Sentiments from my Kitchen

Cordon Bleu Pasta

2012-01-03T18:17:00.002-07:00

Here's a homemade version of a huge local favorite from Firehouse Pizzaria. Our friends, Greg and Neal, brothers, are the owners of one of the best restaurants in the valley. We've loved this dish since the day they opened! Serve it with some french bread and salad...you've got a feast! It's a great "man" food, and also great for women at a shower. You'll love it too!

(I'll replace this photo with my own asap!)

1 16 oz. bag penne pasta, cooked till almost done

2 15 oz. jars of Alfredo Sauce (I use Cheesy Ragu flavor)

sliced fresh mushrooms (I use a large box from the produce section)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 - 2 cups diced ham (diced finely)

1 - 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

cooked, chopped bacon, if desired ( Not bacon bits.) (And trust me, you desire!)

2-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Saute mushrooms, green onions in butter, adding the ham, chicken and bacon. Pour one jar of Alfredo sauce and cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Add and mix the pasta with the remaining ingredients into the pan. Pour the second bottle of Alfredo over the mixture and cover in shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for half an hour. Enjoy!

French Toast Strata

2011-12-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

1- cups french bread (I used one loaf)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup cream (I used whipping cream, but the original recipe called for half&half)
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pound Jimmy Dean Sausage

powdered sugar
more maple syrup

Eight hours before: Brown the sausage and crumble. Drain and set aside. Cut one loaf of french bread into 1" cubes. Spread evenly into a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Pour the sausage over the bread. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, one at at time, whipping in between each egg. Add milk and cream, syrup, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Pour egg/milk mixture over the bread and sausage. Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, remove from the refrigerator, and let it sit on the counter, at room temperature, for thirty minutes. Bake in preheated oven, at 350 for 40 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean. Pour maple syrup over the baked strata and then sprinkle powdered sugar over top of that. (I didn't pour the syrup on the baked strata. I served it with syrup on the side, so that everyone could have the sweetness that they preferred. Being married to GranolaMan, this works.) SO SO NUMMY! ENJOY!

Creamy Cheesy White Chili

2011-10-21T01:17:00.001-06:00

I made White Chicken Chili as a mistake. I've been craving it for days. I'd checked my recipe on my iPhone while at the store to make sure I had what I needed to make it a few days ago. Then, when I made it this morning, I opened my cookbook. Oops. Later, I realize that I'm using two recipes ~ one from memory and one from my cookbook. Once I realized my mistake, I had to merge the two and figure out what to do because they were definitely different...one had cheese, one didn't. One used a bottle of Italian dressing, one didn't... Here's what I created using what I had and what I'd put into the crockpot before realizing the problem. It was the best White Chili I've yet to taste. Loved it!

2 chicken, skinless, boneless chicken breast

4 cans great northern white beans

5 cups chicken broth

16 ounces half and half (instead of cream)

16 ounces sour cream (I used low-fat kind)

1 bag frozen corn

4 jalapeno peppers (seeded and chopped in food processor)

1 packet of italian dressing mix no-name brand,just the powder, don't make the dressing)

3 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 large purple onion chopped

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

Put everything, except the cream, sour cream and cheese, into the crockpot. Cook on high for about six hours. Remove the chicken breast and shred with two forks. Add the chicken back to the crock pot and then add the dairy ingredients. Cook for another half an hour or so and serve. Salt and pepper to taste. SO SO GOOD! Great with cornbread! Note: I can't wait to try it with limes, avocados and corn chips all garnishing this soup. Enjoy!

Southern Chow-Chow

2011-10-10T09:05:00.004-06:00

This is my new favorite southern style food. It's not really a food. It's a condiment. I've been asked by everyone in the west, what is it? My answer is that it's a cross between salsa, sauerkraut and pickle relish. Sounds strange but it's so tasty. My family in North Carolina serve it on hotdogs, beans, soup, you name it. We ate it as it was cooking with corn chips. I liked it better than salsa! And it's not an expensive food to make, nor is it a lot of work like salsa. Try it, you'll love it! Note: My first attempt, ZJ was reading the recipe to me and gathering the goods because I was also canning salsa at the time. She misread the peppers and gave me eight jalepenos. I used all eight. It was on fire to taste but was so so good! I'll probably use four, instead of the called for three next time. A good mistake, if you like things spicy!

2 heads of cabbage
5 or 6 large cucumbers

5-6 green tomatoes

7-8 ripe tomatoes

3 jalepeno peppers or 6 bell peppers or a mix

2 Tbsp. pickling spice

vinegar (I used cider vinegar)

2 cups of sugar

1/3 cup salt

Chop the cabbage really fine. (I used my food processor.) Put in large kettle. Peel the cucumbers, slice them lengthwise and seed them. Then dice them up and add to the kettle. Dice the green tomatoes. Mix into the large kettle. Add the pickling spice, either wrapped and tied up in cheesecloth or in a metal teaball to the cabbage mix. Then, add enough vinegar into the pot until it is 1/2 - 1/3 from the top of the cabbage mix. (So, if the pot is about six inches deep with cabbage mix, add enough vinegar until the vinegar is about 4 inches deep. Does that make sense?) Start cooking on medium high until you can begin to smell the pickling spices. Pour in the sugar and stir. Turn it down and let it simmer. In the meantime while it's heating up, drop the ripe tomatoes in a separate pot of boiling water for a few seconds until the skin splits on them, then peel the skin right off. Dice the ripe tomatoes and put them into a separate bowl. Use your food processor to dice up the jalepenos, leaving the seeds in. Add the peppers to the red tomatoes and it will begin to have a pink cast to it. Add the pepper/tomato mixture into the cabbage mixture and cook until the cabbage is cooked. Add more vinegar or sugar to taste. (I added about half a cup of sugar and it was perfect.)

When the cabbage is cooked, use a slotted spoon to lift it out of the pot and into the canning jars. After all the jars are packed, pour the liquid mixture over the cabbage. Seal and process. (I pressure canned mine for 15 minutes.) (Cousin Ronda did hers in NC for about 20 minutes with a cold canner. Aunt Verlie just lets it seal with the hot mixture in the jar and doesn't process them at all...but she's in her 80s and that's how they used to do it, so that's how she continues to do it.) Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Haystacks

2011-09-28T22:10:00.002-06:00

(not my photo)

This is one of the most simple recipes I've ever seen! Carol made it for Sunday dinner last week and it was a hit!

boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders

2 cans diced stewed tomatoes with green chilies

1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar

Place the chicken in your crockpot, added tomatoes and brown sugar. Cook the chicken until it's done and then shred it with a fork. Serve over a bed of lettuce, rice, fritos, cheese and your traditional taco type toppings. MOST tasty! AND SO SIMPLE! Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN

2011-09-28T22:06:00.002-06:00

about 4 quarts of cooked popcorn

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

5 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. salt (not needed if using microwave popcorn)

1 tsp. vanilla1 cup peanut butter

1-2 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix the syrup, sugars and butter in a sauce pan. Stir while the butter melts and bring to a boil. Boil exactly one minute. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter, salt and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and toss gently until mixed well. Once it's mixed will, toss in the chocolate chips and stir again. MMMM! ENJOY!

Carrot/zucchini/banana Bread

2011-08-28T22:23:00.000-06:00

My sister-in-law, Anne, served this tasty Banana bread at our family reunion. Everyone asked for the recipe. I had to share!

Sift together:

2 c flour
2 c sugar
2 t cinnamon
2 t soda1 t salt

Cream:
1 c oil (these days I'm subbing applesauce)
4 eggs
1 c grated carrots
1 c mashed bananas
1 c chopped zucchini

Mix together and fill 3 bread pans ¾ full. Bake 45 min @ 350. Enjoy!

Fruit Velvet Salad

2011-07-19T23:09:00.000-06:00

If Carol shares a recipe, it's worth trying! Here's an example of what I'm talking about!

8 ounces softened cream cheese

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix

18 ounces blueberry yogourt

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form and set aside. Beat cream cheese with the pudding mix and add yogourt and blend well. Fold in whipping cream and fruit.

2 cups strawberries, washed and sliced

2 cups grapes

1 fuji apple, diced

2 bananas sliced

Carol used about twice this fruit to serve with the topping. A perfect combination of fruit and it was divine. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Syrup

2011-07-19T11:13:00.007-06:00

Carol shared this recipe with me recently and we're in love! I find myself thinking about pancakes for dinner, just to have this syrup! She shared "Buttermilk Syrup", a family favorite years ago. This stores much better and is so so nummy!

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1 cup half and half

Whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Add corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the half and half. Can be stored in the fridge for two months. Enjoy!

Sara's Salad

2011-07-19T11:02:00.005-06:00

Carol's niece, Sara brought this recipe to a family party a few weeks ago and Carol has been raving about it ever since! Simple, no specific measurements, quick, the best kind of salad! SO nummy! A must try!

Spinach

Spring Mix Lettuce

Blue Cheese Crumbles (find it in the cheese section at the grocers in a little tub)

Glazed Pecans (You can do your own or buy them in the nuts section of your grocer)

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Blueberries (fresh or thaw a bag of frozen berries, to save a bit of moolah)

Mix 1 part Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing and 1 part Raspberry Vinaigrette.

Toss just before serving or serve the dressing along side of the salad. Enjoy!

Baked Cheesy Veggies

2011-04-18T15:37:00.005-06:00

Carol made this last year and I'd forgotten all about them until yesterday. Oh, how glad I am that she made them again so that I can keep the recipe for good! This is so simple and so dang good! (Sorry, it's a stock photo because I didn't think to take my camera over last night. I'll photograph this dish when I make it, for sure!)

Boil or steam fresh carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. Use enough to fill a 9x13" casserole dish. Layer the veggies in the pan and then top with fresh sliced mushrooms. (I imagine you could use whatever fresh veggies you'd like.

Then, mix:

One stick of butter

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

8 oz velvetta

Melt the above ingredients together. Pour over top of the mushrooms and bake 350 for 30-40 minutes. Carol said that if you make this ahead, refrigerate it and then bake it before serving, it takes the full 30-40 minutes. But, if you make the veggies and pour the sauce over the top just before serving, you only need to bake it until the sauce is hot. I'll be adding fresh garlic to the veggies, some salt and lots of pepper too. Enjoy!!

Buttermilk Hush Puppies

2011-04-08T08:00:00.005-06:00

After a wonderful and perfect week visiting my dad and family in North Carolina, I've rediscovered my deep Southern roots! While there, I couldn't get enough hush puppies. I was anxious to come home and find a better recipe than the one I'd tried in the past. Before I'd even left NC, my blogging friend, Pam, sent me this recipe. It's the best I've ever tried at home, although, I made a few changes. Loved it! My kids have now decided that we all need to go back to North Carolina to discover more of our roots and to try more southern cooking!

2 c. self-rising flour

2 c. self-rising white cornmeal (I used yellow cornmeal. Mu local stores did not carry self-rising.)

1 tsp. sugar (I used 2-3 Tbsp. because we like our cornbread sweet!)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, finely grated (I used only half the onion.)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional) (I opted not.)

2 c. buttermilk

1 large egg

Combine first 5 ingredients; stir in onion and, if desired, jalapeno. Whisk together buttermilk and egg; add to flour mixture. Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a dutch oven; heat to 375 degrees. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls into oil (the smaller the drop, the better the cook); fry in batches 5-7 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Yield: 5 dozen

ENJOY!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

2011-03-15T22:02:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite stories about being married to my GranolaMan husband took place the week that I gave birth to our second child, Kelly Lynn, in 1980. I was recuperating in the family room on the sofa so that I could keep a close eye on our then 19 month old son, Dale. Doug was in the kitchen, just off the family room and willingly made breakfast. I made these whole wheat pancakes often, as they were one of our favorites, so I had the recipe permanently recorded in my head. From the sofa, I called the recipe to Doug, one ingredient at a time, as he mixed the batter in the kitchen. He brought me a plate of pancakes and they were delish! I praised his good work in the kitchen, "These are wonderful, Babe!" Doug, proudly confessed, "Thanks, Babe. I'll tell you my secret. I cut the sugar in half." I smiled in response, knowing my husband well, and said, "That's okay, I knew you would so I doubled it when I told you the recipe." ;)

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup oil

Mix the dry ingredients. Mix the eggs, milk and oil, then blend in well. According to Doug, cook on a buttered griddle until five holes/bubbles pop before turning. This is a thick pancake batter. If you like them thinner, add a little more milk. MMMM! Enjoy!

March "Welcome Spring!" Table

2011-02-28T20:01:00.008-07:00

On the day after a foot of fresh snow fell, I set my March Welcome Spring table anyway! With Easter so late in April this year, I decided it's still Springtime, even though in Utah, we'll enjoy snow through May. So, I let my table says spring anyway!
I used three of my little Hummel figurines that were bearing flowers as gifts. We're so ready for flowers!

Not being much of a St. Patty's Day gal, I still wanted to use lots of green for the table. The green vase with soft green flowers, green dishes and sage green napkins all came together well for not being even closely related.

This, being a spring tablescape, didn't need lots of candlelight, so I opted for an ivy garland woven with a garland of twig patio lights just to give it some pop!

I love this garland with the dew drops on the leaves!

No placemats, just a simple doily across the table.

This is the first tablescape that I've created, in which, I've loved the daytime photos better than the nighttime candlelit shots. The morning sun shining and reflecting off the foot of snow in the front yard was perfect!

Even with all that snow, this table screams "SPRING!!"

I really want to open the windows!

For years, I've kept my Hummels stored in the Curio cabinet, but tablescaping has given me an opportunity to take them out and enjoy them even more! LOVE IT!

It may not bring spring any sooner, but it was my own way of welcoming March in like a Lamb.

Thanks for stopping by!

February Table

2011-02-22T11:32:00.005-07:00

My Valentines Day table underwent a metamorphosis while being created. It started out red and black and white, then went red and black and pink and then changed again to red and pink and white. In the end, I love it!I gathered many red accents from around the house and the Valentines storage bin.
Lit a few candles!

Added some pink candies... if you haven't tried Strawberry Whoppers, you're missing out. BUT. Do not set a tablescape with Whoppers in a south facing window or they'll look like this on your first mid-winter sunny day.

Red silky napkins tied with hearts that are meant to hang but made for cute little "napkin rings".

Some hearts and a few cinnamony heart candies... which are excellent in a wintry south facing window, if you like gooey chewy jellied candy. MMMMM!

Those yellow looking candles really are RED.

I love the look of the cream on pink on red plates. None belong with the other but don't they look great together?

A little shabby chic box filled with handmade hearts was a perfect accent!

