixture from fridge 10 minutes before rolling the truffles. With a small spoon or cookie scoop roll small balls of the mixture.
Makes 25-30

Lemon Blueberry Filling

300g good white chocolate

¼ cup whipping cream

½ tsp lemon oil
½ cup dried blueberries, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest or rind

Lime Coconut Filling

300g good white chocolate

¼ cup whipping cream

½ tsp lime oil
½ cup shaved coconut, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp grated lime zest or rind

Peanut Butter Filling

4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Mix together. Roll into balls and refrigerate. Makes approx. 40.

Chocolate Truffle Fillings

1 pound of chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Heat the cream and pour directly over the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes and then stir slowly until completely incorporated. Add flavorings, if desired. Cover and chill until solid and then form into balls. Makes approx. 50 fillings.

Tabitha's Frosting

2009-11-24T10:43:00.001-08:00

2 boxes or one large bag powdered sugar - thank you for not making me measure powdered sugar!
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp cream of tartar - this helps the icing set up so you can stack them later
1/2 cup milk, you can add more depending on the consistency you want it

Beat the powdered sugar and butter in a mixing bowl until crumbly. Add the extract, cream of tartar and slowly add the milk. Beat until smooth and creamy, adding more milk, if necessary. Add coloring if desired. Okay so that is Tabitha's recipe. I was so intrigued with how good the almond taste, which is still my favorite flavoring, by the way that I started going a little nuts. This makes a lot of frosting, so I started experimenting with flavors and colors. I like to divide this batch into four smaller bowls and add different colorings and flavors in each bowl. Some of my favorites: lemon, raspberry, coconut, mint, plain ole vanilla, orange, cherry, maple, etc. I think you get the idea. Have fun and prosper.

Whipped Cream

2009-11-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

Fresh homemade whipped cream. Nothing better. It completes the dessert. It can turn a simple bowl of berries into a decadent dessert. The addition of dry milk does not change the taste one bit, but it will work to stabilize it. You can now make your whipped cream in advance, without worrying about deflation.

This makes 2 cups:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp nonfat dry milk
1 tsp vanilla

Refrigerate a bowl (glass or non-copper metal) until it is chilled. Combine all ingredients and mix at a high speed until soft peaks are formed. If you over mix, it will turn to butter or separate, so keep an eye on it.

Clam Chowder

2009-11-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

McKayla's favorite soup is clam chowder. She loves it with good sourdough bread. If she sees it on a menu, she orders it. She is very loyal.

I love clam chowder as well, but I have had the best so nothing else can compare. Gladstones of Malibu is pure cream and clams. Maybe a little salt and pepper. Perhaps some butter. It is the richest, most celestial clam and cream concoction created. Notice when I start salivating that the alliteration begins?

I love the traditional chowder with all the veggies in it as well. Which is what this is. But don't begrudge me my little reminiscence. Enjoy it with some sourdough bread.

3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams

1 cup minced onion

1 cup diced celery

2 cups cubed potatoes

1 cup diced carrots

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart half-and-half cream

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

ground black pepper to taste

a drop or two of Tabasco, according to your taste.

Saute the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots with 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat until just soft. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the rest of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clams* with their juice. Heat through, but do not boil. When clams are heated through, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper and Tabasco. Serve immediately.

*Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough.

Chili

2009-11-03T06:39:00.000-08:00

I am not a recipe person for chili. I usually just toss in a bunch of stuff, heat it through, correct the seasonings and yell: "Come 'n get it!" The night after tacos is a good time to make chili. Toss the leftover taco meat, tomatoes, onions, open a can or two of beans, add some seasonings ... et voila. Top it with sour cream, cheese, or guac. Everyone is very happy. For the meat, I can add leftover steak, pot roast, meatloaf, chicken. I like black, kidney, white, chili, or pinto beans. Saute whatever veggies I happen to have. It is never the same, but I kind of like that about my chili. Always a surprise, always good.

So why am I publishing a recipe for it? Because I signed up to bring chili for a church Halloween party and was given a recipe. A recipe? The fun of chili night at church is trying every one's different recipe. Sampling a little of each and then finding out who made what and then getting their recipe. It is not about eating dinner, it is the fun of discovery.

Well, it turns out I really liked this recipe. So here is it. If I ever need to make chili from scratch, or I someone asks me for a recipe, I now have something in writing. My favorite thing about it is that is is chunky and has plenty of vegetables. That is the way I like my chili.

Okay, okay, I confess. They gave me this recipe and I used my leftover taco meat and turkey meatloaf and I added a can of black beans and I ran out of dried parsley. I also sauteed the veggies first, which I will add to the recipe instructions. But seriously, every one's chili tasted good. No one ever pointed out that mine was that different.

So here is the recipe in it's purity. Let your conscience be your guide. (Translation - substitute and add like crazy and feel good about it.)

1 lbs ground beef

3/4 cup diced onion

3/4 cup diced celery

3/4 cup diced green pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can tomato sauce - 15 oz

1 can chili beans with liquid - 15 oz

1 can kidney beans with liquid - 15 oz

1 can diced tomatoes with liquid - 15 oz

1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp dried basil

3/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat and cook until even. Drain grease. With the greasy residue, heat and toss in the garlic and then add onions, peppers, and celery. Stir and cook until they are soft.

In a crockpot, add the meat, veggies, and EVERYTHING else. Stir it all up. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low. Stir it up a couple of times throughout the day.

Italian Creme Soda

2009-10-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

When I was at BYU, I had two friends who were in their senior year, Lori and Kari. They were roommates since their freshman days and I had been all over. (At that point, I had gone to community college, BYU-Hawaii and served an 18 month mission.) We really didn't see each other that much, but one night they called me up and wanted to know if I wanted to join them for a run to The Old Spaghetti Factory in Salt Lake City. I jumped at the chance to hang out and eat something more interesting than top ramen or a baked potato. One of them had worked there and knew everyone. Apparently, they made this run quite often. They also knew what to order.

They said I had to get the Italian Creme Soda. Not only was it to die for, but it came in a neat souvenir glass. Well, how do you say no to that? I ordered a raspberry flavored and the rest is history. Lisa & Raspberry Creme Soda: A Love Story. They brought it in a tall glass with ice, creme, raspberry syrup, and soda water. You could still see the layers of everything and you were supposed to stir it all up yourself. The swirling of white and red are lovely and should be enjoyed by the drinker.

This was the first of many runs we did together. In fact it was the first of three runs we made in one week. I think it was the only time I saw them that year: on our Spaghetti Factory runs. each time I got an Italian Creme Soda. I had a nice set of glasses. There are many flavors to try, but I love the red and white swirls in raspberry best. You can also adjust the amounts of soda to cream to syrup. It is ALL about YOU.

I hadn't thought about it for a while, then Jen and Alyssa started going on and on and my throat started feeling a bit parched. While sorting through the food stuff to put away in my new kitchen I spied it: Torani Raspberry Syrup. Guess who is having Italian Creme Sodas tonight?

For each serving:
2 oz half-and -half
2 oz Italian syrup flavor (Vanilla, Cherry, Orange, Raspberry, Almond, Hazelnut, Caramel or any other flavor you can find)
4 oz club soda
2 oz crushed ice

Use a tall glass with straight sides. Put in the ice first, then slowly add the soda, then the syrup and then the creme. With a long spoon stir until smooth. I use a straw.

Sweet Potatoes and Apples

2009-09-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Since Dr. Atkins taught us how evil the potato is (my apologies to those with roots in Idaho) we have been looking for other alternatives in our side dishes. The solution? Brown rice instead of white, whole wheat pasta instead of semolina, and let's start coming up with something to eat instead of potatoes.

One more point: there is a difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Most people use the terms interchangeably and most recipes can handle either. You can use either for this recipe. I find that most stores carry yams year round, but sweet potatoes only seasonally. Both are good and Yams have more orange in them which usually is a sign of really good vitamins and antioxidants and other really positive things.

Now that we know how good they are, lets add naughty things. The main thing we are adding here are apples, which aren't naughty so that is a good sign. They sweeten up the potatoes quite a bit. The only key is that, depending on how you like the texture, the potatoes will probably need more cooking time than the apples. Cut them both the same size. This recipe serves 12, I have cut it in half many times. While typing this in, I also was thinking that you could toss some nuts into it as well. I haven't tried it yet.

6 sweet potatoes OR yams (cooked, peeled, and cubed)
6 tart apples (peeled, cored, and cubed)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Place cooked potatoes and uncooked apples in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix together in a separate bowl. Toss with potatoes and apples. Bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Soup

2009-09-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of Kim Donaldson. I do not always pick friends who are great cooks. It is merely a coincidence that I seems to be drawn to them. When I first tried this, I was a little skeptical. I love pumpkin desserts. I couldn't imagine liking pumpkin in something savory.When I saw nutmeg was added, I was really skeptical, even though I like nutmeg in savory dishes (spinach, Alfredo sauce.) I too closely associate pumpkin and nutmeg with sweet. But what can I say? It works. Because this includes a can of puree pumpkin, it is easier and smoother than cleaning, roasting, scraping, chopping, and puree-ing a real pumpkin. But hey, if you have to do that to live with yourself, go for it. I was just fine with the can - better than fine. This is smooth. With a little swirl of cream and a sprinkler of an herb - I am thinking sage - this is fine dining.

A big PS to this: all my children love ... adore this soup. That alone makes this a keeper.

4 T butter
1/3 C flour
2/3 C grated onion (1 medium)

4 C water

4 chicken flavor bouillon cubes

1 (16 oz) can of pumpkin

2 t salt
1 1/3 t lemon juice
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t nutmeg

2 2/3 C half & half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large pan, melt butter and saute onions until soft, stir in flour. Stir until the flour and butter make a nice smooth roux (except for the chunks of onion.) Add the bouillon cubes which have been dissolved in water. Stir until smooth and thick. Add pumpkin, salt, lemon juice, pepper and nutmeg. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Let simmer 15 minutes. Add the half & half. Heat through but do not boil. Add the cheese, if so inclined and stir until blended. Correct seasoning. Serve immediately.

