Golden Graham Mix

I can't believe I haven't posted this before. I could eat this forever. It's easy and yummy. And Celeste, it's something else you can use your almond bark for! I'm making it for New Year's.

Golden Graham Mix
(Julie Howell)

Golden Grahams
Stick Pretzels
Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
M&Ms
Miniature Marshmallows
Peanuts
White Almond Bark

Combine all ingredients (except almond bark) in a big bowl. Melt almond bark until melted. Stir into mixture. Let set up. Enjoy!

America's Worst Supermarket Foods

I saw this article and wasn't too worried about it until I saw what was on the list! Thought you girls might want to sneak a peek too. It's a little depressing (but don't worry--calories don't count during the holidays--that's a fact!!). And, in case you're wondering--the Twix is what caught me off guard. In fact, after one particularly difficult Fast Sunday--I broke open a bag of snack size and almost ate the entire thing (who doesn't do that once in awhile???). AH!!! And no, I don't know why I'm gaining so much weight this pregnancy. I'm just following Carissa's recommendation of the Frat Boy Diet. I just don't get it!

There may be no place on the planet more daunting than the American supermarket. From the produce section to the frozen-food aisle, the modern day market is loaded with 50,000 food choices, all vying for your hard-earned money. And there’s no better way to start slimming down in 2009 than by eliminating the most egregious offenders in the supermarket from your shopping cart. That’s why we created the Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: to help you cut through marketing mysteries and food-label lies in order to make the smart choices that lead to fast and permanent weight loss for you and your loved ones.

Some are conspicuous calorie bombs, others are junk food masquerading as healthy food, but all of these foods have one thing in common: They will undermine your efforts to lose weight and feel great in the New Year. So study up on the list of the Worst Supermarket Foods (and while you’re at it, don’t forget the 20 Worst Restaurant Foods in America), and resolve to master your market in 2009!

WORST COOKIE

Pillsbury Big Deluxe Classics White Chunk Macadamia Nut
(dough; 1 cookie, 38 g)
180 calories / 10 g fat
(3 g saturated, 2 g trans)
13 g sugars

Stick to Nestlé Toll House when it comes to big-brand cookie dough; the people of Pillsbury have a penchant for scattering trans fats across your market’s refrigerated section. This cookie has one load of dangerous oils mixed into the flour and another blended with sugar and interspersed throughout the dough as “white confectionery chunks.”

FAT EQUIVALENT: 5 “fun” size 3 Musketeers bars

Eat This Instead:
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
(11⁄2-inch ball, 28 g)
130 calories
6 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
11 g sugars

WORST CANDY

Twix
(1 package, 2 oz)
280 calories / 27 g sugars
14 g fat (11 g saturated)

Twix takes the already-dubious candy-bar reputation and drags it through a murky pool of saturated fat. With more than half the USDA’s daily consumption recommendation for these dangerous fats in each package, this is one potentially hazardous after-lunch snack.

SATURATED FAT EQUIVALENT: 11 strips of bacon

Eat This Instead:
100 Grand
(1 package)
190 calories
22 g sugars
8 g fat (5 g saturated)

WORST CEREAL

Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins
(1 c)
420 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
6 g fiber / 30 g sugars

Granola, for all its good reputation, is usually weighed down by a deluge of added sugars. In fact, for the same amount of sugar, you could have a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles more than twice the size—and you’d get more fiber and save about 60 calories in fat.

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 8 chicken wings

Eat This Instead:
Kashi GOLEAN
(1 c)
140 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
10 g fiber / 6 g sugars

WORST INDIVIDUAL SNACK

Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie
(1 pie)
520 calories / 45 g sugars
24 g fat (14 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)

Skip past the enriched flour and water on the ingredient list and here’s what you get: animal shortening, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, butter, chocolate liqueur, and so on. Any one of these ingredients alone might prompt you to raise an eyebrow, but taken together they should invoke a gag reflex and a sprint for something far healthier.

SATURATED FAT EQUIVALENT: 2 McDonald’s Quarter Pounders

Eat This Instead:
Chocolatey Drizzle Rice Krispies Treat
100 calories / 8 g sugars
3 g fat (1 g saturated)

WORST PACKAGED LUNCH

Oscar Mayer Maxed Out Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Combo Lunchables
(1 package)
680 calories / 61 g sugars
22 g fat (9 g saturated, 1 g trans) / 1,440 mg sodium

Here’s your first clue that this meal has issues: The ingredient list—in its squinty small type—is a full 4 inches long. It includes just about every form of fat and sugar you can imagine. Your child deserves better.

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 15 Chicken McNuggets

Eat This Instead:
Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Fajita Beef & Salsa Flatbread
(145 g)
280 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
890 mg sodium

WORST FROZEN PIZZA

DiGiorno for One Garlic Bread Crust Supreme Pizza
850 calories / 1,450 mg sodium
44 g fat (15 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)

The bloated crust and the greasy toppings will saddle you with 60 percent of your day’s sodium, 75 percent of your day’s saturated fat, and nearly twice the amount of trans fats you should take in daily.

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 6 slices Domino’s Thin N Crispy Cheese Pizza

Eat This Instead:
South Beach Diet Deluxe Pizza
340 calories
660 mg sodium
11 g fat (4 g saturated)

WORST FROZEN ENTRÉE

Hungry-Man Classic Fried Chicken
1,020 calories / 1,570 mg sodium
57 g fat (12 g saturated)

They should rename the company Hungry-Men, because there’s no way the average guy needs more than a pound of fatty fried chicken, oily potatoes, and a brownie.

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 5 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts

Eat This Instead:
Banquet Select Chicken Parmesan
350 calories
870 mg sodium
15 g fat (3.5 g saturated)

Buckeyes

I made these to take to neighbors for Christmas and Christina fell in love! So, here's the recipe, Stina! They are VERY addicting! Merry Christmas!

Buckeyes:

2 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar,sifted
4 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips (or another kind of dipping chocolate)



DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
Press a toothpick into the top of each ball (to be used later as the handle for dipping) and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth.
Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

Not a recipe, but fun news!

I thought I would announce to you all that I am expecting my third child! I had to join the band wagon (a little late) with FFR girls. I am 12 weeks along and due June 26th!

Lemon Pudding Souffles

I've made these a few times, and although it takes a little work, they are light and delicious. I make mine in 6 ramekins so everyone has their own little serving, and I serve it at room temperature (let them cool about half hour). The top is fluffy like a souffle while the bottom is a lemon pudding.

4 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft (plus more for greasing dish)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups milk
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish or straight-sided casserole, or 6 individual 1-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes (a pastry brush works well), and set them aside. Heat the oven to 350°.

Separate the eggs, reserving 3 of the whites in a medium-size mixing bowl and all 4 of the yolks in a separate medium-size bowl. Take care that none of the yolk gets into the whites, or the whites won't stiffen properly when they're beaten.

Add 1 cup of the sugar, the butter, and the lemon zest to the bowl of reserved yolks. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Then blend in the flour, followed by the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Set the mixer to low and slowly add the milk.

Clean and dry the mixer's beaters. Beat the egg whites on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high, until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to beat the whites until they are semistiff (meaning when you pull the beaters out of the whites, the peaks are stiff, they do not droop at all, but do not overbeat). Gently but thoroughly fold half of the beaten whites into the batter until they are evenly mixed, then do the same with the remaining half.

