Blueberry Parfait

This is more of an idea than a recipe. I whipped together when I had a sweet tooth but didn't want to bake. "Necessity is the mother of all inventions" right! This isn't anything you haven't tried before. It just helps to be reminded sometimes.

Throw together in a cup the following:

Handful of Fresh blueberries
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (or more!)
granola cereal

Beef Burrito

I cooked up a rump roast the other day and ate it with potatoes and carrots. Three days later I found about a pound of left over roast sitting in the fridge. What do I do with THAT?

I cut up the roast and threw it in a pot along with what I had in my cupboard. Here is what I came up with. It was YUMMY!


Dump the following into a pot and heat on low until heated:


1 lb roast beef, previously cooked and cubed
1/4 cup salsa
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1, 1/2 tsp chili powder


For a yummy pitta to serve this on check out my recipe here!

Marv N Joe

Back in our Utah State University days hubby and I would go to the Tagart center and buy a Marv N Joe with a fudge brownie. I never liked tomato sandwiches until this came along. I love the warm tomato over a cold one. This tasty treat was made up by two engineering professors, Marvin Howling and Joe Calliendo. The sandwich became so popular that the University kept the name and is one of the most popular meals they sell!

In the cafeteria they cook these open-faced sandwiches on a buttery griddle. I didn't want to make these one at a time (I don't own a griddle, but it's on my list) so I buttered the bread and put them under the broiler.

Take a slice of home-made bread and drizzle it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then top it with a tomato. Then salt and pepper the top. Then add a piece of Provolone cheese. Broil (about 45 seconds) or griddle until the cheese is all melty. I loved the tast that the pesto added. Here is the pesto recipe!

This is a great vegetarian meal!

Cleaning Out the Fridge

I need to empty my fridge. Here is what I came up with. The kids weren't too impressed with the "green stuff". Here is another great vegetarian meal!

Pesto

dump the following into your food processor and blend:

1 cup spinach
1/2 cup basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 large garlic clove
1/4 tsp salt

now slowly add while slowly processing:

1/4 cup olive oil

Warm up the pesto in microwave for a few seconds. Serve over hot noodles or with a Marvin Joe (recipe coming soon!)

Potato Wedges

Cut potatoes into 4 long strips. Dip in vegetable oil. Sprinkle with Seasoning Salt.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes

Chocolate Banana Bread

Why have banana bread when you can have chocolate banana bread! This recipe came from here.

Beat:

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil

Add and mix:

2, 1/2 cup bananas (6 bananas)
2 tsp vanilla

Add and mix:

3 cups flour
1 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Add and mix:

2 cups chocolate chips

Spray bottom only of 3 tins. Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes. Cool in tins for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool on a towel or cookie rack.

French Bread

In your mixer or stainless steal bowl dump the following ingredients in order:

4 TB SAF instant yeast (Macy's and Bosche stores carry this)
2 cups hot water (think steamy bath!)
6 TB sugar
2 TB salt
1 cup oil
10 cups flour(2 can be wheat)
2 TB vital wheat gluten (can be found at Walmart by the baking powder

Now mix by hand for 15 minutes or turn on your mixer on low for 10 minutes

Now let the dough rise in the bowl for 60 minutes. Punch it down every 10 minutes. I like to set my timer so I don't forget. ;)

Divide into 4 loaves. Slash the tops. Let raise until doubled in size -about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Fudge Bundt Cake

Dump the following into a mixer and mix for 2 minutes:



1 devil's food cake mix

1 small package chocolate pudding

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup oil

1, 1/2 cup chocolate chips



Grease and flour your bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing.


Garnish with strawberries and whipped cream

Honey-Lime Chicken

Honey-Lime Chicken

Melt 2 T butter in baking dish.

Place 1, 1/2 lbs chicken strips in dish over butter.

In a bowl mix the following:

3 T garlic, minced
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2 TB soy sauce
1 tsp lime zest

Pour over the chicken. Top with sliced red onions. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Cook longer if your chicken is extra thick.

When the chicken is done cooking remove chicken. Pour juices into sauce pan with 1/3 cup water and 2 TB cornstarch. Cook until simmering and thick.

Serve chicken and sauce over hot buttered rice.

