What To Make?

Fudge Recipes from Kristin

2018-12-24T11:35:00.002-06:00

Caramel

YOU WILL NEED:

1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks)

4 cups Brown Sugar (not packed)

2 cups light Karo Syrup

2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk

*not Evaporated Milk

2 Teaspoons good Vanilla

(I usually half the recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine butter, sugar, karo syrup and stir well. Keep stirring over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. When mixture comes to a slow boil, add your condensed milk – keep stirring. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a soft ball stage. (234-238 degrees) Stir in vanilla.

Almond Roca

1 1/2 - 2 c. whole almond chopped

3 Hershey's chocolate bars (4.4 oz each)

1 lb BOX of light brown sugar

1lb butter

Prep-before you start cooking, spread chopped almonds on a sheet pan (save almond dust for the top). Open and break chocolate bars.

Boil brown sugar and butter to hard crack stage 289 degrees stirring constantly. (in Spanish fork it's -11 degrees less so you might want to check what it is there before you make all these things. You have to make sure it is pretty accurate so it doesn't get to hard and stick in your teeth.) Immediately pour over almonds using spatula to spread evenly. Place choclate evenly on top. Spread once melted. Sprinkle with almond dust. Let cool competly then break apart. (If the chocolate is separating from the roca than it's not completely cooled.)

Fudge

3- (6.8oz) Symphony bars (And really, get symphony, they are SO much better)

4 cups sugar

2 cups cream

2 sticks REAL butter

1 T. good vanilla

Directions

Stir together cream and sugar in large heavy buttered pot. Place over medium heat and stir constantly just until it comes to a rolling boil. Once it starts to boil, DO NOT STIR, and put the lid on for one minute and then remove the lid.

Continue cooking to a soft ball stage, and do not stir: use your candy thermometer. (and make sure you know what temp is soft ball for your thermometer and altitude)

Take off the heat, and add 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter that you have cut up in chunks, and the vanilla....let sit in the hot candy mixture for one minute, without stirring.

Now WITHOUT scraping the pan (You don't want any uncooked sugar crystals getting into your creamy fudge) pour over the three symphony bars that you have broken up into a large bowl. Beat until very smooth with beaters. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Put in the fridge until nice and set up...preferably over night. (Or the easiest way is to line the pan with parchment paper than you can just lift it out and it looks super nice)

Lemon Ice-Box Cake

2018-05-18T10:19:00.002-05:00

Lemon Icebox Cake
- adapted from Rose Levy Berenbaum's recipe in Fine Cooking

For the lemon filling

Lemon Filling

1-1/2 Tbs. firmly packed finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
3/4 cup egg yolks (from 11 to 12 large eggs)
6 Tbs. granulated sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
Pinch table salt
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

For the meringue
2 tsp. powdered unflavored gelatin
1 cup plus 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (from 5 to 6 large eggs)
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar

To finish the dessert

1 10-inch Angel Food Cake (recipe follows)
Vegetable oil, for the pan

1- Make and cool the Angel Food Cake, following the directions below.

2- For the lemon filling, put the lemon zest in a 4-quart or larger bowl and set a medium-mesh sieve on top. In a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Add the lemon juice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon but still pourable, 4 to 5 minutes. (Don’t boil or it will curdle.) Pass the thickened curd through the sieve and mix in the zest. Cool, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

3- When the lemon curd is cool, beat the cream with an electric mixer on medium speed just until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. With a large balloon whisk or silicone spatula, fold in the lemon curd. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

4- In a small, microwaveable bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 3 Tbs. water; let soften for at least 5 minutes. Microwave on high to melt the gelatin, 15 to 30 seconds.

5- In a heavy-duty nonstick 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1 cup of the sugar and 6 Tbs. water and stir constantly until the syrup is bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

6- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy, 45 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form, 30 seconds. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 Tbs. sugar until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

7- Have ready a 2-cup or larger heatproof liquid measure. Return the pan of syrup to medium-high heat and boil until a candy thermometer registers 248°F (firm ball stage). Pour the syrup into the measure to stop the cooking and then immediately pour a small amount of syrup over the whites with the mixer off. Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup. Lower the speed to medium, add the gelatin mixture, and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Decrease the speed to low and continue beating until the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.

8-Use a large balloon whisk or silicone spatula to fold one-third of the meringue into the lemon cream. Repeat twice more until all of the meringue is folded into the lemon cream.

9- Spread two 3-foot-long pieces of parchment or waxed paper on the counter. Position the cake so the top is facing up. Using a long serrated knife, remove and discard the brown top crust. Turn the cake bottom up and split it into 4 even layers. After cutting each layer, use two spatulas to lift a layer off the cake and put it on the parchment or waxed paper. Arrange the layers in the order you cut them so it’s easy to assemble the cake.

10-Lightly oil the inside of a clean 10-inch (16-cup) 2-piece metal tube pan. (EDIT - do NOT grease the pan. Your cake will not rise nicely. Sorry for the bad information here!)

