Cutney Cheese Spread

I am posting this yummy recipe for Janae.....she made this for us at our Christmas party and we all loved it! One of us will be posting a picture soon!

1 pkg. cream cheese softened
1/2 c. cheddar cheese grated
1/3 c. angel flake coconut
1 small jar of mango or apriot chutney
dried cranberries
Walnuts or pecans chopped
Sliced green onions

Mix first 3 ingredients and shape into a rectangle and place on a plate. Spread chutney over the top of the cream cheese and then garnish with cranberries, nuts and onions. Serve with crackers.

Peppermint pinwheels

I love these cookies!

they are really yummy, cute for Christmas & so easy to make.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup margarine

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Beat the first 6 ingredients together until creamed. Stir in the rest gently. Divide into two equal parts. Add red food coloring to 1/2 of the dough (as much as you think you need) Knead the dough to distribute the color. Cover & refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours. After it's good & cold- roll out the plain dough to about 12x16" then roll out the pink dough & place on top. Roll up the two doughs together starting at the 16" side VERy tightly. As tightly as you can. It'll all be fine if it's not tight enough, just relax. Put the whole roll in parchment paper of plastic wrap & refrigerate again. When ready to bake, cut slices of the roll 1/4 inch think & bake for 8-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees. BE really careful not to over cook them!! they should just barely be turning brown.

*the great thing about these cookies is you can make the dough, leave it in the fridge, then bake a few off here & there! they are especially good with warm with milk or hot cocoa ~ mmm

fruit covered NY cheesecake

I have to be honest- I've made a lot of cheesecakes over the years- but it's been a while.

To find a fool proof recipe I looked here... allrecipes.com & came up with this one.

With over 1800 comments & still a 5 star rating I figured it must be GReat- and it was!
For the topping I covered it in fresh berries the topped it with a glaze which was 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tblsp. corn starch, & one can of hansen's guava nectar, brought to a boil (stirring constantly until thick) cooled then poured over the top.

White Christmas Slush

2 Quarts Water
3 Cups Sugar
1 Can Limeade from concentrate
1 Litre Bottle of Sprite


Combine all ingredients until sugar is completely dissolved. Freeze over night in a mixing bowl (one that will fit into the punch bowl you are serving it in).

1 hour before serving take out of freezer and put bowl upside down into punch bowl. Once it has started to melt a little on its own, start to chip a way at it with a potato masher and butter knife until it is broken into smaller pieces and like a slush. Continue to mash and add Sprite then serve.

Sour Cream Chicken

This is a definite "old stand by" at our house. My mom used to make this when I was growing up.

The recipe is simple and only a few ingredients.
6-8 chicken breasts
garlic salt, season salt, a little pepper
3/4 C. sour cream
3/4 C. Mayo
1 can cream of celery soup
1&1/2 C. grated sharp cheese
copped onion
1 tsp. lemon juice
~season chicken lightly with seasoning and put in 9x13 pan. Combine all other ingredients and pour over skinless chicken breasts. Cover and bake @ 300 for 3 hours. Enjoy:)


Here is the final result. The sauce is so yummy on baked potatoes, broccoli etc. We add the sauce to the whole dinner.

*picture courtesy of my Doug.

Mexican Cheese Log

8 oz. Velveeta cheese, rolled out between wax paper or scran wrap

8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. diced green chilies
4 oz. diced olives
Mix cream cheese, green chilies and olives together(I mix them in Kitchen aid). Spread cream cheese mixture on the rolled out cheese. Roll into a log and then serve with crackers.

Lemon Sour Cream Pie

I made this recipe for Thanksgiving.......it was so easy and so yummy!!! If you love lemon you will love this pie!!! SOUR CREAM - LEMON PIE

1 c. sugar 3 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch 1 tbsp. lemon rind, grated 1/2 c. fresh lemon juice 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 c. milk 1/4 c. butter 1 c. cultured sour cream 1 baked 9" pie shell 1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped Lemon twists for garnish Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon rind, juice, egg yolks and milk in heavy saucepan; cook over medium heat until thick. Stir in butter and cool mixture to room temperature. Stir in sour cream and pour filling into pie shell. Cover with whipped cream and garnish with lemon twists. Store in refrigerator.

smoothies

For my birthday this year I got one of these- a blendtec.

Oh how I love it!

These are the same blenders Orange Julius & all the big name smoothy chains use. The blendtec has a way of really whipping them up- to just the right texture. We make soomthies on a regular basis now.

I buy berries (all kinds), Kern's fruit nectars, & light yogurt at Costco in the big packs-

then mess around with different flavors. This one is strawberry mango!

