Wonderful Ward Recipes

Peppermint Marshmallows

2011-12-05T15:46:00.001-07:00

I made these to go along with the Hot Chocolate that I gave away for Christmas last year. I think I should have whipped them a bit longer, but they still tasted great! This recipe comes from Little Birdie Secrets

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. cornstarch
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy canes (about 6)
1/8 tsp. salt
*Tip: to crush your candy canes, break them up in large pieces, then seal them in a Zip Loc bag. Put your bag on a sturdy cutting board and use a hammer to smash them into a powder. The finer the powder, the better.
1. Into a small bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch. Line a 9x13" pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Sift 2 Tbsp. of the powdered sugar mixture into pan and tilt to coat all sides. Leave excess in pan.3. Place 2/3 c. water in a large bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.

4. In medium, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat sugar, corn syrup, candy cane, and salt over medium heat until completely dissolved (about 7 minutes).
5. Pour into bowl with gelatin mixture and beat on high speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy (10-15 minutes).
6. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Smooth top and dush with powdered sugar mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
7. Lift from pan with foil. With a small, wet cookie cutter, cut shapes and dip sides in sugar mixture. Cut up remaining marshmallows into small, irregular pieces (these are the ones I let my kids and husband eat!). Or, using a wet knife, cut into 6 large squares and dip sides into powdered sugar mixture. Then cut each of those squares into 9 pieces and dip in sugar mixture.
8. Store at room temp, loosely covered.

Yogurt

2011-11-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, that does indeed say yogurt. If you have ever wondered how it is made I am here to answer your question. I have been making it for a while, but it took some practice to get it right. So, here is my perfected recipe.

8 cups milk (half gallon)

Pour milk into crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours. Turn the crock pot off and leave it in there to cool for 3 hours. Take about 2 cups of the milk out and stir in

1 cup plain yogurt (store bought)
1/4 c. dry milk

Stir until dissolved. Pour back into the crock pot and stir it all together. Then pour all of it into a thermos or cooler. We have a one gallon cooler that is perfect for this. The idea is that it needs to be insulated so that the cultures from the yogurt can do their work. Let it sit overnight.

The next morning, you're done! It will be pretty thin, so if you want to thicken it up a bit you can strain it with cheesecloth and a colander. Put it in the fridge over a bowl and let it strain for a few hours. When you eat it, mix in a little honey and whatever else you want. Fresh fruit, jam, granola even chocolate. You can also use the plain yogurt as sour cream. It saves lots of money if you eat yogurt.

Good Luck!

Green Monster Punch

2011-10-19T16:15:00.000-06:00

This is a fun drink for halloween. Just add some dry ice for witches brew! Even though it was green, my kids drank it and loved it!

2 (3 ounce) packages lime flavored gelatin mix
1 quart hot water
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 cups white sugar
4 1/2 cups cold water
2 liters ginger ale

In a large saucepan dissolve the gelatin in 1 quart of hot water. Allow to cool.
When gelatin is cool, pour into a large punch bowl, Stir in pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate, sugar and 4 1/2 cups cold water. Pour in ginger ale just before serving.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting

2011-10-15T15:53:00.000-06:00

These are delicious. Although, I have to admit as to not making the dulche de leche. Want to hear a funny story? So, I wanted to make these. I knew that I had seen dulce de leche somewhere, and I didn't want to make it. So, I went to the store, bought regular sweetened condensed milk and what I THOUGHT was dulce de leche. Get home, make the cupcakes, go to make the frosting and realize: I haven't bought dulce de leche. I bought sweetened condensed milk IN SPANISH. I am so awesome I know.

This recipe comes from Langes Fadchen.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

7.5 ounces pureed pumpkin

. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

4. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Cool in pan on wire rack for ten minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Dulce De Leche

Recipe from Sweetest Kitchen

Makes just enough to fill cupcakes and use in frosting

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Open up the can and pour the sweetened-condensed milk into a pie pan. Cover tightly with foil. Place into a larger pan and pour boiling water in larger pan & around pie plate (level of water should be about halfway up the pie plate). Don’t let any water seep up and into the pie plate.

