Egg-Hashbrown Casserole -- Katie Dunn

Egg-Hashbrown Casserole

List of ingredients:
1/2 cube of butter
1 large 30 oz. frozen hashbrown bag
8 oz. cheddar chees
8 oz. monterey jack with jalapeno cheese
3/4 lb. ham or precooked bacon
5 eggs
1 cup of milk
Optional: sour cream and salsa to serve with casserole

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Melt 1/2 cube of butter in 9x13 pan
Add 1 large 30 oz. hashbrowns bag (frozen section)
Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes breaking up hashbrowns occationally
Mix 8oz. cheddar cheese grated,
8 oz. Monterey Jack with Jalapeno grated,
3/4 lb. ham cubed or pre-cooked bacon cut into small squares
Mix seperately 5 eggs, and 1 cup of milk together
Put ham and cheese over hashbrowns. Then POUR milk and egg mixture over all. Do not mix.
Bake 375 degrees for 40 minutes loosely covered with foil.
Serve with sour cream and salsa or plain.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder - Shirley Morris

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder -- Shirley Morris

1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 - 12.5 oz can of chicken

½ cup chopped onion or 1 tsp. of onion powder

½ tsp. garlic powder

3 Tbsp. butter

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup hot water

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 cups half and half

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese or 1 cup of Mozzarella

1 (15 oz.) can creamed corn

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

¼ tsp. hot sauce (Tabasco)

1 bag tortilla chips

In large saucepan, brown chicken, onion, garlic, and butter. Dissolve bouillon in hot water and add to chicken. Then add cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until cheese melts. To make ahead - Pour into a freezer bag and freeze.

Texas Caviar -- Amber Williams

6-8 Roma Tomatoes (diced)
3 green onions (chopped)
2 avocados (diced)
1 can black eyed peas (drained)
1 can white corn (drained)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Kraft Zest fat free Italian dressing (add until moist)

Mix all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.

Pumpkin Pancakes -- Amber Williams

Pumpkin Pancakes
from The Idea Room

This is my new favorite breakfast/treat/yummy goodness!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground cloves
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices and stir with a fork to combine.  Mix together the milk, pumpkin puree, egg, and oil or butter in a liquid measuring cup.   Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined.  (The batter may still have a few lumps - that is okay)

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.  Have an oven safe plate or serving dish ready.  Heat a greased skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Once the skillet is hot add a 1/3 cup scoop of batter to the pan.  Let cool until bubbles begin to form on the top surface.  Carefully flip and cook until golden brown. Transfer the cooked pancake to the oven safe dish and place in the oven to keep warm.
Serve with cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, and/or whipped cream.
(I think cinnamon sugar is a necessity!)

This makes about 12 pancakes - I usually double it.  I want to make a big batch and freeze leftovers to stick in the toaster.

Dinner in a Pumpkin - Julianne Clark

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 pumpkin (about 10-12 inches across)

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

2 lbs. ground beef, browned

1 small can tomato sauce

1 chopped green pepper

15-20 baby carrots, chopped

4-5 small potatoes, cubed

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. oregano

2 1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped or grated onion

1 tsp. vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced, or garlic salt to taste

3 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove top rack. Place pumpkin on a jelly roll pan, cut out top of pumpkin, clean out seeds and guts, rub oil on the inside of pumpkin and cook with lid on for an hour at 350 degrees while you prepare what will go inside. (If you don't pre-cook the pumpkin a bit, it doesn't cook sufficiently for you to scrape the sides of the pumpkin at the end.) Brown the meat while you boil the carrots and potatoes to a semi-soft state. To the meat I add the tomato sauce (2 cans of sauce sometimes) and the cut green pepper. In a bowl I combine the last 7 ingredients. When the veggies are cooked, add them to the meat mixture and then pour the bowl mixture on it all. When the pumpkin is ready, remove the lid and add the meat and veggie mixture, replace lid and cook for another hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, remove lid and serve, scraping the sides of the pumpkin to add to the yummy meat mixture. It may need some Spike or additional salt and pepper.

Italian Soup -- Enrichment Night - Bonnie Merci

Okay, so I am a slacker and I didn't go to enrichment night, but a sweet little birdie brought the recipes to me. I heard that the Italian Soup was really good so I will put it on the blog for all of you who like soup. Soup weather is upon us. There, I pronounced it, so commence the soup making!

