Cooking at Home: the Making of a Cookbook

Bacon Cheddar Scones

2011-10-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious breakfast, courtesy of my friend Missy--they are really good warmed up in the toaster oven for days afterward and slathered with butter.

Bacon Cheddar Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour (really good with whole wheat flour, too)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup whipping cream, divided (I have used just plain milk, too--not as good, but easier)
3/4 cup (3-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Wax paper

Preheat oven to 450°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas (I used a food processor) Add in bacon, chives, cheddar. Combine. Freeze 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cream, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto wax paper; gently press or pat dough into a 7-inch round (mixture will be crumbly). Cut round into 8 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush tops of wedges with remaining 2 Tbsp. cream just until moistened.

Bake at 450° for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Tangy Chicken Fajitas

2011-10-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from my friend Kaylyn. It is super easy and especially nice because you can come home from work and just dump it all in the saute pan.

1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c distilled white vinegar
1/2 c fresh lime juice (I usually just use the bottled stuff for convenience and it is fine)
2 (.7 oz) packages dry Italian style salad dressing mix
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into fajita strips or chunks
1 onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced

flour tortillas

In large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, lime juice and salad dressing mix. Mix together. Add chicken strips, onion and bell pepper. Cover dish and refrigerate. Marinate for 3 to 6 hours (or, in my case, all day).

In large skillet, saute until chicken is cooked through and onion is translucent.

Kaylyn says they eat them in tortillas with sour cream, but the flavor is so fabulous you really don't need anything else. I still like to add cheese and tomatoes, and maybe some cilantro-lime rice, but she's right--they are so good.

Soup au Pistou

2011-10-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite summer soup recipe. First of all, it is so pretty in the pot, second of all, I'm getting all my veggies for the day in one delicious meal, third of all, I can grow almost everything in it. Almost. And it reminds me of Provence. So 10s all the way around.

Soupe au Pistou (fromNot on Love Alone by Jessie Carry Saunders)

Serves a lot--we usually have at least two days of leftovers for two.

1 lb fresh white beans (I just use a can of drained andrinsed cannellini beans)

1 large zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice

3 leeks, white parts only, cut in half and sliced ½ inchthink

½ lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick rounds

1 medium rip tomato, cut in half

4 Yukon Gold potatoes (the small ones), peeled (which Inever do) and cut into ½ inch dice

1 T kosher salt

2 large garlic cloves, smashed and diced

1 large handful of basil leaves, torn up

1/3 c olive oil

¼ lb. small elbow macaroni (just a couple handfuls)

Sea salt

Grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese and baguette for serving

1. If you are using dried beans, soak them inboiling water for an hour, until the beans are just softened. This is why I use canned beans.

2. Putthe first six ingredients, through the tomato, into the pot. Fill with water until the veggies aresubmerged and covered by at least two inches. Add the tablespoon of kosher salt, and bring to a boil.

3. Oncethe soup begins to boil, turn down the heat and keep it at a very gentle simmerfor an hour. Have the prepped potato onhand and add it to the pot when there are 10 minutes left to go in the hour’scooking.

4. Oncethe hour is up, remove the two halves of tomato from the pot and, afterremoving and tossing the skin, put the halves in a small bowl with the garlic,torn basil leaves, and olive oil. Masheverything around a bit with the back of a spoon to release the oils in thebasil, then pour it all back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Taste to see if you need more salt.

5. Bringthe soup back to a gentle boil and add the macaroni. Cook for 10 minutes, until the macaroni is aldente. Season with sea salt, ladle intosoup bowls, and serve with plenty of cheese and bread.

Apple Oven Pancake

2011-10-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Best fall breakfast ever--it is basically a German pancake with sauteed apples in it. Yum. We did half for the two of us and ate it right up! I did not take a picture because we ate it too fast.

Serves 6--from Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Baking

4 T unsalted butter
4 c diced peeled tart apples (3 medium)
2 T firmly packed golden brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon, strained (I just used about 1 1/2 t lemon juice from a bottle)
1/2 t ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, lightly beat
1 c milk
1 c flour
1 t vanilla
1/8 t salt
powdered sugar for dusting

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt 2 T of the butter. Add the apples and saute, turning as needed, just until tender, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Place a baking dish 12 inches in diameter or 9x13 inches in the oven to heat for 5 minutes. Remove dish , add remaining 2 T butter to it, and tilt the dish to coat the bottom and sides with butter. (I just put the butter in it before I put it in the oven, like you do for German pancakes.) Spoon sauteed apples over the bottom of the dish to make an even layer.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, and salt until blended. Carefully pour batter over hot fruit. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Would also be good with pears.

Chicken, Artichoke, and Spinach Calzone

2011-10-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Cook's Country magazine and is delicious.

1 Rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces. (or about 2 breasts in the crockpot, then shredded)
9 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, patted dry, and chopped
2 c. baby spinach
1 1/2 c. low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (1 lb) ball ready-made pizza dough
2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine chicken, artichokes, spinach, mozarella, feta, basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

2. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured counter, roll dough into two 9-in rounds. Working one at a time, place half of filling over half of dough, leaving 1 in border around edges. Brush edges with water, fold dough over filling, and crimp to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

3. Brush rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. oil, transfer calzones to prepared sheet and cut two 1 in slits in top of each calzone. Brush with remaining 1 Tbsp oil and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve.

Yummy!

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-10-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

So, since fall is finally here and last week was cold and rainy, I felt the need for something hot and comforting for dinner. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, modified it a little to what I had on hand, and have to say, I patted myself on the back afterward for a delicious dinner! So good and filling, you don't need much to go with it.

