PRETZEL JELLO SALAD

NOTE: I CHANGED A FEW THINGS ON THIS RECIPE FROM THE FIRST TIME I POSTED IT SO BE SURE TO USE THIS NEW VERSION, IT WORKS MUCH BETTER.

Okay, maybe I'm the only person who hasn't had this before but just in case I'm not I'll post it because as weird as it sounded to me at first I LOVED it. I saw this pic of it on my friend Mandi's blog and then got a recipe for it from my sister. Something about all the different flavors and textures together just make it so tasty!



Layer 1

• 2 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 3 Tbsp sugar

Mix together and press into bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Layer 2

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 oz Cool Whip

Cream together cream cheese and sugar then fold in Cool Whip. Spread on cooled pretzels. Make SURE to seal-don't leave any holes that Jello will leak through.

Layer 3

• 1 large pkg Jello (strawberry or raspberry)
• 16-18 oz frozen berries (rasp, strawb, black, blue)

Stir Jello into 1 1/2 cups boiling water and dissolve. Add 6 ice cubes (8 if berries aren't frozen). Dissolve ice cubes. Add frozen berries. Stir. Pour over the other layers. Chill in fridge until Jello is completely set.

STRAWBERRY & FETA SALAD

(sorry, my pic is missing the red onion because I didn't have any today)

My sister-in-law Ali made this salad for us last summer in McCall and I fell in love. Simple, easy, fresh. What's not to love? I think of you every time I make this Al!

Salad

• baby spinach
• sliced strawberries
• thinly sliced red onion
• Feta cheese

Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

Mix dressing in blender. Refrigerate.

MEXICAN CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

I'm always looking for new recipes to add some variety to our dinners. So in the hopes that you'll all do the same occasionally I'm posting the recipe for the soup I made for dinner last night. We LOVE it. I think this is the 3rd time I've made it and it's probably our favorite soup right now. (sorry you can't see that much from the picture, but I really like to see pics with recipes so I had to try)

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
(I use three of the frozen chicken breasts from Costco, I mean do they really think we all have food scales in our kitchens?)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1-2 cloves minced garlic
3 Tbsp butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup hot water
1/2 to 1 tsp ground cumin
2 cups half and half
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (14 3/4oz) cream style corn
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, undrained
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 medium tomato, chopped
fresh cilantro

In a dutch over or large saucepan, brown chicken, onion, and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Dissolve the bouillon in hot water. Add to pan along with cumin; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add half and half, cheese, corn, chilies, and Tabasco sauce. Cook and stir over low hear until the cheese is melted. Stir in chopped tomato. Serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro.

Emily's notes: I always use cilantro and I just add some into the soup at the end instead of just as a garnish. Also, I like a little bit thicker soup so I made a roux using 2Tbsp butter and 2Tbsp flour, microwaved it, stirred it up and added it to the soup to thicken it. And lastly it is great with tortilla strips! Hope you enjoy.

CHAD'S SALSA AND GUAC

The Sunday after my husband was called to be in the Bishopric our home teacher and his wife asked if they could make us dinner. Their little boy ended up getting sick, but they were so nice that they made us dinner anyway and dropped it off. Does it get any better than that?

The meal was mexican and the best part of it was they made fresh salsa and homemade guacamole. It was to die for. The funny thing is that I don't like tomatoes, at least not whole or a big slice of one on a sandwich, but I love them diced in anything mexican! I of course asked him for the recipes and he gave them to me reluctantly saying I wasn't going to be as impressed when I saw how simple it was, but I assured him that wouldn't be the case. I made them tonight and wanted to share in case there are any guac and salsa lovers out there.

Fresh Salsa

6-8 roma tomatoes
1 small to medium yellow onion
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno
2 packets "Concord Foods" Salsa Seasoning Mix (I found them on a rack in the produce section)
lime juice

Dice tomatoes, onion, grn onions, cilantro, and jalapeno and mix in bowl. Add lime juice to taste. Then add seasoning packets and mix again. (If you want it spicier you can get the seasoning packets in hot and add more jalapenos).

Guacamole

4-5 avacados
1 packet "Concord Foods" Guacomole Mix (again I found them in the produce section)
lime juice

Dice and mash up the avacados. Add the seasoning and 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of the above salsa and mix. Add a little lime juice to taste.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we did.

TORTELLINI SALAD

Here's a tasty new recipe I got from my mom. I made it last night for a family party. It was a big hit.

I cut this recipe in half and I think it would have served 8-10 as a side dish easily.

Cheese Tortellini - cooked (2 (24oz) pkgs from Costco)
Kalamata Olives (pitted) - halved or whole about 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Sun Dried Tomatoes - chopped (about 16oz)
Marinated Artichoke Hearts - chopped (1-2 cups)
Hearts of Palm - sliced thick (about 1 14oz jar)
Grated Parmesan Cheese (1/2-3/4 cup)
Toasted Pinenuts (1/2 cup)
Baby Spinach Leaves
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinagrette Dressing

Cook tortellini, drain, rinse with cool water and drain well. Place in large bowl and toss with 2 Tbsp of the artichoke marinate. Add olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and 1/2 bottle of dressing. Toss gently. Let sit a few hours or overnight in fridge. Add hearts of palm, parmesan cheese, toasted pinenuts, spinach leaves (as many as you prefer) and 1/4 to 1/2 bottle of dressing. Toss and serve. Serves 20+

BANANA CAKE WITH BURNT BUTTER FROSTING

Last night after I got the kids into bed I suddenly had a craving for this cake and had to make it. It is sooooo good! Oh, and it is definitely best with a tall glass of milk.

