Keyser's Cook Book

Pulled Pork

2012-01-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

Pulled Pork
6-8lb pork shoulder
liquid smoke
2T pepper
2T cumin
4T paprika
1tsp cayenne
2T brown sugar
2T salt
2T chili powder
1T oregano
1T sugar
2T mustard powder

Splash meat with liquid smoke. Mix spices together & massage into the meat. Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge overnight - 2 days. Cook in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. Add 2C BBQ sauce for the last hour.

I filled two muffin tins with the extras and froze them for later. After about 30 minutes in the freezer you can transfer then to a ziplock. Now when we want a quick lunch or dinner we just take out a "muffin" of meat and heat it up.

Chicken Pot Pie

2012-01-25T19:19:00.000-08:00

1 pound chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
3-4 potatoes (uncooked) cubed
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 flour
garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
2 1/2 chicken broth
1 1/4 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, celery, and potatoes. Add chicken broth to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Cook bottom crust 5 minutes.
5. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Fried Chicken

2012-01-25T17:36:00.000-08:00

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat
30 saltine crackers
2 tbsp potato flakes
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp season salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
peper
2 eggs
flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large ziplock bag crush crackers until they are coarse crumbs. Add potato flakes, flour, season salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Coat chicken in flour then dip in egg. Then place in bag one at a time and shake to coat. Heat oil in skillet at medium heat. Add chicken. Cook for 15-20 minutes turning frequently until done. Serve with mashed potatoes and country gravy.

Potato Skins

2012-01-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

4 large baking potatoes, baked
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
4 green onions

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Place potato skins on a greased baking sheet. Combine oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper; brush over both sides of skins. Bake at 475 degrees F for 7 minutes; turn. bake until crisp, about 7 minutes more. Sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese, and green onions inside skins. Bake 2 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Top with sour cream. Serve immediately.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce

2012-01-25T16:52:00.000-08:00

8-10 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 can diced green chilies
chopped cilantro for garnish

Preheat oven to 425. Mix together 1 cup of cheese and the chicken. Place equal amounts of the chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan.
In a saucepan , melt butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Pour over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

www. letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com

Nancy's Fresh Strawberry Pie

2011-11-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Slice fresh strawberries into a baked pie crust.

Crush enough strawberries to make 3/4 to 1 cup. Add 1 cup sugar and heat to boiling. Mix corn starch and 1/4 cup water and add to crushed strawberries. Boil until it thickens about 1 minute. Add 1 tsp lemon juice and some red food coloring if desired.
Cool. Pour this over the top of the whole, or sliced strawberries in pie shell.

Nancy's Lemon Meringue Pie

2011-11-23T22:24:00.001-08:00

9" pie shell, cooled
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup water
3 beaten egg yolks
3 Tbs butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbs lemon rind, if desired
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lemon extract

In pot, combine 1 1/2 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and cornstarch. Cook slowly stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil for 1 min. Place egg yolk in a bowl. Stir part of hot mixture gradually into egg yolks, then put combination back into pot. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth. Blend in buter, lemon juice, and rind. Pour filling into shell. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat till frothy. Slowly beat in 1/4 c. sugar. Beat until stiff and sugar dissolves. Beat in lemon extract, spoon onto pie. Bake at 400F degrees for 8-10 mins until lightly browned.

Nancy's Pie Crust

2011-11-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

3 Cups flour
1 Cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 Tbl vinegar
4 Tbl water

Cut flour, shortening and salt until separated. IN separate bowl, mix water, egg, and vinegar. Mix into flour mixture. Add 1-2 tsp water as needed to make it spread easier.

PRE-BAKE: If a pre-baked crust is needed, bake at 400F for 10-12 mins or until lightly browned.

Homemade Bread Stuffing

2011-11-23T22:12:00.001-08:00

3/4 cup minced onion

1 1/2 cups chopped celery (stalks and leaves)

1 cup butter

9 cups bread cubes (I cut a loaf of bread into cubes and let dry overnight)

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tsp crushed sage leaves

1 tsp thyme leaves

1/2 tsp pepper

In large skillet, cook and stir onion and celery in butter until onion is tender. Stir in about 1/3 of the bread cubes. Turn into deep bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Stuff turkey just before roasting. Or can bake dressing in a 9 X 13 pan and bake separately from turkey.

LINKS

2011-10-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

Natalie gave me a link to a site to order Mexican vanilla on line, knowing that I won't be using it and afraid of losing track of it I wondered how I could save it for later use. I came up with this idea that we can use this post to add links to products we like to order and share with others.

or just add new posts and label them links.

Add your links to products you like to order.

Mexican Vanilla

http://www.beanilla.com/vanilla-extract-c-26.html

SALMON WITH PINEAPPLE RICE

2011-10-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Salmon

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce (GF Tamari Sauce)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine, or water
2 pounds salmon fillet
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. with a rack in the center. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and white wine until the sugar has dissolved.
Cut salmon fillet into 4 equal-size pieces; arrange, skin side down, in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour glaze over the fish, and turn to coat evenly.
Bake until fish is opaque but still bright pink inside, basting every few minutes with glaze from baking dish, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pineapple Rice

2 cups uncooked basmati rice- {or brown}
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, leaves, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish

Directions

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce to a simmer. Cook until rice is tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain; rinse with cool water.
Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the pineapple, cilantro, bell pepper, and olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover, and chill. Serve cooled with lime wedges.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2011-08-29T10:42:00.001-07:00

2 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups zucchini
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
4 T cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves

Mix. Bake in 9x13 pan at 350 for 45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup margarine/butter
4 oz. Cream cheese

Mix and add:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2011-08-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

**This is a Weight Watcher Recipe and in my oven RIGHT now** :)

Update- This was DELICIOUS!!!

Ingredients:
-10 oreos crushed (Quick fix mama used an oreo pie crust, cause she didn't wanna have to crush the oreos lol)
-8oz fat free cream cheese (in the box)
-8oz light cream cheese (in the tub)
-1 cup of sugar (see we are allowed to have the good stuff!)
-2 tbsp all purpose flour
-1 cup cottage cheese
-2 tsp almond extract
-6 large egg whites
-3/4 cup MINI choc. chips

Instructions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees
-lightly coat spring form pan with cooking spray and spread cookie crumbs lightly over bottom of pan
-Using an electric mixer mix together cream cheeses until well blended then add sugar and flower and mix again.
-in a food processor or blender puree cottage cheese until smooth. Add cottage cheese and almond extract to cream cheese mixture and mix again.
-Add egg whites and mix once more.
-Stir in 1/2 cup of choc. chips.
-Pour into spring form pan and sprinkle remaining chips on top.
-Bake until cheesecake puffs and center is almost set. About 60 minutes.
-Let cool completely and then run knife around edges to loosen and release pan sides. Cover and chill overnight. Cut into 12 slices.1 slice =6 points

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe

2011-08-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

Found this on Pinterest and made it tonight. Super yummy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed
1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
1 cup water
3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

3. In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.

Nancy's Fresh Strawberry Pie

2011-06-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Slice fresh strawberries into a baked pie crust.
Crush enough strawberries to make 3/4 to 1 cup.
Add 1 cup sugar and heat to boiling.
Mix corn starch and 1/4 cup water and add to crushed strawberries.
Boil until it thickens about 1 minute.
Add 1 tsp lemon juice and some red food coloring if desired.
Cool.
Pour this over the top of the whole, or sliced strawberries in pie shell.