Buttermilk Waffles

Sunday morning was delightful. Hubby didn't have any meetings!

Dump into a bowl and then whisk:

3 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1, 1/2 cup buttermilk

Then dump and whisk until you no longer see flour:

1, 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Buttermilk Pancakes

This breakfast is good enough to serve as a dessert! I serve this whenever I have company come over.

In a bowl whisk together:

2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
2T oil

Then add and whisk until just combined:

2 cups flour (I use 1 cup wheat and 1 cup white)
2 T sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Buttermilk Syrup

In a large pot dump in:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 TB vanilla
1 T corn syrup
(1/2 t cinnamon optional)

slowly stir and bring to simmer. Once it gets bubbly take the pan off the stove and add:

1/2 tsp baking soda

If you use a small pot, your syrup will bubble over the top and make a mess ;)

Pioneer Butter

Homemade butter is YUMMY! Creamy, whipped, easy, perfect.

Buy heavy whipping cream and put in a small jam jar. Fill it almost to the top. I just left about 1 cm of space. Shake for 20 minutes. Yes, this in one job that children have fun with. No mess for mom, either. It is easier if you use room temperature cream. If it is cold it may take longer.

The large quart jars take hours to form butter. I cheated a bit and poured the cream into my Bosch mixer on low for 20 minutes. Then spooned the butter into the jar.

You know it is done when there is a ball of butter surrounded by milk. This is buttermilk and would be great to make pancakes with. I'll post my buttermilk pancake recipe after I use my yummy buttermilk! Pour the buttermilk into a jar to save. Add salt or honey to the butter. Serve on bread. You can put this in the fridge. It will become hard just like the butter at the store.

Trail Mix Cookie

Little Sis had her baby. I knew I would be in the hospital for a long time. I added a few changes to a classic recipe so as to take the edge off my hunger. They turned out wonderful!

Beat on high for 2 minutes (do NOT skip this):

1 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1, 1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat in one at a time:

2 eggs
2, 1/2 t vanilla

Add and mix until barely encorporated:

1, 3/4 cup flour
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon

Add and mix until barely encorporated:

3 1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut

make mounds the size of about 1, 1/2 Tbl. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the hot pan for 10 minutes. Then place them on your cold counter top for another 10 minutes.

Common Cookie Blunders

-Using butter that is room temperature. You want to use cold butter. It takes more work to blend in the sugar. But it is well worth it!

-Over cooking! I cooked this first batch for only 8 minutes. The second batch I left for 8 minutes, 45 seconds so you can see what a huge difference this makes!

Pico de gallo

This is a wonderful summer meal! It also qualifies as a vegetarian dish. I was plenty satisfied after eating.

In a bowl combine:

3 large tomatoes, chopped fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup black beans
3 T chopped cilantro
I would have added green peppers if I had some ripe ones.

In a Pyrex combine:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice from 4 limes (microwave for 30 seconds. Cut in half. Squeeze)
scant tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

pour dressing over vegies. Refrigerate for several hours. I made mine in the morning and served it for dinner. Serve with cheesy quesadillas!

Shakes

This is my favorite shake recipe!

In a blender dump:

1, 1/2 cup milk

6 oz yogurt (I use strawberry/banana)

1/3 cup sugar (try honey)

1 cup ice cubes

1 cup frozen peaches


in this picture I had added a handful of blueberries!

Summer Breakfast

My children REALLY enjoy this for breakfast. They think they are eating ice cream! It would also make a great snack.

Heat up some fresh or canned peaches in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Then scoop frozen yogurt over top. Sprinkle with granola and fresh blueberries or strawberries.

I found this recipe in some food magazine while in a waiting room somewhere. Can't remember. Hmmm.

Summer Meal

Summer is a hard season for me. I never seem to get full! Here is something easy to whip up for the kiddos. It's nothing you haven't done before. It just helps sometimes to jog your memory for summer meal ideas!

For the chicken fingers I cut 4 large chicken breasts into small strips. Then I dipped them in ranch salad dressing. Then I dredged them in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes uncovered.

For the vegies I cut up my homegrown zucchini and sauteed them in olive oil along with some frozen vegies.

