It's official...this is a long post

I'm an idiot. I'll post pictures as soon as I can find my usb cable for the camera, but here's how my day went today. **But first, a little disclaimer: I have had HORRIBLE luck lately, especially when it comes to glass. It seems as if I even come near to something glass, I break it. Mainly it has been lightbulbs, but tonight was much bigger. Oh, and I'm also learning the quirks of my appliances, which are all new to me. I have a double oven, but the top oven doesn't seal very good, so I've just been using the bottom one.

After learning of the passing of my dearest Grandma Wilma this morning, I didn't feel much enthusiasm to do anything today. We picked out some more paint from the house, took down the Christmas tree and vacuumed up the millions of pine needles on the floor, and then it actually started to snow. Homemade bread sounded fabulous to me, so I opened up a recipe for an artisan bread that I've been wanting to try. It requires you to preheat your oven (and pizza stone) at 450 degrees while the bread rises - it also advises you to insert a broiler pan to pour water into to allow the bread to steam while baking. I managed to get all of that set up, but wasn't exactly thinking straight when I grabbed a "broiler pan" for the water. In goes the 9x13 glass Pyrex pan to preheat with the pizza stone. At 450 degrees. The preheat timer went off, and I managed to scoot the bread onto the hot pizza stone. Time to pour water into the pan for steaming. That was a mistake. The second the water hit the HOT, HOT glass pan, KABOOM!!!!! Glass everywhere. And hot glass at that. Thankfully the pan is (or was) made out of safety glass, or there's a good chance I'd be bleeding right now. I screamed, and swore - I admit it freely. My heart was pounding, and Aaron came to my rescue and helped me clean up most of the mess. But I still wanted my bread! So I quickly turned on the upper oven and hoped that it would be quick to preheat. Needless to say that in the 30 minutes I cooked the bread, the oven never made it to the required 450 degrees. C'est la vie. Here's the recipe and the pictures (found the usb cable).

The Master Recipe: Boule (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)
Source: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour, measured with the scoop-and-sweep method
cornmeal

Mixing and Storing the Dough
1. Warm the water slightly: It should feel just a little warmer than body temperature, about 100 degrees F.
2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded (not airtight) plastic food container. Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.
3. Mix in the flour- kneading is unnecessary: Add all of the flour at once, measuring it in with dry-ingredient measuring cups, by gently scooping up flour, then sweeping the top level with a knife or spatula. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high capacity food processor (14 cups or larger) fitted with the dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook until the mixture is uniform. If you’re hand mixing and it becomes too difficult to incorporate all the flour with the spoon, you can reach into your mixing bowl with very wet hands and press the mixture together. Don’t knead- it isn’t necessary. You’re finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. This step should only take a matter of minutes, and should yield a dough that is wet and loose enough to conform to the shape of its container.
4. Allow to rise: Cover with a lid (not airtight). Don’t use any screw-top jars, which could explode from trapped gases. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flattens on top), approximately 2 hours, depending on the room’s temperature and the initial water temperature. Longer rising times (up to 5 hours) will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and is easier to work with than dough at room temperature. The authors recommend that the first time you try this recipe, you refrigerate the dough overnight (or at least 3 hours) before shaping a loaf.

On Baking Day
5. The gluten cloak: don’t knead, just “cloak” and shape a loaf in 30 to 60 seconds. First prepare a pizza peel (or a cookie sheet or cutting board) by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the dough from sticking to it when you slide it into the oven. Sprinkle the surface of your refrigerated dough with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece of dough, using a serrated knife. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it’s not intended to be incorporated into the dough. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will flatten out and adhere during resting and baking. The final product with be smooth and cohesive. The entire process in this step should take no longer than 30 to 60 seconds.
6. Rest the loaf and let it rise on a pizza peel: Place shaped ball on cornmeal-covered pizza peel. Allow the loaf to rest on the peel for about 40 minutes (it doesn’t need to be covered). You may not see much rise during this period; more rise will occur during baking.
7. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F., with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising of the bread.
8. Dust and slash: Dust the top of the loaf liberally with the flour, which will allow the slashing knife to pass without sticking. Slash a 1/4-inch-deep cross, scallop, or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife.
9. Baking with steam: After a 20 minute preheat, you’re ready to bake. With a quick forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off of your cornmeal covered surface and onto the preheated baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about 1 cup of hot water from the tap into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Because you’ve used wet dough, there is little risk of drying out the interior, despite the dark crust. Allow the loaf to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack.
10. Store the remaining dough in the refrigerator in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next 14 days. The dough “matures” over the 14 day period, improving flavor and texture of your bread. Cut off, shape and bake more loaves as you need them.

Notes:
*I halved the recipe and ended up baking up two loaves within the week.
*I didn’t have a pizza peel, so I used a cutting board coated with cornmeal to let the bread rise. The first loaf I made, I didn’t use enough cornmeal and my dough stuck a bit to the board. I had to nudge it onto the pizza stone and it looked a little misshapen and wobbly. When it came out of the oven though, it was a perfectly baked round loaf. On my second try, I made sure to coat my board liberally with cornmeal and had no trouble at all sliding it onto my pizza stone.
*Since you can cut off as big a piece of dough as you want to bake, the method is perfect for large and small families alike.

Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER

I had to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast Christmas morning, but was spending Christmas Eve at mom & dad's and didn't want them to get stale. So, I found this recipe and thought we'd give them a try. Let's just say that Bryce made me make them again yesterday so we could have them this morning, and he told me I'm not allowed to try any other recipes for cinnamon rolls again. Ever. This is the one. SO GOOD!

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls from OurBestBites.com

Dough

1 T active dry yeast

1/2 C warm water (105 degr F/ 40 deg C)

4 1/2 C all-purpose flour (22 1/2 oz 700g)

4 large eggs

1/4 C sugar

1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp

Filling

1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1 T cinnamon

Glaze

1 C powdered sugar (for frosting instead of glaze, use 2 C powdered sugar)

2 T butter, melted

2 T milk or cream

1 t vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water, allow to bloom for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1/2 C of the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. Add the eggs, sugar, butter, and remaining 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until smooth 10-12 minutes. Add a bit more flour to reduce stickiness if needed.Cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. While dough is rising, prepare filling. Take 2 T of the stick of butter and set aside. Beat remaining butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined and slightly fluffy, about 1 minute.Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Roll out into a rectangle about 15x10 in. Spread filling onto dough and roll up length-wise. Use string or dental floss to score and cut the dough into rolls. Place cut side up in baking dish. Melt the reserved 2 T butter and brush on top of rolls. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning remove from refrigerator and let rise until half again as high, about 1 hour. While rising mix glaze ingredients until combined. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Spread the glaze over warm rolls and serve.

I almost didn't try these at the Temple this morning...I'm so glad I gave in to the urge! They are fabulous! I recommend cutting them into smallish pieces.


Caramel Rice Krispie Bars

Caramel: 1 (14 0z.) bag of caramels, unwrapped
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick butter

Rice Krispies:
1 1/2 sticks butter, divided
10 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
10 cups Rice Krispies cereal, divided

Place caramels, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir until smooth, returning to microwave if not yet melted. Set aside to cool.

In another bowl melt 6 Tbp. butter with 4 cups of the marshmallows for 70 seconds. Stir until smooth. Pour over 5 cups of the cereal; stir until cereal is coated. Spread in a greased 9x13 inch glass dish. Pour caramel over the top, then immediately sprinkle on 2 cups of the marshmallows. Refrigerated to set the mixture somewhat. Prepare the remaining butter, Rice Krispies and marshmallows, as above. Spread over the caramel layer. Chill until firm enough to cut.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

15-MINUTE CHOCOLATE WALNUT FUDGE

MAKES ABOUT 2/ POUNDS

The quality of the chocolate used will affect the flavor and texture of the fudge. We prefer Ghirardelli semisweet and unsweetened chocolate in this recipe. Don't be tempted to make this fudge without the walnuts; they are crucial to the texture. If you prefer, you can use toasted nuts in this recipe. Make sure to remove the fudge from the double boiler before the chocolate is fully melted. If the chocolate stays in the double boiler too long, there is the possibility of the chocolate separating and producing greasy fudge. This fudge will change texture and become drier the longer it is stored. Store the fudge, tightly wrapped in plastic, in a cool place for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months. If frozen, allow ample time to let it reach room temperature before cutting.

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped fine

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon table salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Cut 12-inch length extra-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil; fold edges back to form 71/2-inch width. With folded sides facing down, fit foil securely into bottom and up sides of 8-inchsquare baking pan, allowing excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Toss chocolates, baking soda, and salt in medium heatproof bowl until baking soda is evenly distributed. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Set bowl over 4-quart saucepan containing 2 cups simmering water. Stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is almost fully melted and few small pieces remain, 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Remove bowl from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Transfer fudge to prepared pan and spread in even layer with spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Remove fudge from pan using foil and cut into squares.

TO MAKE DOUBLE BATCH: Line 13 by 9-inch pan with two sheets of foil placed perpendicular to each other and double amounts of all ingredients. In step 2, use large heatproof bowl and Dutch oven containing 4 cups simmering water.

15-MINUTE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Follow recipe for 15-Minute Chocolate Walnut Fudge, substituting 18 ounces peanut butter chips for chocolates in step 2 and omitting walnuts.

I5-MINUTE ROCKY ROAD FUDGE

Follow, recipe for 15-Minute Chocolate Walnut Fudge, substituting 1 cup miniature marshmallows, 1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts, and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips for walnuts in step 3.

