Sausage Casserole

Matt found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and wanted to have it for Christmas morning. So we decided to make it and it turned out very delicious.

• 1 pound sage flavored breakfast sausage
• 3 cups shredded potatoes, drained and pressed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 12 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup onion, shredded
• 1 (16 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
• 6 jumbo eggs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch square baking dish.
2. Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
3. In the prepared baking dish, stir together the shredded potatoes and butter. Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the mixture. In a bowl, mix the sausage, Cheddar cheese, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs. Pour over the potato mixture.
4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the casserole comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: I browned onions with the sausage and instead of 6 eggs I used 8. Everything else was perfect. Some reviewers also suggested that you can use frozen hash browns which makes this dish very easy to make.

Snow Cone Syrup

In honor of our present from Grandma today, here is a recipe that I found for making your own snow cone syrup. I must say that I haven't tried it yet, but with kool-aid and sugar, how could you go wrong? :)

1 packet Kool-Aid
2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Mix all together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and cool, then pour it into whatever bottle you want to use. The flavors that the person who posted the recipe liked best were tropical, berry blue, and grape. Also, it was mentioned that you can use the same recipe with only 1 cup sugar and it is still great, but less sugar. Can't wait to try it out!

Coconut Bread

This is what I took to my neighbors this year for Christmas.

Bread:
2 C white sugar
1 C canola oil
4 eggs
2 tsp coconut extract
3 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 C buttermilk
1 C shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9x5 loaf pans.

In large bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Beat in eggs and coconut extract. In separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, powder, and soda. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture, alternating with buttermilk and coconut.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes until toothpick inserted int he middle comes out clean.

Glaze:
1 C sugar
1/2 C water
2 T butter
1 tsp coconut extract
1 C shredded coconut, toasted

Combine sugar, water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add coconut flavoring. Pour 1/2 of the glaze mixture over the bread while still warm. Top each loaf with shredded, toasted coconut, then pour over the remaining glaze. Let sit in the pan for 4 hours.

Pumpkin Pie Shake

This is my new favorite milkshake!

1 serving:

1/3 c canned pumpkin
1/4-1/2 c milk
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of nutmeg
2 T brown sugar
2 c vanilla ice cream

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Wow - the 200th post! Roger and I decided we like this one better than the usual chicken spaghetti recipe. Plus it had lots of veggies in it. This is another one from the Pioneer Woman website. There are so good recipes there - go check it out!

Ingredients
■3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
■3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
■1 pound Fettuccine
■2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■2 Tablespoons Butter
■1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
■1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
■½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
■3 cloves Garlic, Minced
■4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
■2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
■½ cups White Wine - I bought white cooking wine....you can find it in the cooking section
■1 cup Heavy Cream
■Cayenne Pepper To Taste
■Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
■Salt To Taste
■Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Ginger Spice Cookies

My visiting teacher made these for me and they are really good!

3/4 c butter flavored crisco

1 c sugar

1 large egg

1/4 c molasses

2 c flour

2 t baking soda

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground ginger

1/2 t cloves

1/2 t salt

preheat oven to 350. With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

Sift or whisk together flour, bakind soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add to the mixture. Stir until combined. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.

bake for 8-10 minutes.

Summer Tortellini Salad

1 pkg. (9 oz.) uncooked refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini (I like the 5 Cheese Tortellini from Costco)
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped (I use the equivalent of baby carrots instead)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1/2 cup home-made or really good ranch dressing (I used the Brianna's Brand one)
Parmesan Cheese - to taste
*Optional - I have added grilled chicken

Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain and rinse under cold running water. Placetortellini in a large colander and set aside. Meanwhile, slice zucchini. chop carrot(s). Cut tomatoes in half and slice green onions. Snip parsley, if using fresh. Add vegetables to tortellini. Pour salad dressing over salad. Grate parmesan cheese over salad. cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 6 servings

Mexican Rice

Here you go Marianne.....

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
2. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

This is one from the website Dasha suggested - http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

There are a lot of yummy looking recipes on there - I am trying a few out this week. This was dinner tonight and it was very yummy.

Ingredients
■8 whole Flour Tortillas
■Butter Or Margarine
■2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
■3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
■Salt And Pepper, to taste
■3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
■1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced
■Cilantro
■3 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce
Preparation Instructions
(To grill pineapple: cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.)

(To pound chicken, place inside a Ziploc bag and pound with a mallet or large can to flatten to uniform thickness.)

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice (or cumin/cayenne, etc.) Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You’ll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.

