San Diego Cooks

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

2011-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Rockin Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 C margarine or shortening

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C Sugar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 egg

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 C flour

1 bag mini recesses peanut butter cups

SPRAY PAN - really well - Mix all together roll into balls about a tablespoon

size. Put into mini muffin pan.

350 for 7-10 minutes

take out of oven - immediately press peanut butter cups into the center of the cookies. Let cool completely then take out of pan.

** for the shower I put whipping cream and shaved chocolate on them... they didn't look very good, because the whipping cream, fell.....*** I normally don't put anything on top of them. Really easy and YUMMY!

Recipe compliments of Amy Kirby:).

Bananna Chocolate Trifle

2011-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Pound cake, whipped cream, banana pudding, and vanilla wafers are layered to form this easy trifle that's sure to please!

INGREDIENTS:

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant banana

pudding mix

1 quart cold milk

2 bananas, chopped

4 cups heavy cream4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 (12 ounce) package prepared pound

cake, cubed

1/2 (12 ounce) box vanilla wafers (such

as Nilla®), crushed

Directions:

Whisk pudding mix with milk until smooth. Stir in chopped bananas; set aside.

In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, or cream will become lumpy and butter-like.

Layer half the pound cake cubes, half the pudding, half the whipped cream, and half the crushed vanilla wafers in a trifle bowl. Repeat with the remaining cake, pudding, and whipped cream, and top with the remaining crushed wafers. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe compliments of Kerry Smitheram.

M&M cookies

2011-04-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

M&M cookies:

(Recipe from the M&M website)

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 12-ounce package M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies (I couldn't find Minis so I just used regular sized and they worked fine).

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I didn't do nuts, but that might be yummy).

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla.

In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter/sugar mixture.

Stir in M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies and nuts, if desired.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft.

Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container.

I took a before picture of the M&Ms in the dough.

All done!

These cookies were fairly easy and very yummy!

Lemon Curd

2011-04-27T09:26:00.001-07:00

I love all things lemon - especially desserts - here is a basic lemon curd recipe that can be used to pair with scones, as filling for a cake, or in a tart - like I did here. All I did was bake a pre-made pie crust and fill it with the curd. I then topped it with some fresh berries.

3 eggs

3/4 C sugar

1/3 C fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP lemon zest

4 TBSP butter, at room temp - cut into small pieces

1. Combine eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Over a double broiler with simmering water whist mixture for about 10 minutes until it is thickened and coats a spoon.

2. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest and butter. Cool to room temp before using and store in refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Luau time!

2011-04-18T15:21:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone, I am Marianne! I am really excited to share with you all today a party I planned for my cousin last month. (And it involves some food too!)

A while ago My aunt asked me if I would be in charge of planning my cousin Cammi's 7th birthday party. I agreed to and I'm glad I did! I'm going to take you step by step into Cammi's party in case you want to throw a party like this too or just see some cute ideas. Cammi wanted Bright colors, so I thought of a Luau theme! I worked great.

1. Invitations. I started by looking for invitations on Etsy and I found Pink Pickle studio's etsy shop. I loved their cute Luau invites so we ordered those. You can see them HERE. We just printed them out at cosco and then hand delivered them or emailed them.

2. The set up. We had the party in Cammi's backyard. We set up 2 tables and lots of chairs for where the kids would eat. We got the cute table clothes at Party city.

3. Food! The party was at 1:30 so we made it simple and just did snacks and cupcakes. The kids loved the food! We had: Tropical juice pouches, Rainbow goldfish, Cheesy sun chips (Cammi's request), A fruit rainbow, and cupcakes!

My mom made this fruit rainbow out of different fruit and marshmallows... Don't you just want to eat it?!

4. The cupcakes! I am SOO happy with how they turned out! I found the idea at Family fun's site. They took a long time to make but were really yummy.

Here is the recipe in case you want to try making these cute fish! I got the recipe from Family fun and was very impressed with it.

You will need:

24 cupcakes (I did half chocolate & half vanilla)
vanilla frosting (I just used a butter cream recipe I love)
food coloring (yellow, orange, blue, green)

M&M's
candy fruit slices

Directions:

Spoon 1/3 cup of the frosting into a ziplock bag ( I used a piping bag) and set it aside.
In a bowl, tint 1/2 cup of the frosting with yellow food coloring. Evenly divide the remaining frosting among three more bowls and tint one portion orange, one blue, and one green.
Frost the first group of colored cupcake fish, then press four rows of identically colored M&M scales into each as shown ,you'll need two 1-pound bags of M&M's altogether. ( I just bought one of the huge bags of M&Ms) Add 2 red M&M lips.
Snip a corner from the frosting bag, then pipe a frosting eye onto each fish and press a brown M&M on top. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and frosting, then assemble them into a fish shape.
Attach a candy fruit slice onto five or six of the cupcakes as shown.

I had this idea then to make Cammi a Rainbow fish! She was the only one who had it and it was a special birthday treat for her.

5. The activities. We split them up into 4 different groups and the rotated to each different activity

Activity #1.. Limbo! Sorry no pictures...

Activity #2 Digging for treasure!

We bought a kiddie pool at Walmart, bought sand at home depot and filled it with fun prizes from the 99 cents store! The kids loved this activity and thought it was so much fun!

Activity #3 Donuts on a string! It was very fun for everyone.
Activity # 4 Games with Hula hoops and balls!
I was in charge of this station. All I did was come up with a few quick games with the balls and hula hoops, but everyone had fun. They also blew bubbles and danced to Hawaiian music!

6. Pinata time!

Here is the cute fish pinata we bought at party city. We filled it with candy and let the kids hit away!

7. The party buckets
We found sand buckets that were a great price and filled them with some fun stuff. Like their own canteen/water bottles, rubber duckies, a Hawaiian kit to make a bracelet, bubbles, a noise maker, candy from pinata and the prizes from sand digging. They also got a Lei at the beginning of the party from the birthday girl.

The Birthday girl was very happy and I hope she had a great birthday! ( I just had to take a picture with her and the amazing clouds in the background!)

Bridal Shower Buffet

2011-04-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. It is a popular method for feeding a large number of people with minimal staff. {In our case, the 'staff' wanted to enjoy the party, presents & participate in conversations.}

Taylor, Maren Parker's daughter got married in February. We had a bridal shower for her here in San Diego on a Saturday in early February. It was open-house style, with guests coming in during a 2 hour time-block to share their good wishes. Maren put together a menu of salads, croissants and delicious desserts.

Garden Herb Ranch Sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cold water
2 3/4 cups mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
7 tablespoons dairy sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh dill, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh basil, minced

Chicken
1 1/3 tablespoon good olive oil
1 1/3 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons salt
20 ounces chicken breasts, skinless
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite)

Salad
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded fine
1/2 head romaine lettuce leaves, shredded fine
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 pound jicama, cut into thin strips
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 cup black beans - rinsed and drained (canned works)
1 cup corn kernels, drained (canned works)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 pounds tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Dressing: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to stir together the mustard and cold water, forming a paste. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl and, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed or a whisk, blend together just until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too much air into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Chicken: Preheat a stove top grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this marinade and leave to at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4" cubes and, in a bowl, toss with the barbecue sauce to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuces, basil, jicama, Monterrey Jack cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, dressing, and half of the Fried Tortilla Strips. Transfer the salads to chilled serving plates. Surround each salad with diced tomatoes. Top each salad with chunks of Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken and drizzle the chicken with the barbecue sauce. Garnish with the green onions.

Fried Chicken

2011-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 cup bisquick
1 3/4 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper -I add more
.

