Recipes for Friends

Tilapia in Spicy Tomato Broth

2012-01-11T17:56:00.003-07:00

I was a little iffy trying this one but I was surprised at how tasty it was. I will make it again!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 14.5 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 lemon juiced
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper
4 tilapia fillets

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Transfer the onion to a slow cooker and add the tomatoes, broth, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir and cover. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Add the fish to the sauce and cover and cook for another hour or until fish flakes easily.

*The settings on my slow cooker are Keep Warm, Low and High. I kept it on low the whole time. Just make sure it gets hot enough, but not super bubbly and burning.

Lime Cilantro Chicken

2012-01-11T17:49:00.003-07:00

a few tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1 lime juiced
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add the orange and lime juices and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro, salt and pepper. Set chicken in a baking dish and pour marinade over chicken. Marinate for anywhere from one hour to 24 hours. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes depending on how thick chicken is and/or altitude. I served this with sweet potato fries and steamed brocoli and cauliflower. Such a great dinner!

Honey-Mustard Salmon

2011-11-21T20:15:00.003-07:00

Celebrating my 100th post! It's a good one too, you must try it!

2 salmon fillets, I always get boneless and skinless
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
olive oil

In a small bowl combine butter and brown sugar, microwave a few seconds til blended together. Add in brown sugar, dijon mustard, soy sauce and honey. Whisk til smooth. In a skillet, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add in salmon fillets, lightly brown each side for a few minutes. Transfer into an olive oiled baking dish and bake at 400 10-15 minutes or until they flake easy with a fork but before white solids start to form on top of salmon. I personally like my salmon a little more dried out and less fishy tasting so I over cook mine.
Once plated, brush on honey mustard sauce. I served this with asparagus and rice.

Chicken, Brocoli Potato Bake

2011-11-17T10:33:00.002-07:00

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 cup Italian Dressing
1 tub 10oz original Philadelphia Cooking Creme
1/2 cup milk
4-5 small russett potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen brocoli florets
1-2 cups Kraft shredded Triple Cheddar with a touch of Philadelphia....(yum)
salt & pepper

Put chicken is a shallow dish with Italian dressing, set in fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
In a large bowl mix milk and cooking creme, stir in potatoes, half of the desired amount of cheese and brocoli.
Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Set chicken on top, throw away remaining marinade. Salt and pepper it up and bake covered at 375 for an hour or so until potatoes are soft. Top with remaining desired amount of cheese and bake until melted.

Tasty, warm and creamy!

Chili-Mango Chicken over Rice

2011-11-15T18:11:00.003-07:00

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp red onion chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 mango peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
black pepper to taste

--Combine the chicken pieces, cornstarch, soy sauce and sesame oil in mixing bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
--In a wok or large skillet, heat the peanut oil on high. Add the onion and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the peas and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken with its marinade and stir fry until it begins to brown.
--Add the mango, chili garlic sauce, and pepper. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked through and the mango becomes saucy, about 1 minute more.

Serve with rice.

Herb Crusted Tilapia

2011-11-15T17:59:00.002-07:00

4 Tilapia fillets
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl mix all ingredients then spread out on plate. Dab each side of each fillet on plate. Heat 2-3 tbs olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, when hot add fillets. Flip when golden brown. Fillets are done when they flake easily with a fork. 5-7 minutes.

Serve with a wedge of lemon

Garlicy Green Beans

2011-11-15T17:00:00.003-07:00

8oz fresh green beans
1 cup corn kernels
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

In saucepan bring 1 inch water to a boil, add green beans and corn kernels for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Drain and transfer to a bowl, add olive oil, dijon mustard, zest and lemon juice, garlic and cilantro.

Perfect side dish to fish!

Chocolate Haystacks

2011-09-12T14:01:00.003-06:00

These little yummy chocolate peanut butter haystacks are addicting. I did not attach a picture and you'll know why when you make them.

2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
2 cups broken pretzel sticks
2 cups marshmallows
1 cup lightly salted peanuts
(m&m's would probably be really good too)

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together. Add pretzel sticks, marshmallows and peanuts. Stir until well coated.

Scoop out 1/4 cup haystacks on wax paper lined cookie sheet and keep in fridge until you eat them all!

Payton's Favorite Chicken Salad Pasta

2011-08-30T18:37:00.004-06:00

1 5oz can Organic White Chicken in water

6-8 oz Bowtie pasta

1 can black olives (whole or sliced)

handful of grape tomatoes, sliced

1/2 a cucumber, diced

1/2 cup Mayo with olive oil

2 Tbs Italian dressing

Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Cook pasta til tender, drain and rinse with cold water

In a medium bowl add mayo, a pinch of italian seasoning, salt and pepper, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers, stir. Once pasta is cold toss it in and mix.

I served it with cracked pepper and olive oil Triscuit crackers.

Beef & Cheese Stuffed Shells

2011-08-26T15:48:00.004-06:00

Well a ways down there is another Stuffed Shells recipe, and I still had half the box of Jumbo Shells leftover so I had to use them and so I threw this together. I liked this one even better!

1 lb ground beef
Jumbo shells, about 24-30
1 15oz Ricotta cheese
1 14oz Hunts Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 14oz Tomato Sauce
1 package shredded Parmesan cheese
olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic salt, Italian seasoning

--In the pot of water for pasta drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle in some italian seasoning and garlic salt. Cook shells til soft. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle.

--Brown beef in skillet also with a little italian seasoning and garlic salt.
In a sauce pan pour in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, a tbs olive oil, garlic salt and italian seasoning. Simmer for a few minutes.

--In a large bowl combine ricotta, beef, handful parmessan cheese, and 1/2 the tomato mixture.

--In a 8x8 baking dish pour in a little tomato mixture in the bottom. Stuff each shell with beef mixture and arrange in dish. Top with remaining tomato mix then top with desired amount of parmesan.

Bake at 375 until sauce us bubbly and cheese is melted, 30-40 minutes.

Best Blueberry Muffins

2011-08-26T15:10:00.005-06:00

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup white sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup milk

1 egg

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and blueberries. Make a well in the middle. In a small bowl combine the butter, milk and egg. Pour into dry ingredients and gently stir until well moistened but don't over mix.

Makes about 30 mini muffins (9-12 minuutes) or 12 regular muffins (15 minutes) filling liners to 3/4 way full.

Bake at 350 until toothpick comes out clean and golden brown

Super moist and fluffy!

The Perfect Chicken Salad Sandwich

2011-08-25T17:07:00.003-06:00

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, skin removed

1/2 cup diced celery

1/3 cup diced carrots

1/3 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup mayo with olive oil

2 tbs mustard

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp garlic salt

pinch of paprika

freshly ground black pepper

lettuce and tomato for topping

Combine the chicken, celery, carrot, red onion, mayo, mustard, celery salt, garlic salt, paprika and pepper in a bowl. Mix well.

I served on fresh croissants from the bakery. Best chicken salad sandwich I've ever had!

Strawberry Peach Crumble

2011-08-25T14:35:00.003-06:00

1 pound strawberries, halved or quartered depending on size

1 pound yellow peaches, sliced (I used frozen)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, chilled and cut into 1/2" cubes

For the filling: In a medium bowl mix lemon juice and flower until smooth. Add peaches, strawberries and brown sugar. Mix until coated well. Pour into a buttered 8x8 glass baking dish.

