Khao Soi

For those of you who don't know- this is the coconut-curry recipe that I got from my brother-in-law who works at a Thai restaurant in Portland. (This picture is of the first step, with the paste, I don't have a picture of the final product) The restaurant is all about cooking authentic Thai food, just like the street vendors in Thailand. They hand-press coconuts and do all sorts of crazy preparation all in the name of authenticity. Last year they got restaurant of the year in Portland. Anyways, after a little tweaking so as not to infringe on proprietorship, I finally got the go-ahead to pass this little gem along. It makes a big batch so we always add more chicken, veggies and whatever to keep extending the sauce. The sauce contains turmeric so watch out- it stains! It eventually washes off spoons, counters and clothes but you might have some yellow-tainted stuff for a while. You'll need to go to an asian market to get a lot of the ingredients, but once you have everything it is super easy. Enjoy!

1 can red curry paste (I got MAESRI brand)
+
1/8 cup turmeric
+
1/2 Tablespoon shrimp paste

*Fry above ingredients together with 1/2-3/4 cup oil over medium heat, stirring frequently

* When paste is fragrant, add:
1/4 cup sweet soy sauce
1 1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/8 cup fish sauce
5 oz (2 1/2 pucks) palm sugar
2 1/2 quarts stock (chicken or vegetable)

*Stir and then add:
2-3 lb chicken thigh, bone in
OR
2-3 quart sliced king oyster or any regular mushroom
(I have also added green beans & spinach to make it heartier)

*Bring to a boil then immediately simmer for approximately 5 minutes

*Take off heat, add:
1, 19 oz can cocnut milk (Chaokoh brand is good), and whisk

*Serve with lots of rice

There you have it! Let me know if you have questions on certain ingredients.

Another Food Blog!

Tannya just started her own food blog. Everything she makes is amazing! So, I recommend checking out her site if you are interested in some recipe yumminess!

Did you know...

Melissa has a recipe blog?! She has some divine looking recipes on her site. You can check them out at this link.

Summer Chicken Salads

I was looking on Becky Higgins' Recipe Blog today and found this Chicken and Grape Salad recipe. It reminded me how much I love my Mother-In-Laws recipe for this too. So, I pulled out both recipes this afternoon and fused them to our favorite parts of both.

First, I will add the way I made mine tonight:

Margaret's Hybrid Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped

16 oz. pasta shells, cooked

4 stalks celery

chopped 2 c. grapes, halved

1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

1 c. mayonnaise (maybe a touch more)

curry powder (to taste)

lemon pepper (to taste)

garlic salt (to taste)

Directions:

Mix mayo, garlic salt, curry powder, and lemon pepper to taste.

Add celery, grapes, chicken, slivered almonds, and pasta.

Mix well and serve with other summer goodies like corn on the cob.

Note: When I make it next time, I plan to switch the almonds for walnuts because it's tastier to me. I also would like to add some waterchestnuts for crunch.

_______________________________________

Here is my mother-in-law's recipe, which does not have the pasta in it, but it's SO good served on croissant rolls!

Ludene's Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts
Mayonnaise
Garlic Salt or Powder
Curry Powder
Onion

Lemon Juice
Lemon Pepper
Celery, chopped
Waterchestnuts
Walnuts, optional
Grapes

Directions:

Bake chicken breasts. Cool and cut.

Mix Mayo, Lemon juice, garlic salt or powder, curry, onion, lemon pepper to taste.

Chop celery, water chestnuts, (walnuts).

Add grapes.

Mix all!

Note: Serve in croissant rolls.

_________________________

Do you have any variations on this? I'd love your ideas.

Or, do you have any other summer favorite recipes to share?

If you try these recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Favorite Recipe

Hey Mommy Recipe Girls!

Thanks to Tania for the recent recipe post. I hope the rest of you mommies come back when you get a chance!

I've been wondering what your most favorite recipes are that you have tried from this blog?! What kind of recipes would you like to see on this blog? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Also, Brooke is looking for some tradition ideas for what she can do on the last day of school with her kids...any food related ideas for her?

