Halibut in Cartoccio

I love Anne Burrell on the food network. She made this a couple of weeks ago. I didn't have parchment paper, so I used tin foil. I had to increase the cooking time to about 20 minutes. It was really simple, light & delicious. I served it with rice & salad.


Halibut in Cartoccio
Ingredients

* 2 zucchini, green part only, julienned
* 1 small butternut squash, top part only, peeled and julienned
* 1 pint Brussels sprouts, leaves pulled apart
* 1 large leek, julienned
* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon picked thyme leaves
* Kosher salt
* 4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
* 4 slices lemon
* 2 cups dry white wine
* Special Equipment: Parchment paper

Directions

Fold 4 (9 by 13-inch) pieces of parchment paper in half and starting at the top of the fold, cut a large half circle from the paper. When the fold is opened it should be a full circle. It is okay if it is not a perfect circle-a heart shape is even better. Reserve.

In a bowl combine the zucchini, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and leeks. Toss generously with olive oil and season with the thyme leaves and salt. Oil and salt the halibut as well.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Open the parchment paper circles (or hearts) and brush the paper with olive oil leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.

Divide the seasoned vegetables between the 4 papers, placing them in the center just above the crease. Lay the fish fillets on top of the vegetables and place a lemon slice on top of each fish fillet. Fold the paper over the fish. Working from 1 end of the parchment to the other fold the bottom of the paper over the top to crease and seal the packets. The closure needs to be very secure so the steam will not escape during the cooking process. Before the package is completely sealed, carefully add 1/2 cup wine in each then seal. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes.

Remove the fish from the oven, place on serving dishes and serve immediately. Have each diner slice open their own parchment package so they can get the full effect of the burst of aromatic steam that will be released from the package.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I love the chicken lettuce wraps at Pei Wei. I found this version at RecipeZaar and decided to try it last night. They were really really good. I preferred them with the sauce, but Matt liked them without the sauce. I didn't use water chestnuts. They're not my favorite thing. I added some shredded carrot.

P. F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe #15865
This recipe is from Todd Wilbur and Top Secret Recipes
by Lali

25 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 2 -3

* 3 tablespoons oil
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
* 1 cup water chestnut
* 2/3 cup mushroom
* 3 tablespoons chopped onions
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce (I used bib lettuce)

Special Sauce

* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon hot mustard (didn't have so I used a little dijon)
* 2 teaspoons water
* 1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce

* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
16. Top with"Special Sauce".

Chicken Divan

This is my Neneie's recipe (my mom's mom). She was a great great cook. This is a family favorite. It's creamy and delicious. It's perfect served over rice.

CHICKEN DIVINE

Neenie

2 bunches of broccoli 6 cooked chicken breasts, sliced

1/4 c butter shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 c flour 2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c heavy cream--I use skim milk 1/2 t salt

pepper to taste

Cook broccoli until just done-still crisp.

Heat butter in a sauce pan and add flour stirring constantly, it will become thick, add broth all at once and stir and cook until it bubbles

add the cream, or milk, salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes.

In a 9 by 13 pan lay the broccoli and pour 1/2 the sauce on it.

Now layer the chicken over broccoli. Now add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese to sauce, heat through and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 until heated through and broil until golden on top. 6-8 Servings.

Super easy peach cobbler

We had a friend over for dinner a couple of weeks ago and I wanted an easy peach cobbler recipe to make. This one was so so good. It was perfect. I calls for Peach pie filling, but I didn't have any, so I used 1 large can of peaches in heavy syrup and then I sliced 5 medium fresh peeled peaches into the can of peaches.

EASY PEACH COBBLER
from: cooks.com

2 cans peach pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 c. chopped pecans (I didn't add this)
2 tbsp. cinnamon/sugar

Spread pie filling evenly in bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Sprinkle with dry cake mix completely covering fruit. Pour melted butter over entire cobbler. Sprinkle top with chopped pecans and cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Spinach Manicotti

My friend Jill's Manicotti is one of our family favorites. I made it last Sunday for dinner. I made a pan of Jill's version and then made a pan of Spinach Manicotti using Jill's filling and the sauce of the spinach enchiladas I posted right before this post. They were super good.

CHEESE FILLED MANICOTTI

Jill Sampson

1 pkg. Manicotti (8 oz)

15 oz ricotta or cottage cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg

1 T dried parsley

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/8 t. nutmeg

2 cups Spaghetti Sauce

Prepare pasta by package directions and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl:

Mix Ricotta and 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, 1/4 c parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, salt and pepper and nutmeg.

Spoon mixture into manicotti shells. Put a little of the spaghetti sauce in bottom of 9 by 13 inch pan, and then place each filled shell over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over shells, and remaining mozzarella cheese, and parmesan.

Bake 350 for 35 minutes uncovered. Makes 4 servings.

