Family Heritage Recipes

Cinnamon Swirl Ice Box Cookies

2022-07-22T10:25:00.003-05:00

Cinnamon Swirl Ice Box Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks butter, softened and cut in pieces

2 Tbsp cream cheese, softened

2 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Using stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter one piece at a time and mix until crumbly. Add cream cheese and vanilla, and mix until combined. Knead the dough by hand a few times to make a smooth ball.

Divide the dough in half. Roll out one of the dough halves between two sheets of wax or parchment paper dusted lightly with flour, forming a 12x7 inch rectangle. Combine 3 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon (I like to make two batches of 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon so both rectangles will have the same amount.) Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over rolled out dough. Lightly spray water over cinnamon sugar (this helps the dough stick when you roll it up).

Starting on the short side, roll the dough into a tight log like you would with cinnamon rolls. I've found that it helps to carefully lift the parchment paper as you roll so that the dough is already a little bent as you roll it. Gently pinch or smear the seam so that the outside of the log is smooth.

Repeat these steps with the second half of the dough.

Wrap the rolled up dough in saran wrap and store in the fridge. To keep the log round, you can cut a paper towel roll lengthwise and wrap it around the dough.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, allow the dough to soften on the counter for about ten minutes so it's easier to cut. Unwrap the log and use a knife to make light lines in the dough to guide where you will slice. Each log will make 24 cookies, so I make a line in the center, then a line between the center and the edge on each side, then a line in the middle of each of those segments, and finally divide all eight of those segments into three to make 24 total. Use a sharp knife to slice the cookies and place them on a cookie sheet. You need to use a straight knife because the cookies will fall apart with a serrated knife.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, and allow the cookies to cool on the pan. Makes 48 cookies.

Notes: This recipe comes from the book The Perfect Cookie by America's Test Kitchen. It took me a few tries and modifications before I figured out how to make this recipe work for me, but even the first batch that looked a little rough tasted fantastic. They do take a little work on the front end when you're rolling up the dough logs, but then when you're ready to bake them it takes just a few minutes to slice the cookies and put them in the oven. They're a nice cookie for bringing to a party or picnic because they look so pretty.

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani

2021-09-19T20:42:00.005-05:00

The week that this whole pandemic shutdown started, we went to dinner with my cousin. We chose the Bombay House, which has some of the best Indian food I've had. We ordered our usual favorites, and, wanting one more option, asked the server what he recommended. He suggested the Murgh Makhani, or Butter Chicken. Although I love Indian food, I don't get to eat out at a good Indian restaurant very often, and I had never had Butter Chicken before. (You may feel sorry for poor deprived me if you've grown up eating great Butter Chicken).

Feeling adventurous, we took the server's recommendation and ordered the Murgh Makhani. It was definitely our favorite dish of the evening, and I realized that I had been missing out for years! Eating food like Tikka Masala and Lentil Curry. (Ok, I was not really missing really out, because those are really good, too.)

By the end of the week, everything had shut down and gone a little frantic. Several months later, after pandemic things settled down a bit, I decided to find a Butter Chicken recipe. After looking up several recipes online, I found that there is one essential spice in Butter Chicken, and that is Fenugreek. I didn't have any, and I couldn't just run around to random stores looking for Fenugreek. I found some on Amazon, and it took forever to show up! Anyway, when it finally showed up, we decided to try the recipe from Chef Varun. You can find his original recipe here. You should also watch his video, which is at the bottom of the page. I chose it because it had less butter in it than many other recipes. Some recipes had two or three sticks of butter! I know it's called Butter Chicken, but really!

And then I also had to find Garlic Paste and Ginger Paste. Maybe you are all laughing at me, but I hadn't used those ingredients before. It turns out that one of my local grocery stores sells them next to the fresh herbs in the refrigerated produce section, in little tubes like toothpaste. Who knew?

After eventually obtaining all the ingredients, we finally got to make Butter Chicken. It didn't taste like the Butter Chicken from the restaurant, but it was really delicious.

If you want, you can use the link above to follow the chef's original recipe and instructions. I followed his instructions the first time, and then made some modifications to fit my cooking style.

And then I found this spice called Marrakesh Market Blend from The Spice House. The next time I made Butter Chicken, I added some, and it just elevated the dish. You can make the Butter Chicken without it, but I recommend the spice if you make Indian Curry. It's also good in Butternut Squash Soup and Carrot Soup and even Sloppy Joes. Ok, enough of my unpaid ad — but you should consider buying that spice mix.

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani

For the chicken

300 grams (about 10-1/2 ounces) boneless chicken breast, chopped
1 Tb. ginger paste
1 Tb. garlic paste
1 tsp. Marrakesh Market Blend spice or kashmiri chili powder
Salt to taste

For the sauce

100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) cut onions

500 grams (about 10.5 ounces) tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
50 grams (about 1.75 ounces) unsalted cashews

1 Tbs. garlic paste
1-1/2 tsp. garam masala
4 Tbs. sugar
1 Tb. Marrakesh Market Blend spice or kashmiri chili powder

1 Tb. Rogan Josh, optional

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar or 1-1/2 Tbs. white vinegar
5 Tbs. butter, divided
3 Tbs. cream
Salt to taste
1 tsp. fenugreek (kasoori methi)

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Mix the ginger and garlic pastes with the chili powder and a little salt. Stir everything together with the chicken, and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes, (or longer if you want).