The pretty red round placemat took the place of a charger this time and I love it! Bought after Christmas for 75 cents each.

This table didn't have as many candles as I usually like but the little lamp with it's red shade gives a romantic feeling to the table without.

This table calls for a little romantic evening! Don't you think?

January Table

2011-02-22T11:07:00.005-07:00

Since I got my lovely table last year, I've anticipated my January tablescape. I couldn't wait! I'd had ideas of white and snow and silver-looking pretties everywhere for months. I could hard wait to take the photos. And then. It was done. And I didn't like it. Not at all. Ironically, several friends came in and said that it was their favorite yet. For me, not so much. I needed a string of lights with white wires. I only had green wired lights. So, after Christmas, I was shopping with Doug and, being that what he does for a living involves LEDs, he thought that we should only buy LED. To Doug, fine, if we're talking about car headlights, but for my tablescapes, never again. I didn't care for the blue tint of the lighting on the LEDs. I much prefer the softer, gentle looking lighting from the old-fashioned traditional Christmas lights. Enough said about that.

But, I did love using the silver chargers and white plates and white napkins and rings. White on white on white. You have to love that!

Liza bought me the little lantern, Carol bought me the snowflake cake pedestal, Denise bought the snowflake tin candle holder. So, the table was filled with goodies from my favorite people! What's not to love about that?

The little garlands and snowballs and snowflakes in silver and clear glass were also things that I absolutely love!

My cute little Arby's (of all places) goblets from the 80s are still some of my favorite things to use during the winter months. They're lovable too!

In looking at it, it will never be my favorite, but, I do love this table.

EXCEPT for those darn lights!

December table

2011-02-22T10:30:00.005-07:00

My December tablescape was, by far, most most favorite yet! So much that I took photos of and spent every night looking at it and didn't realize that I'd not posted it on the blog! OH NO! I loved it so much that, for the first time in our lives, we didn't put the Christmas tree in the front window, but in the corner, so that the table could remain at home in the bay. It was simple, a bit rustic, a bit elegant, just the way I like them!The idea for this table was to make it elegant and yet keep it a bit primitive. I think I accomplished the goal.
It's only during the winter that I can use my Johnson Brothers Friendly Village dishes. So, I was thrilled to have them out every day in December! My first set of 8 was a gift from my favorite Uncle Bobby when I graduated from High School. My next set of 8 were inherited when Uncle Bobby passed away. He'd bought mine to match his all those years before. They are truly one of my most precious worldly possessions!

Believe is our "theme" for Christmas each year. I pulled the torchaire lamp in my living room from the corner and made it a part of the tablescape this year. Since the tree wasn't in the front window, we needed that extra holiday lighting and it did the trick!

Mom had a set of 12 little red dessert dishes that I also inherited last summer. I couldn't wait for Christmas to use them! And that red bell... I bought it from AVON with babysitting money when I was a teen. (It's sitting on top of a light, so that it really pops.)

After putting a few different candlesticks on the table, ironically, Go-Go, our puppy pulled a fur garland from the Christmas bins into the room to play. I cut it into pieces and wrapped the candlesticks for a little extra. I think that, besides the lights, it was my favorite thing on the table.

The lights! WOW! I purchased a new box of fifty white lights ($2) and left them semi-coiled, the way that they come out of the box, then placed this holly garland over them. Honestly, I think I spent more time looking at the table than I did the tree! I love lights anywhere, but on the table, this was the best!

I love this antique table. It gives me a perfect place to tablescape but I love the roughness of the wood that keeps things old and the tableware makes the statement that it's new. It's warm and inviting and welcoming. It's truly my favorite thing in my home!

Merry Christmas! (or memories as it may be!)

Talapia Scampi

2011-02-15T14:22:00.003-07:00

I'm not at all a fish fan, but as mentioned before, Tilapia is so mild, I don't mind it at all. I try some new way of preparing it everytime since my family does love it. Last night, I found this recipe for a Scampi sauce to bake the tilapia in. OH MY GOSH, it was so good that I had a second piece. Try it! I didn't bake it nearly as long as the recipe called for, so check to see if it's flakey at about 20 minutes.

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic

4 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the pan or spray a cooking oil. Combine the butter, lemon juice, and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave in 10-second increments until the butter is completely melted and the garlic has softened, stirring each time for about a minute.

Arrange the tilapia in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; pour the butter mixture over the fillets assuring they are all evenly covered. Sprinkle the parsley over the tilapia.

Bake turning the fillets every 10 minutes with a large spatula, until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30-40 minutes. I kept part of the butter sauce to the side to serve over baked potatoes. Enjoy!

Easy Stroganoff Casserole

2011-01-12T19:55:00.002-07:00

It was one of those nights... it was dinner time before I had time to think about dinner. When I looked inside, I discovered a fridge full of nothing. And so, this little meal came to pass. I had no sour cream, but I did have an unopened Ranch Dip that needed to be used. I had no sliced beef, but I did have a freezer bag of cooked ground beef. Why not? I had no cream but I did have cream of mushroom soup. By the time the noodles were boiled, the table was set and dinner was ready to serve. We ate every bite and the kids asked if we could have it for dinner again tomorrow. I think it was it hit! Is this how lasagna was discovered?

1 pound hamburger, browned with garlic and onion to taste

1 16 oz. carton of Ranch flavored Dip (I'm sure that sour cream with a package of ranch dip would do the same trick.)

1/2 cup ketchup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 of the soup can of milk

1 small bag of petite frozen peas

lots of salt and pepper

about 4 cups of homemade style egg noodles

1 large pot of boiling salted water

Mix all of the ingredients in a large saucepan or fry pan. Heat until bubbly. Add the peas last. Cook the egg noodles in the pot of boiling water, drain well. Pour the sauce over and mix with the noodles. Enjoy!

Darcy's Peanut Butter Balls

2010-12-03T10:08:00.004-07:00

Today's bit of love comes in the form of a recipe of the most favorite treat at last night's ward party. Darcy was kind enough to run home and get me the recipe for my blog today. I walked around the entire building with a few on a plate, asking, "Did you make these?" And the most frequent answer was, "No, but I want to know who did!" So here's Darcy's very nummy and simple treat.

1/4 cup melted butter or margerine

1 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all together and make into balls. Chill, then dip each ball into melted chocolate or melted chocolate chips. They freeze well.

However, last night, Darcy had made spread them onto a cookie sheet then frosted them with the melted chocolate. Then, she drizzled or used a frosting tube of white frosting over the chocolate. They were very thin (about as thick as an oreo, maybe) and the little tiny white swirls all over them looked so festive. She'd cut them into about 1 1/2 " squares and had them on a platter. They looked so dang cute and delicate! I wish I'd taken a picture. Seriously, the hit treat of the evening! I'll make them and photograph them asap! Enjoy!

Butter Sauce for Salmon

2010-11-29T16:23:00.003-07:00

This is an old favorite in our home and I usually prepare the sauce to go on baked salmon. Doug bakes the salmon, so don't ask how to do that. ;) I'm not a fan of salmon but with this sauce, it's awesome!

1/2 pound butter

2Tbsp. Kikoman Soy Sauce

4 tsp. lemon juice

pepper to taste (the more the better, in our house)

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

4 chopped green onions (from the root almost to the end of the stem)

Melt the butter and add the remaining ingredients. Keep warm and pour over baked salmon. I usually serve this sauce with baked potatoes or rice. It's fabulous! Enjoy!

Thanksgiving for the Kids!

2010-11-28T09:52:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving is always such a fun time for cousins to get together and enjoy eachother's company. This year, we had ten children, ages 2 to 15 and I wanted to create a fun but beautiful table for them too! I set up a banquet table and went for it!

I've never used paper plates until a few weeks ago for the Seniors Dinner and since I had some leftover, and had so many people coming for dinner, I thought I'd try it again. The grown-ups got the left over Senior's plates and the kids got more of a youthful themed table. I bought this brown and red plaid paper plates at Target in their Christmas section last week. They were perfect for a Thanksgiving table and were made just to go along with my table favors, the paper cup turkeys filled with what else, but red and brown Tootsie Rolls!

I made these darling little turkeys from brown paper cups (purchased at Hobby Lobby) and used my cricut to cut the leaves/feathers out for the tail. I got the idea from friend, Marilyn, who did not use wiggly eyes. Friend Connie and I trade favors all the time and I'd agreed to make her some too. She picked up the eyes and came home with wiggly eyes. I thought they were perfect! I made nineteen cups in less than an hour, start to finish!

One thing that I didn't have on the table when I took the photos was the tags. I used Staples 1 1/4" circle tags with the metal rings on them. Then, stamped a fall leaf, chalked it, wrote each child's name on their tag and tied it to the handle of the cocoa mugs. The kids thought that it was pretty special!

Seriously, Thanksgiving dinner served on paperplates and chargers was the ticket for this many guests! I didn't have to hand wash the fragile china and clean up was a breeze! With all the beautiful paper goods out there, I may be doing this more often!

A friend commented, "Why do you go to all that trouble when it's over in 30 minutes and no one will remember anyway?" I beg to differ. My kids love to talk about the cool tables that they get to eat at. This will be the "Tootsie Roll Turkey Thanksgiving" for them. Worth every minute of preparation, indeed!

Thanksgiving Dinner Table

2010-11-28T09:47:00.003-07:00

When I suddenly had everyone we'd invited to Thanksgiving dinner accept, I decided to use chargers and paper plates. I'm loving it! These were leftover plates from the dinner I'd served two weeks ago to the senior widows in our LDS ward. But, I couldn't create the same tablescape twice, so here was table number two with the same dishes...paperplates from Hobby Lobby.

I used a wine colored tablecloth and when it all came together, I was not loving it, until I remembered these beautiful berry wreathes hanging on the backs of the chairs that go with my antique tablescaping table. Perfection! They brought all of the wines and oranges and golds together.

Friend Connie and I trade favors all the time. I'd made her Thanksgiving stuffing and Tootsie Roll Turkey cups (see Kids Thanksgiving table). Connie made hand-dipped chocolates and caramels, in trade. I think that I got the better end of this deal, for sure!

The leaf garland down the center pulled the fact that I was using two wreathes together. The candles in the center of each wreathe were purchased at Pier One in January a few years ago for $1.50 each when they were 90% off! They've been so versatile! Wait till I share what I'm doing with them for Christmas this year!

The little tags, just paper tags from Staples, were stamped with a little fall leaf and then chalked in to match the berries. (I did them while watching the weather. Literally ten minutes.)

Then, I wrote "We're thankful for" and filled in the names with a Zig Marker. A table favor and name card all in one!

The table was simple, yet elegant! We served Thanksgiving dinner buffet-style. So, the table remained lovely all afternoon! Gathered together with family, we had much to be thankful for!

Thanksgiving Stuffing

2010-11-24T17:00:00.003-07:00

This is one recipe that I've never recorded before because I've never really measured what goes in it. This morning, I took note of what I was using. It makes a TON of stuffing, but I use it for a casserole with leftover turkey. Besides that, stuffing is one of the best things to snitch a piece of all weekend, right? Especially with cranberry salad for a snack! This recipe could be cut in half or thirds, but here's what I make each Thanksgiving, whether we are having 30 people or 2. It does freeze well, but we never have any left after a few days. It's not diet stuffing!

3 - 12oz. bags of Pepperidge Farms Herb Flavored Stuffing croutons or crumbs

1 large bunch of celery

2 large onions

2 cans sliced mushrooms or 1 large package of fresh mushrooms

1 pound of butter (told ya!)

6 eggs

about 6- 8 cups water

1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning

2 regular size cans of chicken broth

salt and pepper

Finely chop the celery, onions and mushrooms. Saute the veggies in 2 sticks of butter until cooked well. In a very large bowl (the large FixNMix Tupperware bowl), pour the sauteed veggies over the bread crumbs and cubes. In a separate large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, poultry seasoning and water and also two more sticks of melted butter. Pour over the bread. Also pour the chicken broth over the bread and veggies. Mix well. Add more water, if desired, to get the bread mixture to the desired moistness and texture. We like it very moist. Pour and spread into three large baking sheets. (I use the Pampered Chef deep baking sheets.) Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until cooked through.

I usually make this stuffing the day before Thanksgiving. Keep it sealed tightly with the foil and reheat. before serving. Cut into squares or scoop into a bowl after reheating to serve. Enjoy!

Minty Holiday Blossoms

2010-11-17T19:46:00.005-07:00

I made the mistake of buying Hersheys Mint Kisses before Thanksgiving. We're now on our fifth bag in this house and it's still another week until Mr. Turkey comes for dinner. Anyway, I had this wild idea and decided to give it a shot. So, here's what I've created for a fun Holiday Cookie. I used Denise's sugar cookie recipe, which has to be one of the best ever and the concept of Peanut Blossoms (my favorite cookies until today). I made a few changes and voila... these delicious treats!

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. mint extract
8 or so drops of green food coloring

bowl of sugar
2 bags Hersheys Mint Kisses, unwrapped

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, soda and salt, alternately with milk. Add food coloring until green enough and mint extract. Mix well. Roll into balls (about a teaspoon) and then roll in the bowl of sugar until coated. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 375 degrees. They will look undercooked. Do not overcook. While cookies are baking, unwrap all of the kisses and set aside in a bowl. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and wait about three minutes. Place a Candy Kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cool completely before storing. Makes about 75 regular size cookies. Enjoy!

A few other thoughts...

The girls and I made the recipe without the mint and green to begin with. We just rolled the cookies in the sugar and placed the kisses after baking. Very tasty. BUT, do not place the kisses in the cookies until they've cooled for a few minutes or they will flatten. (That actually works out too, because they are easier to store without the kiss bumping off the top.) I'm also thinking that these would be really cute rolled in green or red sugar crystals for Christmas!

This dough is also perfect for fruit pizza!

Fall Dinner

2010-11-09T10:19:00.004-07:00

A family Home Evening decision a few months ago led to our Fall dinner with nine senior single women, aging in their seventies to mid-nineties.
I've never served on a paper plate in my life! However, at the frequent recommendation from one of my favorite entertainers, "pretty paper plates" are just as fun as the real thing!
When I woke up two days earlier with a back that didn't want to co-operate with me pulling out the dishes I'd been planning on, a trip to Hobby Lobby and some humble pie (from saying, "I'd never!) brought me to these beautiful paper plates! And bonus! They were on sale for 50% off!

Browns, rusts and oranges were the perfect matching candle colors.

Connie, my partner in crime, made handdipped chocolates and caramels for our party favors! How do we rate!?

My favorite goblets, a gift from friend Vikki! Thanks again, Vikki!

The menu:Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (real comfort food!)Spinach and Craisin SaladHomemade Rolls (served right out of the oven)Pumpkin Bars (Connie's the queen of desserts!)

