Kim's Amazing Bread

My friend Kim makes this bread from scratch every week, and I love it! Super delicious, and pretty easy to make. :) I love making bread--very therapeutic for me. I had to bake it longer than she suggested, so keep that in mind, and enjoy!

2 cups water
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp powdered soy milk (or powdered milk)
1 Tbsp sunflower oil (any oil works)
1 Tbsp honey
2 cups wheat flour
2 cups white flour
3-4 handfuls seeds (I used flax, sunflower, and pumpkin. Cracked wheat is good too.)

Mix all ingredients together-order doesn't really matter. Knead dough for 15-20 minutes until smooth. I ended up adding quite a bit more flour during the kneading process. Put in greased bread pan and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 33 min.

Peanut-Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is delicious! It's especially yummy if you eat it in a bread bowl. :)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups unsalted peanuts
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp thyme
6 cups vegetable broth
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (4-6 cups)
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in stock pot over medium heat. When hot, add cumin and peanuts; saute until peanuts begin to brown and cumin is fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high, and add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and seasonings. Cook until vegetables are soft.

Add broth and squash, cooking covered until squash is very soft.

Puree mixture in blender, and return to the pot. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Garliky Butternut Squash

We got this recipe off of FOOD NETWORK and it is SOOOO stinkin' good. There is sooo much butternut squash here in my in-laws garden that we have been researching recipes. This one you don't want to miss!

2 T minced fresh parsley
2 T olive oil
2 T garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 1/2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 C Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine parsley, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat.

Transfer to ungreased 2 qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 50-55 min or until squash is tender.

Soooo yummy!

Cherry Raspberry Pie

I love this recipe! I've made it 7, yes 7 times in the past few months. I admittedly really like making (and eating) pie. Don't worry, I've given all but one of them away. :) The first batch of 4 pies may or may not have had maple instead of vanilla. Ok, they did. It was an accident, but it turned out alright. In fact, I think I might like it better with maple. I would use half a tsp maple and half a tsp vanilla, though, because that maple is sure potent! The second batch of 2 pies I used frozen berries instead of cherries. It was delicious, but I definitely like the cherries better. The last pie was made exactly to order, vanilla and cherries included. It was definitely yummy...the next time I make this, though, I think I'll go back to maple! If you're feeling adventurous, play around!

Crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
5-7 Tbsp cold water

Sift flour and salt. Cut in shortening till pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle water overtop, 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing mixture after each addition. Form half the dough into ball, then flatten on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thick from center to edge. Put the crust in the pie tin, fill with the cherry raspberry filling, and follow the same process with the remaining dough to create a top for the pie.

Filling:
1 16-oz bag frozen cherries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 cups fresh red raspberries
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan combine cherries, sugar, flour, and 3 Tbsp water. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until cherries are thawed and juices thicken. (It burns easily, so be sure to stir it!) Gently stir in raspberries and vanilla.

Fill your beautiful masterpiece of a pie crust (9" by the way) with the filling and make your top. You definitely want to leave some space at the top for this baby to breathe, because it's a mess if it boils over! I also recommend cooking it on a cookie sheet so your mess is contained if it does boil over. Anyway...finish up your crust and put the pie in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles in the middle. Then enjoy your delicious pie! Yum.

Rice and Beans

I have been meaning to post this recipe forever! Finally a minute to do it. :) For my family's info, this is the recipe I was eating at the family reunion that everyone tried and liked. Probably my most frequently requested recipe! Ok here it is:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (I like one yellow and one orange)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
2-3 tsp safflower oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup mung beans
1 1/3 cups pearled barley
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sliced roasted red pepper
2 Tbsp white vinegar
hot sauce or salsa
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, half the oil, and half the salt in a large bowl. Toss to coat the sweet potatoes. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet, and bake 20-25 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the beans, barley, water, and remaining salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and cook 40-45 minutes, or until the rice and beans are tender. Stir in red pepper, vinegar, oregano, and pepper. Stir in the sweet potatoes, and serve immediately. Serve with hot sauce or salsa.

Stuffed Peppers

I have always wanted to make these, but always put it off because I would have to buy so many peppers. BUT since we are house watching Bryan's parents house and garden we have free reign of their vegetable garden! Just this week we have picked at least 2 and a half dozen green bell peppers so Bryan looked up a good recipe and we modified it a little and I have to say . . . pretty dang good!

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or pork
1 small onion, diced
1/2 C green bell pepper, diced1 T minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 Anaheim pepper, diced (optional)
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
2 C cooked white rice
1 T crushed red pepper flakes
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 C shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
6-8 medium sized green bell peppers
First cook the rice. While the rice is cooking wash and hollow out the 6-8 green bell peppers so it is like a bowl. Then boil peppers for 2-3 minutes until they are just tender.