BAJA-STYLE SHRIMP TACOS

2011-04-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

Marinade and Dressing
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBS honey
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp pepper

Tacos
1 pound cleaned medium shrimp (35-40 count)
4 Cups finely shredded cole slaw mix (or green and red cabbage)
1 package taco-size flour tortillas (8 per package)
1 cup prepared guacamole

1. Marinade and Dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk together cilantro, lime juice, oil, honey, chili powder, salt, cumin and pepper.

2. Tacos. Heat broile to high. In medium-size bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the marinade and the shrimp. In a second medium-size bowl, combine remaining marinade and the cole slaw mix. Let both marinated for 10 minutes.

3. Transfer shrimp to a broiler pan. Broil, 2 to 3 inches from heat, for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once.

4. Spread a tortilla with about 2 tablespoons guacamole. Top with 4 or 5 shrimp and 1/4 cup slaw.
Repeat with all ingredients

Tilapia with Cucumber Mint Relish

2011-03-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

Tilapia with Cucumber Mint Relish

I got this recipe from a blog that I follow. It is really yummy. I only tried the fish but my mom tried it with the relish and really liked it.

Coconut, Mint, and Chive Relish:

1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped English Cucumber
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 jalapeno peppers seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds 

Fish:
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon peanut oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I only used half this because I don't like things very hot)
6 ( 6 ounce) tilapia fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Cooking spray
lime wedges
I haven't tried this but it sounds good.
Coconut Rice:
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup white rice (not instant)
1 Tablespoon sugar

1.  Preheat Boiler
2.  To prepare Coconut Rice:  Combine 1 cup coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring OFTEN.  Once it is boiling, add the rice and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook 20-25 minutes.  Once rice is cooked add 1 Tablespoon of sugar, sprinkle on top and let it soak in for a few minutes.
3.  To prepare relish:  Combine cucumber, chives, coconut, mint, cilantro, and jalapeno. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons of lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin.  Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mustard seeds; saute 30 seconds or until seeds begin to pop.  Add to cucumber mixture. Set aside
5.  To prepare fish: Combine lime rind, lime juice, peanut oil, cumin, and red pepper; rub evenly over fish.  Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Place fish on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil (easier to clean up) and broil 7-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.  
6.  Serve fish over coconut rice topped with cucumber relish 

Breakfast Cookies

2011-02-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

When I was in college I had these dreams of having my own family and fixing them a nice breakfast every morning. I don't know why it was breakfast and not dinner, but that was my dream. Well I married a man who has been eating the same thing forever, chocolate chip eggo waffles with peanut butter and syrup. I did pretty good with James at first. Our friends were amazed when they watched him one morning and I gave them a whole serving of oatmeal and said he would eat the entire thing. And he did. But now James is the pickiest eater in the world and only eats waffles like his dad. So my dreams of fixing breakfast are out the window. But tonight I found this recipe. I made one and James actually ate two bites. It took me about 5 minutes to make it and I ate it for my before bed snack. It didn't sound very good at first. But it was. Anyway we tried the banana chocolate chip one with peanut butter on top. I would like to try the pumpkin one, but I don't think any of the other members of the family would.

Basket 411: Breakfast Cookies

Chicken Fajitas

2011-02-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

Notes

Marinating chicken and peppers and onions in a highly flavored marinade and then grilling gives it all the flavor without fat. A spiced creamy yogurt sauce and avocado sauce wrapped in a corn tortilla with fresh cilantro keeps the fajitas healthy and fresh tasting.

Ingredients

1 cup packed cilantro leaves, plus extra for serving
1/4 cup lime juice, about 2 limes
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (GF)
3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno, seeded if desired
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher salt
1 1/2-pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 orange and/or yellow bell peppers, quartered, seeds removed
1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded and peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt
12 corn tortillas

1. Put the cilantro, lime juice, broth, scallions, garlic, jalapeno, honey, and salt in a blender, puree until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons; do not wash out the blender.

Put chicken breasts in a medium bowl and the peppers and onions in another. Divide the remaining cilantro puree evenly between the chicken and the peppers and onions. Toss well to coat the chicken and vegetables and let stand, at room temperature, for 30 minutes.

2. Add the avocado, 1/2 cup water, and the reserved 2 tablespoons cilantro sauce to the blender. Puree until smooth and season with salt. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a small skillet set over medium heat until hot. Add the cumin and coriander and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour the spices over the yogurt and set aside for the flavors to blend. Stir before serving.

4. Preheat a grill for medium-high/direct heat cooking. Oil the grill grates. Grill the chicken and vegetables, turning, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 5 to 8 minutes for the vegetables and 12 to 15 minutes for the chicken. Let chicken rest 5 minutes. Place the tortillas on the grill until just warmed through, about 30 seconds.

5. To assemble the fajitas: slice the onions and peppers into thin strips and then slice the chicken. Place some peppers, onions, chicken and cilantro in a tortilla topped with the spiced yogurt and the avocado sauce.

Whole Wheat Bread

2010-12-08T03:59:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from a Bosch web site. I use the large Mixer Method but need to share the bread with neighbors as we can not eat that much bread, but this is really yummy whole wheat bread as Kent, Jordyn, Brandon, Ali and I will attest to. (I use a hard white wheat that I got from the church cannery)

Hand Method: (yields 2 loaves)

1/3 C honey
1/3 C oil
2 1/2 C Warm Water
1 1/2 TB Saf Instant Yeast
2 1/2 tsp Real Salt
6-7 C Fresh whole wheat flour
1 1/2 TB Dough Enhancer

Large Mixer Method: (yields 5-6 loaves)

2/3 C honey
2/3 C oil
6 C warm water
3 TB Saf Instant Yeast
1 1/2 - 2 TB Real Salt
16-20 C fresh whole wheat flour
3 TB Dough Enhancer

1/3-1/2 Cup Vital Gluten

Zojirushi Bakery Supreme (Auto Baker Method)

2 TB honey
2 TB oil
1 1/2 C water (90 - 100F)
1 1/2 tsp Real Salt
3 1/2 C fresh whole wheat flour
2 tsp Dough Enhancer
3 TB Vital Gluten
1 1/2 tsp Saf Instant Yeast

Combine the warm water, yeast, and 2 Cups of fresh whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, dough enhancer, salt and 4-5 C (12-16 C if using the Mix N Blend or (Bosch) additional flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. Do not allow the dough to get too stiff (too dry). Dough should be smooth and elastic. It is a common mistake for the beginning bakers to add too much flour.

Knead the bread by hand 7-10 minutes or until it is very smooth, elastic, and small bubbles or blisters appear beneath the surface of the dough. Six to ten minutes of kneading by electric mixer (Use speed 1 on the Bosch Universal, and use speed 4 on the Mix n Blend - or use the Auto-Knead function) should be sufficient to develop the gluten if you are using fresh flour. If you are kneading by hand, be sure to add the minimum amount of flour to keep the dough soft and pliable by using a tsp of oil on your hands and kneading surface.

Form the dough into 2 loaves if using the hand method or 5-6 loaves if using the Mix N Blend or Bosch Universal, method. Place the dough into greased loaf pans. Allow to rise in a slightly warmed oven or other warm place until doubled in size (about 30-60 minutes).

Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Bread is cooked through when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and when the top and sides are a golden brown color.

Easy Artisan Bread

2010-11-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

3 C lukewarm water (about 100 degrees)

Cornmeal.

(You can easily double or half the recipe. For Thanksgiving I made a full batch and got about 20 rolls from it).

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into water. Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches (I always do this by hand, but you can use an electric mixer). Dough will be quite loose and wet. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife (To make the rolls I cut off a smaller piece of dough). Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel or cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Refrigerate any unused dough.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan (rather than use the broiler pan, I just throw a cup of water against the side of the oven, making sure not to hit the dough—it's easier and you don't get burned) and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes for a loaf (or about 20 minutes for the smaller rolls). Cool completely.

