cranberry chicken

Last night I made this for dinner-
{photo from Kraft foods}

It was GReat!
REally fast, easy, moist chicken---
I served it with rice & used jellied cranberry sauce not whole.
My family loved it.
I found the recipe out of Kraft Foods Magazine
You can find it online here

pumpkin cream cheese muffins

I made these last weekend & they were SO GOOD. They are really similar to the ones at Starbucks--- I love those--- I got the recipe here, but changed it up a bit. I cooked mine according to the original directions (at 375) and they got a little too done for my taste so I changed the temp. here. Also- they made 24 muffins! Trent had a great time taking them around to the neighbors. Enjoy!

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.
For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

ginger snaps

don't let these seemingly boring cookies fool you...

the are fabulous!! I got the recipe from a college friend. One taste & I was hooked.

They don't snap- no, no they are soft & yummy & taste like fall.

My kids love them & so do I.

Try a something new- You'll thank me- really!

Cream together:

1 Cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup butter softened

1 egg

Wish or stir together:

2 Cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

Mix creamed & dry ingredients. Roll into 1" balls & then roll the balls in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Cool for a minute or two; then transfer to a cooling rack.

Shish Kabobs

This is a SUPER easy dinner to make and great for summer time when it is too hot to cook in the house. My boys even helped me make the shish kabobs. They had a ton of fun creating their own kabob. They loved eating them too!
Marinate either chunks of chicken or beef in a bottle of Italian dressing for several hours. Cut up your favorite veggies into chunks and create you own kabob. We used mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers. Then grill them on the barbecue. Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

I found this yummy recipe on a new cooking blog I found.......My Crazy Kitchen. My family loved it and it was super easy!!!

1 lb italian sausage or lean ground beef
1 lb dry ziti pasta
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 (26 oz) jars spaghetti sauce
6 oz sliced provolone cheese
1 1/2 C low fat ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
6 oz shredded mozzarella
2 Tbsp grated parmesan
Cook the pasta in salt water until done, Drain and set aside.
Brown the meat and onion in a large saucepan. Drain the grease and add spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 15 min.
In a greased 9x13 pan layer 1/2 of the ziti, provolone cheese, ricotta, 1/2 of the sauce mixture, then the remaining ziti, mozzerella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cheeses are melted

ice cream in a bag

Obviously...

I should have taken a better photo- oops.

One of my darling cub scouts brought this recipe for our Bear Den cookbook.

It's a good one- really fun!

We made it during den meeting last week & it turned out so good- i was shocked.

-the boys were in heaven-

1 gallon ziploc type bag
1 quart freezer ziploc type bag
4 cups ice
1/4 cup salt
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar

Procedure:
Pour the milk, vanilla, & sugar into the smaller bag. Carefully squeeze out as much air as possible & seal the bag carefully.
Place the small bag down into the large bag & cover with ice & salt. Seal the large bag tightly.
Shake, toss & flip the bags like an ice cream machine for 5-10 minutes. If the bag gets too cold to handle, wrap it with a towel & pass from person to person (this is what we did.)
Open both bags & spoon out the ice cream.
enjoy!

Texas chocolate cupcakes with carmel icing

I got this recipe here.

IT is FAbulous!

The icing is so delicious-- it's dangerous.

My husband LOVEs caramel so I knew I had to try them.

I hope you try them too.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CARAMEL ICING:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
2 to 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients; mix well. Combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin). Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. For icing, in a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. Remove from the heat; transfer to a small bowl. Cool to room temperature. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cupcakes. Yield: 2 dozen.

chocolate crinkles

I love these cookies

I see them all the time whenever there are homemade cookies around-

I remember my neighbor used to make these growing up.

They are like a mini brownie

SO good!

1/2 cup butter

1 2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 bars of unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream together butter, sugar & vanilla. Beat in eggs & melted chocolate. Wisk together dry ingredients & add alternating with milk. Add nuts if desired. Chill for a couple of hours- or overnight. Form into 1" balls & roll in powdered sugar. Place on GREASED cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. cool for a minute on the pan then transfer to a cooling rack.