A few random silk fall leaves scattered on the table and a beautiful white pepperberry garland running the length of the table tied it all together. And besides all that, chargers make any table look fabulous!

Dinner was wonderful. The ambiance was great. The company the best!

Apple Nachos

2010-11-05T08:19:00.004-06:00

Liza shared this idea with me two weeks ago and we've made them almost every day since. They are to die for and have become our new favorite fall treat. They're even somewhat healthy. Here's how to make Apple Nachos.

Slice apples and dip them in lemon juice, if you are making them in advance. Don't bother, if you'll be eating them immediately. Spread them out on a plate or platter and then drizzle or sprinkle or top them with any or all of the following toppings:

caramel apple dip or ice cream topping

chocolate syrup

nuts

Heath English Toffee Bits (found by the chocolate chips in your grocers) A MUST!

chocolate chips

peanut butter

marshmallow cream

coconut

brown sugar

yogurt

cinnamon sugar

cream cheese

Our favorite combo so far is what you see in the photo. Caramel topping, Hersheys Chocolate Syrup, Heath Toffee bits, Coconut, chopped pecans. Doesn't this sound divine? ENJOY!!

November Gratitude Table

2010-11-02T08:42:00.006-06:00

It's funny. About half way through each month, I start getting excited to put together my next tablescape. Last night, Doug recognized how much joy this little table has brought me. It's a silly thing, but for me, it says "Welcome!" to the new month, to my friends and family; and it reminds me of the blessings I have. There's not only something to celebrate every month, there's tons of reason to celebrate every day!

My inspiration for this tablescape was this ceramic tile. The quote, one of my favorites, from Henry B. Eyring, "Breathe with Grateful Acknowldegement to Him who Grants Each Breath." How much better could we express thanksgiving than that these words.
The colors are perfect for my pumpkin colored living room. Now, Decemeber might be a bit more difficult! And I've not even let myself thnik about July's table yet!
Less candles on this table than usual... I don't consider Thanksgiving a "romantic" time of the year... just abundant.

I love the leaf shaped soup bowls. I have six of them in all of the fall colors. They are huge. Doug's comment was, "You could have one hearty bowl of soup in those!"

My little plastic acorns fit perfectly in the Pampered Chef Pumpkin bowl. Acorns were purchased at Taipan but later found at Michaels too.

These shiny acorns were fabulous must haves for me! I wish I'd have gotten three so that they could be hanging by ribbons above the table. The "spots" on them are translucent, so they reflect light through them. Next year, if I can find another, they'll be hanging!

I couldn't have a Thanksgiving Table without pumpkins. These tiny white ones were perfect!

My life is abundantly blessed!

Nikki's Nummy Bread Dip

2010-10-26T07:52:00.004-06:00

My new friend, Nikki, brought this outstanding bread dip that was to die for to the Witches Brew last week! I can't wait to make it myself! Later, Doug, who'd dished up a plate of treats to enjoy alone during the party, asked, "WHAT was that?!?!" It was a hit!

8 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups grated cheese

1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

1 cup chopped ham

1 can green chilis

1/2 cup green onion

Mix well, put in a greased pie plate and bake for 1 hour. Spiders and Bugs optional! Serve with torn pieces of french bread or chips or crackers. The french bread was AMAZING!! Enjoy!

Witches Brew

2010-10-25T10:05:00.007-06:00

The Witches! Wigs, Warts, Hats and Furs. Quite the motley crew, we were!

Since my home is small and I don't have a ton of room for hosting a large party, I decided to keep it small and invited only fourteen women. The invitation asked them to "come in their best witch's attire and bring a great appetizer to share".

I set the table and lit the candles, using all black and white and orange. I didn't go for the spooky, creepy feel, since we were all such elegant witches.

Using what I had on hand, I created some fun and funky type candle holders, including this orange Pier One decanter (that is awkward to pour out of anyway.) It made a great candleholder by putting a rose vase inside and sitting the black candle on top.

The black and white pumpkins were my new addition to my Halloween collection this fall. Selected by my daughter, Liza, they are two of my favorite pumpkins.

I set out black and silver chargers for the guest to put their appetizers on when they arrived, to keep things going along with the theme.

Of course, a little dry ice added to the punch is a must for a "brew".

This $1.69 cent hat is my most fabulous creation of the year! With embossing powder/glitter, a glue stamp and an awesome swirly rubber stamp, this hat is fantastic and so easy to make! Instructions are on my regular blog, here.

My favorite quote of the season: Eat, Drink, Be Scary! It's written in chalk on a piece of black cardstock scrap.

I debated and debated over whether to serve the brew from goblets or these canning pint jars. Goblets would have looked more elegant but, goblets spill easily and since we were moving about for the games and activities, I went with the jars. The tags, purchased long ago at Staples for a scrapbooking project, were then stamped 1 -14, so that everyone knew who's was who's. The number also indicated who was on which team later in the night for the games.

This Black Hat Society sign was downloaded from the internet and perfect for what we became by the end of the evening... friends connected in a new way...by our black hats.

The easiest way to have a party is let the guests share in the cooking. I asked the gals to bring an appetizer or dessert and we had quite the spread. We could never eat it all, but we did put a good dent in it! Apples and caramel dip, a very delicious bread dip, cheesy salsa dip and chips, pumpkin roll, eclairs, layered chocolate caramel bars, seven layer cookies and beautiful tasty tarts! MMMM!

I served two brews for this party. The lime/pineapple slush, because, as my daughter says, "When else can you serve green drink?" and my favorite old standby with the white grape juice and gingerale!

Black, White and Swirls galore... kind of witchy and magical.

I'd made the large broom and hung the sign on the top,"Broom Parking" then tied these miniature versions of the broom along the banister as little thank you gifts to my guests. They all got to choose a broom as they were leaving. They added to the decor and were a fun little gift, too.

Baked French Toast Strata

2010-10-18T07:56:00.003-06:00

This recipe was a huge hit with the entire family. Lately, I've seen several recipes that were similar and actually had a version of baked french toast last weekend. This one was pretty quick and easy and yet tastes like something that you've worked for hours on. It's a must try! And best of all, it can be made the night before and just baked when it's time to eat. It'd be a great Christmas morning meal!

1 loaf French bread

8 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1 1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Tear french bread (I used half Sara Lee multigrain bread and half french) into pieces that are about the size of a large marshmallow. Cover the bottom of a well buttered 9 x 13" pan. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a blender and mix until blended well. Pour mixture over the bread slices. Cover the bread totally and use a spatula to make sure that it's saturated completely with the milk-egg mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. (I made it and only waited an hour or so before baking. It was just fine.)

Topping:
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes at 350 until puffy and golden. Serve with maple syrup. Enjoy!

Red Pepper Dip

2010-10-10T21:11:00.007-06:00

I don't even remember where I discovered this recipe but can I just say that it is nu-uh-ummmmy! For my birthday girl's night out sleepover, we each brought the makings for an appetizer. It was risky on my part but I brought the ingredients for a first try of this one. OH MY! I'm so glad that I decided on this. I followed the recipe to a T last night and then came home and did a second attempt in my own version and loved it even more. It's so festive and beautiful, not to mention delish! Try it! You'll love it!

You'll need:

2 red bell peppers

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Place the peppers in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a soft boil for about 30 minutes. Remove from the water, drain well but quickly! Place the peppers in your food processor while still hot. Add the brown sugar and salt. Puree until smooth.

Then, here are the two options.

Spread the cream cheese in a platter and pour the puree over it. Serve with crackers or chips. (We used Lime Doritos. OH MY!) The puree was pretty runny though. SO, I tried Plan B today.

Here's Plan B:

After making the puree, mix in the cream cheese and serve as a dip. It will be a soft dip. Much less messy and still pretty.

ENJOY!

Wicked Halloween Bling!

2010-10-06T17:42:00.009-06:00

Happy Halloween! My second tablescape on the new antique table! Setting this table each month is like decorating for Christmas! I love it! First, a few shots with the lights on!
These fabulous boots were my inspiration for the whole table. They look pretty wicked from outside as you drive by our home at night!

The black blingee pumpkins on the upsidedown candlesticks were purchased to match the boots... a great start to the table. Now, to turn the lights down low and light the candles.

Here's my October table for two. A romantic little candlelight dinner in a purple mist (tulle) and glitter.

The layers: Black Charger, translucent orange charger, white dinner plate, orange salad plate. My mom, knowing that I love setting a pretty table, picked up the orange chargers at a thrift store last Christmas. 12 for $2! Sweet!

The fabulous wine bottle candlabra was a birthday gift from friend, Marilyn! I love it! It slips into any bottle just like a corkscrew. Being that we don't drink alcohol, it will be interesting to see what other ways I can put it to "work".

The fishbowl type candle holder from Pier One (purchased after Christmas for a song or should I say a carol?!) is filled with purple foil tinsel. Candle from Hobbie Lobby.

One of my favorite decorating quotes: Candles are to be burned not dusted.

Cute little Vintage Happy Halloween is from Taipan and I made the blingee orange potion book in the background. It's a $1 book from the thrift store, painted orange and then stamped with the words, "Spells & Potions", then sprayed with glitter spray. Yagottaluv glitter spray!

Doug described this table as "dining in a mist".

Hope you enjoy!

Wendy's Homemade Apple Dumplings

2010-10-05T16:44:00.004-06:00

Wendy's family tradition, like ours, is to serve the birthday girl's favorites for their birthday dinner. Last night, I got to choose! I chose lasagna, green salad, garlic bread and "anything appley"for dessert. I'd choose apple desserts over chocolate anytime! What a delightful surprise! I'd never had a real true apple dumpling like this before, but, this would be my birthday request from now on! They were fabulous! Here's Wendy's recipe and a few photos to go along with.

Crust
2 Cups Enriched Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
2/3 Cups Shortening
1/2 Cup Milk

Place flour, baking powder and salt in medium size bowl and mix it together with a fork. Add the shortening to the bowl and cut in shortening. Add milk to bowl and use a fork to just moisten the mixture. (I used my food processer.)

Apples
6 apples
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
3 T. butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon Boil 1 cup sugar, 2 cups water, 3 Tablespoons butter and ½ teaspoons cinnamon for 3 minutes. Peel apples and remove the center. Mix together ½ cup sugar and 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Roll out ¾ pie dough and cut into 4’s. Put 1 apple on each piece of dough making sure it will cover the whole apple. Add 1 T. cinnamon sugar mixture into the middle of each apple. Roll out the rest of the dough and cut into 2’s, put apples on dough, and add cinnamon sugar mixture. Bring dough up around and cover each apple. Put in 9x13 pan. Do not have apples touching. Pour boiled mixture over apples and cook at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Good served hot with half and half poured over. Enjoy!

Spinach and Bowtie Chicken Salad

2010-09-26T11:18:00.003-06:00

The first time I tried this recipe was at Miki's baby blessing dinner. Wendy's sister Kris made it and I fell in love...with Kris and the Salad! It makes a LOT of salad (two big salad bowls) and is great for a large crowd. Everyone is still talking about it! (Not my photo, but I love the idea of adding the sesame seeds to it too!)

Dressing:

Blend in blender until smooth:

1 c veggie oil (Kris used 1/2 c olive and 1/2 cup canola)

2/3 c White wine vinegar

2/3 c teriyaki sauce (Kris used kikoman teriyaki marinade)

6 T Sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Cook 12oz Bowtie Pasta. Rinse and drain.

Add to dressing and refrigerate 2 hours or over night. When ready to serve add:

4-5 Cooked chicken breast

1 bunch chopped green onion

3-6 oz cans mandarin oranges

6oz craisins

6oz honey roasted sliced almonds

spinach 28-32oz

Toss all and serve immediately (You can toss all except spinach a head of time, refrigerate and add spinach right before serving.) Enjoy!

Fajita Night!

2010-09-20T08:58:00.005-06:00

Doug and I hosted 4 siblings dinners a year for two years and this had to be my favorite. Everyone was assigned what to bring for the fixings and we had so so much food!

The menu:
Steak or chicken fajitas with peppers, onions, mushrooms and fresh Cilantro

Spanish Rice

Guacomole

Spanish Beans

Pepper Jack and Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

SalsaChips

Pina Colada Slush

Citrus Water

Tres Leche with fresh strawberries

The table:It was just fun to have everyone in the kitchen, chopping, cooking, laughing and then we all assembled our own fajitas. A most tasty dinner and fun excuse to use my fiesta plates!

I hung a few battery powered paper lamps over the table just for fun.

The pina colada drink is to die for! To frost the glasses, I called Chili's and talked to the bartender there (being that I have no clue what they put on alcoholic drinks... I just know that they are pretty.) They told me to dip the rim of the glass in pineapple juice then to dip the wet glass rim in a bowl of sugar. Voila!

After each meal, we sit around the table and enjoy the tabletalk, so there were peanuts, burnt peanuts, hot tomales and other sugary treats to just munch while we gab.

The questions for tabletalk:
Table talk questions:
What would you say is the most important material "thing" in your life right now?

What's a typical day in your life right now?

If you could, what would you change in your life right now?

What's the first thing you think about in the morning?

What do you think is your most valuable role in your life at this moment?

If you could be someone else for a day, who would that be? Why?

What do you do every day that you would love to hire someone else to do for you?

What rituals do you go through every day for the sake of your good looks?

What are your favorite words to live by?

Who do you talk on the phone to more than anyone else?

Aside from the temple or the ranch, Is there a place you've been that made you feel closer to heaven?

Can you pinpoint any one moment in life that you'd call a "turning point"?

What mannerisms would you say that you have that are strikingly similar to one of your parents?

Aside from Christ, who in your life have you tried to pattern yourself after more than anyone else?

What one experience would you count as the highlight of the last five years?

What has been your greatest success and what did you learn from it?

Do you feel that you are a better parent than your parents were and why or why not?

What is the happiest memory of your childhood?

What song did you sing as a child that you've taught your children to sing as well?

What prejudices have you overcome that you once had? How?

What are you teaching your children about life that you did not know as a child?

What character traits do you think that you have passed on to your children?

How is your life different today than you pictured it being ten years ago?

Aside from the Sunday School answers (pray & study scriptures), what's something that you do every single day that you could not go a day without doing?

What would you say is the most important material "thing" in your life right now?

What's a typical day in your life right now?

If you could, what would you change in your life right now?

What's the first thing you think about in the morning?

What do you think is your most valuable role in your life at this moment?

If you could be someone else for a day, who would that be? Why?

What do you do every day that you would love to hire someone else to do for you?

What rituals do you go through every day for the sake of your good looks?

What are your favorite words to live by?