Banana Cake

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk
2 medium ripe bananas, smashed
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix everything together. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into 9x13 pan (I used the Demarle sunflower mold). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Burnt Butter Frosting

1 cube butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
milk to consistency

Melt butter in pan on stove until foam cooks off and the color is a deep caramel. Pour butter over powdered sugar. Add vanilla and milk to the consistency you want. Beat for about one minute.

Note: I like this cake warm so I make the frosting pourable so I can just pour it on, let it drizzle down the sides and eat it. You can make it thicker and spread it on like a more traditional cake.

BERRY CHEESECAKE TRIFLE

This is probably my favorite summer dessert, next to homemade ice cream of course. I made this over Memorial Day weekend and can't wait to make it again in a few weeks when the Oregon berries are plentiful!

Here's what you need:

8oz softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 angel food cake cut into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes
2 quarts fresh berries or peaches thickly sliced (note: I like fresh raspberries in this recipe the best, if you rinse the berries make sure they are as dry as possible or they make the cake soggy)
3-4 Tbsp sugar
whole berries for garnish
mint leaves for garnish

In large mixing bowl blend cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar together. Add the sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, and almond extract. In a small bowl whip heavy cream with the rest of the vanilla and powdered sugar until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Add mixture to the cake cube till desired consistency, you may not use all of the mixture.

Thickly slice the strawberries then add sugar, mix well. Layer into a trifle bowl, starting with a layer of berries, then a layer of the cake. Continue layering ending with the berries. Cover with plastic wrap and chill well before serving. Garnish with mint leaves or whole berries. Serves 12.

ROASTED MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

ROASTED MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

Ingredients:
3-4 large chicken breasts
6-8 small red potatoes
2 jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 can olives (sliced or whole, whichever you prefer)
2 cups Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
6 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/2-3/4 tsp salt
7-8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
rosemary sprigs (optional)
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450*. Cut chicken breasts into halves or thirds. Cut potatoes in half. Drain artichokes. Arrange chicken, potatoes, and artichokes in 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray. Combine other ingredients except for olives and rosemary springs and mix. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle olives on top and garnish with rosemary sprigs. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cover for first 20-25 minutes.

NOTE: We are a "sauce" family so I often one and a half the sauce for a bit extra.

GRILLED CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

(from Becky Higgins blog)

GRILLED CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

Sundried tomato salad dressing (we used Kraft brand)
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small pkg. fresh basil, chopped

Marinate chicken in sundried tomato dressing ahead of time. Place large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Grill chicken on uncovered side of grill about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and dressing (as much as you desire; we did about 1/2 cup). Back to the grill - Turn chicken over; place on the foil-covered part of the grill, cooked-side up. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

BROWNIE TRIFLE

I've been waiting for an excuse to make this since I got the recipe from my neighbor who brought it to our neighborhood party a week ago. So, when Mark's parents invited us over for dinner tonight I perhaps too eagerly volunteered to bring dessert!


BROWNIE TRIFLE

1 pan of brownies cut into 1" cubes (box mix or scratch, whichever you prefer)
1 box instant chocolate pudding (use pie filling directions)
1 large container of Cool Whip OR 1 pint of whipping cream (whipped)
6-8 Skor or Heath Candy Bars (crushed)

Layer in trifle bowl starting with half of the brownies, then half of the chocolate pudding, then half of the Cool Whip/Whip Cream, and then half of the crush candy bars. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, and refrigerate.

P.S. My neighbor made hers with Cool Whip and it was really good. I made it today with whipping cream and it was, well, to put it modestly, to die for. Of course I'll need to go a little further on my walk tomorrow but it will be oh so worth it!

BROWN SUGAR TOFFEE DIP FOR APPLES

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 (8oz) bag Heath toffee bits

Mix all ingredients together and serve with sliced apples or refrigerate till ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups.

EDITED TO ADD: Okay, I made this today for us to snack on during conference (the last batch was all given away), and it was a huge hit. It's like eating a candied apple. Mmmm!

HOMEMADE ROLLS

We had a great weekend. General Conference was amazing. So many great talks, so much to think about, to use in our lives to make them better. And such a feeling of love.

On Sunday we had Mark's family over for dinner after the last session and had such a great time. We ate a yummy dinner with some appetizers, marinated flank steak, garlic mashed potatoes, salad, homemade rolls (I could eat a dinner of rolls alone), and coconut peach cobbler. Mmmmm! After, we played a couple of games and just had fun being together. Usually when we get together with Mark's fam everyone kind of goes and does different things after we spend 15 minutes at the dinner table or the tv is on, so it was really nice to do something all together. It really made me think about how important spending quality time together is to building meaningful relationships.

