Melissa's Kitchen

Potato Au Gratin Soup

2011-11-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, for all you locals out there, you have probably been to the Coppermill and had their Potato Au Gratin Soup. It's my absolute fav. I have a recipe for potato soup, so I tweaked it a little, and tried to come up with my own au gratin soup, and it was yummy!

Here is what I did
2/3 cup margarine or butter (which ever you prefer)
2/3 cup flour
5 cups milk
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
4 baked potatos, cooled, peeled and cut up in cubes
4 green onions

cooked Ham (you can buy the packages at the store that are all cubed up, or if you want a killer yummy soup, use left over real ham off the bone-it just tastes better!)Add as much as you want.

1 1/2 -2 cups shredded cheese (Again, I went for 2 cups, it made it really creamy) and for this kind of soup, don't buy the cheap cheese, the better quality of cheese you buy, the better the soup will taste. Tillamook is my fav!

1 cup sour cream
Salt and Pepper
Parsley
And if you want to get real adventurous, add some cooked and crumbled bacon, yum

I cooked my baked potatos the night before, it made the soup quick and easy to make the next day.

Melt butter/margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Add chicken broth. Bring to light boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in ham, bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted. Garnish with parsley and serve with hot bread.

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-10-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

The only Chicken Pot Pie I can ever remember eating as a kid, are those nasty frozed ones from the grocery store. My husband loves them, so I thought I would try to make one. Lots of the ones I found online have tons of butter and fat, so I thought I would try to come up with something delicious but not as high calorie. And since I am going off of memory with this recipe (that can be a scary thing)..I hope I haven't forgot anything!

Ingredients:
2 pie crusts-let's be honest, I went straight to the freezer section and picked one up!
3 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
1 14 oz. can chicken broth
1 14 oz. can cream of chicken soup (it can be the 98% fat free)
1/4 can full of milk
3 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken or turkey
2 1/2-3 cups favorite veggie blend (I like the country veggie blend, but use whatever your family will eat)

Over medium heat melt butter, throw in chopped onions, sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper and cook until onion is tender. Add flour and whisk-don't let it get too brown or burn, as soon as it's pasty, add the chicken broth and whisk in. Then add cream of chicken and whisk. Let it cook over medium heat until it starts to come to a low boil and thickens up. Add chicken and frozen veggies.

Prepare your pie crusts according to directions on packet.

Spray pie pan with nonstick spray. Place a pie crust layer on bottom. Fill it with chicken and veggie mixture. Place another pie crust on top and seal around the edges.

Cook according to pie directions for 30-40 minutes. Covering the sides of the pie crust with foil 20 minutes into baking.

Let sit 15 minutes to let gravy thicken up and cool down.

Enjoy.

Queso Dip

2011-10-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Zane, this is for you!!

Velveeta cheese
1 can HOT chilli with meat

Cube the Velveeta and add chilli and constantly stir over med heat until all melted. Serve with chips.

This tastes just like Chilli's queso dip, you will love it!

Peach Crisp

2011-09-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

I have a huge box of AMAZING yummy peaches from Brighan City. I have to use them before they all go ripe at the same time. So today I made peach crisp...it's a lot like my apple crisp and my family loved it. YUMMY, you have to try it.

Start by spraying a 13x9 pan and pre heating the oven to 350 degrees.

What you need:
6-8 ripe peaches, peeled and cut up (enough to cover the bottome of a 13x9 pan)
sugar to sprinkle over the top of the peaches

For crisp:
1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup instant oatmeal

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2/3 cup Sugar

1 cube butter, cubed

On top of crisp:

cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 Tbps. butter, cubed

Cover the 13x9 pan with cubes peaches. Sprinkle enough sugar to coat all the peaches. Sprinkle enough cinnamon to cover peaches lightly.

In a dish combine flour. sugar, brown sugar, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and 1 cube butter.

Top peaches with crips mixture. Top with more cinnamon and nutmeg and another 2 Tbsp. butter

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes-until golden brown.

Serve with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

Green Chilli and Beans "a.k.a. Chilli Verde"

2011-08-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

This is by far my favorite meal in the entire world! The cool thing about this meal is that you can make this meal and freeze it. That way if you want to have a big fiesta you can make this days or weeks in advance and pull it out when you are ready (and the flavors are so intense that no one will ever know it's been in the freezer!!)

For the Green Chilli:
8-12 Anaheim peppers (these are the long green ones-this gives it the green chilli flavor)
6-8 Jalpenos (these are the small green ones-these give the chilli the heat).

Place the peppers and jalepenos in the oven under broil. When the peppers start getting a burnt looked, then flip them to the other side and let the other side char. When they are charred on all sides, remove them from the oven and place them in ziplock bags, and let them "sweat" this takes about 30 minutes-so they cool down.

Remove from ziplock bags and remove the stems and peel off the skin of each pepper and jalepeno. **Note: you may want to use gloves because when removing the skin-the heat is so intense with these peppers your skin can physically feel like it's burning.

Take the jalapenos and peppers and place them in a blender and blend with a tiny bit of water. I blend so the peppers are no longer chunky-but not overly runny. You can pick the consistency. Add enough water to make the consitency you prefer.

For the chilli:
Cut up about 4 pounds of a boneless beef or pork roast into bite sized pieces. Or you can buy the stew meat that's already cut up (but it's more expensive). Brown in large pan and add 1 chopped onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tsp. salt. Cook uncovered until the liquid from the meat is gone and meat is browned (this takes about 20-30 minutes for the liquid to absorb). Add enough flour to coat all the meat and sir it around. At this point pour 4 cups of the green chilli blended sauce in with the meat. Slowly add another cup at a time (tasting each time) until you reach the desired "hotness" of your chilli. Whatever chilli blend that is left over you can freeze for your next chilli batch. If you need to add a little water to the chilli so it's not so thick, do so.

Pour in a crock pot and cook on low all day and let all those flavors soak up. Or on High for a few hours.

Serve with refried beans and homemade tortillas....I promise you will love this recipe!!!!

Refried Beans:
Buy a bag of Pinto Beans
Soak in a bowl of water overnight.
Rinse and drain next morning
Pour into crock pot with amount of water it says on the bag
Add 1-2 Tbsp. salt depending on size of pinto bag.
Cook on low all day.
-Serve whole or to make the refried beans
Remove beans from crock pot-put in pan on stove-mash with a masher and add some bean juice and shredded cheese and mix until you get the perfect refried bean texture.

***Place leftover chilli and beans in old cool whip bowls and stick in freezer. Pull out and reheat when you want easy leftovers!!

Flour Tortillas

2011-08-24T09:12:00.001-07:00

One of the many benefits of being married to my husband, is that his mom has taught me to make some killer homemade Mexican food-that she learned from her mother in law that is from Mexico. It's so fun to be able to make "real" Mexican food. One of my favorite things she makes is homemade tortillas. They are AMAZING. I still haven't mastered the skill of making a perfectly round tortilla because the flour ones aren't made with a tortilla press, all you need is a roller. But, even if you end up with a rectangle tortilla-the flavor is still amazing!!!

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup shortening

Combine flour with baking powder and salt. Add shortening and mix with fingers until evenly mixed. Gradually stir in enough water to make a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Preheat an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over med heat. Form balls and and shape each one into a really flat patty-using your hands and a roller (this will take practice!!) Once you have started rolling it out-don't form it back into a ball and try to start over it makes the dough go hard and it's ruined. Roll very thin. Place tortilla on skillet . Cook until bubbles form on top and underside is flecked with brown. Turn and cook until the other side is lightly brown. Stack tortillas and cover with a dry cloth until ready to serve. Serve immediately or store in plastic bag and reheat briefly before serving.

Makes about 12-14 tortillas

Serving Suggestions: Fill with refried beans and cheese for easy burritos. Fajitas. Or chilli. For easy Mexican desserts spread with cream cheese and a little salt. Or Butter and cinnamon and sugar. Also great for breakfast with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and sausage and salsa for breakfast burritos.

Raspberry Cream Pie

2011-08-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

Every summer, when my in-laws go out of town, my mother in law lets me come over and pick her raspberries. We get to keep everything we pick. I have a huge bucket full, and this is what I am going to make with them. Easy and YUMMY...and not to fattening, BONUS!

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese (you can use 1/3 less fat or fat free)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup sugar (you can use Splenda)
19" graham crust (just buy a store bought, it's easier!!)
1 8 oz. carton of cool whip (I use the light or fat free)

Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, mixing until well blended. Fold Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture. Mash raspberries- not alot, just so they aren't whole raspberries. Stir into cream cheese mixture. . Spoon into crust. Chill several hours or overnight. Garnish with additional raspberries if desired.

Lemon Cheesecake

2011-07-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

I made this for our 4th of July BBQ...I love lemonade on a hot summer day, so when I came across this recipe for lemon cheesecake, I wanted to try it. It was sooooo yummy, you have to try it! I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese and it was still rich and yummy!

2 cups crushed Graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
6 Tbsp. melted butter
4 pkg. (8oz. each) Cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 cup Sour Cream (I used light)
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
4 eggs

Heat oven to 325.
Mix crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture. press remaining onto bottom of 13x9 pan.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream, zest and juice; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low after each just until blended. Pour over crust; top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 40 mins or until center is almost set. Cool completely and then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

**NOTE: because it takes awhile to cool, and you want the cheesecake to be chilled in the fridge, this is a great "make the night before" recipe.

Recipe from: Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

2011-07-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

My neighbor brought me a HUGE bag of Rhubard and I had NO idea what to do with it. I happened to stumble across this recipe on my friend April's blog. I tried it and LOVED it...so I am sharing it with you...and I need to make sure I don't loose this recipe so I am keeping it here!! LOL!

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sliced rhubarb
1 peeled and cubed apple (we like fuji or gala)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter and cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Press 1/3 of it into a 8 x 8 baking dish. Top with sliced rhubarb and apple.

In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook until thick and clear. Pour over apples and rhubarb. Top with remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Enjoy

NOTE**one thing I did differently on this recipe is after I took the sugar/cornstarch mixture off the stove, I mixed the rhubard and apples into the sauce and then I spooned it over the crust, I didn't use all of the sauce, that way the sauce didn't bubble up over the top crisp..I LOVE my crisp to be extra crispy ;O)

Double Decker OREO Cheesecake

2011-06-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

I made this little treat for Father's Day. Hello, cheesecake with OREO's in it...HEAVEN! We loved it. It does take a little bit of time, and make sure you give yourself the full 4 hours for it to chill. Enjoy!

What You Need

1 pkg. (17 oz.) OREO Chocolate Creme Cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
4 eggs
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

PROCESS 30 cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter; mix well. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended; pour half over crust. Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter; pour over batter in pan. Chop remaining cookies; sprinkle over batter.

BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Thank you Craft Foods for making this amazing recipe, all credit goes your way!

Guacamole Bacon Burgers

2011-06-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

Well....this isn't any big fancy recipe. But, one of my new favorites!!! Chris and I use to always go to Carl's Jr. and get the Guacamole Bacon Burger. It's killer if you have never tried it. The Hernandez family has a killer Guacamole recipe, so this weekend we whipped up our own Guacamole Bacon Burgers, and they were to die for!!!! And easy easy!!

What you need:
Pre-made hamburger patties from the grocery store (easy easy!!) Grilled to perfection
Buns
Pepperjack cheese, sliced
Bacon
Gucamole, click here for the recipe
lettuce
purple onions
tomatoes
ketchup
mini dill pickles (for the side...don't put pickles on this burger...no no!!) But you have to have pickles at a BBQ, it's a must!

Grill the patties, and right before they are done put the sliced pepperjack cheese on top to melt, and then assemble the burger. You are going to love this burger!! I served it with my homemade french fries and some fresh strawberry lemonade.....love summer!!!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Dip

2011-05-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

For dinner tonight, we wanted a dessert that was a little healthy. So, I made this dip to go with a bunch of fresh fruit. It was yummy!

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat)
8 0z. container light cool whip
3, 6 oz. containers of light and fit yogurt (I used Raspberry, but you could use any flavor)

Beat cream cheese, add cool whip and yogurt and beat well.

Serve with your favorite sliced fruit. We used strawberries, apples, kiwi, mango and fresh pineapple. It was yummy and way healthier than a chocolate cake (don't get me wrong, I still need my chocolate cake too!!)

