The Franson Kitchen

Tex Mex Chicken and Rice Skillet

2012-02-03T13:20:00.003-05:00

My entire family LOVES this quick, easy and flavor-packed one-skillet meal! Actually, it's one of the only things Adam actually requests for dinner!

Ingredients

1 tsp. EVOO

1 can (11-15 oz.) whole kernel corn

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cooked

1 T. taco or southwestern seasoning (see note below)

1 1/2 c. brown rice, cooked in chicken broth (or water and bullion cubes)

1 ½ C. salsa verde (or more), I always use Herndez brand

2 T. snipped fresh cilantro (or more)

1 C. shredded mexican cheese blend (or more, haha)

sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Add 1 tsp. oil to skillet; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 min. or until shimmering. Meanwhile, drain corn; pat dry with paper towels. Add corn to skillet in a single layer. Cook without stirring 5 min. or until caramelized on one side. Remove from skillet & set aside.

As corn cooks, cut chicken into 1” pieces. Combine chicken & seasoning mix (see what I use for seasoning below). Add chicken to skillet. Cook over medium-high heat 5-7 min. or until center of chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally and chopping into smaller pieces with wooden spoon. Remove chicken from skillet & set aside.

Add cooked rice to skillet. Add salsa verde, cilantro, corn and chicken; mix together and heat through over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with more cilantro (optional).

Serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Southwestern Seasoning Mix

I just sprinkle over chicken:

1t. garlic powder

1 t. chili powder

1 1/2 t. cumin

with a touch of salt and pepper

Adapted heavily from Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes to Dinner cookbook.

Taco Bowls - A PerFeCT way to spice up a plain ol' meal

2010-07-03T10:51:00.005-04:00

My daughter asked me to make these the next night because she thought they were so cool [and tasty]. Tacos are a great, quick, yummy meal, but we all know that they can get BORING. So, make these taco bowls (that you used to think can only be eaten at Mexican restaurants) and it will liven up that family fav.

From melskitchencafe.com

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave 4-6 burrito-sized tortillas for about 30-45 seconds until warm and pliable. Place oven-safe jars upside down on a cookie sheet. With your hands, rub oil on tortillas so they are well coated. (This helps them crisp up and prevents them from sticking to the jars.) Drape tortillas over jars and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are crisp and slightly brown.

Yup, that's it. Enjoy!

Vanilla Ice Cream

2010-05-27T22:35:00.003-04:00

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 t. pure vanilla extract

In medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar with whisk. Add cream, milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Place in ice cream maker and freeze according to machine directions until almost frozen. Place in airtight plastic container in freezer for at least 30-45 minutes before serving, to firm up. And the most important part... enjoy!

Note: This ice cream is derived from Ben & Jerry's ice cream recipe book. You can use these amounts of eggs, sugar, cream and milk for any ice cream base that you want to make! Be creative! (Or go to Coldstone and get some ideas for mix-ins there!)

Chocolate Ice Cream!!

2010-05-24T21:04:00.005-04:00

So, last year I did a homemade ice cream demo and attempted to make chocolate ice cream in front of more than just a few lady friends of mine... it was disastrous. I thought, "How hard can it be?" Well, with the right recipe it isn't too bad, but you can't just mix in some chocolate into a traditional vanilla base, like I thought (stupidly).

So for you today is Ben & Jerry's light (as in not too rich, but NOT low fat) chocolate ice cream recipe. This is a good one to eat by itself or to mix in whatever your little heart desires {Oreos, marshmallows, brownies, fudge swirls, coconut, walnuts, caramel...) It is perfectly creamy and chocolaty. Enjoy.

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 c. cocoa

1 c. whole milk

2 eggs

3/4 c. sugar

2 c. cream

1 t. vanilla

Melt chocolate in double boiler or in a glass bowl in 20 second intervals. Whisk in 2 T. cocoa and 2 T. milk until smooth. Slowly incorporate the rest of the cocoa along with equal amounts of milk until the mixture is fairly smooth. There may be a few small lumps, that's OK. Pour in whatever milk you haven't already added and whisk until smooth. Cool in refrigerator for 3-4 hours until completely cooled.

When mixture is cold, whisk eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl. Whisk in cream and vanilla. Whisk in chocolate mixture.

Pour in ice cream maker and freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.

If adding any mix-ins, do it once the ice cream is mostly done in your ice cream maker, mix them in and then transfer to plastic containers and then to your freezer.

(Makes 1 qt.)

Tortilla Soup

2010-01-27T11:02:00.003-05:00

And yet another one of my friend, Katherine Field's recipes.

My husband isn't a big fan of soup. I LOVE soup though, so I make it all the time anyway. Bahahah. Can't always please them, right? I was happy when he did say that this soup was one of the ones he actually enjoys. (I really don't know what his problem with soup is... he doesn't think it fills him up or something. Silly.) This soup is super easy, very quick, flavorful and not so heavy. Enjoy!

2 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

32 oz. chicken broth (about 4 cups)

1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, not drained

1 - 4 oz. can green chopped green chilies

1 t. cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 t. sugar

1 T. lime juice

3 large chicken breasts, cooked and chopped/shredded

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender and fragrant. Add broth, tomatoes, chilies, spices, sugar and lime juice. Add chicken and simmer for at least 20 minutes on med-low.

Garnish with these ingredients (this is what makes this soup so good!):

Diced avocado

sour cream

chopped cilantro

Mexican blend cheese or cheddar

crushed tortilla chips

Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast

2009-12-12T21:42:00.006-05:00

Our church held our Christmas party this year in the morning and had people sign up for breakfast casseroles, fruit and/or milk. LOVED this breakfast idea on a Saturday morning! In looking for a new breakfast dish to make that wasn't the usual sausage and egg dish, I immediately went to My Kitchen Cafe. This blog is great! The author's SIL is a friend of mine from medical school and they are both quite amazing with their dedication to food blogging. So thanks, Melanie for all your hard work. For a picture of this dish, go to her site HERE. I didn't get up quite early enough to bake it and still be on time this morning, so when it was done, I rushed out the door and didn't even have a second to snap a pic of my version.

As for my version... I pretty much doubled the recipe in the same pan because I wanted it to serve more people. This increased the cooking time quite a bit. So instead of using 1 baguette, I used a 1lb. 6oz. Italian bread round loaf (the very dense kind of bread) from my local store's bakery. Also, plan ahead for this recipe, it has to soak for at least 8 hours overnight and bake for over an hour in the morning. Here it goes:

1- 1lb. 6 oz. round dense Italian bread loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes

12 eggs

2 c. milk

1 t. nutmeg

2 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. brown sugar, divided

1 c. chopped pecans, toasted in skillet with 2 t. butter

1 stick butter

4 c. fresh blueberries

Butter or spray 13x9 pyrex pan. Place cubed bread in pan. In a medium-large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla and 1 c. brown sugar until eggs are beaten slightly. Pour evenly over bread and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day, until most of the liquid is absorbed. I toasted my pecans the night before to save time in the morning.

Preheat oven to 375. Toss the bread a little bit to try to get the cubes on top saturated as well. Evenly distribute blueberries over bread and then sprinkle pecans on top. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and 1/2 c. brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Pour evenly over dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375 for an hour. Remove foil and continue baking until top is brown, dish is very bubbly and juices from blueberries are seeping out into bread, about 20 more minutes.

Caramel Apples

2009-10-31T21:00:00.006-04:00

Let me tell you, these suckers aren't as easy as you would think. I have had 3 batches that haven't turned out very well (this batch below included) but the good part is that I now know every possible mistake that you can make. I have been humbled, let me tell you! I mean, how hard can some caramel apples be to make, right?

Mistake #1: This led to disaster batch #1.... get ALL the wax off your apples! Don't just rinse them, like the normal apple eater does. Gently scrub with a washcloth and warm water. Then towel dry.

Mistake #2: On the back of your Kraft Caramel bag it will say to mix 2 T. water with 1 bag unwrapped caramels. Use milk instead.

Mistake #3: Don't use Almond Bark. You can't thin it out very easily and when your chocolate is too thick, it pulls the caramel right off your apple. Trust me.

Buy good chocolate, like Ghiradelli chocolate chips. Before melting in 30 second intervals or with a double boiler, add 1 T. vegetable shortening for every 1 cup of chips to thin out the chocolate a little. It should put a thin coat on your apple. Refrigerate to dry chocolate. If you want to roll in crushed Heath bars, nuts or whatever your little heart desires, do it when the chocolate has barely dried then stick back in the fridge.

