Yummy Stuff

2011-12-15T19:04:00.000-08:00

This is a Pampered Chef recipe that I have made every summer for several years; sometimes 2 or 3 times. It's the most delicious dessert ever.

Tuxedo Brownies

1 pkg (21-oz) brownie mix (I like Betty Crocker Fudge)

1/2 cup seedless (or not) raspberry jam

2 cups fresh raspberries, or frozen whole raspberries without syrup, thawed & drained

3 squares (1-oz each) white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 (8-oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray bottom of 9x13" pan with vegetable oil spray. Prepare & bake brownie mix according to package directions. Cool completely.

Spread jam onto brownie. Arrange the raspberries evenly over jam.

Microwave white chocolate on HIGH for 1 minute; stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds or until chocolate is completely melted when stirred; cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Gradually whisk in melted chocolate and milk. Fold in whipped topping; spread carefully over raspberries.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Taco Soup

2010-12-20T16:19:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 lb ground beef, browned & drained	1 or 2 (14-oz) cans kidney beans w/juice
1 onion, chopped, cook with meat	1 - 2 Cups water
Add:	1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes w/juice	salt & pepper to taste
1 (17-oz) can whole corn w/juice
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

Simmer 15 minutes. Put tortilla chips in bowl, add soup, and top with sour cream, guacamole, grated cheese. Serve with extra chips.

Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Apples

2010-11-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

32 ounces white button or crimini mushrooms	1 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
4 Tbsp Canola oil	1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp kosher salt	32 ounces chicken broth
4 cups cornbread, cut in 1" cubes	1 tsp ground thyme
4 cups french bread, cut into 1" cubes	1/2 tsp turmeric
4 cups artisan/crusty bread, cut into 1" cubes	2 tsp rosemary, minced
1/2 lbs Italian sausage	1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups diced onion	black pepper
5 whole granny smith apples, large dice
5 Tbsp brown sugar

1. Allow diced bread to sit out on cookie sheets for several hours or overnight, until dried out. (I used about 15 cups of various dried, diced bread and seasoned dressing I had on hand.)
2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
3. Wash mushrooms thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a bowl with canola oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Mushrooms will be very coated, but that's good! Divide mushrooms between two sheet pans and roast in the upper half of the oven for at least 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through roasting. Remove from oven when mushrooms are deep brown. Set aside.
4. In a large skillet, crumble and brown sausage over medium high heat. Remove from skillet and set aside.
5. Add diced onions to skillet and brown for 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and add diced apples, brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until deep golden brown.
6. Decrease heat to medium and pour in wine (be careful if you're using an open flame). Stir and cook to reduce liquid by half, about 2 or 3 minutes. Pour apple/onion mixture over bread cubes.
7. Return skillet to medium heat; combine chicken stock, thyme, turmeric, rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Heat for a few minutes, then add some to bread cubes. Stir in sausage and mushrooms. Use enough liquid to desired moistness.
8. Pour dressing into a large baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown on top.
I made and served this for Thanksgiving 2010 and it was the best dressing ever! Another winner from The Pioneer Woman.

Corn with Wild Rice

2010-11-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

1 1/3 cups wild rice	6 Tbsp butter
4 cups chicken broth	2 whole eggs, beaten
3-4 cups frozen corn	1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream	cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 milk, for thinning

1. Cook the wild rice in chicken broth until almost done (30-45 min). Drain rice and allow to cool. This part of the recipe can be done the night before.
2. Stir together corn, cream, softened butter, beaten eggs, salt and cayenne pepper. Add in cooled wild rice. Add 1/2 cup of milk so mixture is stir-able, but not overly juicy.
3. Bake for 30-45 min, or until just turning golden brown on top and the mixture is somewhat set.
(*This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman. I first served it at Thanksgiving 2010 and it was a big hit.)

Summer Squash

2010-07-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this recipe a few years ago. Since then it's become a family favorite.

6-8 Cups sliced summer squash	1 Cup shredded carrots
1/4 Cup chopped onion	16-oz pkg stuffing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup	1/2 Cup butter, melted
1 Cup sour cream

1. In saucepan cook squash and onion until crisp tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine stuffing and melted butter. Add soup, sour cream and raw, shredded carrots. Stir together. Fold in drained squash & onions.
3. Spread mixture into 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Easy Taco Rolls

2010-05-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was a big hit with those of us who enjoyed it.

