Bon Apetite!

Sushi

2010-06-20T14:07:00.001-07:00

I am not sure how to explain this but what I basically did was get all of the ingredients that I wanted to put in the roll and then I googled "how to make sushi" to find a how-to video.

Ingredients I used:

Short Grain rice-cooked in rice cooker

Seaweed sheets

Immitation Crab

Cucumber

Avacado

Sesame seeds (I forgot this)

Rice Seasoning: Rice Vinegar, sugar, and salt

Cook vinegar over heat to dissolve the sugar and salt. Depending on how much rice you cook the amount of seasoning will vary. My first time I cooked three (maybe four, can't remember, oops!) cups of rice and so my seasoning mix was:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 or 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

I was not exact with my measurements. I eyeballed most of it. Anyway, the seasoning is mixed in with the COOKED rice. Or to make things easy you could buy a bottle of actual rice seasoning for sushi at the store.

One avacado and one average size cucumber cut in half gave me at least four rolls. So you don't have to buy a lot of the veggies unless you're making a lot. One cup of rice will make about two small rolls. I made two cups of rice and got two large sushi rolls with that.

You can put almost anything you would like in your sushi rolls. These ingredients are of the basic California Roll. I have yet to try other ones like the spicy tuna roll...Mmmm!

Melanie's "2 Can" Chili

2010-02-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

1 lb. lean ground beef 1 large sweet onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 Tbsp minced garlic
Plenty of fresh ground black pepper

Brown beef together with onion, celery and garlic. Drain any grease.
Heat to med-high and add:

2 cans fire roasted tomatoes (don't drain)
2 cans tomato sauce (I rinse the cans and end up adding about 1/2-3/4 can water)
2 cans dark red kidney beans (drain the tops because bean goo is disturbing)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (don't sub another kind)
2 Tbsp really good/dark raw honey
2 Tbsp chili powder

Simmer for at least one hour. Try to share.

Cheese Chowder

2010-02-05T08:38:00.000-08:00

Start to finish: 30 Minutes
Makes: 6-8 side dish servings (about 5 cups)

1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped carrot (1 medium)
1/2 cup celerey (1 stalk)
1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
3 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (6 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese (6 oz)

1. In large saucepan bring water to boiling; add carrot, celery, sweet pepper, and green onions. Cook, covered, about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Do not drain.
2. In a small bowl gradually stir about 1 cup of the milk into the flour; stir into cooked vegetables in saucepan. Add the ramaining milk, the bouillon granules, and white pepper.
3. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add cheddar cheese and American cheese, stirring until melted.

Quick Cheese Chowder: Prepare as above, except omit celery, sweet pepper and green onion. In a large saucepan combine the water, carrot, and one 10-oz package frozen cauliflower or frozen cut broccoli. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 4 minutes or just until vegetables are crisp-tender. Do not drain. Cut up any large peices of cauliflower or broccoli. Continue as directed in step 2. Makes 6 to 8 side-dish servings.

*If feeding this as a dinner for 4 or more people, triple the recipe. Can of evaporated milk can be substitued as the milk, it makes it very creamy. I just used mild cheddar because that is all I had, but it tasted great. I want to try it mixing the different cheeses.

Sugar Cookies

2009-10-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Out of all the different sugar cookie recipes I have tried this one is THE BEST so far.

Courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

Ingredients:
· 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
· ¼ teaspoon salt
· 12 tablespoons butter, softened
· 1 cup granulated sugar
· 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
· 1 teaspoon lemon zest
· 1 egg
Directions:
Place a fine mesh sieve or a sifter over a medium mixing bowl and add the flour and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar; using a hand held mixer on medium-high speed cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light in color and has a fluffy texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and egg. Beat until blended, 1 or 2 minutes longer. On low speed, gradually add the sifted flour and salt, mixing until just blended.
Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 2 balls. Place each half between 2 pieces of waxed or parchment paper and roll into 5-inch diameter disks. Place the dough on baking sheets and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or as long as 24 hours.
When you are ready to roll and bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with silicone liners or parchment paper. Place 1 disk of the cookie dough on the work surface and remove the top sheet of paper. Lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour. Roll the dough out starting from the center to an even thickness of 1/8-inch. Using decorative cookie cutters cut the dough directly on the parchment paper. Use a spatula to transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet. Place the cookies at least 1/2-inch apart.
Gather the dough scraps and reroll them to make additional cookies. Only reroll the dough once.
Bake the cookies 1 sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are golden around the edges and firm to the touch. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
The cookies can be stored in resealable plastic containers or cookie tins for 1 week. To frost the cookies prepare a recipe of royal icing as follows and decorate as desired.
Royal Icing:
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon milk
1 pound confectioners' sugar
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat slowly until well blended. Then beat at medium-high speed until the icing forms stiff peaks, 6 minutes. If icing is not stiff enough add more sugar if it is too stiff add more milk. Use immediately or place in a plastic container with a lid until ready to use. Allow icing to dry for at least 24 hours before packaging.
Yield: About 2 1/2 cups

