Best Ham, Bean, & Vegetable Soup Ever

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) package 15 bean mixture, soaked overnight
1 ham bone
2 1/2 cups cubed ham
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
5 large carrots, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 (12 fluid ounce) can low-sodium vegetable juice
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons lemon juice
7 cups low fat, low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions

Place the soaked beans into a large pot and fill with enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low for 30 minutes. Drain. Add the ham bone, ham, onion, celery, carrots, tomatoes, vegetable juice, and vegetable broth. Season with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, chili powder, bay leaves, pepper, parsley and lemon juice. Pour in enough of the chicken broth to cover the ingredients.
Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 hours. Add more chicken broth as needed throughout the day. Remove the ham bone and season with salt if needed. Continue to simmer for a couple more hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Homemade chocolate sauce

1/2 c. sugar (I do full amount)
2 T. coco powder
1/8 t. salt
about 1/8 c. water (more if needed)
1 1/2 - 2 T. butter
1/4 t. vanilla

in small saucepan add sugar coco and salt and mix. then add enough water to mix together smooth. Bring to Boil and boil 1 min. remove from heat and add vanilla.

Tortilla Rice Soup (Becca)

This is an easy, flavorful soup that is hearty, but light. I got the recipe from my niece, Rebecca Miller. One of our favorites!

Combine and cook in a crock pot for 4 hours:

8 cups chicken stock
1/3 c. sliced green onions
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can diced green chillies
1 cup cooked chicken breast
1 lime juiced
1 can black beans

Put soup in a bowl and add a little of the following:

cooked rice
chopped avacado
tortilla chips
1/2 lime juice

To make chicken stock, barely cover a whole chicken in a pot with water. Add 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 large stalk of celery, 2 garlic bulbs, bay leaf. Cook on low for a few hours until the meat falls off the bones. Use the broth and the chicken meat for the soup. DELICIOUS!

Ralph's Salsa Ingredients

tomatillos 1/2-1 tomatillo
roma tomatoes 12-15
salt
lime juice
cilantro handful
basil 1 leaf
garlic 1-2
1 anihime pepper
1/2 of jalapenio
1/4 white or yellow onion

Potato Leek Chowder

I'm going to try hard to not make this recipe confusing...I looked at a bunch of different potato leek soup recipes and just compiled them and threw stuff in. So here it goes...

2 Large Leek (mostly just the white part but a little bit of green too)

5 Medium Potatoes Diced

3-4 Tbs. Butter

4-5 C. Chicken Broth( depending on how much broth you want. I did about 5)

2 C. Milk(I had like a 1/4 cup of cream that I needed to use so I threw that in and then did 1 percent milk for the rest)

Spices to taste:

Salt

Pepper

Parsley

Chives

Garlic Powder

Garlic Salt

Dash of Nutmeg

Saute Potatoes and leeks with butter in large pot. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Gradually add the milk and continue heating the chowder DO NOT BOIL. Stir in the spices and just test it until you like the taste. We all loved it! Even little man loved it!

Best Ever Cornbread

So I have been on the search for a really yummy cornbread recipe...Well I think this is it!! I got it from my sister in law Camilla. I think she said she found it on all recipes but I cant remember. Either way I am so happy she found it! I love it! I feel like all the other recipes I try are either dry, too sweet, or crumbly. This recipe is so good because it is so moist and doesnt crumble and it is the perfect sweetness.

1/2 cup unsalted butter(I have always done normal salted butter and it works great)

2/3 cup sugar (I do like a heaping 1/3 cup)

2 eggs beaten lightly

1 cup buttermilk (I have just done buttermilk because I had it on hand but camilla has just done the milk with lemon juice and it still turns out great)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour ( I usually do 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white)

Melt the butter in the microwave until soft. Pour it into your mixer and mix it with the sugar until well combined. Combine your buttermilk and baking soda together on the side in a small bowl then pour into the mixer with the eggs and beat until combined. Add salt, cornmeal and flour into the mixer but this time stir by hand until fully incorporated but with a few lumps still. You don't want to overwork it or it will be tough!

Pour the mixture into a greased 8 inch pan..

Bake at 375 for 25 - 35 minutes... you'll just have to check and keep an eye on it. If you use a non stick pan it cooks quick so be careful!

Chewy Ginger Cookies

These cookies are SO yummy! I love them! They are really fun to make around Christmas time. The only trick with these is to NOT over cook them. At least if you like them to be yummy, soft, and chewy. But if you like a crunchy more well done cookie then go for it!

Mix together in electric mixer until well combined:

1 Stick Butter

1/4 C. Shortening(I have never done shortening I just do butter. So 1 and 1/2 cubes)

1 C. Brown sugar ( I usually do 1/2 to 3/4 cup)

1 Egg

1/4 C. Molasses

Then add:

2 1/4 C. Flour

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Ground Ginger

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Cloves

The recipe says to chill but I have made them and not chilled and they have still turned out...roll into balls and dip in sugar. I usually bake them at 360-365 for 9 min then leave them on the pan for about 3 min after I take them out of the oven. (recipe says 375 for 10 min) So yummy!

Best Ever Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
3 Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
4 Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5 Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
6 Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
7 Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.
8 Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.
9 Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.
10 Remove from pan immediately.

Roast Turkey

1, 10-12 lb Turkey (thawed)
1 stick room temp (softened) butter
1 bag poultry fresh herb mix (there will be rosemary, sage and thyme in it)
1 lemon
1 onion
Salt
Pepper

Preheat the oven to 325

Wash and PAT DRY the whole turkey, cavity, under the skin and on the skin. (if you take your hand and run it between the muscle and skin it should separate easily.) (as DRY as you can get with paper towels).Season the whole bird, inside and out with salt and pepper. Take a few stems of each fresh herb. take the leaves of the herbs and chop up really fine. Mix the chopped herbs with the butter. Rub the butter all over the cavity, under the skin (hence drying under the skin, it still can be hard so I just put chunks under the skin if I can't get it to rub) and all over the outside of the bird.
Quarter the lemon, and onion. Tie the rest of the herbs stems together with string. Stuff the Lemon, onion and herb bundle in the cavity of the turkey.
I roast my turkey in a roasting pan on a rack so the heat can move all around the turkey.

