Katsu Chicken (or Pork)

I grew up with this one, and Jacob gobbled it up when I made it for him. Very easy and filling too. The sauce is a must, but I wouldn't bother with any other kind to drizzle or dip than the Kikkoman Katsu Sauce pictured at the end.

Ingredients:
Boneless skinless chicken tenderloins/breasts or pork- filleted (pound if necessary)
1/2 Cup of Flour
2 Eggs beaten
1 1/2 Cup of Panko (has to be Panko) Bread Crumbs
Oil

Sprinkle salt and pepper on raw meat. Put the four, eggs, and Panko in separate plates (I used bowls). Dip the chicken in the four, then eggs and then generously with Panko. Heat up about 2-4 cm of oil in a pan, then put the breaded chicken in and set to low. Flip over until both sides are brown. Serve with rice. I also like to eat it on top of shredded cabbage.

Peanut Butter Bars

I have found my new favorite cookie bar:

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Butter
3 Eggs
1 Cup Peanut Butter

2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Quick Oats
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt

Cream first five ingredients with mixer until smooth. Mix the dry ingredients separately and then add to wet and mix. Press into your biggest cookie sheet. Bake for 12-18 minutes at 350 until lightly golden. Don't over bake. Let cool and then add the peanut butter layer, then the chocolate layer.

Peanut Butter Layer:
1 1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup of Peanut Butter
2 Tablespoons of Milk

Chocolate Layer:
1/4 Cup of Margarine
2 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder
1/2 Bag of Powdered Sugar
2-3 Tablespoons of Milk

Or use your favorite chocolate frosting.

Turkey Taquitos

This is my family's tradition for after Thanksgiving. I know a lot of people make turkey soup, but I am not a huge fan of that. They are totally unhealthy, but SO good. So here you go.

Ingredients:
taco sized tortillas (how ever many will feed your family, and I usually use flour)
leftover turkey
leftover stuffing (or make more if it is gone)
leftover gravy

layer turkey, stuffing, and a little bit of gravy in a tortilla and roll up. Hold together with a toothpick. Fry in oil until tortillas are browned on all sides. Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc. Oddly enough all of those flavors do go together.

Note- if you put too much gravy in it will make the oil spatter and burn you. So good luck.

Pumpkin Waffles

Ultimate Pumpkin Waffles

These are really good!

taken from this pumpkin waffle blog

1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg*
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

*Grated and lightly packed into the spoon, use 1/2 tsp. Grated and loosely scooped, this is about 1 tsp. of nutmeg. If you have to use pre-grated, dried nutmeg, use 1/4 tsp.

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.

2. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.

3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.

4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.

6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine. That will smooth out when the egg whites are added.

8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.

9. Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter! In my Presto FlipSide waffle maker, cook time is exactly 2 minutes 30 seconds.

Maple Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed maple sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped pecans

(optional: whole pecans to layer on top of pie)

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

1. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, flour, vanilla, salt. Beat the mix until smooth.
2. Stir chopped pecans into mix.
3. Fill pastry shell with combined mixture.
4. [Line up whole pecans on top layer of mixture for pretty presentation]
5. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
6. Enjoy a yummy slice :)

Donuts

Here are the donuts that we had at our Halloween party for those that want it.

Dough
2 T. yeast
1/4 cup water (105-115)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
canola oil

*If I were going to make them again I would only add 4 1/2 c. flour then just let the flour from rolling it out and kneading it help with the rest.

CREAMY GLAZE
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4-6 tablespoons hot water

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2-quart bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise until double, 45-90 minutes. (Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.) Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin. Cut with floured doughnut cutter (Or a wide mouth canning ring and one of Macey's blocks for the center...) Cover and let rise until double, 20-30 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 375°. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze set on rack.

Creamy Glaze: Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Cinnamon Swirl French Toast with buttermilk syrup

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

1 pkg yeast (1 Tbsp)
2 c. milk, scalded
2 tsp salt
5-3/4 to 6-1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. warm water
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. shortening

Soften yeast in warm water (110). Combine hot milk, sugar, salt, and shortening. Cool to lukewarm and combine with yeast mixture. Stir in 2 c. flour, beat well. Add enough flour to make a nice soft dough. Knead 8-10 min or until dough is smooth and elastic. Let rise in bowl in warm place for 1-1/4 hours. Punch down and cut dough into 2 portions. Shape into balls and cover. Let rest for 10 min (this really helps the bread not separate when it bakes in the roll). Roll out into 2 15x7 rectangles. Combine 1/2 c. sugar with 1 Tbsp cinnamon; spread half over each rectangle. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 tsp water over each. Roll up and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 for 30 min. When you tap the top of the bread it should sound hollow.