Greek Couscous Salad

2009-08-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved
1 medium cucumber - chopped
1 medium sweet green pepper - chopped
1/2 cup snipped chives
1/4 cup snipped parsley
1/4 cup oregano
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or light olive oil)
2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts

Bring 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil and add 1 cup of couscous. Stir until incorporated, reduce heat to low and cover for 20 minutes. Chop cucumber, tomato and green pepper and set aside. Combine oil, vinegar, agave and spices and whisk until blended. Remove couscous to a large bowl and add cucumber mixture and balsamic mixture. Add feta and walnuts and stir until completely combined. Chill for one hour for best taste results. TRY to share! YUM!

Source: from my friend Melanie.

I don't have a picture but I will be making it soon and I'll take a picture then.

The Best Breakfast!

2009-08-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is seriously the best breakfast casserole I have ever tasted and it's super easy to boot! My sister has been making it for a while and I've been hooked from the first time I tried it. I don't have the cookbook in front of me but these are the correct measurements, just the directions aren't straight from the book.

1 Medium Onion coarsely chopped
4 Cups frozen hash browns, thawed
6 Eggs
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
1/2 Tsp. Salt

1/4 Tsp. Pepper
1 Cup Grated Cheese

Source: Pampered Chef Busy Moms Cookbook

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion and brown thawed hash brown together until brown. In the meantime, combine eggs, milk, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix. In a casserole dish, mix cheese and hash browns together. Poor egg mixture over hash browns. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are set. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Variations: Keilana loves sausage in it; so, I cook about 1/2 a roll of sausage and mix with the hash browns and cheese. My sister has found that 8 eggs and 1/2 cup of milk works better than the what the recipe calls for. I also save about 1/4-1/3 of the cheese to cover the top of the casserole.

As Rachel Ray would say, "YUMMO!"

From Crackers to Toffee

2009-05-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

After making these for dessert one night when the Quan family was over for dinner, Vanessa requested that I put this on here. It was a college favorite when I was attending Ricks. We made it for FHE and other functions all the time, and I don't think there was ever one person that didn't like it! AND, it's the quickest and easiest dessert to make EVER!

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
40 soda crackers (approx. 2 packs)
Chocolate chips
Chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil, dull side up. Spray with cooking spray. Line soda crackers on cookie sheet. Mix brown sugar and butter in a pot. Bring to a full boil and let boil for 3 minutes. (I find it's a good idea to stir while it's boiling so that it doesn't burn on bottom.) Pour over crackers and spread evenly. Bake for 5 minutes.
I allow them to cool a few minutes before putting on the chocolate chips, because I don't want them to melt. If you prefer, you can put them on right away and spread the chocolate evenly over the top. You can also sprinkle chopped nuts on top if desired.

Note: Depending on how many people you are making them for, the recipie can easily be cut in half.

Whole Wheat Brownies

2009-03-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

These aren't your typical brownies. They are low-in-sugar and have a cakey texture. We are getting ourselves used to eating whole wheat flour in all of our food so our taste buds are acquiring a taste for it. We enjoyed them but probably isn't something one could just whip up and love if you are not used to the texture and tastes.

6 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
1 cup Unsalted Butter
4 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Agave Nectar
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a glass bowl over boiling water, melt chocolate. When chocolate is melted mix in agave, butter, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Stir in whole wheat flour and eggs.

