Recipes & Food Tips

Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet

2011-05-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

In saucepan:

1 lb. turkey sausage, removed from casing
1 small onion, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
cook till turkey browned, take off burner and let cool

In bowl:
8 eggs
1/3 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
whisk together

add:
1 red pepper, chopped
parsley
1 1/2 c. gruyere cheese, reserve some for the top
add sausage and onions and mix all together

Put in buttered baking dish, top with cheeseBake 425* for 20-25 mins

Recipe by Janel

Kim's Man Doo Pot Stickers

2011-04-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

2 lbs. ground chicken
2 Tbsp. ginger (dried or fresh juice)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. sugar
sesame oil for seasoning
1 Tofu (firm or medium firm)
2 c. chopped cabbage
1 c. grass noodle (optional)
2 c. chopped spring onions
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. pepper
Dumpling papers (you can find round ones at Winco)

1. Season the ground chicken with all of the seasonings (ingredients 2-7).
2. Mix all the other ingredients in a big bowl with seasoned chicken and add salt and pepper.
3. Make dumplings by placing one teaspoon of filling into dumpling paper then wetting the edge and crimping it together.

Dipping Sauce:
2 T soy sauce
3 T water
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. chopped garlic
2 T chopped green onion
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 T seeds
Everyone has different taste so after you make dipping sauce, taste it. If it's too salty add water, if you want it sweeter add sugar.

Cooking tips - when you make pot stickers (especially frozen dumplings), instead of using too much oil, put 2 Ts water after placing all dumplings in the pan with a little oil, then keep the lid on with medium heat.

Hot Artichoke Dip

2011-03-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

1 can artichoke hearts
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
3 oz. fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts. Combine chopped artichoke hearts, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and cheese. Spoon into baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Parsley Pecan Pesto

2011-02-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1. One big bunch of parsley
2. 2 garlic cloves, peeled
3. chopped pecans to taste
4. Grated Parmesan cheese to taste-the real cheese not the one already grated, yuk!
5. 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
6. Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all of the above together in the food processor and/or blender and freeze it in an ice cube tray.
Recipe by Ana

Chilled Avocado Salad

2011-02-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBS rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk together in a large bowl.

Add:
1 large avocado, diced
1 large Roma tomato
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup cooked, cold, white rice

Chill for one hour before serving. Great as a dip with tortilla chips!
Recipe from Kelli

Hummus

2010-12-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

3 can Garbanzo Beans
1 Cup juice from cans
1 tsp salt
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon
about 3 TBS Tahini (sesame paste)
blend - Taste and add as needed (lemon, tahini, garlic etc). Spread on platter or in bowl, top with cumin, chopped parsley, redhot pepper sauce. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
Recipe by Reem

Pumpkin Dip

2010-10-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Dip
3/4 cup (6 oz) cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix cream cheese, brown sugar, and pumpkin well. Add remaining ingredients. Chill 30 minutes, then serve.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 chocolate chips (I usually add more!)

Mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Then add pumpkin and water. Mix dry ingredients together, then slowly add to wet mixture. Add chocolate chips. Fill cupcakes, bake. 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. *I baked the smaller muffins for 10 minutes*

Molten Chocolate Cakes

2010-02-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 4 (3/4 cup) custard cups or souffle dishes. Place on baking sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour. Divide batter between prepared custard cups.

Bake 13 to 14 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully run a small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce

2010-02-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

1/4c. Finely chopped pistachios
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 salmon fillets

Lemon Cream Sauce:
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/8 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Garnish: chopped pistachios

In a shallow dish, combine pistachios, garlic, salt, and pepper. Dredge salmon in pistachio mixture, pressing gently to coat.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook salmon for appx. 12 minutes or until flaky.
Sauce:In a small saucepan , melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour, whisking to combine; cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in broth and cream, and simmer 3 minutes or until thickened, whisking frequently. Add lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper whisking to combine. Cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Serve with salmon.