Then make your finished bread, once it is cooled (I usually make the bread the day before) into french toast.

Buttermilk Syrup


1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon, optional


Heat butter, milk, and sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and wisk in soda, vanilla, and cinnamon. (Start with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and see what you like. If you would rather it have more add up to 1 tsp) Mixture will get foamy, stir until foam goes down. Foam does not go away completely and syrup will thicken as it cools.

Happy Fall! Awesome Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

1/3 C pumpkin, canned
1/4 - 1/2 C milk
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
1/16 t cloves (just use a 1/8 t measure and fill it half way, or do a pinch)
1/16 t nutmeg
2 T brown sugar
2 C vanilla ice cream
1-2 graham crackers

Pop everything but graham crackers in a blender. Start with 1/4 C milk and then slowly add more if needed to make the blender process it all. I used somewhere between 1/4-1/2 C.

Sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs before serving. It reminds me of DQ's Pumpkin Pie Blizzard!

Today is the 1st day that it actually feels like fall here in CO so I was thinking of this recipe! We made it almost everyday last year. I originally got the recipe from Sarah Taylor who got the recipe from Our Best Bites.

YUM! I could seriously have this for every meal.

This makes one big shake, so double or triple the recipe as needed.

Sausage Risotto with spinach and tomatoes

This was amazingly good. A little longer and involved in the preparation than I would normally like but it was definitely worth it. Porter even ate the spinach out of it.


3 1/2 c. chicken broth
1- 1lb pkg regular sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
2 c. chopped leek (white portion only, but I only did 1 c with a little green)
1 c. chopped fennel bulb (I think that I used 2 c. to make up for the missing leek)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. uncooked arborio rice
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 pkg (6oz) fresh baby spinach (I only used half)
2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil or 2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c. grated parmesan


In a small saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, leeks and fennel over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Stir in rice; and cook 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in broth. Cook and stir until all the liquid is absorbed.


Add heated broth, 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly. Allow liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the spinach, tomatoes, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.


For those of you who don't know....on the left is what a fennel bulb looks like (just cut up the actual bulb. And even though it looks like an onion, it smells like licorice but doesn't taste like either), and on the right is a leek (used in a lot of asian recipes, kind of like an asian green onion).

Grandma's Rolls

You can make dinner rolls, crescent rolls, orange rolls, or cinnamon rolls with this recipe. Sorry this took me almost a week Denyse.

1 c. milk
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 c. margarine
1/2 c. warm water
2 pkg. yeast
2 eggs, beaten
5 1/4 c. flour

Scald milk and stir in sugar, salt, and margaring. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into large warm bowl and sprinkle in yeast. Add milk mixture, eggs, and 2 c. flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough. (dough will be slightly sticky) Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise 30 min.

dinner rolls- divide dough into 3 pieces, then 9 pieces from each one. Place in greased pans and brush with melted butter. Let rise 30 min then bake at 350 for 15-20 min. or until golden.

crescent rolls- divide dough into 3 pieces. Roll on floured surface into a 12 inch circle. Brush with melted butter and cut like a pie into 12 pieces. Roll each piece from the big end and place on greased pan about 2 inches apart. Let rise 30 min. then bake at 400 for 12 min or until golden.

orange rolls- divide dough into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Grate orange peel on top. Roll up and slice. Place in greased pan and let rise for 30 min. Bake at 400 for 10 min. or until golden.

cinnamon rolls- same as orange, just use cinnamon sugar and no orange peel.

Peach Dessert

Mix in a saucepan:
3 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1 Cup Sugar
Add: 2 Cups of COLD water, stir and boil.
Then add: 1 Package of Orange Jello (3 oz) and set until chilled.
After that add: 4-5 Cups of FRESH peeled square-shaped-sliced peaches and chill in fridge.

Crust
Mix well (drys first and then the butter) and put 1/2 of mixture on bottom of a 9x13 and save the rest for the top layer:
2 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1 Stick of Softened Butter

Cream Mixture
Cream together:
1 Package of Cream Cheese (8 oz)
1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar
Then add: 8oz Tub of Cool Whip

Put down later of crumbs, all fruit mixture, then cream mixture, and rest of the crumbs on top. Great dessert for peach season!

Ham and Cheese Braids

I really liked this recipe a lot! It's easy and something that picky eaters will eat. My picky eater ate a lot of it! I just served it with vegetables and homemade ranch. I used the Ranch recipe in Deceptively Delicious even though the one below is great too.