Malted Milk Smores

2011-05-10T20:08:00.001-07:00

Tonight, my cute friend Madelyn came over to my house and taught me and our cute Beehive gals how to make these...these are killer yummy and I had to share....thanks Madelyn-these are delic!!

Chicken Burritos

2011-05-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

I found an amazing recipe...and I will give total credit to the amazing gals from ourbestbites.com, they also have an amazing cookbook...but they had a recipe that caught my eye and they were origanally suppose to be taquitos. The problem that I have with taquitos is they are so small, that I end up eating way to many, and then it's a portion control issue, so I took the ingredients that they suggested and bought large flour tortilas and made them into burritos and they were so yummy!

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/4 C green salsa
1 T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (I just boil it and then run it through my food processor to make it really easy!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the burritos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Then we dipped them in cilantro ranch dressing...you can find that recipe here
Recipe taken from ourbestbites.com

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2011-04-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

I LOVE easy, and these are one of my favorite cookies....this is all you do....

One bag of Betty Crocker's Oatmeal Cookie Mix (it has cinnamon in it....which is what helps make these cookies killer!!)

And...one cup of Nestle Toll House Chocolate CHUNK morsels (not chips).....We are talking CHUNKS of chocolate....I don't mess around with my chocolate!

Follow directions on back of Betty Crocker Cookie Mix...Bake!

I keep some dough in my fridge for later.....not for cooking...but for when my children are naughty and I need a spoonfull of heaven!!!

Lemon and Feta Stuffed Chicken

2011-03-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Garden Magazine. And, I gave it a try this week, and we loved this recipe. I did change one thing, instead of reserving some of the feta to put on top after cooking the chicken, I used all of the feta and lemon peel, and stuffed the chicken breasts extra full (I probably used a little more feta than it called for, but I LOVE feta). I can't wait to try this recipe on the GRILL....yum!

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions
1. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast by cutting horizontally through the thickest portion to, but not through, the opposite side. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of the feta cheese and the lemon peel. Spoon cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 236, Total Fat(g)9, Saturated Fat(g)4, Monounsaturated Fat (g)4, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1, Cholesterol (mg)99, Sodium (mg)447, Carbohydrate (g)1, Total Sugar (g)1, Protein (g)35, Vitamin C (DV%)4, Calcium (DV%)36

Recipe taken from Better Homes and Garden Magazine

Lemon Basil Pasta

2011-03-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from my Better Homes and Garden Magazine this month. I tried this recipe, and I LOVE how easy it was, and how fresh it tasted with the lemon and fresh basil. Because it's such a light and healthy recipe, this is a recipe that I am going to use a lot in the summer, when it's hot and I don't feel like cooking a huge filling meal! One tip I should pass on is this recipe calls for 10 oz of linguine...I buy the 16 oz. packages, if you do the same, make sure you double the pesto sauce or it will be too dry...enjoy!!

10 oz. dried linguine or desired pasta
1 19-oz. can white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a lemon
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids; set aside. Drain pasta and beans; cover to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, finely shred peel from the lemon half (about 2 teaspoons). In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add lemon peel; cook and stir 1 minute, or until lightly golden.

3. In a food processor combine cooked lemon peel, basil, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice from the lemon half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency, processing mixture after every addition.

4. To serve, toss hot cooked pasta mixture with lemon-basil mixture. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Calories452, Total Fat (g)10, Saturated Fat (g)1, Monounsaturated Fat (g)7, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1, Sodium (mg)648, Carbohydrate (g)75, Total Sugar (g)4, Fiber (g)9, Protein (g)18, Vitamin C (DV%)21, Calcium (DV%)10, Iron (DV%)26, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Recipe taken from Better Homes and Garden Magazine

Carne Asada Pizza

2011-02-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

We love going to California Pizza Kitchen in Salt Lake with Chris's family. Without fail, one of us always ends up ordering the Carne Asada Pizza..it's the best! Last month when we went we overheard one of the waiters saying this was the last day that this pizza was going to be on their menu. My mother law in and I decided that we could figure out how to make it...then she got a bright idea and googled the recipe and we found it. We made it for dinner tonight, and yum...to die for...we made a few changes along the way, I will put a note next to the things we changed. Don't get to overwhelmed by this post...for some reason California Kitchen Pizza really made this a wordy recipe. One of the best things about their pizza is their crust...it's so yum...but let's be honest, if your not up for cooking homemade dough, that premade stuff in the grocery store ain't bad....

Pizza dough recipe:
1 tsp Yeast
1/2 c Plus
1 Tbsp Warm waterm 105-110 degrees
1 1/2 c Bread flour, or all-purpose
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Plus 1tsp for coating

To prepare dough: Dissolve yeast in water and set aside for 5 to 10 min.. Be sure that water is not too hot: Temps over 120 will kill the yeast. UPRIGHT ELECTRIC MIXER: Use mixing paddle attachment because batch size is too small for the dough hook. Combine all other ingredients. Add dissolved yeast. Use the lowest 2 speeds to mix dough. Mix 2-3 min. until dough is smoth and elastic. Overmixing will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause dough to rise too fast. IF USING FOOD PROCESSOR: Use dough blade.proceed as in preceeding instructions. IF MIXING BY HAND: Place dry ingredients in a 4-6 qt mixing bowl , make a well in the middle and add liquids. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Lightly oil hands and knead for 5 minutes. When done the dough should be slightly tacky. LIGHTLEY OIL THE ball and the interior of a 1 qt. glass bowl. Place dough ball in bowl and seal bowl air-tight with clear food wrap. Set aside at room temperature to rise until double in bulk: 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. The dough could be used now BUT it would be NOTHING SPECIAL! To obtain that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it will later become, punch down dough, reform a nice round ball and return it to same bowl; cover again with clear plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator overnight, covered airtight. About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble pizza, remove dough from fridge, use a sharp knife to divde dough into 2 equal portions. Roll smaller dough into round balls on a smoothe surface; seal any holes by pinching . Place the dough balls in a glass casserole dish, space far enough to allow each to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hrs.). They should be smooth and puffy. To stretch and form dough for pizza, sprinkle flour on smooth surface. Use a spatula to carefully remove dough ball from casserol dish . Be very careful to preserve its round shape. Flour the dough liberally. Use your hand or rolling pin to press dough down forming a flat circle about 1/2" thick. Pinch dough between your fingers around edge forming a 1/4" rim. Continue this outward stretching until you have reaached a 9" diameter pizza dough. Yields ennough dough for 2- 9" pizzas. After topping pizza transfer to pizza stone in preheated oven. The stone should be preheated at 500 degrees for 1 hour. Bake 8 to 10 min. NOTE: I was really sorry I did not double this recipe the first time I made it!!!!!! It is sooo delicious we ate more (and wanted more)!

Makes two 9-inch pizzas

Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon serrano peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon raw minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil

Carne Asada Marinade (or if you want to make this a quick supper...buy a frozen bag of pre-cut/cook fajita steak):
1/4 ounce chopped cilantro
3 ounces lime juice
1 ounce olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

Carne Asada Beef
1 pound raw beef (skirt steak)
Carne Asada Marinade

For the pizza
1 recipe California Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough
Cornmeal, semolina or flour for handling
1 tablespoon cilantro pesto
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (We used pepperjack, and it was great!)
20 to 25 half rings sweet white onion
1 recipe sliced Carne Asada Beef
1/2 cup canned Ortega brand chiles, cut into
1/4-inch strips, well drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

To make Carne Asada marinade: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside in the refrigerator for use with Carne Asada.

To make the pesto: Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.

To make the Carne Asada: Prepare a hot grill. Combine Carne Asada marinade with the raw beef and keep under refrigeration for one hour.

Grill the beef for 4 to 4 minutes per side. When done. remove from grill and chill thoroughly. Slice beef into 1/4 inch thick strips. Set aside in the refrigerator.

To make the pizza: Place the pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F, for one hour before cooking the pizzas.

Use a large spoon to spread 1 tablespoon of cilantro pesto evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim.

Cover the sauced area with half the Jack cheese. Distribute half of the onions over the cheese. Distribute half of the sliced Carne Asada beef followed by half of the chiles.

Transfer the pizza to the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese in the center is bubbly, 9 to 10 minutes.

When cooked through, carefully remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro over the hot, cheesy surface. Slice and serve.

---California Pizza Kitchen serves this pizza with a green salsa...I'm not a huge fan, so I used my Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch dressing to dip it in....yum!!!

Recipe taken from: California Pizza Kitchen

2011-02-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

I have been a slacker with my food blog, so I have uploaded 4 new recipes, enjoy!!

Homemade Corn Tortillas

2011-02-13T20:04:00.000-08:00

Homemade corn and flour tortillas are THE BEST! Here is a quick tutorial on how to make the corn tortillas....my 4 yr old loves to help me make these!!

I apologize for the sideview of this picture, I was too lazy to turn it.

Start with some masa. You can find this in the Mexican/Ethnic isle. On the back of this bag, there is directions on how many to make and how much salt and water to add. It's really that easy.

Then you need a tortilla press. These are so fun. You can buy them at a mexican specialty store or online.
You roll the dough into small balls. Then you need to take a quart size ziplock bag, and cut up both sides so it opens up. You lay one side of the bag on the inside of the press, lay a ball of dough on top of it, then cover the top of the dough with the other side of the bag (so it doesn't stick to your press)

Press down and that's what makes your tortillas.

Then you can use a hot fajita skillet, a scookie skillet, or just a regular skillet and heat on med to med=high heat..Flip after about 15-30 seconds until both sides are light golden brown.

Then you throw them in a tortilla holder, I line the bottom with a paper towel and then keep one on top too. Cover and keep warm.

Have fun making these, it really is fun!

Carne Asada Tacos

2011-02-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

These tacos are sooo easy to make

-Grilled steak (2 options: Grill the steak with basic salt and pepper or use the Mccormic

Peppercorn and Garlic marinade), cut into bite size cubes.

-Chopped jalepenos (these are the small green peppers, not the long anaheim peppers, cut down the center and remove core with seeds and discard.)

-Limes, cut into quarters

-green onions, chopped

-Fresh cilantro, chopped

-Corn Tortillas (Homemade or bought) Click here for my quick recipe for homemade corn tortillas. Make sure if you make or buy them, to serve them warm.

We like it simple, but if you want you can use my homemade salsa recipe, and top it with fresh salsa.

You are going to love how easy and insanely yummy this recipe is.

In tortilla, layer steak, jalepeno, onions, cilantro and then squeeze fresh lime juice over it.

This recipe is sooo healthy and so fresh and yummy-Enjoy!

Chicken Alfredo and Spinach Pizza

2011-02-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

I LOVE watching Food Network, and one day I was watching at home with the Neely's, and they were making this pizza that looked insanely yummy. So I went to Food Network and grabbed the recipe, and then went shopping for the ingredients. When I looked at the nutritional value of heavy whipping cream, I about passed out. So, I took the ingredients of their version, and tweaked it a little to make it a little lighter. It was insanely yummy.

1 (3/4 pound) boneless skinless chicken breast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 (16-ounce) ball pizza dough, store-bought
2 cups baby spinach, well washed and dried (I used way more than 2 cups, I completely covered my pizza with spinach because it cooks down.)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 cup grated mozzarella

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put a pizza stone in the oven on the middle of the rack to preheat.

Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken on the grill pan and grill until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and dice. Set aside.

Flour your work surface and roll the pizza dough into a 13-inch diameter. Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven and put the dough on top. Drizze with a little extra virgin olive oil. Evenly top with the baby spinach, tomatoes, grilled chicken and the mozzarella. Brush the edge of the crust with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake the pizza until crisp and golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle a little bit of fresh parmesan on top. Slice and serve.

While pizza is cooking make the alfredo dipping sauce for the pizza (this is where I tweaked my recipe.) Originally you were suppose to cover the entire bottom of the pizza with this sauce. Instead we made this and put it in little cups to dip, we ended up having tons left over, which means we saved a lot of calories!!! Here is the directions for the alfredo:

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the flour and cook until light blonde in color. Whisk in the cream, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste. This alfredo sauce has a kicked, it was a great dipping sauce for the pizza!