SAUCE:

I tablespoon butter 1/2 Small onion, minced

1/2 pound mushrooms, finely chopped 1/4 CUP white wine (apple juice)

1 tablespoon seasoned salt 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon

I tablespoon garlic powder

8 ounces fresh spinach, washed and drained

I cup heavy cream



To make sauce: Heat butter in a large skillet, add onion and mush, rooms and sauté until softened. Add wine and cook until liquid has been absorbed, about 2 'minutes more. Meanwhile, in a blender, add the water, seasoned salt, chicken base and garlic powder and blend. Add spinach, a little at a time, and blend until mixture is smooth. Add pursed spinach mixture to skillet and stir to combine. Add heavy cream and bring mixture to a boil; simmer briefly until desired consistency is attained.

Salsalito's Spinach Enchiladas

One of my favorite tex-mex restaurants here is Salsalito's. A few years ago they had their spinach enchilada recipe in the newspaper. It's really good. It's super super super rich though, so be prepared. I think instead of using the filling outlined in the recipe next time I will use a chicken & cheese mixture or maybe a ground beef mixture. The spinach in the middle and on the outside was a little too rich, but still so good.

PINACH ENCHILADAS-Sasalito’s

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM

FILLING:

I tablespoon butter 1/2 small onion, minced

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped 1/4 cup white wine (or apple juice)

12 ounces fresh spinach, washed, drained and coarsely chopped Seasoned

salt, to taste

SAUCE:

I tablespoon butter 1/2 Small onion, minced

1/2 pound mushrooms, finely chopped 1/4 CUP white wine (apple juice)

3/4 c water

1 tablespoon seasoned salt 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon

I tablespoon garlic powder

8 ounces fresh spinach, washed and drained

I cup heavy cream

TO FINISH:

Oil, for softening tortillas 12 corn tortillas

11/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

To make filling: Heat butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and sauté until soft and liquid has

evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes, Add Wine and cook for 2 minute, more. Add spinach and seasoned salt and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside. To make sauce: Heat butter in a large skillet, add onion and mush, rooms and sauté until softened. Add wine and cook until liquid has been absorbed, about 2 'minutes more. Meanwhile, in a blender, add the water, seasoned salt, chicken base and garlic powder and blend. Add spinach, a little at a time, and blend until mixture is smooth. Add pursed spinach mixture to skillet and stir to combine. Add heavy cream and bring mixture to a boil; simmer briefly until desired consistency is attained, To assemble and cook enchiladas: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a small pan and dip tortillas briefly in hot oil to soften; drain Well between paper towels. Divide filling events among the tortillas, fill and roll Place enchiladas seam side down in a heat. proof baking dish that is just large enough to hold them comfortably. Pour sauce over enchiladas, top with shredded cheese and bake in preheated oven 15-20 min. Makes 12 enchiladas (4-6 servings)

Baked Ziti

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Laura's family cookbook when we were in Seattle in June. Laura is a great cook & has passed on some really good recipes to me.

This recipe was so so easy and really really good. Matt loved it & for a meatless dish that's really saying something from him!

Baked Ziti
Renae Chambers

Directions: Cook 1 lb of tube pasta (only have the cooking time). Mix 15 oz ricotta, 1 c mozzarella and 1/4 c Parmesan cheese into the noodles & pour it into a 9 x 13 dish. Spread a bottle of pasta sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan and mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350. Then remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut

We had this for dinner this week. It was super super easy but looks like it took a lot of time & effort. It's from Alton Brown. On a side note, this calls for just a little bit of coconut milk & just so you don't have to open a whole can of milk look for powdered coconut milk in the grocery store. HEB has it here. I always keep it on hand for when I need small amounts. It tastes the same as canned coconut milk.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2003

Prep Time:
10 min
Inactive Prep Time:
10 min
Cook Time:
15 min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
4 servings

Ingredients

* 5 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) coarsely ground, roasted macadamia nuts
* 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* Vegetable oil, for brushing foil
* 4 (6 to 8-ounce) mahi mahi fillets
* Kosher salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons coconut milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the nuts, panko, flour, and butter. Set aside.

Place a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and brush it liberally with vegetable oil. Place the mahi mahi on the foil and sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper on both sides. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush each fillet with the coconut milk. Divide the nut mixture among the tops of the 4 fillets, patting the mixture to spread and adhere to the fillets. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

Karokke

Karokke is the Japanese version of a potato croquette. When I was younger and we lived in Japan my friends and I use to go to a restaurant near our house and get Karokke and Chicken Katsu which is chicken breaded with panko crumbs and fried. I guess they have "chicken nuggets & fries" in many countries! ;) This recipe I found tastes just like the ones I ate in Japan. & if you're going to eat Karokke you HAVE to eat it will Bulldog sauce, as pictured.

Potato Korokke Recipe
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/potato/r/potatokorokke.htm

Ingredients:

* 4 medium potatoes
* 1/4 lb ground beef (I left the beef out)
* 1/2 onion, finely chopped
* 1 egg
* 1/2 tsp salt
* salt pepper to season
* vegetable oil for frying
* flour and panko (breadcrumb) for coating

Preparation:
Peel and cut potatoes into medium chunks. Boil potatoes until soften. Drain and mash potatoes while they are hot. Saute onion and beef in a medium skillet. Mix mashed potatoes and onion and beef in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let it cool. Make flat and oval-shaped patties. Coat each piece with flour. Dip in beaten egg, and coat with panko at last. Fry in 350 F oil until brown.
*Makes 4 servings

Chicken Salad

I love Chicken Salad. Especially in the Summer & a nice cool sandwich hits the spot. I love how versatile it is. I made this chicken salad this week for lunch with some friends. I roasted 2 chicken breasts in the oven, shredded them & let them cool. Then I added about 1/2 c cranberries, 1/3 c walnuts, 1/4 c chopped green onions, salt & pepper, 2 t coarse ground mustard, 1/2 t curry powder and mayo until creamy.