Tres Leche Cake

2009-09-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite cake in the whole world. I first tasted it when I was teaching at Fenton Ave. Charter school where 98% of the students were of Hispanic descent. One day, to celebrate a birthday, a mother brought in what looked like an ordinary cake with lots of fruit on top. She offered me a piece and, being a true cake girl, I graciously accepted. I took a bite and almost died right then and there. The mother spoke no English, but somehow in that moment, language was transcended as I expressed that it was love at first bite. The next day she brought me my own - which by the way, despite my cake-lovers instinct, I shared with other teachers - and the business card to the bakery. It was the greatest gift I ever received as a teacher.

When I moved, I found other tres leche cakes. They had them at Walmart and Fresh & Easy (in the frozen section.) No, no, no. I am sorry but those were sorry excuses. I had a few homemade and a few from other bakeries. I was in trouble. Apparently I had eaten the BEST ever and would never find anything that was even close. Even the Martha Stewart recipe called for "frozen whipped topping." I mean how could anyone put anything but real whipped cream on this glorious creation. I couldn't even attempt the recipe because of that disrespectful overture. I ended up having to ask around. I got all sorts of answers to my pleading. Nothing was close. I finally asked a mom of one of my kid's sport teams where to get one. She didn't speak a lick of English and neither did the people in the bakery. It was divine. So my conclusion: The good stuff is a safely guarded secret by those who are completely fluent in Spanish bit don't speak more than ten words of English. I just don't trust anyone else.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons 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

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 1/4 cup heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle 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.

1 pint heavy cream, for whipping
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Fruit to garnish - I love strawberries

Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until thick and spreadable. Spread over the surface of the cake. Garnish with fresh fruit (or maraschino cherries.)

Layers of Skin Lesson

2009-09-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

I think the only legitimate justification for jello is to build parts of the body for educational purposes. I also believe that once you make this, the layers of the skin enter into the permanent memory. Sure you might forget the details, but the image of it will stay forever. The coolest part is that as the dye from the peanut M&M's liquefies, you get that really cool blob of blue and the yellow as well. This makes it more realistic, but takes time. Let it sit in the refridge for a little.

I am not sure how this tastes, but I'm sure some sugar fiends will love it.

Layer, in reverse order:

Epidermal Surface - made up of dead cells - crushed up cornflakes
Epidermis - made up of dead, dying, and new skin cells - cool whip mixed with cocoa powder to resemble skin color.
Hair Follicle - hole from which a hair grows - large marshmallow
Hair - licorice. Put the licorice in the marshmallow and then insert into the dermis layer.
Meissner's Ending - detects light pressure - grapes
Pacini's Ending - detects heavy pressure - Peanut M&M's (yellow)
Sebaceous Gland - makes sebum, a natural oil - Peanut M&M's (blue)
Dermis - made up of tough, flexible fibers or collagen and elastin - red jello (or pink)
Subcutaneous Fat Layer - helps to store food, warmth, and absorb knocks - orange or yellow jello with corn pops

California Geography Lesson

2009-09-04T12:03:00.001-07:00

This geography lesson is about as good as it gets. Trace the map on the back side of wax paper. The beans represent the Mountains. The guacamole is the Central Valley. The cheese is the Desert. The sour cream is the Coast. Eat with tortilla chips when you are finished. Geography has never tasted so good.

Frog Eye Salad or Dong-Dong Salad

2009-08-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Having eaten animal eyes, I strongly object to the title of this recipe. In Chinese, these little balls of pasta were known as dong-dong. Which, roughly translated is just "little things." If I titled this Dong-Dong Salad, I would be happier but no one else would know what I was talking about. So do I go with my gut or follow the trend? Maybe I can start slowly.THis version is from Jennifer Frank. I adjusted a tiny bit. You can add other fruit - I've had it with bananas but you have to eat it all right away. You can add fresh fruit if you eat it all right away. If you are planning on making it in advance or keeping leftovers, stick with canned fruit that has been drained.

Boil 1 1/3 cup of Acini de Pepe with a dash of salt for 9-10 minutes and drain in strainer.
Put in large serving bowl.

While that cooks, mix the following:
1 ½ cups Pineapple Juice
1 Cup sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
1 ½ tsp salt
2 heaping Tbsp flour
1 tsp lemon juice
Combine and heat over medium, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Pour over Acini and stir.

Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

The next day add:
1 lg can Mandarin oranges (drained)
1 can pineapple tidbits (drained)
1 small can crushed pineapple (drained)
6 oz Cool Whip
1 small jar of maraschino cherries
Half a bag of mini marshmallows

Mix well and serve ... or store a little longer.

Spagetti Dogs

2009-08-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Assembly:
Boil.

Serve with anything. At this point, why let shame get in the way?

Aloha Pasta Salad

2009-08-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe for a baby shower for Cyndi Broadhead. The recipe was provided by Tara, her sister. When she first sent the recipe, I was a little apprehensive. I really do not have a background in pimento use and I tend to be a little wary of a sweet and savory pasta salad. All those fears were put to rest. As soon as I finished this, my kids ate it for breakfast before I left for the shower. They all loved it. I tried it and could definitely see the appeal. This is one I will make again. I might do a little tweaking, but not much. What can I say? It works.

Ingredients:

3 cups medium shell pasta (uncooked)

1 cup Best Foods Mayonnaise

1- 8 ox. Kraft Coleslaw dressing

6 chicken breasts cooked and cubed

2- 20 ox. cans crushed pineapple (drain and reserve juice)

2 cups diced red apple (soak in pineapple juice to preserve)

2 cups red seedless grapes

2 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cups minced onion

1 small jar pimento (I'm calling this optional)

1/2 cup cashews (a little bit more wouldn't do anybody any harm)

salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package. Cool and stir in dressings. Add remaining ingredients, Drain off pineapple juice from apples before adding to pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 25 one cup servings.

Mango-Raspberry Baked Alaskas

2009-06-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Few things make my children happier than the combination of mango and raspberry. Admittedly, there is DNA involved because I love it too. Add in there the juxtaposition of hot and cold, dense and airy, sweet and tart and you have the perfect carnival for the mouth. We make a Mango-Raspberry Bombe, which is McKayla's traditional birthday "cake." This is a slight variation: flavors are the same, but textures are added. It is also done in individual serving cups which makes everything a little more fun and fancy. This is a do-ahead, except for the last step. This makes 4 servings.

1 cup raspberries (fresh* or frozen)
3 Tbsp sugar
4 store bought dry ladyfingers**
1 cup mango sorbet - we usually use Haagen Daz
2 large egg whites
pinch of salt

Put sorbet in the fridge or on the counter to soften. In a food processor, process the thawed raspberries with 1 Tbsp of sugar. *If using fresh add a little liquid to process smoothly. Using a spatula and a fine strainer, pass the puree through into a small bowl. This will result in a seedless sauce.

Half the ladyfingers and dip each piece into raspberry puree and turn to coat thoroughly. Lay 2 halves side by side in the bottom of each 3/4 cup ramekin. Spoon the remaining puree into each ramekin and let stand for 10 minutes to absorb the puree. **You can also use other dried cake, but be careful that the result isn't pure mush.

Spoon 1/4 cup of sorbet in each cup and spread over the raspberry/ladyfingers in an even layer. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

While freezing, beat the egg whites and salt with a mixer, in a medium chilled bowl on high speed. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the sugar and beat until incorporated. Repeat with the last Tbsp. Beat until the whites are firm and shiny. Remove the ramekins and take off the plastic wrap. Spoon the whites on top of the sorbet. Make decorative swirls or peaks. Freeze until firm - about 3 hours.

Preheat the broiler. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes, watching carefully. The meringues should be evenly browned, but not black. Serve immediately.

Lemon Bars

2009-06-12T13:36:00.001-07:00

I love lemon bars. We are definitely lemon lovers. This is why we like our lemon bars to be lemony. Maya has declared that they are her favorite dessert. She had her first one at the Christian's 4th of July BBQ and has been passionate about them ever since. The mere mention of them sets her heart a twitter.

There are good lemon bars and bad ones. This is a bad one: and this is a good one. Notice that the bad one is flat. It is probably chewy. It probably has a crust equal in size to the lemon part or even more crust than lemon. A good lemon bar will have more lemon filling than crust. The crust should only be there to hold the lemon filling, to support it. The filling should not be translucent, but almost a little creamy. This is good. This is from Ina Garten's collection. That woman knows her stuff.

For the crust:

nocoupons1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:nocoupons

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup flour

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet as evenly as possible. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Lisa's Pot 'O Corn AKA Fried Corn

2009-06-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a show on the food network and then wanted to make it and then kept tweaking it because you didn't have the right ingredients and for some reason decided to go ahead anyway? Then the next thing you know you are adding all sorts of stuff just 'cause it sounded good? Then you serve it to others who act like you are their own personal hero for serving something that is so good? Then you tell them you got the recipe from the food network? Then you make it again and again and each time everyone loves it? Then someone on facebook asks for the recipe and you tell them sure and so in order to save the time typing it out you look it up from the food network to cut and paste and you realize that the concoction you created has nothing to do with the original recipe? So then you look all over the Internet and discover that no one calls what you made what you have been calling it?So here it is ... Lisa's Pot 'O Corn. Apparently, an original creation, even though I have been giving Paula Deen credit for years. I have only made it for big groups and this fills a large crock pot for a buffet. It will be tons too much to serve to a single family. So make your adjustments accordingly. I originally added the creamed corn because I did not have enough frozen corn. The sauce combined with the bacon tastes buttery even though there is NO added butter!

1 lbs of bacon, fried, drained (keep the drippings) and crumbled

1 onion, chopped fine
4 cans of creamed corn
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 lbs frozen corn (I like a variety of white and yellow and fresh)
salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, add a Tbsp of the bacon drippings. Heat and add the chopped onion and cook until soft and golden. Put into the crock pot. Add the creamed corn, crumbled bacon, and Parmesan cheese, stir.

Add another Tbsp of bacon drippings, heat. Add 1 lbs of corn. Let cook until you can hear it kind of popping. Stir and continue cooking and stirring until you can see the corn is starting to develop a fried look - it should be brown, but not over cooked. Add that to the crock pot and stir.

