Texas sheet cake

Mix in bowl:

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Bring to boil in saucepan:

2 sticks of butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup water

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Add to dry mixture, then add:

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1tsp vanilla

Mix well, and pour into 12"x17" jelly roll pan, ungreased. Bake 20 minutes at 375.

FROSTING: Five minutes before cake comes out, bring to a boil in a saucepan: 1 stick butter, 1/4 cup cocoa & 6 T milk. Then add 1 lb box (or 1/2 bag) of powder sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional). Frost cake as it comes out of the oven.

Red Velvet Cake

Prep Time: 25 min
Inactive Prep Time: hr min
Cook Time: 30 min

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 ounces red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 pound box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

For the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. In a medium bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla. Spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

For the Frosting:
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in pecans. Use frosting to fill and ice cake. Slice and serve on individual plates.

Corie's Apple Dip

This is Corie's recipe. I got it from Lisa and it is one of my favorites. Anytime I take it anywhere people go nuts for it.

2 8oz. cream cheese
1 heaping cup powder sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Tub of caramel apple dip (found by the apples at the store)
1/2 -BIG symphony bar with toffee bits.

Mix with a mixer the cream cheese, powder sugar & lemon juice. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate. Put the caramel dip in the microwave just to soften it. Spread a generous amount over cream cheese. Chop up the symphony bar and sprinkle it on top. Cover and refridgerate.

I eat with apples but you could probably eat with other things. Seriousoully this is so yummy and it takes all of about 5 minutes to prepare!

Baked Potato Soup

I tried this recipe tonight - and I thought it was yummy! ( I am a soup-aholic though....)
Sorry, I haven't figured out how to post pictures..... Addie is busy with homework.

3 Tbs. Butter
1 c. chopped onion
2 Tbs. flour
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth (I used one and a 1/2 cans....it needed it)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
dash Tobasco sauce (or 2 or 3...)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 c. half and half

Melt butter in soup pan on medium heat. Add onion and suate for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, basil, Tobasco and garlic salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half and half, and heat through.

We then loaded our bowls up with grated cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions and sour cream...you can be creative! The kids really liked the cheese and bacon in their soup.

It was good comfort food - enjoy!

It's cooling off outside- time to make soup and chili!

It is starting to cool off outside and my favorite part of fall is the soups and chili’s that I love. So here is a couple of our family’s favorite fall and winter “comfort foods”

Tomato Basil Soup

1 Can of tomato soup
1 can of tomato Italian stewed tomatoes
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (best if fresh)
1/3 cube of butter
1 tsp basil leaves
½ tsp garlic salt

Mix tomato soup and ½ can of water together in a medium sauce pan. Cook on medium heat. Puree stewed tomatoes in the blender and add to sauce pan. Add parmesan cheese and basil leaves and garlic salt. Heat to almost a boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with croutons and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

White Boy Chili

This is one of my favorite recipes for fall and winter- plus you can make it low-fat

3-4 chicken breasts cubed
1 med. Onion, diced
1 ½ t. garlic powder
2 T. butter
3 cans Great Northern White beans-rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cans chopped green chili’s
1 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
¼ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. black pepper
1 c. sour cream (I use low fat or fat free)
½ c. whipping cream (I have used low fat half and half before but it better with whipping cream)

Directions: Sauté chicken, onion, garlic, and butter together until chicken is cooked through.
Add beans, broth, chilis, and spices- bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for ½ hour….. I put it in my crock-pot for up to 2 hrs
Just before serving add sour cream and whipping cream.

Berry Cream Muffins

2C. Flour

1 C. Sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. frozen (or fresh) blueberries or raspberries

(if using frozen don't let them thaw)

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 C (8 oz) sour cream

1/2 C oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add berries and toss gently.

2. Combine eggs, sour cream, oil & vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

3. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.

4. Bake @ 400 for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes about 18 muffins.

Pulled-Pork Tacos

2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
2 jalapeños, sliced into rings and seeded
1 red onion, roughly chopped
8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oven to 300° F.

Place 2 large sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface, one atop the other. Place the pork in the center of the foil and season on all sides with the salt, pepper, and cumin. Spoon the jam over the pork, turning to coat. Scatter the jalapeños and onion around the pork. Fold the double layer of foil around the pork and crimp the edges to seal tightly. Place in a baking dish. Roast until fork-tender, about 4 hours; let cool. Unwrap the pork, reserving the juices and discarding the foil. Use a fork to shred the pork. Transfer to a bowl. Pour the cooking juices, onion, and jalapeños over the pork and toss. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, and lime wedges.

This recipe is yumilicious and easy clean-up! A few tricks I've learned are: make sure you get a good seal on the tin foil wrap, make sure to cook it long enough and let it cool as the instructions say - otherwise it will be tough and not easy to shred or eat.