Addiction

Some people call this Heavenly Hash, but my cousin Camille introduced our family to this recipe and she calls it addiction (the name speaks for it self). It's so so good!

ADDICTION

OR HEAVENLY HASH – Camille Batchelor

1 Box Golden Grahams

1 Box Rice Chex

1 Bag M & M's--I set the M & M's aside and add after everything is mixed, because they melt

1 Can Peanuts



Put the above ingredients in an extra large bowl that has been sprayed lightly with spray oil. ( You may need to separate into two large bowls.)

Place the following ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil and continue boiling for 3 minutes.

1 ½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo

Drizzle over cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly. I now add the M & M's.

Pizookie

Pizookie is one of my favorite desserts. It's named after a pizza/cookie. You basically under cook a cookie and put ice cream on it while it's still warm. So yummy!

I made this last Sunday with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe & a new ice cream recipe from allrecipes.com. I really liked the ice cream recipe. It uses sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar. It gave it a nice creamy texture & sweet milk flavor.

The Thin
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
See this recipe on air Thursday Oct. 05 at 7:00 PM ET/PT.


Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies
User Rating: 5 Stars


2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
2 ounces milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Combine the egg, milk, and vanilla and bring to room temperature in another bowl.
Cream the butter in the mixer's work bowl, starting on low speed to soften the butter. Add the sugars. Increase the speed, and cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed and add the egg mixture slowly. Increase the speed and mix until well combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for more even browning.
Remove the cookies from the pans immediately. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.


**I halved the recipe and didn't add any fruit**
Fruited Ice Cream




Submitted By: NELL 2

"First Prize ice cream -- use your favorite fruit in place of the strawberries."
Ingredients:
2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed
milk
5 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped strawberries
Directions:
1. Combine condensed milk, milk, cream, vanilla, salt and fruit in freezer canister of ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Spinach Alfredo Pizza with fresh garden tomatoes

I made pizza last Friday night. One of the pizza's I made was spinach alfredo with slices of our first tomato from our garden! It was really really good. I made my normal pizza crust. Then for the alfredo topping I thawed a box of frozen spinach and drained it. Then I put the spinach in a saucepan and added 1 c cream, 1/2 c milk and 1 package of dry alfredo mix. I mixed until thick and creamy. I cooked the pizza dough on the pan for about 5 minutes to set the dough and then topped it with the spinach mixture. Then I topped that with grated mozzarella and a couple of tablespoons of parmesan, and slices of tomato & baked it. Yum!!

Pizza Dough
Tyler Florence



1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups 0f flour, plus more for dusting

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.

Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.

Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Baked Beans

We had a cowboy party for Ty's birthday this year. I made cream corn that's already on here http://kerstinskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/rudys-like-cream-corn.html, pulled pork (cooked large pork roast with Rudy's Rub & cooked it at 300 for about 7 hours), potato salad & baked beans. I found the baked beans recipe on allrecipes.com. It turned out really really good. Matt isn't usually a fan of bean dishes, but he loved it. Instead of the beans in the recipe I used red kidney beans, white kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans.

Pat's Baked Beans



Submitted By: Kelly
Photo By: STEFYAU


6 slices bacon
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (16 ounce) can great Northern beans,
drained
1 (16 ounce) can baked beans
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings, crumble and set aside in a large bowl. Cook the onion and garlic in the reserved drippings until onion is tender; drain excess grease and transfer to the bowl with the bacon.
3. To the bacon and onions add pinto beans, northern beans, baked beans, kidney beans and garbanzo beans. Stir in ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and black pepper. Mix well and transfer to a 9x12 inch casserole dish.
4. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

Navajo Fry Bread

My mom made Navajo fry bread for my family growing up & it's always been one of my favorites. She always made homemade chili beans to put on top. It's so good that way. I had some left over marinaded chicken, so I topped my bread with that, lettuce, tomato, cheese & salsa. Yum!

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/NavajoFryBread.htm

Navajo Fry Bread Recipe
by Cynthia Detterick-Pineda

Fry bread is wonderfully lumpy (puffed here and there). It can be served as a dessert or used as a main dish bread. Our family will often take them and stuff them, much like one might use bread or tortilla to dip into their food.

1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup water
Vegetable oil for frying

Sift together the flour, salt, powdered milk, and baking powder into a large bowl. Pour the water over the flour mixture all at once and stir the dough with a fork until it starts to form one big clump.

Flour your hands. Using your hands, begin to mix the dough, trying to get all the flour into the mixture to form a ball. NOTE: You want to mix this well, but you do NOT want to knead it. Kneading it will make for a heavy Fry Bread when cooked. The inside of the dough ball should still be sticky after it is formed, while the outside will be well floured.

