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

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Brownie Base
1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Topping

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)

2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.

4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. For brownies, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions for 13x9-inch pan on brownie mix box

*D: I got this message right off of the Betty Crocker website. I love it because it's easy and takes ingredients I usually have on hand. That makes it nice when I get called to bring a dessert to a dinner party or something. However, this recipe is not a quick one. You have to wait for the brownies to completely cool before to you top them with peanut butter goodness. I used a regular brownie mix but added an extra egg to make them "cake-like." Also, if you use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, be aware that because there is more fat in them they don't harden as well. I don't know if the butter helps with that or not, so you might just end up with a gooey topped brownie...and no one minds gooey brownies! Pin It

Honey-Garlic Shrimp/Chicken Stir Fry

4 - 6 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
1 garlic clove, minced OR 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBSP oil
4 cups veggies (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, pea pods...etc)
1 lb shrimp (51 - 60) or chicken (diced and cooked)

Mix soy sauce, honey and garlic in a small bowl. Heat in microwave for 10 seconds to mix honey easier. Heat oil in fry pan; when hot, add veggies. Cook approximately 2 - 5 minutes until tender-crisp. If cooked too long they will be mushy after next steps are done. Add shrimp/chicken and sauce and cook until warmed through. Note: if you like sauce, you may want to double the sauce next time. Very good flavor!

*D: I use chicken because it's cheaper, frozen veggies because it's winter (for now) and they are already chopped. When I use frozen veggies I usually use a mix and then just add regular carrots or whatever else I have. You just have to make sure your veggies don't turn mushy from being heated too long. This is an easy delicious recipe! Pin It

Scotcheroos

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup light corn syrup
6 cups crisp rice cereal
6 oz chocolate chips
6 oz butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and corn syrup. Heat to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Pour over cereal. Press mixture into a buttered 9X13 dish. Melt chips together (approximately 3 minutes in the microwave). Pour over mixture in dish. Spread smooth. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Cut and serve.

*D: I also have another recipe that has you just put the first three ingredients in a pan together and heat until the sugar has dissolved. I have done it both ways and it works just fine. If you don't refrigerate, the chocolate will continue to be gooey/runny. If you cool the scotcheroos, the chocolate topping will be firm and delicious. These are my favorite treat! I could eat a whole pan if I had the stomach for it.


6 cups of rice cereal is about half a box, just FYI. 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

Taco Casserole

1 lb hamburger - brown with onions
2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2 TBSP chili powder
1 can cream of chicken soup
shredded cheese
corn tortillas

Brown hamburger with onions and then drain. Mix with tomato sauce and chili powder. In a separate bowl, mix soup and milk. Layer tortillas, meat mixture, soup mixture and top with lots of cheese. Bake uncovered at 350* for 15 - 20 minutes.

*D: Yum, yum and yum.

I cut back on the chili powder a bit, and I did not add enough corn tortillas to the bottom of the pan. When I made this I had about 1/2 pound of cooked ground beef already in my freezer, so I used that. The recipe made enough for 2 - 4 people, so if you plan to feed more than that, you may have to 1 and a half it or just double it. It's hard to say for sure since I only used half the meat, but when I made this I baked it in a square glass dish, 8 X 8 I think.

Great recipe, tastes almost like enchiladas.

Possible side dishes: corn, Mexican rice, beans, salad. Pin It

Apricot Chicken

1 cup Russian Dressing1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 cup Apricot jam
4 chicken breast halves

Mix first three ingredients together in baking dish. Cut raw chicken into bite size pieces. Add chicken and stir together. Bake covered at 350* for 30 minutes and then bake for another 30 minutes uncovered. Be sure chicken is completely cooked. Serve over rice.

*This is an absolute favorite of mine, and Tyler kind of enjoys it. I've heard it called Sticky Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, The Best Chicken Ever, Apricot Chicken...I guess it's a versatile meal.

A couple of things: Russian dressing isn't really all that popular, and can therefore be kind of pricey. You can use Catalina dressing and it will still be delicious. Also, you can use either peach or apricot jam in your recipe. And don't forget that if you don't have an envelope of onion soup mix you can make it instead. (Click on the ingredient above.)

This particular recipe says to chop the chicken into small pieces and serve over rice, which is what I usually do. My sister-in-law cooks the breasts whole and just pours dressing over the rice. Another recipe I've seen has you chop the chicken into smaller bits, but everything is done on the stove top. Here is that basic recipe:

Brown chicken in a pan in hot oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until chicken is tender and sauce thickens. Serve over cooked rice.

