Food Snobbery

Bacon Explosion!

2009-01-09T09:59:00.003-06:00

A heart attack waiting to happen...

Here’s what you’ll need…

2 pounds thick cut bacon
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub

Click the link for the instructions and images of the steps:

http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/

Doubt I'll ever try... but it would be good. ;)

Beef "sausage" stick

2008-12-19T21:52:00.002-06:00

This is a Christmas favorite for our family.

BEEF STICK (SAUSAGE)
5 lbs hamburger
3 tsp garlic salt
4 ½ tsp pepper (cracked)
4 ½ tsp mustard seed
5 tsp tender quick salt
2 tsp liquid smoke

Put in plastic, 2 gallon, ziplock bags.
Knead everyday in bag.
On 3rd kneading day, bake @ 150 for 8 hours. Turn at 4 hours.
While baking, meat should be placed on rack and sheet.

Store in ziplock or foil or you can freeze it.

It makes 3 – large, 4 – medium, 5 – small

For pictures click here.

Barefoot Contessa Brownie Mix

2008-08-17T09:41:00.002-05:00

I bought this brownie mix last week because it was the only one I could find at the store that had no artificial flavors or colors (for Isaac's new food regulations). I made it last night. I was going to save them for today. But when Nate asked me (at 10pm) if I wanted some I agreed. Well, they are fabulous tasting brownies. They should be with 1/4 pound of real butter and real very dark chocolate chunks! They were so good, in fact, that I had two.
Maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Suddenly I had a really bad case of the jitters. Apparently all that really dark chocolate had more caffeine than my body could take so late at night. I was up until 1:30 am.

But they were good brownies.

Don't eat it if you don't know what it is

2008-08-12T21:23:00.004-05:00

Nate and I started the ingredients game when we were first married. Someone would get the container of food and ask the other to guess the ingredients in the food. It was always fun to actually be able to guess them all or remember from the last time we played. Food has some pretty weird stuff in it. Take vanillin (artificial vanilla) for example. It is derived from a waste product from paper mills! Gross. Artificial vanilla is in so many things too. Artificial colors are in even white foods (like marshmallows).

Well, now we look at the ingredient label for another reason. Isaac. Isaac has ADHD. He takes medication to help him control his impulsiveness and to be able to focus enough to do even basic things like tie his shoes, button his shirt, or write legibly. Well, we have tried every medication out there. And eventually they all stop working after a few months. So now, in addition to the medication, we are trying to tweak his diet to see if that will make a difference.

The first things we are taking out are artificial colors and flavors. Also really heinous chemicals like BHT and MSG. Now, this is so much easier than it would have been a few years ago. With stores like Whole Foods and organic food/brands available at even our local grocery stores, there are many choices. Still it has been a little be of a challenge. There are foods that I didn't think would be a problem, that I thought were pretty wholesome. Even fruit cocktail has artificially colored maraschino cherries.

So I've concluded that I won't eat it if I don't know what it is. I hope that this will help Isaac. I think our whole family will be healthier. The doctor says that it takes 6-8 weeks to really see the difference (I guess it takes a while to get all the nastiness out of your body). Meanwhile, I'm trying to use up all the fake stuff and/or replace it. I'm also going to have to be a little better about menu planning. Buying organic and shopping whole foods puts a much bigger dent in my wallet than the way I used to shop. I hope it works. The next step is to take out items with salicylates in them (even in good stuff like apples, grapes and oranges). There aren't apple substitutes out there, it would be goodbye forever. We'll see...

Summertime

2008-08-01T12:20:00.002-05:00

and the living is easy. Grilling is one of my favorite easy ways to cook dinner. The kids love to light the grill. Shish kebabs are one of our family's faves too. Put it on a stick and kids will eat just about anything, well, maybe not anything, but a lot of things. This time we had teriyaki shrimp kebabs and some chicken satay. What's your favorite?

bread and jam for us

2008-06-13T14:57:00.003-05:00

I usually don't ever make bread. The 5 or 6 times I've tried, it turns out like a brick. So I stick to other types of bread like sweet rolls, pizza, etc. (It's the same recipe, I know. But bread in a loaf never seems to work out.) Well, last night I started making bread on a whim (not a good thing to start at 9PM). I put it in the fridge overnight and baked it this afternoon. And....it actually turned out! It was a little salty because I used Hazel friendly soy margerine (which is salted already). But it was fluffy and the kids devoured it.

There is a hole in one loaf where Toby stuck his finger in. He wanted to see if it really was dense as a brick. Oh well, looks aren't everything. And maybe, since it worked this time, I'll actually try it again!

Pecos Shrimp and Sausage

2008-06-01T22:19:00.003-05:00

Pecos Shrimp and Sausage
(See on plate in photo below)

Ingredients:
1 pound shrimp, peeled
1 link Andouille sausage (cajun), cut into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup Cookwell Pecos 83 Marinade (or Bock and Brown Sugar) or any other BBQ type marinade
1/2 cup thinkly sliced bell peppers
1/2 sweet onion, thin sliced
1 Tbsp Adams Val Verde Rub (or other southwest style spice seasoning)
1 Tbsp oil

Directions:
Sprinkle rub on the shrimp. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook shrimp about 1 minute per side (DO NOT OVER COOK). Remove from pan
Cook sausage until browned then add veggies. Cook until crisp tender. Return shrimp t pan, add marinade and cook 30 more seconds. Serve over white rice or with The salsa rice recipe below.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa Rice

2008-06-01T22:00:00.004-05:00

This dish can be made with store bought salsa or you can make the basic salsa from scratch. It tastes good either way, although my children prefer it from scratch. I always double the recipe and it lasts for 3 meals for our family. Without the tomatoes makes this side dish a little more versatile.

Ingredients:

1 cup Cookwell brand Corn and Black Bean Salsa (or any other brand) See substitution recipe below.

1 cup basmati or jasmine rice

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 1 quart sauce pan. Add rice, onion, garlic, and salso. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes. Fold in butter and cilantro. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let stand 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Substitute salsa recipe:

1/2 can unseasoned black beans
1 cup corn
1/2 jalepeno, seeded and diced (optional)
1 plum tomato, seeded and diced (optional)

Directions:

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a pan. Add rice, onion, garlic, beans, corn, and tomato and jalepeno if desired. (I've done it both ways. I think my kids liked it without the tomatoes and peppers. It is just a different taste.) Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes. Fold in butter and cilantro. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let stand 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Count the ridges

2008-05-11T21:37:00.003-05:00

Today, since it was Mother's Day, I made myself a strawberry torte. My mom used to make this all the time when strawberries were in season. The cake mix always made 2 tortes. That may seem like a lot. But divide that by 11 or more and no one gets more than a regular slice. Well, as kids, none of us wanted to get a smaller slice than anyone elses. So my mom would count those ridges on the cake and cut it so that everyone had the same number and thus the same size slice. We all double counted just to be sure. Anyway, just a little flash back as I was slice up this torte after dinner.

Sweet!

2008-04-29T21:32:00.003-05:00

One of the things on my list of places to go has been Austin's Farmer's Market. So last weekend we finally got there. But we only had $8 in cash and it was the end of the day so we didn't get much. We got some baby carrots and beets. We ate the carrots on the way back to the car. Can I tell you, they were soooooo sweet!! We ate most of them before we got home. Even Hazel ate them, which is highly unusual for her. Those carrots reminded me of the gardens my dad planted growing up. It makes me want to get in gear and change my lawn into a garden if it would mean eating produce that good all the time. I try to buy organic when the cost isn't too different. And most of the time I've found the better taste is worth the extra money. It's a fine example of getting what you pay for. I highly recommend it. I've actually found some canned organic produce that is good too. Del Monte makes good canned green beans (which is nice because no matter how hard I try, half of my family still dislikes fresh and/or frozen ones; so we trade off). And our grocery store's own organic brand of unsweetend applesauce is awesome. Anyway, I still am amazed at how sweet those carrots were.

