Toffee Bars

Cindy and I have been in love with this recipe for years. We got it from an older version of the Better Homes and Garden cookbook--it's no longer in their cookbook, which is a shame because it's the best. But here it is for your eating pleasure.

Crust
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour

Filling
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla

Topping*
semi-sweet chocolate chips


For crust, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt until combined. Stir in 1 cup flour and then pat mixture into an ungreased 13x9 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min. or until edges are golden brown. (Will work well with a mixture of white and wheat flour.)

While crust is baking, make filling. Stirring CONSTANTLY,** heat sweetened condensed milk and 2 Tbsp. butter in small saucepan over low heat until bubbly. Then continue heating (and stirring constantly) for about 5 min. more. It will become thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread on baked layer and bake 12-15 min.

For topping, sprinkle chocolate chips on toffee and return to oven until chips are soft (usually less than 5 min.). Spread chocolate with a rubber spatula. Let toffee bars cool slightly before serving, but remove them from pan and store in another container before completely hard or they will be stuck to the pan forever.

*I no longer have the original recipe for the fudge icing because the chocolate chips are so much easier and just as tasty. Ask Cindy if you want it.

**Also, I'm not kidding about stirring the filling constantly while you are cooking it. Just invest 7 minutes of your life in this and it's easy. Today I let a toddler drag me away for a couple of minutes and it very quickly turned into a black, burned disaster. Just a fair warning.

P.S. I'm trying to figure out how to make these not only taste good, but look good. They are usually a bit ugly because they get crumbly when you take them out of the pan, but you have to take them out early or they get too hard. Next time I'm going to line the pan with parchment paper so I can remove the whole thing from the pan without cutting it, and then once they're cool I'll cut them. I think that will do the trick.

Beef Stroganoff

This is the best beef stroganoff I've ever made. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com but tweaked it enough that I'm posting an updated version here instead of just giving you a link.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles, cooked and drained
• 6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in boiling water until done, about 8 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet, cook mushrooms and onions in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until soft; remove from pan.
3. Using the same pan, brown ground beef. Drain and rinse. Melt remaining butter and mix in flour. Stir in beef broth, and cook until slightly thickened. Add worcestershire sauce. Add mushroom and onion mixture; stir in sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until sauce is hot, but not boiling. Serve sauce over egg noodles.

A few thoughts: I probably did less beef than is listed and it was fine. I also like to serve this over rice instead of noodles sometimes. You might want to add half the worcestershire sauce and then taste it before adding more. I like the full amount, but it's a different kick so you should just make sure it fits your taste buds before adding too much.

*If you want to see the original recipe, go here.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

This has become one of my favorite recipes. It's completely yummy and flexible and can easily be prepared ahead of time.

• chicken, cooked and cubed (I usually do one chicken breast for my family)
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped (I use minced garlic from Sam's; so much easier in my opinion)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 small carrot, sliced (I usually julienne them, just because I like it)
• 1/2 can drained canned pineapple chunks (save the juice for the sauce)
• 2 Tbsp malt vinegar (I've never used malt vinegar, just whatever vinegar I have--if you use white, only do half the amount)
• 3 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• salt
• ground black pepper
• rice, to serve

Cook chicken however you want. You could broil it, but I usually cook it in a frying pan with garlic powder, onion salt, salt, pepper, etc. Then set meat aside while you cook the rest.

Heat oil in nonstick frying pan until very hot. Stir-fry the garlic and onion for a few seconds, then add the green pepper and carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks, vinegar, ketchup, pineapple juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add cooked chicken to vegetable mixture and cook for about 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch to a paste with the water. Add mixture to pan and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Serve with rice.

**I follow this recipe very loosely. I often mix the sauce together before putting it in the pan, including the cornstarch and water. That saves a step and works really well. Sometimes I add more sugar or pineapple juice to taste. Also, I often add other veggies. I really like it with chunks of yellow or red pepper. Pretty much just use this recipe as a guide and do what you want. If you like a lot of sauce, double the sauce.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

2 C low-fat milk
1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves
1 C grated Parmesan cheese

Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender.

Process until smooth and set aside.