Pour the batter into the prepared soufflé dish or ramekins. Place the dish or dishes, evenly spaced, in a shallow 13- by 9-inch pan. Carefully pour hot water into the pan to a depth of about 3/4 inch. Bake the pudding soufflé on the center oven rack until it's puffed and golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes for the large one or 25 to 30 minutes for the small ones. Don't open the oven door or your dessert may collapse.

Remove the dish or dishes from the water bath and transfer them to a wire rack. Let them rest for 15 minutes. Some folks enjoy this dessert at room temperature, with the pudding still warm and saucy; others prefer it cold, with the pudding a bit thicker. It takes the large dish about 8 hours in the refrigerator (overnight is fine) to cool completely, and the small dishes, about 3 to 4 hours. The soufflé top will fall a bit, but the fluffy texture will remain. Dust the soufflé with powdered sugar before serving. Serves 6.

Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce

I have never made this recipe, but someone made it for me. At my ward's annual Service Auction a friend of mine auctioned off an eggroll dinner and being pregnant and craving anything deep fried, I went for it and won it. We went to her house a few weeks ago and she made these egg rolls and sauce as well as some fried rice and I was in heaven. I think I ate like a dozen! My friend said they are a little time consuming with all the wrapping, but I'm sure husbands can help out :) I think they are totally worth the effort and my own husband raves about the sweet and sour sauce. I'm making them this weekend as well as for Christmas Eve to start a new tradition maybe? We'll see! Enjoy!

Egg Rolls

2 C. cooked chicken breasts, chopped well
2 C. cabbage chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. cooking oil
2 C. bean sprouts
1 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. fresh ginger minced or grated (optional)
Egg roll wrappers (usually found in the produce or organic section)

Stir fry everything, except the chicken, together until tender. Add chicken.
Wrap in egg roll wrappers according to instructions on the package. Fry until golden brown on each side (the oil should be around 350 degrees- any hotter and they will get too "golden").

Sweet and Sour Sauce

½ C. brown sugar
1 T. corn starch
1 T. soy sauce
1/3 C. chicken broth
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1/3 C vinegar (you can use either red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1 clove garlic minced

Cook on medium high heat until it bubbles and then 2 more minutes (you should definitely double this as it barely was enough for our egg rolls when Kelli and I made them and it is really good!).

Pumpkin Waffles with Nutmeg syrup

My mom made these for dinner one day while she was here and I'm still licking my lips! I've just been waiting for the perfect opportunity to make them because they were sooooo good! The nutmeg syrup is definitely worth the effort because it makes alot and you can eat it on pancakes, french toast, ice cream or whatever.


Pumpkin Waffles

1 c. plus 2 Tbls. Flour
2 Tbls. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 c. milk
½ c. canned pumpkin
2 Tbls. butter melted

Combine dry ingredients. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix together and cook in waffle iron.


Nutmeg Syrup
1 c. sugar
2 Tbls. Flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 c. cold water
2 TBls. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In large saucepan combine sugar flour cinnamon nutmeg and water until smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve over waffles.

Chicken Marsala

My neighbor gave me this recipe and it was really good! If you have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time, it doesn't take very long at all. The only change I made was cooking the chicken longer than 2 minutes on each side, although once it is in the oven there is carry-over cooking so just use your best judgement.

Chicken Marsala
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour (you actually need to measure this)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 sliced green onions
6 Tbsp margarine or butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup marsala cooking wine (not actual wine, but the kind found near the vinegar, it's way cheap)

Rinse chicken, pat dry, Place each breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer until chicken is 1" thick (don't use chicken cutlets since pounding the chicken flat makes it really tender). Stir together flour, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Lightly press chicken into flour mixture on both sides. Shake off excess. In large skillet cook mushrooms and onions in 2 Tbsp butter until tender. Empty into dish and cover to keep warm. In the same skillet cook chicken pieces in 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken on platter and cover. Stick in oven at 200 degrees to keep warm. Return mushrooms and onions to skillet with 2 Tbsp butter. Add remains of flour mixture and stir until a paste forms on mushrooms on med-high heat stirring constantly. Slowly add chicken broth and marsala and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes, when sauce thickens stirring occasionally. Spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. (If the sauce is too thick for your liking, like mine was, just add a little more stock or cooking wine or a little of both to thin it out).

I served mine with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad.

White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies

Um, why are all the recent recipes desserts? Is it because they are soooo good, and, at least for me, our dinners have been less than spectacular? You betcha!Finally, a "brownie" recipe that isn't chocolate that my husband will actually eat! I got this off of the Picky Palate blog, which I love to pieces. I've made a couple of her things and am excited to make more, like her shepherd's pie, open face lasagna on ciabatta rolls, and corn chowder! This is a girl after my own taste buds! Seriously, though, these blondies have an almost cheesecake-like texture, and the only expensive thing is the raspberries since they are a little out of season. I did not use "sanding sugar" since I really don't have any (you can get it at JoAnn's in the cake area) but just mixed regular sugar with the pecans for some sweetness anyway. I also had to cook mine almost 20 minutes more than 30-35 minutes, so just bake it for 30 minutes and then check it with a toothpick, then bake for 5 minute increments until it's done. Anyway, here is the link, and check out the rest of her blog too!

http://www.picky-palate.com/2008/10/happy-1-year-blogger-versary-to-me.html

Squished Witch Creams

1/2 cup powdered spooks (powdered sugar)
1 cup ghost blood (sweetened condensed milk)
2 cups frog eyes (chocolate chips)
1 cup squished witch (peanut butter)

Put powdered spooks in bowl. Add frog eyes. Add ghost blood. Add squished witches. Stand on one foot only and stir together. While stirring repeat your name backwards. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper. Chill and serve!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

I've found my new favorite cookie! My mom brought some really amazing recipes when she came to help me with the baby and this was one of them! The recipe doesn't sound very appetizing but you have to give these a try. They really are sooooo delicious!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cans (16 oz. each) Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1 egg
1 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 c. flour
sugar

Set aside 1 can plus 1/3 cup frosting. In a large bowl, combine egg, peanut butter and remaining frosting. Stir in flour until moist. Drop by tablespoons 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Flatten cookies with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 for 8-11 min. Cool completely and spread with frosting.

Mini Toffee Rolls

OK, these little things are TO DIE FOR! I really could have eaten the whole pan if I didn't have to share them with the rest of the family. They are super easy and kid friendly and the perfect snack anytime, day or night!

6 Tbls. butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. toffee bits
2 tubes refridgerated crescant rolls
1 c. powdered sugar
4 1/2 tsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until light and fluffy. Stir in toffee bits.
Separate each tube of crescant dough into four rectangles. Seal perforations. Spread evevly with butter mixture. Roll up each rectangle like a jelly roll, starting with a long side. Cut each into six 1-inch slices and place into two greased 8 in. square pans. Bake at 375 for 14-16 min.
Combine powdered suagr, milk and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over warm rolls. Make sure you are home alone so you don't have to share!!

Zuppa Tuscana Soup

I made a comment to get you this recipe on the "fall is here" post about soups. This is a knock off recipe of Olive Gardens Zuppa Tuscana soup. Enjoy!!