I made 4 individual pot pies (used small pie pans) or you can make one large 9 in. pot pie.

Crust:
I used 2 Pillsbury pie crusts... so easy and yummy.

Filling:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 C. cooked chicken, chopped (I put 2 chicken breasts in my small crockpot and cooked them
for a few hours, then shredded them. Perfect amount and EASY.)
2 carrots, finly chopped
1 c. chopped zuchinni ( or celery)
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup frozen peas
(You can pretty much use whatever veggies you like best)

* Either put one 9 in. crust down in bottom of pie pan, or cut and mold pieces of crust to fit small pie pans.
* Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* In a large saucepan, melt butter. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. In a separate pan, saute mushrooms in olive oil, then stir into saucepan. Stir in chicken, carrot, zuchinni, and potato. Mix well and pour over bottom pie crust. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits (or design) in the top to allow steam to escape.
* Bake in the preheated overn for 30 min. or until pastry is golden brown, and filling is bubbly.

Peaches and Cream Pie

2011-07-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

So, I have absolutely loved my subscription to Cook's Country magazine! I have tried quite a few recipes out of there over the last few weeks and have enjoyed each one! My favorite though has been the Peaches and Cream Pie! How can that not be good!!! When I mentioned to my dad that I was making it, he reminded me that his birthday is coming up soon.
1 (9 in) unbaked pie shell
2 lbs ripe but firm peaches, peeled, halved and pitted
2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c. heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Covcr pie shell with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 min, then freeze for 20 min. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat over to 375 degrees. Line chilled pie shell with two 12-inch squares of aluminum foil, letting foil lie over edges of dough. Top with pie weights. (basically I took my pillsbury pie crust out of the fridge, put it in my pie pan and put it in the freezer for about 10 min. I also just poked holes in it with a fork prior to baking instead of using pie weights but I did put tin foil over it. It tasted great to me!)

2. Place peach halves cut side up on aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp sugar. Bake peaches on upper-middle rack until softened and juice is released, about 20 min, flipping halfway through baking.

3. Place crust on lower-middle rack and bake until edges are lightly browned, about15 minutes. Remove crust from over and carefully remove foil and weights. Continue to bake until bottom of crust is light brown and peaches are carmelized, about 5 minutes. Cool crust and peaches for 15 minutes.

4. Reduce overn temperature to 325 degrees. Cut peaches lengthwise into quarters. Arrange peaches in single layer over crust. Combine remaining 1/2 c. sugar, flour, and salt in bowl. Whisk in cream, egg yolks, and vanilla until smooth. pour cream mixture over peaches. Bake until filling is light golden brown and firm in center, 45-55 minutes. Cool pie on wire rack for at least 3 hours. Serve.

SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!

Butterscotch Pull-Apart Rolls

2010-11-15T23:00:00.001-08:00

This recipe is from Grams, so even if that reason alone, they would be great. I altered the recipe slightly so the butterscotch topping was more of a sauce instead of crumbly. They are good at any time, but are great for a quick breakfast.

Ingredients:

Rhodes frozen dinner rolls-thawed

2 "cups" store-bought butterscotch pudding

1/2 c. brown sugar

4 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

Thaw rools either on counter or in oven set @ 200*. Line rolls in greased bread pan, fitting well as many as you can. In small saucepan, mix together and heat pudding, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Pour over rolls, making sure some sauce gets between rolls and to bottom of pan. Cover and let rise in a warm pace, about an hour, until doubled in size. Bake in over at 350* for 35-40 minutes. Turn out of pan upside down immediately. Best served warm.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-11-15T22:56:00.001-08:00

This is Michelle Bucher's recipe. So easy and using the crockpot, which I love!

Ingredients:

2 medium chicken breasts

1 can italian stewed tomatoes, w/juices

1 can black beans, w/juices

1 (4oz) can green chiles

1/2 c. salsa

1/4 c. tomato sauce

chili powder to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in crockpot; cook on high 3 hrs. Shred chicken and replace in crockpot for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Strawberry Soup

2010-11-15T22:48:00.000-08:00

If you like cold soups, this is good. It kinda tastes like a smoothy, so kids like it too. I'm all about fruit soups in the summer time; something cold and different...and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 pints strawberries
2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1/8 tsp. cardamom

Directions:
In blender combine all ingredients; puree until smooth. Chill and serve.

Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco

2010-11-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

A great, quick, and easy recipe from Pampered Chef using the deep covered baker.

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 c. grape or cherry tomatoes

3 c. uncooked mezze penne pasta

3 c. chicken broth

3/4 c dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)

1/2 tsp each salt and coursely ground black pepper

1 1/4 c. lightly packed fresh basil leaves, divided

1 oz. parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)

2 cups diced grilled chicken breasts

Directions:

Spray baker with olive oil. Slice garlic into backer. Add tomatoes. Cover; microwave on high 4-5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burst, stirring after 2 min. Crush tomatoes using Mix-n-Chop (or whatever you have). Add pasta, broth, wine, salt and pepper. Return baker to microwave; cover and cook on high 16-18 min or until pasta is tender; stirring after 10 min. Meanwhile, coursely chop basil. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Grate cheese (or use pre-grated).

Carefully remove baker from microwave and remove lid. Add remaining basil, cheese, and chicken to baker; mix well. Garnish with 2 tbsp basil, additional parm. cheese, and pepper, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios

2010-11-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

I ordered a basket of fruits and veges through Bountiful Baskets for the first time a couple weekends ago and in it was a bag of brussels sprouts, so I got on the internet and found what looked to be a yummy recipe...and it was! Chad and Troy even liked them too. I did make a few changes though. I cut all my brussels sprouts in half, which helped them steam better and took all the bitterness out. I also caramelized the onions in butter first, then added the vinegar. I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out.