Tent the turkey with foil. Roast for 2 hours (add 15 min extra for every lb more than 12 lbs) Remove the foil, crank the heat to 425 and roast for another hour or until the thermometer reads 165 at thigh meat. Foil again if it's browning to fast.

Let rest for 10 or so min to let juices redistribute.

Sweet Potato/Pumpkin Souffle

filling:
3 C. cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 C. Sugar (I normally don't use sugar with sweet potatoes, and I use only 1/2 cup for pumpkin)
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla

Topping:
1 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts
1/2 stick room temp butter

Combine filling and pour into buttered pan. Crumble combined topping over top.
Bake at 400 for 30-40 min.

Scones or Maple Bars

Soften:
2 yeast cakes
1 c. warm water
Add:
1 c. scalded milk
6 t. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
Soften shortening in hot milk and add sugar.
3 well beaten eggs (2 for 1/2 batch)
6 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
Add salt to flour and add to milk, yeast, & eggs. Beat with a spoon or mixer, dough will be soft. Let rise once then roll and cut into diamond shape. Let rise & fry in deep fat.
Makes about 50.
Takes 2 hours to make.

homemade chicken nuggets

Fun for a super casual meal! And I loved them with bbq sauce. This is how I like chicken nuggets!!! I want to make a TON and freeze them for quick lunches...we will see how ambitious I get someday.

3 big chicken breasts

wet mix:
2 eggs
Splash Milk
1/2 t. salt
pepper
dashes garlic powder
dashes dill
2-3 splashes franks hot sacue


1-2 cups flour
1 - 1/2 t. salt
Pepper
1 - 1/2t. garlic powder
dashes dried onion (wish I had onion powder)
dashes dill (don't over due it)
about 1/2-1 tsp powder sugar (I know, weird. a few recipes called for it..don't know why, but it turned out so so good that I will probably do it again.)

Let chicken bits soak in egg mixture for 15 or so min. Fry in canola oil until golden brown.

Japanese Pumpkin - Kabocha

Ingredients:

1 pound pumpkin
To boil pumpkin:
1 1/2 cups dashi (bonito fish stalk - dashi) or chicken stock
2 1/2 TBS. sugar
1 1/2 TBS. soysauce
1 TBS mirin (sweet rice wine)

Preparation, Cooking and Serving

1. Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and wash. Cut into 2-inch squares. Slice off skin here and there to give surface a mottled look and to enable flavor of broth to seep in.
2. Put pumpkin skin side down into saucepan, add dash, sugar and mirin. Cover and boil 7 to 8 minutes over medium heat. After 4 to 5 minutes, turn pieces over gently one by one.
3. Add soy sauce and continue to boil 7 to 8 minutes more, or until tender, turning over once while boiling. Do not overcook.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Teriyaki Chicken, Fish, or Meat

Ingredients:
chicken, fish or meat

Teriyaki sauce:
2 TBS. sugar
4 TBS. sake or dry white wine
6 TBS. mirin (sweet rice wine for cooking)
12 TBS. soy sauce

Preparation:

1. Mix ingredients for teriyaki sauce thoroughly until sugar dissolves.
2. Marinate fish in sauce for 10 minutes, turning over occasionally. Drain before cooking.

Cooking:

1. If grilling chicken, meat, or fish, grill as is. If frying, heat frying pan well with oil over medium heat, and sauté fish for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly browned. Turn fish over gently, taking care not to break them up. Saute' 2 minutes more, then drain off excess oil. For frying meat and chicken, sauté to desired wellness on each side.
2. Add teriyaki sauce left over from marinating, and cook until fish and meat ware well-coated, or for 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve chicken, meat, or fish hot with watercress and grated white radish at the side. To make the radish, peel white radish and grate. Drain but do not press out water. If desired, pour remaining sauce from the frying on top of chicken, meat, or fish.

Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

CRUST

1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup crispy crushed gingersnaps
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon


FILLING

1 cup whipping cream, unwhipped
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon clove
1/3 cup pecan halves

Directions:

1
Set oven to 350 degrees (300 degrees for convection-bake oven).
2
Prepare a 10-inch springform pan.
3
To make the crust; in a bowl place the melted butter with graham cracker crumbs, crushed gingersnaps, brown sugar and cinnamon; mix with a fork until combined.
4
Line bottom and side with parchment paper or wax paper, then spray with nonstick spray.
5
Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
6
For the filling; pour the whipping cream into a medium bowl and beat just until soft peaks form; refrigerate until ready to use.
7
In a bowl beat the cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add in sugar, beating well until combined.
8
Add in eggs one at a time and beat the mixture until fluffy.
9
Stir in pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
10
Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and lightly whisk to reblend.
11
Using a spatula or a flat spoon fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese-pumpkin mixture.
12
Pour the mixture into preapred crust.
13
Wrap one continuous sheet of heavy foil around the springform pan then press firmly against the pan.
14
Place the wrapped pan in a baking pan and fill with hot water to halfway up the spring form pan.
15
Bake for 60-70 minutes.
16
Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, the chill for at least 5 hours or until the cake is thoroughly chilled.
17
Remove the sides of the springform pan.
18
Just before serving place the pecan halves on top of the cheescake in a ring around the edges.

Print This Recipe

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/the-cheesecake-factorys-pumpkin-ginger-cheesecake-197011#ixzz1e0E0elj0

Poppy Seed Chicken

OK so this recipe is not like an amazing healthy meal. It is just the “normal busy day cant think of what to make for dinner but I have chicken and Ritz crackers” meal…Not to mention it really is not healthy at all...So it is what it is. This is the second recipe I have tried for this meal and I like this one a lot better! The little man loved it so that’s always a plus. We had it over rice with a salad and some peas. Its just a nice easy meal.

recipe from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

5 cups chicken breasts, cooked and cubed(I did about 5 Breasts but the were kind of small and I only got like 3 1/2 cups so I didn't use all of my sauce just because I didn't want it to feel like we were just eating a bowl of sauce with a few chicken pieces here and there. So next time I will just make sure to do more chicken.