Directions:
I use chicken legs and boneless, skinless thighs. I
also remove the skin off the chicken legs.
Oven- 425 degrees Mix together the bisquick,
paprika, salt, and pepper. Place in a large zip lock
and coat each chicken piece and place in a 13x9
pyrex pan that has been sprayed with pam. I then
dab a piece of butter on each piece of chicken.
Bake for 35 minutes then turn the chicken over and
bake 15 minutes longer.

This freezes well.

Thank you to Courtney Dana for this recipe! My family loved it!

Vegetable Pizza Appetizer

2011-03-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

Vegetable Appetizer Pizza

4 tubes (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls

16 oz cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons dill weed

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Optional: olives, shredded cheese, and whatever else you can think of!

Unroll two tubes of crescent dough and press into each of two ungreased 15*10 baking pans; seal and seam perforations. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and dill until smooth. Spread over crusts. Sprinkle with vegetables, olives and cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares, makes 4 dozen bars.

Mexican Lasagna

2011-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe my Mom passed onto me a few years ago. It has stood the test of time... I make it over and over again.

MEXICAN LASAGNA

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

1 can diced tomatoes 16 oz

10 to 12 corn tortillas

2 cup small cottage cheese, drained

1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese with peppers

1 egg

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded lettuce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup sliced black olives

Avocado

Cilantro

Brown ground beef; drain thoroughly. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper, salt, pepper, and tomatoes; heat through. Pour half the beef mixture in bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Then mix the cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese and egg together, put half of the mixture over the meat; then layer with tortillas and cover as completely as possible. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After taking out of oven, spread top of casserole with sour cream. Then make rows of cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and green onions across the casserole in a diagonal pattern. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Note: I cut the corn tortillas into squares so they don't overlap so much. I think the dish is too heavy when the layers pile up. Fresh tomatoes are the best, especially when they are fresh from the garden. Remember: tomatoes always taste better when stored at room temperature.

Tween's Cooking Day... Marshmallow Fondant

2011-03-04T05:33:00.000-08:00

Marshmallow Fondant (MMF)

16 oz. white marshmallows
2 Tbsp. water
2 lbs. confectioner's sugar, sifted
shortening

Liberally grease a large section of your counter top with the shortening (you can also use a large bowl, but I think the counter top is easier). Pour about half of the sugar over the shortening and make a large well in the center.
In a double boiler or the microwave, heat the marshmallows and the water until melted. Pour over the powdered sugar and mix (I like to use my hands – greased of course – to do this. Just be careful because it is quite hot at first).
Knead, adding more sugar as needed, until the mixture is not sticky. (I have never used all 2 pounds of sugar.)
Wrap airtight (I usually wrap in plastic wrap and then stick in a ziploc baggy) and let rest overnight for best results.
When you are ready to use it, dust your work surface with cornstarch and knead until pliable (you can microwave it for a few seconds to help soften it if you need to). Then shape or roll as thin as you want with a rolling pin dusted in cornstarch. To keep it from sticking to your work surface, turn rolled dough frequently and continue dusting with cornstarch until you have reached the desired thinness.

Leilani and the girls got together for a homeschool book/craft group meeting, and we rolled out the fondant. The budding artists had a great time molding the fondant into creative designs. The Marshmallow Fondant recipe is an all-time family favorite from my cousin Beth. The possibilities are endless!

Cross Country Pasta Party {Spaghetti & Baked Ziti}

2011-02-24T05:44:00.000-08:00

My Dad taught me how to make 'Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce'! He has 3 items on the household menu that he cooks: Spaghetti, French Toast, and Frozen Pizza's. I must add that he makes them all very well... he knows his stuff!

Here is how you 'doctor up' a jar of Prego, and let me tell you, there is a real transformation here!

Dad's Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce:

Ingredients:

1- four pound jar of Prego

1- pound of Italian sausage

1-pound of ground lean hamburger

1 T oregano

1 T Italian seasoning

2 T sugar

1 large onion

1 T olive oil

Directions:

Cook Italian sausage and hamburger, drain juices. Cut up onion, and simmer in olive oil on medium heat in a separate pan from the meat. Add seasonings and sugar. Combine all of the ingredients, along with the Prego. Simmer for 10 minutes, then serve over your choice of pasta.

In order to feed the 45 hungry athletes, I tripled the sauce recipe, boiled pounds of angel hair spaghetti pasta, added a salad, toasted french bread and made Rachel's Baked Ziti:

BAKED ZITI

1 lb ziti/penne pasta

1 onion chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup cottage cheese

1 clove minced garlic

light sour cream

8 oz sliced provolone cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese

1 50 oz jar pasta sauce

Spray casserole dish

Boil and drain pasta and set aside

brown ground turkey, onion and garlic - add pasta sauce

layer 1/2 the pasta, a layer of provolone, a thin layer of the light sour cream and cottage cheese, 1/2 the sauce mixture, remaining pasta, the mozzarella and remaining sauce. Top with the parmesan.

Cook for 30 min @350 or until warm and cheeses are melted.

The Baked Ziti a great dish, and freezes well.

I must add that the girls brought dessert, and the boys donated the drinks! Go Nighthawks!

For the LOVE of CHOCOLATE {divine truffles}

2011-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Rupali's Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup brandy (optional... can use corn syrup)
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Directions

Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside.
Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.
In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.
Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.
Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles 1 at time into the scoop and roll around until coated. Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

Cori's Pumpkin Cookies:

2C flour

1t+1/2t baking powder

1t. baking soda

1/2t salt

1t. ground cinamon

1/4t ground nutmeg

1/4t ground cloves

2 eggs

3/4C sugar

1/2C + 1/8C butter

1C +1/2C fresh pumpkin (canned will work)

1t vanilla extract

3/4C chopped walnuts

1 Orange (Zest)

1C dried cranberries

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets w/parchment paper and butter the paper

2. stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl. Set aside

3. In large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed (ok by hand) beat eggs, and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 min. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides as needed. On low speed, mix oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix the flour mixture to incorporate it. Stir in the nuts, zest and cranberries by hand.

4. Scoop mounds (aprox. tablespoon size) of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2" apart.

5. Bake cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 8mins. Let cool on the sheet for 5mins. before transferring to a rack or plate to cool completely. Makes 32 cookies

January's Cooking Club Recipe's [Asian Stir Fried Noodles with Grilled Teriyaki Pineapple Skirt Steak}

2011-01-26T05:44:00.000-08:00

Cooking Club is always amazing, and this is one recipe I will never forget:

Asian Stir Fried Noodles with Grilled Teriyaki Pineapple Skirt Steak

Time: 45 minutes

Feeds 6

Ingredients:

· 2 lbs. of skirt steak, pounded both sides with mallet using rough side

· 1 jar of teriyaki marinade

· ½ cup of sake

· ½ cup of pineapple juice

· 2 tbs. of cilantro

· Charcoal

· 1 box of chow mein noodles

· 3 bunches of baby bok choy, bottoms discarded, sliced diagonally

· 4 large shitake mushrooms, sliced

· 6 baby carrots, sliced lengthwise (about 2 inches long)

· 20 snow peas

· 3 stalks of green onions, white discarded, green chopped

· 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger

· Peanut oil

Tools:

· Charcoal grill

· Charcoal chimney

· Wok

Combine teriyaki marinade, pineapple juice, sake, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add steak. Marinate for 4-6 hours.

Light charcoal using charcoal chimney.

When charcoal is ready, pour charcoal into Weber, and place rack on top.

Remove steak from marinade. Save marinade for sauce later.

Grill steak on one side. When the first side is seared, flip over steak and put lid on Weber. Open top vent. Grill until steak is medium rare.

While steak is cooking, cook noodles as package directs. Drain.