8x8: 40 minutes
9x13: 30 minutes

Recipe courtesy of Melanie

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2009-02-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

I know most of you don't need a recipie written out for chocolate covered strawberries, but I just really loved the way these turned out and thought they would be cute to post on here as an idea for a Valentine's Day treat. We go to a play group with some other moms and kids from church, and today we did a valentine exchange. I had some extra strawberries in the fridge that I had bought on sale and decided to use some of them for Tyler and Allison's valentine. They are a healthier alternative to most Valentine's Day goodies, but still a very delicious treat!

Here's what I did, just in case:

1 pint strawberries
1 bowl microwavable dipping chocolate
holiday sprinkles

Wash and dry strawberries. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt chocolate according to package directions. Dip strawberries into chocolate and lay on lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with holiday sprinkles. Refrigerate for approximately 15 minutes or until chocolate is hardened.

Andy Boy Romaine Hearts Lettuce Wraps

2009-01-30T22:19:00.000-08:00

Technically this is so cheap that I took a picture of the recipe but when I went to type it out, it was just taking so long and I am tired- excuses aside. I got this recipe off the back of my lettuce from Costco. I was very pleasantly surprised by the end result and my husband even loved it and wanted to take the left overs to work. It's a really healthy crisp dinner and I will definitely be making it again.

Pine nut cilantro pesto

plate of avocados, green onions and tomatoes

The yummy end result

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-01-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 lbs of fresh or 20oz. of frozen broccoli (COOKED)
3 TBS butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 TBS flour
2 cups chicken broth (I used chicken bouillon cubes, made up to box directions-another option: Vegetable bouillon)
2 cups light cream (I just used milk)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup sharp chedder cheese-grated.

Directions: Melt butter, add chopped onion and cook until onions are clear. Stir in flour to make a roux. Add broth and cream. Cook until thick, stirring frequently. Add salt nutmeg, and broccoli. Just before serving add cheese.

NOTE: I tripled the ingredients to feed four adults-about 2 large servings for each adult.
I would also reccommend using fresh steamed broccoli so you aren't stuck with mostly stem chunks that you usually get from a frozen bag of broccoli, and you can cut the fresh broccoli to a size you like.

Salsa Ole

2009-01-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

1 can diced tomatoes-regular

1 can diced tomatoes-mexican

1 can diced tomatoes-fire roasted

2 cans diced ortega chiles (green)

1 LG onion-finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp red pepper

2 tsp salt

(optional) 1-2 tsp lime juice

You do not have to use can tomatoes. Dice up some fresh tomatoes if you want to!

Directions: After tomatoes,chilies, and cilantro are finely chopped, combine all ingredients and mix together in a large bowl. Refrigerate over night for everything to marinate together for a yummy taste! You can eat right away if you want but the flavor seems to taste better after a little marinating.

To get the onions and cilantro finely chopped I used a mini food processor like this one pictured below. Use whatever size you may have this makes the process easy!

I even used it to chop down the diced tomatoes a little bit because the chunks in the can were a little too big.

NOTE: I don't usually buy all the different cans of diced tomatoes like the fire roasted or mexican(it often gets expensive at the grocery store). Instead I buy one or two 28oz. cans of regular diced tomatoes(depending how much I'm making) and maybe add an extra can of the green chilis and then add extra amount of spices.

Creamy Potato Zucchini Soup

2009-01-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

I don't have a picture but this sounded so good to me that I had to put it somewhere. My good friend made it and its cold outside so it looks like I will be making this soon!

Creamy Potato Zucchini Soup

3 medium potatoes (cubed)
1 medium zucchini (diced)
1 small onion (chopped)

2 Tb butter/margarine
2Tb flour
2 C milk
1 C grated cheese (I used cheddar...you could use whatever you have)
1 Tb corn starch
1Tb cold water

Salt
Pepper
Thyme

Boil diced potatoes (I left skins on, but you could peel them if you want) in enough water to cover them, with a few dashes of salt. After a few minutes, add the chopped onion. When potatoes are nearly soft, add the zucchini. Discard any water that is above the line of the vegetables, add pepper and a few dashes of thyme, and let simmer.