Cut the dough into four (4) pieces. Using your floured hands, shape, stretch, pat, and form a disk of about 5 to 7 inches in diameter. NOTE: Don’t worry about it being round. As Grandma Felipa would say “it doesn’t roll into your mouth.”

Heat the vegetable oil to about 350 degrees F. NOTE: You can check by either dropping a small piece of dough in the hot oil and seeing if it begins to fry, or by dipping the end of a wooden spoon in and seeing if that bubbles. Your oil should be about 1-inch deep in a large cast-iron skillet or other large fryer.

Take the formed dough and gently place it into the oil, being careful not to splatter the hot oil. Press down on the dough as it fries so the top is submersed into the hot oil. Fry until brown, and then flip to fry the other side. Each side will take about 3 to 4 minutes.

Indian Fry Bread can be kept warm in a 200 degree F. oven for up to 1 hour. They refrigerate well and can be reheated in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Salsa, salsa, salsa!!

This past Saturday I threw a baby shower for my friend Cristina. She loves puffy tacos, so I decided to make a puffy taco bar. I went to a local tortilla place and got fresh masa & pressed it into tortillas and then fried them (Jill & Hannah did the frying, they're pros!). I cooked a whole chicken, deboned it and then put it in a crock pot with 1 can of green enchilada sauce and 1 can of red enchilada sauce. I cooked ground beef with onions and a can of diced tomatoes and garlic and then seasoned it with cumin, chili powder and salt. I served my favorite Mahatma Spanish rice. I took a can of ranch style beans and doctored them up with sauteed bacon and onion, a can of sliced jalapenos and a can of diced tomatoes. Then I had a bunch of sauces. I think my favorite of all the salsas was Sara's Salsa from allrecipes.com.

Spicy Bean Salsa




Submitted By: Susan Navarrete


"Also known as 'cowboy caviar', this twist on traditional salsa is enlivened with black beans, corn and black-eyed peas."
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and
drained
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Season with Italian-style salad dressing and garlic salt; mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.


Fresh Tomato Salsa



Submitted By: bluebayou

Ingredients:
3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup finely diced onion
5 serrano chiles, finely chopped (only needs 1, 5 is way too hot!)
add garlic to your liking

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, chili peppers, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Sarah's Salsa



Submitted By: EXODUSMOM

Ingredients:
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with
green chile peppers
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
3 drops hot pepper sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions:
1. In a blender, place diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, lemon juice, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, yellow onion, hot pepper sauce and garlic. Blend until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Creamy Cilantro Dressing
1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing
1 c. mayo
1 c. milk
½ bunch cilantro
2 tomatillos
½ serrano peppers with seeds removed

Blend in blender, let sit to thicken.

Chicken & Dumplings

I made this last week for dinner. I thought it was really good, but Matt thought it was just ok.

Chicken Stew with Dumplings


recipe image
Rated: rating
Submitted By: Elizabeth Durance
Photo By: davebuoy
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
Servings: 8
"My mother usually didn't care for dumplings. But she raved about this stew...dumplings and all. It's a down-home delicious meal that I make often for my family."
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs or legs
5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 pound new potatoes, quartered
3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, sliced

1 medium onion, cut into eighths
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas
DUMPLINGS:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Directions:
1. Place chicken and water in a 5-qt. Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender. Skim fat. Remove chicken from broth; allow to cool. Debone chicken and cut into chunks; return to broth. Add next nine ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and parsley. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into simmering stew. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the dumplings are tender.

Shakey's Mojo Potatoes

When I was younger my family lived in Japan for a few years. One of the things my sister and I really liked to do with our friends was to go to take the train to Machida where they had really cool shops where we would get ID bracelets made and we would have lunch at Shakey's Pizza. We learned to love the pizza with corn on it that the Japanese eat. We never got into the squid pizza though. One of my favorite things at Shakey's was their potatoes. I know a little weird for a pizza place, but so so good. I tried this recipe that I found online for Shakey's Mojo Potatoes. They're not really like Shakey's ones but they were a delicious potato side dish.

Shakey's Mojo Potatoes
http://greensboring.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=329
Ingredients:
3 Potatoes
1/2 crushed chicken bouillon cube
3/4 teaspoon of salt
pinch of pepper
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
1/4 teaspoon of thyme
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Breadcrumbs ** Optional (This adds the bread like texture, but not necessary)

Directions:
1. Press potatoes using potato press.
2. Place potatoes on plate and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
3. Salt and allow to sit for 5 minutes
4..In a bowl mix cayenne, paprika, pepper, thyme, garlic, bouillon & oil.
7.Add fries, and mix with tongs.
8.Place on baking sheet.
9.Very Lightly sprinkle with bread crumbs* (optional)
10.Bake in preheated oven at 425F for 8 minutes.
11.Turn over and sprinkle with bread crumbs* & bake for an additional 8 minutes.

Orange French Toast

I made this french toast with Challah bread that I got at Great Harvest. It was really really good. The orange zest is awesome. You have to be a little careful not to let all the orange pool at the bottom when you dip the bread or the last few will be really really orangy. The recipe is from allrecipes.com.