When steak is medium rare, thermometer should read between 145 degrees-150 degrees, take steak off of grill and let rest for 2 minutes. After resting, slice steak diagonally into ½ inch pieces.

Stir fry veggies and ginger in peanut oil and place in a bowl. Add sauce to hot wok. Heat sauce until boiling.

Into boiling sauce, add cooked noodles, veggies, and sliced steak. Toss and serve

AMAZING... Coming from Cinnamon Campbell! I think I'm going to get out the charcoal grill, because whatever the effort, I believe it is worth it!

Our theme was 'Comfort Food' in January, and I made 'Funeral Potatoes'. Katie posted a great recipe a while ago, and here is the link: COMFORT FOOD

Apple-Cheese Crisp

6 c. cored, pared, sliced apples

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. white corn syrup (Karo)

1/2 c. sugar

2/3 c. sifted flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. butter

1 c. grated cheese cheddar cheese

Arrange sliced apples in greased shallow dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour lemon juice and corn syrup over apples. Combine sugar, flour and salt; cut in butter until mixture is a consistency of coarse cornmeal. Lightly stir in cheese. Cover apples with this mixture. Bake, uncovered in moderate oven of 350 degrees for 1 hour or until apples are very tender. Serve warm with or without cream.

Serves 6

METHI THEPLA RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup Wheat Flour

2 crushed Green Chillies

1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Haldi (turmeric)

1 tbsp Ginger & Garlic paste

1 tsp Ajwain 1 pinch Hing

1/2 bunch Methi Leaves

1 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Cumin Seeds powder

Salt to taste

Oil as needed

How to make thepla :

Put wheat flour in a flat vessel bowl.
Mix all the ingredients int it including the methi leaves.
Add 1 tsp oil and knead it. Let it stay for 15 minutes.
Then make even size small balls of the dough.
Roll them separately with a rolling pin into a round shape.
Heat the griddle and roast each of the rolled out theplas one by one.
First roast one side,turn it upside down.
Then put 1/2 tsp oil on the turned side and again it upside down.
Repeat the same with the other side.
When evenly roasted remove it from griddle.
Repeat this for all the balls.
Serve them hot with butter or chutney or curd.

This original Indian dish was brought to the table by Rupali Vora.

Pancit Bihon Recipe

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 45 minutes

Pancit Bihon Ingredients:

1 8 oz. pack pancit bihon noodles
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
2 cups of chicken broth or 2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups of water
1/4 cabbage, sliced into strips
1 onion, pealed and sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
1/3 cup scallions, cut into pieces
1 carrot, sliced into strips
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
3/4 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
5 pieces of calamansi or 1 lemon, sliced

Pancit Bihon Cooking Instructions:

Soak the pancit bihon noodles to soften for 10 minutes
Grease a large pan or wok with oil. Sauté garlic and onions.
Add the chicken broth, the shredded chicken breast and all the
vegetables until cooked.
Mix in the pancit bihon noodles and add the soy sauce, cook for about
5 minutes or until the noodles are soft.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with sliced calamansi on the side.
Cooking Notes:
Calamansi or lemon is to be squeezed into the pancit bihon before eating.

CHAAT (a plate of savoury snacks, typically served at road-side stalls or carts in India and Pakistan)
can be made completely from scratch
half scratch half bought
.... and everything in between

Easy option.....
there are some Indian shops on Black Mountain road (no. 9484,9474 etc. you can google it) where you can purchase all the ingredients below and simply assemble the dish.
Remember this dish either needs to be put together just prior to serving or else different ingredients need to be put out in bowls for self-service so that the dish remains crispy)

Step one
Boil 4 large potatoes and when cooked dice into cm cubes, place in a bowl. (if dice before cooking sometimes they get too soggy)
Add 1 drained can of ready cooked garbanzo beans(chickpeas, chunna)... (of course this can be made fresh from dry beans by soaking a cup full over night and pressure cooking for approx. 10 mins until soft)
Add half a medium, raw, red onion (adjust to taste!)
Add salt and dried chilli powder to taste. (approx level tsp salt, 1/4 tsp chilli)
Add garam masala to taste (approx level tsp)
Add chopped fresh coriander to taste (approx. 1/4 cup)
Mix all ingredients in the bowl together and set aside.

Step 2
Make or buy ready made pappri (pastry flakes)
To make...
make a dough from 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp oil, and add water a little at a time until dough is soft but not sticky.
roll out as thin as you can
cut into diamonds or square shapes approx 1 inch in size ( I use a pizza cutter for this)
deep fry in very hot oil. (They should rise to the top of the oil immediately if the oil is hot enough) cook until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and put to one side. Once cooled they can be stored in an airtight container to keep crisp)

Step 3
Buy or make servi mix (a mix of puffed rice, fried peanuts, fried chickpea flour vermicelli, spices etc)
you know what it is easiest just to buy a ready made mix from the Indian store..... it will take me all day to describe how to make all its components from scratch!)
set aside

Step 4
set aside a bowl of plain yogurt
and a bowl of ready made tamarind sauce ( make sure you buy the sauce and not the tamarind paste otherwise you will have to make the paste into sauce by mixing it with water and sugar,salt ,and chillies to taste.

Again these can both be made from scratch....if you really want to know how...e-mail me!

How to assemble the dish........
pappri (fried pastry) goes on the bottom
potatoe/ chickpea mix is layered on top
sevia (puffed rice , savoury chickpea sticks mix) goes next with the
sauce on top.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Soup

2011-01-23T09:30:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com. It is a bit of an indulgence, but so worth it!

1 stick Butter, Divided
½ whole Onion, Finely Diced
1 whole Carrot Finely Diced
1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced
1 whole (to 2 Whole) Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
2 quarts Low-sodium Chicken Broth Or Stock
6 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Half-and-half
2 teaspoons To 4 Teaspoons Salt, To Taste
1 cup (heaping) Sour Cream, Room Temperature

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.

Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.

Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Serve immediately.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Arugula

2011-01-18T05:48:00.000-08:00

Bruschetta with Tomato and Arugula

Grilled bread, rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil and topped with something fresh is a perfect example of simple Italian food!

Topping:

3 ripe tomatoes, diced

2 ounces arugula, roughly chopped

1 t salt

½ t coarsely ground black pepper

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

Bread:

12 (1/2-inch) small slices rustic artisan bread

2 t extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1. To prepare topping, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

2. To prepare bread, toast or grill bread until light golden. Combine olive oil and garlic. Brush on toasted bread. Top bread with tomato mixture. Serves 6.

3. If you have fresh mozzarella cheese, place slices of cheese on the toasts before topping with tomatoes.

Summer Tip: Let your garden dictate what is on your plate. Then, just add olive oil.

Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken

2011-01-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

This dish is a simple *Spicy* one. Goes great with steamed rice or veggies.

8 medium chicken tenderloins
Pam spray oil
1 cup water
1 tbsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp or sugar
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8 minutes until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

2011-01-12T18:29:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe from Skinny Taste and it turned out really good! My only addition was the red pepper flakes, which you could omit if you don't like spicy food.

1 tsp oil
4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz light coconut milk
2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add scallion whites and red curry paste and sauté one minute. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cookabout 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauceand mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens, red pepper and cilantro. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Roasted Broccoli with Cumin & Red Pepper Butter

2011-01-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

If you don't like broccoli - try it prepared this way. This dish is so tasty, and is a great compliment to any meal.

1 head of Broccoli, chopped

3 TBSP Butter

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp ground Cumin

1/4 tsp ground Red Pepper

1/4 tsp Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. In a small skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add Salt, Cumin, Red Pepper and Sugar; cook 30 seconds. Toss butter mixture with the broccoli in a large bowl.

3. Place broccoli on the prepared baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes, stirring occassionally, until tender ad lightly browned.