Italian Soup - Bonnie Merci

1 lb. ground beef
small yellow onion
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
fresh mushroom pieces
1 or 1.5 large cans of tomato juice (or V8)
Macaroni noodles
sugar
salt
pepper
oregano
Italian seasoning
basil
parsley

Okay, so I didn't try this recipe out yet - but while I am typing it I am noticing there are no amounts for most of the ingredients. This is not how I cook. I cook like a scientist with precisely measured ingredients. So if anyone knows at least a round about estimation of how much I need of: mushrooms, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, and parsley - I would love to know. Did they tell at enrichment when they were doing the demonstration? I don't even know to whom this recipe originated or I would call them. If you have this info please let me know so I can update the recipe.

Back to the instructions:
Brown beef in a little olive oil, with a small yellow onion and a couple of chopped cloves of garlic. Add the fresh mushroom pieces and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Add the tomato juice (or V8.) Bring to a boil. Add the macaroni. Reduce heat and add sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, and parsley - to taste. Let simmer until the macaroni is cooked.
This is a great crock pot recipe (I would like to know the instructions for making it in a crock pot. How long to cook? When do you add macaroni? Any ideas?)

Irish Italian Spaghetti -- Kim Stohl

This is my family's favorite spaghetti recipe - which is saying a lot because I have a husband and daughter who don't like "red sauce." So until this recipe, we were a no spaghetti household. Thanks Kim for this recipe, because as you all know spaghetti is a very important part of the meal rotation because it is so easy! So now at least every three weeks we have this yummy dinner and it gets eaten all up. Yummy!

Irish-Italian Spaghetti

1 Onion chopped

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

dash of red pepper (optional)

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp tabasco sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can tomato soup

4 to 8 oz spaghetti noodles (or whatever you prefer)

Brown onion and ground beef. Add seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10 min. Add soups, cover and simmer 45 min. In the meantime, cook spaghetti. This has a little spice to it - Tyson likes it with extra tabasco and the kids like it just regular with parmesan cheese to lessen the kick a little.

* Those are the recipe's instructions - I usually don't let it simmer for 10 min. I just stir it well for a minute or two. Then I mix in the other stuff and let it simmer while I cook the spaghetti, set the table, make a salad, etc. It never ends up being 45 mins. but it is just as delicious!

This sauce freezes well!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread -- Kim Stohl

It's that time of year again to break out all the pumpkin recipes. I don't know why I always wait until fall to use my pumpkin, it is offered year round - and makes some of my family's FAVORITE goodies! This bread is to die for! I think if I left it unchecked Tyson would eat all of it in one sitting. That's right all 5 loaves in one sitting. Don't judge, he just loves pumpkin :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

3 cups pure pumpkin
6 eggs

1 1/2 cups oil

1 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. nutmeg

4 1/2 cups sugar
4 2/3 cups flour

3 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. salt
1 - 24 oz bag milk chocolate chips (2 regular size bags)

Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate LARGE bowls. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients mixing well. Add chocolate chips. (Note: This is a ton of batter. My Kitchenaid was almost over flowing! Mix slowly and carefully!) Pour into 4 or 5 greased bread tins. (Another note: Grease the heck out of the pans or it won't come out of the pans! ) Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 1 hour and 5-10 minutes. Makes 4 or 5 large loaves.  Wait until they cool before trying to invert them on a plate.  They are really yummy out of the fridge, and Kim says they freeze well.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread - Polly Parkinson

Polly's Notes: I suggest just telling people that it is chocolate cake and not mentioning the zucchini, because I don’t think you can taste it at all. It just makes the cake really moist. I peeled some larger zucchini and scooped out the seeds, then grated the rest. I poured 1/2 the batter in the pan, then a handful of chocolate chips, then repeated. I probably baked it for a full hour before the knife came out clean. I don’t think it needs any icing. It is delicious plain with a glass of milk, or maybe garnished with whipped cream and mint leaves. Polly

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Cream: 3/4 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

Add: 3 eggs (beat well)

Sift: 2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Add: 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (or until a toothpick tests clean) -

in tube pan or in loaf tins. Drizzle with chocolate icing.