Also, I've found some recipe blogs lately that you might be interested in...some you may have seen before:

A Year of Crockpotting

Blogger Buffet

Pioneer Women's Recipes

Not So Secret Family Recipes

Mmm...Cafe

Better Than Drive Thru (Girls from SC4th Ward)

Have you found any amazing recipe blogs lately? Tell me. Tell me!

Love you all!

Spicy Apple-Carrot Muffins

So, I've been trying my hand at making up muffin recipes since I LOVE warm muffins any time of the year. Here's my latest creation.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. flax seed meal (or more if you like)
1 large egg
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 finely grated carrot (about 1 medium carrot)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fill "regular" sized muffin cups 3/4 full, using paper bake cups or Pam. Bake for 20 min. Makes 12 muffins. Per muffin: 203 calories, 7 grams fat, 32 grams carbs, 3.5 grams protein.

"sending love by the bowlful"

Martha Stewart Magazine had a terrific idea for those of us whose mothers are not close by on Mother's Day.

"This Mother's Day, prepare a hearty - and heartwarming - breakfast for Mom, even if you're miles away. Choose a store-bought granola loaded with her favorite fruits and nuts, or make a homemade batch. Pack a bowl and spoon for the cereal, as well as some delicious (herbal) tea and a tea bowl to warm her hands. Add a handwritten note and a bouquet of color paper flowers. Mail in a well-padded box. (For recipes and templates, visit marthastewart.com/breakfast-bouquet.)"

Isn't that so cute. The note in the picture says "Wish I was with you to enjoy this breakfast. Happy Mother's Day! XOX"

Hearty Meat Lasagna

I am going to put a plug in here for my favorite cookbook "The New Best Recipe Book" from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated. On one date night, Greg and I decided instead of going out to dinner, we would each buy a book instead. I think we had a $15 budget. Well, I was drawn to this book. It was over my "budgeted" amount but I told him I really wanted it and batted my eyelashes sweetly. He without thinking twice told me to get it and he would use the leftover amount to get himself a paperback. Isn't that sweet? Anyway, it was WELL worth it because this is a great cookbook! The premise is that they tried 1,000 recipes in every version possible until the found the best recipe for different dishes. At the beginning of every recipe is a description of their testing process and how they decided this recipe was the very best one. Every recipe I've tried is delicious and just as they described. Local friends~ They have it at the library if you want to try it out before buying it!

So tonight I decided to try their lasagna recipe and it was a HUGE hit! In fact, Greg said "Holy Good Lasagna!" (On the first bite and without any prompting from me. ha ha.) I hadn't even told him that I added heavy cream at that point or that I used THE book. But, he said at the end of the meal that he was sure that was the "best lasagna I'd ever had!" Yeah for that! And here it is so you can get the WOW from your family too!

HEARTY MEAT LASAGNA

from "The New Best Recipe Book" by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated.

INGREDIENTS

Tomato-Meat Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 lb meat loaf mix or 1/3 pound each ground beef chuck, ground veal, ground pork* (see note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream (also known as heavy whipping cream)
1 (28 ounce) can pureed tomatoes

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomato, drained

Ricotta Mozzarella and Pasta Layers:
15 ounces whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese (1 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 lb whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (4 cups)

*Note* The recipe says: If you can't find meat loaf mix for the sauce, or if you choose not to eat veal, substitute 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, for the meat loaf mix. I say: I couldn't find what I needed so I cheated and used a pound of ground beef. Shhh....don't tell!

DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. For the sauce: Pre-heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cook about 2 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium high. Add meat, salt and pepper. Cook until meat loses it's raw color, but has not browned, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and only the fat remains, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the pureed and drained diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to low until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set the sauce aside. (The sauce can be cooled, covered, and refigerated for 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)

6. For the Layers: Mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the parmesan, the basil, egg, salt, pepper in a medium bowl and mix with a fork until creamy and well combined, set aside.
7. Smear the entire bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of the sauce. (avoid large chunks of meat.) Place 3 noodles on top of the sauce. Drop 3 T. of the ricotta mixture onto each of the noodles and smear with the back of a spoon.
8. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the cheese mixture. Top with 3 more noodles. Continue the layering process of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times.
9. Place the remaining 3 noodles on the sauce, spread with remaining sauce, sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup of parmesan.
10. Lightly spray large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover dish with foil and bake 15 minutes.
11. Remove foil and bake about 25 minutes until the cheese is spotty brown and the sauce is bubbling.
12. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

Other note: The assembled, unbaked lasagna, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, defrost it in the refrigerator for a day or two and bake as directed, extending the baking time by 5 minutes.

