Pistachio Salad

1 package instant pistachio pudding mix (4 serving size)
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup small marshmallows
1/2 container of frozen whipped topping

Remember me telling you how you can say "Salad" in any recipe and it instantly sounds healthy? Yeah...this is one of those.

In a bowl mix pistachio pudding mix (NOT PREPARED PUDDING) and the crushed pineapple and juice. Fold in whipped topping. And marshmallows and gently mix.

Optional ingredients: chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds. Sliced bananas.

*D: This little salad has great flavor and color. It's very green which is festive for Christmas or St. Patrick's day. Let the pudding and pineapple juice thicken a little before adding the rest of the ingredients, and make sure it has a chance to set up in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Also, I use probably 2 cups of marshmallows when I make it. Pin It

Snicker's Salad

5 red apples
2 bananas
3 Snicker's bars
1 package instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz)
1 1/3 cup cold milk
1 container Cool Whip, thawed

 Cut snickers bars into small pieces (cut the bars lengthwise, and thin into 1/4" chunks) and put in freezer for an hour. Mix milk and pudding mix; whip until smooth. Fold pudding and whipped topping together. Chop fruit and blot apples on a paper towel. Add fruits to pudding mix and chill. Add candy before serving.


*D: Have you noticed you can put "salad" on the end of anything and it instantly makes it a health food? Snicker's salad, cookie salad, Jello salad (which is full of whipped cream and cream cheese). I'm just sayin'.

I LOVE Snicker's salad! Mmmm. This is a mishmash of a few different recipes and my personal preferences. My sister-in-law says her recipe calls for strawberry yogurt instead of pudding. That's probably the more healthy option. :)

Freezing the candy pieces is not necessary, but I think it helps them stay chunky instead of mushy and gooey. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can add all kinds of fruits! Peaches, nectarines, blueberries, etc. I'd say stick with the basics if that's what you have, but if you've got other fruits, go wild!

This is always a crowd pleaser. Pin It

Onion Pasta

1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
5 onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1 pound pasta, cooked according to package directions


1.In a large skillet place oil, butter and onions and cook until golden brown.
2.Add basil, pepper, water and bouillon and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
3.Add onion mixture to cooked pasta, sprinkle with cheese, toss and serve.

*D: Ok, folks. I got this recipe by typing "pasta" into the search engine of allrecipes.com. I came up with no less than 3,140 recipes. I chose this one at random and it turned out to be a keeper - which is a good thing since the title is a little bit of a turn off.


Let me start off by saying, yes, you read that right. Five, count 'em, five, onions. Now, I giggled a little. Chuckled a bit, then promptly crossed off the 5 and wrote in a 1. Was it enough? Oddly...no. I would say maybe 2. I cut the oil in half and left the butter amount, and after I sauteed the onions, they became sweet. You'd almost expect to feel like you're biting into an onion when eating this pasta, but the flavor was unexpectedly light and (again) sweet. I used penne, but I would recommend penne, rotini, bow tie, ziti... any pasta besides long and skinny (like spaghetti or angel hair). I don't think those would be as good. But try it out and let me know if you'd like. And if you need ideas or have no clue what rotini is, click here.


So, cut the oil in half, make it two onions, add a little garlic and Bob's you're uncle. This was fast and delicious. Oh! And I forgot to sprinkle with cheese. That may have made a difference, but at least you know I ate it without the cheese and still enjoyed it. Pin It

Spanish Rice

1 1/2 cups rice (raw)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup plain tomato sauce
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4 of a medium onion
2 TBSP oil
4 heaping tablespoons of finely chopped parsley (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add he fresh garlic and onion. Saute for 1 - 2 minutes until softened. Add in dry rice. Stir for about 4 minutes until rice becomes golden brown color.

Add broth and tomato sauce (slowly into rice, not directly onto hot pan!). Add in the parsley if you're using it. Stir it up and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork.

*D: So in my family they make Spanish rice, and it's a little different from this...but I have yet to get the recipe. So I had to make due with a recipe I did have, and I think it's quite tasty. Make sure you use the called for amount of broth and tomato sauce. If not, you will have crunchy rice. Here's a tip: 1 can of broth is not enough! I made this a few weeks ago and didn't realize I was only adding 1 1/2 cups of broth instead of two. The rice was too crunchy to enjoy. Don't make that mistake. Second time around I soaked my rice for about 10 minutes, but if you follow the recipe, you shouldn't have to do that either.


Variations: you can add chopped cooked chicken to make it a little more substantial. I've read of people who had a small can of chilies or instead of regular tomato sauce they had a spiced tomato sauce with chilies.