Another Sweet Deal

2008-04-28T16:21:00.002-05:00

Put this on your calendar for Wednesday night: Baskin Robbins is holding a 31 cent scoop night in honor of America's firefighters. So take your kids out and get them a cone!

Don't Forget!!

2008-04-28T16:09:00.005-05:00

Don't forget that tomorrow is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Shops! I think I'll stop by a couple times!

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

2007-07-06T15:39:00.000-05:00

You will need:

1-2 pounds ground beef
1 10oz. can refried beans
1 16 oz. can red enchilada sauce
1 package tortillas in soft taco size
cheese

In large skillet, brown and drain ground beef.
Return to skillet and add refried beans.
Mix until well blended with beef.
Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto tortilla, roll, and place in pan.
Continue until pan is filled with rolled tortillas.
Shake Enchilada sauce, and pour over top or rolled tortillas.
Top with as much cheese as you like.

Bake at 350 until bubbly.

Eat!

Summer Salad

2007-05-29T11:52:00.000-05:00

1 or 2 packages ready to eat salad (I like romaine and spinach)
1/2 package Craisins
1 Bartlett Pear, sliced thin or thick, your preference
1 package Bar-S bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 small Red Onion (optional)
1 jar Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing (this is the BEST!)

Add all together and enjoy!

You can also mix it up by adding chunks of Swiss Cheese, Radishes, Mandarin Oranges, or whatever else would make a yummy mix of sweet and salty with the bacon.

Philly Cheesesteak Pie

2007-05-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

Soooo yummy! And Easy!

1 lb. Stew Meat
1 med red pepper
1 med yellow onion
mushrooms (optional, and I didn't use any)
1 can Campbells beef broth (get the kind that says "double rich, double flavor under the title)
Mozzarella cheese (I like cheese, so use as much as you'd like)
1/3 C. flour
1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
2 Tbs. Olive Oil (although I use Grapeseed because it has a higher temperature rating)
1 package Flaky Layers rolls
Casserole Dish
Deep sided skillet

Preheat oven to 350, and spray casserole dish lightly with Pam.

Add Olive (or Grapeseed) Oil to skillet, and heat on medium heat
Cut pepper and onion into small strips and add to warmed pan
While veggies cook, mix 1C of beef broth with flour
When veggies are limp, add stew meat, Italian seasoning, and broth mixture to pan.
Cover and simmer until thickened.

Meanwhile, take Flaky Layers rolls and pull each roll apart to double the batch. Take half and put along bottom of casserole dish. Lightly brush with melted butter.

When meat mixture is thickened, add to casserole dish. Take Mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks, and disperse throughout mixture. Top with remaining Flaky Layers rolls. Brush lightly with melted butter.

Cook until top is browned and bubbly.

Eat.

When I made this, the whole family loved it, and ate the ENTIRE thing! I will double the batch next time and freeze some of the meat mixture to make an easy meal even easier!

Pico de Gallo & Gwock

2007-04-17T21:36:00.000-05:00

I discovered a great looking recipe for pico de gallo and guacamole. I'll be trying them this weekend, only because the pictures (from the link below) look sooooo delicious. (Check out the link, it's a photographic recipe)

I found it here on this blog.

Chocolate Praline Cake from a mix (outstanding!)

2007-01-04T00:33:00.000-06:00

Here's a show-stopper of a dessert, a fancy layered thing with a quick praline of butter, brown sugar, cream and pecans in the bottom of the pans, and chocolate batter on top. You sandwich the layers with sweetened whipped cream. Works well with a pudding-in-the mix cake, but if you want to use plain devil's food cake mix, that works great too.

Preparation time: 12 minutes
Baking Time: 35-37 minutes
Assembly time: 15 minutes

8 T. (one stick) butter, cut up
1/4 C. heaving (whipping) cream
1 C. packed light brown sugar
3/4 C. chopped pecans
1 package of devils food cake mix with/without pudding
1 C. water
1/2 C. vegetable oil (canola, corn, safflower, soybean, sunflower)
3 large eggs
Sweetened Cream (see below) made with 1 C. heavy whipping cream and 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
1 square (1 oz) semisweet chocolate, grated or shaved for garnish

Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set aside two 9-inch round cake pans.

(NOTE: Alternatively, for a cake that totes easily to other locations, bake this cake in a 9x13 inch baking pan for 55 minutes. Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan, and then invert the cake onto a serving platter. Let it cool completely, then frost with the sweetened cream and garnish with the grated chocolate. Not as high-impact visually, but still an attractive cake that everyone will devour!)
Place the butter, cream and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted, 3 minutes. Pour the mixture evenly into the cake pan(s) and sprinkle it evenly with the chopped pecans. Set aside. (I won't tell if you lick the saucepan too...YUM!)
Place the cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pan(s), pouring over the pecan mixture, then smoothing it out with the spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.
Bake the cakes until they spring back when lighly pressed with your fingers, 35 to 37 minutes. Remove them from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack to cool, praline side up.
Meanwhile, prepare the sweetened cream.

Place a clean, large mixing bowl and electric mixer in the freezer for a few minutes while you assemble the ingredients (1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/4 Cup confectioners' sugar). Pour the whipping cream into the chilled bowl and beat with the electric mixer on high speed until the cream has thickened, 1 1/2 minutes. Stop and add the sugar. Beat the cream and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more. Makes enough to generously fill or thinly frost a 2 layer cake, 12-cup bundt cake, 10-inch tube cake or 9x13-inch sheet cake.
Grate the semisweet chocolate for the garnish.
Place one cake layer, praline side up, on a serving platter and spread half the sweetened cream on top. Place the second layer, praline side up, on top of the first, and frost the top of it with the remaining cream, working with clean, smooth strokes. Scatter the grated chocolate on top of the cake. Slice and serve.

* You can store this cake, covered loosely in waxed paper, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Super easy Choclate Cream Pie

2006-12-23T13:37:00.000-06:00

1/3 c. milk
4 oz. milk chocolate
2 tbsp. sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
1 prepared graham cracker pie crust
Cool Whip

Heat chocolate plus 2 tablespoons milk until melted. In a large bowl beat cream cheese, remaining milk and sugar. Add melted chocolate. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate. Serves 8.

This recipe originally called for 4 oz. German Chocolate, but when I made it with that, it was too bitter. Milk chocolate is more my taste. I'm sure you could also use chocolate with toffee pieces or almond pieces as well.

CHOCOLATE MINT SNOWBALLS

2006-12-10T19:31:00.000-06:00

One of my student's mom made these for me for a Christmas treat. They were so good I went home and looked for the recipe on google and then tried them myself. They are so GOOD!!! So I thought I would share the recipe.

1 (18-ounce) package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Take out the cream)
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 (12.5-ounce) package chocolate-covered creamy mints
2 (12-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon shortening

PULSE half of cookies in a food processor 3 or 4 times or until crumb consistency. Add remaining cookies to crumbs in food processor, and pulse until crumb consistency. Cut cream cheese into 4 pieces; add to food processor, 1 piece at a time, processing well after each addition.

ROLL cream cheese mixture into 1-inch balls. Push one chocolate-covered mint into the center of each ball; roll each ball smooth.

MICROWAVE chocolate morsels and shortening in a glass bowl at HIGH for 90 seconds or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

DIP balls in melted chocolate mixture; place on wax paper to harden. Store in refrigerator.

