Strawberry Salad

Salad Dressing:
1/2 c red onion- chopped
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 TBSP Raspberry or Strawberry Jam
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 cups oil

Put everything into the blender except the oil. Add oil as you blend really well. Refrigerate. (My family likes this dressing best after it is cold. If it starts to separate, just shake it up good. )

1. Lettuce- Iceberg, Romain, Spring mix (I truly put whatever I have on hand. These just look pretty)
2. Nuts- Pecans (16 oz bag)
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP water
Salt- pinch
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
Cook until bubbling then add nuts. Cook 2-3 minutes. cool
3. Fontina cheese - Whole block (it's in a triangle shape usually in the specialty cheeses)
4. Parmesan cheese- ( the triangle shaped one and shred it. Or buy the already shredded container)
5. 1 lb bacon - (hormel precooked bacon works great. Microwave for 1 minute and it breaks up perfectly. Sometimes I just buy cheep bacon and cook it normal and break it up after it has cooled. Anything really works)
6. Strawberries (sliced)

I just layer everything starting with the lettuce and ending with the strawberries because they are pretty but you can do it however you want. :) Top will the dressing the enjoy.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

When Janey shared this post on Google Reader, I wanted to give this recipe a try. I've made it twice now and we've really enjoyed it.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
by Cooking a la Mode:

With a mixer, beat until fluffy:

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Add, the following, and blend until smooth:

1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk

Gently fold in:

1 container cool whip

Serve with various fruits.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

The other day I felt like apple cinnamon streusel muffins and almost picked up a mix at the store... then I decided it would save moo-lah and be healthier and tastier if I could make my own.

I found this Apple Cinnamon Muffins recipe on www.Bakingbites.com.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups diced apple

3 tbsp coarse sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and egg. Whisk in melted butter, vegetable oil and vanilla. Working in two or three additions, alternately stir in flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with an addition of flour and mixing only until no streaks of flour remain visible in the batter. Stir in diced apple.

Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups filling each to the top, or slightly over.

In a small bowl, stir together coarse sugar and additional 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Sprinkle generously over muffins.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool muffins on a wire rack.

Makes 12.

(my notes: I love streusel on muffins but this cinnamon/sugar sprinkle was really tasty too.  I would definitely use this topping again.  Also - I wasn't sure about the ginger spice as I'm not the hugest fan of ginger ...  so I just added an extra tsp of cinnamon for extra flavor and left out the ginger.  The muffins were moist and tasty.

Also - I liked the notes on the baking bites site about how the oil helps maintain the moisture in muffins and the butter helps with the flavor.

oh - also - dice the apples before you start.  I remembered when I needed to add them and it took a while.)

MMmmmm Jello Salad (Raspberries and Cream)

I did it! I'm officially a Mormon Wife! Heathy sent me this recipe from here and I couldn't help but try--anything with raspberries AND cream cheese has to be great. it has a slight taste of cheesecake, what could be a better side dish to our easter dinner? Here you go!


8 oz cream cheese (softened)

6 oz Sugar Free Raspberry Jello (the box says .6 oz, don't be fooled!)

10 oz frozen raspberries (defrost partially) (I took the remaining 2 oz from my bag and dumped them in with the cool whip so we'd have whole raspberries in there, too!)

3/4 C sugar

12 oz Cool Whip

2 tsp vanilla


Prepare Jello using only 2 1/2 C of water (1 1/4 hot, 1 1/4 cold). Add frozen raspberries, and let jello partially thicken in fridge. In a separate bowl, blend cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar. Add cream cheese mixture to partially thickened jello and whip together until well blended. Fold in Cool whip. Refrigerate 3 hours until well set. Mmmmmmm delicious!

Pina Colada Pound Cakes

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
3 eggs
1 can 14 oz. coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 can 8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained, 3 tablespoons juice reserved
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, and coconut milk with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in coconut and pineapple. Pour into pans.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool 50 minutes.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and reserved 3 tablespoons pineapple juice. Poke tops of cakes every inch with toothpick. Pour sugar mixture over cakes. Cut each cake into 8 thick slices, using serrated knife.