So, your instructions are pretty much above... Here's what you will need to pick up:

3-4 Granny Smith apples (3 large, 4 medium)

1 bag Caramel candies (5 popsicle sticks come in the bag)

1 bag chocolate chips

2 T. vegetable shortening

candy or nuts to crush

Roll the apples in the caramel and chocolate, holding them by the sticks or use a spoon when the caramel and/or chocolate gets low and spoon them on to cover.

I used Heath toffee chunks on the apples above.

Oatmeal Cake with a Brown Sugar-Nut Topping

2009-06-09T20:16:00.005-04:00

Wow... it has been a while. Sorry! This last month has been hectic and busy and hasn't left me time to post much! Stay with me though... To make up for it, here is one of my favorite from-scratch cake recipes!

This cake is another one of my mother-in-law's and is wonderful. This might sound a little funny but it is a cake that is perfect to serve at a book club meeting or an informal lunch date. The taste and texture, with its perfect topping, reminds me of the good ol' days where our grandmas used to sit around on their patios and drink tea. Enjoy!

1 c. rolled oats

1 3/4 c. boiling water

1/2 stick butter or margarine

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. + 2 T. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine oats and water in heat proof bowl and set aside. While oats are soaking, combine butter and sugars with mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Scrape down sides of bowl. Stir in oatmeal mixture. Pour into 9x13'' pyrex pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes until light brown and knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

While cake is baking, in small saucepan combine over low heat until smooth:

6 T. butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

1/4 c. evaporated milk or cream

1 c/ chopped walnuts

1 c. coconut

1/4 t. vanilla

When cake comes out of the oven, turn the oven to high broil and spread topping on hot cake. Broil until topping is bubbly and begins to brown. *Watch it very closely b/c it will get too dark quickly! Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

2009-06-09T20:12:00.001-04:00

I got this recipe straight from My Kitchen Cafe. This is a wonderful blog with tried and true, delicious recipes that even the average home cook can keep up with.

I loved this pasta dish because it was fairly healthy and had wonderful flavor. You can usually count on pretty good flavor when lemon and garlic have a role. I used whole wheat pasta (I always do) for a little healthier dish. It took me less than 1/2 hour to make too, which is always a plus. It could be a one-dish meal too! You have your protein, starch and veggies all on one dish, though serving some good rolls along-side wouldn't be a bad idea!

You know what... for the recipe, just go here! Enjoy!

PS: I used a 6 oz. bag of spinach (it looks like a lot when you first pour it in, but don't worry, it wilts way down!), a 14 oz. box pasta (whole wheat) and more like 1 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan. :)

Marble Cookies

2009-04-27T14:05:00.000-04:00

These are my favorite cookies, I think. It is a hard choice, because I am a cookie nut, but these are so divine, I think I may come out and say that they are my favorite. You have never tasted a cookie like this! I think that's what is so fantastic about them! The presentation is absolutely beautiful as well. The marble effect is so pretty and unique that it draws people to pick them right up and scarf. Please don't take this recipe for granted! Don't just cut and paste the recipe and print it out and never make them! You probably have all of the ingredients already... so get bakin'!

For a beginner, this recipe may be a little challenging. It's not really hard, but care is required when folding the chocolate into the dough, so if you have never had to do anything like this before, try it! I am sure you will do fine. You just don't want to over mix... try to slice your rubber spatula through the places where there is the most unmixed chocolate.

From the Mrs. Fields' Cookie Book & introduced to me by my SIL, Marta.

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. In mixer, cream sugars and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add egg, sour cream and vanilla and beat at medium speed until fluffy once more. Scrape bowl.

Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix.

Place chocolate in glass bowl and microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Let cool for 3-4 minutes. Pour evenly over batter in a drizzling-like fashion. Using the edge of a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate. Do not mix chocolate completely into the dough. It is OK to have larger streaks of dough and chocolate throughout. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 20-24 minuted until there is a faint hint of brown around the bottom edges of cookies. Move to a cool surface, such as a baking rack immediately. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Buffalo Pico Quesadillas with Black Beans

2009-04-03T14:15:00.006-04:00

How the heck do you take a good picture of quesadillas? Anyway... these were GREAT. I absolutely loved them!! I had some pico de gallo left over from Sunday's Cafe Rio dinner that we had, so I thought I would use it up in some quesadillas. My husband and I always dip our quesadillas in Frank's Hot Sauce, so I included that spicy stuff right inside the 'dilla. For some added flavor, texture and protein, the black beans were the perfect choice.

My husband really doesn't care for leftovers. He doesn't usually like to eat the same thing 2 or 3 days in a row, or in the same week. However, I caught him, the very next day, making these quesdadillas for himself for lunch! That means he really liked them! I was proud.

8 large flour tortillas
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or chopped
1 can black beans, drained
2 c. pico de gallo*
1/4 c. Franks hot sauce (original or buffalo flavor is fine)
~1 c. monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
~1 c. cheddar, shredded

Heat a large, heavy skillet over med-high heat for 3-4 minutes until hot. Place 1 tortilla on skillet and, working quickly, sprinkle 1/4 c. (or more) monterrey jack over tortilla. Spread a handful of chicken, about 1/2 c. black beans, 1/2 c. pico de gallo, 1 T. Franks and 1/4 c. cheddar evenly as well. (Amounts are approximate... use your eye to judge how much of everything to put on.) Place another tortilla on top and check the bottom to see how brown it is. If the bottom tortilla is nicely browned already, then flip the quesadilla, swiftly, since you will have falling beans if it is flipped too slowly. Cook on the other side for 3 minutes or so until lightly browned. Slice with a pizza slicer into 6 or 8 slices. Serve hot with sour cream and/or guacamole for garnish.

Makes 4 quesadillas.

*For pico de gallo, chop up 3-4 roma tomatoes, 1 jalapeno and 1 small red onion and add ~1/3 c. chopped cilantro (more or less, depending on your taste) and about 2 T. lime juice. Toss.

The Amazing Cafe Rio Bar

2009-03-31T14:22:00.005-04:00

I am appalled that I haven't posted this recipe yet. If I am having a crowd over for dinner and want less stress, this is what I always seem to default to. By "default", I don't mean "settle for." This chicken/pork is so flavor-bursting that you will never forget it.

This is the deal: Make the chicken or pork in the crock pot and let it cook all day, on high for 2-3 hours to get it going, then on low for 4-5 hours, until the meat is very soft and will shred easily with two forks. I usually just put all the dishes on the counter and let people do what they want. I LOVE to make a big salad on my plate, my husband likes to put everything in a tortilla and chow.

The Amazing Cafe Rio Bar

~2 lbs. chicken or pork (You can use less than this, I usually use about 1 large chicken breast for every 2 people that I am feeding.)
1 c. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
2 T. dried chopped onions (You can use fresh too)
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. chili powder
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. red enchilada sauce (comes in a can, you can also use red or green taco sauce)
1 c. brown sugar (sometimes I decrease this to 2/3 - 3/4 c.)

Place chicken in crock pot. Combine next 8 ingredients in small bowl then pour over chicken. Cook as said above. An hour or so before serving, add enchilada sauce and sugar. Make sure to use a slotted spoon when serving.

In the afternoon or an hour or so before dinner get any or all of these toppings ready:
- black beans
- guacamole (for recipe, click)
- pico de gallo (diced tomatoes and red onions, chopped cilantro and jalapenos and lime juice)
- finely shredded cheddar cheese
- rice
- green or red leaf lettuce
- whole kernel corn
- sour cream
- tortillas of your choice

Chicken Marsala

2009-03-18T14:30:00.003-04:00

Here is a classic chicken dish that is one of my favorites. The sauce is made from Marsala wine, which is one of the easiest wines to cook with, which is sweet and rich and fulfilling. You can serve this dish over homemade mashed potatoes or pasta, though I much prefer the potatoes. Serve with some healthy veggies.

This recipe was given to me by my uncle James, off the top of his head. This is for 1 serving.

1 chicken breast, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
Olive oil
2-3 T. finely diced red onion
1 T. butter, divided
3 oz. Marsala wine (measure this out in advance)
6 oz. chicken stock (measure this out in advance)
Handful fresh mushrooms, pre-sauteed in a little olive oil

Heat enough oil to cover bottom of heavy, nonstick skillet over high heat until dots appear. Add chicken breast and cook, undisturbed until just the top edges of breast become white. Flip and cook about 3 minutes more. Use a fork to hold chicken breast in place and tip pan to drain oil. Leaving chicken in hot pan, drop 1/2 T. butter in pan and let melt. Place onion in pan over high heat and let caramelize , about 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and without leaning over pan, add Marsala wine. Wine will sizzle. Put pan back on full heat. Immediately add chicken stock and mushrooms and 1/2 T. butter. Taste the sauce at this point. It is NOT done yet, but its good to taste what it shouldn't taste like! Simmer on high heat for 3-5 minutes, tasting sauce with finger every 1-2 minutes. When that sauce is done, it should be slightly thicker and should be quite sweet and wonderful. :) Place a bed of mashed potatoes or noodles on plate. Top with chicken and then pour sauce over the top.