In another saucepan, melt butter and mix in flour until smooth. Then add milk, and stir until flour/butter mixture is mostly dissolved. Add cheese and stir until melted. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water until smooth, and then add to creamy mixture. Stir. When mixture begins to thicken, add to the vegetables and water. Stir well, and continue to let simmer. Add more salt, pepper, and thyme to taste. Serve hot.

Serves about 6, also reheats well (though it continues to thicken in the fridge).

Mile-High Fudge Brownie Pie

2008-12-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

Absolutely sinful but necessary! We first got a taste of this delectable creation two Thanksgivings ago in Tennessee. I was insistent that we have one this Thanksgiving and as I suspected it was a big hit. The recipe says that it yields 10 servings but we had to yield 18 so that everyone could sample the scrumptious temptation that we all indulged our taste buds in. It probably would have been wise to make two. Nonetheless, I'm confident that it will continue to be a traditional dessert in the following Holidays to come for the Quan family! Enjoy!

Recipe provided by Kraft Foods

Ingredients:
4 (1 ounce) squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
2 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP or COOL WHIP French Vanilla Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar; stir until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour until well blended. Spread into greased 9-inch pie plate.

2. Bake 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Scoop out center of brownie with spoon, leaving 1/2-inch-thick rim around edge and thin layer of brownie on bottom. Reserve removed brownie pieces for later use.

3. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Gently stir in half of the whipped topping and all but 1/2 cup of the reserved brownie pieces. Spoon into brownie crust; top with remaining whipped topping and remaining 1/2 cup brownie pieces. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Yield: 10 servings

* I refuse to put the nutritional information up for pure simple fact of guilt! It's definitely loaded!

Guilt Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2008-11-23T11:46:00.000-08:00

We love these fast and guilt-free cookies in our house! They're naturally sweet with no added sugar which means I can eat them and the kids love that I don't say "no" to a second one!

For those that worry about the saturated fat in coconut oil, take heart that coconut oil is actually a healthier saturated fat that the dozens of other oils out there. The way that the body processes it means that it does not affect cholesterol. I use Spectrum organic virgin coconut oil because it is unrefined. If you do not have coconut oil on hand, extra virgin olive oil may be substituted. If you are on a gluten free diet (as many of our family is) be sure to use certified gluten free oats. And finally, if you don't have almond meal (Trader Joe's has some for a decent price!) you can make your own by pulsing almonds in the food processor until it resembles course sand. But remember: PULSE! Too much and you'll get almond butter!

Guilt Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3 large, ripe bananas
1/4 cup coconut oil, warm (in a melted state)
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix well and then stir in:

2 cups oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup finely shredded UNSWEETENED coconut
1/4 cup flax meal
1 cup raisins

Place on a Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet in rounded spoonfuls (a cookie scoop works great!) and bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes or until edges are starting to brown.

Hello Dollies

2008-11-19T23:29:00.000-08:00

I have to give credit for this recipie to my Mother-in-Law, Lynette. Up until my last pregnancy, I despised coconut. I could even taste when something had been made with coconut OIL! So unfortunately, I would never even try these when she made them. However, I have to admit that the look and smell of them always had me curious. Once I gained my newfound love for coconut, I have been addicted ever since. Occasionally I will get a craving for them, and today was one of those days!

I am going to list the recipie exactly as she gave it to me, but explain slight adjustments I have made to suit my own taste.

1 stick butter, melted (I use probably half that amount)
1 box graham cracker crumbs or 1 - 2 sleeves graham crackers (crushed)
1/2 bag angel flake coconut (I have used regular coconut and like them just as much)
chocolate chips
chopped pecans (optional, but since I love nuts, I NEVER leave them out!)
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (again, I use any brand and still like them the same)

Pour melted butter in 9x13 pan. (I pour half of the butter on the bottom and save the other half to drizzle over the graham cracker crumbs. In my opinion, it makes for a chewier, less crumbly crust.) Pour graham cracker crumbs over the butter, making an even layer of crust. (If using the box of cracker crumbs, I probably use 3/4, but you can make it as thick as you want.) Pour a layer of coconut, then a layer of chocolate chips, and then a layer of pecans. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top to coat everything. Bake at 320 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden on top.