French Toast Stars
Ingredients:
8 thick slices white bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter
Directions:
1. Place a slice of bread on a cutting board. Align a star-shaped cookie cutter in the center of the slice. Push the cookie cutter through the bread, rocking it gently back and forth. Once the cookie cutter makes it all the way through bread, remove bread outside the cutter. Hold the cutter down on the bread during this step to prevent the star from tearing. Use a sharp knife to trim any bread that lingers outside the cookie cutter. Gently remove the star from the cutter and put aside. Repeat on all slices of bread.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, whipping cream, honey, salt, cinnamon, orange zest and vanilla extract.
3. In a griddle or frying pan, melt the butter over medium high heat.
4. Dip both sides of the stars in the egg mixture and carefully transfer to the hot griddle. Brown on both sides and transfer to a warm plate while remaining stars cook. Serve hot.

Classic Pancakes

This is a good classic pancake recipe from allrecipes.com. I made them for breakfast yesterday. For the syrup I got the idea from a recent throwdown with Bobby Flay on the food network. I melted 1/4 c butter with about 2 cups of real maple syrup and cooked it until it was all melted together. It was really good.


Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is my new favorite favorite favorite salad (yes, 3 favorites!). I'm sure many of you have had versions of this salad. It's has such great flavor! The first time I made it I loved it so much that I served it to friends 3 times that week, just so I could make them try it and so I could eat some more! It came from a fun book my mom gave me called The Essential Mormon Cookbook, by Julie Badger Jensen.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1/4 c sugar (I leave this out, I don't think it needs any extra sugar)
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (10-oz) package washed baby spinach greens
1 c sliced almonds, toasted
Honey Celery Seed Dressing

Lightly sprinkle strawberries with sugar and toss with spinach greens just before serving (I didn't do this. I just sliced the strawberries and put them in the salad. I think the dressing is sweet enough already). Top with desired amount of toasted almonds and dressing and serve.

Honey Celery Seed Dressing

3/4 c sugar
1/2 c honey
1 t paprika
1 t mustard
1 t grated onion
1/2 c lemon juice
1 c vegetable oil
1/2 t celery seed

Mix all ingredients except oil and celery seed in a blender. Gradually add oil and celery seed and continue blending. Keeps for 3 weeks.

Baby Oatmeal

My very very thoughtful older brother got me a book called Organic Baby & Toddler Cookbook a couple of years ago for Mother's Day. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9780789471901&ourl=Organic-Baby-and-Toddler-Cookbook%2FLizzie-Vann) I know, so thoughtful...sorry gals, he's engaged (he lucked out too, she's amazing!)! Sadly this book sat in my kitchen unused until now. I've always just bought baby food at the store. I'm really careful about only buying things that don't have additives & chemicals, but I just thought making the food would be so time consuming and stressful. Boy was I wrong! A couple of weeks ago I thought, I should try to make some of Ty's baby food. So I pulled out this book and read through some of the recipes & I was immediately hooked! I've been making his food ever since. It's been so nice to know exactly what he's eating & it's definitely a money saver surprisingly. My favorite recipes are for breakfast oatmeal. I must admit, after I made the first batch of oatmeal I told Ty, there's a strong possibility I will cry if you don't like this. :) No worries though, he loved it. I usually double or triple the recipe and save the rest for another meal. I will share one of the recipes with you.

Fruit Compote - Baby's First Christmas Oatmeal

1/3 c water
1/2 T oats
1/2 small apple, peeled, cored & finely chopped
1 peeled fresh apricot or 4 dried apricots finely chopped (I love adding dried apricots, figs, prunes & other dried fruit to the cereal)
1/2 dried fig chopped
pinch cinnamon
2 t golden raisins

Place all ingredients in a small band and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and then cover and simmer for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Puree the fruit mixture by pushing through a sieve or by using a blender (I use a blender). Add a little more water or a little juice if a thinner consistency is preferred.

When I have my next baby (I'm not announcing anything) I would love to get this thing, it looks awesome!

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/e203/index.cfm?clg=86

Ginger glazed Mahi Mahi

I made this recipe from allrecipes.com for dinner this week and it was really good. I served it with mashed sweet potatoes, roasted asparagus and roasted fresh beets topped with feta. I haven't had beets for years and years. I remember when I was little and one of my aunts made me eat beets at her house and I hated them. She made me eat a lot of them and I was not very happy about it. I was probably 6 or 7 at them time & ever since then I've hated them. I'm sure I've eaten them a few times since then to be polite, but they taste kind of like dirt to me. But I know they're really good for you, so I decided to find a recipe that would make me like them. I was watching Paula Deen a few weeks ago & she made a roasted beet salad where she topped the salad with feta. I love feta, so I thought I would try it. I just roasted the beets and asparagus together at 400 with some olive oil until tender & then topped the beets with some herbed feta &...I liked them! Yeah!

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi


recipe image
Rated: rating
Submitted By: DECODIANA
Photo By: Allrecipes
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 12 Minutes

Ready In: 37 Minutes
Servings: 4
"This Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi is bursting with flavor and combines both sweet and sour taste sensations. The 30 minute prep time includes 20 minutes to marinate. This recipe is a snap and so delicious. You'll love it!"
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions:
1. In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.
3. Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Excellent meatballs!