Frozen strawberries

One can of Mango nectar

2 strawberry yogurts
-Blend-

It's good & good for you!!
Warning: to get the true smoothy experience these need to be sucked down with a straw... seriously folks- it's all about the straw.

Karens Chicken Noodle Soup

Karen's EASY But So Good -I'm talking the best- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Ever!!
(this recipe is doubled- it makes about 5-6 qts of soup)
6 Tblsp. Butter
2 Cups chopped onion
2 Cups chopped celery
2 Cups sliced mushrooms
Saute until everything is tender in a soup pot.
(I added 1 cup carrots diced also just because it seemed like the right thing to do & I didn't have that much celery )
Now add:
2 Cups cooked chicken -(I added 3 boiled chicken breast diced)
4 Cups of Noodles
Cover everything with water- just barely. I used the water from boiling the chicken & a little more.
Now add:
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
Bring to a boil & simmer until the noodles are tender! Salt & pepper to taste.
ENJOY!

Homemade Waffles

This recipe was given to me by a friend a few years back. I don't make them very often but they are a huge hit when I do. They are so light and fluffy. I usually double the batch and freeze the extras for the kids for breakfast.
2 egg yolks (put whites aside for later in the recipe)
2 c milk
2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/3 c. oil

Mix the above ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until moist and then increase to medium until smooth. In another bowl mix the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold in the egg whites in with rest of the ingredients. Cook in your waffle iron until golden brown. (My waffle iron takes about 1 cup of mix for one waffle)
Enjoy!

Stove Top Stuffing Casserole

This has been a family favorite for a long time and the best part it is quick and easy!! There are a few variations of this recipe but this how I make it most of the time. This is a great recipe for left over turkey or chicken.


2 cups sour cream
2-3 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 pkg Stove Top Stuffing(do not make the stuffing)
2-3 cups of diced chicken or turkey

Combine sour cream and 2 can of soup together with both packages of stuffing and then add chicken. If the casserole seems dry add 3rd can of soup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until bubbly. This serves about 5 people, if you had a larger family I would double the recipe. Enjoy!

black bean tortellini soup

I originally got this recipe here. It was in the Family Fun October 2000 issue. I love that magazine & don't get it anymore... Kristy gave me her copy this month & it got me thinking of this soup. I used to make it all the time & it's one of Brett's favorites. I changed the recipe up a bit to suit my family & my own tastes. We really love it.

It's different than the other soups I make. It's healthy- full of fiber & really good.
If you give it a try, let me know :)

3 tsp. canola oil

1 medium onion chopped

1/4 cup minced/chopped carrots

1 tsp minced garlic

1 can diced tomatoes & juice blended (my kids don't like tomato chunks in soup..?)

3 cans black beans drained & rinsed

8 cups water

10 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp. each dried oregano & dried basil

1/2 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

19 oz. bag of frozen cheese tortellini

In a large soup pot, saute the onion & carrot in the oil until translucent. Add the garlic & stir for maybe 30 seconds. Add everything else except the tortellini & simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the tortellini & simmer until tender. This is a surprisingly fast dinner! I served it with garlic cheese bread.

Clam Chowder

This is a really easy yummy recipe for clam chowder

1 c. celery (diced)
2 c. cubed potatoes
1/2 onion (diced)

Boil the above in water until tender. Add the juice from the clams to the water to help flavor the veggies.

When veggies are almost done:

Melt 1 c. butter and then add 1 c flour and mix together. Add 6 cups of milk and heat until the roux thickens (if it is too thick you can add some more milk to thin out). Add about 2 t salt and 4 t pepper and about 1/2 T of sugar(you can add more or less salt, pepper or sugar per your taste). When veggies are done drain and add to soup. Add 2 cans of drained diced clams. Heat until everything is warm and enjoy!

***Optional****This is a great soup to serve in bread bowls

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I'm making these for dinner tonight- don't they sound good?!

I'll let you know how they turn out

Here's the recipe

Update: in the words of R.R.~ YUM-O!! we loved them- we skipped the cheese- who needs it? they were great! Here is a picture of my version.

These are really easy & surprisingly not very spicy. I even made wheat rolls in the bread maker. Look at them green beans! Chloe picked them from our garden.

Pumpkin Cookies

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. It was given to me by a friend several years ago and has become a family favorite. DO NOT double this recipe.....it makes a huge recipe that fills a kitchen aid mixer.