11- Spread one-quarter of the filling on the bottom of the pan. Place the smallest cake ring on top of the filling. Spread about one-third of the remaining lemon filling on top. Top with the next cake layer. Spread on half of the remaining filling. Repeat with the third cake layer and remaining filling. Top with the last cake layer and lightly press it down. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.

12- To unmold, wet a kitchen towel under very hot water and wring out the excess. Wipe the sides and bottom of the pan to help release the cake smoothly.

13- Set the pan on top of a canister that’s smaller than the pan’s removable bottom and higher than the pan’s sides, and gently press down on the sides of the pan. If it doesn’t slide down easily, apply more heat to the sides.

14-Run a long offset spatula between the bottom of the cake and the pan. Run a wire cake tester or wooden skewer around the inner tube. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the tube portion of the pan. Slice and serve the cake.

Classic Angel Food Cake

Vegetable oil for the pan
1-1/2 cups superfine sugar
3-3/4 oz. (1 cup) sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. table salt
2 cups egg whites (from about 16 large eggs), at room temperature
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. cream of tartar
4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil the inside of a 10-inch (16- cup) 2-piece metal tube pan.

2- In a small bowl, whisk 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, and salt until evenly combined. Sift the remaining 3/4 cup sugar onto a piece of waxed paper.

3- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and add the lemon juice and cream of tartar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the sifted sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed until very stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

4- One-quarter at a time, sift the flour mixture over the whites and, with a large balloon whisk, fold it in quickly but gently. It’s not necessary to incorporate every speck until the last addition of the flour.

5- Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of the cake batter onto the sides of the prepared pan to ensure smooth sides. Pour the remaining batter into the pan. Run a knife through the batter to eliminate air bubbles and smooth the surface.

6- Bake until golden-brown, a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 30 to 40 minutes. (A wooden skewer will still have a few moist crumbs clinging to it.) During baking, the center will rise about 2 inches above the pan but will sink to almost level with the pan when done. The surface will have deep cracks, like a soufflé.

7- Immediately invert the cake: If your pan has feet, simply invert it onto the feet. Otherwise, invert the pan onto a long-necked soda or wine bottle, or a large inverted metal funnel that fits into the tube opening to suspend it well above the counter (if using a soda or wine bottle, fill it with sugar, salt, or marbles to keep it from tipping). Cool the cake completely in the pan, about 1-1/2 hours.

8- Loosen the sides of the cake with a long metal spatula and remove the cake (still on the tube section) from the sides of the pan. Loosen the cake from the bottom and tube with the spatula or a thin, sharp knife. (A wire cake tester works well around the tube. To keep the sides attractive, press the spatula firmly against the sides of the pan, moving the spatula up and down as you go around.) Invert the cake onto a flat plate or work surface covered with plastic wrap.

Black-eyed-pea Chicken Chili (Pressure Cooker)

2012-05-04T22:21:00.004-05:00

White Chicken Chili . . . we already have the easy recipe using McCormick's spice mix, and my sister Ashley's recipe from scratch. Now, we have a simple but lovely recipe using a pressure cooker:

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 - 1 onion, diced
1-2 fresh or pickled jalepeno, New Mexico green chili, or serrano pepper
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 lb dried black-eyed-peas, northern beans, or other light beans
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In open pressure cooker, saute onion until translucent
Add chili peppers and garlic, then spices and salt
Add chicken and saute just until browned
Add dried beans and 7 cups water
Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes
Release steam and break up chicken pieces
Add sour cream and cheese, then warm until melted and smooth
Serve with tortilla chips, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese

Beef Freezer Meals

2012-02-03T12:23:00.002-06:00

Beef Freezer meals

Jumbo Shells

Lasagna Rolls

Taco Meat

Beef Rigatoni

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Lion House Chili

Beef and Black Bean Taco Bake

The amounts listed make two meals.

Jumbo Shells

1 lb. Ground Beef

½ onion

Pinch of Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper, Garlic

1 box Jumbo Shells (there are about 40 shells in 1 box)

4 oz. Parmesan Cheese (1/2 a container)

16 oz. Frozen Spinach (1 whole bag, thaw it)

½ lb. Mozzarella Cheese, grated

12 oz. Cottage Cheese…you can use ricotta instead (to expensive for me)

1 Lg. can Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

Put shells in boiling water. Chop onion. Cook beef, and onion together. Add seasoning to meat mixture. While meat is cooking, prepare filling.

Pour half of spaghetti sauce into casserole dish.

Filling (this is what you spoon into the shells once they finish boiling).

In a large bowl, add parmesan, half of the 8 oz. (4 oz.) of mozzarella, cottage cheese, spinach, and when the meat is cooked add it to the filling also. Mix well.

Fill shells with filling. Put shells in casserole dish. Pour the remaining ½ can of spaghetti sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining 4 oz. of mozzarella cheese.