Heat some oil or ghee in a pan, and cook the chicken until done. Add extra salt while it cooks, if needed. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan into a clean bowl.

To make the sauce, add more oil or ghee to the pan if needed. You can chop the tomatoes and onions roughly, since they get blended up after cooking. Add the onion to the heated oil, and add about 2 Tbs of the butter. Once the onions are soft, add the tomatoes and cashews.

Add some water, then the garlic paste, garam masala, sugar, chili powder, and vinegar. Stir the mixture, and then simmer to 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Everything should be softened.

Use an immersion blender to mix the sauce into a smooth puree. Or pour the mixture into a blender to get a smoother texture. An immersion blender is quicker, and generates fewer dishes to wash up, but —compared to using a blender — the sauce has a little bit of gritty texture, which may or may not be an issue for you.

You can strain the mixture if you want it completely silky smooth (I don't ever do this, but the original recipe had this step).

Pour the sauce back into the pan. Add the remaining butter, cream, chicken, and crushed fenugreek. Stir and let it simmer for about 5 more minutes. Adjust to taste as needed, by salting or adding more spices.

Garnish with a little extra cream and some crushed fenugreek, if desired. Serve with rice and naan. May serve 3.

Melinda's notes: I use the Costco Rotisserie chicken package most of the time instead of cooking my own chicken. One recipe would use about 1/4 of their normal package. Since it's not marinated in spices, the chicken is not quite as tasty, but it sure saves a lot of prep & cooking time. I just add the chicken spices in with the sauce, and chop the chicken up while the sauce is simmering. I also frequently substitute a can of fire roasted tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes.

The Butter Chicken freezes really well, and I like cooking a big batch so I can have a ton of leftovers to freeze for more meals. I usually make a quadruple batch. Sometimes the spices fade a bit in the freezer, and I add a little more spice to the reheated Butter Chicken.

Tacos Al Pastor

2021-03-17T12:36:00.005-05:00

These are my favorite tacos! Marinating the pork in achiote paste, vinegar, and pineapple juice gives the meat a delicious sweet and savory flavor, and topping the tacos with pineapple in addition to your normal taco toppings adds some complexity to your usual taco.

Tacos Al Pastor

Ingredients

1.5 lb pork (I usually use boneless pork loin, but you could use shoulder or tenderloin)
1 tablespoons achiote paste (I found mine on Amazon.)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup pineapple juice
Pineapple slices
Corn tortillas, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, cilantro, avocado, onion, etc.

Directions

Slice the pork into very thin slices (1/4-1/2 inch). Place in a ziploc bag.

Mix achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice together in a bowl. You may need to let it sit for a while to dissolve the achiote paste, and then mash and stir a bit. Pour into the ziploc bag with the pork and let marinate for several hours.

On a skewer, place 2 pineapple slices, then layer the pork slices on top of each other, then place 2 more pineapple slices on top. Put all of this in an oven-safe pan with the skewer pointing vertically. You can drizzle a little of the marinade to keep the meat moist. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

When the meat is fully cooked, remove the pineapple slices and cut into small pieces. Slice the meat up into small strips.

To serve, place the meat on the tortillas and add pineapple and your favorite taco toppings. I also like to brush the tortillas with a little oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook them in a skillet until crispy.

This is probably enough to feed a family of six (if your kids will eat meat--mine usually won't). If you want to feed a crowd you could triple the recipe. I bet this would be delicious cooked in a smoker!

Apple Beet Salad

2020-11-18T18:45:00.001-06:00

This salad has a great combination of flavors with beets, apples, and an apple cider vinaigrette.

Apple Beet Salad

Salad:

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
2 apples, diced (your favorite!)
2 medium beets, cooked and diced
pecans or almonds, chopped (optional)
crumbly cheese, like feta (optional)

Vinaigrette:

4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
splash of mapleine
1/2 tsp salt

Prepare and assemble salad ingredients. If you use red beets, they will stain the apples, so if you want a pretty presentation, don't mix right away. Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar and shake together. Pour over salad.

Notes:

Because my family thinks my salads are weird, I usually keep a batch of the vinaigrette in the fridge and make individual salads for myself. It makes a nice lunch with some chicken tenderloins and fruit, or it works well as a side with dinner.
You can use canned beets or cook raw beets. I actually found some frozen steamable bags at Aldi recently. There are a few ways to cook beets. You can wrap them in foil like potatoes and bake then in the oven for an hour or so. You can cook them in a pressure cooker on the turret with a little water. Use the manual to determine how long they will need to cook. You can also wrap a beet in a paper towel and microwave until soft. Like potatoes, they are done when you can pierce them with a fork. Usually you can rub the peels right off with your fingers.
I learned from Eliza about using yellow beets instead of red ones so you don't stain your hands and everything else.
If you have real maple syrup, you can use a tablespoon of that instead of the sugar and mapleine.

No Bake Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

2020-11-11T19:29:00.000-06:00

This is a yummy layered pumpkin dessert with a graham cracker crust that is perfect for fall or Thanksgiving.