Who do you talk on the phone to more than anyone else?

Aside from the temple or the ranch, Is there a place you've been that made you feel closer to heaven?

Can you pinpoint any one moment in life that you'd call a "turning point"?

What mannerisms would you say that you have that are strikingly similar to one of your parents?

Aside from Christ, who in your life have you tried to pattern yourself after more than anyone else?

What one experience would you count as the highlight of the last five years?

What has been your greatest success and what did you learn from it?

Do you feel that you are a better parent than your parents were and why or why not?

What is the happiest memory of your childhood?

What song did you sing as a child that you've taught your children to sing as well?

What prejudices have you overcome that you once had? How?

What are you teaching your children about life that you did not know as a child?

What character traits do you think that you have passed on to your children?

How is your life different today than you pictured it being ten years ago?

Aside from the Sunday School answers (pray & study scriptures), what's something that you do every single day that you could not go a day without doing?

Harvest Cook-Off

2010-09-20T08:28:00.004-06:00

A fall harvest dinner/“Cook-Off“that was actually held last September. Our Senior Singles Family Home Evening was a delightful little "cook-off" where the seniors brought some of their favorite recipes to be served in addition to Connie’s incredible vegetable-beef soup and Sophia’s homemade whole wheat bread. Everyone else's dishes made for quite the feast! We had amazing baked carrots, several sweet treats, chicken salad on puff tarts, an awesome pasta salad, coleslaw…fabulous foods!

The tablescape was all about food and harvest and preserving, with a bountiful basket of garden produce and preserved goods to go along with the devotional message about spiritual self-reliance.A few empty canning jars with small votive candles inside them brought a little extra light!

For table talk, each Senior was asked to tell about their favorite thing that their mother cooked. The conversation was fascinating. The foods that these seniors ate as children included lots of "bread and milk", mushes made from things that I'd never heard of and many other foods that we'd never consider today as a "staple".

My sister-in-law grows some of the most fascinating flowers and vegetables in her garden and the basket/centerpiece was filled with many of them. Beautimous, if I do say so myself!

Easy Roasted Tomatoes

2010-09-20T07:28:00.003-06:00

Blogging friend, Laura, sent me this recipe last fall when I had fifty-six tomato plants ripening by the dozens every day. After canning 120 quarts of tomatoes, 100+ quarts of salsa, giving away 15 bushels of tomatoes, I still had tomatoes coming out my ears! Thankfully! This was one of our favorite ways to prepare the tomatoes. They can be eaten right out of the oven or put in freezer bags for winter. Serve them over pasta or put them into soups. Anyway around it, they are fabulous!

Cut tomatoes into to small pieces (no need to blanch or peel!) Snip fresh basil on top. Press about 10-12 cloves of garlic. (I buy garlic by the quart at Sam's Club and add tablespoons.) Add Sea-salt, lots of pepper, and sugar (Lara uses Splenda or Stevia)Sprinkle extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Mix with your hands. Roast at 450 for an hour or longer, stirring once. You can roast with juices left in the pan, or until the juices are evaporated. Enjoy!

Connie's chocolate cakes

2010-09-16T11:41:00.006-06:00

Connie is one of my favorite cooks in this world. Her homemade caramels and handdipped chocolates are divine... as in truly heavenly. Connie is one of those friends that everyone dreams of because I can break a fingernail and she's there with something fresh and nummy to make me feel better. My two favorite things that she makes, however, are her chocolate cakes. The cake is homemade and moist and marvelous. But. The frostings. Oh. My. Heck. They are out of this world delish. I can't share the recipes without sharing this story....

For almost thirty years now, I've been "expected" to take my secret brownies to every single Corbridge family event ever held. This past summer, on the week of the Corbridge Reunion in our back yard, I was overwhelmingly busy with things to do, including host the reunion and teach Relief Society the next day. The whole week was a blur of business. Connie, being Connie, offered several times to help. Finally, I took her up on the offer and she baked her delicious German Chocolate Cake for me. On the day of the reunion, it was a hit to all who tried it. Fast forward two weeks, when my nephew was leaving for his LDS mission and the family dinner was to be held following church. As my sister-in-law was handing out food assignments and checking off her list, she asked that I make... me expecting "what else but brownies".... that nummy german chocolate cake that we had at the reunion! My brownies had been forgotten!

Now for the rest of the story... I had another insane week with more than any sane woman should ever have on her plate, the week of the Farewell. The night before, I was just about in panic mode after baking two cakes before frosting the cakes. Connie came over and basically said, "Move over. Let me do it." and made the german chocolate frosting. The next morning, with me in Overdrive and still trying to catch up with the To Do list and being prepared to reach my Relief Society lesson, I ended up staying home in our ward and Doug took off to the mission farewell. As he loaded the kids, he placed my much stressed over cakes on the roof of his van and took off down the street. The crashing noise that he heard was "an angel catching the cakes and placing them not so gently right side up on the street!", according to Doug. Needless to say, not wanting me to totally meltdown, he picked them up off the street and headed to the family gathering. I found out about the accident after the fact, thanks to a wise husband and a wise sister-in-law, who insisted, "Soph will be better off not knowing about this." They scooped the scrambled cakes into plates and served them anyway. Everyone said they tasted great, regardless of how they looked. Seriously. MUST TRY Recipes!

CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cube butter or margarine, softened
4 TBS. Cocoa – I use heaping spoons full

¾ cup water
¾ cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tsp. soda
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ cup milk
Put first four ingredients in mixing bowl.
Bring oil and water to a boil and pour over ingredients in mixing bowl - beat together.
Add eggs, vanilla, soda and salt – mix well.
Add milk - mix well - pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. My oven will bake the cake in 28 minutes.

German Chocolate Frosting
1 cup cream
3 egg yolks - beaten
1 cup sugar
1 square butter or margarine
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a slow boil and cook 3 or 4 minutes or until mixture appears it has thickened.
Remove from heat - Add 8-10 ounces of coconut and 1 – 2 cups of chopped pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds - more if you like.
Pour over cake and let cool before cutting.

Plain chocolate frosting
1 lb. powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 cube butter or margarine softened
½ - ¾ tsp. almond flavoring – more if desired
Slowly add enough milk to desired spreading consistency

Enjoy!

Summer Garden Casserole

2010-09-16T07:47:00.003-06:00

We made this simple and healthy casserole at our Relief Society Activity Night as a group, then each of us brought one home for dinner tonight. All of the women loved it and I can't wait to bake mine this afternoon. It's a great way to use some of the zucchini that gets piled up during the harvest season of the year! Loved it and it's so versatile. There were no specific amounts to any of the ingredients. It's a "little of this and a little of that" type recipe.

Layer loosely in the pan...(enough to cover the layer below)
chopped zucchini (quartered lengthwise then sliced)

chopped carrots (quartered lengthwise, then sliced)

salt and pepper to taste

frozen corn or fresh corn cut off the cob

about 1/2 cup uncooked rice

finely chopped onion

browned hamburger (cooked with onions and peppers or how you like it...mine had garlic too)salt and pepper again to taste

Pour tomato juice over the entire thing (don't make things float, but add enough that it will moisten everything in the pan). Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

Fresh Peach Cobbler

2010-09-15T14:56:00.007-06:00

Oh my gosh! This is so dang good! This recipe was a combination recipe. I used the fruit recipe from a friend and the cobbler from my sister-in-law's mother's recipe. Together, we've made the perfect pair! It's a little labor intensive, but, this is seriously one great cobbler! It was so good that it didn't need ice cream!

1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

8 cups sliced peaches

2 tsp. lemon juice

Peel and slice peaches. (To peel peaches quickly, drop whole peach into a pan of boiling water. Leave in water about ten seconds then remove and drop into cold water. The skin will just slip off.) Put peaches in a large saucepan and cover with above ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly until it thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute and pour into an ungreased 9x13" pan.

(One of my favorite cooking tips is used with butter. Whenever a recipe tells you to "cut" in the butter, chill the butter and then shred it into the flour with a large cheese grater. The butter melts in perfectly during baking!)

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix well and cut in 1/2 cup butter

Then, mix:

1/2 cup milk

2 slightly beaten eggs

Toss the liquid mixture into the dry mixture but do not mix too much. Drop by spoonfuls on the hot fruit. Pat smooth. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve warm with ice cream or half and half.

I loved this recipe! Make sure to be generous with the sugar on top of the cobbler before baking and I even added a touch more after for looks. ENJOY!

Great ways to use French Bread

2010-09-14T13:51:00.003-06:00

French Bread is one of the most versatile breads ever. I use it frequently and quite often, it becomes the main dish. Here's a few of our favorite ways to serve it:

Slice it in half lengthwise. Cover both halves with a tuna fish spread. (2 cans tuna, mayo to taste, about 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper) Then, top with sliced fresh tomatoes, more salt and pepper. Smother in shredded colby-jack cheese. Broil on low with the oven door open until the cheese is melted or bake for about fifteen minutes.

Slice it in half lengthwise. Spread your favorite or leftover spaghetti sauce. Cover with your favorite pizza toppings. Smother in mozzarella cheese. Bake or broil.

Slice it in half lengthwise. Cover with a fresh breshetta. Load it up with salt and pepper and fresh Romano cheese. Broil or bake.

Slice it in half lengthwise. Cover with ground hamburger (cooked with peppers, onions and garlic) OR shredded chicken or pork. Cover with BBQ sauce. Cover with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake or broil till cheese is melted.

Slice it in half lengthwise. Chop a mixture of your favorite veggies finely or in a food processor. (We use broccoli, carrots, green onions, tomatoes...) In another bowl, mix 1 cup ranch dressing and 8 ounces of cream cheese. (Or add ranch until spreadable consistency.) Spread the ranch and cream cheese mixture. Cover entire bread with veggies. Eat fresh!

Use leftover french bread for french toast. Slice into 1" slices. VERY good!

Mix up some fantastic spinach artichoke dip or sausage and cheese dip, let everyone just tear the bread and dip! Num! Serve with a good salad and you've got a great quick meal!

Enjoy!

Fabulous French Bread

2010-09-14T13:32:00.003-06:00

I discovered this fabulous and simple french bread recipe a while ago and we all loved it so much, I could bake it a few times a week. This recipe makes two large loaves and the longer you let it raise, the better and lighter the bread is, so start it early.

2 1/4 cups warm water

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. dry yeast

1 tbsp. shortening

1 tbsp. salt

6 cups flour

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Mix in the remaining ingredients, adding the flour slowly. Knead for five minutes. Let raise until double. Divide the dough in half and roll out into 12x6" rectangle, then roll the dough to make a long french loaf. Slash the top of the loaves three times diagonally with a sharp knife. OR make two large balls of dough and slash a diagonal tic-tac-toe board on top. (Serve this way as pull-apart bread instead of slices.) Raise until doubled. Bake on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle the pan with corn meal, if desired. Just before baking, brush with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool a bit before cutting. Enjoy!

Hyde Park Honey Cookies

2010-09-14T13:11:00.003-06:00

These cookies were made by my sister-in-law and became a favorite in our house instantly. They are quite a bit like snickerdoodles but much tastier and moister. I always double the batch and we never have leftovers.

2/3 cup oil (I usually only use 1/2 cup and they are still plenty moist)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. cinnamon and 1/c up sugar (to roll the cookies in)

Mix oil, sugar and honey. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, soda, salt and vanilla. Form 1" balls and roll in cinnamnon sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for ten minutes. If doubling, do not double the soda, just add 1 teaspoon per and also go scant on the flour and salt.

Ruby's Raw Apple Cake

2010-09-10T11:31:00.002-06:00

Since apples are so plentiful right now, here's a traditional Thanksgiving dessert served at our house, but it's delish anytime, especially in the fall! This is the recipe that I use from my own mother's kitchen and it will be one of those "passed down for generations" recipes, I hope. I have to laugh because I can literally smell the cake baking right now, just thinking about it!

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup oil (I'm thinking of trying half oil and half applesauce next time I bake this.)

3 cups flour

3 cups shredded raw apples

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream oil and sugar together. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients in. Add apples, vanilla and nuts. VERY THICK. Pour into greased floured bundt pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350°. Dust with powdered sugar when completely cool. Store loosely covered. Enjoy!

Fire and Ice

2010-09-10T09:42:00.003-06:00

I only wish I'd had my camera last night at Book Group to photograph this very pretty and most tasty appetizer! April, fabulous friend and hostess, loved the name of them as much as the taste. This was a beautiful treat and I'll be making them soon so that I can add a photograph to the recipe. A must try, if you love fresh tomatoes! So simple! I can also see them served at Christmas because they are the perfect colors!

6 tomatoes

3 cucumbers

1 red onion

Slice the tomatoes about 3/8" thick. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4" thick. Place the tomatoes on a serving platter. Put one cucumber slice on each tomato slice.

1 pint sour cream

4 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

a dash of Tabasco Sauce (I'd add a bit more for some more fire!)

Mix the topping. Drop by spoonful onto the cucumber/tomato and then add a finely sliced sliver of the onion on top of that. OH MY! Enjoy

Julie's Wonder Dough!

2010-09-03T10:29:00.004-06:00

While at a girls night out at the ranch last winter, Julie and Erin made Navajo Tacos that were to die for! Not only were they delish, they made them in no time flat! When they went into the kitchen to prepare dinner, I figured it would be 2 hours before we ate. We were eating in 30 minutes. They'd made Indian Frybread or Scones from scratch. I call them donuts without sugar. VERY TASTY. This is one of the most versatile things you'll ever cook and so so simple! A must try recipe!

1 Tbsp. dry yeast

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1 cup warm water

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil

Mix the yeast and sugar in warm water until bubbly and fluffy. (Let it sit for five minutes.) Add salt, oil and flour. Stir 20 times with a fork. Let rise about fifteen minutes.

For pizza: Bake 20-25 minutes at 450 degrees. Use all the dough to make one large pizza or split in half for a thinner crust. *For crispy crust, roll out in corn meal. (Yummy.)

Breadsticks

Roll out dough, cut and twist into strips. Coat with garlic butter and/or cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.

Fry bread/scones

Stretch or roll dough out flat and fry in hot oil (375 degrees) until golden.

For Navajo Tacos: Serve all the toppings along with the fry bread and let your guest add what they'd like. Choose from:

Browned ground beef with onions, peppers and taco seasoning mix

Refried beans, pinto beans, chili

shredded cheddar cheese

lettuce

onions

olives

tomatoes

any of your favorite taco toppings

top with salsa and ranch dressing!

Serve the scones for breakfast with a choice of toppings:

Jams and Jellies

Honey Butter

Powdered sugar

cinnamon sugar

Sugar

A powdered sugar glaze

fresh fruit and whipping cream

ENJOY!!!

