Pear and Pecan Salad

This a really yummy salad especially for the holidays.  I got this recipe from our Relief Society Christmas dinner.  I have taken it to 2 parties since and it has been a HUGE hit!

Red Wine Dressing
1/2 c red wine vinegar
2 t poppy seeds
1 T minced red onion
3/4 c. salad oil
4 T sugar
1 t salt

Pour vinegar and oil in blender or shaker and then add all other ingredients then blend or shake.

Salad
I used romaine lettuce and spinach and added 2 red pears, crasins, candied pecans, red onion and Feta cheese.  Mix all together and add dressing right before serving.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

2 kiwis, peeled and diced 2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced 8 ounces raspberries 1 pound strawberries 2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar 3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas butter flavored cooking spray 2 cups cinnamon sugar

1.	In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.  You can substitute different fruit depending on the season.
2.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3.	Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Bruschetta

I got this really really YUMMY bruschetta recipe from one of friends Lisa.  She made it for a Relief Society Fair we had and it was a HUGE hit.  Lisa is also my secretary in Primary and has been told next presidency meeting that she HAS to bring this for our treat!!!!   I got the recipe from her and made it the very next day for our creative day. It is very addicting!!!!!

 12 roma tomatoes
4 T minced fresh basil
1 t garlic powder
8 t olive oil
1 t salt
4 t balsamic vinegar

Dice tomatoes and toss with remaining ingredients.

Bread

1 small loaf Italian bread or French baguette Sliced
1/4 c parmesan cheese
Dried parsley flakes

Heat oven to 450.  Spray no stick spray lightly over bread lined cookie sheet.   Sprinkle lightly with mixture of cheese and parsley.  Bake for 5 minutes.

ENJOY!!!   

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1.02.28

Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella

  I found this great recipe on Real Mom Kitchen.   Our zucchini is coming on really fast at our house and I needed to find some way besides bread to use it.   This recipe was a HUGE hit only one of my boys did not like it.  It is very quick simple recipe too!

 
Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella

• 2 medium sized (or about 5 small) zucchini
• Johnny’s Garlic Spread & Seasoning (I found it at Costco)
• salt
• 2 C shredded mozzarella cheese (I actually used a bag of Italian cheese.....it tasted very yummy)

1. Slice your zucchini up into 1/2 inch rings.
2. Lay them out flat on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Johnny’s Garlic Seasoning and a bit of salt.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until crisp tender.
4. Take the hot pan out of the oven and sprinkle the zucchini with cheese. Turn the oven to broil, throw that cookie sheet back into the oven and let the cheese get all bubbly and a bit browned. This should only take about 3-5 minutes. Be careful here. Broiling things in the oven can get out of control in a fast hurry. (my trick for broiling is to not move the rack up, I just keep it in the middle of the oven and things are less likely to burn.  It may take a minute longer, but no burnt food)

Ann's Pork Chops

This is another recipe of mine that is an old family stand by. My mom made these pork chops a lot of the years of my youth. This recipe comes from a dear neighbor who we lived next to for many years. I wonder if she still makes this recipe? Some of you might be thinking...oh...pork. Well, just remember pork is the "other white meat";) I love this recipe because it has few ingredients, which makes for quick and easy!

The hardest part of this recipe is the browning part. after that it is a breeze.

 Pork chops covered in yummy gravy, ready to hit the oven. Unfortunately, I was distracted and by the time I remembered to take an after picture, the pork chops were gone! They really are that good. 

Ann's Pork Chops

5-8 pork chops (loin chops if possible)

seasonings: I use season all, garlic salt and pepper.

one onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

small amount of milk

kitchen bouquet (or any browning sauce)

Directions 

-salt, pepper, season chops.  cook on stove top or broil until browned.

-Place in baking pan with sliced onion on top of each chop.

-in a small bowl make a gravy from soup, and kitchen bouquet and a small amount of milk.

-Pour gravy over chops. cover pan with foil and bake at 325 degrees for two or two and a half  hours.
*They should be fork tender. That is my favorite kind of pork chop. Enjoy! 