*spray the pan with non stick cooking spray in between each batch for easier removal.

Homemade Burritos

This is so easy and yummy! My family loves it!

1 can refried beans
1 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
Salsa
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Layer in 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins. or until cheese is bubbly.
Scoop into tortillas and enjoy!

This recipe can be doubles and put in a 9x13 pan.

Mandarin Salad

Janae made this recipe for my family on my birthday and has since become I one our favorite salads. Even my kids will eat it. It comes from the Lion House cookbook.



2 quarts salad greens torn into pieces
2-3 ribs celery cut on diagonal
1 can Mandarin oranges drained
2-3 green onions cut on diagonal
1 c grapes (either green or red)
1/2 c pecans coarsely cut

Clean and dry greens thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients. Toss to mix well. Just before serving toss with dressing using enough to moisten lightly.

Dressing

2 T sesame seeds toasted( place in a pie tin in a 350 degree oven and brown for about 5- 10 minutes)
3 T sugar
1 t salt
pepper
1/4 c salad oil
2 T vinegar ( I use apple cider vinegar)

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Dressing may be stored in fridge. Shake well before using.

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli

This recipe make 9 QUARTS of soup which is a ton. I would suggest cutting the recipe in half unless you are feeding a ton of people. It a very simple but really yummy soup. My family loves it! Great for left overs!

3 t. oil (I don't add this ....I can't make myself cook hamburger in oil)
2 lbs hamburger
12 ounces of onion chopped
14 ounces carrots silvered
14 ounces celery diced
48 ounces diced tomatoes
2 c cooked red kidney beans
2 c cooked white kidney beans
88 ounces beef stock
3 t oregano
2 1/2 t pepper
5 t parsley (fresh chopped)
1 1/2 t Tabasco sauce
48 ounces spaghetti sauce
8 ounces dry pasta

Saute beef in oil in large 10 qt pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, tabasco, spaghetti sauce and noodles. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender about 45 minutes. Makes 9 qts of soup!!!

Once again my pictures of the soup were deleted so I will add some as soon as possible.

Bread Machine Breadsticks

This recipe was given to me by one of my favorite neighbors. She found this recipe in her bread maker recipe book. It has become a family favorite at our house.

Put the following ingredients into your pan in your bread maker in order.

1 1/2 c. warm water
2 t. yeast (I allow yeast to dissolve before adding sugar)
2 T sugar
2 T oil
1 t salt
1 t lemon juice
4 c. white flour

Turn bread maker to dough setting. Mine takes about an 80 minutes. Remove dough from bread machine and roll out on cookie sheet. Cut into strips and then melt about 1/4 c of butter and then add either about 1 tsp of garlic seasoning or salad supreme to the butter and spread over the dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.Before baking.

Lime Chiffon

This is one of my families very favorite desserts!

It's dangerously light & oh so refreshingly delicious.

Lime Chiffon

Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cups melted butter

1/3 cups sugar

Mix all & press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

Chiffon:

1 8oz. package light cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 small box lime jello

1 cup boiling water

1 12 oz. light cool whip

Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water; set aside. Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar & vanilla with hand mixer until smooth. Slowly add the warmish gelatin mix well. Fold in the cool whip & pour over the graham cracker crust. Smooth over the top & refrigerate until set. An hour or two.

This is a great dessert for a crowd or potluck & did you see...? I used "light" ingredients so you can eat tons of it. It's like health food! ;)

Sugar Cookies

This is my first time making sugar cookies using this recipe and I am sold on it!!!! This cookies turned out so soft and yummy. Emily says you can't just eat one so that must mean they are good! I am not sure where or who I got his recipe from. It was written on a piece of paper that I found with my recipes. So if this is your recipe please let me know....so I can give due credit for these yummy cookies....I think the secret ingredient is the buttermilk.