Pinwheels

2011-01-04T05:19:00.000-08:00

PINWHEELS

Ingredients

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups bread flour
FILLING:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, butter, salt and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle the cheese, parsley, garlic and oregano to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 rolls.
Place rolls cut side up in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen. I like to add extra bacon bits, and whatever else I have around... be creative!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

2011-01-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

It doesn't matter who I serve this to, when I serve it, or where I serve it - these are gobbled up. My aunt Karen made these for our Christmas Eve party and it was no exception!

2-3 cans of whole water chestnuts

1 package of bacon - cut in half lengthwise

toothpics

1 cup barbeque sauce

1 cup honey

Wrap water chestnuts with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place in a greased baking dish. Combine honey and bbq sauce until smooth - pour over over the water chestnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Raspberry Pretzel Squares

2011-01-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

This has become a Thanksgiving side dish tradition. It sounds strange, but trust me - this dish is so so yummy!

2 2/3 Cups Chopped Pretzels

1 1/2 Cubes Butter

12 oz Cream Cheese

1 1/4 Cups Sugar

1 large package of frozen raspberries

3/4 Carton Cool Whip

1 large package of strawberry Jello

2 Cups Pineapple Juice

1. Cream Cream Cheese and Sugar, set aside.

2. Mix pretzels and butter, press into a 9x13 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

3. Spread cream cheese mixture over pretzels. (This is tough, and I usually end up mixing the pretzels and cream cheese together)

4. Spread cool whip over the top and chill.

5. Dissolve jello in hot pineapple juice, add the frozen berries and let it set up slightly. Pour over the top of the cool whip and refrigerate.

Apple Pecan Salad

2010-12-31T21:23:00.000-08:00

This is a great salad for fall and winter.

3 TBSP Packed Brown Sugar

3 TBSP finely chopped Pecans

3 small sweet Apples, halved & cored

1 TBSP Butter, melted

1/2 C Canola Oil

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 TBSP Honey

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

6 Cups Mixed Greens

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a greased baking dish place apple cut side up. Brush Apples with butter and sprinkle with sugar and pecans. Bake for 15 minutes or until just tender.

For dressing, a screw top jar combine oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.

Arrange greens on a platter, top with apples. Spoon pecans and liquid from pan on top. Drizzle with dressing.

Funeral Potatoes

2010-12-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

This is a dish my mom always made growing up on holidays. I love it, and it is the ultimate comfort food.

7-8 Potatoes, boiled until very soft, cooled, peeled, and grated (Or use simply potatoes or frozen hashbrowns)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2 TBSP melted butter

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup crushed corn flakes

1 cup parmesan cheese

2-4 TBSP melted butter

Place potatoes in a greased cake pan.

Combine soup, 2 TBSP butter, milk, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Spoon over potatoes.

Combine corn flakes, parmesan and butter. Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

2010-12-29T21:19:00.001-08:00

A quick, easy and delicious side dish.

1 LB Asparagus

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 TBSP Olive Oil

3 TBSP grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place asparagus in a baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Toss lightly to coat. Roast, uncovered for 15 minutes or until tender crisp. Toss twice during cooking. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with cheese.

Hot Cinnamon Milk

2010-12-20T21:11:00.000-08:00

I came across this recipe on a crafting site and had to try it! This stuff is so yummy and is perfect for cold winter nights! I am giving jars of this mix as neighbor gifts this year.

This recipe will fill a quart sized mason jar with the powder mix:

2 cups powdered milk

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered french vanilla creamer

1/2 TBSP ground cinnamon

Mix 1/3 cup of the powder mix with 1/2 cup hot water and 1/2 cup warm milk, and enjoy!

Salted Caramel Brownies

2010-12-11T20:33:00.001-08:00

5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 eggs

1¼ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows) Fine sea salt

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with overlapping pieces of foil and spray the foil.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. (Or, melt in the microwave on 50% power for 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.) Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour until just combined. Pour about half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and spread into the corners. Spoon 9 dollops of Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the brownie batter. Top with the remaining brownie mixture, spread into the corners and level the surface with a spatula. Again, spoon 9 dollops of the Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the brownie batter. With a dull butter knife, gently run it through the batter to swirl the batter just a bit (don’t do it too much or it will all mix together). Sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top.

4. Bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

1 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking as the sugar begins to melt. Some of the sugar will harden into clumps, but that’s okay – it will melt eventually – just keep whisking. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches a dark amber color. At that point, whisk in the salt, and then add the butter all at once and whisk until it is completely incorporated into the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the heavy cream (it will foam up when first added). Continue to whisk until it forms a smooth sauce.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before using in the brownies. The leftover sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (You’ll probably need to warm it up a bit straight from the refrigerator.)

Apple Cider

2010-12-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

This smells divine, and it tastes amazing. I got this recipe from a friend a few years back and have used it over and over again!

1 Gallon Apple Juice or Apple Cider

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1 orange, sliced

2 tsp whole cloves

2 tsp whole allspice

3 sticks cinnamon

2 whole nutmeg

Mix all juices and sugar in a large pot. You can put the spices in loose, or tied in a cloth. Heat just to boiling, the reduce to low and steep 1 hour. Remove spices and refrigerate any leftovers. Leave orange slices in.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

2010-12-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Yum. Thats all I have to say.

2 cups oats (quick-cooking, old-fashioned or Coach's Oats. I used half old-fashioned and half Coach's)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8 (.75 oz snack size) Reeses peanut butter cups, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Add butter and stir until crumbly. Remove 1 1/2 cups to use as topping. Press remaining mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 13X9 baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven.

In microwave-safe dish, microwave the 1 cup of the chocolate chips in 30-second intervals until softened and melted. Stir until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter. Stir well until smooth and thoroughly combined. Spread onto crust.

Combine the remaining chocolate chips, chopped peanut butter cups, and the reserved crumb topping. Sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake for 25 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Cucumber Punch

2010-12-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

I always serve this at parties and it is ALWAYS a hit!

1 can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

2 2-liter bottles of gingerale

1 cucumber, sliced

1/2 bag ice

Combine all ingredient and stir to combine.

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

2010-12-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

This unique blend of spices creates and wonderful sweet and spicy nut!

Ingredients
4 TBSP Corn Syrup
4 TBSP Sugar
1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 TBSP fresh squeezed orange juice
2 cups fancy mixed nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheets with greased parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine all ingredient except nuts. Add nuts, mixing gently to coat.
3. Spread nuts onto cookie sheets and bake 5 minutes - then stir to coat. Bake another 10 minutes or until bubbly.
4. Immediately turn nuts onto a sheet of parchment paper, and the coating hardens quickly. Keep turning and separating the buts until they are no longer sticky. Nuts should be cooled individually, not clumped together. Makes 6-8 servings.

Oven Roasted Pesto Shrimp Skewers

2010-12-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

Oh wow, these are delicious as an appetizer, or an entree! They are quick, simple, and easy to make and the results are so tasty!

Ingredients
1 package frozen uncooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp - about 60 total.
1 container prepared pesto
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Wooden Skewers

Directions
1. Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven and pre-heat to 400 degrees. Soak skewers in water for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl combine shrimp and pesto. Thread 2 shrimp onto each skewer.
3. Arrange the skewers in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle with red pepper. Roast the shrimp until opaque - about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to serving platter.

Teriyaki Chicken Rumaki

2010-12-04T09:15:00.000-08:00

I got this chicken appetizer recipe from a magazine and tried it out at a recent get together. It was delicious and liked my everyone!

