Pretzel Turtles

from real mom kitchen


•50 pretzels from a bag of waffle type pretzels like Snyder’s of Hanover Butter Snaps or Rold Gold Butter Checkers
•1 (11 oz) bag of Rolos, unwrapped (the is around 50 in a bag)
•50 Halved Pecans or M&Ms
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.If using pecans, spread the pecan halves on a baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes. Give them a stir and cook them for another 4 minutes.
3.Place pretzels on another baking sheet. Top each pretzel with 1 rolo candy, place it right in the center of each pretzel.
4.Place in oven and bake for 3 minutes. You want the candies to soften but not completely melt.
5.Remove from oven and immediately place a pecan half (or candy) on top of each candy and lightly press. You want to flatten the candy to cover all of the pretzel except to outer outline and secure the candy on top.
6.Allow to cool. Makes 50 turtle candies.

Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Cupcakes

3 eggs

½ C water

¼ C milk

½ C oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 box devil’s food cake mix

1 C sour cream
Peppermint Ganache:

1/2 C butter

5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

6 Tbsp buttermilk (or 5 ½ T milk, ½ T lemon juice)

3 C powdered sugar

½ tsp peppermint extract
Peppermint Buttercream:

8 oz cream cheese

½ C butter, softened

2 C powdered sugar

½- 1 tsp peppermint extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the eggs, water, milk, oil and vanilla together. Add in cake cake mix and sour cream until well blended.

Fill cupcake liner ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cupcakes are baking, make the peppermint ganache.

In a bowl, sift 3 cups powdered sugar. In a small pan, melt butter and add cocoa and buttermilk and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over powdered sugar and, add peppermint extract and stir until smooth.

Dip the tops of the warm cupcakes into the warm ganache and let cool before frosting. You can also poke a hole in the middle of the cupcake with a wooden spoon and fill the whole with ganache. So good!! Extra ganache will keep fine in the refrigerator.

Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add extra sugar if needed for right consistency. Add peppermint extract and beat again.

Pipe frosting onto cupcake and then top with candy cane kisses, crushed candy cane or even mint M & M’s.

Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

found on YourCupofCake.com

Frosting:

2 oz white chocolate

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream *



Muffins:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/8 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ oil*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded carrot, raw

½ cup crushed pineapple

1 ½ cups flour

1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon*

½ teaspoon nutmeg*

¼ teaspoon ground ginger*



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Frosting: In a saucepan on LOW heat, melt white chocolate. Stir until smooth and let cool until at room temperature.

3. Beat together cream cheese and butter, mix in white chocolate and vanilla.

4. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. (Taste along the way so you don’t put in too much.) Mix in heavy cream.

5. Refrigerate in a piping bag to chill if the frosting is too soft.

6. Beat eggs, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in oil and vanilla. Fold in carrots and pineapple.

7. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

8. Mix the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture until just moistened. Do not over mix. Fold in nuts if desired.

9. Bake 20-25 minutes of until the tops spring back.

10. Let cool and frost.

* I did not use heavy cream the first time, I found it unnecessary. For the oil, I used ¼ oil and ¼ applesauce to make them healthier. I used 2 teaspoons apple spice instead of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Also, feel free to try the cakes with nuts.

Crockpot Refried Beans

I really need to try this recipie I found on realmomkitchen.com. We use that canned stuff all of the time!

•3 cups of dry pinto beans (rinsed)
•1 onion, diced
•9 cups of water
•5 t salt
•1 3/4 t pepper
•2 T minced garlic
•1/8 t ground cumin
1.Put all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for about 8 hours.
2.After they are done, drain all of the liquid out and SAVE THE LIQUID!!
3.Mash beans with a potato masher or whatever you mash with. Add liquid, a bit at a time, to desired consistency, but remember you want them a little runny because they thicken over time. (makes about 6 cups)

Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread

submitted by Brittany at sisterscafe.blogspot.com

1/3 cup powdered milk *see note
1.5 heaping Tbsp of instant yeast
3 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp shortening
3 cups warm water
Flour (approx 7.5 cups total)
1 cup raisins

Mix powdered milk, yeast, salt, sugar, and shortening in the bowl of a mixer. Add warm water. Add about 2 to 2.5 cups flour and beat until well mixed. Add flour slowly until dough comes away clean from the edge of the mixing bowl. Add one cup raisins. Allow to knead for 5 more minutes. Do not add too much flour. Cover with greased plastic and allow dough to rise. Once it has doubled in size, divide into 3 parts. Roll out each third of dough into a small rectangle and spray lightly with water (or get hands wet and lightly rub surface of dough - the idea is to barely moisten the dough.) Sprinkle with cinnamon - the amount is up to you but I like quite a bit! Roll up lengthwise, pinching together seam and tucking in the ends to form a log. Place each log into a greased loaf pan and raise until the size of a bread loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 3 loaves.

*I have made this bread with fresh milk too and it works great. Just omit powdered milk and use 1.5 cups warm milk and 1.5 cups warm water in the place of the 3 cups warm water.

Burrito Casserolle

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 20 minutes prep + 15 minutes baking (woo. Hoo!)
Yield: 8 servings
Recipe from Lawry's

1 lb ground beef
1 15 oz can black beans
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 C water
1 1.4 oz package Lawry's Chimichurri Burrito Casserole seasoning
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 C shredded Mexican Cheese blend

1. In a large skillet brown your ground beef over medium high heat. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper in there, just for kicks.
2. When the beef is browned, drain the fat off. Drain and rinse your black beans and add them to the browned beef.
3. In a small mixing bowl, or glass measuring cup mix together your water, tomato sauce, and Lawry's seasoning packet.
4. Pour 1 C of the red sauce into your beef and been mixture. Stir to incorporate.
5. Fill each tortilla with some of the meat mixture.
6. Roll that puppy right on up! Lay it in a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with the other 7 tortillas.
7. Pour the rest of your red sauce over the top of the rolled burritos.
8. Cover with your cheese. The recipe calls for a Mexican Cheese blend, which I'm sure would be just down right scrumptious. I only had plain old cheddar. It was still really good!
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until it's heated through and the cheese is melted.
10. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and sour cream. Or add a little avocado...maybe even some fresh cilantro.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

from: yourhomebasedmom.com
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C mayonnaise
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C grated Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can or jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 C frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained or 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Italian Tortellini Soup

Yield: 12 servingsTime: 1 hour
Recipe by Jamie Cooks It Up!


1 lb. hamburger
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 onion
salt and pepper
3 14.5 oz cans Italian Stewed Tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
8 C water
8 t beef bullion
1 green pepper, chopped
1 C carrots, chopped
1 C fresh or frozen green beans, chopped
1 can kidney beans
1 C zucchini, chopped
salt and pepper
1 pk. Good Seasoning Italian Dressing Mix
1 can tomato soup
1 20 oz pkg Cheese Tortellini (I used the refrigerated kind, but you can easily use dried.)