1 cup sour cream(I only had like 3/4 c sour cream but had plain Greek yogurt so I topped off the cup with that)

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 T poppy seeds

1 tsp Worchestire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper until done. I like to boil it with half an onion cut into large chunks to give it more flavor. Let chicken cool slightly and cut into one inch cubes. Place cubed chicken in a 9X13 casserole dish.

Stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. Stir in the worchestire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper to the soup and sour cream mixture. Pour over the chicken.

In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

"Thai" peanut noodle salad

Loved this!! my girls even loved it, didn't complain once! (which is a rarity)
*Dressing From Our Best Bites

1/2 pkg Linguini noodles

Veggies:you could do any. this is what I had in my fridge that needed to be used
thinly sliced cabbage (lots!)
shredded carrot
diced red bell pepper
2 green onions
1/2 head broccoli

1 Chicken breast: marinated for 15 or so min in dressing (below) and grilled and chopped

Dressing:
1/3 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T minced ginger
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt
2-3 t sriracha chili sauce
2-4 T water

Toss and serve. we had ours warm but you could do this cold too I'm sure!

Apple Muffins

Adapted from "The Girl who ate everything"

just under 1 cup of sugar (I would do 3/4 next time. the original called for 2 cups)
2 eggs
1/2 c. apple sauce
1/2 c. canola oil
1 T. vanilla

1 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour(slightly sifted)
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon

3 apples shredded
Brown sugar for top

whisk wet ingredients and add the dry. (the batter will be really thick) then stir in apples. sprinkle brown sugar on top.

Bake at 350 for 20 min.

pumpkin muffins

*from the cilantropist who adapted from smitten kitchen

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup granulated sugar ( I did 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( I don't own pumpkin pie spice so I just added a dash of nutmeg and cloves and allspice)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease the cups of a mini muffin tin very well.


In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, all spices, baking soda and salt. Then whisk in the flour until the batter is just smooth.


Divide the batter among the greased muffin cups, filling each one just a bit more than 3/4 full. Sprinkle the top of each mini muffin with a bit of turbinado sugar and bake in a preheated oven for about 10-14 minutes, or until they are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Watch them and check them often, because they go from still wet in the inside to fully baked in just a matter of minutes. Mine were the most moist at about 12 minutes.


Cool the mini muffins on a rack until cool enough to handle, and then remove them to cool fully. Eat immediately or store muffins in an airtight container and keep refrigerated if storing longer.

Pumpkin Chocolate Shake

1 cup plain soymilk
1/3 c. pure pumpkin puree
1/2 t. cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 1/2 t. coco powder
a small handfull of frozen banana pieces
4-5 ice cubes

blend up!

Canning Salsa

PS on Feb 26, 2012. I do not like this recipe for canning. it got to lemony tasting. but it was so so good as fresh, so use it as fresh and I will continue on my hunt for a good canning recipe


14 c. diced roma tomatoes
2 c. diced long green peppers (I did anahime and yellow wax)
1 jalapeno finely diced
2 1/2 c. chopped onions
5 cloves garlic
1 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 T. salt
pepper
dash dried oregano
dash dried parsley
1/4 c. cilantro

Dice tomatoes and try to drain off as much liquid as you can. as it sits you may want to keep pouring off the liquid. put drained tomatoes in a large pot with all ingredients except oregano, parsley and cilantro.

Bring mixture to boil then turn down to simmer for 10 min. then add the other spices and simmer another 10 - 20 min depending on your preference for how thick/how cooked you want it.

Pour into pint jars and boil in a water bath for 25 min.

This makes 9 pints of Salsa!

berry baked french toast

*From Giada on Food Network
*If you don't like the texture of soggyish bread (which I don't except in this and bread and butter custard) this isn't for you. But after it sits out for about 20 min or so and cools, it's not as soggy, but I prefer it warm.

3 eggs
1 1/2 c. Milk (I used half and half becasue it was in my fridge and I needed to use it)
a little over 1/4 c. maple syrup
pinch of salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 lemon zested (I didn't have a lemon, but I did do a few squirts of lemon juice, but this would be great!)

1/2 of loaf of bread cubed (I had half of a loaf of duch crunch bread in the freezer)
frozen or fresh berries (I used the tripple berries from costco)

topping:
1 1/2 T. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

*Mix first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Then add cubed bread and make sure each cube is covered in mix. Add berries and stir. Dump into a buttered 8x8 pan. sprinkle with sugar cinnamon topping Bake at 375 for 45 min or until custard is set.

yummy with a drizzle of maple syrup, but doesn't need much!!

Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg OR 1 flax egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• Granulated sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine peanut butter and butter and mix on medium-high until pale and well-combined.
• Add in sugars, baking soda, baking powder, egg and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
• Add in flours and mix on low until just combined.
• Remove bowl from mixer and add Nutella to the dough. Stir until just distributed throughout dough. You want a “swirl” effect.
• Form the dough into 1-2 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar to coat and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Using a fork dipped in water, press cross-hatch marks on the cookies to flatten.
• Bake for 7-8 minutes or until edges are just slightly brown. Let cool on sheet for an additional 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be very soft when warm.
• SERIOSULY these cookies are so so yummy! I found the recipe on food gawker from backtoherroots.com. But do just make sure not to overcook them! They are chewy and yummy but yet a little crispiness to the edges.

Streusel Top Carrot Muffins

This is my new favorite carrot muffin recipe! But then again, everything is good with a Streusel topping.....But really these are DELICIOUS! I am pretty sure fleur de sel is salt...so that is what I did. Also, I only did 1/4 cup of each sugar. I did buttermilk(aka soymilk with lemon juice) becasue I didn't have yogurt. but loved it so that is probably what I would do next time too.

*From "Top With Cinnamon"

For the Streusel Topping
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp oat bran
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp sugar
pinch fleur de sel
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Muffins
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrot (about 2 medium)
1 tsp fleur de sel
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup low fat yogurt/ buttermilk

optional add ins : raisins, nuts, shredded coconut etc..