1 LB Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breakst halves, cut into 24 pieces

12 bacon slices, halved crosswise

6 green onions, trimmed and each cut into 4 pieces

1 cup thin red sweet pepper strips

½ cup teriyaki glaze

1. Soak 24 4 to 6 inch skewers in water for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wrap chicken with bacon and thread each skewer with bacon wrapped chicken, green onion, and pepper. Place in a 10 x 15 baking sheet.

3. Bake for 8 minutes. Brush with teriyaki glaze and bake about 16 minutes more or until bacon is cooked through.

Spinach Balls Appetizer

2010-12-03T09:15:00.001-08:00

Jim's brother's family always makes these around the holidays. I gave them a shot at a girls night and they were a hit!

Spinach Balls

2 10-oz packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Shape into 1 inch balls.

3. Arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet and back for 10 - 15 minutes until golden brown.

Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup dry mustard

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1 beaten egg

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until just boiling. Can be served warm, or room temp.

Alison's Eggnog Pancakes

2010-12-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

This was a fabulous Christmas gift Alison gave to the special 'sisters' in her life last year. I love it when she visits me! I thought this was very clever - something I had not seen before!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup lite eggnog
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg if desired. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, eggnog and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Yield: 1 dozen.

Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

2010-11-27T16:28:00.000-08:00

9 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 14oz can of water packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup canned alfredo sauce

1/2 cup mayo

3/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 loaf sour dough baguette, sliced

1. Mix all ingredients, except for bread in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours. Serve with bread.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

2010-11-25T16:20:00.000-08:00

This appetizer is perfect for the holidays!

6 oz low fat cream cheese

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin pie filling

2 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Beat all ingredients together. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple slices, pears, and ginger snaps.

Grandma Kaye's Fresh Salsa

2010-11-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

This is fresh, easy, and delicious!

3 Medium Roma Tomatoes
1 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Bunch of Green Onions
1-2 Jalepeno Peppers
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Avacado
Juice of 1 Lime

Chop all ingredients and combine. Can be processed in a food processor for a finer salsa.

Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

Mom's Cranberry Sauce

1/2 bag cranberries

1 orange

1 cup sugar

Add cranberries, 1 c. sugar - puree in a food processor

cut the ends off the orange and cut into sections

add orange sections one at a time until smooth (no chunks)

refrigerate until you serve

Mom's Rolls

2010-11-15T20:06:00.000-08:00

1T yeast to 1/4 c. warm water - a little warmer than room temp w/1-2 t sugar in the water
1 cup scalded milk or powdered milk (1 cup warm water to 2/3 c. powder - follow package instructions)

1 cup mashed potatoes (can use package mashed potatoes)

combine and cool

2/3 c. oil

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp salt

Add above 3 ingredients to the milk and potato mixture and mix

Combine yeast mixture

Add 2 beaten eggs

Stir in 6 c. flour to make stiff dough

Knead or put in Bosch on high for 6 minutes

Transfer into another blow with oil in bowl

Let rise until double - about 3 hours

Punch down and put in fridge

Remove from fridge one hour before baking

Roll into a circle

cut into pizza wedges, spread with melted butter roll up from the biggest edge to the smallest
Put them on a cookie sheet and let rise

Bake at 400 until light golden brown

Cheesy Corn Muffins

2010-11-13T22:59:00.001-08:00

My friend Sarah shared this recipe and it is so yummy! The muffins are moist and flavorful, and the recipe is so easy!

1 C milk

1 C low-fat cottage cheese

2 eggs

½ C packed cheddar cheese (about 2 oz.)

2 pkg (8.5 oz. each) corn muffin mix

1) Preheat 400. Line 18 muffin cups. Combine milk, cottage cheese and eggs in large bowl. Use an electric mixer to blend on medium speed 1-2 min.

2) Stir in cheddar cheese, then stir in muffin mix just until blended. Don’t over mix

3) Bake 13-15 min. or til light brown and clean toothpick

Mini Pumpkin Pies

2010-11-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Pie Bites
2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts
1 large canned pumpkin
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate morsels
1 spice cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray mini muffin pan
Use cookie cutter (or the top of a bottle or small cup) to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.
Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)
Then make stems with the scraps. Press each stem over the edge and down the side of the dough before filling.
Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Mix canned pumpkin, spice cake mix and chocolate chips
Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.
Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cookies

2010-11-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

These cookies are a twist on the famous red velvet cupcake. These cookies are chewy and the frosting gives that hint of cupcake.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon red food coloring

Pre-made Cream Cheese Frosting

Cinnamon for dusting

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and combine until smooth. Beat in red food coloring. Stir in cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.

Drop by the tsp onto baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool completely and Frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Beacon Hill Cookies

2010-11-08T10:52:00.001-08:00

Can you tell I'm stocking my freezer for Christmas?

This is Jim's Mom's recipe and also Jim's favorite cookie. I love 'em too.

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup angel flake coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Melt chips in microwave

2. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beat after each addition. Beat until mixture forms stiff peaks.

3. Add vinegar & vanilla, beat well (beating process takes about 10 minutes)

4. Fold in coconut, nuts and chocolate.

5. Drop from tsp onto greased baking sheets, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Makes 30

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

2010-11-07T21:44:00.001-08:00

You can't go wrong with these cookies - peanut butter, chocolate...what's not to like? Jim love love loves these cookies!

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2 TBSP milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

54 chocolate kisses

1. Beat shortening & peanut butter until combined. Add sugar, brown sugar, baking soda - beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in egg, milk & vanilla. Beat in flour.

2. shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in 1/4 cup sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Immediately press a chocolate kiss unto each cookie's center. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

2010-11-07T17:44:00.001-08:00

1 TBSP Butter

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/2 cup diced onions

2 14-oz cans chicken broth

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 cup blue cheese

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 2-LB rotisserie chicken, shredded

additional hot pepper sauce and blue cheese for topping

1. Melt butter in a large pot, add celery and onion. Cook until onion is tender. Add broth, milk, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a simmer.

2. In a large bowl combine cheeses and flour. Add cheese a little at a time, letting it melt in between each addition. Stir in chicken and heat through.

3. Top with additional blue cheese and hot pepper sauce.

Spritz Cookies

2010-11-05T21:49:00.001-07:00

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp Almond Extract

2 TBSP Milk

3 1/2 cups flour

8 drops food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl beat butter on high for 30 seconds. Add sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg, vanilla, almond extract, milk and food coloring. Beat in flour.

3. Force dough through a cookie press onto ungreased baking sheets, sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are firm, but not brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Perfect Pumpkin Roll

2010-11-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

3 Eggs

1 cup Sugar

2/3 cup Pumpkin

1 teaspoon Lemon juice

3/4 cup All-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Baking powder

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Filling:

8 ounces Cream cheese -- softened

4 tablespoons Butter -- or margarine

1 cup Powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation:

In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beating with an electric mixer until thick and light yellow in color. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, mixing until blended.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to egg mixture, mixing well. Spread batter into greased and waxed-paper lined 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan.

Bake at 350 ° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 15 minutes. Place cake on clean tea towel sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar. Cool 10 minutes longer. From 10- inch side, roll cake up in towel. Set aside.

While cake is cooling in towel, prepare filling. Beat together cream cheese and butter; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.  Unroll cake. Evenly spread filling over cake. Roll up cake (without the towel). Wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Slice before serving. Keep leftover slices refrigerated. This pumpkin roll freezes well.

'Spooktacular Fall'

2010-10-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from October's 'Cayenne Cooking Club's' gathering.

This is the best way I have ever heard of to prepare Spaghetti Squash! I thought it was asian noodles (seriously!).

Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices

ingredients

1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

Pierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife
to prevent bursting. Cook in an 800-watt microwave oven on high power
(100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until
squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool
squash for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately high
heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute.
Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat.
Carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will give off steam) and remove
and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape squash flesh with a
fork, loosening and separating strands as you remove it from skin.
Toss with spiced butter and cilantro.