*Note: This recipie is typically made with small chocolate chips sprinkled all over the top. The picture shows jumbo chocolate chips because I didn't read the package carefully when I picked them up in the store. Of course, chocolate is chocolate, so it all works. My only complaint is that I didn't put ENOUGH of the jumbo ones on! As you can see, there were lots of bites that didn't contain chocolate...not good!

Chicken Casserole

2008-11-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

This was a hit last night and can feed a crowd.

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

3-4 cups diced cooked chicken
2-3 cups cooked white rice
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup (6 oz.) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until softened.

In a large bowl, combine soups, sour cream, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken, rice, and sauteed veggies. Stir until well mixed. Pour mixture into 13x9 dish.

In a medium bowl, combine crushed crackers, butter, and garlic powder. Spread over chicken mixture.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

**To reduce some calories, use the reduced fat versions of the soups and lowfat sour cream. There are also reduced fat Ritz crackers and you could just skip the butter (but I don't recommend it).

Caramel Apples

2008-10-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season for caramel apples!

Since eliminating refined sugars from our home, I've been trying out various sweet treats made with the natural sugars. Heidi Swanson (author of one of my all time favorite cookbooks and all time favorite blogs) posted this recipe on her blog JUST IN TIME! I'm sure she won't mind if I share it here. They are delicious, just like the original but without all the bad sugar. Follow the directions EXACTLY as written and you're on your way to a caramel coma!

Thank you, Heidi!

Caramel Apples

Heidi Swanson

Please be careful when making caramel apples, you will be working with dangerously hot, sticky, ingredients - I always put on an apron and make sure I have a closed-toed pair of shoes on when making candy. Be extra, extra careful if you have kids around. On the ingredient front, I typically go for a mild clover honey when making caramels.

6 - 8 small apples, unwaxed, cold
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup honey

Special equipment: candy thermometer, and lollipop sticks

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Push a lollipop or popsicle stick deep into each apple - in through the stem.
Fill a large bowl 1/2 full with ice water and set aside.

In a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan heat the cream and salt until tiny bubbles start forming where the milk touches the pan - just before a simmer. Stir in the honey. Bring the mixture to a boil. Now reduce the heat to an active simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 15-20 minutes minutes or until the mixture reaches about 255-260F degrees. To stop the caramel from cooking, very, very carefully set the bottom of the saucepan in the bowl of cold water you prepared earlier - taking special care not to get any of the water in the caramel mixture. Stir until caramel begins to thicken up - you want the caramel to be thin enough that it will easily coat your apples, but not so thin that it will run right off. If the caramel thickens too much simply put the pot back over the burner for 10 seconds or so to heat it up a bit.

I tilt my sauce pan so all the caramel forms a pool on one side, and use my other hand to dunk and twirl each apple until it is thoroughly coated with caramel. Place each apple on the parchment lined baking sheets and allow the caramel to cool and set.

Makes 6 - 8 caramel apples.

Mandarin Orange Cake

2008-10-27T22:18:00.001-07:00

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

1 (18.25 ounce ) box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin orange segments, drained, with juice reserved
1 tsp. orange extract (optional, but recommended)

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, orange extract, and juice from mandarin oranges. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in mandarin oranges. Pour batter evenly into 2 pans.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Remove from pans.

To make topping: In a large bowl, beat pineapple with juice and dry pudding mix until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Spread between cake layers and on top and sides of cake. Store in refrigerator.

ENJOY!

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

2008-10-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

Having lived in Louisiana for several years when I was young, I experienced my fair share of Cajun food and culture. I grew to love it quickly even though I was only 10 years old. The people are genuinely warm and friendly, much like the food they are famous for. Cajun cooking is comfort food, especially if you are familiar with the comfortable culture from which it was born.

This is one of my favorites and now my family enjoys it too! Feel free to omit the hot sauce if you don't enjoy a lot of spice in your foods, but the other spices add unmistakable flavor and most importantly... don't forget the Tony's! (You can find it in nearly any mainstream grocery store.)

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Tony’s Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
10 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 1/4 cups uncooked white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Heat olive oil in a large pan and saute onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic until tender.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, and season with red pepper, black pepper, Tony’s, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
Stir in cooked chicken and sausage. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Fudgy Oat Drops

2008-10-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe out of The Friend magazine a couple years ago. These are my favorite no-bake cookies.

