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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Easy Eclair Dessert

Easy Eclair Dessert

27 whole graham crackers, halved

3C cold milk

2 pkgs (4-serving size) Jell-O vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling (I like to use French vanilla)

1 tup (12 oz) cool whip, thawed

1 16 oz container chocolate frosting

Arrange: 1/3 of crackers on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan, breaking crackers to fit, if necessary.

Pour: milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes; beat with wire whisk about 2 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread ½ of pudding mixture over crackers. Place ½ of remaining crackers over pudding. Top with remaining pudding mixture followed by final layer of crackers.

Remove: top and foil from frosting container. Microwave frosting container on High 1 minute or until pourable. Spread evenly over crackers.

Refrigerate: 4 hours or overnight. Cut into squares to serve.

Tip: You could make pistachio, banana-flavored or even double chocolate éclairs by changing the pudding flavors.

Vanilla Popcorn

Vanilla Popcorn

2 cubes butter or margarine

1 ½ C sugar

1 ½ C Karo syrup

1tsp. vanilla

Melt and boil above, except vanilla for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Add food coloring if desired. Pop 3 bags of popcorn (before boiling mixture). May use plain or buttered popcorn. Pour boiled mixture over popcorn and stir.

Cake Mix Cookies

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

½ C oil

1 pkg chocolate chips

2 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients by hand. Add the chocolate chips. Bake at 350˚ form 8 to 10 minutes. You can use any flavor cake mix and add different chips or nuts.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup

Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup

2C all purpose four

2T sugar

4tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 eggs, separated

2C milk

1C canned pumpkin

4T canola oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, the fold into the batter. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto hot greased griddle. Turn with bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with apple cider syrup or with maple syrup. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

Apple Cider Syrup

1 ½ C apple cider or juice

1C packed brown sugar

1C corn syrup

4T butter or margarine

1tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ t ground nutmeg

In a saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Creamy Chicken Tacos

Creamy Chicken Tacos

5-6 frozen chicken breasts

1 lg jar of salsa

1 16 oz container or sour cream

2-3 limes

Tortillas/shells

Toppings of your choice

Place frozen chicken breasts in crockpot and pour jar of salsa over them. Cook on low for 8 hours, occasionally rotating chicken. When 8 hours is up, shred chicken with fork and mix in container of sour cream. Stuff tortillas or shells with mixture and squeeze lime juice over them. Also good on chips to make nachos or as an enchilada filling.

Cheese Brain

Cheese Brain

1 cauliflower

¼ C water

½ C mayonnaise

1 tsp. chopped onion

1 tsp. mustard

¼ tsp salt

½ C cheese

Microwave cauliflower in high for 9 minutes with water in a round baking dish. Drain water, mix the other ingredients, except cheese together to make a sauce. Spread sauce mixture over cauliflower and top with cheese. Microwave for an additional 3 minutes on medium power. Serve as a vegetable side-dish.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef (or make with out meat)

1 lg onion, chopped

16 oz can mexican-style tomatoes

16 oz can ranch style beans

16 oz can whole-kernel corn, undrained

16 oz can kidney beans, undrained

16 oz can black beans, undrained

16 oz jar picante sauce

Corn or tortilla chips

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Brown meat and onion in skillet, drain. Combine with all other vegetables and picante sauce in slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve with corn or tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese as toppings.

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Mandarin Orange Chicken

3T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

3T soy sauce

1T freshly minced garlic

1 tsp chili garlic sauce or chili paste

1C canned unsweetened mandarin oranges in juice

6 trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a large ziplock bag or container, mix the juice concentrate, soy sauce, garlic, and chili sauce or chili paste. (Gently stir in the oranges and their juice. Add the chicken, submerge in the marinade. Seal the bag or container and marinate in the fridge at least 6 hours or overnight, rotating once or twice.

Preheat oven to 400˚. Transfer the chicken to an 11x7 glass baking or casserole dish in a single layer and pour the remaining marinade on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Chicken Almond Salad

3 C. cubed cooked chicken

1 ½ C. diced celery

3T fresh lemon juice

1C seedless grapes, sliced in halves

1C toasted sliced almonds

Dressing:

1 ¼ C or more mayonnaise

1T salt

½ tsp. pepper

1tsp. dry mustard

¼ C light cream

Mix dressing and combine with other ingredients. Let stand an hour or two or put in fridge overnight before serving.