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
PREP: 20 MIN.

Perfect Party Salsa

2006-11-30T17:53:00.000-06:00

I thought with the holidays approaching I would share a favorite recipe of mine that my Uncle Rod shared with me years ago. It is always a hit! and so easy to make!

3/4 bag frozen white sweet corn
1 can black beans ( do not drain juice)
1 bunch green onions ( chopped finely)
5-7 roma tomatoes ( chopped finely)
1 large lemon

Just chop up the ingredients, mix everything in a large bowl and then cut then squeeze the juice from the lemon over the mixture and mix thoroughly! Serve with corn chips. It is very yummy and fresh! I like the Tostitos brand that are called Scoops ( they come in regular or baked, I especially love the baked ones!)

Freezer Stuff

2006-10-26T08:54:00.000-05:00

I am so glad to have a freezer full of ready to eat, or at least greatly simplified meals that my family will love. I think that last part is the key. The meals that you freeze shouldn't be new or some just for food storage type meal. I decided to make my food storage stuff we'd actually eat, not just stuff to survive on. So these are some of my favorite recipes. There is a list at the end of the ones I used.

I made all of my freezer meals in a three day period. That makes a lot of mess and takes a lot of work. An easier way is to just double or triple whatever meal you are making (really easy with soups, stews and sauces), and then freeze the extras in meal size portions. A few tips I discovered the hard way:

1. Don't put hot meals directly into the freezer. My freezer had so much hot food in it that the alarm on it went off (yea, I had no idea freezers had alarms!).
2. I used disposable plastic containers. But Ziplock bags also work and things freeze faster and flatter so that you can put more in your freezer.
3. Stock up on frozen veggies, and the add ins.
4. When adding pasta, rice or other grain to a sauce or soup, don't let it cook too long (maybe half the time). When you thaw it out and reheat it, the pasta will finish cooking.
5. When adding fresh tender vegetables to dishes, don't cook them at all. I used zucchini and squash and just cut them up, put them on the bottom of the container, and added the hot sauce on top. The vegetables will be blanch cooked and then you will freeze it. When you reheat the dish, the vegetables will finish cooking but not be too mushy or slimy.
6. Buy bulk meat and divide and brown or marinate it before freezing.
The meals that I froze were the following (most I have already posted on the blog and have linked them to the recipe):
7. Be careful stocking up on cookies and muffins, mine got eaten way too fast. Perhaps you will have better luck at the will power thing.
8. when freezing pancakes lay them flat so that they don't stick together. After they are frozen put them together in one big ziplock. Also applies to berries, vegetables or meat chunks that you don't want to clump. They take less time to defrost and it is easier to use small portions instead of thawing a big bag when you just need a little bit.

Thai Red Curry Chicken
Indian Curry Chicken
Chicken Makhani
World's Best Sugar Cookies
Swedish Pancakes
Green chicken Enchilladas

(These are ones I still need to add)

Masaman Curry Chicken
Beef Barley Stew
Chicken Noodle Soup
Bubble Gum Icecream
Banana Bread
Pumpkin Bread
Zucchini Bread
100% Whole Wheat Pancakes

Opulent Chicken

2006-09-19T21:07:00.000-05:00

6-8 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sliced swiss cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
½ c. sour cream
½ c. water
2 c. Ritz cracker crumbs (1 wrapped stack approx. 2 c.)
½ c. melted margarine

Lay chicken in greased baking dish and put a slice of cheese on each. Mix together soup, sour cream and water. Pour over chicken. Mix cracker crumbs and margarine and sprinkle over chicken. Bake 2 ½ hours at 275.

Applesauce Cake

2006-09-07T16:22:00.000-05:00

This is for you Tracy. It's Jeanette's recipe. Have fun with all your apples.

Applesauce Cake

1c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. shortening
2 c. applesauce
2 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Mix and pour into a greased 9x13. Bake @ 350 for 35-40 min.

Laura's Caramel Popcorn

2006-08-25T11:14:00.000-05:00

On Med. Heat, mix the following:

2 squares butter
2T water
2C brown sugar
1/2 C Karo

Bring to a boil, and boil only 1 minute! The longer it boils the stiffer it will be.

After boiling, add:
1t vanilla
1/2t baking soda
Mix over 2 bags of microwave popcorn.

One thing I forgot when I did this was to transfer the popcorn from bowl to bowl a few times to get the seeds out. So now when I eat mine, I have to spit the seeds into the garbage can. It's a beautiful sight.

Jakes Chicken Curry with Onion Naan (YUMMY!)

2006-08-21T23:10:00.000-05:00

My brother-in-law made this for us when we were visiting and it is DELISH! I'm definitely going to make it, but thought I'd share his recipe with you in the meantime.

Onion Naan
(You can take the onion out and just have
naan if you prefer)

3 T. butter (room temp is best)

1 C. finely chopped or grated onions

1.2 C. warm wager

1 tsp. salt

1.5~2 C. Bread or all purpose flour

Sauté the onions until clear (add butter to skillet at

medium-high heat. Add onions and reduce to low heat.

Cook until the onions turn clear.

Meanwhile -

Melt butter in skillet and pour into a large mixing

bowl. Add warm water, onions, salt and 1.5 cups of

flour (.5 cup at a time). Work the dough into a ball

by hand. If it continues to feel sticky, add 1 or 2

tsp of flour. Work the dough with your hands until it

is slightly firm, 1-2 min.

Shaping -

Divide the dough into 8 pieces and form each into a

ball. Cluster them into a group on a floured work

surface and let them rest for 3 min. Flatten each

ball and roll out as thin as possible. If a piece

resists, move onto another and come back later. Cover

Naan with a towel as each is completed.

Baking -

Using an ungreased heavy non-stick pan, cook naan or

high heat 3-4 minutes on each side. Don't be

concerned if they brown unevenly.

The Curry is very easy.

I chop up and cook the vegetables separately usually in

butter (potatoes, onions, carrots) I usually boil

chicken, but you can grill it or cook it how you like.

While this is going on I cook the rice in our rice

cooker. After the rice, chicken and vegetables are

all cooked, I combine them into a large fry pan and on

low heat I add a chopped up block of either House or

Vermont Curry (You can find it at an Asian mart or a

lot of regular grocery stores have started to carry it

these days to). You can add a little bit of the chick

broth if you boiled the chicken (this steams and helps

the curry blend in a littler better). Mix it up until

the curry is all mixed through. (this is the dry

curry).

For wet curry -

Keep the rice separate. Check the curry box, but you

add the curry block to a pot with the vegetables

and water and heat it up until the curry has dissolved

in and you have a thick stew. Pour over the rice.

Daisy Mom's Pizza Crust and Sauce

2006-07-29T14:23:00.000-05:00

Pete and Amy were here for Amalia's birthday and Felipe's mom made yummy personal pizza's for everyone. Pete requested the recipe as he got a baking stone and wooden paddle for his birthday! Daisy says that there are three key items in making it extra yummy, SAF yeast, high gluten flour and the baking stone. IT IS SUPER DELICIOUS!!!!

PIZZA DOUGH

1 1/2 TBSP SAF yeast (a great fast acting yeast)
3/4 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 TSP salt
6 cups high gluten flour
2 1/4 cups warm water

Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place empty baking stone in oven for at least 45 minutes prior to baking pizza

Add all ingredients but flour to mixer ( Kitchen aid or Bosch type) use the dough hook. Mix for a few seconds. Then add the first 5 cups of flour, add the last cup of flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough is slightly sticky. Let the machine knead the dough for 5 minutes. Coat a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it to rise and cover with a towel for 30 minutes. After it is done rising, take a small ball and shape into a small pizza. Then place the pizza onto the paddle which should be cover with corn meal. Next brush some olive olive on the top of the pizza and sprinkle with kosher salt. Then add the sauce and toppings. Then transfer into the oven on top of the baking stone. Bake for exactly 5 minutes at 500 degress. Leave stone in oven, remove pizza. She usually bakes to small pizzas at a time.