2 3/4 cups flour
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 pkg yeast
3/4 cup warm water
4 T. butter, melted
1 egg
Diced ham
Shredded Cheese

You can use rapid rise or just active dry yeast. Combine water, yeast and sugar and let it stand for a few minutes. Then add the salt, butter and egg and mix. Add one cup of the flour and stir it up good. Then add the rest of the flour while you stir/knead. It will make a very workable and moderatly stiff dough (not sticky). I knead it until I like the feel of the dough (10 minutes or so?). Then roll out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle (not too thin, not too thick), cut the rectangle into three equal strips, fill the strips with much ham and cheese clear to the ends and pinch each one shut being careful to leave no holes where all the good stuff will leak out. Then gently braid the three pieces and tuck the ends tight. Brush it with melted butter or egg white wash and sprinkle it with whatever you want. Let it raise in a warm spot until larger and fluffy looking (time varies). Bake at 375 for approx 30 minutes. You want it to be pretty brown on the outside so as to ensure the inside will not be doughy. Let it cool a bit before cutting into it. Enjoy! It is yummy dipped in ranch.

For home made ranch just mix some sour cream and mayo along with garlic salt, Mrs. Dash seasoning, dill and lemon pepper. Delish!

Chocolate Drop Marshmallow Cookies

These cookies didn't last long enough for me to take a picture, and they are Jacob's favorite. The picture and recipe are from Taste of Home.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 to 22 large marshmallows

Icing:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pecan halves (I don't have these lying around so I usually ignore it)

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, cut marshmallows in half. Press a marshmallow half, cut side down, onto each cookie. Return to the oven for 2 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For icing, in a small saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly; transfer to a small bowl. beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cooled cookies. (Unlike the pictured cookies, I usually ice the whole top of the cookie and do not have any marshmallow showing) Optional: Top each with a pecan half. Yield: about 3 dozen.

Peanut butter brownie bites

These are really easy and really good!

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix prepared
appx 40 peanut butter cups

Make brownie mix according to package directions. Spray a mini muffin tin. Fill cups 1/2-2/3 full of brownie mix. Bake at 350 for ten minutes. Unwrap peanut butter cups while brownies are baking. Remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup inside each brownie until flush with brownie top (use caution-the middle of the brownie is still liquid, and very hot if it spills through). Bake 5-7 minutes more until done. Let cool slightly in pan before removing (peanut butter cup is very hot and totally melted). Remove from pan and cool completely (if you need them quickly, can cool in the fridge). Makes appx. 40.

Japanese Gyoza

My cousin's recipe, sooo good:

1 lb ground pork
½ head cabbage-minced
2 long green onions
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sesame oil
3-4 Small Mushrooms
Minced Carrots
½ tsp salt
A pinch of pepper
Gyoza wraps- (found in refrigerated produce section)
Chicken Broth

Filling:
Wash the cabbage leaf by leaf, and cut the hard center part out of each leaf. Squeeze all liquid out.
Mince the garlic, green onions, carrots, mushrooms and cabbage.
Place the pork in a bowl. Then add the following ingredients and mix well: sesame oil, green onion, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, salt and pepper.
Finally, add the cut cabbage and mix well.

Put a spoonful of the filling into each gyoza wrap and then seal the edges with a finger dip of water or egg yolk.
Pour some oil in the bottom of a frying pan and brown both sides of each gyoza on medium or medium-high heat. After they have been browned, pour in a small measure of chicken broth into the pan, cover and simmer. (The vapor will steam the gyoza and cook the pork). Add more broth as needed to make sure the insides are cooked through.
Remove from the pan and serve.

Dipping Sauce:
Mostly Soy Sauce, cap full of rice vinegar, few droplets of chili oil (depending on how spicy you want it.)

Easy Chicken Parmigiana

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Salt
Dash of Pepper
2 Eggs
2 Cups of Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
6 Chicken Tenders
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Cup (or more to your liking of) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Beat Eggs and dip chicken. Mix the Italian Bread Crumbs with 1/8 Cup of Parmesan Cheese and coat egged chicken with mixture. Pour olive oil on baking sheet and spread evenly. Place chicken on baking sheet and put in preheated oven of 350 degrees for 25 minutes. In a separate 7x11 shallow pan, pour 1/2 spaghetti sauce on bottom and when chicken is done place over the sauce with oiled side facing up. Use the rest (I didn't use the whole can) of the spaghetti sauce on top of chicken. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese and all of the mozzarella cheese on top of coated chicken. Put the pan into the oven for another 20 minutes. Serve over noodles of your choice.