Banoffee Pie

This dessert was served to us in our early months of being in Ireland by Daragh, a great guy, one of the engineers Paul works with. He made it in honor of our visit, as Americans; it was offered up as an 'American Dessert,' however, we had never heard of it before. Perhaps some of you have? Well, so far in Ireland, we've discovered this to be a classic Irish dessert on menus all over the place! It is fabulous!...and not surprisingly, it is so simple, it just may remind you of something else you've had before... This is exactly as he gave it to us, and I'm sure you can guess what cling-film is...;-). Enjoy!!

Banoffee Pie
(Rhapsody on a theme of Sue Cullinane)

1xtin condensed full cream sweetened milk
3oz butter
8oz digestive biscuits (about 4 bikkies less than a full pack of Hobnobs-like graham crackers)
4-6 bananas, depending on size
Juice of ½ lemon
1 medium sized carton double cream (or whipping cream)
A few drops of vanilla essence
Grated, dark chocolate (100g bar)
Toasted almond flakes

Put the unopened tin of condensed milk into a saucepan, keep covered with water, and simmer for 3 hours [for future recipes, you can do this with as many condensed milk cans as will fit into the pan, use the one for the recipe, then store the rest until you're ready to use them].

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs (put them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin). Add the crushed biscuits to the butter and mix well. Line the base of the tin with the biscuit mix, pat down and smooth with the back of a spoon. Leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour.

Open the tin of milk and be amazed as toffee emerges from within. Spread the toffee over the biscuit base, using the back of a spoon. If the toffee is too sticky, wet the spoon with water.
Slice the bananas into a bowl, squeeze some lemon juice over them, and toss. Arrange the banana slices on top of the toffee.

Whip the cream and add the vanilla essence. Spread over the bananas.

Sprinkle the cream with grated chocolate and toasted almond flakes.

Cover with cling-film (or whatever comes to hand) and leave to chill in the fridge (it’s fine to leave it overnight if you need to).

Eat and be happy :>)

Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese

Hi everyone! We've used this recipe for about the last 7 years and it's incredibly tasty (yes, loaded with dairy if you're up for it) and a great comfort food for those cold days. If you can find gruyere cheese as it states in the recipe, it gives it a wonderful flavor. Reheats beautifully. Makes a ton!...With the cayenne, it can actually have quite a kick, so if you want it mild, go easy. Do a taste test before sticking it in the oven. It's fabulous with the freshly made croutons (which can also be crumbled and not cubed). Serves 12. You can easily divide this recipe in half: Use a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Enjoy!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese(about 18 ounces)
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese(about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Heat oven to 375°. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.

2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.

3. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

4. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.

5. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce

6. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

This is my favorite recipe for cheesecake! Chocolate AND cheesecake. MMM!
Crust:
2 C. vanilla wafer crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Caramel:
1-14 oz. bag Kraft caramels
1-5 oz. can evaporated milk
1 C. chopped pecans, toasted
(I've also used 3/4 a jar of Mrs. Richardson's caramel ice cream topping in place of the caramels and milk)

Cake:
3-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate pieces, melted

Combine crumbs and margarine: press into bottom of deep 9" pie or springform pan, or use 2 smaller pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.
Melt caramel with milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Pour over crust. Top with pecans.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla; mixing at medium speed with mixer until smooth and well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in chocolate; pour over pecans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan by running a knife around the edge. Cool before removing from pan. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream. Yum!
Note: The caramel will run up the side of the cake as it bakes. It just adds to the yumminess.

Sour Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is my favorite cheesecake other than plain cheesecake. It's especially great to have on special occasions. Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Recipe By: Libby's Source: Home Baked Goodness: 60 Festive Desserts, Breads, and Cookies

INGREDIENTS

CRUST
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine -- melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar

CHEESECAKE
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S 100% Pure Pumpkin
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz can) Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

TOPPING
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


For Crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Cool on wire rack.

For Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs, and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg; beat well. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minuted or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. (I recommend placing it on the cookie sheet because even my best springform pans have leaked a bit with this recipe.)

For Topping: Combine sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla in small bowl. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes more. Cool in pan on wire rack. Chill for several hours or overnight**; remove side of pan. Garnish with strawberries, if wish.

YUMMY!!!

Cheesecake

1 package graham crackers
3/4 cube butter

3 packages cream cheese (8 oz. each)
1 C sugar
1 1/2 C sour cream (12 oz.)
1 t. vanilla
4 eggs


Crush or blend graham crackers. Place in spring form pan. Mix in butter and press into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Put in pan with graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serve with your favorite cheesecake toppings.

Poor Brown Rice Vegetable Casserole

Mommy recipe friends I apologize if you tried the Brown Rice Vegetable Casserole and had problems with the rice cooking. Since making this recipe the first time, I had issues with the rice not cooking in time. I discovered recently that I made a transcription error. There needs to be 3 cups of chicken broth not 1 cup as I had originally had posted. If you tried the recipe and were disappointed, don't hold it against the poor brown rice vegetable casserole! I encourage you to try it again, because it really is delicious! I have edited the original post to the correct amount.

Cappuchino Mousse Trifle

My hubby and I love Tiramisu. However, it is so time consuming to make that I rarely ever make it. So when I found this recipe, in one of my Pampered Chef cookbooks, which is very similar to Tiramisu, and OH SO MUCH easier, it was an instant hit! Enjoy!

Cappuccino Mousse Trifle

Recipe:
1 (16 ounces) frozen prepared pound cake
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1/3 cup instant coffee granules
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
2 containers (8 ounces each) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 square (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate for baking

1. Cut pound cake into 1-inch cubes; set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk milk and instant coffee granules. Let stand 5 minutes or until dissolved.

3. Pour 1 cup of the milk mixture a measuring cup; set aside. Add pudding mix to remaining milk mixture in bowl; whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Gently fold in one container of whipped topping.

4. To assemble trifle, place 1/3 of the cake cubes into bottom of a bowl. Pour 1/3 of the reserved milk mixture evenly over cake cubes. Top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture, pressing lightly. Grate 1/4 of the chocolate over pudding mixture. Repeat layers 2 more times, reserving the remaining grated chocolate for garnish.

5. Fill a decorator with 1 cup of the remaining whipped topping; set aside. Spread remaining whipped topping over entire top of trifle, creating a smooth surface. Decorate by piping rosettes around edge of bowl. Grate remaining chocolate in center; sprinkle with cinnamon.

Yield: 10 servings

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, if you give it a try!

Turkey Pot Pie

This is a new family favorite. I came up with this recipe when I tried to follow a different recipe and I didn't have sour cream. After consulting with my sister I decided to try it with cream cheese. She said the lemon juice would make it a little more "sour." We tried it and loved it. I made it last night and I used cream cheese again even though I have sour cream in my fridge. I hope you will enjoy it as much as my family does.

uncooked pie crust for top and bottom ( I like store bought :) )
1 1/2 cups of chopped, cooked turkey ( I use my frozen left overs from Christmas )
1 cup cooked, cubed potatoes (about 1 medium potato)
1 cup cooked, diced carrots
1/2 cup corn or peas (optional)
1/2 medium onion, sauteed

1 can cream of chicken soup (condensed)
4 oz of cream cheese
1 tsp of lemon juice
1/3 cup of water
Seasoning of your choice - I use Season all, salt and pepper

Line pie pan with the crust, saving the top half. Mix all the other ingredients together and heat them until they are bubbling. Pour into pie crust and cover with top half of crust. Make 5 small slits in the top of the crust. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

*Here is a little hint on the potatoes and carrots. My sister only uses this recipe for her leftovers so the potatoes and carrots are all ready cooked. We really like this recipe so I use it more and so I use my Pampered Chef little black steamer to cook the veggies. I add a little water in the bottom and in about 5 or 6 minutes they are tender enough.

