Friday, June 26, 2009

Shai Ma Irfeh (Cinnamon Tea)

This tea is used in the Middle East most often after a woman gives birth, believe it or not. Perhaps it's an old wives tale, but it is believed that this tea helps a woman's body recover more quickly after she has given birth. Whatever the case, it is simple to make and surprisingly quite good.

Ingredients:
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 cups water
sugar (optional)
chopped walnuts for garnish (optional)

Combine water and cinnamon together in a teapot or any kind of pot that is suitable. Bring to a rolling boil for about 5 minutes. Pour into tea cups, add sugar to taste and top with walnuts. I personally prefer it without any sugar added. Enjoy!

Chai Tea

*** I just have to say that this is probably my all time favorite recipe in the whole entire world.*** This tastes great either hot or cooled. I usually will double the recipe. If you are looking for a good place to buy ingredients, I highly recommend The Spice House, located on N. Wells. It has most all of these ingredients (except for water, milk, sugar, ginger root and loose tea leaves), and is also much cheaper than going to the grocery store for them.

Ingredients:
1-in. piece ginger root, mulched
2 cups milk
2 cups water
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 stick cinnamon
10 green cardamon pods
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon white or black peppercorns (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons loose leaf green tea

Place cinnamon stick, cardamon pods (crush and put in all parts), ginger root, cloves, peppercorns, and nutmeg in a pot. Add water and let boil for 2 minutes. Add sugar, stir well, and let boil for 2 more minutes. Pour in milk and turn down to low heat. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. (You should be able to stick your spoon in and pull up a skin off the top, when it is ready.) Stir and Cover with a lid and let sit on low heat for about 15 minutes. Take off lid and return to boil. Turn off heat completely and add grean tea leaves. Cover and let sit for no more than 5 minutes. Strain into pitcher.


Lemon Spaghetti

Ingredients:
12 oz. spaghetti
6 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
2 garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers

Cook pasta, drain, and return to pan. Pour olive oil and lemon juice over pasta and sprinkle in garlic slivers. Add any desired seasonings, and toss pasta over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

*This basic recipe is great, but it is also very adaptable. Feel free to add shrimp or some other meat to it. I have also added Asian sauces (szechuan sauce, soy sauce etc. etc. etc.), and although I haven't tried this yet, I could imagine it being good as some cold summer pasta salad with a few minor additions (maybe even throw in some strawberries... mm).

Parmesan Potato Wedges

Ingredients:
6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Line a 15x10x1 -inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil; set aside. Cut each potato lengthwise into eight wedges. In a large bowl stir together butter, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add potato wedges and stir to thoroughly coat. Place the wedges on the prepared baking pan. Bake uncovered, in a 425 degree oven about 30 minutes or until tender.

Eggnog

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons light rum
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
ground nutmeg
*If you like, omit the rum and bourbon and increase the milk to 2 1/4 cups to make this alcohol free ( I have never actually done it with the alcohol, so I don't what the taste difference is but without the alcohol it is yummy.)

In a large heavy saucepan mix the egg yolks, milk and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Place the pan in a sink or bowl of ice water and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in whipping cream, rum, bourbon, and vanilla. cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. Serve in glasses. Sprinkle each serving with nutmeg.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Hamburger Chow Mein

My husband doesn't like this recipe, but I love it. I got it from a Chun King chow mein vegetables can. It has a bit of a kick to it, but not overpowering.

1 lb. + ground Chuck (I like to get the stir fry meat mix you sometimes see: 1/2 pork, 1/2 chuck)
3/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. each of Salt & Pepper
3 tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 can Condensed Tomato Soup
1/3 c. water
1 can Chow Mein Vegetables, drained (can size is one size bigger than a normal Campbell's soup can. . . 16-20 oz.?)
3 c. hot cooked Rice
Crunchy Oriental/Chow Mein Noodles

In a large skillet, cook meat and onions until meat is lightly browned and onion is tender. Add salt, pepper, soy sauce, condensed soup, and water. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes. Add chow mein vegetable and heat thoroughly. Serve over hot rice with crunchy chow mein noodles on top.

Chocolate Banana Bread

This is my favorite banana bread recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (if you only have regular unsweetened cocoa powder, just add 1/8 tsp of baking soda to it)
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cups white chocolate chips (I actually prefer to use milk chocolate semi-sweet chips instead)
brown sugar for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with coarse brown sugar (optional). Bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Chip Cake

This is the cake that my dad always requested for his birthday, and now it's Nathan's favorite too!