Avacado Mango Salsa and others

These recipes are so good! I got the first two from Kashann Casper. The last one is my mom's recipe, which I love.

Avocado Mango Salsa:

Dice one avocado, 1-2 roma tomatoes, and one mango

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 c. onion, diced

Juice of one lime (or lemon juice if that's what you have)

Several dashes Frank's Red Hot sauce (all the rage around here)

salt and garlic salt to taste

Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups rice (Jasmine is best)

1 3/4 cup water

1 can Coconut Milk

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

more chopped cilantro leaves

Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Teriyaki Marinade
1 C sugar
1/2 c soy sauce
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp ginger

Mix together until sugar id dissolved. Marinate chicken 2 to 6 hours.
I used this recipe and marinated the chicken in strips for 2 hours. I then put them on skewers with pineapple and grilled them. Delicious!

Raspberry Chocolate Torte

For those of you who want something fancy that is really easy to make, here you go. I made this for our anniverary this year and have had some requests for the recipe. I will add a picture soon.

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. baking cocoa

Glaze:
1/4 c. boiling water
4 tsp raspberry gelatin (jell-o)
2 Tbsp seedless rasberry jam

Topping:
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 cartons (8 oz each) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 c. fresh raspberries

Line a greased 15 x 10 x 1 in cookie sheet with waxed paper, grease paper. In a lare bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and cocoa, gradually beat into creamed mixture. Spread onto prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 5 min before inverting on to wire rack to cool completely. Carefully remove waxed paper. (I had to leave it to cool the entire way in the pan and it still turned out fine, but it is up to you)

For glaze stir water and gelatin until disolved. Stir in jam. Brush evenly over bottom of cake. Trim edges (I used a pizza cutter) and cut cake widthwise into thirds.

For topping, in a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips (30 seconds at a time) and stir until smooth. (In my microwave it took 1 min 10 secs) Fold in half of the whipped topping until blended then add the remaining.
**Just a note, it would work better if your whipped topping doesn't come straight from the fridge. It makes the chocolate solidify a little and harder to mix in. Try to get it closer to room temp before mixing with the chocolate but never microwave it. You don't want soup.
Place one cake layer on serving platter. Top with 3/4 c. topping. Repeat with layers. Frost and decorate with raspberries and remaining topping.

Roasted Veggie Platter

So I made this worried that no one would eat it but me. Wow, my family loved it.

1 med sweet red pepper, cut into 1 1/2 in pieces
1 med red onion, cut into wedges
1 med yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2 in slices
1/2 lb whole fresh mushrooms
1/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
(In all reality, I didn't measure these last two, I just used a container of mushrooms and guessed with the green beans)
1/4 c. italian dressing
1/4 tsp each dried basil, thyme, and rosemary, crushed
(personally I would either reduce or eliminate the rosemary because I don't really like it because it is up to you.)

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a large cookie sheet. Put all prepared veggies in a bowl. Toss with Italian dressing and herbs. Pour onto pan.
Cook for 15-20 min or until veggies are crisp tender. You don't want them mushy. Stir occasionally.

Ginger Chicken

1 egg white, beaten
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp white pepper (I don't have this so I just use black pepper, I mean, why be racist.)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 in pieces

Sauce:
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar

Stir Fry:
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp peanut oil, divided (I have no idea why you can't use veg or canola oil, you can if you want)
1 med green pepper, julienned
3 green onions cut into 1 in lengths (I used regular onion because my green onion had gone bad. I just used one small onion cut into thin wedges.)
1/2 c. bamboo shoots, finely chopped
2-3 tsp minced fresh gingerroot
1/4 c. slivered almonds (optional, I didn't because I forgot, still delicious)

In a large resealable bag combine the first five ingredients. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 min.
For sauce combine ingredients until smooth and set aside.
Drain chicken and discard marinade (I just dumped the whole thing in the frying pan). In large skillet or wok stir fry chicken in 1 Tbsp oil until cooked. Remove and keep warm.
With remaining oil stir fry green pepper and onion for 2 minutes. Add bamboo and ginger and stir fry 3-4 min or until veggies are crisp tender.
Stir sauce mixture and add to pan. Bring to boil and cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Add chicken and het through. Sprinkle with almonds and serve over rice.

