Tasty Carmel Apples

(recipe and pic from Jen Chandler)

5 large, firm, green apples (store in room temperature)

1 bag white chocolate chips

1 1/2 Tbsp. Crisco

1 (14 oz.) bag Kraft caramels

Parchment or Wax paper

Rice Krispies*

Cinnamon and sugar

Wash and dry apples and remove stems. Push stick through top center of apples about 1/2 way down. Unwrap caramels and combine with water in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until creamy. Immediately roll apples in caramel, coating completely. Place on parchment paper for a few seconds then pour some Rice Krispies in pie plate and roll carmel covered apple in them to coat. Place back on wax paper.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening also in a microwave-safe bowl for same 30 seconds intervals, stirring each time. Roll apples, covered in caramel and Rice Krispies in the white chocolate chips, then cover/sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Place on paper in the fridge until serving. Cut into slices for easier serving and eating. They are rich, one will feed 2 or 3 people.

Menu for the week of Oct 31st

Sunday: (Old Black Witch Party at Nana's)

My assignment: Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Monday: Lemon Chicken, Rice, Green Beans

FHE Treat: Poppyseed Bundt Cake

Tuesday: (Dinner Swap)

Garlic Chicken Farfalle, Citrus Salad, Rosemary Bread

Wednesday: (Dinner Swap)

Thursday: (Date Night)

Leftovers or Mac n' Cheese for kids

Friday:

Sweet Pork Tacos, Oranges

Saturday: (Adult Session of Stake Conference)

Leftovers or Mac n' Cheese for Kids

Menu for the week of Oct 24th

Sunday:

Beef Bulgogi, Rice, Broccoli and Califlower Au Gratin

Monday:

Nacho Bread Pizzas, Oranges

FHE Treat: Make Carmel Apples

Tuesday:

Fajita Quesadillas, Mexican Rice

Wednesday: (Dinner Swap)

Kaluha Pork, Rice, Pineapple, Bananas, Green Salad

Thursday: (Dinner Swap)

Tomato, Basil and Sausage Soup, Garlic Bread, Caesar Salad

Friday: (Ward Harvest Party)

Chili for cook off contest

Saturday: (Family Halloween Party)

Pepperoni Pizza, Mummy Smokies, Buffalo Chicken Dip w/ celery and chips, Veggie Tray w/ dip, Apples and Carmel Dip, Homemade Donuts, Cupcakes, Rolo Pretzels

P.S. You might notice that some of the stuff on the menu this week was on the menu last week, nope we didn't have it two weeks in a row, more likely I had a rough day where life didn't go as planned and we ended up eating take out or pancakes one night so I just moved it to a different night since I already had the ingredients!

Menu for the week of Oct 17th

Sunday:

Waffles and Smoothies

Monday: (Feed Missionaries)

Hawaiian Haystacks, Orange Fluff, Broccoli and Califlower Au Gratin

FHE Dessert: Poppyseed Bundt Cake

Tuesday:

Nacho Bread Pizzas, Fresh Pineapple

Wednesday: (Dinner Swap)

London Broil, Red Potatoes, Green Beans

Thursday: (Dinner Swap)

Chipotle Chili, Rolls, Green Salad

Friday: (Mom GNO, take Toffee Apple Dip)

Pizza for Dad and Kids

Saturday: (Date Night)

Leftovers for Kids

This Weeks Menu...

I have a drawer filled with random scraps of paper that I have written dinner menu plans for the week on. I save them to use "someday" when I am so organized I have a rotating system of meals and coordinating grocery list. Well, I decided that the drawer isn't going to hold all the scraps I have until "someday", so instead I'll just have the internet store them for me. Much less mess that way.

P.S. I'm trying something new with a friend. One night (Weds) she makes enough dinner for our family and drops it off and another night (Thurs) I make enough for hers. That way we each get one night a week where our family gets a good meal that we didn't have to make! This is our first "official" week so we'll see how it goes.