Here's the recipe for the rolls I made today. They are mm.mmm..good! I had never made homemade rolls before because they just seemed so intimidating. Then, last year I got my mom's recipe from her and tried it. So good, and so much easier than I had thought!

Best Refrigerator Rolls - from the kitchen of my Mom

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 cups Better for Bread Flour - divided (note: my mom lives in UT and this works for her, I always end up adding a bit more flour here in OR, so you may need to adjust a little)
3 eggs, well beaten

2 Tbsp rapid rise yeast

Mix all ingredients together in mixer except for yeast and half of the flour. Then sprinkle yeast on mixture and add remaining flour. Mix until sticky. About 5 min. Place in lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel. Raise until double. About 2 hours.

Punch dough down and cover bowl with a damp towel. Refrigerate. (I make the dough the night before and then refrigerate it till whenever I'm ready to make it the next day)

Roll out as desired. Shape. (I divide the dough into thirds, roll each ball into about a 14" circle (about 1/4" thick) like a pizza crust and then use my pizza cutter to cut it into 12 triangles, then I roll them up into crescent shapes) Brush with melted butter. Place on baking sheets and cover lightly with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let raise 2-3 hours. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min or 375 for 12 min.

Makes 3 dozen

ANNIE'S DELICIOUS BEAN SALSA

Annie’s Delicious Bean Salsa

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can red beans
1 (15 oz.) can white beans
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans
1 (11-15 oz.) can corn
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 large fresh tomatoes—chopped
1 Vidalia or sweet onion—chopped
4-6 green onions—chopped
8 oz. fat free Italian dressing
Fresh lemon juice—about 2 lemons (I used 1/3 cup)
Fresh lime juice—about 2 limes
Fresh cilantro to taste (I used 2/3 of a bunch)
Fresh minced garlic cloves—about 4
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chili powder to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Onion powder to taste

Drain and rinse all the beans. Drain corn and mix all ingredients together. Chill at least 6 hours or longer, it helps the flavors blend and is soooo good. Enjoy with pita or tortilla chips or by itself! Also, this makes A TON! I gave a bunch away and still had plenty for us. But it's not really something you want to make half of because you end up with 1/2 of 6 cans of beans, corn, etc. Enjoy!

SUGARLICIOUS COOKIES

So, in case you can't tell from the title of this post. I LOVE these cookies. They are so soft and stay that way, the flavor is perfect, the frosting divine and they cook so uniformly. This recipe belongs to a girl I visit teach and one year when we did Enrichment together we made cookie bouquets for Valentine's and made these cookies on a stick. They were so cute.

Lori's Sugarlicious Cookies

2c butter, softened
2c sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
6c flour (I usually need a little more flour than this but sometimes I just sprinkle a lot on when I'm rolling it out and that does the trick)

Mix together. Chill for easier handling. (anywhere from 1 hour to overnight). Roll and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes until the cookies are done but not browned. Let cool and frost.

I think the key to good sugar cookies is how thick you make them. I always tend to roll out the dough too thin. So when you roll these out keep the dough about 1/4" to 5/8" thick. This makes them easy to lift up and onto the pan after you cut them out with a cookie cutter, they look beautiful and they don't get crispy when you cook them.

Frosting:
2 oz cream cheese, softened
2T butter, softened
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla
pinch of almond extract
milk to consistency

Mix together adding milk to the consistency you prefer, color and frost cookies!

Enjoy!

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH CREAM SAUCE

This is a tasty recipe my sister made for us last time we were together. We all loved it. It's simple and similar to lots of other chicken recipes but the sauce was new to me. Sorry for the lack of picture, when I made it last night it was all gone before I grabbed the camera. I'll add one next time I make it.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Cream Sauce

1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
6 Ritz Crackers, finely crushed (whatever 6 crackers, that covers like what, one chicken breast? I used one of the packages that comes inside a box)
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese (I used more since I used more crackers)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Spread (again, if you want one drop of sauce on your chicken then this will be plenty, but if you'd actually like to see the sauce on your chicken I would double this)

Mix cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese in bowl. Rinse chicken with cold water, shake off excess water. Dip chicken in some melted butter, egg white, or plain yogurt and then in cracker mixture turning to coat. Place in greased baking dish and bake at 350 for about 35-45 minutes or until chicken is done.

For the sauce pour 1/4 (or if your doubling 1/2) cup chicken broth and cream cheese to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly. Simmer 3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Note: this happens fast and if you let it go it gets thick and clumpy so as soon as it's all melted and slightly thick it's good to go. Serve sauce over chicken.

Also very tasty served with rice.

SPINACH DIP

So, I thought this was one of those recipes that everybody had a copy of, but I took it to that baby shower I went to last weekend and couldn't believe how many people hadn't had it before and wanted the recipe. It is definitely my favorite dip to go with veggies.

Spinach Dip

2 cups mayo
2cups sour cream
1 bunch green onions chopped
1 can water chestnuts drained and chopped
1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 pkg Knorr's Leek soup mix

Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with fresh veggies or chopped up French Bread.

