This Chic Can Cook

Apple Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-20T16:21:00.001-08:00

3 cups apples, peeled and chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce, 16 oz each

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and simmer until apples are soft. I never time it, so I'm guessing it'll take 15 - 20 minutes. I usually just start the sauce while I'm cooking the rest of my meal and let it simmer until we're ready to eat. The sauce is awesome for Thanksgiving and wonderful over pork chops. Mmmm...

Roasted Asparagus with Parmigiano-Reggiano

2011-09-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

We just tried this recipe tonight and it was so yummy! I'm always on the lookout for ways to make veggies more exciting - it's so easy to fall into a rut. I found the recipe in a magazine that Wegmans (a local grocery store) sends out. They always have fantastic recipes, and you can get them from their website as well. I borrowed their picture - I was in a rush to get dinner on the table and didn't have time to pull out my camera :)

Ingredients:

1 bunch (about 1 lb) asparagus, trimmed
2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, rolling to coat. Roast about 10 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Remove from oven. Season generously with salt and pepper; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Return to oven. Roast about 5 minutes, until cheese begins to soften and brown.

*I just had regular Parmesan on hand, but it was still great. I also had some shredded Asiago cheese, so I sprinkled a little of that on just before serving.

Hot Bean Dip

2011-09-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

My mom has made this recipe during Christmas (and sometimes Thanksgiving) for as long as I can remember. Every time I make it for my family, it brings back a flood of holiday memories. Again, no picture - but I'll remedy that. I've been so busy in the kitchen lately that I completely forget to grab my camera.

Ingredients:

2 cans chili with beans
1 medium package (16 oz) Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 bunch green onions, chopped finely
1 can diced green chilies (you can use less - sometimes I only use half of a can)
1 bag Fritos

Directions:

Put chili in a casserole dish. Add cubed Velveeta and mix together. Add onions and chilies, mix well. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve hot.

Margarita Chicken Pasta Salad

2011-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Julie also introduced me to this yummy recipe - I love it when she invites me over for lunch! I forgot to take a picture when I made it last week, but I'm sure I'll be making it again before too long.

Ingredients:

Salad
10 oz. rainbow rotini
1 lb boneless skinless poached chicken breast, shredded
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Dressing

1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. sour cream
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1 c. loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies
4 tsp tequila (optional)
1 packet taco seasoning

Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cold water. Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor; blend until smooth. Combine cooked pasta, corn, beans and chicken in a large serving bowl, fold in dressing. Serve cold.

*I like to poach and shred the chicken ahead of time so that it's really easy to throw together on a busy night.

Dr. Pepper Steak

2011-09-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture for this recipe yet, but I can tell you it's delicious! I know I've complained before about using too much garlic, but I think you'll want to use all 4 cloves in this marinade - it's not overly strong. Fall is upon us, but I'm sure we'll still have some great grilling weather. You'll want to try this recipe soon!

Ingredients:

16 oz Dr. Pepper (you can use Coke if you prefer)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tbsp grill blend (see recipe below)
flank steak, London broil, etc.

Grill Blend:
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp ground thyme
1 Tbsp coarsely ground black pepper

Grill blend: Combine all ingredients, blending well. Store in an airtight container. Stir before each use.

Directions:
In a large bowl or ziploc bag, combine Dr. Pepper, cinnamon sticks and garlic. Add steak; cover and marinate for 8-12 hours. Remove and pat dry. Season with grill blend and cook meat on grill. Do not overcook or steak will be tough.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

2011-09-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe that I received from my friend Julie, who is a fantastic cook (She also shared the Pesto Turkey Burger recipe with me). My husband raves about it and you'll see why once you make it. Delicious!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1/4 cup apricot preserves or fruit spread
2 Tbsp country-style Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, chopped (I like to use fresh)
2 pork tenderloins, 1 lb each

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spritz a baking sheet with cooking spray (I line the pan with foil first). Combine preserves, mustard and rosemary in a small bowl. Place tenderloins on a baking sheet (leave about 2 inches of space between them); brush each with the apricot mixture. Roast for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 150 degrees. Remove tenderloins from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing diagonally.

I've found that the meat is even more flavorful if I marinate it. Simply brush the tenderloins with the apricot mixture, wrap in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Mint Brownies

2011-09-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

There is nothing so delicious, so tempting and so addicting in the world as Mint Brownies.

I discovered the recipe in high school and played around with it until I thought it was perfect. I also thought I was the only one who'd found the secret to making them as wonderful as they were. So...it became my "Secret Recipe". I was so proud of myself.

Fast forward a few years. I was talking to a friend who mentioned that a neighbor had just made the most fantastic mint brownies she'd ever had. Hah! I thought. She hasn't had my mint brownies. Later on this friend made the brownies for me - I was shocked to find that they were just like my brownies. I begged for the recipe - it matched my recipe exactly. Apparently I wasn't the first to figure it out. I'm now on the look out for a new "Secret Recipe".

*Sorry for the blurry photo - I pulled it from Taste of Home's website

Ingredients:

Brownies:

if you have a favorite brownie recipe, insert it here. Generally I use a boxed mix because it's just faster that way. I'm sure brownies from scratch would be better, but I have two small children who tend to be impatient. Suffice it to say, Pillsbury saves a bit of my sanity.

Filling:

1 cube butter or margarine, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (this is the secret ingredient)
a little milk
green food coloring

Chocolate Topping:

6 squares semi-sweet chocolate or 1 cup chocolate chips
6 Tbsp butter or margarine

Directions:
Bake brownies according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Cool completely before frosting.

For filling, cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add small amounts of milk until you reach a buttercream consistency. Add food coloring and mint to desired taste. You may only want to use 1 tsp of peppermint - the longer the brownies sit the stronger the mint will be. Spread on top of brownies.

For topping, melt chocolate with the butter. I usually do this in my microwave, adjusting the power level to half at about 45 second increments. Don't stir in between - I just pull it out of the microwave and swirl it around to help melt the chocolate and keep the butter from exploding in the microwave. Once the chocolate appears very soft, stir until smooth - this takes a minute or two. Let it cool slightly, then pour over the frosting. Spread it until the filling is covered. Refrigerate until set.

There it is: the not-so secret recipe. Oh, and I can promise that if you ever take this to a party - you'll be the coolest person there ;)

Pesto Turkey Burgers

2011-05-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, who happens to be an excellent cook, shared this recipe with me. In fact, she invited me over for lunch and made them for me! I've made this several times since then - it's one of my favorites. Not just because of the taste either - it's an incredibly fast and easy recipe. Andrew raves over these burgers which is saying a lot - honestly, I should change his middle name to "Picky".

Ingredients:

1 lb uncooked ground turkey
4 Tbsp basil pesto
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt

4 ciabatta rolls, or rustic Italian bread
4 slices cheese (mozzarella or provolone)
fresh basil leaves, arugula or spring garden mix (we usually use plain old lettuce)
tomato slices

Directions:

In a bowl, combine turkey, pesto, Parmesan cheese, garlic and salt. Using a fork, mix until ingredients are blended. Shape into 4 patties. Place patties on a grill and cook 10-13 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink, turning once halfway through grilling. If you like, you can place the cheese on top of the patty to melt.

If you like, you can brush the bread with olive oil and place on grill. We've noticed that ciabatta bread is actually a little tough to chew, so you might not want to toast it. Sometimes I skip past the whole Italian thing and just put the burgers on a kaiser roll. It's all personal preference of course.

Also, the recipe calls for 3 cloves of garlic. Holy cow, that's a lot of garlic for 1 lb of meat! Well, in my opinion it's a lot of garlic - a little goes a long way for me. Again, it's all personal preference - I only use 1 clove of garlic, but you may not want to change it at all.

This is a really fantastic meal - you're gonna love it!

Pear Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

2011-04-14T19:03:00.001-07:00

I haven't actually tried this recipe but it looks so good! I found it in an LDS Living Magazine and wanted to share it as warm days WILL be upon us soon. At least here in Utah we have hope of it!
I have had salads very similar to this and they were wonderful so I'm sure this one will be also.

