Pass the Salt

Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

2011-10-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

I made these to treat my co workers for my birthday. They were a hit. I was asked many times for the recipes. I caved and tasted a sliver of one. It was tasty.
I found this on the Internet. I think Paula Dean.
Crust
2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 cubes butter
Combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter. (I used Imperial). Press in bottom of a 9X13 pan that has been lined with foil. Bake 350* for 15 minutes.
Filling
2 pkg. cream cheese (I used low fat)
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla ( I used Mexican)
In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Pour over warm crust
Filling Part 2
3 apples (it calls for Granny Smith but green apples from our Golden Delicious worked great)
2 TB sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Peel, core and finely chop the apples. Combine with sugar and spices. Sprinkle on top of the cream cheese filling.
Streusel Topping
1 c. flour
1.c brown sugar
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c (1 cube) butter
Cut together and sprinkle on top of the rest of the great stuff.
Bake 250* for 30 minutes.
Top with 1/2 c. Carmel ice cream topping....oh no! I forgot to add the Carmel topping...but it still tasted great.

Apple Stuffed Turkey Breast

2011-10-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am loving the crockpot. It is so nice to come home with a welcome of dinner already cooking. This recipe is from a Gooseberry Patch cookbook called Superfast Slow Cooker Recipes.
I have changed it to meet our needs.
1 1/2 c wild rice. I couldn't find just wild rice so I used Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild rice. I added the seasoning packet. I am going to try it plain next time.
2 apples peeled and chopped
1 small onion chopped
1/2 c dried cranberries
3 cups water
1 small turkey breast (it has to fit in the crockpot..duh)
Put wild, apples, onion and berries in a crockpot. Pour water over and stir. Put turkey breast on top. Cook on low 8 hours (or until done)
I am serving this at the Applekin Festival. Held on October 22, 2011. All day.

Easy As Apple Pie

2011-09-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

I am trying new apple recipes. Yes, I cheated and tried these pies. They are great. Steve and I both liked the Sour Cream the best, but we will definitely be making both pies again.
Sour Cream Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
Filling:
1 c. sour cream
2/3 sugar
2 TB. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3 c. peeled thinly sliced apples
1 9 in pie shell, frozen or chilled in the freezer at least 30 minutes

Topping:
1/2 c. brown sugar packed
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter room temperature
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400*. Beat together sour cream, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla and egg. (You can beat by hand, which I did.) Add apples, mixing carefully to coat well. Put filling into shell and bake at 400* for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Cinnamon Crumb Topping. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Let cool an hour before serving. Serves 8.

Yummy crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

Pastry for single crust pie...( I just buy the pastry from Pillsbury or Western Family)
1/2 c. sugar
3 TB. flour
1tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 c. thinly sliced peeled apples

Crumb Topping
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1/2 c. quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 c. butter

Final Topping
1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping
1/2 c. chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar,flour,cinnamon and salt. Add apple slices and gently toss until they are well coated. Tranfer to pie shell.
For crumb topping: Stir together brown sugar, flour and oats. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the topping resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apple mixture in pie. To prevent overbrowning while baking, cover edge of pan with foil. Bake at 375* for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 25 -30 minutes longer. (I actually raised the temp after 25 minutes to add the sour cream pie- it worked great). Remove from oven, Drizzle top with caramel topping and sprinkle with pecans. Cool on wire rack.

Chicken Pizza Packets

2011-09-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Lacey sent me this recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but she loved it. I plan on trying it soon.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 TB Olive Oil
1 small zucchini thinly sliced
16 pepperoni slices
1 small pepper, julienned
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. halved cherry tomatoes (Mark's mom just used regular tomatoes. It tasted great!)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl combine the first 11 ingredients. Coat 4 pieces of heavy duty foil, about 12 inches square with cooking spray. Place a quarter of the chicken mixture in the center of each piece of foil.Fold foil around mixture. Seal tightly. Grill covered over medium high heat for 15- 18 minutes or until juices run clear. (You could do it in the ove, just make sure to place a cookie sheet under it to catch the juices. Or if you are feeling adventurous.do it in the fire!) Carefully open each packet. Sprinkle it with tomatoes and cheeses. Seal loosely and grill 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Serves 4.