Craisin Cookies

2010-08-27T16:40:00.003-06:00

For some reason, I have abnormal children... they prefer broccoli to french fries, fresh fruit to cake and craisins to chocolate chips. Perhaps is that their father is commonly referred to as "Granola-Man". Regardless, here's their favorite cookie. And indeed, it's tasty and actually, pretty healthy compared to some. In the photo, they look pretty crumby. That's because I took them out of the cookie jar to photograph them. There were this dozen left because all the rest were eaten while cooling on the rack! First day of school will do that to ya!

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco (almost healthy, I said)

2 large eggs

Cream together the sugar, shortening and eggs until no longer crystally.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

Add the dry ingredients and mix, then add:

2 tsp. vanilla

1 hearty cup of craisins

Scoop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet. Bake about 10-12 minutes in a preheated 350degree oven until they start to turn golden. Do not overbake or they'll be crunchy. Makes about 50-60 cookies. Enjoy!

7 layer bars

2010-08-01T23:49:00.003-06:00

This has to be my all time favorite treat. I remember the first time that I had them in 1969! It was Christmas-time and my Aunt Maxine brought them to a family party! I was in love them and am even more today. Actually, I mean that literally because I made them yesterday and by default (using what I had to work with before going grocery shopping), I made them better than ever! The Heath Bar bits were the secret! NUMMMMMMMM!

Crush one package of graham crackers to crumbs. (about 1 1/2 cups)

Melt 1/2 cup butter and pour over the crumbs in a 9x13 glass baking dish.

Mix the crumbs and spread to make a crust, pressing down with a fork.

Layer:

1 cup milk chocolate chips.

1 cup Heath Bar Tidbits (available near chocolate chips in the baking aisle.)

1 cup crushed pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

Pour 1 can of sweetened condensed milk over the crust.

Bake at 350 degrees until the coconut is toasted slightly brown. (about 20-25 minutes)
Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature. ENJOY!

Macaroni Salad ~ Amy Style

2010-07-30T07:45:00.003-06:00

My friend, Amy Sorenson, posted this recipe on her blog and I thought I'd try it for a cool summer meatless meal. We drew mixed reviews on it from the kids. (As if that were any surprise...why can't kids love summer salads like grown-ups?) I liked it, Doug loved it. So, I called in my cooking friend, Connie, to get her opinion and she really loved it. So, here's the recipe, in Amy's words.

Macaroni Salad, Amy-Style
24 ounces ditalini or other small pasta

1/2 red onion, diced small

1/2 red pepper,diced small

2 1/4" thick slices of cheese, diced small (meunster, cheddar or swiss)

1 cup corn

3/4 cup petite peas

2 avocados, diced small (just barely ripe)

While the pasta is boiling in salted water, dice everything and make the dressing:
1 1/2 cups mayo

1/3 cup white vinegar

3 T sugar

3 T yellow mustard (not Dijon or honey or fancy or spicy—just yellow mustard)

2 tsp dill

1 1/2-2 tsp salt

tons of freshly-ground black pepper

When the pasta is tender—cook a little bit softer than al dente for cold macaroni salad, otherwise it's too firm—drain, preserving the water. Bring the hot pasta water back to boiling, then cook the corn and peas for about 3 minutes. Chill the pasta with ice (otherwise, it will melt the cheese). Chill the corn and peas in the same way. Stir all ingedients together carefully (if you are too rough the avocado will turn into guacamole), then add the dressing and mix. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Chill till serving. Or eat some slightly-warm for lunch.

***I usually put hardboiled eggs in my macaroni salad. The salad is still delicious without the eggs, but with it...even better!

And a note from me... I'm not big on mustard, so next time, I'll probably use a little less mustard. We're big on veggies, so I'll probably double the peas and corn. The bites with avocado were the best, so I'll add an extra avocado, too! Loved the dill! I used fresh from the garden! Enjoy!

Chinese Cabbage Salad

2010-07-16T09:45:00.003-06:00

This salad has been around forever and there are lots of versions of the recipe. Here's the one that I fell in love with first! It's really not that much work and can be made to chill in less than 20 minutes. It serves a plethora of people and is great for a summer dish!

1 head of chinese cabbage (or regular)
1 bunch green onions
1 can Swanson's chicken breast (optional, but I prefer it)
1/2 cup butter
2 packages of ramen noodles (chicken flavored)
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar

Chop cabbage and green onions. Drain the can of chicken and toss chicken into a large bowl and mix well. For dressing, combine the oil, sugar and vinegar in a container and mix well. Pour over the cabbage mix. Toss and coat well. Chill.

Melt butter in a large frypan. Crush the dry ramen noodles into tiny pieces and add to the melted butter. Add sesame seeds and almonds. Sautee until the almonds begin to turn golden brown. Sprinkle the seasoning packets from the raman into this mixture. Stir well and put in a bowl, cover and chill.

Just before serving, mix all of the ingredients into the large bowl of cabbage. Stir and toss well. It doesn't keep well, so don't mix too far in advance of serving or the noodles will not be crunchy. (Personally, I like it just as well when they aren't! It's good anytime!) Enjoy!

Ham and Cream Cheese Roll-ups

2010-06-30T17:08:00.005-06:00

I made these to take to our Twilight Trilogy Marathon and kept them on ice in a cooler. Fun stuff! Very quick and easy to make!

3-ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons pineapple apricot perserves or jam
1/3 pound thinly sliced fully-cooked ham, cut into 1 x 4-inch strips

Mix the cream cheese and jam until smooth and creamy. Spread a thin layer on the tortilla. Place ham strips on half of the tortilla. Roll up tightly, starting with the side that has the ham slices. Slice in one inch roll-ups. You can use pretty toothpicks to hold them closed, but not necessary. You can also add mango or kiwi in the center of the roll-up for another bit of flavor and a lot of color! Make up to 4 hours ahead, cover and chill. Enjoy! Enough to fill about seven tortillas.

Baked Tilapia

2010-06-09T19:31:00.003-06:00

Tilapia has become one of our favorite main dishes. It's mild enough that it doesn't taste fishy. For me, a non-fish lover, that's important! I've been trying new recipes and tonight's was a hit. The best part was that it took about five minutes of prep time and there's no clean up! You toss the foil and voila!

1 cup bread crumbs (I blended up Garlic toasted croutons)
1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack/Colby cheese blend
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Spanish Paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix the breading ingredients. Place 8 tilapia filets on a large piece of foil, placed on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the breading mix evenly over each filet. Cover with a second piece of foil and seal the edges, trying not to flatten the foil onto the breading. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2010-06-03T14:47:00.004-06:00

I made this for dinner a long time ago and remembered the recipe last night. It's such a simple meal and tastes like you've been cooking all day. (not my photo, for the record.) The little touch of tomato in it gives it a little kick. Everyone loved it!

Meatballs:

1 pound hamburger

1 egg

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 sprinkle of nutmeg

Mix all ingredients. Make tiny meatballs and bworn on all sides in a little olive oil. OR use premade meatballs if you're in a pinch.

Sauce:

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 can Pineapple tidbits (do not drain)

2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp. vinegar

1/2 cup cold water

3/4 cup sugar

8 oz. can of tomato sauce

1 green pepper

Dissolve cornstarch in water. Add remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil until thinckened. Add green pepper and simmer. Pour over meatballs. Serve over cooked rice. Serves six. Enjoy!

Apple Mango Salsa

2010-05-17T09:49:00.005-06:00

This weekend, I discovered along with this fabulous recipe that I am allergic to mangoes. Funniest thing is that I never even liked mangoes until this weekend..and I grew up in Florida with a mango tree in our back yard! Everyone that tried it this weekend, asked for the recipe and said, as my good friend, Marilyn always says, "That's a WOWSER!!" It is! No sugar, totally healthy, quick to fix and so simple!

2 mangoes

2 apples

1 small purple onion (I used about 1/3-1/2 cup)

cilantro (about 2 T. dried because I was out of fresh)

juice of 2 limes

salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and chop. Pour lime juice over top and stir in. Add salt to taste. Serve with chips. (I used Mission Style chips.) Enjoy!!

BUT... for even better delight, I made the second batch to take to Carol's and spread 16 oz. softened cream cheese on a plate, then poured the salsa on top. OH MY!!! Milder because of the cream cheese. And of course, everything's better with cream cheese on it! ENJOY twice as much! Enjoy!

Ginger Chicken Stir-fry

2010-03-07T14:12:00.004-07:00

I came across this old recipe recently and had forgotten how wonderful and simple it was. You could even use a bag or two of frozen stir-fry veggies if you don't want to chop fresh veggies, but I think it's a great way to use up all the veggies in the fridge. It couldn't be any more simple! I don't even remember who I got it from but I do remember how tasty it was!

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 pound of chicken tenders

4 cups fresh chopped veggies of choice (celery, carrots, broccoli, onions, snow peas, peppers. water chestnuts...)

1 clove garlic

1 small can chicken broth

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. ginger (0r fresh ginger root)

hot noodles

Stirfry the chicken in the olive oil. Add the veggies and stir-fry until cooked. In a separate bowl, mix the broth, cornstarch, sit sauce and ginger until smooth. Pour over the chicken and cook until the sauce boils and thickens. Serve over hot spaghetti, vermicelli noodles or cooked rice. Enjoy!

Funeral Potatoes

2010-03-07T12:06:00.005-07:00

Funeral Potatoes are called funeral potatoes because they are the staple at every LDS funeral I've ever attended! Denise calls them Party Potatoes. We just call them good!

8 large potatoes (boiled or baked, then chopped into bitesize or smaller pieces)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream

2 cups grated cheese

1/2 cup green onion chopped

2 tbsp. butter

Sprinkle salt to taste over the potatoes and then pour the remaining mixture over the potatoes. Do not mix. Cover with corn flakes and more cheese. Bake at 350° till bubbly

Toss all ingredients (plus 1 soup can of milk) in the crockpot and let them cook all afternoon, then add more cheese at the end. Leave out the cornflakes. Different, but my family prefers them MUCH more than the baked way! Either way, Enjoy!

Crescent Roll Cheesecake

2010-03-06T12:04:00.002-07:00

Liza ranted about this recipe during the holidays and dropped by with one leftover piece this week. OH MY! VERY tasty and so simple! I can't wait to make it again!

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Unroll one package of crescent rolls and line the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Flatten out well. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Spread this mix over the crescent rolls. Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of the cream cheese mix. Pour the melted butter over the top and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Grape Salad

2010-03-06T12:01:00.003-07:00

Ruth brought this nummy "salad"/treat to our movie night last week and I've been craving more ever since! It was delish! I will photograph it when I make it myself! But, don't wait for a photo, try it this weekend!

1 - 8 oz cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and pour over grapes, then sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans. Enjoy!

A Christmas Dinner Party

2009-12-07T08:47:00.010-07:00

It doesn't get any better than Susan's Between Naps on the Porch in December! Check her out!I love having my two sets of children... the bigs and the babes...because I still get to make things wonderful for the babes during the holidays with all of our traditions. However, I just love having a grown up daughter to make things special for too! Her kind of special does not require candy sprinkles on houses or cookie baking. For Liza, it was hosting an dinner party for her and her husband and her friends from work! I just happen to love every one of them, so the treat was mine!

On top of my china cabinet there is a little lit menagerie of trees and I thought that it would be to carry the trees over to our tablescape with seven other little trees and, as always, lots of candles!

After Thanksgiving Dinner this year, we decided that our Christmas Village china plates were too small. This wasn't really a fine china menu anyway. So, I kept things simple with my favorite sage green plates, red chargers and a candycane hanging from each goblet.

The menu, kept simple, was delectable!

Fresh Cranberry Salsa and Crackers

Spinach Salad with Craisins, Sunflower Seeds, Mandarin Oranges & Cheeses

tossed in Poppyseed Dressing

Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce & Chicken Ravioli

Buttery Green Beans

Fresh out of the oven Rolls

Peppermint & Brownie Trifle

Pomegranate 7-up on Sonic Ice, the preferred drink of the season in our home

(all recipes can be found here on this blog)

Christmas music in the background. A fresh snowstorm just before the party...special ordered, naturally. (wink-wink!)

Of course, my favorite part of any dinner party is the table talk. For this meal, I made a fun list of questions that brought about many fond memories for us all and, surprisingly, some very loud laughter!

Table Talk Questions

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
What was one tradition from your childhood that you plan on carrying on through generations?
Was there a must have in your stocking each year?
Did you have any special traditions about opening the gifts?
How old were you when you knew the “truth” about the Magic of Christmas? How did you find out?
If money were no object, name three things on your wish list this year?
Is there a gift that you’ve wanted for a long time but never received?
Are you more of a Grinch/Scrooge or Griswold?
What’s your favorite Christmas song?
Share a “feel good moment” from one of your Christmas’.
Do you come from a Conservative during the holidays Christmas family or an over the top Christmas family?
What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Why?
Are you a Last minute shopper or ready months before?
What’s the most special gift you’ve ever given?
If you were to write a brag letter for the past year, what would you include in it?
When you hear the song “Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer”, what memory comes to mind?

After dessert, we moved to the living room for games and laughter and fun! Again, I do love having a grown-up daughter! One of the best parts of a grown-up married daughter is that she's gracious and appreciative... when the party was over, she and her sweet hubby did the dishes!I can hardly wait for the next the next time!

Brownies and Peppermint Trifle

2009-12-07T08:35:00.003-07:00

I created this recipe last night and it was a huge hit at our Christmas party. It sounds like quite the task. BUT... Actually, this whole thing can be prepared while the brownies bake and then the whole thing took about five minutes to "concoct". It sounds strange. BUT. It's very pretty, it looks like you spent hours on it and oh sooooooooo nummy!

Here's what you'll need:
1 box brownie mix. (I used Pillsbury Dark Fudge because I knew I'd share this recipe and won't share the brownie recipe.) Besides that, box brownies are more like Lo-Cal brownies compared to mine. We'd have had heart attacks after all the cream in the main dish and then cream cheese in my own brownies.)

Bake brownies as directed. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting. Cut into 1 inch squares.

2 cups cream cheese chocolate frosting. (I keep this frosting made and ready in the refrigerator all the time for brownies and cakes.)

4 cups powdered sugar

8 OZ. cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa

NEXT, while the brownies are baking:

1 large package instant vanilla pudding
1 regular size Cool Whip
1 tsp. peppermint flavoring
RED food coloring

Mix pudding as directed on the box. Add peppermint flavoring and red food coloring. Whip well. Gently fold in the Cool Whip. Set aside.