Chunky Garlic Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes
1 serving

3-4 large red skinned potatoes, cut into quarters and boiled until soft
2 T. butter
2-3 fresh minced garlic cloves
whole milk, enough to make potatoes creamy to your likin'
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in small mixing bowl. With handheld electric mixer, mix on med-high speed until desired consistency is reached.

From Scratch: Peanut Butter Ice Cream

2009-03-18T14:14:00.006-04:00

OK, this ice cream is to die for! I absolutely love it!

Adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped unsalted, dry roasted peanuts
5 Reese's Peanut Butter Holiday shapes (trees, hearts, eggs), chopped into small pieces (if you can't find these, you can use regular peanut butter cups)

In medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar with whisk. Add cream and milk and whisk until smooth. Add PB and whisk until smooth. Place in ice cream maker and freeze according to machine directions until almost frozen. 5 minutes before done (or as frozen as it will get with the ice cream maker) add peanuts and PB cups. Place in airtight plastic container in freezer for at least 30-45 minutes before serving, to firm up. And the most important part... enjoy!

Note: The base to this ice cream is derived from Ben & Jerry's ice cream recipe book. You can use these amounts of eggs, sugar, cream and milk for any ice cream base that you want to make! Be creative! (Or go to Coldstone and get some ideas there!)

Cheesy White Chicken Chili

2009-03-10T11:33:00.001-04:00

A lot of my friends have had this soup, so sorry for the repetition but this is definitely a recipe that is worthy of a blog post! My mom's church has a chili cook-off every year and this was a winner a few years back, made by one of her friends. My friend, Valerie made it last year at her church's chili cook-off and it won there too! This recipe has also won the favorite-recipe-of-the-night at one of our cooking clubs that the med-wives hold monthly. So, there's your proof that its good!

1 T. oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans green chilis
2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano or ital. seasoning
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
30 oz. chicken broth
3 c. chicken breast meat, cooked & chopped or shredded
4 cans white beans, drained
1/2 - 1 c. sour cream (optional)
4 - 6 oz. cream cheese (optional)
1 can whole kernel corn (optional)
12-16 oz. grated Mexican blend cheese (can use any combination of Monterrey Jack, pepper jack, or cheddar, stay away from mozzarella b/c it is stringy when melted)

In 4 or 5 qt. pan, heat oil over medium-high heat and soften onion and garlic. Add green chilis, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook a few minutes, then add broth, chicken, and 3 cans of the drained beans. Mash the fourth can of beans (use a potato masher, fork or pastry blender and mix in a little bit of the broth from the soup to make it a little easier) and add it to the pot. Turn heat to low, wait until it is hardly simmering and add cheese slowly until completely melted. If you add the cheese while the soup is bubbling ferociously then the cheese will clump and stick to the chicken... yuck. You can add the sour cream, cream cheese, and/or corn if you would like, but the soup is great without them, depends on your taste. You can serve it with tortilla chips, extra cheese, fresh cilantro, jalapenos, green onion, salsa, or serve over rice or in a bread bowl. Personally, I like it straight up, in a bowl with some homemade bread.

Molasses Spice Cookies

2009-03-06T09:24:00.001-05:00

Both my husband and my mom's favorite cookie!

It is important to underbake these cookies so that they stay soft for days after they are baked. They won't look done when they come out of the oven, but they will finish baking on the cookie sheet after they are out of the oven. If you overbake them they will be dry and crisp. I like to make my Ginger Snaps small and cute. They always turn out perfectly round with cracks throughout!

Adapted from The Best Recipe

In medium bowl, sift:
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
3/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. ground allspice

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes:
12 T. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar

Then add and beat until combined, about 30 seconds:
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. unsulphured molasses

Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Working with about 1 T. dough at a time, roll dough into balls then roll in granulated sugar before placing on ungreased cookie sheet. Place 1 1/2 inch apart. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes until cracks begin to show on each cookie and edges are just barely light brown. Cool cookies on sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer to wire wrack to cool.

Lemon Fusilli Pasta with Grilled Lemon Chicken

2009-02-27T10:57:00.005-05:00

YUMMO! I loved this dish. Of course, it came from my friend Katherine the Great. This is definitely a keeper. Like I have said before, I just love finding such wonderful new recipes like this one. And a bonus for this one is that it isn't very time-consuming. Boil the noodles, whip up the sauce, steam and cut up some veggies and you're done. All those things can be done simultaneously too, with ease.

1 T. good olive oil
1 1/4 T. garlic, minced
2 1/2 c. heavy cream
3 large lemons
Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
1 large bunch broccoli
1 lb. dried fusilli pasta
1/2 lb. baby spinach or arugula
1 c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 pt. grape tomatoes or seeded/diced Roma's
1 recipe grilled lemon chicken, prepared (requires 2-day marinating for best results)

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add cream, zest from 2 lemons, the juice from both lemons, 2 t. salt, and 1 t. pepper. Bring to a boil then lower heat to med-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until it starts to thicken. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and cut broccoli in florets, discarding stems. Steam broccoli on stove top or in microwave until tender, 5-6 minutes. Drain broccoli and run cold water over to stop the cooking. Set aside. Once pasta is done and sauce is thickened (hopefully at about the same time) immediately combine the 2 in the pasta pot. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Slice remaining lemon longways, then crosswise into thin slices. Add spinach/arugula and heat over medium heat for an additional 3 minutes. Turn off heat and add 1/2 c. Parmesan, tomatoes and broccoli. Stir lightly to combine. Turn mixture into a large pasta bowl. Top with remaining Parmesan and sliced lemons. Serve hot.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

4 chicken boneless, skinless breasts, thawed
lemon juice
olive oil
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. dried thyme

Marinate chicken in equal parts lemon juice and olive oil (1/2 - 3/4 c. of each), salt, pepper and thyme for at least 2 days (3 days is best). Grill on outdoor grill or George Foreman. If you don't have either, the chicken can be baked or cooked however you usually cook your chicken. In a pinch, saute un-marinated chicken in above ingredients over medium heat. Some of the flavor will be there, but not all. This chicken is SO good!

Buffalo Ranch Taco Salad

2009-02-25T19:06:00.000-05:00

My mom's creation.

Toss in large salad bowl:
2-3 heads of romaine lettuce, washed and torn
1-14 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1-14 oz. can black beans, drained
1-14 oz. can light red kidney beans
1/2 c. cilantro, washed and torn into pieces
1/2 c. red onion, chopped coarsely
1 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into thin strips, and tossed in a bit of lime juice, olive oil, paprika and cumin (optional, if you want to make a meal out of it)

Top with tortilla chips for garnish.

FOR THE DRESSING:
Mix 1 c. buttermilk ranch with 1T. - 3T. (or more) Franks hot sauce. This depends on your taste!

Creamy, Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip

2009-02-18T19:09:00.006-05:00

It really isn't yellow, more of an orange color. My camera didn't know what to do with the color I guess!
Ok, this dip is amazing! If you like fattening creamy dips with a little zing, this is for you! I LOVE anything with the word "buffalo" in the title!

3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded
12 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. blue cheese dressing
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1 1/4 c. Franks Red Hot sauce
1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese

In a glass, microwave-safe bowl, heat cream cheese for 1-2 minutes until melted. With a whisk, mix in dressings. Mix in the Franks and cheddar cheese and transfer mixture to a small slow cooker. Cook on low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

White Chocolate Fruit Tart

2009-02-10T16:46:00.006-05:00

From my friend Ruth Gough.

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
1 1/2 c. flour

1-12 oz. package real white chocolate chips
1-8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
Fresh fruit (I like to use a package of strawberries, 1 pint blueberries, 2-3 kiwi and 1 pint raspberries. The recipe calls for 1-20 oz. can pineapple chunks (juice reserved), 1 pt. strawberries, 1-11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained and 2 kiwis)

3 T. sugar
2 t. cornstarch
1/2 t. lemon juice

In small mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Gradually add flour until mixed well. Press into greased 11 inch tart pan (I have used a 10 in. spring form pan and a 9x12 pyrex too) and bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes until you see a hint of golden brown.