Chicken Pillows

Chicken Pillows

6 oz cream cheese

4 T margarine

1C diced cooked chicken

½ tsp pepper

2-4 pkgs Pillsbury crescent rolls

Melted butter

Bread crumbs

Gravy or cream on chicken soup and ½ can water or milk

Mix cream cheese, margarine and chicken. Flatten crescent rolls into triangles. Place 1 Tbs. mixture on rolls. Roll and pinch end of roll closed. Roll in melted butter then toll in bread crumbs. Bake at 375˚ for 20 minutes. Put on plate and pour gravy or cream of chicken soup heated with milk or water over the top.

Hawaiian Meatballs

Hawaiian Meatballs

1 lb lean hamburger

1 lb jimmy dean regular sausage

Salt and pepper

(I like to just use the frozen meatballs from the store, so I don’t use the above ingredients)

2C ketchup

2T. lemon juice

½ C brown sugar

½ chili sauce

2 T soy sauce

1 can crushed pineapple

1 green pepper, cut into chunks

1 C grated carrots

Mix hamburger, sausage, salt and pepper. Form into ¾-inch balls. Brown in frying pan. Remove from pan and let drain while making sauce. (If making your own meatballs, otherwise I just put them in the oven frozen). Sauce: Mix ketchup, lemon juice, chile sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. Pour into casserole dish. Add meatballs. Cook at 350˚ for 30 minutes (if using the frozen store bought meatballs, add 10 to 15 minutes). Then add pineapple, green peppers and carrots. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over rice or use as an appetizer.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Sour Cream Enchiladas:

2 C chicken breast

1 onion, chopped

1 lg can green chilies

1 C. sour cream

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 C cheddar cheese, grated

2 C monterey jack cheese, grated

Sliced olives (opt.)

Sliced jalapeno pepper (opt.)

1 pkg flour tortillas

Cook and cut chicken into small chunks, or shred. Combine soup, sour cream, chilies and onion together. Pour 1/3 of mixture in bottom of baking dish. Roll chicken and cheese in tortillas and place in dish. Top with remaining sauce mixture and remaining cheese. Sprinkle with olives and peppers and place in over for 30 minutes at 350˚.

Spagetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole

1 ½ C Parmesan Cheese

2 Eggs

1 C sour cream

1 ½ C mozzerella cheese

1 bottle of spaghetti sauce

4 C. spaghetti noodles (cooked)

Mix Parmesan cheese, eggs and noodles together. Put in a 9x13-inch bakind dish. Put suace on top of noodle mixture, then sour cream on top of sauce. Then spread mozzerella over the sour cream, then bake. Bake at 350˚ for 20 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings. Note: the sour cream spreads over the sauce layer easier if you place in fridge for 30 minutes before putting sour cream on. You could also add browned hamburger to your sauce to make a meat sauce.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Almond Sugar Cookies (Bar Style)

Sugar Cookie Bars
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 C Butter
1 8 oz Cream Cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
cream the above ingredients together
Then add:
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 C flour
Place in 11X17 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 min.

Frosting:
1/2 C butter
4 oz. cream cheese
3 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
food coloring of choice
milk as needed

Karine Romero

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Party Yummy Chex Mix

Party Yummy Chex Mix
Sara Hooper

4 Cups Rice Chex
4 Cups Corn Chex
1 box Smore Ceral or ½ box Golden Grahams (I used Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
10 oz. Coconut
1 Can Nuts (I used Slivered almonds)
2 Cups miniature marshmallows

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl.

Over Medium heat put
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup White Karo Syrup
¾ Cup real Butter

Stir constantly until it boils. Boil for two minutes without stirring and pour over mixture and mix and eat.

Carmel Walnut Brownies-

Brownies

Ingredients:
• 8- 1 ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Or 325 degrees for dark metal or glass pans)
2. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
3. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat;
4. While the chocolate and butter are beginning to melt, toast the nuts. (see below)*
5. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla at high speed for 10 minutes (do mix for 10 minutes!). (see below)**
6. Remove chocolate/butter mixture from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
7. Mix 1-1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon of salt in a separate bowl with a wire whisk.
8. While the mixer is running slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. If a stand mixer is unavailable, add the chocolate a little at a time between mixings.
9. While mixing gradually add in the flour.
10. Hand stir-in the nuts.
11. Next, carefully put mixture into prepared pan for baking.***
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Do not over bake.
13. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
14. Frost if desired but really not necessary if they turn out good! :)