Repeat with the Tbsp of bacon drippings and another pound of frozen corn. Repeat with the third and fourth bags of corn, stirring after each addition. (this has to be done in small batches so all the corn get an opportunity to have the fried texture.

Add pepper to taste. Don't over-salt because the bacon and drippings and cheese are salty foods. I usually don't add any additional salt.

Serve in the crock pot, on warm.

Trail Mix Granola

2009-06-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

This is a picture from the original recipe from Paula Deen. I had to make some changes. On the positive side, I loved the texture of the granola. I love the addition of banana chips. However, it was a bit too tangy for me with the dried cherries and apricots. So I took out those and added m&ms. Now it is true "Trail Mix" granola (with banana chips.)

2 cups granola (recommended: Hudson Valley Dessert Company)
3/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (meat only)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup banana chips
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup m&ms

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except banana chips and raisins, and m&ms. Mix well. Spread evenly in an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in banana chips, raisins, m&ms. Cool thoroughly. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Tiropetes from the Goddess of the Hunt

2009-06-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

This recipe is literally from the goddess of the hunt - Diana. I love this women. She is a teacher at my girls' elementary school and even though we have not been privileged to have her (yet - I still have hope -there are two more chances) I have worked with her on projects and the PTO Board. I love to see her interact with the students: she loves them like they are her own. She is incredible. Not only is she an amazing teacher and person, but she is such a great mom. She has two daughters who are everything you would want daughters to be. Trust me, I know. She gives so much to everyone. She gave me this recipe. That action alone is enough to make her one of my favorite people. This is a spin-off of spanikopita, a much more famous version that includes spinach. I love spinach. Some people do not. This is a perfect option for them. However, even us spinach lovers can appreciate this. It is hard to describe, but so yummy and rich. You will not want to share, but it is pretty rich ... beep ... beep ... beep ... this an an official test of the emergency broadcast system ... beep ... beep ... there is a lot of butter in this dish ... and cheese ... beep ... beep ... beep. Anyway, consider yourself warned.

This is also TONS easier than wrapping everything up like flag-folding in individualized appetizer portions. It is just all made in a casserole dish (the instructions for the fancy way is still in here) but boy, oh boy, it is SO much easier and faster and tastes just as good, if not better because I think you get a little more cheese than you would in the little triangles.

And by the way, my goddess of the hunt truly is Greek.

Filling

1 cup Basic White Sauce

1 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

3 tablespoons butter

about 1 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 pound filo dough, thawed

Basic White Sauce

2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

salt and pepper to taste

Bring milk to a boil and remove from heat. In a second pan melt butter, add flour and cook, stirring until well blended and bubbly - do not allow it to color. Reduce heat to med low and gradually add hot milk, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Keep stirring until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (a thick gravy) This freezes well, so I always make double and freeze for the next time I need it.

Traditionally as appetizers you cut the filo dough into 2 inch long strips. Brush with butter and add a rounded teaspoon of filling to one end and fold back and forth into a triangle. (like a flag) Brushing top with butter when you put it on cookie sheet. They freeze very well. You just freeze on cookie sheets and then stick in a freezer bag until you need them. You cook them frozen.

When I make tiropete as a side dish I use a 9X12 pan. Lightly brush bottom of pan with melted butter. I add 7-10 layers of filo dough - each lightly brushed with butter. Add filling and cover with 7-10 layers of filo dough, each lightly brushed with butter. One recipe makes almost two pans, depending on how thick you want the filling to be.

Bake at 375º until golden brown - about 20-25 minutes. The triangles cook a little faster about 15-20 minutes.

Homemade Potato Chips

2009-05-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

These are not meant to look or taste like Lays. They are not thin, they are not fried, they are not meant to be eaten twenty at a time. They are quite substantial. You need to serve them with a dip that is worthy or by themselves.

Good Olive Oil
1 potato for every two people
Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread each baking sheet with 1 Tbsp olive oil each. (It will take about one baking sheet for every two potatoes.) Put the sheets into the oven for ten minutes to heat.

Slice the potatoes on the narrow side, lengthwise about 1/16 inch thick. Place slices on the hot baking sheets with no overlapping. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake the chips for 10 minutes. rotate the pan and bake for another ten minutes. Flip each chip and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove chips to a paper towel to cool. Repeat until all slices are done.

You can eat them right away which is best or store them in a ziplock bag after COMPLETELY cool.

GOOD Pizza Crust

2009-05-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

I must emphasize that this is good pizza crust according to the way I like pizza crust. You might feel EXACTLY the opposite as I do. I like CPK. I like New York style. I like Z Pizza. I do not like heavy or thick dough (with the exception of the dough made by Andrea Carter which is dripping in butter and made in a cast iron skillet.) I think that I was scarred for years from homemade pizza dough that was heavy and thick. I was convinced that no good could from a homemade dough. No matter how much the "maker" of it would try to convince me, I always politely ate as little as possible and wondered if it was just me. There is something about having the right equipment as well. The right pan. The right oven. The right ingredients.

1 1/4 cups warm water (100-110 degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
1 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp olive oil (the good stuff)
4 cups flour
2 tsp kosher salt

Combine the water, yeast, and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer. Let bubble. (This shows that the yeast is good. No bubbles = bad yeast. Throw out and start over.) Add the olive oil, 3 cups of flour, and the salt. Mix with the dough hook. While mixing, add the last cup of flour. Knead on low speed for about 10 minutes until smooth. Sprinkle it with flour if it sticks to the bowl. When ready, turn it out on a floured surface. Knead by hand until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well oiled bowl and turn until covered in oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise about 30 minutes at room temperature.

Divide the dough into six equal parts and roll each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest about 10 minutes. Use immediately or chill for up to four hours.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. The dough should be room temperature when you work with it. Roll and stretch each ball to about an 8 inch circle. Place on baking sheets.

Top with desired toppings. Take about a teaspoon of Italian Seasoning and grind it in the palm of your hand. Sprinkle on the top of the pizza toppings. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is crisp and the toppings are ready.

Pastel de Choclo

2009-05-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

One day, when I was the PTO Hospitality Chair, I came up with this crazy idea to have an International Feast. The issue was, whenever you try to be truly international, you end up with a lot of European and Mexican dishes. That is not a real problem, because it is all quite yummy. But I wanted equal representation from all cultures and continents, and not just cliches. I literally spent hours and days and weeks on the Internet until I felt I had a balance of yummy food from multiple countries. This was my find from Chile. It is kind of like a South American version of Shepard's Pie. Instead of mashed potatoes, there is a light cornmeal topping. It was a hit and many people wanted the recipe.

The meat filling for this recipe is called pino and is also used to fill the famous Chilean empanadas.

(Chilean ground beef casserole with corn batter topping)

Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS	PREP	AMOUNT
Oil		2-3 T
Onion	chopped fine	1 each
Garlic	minced	2-3 cloves
Ground beef		1 lb
Paprika		1 T
Cumin seed		1 t
Oregano		1 t
Water or stock		1 cup
Flour		1 T

Corn, fresh or frozen		1 lb
Cornmeal		1/4 cup
Cornstarch		1-2 T
Milk		as needed
Sugar		1 T
Salt & pepper		to taste
Butter		1 T

Sugar		2-3 T

METHOD

Basic Steps: Sauté → Simmer → Puree → Thicken → Bake

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium flame. Sauté onions till translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more. Add the ground beef, paprika, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper and sauté till beef is just cooked through.
Pour in the water or stock and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle flour over all and stir in well. Simmer for another 5-8 minutes till thickened. Adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the corn, cornmeal, cornstarch and sugar in a food processor and process till well pureed. With the blade running, add milk a little at a time till the corn forms a thick batter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375º. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add the corn puree and cook, stirring constantly, until well thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
Spread the beef mixture in a greased casserole dish. Top with the corn puree and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and bake for 30-40 minutes till bubbling and golden brown on top.

Pão de Queijo

2009-05-18T15:25:00.001-07:00

I first had these at a Brazilian BBQ place called Picanha. Along with the gluttonous portions of meat, meat, meat ... these were served. They have a glorious texture and a saltiness from the parmesan cheese. I have worked to get them right. No small feat. At first, the starch overpowered the cheese. I think I finally have something worth serving to others.

Like many Brazilian foods, Pão de Queijo from scratch is tricky to prepare. It is difficult to make the balls rise as much as the prepared mix. Also, the rolls can harden very easily if left overnight. The secret is to use mashed potatoes in the dough.

INGREDIENTS:
2 lb of manioc starch (polvilho). You can use either sweet or sour manioc starch. Some people complain that sour manioc starch causes heartburn, however sour manioc starch makes the rolls rise more. It is your choice. 1lb of mashed potatoes (just cooked potatoes, mashed with no salt or oil). 2 tablespoon margarine 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 3 1/2 oz grated parmesan cheese 2 cups (500ml) milk

PREPARE:
Preheat oven to 350° F The mashed potato should be cool before using. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the milk. Then add the milk slowly while you mix until you get a soft dough. Place 1 inch balls spaced in a unbuttered cookie sheet and bake at moderate oven (350 F) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 50 rolls.

Roy's Edamame Recipe

2009-05-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

We love this stuff. I serve it just with salt and all four girls will heat it hot, room temperature, or cold. I just need to keep it in the fridge. They will gobble whatever I put out so I need to keep more on hand. So much healthier than chips. Trader Joe's has them already cooked and I usually toss them with a little more salt. But the Roy's recipe is awesome. Spicy hot, but not too hot. Just enough that you want to drink it with some ice water. And what could be healthier than edamame and ice water?

This recipe is from the official Roy's website and this is the introductory paragraph.

It was as a young boy growing up in Japan that Roy began to love edamame. The Yamaguchi family embraced the Japanese custom of offering edamame at the beginning of each meal, and always kept some ready in the refrigerator as a healthy snack for the kids. To this day, Roy still regularly prepares and eats it as often as he can, and explains, "Edamame is a great way to start a meal so you don’t get filled up on bread."