3. Place in oven and bake for one hour. At the one hour point, peel off foil and check for progress. If the mixture has thickened and turned a caramel color, it’s done. If it doesn’t quite look thick enough or dark enough, cover it up and bake it a little longer (might take up to 75 minutes or more).

4. When the mixture appears to have turned into a nice, thick caramel, remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes, and then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

5. Measure out 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dulce de leche and set aside for buttercream. Using the cone method, fill each cupcake with a small spoonful of the remaining dulce de leche and replace cake tops.

Dulce De Leche Buttercream

Makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons prepared dulce de leche

1. Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate. Pipe generously onto cupcakes.

Almond cupcakes with Caramel frosting

2011-06-17T20:24:00.000-06:00

This is one of those recipes that I almost hesitate to share. It is so incredibly good, that I want to hide it and make it my secret ingredient recipe. But, I am willing to be generous, so here you go.

Cupcakes

1 (18.25 oz.) white cake mix
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

Add the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, almond extract and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, until the batter is well-mixed. Increase speed to high and beat until thick and fluffy, 2 minutes longer.

Pour or scoop the batter into the paper liners until they are 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool on a wire rack.

Frosting (the best part)

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (just start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. (Be careful, as the mixture will definitely bubble up and possibly splatter a bit as you add in the cream.) Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.

Beat the butter ]in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated. Turn off the mixer, and then add caramel. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).

Cherry Limeade

2011-06-15T16:13:00.000-06:00

This is, hands down, the best cherry limeade that I have ever had!

2 (12 fluid ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate
1 (2 liter) bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and juice reserved
1 lime

Pour both cans of concentrated limeade into a large pitcher. Mix in lemon-lime soda. Stir in reserved cherry juice. Squeeze juice from lime into mixture, then slice and set aside. Stir well and serve over ice. Garnish with cherries and lime slices.

Sweet BBQ Chicken Kabobs

2011-06-05T09:40:00.001-06:00

I ran across this one at The Sisters Cafe and I loved it. I haven't done a lot with kabobs, but this was delicious. The kids didn't really go for the peppers, but John loved them and I couldn't get enough of the grilled pineapple. It was beyond heavenly.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (1-1/2 inch)

1 each: red and green pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

3 Tb. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken alternately with pineapple and peppers onto skewers to make 4 kabobs. (I used 1.5lbs of chicken and extra pineapple, which made 7 big kabobs). Mix barbecue sauce and juice concentrate, brush some of the sauce mixture onto kabobs. Grill 8-10 minutes or until chicken is done, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining sauce mixture.

Easy Maple Syrup

2011-02-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

This is my go to Maple Syrup recipe. I make it about once a week. We use maple syrup in our oatmeal so we go through it really fast. This tastes way better than store bought and is so much cheaper. You'll never go back.

2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. mapeline (you can find it with the spices and extracts)

Combine all three in a pan and stir constantly over medium heat. Bring to a boil, allow to boil about 30 seconds and remove from heat. Store in the fridge.

Cherry Turnovers

2011-02-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

These are perfect for having more excuses to buy lots and lots of cherries as soon as they come into season. These things are incredible. I almost didn't want to share them with my kids because I was sure that they wouldn't appreciate the amazingness of the cherries, and that, my friends is just a waste! I suppose you could use frozen cherries in this recipe, and I imagine it would still be good, but don't expect miracles unless you have good, ripe in season cherries. I can't wait for spring!

This recipe comes from Recipe Girl.com

CREAM CHEESE CRUST:
1½ cups (7½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp granulated white sugar
pinch of salt
1 stick (4 ounces) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounce package of cold cream cheese, roughly cut into tablespoons

CHERRY FILLING:
2½ cups pitted & halved fresh cherries (about ¾ lb.)
2 Tbs white granulated sugar
1 Tbs finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs cornstarch
¼ tsp salt

EGG WASH:
1 large egg yolk
2 Tbs milk or cream

TOP:
coarse grain sugar

1. Prepare crust: Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend. Add the cold butter pieces and process for just a few seconds, until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add the cream cheese and pulse quickly about 25 times (or until a clump of dough has formed). Turn the clump of dough onto waxed paper and knead gently 2 to 3 times to bring dough together. Flatten into a 7-inch square. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).

