Eclair Cake

This dessert is so yummy. But in my opinion, anything with pudding, cool whip and chocolate is delicious.

Cake:
1 box (1lb) graham crackers
2 (3 1/4 oz) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8oz) container frozen whipped topping

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 T butter, softened
3 T milk
2 tsp light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract

Spray pam in the bottom of a 13X9 pan. Line the whole bottom with graham crackers. (you don't crush them, just sort of lay them in the bottom to cover the bottom of the dish). Beat pudding with milk at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of graham crackers over pudding mixture. Pour remaining half of pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of graham crackers on top of pudding mixture.

For frosting, blend together sugar and cocoa. Add butter and milk, mixing well. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Cover last layer of graham crackers with frosting. This dessert tastes best if you can chill it for 24 hours.

Mexican Meat-zza

I saw this once on Rachel Ray. Max doesn't rave over it, but I really like it. I like the sweetness of the cornbread.

2 boxes corn muffin mix, 8 1/2 ounces each (recommended: Jiffy)
2 eggs
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Topping:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin or vegetable oil, 2 turns of pan
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne sauce
Salt
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or jack cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small can, (2 1/4 oz) sliced chilies or jalapenos, drained (I use the chilies so it's not too hot for my kids)
2 scallions, chopped
2 small vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons drained sliced green olives (salad olives)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, optional garnish
mild to medium taco sauce to pass at table

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix together 2 packages muffin mix with 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 1/2 cups milk and frozen corn kernels. Wipe a nonstick skillet with a little extra-virgin or vegetable oil and pour in the muffin mix. Use a large skillet, 10-12 inch. Choose a pan with oven safe handle or double-wrap handle with foil to protect it in the oven. Place pan in oven and bake 15-17 minutes in center of oven until light golden in color.

Brown the meat over medium high heat in a second skillet in extra or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add onions and spices and cook meat 5 minutes more.

Remove cornbread from oven and top with meat, cheese, and veggies. Add pan back to oven and cook 5 minutes more to melt cheese. Garnish with cilantro. Cut into 8 wedges and serve the deep dish pan pizza from the skillet. Pass taco sauce at table to sprinkle on top.

Sagebrush Chicken Cobbler

Filling:
2 T Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (sometimes I don't put this in if I don't have it, or if I'm making it for people who don't like spicy food. also, sometimes I use canned jalapeno because I hate chopping them.)
1 Large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
1/2 cup corn kernels (cooked)
1/2 cup black beans
2 T chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over med-low heat. Add onion, peppers, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes more. Add broth, lime juice, lime zest, and cumin. Cook, stirring over med heat until thick and smooth, approximately 8 minutes. Stir in chicken, corn, black beans, and cilantro.

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 T sliced black olives
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup milk

Combine all topping ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Put filling in an baking dish and drop batter by tablespoons over filling. I use a baking dish that is somewhere in between a 13X9 and an 8X8. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Garnish with cilantro of course.

Pad Thai

When we lived in Provo, we used to LOVE this little Thai restaurant called Thai Ruby. They made the best Pad Thai ever. This is the closest I have come to recreating it!

1/2 lb dried rice noodles (or linguine noodles if you can't find rice noodles, but rice noodles are the best. You don't want the super skinny 'glass' rice noodles, you want the ones that are about the same size as linguine)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoon peanut oil (or extra light virgin or canola, if you don't have peanut oil)
1/8 – ¼ cup creamy peanut butter (depending on how much of a peanut-y taste you like...i use 1/8)
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup milk
¼ cup brown sugar (add a little more if you like it sweeter)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 ½ tsp paprika or curry powder (i like curry better)
cayenne pepper to taste
½ lb mung bean sprouts
½ cup shredded carrots
2 Tablespoons chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped, unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1-2 chicken breasts, or 1/2 lb shrimp, (de-tailed and shelled)
lime juice and cilantro to garnish

1. Prepare the rice noodles or linguine noodles per the package directions.
2. Pour ½ Tablespoon of oil into large skillet and add eggs. Scramble into medium-sized pieces, and transfer to plate. Set aside.
3. Sauté cubed chicken or shrimp, set aside.
4. In a saucepan, mix together peanut oil, peanut butter, water, soy sauce, milk, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder and paprika or curry powder. Heat until sauce is smooth. Season liberally with cayenne pepper.
5. Drain noodles. Heat remaining 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil in a large saucepan or wok. Cook noodles in oil, stirring constantly, until they are tender, about 2 minutes. (if using rice noodles, the easiest way to keep them from sticking is to sprinkle water on them while you are stir-frying them). Stir in peanut sauce, sprouts, carrots, scallions, chopped peanuts and the scrambled eggs. Continue to cook over low heat until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4- 5 minutes. You definitely don't want to over cook the veggies. Garnish with limes and cilantro.