For the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, pulse until mixed, add cubes of butter and pulse until butter is pea sized. Crumble over fruit mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and crumble is golden brown.

Shrimp Orzo with Summer Veggies

2011-08-25T14:09:00.004-06:00

Awesome summer dish!

8 oz Orzo pasta

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons Classico Pesto

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 pound small or medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed and cooked

1 large tomato

Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons vinegar together. Chop up veggies and add to olive oil and vinegar mix, let set for up to 2 hours. Mix pesto, lime juice, and remaining olive oil and vinegar, add shrimp and let set for up to 2 hours. Cook pasta in boiling salted water. Rinse with cold water and drain. If shrimp is already cooked then add the shrimp and veggies in a saucepan together over medium heat until shrimp and veggies are steamy, 10-15 minutes.

Spread pasta out in a large bowl or serving dish, top with the shrimp and veggies. I also made more of the pesto marinade for serving. Chop up tomato and sprinkle on top.

This can be served hot, room temp or even cold. We did warm and it was fantastic. Even great as leftovers.

Chocolate Banana Bundles

2011-08-24T17:23:00.005-06:00

2 Tbs butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 ripe bananas halved lengthwise

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

chocolate syrup and vanilla icecream for topping

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar until blended. Add bananas, stir to coat. Remove from heat and set aside.

Unfold puff pastry. Cut into four rectangles. Place halved banana in the center of each one. Overlap two opposite corners of pastry over banana. Pinch tightly to seal. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Serve warm with vanilla icecream.

Yummy chocolatey fruity dessert!

Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Shells

2011-05-27T12:31:00.004-06:00

20 Jumbo Shells, cooked and drained

1/2 pound ground sausage

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use Bertoli Organic Olive oil, Basil & Garlic)

2 cups chopped broccoli

15oz Ricotta cheese

1 cup Mozzarella cheese

1/4 Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

garlic salt and onion powder to taste

Cook shells accordingly

Brown sausage

In a large bowl mix all cheeses, broccoli and seasonings. Add sausage. Stir well. Drain shells, rinse with cold water to you can touch them. Pour 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce into 9x13 dish. Stuff each shell with mixture. Set in dish. Pour the remaining spaghetti sauce over shells. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

This is quite good, I might try a different vegetable next time.

Peanut Butter Puffs

2011-05-25T13:51:00.003-06:00

Perfect little kid snack and fairly healthy

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup honey and 2 Tbs brown sugar. Heat and stir until just boiling and brown sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, stir until smooth. Then add 1 3/4 cup rice krispies and stir until evenly coated. Set aside to cool. Then scoop out and form into small balls. Let stand on wax paper in fridge for a few minutes then store in airtight container at room temp.

Fiesta Salsa Dip

2011-05-19T16:38:00.003-06:00

So when I throw something together, I don't measure anything out. So I was really wanting a good salsa dip one afternoon and used everything I had on hand to come up with this...

2 tomatoes
2 avacados
1/2 red onion (I only had half, it could use the whole thing)
1 jalepeno, cleaned (2 wouldn't be a bad idea)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup corn
4 garlic cloves
handful cilantro
juice of 1 lemon
a few Tbs olive oil
salt&pepper
garlic salt

Chop, dice, mince whatever you gotta do, throw it all together in a big bowl and stir together. Serve with tortilla chips. Hit the spot!

Creamy Italian Chicken Orzo

2011-03-31T18:38:00.006-06:00

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks 1 zucchini, chopped 1 10oz tub Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb cooking creme 1 can diced tomatoes 2 cups hot cooked orzo pasta

Cook chicken and zucchini in large skillet on medium heat until chicken is done. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooking creme and tomatoes, cook and stir for a couple minutes. Serve over pasta.

Santa Fe Mexican Pie

2011-03-31T17:37:00.009-06:00

1 lb ground beef

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed

1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup frozen corn

2 green onions, sliced

1 10oz tub Philadelphia Santa Fe cooking creme, divided

3 flour tortillas, 6inch

3/4 cup Mexican Style shredded cheese

In large bowl, combine browned beef, black beans, tomatoes, corn and green onions. Add 3/4 cup cooking creme, mix lightly. Spoon 1/3 of mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Top with 1 tortilla, half the remaining beef mixture and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Cover with second tortilla, remaining beef mixture, 1/4 cup shredded cheese and remaining tortilla. Top with remaining cooking creme and shredded cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Asparagus Cream Pastry

2011-03-31T17:25:00.003-06:00

Great new & delicious appetizer!

1 8oz package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tbs lemon juice

pinch of basil

1 lb fresh asparagus

Olive oil for drizzling

In small bowl combine cream cheese, parmesan, lemon juice and basil. Unfold puff pastry sheet on greased baking sheet. Cut into 6 rectangles. Spread cream cheese mixture on each pastry. Trim asparagus to be a bit shorter than pastry, alternating directions of spears, place 4-5 on each pastry. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with shaved parmesan.

*I served this with Tomato & Basil soup.

Lasagna Casserole

2011-03-18T11:13:00.002-06:00

Got this delicious new idea for lasagna from a friend Jennifer. You must try this one out!

1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
1 pound medium shell pasta, cooked and drained
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 24oz carton small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs dried parsley flakes
1 jar spaghetti sauce

1.) In a skillet cook beef and onion, drain. Season with salt and pepper

2.) In a large bowl mix pasta, 3 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper

3.) Pour into greased large casserole dish, top with beef mixture, then spaghetti sauce. This will make a lot, so either put into 2 pans and freeze one, or a huge casserole dish.

4.) Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella and bake for another 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Great with french or garlic bread and salad.

Enjoy!

Lemon Broccoli Chicken over Rice

2011-03-14T07:40:00.005-06:00

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup uncooked rice

10oz tub Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme

1 tsp lemon zest

In a skillet over medium heat, put in 1 Tbs olive oil, add your chicken strips, season with garlic salt, onion powder, and lemon pepper seasoning. Stirring often while cooking.

Start cooking your rice according to package.

When chicken is done, add broccoli, and cooking creme, stir together, let set for 2 minutes, add lemon zest.

Serve over rice.

I went to one of those Philadelphia Home cooking shows and picked up this yummy recipe. Those new cooking creme's are pretty easy and good to cook with.

Mexican Casserole

2011-02-01T14:40:00.002-07:00

1 pound ground hamburger
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 can Mexicorn
1 4oz can chopped green chiles
1 10oz package corn chips
1 14oz can enchilada sauce
1-2 cups shredded cheese

In a skillet, brown hamburger and onion over medium heat, drain grease, add corn and green chiles. In an ungreased shallow 3qt baking dish, layer meat mixture, corn chips, and enchilada sauce, top with cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.

~Dirt Dessert~

2010-11-28T21:08:00.002-07:00

My husband has been asking me to make this for a couple years now, and I just now made it for his birthday dessert. Recipe from a good friend Lyn!

Process 1 package Oreo cookies in food processor until crumbs, set aside
Mix 2 small packages instant vanilla pudding, according to directions, set aside

Beat 2 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz softened cream cheese
Fold in 8 oz Cool Whip and the prepared pudding

In a trifle dish, layer crumbs then cream cheese mixture. Top with gummy worms if desired.

Very sweet!

Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2010-10-20T16:33:00.002-06:00

I love Fall, the leaves the colors and the cool breeze, and nothing says Fall more than a hot pot of soup on the stove, so I decided to start a little family tradition of Soup Saturday in our home for Fall and Winter. This was last weekends.

Panera Breads Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cupschicken stock or bouillon
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux). Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in small batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve

Very good tasting warm soup! Only thing is make sure you transfer small batches into the blender. Mine was only a little over halfway full and it blew the lid off as I was holding it down and blew soup all over my cupboards! I served it with warm french bread.

Spicy Beefy Enchiladas

2010-10-07T18:01:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite things to make!

1.5 pounds lean hamburger
6 large tortillas
2 10oz cans Old El Paso enchilada sauce, I use medium
1 4oz can Ortega diced jalapenos, use half, you can use green chiles if you want less spicy
1/4 yellow onion, diced
around 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

-brown hamburger with diced onion and jalapenos
-heat up tortillas in microwave for about 20 seconds, they are easier to roll warm
-set cheese in a bowl, (easy to get to)
-dump enchilada sauce into a pie plate, or wide shallow dish
-set out 9x13 baking dish
-set up line cause once you start rolling it gets messy
--slap both sides of each tortilla in the sauce
--load it with a few spoonfuls of beef and then cheese
--roll it up and do another
--dump remaining sauce over enchiladas
--top with desired amount of cheese

Bake at 375 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly!

This last time I added some spinach in each enchilada and it was really good! I had some frozen spinach, pulled out about 1 cup, let it thaw, then added a little to each one. One of those things where you are getting a serving of vegetables without knowing it!

*Forgot to take a picture before digging in, but they looked amazing!

Salmon Rice Casserole

2010-10-06T20:12:00.005-06:00

Salmon is an odd one to have in a casserole but I make this same casserole with Tuna, and since my husband loves salmon so much I thought I might try it. Pretty tasty!

1 skinless salmon fillet
1 cup uncooked rice
1 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow squash
1/2 zucchini
some shredded cheese

I seasoned the salmon fillet with lemon pepper, garlic salt and some pampered chef citrus and basil, then pan seared it for about 7-8 minutes on each side on medium heat. I don't like fishy oily salmon so I overcook it a little so it's blackened on both sides. Once done flake apart with fork.
Cook rice accordingly
Clean and chop veggies

Mix together in casserole dish, top with shredded cheddar if desired
Bake at 350 for 20-25

Cupboard Pasta

2010-10-06T13:50:00.004-06:00

My husband texted me and asked whats for lunch, ha..I replied with good question. Hadn't had time to make a grocery run that week yet so I threw together this. More of an inspiration recipe for last minute throw togethers.

Had a little bowtie pasta, enough for two
1 can SW Ready-Cut Tomatoes with garlic and oregano, not drained
1 can organic white chicken chunks in water, drain
1 mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1/2 of a zucchini diced up

Cook pasta, drain, put back in pot on med-low heat, add tomatoes, mushroom and zucchini. Let heat up long enough so zucchini isn't crunchy, 10 minutes.
Had really good flavors!

Spring Salad

2010-07-26T11:29:00.002-06:00

I know everyone knows how to throw a salad together, but I always like to find new things to add to salad. Here is my favorite salad right now:

spring salad mix, alfalfa sprouts, avacado, cucumber, red onion topped with salt and pepper and a few sugar snap peas and strawberries on the side.

Chocolate Trifle

2010-07-23T09:21:00.002-06:00

Decided I better try out my new trifle bowl! Found this recipe at allrecipes.com

1 package brownie mix
1 3.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 12 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 chocolate candy bar

~Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
~In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 oz whipped topping until there are no streaks
~In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving

Pampered Chef

2010-07-22T11:59:00.003-06:00

So I just hosted a pampered chef party and got so many new things to add to my kitchen and cooking/baking experience. Love new kitchen stuff!

3 piece stainless steel mixing bowls, with lids
Trifle dish- can't wait to make a trifle dessert
Food chopper, I will use to make Payton's baby food
Green color coated Chef's knife and Utility knife with blade covers
Handy scraper, to scrape things off the cutting board
Master Scraper silicone spatula
Citrus & Basil Rub, Chipotle Rub, Smokey Barbecue Rub and Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle
Chef's Tongs
Mix & Chop, good to brown hamburger with
I also got a bbq grill cleaning brush and metal skewer set
Ohh and I forgot to add the wonderful wine bottle opener to the picture, I've had a little crappy one for way too long (Its the one you gave to me Jessie)

All for $70! I had great sales so great discounts!
Love it all!

Lemon Basil Chicken with Italian Potatoes

2010-07-10T17:19:00.004-06:00

A friend gave me some fresh lemon basil that she grew in her garden....it smelled amazing! Not really knowing what to do with it I experimented and it was pretty tasty.

--Lemon Basil Chicken--
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup sun dried tomato basil olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon basil, chopped
lemon pepper seasoning

In a deep baking dish pour in olive oil
Add half of chopped lemon basil
Set the chicken in, then turn them over so both sides get oiled
Season with the remaining lemon basil and lemon pepper seasoning

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Overcooking will dry out the chicken.

--Italian Potatoes--
Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet, dice 4 red potatoes and rub around in olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and garlic salt, bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes until fork tender.
Once done, dump in bowl and add a squirt of italian dressing and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Stir and serve.

Vegetable Kabobs

2010-07-09T08:41:00.004-06:00

I started working for this catering company every once in a while on weekends and we made these for a wedding. Although I didn't get to try them that day, I scurried to the store and bought everything to make them myself.

If you have metal skewers, great, if not you can buy the cheap wooden ones that need to soak in water for at least 24 hours. Or my dad made some out of metal hangers.

You can obviously use whatever veggies appeal to you that day in the store or:

1 orange bell pepper
2 mushrooms
1 zucchini
1 red onion
red bell pepper and yellow squash are great with this too

You will need a little dish with some melted butter or olive oil. A basting brush. And a little bowl with salt and pepper mixed.

Chop veggies up in chunks, and slide them on the skewers
Once you set it on the grill baste the skewer with butter and then sprinkle some spepper on it.
When veggies are getting a little black, soft smokey they are ready to flip, baste and sprinkle.

awesome blossom-blooming onion remake

2010-06-21T11:37:00.004-06:00

This hit the spot goodness is from my mother in law Lou

Take one very large onion, peel, place on two sheets of tin foil, take a knife and cut 3/4of the way into the onion from the top, cut three different ways to split it up. Take a couple tablespoons of butter and rub it all around the outside and top of the onion. Dump a bunch of soy sauce down the center of the onion, you want the onion swimming in soy sauce. Wrap the tin foil up and around the onion. Place on grill for about 30 minutes. Dump in bowl and flake apart with fork.
*Great tasting easy grilling!

~the dip that gives you hips~

2010-06-21T11:28:00.004-06:00

This amazing comfort food dip came from my good friend Angela

2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 4oz can green chiles, use half
2 jalapeno peppers, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup bacon bits
shredded cheddar cheese for topping

--Mix all together in large bowl and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes
--Top with cheddar and serve with tortilla chips

Mmmmhh....