Combine all streusel topping ingredients together in a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is coarse, like cornmeal. Put this into the fridge while you make the muffin batter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease/ line a 12-muffin tin. Combine first 5 muffin ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir the grated carrots into this mixture and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat in the egg and cinnamon. Add the yogurt/ buttermilk then the flour mixture alternately to the sugar mixture in 3 additions each. Don't over mix!

Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. The batter should be nearly at the top of the pan. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over each muffin and press into the batter slightly.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops of the muffins are well golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and dry.

whole wheat chocolate chip crasin oatmeal cookies

*I got this from my friend Faith who got it from a friend....thanks so much friend of a friend!!

Cream Together:

1 c. butter
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla

In another bowl mix:
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Mix 2 mixtures together and add 3 cups of oates, chocolate chips and crasins. (I did just under 3 cups oats and eyeblalled chocolate chips and crasins.

Bake at 350 for about 10 min.

skillet lasagna

1/2 lb ground turkey (I never use a whole pkg from costco so I always have a bit left over)
dried onion, italian seasoning
1/2 onion diced
4-5 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatos diced (about 9 med tomatoes)
2 carrots, shredded
1 small zucchini, shredded
about 4 T. pesto
2 big handfuls of spinach chopped
4-5 cloves garlic minced
1 cup cottage cheese
3 T. parm cheese
dried parsley
mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
about 5 uncooked lasagna noodles
splash of cream

In a large skillet (that has a lid with it) brown the turkey with 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper, a dash of italian seasoning, dried oinon. Remove the meat. in same skillet add the onion and rest of garlic. Saute until soft. add tomatoes, carrots and zuchini. add 2 T. Pesto, salt and pepper, dried onion italian seasoning. Cook for about 5 min until it becomes sauce like. Pour into bowl.d down to low/ med low.

Combine cottage cheese, parm, parsley, mozzerella, salt, pepper, and 2 T. pesto.
on medium low-low heat, In same skillet, add one cup of the sauce. break up 2 or 3 of the noodles in big pieces and lay over sauce. sprinkle half of the meat over. dollop half of the cottage cheese mix. sprinkle half of the spinach over the cottage. then add some mozerella. layer all over again. with the last cup of sauce, mix a splash of cream. pour over the top, and sprinkle the top with mozerella and parm. Simmer for 25 min with lid on.

tex mex "ranch" dressing

*from food network.com
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced white onions (or I did 2 t. dried onion)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch chili powder
Pinch red pepper flakes

In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I put this on some shredded red cabbage and carrots for a cole slaw!

birthday chiffon shortcake

*from smitten kitchen

Cake layers:
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups superfine or regular sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large egg yolks at room temperature
8 large egg whites at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar


1. Make cake layers: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have two 9-inch round cake pans ready, lined with parchment paper that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray, but otherwise ungreased. (Alternatively, this recipe yields on classic tube chiffon cake. Leave the cake pan ungreased, and use one with a removable bottom.)

2. Sift the flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder and salt together twice into a large bowl.

3. In a another bowl, beat the yolks, water, oil, zest and vanilla on high speed until smooth. Stir into the flour mixture until smooth. In another large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and beat on high speed until the peaks are stiff but not dry.

4. Use a rubber spatula to fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Do so gently, only until the egg whites are no longer visible. Overdoing it will deflate the egg whites, and yield a denser, shorter cake.

5. Scrape the batter into the two prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake them until the top springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean 40 min

6. Let cakes cool on a cooling rack for at least an hour (or, if in a tube pan, upside down over a bottleneck or resting the pan on four glasses for at least 1 1/2 hours). When completely cool, run a knife around the sides to release, then flip out onto a plate and then another plate.

7. then cut each cake in half. ( I only did a 3 layer, and I will probably freeze the left over for a trifle sometime. but you could do all 4 too)

I made this whipped cream, but intead of brown sugar, I did powdered sugar and added a bit of lemon zest.

I took a little of the whipped cream mix and added chopped strawberries and added that to the middle of the layers.

Steak Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Leftover or rested steak cut thin (I like this recipe)
Lettuce of choice
mushrooms
tomatoes
peperanchini peppers
cucumbers
red onion
Parmesan cheese

*really any veggies you want!

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/4 c. Balsamic vinegar
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 t. salt
1 t. raw honey
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
1/2 c. olive oil

- put first 5 ingredients in a blender. once blended, SLOWLY add the olive oil while blender is mixing.

Toss all salad ingredients, exept meat, together. lay meat on top of salad and enjoy!!

Ground Turkey Asian lettuce wraps

*say that 5 times fast! ha! Couldn't think of a better name!
*From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Yield: 6-8 servings

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
(I added 1 shredded carrot)
1 cup minced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, minced(didn't do this cause I don't like them!)
1/2 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and then juiced. (I didn't have any lemons so used bottled juice)
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 head iceberg lettuce (I used Romain, but iceberg would hold up better)
*Dipping Sauce recipe to follow

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot add minced garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute just until fragrant and then add in the ground chicken, minced mushrooms, and salt. Cook until turkey or chicken is cooked through.

Add in the water chestnuts and green onions. Add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, juice and zest from the lemon, and hot sauce. When everything is cooked through, remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

To serve, carefully separate the whole leaves from the lettuce. Wash the lettuce leaves and wrap them in paper towels and put them in the refrigerator so they are cold and crisp when serving. Spoon chicken filling onto the lettuce leaf and then roll it up and serve with dipping sauce below- or any other favorite Asian dipping sauce.

Lettuce Wrap Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
(I added a few drops of sesame oil)
Combine all ingredients and serve with lettuce wraps.

apple fritters

*From allrecipes
*I do 1/2 recipe for breakfast for me and my girls. Makes about 20 in a 1/2 recipe.

2 C. Flour
1/4 - 1/3 c. sugar
1 T. Baking powder
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 Eggs
1 C. Milk
Granny Smith apples, chopped

Canola oil for frying
Powdered sugar/cinnamon mix for dusting

Mix dry ingredients together. in separate bowl mix milk and eggs then add to dry ingredients and mix together until smooth. add chopped apples.
Drop a tablespoon of batter into hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides. dust with powdered sugar! best to eat immediately.

