Easy Holiday Project

I've been needing a garland of some sort to adorn my front window. After viewing several similar projects I decided to put my stash of Christmas fabric scraps to good use. I'm quite pleased with the results and think it looks very nice on my window.

To make your own pennant garland, simply cut triangles from fabric scraps (mine are 8''x10''). Arrange into a pleasing pattern and sew to double fold bias tape. Cut strips of fabric and tie in between triangles.

Very easy and very fun!

Enrichment Success

Yesterday was our November enrichment meeting and I was in charge of refreshments. Thanks to the Christmas recipe books I compiled last year, I have a plethora of holiday resources. I planned to set up a tasting table of several dishes with copies of the recipes available for the sisters.

I enlisted the help of the other committee members and some other kind sisters and made assignments.

From my Christmas Goodies recipe book we made:
Mint Meltaways
Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Pumpkin Tiramisu
Black Forest Bread Pudding
Almond Fudge Topped Shortbread
Cranberry Crunch Bark

Throw in some Ripken's Gingersnaps and Mini Pumpkin Tarts from Family Fun and we had quite the spread!

I had only made a few of these recipes. I was crossing my fingers that everything would turn out well. I'm happy to report that everything was delicious! The sisters raved about the yummy treats and happily snatched up copies of the recipes.

So, here's a testament to the recipes in your books. I hope you have an occasion to try some soon!

**Sorry I didn't take pictures of my spread. I was running around like a mad person all day and forgot the camera.

Pie Class

Last Thursday evening I attended the Larchmont & Mamaroneck Continuing Education Great Holiday Pies class. Our class was held in the home economics room of Mamaroneck High School. I felt like I was back in school as we watched our teacher (minus the infamous overhead mirror) make a fabulous deep dish apple pie and impart to us many great pie-making tips.

A fun-filled two hours later I left armed with new skills, a prepared crust and a packet full of recipes.

Spencer had to leave work early for me to attend and when I returned home, he informed me that his co-workers were now expecting a sweet treat. I decided to have a go at the Kentucky Derby Pie. It was amazing! Lucky for me Spencer took most of it to work or I would have eaten the whole thing!

Kentucky Derby Pie

3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Flour
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
4 Eggs
1 Cup Pecans, Chopped
1 Cup Light Karo Syrup
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 Unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

**My oven required a longer baking time. Just make sure it's set in the middle.

Carmel Apple Turnover

This was divine, I stole it from a cooking site I frequent all the time. I found the Pillsbury Crescents at Walmart, basically they are just a sheet of the crescent dough. Definitely going to try this again. Next time I would make sure the apple mixture was much cooler before I added it to the dough.

1 Granny Smith apple (or two Gala apples), peeled, halved and thinly sliced

½ cup caramel topping, plus some for serving

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tube (8 oz.) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, cook apple, caramel topping and ½ teaspoon cinnamon over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until apple is tender.Unroll dough onto cookie sheet. Spoon apple mixture lengthwise down center of dough; spread to within ½ inch of edges. Sprinkle with pecans. Starting with short side, roll up; firmly pinch edges to seal.In small bowl, mix sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Brush dough with egg. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Make 3 slits 2 inches apart on top of dough.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Top with more caramel sauce when serving

Chicken Pot Pie

This was a perfect solution to a raining/ snowy weekend. Easy to make and you basically add whatever you want from your fridge.

Crust, I used a box but you can always make from scratch. Line pie pan with one crust.

6 boneless chicken tenderloins (or 2 chicken breasts) poached in chicken broth then diced

3 carrots sliced thin

2 small potatoes diced

1 TBS dehydrated onion

Take both carrots. potatoes, dried onion and salt and pepper, microwave in either a Ziploc or a bowl with saran wrap, until tender

Sauce - created Roux

3 TBS Butter (melted in sauce pan)

3 TBS Flour mix with melted butter and brown lightly

Add below items and whisk until well combined.

2 cups Milk

1 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Minced or crushed garlic

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Salt and Pepper

Cook until thickened

Add chicken, potatoes and carrots and 1/2 cup of frozen peas to sauce and put in pie pan, top with other crust and seal edges, make several slits in top pie crust.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes and cut and serve.

Blueberry Scones

Happy Conference day two! Yesterday we made crepes with yogurt and today we had Blueberry Scones!

