Thursday, July 31, 2008

Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 beaten egg
1/2 tsp. bkg. soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. milk
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and butter. Blend in egg, soda, salt, vanilla, and peanut butter. Add flour and oatmeal. Mix thoroughly. Spread in greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Sprinkle immediately with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes then spread.
In a separate bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1/2 c. peanut butter, and milk. Stir until smooth. Spread over melted chocolate chips. Cool; cut into bars.

Cheese Enchiladas

1 can tomato sauce
2/3 c. water
1 T. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
8 flour tortillas (8"), warmed
2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/4 c. (5 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. sour cream
1/8 c. minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
shredded lettuce, sliced ripe olives, and additional sour cream, optional

In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Spoon 2 T. sauce of each tortilla.
In a large bowl, combine the Monterey Jack, 1 c. cheddar cheese, onions, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Place about 1/3 c. down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 9x13" baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 4-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish with lettuce, olives and sour cream if desired. (Makes 8 servings)

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Butterscotch Sauce

This is so yummy that I could just eat it by the spoonful, although that would be really bad, so its best served over ice cream.

Combine in a sauce pan:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whip cream
1/3 butter (marjarine wont work right, so use butter)

Heat all ingredients stirring continuously till boiling. Turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve warm over ice cream or cake. Refrigerate leftovers. Reheat again in a microwave for 15-30 seconds before serving.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Creamy Spinach and Tortellini

1 lb. uncooked fresh cheese tortellini
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag of fresh spinach or 9 oz. frozen spinach
1 c. cubed seeded tomato
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp. dried (I sometimes substitute parsley)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. grated parmesan or romano cheese

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Set aside. Heat oil in skillet. Cook onion and garlic about 5 minutes. Add spinach, tomato, basil, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in cream and cheese. Add cooked tortellini. (The longer you let this sit, the thicker the sauce will get!)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Walker Dessert

1/2 gallon Pineapple Sherbet
Frozen or Fresh Strawberries
2 Bananas

Mix all together and freeze

Ok Annette, here is the only recipe that I have for Walker Dessert, I know for a fact though that Devin's grandpa doesn't follow it. I'm not all sure what he does though. I'm pretty sure you can use whatever sherbet and fruit that you want to. Nancy told me that you wanted this recipe, so I hope this works!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Vegetarian Linguine

6 oz. uncooked linguine
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tsp. minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. provolone cheese, shredded
3 T. shredded parmesan cheese

Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and garlic in butter and oil for 3-5 minutes. Add the tomato, basil, salt and pepper; cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain linguine; add to vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with cheeses and toss to coat. Yield: 6 servings.

*I've been wanting to try this from my Taste of Home magazine for several months but zucchini here has been so expensive until this week. It was worth the wait! It reminded me of something you'd order at Olive Garden. So good!!!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Sweet & Sour Chicken

3 lbs Chicken
Garlic Salt, Salt and Pepper
3 Eggs Beaten
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Flour
Cooking Oil
Sauce:
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
2 1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup Ketchup
1 Cup White Vinegar
1 can (20 oz) Pineapple

Choose and cut a variety of chicken. Rinse chicken under running water, dip into beaten eggs and then into mixture of cornstarch and flour. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Brown chicken in frying pan with enough oil to cover bottom of pan. Place browned chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Mix all sauce ingredients together in a bowl and pour over chicken. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour at 350 degrees uncovered, or until sauce thickens.

I got this recipe from the Walkers. It is one of Devin's favorites, and it is super easy to make. And it's really good too!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Chocolate Frosting

Found on the internet after Brinley said she wanted a cake for FHE and I didn't want to drive to the store for a $1 can of frosting! (I can never remember the amounts and this one was good.)

2/3 c. butter - softened
1/3 c. cocoa
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 T. cream (I didn't have cream so I used 3 T. 1% milk)

Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add cocoa and powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in vanilla and enough cream until desired spreading consistency. Frosts a 9x13" cake.

Oreo Balls (or Oreo Cookie Truffle)

Truffles.jpg

(from a friends blog...)


Ingredients:
1 pkg of Oreos
1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
6-8 squares of Almond Bark melting chocolate (can be found by the chocolate chips in the grocery store)
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
parchment paper

Directions:
Crumble all oreo cookies (including filling) in a food processor or a blender.  Put into a mixing bowl and with your hands mush in the cream cheese.  Mix until you have a chocolate past (it will be thick).  Roll into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Should make around 36 balls.  After they are all rolled out, stick them in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.  If you use the microwave to melt, melt 2-3 squares at a time and follow package instructions on how to melt.  

Using a spoon, place balls into chocolate and coat, then place back onto cookie sheet.  After all the chocolate coating has dried, melt the white chocolate chips and drizzle onto balls.  (I think that using a fork would work better than a spoon when it comes to drizzling).  They taste better when they are cold, so just stick them into the fridge once all the chocolate is dried.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Santa Fe Chicken Salad

Combine:
2 c. salad greens
1/3 c. southwestern chicken breast strips
1/4 c. canned corn, drained
Drizzle with 1 T. salsa and 1 T. dressing (light ranch)
Serves l.

Friendship Fudge (FHE Fudge)

Put all ingredients in a gallon sized ziploc bag.
4 c. powdered sugar
3 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 c. softened margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
l tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
Seal the bag and then pass it around the group with each
person taking a turn squeezing it and mixing it. There are
many lessons you could talk about while you mix the fudge.
When it appears mixed you give each person a spoon and they
can take a spoonful and share the wonderful fudge. (Little
kids love this.)

Pre-soak for white clothing

l gallon hot water in a plastic bucket
l c. automatic dishwashing detergent
1/4 c. bleach

Stir solution. Add items and soak for
30 minutes. Then wash items in hottest water.

This will take out color so don't use it on colored
items.

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 1/2 tablespoons olice oil
1 c. long-grain white rice
2 c. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt
grated rind and juice of l med. lime
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

l. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add
rice, stirring to coat.
2. Add broth and salt; increase heat and
bring to a boil. Stir once.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook
20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand l0
minutes.
4. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in lime
rind, juice and cilantro. Serves 4

Ice Cream in a Bag

Place 3 tablespoons sugar, l c light cream (half and half) and 1/2 tsp. vanilla in a quart-size heavy zip-top plastic bag and seal.
Place that bag in a gallon size heavy zip-top bag. Layer ice and rock salt in the gallon bag and seal.
Toss the bag back and forth for approximately 10 minutes, and voila, it's ice cream. Serves 2 hot kids (or adults.)