You can use this recipe (as it is) as a side dish or as a filling in burritos. The possibilities are endless! OK, not endless, but there are a lot of them. Pin It

Garlic Balsamic Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp. minced or pressed garlic

If roasting in the oven, heat oven to 425. If grilling, prepare grill to medium heat. Wash asparagus and then remove the bottom couple of inches of each stalk. Just snap off the woody ends. It may seem wasteful, but you won't eat it, anyway--it's too tough and is one of the big reasons why lot of people don't like asparagus.

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, and garlic. Drizzle over asparagus and toss to coat.

If roasting, place in a single layer on a broiling pan. If grilling, reduce heat to low, lightly oil grill, and place asparagus perpendicular to the grate of the grill. Drizzle any remaining oil/vinegar mix over the asparagus.


If using oven, roast for 10 minutes, turning once. If using grill, grill for 8-10 minutes or until asparagus is bright green and still slightly crisp, turning very frequently.
Serve immediately.

*D: Asparagus?! That's what I thought when I was faced with the dilemma of cooking this veggie. I don't love asparagus, but I remembered a time last year when my mom made me try bacon-wrapped asparagus while we were in Disneyland. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. But let's be honest for a moment...probably any vegetable wrapped in bacon and grilled to a crisp is going to be delicious. But I liked it then, so I thought I'd give it a try. And besides, don't you think of asparagus as kind of "high class?" I mean, it's not like you get served asparagus every day.


This recipe was delightfully easy and totally delicious! We did the oven method and it turned out great. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I probably didn't let them cook long enough, and the flavor was still very strong, perhaps a teensy bit bitter, but very robust.


The recipe calls for a pound of asparagus, I don't know how much I had vs how much I used. I just knew Tyler and I were not going to eat a pound of asparagus, so I used about 15 stalks. There did seem to be a little excess sauce, but too much dressing is never a bad thing. I probably could have done 5 more without breaking a sweat. Any more than that and I think you might need to double the sauce recipe.


Next time you want to impress company, try some asparagus and let me know how it goes. ;)


Enjoy! (I know I did.)


I found this recipe here: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/06/garlic-basalmic-asparagus.html Pin It

Scalloped Potatoes and Onions

5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Paprika

In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer potatoes and onion.

In a saucepan, melt the butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayonnaise, salt and pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.

Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until tender.

*D: Where's the cheese?! This recipe doesn't call for cheese, but it's one of the best recipes I've tasted, so I always add some. Just a layer on top before I bake it. I use dehydrated onions because it's easier than chopping, and that works just fine. Sometimes when a recipe calls for paprika, I totally skip that part, but not in this recipe. I'm a recently converted paprika fan. When a recipe calls for chicken broth (in general) I use bouillon rather than opening a can. If it calls for lots of broth (2 or 3 cans), then I will use the can instead of the granules.


I don't usually end up baking this for 2 hours unless I cut the potatoes thick or there are 2 dishes of it in the oven. Check the potatoes after 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to see if they are fork tender. Pin It

Rosemary Red Potatoes

1 3/4 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, onion, oil, rosemary, garlic and garlic salt; toss to coat. Transfer to a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned.

*D: I have tried this recipe with russets and Yukon golds and it works great. Feel free to use whatever kind of potato you have. It might be easier to put all the ingredients into a bag to toss, but I usually use a bowl.


This is one of our favorite potato recipes! It's easy and delicious! Pin It

Tuna Salad

2 small or 1 large can(s) whit albacore tuna
head lettuce, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
Frozen petite peas, rinsed with hot water
Red onion, chopped
Chinese noodles
Mayonnaise
Seasoning salt
Pepper

Toss the first 5 ingredients. Mix mayonnaise, seasoning salt and pepper to taste. Mix dressing with salad ingredients. Add Chinese noodles. Serve immediately.

You may notice something is missing. What could it possibly be?...How about measurements? Yeah, how about 'em? This time, it's not my fault. I got this recipe Wednesday night at an Enrichment meeting. We taste tested it and I just about died it was so good. I'm not kidding. Good enough that the very next day I made it for dinner and ate it all. Ok not all by myself, Tyler helped.


Here's what I used:
1/2 head lettuce.
1 can of regular tuna - completely and utterly drained
1 tomato
0 peas - I laugh (and gag) at the thought of putting peas in my salad
1/4 red onion, diced (this was too much for me. I'll cut it down even more in the future.)
1/2 can (about 5 oz) of Chinese noodles
about 8 heaping TBSP of mayo
a lot of seasoning salt and pepper


Toss, serve with French bread and enjoy.


This was a perfect main dish for Tyler and I. We both had two helpings. But if you're feeding a larger family, you may want to double my quantities. I did not use albacore tuna, I just used a regular (small) can of tuna. It was a little more fishy, but overall it was still delicious!! I think you could substitute a can of chicken or ham and it'd still be awesome.