1. Brown your hamburger in a large skillet with the onion, garlic and a bit of salt and pepper.
2. Put the canned tomatoes in a blender and blend them up nice and lovely like. Just for 30 seconds or so.
3. Put the meat mixture, blended tomatoes and all other ingredients BUT THE TORTELLINI and TOMATO SOUP into a large soup pot. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes. I like to leave the lid partially on. Less to clean up, and it keeps the heat some what trapped.
4. In a separate medium sized sauce pan cook the tortellini according to package directions. Be sure not to over cook it. When it's done drain the water from the tortellini and add it to the large soup pot.
5. Stir in the tomato soup and let it simmer for just 5 more minutes.

White Chicken Chili

by Melanie www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com

1 lb great northern beans

1-2 lbs cooked and shredded chicken

6 cups chicken broth

1 Tb olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2- 4oz cans diced green chilis

2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayene pepper

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

*additional grated jack cheese and cilantro for garnish

1. Soak beans overnight. Drain, rinse and pick over to remove bad beans. Add broth to beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer beans until tender (usually all day in crockpot on low).

2 Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute onion and garlic until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Mix in green chilis an spices. Add to the beans. Stir in chicken and then cheese. Stir until thick.

Garnish with grated Monterey Jack cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.



Fast and Easy Method

**This makes a delicious soup in a matter of minutes**
For Step 1: Instead of cooking 1 lb beans in 6 cups of broth--just open 3 (14oz) cans of great Northern beans and 2 (14oz) cans Chicken broth and then proceed with recipe.

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Posted by: Julia@ my sisters kitchen
By Paula Dean

Ingredients
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat.

Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees F and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies with pudding

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars, add pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda with a whisk then add it to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Restaurant Style Salsa

The Pioneer Woman

1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
¼ cups Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
¼ teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
½ whole Lime Juice


Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse 10 to 15 times, until desired consistency. Taste and season more if needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour.

Lisa's Cafe Rio Chicken

from cjaneinthekitchen.blogspot.com

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
1 1/2 cups italian dressing
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon chili powder
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro
Place chicken in a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Pour dressing over top and sprinkle with chili powder and garlic. Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Remove chicken from crock pot, shred with a couple of forks, then put back in crock pot. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro.
Serve in tacos, burritos, quesadillas or taco salad.

Bloomin' Onion Bread

from yourhomebasedmom.com

1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) crusty bread

1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced green onion, including white part

2-3 tsp poppy seeds

Directions:

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust.

Places slices of cheese between cuts. Mix together butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire thing in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Halloween Popcorn Bars

found on realmomkitchen.com
These bars turn out soft, chewy and ooey gooey. The combination of the milk chocolate coated popcorn along with the Reese’s Pieces, pretzel pieces, and peanuts was delish! The fun thing about this recipe is you could change out the chocolate chips to any flavor you like and adjust the candy pieces to tie it in to any holiday. I think it would be great to use white chocolate chips with red and green M&M’s for Christmas. You could also change out the peanuts to any other nut you like.



Halloween Popcorn Bars

•9 to 10 cups of popped popcorn
•1 cup salted peanuts
•1 cup broken pretzel pieces
•1 cup Karo Lite Corn Syrup (or regular will do)
•1/4 cup butter
•1 (11.5 oz) package milk chocolate chips
•1 cup Reese’s Pieces Baking Pieces or regular Reese’s Pieces
1.Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Add popcorn, peanuts, and pretzels to the bowl.
2.In a medium sauce pan, cook corn syrup and butter over medium heat stirring constantly. Bring to a full boil and boil for 1 minute.
3.Remove from heat and mix in the chocolate chips. Stir until all the chips are melted.
4.Pour over popcorn, peanuts, and pretzel pieces and mix well. Stir in Reese’s Pieces.
5.Press into a greased 9 x 13 inch dish. Cool for 1 hour and cut into bars.

Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce

friedalovesbread.blogspot.com
Yeilds 1 c. of sauce

INGREDIENTS

¼ c. butter
3 cloves garlic, roasted
1 c. Parmesan Cheese, grated
½ c. cream or half & half

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast garlic by breaking individual cloves, trimming woody ends and putting them in an oven safe bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Place cloves on parchment lined baking sheet and put in a 325° oven for 20 minutes or until fork-tender. Check every 5 minutes thereafter for doneness.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add garlic, cream and Parmesan cheese. Cook until bubbly.

Serve immediately over cooked chicken and pasta

Refrigerate left over sauce. It will become firm, but will loosen up upon reheating.




Great for pasta, pizza or sandwiches

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins (With Cream Cheese Frosting)

found on thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com
by The Pioneer Woman


Muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!)


Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins.

Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup softened butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

Chicken Noodle Soup

from tastyfoodilove.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup onion
1 tsp butter
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used 1 can chicken)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjorum
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cups egg noodles
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions:
In a large saucepan saute carrot, celery and onion in butter until tender. Add broth, chicken and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add noodles and frozen peas; cook for 10 minutes or until tender.

Buttery Crescent Rolls
from prudencepennywise.blogspot.com
Estimated Cost: $1.50 for a two dozen

4 and 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons, softened, divided
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4 and 1/2 cups flour
Dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour. Turn onto surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, or use free standing mixer for about five minutes on medium. Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled, about 75 minutes. Gently punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into 12 inch circle. Spread with one tablespoon butter and cut each circle into into 12 wedges, Roll up wedges and tuck under. Place on greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about forty five minutes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on racks. (To freeze, cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze. You can freeze them before or after baking.)

Snickerdoodle Muffins

fron the sisters cafe
submitted by Melanie

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk

1 Preheat oven to 375°F.


2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.


3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer). Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Add the vanilla yogurt and buttermilk .


4 Now add the dry ingredients. Mix until all is moist. Do not over beat.


5 I used a mini muffin muffin pan and had enough batter to make 2 batches. Spray each muffin tin with cooking spray or brush with butter. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 10-13 minutes(20 for regular size muffins). Test with a long toothpick to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set muffin pan on wire rack to cool. After 5 minutes, remove muffins from pan.
6 While the muffins are cooling, melt 1/4-1/2 cup of butter and prepare a bowl of cinnamon sugar. While the muffins are still a bit warm, dip the top of the muffins in the melted butter and then in the bowl of cinnamon sugar. Enjoy!

Magical Frosting

My Kitchen Cafe and Cook's Country Magazine

*Makes about 4 cups frosting (plenty for two 9-inch cake layers)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk (I used 1 % and it was delish)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened at room temperature

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium saucepan and pour the milk mixture through the strainer into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.

Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature – this is extremely important! If it is even slightly warm, the frosting won’t beat up properly. I refrigerated my initial mixture overnight. If you do this, make sure to pull it out in time to let it warm back up to room temperature. If you try to proceed with the rest of the recipe and the mixture is too cold, the butter won’t absorb into the frosting like it should.

Once the frosting is completely cooled to room temperature (it should have no hint of warmth at all!), beat the mixture with the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined, about 30 seconds (a stand mixer will work best for this). Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and let the mixer work it’s magic. Beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy. Let the frosting sit at room temperature until it is a bit more stiff, about 1 hour. I suspect if you chill it for an hour or so, it would be stiff enough to actually pipe with instead of frosting with a rubber spatula.