Yield: 4 loaves.

This recipe comes from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and is an amazing cookbook! They've got all sorts of variations on this recipe and everything I've made from the book is absolutely delicious! I definitely whole-heartedly recommend it!

http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291064479&sr=1-1

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2010-11-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

It always seems around this time of year I get really tired of what we have for dinner. So I have been trying a lot of new things and this one is definitely a keeper. I got the recipe here but modified it slightly.

Meatballs
1 pounds lean ground beef
1 eggs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoons granulated sugar

Sauce
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 large carrot, diced
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

I didn't think there was enough sauce so I doubled it (Using chicken broth instead of pineapple juice) but that was too much so maybe 1 1/2 times would be perfect

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a large, shallow baking sheet.
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and onion. Sprinkle with ginger, seasoning salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and sugar and mix in. Shape into one inch balls.
Place meatballs in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes; set aside. I turned them halfway so they didn't get burned on the bottom.
To make the sauce, mix enough water with the reserved pineapple juice to make 1 cup. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the juice mixture, 1/3 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir in cornstarch, ginger and seasoning salt, until smooth. Cover and cook until thickened.
Stir pineapple chunks, carrot, green pepper and meatballs into the sauce. Gently stir to coat the meatballs with the sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. I found that after 20 minutes the green peppers were still pretty hard so I would maybe cook it a little longer. Also we used celery instead of carrots.

Eggplant Parmesan

2010-11-12T09:39:00.000-08:00

I used a recipe from here but modified it quite a bit for our family. The recipe called for 3 eggplants, I used 1 and it made about half a 9x13 pan so 1 1/2 to 2 is probably plenty.
eggplant peeled
eggs
Italian bread crumbs
Spaghetti Sauce (I used the recipe from Brandon and Ali's chicken Parm)
16 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil

1. First you prepare your eggplant. Peel it and slice it. Then "sweet" it to take out the bitterness. You sprinkle it with salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Then rinse well and dry.
2. Next dip the eggplant in beaten egg and cover with bread crumbs. Place in single layer on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes on each side at 350 degrees.
3. In a 9x13 dish spread bottom with spaghetti Sauce. Place a layer of eggplant in the sauce and sprinkle with cheeses. Repeat with remaining eggplant ending with cheeses on top. Sprinkle with basil.
4. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Killer Artichokes

2010-10-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Since we started getting Bountiful Baskets we have been trying a lot of different things. Some we have had before, broccoli, cabbage, peaches, pears plums... some were new to us: okra, asian pears, cauliflower, green plums...either way I have been searching for new recipes to cook these fruits and veggies in new ways. So far this is my favorite. I love artichokes (I forgot how much since it has probably been 15 years since I have had one fresh) and this is the best artichoke I have ever had. I got the recipe at allrecipies.com here.

2 artichokes, halved and choke scraped out

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 shallot chopped*

1/2 cup butter

*I didn't have a shallot and substituted an onion. It was still really good.

1. Preheat outdoor grill for low heat

2. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the artichokes into the boiling water, add salt and pepper. Throw in half of the garlic and half of the shallot. Boil for about a half hour, or until a fork is easily inserted into the stem of the artichoke. Drain and set aside.

3. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the remaining garlic and shallot. Cook just until fragrant then remove from heat.

4. Place the artichokes on the preheated grill. Brush some of the melted butter on them. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes brushing with butter occasionally until lightly toasted. Serve with remaining butter as dipping sauce.

BRISKET

2010-09-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

1 tsp. celery salt
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bottle liquid smoke
1/2 bottle barbecue sauce or use recipe below

Sprinkle onion, garlic, and celery salt on both sides of brisket. Place brisket in low roasting pan with fat side up, pour liquid smoke over brisket. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator over night.

Sprikle salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce over both sides of brisket, cover with foil and bake in oven for 7 hours at 275.
Remove foil and cover with barbecue sauce and bake uncovered 45-60 minutes longer. or
shred and serve with barbecue sauce on the side.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BRISKET BARBECUE SAUCE
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 14 oz bottle catchup
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp liquid smoke
4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. celery seed
6 Tbsp. butter

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes. Serve with sliced or pulled brisket.

Sesame-Orange Shrimp

2010-09-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sesame seeds (white, black or a mix)
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp (21-25 per pound)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup dry sherry (see Note)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (GF Tamari Sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Preparation

Whisk sesame seeds, egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the shrimp and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the rest of the shrimp.
Add orange juice, sherry, soy sauce and sugar to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced by half, 4 to 6 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately, with scallion sprinkled on top.

Tips & Notes

Note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, get dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines at your wine or liquor store.

What I did for sherry: mix together 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp. sugar.

SEA FOOD CASSEROLE

2010-08-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

From a cook book I bought in James Town called Recipes from Old Virginia

This is really good but kind of strong flavored so maybe instead of the main dish serve as a side.

4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash of red pepper

Cook until thick and add 2 beaten eggs and 4 ounces sharp cheese in small cubes. Stir until cheese is melted.

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
4 ounces sharp cheese
3/4 cup or small can crab meat
3/4 cup or small can shrimp

Add crab meat and shrimp. Pour into one large or 6 to 8 individual buttered casseroles. Top with buttered bread crumbs and grated cheese if desired. Bake at 450 until brown and hot through.
May be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen. In this case, add crumbs just before putting into oven and bake at 350.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

2010-08-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

1. Bring to boil
2 sticks of butter
1 cup of water
3 - 4 TBS cocoa

2. in a bowl combine
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt

3. mix with beaters the wet and dry ingredients

4. add
2 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanila

pour onto greased and floured sheet pan and bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Frosting

bring to boil
1 stick of butter
1/3 cup milk
4 TBS cocoa

stir in 1 lb powdered sugar.
pour on brownies while still hot.

CRAB CAKES

2010-07-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

We found this recipe at Healthy Meal Makeovers; this is also where I found the recipes for the shrimp/artichoke and the chicken with grapes shish-ka-bobs. We really enjoyed the crab cakes. Sorry I forgot to take a picture before we ate them. I'll post one the next time we cook these.

1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 cup green onions (all parts)
1 jalapeno
2 clove of garlic - chopped
grated ginger root (about 1 TBS)

Saute for about 30 seconds and remove from heat.

In a bowl mix together:
1 lb crap meat
1 egg - beaten
1 cup panko
1 TBS Mayonnaise
zest 1 lime
juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro
touch of salt

mix in chopped vegetables, make into patties (about 8)
roll in panko flakes, place on cookie sheet. Spray top of crab cakes with cooking spray. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes. (no temperature was given for the recipe, we started at 350 but increased it to 400 because it hadn't browned after 10 minutes)

here is a link to the video we watched.

Chicken Skewers with Grapes

2010-07-21T12:24:00.001-07:00

Chicken:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast; cut into 3/4 inch pieces

Marinade:
2 TBS olive oil
zest lemon (about 1 tsp.)
1 TBS lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix marinade and add chicken. Marinade about 2 hours.

soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes to avoid burning.

load chicken and green grapes on skewer alternately.

Cook on grill or indoor grill pan 3 to 4 minutes each side.

We served this with grilled vegetables. Seasoned with butter, salt and pepper.

Asian Pork Chops

2010-07-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Marinade: 1/2 cup soy sauce (GF Tamari Sauce)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Pork: 4 center-cut boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 Fire & Flavor oak grilling plank, soaked (we did not use the plank)

In a bowl combine marinade ingredients. Set aside 1/3 cup for serving and pour the remaining mixture over the pork chops; allow to marinate for 20 minutes.