4 handfuls of salad greens washed and dried
2 Anjou pears, washed and sliced into eighths
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins or what ever dried fruit you like
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
1 cup candied walnuts

Dressing:

2 T. lemon juice
2 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. raspberry syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Divide lettuce onto 4 chilled plates and top with sliced pears and currants or raisins. Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese evenly over the four salads. Top with candied walnuts. Other fruit may be added as shown in the picture.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, drizzle the desired amount of dressing over the salads.

Fluffy Pancakes

2011-02-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make heart shaped pancakes for our Valentine's day dinner, and I didn't want to use Bisquick. I just thought I should put a little more effort into it than that. So...I pulled up the Taste of Home website again and found this yummy recipe. Definitely worth the extra effort!

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup shortening, melted

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg, milk and shortening; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle (I didn't need to grease mine). Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes and edges are dry. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Yield: 8 pancakes

*When making pancakes, the most important thing to remember is not to overmix the batter! I know - it's tempting to get all those lumps out of there, but those lumps are what make it fluffy (just be careful not to leave gigantic lumps). The baking powder bubbles pop while cooking and there you have it - fluffiness! At least, that's what I learned from a cooking segment on a morning talk show :) The other thing that was suggested was to only turn your pancakes once. I've followed this advice ever since and it's worked every time.

Making heart pancakes was super easy - thanks to MarthaStewart.com. All you need to do is fill a pastry bag with the batter (use a plain, round tip) and pipe it onto the griddle in the shape of a heart. Do the outside first and then fill in the middle - easy peasy!

Beef Stew

2011-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

When my husband and I were first married I was on a quest to find a great recipe for Beef Stew. After trying several recipes, I finally came up with one on my own that we still love!

Ingredients

1 lb stew meat

Pan searing flour

5 cups water

1 packet McCormick Beef Stew seasoning

1-2 beef bouillon cubes

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup frozen peas

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions:

Trim fat from stew meat and coat with pan searing flour. Brown meat in a frying pan with about 1 tbsp oil. In a large pot, combine the water, beef stew mix and bouillon cubes. Bring water and seasonings to a boil, then add meat. Cover and simmer. While the meat simmers, prepare vegetables, then add to the pot. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

*You can also make this in the crockpot. I put everything in around lunchtime and it's perfect by the time my husband gets home from work. I've also used leftover roast rather then stew meat, and both are equally tender.

Berry Good Dip

2011-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I get all kinds of email newsletters from parenting sites - most of which I only glance at before deleting. Don't ask me why I keep subscribing! However, this time I saw a link for recipes and decided to take a look. I wish I could remember which site I found it on, but I'm sorry to say I can't. The good news is: I found a great new recipe!

I should also let you know that I misread the recipe to begin with and didn't realize it until I looked it up a second time. I thought that it called for 12 oz of Cool Whip rather than 12 oz of whipped cream cheese. Not exactly sure how my brain messed that up - guess I was skimming the recipe rather quickly. Oops! It was a good mistake though - I brought the dip to a dinner with friends and they loved it.

Here's what you need:

12 oz whipped cream cheese or 12 oz Cool Whip. Really - either one is yummy!
Berry jam (any kind you like)

Mix the two together and enjoy with your favorite fruit!

If you're using cream cheese you'll need 3 Tbsp jam. If you take the Cool Whip route, just keep mixing in jam until you like the flavor.

Bacon-Almond Green Beans

2011-01-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

Here's another fantastic recipe from Taste of Home. I was looking for some way to dress up my veggies for dinner, so I hopped online and started browsing. One look at the ingredient list for this dish and I knew it would be yummy! It was a big hit - in fact, Chris told me that from now on this is how he wants his green beans to be prepared. We'll see about that...

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons soy sauce
2-1/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 to 5 tablespoons real bacon bits
4 to 5 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted (I substituted walnuts)

Directions:

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved

Drain beans; add to the skillet. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with bacon and almonds; toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Yield: 6 servings

*I was positive that I had sliced almonds in the cupboard, but when I pulled out the ingredients for this dish there weren't any to be found! Luckily, I had some walnuts so I used those instead. Awesome! I think either way would be delicious.

Veggie Noodle Side Dish

2011-01-22T07:23:00.000-08:00

Ramen noodles. Does the mere mention of it make you shudder? It reminds me of my early days in the kitchen, cooking lunch for my siblings. Back then though, it was just the noodles and broth. I think we've all had enough of that particular dish to last a lifetime.

I thought it was time to step it up a bit, which is why I was willing to try this recipe after finding it in Taste of Home. Have I mentioned that it's a favorite magazine of mine?

Anyway, I could tell my hubby was apprehensive and in the end I enjoyed it more than he did, but I think that was due to the fact that this dish includes zucchini and squash - two things he dislikes. Maybe if I used brussel sprouts instead... I know - I can't believe he likes them either. But to each his own!

Ingredients:

1 small sweet red pepper, julienned (I actually used frozen roasted peppers - yummy!)
3/4 cup cut fresh green beans
3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh carrots
1/4 cup chopped red onion (I'll be honest - I left that part out)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 package (3 ounces) ramen noodles
1 yellow summer squash, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning mix

Directions:

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the pepper, green beans, carrots and onion in oil for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions (discard seasoning packet or save for another use).

Add the remaining ingredients to the vegetable mixture; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain noodles; add to vegetables and toss to coat.

Serves 4

Herb Pull-Apart Bread

2011-01-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

I found this yummy recipe in a Betty Crocker holiday cookbook and finally got around to trying it.

It's quick to put together, but the rising takes some time. I turned my oven on to the lowest setting and once it was heated, turned it off and put the pan in. It helped the dough rise much quicker - but a word of warning: Watch the dough carefully! I put the pan in the oven and forgot all about it until I heard my husband call out, "Um...Amber? What's going on with this bread?" Believe it or not, I took the dough that was spilling over the sides, shoved it right back into the pan and baked it. Say what you will, but I wasn't about to waste all that dough!

I know - this blog should really be called, 'This Chic's Kitchen Adventures', but then I'd have to change my blog header and everything so...it's staying as it is. Despite my lack of bread baking knowledge, this actually turned out quite tasty. I invite you to give it a try :)

Ingredients:

3	tablespoons butter or margarine
1	teaspoon dried basil leaves
1	teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2	teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped
24	balls frozen white dinner roll dough (from 3-lb package)

Directions:

Spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan (do not use 10-cup) with cooking spray. In 1-quart saucepan, heat all ingredients except roll dough over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.

Place half of the frozen dough balls in pan. Generously brush butter mixture over dough in pan. Layer remaining dough balls in pan. Brush with remaining butter mixture. Cover and let stand in warm place about 4 hours or until double in size.

Heat oven to 350°F. Bake 22 to 27 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped and top is deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; turn upside down onto serving plate.

Cashew Beef Stir-Fry

2011-01-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

I've made this a couple of times since finding it in a Taste of Home magazine and my hubby loves it! You should see how excited he is when I tell him I'm serving it for dinner.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups cold water

4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

1 bunch broccoli, chopped

3 medium carrots, julienned

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 medium green peppers, cut into strips

2 medium sweet red peppers, cut into strips

2 medium onions, halved and sliced

1 yellow summer squash, sliced

1-1/2 cups salted cashews

Hot cooked rice

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, water and 2 tablespoons soy sauce until smooth; set aside. In a very large skillet or a wok, stir-fry broccoli and carrots in 1 tablespoon oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the beef, garlic, pepper and remaining soy sauce; stir-fry until meat is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, stir-fry the green and red peppers, onions and squash in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Return beef to the pan.

Stir cornstarch mixture and gradually add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cashews. Serve with rice.

Yield: 7 servings.

As a side note, my camera has been anything but cooperative lately and it seems like every picture I take is terrible. Sadly, my cell phone takes only slightly less awful pictures, so until I suck it up and buy a new camera, I'm going to use pics I find on the internet as much as possible. Why share a recipe if the picture makes it look awful, right?

Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-12-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine brought this soup to me when I was sick and it was just what I needed. I'm not sure how she knew I'd been craving homemade chicken noodle soup, but she did and it came at just the right time. It was so delicious I had to ask for the recipe. Here it is for you to enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups wide egg noodles
1 tsp olive oil
12 cups chicken broth (3 cartons)
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 cups diced, cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles and olive oil, and boil until tender. Drain, rinse under cool running water.