Meanwhile, cook diced peppers and onions in butter. Then brown hamburger with veggies. Season meant with garlic, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350. Get casserole dish and fill bottom of dish with water until just BARELY covered, about an 1/8 of an inch. Place cooked bell pepper bowls in dish close side by side.
In large bowl mix meat mixture, rice, pepper flakes, and tomato sauce. (OPTIONAL: I thought about actually stirring in cheddar cheese in the meat mixture but didn't - but it sure sounded good to me!)
Liberally stuff meat mixture in peppers and top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and peppers are fork tender.
Enjoy!! We served ours with fresh corn on the cob from the garden, cottage cheese, and homemade bread. Yummy!!!!

Peanut Butter Brownies

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

1 C butter

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

-mix

1 C peanut butter

1/2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 C flour

2 C oatmeal

- bake at 350 till golden brown (20ish min)

Frosting:

1 cube butter

1/2 C milk

3 Tbsp cocoa

3 C pwd sugar

-boil and stir consistently

-pour over hot brownies

Sloppy Joes

And here's another one ...

1/2 lb ground beef - seasoned (I use salt, pepper, dried onion & garlic powder)

1/2 pkg sloppy joe mix

1 tsp vinegar

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 tsp mustard

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 can tomato soup

Makes about 3.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Well, you girls asked me to post a few recipes I used during the reunion. Here's the first one, and of course it's EASY EASY!! =)

1 can Veg-All with juice (or just 'mixed vegetables')

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 can milk

1/2 can water

1 C cooked diced chicken

1 Tbsp dried onion

salt & pepper

Peanut Butter Cookies

I got this recipe from HERE . I followed the recipe except for tweaking a couple of things.
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup shortening *
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Extra sugar
Hershey's kisses *

Preheat oven to 375.
Measure out and whisk the dry ingredients and set aside.
Cream the shortening, sugars, and peanut butter. Then add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Then combine dry ingredients.
Form into round balls and roll in white sugar.
Put on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 8 min.
Push a Hershey's kiss deep into the center and bake for another 2-5 minutes.

*I haven't ever baked with shortening because I don't have it on hand, so I just did a 1/2 C (1 stick) butter.
*Since we didn't have any kisses, we used M&M's and choc chips. Still just as yummy.

Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 C sugar
6 TB melted butter

Combine above ingredients and press into pan, up the sides about 2". Pan should be sprayed lightly and chilled.

Cheesecake:

2 eggs
1/2 C sugar
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C sour cream

With a mixer combine sugar and cream cheese until mixed. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth, scraping the bowl. Add sour cream just until blended. Pour into crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes.

Sauce:

In a small pan put in about 1/2-3/4 C water and 1/2-3/4 C sugar
Also add 1 TB+ cornstarch

For blueberries add 1 - 1 1/2 C of berries at the beginning. For strawberries or raspberries smash about 1/2 C berries and add them after the sauce has been thickened. After it has been chilled you can then add sliced or whole berries

Yellow Cake

I just made the most delicious yellow cake I think I have ever tasted! In my cooking class today, my lab partner and I had to do a ten-minute demo about altitude adjustments. Rexburg, ID has an approximate elevation of 5,000 feet, so we had to demonstrate the proper recipe changes. This morning we made a cake without the altitude changes, and it was dense and dry and crumbly and blah. But the cake we mixed in demo, with the altitude changes, was absolutely to DIE for! It was perfectly dense and moist, not too crumbly, and it had such a delicious flavor! It is probably the only yellow cake I've ever tasted that I didn't frosting with (ask anybody, that's big for me!). In case you're wondering, are some good altitude adjustments to follow in case you live at 3,000 feet or higher:

-Add about 1 TB flour
-Take out 1/8 tsp of baking powder/soda
-Take out 1 TB sugar
-Add about 2 TB of the liquid (milk, water, etc.)
-Increase baking temperature by 10-15 degrees

Now, here's the cake recipe. If yours turns out as good as mine did I think you may explode with joy! ;) The final measurements with altitude adjustments are in parenthesis.

Yellow Cake


Mix and sift together 3 times:
 3 C sifted cake flour (3 C + 1 TB)
 1 tsp salt
 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (2 3/8 tsp)

On medium speed in large bowl, soften:
  1 C shortening

Gradually add:
  1 1/2 C sugar (-1 TB)
  2 tsp vanilla

Mix for approximately 5 minutes. Add:
  4 egg yolks

And beat for 2 minutes. On low speed, gradually add dry ingredients, adding about a fourth and mixing for 1 minute, adding another fourth and mixing 1 minute, etc. Stir in:
  1 1/4 C + 2 TB milk (1 1/2 C)

Add and mix in:
 4 stiffly beaten egg whites

Pour into two greased 8" circle cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees (385-390)


I know this recipe is written really strangely, but I'm not the author. :) Also remember: don't make the altitude adjustments UNLESS you live at an altitude of 3,000 ft or higher. Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry about the lack of pics. I'll get better!