Lemon Sour Cream Pie

This is my favorite lemon pie ever. It is amazing. I've not made a better homemade one yet.

Bake pie crust:
1. Combine 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbes, 1/4 cup sugar and 5 TBSP melted butter, press into 9 inch pie pan, bake at 350 for 6 minutes.

For Pie:
1 cup white sugar
3 TBSP cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks beaten
1/4 cup butter
1 TBSP lemon zest
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk, lemon juice, egg yolks. Cook over medium heat until thick, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter or margarine and lemon peel. Cool Slightly. Fold in sour cream. Spread filling in baked crust. Refridgerate for 2 hours until set. Store in the refridgerater.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

My mom's recipe. It's amazing.
Get:
4 chicken breasts (flattened with meat mallet)
4 slices ham
4 slices swiss cheese

Combine bread crumb mixture:
Good Seasons Garlic Cheese powder (in dressing isle, VERY hard to find. If you find it, buy all that the store has)
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan
1/2 TBSP parsley

2 eggs beaten with 1 TBSP water
1 cup flour

Sauce:
1 cup cream
1/4 cup white wine
1 TBSP curry

1. roll up swiss cheese inside ham; roll that up inside chicken breast, secure with toothpick
2. roll chicken roll in flour, then eggs, then bread crumb mixture
3. brown chicken in skillet in butter, on all sides
4. bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.
5. on stove combine sauce ingredients, bring to boil, boil for one minute.
6. serve sauce over chicken and rice.

Curried Chicken With Carrots, Rice & Lime

This is a recipe (my friend Ruth got me addicted to it) from Everyday Food, which is one of my very favorite cooking shows/magazines. It's on PBS, but it is really hard to catch. It comes on in the middle of the day and I think only once a week. Everything that I've ever made from it is delicious. And this recipe in particular is very good with only a few ingredients. love it.

3 lbs of chicken (thighs and legs)
1 T Curry Powder
2 lbs Carrots, cut into 2 inch lengths, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 cups brown or white basmati or jasmine rice (i used brown jasmine)
1 lime- zest and squeeze juice...put to the side (btw, the original recipe called for 2 limes, but 1 was plenty and i like lime)

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place chicken in a 13X9 baking dish. Season with curry powder, salt & pepper. Scatter carrots around the chicken. Roast, occasionally brushing chicken and carrots with pan drippings until chicken is cooked through...about 35-45 minutes.
2. Cook Rice. Remove from heat and scatter lime zest over rice. Cover pan and let steam 5-10 minutes.
3. Transfer chicken to plate. Sprinkle lime juice over carrots (still in baking dish) toss. Serve carrots and chicken over rice with any extra juice over top of it all.

Homemade Applesauce

My mom made this for us in the fall when I was growing up. I LOVE it. It doesn't even compare to store bought. She also couldn't give me a concrete recipe - just a general process. So here goes.

1. Peel a whole bunch of apples and slice them very thinly.
2. Put a very tiny amount of water in a large stock pot. By tiny, i mean 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
3. Put apples in pan.
4. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat so water is simmering. Keep them covered.
5. Check on apples every 5 minutes to make sure there is still water in the bottom. If there is not any, add more, 1 TBSP at a time.
6. Stir apples every 10 minutes.
7. Cook apples for anywhere from 25 - 40 minutes. They are done when you pierce them with a fork and they are very tender.
8. In batches, process apples in a blender.
9. When it is all done, season with sugar and cinnamon to taste. Go easy on the sugar, it doesn't need much.

Sausage n' Spinach Pasta Bake

Hi girls. Sorry I've neglected you lately. I could give you a list of excuses, but you probably won't think they are good ones since you could probably use the same ones but you've posted. Here is something I found in a grocery store add. Max and the boys loved it. I would post a picture with it, but we ate it all already. I'll have to remember to take the photo before we sit down to dinner next time.