Buttercream Icing (Basic Recipe)

2010-01-26T14:01:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Vickie

6-7 T. water
1/2 t. salt
1 t. clear vanilla extract
1 t. clear almond extract
1 t. clear butter extract
2 c. solid vegetable shortening (Crisco or other)
2 T. meringue powder
2 lbs. sifted powdered sugar (appx. 8 cups)

Start with warm water, dissolve salt, then add extracts. Place shortening in mixer and begin to mix on low speed; add water/salt/flavors; continuing on low speed, add meringue powder and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth.

Thin with water or light karo syrup to ice smooth; reduce water by 1 T. for stiffer icing for flowers with stand-up petals.

Yields 6 cups - enough to fill and frost an 8", 10" or 12" cake

Favorite Mousse Filling
1 block (8 0z.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 stick butter
8 oz. (1 c.) candy melts

Combine cream cheese, butter, and sugar; mix until well blended and smooth.
Melt candy melts according to pkg. directions (30 seconds, stir, then 20 second intervals till completely melted)
Slowly drizzle melted candy into cream cheese mixture, continuing to mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
You can adjust the flavor of this mousse by the flavor of the candy melts you use.

Holiday Recipes

2010-01-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

Sopapilla Cheesecake
Ingredients.- 2(8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent Rolls
2(8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temp (do not use margarine)
1/4 cup honey
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray or butter.2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.3. Unroll 1 can of crescent roll dough; flatten pieces like a crust into 9x13 inch pan.4. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish.5. Unroll 1 can crescent roll on top of the cream cheese mixture same as previous dough; like top crust.6. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and the butter. Dot the the crumble over the top of the cheesecake.7. Bake until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, drizzle with honey. Cool completely before cutting

Cake Balls
Needed:
1 box of your favorite cake mix (and whatever it says to make it with)
1 can of complimentary frosting
1 package chocolate bark (white or regular)
wax paper
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. 2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.) 3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.) 4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.) 5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package. 6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Pumpkin Bread
1 large can pumpkin pie mix
2/3 c shortening
2 2/3 c sugar
4 eggs
½ c water
3 1/3 c flour
2 t soda
1 ½ t salt
½ t baking powder
1 t cloves
1 t cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, water and pumpkin pie mix to the creamed butter and sugar.
Add dry ingredients.
Bake at 350 degrees 45-1 hour in greased and floured loaf pans

Nutmeg butter:
1 stick butter
1 t egg
1 t nutmeg
1 ½ c powdered sugar
(Recipe calls for egg but you can omit or used powdered eggs)

Chile Verde Dip
The recipe calls for:
1 can refried beans
1 tbl plus 1 tsp pampered Chef SW seasoning mix
1 lime1 small can chicken drained
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 garlic clove pressed
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 small can chopped olives,divided
5 oz cheddar cheese, grated, divided
1 tbl fresh cilantro, chopped
Mix beans and 1 tsp SW seasoning. Spread into baking dish. Mix cream cheese, squeeze lime juice, chilies, garlic and tbl SW seasoning mix until smooth. Add olives, onion, chicken and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Spread mixture of bean layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over hot dip. Serve with tortilla chips.

Coconut Pecan Sweet Potatoes

4 Ibs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup reduced fat butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1.4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Place in a 5 qt slow cooker coated in cooking spray
Combine all lose ingred. spread over sweet potatoes
Cover and cook on low 4 hours or until soft

211 calorie- / cup

MINI-CHEESECAKES
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (or vanilla wafer crumbs or Oreo crumbs)
1/4 c. butter, melted
3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Fruit topping of your choice - jam, pie filling, fresh fruit, etc.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Put graham crackers or other cookies in a ziploc bag - and crush into fine crumbs with a rolling pin. Add a teaspoon of crumbs into bottoms of paper cup lined mini-muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Spoon mixture into cups until 3/4 full if you want to add topping, higher if you want them plain. Bake 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool. Chill. Top withfilling. Refrigerate. Makes about 2 dozen mini cheesecakes. These can be made in advance - they freeze incredibly well! Just defrost, add your topping and they are ready to eat! (If you want to make them in larger muffin cups, add 1/4 cup melted butter to the crumbs and press into cups. With the smaller ones the crumbs just stick - but the bigger ones need the butter to keep the crust together. Also add 5-10 minutes to the baking time with the bigger cups.)