Biscotti with Thyme and Lemon Glaze

These are DELICIOUS! And seeing as my first attempt at biscotti nearly two years ago was an epic failure, I'm pretty proud of how they turned out. Don't even worry about what the rest of them looked like! Ha ha...take 2 should be even better. :)

½ c amaranth flour
½ c corn flour/cornmeal
¼ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 egg whites
¾ c raw sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
zest and juice of 2 small lemons
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the amaranth flour, corn flour, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat in the egg whites at low speed until a crumbly dough forms.

In another bowl, beat ½ c of the sugar, the butter, vanilla, lemon zest (reserve the juice), and thyme, until combined. Scrape the mixture into the flour mixture, and beat at medium speed, until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Divide the dough into 2 mounds and transfer one to each baking sheet. Form each into an 8 inch long cylinder. Pat the cylinders into loaves about 2 inches wide and ¾ inch thick. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the loaves are puffed and springy to the touch. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. Carefully transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200.

Using a sharp knife, cut the loaves crosswise into scant half inch thick slices. Each will yield about 8 slices. Return the slices to the baking sheets, each slice lying on its side, and bake for about 30 minutes longer, flipping after 15 minutes, until crisp. Transfer to racks to cool.

Place the remaining ¼ c sugar in a small saucepan with the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and cook 1-2 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces by half. Cool slightly, then drizzle over the biscotti.

Cranberry-Lime Muffins

These are so so good! Mine were a little bitter on Day 2, which may have been because I used too much lime zest or they were undercooked, I'm not really sure, but I'm leaning toward the latter. Anyway, they're worth a try!

2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
zest and juice of two limes
2/3 c raw sugar
2/3 c soy milk
¼ c corn oil
2 egg whites
1 Tbsp vanilla
½ c craisins

Preheat oven to 325. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the lime zest and juice, sugar, soy milk, oil, egg whites, and vanilla to the dry ingredients, stirring until the batter is smooth. Gently fold in the craisins until they are evenly distributed.

Pour ¼ c of the batter into each prepared cup, almost filling the cup. Bake the muffins on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. When done, the muffins will bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

Remove the muffins from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I really liked this soup! Initially, I thought the blending part sounded nasty, but having tried it before and after just to make sure, I assure you it's better if you put it through the blender. ;)

1 head of broccoli
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
3 large leeks, white part only, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 sprig rosemary, leaves only
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp pepper
2 c vegetable broth
2 c soy milk
1 c cooked navy beans
½ tsp salt

Remove the stalk of the broccoli. Peel the stalk, and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut the broccoli tops into florets, and set aside. Warm the sunflower oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the broccoli stalks, leeks, thyme, rosemary, paprika, cayenne, and pepper. Cook 8-10 minutes, until the leeks soften and the spices become fragrant.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, until the broccoli stalks are fork tender. Add the reserved broccoli florets, and cover, cooking 10 minutes more, until they are soft but still bright green. Add the soy milk, beans, and salt. Use an immersion blender to puree directly in the pot, or transfer to a blender in batches to blend. Serve immediately.

The Great Salad

Go me! My first post on this blog! =) So this has a cheesy name, but there's no better name for it! =) This stuff is so so good I think. Kind of a lot of steps, but it's worth it!

nickel-sized bunch of spaghetti - break in half, boil, rinse in cold water

1/2 head cabbage - chopped

1/2 head lettuce - chopped

1 carrot - grated

3/4 C frozen peas (strain w/ hot water)

1 bunch green onion

1/2 cucumber - cut in bite sizes

1 tomato

1/2 C grated motz cheese

handful of broccoli

handful of cauliflower

(I double the recipe for the dressing, so that's why there's some weird measurements. I don't know how to convert them!) =)

Dressing:

1/2 C sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 C milk

1 C mayo

3 Tbsp vinegar

5 tsp lemon juice

4 Tbsp sour cream

2 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp horse radish

1/4 garlic pwd

1 C parm cheese

Bake and slice breaded chicken and put in on!

Yum yum!

Cherry Bar Squares

1 3/4 C sugar
1 C butter, softned
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (I used almond)
4 eggs
3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 21 oz can Cherry pie filling

Cream sugar, butter, and extract until light and fluffy. Then add eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. Add flour and baking powder.

Spread 2/3 of batter into greased 15x10 pan. Pour on pie filling and spread evenly over the top. Drop remaining batter on top by spoonfuls.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.*

When it is cooled drizzle glaze over the top!