1/2 C cooked rice	1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 lb ground beef	8 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 pkg taco seasoning	2 C salsa
1 (15 oz) can corn	1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 C water

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly and evenly browned. Drain and discard any excess grease.
3. Reduce heat to medium, stir in the taco seasoning, corn, 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, and the cooked rice. Cook and stir until the cheese has melted and the corn is hot. Spoon the mixture into the flour tortillas. Roll into a tight cylinder, and pack into an 8x11-inch baking dish (it will be a tight squeeze). Pour the salsa over top and sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese topping has melted and is beginning to brown, about 10 min.

*After following the recipe as written, we think it would be good with more rice, brown rice, black beans or any of a number of possibilities. May have to reduce the amount of beef and add extra water; or just make more tortillas for left overs (it tastes great the next day and I'll bet it will freeze nicely. Serve it topped with diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sliced avocados, sliced olives.

Aebleskivers

2009-09-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

2 egg whites	1/2 tsp salt
2 C flour	2 egg yolks
2 tsp baking powder	4 T butter, melted
1 T sugar	2 C buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking sode	butter for frying

1. In a clean glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they can hold a stiff peak. Set aside.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar, egg yolks, melted butter and buttermilk at one time and beat until smooth. Gently fold in the egg whites.
3. Put about 1 tablespoon butter in the bottom of each aebleskiver pan cup and heat until hot. pour in about 2 tablespoons of the batter into each cup. As soon as they get bubbly around the edge, turn them quickly. (Danish cooks use a long knitting needle, but a fork will work. We used a small skewer intended for kabobs.) Continue cooking, turning the ball to keep it from burning.

Before turning the little bundles of deliciousness, add a bit of jam, a slice of apple or any other fruit you have on hand. Blueberries work well.

To eat, dip them in jam, powdered sugar or, my favorite, cut them in half and drizzle a little bit of syrup on them. Trust me you do NOT need to add any extra butter.

We loved these. Thanks to Candleman who bought the pan and made them the first time. I'll try to get pictures next time.

Summertime Pasta

2009-09-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

I got the original recipe for this dish from Pioneer Woman. She named her version Farfalle with Zucchini but I changed the name because I thought the farfelle (bowties) was too substantial (heavy) for this dish. I made it the first time just like she said, but tonight I substituted angel hair for the farfalle and we liked it much better.

Summertime Pasta
1 med onion, diced
4-5 regular sized zucchini, crookneck or other summer squash
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
3 cloves garlic, minced or diced
olive oil
10-oz angel hair pasta
2/3 C chicken broth (or white wine)
1 Tbsp Arrowroot (for thickening)
1/2 - 3/4 C cream
fresh herbs - basil, lemon thyme, chives (whatever you've got)
Parmesan cheese

Set a pan of water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. I had a banana pepper from the garden so I diced that up, too. It's very mild and tastes just like a yellow sweet pepper. I quarter-cut yellow crookneck for the sauce but both crookneck and zucchini together would add more color.

When the water boils cook pasta for 4-5 minutes.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over med high heat. Saute the onions and garlic, until onions are
translucent; add squash (and diced pepper). When the squash is almost cooked but still has a slight crunch, turn the heat to medium and toss in the tomatoes. Cook for a minute or two. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the Arrowroot, immediately the sauce will start to thicken. Remove from heat and pour in the cream. Stir gently.

To serve, pour the drained pasta into a serving bowl. Add lots of fresh herbs - I forgot the herbs tonight and that makes me sad because they add so much yumminess to the dish. I have oregano, basil and rosemary growing in the garden, too. Pour the sauce over the top. Add Parmesan cheese and gently stir.

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

2009-03-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two p. 188

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck	1 Tbsp minced onion or shallot
2/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats	3 Tbsp grated carrot
1 egg, beaten	1 tsp salt
1/3 cup ketchup	ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Place the ground beef, oats, and egg in a large mixing bowl. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, onion, carrot, salt, and pepper. Using your hands or a large fork, mix gently but thoroughly, being careful not to compact the meat. shape the meat mixture into a mounded oval or round loaf, depending on the shape of your cooker.

2. Make a foil 'cradle' that will help you easily remove the meatloaf from the cooker when it is done. Tear a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil that is about 14 inches long. Fold in half lengthwise, then in half again lengthwise to make a strip about 3 inches wide. Place the foil strip into the crock. The edges of the foil will come up the sides of the crock; they don't need to come out the top. Center the meatloaf in the crock, on top of the strip. cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 5 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf reads 160 to 165 degrees.