Ingredients:

2 pounds brussels sprouts (I don't know what my bag weighed but I used the whole bag)

1/2 c. unsalted butter

3 small onions, cut into strips

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp white sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. coursely chopped pistachios

Directions:

Place brussels sprouts in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover saucepan and steam 8-10 minutes or until tender yet crisp. Melt butter in deep skillet, ad onions and 3 tbsp vinegar; cook until onions brown. Add brussels sprouts, sugar and remaining vinegar. Saute over medium heat until lightly caramelized. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with pistachios.

Chocolate Zuchinni Muffins

2010-08-30T19:58:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on the "For the Love of Cooking" blog and thought they looked awesome! Well, I was correct, they are so delicious and such a great way to use those excess zuchinni from the garden! A little bit on the "healthier" side with half whole wheat flour and zuchinni. Try them, you'll love them:-)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmet
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup zuchinni, shredded
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

- Preheat overn to 350 degrees. Coat muffing tray with cooking spray (or use muffin cups).
- Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, baking posder, cocoa, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl and mix thoroughly.
- In another bowl, whisk together milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add shredded zuchinni and stir. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined then add chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tray, filling each cup to the top.
- Bake in overn for 17-20 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let muffing cool before serving. Enjoy!

(Picture to come when I find my memory stick adapter:-))

Dirt Cookies

2010-07-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've had this recipe for a couple years, but have never used it. I've been thinking about it lately and how badly I wanted to try these cookies. They have oreos in them...need I explain further? Another recipe I got off allrecipes.com, and its an absolute hit among Chad and myself. I must warn, though...if you've have made giving up sweets a goal for yourself at this time, wait to make them, as they are literally addicting! :-)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 c. butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c. crushed oreo cookies

Directions:

Sift together flour, soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, cream sugar, brown sugar, and butter together till smoth. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Put oreo cookies in ziplock bag and crush using a rolling pin until pieces are no larger than peas. Mix crumbs into dough. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375* F. Grease cookie sheet. Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto sheet. Bake 10-11 min. Cool and wire rack. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Broiled Salmon with Creamy Lemon Sauce

2010-07-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the picture makes it look kinda gross, but this is really delicious. The sauce is so easy to make and pretty much takes 20 minutes to make the whole thing. Another great recipe out of the Southbeach Cookbook. I do use freshly squeezed lemon juice and use the Coscto salmon fillets which work very nicely. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c. lemon juice (best freshly squeezed)

2 tbsp capers

1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning

1/2 c. fat-free sour cream

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Stir in lemon juice, capers, and lemon-pepper seasoning and cook for 5 min. Add sour cream and cook for 5 min, or until heated through. Meanwhile, place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 min or until the fish is just opaque. Serve with the sauce.

Caribbean Baked Chicken with Mango

2010-07-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

Got this recipe from Southbeach Cookbook. It was very good. A bit spicy with the jerk seasoning, just so you all know, but very tasty. Troy didn't even mind the spice.

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, halved

2 cloves minced garlic

1 slice (1/4" thick") peeled fresh ginger

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp jerk seasoning

1 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 mango, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450* F. Coat a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray. In food processor, combine onion, jerk seasoning, allspice, and salt. Process until very finely chopped, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down sides of container. Spread mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts. Place chicken in baking pan. Bake for 30 min, or until thermometer inserted into thickets part registers 170*F and juices run clear. Place chicken on plates and scatter mango on top. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

2010-06-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite of ours and a classic stoneware recipe from The Pampered Chef. Another perk, so easy to make, and Troy even likes it! :-)

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use canned chicken)
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed (I use equiv. of minced garlic)
1 cup sharp shredded cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp salt
2 (8 oz) pkg refridgerated cresent rolls (keep in fridge till ready to use)
2 tbsp slivered almonds, optional
1 egg white, lightly beaten, also optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*. Mix together all ingredients well. Unroll 1 pkg dough; don't separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of rectagle stone. Repeat with remaining pkg of dough. Roll dough to seal perforations. (I just use my fingers to seal it). Spread filling evenly in the middle of dough. Lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip on turn. On the ends, do so to enclose mixture and close ends off. Brush egg white over dough. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-05-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

I know everyone loves good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies and these are SOOOO good! Another recipe I found off AllRecipes.com when I didn't buy the Nestle's chocolate chips with the recipe printed on the back of the bag. Paired with a nice glass of ice cold milk... it's hard to beat!Ingredients:

2/3 c butter flavored shortening

2/3 c butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla (yes, tablespoon)

3 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix thoroughly the shortening, butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Place on cookie sheet by rounded tablespoon scoops. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until centers are set and very light brown. Cool 2-3 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Enjoy!

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

2010-05-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

I had gotten a bag of frozen tilapia fillets one day at the store because they are fairly cheap and I wanted to add more fish into our diets, but I had no idea how to make them tasty. I googled tilapia and found this awsome recipe on MyRecipes.com. It's really easy, especially if you do all the food prep first and just have it waiting to be dumped in the pan. Lots of flavor and a nice meal that's out of the ordinary.