Ingredients:
Stick of butter (1/2 cup), soft
8 oz package of cream cheese, soft
1 1/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz chocolate chips
cinnamon and sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix together all dry ingredients.
4. Add alternately dry ingredients and milk to butter mix.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour into a greased bundt pan and top with cinnamon and sugar.
7. Bake for 50 minutes.
8. Cool for 10-15 minutes before turning out of the bundt pan. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar.

Jenni's Homemade Pizza and Sauce

This recipe is from my sister-in-law Jenni:

Makes 2 Pizzas

Crust:
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil

Combine water and yeast, then add sugar, flour, salt, and oil. Mix well with hands and let dough sit, covered in a warm place, for 1 hour. Punch down and form into two pizza crusts on two pans.


Sauce (amounts on the spices are flexible, I often add a little less or even leave out spices I don't like so much, since I think the sauce has plenty of spices!)
16 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chives
1 tsp basil
1 shake thyme
1 shake marjoram
1 1/2 tsp anis seed
1 tsp sugar

This makes a lot more sauce than we ever use on two pizzas so I usually end up freezing up to half and using it the next time I make pizza.


Bake pizzas at 400 degrees for 20 min. Switch the places of the pizzas in the oven and bake for another 10 min until well done. For a crispy crust, take pizzas off the pan for the last 10 min.


Thin Crust:
And if you prefer thin crust, here is a good recipe (I actually prefer this crust to the one above):

1 teaspoon(s) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon(s) sugar
2 cup(s) flour
1/2 teaspoon(s) sea salt
1/4 cup(s) olive oil


  1. Stir the yeast, sugar, and 3/4 cup warm (110 degrees F) water together and set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Pulse flour and salt together in a food processor. Stream in the yeast mixture and oil through the feed tube while continuing to pulse until a shaggy dough is formed.
  3. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until dough is elastic. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a dampened towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  4. Punch the dough down to deflate, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes more. For a perfect crust, place risen dough on floured surface. Punch down with knuckles. Flour dough, hands, and rolling pin. Roll dough in long, even strokes. Top with sauce and toppings and bake pizzas at 500 degrees for 15 min.

Partridge Punch

This is the punch we served at my wedding.

1 can Pineapple Juice
12 oz. frozen Orange Juice
12 oz. frozen Lemonade
1/2 c. Sugar
18 oz. Water (3- 6 oz. cans)
36 oz. Ginger Ale

Freeze above juices, water, and sugar together (an ice cream bucket works well). Break up into slush and add the Ginger Ale. Serve.

Texas Brownies

These brownies take some work, but they're totally worth it! *When making the frosting, make sure to use a heat-safe spoon/spatula . . . I melted a spatula once trying to work the powdered sugar lumps out of the frosting. :)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For one 17 1/2 X 11 inch baking pan (48 brownies):

2 c. all-purpose Flour
2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) Butter
1/2 c. Shortening
1 c. Water
1/4 c. unsweetened Dark Cocoa
1/2 c. Buttermilk (or 2 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice in 1/2 c. milk)
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Vanilla

Frosting: (it is important to make the frosting while the brownies are baking)

1/2 c. Butter
2 tbsp. Dark Cocoa
1/4 c. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 1/2 c. unsifted Powdered Sugar

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, shortening, water, and cocoa. Stir and heat to boiling. Pour boiling mixture over the flour and sugar in bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Mix well, use a wooden spoon or high speed on a mixer. Pour into a well-buttered 17 1/2 X 11 inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick to the center comes out clean.

While brownies bake, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring. Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar until frosting is smooth. Pour warm frosting over brownies as soon as you take them out of the oven. Cool. Cut into 48 bars.