***Personal note: I thought the meatloaf was not as good as my own recipe, but my daughter loved it. I think 2 eggs were need to hold it together better. Maybe a little mustard would have helped the flavor. I also added some dry oregano and basil.

Chicken Breast with Tomato-Basil Sauce

2009-03-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

p 199 The Marshall Field's Cookbook

4 boneless chicken breasts	1 shallot, minced
Salt & freshly ground pepper	2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour	2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil	3/4 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp unsalted butter	16 grape tomatoes, halved
(at room temperature)	1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Season the chicken breast on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess.

Combine the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan and cook, turning once, for 5 - minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add the shaallot and garlic to the hot pan. Saute for 1 minute, then add the viegar to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom. add the chicken broth and tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat. Stirring constantly, add the basil, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taaste. stir until the butter is incorporated into the sauce.

Place the chicken breast on a serving platter and pour the sauce over. Serve at once.

Puff Oven Pancakes

2009-02-20T22:49:00.000-08:00

from Make-A-Mix Cookery

4 Tablespoons butter	Strawberry jam, frozen is best
4 eggs	2 sliced bananas
2/3 cups pancake mix*	1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450°. Put 2 tablespoons butter each in two 9-inch pie plates. Put in preheating oven to melt butter. In a blender, combine eggs, milk and pancake mix. Pour batter into pie plates. Bake 18 minutes, until pancakes are puffy and browned. Do not open oven while pancakes are cooking. Spread strawberry jam on each pancake; top with sliced bananas and a sprinkling of brown sugar.

*Use purchased pancake mix or make this recipe ahead of time and store it in an airtight container.
10 cups flour
2 1/2 cups instant nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking powder
2 tablespoons salt

Caramelized Onion Chicken

2009-02-20T19:56:00.000-08:00

from The Best Family Slow Cooker Recipes by Donna-Marie Pye

4-5 chicken breasts, skinless	1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 tsp salt	1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper	1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp butter	2 tsp grated ginger root
1 sweet onion, sliced	1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

1. Place chicken in slow cooker stoneware and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium skillet, melt butter on med-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes longer, stirring often, until onions are tender and golden brown. Spread over top of chicken.
3. In a bowl, combine jam, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger root and rosemary. Pour over chicken and onions.
4. Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 7 hours or on High for 2 1/2 to 4 hours, until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Cook'n Recipe Software

2009-02-12T21:29:00.001-08:00

A couple years ago I went on a massive internet search for an easy-to-use, works-for-me program that would allow me to enter my own recipes and print them out. Good grief! Who knew there were so many. I investigated each one thoroughly. There were always some nice features, but none did everything I wanted it to do in an easy and useful format.

I was just about ready to give up when I found Cook'n. This product filled every demand I asked it to and more. I know I sound like a salesman, but I don't get any kickback for writing this blog. The only reason I'm taking the time to write about Cook'n is because I think it's fabulous and I know there are others who are searching for recipe software like this.

This page will provide a brief summary of the features.

Some of the features I really like:
*I can add my own recipes, along with pictures
*I don't have to type out complete words for each ingredient, i.e. cup, large, onion; as soon as I start to type the word the program completes the word for me.
*If a word or product isn't already part of the program I can add it.
*I can plan a weekly menu and Cook'n will provide me with a shopping list.
*There are tons of cookbooks available to incorporate into Cook'n, such as Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Taste of Home, Gooseberry Patch and even one for Cook'n with Weber.
*It will adjust ingredient amounts for different serving sizes.
*Organizes the shopping list into dairy, meats, frozen, etc.
*It provides nutritional analysis - even for my recipes!

If you are interested you can view a 13 min. demo that shows you how to use all the features.

The reason I bought this product is so I could easily enter my own recipes, add a picture of the recipe and then print a book for me and each of my children. I hope I get that done before I die. I've started two cookbooks within the software - one for me that will include all sorts of delicious recipes, both family favorites and those the kids turn their nose up at but that Candleman and I really like and another one for the kids that will only include family favorites.

Roasted Beet Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons

2009-02-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

I first tasted beet soup (Borscht)in a Russian restaurant in Chicago (2007). It was to die for. This recipe, though quite different and from a Jewish Cookbook*, was every bit as delicious. I highly recommend it and will be making this again.

5-6 lg beets, scrubbed	2 cloves fresh garlic
olive oil	1 cup apple cider
3 slices pumpernickel bread	2 cups chicken stock
18 walnut halves	1 cup water
1/2 tsp ground sage	1/4 tsp sea salt
1 large red onion, thinly sliced	sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rub each beet with 1 tsp olive oil, coating all sides. Wrap individually in aluminum foil and place onto a cookie sheet. Place into the oven and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender.

