Monday, August 24, 2009
Quick & Healthy Chicken and Veggies
(Picture coming shortly)
Ingredients:
~ Chicken breasts (as many as you'd like)
~ salt & pepper
As much as you'd like of the following:
~ Onions
~ Peppers (any type)
Optional:
~ Mushrooms
~ Squash, yellow or zucchini
~ Fresh green beans
Directions:
Cut chicken breasts into strips and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill until deliciously golden brown. Remove from heat. Saute veggies (if using green beans, sautee them a few minutes before adding other veggies). Top cooked chicken with sauteed veggies and WA-LAH!
Simple Banana Bread
(picture coming shortly)
~ 1/2 c. butter
~ 1 c. sugar
~ 2+ bananas, crushed
~ 2 eggs
~ 2 c. flour
~ 1 tsp soda
~ 1/4 cup nuts
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Add bananas and beat. Add flour sifted with soda. Bake in loaf tin at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Recipe from 1935 Relief Society Cookbook
Zucchini Bread

~ 1 c. sugar
~ 1 c. brown sugar
~ 3 eggs
~ 1 c. oil
Mix first then add:
~ 2 c. grated zucchini
~ 3 tsp. vanilla
Add all liquid ingredients, then add dry ingredients:
~ 3 c. flour
~ 3 tsp cinnamon
~ 1 tsp soda
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 1 tsp baking powder
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out nearly clean.
Recipe from: Debbie Babbitt
Hawaiian Rice

~ 1 can beef broth
~ 1 can french onion soup
~ 1 stick butter
~ 1 1/2 cups white rice
Mix all ingredients, except butter, in a 13x9 pan. Cut butter into cubes and spread on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover last 15 minutes.
Recipe from: Sister-in-law, Liz
Saturday, August 8, 2009
No Fail! Apple Pie

Ingredients & Directions:
PASTRY
~ 3 c. flour
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 1 c. shortening
~ 1 egg
~ 1/2 c. water
~ 1 Tbsp vinegar
Blend flour & salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles big crumbs. Combine beaten egg, water & vinegar in a separate bowl. Add to flour mixture. Pack into 3 balls. Roll each ball between plastic wrap (don't skip this step!) to make pastry crust.
FILLING
~ 6 c. sliced, peeled apples
~ 1 c. sugar
~ 2 Tbsp. flour
~ 1 tsp ground cinnamon
~ dash ground nutmeg
~ double crust pastry (above)
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon & nutmeg. Add sugar mixture to apples and toss to coat. Fill a pastry-lined 9in. pie dish with apple mixture. Dot with butter & apply to crust. Seal & flute edges. (Apply foil to edges for last 20 minutes) Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Recipe from: friend, Angie Case
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken
Ingredients:
2 T. EVOO
2 T. butter
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (i used 4)
1/4 c teriyaki sauce
1/2 c ranch dressing
1 c cheddar cheese
1/2 lb bacon cooked and chopped (homemade bacon bits)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat oil and butter over med-high heat. Pound chicken if it's too thick (the ones in the pic are too thick!) Add chicken breasts, and cook 4 to 5 min each side until lightly browned. Place chicken in a 9x13 pan. Cover with teriyaki sauce and ranch dressing. Top with cheese and bacon bits. Bake for 30 min or until chicken is cooked all the way through.
**I served this chicken with mashed potatoes with the left over bacon, cheese, green onions and sour cream mixed in. Is also great with a side salad or baked potato.
Recipe from: Sister-in-law, Liz
Thursday, June 11, 2009
EASY Crockpot Chicken & Gravy
(PICTURE COMING SHORTLY)
Ingredients:
~chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless- there's less "work" with boneless)
~cream o' mushroom soup (about 1 small can for 4 or 5 thighs, can't really go wrong!)
Directions:
In a crockpot, place chicken thighs on bottom and top with soup. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6, until the meat is completely falling off of the bone. YUM! Serve over rice or potatoes (we prefer brown rice). If you used bone-in thighs, pull the bones out before serving.
Recipe by: mom
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Hawaiian Chicken (crowd pleaser for the BBQ)
(PICTURE COMING SHORTLY!)
Ingredients:
~Chicken thighs and legs
~Equal parts soy sauce and sugar
~Ground ginger (1 T for about every 2 cups soy)
Directions:
Place chicken in a deep pan, with skin on. Mix soy sauce, sugar and ginger and pour on top of chicken. Boil for 1 hour. Heat barbecue grill to medium-high, place chicken pieces onto grill. Grill with lid open until sauce caramelizes.
Recipe from: Sister-in-law, Liz
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients & Directions:
~ 1 pt. whipping cream or half and half
~ 1 stick butter
~ 2 T cream cheese
Combine above ingredients in a saucepan and boil, remove from heat and add:
~ 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
~ 1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
Return to stove, remove from stove as soon as it reaches a boil. Serve immediately over noodles. YUM!
Recipe from: Friend, Jaimie Trevino
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monster Cookies (NO flour!)