Spicy Pickles

1 bushel of pickling cucumbers = about 40-45 quarts
45 cloves garlic
45 jalapeno peppers
45 red peppers
45 sprigs of dill

Boil:
10 cups water
6 cups vinegar
1 cup pickling salt, kosher salt, or Real Salt

Put garlic, peppers, dill and cukes in jar. Pour brine over everything in jar.

Add:
1/2 tsp. alum to each jar

Screw hot lids onto the jar. Put jars out in the sun for 3 days, turning each jar each day and one day turning them upside down. Bring in the house and put on the shelf. They will be ready in 3 months.

Bottled Peaches

Select ripe firm peaches, remove peel and pits. If peeled fruit is to stand several minutes before packing, drop it into a mild salt solution to prevent discoloration (i.e. a bowl of water with some salt sprinkled in it). Drain.

RAW PACK: Pack, halves or slices into jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Fill to within 1 1/2 inches of top of jar with boiling syrup. Slide a knife down the edges of the inside of the bottle to let out any air bubbles that may be in between the peaches. Add more syrup if necessary. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight.

HOT PACK: Boil for 3 minutes in medium syrup. Pack into Kerr jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Fill to within 1/2 inch of top of jar with boiling syrup. Slide a knife downt he edges of the inside of the bottle to let out any air bubbles that may be in between the peaches. Add more syrup if necessary. Put on cap, screw bank firmly tight.

Process Pints 20 minutes
Quarts 25 minutes
Boiling water bath

Syrup Recipe:
Make syrup according to sweetness desired. Boil sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved. Juice of the fruit may be used in place of water. Keep syrup hot but do not let it boil down.
Sugar Water
(cups) (cups)
Thin 1 6-8
Medium 1 4-5
Heavy 1 1-3

Syrup should be boiling when poured over fruits.

Bottled Tomatoes

Wash tomatoes. Scald in boiling water long enough to remove peel (1/4 minute). Plunge into cold water. Peel, core, quarter and firmly pack into Kerr jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Add no liquid. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice to each quart jar. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight. Process in Boiling Water Bath.

Process: Pints 35 minutes
Quarts 45 minutes

NOTE: Open kettle Method of canning should not be used for canning tomatoes. This method seldom sterilizes tomatoes. Without sufficient heat to sterilize the food, or if the food is contaminated while transferring it from kettle to jar, spoilage will result. Getting a seal on jars and caps will not prevent this spoilage. There is considerable loss of Vitamin C when the Open Kettle Method is used.

Creamed Peas and New Potatoes

Ingredients

1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered
1 cup shelled English peas
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Boil potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Simmer peas in boiling water for 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender (do NOT overcook). Drain.
Using the same saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a thick paste; gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Now add potatoes and peas to the sauce; simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Serve immediately.

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

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

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.
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.
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.

Brazilian Lemonade

This is soooo delicious and refreshing. You will have to understand that not everything in the world is healthy and tasty so unfortunately this falls in only one one of the categories........Yummy!

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they’re the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Serves 4, although I can pretty much guarantee you that people will want more; I usually plan on 1 1/2 servings at LEAST per person.

lemony yogurt muffins

*from Sweet Basil*

Yorgurt Muffins
Recipe From Some Magazine long ago
(use the yogurt flavor and fruit of choice)

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar (I only used a bit over a 1/4 cup)
2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (i used lemon)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1 8-ounce carton orange yogurt (I used vanilla)
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoon orange juice ( i used fresh lemon juice)

Heat oven to 400

Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper bake cups
In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, orange peel, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl combine egg, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. Add mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, stir together powdered sugar and enough orange juice to make a glaze that is easy enough to drizzle. Drizzle over warm muffins, serve warm.

Rhubarb Cobbler

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 35 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 12
Ingredients
4 cups Chopped Rhubarb
1-1/2 cup Sugar (I use half of the amount of sugar)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract (optional)
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening Or Lard
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Whole Milk
1 whole Egg
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and almond extract if using. Stir and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking powder. Stir together. Add shortening and butter, then cut together with a pastry cutter.
Beat egg and milk together. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a fork until just combined.
Pour rhubarb into a buttered baking dish. Tear off pinches of dough and drop it onto the surface of the fruit, creating a "cobbled" texture. Sprinkle additional sugar over the top.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

sesame noodles with teriyaki chicken

teriyaki chicken:
2 chicken breasts butterfly in half
1/4 c soy sauce
2 t. sesame oil
1/4 c orange juice
1 T agave or honey
1 T ginger
1 t garlic

marinate breasts in sauce for 30 min - 1 hour. grill until done



Sesame Noodles: (from pioneer woman)
12 oz angel hair pasta
1/4 cup soysauce (I did a a little more at the end too)
1-2 T. sugar
4 cloves garlic
2 T rice vinegar
3 T sesame oil
1/2 t. hot chili oil (I didn't have this, so I did a few dashes crushed red pepper)
4 T. avocado oil or olive oil
right before pouring dressing on pasta add 2 T. hot water (I just did pasta water)
scallions

cook pasta and toss with sauce. i added sauted broccoli, but any veg would be great! lay cut chicken over pasta and veggies! good at room temp too!

Beef, Potatoes, and Onions Cooked with Flavorings (Nikku Jaga)

This is a great, hearty one-dish meal that is easy to prepare. Enjoy!!
Ingredients:
10 ounces (300g) beef, thinly sliced (ask your butcher to slice it)
1 pound (500 g) potatoes (about 3 to 4 medium-sized)
2 bulb onions
4 teaspoons oil for sauteing
To boil ingredients:
2/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup sake (rice wine) or dry white wine

Preparation:
1. Cut beef into 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) long pieces.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into quarters, or smaller pieces if the potato is extra large. Soak in water for 5 minutes.
3. Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise. put each half cut-side down and slice into thin half-moon-shaped slices of equal thickness.