Meatball Soup

2011-02-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

Super easy and sooo comforting last night. We will be using this one again. Prep time was uder 5 minutes.

1 bag frozen meatballs ( I used Italian Style)
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables. ( I am putting in two next time)
1 qt. of home bottled tomatoes or 2 cans diced Italian style tomatoes don't add spices if you use this.
2 cans 99% fat free chicken broth
1 tsp. basil'
1 tsp. oregano
(Home grown herbs are the best)
A sprinkle or two of Garlic salt
Combine in Crockpot and cook on low for 6 -8 hours.

Amazing Asparagus Chicken Casserole

2011-02-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

Crock pot easy. This recipe was given thumbs up by the boys. Once again I will give it to you the way I make it.

4 c. (or 4 breasts) Cubed cooked chicken (I just boiled it)
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 lb. asparagus- snap in bite size pieces, cooked 3 minutes in microwave.
1/2 large can french fried onions
1/2 c water.

Combine it all in a Crock Pot. Stir. Cook on low 6 hours. Enjoy. It was great with a Spinach and Strawberry salad. I am fairly sure this is NOT diet, but I took a small portion and enjoyed it. The general vote is to keep this recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup- Diet Style

2011-01-31T20:01:00.000-08:00

We tried this Crock Pot Soup tonight. I found it in a diet cookbook. Very good. No guilt. I did make some adjustments. Carter also insisted that we add a can of black beans. I rinsed them and added them about a half hour before it was served. If you are worried about the cheese and strips of tortilla...just don't garnish your bowl. We are keeping this recipe. I have put it down exactly as we made it (adding the beans later). The original recipe was about half this and had cilantro, avocado and lime that we didn't add. (Didn't have it and aren't sure we love it.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 qt + one 15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 can (4oz) diced green chilies, drained
1 can fat free chicken broth
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Ground cumin
4 corn tortillas sliced into ¼ inch strips
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheese
Place chicken in Crock Pot. Combine tomatoes with juice, chilies, broth, onion, garlic, and cumin. Pour over chicken. Cook 6 hours on low. Remove chicken and shred with forks. Return to Crock Pot. Adjust seasonings. Add more broth if needed. Bake tortilla strips in oven. I baked them about 12 minutes at 350*. They should be golden and crispy. Serve soup with shredded cheese and tortillas on top.

Christmas Morning Waffles

2010-12-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

This year I started a new tradition. I remember having waffles with strawberry sauce on Christmas morning with my Dad's sisters. I offered that this Christmas. My waffle recipe is ancient and getting very faded. I can't even remember where I got this recipe. I want to keep it. (Someone told me they were the very best waffles they had ever had!) I am also including the strawberry sauce. I am copying it just as I wrote it over 30 years ago.
Waffles
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c melted shortening
3 tsp. baking powder
2 beaten egg yolks
1 1/4 c. milk
2 beaten egg whites
Beat egg yolks, add milk, then dry ingredients, sifted together. Beat until smooth, then add shortening. Fold in egg whites.

Strawberry Sauce for Waffles
1 1/2 c sugar
2 pkg. frozen strawberries (10 oz) (I just added two bags...I don't think I checked the weight!)
1 pkg. pectin
3/4 c. water
Boil water and pectin for 1 minute. Add sugar and fruit. Cook 1 or 2 minutes.
Thank you Aunt Beth and Aunt Wilma. You were great!

Cookies for Santa

2010-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

I love our new tradition. We decorate cookies for Santa. The recipe is on last years posts. This year. I found a glaze recipe that we tried. It made shiny smooth cookies. We had a great time. Hayden got very detailed on a Santa cookie which inspired several other designs from his siblings. It was great fun. Here is the glaze recipe.
Glaze Icing
Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
Directions
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.
By the way, I didn't read the instructions right...I will follow better next time we are creating cookies.