PIZZA SAUCE

Sautee the following in a pan for a few minutes:

1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion chopped
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped

After it has sauteed for a few minutes, add the following:

1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. drieid basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 small can tomatoe paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sugar

Stir. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes - stirring occasionally. If you like chucky sauces just put on pizza as is. For the grandkids she blends the sauce before using it on the pizza.

Sorry I'm a little unsure of the can sizes. The crushed tomato size is the same size can as a large pumpkin can and the paste is the tiny one, 4 or 6 oz I think.

Orzo Salad

2006-07-04T16:37:00.000-05:00

I'm going to preface this by saying three things: 1) I watch way too much Food Network, 2) Everyday Italian is a great show, and 3) I can't wait to make this next week when I'll have people around who will actually eat it!

Orzo Salad
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
From the "Beach Party" episode

4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups orzo
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups red and yellow teardrop tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
About 3/4 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.

Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Chicken Curry

2006-06-18T19:51:00.000-05:00

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp curry powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups heavy cream or coconut milk
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Cooked white rice
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
¼ cup almonds, roughly chopped

Place chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with curry powder and cinnamon. Set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet and add onions and zucchini. Cook until softened. Transfer to a plate. Heat remaining oil and brown the chicken. Add the broth, cream or milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has been reduced a bit and is thicker. Add the onion and zucchini back to the pan and heat through. Serve over rice with basil and almonds sprinkled on top.

Annual Crawfish Boil

2006-06-03T19:18:00.001-05:00

We started this tradtion because we were invited to a friend's annual boil. Crawfish make the best party food: you just keep eating and talking because it takes a bit to peel them and they are a bit on the small side. They are messy, but worth it. Here's the recipe:

Cajun Crawfish Dinner

2 pounds crawfish per person (we did a total of 8 pounds for our family)
1 package of Zatarain's crawfish boil seasoning (available in the spice aisle)
red potatoes
corn on the cob

First of all, crawfish come home with you alive. In order to make they empty their digestive tract and make them eatable, you put them in a big bowl/pot/cooler and cover them with a bunch of salt and a little bit of water and let them sit for awhile. The salt with make them spitup anything inside them. After awhile, rinse all the crawfish. Discard any dead fish (their tails will be straight instead of curve around).
Meanwhile, bring too boil a really, really big pot (industrial sized) of water with the seasoning in it. Add the live fish. Let them boil for about 10 minutes. Then let them soak. The longer you soak them, more of the seasoning soaks in.

You can serve red potatoes and corn on the cob with the crawfish. Just boil the potatoes and corn in the same pot. The whole meal is meant to be eaten with your fingers. You might want a bib, or at least a big napkin, they squirt when you peel them.

To eat: pinch the fish just behind the head and pull the tail section off. You don't want to eat the yellowish stuff. Then peel the tail like you would a shrimp. And Enjoy. This is such a fun and delicious meal. I wish that the season wasn't already over. Check online, I bet there is a sight that you could order through, or ask your butcher. Maybe they can special order for you.

Potluck Dinner

2006-05-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

Our freezer is not working anymore. So today for dinner we had to eat a lot of what was in there. Following is the menu from our potluck meal:

2 lean cuisine dinners
sweet potato fries
mini spring rolls
mini quiches
pancakes
turkey stuffing
fruit smoothies (2 flavors!)
very soft ice cream sandwiches
assorted varieties of vegetables

The fruit smoothies were the most popular item! Tomorrow we will need to eat a lot of bread (3 different flavors), make banana bread and have sausage biscuits for breakfast. I really need to call the repair man to get him out to fix it.

Calling for Great Ice Cream Recipes

2006-05-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

I bought my husband a ice cream maker for our anniversary. We would love some great ice cream recipes to try out. So far we have only made strawberry icecream.

No substitutions allowed!

2006-05-02T22:34:00.000-05:00

Eliza was talking about great treats on her blog and it got me thinking about some of the things I love. And I was wondering if there is anyone like me who refuses to compromise on something food related.

One of the things that I have to have is real butter on my air popped popcorn. Because margarine has water ( and lowfat margarine has even more water) it just makes the popcorn soggy. It is a guilty pleasure, but since I don't eat butter on anything else I've justified it to myself.

Anyone else??

Beef Noodle Bowl

2006-04-19T09:26:00.000-05:00

My kids loved this one too. I also just used the fat-free versions of the dressings on both and they tasted great!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2006-04-19T09:24:00.000-05:00

I've made this twice now. Even my kids like it!

Roasted Broccoli

2006-04-08T22:37:00.000-05:00

I found this in a Martha Stewart recipe magazine. Since it only had 3 ingredients I thought I would give it a try.

1 pound of fresh broccoli
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Trim stems of broccoli, break into pieces, and put in a large bowl. Toss with oil and salt. Place on baking sheet (I used a Jelly Roll pan, it seemed to be the perfect size). Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, turning once.

This is SO good. I have made it when we have people over and even the Elders ate it all up. Calvin especially loves it. Give it a try.

WHOOPS!

2006-04-05T16:43:00.000-05:00

Phoebe brought to my attention that the rice pilaf recipe contained an ERROR! Hard to believe I know, especially from someone as exacting as I am.

Anyway, It should be 1/2 CUBE of margerine - not 1/2 cup.

Sorry if I clogged your arteries too much.

Divine Tomato Shrimp Pasta

2006-03-27T21:00:00.000-06:00

I'm kind of lame because I've never posted a recipe before, but I invented something tonight that is worthy of a repeat. Here goes:

1 small onion, sliced in thin strips
3 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1 small red pepper, diced
1/4 tsp. red pepper/chili flakes (can't remember what they're called, but they're the little things that are always at pizza joints.)
several mushrooms, sliced.
jumbo shrimp
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
salt
pepper

Saute onion, and red pepper until "slithery." Add garlic and red pepper/chili flakes. Add mushrooms and continue sauteeing. Add shrimp (mine were pre-cooked and then frozen) and tomatoes; simmer until most of the tomato juice is reduced. (I drained a bit off before I added the tomatoes.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked pasta (I used linguine) and toss.

Au Gratin (or funeral) Potatoes

2006-03-20T18:05:00.000-06:00

1 10 lb pound bag of potatoes (boil in water until soft to a forking (?)
After boiling, peel off skins and shred into 9x11 pan

Mix together the following into bowl:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag cheddar cheese (or 2 cups), or more to taste
1 medium container of sour cream

Blend in with potatoes and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly. Enjoy!

These are so yummy with bbq spare ribs, or Honeybaked ham.

Scones

2006-03-09T11:36:00.000-06:00

2 cups flour (substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour for whole wheat scones)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup milk
1 egg slightly beaten

Glaze
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons sugar

Mix dry ingredients. Add shortening, work into dough til crumbly, add milk and egg. Press into a ball, knead a few times on a floured surface. Roll into a 1/2 inch circle. Cut into pie wedges, baste with milk and sprinkle on sugar. Put on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Eat with lots of jam.

Tomato and Penne Pasta

2006-03-09T09:57:00.000-06:00

While I was sitting in the admitting area of the hospital yesterday waiting for Mindy's discharge papers to get signed, I was thumbing through an medical magazine and I found this recipe that sounds really good. I had my palm pilot with me, so I wrote it down while I was waiting:

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
12 roma (plum) tomatoes, chunked
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb penne pasta - cooked drained
10 basil leaves, torn by hand
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Use olive oil to saute garlic. Add tomato, salt and pepper. Let it all simmer 15 min, do not overcook the tomatoes.