Chocolate Version: Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt mixture in the first step. Once the frosting has been mixed for five minutes and is light and fluffy, mix in 3-4 ounces of semisweet chocolate that has been melted and completely cooled to room temperature.

*Makes two 8-inch or 9-inch cake layers or a 9X13-inch pan*

Divine Chocolate Cake
My Kitchen Cafe and Martha Stewart

1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 ½ cups sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 ¼ cups warm water
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, making sure the baking rack is in the middle of the oven. Prepare your cake pans by cutting out a piece of parchment or wax paper to line the bottom of the pan. Grease the pans, place the parchment or wax paper in the bottom of the pan and lightly grease again. Dust the pans with flour (or cocoa powder if you don’t want the white dusting on the finished cakes). Set the pans aside.

Using a fine mesh strainer, sift together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add the eggs, yolk, warm water, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Mix on low speed (with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer) until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake the cakes for about 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Do not overbake! Remove the pans from the oven and set the pans on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Gently run a thin knife around the edges of the pans and unmold the cakes, removing the parchment paper liners from the bottom of the cakes. Let them cool completely, top sides ups, on a wire rack.

Trim the tops of the cake layers with a long serrated knife to make them level. Frost as desired.

Laura's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

submitted by Melanie Sisterscafe.blogspot.com

2 cups butter

2 cups white sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

5 cups oatmeal--measure and then blend to flour in blender

24oz chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Blend all dry ingredients in a seperate bowl. Add to wet ingredients and mix until blended. Stir in Chocolate chips. Chill for an hour or so. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 10 minutes. It is important to NOT overcook. I bake mine until barely brown

Chicken Tettrazzini

from tastyfoodilove.blogspot.com


Ingredients:

2 T butter

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1 26oz can cream of chicken soup

1 1/4 cup milk

3 cups cubed cooked chicken (I just used one can, we aren't big meat eaters here)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 tsp pepper

4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (8oz)

Directions:

In skillet over medium heat, in hot butter, cook mushrooms and onion until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. In bowl, combine soup, milk, chicken, cheese, parsley, pepper, and mushroom mixture. Add spaghetti; toss to coat. Spoon into 3 qt. Oblong baking dish. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Stir. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Marshmallow Brownie Cookies

found on realmomkitchen.com

•1/2 cup butter
•1 cup granulated sugar
•1 egg
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 3/4 cups flour
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•1/2 cup cocoa
•1/2 cup milk
•1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
•Large marshmallows, cut in half
1.With a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla extract; mix well.
2.In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, soda, and cocoa.
3.Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in thirds alternating with the milk. Stir in nuts if desired.
4.Drop by teaspoonsful onto a greased cookie sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9 minutes and remove from oven.
5.Immediately place a marshmallow piece (place with the sticky cut side down) on the top of each cookie and bake for 2 more minutes. When cookies are cool, frost each cookie with frosting.
Chocolate Frosting:

•1/2 cup butter
•3 tablespoons milk
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/3 cup cocoa
•4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Mix ingredients together well and frost tops of cooled cookies.

Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

from prudence pennywise

8 cups popped lightly salted popcorn (low-fat microwave popcorn is fine)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and honey. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth. Add vanilla, if using. Pour peanut butter syrup over popcorn. Stir and serve. (You can place the popped popcorn in a large paper bag, then pour over the syrup and shake.)

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

What to do with that left over adobo sauce? Make this salad from Our Best Bites

SALAD:

4 c. chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 c. chopped grilled chicken (you could use Taco Chicken if you want)
1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, washed
1/3 c. vertically-sliced red onions
1 avocado, cubed
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8 3/4 oz. can corn, rinsed and drained Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

DRESSING:

DRESSING:
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c. light sour cream
1 1/2 + tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. salt

OPTIONAL:

Tortilla Strips

Make sure all salad ingredients that need to be washed or rinsed have been. Combine lettuce, chicken, beans, corn, onion, and tomatoes in a large bowl and gently mix with your hands (which you have obviously and thoroughly washed, of course! :) ). Set aside.

Mix dressing ingredients. I say to start with 1 1/2 tsp. of adobo sauce and then go from there, probably 1/4-1/2 tsp. at a time. If you're serving this for a crowd, it's probably better to err on the side of not spicy enough rather than too spicy, but if you're just making it for your family and you have taste buds of steel, have at it. You could even chop up one of the chilies and toss it in there if you're feeling super-brave. Then taste the dressing and you'll know what heaven tastes like. Set dressing aside.

If you're making tortilla strips, fry those puppies up now. I didn't make them here because I'm trying my darndest not to be naughty nutritionally, but if I make this salad for some kind of festivity, I always make the tortilla strips. Allow them to cool.

When you're ready to serve, add avocado, tortilla strips, and dressing. Gently combine with your hands and serve.

Pumpkin Snack Cake

I can't believe that people are posting pumpkin recipes already.
Thanks to My Favorites and her Betty Crocker book!

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use more)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and allspice with fork in ungreased square pan, 8x8x2. Stir in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter. Bake 35-40 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

re-fried beans

Ingredients:
* 1 onion, peeled and halved
* 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
* 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* 5 teaspoons salt
* 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
* 9 cups water

Directions
1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high. (I cooked mine on low overnight and then waited until closer to serving time to drain and mash them)
2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Recipe by Our Best Bites


1 20-oz. package Mixed Cheese Tortellini
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced
1 c. whole, large pitted black olives (like Lindsay Olives), halved
1 c. Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette


Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine the onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives in a large salad bowl. When the pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in cold water. When the pasta has cooled, toss it with the combined ingredients and then add the salad dressing and toss until combined. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Serves about 8.

Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette

Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette
Recipe by Our Best Bites


1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar; try to avoid plain white vinegar because it's too strong here
2 green onions, firm parts only, trimmed of the white "furry" ends
4-5 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. sugar or honey
2 Tbsp. coarse grain mustard (or Dijon, but Dijon has a very distinct, mustard-y aftertaste that some of my tasters weren't crazy about)
1 c. canola oil
In the jar of your blender, combine all the ingredients except for the oil. Blend on high. While the blender is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Serve over mixed greens, sliced cucumbers and thinly sliced red onions, or stay tuned for next Monday's recipe! If possible, refrigerate the dressing for a few hours before serving.


If you prefer a more "rustic" vinaigrette, pulse the ingredients together in the blender and then pulse the oil in in larger quantities. Transfer to a lidded container and shake vigorously before serving.

Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

found on good stuff Maynard

Ingredients

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoons. butter
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 recipe for taco seasoning (below) OR 1 packet of taco seasoning mix
1 recipe for enchilada sauce (below) OR 10 oz can enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Monterey Jack and cheddar)
18 flour tortillas
Directions

1. Put taco seasoning*, butter, beans and half the can of tomato sauce in a pan. Heat on medium, mash the beans and mix everything together.

2. Mix the enchilada sauce spices & water with the remaining tomato sauce. Pour a bit in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan and spread it around. This will help keep the enchiladas from sticking.

4. Spread some mashed beans on each tortilla and top with shredded cheese. Roll up tightly and place in the pan. (Yes, I managed to get all 18 tortillas in the pan.)