Cooking and Serving:
1. Heat thick pot with 2 teaspoons oil, and saute beef until color turns, or about 2 minutes. Take out and set aside.
2. Add 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Saute onions and potatoes about 2 minutes, stirring until they are well-coated with oil.
3. Put in 2/3 cup water, sake or dry white wine and sugar. Boil until potatoes are half-done, then add soy sauce. Put beef back into the pot, and continue to boil until potatoes are tender, or about 15 minutes.
4. Serve hot in individual bowls with or without rice.

Ginger Chicken

Chicken is pre-flavored to give it more body. It is then dusted with starch and deep-fried until reddish-brown. Deep-fried foods are high calorie, but satisfying. Therefore, even dieters should occasionally eat some. Just choose low-calorie side dishes.
This is one of our favorite ways to prepare chicken.

Ingredients:
14 ounces (400g) chicken, boned (we usually skin the chicken, but it is good with it on)
Marinade for chicken:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake (rice wine) or dry white wine
1 teaspoon ginger juice (peel and grate fresh ginger, then squeeze)
Cornstarch or potato starch for coating meat
About 3 cups oil for deep-frying
4 green peppers as complement (optional)

Preparation:
1. Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) squares.
2. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes, turning over occasionally.
3. Cut green peppers in half, and remove seeds and ribs.
4. Toss chicken lightly in cornstarch, and shake off excess.

Cooking and Serving
1. Heat oil to 320F (160C) in a Chinese wok over high heat. Fry green peppers for only 30 seconds and drain.
2. Slide chicken into oil, 4 to 5 pieces per batch, and fry 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown, turning over occasionally.
3. Serve chicken hot with green peppers.

Cauliflower Soup

This is a light, yummy, easy recipe. Enjoy!
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. butter, plus 2 Tbsp. for optional garnish
1 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups low-fat milk
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley, optional
Preparation:

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Add onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat so onions are cooking but not browning, until onions look starchy and a bit creamy, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add cauliflower, stir to combine, cover and cook 3 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until cauliflower is tender to the bite, about 10 minutes.
Purée soup with a hand-held blender. Or, whirl in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth (place a kitchen towel over blender to prevent potential burns).
Stir in pepper and nutmeg. (Note: At this point the soup may be cooled, covered, and frozen for up to 4 months.)
Add milk and cook over medium-low heat until hot.
Meanwhile, if you want to add the parsley butter swirl, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and stir in parsley.
Serve soup hot, with a swirl of parsley butter, if you like.

Makes about 8 cups soup (4 main course servings; 8 soup course servings) Cauliflower Soup.

whole wheat chocolate chip pancakes

Ok, this went against all I believe to give chocolate for breakfast. but these pancakes had hardly any sugar, plus, if I give whipped cream or coffee cake for breakfast every once in a while, these are for sure ok! even healthier!

1 egg
1 1/2 buttermilk (I didn't have any, so I used half soy milk and half reg milk with lemon juice)
3 T. canola oil
2 T. water
1/2 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour (when I do whole wheat flour I always "sift" and don't do the exact cup full)
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
chocolate chips (I love semi-sweet)

Mix wet ingredients first, then add dry and whisk until smooth. I prefer to mix the chocolate chips in the batter before I pour onto griddle. This may seem weird, but it was so so good with just a touch of pure maple syrup over it. The pancakes aren't really sweet, and just a touch of maple goes surprisingly really good with the chocolate and whole wheat flavor!

Steel Cut Oats

After years of mom telling me about steel cut oats and how much she loves them, I finally bought some. I gave up on eating hot oatmeal. I ate it for a while, knowing it was good for me, but it was just hard to swallow...literally. I know that steel cut oats are much better for you and they are so so so much more yummy. (horrible english, I know) Not mushy and it has texture that is so easy to eat. Anyway, so maybe it's easy to remember how to cook them, but the way my brain is working lately, I need to write it down somewhere.

1/2 c. steel cut oats
1 cup milk
3/4 c. water

*Bring to the milk and water to just the start of a boil and stir in the oats, and turn the heat down to simmer. (low)
Cook for 15 min and add:

1 T. Maple syrup (or 2 if you aren't adding any other sweet things after it's cooked)

Cook for another 15 min ish until it's the texture you like.

I made sauteed apples to go on mine and it was delicious!! (chop apples, add to melted butter and brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon) I was wishing I had some pecans to chop up and put in too!

Chayote Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients
I think that I left out one ingredient - chicken stock - and I think that that it might be 6 cups. Hmmm. Sorry. The next time I make this, I will experiment with it. This is one of Jeff's all time favorite soups, so I am so bummed that I missed part of the recipe.

2 Italian sausage links
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 chayote squashes, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook the sausage in the skillet until browned; remove the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the olive oil. onion, and garlic to the skillet; cook and stir until the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan along with the chayote squash and jalapeno peppers; cook and stir until the squash begins to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, corn, thyme, and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook until completely heated through, about 10 minutes more.

Instead of Italian sausage you can use 1 lb of ground turkey. Be careful not to overcook the chayote.

birthday chocolate cupcakes

1 choc. cake mix (devils food)
Bake in 2 round and let cool completely

In a bowl beat until fluffy
1- 8 oz. cream cheese
2/3 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
Fold in 2 Cups of whipped whipping cream(1 pint)

bran muffins

*found on tasty kitchen

* 1-½ cup Bran Flakes Cereal
* Boiling Water, As Needed
* 1 cup Raisins ( I used crasins I like them better)
* ¼ cups Shortening
* ¾ cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed ( I only did 1/2 c.)
* 1 whole Egg
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
* 1 cup Buttermilk
* 1-¼ cup All-purpose Flour
* 1-¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
* ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
* 2 Tablespoons Sugar
* ½ teaspoons Cinnamon



Place the bran flakes in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over the cereal. Mix so all the cereal is moistened. Set aside. Place the raisins in another small bowl. Pour boiling water over the raisins until all are covered. Set aside.

Butter a 12-cup muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

In a medium bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the bran flakes and then the buttermilk. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until combined. Fold in the raisins.