Yummy Dinner Rolls

Here is my favorite recipe for rolls. I LOVE bread, my downfall, I know. These also make delicious cinnamon rolls.

Combine in a saucepan over low heat just until the butter is almost completely melted:

1 Cup milk
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
1/3 to 1/2 Cup butter, margarine, or shortening (butter's best)
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt

In a large bowl mix:

2 Cups all purpose flour
2 pkgs OR 2 scant Tbsp. yeast

Pour milk mix over flour mixture and add two eggs. Beat mixture until smooth and shiny. You can use the bread machine for this but I like to do it by hand, with a spoon, of course.

Add flour one cup at a time until dough is no longer sticky --about 2 1/2 more cups. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead until the ball is smooth and elastic. About 5-8 minutes.
Spray a bowl with Pam and put dough in turning once. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Punch dough down and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into rolls--whichever shape you prefer and cover. Let rise about 20-30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with butter. Yummm! Makes 18-24 rolls.

June's Homemade Scones

(I got this recipe on the internet)

2 pkgs. dry yeast
1/2 c. warm (not hot) water
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. mashed potatoes
3 tbsp. sugar
1 stick butter
1 tsp. salt
2 c. scalded milk (cool to lukewarm)
2 eggs, beaten
7 c. flour
Deep hot fat for frying

Soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar.

In large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, 3 tablespoons sugar, butter, salt, milk, eggs, softened yeast and 2 cups flour. Mix thoroughly and let rise 1 hour.

Stir mixture down and add remainder flour, about 5 cups. Knead for several minutes. Place in greased bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Roll out on lightly floured surface to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut into strips, squares or rounds; let rise until light and fluffy, about 20 minutes. Fry in hot deep fat at 375 degrees until golden brown on both sides.

Amazing Syrup!

2 C. Butter (Margarine does not work as well)
2 C. Sugar
1 C. Buttermilk (Add a little bit of vinegar to regular milk)
2 T. Karo Syrup
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda

Bring butter, sugar, buttermilk and Karo syrup to a boil for 5 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Then add vanilla and baking soda. Use a large pan as it will foam up. This recipe makes a lot of syrup.

Note: It's hard to go back to regular maple syrup after using this delisiously, buttery syrup. It is especially delicious on buttermilk pancakes and Belgian waffles. And scones too, especially after the syrup has been refrigerated, because it becomes hardened but spreadable.

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

(See picture attached to Chicken Roll recipe)

Potatoes, peeled
Milk
Salt

I love these potatoes because they taste so good and they don't have to have butter in them. I think they're so fluffy because they don't have butter in them. Here's how I do it.

1. Peel as many potatoes as your family will eat (and more--I'm making scones today with leftover mashed potatoes and will post the recipe if they turn out yummy.)

2. Steam or boil them until a fork pokes through them easily. Steaming takes about 20 minutes. They will steam faster if you cut the potatoes into quarters or thirds.

3. Pour steamed/(drained) potatoes into an electric mixing bowl. Add salt to taste and pour a little bit of milk in.

4. Whip the potatoes, adding milk as necessary until they become fluffy. Unless you've overcooked your potatoes, you cannot overmix them.

Sorry there's no measurements, but that's what makes this recipe easy and flexible.

Chicken Rolls

Makes 16 rolls

2 C. cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1 package cream cheese, 8 oz.
4 oz. mushrooms, drained (I left these out because my kids don't like them)
1 t. sage or poultry seasoning

2 pkgs. Pillsbury crescent rolls
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/4-1/2 C. bread crumbs

Mix first 4 ingredients together. Put walnut size scoops on opened up crescent rolls. Roll up into balls and seal edges. Dip in melted butter, then in bread crumbs. Place on cookie sheet. (I spray cookie sheet with Pam.) Bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Skillet Lasagna

We tried this recipe last week and it is so quick, only 29 minutes, and so delicious! We love lasagna, but I hate how long it usually takes to make. This is a fabulous alternative!