Beef and Black Bean Chili

8 oz. extra-lean ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes with juice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
11/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2T Worcestershire sauce
1T chili powder
11/2 t. dried oregano
1/8 t ground black pepper
3 T fresh cilantro

1.Cook the beef in a large soup pot over medium heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes
2. Remove the beef to a bowl and add the onion, carrots, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, and garlic to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes
3.Add the tomatoes(with juice), beans, broth, Worcestershire, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and reserved beef.
4.Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thickened and flavorful, about 45 minutes. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Mexixan Sheperd's Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup hot water
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn muffin mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until beef is evenly brown and onion is tender. Drain grease. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in the tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until thickened. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and top evenly with corn, cheese, and olives.
3. Prepare the corn muffin mix according to package directions. Spread evenly over the corn layer in the baking dish.
4. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until puffed and golden.

Toblerone Cookies

¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (117g) light brown sugar, packed
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
200g milk Toblerone, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth, then stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and 150g Toblerone.
Drop leveled tablespoons of dough onto each sheet, 5cm (2in) apart. Press the remaining chopped Toblerone over the surface of the cookies.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until dry-looking and covered with even cracks but not quite firm to the touch. Leave to cool and firm up on the baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully peeling away from the paper.

The cookies will keep in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

Makes 22

*** Got it from this website.

Pioneer Woman Pizza Crust

This is a really easy and yummy pizza crust. You can make as thick or thin as you want it. We like a thin crust so we usually make 3 crusts out of this recipe. I got it from the Pioneer Woman website which is a very good website with good recipes. Also, this crust can live in the fridge up to a week so I usually make some dough and we use it throughout the week. And if you don't have a mixer you can totally mix it by hand - I had to mix it by hand while i was in Crimea with girls and it came out well.

1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast

1-½ cup Warm Water

4 cups All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

⅓ cups Olive Oil




1. Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
2. In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.
3. Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.




***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

***Makes 2 crusts.

Potato, Broccoli and Cheese Soup

2 cups chopped onion (i had around 1 cup)

2 tablespoons margarine (used butter instead)

2 1/2 pounds peeled and cubed potatoes

5 cups boiling water

4 cubes chicken bouillon (used canned stock instead)

3 cups fresh broccoli, cooked and drained

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large stock pot sauté onion in butter. Add potatoes, water and bouillon cubes. Cover, bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove tough outer skin of broccoli stems and add to the veggies for the last 5-7 minutes of cooking.

In a blender or food processor puree half of the soup and return to stock pot. Season with salt and pepper. (I just pureed the whole soup)

Add cheese and heat soup through until cheese is melted. Serve warm. I also put some croûtons on top.

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water

3 cups fresh peaches peeled, pitted, sliced

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 c sugar, and baking powder. Mix in milk and 1/4 c butter until smooth. In a medium sauce pan, stir together brown sugar, cornstarch, and cold water. Add peaches. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Mix in 1 tablespoon butter, lemon juice, and blueberries. Continue cooking until butter is melted. Pour into a 8X8 pan. Evenly spoon batter on top of hot fruit. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons sugar and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the batter. Cook for 35 minutes.

Skillet Nachos

1/2 lb ground beef

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 cup chili beans in chili sauce

1 cup salsa

tortilla chips

1 1/2 c shredded monterrey jack cheese

sliced olives

diced tomatoes

Brown ground beef. Drain and remove beef to a plate; set aside. Using the same pan, stir fry bell peppers and zucchini for 2 minutes or until crispy. Stir in chili beans and 1/2 c of the salsa. Cook until hot. Stir in meat.

Line tortilla chips on a broiler safe pan. Spoon mixture on top of chips. Sprinkle with olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese to your liking. Put under broiler until cheese is melted.

Crock Pot Apricot Chicken

A friend of mine gave me this recipe. It is yummy and easy.

4 chicken breasts
1 C Russian Dressing (she said you can substitute Catalina but she likes Russian the best)
1 C Apricot Pinapple Preserves
1 package onion soup mix

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour over chicken in crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6. Shred and serve over rice.

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Pink Raspberry Frosting

Cupcakes:
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6oz raspberries
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest

preheat oven to 350. Add the baking powder, flour, and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together. In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and mix well until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Add the vanilla and mix well. Slowly add the flour mixture to the large bowl with the wet indgredients. Add the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Pour the raspberries into the batter and mix on medium speed. Slowly advance to high speed. The batter will turn a vibrant pink-purple color. Spoon the batter into the cupcake pan, filling 2/3 full. Cook for 20-25 min.