Glaze:
1 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1-2 T milk

*I had to almost double this recipe so I could fill a cookie sheet. It might almost work better in a smaller pan, but I needed a lot of it, so it worked out good. Also, I cooked mine for 55 minutes before it was cooked all the way through. You might have to watch it.

Sooooo yummy!

Honey Dijon Chicken

This recipe might sound wierd, but it is sooo yummy. My family just eats it up!

You need enough diced chicken to feed your family.

1 1/2 lb diced chicken tenders
1 bottle Honey Dijon salad dressing


Just dice your chicken, cook in a little oil, then add this dressing. I didn't use the whole bottle, only about 2/3 of the bottle. Then we serve it over rice. Super SUPER easy and yummy.

Yay Successful Experimenting!

Those of you that know me know that I am a recipe-using cook. I hardly ever experiment, because it hardly ever works out for me. Well, my luck is changing!


The other night I was hungry and didn't have a lot of time, so I opened up a can of black beans, sauteed some garlic in olive oil, added the beans and some onion powder and cayenne pepper and heated it through. Then I added some spinach and cooked it until the spinach was perfect. Voila! It was really yummy, especially in a whole wheat pita. Ok, I'm feeling braver...


So I experimented with my buckwheat banana pancake recipe (next post down) by using whole wheat flour instead of white flour, which was way yummier! And I experimented with different toppings. Remember how I said applesauce was the best? Well, I lied. Cinnamon and honey are definitely the best topping! Hands down. Yummy, yummy, yummy. :) Try it! Feeling braver still...


I was cleaning my fridge out last night, and again didn't have a lot of time to cook dinner. So I cut up a cucumber, some tomatoes, and a bell pepper and tossed them altogether with a little bit of French vinaigrette dressing. So yummy! I cooked up some bulgur to go with it, and it was delicious.


Hey, this cooking stuff is kinda fun!

Banana Buckwheat Pancakes

Mouth-watering good!! Yummiest pancakes I've ever had. :) You can serve them with the traditional butter and syrup, but I like them best with apple sauce on top! I tried peanut butter and almond butter too, and both were good, but the apple sauce is definitely the best! Also, I didn't have baking powder, so I used a 1/2 tsp baking soda and left the powder out, and it worked great!

2 cups plain soy milk
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 c buckwheat flour
1 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp egg replacer powder
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup (pure is best!)
2 bananas, thinly sliced

Mix 1 3/4 c soy milk with lemon juice in small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.

Combine flours, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl.

Whisk egg replacer and remaining 1/4 c soy milk in small bowl. Add to soy milk mixture. Whisk in oil and syrup. (For those of you who don't know what egg replacer powder is, see the picture below.)

Stir flour mixture into soy milk mixture. Fold in bananas.

Lightly oil griddle, and cook the pancakes just like any other pancake. Yummy!

Hazelnut Quinoa Salad

For those of you who have never tried quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), you need to!! It's a whole grain that is absolutely delicious and super good for you! With no further ado:

1/2 c quinoa
1/2 c bottled Italian salad dressing
1/2 c hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c petite peas, frozen, thawed and drained
1/2 c yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 tsp black pepper


Place quinoa in 1 c water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 min. or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork. Cool completely.

Process salad dressing and 1/4 c hazelnuts in food processor or blender until smooth; set aside.

Place cooked, cooled quinoa in large bowl. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, and bell pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss until blended. Sprinkle with black pepper and remaining hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Egyptian Edamame Stew

This recipe was super easy and oh my goodness so delicious! It comes highly recommended. :)

3 cups edamame-I used the frozen variety still in their shells. It takes a little more prep time, but shelling edamame is therapeutic for me. :)
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped (or mint)
3 Tbsp lemon juice

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften-about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, covered, until the onions are starting to brown-about 3 more minutes. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant-about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the edamame and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro (or mint) and lemon juice.

I'm not kidding-this recipe is 5 stars!!! Next time, though, I think I might try a little more cayenne and mint instead of cilantro.

Chicken Stock

Ps. With my leftover chicken carcass (ha ha), drippings, and etc I made a chicken stock.

I boiled all the leftovers in a stockpot for about 3-4 hours, drained it, and put all the extra chicken back in for a yummy chicken noodle soup. Season accordingly!

How's that for directions?

Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken

I have FINALLY started feeling good enough to actually cook again! Yeah! For the last 2 months all I really make is quick stuff for the kids like pancakes, grilled cheese, soup, frozen chicken nuggets, mac n' cheese, etc. So crap essentially. ha ha.