*Add the powdered sugar a little at a time (having it pre-measured will help) and stir the frosting constantly. You will need all of those 20 minutes of bake time to get this frosting ready.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Sweet Tea

Ingredients:
6 regular sized tea bags (try ones with a hint of orange, lemon or a mild flavor)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups boiling water1-2 Cups white sugar (I usually just use 1)
6 Cups cold watervarious fruit (I like to use strawberries and/or kiwi)

*Place tea bags in glass measuring cup and sprinkle with baking soda.
*Boil water in a teapot and fill measuring cup up to the 2 cup line.
*Let steep 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, being careful not to squeeze them too much.
*Pour tea in 2 quart pitcher, and add sugar. Stir.
*Add 6 cups cold water and add cut up fruit.
*Chill in refrigerator overnight.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Mushroom Stroganoff

This is one of my favorite recipes ever. It takes a bit of work to chop and cook everything, so we typically just make it for company, but mmmmmm mmmm.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces dried fettuccine
  • 1 8-ounce carton light dairy sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 4-1/2 cups (about 12 ounces) sliced mushrooms (such as shiitake [stems removed], button, and/or crimini)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Snipped fresh chives

Directions

1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Drain; keep warm. In a small bowl stir together the sour cream and flour. Stir in the water, bouillon, and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet cook onions in hot butter about 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in mushrooms and garlic. Cook and stir about 5 minutes more or until vegetables are tender. Remove mushroom mixture from skillet and add to drained pasta; keep warm.

3. Wipe out skillet. Stir the sour cream mixture into the skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Pour the sour cream mixture over the pasta and mushroom mixture, stirring gently to coat. To serve, sprinkle with chives. Makes 4 servings.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Homemade Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
3 garlic cloves, minced

Process basil leaves in a food processor. Add nuts and garlic, and blend some more. Add about 1/3 of the parmesan and blend while slowly adding 1/3 of the olive oil, stopping to scraped the sides as needed. Continue to process until it forms a thick and smooth pasted, and then repeat until all the ingredients are used. Mix all batches together well and serve over pasta

Note: It keeps approximately 1 week in the fridge or for a few months if frozen.

Poppyseed Salad Dressing

I love this dressing! After I found out how easy it was to make homemade salad dressings, I have all but stopped buying dressings from the store.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
3/4 - 1 cup salad oil (I usually use canola oil)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt

Mix salad dressing ingredients together and shake well.

Stir Fry Sauce

This is one my favorite stir fry sauces that I created. There is a mild spicy taste to this sauce. If you don't like spice, you can tone it down by substituting oyster sauce for the szechuan sauce or a combination of the two. I will typically use this sauce if I am making some type of fried noodle. I pre-cook the noodles, throw them in a wok, add some vegetables and this sauce and stir until done.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Soy Sauce or Teriyaki
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Szechuan Sauce (also you can use oyster sauce, or a mixture of both)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 tablespoon brown sugar
onion salt (optional)
garlic powder (optional)
pepper (optional)
minced garlic or onion (optional)

Spicy Spaghetti

This another recipe invented by Ben, and is especially good for those who like spicy food. It also has a slight Asian taste. The amount of hot sauce used will vary, depending on how spicy a person wants it. I recommend starting out with smaller amounts at first, and increasing it in small amounts if you want it spicier. It doesn't take much to make it spicy.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb spaghetti
7-9 squirts of hot sauce
6-8 tablespoons brown sugar

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and put in large serving bowl (or individual plates). Squirt hot sauce and sprinkle brown sugar onto pasta. Stir with a fork until well mixed.

Christmas Party Punch

A couple years ago, we threw a big Christmas party and created this delicious punch. We added some fun color by putting some of the punch in a bunt pan the night before, filling it with raspberries, and freezing. Then viola: The next morning we had a fabulous ice ring for the punch bowl! As the ice melted, the raspberries were an added bonus to one's mouthfeel.

Ingredients:

White Grape Juice
Sprite
Rainbow Sherbert

Mix equal parts grape juice and sprite and top with rainbow sherbert.

Cheesy Corn & Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cans corn
1 can cream style corn
2 large potatoes, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes and parboiled or 2 cans cubed new potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup mixed with can milk
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups French fried onions
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the 3 cans corn with the soup, milk and potatoes until all is coated with mixture. Add 1 cup French fried onions and most of the cheeses. Set aside a bit for garnish on the top of casserole. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake at 325°F in 9x13x2 glass or metal pan for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining French fried onions and cheeses on top and bake another 10 minutes.

Ben's Tortilla Omelet

This is one of my favorite recipes that Ben created. Very yummy! Feel free to very the suggested spices or whatnot. I think at some times Ben has probably even added Cumin or Ranch. (I am surprised he hasn't tried hot sauce yet.)