TORTELLINI BEAN SOUP

Tortellini Bean Soup

4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (9oz) pkg of Cheese Tortellini
1 (15oz) can white beans rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/3-1/2 cup FRESH basil ( I usually rip the leaves into thirds)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ( I only use 1 1/2)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Bring broth to boil, add tortellini and cook 6 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato and basil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Top each serving with parmesan cheese. Serves about 4 so I usually double it for our family of 5. It's good leftover too!

GARLIC CHICKEN FARFALLE

(taken from Becky Higgins blog)



I made this for our family and some friends on my hubby's birthday (Dec 31) and it was a huge hit. Totally worth fudging on your New Years diet for a night. Such good flavor!

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple (I totally wear disposable gloves for this part - surprise, surprise).

[ directions ]

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

CITRUS GREEN SALAD

(this is how I got this recipe, without measurements, sorry, but it was just really good and different from the usual)

Mixed Greens and Romaine Lettuce
Mandarin Oranges
Celery
Crumbled Bleu Cheese
Sugar Coated Blanced Almonds
Avocado
Dried Cranberries
Green Onion

Dressing: Good Seasons Italian packet (use red wine vinegar)

SOUR CREAM APPLE PIE

SOUR CREAM APPLE PIE

1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/4 tsp salr
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 cups tart apples, diced
pastry for one pie crust

Beat together sugar, cream, flour, salt, vanilla, and egg. Add apples, pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie shell and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter

Mix and sprinkle on top of partly baked apples. Bake 20 minutes more or until done.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH WARM FUDGE SAUCE
(from Cooking Light Magazine, thank you Amy S.!)


You can prepare the ingredients ahead, spoon the batter into soufflé dishes, cover, and freeze until you're ready to cook them. They can go straight from the freezer to the oven. Make the sauce ahead, too, and simply warm it before serving. This recipe received our Test Kitchens' highest rating.

Soufflé:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 large egg whites

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Position oven rack to the lowest setting, and remove middle rack. Preheat oven to 425°.
To prepare the soufflés, lightly coat 6 (8-ounce) soufflé dishes with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk; remove from heat. Add 3 ounces chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and egg yolk.

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; beat at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Gently spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times on counter to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; place baking sheet on the bottom rack of 425° oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove soufflés from oven). Bake 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the side of soufflé comes out clean.

To prepare sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, and 1 tablespoon flour; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add 1/2 cup milk, stirring well with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add 1/2 ounce chocolate, stirring until smooth. Serve warm with soufflés.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 soufflé and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

VYNETTE'S SWEET POTATOES

THE BEST SWEET POTATOES IN THE WHOLE WORLD! (I am serious)

4 cups sweet potatoes, baked and mashed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cube butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar

Mix thoroughly and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes

Topping

2 cups crushed Corn Flakes
1 cube butter or margarine, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour

Mix topping ingredients, spread over sweet potatoes, bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

GLAZE & FILLING FOR ORANGE ROLLS

My friend Lori asked about the recipe for the filling and glaze I use on my orange rolls, so here it is.

Orange Rolls Filling and Glaze

Filling:
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp orange rind (I use more)
1/2-1 tsp orange juice

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
1/2-1 Tbsp grated orange rind
1 Tbsp melted butter

Brush filling onto rolls before rolling them up (and before they rise) so it's on the inside, then dip tops of rolls in glaze when rolls have cooled. Makes enough for 16-20 rolls.

SESAME CHEESE MUFFINS

I got this recipe from a friend in our ward and we all love these. They're almost more like a biscuit than a muffin.

Sesame Cheese Muffins
2 T toasted sesame seeds
2 c. flour
3 T sugar
1 T baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/3 c. veg oil
4 T. minced onion
2 T butter, melted

Combing flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; blend thoroughly and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. In small bowl, beat egg lightly with milk, oil, and onion. Gradually stir milk and egg mixture into flour and cheese mixture. Fill well greased muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Sprinkle the tops with remaining cheese and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle melted butter over the tops. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

AMY'S HALIBUT WITH CREAMY DIJON SAUCE

Another winner, and we're not even "fish" people! Click here for recipe.

CROCK POT TACOS

Found this recipe on Amy's food blog, and loved it. It is so easy and so good. Great for a busy day because you just throw it in the crock pot and it's ready when you are!


Click here to see recipe on Amy's food blog.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS AND RICE

Found this recipe on Becky Higgins blog and tired it last week. It was easy and a huge hit.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS


1 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1-2 cans of stewed diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 c. water
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Seasonings as desired (oregano, pepper, garlic salt, Tabasco sauce)

Mix hamburger, uncooked rice, water, onion, celery salt, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Add an egg to help hold it all together. Shape into (about 16) balls and cook in skillet until all sides are brown. In a separate bowl, mix tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, 1 c. water and Worcestershire sauce and pour over meatballs. Heat to boiling. Add desired seasonings. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. (Add water during cooking if necessary.) Serve over cooked rice. Serves 6.