FUDGY OAT DROPS

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter or margarine
16 large marshmallows
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp. vanilla

Place chips, butter, and marshmallows in a large sauce pan and melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Mix in oats and coconut. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (I use a cookie scoop) on waxed paper and cool. Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-20T21:05:00.001-07:00

Since it's officially fall I decided to make my favorite autumn treat. The sisters I visit teach will be enjoying this tomorrow. I've always received many compliments on this bread, but I can't accept them because the recipe is not my own. It is from the original Joy of Cooking cookbook.

PUMPKIN BREAD

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
(optional: 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
and/or 1/3 cup raisins or chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat sugar, shortening and eggs until light and fluffy. Add and beat in pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and vanilla. Do not over-beat between each addition. Fold in the optional nuts/raisins/chocolate chips. Pour batter into pan and bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Remove loaf from pan and wrap with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.

Play Dough Cookies

2008-10-18T23:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe that Caralie and I made for her preschool class. You can make them into cookie-pops if you want to by inserting lollipop sticks into the cookies before you bake. Mostly these are cool-looking cookies, not the most tasty ... though I haven't met a kid yet that doesn't like them!

Artificially-colored goodness!

PLAY DOUGH COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
assorted colors of paste or gel food coloring
(optional: lollipop sticks or sugar sprinkles)

In a large bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and almond extract; beat until smooth.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough into fourths. Tint each with a different food color.

"Mommy! I'm stirring with all my might!"

Roll each color into small, 1 inch balls. Combine balls into batches of four and press together to make one large ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

We used Ziploc bags.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll each ball into a 12 inch long rope and, starting at one end, coil rope to make a 3-inch round cookie. Place cookies 3 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet (or use parchment paper). Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles or insert lollipop sticks.

Caralie used sugar sprinkles to make them "pretty."

Bake cookies for 8 - 10 minutes or until centers of cookies are set. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container. Makes a dozen cookies.

Don't they look lovely?

Seven Layer Dip

2008-10-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for entertaining! This dip is always a crowd pleaser and is SO easy to make! As requested by Vanessa...

Seven Layer Dip

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
2(16 ounce) cans refried beans
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
2 avocados, sliced
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

Warm the refried beans in the microwave for 2 minutes then spread onto a large serving platter or 9x13 dish.
Mix the sour cream and taco seasoning in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
Top with shredded cheese then layer the salsa, tomato, avocado, green onions, black olives and lettuce.
Serve with tortilla chips!

White Chicken Chili

2008-10-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite season by far for more reasons than I can list. From the rich colors of the outdoors to the scents in the air. I am also in a better mood during the fall than at any other time of year! Plus, fall means SOUP which I just can't get enough of. If I didn't think my family would whine about it, I'd make soup every day during the fall and winter.

This recipe is a family favorite! The chilis add a nice flavor to the soup so don't skip them! I use mild chilis and the kids gobble it up without a hint of "This is too hot!".

White Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 sm onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken of broth
Milk. I fill the chicken broth can about 1 1/2 times with milk
3 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast
3 (15 ounce) cans Great Northern white beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, chiles , cumin, and oregano. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the chicken broth, milk, chicken and white beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the mixture from heat. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted. Serve warm.

We serve this with cornbread or over tortilla chips with cheese on top but it's also delish all by it's lonesome.

Pumpkin Seeds

2008-10-05T23:09:00.000-07:00

What better time to post this recipe than now. I'm breaking the rules, slightly. This recipe isn't tried and true with our family, but has still been tested, nonetheless. This was posted on a family member's blog and she says that her kids loved them. I hate wasting pumpkin seeds so I'm going to try out this recipe once we start our pumpkin carving. Let me know if you give it a go and how you liked it.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

1 medium pumpkin

5 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

Makes 1 cup

Directions:Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pumpkin open from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Separate flesh from seeds, and reserve the flesh for another use (see Pumpkin Pie). Pumpkin should yield 1 cup seeds. Spread seeds on parchment in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let cool.In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer to bowl with spices, and stir well to coat. Let cool. These may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

2008-09-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

The original name for these is actually "Feather-Light Muffins,"

but I thought they tasted just like Snickerdoodle cookies, so I renamed it!