Lasagna Rolls

1 pkg Lasagna

The rest of the ingredients are the same as the above in the Jumbo Shells recipe

Directions:

Cook Lasagna

Cook beef and onion together

Make filling (same as Jumbo shells)

Once lasagna is fully cooked, cut lasagna noodles in half (I do this on my large cutting board)

Pour ½ can of spaghetti sauce in casserole dish

Spread filling on lasagna noodles and the roll up

Put Lasagna Rolls in casserole dish

Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over lasagna rolls

Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Taco Meat (easiest freezer meal!)

1 lb ground beef

½ onion

1 lb of black beans

Taco seasoning

2 tbs. onion flakes or powder

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic, dried or fresh (I buy my garlic already pressed/grated in 32 oz. jars at Walmart…Great Value brand).

½ tsp. salt & ½ tsp. pepper

1/2-3/4 c. water

Directions:

Cook ground beef with onion, add seasoning. Once cooked, turn off stove and add black beans. Separate taco meat into 2 quart size freezer bags.

Beef Rigatoni

1 1/2 boxes Rigatoni (you can use 2 if desired)

1 lb ground beef

½ onion, chopped

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

½ lb mozzarella cheese

4 oz. parmesan cheese

1 can spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Boil Rigatoni. Cook ground beef with onion. In a large bowl combine rigatoni, meat mixture, diced tomatoes, ¼ lb of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and spaghetti sauce. Pour noodle mixture into 2 casserole dishes and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Unstuffed Bell Peppers (also another easy one)

*this recipe has the same ingredients as stuffed bell peppers, but the green bell peppers are chopped up and added to the meat mixture…and then when you pull it out of the freezer you simply heat it up and serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

1 lb ground beef

½ onion, chopped

3 green bell peppers, chopped

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped

½ c. ketchup

1 tsp worcestershireWorcester sauce

Add to taste salt, pepper, garlic, oregano

Directions:

Cook ground beef and onion add remaining ingredients.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs (recipe from Our Best Bites by Sara Wells & Kate Jones)

2 lbs ground beef

4 tbs. dehydrated onion (I just chop of fresh onion really finely)

½ tsp pepper

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

½ c. bread crumbs

Sauce

1 ½ c. brown sugar (I only use ½ c. brown sugar…way to sweet otherwise)

6 tbs. flour

3 c. pineapple juice

½ c. white vinegar

6 tbs. soy sauce

Directions:

Combine meatball ingredients. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes. Then I cook them for another 10-15 min. at 350 deg.

*In a saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients and bring to boil.

*Put 15-20 meatballs in 2 quart size bags, add ½ of sauce to each bag

*Pull out of freezer, thaw, reheat in saucepan and serve over rice.

Lion House Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb. diced lean beef (I use lean ground beef)
2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. chili powder
2 t. granulated or fresh garlic

2 t. cumin
2 t. crushed black pepper
3 t. kosher salt
½ t. cayenne pepper
4 cans (8 oz. each) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
8 cups canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained (sometimes I do 4 c. kidney bean and 4 c. black beans)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 c. brown sugar…I use 1 c. of pineapple juice and it’s delicious

(add water as needed if it seems to thick)

Top with:
Sour cream
Cheese, grated
Green onion, finely chopped
Directions:

Preheat a large, pot, heavy skillet, Dutch oven or crock-pot
Brown beef, bell peppers, onion, and spices together in canola oil.
When beef is browned, add the remaining ingredients
Simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Garnish with dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, and finely chopped onion.

*Pour Chili into 2 gallon size freezer bags.

Beef and Black Bean Taco Bake (HTTP://EATATHOMECOOKS.COM/)

INGREDIENTS

§ 2 lb. ground beef, browned

§ 2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

§ 2 jar of black bean and corn salsa

§ 12-20 tortillas, corn or flour, cut into bite sized pieces

§ 4 cups cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, shredded

§ extra cheese for the top, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Pour into a 9×13 casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

3. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Since I can’t fit a 15, 9x13 casserole dishes into my freezer, a lot of the time I will just put the mixtures in gallon or quart sized bags and then I’ll pull out of the freezer and I’ll pour and then reheat mixture in a casserole dish.

Soup Freezer Meals

2012-02-03T12:22:00.002-06:00

Soups

La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup

Minestrone Soup

Goldilock's Gourmet Spinach Soup

Creamy Potato Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The amounts listed make 2 freezer meals

La Madeleine’s Tomato Basil Soup (if you’ve ever had this soup, you know that it’s the best!)

8 C. canned whole tomatoes (blend in blender)

4 C. tomato juice

4 C. vegetable or chicken stock

4 T basil

2 C. heavy cream

½ lb. butter

salt to taste

¼ tsp cracked pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice and stock in large pot. Puree in blender. Pour back into large pot and add basil leaves. Add cream and butter.

Pour into 2 gallon sized freezer bags. Reheat on stove when ready to eat and serve with your favorite bread and salad.