Brandied Bacony Chicken
So simple & so good!
From Nigella Express
1 Chicken (whole)
2 strips of bacon
1/4 brandy (**used whiskey)
Heat oven to 425
Cook bacon over medium heat until it's crisp & the pan has lots of yummy bacony fat, approx 4 minutes
Remove pan from heat, place bacon into the cavity of chicken, place chicken in roasting pan breast side up
Pour brandy into still hot frying pan w/ bacon fat & let bubble for a minute, pour over chicken
Roast 45 min, till juices run clear btwn leg & body of chicken, let rest 10 minutes before carving

Italian Fondue

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
1 (16 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce
1 (8 oz.) package shredded four-cheese Italian blend

Dipping:Bread slices, red potatoes, tortellini, green apples

Melt butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add sage and cook until butter is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk in Alfredo sauce. Gradually add cheese, whisking until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer mixture to a fondue pot.

Artichoke Pesto

2009-10-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

1 (8-ounce) pack frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed down
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 (12 to 16-inch) ciabatta loaf, cut into slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Run the machine to finely chop all the ingredients, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. Then, with the machine running, drizzle in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Mix in the Parmesan. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the ciabatta slices with the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Grill until toasted, about 5 minutes. Spread the artichoke pesto over the toasted slices and serve.

Recipe from Everyday Italian - Food Network

Strawberry and Rosemary Scones

2009-10-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup strawberry jam
Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Special equipment: a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
For the scones: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-inch circle. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of dough and put on the prepared baking sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into more heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using an index finger or a small, round measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon a heaped 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the cooked scones onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.
For the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes. Serve or store in an airtight plastic container for 2 days.

Recipe from Giada at Home - Food Network

Perfect Salmon

2009-04-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a cookie sheet that has sides with aluminum foil.

Place thawed salmon fillets (as many as you wish) on the foil, skin side down if applicable. Be sure to leave at least an inch between each fillet. I use individual fillets from the frozen section at Costco.

Season with salt and paper OR Mrs. Dash OR Johnny's Seafood Seasoning and dill.

Cover loosely with another piece of foil.

Bake covered for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake five minutes longer. Fillets should show distinct flakes when poked in the middle with a fork. Do not overcook!

Moist Applesauce Muffins

2009-04-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Mix:
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 c. applesauce
3 tsp. vanilla
2 c. white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour (or white)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon

Bake in lined or greased muffin pans at 400F for 15 minutes.
Makes 3 dozen muffins.
Extras freeze well. Kids love them!

Spinach Ball Appetizers

2009-02-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

Alex Scranton's Spinach Balls

Ingredients:

2 packages chopped frozen spinach (About 20 oz total)
3 cups breadcrumb stuffing mix
3/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Defrost spinach and squeeze out water.
Place spinach in large bowl.
Crush stuffing mix into crumbs.
Lightly beat eggs.
Add all ingredients to bowl with spinach and mix well.
Roll into 1" balls and bake on a cookie sheet 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees. (Can also be frozen and re baked later.)

Veggie Tortilla Pinwheels

2009-02-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

2 pkg. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened (reduced fat works fine)
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained
1 can (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
3 Tbsp real bacon bits (optional)
5-6 flour tortillas

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and dressing mix until blended. Beat in vegetables and bacon bits. Spread over tortillas. Roll up. Cut each into 1-inch slices. Regrigerate leftovers. Yield: about 3 dozen.

Nutrition facts: 1 piece equals about 58 calories.