This recipe is from on of my favorite collections, American Test Kitchens. They test the recipe multiple time (even up to 50 times) till it is perfect. While there are extra steps, do follow them as they make the lightest scones I have ever had.

The butter should be frozen solid before grating. In hot or humid environments, chill the flour mixture and workbowls before use. While the recipe calls for 2 whole sticks of butter, only 10 tablespoons are actually used (see step 1). If fresh berries are unavailable, an equal amount of frozen berries (do not defrost) can be substituted. An equal amount of raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries can be used in place of the blueberries. Cut larger berries into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces before incorporating. Refrigerate or freeze leftover scones, wrapped in foil, in an airtight container. To serve, remove foil and place scones on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven. Heat until warmed through and recrisped, 8 to 10 minutes if refrigerated, 16 to 20 minutes if frozen. See final step for information on making the scone dough in advance.Makes 8

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), frozen whole (see note above)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 7 1/2 ounces), picked over (see note)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus additional for work surface
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Score and remove half of wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. Following photo at left, grate unwrapped ends on large holes of box grater (you should grate total of 8 tablespoons). Place grated butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 tablespoons of remaining ungrated butter and set aside. Save remaining 6 tablespoons butter for another use. Place blueberries in freezer until needed.

2. Whisk together milk and sour cream in medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; fold with spatula until just combined. With rubber spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. Dust surface of dough with flour; with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

4. Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Following illustrations, fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to countertop. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into approximate 12-inch square again. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll dough, pressing to form tight log. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Pantyhose Pumpkin

After reading comments about fall decorations, I decided to share my favorite. It's very easy, cheap and adorable. This would also be a good craft to do with kids.

Here is what you need:

Two pairs of old pantyhose
Orange and green poster paint and a paintbrush
Fiberfill
Scissors
Two rubber bands
Hot Glue Gun
Ribbon

Here is what you do (see picture of steps below):

1. Cut the four legs off the pantyhose. Arrange the legs crossing over each other at the center like spokes of a wheel. Glue the legs together at the point where they all cross over each other.
2. Cut the toe end off the foot of the pantyhose so that all the legs are open at the ends.
   Stuff all sections of pantyhose with fiberfill. Leave about 6 inches at the end of each stocking unstuffed.
3. Pull the eight sections up and around to the center to form a pumpkin. Hold the sections together with a rubber band.
4. Braid the excess stocking ends together to make a stem for the pumpkin. Hold the braided stem in place with another rubber band.
5. Paint the pumpkin orange and the stem green. (As you can see, I chose not to paint the stem). Tie ribbon around stem. You can turn this pumpkin into a jack-o'-lantern by gluing on a face cut from black felt.

Ham and Potato Bake

I found this one on a Better Home and Gardens recipe search. I tried it out on Saturday and it was fabulous! It only serves four so I doubled it to ensure tasty leftovers.

Ham and Potato Bake

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, sliced (I used red cause that's what I had)
1 8-oz. tub light cream cheese spread with chive and onion
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh tarragon OR 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
8 oz. cooked boneless ham, cut in bite-sized slices
1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed, cut in 2 to 3-inch pieces
Tarragon sprigs (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In medium saucepan cook potatoes, covered, in small amount of lightly salted boiling water 5 to 7 minutes, just until tender. Drain; transfer to bowl and set aside.
2. For sauce, in same saucepan combine cream cheese, milk, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat and whisk until smooth and cheese is melted. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon.
3. Layer potatoes, ham, asparagus, and sauce in 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle remaining Parmesan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with tarragon and freshly ground black pepper.

Millionaire Chicken

I wish I could take credit for creating or even finding this recipe. I got it from a friend in our Utah ward. It's easy, quick and totally delicious!

Millionaire Chicken

4-6 Chicken Breasts
8 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Honey
2 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
6 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 tsp Ginger, grated OR 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (or a little more to taste)
Ground Pepper, to taste

Cook chicken in crock pot with a little chicken broth. Shred chicken, drain juices and return to pot to keep warm.

Combine remaining ingredients in sauce pan. Heat until just about to boil. Pour sauce over chicken and toss to coat.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Lowfat/ Low Sugar Zucchini Bread

We've been loving this recipe at our house. It's been the perfect way to use the plethora of zucchini from our garden. Even Caleb loves it!