Now, I do alot of things real well, but my fudge has never been great. UNTIL....Al found the recipe for fudge in Cook's Illustrated - Nov. 07. After 150 batches, they perfected the recipe and let me just say....Goodbye Sweet Afton's!!
If you want the recipe, somebody tell me how to get it out of the magazine and onto the blog (one of those other things I don't do too well :) Karen

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons coarse salt
* 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
* 1 1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
* 2 large egg yolks
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To prepare the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a small bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium, add yolks, cream, and vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture until just combined.

Roll balls using 2 teaspoons dough for each, and roll each in sugar. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. With the handle of a wooden spoon, press gently in the center of each to create an indentation. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. (If indentations lose definition, press centers again.) Let cool slightly on baking sheets. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and let cool.

Chocolate and Vanilla Ganache

* 1/3 cup heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

To prepare the ganache: Combine cream and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring until cream mixture is very warm but not boiling. Remove from heat.

Place chocolate in a small heat safe bowl.Pour cream mixture over chocolate, and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Let cool (for about 10 minutes) and then use immediately.

I pour the cooled ganache in to a baggie then cut the tip off and use that to help fill the cookies.

Savory Wreath Rolls

Savory Wreath Rolls

18 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley or rosemary leaves
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3/4 cup shredded asiago cheese
fresh parsley or rosemary, if desired

With scissors, cut rolls in half horizontally. In a small bowl combine butter, garlic powder, salt and parsley or rosemary leaves. In another bowl, combine cheeses. Dip roll halves in butter mixture and then cheese. Arrange cut side down on a large sprayed baking sheet or pizza pan to form a 10-inch wreath. (Place 24 halves in a thick circle for the base of the wreath, and place 12 halves on top.) Sprinkle any remaining cheese over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double. Remove wrap. Bake at 350°F 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and let cool. Brush with additional butter and garnish with fresh parsley or rosemary if desired.

Pie in a jar

This was a really cute idea I saw on the web. It would make a nice little Christmas gift to give to your friends or neighbors.

Ingredients:

• 4 wide-mouth half pint mason jars with lids & rings. You need the type that are short and squatty, and stand about 2" tall.
• 1 9" pie crust, store bought or homemade
• 2 cups fruit pie filling, any variety, canned or homemade
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• optional: small cookie cutters

Instructions:

• Make sure your jars are clean and dry. Roll out a portion of the pie dough so it's about 1/8" thick and about 7"x7". Use the screw-on ring from the jar lid to cut 4 circles out of the dough. Set these circles aside. Divide the remainder of the dough into 4 equal parts. Use your hands to gently press this dough into each jar so that it completely lines the inside of the jar, all the way up to the top.
• Fill each jar with about 1/2 c. pie filling
• The circles that were previously cut out will be the tops of the pies and will need a vent for steam to escape during cooking. Either cut a slash in the middle of use a small cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Place the circle on top of the pie. Pinch the edges of the crust to seal.
• Brush the top of crusts with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place metal lids and rings on the jars and tighten.
• The jars may now be stored in the fridge for a day or two, or they can be kept in the freezer for several months, or you can cook them immediately.

To bake frozen pies:

• Remove metal lids and rings from jars and place jars on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in a cold, not pre-heated oven, and turn heat to 375 degrees. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Jars will be hot. Eat right out of the jar or scoop portions out and place on a plate.

To bake non-frozen pies:

• Follow same instructions as above, only pre-heat oven before putting the pies in.

the house

Okay, no recipes on this entry, but here are some pictures of the house we're buying. As you can see there is a LOT of updating that needs to be done, but everything works so we'll live with the blue sinks/toilets/tubs and 60's lighting for awhile. The house is only 2 miles from where we are now, it has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3 fireplaces, and a full basement! I've already got ideas for the kitchen: white subway tile backsplash, paint the cabinets a nice bright white, maybe butcherblock countertops, and eventually new appliances and floor. Okay, it needs a complete overhaul, but that will have to come later on. Anyhow, enjoy the pictures.

Apple Bread

I'm going to bring this on Saturday:

Apple Bread

2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
3 c flour
1 1/2 c oil
1 can apple pie filling, chopped

Mix all together. Use pastry brush to grease 3 loaf pans with very soft butter (the more butter the better) and use granulated sugar to coat instead of flour (the more sugar the better). Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Let cool and wrap with plastic.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These cookies are delicious!!! Or, at least the little crumb I tasted last night was delicious! They are very similar to the Girl Scout Cookie version.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup quick cooking oats
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir.
3. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.
4. To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter or margarine with the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

Pumpkin pound cake

I made this one last night - it would be even better either with chocolate chips in the batter, or a chocolate glaze. Yum!

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
Yields 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Drain the canned pumpkin before making the cake batter to keep the cake's texture light.


Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

Glaze:
1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels; cover with 2 additional layers of paper towels. Let stand about 10 minutes. Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Drizzle cake with glaze.

Avocado & Pomegranate Salsa

Okay Mom, while I'm waiting for the official recipe from Heidi, here's one I found while Googling...