5. Pour the sauce over the top and add more cheese to the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Enchilada Sauce - Taco Seasoning

Enchilada Sauce – Food.com

Ingredients

2 teaspoons mild chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 water
Mix

Taco Seasoning – All Recipes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Super Fast Spice Rubbed Chicken

from prudy!

Ingredients:
•1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, thighs, tenderloins)
•1/2 teaspoon each:
•salt
•pepper
•cumin
•chili powder (you can use chipotle for smokiness)
•paprika (you can use smoked for more smokiness)
•garlic powder
•coriander
•2 tablespoons brown sugar
Method:


Ideally, you're going to add all your spices to a bowl, mix them up and sprinkle them on the chicken. I said ideally. What I really do is grab the spices out of the cupboard, sprinkle them on one side of the chicken, rub it in, flip it over and repeat. Please don't measure and use your favorite spices, of course. Now, preheat a grill (indoor or outdoor) a saute pan or the broiler. You want a good high heat. Spray your cooking surface with no stick cooking spray, or add a bit of oil. Grill or saute for about 6 minutes per side. Broil on a foil lined cookie sheet about six inches from the source for about five minutes per side. Always check the center to be sure it is no longer pink. Let rest for five minutes.
Estimated Cost: $2.25


Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas
Ingredients:
•2 cups leftover spice rubbed chicken
•2 cups shreded cheese (preferrably a blend of jack and cheddar)
•2 tablespoons prepared salsa
•2 tablespoons chopped green onions
•1 tablespoon brown sugar
•8 flour tortillas
•butter, for spreading on tortillas
Method:


Heat a griddle over medium high heat. In a large bowl combine chicken, cheese, salsa, onions, and sugar. Heat tortillas, one a time, on griddle. When the tortilla is soft, place chicken filling on tortilla on one side. Fold in half. Cook until cheese melts. Spread lightly with butter.
Estimated Cost: $6.00 for 8

Sunflower Seeds

Adam and I grew sunflower seeds this year, and we have five huge sunflowers! Some as big as Adams head. I am drying them now, and saving these recipes to try latter.

#1-When the seeds can be rubbed easily from the head, it's dry and the seeds are ready to be roasted for eating. First, remove them from the heads and pick out any pieces of stem or other debris.
Mix a quarter of a cup or so of plain salt to a quart of water, and soak the seeds in this overnight. Spread them on cookie sheets and roast in a very slow oven (150 to 200 degrees) until completely dry. Stir them once or twice during the drying time; this will take three or four hours. If you intend to store them for any length of time, put them in jars while still warm and close tightly. They keep very well in a cool dark place.
Variations call for mixing a teaspoon of melted butter with a cup of seeds while they are still warm from the oven, (these are for immediate eating) or roasting them until they are browned instead of just dry.


#2-1cup Sunflower seeds
1teaspoon Oil, if desired
1/4teaspoon Salt, if desired

Preheat oven to 325 F (slow).

Mix sunflower seeds with oil only if salt is used. Spread plain or oiled seeds on baking sheet. Bake about 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
(Watch carefully, these seeds brown quickly.)

Sprinkle oiled seeds with salt while hot.

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

I got this recipe from Annie's Eats blog.

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups shredded mexican cheese blend
1 (4oz) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers (abt 24 total)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Mix well to blend. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place 1/4 cup of the filling in the center. Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking. Serve warm with salsa.

Szechuan Chicken

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-2 Tbsp oil (I used 1 T Canola, 1 T Sesame oil))
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
3-5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar (I only had red wine vinegar on hand and used that)
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 cup water
3 diced green onions
dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:
Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes and lightly coat with corn starch (I do this by putting the chicken in a ziploc bag with the cornstarch and mixing it all around until it's covered). Heat oil in a frying pan and add minced garlic. Add chicken and fry until all sides are white. Add soy sauce, vinegar and sprinkle with sugar. Add the water--more or less depending on how strong of a flavor you want and how runny you want the sauce. Add diced green onions and cayenne pepper. You can make it as spicy as you want. Serve with rice.

basic zucchini

Preheat oven to 425. Cut 2-3 zucchini in thin slices and arrange evenly in baking dish.
Place thin slices of butter on top (you don't need tons, but it's all a matter of preference).
Sprinkle generously with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.

Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes (until center of zucchini is becoming more clear looking). Uncover and bake 5 more minutes.

peanutbutter popcorn

Recipe by Our Best Bites


2 bags of Simply Salted (or similar) popcorn (or about 20 cups of popped popcorn)
2 c. honey roasted peanuts
3 c. peanut butter chips (I used Reese's)
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or oil
2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place the peanuts popped popcorn in a very large bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and vegetable oil or shortening and heat for 2-2 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted peanut butter chips over the popcorn and peanuts and toss to combine.


Spread the popcorn onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. In a Ziploc bag, heat the semi-sweet chocolate chips until just melted and smooth (about 1-1 1/2 minutes, mashing the bag every 20-30 seconds). Cut a small corner in the Ziploc bag and drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn. Allow to stand long enough to become solid (you can transfer the pan to the fridge or freezer to hurry this step along). When done, break the popcorn into small pieces and enjoy!

Pineapple Limeade

from real mom kitchen

1/2 cup of sugar
3 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup lime juice
1 liter club soda, chilled
1 lime, sliced and then cut slices in half

In a large picture, mix the sugar and juices together and chill. You want this nice and cold.
Just before serving mix in club soda and lime slices. Serve over ice. Enjoy! Makes 8 servings.

Southwestern Cobb Salad

from Cooking Light

Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I used red since that was what I had on hand)
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salad:
3 slices center-cut bacon
Cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless turkey breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used chicken breast)
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/2 cup refrigerated fresh pico de gallo
1/2 cup diced avocado
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:
1. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk; set aside.
2. To prepare salad, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Increase heat to medium-high. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle turkey with salt. Add turkey to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done.
3. Arrange 2 cups lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 2 teaspoons bacon, 5 tablespoons turkey, 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, 2 tablespoons avocado, 2 tablespoons queso fresco, 1 tablespoon onions, and about 1/3 cup beans. Drizzle vinaigrette evenly over salads.

Southwest Burger

by OurBestBites


Burgers:
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck or ground sirloin (turkey burger is good too)
1 1/2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, cut up
1 1/2 T adobo sauce (from the chipotle chili can)
1/4 cup grated onion (I just minced mine with my food chopper)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Chipotle-lime Mayo:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp adobo sauce (from the canned chipotle chilis)
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

4-6 good quality buns
1 tomato, sliced
1-2 avocados, sliced
lettuce

optional: jack, cotija, or queso fresco cheese

To make the mayo, just put ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. Place in the fridge until ready to use. You can also make this ahead of time.

Gently crumble meat into a bowl. Add the other ingredients and gently work together. They give a great tip that if you overwork it, the meat gets a gross texture, so just mix until it is worked through.

Then divide into 4 patties (or 6 small patties) and place on your preferred cooking surface, be it grill, indoor grill, or skillet.