8 ounces rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained (I think next time I would barely undercook it)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 (8 oz ) container chive and onion or garden cream cheese
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3/4 sweet italian sausage, cooked and drained (this is the ground sausage, not in a link)
1 jar pasta sauce (choose what you like)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese (I only had monterrey jack and it was still good)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread oil in the bottom of an 8x10 inch baking dish. Add onion in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cream cheese adn mix well. Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels. Stir pasta, spinach, sausage, pasta sauce, and salt and pepper together with onion and cream cheese mixture. Spoon mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until bubbly.

Hot Hammies

I don't think these were originally called hot hammies, but that is what we call them now. They are super easy. You are going to hate me because I don't really know exact quantities, but it won't matter. Everyone I've ever made these for raves about them.

Rhoades rolls, thawed out. (seems like it takes this about 3 or so hours, but directions are on package)
Thinly sliced deli ham(10-15 slices)
Sliced swiss cheese(10 slices)

Flatten out each roll into as big of a circle as you can. Place 1/2 slice ham, and 1/4 to 1/2 slice of swiss cheese in the center. Wrap dough around meat and cheese and seal.

Then melt 1/2 cup of butter, and in a separate bowl combine 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 TBSP dried parsley and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Roll each roll in butter, then in Parmesan mixture, then place on greased pan. Cover rolls in plastic wrap and let rise until doubled - about 1 hour. Bake according to directions on Rhoades package which is I think 350 for 20 minutes. But watch them to make sure they don't burn.

*If you thaw the rolls in the Rhoades bag, they become kind of one big dough ball. That is totally fine -- you just rip off what you need.

Thai Beef Salad (Beef Waterfalls)

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Kristy. It's a cold salad, and it is very yummy and fresh tasting, I love it!

1 lb steak (1 inch thickness or less)
1 large cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
6 green onions, diced
1/2 medium white onion, sliced very thinly
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Sauce:
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/8 cup fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
1-3 Thai chili peppers (green or red)....i could not find these here in Ohio. However, I was able to find them at several grocery stores out in Utah. You can substitute 1/4 - 1 Tblspn Thai Chili paste...depending on how spicy you like it. 1/4 T being lightly spicy...1 T being very spicy.

1. Cook the beef (grill, boil, pan fry)Don't overcook! Then, cut into thin slices while still slightly pink.
2. Add all veggies to the beef.
3. Combine all sauce ingredients and pour sauce over salad.
4. Chill Salad.
Serve over warm Jasmine Rice. (I actually found a brown jasmine rice that was quite nice).

Mango Salsa

1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 mango, cubed
1/2 - 1 bunch cilantro (use how much you like. I say the more the better, i love the stuff).
sometimes I will also add a chopped jalapeno, just depends on the crowd.

Combine ingredients and sprinkle with some lime juice to taste. You can serve it with chips, or as a topping for breaded chicken, or with quesadillas. This is just what i use it for, but the options are endless!

French Dip

I got this recipe from a neighbor. It's very easy and VERY delicious. I don't think I've had a better french dip.

In a crockpot, combine on low for 10-12 hours:
3 pound roast (I just buy whatever is cheapest - it cooks so long it will fall apart)
2 packets au jus
1 packet dry onion soup
7-8 cups water

Shred beef, serve on a 6-inch roll of some type, and use the juices the beef cooked in as the dipping sauce. (You might want to strain the juice so all the beef bits aren't floating in your dipping bowl.)

Thai Chicken Pizza

We love this recipe. I usually make it at least every other month. Do you see a trend in my submissions? We obviously really like Asian food.

Thai Chicken Pizza
1 pizza dough, any brand or recipe (see below for a pretty simple, but tasty one)
1/2 C duck sauce or plum sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 C shredded provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 rounded tbsp full peanut butter
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning)
4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, chopped
1 C bean sprouts
Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 C chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 425º. Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce and peanut butter with hot sauce and grill seasoning. Use the microwave to loosen up the peanut butter if it is too cold to blend into sauce (10 seconds ought to do it). Add chicken and coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes. Form pizza crust on pizza pan or cookie sheet. Top with duck or plum sauce—spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with some crushed red pepper flakes then top with cheese and peppers. Bake until golden and bubbly (15-17 minutes). Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Grill the marinated chicken cutlets 2-3 minutes each side, until firm. Slice chicken into very thin strips. While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly. Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Pizza dough:
1 Tbsp dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
2 1/2 to 3 c. flour
1 c. very warm water

Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl until dissolved. Add other ingredients and knead for 5 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not punch down. Roll out to 14-16 inches round.