Ingredients:

2 tortillas
3 eggs
butter
salt and pepper
slices of American Cheese (or mozzarella or cheddar works also)
ham slices (optional)
desired spices (oregano, basil, savory etc.)
Parmesan (optional)

Directions:

1.) Grease a frying pan with butter (or cooking spray etc.)
2.) Butter one of the tortillas and place butter side down in the frying pan.
3.) Put in the eggs on top, breaking the yolks. Then add Ham and cheeses, spices, salt and pepper.
4.) Butter the second tortilla and add it to the top. Flip when the bottom is golden brown.

Note: Ben will often sprinkle Parmesan on the buttered parts of the tortilla, which creates a great addition.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Golden Cream of Potato Soup

I like to eat mine with some shredded cheddar cheese on top. I can imagine crumbled bacon, sour cream, chives, hot sauce, etc. might all be nice add-ins to try (not necessarily all together).

Serves 9

6 c. peeled cubed Potatoes
2 c. Water
1 c. sliced Celery
1 c. peeled, thinly sliced Carrots
1/2 c. chopped Onions
2 tsp. dried Parsley Flakes
2 Chicken Bouillon cubes
Salt
Pepper
1/4 c. Flour
3 1/4 c. Milk - divided
3/4 lb. Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes

Put the potatoes, water, celery, carrots, onions, parsley flakes, chicken bouillon, salt & pepper (to taste) into a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil. cover and reduce heat to simmer for 8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
In a small container, combine 1/4 c. each of flour and milk; mix to form a smooth paste. Stir paste into soup together with the remaining milk and 3/4 lb. Velveeta cheese. Cook and stir over medium heat until soup thickens. Enjoy!

Oven Chow Mein

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 lb. ground Beef/Turkey
1 Onion, chopped
1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
2 soup cans of Water
3/4 c. uncooked Rice
3 tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 c. Celery, chopped

Slightly brown ground meat and onion . Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix and bake uncovered for 2 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. More water may be added as needed.

Mom's "Best" Meat Loaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 lb. + ground Beef/Turkey
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Milk
1 1/2 slices of soft Bread, torn into small pieces (do not use dried bread crumbs)
1/4 tsp. each of Onion Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Mix together all ingredients (don't over-mix as it gets tough). Bake uncovered in a greased loaf pan for 1 hour.

Goes wonderfully with baked potatoes or the Dill Potatoes recipe also included in this blog.

Baked Chicken & Rice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can condensed Cream of Celery Soup
1 stick softened/melted Butter (1/2 c.)
1 soup can of Water
1 1/2 c. uncooked Rice
Chicken
Salt & Pepper

Mix together soups and butter. Set 1/4 to 1/3 of mix aside to cover chicken later. To the larger portion of soup mixture, add rice and pour into 9 X 13 baking dish. Place chicken on top of mixture, season with salt and pepper, and cover with remaining soup mixture. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 2 hours.

Serves 4+

Stuffed Shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1/2 pkg. (20 shells) Jumbo Pasta Shells
1 jar Pasta Sauce (use your favorite - we use Prego)
1 Egg
1- 15 oz. container Ricotta Cheese (my mom uses Cottage Cheese)
2 c. shredded Mozzarella
3/4 c. grated Parmesan (divided)
1 1/2 tsp. dried or 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Parsley

Remove half or approx. 20 shells from package. Cook them according to package directions. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and drain. Spray bottom of 9 X 13 X 2 inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of pasta sauce in baking dish. In large bowl, beat egg. Stir in ricotta, 1 3/4 c. of mozzarella, 1/2 c. of parmesan, and parsley. Fill the cooked shells with the ricotta mixture. Arrange filled shells in the baking dish. Top with remaining pasta sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. Bake, covered with foil, until bubbly, about 45 - 50 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Garlic bread would be a great side for this recipe.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

1/2 pkg. or 8 oz. linguine or angel hair pasta
1 c. fresh or frozen broccoli florets
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cubed
fresh garlic to taste: 3-4 cloves
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 to 3/4 c. mozzarella

Cook pasta according to package, add broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain. Heat butter in skillet. Add chicken, garlic, and salt and cook until brown, stirring often. Add soup, milk, Parmesan cheese, pepper, pasta, and broccoli. Heat thoroughly. Add in 1/2 to 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese.

Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1 onion
2 lbs. ground beef/turkey
1- 29 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 packets Lawry spaghetti sauce (or 1 large packet)
2 c. water
mushrooms
lasagna noodles (uncooked-they cook while baking)
shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses

Brown onion, meat and mushrooms. Add tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, and 2 cups water. Simmer 10 minutes.
Layering (in a 9 X 13 pan): a little sauce in bottom to start, noodles, sauce, cheeses, noodles, sauce, cheese (usually 2-3 layers of noodles). End with cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Let set for 15 minutes before cutting.

Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies

*This recipe needs to chill for 2 hours before baking . . . plan ahead.

3/4 c. real butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tbsp. water
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 boxes Andes mints

Mix butter, brown sugar, and water. Microwave to melt mixture. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and blend in mixer at a high speed. Reduce speed to low and blend well. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Chill for 2 hours. Roll into balls and put them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes until cookies have a cracked appearance. Remove from oven and immediately place 1/2 of an Andes mint on top of each cookie. Let melt and swirl with your finger to frost. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Pie

This is pretty much the only thing my dad can 'cook' besides eggs and venison.

1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 large package (or 2 small) instant vanilla pudding
1/2 container (reg. size) Cool Whip

Blend peanut butter and powdered sugar until crumbly. Spread 1/2 of the mixture in the pie crust. Mix pudding according to package and pour into pie crust. Cover with the Cool Whip and sprinkle the rest of the PB mix over the top.

*Pie History: The associate pastor of my home church (who had known my dad most of his life) asked him if he would make him his own special pie to take home from the Thanksgiving Pie Social at church. My dad decided that he needed to be humbled and, as it so happened, he was building our house at the time. On the day of the pie social, my dad was pouring concrete and had the great idea to fill the pie with that instead of pudding and cover it with Cool Whip and the PB topping.
Well, my sister carried it to the pastor who stuck his finger into it just deep enough to get only Cool Whip (whew!), declared it to be delicious and asked my sister to put it in his car (which was for the best cuz it weighed more than a pie should). He didn't realize it was made of concrete until days later! He thought he couldn't cut through it because it was frozen and left it out on the counter to thaw . . . for days! Ha ha! Good memories!

Apple Crumb Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5 c. peeled baking apples (mix varieties)
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

1 unbaked pie shell

Topping:
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter or margarine

In a bowl, combine first five ingredients. Spoon into pie shell.
Topping: combine sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over pie. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes until apples are tender and crumbs are golden.

Bean Juice

My Grandma Sommars makes her fresh and canned garden green and/or wax beans with this juice. I love it, even if it makes them less healthy. These are her exact words for this recipe:

4-5 tbsp. Half & Half
Salt & Pepper
maybe Butter (I put butter in it)

Cassie would like to add that she'd probably cook/steam the veggies in question before adding the juice.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 c. Shortening (pref. butter flavored)
1 c. Sugar
2 c. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 Eggs
4 3/4 c. Flour
2 c. Chocolate Chips

Mix it all together and make cookies. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Makes over 4 dozen (Grandmas don't make small quantities). Just to warn you, these are the best cookies ever.

Vegetable Salad

*Needs to marinate overnight. . . plan ahead!

1 large Cauliflower
1 bunch Broccoli
1 c. Celery
Carrots
2 bunches green onions
1 small bottle Wishbone Italian Dressing

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Dill Weed
4 tbsp. Heinz Chili Sauce
2 tbsp. Lemon Juice


Cut all veggies into bite-size pieces (celery and onions more thinly sliced). Marinate 24 hours with a small bottle of Wishbone Italian Dressing. Drain - add dressing. Refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving.

Confirmation Potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 lbs. frozen hash browns - thawed
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 can Cream of Potato Soup
1 can Milk
1- 8 oz. carton Sour Cream
1 large bag Cheddar Cheese

Mix above ingredients together (except cheese) in a 9 X 13 cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1 large bag of grated cheddar cheese (approx. 4 cups) over top. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Yummy!

Dill Potatoes

Preheat oven to 350-400 degrees.

Potatoes (two per person)
1 stick butter (1/2 c. or use less and also use olive oil)
Salt
Garlic Powder
Dill Weed
Pepper

Slice potatoes to desired thickness. Melt butter and drizzle over each layer, seasoning each layer with the above ingredients as well. Bake 1 hour.