Veggie & Beef StirFry

2010-06-14T08:26:00.002-06:00

1 pound sirloin steak
1 red bell pepper
1 zucchini
1 bundle asparagus
1-2 carrots
1/2 yellow onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons Italian dressing
garlic salt
onion salt
onion powder
freshly ground black pepper

--it is easiest to cut steak when still partially frozen
--cut steak into thin strips, place in a good marinating dish/bowl
--dump in good amounts of the soy sauce, pepper, onion salt and garlic salt
--it is best to marinate for 24 hours but 6 or so will be just fine, stir and add more seasonings every few hours
--wash, peel, clean, cut, chop, mince, thinly slice all veggies
--in a large saute pan or wok brown meat on medium heat with marinade juices
--the beef will not stay tender if you cook over a high heat
--after meat is browned, add veggies to pan with beef
--cover and let steam, 15 minutes, carrots will take the longest
--when done you can stir in 1-2 tablespoons Italian dressing for more flavor

Quick, simple and tasty!

Italian Meatballs

2010-06-11T08:00:00.003-06:00

I love love love spaghetti and my husband not so much, but he does if I make meatballs so this is my Italian Meatball recipe

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large egg
3/4 cup Progresso Italian Style bread crumbs
tiny pinch dried rosemary
freshly ground black pepper
salt
Pam Organic Olive Oil spray

Oven to 400

In a large bowl- lightly beat egg, add burger, bread crumbs, onion, garlic and seasonings
Mix well
Spray baking sheet with Pam
Mold meatballs and place on sheet
Bake for 13-15 minutes
Slice the thickest one open and check for pinkness

Make your noodles and sauce however you like!

PoRky'S cHoPs

2010-06-09T08:21:00.005-06:00

2 pork chops
Worcestershire sauce
McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning
onion powder
garlic salt

--place pork chops in a greased baking dish
--cover both sides with lots of Worcestershire and seasonings
--let marinate in fridge for a couple hours, flipping once
--bake at 375 for 35 minutes (depending on thickness) flipping halfway through

*great juicy flavor*

Coconut Macaroons

2010-06-08T08:02:00.004-06:00

I made these for a Bridal Shower and they were a huge hit! Delicious and loved!
The beautiful bride Kelsey on the right!

3 cups sweetened & shredded coconut
3/4 sugar
5 egg whites, lightly beatened (foamy but not quite stiff)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
8oz semi-sweet Bakers chocolate

---combine coconut, sugar, egg whites, vanilla and almond extract in medium bowl
---refrigerate 30 minutes until cold
---preheat oven to 300
---line a baking sheet with parchment paper, mold coconut mixture into 16 small rounded domes
---place on the baking sheet
---bake until golden brown 30 minutes, broil last minute to get the perfect golden color
---melt chocolate (after shutting off the oven but while it is still warm, we put the chocolate squares in a glass bowl and put them in the oven to melt)
---dip macaroon bottom in melted chocolate
---chill 1 hour in fridge

*sample and serve*

-parchement paper is not the same as wax paper, I learned this the hard way. They were just harder to pull off the wax paper after chilling :-)

Choc-Oat Cookies with Raw Honey

2010-05-28T14:01:00.009-06:00

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/4 cup raw honey
2 large eggs
2 tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
2 cups chocolate chips

--Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl
--In a large mixing bowl beat melted butter, brown sugar and raw honey til creamy
--add in eggs, milk and vanilla, beat
--gradually mix in flour mixture
--dump in oats and chips, stir together

preheat oven to 350, bake 11-12 minutes for soft & chewey, cool and serve
*makes around 2 dozen*

Pretzel Turtles

2010-05-24T07:38:00.017-06:00

Also for the baby boy shower I made these....big hit!

on a baking sheet lined with wax paper place a pretzel and then a rolo
bake at 350 for 2-4 minutes until chocolate is looking soft and glossy
remove from oven, push either m&m or pecan into the rolo, cool in fridge til chocolate is stiff
then make pretty with white chocolate (I use Bakers white chocolate)

I did green and blue m&m's for the baby shower, you can use whatever colors you want to coordinate with the party.
The colored ones are prettier but the pecan ones taste better!

the tiniest one is the pregnant one!

Pretty Party Punch

2010-05-24T07:24:00.006-06:00

I just hosted a baby shower for a Mops girlfriend that is having a baby boy and I made this terrific punch...

~2 liter 7up

~12oz lemonade concentrate, thawed

~1 orange

~1 lemon

~a few good looking strawberries

~in a large pitcher add ice, all of the 7up and about half of the lemonade concentrate, to taste

~leaving peel on, thinly slice orange and lemon

~remove top of strawberries and thinly slice them too, add fruit to punch

~Great taste for an easy punch!

Potato Salad Crunch

2010-05-18T12:44:00.004-06:00

3 large russett potatoes, peeled 1 inch cubes

2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

1 green bell pepper, cleaned and diced

1/4 yellow onion, chopped

1 stick celery, chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup mayo

1 tbs worchestershire

salt and pepper

--boil potatoes until a fork goes through one easily

--mix mayo, worchestershire, veggies and salt and pepper in large bowl

--run very cold water over potatoes until cold

--mix potatoes and eggs in with mixture

---chill in fridge for about 30 minutes

---top with green onions before serving

---the little bit of crunch is the best part!

Cork Board

2010-05-17T15:54:00.009-06:00

Finally...... Thanks to my cousin Jessie, my mother in law Lou, my friend Jennifer, and many glasses of wine myself- my cork board is finally complete....ahhhh!

Brie-Jam-Pastry

2010-05-17T15:41:00.004-06:00

My friend Mandy gave this wonderful recipe to me.....this is great with a glass of wine!

1 Pepperidge Farm Puff Pasty Sheet
Smuckers Raspberry Jam
1 wheel Brie cheese
Wheat Thins crackers

--let the puff pastry sheet and brie cheese soften on counter at room temp for about 3o minutes
--preheat oven to 350
--once you can mold the sheet without tearing it, open it up and lay it on an ungreased baking sheet
--cut excess white stuff off the brie
--cut the brie wheel in half the long way so you have two wheels
--spread jam between the two wheels and on the top of them, place on the puff pastry sheet
--mold puff pastry sheet around and over the brie
--bake for 20-30 minutes- checking often....mine often oozes jam

This is good for breakfast or appetizer with wine
Serve with wheat thins

all about the veggies

2010-05-16T11:04:00.004-06:00

this mixture is great for chips and dip or wraps....we used this with some cooked chopped chicken and rolled it up in a whole wheat tortilla for our picnic in Yellowstone. Worked perfectly!

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can corn, rinsed and drained
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 green bell peppers, cleaned and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 white vinegar
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tbs cumin
1/2 tbs pepper
1/2 tbs chili powder

I cooked 1 boneless skinless chicken breast in olive oil, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and onion powder, then chopped it up. Or serve with tortilla chips as a dip.

