Sugar Cookies from I Am Baker

Sugar Cookies (from here)

Notes: Try these next time (recommended by Sheelagh Evans)

Amanda's Amazing Sugar Cookies II

* 1-½ cup Butter (I Use Unsalted)
* 2 cups Sugar
* 2 whole Eggs
* 2 whole Eggs Yolks
* 4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
* 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
* 4 cups All-purpose Flour
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.

Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks and mix until combined.

Add in vanilla and almond extract; mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add flour to butter mixture and combine. You can use a mixer or not, just depends on how strong you are. ;)

I usually just mix ingredients until they are combined, as I have heard that if you over-mix this dough it will get tough.

Put dough in some Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out, cut out cookies, and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Homemade Bagels

Homemade Bagels (from here)

Notes: These were awesome! As Brandon said, "they taste like real bagels". These were definitely a "plain" bagel recipe. I tried adding some cinnamon, but I wasn't sure how much so I just threw some in. I couldn't even taste it, so I'd need to double or triple it. I think next time, I will add more sugar, less salt, more cinnamon, and maybe some craisins or raisins and see what happens. I just did a half batch this time to see if they were good. I also didn't use bread flour. I just used all purpose-unbleached white flour. I think that's all my notes for this time around.



Homemade bagel recipe

4 cups bread flour

1 Tbls sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 Tbls vegetable oil

2 tsps instant yeast

1-1/4- 1-1/2 cups of warm water.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. You don't have to worry about soaking the yeast when you use instant yeast (most yeast sold these days is instant yeast). The dough should feel stiff, but add the extra water if it's really stiff, or you can't get all the dry flour incorporated.

Plop the dough down onto the counter, and knead for about ten minutes, or until the dough is uniform and smooth.

Cut the dough into 8 equal sized balls, and let rest for 10-20 minutes.

Pre heat your oven to 425.

Now, take each of the dough balls and using two hands, roll it into a little snake on the counter. When the snake is longer than the width of your two hands, wrap it around your dominant roiling hand. The dough rope should be wrapped so the overlapping ends are together at your palm, near the start of your fingers. Now take the two overlapping ends, and use your palm to squish/roll these two ends together. Once the dough is fused, you should have a perfectly circular bagel-to-be! This is the only part of the process that can take a little practice before your bagels will look really professional. Don't get discouraged if they don't look perfect, it just takes practice!

Let your bagels rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, and meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil, and grease a large baking tray lightly. You can just rub a splash of vegetable oil and rub it around.

After the 20 minute wait, your bagels will start to look puffy, and it's time to get them boiling! Add them as many at a time as you can to your boiling water without crowding them. Boil for about a minute, turn them over, and boil for another minute. Take them out a let dry for a minute and then place them on your oiled baking tray. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled.

Add the tray to the oven, and after 10 minutes, flip the bagels over, bake for another ten minutes; and they're done!

Let them cool for at least 20 minutes, get the cream cheese ready, and feast on what's got to be one of the best weekend brunch treats possible!

Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows (from here)

Notes: I made these today, and I fell in love. They are so soft and delicious. I reconstituted meringue powder (and beat them to stiff peaks by hand since the marshmallow mix was already in the Kitchen Aid). I think those are all the notes I had. I didn't have any other modifications. I did use vanilla extract as the recipe says.

Springy, Fluffy Marshmallows
Adapted from Gourmet, December 1998

These homemade marshmallows are not only easy to make, they set as perfectly as promised: puffed and lightweight, bouncing off one another as I tossed them in the container. Even better, they toasted like a campfire charm speared on the end of a skewer, and s’mooshed between two graham crackers with a square of chocolate.

Makes about 96 1-inch cubed marshmallows

About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar (cane sugar worked just fine)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla (alternately: 1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean, 2 teaspoons almond or mint extract or maybe even some food coloring for tinting)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (Some reviewers felt this took even longer with a hand mixer, but still eventually whipped up nicely.)

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Do ahead: Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.

Baking Powder Biscuits

Baking Powder Biscuits (from here)

2 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. butter or shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
about 3/4 c. milk

Sift flour once, measure (didn't remeasure), add baking powder and salt, and sift again. Cut in shortening or butter (review said to do this with hands by rubbing butter into the flour, so that's what I did). Add milk gradually, stirring until soft dough is formed. Turn out on slightly floured board and lightly "knead" for 30 seconds (forgot to do this), enough to shape. Roll 1/2 inch thick and cut with 2 inch floured biscuit cutter (didn't have so I used a kid's cup). Bake on un-greased sheet in a 400 degree oven (I did 400 degrees convection) for 12 to 15 mins. Makes 12 biscuits.

These were really good as well! They don't puff/rise up, but they are light and fluffy.

Homemade Sausage

Homemade Sausage from Lean Ground Beef or Turkey (from here).

1 pound of ground turkey or very lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of sage

1/4 teaspoon of basil

1/4 teaspoon of oregano

I just added it to the pan as the meat was browning. It was realllllly good! I'd maybe cut the salt down a little bit. Between the salt in the sausage and the salt in the gravy, breakfast was a little salty. I also didn't have sage, so I just left it out.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (from here)

Note: I just made these, and they are SO GOOD. I started making them before I realized that I didn't have any eggs. So, I added a little extra pumpkin and they turned out great. I'll probably do the same thing next time. I think I'm going to make some cream cheese frosting to go with them. I also used chocolate chips instead of raisins and left out the nuts....which is probably why they are even better! haha

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup raisins
• decorating icings, NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, candies, raisins or nuts

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking sheets.
2. COMBINE flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, granulated and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins. Drop 1/4 cup dough onto prepared baking sheet; spread into 3-inch circle or oval. Repeat with remaining dough.
3. BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired with icing, morsels, candies, raisins or nuts.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies (from here)

Note: This make a really YUMMY crunchier/chewy sugar cookie.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour

Directions:
Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 min. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool. Yields ~40 cookies.

Royal Icing (from here)

Royal Icing
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5 tbsp. water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes). Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. (Remember, if you are having any difficulty piping, it is still too thick. Add a little more liquid and try again.) Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.

Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set.

Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired. Gel icing color is best as it does not add a significant amount of liquid. Liquid food coloring can be used as well – add powdered sugar as needed to compensate for any thinning that occurs.

Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Starbucks Pumpkin Scones (from here)

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 7 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 6 tablespoons cold butter
* 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
* 3 tablespoons half-and-half
* 1 large egg

White Icing Option

* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
* 2 tablespoons whole milk

Spiced Icing Option

# 1 cup powdered sugar
# 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
# 2 tablespoons whole milk
# 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
# 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
# 1 pinch ginger
# 1 pinch ground cloves

1. TO MAKE THE SCONES:.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
5. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 14?16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.
7. TO MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:.
8. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.
9. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.
10. AS THAT WHITE GLAZE FIRMS UP, MAKE THE SPICED ICING:.
11. Combine the ingredient for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least 1 hour). A squirt bottle works great for this, or you can drizzle with a whisk.

Enchilada Pie from Healthy Cooking Magazine

1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen vegetarian meat crumbles *A
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper *B
2 tsp. canola oil
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes & green chilies, undrained *C
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 whole wheat tortillas (8 in.)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

1. Cut three 25-in. x 3-in. strips of heavy duty foil; crisscross so they resemble spokes of a wheel. Place strips on the bottom and up the sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray. (I didn't do this)

2. In a saucepan, cook meat crumbles, onion & green pepper in oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in both cans of beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

3. In slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup bean mixture, one tortilla & 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers five times. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

4. Using foil strips as handles, remove the pie to a platter. (I didn't do the foil, but with the cheese as part of each layer it stayed together pretty well anyway.)

Yields 8 servings, 367 calories, 11 grams of fat per ingredients above.

*A - I used 1 lb. ground beef
*B - used banana peppers because that's what I had in the freezer
*C - used 1 - 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes & 1 - 4 oz. can of diced green chilies

Notes: This was good, but I felt it needed a bit more sauce than the diced tomatoes & chilies provided. I would probably use a can of enchilada sauce and divide between the layers. With that said, the spices could probably be eliminated.

Poppy Chow

Poppy Chow (Pictures here and recipe here.)

Notes: I am definitely going to be trying this for holiday gifts I think...

* 9 cups Air-Popped Popcorn
* 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
* ½ cups Natural Peanut Butter
* ¼ cups Butter (1/2 Stick)
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
* 1-½ cup Powdered Sugar

In microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate, peanut butter, and butter until melted. Stir in vanilla. Place the popped popcorn* in a large bowl and pour the chocolate mixture over all. Stir until evenly coated. Add the powdered sugar and stir until each piece is covered. Spread out on cookie sheets to set the chocolate. Try not to eat the whole batch immediately. If you have any leftover, store in an airtight container.

*Be sure to first remove any unpopped kernels from the popcorn! We don’t want any broken teeth!

Simple Sloppy Joes

Simple Sloppy Joes

Notes: I love this recipe. It's better than any mix I've ever had.

2 lbs. ground beef (I almost never put this much in.)
1 large onion (I also usually don't put this much in since I precook my beef with onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 c. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
buns, bread, etc.

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and paste, ketchup, brown sugar and soy sauce; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon about 1/2 c. meat mixture onto each bun.

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes (From here.)

Notes: I made these today. They were SO good! We had leftover vanilla frosting from cupcakes, so we melted it and topped them with that. Delicious! I will definitely make them again.


* 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
* 3 Tablespoons White Sugar
* ½ teaspoons Salt
* 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
* 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
* 2 whole Eggs Beaten
* 1 cup Milk
* 2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
* ¼ cups Butter, Melted
* 1 Tablespoon Vanilla

In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon with a whisk. Whisk well to make sure everything is combined.

In separate large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, corn syurp, butter and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium/low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Brown on both sides.

Serve warm with icing drizzled over the top.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Notes: Soooooo good. I subbed the oil with 3/4 c. apple sauce and 1/4 c. oil, and it was still moist and great!

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries (2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans. (I use two large loaf pan)
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans. (or large loaf pans)
Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven(I baked mine for 1 hour), or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Easy Apple Strudel from Campbell's 4 Ingredients or Less

Thaw Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes

1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1 can apple pie filling
2 tbsp. raisins, optional
Confectioners' sugar, optional

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degree. Mix egg and water.

Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 16 x 12 inch rectangle. With short side facing you, spoon pie filling on bottom half of pastry to within 1 inch of edges. Sprinkle with raisins, if desired. Starting at short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Tuck ends under to seal. Brush with egg mixture. Cut several 2 inch slits about 2 inches apart on top.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack 30 minutes. dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired; slice and serve warm.

Serves 6

Milk Gravy

1/2 lb. ground beef, turkey or sausage
2 cups milk
3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Brown meat in skillet; drain, rinse & return to skillet. In a small bowl whisk the flour & seasonings into the milk. Pour into skillet with the ground meat and heat on medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Gravy

Flour Gravy - from Quick & Healthy

1 cup cold broth, fat removed (chicken, turkey or beef)
2 Tbsp. flour
seasonings to taste
Kitchen Bouquet (optional)

Pour 1/4 cup broth in a covered container. Add flour and sake well to avoid lumps. In a small saucepan, combine remainder of broth with the flour mixture. Heat on medium, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until thickened. Add a drop of Kitchen Bouquet if a darker brown color is desired.

Note: Use 3 1/2 Tbsp. of flour for one 14 1/2 oz. can of broth.


Cornstarch Gravy from Quick & Healthy

Use 1 Tbsp. cornstarch in place of flour and follow remainder above.

Note: Use 1 3/4 Tbsp. cornstarch for one 14 1/2 oz. can of broth.

Christmas Wreath

Melt together 30 large marshmallows & 1 stick margarine. Stir in green food coloring (probably 6 to 10 drops to get a darker color) & 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well.

In a large bowl measure 3 1/2 cups corn flakes. Pour marshmallow mixture over top & mix until corn flakes are coated well.

Spoon onto wax paper in the shape of a wreath.

I use a full strand of Twizzler's Pull & Peel & cut into pieces for the "holly berries". Then use several strands & shape it into a bow for the bottom of the wreath. You can also use red M&M's or Red Hots for the berries. Also for added color I use sprinkles all over the wreath.

I have also made this into "nests" for Easter. You can put in peeps & candy eggs.

Hawaiian Haystacks--crockpot style

Hawaiian Haystacks--Crockpot Style (from here.)