Remove from oven and allow to stand until no longer hot to the touch. Using a paper towel, rub off the skins & discard. Cut the beets into quarters and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the roasted walnuts and croutons: Slice the pumpernickel bread into bite size diamond shapes. Place the bread and the walnuts into a med bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the ground sage. Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and place in the hot oven for 5 min, until slightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.Toss to coat.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil into a large woup pot over medium-low heat. Add the red onion slices and cook. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 more min. Pour in the apple cider, stock, and water. Add the beets. Simmer for 5 min, until heated through.

Using an immersion blender puree the soup. This can also be done in batches in a blender or food processor. Season with salt.

*2-10-09 I misread the recipe and used 2 large red onions and the soup still tasted great. I didn't have sage on hand so I used poultry seasoning, which turned out tasting good. I don't think I would bother with the walnuts next time, but the pumpernickel bread croutons added a wonderful pizazz to the soup, although it would be delicious without them. Myke, Mom and I liked the soup a great deal. One caution: Don't completely puree the soup. The texture is much more pleasant with some chunks.

*Recipe from Kosher by Design Lightens Up by sSusie Fishbein

Cowboy Potatoes

2009-02-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

This is a yummy recipe that I got from my sister, Susan. Last year I couldn't find my copy of the recipe so I called Susan and asked her if she could read it to over the phone. She had no idea what I was talking about! She had never even heard of Idaho Potato Delight. As I describe it to her she did know what I was talking about but they call it Cowboy Potatoes. That name fits it better so I'm slowly working that name into my family's repertoire.

5 - 6 potatoes, baked	green onions, chopped
1 lb ground beef	mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg dry onion mix	cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 - 1/2 cup water	sour cream

Bake potatoes at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Meanwhile brown ground beed.
Add onion soup mix and water; let simmer. To serve: Split baked potato, top with hamburger, sour cream, onions, mushrooms and cheese.

Dilly Casserole Bread

2009-02-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

1 cup cottage cheese	1 tsp dill seed
1/4 cup water	1 tsp dill weed
1 Tbsp margarine	1-1/4 tsp salt
2-1/2 cup flour	1/4 tsp soda
2 Tbsp sugar	1 pkg active dry yeast
3 tsp dry minced onion	1 egg

1. In a small saucepan, heat cottage cheese, water and margarine until very warm (120° - 130°).
2. In a large bowl, blend warm liquid, 1 cup flour, sugar, onion, dill weed, dill seed, salt, soda, dry yeast and egg at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
3. By hand, stir in 1 1/2 cups flour to form a stiff batter. cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size (45 - 60 minutes).
4. Generously grease (not oil) a 2-quart casserole. Stir down dough. Place in prepared casserole. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size (30 - 45 minutes).
5. Heat oven to 350°. Bake bread for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Brush warm loaf with melted margarine. Immediately remove from casserole and let cool.

Hamburger-Corn Bake

2009-02-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes with a story. My first semester at BYU (summer of 1969) I signed up for a beginning mythology class. I knew nothing about Greek or Roman mythology so this seemed like a good class for me. The teacher told us that the main thing to know was that it was important to appease the gods and in this class he was the god. We could appease him by bringing treats; his favorite was cinnamon rolls. I thought he was teasing. He wasn't.

After our final exam we were going to have a potluck picnic. He told me I better bring a really good casserole because I did so poorly on the exam. "None of that tuna casserole stuff," he said. That's what I had planned on because I was a poor college student. So I hunted for another casserole recipe that I could afford. The teacher loved it and gave me an A- for a grade. I still don't know anything about mythology, but I do know it's important to appease the gods.

1 lb ground beef	1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 med onion, chopped	1 C sour cream
12-oz can corn	1 can cream of chicken soup
salt & pepper	3 C cooked noodles (6-oz)

Brown ground beef and onion; drain. stir in corn, soups, seasonings. add sour cream and noodles. Warm through.

Funeral Potatoes

2009-02-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

24-oz frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese, softened
6-8 green onions, chopped
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper

Place potatoes in a big mixing bowl and let partially thaw. In a smaller bowl mix together soup, sour cream, cream cheese and green onions. When potatoes are thawed add cheese, soup mixture and salt and pepper. Stir; pour into a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle with more cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min.