1 bag Candy Cane flavored Hershey's Kisses

Unwrap the kisses and place in a double boiler. (or place in a bowl and place it in boiling water.) Stir until softened and melted.

Layer in Trifle Dish as follows:

An inch of peppermint mixture. A layer of brownies completely covering the peppermint mixdrizzle some of the melted Kisses onto the peppermint layerRepeat two more times, noting that the last drizzle of Kisses will set up and harden, giving this an extra crunch when served. Top with crushed candycane if desired. Enjoy!

Festive Spinach Salad

2009-12-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

This has to be my favorite salad at any time of the year, but it's especially fun at Christmastime because it's so pretty to look at! Every time I serve it, Doug says, "You can make this salad every day!"

Fresh spinach leaves, torn into bite-sizes
Fresh romaine lettuce, if desired
Can of Mandarin Oranges, drained and sliced in half
about 1/2 cup of salted roasted sunflower seeds (not in the shell) or pinenuts
about 1/2 cup of shredded fresh Romano cheese shredded
about 1/2 cup of Mozzarella Cheese, shredded or thin slices of String cheese (dime size discs)
about 1/2 cup Craisins

Note: My "about 1/2 cups" are very generous! Pour Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing over salad just before serving and toss well. Enjoy!

7 layer Chicken Casserole

2009-12-02T07:09:00.002-07:00

This is a great meal to serve on a night that you don't have lots of time to spend in the kitchen. Ten minutes in prep time and your out of the kitchen while it bakes! Very tasty!

Layer 1: Pour half a bag of your favorite tortilla chips (or Fritos) into a greased 9x13" pan.
Layer 2: Spread about 3 cups of cooked, chopped chicken over the chips.
Layer 3: Pour one can of chicken and Wild Rice soup over that.
Layer 4: Pour one can of Mexcian spiced tomatoes over the soup.
Layer 5: Add 2 cups of shredded cheese. (I use more.)
Layer 6: Cover with the rest of the chips.
Layer 7: Add two more cups of shredded cheese on top of this.

Cover with foil, that has been sprayed with Pam and bake for 40 minutes at 350. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole, if desired. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CRUNCH CAKE

2009-11-25T11:20:00.003-07:00

Here's a tried and true favorite in our neighborhood! It's simple to make but read through the directions before you start, so you don't jump the gun, like I did the first time I made it. It's simple and sure to become a favorite at your house too!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1 large can of pumpkin
1 can of evaporated milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a well-greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle about a cup of the cake mix over the top and very gently, fold the cake mix into the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the cake mix on top of that and pat down with a fork or big spoon. Drizzle the melted butter over top and bake for about 1 hour at 350. Let cool and serve with plenty of whipped cream. Enjoy!

Caramel Fruit Dip

2009-11-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

This fruit dip is absolutely sinful! You'll love it!

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light cream cheese works)
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Toffee bits

Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature or seften for a few seconds in the microwave. Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla. Just before you serve, stir in about 1/2 a bag of toffee bits. Serve with fresh apples, bananas and strawberries. MMMM! Enjoy! (I should add... just double the batch or you'll end up making it twice!)

a BeWitChiNg DiNneR ParTy

2009-10-20T23:45:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, another siblings dinner. This time, it was all about spells and potions. I'd created a little Potion Recipe book a few weeks ago and happened onto these adorable glittery witches boots, which in my opinion were the cutest Halloween decoration I'd ever seen. From there, my every other thought for days was this tablescape...It was so fun to create!

I gathered lots of containers and filled them with everything from eyeballs ( foil-wrapped chocolate peanutbutter balls) to the bubbling witches brew (purple colored water with dry ice bubbling). Lots of candles and a few spiders here and there... Voila! My favorite tablescape yet!

Here's a close-up of the book. I picked up an old textbook at the thrift shop, painted it orange with craft paint, stamped the title on the front cover and spine of the book, sprayed it with glitter spray paint and tied an old black ribbon on for fun. Love it!

Aren't these boots fabulous!? The neon green and deep purple velvet flowers are amazing. We did remove the boots from the table during dinner so that we could visit. I replaced the boots with a large "concoction" vessel during the meal.

This siblings dinner menu was kept sweet and simple:

Soy and Sesame Cream Cheese Dip on Sliced Asian Pears

Fresh Jalapeno Poppers

Homemade Sweet Pickles and Cheese

Baked Potato Soup

Chicken Fajita Soup

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Apple Cobbler Ala mode

These tiny ghost bags were our party favors, filled with Fall Hershey's Kisses, Caramels and Tootsie Rolls. Did you know that Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped candy ever sold in America? That's one of the Halloween Trivial facts that shared at dinners.

Our Spooky Tabletalk questions:

What keeps your awakes in the middle of the night?
What would people be "surprised" to know about you?
What is the best prank you’ve ever pulled?
What’s the best prank anyone ever pulled on you?
What’s the most “real” frightened you’ve ever been?
What’s the most “fun” frightened you’ve ever been?
Since Halloween costumes frequently require make-up, what’s your best beauty tip?
Share a specific memory of Trick or Treating?
What creepy thing scares you the most…mice, spiders, bats or something us? Share an experience of one of these.
What was your favorite Halloween costume ever?
What’s your favorite fall food? How do you prepare it?
Were you a candy hoarder or do you eat it all up on Halloween night?
How old you do you think is too old for Trick or Treating?
Speaking of ghosts, is there an ancestor that you’ve never met but feel a connection to?
What scents remind you of fall?
Do you have any phobias?
Speaking of potions, what’s your favorite home remedy?
On your worst day, are you more of a witch, a vampire, a ghost?
If you could have a bottomless bucket of Halloween Treats, what are three things you’d have in it?
What’s your favorite “scary” movie?
Pick a costume and tell us why:
Male: Michael Jackson in Thriller OR Indiana Jones OR a Mad Scientist OR Barney
Female: Scarlett O’Hara OR Dolly Parton OR Amelia Earhart or A Witch
If you could “wiggle your nose” and have an instant “material” wish, what would it be?
What’s your favorite thing about Halloween? Your least?
If you could cast a spell to change one thing about you, what would it be?

Last year for Christmas, my married daughters bought me a couple of sets of Corelle Plain White dishes because they are so versatile and durable! Love them! The girls and the dishes!

The more candles, the better the effect! One of my favorite homemaking tips...

Candles are to be burned, not dusted!

These adorable little fingertowels from Dollar Tree made the cutest napkins ever!

I'll post a few of our weekend recipes in a separate entry but I hope you enjoyed this fun and bewitching tablescape! Thanks Susan, for hosting another fabulous Tablescape Thursday!

Sesame and Soy Cream Cheese Spread

2009-10-19T17:26:00.005-06:00

Seriously. This just sounds wrong!! Marilyn and I ordered this appetizer at a funky restaurant in the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City and we were c-r-r-r-a-a-a-z-z-z-y-y-y over it. It could be served with crackers or spread on whole wheat bread or with apples as a dip. "The Dodo" served it with Asian pears and celery sticks. The pears were wonderful! And this has to be the most simple appetizer ever!

1 ~ 8 ounce brick of cream cheese

Kikkoman Soy Sauce

Sesame Seeds (in the photo, black sesame seeds were used for the Halloween effect. In the restaurant, regular sesame seeds were used. I love the look of the black seeds!)

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and cover with soy sauce. Marinate for 4-6 hours, turning the cream cheese, if necessary. Remove from soy sauce and place in a plate of sesame seeds, covering completely. Serve with slices of Asian pears! Enjoy!

Fruity Apple Salad

2009-10-19T17:18:00.002-06:00

My good friend, Connie, who is a fabulous cook brought this fruity salad over for dinner on Sunday and it was the talk of the meal! This is one of those recipes that you don't talk about the ingredients... you just serve and watch everyone enjoy. Eggs and vinegar in fruit salad?? Whodathunkit?? Honestly, I'll never make a Waldorf Salad again now that I've had this one!

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
2/3 cup water
1 egg lightly beaten
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon butter
3 medium apples, diced
2 medium firm bananas sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup red grapes
1/2 cup fresh or canned pinapple tidbits
1/2 cup chopped cashews

Dressing:
In a saucepan, combine sugars, flour and water until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook for two minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount (2 - 3 tablespoons (one at a time) into egg; return to heat, add egg. Cook and stir mixture until it reaches 160 degrees or until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vinegar. Cool completely and then combine with fruit and nuts. Chill and serve. Enjoy!

Crunchy Corn Salad

2009-09-29T23:11:00.002-06:00

My fun friend, Julie, brought this nummy dish to a Relief Society Social and I fell in love! Very simple to make, super quick and so so tasty! It sounds a bit different and I'd have probably never tried it had I not tasted it before reading the recipe! It's a big hit at our house and the babes haven't a clue that they're eating peppers and onions! Take it to your next potluck, you'll be asked for the recipe for certain! I'm thinking you could add some cooked ground beef and make a total meal of it!

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped green or red pepper
1 cup red onion, chopped
2 cans drained corn
2 cans mexicorn, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag chili-cheese Fritos - crushed to bits

Mix all except for the Fritos and chill. Just before serving, add the fritos and mix well. Enjoy

Fried Ice Cream that's not Fried!

2009-09-22T05:53:00.004-06:00

I've never been a fried ice cream fan, but this no-fry recipe, shared by my friend, Jen, is amazing! I almost didn't make it but, I was out of an ingredient for the "Plan A" dessert and tried it while in a pinch. This will change ice cream forever in the Corbridge home! This recipe could not be any more simple and oh, my heck! You must try it! Honestly, don't let the reputation frighten you away because, start to finish, this took less than fifteen minutes to prepare and was almost as simple as whipping up a batch of Rice Krispie treats with much easier clean-up!

2 1/2 generous cups crushed corn flakes (measurements are after they are crushed)

1/2 cup crushed pecans

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

Vanilla ice cream

Remove ice cream from the freezer as you begin to soften it just a bit. Melt the butter in a large bowl in your microwave. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar is almost a "syrup". Add pecans, crushed cornflakes and coconut. Stir and mix well, coating all of the crunchy additions with the "syrup". Spread half of the crunchy mix to cover the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Then, slice or scoop your slightly softened icecream, placing it in the pan on top of the crunchy layer. Let the icecream soften enough in the pan to pat it together and make it one solid layer. (I did the layer about 1 1/2" thick.) Top with the remaining crunchy mix. Cover with saran wrap and refreeze. Serve it with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, or honey, or both, or caramel or strawberry ice cream syrup or just plain! OH MY! Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Spanish Rice

2009-09-21T15:41:00.001-06:00

This is a great rice that's tastier than any packaged Spanish Rice, almost as simple and much less expensive than a little box that has two servings in it!

3 cups rice
6 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs[. Taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a 9x13" pan and cover tightly. Bake for one hour at 375. Season to taste, fluff and serve. You may also top with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a little more salsa just before serving. Enjoy!

Heart Attack Bars

2009-09-21T15:30:00.004-06:00

Liza did a Toyota kick when we arrived at her Bunco and her friend Taryl walked in with these bar cookies. Oh my! When you look at the ingredients, you'll see why they are called Heart Attack Bars, but if you made them for a group to share, and showed some self-control, and didn't eat the whole pan, they could just be semi-painless and as Taryl put it, "nummy deliciousness"! Who am I kidding? You'll want to eat the whole pan! Seriously, they're killer cookies! Taryl sent me the recipe this morning and made my day! A must try recipe!

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 c old-fashion oats

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 c brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/8 c butter, melted

14 oz (1 bag) Caramels

1/3 c heavy whipping cream

12 oz (1 bag) milk choc chips (i only use half a bag)

In a large bowl combine first 6 ingredients. (the mix)-melt caramels and cream in sauce pan over low heat.-Press 1/2-3/4 of mix into bottom of 9x13 pan*. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.-sprinkle choc chips over baked mix and top with melted caramel mix.-sprinkle remaining oat mix on top*Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool completely.***Best if made day before*** Enjoy!

Peppers & Cream Dip

2009-09-19T23:07:00.002-06:00

Oh my goodness! My sister-in-law, Barbie, a master-gardener, grows fifty varieties of peppers every summer. She should write a pepper cook-book because she puts peppers in recipes that no one would ever think of and they are always great! This is one of my favorite appetizers ever and oh, so simple! I've made it twice now and tripled the recipe both times. (It's fall and I have 20 pepper bountiful plants myself!) You'll be wishing you'd made more even at that! The photo was taken as an afterthought but everyone at my dinner party last night thought that this photo was telling... it's gone before you can grab the camera! I decided after dinner last night that next time I try this recipe, I'm going to try ...what else... cream cheese for a different flavor and texture. I've got the peppers, so why not!?

8 peppers, red peppers make it very pretty, as well as tasty

2/3 cups heavy cream

4 tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan (we used Romano)

Place cleaned, seeded peppers, cut in half, on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 425. After the peppers are roasted, place them in the blender with the cream and cheese. Blend until completely pureed. Pour into a baking dish and bake until bubbly. Serve hot on fresh bread or with chips. Enjoy!

BRUNCH CASSEROLE

2009-09-10T12:23:00.003-06:00

Here's my own variation on a recipe I found on the internet and then served at my Back to School Brunch two weeks ago. Very simple and easy meal and it made a mean dinner too!

4-6 cups frozen shredded hash browns
2 c. shredded Cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese
2 tbsp. chopped onion
1 lb. mild sausage
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
6 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 c. milk
1 tsp. dry mustard

Brown and drain sausage. Set aside. Thaw potatoes and place 1/2 in bottom of 9x13 inch casserole (or 3 broken slices of bread may be substituted.) Add 1/2 of cheese and 1/2 of sausage and the mushrooms and repeat. Beat eggs, salt, pepper, chopped onions, mustard and milk. Pour liquid over top of potatoes and cheese. Cover and leave in refrigerator overnight. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let set for about ten minutes before serving. enjoy!

Back to School Brunch ~ Mom's only!

2009-08-26T23:28:00.010-06:00

It's Thursday and it's about time for me to join in Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for a Tablescape Thursday! Our entertaining for the month of August was all done outside by the pool! I'm excited to start thinking about the holidays and moving the fun inside! For other fabulous tablescapes, check out Susan's blog every Thursday!

Just for the fun of it, I invited a few friends who's kiddos had gone off to school last week to celebrate our "freedom". I've cried every morning all week watching my son go off to Middle School but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I do love the freedom that comes to moms when school begins! In honor of that freedom, I hosted a little brunch!