Skillet Lasagna

from The Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes to Dinner cookbook

1 jar (24 - 26 oz) marinara sauce
3 cups water
8 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage (casings removed)
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 oz Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Additional grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Combine sauce and water in 12" Skillet. Cover; bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, wrap noodles in clean kitchen towel and break crosswise into quarters. Stir noodles into sauce. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 16 - 18 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. As noodles cook, place sausage into 10" skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat 6 - 8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Add pressed garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir sausage into noodles and sauce.

4. Meanwhile, grate Parmesan cheese. Chop parsley; set aside about 1 Tbsp parsley for garnish. Combine cheeses, remaining parsley and black pepper in bowl. Scoop cheese mixture over noodles. Cover skillet and simmer gently 3 - 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and ricotta mixture is heated through.

5. To serve, sprinkle lasagna with reserved parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 6 servings

The first time I made it I was out of lasagna noodles, so I made it with bow tie pasta, which was very yummy too! Also, if you use no-boil lasagna noodles reduce cooking time to 10 - 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Snicker Cake

Garrett & I were just making my birthday cake for tomorrow and thought it might be a recipe you all would enjoy. It is my favorite cake and I always request it for my birthday. I am not even that big of a chocolate fan and this one rocks my world!

1 German Chocolate cake mix
1 (14 oz) package of Kraft caramels
1/3 c. Milk
1 stick of butter (or margarine)
1 c. nuts, your choice (I use less)
1 (6 oz) package of chocolate chips (We like the BIG chocolate chips you can get in bulk at Winco.

Mix cake as directed on the package. Melt the caramels along with the milk & butter over low heat. Pour about 1/2 or less of the batter into your 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or less until toothpick that is inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and pour caramel mixture over the cake. Sprinkle it with nuts (We put nuts on about half of it) and chocolate chips. Pour remaining cake batter over cake and caramel mixture. (This is when we took the picture) Return to oven and bake for 20 min. at 250. Then back at 350 for an additional 10 minutes. This is good enough you don't need to bother with frosting.
* We think it taste better the second day. It gives it time to cool which will allow you to better taste the different layers and the chocolate chips cool and become crunchy inside.

Now I can't wait until tomorrow!

Black Bean Salsa

Makes 3 cups

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz.)
1 C tomatoes, seeded, diced
1/2 C red onion, diced
1/2 C fresh cilantro, minced
2 T. jalapeno, seeded, minced
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, tossing well to coat. Chill salsa until ready to serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Makes 8 cups

2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 C. chopped Onion
2 T. minced garlic
3 corn tortillas (6" size) cut into 1" pieces
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (10 1/2 oz.)
4 C. chicken broth
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. cayenne
2 C. cooked turkey or chicken, shredded or cubed
1 1/2 C. frozen corn kernels (or a can of corn)
1/2 C. heavy cream
1 C. monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 T. fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper
Black Bean Salsa
Sour Cream
Avacado
Tortilla chips

Heat oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium-high; add onions and garlic, and saute 3 minutes. Stir in the tortilla pieces and saute until they are no longer crisp. Add tomatoes, broth, and spices, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, let cool 5 minutes, then puree soup base in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return soup to pot.

Add turkey or chicken, corn, and cream. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, or until beginning to thicken. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle in cheese, and stir until melted. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Black Bean Salsa (see recipe posted), sour cream, avacado, and/or chips.

My Favorite Minestrone

1 ½ pounds Ground Beef – pre-cooked
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 can Garbanzo Beans
1 can Pinto Beans
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Stewed Tomatoes
¼ cup Dry Lentils
2 cloves Pressed Garlic
1 Onion, diced
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
8 cups Vegetable or Beef Broth
¾ cup Barley
1 cup celery diced
1 cup carrots, diced
8 oz small pasta shells

Combine everything but pasta. Simmer on stove for 1 hour. Add Pasta and continue simmering till cooked. Top with grated cheese and croûtons. Serves 10+

I usually serve it with croûtons, but we were out this past week, so I made rolls instead. This soup makes ALOT. It was enough for 2 meals for my family, and I have big eaters (2 bowls each easily.) Since it makes so much, it's great for company as well!

I'd love to hear if you give it a try, and what you think. Enjoy!

The Yummiest Lasagna Ever!