Recipe taken from:Food Network, at home with the Neely's

Southwest Egg Rolls

2011-02-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

My cute friends Rosannne and Emily introduced me to this recipe, and my Family LOVED this recipe, it's just like the egg rolls from Chilli's. I drizzled these with a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and baked them, to make them really healthy. But my friends that have deep fried them in a little oil said they were insanely good! Try it both ways and see which way you like it!

My hubby did request that I make this at least once a month! Enjoy!

Also, the recipe didn't call for it, but I bought Large leaf spinach, washed and dried it really good. Then I took an eggroll wrap, layed a spinach leaf on it, and then put the filling in. It was a great way to sneak in some greens, and really yummy!

Ham Chowder

2011-01-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

The Relief Society called me last minute and asked me if I could take a meal into a family, thank goodness I already had this on the menu for the day, because this recipe serves a lot of people. I made my homemade rolls, from last weeks recipe, to go along with this soup...yum!

4 large potatoes
1/2 cup green onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 cups milk
2 cups diced cooked ham
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 cups water
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
1 15oz can whole kernal corn

Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Dice potatoes, add to the 2 cups of water and add all the seasonings and sauted onions. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Make a paste of the flour and 1/2 cup of water. Add to potatoes. Add milk, cook until slightly thick. Stir in undrained corn and ham. Heat through.

The Best Homemade Rolls Ever

2011-01-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

My husband was in HEAVEN all weekend because I made him one of his favorite meals, turkey sandwiches on homemade rolls with chips and clam dip.....I can't even tell you how excited he was when he came home to this meal. I just bought a turkey breast and roasted it the oven for a couple hours, and then made Chris's mom's yummy homemade rolls, they are to die for: here's the recipe:

-1/2 cup melted butter (I used salted)
-2 eggs
-2 packages of active dry yeast (or 2 Tbsp. of active dry yeast if it's in a jar)
-6 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
-1 tsp. salt
-2 cups warm water
-extra butter for dipping

I use my Kitchen Aid for this, it makes it so easy, but you can do it by hand mixer too. In a bowl add warm water, yeast and sugar, combine until all mixed. Add butter. Add eggs, flour, and salt, mix well. Stir in extra flour until it forms a soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 min's. Place in a bowl sprayed with non stick spray..let rise 45-60 min's. Punch down and roll out on floured surface. This is a guess, but I rolled it out probably 1/4" thick, you want it pretty thick. I used the biggest circle shaped cutter that I had (the size of a large glass)....cut out, dip one side into melted butter, place on greased sheet and fold top over. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 15 min's, and then continue to check every minute until light golden brown.

I wish I would have taken a picture, but we chowed these down too fast!
Enjoy, these are heavenly!!

Loaded Cream Cheese Quesadillas

2011-01-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

My kids love quesadillas, and I always wished they were just a little more filling so I could make them for a quick supper....so, I invented this recipe this week, and we LOVED these. They ended up being so filling that I couldn't even finish a whole one by myself. That's not like me!!!!

-2 chicken breasts (boiled and ran through chop mode on food processor) or you can use canned chicken
-1 8oz. cream cheese (fat free or 1/3 less fat) at room temp.
-1/2 cup of homemade Ranch (I use fat free mayo to make my ranch)....you can use store bought ranch but it's not as good.
-2 green onions, chopped
-cheddar cheese and montery jack, shredded and mixed together
-dash of salt
-dash of fresh ground pepper
-flour tortillas
-cooking spray

-Blend together cream cheese, ranch, salt, pepper. Mix in onions and shredded chicken, and stir well. On a tortilla spoon chicken spread to cover entire tortilla (don't spread it on thick, just coat a thin layer on tortilla)....top with the cheese, cover with another tortilla. Spray a hot griddle with cooking spray and cook until both sides are light brown and lightly crisp and cheese is gooey.

Enjoy!

Pasta Fagioli Soup

2011-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not much for jumping on the band wagon and dieting at the beginning of the new year, but I do love recipes that call for lots of yummy healthy ingredients. And, since my hubby is trying to eat better, I made this recipe this week. He doesn't usually like soups unless it's a HEARTY soup...and this soup has sooo much yummy goodness in it! Loaded with veggies! Enjoy on a cold night

1 lb. ground beef (I bought a lean beef to make it healthier)
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, cut
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 oz.) Great northern beans with liquid
1 (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 (64 oz.) V-8 juice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
Ditalini pasta

Brown ground beef; drain and add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Saute about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except the pasta and simmer for 1 hour. Fifty minutes into the simmer, boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and add to soup.

Recipe taken from: Neighbors-cooking with class cook book

Lion House Caramels

2010-12-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

This recipe is almost exact to my microwave caramels, the only difference is that this recipe takes a little more time and patience, but in the end is a little better than my microwave caramels because the consistency of the caramels are perfect. I take these caramels to all our Christmas parties, and everyone always asks for the recipe, this is for you uncle Dave. The recipe calls for 2 cubes of butter, but I have found that a little margarine makes caramels so much richer and yummier!

1 cube salted butter
1 cube margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Dash of salt (and since I use salted butter, I literally mean a dash, just a tiny tiny bit barely in the palm of your hand)...then throw it in.

Butter a 13x9 pan....I use at least 2 or 3 Tbsp to butter the pan really good, this will prevent any sticking. Combine butter, margarine, sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat STIRRING CONSTANTLY to firm ball stage 245 degrees. Mixture forms a ball when dropped into cold water and won't flatten when removed). This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, then cut into squares and wrap each piece in waxed paper.

Recipe taken from Lion House Cookbook

Melt away cookies

2010-11-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

I went to a Girls Night Out a couple of nights ago and my friend Janelle made these insanely cute and yummy cookies. I don't have a picture to post on my blog, she e-mailed me the recipe so I can make them.....let me just tell you that as soon as these cookies hit your tongue, they instantly melt....they are sooooo good. These would be a cute little cookie to put on a decorative plate during a holiday party for people to munch on...Enjoy!

Melt-away Cookies *

1 cup butter

3/4 cup corn starch

1/3 cup powdered sugar

*Beat then add:

1 cup flour

*Flour your hands and roll dough into balls slightly larger then marbles. Place onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Top cookies with frosting when cool.

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

*Beat together until smooth

Arroz con Pollo

2010-11-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

Arroz con Pollo......or chicken and rice to all you gringos. This is one of my favorite recipes, and it's soooo healthy. You will never want to order this at a Mexican resteraunt after tasting the homemade version!

1 chicken (Two options......I either buy a rotisserie chicken, or when Lee's put's their whole 3-4 Lb. chickens on sale. for 3.99 each, I pick a few up and freeze them. Either will work. But if you cook a whole chicken I season it with a little salt and pepper and garlic salt and cumin)

1 cup frozen peas

1 tsp. salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano, crushed

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 of an onion, chopped

1 cup uncooked long grain rice (non instant rice or brown rice.)

10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (this is a can with tomatoes and jalepenos)

2 Cups Chicken Broth

Shred chicken with fingers. Add peas, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, and onion. Mix.

Coat a non stick pan with non stick cooking spray, add the rice and saute until light golden brown. Add the Rotel tomatoes-undrained. Press into rice and let simmer 3-5 mins. (I added 1 couple Tbsp. of water so it didn't get too dry). Pour into 13x9 pan. Add the chicken and gently toss to mix. Pour 2 cups of chicken broth to cover the rice and chicken. Add more if necessary to complete cover the mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour on 350 degrees.

Note:When you pour the mixture into the pan, it won't look like a lot of food, but once that rice soaks up all the broth, it will fill the entire pan.

Serve with warm corn tortillas.....salt the arroz con pollo and corn tortillas well before eating....enjoy!

Scared Shrekless Popcorn

2010-10-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the premier of Scared Shrekless, and we are so excited to watch it. My 3 yr old and I whipped up some Shrek popcorn for the big event...we are going to have so much fun.

4 quarts popped corn (go through and pick out the unpopped kernals)
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
green food coloring (Use alot, because when you add the baking soda afterwards, it will lighten up the color...so go overboard!)

In heavy saucepan on medium heat melt butter then add sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Increase temperature to medium high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture boils, add in food coloring and stop stirring. Boil for 5 minutes (Do not stir). Mixture should be about 250-260 degrees. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda. Working quickly and while mixture is foamy, pour mixture over popped corn and gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 200° F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Recipe from: Skip to my Lou.org

Caramel Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

2010-10-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have 3 words for this recipe.....OH MY GOSH!!!
Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon, Ground

3/4 teaspoon Ginger, Ground

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

7 ounces (1/2 of 14-ounce package) caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in large bowl. Add butter; stir until mixture is well blended and forms coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 (about 2 1/4 cups) for the topping. Add pumpkin and vanilla to remaining mixture in bowl; stir until well blended. Press evenly into bottom of greased foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

2. Microwave caramels and milk in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after every minute. Let stand 1 minute. Pour over pumpkin mixture in pan, spreading to within 1/2-inch of edges. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan. Cut into bars.

Here are the changes I made: Since I use salted butter, I only put in 1/4 tsp. of salt. I used 3/4 package of caramels instead of 1/2 bag (you can never have to much caramel....since I used 3/4 bag of caramels I used more mile and I used 3 Tbsp. milk. Instead of using the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, I used 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice. Another tip I have is I never use imitation vanilla, I use PURE vanilla-you can find this in the mexican isle at the grocery store, it makes the biggest difference in your cooking.

Recipe taken from Mccormick Website

Donuts

2010-10-24T20:54:00.002-07:00

This weekend was our annual Halloween party, and I wanted to make something really fun for the kids. So, I got this recipe in my Better Homes and Garden Magazine a couple month ago and tried em' out! They were a hit!

Ingredients
3 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
Cinnamon-Sugar or sifted powdered sugar
Directions
1. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In another bowl combine milk and melted butter. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, and sugar; beat with electric mixer until thick (about 5 minutes). Add milk mixture; stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover dough; chill at least 2 hours (dough will remain slightly sticky).

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch round cutter. Use a 1-1/4-inch cutter to cut the hole for the doughnut. (You can also use a standard doughnut cutter.)

3. Fry 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time in deep hot fat (375 degrees F) for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until brown, turning halfway through cooking with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes. Makes about 15 doughnuts and doughnut holes

4. Shake warm doughnuts in a bag with Cinnamon-Sugar or powdered sugar. Serve warm (or reheat each doughnut 8 to 10 seconds in microwave on high).

Cinnamon-Sugar: Stir together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon.

Homemade Chicken Noodle

2010-10-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

There's nothing better on a cold fall night than a hot bowl of soup....I have tried a bunch of different recipes and I took the best parts of all the recipes I have tried, and I concocted this ...enjoy! I served a side of breadsticks with this soup, and you can also get the breadstick recipe here.

2 large chicken breasts

2 Chicken Bouillion cubes

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

1 onion

parsley

2 Bay leaves

2-3, 32 oz. containers chicken broth

1 Bag of Country Pasta (At Wal-mart I buy the Extra Wide Homestyle Amish noodles)

1 can 98% Fat Freed Cream of Chicken Soup

Salt and Fresh ground Pepper to Taste

-Fill a large pot with water, throw in 2 chicken bouillion cubes and add chicken. Cook until center is no longer pink. Cool. Run chicken through food processor on chop mode...it makes the perfect consistency for soup.

-Drain pot, and add 2, 32 oz.containers of chicken broth to pot. Add carrots, celery, onion, 2 bay leaves, and parsley (I don't measure my parsley, I just throw in enough to make it look pretty...it's atleast a Tbsp. or two...I use dried, but you can use fresh or dried). Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a little at a time and taste.

-Before the vegetables are completely tender, throw in the noodles to start cooking. Cook until noddles are tender. If the soup looks like it's getting dry, add a little bit of the 3rd container of Broth, I usually don't need to.... but, I don't like to add water, I like to keep the rich flavor of the chicken broth. Right before serving add a can of cream of chicken...it will thicken it a little and make it rich.

Remove bay leaves and serve.

Crispy Bean and Cheese Burrito

2010-10-18T15:07:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from my family circle magazine, and it was a really tasty dinner that my kids loved! And for those of you cutting back on meats...this was a meatless dinner.

