Pumpkin Trifle

I got this off of Studio 5. Made it for Thanksgiving. PERFECT! I'd half the recipe next time because it makes way more than needed! I also used mini loaf pans and had 2 loaves leftover. Also I threw away half the whipping cream. So yeah, half the recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
•1 loaf Pumpkin bread, cubed (recipe below)
•Caramel ice cream topping
•Toffee bits
•1 qt. heavy whipping cream beaten with 1 ½ c. brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla
Method:


Create trifle by layering above ingredients. Start by placing half of the pumpkin bread cubes in the bottom of the trifle dish. Drizzle caramel sauce over the pumpkin bread. Next, sprinkle toffee bits over the bread and caramel. Spread a generous layer of the whipped topping over the pumpkin bread. Repeat all of the above for the second layer. Garnish as desired.




Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
•3 1/3 cups sifted flour
•4 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
•2 tsp. Baking soda
•1 tsp. Baking powder
•1 ½ tsp. Salt
•2/3 c. cooking oil
•2 2/3 c. sugar
•4 eggs
•1 (1 lb.) can mashed pumpkin (about 2 cups)
•2/3 c. water
Method:


Sift together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and oil in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients and water alternately to your sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into 2 greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on racks. Makes 2 loaves

EGG NOG FRENCH TOAST

This is a DELICIOUS recipe and spin off the real thing. We will make this a tradition in our home every year from now on. Go ahead and try it, you will be happy you did!!!!

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups egg nog (I used light and it worked perfectly)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup flour

Mix all ingredients together and submerge bread in the mixture and cook on the stove or griddle like you would normal french toast. YUMMY!!!!

6 Week Bran Muffins

6 Week Bran Muffins
This recipes makes a TON: 5 1/2 dozen. So it's best to cut the recipe in half.

5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups all bran cereal (looks like twigs)
2 cupsbran flakes cereal (you can use generic store brand)
2 C. raisins (or dried berries of your choice, optional)
2 cups boiling water
5 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk

In large bowl mix together flour and salt. Stir in all bran and bran flakes. Add raisins. Set aside.
Mix boiling water and bakin soda. Set aside to cool.
In large bowl (with lid, ice cream buckets work great) cream butter and sugar. Stir in eggs one at a time. Beat well with hand mixer. Stir in buttermilk and soda/water mixture. Sitr in bran/flour mixture. Cover tightly with lid. Refrigerate for 12 hours (or more) before baking. When ready to bake, drop by spoonfuls into muffin papers. DO NOT stir mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

The mixed, uncooked batter is good in your refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. These are delicious and packed with fiber!!!!!

Creamy Potato Soup and Homemade French Bread Soup Bowls

I found these recipes a couple of years ago on the Studio 5 (anyone from Utah will know what this means) website. It is my FAVORITE potato soup recipe.

French Bread Soups Bowls

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups warm water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 packages dry active yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons oil
6 cups all-purpose flour

Method:
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric bread mixer, combine warm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the top and stir. Wait 10 minutes until yeast mixture is frothy. Add salt, oil, and half of the flour. Beat well in mixer or with a wooden spoon. Add remaining flour and mix well until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead 2 or 3 times to coat with flour. Divide into 8 to 10 equal parts, depending on size of bowls desired. Form into large balls and place in small foil pans (small pot pie pans work well). Allow dough bowls to rise for 20 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans. Cut off tops and hollow out insides. Serve with soup.
Makes 8 to 10 bowls.


Creamy Potato Soup
Ingredients:
3 14 oz cans beef broth
1 cup minced onion
1 cup chopped celery
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups cream or milk (cream works best)
½ cup butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup white cooking wine
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
Created Parmesan or cheddar cheese, for garnish

Method:
In a large soup pot, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, potatoes, and carrots. Boil, covered, for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cream. In a separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave on high power. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Once roux is mixed well, add slowly to hot soup, stirring vigorously with a wire whisk until roux is gone. Bring to a slow rolling boil over medium heat. Soup will thicken to a nice creamy texture. Add cooking wine, seasoned salt, and parsley. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese.

Serves 8 to 10
Jill McKenzie - Author "52 Weeks of Proven Recipes for Picky Kids"

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

ORANGE CREAMSICLE COOKIES

2 1/2 Cups Flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Cup softened butter

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbs orange zest (about 2 oranges)

2 Cups vanilla chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Cream butter and sugars and then beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in orange zest and chips. Bake on cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes. YUMMY!!!!

Ice Cream in a Bag

Did you ever make "homemade ice cream" in your junior high science class? While I very much wish I had an ice cream machine, unfortunately I do not. So, how could we make homemade ice cream as a family activity?? I thought back to my 8th grade science class, and thought that my family might enjoy doing this:

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM (in a bag)
1/2 cup reduced-fat (I used 1%) or whole milk
2 Tbs sugar
1 quart sized resealable bag (1 for each person making ice cream)
1 gallon-sized resealable bag (1 for each person making ice cream)
1/4 tsp vanilla or 1/2 Tbs cocoa powder
About 2 trays ice cubes
6 tablespoons rock salt

Optional: peanutbutter or chocolate chips, flavored syrups, flavorin extracts

Put milk and sugar in quart sized bag and seal it. For vanilla ice cream, add vanilla extract; for chocolate ice cream, add cocoa powder. Throw in 1/4 chocolate chips if desired. You could also experiement with other flavors by using about 1/2 tsp flavored syrpus like strawberry or caramel, or extras like lemon, mint, or almond.

