Notice something?

Hey ladies,

I was going through labeling our recipes that hadn't been labeled, when I found that there were a bunch of previous recipes that had already been published but were saved as drafts. I figured that someone went through and tagged them at some point, but you have to hit publish again. Otherwise, the labels won't be saved. So, now some of our older recipes are newer....no biggie. But, I thought I'd let ya know why your mailbox is now full.

XOXO

Stina

Super Soft Snickerdoodles

I shared my snickerdoodles at IKEA today and Christina asked for the recipe. And since I now have a laptop, I respond MUCH faster to things like that! This recipe is from the Lionhouse Desserts cook book and they are so soft and good. Yesterday, all I had for breakfast was this cookie dough! If you haven't bought a cook book in a while or you have a birthday coming up, I highly recommend this one. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in this book is delicious! The Lionhouse has got it figured out!

Snickerdoodles

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. butter

2 1/2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 Tbls. water

5 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat over to 350. Mix 1/2 c. sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. in a large mixing bowl, combine butter and 2 1/2 c. sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and water and beat until fluffy. Add flour, cream of tarter, soda and salt and mix until well combined. Drop cookies by round tablespoonfuls into cinnamon/sugar mixture and roll until completely coated. Place on cookie sheet sprayed with PAM and bake for 9-10 min.

Makes 5 dozen

Asian Chicken Salad

I know we already have a recipe on the blog for a Chinese Chicken Salad. The reason I am posting this recipe is because after I made the Asian Ribs--sesame oil has changed my life forever. I found this recipe for the salad that included it and had to make it. I love the dressing. It's so good and yummy. I basically ate the entire salad last time. True story!

Asian Chicken Salad


Prep Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles

1 head iceberg lettuce - rinsed, dried, and
chopped
4 boneless chicken breast halves,
cooked and shredded
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:
1. Prepare the dressing 30 minutes ahead of time by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salad oil, and rice vinegar in a salad dressing carafe.
2. To prepare the Chinese rice noodles, heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil and break off a little bit of the noodles and add them to the skillet and fry them. They will puff up in the skillet, so only add a few at a time. As they begin to puff up, remove and drain them on paper towels. Be sure to cook long enough as the under cooked noodles will be like eating needles. Once cooked, add them to the salad mixture.
3. In a large bowl combine the iceberg lettuce, cooked and shredded chicken, green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Let chill about 10 minutes, and just before serving add the cooked rice noodles. Serve in salad bowls and offer the dressing in a pourable container so your family can add as much dressing as they want. You can also pour the dressing over the top of the salad, toss, and serve immediately.

Cake pops

Has anyone heard of these? They are so stinkin' cute and absolutely delicious! The ones in this picture are pretty tricky but they don't have to be that fancy. My sister made them last night for our Halloween party and just sprinkled them with Halloween sprinkles. This picture is from Bakerella.com. She makes the most amazing cake pops and they are so easy! She also has a book out now entirely about cake pops. I'm thinking neighbor gifts for Christmas and take home gifts for birthday parties! The possibilities are endless!

Recipe:
1 cake mix any flavor
1 can cream cheese frosting
almond bark or other dipping chocolate
sucker sticks
sprinkles or other toppings

Make cake according to package directions. Cool cake completely and crumble in a bowl. Add cream cheese frosting and mix until well combined. Roll into golf ball size balls, add sucker sticks and freeze several hours until firm. Melt almond bark and dip. Immediately sprinkle with toppings as the chocolate will harden very quickly.

Alternate Recipe:

Oreo crumbs
8 oz cream cheese, softened

Mix oreo crumbs and cream cheese and follow instructions for cake balls.

Baking Powder Drop Biscuits

I love good bread. Especially with meals that might not seem filling, like salad or soup. These biscuits are really easy and absolutely delicious. They are a little on the sweet side, making them perfect with honey or jam. I just eat mine plain. They're just that good.

Baking Powder Drop Biscuits
courtesy Allrecipes.com
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter-flavored Crisco and highly recommend it)
2/3 cup milk
1 egg

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, whisk milk and egg. Stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Drop by heaping spoonfuls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet (I roll mine into about golf-ball sized balls, they make about 12 rolls). Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Black Bean Soup

Carissa introduced me to Our Best Bites and it's so cool because they are just like us. They are moms who love to cook. And they have about a gazillion recipes to try out. I saw this recipe in an LDS Living magazine and it looked amazing. And trust me, it was. I even had to remake it a week later just so Jeremiah could try it, too.