This is my friend's stepmom's recipe and I have never tasted a better lasagna. We used to fight over the leftovers. It's that good. So- I made it yesterday and I just HAD to share it with all of my mommy buddies. As one mom pointed out, you do have to cook the lasagna noodles, but it is worth it! Better yet, double the batch and make two whole pans so you'll have lots of leftovers. Let me know what you think when you make it!

Jackie's Lasagna

Bakes at 350 F for 20-30 min
2T butter
1 lb hamburger
1 clove garlic, minced
1t salt
1t pepper
1t sugar
2- 8oz cans tomato sauce
8 oz lasagna noodles
6 green onions, chopped
8 oz cream cheese (1 pkg)
1 c sour cream
1 lb cheese, grated (cheddar or mozarella work fine)

Combine first five ingredients; saute until meat is done. Add sugar and tomato sauce; simmer 20 minutes. Cook noodles. Combine cut up green onions with cream cheese and sour cream. In a greased casserole dish, place 1/3 of noodes, 1/3 of cream cheese mixture, 1/3 meat mixture and 1/3 grated cheese in successive layers. Enjoy!

Honey-Curry Chicken

This past summer, right after I delivered our last baby, a number of friends brought us dinners. This was one of our favorites, from my friend Lisa! It is so yummy, and VERY easy to make!

HONEY-CURRY CHICKEN

In a 9x13 pan, mix the following:

4 TBSP butter (optional)
1/2 Cup honey
1/2 tsp curry
1/4 cup mustard
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
Soy sauce to taste (about 1-2 TBSP)

Now throw some chicken breasts, or chicken tenders (boneless is best), into the pan and mix it all around and bake it for about an hour. I cover it for the first 45 min. Then usually uncover for the last 15 min. Best served over rice, as the sauce is VERY tasty and tastes good over rice with some veggies!! Yum!

Let me know if you try it!

Taco Soup

This recipe was passed on to me by my mother-in-law. It is one of our family staple meals because we all love it. I also love that it's easy to make. I made a few minor changes to her original recipe based on the tastes of our family.

I am sure your family has a variation of this recipe too. I'd love if you left a comment and told me what it is. I also found a variation of it on Becky Higgins' Blog at the following link and she did a demonstration of the tortilla strip topping at this link (scroll down to Video Day #6). Which I tried in the picture above and it is Yum! Anyway, enjoy! And, let me know how it goes. The next time I make it, I will post a picture.

TACO SOUP

Ingredients
1 pound hamburger -- browned and drained
2 cans corn (whole and undrained)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 can tomato sauce (undrained)
1 can red kidney beans (drained)
1 can olives (drained)
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
lettuce
cheddar cheese
sour cream
corn chips

Directions
1. Simmer all ingredients together.
2. Serve in bowls with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and corn chips on top.

Chicken Tortilla Bake

I made this recipe a lot when we were first married. It's easy and yummy! I haven't made it recently so I think I will try again and see if my memory is correct!

Chicken Tortilla Bake

Ingredients
3 cups cooked chicken -- shredded*
8 ounces chopped green chilies
1 cup chicken broth
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup, condensed -- undiluted
10 3/4 ounces cream of chicken soup, condensed -- undiluted
1 small onion -- finely chopped
12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese -- divided

* I usually just boil defrosted, raw chicken in water about 30 minutes to get it to shred easy. I'm sure there are other ways to do it. But, that's my way.

Directions
In a bowl, combine the chicken, chilies, broth, soups and onion; set aside. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Layer half of the tortillas on the bottom of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in baking pan, cutting to fit pan if desired. Top with half of the chicken mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy! :-)

Leave me a comment and let me know how it goes!

Triple Chocolate Mess

I had this recipe years ago (before children) and I loved it! We rarely used our crock pot for just the two of us and so I gave it away. I received a new crock pot for Christmas and I'm so excited to use it! Here's the yummy chocolaty goodness again! Yay!

Triple Chocolate Mess

1 pkg. two layer chocolate cake mix
3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Spray a 4 quart crock pot with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the water, then add the sour cream and oil and beat until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and beat well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into crock pot. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until top springs back when touched. 8-10 servings (or grab a fork and go for it!!)