Preheat grill to high heat. If using charcoal, heat coals on one side of grill only.

Remove pork from marinade and discard remaining marinade. Sear on grell for 2 minutes per side, transfer pork to a plate, and cove loosely with foil. If using charcoal, utilize the cooler side of the grill for planking. Reduce grill temperature to 350 degrees.

Place plank on grill, close lid, and heat for 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip plank and place pork on heated side of planks. Close lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until interal temperature of pork registers 145 degrees.

Remove pork from grill and tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

2010-06-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

This is the best and DEADLIEST homemade ice cream recipe ever.

5 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 pints half & half
1 quart milk
1 pint whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbs vanilla

Separate 3 eggs, beat egg whites stiff. Beat egg yolks and 2 other eggs. Add sugars, cream, vanilla. Fold in egg whites. Add milk. Freeze in an electric ice cream maker.

Make one gallon.

My mom also used to add it additional things like chocolate chips, etc.

Crunchy Chicken Bake

2010-05-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Elders asked for this recipe, so I thought I'd pass it along! It's a yummy twist on oven-baked fried chicken.

2/3 cup cornflake crumbs

1 T all-purpose flour

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground coriander

4 skinless boneless chicken-breast halves

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and coriander in a large ziplock bag. Spray the chicken lightly with nonstick spray and place 1 piece in the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken evenly; then transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken breats.

3. Bake until the chicken is golden and cooked through, 40-45 minutes.

Serves 4 (or more for us, because the kids don't each much..)

I usually serve it with "favorite"/"funeral" potatoes and salad, but the cookbook I found it in also said it would be good sliced in a mixed-green tossed salad.

Mexican Rice

2010-04-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

This rice was so good and simple.

3 TBS vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup tomato sauce (GF)

2 cups chicken broth (GF)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Carne Asada

2010-04-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce (GF Tamari Sauce)

4 cloves minced garlic

2 limes, juiced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

Mix together all ingredients. Use as a marinade for carne asada meat, or flank steak. Marinate for 1 to 8 hours. Overnight is probably best.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the marinated flank steak into cubes or strips. Cook, stirring constantly until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Use the meat for tacos, or eat plain with rice.

We cooked the steak whole on the grill then ate it with Mexican rice.

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

2010-04-12T15:35:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

6 slices bacon
4-6 Medium tomatoes
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped onion
1/4 C. Grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 C. Seasoned stuffing (dry)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Cook bacon until crisp, then crumble. You can use the pre-cooked "bacon bits", but I think freshly cooked bacon is better. Cook the onions and green peppers in a little oil or bacon grease over medium heat until tender. While things are cooking, wash the tomatoes and slice off the tops. Carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2 inch wall. Finely chop the pulp and place 1/3 of it in a medium mixing bowl. You can discard any remaining.
Mix the bacon, onions, peppers, cheese and stuffing into the tomato mixture. Salt and Pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out tomatoes. Place stuffed tomatoes into a prepared baking dish. I like to use 4 tomatoes, which will leave a little bit of the stuffing mix left over. I think just spoon this into the baking dish as well. The kids eat it better outside of the tomato. If you don't want to do this, use 6 tomatoes. Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with a little parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until heated through.

Veggie & Noodle Stir-fry

2010-04-12T08:26:00.001-07:00

I haven't made this recipe yet, but I plan to try it as soon as my garden gets going. I found it in a magazine I was reading.

Cut two zucchinis into long, thin sticks. Heat 4 tsp. sesame oil in a pan; add 1 onion, chopped, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until it softens. Add 1 tsp. grated ginger, 1 crushed garlic clove, zucchini, and 1 cup green beans; cook 3-4 minutes. Mix in 1 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce and a little chopped parsley. Toss in 3 cups of cooked Chinese egg noodles or linguini.

Serves 4.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

2010-04-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite dinner recipe. It is so delicious! I found the original recipe on Allrecipes.com, but have made a few changes. You can see the original here.

Ingredients

DOUGH
1 C. Warm Water
1 package yeast
2T. Olive Oil
1T. White Sugar
1/2t. Salt
1/4t. Dried Rosemary
1/4t. Garlic Powder
3 C. Flour

SAUCE
4T. Butter
1/4t. Salt
1 dash black pepper
4T. Flour
1 C. Milk
3/4 C. Parmesan Cheese

GARLIC BUTTER
2T. Butter
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1 pinch dried Rosemary
1 pinch Salt

TOPPINGS
1 Chicken Breast Half, cut in small pieces and cooked
Season with Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic powder, Salt and Poultry Seasoning. Or, you can season the chicken however you want.
1 Red Pepper, cut into slices
1/2 C. Mushrooms, sliced
1 Roma Tomato, diced
1/4 C. Fresh Basil, diced

DIRECTIONS
1. To Make the Dough: Pour the warm water into a small bowl and stir in the yeast until dissolved. Allow to rest until the yeast foams, about 5 minutes. Mix the oil, sugar, salt, rosemary, and garlic powder together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, and gradually stir in the flour. Gather into a loose ball and knead until a smooth ball forms. Cover, and let rise 1/2 hour. If kneading in a KA, use the dough hook and knead for about 6-8 minutes.
2. Carmelize your red peppers by cooking them on low/medium heat in about 1T. Butter. I start these at about the same time I do the dough and let them cook until I'm ready to put them on the pizza. Make sure to stir them often so they don't burn.
3. To Make Sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Blend in salt, pepper and flour, then stir in the milk and Parmesan cheese. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
4. To Make the Garlic Butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Blend in garlic, rosemary and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is tender but not browned. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
5. Preheat over to 400 degrees F. Spread dough out on a pizza pan. Top with cooled garlic butter, cover the entire crust. Next spread the Sauce on top, leaving crust edges. Top with the chicken, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and basil.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until bottom crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let set for 2 to 3 minutes before cutting.

Soft Pretzels

2010-03-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

1 1/8 cup warm water

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3 Tbs corn syrup

3 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 quarts water

1/2 cup baking soda

Mix yeast and water and let sit. Add corn syrup. Mix in flour and salt. Kneed for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl and let rise until double about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide into 8 balls. Roll each into a 20 in long rope and form into pretzel shape. Let rise about 5 minutes.

In sauce pan bring 2 quarts water and baking soda to a boil. Drop pretzels two at a time into boiling water and boil for 10-15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and let drain on a clean towel.

Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 415 degrees for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Spritz or lightly brush with butter and sprinkle with your favorite topping, garlic salt, cinnamon and sugar, salt etc. Serve warm. Pretzels to not keep or reheat well so eat them while they are hot!

Shrimp Scampi and Artichoke

2010-01-21T00:48:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

2 TBS Olive Oil
1/4 C Shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 to l lb shrimp, shelled and divined
11 oz. frozen artichoke thawed
1/3 C. dry white wine (I used white grape juice)
1/2 lemon

Directions:
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat,
add shallots, cook for a minute add garlic cook for 2 - 3 minutes careful not to over cook.
stir in shrimp, mix through
add artichoke, stir through
add wine and juice from lemon
let simmer 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp are cooked through

add 2 TBS chopped parsley for color and flavor

serve with simple salad and hunk of whole grain italian style bread

simple salad
Open bag of prepared salad

Dressing:
in small dish mix:
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS red wine vinegar
Pinch of: Basil, salt and pepper

pour over salad and serve

Mini Beef Wellingtons

2010-01-20T23:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

8 small beef tenderloins steaks, cut 1-inch thick (4 oz. each)

4 TBS olive oil

1 lb. mushrooms, finely chopped

6 TBS dry red wine (I used cranberry juice)

6 TBS green onions, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed

1 tsp. salt divided

1 tsp. pepper divided

12 phyllo dough sheets, defrosted

cooking spray

directions:

1. Heat oven to 425

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender.