South of the Border Pizza

This is a Vegetarian dish that has become a favorite. I was worried Trav wouldn't like it because of the lack of meat (that's what my dad complained about), but he loves it and we eat it at least once a month. Also, I never make my own bread/dough/crust for recipes, except this one! It's really easy and needs almost no rise time. Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

1 c. kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. whole kernel corn

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalepeno pepper, finely chopped

1/4 c (4oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Crust:

1 c. warm water

1 Tbsp white sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour (I use a bit more)

Procedure:

Stir water, sugar, and yeast together until dissolved. Add the olive oil and salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rise for 10 min. Pat dough into pan using fingers dipped in olive oil. Sprinkle with basil, thyme, or other seasonings. Top with toppings and bake for about 15 min. (until cheese is melted and lighly browned) at 425.

(sorry the pic doesn't look super appetizing, but it's good! I like to dip mine in ranch. yum.)

Braided Pork Loin, Mediterranean tomato bites, and twice baked potatoes

Three recipes, one dinner. I was really quite happy with the results of this dinner.


Braided Pork Loin


1 pork loin
1/2 c. Italian dressing
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
(these are estimates as I just dump in what looks good to me)


Cut pork loin in half length wise (hot dog style). Then take one half and leaving about 1/2" at the top cut into thirds. You need to top connected so you can braid it. Braid and hold together at the bottom with a toothpick. Repeat with other half. Place in zip top bag along with other ingredients. Marinade for about an hour. Cook on grill on medium until done (I don't have a time on this. It didn't take all that long though)




Mediterranean tomato bites


1 pkg puff pastry
1 1/2 c. gouda cheese (6 oz)
6 plum tomatoes cut into 1/4" slices
1/4 c. pitted ripe olives, coarsly chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
fresh basil finely chopped


Unfold puff pastry; cut each sheet into 16 squares. Transfer squares to greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with Gouda cheese; top with tomatoes, olives and feta cheese.
Bake at 400° for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown; sprinkle with herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 32 appetizers.


(I totally didn't make this many. I used one sheet at a time and only cut it into 9 squares and used baby beef tomatoes. Still really good and a wonderful side dish.)




Twice baked potatoes


4 medium baking potatoes
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
3-4 green onions chopped


Bake potatoes at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool slightly. Reduce heat to 350°.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. In a large bowl, mash the pulp with butter. Stir in the sour cream, cheese, bacon and onions. Spoon or pipe into potato shells.
Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings.

Brown Sugar Cookies

Every time I make these delicious cookies, someone asks for the recipe. They are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, and oh so good.

Brown Sugar Cookies

14 T butter
1/4 c sugar
2 c dark brown sugar
2 cups plus 2 T flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 350, making sure oven rack is in middle position.

Heat 10 T butter in a skillet over med-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown, 1 to 3 min. Remove from heat and transfer browned butter to a large heat proof mixing bowl. Stir remaining 4 T butter into hot butter to melt; set aside.

In shallow dish mix sugar and 1/4 c brown sugar, rubbing between fingers until well combined; set aside.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together; set aside.

Add remaining 1 3/4 c brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter. Mix until no sugar lumps remain. Add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until just combined. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Toss balls in sugar mixture to coat and set on baking sheet, covered with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart (only 12 cookies per sheet).

Bake until browned and still puffy - when edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (they will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10-14 minutes. Do not overbake.

Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool.

Marshmallow Brownies

I was asked for this recipe, but feel kinda bad posting it because I got it from a brownie box. But, here you go for those who asked.

Brownie mix prepared (or make them from scratch)
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1/2 container chocolate frosting

Bake brownies according to package directions and let cool completely. Spread marshmallow fluff over the brownies (I recommend spraying the knife or whatever you use with pan spray-it will probably stick anyway, but less). Heat the frosting for about 30 seconds and pour over the top. Cool in the fridge for 20 minutes. Spray knife you use to cut the brownies. Enjoy!

Raspberry Vanilla French Toast Croissants

These are fabulous, but way rich. We ate them for breakfast, but they were probably the calories of a dessert. :) Sorry, no picture.

Vanilla Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
2 cups heavy cream
4 egg yokes
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 scoops vanilla ice cream

In sauce pan, combine sugar and flour. Add cream, mixing until smooth. Cook over med-high heat until thick and bubbly. Cook 2 more minutes. Stir often. Put egg yokes in bowl (save whites) and mix. Add a little of the hot sauce mixture into the eggs and quickly stir. Then return the eggs to the pan and cook until 160 degrees (we did it until it boiled again-shouldn't take long). Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and ice cream. Stir until melted. Cover with plastic until ready to use.

Berry Sauce:

2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp sugar

Combine and simmer uncovered for 2-3 min

French toast:

3 eggs (we added the egg whites as well)
2 Tbsp milk
4 croissants, split (it makes enough for 5 or 6)
2 Tbsp butter

Mix milk and eggs. Grease pan with the butter (can use a spray). Dip croissants in egg mixture and cook.