Gulliver's Corn

This recipe is from my aunt and uncle's favorite restaurant in Colorado . . . I'm guessing the restaurant is called Gulliver's. ;) My cousin and I always shared the last mug of it for dinner on holidays. Ah, the memories. White Pepper is essential to get the right flavor.


2- 10 oz. bags frozen corn
8 oz. milk
8 oz. whipping cream
White Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)

Thickening:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour

Bring it all to a gentle boil - remove from heat and add thickening.

Broccoli & Cheese Casserole

This casserole goes wonderfully with ham. . . or by itself if you're side dish oriented like me. :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3 pkgs. frozen broccoli (approx. 30 oz.) (chopped finely)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
1- 8 oz. block of Velveeta Cheese
1 medium onion (I use onion powder)
1 c. uncooked rice (2 c. water . . . cook separately)
1 tbsp. butter

Saute onion and butter until onion is clear. Add cheese and mushroom soup. Mix until cheese is melted and smooth. Keep mixing, add in rice and chopped broccoli. Pour into baking dish. Bake until brown, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Caramel Rolls

I got this recipe in 8th grade in my life skills class (home ec?). It is AWESOME! A holiday favorite at our house. They need to be refrigerated overnight, so plan ahead. You also need a jelly roll pan to flip over the caramel rolls.

Serves 6-8

2 loaves frozen bread dough
3/4 c. softened vanilla ice cream
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar

Thaw bread dough (can still be a little frozen, but not much). Cut each loaf into 8 pieces. Place the slices into a 9 X 13 ungreased cake pan. Mix the ice cream, melted butter, and the sugars in a bowl. Microwave until mixed if necessary . . . no lumps. Pour the mixture over the bread dough. Cover with foil (NOT saran wrap). Place the pan in the refrigerator overnight. The following day, preheat oven to 325-350 degrees and bake the rolls for about 25 minutes. Check to make sure they are completely baked (I stick a fork into a center roll and rip it open to make sure its done). Flip over onto a jelly roll pan with sides on it. CAREFUL . . . the caramel mixture is very hot!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Rice Meatballs

This is a very quick and easy meal. I like to serve it with extra rice and steamed cabbage with butter, salt, and pepper.

1 c. Minute Rice
1 lb. Ground Beef/Turkey
1 Egg
2 1/2 c. Tomato Juice
2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Marjoram (I use a little less of Oregano as a substitute, since some website said they were similar)
Dash of Pepper
1/2 tsp. Sugar

Combine Minute Rice, meat, egg, salt, marjoram, pepper, and 1/2 cup of tomato juice. Shape into approx. 18 balls (to cover the bottom of pan) and place in skillet. Add sugar to the 2 c. remaining tomato juice and pour over meatballs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Sweet Milk Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp salt
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add sugar, butter, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (I often end up using even more than 5 cups for this recipe)

Turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide into 16 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Parmesan Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, soft
3-6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp yeast

Directions:
Combine ingredients (yeast last). Mix and knead 8 minutes. Cover with a cloth and let rise about one hour or until doubled. Punch down. Put on a pan and shape into a loaf. Cover and let rise again (not too much). Bake at 350 for 25 plus minutes, until golden brown.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Don't let the long ingredients list overwhelm you! This is a really easy recipe that pretty much involves throwing a lot of canned good into a crock-pot. I often put it together the night before and then put it in the crock-pot before going to work in the morning. The apartment smells so good when I get home from work and I am always happy to have dinner done already!


Ingredients

1-2 pounds shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Directions

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Tips:
-I usually just put two raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crock-pot, and then shred it 30-40 minutes before the soup is finished cooking. Being in the crock-pot all day gives the chicken plenty of time to cook, and this saves me the step of cooking the chicken beforehand.
-I like to add some canned black beans, drained and rinsed. I also usually add extra corn.
-I usually serve the soup with sour cream, shredded cheese, chunks of avocado, and cilantro. Sometimes I make the tortilla strips, but sometimes I just buy tortilla chips to serve with the soup instead.

Baked Rigatoni

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
16 ounces rigatoni
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, red pepper, oregano, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Stir in cream and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan.

Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni according to the package directions. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole and top with the remaining grated Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Cucumbers in Sauce

This is my favorite way to eat cucumbers. I'm sorry I don't have exact measurements, but its a 'to taste' sort of thing.