Oreo Peanut Butter Truffles

36 Oreo Cookies (1 package)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Take out 16 cookies and finely crush them, set aside. Chop the remaining oreo's. Combine the chopped Oreo's with the peanut butter. Roll the pb and oreo mixture into 1-inch balls. This can be kind of tricky on account of peanut butter being one of the stickiest substances on earth. I find that I have rinse my hands about every 3-4 balls rolled. And actually, it is quite helpful to keep your hands a little wet. Ok, after the balls are rolled, the need to be frozen until solid. Melt chocolate. Dip the frozen balls into the melted chocolate to coat. Then, roll them in the finely crushed oreo's to coat. Put on wax paper. Refrigerate 30 minutes before eating. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
I got this recipe about 6 years ago off of the back of an oreo package. It is seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten. I mean, oreo's, pb and chocolate, you can't really go wrong with that combination of goodness. My friend Lindsay raised a good question after trying one yesterday. She said, "why have I never had anything like this before?" My answer to her is, "I don't know Lindsay, but now that you have, today is the first day of the rest of your life." Well, not really... but they are pretty great.

Focaccia Bread

Combine:
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 T yeast

Add:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 T sugar

Knead well. Ball should be soft, not stiff. Let rise 45 min. Spray cookie sheet with Pam or non-stick spray. Place dough in middle of pan and press out flat. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, parsley, and Good Seasons: Parmesan Italian dressing dry mix. Let dough rise 10-15 minutes. Use 2 fingers and poke holes all over. Let rise another 10-15 minutes. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

Place 3/4 cup shredded cheddar, and 3/4 cup shredded parmasean on top of bread. Bake for 5 - 7 minutes more. Cut into squares and serve with a bowl of olive oil with balsalmic vinegar poured in.

**Note: I think this bread is amazing when it is hot. It is not so much amazing when it's cold and has been sitting around awhile. Try to plan your meal so you can eat it when it's fresh.

Grilled Salmon

10-16 ozs of salmon, i usually cut it into 3 or 4 pieces
1/4 cup oil (olive or canola)
2 T soy sauce
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T thinly sliced green onion
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp salt
Combine and marinate the salmon in the mixture for 4-6 hours. Oil your grill rack place salmon on grill for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until fish just flakes when tested with a fork. Turn halfway through cooking.
This is one of our favorite recipes. We love seafood, and salmon is one of our favorites. This marinade gives it such a yummy taste, and a little bit of a kick!

That's Right, I Can Make Sushi!

My friend, Ruth, taught me how to make sushi! It is way easier than you think. This is one of those things that I never even really thought about attempting to make. I just sort of thought that regular people couldn't make sushi. But we can! Here's how you do it:
what you will need: (by the way, i got all of these ingredients in the Asian food section at my grocery store)
a package of seaweed wraps for sushi
Calrose Rice
Rice vinegar
Pickled Sushi Ginger
Wasabi
Soy Sauce

possible insides:(usually use 3 ingredients for the insides)
cucumber (peeled and take the seeds out)
avocado (peeled and sprinkled with lemon juice to avoid browning)
carrot (peeled)
crab meat or imitation
smoked salmon
scrambled eggs
or whatever else you like!

so, cook the rice. 1 1/2 cups rice, 3 cups water, 20 minutes. Cut your filling into long strips. Mix the cooked rice with:
1 Tblspn water
1 Tblspn sugar
2 Tblspns rice vinegar

Lay out a piece of seaweed on a cutting board. Spread a thinnish layer of rice on the seaweed paper. Lay your ingredients in a vertical line on top of the rice down the length of the paper. Close to the left edge of the paper, but not too close. Place your fingers on the filling, and pick up the bottom of the seaweed paper with your thumbs. Roll it tightly until you reach the end. I let it sit for about 5 minutes before i cut into pieces. Use a sharp knife.
Serve with pickled ginger (yum!)(pink stuff in the picture)
Wasabi (i bought wasabi mayo, you can get it straight-up, but it's pretty spicy)
Soy Sauce
I hope I described this well. I am a visual learner, so it is hard for me to write written instructions! If you like Sushi, please dare to try these california rolls. They are so yummy, and the best part is you can have as much as you want! Whenever I get sushi at restaurants, I'm always wishing for more, but don't want to spend more $. This way, you can have as much as you want, and you can make it just how you like it!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Batter:
cream together:
1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

combine and add to above:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Spoon half of the batter into a well greased bundt pan.