1/3 c. shortening (I used butter)

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 c. cake flour (I assumed this meant all-purpose flour)

1 1/2 teas. baking powder

1/2 teas. salt

1/4 ground nutmeg

1/2 c. milk

TOPPING:

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, sugar, and egg. In a seperate bowl, combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fill greased muffin tins (or paper muffin cups) 2/3 full. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll warm muffins in melted butter, then in sugar mixture. Serve warm.

Yield: 8-10 muffins

Note: These really do have a very unique, spongy texture. Tyler loves chocolate chip muffins, so I added some chocolate chips to part of the batter for him. Those turned out pretty good, but the original "Snickerdoodle" style with the cinnamon/sugar coating is best in my opinion!

Garlic-Sage-Marinated Beef Pot Roast

2008-08-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

1 2-2 1/2 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
3/4 cup dry red wine or tomato juice
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. snipped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp ground sage
10 cloves garlic, halved
2 tsp instant beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 1/4 lbs tiny new potatoes or 4 medium potatoes
4 medium carrots, cut into 2-in peices
2 small onions, cut into wedges
2 stalks celery, bias-sliced into 1-in. peices
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Trim fat from meat. Place meat in a plasic bag and set the bag into a shallow dish. For marinade, in a small bowl combine the red wine or tomato juice, tomato paste, sage, garlic, beef bouillon granules, and pepper. Pour over meat; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain meat, reserving the marinade.

In a Dutch oven brown the meat on both sides in hot oil. Drain fat. Pour the marinade over meat. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove a narrow strip of peel from around the center of each new potato. (or, peel and quarter each medium potato.) Add potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery to meat. Cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender, adding some water if necessary. Transfer meat and vegetables to a platter. Cover and keep warm while preparing gravy.

For gravy, measure pan juices; skim fat. If necessary, add water to equal 1 3/4 cups liquid; return to dutch oven. Combine the 1/2 cup water and flour; stir into juice. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for one minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve gravy with meat and vegetables.

Makes 8 Servings

Nutrition Info per serving: 321 Calories, 29 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 78 mg cholesterol, 345 mg sodium

Notes: To make this a whole lot easier, use a crock pot! We put it on before church and let it go until about 4 pm and it was SO good! Put carrots and potatoes in about 45 minutes to an hour. We cooked them in a pot in the juices of the roast instead. I do want to try it the other way but I figure it's simliar. And if aren't sure what a dutch oven is, google it and click on images.

Tuna Stir-Fry

2008-08-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

Need a quick dinner? This one is fast and easy!

1 (7oz.) pouch StarKist Flavor Fresh Pouch Tuna-I used the Albacore White Tuna
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 Tbsp. soy sauce-I used Aloha Shoyu, my opinion it taste better
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp canola oil-I use olive oil with all my cooking instead
**1 bag (16oz.) frozen oriental vegetables
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups cooked rice
1 Tbsp. water

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok until hot. Stir-fry onion, garlic and vegetables for 4 minutes, until crisp tender. Add tuna, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp. water. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Serve over hot rice.

**I used my own mix of fresh cut veggies: broccoli, carrots, green onions (small handful), this is what I had on hand the day I made this so you can add whatever you like. I did use a bag of oriental frozen veggies once and I didn't like the blend also everything seemed VERY soggy and not much like stir-fry. So I chose my own veggies and cooked those.

Also, I used more soy sauce (Aloha Shoyu) and sugar than called for to create more of a sauce in the stir-fry, about 1/3 cup soy sauce and 1 Tbsp sugar. I combined the sugar and the soy sauce; mixing so it dissolves completely before adding it to the stir-fry.
Note: those items combined like that is how your basic teriyaki sauce is made. :)

This recipe was found on the back of a 7oz. pouch StarKist Flavor Fresh Pouch Tuna
If you're not a fan of tuna then substitute with Chicken but the tuna adds great flavor!