Ethan glazes a glove cookie

Colton loves to help frost cookies

Santa ....I Know I know Halloween plates!

Frosty

A Basketball???

Barbara'a Frozen Banana Split

2010-11-21T14:30:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me thank Barbara. She is a very sweet woman in one of the first ward's of my married life. I got this recipe from a Relief Society dinner. I have made the fudge sauce and used it as hot fudge for ice cream. Always a hit. We served this at our Leadership meeting this month.
3 large bananas
Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
1/2 gal ice cream (I usually use vanilla, but your choice)
1 c. chopped walnuts. Opt. (Obviously...we never add them)
1/2 c butter or margarine
1 can evaporated milk
1 pkg. chocolate chips
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Whipped Cream or whipped topping
Line a 9X13 " pan with the crumbs. Slice bananas over the top of crumbs. Cover with ice cream cut in 1/2 " slices. Sprinkle with nuts if you are going to use them. Freeze until firm. In the meantime, melt butter and chocolate chips together. Add powdered sugar and milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened. Cool. Add vanilla. Pour over ice cream and freeze until firm again. Add whipped stuff. Freeze again. This will keep several weeks in the freezer. Although we have never had it around long enough to see if that is true!

I am enjoying making treats to give away since I am no longer able to eat treats. It's still is very rewarding!

Apple Cider Salad and Ribbon Pumpkin Bread

2010-10-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

As promised- The recipe for Apple Cider Salad. I also experimented with the Ribbon Pumpkin Bread "Yummy" (Yes, I was naughty and tried a bit.)

Apple Cider Salad
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3 3/4 c. apple cider, divided (Homemade cider was fantastic in this)
3 TB. lemon juice
3 TB sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 - 4 cups chopped peeled apples (Was I supposed to peel them...and measure them?)
chopped walnuts
In a small sauce pan,sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup apple cider; let stand 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, sugar, salt and remaining cider. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. cover and refrigerate until slightly thickened, about 2 1/2 hours. Fold in apples and walnuts. Transfer to serving bowl. Cover and chill overnight.

Ribbon Pumpkin Bread
6 oz. cream cheese-softened
1/4 s. sugar
1 Tb. flour
2 egg whites
BATTER
1 c. pumpkin
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 Tb vegetable oil
1 2/3 c flour
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
For filling, combine cream cheese, sugar,flour and egg whites; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, applesauce,egg, egg whites and oil. Combine dry ingredients. Add to pumpkin mixture. Divide half the batter between two loaf pans that have been sprayed. Top with filling. top with remaining batter. Bake 350* for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Allow to completely cool. Wrap and store in fridge. 2 loaves.

It Was Pumpkin Time Again

2010-10-05T06:18:00.001-07:00

It was Pumpkin night. We sure enjoyed it.

I guess this is really one of my favorites. I hope I didn't mess up my sugars too badly last night. By the way, I went to the doctor yesterday. Everything is going fantastic. My sugar level is almost normal. He really encouraged me. I needed some encouragement to continue. I was starting to feel overwhelmed and depressed because it seemed like all my hard work was netting me nothing in the weight loss category. He assured me that I am losing weight and to keep up the good work. I only have to test once a day now!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

2010-06-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

I have been home alone in the evenings and therefore not been cooking. Marinda took pity on me this week and brought me dinner. WOW! It was great. I begged for the recipe and here it is. It was hard for me to save half of it for Steve. He loved it also. Thank you Marinda! For taking care of your parents and sharing this great recipe.
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (She used tenders)
1/2 pkg. cream cheese, sliced
4-6 slices of bacon, partially cooked
Fresh chopped chives or onion powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pinch salt
1 can mushrooms, sauteed

Preheat oven to 325*. Pound chicken breast until flat. Put a slice of cream cheese and sprinkle some chives or onion powder on each breast, roll up. Wrap each rolled breast with 1 slice of bacon and secure with toothpicks. Make sure you cook the bacon a little bit before you wrap the chicken with it. Place the breasts in a 9X13 pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl,combine soup, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, pepper salt and mushrooms. (If you cooked the bacon in a frying pan, yo can saute' the mushrooms in butter first and then cook them in the bacon grease for a more bacony flavor.) Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 1 hour or until the juices run clear.
Note: You can try substituting provolone cheese for the cream cheese.
If you want to use chicken tenders, just place the cheese on top of the tenders and top with half bacon slices.