Cucumbers (2-3)
Approx. 1 cup Miracle Whip (DO NOT use Mayo, its gross in this)
Milk (added a splash at a time)
White Sugar (start with 1/2 tsp.)
Vinegar (start with 1 tsp.)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Peel and slice cucumbers. Soak in cold salted water while preparing dressing.
Mix the remaining ingredients listed above and taste to see if you like it. If it is too runny, add more Miracle Whip. Too tart, add a little sugar, etc. Play with the ingredients until you like the flavor.

Drain the cucumbers and rinse them thoroughly. Combine with sauce and test flavor again. If you still like the taste, chill in the fridge until you're ready to eat them. I'm a fan of the dressing, so I serve it in a bowl with a spoon.

Hamburger/Potato/Carrot Hot Dish

We have never come up with a shorter nickname for this dish, so we just say it really fast.

Serves 4+

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 lb. ground beef/turkey
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1-2 potatoes per person (depending on size)
A portion of a can of water (save potato water if possible)

Cut carrots and potatoes into bite-sized pieces and parboil them (pref. in separate pots as they cook at different rates). Brown meat in a skillet or in an oven safe pot. When veggies are ready, drain and add to the meat. Add the soup and mix together add enough water to juice things up a bit (not enough to become soupy). Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I like to serve it with brown and serve rolls or dinner roll bread and butter. If you don't have an oven or don't want to bake it, that's okay. My mom says it melds the flavors, but it is fully cooked and ready to eat without being baked. I'd probably simmer it for a couple of minutes, though, to heat it through and 'meld' those flavors. :)

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients
1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup Italian Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
2 cups spaghetti sauce
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream Cheese, cubed

Directions:
1. Cook spaghetti as directed on package.

2. Heat Italian dressing in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min. Add zucchini; cook an additional 2 min., stirring frequently. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Bring just to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Add cream cheese; cook 1 min. or until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve the chicken mixture over the spaghetti noodles.

ELM

Nathan and I affectionately refer to this meal as ELM, which stands for Emily's Lamest Meal. It's super easy, so I end up making it at least twice a month! Don't be scared away by it's strange name, it's actually pretty yummy!

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups penne pasta
-2 Tbsp. olive oil
-one lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch pieces (I often do less than one pound, usually just one chicken breast, whatever size it happens to be!)
-one zucchini, cut lengthwise and crosswise in half, then cut into thin slices
-one red pepper, cut into strips, halved
-1/4 cup Italian dressing
-2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
-red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta as directed on package
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for three or four minutes. Add zucchini and red pepper. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3.Drain pasta and add to chicken and vegetable mixture. Add the dressing and Parmesan and mix. Add red pepper flakes, sale and pepper, to taste.

This recipe is obviously pretty flexible. Sometimes I add a bit of chopped onion with the other veggies if I have some on hand that needs to be used up. If you need to make a bigger batch it could be yummy adding another pepper that's a different color. We often experiment with different seasonings to spice it up a bit.

Roasting Vegetables

This is a great recipe for roasting vegetables in the oven. You can use all sorts of vegetables, but keep in mind that different veggies require different cooking times. I like to cook this dish with 3-4 vegetables. If you want to cook vegetables that have different densities in the same dish, try putting the high-density vegetables in the oven by themselves first and add the others a little later.

Vegetable Categories:
*lighter-density veg. such as tomatoes, summer squash, green beans, and eggplant take the least amount of time
*medium-density veg. such as onions, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, and turnips take a little bit longer
*high-density veg. such as potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, and sweet potatoes take the longest to cook

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 425º and cut vegetables into fairly large chunks. Toss with olive oil.
-Spread out vegetables in heavy jelly roll pan or roasting pan that is lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray. (Heavier pans are designed to withstand high heat; they help keep veggies from burning.)
-About halfway through (25-30 min.), turn veggies over with spatula and continue to cook until tender and browned on edges (about 20 min. longer).
- add salt, pepper and choice of seasonings

Tips (Here are a few suggestions to try, just don't try them all at once):
*try adding nuts and seeds (toasted pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pine nuts, and sunflower kernels)
*try adding cheeses (goat cheese, blue cheese, feta cheese)
*try adding butter with herbs and spices
*try adding juices like fresh lemon, lime, OJ, or grapefruit
*try adding sauces or dressings (vinaigrettes, curry)

Applesauce

*3-4 lbs. apples
*4 strips of lemon peel
*juice of one lemon (lemon juice really helps to bring out the flavor of the apples)
*1 3-in. cinnamon stick
*1/4 Cup brown sugar
*1/4 to 1/2 Cup white sugar
*1 Cup water
*1/2 teaspoon salt

-Cut and peel apples.
-Put all the ingredients in a medium sized pot, cover, and bring to a boil.
-Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
-Remove from heat and remove cinnamon stick and lemon peels. Mash.