In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Stand above the pan (but not close enough to scald your face) and inhale. Ahhh...butter and garlic. Okay, now get cooking again. Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don't want to burn it. It should be nice and bubbly.
Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.


When it's nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites


6-8 oz. bacon (1/2 of 1 package)
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small (or 1/2 larger) green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 28-oz. can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/4 c. water
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8-1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce (no need to measure it, just add a few shakes and go from there)
1 1/2 c. long-grain rice


Cook bacon until crisp in a Dutch oven if possible. Remove from pan and drain the grease, reserving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent. While the onions are cooking, place the tomatoes in the jar of your blender and pulse 2-3 times to chop them. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally to make sure the rice is not burning. Serves 6-ish and makes great leftovers.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

I love having muffin batter for fresh muffins whenever I want them. Sarah says these are good without the dates, as well. I got this from the Lion House cookbook, I really don't know what the difference is between this and what mom used to make.

2 cups boiling water
4 cups bran cereal (Bran Buds, All Bran, or Fiber One - I prefer All Bran)
1 pound dates, pitted and chopped, or 2 cups raisins
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup oil (I substitute most of the oil with unsweetened applesauce)
2 cups sugar (reducing the sugar a little works with applesauce)
4 eggs, beaten
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups bran flakes cereal or Raisin Bran

Pour boiling water over bran cereal and dates. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream oil and sugar; add eggs, hot bran mixture, dry ingredients, and buttermilk. Add the 2 cups bran flakes cereal. Mix just enough to combine. Bake in greased and floured muffin tins or line with cupcake papers at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 6 dozen muffins. Batter may be stored in a covered container in refrigerator up to 6 weeks. Bake any amount as desired.

Cherry-Pineapple Sunrise Cake

This recipe came from Kathryn's aunt, Anne Goodman. They've always called it "dump cake," but I thought you might like a name that's a little more appetizing. The beauty of this cake is that you just dump all the ingredients into a 9x13 pan with no mixing (hence the name), bake it, and eat a delicious cake an hour later. Super easy and super delicious. So, here you go.

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Put ingredients into pan in order listed below:

• 1 can cherry pie filling (21 oz)
• 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 white or yellow cake mix
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Biscuits!

If you know me, you might know how much I love biscuits. I've never found the perfect recipe, but this one just might be it. I actually did everything wrong because I didn't have enough flour and I halved everything except the liquid (whoops), but I added a random amount of extra flour and baking powder and turned them into drop biscuits instead, and they were still amazing! And that's without using any real measuring spoons, too. Just imagine if I had actually followed the recipe.

I got this recipe here, from allrecipes.com. Instead of shortening, I used all (real) butter. Many reviewers said that half shortening, half butter preserved the flakiness but added flavor. Your call, of course. All I know is that I loved the butter version.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg with milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
2. Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead 20 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Spicy Chickpeas & Rice

Prep time: 30 min.

This "recipe" is the result of not having anything to eat for lunch and rummaging around for something to keep us from going to the grocery store hungry. Here's what I found:

• half a jar of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• a tin full of spices
• basmati rice

I started off thinking "spicy" and ended up thinking "Indian." The result, as you might imagine, was both spicy and Indian. I used a heaping teaspoon of chili powder, which was definitely more than necessary. Our mouths were on fire throughout the meal. But it turned out well enough, so I'll try to give you the quantities I used so you can try something similar the next time you are out of food.

1 c. basmati rice

1½ c. chickpeas

½ t. chili powder

1 t. tumeric

1 t. cumin

1 t. curry powder

¾ c. plain yogurt

1 c. chicken broth

a little salt

Follow the instructions on the package for cooking your rice. (Or don't, since our package instructions called for a 3:1 water:rice ratio and we've found 2:1 to work better.) Put your chickpeas in a saucepan and salt the heck out of them until they taste like French fries. Add chicken broth. Stir in the other spices and yogurt.

I think it's best served in a bowl with the rice on the bottom and the other stuff on top. Note: go easy on the chili powder and taste it before you add too much. Sarah and I literally each drank an entire liter of water ourselves. It was really spicy.

One final note. I'm just kind of making up these quantities (and some of the ingredients). I don't know exactly how much of any of this stuff I actually used, since I didn't have a measuring spoon. Also, I think the yogurt I used was actually German quark and it might have been sweetened (not plain). And I'm sure this would be just fine with regular rice.