In a large pot (5 qt size), combine broth, salt and poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil then stir in onion, celery and carrots. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together until cornstarch is dissolved. Gradually add to the soup, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Stir in chicken and heat through.

To serve, spoon a serving of noodles into each bowl and then add the soup.

*I don't like to add the noodles to the soup while cooking because if I have leftovers the noodles will soak up the extra broth, so I just cook them separately.

serves 12

Pumpkin Bars

2010-11-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

My mom was given this recipe by a neighbor and it is to die for! Definitely a must-have when Fall comes around. It makes a gigantic pan, so it's perfect to share with your neighbors!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. canned pumpkin (not 1 can)
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla (heaping)
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp milk, enough for spreading consistency

Directions:

Lightly grease cake roll pan (about 15x9; I use a cookie sheet). Mix first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, add dry ingredients and mix well. Spread in pan and bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes. Let cool.

For frosting, beat all ingredients together until desired consistency is reached, then spread onto pumpkin bars.

These are really delicious when served warm. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-11-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

I think this is a very popular recipe - several of my friends make it often - but I had to put it on my blog because it's one that my family loves! My 5 year old always begs me to put a couple of these cookies in his lunch box :)

Ingredients:

1 box Spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 bag of chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix and pumpkin in mixer and mix until well blended. Add chocolate chips and mix again. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

*Makes about 18 cookies

Bubbling Cauldron

2010-10-31T08:40:00.000-07:00

I really love this dip - it's great served with bread, pretzels or Fritos and it's really fast to make.

Ingredients

1 lb Velveeta
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, well drained
1 cup medium or hot salsa
1 can (4 oz) diced jalapeño peppers, drained (optional)
1 loaf round marble rye bread, unsliced
Pretzel rods

Directions:

Melt cheese in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in beans, salsa and jalapeño peppers, if desired. Carefully cut center out of bread, leaving 1 1/2-inch shell. Cut bread center into pieces for dipping.

Reserve 1 pretzel rod. Arrange remaining pretzel rods on serving plate to resemble campfire logs. Place bread cauldron on pretzels; fill with cheese dip, allowing some to spill over top of bread cauldron. Arrange reserved bread pieces around cauldron. Place a pretzel rod in cheese dip, serve immediately.

Serves 20

*I thought for sure I had a better picture than this, but I can't seem to find it. Next time I make it I'll update the picture :)

Pumpkin Pancakes with Hot Cider Syrup

2010-10-06T05:23:00.000-07:00

Eating a stack of pumpkin pancakes at IHOP last Saturday inspired me to try making my own at home. I also had a little nudging from my 5 year old - he's been bugging me to make some almost nonstop.

After a quick search on tasteofhome.com, I found this recipe that looked promising. I just have to say, Look out IHOP - my pumpkin pancakes are better! The kids went back for seconds and then thirds; I couldn't ask for anything more than that. :)

Ingredients:

Hot Cider Syrup

3/4 cup apple cider or juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp canola oil

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

For pancakes, in a large bowl,combine the dry ingredients In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.

Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle (I didn't grease mine). Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with syrup.

I added a scoop of whip cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon to my pancakes. Delish! This is now officially a family favorite!

Syrup makes approximately 1 cup. Batter makes 15 pancakes.

*The syrup never did thicken for me, but it was so good I didn't really care :)

Abracadabra Hats

2010-10-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of Halloween, so the second those cute little holiday recipe magazines hit the stands, I'm buying them up! I found this recipe a few years ago in one called "Halloween Food, Fun and Crafts". Again, this isn't the greatest picture, but I hope you get the idea.

Ingredients

I package (8 oz) crescent dinner rolls
1/2 tsp dried basil
16 pepperoni slices
2 cups pizza or marinara sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate dough and place individual pieces on work surface. Gently shape each piece into long triangle. Sprinkle triangles evenly with basil.

Cut pepperoni slices into crescent shapes using a small cookie cutter or knife. Partially roll up bottom of the triangle to create the brim of the hat.

Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, warm pizza sauce in small saucepan over low heat. Serve hats with sauce for dipping.

Serves 8

Creepy Hands

2010-10-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd start off the month with a fun Halloween idea. You'll have to excuse the terrible picture - I took this a couple of years ago and wasn't nearly as good with the camera as I am now ;)

This isn't a new idea, so it's likely that you've seen these before, but I think it's a lot of fun for kids. I made these for Andrew to take to his preschool class on his sharing day and it was a big hit.

All you need is some plastic skeleton hand bags - I always find mine at the dollar store, some candy corn and popcorn. I use a Whirly Pop to make my popcorn; it's easy, fast and makes a ton of popcorn all at once.

First, put the candy corn in each finger (I used 2 per finger) and then put the popcorn in. It's a little tedious, but I found it worked best if I filled the fingers with popcorn individually and then then hand. Tie off the bag with some ribbon or twist ties and you're all done!

Chicken Spaghetti

2010-10-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

My mom has made this since I was a kid; I'm pretty sure she got the recipe from a neighbor. I didn't like it much then, but now I love it! So even if it sounds a little weird, give it a try. It's really yummy!

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts, stewed with 2 bay leaves and 1 chicken bouillon cube for each cup water used
1 lb Velveeta Cheese, cubed
1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 small onion, diced
1 lb spaghetti

Directions:

Cook and cool chicken. Reserve broth. Saute onions in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, soup and cubed cheese. Stir over medium heat until cheese is melted. Add cubed chicken and simmer while noodles cook. Cook spaghetti in reserved chicken broth, drain, then put back into pan. Pour sauce into pan with pasta and toss until coated. Heat through to allow the sauce to thicken and serve. You can also bake the pasta in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes rather than heating on the stove.

Serves 6

Mom's Pork Chops

2010-08-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

I'm going to apologize upfront for the quality of this photo. I dropped my camera and it is now in the capable hands of the Geek Squad (thank goodness for the Accidental Protection Plan). So for now, I'm using my cell phone to take pictures. :)

My mom has made this since I was a kid and I've always loved it. Looking at some of my previous recipes, I've realized that I must really love gravy - it seems to be in a lot of my recipes! But, the gravy is my favorite part of this recipe. It tastes so good over white rice. Mmmm....

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1-2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
6 boneless pork chops
2 cans cream of mushroom soup or 1 can cream of mushroom and 1 can cream of chicken
milk

Directions

In a medium Ziploc bag, combine all dry ingredients and shake. Adding one pork chop at a time, shake again until coated. Place in preheated pan with about 1 Tbsp canola or olive oil. Brown pork chop on both sides, then remove and place in crock pot.

Pour both cans of cream of mushroom soup into a large, glass measuring cup (or small bowl) and add small amounts of milk. Stir with a whisk and keep adding milk until desired consistency is reached. I don't think I use more than 1/4 cup of milk. I like the gravy to be a little more thick. If you want it really thick, skip the milk all together.

Cook in crock pot for 4-6 hours on low heat.

Peach Raspberry Trifle

2010-08-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in my mom's local newspaper and decided it was the perfect dessert to make for an upcoming BBQ with some of my friends. I changed a few of the ingredients to suit my tastes, and it was incredible! This definitely makes it onto my summer faves list.

Ingredients:

4 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
3 cups raspberries
1/2 quart strawberries, sliced
2 bars pound cake (1 bar if you have a smaller trifle bowl)
8 oz. Cool Whip
2 large instant vanilla pudding mixes
3 c. cold milk
2 boxes raspberry Danish Dessert

Directions:

Using both boxes of Danish Dessert, follow pie glaze directions. Fill sink with cold water beforehand, and put pan in cold water after the glaze has boiled for 1 minute (this allows the pan to cool quickly). Fold in raspberries and strawberries. Let cool and leave in water until ready to layer.

Add 3 cups cold milk to pudding mixes. Fold in 8 oz Cool Whip, then add sliced peaches.

Cut pound cake into 1 inch squares. Begin to layer in trifle bowl: cake, pudding, raspberry mixture. Layer twice. The final layer should be the Danish Dessert. Let cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

*The original recipe called for 4 bananas rather than peaches and angel food cake instead of pound cake. I also added strawberries to the recipe. I only had one box of raspberry Danish Dessert, so I used one raspberry and one strawberry.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

2010-07-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

We love this salad! We make it all summer long - we even made it while we were camping once - and I never get tired of it.