Ingredients & Directions:
~3 eggs
~1 c. brown sugar
~1 c. sugar
~1/2 c. butter
~1 tsp corn syrup
~1 1/2 c. peanut butter
MIX ABOVE TOGETHER, THEN...
ADD:
~4 1/2 c. oatmeal
~2 tsp baking soda
~3/4 c. chocolate chips
~3/4 c. M&Ms (I love to substitute reeces pieces baking pieces also!)
~1/2 c. peanuts
Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Recipe from: family friend, Becky Garrett
Shrimp & Broccoli with Pasta
Ingredients:
~4-6 oz uncooked angel hair pasta (I use whole wheat, of course)
~1 lb uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
~4 T Canola Oil
~2 bunches broccoli, cut into florets
~3 garlic cloves
~6 T butter, cubed
~6 T chicken broth
~2 T grated Parmesan cheese
~1/2 tsp salt
~1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in oil for 1-2 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Stir-fry broccoli in remaining oil for 3 min. Add garlic; stir-fry 2 min. longer or until veggies are crisp-tender. Add butter, wine, cheese, salt and pepper. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Stir in shrimp; heat through. Serves 3-4
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Bomb! Messy Taco Salad

Ingredients:
~ Iceberg or Romaine lettuce, rinsed and torn (spinach and fancy lettuces don't hold up well)
~ 1 lb. ground beef, seasoned with 1 packet taco seasoning, according to package directions
~ 1 can kidney or pinto beans, drained
~ Tomato, diced (as much as you like)
~ Olives, sliced (as much as you like)
~ Chips (I like Doritos but I've had with tortilla)
~ Cheddar cheese (as much as you like)
~ Ranch Dressing (your fav brand)
Directions:
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Be sure you use PLENTY of ranch...this is what makes it soooo yummy. If you're counting calories the day you think about making this...make something else!!
Recipe from: My sister-in-law, Liz
Quick Chicken Gravy
Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
milk
Directions:
Place first two ingredients in a pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Whisk in enough milk to make "gravy consistency." If you don't have sour cream, this gravy is still deliciously perfect with just milk and soup. That's how I made it forever until someone told me about sour cream. Enjoy!
Parmesan Cornflake Chicken
Ingredients:
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 t dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
6 Tbsp. melted butter
5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (can also use broiler/fryer chicken, just cook longer)
Directions:
In a shallow bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Place butter in another shallow bowl. Cut each breast into 3 equal pieces, then dip in butter and roll in cornflake mixture. Spray a 13x9 dish with PAM and place chicken in dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. If temping with meat thermometer, I always cook my chicken to 170 degrees.
Tiff's Own - Spaghetti Bake
(PICTURE COMING SHORTLY)
Ingredients:
~ 2 1/2 cups dry noodles (I love capelletti from Costso 3 pack, can use any small noodle, I'm sure)
~ 1 lb. ground beef or turkey (I use turkey)
~ 20 Italian meatballs (from Costco frozen section)
~ 2 large cans spaghetti sauce (I use cheap $.88/can)
~ 1 cup mozzarella
~ about 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan
Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, bake meatballs according to package directions. In a large frying pan, cook beef or turkey. Add sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, baked meatballs and cooked noodles. Stir well. Pour into a baking dish, I use a really deep pie-shaped dish. Top with additional mozzarella and sprinkle with a little Parmesan and parsley flakes (optional- for looks). Bake at 350 degrees until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. ENJOY!
Recipe Created By: Me :)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Zuppa Toscana (Kale Soup)