3 Cups flour (I have been using one cup of whole wheat flour, two cups white)
1 Cup sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 eggs
1 egg white
1/3 Cup oil
2/3 Cup applesauce
2 1/2 C shredded zucchini
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs and add remaining "wet" ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Spoon into two greased bread loaf pans and bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Chicketti

Valerie grew up with her mom making this family favorite. Although I'd had it before, she served it to us while we were in Utah. It's tasty and super quick and easy!

Chicketti

2 C. Uncooked spaghetti, broken into small pieces
3 C. Chicken broth
1/2 C. Chopped onion
1/3 C. Chopped celery
1/4 C. Chopped green pepper
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and chopped
1 tsp. Paprika
1 small bottle Chopped Pimentos (I only used about 1/2 of the bottle)

Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Then stir in 3/4 Cup Grated Cheese and 1/2 Cup Sliced Olives.

What's In My Fridge

As I was preparing to make dinner tonight my mind started wandering to the things I can not live without in my pantry or fridge. So goes the evolution of the first-ever Martha, Betty, Julia and Mom Blog tag!

10 Things I Must Have In My Fridge or Pantry

1. Cucumbers - Anna would eat cucumbers for every meal if I let her. I don't remember why I decided to give them to her in the first place but it must have been inspiration!
   
2. Boxed Chicken Broth - In my opinion, there is no explanation needed for this one.
   
3. Black Beans - We prefer black beans to refried beans so we use them in every Mexican or Latin dish conceivable. I buy no less than 5 cans at a time.
   
4. Apples or Grapes - Usually both. I think my daughter would starve without these.
   
5. Milk - We buy two jugs of whole milk and two of skim at least twice a month.
   
6. Chicken - I can live without ground beef, pork tenderloin, or even fish but take away my chicken and I don't know what I'd do.
   
7. Stew Leonard's Tortillas - I don't think I've ever made a two week meal plan that didn't include one or more of fajitas, tacos or quesadillas. I only buy my tortillas at Stew Leonards. They are fresh and delicious and only available in Connecticut or New York. Sorry!
   
8. Shredded Cheddar Cheese - I buy the jumbo bag at Costco, split it into two gallon bags and freeze. I am never without cheese.
   
9. Trader Joe's Monterrey Jack Cheese Sticks - My absolute favorite snack. I buy two packages at a time! Once again, sorry for those without a Trader Joe's nearby.
   
10. Onions - Enough said

There you go, a few things that my kitchen is never lonely for. Now it's your turn! What do you always have on hand?

Trader Joe's Vanilla Bean Paste

If you have a trader Joe's, I recommend the Vanilla Bean Paste for your baking. One Tablespoon is equivalent to 1 whole Vanilla Bean. And a 4 oz jar equals 12 tablespoons of paste. At less than $5 a jar. Yes, I am going to have to bribe Erin in to sending me shipments! I love this stuff.

You use it in place of vanilla 1 teaspoon equals 1 teaspoon. So truly quite a savings.

I know with the family fitness going, I just have post this for a day off. So wonderful!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 vanilla beans, split and black goo scraped out and reserved (or use 1TBS vanilla paste

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and vanilla bean goo until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Frost with your favorite homemade Chocolate Frosting

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

I spent many years in search of the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. Everyone's taste is different when it comes to the right chocolate chip cookie but this recipe, given to me by my neighbor, suits our family's taste buds perfectly!

1C butter
1C shortening
1 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C brown sugar
4 eggs
Dab of hot water
2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 C flour
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
1/2 C oatmeal
1/2 C peanut butter
chocolate chips (I only use milk chocolate chips. Semisweet just don't compare in my opinion)

Cream butter, shortening and sugars. Add eggs, water, vanilla and peanut butter. Add all dry ingredients. Drop onto cookie sheets (I use only stones) and bake at 350 for 10-12 min.

Thai Chicken Curry

This recipe was the closest thing I could find to a favorite dish that I always get when we go the Mariner's games. I served it at the family reunion and am posting it at Emily's request. It's super easy, really fast and so yummy!

1/8 C red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
1/8 C sugar
3/4 C shredded bamboo shoots
1/2 of red pepper sliced julienne
1/4 of an onion finely chopped
Chicken breast--about 2 large

I usually just throw the chicken in the crockpot early in the afternoon and slice it and stir it in at the end but you can stir-fry it before cooking the veggies if you'd rather. Mix the paste with half of the milk, whisking until combined. Saute veggies in wok until crisp tender. Add the remaining ingredients, including other half of coconut milk and cook until warmed through. Serve over rice and like to add chopped nuts on top.