Put ice and rock salt in gallon-sized bag. Put smaller bag inside bigger bag and seal it. Shake larger bag vigorously for 7-10 minutes. Wear gloves if you want, or wrap the bag in a towel...because it's going to be cold!!! Remove the small bag, which is now ice cream!! Snip a hole in corner of the bag and squeeze it into a dish. Makes one serving of soft-serve consistency ice cream! Enjoy! We sure did!!!

Olive Garden bread machine Breadsticks

This recipe taste SOOO close to the real thing, we love it. Not the healthiest, but sometimes you have to indulge:)

Makes 30 breadsticks

1 cup plus 2 tablespoon water
3 tablespoon butter
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

(Have garlic salt and butter on hand for after breadsticks are out of oven)

Put ingredients in a bread machine on a manual dough cycle. When done, divide into 30 pieces. Roll into thin ropes. Let rise 20-25 minutes. (I usually have to let them rise longer than this, until they look a little smaller than the size of the olive garden breadsticks.) Bake @ 350 degress for 15-20 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.

Easy, blender salsa

This is such a quick, easy, fresh tasting side dish to bring to all the holiday parties coming up soon. It makes a lot, but almost always is gone by the end of a party.

2 cans Rotel tomatoes (check to see how spicy the cans you are buying, I usually use one mild and one medium for some added spice)
1 can stewed tomatoes
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped

Put tomatoes in the blender and blend for a few seconds. Add the garlic powder, salt and lemon juice, blend for another few seconds. Add the cilantro and onion, blend until it reaches the consistency that you desire. Refrigerate at least a half an hour before serving.

Honey-lime sauce for salmon

This is a fast, easy recipe to make a sauce for salmon. It is good on grilled salmon or cooked in a pan! Enjoy!

In a small saucepan combine:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Cook on medium/low until bubbly and thicker.

Honey grilled Salmon

This is a copy-cat recipe from Applebee's. It is very good, one of my favorite salmon recipes. it really good when accompanied with almond rice pilaf. This is just the recipe for the sauce you pour on top of the grilled salmon. A hint when grilling salmon, make sure the grill it oiled up or the salmon with stick. I like to soak a paper towel in olive oil and rub it on the hot, clean grill with long tongs.

Hint: This makes A LOT of sauce, because a little goes a long way. I just freeze the leftovers so it is ready to go next time.

3/4 honey
1/3 soy sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup pineapple juice
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combing all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Stir occasionally until sauce begins to boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until syrupy. WATCH SAUCE CLOSELY so it doesn't bubbly over or burn.

Chili

This chili is NOT fast, but because you simmer it for a couple of hours makes it SOOO good. It is a little spicy, it is called Chili you know, I just adjust the chili powder amount and green chilies if I know I am serving it to people who don't like spicy food. Enjoy!

1 lb ground beef (I sometimes substitute this for Smart Ground, a veggie protein, you can't even tell the difference! Don't diss it until you try it people)
14.5 oz. tomato sauce
14.5 oz. kidney beans, undrained
14.5 oz. pinto beans, undrained
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/4 cup green chilies (I use the canned, use less if you don't want so much heat)
1/8 cup celery, diced
1 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped (I like to use a little more)
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder (less if you don't want so much heat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

1. Brown meat, drain fat.
2. Combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil, simmer for 2-3 hours.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

This is a light, refreshing, delicious, fast and easy soup. Everyone asks for the recipe, and I think that is a good sign. People always remark about how it looks like it belongs in a restaurant because it looks so good. Enjoy.

Hint: I think a good tasting broth makes all the difference in soups.

4 servings (2 cups each)

2 cans (14 oz. each) fat-free chicken broth with 1/3 less sodium
3 cups water
5 to 6 medium green onions, sliced (1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb precut chicken breast chunks or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (1/2 lb), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini (I use frozen and just adjust cooking time)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach (I double this usually)
1 cup frozen sweet peas

1. In 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, mix broth, water, onions, basil and garlic. Heat to boiling. Stir in chicken and tortellini. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 4 minutes.

2. Add spinach and peas; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, tortellini is tender and chicken is no longer pink in center. If desired, season to taste with pepper.

Source: Pillsbury good for you: fast and healthy family favorites

White Gummy Jamba Juice Smoothie

6 Ounces Peach Juice
4 Ounces Soymilk (I use about a cup)
1 med Handfull of strawberries
-1/4- 1/2 C RASPBERRY sherbet
-1/4- 1/2 C ORANGE sherbet
-1/2- 3/4 C PINAPPLE sherbet


Pour juices
Add Strawberries
Add Sherbets

Blend until very smooth and enjoy

ps if too thick add more soymilk or peach juice whatever you like more

Carribean Passion Jamba Juice Smoothie

2 Cups of Frozen Strawberries

1 Cup of Frozen Peaches, chopped

2 Cups of Orange Sherbet

1 Cup of Ice, crushed (I didn't use the ice it called for the frozen fruit and sherbet work great)

12 ounces of Passion Mango Juice

Blender

Cup

Straw

Add your juice then the frozen fruit and then the sherbet. If it is too runny add more sherbet

Read more: How to Make a Jamba Juice Caribbean Passion | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5205806_make-jamba-juice-caribbean-passion.html#ixzz11QRksxW7

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breast

Another recipe from "The Biggest Loser: 6 weeks to a healthier you.