Ingredients:
1 lb Italian sausage
1 ¼ c. onion, diced.
2 slices uncooked bacon, diced
2 1/3 t. minced garlic
3 c. chicken broth
5-6 potatoes cut into 1/4 “ pieces
3-5 c kale, roughly chopped (I love kale, so I put in a ton!)
2/3 c whipping cream or half and half
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Put onion and bacon in a pot, sauté. Meanwhile, shape sausage into little bite size patties and cook in a frying pan over med-high heat until cooked through; set aside. Add broth and potatoes to onion and bacon, Boil. Simmer 15 min. Add kale, sausage, garlic, cream or half and half. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 min. more. Serve hot.
Recipe from: my mom's enrichment activity
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Incredible Cannery Potato Pearls

Ingredients:
Cannery Potato Pearls(as much as you want)
~Sour Cream
~Cheddar Cheese (I'm sure you can use any type)
~Bacon
~Green Onions (optional, I usually don't have them)
Directions:
Prepare potatoes according to label directions using the least amount of water suggested. I always throw the water in the microwave, much quicker than on the stove! Add enough sour cream to make smooth and creamy, I use ALOT. Shawn doesn't like sour cream but, these are his favorite potatoes! Add cheddar cheese, for 2 cups water and 1 cup potato pearls, I add a couple of handfulls. Stir in cooked bacon. ENJOY!
Recipe from: my sister, Tricia
Summer Spinach, Strawberry & Bacon Salad (the one you've been waiting for, friends!)

Ingredients:
¼ c. vinegar
½ c. canola oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
2T plus ½ tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 squirt of bottled mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp poppy seed
8 c. torn fresh spinach
1 ½ green onions (optional) I never have them so I do without
6 strips bacon, cooked crispy and chopped OR packaged real bacon bits
fresh strawberries, sliced
Sliced mushrooms
Mozzarella cheese
½ c. or more of slivered almonds, caramelized (see below)
Directions:
In a small bowl mix oil, vinegar, onion, sugar, mustard, salt & poppy seed. In a separate large salad bowl place spinach and top with remaining ingredients. Toss with dressing. You probably won’t use all of the dressing, it makes a lot. Just use enough to make the salad moist and yummy. Also, if using packaged bacon bits, quickly fry them in a pan to return moisture and freshness.
Caramelizing almonds: In a saucepan, place almonds with sugar. (always use about 1/4 as much sugar as almonds). Cook and stir over medium heat. DO NOT BURN! When sugar melts and caramelizes, place almonds onto wax paper (aluminum foil works also). Separate and allow to cool. Add to salad.
Recipe from: friend, Renee Vankampen
"Better than Geraldine's Rolls" ROLLS!

Ingredients:
4 1/2 -5 c flour
1 1/2 T regular yeast
½ c butter
1 c milk
½ c sugar
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
Directions:
Combine 2 c. flour w/ yeast. In another container melt butter + add milk. Microwave until warm. Add sugar & salt to milk. Add that to flour. Stir and add eggs. Stir. Add rest of flour. Knead dough. Turn oven to 325 degrees and set timer for 4 minutes. Turn oven off when timer goes off. Cover dough, place in warm oven and let rise a couple of hours until doubled.
If making crescent rolls, divide dough in half and roll each into a circle. Out of each half you should get 12 rolls. Cut into triangles & roll (crescent rolls) OR shape as you wish, there are a lot of fun things you can do. Melt about 1/4 cup butter (what you don't use now, you will use after baking.) With a basting brush, brush formed rolls generouslys with butter, before they rise. Turn oven onto 325 for 4 minutes again, then turn off and place rolls, covered, in warm oven. Let rise until doubled (45 min. tops), but don't let them overrise.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and baste generously with remaining butter.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Zucchini Pasta - Healthy and DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients:
~ 8 oz uncooked whole wheat linguine
~ 4 cups coarsely shredded zucchini (about 3 medium)
~ 4 tsp. olive oil
~ 2 garlic cloves, minced
~ 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
~ 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
~ 3/4 tsp salt
~ 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
Cook linguine according to package directions. Pat zucchini dry and saute in oil for 2 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1-2 min. longer or until zucchini is tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper. Drain linguine; add to zucchini mixture and toss to coat. Serve with a pinch of cheese on top.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Kids Crave! Twisted PBJ