2. Prepare filling: Mix cherries with sugar, lemon zest & juice, cornstarch and salt; set aside until ready to fill the turnovers.

3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.. Roll into a square that is roughly 15×15. At this point, you can decide if you’d like to make round or square-shaped turnovers. If you make round (half-moon shape) turnovers, you can simply use the top of a 6-inch diameter bowl as your cutter. If you’d rather make square (triangle-shape) turnovers, use a chef’s knife to trim a 15-inch square. Mark 5-inch increments along all sides of the dough & with the ruler as a guide, cut the dough into nine 5-inch squares. Re-roll scraps as necessary.

4. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

5. Assemble Turnovers: Place cut-out dough onto prepared baking sheets. On each square or circle, use a knife to lightly mark a line showing the halfway mark (make sure it’s just a line indentation & not cut all the way through). Spoon a couple of Tablespoonfuls of the cherries onto each “half”- keeping it on one side of the dividing line and leaving about a ¼-inch border along the edge. Brush edges on the fruit side of the turnover with egg wash (egg & milk whisked together). Carefully fold the other side over the fruit and use the tines of a fork to press the edges together and seal them. Move baking sheets to refrigerator and chill for about 20 minutes. Adjust racks in oven to top and bottom thirds of the oven, and preheat oven to 375°F.

6. Bake Turnovers: Brush the tops of the turnovers with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Use the tip of a paring knife to carefully cut three slits in the top of each turnover to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake turnovers on bottom and top third racks for 15 minutes. Then rotate the sheets and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

*The dough may also be frozen. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in zip freezer bag for up to 2 months.
**These will keep at room temperature in a covered container for 2 days. To re-crisp, heat in a 375 degree oven until warmed through. They’ll keep a little longer if wrapped airtight and refrigerated (about 5 days).

Cinnamon Syrup

2011-02-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

This recipe also come from The Sister's Cafe. This is a delicious change from regular old maple syrup. I love this syrup and so do all of my kids. It doesn't make as much as the maple syrup recipe, but it is worth it.

1 cup sugar
slightly less than 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup evaporated milk

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cinnamon. Pour in corn syrup and water, and stir to dissolve. Boil, stirring constantly 2-3 minutes. Cool. Stir in evaporated milk and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Country Green Beans

2011-02-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

I grew up eating green beans out of a can. Which are VERY different from fresh green beans. So, the first few times that I tried them, I was not a fan. That was before coming across this recipe. I ate this up, no problem. And John couldn't get enough. I think he ate half the pan, just by himself!

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped cooked ham
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cover and simmer for 15-20

minutes or until beans are tender.

Lemon Rosemary Cake

2011-02-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

I made this the week after I got lemons and fresh rosemary from Bountiful Baskets. I went looking for a lemon rosemary dessert, because one night John brought me home a Lemon Rosemary Mousee from Log Haven and it was AMAZING. I couldn't find that recipe, but I did find this one at Straight from the Farm. It was really yummy, but I was a little disappointed that the rosemary flavor was missing. It was all lemon. I think, though, that I was the only one that minded. Everyone else really enjoyed it.

Cake:
2 c. of all purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 sticks (16 T.) of margarine or unsalted butter (@ room temp)
6 eggs (@ room temp)
1 T. lemon zest
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (takes about 3 lemons)
1 t. fresh chopped rosemary, very finely chopped
1 large whole sprig of rosemary
3 T. milk

Glaze

1 c. confectioners’ sugar
3+ T. lemon juice

Begin by zesting and then squeezing your lemons for the juice. Set both the zest and juice aside. Place the milk in a small sauce pan along with the sprig of whole rosemary. Heat over very low heat just until the milk begins to steam. Remove from heat and allow to steep while you prepare the rest of the batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a cake pan (9 inch or bundt pan work well) that you will be using. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until well combined, pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon zest to the mixture and combine well before adding the lemon juice and mixing it until it’s just incorporated. The lemon juice will react with the baking powder to add air into the batter so be gentle from here on out so as to keep from deflating the batter too much.