Best part? Well, besides the taste, of course. One cup of this soup (without toppings) is only 125 calories or 2 Weight Watcher points. And without toppings, it is fabulous, although I'm partial to a little sour cream and cheese :)




Black Bean Soup!!!
courtesy Our Best Bites

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 t kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves
1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc.

Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

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

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

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 C soup.

Homemade Bisquick

I am one who buys the cheapest biscuit mix. When I found out I could make my own, I was thrilled. I got this recipe from the Bishop's Storehouse. It's easy to to make and it works great

Bisquick
12 cups white flour
2 Tbsp salt
¼ cup baking powder
2 cups shortening
3 cups instant powdered milk or 1 ½ cups dry milk powder

Blend all ingredients with a mixer, pastry cutter or wire whip. Substitute in any recipe calling for bisquick. When rolling dough use bisquick and not flour.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

I posted this already but for some reason it didn't show up...

Anyway, I made these to take to Lexi's soccer game the other night for dinner and they were so good. Everyone was drooling over them so we had to share! I love the shredded carrots in them!

I got this recipe idea from familyfun.com and changed it up a bit.

BBQ chicken sandwiches

3 chicken breasts

1/2 c. shredded carrots

1/3 c. bbq sauce

3 Tbls. ranch dressing

8 hamburger buns or large rolls

fresh spinach

avocado

Grill the chicken breasts on the bbq, brushing with bbq sauce while they cook. Shred with a fork and place in a large bowl. Add carrots, bbq sauce, and ranch dressing and mix to combine.

Spoon into rolls and top with spinach and avocado, if desired.

Skillet Chicken & Mushroom Chicken

Rachel Ray magazine

We have fallen totally in love with this recipe this summer. I love that we can make it in the house without heating up everything.

3 TBSP Flour

1 TBSP Paprika

Salt and Pepper

4 Pieces of Chicken (I used 2 thighs and 2 breast)

1 TBSP Butter

8oz Package of Cremini or White Mushrooms, sliced

1 Bunch scallions

1 cup chicken broth

½ Cup Sour Cream

Steamed Rice

In a large bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour. Shake off excess.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and brown. Just brown the chicken, it doesn’t have to be finished cooking fully. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add the mushrooms and scallions to the pan. Cook until tender. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return the chicken back to the pan and finish cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

We had the chicken over rice.

Bonnie’s Peach Pie

One of our friends shared this recipe with us a couple years ago, and it will definately change your view of Peach Pie. after this recipe, it will be hard to eat peaches any other way!

Use freestone peaches. Alberta works well, but other types with good flavor are fine.

Use 9 inch deep dish Marie Calendar pie crust.

Bake pie crust at 400 for 10 – 12 minutes until lightly brown.

Peach glaze

2 cups of pureed peeled peaches (takes about 3 medium sized peaches)

3 TBS lemon juice

3 TBS corn starch

3/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of the peaches

1 pinch of kosher salt

Put corn starch, lemon juice, salt and peaches in the blender. Puree until fairly smooth (add a few tablespoons of water if needed).

Put mixture in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir in sugar and bring to a boil. Gently boil until thick, then let cool in the frig.

Cream Cheese filling

3/4 cup softened cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Stir cream cheese and sugar together, then spread on bottom and sides of baked pie crust

Peach filling

Peel and slice 5 or 6 medium peaches (about 4 cups).

Layer peaches on top of cream cheese filling about half way up the side of the pie crust.

Spread a layer of glaze over peaches.

Add another layer of peaches until peaches are about 1 inch above the top of the pie crust.

Spread remaining glaze on top of layer.

Put pie in frig for 1 – 2 hours or more to set.

***Pie is best served the same day. Once pie is cut, it should be eaten within a few hours, as peaches will make the crust soggy.

Baked Beans with Burnt Ends

Instead of using the Burnt ends of a BBQ Brisket for this recipe we just used left over BBQ Piulled Pork. Beware, this is a large recipe! So, you might not want to make it until you are having company over.