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup shredded low-fat Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 cup fire roasted tomatoes (I didn't have any, so I used stewed tomatoes with a few drops of liquid smoke)
1/2 tsp red chile flakes (optional; I used 1/4 tsp)
2 tbs chopped cilantro + extra for garnish
1/2 tsp salt
4 (4-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbs whole wheat flour (If you need to make it gluten-Free, use 3 tbs basic gluten-free mix/blend)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp olive oil

In a small bowl, comhine the cheese, tomatoes, chile flakes (if desired), 2 Tbs cilantro, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Place 1 chicken breast on a cutting board and hold it flat with your hand. Using a slender, sharp knife, carefully cut a horizontal pocket in the side of the breast, making the pocket as large as you can without ctting through the other side. Repeat for the remaining chicken breasts. Spoon 1/4 of the cheese-tomato mixture into each pocket and close the pocket with a toothpick.

In a shallow dish, combine flour, pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Dredge the stuffed chicken into the glour mixture, coating all sides.

In large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until tender, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the toothpicks and garnish with clinatro. Serve Immediately.


What are YOUR favorite healthy recipes?

Hawaiian Delight Smoothie

In an effort to make a few better eating choices, one thing we can all enjoy is a protein shake. This recipe is adopted from the book "The Biggest Loser: 6 weeks to a Healthier You." (I changed the recipe to fit stuff I had at my house).

1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup diced or crushed pineapple
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 Tbsp. shredded coconut
1 cup ice
(the recipe also added 1 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced. I didn't have one)

Combine ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Serve immediately. (I doubled it and froze one for later.) Yum!!

Honey-Mustartd Pork Chops

These are delicious!!! And super fast! Can't beat that!

Honey-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops
4 Boneless loin chops
Honey Mustard Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs Dijon Mustard
1 Tbs. Orange Juice
1 Tsp. chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon leaves
1 Tsp Balsamic or Cider Vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Dash Onion Powder or onion salt

Mix all ingredients to make the Glaze. Place 1/2 of the glaze in a dish to marinade your pork chops for about 30 minutes (Reserve 1/2 to serve with your chops to put over rice, potatoes, or just extra for the chops). Heat grill (we used our george formen). Grill the pork chops, brushing occassionally with the glaze left-over from marinading. Turn pork chops at least once. Cook to desired donneness. (1 serving: 270 calories).

I served this with Rice Pilaf and green beans. Yum! The book also suggests grilling fresh veggies covered in the glaze, such as red or yellow onions, or peppers.

Adopted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I love the chicken wraps from PF Changs. Now, these aren't really like those...but they are absolutely delicious. And they are super easy! Can't beat that!!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps
1 tbs peanut oil
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup shredded carrots (I usually just slice baby carrots into rounds)
1/4 cup water chestnuts (I like to chop them just a little bit, and I usually use more like 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup Asian Peanut Sauce
1 tbs soy sauce

Serving Sauce (we like to put a little in our wrap rather than dip them. It also makes a TON, so I usually make only about a half or quarter of the sauce)
1 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

1. Saute ground turkey in the oil until cooked. Add carrots, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add Asian sauce and 1 tbs soy sauce. Heat for another few minutes until warm.

2. Mix serving sauce ingredients. Serve with wraps.

Roll turkey in lettuce leaves and serve with dipping sauce. May add rice of desired. YUM!!!

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

We get tired of eating the same kind of thing all the time. I feel like we get in a rut eating the same types of things. Anyway, I found this recipe and thought it sounded like a perfect Fall Dish. This recipe is from McCormick (You can buy these "Recipe Inspirations" at the store in a pagakge that has all the spices measured out for you, and you just add the meat and a few extra ingredients).

Anyway, we thought it was delicious, so I thought I'd share the recipe.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes (I cooked a lot longer because I like my pork chops tender, not tough)

Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 tsp. McCormick Rubbed Sage

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1 tsp Thyme Leaves

1/2 tsp Ground allspice

1/2 tsp Paprkia

1 tbs Flour

1 tsp salt

4 boneless chops, 1-thick

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced (I only used half an onion)

2 red apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple juice

1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Mix flour, spices, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of prok chops with 1 tbsp of the seasoned flour.

2. Cook pork chops in hot oil in large skillet on medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Remove from skilled. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Add apples; cook and stir 2 minutes.

3. Stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasonsed flour until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes of until desired doneness.

ALTERNATIVE: My crock pot version: Perform step 1 as outlined above. Cook pork chops in skillet until browned. Mix juices, sugar and remaining seasoned flour and place in crockpot. Put browned chops in pot. Cook on high for 2 hours. Microwave sliced onion for 1 minute. Add onion and apples to crockpot. Cook for an additional 2 hours on high.

Crockpot Southwest Chicken

This is my fall back recipe if I ever don't know what to make for dinner-- It's so easy!

To crockpot:

3-4 frozen chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups salsa

1 small bag frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

After shredding chicken add:

1/4 c chopped cilantro

Additional toppings (optional)

shredded cheese

sour cream

avocado

Add all ingredients to crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. Shred chicken and return to crockpot. Serve on rice or over tortilla chips.

Fish recipes

Does anyone have any good fish recipes? We're trying to eat a little healthier and less cholesterol. Plus they might be good for any of you fish lovers out there!

Chicken Quesadillas

I love this simple recipe. You can make it for a bunch of people, or just a few.