Apples inside!

Orange Jack-o'-Lanterns with Sorbet

Invite a crew of frozen friends for dessert. Cut off the top quarter of an orange. Scoop out flesh with a spoon, then carve eyes, noses, and grins with a utility knife.

Ingredients: 4 navel oranges

2 pints mango, passion-fruit, or orange sorbet, softened

Directions:

Slice top quarter of each orange, and reserve for lid. Using a grapefruit spoon or paring knife, scoop or cut out interior of oranges. Reserve flesh for another use, such as fresh orange juice.

Create your mini jack-o-lantern by cutting out eyes, nose and mouth with a small carving knife.

Pack each orange with sorbet, and top it with a "lid." Bend floral wire, and poke it in -- not through -- top of orange for tendrils. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. Oranges with sorbet can be frozen for up to 3 days.

I will post the recipe's from the above pictures as soon as I get them.

Cayenne Creek Cooking Club presents 'Vegetarian Snacks'

2010-10-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

My dear neighbor, Rupali suggested that we start a neighborhood cooking club! I jumped on the idea, because of course I love to cook and try new foods. As it ends up, we all live on one of the 'Cayenne' streets, so we named ourselves the 'Cayenne Cooking Club'. Yes, like the tree, and actually I have several large Cayenne Pepper trees in my backyard, both of the male and female varieties.

Tapioca Pudding

1/3 cup sugar

3 T Minute brand Tapioca

2 3/4 cups milk

1 egg (well beaten)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix sugar, tapioca, milk and egg in saucepan. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally at first, then constantly towards the end, until it comes to a full boil (should take about 20 minutes). Remove from heat (pudding thickens as it cools). Stir in vanilla. Serve warm or chilled.

Vegetable Pizza Appetizer

4 tubes (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls

16 oz cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons dill weed

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Optional: olives, shredded cheese, and whatever else you can think of!

VEGETABLE PAKORA

1 cup chickpea flour

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garm masala

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 to 3/4 cup water

1 quart oil for deep frying

Prepared vegetables (see variations) -- 2-3 cups

Method

In a large bowl, add the chickpea flour, coriander, chili powder, cumin, salt, tumeric, garlic, garam masala, water and 2 tablespoons of oil. Whisk the ingredients vigorously to incorporate air and make a fluffy, smooth batter. Alternatively, put all the batter ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside and let the batter rest for about 20-30 minutes.
Heat about 1-2 inches of oil in a heavy skillet or deep pot over medium-high flame to 365-375°F. Using a fork, dip the prepared vegetables into the batter to coat. Then drop into the hot oil and deep fry until lightly browned on all sides. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and hold warm while you repeat with the remaining vegetables.
Serve hot with mint chutney, cilantro chutney or tomato ketchup

Variations

· Vegetables for Pakora: eggplant sliced into thin rounds; par-cooked potatoes, sliced into thin rounds; cauliflower or broccoli broken into florets and blanched; peppers sliced into rings; okra sliced into rounds; chopped tomatoes. Use your imagination.

A cooking club is a fun way to get to know your neighbors! We live in a diverse city, with people from all around the world, and it is fascinating to see what is brought to the table. I will work on getting more of the recipe's from these amazing women, and will post more soon!

Taco Soup

2010-10-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

A great easy recipe for a gloomy day!

Ingredients

1 LB ground beef

1/2 chopped onion

1 15oz can stewed tomatoes

1 15oz can tomato sauce

1 15oz can pinto beans

1 15oz can kidney beans

1 15oz can corn

1 envelope taco seasoning

Directions

1. Brown beef along with onion in a large pot, drain fat.

2. Add canned items, including the liquids. Add seasoning.

3. Simmer 20 minutes.

4. Serve topped with tortilla chips, sour cream, grated cheese, and avocado.

This also works great in the crock pot!

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

2010-10-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

These simple cookies are great around the holidays. The gingerbread flavor is subtle and they are chewy and moist! Great for cookie exchanges, neighbor gifts, and a yummy snack for the family.

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add baking soda, ginger and cinnamon - beat until combined. Add egg and molasses and stir to combine. Beat in flour.

2. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Kaye's Pumpkin Cookies

2010-10-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

This is my grandma's recipe and it is the best pumpkin cookie you will ever eat.

Cookies

3 cups Sugar

3 cups Pumpkin

6 cups Flour

3 tsp Cinnamon

3 cups Shortening

3 Eggs

3 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Salt

Frosting

6 TBSP Butter

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

8 tsp Milk

2 cups Powdered Sugar

For Cookies:

1. Combine sugar, pumpkin, and shortening. Add eggs, Cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in flour until combined.

2. Drop by the tsp onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

3. Spread frosting over warm cookies and let cool.

For Frosting:

1. Beat all ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Chicken & Pasta with Peanut Sauce

2010-10-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is sooooo good! As a bonus it is terribly easy! The only thing you have to cook is the pasta! This has been a long time favorite at our house!

Ingredients

6 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine

1 cups snow peas

1 cup cooked chicken strips (I like to use part of a roitisserrie chicken)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh pineapple or one 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Place the snow peas and chicken in a large colander. Pour hot cooking liquid from pasta over pea pods and chicken in colander; drain well. Return pasta, pea pods, and chicken to the hot pan. Add pineapple.

2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan stir chicken broth into peanut butter. Heat and stir with a whisk until peanut butter melts. Stir in soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, and garlic; heat through.

3. Add sauce to the pasta mixture. Gently stir to coat pasta with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Crockpot Chicken & Gravy Over Rice

2010-10-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

I always ask my mom to make this when I visit...it reminds me of home - simple, yummy, and comforting.

4 chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 envelopes of chicken gravy mix

hot steamed rice

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Before serving break the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Serve over hot steamed rice.

Chicken and Noodles

2010-10-07T18:56:00.001-07:00

This is one of those homey, creamy, feel-good dishes.

Ingredients

4 chicken breast tenderloins

2-1/4 cups water

14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup diced onions

1 cup diced celery

10 oz dried wide noodles

1 cup milk

1 cup loose-pack frozen peas

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine chicken, the water, broth, bay leaf, dried thyme (if using), salt, and pepper. Add carrot and celery. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Discard bay leaf.

2. Remove chicken from pot; cool slightly. Chop or shred chicken; set aside.

3. Return vegetable mixture to boiling. Add noodles; cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the milk and the peas.

4. In a screw-top jar, combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour. Cover and shake until smooth. Stir into the noodle mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken and fresh thyme (if using). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

Slow Cooker Spicy Curried Chicken

2010-10-05T18:35:00.001-07:00

My oldest and dearest friend, Jess, shared this slow cooker recipe. She raved about it and said it was her fav - so I had to give it a try. This is not for those that can't take the heat...because let me tell you - this is super spicy! We enjoyed it, and I can't wait to play around with the ingredients. I want to substitute the onions and peppers for potatoes and carrots.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups chopped onions (I do ½-one onion)

1 medium green bell pepper chopped

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces

1 cup medium salsa

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp curry powder

¾ tsp salt

Hot cooked rice

Directions

Place onions & peppers in bottom of crockpot. Top with chicken.

Combine salsa, ginger, garlic powder & pepper flakes in small bowl & spoon over chicken

Cook on Low for 5-6 hours or High 2-3 hours

Combine cilantro, sugar, curry powder and salt in small bowl. Stir mixture into crockpot for an additional 15 min on High until hot.

Serve over rice.

Mediterranean Chicken Pizza

2010-10-04T18:17:00.001-07:00

I was inspired to make this after having something similar at a restaurant. This turned out delicious and is definitely going on the dinner rotation!