Note: This takes about ½ hour to make and 45 minutes to simmer, so 1 hour and 15 minutes, from start to ready to eat.

HERBED BASMATI RICE

Made this last night to go with our Halibut and it was so good!

Herbed Basmati Rice (from Cooking Light Magazine, again thank you Amy S. for my lovely subscription!)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup water
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add rice and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until rice is lightly toasted. Add 1 cup water, broth, and salt to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in onions, nuts, Parmesan cheese, basil, thyme, and pepper.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)
*We wanted much bigger servings so next time I will double it

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

My friend Alisha makes the best banana chocolate chip muffins. My whole family LOVES them. Especially my little man Hank who refuses to eat bread of any type. She posted this recipe on her blog but it's private and I know all of you don't know her, so I thought I'd post it here too! Seriously DIVINE! In fact, I may just have to go make some right now.

Best Ever Banana Muffins - from Alisha's kitchen

3 small ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. chocolate chips

In mixing bowl, beat eggs; add bananas and beat until smooth. Add shortening and sugar and mix well. Add flour, soda and salt and combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into mini-muffin pans (greased pans, if you are not using Demarle). Fills 24 mini-muffins. Bake at 300 for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Eat. Share with the little people in your life. Eat some more. Then take the rest to friends before you down the entire batch yourself. (Or throw them in the freezer, or do something, because believe me, these bite-sized babies are hard to resist.)

This recipe is a spin-off of my own, based loosely on "Grace's Banana Bread" from Favorites by Rock and Metcalf. It's a great recipe book!

TUXEDO SALAD

(grr..for some reason Blogger only wants to post this pic sideways, so you'll have to use your imagination)

I got this recipe from Kelly a few years ago and I believe it originally came from her friend Angie, it makes a perfect summer dinner and it's great for a party because it makes tons! I made it on Saturday night for a little Bishopric get together at our house and it was a huge hit on a 90 degree day.

Tuxedo Salad

Dressing:
1 cup oil
2/3 cup Teriyaki Sauce
6 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Salad:
16 oz. bow tie pasta
Add pasta to the salad dressing and marinade in the fridge for a few hours

Add:
10oz pkg fresh baby spinach
6 oz. craisins
3 (11oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 bunch chopped green onions
1/4 cup sesame seeds
6 oz honey roasted peanuts
1 bag grilled chicken strips or teriyaki chicken strips

This recipe makes a huge amount of salad, but if you half it you end up with half a can/bag of most of the ingredients. Also, make sure you've got a BIG bowl to mix it all together in. Enjoy!

CREAM CHEESE SHRIMP DIP

This is one of my new favorite appetizers (it's the front one in the pic). Cool, refreshing, easy to throw together, and oh so yum!

1 block cream cheese, softened
cocktail sauce
shredded cheddar or cheddar and jack cheese
green onions
1/2 lb baby shrimp
Ritz crackers

Spread cream cheese into a 10ish inch circle on plate. Top with a thin layer of cocktail sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of sauce. Place shrimp on top of cheese. Add a little more cocktail sauce on top of shrimp, if desired. Sprinkle green onions on top. Place Ritz crackers in circle around dip on plate before serving.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED COCONUT MACAROONS

As you can see from the topics of my recent posts, my nausea is obviously doing much better. Hooray!

My sister in law made me these cookies as a belated bday gift and I LOVE them. Coconut Macaroons have always been a favorite and adding chocolate just makes them better! Mmm!

5 1/2 cups unsweetened chipped coconut
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites

dipping chocolate

Blend coconut in food processor (optional). Beat egg whites until still. Blend in remaining ingredients. Form into 1 3/4 inch balls (flatter slightly if preferred). Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes on parchment paper or Silpat.

Melt dipping chocolate in double boiler and dip half of each cooled cookie.

(sorry for the blurry pic, but the subject has now been consumed so a retake is not an option!)

MY FAVORITE POTATO SALAD

This recipe is a Banks family favorite, I think originating from my Great Aunt Marge.

12-15 red potatoes
10-12 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
12 green onions, chopped
1 quart jar Kraft mayonaise
1/8-1/4 cup sugar
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 tsp dill weed
2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 Tbsp Dijon or Horseradish mustard (I do a combination of both)
Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)

In covered saucepan cook potatoes in boiling water for 20-30 minutes until tender. Drain well, cool. Cut potatoes into bite sized cubes. I like to leave the skins on, you can remove them if you want.

Combine mustard, mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, dill weed, and Old Bay. Pour over potatoes, green onions, and eggs (NOTE: I do not use all of the mayo mixture, it makes it too runny. So just add until it reaches desired consistency, I usually let the salad chill for a while and end up adding more of it, in the end I use probably all but 3/4-1 cup of it) Mix gently and chill for 6-24 hours. The chilling time is essential. This salad is one that is even better the next day so if you can make it the day before you serve it that's great. If not, give it at least 6 hours in the fridge.

SKEWERED PINEAPPLE SHRIMP

The Pioneer Woman has some tasty grilled shrimp and pineapple {here}.