Peanut Butter Crunch

This is totally from Carol from the family cookbook, but I had it on my blog and wanted to link it to the recipe here, so here it is:

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
8 cups corn flakes

Bring sugar and corn syrup just to boil on medium heat. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter well. Add to corn flakes and mix well then put in buttered 9x13 pan. Eat by the handful or cut into squares.

Teriyaki Kabobs

Marinade:

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup orange or pineapple juice
  
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

other ingredients:

• steak, cut into cubes
  
• Fresh bell peppers (red, green, yellow or orange), cut into bite size pieces
  
• Sweet onions, cut into bite size pieces
  
• Fresh mushrooms
• Skewers, if wooden, soaked in water for 20 to 30 minutes

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together for the marinate, then add the other ingredients and marinate the kabobs before grilling.

Meals-on-the-Go

I'm taking a meal to a gal in my ward who just had a baby. And I'm wondering what your favorite meal/s are to take that are simple, easy, and tasty for all. Do you do a casserole, crock pot dish, soup? It sometimes seems tricky to keep it warm (yet not mushy), fresh, and generally yummy.

Any ideas?

Homemade Yogurt

I hope this make sense. I tried to add in what I do. Good luck and enjoy. I am not an expert but If you have any questions let me know and I will try and answer them.

* 1/2 gallon whole milk (can use whole, 2%, 1% or skim milk- the higher fat the creamier and thicker the yogurt)
* 1/2 cup room temperature plain yogurt with "live cultures" (I recommend Dannon Plain Yogurt, because it is made with milk and cultures, other brands have other fillers in them and I don't want that.)

Directions

1. Bring milk to just a boil and then set aside to cool. While you are heating the milk remember to stir almost constantly so it doesn't burn on the bottom. (I have forgotten to stir frequently and it burned, but I still able to use it. If this happens just don't scrape the bottom or your yogurt will have cottage cheese like curds in it.)
2. Cool just enough not to bite the finger to touch, (about 120°F). (I don't have a thermometer so the trick is to let the milk cool until you can keep your finger in it to the count of ten. It takes about 45 minutes to get to this temperature.) Sometimes a skin will form while the milk is cooling. I like to remove it because it feels like plastic in your mouth when eaten. But it doesn't have to be removed.
3. Pour warm milk in a glass or Pyrex bowl and add the plain yogurt with"live culture".
4. Mix well by stirring the starter in, and cover.
5. Completely cover the bowl with towels top and bottom to maintain an even temperature. I put mine into a cooler and surround it with towels to keep the temperature warm.
6. Keep covered at room temperature until the cultures have set, about 6-8 hours. The longer it sits the tangier it gets.
7. Carefully pour off the whey (liquid) that forms on the top.
8. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
9. To store, keep in refrigerator.
10. If you like, you can add a spoonful or two of fruit preserves/jam and a bit of vanilla before serving.

This will make a runnier yogurt. If you would like to make it thicker follow these instructions:

Follow instructions above until #7 then do this:

1. Line a medium-large bowl with a piece of cheesecloth or a clean white dish towel.
2. Dump a the yogurt into the center of the cloth.
3. Bring the four corners of the cloth together and lift the yogurt.
4. Place the cloth containing the yogurt in a strainer or colander, and place the strainer or colander in a bowl where it doesn't touch the bottom (so that the liquid can continue to drain).
5. Place the bowl containing the strainer/colander in the refrigerator and allow to drain for 2-3 hours. I dump the whey out of the bowl every hour. Strain until you get the consistency you like.
6. After straining using a spatula, put the yogurt in a bowl for use.
7. Return yogurt to the fridge another hour or two.

Chicken Enchilada Dip

This recipe is so easy to make and so good. I ended up heating it in a pan on the stove over medium-low heat until everything was heated through.

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can 5 oz. evaporated milk

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 can 4 oz. chopped green chilies

1 envelope taco seasoning

Tortilla chips

In a 2-qt. microwave-safe dish, combine the first eight ingredients. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4-5 minutes; stir. Microwave, uncovered, 3-4 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 3 cups.