My family loved this dessert. It's hard not to love anything with a graham cracker crust. It has four layers: a graham cracker crust, a cheesecake layer, a pumpkin layer, and whipped cream on top. It's an amazing blend of flavors!

No Bake Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

1. Mix together:

6 tbsp butter, melted

7.5 graham crackers, crushed

1/3 cup sugar

Press into the bottom of a 9x9 pan or a deep pie dish (then lick your fingers, yum!). Alternatively, you could buy a premade graham cracker pie crust.

2. In a mixer, using the wire whips, blend together:

4 oz cream cheese (1/2 block)

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

Spread over crust.

3. In the mixer, blend together:

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 packages vanilla pudding

1 cup pumpkin (about half a can)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon spice (I made my own with this recipe)

1/4 cup sugar

Spread on top of the cream cheese mixture.

4. To make whipped cream topping, whip until stiff peaks form:

1/2 cup whipping cream

6 tbsp powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Spread on top. Chill for several hours before serving.

Taco Seasoning

2020-10-04T18:38:00.003-05:00

I never seem to have taco seasoning on hand, but I always have the ingredients for this recipe for homemade taco seasoning, and I love this blend of flavors!

Taco Seasoning

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Mix together. This is about the same as a taco seasoning packet. You can make a big batch and store it in a spice jar, using 2-4 tbsp for a pound of meat. This is enough for about a pound of ground beef if you like it spicy. I usually use about half the seasonings for a pound.

Japanese Style Fried Rice

2020-05-07T18:33:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, Costco had samples for Yakitori Chicken in Japanese Style rice, and we bought some because it was good and on sale. It was packaged as several microwavable bags in one box, and each bag was enough for a large-ish lunch for one person. After buying it a few times, I decided I could probably figure out how to make it from scratch so I could save some money and make a big enough batch to feed our family of six. Here is what I came up with.

Japanese Style Fried Rice

1 1/2 cups dry rice
Water (for cooking rice)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil, divided use
1 lb chicken breasts or tenders
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup shelled edamame (check the frozen vegetables section at the store)
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Cook the rice with the 1 tsp salt, however you like best. I like to do it in the instant pot for 8 minutes.

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and saute in a large frying pan with 1 tsp oil until cooked through.

Remove the chicken. In the same pan, add 2 tsp oil and saute carrots and pepper until soft. I like to leave the carrots with a bit of a bite to them. Add the edamame and peas and cook for a few minutes to heat through.

Stir in rice and chicken. Add soy sauce and stir until mixed evenly. Serve and enjoy!

2020-04-22T13:17:00.000-05:00

Coconut-Almond-Chocolate Chip Recipe
a.k.a. Almond Joy Cookies

1 - 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick softened butter (1/2 c.)
2 TB. vegetable oil
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. coconut flakes or shredded coconut
1 c. chocolate chips, dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate
1/2 c. slivered almonds (optional: toasted)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350˚
Mix first four dry ingredients together in a bowl using a wisk.
In your mixer or a large bowl cream softened butter, oil, and sugars.
Blend in egg and vanilla to the creamed mixture.
Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and blend.
Stir in coconut, chocolate, and nuts just until mixed.
Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, place dough on baking sheet.
Bake 9-10 minutes, watching carefully so they don't over-brown.
Let cool for several minutes on baking sheet and then remove to baking rack for final cooling.
Makes about 24 - 2 1/2 inch cookies

Possible modifications:
More chocolate chips - up to 1 1/2 cups
More almonds. 1 c.
More coconut - flakes or shredded, 1 c.
Coconut or almond extract up to 2 tsp. in place of vanilla.

Note: These are good just following the recipe, but could be customized by adding in more nuts, coconut, and/or chocolate to your taste. I thought chocolate and nuts were about the right proportion, but would have used double coconut.
These are not really a candy bar substitute. That would be more of a macaroon drenched in chocolate and topped with an almond!

Grand Canyon Bars

2020-04-03T20:22:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, my cousin Emily and I went to lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in Gilbert, Arizona. They had a yummy looking treat in their case, with layers of caramel and chocolate. We split one bar for our dessert, and while eating it, tried to determine the ingredients. We came home, and spent the next few hours trying to find similar recipes. Using a few recipes for inspiration, (and after a run to the market at 10pm) we came up with a recipe inspired by the restaurant dessert. A couple of batches later, we had a winner.

The restaurant named their dessert bar after the local Salt River, but we think the bars deserve a grander name, so we took a liberty and named them "Grand Canyon Bars." The layers of caramel and crackers look like the rock layers of the Grand Canyon.

When you cook these bars, you put down a layer of crackers, pour half the caramel on, add another layer of crackers, and pour the other half of the caramel on. If your saucepan retains heat really well, the second half of the caramel will keep cooking while you're adding the layer of crackers, so you may want to choose a thin-bottomed pan that will cool quickly, and not overcook the caramel while you're working on the dessert.

Additionally, since speed is important in assembling the dessert bars, you should have all the ingredients out, measured, and prepped to go.

Grand Canyon Bars

54 single club crackers (or more, if you break a lot. 54 crackers is about 3 "Snack Stacks".)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 7 full crackers)
1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1/8 tsp coarse sea salt, or to taste

Make sure all your ingredients are ready to go.