The kiddos enjoyed dipping the chicken fingers in BBQ sauce!

Bread Sticks

I use the same recipe for my bread sticks as I do for my rolls.

In a Pyrex glass mix in this order:

2 T SAF yeast
2 T sugar
1 cup warm water

In your mixer or large stainless steal bowl dump:

10 cups white flour (2 cups of this can be wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
1 T salt
Pyrex yeast mixture (should be doubled in size)
3 cups warm water
1/2 cup oil

mix on low for 2 minutes. If mixing by hand mix for about 5-7 minutes.

Let rise one hour in the bowl. No need to dirty the counter or another bowl.

Form bread sticks. This will make 2 loaves of bread and one large batch of bread sticks. Or 2 larges batches of bread sticks...or even 2 large batches of rolls. Be sure and grease your pans with shortening or use spray.

Let the formed dough rise for about 30 minutes. It depends on how cold or warm your house is. I like my bread sticks to rise into each other. Then brush your bread sticks with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes for rolls and bread sticks. Bread bakes for 30 minutes.

Sunshine cookies

I love cut-out sugar cookies because they are so versatile...and good! One day they are little Santa's and another they are pumpkins. Today they are sunshine cookies. Little Miss wanted cookies to sell with her lemonade. I thought these would hit the spot!



Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

cream for 2 minutes:

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter

Then add one at a time, beating one minute between each:

3 eggs

add:

1 tsp vanilla

Combine the following and add:

3, 1/2 cup flour
1 Tbl baking powder

When you add the flour mix on high speed for only as long as it takes to combine the flour. Chill the dough at least 1 hour in an air-tight container. Roll cold dough on floured surface. I roll mine thick, 1/4 inches. You can roll them thinner if you like. Then cut with cookie cutter or the ring to a glass quart jar.

Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. (I baked mine 12 minutes since they were so thick!)

Frost with butter frosting, or ice them.

Icing

stir the following until creamy:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbl milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 drops food color

Pulled Pork Fajitas

I always have tons of left over pulled pork in the summertime. I cooked this pork shoulder for the 4th and seasoned it with coke, enchilada sauce, salt, and garlic. But a girl can only eat so many sandwiches. I through the leftovers into my skillet with my home-grown peppers, some onions and tomatoes. Yum! Then I added a fajita season packet. Nothin home cooked about that!

Cilantro Lime Rice

Melt 2 T butter in skillet.

Add 1, 1/4 cup long grained rice (not minute rice)

brown this for a couple minutes stirring. Then dump in:

2, 1/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 t salt

1 T lime juice

1/4 t cumin

put the lid on the rice and cook on lowest setting for 20 minutes. Then add chopped fresh cilantro.

Perfect Pie

Pie Crusts are "easily made. Easily broken"

crust:

mix the following:

4 cups flour
1 tsp salt

then cut in:

2 cups shortening

Then using a fork fluff the dough as you slowly poor 1 cup of water. Many recipes say to create a ball. Don't do this. You want your pie to be flaky! It should look like this when you dump it out onto the counter.

Dump half on counter for pie bottom. Dump the other half after you have made the filling. Tip: Make the filling before you make the crust. This way it can sit and thicken for 15 minutes.

For the filling:

5 cups peaches (I added blueberries and strawberries because I had them on hand)
1/4 cup Minute Tapioca
1 TBL lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar

let this sit for 15 minutes. Then dump into your unbaked pie bottom. Add your top crust. Cut slits for ventilation.
Paint milk on your crust with your fingers. Then sprinkle with sugar. Then admire.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Vegie Pizza

Pizza Dough

Dump the following into your mixer and mix for 10 minutes:

3 1/2 T sugar
2 t salt
2 T oil
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 cups white flour
2 cups wheat
2 t yeast

Let rise for 1 hour.

At this point you can make your pizza crust or throw the dough in a zip lock back and throw it in the fridge for up to 5 days. This is what I like to do. Take the dough out and let it warm up for an hour before making the pizza.