Minestrone Soup (from the kitchen of Sara Millett)

2 onions, chopped

12 C. chicken broth

1 T minced garlic

2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 cans garbanzo beans

2 cans kidney beans

4 c. spinach leaves

2 c. whole wheat pasta (ziti or curly noodles work well)

1 tsp. basil, rosemary, oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients

Pour into 2 gallon sized freezer bags. Thaw, reheat in large pot and serve with your favorite bread and salad.

Goldilocks’ Gourmet Spinach Soup

My dear cousin (through marriage) and friend, Sara Millett, treated me one day and we went to this sweet little restaurant in Salano, TX. We both ordered this soup and it is DIVINE!

10 T. butter

½ lb. mushrooms, washed, trimmed and diced

2 scallions, chopped

10 T. flour

4 c. chicken broth

4 c. milk

1 tsp. salt, pepper, nutmeg

½ lb. cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes

1 c. swiss cheese

1 ½ lbs. spinach, fresh

Melt butter in a large saucepan. In it slowly sauté the mushroom and scallion until tender. Add flour and stir until flour is cooked. Whisk in chicken broth and then milk slowly, until thickened. Add seasonings, cream cheese, swiss cheese; stir until melted. Stir in spinach. Heat and stir very gently.

*Pour in to 2 gallon sized freezer bags

Creamy Potato Soup

4 T garlic

2 C. diced onion

2 C. diced carrot

12 C. diced baking potato (about 4 pounds)

8 C. chicken broth

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 C. low fat milk

a couple of pinches of cumin

Add everthing to a large pot. When potatoes and carrots are soft, puree soup in a blender. Pour creamy potato soup in to 2 gallon sized freezer bags.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (this recipe is taken and modified from “Our Best Bites by Sara Wells and Kate Jones)

2-4 T. oil

2 onions, chopped

2 lbs shredded chicken

2 packets of Taco seasoning

3 T. minced garlic

12 C. of chicken broth

30 oz of diced tomatoes

½ c. lime juice (6-8 limes)

½ c. chopped cilantro

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

Chop chicken and add taco seasoning and fry in a pan. In a pot heat oil and add onion, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic until fragrant. Chop chicken and add taco seasoning Add chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer. Add lime juice, cilantro and chopped chicken to soup. Season with salt and pepper.

*Pour into 2 gallon sized freezer bags. When ready to eat, thaw reheat in large pot. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, crispy corn tortilla strips.

Chicken Freezer Meals

2012-02-03T12:20:00.001-06:00

Chicken Freezer Meals

Alfredo Broccoli Chicken Lasagna Rolls

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

Honey Lime Teriyaki Chicken

Chicken Fajitas

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Haystacks

Coconut Chicken Curry

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

The amounts listed make 2 freezer meals

Alfredo Broccoli Chicken (ABC) Lasagna Rolls

Alfredo Sauce

6 tbs. butter

6 tbs. flour

2 c. Milk

4 oz. Parmesan

1 c. Chicken stock

Salt, pepper and garlic to taste

Filling

½ lb. Mozzarella Cheese, grated

12 oz. large curd cottage cheese (you can opt to use ricottoa)

1 1/2 lbs. (3 breasts) Shredded Chicken breast, shredded

14 oz. frozen broccoli florets, thaw and blend in blender until it looks like a paste

1 pkg. Lasagna noodles

Directions:

Boil lasagna noodles. Boil thawed chicken. When cool, shred chicken (I pull it apart with my fingers). While chicken is boiling, make alfredo sauce. Put flour and butter in saucepan and stir. Slowly whisk milk into a roué until thickened and then slowly add chicken stock. Add parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic. Turn off stove when thickened. In a large bowl combine all of the filling ingredients. Save half of mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top of lasagna rolls. Pour half of alfredo sauce in casserole dish. Cut lasagna noodles in half, spread filling on top of each lasagna noodle and roll up. Place lasagna rolls in alfredo sauce in casserole dish. Pour remaining alfredo sauce over lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

*You don’t have to make lasagna rolls…instead of cutting the lasagna noodles, just leave them whole and layer the ingredients like you would a normal lasagna. I like the rolls, because they are sooo easy to serve!

MARINADES…love the marinaded freezer meals! (from the kitchen of Sara Millett via Kath Mickelson)…you don’t cook the chicken in these meals. Simply prepare the marinades and pour over chicken in quart size bags.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

This is a family favorite! I admit, I didn’t think it’d be that great when I was first prepared it…and believe me, it is delicious! I divide the raw chicken breasts and put them in quart size bags and then pour half of the marinade into each bag, and freeze. So easy! When I take this meal out of the freezer, I thaw it and bake it for 45 min. at 350 deg. And serve with rice and vegetables.

8-10 Chicken breasts (depending on the size of your family)

1 c. ranch dressing

½ c. olive oil (I probably add ¼ c.)