Farmer's Breakfast

This is one of our family staple recipes! It's yummy and the kids don't complain about it. (The best part) Although, Parker likes to pick out the ham. I got this out of my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book which has been my "go to" cookbook since college. Do you have a "go to" cookbook you like? Anyway, enjoy!

Ingredients
2 medium potato, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 green onion, sliced
1/3 cup margarine or butter
6 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup fully-cooked ham, diced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
(optional) zucchini, chopped
ketchup
cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. In a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet cook potatoes, onion, and zucchini in margarine over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or till tender; stir often.

2. Beat together eggs, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir in ham. Pour over potato mixture. Cook, without stirring, till mixture begins to set on the bottom and around edge. Using a large spoon, lift and fold partially cooked egg mixture so uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking about 4 minutes or till eggs are cooked throughout but still glossy and moist. (I disagree...I like them much dryer than that but you choose what you like the best).

3. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and serve with ketchup. YUM.

Notes: When I make this for our family I always double it. I find that you don't even need to measure exactly...I just start throwing ingredients in (which normally I am not very successful at) and it seems to always turn out good. Also, for a quicker breakfast, substitue frozen has brown potatoes for the fresh potat

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken from Easy Everyday Cooking

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 skinless boneless chicken breast, 1-inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced diagonally
10 ounces frozen broccoli flowerets, thawed
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces angel hair pasta
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add chicken. Cook stirring, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
2. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Begin heating water for pasta. Add carrot to skillet; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add broccoli and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, add chicken broth, basil, and Parmesan to skillet. Stir to combine. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes.
4. Drain pasta. Place in a large serving bowl. Top with chicken and vegetable mixture. Serve immediately.

Variation: Substitute frozen peas for the broccoli and 1 cup cooked ham for the chicken.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Cake Mix
16 oz canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

3 oz cream cheese, softened

5 Tbsp butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tsp milk

chopped nuts (optional)

For Cake: Beat pumpkin, sugar, and vegetable oil in bowl. Add eggs. Mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Add to pumpkin mix. Beat until well blended. Pour into 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until knife inserted at center comes out clean.

For Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add sugar. Add milk until spreadable. Frost cake when completely cooled. Sprinkle nuts over the top.

Slow Cooker Maple Baked Beans

This was very tasty with homemade bread from the bread machine and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk. --Andria

The recipe is in: Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Maple Baked Beans

1 T olive oil
1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
3 cups slow-cooked or two 15.5 oz cans navy beans or Great Northern Beans,
drained and rinsed
1/2 c pure maple syrup
1t dry mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c tomato paste mixed with 1 1/4 cups hot water

1. Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Transfer the onion to a 3.5 to 4-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, maple syrup, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Pour in the tomato paste mixture, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or for 3 hours on high.

Gingerbread Cookies (by way of my friend, Paula)

Gingerbread Cookies
3 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup molasses
2 cups sugar
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground cloves
3 tsp soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups flour

1. Mix sugars, eggs, and butter.

2. Add spices, then dry ingredients.
3. Mix and chill (It's really soft dough and has to be chilled for real...none of this 15 minutes in the freezer that I'm always trying to do and then you still have to use tons of flour when you roll out. This is actually a mommy job.)

4. Roll out and cut.
5. Bake on ungreased sheet for 8 to 8 1/2 minutes at 350 degrees.

6. Enjoy :-)

Brown Rice Vegetable Casserole

This summer when my one of my children was in the hospital, my friend, Brooke, brought me the yummiest meal ever! I made it tonight for dinner and my oldest son said I was a "Walking Cook Miracle!" Wow! I don't think I've ever gotten a compliment from my children quite like that. So, with permission from Brooke, I am sharing this recipe so you too can feel like a Kitchen Warrior ! :-)

Brown Rice Vegetable Casserole

3 c. chicken broth

1 1/2 c. raw brown rice

2 c. chopped onion, divided

3 T. soy sauce

2 T. butter, melted

Basil, to taste

4 c. cauliflower florets

4 c. broccoli florets

4 c. med. sweet red peppers, medium slices

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 T. olive oil

1 c. salted cashews

2 c. grated