The moral of this recipe is: "There's probably something to eat somewhere in your house."

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

Delicious summer salad I almost forgot about this year . . . no!! We originally got this recipe from a Dr's wife during Dad's residency, I believe. So tasty with the homemade french bread.

Dressing
1/2 cup salad dressing (Miracle Whip, mayonaise, etc.)
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed marjoram leaves
1/8 tsp white pepper (really just for looks)

Salad
3 cups cooked wild rice, chilled (usually use half white rice and half wild rice)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup diagonally sliced celery
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onion
Lettuce
Tomato wedges
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

In small bowl combine all dressing ingredients and set aside. In large bowl combine cooked rice, chicken, celery, red pepper, mushrooms, and onions. Add dressing to salad mixture; toss gently.

Cover; refrigerate 2-3 hours to blend flavors. Serve with lettuce leaves and tomato wedges. Garnish with toasted almonds. 6 one cup servings.

Spanish Tortilla

Last week I learned how to make Spanish tortilla, which is a traditional Spanish food. It's sort of like a potato omelet, if you're trying to catch a vision for what this is. It's delicious and very easy, although it's a bit time-consuming by the time you peel and chop all of the potatoes. Anyway, it's super yummy and I recommend you give it a try. We had it for dinner along with a salad and something else that I can't remember. Sometimes Spaniards will slice it up and serve it on baguettes as a sandwich, and that's very good too. Dave says the tortilla is even better left over.

Oh, I got this recipe from allrecipes.com, but I altered it based on a Spanish reviewer, so I'm just writing what I actually did.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 onions, sliced into rings
  
• 6 eggs

Directions

1. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add half of the potato slices, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. When done, remove potatoes to a large bowl, leaving oil in the skillet. Cook the remaining potatoes in the oil until tender, then add to the bowl, leaving oil in the skillet. Gently toss potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. (Doing this again, I would only add half the olive oil the first time because I didn't have enough left in the pan for the second batch.)
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion rings, and gently cook until soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Spoon onions onto a plate, and allow to cool while the potatoes finish cooking. (I added the onions to the second batch of potatoes partway through.)
3. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in cooled onions and gently fold in cooked potatoes.
4. Heat the skillet with the reserved oil over low heat. Pour in the egg mixture, and gently cook until the sides have started to set and the bottom has turned golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Loosen the tortilla with a spatula if needed, then place a large plate on top of skillet and flip so the tortilla is on the plate. Slide the uncooked side of the tortilla onto the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove, and continue cooking until the tortilla has set in the center, about 4 minutes.
5. Slide the tortilla onto a serving plate and allow to cool to room temperature. Cut into six wedges and sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Southwest Rice Bake

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato juice
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice (I like a mixture of long grain and wild rice.)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

I like to double the above recipe for my family - I like it left over.

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

Bake, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until rice is tender. If you are cooking chicken, make sure it is no longer pink.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

I love this stuff! When we make Cafe Rio Salads we always have leftovers and use it to dip quesadillas and slather on taco salad.

Place the following in a blender:

3 fresh tomatillos, cut into quarters
juice of ½ a lime
½ cup of buttermilk
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 pkg. dry Ranch Buttermilk Dressing Mix (regular Ranch dressing mix works fine)
1 cup fresh cilantro
6 stalks green onions, w/ ends
2 cloves crushed garlic
4 tsp. Sugar
5 cross section slices of jalapeño pepper (I'd say put these in one at a time and see how you like it. I like it, but you may not.)

Directions:
Combine well in blender and refrigerate one hour. A bit of salt and cayenne pepper have been omitted, so if you would like it spicier, you can add those.

Cilantro Lime Rice

I've gotten a lot of different recipes for this, but I think I like this one the best. Of course the amounts will be a little different if you're using instant rice. I got this from the camp director in my ward in Provo.