Avocado & Pomegranate Salsa

1 Large pomegranate - seeded
3-4 avocados - diced
5-6 Roma tomatoes - diced
1/2 c. red onion - diced
1 small lime or lemon - the juice
1 tsp. Tabasco hot sauce or any other hot sauce
1 tsp. seasoning of your choice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Seed Pomegranate, cut up avocados & tomatoes into smaller chunks. Chop up red onion. Mix together and then squeeze the juice of the lime or lemon over it all, add additional three items and then mix. Serve with Fritos or Tortilla Chips & ENJOY!

Citrus Chicken

This is a low-fat, healthy dinner that requires few ingredients. The recipe is in the Macbeth Family Cook-book, but I hadn't made it for a while. We gave it another whirl tonight, and it was as good this time as it was the first time.

Citrus Chicken
1 large orange
1 large lime
3/4 c. light Zesty Italian dressing
3-4 chicken breasts

Finely grate orange peel to make 1 1/2 tsp. Squeeze juice from orange to make 1/3 cup. Finely grate lime peel to make 1 tsp. Squeeze juice from lime to make 3 tbsp. Combine juices and peels with dressing and mix well.

Place chicken in a gallon-size resealable bag. Add 3/4 of the dressing mixture to the bag, seal bag, and rub dressing on chicken so that it is coated thoroughly. Refrigerate chicken with marinade for 3-8 hours. Grill or broil chicken until juices run clear (about 10-15 minutes), turning occasionally and brushing with remainder of dressing frequently. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with orange slices.

I'm baaaack!

Thanks for dealing with my absence lately - having a new baby in the house is taking a lot out of me! Since I've been home, I've been watching way too much daytime TV. But I saw this on one of my (new) regular daytime TV shows, and thought it sounded pretty darn good, though I may substitute spinach for the broccoli rabe. I don't do broccoli.

Spicy Penne with Broccoli Rabe, Sausage and Chick Peas
Yields 4 servings

Salt
1 large bundle of broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces
1 pound penne or whole wheat penne
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound bulk Italian hot sausage, squeezed from casing
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes, to pass at table

Add drained pasta back to the pot along with the butter and cheese. Toss to coat then add the sauce and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt then the rabe. Cook 3 minutes. Remove to an ice water bath with slotted spoon or spider and reserve. Bring water back to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente, reserving 1 cup of starchy cooking liquid just before draining.

Meanwhile, heat EVOO in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown, about 5-6 minutes.

Place half the chickpeas in a food processor with a splash of water and purée. Add garlic to sausage and cook 1 minute. Add purée and remaining whole chickpeas and reserved broccoli rabe. Season with salt, pepper and thyme, and heat through. Add tomatoes and stir, reduce heat to simmer. When pasta is done, add reserved cooking liquid to the sauce before draining.

Spiced Baked Potato Soup

This is really good, my friend made it for Super Saturday yesterday, and I made it for dinner tonight; though since half & half isn't in our diet right now I used 1% milk instead. Was still good, but of course not *as* good as with half & half.

Spiced Baked Potato Soup

3 TBS butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 TBS flour
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
dash Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 cup half & half

Garnish with:
grated cheddar cheese
sour cream
crumbled bacon
chopped green onions

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, white and black pepper, basil Tabasco and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half & half; heat through. Serve with garnishes. Serves 4, but doubles easily.

Dutch Apple Bread

We have a LOT of apples this year, and I was looking for something new to try. I found this recipe on a website, and I'd like to try it someday. Maybe not for a few weeks, though.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped, peeled apple
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
TOPPING:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 c. rolled oats
3 tablespoons butter or margarine



DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in apple and nuts. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. For topping, combine the first five ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Spaghetti Squash With Veggies and Cheeses

Okay, so the cheeses aren't the healthiest thing, but the rest is veggies!!! Even Alexis asked for seconds!

1 Spaghetti Squash cooked and separated into strands
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
2 C grated Mozzarella cheese
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cheese and set aside. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add, onion, garlic and peppers. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil and red pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Mix squash well with veggies and put half in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Top with half the cheese mixture, then the other half of the squash and veggies, then the rest of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly or slightly brown. Let cook for 10-15 minutes before serving! Enjoy!!!!

London Macaroni & Cheese

Found this recipe while poking around my new favorite blog: http://blonde-designs.squarespace.com/

This sounds like the ultimate comfort food!

London Macaroni & Cheese

3 cups (3/4 pound) grated white sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup (1/4 pound) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or substitute Grana Padano or pecorino cheese
1 pound ziti, penne or short macaroni
3-3/4 cups whole milk
8 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the baking dish
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the two cheeses and reserve. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a simmer.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; when it starts to bubble, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes and then remove from the heat (this is the roux). Whisk in the hot milk all at once. Add the cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the mixture to high heat and cook, stirring, until it comes to a boil and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 cups of the combined cheeses to the milk mixture and cook, stirring, until the cheeses have melted completely. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the bowl and mix lightly.