Grandma Burke's Layered Salad

Our Game Day theme for the week was Salads. Chad requested a family favorite that I love to make and of course crave frequently. Thank you Grandma Burke for an awesome salad!!

Chop full head of Iceberg or a large stalk of Romaine lettuce.
Place in 9 x 12 Pyrex dish. Layer rest of ingredients in the following order:
½ cup diced celery
1 Pkg. Frozen peas
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 sm. Bunch diced green onion
1 ½ c. mayonnaise
1 ½ Tbs. Sugar- sprinkle on top of mayonnaise
3 thinly sliced hard-boiled eggs
4 oz. Grated cheddar cheese
6-8 strips of cooked bacon crumbled

Press gently on top and cover with Saran wrap. Refrigerate overnight

Hot Fudge Topping

Yep, this is a reader request for the awesome hot fudge topping that Erin makes...drooling just thinking about it.

Mustard-Rosemary Pork Lion

Mustard-garlic rosemary marinade:

1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon minced lemon zest

1/3 cup dry white wine (I used cooking wine)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

(Marinade for 2 pork lions, if only doing one cut recipe in half)

Place marinade and pork loin in a Ziploc bag, marinade for at least 30 min up to 8 hours.

Grill on medium for 30 min, until it reaches a internal temp of 155-160

Bake in the oven on 350 for 40 min until internal temp is 155-160

Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing so the meat has a chance to re-distribute the juices.

We served with wild rice (yes, me the disliker of wild rice, wished for awesome mashed potatoes or somethink like that : p) and a salad. This could be used in a salad, thinly sliced for sandwiches, I think you could also use the marinade on a frozen pork lion in the crock-pot for 8 to 9 hours on low.

Zuppa Toscana

Spicy Italian sausage, small yellow potatoes and cavolo greens in a creamy broth. Yum!! Yes, this is a copy of an Olive Garden soup. One of Chad's favorites and I actually think we finally fine tuned the recipe.

6 oz Italian Sausage - break up and cook until browned

Small Yellow Onion - small dice

2 slices of Bacon

2 Cloves Garlic crushed or fine chop

4 small Yellow Potatoes - sliced thin

2 cans Chicken Broth

1/8 cup cream

1 cup milk

Cornstarch mixed with water to thicken

Fresh Greens - can use any kind - Caolvo (like Kale), Spinach, Flat leaf Parsley

Cook Sausage until brown, set aside on paper towel to drain off excess grease. In the same pan cook the onion until tender and almost transparent, add Bacon and brown (drain extra oil if needed). Add garlic near the end of browning the Onion and Bacon.

Add thin cut Potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add Chicken Broth and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until fork tender.

Add in cream, milk and cornstarch mixture. Add greens before serving.

Serves 4

Not Your Average Pancakes

Hi, my name is Anna and I LOVE pancakes! Usually mommy gives me regular Bisquick pancakes. But let's be honest, they were getting old. So mom went on a hunt for some yummier alternatives. She got very lucky and found a few winners!


Graham Griddle Cakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and pecans (if desired). In a separate bowl, stir together milk, butter and egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir well.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.


Johnnycakes

2 cups stone ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons boiling water

Cream the cornmeal, salt, and butter together. Add the milk and enough water to make a moist but firm batter.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto a hot greased griddle, and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. When brown, turn and cook the other side.

Both options are great but my favorite is the Graham Griddle Cakes. I happily chowed down two just this morning! I hope you try them and like them too!

Cheesecake Bars

I made these easy little delights for our ward 4th of July party. I didn't have any blueberries or blueberry jam so I used strawberries and raspberry jam. They turned out great. The possibilities for this recipe are endless - whatever fruit and jam you have on hand will do!

6 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 jar (10 oz.) blueberry jam or preserves
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix butter and graham crumbs in 13x9-inch baking pan. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium until creamy. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Set aside. Stir jam in jar until softened; spread evenly onto crust. Sprinkle with blueberries; top evenly with the cream cheese mixture.

Bake 30 min. or until slightly puffed. Cool completely in pan. Cut into 24 bars to serve. Store any leftover bars in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Ginger Mahi Mahi, Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous and Green Beans

YES! We have successfully grilled fish! Chad aka Bobby Flay, created this tender, flaky Mahi Mahi. It was wonderful! We are newbies at the Couscous and it great too, and who just doesn't love green beans?