1 cup White Rice
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 Tb Lime Juice
½ Tb Garlic Powder
1 Tb Minced Dry Onion
Pinch of Salt

Cook the rice according to the package directions, substitutuing the water with broth and adding all of the above ingredients before cooking.
When rice is done add:
 ¼ - ½ cup fresh Cilantro
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
½ can Green Enchilada Sauce

Great Pasta

three strips bacon
green onion
sweet red pepper
zucchini
Italian style diced tomatoes
garlic
capers (if you want)
salt and pepper
some type pasta, we used penne

Fry the bacon then add the onion, red pepper, zucchini and toss until the vegies are soft. Add the tomatoes and capers. Could add mushrooms in there somewhere if you want. Toss it all around for a bit and if it seems juicy add a little flour. Then add the pasta and toss that around and let it cook just a little more. Serve it up with some cheese maybe or whatever. We loved this recipe that I made up tonight and didn't want to stop eating.

Vegetable Soup

Beef short ribs or soup bone
water
onion
garlic
celery (once again good time to use leaves)
green pepper
tomatoes
cabbage
carrots
potatoes
green beans
peas
squash
okra
turnip
any vegetable you like
beef bouillon

Put the meat (can use better meat if you want), celery, onion, garlic, water, bouillon, and green pepper in a huge pot to cook. Bring to boil and let simmer for a couple hours. Add the tomatoes (quart jar or couple small cans of petite diced), cabbage and more water if need. This is soup so plenty of water is not a problem. Don't forget salt and pepper. Let this cook an hour or so and then start adding the vegetables. Be creative on this because this is the part that makes it good and healthy. Make sure you have plenty of water and let this stuff cook for at least another couple hours. My mom would cook the meat and such up to the tomatoes the night before and then let it cool. After school I would add the vegetables so you can see it is pretty hard to mess it up. My mom never added corn because she said corn and tomatoes don't go together. I never have done it. You can if you want but I don't see the need. This is soup for the different vegies. You can take the green pepper out before you serve or just don't dish it up. Cook it whole. You will also need to take the meat out before you add the vegetables and pull it from the bone and any fat, then put meat back in. Sometimes I use the canned meat. Short ribs usually can be found pretty lean so I use them most often. Soup bone is pretty fatty.

Stew

stew meat
onion, chopped
celery, chopped
garlic of some kind
marjoram
beef bouillon
cabbage, chopped
potatoes, diced
carrots, diced

Brown stew meat in some oil. I sometimes wait to cut it up small because I don't like cutting raw meat that well and it's easier after cooking. You can also use round steak you have partially frozen so it is easy to cut into stew meat size. Add onion, celery, garlic and marjoram. Brown a bit more until vegetables are tender. This is a great time to use celery leaves and save the stalk for later. Add water to this just enough to cover the ingredients. Add bouillon. Simmer for a few hours so the meat will get tender. Two at least. (can use the canned beef and this step isn't necessary) Add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Cook for at least an hour longer. May have to add more water during the cooking process at different times. After the potatoes, etc are tender you can thicken with corn starch or flour, whatever you like best. Don't forget to salt and pepper to taste. My mom used to add green beans but they aren't my favorite. If you like it tomatoey you can add tomatoes or tomato soup.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This is actually Dave, but I don't have access to post on my own anymore. I guess my invite expired. Anyway, this is a recipe for a delicious dip we have every year at a family Christmas gathering. My cousin Deb makes it, and I can't remember if the recipe is hers or my aunt Linda's, but what I do know is that it's dang good. Note: Sarah says she usually makes half the recipe and does it in a 8"x8" casserole.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
5-oz. bottle Frank's Hot Sauce
2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup chopped celery

Mix everything but the chicken in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then add chicken. Spread into casserole. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

P.S. I like it served with tortilla chips, and it's great either hot or cold.

Another note from Sarah: At New Year's I made the full recipe because it was for the whole family, and I was glad I did. I doubled the celery and that not only added nutrition, but it added some nice texture as well. I did about 4 oz. of hot sauce and it was still a wee bit hot for me, although it received rave reviews.

Hawaiian Chicken

This recipe is from Lion House Classics, tweaked a tiny. It's pretty easy to make (although the first time with a new recipe always takes longer), and we all really like it. It's one of the only meals Josh will consistently finish (knock on wood!).