Chicken Quesadillas
2 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves of garlic
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 small bottle Kraft Italian Salad Dressing (I usually use less than this...I also use light dressing)

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook for 4 hours on high, then shred chicken. Serve in Flour/Corn tortillas with cheese. Can also add black beans, corn, salsa, rice (I like cilantro lime rice in these), guacamole, sour cream...whatever "tickles your fancy!"

Sometimes I will make this for lunch, but only make a small portion. In that case I use:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced (or you can use left-over cooked chicken, or canned chicken)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Cumin
1 Tsp chili powder
1/4-1/2 cup Kraft Dressing (to taste)

Place ingredients in a skillet. Cook on medium high heat until chicken is cooked through. Serve on tortilla with melted cheese, and any of the extra fixings you want!

Creamy Garden Spaghetti

1/2 lb. fresh broccoli florets

1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini
1 1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled & sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti

1/4 c. chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced (I usually use garlic powder instead)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. Chicken bouillon
1 tsp. Thyme
2 c. milk
1 c. shredded mozarella

In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms & carrot in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from heat & set aside.

Cook spaghetti.

In another saucepan, saute onion & garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour, bouillon & thyme until blended. Add a little milk, stir until smooth. Add a little more, stir until smooth. Continue until all the milk has been added and you have no flour lumps. Bring to boil; cook & stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese until melted. Add to veggies, heat through. Drain spaghetti and toss it all together.

I got this recipe from ApronGirls.blogspot.com, Love it!!! So yummy! I didn't have chicken bouillon, so I used a cup of chicken stock and only one cup of milk instead of 2 cups. I bet it would delicious either way :)

Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE TRIFLE

2 qt. Strawberries sliced

1 C. sugar divided

2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese softened

3 T. orange juice or lime juice (I prefer lime squeezed fresh)

3 C. whipped Whipping Cream

1 loaf (10 oz.) pound cake cubed (Sara Lee in the freezer section works great) (We used angel food cake. It was SO good)

1 large chocolate bars, grated

chocolate swirls and strawberries to garnish1.

Toss strawberries with ½ C. sugar. Allow to chill in refrigerator until juicy. (About an hour)

2. Cream together the citrus juice, cream cheese and the remainder of the sugar. Add whip cream and blend until creamy. (Make sure you blend the cream cheese, citrus juice and sugar first, or the acid will curdle the whipped cream.)

3. Drain juice off the strawberries and drizzle onto the cake cubes.4. Layer in trifle bowl as follows:
½ cake cubes on bottom
1/3 cream cheese mixture
½ strawberry mixture
chocolate shavings
the rest of the cake cubes
1/3 cream cheese mixture
the rest of the strawberry mixture
chocolate shavings
the rest of the cream cheese mixture
chocolate shavings
Strawberries to Garnish

Click here to see a picture and/or the video. My mom saw this on "Studio 5" in Utah a while back. It is SO delicious!

Autumn Harvest Pork

In Honor of the Upcoming FALL:
Harvest Pork (from the Sister's Cafe)

1 Cup cider or apple juice
1.5-2 lb pork loin roast
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 large apples, peeled and cubed (Granny Smith or other)
1 1/2 whole butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1/4 Tsp dried thyme
1/4 Tsp dried sage
Heat cider in deep skillet on medium-high heat. Sear pork loin on all sides in cider. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper on all sides and place in crock pot, along with juices. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Combine apples and squash in large bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar and herbs, stirring to coat well. One or two hours before roast is done, arrange the squash and apples around the pork loin. Continue to cook on slow for the remainder of time and until squash/apples are desired tenderness. Remove pork from crock pot, cover with foil, and let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.~

Cranberry Pork Roast

Cranberry Pork Roast
3 Lb Pork Roast, Browned And Placed In Slow Cooker
1 Can Whole Cranberry Sauce
1/4 Cup Steak Sauce (Lea Perrin's)
1 Tbl Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Prepared Mustard
2 Tbl Water
2 Tbl Cornstarch
Combine ingredients and pour over roast. I like to double the sauce recipe. Use half to cook and warm other half of sauce to serve with meat.

Pesto Pasta

Pesto Pasta
From http://www.cooksillustrated.com/ (July 2006)
3/4 Cups Pine Nuts
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Pound Bow Tie Pasta
1/4 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Cups (4 Oz) Fresh Basil
1 Cup Baby Spinach
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
6 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes Or Grape Tomatoes; Halved

Toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden and fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Cook bowtie pasta in boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt until tender (see box). Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon EVOO and cool (about 30 minutes). In a food processor combine 1/4 cup pine nuts, garlic, basil, spinach, pepper, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 EVOO, and 1 teaspoon salt and process until smooth. Add cheese and mayo and process until thoroughly coombined. Just before serving, combine the pesto sauce with the pasta. Fold in remaining pine nuts and tomatoes.
Can add cooked chicken if desired.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

I love this recipe for a few reasons. It is so easy, so tasty, and so quick. After you make this you'll never want to use jar spaghetti sauce again! I've made this with shrimp and with chicken and we loved it both ways. Also, I don't know how much of a difference it makes, but I used stewed tomatoes because that's what I had.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

18 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup dry white wine (I used 1/4 cup red wine vinegar and 3/4 cup chicken broth)
  
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (I used dried)
  
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

I just pour everything over some angel hair pasta (or whatever pasta you like) and mix it up and top with some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese! YUM.