Divide the batter amongst the muffin tin. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating halfway through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove to a wire rack.

Banana Cake

Beat together:
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar

Add to shortening and sugar and beat until foamy:
3 eggs

Add and then beat:
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 c. flour
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt

Add and then beat:
1 t. vanilla
3 or 4 mashed bananas

Pour into greased and lightly floured pan at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Frost with your favorite cream cheese icing.
I use a jelly roll pan so that the cake isn't so thick and it get's nice and done.
Enjoy!!!!!!!! This is Danette Downey's recipe.

Chicken & Wild Rice

1 Cup Wild Rice 1 Cup Diced Celery 1 Cup diced Carrot 1/2 Cup Diced Onion 4 Cups Chicken (cubed) Spices to flavor: 1 tsp. Salt, 1 Tbls. Pepper, 1 tsp. Cumin, 1/2 tsp. Thyme, 1 Tbls. Basil Cook Chicken on stove in Chicken Broth or water with chicken bullion. On stove top Boil 3 Cups water with 3 tsp. chicken bullion, add 1 Cup wild Rice and bake in oven @ 325 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until water is pretty much gone. While the rice is baking add the following ingredients to a new stock pot on stove. 1 Cup Celery, 1 Cup Carrots, 1/2 Cup Onion. Saute with 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil. then add 4 Cups Water and 1 - 2 Cups Milk. Then add cooked, cubed chicken and spices. Let simmer until rice is done then add the rice to the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer on stove for another hour or so. Add more water or milk if it is not brothy enough for your liking. This is delicious! Enjoy!

flourless, dairy free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

1 C. Peanut Butter
3/4 c. brown sugar (I only did 1/2 c. but my PB is sweetened as well. if you use all natural PB, you may want to do all the sugar)
1/4 c. ground flaxseed meal
2 eggs
1/2 c. rolled oats (I just puled my regular oats in a blender for a sec)
Just under 1 t. baking soda
chocolate chips to desired amount

Mix PB, sugar, flax meal and eggs in a bowl. then add oats soda and chocolate chips.
Bake at 325-350 for 5-10 min depending on oven and how done you like them!! so good.

homemade egg noodles

1 c flour
1 egg
1-2 T milk
dash salt

In a bowl combine all ingredients, and mix with wooden spoon until it forms a ball. If mixture is too thick add more milk. Turn onto a floured surface and knead till smooth. Roll out into a rectangle desired thickness. Cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Cover till ready to use.

greek chicken pizza

*for one pizza

1 chicken breast
black olives
green olives
spinach
bell pepper (I used red)
fetta cheese
mozzarella cheese
about 1/2 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 -2 t.balsamic vinegar
dried oregano
dried parsley
garlic powder
salt
pepper
oilve oil

Grill chicken with essence or your favorite seasoning.
chop all veggies
cut up tomatoes and put in separate bowl and season with vinegar, oregano, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil, and let marinate for a few min.
on a slightly cooked crust, pour about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over crust. salt, pepper, and garlic powder the crust. put marinated tomatoes and juice all over crust, then rest of veggies. Season again with a little salt and pepper if desired. Then add the feta and mozerella cheese.
bake at 450 until melted and browned.

best pizza dough

*recipe from foodnetwork.com Tyler Florence

3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/2- 1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons Oilve Oil
1 cup warm water

mix first 4 ingredients in mixer. while mixer is on low, add the oil and water and let knead for 5 min.
place dough in greased bowl and let raise for one hour.

Homemade hamburger buns

1 c. Milk
1 c. Water
2 T. Butter
1 T. Sugar
1 1/2 t. Salt
5 1/2 c. flour (sifted or just under)
1 T. Yeast

1 egg yoke
1 T. water

Combine Milk, water, butter, sugar and salt in sauce pan and bring to boil. Then let cool to luke warm. Combine flour and yeast in large bowl. Add luke warm liquid to flour and combine. Kneed on counter until not crumbly anymore, then put into mixer and kneed for 7-8 min.
Put into greased bowl. (or I just put it back in the flour bowl). Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled. Punch down dough and break into 12 balls. make tight balls and pinch together at bottom. After they have rested for a few min, push down on balls until they are 3-4 inches and then let rise until double, about 20 min.
Once risen, take the egg and water and mix, and brush on top of balls. If you want you can sprinkle sesame seeds or dried onions on top.
Bake at 400 for about 20 min. until golden brown.

Easy Indian Butter Chicken

1/2 C. Butter, divided

1 Medium Onion Minced

1 Tbs Minced or crushed garlic

1 can Tomato Sauce

3 C. Heavy Cream(I do 1 cup cream 2 cups milk, or you can do evaporated milk instead of cream)

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Ceyenne pepper(I did about a heaping 1/2 tsp of ground red pepper and it was really spicy)

1 tsp. Garam Masala

1 1/2 lbs(about 5 large breasts) Chicken Breasts cut into bite size chunks

2 Tbs Tandoori Masala (I have never done this before I have always substituted it with the the same amount, 2 Tbs. curry powder and it is way yummy. I would however like to try the tandoori but i couldn't find it at the store when I went to look for it.)

*Caramelize your minced onion in a large sauce pan with about half the butter. Once caramelized add the rest of the butter, tomato sauce, and spices (except the Curry powder). Let it simmer on EXTREMELY low heat for about ten minutes.

*While simmering add your curry powder to your chunked chicken in a bowl. Toss until evenly coated on chicken.

*Then add the chicken bits to your sauce and let it simmer on low for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Add the cream and heat through but do not boil it. It will curdle. 

* When done serve over White, Basmati, or Brown rice. SO YUMMY!! chopped cilantro would be yummy over it too.

best pancakes

Mix together:

2 Cups Buttermilk (I didn't have any, so I used soymilk with 2 T. lemon juice)
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
3 T. melted butter
1/2 t. vanilla

Add:

2 cups flour (i normally do 1 1/2 cups white and 1/2 cup wheat)
2 T. Sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Mix all together and fry up!