4 to 6 chicken breasts (less if you're using those really big ones)
flour
salt
cooking oil
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) pineapple chunks
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 green pepper, cut in 1/4-inch strips

Roll chicken pieces in flour and sprinkle with salt (I like pepper, too). Brown in oil. Drain pineapple; reserve pineapple chunks, and pour juice into measuring cup. Add water to make 1 1/2 cups. Add honey, cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and bouillon cube; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over chicken pieces in 2-quart bakking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add pineapple chunks and green pepper; bake 5 minutes longer. Serve with cooked rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

I like to sprinkle a little pepper in the sauce to offset the vinegar taste. You may want to add some brown sugar if you like it sweeter. Our favorite vegetable to eat with it is peas.

Cindy's Rolls

I think Cindy got this recipe from Kris. But they're her rolls as far as we're concerned.

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. potato flakes
1/2 c. powdered milk
1 cube margarine or butter
3 c. hot water (not hot enough to kill the yeast)
2 tsp salt
7 c. flour
2 Tbsp  yeast
2 eggs

Mix dry ingredients (only 4 cups of the flour for now). Add hot water and butter. Then add eggs and remaining 3 cups of flour. Mix, cover, and let rise 1 hour. If you don't have a mixer you will need to knead before raising. After raising, form into rolls. These work well as crescent rolls, but are also great as regular round rolls. After forming let rise again, then bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes. Makes a whole lot of rolls.

Cindy and I have both used the dough to make cinnamon rolls. You simply roll out the dough, spread with butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, roll up, then cut into rolls. Raise and bake the same as regular rolls, then frost when they're done.

Note: I wrote this off of a chicken-scratch I made when Cindy read me the recipe over the phone. I've made the rolls with this paper successfully in the past, but if anyone tells me the recipe needs editing, I won't be offended.

Self-Frosting Chocolate Zucchini Cake

From my friend Kim. Tasty and oh, so healthy thing to do with zucchini.

½ cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup oil
½ cup sour milk or buttermilk
1-3/4 cup sugar
4 to 6 Tablespoons cocoa
2 eggs
½ teaspoon cinnamon **
2 cups finely grated zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2-1/2 cups flour

Mix the oil, margarine, and sugar. Add the eggs. Sift the dry ingredients including the cocoa. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the sugar mixture. Add the remaining ingredients except the zucchini. Blend well. Stir in the zucchini by hand and pour the batter into a 13 x 9 inch cake pan. Mix the following and crumble on the top of the cake:

¾ cup chocolate chips ¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup chopped nuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Serves 12.

** Omit the cinnamon to bring out a better chocolate taste. - That was in the original. I never use cinnamon. If you do, tell me about it.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli

I love this - it's healthy, yummy, and easy. Yes, my kids eat it. I just tell them it's the ravioli sauce. I like the molasses with it, but Gary doesn't. And don't be scared of the red pepper - it's just a little and it adds depth without hardly any spice. We like to eat this with peas, while a nice crusty bread and salad are also good. Originally from Better Homes and Gardens. Oh, and I've always used chicken boullion, so if you use vegetable broth, let me know how it turns out!

2 pounds butternut squash
2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
1 tablespoon molasses

Peel squash (Can be done with a potato peeler pretty quickly). Halve lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cut squash into 3/4 inch pieces.

In a large saucepan combine 1/2 cup water, squash, vegetable broth, and red pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Transfer one-fourth of the squash mixture to a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Repeat with remaining portions, one at a time, until all of the mixture is blended.

Return blended mixture to the saucepan. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add butter; stir until just melted.

Meanwhile, prepare the ravioli according to package directions; drain. Ladle hot soup into bowls. Divide cooked ravioli among the bowls. Drizzle with molasses.

Chicken Stroganoff

I got this recipe from Sarah, who got it from our roommate Kristi, who got it from her mom . . . don't know the origins beyond this. You can add onions and mushrooms if you want, but I rarely take the time.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1/3 cup margarine
1 packet italian dressing mix (dry)

Combine above in crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours until chicken is cooked. Mix together and add:

1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 cup milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook for another 30 to 60 minutes.