Recipe from Simple & Delicious magazine, March/April 2009, slightly modified

Granola

2009-01-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds or unsweetened coconut
1 ripe banana
3 tbsp pure maple syrup, honey, or liquid fruit sweet
1 1/2 tbsp almond oil or canola oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ or bran
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. In a 9x13 baking pan, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, and almonds or coconut.

In blender or food processor, combine the banana, maple syrup or honey, almond or canola oil, and cinnamon and puree. Drizzle the puree over the oats and mix until thoroughly coated. Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring several times, until lightly toasted. Stir in the wheat germ or bran and bake for another 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir in the raisins. Let cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Gratin of Apples & Apricots w/ Granola

2009-01-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

2/3 cups dried insulphured apricots, diced
1 cup water
4 cups peeled & sliced tart apples (about 3 apples)
2 tbsp raisins or dried currants
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or allspice
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2/3 cups low fat granola
3/4 cups nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt

Directions:

Soak the apricots in the water for 1 hour. Pour the apricots and water into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the apples, raisins or currants, cinnamon or allspice, and lemon juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the apples are tender.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the apple mixture to a 4 cup baking dish or six 4 inch diameter ramekins. Top with the granola and bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm, with a dollop of vanilla yogurt.

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2008-12-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

4 ounces cream cheese
12 ounces mozzarella, shredded
2 cups sour cream
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped coarse
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400F. Microwave the cream cheese in a large bowl on high power until very soft, 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Transfer to a greased 1-quart baking dish. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 3 cups

From The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Fruit Honey & Oat Bars

2008-11-18T13:05:00.001-08:00

1 cup oats
1 cup rice crispies
1 1/2 cups crushed shredded wheat or wheat chex
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup dried fruit (any mixture)
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup almond or peanut butter
1 stick butter or margarine

Grease a 7x11 casserole dish.
Combine oats, rice crispies, shredded wheat, coconut and fruit in a large bowl.
Combine sugar, honey, peanut/almond butter and butter in a saucepan, stir constantly over heat without boiling until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer, stirring constantly for 5 minutes, or until mixture thickens.
Stir honey mixture into dry ingredients, press evenly into prepared pan.
(Reducing amount of butter is not recommended, to keep it from sticking to the pan.)
Refrigerate until set before cutting.
Store in air tight container.
Makes: 24 servings

Great for a snack or breakfast!

For those of you interested in the nutrition information (when cut in 24 pieces):
Calories: 164
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2.5g
Fat: 4.5g

Easy Corn Bread

2008-11-13T12:46:00.001-08:00

Mix:
2 c. Bisquick
1/3 c. corn meal
1/3 c. sugar

Add:
1 cube melted butter or margarine
1 cup milk or soy milk
2 eggs

Bake at 350 in greased 9x9 baking pan for 25-30 minutes. Serve with honey. Very moist, and delicious.

For 9x13 pan, use 1-1/2 recipe.

Dinner idea: Put one layer of frozen chicken tenders in a 9x13 pan, season as desired, place in the oven with the cornbread. They will take about the same time to cook.

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

2008-11-13T12:34:00.001-08:00

Buy a whole chicken. Thaw if frozen. Remove inner parts from the chicken cavity (heart, kidneys, etc.). Place legs-up in a crockpot. Add your favorite seasonings - onion and garlic salt, poultry seasoning, or whatever your family likes. Cook all day on low. The meat will pretty much fall off the bones when done - remove the skin before eating. Or, if you have a meat carver in your family, carve it up properly (my husband's job).

If the chicken is still slightly frozen, put your Crockpot on high for about one hour to get the temp up, then turn it down to low for the rest of the day.

Do not add water. It's as easy as it sounds!

Leftover ideas: great in sandwiches, or cut up chicken pieces and cook with egg noodles in chicken broth for easy Chicken & Noodles.