Line an 8-inch square pan with silicone-coated parchment paper (like the Kirkland brand parchment), or butter some normal parchment paper. You may want to fold and cut the corners to fit the parchment in the pan really well.

Place a layer of club crackers in the pan, and set aside. You may have to trim some crackers in halves or thirds using a serrated knife.

Melt together the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. To microwave, add all ingredients to a glass bowl. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat microwaving and stirring until the mixture is smooth, about 3 or 4 times in the microwave. Set aside.

In a saucepan, on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugars and milk. Bring to a boil, set timer for 2 minutes, and add the graham cracker crumbs. Continue to stir the caramel for the 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and immediately pour half the caramel carefully over the crackers. Spread the caramel layer somewhat evenly over the crackers, and then add a second layer of crackers, trimming to fit if needed.

Pour the second half of the caramel mixture onto the crackers, and spread it as evenly as you can. Add the third layer of crackers on top of the caramel.

Pour on the chocolate mixture, and then spread it evenly over the crackers.

Sprinkle on some coarse salt as a garnish.

Refrigerate for about 8 hours, or overnight. When ready to cut, remove from the fridge and allow it to warm up for about 15-30 minutes. Use the parchment to remove the bars from the pan, and put on a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the bars into squares. The bars are rich, so smaller bars might be a good idea. Once cut, the bars do not have to be refrigerated, unless you prefer to eat them cold. Store the Grand Canyon Bars in an airtight container.

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2020-02-02T17:16:00.000-06:00

Not to brag, but I make pretty awesome potato soup. This recipe is based on my potato soup recipe, but I decreased the potatoes and added other vegetables and plenty of shredded chicken to make a soup that's a little lighter and has more variety and protein.

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 cup potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
3 tsp chicken bouillon, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups milk
about 1 cup cheese, mozzarella or colby jack (a couple of handfuls)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook and shred chicken. I cooked mine in the instant pot with a little water.
2. Boil potatoes until soft. Drain.
3. Using the same pot, boil carrots and celery together until soft. Drain.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, make the creamy soup base. Melt margarine in a large pot, adding the chicken bouillon as it melts. Stir in flour. Add milk a splash at a time, stirring until smooth between splashes. (Roux is an amazing and versatile thing.)
5. Add cheese and stir until smooth.
6. Stir in vegetables and chicken, and add salt and pepper.

Tonight we're serving it with Lion House Rolls on the side (or probably more accurately, we're having Lion House Rolls with soup on the side...).

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Egg Free)

2019-09-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin spice season is here! This is the time of year when people seem to be putting pumpkin in everything. Normally I'm not a pumpkin cookie person, but in these cookies the pumpkin flavor is subtle and blends beautifully with a little spice.

If this recipe looks familiar, that's because it's a modified version of these bakery style chocolate chip cookies. I replaced the eggs with 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and added some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It still has the characteristics of a great chocolate chip cookie: crispy edges, soft (even the next day), and rich flavor. If you use margarine instead of butter this can be egg and dairy free.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1¼ cups butter
1¼ cups light brown sugar
1 cup + 2 Tb. white sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. coarse salt (1¼ tsp. table salt)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
3½ cups flour
1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Using a mixer with the cookie paddles, cream butter and sugars until very light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add pumpkin puree and mix well, about 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix well, and scrape the bowl. Finally, add all the flour at once. Mix carefully until all the flour is just combined, 10-20 seconds. Mixing too long will toughen your finished cookie, but make sure you don't have big clumps of flour left. Add the chocolate chips and barely blend in until they are all mixed in. Refrigerate the dough for 24-72 hours*. Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. Allow to cool on the pan.

*This step is very important! The flavor and texture are so much better. Living in a humid climate, I've found that many of my favorite cookie recipes are still too wet after mixing. However, I've found that refrigerating the dough fixes the problem.

No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

2019-01-28T09:14:00.000-06:00

This is the Glenn family traditional Christmas Day dessert. My mom makes it every year, but this is the first time I've tried making it myself. I wanted to try making it for Christmas, but with sugar cookies, fudge, and Russell Stover chocolates I decided it would be too much. This would be a beautiful Valentine's Day dessert! It's a very simple recipe, and since you don't have to bake it, it comes together quickly.

I have a thing for graham cracker crusts. I remember one Christmas my grandma saw me eating all the filling and leaving the crust, and she said, "You have to eat the crusts!" I told her I was saving the crust for last because it was my favorite part.

No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

9-inch graham cracker crust (store-bought is fine, or homemade is delicious)
8-ounce package cream cheese
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla

In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into crust. Chill three hours or until set.

We usually top this with canned cherry pie filling (chilled), although I seem to recall I usually ate mine plain. Today I think I'm going to top mine with fresh strawberries!

Bacon Barbecue Chicken and Pasta Skillet

2018-07-11T11:30:00.000-05:00

Bacon Barbecue Chicken and Pasta Skillet

Ingredients
2 cups shredded chicken (can use a rotisserie chicken or canned chicken)
1 10 oz. can Rotel (or 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes and 1 can diced green chiles)
1/2 lb. pasta (such as rotini or shells)
2 cups chicken broth
about 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3-6 slices bacon
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Place chicken, tomatoes, green chiles, and pasta in a large skillet. Pour in chicken broth. Place a lid on the skillet and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is absorbed. If there is extra liquid once the pasta is cooked, let simmer without the lid for a few minutes.