INGREDIENTS:

Roy’s Edamame Seasoning
8 oz. kosher salt
4 oz. shichimi (Japanese red pepper seasoning)
1 oz. granulated sugar

Edamame
1/2 lb. edamame beans, in pods
1 tbsp. of Roy’s Edamame Seasoning

PREPARATION:

Boil 7 cups of water in a large pan. Wash edamame bean pods well. Add edamame to boiling water and let boil for 5–10 minutes. Drain the edamame and sprinkle well-blended Roy’s Edamame Seasoning over them. You can serve edamame warm or cool.

If you don’t have the ingredients to make Roy’s Edamame Seasoning at home, sprinkle edamame with regular, kosher, or sea salt—whatever you happen to have.

Frushi

2009-05-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Frushi is fruit sushi. It is a bonafide breakfast dessert but it is welcome any time of the day.

You can dip it in yogurt, a fruit sauce, or eat it plain. You can roll it or shape it. You are only limited by your own imagination as to what types of fruit you want to use. Here is the basic recipe for the rice.Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked sushi rice or other short-grain rice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light coconut milk
Dash of salt

Preparation

Bring water and rice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until water is almost absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 15 minutes.

Place rice in a large bowl. Add sugar, coconut milk, and salt, stirring gently until well combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

Lightly coat hands with cooking spray. Divide rice mixture into 20 equal portions, shaping each into a ball (about 1 rounded tablespoon each). Lightly press each rice ball into an oval between palms; place ovals on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Top each oval with fruit. To make a roll, place the rice on wax paper in a rectangle of about 7 inches by 5 inches. Add the fruit filling across the length, roll up and slice. Cover and chill frushi until ready to serve.

Ina's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2009-05-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

Before you start gathering the ingredients, you can buy this mix.But if you want to do any tweaking, here is the recipe. I love this stuff. Once a year. More than that would be a little much. But I do love the concept of brunch. I just do not have a brunch lifestyle. If I ever get a brunch lifestyle, I would eat this more often.

Streusel Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and pinch together until mixed and crumbly. Set aside.

Cake:
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Cream the butter and the sugar, until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and sour cream. Add pre-sifted flour b. powder, b. soda and salt. Mix until just combined. Final mix with a spatula to make sure well combined.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cups of streusel topping. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out and scatter the remaining topping on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a cake platter, streusel side up.

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp REAL maple syrup

Whisk together (add a few drops of water, if not runny.) Drizzle over cake with a fork.

Classic Gougeres

2009-05-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

We had these at the French Laundry. A perfect little something to pop in your mouth a savory puff. Light and airy and rich. Just enough to let you know that yummy things are on the horizon. Lucky me: I found a recipe.1 cup water
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 cup grated cheese (Gruyere is recommended)
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring the water, butter and salt to a simmer in a heavy, medium sauce pan until butter melts. Add flour. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until flour absorbs and forms a ball. Stir until dough is no longer sticky. Cool dough 2-3 minutes. In a mixing bowl, add dough and mix. Add one egg at a time. Stir in cheese and pepper.

Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto baking sheet, spacing about three inches apart. Using damp fingertips shape dough.

Bake gougeres until golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating sheets about halfway through. Using a sharp knife, check one puff to be sure the center is done. It should be moist, but not gooey. Serve hot or warm.

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites

2009-05-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

I love chocolate. I love bananas. I have one issue with the chocolate dipped frozen bananas: they tend to be too big for me. I just want a taste. The beauty of these bites is that they are ... well, just a bite. Which also means we increase the chocolate to banana ratio: always a good thing. You can also control how frozen you want them: solid or just chilled. ( They last longer if you freeze them.)

Then there are the toppings. I like salted nuts. It reminds me of a good ice cream sundae. But I have a definite thing for Butterfingers and Butterfingers smashed up on a frozen banana is very good. Still crunchy and salty and gooey and creamy and sweet and cold.

Then there is the issue with what is considered a ripe banana. According to both Martha and Ina, it should be yellow with a few brown spots. My mother-in-law calls that a rotten banana and prefers them green. I call that under ripe. Rotten is when it is gooey and ready for banana bread. My concept of a good ripe banana is the same as Martha and Ina. I think I am in good company. But to each his/her own.

2 cups bittersweet chocolate
3 Tablespoons canola oil
3 ripe bananas

Toppings:
crushed oreos, toffee bits, chopped Butterfingers, chopped salted peanuts, toasted coconut

Stir chocolate and oil in heavy saucepan over low heat just until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes to cool.

Place each topping in a separate shallow bowl. Lina baking sheet with foil. Dip one banana slice at a time in chocolate, shake off excess. Drop dipped banana in topping. Sprinkle more topping over to coat. Transfer to foil lined sheet. Repeat with remaining bananas.

Freeze until firm, about 3 hours, Serve.

Fruit Pizza

2009-05-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

Just in case you don't like suspense, this is not really a pizza. It is shaped like one and you cut it like one. After that, it is on it's own.I know everyone has a recipe for this. I am sure I am not sharing anything ingenious or original. I do use a combo that may not be the most common. I like it because it does have a light texture and a light lemony flavor. And then there is the fruit. Fruit is the best dessert - do not gasp you chocolate lovers, I just mean that since fruit is good for you AND is light and refreshing, it is truly a great ending to a meal. This is beautiful to look at and yummy to eat AND fun to make. Let your creativity run wild.Do not make it too far in advance or the crust will get soggy and the fruit will get old. I like to make the crust earlier in the day and mix the filling ahead and keep it in the fridge. For the fruit, I prep it and then lay it out on paper towels to dry and absorb any extra moisture. That way when you put in on the filling, it does not turn goopy.

For the filling:
8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup orange marmalade

Cream together and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the crust:
use any sugar cookie recipe or mix or refrigerated dough. Pillsbury is just fine. On a Parchment sheet, Trace the size of your pan on the wrong side. Flatten your dough and place another parchment sheet over it and roll out the dough to cover the circle, making sure that the dough is rolled out evenly. Peel the parchment off, place your pan on top, flip and peel off the other sheet. This helps achieve a even and flat surface. (If you simply press it in, it could be rather lopsided.) Bake according to the recipe, but allow it to over baked a little. You do not want a slightly under baked crust because it will get too soggy. It would be better to start out a little crunchy, even though this goes against every sacred sugar cookie rule. Let cool completely.

Fruit:
Wash fruit and slice, if needed. You can use any type, as long as it is fresh. Canned fruit may be used if drained and dry. Do not use frozen fruit. Melon does not work well either, because of its high water composition. Some of my favorites are kiwi, any berries, tangerines or Mandarin oranges, pineapple, grapes, mango, and starfruit. Bananas and apples need to be bathed in lemon juice or they will brown (they do not add much color, but they are yummy.)

When ready to assemble, spread the cookie crust with the cream cheese mixture evenly, allowing a very small outside rim or cookie. Beginning in the middle, lay your fruit on top in whatever design you want. Serve right away. Cut with a pizza cutter. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Tanin Don (Stranger Rice)

2009-05-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Imagine that you were a foreigner and came to America and tasted a peanut butter sandwich and loved it. You could not speak the language so you did not know what it was. For the remainder of your days you seek it out. American restaurants both at home and back in America don't feature it on the menu. What was that? Where can I find it? Is it possible to eat something so comforting and common and then never find it again?

I ate the most sublime Japanese comfort food. I have spent years trying to figure out what it was even called. I knew it had the name "don" in it and that it was some sort of grilled onion and meat and egg combo served over rice. Every Japanese restaurant I have been to in the last 15 years, has been the source of hope and then disappointment when I could not find it.

I found it in a Japanese cookbook that I checked out of the library: Tanin Don. Now that I have it, I will probably find it on every menu out there.

Sauce

1/2 cup Dashi stock
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp mirin

Combine Ingredients, bring to a boil. Serves 1. (Multiply for more servings.)

2 0z thin sliced pork loin
1/4 onion
1 egg
Sauce (see above)
1 serving rice

Cut onion thinly. Mix sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Add pork and onions. Simmer. When pork is cooked and onions softened, pour beaten egg over evenly. Cover with lid and cook over low heat until half done. Place all, including liquid, over hot, steaming rice.

Pastry Cream (for eclairs)

2009-05-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

This is the cream for the inside of the Eclairs. It is basically a thick vanilla pudding.

1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch into 1/2 cup of the milk. Let rest for 1 minute, then whisk again. Whisk in the egg yolks.

In a medium saucepan, stir together the rest of the milk, sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. While constantly whisking, drizzle in the eggs mixture. Stir constantly until tiny bubbles boil up for ten seconds. Mix in the butter. Remove from heat. Strain, if necessary. Pour into a heat resistant bowl and cover the surface directly. Cool and store in fridge until ready to use.

For coconut pudding, use coconut milk in place of regular milk.

Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough

2009-05-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé

(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

½ cup whole milk

½ cup water

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

¼ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

5 large eggs, at room temperature

In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.

Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to.

You need to continue to stir for another 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.

Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your

hand mixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be piped out onto a parchment lined sheet pan.

You can pipe any size eclairs but try to make them all uniform in size so they bake evenly. I like to make them about 3" - 4" in length and 3/4" - 1" in diameter.

Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.

When ready to bake put them in a preheated 375 degrees and cook for 15 minutes. Start checking every couple minutes until they are nicely browned and puffed and almost hollow on the inside. Remove them from the oven and let them cool before filling.

Homemade Wheat Thins

2009-04-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

We love Wheat Thins. By the way, it is easier just to pick up a box in the store than make these. However, if you have a lot of flour to use up and you want the experience of making crackers, go for it. The advantage of this recipe is you control the ingredients. Mix flours, try different types of oils, try different seasonings, try different shapes. Have fun.3 1/4 cups flour (ideally 2 cups whole wheat and 1 1/4 of white, but try your mix)
6 Tbsp oil, emulsified in a blender with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup of water
Salt and/or other seasonings

Mix flours. Combine oil, water, and salt. Add dry ingredients. Make dough as smooth as possible. Roll as thin as possible directly on the cookie sheet (ungreased) - think cracker thin. Mark with knife for the desired cracker size, but do not cut all the way through. Prick each cracker with a fork a few times. Sprinkle lightly with salt or other seasoning. Bake 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven, until crisp and light brown. Remove from oven and cut through marking.