Last night we celebrated my husband's birthday and I wanted to actually MAKE a good meal so I roasted a whole chicken with mashed potatoes. Sooo yummy. This is the second best way to make chicken, the first being in the dutch oven of course. :)

So after thawing out my whole chicken, I cleaned out the stuff out of the inside and patted it dry. I put it in a casserole dish lined with tin foil and cooking spray. I then chopped up these:

4 lemons
2 onions
4 T butter
I put half of them inside the little birdie and the other half around the pan. I then put a couple pats of butter in between the skin and meat. I then sprinkled liberally with kosher salt and lemon pepper seasoning. Then finally I drizzled it with olive oil.I put it in a 375 degree oven, uncovered for about an hour and a half. I had my internal thermometer set at 170, so when it went off I took it out and made sure it was done and then my wonderful husband cut it up. I totally forget to take a final picture so I hope this does.I LOVE roasted chicken I had thank you's all around, ever one went to bed so stuffed. Especially after we topped it off with birthday cake! Being pregnant is fun when I don't feel like crap all the time.

PS. I love sharing recipes with my sisters and the rest of you should too. I command it. The end. :)

Kung Pao Tofu

I love Chinese food! It's probably my #1 comfort food, and something I am pretty sure I can't live without. So, I obviously had to find recipes to make vegetarian Chinese food. This one is really yummy!

Ingredients:

1 14-oz package extra-firm water-packed tofu, rinsed
1/2 tsp five-spice or all-spice powder
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 c water
3 Tbsp oyster-flavored or oyster sauce
1/2 tsp cornstarch
4 cups broccoli crowns in bite-size pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, diced into 1/2 inch strips
1 red bell pepper, diced into 1/2 inch strips
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts
2 tsp hot sesame oil--I used straight sesame oil and it added a lot of flavor-do it!

Directions:

1. Pat tofu dry and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Combine with 1/4 tsp all-spice in med bowl.

Now, I know that some of you are scared of tofu, so here are some tips! The texture can be really nasty, but if you hate tofu I'm betting you've never had it made the right way! I have to attribute the following tip to my Mom who learned it from her fishetarian friend. :) First, rinse the tofu! Then squish it between two napkins until the napkins are dry. This reduces the slimy texture and makes the whole experience a lot better.



Also, the type of tofu you buy really matters! Extra-firm is the way to go for most recipes.



2. Heat canola oil in large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until golden brown, 7-9 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

3. Meanwhile, whisk water, oyster sauce, cornstarch and remaining 1/4 tsp all-spice in small bowl.

4. Add 1-2 Tbsp oyster mix to bowl and then add broccoli and peppers to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 min. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low, add the oyster sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Return the tofu to the pan along with peanuts and stir to coat with sauce; stir in hot sesame oil.

And enjoy!! I really liked this recipe. I made some brown rice and bulgur to go with it, but it can definitely stand alone too.

Fruit Pizza

Crust:
1/4 C shortening
1/4 C sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour, vaking powder, and salt. Cover and chill in freezer 10-15 minutes. Press onto greased pizza pan. Roll or cul up the edges of the crust like a pizza to prevent edges from burning. Bake at 375 F for 10 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn!


Cream Cheese Topping:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C sugar
Blend well

Lemon Sauce Topping:
1 TB cornstarch
1/2 C sugar
pinch of salt
2 TB lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 drop yellow food coloring

Thoroughly mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Stir in 1 C boiling water. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly, then simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, rind, and food coloring. Makes about 1 cup.

Fruit Pizza:
Spread cream cheese on cooled crust, then spread lemon sauce over the cream cheese. Then add your favorite fruit to make it beautiful and delicious. Apples, mango, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges, etc. Be creative!

Easy Vegetable Quiche

1 C chopped fresh broccoli
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 C grated cheese
3/4 C milk
1/4 C and 2 TB Bisquick
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Cook broccoli in glass measuring cup with 1/2" of water, covered with plastic wrap, for 2 minutes in the microwave. Drain thoroughly. Spray 9" pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Mix broccoli, onion, green pepper, and cheese in pie plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into pie plate. Bake at 350 F until golden, about 35-45 minutes (knife comes out clean). Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Minestrone Soup

1 large onion                                          6 C water                    
2 TB butter/margarine                            2- 16oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 C chopped celery                               1- 15oz. can kidney beans
3 C chopped carrots                              1- 15oz. can navy beans
1/4 C minced fresh parsley                    1 tsp. dried basil
1 C shredded cabbage                           1 tsp. oregano
Pinch of garlic salt                                 1/2 tsp. dried sage
3/4 C pasta shells                                   8 oz. tomato sauce

In stockpot, saute onion and butter. Add 1 cup water, celery, parsley, carrots, and cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining 5 cups of water and the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

So Excited!