Frosting
2 sticks butter
3 1/2 cups powder sugar
1 TBS milk
3oz raspberries

cream butter in a large bowl. Slowly add the powder sugar 1/2 c at a time. Add the milk, mix well. Add the raspberries to the mixture.

Mexican Goulash

This is another new ground beef recipe I thought I would try. I thought it was good! I added some minced garlic and chopped green peppers to the meat mixture.

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes,
undrained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar
cheese

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, water, chili powder, oregano and salt. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

This is another one from the Sister's Cafe. YUMMY!!

Spinach leaves
Romaine leaves
Grilled chicken, sliced (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)
Red onion, sliced thinly
Crispy bacon, crumbled
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)


The best part... The Dressing:

1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups canola oil
3 Tb poppy seeds


Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.


*This makes a lot of dressing! If you need a really big salad for a party then start with a large bunch of spinach, large head of romaine, 4 chicken breasts, 1 lb bacon, etc. I rarely make a salad that big so that is why there are no "amounts". So have fun with it - you're going to love it!

Olive Garden Salad

This is from the blog Wendy likes to use - the Sister's Cafe. It does taste a lot like the Olive Garden Salad. I added some grilled chicken breast to make it a main dish.

sisterscafe.blogspot.com

Olive Garden Salad Dressing:

½ c. mayonnaise

1/3 c. white vinegar

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 Tb. corn syrup

2 Tb. Parmesan cheese

2 Tb. Romano cheese

¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced

½ tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp parsley flakes

1 Tb. lemon juice



Salad:

1 large head romaine lettuce

slices red onion

black olives

2-4 banana peppers

2 small tomatoes, quartered

½ c. croutons

freshly grated Parmesan cheese



For homemade croutons:

4 slices sandwich bread

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tb. butter

salt and pepper

dried parsley flakes

Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal tastes, add a little extra sugar.(It turns out a bit runny.)

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Put lettuce in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onions, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.

For the homemade croutons:

Cut off crusts of sandwich bread, and cut bread into cubes. Melt butter in small saucepan and add minced garlic. Toss sandwich cubes in the butter and spread out in a pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and parsley flakes to taste. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°, turning half way through baking. [Keep your eye on them. ;)]

Ground Beef Enchiladas

I am always making the same things with ground beef (sloppy joes, tacos, hamburgers....) so I decided to mix it up a little bit this week. These turned out good - a keeper recipe!! If any of you have any other good ground beef recipes post them!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 diced fresh jalapeno pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup water
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
mix 1 cup plain yogurt
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream
of chicken soup
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
6 (6 inch) corn tortillas

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, green onion, and jalapeno pepper until the beef is evenly brown. Stir in water and taco seasoning. Simmer until water has evaporated.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt, condensed soup, and cheese.
4. Divide the meat mixture evenly between tortillas. Place a couple of tablespoons of cheese mixture over meat, and roll up. Place in a 7x11 inch baking dish. Repeat for each tortilla. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over the top of the tortillas.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes

Banana Cake

Yes, I know I hate bananas. But even I thought this tasted good.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
2 1/8 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake

Teriyaki Chicken Salad Sandwiches

We had this for dinner tonight and it was really good!

2 Chicken Breasts
Kikkoman Teriyaki baste and glaze
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/3 c chopped green onions
1/4 c almonds sliced
1 mango cut into small cubes
1 small can pineapple tidbits
1/3-1/2 c mayonaise
salt and pepper to taste
croissants or pitas
lettuce leaves

Marinate chicken for at least 4 hours. Grill. While chicken is grilling, combine celery and green oinons in a small mixing bowl. When chicken is done allow to stand for 10 minutes and then cut into bite-sized. Toss with celery and onions and add mayonaise. Mix thoroughly. Add 2 or 3 more tablespoons of teryaki sauce. Refridgerate for several hours.

Right before serving, add mango and pineapple.

Meat Marinade

Here is the link for the blog where I got the meat marinade recipe for the BBQ at my house. The chicken and the steak both had the same marinade. Yum! I'll definitely use that recipe again. Sorry you couldn't make it Suzy. We missed you!

http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/2008/09/meat-marinade.html

And just a sidenote - I love The Sisters Cafe blog. Everything I have tried so far has been truly delicious. There are so many recipes on there that I want to try!