Cafe Rio Pork

2009-03-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Dionne. Talent, talent, talent. Guaranteed winner, if it comes from her kitchen.1 pork loin (about four pounds)
1 can Dr. Pepper
1 cup sugar
2 T. dry mustard powder
1 T. dry cumin powder
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can Chipotle chiles in Adobo Sauce

First, open the can of chiles and drain the sauce into the Crockpot. Then discard the chiles. Chipotles are just roasted jalapenos and are plenty hot- so omit them unless you want lots of heat! I can find this stuff in the Mexican food aisle at Fry's but not Safeway, so look around. Don't use the plain Adobo sauce (mine came in a tall little jar with a yellow lid) because the flavor is all wrong and I had to throw my last batch of pork out!

Then add sugar, mustard, cumin, garlic, and Dr. Pepper. Stir everything and toss in the trimmed, whole pork loin. Try piercing it a few times so the flavor steeps in during cooking. Rotate throughout the day and after about 5 hours on high the meat should be shred-able. Reduce heat to low, pull apart the meat with two forks and leave the lid off the Crockpot for a bit to let some of the extra liquid evaporate and soak into the meat (the longer it cooks shredded the tastier it will be, just watch and make sure there is enough liquid).Meanwhile, make the dressing in a blender. Serve pork with tortillas, black beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and cilantro dressing.

Irish Soda Bread - the real deal

2009-03-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

4 cups (16 oz) of all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
14 oz of buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly crease and flour a cake pan.

In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients.

Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape)

Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.

Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes (this simulates the bastible pot). Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped so show it is done.

Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

Blueberry Grunt

2009-03-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Okay. Everyone brace yourselves. This is sooooooo yummy. I got this recipe from my friend Kristi who is not only a phenominal person, but also makes scrumptious food. Words cannot describe how rich this is. I like it warm, but I'll eat it cold. It is good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or just by itself. It can serve twevle or one. I have personally served this recipe for twevle people and to just one! I took a few days to eat it, in case you are wondering.

Please use fresh blueberries, since nothing else works quite right. It does take a lot so head to Costco or look for the sales. It is easy-peasy lemon-squeezy and I made NO adjustments. It is perfection that cannot be improved upon.

6 Tbsp. Butter, melted
¾ cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup sugar
4 cups blueberries
2 tsp. Baking powder
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour melted butter in a 12” x 7” baking dish. Stir in dry ingredients. Add milk and vanilla. Sprinkle in blueberries. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, topped with whip cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Basboosa

2009-03-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Basboosa or Semolina Cake is from Egypt. The cake itself is not very sweet, but by the time you pour on the glaze it is quite sweet. I made this with my students when we studied Egypt. I love using cooking as part of education. Aside from learning about culture and getting to eat yummy foods, cooking also teaches functional reading, math (fractions, measurement, etc.) social studies, health, science: it is truly holistic education.

This recipe is probably not one that I would use for casual baking. But if you ever need a recipe from this region, it is pretty good and there is nothing really scary in it. I like the texture of the almonds in it.

1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups semolina flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup almonds, slivered
2/3 cups plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add semolina, baking powder, and almonds. Mix well. Add yogurt and mix well.

Spread cake batter in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake is golden brown. Remove from oven and pour glaze over it. Let cool before serving.

Glaze:
1 cup water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Heat all three ingredients to boiling. Boil for 5 minutes or until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Kodi-kins' Bow Ties

2009-02-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is from Kodi Smith. We had a pasta and sauce night at Enrichment so I will be posting quite a few of the recipes here. Kodi could not make it, but sent the recipe. Several people attested to the fact that it was really good. Kodi called this Bow Tie Pasta with Red Sauce. I had to change the name to distinguish it from a zillion other recipes.

So I tried it and it was wonderful. What I really loved: It was simple comfort food, but the herbs added a little sophistication. Everyone loved it, even the little ones. I sauce is light, but not too light. I tastes fresh, even though it uses canned tomoatoes (most likely thanks to the fresh herbs.) This recipe makes me want to start that herb garden that has been on my To Do list for the last decade.

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cube of beef bouillon (the Knorr jumbo cube which is 1" square.)
2 cans stewed tomatoes (1 lb)
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 lb pasta

Put water on to boil for pasta. Add pasta and cook as directed for al dente and drain.

Meanwhile melt butter and add sage, rosemary, and basil and beef bouillon. Process tomatoes and add to above mixture. Add the whipping cream.

Combine with pasta.

Red (or Pink)-and-White Cookies

2009-02-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

This plump confection is a Valentine's Day take on a New York classic, the black-and-white cookie. I love the black-and-white. The original recipe appeared in Oprah’s O magazine. I had to make a couple changes. I love the look of these, but I could not bear the thought of biting into the red portion and having no red flavor. By red flavor I am referring to a raspberry or strawberry flavor. The original just called for the red part to be the same flavor, but dyed red. So I modified the frosting to kick out the red food coloring and add pureed raspberries. The color is pinker than the original, but the taste is so much better.

Makes 18 cookies (or 36 smaller versions)

Cookies:

· 3 cups all-purpose flour

· 1/2 tsp. baking soda

· 1/2 tsp. baking powder

· 1/2 tsp. salt

· 1 3/4 sticks butter

· 1 1/4 cups sugar

· 2 large eggs

· 1 large egg yolk

· 3/4 cup buttermilk

· 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

· 1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest

Frosting:

· 4 cups confectioners' sugar

· 1/4 cup milk

· 1 Tbsp. heavy cream

· 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

· Red no-taste gel food coloring

2 Tbsp raspberry puree (puree raspberries then strain out the seeds, reduce to half by simmering over heat)

To make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the bowl and add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Scrape down the bowl again, and turn mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts. Scrape down the bowl; add vanilla and lemon zest, and mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

Using an ice cream scoop (about 1/4 cup), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets spaced about 3 inches apart (6 cookies per sheet).

Bake for 17 minutes, rotating sheets between oven racks halfway through, until edges are golden brown and tops spring back when gently touched. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove cookies and cool on racks.

To make frosting: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and cream and vanilla. Pour half of the frosting (about 3/4 cup) into another bowl and add the raspberry puree. If mixture is too thick, add a little more milk (by the teaspoon until desired consistency is reached) to either color.

Use an offset spatula to spread red frosting on half of the top of each cookie. Let stand until almost set, 20 minutes. Using a clean spatula, spread white frosting over unfrosted half of each cookie. (If the frosting thickens up during the process, whisk until loose.) Let set completely, about 1 hour.

Strawberry Whoopie Pies

2009-02-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

This recipe appeared in Oprah’s O magazine. I had to make a few changes. For one thing, I cannot bake anything without adding vanilla. I liked sour cream better than plain yogurt.

Makes about 3 dozen

Cookies:

· 1 cup (about 5 ounces) stemmed and halved strawberries

· 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

· 1 tsp. baking soda

· 3/4 tsp. salt

· 2 cups light brown sugar

· 2/3 cup canola oil

· 1/2 cup sour cream

· 1 tsp vanilla

· 2 large eggs

Filling:

· 1 cup (about 5 ounces) stemmed and halved strawberries

· 5 egg whites

· 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

· 4 sticks butter , cut into cubes, at room temperature

· Red no-taste gel food coloring

To make cookies: Put strawberries in a food processor and pulse in short bursts just until they are chopped into small pieces (about 4 to 5 pulses), and set aside. (Be careful not to puree them.) Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside.

Put brown sugar and oil in a large bowl and mix well, using the back of a spoon to break up any lumps in sugar. Whisk in chopped strawberries and yogurt until combined, then whisk in eggs, one at a time, just until combined. Fold in flour mixture in two parts, being careful not to overwork the batter. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a measuring spoon, drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet to form each cookie, spacing dollops about 2 inches apart. Working in batches, bake until cookies are set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven; cool completely.

To make filling: Puree strawberries in a food processor until smooth (about 15 seconds); set aside. Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar together in the top of a double boiler until sugar is dissolved and mixture is milky white, about 2 minutes. Transfer egg white mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form and mixture is glossy, about 2 minutes. Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment. Add butter and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add reserved strawberry puree and about 3 to 5 drops food coloring (frosting should be a light shade of pink), and beat again until well combined, about 1 minute more.

To assemble: Generously frost the flat side of half of the cookies, then top each with an unfrosted cookie to form sandwiches. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Straw & Hay

2009-02-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a glorious pasta dish at The Cheesecake Factory. Ryan and I would order it every time we went. We would order a large salad and Straw & Hay. It was a love at first taste and we could not order anything else. Such was our heart's devotion. Then the evil, wicked menu planner abruptly took it off the menu. Nooooo. "Can't you still make it?" "How did this happen?" We begged and pleaded for it , but alas, our villain made it impossible for us to order it. We were broken-hearted.

This story does have a happy ending, however, due to my diligence. I finally was able to get the recipe. Once it is off the menu, they are more inclined to release it. So the beloved pasta dish is once again available to us. Unfortunately, now I have to labor to make it but sometimes true love works that way.

8 ounce package regular egg fettuccine
8 ounces package spinach fettuccine
1 cup thinly sliced julienne ham or Canadian bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
1 cube butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook pasta separately. Cook peas with the pasta in the last few minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in ham and mushrooms and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add cream and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Pour over pasta, stir until well combined. Top with remaining cheese. Serve immediately.

Chunky Chicken Minestrone Soup

2009-01-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

I love this soup because not only is it healthy, but it has a very light broth to it.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 cloves minced garlic

1 can diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 can white beans, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup salad macaroni

In a stockpot heat the oil over moderate heat. Add onion, green pepper, carrots, and garlic and saute until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness. Add salt and additional seasonings as necessary.