Marinda served this over rice. Yummy!

Saucy Chicken and Asparagus

2010-05-25T15:25:00.000-07:00

I discovered this lovely recipe a few years ago. We are hoping to get enough asparagus in the garden to enjoy weeks of it. Our little patch is still in humble beginnings. We did get to eat this once this spring.

1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus spears, halved ( I put in as much as I can)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves ( We do between 6-8 to feed the family)
2 tablespoons canola oil (Or Vegetable oil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Yes, I use Miracle Whip)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (oops, I don't use this)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

If desired, partially cook asparagus; (I would suggest very lightly cooked or not at all.)drain. Place the asparagus in a greased 9-in. (9X13) square baking dish. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken over asparagus.
In a bowl, mix soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry powder; pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings. (See above)

Mother's Day Recipes

2010-05-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic Mother's Day. How could I not have one with fantastic children I have. I also have fantastic mothers! We had lots of food and invited the family to drop in for a bite. Here are some of the recipes that were requested.
Lemon Fruit Dip
2 c. reduced fat sour cream (Oops! I used a carton of regular)
1 pkg. sugar free instant vanilla pudding (Oops again! I used regular)
1/4 c. fat free milk (1% for us)
4 tsp lemon juice (I just squeezed the whole lemon)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel (Was I supposed to measure?)
It was fantastic. I loved it with the melons.

Oriental Salad
Originally from my bestest friend-Lesley. I made a change on purpose and accidentally left out something.
1 pkg coleslaw (I should have doubled this)
8 tsp. sesame seeds toasted (I just poured them in the pan)
1 c. almonds toasted (I used cashews and added a little more)
4 green onions sliced
1 pkg. Ramen noodles, crushed no seasoning packet (This is what I accidentally forgot)

Dressing:
3 T. Rice vinegar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. sugar

Some of our other menu items:
8 pound barbecued roast
Skewered chicken
Potato Salad
That Shrimp Salad
Layered Rainbow Jello
Acini Salad
Deviled Eggs
And lots of yummy desserts
The best thing of all were the guests. Delicious!

Figless Fig Cookies

2010-03-12T06:26:00.001-08:00

We have been enjoying these cookies. The boys have really been enjoying these cookies. They make a large batch. There's been a lot of 'yoinking' going on around here.

Figless Fig Cookies

2 cubes butter
1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. shortening
2 tsp. Vanilla
¾ C. brown sugar
3 eggs

Cream the above together. Add:
3 ½ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking soda
1/2c. Cocoa (+ 2 TB.) (or somewhere around there)
1 pgk chocolate chips.
Bake 350 * no longer than 11 minutes

Creamy Meatball Casserole

2010-01-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

I found this in a cookbook called The Pan That Can. It uses a 9X13 pan for most of the recipes.

1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
32 frozen meatballs
1 20 oz. package refrigerated red-skinned potato wedges Okay so I am too cheap and hurried to find these. I just scrubbed and wedged 8 small red skinned potatoes.
1 16 oz. pkg. loose pack frozen stir fry vegetables-any combination

Mix soup, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Add the rest. Bake at 350 * for about an hour or until heated through.

Unsolicited Comments:
I guess this is solicited, because it is from me. I loved it. It was easy and tasty. A great meal for a cold January evening. The red potatoes worked great. I actually cooked it for about 20 minutes longer, maybe that is why it worked. Hayden and Carter said it was okay. They didn't rave over it....but then do they ever?

Grandpa Hulse's Chicken Alabam...my way

2010-01-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

Here is the meal I made on Dad's birthday. I had requests from some of the people that tasted it.
I will give the original recipe, then add my notes.