While making the sauce, boil and drain the pasta.

Spoon sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and basil.

Enjoy!

Swedish Pancakes

2006-03-08T22:34:00.000-06:00

We often have breakfast for dinner, especially when I am stumped for quick dinner ideas. Also they are mine and Isaac's favorite kind of breakfast.

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Whisk milk and egg together until frothy. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Heat a cast iron skillet (because you have to have such a hot pan, cast iron is the only way to go - you will get very strong forearms!) till it is very hot. Spray with PAM. Pour 1/2 to 2/3 cup batter into skillet and swirl pan until the batter covers the bottom in a thin layer. When the batter has all dried out and cooked and the edges start to curl, flip over. (I use a frosting spreader, the big ones, because they are flexible enough to get under the pancake without wrecking it.) Cook just until the other side is done, about 30 seconds. Place on plate and repeat. This makes about 6. The recipe is easily double, tripled, quadrupled and so on. You may need to add more flour if you make a really big batch.

Toppings:

syrup
applesauce
powdered sugar
egg
tomato and cheese
any fruit
ice cream
whipped cream

Mom says that the batter works best if you make it the night before and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. I, of course, don't think that far ahead, so I don't know if that is true. But I'll take her word for it.

Scones

2006-03-06T22:36:00.000-06:00

Tonight I felt like such a good mom. I made such a tasy dinner. Even my kids were driven to comment - and they actually cleared there plates.

SO what drove them to these heights of ecstasies?

Mashed Potatoes (the real kind with butter, milk and kosher salt - oh and potatoes)
Spinach Salad
White Corn
Roasted Yams - the kids HATE those, but Bruce and Annika love them.
and whole wheat scones - I will find the recipe and post it.

For dessert - Mango Bars.

So I have shared my love with my family - and with you.

Veggie Melts

2006-03-04T23:03:00.000-06:00

These are really delicous, Felipe and I are addicted! We make them once a week. I'm sure we'll be sick of them soon!!!

1 cup shreaded mozerella cheese
4 to 5 tomatoes ( I like the ones on the vine you can buy at Costco)
1 zucchini thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
1 medium onion thinly sliced
parmesan cheese ( dry in a shaker bottle)
1/2 small pkg. ground sausage ( optional, they are good with just veggies too)

* I like Jimmy Dean 50% reduced fat ( I freeze the other half already browned to use for calzones later!)

1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
2 cloves of garlic ( chopped finely)
2 - 3 TBSP olive oil
2-3 TBSP red wine vinegar or white vinegar
4 whole wheat bagels cut in half or yummy rectangular sour dough rolls ( Costco) it depends on how healthy you are feeling!

In a large non-stick skillet add the vinegar, olive oil, garlic and dry Italian dressing mix. Simmer on high to med- high for a few minutes-- stirring constantly. Then reduce heat to med. or med-high. Then add the chopped onions, zuchinni, and pepper. In a separate pan brown the sausage. When the zuchinni appears cooked --add the sausage and sliced tomatoes. Cook for one or two minutes. Then remove from heat. Place the cut bagels or rolls on a cookie sheet and spinkle mozerella cheese on each half. Place them in the oven on broil until cheese is melted and then quickly take them out. Now spead the veggies mixture over the bagels with cheese and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven on broil until parmasen is a light brown color ( watch carefully , they broil very quickly! . Then remove and enjoy!

My menu ideas

2006-03-01T16:13:00.000-06:00

I was just reading Betsy's post about menu ideas. Boy, is my menu nothing like that. Let me give you a sampler of what our dinners are like.

Pork Roast Au Jus (from a box, the Hormel kind)
Mashed potatoes (from a pouch, just add water)
Green Beans (from a can, obviously)

I must get this from my mom, because she is a horrible cook, and will only use things out of a box or can. Otherwise, nothing gets eaten. I feel very inadequate right now. I might have to make a trip to the local Wild Oats and cook something exotic just to prove my womanliness.

I like all the recipes, keep them coming.

Some Chicago Memories

2006-02-25T23:40:00.000-06:00

I am in the process of putting all of my recipes on the computer so that I will be able to find the ones I like more easily and I found a few that I got while I lived in Chicago. They are very delicious. Hope you like them. Give them a try.

Wonton Oriental Chicken Salad

Mix together and toss:
4 chicken breast, cook and cut into bite size pieces
½ package wonton skins, fried in oil
1 small head iceburg lettuce, torn into pieces
4 green onions chopped
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
½ package slivered almonds

Mix together:
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup ketchup
¾ cup water
3 tsp. soy sauce

Add:
2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with
6 tsp. water

Heat until mixture thickens. Serve hot over salad.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Mix the following together and cook until bubbly; then strain using a paper towel. Mix with mayo until the consistency resembles salad dressing.

½ cup soy sauce
½ cup water
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp fresh grated ginger

Make a salad out of the following:
Romaine lettuce
Bean sprouts
Green onions
Water chestnuts, sliced

Toast a handful of blanched almonds in 350 degree oven (2-3 min), to be tossed in just before serving. Pour the desired amount of dressing on the salad, mix gently and enjoy.

Red Beans and Rice (from Chicago)
This is actually a very southern recipe.

1 pound small red beans
3-4 Tbsp chicken bouillon to taste
cumin to taste
2 large yellow onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 or 4 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ pound butter
pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco to taste
6 cups cooked white rice

Soak the beans overnight in ample water. The next day drain the water from the beans, and place in a heavy kettle. Add the bouillon, onion, celery parsley, bay leaves, and garlic, and add water to barely cover contents. Bring to a boil, then turn to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, being careful that the beans do not stick or become too dry. You may have to add a little water. After the initial 2 hours of cooking, add the butter, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco to the pot. Continue cooking for one more hour, this time with a lid on the pot and the heat quite low. Correct the seasonings. Serve over white rice. Serves 8-12 people.

Ridgerunner's Blended Spinach Salad

2006-02-25T23:34:00.000-06:00

This is supposed to be really good and does NOT taste like spinach at all. (Although it looks horrible.) But I am a little afraid to try it. But I bet it is good for you!!

1 cup pineapple
1 orange
1 pear
1 apple (or a couple carrots)
1/8 slice lemon with peel
1 tbsp. ground flaxseed
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 large handful raw spinach (about 8 oz.)

First blend the pineapple, orange, pear, apple, lemon and flaxsee to a nice fluid. Add the frozen blueberries and blend them in. Last, add the spinach and blend for 20 – 30 seconds until smooth. It looks bad, but tastes great!

Ice Cream in a Bag

2006-02-25T23:32:00.000-06:00

I saw this recipe in a Family Fun magazine. I think I will try it with my Activity Days girls. It looks fun.

2 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup half and half
½ tsp. vanilla
½ cup kosher or rock salt
Ice cubes (enough to fill a 1 gallon bag about ½ full)
1 pint-size ziplock bag
1 gallon-size ziplock bag

Mix-ins such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, candies, fruit, crushed oreos, etc.
Combine the sugar, cream and vanilla in the pint-size bag and seal it tightly. Place the salt and ice in the big bag, then place the smaller bag inside as well. Seal the larger bag. Now shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). seal the small bag to determine when it’s done. Take the smaller bag out of the larger one, add mix-ins, and eat the ice cream right out of the bag.