While the pasta is simmering, cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble it into small pieces. Mix the bacon into the pasta mixture.

Drizzle BBQ sauce over the top, then top with shredded cheese and green onions. Do not mix after adding the BBQ sauce because the BBQ sauce will overpower the other flavors.

Notes: If you use plain chicken or canned chicken you may want to add some spices such as Italian, fajita, or taco seasoning. Rotisserie chickens already have spices.

This recipe has a very unique blend of flavors, but we enjoyed it and it was fun to have something different!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

2018-07-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

Cookie Layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cups old fashioned oats
1 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter

2 Tb milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add vanilla, egg, and peanut butter and mix.

3. Add oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. Spread mixture in a lightly greased 13x9 cake pan or half cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

5. Mix frosting ingredients together until smooth. Spread over cookie and cut into squares.

Notes: If you double the recipe it's enough to fill a regular size cookie sheet. I like using crunchy peanut butter for the cookie part (so it has some texture) and creamy for the frosting (so it's smooth).

Italian Lentil Soup

2017-09-28T18:00:00.001-05:00

You can eat this plain or over rice, with mashed potatoes, serve with fresh bread or wheat muffins, or however you like to eat soup. Everyone in the family ate it, and ate the leftovers the next day, and that is rarely the case around here for soups. I adapted and altered the recipe from a much larger recipe.

Italian Lentil Soup

1 lb. bulk spicy Italian sausage

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1-1/2 cups lentils, rinsed (red or green or mixture)

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or substitute plain)

3–4 cups chicken broth, plus additional broth or water as necessary

1/4 cup Kalamata or green olives, diced

2 teaspoons dried basil

Handful of baby spinach leaves, if desired

Freshly ground pepper

Heat a large pot. Add olive oil to the pot, then add the sausage and break it into small pieces as it cooks. When it’s mostly cooked, add the onion and celery. When the onion is soft, add the carrot and garlic. Add the rinsed lentils to the pot and sauté briefly. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and diced olives. Cook 20–30 minutes, or until the lentils are done. You may need to add additional broth as it cooks. When it’s done, stir in the basil and spinach leaves, if desired. Serve with parmesan cheese.

For the Instant Pot: Sauté the sausage, vegetables, and lentils as directed. Add the tomatoes and broth and olives and close the lid and the valve release. Cook for 15 minutes at high pressure. When it’s done release the pressure when you’re ready to eat and stir in the basil and spinach leaves.

Serves six to eight.

Six-braided Loaves

2017-09-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

There's nothing quite like pulling a warm loaf of rich white bread out of the oven, and when it's a six-braided loaf, it's art as well as food.

This is a challah (ḵä-lə or ˈhä-lə) dough, used traditionally for the Jewish Sabbath or holidays, and it's surprisingly quick and easy once you know the technique.

Challah
6-7 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
5 teaspoons yeast
2 cups warm water

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt

Glaze:
1 egg, beaten
poppy seeds or sesame seeds, optional

You can just put everything except the glaze in your bread mixer and mix it together, but I like to combine 2 cups of flour, plus the sugar, yeast, and warm water and leave it for about half an hour to get bubbly. Then I add 4 more cups of flour, egg, oil, and salt. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more and mix again. My rule of thumb is to touch the dough for ten seconds and if any comes off on your finger, add more and mix again until it's nice and smooth but not tough.

Put some oil in a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Turn it to coat with oil and set in a warm place to rise. I put mine in the oven and leave the light on. It usually takes about an hour to rise. Then pull it out, divide in two, and make two loaves. Here's a demonstration from Maya Sprague.

Braiding a Six Strand Challah

After braiding, it's traditional to raise and bake on a tray, but I like to put it into a loaf pan. Once it's risen, brush on the beaten egg white and sprinkle on the seeds if you like and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes at 350°.

Cheeseburger Soup

2017-08-31T16:43:00.000-05:00

Cheeseburger Soup

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups cheese (I like cheddar or cheddar jack)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In 3 qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir until combined. Add milk gradually to make a thick white sauce. When the vegetables are tender, add the white sauce to the soup. Add cheese, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream. Yields: 8 servings (2 1/4 quarts)

Large Layer Cake Instructions, Revised

2017-08-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

This recipe is from the inside of a Duncan Hines cake box from about 15 years ago. The recipe works really well as a simple way to make a nice, more dense cake than a regular box mix. The texture is more like a bakery cake. The added bit of density is important in making a large layer cake, as the cake needs a little structure to hold up to being stacked. Building a layer cake is a technical skill that can be learned quite easily by watching several YouTube videos.

A few years ago, Duncan Hines decreased the amount of cake mix in their boxes. In order to make one recipe, you will need to buy two cake mixes. Use one full cake mix, and then use your kitchen scale to add cake mix from the second box until you weigh out 18.5 oz of mix. This equals one mix plus about 1/5 of the second mix, depending on the weight of the mixes [Right now, in my cupboard, my Swiss Chocolate mix is 15.25 oz, and my Orange cake mix is 16.5 oz.]