Sunday: Leftovers

Monday: Beef with Broccoli, Rice

Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup, Bread

Wednesday (Dinner Swap): Lasagna

Thursday (Dinner Swap): Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas, Black Beans, Rice

Friday (Date Night): Leftovers for Kids

Saturday: Baked Potatoes, BBQ Little Smokies, Spinach, Apple, and Craisin Salad

PUMPKIN SURPRISE

Um, there is no way you'll be able to restrain yourself from having multiple servings of this dessert, so if that's not okay then you'd better just not make it in the first place. :)

2 c canned pumpkin

1/2 tsp salt

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 c sugar

3 eggs, beaten

2 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice

1 yellow cake mix

3/4 c cold butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first 6 ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top. Slice cold butter and cover the dry cake evenly with butter squares. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

(I've seen this recipe before but my new "The Gathering of Friends Vol.2" cookbook by Michelle Huxtable is what convinced me to make it, and oh.boy am I glad I did!)

BBQ CHICKEN SALAD

I've tried a few different recipes for BBQ chicken salad, this one comes from "The Gathering of Friends" cookbook and is for sure my favorite. The sauce on the chicken along with the salsa ranch make it!

2 heads hearts of romaine lettuce or 1 bag of hearts of romaine

2 c Monterey Jack cheese

1 c frozen young white corn

1 c black beans

4 green onions

2 ripe tomatoes

2 c tortilla strips

3 c chopped barbeque chicken (see recipe below)

Clean and shred lettuce. Chill. Dice tomatoes and onions, set aside. Combine frozen corn and black beans. Fold in Jack cheese and toss with lettuce, diced tomatoes and onions. Top with barbecue chicken and tortilla strips. Finish with Salsa Ranch dressing just before serving.

Barbecue Chicken Sauce

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 T mayo

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup barbeque sauce

3 c shredded cooked chicken

Mix together everything except chicken, then fold in chicken and chill.

Salsa Ranch Dressing

1 cup milk

1 T vinegar

1 c mayo

1 pkg Ranch Dressing Mix

1 cup salsa

Combine vinegar with milk. Fold in mayo and dry ranch mix. Add salsa and chill.

FRESH PEACH DESSERT

If there is any possible way to get your hands on some fresh peaches...RUN. GET THEM. AND MAKE THIS ASAP!

Fresh Peach Dessert

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4-1 cup butter, softened

2 pkg. graham crackers; crushed

12-14 medium peaches or 7-8 large; peeled & sliced

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 pt. whipping cream (I don't use it all, maybe 3/4 of it)

Mix cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, & butter. Save a small amount to sprinkle on top, press the rest into the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 pan. Whip the cream and add a little vanilla and powdered sugar until set, set aside. Mix the sweetened condensed milk with lemon juice. Then place the peaches on the crust and pour the milk/lemon mixture on top. Spread the fresh cream on top of that and sprinkle with remaining crust. Refrigerate.

*This is so light and fresh, but you have to share it or half it because it is best if enjoyed in the first 24 hours!

SPICY GRILLED FLANK STEAK

this recipe & pic comes from Amy at BLD

Makes 8 servings

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp sweet paprika

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp marjoram

1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1 1/2 tsp dried minced onion

1 tsp freshly ground (coarse) black pepper

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 beef flank steak, about 2 pounds

Place the salt, paprika, thyme, marjoram, granulated garlic, mincedonion, black pepper, cayenne, and white pepper i a blender or food processor and process for 20 to 30 seconds. Makes about 1/4 cup Spicy Rub.

Trim any visible fat from the flank steak, using a sharp knife. Score the meat in a cross-hatch pattern on both sides - do not cut through more than 1/16 inch. Rub with 1 Tbsp of Spicy Rub on each side (reserve the remainder for another time). Let stand 15 minutes or longer.

Preheat grill. Grill for about 6 minutes per side, moving the steak only to turn it, until steak is done to personal preference. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Slice on the diagonal, actoss the grain into thin slices.