In the last few minutes of grilling, add your cheese. When done, remove from grill and let cool for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast your buns and lather the prepared mayo on both sides. Then place burger on bun, add avocado, tomato, and lettuce and eat away into bliss!

Stephen’s Pasta

found on Southern plate

2 boxes tri color rotini (or whatever you prefer)
Olive oil
1 red pepper
1 orange pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 green peppers
3 zucchini
4 cloves garlic (crushed or garlic powder)
1 onion (or onion powder)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Large pinch of crushed red pepper
Large pinch of Basil
Cut all veggies (do not peel). In large skillet (we used a wok because it was the largest pot we had) add olive oil. when olive oil starts to shimmer add garlic, onion then cut veggies. Keep stirring and add crushed red pepper and basil. Boil water and add pasta while veggies are cooking.
Add a little olive oil as needed to keep veggies coated while cooking.
Add a few ladles of pasta water to veggies. Drain pasta, toss with veggies….serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty seeded Italian bread.

This recipe can be made with any vegetables you like. All seasonings are to taste.

mall orange chicken

Hmm.... have I alreading posted this?
from real mom kitchen


Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1 ½ C all purpose flour
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Oil (for frying)
Orange Sauce-
1 ½ C water
2 Tbsps orange juice
¼ C lemon juice
1/3 C rice vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp orange zest (grated)
1 C packed brown sugar
½ tsp ginger root (minced)
½ tsp garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp green onion (chopped)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions

Shrimp Stir Fry with Snow Peas and Coconut Curry Sauce

found on my sisters kitchen
The Best 30-Minute Recipe

1 recipe Coconut-Curry sauce (below)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced (any type will do)
8 ounces snow peas, strings removed
1 cup bean sprouts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Prepare the sauce and set it aside . Toss shrimp with soy sauce. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up any clumps, until curled and lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a clean bowl.

Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in snow peas and bean sprouts and cook for one more minute.


Clear the center of the pan and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic and ginger. Cook, mashing garlic mixture into the pan with the back of a spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cooked shrimp. Whisk sauce to recombine and add to pan, bringing to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.


Coconut Curry Sauce (double if you like a lot of sauce)
1 cup coconut milk (I used light coconut milk with great results)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-2 teaspoons red curry paste (I used 2 teaspoons )
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine ingredients in medium bowl and use as directed.

Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

from thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com
adapted slightly from For The Love Of Cooking


1 package of refrigerated crescent roll dough
Butter
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the cinnamon and sugar together and mix well. Place the unrolled crescent rolls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Spread a layer of butter on each triangle; top with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll from the bottom of the triangle to the point.


Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve while hot. Enjoy.

split pea soup

2 cups Green Split Peas
10 cups Water
6 carrots, cut
2 onions, diced
Celery, chopped very fine
1 teaspoon Dried Marjoram
1 teaspoon Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley, Chopped
2 teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper

What to do:

I cooked mine in the crock pot. You can use a crock pot or a good sized pot.

1. Take you ham bone and plop it into the pot.
2. Wash your split peas and then toss them into the pot.
3. Dice up your carrots, onions, and celery. And, you guessed it...toss them into the pot.
4. Add TEN cups of water into the pot.
5. Add your spices. Really, you do need these. Try not to skimp on them.

Now, if you are cooking this in a pot on the stove let it come to a boil. Once it is boiling you can turn the stove down and simmer it on low heat for at least an hour. If it is too thick just add a bit more water and stir until it reaches the consitency that you like. If you are crock potting this meal, then let it cook on low for most of the day.

Before you serve this meal remove the ham bone and take any leftover ham off of it. It should just melt right off. This can be added back into the soup for an extra kick.

Enjoy!

homemade dishwasher detergent

from mommy deals

Ingredients (mix together and add the same amount as normal detergent)
1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Kosher salt (Alisha here: I have also heard of using sugar-free lemon flavored kool-aid)


Vinegar for use in the rinse cycle

Chipotle Buttermilk Dressing

prudencepennywise.blogspot.com
Estimated Cost: about $2.00 for 1 and 1/2 cups
1/2 cup buttermilk
scant 1/2 cup mayonnaise (low fat is fine OR swap 1/3 cup Greek yogurt plus 3 tablespoons oil)
1/4 cup ketchup
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (Add more if you like, but start small)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
juice of one lime
1 tablespoon honey
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a blender and process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for one week. It's great as a dressing for a brown rice or quinoa salad, too.

Chocolate Truffle Sauce

Submitted by Melanie
www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com

3/4 cup whipping cream
2 Tb butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 t vanilla

Put butter and cream in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until cream is hot.
Do NOT BOIL. Remove from heat and add chocolate.
Let it melt then whisk until smooth and add vanilla. You may also make this in microwave--although I never have.

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

by Amy Bench
the girl who ate everything

2 bunches green leaf lettuce, chopped
1 bag Marie Calendars Fat Free Croutons
1 bag Almond Accents/ Roasted Garlic Caesar
2 Chicken Breasts, boiled with an onion and salt and pepper
2 cups bowtie pasta, cooked
4 - 6 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
Brianna’s Asiago Caesar Dressing

Toss all the above ingredients with Caesar dressing right before serving. Serves 20-25.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

from the girl who ate everything

adapted from PickyPalate


1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, slighty softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Brown Sugar and Butter Filling
6 tablespoons softened butter, (slice 2 Tablespoons 3 times totaling 6 tablespoons)
3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar, divided into 1/4 Cups
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided (1/4 teaspoon for each batch)

Frosting

8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk, to thin icing


1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.

2. Place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.


3. Once chilled, cut disc into thirds and roll into a 1/8 inch thick oval, about 12 inches X 5 inches.



Spread each rolled pieces of dough with 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Start rolling from the long end closest to you, rolling into a log shape. If your dough is too soft at this point put it back in the fridge to get harder. Using a VERY sharp knife, cut 1/2 inch pieces of dough then placing onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. You are going to want to try to cook them longer. DON'T! Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

4. To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth, slowly add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency. I put mine in a ziplock bacg and snipped the corner off to pipe the frosting. Frost cookies then place in refrigerator until ready to serve. These are 100 times better chilled, trust me!!


Makes at least 3 dozen

from my kitchen cafe
Recipe Source: adapted from The Chocolate Book by Sara Perry


Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 squares (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Frosting:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 18 muffin tin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate on 50% power for 1-2 minutes. Stir and continue melting on 50% power for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Blend in the vanilla. Add the eggs and beat until the batter is creamy. Blend in the chocolate. Add one-third of the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream and mix. Add another third of the dry ingredients and mix together. Add the other half of the sour cream and mix. Finally add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until well combined.

Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The key to not drying out these cupcakes is to make sure and not overbake them! Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream, cocoa, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Gently heat and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the cocoa has blended into the mixture. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

With an electric mixer, whip the frosting until it is smooth and forms medium peaks and has a spreading consistency. It will be quite firm. Frost and garnish the cupcakes as desired. I use a large piping tip (Wilton 1M tip to be exact) to make the decorative swirly frosting.

Buttermilk Waffles

from: friedalovesbread.blogspot.com


Ingredients
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 egg yolks
2 c. buttermilk or sour milk (2 T. lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to equal 2 cups) I like to use SaCo dry buttermilk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites


Instructions
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, beat egg yolks, add milk and oil.