If you are making more than one recipe of batter, you can estimate that one extra cake mix will supplement about 5 recipes. Store the extra mix in a zip-type baggie in your freezer to supplement future cakes. (Thanks, Emily, for the tip!)

One recipe makes 5-1/2 cups of batter. Check the chart below to see how much batter you will need to fill your pan. If your pan is not on the chart, fill your pan with water, counting how many cups it takes to fill just over halfway.

Preheat the oven to 325° F. You will bake all pan sizes at this temperature. Grease and flour the pans very well, including the sides. Use shortening on the pans if possible, rather than a spray-on oil, since oil tends to cook at a higher temperature, burning or browning the edges of the cake too much.

Pans deeper than 2 inches are not recommended.

They do not recommend using the Golden Butter, Fudge Butter, or Angel Food cakes with these instructions. I like to use French Vanilla Cake Mixes a lot more than the White Cake, since I find the White Cakes a little dry.

Chocolate or Flavored Cake Large Layer

This recipe is for Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix (Devil's food, Dark Chocolate, Swiss) or any other flavor (French Vanilla, Orange, Strawberry, Lemon, etc.) but not white cakes:

18.5 oz cake mix (by weight)
1-1/4 cups water
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil

White Cake Large Layer

This recipe is for a Duncan Hines White Cake Mix:

18.5 oz cake mix (by weight)

1-1/3 cups water

3 egg whites

1 Tb. oil

Instructions:

Add any flour needed for high altitude cooking. If you are making a big cake, you can double the recipe, but don't triple it, unless you have a big commercial-type mixer (or a Bosch).

Blend at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for two minutes.

Pour batter into pan (just above half full – no more than 2/3 full) and bake immediately (very important to the texture of the cake). Don't under-fill your cake pan, or your cake will be a skinny-inch thick on the sides, and three inches tall in the middle. If you have extra cake batter left over, put it in the fridge, and after your cake is done baking, re-beat the batter for two minutes and make cupcakes. They still turn out fine, just not as good as if you had baked them immediately.

Bake using time on the chart below, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool about 10 minutes in the pan on a wire cooling rack. Don't let it cool completely in the pan, or it may go soggy and stick to the pan. If the cake looks like it is stuck around the edges of the pan, run a sharp knife carefully around the edge of the cake to loosen the cake from the pan. Lay a wire cooling rack over the top of the cake pan, and holding the cake and rack together, carefully flip the cake over onto the wire rack. Pull off the pan, and then lay another wire rack on top of the cake. With the cake sandwiched between the two wire racks, flip the cake back over onto the flat surface which is the bottom of the cake.

When the cake is cool, if you want to trim off the domed cake top and have a flat surface, you can slip the cake back into the cake pan. Take a long thin knife and cut off the domed part of the cake, using the pan edge to hold up the knife. Your cake will be an even 2 inches thick without any fancy tools.

Large layer cakes freeze well before being decorated. You can wrap the completely cooled cake layers in several layers of plastic wrap and then freeze them. If you want to use the pans to store or protect your cake in the freezer, just make sure that your cake is wrapped in plastic before you put the cake back in the cake pan, or the thawed cake will stick to the pan.

Remove the cakes from the freezer a few hours before you need to frost them, and let them defrost without unwrapping the plastic. If you unwrap a frozen cake and let it thaw on the counter, it will dry out.

Pan sizes and baking times

Pan Size	Pan Volume	Bake Time	Servings*
*(2 inch deep pans)*	*(amount of batter)*	*(325°)*	*(1-inch slice)*
6" x 2" round pan	2 cups	30-40 minutes	14
8" x 2" round pan	3 cups	35-45 minutes	25
10" x 2" round pan	5-1/2 cups	40-50 minutes	32
12" x 2" round pan	7-1/2 cups	40-50 minutes	39
14" x 2" round pan	10 cups	45-55 minutes	56
16" x 2" round pan	13-3/4 cups	45-55 minutes	77
18" x 2" half round pan	10 cups	50-60 minutes	127 (63 per half)
11" x 15" x 2" rectangle pan	11 cups	45-55 minutes	80

*To get this number of servings, you need to cut the cake into fairly thin slices. Google "How to cut Wedding Cake."

Melinda's Notes: When I actually do make a birthday cake, I use these instructions, because I like the texture of the cake better. I like the 10 inch round, because it uses one recipe for each layer. So, three boxes of mix, and I have a two-layer cake that will feed 18-20 people. Frost using decorator's icing, mousse, ganache, etc. Here is a link to my favorite Decorator's Buttercream.

Scrambled Eggs

2017-07-24T09:21:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, how can you have a recipe for scrambled eggs? That's what I thought too when I saw this recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, but I was incredulous enough to actually read the recipe. When I did, I realized that it was different from my normal method and decided to give it a try.

Normally I just stir up some eggs, add some cheese, salt, and pepper, and cook and stir. This recipe also includes milk, and I think it completely changes the texture and taste for the better.

Scrambled Eggs

6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper
1/2 cup cheese (I like Colby Jack)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheese (the cookbook says to add the cheese after the eggs begin to set, but I find that this results in streaks and globs of melted cheese, so I mix it with the eggs right away). Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture.