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 Potatoes
1/2 Onion (chopped)
1/2 lb bacon
2 cloves Garlic.(minced)
2 cups chopped Kale
3 cans chicken broth
4 cups water
1 cup heavy whip cream

After all is cooked stir in whip cream and remove from heat. Serve Hot!

My blue ribbon apple pie

So for those who don't read my family blog, I entered an apple pie contest today and won first place. The recipe consists of different parts of different recipes that I found and then tweaked to my liking. The crust is Barefoot Contessa's, the filling is from a recipe on Food Network that got rave reviews except I used different apples and added a few more spices and a little more brown sugar, the streusel is from a caramel apple recipe except I added extra spices and pecans, and the idea for the spiced whipped topping came during one of my sleepless episodes (how does anyone sleep when they're pregnant?!). Anyway, the judges loved it. Enjoy!

Apple Pie with Pecan-Cinnamon Streusel and Spiced Whipped Cream

Crust:

12 Tbsp (1 ½ sticks) very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Filling:

6 to 8 variety apples, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
Juice from ½ of a lemon
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel topping:

2/3 cup crushed cinnamon graham crackers
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup pecans
6 Tbsp cold butter, diced

Whipped Topping:

1 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp vanilla

Crust: Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Set second pie crust aside.

Filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Fill pie crust with apple mixture.

Streusel topping: Combine graham crackers, brown sugar, and flour in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add pecans and diced butter, pulsing until the butter is the size of peas. Sprinkle over apples after apples have been placed in the pie dish. Top pie with latticed pie crust and flute the edges. Brush edges and top of pie with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water).

Fold foil strips around edges of crust and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 40 minutes or until apples are bubbling and crust is browned.

For whipped topping, mix whipped cream with a stand mixer fitted with a wire whisk until soft peaks form. Continuing to whisk, gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Top with pie once pie has cooled to room temperature.

BYU'S MINT BROWNIES

My husband emailed me this recipe. I'm thinking it might be a hint! But, these are the best!!!

BYU Mint Brownies
Sugar-n-Spice, Cougareat Food Court
MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)
MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

Okay, this totally isn't a soup, but they are so good and so easy.

1 package (19 to 21 oz) brownie mix, prepared and baked in a 13x9 inch pan (don't overbake - you want them gooey)
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used chunky because it was all I had and it worked fine)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups cool whip, frozen (DON'T THAW!)
3 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (these are optional but give the brownies crunch and make them look good too)

Whisk milk and pudding 2 minutes while brownies are cooling. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well. Cover and refrigerate pudding mixture until brownies are completely cooled.

Spread pudding mixture on brownies, making sure it is evenly spread to all sides and smooth (you don't want peaks or the chocolate glaze won't cover it). Microwave whipped topping and chocolate on high for a minute to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour and spread over pudding; sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate at least one hour. Refrigerate leftovers. (I liked them better the next day, so I suggest refrigerating them overnight. They are easier to cut and more set).

Chicken Noodle Soup

Great idea about soup, Carissa. I'm doing a Lunch Bunch with my ward and in October we're doing soups! If you haven't tried my mom's chicken noodle soup--you're missing out!!! (This recipe is sure to cure the flu and especially a cold. )


Chicken Noodle Soup
(Ina Robertson)
Chicken and Broth

1 1/2 pound of chicken breast (you can use other parts, but I like to use the breasts, because there are few bones)
4 1/2 cups cold water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 stalk celery with leaves, cut up
1 medium carrot, cut up
1 small onion, cut up

Remove skin from chicken breast. Place ingredients in pan. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 hour. Remove chicken from broth. Strain broth. Discard vegetables.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 medium carrots sliced
2 medium stalks celery sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 TBS instant chicken bouillon, or soup base stuff
1 cup uncooked angel hair pasta

Add enough water to broth to measure 5 cups. Heat broth, carrots, celery, onion, and bouillon (dry) to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer until carrots are done, about 15 minutes. Stir in noodles and cut up chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until noodles are done (7-10 minutes).

Fall is here!

It finally feels like fall, at least here in Ohio. Olivia pointed out today that a tree we were passing was red and another was orange. She was so amazed at the different colors of trees and I explained (or tried to, anyway) that it was fall and what that meant. Then I started thinking about all the things I was excited about for fall: pumpkin patches, hay rides, crunchy leaves, no humidity!, the beautiful colors of nature, and soup! I rarely make soup in the summer and now I am craving it. Besides my two faves, corn chowder and broccoli cheddar soup (both recipes have been posted on here already), does anyone have any new or different soup recipes they want to share? I need some new soups in my recipe box and am so excited to try them.

My contribution? It's lame, but I love the new Select Harvest soups from Campbell's. They have no preservatives in them so they are as close to organic as I am going to get without paying for organic prices, and I love the new Tomato Garden flavor. Check them out! It doesn't get any easier than canned soup!

Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

This is another recipe that I tried from the Giada cookbook I got for Mother's Day. It is definately not healthy but trust me, it's so worth it, and it is so easy to make. The panna cotta is really creamy, sort of like a pudding but creamier, and the berries make it amazing. I definately recommend making this, especially on a special occasion because it is so fancy looking. I can't wait to make it again.

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt

2 cups assorted fresh berries (I used raspberries and blueberries..whatever's on sale)

Place the milk in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Place the saucepan on the stove and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes (remember to stir pretty often to the milk doesn't burn at the bottom). Add the cream, honey, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour into 6 wine glasses so that they are 1/2 full. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours (some people on the Food Network website suggested longer than 6 hours, maybe make this in the morning and serve for dessert).

Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve.

Ice cream sandwich casserole

Okay, I just tried this and have no recipe or proper name for it. It was so good and very very easy to make. I am sad that summer is almost over because it is a great summer dessert. It is pretty easy to guess the amounts you want on it. You have to try it!

Ice Cream sandwich Casserole

Ice cream sandwiches

Whipped topping (Cool Whip)

chopped or crushed up pieces of a Heath candy bar

Place the ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish

Smooth a layer of whipped topping over the ice cream sandwiches

Top the whipped topping with crushed pieces of the Heath bar

Repeat for the 2nd layer if wanted! Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

Broccoli Salad and Veggie Pizza

I listed these two on my blog since some friends wanted them:

http://thepoyfairs.blogspot.com/2008/09/recipe-requests.html

The broccoli salad is always a hit. Kelli made it for my son Jack's first birthday party dinner and I have made it so many times. Every time I bring it to a luncheon or BBQ it is the first thing gone and I always have people calling me for the recipe. It is from The Essential Mormon Cookbook by Julie Badger Jensen. I know Celeste and Kelli use some other recipes out of that book too. I really like it.

The veggie pizza is a recipe I've used before but forgot about it until yesterday when I had both a Labor Day BBQ and a Fantasy Football Couples' Draft party to go to and bring finger foods too. I fell in love with this recipe again and had multiple requests for the recipe. So, if you are interested in either recipe, go for it. They both require very minimal cooking (bacon for the salad and the crescent roll crust for the pizza).

Shepherd's Pie

I can't claim this recipe, since I got it from Carissa years ago. I love it! Her version has you use a slow cooker, but I like making it in a casserole dish and baking it. My kids eat it up and it's very easy.