Filling:
combine
3/4 cup pecans, very coarsly chopped or halved.
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps cinnamon

Sprinkle the filling mixture over the first half of batter in the bundt pan.
Spoon remaining batter over the top of the filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.

Lettuce Wraps

I've tried some other recipes that claim to be PF Chang lettuce wraps, but none of them have come as close as this one.

Lettuce Wraps
Condiments:
1 T hot mustard
1 tsp red chili paste

Sauce:
1/4 C water (boiling)
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ginger (grated)

Stir Fry:
3 tbsp canola oil
4 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
1 C water chestnuts (5 oz dry weight tin, diced)
1/2 C straw mushrooms (diced)
1/3 C green onions (diced)
2 tsp garlic, (minced)
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 C rice noodles (optional)
10 iceberg lettuce leaves

Place condiments in separate serving dish. Combine sauce ingredients well, then set aside. Stir fry chicken in oil, 4 minutes each side. Remove. Chop chicken into dime-size pieces, return to pan along with remaining ingredients (which I dice pretty finely in a chopper) and stir fry until heated through. Spoon into lettuce cups and drizzle with sauce. Hot mustard and red chili paste can be added to the sauce according to taste.

Chicken with Artichokes

Boneless, skinless chicken breast half (6 ounces) - i did 3, i think anywhere between 2 and 4 would work fine

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, and slivered

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained, rinsed, and halved

3 scallions, green and white parts separated, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. With the flat side of a meat mallet or a small skillet, pound to a 1/2-inch thickness. To soften noise, place chicken in plastic on a folded kitchen towel when pounding.
2. In a medium skillet, heat 3 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess. ( i actually just put chicken, salt, pepper, and flour in a bag and shook it up, worked great) Sauté until golden brown and cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove.
3. To pan, add garlic, scallions, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Add artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and remaining teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook until artichokes are heated through and sauce has reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture over chicken.
4. I served it all over couscous. I just get the 'instant' kind that comes flavored in a box, its really easy and cooks in about 5 minutes, i like Parmesan flavored.
   I think next time i would add something crunchy like pine nuts.
   

German Chocolate Cake

Cake:
here's my opinion on home made cake....it's good if you have the time and want to make something a little more special, but after making numerous home made cakes, i will probably just use the box cakes from now on. Home made cakes are just a little better, but box cakes are good enough for me.
If you are feeling motivated, here is the recipe for the home made version of German chocolate cake....
1 Bar (4 oz) Bakers German Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks, unbeaten
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites stiffly beaten
Melt the chocolate in boiling water. Set aside to cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time beating well. Add cool chocolate mix and vanilla. Sift flour and other dry ingredients into the mixture. Add the buttermilk and beat until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Divide batter into 3 9 inch round pans ( i only use two because that's all i have, but they get pretty full and you may have to leave a little batter out), bottoms greased and floured. Bake 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Frosting
This is the part that really makes this cake, it is delicious!
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cup shortening
Cook and stir on medium heat until mixture boils. Remove from heat and add:
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups coconut
1 1/3 cups pecans

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

I got this recipe through my mother in law. It's kind of a family staple at get-togethers now.

MIX:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
ADD:
3 cups instant oats
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Press into ungreased jelly roll pan, bakeat 350 for 15-17 minutes. When cooled, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 1/2 TB water, and drizzle over cooled cookies.

**DO NOT overbake these. Watch them carefully as cooking times vary. For some reason they are not good if they are too brown.

Zesty Spinach Artichoke Dip

Zesty Spinach Artichoke Dip

2 10 oz packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 10 oz cans rotel, drained
2 tsps cumin
2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Combine and place in a greased 2-½ quart baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
A couple of notes about this recipe…it makes quite a bit, so if you are making it for a smaller crowd, I would consider halving it. Also, for the artichoke hearts, I like to get the marinated ones, but non-marinated works fine, too. I got this recipe from my friend Marlo, who is a great cook! I usually change recipes when I make them, but this one does not need a bit of tweaking, it is perfect just how it is!

Whole Wheat Waffles

My mom made these for us when I was growing up, and now I'm making them for my kids. They are absolutely delicious when served with 100% pure maple syrup. They are really light and fluffy, so kids don't notice they are "wheat". They also can be made with white flour and are really delicious.