{Chocolate Eclairs-UPDATE}

If any of you were planning on trying the chocolate eclairs I messed up when I typed it up. The powdered sugar is part of the CHOCOLATE SAUCE. Sorry ladies! I went back and fixed it.

Pineapple-glazed chicken breasts

This is my favorite recipe for grilling chicken. Only tips I have is use fresh rosemary if you can and just remember to not over cook the chicken :)

4 servings

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup frozen (thawed) pineapple juice concentrate
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz. each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 slices (1/2 inch thick) fresh pineapple, rind removed and coat with brown sugar(optional)

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small bowl, mix mustard and juice concentrate; reserve 2 Tablespoons. Into remaining mixture, stir garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper; set aside.

2. When grill is heated, rub chicken breasts with oil. Place chicken on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill over medium coals; cover grill. Cook 5 minutes.

3. Add pineapple to grill. Turn chicken; brush with rosemary mixture. Cover grill; cook 6 to 8 minutes longer, brushing chicken occasionally with rosemary mixture and turning chicken and pineapple once, until chicken is fork-tender and juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cute. Discard any remaining rosemary mixture.

4. Place chicken on serving plates. *Spoon reserved 2 tablespoons mustard mixture over chicken (* I just use it as a dipping sauce because it can be a little overpowering). Halve or quarter pineapple slices; serve with chicken.

From "Pillsbury, good for you!" recipe book

Strawberry-banana-orange smoothie

This is supposed to be a rip off recipe from Jamba Juice, I don't know what the name is though. We recently bought a blender, the "Ninja" (it is awesome by the way), so we have been into making smoothies. This one is yummy:

Blend 1 cup of ice until smooth

Then add:
2/3 cup of frozen strawberries
1 banana, sliced
2 scoops of nonfat frozen yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups of orange juice (depending on what texture you like it)

Blend and enjoy!

{Chocolate Eclairs}

3 1/2 Cups Milk
2 French Vanilla Puddings
1 8 oz. Cool Whip
Graham Crackers

Chocolate Sauce:
1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
3T Milk
3T Cocoa
3T Oil
1T Vanilla

Add pudding to milk and beat on low for 2 minutes. Blend in cool whip and powdered sugar. In the bottom of a lightly greased 9x12 pan, layer crackers, pudding, crackers, pudding, and crackers. Use remaining ingredients to make a chocolate syrup and beat with a whip until its runny. Spread chocolate over top and refrigerate over night.

Easy Italian Spiced Pork

This recipe is one of my favorites for grilling. The key is to not over cook the pork. So yummy.
4 servings

1 package (0.6 oz.) Italian Dressing Mix
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless pork loin chops, 3/4 inch thick (1 lb.)
Paprika

1. In small bowl, beat dressing mix, vinegar, Italian seasoning and red pepper with wire whisk until mix is dissolved. Beat in oil until well blended.

2. In shallow glass baking dish, arrange pork chops in single layer. Spread oil mixture over both sides of pork. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to marinate.

3. Meanwhile, heat gas or charcoal grill.

4. When grill is heated, remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Place pork on gas grill over medium-high heat or on charcoal grill over medium-high coals. Sprinkle pork with paprika. Cook uncovered 4 minutes. Turn pork; sprinkle with paprika. Cook uncovered 3 to 6 minutes longer or until pork is slightly pink in center and thermometer inserted in center of pork reads 160 degrees.

From "Good for you!" book by Pillsbury

Fruit Pizza

This is our FAVORITE dessert right now because it is delicious and because there are so many delicious, fresh fruit to put on top in the summer!

CRUST:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt

TOPPING:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp fruit juice
Any sliced fruit (i.e. peaches, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, kiwis, blueberries, pineapples, and so on)

INSTRUCTIONS:
For crust-
Cream first four ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Press onto two round pizza pans (I used my big jelly roll pan and it worked) and bake 10 minutes at 4oo degrees. Let cool completely.

For topping-
Mix ingredients and spread on cooled crust. Top with sliced fruit.

Winger's Sticky Finger Salad

So honestly, I've never even had the Winger's Sticky Finger Salad so I don't know how it compares, but I sure do love this recipe!

Winger's Sticky Finger Salad

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup bread crumbs
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes
croutons
cheddar cheese, grated
ranch dressing
craisins

Sauce-
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Dip chicken breasts into sour cream and then into bread crumbs. Place on a greased sheet pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and crispy. While the chicken is baking, prepare salad and make the sauce for the chicken. To make the sauce, combine the brown sugar, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute, but no longer! If you boil too long it will turn hard. When the chicken is done, dip into sticky sauce and place on a plate. To serve, place sliced strips on top of salad with any additional toppings and ranch dressing. Save the additional sticky dressing as an extra topping for the salad...it adds a little more tang!

Fruit Soup

I served this for a brunch after a temple session. It was really good and easy. I would substitute fresh peaches for the canned peaches though or just leave the peaches out. I also added fresh blueberries along with the rest of the other fresh fruit although I still used the canned Mandarin oranges. It was really refreshing and went well with the other breads and the "special" eggs I served. Make sure you have bowls to serve it in though because it really is similar to soup!

3/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
3 T. tapioca (minute brand quick cooking tapioca)

6 oz. orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups water

2 cans mandarin oranges-drained
1 quart sliced peaches in lite syrup or two or three fresh peaches peeled and sliced into bite sized pieces
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced just before serving
2 bananas, just before serving
1 bag frozen raspberries, thawed but still cool and firm ( or an equivalent amount of fresh) or other berry mix like the tri-berry mix from costco

Bring sugar, 2 cups water and tapioca to a boil. Continue boiling on medium high for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Some tapioca will be clear and other granules will have a white center. Take off heat. Let sit for 30 minutes. (This is when the tapioca will become clear.)
Add 6 oz Orange juice concentrate and 1 1/2 cups water. Chill overnight.