Ingredients

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. pepper

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 large bunch of Romaine lettuce

1 1/2 cup croutons

1 c halved cherry tomatoes

2/3 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing (our favorite is the Lighthouse brand)

shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first 8 ingredients, then add chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the romaine, croutons and tomatoes; add dressing and toss to coat. Divide onto salad plates, slice chicken and arrange on salads. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

*If I'm making this for just Chris and myself, I add the dressing to our salads individually. That way I'm not stuck with a bunch of leftovers that will go bad by the next day.

Amazing Crusted Chicken

2010-07-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

I found this on allrecipes.com the other day and have made it twice now. It has a wonderful flavor and is so easy and fast to make. My husband loves it so that is all the reason I need to add it to my 'Favorites' list. The chicken stays so moist and juicy but the outside is crispy and flavorful.

Ingredients:
2 cups cheese flavored crackers (such as Cheez-It brand), crushed
1 cup French-fried onions, crushed
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (plain work fine too, or you can just add Italian seasoning to the plain)
2 teaspoons sesame seed, toasted( I bought some that are already toasted)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in half
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F ( 190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish or sheet with cooking spray.

2. Mix cheese crackers, French fried onions, bread crumbs, sesame seeds, salt and pepper in a bowl. set aside.

3. Wash and pat chicken breasts dry. Spread a thin layer of mayo on one side of each piece and place mayo side down in the cracker mixture. Repeat on the other side patting firmly into the chicken, covering all sides. Place chicken on the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mixture on top. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear, 35-40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

*I serve mine with white rice and a salad.

Apple Dip

2010-07-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

Summer is the perfect time to sit and snack on a bowl of fruit - and sometimes it's fun to indulge yourself in a little fruit dip :) This is super easy to put together, so you can have a great snack for book club, picnics or parties in about 15 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbsp orange juice

Directions:

In a large bowl or mixer, cream all ingredients together. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*The original recipe didn't call for orange juice, but when I tasted the mixture, the texture was really grainy from the sugar. Once I added the orange juice it was perfect. It also sets up nice and thick after you refrigerate it.

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Cream

2010-07-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on my friend's recipe blog, Making Manna and had to try it. It was delicious - my husband is still raving about it!

Ingredients:

2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Sauce:

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp milk

Directions:

Prepare grill to medium high heat.

For chicken, combine mustard, oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Grill chicken for 6 minutes on each side or until done.

For the sauce, while chicken grills, combine mustard, mayo and milk. Serve over grilled chicken.

*I personally thought that a little of the sauce goes a long way - I won't put as much on my chicken next time. However, my husband loved it just the way it was so I think it's all a matter of personal preference :)

per serving: 400 calories; 55 grams protein; 18 grams total fat; 0 grams fiber; 3 grams saturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 143 mgs cholesterol; 287 mgs sodium
10 Weight Watchers points

Aunt Kathy's Cookies

2010-06-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

I really have no idea who Aunt Kathy is, but I love her cookies! When Chris was a student working at the lab, he used to come home and tell me about a coworker who always brought cookies in for everyone. He raved about how fantastic they were, so I kept bugging him for the recipe and he finally brought it home one day. They've been my favorite ever since!

Ingredients:

3 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla (Mexican vanilla if you have it)
6 eggs
3 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking soda
7 1/2 c. flour
2 packages chocolate chips. (I like to use one bag of regular chips and one bag of chocolate chunks)

Directions:

Cream together the shortening, sugars, vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the salt, soda, and flour, mix well. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture and beat just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. I actually put mine in for about 7 1/2 minutes because my oven runs hot. You'll probably need to adjust the baking time according to how your oven cooks.

Here are a few tricks that I've learned along the way:

* When creaming together the wet ingredients, I make sure to let the mixer run for a few minutes. It really helps to add some air into the mixture so that the cookies end up nice and thick. Flat cookies = yuck!

* I take these out of the oven when they are just barely golden brown on top - it is my firm belief that chocolate chip cookies should be soft, not crunchy! The cookies will continue to bake as they're sitting on the cooling rack, so they'll be perfect by the time you're ready to eat them.

I just made this recipe on Sunday and I made about 8 dozen cookies (I was making them to give out at church for Father's Day). You may want to half the recipe, or you can freeze the leftovers and make them later :)

Bowtie and Asparagus Pasta

2010-06-09T04:48:00.000-07:00

I may have mentioned this before, but my mom gave me her neighborhood's cookbook for Christmas and I've been trying all kinds of recipes from it. I just made this recipe last week and, mmm...so good. I loved it! It took a little bit of time to prepare, but for me, that always happens with new recipes. After I make this a few times I'll have a system down and it'll go much faster.

Ingredients:

1 box bowtie pasta

1/2 c. butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1-2 chicken bouillon cubes (I used 2)

1 pt. heavy cream (I only had a 1/2 pint, so I substituted the rest with fat free half and half)

Salt and pepper to taste

10-15 spears asparagus, blanched

1/2 c. bacon, crumbled

1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted

Fresh parsley (I used about a 1/2 c. chopped)

Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:

Boil bowtie pasta in salted water until al dente. Do not overcook. In wok or heavy skillet, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté a minute or so. Add Parmesan cheese and bouillon cubes. When the bouillon cube is disolved, slowly stir in heavy cream until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered. Add blanched asparagus. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pine nuts, parsley, and Parmesan cheese then toss together. Serve immediately.

Serves 6-8

*I found that the chicken bouillon took awhile to disolve. I think the next time I make this, I'll use Better than Bouillon instead. Since it's a paste instead of a cube, it will disolve quickly; I think it'll give a better flavor to the dish as well.

This makes quite a bit of pasta; I should have known - it uses a whole box of pasta! You may want to half this recipe if you're only making it for a few people. My kids didn't eat it - big surprise there - so there was quite a bit left for me and my hubby. Surprisingly, it was still really good leftover. Normally I don't like dishes like this left over because the cream and butter separate and it just doesn't taste as yummy as it did when it was fresh. Besides, then you can see just how much butter you're actually eating and that's not appetizing. I prefer to conceal the butter as much as possible! However, this was still pretty good. The sauce did seperate some, but it didn't completely gross me out like, oh, I don't know...the way leftovers from Olive Garden do. :)

*Update - I made this again last night and the bouillon dissolved just fine, so really you could use either the cubes or Better than Bouillon. :) Oh, and Andrew actually ate the pasta - minus the asparagus. Can't blame him though; I didn't like asparagus until just recently.

Grilled Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches

2010-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've been dying to try this one for awhile and for some reason I haven't. Does that ever happen to you? Chris and I both love bacon and pineapple, so I finally decided enough was enough and I put it on the menu. It was great! I will absolutely be making this again :)

Ingredients:

2 bacon strips, halved

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp barbecue sauce

2 pineapple slices

2 lettuce leaves, optional

2 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

In a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels. Flatten chicken to 3/8 in. thickness; brush both sides with oil. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn; brush with barbecue sauce. Grill 3-4 minutes longer or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile, place the pineapple and rolls cut side down on grill; cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned, turning the pineapple once. Place lettuce if desired on roll bottoms; top with chicken, cheese, bacon and pineapple. Replace roll tops.

Serves 2

Nutritional Facts: 1 sandwich equals 556 calories, 23 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 103 mg cholesterol, 860 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 44 g protein.

Weight Watchers Points: 13

Veggie Meatball Soup

2010-06-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

My 5 year old loves meatballs, so I definitely had to try this recipe. We weren't disappointed - it's excellent and surprisingly low in fat!

Ingredients:

3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
18 frozen meatballs {give or take a few :D }
2-3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup uncooked spiral pasta

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine the first 6 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Stir in pasta; cover and cook 20-30 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves before serving.

*The original recipe called for stewed tomatoes, but I used the Italian diced tomatoes to give it more flavor.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 125 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 574 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Weight Watchers points: 2

Grilled Bacon-Tomato Sandwiches

2010-06-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

This is a little twist on a BLT sandwich - and I LOVE it. In fact, it's on the menu for dinner tonight, mmmmm.....