Slowly add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix carefully just until combined. Going back to the rosemary milk, remove the rosemary sprig and measure out 2 tablespoons of the milk. Add it and the chopped rosemary to the batter and gently fold in until distributed evenly. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake in the middle of oven till cake is done, about 35-45 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool completely before glazing. To make the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar with enough lemon juice to make a smooth, but not runny, liquid. Pour glaze over top of cake and allow it to run down the sides of the cake. Leave glaze to set up for several minutes before serving. Garnish with a little sprig of rosemary or some lemon peel.

Basic Biscuits

2011-02-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

We all love biscuits. Especially because they are so quick to make. Because I am lazy, I don't make lovely rolled and cut biscuits. I make drop biscuits. They may not look quite as pretty, but they taste great at really, take like 20 minutes, start to finish. That is my kind of recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Grate butter into mixture and stir well.
Pour milk into flour mixture while stirring with a fork. Mix in milk
until dough is soft, moist and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Drop biscuits on ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated
oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cranberry Aioli Sauce

2011-02-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

A while back, John and I ate dinner at a Restaurant in Salt Lake called the Citris Grill. It was delicious. I ordered a Ham and Havarti panini with Cranberry Aioli sauce. I had never experienced the joy that is aioli before, and I was in heaven. I couldn't get over how wonderful it was on my sandwich. So, naturally, I had to go find a recipe. I found a similar one on the Food Network website but had to tweak it a little bit to make it just right. I actually tried it with raspberries over the summer, and that was okay, but it is better with Cranberries. The kick they give is what makes it awesome.

4 egg yolks
8 ounces vegetable oil
2 ounces white vinegar
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Salt and pepper
Place egg yolks in a blender on low speed and slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil. Blend until smooth and mixture becomes thick and airy. Add the white vinegar and blend. Add the cranberries and blend until berries incorporate into the mixture. Finish by adding salt and pepper to taste.

Microwave Brownie

2011-02-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever just really wanted a brownie, but didn't want to spend forever making a whole batch? If so, this is the perfect recipe for you. I love to do this on the nights that I am starving around 8:00 but there is nothing to eat. It only takes a few minutes and it is great. Especially if you put ice cream on top. MMMMMmmmmm.

2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs water
Few drops vanilla extract
A dash salt
A pinch instant coffee powder (optional)
3 Tbs granulated sugar
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbs all purpose flour
1. In a 12 oz coffee mug, mix water, oil, salt, vanilla and coffee, if using. Whisk well.
2. Add cocoa powder, whisk well. Add sugar, whisk well. Add flour, whisk well.
3. Microwave for 60-75 seconds: 60 seconds for a molten bottom, 75 for uniformly done. I normally choose 60.
4. Enjoy with a spoon and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Careful, brownie will be hot.

Super Awesome Breadsticks

2011-02-10T09:25:00.001-07:00

I had these little babies at a shower and fell immediately in love. I went looking for a recipe when I got home and found this one. These bread sticks are AMAZING. Everyone in my house loves them and requests them on a regular basis. For the bread sticks, if you are like me and forgot to take the rolls out of the freezer to thaw and rise, you can use this roll recipe. Just shape the rolls into bread sticks and then follow the bread stick instructions. They taste just as lovely.

22 Rhodes rolls, thawed (this will fill a jellyroll pan. Use about 12-15 for a 9x13)
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. melted butter
3 tbsp. McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
1/8 c. feta cheese
Parmesan to taste

Melt stick of butter and pour in jellyroll pan. Cover with 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese. Shape rolls into bread sticks and place on top of Parmesan. Allow to rise. (Anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours). Brush remaining 1/4 c. butter over the top of the bread sticks. Sprinkle salad supreme, feta and Parmesan over the top. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Then, welcome to heaven!

Hot Chocolate mix

2011-02-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed a pattern? I am a really big fan of hot chocolate. And when I needed a quick fix, Stephens was always my go to. My mom supplied my habit for a few years, but a while back I realized I was out and when I was at the grocery store, decided to pick some up. I didn't realize until right then that a thing of Stephen's costs like $5! Way to much for a little thing of hot chocolate mix! Which is why I was thrilled when I came across this recipe for homemade hot chocolate. Gathering up all the ingredients to put it together does cost more than $5, but ounce for ounce, this one is way cheaper and even better!