Speaking of Aunt Joan

2006-01-18T21:38:00.000-06:00

well, we weren't really speaking of her on this blog, but Phoebe and I were. Since the discussion of her ward's cookbook has surfaced, I dug out my copy and am a bit impressed at the variety this tome holds.

I offer the following:

UCD's Potato Salad for 200 - yes, 200 - by Audrey Fowler

30 lbs cooked potatoes, diced
2/3 CUP salt
2 tsp pepper
5 lbs celery - coarsely chopped
4 doz hard cooked eggs, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 lb onion - finely chopped (1 qt)
3 qts mayo
mustard to taste
1 pint vinegar (to taste)
1 qt pitted olives
1 can pimiento - finely chopped (optional) (i'll say)

Combine all ingredients. Chill about 3 hours to allow potatoes to absorb dressing and vinegar.

And my favorite part:
Serve with No. 8 scoop (1/2 cup)

UCD's Relish Tray for 200 - by Audrey Fowler

4-5 lbs carrots
5 bunches celery
2 #10 cans pickles (1 dill, 1 sweet)

Phoebe do you know this Audrey Fowler? I am intrigued.

Well, I must get on the treadmill now, enough of this food talk.

I will continue my perusal of The Peddlin' Gourmet.

On the Menu Tonight...

2006-01-17T19:45:00.000-06:00

Breakfast for dinner! A family fave, but this is good as breakfast for breakfast, too.

Waffled French Toast
1/2 c milk
4 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
8 slices of bread
Preheat waffle iron. Mix all ingredients, except bread, in shallow bowl. Dip bread slices one at a time; let drain. Bake in an oiled waffle iron 2-3 minutes or until brown.

David found this in an Idaho Falls RS cookbook. So tasty!

New Year's Salsa

2006-01-14T12:31:00.000-06:00

In the south it is considered good luck to eat black eyed peas on new year's eve. This is one of the best tomato-less salsa recipes I've ever tasted.

1 green bell pepper diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 limes juiced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 can blackeyed peas, drained and rinsed

Marinate for 20 minutes and serve with tortilla chips.

Menu ideas

2006-01-14T12:20:00.000-06:00

Maybe we can post some menu ideas. I know that we get in a rut sometimes when it comes to menu planning. And I know that I tend to have to same side dishes with the same main courses. It would be nice to have some variety. Here's a bit of what is on our menu.

molasses roasted pork tenderloin
asparagus
red potatoes
green salad
thai red chicken curry
rice
tomatoes and cucumbers
fruit salad
calzones with iltalian sausage
green beans
green salad
chicken mahkni
rice
steamed carrots
green salad
masamum chicken curry
rice
spinach and mandarin salad
steelhead trout
red potatoes
beets
green salad
shrimp with garlic and herbs
rice
carrots
green salad
halibut
grilled piperade
roll
spinach salad
steak
baked potato
grilled zucchini and squash
green salad
Fish tacos
corn
carrot salad
spanish rice
Chicken pot pie
roll
salad
smoked sausage
peppers, onions, carrots, potatoes,
mushrooms, egg, and cheese
salad
turkey meatloaf
baked potato
green beans
carrots
stuffed trout
rice pilaf
green salad
broccoli with mornay sauce
pancakes
sausage
fruit
milk
stirfry
rice
carrot salad

Carrot Salad

2006-01-14T12:17:00.000-06:00

You can adjust this recipe easily to fit the number of people you're serving. This feeds about 4.

1 cup grated raw carrot
1 can crushed pineapple
1 small box raisins

Mix together and let sit so that some of the juice is absorbed by the carrots and raisins.

I've also heard that people add mayonaise to this salad. I'm not a fan so I don't. This makes a light and refreshing salad though. I suppose you could also add chicken with the mayo to make a variation on chicken salad sandwich filling.

Green Enchilladas

2006-01-14T12:11:00.000-06:00

1 can Hatch Green enchillada sauce
1 small can diced green chilis
1 can black beans
1 lb of chicken breast cooked and diced or shredded
1 bag of shredded monterey jack cheese
10 whole wheat tortillas

Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a 9X13" pan, enough to coat the bottom and up the sides a bit. Fill each tortilla with some cheese, beans, chilis, and chicken. Roll it up and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up. Sometimes I have to use another smaller pan also. Then pour remaining sauce of over the top to cover all the tortillas and then sprinkle with more cheese. Add more chilis to the top if desired. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 until bubbling, about 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce and diced green onions.

I serve this with corn, spanish rice, and carrot salad. You could also add cornbread too if you'd like.

Christmas Bwallz

2005-12-21T12:39:00.000-06:00

Okay, it should say Christmas "Balls", but Sean put a lovely New Ywoker accent on it, and it stuck.

2 packages Hershey Nuggets Almond and Toffee Chocolates (12oz. each, 24oz. total), or any other favorite chocolate
1 medium size Cool Whip in French Vanilla, although you could use plain, lite or free, but it's christmas, so splurge!
1 box Vanilla Wafers, finely crushed. Any excuse I have to use a hammer and crush things, I like.

Melt chocolate over warm water, let cool.
Thaw Cool Whip just a bit and add cooled chocolate to it. Mix well.
Take spoonfuls of the mixture and drop it into the crushed Vanilla Wafers, rolling until shaped like a golf ball.
Put on parchment paper and let cool in the fridge for a couple of hours until firm.

Give to neighbors, or just enjoy it yourself.

This is a modified version of a recipe I found in Aunt Joan's Davis Ward Cookbook. Don't ask me how I ended up with her ward cookbook. Weird.

Jinny's Fabulous Rice Pilaf

2005-12-17T15:18:00.000-06:00

1/2 cube margerine
1/2 cup orzo
Saute' til lightly browned
3 cups water
1 cup rice
2-3 chicken boullion cubes

simmer 20 minutes, covered.

let stand for a few minutes.

I like to at least double or triple this - it gets eaten up quickly. It's good with a nice roasted chicken, or with peas, salad and rolls if you're in a hurry.

Mangia!

PS - I hope this is right - I haven't found the recipe - so I'm doing this from memory.

Request

2005-12-13T17:59:00.000-06:00

Bonny: I really enjoyed the rice pilaf that you made while we were visiting. I was wondering if you could post the recipe. It was delicious. I think i could have eaten the whole pan!!

Sausage Gravy with Biscuits

2005-12-11T13:06:00.000-06:00

This is one of Jeremy's and Olivia's favorite breakfast for dinner ideas.

1 package of sausage ( I buy Jimmy Dean's Lean)
3 cups of milk
1/4 cup flour
salt to taste

Brown the sausgage. Mix flour with milk. Add salt. Pour the milk onto the sausage and then on medium heat constantly stir saugage mixture until the milk is bubbly and starting to thicken. You may need to add more milk or flour depending on how thick you like it. Let it bubble for a few minutes while continuing to stir. Serve on hot biscuits.

This is so good!!! No matter how much of this I fix it is always all gone.

The New Martha?

2005-11-30T23:47:00.000-06:00

Has anyone seen Rachael Ray's new magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray? I loved it. So many delicious new recipes, kitchen tools, and cool dishes. Check it out!

one more thanksgiving recipe

2005-11-26T20:57:00.000-06:00

Hey guys - I know Thanksgiving is over, but I've heard so many people rave about this, I thought I'd post it. I myself have never made it - but it sounds tasty.