Notes: I only put the chicken, milk, butter, and soup in the crock pot. I used cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom. I left the rest to add as toppings For toppings, we had: pineapple tidbits, green onions, slivered almonds, chow mien noodles, coconut, and shredded cheese.

3-4 Chicken breasts
1 1/2 Cups milk
1/4 Cup butter
1 Small can of crushed pineapple
1 Can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 Cup chopped Celery
1-2 Cups shredded cheese

Put all ingredients in crockpot, season with salt and pepper and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Cook rice seperately, then put chicken mixture on rice and top with chow mein noodles.
*Optional ingredients: almonds, carrots, parsley, mushrooms, green onions, coconut or chopped tomatoes.

Spaghetti Fiesta - from Sue

12 oz. fully cooked turkey smoked sausage cut into 1/2" pieces
4 tsp. margarine (Sue uses olive oil)
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 red or green pepper, sliced into strips
2 cups zucchini, cut into 1" strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/8 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. chicken flavor instant bouillon
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups cooked spaghetti (3 oz. dry)

Brown sausage in skillet briefly and then stir-fry cabbage in margarine. Add red pepper, zucchini, onion and garlic. Stir fry approximately 5 minutes. Stir in bouillon, water and seasonings and simmer 5 minutes. Drain cooked spaghetti and toss with sausage mixture. Serve immediately.

Fiesta Chili - from Faith

2.5 pounds ground chuck *

1 medium chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

Chopped garlic **

1 can kidney beans ***

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

3 cans Red Gold diced petite chili tomatoes ****

1 package taco seasoning

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing

1 can corn

1 can white or shoepeg corn

½ habanero pepper

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Brown meat and drain. Mix canned ingredients with all others. Add ½ to 1 cup water to thin if necessary. Simmer for at least one hour.

Garnish with cheese and sour cream. Makes over 1 gallon.

I precooked the ground beef and then put it all in the slow cooker.

*I used just 2 pounds – seemed like plenty

**I used two small cloves

***I used chili hot beans

****The tomatoes I had were not “chili” tomatoes, just plain, which is why I used the chili hot beans instead of kidney beans

Cheeseburger Soup - from Joan

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
4 tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
8 oz. processed American Cheese, cubed (I substituted 2% shredded mild cheddar)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3-quart saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In same saucepan, saute onions, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour, cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt & pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.

Broccoli Soup - from Sue

1 10 oz. pkg chopped broccoli (thawed & cooked)
6 tbsp. margarine
1 tbsp. onion
5 tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp. salt & pepper
cheese (optional)

Blend & heat margarine, flour and onion. Stir in broth & milk slowly. Add rest of ingredients and heat through.

Chunky Black Bean & Sweet Pototao Chili - from Karen

2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 red or green bell peppers or 1 of each, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 can (about 14 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tbsp. minced chipotle chiles in adobo* (Karen substituted La Preferida mild green chiles)
1 small sweet potato (8 oz.), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks (1 1/2 cups)
1 can (about 15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro or green onions (optional)

*Puree the contents of a 7 oz. can of chilies in a blender. Refrigerate or freeze remaining pureed chiles for another use.

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook & stir 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, garlic and chili powder; cook and stir 2 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and their juices, chipotle chiles and sweet potato; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat 15 minutes. Stir in black beans; cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes for until vegetables are tender. (Chili will be thick; thin with water as desired.)

3. Ladle in shallow bowls; top with cilantro or green onions, if desired.

Makes 5 servings (1 1/4 cups per serving)

Fruit on the Bottom Baked Oatmeal

Fruit on the Bottom Baked Oatmeal (From here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/breakfastbrunch/fruit-on-the-bottom-baked-oatmeal/ )

* ¾ cups Butter, Divided
* 1-½ cup Thinly Sliced Fruit*
* 4 Tablespoons Demerara Sugar Or Sucanat, Divided
* ½ cups Whole Milk
* ⅔ cups Pure Maple Syrup
* 2 whole Large Eggs
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
* 2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
* 2-½ teaspoons Baking Powder
* ¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
* ½ teaspoons Salt
* ⅓ cups Sliced Almonds

*Peaches, pears and apples are good choices. If using apples, make sure to slice them thinly or they will be crunchy.

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Melt butter; pour 1/4 cup into the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Arrange sliced fruit on top of the butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons demerara. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together milk, maple syrup, eggs, remaining 1/2 cup butter and vanilla.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour over the fruit and smooth the top. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining 2 tablespoons demerara.
4. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until browned on top and fruit is bubbly. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with milk, cream or vanilla sauce.

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Bread

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Bread (from here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/breads/streusel-topped-pumpkin-bread/ )

* ¾ cups Butter, Softened
* ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
* ¾ cups Dark Brown Sugar
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla
* 4 whole Eggs
* 2-½ cups Pumpkin Puree
* 3 cups All-purpose Flour
* 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
* ¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* 1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
* ¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger
* ¼ teaspoons Allspice
* ¼ teaspoons Grated Nutmeg
* ⅛ teaspoons Cardamom
* ½ cups Buttermilk
* _____
* FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
* ¼ cups Butter, Softened
* ½ cups Brown Sugar
* ¼ cups Oatmeal
* ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
* 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
* 3 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed
* ¼ cups Chopped Pecans (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease and flour the bottom of two 8″ loaf pans. To make the topping, mix together all the topping ingredients using a fork or pastry cutter until combined thoroughly.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Stir in pumpkin puree.

In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom. Whisk together until no lumps remain. Add half of the flour mix to the pumpkin mix, blending well. Beat in buttermilk. Add remaining flour mix and beat lightly until smooth.

Pour batter evenly into the two prepared 8″ pans. Cover each with half of the topping mix. Bake at 350º F for 70-80 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Slice and enjoy.

Barley and Lentil Soup

2 boxes (32 oz each) Beef Broth (8 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
4 large carrots, sliced (about 3 cups)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 c. dried lentils
1/2 c. uncooked barley

Mix broth, garlic, oregano, carrots, onion, lentils and barley in a 3 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or until tender. (Or on high for 4 to 5 hours)

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1/2 c. diced tomato
1 can (8 3/4 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's Condensed Chicken Verde Soup
1 1/2 c. water
2 corn tortillas cut into strips
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Place pepper, tomato, corn and chicken in 3 1/2 quart slow cooker. Mix soup and water. Pour over chicken mixture. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Add tortillas, cheese, and cilantro. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with additional cheese if desired.