Ingredients

1 bag (3-1/2 ounces) boil-in-bag brown rice (I just used brown rice from a box and cooked up enough to stuff 6 burritos....the instructions for 4 servings is plenty).
1 cup salsa
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 soft taco-size flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Prepare rice according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in salsa and cilantro; set aside. In a small bowl, gently stir together avocado pieces with lime juice; set aside.

Place tortillas on work surface and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese in center of each, from left to right. Top cheese with a heaping 1/4 cup black beans. Place a heaping 1/3 cup rice mixture over beans then divide avocado pieces among tortillas. Fold up like an envelope; repeat with remaining tortillas.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat top and bottom of burritos with nonstick cooking spray. Place 3 burritos in skillet, seam-side down; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Turn burritos over and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining burritos, reducing heat if they get too browned.

Recipe taken from:Family Circle Magazine

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

2010-10-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I have no picture, we devoured this for Chris's birthday cake last night. He hates cake, but LOVES this pie...it's not your traditional pumpkin pie...it's fluffy and.....beyond delic!

Crust: Use your favorite crust recipe, or even easier, buy a frozen pie crust at the store.

1 baked 9" pastry shell
1 1/2 c. mashed pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar, packed
dash of salt
2 eggs yolks
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 egg whites (We use the "just whites" dry egg whites that you buy in a can...so you don't have to use raw eggs, on the can it tells you how many Tbsp to water=2 egg whites).
8 oz. carton of light cool whip

Combine pumpkin, beaten egg yolks, sugar, spices and salt in top of double boiler. (NOTE: I don't have a double boiler, I just boil water in a saucepan and place a glass bowl on top of saucepan and make sure the glass b0wl isn't touching the boiling water...just steaming it.).....cook stirring often over hot water for 10 minutes. Soften gelatin in cold water, blend into hot mixture, stir until dissolved. Pour into bowl, and chill until it thickens and starts to set (this will take about 2 hours....stir it about 4 times during that 2 hour period). Beat egg whites until stiff, carefully fold into chilled mixture. Fold cool whip into mixture. Pour into pie crust. Chill several hours...serve with more whipped cream. Store leftovers in fridge.

Easy Breadsticks and Scones

2010-10-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share a couple more of my favorite ways to use Rhodes Rolls. This week I made homemade Chilli, you can get my chilli con carne recipe here. But I like to make breadsticks or scones with my chilli.

To make these breadsticks, defrost your Rhodes rolls, turn the rolls over half way through defrosting so they get evenly defrosted. Make sure you pay close attention to the defrosting, you want them to still be pretty cold, but pliable, anything more than that they get a weird consitency.

Roll the rolls into little long snakes. I used a 13x9 pan, and did 2 rows of 6.
Preheat the oven to 350 and cook for 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Remove from oven. Using a pastry brush, brush butter over the tops of the breadsticks and sprinkle with parmesan, or your other favorite topping (garlic salt, oregano...anything!)

For the scones, I heat my deep fryer. I flatten my Rhodes Rolls so they look like a mini pizza. Once the oil is hot enough I drop a couple in, I turn them over every 30 seconds to make sure they don't overcook. Remove from oil once golden brown on both sides and serve with butter and honey..yum!

Caramel Apple Empanadas

2010-10-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

I think I may add an "Ode to Rhodes" seciton in my cooking blog, because I use Rhodes Rolls ALL the time for so many things. I have already put the mini pizza, the cinnamon pull aparts, and sticky bun recipes on this blog, which all use Rhodes Rolls. I will post a few more Rhodes recipes in the near future. I ALWAYS have a bag of Rhodes in my freezer, it's a staple at my house! Here's another good one....

Servings: 12
Skills: Intermediate
Prep Time: 15 min (not including thaw time)
Bake Time: 15 min
Ingredients

12 Rhodes™ Dinner rolls, thawed to room temperature (I use the defrost option on the
microwave, and watch the closely so they are barely thawed, otherwise it starts
to cook them and they are ruined)
10 caramels, cut into 6 pieces each
1/3 cup flour
2 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
melted butter
cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar

Instructions

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Flatten each roll into a 4-5 inch circle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest while preparing filling. In a medium bowl, combine caramels, flour, apples, pecans, ice cream topping and lemon juice. Remove wrap from dough and place 1-2 tablespoons of filling on each dough circle. Brush edges of dough with milk and fold in half. Seal edges with a fork. Place on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 350°F 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar.

Recipe taken from Rhodes website

Single Serving Peach Crisp

2010-09-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

Last month in my Better Homes and Garden magazine, there was an article that had 50 ways to use peaches. The reipes were simple and quick. I tried one tonight, and it was so yummy!!!

-Remove skin from peaches

-Cut peach in half and remove core

-Mix some instant oatmeal, butter and brown sugar and sprinkle on each slice of peach

-I added some cinnamon to the top

-Bake at 375 until brown and bubbly

-If you want you can add some topping, like whip cream, ice cream, or vanilla frozen yogurt

Cheesy Chicken noodle skillet

2010-09-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

I just love comfort foods, and Mac N'Cheese is just one of those foods. I like to try homemade mac n cheese recipes, and I think a lot of them bomb because they can just end up tasting too weird. I really liked this one, it's super quick and easy for those nights you need a quick fix, and bonus...there is a green veggie in it!

What You Need:

3 cups Egg noodles, uncooked

1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups Frozen chopped broccoli

1/2 cup Fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

1/4 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

BRING large saucepan of water to boil on high heat. Add noodles and chicken. Cook 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through and noodles are tender, adding broccoli to saucepan after 6 min. Drain noodle mixture; return to saucepan.

ADD broth, cream cheese and mayo. Heat just to simmer on medium-low heat. Simmer 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. (Note: I would have the cream cheese at room temp, that way you don't have to keep stirring the cream cheese into the noodles, eventually the noodles get a little starchy and start sticking together, so this will help to avoid that!)

ADD shredded cheese; stir 1 min. or until melted. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Wheat banana bread with Streusel-Nut Topping

2010-08-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so last week you may remember that I posted a banana bread recipe, and I mentioned that next time I wanted to try it with a crunch topping? Weirdly enough a few days later I was looking through my BHG magazine and there was a recipe for banana bread with a streusel topping...it was a must try....and it was a definately yummy recipe. I have been wanting to try banana bread with wheat flour and it turned out really good with this recipe, enjoy!!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups mashed banana (4-5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine (I used 1/4 a cup of butter which is a 1/2 cube butter and 1/4 cup applesauce instead)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts ( I ommited the walnuts in the bread and left it for the topping)
1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter.

3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

4. Makes 1 loaf

5. Streusel-Nut Topping: In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

Chicken Tacos

2010-08-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

Forget going out to a a fancy Mexican resteraunt, these are killer and really easy. If you are intimidated to make Mexican food, don't be, this is a great one to try! Funny little story to go along with this recipe. Every time Chris's aunt comes to town, she begs Chris's mom to make these, and because she only gets a chance to eat these when she comes to town, she consumes like 12 of these babies, they are that good!!

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. oil, vegetable or canola

3 1/2-4 cups shredded chicken (I just boil 4 chicken breasts, and then run them through my food processor, so easy!(

12-15 corn tortillas (I just buy a big bag of corn tortillas-I will tell you what to do with them below)

Pinch of pepper

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 onion, chopped

2 (10 oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes (I drain one of the cans, and not the other)

grated cheese

shredded lettuce

Sour Cream

If you want, homemade guacamole, click here for recipe.

Mash garlic with salt to make a paste. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic paste. Cook unitl onion is tender. Add tomatoes, pepper and cumin. Stir in chicken. Cook uncovered, sitrring occasionally until liquid is obsorbed into meat. Taste and add more salt and cumin if needed.

For corn shells, get a skillet (or I use fajita skillet), and place a corn tortilla on it, cook 20 seconds on each side...this will make the corn shells sorft. Once cooked place in between 2 paper towels to keep warm and soft. Enjoy!!!

Cinnamon Banana Bread

2010-08-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

I apologize if you want something besides bread recipes, but I have been on a bread kick lately. I don't know if it's because Fall is quickly approaching, and the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg cooking in my kitchen gets me real giddy for the fall. I don't know, either way, here's another recipe for ya!

By the way, this recipe called for 2 cubes of butter, yes, 2 cubes. But, I couldn't bring myself to cook with that much fat. So I used 1 cube of butter and 1/2 a cup of applesauce, and this cake was soooo moist! You are going to love it!

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup of butter (1 cube)

1/2 cup of applesauce (next time I am going to by the cinnamon applesauce to give it even more spice.)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I didn't add this, but it would be yum!)

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour (next time I am going to try half of it using whole wheat flour)

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream sugars and butter. Add bananas and egg, mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes, or when toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Cool in pan.

PS-when I dumped my batter into the pans, it looked like it wasn't going to be enough batter, don't worry, it bakes fine, it's not a HUGE fluffy bread, but it will rise a little.

EXTRA options:

-Next time I bake this, I am going to try combining some cinnamon, sugar and br. sugar and lightly sprinkling it on top of the bread, and then baking it, to kind of give it a coffee cake crunch

frosting the bread with a cream cheese drizze.......either sounds like heaven

ENJOY!!

Zuchinni Chocolate Chip Bread

2010-08-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

I LOVE trying new bread recipes. My neighbors brought me some huge Zuchinni's from their garden the other night, and the only thing I like to do with Zuchinni is make bread!! I grate it up and freeze them in ziplock's and then I can get quite a few batches of bread throughout the year. This recipe is so yummy because it has orange zest in it, and gives it an awesome flavor!!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest

Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Note: I didn't mix the pecans in with the bread, I did a nutless loaf for my kids and then I just sprinkled some pecans on top of the adult loaf.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool.

Recipe taken from Food Network-Paula Deen

CranApple Crunch Muffins

2010-08-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

I made these for breakfast this morning, and the kids loved them. I served it with Cran-Raspberry Juice, and it's a perfect combination.

CranApple Crunch Muffins

Ingredients
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

TOPPING
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons Martha White® All-Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons old fashioned or quick-cooking oats

MUFFINS
1 (7 oz.) package Martha White® Whole Grain Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk

Preparation Directions
1. HEAT oven to 425°F. Lightly spray 6 medium muffin cups with no-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. Combine topping ingredients in small bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
2. COMBINE muffin mix, cranberries and walnuts in medium bowl. Add milk; stir just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool slightly. Serve warm or cool.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serving size: 6 muffins

Recipe taken from Martha White muffin mix

Roast with Creamy Ranch Gravy and New Potatoes

2010-08-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner last night, and I Loved how different this recipe is. The cream cheese and ranch make the potoes and gravy soooo yummy! Enjoy!

1 2-1/2- to 3-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
Nonstick cooking spray
1 pound new red-skinned potatoes, halved
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed and softened (I used a lighter cream cheese)
1 0.4-ounce envelope ranch dry salad dressing mix
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Directions
1. Trim fat from meat. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat skillet over medium heat. In hot skillet brown roast on all sides. Remove from heat.

2. Place potatoes in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Place meat over potatoes. In a medium bowl whisk together soup, cream cheese, and salad dressing mix. Spoon over meat and potatoes in cooker.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5 hours. Serve with freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Alternative Recipe:
Creamy Ranch Potatoes: Prepare as above, except omit pork roast, use 2-1/2 pounds potatoes, and substitute one 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream for cream cheese. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Stir before serving. Makes about 6 (1 cup) servings

Recipe taken from Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

No Fail Bread/Cinnamon Chip Bread/Cinnamon Rolls

2010-07-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night we taught the girls how to make this for our YW's activity. This recipe was given to me by my friend Sharisse. This recipe can make 3 different recipes, and I will include all of them. If you are local and like Great Harvest bread, you have to try this recipe, it's a lot like theirs.

1st Recipe (The no Fail French Bread)

2 1/2 cups WARM water

2 Tbsp. yeast

3 Tbsp. sugar (add a little more for cinnamon rolls)

1 Tbsp. salt

1/3 cup oil

6 cups flour (if you want you can divide this into 5 cups white+1 cup wheat)

Add ingredients in order and mix well. Let stand for 10 min's and mix again. Do this 5 times. Form dough into 2 big loaves, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon chip bread, or 4 small circle loaves (and these are still pretty big). We took these around to our bishopric members, and they make cute gifts!!!