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp dark sesame oil, divided

- 2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

- 1 cup chopped green onions

- 1 tsp curry powder

- 2 tsp red curry paste

- 1/2 tsp ground cumin

- 4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

- 1 Tbsp brown sugar

- 1/2 tsp salt, divided

- 1 (14 oz) can light coconut milk

- 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

- 4 (6 oz) tilapia fillets

- cooking spray

- 3 cups hot cooked basmati rice

- 4 lime wedges

Preparation:

Preheat broiler.

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over med. heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Brush fish with 1/2 tsp oil; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Cowboy Caviar

2010-05-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe is straight from Dad. I loved it at Christmas but hadn't made it myself until a few weeks ago. Jason and I seriously ate the entire bowl in one sitting, and I have made it about once a week ever since. We took it to our church retreat this past weekend, and it was gone within about 30 minutes. I imagine this would be good on top of a chicken salad (the dressing is amazing), but I never have enough left over to try.

Ingredients:
1 can corn, drained (I use about a cup of frozen corn)
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (in a pinch, pinto beans or even black beans work)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (in a pinch, a can of diced tomatoes, drained, works)
2/3 cup green onions
2/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 avocados, chopped (add right before serving)

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 lime, zested and juiced

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Mix all remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in dressing. Chill and serve with tortilla chips!

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

2010-05-01T11:15:00.001-07:00

Don't have a picture, but I love this recipe (and it sounds like everyone else does too), so I thought it necessary to include in our cookbook.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (14oz) can beef broth
3 lbs boneless pork ribs
1 (18oz) bottle bbq sauce
sandwich buns

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour can of beef broth into slow cooker and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on high heat for 4 hrs, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat, and shred with two forks. It will seem that it's not working right away, but it will.
2. Preheat oven to 350* F. Transfer shredded pork to an oven-safe dish and stir in bbq sauce.
3. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.
4. Serve on sandwich buns.
ENJOY!!!

Slow-Cooker Pepper Steak

2010-05-01T10:48:00.001-07:00

So I got this recipe from allrecipes.com which is one of my favorite recipe websites. I've made it twice and love it. I usually make it for lunch when Chad works that evening, so I usually have it on high for 4 hrs. My recommendations, though, are to let it cook for the full 8 hrs and have it for dinner. The longer it cooks, the more tender the meat (and the more yummy).

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs beef sirloin, cut into 2 in strips

garlic powder to taste

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cube beef bouillon

1/4 c. hot water

1tbsp cornstarch

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 large green bell peppers, roughtly chopped

1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid

3 tbsp soy sauce

1tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.

3. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hrs, or on low for 6-8 hrs.

Blackberry Cobbler

2010-04-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

My friend Missy P. sent this recipe around after we went blackberry picking a few years ago, so I figured after you all stock up on blackberries at the Farm this summer you will need to try it. Amazing. I've adapted it slightly based on Missy's suggestions--the crust is amazing, so you will want as much of it as you can get.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups white sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup plus 2 T boiling water
4 cups blackberries
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

* In a saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Mix in remaining 1 cup sugar (I only used 3/4 cup and it was still pretty sweet), lemon juice, and blackberries. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour berries in a 9X9 (or similar) baking dish.

* Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup boiling water just until mixture is evenly moist.Drop dough into the blackberries by spoonfuls. Place dish on foil lined baking sheet.

* Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven until dough is golden brown.

Indian Spiced Chickpea and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

2010-02-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

So, it's clearly soup season around here! This soup is simple, warm, delicious, and healthy, and (because this is the true test of a great soup) even better the next day. This is straight from Rachael Ray. She says it serves 4 as a first course, but I think that making the whole recipe is easily 4 full meals, if not a bit more. Of course, these days we like to eat it over rice, which makes it go a bit further...

Ingredients:
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground cardamom
1/2 t turmeric
salt and pepper
2 c chicken of vegetable stock
1 (28-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes*
1 cup plain yogurt
Warm pita, any flavor or variety, toasted

*note about the tomatoes: on the show, Rachael used crushed fire roasted tomatoes, but at my store they only sell diced fire roasted tomatoes (which are actually a new addition to the tomato aisle, thank goodness). I just popped them in the food processor for a couple seconds once I was done with the chickpeas and it comes out splendidly.

1. Heat a medium pot with the extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Grind the chickpeas and onion in food processor. Add to pot and cook 5 minutes to sweeten onion.

3. Season the chickpeas with cumin, cardamom, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir in stock, then tomatoes.

4. Simmer soup 5-10 minutes to combine flavors. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and warm pita for dipping.

Caramelized Butternut Squash with Kerchief Pasta

2010-02-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

Mmm, mmm, mmm. I planted sage specifically for this recipe, and I have seriously made it as often as Jason will let me this winter! This is from last fall's Williams Sonoma catalog. Also I don't believe in making my own pasta, so I just use good quality bowtie pasta. And, seriously, make the whole box, because it is even better leftover.

Ingredients:
9 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 kabocha or butternut squash, 2 1/2 to 3 lb., peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. finely diced shallots
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbs. minced fresh sage
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lb. fresh pasta sheets, cut into 2-inch squares (see related recipe at left)
1 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Directions:
In a braiser over medium-high heat, melt 3 Tbs. of the butter. Add the squash in a single layer and cook, without stirring, until browned underneath, about 6 minutes. Stir the squash and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes more. Add the sugar, broth, salt and pepper, cover and cook until the squash is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the squash is dark brown and glazed, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the squash mixture to a bowl.

In the same pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 6 Tbs. butter until light brown spots appear, about 2 minutes. Add the shallots, nutmeg and sage and cook, stirring constantly, until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the squash.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the squash mixture and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta to a warmed large, shallow bowl and sprinkle with some of the cheese. Serve immediately and pass the remaining cheese alongside. Serves 4 to 6.