**This recipe is totally flexible. I rarely worry about using that much chicken. I usually use about half the cream cheese so it's lower calorie and it's still totally delicious and rich enough. Lately I've been putting in the chicken without cubing it, letting it cook, and then cutting it up. Mostly that's so I don't have to deal with raw chicken because sometimes I hate raw chicken, but it seems to work really well. (note by Sarah)

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Uncle Ray's Spaghetti Sauce

10 lbs ground round 8 onions 2 tsp oregano 1 tsp sweet basil 6 tbs salt 6 tbs pepper 4 tsp sugar 12 cloves garlic, crushed 1 stick butter 2 cups parsley 8 - 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes 20 - 6 oz cans tomato paste 6 quarts water

Brown meat and drain. Saute onions in butter. Add remaining ingredients. Cook to boiling and reduce heat. Simmer 4 hours until desired thickness. Makes 6 gallons and freezes well.

Parmesan Ranch Chicken

3/4 cup crushed cornflakes 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast

In a shallow bowl combine cornflakes, parmesan cheese and ranch dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter and roll in cornflake mix to coat. Place in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

No-fail French Bread

1/2 cup warm water 2 tbs yeast 2 cups hot water 1 tbs salt 1/3 cup oil 5 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water. In large bowl mix water, sugar, salt, oil and let stand until lukewarm. Add yeast and stir well, then add three cups of the flour. Mix with wooden spoon until very smooth. Add the other two cups of flour one cup at a time until smooth. Leave the spoon in the batter and let rest for ten minutes five different times, stirring each ten minutes. (total 50 minutes) Turn out on floured board. Divide in two and roll each piece into a rectangle and toll up as if for a jelly roll. Put on greased cookie sheet and allow room. This makes two loaves. Beat one egg white and brush on top and sprinkle with sesame sees or poppy seeds. Cut three slashes with a sharp knife and let raise until double -- 1/2 to 1 hour. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes. Can also use this recipe for breadsticks and brush with butter and parmesan cheese.

CHICKEN MARBELLA

4-6 split chicken breasts 1 head garlic 1/4 cup dry oregano 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 cup olive oil salt/pepper to taste 1/2 cup Spanish olives (salty ones) 1 cup prunes, chopped 6 bay leaves

Put everything in a 9 x 13 baking pan and cover with foil. Marinate overnight or for several hours. Before baking mix 1 cup brown sugar with 1 cup white cooking wine (Stokes vinegar section) or white grape juice. Pour over chicken and bake at 350° 50-60 minutes.

BRISKET

4-5 pound trimmed brisket 1/2 cup catsup 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 bay leaf 1 1/2 tbs liquid smoke 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together except meat. Coat meat with season salt or garlic salt. Place brisket in a small turkey roasting bag. Add the sauce mix and close bag. Can marinate at this point. Bake at 325° for 5-6 hours or 275° for 9 hours. If the meat seems to get dry it might be done so watch it closely after a few hours. Can chill overnight so it slices easier or can eat right away. If desired you can add some other barbecue sauce at this point. Serve in rolls.

LITE CHICKEN CASHEW SALAD

2 cups cubed chicken 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained 1 cup green grapes 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 tsp tarragon 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 to 3/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise 1 tbs lemon juice 1 to 2 cups salted cashews

Mix first six ingredients. Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice and mix well. Pour over chicken mixture and fold together. Chill at least two hours. Add cashews before serving. Serve over a bed of lettuce.

White Chicken Chili

I got this recipe from my former roommate Jennie, and I think it's a fabulous alternative to the usual chili. I usually double it. Oh, and I generally leave out the cayenne pepper. - Sarah


1 lb. chicken cut into cubes
1 medium onion
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 or 3 cans of great northern (15 oz.) white beans rinsed & drained
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (red)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whipping cream


Saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in the olive oil. Add rinsed beans, chicken broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 30 min. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream. 7 servings

No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup coco powder
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, salt, and coco powder in saucepan. Add butter and milk; bring to a boil. Add oats, peanut butter, and vanilla; mix well. Place spoonfuls on wax paper and let cool.

Fresh Tomato Pasta Toss

Got this delicious recipe in The Taste of Home Cook Book.