Lightly butter a 3-1/2-quart deep baking dish and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the combined cheeses over the bottom. Cover with one third of the pasta and one third of the remaining cheese. Repeat the layers twice, ending with a layer of cheese. Pour the cream over all, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake until the macaroni is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6

A new take on chicken and rice

As my taste buds are still maturing, I'm finding more and more things that I'm trying and actually liking. Indian food is one of those things. This is a new dish we tried just the other night, and most everybody at least tried it. Aaron and I both loved it, but the kids found it a little too spicy. Next time I'll go a little easier on the chili powder!

Taj Maholla Chicken
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients
For the Chicken:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons Garam Masala(you can find this in the spice aisle)
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice (this is mainly for color - I used whatever red juice I had in the fridge)
2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless breasts)

For the Butter Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large sauté pan, over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and ginger and slowly cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder, turmeric, Garam Masala and pomegranate juice. Let cool slightly. Rub chicken well with mixture and bake in a shallow baking pan for 25 minutes. Chicken will be three-quarters of the way cooked. When chicken is cool to the touch, remove bones and shred meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Meanwhile to make Butter Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté onions, ginger and garlic until light brown, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue sautéing until tomatoes begin to fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add spices and continue to cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return puree back to pan and add cream and butter. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and sauté for 6 minutes more until chicken is cooked through. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with basmati rice, if desired.

Basmati Rice
Yields 4 servings

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup white basmati rice (WARNING! Brown basmati rice takes about twice as long to cook, so watch which one you buy!)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sliced apricots
2 tablespoons chopped currants
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
(I omitted the cilantro and added a hint of ground cloves)

Warm olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and onion. Stir until rice is well coated and translucent around edges, about 2 minutes. Add water and salt. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff rice. Then gently mix in remaining ingredients.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Not sure if I've included this before or not - but here it goes!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound carrots, grated medium fine
3/4 cup walnut pieces, coarsely chopped

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

To make the cake

1. in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the eggs at high speed until light and frothy, about 1 minute. Decrease the speed to medium and add the oil, sugar, and salt, and mix until just combined. Decrease the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.

3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the carrots and walnuts.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.

5. Bake 20-24 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

12 ounces or 1-1/2 packages of Philly cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
4-5 cups sifted powdered sugar
seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. bring cheese and butter to room temperature by letting it sit out for 1 or 2 hours
2. sift powdered sugar into a bowl or onto parchment
3. beat butter and cheese at medium speed until creamy
4. add 4 cups of the sugar and beat until combined
5. add vanillas and beat until combined
6. add more sugar until you get to the consistency and sweetness you like

Cinnamon-Peach Cottage Cheese Pancakes

I LOVED these pancakes (found on allrecipes.com)! Bryce and Savannah had no clue there was cottage cheese in them, so I felt sucessful at sneaking in a little protein. Fresh peach syrup and some vanilla yogurt makes these as close to perfection as you can get!

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 peach, shredded or chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 pinch salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS Mix eggs, cottage cheese, milk, vanilla, butter, and peach in a large bowl. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir flour mixture into the cottage cheese mixture until just combined. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

SYRUP
4 cups pureed peaches
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Boil 5 minutes.

Dr. Pepper Marinade

I got this recipe today from a friend I used to work with, and she is an EXCELLENT cook! So I am definitely going to try this one out! She's a good cook and I LOVE Dr. Pepper..
So.. Here we go..

Ingredients
• 1 liter Dr. Pepper cola (not diet!)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup worcestershire sauce
• 5 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon peppercorn
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
Directions
1.
Add all ingredients in a sealable container and mix well.
2.
Can be kept for up to a week or two.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

These were a huge hit...even with our picky eaters!
2 chicken breasts, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
2 T green onion, minced
1/4 c white onion, minced
1 can corn (or frozen 1 C.)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. spinach , sliced very thin
1 small can diced green chiles
1/2 T. fresh parsley, minced
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 t. salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 c monterey jack cheese or cheddar cheese shredded
flour tortillas

Avocado Ranch dipping sauce
1 C ranch
1 whole avocado mashed
1 t minced onion
salt and pepper
lime juice
blend together with blender

Mix first 13 ingredients and saute until warm. Remove from heat and add cheese, mix well, warm tortillas. Place about 1/2 cup of mixture in tortilla and fold so that none escapes/ Place inside panini or George Foreman grill. Serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!!!

Salmon cakes

I really need to try and get more fish in the diet of my family, including myself - think I'll give this one a try for dinner tonight,along with some roasted asparagus (if it's still in season). I'll let you know how it turned out!

Salmon Cakes
Yields 4 servings

2 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled, bacon fat reserved
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lemon, zested
1 (14-ounce) can wild salmon, checked for large bones
1 baked or boiled russet potato, peeled, and fluffed with a fork
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat in a small sauté pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Cool the onions for a bit.

Mix the bacon, onion, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Add the salmon and potato, mixing gently after each addition. Form the mixture into 12 small patties. In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and pepper, to taste. Coat the patties in the bread crumb topping. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, and cook the salmon cakes in batches until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil, as necessary. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

latest project

Okay Mona, here's the completed nursing cover...