Frozen Yogurt

This frozen yogurt is so good. I make it with homemade yogurt, but store bought will work too. The recipe I use for homemade yogurt is coming. Enjoy!

3 cups strained plain yogurt* or Greek-style yogurt
2/3 -3/4 cup sugar (depends on how tangy you want it)

Mix together the yogurt, sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

*To make strained yogurt, line a strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth. Gather the ends and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. So, for the above recipe start with and strain 6 cups of yogurt.

Wheat and Oat Bread

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1-1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons bread flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2-1/4 cups warm water
• 2-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 5 cups bread flour

1. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 1/4 cup warm water, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 2 TBSP bread flour, and yeast. Let grow for about 5 minutes. It will bubble almost immediately.
2. Measure oats, 2 1/4 cups warm water, whole wheat flour, salt, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup oil into the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed slightly, and begin adding bread flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Humidity determines how much flour you need before the bread pulls away from the edge of the bowl. It is normal for the dough to be sticky.
3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Shape loaves, and place in greased 8 x 4 inch pans. Let rise until dough is 1 inch above rim of pans, usually 1 hour.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until tops are browned. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Easy Marinara

My brother-in-law shared this recipe with me, and I love it. It is easy and very good.

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon, olive oil

1 carrot, minced

2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce

(sea) salt and black pepper

2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil or 1 tea dried basil

1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano or ½ tea dried oregano

3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley or 1 ½ dried parsley

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Stir in carrot. Sauté 2 or 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, basil and oregano. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 cups for about 1 pound of pasta

Sweet White Bread

This is one of our favorite bread recipes. I know it is not the healthiest because it isn't made with whole wheat and it has a lot of sugar, but it is so good. Ryan actually likes to add 1 cup of sugar instead of 2/3 cup. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup white sugar

1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ cup vegetable oil

6 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. About 10 minutes.

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth ( or 5-7 minutes in a stand-up mixer). Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich

This is another one of our favorite sandwiches. This one comes from The Pioneer Woman.

Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich
2 to 3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra-tenderized
1 large onion OR 2 small/medium onions
4 French/Deli rolls
Butter
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco

-Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.
-Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.
-Heat 2 TBSP butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown.
-Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.
-Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 TBSP butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.
-Butter halved French rolls and brown on skillet.
-To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonfull of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!

Southwest Toasted Meatloaf Melt with Avocado Salsa and Cilantro Mayonnaise

This recipe is awesome. It became an instant favorite. I won this cook book on the Picky Palate back in the summer. Anyway, this was her recipe featured in the cook book and she has it on her blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

Southwest Toasted Meatloaf Melt with Avocado Salsa and Cilantro Mayonnaise

Meatloaf
1 lb lean ground beef
1 egg, slightly beaten
½ Cup garlic and herb dry bread crumbs
4 oz can diced green chilies
¼ Cup finely chopped onion
¼ Cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Salsa
2 ripe avocados peeled, seeded and diced into ½ inch cubes
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2/3 cup tomato diced
1/2 cup finely diced red onions
¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed

Mayonnaise
¾ Cup mayonnaise
¼ Cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves
1 tea ground cumin
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

4 slices cheddar cheese
8 slices sourdough bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, green chilies, onions, bell pepper, garlic, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Gently mix until just combined. Form into loaf and place into meatloaf pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until meatloaf is cooked through and top has browned. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine diced avocados, lime juice, cumin, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, salt and pepper. Toss gently, cover and refrigerate until serving.
In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, cumin and black pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

When meatloaf has been removed from oven, preheat oven’s broiler. Place cheese onto 4 of the slices of bread. Place all 8 slices under broiler for 1-2 minutes or until lightly toasted and cheese melted. Spread generous portions of the cilantro mayonnaise onto the insides of the 4 toasts without the cheese. Slice the meatloaf into 8 equal slices. Place 2 slices of meatloaf onto the cheese side of the toasts. Top the meatloaf with divided avocado salsa, and place the remaining toast on top to close sandwich.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

This recipe sounds weird, especially if you're not a vegan. BUT, I'm not a vegan, and I just happen to be obsessed with soy products, so I'm lovin' it. PLUS, it seems healthy somehow....