8 pieces chicken I used boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces. Yes, Marinda, i think tenders will work.
1/3 c. Flour You know I never measure
1/2 tsp paprika Ha- never use it
1/2 tsp. salt Maybe a little more
Dash of pepper
Dash of thyme Or two
5 T. Butter
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c chicken broth- If you use bouillon, double the amount of bouillon
1/2 c light cream Or more if you like the sauce...which we do.
1/2 tsp lemon juice ... or a shake or two.
2 T pimento I just use the small jar.
Mix flour and seasonings. I use a Ziploc. Dredge chicken on flour mixture. Saute in 3 TB butter. I always have to add more. Put chicken in baking pan. Saute onion in 2 TB (+) butter for 5 minutes. Stir in excess flour mixture from dredging. Add broth. Cook and stir until thickened. Add cream; cook and stir until smooth and thick. Add lemon juice and pimento; blend well. Pour over chicken in casserole. or 9X13 pan. Cover and bake 325* for 1 1/2 hours. Serve over cooked rice.

Visions of Sugar Cookies Danced In Our Heads

2009-12-22T08:05:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a Major Family Home Evening. We invited everyone to decorate Christmas cookies. It was a blast. I loved seeing all the creative ways to do the cookies. This is my favorite Sugar Cookie recipe. Each family got to take a box of cookies home. I am sorry that I didn't get a picture of the Goudy's with their box. Thanks for the fun evening guys. To my two children working...I missed you so bad.

Sugar Cookies
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. Milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. + flour (I always need to add more)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 TB. baking powder
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Beat well. Mix dry ingredients together. Add alternately with milk. Chill. Bake 375* for about 7 minutes. I have a convection oven. 7 minutes is perfect. We like them soft.

Salad Salute

2009-12-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

Our faculty party was so fun this year. We went to the principal's lovely home and had the best meal. I loved the salad. I loved it so much that I begged for the recipe. The sugared pecans were fantastic. The raspberries fresh and large and popping in my mouth. The cheese had just the right bite. Thanks Bonnie for sharing, both your time, talents and recipe.
Spinach Salad

2 large bags of fresh Spinach
½ Purple onion
1 ½ cup Raspberries
¾ cup Blue cheese
½ cup Craisins
1 cup Candied pecans or as much as you like

Salad Dressing:
1 cup oil
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dry mustard
1 tab. Poppy seeds

Candied pecans:
1 egg white
1 tab. Water
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) Grease one baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add pecans to egg whites; stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake at 250 degrees. For 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes!

2009-11-29T06:13:00.000-08:00

I just tried this recipe at Thanksgiving. For the few people that like sweet potatoes, it was fabulous. I will definitely try this again. I halved the recipe because there are so few of us that enjoy sweet potatoes...and I cheated and used canned yams.
Nutty Sweet Potato Bake

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 cups cubed cooked sweet potatoes or 2 cans (40 ounces each) cut yams, drained
TOPPING:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add the sugar, milk and butter; mix well. Add sweet potatoes and stir gently. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
For topping, combine flour and sugar in a small bowl. Stir in butter and pecans. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 16 servings

Another Winner

2009-11-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

I have noticed that in my quest for new recipes, that I sometimes forget my oldies, but goodies. We used to love this dinner. I am once again offering a meal with us to the first responder. However, Morgan says if you don't ask quickly, she will take it. I plan to serve this on Monday. (That is tomorrow, but if your are first responder and would like another night let me know.)
Savory Baked Chicken Breasts
Chicken Breast Halves (however many you have)
1 c. sour cream
2 TB. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp paprika (OPT)
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 c. fine bread crumbs
1/2 c. melted margarine
Remove skin from chicken if skin on. Combine sour cream and lemon juice. Dip chicken in mixture and place in fridge overnight. Combine seasonings with bread crumbs. Coat chicken with crumbs. (I line my pan with foil and spray it.) Drizzle margarine on top. Bake 325* for 2 hours. Covered with foil. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes to brown.

