bavarian dessert

{amazingly i found this picture on the internet and this is EXACTLY what it looks like!}
so funny. so jamie's all time favorite dessert happens to be almost the exact same as my favorite dessert! which makes me so happy. so no i don't expect you to make hers and mine (since they are practically the same) but i had to add my version on here too. mine just has no bananas and chocolate pudding instead of vanilla. my mom makes this every year for holidays and it's our family favorite! i could eat a whole pan to myself.

1 stick butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flour

1 8 0z. pkg. cream cheese (softened to room temp)

1 cup powdered sugar

12 oz. cool whip

1 large box chocolate instant pudding

melt butter (i zap it in the microwave) and mix with 3/4 cup nuts and flour. pat into 9x13 pan and bake 15 min. at 350 degrees. let cool.

mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 cup cool whip. spread on the cooled crust.

make the pudding as directed on the box and spread over the cream cheese layer.

top with left over cool whip. sprinkle on the left over pecans.

i cut it up into squares and serve just like the picture. YUM!

Banana Cream Cheese Delite

OK ladies I have been slacking but you know I couldn't pass up on my favorite course Dessert!! This is my most favorite dessert I beg my mom to make it whenever I am home. I made it not to long ago, it makes a lot so make sure you are hungry. The recipe I have is written so I will put all the ingredients in Red so you know what to buy.

melt 2 cups margarine
add 2 cups flour and 1 cup chopped nuts, mix together
press into a 9 X 13 pan.
bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes until brown

soften 2 8oz packages of cream cheese in a bowl
add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, cream well and
add 1 cup cool whip (buy the big tub)
spread over the cooled crust

Mix 3 cups milk with 2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding, beat at low speed for 2 minutes
then let it stand for 10 minutes.
pour over the cream cheese filling

top with 3 sliced bananas arranged evenly over mix
spread 1-2 cups cool whip over the bananas

chill at least 2 hours until it sets
cut in squares and enjoy!

WEEK 4

{ps... don't you love how gummi bears are a "dessert?"}

can you guess, can you guess? our last week is going to be FREE REIGN...

:::DESSERTS:::

i'm posting this now because i'm going to be out of commission tomorrow. (see my blog later). and i really want you to think long and hard about this, or if you're lucky you don't have to! i want you to submit your all time favorite dessert ever. one that you make of course, and that hasn't already been submitted to this blog. this is so hard for me as i love dessert, and i'm guessing all of us do. so get thinking. what dessert will win you this competition?

{and sadly, if you submit a pie... i probably won't make it, meaning you probably won't get my vote. i'm so mean aren't i!?}

good 'ol banana bread

i have been debating all week which recipe i want to add. i am a bread junkie and have so many great recipes i would love to share and also a lot i still want to try. but, i thought i would stick to a classic. this is one of those recipes that i have memorized and could easily whip up anytime with a good batch of old bananas. i promise, this is a no fail banana bread recipe.

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup mashed ripe banana

cream together shortening and sugar; add eggs and beat REALLY well. sift together dry ingredients. add to creamed mixture alternating with banana, blending well after each addition.

pour into well-greased loaf pan. bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done. remove from pan; cool on rack.

a few of my secrets: once you've added the flour, mix as little as possible. if you mix a quick bread too much, it doesn't turn out as well. i also add more than a cup of banana to make it a little more moist. and my biggest secret is that i usually add about a cup of chocolate chips. do it, you will be so happy you did.

voting

just a little update on the

:voting situation:

i thought everyone could just go into the settings and edit our little voting pole to vote for your favorite. turns out i'm the "administrator" or rather, "queen of this blog" so no one has those options. just throw me an email when you know who you want to vote for in each category and i'll fix it for you. 2 votes have already been cast! i'm getting excited! keep cooking/baking/testing/stealing from your neighbor, whatever you have to do to try these recipes!

pretzel hugs

for liz...
this has nothing to do with our challenge. i just want to addict the rest of you like i have addicted liz...hehe.

1/2 bag pretzels (about 80) the square snyder's grid looking ones work the best
1 bag of herseys hugs
m&m's

line pretzels on baking sheet and place a hug in the middle of each one. place in oven at 200 degrees for about 5-6 minutes. they should just be shiny not melted.

remove from oven and squish an m&m down into the hug (like above). place in fridge for awhile to let harden. enjoy!

i just used halloween m&m's yesterday... totally festively cute.

downeast maine pumpkin bread

i wasn't originally going to post this for our fabulous "breads" category. so let me back myself up first. i felt like it was too soon for pumpkin anything, even though i've been totally into talking about halloween costumes, shopping for fall decorations, making halloween bows, etc. i love fall so much though and never want to waste the fall months. i was sitting in starbucks at the airport on tuesday staring at their new "pumpkin spice latte" sign and totally got excited. (not to drink it... just that it's that time of year again). so after a brisk morning of buying a few halloween items i decided it is NOT too early for pumpkin anything! it did remind me of this post though. (please try that recipe, you will not be sorry) hopefully you'll love this bread as much as i do!