3 lbs fresh tomatoes
1 package (16 0z) uncooked medium tube pasta or pasta fo your choice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp minced parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

To remove peels from tomatoes, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place tomatoes, one at a time, in boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately plunge in ice water. Peel skins with a sharp paring knife and discard. chop, pulp, set aside. (may want to smash with something)
Cook pasta according to package directions. IN a large skillet, cook garlic in oil over medium heat until completely golden. Add parsley, basil, oregano, salt, sugar, pepper, and reserved tomato pulp; mix well. bring to a boil ; reduce heat. Add whipping cream; heat through.
Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Pour tomato sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Minestrone

Some of you probably could list in your mind what to put in Minestrone, but for the people like me, this Taste of Homes recipe is pretty helpful.

1 lb bulk Italian Sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek (white portion only) chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 cups beef broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta shells
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a soup kettle, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the celery, carrots, leek, and garlic; cook for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and add green beans; cook 2 min. longer. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 45 minutes. Return to a boil. Stir in garbanzo beans, pasta, and parsley. Cook 6-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with Parmesan Cheese.

What Our Family Calls Flan

 . . . and the Germans call Obsttorte, which is where we got it. Americans may call it a Fruit Tart, but I say who cares, just give me some!

oven- 350

Shell:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
approx. 2 tbsp milk

Filling:
any flavor Danish Dessert
1 bag of any fruit

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, eggs, flour, baking powder, and milk; mix well. Spread evenly in well buttered flan pan; bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes. REmove from oven and cool. Make Danish Dessert according to pudding directions, adding only 1.5 cups of water. Mix in fruit; spread over inverted flan shell. Chill for approx. 3 hours.

Brownies

I got this recipe off of the internet (I don't remember where) forever ago, and discovered they are delicious!

oven- 350

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
2 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups plain flour

Cream butter and sugar. (can be done with a mixer, but I do it by hand because you have to do everything else by hand, if you don't the brownies get really tough.) Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until just smooth. Pour in cocoa and flour. Again, mix until smooth and lumps are broken up. Remember to not go too crazy because you really don't want tough brownies. Bake for approx. 22 minutes in a 9x9 pan.

Egg Rolls

1 chicken, cooked and diced
1 tsp ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp corn starch
1 can bamboo shoots, diced
3 cups diced cabbage (Chinese)
1/2 tsp. sugar

Combine: ginger, soy sauce, corn starch,and bamboo shoots and set aside 15 minutes. Fry in 1 tbsp. oil 2 minutes. Fry remaining ingredients until cabbage is crisp and tender. Add to meat and stir. Place filling in egg roll wrappers and fry.

Chicken Roll Ups

Oven- 325

8 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 (8 0z) pkg. cream cheese
1 tbsp. chopped green onion
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional, I don't really like them)
4 pkgs. crescent rolls, separated
crushed corn flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients except for crescent rolls, butter, and corn flakes. Put a rounded tablespoon in center of one crescent roll. Fold over sides and roll up. Dip into butter and roll in corn flakes. Bake on a cookie sheet for 25 min. Serve with creamy (use only 1/2 can of milk) chicken mushroom/ cream of chicken soup as gravy.

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil (optional)
1 tsp parsley flakes
4 tbsp butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. (2 cups) processed American cheese, cubed

Brown and set aside beef. Saute onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 tbsp. butter till tender. Add broth, potatoes, and beef; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer til potatoes are tender (10-12 minutes). Thicken soup with flour-butter mixture. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes, reduce heat to low, and add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese melts.

Salsa

Just barely made this. Delicious.

2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can whole tomatoes
1 small can diced green chilies
1 small bunch green onions- chopped
1 small can tomato sauce (yellow duck sauce)
use about 1/4 of the can, the more the hotter
salt

Put in blender and turn on-off quickly. Be sure not to make too runny. Best when served after it's sat for a little while.

Orange Julius

You may want to half this recipe, because the blender gets really full fast.

1 (12 oz) can frozen orange juice
2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
16 large ice cubes (or however many...)

Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.

Killer Bean Dip

What can I say? It's just the best.

1 lb ground beef
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 lb velveeta cheese
1 can green chilies (4 0z)
1 onion

Brown beef and drain. Add onions, cook until clear. Add beans and cheese; heat until melts. Add tomato sauce and chilies. Dip with tortilla chips.