****When I make this bread at home, I am going to frost it with Cream Cheese frosting, yum!

****To make this into the cinnamon chip bread, just add 1/2 a bag of cinnamon chips with the last mixing. You can find cinnamon chips at the grocery store next to chocolate chips, or you can go to Kitchen Kneads or any specialty store and buy them.

****For the cinnamon rolls (after you follow the above items, except for adding the cinnamon chips)....

-Roll into rectangle

-Melt some butter and pour on top of dough

-ADD LOTS of cinnamon and sugar

-Add Dark Brown Sugar

-roll up lenthwise

-cut into cinnamon rolls

-let rise 20-30 min's

Bake 12-15 mins', and then frost with your favorite frosting recipe.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

2010-07-23T14:57:00.001-07:00

I am on a baking kick lately, maybe it's because we don't have a yard to play in this summer, we are stuck inside, and I can't let my kids watch TV hour after hour, so we have been baking a lot. I LOVE oatmeal cookies, but I hate raisins in cookies, so I found this recipe on the back of a Hershey's chips bag, and I LOVE this recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients:1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips
3/4 cup raisins (optional, and I totally opted out!!)

Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins (batter will be stiff). Drop by heaping teaspoons unto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes on until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 4 dozen.

BAR VARIATION: Spread batter into lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into bars. About 3 dozen bars.

Recipe taken from Hershey's

Lemon Lime Bars

2010-07-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made a batch of these. This is a good summer recipe. We had grilled salmon at Chris's parents and I wanted to make something that would go good with it. This is a keeper recipe for sure. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lime peel. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or just until edges are lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Combine the flour and baking powder. Gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in lemon juice and peel; beat until frothy. Pour over hot crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe taken from: Taste of Home

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

2010-07-17T16:26:00.001-07:00

2 new posts below!

I wish I would have taken a picture of this meal, because KRAFT food and family didn't have a printable picture, it's such a pretty meal when it's all cooked!!!

4 small Boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, divided
1 Tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil

HEAT grill to medium heat.

COVER half the grill with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag. Add 2 Tbsp. dressing; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. Remove chicken from bag; discard bag and dressing.

PLACE chicken on uncovered side of grill; cover with lid. Grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine remaining dressing, tomatoes, cheese and basil.

TURN chicken over; place on foil. Top with tomato mixture. Grill, covered
grill 8 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF)

Note: I used my George Foreman to cook this mean, let's be honest...my hubby is the one who runs the grill and he wasn't home from work yet. It still turned out yummy, but this would be KILLER on the grill. If you are looking to make something fancy for a cookout with friends or family, this one looks super impresive but is rediculously easy. ENJOY!

Recipe taken from KRAFT Food and Family Magazine

Chicken Bow-Tie Pasta Salad

2010-07-17T16:20:00.001-07:00

This was such a yummy recipe for summer time! My husband usually hates pasta, but he loved this recipe, this one's a keeper!

2 cups Farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Grilled Chicken Breast Strips (find this in the frozen section or you can grill your own chicken and slice it up.

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato, cut into chunks

1/2 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing

1/2 cup KRAFT Natural 2% Milk Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese Crumbles

1/4 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It
COOK pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 2 min. of the pasta cooking time; drain.

TOSS chicken, tomatoes, dressing, cheese crumbles and olives in large bowl. Add pasta mixture; mix lightly.

SPRINKLE with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe taken from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

Grilled Chicken Wraps

2010-07-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

This is a new recipe I tried, and my family loved it! It's a great summer recipe!
Prep: 25 minutes Total: 34 minutes

1 Lb. Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 tsp. oil
1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese (But, I used my favorite cheese for this. If you are local, I went to Gossners and picked up a bag of their nacho cheese. It has a kick!)
1 tomato, chopped
3 Tbsp. Zesty Italian Dressing
2 tsp. chili powder
4 flour tortillas (8 inch)

PREHEAT grill to medium heat. Brush chicken with oil. Grill 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove from grill, let stand 5 minutes before cutting into strips. Place in medium bowl.

NOTE: I used an indoor grill, you could also use a george foreman, if you didn't want to grill outside.

ADD cheese, tomatoes, dressing and chilli powder, mix lightly. Spoon evenly down centers of tortillas. Fold like a burrito.

GRILL wraps, seem side down, until grill marks are charred on tortilla on both sides.

Recipe taken from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

Homemade oreo cookies

2010-06-27T15:55:00.001-07:00

For Father's Day I wanted to make something extra special, these are it! If you have never made homemade Oreo's before, this recipe is a must, beware, if you have a hard time with self control.... DO NOT MAKE THESE!! LOL!!

Cookie:
2 boxes Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 squares margarine
4 eggs

Stir above ingredients together. Roll into 1" balls and bake 350 for 10-12 minutes, long enough that the center is baked. After they cool, spread frosting on top of one of the cookies and top it off with another cookie.

Recipe for Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
splash of vanilla (about a tsp.)
one stick of butter-melted
powdered sugar, about 3/4 a bag

Enjoy!
These are better a day later, when they have time to sit and get super soft....yum!

Strawberry Shortcake waffles

2010-04-04T20:34:00.001-07:00

These are the killer waffles that we ate on Easter morning....it put's Bisquick to shame!!!

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups Gold Medal Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. shortening

Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs; beat in remaining ingredients with beater until smooth.

Pour batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown.

For the strawberry shortcake, we just cut up strawberries and pour sugar over the top and let them sit all night in a tupperware bowl. Then stir really well the next morning, top off the waffles with the strawberries and light cool whip. Enjoy!

Southwest Sandwiches

2010-03-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

My husband claims that "This is the best sandwich EVER." These sandwiches definately have a KICK, but you can mellow them out for the kiddos. This recipe is great for leftover Roast. Don't worry if you cook your Roast with Lipton Onion soup, it will still work, in fact it's heavenly with the seasoning. So, buy a huge roast enjoy it while it's hot, stick it in the fridge and enjoy the leftovers the next day. Note: you actually want a leftover roast, or a roast that has been cooled in the fridge and is easy to slice.

Sourdough bread
Roast Beef
Whole Green Chillies (these are the large, long green chillies) about 1 chilli per sandwich.
Montery Jack Cheese

First take whole chillies and put them under a broiler. Check them every 2-3 minutes. Once they start getting dark and blistering, you will want to turn them and let all the sides of the chillies blister. (Note: Chris's family always grows chillies and jalepenos in a garden, and they always grow in a huge ABUNDANCE. You can put these in a ziplock bag and freeze them and use them all winter...they are great!!!)

Once your chillies are blistered, put them in a ziplock bag and let them sweat and cool down. Then (and you may want to use gloves), peel the skin off and then slice down the center of the chilli and open it up.

To assemble: butter 2 pieces of sourdough bread, then layer on thin slices of roast beef, then the chillies, then salt them pretty well, then add the cheese. (Note: We use I can't believe it's not butter spray, it's a pretty healthy sandwich!)

Here's what it will look like assembled (and yes we leave the seeds in, they are yummy, but if your a wuss, you can remove the seeds!!!)

Toast the sandwich on a skillet until both sides are brown and cheese is starting to melt.

**For the kids version, omit the chilli. Montery Jack isn't too hot, Isabella loves this sandwich!!! Enjoy!

Pretzel Salad

2010-03-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite salads. Let's be honest, it really should be catogorized as a dessert. It's to die for, it hits the spot when you are having a salty/sweet craving. Enjoy!

crust:

2 cups crushed pretzels

2 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

-mix together and press into 9x13 pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Completely cool.

Mix together:

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 15oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Fold in 8 oz. container of Cool Whip and put on top of crust.

Pour over crust

Dissolve 2 small pkg. raspberry jello into 2 cups boiling water. Add 2 10 oz. pkgs. frozen raspberries and let set until syrupy. Pour GENTLY (and I mean gently, so it doesn't mix with cream cheese mixture) over cream cheese mixture. Set in refrigerator.

NOTE: pretzel sticks are easier to crush

Cafe Rio's Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

2010-02-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

This ranch dressing tastes exactly the same as Cafe Rio's, I LOVE it!

1 Hidden Valley Ranch buttermilk ranch dressing mix (prepare as per package)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalepeno (with seeds if you want it spicy)
Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Add ranch that you prepared and blend 15 more seconds.

Enjoy!

Gooey Turtle Bars

2010-01-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

What is it about this cold crappy weather that makes you want to stay inside and eat an entire pan of something covered in chocolate, is it just me?? Well, if you like chocolate (and caramel) here's a recipe for you!!

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs ( I did a little more than 1 1/2 cups I was closer to 1 3/4 maybe even 2-I really like my graham crust thick!!!)

2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate morsels (I used the mini chocolate chips, they are just so cute!)

1 cup pecans (I bought the pecans that are already cut up really small)

1-12 oz. jar caramel topping (I prefer Mrs. Richardson brand, either butterscotch caramel or just plain caramel-it's really rich!) They come in 16 oz. bottles, and for those of you that know me, know that I think if 12 oz. of caramel is good, 16 oz. has got to be better, so I used ALMOST an entire jar.

COMBINE butter and wafer crumbs together and press firmly into a 13x9 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate morsels and pecans.

REMOVE lid from caramel topping, microwave at high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave another 30 seconds. Drizzle over pecans.

BAKE 350 for 12-15 minutes or until morsels are almost completely melted ( I like the look of the mini chocolate chips, so I let mine semi melt)

COOL in pan. Chill at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

Citrus Sugar Cookie Frosting

2009-12-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is for you Jeannie!

My dad makes the best sugar cookies with the best citrus frosting, here is the recipe for the frosting (It really is this easy).

1/2 cube butter
water
powdered sugar
Concentrated Orange Juice (not OJ already mixed up)

Melt the butter, pour in powdered sugar and mix. Add water if necessary to make it the right consitency. Add 3 Tbsp (or more) of concentrated orange juice-right out of the can. Add more if you want to make it stronger. Enjoy!

Simmering Holiday Potpourri

2009-12-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

I had some friends requesting this recipe, it honestly makes your home smell like the holidays, it's one of my favorites!!!

1 orange
1 lemon
1/2 cup (more if you'd like) cranberries
8 (1/2) cinnamon sticks
Bay leaves

Cut lemons and oranges into quarters, Combine all ingredients in a pan with 6-8 cups water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for as long as desired. Add more water as needed. Cover leftovers and refrigerate. Can be used for days...just return to stove top and heat. Enjoy!

WhiteBean Chicken Chilli

2009-12-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

I can't take any credit for this one, my friend had me and the girls over for a playdate a few weeks ago and she made this for lunch....it's heavenly, I just had to share!!

2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp oil
2 cans white beans
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 cup dry elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

1. In large pot, saute chicken, onion and garlic in oil, until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Add all other ingredients, except sour cream and whipping cream.
3. Bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and whipping cream. (It's important to stir in sour cream first to keep the whipping cream from curdling.) Enjoy!

PISTACHIO MARSHMALLOW SALD

2009-11-15T20:32:00.000-08:00

This is another holiday classic at our house, I LOVE it!

2 boxes of Jello Pistachio mix
2 large cans of crushed pineapple
1 large tub of whip crème

Mix pistachio mix with pineapple (do not drain pineapple – the juice mixes with the dry pistachio mix). Spoon in marshmallows and mix together with pistachio/pineapple mixture. Add whip crème and mix together.

Marshmallow Fruit Salad

2009-11-15T20:29:00.000-08:00

I am getting so giddy that the holidays are getting close. This is one of my favorite salads my mom would make for special occasions. I will be making this one for Thanksgiving this year. Yum!

2 large cans of Pineapple Tidbits (or Chunk, but you have to cut the chunks in half)
2 large cans of Mandarin oranges
Small bag of mini marshmallows
Small bag of coconut
1 pint of sour cream

Drain pineapple and mandarin oranges. Put fruit in a large bowl and add mini marshmallows and coconut to your desire. Add sour cream by the tablespoon (start out with 2 tablespoons) and mix together. Add more sour cream, marshmallows and coconut as desired. Enjoy!

Warm Lemon Chicken Sandwich

2009-10-24T17:31:00.001-07:00

2 Lemons
2 Tbsp. FRESH thyme leaves
pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (Find this in the specialty cheese section of grocery store.)
1 Large Avacado
4 Kaiser Rolls, cut in half

In a shallow bowl, combine the juice of 1 1/2 lemons, thyme, pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat, let marinade for couple of hours in fridge.