Peach Crumb Pie

Notes: I used frozen peaches, so I did not have the liquid from the drained, canned peaches. I used 1 cup of water for that liquid & I left out the other 1/4 cup of water.

1 Pillsbury refrigerated unbaked 9" piecrust
4 cups (two 16 oz. cans) peaches, packed in fruit juice, drained, and 1 cup liquid reserved
1/4 cup water
1 (4-serving) pkg. JELL-O vanilla cook and serve pudding mix
1 (4-serving) pkg. JELL-O peach gelatin
6 tbsp. Bisquick Reduced Fat Baking Mix
2 1/2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. margarine
1 tbsp. (1/4 oz.) chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place piecrust in a 9" pie plate and flute edges. In a large saucepan, combine peach liquid, water, dry pudding mix, and dry gelatin. Mix well to combine. Coarsely chop peaches. Stir peaches into pudding mixture. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to boil, stirring often. Spoon hot peach mixture into piecrust. In a medium bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, and margarine. Mix well using a fork until mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in pecans. Evenly sprinkle crumb mixture over peach filling. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Place pie plate on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Cut into 8 servings.

Caramel Peanut Butter Apple Dip

Caramel Peanut Butter Apple Dip from Real Mom Kitchen

* 3/4 cup caramel sauce (I used caramel apple dip from the produce department in place of the caramel sauce)
* 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
* 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
* 1 Tbsp chopped peanuts as garnish (optional)

1. Combine the caramel sauce and peanut butter until smooth.
2. Fold in the marshmallow fluff. Spoon dip into serving bowl and top with optional chopped peanuts.
3. Serve with sliced apple.

5 Minute Artisan Bread

5 Minute Artisan Bread from Real Mom Kitchen

- Notes: Probably one of the best breads I've ever made. It's really crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I did store it in the fridge and make it later, and it worked like a charm! I baked it on a stone. Update: I made this again 10/11/2010 and I didn't even let it rise fully either times..about an hour and a half for the first rise and 10 mins for the second, and it was awesome.

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (1.5 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt or other coarse salt (or 1 tsp table salt)
6 1/2 cups flour, unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose (not strong)

1. Preparing Dough for Storage:

2. Warm the water slightly. It should feel just a little warmer than body temperature. Warm water will rise the dough to the right point for storage in about 2 hours. With cold water it will need 3-4 hours.

3. Add the yeast to the water in a 5 quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded (not airtight) plastic food container or food-grade bucket. Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.

4. Mix in the flour – kneading is unnecessary. Add all of the flour at once, measuring it in with dry-ingredient measuring cups, by gently scooping up the flour, then sweeping the top level with a knife or spatula. Don’t press down into the flour as you scoop or you’ll throw off the measurement. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor (14 cups or larger) fitted with the dough attachment, or a heavy duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook until the mixture is uniform. If you’re hand mixing and it becomes too difficult to incorporate all the flour with the spoon, you can reach into your mixing vessel with very wet hands and press the mixture together. Don’t knead, it isn’t necessary. You’re finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. It takes a few minutes, and will yield a dough that is wet and loose enough to conform to the shape of its container.

5. Allow to rise. Cover with lid (not airtight or it could explode the lid off). Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flattens on the top), approx 2 hours, depending on room temperature, and initial water temperature Longer rising times, up to 5 hours, won’t harm the result.

6. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Fully refrigerated dough is less sticky and easier to work with than dough at room temperature.

7. On Baking Day:

8. prepare your loaf tin, tray, or whatever you’re baking it in/on. Sprinkle the surface of your refrigerated dough with four. Pull up and cut of a grapefruit-size piece of dough (c 1 lb), using a serrated knife.

9. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all 4 sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Most of the dusting flour will fall off – that’s fine, it isn’t meant to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will sort itself out during resting and baking.

10. The correctly shaped final product will be smooth and cohesive. The entire process should take no more than 30 – 60 seconds.

11. Rest the loaf and let it rise in the form, on the tray/pizza peel, for about 40 minutes Depending on the age of the dough, you may not see much rise during this period. That’s fine, more rising will occur during baking.

12. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450°F Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising bread.

13. Dust and Slash. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow the slashing knife to pass without sticking. Slash a quarter inch deep cross, diagonal lines, or tic-tac-toe pattern on top using a serrated knife.

14. After a 20 min preheat you’re ready to bake, even though the oven thermometer won’t be at full temperature yet. Put your loaf in the oven. Pour about 1 cup of hot water (from the tap) into the broiler tray and close the oven to trap the steam.

15. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch.

16. Store the rest of the dough in the fridge in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next 14 days. The flavour and texture improves, becoming like sourdough. Even 24 hours of storage improves the flavour.

17. This is the standard bread. There are loads of variations – both savory and sweet – in the book. Makes 4 (1 lb) loaves.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies - From Annie's Eats

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend. In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute. Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.

Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Grandma Werner's Homemade Noodles

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. top milk (can substitute evaporated milk)
1 egg, beaten
hot broth

Combine egg, salt & milk. Add flour gradually. Roll very thin. Cut and let dry for a couple of hours. Drop into hot broth and cook very slowly - 30 - 45 minutes.

Sweet-Potato Chips

Sweet-Potato Chips
Ingredients

* 2 medium sweet potatoes
* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray.

2. Wash potatoes. Cut into thin slices, and place in large bowl. Pour oil onto the palms of your hands. Gently rub oil onto sweet-potato slices, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, tossing in bowl to coat evenly.

3. Place slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Turn chips over and bake until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate; cool 5 minutes and serve.

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe - From here

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock or bouillon
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux). Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

I made the full batch of these this weekend. So easy! And SO GOOD. Bad for you, but delicious. I froze 3 uncooked pie pans to see how they turn out. I would also cut them a little thicker than 1 in. I also baked them at 375 not 400 and left the coffee out of the frosting.

*Update* I just tried baking the rolls that I had frozen, and they flopped. :( I think next time I'll bake them and then freeze.