* Toast nuts however you like. I do oven toasting by preheating Oven to 375 degrees and in a low sided pan, evenly spread nuts. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
** Do use a mixer if you have one and do mix for 10 minutes! When I don't have a mixer I just mix with a fork really well for 10 minutes and just add chocolate/butter mixture slowly and then add the flour mixture slowly as well. Has worked for me both ways. But so much easier with mixer!
*** I almost always double (even triple) the recipe (for bigger eatings) and use a cookie baking sheet to bake the brownies, like I did Sunday. I just double and then see how thick or thin of a layer the batter is in the cookie sheet. If I think batter is too thin I mix up another batter and add to it before baking. If I like the thickness of the batter at 2 batters I bake it up. Just personal preference but it works just fine for single batter in a 9X13 pan!

Semi-homemade brownie
(And I think this tastes almost just as good and can't tell difference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark or glass pans)
Grease a cookie sheet.

Willow Point Dressing

Willow Point Dressing

4 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix

¾ cup balsamic vinegar - (half is 1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP)

1 ½ cups water

2 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves (chopped)

½ cup fresh basil or 2TBSP sweet basil dried

2 tsp artificial sweetener (stevia)



Mix water and vinegar, add pkgs of seasoning, garlic, basil and sweetener. Blend one minute on high in blender.

Add oil, blend one minute on low.



Romaine lettuce, asiago cheese and croutons.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs-- Maryann Tukuafu

Ingredients: Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, beaten

1 large onion, grated

salt to taste

Sauce:

1 (12 ounce) can or bottle chili

sauce

2 teaspoons lemon juice

9 ounces grape jelly
1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, beaten

1 large onion, grated

salt to taste


Directions:

1.
Whisk together the chili sauce, lemon juice and grape jelly. Pour into slow cooker and simmer over low heat until warm.

2.
Combine ground beef, egg, onion and salt. Mix well and form into 1 inch balls. Add to sauce and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.




That is the main recipe.
I almost ALWAYS cheat and just use frozen meatballs (homestyle variety) 'cause I think it tastes the same with less trouble. My made from scratch ones always fall apart or something else goes wrong.
Anyway, I always double it. So I use 2 bags frozen meatballs (3-4 lbs) and double the sauce ingredients. 2 (12oz) cans/bottle chili sauce, 18 ounces grape jelly and 4 tsps lemon juice. I mix it all up and pour into slow cooker on low and let sauce warm up. Then I add the frozen meatballs and stir good. Then I let it sit in the slow cooker on Low for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. When I make the meatballs from scratch the 1 1/2 -2 hours seems to work. Whichever you prefer.

Good luck! So easy, quick and doesn't taste too bad! :) Let me know if you have questions about it k! :) Happy cooking!

Honey Walnut Shrimp (Maryann Tukuafu)

Honey Walnut Shrimp (Maryann Tukuafu)

(some changes through reviews and taste)



Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs precleaned raw shrimp

3-5 c. vegetable oil for frying

1/2 c. Walnut halves candied (candy it however you like or buy it precandied! I have 2 different versions of candying walnuts I used at the end)



Batter ingredients:

2/3 c. cornstarch

4 egg whites



Sauce ingredients:

1/4 cup Mayonnaise

2 TBSP honey

1 TBSP sweetened condensed milk

1/2 lemon juice


Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy.

Stir in the cornstarch until it has a pasty consistency.

Dip shrimp into the cornstarch batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 8 minutes. (varies 5-10 minutes – just watch)

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

In a separate bowl, stir together sauce ingredients; mayonnaise, honey, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice.

Put shrimp into serving bowl and pour sauce over it.

Toss to coat well.

Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top; toss again and serve.


Candy walnuts (crispier sweeter walnuts)
1/2 c. walnuts
1/4 c. sugar
Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coats the walnuts.
Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool.

Candy walnuts (softer less sweet walnuts)
1/2 walnuts
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. water
Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes.
Drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.





Maryann Tukuafu

Sweet and Sour Chicken-Shelly Bunker

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

3 lbs chicken

½ c flour

1/3 c salad oil

1tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 can pineapple chunks

1 ¼ c liquid (juice)

1 c sugar

4 T flour

¾ c vinegar

1 T soy sauce

¼ tsp ginger

2 T chicken drippings

1 green pepper

Brown chicken in flour and oil with salt and pepper.