For filling, melt chocolate chips in microwave at 30 second intervals and let cool for 3 minutes. Beat in cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Spread over cooled crust and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Filling will firm up in that time. Meanwhile, prepare fruit. Arrange over tart in a beautiful design. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the glaze (which I have just left out before b/c I ran out of time and didn't use pineapples, and the tart was still amazing... it is great either way) combine sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened. Allow to cool and drizzle over tart.

Spinach Articoke Dip

2009-01-26T13:40:00.000-05:00

My mother is a classic no-recipe-required cook. She was in TGI Friday's, lovin' their S.A.D. and decided to go home and throw it together. She did a great job. I inherited a little bit of this talent, but I also really like to stick to trusted cookbook recipes when it come to baking cakes, cookies, breads and other things involving flour. However, I am an advocate of "eye-balling it" when it comes to dips, pasta dishes, sloppy joes, marinades, chilies and soups, spaghetti and pizza sauce and most things made on the stove.

This dip is NOT a healthy appetizer (are any?) but *whoa!* it is good!

8 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded Italian blend cheese (no mozzarella)
1/2 - 3/4 c. real mayo (not miracle whip) or sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 T. fresh minced garlic
1/2 t. ground pepper
4-5 shakes Italian seasoning
a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
a few shakes of red pepper flakes
14 oz. canned artichokes, coarsely chopped
10 oz. block frozen spinach, thawed

In stand mixer or with hands, mix together all ingredients except spinach and artichokes until very smooth and blended. Place spinach in strainer and squeezed small amounts in your hands to get all water out. Mix artichokes and spinach into cheese mixture. If it is too stiff, add a little milk.
Place in a shallow glass or ceramic dish, lightly greased. Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and slightly browned on top.
Serve warm with crustini bread, sliced baguettes or tortilla chips.

Baja Chicken Pizza with Bacon and Cilantro

2009-01-14T14:16:00.003-05:00

I mean, come on, what more could you want in a pizza? I was inspired by Quizznos a few months back with their Baja Chicken sandwich, which I recreated on this blog last month. I was all geared up to make it again when I realized my bread supply was low and I didn't have enough time before dinner to make a fresh batch. "Pizza!" I thought. Ah! This creation is SO DANG GOOD! I think that it is important to have a bit of cilantro, onion and bacon in every bite, so dice these up into medium pieces and give them good coverage over the entire crust. I used half wheat four in this crust and it was excellent. I think it would be fine with whole wheat crust, or white, whichever you prefer.

Pizza Crust
adapted from Jessica Crapo's recipe

1 c. warm water
1 T. yeast
1 t. sugar
2 T. oil
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. flour

Combine water, sugar and salt in bowl of mixer (not required) and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and puffy. Add the remaining ingredients and knead, adding additional flour by the teaspoon if needed, until dough doesn't stick to bottom and sides of bowl, about 3-4 minutes. This dough is very soft so you may need to help it at first and use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl. If you don't have a mixer, knead by hand, lightly oiling surface and your hands to knead for about 3-4 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Let sit while you prepare toppings.

Baja Chicken Pizza with Bacon and Cilantro

3/4 c. Open Pit BBQ sauce
2 c. cooked, diced chicken
3/4 - 1 lb. good bacon, cooked and torn into medium pieces
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 425 degrees. With lightly greased hands, form dough into a pizza crust by using fingertips to spread dough outwards on counter top. Once in a disk about 6-8 inches in diameter, hold dough up by one edge and rotate around to let the weight of the dough stretch itself out, taking care to not let the center get too thin, but encouraging the edges to stretch as well, until 14 inches in diameter. Remove hot stone from oven and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place dough on hot stone and situate so it fits nicely over stone. Brush sauce over crust with a pastry brush or bottom of large pasta spoon,getting some on edges of crust. Then sprinkle chicken, bacon, half of cheese, then red onion and cilantro over as well. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust and cheese is lightly browned.

Penne Rustica

2009-01-14T13:58:00.003-05:00

I rarely find a new pasta recipe that I am in love with. Truthfully, most new recipes I try I am kind of disappointed in. There are a few diamonds in the rough though and this is one of them. The prep time is worth every bite of this delicious pasta. It makes a generous quantity as well, so have some friends over when you make it... unless you want it for leftovers. Yes, you might want it all for yourself.

Adapted from Katherine Fields' blog

16 oz. whole wheat penne pasta
16 oz. smoked bacon, a good brand
12 oz. chicken breast, cut into small-medium chunks
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 t. paprika
fresh rosemary, chopped
mozzarella cheese

Prepare topping as described above. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions and begin cooking Grantinata sauce (below). Also, cook bacon until crisp and nicely browned. Let cool and then break into small pieces with your fingers. Combine grantinata sauce, cooked pasta, chicken, bacon, peppers, Parmesan and paprika in large mixing bowl. Spread in a 9 x 13 baking dish or 2 smaller baking dishes. Top with mozarella cheese and fresh rosemary. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Grantinata Sauce

2 t. butter
2 t. garlic, minced
1/2 Marsala wine (available at most well-stocked grocery stores, not Walmart.)
1/2 t. Dijon mustard, or dry mustard
1 t. salt
2 t. rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 t. red pepper
3 1/2 c. heavy cream (you can substitute up to 1 c. cream for whole milk if you desire.)

In 5 qt. pan saute garlic in butter. Add Marsala wine and boil until it reduces by half, about 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and allow to cook over medium-high heat until it thickens.

Guacamole

2009-01-14T13:48:00.002-05:00

Hands down of of my favorite appetizer recipes. Not only that but it is completely glorious on tacos, burritos, in taco or tortilla soup or on quesadillas. I mince the ingredients with my handy-dandy Pampered Chef food chopper (that I have had for 5 years + and will NEVER be without in my kitchen.) This is the only picture that I managed to take last time I made it, darn. I will come back next time I make it and post a pic of the finished product. You probably know what guac looks like anyway, right?

adapted from The Best Recipe

4-5 ripe avocados (if they are large ones, only 4)

3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small minced jalapeno

1/2 c. minced red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced (with garlic press)

1 t. kosher salt

1/2 - 1 t. ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro

Cut avocados in half long-wise and remove pits. With large spoon, scoop flesh from shells. Mash avocados with potato masher, pastry blender or large fork, not completely turning it to mush, leaving a few small chunks for texture. Add rest of ingredients right away. Serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer.

Orange-Spice Banana Bread

2009-01-14T13:17:00.002-05:00

Can I tell you please that I absolutely love The Best Recipe cookbook by Cook's Illustrated. I recommend it to anyone. Not only did they test almost every ingredient to all their recipes in different quantities and methods of preparation, but they explain their every move, helping an interested cook understand the mechanics behind using different ingredients.

About the banana bread. I have on this blog already the BR's version of this wonderful, easy quick bread. I was about to make it again for the 100th time when I noticed the variations they provided. (Another perk of this cookbook is that they often give you variations to classic recipes. The base recipe is the same, they just give ideas of how to give a zing here or some pizazz there.) There were 3 variations listed, only one of which I had all the ingredients for: Orange-Spice Banana Bread. It was amazing.

My husband is a very traditional sort of fellow (I think that word is funny and like to use it every once and a while) and didn't like the variation as much as the original. He can just be a little borderline boring like that sometimes. I thought it was a great twist to this classic quick bread and I will definitely be trying the other two variations: Banana-Chocolate Bread and Banana-Coconut Bread with Macadamia Nuts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom only of regular loaf pan or grease and flour bottom and sides of non-stick loaf pan.

In medium bowl, sift:
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. grated nutmeg
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

In large bowl, mix:
3 very ripe, darkly speckled, large bananas, mashed by hand (NOT pureed)
1/4 c. plain yogurt (I use any flavor I have)
6 T. butter, melted and cooled
1 t. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 T. grated orange zest

Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just incorporated and you can no longer see flour streaks. This is important. Don't over mix to avoid gluten development that can prevent the bread from rising well. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown.

Baja Chicken Sandwiches

2009-01-05T14:10:00.003-05:00

Inspired by Quiznos
.

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or coarsely chopped

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 - 3/4 lb. cheddar cheese, sliced

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked

3/4 - 1 c. Open Pit BBQ sauce, your favorite flavor (I like the spicy variety)

your bread of choice (we used what we had in the house, which was my whole wheat bread, but next time I will use a long sandwich roll, for presentation purposes.)