Ham, Spinach, and Mostaccioli Casserole

2008-08-17T20:12:00.001-07:00

8 oz packaged dried mostaccioli, cut ziti, or elbow macaroni
3 tbsp margarine or butter
3 medium onions, cut into thin wedges, or 5 medium leeks, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups half-and-half, light cream, or milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham, or chicken
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Drain again.

In a large saucepan melt margarine or butter. Add onions or leeks and garlic. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, thyme, and pepper. Add half-and-half, light cream, or milk and the chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in pasta, ham, and spinach. Spoon mixture into a 3-quart casserole.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir gently before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 388 calories, 18 g protein, 44 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat (6 g saturated), 42 mg cholesterol, 719 mg sodium.

Notes: Nurtritional information will vary depending on the ingredients you choose. Again, we do whole weat/grain pasta but opted for the half-and-half to make it more creamy. This is seriously a very yummy recipe! Prep time doesn't take long, I would say from start to finsh is about one hour, depending on how many interruptions you have! The kids loved this but would probably think it was better without the spinach. My husband couldn't stop eating it! I had this for leftovers the next day and it tasted just as good!

Soba & Stir-Fried Shrimp

2008-08-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

Dressing:
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin (sweet japanese rice wine)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Shrimp and noodles:
2 teaspoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 1/2 pounds medium size shrimp, cleaned
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 package (12oz) soba noodles
1 seedless cucumber, sliced
1 red sweet pepper, sliced thin
1/3 cup cilantro leaves for garnish

1. In large bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce,mirin, ginger, sugar and hot pepper sauce. Set aside.
2. Cook noodles following package directions. Drain; rinse under cool water.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add shrimp and garlic; saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and lemon juice. Remove from heat.
4. Toss noodles, cucumber and red pepper with dressing. Add shrimp and any liquid from skillet. Toss gently. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*I didn't really follow the recipe, as in exact measurements but added what I thought would taste good. I forgot the cilantro so I bet it tastes even better with that added. This is a totally different dinner that isn't your everday familiar taste. Try something different though! Expand those taste buds, give them an asian kick! Haha!

If there is any confusion, below is a picture of what japanese soba noodles to use: (funny because Soba means noodles in japanese so you are actually saying noodle noodles; tee hee!)

Banana Bread

2008-08-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3-4 medium)
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees, Grease bottom only of loaf pan. Mix sugar and margarine in 2 1/2 quart bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water; beat 30 seconds. stir in remaining ingredients except nuts just until moistened; stir in nuts. Pour into pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 8-inch loaf 1 hour and 15 minutes, 9-inch loaf 55-60 minutes; cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. Serving size: 24 (slices)

Nutritional Information: 120 calories per slice

Notes: The best banana bread recipe hands down and I've tried several! Recipe advises not to use self-rising, however; my mom did use it one time and it turned out just fine. So if that is all you have it will do.

Resource: Betty Crocker's Cook Book, 1989

Chicken Manicotti with Chive-Cream Sauce

2008-08-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

12 Packaged dried manicotti shells
1 8-oz container soft-style cream cheese with chives and onion
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (10 oz)
1 10-oz package frozen chopped broccoli ,thawed and drained
1/2 of a 7-oz jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained and sliced, or one 4-oz jar diced pimiento, drained
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Drain shells; rinse with cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small heavy saucepan melt cream cheese over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Slowly add milk, stirring until smooth. Stir in Romano or Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat.

For filling, in a medium mixing bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of the sauce, chicken, broccoli, roasted red sweet peppers or pimiento, and black pepper. Using a small spoon, carefully fill each manicotti shell with about 1/3 cup of filling.

Arrange the filled shells in a 3-quart rectangular backing dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with paprika. cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 396 calories, 25 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 18g fat (9 saturated), 92 mg cholesterol, 257 mg sodium

Notes: This is really easy, the stuffing can take a little getting used to if you've never done it before like me. We use whole wheat pasta, healthier for you and in my opinion tastes better. I would double the recipe to the sauce. It worked out okay for us but next time I think I will double up on the sauce, it is VERY good. Don't cook all 12 noodles, as it says makes 6 servings. The roasted peppers that we found came in like a 16 oz jar where condiments were. There weren't many choices so be thorough when browsing for it.

Resource: Easy Everyday Cooking