3. Add wine; cook 2-3 minutes or until liquid is evaporated.

4. Stir in green onions, thyme, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper. Remove from skillet; cool completely.

5. Heat same skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook 3 minutes turning once. (Steaks will be partially cooked. do not over cook.)

6. Season with salt and pepper, as desired

7. Create 2 stacks o 6 phyllo sheets on flat surface, spraying each sheet thoroughly with cooking spray.

8. Cut stacked sheets lengthwise in half, then crosswise in half, making 8 equal stacks.

9. Place about 2 TBS mushroom mixture in center of each phyllo stack, spreading mixture to diameter of steaks. Place steaks on mushroom mixture.

10. Bring all four corners of each philly stack together; twist tightly to close, lightly spray each bundle with cooking spray; place on greased baking sheet.

11. Immediately bake in 425 oven 9 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. let sit for 5 minutes. serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

Found on Jenny Craig site - loved it anyway.

cut recipe in 1/2 as there are only 2 of us.

Korean-Style Beef Bowl

2010-01-14T08:49:00.000-08:00

This recipe is super easy and easily one of Kurt's favorite dishes I make. It's from the Pampered Chef 29 Minutes of Less cookbook -- which is even better for me, because I'm really bad at planning ahead. :) However, if you do plan ahead the steak would probably be even tastier if you started marinating it earlier in the day.

Steak & Marinade:
2 green onions w/tops, divided
1 lb skirt steak - also called flank steak (we've tried other cuts of meat and they don't work as well)
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil (I used Olive oil)

Rice & Vegetables:
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice (I usually use our Japanese white rice, either would work)
2 medium carrots
2 cups bean sprouts

1. For steak & marinade, thinly slice green onions, reserving 1 tbsp of the tops for garnish; place remaining green onions into bowl.

2. Cut steak crosswise into 2-in (5-cm) pieces. Slice each piece into thin strips, cutting against the grain; add to batter bowl. Press garlic over beef. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper &; sugar; mix well. Cover & refrigerate until ready to use.

3. As beef marinates, microwave rice according to package directions using RICE COOKER PLUS. (It's a Pampered Chef recipe...I just use my regular rice cooker)

4. Meanwhile, for vegetables, peel carrots; discard skin. Continue peeling carrots to make long ribbons. Place ribbons into ice water until ready to serve

5. To finish steak, add vegetable oil (or what ever type of oil you want to use) to (12-IN/30-CM) SKILLET; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add beef to skillet in a single layer and cook undisturbed 2 minutes or until beef is brown. Stir; cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Remove from heat.

6. Remove rice from microwave and fluff with a fork. To serve, divide rice among serving bowls and serve with beef, carrots and bean sprouts. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.

Yield: 4 servings

US Nutrients per serving: Calories 410, Total Fat 20gt, Saturated Fat 7g, Cholesterol 70mg, carbohydrate 29g, Protein 28g, Sodium 790mg, Fiber 2g

US Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 starch, 3 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat (2 carb)

Festive Fudge

2009-12-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

I copied this recipe from my Family Fun magazine, but it turned out super cute so I had to share.

Ingredients

3 cups semisweet- or milk-chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assorted sprinkles, sugars, and candy decorations

Instructions

Place the chocolate chips in a 2-quart bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then stir them with a wooden spoon. If the chips are not completely melted, microwave them again for 30 seconds, then stir until they're smooth.
Stir in the condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract.
Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, extending it about 2 inches beyond each side. (This makes it easy to remove the fudge later.) Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the mixture evenly in the pan.
Chill the candy until firm, about 30 minutes in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Lift the foil from the pan and place it on a flat work area. Use 1-inch cookie cutters to cut out the fudge, then lightly press decorations onto each piece. Makes about 50 pieces. (Note: mine recipe didn't make 50 pieces, but I didn't use very small cookie cutters)

Sorry, Another Sugar Cookie Recipe

2009-12-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry I'm doing another Sugar Cookie recipe, but I'd planned on submitting this for a few days and I made cookies with the girls last night so I would have some pictures to post. They are just too cute! =) Growing up we always made sugar cookies out of the dough you buy at the store and the few times since then I've tried making dough from scratch, I've always thought the end product tasted too floury. I got this recipe from a friend and I really like it. It has a great almond taste!

1 C. Butter (softened)
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 t. Vanilla
1 t. Almond
4 C. Flour
1/4 t. Salt
1 t. Baking Powder
4 t. Milk

Cream the shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and flavorings. Mix together dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, roll and cut out. Cook at 375 degrees on a greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting

1/4 C. butter (softened)
2 C. Powder Sugar
1 t. Almond flavoring
Milk

Cream butter and sugar together. Add Almond, mix in. Add milk just a little at a time until the desired consistency. Frost your cookies, then decorate.

The decorating part was what my girls enjoyed the most!

She would have kept going with the sprinkles if we hadn't stopped her.

Sugar Cookies

2009-12-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

What are the holidays without Sugar Cookies! This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have come across. We love it!

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add sour cream. Add vanilla. Add soda, salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix to a stiff dough. If too sticky, you can chill before rolling. Roll out 1/4 inch think and cut in desired shapes.
Bake on greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and frost with butter cream frosting.

Vanilla Butter Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
about 2-3 Tbsp milk

Special K Cookies

2009-12-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups peanut butter

1 cup karo syrup

5 ½ cups Special K cereal

1 cup (6 oz.) butterscotch chips

1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips

Bring sugar and syrup to boil, JUST until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter until well mixed. Add cereal and stir until well coated. Pat out on large cookie sheet or a smaller one if you want thick squares. Melt chips and spread over top of cookies. Set in refrigerator a short time to harden frosting. Cut into 1 ½ inch squares.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2009-12-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

I found this soup recipe on Doug's cousin's blog. I decided to give it a try, and LOVE it. In fact I am having a bowl right now for lunch while I type this!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4 chicken breast halves

1 box Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix (Near East brand is best, but Uncle Ben's is easier to find.)

1 quart chicken stock or broth

1 quart milk or evaporated milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

salt and pepper

Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 of the poultry seasoning and salt. Cook it in a tiny bit of olive oil over medium heat. Cover to avoid drying out.
At the same time, cook the rice according to the directions on the box.
In a large pot, melt butter. Add chopped carrots and celery and pepper to taste, and saute for about 10 minutes until tender. Add flour, cornstarch and the rest of the poultry seasoning, and whisk together quickly.
Add stock and milk, whisking quickly as you pour. Cook over medium-low heat stirring often.
When the chicken and rice are finished, cut chicken into bite-size pieces and add both to the soup.

Holiday Recipes

2009-11-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

I think it would be fun to share favorite holiday recipes! Either favorite side dishes or goodies to deliver to people. :)

SUGAR-FREE CRANBERRY SALAD

1 can cranberry sauce (jelly type, chunky style)
1 med. can crushed pineapple with juice (no sugar)
2 (3 oz.) pkg. sugar-free lemon Jello
2 c. boiling water
1 c. diced apple, peeled
1 c. diced celery
1 c. chopped pecans

Mix Jello with hot water and stir until dissolved. Add other ingredients and blend to mix evenly. Place in refrigerator to set up. Serve on lettuce leaf. (FYI - I've never served on a lettuce leaf :)...just out of a bowl.)