Turn your oven up to broil. Prepare ingredients as described above. On a broil pan, cookie sheet or preheated baking stone, place bread with top and bottom crusts down, open-faced. Place cheddar slices on all pieces of bread. Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is just melted. In the meantime, mix BQQ sauce and chicken in small bowl. When rolls come out of the oven, evenly distribute chicken mixture over cheese. Broil 2-3 more minutes until nice and hot and BQQ sauce in bubbly. Top chicken mixture with bacon slices, red onions and cilantro. Place bun tops over bottoms and cut sandwiches in half. Serve hot.

Holiday Wassail

2009-01-04T14:27:00.001-05:00

From Valerie's cooking blog

...
1 1/2 cups sugar

6 oz frozen orange juice, thawed

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

2 1/2 quarts water

...

Place all the ingredients in a large pot and heat until warm. Then I like to put it in the crock pot on the low setting and let it simmer until you're ready to serve.

Jum Jills

2009-01-02T14:46:00.003-05:00

ie: Pecan Balls, Snow Balls... A perfect Holiday cookie; great for any occasion really!

Adapted slightly from my MIL, Jeanine Franson's, recipe.

1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cup flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cup finely chopped pecans

2 cup powdered sugar (to roll cookies in)

Gradually add the sugar to the butter. Cream until light and fluffy, then add vanilla. Add flour, salt, and nuts, and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Shape into small balls and bake 10 - 12 minutes at 350, until bottoms are slightly browned. Let cool and roll in powdered sugar.

Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles

2008-12-10T20:46:00.005-05:00

Adapted from The Sister's Cafe

SO GOOD! This dish is pretty healthy and so flavorful. I have made it for guests many times and everyone loves it. I made a few changes to the original recipe but nothing that changes the flavor too much. I increased the quantity of the sauce, because I think when cooled, the dish is too dry. Also, when eaten for left-overs, the noodles suck up all the moisture, so this helps that a little bit.

1 lb. whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles (or any variety)
3 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
2/3 Cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 Cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Cup hot water
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2/3 Cup finely chopped white onion
2/3 Cup finely chopped red or orange bell pepper
4 Cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1/3 Cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
2/3 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/3 Cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
3 Tablespoons sesame seeds (I just sprinkle some on top)

Set water to boil and cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, place peanut butter & soy sauce in a medium glass bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes until the two combine when whisked. Stir in garlic powder, ginger, brown sugar, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Slowly add hot water. Stir and set aside.
Place olive oil in hot skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in chicken breast, cilantro and salt. Stir until heated through. Pour prepared sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes or so until nice and hot. Add sauce and chicken mixture to strained noodles. Toss to coat and garnish with peanuts and sesame seeds if desired.

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

2008-12-06T15:23:00.007-05:00

My friend, Katherine's recipe

PERFECT for any occasion, especially the much needed Thanksgiving jello salad! It is fabulous combination of salty, sweet and tart.

...

2 c. crushed pretzels

1/2 c. melted butter

2 T. powdered sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. Cool Whip (doesn't need to be thawed but if it is it will be easier to work with.)

1 c. powdered sugar

2 c. boiling water

1 lg. box raspberry Jell-o

2 pkg. frozen raspberries

...

Mix together pretzels, butter and 2 T. sugar. Press into bottom of 9x13" Pyrex pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Mix cream cheese, cool whip and 1 c. powdered sugar. Pour over pretzel crust and smooth with rubber spatula evenly.

Dissolve Jell-o in 2 c. boiling water. Add raspberries, breaking up frozen chunks. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill for 2-3 hours. Serve! YUM!

Apple Crumble Pie

2008-12-06T14:58:00.004-05:00

LOVE this pie. This time around, I let it cook a little longer than I should have, but the taste was still absolutely wonderful. The apples were a little softer than I like them to be. The crumble topping is so easy and, in my opinion, is better than the traditional top crust.

The pie dough recipe is in my Blueberry Pie post below. You will only need to make a 1/2 recipe of the dough for this pie.

Apple Crumble Pie Filling

2 lbs. (4 medium/large) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2- 3/4 inch slices
2 lbs. (4 medium/large) McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2- 3/4 inch slices (I used Honeycrisp and they were wonderful)
3/4 c. plus 1 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. allspice

Toss apples with all other above ingredients. Prepare pie shell as stated in previous post. Turn fruit mixture into pie shell, including juices. (There will/should be A LOT of apples and they will make a large mound. You may have to place them one by one to get them to all fit. This is a good thing. The apples will bake down to almost half the volume.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare crumble topping.

Apple Crumble Pie Topping

1/3 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
6 T. butter

With pastry blender, knife or food processor, cut butter into sugar until butter pieces are no larger than the size of peas. Carefully turn mixture on top of apples, letting it fall in some cracks.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, until topping begins to brown slightly. Reduce temperature to 375 and bake for 30-35 minutes longer, until apples are to your desired softness. Serve warm.

Blueberry Pie

2008-12-06T14:14:00.004-05:00

A few years ago, my husband's birthday was drawing near and I asked him what cake he wanted for the bash. He said he wanted an apple crumble and a blueberry pie instead of cake. He loves these two pies and so do I. I spent a good chunk of my Thanksgiving Eve this year making pies and am very happy to say that they turned out great.

There are a few tricks to pie-making though. First, you need a good crust recipe, but not only a good one, but the right one. For most common fruit pies, you use a raw dough, filled with the filling and topped with more raw dough or a crumble topping or whatever floats your boat. However, when making a pecan or pumpkin pie, or any pie with a liquid filling, you need a pre-baked pie crust to prevent a soggy, undesirable crust in the end.

American Pie Dough for Fruit Pies
from The Best Recipe cookbook

For one double-crust 9-inch pie

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting dough and work surface
1 t. salt
2 T. sugar
12 T. unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
8 T. all-vegetable shortening, chilled
6-8 T ice water

Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat. Cut butter into flour with 5 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal and is a pale yellow. Turn mixture into medium bowl. (I use my pastry blender and cut the butter that way by hand.)

Sprinkle 6 T. water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula, adding only enough water necessary for dough to stick together, up to 2 T. more. Divide dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 4-inch wide disk. Dust disks lightly with four, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

Dust work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out dough for the bottom crust of your pie, so it extends about 2 inches farther than side of pie plate when placed over dough upside down. Dust work surface with flour occasionally to make sure dough doesn't stick. Once dough is rolled out, gently fold dough in quarters to easily transfer to pie plate. Place point in center of pie plate, unfold and gently position dough around edges of plate. Prepare filling and place in pie shell. Prepare top crust and place over top. Trim excess dough around edges. Gently decorate edges of dough to your liking.

For the top dough, you can do a lattice, like I did, or roll out the second dough-disk and do a traditional double crust pie. For lattice directions go here.

Blueberry Filling

3 pints (6 c.) fresh or 36 oz. frozen (thawed) blueberries
3/4 - 1 c. sugar
1/4 c. quick tapioca
2 t. lemon juice
1 t. grated lemon zest
1/4 t. ground allspice
pinch grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare fruit filling and let stand for 15 minutes. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into pie shell. Scatter 2 T. butter pieces over fruit. Refrigerate until ready to top with remaining dough.Place pie on cookie sheet to prevent drips onto your oven floor. Bake at 400 until top crust is golden, about 20-25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 30-40 minutes until filling is nice a bubbly and crusts are golden. If using a glass pie plate, the bottom crust should also be visibly golden.

Remarkable Fudge

2008-12-06T13:51:00.006-05:00

Adapted from Delectable Delights: A Second Helping of SAA Favorites.

Easy, delicious! Versatile too. Swirl in caramel, peanut butter, toffee, white chocolate, coconut, walnuts or pecans, butterscotch... heaven in a pan! This recipe makes A LOT of fudge and can be easily halved.

This batch had white chocolate and peanut butter swirls, and walnuts.

...

1 cup butter

4 cups sugar

2-5 oz. cans evaporated milk

1-12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1-8 oz. chocolate bar, milk, dark or a combo of both, your preference, broken into pieces

1-7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

1 t. vanilla

...

Line a 9x13 pan with foil and lightly grease foil with butter or cooking spray. In a 3 qt. heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Increase hear to medium and add sugar and milk and stir until mixture comes to a low boil. Stirring constantly, cook until mixture reaches 238 degrees, which is the soft ball stage. If you don't have a thermometer, cook over medium heat for 10 minutes so that while stirring, mixture doesn't boil, but if you stop stirring momentarily, mixture boils. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and extra chocolate pieces, marshmallow creme and vanilla. Stir until mixture is smooth and chocolate is all melted and well-incorporated. If using nuts, stir the nuts in at this time. Pour into prepared pan. Swirl in additional ingredients of your choice now. Score fudge while still warm, to make for easier cutting later. Put in refrigerator to cool and set, about 1 hour. Enjoy!