--this makes a huge portion

Spinach Mushroom Penne

2010-05-16T10:31:00.003-06:00

-a light meatless meal-

1 box Barilla penne
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 mushroom
1 jar Bertolli Organic Olive Oil and Garlic
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
crumbled feta cheese

cook penne according to package
steam or saute frozen spinach and sliced mushroom in olive oil, season with salt and pepper
mix cooked pasta, veggies and sauce together, let simmer a few minutes to get warm
serve sprinkled with feta cheese

Taco Salad

2010-05-07T12:27:00.004-06:00

1 pound lean ground beef
4 ounces hunts tomato sauce
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 leaves romaine, chopped
1 avocado, slice-peel-dice
salsa
sour cream
shredded cheddar
white corn tortilla chips

---brown meat in skillet over medium high heat
---season meat while browning, add tomato sauce
---everyone I know piles it diffently---
*makes 2 large salads*

Poppy Parfait

2010-05-07T09:04:00.002-06:00

--vanilla yogurt
--poppy seeds
--strawberries (you can also add blueberries, mango, blackberries, raspberries, banana....anything you like)
--squeeze fresh lemon juice

---layer in a glass---
*great simple dessert*

Fishtastic Tacos

2010-04-23T08:14:00.004-06:00

I've never made nor had fish tacos but these were soooo amazing! Just the perfect flavor and spice....I couldn't believe I created this!

2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Pam organic olive oil cooking spray
1 lemon
1-2 avocados, diced
3 romaine leaves, chopped
feta cheese, crumbled
Tabasco green chile sauce
4-6 tortillas (whole wheat, flour, corn)
2 Tilapia fillets (I think any white fish will do fine)

--Heat oven to 425
--mix seasonings together
--spray baking dish with Pam
--set fish in dish
--sprinkle fish with seasoning mixture
--bake at 425 for 17-20 minutes
--flake with fork
--warm up tortillas

Layer:
tortilla, fish, fresh lemon juice, avocado, feta cheese, romaine, tabasco

Roll up and savor....yuummmmmh

Lemon Pepper Salmon Salad

2010-04-21T13:36:00.005-06:00

---just tossed this together for lunch---

1 salmon fillet
1 avacado
1/2 cucumber
2 carrots
6-8 romaine leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon
lemon pepper seasoning
olive oil

--heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat
--rub lemon pepper seasoning on salmon fillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side (until blackened)
--peel, dice, slice, mince, chop the romaine, avacado, cucumber, carrots and garlic
--once salmon is cooked, flake with a fork, add to salad
--squeeze fresh lemon juice over salad
--salt and pepper to taste

--Serves 2
---Great Salad!!!

Spicy Chicken Chili

2010-04-12T21:24:00.005-06:00

My cousin Jessie made this up, and it is fantastic!

1 boneless skinless chicken breast(2 cups), cooked and shredded
2-3 cups chicken broth
1 can white navy beans, rinse and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup frozen corn
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
shredded cheddar for serving

--heat olive oil in large pot
--saute onion and green bell pepper
--add chicken broth, bring to a boil
--add seasonings, corn, navy beans, chicken
--simmer 20 minutes

*serve with shredded cheddar

Beefy Quesadillas

2010-04-11T18:35:00.003-06:00

~Fiesta~

olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 pound lean ground hamburger
salt and pepper
4 10" flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar
salsa and sour cream, for serving

--heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high
--add the minced garlic and chili powder, cook 2 minutes
--add beef, salt, pepper and taco seasoning, cook until browned
--heat large skillet over medium heat for tortillas
--rub olive oil on one side of tortilla and place oiled side down in skillet
--spread 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar on tortilla
--when cheese is melted, spoon beef mixture on half of tortilla
--fold tortilla into half-moon
--cook until quesadilla is crisp

Makes 4 quesadillas
Serve with salsa and sour cream

I made guacamole as a side
Enjoy!

Venison Bacon Beer Roast

2010-04-09T08:51:00.003-06:00

2 pound venison roast
1 guinness draught beer
4-6 slices bacon
salt
pepper
onion salt
garlic salt
oregano

--place roast in baking dish
--rub seasonings into roast
--lay bacon strips over roast and secure with toothpicks
--dump guinness in with roast
--cover tightly with tin foil

*Bake 350 for 2 1/2 hours, until no longer pink
(about an hour for each pound of meat)

Roasted Peppered Carrots

2010-04-08T15:18:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I always wrap stuff up in tin foil and throw it on the grill....well we are out of propane and haven't filled back up....SO

--I took some whole carrots, peeled, sliced in half and wrapped them up in tin foil with some olive oil, freshly ground pepper, salt and onion powder and roasted them in the oven at 425 for about 30 minutes.

*Awesome flavor with a pepper kick!

You can also do this with zucchini or asparagus but instead of olive oil I use a couple slivers of butter.

21 Spiced Chicken

2010-04-08T14:59:00.005-06:00

So I bought this awesome seasoning at Costco and it is fantastic on chicken. If you can find it great...if not this is what it consists of:
Kirkland Signature Organic No Salt Seasoning
Blend of 21 spices
All Organic: onion, garlic, carrot, black pepper, red bell pepper, tomato granules, orange peel, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, cumin, marjoram, coriander, cayenne pepper, citric acid and rosemary

-two boneless skinless chicken breast halves
-dijon mustard
-seasoning mixture
-olive oil

--Put some olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish
--smother both sides of chicken with dijon mustard
--sprinkle with seasoning mixture

---Bake at 425 for 30 minutes
---Cut in half, make sure there is no pink but still a little juicy

*Such great flavor!

Chicken a la Diabla

2010-03-13T08:50:00.003-07:00

Breaded slightly spicy chicken...amazing!

1 cup dijon mustard (or as needed)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs, beaten
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1-2 cups dry breadcrumbs (I got Progresso Italian Style)
3 tablespoon butter

*preheat oven to 375

Melt the butter in a baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and cayenne pepper. Brush the mustard onto the chicken and then dip the chicken in eggs and then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Place chicken in baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once half way in between. Cut in half and check for pinkness.

Lebanese Salad

2010-03-13T08:40:00.003-07:00

My favorite salad...

--3-4 tablespoons olive oil
--1/4 teaspoon sea salt
--3-4 garlic cloves, minced
--1 cucumber, quartered and diced
--1-3 avacados (depending on size and how much you love them)
--cherry tomatoes (I don't add these but you can)
--juice of half a lemon
--romaine, diced

In a salad bowl mix ingredients in order

*Serves 4

Raspberry Shortbread Cookies

2010-01-27T16:34:00.005-07:00

a friend just shared this wonderful shortbread cookie recipe with me and I loved it!

--Mix
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup softened butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract until creamy
then add 2 cups flour and mix

--Roll mixture into 1" balls and make thumbprint in top
--Fill thumbprint with Smuckers preserves (raspberry or strawberry)
--Bake at 350 for 14-18 minutes

--Mix
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2-3 teaspoons water, or until creamy
--Drizzle baked cookies with mixture and serve

**Enjoy**

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2010-01-26T17:22:00.003-07:00

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup brown sugar

*preheat oven to 425

--whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together
--melt butter- whisk milk, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla with butter
--make a small well in dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients
--stir with a wooden spoon until moistened but still lumpy
--gently stir in blueberries
--pour into liners to the top
--sprinkle with brown sugar

*reduce oven temp to 375, bake for 25 minutes (toothpick test)

***fluffy & yummy***

Ultimate Omelet

2010-01-26T17:08:00.003-07:00

breakfast for two...

6 large eggs
salt & pepper
sandwich ziploc bags

-Add-Ins- (optional)
shredded cheddar
diced ham
crumbled bacon
diced bell pepper (I like red and green)
onion
tomatoes
olives

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, and any desired add-ins.