Link - http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/

Ingredients

* 1 quart Whole Milk
* 1 cup Vegetable Oil
* 1 cup Sugar
* 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
* 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
* 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
* 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
* 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
* Plenty Of Melted Butter
* 2 cups Sugar
* Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
* _____
* MAPLE FROSTING:
* 1 bag Powdered Sugar
* 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
* ½ cups Milk
* ¼ cups Melted Butter
* ¼ cups Brewed Coffee
* ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

CPK’s BBQ Chicken Pizza

CPK’s BBQ Chicken Pizza (From the Pioneer Woman - Link)

- Notes: Crust was delicious. I skimped on the red onions and used shredded mozzarella instead of the real stuff. I would add more of both next time.

* 1 whole Recipe For Pizza Crust (see below - PW's Makes Two Crusts)
* 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
* ½ cups Barbecue Sauce
* Olive Oil, For Drizzling
* Salt For Sprinkling
* 16 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thinly
* ½ whole Red Onion, Cut In Half And Sliced Very Thin
* Chopped Cilantro, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Salt chicken breasts on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breasts and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and cut into a fine dice. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.

Roll/stretch out one pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt.

Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.

Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.

Basic Pizza Crust

* 1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
* 1-½ cup Warm Water
* 4 cups All-purpose Flour
* 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
* ⅓ cups Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.

In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.

Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

When you are ready to make the pizza, grab HALF the pizza dough (recipe makes 2 crusts) and squeeze the dough toward the bottom to form a nice, tight, pulled ball. You can roll out the pizza with a rolling pin if you’d like, but sometimes it’s just as easy to throw it around and pull and stretch till it feels right. And when the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and spread it with your fingers. Very lightly sprinkle some salt on the crust.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Speedy Wheat Hamburger Buns

Speedy Wheat Hamburger Buns - From Here
Adapted from Recipezaar

This recipe is dairy-free (no milk, lactose, or casein), peanut-free, tree nut-free, and soy-free. You can substitute 1 Ener-G egg for a good egg-free and vegan option too (thanks Carolsue!) or you can use a “flax egg” as Melissa did here at Vegan Cooks.

2 Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Warm Water (I used just 1 cup, and they still turned out nicely)
1/3 Cup Oil (I used grapeseed)
1/4 Cup Sugar (your choice)
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups All-Purpose or White Bread Flour
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil and sugar, and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

Add the egg, salt, white flour, and 1 1/2 cups of the wheat flour, combining until it forms a soft dough. Add the additional 1/4 cup of wheat flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands (if you need a little more, that is okay too). Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes or so.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape each into a thick disc, and place them on baking sheets about 3 inches apart.

Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Lightly cover the balls of dough and let them rest for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish).

Pop them in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Yields 8 buns

Brigadeirão

Brigadeirão - From Michelle Robinson

This is a yummy cake-like Brazilian dessert.

2 T butter
2 T sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can of cream
3 eggs

Blend eggs and butter. Add everything else and blend. Pour into well-greased and sugar-dusted microwave safe bowl. Microwave 8 to 11 minutes or until set. Chill before serving.

You can place a greased cup in the middle if you want to get a bundt-like effect. After cooking, remove the cup and invert the Brigadeirao onto a serving platter.

Feijoada

Feijoada - From Michelle Robinson

(Brazilian black beans and pork stew)

1 lb varied pork sausages (we use mild Italian)

1 lb pork (tenderloin, shoulder, etc), cubed

some slices of bacon

1 can of black beans or 2 cups dried beans

2 T vegetable oil

salt (or Tempero Completo if you have it)

minced garlic, chopped onions, bay leaves

Brazilian method:

Pressure cooker: Heat oil in pressure cooker. Fry onions and garlic in oil, then add bacon, pork, and sausage until browned. Add dry beans, bayleaves, and salt. Add water to 1½ to 2 inches above the rest of the food. Bring to to pressure according to pressure cooker instructions and cook on low or medium low (the pressure cooker should just barely be steaming) for 50-60 minutes or until beans are soft.

Rice: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, fry some chopped onion and garlic in oil in a large pan with lid. Add rice and salt (to taste) and fry rice with garlic and onion until rice turns goldenish. Pour boiling water into pan with rice; cover and cook on low for 15-20 minutes or until rice is done.

Americanized (canned beans) method:

Add canned black beans to a medium sized pot with oil, salt, garlic, onions, and about 6 bay leaves. Cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat and set aside.

In a separate pan, cook cubes of pork and slices of bacon with salt and garlic. Add the sausage and stir over medium heat until all the water is gone.

Add the cooked meat to the pan with the black beans. Cook for 10 minutes. Serve over white rice.

Pão de Queijo

From Michelle Robinson

Pão de Queijo

“Pão de queijo” is typical Brazilian and it’s a delicious snack, which can be found at every bread store in Brazil.

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 package tapioca starch (450 g)

3 eggs

200 grams grated parmesan cheese

Bring to boil in a big pan the water, the milk, the oil and the salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tapioca starch. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cool down.

P ut the mixture in a bowl, add the eggs and knead well. Add the grated cheese and keep kneading until the dough is smooth. Roll 1 tablespoon of mixture into small balls. Tip: Grease your hands with oil before making the balls. Wash your hands once in a while if necessary.

Place the balls on a baking tray greased with oil or lined with baking paper. Bake the cheese rolls in hot oven (350 degrees) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes:

*

This recipe makes about 70 small cheese rolls.
*

Tapioca starch can be found in Asian grocery stores. It comes in a clear plastic bag, or a white paper bag, and the standard pack has either 400 or 450 grams.
*

Brazilians usually knead the dough by hand, but it is easier to use a mixer to knead the dough.
*

Formed “Pão de queijo” can be frozen and baked directly from the freezer. Place the cheese rolls on a tray lined with baking paper. Put the tray in the freezer. When the cheese rolls are frozen, put them in a plastic bag and put them back in the freezer. It works great to freeze "pão de queijo", but cooking time will be approximately double.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup Milk
1/3 cup Oil
4 Eggs
1-1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup Caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans




HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.

BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.



Kraft Tips:

Size-Wise
Celebrate and enjoy a serving of this indulgent cake on a special occasion.
How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers
Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.
Substitute
Omit caramel sauce. Microwave 10 KRAFT Caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Drizzle over cake just before serving; top with nuts.


Link to Recipe.

Homemade Breading

For fish, chicken, etc.

