Thursday, January 29, 2009

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

I bought a huge jar of sundried tomatoes from Costco to make Wendy's Garlic and Sundried Tomato Pasta and needed another recipe to use them with. Then I remembered this one. This dip is good - they served it at a YW activity a while back.

  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
  • 10 dashes, hot red pepper sauce
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Almond Joy Bars

Here you go Dasha, as requested. This is a recipe I got from recipezaar. I changed it a bit and would make a couple other changes too, now that I've tried the recipe. First, the filling calls for 2 cans of s.c. milk - I think that was way too much since I had to add another 1 1/2-2 cups of coconut just to make a thicker consistency that wasn't so runny. Next time, I will just add 1 can and probably keep the amount of coconut listed. Second, I left out the almonds (just because I knew my kids wouldn't eat them), but they would probably taste yummy with them. Third, I had to bake mine for closer to 30 minutes in order to get the center golden brown like the edges. Last, I used 1/2 semi-sweet and 1/2 milk chocolate chips for the topping (I thought all semi-sweet chips might be too strong). So, try this at your own risk! (But regardless of how they looked or "set-up", they were delicious . . . and dangerous because I ate waaaaay too many! :)

Ingredients
Crust
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup melted margarine

Filling
3 cups flaked coconut
2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups toasted almonds

Topping
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1Melt margarine,stir in sugar and graham crackers until all worked in together.
2Pat in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
3Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
4while the crust is baking, mix the sweetened condensed milk with the coconut until all the coconut is incorporated with the sweetened condensed milk.
5I usually chop the almonds up as the bars cut easier when they are chopped rather than left whole, but that is a personal choice.
6When the crust is out of the oven, spread filling over the crust. Once the filling is spread, sprinkle the toasted almonds over the filling.
7Bake the bars for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
8Once you take the bars out of the oven, I turn my oven off, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bars and return to oven for a few minutes until the chips are melted enough to spread with a knife.
9I have found over the years that scoring the bars while the chocolate is still soft, helps when cutting the bars after they have cooled. Other wise when you cut the cooled bars, they don't seem to cut cleanly and neatly. I also cut them into tiny bite size pieces, they are very rich and by cutting them small, they go alot further.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Shortcake

1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter softened
1 egg
2 t vanilla
12 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1 cup mini chips
2 cups sour cream
2 eggs 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
Fresh Strawberries, rinsed and halved

Heat oven to 350. Grease 9 inch springform pan. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup sugar and butter. Add 1 egg and 1 t vanilla; beat until creamy. Gradually add flour and baking powder, beating until smooth; stir in 1/2 cup small chocolate chips. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. In medium bowl, stir together sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs and remaining 1 t vanilla; stir in remaining 1/2 cup small chocolate chips. Pour over mixture in pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until almost set in center and edges are lightly browned.. Cool completely on wore rack; remove side of pan. Spread whipped topping over top. Cover; refrigerate. Just before serving, arrange strawberry halves on top of cake; garnish as desired.

Blueberry Muffincake

Crumb topping:
1/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
3 T butter

Cake:
2 T fine, dry bread crumbs
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozed blueberries, thawed, drained
2 eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup butter melted, cooled
1 80z container sour cream
1 t grated orange peel

In small bowl, combine all crumb topping ingredients except butter; mix well. Cut in the 3 T butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.
heat oven to 375 and grease grease spring form pan or 9 inch square pan. sprinkle with bread crumbs; set aside. lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1/2 t cinnamon; mix well. Stir in blueberries. Beat eggs in medium bowl. Stir in orange juice, and 1/4 cup butter, sour cream and orange peel. Add to blueberry mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into greased pan; sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake ate 375 for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove sides of pan. Serve warm or cool.

Creamy Spinach Dip

1 pk. frozen spinach
1 container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 t celery salt
1/2 t dried dill weed
1/4 t onion salt
1/4 c chopped green onions
1 can water chestnuts, drained finely chopped
1 jar diced pimientos, drained

Cook spinach as directed on package. Cool slightly; squeeze to drain well. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, celery salt, dill and onion salt; blend well.
Stir in cooked spinach, onions, water chestnuts and pimientos. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors

Monday, January 19, 2009

Sensational Beef Stroganoff

1 pound boneless beef top round stead
2 T butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 t paprika
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
Hot cooked noddles

Slice beef across the grain into thin strips. In 10 inch skillet over high heat, in 1 T of butter cook half of beef and half of onion until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender; set aside Repeat with remaining butter, beef and onion. Return meat mixture to skillet. Stir in soup and 1/2 t paprika heat through, stirring occasionally. Remove fro heat Stir in sour cream. Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley for Garnish.

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

2 cans crescent roll dough
2 packages cream cheese, diced
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 t lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract
2 t sour cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T milk
1 T butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Line bottom of baking pan with 1 can of crescent rolls. Pinch all seams together to seal. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream. Spread filling on top of rolls. Place second can of rolls on top of filling. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar, milk and butter. After Danish has cooled, drizzle with icing.

Easy Gingerbread Bars

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter
3 T molasses
3 cups flour
1 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
2 t ground ginger
3 T sugar

Heat oven to 350. Combine first four ingredients in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add n ext four ingredients; reduce speed to low beat until well mixed. Press dough in unreased 15x10x1 inch jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter or cut into bars.

Peanut Butter Spritz Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t vanilla extract
` large egg
1 3/4 cups flour
chocolate chips

If your using a cookie press, place your sheet pans in the refrigerator or freezer while making the dough. Your cookies will deposit more easily onto a cold surface.