Better Than Sex Cake

• 
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 6 ounces caramel ice cream topping
• 3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm. (Hint: I crush my candy bars into small chunks as opposed to crumbs - I like to have pieces I can chew on!)
3. Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from the pan!

texas sheet cake

if there is such thing as JOY in food - and i believe there is, then this is it!
it's the perfect mix between cake and brownie, super moist and fabulous!
even better when someone else makes it for you!
thanks allie!

texas sheet cake

mix together:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt

bring to a boil in small sauce pan:
4 tbsp cocoa
2 cubes of butter
remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes
mix:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
combine with slightly cooled mixture in sauce pan
then combine with the flour mixture

bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes on greased cookie/jelly roll sheet (with a lip).

While cake is still warm, frost with:

1 cube of butter
3 tbsp cocoa
6 tbsp milk
bring to a boil, remove from heat and add:
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups of powdered sugar

sprinkle with nuts if you like that sort of thing.

enjoy!

my brother in law's chicken

My brother in law makes the most delicious Hawaiian-ish style chicken. I asked my sister if I could share the recipe & she said- go for it! Tonight, I made it & Hailey told me it was one of her all time favorites--

so there you go!

You've gotta make it for sure now.

Ingredients:

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

- I just used as many pieces as I could fit in a 9x13" pan- the chicken shrinks down so stuff it

(equal parts - sugar, pineapple juice & soy sauce)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup pineapple juice

3/4 cup soy sauce

Mix the sauce ingredients together & pour over chicken. Cover & bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Uncover, turn chicken pieces over then bake for 30 minutes more. Serve with rice-

This is the most tender juicy chicken!

You are gonna love it

Crazy good peanut butter cookies

* I have to give credit to my cute friend Marina for the base of this recipe. The peanut butter cookie recipe is hers and it is amazing on it's own. 

1 c. butter (softened)

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar  

1 c peanut butter

1 t. vanilla                      

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 bag peanut butter chips

~ cream, butter, sugars, peanut butter, vanilla, until well blended. Add eggs and blend more.

add dry ingredients and peanut butter chips. 

~ take a good heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten into a disk. leave plenty of space between cookies on cookie sheet. bake in a 375 degree heated oven for about 8 min. *do not overcook or your cookies will not be soft. 

frosting

make one batch of vanilla frosting

about 4 cups powdered sugar

1 cube butter (softened)

1 t. vanilla

about 1/4 cup milk.

blend all together well and until light and fluffy. 

divide frosting into two bowls. add about 1-2 T. peanut butter to one bowl and blend.

In the other bowl add about 2-3 T. coco. 

~ frost the peanut butter layer of all cookies first and let frosting set up.

~ Make sure chocolate frosting is thin enough to spread easily and then add it to the top of the peanut butter frosting layer. Enjoy!

Spring Salad

I absolutely love this salad! It has become our new family favorite and I prepared it for Prom and it seemed to be a hit. It's just a fresh spring salad with a tangy dressing.




Salad:
Spring Lettuce Mix
2 mangos - diced
1 bunch strawberries - sliced long way
1/2 c dried cranberries (if wanted, I usually leave these out)
2 kiwi
1 c toasted slivered almonds candied in skillet with 1/2 c sugar

Dressing:
1/2 c Red Raspberry vinegar (can substitute Red Wine vinegar)
1/2 c olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar

fresh guacamole

I have been meaning to put this recipe here for months now!

I am finally getting around to it today...

On our 15th wedding anniversary Brett & I went to San Antonio, Texas & ate at the most fabulous restaurant on the river walk. There they served guacamole that was freshly made at your table. It was LIFE CHANGING. Neither of us were huge guacamole lovers until this moment.

I've been making a copy of it ever since!

the ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

1/2 orange

1/2 lime

1 roma tomato diced

2-3 Tbsp. onion diced (preferably red- but I didn't have a red one here)

2-3 Tbsp. salsa

chopped cilantro to taste ( I really love cilantro so I add a lot)

kosher salt & pepper

Dice the avocado to the desired size & place in a bowl.

Add freshly squeezed juice of both the lime & orange; stir gently.

(the juice is hardly noticeable, but then makes all the difference... how is that possible? It's true, trust me!)

Next, gently add the rest of the ingredients then- salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with chips or on tacos- whatever you like.
Seriously this is so good & so easy.
I always double & sometimes triple recipe.

granola

Anyone that knows me well

knows that I'm not a health food kind of person.