Ingredients:
~ Whole Wheat Bread (check pkg label and don't let them trick you. The first ingredient needs to be Whole Wheat Flour, nothing bleached or non bleached!)
~ Almond Butter (Pure almonds, from Costco, this is our favorite) OR Healthy Peanut Butter...NOT Jiffy or brands filled with sugar and salt. Nuts should be the only ingredient. It's fantastic!!
~ Fresh fruit, sliced (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, plums, peaches...)
Directions:
Make like a PBJ, except instead of sugar filled jelly, top nut butter of your choice with sliced, fresh fruit!! YUM! Our fav is fresh strawberries. You can also drizzle a little pure honey over your fruit and toast your bread if preferred. This makes for a yummy breakfast too.
Recipe from: My sister, Tricia
Monday, April 27, 2009
Enchilada Beef - easy peasy MICROWAVE recipe!!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained
3-4 T enchilada sauce (any)
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese (I've used cheddar also)
about 1 cup coarsely crushed Frito's corn chips
Additional chips, optional
Directions:
Crumble beef in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on high 4-6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stirring once; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, green chilies and enchilada sauce. Spread half of beef mixture in a 2 qt microwave safe dish; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Top with remaining beef mixture. Cover; microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle w/ crushed chips and remaining cheese. Microwave 1 min longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with additional corn chips, if desired.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Simply French Toast...FAST!

Ingredients:
~ Thick sliced white bread (can use any bread, even whole wheat if you'd like)
~ Eggs (about 1 egg per 3 pieces of bread)
~ Cinnamon (as much or little as you like)
~ Milk (About a tablespoon per egg), optional
Directions:
In a shallow dish, beat eggs, add milk and sprinkle in cinnamon. Place one piece of bread in the dish and let sit for about 20 seconds and then flip and let the other side soak. Place on a hot griddle and grill, flipping when grilled side is golden brown. Serve with plenty of butter and syrup.
Tuna Melt...Grown-Up Style!