Drain pineapple and reserve juice. Add water to juice to make liquid amount (1 ¼ c). Combine sugar, flour, liquid, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and drippings. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly, boil 2 minutes, then pour over chicken.

Bake uncovered 30 min @ 350. Add pineapple chunks and green pepper, then bake 30 minutes longer.

Shelly Bunker

Ruben Dip-Chris McAfee

Reuben Dip
16 oz. diced or shredded cooked corned beef
12 oz. drained sauerkraut (I chop it a bit more)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

Mix softened cream cheese and salad dressing until thoroughly blended. Add corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese. Mix, then pour into 8 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm with rye bread, rye crackers, vegetables, pretzels.

Chris McAfee

Peanut Butter and chocolate cookie cups

Peanut butter & chocolate cookie cups

¾ cup butter, soft (1 &1/2 sticks)

1/3 cup sugar

1 ½ cups flour

12 oz bag of peanut butter and chocolate chips

2 large eggs

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heavily grease mini-muffin pan (I just use pam butter spray).

Beat butter and sugar in mixer until creamy, add flour and beat until mixture is evenly moist and crumbly. Roll rounded teaspoon of dough into a ball. You don’t have to be precise about this, I just eyeball it. Press into bottom and up the sides of muffin cup with wooden mini-cup depressor. Please 5 chocolate/peanut butter chips in each cup. Set aside.

Beat eggs in another bowl with wire whisk. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Put mixture into muffin cups, covering the chips as best you can. I use a squeezable container with a tip on the end of it to do this. If you spill or go over…clean it up as it will burn in the oven. It is faster this way as well and less messy.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until centers are puffed and edges are just beginning to brown. I have found that 17 minutes works great in my oven…but that’s just my oven. Remove from oven to wire rack. Gently run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen them. Let centers flatten. While still warm, place 5 more chocolate/peanut butter chips on top and let cool completely. With the tip of the knife, release the cakes from the muffin pan.

Enjoy!

If you have any questions, which is normal for this recipe…just call me!!

Kerry 801-554-6572

I would definitely do a test batch before I needed to have some for an occasion. They are simple to make but the first time you make them it may be confusing a bit. J

Coconut Cake-Kerry Lien

Coconut cake

6 eggs, separate yolks and whites in bowls

2 sticks butter

3 cups sugar

½ pt. sour cream (2 cups)

One full bottle shillings coconut extract

¼ tsp. baking soda

3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in a blender with the exception of the egg whites. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and peaks form. Fold egg whites into other mixture and blend well. Grease and flour Bundt cake pan. Place batter in pan and shake to make level. Cook at 325 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes. I check on the cake every 30 minutes or so to make sure it isn’t overflowing or browning too much. If it’s browning on the top, place a sheet of foil over the cake. If you worry it’s browning too much on the bottom, place a sheet of foil below the pan. Don’t overfill the Bundt cake pan…this cake will rise quite a bit and I usually end up using a Bundt cake pan and a small bread pan for the batter…but that’s just my pans. The cake should be golden when done. Check with toothpick. I sometimes sprinkle a light glaze over the cake with coconut flakes, but usually it’s pretty good just by itself. Enjoy!!

If you have any questions, just call me!

Kerry 801-554-6572

Glazed Chicken-McKell Farr

Glazed Chicken:

1/2 C. hoisin sauce
2 Tb. soy sauce
1 Tb. rice wine vinegar
1 Tb. honey
2 tsp. fresh minced ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. sesame oil
black pepper to taste

- Mix in large baking dish, reserve 1/4 C. and set aside, add:

12 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs

- Toss in sauce to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 hour

- Grill till cooked, brush on reserved glaze and cook additional 30 seconds

Annette's Gooey Chex Mix-Annette Proctor

Annette’s Gooey Chex Mix
Weight Watcher Points = 24,545 per handful

Combine in large bowl:

4 c. rice chex

4 c. wheat chex

1 box smore cereal or

1 box golden graham cereal

½ pkg. Mini marshmallows

½ pkg. Milk chocolate chips (optional)

½ pkg. Coconut

1½ to 2 cups slivered almonds

In saucepan, dissolve then boil for 2 minutes:

1 c. sugar

1 c. light karo syrup

¾ c. butter

Pour over mixture, coating well, spread out on wax paper to cool.