Add mandarin oranges and peaches if using canned. If using fresh peaches, add all fresh or slightly thawed frozen fruit just before serving.
Enjoy!!!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

I made these kabobs a couple weeks ago and they were so good! I halved the recipe for the 3 of us and it was plenty. Also, the marinade is supposed to taste good on vegetables too. Try it, it's easy and so tasty! (Recipe from Allrecipes.com) Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Rated: Submitted By: Theresa Spencer Photo By: chibi chef Prep Time: 50 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour Servings: 6

"This rosemary ranch chicken recipe is so delicious, tender, and juicy the chicken will melt in your mouth. Even the most picky eater will be begging for the last piece."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup ranch dressing 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (or about 1/2 tsp dried rosemary) 2 teaspoons salt (I halved this because some said it was too salty) 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon white vinegar 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional) 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:

1.	In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2.	Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3.	Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

In a RUT

I HATE turning on my oven in the summer....it just makes the house way too hot! What are some of your favorite recipes that do not involve oven cooking? This could be BBQ, Crock Pot, Stove-Top, Microwave, or no-cook.....??

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

This is a yummy treat and I made it and tried it for the first time yesterday! You can buy rhubarb in the produce isle of HyVee on Jordan Creek Parkway. The HyVee on Mills Civic doesn't sell it, I found that out the hard way. You can double the recipe and it works just fine in a 9x13.

*Note-the green leaves on rhubarb are poisonous, so be sure to leave those out of the dish! :)

INGREDIENTS
Filling:
3 cups rhubarb, diced or sliced
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8 inch square dish.

2. To make the topping, in a medium bowl mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter to make a crumbly mixture. Spread half of the topping in the prepared dish. (I think next time I'll just put all of the topping on top, I didn't really see the point of putting it under the filling).

3. To make the filling, in a separate bowl gently toss the rhubarb and strawberries together and spread out into the dish.

4. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle over the rhubarb and strawberries evenly. Top with the remaining crumb mixture. Sprinkle the cold diced butter on top.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the juice is bubbling and the topping is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts)

Barbacoa Beef

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 3-4 chipotle peppers – canned
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp oregano – dried Mexican variety is best
• 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground clove
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil *(I didn’t use in the crockpot)
• 4-5 lbs beef roast (chuck roast is fine)
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 bay leaves

Instructions for Dutch Oven

1. Combine the lime juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt and clove in a blender (you can also use a food processor) and blend at the highest speed until it’s smooth and creamy.
2. Cut the roast up into several smaller pieces and remove any excess fat.
3. In a large dutch oven, heat approximately 2 tbsp of oil and cook each side of the pieces of meat until lightly browned.
4. Pour the adobo sauce over the meat and ad in the chicken broth and bay leaves.
5. Cover and let simmer for about 4 hours, turning every 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Uncover and cook an additional 1 to 2 hours until the meat is easily pulled apart.

Instructions for crock pot

• I obviously didn’t use a dutch oven, I just made it in the crock pot. I first cooked the roast in the crockpot on low 6-8 hours (I’ve also cooked it on high for like 4 hours and it turned out fine too). I put chicken broth (enough to cover the roast halfway), bay leaves, the roast, and then sprinkled the roast with garlic salt and pepper.
• After it cooked for 6-8 hours on low I drained the chicken broth and shredded the meat and then put all of the ingredients as the recipe calls for in with the beef and cooked on low for 1 hour.
• If you don’t use the chipotle peppers, it might be good to at least use the sauce that is in the canned peppers. It doesn’t make it spicy, but it gives a nice smoky flavor. If you wanted a little spice you could may be put one pepper in or remove the seeds from the peppers.

Healthy Potato Salad

It's SUMMERTIME! Did you notice?! That means it is time to BBQ! Hooray! In honor of BBQ season, what are some of your favorite things to take to a BBQ?

I know one staple at BBQ's is Potato Salad. It's not my favorite thing, I'll be honest, but lots of people LOVE it! My cute next door neighbor invented a healthier version of potato salad...and it's delicious, so I thought I'd Share it with you!

Healthy Potato Salad
1 mini bag yellow or red Klondike Potatoes
1 Container 0% Fat Greek Fage Yogurt
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 1/2 TBS Dijon Mustart
1 Cup diced celery hearts
1/2 cup green onion
2 1/2 Tbsp. Frontier Bac'Uns (veggie bites)

Boil potatoes 8-10 minutes. Cool and slice into small thin circles, leaving the skin on. In a large bowl, mix all other ingredients and then add potatoes. Let chill in fridge one hour.

Yummy Cannelloni

So I follow this blog called "This week for dinner" and I was browsing through it and found this one. I thought it sounded good and different enough that I wouldn't be bored of the flavor. Here is the recipe that I got from the blog. Her words are in black and mine are in red

Cannelloni

Cannelloni is one of my favorite things to order at an Italian restaurant. Which means I had to figure out a way to make it at home, of course! I gave it a try this week and it was so so yummy. Here’s what I did!