1 lb Mahi Mahi thawed and rinsed in cold water

3 TBS Honey

3 TBS Soy Sauce

3 TBS Balsamic vinegar

1 Tsp grated fresh Ginger

1 Clove Garlic, crushed

4 Tsp Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix the marinade together add fish and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Heat Grill to medium, we used a layer of foil on the grill with the edges turned up, creating kind of a tray to help the fish not stick to the grill. If you grill directly on the grill, make sure you brush the grill with some oil first. We also used indirect heat to grill and did about 6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

You can reserve your marinade but you need to heat it on the stove in a pot until it comes to a boil, then reduce down to a glaze consistency.

FYI, 4 oz of Mahi Mahi has 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, 21 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carb.

Cucumber and Tomato Summer Salad

Grape Tomatoes cut in half (you could use any size)
Cucumbers cut in small chunks (you can peel if you would like, depending on thickness of the skin)
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Basil if desired
Lite Rice Wine Vinegar

Cut tomatoes and cucumbers, dress with Rice Wine Vinegar, add fresh Basil and plenty of Salt and Pepper. Makes for a quick, crunchy summer salad.

Shells with Chicken and Mozzarella

Yes, I have brushed the dust off of my apron and decided that after a week of girls camp I can actually cook again. This was our lunch for today.

1 and 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins - use below ingredients on chicken

Oil for grates or 1 Tbs olive oil for pan ( I used my favorite new garlic infused olive oil, yum!)

Garlic Salt

Onion Powder

Pepper

Paprika

Juice of one lemon

8 oz medium pasta shells

1 large tomato or 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved

4 oz fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for garnish

2 Tbs Butter

Fresh Parsley (or dried if needed)

Cook pasta, at the same time you can grill or saute chicken, I salted and peppered mine, added some paprika, onion powder, and Garlic Salt. Grill or Saute for about 3 minutes on each side depending on thickness. At the end I squeezed the juice of one lemon on the chicken. This also helps De-glaze the pan and bring up the little crunchy bits from the pan. Let your chicken cool and cut into thin strips.

When your pasta is done, save about 1 cup of the cooking water for later use. To cool my pasta a little I rinsed it with cold water and then let it drain.

Combine pasta, chicken, butter and Parmesan cheese. Mix together in pan, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a sauce that coats the shells. (I didn't use all the water).

Add mozzarella at the end in order to keep the heat of the pasta and the chicken from making a giant cheese ball in your pasta. I didn't have a chunk of mozzarella so I added a handful of an Italian 6 cheese blend of shredded cheese. This melted just slightly and was wonderful!

I seeded a tomato and then added it in to my bowl after I had dished up Chad's. Yes, he is spoiled!

Chocolate Chip Blondie

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick spray; line pan with a piece of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Spray paper. In a large bowl, whisk butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Add flour , baking soda and salt; mix just until moistened (do not over mix). Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack, and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 16 squares. Store blondie's in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Dinner by Chad aka Bobby Flay

Soy Balsamic Marinade

About 1 lb. skirt steak

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2Tbsp. vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. sugar

Mix together in a zip top bag and put in the skirt steak. Put in the fridge and let sit for at least 6 hours or longer. 15 minutes before grilling, take the meat out of the fridge to get the chill off. Light up the BBQ and set heat to medium to low. Grill meat for about 5 minutes on each side (for medium rare). Remove from grill, cover with foil and let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes, so that the juices redistribute.

Grilled Bread

Sliced Baguette (we used regular french bread and it wasn't firm enough)

Softened Butter

Fresh minced Garlic

Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper
Parsley

Cream Butter and add in Garlic, Cheese and Parsley and Salt (if you use unsalted butter, and pepper to taste).
Cut the Baguette on an angle, spread butter mixture on both sides. Grill on grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until well toasted. Then fight over the last piece...

Erin's Fish Tacos

After watching a very enticing show on the Food Network featuring fish tacos, I decided to give them a try. I combined a few different recipes, added my own touches and came up with something really tasty.

Cole Slaw
4 cups Cabbage, shredded
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
3-4 Scallions, sliced
1/3 cup Vinegar
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Caraway Seeds, toasted

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble your tacos. Feel free to mess around with this. I added some quartered cucumber last night and also thought that shredded carrot would be good. Add what you like, take out what you don't.