Crockpot Stuffing

Fix 2 boxes of Mrs. Cubbisons with chopped
celery and onions like it says on the box. Use
canned chicken broth instead of water. Fix this
the day before Thanksgiving and refrigerate it.
Thanksgiving morning put it in the crockpot on low.
Occasionaly spoon the turkey drippings over the
stuffing. It should turn out perfect! It's so much easier
than stuffing the turkey and having to dig out the
stuffing.

cranberries to go with your turkey

2005-11-23T21:30:00.000-06:00

CRANBERRY-ORANGE CHUTNEY

1 c. fresh orange sections

1/4 c. orange juice

4 c. fresh cranberries

2 c. sugar

1 c. unpeeled, chopped apple (Rome recommended)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

1 T. vinegar

1/2 t. ginger

1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat,
then simmer at least 10 mins. or until cranberries begin to burst. Chill
until serving time. Makes 5 1/2 cups.

Green Jello Salad

2005-11-23T16:40:00.000-06:00

It isn't Christmas or Thanksgiving without a jello salad. (Especially in Utah) : )Here is one of my favorites.

2 packages of green lime jello
1 container of cool whip
1 package of cream cheese
1 can of pineapple (drained)
2 c grapes (seeded and cut in half)
1 c peacans(optional)

Make the jello according the the package instructions. Put it into the refrigerator to set. Don't let it set completely probably only an hour. While it is setting get the other ingredients ready. put the cream cheese in the freezer. Then when it really cold cut it into little squares. Cut the pineapple into small pieces. Cut the grapes in half and deseed them. Chop up the pecans. When the jello has almost set up add the cool whip and stir well. Then add the other things and stir well. Put back in the fridge and let set up for at least 3 hours.

(My mom likes less cream cheese, my dad likes more cream cheese I tend to agree with my dad.)

A Thanksgiving tradition that I observe by myself...

2005-11-22T13:18:00.000-06:00

Growing up we always had Pumpkin Squares instead of Pumpkin Pie. My mom liked them better (and I agree.) They are delicious! We were always glad for Thanksgiving and Christmas because they got made more then. I tried to introduce this dish to Mike right after we got married, but it was (and is) a no go. Mike DOES NOT like pumpkin at all, and he doesn't really like nuts (other than plain peanuts.) My kids have heard Mike make comments about them and won't try them either... but they aren't that big on nuts either. So, I still make them... and try to eat the whole 9X13 by myself. I usually make them for Ward parties or when people are coming over so I have some help. This year my mom mentioned I might want to half the recipe (duh me) and then they wouldn't go bad before I could eat them all. It worked... and was very yummy! I'll have to make the other half of the batch soon, I'm getting that craving again.

Pumpkin Squares

1 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter/margarine

Combine until crumbly and press into ungreased 9X13 pan. Bake @ 350 for 15 minutes.

1 lb. can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Combine, beat well. Pour over crust and bake 20 minutes more.

1/2 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts if you prefer)
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 TBSP. butter/margarine

Combine together. Sprinkle over the top and bake 15-20 minutes more, until set. Cool.

Holiday Traditions

2005-11-21T22:27:00.000-06:00

I am interested in everyone's holiday traditions. Any special dishes that you always make or things that you do? I had a ton in my family growing up. Nate and I have incorporated some of them into our family as well as those from Nate's family. Some we don't do. SOme we do sometimes. Some things we do new. One of the accidental traditions that I have noticed is that each year for Thanksgiving we do something different. Last year we had a luau complete with a roasted pig for Thanksgiving in Las Vegas. A couple of years ago we deep fried a couple of turkeys and some chickens. (Very tender. Also very expensive as it was difficult to find 5 gallons of peanut oil.) This year we are getting a smoked turkey and all the fixin's from Rudy's (the 'worst' BBQ in Texas). I am excited about this new tradition. I used to be shocked that people didn't do all the normal Turkey day foods. (Of course we always had to have saur kraut at our THanksgiving growing up because Grandpa and Unclo Albert loved it. That's not a normal dish I guess.) But because it is often just our little family and the missionaries, sometimes I can see why people don't go to all the trouble of cooking a big meal. Anyway, Nate usually does the turkey and stuffing. I take care of the pies. Everyone's happy.

A New Holiday Favorite

2005-11-21T10:42:00.000-06:00

Bacon and Pear Stuffing
12 oz package of bacon, diced
1 large red onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 tsp rubbed sage
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pkg. (14-16 oz) seasoned stuffing cubes
32 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
2 Tbs butter
In a Skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to paper towels, save 1 tbs fat. Return fat to skillet and cook onion, 5 minutes. Add celery and sage, cook until soft. Stir in pears, cook 4 more minutes. Place stuffing cubes and bacon in a large bowl; toss with pear and vegetable mixture. Pour broth over stuffing and mix well.
Pam a 9x13 and fill with stuffing. Dot with butter. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Cover with foil and place alongside turkey for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes more.

I made it last year and it was a huge hit! Kind of a new take on an old favorite.

Best Ever Icing

2005-11-19T19:29:00.000-06:00

This goes great with the sugar cookies or any cake. Thanks for giving it to me Betsy.

1 T margarine
1/2 C shorting
3 1/2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
1 T of milk

Cream margarine and shorting. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add food coloring if desired.
*To make peanut butter frosting do 1/4 c of peanut butter and 1/4 cup of shorting. Really good!

Macaroni and cheeseburger pie

2005-11-18T21:53:00.000-06:00

This is super easy, and it can be doubled or tripled for parties. It can also be used as a dip for tortilla chips.

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 package mac and cheese, prepared
1/2 block of colby jack cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix cooked ground beef with about 1/3 of the shredded cheese in 9x11 pan. Let cheese melt. Then add mac and cheese and mix all together. Top with remaining shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 20 min or so, until cheese is melted on top. For a flair, add 2 cups of salsa and top with tortilla chips, or just serve them on the side. Not super fancy, but it's good for kids.

Heaven on a plate

2005-11-17T21:10:00.001-06:00

Most of my favorite foods are asian. And of those, most are curries of some kind. Tonight we had the missionaries for dinner and since I had already cooked all my easy, quick dishes that I had planned for this week (i.e. pancakes, spaghetti, etc.) I made Indian food. (Also I chose this dish because it is easy to double to provide lots of food for seconds and left overs: missionaries for dinner). Really this dish is easy to cook and fairly quick. It's just that most of the things I make I've made many times and don't have to follow the recipe anymore. Consulting the recipe adds a little time. But this dish is divine. Though it has red chiles in it, don't be afraid. It also has a lot of yogurt in it which tones down the bite a lot. So try it and see. Let me know what you think.

Chicken Makhani
from the complete indian cookbook

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken cut into 2 inch cubes
Marinade:
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 large fresh red chiles, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. roasted cumin seeds, crushed (should be available at most grocery stores in the spice section)
1 tsp. garam masala (should be available at most grocery stores in the spice section)
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
5/8 cup plain yogurt (= 1/2 cup +1 1/2 tbsp.)

For sauce:
1- 10 3/4 oz. can tomato puree
4 tbsp butter
5/8 cup heavy cream
salt

Place all ingredients for marinade in a blender or food processor and process until well blended into a paste. Add the chicken to the marinade and turn to coat evenly. Do this in either a nonmetallic bowl or a ziploc bag. Refrigerate for 3 hours. (I usually skip this step as I often don't plan ahead well enough. Still turns out great.)
While the chicken is sitting in the marinade, add the butter, cream, and a little salt to the tomato puree, and set it to simmer.
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed saute pan. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, reserving the marinade and fry gently to seal them for about 5 minutes. Add the marindate to the pan, increase the heat and cook stirring frequently, for a further 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Reduce the heat and pour tomatoe puree over the chicken. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with a swirl of cream and a few cilantro sprigs.

Serve with basmati or jasmine rice.

To drastically simplify, skip the frying and marinading--just dump everything in the pan and cook until the chicken is tender. The flavor isn't quite as nuanced this way, but it takes out a ton of the work.