Shepherd’s Pie

1 lb. ground beef
1 can corn
1 medium onion
1 can tomato soup
1 can french-sliced green beans
1 tsp basil
1 can tomato sauce (optional. Carissa's recipe doesn't use this)
mashed potatoes (instant or homemade)
shredded cheese

Brown hamburger. Mix together soup and sauce. Add hamburger to mixture. Add veggies. Pour into casserole dish or 9 x 13 inch pan. Top with mashed potatoes and cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

(Variation: Carissa Poyfair: She mixes them all together and puts in a slow cooker. She covers with mashed potatoes and cheese and cooks on low for 5-6 hours.)

Hazelnut and Chocolate Pie

I wasn't initially going to post this, the first time I made it I wasn't super impressed with it. It was good, but not great. But then I made it following suggestions from Food Network's reviews (it's a Giada recipe, surprise surprise) and it's so much better. It's rich and easy to make. The only pricey thing is the hazelnuts, I found a bag at Trader Joe's for $5.99 but I've made it twice and only used half the bag, so it really isn't all that pricey. If you can't find hazelnuts I'm sure you could use a different nut but I can't guarantee how it will turn out. To toast the hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place on a baking sheet for about 10-12 minutes. Wrap immediately in a kitchen towel and let steam for about 1 minute, then let cool. Once cool, you rub them in the towel and the skin is supposed to come off. Mine didn't all come off, but it isn't a big deal.

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (I was more generous, I maybe added 1 1/2 cups total)

1 cup hazelnuts, skinned and toasted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more to dust the pie dish

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup hot water

4 eggs

1 stick butter, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, at room temperature, plus more to grease the pie dish

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

I also added 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup

Put 1/2 of the chocolate chips, hazelnuts, and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the hazelnuts are coarsely chopped. Pour the hazelnut mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Combine remaining chocolate chips and sugar in the food processor. Blend until the mixture is finely ground. With the machine running, gradually add the hot water until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, butter, vanilla and cinnamon (and chocolate syrup). Pulse until mixture is blended. Return the hazelnut mixture to the food processor and pulse to incorporate. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Place the pie on a cooling rack and cool for 1 hour. (Top may crack during cooling.) Refrigerate for 2 hours. (Pie can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator). Allow the pie to return to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

The recipe also supplies a recipe for whipping cream for this dish. I made it, but you can use Cool Whip, it isn't too different.

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks.

**Funny story, when I made this the first time I made it for the elders who were coming over for dessert. I eyeballed the ingredients for the whipped topping because I was in a hurry and I was using pure vanilla extract (my sister-in-law bought this for me, I've never used anything except imitation vanilla). I accidently poured more than I should have into the whipped cream but figured it would just be extra vanilla-y. I didn't know that the pure vanilla extract contained 35% alcohol...needless to say the whipped topping had that alcohol taste to it. And not only did I feed it to the elders, but I let my kids eat it like it was ice cream! I'm going to hell... =)

Chicken and Squash Shish Kabobs

This is my very favorite dinner lately. Partly because I get to use stuff from my garden but mostly because they are just sooooo good and flavorful. They are also so easy to prepare and you can use your bbq so you don't heat up your kitchen at dinner time!


2 chicken breasts cut into chunks
2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
2 carrots pealed
1/2 c. Italian dressing

Place chicken chunks in an air tight container a drizzle with 1/4 c. Italian dressing. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. Chop veggies into bit size pieces and place in another air tight container and drizzle with the remaining 1/4 c. Italian dressing and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Alternate veggies and chicken on shishkabob skewers and bbq until done. Or place shishkabobs on a cookie sheet and broil until done. Serve with seasoned rice and ranch dressing for dipping!

Easy Fried Rice

Here you go Christina! I hope this recipe makes sense, since I don't really have a lot of measurements to go with it.

2-3 cups rice, uncooked (I use calrose rice, which is a sticky rice)
1 onion or 1 bunch scallions
1/2 pound baby carrots (more or less if you prefer)
1 pound cubed ham or cooked and cubed chicken (I have also used kielbasa in a pinch and it works fine)
1-2 cups frozen peas
2-3 eggs, beaten
Cooking oil
Soy Sauce
Sesame oil (Optional but so worth it)

Cook rice and chill in fridge (I do this at lunch time and it's ready by dinner time). Cut carrots and onion. Heat a couple tablespoons of oil over high heat in a large pan or wok. Add carrots, onion, and meat of your choice. Stir fry until carrots and onion are tender. Meanwhile, in a smaller pan, heat a tablespoon or so of oil on high heat. When rippling, add beaten eggs (if using three eggs, use a medium size pan). Cook on one side like an omelet. When browned a little, flip to other side. Set aside. Break egg apart into pieces. When carrots and onion are done, add chilled rice. Separate and heat through. Add eggs and peas; stir. Add soy sauce to taste. You know it is enough when all the rice is covered, but taste first before adding more so you don't add too much. Drizzle with sesame oil - a little goes a long way so taste before adding more. This makes a ton and is great for breakfast the next morning or for lunch and is great even cold! And feel free to add other veggies and meats, like bean sprouts or shrimp.

Potato Frittata

I made this for my brother and his fiance when they visited last week. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out delicious! The only somewhat expensive thing is the proscuitto but since the recipe only calls for 2 oz, it only cost me a few dollars. My deli sells proscuitto by the slice, but if yours doesn't and you don't want to buy the larger expensive package, just use ham, just make sure it isn't too salty. A frittata is similar to an omelet, but it is started on the stove and finished under the broiler. And there is so many ingredients packed into this frittata that to me it is more like a quiche and less like an omelet. I served it with a salad and some fruit.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (15-oz) potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I played with several baking potatoes at the store til I found two that added up to about 1 lb)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 large eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 oz thinly sliced proscuitto, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (not dried)

In a 9 1/2-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet (mine was 9-inches), heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the potato, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat until the potato is tender and golden, about 15-minutes (taste test to make sure the potato is cooked through).

Preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, proscuitto, and basil to blend. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture in the skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set but the top is still runny, about 2 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler and broil until the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from the skillet and slide it onto a plate. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve.

Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket.

I made these for Olivia's birthday party and they were a hit! I was eating them more than the kids I think. I got it off kraftfoods.com (of course), but seriously, this is such an easy recipe, any one could have made it up on their own, but I thought I would post it as an idea for kids' lunches or snacks. It would also work as an appetizer at a party. You can switch up the beef Little Smokies for a spicier kind for the adults.

6 Kraft Singles (yes, processes cheese, but it has calcium!)

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (8 oz size)

24 Little Smokies (I used the beef ones)

Preheat oven to 375. Cut each cheese slice into four strips then cut in half (making 8 pieces from each slice).

Separate dough into the triangles and cut each triangle into thirds lengthwise. Top each triangle with 2 pieces of cheese and 1 Little Smokie. Roll up and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie

I am all about comfort foods lately. This recipe is one of my favorites. It's easy and so good. My mom made it when I was younger, but I never liked the pie crust. So, I've kept her recipe, but made it with biscuits. Very yummy. We're having it tonight (even though Brent doesn't like peas)!!

Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
(Ina Robertson)

1 pckg (10 oz) frozen peas and carrots (or corn, or whatever you prefer!)
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped onion
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 ½ - 3 cups chicken, cooked and cut

Rinse frozen peas and carrots under running cold water to separate, drain. Heat margarine in 2-quart saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly and remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and vegetables. Pour into a deep dish 9” square baking dish. All of it may not fit!