6 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. minced freshrosemary

1 t. salt

2 t. lemon juice

2 t. white vinegar

Honey Lime Teriyaki Chicken

6 T Soy sauce

3 T Worcestershire sauce

2 t Lime juice

2 T Honey

2 t minced Garlic

6-8 Chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch strips

*no need to cook chicken breasts, just divide and put into 2 quart size freezer bags

*you know how much your family eats at a meal, so put that many breasts in a quart size bag and add the marinade

*Take meal out of freezer and thaw, cook in a large pan, add a little flour or cornstarch to thicken marinade and add stir-fry vegetables (love the Great Value stir fry vegetables at Walmart) and serve over rice.

Chicken Fajitas

½.3 c. Soy sauce

½ c. Worcestershire

½ c. Lime juice

2 t. chili powder

2 t. cumin

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. dried oregano

8 raw chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch strips

Directions:

Put raw chicken breasts strips in 2 quart size bags and add ½ of marinade to each bag. Freeze.

*Take meal out of freezer, thaw, cook in a large pan and add sliced bell pepper, onion, and roma tomato. Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream, salsa.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (marinade)

4 t cornstarch

1 t salt

½ c. juice from canned pineapple

½ c. white vinegar

½ c. ketchup

2 T brown sugar

6-8 chicken breasts

2 10 oz cans of pineapple chunks

2 green bell peppers, sliced

In a saucepan heat the first 6 ingredients together. Constantly stir until thickened. Add chicken breasts, pinapple chunks, and bell pepper to quart sized freezer bags and then add the thickened marinade. Freeze. When ready to eat, thaw, cook in casserole dish for 40 min. at 350 deg. Serve over rice

Haystacks

6 Chicken breasts

20 oz BBQ sauce (use bbq sauce you like)

1 can of cream of chicken…or you can make your own with milk, flour, butter and chicken boullion.

Directions:

Boil chicken breasts and shred chicken with fingers when cool. Mix BBQ sauce with cream of chicken and add shredded chicken breast. Put mixture into 2 quart size freezer bags.

*When ready to eat, thaw and reheat in a pan. Serve over rice with pineapple, ice-berg lettuce, coconut, etc.

Coconut Chicken Curry

Indian food is becoming more and more popular. My husband served his mission in Indian so needless to say, we LOVE Indian food and typically eat it 1-2 times a week. This is my favorite Indian dish!

3 T canola oil

1 Onion

2 tsp cumin seed or powder

1 t cinnamon

1 tsp garam masala or coriander powder

2 T minced garlic

4 t ginger powder or 1 t minced ginger

2 green bell peppers

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ t cayenne pepper (don’t add if you don’t like the heat)

4-6 chicken breast, chopped in bite sized pieces

2 can coconut milk

16 oz tomato sauce

1 tsp salt, to taste

1 t lime or lemon juice

optional: 1 t crushed mint leave or cilantro

1 T butter

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot. Fry onions for several minutes until translucent. Add spices and bell peppers. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken and fry on medium heat until browned. Add coconut milk, bring to boil and let simmer for 10 min.

*Pour mixture into 2 gallon sized freezer bags. When ready to eat, thaw and reheat in pan. Serve over rice (basmati rice is tradional for Indian food).

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/)

Ingredients:

Marinade -

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded

8-10 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-loc bag.

2. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour, but preferably a half day or so.

3. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.

4. Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.

5. Put tortillas in 9x13 pan as you go.

6. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any).

7. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas.

8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

This recipe was found at dinner on a dime.
This is also a great recipe to make as a freezer meal- put into 2 8x8" pans. Bake 1 pan for dinner now, put the other pan into the freezer. Pull it out and bake it when you need it!

Butternut Squash Soup

2011-02-03T14:02:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

1 acorn squash

3 yellow squash

3 zucchini

2 cloves of garlic

2-3 roma tomatoes

1 onion

1 carrot

4-6 celery stocks

4 c. chicken broth

1 c. cream

sage and nutmeg (optional)

salt & pepper

Directions:

Quarter butternut and acorn squash and place on a baking sheet.
Spread melted butter over each of the squash pieces then sprinkle with salt, pepper, sage and whatever other spice you want.
Cover lightly with foil and bake at 350 until soft (about 1 hour).
Chop up the yellow squash, zucchini, and tomato into bite sized pieces.
Mix together with chopped garlic, cover with foil, and place in the oven at 350 until cooked, but slightly firm (about 1 hour).
Chop onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté in butter for a few minutes.
Add 4 c. chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook until veggies are soft.
When butternut and acorn squash are finished, remove them from the oven and scrape the flesh out of skin.
Combine butternut and acorn squash with mixture in the pot, cook a few more minutes, then mix thoroughly in a blender until smooth.
Add cream, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste.
Add chopped squash mixture to the soup, draining if necessary.
Allow to set for a few minutes, then serve warm

Butter Chicken (Coconut)

2010-09-07T19:03:00.003-05:00

I previously posted about butter chicken here, with some general guidelines on this versatile classic and the recipe I followed that time. Last night, I changed it up, and it came out so easy and tasty that we decided to post exactly what went into it this time around. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Canola/veg oil