Split Pea Soup

2010-02-09T07:44:00.001-08:00

This is my new favorite thing to make, especially since the weather is so frightful right now! If the idea of split pea soup makes you nervous, you probably haven't tasted it yet. I am a bonefide garden pea hater, and I love pea soup. So tasty and filling and bacony. Give it a try!

I got this recipe from the Williams-Sonoma "Soup" cookbook. It serves 4, so be prepared to double it if you want lots of leftovers--the first time we had it, we only ended up with a half-serving for lunch the next day.

1 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c dried green or yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed, and drained
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
6 sliced bacon
2 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 t finely chopped fresh marjoram or 1/4 t dried marjoram
1/2 t finely chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 t dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and saute until just slightly softened, 3 minutes.

2. Add the split peas, stock, 2 slices of bacon, parsley, marjoram, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook until peas are tender, 50-60 minutes. Discard the bacon.

3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, fry the remaining 4 slices bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to draim. When cool, crumble and set aside.

4. Coarsely puree 2 cups of the soup in a food processor and return to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, return the soup to medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Manicotti with Cheese and Spinach

2010-01-29T08:13:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Kara West when I babysat her kids in college. It's very simple and really good! It's one of the first recipes I made for Adam too and he has always liked it. It's a meatless dish but I've added italian sausage to the cheese mixture or used a meat sauce on occasion... you know how guys like meat!

14 pieces of uncooked Manicotti or a box of jumbo shells

1 15oz container part-skim ricotta cheese

2 c. shredded mozarella

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 c. spaghetti sauce (any flavor but I like garlic parmesan)

-Cook pasta in boiling water for 6-8 minutes, drain well and cool on wax paper.

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-In large bowl, stir together cheeses, spinach, salt, and pepper.

-Spoon mixture into cooled pasta tubes or shells.

-Spready thin layer of sauce on bottom of 13x9x2 baking dish and arrange pasta in single layer over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over pasta and cover pan with foil.

-Bake for 40 min; remove foil and bake for 15 more min. or until hot and bubbly.

Blackberry Olive Oil Pancakes

2010-01-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

So, my camera has been in the kitchen all week, thus all the posts! These pancakes are my new favorite breakfast food. They taste almost like having blackberry pie for breakfast, they are that good. We had them this morning with blackberries some friends in July. Even though there was snow on the ground, it tasted like summer. Jason’s suggestion would be to use buttermilk, since the tang really does make a difference. Of course, we don’t generally keep buttermilk on hand, so I’ve made these with regular milk more often.

I got this recipe from a great food blog, www.ohsweetbasil.com.

Blackberry Olive Oil Pancakes

Adapted from José Andrés on Delish

1 ¾ c flour (tasty with whole wheat flour)

2 T sugar

2 t baking powder

½ t baking soda

¼ t salt

1 ½ c buttermilk (regular milk will do in a pinch)

¼ c extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for cooking

1 egg

½ c fresh blackberries

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl.

Whisk in the egg, buttermilk, and olive oil until you have a smooth batter, then stir. Be sure to not over stir–it’ll make the pancakes tough and flat rather than being light and fluffy.

Carefully fold blackberries in to the batter.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. Ladle 1/4 cup of the pancake mixture into the pan and cook until golden brown. Flip the pancake with spatula and cook until golden brown on the second side. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more olive oil to the pan as needed.

http://ohsweetbasil.blogspot.com/2009/09/blackberry-olive-pancakes.html

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

2010-01-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this recipe in the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook while searching for a salmon recipe with sauce so that Jason could stomach eating fish once a week. It is tasty, and the sauce is sweet, and good. I don't usually love balsamic vinegar, and whoa nelly, the fumes while reducing it are enough to send you over the roof (keep a safe distance when sniffing). But by the time you sit down to eat it, it is just all goodness. And really good with rice to soak up the extra sauce.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes

4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 t extra-virgin olive oil
1 t fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 450 F.

Season salmon with salt and pepper; place in an ovenproof baking dish and bake until opaque throughout, 10-12 minutes.

While fish is cooking, place vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1/3 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in oil and lemon juic, and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on serving plates and drizzle with glaze.

Makes 4 servings

Pan Roasted Chicken

2010-01-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

This recipe is unbelievably easy and always turns out fantastic! It looks and tastes nice and fancy, but it's a piece of cake and about 20 minutes from start to finish. You just need a pan that you can move from cooktop to oven.

I got this out of the Martha Stewart's Cooking School book.

1 pint grape tomatoes
16 large black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and halved
3 T capers (nonpareil), drained and rinsed
3 T olive oil
4 boneless chicken breast halves (the recipe calls for skin-on, but I have always used skinless)
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

Prepare sauce: Heat oven to 475 F. Toss tomatoes, olives, capers, and 2 T oil together in a bowl.

Sear chicken: Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add remaining tablespoon oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Place chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Use tongs to flip chicken, then add tomato mixture to skillet.

Roast: Transfer skillet to oven and roast chicken until cooked through and tomatoes have softened, 15-18 minutes.

Serve: Transfer everything to a platter, or divide chicken among plates and spoon some tomato mixture over the top.

Herb and Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2010-01-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

This was the first recipe I made for Jason that he actually liked, so it is dear to my heart. Plus, it is good for when company comes over because it bakes in the oven and gives you time to get everything else ready! Plus-plus, it is really tasty...