Menu Plan Monday 2-9-2009

2009-02-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

Monday
Ham
Funeral Potatoes
Tossed Salad

Tuesday
Roasted Beet soup
Dilly Bread

Wednesday
Confetti Chicken
Faux Potato Kugel
Brussel Sprout Poppers

Thursday
Chicken-Corn Bake
Tossed Salad

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Idaho Potato Delight

Sunday
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Tomato Soup

I had a plan last week that included at least 3 of the meals planned for this week. I had a few bad days so things didn't pan like I'd hoped, but I have the ingredients bought and in the frig for all the meals through Wed. I won't have to go shopping until Thursday. YAY! I'm late posting my menu plan, but I already have everything made for dinner tonight. I will try and get recipes posted soon. Since Tuesday and Wednesday are new recipes, I have to try them out before I bother typing up the recipes. Candleman and Katie love it when I plan ahead. So do I. The biggest draw back is having more dishes to wash. I don't have that problem with fast food.

Menu Plan Monday 2-2-2009

2009-02-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

Over the year I have seen several blogs doing Menu Plan Monday. I used to plan a weekly menu when my children were home, but don't do it regularly now days. I know we eat healthier and save money when we eat homemade meals rather than dining out (if that's what you call eating at Burger King, Wendy's, McDonald's and Taco Bell.) Not to mention how much better they those meals taste.
Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts this weekly event. I am going to try really hard to do this every week. So here's my plan for this week.

Monday - Dining out because I put together my menu plan too late in the day. (Off to a good start, aye?)
Tuesday - Chicken Fajitas
Wednesday - Ham, Funeral Potatoes, Tossed Salad (Candleman's cooking)
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Confetti Chicken, Faux Potato Kugel, Brussel Sprout Poppers (recipes from Kosher by Design Lightens Up)
Saturday - Roasted Beet Soup (from Kosher by Design Lightens Up), Dilly Bread
Sunday - Tuna Sandwiches on Dilly Bread, fresh vegetables

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2008-05-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Serves: 8

6 larges potatoes, peeled and cut

1/2 cup diced leeks

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1 quart half and half

1/3 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pepper

Fried and crisp bacon, diced

In a large pot, combine potatoes, leeks, garlic, salt and water. Bring to a boil; lower to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender. Do Not drain. In another pan, melt butter; then add flour. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes; slowly add the half & half. Continue cooking and stir constantly until thickened. Add sour cream and pepper. Pour white sauce into the pot with the cooked potatoes and water.

*My two daughter's who gave me the Making Memories-Dairy Keen Cookbook for Christmas bought it for this recipe. So with all my daughter's home this weekend I made this recipe for them. I thought it was delicious. One said it wasn't as good as Chili's and another said it wasn't as good as Bennigan's. So if you want really terrific potato soup, you know where to get it. If you want to make some at home I would highly recommend this recipe. Candleman and I loved it.

Cream Potatoes and Peas

2008-05-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Creamed Potatoes and Peas

Serves: 8

2 pounds small, red potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups half and half

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup frozen peas

Peel and cube the potatoes. Cook potatoes in small amount of water until tender. Drain. In another saucepan, melt butter; add flour. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, slowly add milk and cream. Cook until thickened. Add seasoning, potatoes and peas.

*Note - I didn't peel the potatoes because I like the flavor of the peels. My mother used to make these every summer with new potatoes freshly dug out of the ground and fresh peas, so this recipe is not new to me. I saw it in my Making Memories Dairy Keen cookbook and decided to fix them for dinner. They were delicious but not quite as good as Mom's. This recipe was from a friend of the Dairy Keen owner's.

Dairy Keen's Fried Chicken

2008-05-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Dairy Keen's* Fried Chicken

Serves: 6

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 pint buttermilk

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon tabasco sauce

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and trim chicken. In a large zip-lock bag, add buttermilk, salt and tabasco sauce. Add Chicken. "Mush" bag so that all the chicken has some buttermilk on it. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 6 hours. In a bowl, mix flour, salt, pepper paprika, seasoning salt, garlic powder and baking powder. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, one piece at a time; place in flour mixture. Coat both sides of chicken. In a large, very heavy pan, bring oil to 350 degrees. Drop chicken gently into oil. Do not crowd chicken in pan. Fry until browned; then bake 15 minutes longer in oven.

*Dairy Keen is a local "burger joint" that has a model train that travels overhead through hand painted murals of the beautiful Heber Valley. Kids love it! A few years ago they rebuilt the whole structure to look like a train depot. It's very charming, plus the food is good. I especially love their fresh raspberry shakes - they are to die for.