The menu:

Hashbrown and Sausage Casserole

Cinnamon Rolls

Fresh Fruit

Yogurt Dip

Apple Juice

The table was pulled together from things that I had around the house. I am a paper napkin lover because they come in so many fun colors, so nothing fancy here. After brunch, we clear the table and played cards. Of course, as will all dinners that I host, the little red bowl with paper in it was filled with questions for some fun table talk! Enjoy a little virtual tour of our brunch.

Fresh unbaked Peach Pie

2009-08-25T09:03:00.000-06:00

Thirty years ago, this month, an amazing woman, Elaine Nielson brought me dinner one evening and included in the meal was this fresh peach pie. Seriously, thirty years later, I remember that moment as one of the best food moments in my lifetime. I've never tasted anything that was as heavenly as this dessert and to this day, all desserts, in my home, are compared to this one! Here's the recipe on the original card that Elaine typed and gave me! (Click on it to enlarge.)

A few comments about making the pie.

Mix the Eagle Brand and lemon juice first so that you can pour it directly over the peaches before they start to turn color. (The photo of the pie I made this morning is deceiving. I used Eagle Brand from my food storage and it's a year old, which turned it a bit darker than normal.
I use about 7-8 good size peaches and make it a very tall pie!
If you hate peeling peaches, a great tip that I learned in canning is to drop a peach into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds. Then remove the peach and drop it into cold water. Slice the peach in half and the skin will just slip right off the peach. Just don't leave in the hot water too long and cook the peach.
I usually serve the slice of pie with more cookie crumbs sprinkled on top! To die for, I promise!
Enjoy!

Lemon Layered Dessert!

2009-08-18T21:06:00.003-06:00

We had this delicious dessert at my nephew's missionary homecoming last week! I've been craving more ever since! Thankfully, his aunt, who'd made it, knew the recipe by heart and was willing to share! It's ever so good! OH MY!

1 cup oats

1 cup flour

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix and pat into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Mix in a separate bowl:

1 8 0z. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup Cool Whip

Spread over crust layer.

Mix 4 small packages of instant lemon pudding (or any flavor you'd like, Jodie recommended chocolate or lemon) with 4 1/2 cups milk. Spread this layer next and then top with a layer of coolwhip. Chill and serve. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar Cookies

2009-07-28T18:40:00.003-06:00

I happened onto this recipe a few weeks ago and could hardly wait to make them! I waited until we went to the ranch for our little vacation and shared them with everyone. It was agreed that these were the best bar cookies we'd tasted in a long time! The sweet and salty taste really adds to the recipe! I may never make a regular chocolate chip cookie again!

2 cups all purpose flour
1-teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks of butter, softened
1-cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 – 12 ounce bag milk chocolate chips
1 ½ cups mini pretzels, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chips and pretzels.Spread the batter in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. The center will still be a little gooey. Cool completely. Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

Dorito Casserole

2009-07-12T22:39:00.006-06:00

Another quickie Mexican casserole, this one from Carol's kitchen. I keep browned ground beef with chopped onions and garlic in my freezer all the time, so this is a dinner in minutes but it tastes like you've been slaving away! I can't wait to try this one with shredded chicken too!

1 bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos (My friend Erin has tried it with Fritos too!)
1 16-oz. Sour Cream
1 small jar of Salsa (about 2 cups)
Ground beef, browned, as much as desired
Shredded Cheese (Colby-Jack or Cheddar are great!)

Cut a tiny slit in the bag of chips to let the air out of it. Lay the chip bag on the counter and crush the chips completely into tiny pieces. Pour half the bag of chips into the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan. Next, layer the ground beef on the chips. Mix the salsa and sour cream and then, cover the meat with this mixture. (Next time I make it, I mix in a can of black beans and some frozen corn.) Cover with shredded cheese. Pour the remaining half of the bag of chips over the casserole and bake at 350 until it is heated through (about 20 minutes). Enjoy!

"anything goes" 90 second dessert

2009-07-12T22:09:00.006-06:00

Carol turned us on to this simple and fun treat! These individual desserts are a huge hit because they're so fun and so easy! The ingredients are "anything goes"! We've had them with bottled sliced peaches, coconut, heath toffee bits, chocolate chips, fresh cherries chopped, broken up candy bars, cherry pie filling and so on. I can't wait to have a little gathering to let everyone make their own.

You will need:

Cake mix, any flavor or flavors you choose
Water
Toppings such as chocolate chips, M&Ms, Reeses pieces, Toffee Bits, Coconut, nuts, fruit (bottled, canned or fresh), cake sprinkles, mini-marshmallows, syrups, you get the idea...
measuring cups (1/2 cup and 1/3 cup)

In regular cereal size bowl, mix 1/2 cup dry cake mix and 1/3 cup of water. Stir with a fork until it's no longer lumpy. Add any toppings you desire. Microwave cook for 90 seconds. (My microwave takes 100 seconds for the fruity ones.) Eat! You can top the cake with whipped cream or icecream or, again, anything goes! Enjoy!

Best Sloppy Joes in Town

2009-07-06T01:00:00.005-06:00

For my entire life, I've thought that my Aunt Loraine made the best Sloppy Joes in the world and none have ever matched up to hers. However...Carol made "Sloppies", as we call them, last week for one of our LOST marathons and they were so good that I couldn't wait to make them again at home! These are the best! Very simple, very very tasty! It's one of those "to taste" recipes, but you'll get the idea. (Note: the photo is from Taste of Home, not the recipe.)

4-5 pounds of ground beef, browned with onions (add peppers, too, if you like) (I used 4#)

3 cans of Chicken Gumbo Soup

1-2 Tbsp. Mustard (I used 2)

1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar (I used a whole cup)

1 1/2 cups ketchup

Brown the beef. Add the rest. Cook down until thickened. Or Brown the beef and add all ingredients in the crock pot. Simmer on low until serving. Most excellent and it makes a ton! Enjoy!!

Heritage Siblings Dinner

2009-06-24T16:09:00.016-06:00

Thursday is the day to visit one of my favorite places in the cyber-world, Susan's blog full of luscious tablescapes and decorating ideas!

This week, I'm partying with the best of them, sharing my own tablescape and celebrating America's freedom and our family's heritage! I'd been planning this tablescape since our last siblings dinner in April!

Our quarterly Siblings Dinner was fantastic. Spending time with Doug's brothers and sisters and their spouses is the best!

I was quite pleased with the meal and I fell in love with the tablescape. So much that I'm keeping the table setting until the fourth of July! Our theme for the evening was "Heritage", so the patriotic table was perfect to go along.

The menu:

Sun-dried Tomato Pasta with Roasted Chicken

Linda's Garlic Bread

Garden Fresh Peas

Caesar's Salad

Fruit Platter

Rhubarb Cake

The little party favors/placecards, filled with Hershey's Kisses, were quick and easy to make and were just another little thing to make the table pop! And yes, I used my everyday dishes, plain white Corelleware for this setting. Every home needs a good set of plain white dishes!

Our table talk was the highlight of the night for me. The theme was heritage and all of the questions brought fascinating conversation. We always learn so much about each other!

My sister-in-law shared an intriguing story from her family about her great grandfather, who'd purchased a ticket to travel to America on the Titanic. His sister convinced him to stay longer, so he never boarded the ship. He was listed among those lost at sea, but was safe at home with family. There were many stories to be told and each one was as intriguing as the next.

Heritage Table Talk Questions:

Use a list of five words to describe your own heritage.

How has your heritage reflected the way that you were raised and the way you are raising your children?

What’s the best thing that you do to connect with your heritage?

What scents do you remember about your grandparents’ home? Your parent’s home?

What was the most important value taught to you by your mother? Father?

What family heirloom has been placed in your possession to be passed down to future generations?

If you could have one momento of your parents’ or grandparents, what would it be?

If you could go back in time, and visit with one ancestor, who would it be?

What is one story that’s been passed down through the generations of your family that is told over and over again? Why do you think that one was "the" one?
Do you have any family mysteries?

What would be your parents (or grandparents) biggest surprise about you today?

Describe which physical qualities you share with your parents and grandparents.

What talents do you share with your ancestors?

What talents of yours would you hope that your posterity would inherit?

Tell how you got your name. If you don’t know, share how you chose your childrens’ names.

Is there a certain specific place that you have a fond memory with an ancestor? Do you visit it? Have you shared this spot and the memory with others?

Is there a song that reminds you of an ancestor?

Did your parent have close friends? Was there a friend of your parent that made an impression in your life?

What famous person did your parent love/respect/admire? Did that influence you?

Do you feel that your parent had any type of prejudices/perceptions that impacted you?

What one lesson did your parents teach you without ever saying a word about it?

What thing/things did you do that you knew would always make your parents happy?

What characteristic do you have that is the most different from that of any siblings or your parents?

Share something that you learned about your parent that you never knew/realized as a child?

For us, family is what matters most! So, our evening was a perfect way to escape from the rest of the world and connect with each other.

Scones a la mode

2009-06-23T07:52:00.003-06:00

You call this leftovers? When Liza heard that we were having Navajo Tacos last night for dinner, she volunteered to bring something wonderful for the "leftovers". A few hours after dinner, she prepared these tasty treats for dessert. If they were this good, using three hour old re-heated scones, I can't imagine what they'd taste like with fresh out of the frypan scones! What a combination!

For the scones, I use my own basic roll dough, posted here on the blog. Let them raise, then roll them out very thin (about 1/4") and cut them to size with a pizza cutter. Dip them in hot oil (375°) to deep fry until they are golden brown.

Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel for a second, then dip both sides in cinnamon-sugar. Place on a plate and top with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Top the ice cream with cherry pie filling. Sprinkle with more cinnamon-sugar. Enjoy!

The BEST garlic rolls EVER! EAZZZZZY!

2009-06-21T00:01:00.002-06:00

Seriously, the first time I tried one of Linda's garlic rolls, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! They are the best and so totally simple to make! One thing about my friend, Linda, though is that if she's making it, she's being generous with every ingredient that is sweet or fattening! That's why everything she makes, tastes so good! These babies are almost gooey with the topping that she puts on them. Divine!

2 T. Yeast
2 T. sugar or honey (Linda uses honey)
3 cups warm water
1 t. salt
8 cups flour

Mix until doughy and form into bread sticks. I let them double in size before rolling them out. Linda doesn't. Linda rolls them about 3-4" long. They bake to be about half the size of a hotdog bun... sort of short and fat.

Before baking, mix:

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup mayo or miracle whip
½ cup parmesan cheese

Dip and roll the breadsticks in the bowl of butter until they are dripping in it. Place on a jellyroll pan. Pour any remaining butter over breadsticks. Season to taste with garlic salt. Let rise for about twenty minutes. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! Plan on an extra four mile walk tomorrow.

Creamy Tomato Soup

2009-06-15T21:49:00.000-06:00

As everyone knows, my favorite ingredient in anything is cream cheese! Here's a very simple soup and it's most important ingredient (in my opinion) is cream cheese! I'm not a big tomato soup fan, but this one is worth the try. It's also very tasty sprinkled with cooked popcorn just before serving. Serve with a nice summer salad and it's good, even in July! Try it, you'll love it!

1 quart milk
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained or 6-8 fresh out of the garden tomatoes!
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped finely
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all of the above ingredients, except the cream cheese in the blender until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan. Add the cream cheese and cook until heated through. Enjoy!

Keeping it Simple

2009-06-10T20:52:00.008-06:00

Our Senior Singles Family Home Evening "Beginning of summer Picnic" ended up being moved inside due to another amazing thunderstorm. Even so, it was a delightful evening. I quickly grabbed a few red, white and blue things from my son's Americana bedroom and around the rest of the house for some simple table decorations to match these fun paper goods! Perfect for a June/July picnic! I can't believe that I forgot to take photos of the dinner! It was fab!

Dinner

Pulled pork sandwiches

Potato Salad

Chips

Pickles

Fresh Fruit with a Tasty Dip

Brownies with Strawberry Ice Cream

Nothing formal about this tablescape, but summertime is a great time to enjoy paper goods, which can be just as fun and festive on occasion! The patriotic theme, even with our unexpected thunderstorm, left us feeling like we were enjoying a perfect summer breeze instead of, literally, flood-damaging downpour!

Red Hot Caramel Apples

2009-06-04T09:06:00.005-06:00

I tried and altered this recipe a bit for Quayd's class report and it turned out to be a huge hit here in the Corbridge home. The kids in Quayd's class were pretty funny to watch. Some didn't want to even try it. Those that did all went crazy over the apples and then those that didn't decided that they wanted to try it after all. Quite simple. Very tasty and, although, I think I'd prefer it in the fall, it would be a great simple treat in the summertime served with a big scoop of vanilla icecream over top of it. Cooked in the crockpot, the oven isn't needed in the heat of summer. After trying it once, I think that you could also use sliced apples instead of cored. Either way, try it, you'll like it!

Core the apples. (I used Fuji apples and seven fit inside my crockpot.) Place them in the crockpot and fill the opening of each apple with:

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. butter

3 brachs caramels

5 red hots

After all the apple cores are filled, pour 3/4 cup of apple juice over the top. Cook in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. Serve with a scoop of vanilla icecream! Enjoy!

Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce and Ravioli

2009-05-21T06:28:00.006-06:00

I have a new favorite! I admit that I had seconds on this last night at Bunco and, truth be told, I could have eaten every bite and then lapped the plate clean with my roll afterward! t barely! Here's the deal. If my friend, Linda, is cooking, you know it's going to be delish! And I've quickly come to know that the same is true for her daughter Hayley, who Linda got this recipe from! This photo is Hayley's photo from another time, but, last night at Bunco, Linda served the sauce already mixed with the pasta and then slices of grilled steak over top of that. Not at all a dieters dish, but ooooooooh, myyyyyyyyyyyyyy, this recipe is every bit as good as anything I have ever tasted at Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill! A must try!

2 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced (more if you want)
1 c. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes
2 cups whipping cream
3 tsp. cornstarch
8-12 oz. fresh or frozen ravioli * She used bertolli 20 oz., and there was plenty of sauce

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
2 T. chopped fresh parsley (only if using dried basil)
salt & fresh ground pepper

Melt butter in med. saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 secs. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat about 10 mins. or until tomatoes are tender. Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon. Cut into smaller pieces. Return tomatoes to saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil, and add your corn starch stirring consistantly. While this is simmering cook ravioli according to directions. Drain well. Add basil and/or parsley to sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with your pasta, and that's it.

Hayley says, "Serve with a side of crusty bread to sop up the extra sauce, and there you have it!" Linda added the sliced grilled steak. I'm thinking that it will be fabulous with grilled chicken too! OH MY! It was fab! Enjoy!