Sauce

1 c ranch
2 cloves garlic minced
2 t basil
1/2 c Parmesan

Then top with fresh spinach and cut up artichoke hears. Add mozzarella!

bake 475 for 10 minutes

Pitta Bread

I have tried several different pitta and tortilla recipes. This is by far my favorite! They come out soooo soft and chewy. I served this up with pulled beef taco meat, cheese and lettuce. This kids like refried beans and cheese.

Combine in a bowl or mixer the following:

3 cups flour (I used 1/2 c wheat)

1, 1/2 T sugar

1, 1/2 t salt

1, 1/2 T yeast

Then add the following:

2T melted butter

1, 1/4 cup warm water

Knead by hand or on low for 10 minutes. It will be tacky.

Rise for one hour.

Then dump the dough on a floured surface. Cut with a knife into 8 peices (10 if you want them thinner).

Then let the pieces sit for 20 minutes.

Then roll out into 1/8 inch thick circles.

bake at 450 for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Loaded Carrot Cake

I have been looking for years for just the right carrot cake recipe. I have probably tried at least 12. My sister in law, Emily, gave me this great recipe. I love it! I call it Loaded Carrot Cake because it is just loaded with good stuff. By the way if you don't like all the additional items then just don't add them.

mix the following:

3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup oil
1, 1/2 cup sugar
2 t vanilla

then add the following:

2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/4 t salt
2 cups flour (I would not recommend using wheat in this. Too heavy)
2 t baking soda

then add the following:

2 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
8 oz crush pineapple with juice
1 cup raisins ( I used craisins! Yum)

bake at 350 in a greased and floured pan for 45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

cream:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter

add:

1 tsp orange extract
2 cups powder sugar

Mom's Bread

My Mom always makes her bread by hand. That's how I learned. I have tried several different roll recipes, but I always come back to hers because it is sooo easy, and requires little ingredients. I started this batch of rolls by rolling the dough into fancy shapes but then got rushed with the needs of children. I finished with just plopping the dough down in a circle.

In a Pyrex glass combine and let double:

2 T yeast
2 T sugar
1 cup warm water

While the yeast is rising combine in a large bowl or mixer the following:

10 cups flour ( I use 1 cup of wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
1 T salt

Then add the bubbly yeast mixture to the flour mix along with the following:

3 cups warm water
1/2 cup oil

mix by hand for about 5 minutes or with a mixer on low for 2 minutes.

Let rise till doubled. Divide into 2 loaves of bread and a giant batch of rolls. Let rise till doubled -about an hour.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. The rolls bake for about 10 to 20 minutes depending on how many you put on your cookie sheet. Brush melted butter over the rolls as soon as you take them out of the oven.

Cupcakes

I talked to my sister-in-law, Emily, about cupcakes today. I got off the phone and NEEDED a white cupcake with pink frosting. I have never made cupcakes before so I set out to find a great cupcake recipe from scratch. They turned out great!

beat for 30 seconds:

2/3 cup butter (I don't believe in margarine)
then add the following and mix for 2 minutes:
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1,3/4 c sugar

Then add the eggs one at a time. Beat one minute after each

2 eggs

then add alternately the milk with the flour mixture

1, 1/4 c milk ( I used 1, 1/4 c water and 4 T powder milk)

flour mixture:

2 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

2, 1/2 tsp baking powder

bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Frost with butter frosting

1/3 c buttersplash of milk (I used orange juice)

1 tsp vanilla (I used orange concentrate)

4 cups powder sugar

Meatball Subs

Dump the following in a big bowl and mix with your hands:

1 lb ground beef

3 T minced onion

1 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/2 t basil

1/2 t oregano

1 egg

1/4 c milk (I use 1/4 c water, 1 T powder milk)

1/2 t Worcestershire

1/2 c bread crumbs

I like to make this up and then put in the fridge for the day or even two. then cook at 400 for 10 minutes. Bake on tin foiled cookie sheets for quick clean up!

Add mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce!

Pudding Cookies

I got this recipe from the blog, http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/ Cafe. I changed the name because I changed an ingredient. I like my recipes to call for everyday ingredients :)

cream the following for about 2 minutes:

1 cup butter

3/4 cups brown sugar

small pudding pack (I have used vanilla and chocolate)

add the following:

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

add the following:

2 1/2 c flour

1 t soda

chocolate chips

bake at 375 for 9 minutes