Wassail

mmm... it's past the Christmas Season I know, but this is good no matter what.

2 cups sugar
1 quart water
1 (12 oz) can frozen orange juice
1(6 0z) can frozen lemonade
cinnamon sticks
1 gallon apple juice

Heat sugar in water til dissolved. Add other ingredients and simmer. Serve warm.

Mom's Carrot Cake

I don't know where she got this recipe, so it's hers now! (Isn't that probably how these things usually happen?)

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated carrots
1 small can crushed pineapple (half a large can works, too)

Sift first five ingredients together. Add egg, oil, carrots, and pineapple. Mix well and pour in greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Note: That was what the original recipe said. However, I need to play with the bake times a little. 30 minutes was perfect for two 9-inch round cakes.

I liked this cream cheese frosting I loosely got from allrecipes.com. (from several recipes)

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
3-4 cups powdered sugar (according to desired sweetness/consistency)
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and mix well before mixing in vanilla. Don't eat too much of it, save some for the cake.

Caramel Corn

I thought of posting this, mainly because I need more time for my 10 hour project, and because I'm eating it while I type.

1 Stick Butter
1/2 cup Corn Syrup
1 cup Brown Sugar

In the microwave, bring to a boil (approx. 2 minutes). Then add 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk, and cook 4 more minutes (or until it forms a ball in ice cold water), stirring every 2 minutes. Take out of microwave and add 1 tsp vanilla. Pour over popcorn.

Skor Cake

We've heard this cake called by lots of names, but Sarah and I like this one. Fantastic part about this is you get a yummy cake but it's fast to make.

1 box chocolate cake mix (I like Devil's food)
whatever you need to make the cake mix
1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small jar caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping (optional - I like caramel)
2-3 toffee candy bars (Skor or Heath - I say more is better)

Prepare cake according to box directions. When cake has cooled, take a straw and poke holes all over the cake. Pour entire can of sweetened condensed milk all over cake, making sure to get some in the holes. Then, pour ice cream topping all over cake. You may not need the entire jar, depending on the size - go with your preference. Next, spread the entire tub of Cool Whip on top. Finally, break up candy bars into small pieces and sprinkle on top of Cool Whip. It will be yummy if you eat it now, but way better if you refrigerate for several hours. The goo soaks into the cake, and makes deliciousness.

Chicken Pot Pie

Let's start out with a classic: Mama Jane's chicken pot pie. I believe she originally got this recipe from a magazine back in the seventies (maybe Better Homes and Gardens?), but it has become a family favorite. Here you go:

5 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 chicken bouillon cube

3 cups cooked chicken (bite-sized chunks)

3 potatoes, thinly sliced (1 pound)

1/4 pound mushrooms, quartered

1 10-oz package frozen mixed vegetables

1 egg, slightly beaten

pie crust

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onion until tender. Stir in flour until blended, cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk, water, salt, pepper, and bouillon. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables. Spoon mixture into a 13 X 9 baking dish. Roll out pie crust and place over dish; brush top with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees, 45 minutes or until crust is golden and vegetables are tender. (I plan an hour.)

**Alternative crust that I actually like better than pie crust:

1 cup milk

1 cup mayo (or 1/2 cup mayo and a couple Tbsp melted butter; that's how I like it)

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

Mix together crust and pour over top of pot pie before baking.

Seriously, guys, you can't go wrong with this dish. It's yummy.

Welcome to the Kitchen!

Do you find yourself calling for a recipe but can't get ahold of anyone? Worry no more. Well, worry for a minute, until this site gets going strong. The object of the game here is to have a collection of tried and true recipes we all love to make, providing recipes and ideas for everyone whenever you need it. So, contribute, contribute, contribute. We'll use labels to keep them organized, and keep in mind that blogs have a search box on the top left. When we think we've got everything we can think of, we'll make it into a book.

Not only do we want all of "our family's recipes," we want new recipes you've tried that are great. If you have a special something you usually do to a recipe that someone else has submitted, mention it in the comments. However, if you want to make lots of changes in the comments, submit a new recipe. Also, please attribute all recipes to its original source as far as you know.

So, them's the rules. If you could call them rules, because really the most important one is - contribute!