I prefer the oven method because I just mix, put it in the oven and walk away.

Possible side dishes (besides rice): green salad, sliced peaches, green beans. Potatoes are not recommended unless you forgo the rice (too much starch). 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

Extra Easy Lasagna

3/4 pound ground beef
3 cups spaghetti sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup water

Brown the ground beef. Spoon off fat. Add spaghetti sauce; heat through stirring occasionally.

In 2-quart oblong baking dish, spread 1 1/2 cups meat mixture. top with three uncooked lasagna noodles, half the ricotta cheese, and half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat mixture. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of t baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375* for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*D: This is so easy to make and tastes like lasagna. I know that's a silly thing to say, but sometimes "easy" recipes don't taste like the hard recipe. This one, however, does. I would caution you to make sure you layer your lasagna as follows:


1 1/2 cup meat
3 lasagna noodles
1 cup ricotta
1 cup mozzarella
1 1/2 cup meat
3 lasagna noodles
1 cup ricotta
1 cup mozzarella
remaining meat


I did not read the instructions right and had a total lapse in judgement when I made this and ended up with my ricotta/mozzarella layers on top, so then I had to open another jar of spaghetti sauce to top it off.


I also like to put mozzarella on top. I use home-made spaghetti sauce, and that tends to be a little runnier anyway. If you are using home-made, you don't need to put in all the water. Maybe 1/8 cup or none at all. Ours ended up pretty runny because I added the full water as called for.


Possible sides: french bread and salad. Pin It

Simple Salisbury Steak

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

In a large bowl, mix 1/4 cup soup, beef, bread crumbs, onion and egg. Shape firmly into 6 oval patties of even thickness.

In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, , in hot oil, cook half of the patties until browned on both sides. Remove; set aside. Repeat with remaining patties. Pour off fat.

In same skillet, combine remaining soup and mushrooms. Heat to boiling. Return patties to skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover, cook 20 minutes or until patties are no longer pink, turning patties occasionally.

*D: I don't use the mushrooms because I don't like mushrooms. I also add a bit of garlic in the beef.


Possible side dishes: fried potatoes and green beans, corn and rolls, steamed carrots and salad. Pin It

Onion Soup Mix

4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
Cut a 6-inch square of heavy duty foil. Place all ingredients in center of foil. Fold foil to make an airtight package. Label with date and contents. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months.

*D:  Have you ever come across a recipe that called for an onion soup mix and you had to move on because you didn't have one? Tat happens to me all the time! In fact, one of my new favortie recipes calls for an onion soup mix, and I don't keep those on hand because they're pretty pricey if you don't buy them on sale. This is an awesome recipe that works perfectly. I have used it on a few occasions already. If you don't have granule bouillon you can use 2 cubes. I don't make it before hand, I just incorporate the ingredients into my recipe. Seasoned pepper is a little pricey, so if you don't have it, just use regular pepper and add some garlic. Pin It

Q-tip: Spices

Heat and light make herbs and spices less potent. To avoid this, put all herbs and spices in a cool, dark place. (Avoid putting them above the stove, though that is a convenient place to put them.)

I keep all my red and yellow spices in the freezer. This includes curry, ginger powder, mustard powder, chili powder, crushed red pepper, etc.

I thought it was weird to freeze them, but they're powder so they don't solidify. I have spices in there that I've been using for 5 years and they are still as powerful as ever. Pin It

Spicy Chicken and Rice Bake

2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast, thighs, and drumsticks)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP cooking oil
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice (white rice)
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Paprika

Skin chicken; set aside.

In a large saucepan cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, chili powder, red pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to boiling. Transfer rice mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle chicken with paprika

Bake, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender.

*D - I use bell pepper instead of sweet. It tastes the same to me. I am not a chunky onion fan. I like the flavor, but I'd rather not bite into one, so I chop my onion very small. Also, I made this without tomato juice, because I didn't have any, and just added a little water to make sure there was enough moisture for the rice. It tasted great. If you want to add the tomato juice, but don't have any, just use watered down tomato soup.


If you don't have frozen corn, use canned. I'm sure it's just fine.


Bottom line: this dish takes a little extra work, but it is so worth it! It's delicious flavor is great for leftovers. And if you run out of chicken and still have rice, try eating the rice on tortilla chips...SO good! Not to mention extremely healthy. Pin It

Chocolate Mint Brownies

1 cup white sugar (*D - I use 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate syrup
1 cup flour
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened - again
2 TBSP creme de menthe liqueur - or 1 1/2 tsp mint extract and some green food coloring
6 tablespoons butter - again
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 X 13 dish.