Serve hot with vanilla and berry sauces.

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad

This is a fast, easy, delicious recipe. I love making it when it is warm out.

1 pkg Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dip mix
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. vinegar

1 lb. cooked, shredded chicken
3/4 box garden rotini (I just use the entire box)
1 can black beans
1 can black olives, halved (I usually leave these out)
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
frozen corn

Mix dressing mix, oil, and vinegar in small bowl and set aside. Combine chicken, cooked pasta, beans, olives, & tomatoes in large bowl. Add dressing and frozen corn about 20 minutes before serving. Toss again just before serving.

Sausage Gravy

My cousins Melie and Cam made this for us back in Utah, and we tried it out for ourselves here. Delicious, fast, and easy breakfast worth every calorie!

1/2 Tube of Pork Sausage
2-3 Cups of Milk
3 Tablespoons of Flour
1 Tube of Biscuits (Pillsbury usually has a coupon for them for free or $.37 at Aldi's)

Brown sausage in a large skillet. Add enough milk so that the meat is swimming. Boil. In a lidded jar, shake together the flour and 1/2 cup of cold milk. Add it to the pan and let it thicken. You can add more milk if it is too thick. Serve over biscuits.
(picture off Hyde and Seek)

Ranch Mac and Cheese

A great new twist for all you mac and cheese lovers!!

1 pkg(16oz) elbow macaroni
1 c. 2% milk (I used buttermilk because that is what I had)
1/4 c. butter, cubed
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp garlic pepper blend (I mixed black pepper and garlic powder)
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning (I totally forgot this)
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c. shredded Colby cheese (I just used 2 c. of colby because I didn't have the other)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. crushed saltines
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, combine the milk, butter, dressing mix, and seasonings; heat through. Stir in Monterey Jack and Colby cheeses until melted. Stir in sour cream.

Drain macaroni; stir into cheese sauce with saltines. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Looking back it is pretty amazing that it still tasted good with everything that I did different. You can try it my way, or the way that it is supposed to be. Have fun. My kids loved it!!! (picture and recipe from taste of home )

Steamed Pork Buns & Asian Salad

Steamed Pork Buns
These were so good! Really fun to make! I served them with an asian salad - recipe below!
I did steam them (and they were fantastic!) but I think baked would be yummy too!


Filling:
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder (I actually left this totally out)
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed ( i used only about 1/2 the meat and the first time I used just a pork chop I had in the freezer and it was super yummy)
Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Dough:
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 14 2/3 ounces)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder


1. To prepare the filling, rub five-spice powder evenly over pork. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 18 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°, turning pork occasionally. Remove pork from pan, and let stand 15 minutes. (Since I haven't used the five-spiced powder I just cooked my pork with a little cooking spray and it was great - oh I thinly sliced it before I cooked it!!)
2. Cut pork crosswise into thin slices; cut slices into thin strips. Place pork in a medium bowl. Add onions and next 7 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt); stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
3. To prepare dough, combine 1 cup warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
5. Punch dough down; let rest 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a clean surface; knead in baking powder. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 10 equal portions, forming each into a ball. Working with one dough ball at a time (cover remaining dough balls to keep from drying), roll ball into a 5-inch circle. Place 1/4 cup filling in center of dough circle. Bring up sides to cover filling and meet on top. Pinch and seal closed with a twist. Repeat procedure with remaining dough balls and filling.
7. Arrange 5 buns seam side down, 1 inch apart, in each tier of a 2-tiered bamboo steamer. Stack tiers; cover with lid. (I don't have a bamboo steamer but I do have a veggie steamer and I just used that - I sprayed my steamer though because they stuck the first time )
8. Add water to a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Place steamer in pan; steam 15 minutes or until puffed and set. Cool 10 minutes before serving.


Asian Salad

Pork (I have used a pork tenderloin or a pork chop)
Teryaki marinade *I like Lawry's Teryaki*
Lettuce
Mandrain Oranges
Almonds
Chow Mein Noodles
Whatever fun asiany toppings you want
Asian Salad Dressing *I love Krafts Light Asian Toasted Sesame

Thinly slice your pork and marinade in Teryaki. Cook pork in the marinade (I just threw it in a frying pan with a little cooking spray). Then just serve your salad like a Taco Salad (all seperatly) and then everyone can add the toppings they want. I love this -- so tastey!!