Peanut Butter Bars

Aah, peanut butter . . . could there be a more heavenly food? So tasty, so versatile, so enticing.

This recipe was found out of the May Better Homes & Gardens; they had it in a featured section on strawberry recipes, and so they named it "Fresh Strawberry Bars." But I am going to rename the recipe as Peanut Butter Bars, which to me, seems more fitting. Anyway, I tried this one on Tuesday for book club, and it was fabulous.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. peanut butter (it didn't specify creamy or chunky, probably either would work)
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. strawberry jam
4 c. strawberries, halved or quartered

1. Heat oven to 350. Line 13x9 baking pan with foil, extending foil beyond edges. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Beat in sugars, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour by hand (I used my Kitchenaid mixer, and I was able to mix in all the flour with that).
3. Spread dough in prepared pan (dough will be very thick). Bake 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
4. Cool completely on rack. Remove from pan by lifting out foil. Spread jam on top and add berries. Cut into bars. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 6 hours.

Note: The peanut butter base can be made ahead and frozen. For individual servings, cut the base in portions and freeze. Pull out however many portions you need, let defrost for about 5 minutes, and then top with jam & berries. I liked the bars themselves so much, even without the jam & berries, that I ate a few of them plain. They would be good with a variety of toppings.

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Mom! Dad! I bought my first can of whole beans today - intentionally!! A friend of mine introduced me to this yummy salsa (I was so brave to try it, I know!)... she usually adds at least one other kind of bean, as well as diced avocado, but I only had one and was a nice wife and made Rob his favorite tomato/avocado salad while I was making the salsa.

Here is my version, keep in mind I kept the portions somewhat small, knowing I was going to be the only one eating it. I'm ashamed yet delighted to admit I ate the whole bowl full myself (with lime Tostidos) - it was delicious!! A perfect summer snack!

fresh corn - I used the kernels from one ear of corn
half a red pepper, diced (thanks Mom, I relieved you of the red pepper in your fridge while you were on your trip - wouldn't have wanted it to go bad, now would we?)
half a red onion, diced
a good handful of cilantro, chopped
half a can of black beans, rinsed really well! (that black juice stuff is gross)
lime juice
salt/pepper

Diced tomatoes would have been good to add too... since I also scavenged Dad's garden, I should have thought to use one of his... oh well, next time!

Greek Spinach and Artichoke Potstickers

Believe it or not, I got this recipe from the Deseret News - think I'll give it a try tonight!

GREEK SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE POT STICKERS

1 cup fresh spinach, loosely packed
1 can or jar artichoke hearts, drained
2 garlic cloves
1/4 onion
1/2 cup peanuts
8-10 basil leaves
2 tablespoons parsley
Pinch oregano
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
25 small wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon mint

Place the first 10 items in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil while mixing. Place mixture in a bowl and set aside.

Pour the water in bowl, and set next to the spinach/artichoke mixture, creating an assembly line on the counter.

Lay four of the wonton wrappers next to those two bowls. Using a brush or your finger, dampen edges of each wonton wrapper with the water.

Place a tablespoon of the spinach/artichoke mixture in the center of each wrapper. Fold in half like a triangle, and seal the edges by firmly pressing the sides with your fingertips. Repeat this process with the remaining wonton wrappers.

In a medium-hot frying pan, coat the bottom completely with the vegetable oil, adding more oil if needed. In batches, saute the stuffed wontons for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Place cooked wontons on paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Serve immediately with Yogurt-Cucumber Dip.

YOGURT-CUCUMBER DIP

1 cucumber, finely diced
8 ounces plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
3 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, zest only
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Dice cucumber and drain well. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve with pot stickers. Serves 4-6.

My fun new project

This isn't a post about cooking, but I promised Rhonda that I'd show her a picture of my new fun project that I just finished. It was super easy and fast - now the rest of my kids want one too!

The best Summer Trifle you will ever taste. Seriously!!

This comes from my friend Jo-Ann's blog, www.pumpkinpetunia.blogspot.com. I made it for bookclub last night and it tasted better than I could have imagined. You really have to try it!!

SUMMER TRIFLE

1 prepared recipe sour cream pound cake, sliced or cubed (recipe follows)
1 prepared recipe lemon curd, chilled (recipe follows)
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
16 oz. fresh strawberries, sliced 2 pints fresh blueberries (I used fresh raspberries in place of the strawberries)

To make the cream:

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add the heavy cream and continue beating until thick. Chill until ready to assemble trifle.

Assembly:

Layer in a trifle dish or large bowl–

Half the sliced pound cake–use smaller pieces to fill in the gaps Half the lemon curd One third of the blueberries and strawberries Half the whipped cream mixture

Repeat with the remaining cake, lemon curd, another 1/3 of the berries, and whipped cream. Top with the remaining 1/3 strawberries and blueberries.

Let chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Serves a bunch.