I got this from the Pillsbury Complete Cookbook. I've made it with a variety of herbs instead of just parsley, but the parsley is good--and I don't even like parsley that much. I would definitely use fresh parsley instead of dried if you can.

Herb Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 t chopped fresh oregano
OR 1/4 t dried oregano
2 T olive or vegetable oil
2 (14.5 oz) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 c sliced ripe olives
4 t cornstarch

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Using sharp knife, cut 3-inch slit in meaty side of each chicken breast half to form pocket.

2. In small bowl, combine feta cheese, parsley, oregano and oil; mix well. Gently spoon 1/4 of mixture into each pocket. Place chicken in ungreased 13X9-inch (3 quart) baking dish.

3. In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, and cornstarch; mix well. Pour over chicken.

4. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear.

Coconut Shrimp (w/ Pina Colada Dipping Sauce)

2010-01-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

Okay girls, here's the recipe to the winning coconut shrimp. I'm so glad everyone loved it. Glad all my raving wasn't for nothing! By the way, I'm depending on Shaant to post the picture since it was taken on her camera. :-)

COCONUT SHRIMP

Ingredients:

8 large prawns
flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup panko japanese crumbs
oil for frying
parchment or wax paper

Tempura Batter Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda
2 egg whites
1 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. paprika

Directions:
Clean, peel, and butterfly prawns. Mix up tempura batter by combining ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. Lightly coat prawns with flour, dip in tempura batter, then roll and crust in blend of coconut and panko. Carefully lay prawns on parchment (or wax) paper and freeze for 1 hour to allow bonding of crusting. Deep fry in oil until crust is golden brown. Serve with pina colada sauce.

PINA COLADA DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 cup pina colada non-alcoholic drink mix, bottled

1/4 cup water

1 T. crushed pinapple, drained

1 1/2 T. sweetened flake coconut

3 1/2 T. powdered sugar

1 1/2 t. cornstarch

1 T. cold water

Directions:

Mix first 5 ingredients in a saucepan. Heat on med-low heat until sauce begins to simmer; stir frequently. Let simmer slowly for 10-12 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water together, add to sauce, and blend well. Let simmer 3-5 more min while stirring during and after cornstarch is added. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve.

Fresh Ginger Cake with Caramelized Pears

2009-12-12T13:09:00.001-08:00

This recipe looks pretty fancy, but the cake itself is a cinch--I made in at 10:00 the other night for a dinner on Friday, and I was still in bed by 11. The caramelized pears...well, Jason made those while I was getting dressed for dinner and the play. The recipe suggests that you serve the caramel sauce, etc., immediately, but we just brought the cooked pears and caramel over separately and then heated them up together in a skillet before we served the cake. As I'm typing this, there are two leftover pieces of cake on a plate downstairs, just waiting for me. Yum, yum, yum.

I got this from the book A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. She says to be sure to use standard unsulfered molasses like Grandma's Original, not blackstrap molasses. I had a hard enough time finding the regular molasses, so you shouldn't have a problem.

For the cake:
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 c unsulfered molasses
1/4 c sour cream (not low fat or nonfat)
4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 t finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 t grated lemon zest

For the caramelized pears:
2 medium firm-ripe pears
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 c sugar
3 T water
3 T heavy cream
1 1/2 t brandy or bourbon (not being brandy drinkers, we used vanilla)
Salt

Set an over rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the molasses, sour cream, butter, brown sugar, egg, ginger, and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.

Bake until a tester comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack. Cool to room temperature.

When you're ready to serve, prepare the caramelized pears. Carefully peel the pears and cut each lengthwise into 8 wedges, discarding the cores. Place them in a medium bowl, and toss them with the lemon juice.

In a heavy skillet just large enough to hold the pears in one layer--10-inches or so--melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pears and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and continue to cook, shaking the skillet and gently turning the pears, until the sugar is melted and the pears are tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears back to their bowl (together with any leftover lemon juice).

Still over medium heat, boil the sugar-butter mixture remaining in the skilled, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn a deep shade of caramel. While the mixture cooks, combine the water and cream in a small bowl or cup. When the caramel is the right color, remove the skilled from the heat and carefully add the cream mixture. Then add the brandy (or vanilla) and a pinch of salt. Return the skillet to heat and simmer, stirring, until thickened slightly (If your caramel seized when you added the liquids, just whisk briskly until it is smooth again.)

Serve the cake in wedges with a few pieces of pear alongside and caramel drizzled over the top. And whipped cream. Mmm...

Pumpkin Roll

2009-12-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

Jason's mom gave me this recipe, after I devoured seriously half a pumpkin roll all by myself. She got it out of the magazine American Profile. If you're into baking ahead of time, this is a perfect recipe--it needs to be frozen before it is served so that you can slice it without smashing the cake. Plus, you can always use the extra pumpkin for making Pumpkin Spice Lattes...

Pumpkin Roll
1 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup flour
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
3/4 cups chopped pecans
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 t vanilla
2 T margarine
1 cup sifted powdered sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on the towel

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, eggs, and pumpkin in a bowl. Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in another bowl. Combine flour and pumpkin mixtures.

* Grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil and line with greased wax paper. Extend paper over sides of baking sheet (I used a medium sized pan and it was perfect.). Pour batter onto sheet and spread evening in pan on waxed paper. Sprinkle with pecans and bake for 15 minutes.

* For filling, beat softened cream cheese, vanilla, margarine, and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.

* Sprinkle additional powdered sugar on a clean dish towel; flip cooked pumpkin cake face down on towel and remove waxed paper. Roll loosely and let set until cooled.