Taquitos

1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 lb lean ground beef (I usually use less more like 1/2 lb)
1/2 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
10 (6-inch) flour tortillas (I use whatever size I have, they are usually the big ones and it still works great)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Montery Jack cheese
Sour Cream

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook ground beef, when almost done add in the onion and garlic. Cook until onion is softt. Add in 1/2 cup salsa, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Place tortillas on a plate and cover them with damp paper towels. Microwave them until warm and pliable, about 45 seconds. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup of beef mixture, spreading it to an inch from the edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up the tortillas and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet with the seam sides down. Brush the taquitos lightly with vegie oil (I just sprayed them with cooking spray). Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the tortillas are lightly browned. Serve hot with salsa and sour cream.

Artichoke Chicken

1 Small Jar of Marinated Artichoke Hearts
1 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Mayo
2 Teaspoons of Minced Garlic
Dash of Salt and Pepper to liking (I did about five good shakes of pepper and two of salt)
4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves

Set oven to 375 degrees. Drain artichoke and squeeze out liquid before chopping. In a bowl mix artichoke, parmesan cheese, sour cream, mayo, garlic, salt and pepper. Set chicken in a baking dish and pour mixture on top. Put it in the oven for 35 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp canola oil

Place milk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine flour, pecans, sesame seeds, paprika, pepper and salt. Dip chicken in milk then coat in flour mixture.
In large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides. Transfer to a greased cookie sheet and bake uncovered at 350 for 15-20 min or until juices run clear.

We have also been able to brown chicken just by spraying it with cooking spray so you don't have to use so much oil. Then I just use foil to cook on instead of greasing the pan.

Peanut Butter Dreams

For Melissa and Hugh :) These are so yummy and simple. The only dilemma you may run into is if you don't own a miniature muffin pan. I couldn't make these until after Christmas this year ;)

Peanut Butter Dreams Aunt Bev
½ c margarine
1 tsp vanilla
½ c creamy peanut butter
1 ¼ c flour
½ c sugar
½ tsp salt
½ c brown sugar
3 tsp baking soda
Miniature Peanut Butter Cups

Cream together and put small spoonful into lined mini muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 5-6 minutes. Insert peanut butter cup in each cookie and bake 1 minute longer.

Tropical Drink

Here you go! This is actually from one of the gals in Jason's dental class. I'm sure you can change it up as you like!

Tropical Drink Mary Miller Philp

1 lg can Juicy Juice (kiwi strawberry or other)
1 bottle Fuze (pina colada/banana coconut)

Mix.

Tortellini Soup

1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 c. beef broth
14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can tomato sauce
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small yellow zucchini, chopped
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
1 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp crushed basil
16 oz frozen cheese or beef tortellini

Brown onion and garlic until soft and light golden in large sauce pan. Add broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, yellow zucchini, carrot, and green pepper. Cover and simmer for 40 min or until veggies fully cooked. Add seasonings and tortellinis and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Season to taste.

Granola

In response to the request... This is my mom's granola recipe and I LOVE it. I've been making it a lot recently and it is SO easy.

Granola
6-7 c regular rolled oats
1 c wheat germ (or more oats)
½ c flaked coconut
1 c chopped walnuts
½ c cashews (or other)
¾ c brown sugar
¾ c cooking oil
1/3 c water
2 tsp vanilla
1 c raisins (after baking)

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Mix oil, water and vanilla; add and mix with all. Spread in large, shallow pan and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently (I do it about every 20 mins). Add raisins after baking. Cool and store in a covered container. Servings: 11 cups, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 30 min

Chicken Dressing Casserole

We just made this the other night and it is one of my favorites - a family recipe. It's easy and delicious.

Chicken Dressing Casserole Louise Davenport Prosek
3 c chicken, cooked and cubed
1/3 c margarine, melted
1 (8oz) bag Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c milk
dash of minced onion
dash of pepper
1 c frozen peas (opt, or served as a side dish)

Boil chicken. Stir together stuffing with margarine. Put ½ in bottom of lightly sprayed 9x13 inch pan (or save all for the top). Mix remaining ingredients including chicken. Pour over stuffing, then put reserved stuffing on top. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Serve with canned whole cranberry sauce, if desired.

Honey Orange Chicken

This is one of the best recipes that I have found. And we found that it is way multi-purpose. Sorry I don't have a picture. Next time I make it I will add one.