4c. packaged Cornflake Crumbs
4tsp. instant chicken bouillon
4tsp. paprika
2tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tbsp italian herb seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Place in an airtight container. Plan on 1/2 to 1 tbsp of breading for each chicken part or fish fillet.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Crockpot Chicken

1 1/2 lb (4) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup, 10oz can
2/3 c. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed
2/3 c. artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
1/2 c. onions, sliced
1/8 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/4 c. water
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Lightly grease crockpot with cooking spray. Place chicken into crockpot. In a separate bowl, mix soup, spinach, artichoke, onions, parmesan cheese, sour cream, water, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken breasts. Cook on high 4 to 6 hours or low 7 to 8 hours. Stir in the mozzarella cheese right before you are ready to eat. Serve over pasta or rice.

Black Bean Salsa

2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 17oz package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large avacado
1 small onion, peeled and diced (i used green onions)
1/8 to 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar (didn't use)
salt and pepper

I also added some taco seasoning and red pepper flakes for a kick.

Mix all ingredients throughly in a large bowl. Cover and chill overnight. Taste and add salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed. Serve with tortilla chips or with grilled chicken breast as a meal.

From the Food Network

Christmas Crunch

Christmas Crunch
1 24 oz. pkg. white bark coating (we use Kroger candy coating, but you can also use white chocolate)
1 box of corn chex
1 large bag of mini pretzels
1 large jar of salted dry roasted peanuts
1 package of plain M&Ms (you can use holiday varieties at any time of year
to make it holiday themed – Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc.)

You can really use any size packages you want. It depends on how much of each you want in your mix.
Just have fun!

Cover a fairly large area of your counter space with wax paper and tape down.

In a very large bowl, combine the chex, pretzels, peanuts and M&Ms. You might have to work in smaller batches if you can’t fit everything in one bowl with room to mix. Dump the peanuts and M&Ms in last so they don’t all sink to the bottom.

In a smaller bowl, melt your bark coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals and stir in between. Don’t let it go for too long at once or it will scald and you will have to toss it out and start over.

When the bark coating is melted, gently pour into the larger bowl and toss with the dry ingredients. You can adjust the amount of coating you use based on your preference. I usually stir a little bit in, toss, stir some more in, toss again, etc. to make sure everything gets a little bark coating on it so it will stick together.

Working quickly, dump the mixture out on your wax paper and spread out in a thin layer to dry. Once it’s dry, break it apart into pieces and store in an airtight container or divide into decorative cello bags to give away.

Note: If you half your mix ingredients and bark coating, it will be a little easier to work with in two batches. Otherwise you will need a really large bowl and workspace to spread out on the counter.

Enjoy!

Peach Crunch Cake

Peach Crunch Cake

24.5 oz jar of sliced peaches in light syrup
1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), cut into 16 pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Layer ingredients in a 13 X 9 dish, in order starting with the peaches.
Bake for about 40 minutes.
Serve warm or cold… with or without ice cream.

Hippy Oatmeal

* 1 cup Steel Cut Oats
* 4 cups Water
* ½ cups Half-and-half
* ¼ cups (handful) Dried Cherries
* ¼ cups Dried Cranberries
* ½ cups Raisins
* ¼ cups Pumpkin Seeds, Or Sunflower Seeds Or Almonds
* ¼ cups Flax Seed

Toss all of this into your crock pot. Then simply set it on the lowest setting right before you go to bed .

When you get up, you will have the smoothest, creamiest oatmeal ever to start your day.

Give it a nice big stir. Top it with brown sugar, cream, maybe a little butter, perhaps, if you want to. It is naked as is.

It sticks to your ribs, stays with you, and is a fantastic breakfast.

Let me know how you like it!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken

* 1 Tablespoon Dried Onion
* 3 stalks Celery, Sliced
* 3 whole Carrots, Peeled And Sliced
* 6 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Bite Size
* ⅓ cups Packed Brown Sugar
* ⅓ cups Catalina Dressing
* ¼ cups Soy Sauce
* 1 can (8-10 Oz. Can) Pineapple Chunks
* 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
* 2 cups Cooked Rice, Or Enough To Feed Your Group

Place onion, carrots, and celery into the slow cooker. Add the chicken pieces.

Combine brown sugar, Catalina dressing, and soy sauce; add to the cooker and cover.

Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for 4 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the pineapple with its juice, and cornstarch. You might need to add another tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken it a bit.

Serve over rice.

From: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-sweet-and-sour-chicken/

Crockpot Hamburger Soup

Crockpot Hamburger Soup

- 10/9/2010: This was DELICIOUS and SO EASY (especially since I cook my ground beef and freeze it). I didn't add the diced tomatoes for obvious reasons, and I halved the recipe. I also only cooked it for 6 hours and added the green beans and potatoes a couple of hours before we were going to eat it. I think you could use real potatoes and just put them in from the start if you wanted too, but the canned ones worked just fine and were yummy. I really enjoyed it.

* 1 whole Onion, Chopped
* 2 pounds Hamburg, Fried
* 3 cans (14 Oz. Can) Beef Broth
* 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Kidney Beans
* 2 cans (8 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce
* 1 can 28 Oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
* 2 teaspoons Dried Parsley
* 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
* ½ teaspoons Thyme
* ¼ teaspoons Pepper
* ½ teaspoons Salt
* 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
* 1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Diced Potatoes
* 1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Green Beans, Diced Or String

Add all ingredients to a crock pot, except the potatoes and green beans. Cook on low for about 6 hours, stirring about every 30 minutes or so.

After the 6 hours, add the diced potatoes (drained) and the green beans (drained), and cook for another 2 hours on low.

Serve with crackers or bread, whichever you prefer. The spices in this recipe complement the ground beef, and it is really good. Believe me, before I tried, I never thought a soup made with ground beef would have any flavor.

From: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/crockpot-hamburger-soup/

Slow Cooked Applesauce

* 8 whole Apples - Peeled, Cored, And Diced
* ½ cups Packed Brown Sugar
* ½ cups Water
* 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker; stir to mix. Cover and cook on your preferred time setting (3-4 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.)

When done, use a potato masher or immersion blender to achieve the desired consistency.