Well hello there! So my sister, Tiffany, created a recipe blog and my other sister, Taunalee, recently posted recipes to her blog and it got me thinking. Why not do a sister recipe blog?! We're always sharing recipes with each other anyway, so why not create a blog to do it! I'm excited and hope my sisters are excited too! We all do the kitchen thing a little differently, and I think this will be a fun way to share ideas and insight.

I recently have been making some huge dietary changes in my life. I found out I was mildly allergic to dairy, and have since cut dairy out of my diet. I stopped eating meat at the same time to see if I felt better. My energy levels have been off the charts! Not only do I have more energy, but I sleep better, no longer have food cravings, my skin has cleared up, my digestion is better, and I've lost some weight (an added bonus). :) I think everyone's body digests and functions differently and by no means think everyone should embrace a vegetarian diet or stop eating dairy, but making those changes has revolutionized my life and my relationship with food. I feel amazing-like I have a new lease on life, and I'm excited about cooking again! So sharing recipes sounds fun. :)

Here's one I made a few weeks ago. I got this recipe from eatingwell.com, though I did make some alterations from their original recipe. This recipe makes about 4 servings of 1 1/2 cups each, though I found that 1 1/2 cups was way too much, and I got about 6-8 servings out of it. It took me about an hour to make, and was worth it! We grew up eating red curry, and this was a little different-more mild-but I loved it!

Red Curry with Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes (Make sure this is really dry or it's nasty! I squish mine between paper towels multiple times to get it as dry as I can before I cut it. Oh, and I rinse it off first too.)
  
• 1 pound sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 14-ounce can lite coconut milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or reduced-sodium chicken broth)
• 1-2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste (I couldn't find the stuff Dad gets, so I used curry paste out of a bottle, which was still yummy, but a little different. I want to try this recipe with Dad's curry paste to see if it's any better.)
  
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, quartered (I did this, but it's just garnish-it doesn't really add anything to the taste, but it's nice for presentation.)
  

Preparation:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. (At this point I transferred everything to a soup pot because my pan was too small. If you have a wok, it would probably work better.) Add coconut milk, broth and curry paste to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the tofu, green beans and brown sugar; return to a simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are tender-crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in lime juice and salt. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

   

YUMMY!!!

Wow . . . I haven't posted in a while.
I have a good excuse though . . . I am pregnant! I have been so sick that I have just been putting together quick things like sandwiches and freezer dinners. There are a couple of good recipes I plan on putting up soon though that Bryan has made like honey mustard chicken and super YUMMY pork. Stay tuned . . .

Jam!!!

I am always so proud of myself after I have made jam, I must admit it. :) With this special pectin it makes it soooo easy! You don't have to cook anything or wait for jars to be sealed at all! Soooo easy.

I can't exactly remember all the directions, because I threw the package away, but you can double check the back of the pectin package to be sure.

4 cups crushed, blended fruit of choice
1 1/2 C sugar
1 package Ball Freezer Jam Pectin

Combine sugar and pectin first. Then add crushed/blended fruit. We used strawberry and raspberry for this batch. Stir for 3 minutes then ladle into jars. Let sit for 30 minutes and it is ready to serve or freeze!

It made 6 jars shown above.

Sanpete BBQ Turkey (or chicken)

I got this recipe from our town paper back when we lived in Ephraim, UT. This recipe is famous up there!! It is best with turkey, but just as tasty with chicken.
2 C lemon lime or citrus soda (we used Squirt)
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C vegi oil
Appx. 10 lbs turkey cutlets
Garlic powder to taste
Horseradish to taste

Combine soda, soy sauce, oil, and seasonings. Pour over turkey cutlets. Cover and refrigerate for 8-24 hours. Turn meat occasionally for maximum marinading goodness. Grill meat until cooked through! Do not overcook.

We halfed this recipe and used about 4 lbs of chicken. I have no idea how much garlic powder my husband used, but I would guess in the 1 T area. We didn't use horseradish.

Recipe courtesy of Moroni Feed and Norbest Turkey Company

Stuffed Manicotti

If anyone has a really yummy recipe for this let me know . . .1 12 oz pkg manicotti shells
1 16 oz carton cottage cheese
1 16 oz carton ricotta cheese
2 C grated mozzarella
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 T parsley
1 jar spaghetti sauce

There are two ways to do this . . . cooking the shells first and not cooking the shells. I did not cook my shells because I think it is easier to work with that way. If you want to cook your shells then skip this first step . . .

In casserole dish, pour half jar of spaghetti sauce and 1 C HOT water. (If using cooked shells, then don't add water). Mix all cheeses, eggs, and parsley in bowl.