The best way to get the egg mixture into the sandwich sized ziploc is to set the bag inside of a glass liquid measuring cup and using a ladle scoop and pour about 1-2 cups in each bag.
Then bring a large pot of water to boil and drop the sealed omelet bags into the water and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
Remove bags with tongs
Open and drop onto a plate.

These are so different to make than regular omelets, but fun and delicious.

*I like to serve these with green salsa and orange slices.

Tuna Bell Pepper Casserole

2010-01-21T11:32:00.003-07:00

So this is just like Stuffed Bell Peppers but in casserole form- I randomly thought of doing this when I wanted Tuna Stuffed Bell Peppers for dinner but only had one pepper.

1-2 red bell peppers
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 can tuna
1 tablespoon sesame oil
pepper, garlic salt and onion powder
1 cup shredded cheese

--cook rice accordingly
--clean and chop bell peppers
--mix tuna, rice, peppers, sesame oil, seasonings and half of cheese together in casserole dish
--top with remaing cheese
--bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Bambi Steak & Potatoes

2010-01-15T15:32:00.003-07:00

-This is one of the best venison recipes I have made so far-

2-3 pounds venison steak
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 butter
1/3 cup red wine
1 onion, sliced
3-4 carrots
3 potatoes, sliced

--cut meat into serving-size pieces
--mix flour with garlic salt, celery salt, salt and pepper
--dredge meat in flour mixture
--brown well on both sides in butter over medium heat
--add wine; cover and simmer 20 minutes
--place steaks in a shallow baking dish (9x13)
--top steaks with sliced onions, potatoes and carrots
--pour reserved wine broth over steaks
--cover tightly with foil
--bake at 300 for 2-2 1/2 hours

*After an hour of baking check it to see if it needs more moisture, add 1 cup of water if it looks like it is getting dry.

Amish Friendship Bread

2009-12-21T18:32:00.004-07:00

This friendship bread is fun to do with friends, and tastes wonderful!

Starter kit:
-In a gallon size zip lock bag mix together 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup flour
-Leave on counter top at room temp
Day 1- Mush the bag (Day 1 is the day you make the starter or are given the bag)
Day 2- Mush the bag
Day 3- Mush the bag
Day 4- Mush the bag
Day 5- Mush the bag
Day 6- Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour to the bag and mush
Day 7- Mush the bag
Day 8- Mush the bag
Day 9- Mush the bag
Day 10- Pour entire contents of the bag into a non-metal bowl and add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir until smooth. Measure out four seperate batters of 1 cup each into four gallon size zip lock bags. You can keep or give away as many of them as you want. Be sure to give them away with a copy of the recipe. If you keep them, just freeze the bags until you are ready to bake, just remember what day you froze the bag so you know when it is ready.

*Baking Directions

Preheat oven to 325
to the remaining batter in the non-metal bowl, add:
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 large box or two small boxes of instant pudding mix (any flavor works, I use vanilla)

-Grease 2 large loaf pans
-Mix an additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon for topping
-Dust bottom and all sides of the greased pans with half of the cinnamon sugar mix
-Pour batter evenly into the two pans and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar mix over the top
-Bake one hour
-Cool until bread loosens from pan (about 10 minutes)
-Turn onto a serving dish

Mini Cheesecakes

2009-12-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

These were a hit at my Christmas party this year!

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
24 vanilla wafers
canned pie filling (raspberry, strawberry, cherry, anything will work)

-Beat together cream cheese, sugar and eggs
-Line muffin tins with cupcake liners and place one vanilla wafer in each one
-Fill each liner 2/3 of the way full with the cream cheese mixture
-Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
-Top each one with canned pie filling

Super Chunky Christmas Cookies

2009-12-19T09:35:00.004-07:00

I gave these out as Christmas gifts this year! These are so fun to do and make....even the cookie dough is delicious!

In the jar (1 1/2 liter jar) layer:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa

3/4 cup red & green m&m's

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 chopped cashews

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 cup coconut

Baking Instructions:

-Beat 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1 stick melted butter with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the super chunky christmas cookie mix and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 until set, about 12 minutes. Cool on a rack. Makes about 2 dozen.

Everybody Loves Fudge

2009-12-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is so quick and delicious!

2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

-mix milk, sugar and salt in a pan over medium heat
-bring to a boil, boil five minutes, stirring constantly
-remove from heat
-add marshmallows, chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla
-stir until melted
-pour into lightly greased 8x8 pan
-cool, cut and serve

breakfast brie crescents

2009-12-05T08:51:00.003-07:00

I got this recipe from my mother in law Lou. This can be served for breakfast, an appetizer or dessert. I like it best for breakfast.
This is very quick, easy and tasty!

1 triangle Brie cheese, softened (at room temp for about 30 minutes)
1 can Crescent rolls (I used pillsbury big and buttery)
Honey

Unroll the crescents together on a baking sheet
Slice the Brie cheese and put in the middle of the rolls (I only use 3/4 of the traingle)
Wrap crescents over the cheese (like one big stuffed crescent)
Bake according to the directions on the rolls can
Drizzle with honey and serve

Strawberry Glazed Cheesecake

2009-12-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

This cheesecake is super easy and delicious! It is time consuming, but simple to throw together. I made this for my husbands birthday and could not believe how well it turned out for my first time!

3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup original bisquick mix
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened

topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

glaze:
1 cup strawberries, blended
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

--preheat oven to 350
--grease 9-inch glass pie plate
--combine milk, vanilla, eggs, sugar and bisquick in blender
--cover and blend on high for 15-30 seconds
--add cream cheese, cover and blend until smooth
--pour into pie plate
--bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean
--cool at room temp for 1 hour
--chill in refrigerator for 2 hours

--to prepare topping; combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl and stir well until blended. Spread on top of cheesecake once cooled.

--to prepare glaze; after strawberries are blended transfer to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and cornstarch, stir constantly until it thickens into a glaze. Cool and drizzle over the topping.

*Enjoy*

Cherry Cheese Pie

2009-12-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

1 gram cracker pie crust
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can pie filling (cherry, raspberry, strawberry)

-cut cream cheese in one inch pieces, let sit until softened.
-mix all ingredients in blender
-pour into pie crust
-cool for one hour in fridge
-smother with pie filling
-serve chilled

This is a great dessert for the Holidays!

Tator Tot Casserole

2009-10-01T16:57:00.000-06:00

Easy, cheap and good!

1 pound hamburger
1 small yellow onion, halved & chopped
1 package 16oz frozen tator tots
1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more...

-in a large skillet brown hamburger and onion over medium-high heat
-season with salt & pepper
-transfer to greased 2 quart casserole dish
-top with tator tots
-combine soup and milk, whisk
-pour over tator tots
-sprinkle with cheese
-bake uncovered at 350 for 30-40 minutes

Enjoy!