1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

cream the above ingredients and then add the following:

1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 large can pumpkin (29 oz can)
Mix together and then add 5 cups of flour and then 1-1 and half bags of chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes(varies depending on your oven) or until light brown.

pumpkin bread

We love fall & fall means pumpkin bread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, & carmeled apples - at least to me!This recipe makes two loaves & this is all that's left.

I got this recipe from my sister. It's her mother-in-law's and it's fantastic!

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 can pumpkin 15oz.

1 cup oil

3 1/3 cup flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease & flour two bread pans- set aside.

Cream together sugar & eggs. Add pumpkin & oil, mix. Add dry ingredients. Don't over or under mix- make sure all the spices are incorporated without beating it to death- you know what I mean.

Divide batter into pans & bake for 1 hour & 10 minutes. Insert toothpick; if clean your done- I usually need to bake another 10 minutes but that just may be my oven.

Hot Parmesan Artichoke Dip

I got this recipe from an e-mail from Kraft. I took it to a church activity and it was gone within a few minutes. Everyone loved it.......even the blogger moms!! Next time I make I am going to sub the mayo for a lower fat mayo and see how it tastes!!


Hot Parmesan Artichoke Dip


1 14 oz can artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 c mayo
1 clove garlic minced
1 c grated parmesan cheese
2 T chopped tomatoes
2 T sliced green onions

Heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients except tomatoes and onions. Spoon into shallow ovenproof dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with tomatoes and onions and serve with crackers. I keep mine warm in a small crock pot.

chocolate chip cookies

One of my favorite things is chocolate chip cookie dough- of course! Who doesn't love that?

I like to make a big batch, use a mini ice cream scoop to scoop it onto trays & freeze them. Baked cookies are good frozen -sure- but make fresh baked cookies, warm from the oven- FANTASTIC!I like to separate a dozen or two into freezer bags then give them away to neighbors or someone special as a gift- lovely. This isn't fancy- I was in a hurry- but they are really cute at Christmas or Valentines with patterned paper folded over & stapled to the top....

here is my favorite recipe:

2 sticks or 1 cup of butter

2 sticks or 1 cup of margarine- the real stuff

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups sugar

cream together then add

2 tsp. good vanilla

4 eggs

then add:

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

4 cups flour

5 cups oats (blended into oat flour in the blender)

After mixing all the ingredients together add 24 ounces of chocolate chips & 3 cups of chopped nuts- if desired. (I only use one bag of milk chocolate chips because my idiot offspring don't like too many chocolate chips in cookies or nuts-I know their mad?)

Bake golf ball sized on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart at 350 degrees for 11 minutes-- 13 minutes if frozen. Or until just starting to brown. Enjoy!

Canning Tomatoes

This really is not a recipe but I wanted to post this for my kid's. So someday if they decide they want to can they will know how. My Mom taught me how to can when I first got married and I have been doing it just about every year since I got married. Since I am married to farmer Kelly we always have a big garden every year and we can't waste the food we grow so I either freeze it, can it or give it away.


Everyone has there own way but here is how I can tomatoes.First off you need a lot of yummy tomatoes from your garden or store. Clean and wash the tomatoes and then put them into boiling water on the stove for about 1-2 minutes(this helps so the skin peels off really easy).
Remove from boiling water and put them into cold water in the sink. Remove one tomato at time and peel the skin off and cut off the stem and any other parts and then cut tomatoes in half or in quarters so they fit into the bottles.
Put tomatoes into quart jars that have been cleaned and sterilized in the dishwasher. Fill jars until just about full (leaving about a1/2 inch or so at the top). Wipe off around the mouth of the jar. I do not add anything to my tomatoes...........this is just what works for my family. Some people add onions and other things but I prefer them plain and then I can add what I want when I use them. Put on lid.......I usually have a pan with my lids on the stove simmering and I pull them out of the hot water as I need them. Add ring to jar.

Put bottles in steamer or hot bath.......I used both ways today. I found out that the food people are saying we should use a hot bath instead of steamer. I steamed my tomatoes for 60 minutes and cooked them in a hot bath for 50 minutes(per the extension service). You start the time on the steamer when the steam comes out of the holes on the side and count the time on the hot bath when the water boils.When finished cooking/steaming I leave them out on the counter to cool. Make sure that they all seal...........if not put the ones that don't seal in the fridge. Mine usually all seal except for one here and there.Write the year on the top of the lid so you can eat the older ones first. Our tomatoes usually get used for taco soup or homemade salsa or whenever a recipe calls for stewed tomatoes. I hope makes sense!