In a large bowl, cream white sugar and 1/2 cup butter until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in chocolate syrup. Stir in flour until just blended. Spread evenly into greased dish.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely in pan.

In small bowl, beat powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine and mint until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies, then chill until set.

In a small bowl over simmering water, or in microwave, melt remaining 6 TBSP of butter and chocolate chips, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Allow to cool slightly, then spread over the mint layer.

Cover and chill for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

*D - I follow this recipe almost exactly (using the mint extract instead of liqueur, of course). It's not very rich on the whole, but in my opinion the mint part is the richest. I melt my chocolate chips in the microwave, starting at 30 seconds and then going 20 second increments after that, stirring each time.


Very delicious! Pin It

Black Bean Soup

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 t kosher salt
1 dash black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves (if you use ground oregano, use 1/4 t)
1 bay leaf

Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese

Add olive oil to a large stock pot on med-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic about 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are soft.

Remove from heat. Find that bay leaf and pull it out. Don't forget or it will be very bay-ish. Yes, that's a word.

Place all the soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the middle. Place a paper towel over the hole though to avoid getting black bean soup burns all over your face. That would be an embarrassing story to tell.

Puree soup until completely smooth.* I leave it in for several minutes. Return to pan and make sure it's heated through completely. Squeeze in the juice from one big lime.

*Several people in the comment section noted that they wanted a chunkier soup so they only pureed half of it. That works too!

Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese, tortilla chips, etc. Serve with extra lime wedges.

*D: I don't do anything differently. I make this recipe exactly as it's posted. Be sure to remove the center cup of your blender lid. The reason you do this is because your soup is so hot, and once you start blending it, the hot air will expand. If you cap the lid, the hot air will have nowhere to go and will force it's way out, showering you, your counter, and everything else within a five foot radius with black beans. Trust me on this: it's not fun.


We ALWAYS eat this with tortilla chips. It's a MUST.


When you put in the beans, you have two options: drain them for a thicker soup, leave them undrained for a runnier soup. I prefer it thicker (the ONE soup I'll admit is better thicker), but if you like runny soup, then don't drain your beans.


This is definitely a family favorite! It's easy and fun and delicious. I made this for my family when I was visiting this fall: I used chicken instead of beef broth, and we had no bay leaf. It was nasty. Don't omit any ingredients and it'll be great! Pin It

Rosemary Chicken w/ White Beans

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 c sliced fresh carrots
½ c sliced celery
1 1/2 c italian dressing
2 t dried rosemary
½ t salt
1 t pepper

Place the beans, carrots and celery in 5 qt slow cooker; top with chicken. Combine the salad dressing, rosemary, salt and pepper; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the chicken juices run clear.

*D: I didn't have any white beans, but I live in Idaho. So I used the Idahoan substitute of potatoes and it was AWESOME!!! To be honest I was shaking in my boots because Tyler's parents came over for dinner and I'd never made this before. But it was seriously amazing. It did my heart good to see my FIL "licking" the plate clean. (He used a fork, but I watched him spoon up every morsel and DROP off that plate!)


Tyler says I may have used too much rosemary. I didn't tell him that I thought the chicken looked bland, so I sprinkled it with rosemary after everything was in the crock pot. Don't do that.


So, for the potatoes, I used maybe a cup and a half, possibly two cups. We chopped them into smaller pieces because we wanted them to cook at the same rate the beans would have.


The flavor was amazing, it took me maybe 10 minutes to put together, and I did cook it for 4 hours. That was possibly too long because the chicken was a little dry. I basted periodically, and I don't know if it helped but it made me feel better. I cut the chicken into halves rather than whole breasts, and that may have been part of the problem as to why it was so dry.


I got this from my SIL's sister's blog, and it was posted as a freezer meal. So you can make this and then freeze it. I don't know anything about reheating, but I imagine you could either microwave it or put it back in the crock pot. Pin It

Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon (optional)
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk






Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp knife, before frosting. If you want to pipe the frosting, I like to use a large Wilton 1M closed star decorating tip.

Makes 12 cupcakes

*D: I LOVE these cupcakes! They might need a little more sweet, if you ask me. So I would probably add just a dash more sugar...maybe bring it up to a whole cup. I know that's more than a dash, but really I don't think it'd do anything but help.