Cornbread Croutons

2009-01-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

I love cornbread croutons on a very fresh salad. They are a little heartier than the standard fare. They have a more interesting texture. They also add a sweetness. Whenever you have leftover cornbread, do yourself a favor and make this recipe. Imagine these on top of some good chili?

leftover cornbread, cut into desired size squares
half a cube of butter
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced fine
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and add garlic, pepper, and salt. Stir and continue to mash garlic to release the juice. Put diced cornbread in a bowl and coat with butter mixture. Carefully mix to coat without breaking up the pieces. Spread flat onto a baking sheet and bake until evenly browned. Stir a couple times while cooking. Allow to cool if using on salad. You may serve warm in soups.

Lemon Frosting

2009-01-23T20:29:00.000-08:00

This is worth making a cake for. It is good on lemon cake, white cake, or sugar cookies ... or off the spoon.1/2 cup butter, softened
2 boxes or 1 large bag powdered sugar
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 2 lemon
milk: 2 Tbsp to 1/2 cup (depending on the consistency you want. Add slowly.)
1/4 tsp lemon extract (you might not need this depending on how much juice you get out of the lemon and how you like it so DO NOT add until the end!!)

Mix the butter and powdered sugar until mixed. Texture will not be smooth, but will be consistent. Add lemon juice and zest. Mix until smooth. Add a little milk and check to see if you like it. Taste it. You can now decide whether to add the extract or not. Mix and add milk until you like it. Enjoy!!

Note: You can add yellow food coloring if you wish, but I like seeing the flecks of lemon zest and they show up better without it.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

2009-01-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

There are two different ways to enjoy chocolate frosting. One is pure chocolate and cream: the ganache. It is fudgy and decadent. The other is a chocolate buttercream. This is a chocolate buttercream and it is lovely. It is not really fudgy: you can taste the cocoa in it. In fact, it is a little on the semi-sweet side. But I love it. It definitely tastes homemade and you can use it on anything. I love it on a really rich and chocolaty cake because it adds a different layer of chocolate. 4 cups powdered sugar
1 cube butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk, depending on the consistency you desire

Mix the butter, cocoa, and sugar until crumbly. Add vanilla and start adding milk a Tbsp at a time, mixing with each addition. Continue until you like the feel.

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

2009-01-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick, reduced fat baking mix

3/4 cup low fat buttermilk (1%)

1 cup shredded low fat Cheddar cheese (I use regular cheese)

2 Tbsp low fat butter spread

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes crushed fine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine baking mix, milk and Cheddar cheese in a bowl. Mix by hand until well combined. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 3 Tbsp each) and spoon into a lightly greased or nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuit begin to brown. in a small bowl, combine the buttery spread with the garlic powder. Heat this mixture for 30 seconds in the microwave, then brush a light coating over the top of each biscuit.

makes 12 biscuits

112 calories 3 g fat each

Taco Soup

2009-01-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

This is too easy. However it is like tacos when you are out of some of the ingredients and you get to eat it with tortilla chips, or in our family Fritos. And any meal that calls for Fritos is going to be pretty popular.

3/4 lbs. ground beef, brown and drain off the fat
1 small brown onion
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn

Saute the onion and add back the drained meat and the cans. Do not drain the cans, just dump. Add the seasoning and then enough water just to cover everything. Bring to a boil and then simmer for thirty minutes.

You can also add any leftover veggies that you might have. Chop as fine as you need to to sneak it in if the kids don't like it. You can also add any other leftover Mexican sauces or salsa that might be laying around.

Now for the good stuff. Serve the soup in a bowl and have the following on hand to sprinkle on the soup: shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, green onions, green peppers. Use Fritos to either sprinkle or dip into soup. You can use any tortilla chips, but Fritos Scoops are the best ... and favorite.

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

2008-12-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

My rule for oatmeal cookies: they must be soft AND chewy. Iced oatmeal is literally icing on the top. I like raisins. I like apples. There you have it. Original recipe came from Martha Stewart's Cookie Magazine. I tweaked a little. It is still enough of hers to give her credit, but I always use dark brown sugar for extra richness and I have to add a little nutmeg if nutmeg is even in the same hemisphere as the other ingredients.

Cookies:
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup chunky applesauce
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup raisins

Icing:
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Steps:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix softened butter with sugars until blended. Add egg and applesauce until well mixed. Mix in everything else, except raisins. Add those once all the rest is blended well.

Drop dough in 1 1/2 inch balls on the baking sheet with parchment or silpat. Bake for 13-15 minutes, should be golden. Cool 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack over parchment paper.

Make icing by whisking the two ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cookies on rack (hence the parchment underneath.) Let set. Store in airtight container. Stores well for three days.

Snickerdoodles

2008-12-22T11:53:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup butter (no substitutions, ever, ever) softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour

2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Beat butter and add in sugar until blended. Mix in soda, cream of tartar then the egg and vanilla. Add flour and mix until dough is formed. Cover and chill for an hour. Roll in 30 balls. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll in cinnamon-sugar. Place balls on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool.

Da Bomb Pea Soup

2008-12-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

Now I know pea soup does not sound that appetizing to some. But if you like it, this is really, really good pea soup. If you have never tried it, this is the recipe to try. If you do not like it, you might like this. If you do not like this, give up on it completely. Not everyone has to like everything.

Leftover ham hock
2 quarts water

Put the ham hock in a large pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Simmer for an hour. Strain the ham and save both the ham and the stock.

Return the stock to the pot and add:

1 pound green split peas (usually one bag)
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, pressed

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Let cook for two hours covered. Every half hour take off lid and stir.

Ladle soup into a blender, no more than 2/3 full and stir until smooth. Repeat until all the soup is done. Note: you need to pour the soup into another container, blend, and then return the blended soup to the pot.You can now add the bits of ham from the reserved ham hock. You can also garnish with green onions, bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese, or sour cream according to your preference. Or enjoy it plain.

Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

2008-12-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe originally from Paula Deen, passed onto us by Brenda Schulthuss. She tried it and thought we would like it. She was right. Since the kids are not nutty type girls, we skipped the pecans.3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 teaspoons ornage zest

Combine and set aside.

2 12-oz cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mellted butter

Separate the biscuits. Cut the cream cheese into 20 pieces. Place one piece in the center of each biscuit and fold in half, pressing the edfges to seal. Dip the biscuits in butter and then dredge in sugar mixture. Place the biscuits, curved side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12 cup bundt pan (or use a baking dish.) Space evenly and do not stack. Drizzle any remaining butter oven the the biscuits and then sprinkle with any remaining sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a 350 degree, preheated oven until golden brown. Immediately invert onto a serving platter.

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Combine to make a glaze. Drizzle over the warm rolls. Serve warm.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2008-12-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

A favorite on the Christmas Cookie Plate. McKayla's favorite cookie of all time. Whenever I see Hershey's Kisses on sale, McKayla can get lucky.

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar
Hershey Kisses

Cream the first three ingredients. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add the dry and mix until well blended. Roll into 60 balls, roll those in sugar and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. While cooking, unwrap the kisses. When the cookies come out of the oven, immediately press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

French Bird

2008-11-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

This was made for me by Linda Spiker, original recipe from Catherine Fullmer (not her professional name.) It came over as a Relief Society meal when I was in need and roast chicken has never been the same. Even if you are not a raisin or dried fruit kind of person, the sweet and savory flavors are an intoxicating combination. And by the way, Linda has never made a bad meal so if a recipe is in her file, it is a keeper. Check out her cooking school at http://theorganickitchen.blogspot.com/

Incidentally, this is Linda, not the bird.

1 chicken, clean and pat dry
olive oil
salt
pepper
chili pepper
1/2 stick of butter
2 large potatoes, quartered
3 carrots, sliced in large chunks
1/2 bag of raisins (or combination of dried fruit)
1 onion, quartered

Take the bird and rub it down in olive oil. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper, garlic, chili pepper (or use Chef Prodomes chicken seasoning.) Put the butter in the cavity. Place in roasting pan and distribute vegetables and fruit around the bird. Salt and Pepper veggies. Squeeze orange juice over everything. Slice the same orange and place slices over everything. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours. covered and 15-30 minutes uncovered to brown.

Cafe Rio Ranch Dressing

2008-11-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

Salad dressing, dip, or suck it down with a straw; it doesn't get any better than this.

1 Buttermilk Ranch dressing packet

Make it according to the directions.

In a food processor, pour in the ranch mixture and add:

2 tomatillos
1/2 a bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (remove seeds, unless you like to live dangerously)

Process until smooth. Can be used and stored the same as regular ranch dressing.

Pretzel Hugs

2008-11-19T16:08:00.000-08:00

Synder's square pretzels
Hershey's Hugs Kisses
M&Ms

On a covered baking sheet (cover with foil, parchment, or my personal favorite: a silpat) line pretzels on baking sheet and place a hug in the middle of each one. place in oven at 200 degrees for about 5-6 minutes. They should just be shiny not melted.

Remove from oven and squish an M&M down into the hug (like above). Place in fridge for awhile to let harden.

Lion House Crescent Rolls (with a little modification)

2008-11-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups water warm
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup dry milk powder
1 egg
5 1/2 cups flour
melted butter

Warm water to between 105 and 115 degrees. Mix yeast, water and 1 tsp of the sugar and let stand 5 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat together till smooth. Gradually add remaining flour till soft dough is formed. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic. (It takes me about 15 minutes.) Place in greased bowl; cover and let rise till double in bulk. Punch down; divide into thirds. Roll out one-third of dough into circle; cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Starting at wide end, roll up each piece into crescent. Place on greased baking sheet with point on bottom. Repeat with remainder of dough. Brush tops with melted butter (or margarine). Let rise till double. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen rolls.

Citrus Punch

2008-11-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

The first time I tasted this punch was at our wedding open house. We had our reception in Northridge, where I was raised. One week later, we drove up to Livermore to have an Open House at Ryan's parents house. I did not eat much that day, with all the meeting and greeting. But I did have the punch to quench my thirst. LOVED IT.I have made this punch for many occasions. I love to make it for Christmas breakfast or General Conference breakfast. When served really cold, it is gone fast. I usually make it into a concentrate and then add the water when I need the punch bowl or into two separate pitchers because it does make 1 gallon.