Tip: The best place to warm the tortillas is in the oven: it's quicker than a skillet and less drying than a microwave. As soon as you remove the pork, turn off the heat, wrap the tortillas in foil, and warm them for 10 to 20 minutes.

Yield: Makes about 6 servings

CALORIES 396 (30% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 4g); CHOLESTEROL 125mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30g; SODIUM 800mg; PROTEIN 39g; FIBER 3g; SUGAR 5g

P.S. I did a bigger roast (about 4 lbs) and just cooked it for 6 1/2 hours and it turned out great.

Pumpkin cookies

1/2 C butter

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

1 C pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 C flour

1 C chocolate chips

Mix together and bake for 10-13 minutes at 375. Makes about 30+ cookies.

Frosting: 4 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 C. butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 C. powder sugar

Mix and put on top of cookies.

Chicken Enchiladas

This is a fresh take on chicken enchiladas because it doesn't have cream of chicken soup! Mitch and Arden loved these - definite repeat at my house. Oh and here's the blog where I found them, she has other yummy recipes too:
http://armellejewelry.blogspot.com/

Ingredients

8-10 tortillas, flour or corn, I used the uncooked flour tortillas from Costco/Sams and cook them up according to package instructions.

½ cup chopped onions

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander, optional. I didn’t use it.

¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream

2 cups chicken broth

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers , can add two cans

2 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese

3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped/shredded

black olives (optional)

tomatoes (optional)

green onions (optional)
Jalapenos, diced (optional) Gives it a nice kick.

Directions
Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 350* oven for 10 minutes to soften.

For Sauce: In a saucepan, cook onion, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper in the butter until the onion is tender. Stir the flour into the sour cream, and then add to the onion mixture.

Stir in broth and chili peppers all at once. (and jalapenos if adding)

Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

Remove from heat; stir in 1 C of the cheese.

For Filling: Stir 1/2 C of the sauce into the chicken, mixing well.

Place about 2-3 soup-spoon-size of mixture on each tortilla and roll up.

Arrange rolls, seam side down, in a lightly greased 12x8x2 baking dish.

Top with remaining sauce.

Bake, covered, in 350* oven for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes.

If Desired: garnish tops with olives, tomatoes, and cheese.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

I came up with this salad and Dan insists it is the best salad he has ever had. It is really good if I do say so myself. It was just stuff I had so you can always add more.

Tyson Chicken Breast Fillets

Buffalo wing sauce (I use Buffalo Wild Wings mild sauce- it is my favorite)

Tri-Color tortilla strips (found in the salad toppings section)

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Blue cheese or ranch dressing

Lettuce

I cooked the chicken according to the package directions. Then cut them up and tossed them in the buffalo sauce so they were coated. Then put lettuce and baby spinach (I always add baby spinach to my salads, you don't have to). Put some parmesan cheese, tortillas strips, then put the chicken on top. I gave Dan blue cheese dressing and I used ranch but it is just personal preference.

That is it. It was super fast and super easy and so good. If you like buffalo sauce you have to try it!

Garlic Cheese Bread

This is a recipe I got from Chelsea. She got it from a neighbor who gives this out as neighbor gifts at Christmas time. It really is so yummy. The quantities of butter, cream cheese & garlic listed below are half of what Chelsea gave me because I thought it had too much. So technically you are supposed to do a stick of butter, 8 oz. cream cheese & 1 tsp garlic powder. To each her own!!!

1 Loaf of french bread
1/2 stick of soft butter
4 oz. of soft cream cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 bag of 3-4 cheese blend
mozerella cheese

Take your loaf of bread and cut it down the middle length ways so you have 2. Mix butter, cream cheese and garlic powder and spread on both pieces of bread. Then put pieces back together and wrap with tinfoil. Place in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. Then take out and unwrap. Place the cheese on top to your liking. Place on a cookie sheet and put under broiler until cheese is melted.

Croissant sandwiches

These are one of my favorites. A friend of mine made them for a shower and everyone went nuts for them. So now I make them and we love them.

Croissants
Turkey, any flavor you prefer
Provolone cheese
Sprouts
Sunflower seeds
Avocado
Mayonnaise

1. Slice the croissant nearly all the way through leaving some attachment.
2. Lightly spread with Mayonnaise.
3. Layer with turkey, cheese, sprouts, seeds, and avocado.

(The amount of each ingredient depends on the number of sandwiches you are making, and how hardy you want them to be.)

If you are making them for a party or shower I would cut them into thirds. I often will cut them in half just to avoid waste, especially if there are small children.

Lisa's spaghetti sauce

I kept waiting for Lisa to add this but figured I would do it for her! This is a staple at our house and is one of the few recipes all of my kids will eat and LOVE. It is so fast and easy and makes enough for 2 meals for our family. So I put the left over sauce in the freezer for the next week.