Ingredients:

4 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)
4 slices provolone cheese (1 ounce each)
4 slices tomato
4 bacon strips, cooked and halved (I like to use the lower fat, lower sodium bacon)
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

Directions:

Top two slices of bread with a slice of cheese; layer with tomato, bacon, basil and remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread. Brush dressing over outsides of sandwiches.

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 2 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich (prepared with reduced-fat cheese and fat-free dressing) equals 360 calories, 18 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 44 mg cholesterol, 1,194 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 24 g protein.

Weight Watchers points: 8

Cinnamon French Toast

2010-06-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Chris found this fantastic French Toast recipe and made it for me on Mother's Day. It's amazing with strawberries and whipped cream too :)

Ingredients:

1 egg

2 egg whites

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

6 slices of Texas Toast

Directions:

In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and egg white until foamy. Whisk in milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat thoroughly, and cook on a hot skillet until both sides are nicely browned.

*My Mom's version of French Toast is really yummy too - just substitute maple flavoring for the vanilla.

Pizza Dough

2010-06-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

My BFF Camille has a Pizza and Movie night with her family every Friday and she makes her own dough! That's impressive.

A few months ago, I decided to start this fun tradition with our own family, but I since I was scared to death of making my own dough, I started out buying the canned stuff from Pillsbury. It tastes fine, but it's ridiculously expensive - even with a coupon. I switched to the dry pizza mix - I thought it was great, but Chris wasn't a fan.

So...I decided to be brave and make my own. I found a recipe on KitchenDaily.com and gave it a try. I was scared of ruining the dough, but it really was pretty easy.

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees so you don't kill, or chill, the yeast)
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
toppings of choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Measure warm water into a large bowl. Add the yeast to the water and stir until dissolved. Add sugar, salt, and oil and stir well.

Add the flour in small amounts and stir well after each addition. Add just enough flour so the dough is not sticking in clumps to your hands or the bowl, winding up with a well-formed ball.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and, using your hands, knead for 2-3 minutes. Let the dough rest 5 to 10 minutes to rise roughly double in size before using.

Once the dough is ready, spread it on an oiled pizza pan. Apply toppings of choice. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

*I took my pizza out after 15 minutes because it was really getting done around the edges, but the crust wasn't completely done in the middle. Next time I'lll use either a cookie sheet or a bigger pizza pan - I don't think my Pampered Chef stone was big enough and the dough may have been too thick. I'll report back and let you know how it went :)

**Ok - quick update: I tried this again last night and put the dough onto a cookie sheet rather than my round stone. I made sure to roll the dough out fairly thin - I'm guessing it was about 1/4" thick. I still only baked it for about 15 minutes. I thought the dough would be thin and crispy, but it turned out nice and thick and it cooked all the way through. It was so yummy I could have eaten half the pan, but I forced myself to stop after 2 pieces. Ok...2 1/2 pieces. :)

Summertime Raspberry Salad

2010-05-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

I could eat this salad every day for the rest of my life and die happy. Fresh fruit salad, mmmmm.... I paid through the nose for these fresh raspberries! I stood there in the produce section of Sam's, missing my mom's raspberry patch, but mostly my mom. In the end, I was glad I bought the raspberries - even though they were ridiculously overpriced. Can't wait for summertime!

Ingredients:

2 cups torn romaine (I substituted artisan lettuce)

1 small red pear, diced
1/2 cup fresh raspberries or halved strawberries
10 pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons dried cranberries or orange-flavored dried cranberries
1/4 cup raspberry vinaigrette

Directions:

Divide romaine between two salad plates. Top with the pear, raspberries, pecans and cranberries. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

2 servings.

*I found this recipe in Taste of Home's Cooking for 2, but it's an easy recipe to increase if you're cooking for more.

Marinated Ham Steak

2010-05-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

This is a really quick recipe to put together. I tend to double it so that we have leftovers, but if the fridge is already full, then this is the perfect amount. I recommend putting it together early in the morning or the night before you plan to cook it. The longer you marinate it, the better the flavor.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 to 2 teaspoons ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 fully cooked boneless ham steak (3/4 pound)

Directions:

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients. Add ham; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Drain and reserve marinade. Grill ham, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, basting frequently with reserved marinade. Cut in half to serve.

2 servings

*I found this in Taste of Home's Cooking for 2 magazine.

Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce

2010-05-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that my hubby definitely didn't want to try. I knew he wouldn't want to say anything, but he thought it sounded gross - he's not a huge fan of mayo. I could tell by the way quietly nodded his head and said, "Oh" when I mentioned the recipe. I had a gut feeling about this one though - I knew it was going to be good - so I made it anyway. How else are we going to find new recipes? My ever-patient hubby tried it and may I say, was pleasantly surprised. It's kind of a sweet and tangy flavor and this chicken is never dry. We have a winner!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup mayonnaise (I use light mayo)
6 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sugar, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in lemon juice and vinegar. Pour 1 cup marinade into a Ziploc bag, then add the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better). Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

French Dip Sandwiches

2010-05-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Chris and I absolutely love French Dip Sandwiches - we get them every time we go to Arby's. My original recipe was ok - I just used a packet of Au Jus sauce mix from the grocery store, but it never seemed quite right to me, so you can imagine my excitement when I found this recipe. It's another one from my mom's neighborhood cookbook and it now replaces my old French Dip recipe!

Ingredients:

1 can French Onion soup
1 can beef consommé soup
1 1/2 cans water
1 Au Jus seasoning mix
1 - 1/2 lbs sliced roast beef
4 deli rolls - whichever you prefer
4 slices provolone cheese (you could use swiss if you prefer)

Directions:

Combine soups and water in a crock pot. Add roast beef and cook on low for 1 - 2 hours. Using tongs, remove roast beef from liquid and pile onto sliced deli rolls. Top each sandwich with one slice of provolone and then place onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Place pan under the broiler - I leave my rack in the middle of the oven - for a minute or too, until cheese is melted and rolls are lightly browned. Remove from oven, close sandwiches and then cut in half. Use remaining liquid for dipping.

*The original recipe called for a 3 lb boneless roast, but then you have to pull it out of the crock pot and slice it. That's way too involved for me, so it's easier just to get sliced roast beef from the deli. Because the meat is already cooked, you don't want to leave it in the crock pot for several hours. Just an hour or two is all it needs to flavor the meat, otherwise the meat will fall apart and you'll be left with little tiny pieces. I can tell you this from experience :(

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

2010-05-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

My boys love muffins - they'd eat them every day if I let them; but as convenient as boxed muffin mixes are, they're also expensive. I've decided to be brave and try making muffins from scratch. I had a recipe I wanted to try, but Andrew vetoed that; apparently he was in the mood for some apple muffins. I found this recipe on Taste of Home's website and amazingly enough I had all of the ingredients (except for applesauce, but I didn't realize that until I was in the middle of the recipe).

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp canola oil
3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 medium McIntosh apple, peeled and grated

TOPPING:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cold butter
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, oil and applesauce. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apple. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine brown sugar and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Add oats. Sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve with Cinnamon-Honey Butter.

*Since I didn't have any applesauce, I increased the amount of canola oil from 3 Tbsp to 1/4 cup. I used a Gala apple rather than a McIntosh, but that's all I had on hand. I just realized that the recipe said to grate the apple - I cubed it. Guess I should be a bit more careful when reading the directions. They turned out yummy though - I liked the bits of apple :)

Cinnamon-Honey Butter

2010-05-20T06:19:00.001-07:00

You can whip up a batch of this honey butter in no time and it's sooo yummy! I served it with Cinnamon Apple Muffins, and I think it would be divine on some pancakes or waffles.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a small bowl, beat the butter, honey and cinnamon until blended. Serve with warm muffins. Refrigerate leftover butter.

Chris' Spaghetti

2010-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my version of spaghetti was noodles with warmed up sauce. If we got fancy we added ground beef or meatballs. I thought it was pretty good - until I tried my Mother-in-law's recipe. From then on, I was hooked. She made this for us all the time when we were newlyweds. I finally asked her for the recipe and although I don't think mine turns out quite like hers does, it's still pretty good.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar traditional spaghetti sauce, plus 1/2 jar of water
1 package McCormick Thick and Zesty spaghetti mix
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Brown hamburger until cooked most of the way through; drain the grease. Add the garlic, onions, bell pepper, salt and pepper; cook about 5-7 minutes. Add the spaghetti sauce, water, tomatoes, spaghetti mix and tomato sauce; stir over low heat. Cover and simmer on very low for about 30-45 minutes. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions then top with sauce. *I generally cook 1 box of noodles (1 lb) so that I have leftovers for the next day.