Cannelloni
FILLING: will fill ~8 cannelloni, maybe up to 10
- 1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded
- 1/4 C fresh, shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 C ricotta cheese ( I didn't have ricotta so I used feta, Mindy said to substitute cottage cheese instead next time because they are more similar)
- 1/2 C shredded mozzarella (I swear I thought I had mozzarella but I didn't so I used shredded chedder)
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1 garlic clove, minced or use garlic press ( I have the already minced garlic you buy in a jar)
- 1 T chopped fresh basil (maybe a little more than 1 T) ( I didn't use fresh and only added 2 tsp)
- 1/4 t pepper
- 1/2 t salt

SAUCE:
- 1 1/2 C jarred marinara (you could make your own, but this is faster and tasted great)
- 1/2 C cream
- 24 grape tomatoes, smashed up a bit (I pulsed in the blender a few times) (I just got regular tomatoes and used about 5, probably each was about the size of 3 plum tomatoes, I chopped and I we really liked the chunks of fresh-tasting tomatoes)
- 1/4 – 1/2 C shredded asiago cheese (so... all I could find was something that had three different cheeses in it by the feta cheese that looked like it was in a parmesian container but one of the cheeses in it was asiago... it was good enough)

SHELLS:
Ideally I suppose you make your own pasta, roll it into thin sheets and cut into rectangles. Yeah, THAT’S gonna happen around here….so, I tried two readily-available pastas.

All I did was get the regular lasagna noodles and boil them for 3-4 minutes then pulled them out and rolled them up. Make sure to boil AT LEAST 3 minutes or they will crack. Only pull one out at a time and roll up or they get cold and CRACK. I boiled 3-5 at a time. I ended up making 12 rolls... I guess I didn't fill them up as much as I should have but it was really good still. AND I used a 6 x 9 glass baking dish and they fit perfectly. Okay that is ALL the changes I made...

Barilla No-Boil Homemade Style (Flat) Lasagna Noodles: These were PERFECT. Boil 3 minutes, CAREFULLY remove from the water (it’s easy to crack them in the middle, so be gentle!). Filling them is a cinch…just lay the rectangle out portrait (you know, tall-wise), lay your filling across the noodle near the end, then roll up! (I had a few cracks when I took them out of the water, but the noodle overlaps itself when you roll it up, so it wasn’t a problem) Pictured RIGHT.

Manicotti Shells: I also tried manicotti shells. They didn’t taste quite as good, and they’re harder to stuff. So, I will definitely do the flat, no-boil lasagna noodles from now on. Pictured LEFT.

DIRECTIONS:
Mix filling ingredients.

Mix sauce ingredients and warm on the stove (doesn’t need to cook too long or get too hot).

Spray a rectangular casserole dish or metal cake pan with spray oil. Stuff cannelloni (see noodle descriptions above). Place stuffed cannelloni in the pan. Cover with sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mangia!

Makes approximately 8 cannelloni…Nate and I each ate 2, and the girls had 1 each. Fed our family of 4 with 2 cannelloni left over.

Lime Rice

I throw all this in my rice cooker and let it do all the work. I do like to open it up after it starts to steam and stir it up really quick. This makes quite a bit. I usually only make a third of it.

2 Tbls butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 teaspoon chicken bullion
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (i've used dried cilantro before too)
2 tsp. cumin
2 small cans diced green chilies
1 Tbls lime juice (i add a little extra)
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cups rice
water (follow instructions on rice package to know how much water to add)

Cinco De Mayo

Ok, we LOVE cinco de mayo! If you haven't already posted your favorite Mexican dish, or if you just have more that you want to share...please post your favorite Mexican recipe(s) for the month of May!

Sweet Pork

I know this isn't really that much like Cafe Rio pork, and it's SUPER easy...but we still love it!I've tried many of the Cafe Rio copycat recipes, and I still prefer this one!

Sweet Pork
1 pork roast
1-2 bottles of Pace Picante Salsa (mild or medium)
Brown Sugar

Cook pork roast and 1/2 cup water in crockpot on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 (8-10 if frozen). Drain juices, and shred pork. At this point, you can refrigerate, freeze, or immediately use the pork. You can freeze all together in a freezer bag, or you can freeze it in individually sized portions. To continue:

Place shredded pork roast, 1 bottle pace picante sauce and 1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar (to taste) in your crockpot. You can add more or less pace depending on how big your pork roast is. You want it mixed in well, but you don't want it to be too juicy. Cook until pork is warmed through. Prior to serving, it helps to drain some of the excess juice.

Serve on tortillas with all your favorite sides: beans, rice, corn, salsa, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, etc!

Mango Salsa

Avocado, Tomato, and Mango Salsa

1 mango

1 avocado

4 med tomatoes, diced (I usually don't end up using all 4 tomatoes because it seems like a lot, just eyeball it)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

2 TB fresh lime juice

¼ cup chopped red onion

3 TB olive oil (I omit this or do may be 1/2 tsp, otherwise I think it's too oily)

Combine and refrigerate for 30 min

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

1 Yellow Onion
Cilantro (about 1/3 of the bundle)
1 t Minced Garlic
1 Can of Diced or Stewed Tomatoes
1/2 t Cumin
1 t Crushed Red pepper
4 C Chicken Broth
2-3 Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Shredded

Fry the sliced onion, chopped cilantro, and garlic in a little bit of oil. Puree this mixture with the tomatoes in a blender. Return the sauce to the frying and add the cumin. Simmer 5-6 minutes until the sauce thickens. In a separate pot bring the chicken broth to boil, add the red pepper, chicken and sauce (some people also add corn). Simmer 15-20 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve with tortilla chips and a little cheddar cheese on top. Or (our personal favorite) serve with quesadillas for dipping.