Creamy Turkey Corn Cowder

2008-12-05T17:08:00.004-05:00

Adapted from the kitchen of Rebecca Lutter of essentialsforliving.org

1 c. chopped onion

1 t. minced garlic*

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can chicken broth*

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream chicken soup

2 c. diced turkey*

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can cream style corn

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 t. chili powder or more to taste

1/2 t. ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 (5 oz.) can eveporated milk*

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

...

Directions

Add onions, garlic and broth to a large pot and bring to boil until onions and garlic are tender and onions are translucent. Turn temp to med heat and add cream of chicken soup, mixing well. Add turkey, cans of corn, chili powder and cumin. Let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add milk and cheese slowly, incorporating well. Simmer until bubbly and hot. Serve promptly. You may garnish with chopped green onions.

...

*Trade Secrets

I use more garlic than just a teaspoon. For soups, I usually use boullion cubes, usually 1 cube to 1 cup of water. A 14 1/2 oz. can of broth is about 2 cups of water and 2-3 boullion cubes. I substitute the chicken for the turkey; I would only ever use turkey if I had left over turkey from Thanksgiving. I also have used skim milk, or whatever milk I have in my fridge 1% or 2% in place of the evap. milk. There really is no difference.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2008-12-05T16:50:00.007-05:00

Adapted from The Picky Palate

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

16 oz Applewood smoked bacon, cooked and chopped

4 stalks celery finely diced

3 large carrots, peeled, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, membrane removed and finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cubed ham or Canadian bacon, in small pieces

36 oz chicken broth

6 oz half and half or whole milk

10 med/lg. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup milk

4 oz sour cream

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

...

Garnish

½ cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup thinly sliced green onion (green part only)

...

1. Heat large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggies. Sauté celery, carrots, jalapeno, onion and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half and half.

...
2. Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.

...
3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese and green onion.

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

2008-11-24T13:53:00.006-05:00

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramel candies
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in small bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

Whisk egg white(s) with fork or whisk in another bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, letting excess drip off, then roll in pecans. Place balls 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure or your finger, make indentation in center of each ball.

Bake until set, 10 to12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Adapted from Cookscountry.com

Danish Almond Sweet Bread

2008-11-24T12:05:00.011-05:00

Called Danish Pastries in the Franson household, absolutely necessary for the Holiday Season to be complete, not to mention they are some of the best things you have ever tasted. These pastries are equipped with a perfect hint of almond flavor, soft pastry dough, a crunchy topping and filling in the middle of it all that will make you fall off your rocker.

Danish Almond Sweet Bread

...

Dough

Put in blender:
1 ¼ c scalded milk
1/3 c shortening (melt with milk)
1/3 c sugar
1 t salt
2 eggs
Pulse in blender, then add:
1 T yeast

Pulse again, then wait 3 minutes.
Pour all into large bowl, and add:
4 c flour
Knead for about 3-5 minutes.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 35 minutes.

...

Filling #1

Scald in microwave and set aside:
1 c milk
Mix together:
1/3 c sugar
2 T flour
¼ t salt
Beat in with a fork:
3 egg yolks (save the whites!)
Pour hot milk into mixture and stir well.
Heat in microwave 2 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds,
until thick like pudding.

...

Filling #2:
Mix with pastry blender:
½ c butter
½ c flour

1 c sugar
¼ c oats
1 ½ t almond extract
¼ c sliced almonds

...

Topping

Mix:
½ c almonds
¼ c sugar

...

Punch down dough. Divide in 4. Roll each out to a rectangle 8” across and 12” long. Mentally divide the rectangle into thirds lengthwise and spread each filling onto the middle third. With a pizza cutter, cut slits across each side, crosswise, all the way to the bottom, 1” apart. Alternate sides and cross the strips over the middle. Make sure the top and bottom are tucked in so filling does not leak out. Brush the top with beaten egg whites, then sprinkle with Topping.

Let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, making sure the bottom and top are both slightly brown. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Almond Rocca

2008-11-18T14:10:00.004-05:00

A wonderful homemade toffee that will make you crave more with every bite. You don't absolutely need a candy thermometer to make this, but it is recommended. Have all the packages open before you start.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 - 1 cup sliced almonds, divided
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

In heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add sugar. Stir for 2-3 minutes until sugar is well incorporated, turn up heat to medium. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a low boil. You may need to turn up the heat slightly depending on your burner size, but don't over-do it. Maintain a constant low-boil for about 5-6 minutes. The sugar granules should begin to dissolve and the mixture will begin to get puffy if you don't stir it for a few seconds and will begin to turn a light golden brown. Be patient! At this point add about 2/3 of the almond slices. Keep stirring until mixture darkens to a light brown and the temperature reaches 302 degrees F (hard crack). If you don't have a thermometer, judge by the color. Just don't let the toffee get too dark. (Every time I have made this, a little bit of the butter separates from the toffee, so I just pour off the excess grease when I take it off the stove. I don't think its anything to worry about.) Take off stove and immediately pour mixture onto a wax-lined cookie sheet and spread out to desired thickness, working quickly. Evenly spread chocolate chips over the top of toffee to melt. Once melted, spread over toffee with rubber spatula. Sprinkle remaining almonds over top. Let cool on counter-top of in fridge until chocolate solidifies. Enjoy.

White Chocolate Popcorn

2008-11-18T13:44:00.004-05:00

This is the perfect treat for parties or for putting in cute cellophane baggies to give to neighbors for Christmas. Get creative with holiday sprinkles if you so desire!

2 bags microwavable popcorn (fat free is fine), popped

1 bag real white chocolate chips, melted

In a very large mixing bowl, or 2 larger bowls, place popcorn and drizzle chocolate over the top. Fold several times with large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until chocolate completely covers the popcorn. Let cool and dry before serving. This can be done in the mixing bowl or on wax paper on the counter. If you need to speed up the drying process, place in fridge.

Lemon Butter Pound Cake

2008-11-14T14:11:00.006-05:00

I have to say I own some mean cake recipes. Of all of them, I think this is my favorite. It is absolutely, positively divine. Amazing. Soft, dense like a pound cake should be, with an exquisite tart, yet sweet, lemon topping that makes you want to swear to eat nothing else ever again in your life. Enjoy.

Adapted from Jeanine Franson, my mother-in-law's, recipe.

In medium bowl, sift:

3 c. flour (spoon lightly into cup to measure)

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

In large bowl, or in stand mixer, beat till light and fluffy:

2 sticks butter

1/2 c. shortening

2 2/3 c. sugar

Then add and mix until just blended:

1 c. milk

3 T. pure lemon extract

Then add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Scrape bottom and sides of bowl several times in the process.

Add:

5 eggs, one at a time, beating until completely blended, but not whipping.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13" pan at least 2" deep. Pour in batter and bake at 320 degrees about 1 hour 15 minutes, until light golden brown and toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean. Check for doneness after 1 hour, or as soon as you smell the goodness of the cake and see that it is beginning to brown.

While cake is baking, prepare a mixture of 6 ounces of lemonade concentrate and 3/4 cups sugar. (I like to 1 1/2 times this) Microwave for a minute and mix well till thoroughly dissolved.

As soon as cake is out of oven, run a knife around sides of pan and prick top all over with a fork (a meat fork if you have one). Pour lemonade mixture over hot cake and spread to cover completely, including sides. Let it soak in completely; then sprinkle sugar lightly over top. For a crunchy texture, sprinkle again before serving.

Ages well; freezes well.

Southwestern Chicken

2008-11-12T12:16:00.003-05:00

Adapted from Katherins Fields' recipe of the same title.

In crock pot, place:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pace medium salsa (Picante or chunky), enough to generously cover chicken breasts in crock pot, I don't know, about 4 cups?

Cook on medium/low for 6 hours or so until chicken is very soft and you can shred it with a fork. Shred!

Add and mix in:

2 cans black beans, drained

2 cans kernel corn, drained

Allow to heat through before serving. This is a very versatile recipe, so serve it with tortilla chips, over rice, over a taco salad, by itself in all its glory or in tortillas (make sure you use a good slotted spoon if you do this.) Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, avocado, cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese. Serves 8.

Note:

You only need about 1 large chicken breast each for 2 people. This is my favorite recipe to make when I either don't feel like cooking or when I am having a large crowd over for dinner and don't want to stress about it.