Vegan Chocolate Mousse Recipe

1/2 cup organic chocolate soy milk
9 or 10 ounce bag of semisweet vegan chocolate chips (NOT carob chips)
12 ounces silken tofu
1 teaspoon natural pure almond extract

Pour the chocolate milk into a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove the milk from heat and let cool a bit while you melt down the chocolate chips.

You can melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave. In the microwave, just melt in 30 second increments, and stir between each.

Add the soy milk and silken tofu to the melted chocolate chips. Process with a hand or regular blender until completely smooth. Stir in the almond extract. Taste and adjust for flavor, adding a bit more extract if needed.

Chill in the big bowl (or in individual bowls) for at least 1 1/2 hours, the longer the better.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

It was cold and blustery today here in Phoenix (o.k 58* and windy, but that is cold to us) and soup sounded good.  I got this recipe from a Taste of Home cookbook.  I was a little skeptical while it was cooking, but it ended up being very tasty and was perfect for the day.  For my family I essentially halved this recipe.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

3 medium carrots, halved and thinly sliced

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (30 oz.) black beans

2 cans (14 1/2 oz.) chicken broth

1 can (15 oz.) crushes tomatoes ( I used diced)

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (I left this out)

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until vegetables are tender.  

Optional: If you have left over meat - smoked sausage, browned ground beef or roast you can toss it in for the last 30 minutes of cooking.  You can also serve over hot rice.

I didn't serve over rice because I wanted soup but I did cook up an Italian sausage and threw it in there for the last 30 minutes.  It really was good and the kids ate it up.  Unfortunately the bread didn't come out of the oven until an hour after we ate, but it was still good with crackers.

Egg Rolls

This recipe came from a dear friend we met during school up in Moscow - Becki Richardson. They were an excellent addition to our dinner tonight of sweet and sour chicken, and fried rice and were even better when dipped in the sweet and sour sauce. Tasty stuff people. Tasty stuff.

1/2 pound ground beef
4 cups chopped green cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 large celery stalk, grated

Sauce:
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Brown meat and drain. Add vegetables and cook until done. Stir in sauce until mixture is well-coated. Put large spoonful into each wrap and fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve warm.

The first time I made these my oil wasn't near hot enough and the insides were saturated with oil. Not so tasty. This time I heated it over medium-high heat and those little rolls stayed sealed and were perfect.

I think the family has the sweet and sour chicken recipe, but if you don't let me know and I'll post it along with the Benihana Fried Rice.

Curried Salad

My friend Beth made this recipe for us and it is my favorite salad recipe. I am posting it the way she made it for us which is a little different than the original she has posted on her blog. If ever asked to bring a salad to a dinner this is what I will take. The flavors are so good together. YUM, YUM YUM!!! I love this Salad!

Curried Salad

Ingredients:

• 1-2 heads of romaine lettuce (or any other kind)
• 1/2 c. grilled pineapple, cut into bite size pieces or smaller
  
• 3/4 c. cashew halves
• 1 T. melted butter
• 1 t. fresh rosemary
• 1 t. curry powder
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 t. salt (unless the cashews are already salted)
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Dressing:

• 3 T. vinegar
• 3 T. Dijon mustard
• 2 T. honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Toast cashews in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, until golden brown. Remove from pan to a separate and cooler location.
2. Grill the pineapple chunks.
3. Mix the melted butter, curry, sugar, cayenne, salt (if needed), cashews and rosemary- shake it up in a Tupperware for added ease and storage. If you do not have fresh rosemary, you can use the dried spice in half the amount. However, I recommend fresh rosemary because it's not so poky in the mouth.
4. Dressing: Stir together the vinegar, mustard and honey. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
5. Toss the greens, pineapple and top with the tasty nut ensemble. Serve the dressing on the side to be added according to everyone's preference.