Pie Are Square

2009-11-09T05:27:00.001-08:00

This is pie month for me. Over the years I have collected some great pie recipes. I have many more to try. I love my husband's reactions to the pies. He loves pie. He tells me how my pumpkin pie is the best etc. I will always make him pies. I don't like my pie crusts however and mostly cheat with Pillsbury. My cousin Mardee makes the best pie crust I have ever had....I might have to bug her sometime. I can make great pie fillings. I am featuring two this week. One I am making today. I had a wonderful apple pie a few weeks ago with caramel sauce. I am offering caramel sauce with the Apple Crumble Pie tonight. The second recipe, French Silk, is a favorite to Superman. The rich chocolate melts in your mouth. I hope readers with wonderful pie recipes will share with me.

Apple Crumble Pie
1 single unbaked pie crust (get it where you can)
1 c. sugar
2 TB. flour
1 tsp. lemon peel
6 c. thinly sliced peeled apples
3 TB lemon juice
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. mace or nutmeg
1/4 c butter or margarine
Get your crust ready. Stir together 1/2 c. sugar, 2 TB flour and lemon peel;set aside. Sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice. Toss apples with sugar mixture to coat. Place in crust. Combine remaining sugar, flour and spices. Cut in butter till crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
Cover edges of pie with foil to prevent over browning. Bake 375* for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 30 minutes more or till topping is golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

French Silk Pie
1 baked pie crust (get it wherever you wish)
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter- not margarine
3 sq. unsweetened chocolate-melted and cooled
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
Cool whip or whipped cream
Cream sugar and butter about 4 minutes or til light. Blend in cooled chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for 2 minutes after each addition, scraping sides of the bowl constantly. (This is a lot of beating but well worth it). Turn into pastry shell. Chill several hours. Top with some kind of whipped cream. (It calls for unsweetened whip cream, but we use Cool Whip)

Party Beef Casserole

2009-11-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe in Taste of Home. Most of my family think it is the greatest! I add lots of mushrooms and the boys pick them out and put them on my plate. I highly recommend Taste of Home. They are proven recipes with simple ingredients. No searching around for something exotic that you aren’t even sure what it is! Visit Taste of Home’s website at www.tasteofhome.com They have a fantastic recipe search. I also purchase their recipe books often. I really enjoy them. This is slated to be served during the second week of November. First person requesting a dinner invitation will be granted.
Party Beef Casserole

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds boneless round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup beef broth (I sometimes add more)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (I sometimes add lots more!)
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
3 cups mashed potatoes (with added milk and butter)- these have to be ‘real’ potatoes none of that cheating with the ‘fake things’.
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper; add beef in batches; shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat in oil until meat is no longer pink. Place beef and drippings in a greased shallow 2-1/2-qt. baking dish.
In the same skillet, add the water, broth, garlic, onion, thyme and rosemary; bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes; stir in mushrooms. Pour over meat; stir to coat.
Cover and bake at 350° for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours or until beef is tender. Sprinkle peas over meat. Spread potatoes evenly over top. Brush with butter. Cover and bake 15-20 minutes longer. Yield: 6-8 servings.

You Are the Apple of My Eye

2009-10-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

We have been blessed with an abundance of apples. We have been blessed to share them with family and friends, enjoy them dipped into Carmel Apple Dip, and are in the process of retrieving juice from said apples.
Steve working on his amazing apple press
Steve is working on his apple press and had plans for an Apple Festival.
Carter was indispensable in helping

(Rain may change his plans) I plan to bottle Pearl’s Apple Pie Filling. I also have plans for Apple Crumble Pie and Apple Crisp. I tried a new recipe-Apple Cake. Please see the reviews following the recipe. I found this recipe in the Mormon Essentials Cookbook. It was so easy to make. And by the way, Steve is the apple of my eye…..although there are lots of little apples in there also.
I will be trying new recipes from time to time and sharing the results.
Apple Cake Before the tasting
Apple Cake
1 ½ c. oil
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 c. flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 c. peeled and thinly sliced apples
Beat oil and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until mixture is Creamy. In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir into batter. Add apples and vanilla. Bake 350* for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz. pkg. Cream cheese softened
½ c. butter, melted
1 16 oz. Pkg. Powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
Cream the cheese. Blend with butter. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat Well.