GARLIC SHRIMP LINGUINE

I found this recipe on Becky Higgins blog and made it for dinner last night. YUM! We loved it. It was quick, simple and soo good. The kids liked it too which is always a bonus!

GARLIC SHRIMP LINGUINE

1 lb. uncooked linguine
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 Tbsp. cooking white wine
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
4 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat; add wine, cheese, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium high and add shrimp to skillet; cook for a few minutes or until shrimp begins to turn pink (do not overcook). Add whipping cream. Serve portions of pasta topped with shrimp & sauce. Garnish with parmesan cheese (we prefer shredded over grated for garnishing) and fresh parsley, if desired.

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

I got this recipe from Cooking Light a long, long time ago and I have to make these at least once every year. They do take a little time because they have to cook twice and the cool before the final layer, but they are sooo worth it. (note: I believe in fully enjoying my desserts so I use regular cream cheese)

Ingredients
CRUST:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Cooking spray

FILLING:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
3 large eggs
5 cups (1/2-inch) sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb (unthawed)

TOPPING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare crust, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

To prepare filling, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl; add milk and eggs, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir in rhubarb. Pour rhubarb mixture over crust. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until set (in all of the 3 ovens I've made these in it has taken almost an hour). Cool to room temperature.

To prepare topping, place 1/2 cup sugar, cheeses, and vanilla in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping; spread evenly over baked custard. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

Yield
36 servings (serving size: 1 bar)

GARLIC PARMESAN ZUCCHINI SPEARS

We order these every time we go to Claim Jumper and love them, so I decided to try making them at home with some of the zucchini from our garden. They weren't identical, but definitely delicious and I'm sure we'll have these lots more before the summer is over!

Ingredients:

Zucchini
Garlic Salt
Eggs
Milk
Panko
Minced Garlic
Fresh Grated Parmesan
Cooking Oil

Ranch Dressing

Cut as many zucchini as you like into spears about 1 inch in diameter by 4 inches long. Sprinkle them with garlic salt. In a bowl mix together an egg or two (depending on how many zucchini) and a little milk. In another bowl mix together some Panko (Japanese style bread crumbs) and minced garlic. Dip the zucchini spears in the egg mixture and then roll in the Panko mixture. Place in pan filled with about an inch of hot oil and cook turning to brown the crumbs on each side. When finished remove from oil and place on plate covered with paper towels. Then sprinkle with a little more garlic salt and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Dip in ranch dressing and ENJOY!

*Note: If anyone has the actual Claim Jumper recipe I'd love to have it or if you have a better idea of how to incorporate the minced garlic. I don't know that it really stuck on the spears with the Panko that well.

GRILLED MUSHROOMS

I first had these at a gourmet grilling night hosted by our Ward Relief Society. They were so good! We made them again on Friday night and loved them so I thought I'd post the recipe. The recipe calls for Portabello Mushrooms but any large mushroom will work.

P.S. I borrowed this pic from the Relief Society night.

GRILLED MUSHROOMS

Cut centers out of very large mushrooms.
Fill emptied mushrooms with pine nuts, chopped fresh garlic, slivered Parmesan cheese pieces.
Meanwhile, make a marinade consisting of:
1/2 C. Balsamic Vinegar
1 C. Olive Oil
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
12 leaves of fresh basil, finely sliced using a knife
Pour the marinade over the tops of the mushrooms, filling in around the pine nuts, cheese, etc.
Let sit for 30 minutes or more (up to 3 hrs.)
Grill over medium heat until tender, approximately 6-7 minutes. Rotate half-way to get cross-grilled look.

SWEET PORK TACOS

If you haven't tried this recipe submitted by Barb at the Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Blog, well, you really should. We had them tonight and they are sooo good. They were easy to make and made a ton, so I am already looking forward to lunch tomorrow! Thank you Barb!

Pork roast cooked in a crock pot, accompanied with a green sauce, rolled in soft tortillas with rice & other favorite toppings. I have also made this and served as salad. I cut tortillas into thin strips, sprayed with oil and baked until crispy, this is really good too!

1 pork roast
2 cups salsa
2 cups brown sugar

Combine above ingredients in crock pot; cook for 8-10 hours on low or 6-8 hours on high.

GREEN SAUCE:

1 1/3 cup sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1-2 dashes tobasco
4 Tbsp salsa verde
1 lime, juiced

Combine all ingredients in blender & blend.

ADDITIONAL FILLINGS:

Rice, prepared any way you choose
Tortillas, soft
Cheddar cheese, grated
Black beans
Tomatoes, diced
Lettuce, chopped

An hour before serving, take roast out and shred with fork and knife. Put it back and heat until serving time. Wrap rice, pork and other ingredients in tortilla. Put green sauce on last and roll up tortilla.

FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFS

Click {here} for a tasty treat from the Pioneer Woman.

HAM, MUSHROOM & SPINACH STRATA

This is delicious and a great idea for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning since you make it the night before. I got the recipe from my friend Alisha and the only change I made was adding some baby spinach. Thanks for sharing Alisha!