I am a whole food kind of person.

I love to cook & I love real food made from scratch.

I always have.

Recently I have been so inspired by

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

that I have really thought long & hard about what I am feeding my family.

SO....

I feel really good about making my own homemade

(no preservatives included)

granola for breakfast this week.

This Granola is

not low fat

is not low in sugar

It's just wholesome, good, real food.

I hope my family loves it- let me know if you try it too!

My recipe for granola is adapted from this one at allrecipes.com- (I love this website.) I looked through a lot of recipes before I settled on this one for a base.

4 cups of whole rolled oats

1 1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup of rough chopped pecans

1/2 cup of rough chopped almonds

1 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cup honey

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix the first five ingredients in a big bowl. Mix the rest together & drizzle over the granola. Use your hands & really get it mixed/smooshed in. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper then spread the granola on it. Place in the oven & cook for 40 minutes for really crispy granola stirring once half way through.

When it's done- carefully remove the parchment paper & granola onto cooling racks. Cool completely & store in an airtight container.

Serve over yogurt, or in a bowl with milk.

Other mix-ins to try:

shredded coconut (I'm adding this for sure next time)

raisins

dried cherries, blueberries, bananas- whatever dried fruit you like.

If you really want to get crazy- add yogurt covered raisins after it has cooled.

Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole

 I got this recipe from a new cooking blog(Picky Palate)tthat I found.   She has some fun yummy recipes so check it out.   This casserole was a HUGE hit and both my boys keep asking when we are going to have it again.  My Mom has already shared it with people at her work and could not find it on our cooking blog yet so here it finally is.

Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

½ lb diced ham

2 Cups cooked shredded chicken breast

4 Tablespoons butter

¼ Cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

14 oz can chicken broth

3 Cups cooked rice of choice (I used white long grain)

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Cup shredded mozzarella or swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil into a large 5 qt rimmed skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ham and chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Melt butter then stir in flour, salt and pepper until combined. Slowly stir in chicken broth until well combined. Stir in cooked rice then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cover the dish with foil the last 10 minutes for oozing cheese.

6-8 servings

Broccoli Salad

This salad is a family favorite and is easy to make and full of lots of yummy things. (This picture is minus the dressing. )

1.5 lbs of broccoli tops
2-3 c cabbage chopped
1 small red onion chopped
1 c raisins or crasins
10 strips of cooked bacon crumbled
1 c. sunflower seeds (optional)

Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dressing

1.c  mayo
1/4c. sugar
1 T vinegar

Stir together and add to salad right before serving.

The MOST AMAZING Sugar Cookies

 My friends and I went to a taping of Good Things Utah this past week.  Kneader's (a local bakery) came on the show and made these yummy sugar cookies.   They did not give us any to sample and I have been craving these cookies ever since.....I am a HUGE sugar cookie lover! They did give us the recipe so I decided to  try them out and WOW they were AMAZING!!!!

Go here for the recipe:
http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/gtu/recipes/story/Kneaders-Sugar-Cookies/tE2aCurRMU6kN_GXt_f8Qw.cspx

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

I found a new cooking blog(check it out) that I LOVE!!   She has a ton of really yummy recipes.  Here is one that I tired last night!  The light in my kitchen stinks so sorry about the picture. 
Cheesy Chicken Lasagna
2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked (I recommend reducing it to 8 oz to 12 oz)
1 1/2 to  2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to  2 C mozzarella cheese, grated
Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done–rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don’t use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don’t do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

I had some left over chicken from Sunday dinner and scanned through my recipe book and I found this recipe that I tore out of a magazine last year.   I am really bad about finding new recipes then never trying them but today I tired this one and it was a HUGE hit at my house.

1 1/2 cups penne pasta uncooked
1 pkg (9oz) fresh spinach leaves(I left this out since I was out of spinach)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces( I used leftover chicken)
1 t dried basil
1 jar (14.5 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes drained
2 oz cream cheese cubed
1 c  grated mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for the last minute.   Cook and stir chicken and basil in large skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes.  Add sauce and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3 min or until chicken is done.  Stir in cream cheese.   Drain Pasta mixture return to pan.  Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 c mozzarella cheese.  Spoon into 2 qt baking dish.   Bake for 20 min.  Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake for 3 more minutes.