Herbed Chicken Nuggetts

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
* 1/2 cup wheat germ
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Trim any fat from chicken and cut into 1 inch cubes.
3. In a bowl beat the eggs with the water and add the chicken.
4. Combine the parsley, thyme, red pepper, bread crumbs, wheat germ, basil and ground pepper. Stir in the oil with a fork and mix well to distribute evenly. Pour seasoning mixture into a resealable plastic bag and the chicken pieces to coat.
5. Place coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes, turn the pieces and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

(from All Recipes)

Boston Cream Pie

(from Teandra Pfiel/Food Network)

Link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/boston-cream-pie-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

* 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 cup cooking oil
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* Pastry cream, recipe follows
* Ganache, recipe follows

Pastry Cream Filling:

* 2 cups whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk
* 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
* 6 egg yolks
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Ganache:

* 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
* 1 cup heavy cream, boiling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk, oil, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until combined. Beat an additional 3 minutes on high speed and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium to high speed until soft peaks form. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the egg white mixture and fold in. Gently pour the batter into a 9-inch greased pie pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Invert the pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

Pastry Cream Filling: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the empty saucepan.

Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. (The custard can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.)

Ganache: In a medium bowl, pour the boiling cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted.

To assemble pie, remove the cake from the pan. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Place bottom layer on a serving plate or board, and spread with the pastry cream. Top with second cake layer. Pour chocolate ganache over and down the sides of the cake. Store in refrigerator.

Walnut Brownies

Red book pg 179 ;)

1 c. flour
1 sm. pkg. instant jello chcolate fudge pudding mix
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 egg or egg substitute
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine flour, dry pudding mix, sugar, and baking powder. In a small bowl, combine applesauce, egg and vanilla. Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture. Mix well until mixture is smooth. Stir in walnuts. Spread batter into baking dish, and bake for 20 to 25 min. Cool. Cut into 16 bars.

Chocolate Zuchini Brownies

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. no fat sour cream
1/2 c. water
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. grated unpeeled zucchini
1/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda. and sugar. Add sour cream, water and vanilla. Mix well to combine. Fold in zucchini and pecans. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 min. Cool. Cut into 16 bars.

Skillet Tacos

Skillet Tacos

* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 1 1/2 cup frozen corn
* 10 corn tortillas (6 inches), cut into 1-inch pieces (I use my pizza cutter to do this)
* 1 bottle (8 ounces) taco sauce (I used mild)
* 1-1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
2. Rinse frozen corn in a colander with warm water and drain.
3. Add the drained corn, taco sauce, and 1 cup cheese to meat until well mixed.
4. Mix in tortilla pieces and heat through.
5. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serves 5-6

BBQ Ribs

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3 lbs. baby back ribs
• 1/2 cup Shirley J BBQ sauce mix, plus extra to season ribs
• 1 1/3 cup root beer (just a little less than a can I used the MUG brand)

1. Season ribs with Shirley J BBQ seasoning. You want a good even coating. Place ribs in fridge for 2 hours.
2. In a broiler pan, place the water and soy sauce in the bottom of the pan. Place the insert of the boiler pan on the pan. Your gonna create a nice steam bath for this ribs.
3. Place ribs on the pan. Completely cover the ribs in the pan with aluminum foil. You want it nice and sealed to keep that steam in there. Cook in a 200 degree preheated oven for 4-6 hours. low and slow is the trick here folks.
4. Meanwhile in a saucepan, combine the root beer and 1/2 cup Shirley J BBQ Sauce Mix together and simmer for five minutes. Set aside until ribs finish in oven.
5. Remove ribs from pan and brush all over with about 2/3 cup of the bbq sauce.
6. Place the ribs on a preheated grill. We keep the temp in between high and sear. You want to get the sauce to coat the ribs and get a little charred. Cook for just a few minutes on each side. Serve with remaining sauce. Enjoy. Serves 4.

From: http://realmomkitchen.com/2133/shirley-j-bbq-ribs/

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• ½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• ½ cups White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

From the Pioneer Woman Cooks: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/cajun-chicken-pasta/

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup hershey's cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar

in a large mixing bowl, combine sugar & oil. add cocoa; blend well. beat in eggs and vanilla. combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to cocoa mixture blending well. cover; chill at least 6 hours. heat oven to 350. shape dough into 1 inch balls. roll in powdered sugar. place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched. remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack. makes 4 dozen.

Breakfast Cookies

6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. whole-wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. regular oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c. chopped pitted dates
1/4 c. chopped almonds
1/4 c. sweetened coconut
1/4 c. dried cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray, or cover sheets with silicone baking mats.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.

3. Remove the saucepan from heat, and add the brown sugar, stirring until smooth.

4. Combine the dry ingredients - flours, baking soda, oats, salt - in a separate bowl.

5. Add the butter-sugar mixture to the dry ingredients.

6. Whisk the egg gently in a small bowl, and add to the mixture, along with the vanilla. Add the dates, almonds, coconut, and cherries, and mix well.

7. Spoon the mixture by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pans. Bake for 12 minutes or until tops are lightly golden and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool slightly. Attempt to eat just one at a time.

Hippie Chick Granola

1/2 c. oat bran flakes
2 c. old fashioned oats
1/4 c. slivered almonds
1/4. c. roasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 c. dried currants or raisins
1/4 c. dried carnberries
1/2 c. dried tart cherries
1/4 c. flax seed
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a baking sheet or jelly roll pan with cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bran flakes, oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, currants, cranberries, cherries, and flax seeds. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the honey and melted butter, and pour over the oat and fruit mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

4. Spread mixture onto the prepared pan, and bake for 23 minutes or until golden. Cool on the pan and break into pieces with a spatula. Store in an airtight container (glass jar) for up to a week.

B B Banana Bread

1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp dry milk powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. brown sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 egg
1/2 c. organic 1% milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. low fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas
1 c. chopped almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan with cooking spray.

2. Mix the dry ingredients (flours, baking soda, dry milk powder, salt, brown sugar, and ground flax seed) together in a medium bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. To the egg, add the milk, melted butter, yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until combined and mash in the bananas.

4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

5. Transfer batter into the prepared pan. Top with the chopped almonds, and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Deconstructed Apple Pie

1 apple (Fuji or Braeburn) seeded and diced
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 c. walnut halves
1 tbsp orange juice
2 tsp honey
1/2 c. chopped pitted prunes
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Enjoy now or store in an airtight container up to four days.

Good over yogurt as well.

Sweet B Bread Pudding

9 c. cubed ciabatta or other heavy white bread (best if stale)
4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. dried currants

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

3. Place the cubed bread into a large heatproof bowl.

4. Head the milk over medium-high heat until bubbling, but not boiling. Pour the hot milk over the bread and allow to soak in.