8 slices of bacon, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
3 TBSP Dill Pickle Juice
2 TBSP Dry Mustard
2- 28oz cans Pork and Beans
1- 15oz can Pinto Beans, Rinsed
2 cups shredded BBQ Pulled Pork

In a large pot cook the bacon over high until crisp.

Add the onion to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until the onions are golden, about 3 min.

Stir in the brown sugar, ketchup pickle juice and mustard. Cook stirring until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in all of the beans and BBQ and heat through. Serve.

Mexican Grilled Corn—America’s Test Kitchen

Okay, so this corn is a lot more rich than your traditional corn, but it is worth it! You will never just grill corn again!

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. sour Cream

3 Tbsp. minced cilantro

1 clove Garlic, minced

¾ tsp. chili powder

¾ tsp. cayenne powder

¾ tsp. ground black pepper

4 tsp. Lime juice

½ cup parmesan

Mix everything in a shallow dish. When the corn is done, place it in the pan and coat corn evenly. Place on the grill for 7-12 minutes. Remove from the grill and place the corn back in the dish and recoat corn with remaining mixture. Serve.

Sausage and Wild Rice

Hello ladies. Another winner without a picture. You'll just have to trust me. I haven't planned this weeks menu, so I was thrilled to find this recipe in my old ward's cookbook. I had all the ingredients, added a side salad and cooked corn (two veggie sides? I am amazing!). And we had a meal that we all loved. I love when it's quick and easy and doesn't called for canned soup!

Sausage and Wild Rice

1 lb sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth

Brown sausage. Add onion and rice and brown again (rebrown?). Add chicken broth. Cook until ready.

See. So easy! Life is great when cooking is easy. Did I mention this was easy?

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Ethan and I love Frank's Hot Sauce, and Buffalo wings, so this fun sandwich version was a no-brainer for us. I'm so glad that we tried it because it has quickly turned into one of our go-to recipes. These sandwiches are wonderful, easy and pack a great punch! Thank you Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 4 pieces, 6 ounces each, boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 /3 palm full
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
• A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

Sauce for chicken:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup, 4 ounces, cayenne pepper sauce, preferred brand Frank's Red Hot
• Bib or leaf lettuce leaves
• 4 crusty rolls, split
• 2 cups sour cream
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled
• Small red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 ribs celery, cut into sticks
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Drizzle breast with a little extra virgin olive oil to coat. Pan grill chicken breasts 5 minutes on each side.

Heat a metal or oven safe glass bowl over low heat and melt butter in the bowl. Add hot sauce to the butter and combine. When the chicken breasts are done, remove from pan and add to the bowl and coat evenly with hot sauce mixture.
Place chicken breasts on bun bottoms and top with crisp lettuce. Combine sour cream, scallions and blue cheese and slather bun tops with blue cheese sour cream. Affix bun tops on sandwiches and serve with remaining sauce for dipping your veggies. Arrange Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches on dinner plates with red onion, celery and carrot sticks.

Mongolian Beef

This tastes JUST like P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef! You can serve it how P.F. Changs does (by draining the excess sauce and serving it semi-dry) OR you can keep the excess sauce and spoon it over rice (which is what we like to do because the sauce is SO good).

4 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. ginger, minced
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. water
**3/4-1 c. brown sugar (packed)
2 c. vegetable oil
2 Lb. flank steaks
½ c. cornstarch
3 large green onions

Make the sauce by heating 4 tsp. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Don’t get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens a little bit. Remove sauce from heat.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit about 10 min. so the cornstarch sticks. As the beef sits, heat up 1 c. oil in a wok (or skillet). Heat the oil over medium heat until its hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and saute for just 2 minutes, or until beef just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat around a little bit so that it cooks evenly.

After a few minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour most of the oil out of the skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce, cook for 1 minute while stirring and add green onions. Cook for 1 more minute. Now at this point you can either remove the beef with a slotted spoon or tongs and discard the sauce (this is what P.F. Chang's does) OR thicken the sauce with a cornstarch-water mixture to desired thickness and serve it over rice with the beef.

**This recipe calls for 1cup of brown sugar, but Ethan and I thought it was way too much! So we would suggest starting with 3/4 cup and then adjusting to your taste from there.