8 eggs
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
5 slices dense French Bread cut into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes
1 lb ham, cubed (I had deli ham on hand so I just sliced that up and it worked great)
1/2 pkg sliced mushrooms
8 oz grated cheddar cheese
1/2-1 cup baby spinach leaves torn into pieces (optional)

note: I used a little less ham and added 1/2-1 cup of baby spinach torn into pieces

Beat eggs; add milk, salt and dry mustard. Stir well. Add next 4 ingredients, stirring well after each addition.

I put it in a 2 1/2 quart DeMarle (silicone bakeware) mold to bake, if you do it in something else you'll probably need to grease it. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before inverting onto plate (you'll only be inverting this if you use a DeMarle mold, you can just serve it out of the pan if you're using something else) Slice and serve.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Saw this recipe on The Sisters Cafe Blog and thought it looked yummy so we tried it last night for dinner and it did not disappoint. It really was sooooo good!

Sauce Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 onion chopped (approx 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender/transparent. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Chicken Ingredients:

1-2 lbs chicken breasts (I used 6 breasts)

2 eggs

Italian bread crumbs

1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil

8 oz thinly sliced mozzarella (enough to put 2 slices on each breast)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Dip the chicken in the egg and then the bread crumbs. Heat oil in pan and fry breasts 2-3 minutes on each side. Place in 9x13 dish and top with slice of mozzarella and sprinkle of Parmesan then top with 1/2 cup sauce and repeat. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan Cheese.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

I discovered these on Becky Higgins blog last year and they are definitely a fall favorite around here. They disappear within seconds of coming out of the oven!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. ground pumpkin (canned)
1/2 c. cooking oil
1/3 c. chocolate chips

Mix together. Fill muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

BANANA PUDDING DESSERT

I don't remember if I posted this recipe before, but it's not on my sidebar so I thought I'd put it there. Made it for FHE last night, so quick and soooo yummy.

I got it from Sherelle Christensen's blog and the cute recipe page is her creation. Thanks Sherelle!

GARLIC CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PASTA

I found this recipe on The Sisters Cafe and tried it out last night. Mmm...good.

Garlic Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta

1 Tb olive oil
1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, sliced crosswise
1 tsp salt
1 Tb olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, crushed (1 rounded Tb)
1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered
1/2 c green onions, sliced
3/4 c red or orange sweet peppers
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups dry bow tie pasta - cook as directed
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped (may use fresh parsley)
parmesan cheese, grated

1. Fry chicken in oil over medium heat until done. Sprinkle with salt and remove from skillet. Keep warm.
2.Cook garlic in oil until golden. Add mushrooms, green onions and peppers - cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper, cornstarch and salt. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Combine chicken, hot mixture, pasta and cilantro. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan to your liking and enjoy!
*Use less crushed red pepper to make it mild. Also, I add the peppers when I have them on hand - zucchini and squash are delicious too. You can omit the chicken as well for a healthy, vegetarian dish.

COCONUT CAKE

If you like coconut, you'll LOVE this cake introduced to me by my friend Alisha.

RAVE REVIEWS COCONUT CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding (small)
1 1/3 C water
4 eggs
¼ C cooking oil (I use canola)
2 C grated coconut
1 C chopped pecans

Blend cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and oil in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed approximately 4 minutes to ensure all ingredients are well blended. Stir in coconut and nuts and blend well. Pour cake batter into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out “clean.”

Frosting:
One 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
4 T butter
2 C toasted coconut (see below)
2 T milk
3 ½ C confectioners sugar, sifted
½ t vanilla

Melt 2 T butter in a skillet, add coconut, stir over low to medium heat until toasted. Spread coconut over absorbent paper (I use a brown paper grocery bag). Cream 2 T butter with cream cheese. Add milk, then beat in sugar. Blend in vanilla, then stir in 1 ¾ C of the toasted coconut. Frost cake with icing, then sprinkle/press remaining coconut on top of cake. Placing the cake in the refrigerator helps set up the icing for easier cutting.

TIN FOIL DINNERS

(picture and recipe card by Sherelle Christensen)

What can I say, I'm on some sort of trying out new recipes roll. Seriously I don't know what the deal was this week but I think we tried out about 5 new meals for dinner, and they were all so good. My favorite one was an old campfire favorite, tin foil dinners. Who knew you didn't have to go camping to enjoy them. Not me, until I found this recipe and idea on Sherelle's blog (that girl is oozing with good ideas and recipes). So here it is, I think it's going to be our new Sunday tradition. It's good, easy and fun. Just what we all need around here on Sunday.

Try it, you'll like it!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BROWNIES

(photo from Bakerella)

Whoa Baby, these are good!

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA

Another keeper from Favorites (the best cookbook ever)....

1 pizza crust (homemade or Boboli)

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 1/3 cups barbecue sauce, divided

6 ounces Provolone cheese, grated

6 ounces Gouda cheese, grated

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In large Ziploc bag, combine chicken and 2/3 cup BBQ sauce. Marinate in fridge 4 hours or overnight.

To cook, place chicken and marinade in small baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Let chicken cool (or not if you are ready to use it the second it comes out of the oven like me) then slice into thin pieces.

