Spinach and Feta Pasta

Tonight I made a new recipe from my new cookbook Our Best Bites.  It was a HUGE success!  It only took me about 15 minutes to make this simple easy pasta dish.  For the recipe go here.   This picture does not have the feta cheese in it, I had to put that on the side not every one at my house is a feta cheese fan. 

Spinach,Tomato, Pesto and Cheese Panini

 

 I was introduced to this YUMMY sandwich at a meeting by one of my friends.  It is very simple but oh so good!  All you need is a bread of your choice.  Sourdough tastes yummy and so does multi grain bread.   You need a little bit of pesto and spread it on both slices of bread. Then add some sun dried tomatoes to one side of the bread.

 

Then add spinach and  fresh mozzarella cheese. That's all the ingredients!

 

Then put the sandwich on your panini maker to grill it or grill it on the stove.  These sandwiches are very YUMMY and hit the spot!

Chicken Taquitos

 

 I have made this recipe twice in the past week.  They were a HUGE hit at my house.  The 2nd time I  made them I made sure to make extras for my boys to eat as snacks later on.    I left out or changed a few things on this recipe and I put those in red on the side.  I got this recipe from Our Best Bites, they have a cookbook coming out next month that I have on order and I can't wait to get!!

 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese(I used more like 5 oz of cream cheese)
• 1/4 C green salsa
• 1 t fresh lime juice
• ½ t cumin
• 1 t chili powder
• ½ t onion powder
• 3 T chopped cilantro
• 2 T chopped green onions
• 2 C shredded cooked chicken
• 1 C grated pepperjack cheese( I used a pkg of mexican cheese and some cheddar cheese)
• 6-inch corn or flour tortillas(I used the fresh tortillas from Costco, I cooked them before adding the chicken mixture)
• 2 T vegetable oil (optional)
• kosher salt(I skipped this step)
• cooking spray

Method:

Heat oven to 425.

Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir.

Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic.

Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions.

Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, then roll it up.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt on top. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Cool for 5 - 10 minutes and then serve with sour cream, guacamole or Pico de Gallo. Makes approximately 16 taquitos.

Warm Caramel Dip for Apples

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Combine the first four ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir the mixture and heat over medium heat until the brown sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes). Stir in vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Serve warm with apple slices.

baked raviolis

Last week my husband was out of town...

I wanted to make something easy but really good for dinner.

I had some Frozen Costco Cheese Raviolis in the freezer & some leftover marinara in the fridge.

I had seen a recipe like this online somewhere, but couldn't remember where...? so I came up with this on my own - it was easy & so good!

Baked Raviolis

1/3- 1/2 bag of Frozen Cheese Raviolis
(this is based on the big costco bag- I'm sure you can figure it out with what you have. I used 24)
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese grated
1 Cup Mozzarella or Monterey Jack Cheese grated
2 Cups of marinara sauce
1 regular sized can of diced tomatoes
Parmesan

Pour the marinara in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Layer the bottom of the pan with one layer of frozen raviolis.
Next top with 1/2 cup cheddar & 1/2 cup monterey jack. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Stack another layer of raviolis on top.
Puree the can of tomatoes in the blender.
I use my Blendtech. I LOVE my blendtech blender!
Pour the pureed tomatoes over the raviolis & top with the rest of the cheese. Cover with aluminum foil & bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil & bake another 15-20 minutes until really bubbly, just to thicken up the sauce.
I loved this recipe- so easy- and the combination of marinara & pureed tomatoes was just right for me-- not to much. The cheese in the raviolis & the cheese stacked between them make this a really rich dish. I fed all seven of us-- my four kids plus two friends & me--- and still had two servings left over! Plan on it serving 8 people.

Serve with bread & salad.

popovers

We are really loving popovers these days out our house!

I was working one day & a lady came into the store looking for a popover pan. I told her how I was nervous to make them- she told me about a GREAT recipe online (find it here)- I went home & made them that night! They were so easy & delicious. They are one of my family's favorite things now. You really should give them a try!

I modified the original recipe...
and they still turned out okay- few- I was nervous.
I just didn't have that much milk on hand- 4 cups- I used 2 cups water 2 cups milk. No sweat, they were great & I will always make them this way from now on.


I only have one popover pan. It must have a smaller cup than the pan the recipe used because it made loads of small popovers & they were done a full 10 minutes ahead of time. I tried a muffin pan to make more- just to see how it would turn out- DON'T DO IT- train wreck. Really, borrow a popover pan, or buy one. It's the right thing to do.
I also didn't have fancy Gruyere cheese- which I love.
I put a little cheddar cheese on a few (just a tablespoon on each) then left the others plain.

We are IN LOVE with these!

They are so easy, a nice change to regular rolls & so- so good.

I served mine with butter & jam.

Original recipe

HERE

patsy's favorite sugar cookies

I got this recipe years & years ago...

Like.... 17 years ago

and it's still my favorite sugar cookie!

It's not the puffy kind. Its the soft, yet flat, & easy to decorate kind of sugar cookie.

I love the yummy, buttery, vanilla-y, flavor. To me- they are good even without frosting.

Although they are easy to frost (because they are not puffy) and also easy to cut with cutters because, heck I don't know- they just are.

I can't wait to make some Valentine's Day shapes!

1 Cup Butter (do not substitute margarine/spread)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp. really good vanilla

2 tsp. baking powder

2 2/3 Cups all purpose flour

Mix & roll just like other cookies- butter & sugar first until fluffy- then add eggs & vanilla, mix well- then add dry ingredients. Allow to cook in the fridge for at least 2 hours. (this will make them much easier to roll & not all sticky- of course in an emergency- just use it like it is.)

Roll onto a lightly floured surface- 1/4 inch thick. Cut out using floured cutters.

Place 2" apart on a baking sheet & bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

WARNING: over cooking the cookies will make them crunchy. They will still taste great, but I just like my cookies chewy- so if you are like me- take them out of the oven before they turn brown.

It's tricky at first- but just as- or just before they turn brown- is just so good.

p.s. I always double the recipe & typically make it a day before I want to roll them out. This breaks up the cookie making process... which can take forever, especially when decorating.

Jenny's Nacho Cheese Dip

1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage, browned
After sausage is cooked, put sausage in another bowl and using same pan add:
1 Velveeta Cheese Loaf
1 Rotel tomato and green chilies can
When cheese mix is melted, add sausage back in and warm.
Enjoy!

Our family loves this dip and we beg Jenny to make it for every family event!

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.