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Honey Cinnamon Frosting

I was inspired by Martha Stewart and her recipe. But then one of my Facebook friends were using Cream Cheese Honey Cinnamon frosting instead of just Honey-Cinnamon and I thought that it does sound really good. They turned out really good and the frosting was to die for.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Cream Cheese Honey Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Frosting

125g / ½ cup butter
125g / 4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
1 tbs honey
1 – 2 tbs milk
2 cups icing [powdered] sugar

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the honey and cinnamon and gradually add the icing sugar while mixer is running.
4. Add the milk and more icing sugar until you get the desired considered consistency.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Here you go Rachel. I stole this recipe from The Sister's Cafe blog. You can use either shredded chicken or pork - I had a pork roast so that is what I used. YUM!

http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/2009/08/honey-lime-enchiladas.html

Apple Pie

I made this for Roger for Valentine's Day. It was so good! The picture is the pie I made.

9-Inch Single Pie Crust

1 1/4c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c.+ 1 Tbsp. butter-flavored shortening
Ice water (probably about 1/4 c.)



Making the Dough

Combine flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add shortening in small cubes. Cut in shortening (room temperature) until you get pieces that are about pea-sized. Now, this is where it gets a little tricky, but don't be scared. Start sprinkling the ice water by about a tablespoon at a time over the flour/shortening mixture. Very, very gently, turn the dough with your fingers so it gets exposed to the water. You're NOT mixing, just trying to moisten all of the flour/shortening mixture. Gradually, all of the flour mixture will be moistened. Gently pat the dough into a ball (it should come together easily but not be sticky). Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until you're ready to use.

Rolling the Dough
When you're ready to roll out your pie crust, lightly flour your work surface and place the dough ball on the surface. One of the keys in making pie crust is to handle the dough as little as possible. Don't freak out TOO much; like I said, this recipe for crust is pretty forgiving, but at the same time, the less you touch it, the more tender and flaky it will be. Starting in the center, roll the dough out into a circle shape, about 1/8" thick. When you've reached your desired thickness, place the rolling pin in the middle and gently fold the crust over the rolling pin. Lift the dough onto your pie plate and unfold it (gently; notice a theme here?).

Apple Pie

Pastry for double-crust pie
6 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter, chopped

Preheat your oven to 450. Combine lemon juice and apples in a large bowl.. Combine 1/2 c. sugar and next four ingredients, mixing well. Spoon over apple mixture, tossing gently. Spoon filling evenly into pastry shell and dot with chopped butter.

Roll remaining pie crust 1/8" thick. When your top is how you want it, bake at 450 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 50 minutes more. Definitely keep an eye on the pie; you may need to make a shield if it starts getting too brown. If you get worried, go ahead and make a square of foil, cut a center out of the foil, and place it on the pie so the foil covers the edge of the pie.

Lime and Coconut Crumble Bars

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats, whole or quick cooking
1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime zest

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and grease lightly.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in flour, baking powder and salt and mix until everything comes together in a crumbly mixture and flour is evenly distributed. Mix in oats and coconut. Mixture will be somewhat dry and sandy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and lime zest.

Put 2 cups of the oat mixture into the bottom of prepared baking dish and press firmly into an even layer. Pour lime mixture on top and spread evenly. Crumble all remaining oat mixture over the top of the lime mixture, covering it completely.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Makes 25 squares.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cloves minced garlic
1 package Stove Top Stuffing for chicken
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp dried basil
1 C shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat over to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl. Add garlic, stuffing mix, and 1/2 C water; stir until stuffing mix is moist.

Place chicken in 13 by 9 inch dish, sprinkel with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.

Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Chicken Waikiki

2 whole chcken legs and 2 whole chicken breasts (I used 1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken instead)
1/2 C flour
1/4 C canola oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can sliced pineapple
1 C sugar
2 T cornstarch
3/4 C sindar vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash chicken and pat dry. Coat chicken with flour. Heat oil in large skillet and add chicken a few pieces at a time, brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Make the sauce - drain the pineapple, pouring into a 2 C measuring cup. Add water to make liquid equal 1 1/4 C. In medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes. Place chicken in baking dish and pour sauce over chicken.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pineapple, green pepper, and onion. Bake for another 30 miniutes. Serve over rice.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, divided
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits, divided

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Combine flour and brown sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg; mix well. Stir in 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips and nuts; set aside 1-1/2 cups mixture.

3. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over hot crust; set aside 1/4 cup toffee bits. Sprinkle remaining toffee bits over sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture and remaining 1/2 cup chips over top.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Top with reserved toffee bits. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. About 48 bars.