30 oz. tomato sauce

1 lb. hamburger

1/2 T oregano

a little less than 1/2 T of Italian seasoning

*1 Lawry's spaghetti seasoning packet

Directions: Brown your hamburger with a little minced onion and 1/4 packet of Lawry's. In another pot pour the sauce (swish a little water in the cans as well), oregano, Italian seasoning and rest of Lawry's packet. When hamburger is cooked add it to the other mixture. Let simmer for 3 hours.

*You really need Lawry's, others are not nearly as good. They don't sell it at Walmart, but other stores do carry it.

Mud Balls

1 pkg. cream cheese (softened)
1 pkg. Oreo's (not double stuff)
1 pkg. Chocolate almond bark

In a food processor (I use my kitchen aid) crumb Oreo's. Add in cream cheese. Mix until well blended. (Mixture will look like mud).Roll into 1" balls. (the Pampered Chef small cookie scoop is perfect). Place on a cookie sheet (I usually line mine with wax paper) and place in freezer for 15 minutes.While balls are hardening melt chocolate bark over low heat. Once chocolate is melted dip firm mud balls into bark and place on a cookie sheet. Bark will harden quickly.

This is a huge hit with Dan and my girls. I made them for Laura's baptism and everyone wanted to recipe. They are very simple.

Homemade Root Beer

1 4 gallons Kettle bucket or insulated drink cooler.

2 gallons cool drinking water

4 cups sugar

2 ounces root beer extract

2 pounds of dry ice

*****

1. Add sugar and water into container, stir until sugar dissolves. Then add root beer extract.

2. Taste- if you need to add more sugar or root beer extract now is the time.

3. Add dry ice to mixture-cover with a loose lid

4. After one hour it should be ready to drink. WARNING: make sure you don't serve any of the dry ice in the cups.

*****

Max got this recipe out of an Science book he brought home from school. He made it all buy him self. It was a big hit at both of his parties!!

White Chocolate Chippers

Photo By Addison

Okay, guys, I am finally posting a recipe. You all know I love cookies, and since my departure from Arizona, I have missed Paradise Bakery and the White Chocolate Chippers. (and the tomato soup, and the choc. chip cookies....I digress!). I have revised this recipe to try and fill that void (Addison gives it two thumbs up....she is helping me blog this)

White Chocolate Chippers

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. shortening

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. Hershey's DARK cocoa

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour (approx.)

2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. white chocolate chips (or less)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (opt....I just love nuts)

Beat butter, shortening, sugars, and cocoa, add eggs and vanilla, then add dry ingredients.

I usually chill dough for a while...this gives me an opportunity to eat more of it! :)

Roll into small balls, bake at 350, for 10 mins.

Yummy Fruit Dip

This is a recipe Mandy gave to me. She said she had it at Bunco and it was to die for. I made it tonight for a meeting and everyone went nuts for it. It was so easy.

I served strawberries and apples with it.

Fruit Dip

1 7oz. jar of marshmallow fluff cream

1 8 oz. cream cheese

Put both in kitchen aid and mix well.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Ingredients:

6 chicken breasts, sliced if thick

1 lb. deli ham

1 lb sliced swiss cheese

1 pkg. Stove Top Stuffing mix (dry)

1 can cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 in. glass pan

Place chicken breasts in pan

Lay ham and cheese on top of chicken

Pour stuffing mix over cheese (crush a little first)

Mix soup and milk together, stirring well

Pour milk/soup over stuffing

Cover with foil and bake 350 deg. oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

1 pound dry Ziti pasta

1 onion, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

6 oz provolone cheese, sliced

1 1/2 cups sour cream

6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Direction:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add zity pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes;drain

2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture,remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

4.Bake for 3o minutes or until cheese is melted

Blueberry French Toast Bake

8 (1.5 inch) thick slices of french bread

3 eggs

1 1/4c. milk

1c. brown sugar (divided)

1t. vanilla

1/2t. nutmeg

1/4c. melted butter

2c. frozen blueberries

-Combine milk, 3/4c. brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg.

-Mix, pour over sliced bread.

-Cover and refrigerate over night

-remove from refrigerator

-combine butter and brown sugar.

-Drizzle over top

-bake (uncovered) @400 for 25 min

-sprinkle blueberries over top

-Bake 10 min longer (or until knife comes out clean)

We LOVE this at our house. This is what I do for Christmas and Easter morning and other things like conference Sundays. The thing I like about it is I can have it all ready the night before and the next morning it is ready to cook.

German Pancakes

6 eggs

1c. flour

1c. milk

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t.sugar

-Melt 1-2 T.butter in 9x13 pan

-Mix everything together with mixer until mixed well

-Pour into buttered pan

-bake @425 for 17-19 minutes

-Serve with syrup

This rises up over the pans edges ALOT, the kids love that!!!