Cream Cheese Cresent Breakfast Rolls

These are so DELICIOUS!

2 tubes cresent rolls
2 pkgs 8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c margarine or butter(melted)

Press seams together of one tube of cresents. Mix together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread on top of cresents. Place other tube of cresents on top and seal the edges. Baste with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake @ 350 for 30 min.

I halved the recipe and yes I used the whole package of cream cheese. Usually if you use all the cream cheese it's an over powering flavor but not for this recipe. Also I put as much cinnamon and sugar as I wanted on top to my liking. There are measurements but I don't have them. These are definatly being added to my recipe book!

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter

Want something delicious to put on your

Braided Bread???

Mmmmm....LOVE love LOVE the

Cinnamon Butter at T.R.

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter

1 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, chilled

1/2 teaspoon corn syrup

3/4-1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste

Directions: Place all ingredients in a food processor

and blend until mixture is smooth.

Serve with hot rolls or muffins.

This may be stored in the refrigerator.SOURCE: www.recipezaar.com

(side note: I put a little more milk in and more cinnamon but like the recipe states

its to taste so whatever floats your boat!)

Braided Bread

Braided Bread Recipe from

the MADE blog

Click HERE for complete recipe, easy instructions,

and pictures to guide you through!!

Love the MADE blog and this bread.

P.s. I was short 1 cup of white flour when making this so i just

used 1 cup of my wheat flour and I thought it still turned out great!

Yummy Corn Bread

This is the BEST corn bread recipe I have ever tried. It still tastes great several days after making it if it lasts that long. So here it is, sorry no pic

Dry Ingred
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup corn meal
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Wet Ingred.
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbs melted butter (not marg)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk

Blend the dry ingred together and then blend the wet ingred together and then combine the two. Pour in greased 8x8 square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 min.

*make sure it is cooked in the center before taking it out. I have to bake mine a few minutes extra to ensure the middle is cooked.

Nainano Squares

Hey all, this is my first post on this blog and I'm excited. I made this Canadian treat in honor of the Olympics a few weeks ago and they were very tasty!!! It is one of my friends recipes and she highly recommended trying it- and I agree.

Nainano Squares (don't worry, I can't pronounce it either)

the crust:
2 c. graham crackers, finely crushed

1 c. coconut

1/2 c. finely chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

1 stick butter, melted

1/4 c. sugar

5 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 beaten egg

Mix graham crackers, coconut and nuts in a bowl. Set aside.

In a second bowl, mix the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and beaten egg.

Combine graham cracker mixture with the cocoa powder mixture. Press into bottom of 9x13 glass baking dish.

the filling:

2 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. dry vanilla pudding (from box)

1 stick softened butter

3 Tbsp. milk

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Spread over crust and chill for at least 2 hours. *chilling is essential!*

the top:

2 oz. unsweetened or semi-sweet Baker's chocolate

2 oz. sweetened chocolate chips (I think I use a little more than 2 oz. though)

Melt chocolates together. *note, make sure to melt it over low heat or it will burn very fast! I made this mistake!
Spread chocolate mixture over chilled filling. You must do this quickly, as the chocolate hardens very fast.

*Score or cut dessert into squares (or rectangles...whatever) before chilling, otherwise the chocolate topping will break unevenly when you go to cut and serve.

*This dessert tastes best when it is served chilled, right out of the fridge.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Ranch Chicken

Crock Pot Ranch Chicken (sorry, no picture)

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts (I like to cut them into halves or thirds, so they are more like tenders)
Red Potatoes, peeled and halved
1 8oz. brick cream cheese (I use low fat), softened.
3 Tbs. Ranch powder (one packet is 3 tbs.)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup water

Wisk together (or mix with your beaters...it's easier) cream cheese, ranch powder, and cream of chicken soup. Then mix in water. Place red potatoes in bottom of crock pot. Place chicken on top of potatoes. Pour sauce mixture on top. Cook for 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low!

"Special Beans"

At our house, we call these "special beans." They're yummy, and a little "Extra" than just regular old green beans.

You will need:
Frozen Green Beans
McCormick Grill Mates: Montreal Steak Seasoning
about 1 tsp. Cooking Oil (I use extra virgin olive oil, but you could use whatever you want)

Warm oil on the stove. Add frozen beans and cook until warm. Sprinkle with seasoning (a little goes a long way). That's it, but they're awesome! My 2 1/2 year old asks for seconds!

Cinnamon Bread

At everyone's request, here is the recipe for the delicious bread:

Cinnamon Bread:

I found online (I can't remember exactly where, but you could search it by Captain Briggs House Bed & Breakfast)

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Cup Plus 1/2 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Cup Buttermilk (I always keep powdered buttermilk in my fridge, so I can reconstitute it for things like this. I have several recipes that call for it. You can also buy buttermilk in cartons)

2 Tsp Baking Soda

4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

2 Tbl Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two loaf pans with nonstick spray. Mix together oil, 2 cups sugar, eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and flour in large bowl. Pour a quarter of batter into each prepared pan. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle a quarter of sugar mixture in each pan. Pour remaining batter equally between pans. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Swirl a knife through batter. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove bread from pans and place on wax paper. Slice when completely cool (I didn't wait that long, I wanted to eat it warm!!). Yields 2 loaves.