Fish
1-1 1/2 pounds Cod
1/2 cup Cornstarch
1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper
1 Egg, beaten
Oil, for frying

Heat oil in skillet and slice fish into strips. Combine remaining ingredients expect egg in shallow dish. Beat egg in separate dish (I used two Pyrex pie plates). Roll fish pieces in flour mixture and then dip in egg. Fry in oil until golden brown.

Toppings
Cilantro
Tomatoes
Avocado
Sour Cream
Lime Wedges or Lime Juice

Heat desired amount of small corn tortillas. Layer tortillas with fish pieces, cole slaw, desired toppings and drizzle with a little lime juice. Enjoy!

I know what you are thinking...this can't be very healthy. But, if you shallow fry your fish in a lower fat oil, such as olive oil, it's not bad. I put this recipe in Weight Watchers and it was only 8 points for two tacos.

Snappy Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

I received this recipe in a pack of recipes we got for our wedding. Sadly, I hadn't had a reason to try it. On Thursday we had a picnic for Enrichment and I decided it was a perfect chance to finally give this a whirl. They were great! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture but they were also very cute.

20 Cherry Tomatoes
1 8-Ounce Package Cream Cheese, softened
2 Green Onions, sliced
2/3 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Whole Kernel Corn
1 tsp Ground Red Chiles (I didn't have ground red chiles so I used 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper...it was a nice kick)

*Cut thin slice from stem end of tomatoes. Remove pulp and seeds with melon baler or spoon. (I don't have a melon baler and the spoon didn't work so good. I held the tomatoes on their sides, and turned them as I sliced out the insides with a knife.)
*Combine cream cheese, onions, cheddar cheese and corn and ground red chiles.
*Fill tomatoes with cheese mixture.
*Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
*Garnish with cilantro or green onions, if desired.

These were such a great "popable" treat. I think they will be my new favorite picnic or BBQ sidedish!

Corn...thingys or hoogies (as mom would say)

Okay so we tried some new corn cob holders, pokers, knobs. I don't know that they actually have a name, but Pampered Chef calls them knobs. When we were married 10 years ago, we received the yellow corn ear holders as a gag gift. Yes, it was suppose to be the worse gift or lamest gift received. Unfortunately for the slightly creepy couple that gave us the vibrating thing, it wasn't the worst. It was one of the most awesome, still used gift that we received. We tried the green corn knobs from Pampered Chef for $3.50. We have found that the dollar store version (that are shaped like real corn :) ) are still the best.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries

Peel and Cut 2 into fry sized pieces. Put into a gallon sized Ziploc bag.

*Add:

2 TBS Brown Sugar (this caramelized the fries)

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 cloves of Fresh Garlic or 1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Freshly ground Pepper

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes on a Pizza stone or grease cookie sheet. We cooked them for 30 and they were just starting to crisp up.

*This is what we added spice wise, in our cooking class she suggested Italian seasoning, jerk seasoning, or you could go the sweet way with cinnamon and nutmeg rather than savory. Be creative and I think you will like them regardless. 2 sweet potatoes (not yams, apparently Yams are pretty rare and about the size of two watermelons...who knew) would feed a family of 4 or 5 for a great side dish.

We made these with Fresh corn, which we cooked wrapped in parchment and microwaved for 2 minutes per ear. If you lightly butter it, you don't have to add more after it is cooked.

Veggie Tales

In order to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle, Spencer and I have decided to incorporate one or two meatless meals into our weekly menu.

I went to All Recipes for some inspiration and found some really great dishes:

Black Bean Lasagna - This was delicious! Spencer had no idea it didn't have any meat in it until I told him. I nixed the bell peppers, cause I'm not a fan and only used about 1 and 1/3 avocados. I hope you try it.

Zucchini Casserole - There are many variations of this casserole but I chose this one. I actually did add a little bit of chicken (it was far outweighed by the veggies) because it felt a little too side-dishy. Spencer really loved this one too!


Others on our waiting-to-try list:

Eggplant Rollatini - The recipe calls for prosciutto but I plan to leave it out.

Eggplant Parmesan - Another meal with many different variations. Use this one or other favorite.

Spinach Mushroom Quiche - I can't wait to try this one! It sounds so good to me.

All Recipes has tons of tasty looking meatless dishes to try. I hope you find some you enjoy! Here's to your health!