Combine 1 cup biscuit mix, ½ cup milk, and 1 egg and pour over chicken mixture. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe before. I got this from a friend in a recipe exchange and love it. It makes a ton so it feeds us for two nights, and I like to make it when I am feeding the missionaries because it's the perfect amount. I make a couple of changes to it, I'll put those in parentheses in the recipe.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

5 chicken breasts, cubed
Flour
Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 small can crushed pineapple, juice reserved (I also like to use pineapple tidbits or chunks instead so you get actual pieces of pineapple)
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped (I usually use more)

Place chicken in Ziploc bag with flour and shake to coat (this works best if you pat down the chicken a little then add the flour last). Add to oil and cook until most are browned and crispy. You'll need enough oil to cover the entire bottom of your pan.

Meanwhile, combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan, then add vinegar, pineapple juice plus enough water to make one cup, and soy sauce. Stir to combine and let boil one minute. Add reserved pineapple and bell pepper.

Place chicken in 9x13 dish and pour sauce over it, making sure it covers everything (I kind of stir it in gently to make sure it covers everything). Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Serve with rice.

Coconut Shrimp

Yes-another shrimp recipe. But, can you blame me? I bought a huge bag of shrimp and thawed all of it. What was I thinking? I can't eat that much, even when I eat more than Brent. Anyway, I looked for some yummy shrimp recipes on allrecipes and this is what I came up with--they are amazing. I did have to modify the beer (you substitute chicken broth). They turned out great!! Just wish I had researched dipping sauces a little better!

Coconut Shrimp

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups flaked coconut--(you may want to put it thru a food processor so it sticks better)
  
• 24 shrimp
• 3 cups oil for frying
  

1. In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, chicken broth and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
2. Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/broth batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (This is a very important step. It keeps all the coconut stuck to the shrimp so when you fry it--it doesn't all come off.) Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer. (You can also pan-fry these.)
   
3. Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Shrimp & Rice

I had this leftover link-sausage and was trying to find something to make with it--when Rachael Ray answered the call. :) She made a Spanish Shrimp and Chorizo with Sweet Pea Couscous. I didn't like all the spice she put in hers, and I didn't have couscous--so I made my own. It turned out delicious! Brent even ate it. (And, I know that whenever I make something--if Brent likes it--I consider it good. Even though he's picky and not the best judge...)

Shrimp Marinade
1 tsp paprika
4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
1 tsp parsley
2 TBSP EVOO
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
24 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

Combine and set aside.

Rice
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups chicken broth
Any spices you want--I put in some thyme (I think)

Bring to a boil. Set to low heat. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.


While the rice is cooking. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO. Add the sausage and cook, stirring every now and then for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook another 4-5 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock to the skillet, cook about 30 seconds then remove from heat.

To serve: Place a serving of rice on a plate. Top with shrimp & sausage and some of the sauce. Serve with steamed veggies. ENJOY!

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe was in my Kraft Food magazine, and since Bryan and I love Mexican food I thought I'd try it. It is so good. The cream cheese makes it creamy without being runny and the flavors are really good. The cilantro in it is yummy too (unless you are Kelli), and it's pretty cheap at the store. It's a nice change from the chicken enchiladas everyone makes with the cream of chicken soup! Also, if your Costco carries the "bake-yourself" tortillas I highly recommend them!


1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (I did two)
4 cooked small chicken breasts (about 1 lb.), shredded (I cooked mine in chili powder and garlic powder)
1 cup salsa (whatever your favorite is), divided (I used more than a cup)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (I used about 2T)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheese, divided (again, I used more)
8 Flour Tortillas

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Heat large skillet spayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add chicken, 1/4 cup of the salsa, cream cheese, cilantro and cumin; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese; mix well.

SPOON about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining 3/4 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

I had this at a BBQ tonight and LOVED it! It is like a strawberry ice cream cake. The best part is how easy it is. I can not wait for an excuse to make this one myself.

4 cups strawberries, divided
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tub cool whip whipped topping, thawed, divided
8 Oreo sandwich cookies, finely chopped. (she took out the filling)
1 T. butter, melted

Line an 8x4 in. loaf pan with foil. Mash 2 cups of strawberries in a large bowl. Stir in condensed milk, lemon juice and 2 cups of the cool whip; pour into pan.

Top with combined chopped cookies and butter, press into mixture and cover.

Freeze at least 6 hours, overnight if the recipe is doubled. To serve, invert onto plate and remove the foil. Frost with remaining Cool Whip and top with sliced strawberries.

Makes 12 servings

German Potato Salad

This is another one of those recipes I thought were authentic and came straight from a German neighbor or something. Until I found it in the Betty Crocker cookbook my mom handed down to me. It's so great and so good. I always think you could use more sauce with it. So, if you want to feel free. I love that the Germans flavor their food with bacon grease. Who cares about fat content, right? :)

Hot German Potato Salad

(Ina Robertson)

4 medium potatoes
3 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 TBS flour
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp celery seed
Dash pepper
½ cup water
¼ cup vinegar

Boil potatoes. Cook bacon in 8-inch skillet until crisp, remove bacon and drain. Cook and stir onion in bacon fat until tender. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon into mixture and slice in warm potatoes. Stir gently to coat until warm and bubbly. Yield: 5 servings.

Tilapia Dijon

So we try to eat fish once a week, depending what's on sale. My midwife told me to try to shoot for one to two servings a week, and although I can't guarantee two servings - hello fish can be expensive! - I can say that we do, for the most part, eat it once a week. This has become my new favorite fish recipe. Not only is tilapia pretty cheap (I paid $6 for 3 fresh fillets) but it cooks in under 10 minutes. I would definately recommend fresh fish. I buy it the day I make it. I hate frozen fish, it never thaws properly and it doesn't taste nearly as great. Tilapia, for those who have never tried it, is really mild. My boys thought they were eating chicken. The recipe calls for 2 fillets, but I used 3 and didn't run out of the dijon mixture or the panko. If you use more than 3, I'd double everything.

2 6-oz tilapia fillets
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter, divided
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I used 2 tsp dried basil and it was perfect)
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel - don't skimp on this, it's so good with the lemon!
½ cup panko - NOT bread crumbs, you won't get the crunchy exterior!
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter. Combine melted butter, mustard, parsley, and lemon peel in a small bowl; spread over both sides of tilapia. Combine panko and cheese in a shallow dish; generously coat tilapia with crumbs.

Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tilapia 8 to 10 minutes or until it just begins to flake, turning once. (Mine was a medium to dark golden brown, almost looked burnt, but it wasn't).

Deviled Eggs

Nothing yells summer to me like a barbecue or picnic. Really, why is food always the highlight of every season and event and holiday?! Anyway, I almost always bring deviled eggs to functions and have even made them just because I felt like them. Every time I make them they are gone within minutes and I usually end up doubling the batch! Anyway, here is the recipe. Feel free to half it if you are entertaining just yourselves or even double it for a big barbecue! I get lots of compliments, and these are so easy and simple.