* When cool, unroll cake and spread with filling. Roll again (without the towel). Wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. Unwrap and slice while frozen.

Sugar and Spice Cookies

2009-12-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

Strangely, I don't remember these cookies much from growing up, but I now make them EVERY Christmas...even if no other baking gets done! This is Grandma Bunn's recipe for molassesy goodness. The recipe makes 5-6 dozen cookies, so get out all your cookie sheets for these ones!

Mix together:
1 c. soft shortening
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses

Sift and stir in:
4 c. flour
4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ginger
2 t. cloves
2 t. cinnamon

Roll into balls the size of walnuts and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Asparagus-Mushroom Quiche

2009-12-03T23:15:00.001-08:00

This is another recipe I got from Shaant. It's absolutely delicious and I made it today! I pretty much ate half the quiche myself. :-)

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon (or bacon bit equivalent)
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 c. chopped fresh asparagus
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
2 eggs
3/4 c. half and half
1 (8 in.) unbaked pie shell
1 egg white, beaten slightly
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese (any cheddar cheese will do)
1/4 c. feta cheese
1/2 t. salt
pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400*. Cook bacon till crisp, drain, crumble and set aside (skip this step if using bacon bits). Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Reduce heat to med and add mushrooms; cook until tender, set aside. Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil, cook asparagus until just tender (1-2 min). Immediately drain and run under cold water. Brush pie shell with egg white (I skipped this step today and the bottom of the pie crust was mush, so next time I will be using the egg white). Place onion/mushroom mixture, asparagus, and bacon in bottom. Sprinkle cheese on top. Whisk together half and half, egg, salt and petter and pour over top. Bake uncovered for 35-40 min or until firm and lightly browned on top. Let cool and serve.

Quick Clam Linguine

2009-12-03T23:09:00.000-08:00

I don't know where she originally got this recipe, but I got it from Shaant. After having Troy, she and mom got together with me to give me new recipe and meal ideas for me to use for cooking. I was getting a bit overloaded and needed some help in that area. It really is very quick to cook and is quite tasty.

Ingredients:
1 (9 oz) pkg linguine noodles
2 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams, undrained
1/4 c. butter or margerine
5 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese
2 T. dried parsley flakes

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside. Drain clams, reserving 3/4 c. liquid, set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over med-high heat; add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 min. Add reserved clam sauce and cream. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 11 minutes. Add clams, cook over low heat, stirring constantly until heated. Pour over pasta, add

cheese and parsley and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

2009-11-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

A classic Johnson family recipe that I believe originally came from our Aunt Jan. These are easy and so delicious! The whole family will love them:-)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together:

1/2 c. applesauce

1/4 c. cooking oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

Add:

1 c. flour (great with whole wheat flour)

6 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. blueberries (or more if you want)

Place in paper baking cups or greased muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Yummmmmmy!

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

2009-11-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

This recipe looks a bit weird (cabbage? feta? no meat?), but I promise it is amazing. And just so easy you will want to sing a tune. My pre-Christmas resolution is to spend less time in the kitchen during December, and I think I will be making these once a week--tonight they took no more than 15 minutes, combined with a quick-cook packet of Mexican rice. Yum.

I got this recipe from the blog www.ohsweetbasil.blogspot.com, and apparently she got it from Bon Appetit Magazine. Give 'er a try!

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 white or yellow corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce (which I, not surprisingly, do without)

1. Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash.

2. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer.

4. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.

5. Fill tacos with feta and slaw and eat up!

Sonoma Chicken Pasta

2009-11-14T13:55:00.001-08:00

I kinda just made this recipe up trying to sass up a pasta alfredo meal I made one time. It's really yummy, though. Here's how I make it:

Ingredients:
for alfredo sauce:
1 pint heavy cream
1 c. shredded parmesan cheese, plus a little for garnish
garlic salt, to taste

1/2 box twisty pasta (I use rotini)
1/4 c. sundried tomatos, diced
1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1-2 chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
olive oil
garlic salt
dash of pepper

Directions:
Trim chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet with olive oil until cooked through. Put on plate and set aside. In the meantime, cook pasta in a med-large pot according to directions, usually al dente. Cook alfredo sauce using alfredo recipe (see alfredo sauce recipe). Once sauce is cooked, keep warm and stir occasionally while everything else is cooking.
Saute' mushrooms in same pan as chicken was cooked in, add more olive oil if needed for sauteeing. When done, add chicken back to pan and add sundried tomatos; mix together. Drain pasta when done. Add chicken, mushrooms, and tomatoes to pasta; then add alfredo sauce. Mix well. Serve with shredded parmesan as garnish.

**As a side note, I do want to mention that I have never really measured the sundried tomatos or mushrooms. I just kinda add what looks good. I guestimated on the measurements, so add or subtract according to what looks good to you.

Alfredo Sauce

2009-11-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

I don't have a picture, but I do have one of the simplest recipes I know; it's for an alfredo sauce that is so yummy I consider it comparable to Olive Garden alfredo sauce.

Ingredients:
1 (16oz) carton heavy whipping cream (emphasis on the heavy; not the same if its regular)
1 cup shredded parmesean cheese
garlic salt

Directions:
Heat heavy cream in small saucepan. When hot, add cheese and stir until melted and well mixed. Season to taste with garlic salt. Pour overtop cooked noodles of choice!