My new favorite show on the food network is Secrets of a Restaurant Chef with Chef Anne Burrell. She's also an assistant to Mario Batali on Iron Chef. I can't say enough great things about her. She has such a fun personality on her show. She makes me feel like I can cook like a restaurant chef! I saw her make these meatballs a few weeks ago and they looked so good, I knew I had to try them. I make pretty good meatballs, but they're not the best ever & I like to make things over and over until I feel like I have the best recipe ever! These were really really really good. The most surprising ingredient to me was the water. She said it would make the meatballs more moist and it definitely did that. I didn't use her marinara sauce, but I will next time when I have the ingredients, it looked delicious.

Excellent Meatballs

Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:
40 min
Inactive Prep Time:
hr min
Cook Time:
43 min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
18 to 20 meatballs

Ingredients

* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 large onion, 1/4-inch dice
* Salt
* 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
* Pinch crushed red pepper
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1/2 pound ground veal
* 1/2 pound ground pork
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup grated Parmigiano
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* 1 cup breadcrumbs
* 1/2 cup water
* Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and squish some more. Add the water and do 1 final really good squish. The mixture should be quite wet. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini hamburger size patty and cooking it. The mixture should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more. Add more anyway.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Shape the meat into desired size. Some people like 'em big some people like 'em small. I prefer meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. If using right away, add them to your big pot of marinara sauce. If not using right away, they can be frozen for later use. Serve with pasta and sauce or just eat them straight out of the pot! YUM!
Marinara Sauce:

* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 pound diced pancetta
* 2 large Spanish onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
* Kosher salt
* 4 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
* 4 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum San Marzano tomatoes

Coat a large saucepot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently.

Pass the tomatoes through the food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the pot and rinse out 1 of the empty tomato cans with water and add that water to the pot (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently.

Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days and freezes really well.

Yield: 2 quarts

Spaghetti Pie

This was a family favorite growing up. After I got married I made it one time when I had some left over spaghetti and Matt loved it! Spaghetti is not one of his favorite foods. He likes it ok, but doesn't love it, but he LOVES spaghetti pie. It's really easy to make and a nice way to use left overs. If I make this using left overs I don't make the red sauce in this recipe. I just use the meat sauce from the left overs.

Diana's Spaghetti Pie

6 oz spaghetti (cooked & drained)
1/3 c Parmesan cheese
1 lb hamburger (sometimes I dice up left over meatballs)
1 8 oz can tomatoes cut up
1 t sugar
1/2 t garlic cloves, crushed
2 T butter
2 well beaten eggs
1/2 c chopped onion
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 t oregano
1 c cottage cheese
1/2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

Stir butter, parmesan cheese and eggs into cooked and drained noodles in a bowl. Form this mixture into a crust in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. In skillet cook beef, add onions and garlic and cook until cooked through. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano and garlic salt. Heat through. Spread cottage cheese over the top of the spaghetti crust. Put meat mixture on top of cottage cheese. Bake at 350 uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake for 5 more minutes or until completely cooked through.

Candy Pops

Last year I made cupcake pops for Madeline's birthday (http://kerstinskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/maddies-birthday-cupcake-pops.html). They were really cute, but I didn't think they tasted like anything super special. So I decided to see if I could make them with a peanut butter truffle/buckeye thing I like to make & I think they turned out pretty cute. I just covered them with candy coating & put pre-made flowers on them that I found at Hobby Lobby today.

Peanut Butter Truffles/buckeyes modified

This is one of Matt's favorite things. I just took a recipe for buckeyes and modified it.

1/2 c butter, melted
1 1/2 c peanut butter
4 c powdered sugar

Combine all the ingredients. (I use my hands) Roll the mixture into 1/2 T balls. Refrigerate them for about an hour. Coat them with melted chocolate almond bark and let them set on parchment paper.

Thick Crust Pizza

We made this thick crust pizza last Friday & it was a big winner! It was crusty on the crust and soft and chewy in the middle. It's really good! I got the recipe from a blog called frugal girl. She has some beautiful pictures & great directions on her site if you want to check it out: http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/?p=1164

Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients

1 medium baking potato (about 9 ounces), peeled and quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 3/4 teaspoons table salt

tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and whatever toppings you desire

Heat 1 quart of water to boiling. Add the potato, and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until tender.

When potato is cool, grate on the large holes of a box grater. Measure 1 cup of lightly packed potato(save any extra for another purpose).

Combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, and salt in a mixer bowl.

Add warm water and two tablespoons oil(the rest is for oiling the pans), and beat for 1 minute. Add grated potato and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Add enough remaining flour to make a manageable dough.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Place dough in a bowl, cover with a wet tea towel, and let rise in a warm place for one hour.

Pour two tablespoons of oil into each of two round 9 inch cake pans. Tilt the pans to ensure even oil coverage.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Press each half into a 9 inch round, and gently place into the oiled pans. Cook’s says to let the dough rest for 10 minutes and then pat the dough up the sides of the pan. I have never been able to do this successfully(the oil makes the dough slide right back down!), but the pizzas have been fine. I always try(see below), but the dough just ends up looking sort of messy.