Sour Cream Pound Cake adapted from The Joy of Cooking

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used regular salted butter and cut the salt to 1/4 tsp.)
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs, separated and at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 8″ square baking pans or a 9″ Bundt pan.

Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add 3 c of sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Don’t skimp on this step.)

Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating for at least 1 minute between additions. Add the vanilla extract.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, beat just until it disappears into the creamed mixture. Add 1/2 of the sour cream. Beat to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and sour cream, making sure to end with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar a little at a time. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Carefully fold in 1/3 of the egg whites to the batter using a large rubber or silicone spatula. (It’s okay if there are some streaks of egg white. This is to lighten the batter before the remaining egg whites are added.)

Add the remaining egg whites by gently folding, being careful not to deflate the whites.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. If using 8″ square pans, bake for about 35-40 minutes. (Don’t open the oven at all during the first 30 minutes or the cake will fall in the center.) If using the bundt pan, bake for 60-75 minutes. Tent the pans with foil if the top browns too quickly. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Let cool for a few minutes in pan before removing the cake to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cake gets better the longer it sits. Be sure to wrap it well in foil or plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.

Lemon Curd - no kidding, this is H E A V E N L Y... seriously consider making a double batch.

Juice of 3 lemons
Zest of 3 lemons
1 cup granulated sugar
3 whole eggs
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

In a bowl, rub the lemon zest with the sugar until wet and sandy. Whisk in the eggs. Add the juice. Add the melted butter.

Transfer the mixture to a stainless steel (or other non-reactive) pan. Cook over medium heat while whisking constantly until the curd thickens. (It will be about the consistency of thin yogurt.) Quickly remove from heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap on the surface and chill until ready to use.

HOT mama

The weather in Portland has been absolutely awful this past week. I can handle the 90's, but 3 days of 100+ temperatures, PLUS humidity, equals one cranky pregnant woman. I guess it's not just being cranky, but so tired that all I want to do is lounge on the couch and fall asleep, but it's too hot to sleep. You get the point. Homes in Portland generally don't have central air, but we do have a window a/c in our bedroom. If we didn't have that, we'd be sleeping in a hotel! Needless to say, it has been too hot to cook. Period. There goes the budget for eating out! As I'm sitting here at 8:55 p.m., the thermometer outside reads a crisp 80 degrees. Compared to yesterday's 104 at 7 p.m. I'LL TAKE 80!!

Problems searching the blog?

Is anyone else having trouble searching this blog for recipes? It's just not working for me. Every time I try something it says no posts match my query. Maybe it's just me. Let me know what the trick is or just search for all the recipes with blackberries and email them to me. Thanks!

Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

If you have extra zucchini (who doesn't?) and like Thanksgiving type foods, this casserole's for you. Just tried it last night & it was fabulous!

INGREDIENTS
1 (6 ounce) package stuffing mix
3 cups diced zucchini
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix and butter. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Add the zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion and sour cream to the remaining stuffing mixture. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved stuffing mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Oven Roasted Veggies

Berta, this is one of my favorite veggie dishes. I use whatever vegetables I have on hand, usually potatoes, onions and carrots, but I've thrown in green beans and cauliflower before too, and they're tasty.

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in medium cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in medium cubes
1/2 large onion (red or sweet or whatever variety you like), cut in large pieces
2 large carrots, cut in sticks
1/2 pound fresh green beans
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
3 fresh rosemary sprigs, snipped into small pieces, or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until evenly coated with olive oil. Place in greased or non-stick baking pan in one even layer. (Cooking time increases when double layered.)
Roast in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes at 450 degrees. Lower heat to 375 degrees for another 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes 6-8 servings.
Note: High-temperature roasting caramelizes the natural sugar in vegetables & concentrates the flavor. Cooking time depends on the density and size you cut the vegetables. Any vegetable can be used.

Tasty!

This one's for you Roberta

So, I think I may have posted this before, but it's healthy and delicious! And Super easy!

Zucchini, Carrot, and Onion Sandwiches

Grate as much zucchini, carrot, and onion as you would like, add a pinch of salt, cook it in a frying pan with butter for about 5 minutes. Place mixture on a toasted piece of bread, I like a layer of Mayo on the bread, it gives it a good flavor. Place a slice of tomato on the veggie mixture, and then a slice of cheese. Toss it under your broiler until the cheese is melted and gooey.. Eat and enjoy!

eating healthy

You all know how much I love baking, desserts, sugar, etc. Well, I need your help. I just found out that I have gestational diabetes, and I'm going to try and manage it through diet and exercise. So, send me your "healthy" recipes - but nothing that contains broccoli! I still won't eat that.

Cherry Cobbler

Mmmm . . . just found this one on the web . . . I'll be trying it out this week!