Deviled Eggs

12 eggs, hard boiled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp mustard (I always squeeze in a little more!)
2 tsp white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Halve eggs lenghwise (obviously without the shells on!) and remove the yolks. In a bowl, mash the yolks with a fork. They won't be smooth. Add mayo, mustard and vinegar. Combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture (I put mine in a gallon size Ziploc and cut the tip off so I can just squeeze the mixture easily into the egg whites). Garnish with paprika.

Tip: I read in a Kraft magazine that a great way to boil eggs without getting that green ring on the inside is to put the eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, cover the pot and then turn off the heat. Let stand covered for 15 minutes. Or you can do it your way :)

Southwestern Corn on the cob

This is corn on the cob with a twist! This sounds kinda weird but it is really good! Trust me and try it for your next BBQ!

1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
4 ears corn, husks and silk removed, cut in half
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, preferably chipotle (I double that and it is still not too spicy!)


Directions
1. Heat grill to high. Place cheese on a plate or in a shallow bowl; set aside.
2. Brush corn with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and slightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Brush corn with mayonnaise, and roll in cheese to coat. Sprinkle with chili powder.

I place the mayo in a bowl and mix in the chili powder. Then I brush that onto the corn and roll in the parm. cheese. I also just boil my corn and don't use the butter or salt and pepper. I am sure the real way tastes better, but the lazy way taste good too!

Banana Bars

This recipe is really good - it's like banana brownies or a thick banana cake. And it's a great way to use up ripe bananas instead of banana bread.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup sugar
2-3 ripe bananas (I used three - it makes it more banana-ey)
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk then fill to the 3/4 cup mark with vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Chips

Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in the other wet ingredients. Mix in the dry ingredients. Sprinkle with chocolate chips after putting the batter in a greased 9X13 pan (you decide how much chocolate you want). Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until light brown on top. **The recipe I have suggests frosting with cream cheese frosting, but I didn't do this because I thought it would be too rich and I like it without the frosting. But to each her own, right?? Frost away if you so desire!!!

Freezer meal- Chicken Pasta Casserole

This is really good and makes a great freezer meal or anytime meal. I think I made this for Christina when she had Kade. It makes alot. I usually half it for my family.


2 c. Chicken, cooked and shreaded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1 small can of mushrooms (if desired)
13 oz. cooked spaghetti noodles (I like the thin ones)
Shreaded parmasian cheese
Paprika
Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour over spaghetti noodles in a 9x13 pan. Mix to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Bake at 375 for 30 min.
*If you are making this as a freezer meal, put everthing in the pan, cover and freeze. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Another freezer meal

I am a planner (one of the "genes" my father passed on to me) and I am already planning on what I'm going to do when I have the baby at Christmas-time. Anyway, another thing about me- I love kraftfoods.com and I get way too excited when their "food & family" magazine comes once a quarter. I seriously mark at lieast 10-15 recipes in each issue! One of our fave recipes from there is Simply Lasagna. It makes a whole 13x9 pan, and you don't boil the noodles first. You add a cup of water to the sauce to help cook the noodles when it bakes. And the best part is you can freeze the entire lasagna before you cook it! You just assemble it per the directions, pop it in the freezer, and when you want to cook it, put it in the refrigerator that morning to thaw it out (or the night before is better if you remember) and just bake it like it says.

Click here for the recipe: Simply Lasagna

A little note: I ALWAYS read the comments before I make anything from a website. You don't have to use fresh parsley although I do. You also DO NOT add a whole jar of water like some idiots did. You add the ONE CUP of water to the jar, shake it up to get the excess sauce out, and add the water and extra sauce to the sauce in the pan (not saying you all are idiots, but the directions do kind of make it sound like you add a whole jar of water)

Enjoy! And be prepared!

Summer Idea

Kelli recently asked for ideas for summer that didn't leave her in the kitchen forever and didn't require her to be at stove or have the oven on. I guess it's warm in Ohio??? Right? Anyway, my idea is really simple - it's not even a recipe, it's an idea. Take a large roast and cook it on high for 6-8 hours (a three pound roast goes for around 6-7, a five pound roast takes 8). Season the roast with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Rub it in the roast. Pour beef broth (you can add some water, I use 2 can broth and the rest water) until it covers the roast 3/4 of the way - don't pour it on the roast or the seasoning will wash away. Cook in slow cooker and when done you can shred it. You can use this for BBQ sandwiches (the perfect summer food) or beef enchiladas. I used a three pound roast and it made sandwiches for 2 dinners and 2 pans of enchiladas. The enchilada recipe is below:

1 -2 lbs. Shredded beef
1-2 onions (depending on how much beef)
1-2 Taco Seasoning packets
1-2 cans mashed black beans, drained first

Cook together until onions are tender and the meat is heated through. Place in corn tortillas and roll up (I heat 3 to 4 tortillas on a plate in the microwave for 30 seconds so they bend easier and don't tear). Place each enchilada in a 9x13 pan and cover with enchilada sauce (green or red) and sprinkle with cheese. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through. You can also freeze these (hello - perfect for those pregos out there!!) but don't put enchilada sauce or cheese on until you are ready to cook them. They cook for about an hour when frozen. I like these for summer because the sandwiches are easy and assembling the enchiladas takes 20 minutes max plus it makes enough for at least another dinner or two, depending on how much beef you use.

Oriental Chicken Salad

Stina, this one is for you since you so nicely requested the recipe!

Mom’s Chinese Chicken Salad

1 head cabbage, finely chopped (I've seen it shredded too)
4 chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed (I also flavor my chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper)
1 package ramen noodles, chicken flavor
1/3 cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tsp salt

Mix cabbage and chicken in large bowl. Set aside.

Toast broken ramen noodles and almonds on the stove on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Add to cabbage.

For the dressing, mix in ramen noodle seasoning packet, sugar, vinegar, oil, and salt. Pour over cabbage and toss to coat. Serve cold.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

I made this for Jeremiah for Father's Day. His sister Sophie made it for us back in December and he's been begging for it since then. It's actually really good, I'm not sure why I didn't cave earlier to his demands, but I'm glad I finally did. This is especially good if you like balsamic vinegar, I'm not a huge fan but I still love the dish. I didn't make too many changes, except on the steak I couldn't find herbes de Provence so I just used an Italian herb blend, and I didn't feel like mincing garlic so I used garlic powder. The steak cost me about $10, you can wait til it goes on sale or use a less expensive meat, I'm not sure how it will change the dish. You can eat it warm, room temperature, or cold. I prefer it warm or room temperature.

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Toffee Apple Dip

I had this at a party last week and fell in love with this. I made it tonight for a BBQ and doubled the recipe so I had some at home to eat too. It's a great way to get rid of your apples since you will want to eat a ton with this dip, which isn't so healthy but yummy anyway.

Toffee Apple Dip

1- 8oz brick cream cheese, softened (you can use the light version)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup Heath bits (found near chocolate chips)
Apple slices (Granny Smith are the best)

With an electric mixer, mix everything together and chill for a little while so the mixture gets thick and cold. Serve with apple slices. Yum!

Rice Pudding

This is one of my all time favorite foods. Everytime I make rice for dinner I try to make extra so I can make this the next morning. We usuallt eat it hot for breakfast then put it in the fridge and eat it cold the rest of the day. My kids and I each get a spoon and just eat it out of the bowl.
I never add raisins. I think it ruins the flavor. But if you love raisins then give it a try!