Mmmm! Pin It

Yummy Rolls

Mix together: 1 cup margarine - melted
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs

Add & Mix: 2 TBSP yeast - then let it sit until it bubbles up (around 7 - 10 minutes) See picture:



Mix, add, and mix again: 1 tsp baking powder

Mix in gradually: 6 1/2 cups flour


Let rise until dough doubles (about an hour). Divide dough into thirds, or if you want smaller rolls you can do fourths. Roll out into a circle. Cut into 12 equal triangles. Start at the top and roll as tight as you can. Put on a pan, about three rows of six rolls. Let rise for a little bit but not too much. About 15 minutes. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until golden brown.

Rolls are soft and fluffy, not flaky like a croissant.


Fun Varieties: Still bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until golden brown.

Almond Rolls: (note by Deborah: This is the only way I make these rolls. They are to die for. You will crave them for days afterwards.) Mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle.

Spread about 4 TBSP of melted butter on dough (note from D: I don't bother with melted butter. It's too messy to me. I just spread regular butter and it melts in the oven.)

Then sprinkle with mixture.

Follow directions from original recipe. Cut into triangles. Starting from fat end, roll tightly.

Put on a pan (note from D: I've never sprayed the pan for fear of making the rolls soggy on the bottom, but I think you probably could) and let rise for 30 - 40 minutes. (Note from D: Yeah right! As soon as I get those puppies on the pan they go in the oven! They'd probably be bigger and fluffier if I let them rise, but I can't wait that long.)

You can sprinkle a little sugar, or the mixture, on top to give it a little extra something. Or you can frost it while the rolls are still hot.

Eat these with dinner, for breakfast, or as a snack. Eat them, and you'll always want more. Mmmmmm.

Cinnamon rolls: Instead of using almond roll mixture, put butter and then sprinkle whatever toppings you want inside: brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, nuts, raisins, craisins, coconut. Let rise for 30 - 40 minutes. Bake and frost while hot.

Chicken roll-ups: Mix together 4 oz softened cream cheese, 2 cups cooked and cubed turkey or chicken, 1 can of mushrooms drained and diced, and chopped onions. Roll out half the dough into a rectangle, cut so that the pieces are in smaller rectangles (about a dozen of them). Put some of the mixture onto the dough, fold over and pinch the edges. These don't have to rise. After they are done baking, serve with a hot gravy made from cream of chicken soup and milk.

This dough can also be used for scones or pizza dough (just roll out onto sprinkled dry corn meal).

Pin It

Fried Rice

1/4 cup oil
2 eggs, well beaten
1 - 2 cups chopped ham
3 cups cold, cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
2 TBSP soy sauce

Scramble eggs in oil. Add meat, saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook, occasionally stirring, until warm. Serve with your favorite main dish, like Sweet and Sour Chicken or Teriyaki Meatballs.

We generally follow this recipe as is. Why mess with perfection? We do not use real ham because that's too expensive. We use the fake ham ("meat" that's molded, dyed and flavored to look and taste like ham) and it's a lot cheaper.


Occasionally we won't have green onion and we'll use a yellow onion instead. The flavor isn't as good, but it still works just fine.


Usually we double this recipe so that we have plenty of leftovers. Pin It

Coconut Rice

I got this recipe from maresfoodandfun.blogspot.com (adapted from Natalie Heath)
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups coconut milk
1/3 -1/2 cup sugar
¾ cup milk

First rinse the jasmine rice with cold water until your water is clear and not white. Put the rinsed rice in a medium pan and combine with sugar, milk, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Cover and cook for about 25-35 minutes. Stir rice and milk every 5-10 minutes. Rice is done when milk is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve warm. Serve with Island Pork Tenderloin.

It is important to use the jasmine rice and coconut milk. It won't taste the same if you just use regular rice and only regular milk. My mom and I love a dish that is this rice topped with mango. Mmmm!! SO good. We also loved it with the Island Pork. Pin It

Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi

**Warning, this recipe is not cheap, and you must be 21 or older to make it...or at least buy the ingredients.**

1 cup white cooking wine
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, de-veined
3 tsp minced garlic.

Melt butter and mix with other ingredients. Cover shrimp with butter sauce and bake at 350* for 6-7 minutes. Be careful not to over cook the shrimp (or they will get rubbery). Shrimp is done when it has turned pink.

The last few times we have made this recipe, we have been disappointed that we can feel a burning in our throat as we eat the shrimp...aka not all the alcohol burned off. So we had to keep cooking it until it did burn off, and then the shrimp was over-cooked and it all went to pot.