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 stick butter melted and cooled

2/3 cup water

2 cups white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 cup chocolate chips (i usually add some extra!)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.

in a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, butter, water, and sugars until well blended. in a separate bowl, whisk together the flower, baking soda, salt, and all spices. stir the dry ingredients (along with the chocolate chips) into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. pour into the prepared pans.

bake for about 50 min. in the oven. loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chocolate Croissants

Ladies if you can't handle this recipe, please seek help NOW! It doesn't get much easier than this one. So, the recipe came from the magazine Real Simple...I mean it is freshly torn from the magazine hence the wrinkled paper and bowl mark. I just love it when a recipe is completely spelled out for me with pic's and I though you'd appreciate the authentic visual.

1 8-count tube refrigerated crescent rolls

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate

Heat over to 375 f.

Unroll the dough and separate into 8 triangles.

Place about 115 chocolate chips on the bottom third of each triangle and roll up around the chocolate.

Transfer the croissants to a baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp.

Enjoy!

WEEK 3

yum! these recipes are awesome! i'm so excited to keep trying them all. are you ready for this week? i've been brainstorming out here in orlando with my excellent cook friend sarah and i've decided...

:::BREADS:::

{this of course includes: scones, muffins, waffles, donuts, rolls, or anything with DOUGH}

so get your little bake on ladies! again... our husbands have got to be madly in love with us by now.

Fried Green Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 5 green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup crushed saltine crackers
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup butter
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt and pepper. Place the crushed saltine crackers in another bowl, and the beaten eggs in a third bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each tomato slice in the egg to coat, then in the flour mixture. Dip the floured tomato slice back into the egg, and then into the cracker crumbs. Place the coated tomato slices in the hot skillet, and fry until golden brown on each side, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Add more butter to the pan, if necessary. Serve hot!

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Loaded Baked Potato salad

I haven't made this one yet but I can't wait, it looks so yummy and easy. It is suppose to serve 20 so you will want to cut back on the the servings sizes.

Ingredients
7 pounds baking potatoes
extra virgin olive oil fro brushing
2 pounds bacon, cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, softened
2 pints sour cream
salt and pepper
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce the potatoes with a fork; brush with oil. Bake until tender, 1 hour. let cool, then cut into bite size pieces.

In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp about 10 minutes, drain. ( the microwave works just as well, about one minute for every piece.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sour cream; season with salt and pepper, stir in the potatoes, bacon, scallions and cheese. Serve at room temperature.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

If you're a wimp and when you hear 'Jalapeno' are immediately turned off because you don't like hot things...listen up! These puppies are not hot at all. They are super simple with only THREE ingredients and absolutely addicting. My sister just gave me some fresh jalapenos from her garden, so I only had to get two things at the store. Check out the link to Pioneer Woman Cooks on my blog.

Fresh jalapenos 2-3 inches in size

Cream cheese softened

Thin regular bacon sliced in thirds

1.) Cut jalapenos in half, lengthwise. With a spoon remove the seeds and membrane (this part is what makes it hot, so if you like a little HEAT, leave a little in there). Smear the softened cream cheese in each of them and wrap in bacon, secured with a toothpick. (At this point you can freeze them, uncooking in a ziplock back for the next get-together!)

2.) Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 min. Make sure they are crispy, serve em' HOT!

fiesta ole dip (aka seven layer dip)

ok. so this is definitely a christensen family fav that we make at least once a year. perfect for any party and always a hit. (especially for all you mexican food fans out there) mmmm, so delish.

2 medium sized ripe avocados

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 c sour cream

1/4 cup mayo

1 pkg dry taco seasoning

1 can refried beans

1/2 c chopped green onion

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 can pitted black olives, drained and chopped

1 c grated cheese

combine sour cream, mayo, and taco seasoning-set aside. peel, pit and mash avocados-salt and pepper. to assemble: spread refried beans on platter. top with seasoned avocado mixture. add sour cream mixture, chopped onions and tomatoes. top with grated cheese and olives. serve chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips.

(hint from my mom, mother teresa: prepare a few hours ahead of time to let flavors soak in) also, if you only want a 6 layer dip or want to add one more of your favorites to make it an 8 layer dip, go for it!

homemade saLsA

(yes this is really a picture of the real thing when i made it last year)

so this recipe comes straight from the cupboards of sister erickson. i tried it at their house last year in september and immediately had to get the recipe. promise you won't be disappointed!


1 can black beans
1 can shoepeg corn (sweet, white corn)
1 green pepper
1 red onion
2-3 tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper


dice up all of those yummy veggies and add together with this sauce:


1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 limes... promise fresh squeezed is way better)
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil (i'm not a fan of olive oil so i use 1/4)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumen
dash cayan pepper
cilantro to taste (again not a fan, but it was good with a few sprinklings)


yum yum yum! so fResH!

WEEK 2

alright ladies. i hope you are making these yummy dinners. i've already tried a couple and am almost ready to vote! i'm loving trying your new recipes. are you pumped for week 2? have you guessed from the picture yet?

drumroll please....

:::APPETIZERS:::

a.k.a.

:::hors d'oeuvres:::

i thought this would be a fun one for the holiday season coming up. it seems like you always need a good appetizer or party platter to take to those get togethers. good luck!

our husbands are going to love us...

White Chicken Chili

Ok, I know, I know, it's just like me to decide I'm playing at the last possible second :) Just try the recipe and I promise you'll forgive me!

White Chicken Chili

Saute these together:

2 tsp olive oil

1 lg. onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

Add these, and simmer 5-10 minutes:

2 cans chicken broth

1 pkg. frozen white corn

2 cans diced green chilis

1 tsp cumin

2 cans great northern beans

juice of 1 lime

cilantro

Serve with tortilla chips, grated cheese, green onions, chopped cilantro, salsa, sour cream, and lime wedges.

loaded "baked potato" soup

ok girls. i'm completely going out on a limb here. i've never tried this recipe so don't hate me if you hate IT! but come on... microwaved soup? i said easy, but i guess we'll see! yum. i'm just ready for soup. it's legal in september right!?

2 medium baking potatoes, unpeeled
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and divided
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions, divided
1/4 cup sour cream

pierce potatoes; microwave on HIGH 5 min., turning over after 2 1/2 min. cut potatoes into chunks. combine potatoes, broth and milk in large microwaveable bowl. microwave on HIGH 6 min., stirring after 3 min. Slightly crush potatoes with a potato masher.

reserve 2 Tbsp. each of the bacon and cheese and 1 Tbsp. of the onions for topping; set aside. add remaining bacon, cheese and onions to soup.

serve topped with reserved bacon, cheese, onions and sour cream.

Makes 4, 1 cup servings.

shepherd's pie

this is definitely a staple in our house. i realize that this is a classic mormon dish but we love classics! and, like meredith's recipe, you usually have most of the ingredients on hand. i made this for landen one night when kristen was out of town and he loved it. so you better make this one soon, kristen (and everyone else too!)

brown 2 lbs of hamburger

add 1 chopped onion

put in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1 can tomato soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, and 1 can green beans (you can add any veggie you like).

pour in a large baking dish. top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Potato-Crusted Baked Chicken

I got this recipe from a cookbook on my shelf called, 'Great Chicken Dishes'. I was in need of a chicken recipe with only the ingredients I had in my pantry and fridge. I am excited to share a recipe that includes ingredients most of us have on hand. I am all about using everything I have in the cupboard before taking yet another trip to the grocery store. It went over really well and tastes best with ranch dressing, then again most things do!

1/3 cup grated Parmesean cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried sage (didn't have it, I used some Mrs. Dash seasoning)
2 large eggs
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves ( about 1 1/2 lbs.)
2/3 cup dried instant mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil

1.)Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a shallow bowl or pie plate mix parm cheese, salt, pepper and sage. In another bowl beat eggs w/ 1 tablespoon of water. Dip your chix into parmesean mixture and press into chicken. Dip chix in egg mixture then into potatoes, pressing them into chicken.

2.)Lightly grease baking sheet. Place baking sheet in over for 5 min. Place chicken on preheated baking sheet; drizzle olive oil over chicken. Bake for 10 min, turn chix and bake for 10-15 min longer or until crusty and golden and chix is done.

3.) All out of instant mashed potatoes? Use crushed potato chips or Cheez-its. Both taste yummy!

homemade oreos

i think we might have a recipe on here for these already, and i've always tried to figure out the yummiest one... i think i finally found it!! don't ask me why i was inspired to do yellow and teal frosting... it was just the mood i was in ok? i'm not even the biggest fan of these cookies but THESE ONES are IT!

cookies:

1 box fudge chocolate cake mix

1/2 C. veg. oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

{mix all of these ingredients together and bake for 8 min. at 375. cool completely and then sandwich frost with...}

frosting:

3 C. powdered sugar

1/3 C. soft butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 T. milk

{mix the powdered sugar and butter, then mix in the vanilla and milk. beat until smooth. oh and please color according to your mood. ;)}

WEEKLY CHALLENGE

ok as the official "starter" of this fabulous food blog, i think it's time i make a little challenge to all our contributors out there (jen/liz/jam/mer). i'm going to start a little

september weekly recipe challenge!

it's hard saying goodbye to summer, but now that we are getting back into the routines of school/work maybe we can get back into the routine of cooking! hello! i know i do much better in the fall/winter. something about being stuck inside...

so. here are the official rules:

1. each week will be a new "genre" to contribute a recipe to. (i.e.: dinner, dessert, appetizer)

2. each contributor needs to really really try (just kidding... this is totally MANDATORY) to add just ONE new recipe to this genre. try and keep them super simple so we can make them! i don't care if you get them from yahoo foods... just share!

3. throughout the month of september you need to try making all the recipes at least ONCE so you can VOTE!

here comes the fun part...

4. by the end of the month you get to vote for your favorite recipe from each genre (i'll make a poll on the sidebar). you can NOT vote for yourself. and whoever is the winner will be treated to dinner (split by the rest of us) at a girls night out! sound good? please tell me you're all in! i need some serious spice in my life... you know what i mean.

*so that's 4 votes a person

*i realize it's a lot of recipes to try, but only 4 dinners, 4 desserts, 4 something and 4 something isn't too much to handle in 30 days right?

let the recipe sharing begin!

monday.sept.1st: dinner

Iced White Chocolate Terrine

Whenever Emily comes to town I pretty much make her whip up this deliciousness. At least I did until she shared the recipe, and now I'm passing on the goodness!

Ingredients: 2 Tbsp sugar

5 Tbsp water

10 1/2 white chocolate

3 eggs, seperated

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

• Line loaf pan w/ foil or plastic wrap, pressing out as many creases as possible
• Gently heat sugar and water in heavy-based pan until sugar dissolves, bring to a boil for 1-2 min. until syrupy, remove from heat
• Stir in white chocolate, let mixture cool slightly
• Beat in egg yolks, let cool completely
• Lightly whip cream until just holding its shape, fold into chocolate mixture
• Whisk eggs whites until holding soft peaks, fold into mixture
• Pour into prepared loaf pan and freeze overnight

Remove terrine from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving. Slice and serve w/ fresh berries and chocolate drizzle. Bon Appetite

Cookies n' Cream Torte

I tend to leave the cake MAKING to the experts, I just do the BAKING. It's so hard to make a cake from scratch and make it taste moist.(If you've got a secret, please share). As for me and Betty Crocker, we have our own secret. I was in a jam about what to make for a dessert to bring to a friends house for dinner. I scanned the Betty Crocker website and found a winner.

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix
8 Oreo's crushed
1 container Betty Crocker Whipped fluffy white frosting
8 Oreo's cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and lightly flour or spray. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pan.
2. Bake 30 min. or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. I stuck it in the freezer to speed it up and make it more firm.
3. Fold crushed cookies into frosting. Put a cookie sheet on top of your cake pan and flip the cake out. Cut the cake crosswise in half. Gently place the other half aside. Spread cake with half of the frosting mixture.

4. Put the other half on and spread the remaining frosting. Spread the Oreo's on top as a garnish before you serve it.

This comes out really moist and is just as good two days later, just keep it in the fridge.

I apologize to all of you faithful 'stick a fork in it' readers out there. Thanks for tuning back in to our little abandoned blog here. It's not that we havn't been cookin' just not sharin'!

crispy coconut chicken

this one and the previous one are both new recipes that i tried last night and tonight. i liked them both and had to share. although, this one is a lot more involved. yes, i was actually good and made two "real" meals two nights in a row! i have one happy husband. enjoy!

chicken:

1 C flaked coconut

1/2 C flour

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves (however much chicken the mixture will allow)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 C butter or margerine melted on bottom of pan.

heat oven to 400 F. mix coconut, flour, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. dip chicken into egg, then coat with coconut mixture. place in buttered pan. bake 25 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. serve with rice and...

red lobster pina colada dipping sauce:

1/2 C coco lopez cream of coconut (found in the grocery store by the daiquiri and colada mixes)

1/2 C pineapple juice

1/4 C water

2 T crushed pineapple (drained)

1 T sweetened coconut flakes

3 T + 1 t. powder sugar

1 1/2 t. corn starch

3 t. cold water

mix coco lopez, pineapple juice, water, crushed pineapple, coconut, and powder sugar in a sauce pan. heat on medium low temperature until sauce begins to simmer, stirring frequently. let mixture simmer slowly 10-12 minutes. mix corn starch and water together, add to sauce and blend well. let mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes longer while stirring during and after adding cornstarch. remove from heat and bring to room temperature.

this dinner is also really good with these rolls!

samoan sweet rolls:

1 12 oz package frozen dinner rolls, thawed

1 10 oz can coconut milk

3 T sweetened condensed milk

3/4 C white sugar

coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. coat your hands with cooking spray or shortening, and roll the dough balls in your hands so that they have a light coating. place in a prepared dish. set aside and let rise until doubled. (i used pillsbury frozen rolls and didn't have to let them rise at all, fyi). preheat oven to 350 F. in a small bowl, stir together the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and sugar. pour this mixture over the top of the rolls as evenly as you can. bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. let cool for a few minutes before separating and serving.

whew, that's all, i promise!

quick king ranch chicken

we ate this tonight. it really is so good and so easy.

1/4 cup margarine

1 medium green bell pepper, diced fine

1 medium yellow onion, diced fine

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cans Milder Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (i use the canned chicken)

12 corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 cups shredded cheddar or velveeta cheese

preheat oven to 325 degrees. in a large saucepan, saute the bell pepper and onion in the margerine until tender (about 5 minutes). add both soups, the rotel and chicken pieces and stir until the mixture is well-blended. in a 10x10 lightly oiled casserole dish, start making thin layers with the corn tortillas first, then the cooked chicken mixture and last the cheese. repeat about 3 times with the cheese on top. bake for 40 minutes, covered, or until hot and bubbly.

serve over rice with sour cream on top.

Stuffed artichokes

One of my most favorite foods is a stuffed artichoke. It looks a little scary at first like a weird flower or something, but it really is very yummy. This picture I took doesn't make it look quite as delicious as it really is, but I wanted it to be authentic. I know most of you won't make this dish, but at least give Mr. Artichoke another chance.

2 artichokes

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup EVOO

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tbs. fresh chopped parsley

2 cups chicken stock

Wash artichokes in cool water. Sometimes they have little sharp points on the edges of their leaves, cut those off with kitchen scissors. Place a steaming basket in the bottom of a pan filled with 2 inches of boiling water and steam for 35 minutes. Set artichokes aside and let cool. In a medium size bowl pour in half of the olive oil and lemon juice (reserve other half for topping before serving), all of the cheese, garlic, parsley and bread crumbs. Mix well. Set stuffing mixture aside. take the cooled artichoke and pull back leaves exposing the center of the artichoke. Remove inner leaves and 'choke' ( the stuff that looks like hair...I know I've lost some of you already :)). Divide the mixture evenly into two parts. Open the outer leaves and with a spoon put some of the mixture at the base of the leaves. When you get to the center, fill it with the rest of the mixture. Pour remaining lemon juice and EVOO on top of artichoke. Place in a glass baking dish and fill the bottom of the dish with chicken stock. Bake for 40 minutes covered at 350 and take foil off for last 5 minutes to brown.

So, pretty much you pull off a leaf and scrape the meaty part and stuffing off then work your way to the center. The heart of the best part!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken marinated in lime, honey, and cumin, smothered in gooey cheese, tortillas and tasty sauce.....need I say more?

3/4 cup honey
Lime juice (1-2 limes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first five ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Red Lobster Chedder Biscuits

These are so yummy when I go to Red Lobster I could just eat these. So in trying to be healthy I found a recipe for these babies that is low fat and the best part is they don't taste like it. YUM!

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick, reduced fat baking mix

3/4 cup low fat buttermilk (1%)

1 cup shredded low fat Cheddar cheese (I use regular cheese)

2 Tbsp low fat butter spread

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes crushed fine

preheat oven to 400 degrees. combine baking mix, milk and Cheddar cheese in a bowl. Mix by hand until well combined. divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 3 Tbsp each) and spoon into a lightly greased or nonstick cookie sheet. flatten each biscuit a bit with your fingers. bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuit begin to brown. in a small bowl,combine the buttery spread with the garlic powder. Heat this mixture for 30 seconds in the microwave, then brush a light coating over the top of each biscuit.

makes 12 biscuits

112 calories 3 g fat each

orange julius

our "beverage" section was suffering so i thought i'd add this one too. landen's mom makes these and they are soo yummy! you can pretty much drink them any time of the day.

6 oz. orange juice concentrate (the frozen can)

1 C. milk

1 C. water

1/4 C. sugar

any fruit (i like frozen strawberries, but peaches are really yummy too!)

about 8-10 ice cubes

optional: 1 tsp. vanilla

blend everything together in your blender and please drink with a colorful straw. :)

cookie salad

{no i don't know this guy... but i think he says it all!}

so i'll be the first to admit i've been a major slacker on this blog! 100% my fault. how many blogs am i trying to run these days? maybe that was a bad idea... haha. but i love this food blog. so i dug through my recipe box, and low and behold... i actually have more than 10 recipes in there!

this one comes from my friend kalee. you might be thinking, cookies and salad in one dish? yes. it's fabulous. i sometimes crave this. and although i haven't made it for quite awhile, now that the recipe box has been dusted off, i think i might give it a try again this week! yum!

1 large carton cool whip (16 oz)

1 box vanilla instant pudding (large)

2 cups buttermilk (not kidding)

mix those first three together then add:

2 small cans mandarin oranges (drained)

1 large can pinnapple tidbits (drained)

1 pkg. Keebler fudge striped cookies (broken into bite sized pieces... this is the best part!)

mix and refrigerate!

Lion House Cheesecake

{sorry i couldn't pick which one looked yummier!! -kristen}

This is the world's best cheesecake! I tweaked it a little bit for Liz's birthday luau but the basic recipe is from the Lion House restaurant in Salt Lake City.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 T sugar
6 T butter or margarine, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 t vanilla

Directions:
Mix graham cracker crumbs, 3 T sugar and melted butter. Press into 10-inch deep-dish pie pan or 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Start the filling by beating the cream cheese on high for a couple minutes in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup sugar a little at a time, followed by 3 eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well. Pour filling into the crust and bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 300 degrees.

How I tweaked it:
a) My family always adds 1/2 t almond flavoring or extract. Gives it a little something extra. And I always use Neufatchel cheese instead of cream cheese. It's really pretty much the same texture and flavor, maybe even a little fluffier, but with a lot less fat. Cause I like to have my cake and eat it too! ;)
b) The luau version was topped with fruit and an apricot glaze. It looks fancy but it's super easy! Go nuts w/ the fruit....the glaze goes like this: In a small sauce pan dissolve 3 heaping tablespoons of apricot preserves and 4-5 tablespoons of sugar into 1/2 cup water over high heat. Let it bubble until thickened and drizzle over the top!

caramelettos...

or possibly better know as caramelitas? whatever the name, they are to die for!

(the deliciousness on the right)

32 caramels, unwrapped
5 Tbls milk
3/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp b. soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional:i didn't use them)

Mix butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, b. soda and salt. put half in a 9x9 pan; flatten. Bake at 325 until light brown, about 12 minutes.

Melt caramel in milk over low heat. Once the crust come out of the oven, immediately sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts on top. Pour melted caramels/milk over that. Then crumble remaining, unbaked crust mix on top. Bake 10-12 minutes longer.

Chocolate Strawberry Panini

I know this is supposed to be a dessert, but it's also the perfect combination to go with quiche and OJ at a girls brunch or baby shower. If you don't have a panini grill, don't be afraid to bust out the ol' Foreman for this one. This is Giada DeLaurentis's recipe from Everyday italian.

1/4 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

12 slices store bought pound cake (approx. 1/2 in. thick)

6-8 fresh strawberries thinly sliced*

Butter flavored cooking spray

1.) Heat panini grill or Foreman grill

2.) Spread Nutella over one side of the pound cake slices. Arrange the strawberries over 6 of the slices. Cover the remaining cake slices chocolate side down.

3.) Place the sandwiches on the cooking surface and grill for about 2 minutes or until golden brown grill marks appear on both sides. Cut in half to serve.

*bananas would also be screaming with the strawberries or without!

Layered Tortilla Bake

So I just ran across this recipe, I haven't tried it yet but it looked good so I thought I would share. In my efforts to be healthy it is a weight watchers meal but don't worry you don't have to use all the low fat stuff and it will be way better.
Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients
1 pound VERY lean ground beef
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained & rinsed1 can (28 oz) I will use black beans and corn

Italian Classics Kitchen Cut Roma Tomatoes with Basil(if you can't find this substitute with any other kind) I will probably use salsa or stewed tomatoes

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chile's (mild)

1 pkg (1.25 oz) McCormick's 30% less sodium Taco Seasoning

1 pkg (10 oz) corn tortillas (12, 6-inch tortillas) - Try Diane's Corn Tortilla's Thin (1 PT for 2)

1 cup (4 oz) shredded low fat cheddar cheese don't use fat free cheese yuck!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef in large nonstick skillet;drain well. Mix in beans, tomatoes, chile's and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat; simmer 5 min. Spray 9 x 13 " baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut tortillas in half; place half of them in bottom of baking dish, overlapping. Spoon half of beef mixture evenly over tortillas. Cover with remaining tortillas and then remaining beef mixture. Top with cheese. Cover; bake 25 min.
POINTS: 5.5
PER SERVING: 280 Calories, 9 g Fat, 6 g Dietary Fiber
Freezer Tip: Use two 8" x 8" baking pans. (cut tortillas into 4Th's So they fit better). Cover with foil and freeze. Place in 350 degree oven straight from freezer. Bake 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees

turkey pepperoni

ok ladies. i need to first say that i am not one who really gets into the whole organic, eating super healthy trend that seems to be going around lately. i think it's great if you are but i guess i'm somewhat against it? that's another topic...

the other day i made one of our usuals for dinner: homemade pizza. but, i accidentally bought these turkey pepperoni's. when i went to put them on our pizza i realized the mistake and almost didn't even use them because i was afraid it would ruin my pizza! but, then i decided to give it a try and test travis to see if he could tell the difference. and, guess what? he couldn't even tell. and, to be honest, i really liked it. a lot. you don't get the normal grease that comes from normal pepperoni's plus they are 70% less fat than normal pepperoni. and i really do prefer the taste. here are a few other nutrional facts:

for 17 slices:

only 80 calories compared to a normal 283

4 g of fat compared to 24 g

and only 550 mg of sodium to the 1076 in normal pepperoni!

so when making your next pizza, go turkey!

Liz's Limeade Punch

perfect for an easter feast! (or anywhere you want a yummy drink!)

2 quarts of really hot water

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 12 0z limeade

Mix and put in double Ziploc bag and put in freezer

Thaw out and add 2 liter bottle of DIET sprite when ready to serve. Make approximately 30 cups per recipe.

**i wish i had thought to cut up the limes and then it would have looked really cool

Bacon and Egg Easter Casserole

Alright, so in my fam we call it "eggs-erroneous" ( a throw back reference to the old "Ernest" movies.....you know, like "Ernest saves Christmas" or "Ernest goes to Camp"....does anyone remember those?) but I didn't want to use that title because it doesn't help you understand the deliciousness of this dish! Think all the goodness of a homemade breakfast: bacon, sausage, or ham, eggs, cheese....with the convenience of making it ahead of time! We had it almost every easter with fresh fruit on the side. Here you go:

Eggs Erroneous

7 slices white bread
1-2 cups crumbled bacon, cubed ham or sliced cooked link sausage
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
5 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste


Lightly butter bread. Cut off crusts, cut into large cubes, and place in buttered 9x13 cake pan. Cover with ham or sausage, then onions, then cheese. Whip together milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over other ingredients. Cover with foil and chill overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

So Sunday I went all out and made the classic Sunday dinner, complete w/ roast, potatoes and gravy and homemade rolls....yum! But I'm the type that only likes to eat a meal, maybe, twice or three times max before I'm good and sick of it. So what do you do when Tuesday rolls around and you still have left over rolls and pot roast? BBQ Beef Sandwiches my friends! Easy, delicious, and good as new!

I started by grating up six or seven baby carrots and thin slicing a small yellow onion and half a red pepper. While those were cooking in a skillet w/ olive oil and a little crushed garlic (maybe a tbsp worth) I shredded up what was left of my pot roast. Once the onions got clear I sprinkled on 1/2 tsp of sugar plus some salt and pepper. Add about 3 tbsp tomato sauce (mine was some chunky tomato puree) and at least the same amount of BBQ sauce. I put in the shredded beef, mixed it all up and let the flavors combine while I toasted our left over rolls in the broiler. Once the rolls are done toasting, put the sandwiches together, add a salad on the side and viola: that's dinner!

Stuffed Peppers

This is my favorite and it makes great left overs.

Ingredients:

Green peppers
Tomato sauce

hamburger

White rice

cheese (optional)

season salt

egg

Cook rice, while rice is cooking cook hamburger. (I usually use about 4 large green peppers and about 1/3 -1/2 pound of hamburger, I always end up with extra rice, you can just eyeball it). when the hamburger is done put in a mixing bowl and mix about 1 can tomato sauce and 1 egg and cheese if you want. stuff each pepper with this mixture. in another bowl mix tomato sauce and season salt. pour tomato mix on top of each pepper. then leave the rest of the sauce in case you want more when you eat them. put the stuffed pepper in a sauce pan and put enough water to about a little over half way on the peppers and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until the pepper is soft.

-if you have extra meat mix, i usually put it in a casserole dish or in the fridge and make Shepard's pie or something out of it the next day.

Curry Chicken

I really like the tastes Indian food has to offer, but we rarely seem to make it to an Indian restaurant. ( Punjab Cafe in Quincy is awesome) So, try this one at home, it's yummy.

1 1/2 tbs. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tsp. curry powder

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup canned diced tomatoes ( I used the whole can)

2 tbs. tomato paste

1 lb. chicken breast cut into 1 in. cubes

3 cups packed fresh baby spinach (use the frozen box, so much easier)

1 cup white rice ( this makes 3 cups cooked)

Heat oil in medium skillet, add onions and salt (cook 6-7 min.). Add the curry powder and cook for another minute or so. Stir in coconut milk, tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes until it starts to thicken a little bit. Add the chicken and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in spinach and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve over rice. This makes about 4 servings. I like to put a little lime in this dish too or a little fresh garlic when you cook the onions. You can also have some Nan bread with this dish, just buy it by the bakery at the grocery store.

sweet & sour meatballs

(mine is only meat and pineapple... not those other mystery chunks)

also known as "hawaiian meatballs." i guess i'm on a kick using worchestershire tonight but this is one of our favorites!

meatballs:
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. milk
2 Tbs. onion finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. worchestershire
1 egg

sweet & sour sauce:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tsp. corn starch
1/3 c. vinegar
1 Tsp. soy sauce
1 can (13 1/4 oz.) pineapple chunks (tidbits)
1 small green pepper coursely chopped (i usually omit this one)

cook meatballs; remove, drain fat from skillet. (ok i honestly am the worst meatball maker and have no patience, so i usually just brown it all like hamburger and call it "chunks." lame i know). in same pan... mix brown sugar & cornstartch. stir in pineapple (with syrup), vinegar, and soy sauce. heat to boiling, reduce heat and add meatballs (or meat chunks...hehe). cover; simmer for 10 minutes. stir in green pepper. cover. simmer until crisp, about 5 minutes. serve over white rice. so yum!

shish kabob marinade

so we're in target (as usual) and i say "hmmm... i really need some nice shish kabob skewers." and some of you asked, "what the heck is a shish kabob?" and now i will let you in on a little secret. if you ever need to let your husbands know how much you love them... make this. plus i'm really starting to miss summer food and this gets me pumped up!

veggie ideas:

tomatos, squash, zuchini, mushrooms, onion, peppers, pineapple (fruit), just whatever you like

and of course lots of steak!! (cut in cubes)

marinade:

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

3/4 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. worchestershire sauce (wuster here)

2 Tbs. mustard powder

1 tsp. pepper

2 cloves garlic (i used garlic powder)

*marinade meat overnight and veggies about 3 hours before*

sounds kind of weird (and looks weirder) but i promise it is sooo delicious! my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

thread all veggies and meat on skewers however you like and grill until meat is cooked. we used a george foreman once and it was good too. there is just nothing like a grill outside in the summer though!

christensen family recipes 2008

ok ladies. i'm about to give away a big secret (and not to mention a lot of possible future posts). every couple of years my sisters, sister's-in-law and my mom compile all of our favorite recipes so that we can all add to our cooking repertouire. and guess what, you are all getting a copy!!! (i feel like i'm oprah giving away some of her "favorite things". ha) click here to take a peek. and, you all will probably notice that some of your recipes even made it in the cookbook and i didn't give you credit. sorry! i'll make sure to let them all know where they came from!

this is the third edition of the christensen family cookbook and i use it a lot. so, i hope you all enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This was perfect for our snowed in day. It is the best cuddle up dinner.

Homemade egg noodles:

2 eggs beaten

3 tablespoons milk

1 cup four

2 teaspoon baking powder

dash of salt

combine all, roll out real thin and cut into strips. lay on a towel to dry for about an hour.

-I ended up adding probably another 1/2 cup of flour and it doesn't matter if you let them dry or not.

soup:

chicken broth 1-2 boxs (you can add water also)

celery

carrots (you can add any other veges if you want, some people add green onions)

chicken

salt and pepper to taste

you can cook chicken in chicken broth or you can use cooked chicken (I use the rotisserie chicken you can buy in the store and then you have left over chicken for another meal). cut up celery, carrots, and boil in the chicken broth. Add the noodles and cooked chicken, (if you cooked chicken in broth just leave it in) cook for about 5-10 minutes and then it done!

- We make mashed potatoes and put a spoonful of potatoes in the bottom of the the bowl then put the soup on top. its so cozy and Yummy!

We better get cookin' ladies!

In Case We Never Make It to Olive Garden.....

Zuppa Tuscana! I can never pass this up in the restaurant and at home it's even better!

Ingredients:
4 links italian sausage, sweet or spicy
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
basil, oregano, salt and pepper
4 potatoes, sliced in half moons
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups kale, shredded
2/3 cup cream (ok, I'll be honest...I add the whole pint :))

Instructions:
Cook sausage links in a skillet while you get the onions and garlic going in a little EVOO in a soup pot. Slice up and add the sausage to onions and garlic when done. Once the onions are clear, add italian seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken stock, then potatoes and simmer it all together until the potatoes get tender. Add the kale and let that simmer just until the greens wilt. Turn down the heat to medium low if you haven't already and add cream. Once the cream has warmed through give it a little taste test for any last second seasoning adjustments and enjoy with salad and crusty bread!

Pretzels

Ok Kristen I can help you fulfill #59 on your list. We made these with the Faith in God girls and they are way easy.

Ingrediants:

2 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoons fast raising yeast

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 Beaten egg or melted butter

2/3 cup water

-topping of choice: rock salt, cinnamon, parmesan, cheese,etc.

Mix together water and yeast. Add oil, 1 cup flour and salt. Gradually add the rest of the four ingrediants s you knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Cut dough into four equal parts and shape into a pretzel. Lay onto a greased cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg or melted butter and sprinkle with topping of choice. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes or utnil light and brown.

There's no Snickering at this recipe!

Snickers Bars

1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar
35 individual Kraft caramels
1 cup dry−roasted unsalted peanuts
1 − 12 oz. bag milk−chocolate chips

With your mixer on high speed, combine the corn syrup, butter, vanilla, peanut butter, and salt until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar. When the mixture has the consistency of dough, remove it from the bowl with your hands and press it into a lightly greased 9x9−inch pan. Put in fridge.

Melt the caramels in the microwave in a bowl. When the caramel is soft, mix in the peanuts.Pour the mixture over the refrigerated "nougat" in the pan. Let this cool in the refrigerator. When the refrigerated mixture is firm, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking time. When the mixture in the pan has hardened, cut it into 2x1−inch sections.

Set each chunk onto a fork and dip into the melted chocolate. Tap the fork against the side of the bowl or pan to knock off any excess chocolate. Then place the chunks on waxed paper to cool at room temperature, or stick them in the fridge to cool faster.

cafe rio lovers only!

Café Rio Pork

Slow cook your pork roast in a crock pot with garlic and a little water until you can pull it apart. At that point add the following: 1 can diced green chilis, 1 to 2 cans of medium or hot enchilada sauce (the red stuff), depending on how much pork you use 1 can of either Dr. Pepper or Coke, at least 1 cup of brown sugar but use as much more as you want to get your sweetness, salt to taste. Make your recipe a little on the strong side as once you add it to a tortilla it mutes the flavors just a bit

Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch
1 cup mayo 1 cup cilantro,
chopped 2 cloves garlic,
chopped 3 tomatillos - peel off paper, chop
1/3 - 1/2 cups buttermilk, to consistency you want
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Put in blender and mix.

Homemade tortillas
3 C. flour
1/2 C. veggie or olive oil
1 1/8 C. luke warm water
1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Mix all ingredients and knead. If too hard to knead, add a little water but if too sticky add a little more flour. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Makes about 12 small balls. Flatten each by rolling them out and then cook them in a frying pan.**I usually have 2 frying pans going at once so they all get cooked faster

Cafe Rio Rice
3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion
3 c rice

Blend cilantro, green chiles and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.

Frosted Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

These are so yummy and easy. And you can say you made brownies from scratch!

ingrediants:

1 stick of butter plus 2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup cocoa plus 2 1/2 tablesppons cocoa

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped peacan (optioal)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 table spoon milk

*preheat oven to 350 degrees. melt 1 stick of butter, add 1/3 cup cocoa powder and stir until blended.

*add sugar and mix well. add eggs one at a time, beat after you add. beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla, then flour and salt. stir in pecans.

*put in greased pan and bake for 20 to 25 mintues. let it cool completely.

* melt 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, add remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa, stir until well blended. mix in remaing 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. with mixer beat powdered sugar and milk until smooth and fluffy. spread on cooled brownines.

-I usually double the reciepe and still make it in a 8 inch pan so they are thicker.