Rice Pudding

3 eggs
2 c. milk
2 c. cooked rice
½ c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
Raisins (optional)

Whisk together eggs and milk in a medium saucepan. Turn heat on to medium and add rice, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk continually until mixture comes to a boil. Add raisins, if desired, and continue to boil and whisk for one minute. Remove from heat and let sit until thick. Serve warm or cold.

Baby Factory

Apparently our blogging society has become quite the baby factory. And, I know the blog unites us, but I'm not sure everyone checks everyone else's blogs.

So, those of you who have announcements--do it here. Or, I'll do it for you! And the three of you know who you are!!!

Do you dare!?

I know most of you are going to throw up just reading about this smoothie but I tried it tonight and I LIKED it! I'd totally make it again and it's a very easy way to get all your veggies and fruits in for the day... IN ONE SMOOTHIE!

1 cup water
2 cups spinach
1 kale leaf
1 Tbsp. flaxseeds

1 banana
1/4 cup blueberries


Blend the first four ingredients in your blender till blended and then add the last two ingredients and blend again till smooth. Then I crushed some ice cubes in it.

You can try other fruit, like mangos, strawberries... if you use peaches make sure you peel them first. Play around.

It's has 238 calories in it... the flaxseeds will give you some protein and your omega 3s. I got them at my local health food store. I won't be offended if you don't try this, but I thought I'd share anyhow! XOXO

Summer Recipes

It is really hot here, as in even with all possible cooling mechanisms in place, it is 84 degrees currently INSIDE my house, probably warmer outside. I am trying to find dinner ideas that require little to no cooking, especially not the oven which seems to heat up my place even more. I can stand the stove for about 20 minutes at the very most. Thanks!

Cornmeal Bread

I got this recipe off allrecipes.com and it is so so good! It says on the website that it is perfect to make with soups and chilis, and since it is in the 50's here in Washington and raining, we are having my homemade chili tonight, and I made this bread to go with it. It tastes like a mix between white bread and corn muffins. And it is so easy to make with a Kitchenaid!! The bread is really good with butter and honey (or honey butter?) or whatever. Sorry if the directions seem condesending. I don't know how many of you bake bread so I wanted to make sure the directions were easy for anybody. Enjoy!

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F) - I just guessed. Who really has a thermometer for this??
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I added a little bit more because my dough was a little sticky)

(In parenthesis I will give Kitchenaid Mixer directions!)

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, butter, egg, cornmeal and salt. Beat in 1-1/2 cups flour until smooth. (Use paddle attachment) Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. (When it starts to have a hard time turning, switch to the dough hook attachment). Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (Leave in the bowl and mix on medium-low to medium for 6-8 minutes with dough hook. I added a little more flour and kneaded it in by hand because my dough was a little sticky). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. (You know when your bread is ready to be punched down when you can stick two fingers in about an inch and the holes stay put). Punch dough down. Divide in half and shape into two loaves. Place in greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Sigh. What's a girl to do? I have so many recipes I can't remember to post them all. I guess I just wait until someone begs for it (thanks Celeste). Here you go--the greatest cookies on earth!!! These are homemade oreos and since they are made from a cake mix, they are so soft and delicious. I LOVE THEM!! Give 'em a go!

1 box devil’s food cake mix
½ cup oil
2 eggs

Icing--(of course you could do other frosting besides cream cheese)
8 oz cream cheese
½ cup butter
4 ½ cups powdered sugar

Mix cake mix, oil and eggs together. Roll into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes at 350. Icing: Mix well and spread icing between two cookies.

Easy Fruit Dip

Can I start off by saying... I love kraftfoods.com! It really has the best site, with tons of recipes and lots of reviews for the recipes. I always read the reviews first to get an idea what was wrong with the recipe, what was right, or what people changed about it. This is the easiest thing I've ever made and everyone at the BBQ I was at loved it.

Easy Fruit Dip

8oz brick cream cheese, softened
6oz (regular size) strawberry yogurt (I used regular Yoplait)

Mix together and chill at least one hour. Delicious with strawberries, bananas, pineapple and grapes. The great thing about this recipe it that you can change out the yogurt you use to make different flavor dips. Blackberry and raspberry come to mind!

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

These muffins were served at a Relief Society farewell breakfast that a friend of mine went to. My friend said these muffins were just as good as lemon blossoms (say what?!) and although I love my lemon blossoms to pieces, I had to try them. They were really really good, perfect for breakfast. They were made into mini muffins using mini liners, although I'm sure Pam would work too. You can make them into regular muffins as well, like the recipe calls for.

Anyway, the way I made them was the way they were made at this breakfast thingy. I made them mini, dipped them into the melted butter and sugar like the recipe says to, but then I drizzled them with melted white chocolate (1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 2-3 tsp Crisco melted in the microwave). Just make sure you put wax paper under your cooling racks when you drizzle so there isn't white chocolate drips all over your counter. I don't know how long the mini muffins would take to bake. My oven cooks way hot so I never cook things as long as they say to. Just watch them. And if you are making them regular size, follow the recipe! Enjoy!

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh OR frozen (do not thaw) raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or 3 oz coarsely chopped white baking bar)

Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine milk, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in all remaining muffin ingredients except raspberries and white baking chips just until flour is moistened. Gently stir in raspberries and white baking chips.

Spoon into foil or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from pan.

Dip top of each muffin in melted butter, then in sugar. (After this you can drizzle with chocolate).

VARIATION:
Raspberry White Chocolate Coffee Cake: Spread batter into greased 9-inch square baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; cut into squares.

Emails

I bet you guys are wondering why you're getting emails every time someone posts or comments. I've always had that done for me, and assumed everyone wanted it (probably incorrectly). If you want me to take you off...just let me know!

And where are the recipes? Bring 'em on!!

Pinching your Pennies

I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I've decided to attempt the art of couponing. There's a girl in my ward who sends weekly emails about deals and which coupons to use. And she swears by the Pinching Your Pennies website. It sorts lists by state--so wherever you are you can find the best deals. She only shops the 5 Star bargains. And she gets three newspapers each week. She doesn't clip all of them--instead she puts the whole page in a 3-ring-binder and then when the coupon comes up on the list...she clips it.

I'm very very amateur, but excited to try. From what I understand, it does take awhile to see results..but I'm excited to SAVE MONEY!!! Especially with each child I know the grocery bill keeps going up!

Anyway, thought I'd share some pointers. If you have questions or want me to forward the emails, let me know!

Indoor S'Mores

I have been craving s'mores lately and thus been wanting to go camping. Since, neither will happen soon--I gave up hope. Until, a friend brought me these. They are so yummy and taste very much like the same thing. So, if any of you need your s'more fill too--give 'em a go!

Indoor Smores

8	cups Golden Grahams® cereal (12oz box)
5	cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2	cups milk chocolate chips
1/4	cup light corn syrup
5	tablespoons butter or margarine
1	teaspoon vanilla
1	cup miniature marshmallows, if desired

	Into large bowl, measure cereal. Butter 13x9-inch pan. In large microwavable bowl, microwave 5 cups marshmallows, the chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter uncovered on High 2 minutes to 3 minutes 30 seconds, stirring after every minute, until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in vanilla.
	Pour over cereal; quickly toss until completely coated. Stir in 1 cup marshmallows.
	Press mixture evenly in pan, using buttered back of spoon. Let stand uncovered at least 1 hour, or refrigerate if you prefer a firmer bar. For squares, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days.
Stove-Top Directions: Into large bowl, measure cereal. Butter 13x9-inch pan. In 3-quart saucepan, heat 5 cups marshmallows, the chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Continue as directed above.