Ginger Cookies

2008-11-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

from Better Homes and Gardens
4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups shortening (I used butter flavor trans fat free Crisco)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup Molasses (NOT Blackstrap)
3/4 cup sugar for rolling
Preheat oven to 350.In large mixing bowl whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
In mixing bowl beat shortening for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add as much of the flour mixture as your mixer can handle and fold in the rest by hand.
Shape dough into 2 inch balls and roll into 3/4 cup sugar just to coat. Place on baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Press down slightly on dough balls so they evenly bake and spread out.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are LIGHTLY brown and tops are puffed. Do NOT over bake. Cook on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and finish cooling on wire rack.

Halloween frosting

2008-10-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

To make black frosting, use chocolate frosting plus blue food coloring.

Fast French Toast and Multi-Purpose Berry Sauce

2008-10-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

Fast French Toast

Preheat skillet to 375 (med-hi)

Whisk together in a bowl:
3 eggs
1 cup soy milk
Vanilla
Cinnamon

When skillet is hot, quickly dip each side of a piece of bread in egg mixture and place on skillet. Flip over when bottom side is brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet when both sides are browned. This makes about 10 pieces of french toast, the small square size bread. To figure out how much to make, use 1 egg and 1/3 cup milk per person. (Two children with small appetites can be counted as one adult.)

Our favorite toppings:
Peanut butter and fruit-flavored yogurt
Peanut butter and applesauce
Vanilla yogurt with berries (fresh or in sauce - see recipe below)

Tips:
*I buy the long loaves of whole wheat bread when they are on sale and freeze them. They thaw on the counter in about 2-3 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
*Freeze leftover french toast (or pancakes, waffles, etc.) flat in freezer Ziploc bags. Toast them to reheat.

Multi-Purpose Berry Sauce

In a large saucepan, mix 3/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. corn starch. Fill the pan almost full with frozen berries. (Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mixed berries all work well.) Turn burner on to medium heat. Stir every few minutes to keep from scorching. The berries will cook down significantly and their juices mix with the sugar when stirred. Do not add water. Bring berries to a low boil, let simmer uncovered 2-3 minutes. For large berries like strawberries, you may want to mash them with a potato masher. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken before serving.

You can adjust the sugar amount to suit your taste.

This sauce is EXCELLENT and on french toast with vanilla yogurt. It also looks very impressive when you pour a spoonful over individual pieces of cheesecake. When serving over individual pieces of yellow cake, white cake, or angelfood cake, you can also add a dollop of CoolWhip.

Serve hot or cold. This sauce freezes well.

Good Cook Book

2008-10-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Mandy wanted me let you guys know about a good cookbook she got.

"Annabel Karmel has a WONDERFUL cookbook called First Meals starting at beginning solid foods through age 7. I bought mine through OneStepAhead.com a few years ago, and I'm sure other places have them. Neill Public Library has a different cookbook by her called Mom and Me Cookbook." -Mandy

She also recommends the Kraft Foods website (just added to the other sites list on the right side of the page). They have recipes in every category: kids, quick, birthday parties, holidays, etc.

Crockpot Website

2008-10-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Here is the link to the crockpot website I mentioned today . . . http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Taco Soup

2008-10-14T11:59:00.001-07:00

Brown hamburger (or ground turkey) with 1/2 c chopped onions

In pot combine:

1 can kidney or black beans
1 can corn
1 can beef or chicken broth
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning
browned hamburger and onions

Cook for 10 minutes and then serve with Frito's, sour cream, cheese, olives, avocados or pretty much with whatever you want.

Chicken Tenders

2008-10-14T11:58:00.001-07:00

Layer a 9x13 pan with frozen chicken layers
Pour spaghetti sauce OR Italian dressing over chicken
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Quick & Easy Fettuccine

2008-10-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

One pot fettuccine
Add Alfredo sauce
Mix in vegetables (broccoli)
Mix in meat of choice

Tater tot Casserole

2008-10-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

1 can condensed mushroom soup
1 bag tater tots
onions/corn/any type of vegetables
ground chicken
cheese (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and cook at 425 for 20 minutes