Baked Spaghetti

Serves 4-6 people

1 Jar Prego Traditional Pasta Sauce or your favorite
1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese
1 Package Thick Spaghetti (serves 8)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat sauces together in a saucepan (cuts down baking time and moisture loss). At the same time, boil pasta according to package to al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add the sauces to the pasta.

*If you have individual serving dishes that are safe to use in the oven, they would be perfect for this recipe. Otherwise, use a 9 x 13 baking pan and make separate piles of pasta.

Use tongs or a spaghetti spoon to make layers of pasta and sauce and pepperoni. When you run out of ingredients, top each serving with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden.

(I usually make half of this recipe for just my husband and myself)

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. Ground Beef or Turkey
½ of an Onion (I use onion powder)
1 can Tomato Soup (condensed)
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 heaping Tbsp. Mustard
1 Tbsp. White Sugar
3 Tbsp. Ketchup

Brown the ground meat and onion. Add other ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

How easy is that?

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Teriyaki Marinade

This is my favorite chicken marinade:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup cooking sherry
1/4 cup oil
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 clove garlic

Marinade in the fridge for several hours. I like the chicken best on the grill, but since we don't have a grill I usually just cook it on the stove.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 8 hours 45 min
Makes: 16 servings

Crust Ingredients:

· 1 ¾ Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

· 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar

· ½ cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling Ingredients:

· ¼ Cup all-purpose flour

· 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

· 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

· 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin filling

· 4 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

· 1 cup packed brown sugar

· 2/3 cup granulated sugar

· 5 eggs

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan with shortening.

2. In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the melted butter. Press crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Wrap foil around outside of pan to prevent drips. Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate about 5 minutes or until completely cooled.

3. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, brandy and pumpkin; set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and 2/3 cup granulated sugar until smooth. On low speed, beat in 1 egg at a time just until blended. Gradually beat in pumpkin mixture until smooth.

4. Pour filling over crust. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes or until set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

5. To serve, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Carefully remove side of pan before cutting cheesecake. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter for crust to 1/4 cup. Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups water on oven rack below center rack to help prevent cheesecake from cracking (leave pan in oven while cooling cheesecake). Heat oven to 350°F.






Glazed Pork Chops

Prep/Cook: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter OR margarine
6 pork chops, 3/4" thick (Sometimes I'll just make 4 pork chops without adjusting the rest of the proportions, and just have a little extra glaze.)
1 can Campbell's® Condensed French Onion Soup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Directions:

MIX cornstarch and water.

MELT butter in skillet. Add chops and cook until browned.

ADD soup and sugar. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 min. or until done.

REMOVE chops and keep warm. Add cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Serve over chops.

Lemonade

The secret to this recipe is the sugar syrup, also known as "simple syrup." Dissolving the sugar in hot water effectively disperses the sugar in the lemonade, instead of having the sugar sink to the bottom.

You should reduce the amount of sugar, if you are using Meyer lemons which are naturally much sweeter.


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

METHOD

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it. (If it is too sour, I often just add a little more water to it, and that works fine too.)

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Serves 6.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Introduction

Here is a blog to help share the wealth of cookery. Anyone from CSC is welcome to input recipes (the more the merrier), but please put at least two or more labels (see labels below) on the post to make it more organized and easier to search for recipes.

I suggest the following format:
1.) input your recipe and give it a title
2.) input one of the labels from food category and one of the labels from the name category, and if you want one of the optional ones from the optional category
3.) submit

List of Food Category Labels:

desserts
appetizers
main course
soups and stews
beverages
fruit
vegetables
foreign

List of Name Labels:

Sarah Bowler's Favorites
Sarah Lavallee's Favorites
Emily Nymeyer's Favorites
Hannah Stuart-Walker's Favorites
Cassie Mark's Favorites
Adam Reece's Favorites
Jan Giesler's Favorites
Timothy Krug's Favorites

List of Optional Labels:

healthy living
quick and easy