Add egg yolk mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Do not overmix.

Beat egg whites in an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold egg white mixture into wet batter, leaving a few bits of egg white. Do not overmix.

Pour about 1 cup of batter onto preheated waffle maker.

Close lid and do not open until desired doneness is reached.

Repeat until batter is gone.

Serve warm with desired toppings.

Homemade Taco Tortilla Bowls

6 burrito-size flour tortillas
Olive oil or Canola oil
6 oven-safe cups or canning jars

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, place the cups or jars upside down, evenly spacing them to make room for the tortillas that will be draped over them.

Microwave the tortillas for about 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable. Rub a teaspoon or so of oil on the front and back of the tortilla. I used my fingers so that I could make sure to coat the entire surface of the tortilla. It doesn't need to be a heavy coating of oil, just enough to help the tortilla crisp up and not stick to the jar or cup. Drape each tortilla over a cup or jar (I found that the tall jelly/jam jars I had sitting in my cupboard worked great, but my friend Lesli uses oven-safe tea cups and gets great results, too). I softly pressed the sides down a bit to help them form more of a bowl shape.


Bake the tortilla bowls for about 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don't burn, until the tortillas are nicely browned and crisp. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the tortillas cool for a few minutes before gently removing them from the cups or jars.


Recipe Source: melskitchencafe.com

Ham Fried Rice

found on real mom kitchen
from allrecipes.com

4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups cold cooked rice
1-1/3 cups diced fully cooked ham
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash pepper
2 dashes chili powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
In a small skillet, cook and stir eggs in oil over medium heat until eggs are completely set. Remove and set aside. In same skillet, cook the rice, ham, garlic powder, ginger, pepper and chili powder if desired until heated through. Stir in soy sauce and reserved eggs. Serve immediately.

Ham and Cheesy Noodle Casserole

found on real mom kitchen
from The Open Pantry

Saute:
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (I left the green pepper out)
Stir in:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups Swiss or cheddar cheese (I used cheddar)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cubed ham
1 8 oz package egg noodles, cooked (I used shell macaroni because that’s what I had)

Mix all of the ingredients together. You can sprinkle additional cheese on top if you like (I did of course). Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly or golden brown.

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

from real mom kitchen & pioneer women

1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons White Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
2 whole Eggs Beaten
1 cup Milk
2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
¼ cups Butter, Melted
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon with a whisk. Whisk well to make sure everything is combined.
In separate large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, corn syurp, butter and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium/low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Brown on both sides.
Serve warm with maple-butter icing drizzled over the top. Makes 12 pancakes.


Maple-Butter Icing (I recommend doubling the recipe)
1 cup Powdered Sugar
¼ cups Butter, Melted
Dash Of Salt
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
¼ cups Whole Milk (more If Needed)
Whisk all ingredients together until smooth, adding the milk slowly. Add enough mil for desired consistency.

Speical: Granola Bars

from mealplanning mommies

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.
Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. (I used aluminum foil under it so that it would be easy to pick up later)4. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

Mint Brownies

Recipe by Sarah @ Our Best Bites

Brownies:
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (4oz)
1 C butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1t vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 t baking powder

Frosting:
2 C powdered sugar
4 T butter, softened
1 1/2 t peppermint extract
1-2 T milk
green food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ,you could also use dark
6 Tbs real butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil making sure the foil extends over the edges by at least one inch. Lightly spray with non-stick spray and set aside.


Chop both unsweetened chocolate and two sticks of butter into chunks and place together in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.


With an electric mixer or stand mixer beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes. While egg mixture is beating, measure out flour and combine with baking powder. While mixer is running, slowly add melted chocolate and beat to combine. Turn beater speed to low and add in flour by spoonfuls. Mix just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a knife poked in center comes out clean.


Cool completely on a metal rack. When brownies have cooled to room temperature, prepare frosting. Combine all frosting ingredients, starting with 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk, and beat until light and fluffy. Add more milk by teaspoonful as needed. Spread frosting evenly over brownies and then place brownies in fridge to chill.


While brownies are chilling prepare chocolate glaze. Place chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes and then carefully spread on top of the frosting layer. Return pan to fridge to cool. When chocolate has hardened, use edges of foil to remove entire brownie from pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Golden Buttermilk Syrup

from my sisters kitchen

1/2 cup butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Heat butter, buttermilk, and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until boiling, stirring often. Boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir until combined. Serve immediately over pancakes or waffles.

Caramel Buttermilk Syrup

3/4 c. buttermilk

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 stick real butter

2 Tbsp. corn syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a LARGE pot.

Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low (as long as it's still bubbling, you're okay). Cook, stirring very frequently, for 8-9 minutes.
When it's done, it should take on a luscious golden-brown color. Remove from heat and add vanilla.Give it a good stir to mix in the foamy top. Enjoy!

*Either of these are amazing on ice cream or chocolate waffles, or both together!*

chimichangas

from meal plannning mommas

You can make this meal ahead of time, freeze them and pull them out for a last minute lunch or dinner- or you can just make them, eat them and then freeze the leftovers. Either way, you need to try them!

Here is what you need to make 16 chimichangas (trust me, you will want extras!):



1 lb browned ground beef, chicken or pork, 16 oz jar of salsa, 16 oz can refried beans, 1 1/2 oz taco seasoning, 16- 8 inch flour tortillas, 1 lb Sharp cheddar cheese, oil for frying


Step 1: Add meat, salsa, taco seasoning and beans in a skillet.

Step 2: Mix and cook over medium heat until warmed through.

Step 3: Place 1/3-1/2 cup meat mixture in an 8 inch flour tortilla


Step 4: Top with cheese


Step 5: tuck in ends and roll up

Step 6: Place seam side down on a cookie sheet


Step 7: Heat up your oil (about 1/2 inch) over medium heat. Kitchen tip * To check to see if the oil is hot enough, put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil. If lots of bubbles form around the base of the spoon, it's ready!

Step 8: Place your chimichangas (seam side down) in your pan.

Step9: Turn them over when they begin to brown (it won't take long!) If you are planning on eating these for a meal the same day you make them: you need to bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through. If you freeze these, and then take them out to bake- you need to bake them for 30-40 minutes.

Step 10: Keep repeating this until all of your chimichangas are browned!

Step 11: Place all your yummy condiments on the table! We use: sour cream, avocado, cheese, pico de gallo, salsa and chips.


Step 14: Serve with rice and chips!

Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

from my kitchen cafe
*Makes 9X13-inch pan of bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup melted butter

14 ounce bag of caramels
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Mix the first six ingredients together and sprinkle half on the bottom of a 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, melt the caramels and whipping cream or milk in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth. When the bars have been removed from the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crust and pour the melted caramel over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the crust over the top and bake in the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling and edges are lightly browned. Cool the bars completely before serving so they can set up properly.