Sprinkle half of the grated cheeses over crust. Spoon 2/3 cup BBQ sauce over cheese; cover with chicken and onion. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Makes 1 12-14 inch pizza.

I served this with some fresh pineapple and it was perfect!

RUMBI ISLAND EASY MANGO CHICKEN & RICE

In case you saw this on The Sisters Cafe blog and wondered if you should try it, you should.

{photo and recipe from the Sisters Cafe Blog}

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can corn, drained
• 3 cups mango salsa (I used a pineapple mango salsa from Pace, Costco makes a mango salsa that lots of people love)
• lemon pepper
• cumin
  
• cilantro
• jasmine rice
• canned coconut milk

Place chicken in crock pot and season with lemon pepper and cumin. Cook on low until tender and then shred with a fork. Reserve the juices.

Place chicken back in crock pot with beans, corn and salsa till warm. If it looks dry add some more salsa or some of the reserved juices. Garnish with cilantro and serve over coconut jasmine rice.

To make rice just use jasmine rice and substitute coconut milk for all/part of the liquid your rice cooker calls for.

P.S. This made plenty for our family of 5 "real food eaters" to have dinner for 2 nights easy.

FROZEN KEY LIME PIE

We're having a "heat wave" here in Portland. Yep, it's been in the 80's. So this recipe from Favorites sounded like the perfect dessert for a Sunday evening on the patio.

Crust

• 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Mix together and press into 9"springform pan or Demarle sponge cake mold. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling

• 1 pint lime sherbet
• 1 pint Haagen-Dazs zesty lemon sorbet
• 1 pint vanilla frozen yogurt
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Soften and mix together in mixer. (BTW, when it says soften, you may want to listen, I permanently bent/broke/destroyed one of the beaters on my mixer by trying to do it when it wasn't so softish) Spoon into crust.

Topping

• 1/4 cup toasted coconut
• fresh lime slices

Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sliced limes and if you are me a little whip cream on top.

THE BEST CHILI IN THE WORLD

Okay, people, I realize that it is not chili season. However, for this recipe I am willing to break any and all seasonal food rules.

My friend Vynette finds THE best recipes. Seriously the woman should write a cookbook. I've told her this, she doesn't believe me. I think she's being dumb (and you can tell her I said that).

Last weekend when Mark got baptized she was an angel as usual, and made two HUGE crock pots of soup for us to enjoy with our extended family afterwards. They went perfectly with garlic rolls from Wall Street Pizza and a lovely Caesar Salad with Buttermilk Brownies for dessert. (I'm drooling right now) They were both divine. But the chili was....PERFECT. It has some things in it that shocked me. And I was fairly skeptical about the whole olives, even thought I like olives (sorry Kelly I know that kills this one for you), but OH MY GOODNESS. I'm just going to stop now and type the recipe, and if you are smart at all you will make it and hide in a room and eat it all yourself. Oh and if you live anywhere near me you will invite me over to hide in the closet with you.

ETA:  I've altered this recipe a little bit since I first got it, so now it's just perfect for us.

The BEST Chili

¼ cup olive oil
1 pound yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 lbs extra lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 pound hot Italian sausage
¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 can (12 ounces ) tomato paste
1 ½ TB minced garlic
1-2 TB cumin
2 TB chili powder
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 TB salt
2 TB dried basil
2 TB dried oregano
3 quarts crushed tomatoes
1 (12oz) can tomato juice
¼ cup grape juice
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh dill
½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
3 cans dark red kidney beans, drained
3 cans large olives, drained

Heat olive oil in large heavy pot. Add onions and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Crumble the meat into the pot and cook until the meats are well browned. Spoon out as much excess fat as possible.
Add the pepper, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, chili powder, mustard, salt, basil and oregano. Add the drained tomatoes, grape juice, lemon juice, dill, parsley and kidney beans. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for at least another 20 minutes, I like to let it simmer for a few hours.

Taste and correct the seasonings. Add the olives, heat through for another 5 minutes and serve.

Garnish with grated cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream.

Makes a HUGE pot of chili, so you'll probably want to adjust the amounts or have your entire ward over for dinner. Seriously this will feed 20-25 people.

VANILLA PUDDING CINNAMON ROLLS

The picture says it all...

Rolls:
½ cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
6+ cups flour

Filling:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature ( I used 1/2 cup)
2 cups brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 VERY large rolls.

Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe Blog

FRUIT & POPPY SEED SALAD

I make a salad similar to this with spinach, crasins, apples and Brianna's dressing but I must say this twist on it is delish!

FRUIT & POPPY SEED SALAD

1 pkg. baby spinach or mixed greens (about 8 oz.)
1 pkg. strawberries, hulled & quartered
2 apples, diced
1 medium cucumber, cut in half & sliced
craisins
sliced toasted almonds
bottle of poppy seed dressing (we like Briannas brand)

Put the greens in a large bowl. Add all of the sliced & diced fruit. Add a little dressing at a time so it's not too much and then top with the sliced almonds just before serving (to keep them crunchy).

recipe & pic from Becky Higgins blog