11/2 c. sugar
3 cubes of butter softened
2 eggs

Cream together and then add
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c buttermilk
4 c flour

Add remaining ingredients. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Ice and enjoy!

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

This recipe was given to me by a family friend.....Arlene who is also a lurker of all the blogger mom's blogs. She says she is our biggest fan!!!!! This is a really easy recipe and very yummy! I used some left over chicken when I made so that made it super easy!!

1 cup of butter (2 cubes)
10 oz frozen peas (I used peas and carrots because that is all I had)
4 cups cooked chicken cubed
3 cans cream of celery soup
1 t. salt
1 T diced onions
1 80z package Pepperidge Farm Stuffing (the blue package...fine crumbs)

Combine melted butter and stuffing. Put 1/2 of stuffing the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Next put chicken over the stuffing. Mix soup, peas, onions and salt and pour over chicken. Top with the rest of the stuffing. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

Enjoy!

my favorite chocolate cake

This is my absolute favorite chocolate cake recipe!

I got it from good ol' betty- and only modified it a little- I hope she doesn't mind?

I usually make it into a bundt with chocolate glaze but have made the best ever cupcakes and black forest cake too with this recipe! The best part- all the ingredients are in the pantry!

1 2/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 or one stick butter room temp.

1 1/2 cup soured milk or buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. spray your bundt pan really good- or 9x13" pan, or two cake rounds, or get your cups ready for cupcakes...

Beat all ingredients on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean- 9x13= 35 to 40 minutes.

bundt= 40 to 45 minutes

cupcakes 1/2 full= 20 minutes

two rounds= 30 minutes

Frost with whatever you like. for the bundt glaze I have used melted store bought frosting... really easy- fudge isn't too bad. Or- this

Chocolate chip glaze:

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tblsp. butter

2 tblsp. corn syrup

1 to 2 tsp. hot water

Heat everything except the water. Add the water a little at a time & wisk or stir quickly until it reaches the consistency you desire. Drizzle over the cooled cake. It's a good thing :)

White Chili

1 1/2 lbs. cooked, seasoned, and chopped chicken breast

2 cans great northern white beans

2 cans shoepeg white corn

1 small can chopped green chillies

1 bag frozen chopped onions

2-4 cloves minced fresh garlic

1 T. lemon pepper

1 T. ground cumin

1 T. cumin seed

juice of 1 lime

4 c. chicken broth

bake chicken- shred and set aside.

saute onions with garlic, pepper, cumin, cumin seed.

when onions are clear add juice of lime and chicken broth.

add rest of ingredients including chicken, let simmer for a little bit. 

toppings for soup:

shredded jack cheese and tortilla chips, chopped tomato, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, or whatever else you would like:) enjoy!

Leslie's Orange Salad

1 large head red leaf lettuce/ or 1 bag baby spinach

1 small red onion sliced in rings

2 oranges peeled and sliced

1 jicama sliced

sugared almonds

chopped fresh cilantro to taste

Dressing

3T. orange zest

1/3 c. orange juice

3 T. sugar

2 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 oil

3 T. good seasonings dry italian dressing

combine all dressing ingredients.  Toss on salad just before serving.  enjoy!

my favorite cookie- oatmeal craisin

These are really great- moist- chewy- cookies!

they are even great with raisins in them- the trick (I typically hate raisins) is the raisins have to be really good, fresh, moist ones. Sunsweet used to sell baking raisins in 1 cup sealed bags & they were fantastic-- I haven't seen them in years though. I hate those dried out gross ones.

But I love raisinettes- mmm doesn't everyone?