The eggs are done when they are set but still shiny and moist (the milk helps with this). If you overcook them they'll be rubbery and have that burnt egg taste, which is the reason I used to hate scrambled eggs.

For a quick dinner, we like to add sausage, ham, bacon, or hash browns and make breakfast burritos.

Lime Green Smoothie

2017-07-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

This bright green smoothie is full of spinach and great flavor!

A couple of years ago my ward had a Relief Society exercise night followed by a smoothie bar, and this smoothie was my favorite! At first I had a hard time believing a drink this color would taste good, but this is a great blend of flavors and you'd never know it's full of spinach.

Lime Green Smoothie

1 large handful of spinach
1 orange
½ inch thick slice pineapple
thin slice of lime (including the peel)
squeeze of agave (I just add a couple of spoonfuls of white sugar)
1 cup ice

Place all ingredients except ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice until it's the consistency you like (I like my smoothies pretty slushy).

Notes: You really just need a thin slice of lime. The taste will be plenty strong with just a sliver since it has the peel. I've found that orange juice works fine if you don't have a fresh orange. If you froze the orange juice in cubes first that would help the smoothie be more slushy. I use the frozen pineapple chunks from Costco. If you are making this for a bigger family you will probably want to double the recipe because this only makes about half a blender full.

I've found that if you want a spinach smoothie to look pretty, you either want to have a dark-colored smoothie with ingredients like blueberries, or to get a pretty bright green smoothie you'll want to stick with orange and yellow fruits like oranges, mangos, and pineapple.

Grapefruit Strawberry Smoothie

2017-05-06T12:34:00.002-05:00

Here in Arizona, the trees are full of ripe grapefruit, but you can only eat so many grapefruit for breakfast.

If you have a tree full of pink, white, or red grapefruit, (or maybe it's on sale at the store) here is a recipe that you will enjoy. Our family really enjoyed this smoothie.

Grapefruit Strawberry Smoothie

1 cup ice
6-8 strawberries
2 grapefruit
1/4 cup sugar

Put 1 cup ice in a blender. Hull the strawberries and put them in the blender. Juice the grapefruit, and pour the juice into the blender, straining out the seeds if necessary. Add sugar. You may want more or less sugar, depending on the sweetness of the strawberries and grapefruit. Blend well. Serve immediately.

Scones

2017-05-01T19:33:00.004-05:00

This is a traditional British scone – a slightly sweet biscuit — with (I think) a less traditional shape. The scones I've seen on British TV are usually round, and shaped like American biscuits rather than wedge shaped. The round scones are usually split in half, and served with jam and cream. I don't split mine or add jam and cream like they do in England, though. You can certainly do that, and it would probably be delicious (but lots of calories). You can cut also them into circles if you want.

I never particularly cared for "scones" from American bakeries. The American scones I have had were dense and too sweet to eat for breakfast. However, on a trip to Canada, we had some scones from a bakery which were light, fluffy, and delicious. I began a quest to find a good scone recipe. I think this recipe is a winner: a well-balanced recipe that is not overly sweet. This is a family favorite for breakfast, although I usually only make it when we have guests.

Scones

2 cups flour

3 Tb. sugar

1 Tb. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tb. unsalted butter, chilled

1/2 c. dried currents, optional

1 c. heavy cream

Decorator's sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease lightly. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse the processor a few times to mix the dry ingredients. Cut the cold butter into small cubes (about the size of dice) and drop it into the flour mixture. Pulse the food processor until the mixture resembles corse meal and the butter is mostly incorporated.

Pour one cup of heavy cream into a large bowl, and then add the flour mixture and optional currents. Stir until the cream is incorporated, and dough forms. Knead the dough a few times until all the floury bits are mixed together into a ball of dough. Don't knead for too long, just enough to mix the dough well.

Line a 9-inch cake pan or pie tin with plastic wrap, leaving some to drape over the sides. The plastic will help you get the dough out of the pan.

Press the dough into the lined pan, patting it down evenly, pressing in the edges.

Sprinkle a bit of sugar on top, if desired. I like crunch from the larger crystals of decorator's sugar or Morena Sugar on my scones. Pull the scone dough out of the pan, using the plastic wrap to lift the circle of dough.

Set the dough circle, still on the plastic wrap, on the counter or a cutting board, and cut the dough into 8 pie-shaped wedges.

Transfer the wedges to the parchment lined cookie sheet, leaving room between each piece.

Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the tray once during the baking time. The scones should be a light brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature. These only keep for about a day or so, but you can freeze any extras that won't be eaten by the next day.

Melinda's notes: I made these with currents, and with dried cranberries, but frankly, like them better plain. After making these a few times, I can get them in the oven in 10 minutes. You can really impress houseguests with these easy scones!

Butterscotch Cookies

2017-04-11T18:50:00.000-05:00

These are soft, cake textured cookies with a light butterscotch flavor. The frosting adds a nice, buttery, nutty flavor (with no nuts).

The dough is very soft for these cookies. Once, when I was a young teenager, I made these cookies with no parental supervision. Since the batter is so soft, I didn't notice that I had forgotten to add the flour. The cookies turned into a flat sheet of a candy-like substance. It was a mess to clean up, but I made another batch. The second ones worked!