1 pre-made pizza crust
pre-made pesto
1 cup cooked chicken breast (I used part of a rotisserie chicken)
1/4 cup calamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, sliced in half
1/2 roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Spread pesto over the pizza crust. Sprinkle olives, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and chicken evenly over pizza. Top with cheeses. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.

Orange Julius

2010-10-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

These taste just like the drinks you can buy at the mall.

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

8 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Chicken Pot Stickers

2010-10-03T13:02:00.001-07:00

1 LB ground chicken

2 cups cole slaw mix

2 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 egg white

1 package round wonton wrappers

2 cups chicken broth

4 tsp soy sauce

Mix all ingredients except wonton skins, broth and soy sauce.

Brush each wonton skin with water. Place slightly less than 1 tablespoon chicken mixture on center of skin. Pinch 5 pleats along edge of half of circle. Fold circle in half over chicken mixture, pressing pleated edge to unpleated edge. Repeat with remaining skins and chicken mixture.

Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Cook 12 pot stickers at a time in skillet about 3 minutes or until light brown; turn. Add 1/2 cup of the broth and 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook about 1 minute longer or until liquid had evaporated. Repeat with remaining pot stickers, broth and soy sauce.

Makes about 60 pot stickers, so I like to freeze half of the batch.

Pumpkin Pasta

2010-10-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Marianna made this dish last year and now that fall is in the air I remembered how delicious it was and had to make it!

1 pound fettuccini

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups slice yellow onion

1/4 cup minced shallot

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese,divided

2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Garnish: fresh thyme

1. In a large stock pot, bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil over high heat.

Add fettucini, and cook according to package. Drain well.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add

yellow onion and shallot. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 -7 minutes,

or until onion is translucent.

3. Add pumpkin to pan, stirring to combine. Add chicken broth, thyme,

bay leaves, salt, and pepper, stir again. Simmer for 7-10

minutes, stirring frequently , or until sauce is thickened. Add 1 1/2

cups Gouda, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, and pasta, stirring gently.

Remove bay leaves. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Gouda, 1/2 cup

Parmesan. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Snowbird Salsa ~ Black Bean, Feta and Corn Salsa

2010-10-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

Black Bean, Feta and Corn Salsa

My neighbor, Tricia Blum, who has an incredible blog shared this recipe with me:

http://royaltart.com/blog

Black Bean, Feta & Corn Salsa

You may use fresh ingredients if they are in season otherwise you may use:

1 12-15 oz can Shoepeg Corn, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and well rinsed
1 bunch of green onions
1 package block feta cheese
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3-4 tsp. White Sugar (to taste)

Tortilla Chips

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix oil, vinegar and sugar in a bowl. Dissolve sugar well by stirring. Add black beans, corn. Crumbled feta into bowl. Mix all ingredients together. Chop green onions. Add green onions to bowl and stir. Serve with tortilla chips.

We love visiting the Utah Mountains every year! We spent a week in July at Snowbird with family, and had a blast! This was one of the favorite foods of the week... everyone loved it!

There is nothing quite like zip lining down the mountain!

Haha. Trying to get a family picture is so much harder than it should be. Why is that?

Swimming in the granite mountains... Little Cottonwood Canyon, a few miles out of Salt Lake City, Ut.

Jenna smelling the flowers on one of our many evening walks!

Pepperoni Salad

2010-09-23T13:51:00.001-07:00

My friend Jaimie showed me how to make this salad and I can't get enough! So so yummy!

Ingredients

1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 jar of calamata olives, pitted and halved

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 package of pepperoni, sliced in half

4 TBSP Basil, chopped

italian dressing

Combine all ingredients and toss until combined.

Dutch Oven Pot Pie

2010-09-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

My 15-year-old son, Josh is a Boy Scout! He loves to camp, hike, bike, kayak, etc. Anything outdoors is right up his ally! This is a recipe from his Scout leader, Joseph Benson whom he has spent many days with camping. This summer they hiked Havasu Pie... yes - all the way down the Grand Canyon and back up again!

This Troop 601's favorite dutch oven meal:

Dutch Oven Pot Pie

1 onion

2-3 chicken breast

1 big can cream of mushroom

1 big can cream of chicken

1 can chicken broth

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

1 bag frozen peas

1 bag frozen potatoes/fries/hashbrowns

salt and pepper

Worcestershire sauce to taste

2 cans of biscuits or Bisquick

Fry onion and chicken until cooked. Add everything else except biscuits. Cook until boiling. Once boiling add biscuits to top. Put lid on. Put coals on top to bake biscuits.

Trick: Pre-bake the potatoes. Otherwise need to boil mixture until potatoes are cooked before adding biscuits.

I recently tasted this long talked about meal at an Enrichment Meeting. I have to say that I was very impressed! This is one good meal that can be cooked over the camp fire!

Easy No Boil Lasagna

2010-09-16T09:22:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 box of Barilla Lasagne No Boil Required Noodles (9oz)

2 Eggs

15oz Ricotta Cheese

3 Cups Mozzarella Cheese (Divided)

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 TBSP Dried Parsley

1/2 LB Ground Beef

1/2 LB sausage

2 15oz Cans Crushed Tomatoes

2 15 oz Cans Tomato Sauce

2 envelopes Spaghetti Seasoning (I like McCormick)

Directions

1. Brown meats and drain off fat.

2. Warm tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and spaghetti seasoning.

3. Combine eggs, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and parsley in a medium bowl. Stir until combined.

4. Assemble by coating a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of pan. Layer 4 sheets of pasta, 1/3 cup ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the meat, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and 1 cup sauce. For second layer, layer pasta, ricotta mixture and sauce. For 2nd layer, layer pasta, ricotta, meat, and sauce, for last layer, layer pasta, remaining sauce, and remaining mozzarella.

5. Bake in a 375 degree over for 50 minutes covered with foil. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Makes 12 servings.

Cookies and Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

2010-09-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

owey gooey goodness!

1 box Ghiradelli double chocolate Brownie Mix

1 egg

1/3 Cup canola or vegetable oil

1/4 Cup water

Heaping 1/2 Cup of cookies and cream ice cream

1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled)

Oreo Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl mix the brownie mix, egg, water and oil until combined…and thick. Scoop in ice cream, and hot fudge; mix until combined. Line greased pan with whole oreo cookies, pour mixture over top. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes clean from center.

2. Let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

12 brownies

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-09-13T17:28:00.001-07:00

This is the soup my mom always made growing up and I love it! It is such a comfort food, and it is so yummy!

Ingredients:

3 chicken tenderloins

8 cups water

3 TBSP chicken bouillon powder (more of less to taste)

1/2 cup baby carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 package of Mother's brand frozen egg noodles - prepared per package instructions

Directions:

1. Combine water, chicken, bouillon, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is cooked through.

2. Remove chicken and shred into bite sized pieces. Return to pot.

3. Cook noodles according to package (Thaw and boil, drain). Add noodles to chicken mixture and heat through. Serve warm.

Going Bananas Birthday Cake

2010-09-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

My youngest is obsessed with Monkeys so when I saw this cake I knew

I HAD to make it for his birthday.