Orange Rolls

2009-11-30T14:24:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed the recipes that were posted last month. We tried the Chicken Parm. last week and loved it, and I can't wait to try Shannon's recipe. I am a little disappointed that it was your idea MOM and you didn't even add a recipe. So anyway I think whoever picks first can decide what kind of recipe we should post for December.

We had these on Thanksgiving and Shannon wanted the recipe, but I forgot to give it to her, so I thought I would just post it here. It is another one of Doug's family favorites.

Refrigerator Orange Rolls
Dissolve 1 package of yeast in 1/4 c warm water.

Combine:
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup hot water
let cool

Combine:
1 eaten egg with 1/2 cup cold water

after cool add egg mixture and yeast. Add 3 cups flour. Beat well and cover. (This dough is very sticky) Refrigerate overnight. 2 1/2 hours before serving roll out dough into large rectangle. Spread with orange filling. Roll up and cut into 24 slices. Place slices in well greased muffin pans. Cover with dish towel and let rise. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

ORANGE FILLING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 grated orange peal + juice

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-11-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

This is a super easy recipe and very yummy!

4 Chicken Breasts
4 slices of deli ham
4 slices of Swiss Cheese
1 C. Seasoned Stuffing, crushed (you can also use seasoned bread crumbs, but I think stuffing is the best!)
Salt & Pepper
8-12 Toothpicks
1lb. asparagus (optional)
1 packet Hollandaise Sauce (optional)
Wax paper (optional)

Place wax paper over the top of your chicken. Use a meat mallet to pound out your chicken. If you don't have a mallet, you could also use the bottom of a cup or a rolling pin. The wax paper is optional, it just prevents the chicken from sticking to your pounding apparatus.
Season your chicken with the Salt and Pepper on both sides. Place your ham and cheese on one side of the chicken. Put the asparagus in the middle. Starting with the small end of the chicken, roll it tightly up. Use the toothpicks to keep it closed.
Place your crushed stuffing onto a plate and roll the chicken around in it so that it's completely coated. Place your chicken in a greased pan and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Top with Hollandaise sauce, if wanted. I've tried making Hollandaise sauce from scratch, but I like it out of the packets so much more! Not to mention, it's way easier!
Makes 4 Servings.

Chicken Parmesan - at least thats what I think it is :-)

2009-11-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

This was one we posted on our blog, we've had it a couple times now and love it. Bon-appetite

Chicken Parm. on a bed of noodles (Serves 4)

First Bread 4 boneless chicken breasts using Italian seasoned bread crumps (just mix italian seasoning in with the bread crumbs) and egg whites (2) and fry them in a little extra virgin olive oil until browned and cooked through.

Sauce (start by lightly toasting the garlic in the olive oil (2 or 3 tsp of fresh chopped garlic)) Then,

- Add 2 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

-1 large yellow onion

- Salt and pepper to tase

-1/2 cup of olive oil

- a covering of oregano, 3 fingers of sage and thyme, and parsley

-a little bit of hot pepper seeds

- 1/3 jar of your favorite brand of mushroom spaghetti sauce (you can make it without this part but I like to thicken the sauce a little)

cook all of this until everything is nice and blended put a lid on it to keep it hot and moist.

while cooking the sauce start the noodles and turn the oven on to bake at 400 degrees.

also try to keep the chicken warm.

when the sauce is ready pore it over the breaded chicken in a glass cooking pan and sprinkle a cup of mozzarella cheese on top and put it in the oven for 10 or 15 minutes until you can see the cheese melt and the sauce start to boil. quickly remove and serve on top of a bed of noodles plated individually. The glass pan in the picture is larger than usual and there is more chicken for this size double the sauce recipe (9’’x 13’’).

It is imperative to time this all together so everything is hot, if you don’t it will still taste great but I recommend timing it just perfect. If you think the recipe could use some tweaking go for it, like I said we kind of winged it so let us know if there are any improvements we could make.

Recipe A Month

2009-11-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

So my mom had this idea to have an assigned category every month and have everyone post a recipe during the month. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or exciting, it could even be something you cook every week. I would love some new recipes to try as I often feel that I am cooking the same things over and over again. So if everyone is interested then I thought this month we could make it easy and have everyone post a chicken recipe.

My recipe is one that Doug's family cooks a lot and so we have had it often since we have been married. They call it "Orange Chicken" but I think that is more because of the color then the flavor.

Orange Chicken

3 lbs chicken breasts (I usually just use enough for our family to eat and I cut it into smaller pieces)

garlic salt

black pepper

beaten eggs

flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 1/2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp soy sauce

Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Let stand for 1 hour or more. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dip chicken in beaten egg then flour. Brown in hot oil. Place in baking dish. Cover with the following sauce: Mix sugar, vinegar, chicken broth, ketchup, and soy sauce in sauce pan and heat. Pour over chicken. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Turn chicken over once or twice while cooking.

Real Italian Calzones

2009-11-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com.
"This is real calzone, because there is no tomato sauce INSIDE of it! We eat it at least once a week. Have a bowl of tomato or spaghetti sauce on the table for people to top their calzone with, if desired."

INGREDIENTS:
1 package active dry yeast
1cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 egg beaten

DIRECTIONS:
1. To make dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes or until almost doubled.
2. To make filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese (we used mozzarella), pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
4. When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Cheesy Broccoli & Potato Soup

2009-10-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy soup to make, and it is very yummy. I got it out of Parents Magazine.

2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 onion
1 medium potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups broccoli chopped
3 cups low-salt vegetable stock (GF)
1 cup reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1. In a large stockpot, heat oil and saute the onion for 5 to 7 minutes over low to medium heat. Add potatoes, broccoli, and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes are tender when pierced with a for.
2. Remove the mixture from stove top; allow to cool a bit. Pour the mixture and cheese into a blender; puree. (Or use a handheld blender to do it right in the stockpot.) Serves 4.

I had to use chicken stock because my grocery store did not have vegetable stock. But I don't think you can tell the difference.

The Best Beef Jerky

2009-10-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

The recipe that we use for the beef jerky is actually for Korean Short Ribs (Khalbi). For the jerky don’t add any oil.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cup soy sauce

¾ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. oil

4 cloves crushed garlic

½ finger crushed ginger

¼ cup chopped green onions

Mix together and soak meat for 1-2 hours turning meat often (we usually soak jerky at least overnight, the longer the better). For ribs broil or grill meat. For Jerky place on a dehydrator until done.

Lots of different kinds of meat can be used for jerky; the best are lean meat with little or no fat. London broil, brisket, etc.

Chicken Katsu Recipe

2009-07-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

From Recipezaar.com:

This is a simple recipe of a dish that is widely popular at local restaurants in Hawaii. The key component of this dish is the sauce, which could be bought at an Oriental Foods store as tonkatsu (pork cutlet) sauce. But I have included a recipe for it here. I searched over years to find a recipe for the sauce, then finally modified one to match what can be found in Hawaii. I think its perfect now, so I hope you like it. The sauce is best if made a few hours in advance and refrigerated. If you can't get the panko flakes, you can just use flour or some other breading, but it won't be as crispy.

40 min 20 min prep

SERVES 3 -4

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup Japanese-style bread crumbs (panko flakes)
garlic salt
oil (for frying)

sauce

3 tablespoons applesauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cooking sherry
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Sauce:.
Add sauce ingredients to a bowl one by one, mixing in between.
For the Chicken:.
Place flour, eggs, and panko in separate bowls.
Lightly salt chicken then dip in eggs, then in flour, then in eggs, then in panko.
Deep fry or pan fry at medium heat until lightly brown.
Serve with sauce and hot rice.