From personal experience, just remember that milk products heat FAST on the stove, so don't neglect and let it boil over. It will make you SO mad. I've told myself over and over again that I should never be allowed to heat milk on the stove for this reason. It happens to me about half the time! :-)

French Toast Souffle

2009-11-05T20:20:00.001-08:00

I made this recipe for Christmas morning last year and it was delicious. I was pleasantly suprised. I'd been wanting to find a french toast recipe like this for a couple years, after I had one at our Royalty Womens retreat weekend up in McCall a few years ago.

Ingredients:

10 cups white bread cubes

1 (8oz) pkg lowfat cream cheese, softened

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2/3 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions:

Place bread cubes in a lightly greased 9x13 in. baking pan. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in milk, half and half, maple syrup, and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over the bread; cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove souffle from fridge and let stand at room temp for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat overn to 375*. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean. Spring with powdered sugar and serve warm. Add extra maple syrup on top if your taste buds are calling for it!

Chicken Tacos

2009-11-05T20:10:00.000-08:00

I made chicken tacos the other day and they are just so yummy, and a nice change from beef tacos every once in a while. I use my crockpot to make them. I use 3 chicken breasts, trimmed (serves plenty for 2 plus left-overs), place them in crockpot with about 1/2 cup water, add chicken taco (or regular taco) seasoning and cook on high for a 2-3 hours. When the chicken is done, shred apart with a couple forks. The chicken literally falls apart. I usually mix it around in the crockpot with the juices and seasoning and let it marinate for a few minutes while I prepare the side items, which can include but not limited to:

black beans

shredded cheese

tomatos

lettuce

cilantro

green onions

avocado

olives

taco sauce

sour cream

...and I like to squeeze some fresh lime juice over it all to add the mexican zing!

Meat Lasagna

2009-11-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Shelli. She made it once when we were in college and I fell in love. After eating this lasagna, I'm only slightly satisfied by the store bought stuff. It makes either 1 very large pan that feeds LOTS or 2 smaller pans. I like to make the 2 smaller pans and freeze one for later. It's always nice to be able to pull out a pan of homemade lasagna without the work and have a nice yummy meal without having to cook that night. Keep in mind that if you do freeze part of the lasagna, the cooking time will increase by 30-45 minutes. If you are able, it does help to take it out of the freezer a few hours before cooking to let thaw some. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 lbs hamburger

1 (26 oz) can Hunt's tomato sauce

1 (26oz) can chunky vegetable tomato sauce

1 onion

2 lbs cottage cheese

2 1/2 lbs grated mozzerella cheese

7 oz ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1 box oven-ready lasagna noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Cook hamburger in a large skillet. Add chopped onions. When onions are soft, add spaghetti sauces. Season to taste. While sauces are heating through, mix cheeses (over 1/2 of mozzerella) and egg together. Spread a layer of meat sauce on the bottom of pan, then layer with 3 noodles. Top noodles with a layer of meat sauce, then cheese, then 3 more noodles. Repeat until sauce and noodles are gone. (I can usually get 3 layers in.) The last layer will be the cheeses, topped with the remaining mozzerella. Tent with foil, then bake @ 350* for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Let stand to cool for a few minutes before serving. ENJOY!

Pasta e Fagioli

2009-11-05T09:21:00.001-08:00

A friend turned me on to this recipe through a recipe blog - For the Love of Cooking. All I can say is sooooooo delicious! Great for a cold night and a loaf of crusty bread!

2 tsp. olive oil

2-3 turkey italian sausages, casing removed (I used sausage links, sliced and quartered)

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, blended

4 cups of chicken broth

2 15 oz. can of white beans, drained

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

pinch of crushed red pepper

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 cup of tubed shaped pasta

1-2 cups fresh baby spinach

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large durch oven over med. heat. Add diced onion and sautee for 3-4 min. or until softened. Add the turkey sausage and cook until done and well crumbled. (Again, I just browned my sausage pieces) Add garlic and stir constatnly for 60 seconds then add the chicken broth. Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a blender and blend, then pour into dutch oven. Add drained beans and seasonings to the soup and simmer partly covered for 1-2 hours.

When you are ready to eat, turn the soup up to a slow boil then add the pasta and cook per instructions. Taste the soup and re-season if needed. Once the pasta is cooked, add the fresh spinach and parsley. Serve with a bit of freshly frated parmesan cheese on top. Yummy!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

2009-11-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

This is a delicous recipe that I got from a co-worker. It is great to throw everything in the crockpot early in the day and have a hearty meal in the evening. It's also a good recipe to use game meat in because it is very flavorful and can help cover up some of the gamey taste.

1-2 lbs. cubed beef stew meat (I usually use elk)
1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup (1 per lb. of meat)
1/2 - 1 packet onion soup mix (depending on how flavorful you like it)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 oz. cream cheese
4-6 oz. fresh mushrooms
dollop of sour cream
salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

Combine meat, soups, onion, water and Worcestershire sauce in a crockpot.

Optional: sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and about 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic (I don't do this because the onion soup mix has plenty of flavor)

Cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for about 5 hours.

About 30 min before serving: Saute mushrooms in oil and add them (I usually just put them in without sauteeing - saves time and dishes). Stir in cream cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Serve over whole wheat egg noodles. Enjoy!!!

Introduction...

2009-11-04T02:47:00.000-08:00

The Johnson girls: Missy, Shaanti, Jenny, and Kim. We decided to make a family cookbook, doing so through a blog, then when we felt we had enough recipes, pictures of the meals, and any extras that may accompany a cookbook, we would have it printed. So here's the beginning. Here's to the beginning of months of cooking, searching for new recipes, trying new things, and enjoying the "fruits of our labor". I look forward to adding new recipes and trying those that my sisters add. May the cooking begin!....Jenny