Fill each shell with cheese until it spills out both ends. I used a pastry/frosting thingy to fill them. ( I don't know what it's called!!! ha ha ) Place shell in pan. Top with sauce and sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. (The recipe didn't say if you don't add these cheeses in with the cheese mixture or if this was extra? I added extra.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Recipe courtesy of Family Dinner Cookbook

Fish and Chips

Vegi oil, for frying
3 large taters
2 C rice flour (can I grind rice in my wheat grinder??)
1 T baking powder
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
12 oz + soda water (we used Squirt)
1 egg
2 oz cod, cut in 1/2 on angle
1/2 C rice flour, for dredging

Heat oil to 325. Peel taters and cut them into chips about the size of your finger. Put them in fryer basket and lower into oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, they shouldn't be crisp or fully cooked, but remove them to a paper towel lined platter to drain.

Crank the oil up to 375. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 C flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Combine water and egg and pour into flour mixture. Whisk to smooth batter. (We ended up using way more than 12 oz soda to make a smooth batter)

Spread 1/2 C rice flour on plate and dredge fish in flour then dip in batter. Put chips in bottom of fryer and drop in oil. Carefully lower the battered fish into oil on top of chips. Fry the fish and chips for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown.

Drain on paper towel's and season with salt.

Serve with malt vinegar and/or tarter sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence on foodnetwork.com

Seasame Candy Chicken

This was soooo yummy! The picture doesn't do it justice either. I need to work on my photo skills, so go here to see a better pic and the place I got the recipe. :)

PS. I did alter some of it to accommodate my family.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4 fillets) (I used close to 4 lbs)
2 eggs ( I used 4)
2 C flour ( I used 3)

Sweet Candy Sauce:
1 C sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
toasted sesame seeds
slices scallions (0ptional)

In a pan, pour about 2 inches of oil and heat on medium heat until hot. Cut chicken on the diagonal into thick strips, about 2 inches wide. (I wish I had cut them into bite size portions, which I will do next time) In a bowl, beat eggs. In another bowl, place flour. Coat chicken in egg first then flour then do it again and maybe even a third time. The better coated the chicken is, the better.

When oil is hot, fry chicken pieces until golden brown, which was about 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and let oil drain.

In separate bowl make the candy sauce, place soy and sugar in bowl and mix together. Mix about 30 seconds. The sugar will not completely dissolve, but it should be thick, but not grainy. Add sesame seeds and mix well. Pour, dip, or cover chicken as desired with yummy sauce and serve over rice. Garnish with sliced scallions.

My ENTIRE family ate this meal, even my pickiest eater, so what does that tell ya? Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of just-cook-already.blogspot.com

Mint Brownies

I am so sorry for the quality of this picture, it does NOT do this brownie justice. They are so yummy though. I made 3 different batches last week, they're THAT good! :) Brownies:
1 0r 2 sticks of butter (fluffier or denser - I use 1 and a 1/2 sticks)
2 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp salt

Melt butter
Add sugar, cocoa, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until fluffy then add the flour and salt.

Spray or line (with parchment paper) a 9x13 pan
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.*
Let cool completely!

Mind Frosting:
2 T evaporated milk (regular is fine too)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
green food coloring
3 T melted butter
2 C powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients well then spread over cooled brownies and chill thoroughly.

Chocolate Topping:
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T butter
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and chocolate chips then add vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread over mint frosting and chill until it sets up one last time.

Divide in GIANT portions and enjoy!

This recipe is from my awesome friend, Anne W. She gets all the credit. :)

* My baking time is always tricky where I live, I don't know if it's elevation or what, but I usually have to bake these babies longer than 25 minutes. Just watch them until you can stick a toothpick in and have it come out clean. :)

Egg Salad Sandwiches

I will probably totally mess up this recipe but it was so yummy I had to post it!!! My hubby made these for lunch and he is the king of all things EGG. So I think this is how he did it:

6 hard boiled eggs, chopped up
1/4 C spicy brown mustard (he says you want to have a seeded mustard)
1/4 C mayo
2 stalks celery diced
fresh dill
salt and pepper

Just mix gently so you don't crush the eggs and season to taste. I think he made the sauce first, then added the celery then egg, then seasonings. He served these with sourdough toast and a ginormous helping of great value BBQ chips because they are, in fact, the best. :)

Grilled BBQ Chicken

This is another fast and easy dinner that the entire family loves. All I do is marinate the chicken in BBQ and then grill it. My hubby gets frustrated that I put the sauce on before it grills because the edges get all burnt, but I LOVE the burnt parts. Yummy!

Kids Alfredo

I have mentioned this before, but with my husband working graveyards half of the week every week, I have a tendency to only cook have the week and the other half of the week I kind of make up. Kids are great for that reason. They don't really care as long as it's edible. :)

Fettuccine or angel hair pasta
favorite Alfredo sauce
Parmesan cheeseNo directions needed I hope. :)

Grilled Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

This is what we had for dinner the other night . . . hamburgers and hot dogs. Doesn't that look soooo good. :) Add a little 60 degree weather and it makes for a perfect meal.

ps. They are just the store bought patties, nothing fancy, I promise.
pss. I realized that yes, this is a recipe blog, but sometimes people (like myself) enjoy a good reminder of what we can have for dinner. So when I post no-brainer meals like this, it is mostly for my own reference in the future. For you too, but mostly for me.