Preheat a non-stick skillet over med-high heat (I used an indoor grill pan-either will work). Add a couple of Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to pan, cook for 5-6minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil.

In the meantime while chicken is cooling in foil. Mix garlic, 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Spoon onto the top half of Kaiser Roll. Bake at 400 until cheese is melted and Roll gets brown around edges.

Thinly slice chicken and layer on roll, add sliced avacado, sprinkle a little salt, and enjoy!

3 New Recipes Below

2009-10-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

I have been a slacker with my Kitchen blog. I have actually tried a few new fall recipes, but I didn't think they were blog worthy. So I have posted 3 new blog worthy recipes below. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Squares

2009-10-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

I made these for dessert tonight, and these are sooo yummy! The recipe called for 1/4 cup of cream cheese, and I thought if 1/4 cup is good, an entire package of cream cheese has got to be better....I was right! This is a super moist cake. I want to try to make it again but add chocolate chips and cook it in mini loaf pans, if it works I will add the recipe to my blog!

1 cup sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream cheese frosting:
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 pkg. cream cheese (I used the Neufchatel 1/3 less fat and it was great)
2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla or vanilla extract (I use pure vanilla and I think it makes everything taste better).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square pan.
To prepare cake, put sugar and eggs in bowl and beat on med. speed for 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin and oil. At low speed add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt-beat 1 minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. (Note: Use a toothpick to check the center, I had to cook my cake a couple minutes extra to get the center completely cooked.)

Prepare frosting and frost once cake is completely cooled.

Bisquick Coffee Cake

2009-10-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

If you have never had this before, this is a must try. Although the name sounds like coffee is included as an ingredient, it's not. This is one of Chris's favorite breakfasts recipes. He woke up this morning and was craving this, so he made a big pan, it was so yummy-especially when it comes right out of the oven. This would be a great recipe if you have company staying at your house-or for the holidays. You can double the batch and put it in a 13x9 pan and it will feed a lot of people. Enjoy!

2 cups Bisquick (don't use non name brand pancake and waffle mixes...it doesn't work....stick with Bisquick, we have learned this the hard way!)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 egg

Topping:
1/3 cup Bisquick
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. firm butter

Mix topping and set aside. Mix other ingredients and pour into greased 9" round cake pan (we use an 8"square or double the recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan-either works). Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Insert toothpick to make sure the center is cooked.

Makes 10 servings.

Sausage Soup

2009-10-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

At YW Girls camp this year we made these really cute recipe books and then we did a recipe exchange. Being the total nerd that I am, I wrote down all the ingredients for this recipe and no insructions. I went to make it on Friday and turned the card over to discover no directions, so I just kind of went for it, and it turned out yummy.

4 slices of bacon (I bought the thick bacon from the meat dept. it makes the biggest difference)
1 Lb. Italian sausage
1 Lg. onion, chopped
1 Lg. Potato, baked
1 cup water
2 cartons half and half (I think each one is 1 Pint?) They are just the small size ones.
2 cans cream corn
1 4oz. can green chillies
2 oz. pimentos (You can find these in the pickle section)

Cook bacon, drain and set aside.
Bake Potato and set aside.

In large pan cook the sausage with the onions. I added a little salt and pepper. Drain fat.
Add water and half and half to the sausage. Add creamed corn (don't drain), green chillies, and pimentos. Bring to a low boil and immediately reduce to low/med and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stir frequently.
While the soup is simmering, cut baked potato into large cubes and break the bacon into bits.
The last 10 minutes add potatoes and bacon. I added a little more salt and pepper.

Aloha Cake

2009-09-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

I am such a slacker! Last month after Eva's blessing, we had a little picnic with family and friends at the park. My mother in law brought Aloha cake and everyone was asking for the recipe. It's just taken me a month to post it to the blog, sorry! But here it is, enjoy!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix

Filling:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 Large (6 oz.)pkg. vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk

Topping:
1 20 oz. can CRUSHED pineapple, drained very well
1 12 oz. carton Cool Whip
2 to 3 cups shredded coconut

Make cake mix as directed on package and bake in sheet cake pan (11x17) or 2 9x13 pans. bake only about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool. Beat softened cream cheese. Mix instant pudding and milk, add to cream cheese. Mix until smooth and pour over cooled cake. Sprinkle crushed pineapple (that has been thoroughly drained) over pudding mixture. Spread Cool Whip over cake. Spinkle coconut over Cool Whip. Refrigerate.

LOWER CALORIE VERSION:
Use low fat (non fat) cream cheese, lite Cool Whip and sugar free pudding-I promise it's just as good!!!

Fresh Peaches N' Cream Pie

2009-08-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

I LOOOOOOVE this recipe! Years ago Chris's grandma wanted to find a way to make peaches n cream into a pie.......and she came up with this.......it's was a definate success when she came up with this. I love this recipe because it's not a pie crust, it's a cheesecake crust. Anytime we make this, I always want to eat the leftovers for breakfast. It's killer! Since the local peaches are starting to go on sale at the fresh market stands, I thought I better share this recipe.

1 baked graham cracker pie shell
6 fresh fully ripe peaches, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. Fruit Fresh
1 cup whipping cream (not Cool Whip)
1/4 cup sugar

Toss together peaches, sugar and Fruit Fresh, cover and refrigerate several hours. At least 2 hours before serving pie, drain peaches very well. Beat whipping cream until stiff, add cinnamon and sugar. Stir in drained peaches. Pour into pie shell. Chill before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Cold Pasta and Shrimp Salad

2009-07-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here is another great COLD SUMMER RECIPE!
This is a recipe that we love to eat in the summer time with Chris's family. This recipe was made famous by Chris's Grandma B. It's cold and I think it's the only salad that actually leaves me feeling full. We serve this salad with hot rolls and homemade jam and slices of cheddar cheese. It's great if your on a diet and want something that will fill you up! Enjoy!

4 cups cooked shell macaroni (cooled completely)
1 cup finely chopped celery
Ranch dressing mix made up according to pkg. directions
1 Lb. marinated shrimp, drained (recipe below)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion

Mix pasta, shrimp and vegetables. Add enough ranch dressing to make it very moist. You can use bottled ranch but I promise it's not nearly as good as freshly homemade ranch. When you dish it up, we drizzle extra ranch dressing on the top of the salad....sooooo yummy!

MARINATED SHRIMP RECIPE:
1 Lb. salad shrimp (these are the really tiny ones)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1-1 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2 Tbsp. olive or canola oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh and chopped OR dried dill weed

While you are preparing all the other ingredients. Fill a bowl with hot water and let the shrimp soak in it for a few minutes. drain the water. Do this 2 or 3 times, and the last time soak them in cold water. This will take away the strong fishy taste, leaving a nice tender, not so strong flavor of shrimp for the salad. All shrimp should be nicely pink. Place shrimp in large shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, dill, vinegar, and lemon pepper until blended. Pour over shrimp, tossing until coated. Cover and chill at least one hour to overnigh, stirring occasionally. Drain before serving. Can be used as an appetizer, main dish, salad, etc.

When we make this we double or triple the recipe that way you can eat it for lunch the next day, and you have a healthy lunch.

Cape Cod Turkey Pita's

2009-07-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

We went on a picnic and I wanted something quick and easy....and something cold. There's nothing worse than going on a picnic in the middle of summer and eating hot greasy food. This took about 10 min's to whip up, and they are so yummy, pefect for summer!

1 slice deli smoked turkey,cut 3/4" thick(about 1 lb.)
1/2 c lt. ranch dressing (I personally like the homemade ranch, it's tastes so much better!)
1/3 c sliced,blanched almonds
1/3 c Craisins,coarse chopped
2 scallions,chopped
8 small pitabreads (about 1 oz. ea) -I used wheat pita's to make them a little healthier!

Directions
Cut turkey in 1/4" cubes.
In a large bowl,mix together the turkey,dressing,almonds,Craisins and scallions. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To serve,cut open each pita about 1" from the top. Spoon a scant 1/2 c of turkey mixture into each.

Tip: To make opening the pita's easier, cut them in half, put in microwave for 15-20 seconds, and they will split right open, making them easier to stuff!

Enjoy!

Recipe found in Family Circle magazine

Banana Bread

2009-07-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

I have been downing Banana bread everyday like it's going out of style. My mother in law keeps whipping up batches of banana bread and sending a loaf home with me every week. This last week she didn't cook a batch so I thought I would try my Better Homes and Garden "light" recipe for banana bread.....ummmm...lesson learned, some things should not be messed with. So here is my mother in laws recipe for her banana bread......so good!!!

5 large bananas (2 1/2 cups)
4 well beaten eggs
1 cup shortening
4 cups flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat bananas to a liquid in blender or food processor. Add eggs. Cream together shortening and sugar and add banana mixture. Sift together flour, soda, and salt and pour into banana mixture. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until done.
Makes 2 loaves.

I have found that in my oven 250 degrees doesn't cut it, I do it at 350 for 6o minutes, and then check it with a toothpick, if I need to bake an additional 5-10 min's and check again.

Andes Mint Brownies

2009-06-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

I just whipped up a batch of these, quick and easy, and YUMMY!

Ingedients:
1 package (19.8 to 23.7 oz.) brownie mix
2 packages (4.67 oz. each) Andes Crème de Menthe Thins or 2 cups Andes Baking Chips

Directions:
Grease bottom only of 13x9 inch baking pan. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Spread into pan.

Bake as directed. Immediately place Andes Candies on surface of hot brownies. Allow to stand 2 to 3 minutes or until candies are melted.

Using knife or metal spatula, gently swirl together melted candies to cover the entire surface of brownies. Cool 2 hours or until slightly set. Cut into bars.

Honey Lime Fruit Toss

2009-06-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

This is a great summer recipe!

Combine:
Pineapple chunks (drain chunks, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice)
Mandarin Oranges, drained
Sliced bananas
Sliced Strawberries
Sliced Kiwi

Prepare Honey Lime Dressing:
Stir reserved juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. honey

Toss and serve

Recipe by DOLE

Chicken Caesar Roll-ups

2009-05-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe last night, and this is going to be one of my fav's to make during the summer when it's too hot to cook a big meal. It was super fast and easy and the fam loved it!

Makes 8 servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Refrigerate Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Powder, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Italian Seasoning, divided
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground, divided
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon milk
8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce

(Note: I used light mayo, fat free sour cream, and wheat tortillas-and the recipe was still great!)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix oil, 1 teaspoon each of the garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in small bowl. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat. Refrigerate 15 minutes or longer for extra flavor.

2. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, milk, remaining 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

3. Grill over medium heat or broil 6 to 7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Cut chicken into strips. Spread dressing evenly on tortillas. Top with lettuce and sliced chicken. Fold tortilla over and serve.

Tips
Test Kitchen Tip: Use leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken, cut into thin strips, in place of the marinated chicken.

Recipe taken from McCormick Recipes

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna Bundles

2009-05-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

You can use leftover chicken or buy a Rotisserie Chicken to save time on this recipe!

12 uncooked lasagna noodles (12 ounces)
2 cans (10 ounces each) Old El Paso® enchilada sauce
1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts and sprinkled a little salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper and a little paprika on them, and baked them on 350 for 30-40 min's and then shredded).
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers (4 ounces) (Note: I couldn't find Mot. Jack cheese with jalepeno, I just used Colby and Montery Jack cheese and it was still yummy).
8 medium green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Additional sour cream, if desired
Shredded lettuce, if desired

Total Time: 30 min
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
2. Mix enchilada sauce, chiles and tomato. Set aside.
3. Mix chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, onions and 1 cup sour cream.
4. Spread about 1/2 cup sauce mixture in baking dish. Then Spread about 2 teaspoons sauce mixture over each noodle; spread evenly with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up each noodle; place seam side down on sauce in dish. Spoon about 1 cup sauce over rolls. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
5. Cover and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until hot in center. Heat remaining sauce in 1 1/2-quart saucepan; spoon over rolls. Top with additional sour cream and lettuce.

Recipe taken from Betty Crocker

Cinnamon Pull Apart Rolls

2009-05-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is a fun recipe my mom would make growing up, I had never made them for my family, so I thought I would whip up a batch this weekend. So easy!!!!