10 cups dry milk powder
4 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups powdered non-dairy creamer

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store in a jar or airtight container. Yields 15 cups. To make the cocoa, stir 3 heaping Tablespoons into 3/4 c. hot water or milk. I always advise topping it off with whipped cream as well, but that's just me (and my sweet tooth). To mix things up a bit, you can throw in some flavored creamer. I have tried French Vanilla, which was really yummy and have a Belgian chocolate creamer just waiting to be used!

The best hot chocolate EVER

2011-02-08T09:13:00.001-07:00

I love hot chocolate. Until recently, Starbucks hot chocolate was my favorite. That changed with this recipe. I am a big fan of rich, sweet hot chocolate. Starbucks is rich, but not terribly sweet. This stuff is amazing. Everyone loved it. John, who can't handle rich foods, drank a little, loved it, and then had to wait a little while before he could handle having more! If you prefer the richness without sweet, you can use 2 cups of heavy cream in the place of the sweetened condensed milk.

6 cups milk
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream. (Doesn't need either one, but it they are fun for the kids.)

Ham Bone Soup

2011-02-07T09:02:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite Ham Bone Soup that I have tried yet. The flavor is great and it really is a low maintenance soup, especially if you have a food processor. You can cook it on the stove top or in the crock pot, and it turns out great either way. If you really are a big fan of ham, you may want to save some chopped ham and add that to the soup in addition to the meat that falls off the bone. (If you are wondering, use the ham bone leftover from cooking a spiral ham, once all the rest of the meat is gone.)

My kids (and husband) all loved this. It is perfect on a really cold day and it makes a TON. So, feel free to freeze the leftovers if needed.

1 meaty ham bone
1 parsnip, chopped (looks like a big, white carrot)
4 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 onions (whatever your taste preference), chopped
2 sweet potatoes (not yams. Light brown skin, white flesh), peeled and chopped
2 cans white beans (navy, great northern or cannelloni)
1 can chopped tomatoes (I never use this)
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. pepper (or to taste)

Combine everything in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Before serving, help the rest of the meat fall off the bone.

OR: Combine everything in the crock pot. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Blueberry Sauce

2011-02-06T08:58:00.001-07:00

We made this to go on waffles this weekend and it was awesome. It's not super sweet, but it is really full of blueberry flavor. I imagine that it would be pretty easy to use this recipe with other berries, but I haven't tried it yet. I fully intend to throw raspberries in over the summer, though!

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In a 2-qt. saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in

water. Add blueberries; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring

constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or

cold over French toast, pancakes or waffles.

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

2011-02-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

Sounds kind of weird, I know. But it was SO GOOD. Again, trying to use up our veggies, I decided that we would have veggie pizza. I made two. One traditional for the kids, tomato sauce, cheese and olives. (And if you put tomatoes over the sauce and under the cheese the kids won't even taste them.) But for us, I decided to go a little out of the box. Totally worth it. I loved it! I had pesto in the freezer, so I didn't use this recipe to make it. It looks like it would probably be okay, though.

8 -10 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced (Didn't use these)

1 small onion, sliced

1/2 cup green pepper, sliced

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, sliced

1/2 cup zucchini, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

1/4-1/2 cup black olives, sliced (left these off too)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon thyme

your favorite pizza dough

Pesto

1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup olive oil

Toppings

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Place mushrooms, onion, peppers, zucchini & olives in a roasting pan lined with heavy-duty foil.

3 Combine oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano and thyme; drizzle over vegetables and toss to coat.

4 Cover and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, for sauce, combine basil, oil, Parmesan cheese and garlic in a food processor; cover and process until smooth, scraping sides often; set aside.