Cherry Cobbler
1/2 cup butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups pitted, tart, red cherries
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350F. In 9" oven-proof dish, melt 1/2 cup butter in oven. Sauté almonds in 2 tablespoons of butter for a few minutes to soften. Stir in cherries and set aside. Blend well flour, 2/3 cup sugar, milk and almond extract. Remove the pan with melted butter from the oven; add batter and spread to smooth. Top with cherry/almond mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Return to oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until batter is golden brown and puffed around the fruit. Makes 6 servings.
NOTE: If a moister cobbler is desired, add 1/3 cup orange juice or water to batter.

Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Get ready for lots of sour cherry recipes! I picked, pitted & froze 100 cups of cherries from our little tree. Then when I went to Girl's Camp & could pick no more, mom and dad came out and picked the rest to take home & can. Mom, how many quarts did you get? Anyway, here's the yummy cake that I invented for Rhonda & Bryce when they came out for a rodeo with us.

4 cups pitted fresh sour cherries
4 heaping tablespoons flour
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 dash cinnamon
1 cup sugar

Place cherries in large bowl or gallon size ziplock bag. Add flour, and mix so that the cherries are coated. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place cherries in a 13x9 baking dish. On top of cherry mixture, pour on a standard size cake mix, any flavor (I used devil's food yesterday & it was AWESOME!! but I've also used white cake & it was mighty tasty, too). Pour 1-2 cups Sprite on top of cake mix, and mix gently. You don't want to stir really hard, just gently poke in the Sprite so that the cake mix is moistened. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out relatively clean.

black beans and rice

I have been craving a Portuguese sausage - Linguisa, along with some black beans and rice. One of our local grocery stores used to stock Linguisa, but I haven't been able to find it in ages. So today I went on a quest to find it - drove a little farther than I normally would, but I'm sure it will be worth it!

Brazilian Beans
2 cups of cooked beans
2 tablespoons of oil
1 small chopped onion
1 clove of crushed garlic
1-2 cup(s) of water
1 bay leaf
parsley and spring onion (optional)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 dash of black pepper

1. Sauté the onion and the garlic in hot oil.
2. Add the beans, the water, all the seasonings and stir well.
3. Bring it to a boil under medium heat until the liquid is thicker.
4. Put the beans in a bowl and serve it with Brazilian style rice.

Brazilian style rice
1 tablespoon of oil
1 (small) chopped onion
1 (small) clove of crushed garlic
1 cup of rice
1 1/2 cup of boiling water
1 teaspoon of salt

1. Sauté the onion and the garlic in hot oil.
2. Add the rice and stir-fry well.
3. Add the water and the salt.
4. Let the water boil for some minutes.
5. When the water level drops, cover the pan and lower the heat.
6. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for about 10 minutes.
7. Put the rice in a bowl and serve it.

Add some linguisa sausage and EAT!!

Italian Shredded Beef

This is a recipe from my bishop's wife ... I think she has divine inspiration.

Place a 3-4lb beef roast into crock pot with 1/2 cup water and a beef buillion cube. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove meat from pot, shred with a fork, and return to pot. Add about 1/2 to 1 cup Italian salad dressing to meat & meat drippings, mix.

The first go-around, we ate the meat with mashed potatoes, and then the leftovers were AWESOME the next day on top of a taco salad.

The key to a tender roast is cooking it for a long time, apparently. I cooked mine for a full 10 hours, and dang, was it tender. I always have trouble getting pot roasts to be tender, they always turn out dry and tough. But this was juicy & great! Yay!

Pound Cake

I have never attempted to make an angel food cake, or a pound cake, but I love Paula Deen's recipes so much I had to give this one a try. I snuck a tiny piece while it was still warm, and it was fantastic! I served it to my girlfriends with strawberries and fresh whipped cream, and it was even better. Not bad for a first try!

Southwest Georgia Pound Cake
Yields 16 to 20 servings

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (you may use lemon or almond flavoring instead)

Generously grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Do not preheat the oven.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and heavy cream to butter-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in flavoring.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Put into a cold oven and set the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes without opening the oven door. Bake for an additional 15 minutes if necessary. Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto cake plate. For a real treat, serve yourself a slice while it's still warm.

Manicotti meets enchiladas

I thought this sounded pretty tasty and thought I might give it a try...

Maniladas with White Cheese and Roasted Tomatillo Sauces

Yields 4 to 6 servings

1 (8-ounce) package manicotti shells

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 cup sour cream

For the Tomatillo sauce:

1 pound tomatillos, quartered

1 small red onion, quartered

1 jalapeno, halved

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cheese sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups heavy cream, room temperature

2 cups grated fontina cheese

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Boil manicotti in salted water for 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water and set pasta aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Remove pan from heat and mix in chicken, tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream. Set aside.

To make the Tomatillo Sauce: Place tomatillos, onion, jalapeno and garlic in a baking dish. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatillos turn golden around the edges and are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and blend ingredients together until smooth. Use reserved pasta water to thin sauce, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To make the cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add cheese and nutmeg and stir until melted. Season sauce with salt, to taste.

To assemble: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Stuff manicotti tubes with chicken mixture and assemble in a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Bake 30 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Drizzle tomatillo sauce on Maniladas before serving.