Smothered Flank Steak

I was looking back at some of my old posts from last year and found this post.   It really is a yummy and easy recipe.  Give it a try:)

Banana Crumb Muffins

I had some expired bananas & I didn't want to make banana bread-- I've made banana muffins before but they are always a little dry - just so so. Well I decided to click on over to all recipes & see if there were any recipes for banana muffins.

Muffins just seemed like the perfect thing for breakfast on the first day of school. This recipe did not disappoint!! It had been rated almost 3000 times-

(that's insanely amazing) and had a 5 star rating. Impressive & very well deserved!

these are the very best banana muffins I have ever tried. I followed the recipe exactly & it made a dozen wonderful muffins- sorry I'm too lazy to type it up just click on over here to find it!

Low Land Boil

We started having low land boils every August when our corn is on after one of Kelly's employees introduced them to us and we have had one every year since. It is not hard to do but it is really yummy! We have several people that request a low land boil every year. Here's how to do it.........
You need one larger pot(I usually use one of my canning pots). Fill about 1/2 the pot with water and add one can of "Old Bay Seasoning"(I add the whole can because I make a big batch you can add just half or less of the can it is pretty spicy stuff)......you find it in the spice isle usually on the bottom shelf. Mix the seasoning in the water. Then add red potatoes(enough to feed your family) boil until potatoes are almost done then add 3-4 cut sausages boil for about 5 more minutes then add corn on the cob and boil until corn is just about done and then add 3 pounds of shrimp and then boil until shrimp are done.....about 3-4 minutes. Time to enjoy the yummy food.

Variation: You can use crawdads fresh from the lake instead of shrimp.

fresh peach cobbler

I don't know about you - but I love fresh peaches!

I have several different recipes for peach cobbler. I made a really different (for me anyway) one years ago- loved it- then couldn't find the recipe again- dang it- I hate when that happens. Any how my neighbor kindly brought me a whole sack of peaches last night so I got on allrecipes & looked up this recipe. I modified it a little & it was perfect. So good- really similar to the one I tried years ago. I forgot to take a picture until it was almost too late. It was SO GOOD! let me know if you try it.1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk

3-4 cups fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups water

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a glass casserole dish.
cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.
Spread mixture evenly into the baking dish .
(If using canned peaches, drain thoroughly, reserving the juice.) Spoon fruit over batter.
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Pour water over the top. This is hard to do- don't worry it'll be alright :)
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. During baking the fruit and juice go to the bottom and the batter rises.
This is so good cooled slightly & served with ice cream.

Marshmallow Popcorn

Time for a another guest cook from my family......my Mom. This is a new recipe that my Mom has been making a lot. It is a pretty yummy recipe!

4-5 batches of popcorn(we use an air popper)
1 pkg marshmallows(10.5 ounces)

Mix marshmallows and popcorn together in a large bow.

2 cubes of butter
1/2 c karo syrup
1 1/3 c sugar
Combine the above ingredients in a pan on the stove. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes or to a soft ball stage(keep stirring). Remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. Pour over popcorn and mix well.
Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam and let it cool off......ENJOY!!!

Parmesan Chicken (White Sauce Version)

I found this recipe several years ago and it has become a family favorite....it was also a favorite when I did my cooking group as well.

2 cups crushed Ritz Crackers
3 T grated parmesan cheese
2 t garlic salt
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts(we like dark meat so I use boneless skinless thighs as well)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter
Combine crackers crumbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic salt(I crush them all together in a ziploc bag and then put it in a bowl). Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt to coat and then in the crumb mixture.
Arrange in greased 9x13 pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Top with the following sauce:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

Combine soup and sour cream together in a pan over low heat. Serve over chicken.

apey's chicken salad

we have a guest chef today, my sister in law apey who is such a good cook that i'm sure this will be her first of many guest appearances on our cooking blog. do you know that she has been published in martha stewart's every day food magazine?! now you're paying attention! allie i guess is also a guest chef, one of her favorite things is cooking with apey. this chicken salad is one of my favorite apey recipes, whenever she makes it she always brings me a small container of it because she loves me. when i asked her for the recipe she said it changes every time, a little of this a little of that, however much you like of each thing...so the recipe is really more just a list of ingredients.

chicken - thawed, cut into strips, cooked in EVOO, salt & pepper and then chopped

mayo - apey doesn't believe in miracle whip, only best foods will do

red grapes - halved

tabasco sauce - just a dash

lemon juice - small amount

red onion - finely chopped

celery - finally chopped

maybe salt and pepper if you want mix ingredients together and serve on sandwiches, lettuce wrapes, tortillas or rolls - great for showers!