Ingredients:
~ 4 Slices of bread (whole wheat is great!)
~ Spreadable butter
~ Tuna (preferrably pure white Albacore tuna...Costo has it)
~ Mayo (as much as you like to make tuna creamy and moist)
~ Pepper Jack Cheese, sliced (I never have this so I just mix in shredded Colby Jack)
~ Salt & pepper or No Salt Seasoning from Costco
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine tuna and mayo. Season to taste. Generously butter one side of each peice of bread and place buttered side down on a hot griddle or in a hot frying pan. Top with sliced cheese, tuna, and another slice of bread, buttered side out. Grill until both sides are golden brown and cheese is ooey, gooey melted throughout. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe from: Sister, Tricia
Savory Pork Ribs...A MUST TRY!! EASY Crockpot Recipe
Ingredients:
Boneless Pork Ribs (I've used bone-in, whatever you can get), as much as your family will eat
BBQ Sauce: (double if making more than about 2 lbs of meat)
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (any, I use white)
garlic
Mrs. Dash (quite a lot!)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients for sauce, seasoning with a little garlic and plenty, plenty of Mrs. Dash. Place ribs (not frozen) in a large crock pot and drizzle with 1/2 of the sauce. Put remaining sauce in the fridge. Cook on low for 8-10 hours OR high for 4-6 hours until meat is fall-apart tender. Before serving, heat oven on BROIL at about 400 degrees. With tongs or a slotted spoon scoop ribs out of the crock pot, leaving all drippings and sauce behind, and place in a 13x9 dish. Drizzle ribs well with remaining, pre-made BBQ sauce. Broil on center rack (or one just higher) in the oven until sauce boils on the top and caramelizes. Serve immediately. YUMMY!!!
Recipe from: MOM
Plain and Simply Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:
~ Sliced bread (whole wheat is always great)
~ Boiled eggs (as many as you'd like, you need a couple per sandwich)
~ Mayo (as much as you like to make eggs creamy and moist)
~ Salt & Pepper or No Salt Seasoning from Costco
~ Lettuce (optional)
Directions:
I don't like my egg salad sandwich toasted, but I do like the eggs warm right out of the boiling pan and into my sandwich (maybe I'm weird, so you can eat it any way you like!) Shell eggs and rinse. Place in an egg cutter, if you're lucky enough to have one, otherwise just dice the eggs with a knife. Place in a small bowl and coat with mayo. Season to taste. Fill sandwiches, topping with lettuce.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Quick and Delicious Dinner Salad w/ Homemade Dressing
Ingredients:
(Salad)
1/4 c. slivered almonds (I crush whole if that's all I have)
1 T sugar
1 head lettuce or spinach
1 c. chopped celery
hand full of craisins OR 1 (11 0z) can Mandarin oranges (for a more oriental salad)
(Dressing)
1 tsp salt
2 T vinegar
2 T sugar
3 green onions
1/4 c canola or veg oil
1 T parsley
Directions:
Caramelize almonds by heating them in a small skillet with the sugar until sugar caramelizes onto almonds. Place almonds on a baking sheet or aluminum foil, separate and let cool. (If you're short on time, skip this step and just sprinkle with almonds)
Salad: Tear lettuce or spinach and combine with celery and craisins or oranges.
Dressing: combine all ingredients, drizzle over salad and toss. Sprinkle with caramelized almonds.
Recipe from: a friend of a friend
Thursday, April 9, 2009
New York Red Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
~ 2 tsp canola oil
~ 1 med onion, finely chopped
~ 2 large yellow boiling potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut int o med-size pieces
~ 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, with their juices
~ 1 cup dry white wine (I buy white "cooking" wine)
~ 2 cups cold water
~ 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
~ salt and pepper
~ 2 cups chopped clams, with their juices
~ 2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves (I use dried)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy 4 qt saucepan over med-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until it begins to often. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes, wine, water and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low, partially cover saucepan and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Add the clams and cook 10 min. longer. Add parsley and serve. Bread bowls are particularly good with this recipe.
Home-Style Chicken and Veggie Soup

Ingredients:
~1 tsp EVOO
~1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
~Salt
~1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
~2 carrots, trimmed and chopped
~1 zucchini, trimmed and diced
~1 large yellow boiling potato (about 1/2 lb)
~2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, with their juices
~4 cups chicken broth
~Pepper
~1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy 4 qt sauce pan over med-high heat. Add chicken, season w/ salt to taste, and cook, stirring until all pieces have turned white and are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, fennel and zucchini to the pan and cook, stirring until the veggies begin to soften.
Stir in the chicken pieces, potato, tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Partially cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to med-low, and simmer until the potato is tender and the chicken cooked through, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley, and serve.
Recipe from: my sister, Tricia
Monday, April 6, 2009
Granny's Chicken Noodle over potatoes
Ingredients:
• Chicken or Turkey (cooked & shredded)
• Fill pan with amount you want with either chicken broth or water and chicken boulion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Salt
• Pepper
Directions:
Simmer for 1 ½ hours.
------------------------
Noodles:
• 2 c. flour
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
Add more flour if needed to make not sticky. Roll out to a little thinner than ¼ inch, cut into 1/4" x 1 1/2" inch strips. Drop in simmering soup. Cook for 10-15 min. Take out some broth, add flour to thicken and return broth to soup. Serve over mashed potatoes.
(The bread in the pic is my homemade bread bowl recipe that I let rise too long so they turned out a little flat...perfect for slicing, buttering and dipping!)
Recipe from: GRANNY (Shawn's mom's mom)