THAI LETTUCE CUPS

(recipe and pic from www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com)

1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (I usually chop chicken)
Salt and freshly, ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (Again I like mine chopped:)
1/4 c. sweet chili sauce
1/4 c. honey
2 iceberg lettuce heads, cut into quarters and leaves gently removed to make lettuce cups (1 head is enough if you are making as a salad.)
1/2 c. honey-roasted peanuts, chopped (or whole, or crushed, however you like them)
Juice of 1 lime
1 handful basil, chopped (fresh is best but not essential)

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. (Or you can use Pam, and a little water when needed to save calories) Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until golden brown on all sides. (you may want to drain off some of the liquid at this point)

Add in the red pepper and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in the chili sauce and honey and simmer to reduce it and coat the chicken. To serve, lay the lettuce leaves on a platter. Scoop some chicken mixture onto each leaf. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, lime juice and basil.

OPTION: Turn the same recipe into a salad

NOTE: I prefer it without the basil

Pina Coladas

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup cream of coconut
2 cups ice

Blend. Makes 4 (8oz) cups, and believe me you'll want more than one!

Broccoli Salad

2 bunches broccoli, chopped fine
1 med red onion, chopped fine
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup salted roasted sunflower seeds
3/4 cup crasins

Mix.

Dressing: add to salad just before serving

1 c mayo
2T red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

1 (20oz) can pineapple chunks drained
2-3 ripe kiwi peeled and sliced thick
1 cup green or red grapes, halved
1 cup strawberries, quartered
zest from 1 lime
1-2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp poppy seeds

Combine fruit, lime zest and poppy seeds. Gently toss. Drizzle honey over fruit and gently mix till coated with honey. Serve within an hour if you don't want the strawberries to stain the fruit.

Serves 4-6

MACADAMIA BARS

Whoa, ate 3 of these babies from "Favorites" today.

Crust:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

Filling:

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup coconut

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups halved macadamia nuts

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

Cream together crust ingredients. Press onto bottom of 9" square pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Stir together all filling ingredients Pour over hot crust and bake at 350 degrees for an additional 20 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

VYNETTE'S BAKED BEANS

Any recipe that comes from my friend Vynette is guaranteed to be the best of the best. We love these baked beans!

8 slices bacon

1 onion coarsely chopped

2 cans kidney beans drained

1 can baked beans in tomato sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup catsup

1 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese (I've used 3/4 lb and liked it)

Parmesan cheese

Saute bacon. Drain off excess fat and saute onion until tender. Mix all ingredients and place in casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

DELICIOUS GRAPE SALAD

This fruit salad was soooo yummy and different from anything I've had lately.

2 lbs green grapes

2 lbs red grapes

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla till smooth, then toss with grapes.

When ready to serve mix and top with:

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup brown sugar

You'll want to serve this in a shallow bowl or even a deep plate/platter so that every serving gets some of the topping. Yum, yum, yum.

OH. MY. RIBS.

(another keeper from "keeping up cookbook")

6-8 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs

2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup liquid smoke

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 cup Pace Picante Sauce (I used Kirkland Organic Salsa)

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Place ribs in a large roasting pan or two 9x13 pans. Mix sauce ingredients and pour half of the sauce over ribs. Cover pans tightly with foil and bake at 275 degrees for 6 hours. Remove ribs from drippings. Heat up other half of the sauce and serve over ribs.

Emily's note: This recipe fed my family of 5 eaters plus made enough to take dinner to another family of 5. We are big sauce people and wanted more for dipping in while we ate so next time I may 1 1/2 the sauce.

MY TWO FAVORITE COOKBOOKS

These are my two absolute favorite cookbooks, hands down, no other cookbook even comes close. I don't even buy cookbooks anymore because who needs to with the internet, but these two I could not live without. The first one, titled "Favorites" came out several years ago and the second one "keeping up cookbook" is hot off the press. In fact, if you order one THIS MONDAY, JUNE 28th you get FREE SHIPPING.

Click here to order your very own!

DIVINE FRENCH TOAST WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP

It was a breakfast for dinner night at our house. Which means I was tired and needed something fast and easy. It also means I wasn't expecting anything fabulous for my taste buds. Was I ever wrong. I found this syrup recipe (which has a great carmel flavor) in a new cookbook that I will share about later, and that combined with French Toast, bananas, and a little whipped cream and I was in heaven!