Funky Hotdogs and Mac

2009-05-18T10:06:00.005-06:00

Here's a fun treat/dinner for the kiddos! Not my idea, but suggested on my email group. Just slice and then stack the three hotdog slices at a time and thread three spaghetti noodles into them, then slide them along the noodle, spacing them equally. Boil, as usual. cooking along with extra noodles. I added my own homemade cheese sauce over them, but you could do spaghetti sauce or just about anything. Another friend suggested using meatballs instead of hotdogs. Quick and fun for the kids. Enjoy!

Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad

2009-05-15T09:02:00.008-06:00

Natalie made this fantastic salad last weekend, so I asked her to bring it to the shower that we hosted last night. Everyone went crazy over it! It's most delish!

4 cups of Broccolli slaw (shredded broccoli stalks)

2 large red peppers, thinly sliced

4 medium carrots shredded

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

sliced, grilled chicken breasts (about two large breasts)

1 bottle creamy poppyseed dressing (The recipe suggests Kraft)

1 cup peanuts or cashews

Mix and serve cold. Enjoy!!

RHUBARB CREAM CAKE

2009-05-06T19:02:00.007-06:00

I'm so not a rhubarb fan, but a few weeks ago, at Doug's Mom's birthday party, I tried my sister-in-law, Jill's cake not knowing what I was tasting. OH MY HECK! It was out of this world delish! Everyone was ranting and raving over it and the pan, literally, was licked clean! I couldn't wait to come home and try it myself. Note...A nummy custard will form at the bottom of the pan as cake bakes. It's so simple, so nummy! You'd never know that rhubarb was the fruit in it!

1 (18 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix

4 c. rhubarb, diced

1 c. sugar

2 c. whipping cream

Prepare cake mix as the package directs. Pour into greased and bottom floured 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Spread the rhubarb evenly on top of the cake batter. Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb. Pour 2 cups whipping cream evenly over entire mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.Serve warm. You may add whipping cream on top, but I don't think that it needs it! Store in refrigerator, if there's any left to store. Enjoy!

This is my first time joining in on the fun at Designs by Gollum, Foodie Friday! Check it out for more great cake recipes!

Spinach Salad

2009-05-01T22:37:00.003-06:00

Here's another fantastic spinach salad recipe! Try it, you'll love it!

1 -10 ounce bag fresh spinach

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms

1 large avocado, sliced

1/2 - 1 pound cherry tomatoes

1/2 - 1 cup craisins

Dressing:

1/2 tsp. grated orange peel

1/2 cup frozen Orange Juice Concentrate

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine dressing and chill. Toss lightly over salad just before serving. Enjoy!

Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry

2009-05-01T14:59:00.000-06:00

I made this favorite for dinner last night and you've have thought we were giving the babes ice cream! You can use either thinly sliced steak or leftover roast or even ground beef. It's a simple meal and can be prepared while your rice or pasta is cooking. We usually serve it over rice and everyone loves it, but it's great served over cooked angel hair pasta or spaghetti noodles! This is one of those, add a little of whatever you would like recipes and it just gets better and better!

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 pound broccoli , cut into bite size pieces or 1 bag frozen

2 stalks of celery, sliced

1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced or halved

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 sliced pepper

1pound thinly sliced or ground beef

1 tbsp. fresh garlic

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. fresh ginger (I keep my fresh ginger in a ziplock bag in the freezer and grate it whenever I need it)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp. oyster sauce (You can make it without, but it enhances the flavor.)

Stir-fry the veggies in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until cooked tender, but crisp. Stir-fry the meat and mix the two. Add remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl then pour over the meat and veggies. Heat until thickened a bit. Enjoy!

Butter-Pecan Oohey-Gooey Cake

2009-05-01T12:47:00.002-06:00

Oh my! That's all I have to say about this quick and easy cake mix!

1 pkg. butter pecan cake mix
1/4 c. water
2 eggs
3/4 c. chopped nuts
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 x 15 inch pan. Combine cake mix, water, eggs, butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Stir in chips and nuts. Bake 20-25 minutes. Frost with chocolate frosting. Enjoy!

Pineapple-Pecan Cake

2009-05-01T12:29:00.002-06:00

Originally, it was called Mexican wedding cake. Whatever it's called, to us, it is Doug's Favorite cake in the world. This is one of the most easy cakes you'll ever make and it's always a hit! Whenever you make it or wherever you take it, you'll be asked for the recipe. It's so simple you'll know it right off the top of your head! But, best of all about this cake is that it's more moist than any cake I've ever tasted!

2 cups flour (whole wheat flour is outstanding for this recipe!)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. baking soda

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple - undrained
1 cup crushed pecans

Mix well and bake in a 9x13" pan for 45 minutes at 350.

Cream cheese frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Mix until creamy and fluffy. Frost the cake while still warm, but not hot! Enjoy!

Family Fiesta

2009-04-22T18:31:00.008-06:00

I'm excited to start participating more often in the Tablescape Thursdays at Susan's amazing "Between Naps on the Porch" blog. So, I'll be double posting my parties and tablescapes here on the cooking blog from now on. If you've never checked out Susan's blog, it's a must see!

We were pretty well-fed last night at our siblings dinner... fed in food, fed in laughs, wisdom and experience. Doug said, afterward,"Thanks, Babe. Each dinner just gets better and better." I agreed. I'd been pretty nervous about the meal coming together because I wasn't sure, logistically,how it would work with so many cooks in the kitchen. But, it was like clockwork! I asked everyone to bring their share of the goods for sizzling fajitas. As soon as everyone arrived, we got busy. We had two large frypans on the stovetop, an electric griddle and two electric frypans. So, everyone was stirring up something from the mushrooms to the onions and peppers to the chicken and steak. The meal came off perfectly and oh, my, it was wonderful! We ate ourselves silly! I really enjoyed the time in the kitchen together. It was just plain fun. The teasing and tasting was great...I may never look at mushrooms, one of my favorites, the same again. Somehow, eating fungi, something that grows on your feet, doesn't sound near as tasty as eating sauteed mushrooms. The time in the kitchen was also the "activity" for the evening because it did take a while to get everything hot and sizzling. No games, just tabletalk before dessert. And dessert. .. Oh. My. Gosh! I made Tres Leches from scratch. This is not a quick and easy recipe and it cost an arm and a leg to make, but, OH. MY! It is a must try recipe!

Our table talk questions were a little deeper this time and I was touched by some of the comments made about parenthood. We discussed everything from hair care to housecleaning to loving our children so much it hurts. Doug's family are very reserved, for the most part, and I know that these questions sometimes, can mean exposing yourself a bit. However, I feel that we've grown to know more about each other in the past year and half during these dinners than we have our entire adult lives. When Doug and I decided to do this almost two years ago, our purpose was to bond more with each other as siblings. He has this magnificent family and we want to have friendship with his siblings, not just family ties. We've learned much about each other during tabletalk. It's always my favorite part of the evening. A few others have said the same. And one sibling's reaction when the table talk questions come out is always the biggest laugh of the night! At one point during table talk, I thought about how much I love and appreciate every one of Doug's siblings and their spouses. It was a touching moment for me to think about how lucky I am to be married into and a part of this awesome group of people! I think that of all the entertaining I do, sibling dinners has become my favorite! I've already started planning our next one!

The menu:
Steak or chicken fajitas with peppers, onions, mushrooms and fresh CilantroSpanish RiceGuacomoleSpanish BeansPepper Jack and Sharp Cheddar CheeseSour CreamSalsaChipsPina Colada SlushCitrus WaterTres Leche with fresh strawberries
One other thought about the table... I asked a bartender how they frost the glasses the last time I did this and thought I'd share. Dip the rim of the glass into pineapple juice and then dip it in a bowl of sugar. JUST the rim. Hold it upside down for afew seconds to keep the juice and sugar from sliding down the sides of the glass. This can be done hours in advance.

Table talk questions:
What would you say is the most important material "thing" in your life right now?
What's a typical day in your life right now?
If you could, what would you change in your life right now?
What's the first thing you think about in the morning?
What do you think is your most valuable role in your life at this moment?
If you could be someone else for a day, who would that be? Why?
What do you do every day that you would love to hire someone else to do for you?
What rituals do you go through every day for the sake of your good looks?
What are your favorite words to live by?
Who do you talk on the phone to more than anyone else?
Aside from the temple or the ranch, Is there a place you've been that made you feel closer to heaven?
Can you pinpoint any one moment in life that you'd call a "turning point"?
What mannerisms would you say that you have that are strikingly similar to one of your parents?
Aside from Christ, who in your life have you tried to pattern yourself after more than anyone else?
What one experience would you count as the highlight of the last five years?
What has been your greatest success and what did you learn from it?
Do you feel that you are a better parent than your parents were and why or why not?
What is the happiest memory of your childhood?
What song did you sing as a child that you've taught your children to sing as well?
What prejudices have you overcome that you once had? How?
What are you teaching your children about life that you did not know as a child?
What character traits do you think that you have passed on to your children?
How is your life different today than you pictured it being ten years ago?
Aside from the Sunday School answers (pray & study scriptures), what's something that you do every single day that you could not go a day without doing?
What would you say is the most important material "thing" in your life right now?
What's a typical day in your life right now?
If you could, what would you change in your life right now?
What's the first thing you think about in the morning?
What do you think is your most valuable role in your life at this moment?
If you could be someone else for a day, who would that be? Why?
What do you do every day that you would love to hire someone else to do for you?
What rituals do you go through every day for the sake of your good looks?
What are your favorite words to live by?
Who do you talk on the phone to more than anyone else?
Aside from the temple or the ranch, Is there a place you've been that made you feel closer to heaven?
Can you pinpoint any one moment in life that you'd call a "turning point"?
What mannerisms would you say that you have that are strikingly similar to one of your parents?
Aside from Christ, who in your life have you tried to pattern yourself after more than anyone else?
What one experience would you count as the highlight of the last five years?

What has been your greatest success and what did you learn from it?
Do you feel that you are a better parent than your parents were and why or why not?
What is the happiest memory of your childhood?
What song did you sing as a child that you've taught your children to sing as well?
What prejudices have you overcome that you once had? How?
What are you teaching your children about life that you did not know as a child?
What character traits do you think that you have passed on to your children?
How is your life different today than you pictured it being ten years ago?
Aside from the Sunday School answers (pray & study scriptures), what's something that you do every single day that you could not go a day without doing?

Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.

Pina Colada Punch

2009-04-19T17:57:00.004-06:00

This is very simple and very tasty drink, but make it the night before your party, so that it's really slushy!

1 frozen pineapple juice, make as directions on the can

1 quart bottle Pina Colada Mixer

1 2-liter bottle 7-up or Sprite

Mix the juice in a gallon size ice-cream bucket or large plastic bowl. Add the Pina Colada mixer and mix well. Put in the freezer for several hours until completely frozen. An hour before serving, place the frozen mix in punch bowl and pour the 7-up over top, breaking up the frozen juice mix. (We usually add another two liter of 7-up about half way through the night. It's still very pina colady.) Enjoy!

Tres Leches

2009-04-19T10:20:00.006-06:00

This cake is expensive and fattening and labor-intensive in the clean-up (you use a gazillion dishes to make it) but it's worth every second, penny, calorie and energy! It's really not that difficult to make, honest! I've tasted Tres Leche in every restaurant that has had it on the menu because I love it so. I've had several recipes but this one is the most simple and tastiest of all! You must try this recipe! It's divine! (Sorry about the photo...It's not the best, but hey! I remembered to take a picture!)

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
9 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
9 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. (I used my Pampered Chef stone pan and didn't bother.)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I whipped it for about four minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well, as you add each egg, then stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well after each addition. In a separate large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Do not overbeat. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. (Mine took about 35 minutes before it was done.) Allow to cool.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups heavy cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Pour the mixture over the cake until it wont absorb any more. You may have 1/3 of it left over, but that's okay because you'll use it when serving.

Combine the whipped cream and sugar, spread over soaked cake. The cake may become crumbly on the top, so spread carefully. Refrigerate cake until serving, Pour leftover milk mixture onto plates before setting cake on the plates. Top with fresh strawberries, if desired or just one as a garnish. ENJOY!

April's Easter Bunny S'mores

2009-04-16T11:10:00.004-06:00

My good friend, April, makes the best roast beef I've ever tasted! I've also had a few other treats of hers at Bunco and each have been fabulous. However, she claims not to be a cook. On Easter, she brought me this darling treat and it really made my day! I told her that I'd had several requests for the recipe after posting a photo of it on my daily blog. She said, "Oh good! This will be the only chance I ever have of making your cooking blog!" Hardly, but here it is. It was adorable and quite tasty!

1 sleeve of graham crackers
1/3 cup brown sugar

7-8 marshmallow peeps

1 1/2 cups Easter colored M&M's

Crush your graham crackers to crumbs and mix with the brown sugar. Layer the crumbs in the bottom of a 1 quart jar. Next, pour the M&M's over the crumb mixture. Then, place your bunnies standing up and facing out on inside of jar. Press them against the glass but don't squash them. Attach a gift card that says:.

EASTER BUNNY S'MORES

1. Empty the jar contents into a
bowl. Snip the bunnies into bits with
kitchen sheers or cut up with a knife.
Return the bunny bits to the mixture. Mix
well.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter; add 1 teaspoon
vanilla. Pour this over the dry ingredients,
mixing well. Pat into a greased 9"
square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15
minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
(Makes 9 to 12 bars.)
*Option - leave bunnies
whole; combine remaining
ingredients and place
the bunnies on top; then
bake as directed.

Personally, after making them, I'd just more like 1/3 cup of butter instead. I liked it better the second day than I did right out of the oven. So, I suggest cooling before serving. It was MOST tasty! Enjoy!

baked chimichangas

2009-04-14T20:29:00.000-06:00

I've typed this recipe three times now and it keeps disappearing. Grrrr! I made this tasty recipe last week with intent to photograph before serving but when it came out of the oven, we were all so excited to eat, the camera slipped my mind! This is a favorite, although it's no low-fat meal, that's for certain. It's one of our favorites and one of my most requested recipes. This is a great dinner to make and take to share.

In a very large bowl, mix:

2-4 large chicken breasts (boiled until done and shredded with a fork)
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 tsp. minced garlic or fresh garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups salsa (or two cans of diced chilis)
1 16 oz. container of sour cream
3 cups cheese, shredded (I use colby-jack or sharp cheddar)
1 small frozen bag of corn
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

16 8-9" flour tortillas

Mix all the ingredients well. Place about half a cup of the of the mixture into each tortilla and roll it burrito style. Place in a well-greased 9x13 pan. Sixteen will fit in the pan tightly. If you have remaining filling, spread it over the top and then smother with more cheese. Cover tightly and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with lettuce, salsa and guacomole, if desired. Enjoy!