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-06-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2/4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 can enchilada sauce green or red (we like green) (I like the bigger can)
3 - 4 cups cheese grated
1 can green chilies
4 oz. cream cheese (I usually add more)
olives (optional)

Mix cream of chicken soup, chicken, 1/2 can enchilada sauce, half of the cheese, 1/2 of the green chilies, cream cheese cubed, and olives. Pour half of the remaining enchilada sauce on bottom of 9 x 9 pan. Fill tortilla shells with filling, roll closed sealing ends. Roll in sauce on bottom of pan and arrange in pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top, cover with remaining cheese, green chilies and olives.

Cook covered in microwave (vented) for 8 min. on high and let sit in microwave for two minutes or cook in oven on 350 for 30 - 40 minutes.

Okonomiyaki

2009-04-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

Here's the YouTube Video of how it's done:

Official Ingredients (If you have a Japanese Store nearby):
(serves 2 people)

- Batter -
100g Soft Wheat Flour (3 1/2 oz)
140ml Dashi Soup (5 oz)
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tpsp Grated Yamaimo (Japanese Mountain Yam)
A Little Bit of Salt

200g Cabbage & Welsh Onion (7 oz)
50g Boiled Octopus (1 3/4 oz)
8 Deep-Water Shrimps
Sakuraebi (Dried Pink Baby Shrimps)
Tenkasu (Bits of Deep-Fried Tempura Batter)
Beni Syoga (Pickled Ginger)
2 Eggs
100g Slice Pork (3 1/2 oz)

- Toppings -
Okonomiyaki Sauce
Long Green Onion
Mayonnaise
Dried Bonito Frakes
Aonori (Green Laver)

Kurt's Modified Ingredients (not as tasty, but probably more palatable and definitely easier to find ingredients for):
Serves 2

- Batter -
100g Soft Wheat Flour (3 1/2 oz)
5 oz water
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
A Little Bit of Salt
Chopped 1/2 lb of Chicken, Beef, Seafood or Pork
200g Cabbage & onion (7 oz)
sprinkle in some Panko
2 Eggs
5-6 Slices raw bacon

- Toppings -
Okonomiyaki Sauce
Chopped Green Onion
Mayonnaise

Double Tomato Bruschetta

2009-02-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed or about 2T dried
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with parmesan cheese.
Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

2009-02-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

From Weight Watchers Pure Comfort cookbook

Hands-On-Prep – 15 min

Cook – 40 min

Serves – 4

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

¾ pound ground skinless turkey

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes

1 T chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp salt

½ cup shredded fat-free sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup fat-free sour cream

¼ cup sliced scallions

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve with the cheese, sour cream, and scallions.

**The cookbook said it gets better the long it sits (up to 2 days in fridge)

Nancy Keyser's (Grandma's) Lemon Bars

2009-01-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

2 c flour
1 c butter
1/2 c powdered sugar

Mix and pat gently into 9x13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
5 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Pour over crust and sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top. Bake at 350 deg for 20-25 minutes.

Samoan BBQ Chicken

2009-01-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

1 part low-sodium soy sauce (we prefer Kikkoman)
2-3 part water
brown sugar to taste
large pulverized onions (we use a food processor or chopper)
fresh garlic buds (crushed)
fresh ginger root (peeled and crushed/ground)
frozen, boneless chicken thighs (Sysco has boxes of flash-frozen thighs for cheap if you're cooking for a big crew)
Calrose white, short-grained rice
shredded cabbage

Mix the soy sauce and water first. For a 3 lb bag of thighs, we mix up about 1/3 of a 26 cup bowl with the water/soy sauce mix first in a large tupperware bowl. I've never measured the exact amounts but it doesn't really matter - it should be to taste. Add the brown sugar and stir until it's slightly sweet. We add about a fistfull or so for a large bowl. Add the onions, garlic and ginger root. Again, it's to taste, but we like the mixture to be fairly full of these to add additional flavor.

Once you're satisfied with the flavor of the sauce, dump the frozen chicken in and let it sit overnight (or about 6 hours if you're prepping on a schedule) in your fridge. The longer you let it soak, the better. If you're only doing it for a few hours, you may not need to refridgerate it. We often do this in a cooler (for mutual activities) and don't refridgerate it at all - just remember to close the lid!

Once it's done marinating, BBQ it (all our Samoan and Tongan friends only use charcoal - gas doesn't give it the right flavor). We pull each piece out dripping wet and baste the others that are on the grill already as you put the new one on. Repeat for all pieces. Flip them often - you're not looking for blackened or dry, just bouncy, juicy meat. If you cook it too long, it'll be too dry. When they're done, toss them in a pan/bowl with a bed of shredded, slightly boiled cabbage on the bottom. Put a lid on to keep them hot and steam the cabbage a bit. It'll absorb the juices too and tastes amazing with the meat and rice.

We use this a lot for our "youf" (Samoan for 'Youth') in our ward. It can easily be made in a large cooler or multiple coolers for any occasion and tastes great with Calrose white rice, and macaroni salad in the true island way. Makes an awesome beach bbq bonfire dinner.

Talofa!

For the Cafe Rio lovers....

2009-01-06T11:35:00.000-08:00

**I stole this from a friend and am making it for the first time this Sunday for Kelsie's blessing. She said the recipe is REALLY good. Enjoy! Here is the link to the original post with more details: http://favfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/jared-and-i-love-cafe-rio.html

SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

OR, if you prefer chicken:

CAFE RIO CHICKEN

1 (8 ounce) bottle Kraft zesty Italian dressing
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 lbs chicken breasts

Directions

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours on low.
Shred meat.
Cook 1 additional hour.
Enjoy!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")

CILANTRO RANCH

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Easy Chicken Casserole

2008-09-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups soft bread cubes (about 3 slices)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup cooked vegetables (peas, green beans, mixed, etc)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 large tomato, sliced

Preparation:
Combine bread cubes with melted butter and cheese; arrange half of mixture in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Spread vegetables over the bread mixture.

Saute chopped onion in remaining 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Blend in flour and seasonings; cook, stirring, until flour is blended into butter. Gradually add milk, stirring and cooking until thickened and bubbling. Stir in cooked cubed chicken. Pour chicken in sauce over vegetables in casserole; arrange tomato slices over sauce then top with remaining bread mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and lightly browned.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll-Ups

2008-06-09T10:58:00.001-07:00

Ingredients
* 1 loaf sliced white bread, crusts removed
* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 1 egg yolk
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 3/4 cup melted butter

Directions
1. Flatten bread with a rolling pin.
2. Mix cream cheese, egg yolk, and powdered sugar.
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
4. Spread 1 T cheese mixture on each slice bread.
5. Roll up.
6. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar.
7. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Barbecued Shrimp

2008-04-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

2 doz. jumbo shrimp
1/2 lb. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Juice of 1 lemon (3 TBS)

Shell all but tails of shrimp. Mix all ingredients for marinade, add shrimp and marinade for 1 hour. Place shrimp on skewers and barbecue over hot grill, covered with foil, for about 29 minutes.

Try wrapping bacon around shrimp before grilling.

Roasted Red Potatoes

2008-04-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

cover a large baking pan (cookie sheet) with foil and spray with no-stick cooking spray.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half (do not peal)
3 tablespoons olive oil, more if desired
SEASONINGS TO TASTE:
Garlic salt
Fresh ground pepper
Salt
Dried rosemary, crushed
Dried parsley
Dried or fresh minced garlic

Preheat oven to 425.
Fill large bowl with cut potatoes.
Drizzle oil and seasonings over potatoes, stir to coat.
Place potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes, turning half way through baking time
potatoes should be a light golden brown and tender.