Garden Stuffed Potatoes

2009-09-18T16:32:00.002-06:00

2 large russet potatoes
10 sticks fresh asparagus, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup ranch dressing
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter

Heat oven to 425
Pierce potatoes well with a knife
Put in microwave for 12 minutes

Meanwhile saute asparagus and onion in butter

Then place the potatoes in the oven for 15 minutes
Remove from oven and cut a thin slice off the top long ways
Scoop out all pulp and place in a medium bowl keeping skin intact
Rub skin with olive oil
Add sauteed onion and asparagus, ranch, salt & pepper to pulp, mix well
Scoop pulp mixture back into the potato skins
Place in baking dish or cookie sheet
Bake for 15 more minutes

You could substitute asparagus for broccoli
You could also top them with shredded cheddar before baking the second time

BBQ Sauce

2009-09-18T16:23:00.000-06:00

In a medium bowl:

Mix equal amounts of ketchup and brown sugar (depending on how much you need, start with one cup each)
1 tsp worchestershire
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
plenty of salt and pepper

Mix well
Heat in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds

*This is great on grilled chicken tenders

Pin Wheels

2009-07-22T14:40:00.002-06:00

This is a great appetizer

1 tortilla, white/wheat or spinach is also yummy
garden vegetable cream cheese
1/2 of a cucumber, peeled

I take one tortilla and spread the veggie cream cheese on it
then dice up the peeled cucumber and spread it on the cream cheese
roll it up like a burrito
then slice it diagonally and serve

You could add other veggies in it too, I did tomato & cucumber the other day and my husband loved it!

Roasted Red Potato Salad

2009-07-16T16:17:00.001-06:00

This is a great side dish-

5 red potatoes
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1/4 yellow onion
1 celery stick
olive oil
seasonings- pepper, rosemary, onion powder, garlic salt, celery salt

Preheat oven to 350
Spread plenty of olive oil on a cookie sheet with sides, not flat
Cut potatoes in bite size pieces, spread on cookie sheet
Season with all seasonings, be generous
Roast in oven for 45 minutes, or until you can easily put a fork through them
Slice and dice up onion, celery and bell peppers
Saute in 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet for about 15-20 minutes

Mix together and serve~

Chocolate Strawberry Panini

2009-07-16T16:02:00.000-06:00

This amazing dessert is very easy and also quite cheap, and I had so much fun making these ;-)

1 loaf pound cake
Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread)
2 cups fresh strawberries

-Cut the pound cake in 1/2" slices, should make about 12
-Spread Nutella on the insides of each slice
-Wash and cut tops off strawberries, thinly slice
-Put 3-4 strawberry slices on the nutella and then lay another slice on top, like a sandwich

Using a panini grill, heat til ready, spray the top and bottom of the grill with cooking spray
set two in at a time and press down lightly for 1-2 minutes, just until heated thoroughly, take out and enjoy~

yummy yummy yummy...

Cousin's Carrot Cake

2009-07-10T15:20:00.000-06:00

My cousin Jessie gave me this great recipe for Carrot Cake...delicious!

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
-mix together
-add
3/4 cup canola oil
3 cups grated carrots
4 eggs
-mix all together

-put in a 9x13 pan
-bake at 350 for 40 minutes

*Frosting
8oz block of cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
-mix together and spread on cake after it is cool

Sugar Snap Avocado Walnut Salad

2009-05-12T18:06:00.000-06:00

I made this yummy salad the other day...

I threw together:

2 ribs of celery
1 avocado
a handful of sugar snap peas
a handful of toasted walnuts
juice of half a lemon
1 Tbs olive oil

Thinly slice the celery, avocado and sugar snap peas
Put in a medium bowl
Toast the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and the olive oil over the mix
Add the toasted walnuts
Season lightly with salt & pepper

This was so delicious!

Meatloaf

2009-05-05T19:54:00.001-06:00

1 pound hamburger
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crumbled OR 1 cup Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
1 egg, whisk
2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
ketchup
barbeque sauce
salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion salt

Oven 350

In large bowl mix raw hamburger, crackers, egg, worcestershire, salt, pepper, garlic and onion salt. I put mine in a banana bread glass dish ( I do not know if this dish has a name...)
Spray the dish/pan first
I do a zigzag pattern across the top with the ketchup and bbq sauce

I usually serve this with steamed asparagus

My Wine List

2009-03-30T16:34:00.000-06:00

I love red wines...especially merlot
Here is a list of my fav's that I recommend you to try if you love vino. I will continue to add to this list as I keep falling in love with new favorites!

Tapena
7 Deadly Zinz
Bitch
Yellowtail Merlot
Menage a Trois
Little Black Dress
Red Guitar
Mad Housewife

Boy Scouts Dinner

2009-03-30T16:17:00.000-06:00

A good friend told me about this little throw together and I loved it. This meal is so easy to make and to clean up after, the ingredients are cheap and its delicious.

For 4-5 people
2 pounds of hamburger, raw and shredded
7-8 large russet potatoes, sliced
8-10 carrot sticks, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
salt and pepper
onion salt
garlic salt

This will cook on the grill at about 400 degrees for 45 minutes, flipping half way through

Layer in order on top of layers of tin foil, spray tin foil with cooking spray first
potatoes
half of onion
carrots
season well
raw hamburger
rest of the onion
season well

Fold foil over making sure there won't be any leaks and throw directly on the grill. If you are using more than 1 pound of burger it will be easier to make 2 squares of the tin foil instead of one.

Dad's Famous "Waffer" Dessert

2009-03-30T15:54:00.000-06:00

My dad mispelled wafer once and has never heard the end of it...so this is his "waffer" dessert
This is a very simple and sweet dessert...very yummy!

One box Vanilla Wafers, not store brand
1/2 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
2 Eggs
One 8 oz Cool Whip
One 20 oz can of Crushed Pineapple (drained)

Combine softened butter, sugar and eggs
Crush vanilla wafers
Place 1/2 of the wafers in the bottom of a 9x13" pan
Put combined ingredients on top of crushed wafers
Put crushed pineapple for the next layer
Sprinkle with remaining wafers reserving a handful of crumbs
Cover with whipped topping
Top with wafer crumbs
Chill in fridge for 2 hours

Enjoy!

Cajun Salmon

2009-03-17T14:38:00.000-06:00

This really isn't spicy, but has that cajun taste and great flavor

2 Salmon fillets, skin removed

Cajun seasoning

2-3 Tbs Olive oil

handful of spinach leaves

Coat salmon in cajun seasoning

heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat

Cook each fillet 5-7 minutes on each side

Serve over a bed of spinach

I served this with steamed asparagus and red bell pepper

Steamed over med-low heat 10 minutes in skillet with a little olive oil

Chocolate Crepes

2009-03-08T15:06:00.000-06:00

Mix together:

3 eggs, whisk
pinch of salt
3/4 cup flour
2 Tbs cocoa
6 Tbs melted butter
1 1/2 cup milk
Set for 20 minutes
Pour 1/2 cup batter over med-high heat in skillet, cook like pancakes
Top with fruit like berries and kiwi or spread peanut butter on it and add sliced banana

Great for breakfast or dessert...

Aunt Gini's No Bake Cookies

2009-03-08T15:02:00.002-06:00

1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter

Combine mixture in medium sauce pan, put over medium heat until it comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute, remove from heat, cool for 1 minute
Add tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 3 1/2 cups oatmeal
Stir until well mixed
Drop small balls onto wax paper, let cool for a couple hours.

Yummy!

Lyn's Awesome Salsa

2009-03-08T14:59:00.002-06:00

Using a blender combine

14 oz can Hunts Stewed Tomatoes
1 can Mexican Festival Rotel (blue can)
1 tsp fresh cilantro
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Blend
Serve with tortilla chips

Daddy's Potato Soup

2009-03-08T14:51:00.000-06:00

6 large russet potatoes
2-4 large carrot sticks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 celery sticks, chopped
5-6 cups milk
Celery salt
salt and pepper
onion salt
garlic salt

Saute celery, carrots, onion in olive oil over med-low heat in skillet for 10-15 minutes
Dice potatoes in bite size chunks, boil in large pan for about 12 minutes, not too soft, just until you are able to softly put a fork through one. Drain.