1 12oz can of frozen orange juice concentrate
1 12 oz can of frozen lemonade concentrate
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cup sugar

Stir all together until well blended. When ready to serve, add 12 cans (using the concentrate can) of water or just add enough water to make a gallon (it should be the same amount.)

Orange Ginger Fruit Dip

2008-11-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with this when I was a student at BYU. I usually took early morning classes and then would go eat in the Cougareat. My favorite breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal and some fresh fruit with this dip. This dip is my favorite for fruit. Yes, it is as sweet as it can be. But it also has the fresh ginger which gives it a kick and a more unique flavor. I found the recipe years later and adjusted it to my taste. A little more ginger, a little less cream cheese.

1 8oz package cream cheese
1 16 oz jar marshmallow creme
2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon minced FRESH ginger

Whip the softened cream cheese with the marshmallow creme until completely smooth. Add the concentrate and ginger. Stir until well blended. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving so the flavors can meld. Serve with any and all fresh fruit.

Layered Green Salad

2008-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Marjorie Clark. She was in my ward growing up and is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. She was (now retired) a Kindergarten teacher whose class was so well organized that you could hear a pin drop, everyone was always on task, and she spoke in a sweet tones. She is the mother of all boys. And she helped throw my bridal shower. This is the dish she made for it. (I have modified it a little - I like more spinach.) This is also one of Diane's favorite salads.
One thing I love about it is that there are lots of vegetables in it. But they are layered in such a way and chopped small so that you don't even see all that you are eating. This is an old school recipe, but everyone always raves about it. I have written this recipes out scores of times: when I make it, people always ask for the recipe. Another great aspect of it is, that it needs to be made ahead. A green salad that has to be made ahead? When I sign up to bring a salad to church but I have no time to do it right ahead of time, this is my salad. Any buffet or meal that you need a salad AND cannot do it ahead of time: this is a great one.

1 small head iceberg lettuce, cleaned, dried, and torn in small bite size pieces
2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned, dried, and torn in small bite size pieces
1/2 cup small cauliflower buds
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup small broccoli buds
1/2 cup chopped green onions

In a 9x11 Pyrex dish (clear glass is the most attractive) layer all ingredients, in order, starting with the iceberg. Scatter each one on top of the other.

Take one package of Frozen Peas, left frozen, and spread on top. The salad should be densely covered in frozen peas.

2 cups mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sugar

Mix together the mayo and sugar. Spread over the peas like you are frosting a cake, making sure the edges are sealed.

1/2 lbs shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices of bacon, fried crisp, drained, and crumbled

Sprinkle cheese and bacon over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or at least six hours.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

2008-10-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

Arnold Palmer's Restaurant in La Quinta places Macaroni & Cheese under the heading of vegetable. Now, I am no nutrition or food science major, but that is pushing it a little. Classifying this dish as anything else but a dessert is pushing it a little too. There are, indeed, vegetables in it. But by the time you add all the goodies, well lets just say that children would never have issues with vegetables if we could find a way to make all of them taste like this one. The original recipe called for only 2 1/2 lbs. of sweet potatoes. I upped it to 4 so I could feel a little better about calling it a vegetable.This is also a favorite at Thanksgiving or Christmas. I start craving it as soon as I see a fall leaf decoration in a store. I am like Pavlov's dog. I become inexplicably drawn to the sweet potatoes. So I try to sneak an extra serving of this in October as well. Usually at a Caress Family dinner.

There is still the praline topping versus marshmallow topping debate. I find that marshmallows are a non-issue after one bite of this. I wonder how marshmallows would spruce up cauliflower?

1 cup flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 stick of love (butter for those who are not fluent in Paula Deen)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine in a small bowl, stirring to form a streusel. Set aside.

About 4 pounds sweet potatoes (canned or fresh. If fresh, boil them until soft before starting.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Mash potatoes in a large bowl. Stir in other ingredients. Stir in 1 cup ONLY of the streusel. Mix well. Pour into a 2 quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Chicken Adobo

2008-10-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Jean Ginther (see Lumpia) This is a Filipino recipe. The texture of the onions is to die for so don't chop finely. Serve with steamed rice so it absorbs all the lovely juices.

1/2 cup oil
2 medium brown onions (medium chop)
2 lbs chicken breast, boneless, chopped in one inch cubes
pepper to taste
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 bay leaves (whole)
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar

Heat oil and add all of the garlic, then onion and cook until garlic and onion is lightly browned. Add chicken and saute until the chicken is beginning to tenderize. Stir occasionally.

Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir occasionally.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2008-10-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Portia Walker. Well actually it is from the back of the package, but Portia gave it to us at an Enrichment demo. It tastes like fresh strawberries. Portia brought homemade rolls to spoon it onto and normally I like the rolls better than any topping. This was an exception.1 pouch fruit jell freezer jam pectin
4 cups crushed strawberries
1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine sugar and pectin and stir well. Take 2 cups of strawberries and chop to desired consistency. Take the other half and puree in a blender. Combine strawberries with sugar mixture and stir for about three minutes. Ladle jam into clean jars or freezer containers, leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Apply lids. Let stand until thickened, about thirty minutes.

Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.

Yields five 8 oz jars.

Scotchie Recipe

2008-10-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Kirsti McCleary. As with most of her recipes they are similar to others, but hers are just a notch above everyone else's. For example, most do not have enough of the chocolate. This one is very generous in the chocolate topping. It is our traditional treat to have while watching General Conference and the Superbowl. In fact, the first time we had it was when Kirsti brought it over for a Superbowl party. Since moving away from each other, I had to get the recipe because well, we just could not live without it. Kirsti is one of those people that is as nice as the day is long. She has a great singing voice and has done a few recordings and starred in a number of community theater musicals. She knows how to throw a party like no other. We were in the same ward when we were first married. Dave and Ryan have always been best golfing buddies. Kirsti and I were both in education. We have been there for each other and we hope that we can stay close forever. Anyway enough gushing. On to the best Scotchies ever.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup light karo syrup
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 box rice chex cereal
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Boil together the karo syrup and sugar. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Pour over cereal in a big bowl. Mix it together until the cereal is thoroughly coated. Spread it on two foil or waxed paper covered cookie sheets. Flatten it out to the edges. Melt the chips together in the micro wave for two minutes at 50% power. Stir until smooth. Fleck or spread over the chex. Let harden and then break up into chunks and serve.

Auntie Anne's Pretzels

2008-09-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. warm water
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast (1 1/2 pkg.)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 C. bread flour
3 C. regular flour
2 C. warm water
2 Tbsp baking soda
To taste, coarse salt
2 - 4 Tbsp butter (melted)

Preparation:
Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often.

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. (the longer and thinner, the better) Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter.

Toppings:
After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt OR cinnamon sugar.

Sugar Baked Shrimp

2008-09-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

This is a sweet & sour dish. The sugar adds a crunch.

1 cup sugar (that is not a typo)
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cumin
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on

Fresh lime wedges

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Put either parchment paper or a silpat on a cookie sheet.

Stir everything except the shrimp and lime together. A few at a time, roll the shrimp in the sugar mixture and set them on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the sugar has started to caramelize in spots. take the shrimp out of the oven and turn them over . squeeze the lime juice over them and serve right away.

The Pantry Mustard

2008-09-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

1/4 cup course grained mustard
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup dried basil
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Blend the mustards and basil in a food processor until smooth. Keep the machine running as you slowly add the oil. Process until the mixture is smooth. The mustard will store indefinately if it is tightly covered.

Used in place of regular mustard, as a marinade, or with ham.

Blueberry-Raspberry Muffins

2008-09-12T17:50:00.001-07:00

This recipe works with all types of fruit. Like peaches and mangos. They freeze well and can sit out on the counter all day and will not dry out.

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 16oz container sour cream
10 Tbsp butter
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) raspberries
1 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
2Tbsp sugar (for topping)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 24 muffins tins with liners. (not an option) Combine flour, b. soda, salt, and b. powder in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat the eggs with sour cream in a large bowl until thouroughly combined. In a meduim saucepan, over meduim heat, melt together the butter and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool slightly then beat into egg mixture. Stir in the oats. Fold in the flour mixture. Very gently fold in the berries.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Drop a generous pinch of sugar on top. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until edges are brown and tops are firm. Cool on wire rack five minutes then remove muffins from tin and finish cooling them.

Easy Key Lime Pie

2008-09-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 6 oz can frozen limeade concentrate (not thawed)
1 cup heavy cream
1 6 oz graham cracker pie crust
zest of 1 lime

Beat the milk, limeade, and cream until fluffy and soft peaks form. Pour the filling into the pie crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate until chilled and loosely set, at least four hours (and up to overnight.) Sprinkle the pie with lime zest before serving. (Recipe from Real Simple Magazine)

Banana Cake

2008-06-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

Banana Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

4 ripe bananas, mashed

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 - 8 inch round pans. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in the bananas. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and place on a damp tea towel to cool.

Danish Aebleskiver

2008-05-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is from Rasmussen's Bakery, my favorite in Solvang.

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp melted butter

Sift dry ingredients. Beat egg yolks, add to milk. Combine with dry ingredients, add melted butter. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter. Fry in aebleskiver pan.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2008-05-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained (and/or white beans, black-eyed peas, or garbanzo beans)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 onion, diced and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

You may also add any of the following: chopped avocado, chopped olives, chopped cucumber (de-seeded), green onions, peppers, etc.

Dressing: (or you may use your favorite Italian Dressing)

1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine garlic, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and lemon juice. Mix well. In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Pour the lime juice mixture over the bean mixture and gently toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving.

Eat on it’s own as a salad or with corn chips for an appetizer.

Banana Split "Cake"

2008-05-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 rectangles, crushed)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
6 bananas
2 cups cold milk
8 serving size vanilla pudding, instant
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
2 cups cool whip
1 cup peanuts
12 maraschino cherries

Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter together. Press into the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Freeze 10 minutes.

Beat together the remaining sugar and cream cheese until well blended. Stir in drained pineapple. Spread over crust. Slice 4 bananas into1/2 inch slices and spread over pineapple mixture.