Ginger Lime Marinade

2010-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Spring and Summer weather is my favorite because it means that I can dust off the BBQ grill and pull out my favorite marinade recipes. I just found this one in my Mom's ward cookbook and was so excited to try it. I wasn't disappointed - it smelled great while cooking and tasted even better!

Ingredients:

3/4 c. Italian dressing
3/4 c. honey
4 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least a few hours - I think I left mine in for 4 or 5 hours - and then you're ready to grill.

*You can also freeze this recipe. After combining marinade and chicken place flat in freezer. When ready to use, defrost and then grill.

Easy Funeral Potatoes

2010-05-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

A good Funeral Potatoes recipe is a must have for any Mormon girl's recipe box. That's a little inside joke - if you've never heard of Funeral Potatoes, it's just a cheesy potato recipe that is served often at church dinners and funerals - hence the name. It seems like everyone has a different version of the recipe! Although this one isn't too much different from most that I've tried, it turned out really yummy and was fast to put together.

Ingredients:

1 bag (2 lbs) frozen hash browns, southern style
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 Tbsp dried minced onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Pour hash browns in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix remaining ingredients together, then pour mixture over the potatoes and mix together. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes then remove foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

*the original recipe didn't say to cover the potatoes and of course, as it was cooking I decided to check my email. As you can see, I let the cheese get a little too brown on top. I think it would be better to cover the potatoes for a bit, so I added that into the instructions.

Creamy Fettuccine with Rainbow Veggies

2010-05-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in my mom's ward cookbook and just had to try it. I have a sudden and unexplainable need to try every recipe that includes asparagus, which is odd, because my parents could never get me to try it while I was growing up.

I have to admit, I was slightly worried about the cream sauce - I've been trying to start a diet for months now - but some awesome new recipe always gets in my way! However...it hardly uses any cream or butter compared to some recipes I've made. The end result is a very light, cheesy taste. Besides - the veggies cancel out any of the bad calories. Trust me.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt (for cooking pasta), plus 1/4 tsp for sauce
2 Tbsp butter
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces (upper half of spears only)
1 small zucchini or summer squash, cubed
1/2 c. finely diced carrot
1/2 c. diced red or yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 lb. fettuccine
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

In a large pot, combine 3 to 4 quarts of water, olive oil and salt, then bring to a boil. Meanwhile in another pan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the garlic and warm gently for 1 minute. Add the broth, veggies and 1/4 tsp of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan and continue to simmer the veggies undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir in the cream.

Remove the pan (with the veggies) from the heat and leave it covered. Add more salt to taste if needed. Once the water has reached a boil, gradually add the fettuccine to it. Cook the past according to the package, then drain. Quickly bring the veggies back to a simmer then add the drained pasta. Continue to simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes while carefully tossing the noodles up from the bottom of the pan with tongs or 2 forks. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle in half of the Parmesan cheese. Toss once more. Serve at once using the parsley and remaining cheese for garnish.

Serves 4 to 5

*I've made this a couple of times now and I can tell you that substituting fat free half and half for the heavy cream doesn't work very well. Stick with the heavy cream - it's much better. The veggies and sauce will be pretty soupy until you add the Parmesan cheese at the end. Once you do, the cheese soaks up some of the sauce and makes it a bit creamier.

Grilled Mexican Citrus Chicken and Taos Tumble Salad

2010-04-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of marinade recipes - they're fast, they're easy and they're delicious. I can throw everything together in the morning and forget about it until dinnertime rolls around. I'm pretty sure I found this recipe in one of those little magazines you can find by the checkout, although I can't remember which one exactly.

I love grilling - not that I'm a master at the BBQ, I just love cooking outside. Maybe it's because it brings back all those memories of childhood summers, although it may be due to the fact that it doesn't heat up my kitchen; I can't decide. This recipe takes a little more time to put together than most of my marinades, but believe me, it's well worth it.

Ingredients: (for the chicken)

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

In a large shallow dish or gallon Ziploc bag, mix first 8 ingredients, then add chicken; turn to coat. Refrigerate, turning chicken occasionally, at least 3 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Taos Tumble Salad

This salad is super fast to put together while the chicken is grilling - you'll love it!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Caesar salad dressing
1 tsp ground cumin
I head of romaine lettuce
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups coarsely broken lime-flavored tortilla chips

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix dressing and cumin. In a large bowl, toss remaining ingredients with dressing mixture. Sprinkle with additional cheese and chips if desired. Serve immediately.

*The picture above doesn't show the tomatoes in the salad because my hubby doesn't like them. Crazy, I know! I think he's missing out, but I add tomatoes to mine separately and then it's not an issue. Unless I'm serving this salad to several people, I only add the dressing to our portions of salad. That way I can save any leftover dressing and lettuce for the next day's leftovers ;)

Microwave Popcorn

2010-04-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a friend's blog a couple of years ago and had to try it right away. Who knew it was so easy (and cheap) to make your own microwave popcorn?

Here's what you'll need:

a lunch size paper bag
1/4 cup of popcorn kernels
a pat of butter or margarine

Dump the kernels and butter into the bag (I probably only use a Tbsp of butter) and then fold down the top of the bag twice.

Cook in the microwave for 2 minutes - you might need to adjust the time depending on your microwave. Once I hear the popcorn slowing down, I turn off the microwave, but leave the popcorn in. Usually it's hot enough that a few more kernels will pop :)

Now you can season your popcorn and enjoy! Sometimes we use the butter spray and other times we use butter seasoning - it all depends on your preference. My grocery store carries a white cheddar seasoning that I'm dying to try!

Chicken Corn Chili

2010-04-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

Mmmm...this is so yummy! In fact, it's on my menu for this weekend. Can't wait!

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar salsa– we love Sam’s Choice Black Bean and White Corn
2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can Mexican-style corn

1 can pinto beans

Directions:

Place chicken and salsa in the crock pot the night before you want to eat this chili. In the morning, season the chicken and salsa mixture with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 2-3 hours before you want to eat, shred the chicken with two forks then place back in the slow cooker. Add the corn and pinto beans, continue cooking. Simmer until ready to serve. We like it with sour cream and shredded cheese on top and we eat it with tortilla chips. You can add all kinds of toppings to this – be creative. It’s fantastic anytime of the year!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

2010-03-30T05:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is the perfect side dish for Sweet Pork, or any Mexican themed meal. I don't have a picture, but one of these days I'll remember to take one and add it to this post :)

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked rice

1 tsp. butter or margarine

2 cloves garlic, minced

zest from 1 lime

1 (15 oz) can chicken broth

water - add to chicken broth to make 2 cups

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp. granulated sugar

3 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

In a saucepan, combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and, using a fork, fluff rice until cilantro is mixed in.

Sweet Pork

2010-03-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Something I really miss about Utah is take out from Costa Vida. Their Sweet Pork is to die for! I'll take it any way I can get it - nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, it doesn't matter. They're all good! I once tried the Sweet Pork recipe with Coke and brown sugar, but I have to be honest - it wasn't good at all. Then, I found this recipe in my Mom's ward cookbook. Soooo yummy! I'm not claiming it's the same as Costa Vida, but it'll do. My favorite is to make nachos with it. I crave it - a lot. So I have to restrain myself from making it too often, because otherwise I'd pack on the pounds faster than you can say, "I love Sweet Pork!"

I wish I had a better picture for you, but this picture is from the first time I made the recipe and when I came up with the idea to make nachos I realized that I couldn't just put a plate in the toaster oven - it would have exploded. Not that I know from personal experience...

So, I rifled through the cupboards and found this leftover tin from Christmas. It was used for making a Rice Krispie gingerbread house and it was just what I needed :) I threw in some tortilla chips, black beans, cilantro lime rice, sweet pork then topped it off with an an insane amount of cheese. And I enjoyed every bite!