Buttermilk Syrup from "Keeping Up Cookbook":

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 Tbsp corn syrup or real maple syrup

3/4 cup buttermilk *make your own in a pinch by adding 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk, (whole is best but I've done it with 2%) and letting it sit 5 min*

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, bring butter, sugar, corn syrup, buttermilk and baking soda to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to turn golden brown (mixture will bubble up, so be sure to use a large pan) about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla. Skim foam from surface and serve.

So, just make your regular old French Toast (I mix eggs, milk, pinch of cinnamon and vanilla and a sprinkle of store bought pancake mix, oh and I think using Texas Toast makes it so much French Toastier), slice some bananas on top, add some whipped cream, drizzle with syrup and viola, party in your mouth!

ETA: with the pancake mix that I add to my French Toast batter I just sprinkle as much as I want into the batter after mixing everything else and barely stir. You want it to be lumpy, I love the texture it adds.

STUFFED BLEU CHEESE POTATOES

(recipe and photo from Our Best Bites)

Had these with Peppered Pork Tenderloin and Caesar Salad tonight. There was a fight over the last one, and yes, I won. ;)

4 baking potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup bleu cheese
1/4 cup buttermilk or milk
4 Tbsp butter cut into pieces
3/4 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4-8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumpled (the recipe called for 8, I love bacon but there is no way I could fit a whole piece on each potato half. I think 5 would be plenty)
grated cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry potatoes. Rub them lightly with a bit of shortening or vegetable oil (helps crisp the skin) and place directly on oven rack, or a cookie sheet. Bake for one hour or until potatoes are done.

2. Remove potatoes and let cool just a bit. Cut an opening on the top and hollow out each potato, OR cut each potato in half to make 8 servings. You may want to hold them with a potholder as they will still be hot!

3. Scoop out the insides and place in a bowl. Mash, and add butter, sour cream, bleu cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic. Beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. Carefully spoon mixture back into potato shells. Place in a baking dish.
Return to hot oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.

4. Remove and sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese over each potato bake an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly

SORRY!

So, since I hadn't received any comments on this blog I thought no one ever looked at it, which was fine because really the whole reason I set this blog up was because my computer is in my kitchen and it's much easier for me to pull up recipes this way than to rifle through my pile of random scraps of paper and pages torn from magazines (you know, that pile I'm going to organize "someday"). But then today I noticed it said "1 comment" under my last post so I checked and what do you know there were more comments. So, my bad, I never adjusted the settings to email me when someone left a comment. It's fixed now but I apologize for anyone who asked a question and I didn't respond, I looked back and tried to answer any that I saw but if I missed you feel free to ask again and I'll respond.

SCALLOPED MIXED POTATOES WITH RED ONION

(pic & recipe courtesy of my sista)

I know I say this about every recipe I post, but really I only post the best ones, so I'll say it again. These are TDF!

1 yam, peeled and sliced

3 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 sweet potato, peeled and grated

1 red onion, sliced

1 Tbs. thyme

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 Tbs. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 cups cream or half and half (I recommend Heavy Cream)

2 cups grated Swiss cheese (maybe a bit more)

Directions:

Slice yams, potatoes and onion about 1/8-1/4” thick. A mandolin is a must for this. Mix and put in a greased 9x13 pan. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour on top. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes. I like to uncover it for the last 15 minutes to brown

SOUR CREAM POPPY SEED STREUSEL MUFFINS

{these come from Our Best Bites are are one of the BEST bites I've ever had}

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 Tbsp. grated orange rind

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 8-oz. container sour cream (light works great)

Streusel

1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 c. flour

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare streusel by combining streusel ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. To prepare muffins, combine sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk and remaining muffin ingredients in a small bowl and add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups or 24-36 mini muffin cups, either lined or sprayed. Sprinkle evenly with streusel mixture. Bake at 375 for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins from pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool.