I used the Butter Cream Frosting that came with the recipe. You can find it here. Please make sure you follow the directions or else your frosting will come out clumpy and funky. But still RATHER tasty. I ton't have a piping bag or tip, so I shoved all the icing in a plastic bag, cut the tip, and voila.


My sister is a cake decorator and showed me how to frost the tops in what I lovingly refer to as "little poops." The secret is to start on the outside and swirl to the center, making sure not to leave gaps between the frosting loops that you'll have to fill in later.

Pin It

Easy Butter Cream Frosting

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk or light cream
Assorted food colors (if desired)


In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the frosting with desired food color (you can use the paste food coloring that is available at cake decorating stores and party stores).

Make sure you follow the directions. This is a VERY simple recipe for butter cream frosting, so that's fantastic! (Some recipes call for you to add eggs and cook it down...)


However, if you don't whip long enough, your frosting comes out clumpy and funky looking. Not so awesome if you ask me. Still tasty, but not impressive. 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

Pad Thai with Shrimp

4 cups water
1 package (6 - 8oz) linguine-style stir-fry rice noodles (rice stick noodles*)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
3 TBSP packed brown sugar
3 TBSP fish sauce or soy sauce
3TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP rice vinegar or white vinegar
3/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 TBSP vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped or 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
12 oz frozen cooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed
1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
4 medium green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves


*Thin or thick rice stick noodles can be substituted for the linguine-style stir-fry rice noodles.



Tyler and I couldn't decide which one we wanted to try...so we got both. Pictured above, the ones on the right are the noodles the recipe is talking about. But on the left are also rice noodles that are delicious! Below you can see close ups to see the difference between the two.




Neither one is very expensive. They run just a few dollars a package at your local grocery store. I know that seems like a lot (especially since it'll only make one meal, maybe two), but this dish is relatively cheap if you mostly use what you have at home.


1. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 4 cups water to boiling. Remove from heat; add noodles (push noodles into water with back of spoon to cover them with water if necessary). Soak noodles 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are soft but firm. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir lime juice, 1/3 cup water, the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil until well mixed. Set aside.

3. In a nonstick wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat.

Cook garlic and shallot in oil about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until starting to brown. Add eggs. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring gently and constantly, until scrambled but still moist.

4. Stir in noodles and lime juice mixture. Increase heat to high. Cook about 1 minute, tossing constantly with 2 wooden spoons, until sauce begins to thicken. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro (note from D: that includes shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions). Cook 2 to 3 minutes, tossing with 2 wooden spoons, until noodles are tender. Place on serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro. Garnish with additional chopped dry-roasted peanuts and green onions if desired.

PAD THAI WITH CHICKEN: Substitute 2 cups chopped cooked chicken for the shrimp.

I'll just give you a second to let your mouth water.

Doesn't that look amazing? It was. My friend, Melanie, made this the other night and we invited ourselves over for dinner. Literally. It was so good we left with full bellies and the recipe.


Melanie used the thin noodles, and it was divine. The thicker noodles soaked up the flavor more, but the thin noodles had a lighter flavor and feel. So they're both delicious and wonderful.


I used fish sauce, only because I had it in my fridge. Melanie did not use fish sauce, and her Pad Thai was less sweet than mine. In the future I'll use soy instead. We also used rice vinegar, but I think Mel used white. Use whatever you have. Don't go out and buy rice vinegar unless you use it on a regular basis. I use rice vinegar for sushi, so I usually have it on hand. But like I said, don't go out ant buy it. Just use white vinegar.


Tyler put in the red pepper and even asked me before he did it, "Are you sure you want this much red pepper?" I told him yes because I think Mel is a recipe-follower and hers wasn't too hot. Well, I don't know if she cut back or if our red pepper is more potent or if Tyler used 3/4 of a tablespoon rather than a teaspoon...but ours was burning hot! In the future I will cut back to probably half a teaspoon of red pepper.


You are always welcome to use jarred garlic rather than fresh. The flavor will be different (some say maybe not as good), but use what you have in your fridge. We always have both, so it doesn't matter to us.


We usually have shrimp in our freezer too (I love Shrimp Scampi!), but if you don't have shrimp, don't go buy it just for this dish. It's expensive! Use chicken. Melanie made hers with chicken and it was delicious! I don't know which one I prefer more, but the chicken will probably be what we make in the future because it's less expensive. If you use chicken, though, a little more preparation will have to go into making it because you'll have to do that before you even start on the noodles.