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin (I think I generally use a 2 lb tenderloin)

1 packet taco seasoning

1 can green enchilada sauce

1 can red enchilada sauce

2 c. brown sugar

2 cloves garlic

4 limes

Directions

Place pork in the crock pot (I always use a liner - it keeps clean-up to a minimum and I swear my meals cook better). Microwave limes for 10 seconds, cut into wedges, and squeeze on top of meat. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Cook on high for 3 hours.

Crush garlic cloves and spread on meat. Pour in both cans of enchilada sauce and sprinkle in brown sugar. Cook on high an additional 4 hours or until meat starts to fall apart.

Remove meat and shred on a cutting board using two forks. Place shredded meat back in the crock pot and simmer 15 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Chicken Packets

2010-03-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

This is a fabulous recipe for Summer - or even Spring, when you're hoping for Summer to come :) It's super simple and smells great while it's cooking. Plus - it's healthy!

You can use any combination of vegetables that you like. Chris and I like different things, so we each make a packet for ourselves and we throw enough in there so that we'll have leftovers for the next day!

Here is a list of the veggies that Chris puts in his:

Red Potatoes
Baby Carrots
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Green Pepper
Onion

Here's what I use:

Red Potatoes
Baby Carrots
Broccoli
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Cherry or Grape tomatoes
Mushrooms
and sometimes pineapple chunks

I steam the potatoes, carrots, broccoli, squash and zucchini beforehand and then assemble the packets. I usually put the potatoes and carrots in first, followed by the broccoli and squash. After I've added my veggies I add a bit of salt and pepper. Use a good long piece of tinfoil so that you can pack it full of veggies and still close it :)

Here's what it looks like once you've layered all the veggies on the foil:

Next, you're ready to add the chicken. This time I used Chicken Tenders, but Chicken Breasts work great too. Salt and pepper the chicken as well.

Next I add Worchestershire sauce and then drizzle honey over the top. I haven't measured; I just keep adding until I think it's enough.

To roll the foil, I've found it's easiest to bring the two long ends together, roll those down and then roll up the short sides. I place mine on a cookie sheet to keep any juices from spilling into the oven.

After that you're ready to place it under the broiler. If you'd rather not heat up the house, you can also throw it on the grill. Either way works well. I place my rack just under the broiler and set it on high. Cook it on high for 30 minutes. Do you like the toys in the background? This is how I cook - crazy kids!

Generally, I clean up my dishes as I go along - it's a little trick my mom taught me. That way you aren't left with a messy kitchen after dinner ;) If I do have dishes left, I clean those up and then sit back to relax until dinner's ready!

And...Voila! Here are your finished Chicken Packets. I made mine with extra this time and it was enough to feed me and my two little boys, plus leftovers. Enjoy!

Salisbury Steak

2010-03-14T16:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for comfort food - most especially meat and potatoes! I throw some vegetables on the side to ease the guilt and then sit back and enjoy my piece of heaven on earth. Mmmmm....

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 t. minced garlic

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 lb lean ground beef

1-2 cans Campbell's Mushroom gravy or 1 packet McCormick Mushroom gravy mix

Fresh sliced Mushrooms (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 4 patties. In a non-stick skillet brown patties on each side, then drain the grease. Add the gravy and mushrooms to the patties, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until mushrooms are done.

4 servings

*If I'm feeling especially guilty about the yumminess I'm about to consume, I transfer the patties to a clean pan before adding the gravy. It cuts out at little more of the grease right?

*If you're using the powdered gravy, mix it with the water before adding it to the pan. Surprisingly, we prefer the canned gravy, but it just depends on what I have on hand and what was on sale at the time :) If I want extra gravy for the potatoes then I use two cans.

I'm sure that a true Salisbury Steak actually uses brown gravy instead of mushroom gravy, but the truth is, Chris and I are die hard fans of mushrooms. I add them to everything - hence the change from the original recipe!

Tomato 'n Cheese Pasta

2010-03-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is one dish that my sweet hubby never gets tired of. It's super easy to put together, even on a busy night!

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked small tube pasta (I love to use mini penne)

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cans Italian Diced Tomatoes

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. sugar

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 15 mins. Drain pasta; stir into sauce pan. Transfer to a greased 1 qt. baking dish. Top with cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 10-15 mins or until cheese is melted.

4 servings

Cheesy Potato and Broccoli Soup

2010-03-12T23:10:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a friend at work probably 4 or 5 years ago. It's one of my favorite soups to make - so much in fact, that I have to be careful how much I make it. My poor husband asked me to stop making it for awhile because I was making it so often - oops! I never get tired of food - what's his deal? :)

I've changed the original recipe; the major change being that I added broccoli. You can make it with or without the broccoli. My 5 year old prefers it without. The other day he asked what was for dinner and when I told him I was making this soup he said, "Sounds good. But I don't need the broccoli. You and Dad can have broccoli though." Hmm...didn't expect that response. Although, I can't really blame him. I hated broccoli as a kid :)

Ingredients

3 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

5 cups diced potatotes

1/2 medium onion chopped

1 t. salt

3/4 t. pepper

8 0z broccoli (I prefer to use fresh, but frozen will work)

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup flour

1 quart fat-free half and half

16 oz light Cheese Whiz

Directions

In a large pot, dissolve the bouillon in water. Add potates, onion, salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are mostly done, then add broccoli. (Be careful not to stir too much while cooking or the broccoli will break up and become mushy.) In a saucepan, melt margarine, then remove from heat and add flour a little at a time until a thick, smooth paste is formed. Stir in the half and half a little at a time; heat through. While that (the white sauce) is heating, add the Cheese Whiz to the potato and broccoli mixture - but allow it to melt before stirring. After stirring in the cheese, add the white sauce to the soup and stir carefully until mixed.

My favorite way to serve this is in bread bowls, but sometimes those can be hard to find. Either way, it's delicious!

8-10 servings

*This makes a ton of soup, but it freezes well so you can always save some for next week :)

Lemon Coffee Cake

2010-03-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

I discovered this recipe last summer and I think I made it 3 times in 2 weeks! In my defense though, I had to make some to take to the neighbors - is it really my fault that there were some leftovers? A girl can't let such yummy goodness go to waste!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

3/4 cup canola oil

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 can lemon pie filling

1 t. ground cinnamon

Directions

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into egg mixture until blended. Pour half of the batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Spread the pie filling over batter then top with the remaining batter. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

*If it seems like that's a lot of cinnamon and sugar to put on the top, it is. But I like it that way! If you want to cut back, be my guest :)

Orange Chicken and Fried Rice

2010-01-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is so yummy you won't want to stop eating it! My mom found the recipe on SparkPeople.com and I waited awhile to make it because I thought it would take extra time. It turns out that the sauce is super easy to throw together and the only time consuming thing is cooking the chicken. So don't wait - try it soon!! I promise you'll be glad you did.

Ingredients (for the orange sauce)

1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar (in a pinch you can sub 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar)
2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1 tsp orange extract
1 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp freshly minces ginger root (or 1/4 tsp powdered)

1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water to create a slurry

Directions

Mix all ingredients, except cornstarch slurry, in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. After it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and slowly add in the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir as it thickens. Lower heat to keep warm.

*I serve this over Tempura Chicken. You can buy the Tempura batter in the Seafood section of your grocery store. It's just in a box and I only use half of the mix. I probably use a 1lb or so of chicken tenders, cut into chunks. The batter makes enough for more than that though so you could make more if you wanted. I throw a bunch of the chicken into the batter and then put them one at a time into the fryer to keep them from sticking together. I think I put about 10 or so in at a time to cook. Maybe more - I've never counted. As I said earlier, this is the part that takes the longest, but it's not that bad. I start cooking the chicken and then work on the sauce and rice. If you have someone to help in the kitchen that's even better! Put them in charge of the chicken and then you can focus on the rest. :)

Ingredients (for the Fried Rice)

1 cup cold, cooked brown rice (or white, I've tried both)
8 oz frozen shrimp, with tails off (or diced ham)
1/2 cup frozen peas & carrots
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1egg, beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
pepper to taste

**Can also substitute 8oz of cooked chicken, beef, or pork. For Vegetarian style add 1 cup assorted chopped fresh vegetable such as asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, or cabbage.**

Directions

In a small bowl beat egg, set aside.
Heat olive oil in large skillet on med high, add cooked rice, peas and carrots, shrimp (or ham), green onions, garlic powder and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp and veggies are warmed through. Clear out the center of pan by pushing rice mixture to the sides, pour egg into space. Scramble egg until almost firm about 1 min. Mix egg and rice mixture together cook additional 1 min until egg done through. Add soy sauce and pepper. Serve immediately.