Jam-dotted Shortbread Cookies

2008-11-12T11:45:00.004-05:00

Adapted from Coconut & Lime

12 T. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
2 c. flour
½ t. baking powder
Good quality jam (I used Smucker's Simply Fruit Jam)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet with butter. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add baking powder and flour to form a thick dough. Roll into small 1 ½ inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. With your spoon or fingertip, make a shallow dent in the top of each cookie. Fill with a tiny bit of jam. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack.

Grandma Haack's Authentic Italian Spaghetti Sauce

2008-11-06T14:37:00.004-05:00

If you want Authentic Italian, here you go. My "Grandma GG", Anntoinette Jannetta Haack's, parents were born in Italy and she made this sauce all the years that she was a mother. She is 94 now and still going strong! She still makes this sauce.
As a child, my grandfather would "taste" the sauce all day, dipping bread into it and occasionally sneaking a chunk of Italian sausage out of the pot. Use nothing but the best and freshest ingredients for the sauce to taste right. Use the sauce over any type of noodles (homemade or fresh pasta is best), for a special pan of lasagna, for chicken Parmesan, you get the point.

Authentic Italian Spaghetti Sauce
Antoinette Jannetta Haack

Day 1

8-10 oz. round steak, pounded to about 1/4 inch thin
2 bunches Italian parsley, chopped, divided
4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
handful of torn fresh basil

Place one handful chopped Italian parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in center of piece of steak. You may also use two smaller pieces of steak, each pounded thin and make two rolls if you can't find a piece large enough. Roll up steak tightly and secure with skewers, toothpicks or cloth twine. Sear on all sides in a skillet over med-high heat. Place in bottom of crock pot.

Slice sausage into 3/4 inch pieces and cook in skillet over medium heat until done. Be cautious not to over cook them or get them too dark on the outside. Put crushed and diced tomatoes and basil in pot over the steak. Put sausage in as well. Stir carefully paying attention not to disturb the steak in the bottom.

Meatballs :
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 lbs. quality ground beef
salt & pepper to taste

In large mixing bowl, place other bunch of parsley, bread crumbs, eggs, raw ground beef and salt/pepper. Mix (your hands work best) until well combined. Roll into balls about the size of a small walnut, about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Brown meatballs in skillet over medium heat, making sure they don't get too dark, until they are mostly done. Dab with paper towel or drain in colander. Put these into the sauce too, covered in tomato sauce.

Cook sauce in crock pot on high for 8 hours, uncovered, adding water if needed throughout the day. Let cool to room temperature, cover and place in refrigerator overnight.

Day 2

Heat sauce back up in crock pot for 6-8 hours, uncovered.
Once warm, add one small can of Contandina tomato paste plus 2-3 cans of water. Stir until well incorporated. The sauce may require additional water throughout the day. It should be a dark, rich color and most of the sausage and steak should be dissolved from cooking so long.

Orange Muffins with Honey Butter

2008-11-06T14:29:00.003-05:00

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose white flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest

Directions
Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Cream the butter and honey with a whisk or electric mixer.
Gradually whisk in the egg, orange juice and zest; mix in the dry ingredients little by little.· Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Bake in a 350° F oven for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a skewer or the tip of a knife.

Orange Honey Butter
4 T. softened butter
2 T. honey
1/2 T. grated orange zest

Nanaimo Bars

2008-11-06T14:12:00.003-05:00

From the kitchen of Marta Smith, my wonderful sister-in-law.

The Nanaimo bar is a dessert of Canadian origin popular across North America. A type of chocolate no-bake square, it receives its name from the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. It consists of a crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light custard or vanilla butter icing, which is covered in chocolate.

Many varieties are possible by using different types of crumb, flavours of custard or icing (e.g. mint, peanut butter), and types of chocolate. Two popular variations on the traditional Nanaimo bar involve mint flavoured custard or mocha flavoured custard.In my opinion, these are best served as a dessert alone, without any other sweet treat.

I love to sneak one before breakfast; there is nothing better than a sweet chocolaty treat hitting your pallet early in the morning!

Ingredients

For base, blend in mixer:

3/4 c. butter, softened

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa powder

1 1/2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

Combine in separate bowl and then add to chocolate mixture:

3 c. Graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 c. shredded coconut

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Mix until dry ingredients are well coated. Press firmly into ungreased 9x13 pan. Set aside.

For filling, cream:

1/3 c. butter

Add:

1 98g box vanilla instant pudding

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

Beat until resembling frosting. Spread evenly over base & chill in freezer until filling layer is nice and firm.

Heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth:

3 T. milk

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Spread quickly over top of filling. Chill in freezer until all layers are quite firm, but not frozen solid, about 30 minutes. Cut into rectangles or squares. Place in plastic container and freeze at least 1 hour before serving. To serve, let sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes, still frozen but soft enough to bite.

Makes 4 dozen bars.

Fresh Raspberry Pie

2008-11-05T15:23:00.015-05:00

American Pie Dough for Fruit Pies
from The Best Recipe cookbook
For one double-crust 9-inch pie

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting dough and work surface
1 t. salt
2 T. sugar
12 T. unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
8 T. all-vegetable shortening, chilled
6-8 T ice water

Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat. Cut butter into flour with 5 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal and is a pale yellow. Turn mixture into medium bowl. (I use my pastry blender and cut the butter that way by hand.)

Sprinkle 6 T. water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula, adding only enough water necessary for dough to stick together, up to 2 T. more. Divide dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 4-inch wide disk. Dust disks lightly with four, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

Raspberry Filling

In bowl, mix carefully:
4 pints fresh or 48 oz. raspberries, rinsed if fresh
1/4 c. quick tapioca
3/4 c. sugar
2 t. lemon juice
t. vanilla extract

Roll out dough for the bottom layer of your pie, so it extends about 2 inches farther than side of pie plate when placed over dough upside down. Dust work surface with flour occasionally to make sure dough doesn't stick. Once dough is rolled out, gently fold dough circle in half and then in half again to easily transfer to pie plate. Unfold and gently position dough. Trim excess dough around edges of pie plate. Place filling on top of dough in pie plate.

For the top dough, you can do a lattice, like I did, or roll out the second dough-disk and do a traditional double crust pie. For lattice directions go here.

Pumpkin Soup

2008-11-05T15:15:00.003-05:00

1/2 large or 1 small onion, chopped
3 T. butter
3 c. chicken broth, divided
2 c. pumpkin (pure, canned, not pie filling)
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. half & half

Saute onions in butter until soft. Put 1 c. broth in blender with onions along with all ingredients except half & half. Transfer to small pot on stove top. Add remaining 2 c. broth. Heat thoroughly. Add half & half soon before serving. Heat, serve!

My thoughts:
This recipe is one of the easiest I have. It was also given to me by Marta, my SIL. It is SO quick, it is ridiculous. It is a tradition in my home to make it Halloween night every year with homemade bread and hot mulled cider.

Apple Crisp

2008-11-05T15:04:00.004-05:00

Prepare:

8-10 apples, peeled, sliced to 1/2 inch thick slices

In bowl, mix with pastry blender:

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. flour

1 c. oats

2/3 c. butter

1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread topping evenly over apples. Bake for 30-45 minutes until apples reach desired firmness and topping is slightly browned. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

My thoughts:

My sister in law, Marta, gave me this recipe long ago and it is to this day written on a small piece of paper in my old recipe box. My husband told me a few weeks ago while eating a generous portion of this delectable dessert that, "yeah, they will have apple crisp in heaven." True, true.

Whole Wheat Bread

2008-10-29T13:27:00.005-04:00

I haven't bought bread from any grocery store for 10 months. I vowed after I got my mixer for Christmas last year that I wouldn't ever buy bread again. I am so happy (and a little proud) that I have stuck by this resolution b/c I rarely actually do things that I mean to! I give 100% of the credit for this bread dough to Rebecca Lutter, who demonstrated the recipe when we were in MO together as med-student wives. She now lives in UT and me in MI, but her bread recipe stuck with me. My friend, Ruth Gough showed me how to make it a second time to refresh my memory when I actually got my mixer. I have demo-ed it on numerous occasions to friends and am very proud to do so b/c it is the best bread ever! There are a lot of good whole wheat bread recipes and a lot of people say that their recipe is the best. I have decided that there isn't one best recipe for bread, but a handful that are the ones worth eating. This is one of those.
What I love about this recipe is that it is very versatile. When I make a batch of dough I can very easily make 1 loaf of bread, a pizza crust and cinnamon rolls all at the same time (or bread sticks or Navajo tacos or cinna-balls or scones or dinner rolls...)

THE MASTER RECIPE
KNOWN TO ALL AS “FOOLPROOF BREAD”

Master this recipe then later add nuts, raisins, spices and flavoring for variety.