Tzatziki

(for gyros)
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com
1 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt (that's 2 6-oz. containers)
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. lemon juice
3 green onions, firm ends finely chopped
1 tsp. dry dill weed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced


Combine ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

from on my menu and the sisters cafe

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. butter
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. Balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Snap ends off of washed asparagus and place on baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes or until tender. Melt the butter in a sauce pan or in the microwave. Stir in soy sauce and Balsamic vinegar. Pour over baked asparagus and serve.

Sesame Chicken and Asparagus Pasta

submitted by Erin ~ http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com

8 oz linguine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs brown sugar
6 Tbs chunky peanut butter (¼ c. plus 2 T.)
¼ cup soy sauce
scant ¼ cup sesame oil
½ - 1 Tbs hot chili oil (depending on how hot your chili oil is. I add the whole Tb.)
2 ½ boneless and skinless cooked chicken breast halves
5 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted
¾ lb to 1 lb thin asparagus, trimmed
3 scallions, white bulb and 3 inches green, cut into 2-inch julienne
1 small cucumber, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice

Cook chicken. (Many options here – put frozen breasts in microwave at 50% power, or boil in water, or cook for a few hours in the crockpot with a cup of water…)
Trim asparagus; set aside. *see note below
Toast sesame seeds, set aside. (Two options: toast in the microwave, stirring every minute or so, or toast in a dry skillet on medium, stirring frequently. They are done when they turn brown. Takes 5-10 minutes.)
Cut scallions and cucumber as directed in ingredients. Set aside.
Prepare sauce: Place the garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and soy sauce in a food processor. Process for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly add the sesame and hot chili oils through the feed tube, and process until well blended.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine, and cook at a rolling boil until just tender. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
Shred the chicken into 2-inch julienne, and toss with the linguine. Add the sauce and 4 Tbs of the sesame seeds, and toss to coat well.
Cut the asparagus on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths. Blanch in a saucepan of boiling water for 2-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus. They will be done when you can easily insert a thin-bladed knife or skewer into them. Drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. **see note below
Place the linguine and chicken in a large flat serving bowl, and arrange the asparagus on top. Sprinkle with the scallions, cucumber, and remaining 1 Tbs sesame seeds.

Number Of Servings:6

* Trimming the asparagus - This is a very important step. Snap the ends off by bending the bottoms until they snap. They will snap off above the white part, and some of the green will snap off too. This is the safest way to trim asparagus. It seems like you are wasting a lot of asparagus, but don’t be deceived! When I was new at cooking I tried cutting off just the white part, or just 1 inch off the bottoms, and would live to regret it! The bottom part of asparagus spears are very fibrous. If you don’t cut enough off the bottom, you will feel like you are trying to chew on a piece of bamboo. It’s horrible. My trusty cookbook by MarkBittman says, “Snap off the bottom of each stalk; they will usually separate naturally right where the woody part ends.” Take it from the pro.

**Also, I combine the steps of blanching the asparagus and cooking the linguine. 4-5 minutes before linguine is done, I add the asparagus. Then I drain it all when the asparagus is done. I drain the noodles and asparagus once, then add the sauce, chicken, and some sesame seeds and toss. Then I add the scallions, cucumber and remaining sesame seeds on top and lightly toss a bit. I've learned to combine steps to make this a faster recipe.

Glazed Mini Meatloaves

adapted from The Best 30-Minute Recipe

Makes 4-5 mini meatloaves.

Meatloaves:
17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I used a combination of lean ground chuck and lean ground pork)
2 teaspoons oil (I used canola oil)

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Add ground meat and combine until uniform. Shape mixture into oval loaves (I doubled the recipe and got 10 mini loaves, so when I make the recipe without doubling it, I plan to shape into at least 5 loaves - they were definitely big enough to be perfectly filling!).

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling. Add meatloaves (without letting them touch sides) and brown well on one side, 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip loaves over and tidy up edges using a spatula (I didn't need to do this - my meatloaves managed to hold their shape really well). Brown on this side for another 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together until smooth. Transfer mini meatloaves to a foil-lined baking pan and spoon the glaze over the top of each meatloaf. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (or do like I do and cut one of the little babies open and if it looks done - pull 'em out of the oven!).

Super Bean Burritos

from my kitchen cafe

*Note: On several occasions, I've added leftover shredded pork to the bean filling for delicious results.

1 cup brown or white rice (or 2 cups already cooked rice)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (can substitute 1 can of green chiles)
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

16 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cook rice; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice.

Heat tortillas in microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until all are warmed through.

Fill each tortilla with about 2/3 cup bean and rice mixture and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.

Serve warm immediately, with salsa and sour cream if desired -- or, to freeze for later consumption, put the baking sheet of burritos into the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until very cold so that they don't come apart in the wrapping process. Remove them from the freezer and wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and place all the wrapped burritos in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze up to three months.

To reheat from frozen:
Remove plastic wrap from the burrito. Poke holes in the top several times with a fork. Microwave on high for two minutes. Gently poke a few more holes in the burrito and microwave for another minute. Be careful as the burrito will be piping hot!

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Julianne W.

Chipotle Mayonnaise

from my sisters kitchen

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used light)

1 tbsp. minced canned chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce (found in Mexican Isle)

1/2 tsp. sugar

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

from our best bites

SALAD:4 c. chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 c. chopped grilled chicken (you could use Taco Chicken if you want)
1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, washed
1/3 c. vertically-sliced red onions
1 avocado, cubed
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8 3/4 oz. can corn, rinsed and drained

DRESSING:
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c. light sour cream
1 1/2 + tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. salt
OPTIONAL:

Tortilla Strips

Make sure all salad ingredients that need to be washed or rinsed have been. I rinse the beans and corn together; no reason not to! Heck, throw the tomatoes in while you're at it if you want!


Combine lettuce, chicken, beans, corn, onion, and tomatoes in a large bowl and gently mix with your hands (which you have obviously and thoroughly washed, of course! :) ). Set aside.

Mix dressing ingredients. I say to start with 1 1/2 tsp. of adobo sauce and then go from there, probably 1/4-1/2 tsp. at a time. If you're serving this for a crowd, it's probably better to err on the side of not spicy enough rather than too spicy, but if you're just making it for your family and you have taste buds of steel, have at it. You could even chop up one of the chilies and toss it in there if you're feeling super-brave. Then taste the dressing and you'll know what heaven tastes like. Set dressing aside.

If you're making tortilla strips, fry those puppies up now. I didn't make them here because I'm trying my darndest not to be naughty nutritionally, but if I make this salad for some kind of festivity, I always make the tortilla strips. Allow them to cool.

When you're ready to serve, add avocado, tortilla strips, and dressing. Gently combine and serve.

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad

Recipe from Our Best Bites

8 oz. (1/2 bag) of baby spinach
1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion
1 large avocado, cubed
8 oz. mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded
1 12-oz. package bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large can Mandarin oranges, drained
Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste
Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately. If you anticipate leftovers, just let your eaters dress their own salads because the dressing will make the greens wilt.

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

from our best bites

8 oz Linguine Fini (or regular linguine)
4 C shredded greens: any combo of napa cabbage, romaine lettuce or even spinach
2 C thinly sliced purple cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 C diced grilled chicken
honey roasted peanuts (about 1/2 cup)

Thai Peanut Salad Dressing (save some time and make this part ahead!)

Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of salt and then add your pasta. While pasta is cooking, start chopping those veggies. You can play around with the leafy greens. I like to use both napa cabbage and romaine lettuce. If you're eating this right away lettuce works great, and spinach is even good in there. However, if you're taking it to a picnic, or serving it on a buffet or anything like that where it will sit a while, I recommend going heavy on the cabbage because it will stay nice and crunchy for ya.

As soon as your pasta is done drain it and run some cold water over it until it's cool. If you're not going to use it right away, add a drizzle of the salad dressing and stir to coat. This will prevent the noodles from getting all clumpy. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

When you're ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl.


Pour the Thai Peanut Dressing over everything, stirring as you go until you have enough to coat. I use it all!

Thai Peanut Salad Dressing

1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T minced ginger
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt*
2-3 t sriracha chili sauce*
2-4 T water*


*The need for salt may differ depending on the brand of PB you use. Taste first and then add.
*I use 3 t Sriaracha, but you may want more or less depending on your preference of heat levels. Again, taste first and then add.
*Lastly, the addition of the water is purely for consistency which again, depends on the PB brand you use. Add water until you get the consistency you want, or leave it out completely.

Place everything in a blender and mix until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

Honey Red Wine Vinaigrette

from our best bites

1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. honey
1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (really, that's pretty optional; it all goes in the blender)
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 c. canola oil



In a blender, combine vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Place lid on blender and blend on high. While blender is running, add oil in a steady stream. Store in refrigerator for about 2-3 weeks. Shake well before serving.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Recipe by Our Best Bites

*note that all spices/herbs listed below are dried. If substituting fresh, use the rules 1 part dry = 3 parts fresh.

1C mayo
2/3 C buttermilk
1/4 t white vinegar
1 t parsley
1/8 t dill
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1 1/2 t dried chives
1/8 t black pepper
1/4 t seasoned salt
1/8 t dry mustard

Combine mayo and buttermilk


And whisk together until it's lump-free. Add in vinegar and all spices.


Stir, stir, stir...


For best results, make ahead of time and store in the fridge so the dry herbs have time to let all their yummy flavors out.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the "hairy" end and where the green part starts to get floppy)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad

from your homebased mom
and
ksra's kitchen creations

5 chicken breasts (I only used 4 large ones)

1/2 cup salsa

1 Tbsp cumin

1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste)

1 4 oz. can diced green chilies

6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.

Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.

If you want it spicer rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

could serve with:Cilantro Salad Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry mix)

1 cup buttermilk

1/2- 1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/2 – 1 small jalapeno (remove seed)

1 cup mayo

1 tsp. lime juice

1-2 tomatillos (remove outer papery skin)

1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients in blender!

Mexican Rice

from your homebased mom
and
Ann Bowman

2 Tbsp Olive oil or vegetable oil
1 C long grain white rice
2 C chicken broth

1 small can tomato juice
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the rice. Stir frequently and slightly brown the rice (more like, make it tan) over a medium high heat. Add the chicken broth. Add the tomato juice. Add some salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly. Reduce heat to simmer and cover tightly with a lid. (I ’stir’ the mixture several times while it’s cooking by just shaking/moving the skillet back and forth so that I don’t take the lid off.) Simmer/cook for about 20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed. Once the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave mixture alone with the lid on it for another 10-15 minutes or so.

Chicken Spiedie Sandwiches

1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tablespoon dried basil (or 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/2 pounds
6 6-inch sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise

Combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in a large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons oil mixture to separate bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice; refrigerate. Sauce can be refrigerated, covered for 2 days.

Prick chicken breasts all over with fork, cut into 1 1/4 inch chunks, and transfer to bowl with remaining oil mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto skewers, about 5 pieces, per skewer. You can use either metal or wood skewers, but if you are using wood, soak them in water for 15-20 minutes before using on an outdoor grill to avoid burning. I used wood skewers on my indoor grill pan without soaking and it worked just fine. Grill chicken until browned and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, turning once or twice. You can use an outdoor grill (either gas or charcoal), your oven broiler or an indoor grill pan to do the job. Transfer the chicken to sub rolls or bread, remove skewers, and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture.

Recipe Source: from My Kitchen Cafe (www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com)/adapted from Cook's Country
* I TRIED THE SKEWERS ON THE GRILL PAN, BUT WANTED MORE CHICKEN SURFACE ON THE GRILL, SO I PULLED THEM OFF AND I LIKED IT BETTER THAT WAY.
* THEY WERE WONDERFUL- I PUT LETTUCE,ONION,TOMATO,AND AVOCADO ON MINE YUMMY!

Fresh Tomato and Herb Soup

from your homebased mom

1/4 C olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 shallots, minced

4 C of vine-ripened tomatoes, diced

1/4 C chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

4 C tomato juice

1/4 C chopped fresh basil

1/2 C sliced green onions

1/2 C cream

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and shallots. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes or until the shallots are tender and opaque. Stir in the diced tomatoes, parsley and tomato juice. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally Add the basil and green onions, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender (let it cool first to avoid an explosion!)
Pour the pureed soup back into the pan. Add the heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chicken-Cashew Stir Fry

From Cooking Light Magazine
posted by sallie of my sisters kitchen



Ingredients
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons oyster sauce (such as Kame)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil, divided
1 cup chopped green onions, divided
1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 cup (3 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut red bell pepper
1/2 cup diagonally sliced carrot
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup snow peas
1 pound skinned, boned chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup canned pineapple chunks in juice, drained
1/3 cup cashews
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 cups hot cooked long-grain rice




Preparation
Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stir-fry pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup green onions and onion wedges; stir-fry 1 minute. Add bell pepper and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove vegetable mixture from pan. Keep warm.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry 5 minutes. Add broth mixture, vegetable mixture, pineapple, cashews, and crushed red pepper; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute or until thick. Stir in 1/2 cup green onions. Serve with rice. Serves 6.

Asian Wonton Salad

Posted on our best bites

Sweet Sesame Dressing
Recipe from Helen Klann

2/3 C rice vinegar
1 C canola oil
2 Tbs sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed or very finely minced
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/2 C sugar
4 Tbs sesame seeds

Place all ingredients into a quart jar (or something equivalent) and shake vigorously. If desired, make ahead of time and store in the fridge.

Asian Wonton Salad

2 heads romaine lettuce
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1 cucumber, sliced
1 package wontons
vegetable oil for frying

Sweet Sesame Dressing

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pot on the stove top. Use pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut wontons into thirds (3 strips). You may not need the entire package, depending on how much salad you're making. I usually use about half of the wonton wrappers. You'll want the oil at about 375 degrees. Test by dipping a wonton in and seeing if it bubbles up quickly. Fry wontons a few at a time and set on paper towels to dry. These can be made ahead of time and kept in an air tight container.

Tear clean lettuce into chunks and place in a large salad bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and red onion. Add shredded chicken and top with Sweet Sesame Dressing. Toss salad together. Once everything is well coated, add wonton strips and gently toss to combine.