*Chris and I are definitely not seafood fans, so I always use ham. You can buy ham that's already diced and it's much faster! I also double the recipe so that we have leftovers.

Make sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Turkey Pasta Soup

2009-12-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

This is something that we have fairly often. It’s a little spicy – once I substituted turkey sausage instead of ground turkey, and let me tell you – that was hot! I don’t recommend it!

Here's one tip - I cook my pasta, but don't add it to the soup. When I dish it up, I put the amount of pasta I want in each bowl and then add the soup. That way I can refrigerate the leftovers without the pasta soaking up all of the broth.This makes quite a bit of soup, so sometimes we freeze the leftovers and then it's quick to heat up for another meal. I also like to sprinkle some shredded Parmesan on top just before serving.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked small pasta shells
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, cook the turkey, onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Drain pasta and add to the soup. Cook 5 minutes longer or until heated through.

Yield: 10 servings

Slow Cooked Pork Tacos

2009-12-04T16:42:00.001-08:00

We tried this recipe tonight and I thought it was great! It was really easy to throw it all in the Crockpot and even easier to serve once it was finished. I found it in an issue of Taste of Home. Ok, I know - most of the recipes on here have come from TOH, but it's pretty much the only recipe magazine that I read. My mother-in-law gave me a gift subscription when I first got married and I've been hooked ever since. :) For the life of me, I could never find a pork sirloin roast, so I used a pork tenderloin. However, if I'm really being honest, I have to admit that I don't know much about cuts of meat, so maybe I really did find one and didn't realize it. I bought the meat without paying attention to how much I actually needed, so I had a 4 lb tenderloin - but I think it was perfect. Any less and there wouldn't have been any leftovers!!

Ingredients

1 boneless pork sirloin roast (2 lbs), cut into 1 inch-pieces

1 1/2 cups salsa verde (I used a whole 16 oz bottle)

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

Dash hot pepper sauce

10 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

Sour cream, sliced green onions, cubed avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and chopped tomato, optional.

Directions

In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 11 ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until meat is very tender.

Shred pork with two forks. Place about 1/2 cup mixture down the center of each tortilla. Serve with toppings if desired.

Yield: 10 tacos

Cranberry Almond Salad

2009-11-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

I head of romaine lettuce

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 Kraft creamy poppy seed dressing

Wash lettuce; dry, then rip into small pieces. Toast almonds in a frying pan until golden brown. Add cranberries, almonds and mozzarella to lettuce. Just before serving, add poppy seed dressing and toss until well mixed. Enjoy!

*I came up with this recipe and it's a nice change from the normal garden salad I usually make. I had to guess at the measurements - normally I just add the ingredients together until it looks good, so you may need to adjust them to your preference.

Slow Cooked Sirloin

2009-11-19T06:23:00.000-08:00

1 boneless beef sirloin steak (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1 medium green pepper cut into chunks

1 can beef broth

1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

In a large nonstick skillet, brown beef on both sides. Place onion and green pepper in slow cooker; top with beef. Combine the broth, Worcestershire sauce, dill, thyme, black pepper and pepper flakes; pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until meat reaches desired doneness.Transfer cooking juices into a small saucepan over medium high heat. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices and continue to stir until thickened.

6 Servings

*I generally serve this with rice or baked potatoes. We love the flavor of the onions and green peppers, but we don't necessarily like them in the gravy, so when making the gravy I only remove the juice. I love this recipe because it's really fast to put in the crockpot and it smells delicious while it's cooking!

*I'm sure I found this in a cooking magazine somewhere, but I can't remember which one - I've been making it for a few years now and it's definitely a family favorite!

Cheesy Pepper Potatoes

2009-11-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe in the Wal-mart Family Cookbook and my picture may not look like much - but trust me, it's so yummy!

8 medium baking potatoes, peeled and quartered

8 oz Velveeta, cut into cubes

1/2 cup butter, cut into quarters

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

No-Stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large saucepan cook potates, covered, in enough boiling water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Quickly mash with a potato masher, adding cheese and butter. Add salt and pepper. Transfer potato mixture to prepared casserole dish and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top.

6 servings

*I cook my potatoes in a pressure cooker - it's just easier and faster. I also mashed my potatoes using my mixer - again, it's just easier. Besides, I like my mashed potatoes creamy rather than lumpy and I inevitably get tired and leave lots of lumps if I try to mash them by hand.

Oddly enough, my husband isn't a big fan of potatoes, but he gave this 4 out of 5 stars! My sister gave it 4 1/2 stars :)

Apricot Glazed Chicken

2009-11-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup apricot preserves
1 1/2 t. soy sauce
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves (5 oz each)
salt
pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil

In a small bowl, combine broth, preserves and soy sauce; set aside. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides; drain excess liquid. Add broth mixture to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove from heat. Spoon pan juices over chicken.

Serves 6

*We just tried this recipe tonight and it was simple and quick to make. The original recipe calls for sliced green onion to be sprinkled over the top of the chicken, but I can't stand green onion, so I left it out. Instead, I had dried apricots on hand and I sliced a few and threw them into the sauce while it was cooking. There is a lot of sauce, so I served it over rice.

*This also came from Taste of Home's Cooking for 2 and I tripled the recipe so that we'd have enough for leftovers. My husband and sister gave it 3 1/2 stars (out of 5). Let me know what you think! :)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2009-11-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

(meatballs)

1 Tbsp beaten egg

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Dash of pepper

1 lb lean ground beef

Ingredients:

(sweet and sour sauce)

1 can (16oz) pineapple chunks, undrained

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 cup sliced fresh carrot

1 medium green pepper, julienned

3 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

Hot cooked rice

In a medium bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a large skillet, cook meatballs over medium heat until browned on all sides and meat thermometer reads 160 degrees; drain.

Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. Add water to juice to measure 1 cup. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce; pour over meatballs. Add carrot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until carrot is crisp-tender. Stir in green pepper and pineapple; cover and simmer 5 minutes longer or until pepper is crisp-tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into the meatball mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice.

4 servings

*Note to self (or any other readers of this blog): I normally use frozen meatballs from Ikea because it's so much faster and it makes this a really quick meal to throw together - I just heat the meatballs in the skillet while I'm chopping vegetables. However, the last time I made it I didn't have enough. I did have ground beef, so I tried the meatball recipe included here. It's ok, but I've had better. I'll have to do some checking and see if I can find a better one.

*I found this recipe in Taste of Home's Cooking for 2. If you're looking for a great recipe magazine try this one; I really like it - we've found so many good ones from it and I just double the recipe for our family.

Roasted Pepper Ravioli

2009-10-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

1 each medium orange, red and yellow peppers

1 package (25 oz) frozen cheese ravioli

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce, divided

4 oz sliced part-skim mozzarella (you can also use shredded)

Place peppers on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Broil 4 in. from the heat until skins blister. With tongs, rotate peppers a quarter turn. Rotate until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place peppers in a bowl; cover and let stand 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to package directions; drain. Peel off and discard charred skin from peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Finely chop peppers and place in a small mixing bowl. Combine the peppers with the oil, sugar and salt.

Spread 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce in a 9 x13 baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Layer with the ravioli, pepper mixture and cheese. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake at 350 degree for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 mins longer or until heated through.

I found this recipe in Light and Tasty magazine a few years ago and it's been one of our favorites ever since. I changed the recipe some; originally it called for 2 peppers of each color, green red and yellow. On accident, I once used an orange pepper instead of a green one, but we liked it and kept the change. We also found that we liked it just as well with fewer peppers, and considering the cost of peppers, it worked better with our budget :) One more thing: it may seem strange to layer the spaghetti sauce on top of the cheese - but trust me, it works.

*Please forgive my unprofessional photos - I'm sure I'll get better at some point :)