1 white onion, diced

1 tsp cumin seed or cumin powder

2-3 whole cardamom or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp garam masala or coriander powder

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp ginger powder or 1 tsp minced ginger

1 small green bell pepper

1-2 red chili peppers

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder

2-3 boneless chicken breasts, chopped in bite-sized pieces

1 can coconut milk

1 small can tomato sauce

About 1/2 - 1 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 tsp lime or lemon juice

Optional 1/2 tsp mint leaves or 1 tsp cilantro

1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pot or deep skillet
Fry onions on medium-low heat for several minutes until translucent
Add spices and peppers one at a time in the order listed, frying 1-2 minutes between each one
Add chicken and fry on medium heat until browned
Add can of coconut, bring to a boil, then let simmer for 5-10 minutes
Add tomato sauce, salt, and lime juice, then simmer for additional 10-30 minutes
Shortly before serving, add mint, cilantro, and butter
Serve over rice or with naan/roti

Salsa Verde Enchilada Casserole

2010-08-10T18:57:00.002-05:00

4-6 corn tortillas (place on bottom of 9”x13” casserole dish)
2 c. frozen corn (spread on corn tortillas)
2 chicken breasts (boil and shred and spread over corn)

Mix together:
1 jar Salsa Verde (save 1/3 of jar)
1/2 c. sour cream
8 oz. (1/2 lb.) shredded cheese (save ½ )
Chopped cilantro according to taste

Pour mixture over shredded chicken, corn, and tortillas

Place 4-6 more corn tortillas over mixture, etc.
Spread the remaining 1/3 jar of Salsa Verde over tortillas
Sprinkle remaining 4 oz. shredded cheese on top

Put casserole in a pre-heated oven at 370 degrees for 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Almond Poppy Seed Cookies

2010-06-18T09:54:00.003-05:00

½ c. sugar
½ c. packed brown sugar
½ c. butter, softened
1 egg
½ tsp. almond extract

Mix first set of ingredients together

1 2/3 c. flour
1-2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients together and then combine with
butter/sugar mixture

½ c. chopped almonds/walnuts/or shredded coconut

Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in chopped almonds, walnuts, or shredded coconut. Place on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire wracks

Yield: 30 cookies

Manjula's Kitchen

2010-05-25T20:18:00.000-05:00

Want to try your hand at some Indian food but need a little more instruction than a recipe on the Internet? Take a look at the Manjula's Kitchen channel on Youtube. At the top of the list for me? Dosa!

Empanadas

2010-03-26T16:49:00.003-05:00

The first few times we tried to make empanadas, we found the dough was a lot of work to make, and then baking them instead of frying them took away most of the goodness anyway. But then we discovered that the filling, which is easy and the main flavor anyway, works great just as a topping for noodles or rice. So here's our favorite recipe for the filling (courtesy of those little recipe cards they hand out at Walmart!)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 bell pepper (preferably red), minced
1 Tbsp garlic
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup olives (optional)
1 tsp tomato paste, or 3 tsp diced tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 small jalapeno, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oil in skillet and fry onion until translucent
Add peppers and garlic, cook until soft
Add beef and cook until lightly browned
Add 2 Tbsp water and remaining ingredients except for eggs.
Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often
Remove from heat and lightly stir in eggs
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Serve over brown rice, noodles, or in fried or baked empanada dough

Strawberry Pinwheel Cake

2010-03-26T16:32:00.003-05:00

We first found this recipe in a magazine while waiting at the doctor's office right after our first child was born. We quickly scribbled it down, tried it at home, and loved it. We've made it many times since. I finally decided to add it to the blog, and within five minutes found the original recipe, along with the original picture, at the website for Taste of Home Magazine. What's that? June 2005 issue? Yep, that's it. Gotta love the Internet.

Ingredients

Cake:
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar

Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon curd (We use lemon juice and strawberry or lemon yogurt)
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the water, oil and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture. Grease a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan and line with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Spread batter into pan.
Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in lemon curd; gradually fold in strawberries.
Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again; dust with confectioners' sugar. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cafe Rio Pork Burrito

2010-02-22T08:12:00.003-06:00

After a fantastic meal at Kristin's over Christmas, we decided to try some shredded pork burritos a la Cafe Rio (a Mexican restaurant in Utah). It's actually a pretty widespread recipe on the Internet. Here's one of the most complete meals we found, with recipes for the shredded pork, black beans, cilantro lime rice, and the house cilantro-lime ranch dressing.

Favorite Family Recipes: Erica's Complete Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

As usual, we changed it up a little bit. Most of the recipes call for various amounts of brown sugar, salsa or enchilada sauce, and Coke. We did the following for the pork:

Ingredients:
1.5 lb pork tenderloins
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups Wal-mart Peach & Pineapple Chipotle Salsa
1 cup orange-pineapple juice

Directions:

Put ingredients in Crock Pot and simmer for 5-6 hours
Shred pork and stir
Serve in burrito or salad with black beans, rice, lettuce, etc.