3/4 cup(s) fresh orange juice
1/3 cup(s) orange blossom or clover honey
1 teaspoon(s) grated ginger
1 teaspoon(s) garlic
1 teaspoon(s) orange zest
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/8 teaspoon(s) black pepper
4 (6 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (I only used 2)
1 teaspoon(s) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame seeds


Combine juice, honey, ginger, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken; stir to coat. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot; add vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Lift chicken from marinade and let excess drip back into bowl. When oil is hot, add chicken and cook over medium heat 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Add reserved marinade to skillet and boil over medium-high heat, turning chicken once or twice, 3 to 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced by half. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, cut into diagonal slices, and arrange on a platter. Stir sesame oil into thickened sauce and spoon it over chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

We also cooked some shrimp in it as well.....delish!!! I had my leftovers on a salad the next day and it tasted even better. I loved it and so did my kids!

Homemade Granola Bars

I got this from my sister who got it off Super Baby Food via mormonchic.com. She recommends adding ground flax seed in and cutting down on the butter and honey.

GRANOLA BARS

1 ½ cups rolled oats
¼ cup wheat germ
¼ cup ground nuts
¼ cup nonfat dry milk
¼ cup melted butter or oil
5 tablespoons honey
1 beaten egg
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup dried fruit

Mix all dry ingredients. Mix honey, oil and vanilla into dry mixture. Add more honey to moisten or dried oats to dry mixture if necessary. Press mixture into 8x8 baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, cool and cut into bars.

Calling all Recipes!

Does anyone out there have a good granola recipe? I have started making my own and I like it a lot, but just wanted to try some different ones. Let me know. Thanks!!!

Mooshy Carmel corn

This is my favorite carmel corn recipe because it is gooey. I have never had it get hard (unlike my other recipe which is hard to begin with), but that may only be because it doesn't last long at my house. I hope you enjoy!

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 cube) butter-I use margarine
1/4 cup light Karo syrup
1 Tbsp Mexican vanilla (I use whatever I have, normally regular vanilla extract)
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
2 packages microwave popcorn (buttered and salted)

Pop popcorn and pour in a large bowl; remove unpopped kernels as you pour. In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, syrup, butter, and vanilla to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. After 5 min, add sweetened condensed milk and bring back to a boil. Boil for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn and mix gently (It's hot!) Let cool 5-10 minutes.

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Ingredients:
12 slices white bread, crusts removed (I use wheat bread, and leave on the crusts)
2 packages, 16 oz total, cream cheese (We don't like that much cream cheese in it, so we just use one)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
12 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup maple syrup or other syrup

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes; place half in a greased 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Cut cream cheese into 1-inch cubes; place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and syrup, blending well. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25-30 minutes more or until golden brown and the center is set.

While it bakes, prepare sauce.

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (1 is enough for the recipe, but we find we really like the sauce, so we use 2 cups of berries and double everything else)
1 tablespoon butter

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries; reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve sauce with French toast.
Serves 6 to 8

Christmas Casserole

I don't know how many of you have had French Toast casseroles, but I love them. So, I am going to share my two recipes with you. You have to plan ahead with these because they soak over night. :)

This first one is called Christmas casserole because it is what Chris' family has for Christmas breakfast.

Ingredients:
8 slices of bread, cubed
2 cups grated cheese
1 lb sausage, cooked
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup + 1/2 cup milk

Grease a 9x13 pan. Place bread in pan. Sprinkle with cheese, then sausage. Beat 2 1/2 cups milk with eggs and pour over bread. Cover, and refridgerate over night (If you like breakfast for dinner and want to do this, let sit about 8 hours coverd in the fridge).
Next day, mix 1/2 cup milk and can of soup together. Pour over the top. Cover with tin foil. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour. Remove tinfoil, and bake 30 more minutes. Enjoy!

"Secret's in the sauce" BBQ ribs

Wow, were these the best ribs we have ever had. You will have to try them for a special occasion or somthing, you won't be dissapointed.

2 racks pork baby back ribs (I only use 1)
1 1/2 tsp pepper
2 1/2 c. bbq sauce (we use Famous Daves Rich and Sassy)
3/4 c. cherry preserves
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Cut ribs into serving size pieces (1 rib per serving is what we do) and sprinkle with pepper. Sear the meat sides of the ribs in a hot oil pan. Place in a crockpot. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (we do it for about 7, maybe a little less, the texture is better this way). Serve with sauce.

Taco Salad

Everyone probably has this recipe already because it is so easy and fast, but it's a favorite so I'll post it.

Pile Ingredients from bottom to top:
Tortilla Chips
Cooked Rice
Ground beef cooked in pan with taco seasoning
Shredded Cheese
Guacamole
Shredded Lettuce
Chopped Tomatoes
Sour Cream
(Optional: salad dressings, beans and olives)