Corn Chowder

2 T. butter
olive oil
1 onion diced
1-2 t. minced garlic
dried thyme, couple of shakes
dried parsley, about 1-2 t.
1/4 c. flour
6 cups chicken stock
2 c. milk
2 large potatoes, diced
2 whole carrots, diced
1-2 cups frozen corn (depending on how much you like, I just dumped it in until I thought it was good)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder to taste

Heat oil and butter in soup pot and saute onion, garlic, thyme and parsley on Medium heat until soft. sprinkle with flour and combine. Then add stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots and milk and hard boil for about 7 min, until soft. Then add corn and simmer for 10-15 min. season to taste with salt, pepper, etc.

spaghetti and turkey meatballs

I am not a big fan of meatballs in any form. I have had some at an amazing restaurant called Al Forno's in Salt Lake City. I have to say, this recipe rivaled theirs! It may be that I haven't had it in a long time and don't remember, but this was so good!
I also did alot of this by sight so I will try to give as close as amounts as I can!

*Made about 20 small meatballs. (just smaller than a golf ball)

About 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 small onion minced
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. italian seasoning
Salt (I did about a teaspoon, could do more. my sauce is very salty so I didn't over do it)
Fresh ground Pepper
1/2 of 1 whipped egg
about 1/4 c. plain bread crumbs
Splash of Heavy Cream (probably about 2-3 T)

Mix all together and form balls to desired size. Heat 1/4 c. olive oil and 1 T. butter in a pan over med heat. Once heated, dust meatballs in flour and place in pan. Brown meatballs on 2 sides over med high heat. (1-2 min on each side) *Remember, this is only to brown the meatballs. they don't need to be cooked all the way through*
Once browned, take out of pan and put on a paper towel to drain for a second, then put meatballs into simmering pasta sauce. Let simmer for 10 min or so.

For sauce: I used my own bottled sauce which is this recipe; Uncle Scott's Pasta Sauce
So good! I love it. But you could make some on the spot, or use your favorite. but the sauce is the key!!!

Once pasta, I used linguine, is cooked, drain. DO NOT RINSE PASTA!! Put hot pasta back in pot and add sauce and meatballs. sprinkle desired amount of parm cheese and mix all together.

***Makes incredible meatball subs the next day!! I made them with baguettes!

tex-mex cabbage and corn salad

This is a really yummy side dish to enchiladas, burritos etc!! a nice refreshing change from just mexican rice.

For the dressing:

* 2 limes, juiced
* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 20 grinds fresh black pepper
* 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* a pinch or 2 of sugar

For the salad:

* 1 small head green cabbage, trimmed, cored, and shredded
* 1/2 small head red cabbage, trimmed, cored, and shredded
* 1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels
* 1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed, dried, and finely chopped
* 1 bunch scallions, washed, dried, and thinly sliced into rounds

Laurie and Amy's Amazing Chocolate Cake

This recipe is from two friends of mine and it is truly the finest chocolate cake that I have ever had in the USA!! (Switzerland is hard to compete with, okay?!)

1 3/4 cups boiling water
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, OR chocolate chips (for a double recipe, use 15 oz. chocolate chips, which equals 2 1/2 cups.)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with circles of wax paper or baking parchment.
Pour the boiling water over the chocolate chips. Add cocoa and stir until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool. Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and half of the chocolate mixture. Beat on low to combine, then on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat on low until mixed.

Pour batter into pans and bake 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out completely clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes; remove from pans. Wrap in double layers of plastic wrap while still warm and freeze. Double recipe makes two 10" layers plus two 8" layers or four 9" layers. Never fill pans more than 2/3 full.

Frosting:

1 1/4 cups plus 2 T. butter, softened
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (For really dark frosting, use part Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, about 4 T.)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup plus 2 T. Milk

Cream butter with electric mixer. Whisk together sugar and cocoa. Beat one-third of the sugar/cocoa mixture into the butter. Mix in vanilla. Add the rest of the sugar/cocoa mixture alternately with milk and beat until frosting is smooth.

When cake is frozen solid, frost between the two layers and spread a thin layer over the whole cake. Freeze again for about 20 minutes. Frost again. Repeat if desired. (Frost the last time on the day you plan to serve the cake and let it stand at room temperature to thaw.)

Tips:
-*The best kind is Saco Premium Cocoa, which comes in a round container with a picture of a baker on the front.
-I doubled this and it made 4 perfect 9" layers.
-I liked the frosting best with about 1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa and 1/2 cup regular unsweetened cocoa.
-If you don't have time to frost and freeze the cake, freeze the layers, and frost the cake while still frozen. Use about 1/4 of frosting between layers, 1/2 on sides of cake and remaining 1/4 of frosting on top of cake.
-A few good decorating/cake baking tips can be found at: http://www.hospitalitymanagementschools.net/blog/2010/cake-decorating-tips-to-remember/

Asian Salmon

1 side salmon fillet cut in steaks (I got 5 steaks out of it)

2 T. spicy brown mustard
3 T. soy sauce
6 T. Olive oil
1/2 t. garlic
1/4 t. grated ginger
2-4 drops sesame oil


Mix marinade and pour half over salmon. Let sit in marinade 10-20 min. Put some foil on cookie sheet, spray with cooking spry and lay salmon on foil skin side down. Broil for 10 min in oven (this is what I did since we don't have a grill) or grill on grill for 4-5 min per/side.
Once out of oven or grill, pour remaining sauce over fish and let sit for a few min. then serve.

FABULOUS COOKIES

1 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar (cream together - I always cut the sugar in half to 3/4 cup of each kind of sugar and it's plenty sweet)
1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs
1 TBS. Mexican Vanilla (add)

3 cups flour
1 TBS. baking soda
1 TBS. baking powder (add)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 TBS. cinnamon

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups flaked coconut
3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (or as many as you like)

Bake at 350 degrees F. or 180 degrees C. for 7-9 min or until under done. With my oven, I cook it only 7 minutes. It will seem like it is raw, but once it is cooled, it will be perfect. You can freeze these soon after they are baked and then let them thaw for future enjoyment!

Corn Bread

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt


In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Combine the eggs and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture.
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.