I did not use peanuts because I didn't have any. I always have cashews on hand because of we love Cashew Chicken. So I used those instead. I'm not sure it made a huge difference. We had peanuts at Melanie's house, but both were good.


I didn't know what bean sprouts were as apposed to alfalfa sprouts. Bean sprouts are bigger. Before you use them, be sure to was them carefully. Who knows where they've been?! I rinse them in cool water until they're no longer slimy. I did not measure them (what a nightmare!). I just took too handfuls and called it good.

And lastly, I thought the dish looked a little bland until I put on the cilantro. I did not sprinkle it on top before I served it because Tyler doesn't love cilantro, so I knew he'd ask me to leave it off if it wasn't mixed it. And I think it added to the flavor of the dish because I let it cook for another minute or so after adding the cilantro.


This is a great and EASY dish. I know all my instructions make it look hard, but it really isn't. It just takes a little effort because you have to chop cilantro and onions and garlic. But once you get all the ingredients together, it literally takes 5 minutes to cook.

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Horchata

1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar


Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.

Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.

I LOVE horchata! (Pronounced or-CHA-ta) It's a Mexican rice drink, and it tastes like rice pudding. I don't love rice pudding...in fact I hate rice pudding. But I love horchata. This is a very easy drink, and very festive (sorry I'm late on the Cinco de Mayo post).


Changes to the recipe: cinnamon. That is a LOT of cinnamon! I had to add another half a cup of milk and a few tablespoons of sugar to cut through the cinnamon, and it still didn't work. I even scraped off the excess cinnamon floating on the top. So I'd cut it down to about a teaspoon. Ground cinnamon will float to the top or sink to the bottom. That's the nature of the beast. So if you'd like, you can soak 2 cinnamon sticks in the rice water for three hours, and that should give you a nice flavor. Or you can just use the ground cinnamon and stir your drink before serving.


I love horchata. Who needs Bajio's when you can make horchata at home? Now if I could only figure out how to make their lime chicken... Pin It

Hillary's Carmel Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup regular milk with a dash of vinegar)
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
vanilla to taste - about 1 1/2 tsp

Melt butter, add buttermilk. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Add the baking soda. The sauce will rise, cook in a tall pan.

This sauce is more like syrup. It's divine on french toast, pancakes, ice cream...pretty much anything. Like I said, it's more like syrup than sauce.


When I was in Ecuador, I'd make myself french toast and carmel sauce every morning after a Noc shift (Noc was the night shift, so we'd go at night and leave when the next group of volunteers got there in the morning).


It's called Hillary's Carmel Sauce because Hillary was one of the project managers, and she introduced us to this recipe. I have since come across it in other cookbooks, but to me it'll always be Hillary's recipe. Pin It

Mustard Sauce

Mix in saucepan:

1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp dry mustard (powder)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch

Add:

2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vinegar

Mix over medium heat. Add:

2 TBSP butter

Cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes. Yields 1 1/2 cups.

We put this mustard sauce over ham. I would literally make a ham JUST so I can have mustard sauce. When I visited my parents over Christmas and we had ham, I had to phone my mother-in-law to get the recipe just so I had mustard sauce to go with my ham. If you find something else to eat mustard sauce with, please be sure to let me know! 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).

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Mom's Five Chip Cookies

1 cup Crisco shortening or butter
2 eggs
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
chips: butterscotch, milk chocolate, semi sweet chocolate, white chocolate, mini kisses or peanut butter or swirls or vanilla.

Beat together shortening and eggs. Add flour, salt and banking soda and mix. Add sugars and vanilla and mix. Stir in chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.



These cookies are absolutely a favorite in our house! My mom sent them to me while I was in Ecuador. Every time we go on a family trip Tyler says, "Are you going to make your mom's cookies?" I think there would be mutiny if I ever tried to make a different kind.


If you notice, there are no measurements for the chips. That's because I don't know how much is supposed to go in. I usually just pour in a bit of all the chips until it looks like there are enough. Maybe a fourth to a half a cup of each. And I usually just use whatever I have in my freezer for variety. That means my cookies are usually four chip: milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate and butterscotch. Yes, I always have those kinds of chips on hand because Tyler loves cookies, and he loves these cookies.


The recipe says to bake for 8 - 10 minutes. I pull them out right at 8 minutes because I've found that even at 9 minutes they flatten out and turn crispy. So if you like flat, crispy cookies (and some people do!) then you can let them go for a little longer.


Enjoy! Pin It