Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Stacey's Fall Fun Recipes!

I'm just going to post the links since I have a lot that I have tried lately. They are AMAZING though!

Okay, I found these recipes today and I'm going to try them next. They look really good.
I really like Tasty Kitchen which is hosted by The Pioneer Woman (another site that I would recommend because she has her own cooking blog).
Have fun! Maybe next time I'll put up less sweet recipes and more dinner ones :)

Stacey

UPDATE: The Cranberry Pie is A-MAZ-ING! If you love cranberries then you will most certainly love this, plus it is really easy to make. The Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins were pretty good, I think I needed to cook them just a little longer because they were too soft in the middle.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Pumpkin Pancakes



I've tried a couple of pumpkin pancake recipes lately. This one is the best so far.


Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 Tbs veg. oil

2 Tbs vinegar


Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. In separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approx. 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides.


Makes about 12 pancakes.


Notes:

- Batter will be thick; don't thin with extra liquid or will dilute the pumpkin/spice flavor.

- Cook slowly on low-med heat (4) to insure insides fully cooked without overcooking outsides. Pancakes will be dark.

- Batter does not taste good - but pancakes do.

- I didn't have allspice so I used 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

Ok this isn't a "real" recipe but it was surprisingly good so I'm passing it on.

Ingredients:
1 box Peanut Butter cookie mix (I used Krusteaz)
1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

Prepare cookie mix as directed.
Press dough into lightly sprayed 2 qt baking dish (9x9 or 8x11, etc.)
Top with chocolate chips - press lightly into cookie dough.

Bake 350 degrees for 22-28 minutes.

So easy...so addictive. Only cost about $2 since the cookie mix was on sale.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Chicken Cheese Enchiladas


This is a "makeover" recipe I found from Healthy Eating magazine. Nutrition information is included at the end. (Original recipe was a scary 1000 calories per serving! - crazy)

It was a HUGE hit with my family, and very easy to prepare, so I thought I'd share.

6 ServingsPrep: 25 min. Bake: 45 min.

Ingredients
• 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream (used about 1 cup)
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies (used frozen jalapeƱo)
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast (used 2 breasts)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese blend, divided
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
• 12 fat-free flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions
• In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, soup, chilies and olives.
• Set aside 1-1/2 cups for topping. Add the chicken, 1/2 cup Monterey
• Jack cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese to remaining soup mixture.

• Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla;
• roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking
• dish coated with cooking spray. Top with reserved soup mixture.

• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining
• cheeses; top with onions. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese
• is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 2 enchiladas equals 508 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 123 mg cholesterol, 1,164 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 46 g protein.

Notes from me: I've done this twice now. Here are my personal preferences:
- 12 oz sour cream is way too much. I used 8 oz and still had some soup/sour cream mix leftover when I filled/topped 17 tortillas. Course my tortillas were kind of small.
- 2 full cups of cheese is also a bit much. I used one cup in the soup/sour cream mix as called for. Then I just eyeballed the top but used less than a cup. The top cheese is really good if it gets all crispy and toasty.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake



2 (16 0z) cans sliced peaches - best if in natural juice or lite syrup, partially drain liquid
1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, sliced
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven 375 degrees.
In 9x13 dish: pour partially drained peaches into bottom. Pour dry cake mix on top and press down firmly. Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over cake mix. Completely cover top with butter slices (use more or less if necessary). Sprinkle top with additional cinnamon if desired.

Bake 45 minutes till top is golden and crunchy.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Fruit Salad

Yes, this is a no-brainer...but I didn't discover it until my clever sister-in-law showed me.

Any fruit, chopped (can use canned or fresh)
Any flavor yogurt

I usually use:
apples
oranges
bananas
strawberry yogurt

Chop fruit to bite sized pieces. Combine in bowl. Cover with desired amount of yogurt. Mix and chill.

My kids wouldn't eat fruit salad 'cause, "All the fruit is touching - and the taste is all mixed". Even though they would eat the same fruit separately. Once the yogurt is added they love it - plus the fruit doesn't look brown.

Dump Cake


We have a new "favorite" dessert. Yummy and soooo easy to make.



1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple - do not drain

1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix

1 cup butter or marg.


Lightly grease 9x13 pan.

Pour pie filling into bottom of pan. Pour pineapple on top of filling. Pour dry cake mix on top of pineapple. Thinly slice butter or marg. and arrange to cover cake mix. - I didn't use quite the whole cup.


Bake 325 degree oven for 35-45 min. til top is golden and crunchy. (Mine took a bit longer)


Serve warm (best) or cold.


Dump cake turns out more like a cobbler than a cake.


This smells divine while baking. It brought back memories of ward potlucks from my childhood the first time I lived in Sedalia, MO. Someone always brought this delicious cherry "cobbler" that I wished I knew how to make. As I was assembling the ingredients, my brain went, "A-ha! That's it!" And it was. Yea!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Grilled Zucchini & Squash

This is probably a no-brainer, but thought I'd include it for those who haven't tried it before.

Slice zucchini and squash lengthwise into med-thin slices.
(Usually in half for small squash or 4 times for thicker squash.)