Easy Summer BBQ Class

So Chad and I went to a Thanksgiving Point BBQ class this last Saturday. They gave us several great ideas (more to come) one of them being Bulgogi or Korean Beef. (Sounds like Bull- ga- gi) But we call it Bulldoggy ;). We made it on Monday night over sticky rice and with Butternut squash and corn and it was wonderful.

Bulgogi (Korean Beef)

6 Green Onions, rough chop
5 cloves Garlic chopped
½ cup Soy Sauce
2 TBS Olive Oil
2 TBS Brown Sugar
2 TBS Dry Sherry (I used cooking wine)
2 TBS Toasted Sesame Seeds
2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
2 lbs Boneless Sirloin Cut into 2x3x1/4

Combine all ingredients except the meat in a Ziploc bag and mix well. Add the meat, turning to coat completely. Let marinate for at least 1 hour. (Can marinate for several hours) Load on to skewers and grill for several minutes on each side until medium rare or to desired doneness. Serve with steamed rice.

Breakfast In Bed

Because of low funds, I decided to take the creative route with Mother's Day gifts this year. I racked my brain for something cute and fun and finally came up with this:

Using fabric scraps and fiberfill I made a "bed" in the bottom of a box. I tried to make it as realistic as possible with the top section fuller than the rest, as if pillows were underneath the bedspread. I then sewed tiny little throw pillows to complete the look.

I purchased a tasty buttermilk pancake mix at Trader Joe's and doctored it up adding cocoa and milk chocolate chips. So as not to send an undesirable gift, I tried some of my concoction and the resulting pancakes were deeelish!

I put the mix in ziploc bags (not very cute but shipping proof) and attached a homemade card with a cute ribbon. The card read: Mom, This Mother's Day we hope you enjoy breakfast in bed!

Thanfully, the result came out just as good as it was in my brain!

Erin Goes To Cooking School

A few weeks back, our ward held a "funny money" service auction. Many different services were donated including a private 2 hour cooking class. The provider was a man in our ward who once owned a restaurant and went to culinary school in Tuscany. Luckily, I was the winner of such a fabulous service!

On Saturday I went over to his home with his professionally equipped kitchen and received my lesson. We made three dishes: Spaghetti Bolognese, Risotto with Sausage and Leeks and Pastry Cream. They were all extremely delicious! I thought I would share the recipe for the bolognese sauce.

Olive Oil
3 stalks Celery
3 medium Carrots
1 large Onion
3 cloves Garlic
1 cup Red Wine (yes, you have to use the real thing...no cooking wine. It makes all the difference)
1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage
1 pound Ground Beef
1 large can (28 oz.) Tomato Sauce
1/2 can Water
Rosemary
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Chop celery, carrots and onion in food processor. You want the pieces to be the size of small pebbles. Cover bottom of large, shallow pan with olive oil. Heat oil on medium high heat. Once hot (it will start to small fruity), turn down and add vegetables. Slowly saute until veggies begin to soften. Press garlic into mixture and continue cooking for up to 15 minutes. Turn up heat and pour in wine. Stir to de-glaze pan. Add sausage and beef, breaking up into small pieces with wooden spoon. Once meat is mostly cooked, stir in tomatoes, water and spices. Your taste buds will now be your best tool. Add as much spices to reach desired flavor, keeping in mind that as the sauce cooks, the flavors will blend and change. Turn heat down and simmer. The longer, the better. If the sauce is too tart, add about 1 tablespoon of sugar.

This recipe makes a large pot full of sauce. Enough for at least 4-6 adults. You can increase it and place into quarts size bags and freeze for a quick meal.

Baby Shower

This Saturday I threw one of our good friends a Baby Shower and thank goodness for my amazing Christmas gift from Tara! With the recipes and pan I was able to make Key Lime Tarts, Pumpkin chocolate Chip cupcakes, Crab Dip, Guacamole, and Sandwich wraps. And then used my good friend Costco for a large Veggie tray and Cream Puffs. It went very well and Tara they all think you're Amazing!

My Oh My, What A Pie!

I got this pizza crust recipe from my friend Shasta. It's fabulous and always turns out perfectly. This recipe makes two average sized pizzas.

4 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Packages Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
2 tsp Light Brown Sugar

Proof yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and brown sugar for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together 4 cups flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a depression in the middle of the flour and add 3 Tbsp olive oil and 1 cup warm water. When the yeast is proofed, add it to the flour. Mix and gather all ingredients together with hands. Knead on a floured board for 8 to 10 minutes.