Brötchen!

2010-02-07T18:28:00.003-06:00

Ever since we got married, Annamaria and I would often crave Brötchen and lament how hard it is to find genuine German hard rolls at the grocery store. We fantasized about being able to make real, honest-to-goodness Brötchen, but oddly, we never actually looked for a recipe on the Internet. Until now! Turns out, the only real trick to Brötchen is to add a little egg white to your standard bread dough, brush the rolls with more egg white, and cook them at a fairly high temperature. Adding a pan with water to create steam is the final touch to getting the delicious crackly crust just right. We tried the following recipe tonight, actually following the recipe for once, and it came out just right!

Ingredients:
6 1/2 cups white flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
4 eggs
lukewarm water

Directions

Mix flour, salt, and yeast thoroughly
Separate 3 egg whites and put in measuring cup
Add lukewarm water to egg whites to make 3 cups total liquid
Combine liquid and dry ingredients and stir
Let rise 2-6 hours, until double in size
Separate dough into balls the size of a small peach and form into ovals
Place on greased pan or parchment paper
Let rise 20-60 minutes, until double in size
While dough rises, place baking stone (optional) on top shelf of oven and a broiler pan or other old pan (not optional) on bottom shelf, preheat thoroughly to 450
Separate last egg white and brush on rolls (some recipes mix egg white with a Tablespoon of milk)
Using a serrated knife (floured if necessary), swiftly cut each oval roll slightly in the lengthwise direction
Place rolls in oven, either directly on baking stone or with the pan sitting on the stone
Pour about 1 cup water in the broiler pan under the rolls and quickly close the oven door to keep the steam in
Bake at 450 for 20-30 minutes, until very brown and crisp
Serve warm with butter and jam or cold cuts and Munster cheese and peppermint tea

Original recipe courtesy artisanbreadinfive.com

Joy of Baking

2009-11-22T09:59:00.002-06:00

We just discovered a new site for everything dessert. We went looking for an apple pie recipe and spent a good 15 minutes drooling over everything else. Check it out!

http://joyofbaking.com/

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

2009-11-08T18:52:00.001-06:00

So I got this recipe from allrecipes.com---I had to change it a bit...I added some brown sugar, a bit more pumpkin puree and flour to compensate for the added puree...and instead of cloves I added ginger. Try out the recipe and let me know what you think! My boys and I sure had a great time making them together and drizzling the icing on...and we even had a better time eating them!--Now we're off to go share some with our neighbors. I just love this season, don't you?!

Iced Pumpkin Cookies!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk/ or water
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients together first and then add the rest.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet
Bake for 12 minutes
Completely cool and drizzle on icing with a fork
Servings: 24 largeish cookies or 36 smallish cookies
ENJOY!

Crock Pot Chicken Vindaloo

2009-11-08T18:02:00.001-06:00

According to Wikipedia, Vindaloo originates from a Portuguese dish, essentially meaning wine/vinegar and garlic (in which the meat was preserved). Vindaloo keeps the three essential ingredients and adds all our beautiful Indian spices - and lots of them. A true Vindaloo is typically one the hottest dishes in India. Fear not, though: Here's a recipe that is a more reasonable heat level for us Americans, and in a crock pot to boot!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Vinegar
1 to 2 Tbsp garlic
1 Tbsp ginger
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 to 1 tsp cayenne powder or diced chilies
1 Tbsp mustard seed
2 Tbsp oil
1 to 2 tsp or sticks cinnamon
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 onion, diced
3 breasts chicken (frozen is okay)

Directions

Put everything in the pot
Cook on low until it smells so good you can't wait any longer ( > 4 hours)
Add a little cilantro or mint and serve with rice or chapatis

Original Recipe

Rotkohl - red cabbage with apples

2009-07-26T09:17:00.009-05:00

Cabbage is of course a staple in Germany - from red cabbage to sauerkraut to coleslaw. Rotkohl (red cabbage) is usually stewed in vinegar and sugar, sometimes with bacon, apple, onion, garlic, pepper or cloves. Here's the recipe we used.

Ingredients:
1 head red cabbage, finely sliced (about 2 lb, or 12 cups)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 - 6 Tbsp sugar (to taste)
1/3 - 2/3 cup balsamic or cider vinegar
2 - 3 slices bacon
1 tart apple, thinly sliced or grated

Directions:

Chop bacon and fry until cooked
Add butter, then saute cabbage until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes
Add sugar and vinegar to taste
Cover and simmer on medium-low heat about 20 minutes, stirring often
Add apple slices and simmer for 10 more minutes
Season to taste with salt and pepper

Original Recipe: Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage from Simply Recipes

Jaeger Schnitzel mit Spaetzle

2009-07-26T07:28:00.008-05:00

This week while Grandma B., Omi, and Eva are all in town, we're trying some German dishes. Check back every few days for new recipes!