NEW WAVE GREEN BEANS

(recipe from Cooking Light Magazine)

2 T butter
1 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg (8oz) Brie, rind removed and cheese cut into pieces
3 T walnuts, toasted and chopped (see note)

In large skillet, melt butter over med-high heat. Add green beans; cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.

Add mushrooms for skillet; cook about 5 min or just until beans are tender. Add cream, salt and pepper. Remove skillet from hear. Stir in Brie pieces until melted. Top with toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.

Note: To toast walnuts, heat oven to 350. Spread walnuts on baking sheet and toast at 350 for 7-10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool slightly, chop.

Serves: 8

PICANTE CORN CASSEROLE

This is delicious, pic to come later!

6 or 7 Tbsp butter

1 pkg cream cheese

12 oz frozen white corn thawed and drained

3 Tbsp chopped onion (maybe a little more)

1 or 2 (4oz) can diced green chilies

salt to taste

2 Tbsp hot salsa

Let corn thaw at room temp. Drain well. Melt butter and saute with onions. Add cream cheese and mix well. Add other ingredients, mix. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35 minutes in a 2 quart casserole.

Serves: 8

SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I found this recipe on the Idea Room Blog and they are hands down the best blueberry muffins I've ever had.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 1/4 cups sour cream (10 ounces)
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (wild)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin. I used the Demarle straight muffin tray so there was no need to grease. Love that!

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.

3. Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. (Small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick. Do not overmix.)

4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and insert toothpick into the center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes. Serve as is or with the cinnamon sugar topping below.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
While muffins are cooling, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan. After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, and working one at a time, dip top of each muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins

TERIYAKI CHICKEN SALAD

(pic and recipe from Our Best Bites)

I made these to take over to the school for the Teacher Appreciation Lunch today, definitely a keeper.

2 chicken breasts

Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze or 1 recipe of Teriyaki Sauce

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped (the white ends only)

1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted

1 mango, cut into small cubes (or 1 small can of Mandarin oranges, drained)

1 small can pineapple tidbits OR roughly-chopped chunks

1/3-1/2 c. light mayonnaise (I have Miracle Whip pictured here, but that's a lie--only use mayo) Salt and pepper to taste

Croissants or pitas

Lettuce leaves

Marinate chicken for at least 4 hours. Grill. While chicken is grilling, combine celery and green onions in a small mixing bowl or a plastic storage container with a lid. When chicken is done, allow to stand for about 10 minutes and then cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with celery and onions and then add mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Start with 1/3 c. and go from there. Add 2-3 (or more) tablespoons of Teriyaki sauce to taste. The thickness of the Kikkoman Baste and Glaze (or the homemade recipe) is important because it helps keep the dressing from becoming too runny. You want to add some of the yummy Teriyaki flavor, but you also don't want it to be overwhelming. Refrigerate for several hours.

Right before serving, add mango, pineapple, and nuts. Be SURE to drain pineapple and mandarin oranges well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add more mayo and/or Teriyaki--if you need it, go for it! Serve on a lettuce leaf in a croissant or a pita (or by itself if you feel the urge!)

CAJUN CANDIED SALMON WITH LEMON RICE

Salmon

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp lemon pepper

2 Tbsp Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning

1 cup pinenuts or pecans (I love pinenuts)

1/2 cube butter

enough Salmon filets to fill a 12" frying pan

Directions:

Put brown sugar on dinner plate, add lemon pepper and Redfish Magic. Mix well. Coat filets of both sides and put in frying pan in the melted butter. Cook on medium heat. Turn once and cook until sugar starts to thicken into a glaze. In a seperate frying pan melt some butter and 1/2 tsp salt, add pine nuts and cook on low. Heat until pine nuts start to brown. Add pine nuts to Salmon just as sugar thickens into a glaze and serve with lemon rice (recipe below).

Lemon Rice

2 cups long grain white rice

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon zest

Directions:

Make rice on stove top or in rice cooker. When rice is done add lemon juice and zest. Salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley if desired.

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.