Cover the dough with a wet tea towel, and let it rise for 30 minutes, or until soft and puffy. Meanwhile, place a pizza stone on the lower rack of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can instead place a rimless baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven.

When the crusts have risen, poke them all over with a fork, and place them in the oven on top of the pizza stone or baking sheet, and bake for 5-10 minutes(I usually do 10 minutes), or until lightly browned. This will help the dough to develop some structure so that the toppings won’t make it fall and go flat.

Take the pizzas out of the oven and add tomato sauce, cheese, and desired toppings. Bake on pizza stone or inverted baking sheet for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese melts. I sometimes move the pizza stone to the middle rack of the oven for this, because I have problems with my crust getting too brown if I leave it near the bottom of the oven(my oven tends to be hotter at the bottom than at the top).

Move the pizzas to the top rack of the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese turns spotty brown. Use a knife to loosen the pizzas from the pans, and turn out onto a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

Garlic Chicken & BBQ fries

I made this chicken from allrecipes.com for dinner last night. I seriously can't tell you what amazing aromas were going all throughout my house as the chicken was cooking. It smelled like pure deliciousness! Matt was outside reading a book and he came in and said I can smell that from outside, it smells awesome! I forgot to take a picture of the BBQ fries. They were seriously gobbled up so fast. I've made these fries many times since my sister-in-law Laura gave it to me awhile ago. It's one of our favorite potato recipes.

The only change I made on the chicken recipe is that I cut the breasts in half thickness wise and then pounded out each half. Then I grated the cheddar and mixed it together with the cream cheese. Then I spread the cream cheese cheddar mixture all over the chicken & roll it up.

Garlic-Lemon Double Stuffed Chicken


oil, for greasing pan
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into
1/2 inch slices
1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese, cut
into 1/2 inch slices
1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese (I used parmesan)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a large, shallow baking dish with oil.
2. Butterfly each breast by slicing in half horizontally through the center, cutting almost but not completely through. Place one slice each of Cheddar and cream cheese in the center of each breast. Close again as if placing between the pages of a book. Set aside.
3. Pour milk into a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs and Romano cheese. Carefully dip each breast first in milk, then in breadcrumb mixture, patting lightly to firmly coat. Place breasts side by side in a single layer in pre-oiled baking dish, tucking edges under to seal.
4. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in lemon juice and garlic, and drizzle evenly over chicken. Season breasts with garlic salt and paprika, if using.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

Barbecue Fries

4 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons barbecue sauce (we use Rudy's BBQ sauce)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
6 to 8 potatoes cut lenthwise into wedges or strips


Heat oven to 450. Use cooking spray to coat a large, rimmed baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, the barbecue sauce, black pepper, paprika, cumin and garlic salt. Add the cut potatoes to the bowl and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes in a singe layer on the prepared sheet. Bake, turning once, until golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

BYU Brownies

I was looking for something fun to make for St. Patrick's Day for Madeline's nursery leaders when I came across this recipe for these BYU mint brownies. They turned out really good. Matt said the brownies at BYU are thinner, maybe only an inch or so. These were thicker, but still good. Of course, I've never eaten one of these at BYU, so I can't really compare them. I will have to try them next time we're in Utah.


BYU Brownie

http://alumni.byu.edu/about/traditions/brownies.cfm
MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)
MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

(For the chocolate frosting on top I just did a ganache. I boiled 1 cup of heavy cream and poured the cream over 1 1/2 c choco chips and stirred until glossy, let it cool a little & then poured it over the top of the cooled mint frosting.)

Egg Enchiladas

A couple of months ago Matt and I went to one of our favorite local places called Grumpy's and had some Egg Enchiladas. They were SO SO good. I decided to re-create them for breakfast for our anniversary last week. I think they're a really good match for the one's at Grumpys. I will be making them many more times!

Egg Enchiladas

6 corn tortillas
8 eggs, scrambled
1 c cheddar cheese, grated
Kerstin's Ranchero Sauce (recipe below) (Ranchero Sauce is like a combination of salsa and enchilada sauce)

Preheat oven to 350. Put tortillas in a paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Roll some of the scrambled eggs into the tortillas and put side by side in a small casserole pan. Once they're all rolled, top with ranchero sauce and cheese and bake until bubbly (about 15 minutes). I served this with hashbrowns, bacon and fruit.

Ranchero Sauce

2 T olive oil
1/2 c diced yellow onion
1/2 c diced multi-colored bell peppers
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t cumin
1-2 t chili powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 can rotel
2 c vegetable broth
1 small can tomato paste

Saute the onion, peppers and garlic in olive oil. When the veggies are soft add the cumin and chili powder to taste. Add can of rotel and let the mixture simmer for a couple of minutes. Add vegetable broth and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and let the mixture simmer until thick and creamy. Taste and add garlic powder, salt, cumin, or chili powder to your liking.