Spray both sides of slices with no-stick cooking oil. - Canola and Olive taste good.
Add salt if desired. (I don't)

Grill each side until tender.

Note:
Can do the same thing with potatoes. I add salt to those.

Grilled French Bread

Tis the season to Grill!!!

We love this.

Slice loaf of french bread lengthwise.
Butter each half.
Top with garlic.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese
Top with fresh chopped herbs of choice (not all of these at once, just listing some ideas)
- garlic chives
- onion chives
- parsley
- cilantro

Put loaf together and wrap in foil. Grill on low heat until bread is desired level of crunchy and cheese is melted.

Easy Grilled Chicken

Chicken - favorite cut
(Boneless-skinless, thighs, breasts, etc)
Favorite salad dressing

Place frozen or thawed chicken pieces into Ziploc bag. Add favorite flavor salad dressing. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Grill on BBQ until done.

Serve however you like:
- With salad for a grilled chicken salad
- With grilled veggies and grilled cheesy french bread
- Boneless-skinless on a bun for a grilled chicken sandwich

Sausage Lasagna

Our favorite Lasagna recipe!

1 lb ground sausage
2 cup (30 oz jar) spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cup water
1 3/4 cup (15 oz) Ricotta cheese
2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz uncooked lasagna noodles

Heat oven 350 degrees.

In a 3 qt. saucepan, brown meat and drain. Add spaghetti sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes.

In bowl, stir together Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, and salt.

Assembly:
Pour 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13x9 baking pan. Arrange 3 uncooked lasagna noodles lengthwise over sauce; cover with 1 cup sauce. Spread 1/2 cheese mix over sauce. Repeat layers of noodles, sauce and cheese mix. top with a layer of noodles and remaining sauce; sprinkle top with remaining Mozzarella.

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Brilliant Brownies in a Bag

I often make this when I have last minute guests and no time to run to the store.
It makes a more cake like brownie. To fancy it up I either spread it with frosting and crushed cookies or mix in some chocolate chips.
- of course all embellishments only add more sugar/calories :)

Recipe Yields: 2 dozen

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans (if desired)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Mix all above ingredients together in a 1 quart zipper bag. If desired you may shake bag to mix all ingredients together.

2. Empty brownie mix into large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add 3/4 cup of butter or margarine and 4 slightly beaten eggs. Mix until completely blended. Spread batter into a lightly greased or sprayed 9 x 13 inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pan. Cut into 2 inch squares.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

This is my favorite recipe for banana muffins.

Make with or without the chocolate chips.

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup (6oz) chocolate chips (I like dark - but only use 1/2 cup)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, banana and vanilla.
Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture just until combined.
Stir in walnuts and choco chips.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks.

Yield: 2 dozen.

Southwest Eggrolls

I requested this recipe from Christina. She makes a large batch of the filling (double or more), rolls it in the tortillas, puts it in the freezer and then just takes out what she wants for dinner that night. She also BAKES the eggrolls (or broils in oven), not deep frying them. The are very good.

Also, for ease we just dip them in ranch dressing or whatever favorite flavor dip you want.

The original recipe is a bit complex - simplify it however you like.


Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls Recipe
Tex Mex Appetizer
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast fillet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon saltdash cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
five 7-inch flour tortillas

Avocado-ranch dipping sauce:
1/4 cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
dash dried dill weed
dash garlic powder
dash pepper

Garnish:
2 tablespoons chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped onion


Directions:
1. Preheat barbecue grill to high heat.
2. Rub the chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on the barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.
3. Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and sauti for a couple minutes until tender.
5. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan. Cook for another 4 minutes. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
7. Wrap the tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.
8. Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into the center of a tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture. Roll the tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls. Arrange the eggrolls on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

9. While the eggrolls freeze prepare the avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
10. Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees.
11. Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.
12. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce.

Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato and onion.Serves 3-4

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Faux Fudge - White & Chocolate


(We call these fudgies)

This is a great recipe for a quick, cheap, fudge-like candy.
It is very versatile - I'll put some variations after the recipe.

1 11-12oz bag vanilla baking chips
1 can vanilla frosting
crushed candy canes
peppermint extract (optional)
red food coloring

Prepare 8x8 pan by lining with waxed paper and using cooking spray or butter to coat wax paper.

Melt vanilla chips and frosting in pan on low heat; stirring to keep from scorching.
When melted, stir in crushed candy canes and extract - if desired.
Pour into 8x8 pan.
Put few drops of red food coloring on top and swirl - can sprinkle more crushed candy canes if desired.
Refrigerate 2 hours or til set. Keep cool. Pop waxed paper out of pan.
Cut into bite sized pieces to serve.

Variations:
#1 -
White chips
cream cheese frosting
stir in craisens and optional orange zest

#2 (Chocolate variety)
milk chocolate chips
fudge frosting
leave plain or stir in nuts or mint extract or anything you like

Our FAVORITE version:
1 bag milk chocolate chips
1 can fudge frosting
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Melt above ingredients together.
Pour into 8x8 pan.
Dollop additional peanut butter on top and swirl.
Chill.

Takes about 5 minutes to prep. My kids could do it alone. Very easy.
Tip: melting chips with frosting mellows the frosting flavor - makes them taste better.