3 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup flour (wheat or white)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Beat whites until light and fluffy and soft peaks form
Combine wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients, then combine with wet. VERY GENTLY fold in whites. Cook on hot waffle iron.

{Picture from http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Category:Waffle_Recipes}

Tortellini with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

-1 package (20 ounces) uncooked refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini

-6-8 medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (3 cups)

-3 tablespoons snipped fresh basil leaves

-1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 large garlic cloves, pressed

-1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions.
2. Core tomatoes and coarsely chop; place in small bowl.
3. Add basil, vinegar, salt, olive oil, garlic and black pepper to tomatoes.
4. Add tortellini and tomato mixture; toss gently.
5. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

Monkey Bread

I hear that this is real Utah favorite, although I had never even heard of it until a month ago. It's really simple!

3/4 stick butter, melted
1/2 pkg butterscotch pie filling (not instant)
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
18-20 frozen rhoades rolls


Butter bundt pan. Mix pie filling, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a bowl. Dip each roll first in butter, then in dry ingredients, then place in bundt pan. Pour any extra dry ingredients and melted butter on top of rolls. Spray saran wrap with "Pam" (ha ha) and place on top of bundt pan. Let rise over night. In the morning, bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Invert pan on large platter.

Sweet Tomatillo Salsa

I don't know if any of you remember a Mexican restaurant in Provo called Rosa's....anyway, they had the most fabulous tomatillo salsa. In fact, loved it so much, that when Jared proposed to me, he brought this salsa. So, I've been trying to recreate it, and here's what I've come up with. Pretty good if I do say so myself!

10 tomatillos, husked
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small can diced green chiles
1/4 - 1/2 cup cilantro (depending on how much you like cilantro, i love it and say,the more the better)
2 tsps lime juice
3-4 tblspns brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like things, and again, for me, the more the better)
2 tsps white sugar
salt to taste

Place tomatillos in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Simmer until tomatillos soften and begin to burst, about 10 minutes.
Drain tomatillos and place in a food processor or blender. Add back to saucepan with remaining ingredients, except cilantro. Cook a short time, just until it boils. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
I like it on chips, on tacos, burritos, etc.

Fruit Pizza

So, I got this great recipe from my friend, Kim. It's not like any other fruit pizza recipe you've used before, the crust is the secret. I made it yesterday, and it was delicious. Jared's parents were here and his mom couldn't stop talking about how wonderful it was! Thanks Kim for the yummy recipe!

1 yellow cake mix
4 Tbsp. butter, melted, or really soft
1 C chopped pecans
4 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread mixture into greased jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet with sides. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let crust cool completely.

Frosting:
Mix well and top with seasonal fruits and pecans.
16 - 24 oz cream cheese (when Kim made it for us, she used 24oz and it was good, but b/c i don't love cream cheese, i prefer a little less, so i used 16 oz and it was plenty for me)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Coconut Korma

Maybe if Pam and I had had this recipe back then we wouldn't have had to spend so much money at Bombay House. It takes a little effort to find a couple of these ingredients, but it is delicious.

1 lb. chicken
1 yellow onion
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. fengreek (I had to find this at a local health food store in the bulk spices)
2 crushed cardomoms
1 to 2 tsp hot chili powder (to taste)
3 Tbsp. powdered coconut (I couldn't find this so I took unsweetened coconut and put it through the food processor. I haven't tried looking at a foreign foods store, maybe they have it available)
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 c. cream
3 c. vegetables (I've used carrots, mushrooms, squash/zuchinni, bean sprouts)
1 c. chicken broth
Rice

Cook chicken with spices in butter until browned. Add harder vegetables and chicken broth; simmer until vegetables start to become soft, and add softer vegetables, cream, sugar, and coconut. Simmer on low heat until mixture thickens. Serve over rice.

I couldn't really get the mixture to thicken like I wanted it to, so I ended up putting everything through my food processor in portions so that it turned into more of a sauce like you get at Bombay House. It's pretty tasty.

The Very Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever

I don't mean to brag, but these really are the Very Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever. Enjoy!


Dough:
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Insides
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting (this is the best part)
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. I actually do mine without a bread maker and just mix the ingredients in my kitchen aid with the dough hook, then just let it rise under a towel.
2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees .
4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.