*My personal note about the chicken. This is the recipe served at Dairy Keen. I didn't get a picture because the original recipe said to put the chicken in a bag with the flour. I did that and it mushed together and didn't stick very well to the chicken. The chicken was so delicious that I am going try again, but this time I'm going to put the flour in a pan and dip each piece individually. The chicken was very moist and had a nice flavor.

Gingered Squash Saute

2008-05-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

Gingered Squash Saute
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty Annual Recipes 2003

Serves: 9

1 pound yellow summer squash, sliced

1/2 pound small zucchini, sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 medium green pepper, julienned

4 teaspoons butter

3 mediums tomatoes, quartered

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

In a skillet saute squash, zucchini, onion and green pepper in butter for 1 min. Cover and cook over medium heat for until tender. Add tomatoes, salt and ginger. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes.

*Note - My family loves squash. This was a particularly delicious way to satisfy our squash craving. I was hesitant about the onion and the tomatoes, but shouldn't have been. The onion added wonderful flavor and the store-bought tomatoes tasted fresh. Did that few minutes of cooking make them zing like a home-grown wonder? I did leave out the green pepper, only because the part of one I had in the fridge was no longer useable.

Apple-Onion Pot Roast and Garlic Potato Wedges

2008-04-30T23:06:00.001-07:00

Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2003 Cookbook
This cookbook has several pages featuring 27 different meal plans. I used one of those for the dinner pictured below. I thought these potatoes were the perfect coupling for the roast. Another thing I like about this cookbook is that most of the recipes have pictures to go with.
Apple and Onion Beef Pot Roast

Serves: 8

1 boneless beef sirloin tip steak (2 - 3 pounds)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 large, tart apple

1 large onion

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1/8 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce

In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, brown roast on all sides. Transfer to a 5-qt slow cooker. Add water to the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits; pour over roast. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Top with apple and onion. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until meat is tender.

Remove roast and onion; let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Transfer liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan, discarding apple. Bring liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in browning sauce. Stir into cooking liquid. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over beef and onion.

*Note - Candleman said this was the best pot roast he has ever tasted. Served it to my mother and brother and sister-in-law and they all raved about it, too. Since this recipe doesn't make enough gravy for potatoes, the Garlic Potato Wedges were a perfect side dish.

Garlic Potato Wedges

Serves: 8

4 pounds small red potatoes, cut into wedges

1/3 cup olive oil

16 peeled garlic clove

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

or 2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cider vinegar

4 teaspoons dijon style mustard

3 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onions

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, rosemary and salt. Pour into 15-in x 10-in x1-in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 25-30* min or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper and remaining oil until smooth. Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with onions.

*Note - I cooked the potatoes for 35 - 40 min. These potatoes are a nice change from boiled, baked or mashed. I will be making these again; along with the roast.

Double-Chocolate Cream Roll

2008-04-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

from Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2003 Cookbook.
Serves: 12

1 1/2 teaspoons shortening

5 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, divided

3 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups cold, milk

2 3-ounce packages instant white chocolate pudding mix

4 ounces cream cheese, softened*

3 tablespoons carmel ice cream topping, divided

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided

1 tablespoon hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

Coat 15-in x 10-in x 1-in baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Grease the paper with shortening; set aside.

CAKE - In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Add vanilla. In another bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolks. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until cake springs back when light touched. Immediately invert the cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with remaining powdered sugar. Gently but quickly peel off parchment paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on wire rack.

FILLING - In a mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Set aside 1 cuup. Unroll cake; spread remaining filling evenly over cake. Drizzle with caramel topping; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons walnuts. Roll up starting with long side. Spread reserved filling over cake roll. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce and caramel topping. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

* Notes: The original recipe didn't call for cream cheese, but I 'knew' it would only improve the final product.
I made this dessert for my mother's birthday cake. It received untold compliments both on looks and taste. I am making it again this weekend for my daughter's visit.

*I made this recipe again a week later. It was quicker and easier on the 2nd trial. Everyone loved it so it will definitely go in my family favorite recipes. This is a great when you want something light, yet chocolatey.

Welcome to My Food Blog

2008-04-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

I started this blog so I could post pictures and recipes for the Soup's On: A Culinary Reading Challenge. The object is to choose 6 cookbooks to read/browse; making several recipes from each and reporting on what we liked and didn't like. You can find the six cookbooks I chose for this challenge and the reasons for choosing them on my book blog, A Reader's Journal.

I will probably expand this blog to include other recipes when the challenge is over.