Unsolicited reviews:
"What's this apple-ish stuff? Is it apple? It's good."
Carter J.
"Ummm I like it. Do you like it? Ummmmm"
Steve J
Sorry, that is all the reviews I could get. I just work with what I have!

"Delectable."
Morgan G.
"MMMMM"
Colton G.

Recipe Club

2009-10-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Almost 24 years ago, I was new to my neighborhood. I was looking for new friends. I wanted to make our family meals more exciting, so I began a club. Recipe club. The first members were Cae Hurst, Chris Barkdull, Barbara Palmer, Lesley Leger (my new bff) and me. We met each month, rotating the host home. We shared our recipes and enjoyed a luncheon together made from those recipes. The tradition continued for many years. The faces around the table changed and I am grateful for my friendships with those people. Lesley will better remember how many years we continued. (Put it in the comments, Les) More of the friends that shared: Melinda Welch, Janet Webster, Jann Nelson Simpson, Darlene Baza. I even know of another group that started because of our group. Today's recipe is from that club. Melinda Welch brought Cheddar Chicken Casserole. My family loves it. Although, I have to make one end nutless for Hayden. (that crazy boy!) We are enjoying it tonight.
Here is the recipe with my adjustments:
1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts (I just cook the whole package, who notices how much it weighs? I have found that skin on- bone in is best)
Water to cover
3 green onions chopped
3 stalks celery including tops chopped
Simmer this until tender. Strain and reserve broth. Chunk up the chicken
3 c. cooked angel hair pasta (break in 3 inch pieces)
Grated cheddar cheese
Cashews
(Note that I didn't give amounts...use what suits your tastes)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Crushed Cheddar Cheese Crackers
Grease a 9X13 pan. Layer pasta,cheese, chicken, nuts. Combine soup with 2/3 c. broth. (I use more broth to make the sauce a little thinner and 'saucier'). Pour over the previous ingredients. Cover with crushed crackers. Bake uncovered 350* for 30 minutes.
To any of my friends from past years that may find this..please leave a comment and maybe a fun memory!

Dinner in A Pumpkin

2009-10-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ethan for posing with the pumpkins last year!

When I was little, our family vacations often consisted of visiting Aunt June. She was one of our favorite aunts, although she really wasn't 'our' aunt, she was my mother's aunt. She made our visits so fun. she took us all over Washington state showing us the landmarks and interests. Seattle is still one of my favorite places because of her. Every day was an adventure. She also made great meals. I remember stopping at roadside stands to purchase the fresh ingredients for her meals. One of my favorites was her Dinner In A Pumpkin. It was always a quest to find the right pumpkin. It still is! I love this autumn meal to this day! Here are the instructions:

Dinner In A Pumpkin
2 pounds ground beef
6 oz. Sausage
2 tsp. Salt
2 ½ T chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
2 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Vinegar
½ c. chopped green olives
1 can tomato sauce
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp. Pepper
Brown meats. Add remaining ingredients, except eggs and fry until tender. I add the eggs right at the end of the frying. Put into a cleaned out 10 inch pumpkin shell. Place in a shallow pan of water. Bake 350* for 1 hour. Serve in pumpkin. Scoop out some of the pumpkin when serving. I sometimes draw a Jack O Lantern face on the side of the pumpkin with a Sharpie.

Share the Eats

2009-10-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I am endeavoring to save some of my best recipes and to share with others. I am not advertising this blog just yet....Hopefully my most loved family and friends will find it quickly. I accept requests and hope others will share 'keeper' recipes. Those are recipes that are fantastic and well worth saving. Coming tomorrow.....my favorite Dinner in a Pumpkin. Yes, I have tried other recipes. This is the best. It has a great spice to it which flavors the pumpkin. Some of my squash hating family even ask for the pumpkin 'scrappin's' when we serve this......This is on the menu for this week.