6 Place rolled out pizza dough in 9x13-inch pan going half way up sides of pan.

7 Spread with sauce; top with the tomato slices.

8 Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

9 Top with roasted vegetables.

10 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Shepherd's Pie

2011-02-04T19:45:00.001-07:00

I have a go to Shepherd's Pie recipe that everyone loves. But I have to include this one, because it is a great way to use up leftover roast. In fact, that is how I found it. John and I really like it, but my kids aren't quite in love with it. It is particularly easy if you use potato pearls from the cannery, and I am known for skipping the whole sauted onion step as well.

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
14 tablespoons butter, divided (1 stick plus 3/4 stick)
1 1/2 pounds leftover pot roast, cubed
Salt and black pepper
8 to 10 medium red new potatoes
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups instant biscuit mix
1 1/2 cups niblet corn or mixed vegetables, prepared according to package directions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pot Roast Layer:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter. Add pot roast and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
Potato Layer:
Peel and slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potatoes and transfer to a mixing bowl. Whip potatoes with an electric mixer, mixing until moderately smooth. Don't over beat them; a few lumps are nice. Add 1/2 cup heated milk, 1 stick butter, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Whip again until mixed. Adjust thickness by adding more milk, if desired.
Biscuit Layer:
Combine biscuit mix and 1 1/2 cups of milk. The mix should be thinner than that of normal biscuit mix but not runny.
Spray a 9 by 9 by 2-inch pan (or any similar casserole dish) withcooking spray. Layer mashed potatoes halfway up the sides of the dish. Next, spread a layer of corn or mixed vegetables on top of the potatoes. Then add the layer of pot roast and onions with cream of mushroom. Pour the biscuit mix over the meat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over top. Bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Chicken Soup

2011-02-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Once again, this soup was an attempt to use up our Bountiful Basket produce. And, it was a hit. Let me expound. I thought it was good. Different from your average chicken noodle soup, maybe not spectacular, but good. My children, on the other hand, LOVED IT. Tayleigh and Eric both had 3 bowls each, and Eden had 2. They were slurping up onions like noodles and eating peppers like they were no big deal. This is definitely a repeat recipe at our house. And on top of all of that, it is a great way to use up leftover chicken.

1 cup (1-inch) cubed carrot
1 cup (1-inch) cubed onion
1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
1 cup (1-inch) pieces celery
1 cup (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; drizzle with oil, and toss well to coat. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan lined with foil. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

Combine water and next 5 ingredients (through chicken) in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. (If you decide to just use leftover chicken, just throw everything in except for the pasta and simmer for 30 minutes.)

Add roasted vegetables; simmer 30 minutes. Bring soup to a boil. Add pasta; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Rosemary Flatbread

2011-02-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

So, I have been looking for a recipe to equal Trio's Rosemary Flatbread. Sadly, this was not it. This was, however, pretty good. It is more of a breadstick, but the flavor is really good and this would be great with some olive oil and balsamic or some feta on top. When I made this I didn't have any cornbread on hand, so I just sprayed a bowl for the dough and rather then parchment paper, I sprayed the pan as well.

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl combine the olive oil, rosemary, garlic and yeast. Add the water to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour and salt. Mix and knead by hand until you have a smooth ball of dough. Spread the cornmeal on a flat surface. Place the dough on the cornmeal and cover with a warm, damp dish towel. Allow the dough to rise until double in size, for about 50 minutes. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a round and cut it into 6 equal wedges. Flatten each wedge with your fingers, pounding it out very thin. Spread on the baking sheets and bake until golden brown, for about 10 minutes. Brush each piece of flatbread with remaining extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt

Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread

2011-02-01T19:35:00.001-07:00

We got about 10 lemons in our Bountiful Basket this week. So you know what that means: Lemon Cookies! My favorite. I found this recipe on Allrecipes and it is MARVELOUS. I couldn't stop eating them. Although, I am going through a shortbread obsession, but they are still wonderful. And the batter is just as good as the cookies! If you aren't a fan of poppyseeds, it would taste just fine without them.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. poppy seeds
juice of one lemon (or 2-3 tbsp.)
zest from 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Stir in poppy seeds and lemon juice. Gradually add flour; mix well. Divide dough into four portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 4-in. circle. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Cut each circle into six wedges. Prick dough with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Cool for 4 minutes before removing to wire racks. Break into wedges when cool.