What you need:
18 Rhodes Dinner Rolls
1/2 cube butter
cinnamon and sugar

Frosting:
You can use your favorite frosting recipe, here is the ingredients for the one I use with these rolls.

Powdered sugar
1/2 cube butter
water
1 cap full of Maple flavoring (tastes like caramel).

To make:
Spray a muffin tin with non stick spray.

Defrost your rolls in the microwave just enough that you can take a pizza cutter and cut each roll into 2 pieces. If you over defrost, they will have a weird texture.

Melt your butter, set aside. Mix together cinnamon and sugar (I don't measure, just throw it together)

Dip one side of the roll into butter and then cinnamon and sugar and place in muffin tin. You will put 3 (1/2 rolls) into each muffin tin, making a total of 12 pull aparts.

Cover and let rise 3-5 hours (depending on how warm your house is).
Bake 15-20 minutes.
Immediately take out of oven and place on a cookie sheet. Immediately Frost

Instructions for Frosting:
The frosting needs to be really thin, because you are going to put it on as soon as the rolls come out of the oven. Melt 1/2 cube butter, mix in some powdered sugar, a little water, and mapleine. Keep adding powdered sugar and water until the consistency is just runny enough to run off a spoon. Drizze over hot rolls.

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-ups

2009-04-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from one of my Kraft magazines, if you have tried to make my Cheeseburger Buns and Stromboli Sandwiches, this sandwich tastes like those 2 recipes combined, ya can't go wrong! And, it's super fast and easy to make!

Prep Time: 25 min Total Time: 50 min Makes: 6 servings

What You Need!
1 lb. lean ground beef
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pkg. (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust

Make It!
HEAT oven to 400°F. Brown ground beef with bacon and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add VELVEETA; cook until melted, stirring frequently. Cool 10 min.

UNROLL dough onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Press into 15x8-inch rectangle; top with meat mixture. Roll up, starting at one of the long sides. Rearrange if necessary so roll is seam-side down.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown.

*Note: Don't take the pizza crust out of the refrigerator until ready to use.

Recipe taken from: Kraft food and family magazine
For pictures and Nutritional Value click here

Tin Foil Dinners

2009-04-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

This one is a classic....ya can't go wrong with it!

Ground Beef

Potatoes

Carrots

Onions

Dry Lipton Onion Packet (or Beefy Onion) either is fabulous!

Salt and Pepper

Tinfoil

Place a sheet of tinfoil on the counter. Shape a hamburger patty. Place on tinfoil, add a tiny amount of Lipton Onion Dry Soup, add cut potatos, baby carrots, cut onions, add salt and pepper. Take another sheet of tinfoil and fold the top and bottom foil together. Bake at 450 for 45 min's or until the meat is well done. Enjoy!

Note: I place tinfoil dinners on a baking sheet in case the dripping leak from the tinfoil. Easy cleanup!

Easy Cube Steaks and Gravy

2009-03-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

I love recipes that don't require alot of prep work or alot of effort. This has always been one of my favorite meals to make. Cube Steak scare a lot of people because if it's cooked wrong, it can be really tough and gross. This is a great recipe for tender cube steaks, and it's easy on the wallet (bonus).

Cube Steaks (2-4)
1 pkg. of Lipton Onion soup
Water
Cornstarch

I love my skillet, it's a great tool for this recipe. I place my Cube Steaks (thawed) in my skillet. Pour water over your steaks and into the skillet so there is about 1/4'' of water in your skillet for the steaks to slow cook in. Add your Lipton Onion Soup right on top of the steaks and surrounding the steaks into the water. I cook my steaks on the lowest setting for about 30 minutes, and I check them about every 10 minutes just to make sure the water hasn't been absorbed/evaporated. Flip about half way through cooking, to cook other side. If there's not enough water just keep adding water to keep the steaks moist. Once the Steaks are cooked through. Take 1-2 Heaping Tablespoons of cornstarch and add it to some water. Remove your steaks and slowly pour your cornstarch mixture into your skillet to mix with the Lipton Onion mix (this will make the most heavenly gravy for your steaks). Once you have poured the cornstarch mixture in and mixed it with a whisk, you can place your steaks back into your skillet for about 5 more minutes, or until your gravy is thickened to your liking. I love to serve this with my favorite potato recipe and favorite side veggie.

Note: I cook 2 Large Cube Steaks for this recipe, but there is a lot of flavor with a full package of Lipton Onion, so you can stretch one package of Lipton Onion for about 4 cube steaks, any more than that, I would add an additional package of Lipton Onion Soup.

Marshmallow Brownies

2009-03-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

I just made a batch of these for a party tonight, and I don't know if I am going to be able to behave myself and not eat one before the party starts!!!

1 Box Chocolate Brownie mix or your favorite brownie recipe
1 Bag of Marshmallows
1 tub of Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Frosting or your favorite frosting recipe

Bake Brownies as directed in 13x9 pan. Remove the pan and immediately turn off oven and top hot brownies with marshmallows, don't overlap them, just enough to cover the brownies completely. Put them back in the oven (turned off) for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pan and don't touch the marshmallows, it will make a mess. Cool completely and then top with frosting.

Peaches n' Cream No Bake Cheesecake

2009-03-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Wed. I will be hosting this month's playdate, and when us mom's get together, lunch is always a bonus!! I will be making these yummy little treats for our playdate!

2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 cup sugar, divided
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Peach Flavor Gelatin
2 fresh peaches, chopped OR 1 can (15 oz.) sliced peaches in juice, drained and chopped
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, thawed

***The Recipe doesn't call for it, but I added 1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, it adds lots of flavor!! I just added this at the very end before I poured it over the crust.

Make It!
MIX graham crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
BEAT cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add dry gelatin mix; mix well. Stir in peaches and whipped topping. Spoon over crust; cover.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Recipe taken from Krafts Food and Family Magazine

Popcorn for Movie Night

2009-02-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

I got my Better Homes and Garden magazine this week, and they had the funnest ideas for different popcorn themes. We get together with family and friends all the time, and I was thinking that a Popcorn Bar would be a really fun idea. I just wanted to share a few of the ideas they suggested, these ones were my favorites.

Bedtime for Bonzo

Popcorn, banana chips, shaved chocolate, and toasted coconut

Pretty in Pink

Popcorn, Twizzler Bites, Red Cinnamon Candies, Pink Sugar

Parent Trap

Popcorn, Honey Graham Cereal, Marshmallows, Cocoa

They sprinkled cocoa and then mixed it. If that isn't enough, I think I would throw in some milk chocolate chips!!!

All American

Popcorn, Pretzels, peanuts. M&M's

Moonstruck

Popcorn, Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, melted butter, Parmesan cheese

Ideas taken from BHG

Hamburger Soup

2009-02-15T20:01:00.000-08:00

Any time Chris hears that we are having soup for dinner, he kind of sighs, because he knows he will be eating again 2 hours after dinner. The only soup that he claims makes him feel full is Chilli. Well, I tried out this recipe, and I got 2 thumbs up from the hubby. It was a hearty and really yummy soup.

1 Lb. ground beef
2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped onion
2 cup water
1 cup sliced carrots
1 15 oz. can undrained pinto beans
2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup raw macaroni (I used 3/4-1 cup, because I love pasta. I suggest Penne or Cork Screw) they hold up to hearty soups. I even bought whole wheat, and it was really yummy).
1 beef buillion cube
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup sliced celery

Brown meat in large pot. Drain. Add onion, salt, tomato juice, beef buillion, water, and pepper. Cook 1/2 hour. Add carrots, macaroni, potatoes and celery. Cook and cover 15 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add pinto beans. Cook 5 more minutes. Serves 4-6.

I served this with Hot Rhodes Rolls, and it was yummy!

Strawberry Scones

2009-02-09T15:26:00.000-08:00

Chris and I wanted to wake up Saturday morning and surprise Isabella with an extra sweet Valentines breakfast. I thought I would try these.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup hulled and finely diced fresh strawberries
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar, plus a little for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
A lemon, for zest
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon light cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, using a few spots of butter or cooking oil to stick it in place. Set the baking sheet aside.

2. Place the diced strawberries on several sheets of paper towel to absorb their juice. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Zest half of the lemon into the ingredients, taking care to remove just the outermost skin and not the white pith.

3. Cut in the butter with two butter knives or a pastry blender until the flour-coated pieces are the size of peas. Add the strawberries, tossing them gently with a fork to coat them.

4. Make a well in the mixture. Blend the 1/2 cup of light cream and the vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour them into the well. Using as few strokes as possible, gently stir the dough until it forms a ball. Let the dough sit for 1 minute.

5. Clean and flour your hands and dust your work surface with flour. Place the dough on the floured surface and knead it gently three or four times. Transfer it to the large baking sheet and pat it into an 8-inch circle. Using a lightly oiled pizza cutter or a serrated knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges, as you would a pizza. Use a small spatula or pie server to carefully separate the pieces, leaving at least an inch between them.

6. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of light cream, then sprinkle the surfaces with sugar. Bake the scones until the outsides are crusty and starting to brown, about 18 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then slide the parchment and the scones onto a wire rack to cool for another 20 minutes before serving.

In the picture they took their fingers and pressed down on the top of each pizza slice, making it resemble the top of a heart.

Taken from Familyfun.com

Sweet Heart Krispy Treats

2009-02-09T15:18:00.001-08:00

I thought these would be so much fun to give out on Valentines to Isabella and Grandparents. These will be so much fun to deliver to loved ones!

Cooking spray
3 tablespoons margarine
6 cups mini (or 60 regular-size) marshmallows
Red food coloring
9 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Heart-shaped cookie cutter
Plastic bags, yarn
1. To begin, lightly coat a 10- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray and set it aside.

2. Melt the margarine in a large pot over low heat. Add the marshmallows, stirring them continuously until they melt. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in drops of red food coloring until the color receives a thumbs-up from the chef.

3. Add the Rice Krispies, stirring until they are evenly coated with marshmallow. Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet.

4. With waxed paper (or lightly buttered hands), smooth out the mixture, spreading it to an even thickness.

5. Cut out hearts with the cookie cutter. Place each heart in a clear plastic bag, tie on a yarn bow, and they're ready for giving. Makes seven 5-inch hearts.

Taken from Familyfun.com

Fruit Pizza

2009-01-27T13:02:00.001-08:00

Chris and I were trying to decide what treat to take to our Superbowl Party. All the appetizers are filling, so I wanted to cook something light for a dessert, so this is what I will be taking to the party.

1 pkg. store bought sugar cookie dough. (18oz.)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. Cool Whip
Fresh fruit (your choice)
Coconut (opt.)

Press cookie dough into large greased pizza pan. Cook dough according to pkg. or until light brown. Cool.

Whip cream cheese and cool whip until fluffly. Spread over cookie dough.
Add coconut (you can toast your coconut to make it look really pretty).

In a fun pattern arrange your fruit slices. I think this time I am going to buy strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, and blueberries. Enjoy!

Chilli Verde Mini Meatloaf

2009-01-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

I wish I would have taken a picture of this last night when I made it. I am not a huge fan of meatloaf, especially when the top part is smothered in Ketchup. It just looks disgusting, but when I bought my mini loaf pans from The Pampered Chef, this recipe card came with it, and I LOVE this recipe. My husband says that this is one of his favorite meals, and who usually says that about meatloaf??

This is the chilli sauce I use in this recipe.

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 pounds lean ground turkey (93-98% fat free)
2 eggs
1 cup chilli sauce, divided
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Finely chop bell pepper and onion. Combine bell pepper, onion, garlic, raw turkey, eggs, 1/2 cup of chilli sauce, bread crumbs, and black pepper. (I use my hands until it's all mixed and stuck together).

I use my Pampered Chef Mini loaf pans, so this makes 4 mini loaves. I have never done it any other way, but I am sure you can use regular loaf pans, and try to get 2 loaves out of this recipe.

For each loaf (if making 4 mini's) shape about 1 1/2 cups meat mixture into loaf. Bake 30 minutes. Spread remaining chilli sauce on tops of loaves. Bake an additional 20-30 minutes. (Note: I like my meatloaf a little burnt around the edges to crisp it up, so I cook the second half for 35 minutes). Bake until meat is no longer pink or internal temp. reaches 180 degrees.