Preheat your oven to 375. Beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Beat in egg, then the flour. Place the dough in the barrel of a cookie press.
Bake the cookies of 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place a chocolate chip in center

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

8 chicken breasts with skin
1 box stove top stuffing mix
8oz ground sausage
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 cup cooked rice
chicken broth or water to moisten
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 chopped onion

Sauce:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk

Saute butter, celery, onion, and sausage until sausage is done. Add stove top stuffing and flavor packet, rice, and egg. Mix together. Add water or broth to make mixture moist enough to stick together.

Free skin from chicken breasts leaving one side of skin attached. Stuff dressing under skin and pull skin over to cover stuffing. Place in baking pan cover with sauce. Bake, covered with foil at
350 for 1-1 1/4 hour.

Crunchy Tuna Salad

2 cans light tuna in spring water, drained
2 cups julienne-cut jicama
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/4 cup purchased ranch salad dressing
2 cans shoestring potatoes

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except salad dressing and shoestring potatoes; mix well. Add dressing; mix well. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Just before serving add shoestring potatoes.

Grandma used to make this all the time and it is tasty

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Lemon Coconut Squares

A yummy twist on the usual lemon bar. Roger and I really liked these.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cold butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flaked coconut
Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in the butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of a lightly greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder until well mixed. Pour over crust; sprinkle coconut evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

1 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

Grease a 9x9 inch square pan.
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Mix in the oats. Cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until ingredients are well blended. Press half of mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Reserve the other half for topping.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust in the pan, and spread evenly with a knife or the back of a spoon.
Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate layer, pressing in gently. Cover, and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.

Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. They are very tasty!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Make sure you get some, because they don't last long!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Puffy French Toast

This is the first french toast I ever had. It's a little different, but delicious, even though it is fried, so not as good for you. I guess it is kind of like a combination of french toast and funnel cake together.

Sift together:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Blend in:
1 cup milk
1 egg

Beat until smooth. Cut bread slices in half. Dip bread into batter, then fry in hot oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Serve with syrup and/or powdered sugar.

Egg Ole

My mom would often make this Christmas morning (minus the sausage), along with cinnamon rolls.

10 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups cottage cheese
1 can diced green chilis
browned sausage, optional

Beat eggs. Add all other ingredients. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Meatball Sandwiches

Sorry I've been slacking Suzy. Kevin even had to post the stuff on our family blog today. I'll get back in the groove soon. :) Here's a recipe that I made today for dinner. It's from my friend Megan who also has a family recipe blog. (http://powerofahroonrecipes.blogspot.com) There are some great recipes on their blog - I've tried several of them. Enjoy!

Meatballs
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tbs salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sauce
4 cups ketchup
3 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional) - great without it - I never have any!

Directions
In a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients together. Divide into approximately 60 round, 1-inch diameter meatballs. Place in a single layer in one (most likely two) ungreased baking dishes. Mix sauce ingredients together, pour evenly over meatballs. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Slice meatballs (if too large) stir around in pan to get a little extra sauce, then put the sliced meatballs on soft sandwich rolls with one slice of provolone cheese. DELISH!!

Holy Ghost Lesson Handout

Tomorrow my lesson is on the Holy Ghost. We will be reading the story of Nephi building the boat and I found this quote by Sister Larsen of the YW general presidency related to the story in Nephi:

"At times you young women may feel you are having an experience like Nephi. The Lord has not asked you to build a ship, but to build your life. You don’t yet know what your completed mortal life looks like. But your Father in Heaven knows and can guide you one step at a time. He is asking you to build your life according to His guidelines because He is the One who created you and wants you ready to return back home with Him someday. Like Nephi, you too may have detractors and dissenters seeking to change your course, or at least slow down your progress.

But you have access to the same system of communication that Nephi used. Long before e-mail and faxes, cell phones and satellite dishes, computers and the Internet, this communication with your Heavenly Father was in place. It predates every type of networking invention today. Its power extends through the cosmos.

Heavenly Father has given you the gift of the Holy Ghost to be available to help you whenever you earnestly seek Him. Like Nephi, you can know what to do to build according to the Lord’s plan for you. You will want to invite this power to help you navigate through the challenges of mortality until you are safely home.

It requires no special equipment or experience, no social status or money for the Holy Ghost to guide you. The next time you renew your baptismal covenant by taking the sacrament, listen to the promise: when you always remember your Savior and keep His commandments, you will always have His Spirit to be with you (see D&C 20:77, 79). Think of that! With a gift so magnificent, why would we ever resist such guidance?" - Ensign May 2001, page 86

Then I made these little boats to attach to the quote:

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Recipe Request

Mom - Dasha requested that you post the recipe for the pumpkin parfait things we made for your RS dinner. You better get posting slacker! I think I am the only one who looks at this blog now.......

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Honey Orange Teriyaki Sauce

This recipe came on the Yoshida's sauce I bought at Costco. It is yummy!

1 Cup Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce
1 Cup Orange Juice (not from concentrate) or the juice of 3 oranges
6 Tablespoons honey

Mix together and marinate chicken in about 1/2 of the sauce. Grill the chicken and serve over rice. Use the remaining sauce for garnish on the chicken and rice.

This is good with the "orange carrots" and broccoli. Here is how you make the carrots:
  • 1 pound baby carrots
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pinch salt
  1. Place carrots in a shallow saucepan, and cover with water. Boil until tender. Drain, and return carrots to pan.
  2. Pour orange juice over carrots, and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, butter, and salt. Heat until butter and sugar melt.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies

Made these the other night - every time I make them I remember how much I love this recipe!

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (6 ounce) package almond brickle chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Mix sugars, margarine and shortening until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and brickle chips.
3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Make 9-10 minutes until lightly brown.

Monday, January 12, 2009

New Background

Sorry guys - I got sick of the old one. Plus this cupcake looked so good!

It erased the music when I uploaded the new template - sorry! Rachel, do you want to add it back?