Let dough rise in oiled bowl (with a little more oil on top) covered with a towel for 1 1/2 hours. I usually put mine in the oven. When risen, divide in two and roll out to fit the size of your stone.

Place stone in oven and preheat to 500 degrees.

Once hot, remove stone from oven and sprinkle with cornmeal. Working quickly, place dough on stone, rolling at edges to form crust. Layer on desired toppings and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Although she can't yet enjoy whole slices of pizza, Anna sure loves the crust! We hope you like it too!

For Avocado Lovers Like Me

I received this super yummy sauce in a gift basket last Christmas. I use it to make my favorite sandwich. I start with a toasted whole wheat bagel (I've also done it with a whole wheat English muffin or bread) add cream cheese, turkey, some of this raspberry chipotle sauce and of course, lots of avocado slices. It's delicious!



Claim Jumper serves a "California Citrus Salad" that is a real favorite of mine. Here is my re-creation of this favorite. It has chopped lettuce, bleu cheese crumbles(I use gorgonzola), chopped nuts (I've used pecans, almonds or hazlenuts. I think the hazelnuts are my favorite), mandarin oranges, golden raisins, chopped apple and avocado. The dressing I use is pictured below. I think it tastes just like the real deal. Love it!


**Note: I took this to a luncheon the other day. It did not start on time and the salad got a bit soggy. My avocado was a bit soft and since I'd tossed it at home, then it sat on a counter for a while waiting for the lunch to start, I didn't taste nearly as good as is always does at home. So my suggestion is; serve immediately and add avocado after salad is tossed with the dressing.

Quick and Easy Gift Idea

I found this cute cookie jar at Target for about $6.00. I added some rub-on flowers, (mine were from Stamp'n Up but you could get them at any craft store) a coordinating flower tag and filled it with cookies. It made the perfect birthday gift for a friend.

Cookie Sunday #2

I made cookies again this Sunday. Spencer and I ate about 6 of them that night and the rest were packaged up for the good folks at JPMorgan. They took the trip to the city this morning to make their public debut.

Spencer came home tonight telling me that everyone at the office went crazy for them. He could very well be exaggerating but, he said they were all gone within one minute! Apparently they were such a hit that one man even came up to Spencer and told him that I need to market my cookies. "These are much better than Mrs. Fields", he said.

Oh, how I wish! If I could make some moolah just from baking little old cookies that would be amazing! I told Spencer that I would be more than willing to put them in cute little packages and he could sell them for a buck or two a piece. Unfortunately he doesn't feel comfortable trying to make money off of his co-workers. I don't exactly see a problem...they're willing to pay! We actually ended up discussing my options for about a half hour. But in the end, we decided it's a dream that will probably never been realized. Oh well, would be nice!

Potato Salad

12 cups cubed red potatoes
1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook potatoes, covered in boiling water, 10 minutes, or until tender; drain well and cool. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, bell pepper and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over potato mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate.
Notes - I didn't use red potatoes since I only had russets. I left out the onion and used a little onion powder and then added celery, carrots, a hard boiled egg, and I halved this recipe and it still made a lot.

Pizza Potatoes

This is my re-creation of Jon's all-time favorite Staggering Ox dish. They aren't made with traditional potato toppings but I promise, they're delish!

Bake potatoes (one per person) until tender. The key is to get the perfect doneness because you don't want them too mushy or too firm. I error on the side of firm, then cut them into bite-size pieces. Place the pieces in individual-size casserole dishes. If the potatoes are still a bit too firm, I'll put them back in the oven for a few minutes, or if I'm in a hurry, I'll cover the dish with plastic wrap and give 'em a minute or two in the microwave. But if the potatoes turn out to mushy, then they're difficult to cut and the finished product is not nearly as good.

Next top the potato pieces with sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms and olives. Top that with pizza sauce. (Not spaghetti sauce!) Then add cheese. I like to use a mozzarella with a little cheddar combo. Then top that with pepperoni slices and add just a bit more cheese. Place dishes under the broiler until the cheese turns to a melty, bubbly delight. Remove from oven and place casserole dish on a dinner plate and serve with a side of ranch. (No bottled ranch, use the yummy Hidden Valley Ranch envelope mixed with mayo and buttermilk)

The flavors really are great together. As you can see, Jon's always happy when I serve these yummies up for dinner.



I was never tempted by them in the restaurant but after making them for Jon, they became a favorite of mine!