Good-bye Party

One of Matt's friends and co-workers is moving to Rackspace's London office, so we had a little good-bye dinner for them at our house. We're sad to see them go. Their beautiful daughter is close to Ty's age, they had a fun time playing together at the party. We had some yummy food. I made beef tenderloin, salmon, duchess potatoes, salad, nutela cheesecake (already on the blog) and a double chocolate trifle.

Beef Tenderloin With Roasted Shallots



Submitted By: Christine L.


Ready In: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
3/4 pound shallots, halved lengthwise and
peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups beef broth
3/4 cup port wine
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 pounds beef tenderloin roast, trimmed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 sprigs watercress, for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In 9 inch pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
2. In a large saucepan, combine beef broth and port. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. Set aside.
3. Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove top, saute bacon until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium high heat, about 7 minutes.
4. Transfer pan to oven. Roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125 degrees F (50 degrees C) for medium rare, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil.
5. Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place pan over high heat on stove top. Add broth mixture, and bring to boil; stir to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium saucepan, and bring to simmer. Mix 1 1/2 tablespoon butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth mixture, and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cut beef into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon some sauce over, and garnish with watercress.

(Note: I pureed all the gravy ingredients in the blender and then used a mesh colander to get all the big chunks out and it was perfect.)

Alaska Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch Coating
Submitted By: Christine L.
*****


INGREDIENTS:

* 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 3 tablespoons butter, melted
* 5 teaspoons honey
* 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
* 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
* 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
* 6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
* salt and pepper to taste
* 6 lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
2. Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.
3. Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad


(This is the highest rated green salad recipe on allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite
-size pieces
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.



DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TRIFLE PIE – Diane Larsen

3-1/4 cups heavy cream, divided

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped

4 oz. white chocolate baking bar, chopped

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Assorted cookies and/or lady fingers

Fresh raspberries

Jam glaze

Microwave ½ cup cream at high 30 seconds until hot, but do not boil. Pour hot cream over bittersweet chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Repeat procedure but use ¼ cup cream and white chocolate (in a separate bowl). Stir ½ tsp. vanilla into each chocolate mixture. Cool 20 minutes.

Let 2-1/2 cups cream stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Beat 1-1/2 cups cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold ¼ of whipped cream into the bittersweet chocolate. Repeat procedure with remaining whipped cream.

Beat remaining 1 cup cream and fold into white chocolate, using same procedure as above.

Crush 6-7 cookies to equal ½ cup crumbs. Sprinkle on bottom of lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Spread half of the bittersweet chocolate over crushed cookies. Arrange other cookies around sides of the pan. Spread white chocolate mixture over bittersweet layer. Spread remaining bittersweet chocolate on top layer. Cover and chill 8-24 hours. Remove sides from pan, mound with raspberries and drizzle with glaze.

Glaze: Heat 3 Tbsp. fruit jam in microwave about 20-25 seconds. Stir til smooth, drizzle over trifle pie.
(Note: Instead of doing fresh berries and jam, I cooked a bag of frozen raspberries with about 1/2 c sugar and simmered it until it was a nice thick consistency. Then you have to cool it completely and then spread it on the top of the trifle.)

Mini-heart attacks

This is my Aunt Kim's recipe. She calls these mini-heart attacks. I've made them tons of times for brunch and showers. They're super super easy and always a hit. I just made them yesterday for a primary inservice meeting.

Cream cheese stuffed biscuits



16 oz cream cheese

1 c cheddar cheese, shredded

½ c green onions diced

½ c ham diced

4 tubes jumbo flaky biscuits



Mix the first 4 ingredients until well mixed. Spray a muffin tin with Pam. Put half of a flaky biscuit in the bottom of each muffin tin. Put a 1-2 T dollop of cream cheese mixture on the biscuit half. Poke a hole through the other half of the biscuit. Put the top half on top of the cream cheese dollop. Make sure you seal the sides of the biscuit so the cream cheese mixture doesn't come out. Bake according to the directions on the biscuit tube.

Aloha Chicken and Cabbage Salad

My friend the Schoen's gave me the Aloha Chicken recipe a long time ago. It's SO SO good. This time I cooked bone in thighs. The cabbage salad is one my mom's been making for a long time. This time I put half cabbage and half spring mix. It turned out great.

Aloha Chicken

2 c Aloha Soy Sauce (any Hawaiian brand soy sauce will work.
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (it really needs to be thighs)
1 c sugar
1 T garlic, minced
2 t ginger, minced

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 45 mins. I put mine in a crock pot on low for about 6-7 hours.

Ramen – Cabbage Salad



1 head cabbage shredded (I like to use a mixture of green cabbage & red just for color)

4 T almonds slivered 4 green onions sliced

1 T sesame seeds 2 pkgs ramen noodles (I use either beef or oriental)

½ c oil 4 T sugar

1 t pepper 1/3 c rice vinegar

2 t salt



Shred cabbage (or better yet buy pre-shredded) and toss with onions. Roast seeds and nuts in the oven for a few minutes. Crumble the ramen noodles and set them aside. Combine the oil, sugar, pepper, salt, vinegar and ramen seasoning packet. Put all the ingredients together and add dressing just before serving. Toss.