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter softened

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3 cups regular rolled oats

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups craisins (or good raisins, if you can find them)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first eight ingredients until well blended then mix in the rest. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet in 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls- 2 inches apart. I use a mini ice cream scoop- you should invest in one if you don't have one... they make cookie baking so nice. All the cookies come out perfect & just the same size. Bake until just starting to brown- don't over cook- (or under cook for that matter, personally I think overcooked is worse... ) Immediately transfer to a cooling rack & just as they start to cool down, and they are not too hot- EAT ONE -they are oh so good!

cafe rio style pork & rice with tomatio dressing

I got these recipes over on Tried & trues one of my very favorite cooking blogs.

I have tweeked them a little to my family's taste.

I'm listing my own version & photos because several people in my family have requested me to. They either don't have high speed or just can't figure out how to get to Mique... so here you go!

thanks mique!! Those of you readers who live in Utah-

have probably been to Cafe Rio. Those who live otherwise... will just have to try these recipes!

Cafe Rio Style Pork
1 pork roast between 3-4 lb. picnic roast is fine/bone in or with out doesn't matter

3 cups of salsa

1 cup of brown sugar

Place the ingredients into your crock pot & cook on high for 6 hours or low 10.

(I used Pace medium & blended it with the brown sugar because my kids don't like chunks-weirdos)

When the cooking time is up remove the roast & shred pulling out any fat. Pour the sauce over the shredded pork & mix. Serve on a salad or like me in tacos. I use fresh tortillas, pork, grated cheese, lettuce, salsa & cafe rio style creamy tomatillo sauce & lime rice -recipes below.

Cafe Rio Style Tomatillo Sauce

1 package of ranch dressing mix made as directed for dressing

2 medium tomatillos cut into chunks

1/2- 2 chopped & seeded jalapenos (depending on your taste)

1/3 of a bunch of cilantro

1 tsp. chopped garlic

juice of one lime

blend until smooth in the blender- this makes a lot of dressing, at least a quart!

Cafe Rio Style Sweet Lime Rice

2 cups white rice

4 cups of water

2 chicken bullion cubes

zest of one lime

1 tsp chopped garlic

Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Then stir in

6 Tblsp of finely chopped cilantro

4 tsp sugar mixed with 4 tsp lime juice

salt as desired

Serve!

Gyoza(Pot Stickers)

2 scallions(green onion) chopped
2 large Napa cabbage leaves chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger grated
1/2 lb ground pork
1 T cornstarch
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice wine
2 t dark sesame oil
1/2 t sugar
1 pkg round won ton skins(you can use square but I the round work the best)Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Spoon approximately 1 T of mixture on the the skin and moisten the edges. Fold the skin in half and pleat the one edge and seal together(see above pictures). Fry the gyoza in a frying pan in approximately 3 T of oil until brown on the bottom and then add about 1 cup of water and cover the pan. Steam the gyoza for about 5 minutes (if water runs out add some more). Enjoy!

Egg Rolls

This recipe was shared with by good friend Michelle. It is a pretty easy and fast way to make egg rolls. (The egg rolls are on top part of the pan on the left side in the picture)
In a large bowl mix:
1 lb. ground pork (I use Jimmy Dean Sausage you can use spicy or regular)
1 lb mung bean sprouts
1 t salt
2 T cornstarch
2 T soy sauce
1/4 c. finely chopped onions
Any of fillers you want. I like to add celery, carrots and napa cabbage

1 pkg square won ton wrappers
Fold 1T of mixture into a won ton skin. Moisten the edges with water or a beaten egg to help them to sea. I fold them into the shape of a present. Fold the bottom triangle up first, then the sides and then the top. Fry in heated oil(350 degrees) until golden and crisp. Make sure you cook them very well since the sausage is done all the way.

Christmas Caramels

I found this recipe a few years back and now I make caramels every year at Christmas time. They are very easy to make the secret is to stir the ingredients the entire time with a wooden spoon not a metal spoon.
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup karo syrup
1 14 ounce can sweet and condensed milk
Dash of Salt
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Keep at a rolling boil and cook till soft ball forms in cold water (about 15 minutes). Pour into a buttered 7x11 pan. Cool and then cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.