5. Combine the sugar, applesauce, vanilla, egg whites, eggs, cinnamon, and currants in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the egg mixture to the bread mixture, and stir until combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

6. Put on the top rack in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until bread becomes golden on top and putting is set.

7. Let sit for about 10 minutes on top of the stove. Then, dig in.

Oatmeal Brulee

2 c. milk
pinch of salt
1 c. quick cooking oats
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1 c. sliced strawberries or bananas
8 tsp brown sugar

1. Add milk and salt to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the oats and turn down to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stiring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in flax seeds.

2. Turn the broiler on high.

3. Transfer oatmeal to 4 6oz. ramekins or baking dishes.

4. Layer the sliced berries or bananas on top of the oatmeal. Spoon 2 tsp. of brown sugar on top of each ramekin. Place ramekins on a baking sheet or in a cake pan. Put in the oven on the top rack. Broil for 2 minutes or until sugar has melted and formed a light crust. Remove from the oven and enjoy.

Basic Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. neufchatel (cream) cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. confectioners sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Beat on high with an electric mixer until creamy. Spread on top of cupcakes, banana bread, etc.

Carrot Cake Dream Bars

1 c. finely shredded carrot
1 egg whisked
1 tbsp orange juice
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. part skim ricotta cheese
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. old fashioned oats
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine the first 7 ingredients (carrot through ricotta cheese) in a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and the brown sugar. Add to the carrot mixture. Set aside.

4. In a separate medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (oats through walnuts). Stir the carrot mixture into the dry mixture until fully combined. Do not overmix.

5. Spray and 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into the pan, and bake for 30 to 33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (Good if topped with cream cheese frosting).

Chunky Monkey Muffins

1 1/4 c. whole-wheat flour
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tbsp. ground flax seed
1 tbsp. 1 tsp. dark cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz. low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. natural smooth peanut butter (optional)
1 tbsp wheat germ

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Coat liners with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Measure out the flours, leveling with a knife, into a large mixing bowl along with the brown sugar, flax seed, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, baking soda salt, and chocolate chips. Whisk together until combined.

3. Combine the yogurt, bananas, egg, vanilla extract, oil, and milk in a separate bowl until thoroughly mixed (it's OK if there are chunks of banana)

4. Fold the banana mixture into the dry mixture just until combined. If using peanut butter, fill the prepared muffin cups 1/2 full with batter and then spoon 1 tsp peanut butter on top. Fill the cups with more batter until 3/4 full (if not using peanut butter simply fill the cups 3/4 full with batter). Sprinkle tops with wheat germ and put in the oven for 20 minutes or until the tops of the muffins look dry and spring back when touched in the center. Allow to cool on the stovetop.

Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

• 2 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt (would cut this down next time)
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup prepared Thai peanut sauce
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

Cube chicken breasts and toss with spices. Saute until cooked through. Remove from pan.

Mix peanut sauce (I used Peanut Satay Sauce from the Asian Market) with coconut milk and chicken broth. Add to pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes until sauce has thickened.

We put the chicken on rice and then poured on the sauce. We didn't have chopped peanuts and forgot about the scallions. It was delicious!!

Oreo Icecream Sandwich Cake

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

8 OREO Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)

12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

POUR fudge topping into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies.

ARRANGE 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half the COOL WHIP mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining COOL WHIP. Bring up foil sides; double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.

FREEZE 4 hours or until firm.

Turkey Fried Rice

Turkey Fried Rice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 3 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pour eggs into skillet. As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When eggs are completely cooked, remove to a plate; set aside.
2. In the same skillet, cook turkey and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir the rice, bean sprouts and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients until blended; stir into skillet. Chop egg into small pieces; stir into skillet and heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

http://realmomkitchen.com/2005/turkey-fried-rice/

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

Combine the first five ingredients; rub over chicken. Coat grill rack with cooking spray for grills or brush with olive oil before starting the grill. Grill chicken, covered, for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Yield: 5 servings.

From: http://realmomkitchen.com/2065/sweet-and-spicy-grilled-chicken/

Hummus

1 can chickpeas, partially drained
1 T. tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
2-3 cloves smashed garlic (I use a couple more)

Blend up ingredients in food processor (I use my immersion blender). Drizzle with olive oil, if you like, and dust with paprika.

Quick Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes

Quick Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes (from Healthy Cooking)

Notes from mom: I used the buttermilk powder from the bulk food store, and that worked good. I also reduced the fat count because I forgot to put the egg and oil in after the oats soaked in the buttermilk, and they were still really good pancakes!

2 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins

In a small bowl, combine oats and buttermilk; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in egg subtitute and oil; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the wet ingredients just until moistened; add raisens.

Pour batter by heaping 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown.

Makes 12 pancakes. Serving size 2 pancakes = 7 grams fat.

Homemade Pop Tarts

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/homemade-pop-tarts/

Yuuum!

Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Use approximately 3 tbsp. per pound of meat.

Moist & Fruity Rainbow Cake (Jello Cake)

1 baked 9 x 13 white cake, cooled
2 pkgs (3 oz. ea) Jello any flavor
2 cups boiling water
1 8 oz. cool whip

Prick cake with a fork at 1/2 inch intervals. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Pour carefully over cakes. Chill 3 to 4 hours. Top with whipped topping and chill.

Low Sugar Freezer Jam

3 c. crushed strawberries (1-16oz. container is aprox. 2c. crushed, so
use 1 & 1/2 containers)
2 c. sugar
mix together and let sit while making other

In pot combine:
1 3/4 c. apple juice
1 pkg. (1.75 oz) Sure Jell NO SUGAR (pink box) Fruit Pectin (Sure
Jell brand jelled better than Ball brand)
-Bring to a boil, boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, remove from heat
-Add strawberry and sugar mixture, stir until mixed
-Ladel into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 in. headspace
-Let jam sit in fridge 24 hrs.
-Freeze up to 1 yr. or keep in fridge for 3 mo.
Yield: 6 cups jam

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting

Cupcakes
1 box (15 oz) Betty Crocker® Gluten Free yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup water
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In large bowl, stir cake mix, water, 1/2 cup melted butter, the eggs and lemon peel just until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with electric mixer on low speed until mixed. Add remaining lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until creamy and smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon peel. Frost cupcakes with frosting.