Optional: nuts, chocolate chips or chunks

I got this recipe from Debra Cayais.

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches -- Caroline Winters

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 lb. chicken tenders cooked and cubed (you can also used canned chicken)

1 stalk celery finely diced

1/4 green pepper, diced

4 green onions, diced

3/4 C. mayo

1/4 C. coarsely chopped salted peanuts

1/3 C. golden raisins

3/4 tsp. curry powder

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. shallot salt (or onion salt)

Mix mayo with seasonings, stir in remaining ingredients. Serve on your favorite bread or rolls.

Best Frosting Ever -- Amber Williams

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling


recipe by ourbestbites.com

6 T Flour
1 C milk (whole milk is best, but I used non-fat when it's all I have and it's actually fine)
1 C real butter
1 C sugar (that's granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.
1/2 t. almond extract

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. I think this is the critical point for any of you who have had problems with this recipe. I have a feeling people are under-cooking this part. Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Even though it's thick, you can still it through a mesh strainer (just whisk the mixture in the strainer to push the thick stuff through) -- I didn't put mine through a strainer because it wasn't at all lumpy after whisking constantly while it cooked.  Then let it cool completely to room temp. or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely. If you don't let it cool completely, it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.

In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You'll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, not the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can get to without it spraying all over the place for 7 minutes. Yes, 7 whole minutes, maybe even 8 or 9. I know that seems like a long time, but that's when the magic happens!

You will be scared because it will look like a weird goopy mess at first and you'll wonder what on earth you did wrong. Keep beating and something amazing happens. It goes from that goopy mess to something thick, velvety smooth, and perfectly fluffy.
Use it to fill cupcakes or other pastries, or as a frosting on top. You can't go wrong putting this on just about anything :)
One batch makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes with BIG tops.  If you're just spreading a little on top, it will do 48.  You can half it if you need to -- but really, why?  :)

After trouble-shooting with a lot of people, here are some helpful Notes:
1. Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.
2. If you beat for the 6-8 minutes and the mixture still looks strange, beat longer and at a higher speed if you can. It should come together, but it takes a little patience!
3. Store at room temperature in a sealed container. Frosting may separate in the fridge, but you can store it overnight if left at room temp and in a well sealed container.

Best Ever Lasagna -- Amber Williams

Best Ever Lasagna

3 lb. sausage
4 cloves minced garlic --- you could use half, but why?
2 Tablespoon dried basil
3 teaspoon salt
1 big can crushed tomatoes from Costco (or 4 big cans of crushed tomatoes from store)
2 teaspoons sugar -- added to tomatoes
Lasagna noodles - I end up using one whole package plus part of another -- leave uncooked!
6 cups cottage cheese (Costco size)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
4 Tablespoons Parsley Flakes
4 Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon pepper
2 pound mozzarella shredded (I just buy big bag of shredded mozzarella and use most of bag)

Brown meat. Add next 5 ingredients and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. In a medium or large mixing
bowl mix together cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, eggs and pepper.
Do not cook noodles - but you might need to break them to fit into pan. Start with a little sauce
on the bottom of the pan. Then noodles - sauce - cottage cheese mix - mozzarella and repeat to make 3 layers.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
If frozen, I cook it for at least an hour to and hour and a half covered with tin foil for at least 45 minutes and
then take off so cheese gets melty.
Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
This recipe can be halved but it works so well using the large costco products it is easier to make more.
It can make 2 deep large lasagnas, or 4-5 little ones in glass 9x9 pans. If the dishes are shallow it might be too hard to make them three layers deep.

Rigatoni -- Suzanne Kingsford

Rigatoni

This is a recipe that I've found even the pickiest of eaters like and eat well. It makes a large batch - one for your family and one to take to someone else or to freeze for another night.

3 lbs. ground beef
1 chopped onion
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz cans)
1 tomato sauce can full of water
2 packages spaghetti seasoning
1 lb cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
1 pint cottage cheese
1 can mushrooms (optional)
1 large package rigatoni noodles

Brown meat and onion, drain off fat. Add sauce, seasoning packages, water and mushrooms and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Cook noodles. While noodles are cooking, combine cheeses and cottage cheese. Layer noodles, cheese and meat sauce in your pans and top with a little extra cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn --- Suzanne Kingsford

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn


This is so addicting and a great treat to have on hand or to give away!