Remove from pan and let stand 10 minutes to cool. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Low Fat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

My friend Lezlie gave me this recipe. I made a batch of these tonight for Sunday dinner tommorow. Everyone is on their New Year's diets, so I thought I would make these since they are low in fat.

2 Spice Cake Mixes
1 Lg. can Pumpkin
Bag Chocolate Chips

Combine the Spice Cake Mix with the Pumpkin. Stir chocolate chips in. Bake 375 for 14-17 minutes (it will vary depending on your oven, but these are very easy to underbake).

Makes 36-48 cookies-depending on how BIG you make them.

I was told that these are only 2 points per cookie-if anyone is doing Weight Watchers.

Magic Cookie Bars

2009-01-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

I made a batch of these last night, so I could take them to a Young Women's activity tonight, the directions I gave my husband was "You can have a corner!!" I went downstairs a few hours later, to find an entire row missing. He's in so much trouble!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels ( I actually prefer 1 cup butterscotch and 1 cup Milk Chocolate)
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Variations

7-Layer Magic Cookie Bars: Substitute 1 cup (6-ounces) butterscotch flavored chips* for 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and proceed as directed above.
*
Peanut butter flavored chips or white chocolate chips may be substituted for butterscotch flavored chips.
*
Magic Peanut Cookie Bars: Substitute 2 cups (about 3/4 pound) chocolate-covered peanuts for semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
*
Magic Rainbow Cookie Bars: Substitute 2 cups plain candy-coated chocolate candies for semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Better Than Sex Cake

2009-01-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

This goes with my previous post. I always have to have this for my BIRTHDAY, it's better than any store boughten birthday cake out there, and hello...the name says it all. There are a dozen different recipes for this cake, but once again I will claim....this one is the BEST!! And, I have to tell you a little story to go along with this. I made this cake for Chris's family one time. Ever since then, Chris's Grandma who is in her 80's always secretly says "Will you ask Melissa to bring that better than sex cake?" This cake really will make you smile, no matter what your age :O)

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 jar Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 16 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk
6-7 Skor Candy Bards, cut up

Mix and bake cake as directed on pkg. Bake on a greased large cookie sheet instead of a 9x13 pan. Check cake after 15-18 min's. Insert toothpick, if it comes out clean, it's done. Cool COMPLETELY. With the end of a wooden spoon poke holes all over the cake. In a bowl mix sweetened condensed milk and ice cream topping. Blend well and pour over cake. Top with Cool Whip. Sprinkle Skor Bars over Cool Whip. (Note: I like to cut some of my Skor Bars up chunkier than others, that way there is a variety of sizes of toffee on the cake). Refrigerate. It's best if Refrigerated overnight, that way the caramel has time to seep through the cake and make it really gooey.

Relief Sociey Potatoes

2009-01-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

Every year for my Birthday, my mom would make my favorite dinner. That included ham, Relief Society Potatoes, corn, hot rolls, olives, and Better than Sex Cake. Since my parents moved, I decided last week that I would make my own. It wasn't as good as my mom's, it never is. But, it was still a hit! I know there are lots of recipes out there for Relief Society Potatoes, but I will claim this is the BEST one!

2 Lb. bag frozen CUBED hash browns

1 cup margarine or butter, melted

1/2 cup chopped green onions (I love green onions, so I add a little more than that)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 pint sour cream

corn flakes, crushed up (lots and lots)

Set out your hashbrowns to defrost.

Add soup, melted butter, sour cream, onions, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into greased 13x9 pan. Crush cornflakes and sprinkle on top. Bake 40-60 min's on 350 degrees. If your potatoes are still a little frozen, it's more like 90 min's for baking.

Note: To make a lighter casserole, use only 1 cube of butter, fat free sour cream and 98% fat free cream of chicken soup. But for Birthday parties and special holidays....use the real stuff and enjoy!

Chicken and Shrimp Egg Rolls

2009-01-05T15:08:00.001-08:00

Are any of you on Diets for your New Year's Resolutions? This is a great recipe that is Healthy and won't leave you starving 30 minutes later. We get together with Chris's whole family and make these. Usually we get together and make several batches. It's a fun get together activity and we freeze half the batch to pull out for emergency dinner nights. This is a great Light Recipe as long as you don't deep fry them. Although they are beyond delic if they are deep fried, I actually loved the baked version

1 6 oz. can chicken or 1 c. chopped chicken (I prefer the fresh cooked)
1 6 oz. can shrimp, or 6 oz. cut up cooked shrimp (We just buy the big bags of tiny deveined and cooked shrimp from Sam's CLub)
1 clove garlic
1/2 c. finely chopped snow peas (opt.)
1 Tbsp. oil
1 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. egg roll skins
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts

Mix well and place in egg roll skins. Seal with egg mixed with water. Deep fat fry to golden brown or drizzle with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crisp and brown.

To serve we drizzle Soy Sauce on Top! It's soo good!

Slush Cubes

2009-01-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

It isn't New Years at the Hernandez house unless Chris's mom whips up a batch of these. These are so delicious, and your kids will luv them!!! Enjoy!

4 cups sugar
6 cups water
2 lemons
5 bananas
1 6 oz. can frozen orange juice, mix according to can directions
1 46 oz. can pineapple juice
4 qts. 7-up

Boil water with sugar just until sugar dissolves. Set aside. Mash bananas and lemon juiceand add orange juice and pineapple juice. Add sugar and water mixture. Freeze in ice cube trays (if you are doing a themed party, you could freeze these in shaped trays). When ready to serve, put desired amount of cubes in glass, add 7-up and serve immediately. We serve these with forks so you can crush up the cubes and let the drink get really slushy.

Note: Put cubes out a little earlier before serving, that way they are easy to crush up in glass. Otherwise, we stick our glass cup in the microwave for about 10 seconds to make the cubes a little easier to slush up.

Lion House Pecan Caramel Turtles

2008-12-28T12:41:00.000-08:00

Every year for our Christmas Eve dinner I make homemade Caramels, I have been wanting to try Turtles for a long time, but didn't dare. I found a recipe in my Lion House cookbook, and it was so easy and soooo yummy. They will definately be a hit if your in charge of bringing chocolate to the next family party.

2 cups sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups light cream (I could not find light cream in the dairy isle, I purchased regular cream...it's labeled heavy whipping cream, it's in a purple milk box. Note: This is not the same as Cool Whip).
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
6 Tbsp. Butter
Pecan Halves (I just purchased Western Family's in the large bag, they are about $7.99)
Melted Chocolate (optional-if you want them dipped. I would suggest it though...yum!!) Note: Purchase good DIPPING chocolate. The stuff that comes wrapped in plastic wrap, you can buy this at Lee's or any specialty kitchen store.

Combine Sugar, corn syrup, cream, and salt in a HEAVY saucepan. This will rise as it thickens and boils! Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Adjust temperature to maintain a steady boil and cook, stirring often, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage, 236 degrees (a soft ball should form when mixture is dropped into cold water.) SLOWLY-so boiling doesn't stop-add evaporated milk and butter. Continue cooking and stirring until candy reaches firm ball stage, 245 degrees (mixture forms a ball when dropped into cold water and won't flatten when removed); remove from heat. Arrage pecans in clusters on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. (Note: I would spray the wax paper with a little PAM and I used 4 pecan halves per Turtle and that was perfect). Drop a spoonful of caramel onto each pecan cluster. Cool. (NOTE: I let the clusters set up overnight and did the dipping the next day, and that worked out really nice).

Dip candies in melted chocolate. I melted the dipping chocolate in a double boiler, Use a med/large pot and get the water boiling and place a glass bowl over it (make sure the glass bowl doesn't actually touch the boiling water). And let the chocolate melt over med/high heat. Makes 2 1/2 pounds of candy. Which ended up being about 40+ turtles. Happy Holidays!

Candy coated Peppermint sticks

2008-11-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. shortening
2/3 cup pecans or your favorite nuts, chopped
16 3- to 4-inch soft peppermint sticks

Directions
1. In a small saucepan combine chocolate and shortening; cook over low heat just until melted. Transfer to a bowl. Place pecans on waxed paper.
2. Dip one end of each peppermint stick into melted chocolate and then roll in chopped nuts. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Wrap each individually to give as a gift. Makes 16 gifts.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 113,
Total Fat (g) 6,
Saturated Fat (g) 2,
Monounsaturated Fat (g) 3,
Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,
Cholesterol (mg) 0,
Sodium (mg) 1,
Carbohydrate (g) 16,
Total Sugar (g) 14,
Fiber (g) 1,
Protein (g) 1,
Vitamin C (DV%) 0,
Calcium (DV%) 1,
Iron (DV%) 2,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

recipe taken from BHG

Candy box caramels

2008-11-30T13:59:00.001-08:00

It's the holidays, I don't know how many healthy recipes will be posted on my blog from now until Jan., probably none....it's time for the good stuff!

Ingredients
12 ounces chocolate- and/or vanilla-flavor candy coating*, coarsely chopped
1 cup toffee pieces, or favorite candy topping

48 short plastic or wooden skewers (optional)
1 14-ounce package vanilla caramels (about 48), unwrapped
2 ounces chocolate- and/or vanilla-flavor candy coating*, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions
1. In a microwave-safe 4-cup measure, place the 12 ounces candy coating. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 3 minutes or just until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.
2. Place toffee pieces, in a shallow dish. If desired, insert a skewer into each caramel. Dip one caramel into melted candy coating; turn to coat as much of the caramel as desired, allowing excess coating to drip off caramel. (If not using skewers, use a fork to lift caramel out of candy coating, drawing the fork across the rim of the glass measure to remove excess coating from caramel.) Place dipped caramel in toffee pieces to coat. Place coated caramel on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Repeat with remaining caramels. Let caramels stand about 1 hour or until coating dries.
3. If desired, microwave 2 ounces of a contrasting color of candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl on 100% power (high) for 2 minutes or just until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Cool slightly. Transfer coating to a small, heavy plastic bag; cut a small hole in one corner of bag and drizzle additional coating over coated caramels. Let caramels stand until set. Makes 48 pieces.
4. To Store: Layer caramels between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
5. *If desired, substitute milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and/or white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter for candy coating.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 92,
Total Fat (g) 4,
Saturated Fat (g) 3,
Cholesterol (mg) 2,
Sodium (mg) 32,
Carbohydrate (g) 13,
Fiber (g) 0,
Protein (g) 1,
Vitamin C (DV%) 0,
Calcium (DV%) 1,
Iron (DV%) 0,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Recipe taken from BHG

Triple Layer Mud Pie

2008-11-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

As IF I would post something healthy right before the holidays are getting ready to kick off..Palease!

Chris made his request already for Thanksgiving. He mentioned that he likes Pumpkin Pie, but there are always too many Pumpkin Pies, so this is what we will be serving along the side of the Pumpkin Pies next week. Enjoy!

Prep: 15 min. plus refrigerating
Makes: 10 servings, one piece each

What you need
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1/4 cup canned sweetened condensed milk
1 OREO Pie Crust
1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans, toasted
2 cups 2% milk
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

MIX chocolate and condensed milk. Pour into crust; sprinkle with pecans.
BEAT milk and pudding mixes with whisk 2 min.; spoon 1-1/2 cups over pecans. Stir half the COOL WHIP into remaining pudding; spread over pudding in crust. Top with remaining COOL WHIP.
REFRIGERATE 3 hours.

Recipe taken from Kraft Foods

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

2008-11-07T13:34:00.001-08:00

Okay gals, if you have never tried this, you MUST! It's sinful! It's also a fun science project for your kids, when you put everything together it's a runny mess, but then after it cooks, the top part is a cake, and the underneath part is HOT chocolate fudge...to die for, and super easy to cook!

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup hot tap water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. oil
Ice cream or (my personal favorite-whip cream for this recipe)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In ungreased 9x9 pan, stir together flour, sugar, 2 Tbsp. coca, baking powder and salt. Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla with fork until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly in pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa. Pour hot water over batter. Bake 40 min's. Let stand 15 min's so the pudding can set up. Spoon into dessert dishes, invert each spoonful onto dessert plate so the pudding runs down. Top with ice cream or whip cream. You can even top with hershey's topping if you are a chocoholic!!

Note: We always double this recipe, and make it for dessert and have leftovers for breakfast. If you want to double it, double the ingredients and put into 13x9 casserole dish!