Khalbi (Korean Short Ribs) - Family Favorite

2008-04-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Beef short ribs (amount according to family size-left overs are good)

Marinade
1 1/2 cup soy sauce (GF Tamari Sauce)
3/4 cups sugar
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 finger crushed ginger
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 Tablespoons oil

Mix marinade ingredients together, stir to dissolve sugar. Add meat and marinade for 1-2 hours or over night; turn meat occasionally. (use zip lock bags). Remove meat and broil or cook on grill.

Fried Wontons

2008-04-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

1 pkg Wonton wrappers
1 pkg Cream Cheese
Crab meat
Green Onions

Mix Cream Cheese, crab meet, and some green onions. (I don't really have exact amounts just however much tastes good.) Put a small about of mixture in middle of Wonton wrapper. Fold closed. Cook in deep fryer for a few minutes until brown. You can also make a bunch and freeze them for later.

Basic Fried Rice

2008-04-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

After adding the rice, experiment and stir in your favorite diced cooked meat or vegetable.

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons lard or peanut oil
1 cup chopped green onions
4 cups cold cooked rice
2 tablespoons chicken broth (GF)
3 tablespoons soy sauce (GF Tamari Sauce)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons lard or peanut oil in a wok over medium heat 1 minute. Pour in beaten eggs. Stir continuously until eggs are cooked dry and separated into small pieces. Remove cooked eggs from wok and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons lard or peanut oil in wok over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add green onions and rice. Stir-fry 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, remaining salt and soy sauce. Stir to mix well. Stir in cooked eggs, pepper and sesame oil. Serve hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Shrimp with Snow Peas

2008-04-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

2/3 lb. fresh shrimp

Marinade:
1-1/2 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Seasoning sauce:
1 tablespoon chicken broth
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I have never used this much)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb.fresh snow peas

Shell and devein shrimp. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Combined marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. (I use zip lock bags) Add shrimp; mix well. Let stand 30 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Combine ingredients for seasoning sauce in a small bowl; mix well.
Heat oil in wok 30 second over high heat. Stir-fry garlic until golden, 30 seconds. Add shrimp. Stir-fry about 30 seconds until shrimp are pink. Remove from wok with a slotted spoon, draining well over wok. Add salt and snow peas to oil in wok. stir-fry over high heat 30 seconds. Add seasoning sauce. Stir-fry until sauce thickens slightly. Add cooked shrimp. Stir-fry to coat shrimp with sauce. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings
serve with fried rice see recipe under side dishes.

Crock Pot Lasagna

2008-03-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Kurt doesn't like lasagna, but loved this!

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1(28ounce)can tomato sauce
1(6ounce)can tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 ounces cottage cheese(we like 2%)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or asiago cheese
12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
3. Cook long enough to get it warm.
4. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
6. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
7. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Tri Tip Steak

2008-03-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 2.5-pound tri-tip steak (I use skirt, flank or london broil; listed in order of preference)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Spice Rub
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons fennel seeds (I didn't use these as we don't usually like the flavor)
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt

In a pan over very low heat combine all fresh spices and toast until fragrant. Remove from pan to cool. In a spice grinder combine all the ingredients for the rub. Mix until a well blended powder. Place the roast on a cutting board and rub both sides of the meat with the spice mixture. Wrap in plastic and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Rub meat with EVOO. Place the roast on the center of the grill and cook 15 minutes on one side, then flip it and cook for another 10 minutes, to medium-rare.
Remove from the grill and allow to rest covered with foil for 10 minutes before carving.
serve chimichurri on the side.

Chimichurri Sauce
1 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
3 cloves garlic, whole
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
2 shallots, whole
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
In a food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth. Allow to sit in the fridge.

Grilled Asparagus

2008-03-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

Ingredients1/2 pound fresh baby asparagus, break at natural breaking point
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
A few twists freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest plus a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

ROSEMARY CHICKEN

2008-03-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:3 to 3 1/2-pound chicken
2 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh, chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons picked thyme
Extra virgin olive oil
Butcher's twine

Instructions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse and dry the chicken. Season cavity liberally with half the salt and pepper, reserving the remaining half to season the outside. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, thyme, and lemons, squeezing the lemons as you put them in. Truss the bird tightly to keep the breasts from drying out. Add salt and pepper over the surface. Heat a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, over low heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken, breast side up.
Transfer to oven and for 18 minutes per pound. For a 3 1/2-pound chicken, one hour is perfect. Do not open oven or baste chicken during roasting. If the chicken is cooked properly, when pierced with a knife in the thigh, the juice will run clear, not pink. Remove from the pan and cover loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.

Slush

2008-03-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 (16 oz.) can grapefruit
1 (16 oz.) can pineapple

Make a syrup of the water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes and cool. Add pineapple and grapefruit. Set in freezer and stir occasionally. When frozen spoon some in glass and add Sprite or 7-up or Lemon Soda.

Schmorkohl

2008-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

For Christmas Nancy gave us a cookbook of some family recipes...thought I'd share some of the famous Keyser dishes

(Schmor=to stew, kohl=cabbage)

1 head red cabbage
About 2 Tbs sugar (or to taste)
About 1 tsp salt
About 1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs bacon fat (or more)

Shred red cabbage finely and add about 2" of water in pan. Cook until crispy-tender and pour off water. Add remaining ingredients. Thicken with a little cornstarch dissolved in water.

French Dip

2008-03-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

This was so good! It was also good as leftovers or frozen for another meal. And it is super easy!

3 to 4 pound boneless beef roast

1 envelope French Dip Mix (Au Jus)

Worcestershire Sauce

Place roast in roasting pan on a piece of heavy freezer aluminum foil large enough to wrap meat in. Douse roast generously with Worcestershire sauce and sprinkle with salt. Seal meat very air tight in heavy foil. Bake in 350 oven for 4 to 5 house on middle rack. Remove from oven. Allow to sit 20 minutes before slicking or shredding. Save meat juices and place saucepan and add seasoning packet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer according to package directions. Serve on warm sandwich rolls with bowls of juice for dipping.

I didn't have any juices from the roast because I didn't wrap it well enough so I just made the Au Jus according to the package.

Chickadee Wings

2008-03-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

Wings
Chicken wings cut into sections (throw third piece away) (recipe is for two people and calls for 8 drumettes or 4 wings, I increase the amount of wings to how may people are eating, the dipping sauce is good for more than 2 people.)
1/3 cup flour Salt and Pepper
2 TBS butter 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBS Honey

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat each piece with the flour, shaking off any excess. In a medium nonstick skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Drizzle the chicken with 1 TBS honey, lower the heat to medium-low and cook, shaking the pan frequently to prevent the honey from burning, for 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to plates and serve with the dips and celery sticks.

Dipping Sauces:
1/4 cup honey 2 TBS mustard

1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup honey and the mustard.
In another small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and half of the blue cheese; mash with a fork until nearly smooth, then fold in the remaining blue cheese.

Tuna Bow Ties

2008-03-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

We used Chicken instead of Tuna

8 oz bow tie pasta
1 (10.5 oz) can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (120z) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (we used Colby jack)
6 slices American cheese
1 can tuna, drained
1 cup frozen peas

Cook pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the shortest time recommended on the package. Mix together soup, milk and onion. Break American cheese into small pieces. Stir in cheese, tuna, peas and bowties. Place in greased baking dish. Top with buttered bread or cracker crumbs. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 deg.