Foil Fish Packets

Below is my favorite fish recipe. We try to eat fish once a week, if not every other week. This is a recipe from Giada, and I've made a few changes from the original. The steamed veggies are okay, and you could really add any veggie, such as substituting thin sliced carrots in place of the orange bell pepper, but the best part of the dish? The lemon peel-salt-pepper mixture you put on top of the fish. Be generous, it makes the fish so good, and because it's steamed, it's so moist.

1 lemon, zested
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 pounds sugar snap peas, stemmed, or green beans with ends removed, or sliced zucchini
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock (the recipe called for white wine, but it was too strong for me)
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 (4-ounce) trout fillets, skinned (or other fish about 1/2-inch thick)- I use salmon
8 thin slices lemon
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint leaves, optional (I don't use this)
Special equipment: 4 large sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl mix together the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Lay out the 4 sheets of aluminum foil. Place 1/4 of the sugar snap peas (or alternate veggie), 1/4 of the yellow bell peppers, and 1/4 of the orange bell peppers on each sheet of foil. Over each pile of vegetables drizzle 2 tablespoons of chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently toss.

Top each pile of seasoned vegetables with a piece of fish. Sprinkle the fish with some of the reserved lemon zest mixture. Top each fish with 2 slices of lemon.

Fold up the foil into an air-tight packet. Place the foil packets in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Sprinkle the fish with mint just before serving.

Tuna Salad and Cheese Roll Up

I am so excited for warm weather and all the yummy foods that come with it! In that respect--here is a recipe I found by watching Martha a few years ago. It's now a favorite of mine!

Tuna Salad and Cheese Roll-Ups
(marthastewart.com)

1 small crisp apple, peeled, cored, and very finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 (6-ounce) cans solid white tuna packed in water
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
½ cup light mayonnaise
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lavash flatbread (I use tortillas)
6 slices cheese, such as Kraft Singles
4 lettuce leaves, preferably green leaf

In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice until coated. Add the tuna, celery, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper and stir with a fork until tuna is broken up and mixture is combined. Lay the lavash on a large sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and cover with the cheese slices in a single layer, followed by a single layer of lettuce leaves. Evenly place the tuna salad along the bottom edge of the lavash. Using the parchment as a guide, tightly roll the sandwich beginning with a long side and wrap tightly in the parchment, taping the paper as necessary.

Easy Homemade Chili

So Bryan and I usually eat chili out of the can because we like the tomato base kind of chili but the chili in the can has fake meat and lots of sodium. So I decided to be adventurous and make up my own chili recipe - and, not to brag, but it rocks (or atleast we think it rocks!). The nice thing about this recipe is that it is cheap to make and you can change it up by adding new veggies, more beans, or different meat.

1 pound hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used an orange pepper but any will do fine)
1/2 Chili Seasoning packet (I used the Albertsons brand - you can find these where you find taco seasoning packets)
1 can tomato sauce (like the 14 or 15 oz. size)
1/3 cup barbeque sauce (I actually just squirted some in, so start with less - you can always add more later)
1 large can Chili Beans in sauce

Brown hamburger with onion and pepper. Add seasoning packet and stir. Add tomato sauce and beans. Add BBQ sauce. Salt to taste. It tastes better if you let it simmer on very low for a little while so the flavors can incorporate. We topped ours with sour cream and cheese.

Variations: Here are some ideas that you can change up the chili with. Add stew meat or leftover roast cut into pieces instead of hamburger. Sausage would be interesting too! Add a can of petite diced stewed tomatoes (I would drain some of the juice off). Saute carrots until soft and add for more nutrition in your chili. Add a can of kidney or black beans to the large can of chili beans (don't omit the chili beans in sauce - they are critical!!!). Add minced garlic for flavor.

Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheese Soup

I know it's not really soup season anymore, at least not here, but I made soup anyway the other night and it was so yummy. If you haven't ever had Panera Bread before, you are missing out, and I love their soup. This recipe says to puree the whole thing, but I remember chunks of carrot and broccoli at panera so I used my immersion blender and only pureed enough to make it thick but left lots of smaller chunks intact. We ate it with Kelli's multigrain bread and havarti cheese toasts. Yummy! Oh, and I doubled the recipe and it fed us for almost 3 dinners. Plus, my kids ate it up like pros, so that was a nice bonus.

Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half and half (I used Land O' Lakes fat free kind)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh broccoli, chopped (I used the stems and florets)
1 cup carrots, julienned (I used precut matchstick carrots that you use for salads)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 oz. grated sharp cheddar

Saute onion in 1 Tbsp butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the half and half, stirring constantly while adding. Add the chicken stock, whisking the whole time. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes (I actually had to cook mine a little longer than that). Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree (I used my immersion blender and only pureed some of it. I like texture in my soup. You can also only puree half of your soup in the blender). Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until well blended and melted. Add nutmeg and serve (I only added a pinch of nutmeg since most comments on this recipe said the nutmeg wasn't necessary).

Strawberry Breakfast

This isn't so much of a recipe, but an idea. Strawberries are quite cheap right now, $1.50 for a container at most stores around here, and we buy them in bulk. I created a breakfast the other day that is to die for. We have it almost daily:

2 slices whole-grain bread per person (or your favorite bread)
About 8 strawberries per person, washed, hulled, and sliced
Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

Toast bread. Spread immediately with Nutella (the heat from the toast helps melt it slightly). Top with sliced strawberries. Enjoy!

A similar version would be to toast the bread, top with the strawberries and sprinkle with chocolate chips, and broil. You could broil the Nutella version. The strawberries have this great flavor when heated. Just don't burn. =)

Turtle Brownies

I know I just posted a recipe, but oh well. These are delicious and sooo addicting (did I spell that right?). Anyways... when I posted the eggplant spread recipe, I promised to also post this recipe as well and I am way excited. I know it looks daunting since it is so long, but really it's just a process because there are 3 layers to these brownies: the brownies, the caramel/pecan sauce, and the ganache. Yes, I said ganache. Yeah! And I realize that I'm posting these near swimsuit season so just bake with caution and don't say I didn't warn you.

Turtle Brownies

Brownies:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Caramel Topping:
40 Kraft caramels (10 oz), unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups pecan halves, toasted

Ganache Topping:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 13 inch rectangular baking pan.

Brownies: Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside while you make the brownie batter.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugars until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and then the melted chocolate mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and, on low speed, beat in the flour and salt.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or just until the brownies are barely firm to the touch. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

Caramel: Place the unwrapped caramels and cream in a saucepan and melt, over low heat (stirring frequently), until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pecans (instructions are at the bottom of recipe), making sure all the pecans are coated with caramel. Spread the caramel topping evenly over the still warm brownies and let cool to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate brownies for about an hour or until the brownies are firm.

Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow tostand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and, using a fork, drizzle the ganache over the brownies in a zigzag pattern. Cover and refrigerate until the chocolate is set..

Store, covered, in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days, or in the freezer for longer storage.

Note: To toast pecans - Bake in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant