Tex-Mex Chili

Yesterday it was FREEZING here in Pocatello with 50 MPH winds and a wind chill below zero. I wanted to warm up, so I went searching for a good chili recipe. This is what I found. It was EXCELLENT. It also makes a big pot, so I will also be enjoying some for lunch today. It's different because it calls for beef stew cubes (which we had a lot of in our freezer) instead of ground beef. This recipe also calls for slow cooking, but I didn't get it on in time for dinner, so I just simmered it on the stove on low for about 3 hours. Beware, this recipe is rather spicy, and I only used half the cayenne it calls for. Next time I may eliminate the red pepper flakes as well. But, if you like it spicy, here's your fix!

3 pounds beef stew meat
1 Tablespoon Canola (or vegetable) oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (16 ounces each) Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
3 cans (15 ounces each) Tomato Sauce
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 cup salsa verde
1 envelope chili seasoning
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Optional garnishes:

Minced Fresh Cilantro
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

In a large skillet, brown the beef stew meat in oil in batches. Add the garlic to the pan; cook and stir for 1 minute. Transfer to a 6 qt. slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients (except garnishes). Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Yield: 12 servings (1-1/3 cups each)

Source: Taste of Home

Creme Brulee French Toast

We love having guests and friends visit us on the weekends. However, Saturday morning breakfast can be a challenge. You want to maximize visiting time and minimize time in the kitchen while still having a delicious breakfast. This is a great recipe because it is put together the night before and all you do is pop it in the oven when you get up! This french toast bakes in the oven and melts in your mouth.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 loaf Texas Toast bread (extra-thick slices)
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups half and half cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe syrup butter (below)

In a small saucepan, stir and melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth. Pour mixture onto a large, greased jelly roll pan (cookie sheet pan-18x13x1 inch). Spread to cover surface. Place 12 slices Texas toast bread in a single layer to cover pan. Mix together eggs, cream, salt, and vanilla. Spoon mixture over each piece of bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and serve. If not serving immediately, turn each slice of bread over (this will prevent bread from sticking to bottom of the pan.) Serve with syrup butter. 12 slices french toast.


Syrup Butter:
1-1/2 cups butter
3 cups maple syrup

Melt together and serve over toast.


Source: The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Extremely Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our friends and neighbors, the Davis family, shared this recipe for these soft, moist, cake-like cookies. They are so incredibly easy and have only 3 ingredients. Also this delicious recipe has no oil, butter or added fat, and no eggs! Thanks Tom and Laura!! (For another delicious cake-like pumpkin cookie recipe see the "pumpkin cookies with warm caramel icing" also on this blog.)

1 box spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin Puree
2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Beat cake mix and pumpkin puree together in a large bowl. Stir in Chocolate Chips. Drop by tablespoon-fuls onto very lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes or until very slightly browned but still soft. Let cool on cookie sheet for one minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Christmas Snowballs

Hello! It's been a crazy time preparing for Christmas! Here is a slightly different twist on the chex "muddy buddy" recipe. We give it away as gifts every year! Enjoy!

8 cups (1 large box) Cocoa Puffs Cereal
1 bag (10 oz.) Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup
3 Cups Powdered Sugar-divided

In each of two gallon-size resealable ziploc bags, place 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar. Set aside. Either on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave, stir and melt together the Peanut Butter Chips, butter and corn syrup until smooth. Pour over Cocoa Puffs in a large bowl and stir gently to coat. Divide the cocoa puff mixture evenly between the two ziploc bags of powdered sugar. Seal the bags and shake gently to coat with sugar. Spread onto waxed paper to cool.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

This awesome quick bread fills the kitchen with spicy holiday scents while it bakes. SO yummy! It also freezes well.

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 - 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 - 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or use cooking spray) two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, and eggs. beat until smooth. add water and pumpkin and beat until blended.
In a medium bowl, combine ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all dry ingredients are moistened (do not over mix). Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 2 loaves.



Source: allrecipes.com

Our Favorite Breakfast Pizza

Heather and I invented this pizza when we wanted something quick and yummy for breakfast one morning. It is delicious!!

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (more if you like)
Favorite desired toppings (cooked bacon sausage or ham, chopped bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.)

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll crescent roll dough onto a cookie sheet, pressing seams together to seal. Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and scramble eggs over medium heat until almost set (don't cook all the way, otherwise the eggs will be rubbery on the pizza). Spread eggs onto crust. Top with cheese and toppings. Bake in preheated oven for approx. 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Rolo Cookies

Do you ever have left over candy? Especially at this time of year. Well I seem to have rolos around the house and this recipe is a perfect use for them. This is a delicious cookie. I would even venture to say that it is totally acceptable for those Christmas cookie plates that we all like to give to our neighbors. However, for me it is that cookie that satisfies all chocolate fixes that a girl could need. It. is. that. good. If you didn't know what they were you would think it was just a normal chocolate cookie, but as soon as you bite into it, you know it isn't just another chocolate cookie. With it's gooey caramel center it is sure to please everyone!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C. flour

3/4 C. cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1 C. Sugar

1 C. packed brown sugar

1 C. butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 C. chopped nuts (your choice - I prefer walnuts)

60 Rolo candies - or one bag

4 tbsp. sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; blend well.
• In a large bowl, beat sugars and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Slowly add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in 1/2 cup nuts.
• For each cookie, with floured hands, shape about 1 tablespoon dough around caramel candy, covering completely.
• In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup nuts and 4 tablespoons sugar. Press one side of each ball into nut mixture.
• Place, nut side up, on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from sheet.
  

source: www.cooks.com

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

We just tried out this recipe. For us caramel corn has been difficult to make. We don't know why. We figured that we just hadn't found the right recipe for us. Besides which, I am not patient enough to stir my popcorn in the oven every 15 minutes for an hour. We thought this recipe was easy and delicious. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 quarts (16 cup) popped popcorn

1 Cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

• 
  Place the popped popcorn into a large paper bag. Set aside



• In a 2 quart dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in the baking soda.



• Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave and cook for 45 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 45 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waved paper and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container.

Tips:

• Be quick when pouring the syrup onto your popcorn. You want to get as much of the corn coated as possible.



• Our microwave cooks on the warmer side. If yours does not, you may want to cook the popcorn for 1 minute 10 seconds as opposed to 45 seconds.



• Don't get the syrup on you! It's hot - I found out the hard way. I just can't keep myself from trying the ooey gooey syrup!

source: www.allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Those of you who know me I am a fan of ALL things pumpkin. Heather, not so much. I appreciate the fact that she lets me go crazy with the pumpkin stuff in the fall, even though they're not her favorite. These muffins are so moist and flavorful, and they are perfect for fall and Halloween class parties. You can also substitute mini chocolate chips and make them into mini-muffins for a bite-size treat. They are especially tasty when served warm right out of the oven!

4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, and mix in the sugar, pumpkin, and oil. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Blend carefully into the egg and pumpkin mixture just until moistened. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Transfer to muffin pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: Approx. 30 regular size muffins, 70-80 mini muffins.

Source: allrecipes.com

Slow Cooker Chili

We found this recipe and made it for our neighborhood chili dinner and trunk-or-treat over Halloween weekend at O.K. Ward park. It was excellent, especially because we just threw it in the slow cooker in the morning, and it just simmered all day while we got the kids costumes ready and did other things. Feel free to adjust ingredients to suit your family's tastes. For instance, if you like a spicier chili, add additional tabasco or a chopped seeded jalapeno pepper. Enjoy!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans (I sometimes prefer to use a variety of beans in my chili. last time I used two cans pinto beans and one can kidney beans. It turned out great. You can also use small red beans or black beans if you like as well).
3 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (last time I made this we didn't have these on hand, I just used canned diced tomatoes instead, and added a little extra garlic. It came out perfect).
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 generous dash worcestershire sauce
1 generous dash tabasco
1/2 cup red wine or beef broth
1 to 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste, if desired*

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until beef is evenly browned. Drain fat and season to taste with salt and pepper. In a slow cooker (ours is 5 quart size) combine the ground beef mixture, beans, tomatoes, celery, red bell pepper, and red wine vinegar. Season with chili powder, cumin, parsley, basil, worcestershire sauce and tabasco. Stir in tomato paste, if desired. Cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Pour in wine or beef broth during the last two hours.

*This recipe without the tomato paste makes a rather "soup like" batch of chili. If you prefer a thicker chili, add as much tomato paste as you would like to achieve your desired consistency. (2 6-ounce cans of tomato paste is perfect for our liking. . . not too thick, not too thin).

Yield: 8-10 servings

Source: allrecipes.com

Chicken Tetrazzini

I know that I am lacking in the picture department. It is just that by the time I actually get everything made, I don't stop to think about a picture! That's why, this month I am going to try harder to take more pictures of the new foods we make and then also pictures of the other foods. So of course, at this moment I don't have a picture of this delicious pasta dish. But believe me.... it's good!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. spaghetti (12 oz.)
1/3 C. butter or margarine
1/3 C. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 can chicken broth (14.5 oz.)
1 1/2 C. half and half cream
1 C. heavy whipping cream
4 C. cubed cooked chicken
3 cans mushroom stems and pieces, drained (4 oz. each)
1 jar sliced pimentos, drained (4 oz.)
1/2 C. grated Parmesan Cheese

directions:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile in a skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add the broth, half and half and whipping cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened.
• Remove from heat. Stir in chicken, mushrooms and pimentos.
• Drain spaghetti; add to the chicken mixture and toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 11X7 inch baking dishes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and freeze one casserole up to 2 months. Bake second casserole uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
• To use frozen casserole, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Stir before serving.

source: FCCLA cookbook: A Little yummy for Your Tummy

Halloween Menu

Because Halloween is on a Sunday this year, I decided that I wanted to make it special since we won't be trick-or-treating on that day. If you are like me, you have struggled to come up with a fun, yet not too creepy, but delicious, and something the kids will eat - meal to serve. It was especially difficult because everything that you find is usually an appetizer type food. Since we are having a few friends over for a sit-down dinner, I can't really just serve finger foods for the meal. Finally I have figured out what I am going to do. I wanted to share it with all of you so that if you are still looking, maybe I can help out with your meal plans.

Breakfast:

• Pancakes made into Halloween shapes
• Sausage "Fingers"

I came up with this idea when I was first introduced to Jim's Pancakes by a family member and then later when he appeared on the Rachel Ray show. His pancakes are awesome! I thought, "hey, I can do that!" So we will be attempting these pancakes in the morning.

Lunch

• Ghost of Monte Cristo Sandwiches. (Picture 5 above)
• PB&J sandwiches cut into shapes or Hot dog mummies. (Pictures 2 and 7)

The Monte Cristo will most likely be for the adults that will be visiting with us for lunch. I haven't quite decided between the mummies or the PB&J's, but these are for the kiddos.

Dinner:

• Martinelli's Apple Cider with eye ball drink stir-ers (found at Wal-mart)
• Mummy Meatloaf (picture 1 above)
• Mashed Boo-tatoes (picture 4 above)
• Slivered Scream Beans (picture 6 above)
• Witches Fingers (Bread sticks)

Ever since I first saw this meatloaf I wanted to make it. Everything else is really all about how you present it.

Dessert:

• Brain Cupcakes (picture 3 above)
• Homemade Oreos with Orange filling
• Candy Corn Trifles

We are having so many desserts because I want people to be able to choose what they want. We are also putting the kids to bed and then watching some type of scary movie - it is after all Halloween! I just want everyone to be fed and happy, plus the sugar will help keep all the adults awake!

The Oreos are our own recipe found here! For other really great ideas visit Family Fun and Martha Stewart. They have some really great entertaining ideas and awesome things that you can do with your kids! Good luck and Happy Halloween!

Candy Corn Mini Trifles

I love, love, love Halloween! So when I came across these I knew that I just had to try them. Besides, we love trifles so this is also right up Aaron's alley as well!

Ingredients:

• Box of yellow cake mix, plus oil, eggs and water needed to prepare
  
• Yellow food coloring
  
• 2 (4 serving size) boxes instant vanilla pudding, plus milk needed to prepare
  
• Orange food coloring
  
• 8 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed
  
• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  
• Candy Corn
  

Directions:

• Prepare cake batter according to instructions, adding yellow food coloring during mixing. Pour batter into a 9x13 inch pan and bake and cool according to box directions.
  
• Prepare instant pudding according to directions on box, adding enough orange color to make it a bright orange. Place pudding in the refrigerator while you prepare the topping.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in the Cool Whip until well blended.
  
• Crumble the yellow cake into an even layer in the bottom of each mini trifle bowl. Remove the pudding from the refrigerator and spoon on top of cake layer. Smooth out with the back of your spoon. Pipe whipped topping/cream cheese layer on top with a large star tip. Or, just spoon it on. No one will care.
  
• Top with a candy corn.
  

source: http://confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com

Upside-Down Pizza

This is a delicious twist on pizza. Give it a try, your kids will love it!

Ingredients

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar pizza sauce
1 can mushrooms
1 can olives, sliced
favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, Canadian bacon, etc.)
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.




2. Brown beef, sausage, onion and garlic in large saucepan over medium high hear. Once browned, drain fat and stir in pizza sauce.




3. In a 9X13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of sauce and pizza toppings. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, another layer of sauce and pizza toppings and the rest of the cheese.




4. Top with crescent rolls, pinching seams together. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.

source: A Little Yummy for Your Tummy cookbook put out by the FCCLA in Grangeville Idaho

Fun Halloween Idea: Black Widow Bread with Spider Eggs

This bread makes an awesome buffet centerpiece for any Halloween gathering! You can use it to make your own sandwiches with trays of cold cuts and cheese, or just serve it alongside whatever your main course is. We made it for a murder mystery dinner which our friends hosted a few weeks ago. It looked awesome on the table!

4 (1 pound) loaves frozen whole-wheat or white bread dough, thawed
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons black poppy seeds or black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

The Head:

Divide one loaf in half. Knead half on a floured board to make a smooth ball. Set aside while forming the body and legs.

The Body:

Knead remaining half-loaf with one whole loaf into a smooth ball.

Center body and head on a greased baking sheet. Gently flatten head to make it 3 inches wide. Flatten body to make it 5 inches wide. Body and head should touch.

The Legs:

On a floured board, divide one loaf into 8 equal pieces. Roll each portion into an 8-inch log. Place ends of logs under head and body about 2 inches apart (two on each side of the head and two on each side of the body). Curve them to resemble spider legs. Make sure dough stays at least 2 inches from pan edge.

Spider Eggs:

Divide remaining loaf into 8 equal pieces. Shape each portion into a smooth ball. Place slightly apart on a separate greased baking sheet.

Let dough rise in a warm place until puffy, 20 to 30 minutes. Brush dough with beaten egg; sprinkle spider with black poppy seeds or black sesame seeds, and spider eggs with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 until bread is a rich golden color beneath seeds and a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean (20 to 25 minutes for spider eggs, 40 t0 45 minutes for spider). Serve warm or cool on racks. If not serving immediately, wrap well. Can be made ahead and frozen. Serves 10 to 12.


Source: The Essential Mormon Cookbook

Cheesecake Brownies

Just recently we bought a case of brownie mix at one of our local grocery stores during their case lot sale. So now we have started looking for interesting ways to use those brownie mixes. This recipe is super easy and it tasted great!

Ingredients

1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar

Directions

Prepare the brownie mix as directed on box. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on box. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth. Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter. Swirl together using a knife or skewer.
Bake according to box instructions. Brownies will be done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then cut into bars and serve.


source: www.allrecipes.com

Caesar Salad Supreme

This was a delicious salad. The dressing is pretty thick though, so just be a little careful when you dress the salad.

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup mayonnaise
5 anchovy fillets, minced
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups day-old bread, cubed
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

Mince 3 cloves of garlic, and combine in a small bowl with mayonnaise, anchovies, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cut the remaining 3 cloves of garlic into quarters, and add to hot oil. Cook and stir until brown, and then remove garlic from pan. Add bread cubes to the hot oil. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned. Remove bread cubes from oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with dressing, remaining Parmesan cheese, and seasoned bread cubes.

source: www.allrecipes.com

That Good Salad

this is a surprisingly simple yet delicious salad. We made it exactly as the recipe called for and it was quite a refreshing salad. One word of advice.... Use fresh lemon juice. I did and I think it made all the difference. It ended up taking about 2 lemons.

Ingredients

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 heads romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup Caesar salad croutons

Directions

In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; cover and shake well. Chill. In a bowl, toss romaine, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, almonds if desired, Parmesan cheese and bacon. Shake dressing; pour over salad and toss. Add croutons and serve immediately.

source: www.allrecipes.com

A Useful Tool - The Citrus Press

I have recently rediscovered the usefulness of this tool. The Citrus Press. For a long time whenever I need fresh lemon juice I just use my good old hand to squeeze the juice out. I can never seem to get all the juice out. So I finally pulled out this beauty. It gets out all the juice and it keeps me from having to fish out the seeds. It is an inexpensive tool that will be useful for years to come.

MIA and a New Announcement

OK, so I know that we have been missing in action for a little while now. You all know how it is with summer, everything just gets turned around and upside down. With school starting again we have a new resolve to update more frequently and make this a place you enjoy coming so that you can get new recipes and tips for your families to enjoy.

With that being said we wanted to announce that starting this Tuesday and continuing for the next few months we will be trying something new. We have quite a few recipes in the "to try someday" pile. So we decided that we would finally put these recipes to the test. Twice a week we will be trying something new with our meals. This month we will be trying out new salads. In the months to come we will be trying appetizers, main courses, desserts and so on. hopefully this will give all of you something new to try as well.

Also, we will be starting a new tips and tricks and useful hints section. A few times a week we will post tricks that we have found to be helpful in the kitchen. If any of you have any questions, leave us a comment and we will do our best to answer any of the questions that you may have. Keep in mind that we aren't professionals. We are just two people who love to cook and have been learning a lot along the way. So we are hoping that with your questions we will be able to learn along with you.

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

Oh man, Paula Deen has done it again! Heather and I were flipping through the channels the other night, and stopped dead in our tracks when we saw this cobbler flash up on the screen. It looked AWESOME! And so, we made it for dessert when we realized we had a bunch of blueberries in the fridge we needed to use. WOW. This turned out awesome! Hope you enjoy!!

Fruit Mixture:

2 (16 oz.) cans sliced peaches in heavy or light syrup or in juice (your choice)
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries (optional)
1/2 cup Bisquick
1/3 cup sugar
Ground Cinnamon

Topping:

2-1/4 cups Bisquick
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
Cinnamon Sugar (1/4 cup sugar combined with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; store in an empty spice shaker jar; shake well before each use).

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a dutch oven (we just used a large round baking dish) with cooking spray. Drain one can of the peaches. Combine both cans of peaches (including the juice from the undrained can), blueberries (if using), the Bisquick, sugar, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Place this mixture in prepared pan.

To make topping: Combine the Bisquick, sugar, butter, and milk in a resealable plastic bag (we just combined in a bowl). Drip bits of dough, using your fingers, on top of the peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place pan into preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crusty.

Source: foodnetwork.com

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Banana Pancakes

One of our good friends posted this recipe on her Facebook wall and said we had try it. These were probably the best pancakes I (Aaron) have ever had. They were remarkably light and fluffy for being whole wheat, and tasted like banana bread. The secret is letting the batter rest for 5 minutes (enough time to whip up the syrup recipe below) before you put the batter on the griddle.

1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons dry milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana, mashed

1. Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, dry mlk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.

*2. Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until brown on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

*TIP: (saves a few dirty dishes) After blending the oatmeal and adding it to the dry ingredients, I just dumped the whole banana, egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla into the blender, pulsed it a few times on low to mash the banana and blend the wet ingredients, then added it to the dry ingredients.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Absolute Best Pancake Syrup

Someone on allrecipes suggested that we try this syrup with the whole wheat, oatmeal and banana pancakes (above). Man, this syrup was sooooo delicious, and it comes together in like 5 minutes! I serously wonder if we will ever buy store bought syrup ever again! TIP: When you add the baking soda, the syrup tends to foam up quickly and may boil over. To prevent this, stir in the soda a tiny bit at a time, or just use a larger pot.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Bring butter, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and cinnmon to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once simmering, whisk in baking soda, and cook for 10 seconds before removing from heat. Serve warm.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Slow Cooker Tamale Pie

Ok, so I (Aaron) really like southwestern tex-mexy (is that a word?) type food. Tamale pie is one of my favorites. I have been looking for an easy and tasty tamale pie recipe for a long time, (i've tried a BUNCH, but they were always "missing" something) but never really found one. . . until now. I was flipping through this month's (August/September 2010 issue) Taste of Home, and there on the contest page this first-place award winning Tamale Pie in the SLOW COOKER jumped out and slap-a-lapped me in the face! Who would have thought you could make Tamale Pie in the slow cooker?? Those of you who know me know that the crock pot and I have a very special relationship. It's awesome. Throw all your ingredients in the pot in the morning, no dishes after dinner time, the house smells great all day, tasty food, no fuss (especially if you use those coolio slow cooker liners)! So we had this tamale pie tonight and it was DEE-LISH, and it wasn't missing anything! The best part is that it uses a ton of pantry staples so that most people have on hand! :-) Hope you all enjoy!

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained (we didn't have this, so we used one 14-1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes and one small can of mild diced green chilies).
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 pkg. (8-1/2 oz.) corn bread/muffin mix (we used "Jiffy" corn muffin mix)
2 eggs
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese blend (we had cheddar jack on hand, worked great)
Sour Cream and additional minced fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)


In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper. Transfer to a 4 quart slow cooker; stir in the beans, tomatoes, corn, enchilada sauce, onions and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.
In a small bowl, combine muffin mix and eggs; spoon over meat mixture. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream and additional cilantro if desired.


Source: Taste of Home (August/September 2010)

Gretchen's Amazing Potato Salad

So, my sister-in-law, Gretchen Haws, has been making this potato salad for nearly every Haws gathering I can remember. It is slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and SO good. Usually, i'm not a huge fan of potato salad, but this one is a winner! Thanks, Nikki, for digging out Gretchen's recipe for us!! :-)

Salad:
10 red potatoes, cubed and boiled (if you don't have red potatoes, russets work fine too, just remember that russets are larger and you will need fewer potatoes.)
8 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 small can sliced olives, drained

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup sugar

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. In medium bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together, pour over salad and toss. Store covered in refrigerator until serving.

Source: Gretchen Haws

Easy Entertaining Idea: Trifle Bar!!!!!

This year for the fourth of July, Heather and I wanted to try something different and delicious for a dessert. A while ago, I read in Taste of Home about the idea of a trifle bar. I thought this would be fun. So we tried it, and it was a HUGE success for our barbecue, and very delicious! Plus, it was so little work, it made the day even better! For those non-triflers out there, according to google, a trifle is defined as: "a dessert dish made from thick (or often solidified) custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or, more recently, gelatin, and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers with fruit and sponge on the bottom, and custard and cream on top." We put out individual serving dishes for our guests, along with dishes of brownie cubes, angel food cake cubes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, vanilla pudding, and cool whip, and let them go to town. Since this was 4th of July, we went with the red-white-blue thing, but you can let your imagination go wild! Here are some suggestions:

Cakes:
Frozen (or homemade) pound cake cubes
Chocolate Cake cubes
Angel Food Cake cubes
Brownie Cubes
Yellow Cake Cubes
White Cake Cubes

Fruits:
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Banana Slices
Mandarin Orange Segments
Kiwi Slices

Sauces/Custards:
Vanilla Pudding
Chocolate Pudding
White Chocolate Pudding
Cheesecake Pudding
Banana Cream Pudding
Favorite jam or jelly
Chocolate or Caramel Sauce

Toppings:
Whipped Cream/Cool Whip
Yogurt
Raspberry Whipped cream (if you want to get extra fancy!) To make raspberry whipped cream: take one 10 oz. tub of frozen sweeetened raspberries in syrup, thawed, blend in blender for 30 seconds until pureed, strain and discard seeds, and stir in one 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip, and voila! Instant raspberry cream! :-)

Strawberry Cheesecake

So, I asked Heather what she wanted for dessert for Mother's Day this year. She just said "something extra yummy." I was totally out of ideas. I happened to yank the "Taste of Home Baking Book" off our shelf and flipped open the cheesecake tab. There, staring me in the face, were the pictures of this AMAZING, JAW DROPPING sight:

It came out incredible!!! Most people find cheesecakes really intimidating and difficult. This one was really a no-brainer, and it looks like it comes from some fancy, expensive bakery!! It takes a little planning ahead, but other than that, it's really easy! ENJOY this one!!!!!

CRUST:
3/4 cup ground pecans (I just chopped them really fine)
3/4 cup graham cracker squares (about 12 squares)
3 Tablespoons butter

FILLING:
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten

TOPPING:
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

STRAWBERRY GLAZE:
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 jar (12 ounces) strawberry jelly
3 Tablespoons orange juice
Red food coloring, optional
1 quart fresh whole strawberries

1. In a bowl, combine the pecans and cracker crumbs; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10-inch springform pan; set aside

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Spoon over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet.

3. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 15 minutes (LEAVE OVEN ON). For topping, combine all the ingredients; spoon around edge of cheesecake. Carefully spread over filling. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

4. Several hours before serving, prepare glaze. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and water until smooth; add jelly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until jelly is melted and glaze is thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in orange juice and food coloring, if desired. Cool to room temperature.

5. Just before serving, remove sides of pan. Arrange strawberries on top of cheesecake with pointed ends up. Spoon glaze over berries, allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Source: Taste of Home Baking Book

Haws Family Sunday Night Crepes

My sister, Lauren Nash, the younger of my two sisters, has made these crepes every Sunday night since I can remember. They are absolutely awesome! Heather and I liked them so much when we would visit her on occasional weekends, that we decided a few years back that we would carry on the crepe tradition at our house as well! When fresh strawberries aren't in season, feel free to substitute other fruit, or frozen fruit, or use only bananas.

Crepe Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Fillings/Toppings:

Nutella (Hazelnut spread with skim milk and cocoa).

Fresh sliced strawberries

Sliced bananas

Whipped Cream (We usually use the Reddi Whip in a can).

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter, beat until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled nonstick griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the bottom of the pan evenly.

3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Remove crepe and spread with as much Nutella as you would like down the middle. Top with sliced strawberries and bananas. Fold crepe over and top with whipped cream!

"Mile-High" Peanut Butter-Brownie Pie

A few weeks ago, Heather and I were in the check-out line at Wal-Mart. We were standing there and saw the "Pillsbury recipe winners" cookbook on the rack. This pie was on the cover. It looked SO good! So, we bought the magazine, (impulse buyers that we are) and made the pie to take to a "Sushi-pajama party" we had last night with friends. The pie was the hit of the whole evening. We all had at least a piece and a half, and we all loved it especially because it hit that chocolate-peanut butter spot without being too sweet or too rich. Enjoy!!!!!

NOTE: we looked all over town for a "15.5" ounce package of the chocolate chunk brownie mix, and couldn't find it anywhere. So Heather, being as creative as she is, bought a larger size chocolate chunk brownie mix, then weighed out exactly 15.5 ounces of it on her little food scale, then proceeded as directed with the recipe. You don't want more than 15.5 ounces of the brownie mix because it will be too much batter and overflow the pie crust.

1 refrigerated pie crust (or homemade pie crust for single crust pie)

1 box (15.5 oz.) Pillsbury Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons water

1 egg

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 container (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

2 Tablespoons peanuts, chopped

2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350. Unroll pie crust and place in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for one-crust filled pie. Flute edge.

2. In a medium bowl, stir brownie mix, peanut butter chips, oil, water and egg 50 strokes with spoon. Pour batter into crust-lined pie plate.

3. Bake 30-40 minutes, covering edge of crust with strips of aluminum foil after 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is golden brown and center of brownie is set. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until completely cooled.

4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture over brownie. Sprinkle top of pie with peanuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

Tres Leches Cake

For Cinco De Mayo we were having a small party with some friends. We made a wonderful meal chalk full of Spanish Favorites. We had Strawberry Margaritas (virgin of course), Fajitas, Spanish Rice and to top of our meal..... Tres Leches Cake. I am not normally a big fan of Tres Leches Cake but we decided to give this recipe a try. It turned out amazing! Aaron thought it was a lot like bread pudding. Everyone loved it and it was a huge success.


1 cup white sugar
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 pint heavy whipping cream
10 maraschino cherries


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until light in color and doubled in volume. Stir in milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder.


In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until firm but not dry. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes.

Loosen edge of cake with knife before removing side of pan. Cool cake completely; place on a deep serving plate. Use a two prong meat fork or cake tester to pierce surface of cake.


Mix together condensed milk, evaporated milk and 1/4 cup of the whipping cream. Discard 1 cup of the measured milk mixture or cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining milk mixture over cake slowly until absorbed. Whip the remaining whipping cream until it thickens and reaches spreading consistency. Frost cake with whipped cream and garnish with cherries.

Tips: I would suggest sifting your flour before you add it to the cake. I didn't do this and there ended up being a few lumps that turned into hard little nuggets. Everyone ignored them (lucky for me) but I am my own worst critic!

I used Strawberries instead of the Cherries. I liked the taste of the Strawberries and the freshness that they added.

source: www.allrecipes.com

Chicken Pot Pie or "Pea Pie"

I have never had a pot pie like this. It's a recipe from Heather's family, and absolutely delicious. This is real, down home, comforting country cookin'. It may sound a little weird at first, but it is one of my favorite things that Heather makes.

1/2 pound ground pork sausage
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1-3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
1 10 ounce bag frozen peas
1 package refrigerated pie pastry (one crust)

Brown sausage in a large skillet. When cooked, remove sausage from skillet with slotted spoon and set aside, reserving drippings in skillet. Add butter to drippings. When butter is melted, add flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until flour is slightly browned. Add chicken broth and milk and stir until mixture is thick and creamy. Add cooked sausage, chicken and peas to sauce and stir gently. Spoon mixture into 2-1/2 or 3 quart casserole dish, and top with pie pastry. Flute edges as desired and cut a few small slits in crust for steam to escape. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

This year for Easter, Heather and I wanted to make a different, really decadent dessert. So, we pulled out our Taste of Home Baking book, and saw the cheesecake tab. Both of us looked at each other and smiled, and flipped the tab, and this cheesecake was staring us in the face. We KNEW we had to make it. So we did. It was AWESOME. We hope you like it as much as we do!!

CRUST:
1-3/4 cups crushed chocolate chip cookies or chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

FILLING:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

COOKIE DOUGH:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

1. In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and one inch up the sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour over crust; set aside.

3. In another large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add water and vanilla. Gradually add the flour. Stir in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls over filling, gently pushing dough down below surface (dough should be completely covered by filling). Place pan on a baking sheet.

4. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until center of cheesecake is almost set. Cool pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate cheesecake overnight. Remove sides of springform pan. Sprinkle with remaining mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate leftovers.


Source: Taste of Home Baking Book

Hash Brown Quiche

This breakfast dish is really different, and its a nice change from a traditional ham and cheese omlette! The eggs and potatoes bake up light and fluffy, and are soooo good!

8 shredded hash brown potato patties
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup cubed precooked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
8 eggs
2 cups milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place hash brown potato patties in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Pour melted butter evenly over the surface of the patties. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle potatoes with ham and cheeses. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk or cream, and salt. Stir. Pour mixture over cheeses and ham. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Serves 8.


Source: The Essential Mormon Cookbook

Aebleskivers

The best way to describe an "aebleskiver" is a "pancake puff ball." They originate in Denmark, and are crispy on the outside and fluffy and light on the inside. Whenever we have company for breakfast, we make them, and serve with bacon on the side. To make real aeblskivers, you will need an aebleskiver pan (pictured above), which you can purchase online. It's a round pan with several round divots to pour the batter into. Enjoy!

2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
vegetable oil

Separate eggs. Place yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk and mix together thoroughly. Add dry ingredients and mix again, just until moistened. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold in egg whites to batter. Heat aebleskiver pan over medium high heat, and add 1/2 teaspoon of oil into each well in the pan. When hot, drop batter by tablespoonfuls into pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn with fork and cook 1-2 minutes longer or until golden brown on both sides. Serve hot with your favorite jam and powdered sugar, or maple syrup and butter.

Farmer's Hamburger Soup

This is another version of Hamburger Soup from Heather's family. It uses pearl barley instead of potatoes, which makes for a different twist on the classic potato version. It is SO EASY and really yummy!!!

1 lb. ground beef
5 cups water
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
1 med. onion, chopped
2 med. carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/3 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. beef bouillon
2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf

In soup pot, brown ground beef. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

My Dad's Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My dad, Karl Haws, has made these cookies for ages. He has bag, upon bag, upon bag in the freezer. He especially likes these cookies very small, because they become these poppable little crispy-crunchy bites. However, you can make the cookies whatever size you like.

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
5 Tbsp. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour, sifted (my dad especially likes to use whole wheat flour)
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Mix well. Add combined dry ingredients and mix well. Add oats, walnuts, and raisins, mixing until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chicken Crescents

This is a favorite meal at our house. It is filling, flaky and just plain yummy! They are easy and quick to make, which is always a plus.

Crescents:

2 tubes refrigerated Crescent rolls
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 green onions
seasoning salt to taste
1/4 cup butter melted
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (we usually use italian bread crumbs)

Sauce:

1 can (10.75 ounces) Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk

In a bowl combine cream cheese, chicken, green onions and seasoned salt. Mix well. Place a small amount of the filling on the wide end of the crescent roll. Roll crescent toward smaller end, tucking under seams and pinching closed. Roll the filled crescent in the melted butter and then in the bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat for all remaining crescents.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly brown.

In a saucepan, heat the soup, sour cream and milk. Warm through. If you find your sauce to be too thick add more milk. Be aware that as the soup warms it gets thinner so don't add too much milk. If you like your sauces to be more tangy, add more sour cream.

Spoon warmed sauce over crescents. Enjoy!

Honey Sesame Pork Tenderloin

Awesome recipe! This pork has soooo much flavor! You have to try it!

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger or 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 to 1-1/2 lb. Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. sesame seeds

Combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in large ziploc bag. Add tenderloin. Marinate at least 2 hours. Combine honey and brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Remove tenderloin from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Roll tenderloin in honey mixture and then roll in sesame seeds. Roast in shallow pan at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 160. Makes 4-6 servings.


Source: Worldwide Ward Cookbook

S'mores Bars

This recipe was given to us by Julia Haws, our sister-in-law. She first made these awesome bars for us one summer when we were all at our family cabin in Southern Idaho. These bars are quickly becoming a cabin tradition for us!

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups mini marshmallows
3 cups chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together butter, flour, graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Press into 9x13 pan to make crust. Sprinkle marshmallows and chocolate chips over crust. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.

Cheese Broccoli Soup

We got this recipe from April, Heather's sister. I believe it comes from her husband's family, the Claysons. We made it a while back and it was soooooo good! It makes a TON of soup, and will feed a crowd! I believe they make it every Christmas.

Stir together in a large kettle and boil for 10 minutes:

6 cups water
1/4 cup (4 tbsp. or 12 cubes) Chicken bouillon granules
1 cup chopped celery
1 large chopped onion (may only use half - enough to make about 1 cup chopped or less.)
16 ounce bag frozen chopped broccoli (or 3 fresh stalks)
1/2 cup butter


Mix separately:

6 cups water
1 1/2 cups flour

Whisk together and pour into boiling soup, stirring constantly (and reduce heat to medium high) while soup thickens

When Thickened, add:

1 large jar Cheez Whiz (will melt slowly as you stir)
Dash of pepper

Keep stirring until cheese melts, then remove from heat. Makes a very large pot of soup! Serve hot with cornbread (or serve in bread bowls).

Source: http://eatintreats.blogspot.com

Stuffed Rolls

My parents have made these tasty rolls for many, many large family get togethers and special occasions. I always remember eating them on New Year's Eve, and other times when my parents would host youth get-togethers when my Dad was Bishop of our LDS ward. This recipe makes a LOT of rolls, so it's easy to serve to large groups. You can easily halve or quarter the recipe to feed smaller crowds, or even double the recipe for REALLY big groups!

4 pounds medium cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2 pounds ground ham (or bologna)
4 onions, finely chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 cups mayonnaise
tabasco to taste
60-75 unsliced french rolls

Combine all ingredients except rolls in a very large bowl. Slice off the ends of french rolls and use the end of a wooden spoon or your finger to poke a hole in the soft insides of rolls. Stuff each poked roll lightly with filling. Wrap each roll in a sheet of wax paper and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Makes 60-75 rolls.

Famous Haws Family Oatmeal Cake

So, my parents have been making this cake for ages. When I was growing up, it was easily the most requested birthday cake in the house, served with vanilla ice cream. It has a warm moist cake topped with crispy, chewy, toasted coconut and nut topping. It has LOVE written all over it. Enjoy!

Cake:

1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp. nutmeg

In a medium bowl, combine oats and salt. Add boiling water and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, eggs and sugar. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and add to creamed mixture, beating well. Fold in oat mixture. Spread in greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 mins. or until cake passes toothpick test.

while cake is cooling, make topping:

Topping for Oatmeal Cake: (My dad loves the topping the most, so he likes to use 1-1/2 times this topping recipe, but that is totally up to you).

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped nuts

In a saucepan, combine ingredients over medium heat until combined and bubbly. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla, and spread on cake. Place under broiler in oven until toasted and golden brown.

Chewy Chex Mix ("Almond Holiday Mix")

Heather has been searching for this yummy recipe for ages! We found it in a cookbook that her little sister Amber put together for the Grangeville Idaho chapter of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) called "A Little Yummy for Your Tummy." This recipe was submitted for the cookbook by Kim Oxnam.

1 box Rice Chex Cereal
1 box Golden Grahams Cereal
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 cups coconut
2 1/2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups corn syrup

In a large bowl, mix together cereals, coconut and almonds and set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Pour over cereal mixture. Stir until completely coated and combined. Pour onto cookie sheets in a thin layer to cool.

Source: "A Little Yummy For Your Tummy." published by the Grangeville, Idaho Chapter of the FCCLA.

TIP: Use your pizza cutter!

We have discovered that with two small girls around the house, we are constantly cutting food into "bite size chunks" for little hands to handle. We used the standard knife and fork a lot, but it was kind of time consuming, especially with sticky foods. Well, we discovered a trick that somebody mentioned in Quick Cooking Magazine: Try the pizza cutter!! So we did, and were amazed. French toast? Swipe, swipe, swipe! Done! Pancakes? Waffles? Eggs? Grilled Cheese Sandwich? Quesadilla? You get the picture. So, this has become the most versatile cutting tool for food in our house, and we have essentially "reinvented" the pizza "wheel". We hope you enjoy discovering new uses for this age-old favorite kitchen utensil that may be collecting dust in your kitchen drawer, too!

Caramel Cream Cheese Dip

This is a delicious new dip for your apples. It's rich, gooey and just plain good!

16 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup water
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, or in microwave, melt caramels with water, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in caramel mixture.

Serve immediately

Source: www.allrecipes.com

Black Bean Salsa

This is a delicious salsa that our friend Britton makes. She finally shared her recipe with us and we couldn't be happier. Be aware that this make a huge amount of salsa so it's perfect for any party!

Ingredients:

1 large can diced tomatoes
2 small or 1 large can Rotel tomatoes (original or mild)
2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 (16 oz bottle of zesty Italian dressing (I like to use fat free)
3-4 medium/large tomatoes - diced
2 yellow onions - diced
1 bunch green onions - diced
1 bunch cilantro - chopped
3-4 jalapenos - seeded and diced
1 package frozen shoe peg or super sweet white corn
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
Fresh garlic to taste (about 2 Tbsp.)

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy!

Tips:

*2 small cans of diced tomatoes are a good substitute for the 1 large.

* I like more black beans so you can add another can if you like

*Use 1 large yellow onion in place of the 2 regular

*I would use only 2 jalapenos (I'm not into the really hot salsa)

*Salsa will store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks

source: Britton Blauer