The infamous "Schnitzel with noodles" is a breaded cutlet of veal, venison, or pork with "Spaetzle," or homemade egg noodles. Jaeger Schnitzel is served in a mushroom cream sauce (another variation, Wiener Schnitzel is served with lemon juice). We served this with a side of Rotkohl (red cabbage), which we'll post later.

Guten Appetit!

Ingredients:
Spaetzle noodles -
1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp salt
*Or just use any light, fluffy, eggy noodles
Jaeger Schnitzel -
veal/venison/pork cutlet, pounded thin and floured on both sides
1/2 cup mushrooms
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots or onions
6 oz brown gravy mix or beef bouillon, flour, and butter
3 Tbsp white wine or apple juice
3 Tbsp cream or half & half

Directions:
Spaetzle - Prepare noodles according to package, or follow recipe below if you have a pasta maker.

Combine ingredients and beat well until bubbles form.
Pour batter through Spaetzle maker into simmering water
Let noodles rise to the top, then drain well and rinse with cold water

Jaeger Schnitzel

Melt butter in pan and saute cutlet until lightly browned on both sides
Remove cutlet and keep aside
Add mushrooms, garlic, shallots, and parsley and saute until partially cooked
Add wine/juice and deglaze the pan, then add gravy and cream
Put cutlet back in the pan and simmer in sauce for 1-2 minutes

Original Recipe

CHILI'S Enchilada Soup

2009-05-01T22:08:00.003-05:00

http://www.allthingschristmas.com/recipes/soups/enchilada.html

Dinner List

2009-03-13T16:54:00.002-05:00

Easy meals

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Cornbread & Chili/Applesauce

Tuna on Toast

Stroganoff

Cheesy Potato Soup

BLTs

Italian

Lasagna

Spaghetti

Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Caesar Salad

Stuffed Shells

Mexican

Taco Salad

Enchiladas

Taco Soup

Fajitas

Navajo Tacos

Fish Tacos

Chinese

Stir Fry

Chicken Cabbage Salad

Orange Chicken

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Indian

Lemon Chicken

Mulligatawny Soup

Chicken

Haystacks

Oven-Fried Chicken

Chicken-Broccoli Casserole

Chicken Soup

Texas Two-Step Chicken

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Breakfast for Dinner

Crepes

Waffles

German Pancakes

Pancakes (Apple, Banana)

Omlets

Quiche

French Toast

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

2009-03-09T09:37:00.007-05:00

Butter chicken is one of everyone's favorite Indian dishes - a nice rich flavor, very identifiable as Indian without being too spicy or "exotic." The story is that a British gentleman in the UK ordered some Tandoori chicken at a restaurant, not knowing that it is basically barbecued, not a curry. He sent it back, complaining that it didn't have a sauce or gravy like he expected. The chef simply broke out a can of Campbell's tomato soup, poured it on top, and sent it back. Of course, the customer loved it.

There's lots of different variations on Butter Chicken. Here's a site that explains some of the basic points in what ingredients are staples and a list of their favorite recipes (and videos).

Here's the recipe I followed last night. It's surprisingly simple, but was very good. Of course, I did tweak it a little bit, adding coconut milk, honey, almonds, and V8 juice. Be creative y'all!

Lion House Classic Chili

2009-01-14T14:06:00.001-06:00

Ingredients:
1 lb. diced lean beef (I use lean ground beef)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ T. chili powder
1 t. granulated garlic, or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 t. cumin
1 t. crushed black pepper
1 ½ t. kosher salt
½ t. cayenne pepper
1 T. canola oil
2 cans (8 oz. each) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
4 c. canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. tomato soup
1 c. tomato juice
1 c. brown sugar
Sour cream
Cheese, grated
Onion, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven.
Brown beef, bell peppers, onion, and spices together in canola oil.
When beef is browned, add the remaining ingredients
Simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Garnish with dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, and finely chopped onion.

Serves 8-10.

Lion House Dinner Rolls

2008-12-26T18:56:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 T dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
5 to 5 1/2 cups flour
Vegetable oil

Directions:

In large bowl or mixer, combine water and milk powder until milk dissolves
Add yeast, sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour
Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed
Add 2 more cups flour
Mix on low speed until wet, then medium speed for 2 minutes
Add about 1/2 cup more flour - dough should be soft, not overly sticky or stiff
Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about 1 T vegetable oil all around sides of bowl
Turn the dough over to coat in oil, cover with plastic, and let rise until double in size
Sprinkle flour on cutting board or counter
Place dough on floured surface and flip over, so dough is floured on both sides
Gently flatten dough to about 1 inch thick
With rolling pin, roll out to rectangle about 18 inches x 8 inches and 1/4 inch thick
Brush top of dough with melted butter
Cut lengthwise into two 4-inch strips, then cut strips into 2-inch-wide pieces
Gently roll each piece from one short end, with butter on inside
Place each piece on parchment-lined pan with other short end down on the paper
Cover with plastic and let rise until double in size
Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes
Brush immediately with melted butter
Serve warm with honey-butter