Breakfast Burrito

I think the favorite meal of the day at our house is breakfast. We really don't stray a lot from our regular menu either. I think this is pretty self-explanatory, but just in case . . .

Grill up your favorite breakfast meat like sausage or bacon or leftover pork roast or steak. Fry 2 eggs over hard and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile grill tortilla and add cheese and GREEN Tabasco sauce. When cheese is nice and melty top with meat and eggs. Yummy!

We have also used hashbrowns, country gravy, leftover Cheesy Potatoes (soooo good), fresh salsa, etc. Not all of them at once though, well . . . maybe once or twice we did that. :)

Thai Ramen Noodles

I don't know about most of you, but growing up I ate A LOT of ramen noodles. I still eat A LOT of ramen noodles. They are so good, I can't help it. :) One way my dad would change things up for us was to turn our ordinary ramen into Thai ramen. I love it, my husband hates it.

Make ramen as directed, but while noodles are cooking add:

chicken flavor packet
1 T sugar
1 T fish sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

to bowl of your choice. While draining noodles, make sure to save some water. Pour in bowl and stir. Yum! I have to say though, I have NEVER measured this, so . . . . good luck. I am guessing on the measurements.

Chicken Courdon Bleu

This meal is starting to become a Valentine's Day tradition in our household. I should mix it up, but both my hubby and I love it so much I stay with what I know. :) With hubby's schedule being as it is, he often has to work on Vday. So we usually have a nice dinner after the crazy kiddos are in bed. It's nice . . . sigh. Uninterrupted meals, adult conversation, and sometimes watching TV without background noise, I digress. :) This is so yummy, I usually double it so I can eat the leftovers the next day for lunch. For this you will need:

4-5 chicken breasts
deli ham
swiss cheese
rosemary
thyme
salt and pepper
1/2 stick butter
corn flakes

With your favorite meat mallot, some saran wrap, and a cutting board pound the chicken until pretty thin. Thin enough to easily roll, but not too thin so that it falls apart. I like to lay saran wrap on top of the cutting board, then put the chicken, then another layer of wrap. Makes it easier clean up and not as slippery.

Then layer the rest of the ingredients. First ham, then swiss, then your herbs and seasonings.
Starting at one end, roll the chicken to the other end. Then coat the chicken in melted butter and then liberally roll the buttery chicken in crushed corn flakes.

Tightly roll and secure with a good 'ole toothpick and placed in greased casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C sour cream
1 tsp -3 T lemon juice

Combine all and heat through until bubbly. I like to add more lemon juice because I think that is what makes the sauce, but you decide. Pour sauce all over chicken and enjoy!

I served this with Cheesy Potatoes and steamed broccoli or asparagus.

Recipe courtesy of my Momma

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

This is my favorite treat around Valentine's Day . . . Chocolate Covered Strawberries! It just so happens to be my girls favorite too because they can do it all by themselves.All you need for these beauties is a bag of Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, a carton of strawberries, and your favorite toppings.

Double boil chocolate and then dip washed berries. Then sprinkle with sprinkles, dip in nuts, or drizzle with white chocolate. So yummy.

Grandma Carol's Waffles

My wonderful, amazing, and inspiring Grandma passed away last week. She was such an inspiration to me. She AMAZED me every time we would visit because she could whip up a meal in a heartbeat and sometimes out of literally nothing. She was an amazing cook and she always encouraged me to cook because it was such a reward to cook for the people you love. I am starting to believe that this is true. She will be greatly missed, but I am so glad that I was able to snag some of her recipes from her. :)
The morning of her funeral, which I couldn't attend, I made her waffles. She would make these for us every single time we were there. She would get up at 5 and just wait for people to wake up and make them a fresh waffle. I have always LOVED this recipe and it makes me think of her every time I make them. Enjoy!

2 C flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 C buttermilk*
1 C oil
4 eggs, divided

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Divide eggs and beat egg whites until you have stiff peaks. In a different bowl mix the egg yolks, buttermilk, and oil. Beat egg mixture into dry mixture and carefully fold in egg whites.

Cook in your favorite waffle maker. Sometimes I double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for easy toaster waffles on quick mornings.

*Gma told me that is you don't have buttermilk, you can use regular milk, but add 1 T of lemon juice for every cup of milk.

Grandma I love and miss you more than you know, although you probably do know, but anyways . . . I love you the mostest!