It is sometimes difficult to come up with complimentary side dishes. The indian sides I have tried haven't turned out right. So we either stop by the indian restaurant on the way home and buy some somosas for take out. Or I serve steamed vegetables on the side. Perhaps a tomato salad, some fresh pineapple...Enjoy. We did tonight.

Sixty Minute Rolls

2005-11-16T20:00:00.000-06:00

This is a quick roll recipe that is really good and easy to make. I use this recipe to make all my dough needs such as pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, cresent rolls, clover rolls regular rolls etc.

1 C milk
1/2 C water
1/2 C butter or margarine
3 T sugar
2 t salt
4 t yeast
3 1/2 C flour

Heat milk, water, butter to luke warm temperature. Add in 1/2 cup of flour, sugar, salt, yeast. Stir well. Add in another 1/2 cup of flour. Keep adding flour 1/2 c at a time untill you get a nice not to sticky dough. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes. Let it raise for 15 min. Knead again for about two minutes. Then form into the type of roll you want. Let raise another 15 minutes. (When raising keep dough covered with a dry towel) Bake for 15-20 minutes on 400. So yummy!!!!

I'm here too!

2005-11-16T17:12:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to get some recipes posted. Give me until the weekend, though.

Let's Go, I'm Hungry

2005-11-16T14:07:00.000-06:00

We have 11 members now!! WOW! I am very excited about this. Hope everyone can find the time to contribute. I am looking forward to trying out some new recipes. Be sure to respond to the invitation email to complete the sign up process. THis is going to be GREAT!!

Thai Grilled Tilapia

2005-11-15T09:21:00.000-06:00

From the Fish and Shellfish, Grilled and Smoked cookbook

12 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
four 6-ounce tilapia fillets

Place all ingredients except fish in a food processor or blender and process into a paste. (More lime juice, oil and fish sauce may be added if you wish to make a marinade.) Spoon paste over the top of the fillets and let marinate in a large ziploc bag in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

You may do this on the grill or under the broiler in your oven.

Prepare a hot fire or heat oven to Broil.

When ready to cook, place the tilapia fillets, paste side up on an oiled grill rack or broiler pan. Cook until opaque and just beginning to flake when tested with a fork, 8 - 20 minutes; do not turn the fillets over. Serve the fish hot.

Pumpkin Cookies

2005-11-15T08:47:00.000-06:00

Recipe from Bonny's kindergarten teacher

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Dough will be like thick quick bread dough. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

These are my favorite cookies. And I am sure that most of you have this recipe. But I'm sharing it none-the-less. Enjoy!!

Homestyle Turkey Meatloaf

2005-11-15T08:40:00.000-06:00

From Body For Life

1 1/2 pounds lean, ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
4 egg whites
1 cup salsa
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 pkg soup mix (I use Lipton beefy onion)
1/2 cup ketchup
Black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except ketchup. Press mixture into a 9"X5" loaf pan and spread ketchup over top. Bake in oven until meatloaf is no longer pink in the center and juice is clear; about 1 hour.

This is a pretty good meatloaf. The salsa adds a bit of tang. Serve with mashed red potatoes and fresh green beans for a great dinner.

World's Best Sugar Cookies

2005-11-15T08:35:00.000-06:00

Received from Tiffany Golmer

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups flour

Mix in the order listed. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick if you want think cookies, thinner for crispier cookies. Cut with cookie cutter and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool. Frost.

I love this recipe because there is no chilling in the refrigerator requirement. They are super easy and really good.

Linda Brown Tacos

2005-11-13T18:23:00.000-06:00

This is such a great idea! I am so excited for some new recipes, exspecially since you know others have tried and enjoyed them.

These are one of Jake's favorite tacos. It's a taco with a kick. Enjoy!

1 lb. hamburger - browned and drained
1/2 package taco seasoning mix
1 medium can of pork & beans (15 oz)
1/2 cup of salsa (any brand)
3 TBSP brown sugar

Mix all of this together and let simmer for 15 minutes. Fill HARD taco shells with mixture and sprinkle with cheese. (You can also add olives if desired on top at this phase.) Put in 9 x 13 pan and warm in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted. Garnish with lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, taco sauce, etc.

Super Nachos

2005-11-12T09:43:00.000-06:00

I watch way too much Food Network (Iron Chef America and Good Eats are the current faves!)... and I have a small place in my heart for Rachel Ray and her shows. One day I was watching 30-Minute Meals, and she made this huge plate of Super Nachos. So I went to the website, printed out the recipe and made them for my students at our NYC Class party. It was a hit.

Super Nachos
by Rachel Ray

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 entree servings

2 bags corn tortilla chips in 2 colors or different flavors, such as blue corn, red corn, yellow corn, lime flavored, chili flavored or black bean chips -- pick 2 favorites

Pico de Gallo Salsa:

4 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, for medium to hot heat level
1 small white onion, chopped
1/4 cup, 2 handfuls, cilantro leaves, finely chopped -- substitute parsley if cilantro is not to your liking
Salt

Beef and Beans Topping:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground sirloin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dark chili powder
1 1/2 ground cumin, half a palmful
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce, giving you medium to hot heat level
1 can black beans, 15 ounces, drained

Cheese Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3/4 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded, about 2 1/2 cups

Additional toppings to choose from, optional:

Sour cream
Chopped scallions
Chopped black olives
Diced pimento
Sliced avocado, dressed with lemon juice
Hot pepper sauces

Arrange a mixture of 2 varieties of corn chips on a very large platter or use your broiler pan as a platter.

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside for flavors to marry.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, onion and peppers to the pan and saute 2 minutes, then add meat and crumble with wooden spoon. Season meat with salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce. Cook meat 5 minutes, then stir in beans and reduce heat to low.

In a medium sauce pot, melt butter and add flour to it. Cook flour and butter 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in milk. When milk comes to a bubble, stir in cheese with a wooden spoon. Remove cheese sauce from the heat.

Pour cheese sauce evenly over the massive spread of chips and top evenly with beef and beans and the pico de gallo. UBER NACHOS! Serve immediately as is or, garnish with your choice of extra toppings from the toppings list.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

2005-11-11T22:22:00.000-06:00

Nate likes to focus his cooking on particular genres. A couple of years ago he did Thai food. This is one of my all-time favorite dishes - and it is super quick and easy. You can make it with any red curry paste, but I recommend buying the red curry paste available at www.ThaiGrocer.com . The flavor is better. I also recommend serving it with basmati or jasmine rice instead of the typical american long grain variety.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

2 T. oil
1-1/2 T. red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
2 T. fish sauce (doesn't taste like fish in your food, available in the asian food section)
1 - 1/2 lbs. chicken
1 yellow squash
1 green zucchini

Heat oil in a wok and add curry paste and 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk. Mix thoroughly. Then add the remaining milk. Cube the chicken and add it to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the fish sauce and vegetables and cook on medium - medium low heat until the vegetables are cooked to desired tenderness. Serve over rice.

Serves 6.

This dish is not very spicy but you may adjust the amount of red paste you add to suit your own, or your children's, tolerance. (My kids love this dish.)

Welcome, Welcome

2005-11-11T14:22:00.000-06:00

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. ~Voltaire

So I thought it would be fun to have a recipe exchange club. I love to cook and bake and like trying new recipes. I am a little hesitant though unless I can see a photo or else the recipe is recommended by someone I know. Anyway, I know that there are a lot of good recipes out there. If you would like to join the club and be able to post on this blog, then email me at foodsnobbery@yahoo.com and I will add you to the member list. Or you may just read and comment. I hope that you will want to join so that there are lots of new recipes for us to try.