Butterscotch Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2-1/2 cups flour

1 cup sour cream (or 2/3 Tb. vinegar in 1/2 cup canned milk or sweet cream)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add sour cream and vanilla, and mix until blended. Grease cookie sheets or use silicone coated parchment paper. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough on cookie sheets, about 12 per sheet. Keep some space around the cookies so they can spread out a bit. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Browned Butter Frosting:

Cook in small pan until it stops bubbling and just turns a very light brown. It burns quickly, so watch carefully:

1/2 square (4Tb) of butter (no substitutes)

Add:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 to 3 Tb. hot water.

Blend until smooth, using 2 Tb of hot water. The consistency should be about halfway between a glaze and a frosting. Add more hot water as needed to keep at right consistency. Frost cookies with a thin coat of frosting. Use wax paper between layers of cookies to stack them in a container. Makes about 60 cookies.

Salsa Fresca

2017-04-04T23:50:00.000-05:00

Salsa Fresca is a wonderful way to use up a few extra tomatoes. Also known as Pico de Gallo, this fresh salsa can be modified easily to fit your preferences. Add fewer peppers (or more! if you are adventurous), add some corn, or add some chopped avocados. This is a great salsa to serve with tacos or burritos, or just with corn chips!

Salsa Fresca

2 medium (4 or 5 roma) ripe tomatoes

3 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded

12 large sprigs of cilantro

1 garlic clove, peeled and very finely chopped (optional)

1 small (4-ounce) white onion

1½ teaspoons fresh lime juice

Salt, about ¾ teaspoon

Seed and dice the tomatoes and put them in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the chiles in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds if you wish. (Seeds make the salsa hotter.) Chop the chiles as finely as you can, then add them to the tomatoes.

Bunch up the cilantro sprigs, and, with a sharp knife, slice the leafy portions up. Add the chopped cilantro to the tomato mixture. Finely dice and add the optional garlic. Dice the onion, scoop it into a small strainer, then rinse it under cold water. Shake to remove the excess water and add to the tomato mixture

Taste and season with lime juice and salt, and let stand if you have a little time, for the flavors to meld before using or scooping into a salsa dish and serving. A food processor generally mushes everything up, so knives or choppers work better. Too spicy? Add another tomato or a couple teaspoons of sugar.

Melinda's Note: When you have a garden full of tomatoes, this is a good way to use them up. I like more tomatoes and fewer chiles. I used one chile and 8 tomatoes, and it was perfect for me!

Pilot's Energy Bars

2017-03-28T15:55:00.001-05:00

While flying home from Florida I sat next to an off duty pilot. He pulled out a chocolate covered bar which he ate during the flight. We got to talking and he said when he flies he takes all his food with him from home. He eats 2 of these bars each day – they were about 2” X 3.” He even carries a small blender and makes a “green smoothie” every evening. He shared the recipe for his bars with me by pulling up the recipe on his phone and I took photos of it. Here it is replicated. He also said the bars were crumbly!

1 3/4 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. almond flour or oat flour or protein powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 c. raw pecans, chopped

2/3 c. raw almonds, chopped

1 c. coconut

1 c. mini-chocolate chips

8 tb. Melted butter (1/2 c.)

3 tb. Honey

3 tb. Pure maple syrup

2 tb. Molasses

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 325˚. Prepare a 9x13 pan by lining with parchment paper that extends up the sides.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – oats, flour/or protein powder, cinnamon, salt. Add chopped nuts, coconut and chocolate chips. Mix well to combine. I like to put on food service gloves and mix with my hands.

In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter. Add honey, maple syrup, molasses, egg and vanilla. Stir it all up. It may not combine well but that’s ok. Pour into dry ingredients and combine it until everything is well mixed and moist. This is where glove covered hands excel.

Dump the mixture into the parchment lined pan. Spread in into an even layer and press it down well.

Bake in 325˚ oven for 25-35 minutes until it is light golden brown. In my oven 25 minutes would have been preferable. Cool.

When cool, melt 1 c. of chocolate chips, dipping chocolate or whatever kind of chocolate you want on top. Spread evenly over the top. Put in freezer for 30 minutes to set chocolate. Take out of freezer, pick up parchment paper and move the bars to a cutting board. Cut into squares or rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap.
Mom's notes: When baked for 25 minutes, this is just right. It's good with or without the chocolate topping. They last for weeks on the counter, or can be frozen or refrigerated. I sometimes top with melting wafers; there is then no need to do anything to solidify the chocolate.

Family Heritage Recipes

Cinnamon Swirl Ice Box Cookies

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani

Tacos Al Pastor

Apple Beet Salad

No Bake Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

Taco Seasoning

Japanese Style Fried Rice

Coconut-Almond-Chocolate Chip Recipea.k.a. Almond Joy Cookies

Grand Canyon Bars

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Egg Free)

No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

Bacon Barbecue Chicken and Pasta Skillet

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Italian Lentil Soup

Six-braided Loaves

Cheeseburger Soup

Large Layer Cake Instructions, Revised

Scrambled Eggs

Lime Green Smoothie

Grapefruit Strawberry Smoothie

Scones

Butterscotch Cookies

Salsa Fresca

Pilot's Energy Bars

Coconut-Almond-Chocolate Chip Recipe
a.k.a. Almond Joy Cookies