1-3 cake mixes depending on how many cakes/cupcakes you want to make. I mixed it up using 1 Vanilla Bean, 1 chocolate and 1 white cake mix. I just made each cake separately

Chocolate frosting - you can make your own or just buy the chocolate frosting at the store (2 jars)

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (you only need a few but I am SURE your family will enjoy the extras)

Junior Mints

Vanilla Frosting

Yellow Food Coloring

Mini Oreos

Chocolate Mini M&M's

Make the mixes according to instructions. For the cupcakes fill 3/4 full. For the cakes I just used my stainless steel bowls. I greased them liberally with Crisco and flour then filled them a little over half full and put them on a cookie sheet to bake. You have to watch the cakes depending on how full you fill the bowls. Start with 20 minutes and check then go from there. I used a long skewer to see if it was fully cooked. When the cakes are done, let them cool then cut the top so it is flat and will lay on a plate. Once on the plate frost with the chocolate frosting. It is MUCH easier if the cake is very cold or frozen. Then add the piping for the hair (I used a Ziploc bag with chocolate frosting but you could be more fancy about it), cut the cookies in half and add the ears, put on the eyes and with your vanilla frosting with barely any yellow food coloring make the mouth. Use the same piping for the nose and mouth.

For the cupcakes frost when cool or cold then break apart the Oreo's and add the ears. Add the M&M's then frost the mouth with the yellow frosting and pipe on the hair and the nose and mouth. Get plenty of wipes ready because these puppies are messy. Enjoy!

Chili Lime Steak Salad

2010-09-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

CHILI LIME STEAK SALAD

1 large head romaine lettuce
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed in cold water
1-2 avocados, sliced
cilantro for garnish

Lime-Chili Rubbed Steak
1-2 lbs flank steak, or other good grilling cut (tenderloin, NY strip, and tri-tip all work well)

Lime-Chili Steak Rub
1 t chili powder
1 t granulated garlic
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t oregano
1/8- 1/4 t cayenne pepper*
3/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
*If you have chipotle chili powder, you can substitute it for the cayenne or just add a little in addition

1 lime (about 2 T lime juice)

Juice the lime into a small bowl. Add spices and stir to combine. Some limes have more juice than others, so sometimes the mixture will be more liquid-y and sometimes it will be more pasty. If you find you're a little short on lime juice, just add a teaspoon or two of extra virgin olive oil to stretch it out.

Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the spice mixture on top. Now is the time to make friends with that hunk of beef. Use your hands to massage it in there. Trust me- your hands work a lot better than smooshing it around in a ziplock bag. Don't be afraid!

Place meat on hot grill (bbq is best, but an indoor grill pan or broiler will work just fine too). If you're using flank steak it should take about 5-7 minutes on each side.

When steak is finished, remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. Otherwise all of the juices will run out and you'll be stuck with dry steak. And who wants to eat dry steak? Slice in strips against the grain.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (regular or buttermilk)
ignore directions on the packet
1C fat free mayo
1/2 C milk (or buttermilk depending on which packet you buy)
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa* La Costena (you can also use a few fresh tomatillos sliced if you want)
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken. I always make extra so I have some sitting around in my fridge. It makes any salad delish! Recipe courtesy of Our Best Bites

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

2010-09-07T15:34:00.001-07:00

This is a Better Homes and Gardens recipe - and it is a keeper! I have been making these cookies for years and they are always a hit!

ingredients

8 ounces white baking bar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
3 ounces white baking bar
1/2 teaspoon shortening

directions

1. Chop 4 ounces of the white baking bar; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 ounces white baking bar over low heat while stirring constantly; cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and melted white baking bar until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the 4 ounces of chopped white baking bar.

3. Drop dough from a rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

4. About 1 hour before serving, melt the raspberry jam in a small saucepan over low heat. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto the top of each cookie. In a heavy small saucepan combine the 3 ounces white baking bar and shortening. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted mixture. If necessary, refrigerate cookies about 15 minutes to firm chocolate. Makes about 48 cookies.

Make-Ahead Tip:Bake the cookies as directed; cool completely. Do not add jam and melted mixture. Place cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Before serving, thaw for 15 minutes. Decorate as directed.

Mountain Barbecued Grilled Onions

2010-08-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

Onions on the barbecue are one of my favorite summer side dishes!

My Aunt Joyce prepared these amazing dishes for us this year when we visited her at her summer cabin at Strawberry Lake.

Here is her not-so-secret recipe:

Ingredients:

2 large onions, sliced

2 t olive oil

garlic powder

coarse ground pepper

salt (optional)

Directions:

Place sliced onions, olive oil, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a Tupperware bowl, and seal with a well-fitting lid. Shake!

Grill on low for 7-10 minutes, until slightly browned. Enjoy with family and/or good friends! Yum!

I couldn't resist a picture of what was smokin' on the grill!!!

In order to keep the fatty dressings to a minimum, she sprinkles fresh ground pepper and garlic salt on the salad.

Home-grown yellow squash, green bell peppers, zucchini and mushrooms receive the same treatment as the onions. Drizzle, and shake, shake, shake!

After a day of hard play, everyone needs a great meal!

Good food at family gatherings is the essence of life!

I love this picture, because it shows how excited the boys are about a good, healthy meal! I can sleep well at night knowing that I am feeding my kids the kind of food that nourishes their growing bodies. I love grilling - it is a healthy method in cooking. The most amazing thing about grilling is the smell... much more effective in gathering large crowds than a dinner bell!

Woofums (Woof'em)

2010-08-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Woofums. They were new to me! Our church group had a girl's camp in June near Kern River, California. One night our camp leader and bishop's wife pulled out S'more looking campfire sticks, but they weren't for S'mores at all. For a new twist on an old roasting tradition, read below:

Woofums

Packages of instant biscuits

Toppings:

Jam

Whipped Cream

Fruit

Anything else you can think of!

The Woofum sticks are a specialty item! The ones we used were homemade. One trip to Home Depo by the ever-so-talented Marcene did the trick! Wood dowels, handles, and some master craftsmanship will leave a legacy of the newest campfire fad - 'Woofums'.

San Diego Cooks

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Bananna Chocolate Trifle

M&M cookies

Lemon Curd

Luau time!

Bridal Shower Buffet

Fried Chicken

Vegetable Pizza Appetizer

Mexican Lasagna

Tween's Cooking Day... Marshmallow Fondant

Cross Country Pasta Party {Spaghetti & Baked Ziti}

For the LOVE of CHOCOLATE {divine truffles}

Rupali's Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

Directions

January's Cooking Club Recipe's [Asian Stir Fried Noodles with Grilled Teriyaki Pineapple Skirt Steak}

METHI THEPLA RECIPE

Cauliflower Soup

Bruschetta with Tomato and Arugula

Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Roasted Broccoli with Cumin & Red Pepper Butter

Pinwheels

Ingredients

Directions

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Raspberry Pretzel Squares

Apple Pecan Salad

Funeral Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Hot Cinnamon Milk

Salted Caramel Brownies

Apple Cider

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Cucumber Punch

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

Oven Roasted Pesto Shrimp Skewers

Teriyaki Chicken Rumaki

Spinach Balls Appetizer

Alison's Eggnog Pancakes

Ingredients

Directions

Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Grandma Kaye's Fresh Salsa

Cranberry Sauce

Mom's Rolls

Cheesy Corn Muffins

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Red Velvet Cookies

Beacon Hill Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Spritz Cookies

Perfect Pumpkin Roll

'Spooktacular Fall'

Cayenne Creek Cooking Club presents 'Vegetarian Snacks'

Method

Variations

Taco Soup

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Kaye's Pumpkin Cookies

Chicken & Pasta with Peanut Sauce

Crockpot Chicken & Gravy Over Rice

Chicken and Noodles

Slow Cooker *Spicy* Curried Chicken

Mediterranean Chicken Pizza

Orange Julius

Chicken Pot Stickers

Pumpkin Pasta

Snowbird Salsa ~ Black Bean, Feta and Corn Salsa

Pepperoni Salad

Dutch Oven Pot Pie

Easy No Boil Lasagna

Cookies and Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Going Bananas Birthday Cake

Chili Lime Steak Salad

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

Slow Cooker Spicy Curried Chicken