Mix together milk and vanilla pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk until smooth and thick. Stir in 1 cup of the cool whip and spread over the banana layer. Refrigerate for two hours.

Drizzle the chocolate syrup and jam over that layer. Spread the remaining cool whip over that. Sprinkle with peanuts. Slice the remaining bananas and arrange on top. Arrange cherries. Serve.

Peanut Buster Bars

2008-05-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

1 box chocolate sandwich cookies

½ cup melted butter

½ gallon vanilla ice cream

1 jar hot fudge sauce

1 can cocktail peanuts

1 8 oz container Cool Whip

Crush cookies, reserving 1 cup for topping. Add the butter to the remaining crumbs and mix well. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and press cookie crumbs in pan. Soften ice cream and spread on crumbs. Spread sauce on ice cream, then sprinkle on nuts. Spread on cool whip. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top. Store in freezer. Make this a day ahead.

Spicy BBQ Sauce

2008-05-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 large cloves minced garlic
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes in puree
1/4 cup molasses
4 Tbsp apple cider
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo, finely chopped
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and saute until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring just to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until moderately thick, 15-20 minutes.

Can be used over ribs or chicken.

Classic Chicken Piccata

2008-05-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded to about 1/2 inch in thickness
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. capers
2 Tbsp. fresh, flat leaf parsley, chopped

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat melt 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the butter. Add half the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. Be careful not to overcook.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter to the pan and melt. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and cook, scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is reduced by about 1/4, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the capers and simmer for one minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the parsley. Return the chicken and juices to the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Divide the chicken among four plates, spoon the sauce over, and serve.

Lorriane Hiltbrand Salad

2008-05-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

I am not sure where this name comes from, but I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, Diane. The key here is the dressing. You must toss it in. It is nothing special without it and it is not as good just poured over. So right before serving, pour it all in and toss.

8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 head lettuce, torn into bite size pieces, cleaned and dried
1 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 avocados, diced
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 bunch spinach, torn, cleaned and dried
2 small cans sliced olives

For the dressing, combine in a blender and blend for 1 minute.

1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp celery seed
3/4 cups oil
1/3 tsp red onion, grated
3/4 tsp prepared mustard

Flour Tortillas

2008-05-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from an enrichment meeting. This recipe comes from Vicki Taggert. She also taught this to the Activity Day girls. These are best right off the griddle. Add a little butter and they are heavenly. Or serve in any traditional way.

4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/2 cup shortening, melted
about 1 cup water (added gradually)

Mix all ingredients together, in order, one at a time. Add water gradually until you get a nice dough that is not sticky. If it starts to get sticky, stop adding water and add a little more flour back into the dough. Let rest 1/2 hour. Break off a small ball and roll in as thin as possible. Cook on a hot griddle, flipping as needed.

Mexican Rice

2008-05-02T08:30:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from an enrichment meeting. This recipe comes from Vicki Taggert who always made the best tasting rice. Santa Rosa Ward 2005.

1 cup white rice
1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped

salt, pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic
mixture of chopped veggies, any you like: carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes

2 cups water
4 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp chicken bouillon

Heat oil in large sauce pan. Add rice. Saute until grains are all white or toasty, not clear. Add onions, garlic, veggies, and seasoning. Add water, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Makes 8 large servings.

Pinto Beans

2008-05-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from an enrichment meeting. This recipe comes from Billie Garcia who always made the best tasting beans. Ere on the side of soft: better too soft than too hard.

1 cup pinto beans (or any pink or light beans)

Cover beans completely with water. Soak 4 or more hours in refrigerator. Drain and rinse. Place beans in large pot and completely cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer beans for 2-3 hours until they are very soft. (Beans should be completely covered with water while cooking.) Drain off water so it is level with the beans. Heat on medium high and stir beans.

Add
1/2 cup cheese
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup salsa (or El Pato or enchilada sauce)
about 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Stir until cheese is melted. Makes 8 large servings.

Lemon Butter Sauce

2008-05-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

This is perfect for a light toss on warm pasta, especially when seafood is mixed in. Very simple, very versatile.

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine all. Toss with warm pasta.

This can be made ahead and then warmed right before tossing it with pasta.

Pina Colada Sorbet

2008-04-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Make into a syrup by heating together until mixture is clear. Cool.

In a blender combine:
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1/4 cup lime juice

Stir until combined and smooth. Combine with syrup and stir until smooth. Let chill for at least 3 hours.

Pour into ice cream maker and follow directions. Store, covered in freezer.

Cincinnati-Style Chili Party Dip

2008-04-06T08:11:00.002-07:00

This recipe came from Elizabeth Green. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

1 8-ounce cream cheese

1 can or 1 frozen package of Cincinnati’s Skyline Chili (it can be substituted with 12 ounces of the chili recipe shared above!)

8-ounce package of shredded mild cheddar cheese

Diced tomatoes

Chopped lettuce

Black olives

Diced onions

Spread cream cheese on the bottom of an 8-by-8 inch casserole dish. Pour heated chili over cream cheese. Cover with shredded cheese. Top with tomato, lettuce, diced olives and onion. Serve with nacho chips or corn chips.

Asparagus and Crab Meat Soup

2008-04-06T08:11:00.001-07:00

This recipe came from Denise Harker. Don't let the name fool you. She is from Vietnam and an excellent cook of all foods. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited. (Soup măng cua) a Vietnamese dish

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
3 tsp of nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
6 shallots - chopped
2 garlic cloves - chopped
8 ounces lump crab meat -
picked over and drained
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot - mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
1 egg - lightly beaten
15 oz white asparagus spears
1 tbsp shredded coriander
1 scallion - thinly sliced Cut into 1 inch sections with canning liquid reserved

Directions:
Combine broth, 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, sugar and salt in a 3 quart soup pot. Bring to a boil . Reduce the heat and simmer. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the shallots and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant . Add the crab meat, the remaining 2 teaspoons fish sauce and black pepper to taste. Stir fry over high heat for about 1 minute then set aside Bring the soup to a boil . Add the cornstarch mixture and stir gently until the soup thickens and is clear.

While the soup is boiling, add the egg and stir gently, continue to stir for about 1 minute. Add the crab meat mixture and asparagus with its canning liquid and cook gently until heated through. Transfer the soup to a heated tureen . Sprinkle on the coriander, scallion and freshly ground black pepper. Makes about 4 to 6 servings

Rick Green's Famous Cincinnati-Style Chili

2008-04-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

6 1-pound cans of tomatoes

2 large onions, diced

3 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons allspice

4 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons cayenne red pepper

2 tablespoons vinegar

5 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic chips

5 pounds cooked and drained ground beef

Boil tomatoes and chop in blender. Add tomatoes to cooked and drained ground beef. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly for 3 hours. Serves 8. FOR A CINCINNATI THREE-WAY: Pour finished chili over cooked spaghetti and top with shredded mild cheddar cheese. FOR A CINCINNATI FOUR-WAY: Same as the 3-way, but add diced onions. FOR A CINCINNATI FIVE-WAY: Same as 4-way, but added cooked kidney beans.

Wagon Wheels Pasta Salad

2008-04-06T08:09:00.002-07:00

This recipe came from Kylee McGee. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

½ lb. wagon wheel shaped pasta

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup mild salsa

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

3 scallions, sliced

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

½ tsp salt

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain well. In large bowl toss hot pasta with beans, salsa, corn, scallions, cilantro and salt.

Mexican Meatballs

2008-04-06T08:09:00.001-07:00

This recipe came from Coral Johnson. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

1 ½ lb extra lean ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 egg

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

¼ cup low fat milk

1 ½ teaspoon cumin

1-teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cups salsa

Sliced green onions as garnish

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, smush together all ingredients, except salsa and green onions, using your very clean hands.

Shape into about 24 meatballs. Place meatballs in an ungreased 13x9 inch-baking dish. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes, or until no longer pink in center. Drain on paper towels. Just before serving, heat meatballs with salsa in a saucepan until hot. Sprinkle with green onions.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Buttered egg noodles Spaghetti Squash

Steamed Broccoli Refried Beans & Tortillas

NUTRITION (per serving)

350 Calories; 21g fat; 26g protein; 13g carbohydrate; 3g dietary fiber; 126mg Cholesterol; 505mg sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain; 3 ½ Lean Meat; 1 vegetable 2 1/2 Fat.

Beef & Rice Casserole

2008-04-06T08:08:00.002-07:00

This recipe came from Kylee McGee. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

1 lb. ground beef (it’s also great with leftover steak)

1 med. white onion, chopped

garlic powder

seasoning salt

sour cream, 16 oz.

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Hot, cooked, white rice

Combine ground beef (or leftover steak), onion, garlic powder and seasoning salt in a large pan. Cook until brown, drain. Add sour cream, cream of mushroom soup and can of cream of celery soup to meat and heat until bubbly. Serve over rice.

Chili Cheese Bars

2008-04-06T08:08:00.001-07:00

This recipe came from Kylee McGee. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

2 – 7 oz. can of diced green chiles

1 lb cheddar cheese, grated

1 lb monterey jack cheese, grated

6 eggs

garlic salt

Coat a 13” x 9” glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Then layer 1 can of chiles, ½ each of the cheeses in dish and pat down. Layer with other can of chiles and rest of cheeses. Pat down again. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Beat eggs and pour over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour to 45 minutes until brown. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Brunch for a Bunch

2008-04-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from Kylee McGee. From the Mrs. Ivy 4th grade cookbook that I edited.

(needs to be prepare the night before)

4 qt. casserole

loaf of egg bread, sliced

1 lb cheddar cheese, grated

1 lb jack cheese, grated

½ lb. mushrooms

3-4 green onions

1 green pepper

2 ½ c. milk

butter

18 eggs

Lightly sauté mushrooms, green onions and green pepper in butter. Butter casserole. Remove crust from loaf of egg bread. Butter both sides of bread. Line bottom of casserole with bread. Place ½ of the cheese on top of the bread, add another layer of egg bread and top with remaining cheese. Add sautéed mushrooms, green onions and green pepper to casserole. Beat eggs with milk, pour over top. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serves 12 – 15. Recipe can easily be cut in half.