So. Tonight I made this recipe again and I swore not to get my husband or myself drunk off our shrimp scampi. We value our temple recommends. What I did tonight was melt the butter, we used salted butter (I think it flavors better), and wine in a sauce pan. I cooked it to about boiling, and then I simmered for a few minutes. We also added the garlic while simmering to get the flavor in the sauce. Pour the butter sauce over the shrip and put it in the oven un-covered.


We've used the pre-cooked shrim a few times, so you just have to watch it to know when it's done (because it's already pink). We put the shrimp in the oven for about 8 minutes. We knew it was done when we could open the oven door and not feel like we were walking into a bar. Seriously, if all the alcohol isn't cooked off it smells like a drunk. A very garlicy drunk.


Enjoy! Pin It

Cabbage Salad

1/2 - 1 head cabbage
2 TB slivered almonds
2 green onions
1 pkg Teriyaki chicken Raman noodes
2 TB sesame seeds or slivered almonds

Dressing:
1 pkg Raman seasoning
1 TB sugar
1/4 c. oil
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
3 TB vinegar
1/2 tsp Accent
water - enough to make 1/2 c after dressing ingredients are mixed

Shred cabbage (or chop or whatever), mix in almonds, onions, Raman noodles, and sesame seeds/slivered almonds. Toss in dressing.

We make the dressing before hand by at least an hour and let it sit to mix the flavoring. If you can't find Teriyaki chicken, you can use regular chicken, it will just have a different flavor.


We usually double the dressing recipe, but if you leave it the way it is it will be fine. It'll just have a lighter flavor. Pin It

Tyler's Mac 'n Cheese!!

This is a coveted recipe, just ask my mom. And actually, for those of you who follow recipe's to the T, sorry, this isn't for you. Ok, so here's what you need to work the magic:


pasta shells (any pasta will work, but really only shells taste good)
green onions (two or three)
garlic (fresh is best, but bottled will do)
oil (olive or canola)
chicken bouillon (powder or cube)
grated cheese (we always use cheddar, but when Tyler was in Russia he used Gouda)

Dice the onions and garlic. Pour a little bit of oil in the pan. You want enough that it covers most of the bottom of the pan, but too much and you'll have very oily mac 'n cheese. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until the garlic starts to turn a golden brown.

Then pour in the pasta shells. Yup, just pour 'em in. No water, no nothing, just shells. Cook the shells in the pasta for a few minutes, stirring occasionally - frequently. Coat the shells in the oil. After a few minutes, they should also start to brown just a little. You don't want them to burn, but you do want to see signs that they are cooking.

Fill the pan with water to the level of the pasta - just enough to cover the shells. You can always add more later but it's hard to take out, so less is better.

Sprinkle chicken bouillon over the water and stir it in with the pasta. I'd guess maybe a tablespoon or two. If you're using cubes, just one cube probably. Maybe two if you're making a big batch. You get a lot of your flavor from the bouillon, but also all of the salt. Too much and you'll have salty mac 'n cheese.

Bring the water to a boil, then let it simmer. The water should all boil down/off and the shells will be soft. If the water is gone and the shells are still hard, add some more water and boil a little longer. If you still have a lot of water left and your shells are are soft, pour out the excess water.

Pour the grated cheese over the top. I usually grate while the water is boiling. I can't even guess how much to use because it depends on how cheesy you want and how much pasta you've cooked. Mix the cheese in with the pasta (while it's still on low heat) until it melts.

Voila. A delicious meal that is so good! When it's Tyler's turn to cook my options are Hamburger Helper or mac 'n cheese:) Pin It

Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 cucumbers, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, salt, dill, pepper, and oil. Add cucumbers, onion, and tomatoes. Toss, and let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.

**This is a great way to use your extra tomatoes or cucumbers from the garden. Or an excuse to buy cucumbers:) This seriously is one of the best cucumber tomato salads we've ever tried. We didn't peel the cucumber, but you can if you'd like. It doesn't sit well in the fridge, the tomatoes tend to go mushy just a bit. So make sure you're going to eat it all or serve it at a picnic. And if it's going to be a while before you serve it, make the dressing ahead of time and then mix it with the veggies fifteen minutes before you serve. That way they won't go soggy before you eat them. Pin It

Sour Cream Potatoes a.k.a Funeral Potatoes

Sour Cream Potatoes

6 medium potatoes peeled, cooked and diced (russets are best)
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 tsp. dry minced onion
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (not sharp)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix sour cream, soup, onion, and cheese together. Add potatoes and salt/pepper and pour into a 9X13 pan. Bake at 360* until hot and bubbly.

Any recipe that says to bake until bubbly has to be good! Trust me, it is. We usually sprinkle cheese on top since I'm a sucker for cheese. Anyway, it's easy and so good. It's relatively cheap, depending on the price of sour cream and cheese. It's what we call Soul Food. Pin It