1/2 cup kernels, popped
1 c. roughly chopped pecans (I omitted completely a few times I made it for people who aren't crazy about nuts)
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon (or a tad more if you like)
1/4 c. Karo syrup
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 squares almond bark (or white chocolate chips work fine too)

Preheat oven to 250. Combine brown sugar, butter and cinnamon in pan and melt on stove until bubbly (about 2 min - don't overcook or it will get too hard). Remove from stove and add soda and vanilla. It will bubble up for a minute, this is normal and kind of cool to watch! Pour mixture over popcorn and nuts and mix well. Spread popcorn onto a lined cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Melt almond bark in microwave and drizzle over popcorn. Let cool and break into pieces. Enjoy!

Kansas City Sue's Chicken -- Tammy Anderson

KANSAS CITY SUE'S CHICKEN


4-6 chicken breasts, cut in halves
1/4 lb butter
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c sugar
1 onion, diced
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 c water
1 beef bouillon cube

In lg skillet, brown chicken in butter. Remove chicken pieces to slow cooker as they brown. Combine all other ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring. Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and set on low. Cook for 4-6 hrs in crock pot (I do 6 hrs) or until chicken is tender. Serve with sticky rice or noodles ( I do rice) YUMMY!

Skillet Curry Chicken - Angie Dunn

Skillet Curry Chicken


Simple and delicious!

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 onion (or less), chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 can (10 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 cup heavy cream (I used half & half and ended up adding water b/c it was so thick)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 4-5 breasts), cut into 1" pieces
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. smoked paprika

In heavy skillet, cook apple and onion in butter and olive oil until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Add soup, cream, salt, pepper and stir. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken to pan along with mushrooms and paprika. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is thoroughly cooked (I cooked the chicken separately to save time.) Serve over hot cooked rice.

Yummy!

Meat Loaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potato and Carrot Icing - Rebecca Anderson

Meat Loaf

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 sm. onion, grated
2 sm. carrots, grated
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, grated
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 T Dijon
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 T chopped fresh oregano
1 T chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg
2 T tomato paste

Combine all ingredients, except egg and tomato paste. Mix well, and then add last 2 ingredients. Roll into balls and place in muffin cups. Cook at 350 for 25-30 min.

Carrot Icing
3 lg. potatoes
2 carrots
3 T butter
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt

Boil potatoes and carrots separately, blend or food process them, and then add butter, milk and salt.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies - Holly Christensen

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula Recipe - Holly Christensen

1 Tbl olive oil

1 Tbl minced garlic

2 c heavy cream

2 lemons --- 3 lemons if you want to garnish with lemon

1 lb. dried fusilli

1/2 lb baby arugula

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
cooked, cut up chicken (optional)

Heat oil, garlic for 1 min, then add cream, zest and juice of 2 lemons, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, lower temp, and simmer for 15-20 mins, or until it starts to thicken.

Boil noodles to al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add cream sauce, and cook for 3 mins. Pour pasta into large bowl and add arugula, Parmesan and tomatoes. Cut last lemon into thin slices and add some to pasta as garnish. Toss and season to taste. Serve hot.

Amber's Note:  So I made this tonight for dinner because I have been craving it since I tried it at Holly's house.  I decided to add about 1 lb. of cooked cut up chicken to make it a main course instead of a side.  This recipe makes a lot!  My kids weren't really crazy over it, so mainly just Tyson and I ate it.  I ate way more than I should because it is awesome!  Just what I love to eat in the summer.  If Noodles had this on their menu, I would order it every time.  I have enough for at least four more good size servings left over lunches.  

Ritzy Chicken with Poppy Seeds - Rebecca Anderson

A Pinch of Salt Lake cookbook:

Ritzy Chicken with Poppy Seeds
1 c. sour cream
2 T lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
5 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 c. butter
2 T poppy seeds

Combine first 8 ingredients and marinate chicken in it overnight.

Preheat oven to 350.

Roll chicken in cracker crumbs; melt half of butter and pour over chicken; bake uncovered in 9x13 pan for 45 min., then 15 minutes more with poppy seeds and other half of butter.