Add potatoes to a soup pot with carrots, celery and onion. Add milk and seasonings to taste. Put over med-low for about 30-45 minutes until soupy, stir often.

Best Banana Bread

2009-03-08T14:47:00.001-06:00

*1 loaf

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts

--Mix in order given
--Grease loaf pan
--Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean

Mom's Stir Fry

2009-03-08T14:22:00.001-06:00

About a pound of top sirloin beef, it's best to cut this up when it is still half frozen. Cut into bite size chunks, marinate in soy sauce, salt and pepper, garlic salt, onion salt for 24 hours, leave in fridge, stir often.

1 bag Wacky Mac spiral noodles, (the noodles are different colors)
You can either buy your own veggies fresh and chop them up and steam them, or buy a frozen bag of stir fry veggies. Best veggies to use: carrots, onion, asparagus, water chestnuts, red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, broccoli, or any favorite
Cook noodles according to package
Steam veggies over low heat with a little bit of water, or olive oil in covered skillet or wok
Brown beef over medium heat in skillet with juice of marinade
Mix beef, noodles, veggies in large bowl, add 1 Tbs soy sauce, and 1 Tbs of Italian dressing, mix well and serve.

Tuna Stuffed Bell Peppers

2009-03-08T13:43:00.001-06:00

3-4 bell peppers, any color but I like red the best
1 cup cooked rice
1 can tuna
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 Tbs salsa
salt and pepper
Minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350

Cut tops off bell peppers, clean insides
Cook rice as directed on package
Mix tuna, sesame oil, salsa, salt, pepper, minced garlic in medium bowl. Add cooked rice, mix together, stuff peppers, top with cheese (you can put the bell pepper tops back on when baking if you want)

Bake 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and peppers are soft

Flavorful and healthy

Rosemary Salmon

2009-03-06T18:02:00.001-07:00

2 Salmon fillets, skin removed
2-3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Rosemary

Brush melted butter on both sides of the salmon
Sprinkle rosemary on salmon
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat
Cook salmon about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly brown

This is great with rice and veggies

Lemon Dill Tilapia

2009-03-06T17:38:00.001-07:00

I bought tilapia once and ended up loving it! Sometimes you can find a good price on it, but not very often.

Tilapia Fillets (1 fillet per person)
1 cup flour
2 Tbs butter (you can use olive oil but the fish doesn't get as crunchy)

Heat skillet over med-high heat
Melt butter in skillet
Coat fish fillets in flour, salt and pepper
pan fry until golden brown (5-7 minutes)

I served it with McCormick Lemon Butter Dill sauce...it was delicious

Guacamole

2009-03-06T17:29:00.001-07:00

Depends on how much you want but start with this and you can always add more

2-3 large avacados
1 lemon
spoonful of sour cream
large pinch of:
garlic salt
onion salt
garlic powder

Avacados should be dark purplish, and somewhat soft, not brown on the inside
Slice avacados in half, dig out pit with your finger or a spoon, smash in a medium bowl using a fork, stab it then smash it
Add spoonful of sour cream
Season to taste with garlic salt, onion salt, garlic powder
squeese juice of half a lemon, take out seeds
Mix well

Trial and error on the perfect dip but you'll get there...
Serve with tortilla chips or veggie sticks

Simon's 7 Layer

2009-03-06T17:06:00.000-07:00

This dip is great for get together parties

Either 8x8 or 9x13 pan. (8x8 will be thicker)

1 can refired beans
1 8 oz tub of sour cream
2-3 large avacados smashed, or quacamole dip
1 8 oz jar salsa
1 package shredded cheddar cheese
1 can sliced olives
1 roma tomato diced

Layer in order given, serve with tortilla chips

Guiness Stew

2009-03-06T17:00:00.002-07:00

This is perfect for cold winter weekends...

around a pound of stew meat
6 small red potatoes, chopped bite size
Swanson broth, chicken or vegetable
1 Guiness Draught
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
4-5 carrot sticks, chopped
salt and pepper
crushed rosemary
garlic salt
onion salt
celery salt

Lightly brown stew meat, not completely
In crockpot or slowcooker add in broth and beer, cut up potatoes, celery and carrots add to crockpot. Add meat when browned, season well. Keep on low for about 10 hours, add seasonings through out the day. mmmhhhh....

Chicken Manicotti

2009-03-06T16:51:00.001-07:00

Needed:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts , uncooked, cut in thin strips
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package of manicotti noodles
1 package of mozzarella shredded cheese

Preheat oven 350
9x13 pan, put 1/2 inch of water in pan
Cut chicken strips thin enough to fit in noodles, stuff noodles, place in pan
Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles
top with desired amount of cheese

Bake for 45 minues until cheese is melted
Before removing cut a noodle open to make sure chicken is completely cooked

Chicken Spaghetti

2009-03-06T15:30:00.001-07:00

My mother in law gave me this recipe, its a different way for spaghetti...and I love spaghetti!

1 7 ounce package of spaghetti, broken
1 tsp garlic salt
1 medium onion chopped
1 small green pepper, cleaned and chopped
2 tbs butter
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom
1-2 cans chicken, or cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded
1 2 oz jar chopped pimento (optional)
1 cup cheese (any cheese will work)

Preheat oven 350
Cook spaghetti accoring to package, substituting garlic salt for salt
Saute onion and green pepper in butter
Conbine all ingredients except for 1/2 of cheese
Pour into greased 2 quart casserole dish
Sprinkle with remaining cheese
Bake 20 minutes
Serve with salad or garlic bread, serves 4

EZ Strawberry Shortcake

2009-03-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

I found this really simple way to make yummy strawberry shortcake, only takes a few minutes too!
1 can Pillsbury Grands Southern Style biscuits
2 pints strawberries, quartered
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 8 ounce container whipped topping
1 cup sour cream

Its best to combine the strawberries and half of the sugar in a bowl and let it sit for an hour

Preheat oven 350
Unroll biscuits, cook according to directions
In a small bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon
Place whipped topping in a bowl, fold in the sour cream
Remove biscuits from oven, split in half, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them
Serve topped with strawberries and a dallop of the whipped topping mixture

Enjoy!

Spicy Beef Stir Fry

2009-03-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I tried this amazing spicy stir fry.
Calls for:
1 Tbs cornstarch
3 Tbs dry Sherry
1 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain into strips
Kosher salt and pepper
2 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tbs sesame oil
3-4 Tbs peanut oil
1 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
5-7 dried red chiles, halved
1 small onion, thinly sliced
8 heads baby bok choy, halved
pinch of sugar
Cooked rice, for serving

Whisk the cornstarch with sherry, add beef strips, season with salt and pepper, then set aside for 15 minutes
Mix the remaing sherry, oyster sauce and sesame oil
Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until very hot, add 3 Tbs peanut oil, then the ginger, garlic and chiles; stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, 1-3 minutes. Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to the sauce mixture and toss.
If the pan is dry add more peanut oil, then add the onion and stir fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and sugar, stir fry until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Return beef and any juices to the pan and stir to combine. Serve over the rice.