Ingredients:

8-81/2 cups freshly ground wheat- grind super-fine(5 1/2 cups wheat usually makes the perfect amount of flour)

3 cups warm water

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup oil (I use smart balance omega oil)

1 1/2 T Saf yeast

1 T dough enhancer

1 T gluten

1 T real salt

Grind wheat on the finest setting. In mixer, combine water, honey, and oil. Add 4 cups fresh, warm flour. Add yeast, dough enhancer, and gluten. Mix on low speed for about 1 minute until smooth. Allow to rest 20 minutes until swelled and bubbly. (I have let it stand a lot longer than this before, like an hour, and it was totally fine.)

Add salt (don't forget the salt!) and remaining flour slowly over medium speed-- **use only enough flour to get the dough to clean the bowl and stick together. Mix on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until dough ball looks smooth, is very elastic and a small amount of dough stretched between your fingers into a square shape does not break, but you can see light through it.

Grease bread pans or bowl for rising if using for something other than bread.

For bread:

Grease (NOT flour) your hands and divide dough into three equal parts. Form each part into bread form and place in greased pan. Cover and allow to rise for ~30 minutes until bread is almost to desired height, about 1 inch above top of pan. Place in cold oven and set to 350 degrees. Allow to cook for 18-20 minutes until bread is lightly browned on top, pan sizzles on bottom when touched with wet finger and bread makes a hollow sound. Butter the top and allow to cool on side for 5 minutes. Serve warm or allow to cool before placing in air tight container.

For Pizza Crust:

Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes. Grease hands and place 1/3 dough on baking stone. Roll out to desired shape. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Lightly cover in oil and fresh garlic, basil, or other favorite Italian herbs. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Top with desired sauce and toppings and allow to bake until cheese is hot and bubbly.

For Bread Sticks:

Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes. Grease hands and place 1/3 dough on baking stone. Roll out until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into strips. Top with warm butter blended with your favorite Italian herbs, garlic. Spread over the sticks. Top with Parmesan or other favorite Italian cheeses if desired. Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. For dinner rolls: Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes. Take 1/3 of dough. Roll out on floured surface until 1/3 inch thick. Use round cutter or large glass cup to to cut out even rolls. Place in dish of warm butter then onto roll pan. Allow to rest 10 minutes then bake in 350 degree over for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

For Cinnamon Rolls:

Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes. Take 1/3 of dough. Roll out on floured surface into rectangle until 1/4 inch thick. Mix 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 T cinnamon, and raisins or walnuts, if desired. Spread mixture evenly over dough's surface. Roll dough and cup with floss or string into 1 inch pieces. Place in 9x13 greased pan, cover, and allow to rise 15 minutes. Place in preheated 350 degree oven and allow to cook 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Drizzle with warm milk and powdered sugar glaze while hot, if desired.

American Scones:

Allow dough to rise 30 minutes. Roll out 1/3 dough on floured surface into rectangle 1/3 inch thick. Cut into even squares, about 3" x 3" or so. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Cook in deep fryer or in frying pan full of hot oil until golden brown on both sides and cooked through-- about 2 minutes. Allow to cool and then slice one side to fill with taco fillings or honey butter and warm jam.

For Doughnuts:

Follow instructions for American scones, except cut with doughnut cutter and place in mixture of sugar/cinnamon, powdered sugar, or warm milk and powdered sugar glaze straight out of fryer. For Navajo Tacos:Follow instructions for American scones except form dough into large round circles 1/3 inch thick. Fry as directed and then top with southwestern taco toppings (or Katherine Field's Southwestern Chicken)

Number Of Servings: Yields 3 large loafs or any variety of variations...

Preparation Time: 30 minute prep, 30 minute rise, up to 30 minutes to bake

Ice Cream Sandwich Torte

2008-10-29T13:01:00.006-04:00

Another really easy dessert that will make people think that you spent an obscene amount of hours in the kitchen. This is a Pampered Chef recipe that I have had for about 5 years and make it when I really want to pop a surprise at someone. I made it for a cooking club once and it won the night's prize. People came up to me and were asking what the crust was made out of and how on earth I got the layering so even. I couldn't help but laugh a little and told them the deep, sweet secret of this ice cream cake. It has wonderful presentation and can serve 20 people comfortably.

This cross-section is a little mutilated b/c I cut it when it had been out of the freezer for a while. But you get the idea.

Ice Cream Sandwich Torte

Place 6 ice cream sandwiches in a row on a large square platter (or bottom of cookie sheet lined with foil) to form a rectangle. Place in freezer.

In medium bowl mix:

1 4oz. pkg. chocolate instant pudding

2/3 c. milk

Then fold in to chocolate pudding mixture:

6 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped Oreos

Remove platter from freezer and quickly spread chocolate mixture evenly over ice cream sandwiches. Place 6 more ice cream sandwiches over the filling. Frost with 6oz. Cool Whip (or more), covering all sides of torte. Sprinkle with bits of shaved chocolate or Oreos. Freeze at least 2 hours before serving.

To serve: Cut torte lengthwise in half. Then cut slices to desired width. Serves 20.

Traditional Chili

2008-10-27T16:39:00.004-04:00

My mom made a pot of chili every so often while I was growing up. This recipe stems off of hers. It is a wonderful recipe for a traditional chili that everyone craves every once and a while.

Chili

In skillet, cook over medium-high heat:

1 T. oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans peeled, chopped green chilies

In crock pot on high or 5 or 6 quart saucepan on stove top on medium high heat, put above mixture and:

5-6 c. tomato juice (depending on how long you cook it, you may need to add more like 6)

1-2 14oz. can diced tomatoes, your preference

2 t. cumin (or more)

2 t. chili powder (or more)

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 can chili beans with sauce

1 can whole kernel corn, drained (optional)

cheddar cheese for garnish

chopped onions for garnish

Cook in crock pot for 3-4 hours or on stove top for 1-2 hours (or more) until thickened, dark and to your likin'. Serve with cheese and onions on top, if desired.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2008-10-27T16:19:00.009-04:00

My husband grew up on this casserole. Hence, it comes from my MIL, Jeanine Franson. When I think Chicken Broccoli Casserole I think of a rice dish with a cheddar cheese sauce with chicken and broccoli, of course. This is different! It can be served over rice or mashed potatoes, but served alone in all its glory is a wonderful option too.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Prepare and place in 9x13 Pyrex pan:

1 lb. chicken, cooked & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

4 cups fresh broccoli florets

In medium bowl, mix with wire whisk:

1 family size can cream chicken soup

1 cup mayo, low fat is fine

1/2 tsp curry powder

2 T. lemon juice

Spread mixture over broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle generously with paprika and grated Parmesan cheese (the more the Parmesan, the better!) Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese on top is crispy and slightly golden. Allow to sit and cool for a few minutes before serving.

The Best Banana Bread

2008-10-21T12:30:00.005-04:00

From The Best Recipe cookbook, never fails!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 1 bread loaf pan.

In medium bowl, mix:

2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 t. baking soda

1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

In large bowl, mix:

3 very ripe, darkly speckled, large bananas, mashed

1/4 c. plain yogurt (I use any flavor I have)

6 T. butter, melted and cooled

1 t. vanilla

2 large eggs

Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and mix until just incorporated. Bake for 50-55 minutes until top is golden brown and cracked and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

An Easy One to Start

2008-10-18T10:11:00.003-04:00

Inside-out Oreos

I am SO mad I didn't take a picture when I made these yesterday!!! I made these Oreo bon-bons for our church Halloween party and they looked beautiful arranged on my white rectangular platter. We were in such a rush to get to the party that I didn't snap a photo! Just trust me, this is a good recipe (and one that you can remember while walking down the isles at the grocery store b/c there are only 3 ingredients!)

1 pkg. regular Oreos

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 pkg. (or more) white Almond Bark

Crush entire package of Oreos in a gallon-size storage bag. (I use a combination of my rolling pin and the bottom of a glass.) In mixer, combine cream cheese with crushed Oreos until well incorporated. Roll mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Melt Almond Bark in glass bowl, 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval, until melted. Carefully dip Oreo balls into melted Almond Bark, covering each ball completely. Place on sheet of wax paper or foil until melted.

Trade Secrets:

You can also use the dark Almond Bark to cover the balls, or drizzle the dark over the white-covered bon-bons, or vice-versa. Sprinkles make the treat more festive for any occasion.

Alright, I have another blog...

2008-10-17T22:32:00.001-04:00

I need a place to store my recipes in a spot where they will forever be safe. I think its kind of weird to post recipes on my family blog for some reason, so voila! Stay tuned for some of my favs.