This is somthing I make alot on Sunday mornings and Brian LOVES them

Paula Deen's Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

2 Cups cooked chopped chicken breast

2 hard boiled eggs,sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup Chicken broth

salt and pepper (optional)

1 1/2 cups Instant biscuit mix

1 cup milk

1 stick melted butter

~~~~~~~~

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a greased 2-quart casserole, layer the chicken, eggs, carrots, and peas. Mix the soup, chicken broth, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour over the layers. Stir together the biscuit mix and milk, and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle butter over the topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Mom discovered this one and I absolutely love it. I am not a pot pie person, but this one is too yummy to pass up.

Don't get thrown off by the hard boiled eggs, I thought it was weird too, but so yummy!

Chicken Parmigiana

*3 Chicken Breast (or more depeding on how many you are feeding)
*1 Egg
*1 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*1 cup breadcrumbs
*1 1/4 c butter
*10 1/2 oz pizza sauce
*6 slices of Mozzarella Cheese
*Parmesan cheese
~~~~~~~~~~

~Cut Chicken breast in half
~Beat egg, salt and pepper in bowl
~Dip Chicken into egg
~Coat with crumbs
~Saute Chicken in butter (Just until golden brown on each size)
~Arrange Chicken in crock pot
~Pour pizza sauce over Chicken
~Cook on low for 6-8 hours (mine usually gets done right at 6 hours)
~THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF COOKING place Mozzarella cheese over cooked chicken and sauce then sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.

I got this recipe from Sarah's ward cook book. Its super easy and a husband pleaser for sure
This is one of Chris's favorite meals.

Banana Crumb Muffins

I got this recipe off of All Recipes (top 20 recipes). I made these for my class today and everyone was going crazy wanting seconds. Plus my kids really liked them too!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Jim's BBQ Turkey

(this isn't really this recipe's picture - just something to give you an idea)

Sorry I had to call this "Jim's" - my dad came up with it - so just giving credit where credit is due. Anyway - its the best way to cook a turkey - so easy, so yummy, and no clean up. Enjoy!
-Nicole

Here's the ingredients for the rub - it's not an exact science, there aren't measurements or anything, but when we tried it we just guessed at amounts and it turned out great.

Spice Rub

Lawry's
salt
pepper
chili powder
dehydrated onions
celery salt
crushed basil leaves
crushed parsley flakes
thyme
rosemary
crushed red pepper
garlic powder

Here are the baking instructions:

-Preheat oven to 275
-Rub ample spice rub on outside and inside of turkey (after removing
insides)
-Place in turkey cooking bag and poke 4-5 holes for ventilation
-Wrap bird in 4-5 layers of the extra large size tin foil (the
regular foil just makes it harder to get a good seal - so use
extra long if you can find it)
-Poke holes in foil for ventilation - make sure to get clear
down to the cooking bag (we used shishkabob skewers to get
through all the layers)
-Place on baking sheet
-Bake at 275 for 12-13 hours
-Use a knife and cut through foil layers on the top - seperate
foil (this makes a bowl type thing with the foil, catches all
the juice and makes easy cleanup)
Wal-ah! 

P.S. If you make gravy from the drippings, make sure to add
plenty of water because the spice rub and method of cooking
make the drippings very flavorful and salty.

Easy cheese cracker chicken strips

Cheese crackers (Cheez-it, Nips, etc.)
Chicken tenderloins
Egg whites

Put enough crackers in a big ziplock baggie and crush the crackers. (Almost to resemble bread crumbs). Dip the chicken in the egg white and then in the crackers. Make sure the chicken is well covered with the crackers. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20-25 on each side. Serve with your favorite dip. My kids love these!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

3 Tablespoons Margarine or butter
1 Package (10 oz., about 40) regular Marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 Cups Rice Krispies cereal
4-6 large Reece's peanut butter cups (the Easter ones are the best!)

Melt it!
Melt Margarine or butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted remove from heat.

Mix it!
Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated

Spread it!
Using a buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into a 13x9x2-inch pan coated with cooking spray.

Melt it!
Put Reece's Peanut Butter cups in microwave for 30 plus seconds- spread over rice krispies.
Cut in 2-inch squares when cool. Makes 24 Squares

These are super yummy!! The Easter Reece's Peanut Butter cups are the best. Also very good the 2nd day.

Cream Cheese party dip

1 8z. soft cream cheese
1 16oz jar of salsa
1 alvacado

Put everything in a blender and blend. Serve with chips.

Salsa

We love salsa (even my kids) buy everyone (except Dan) hates the chunks. So when I get a new bottle I empty it into the blender and puree it. Then I stick it right back in the bottle and none of it goes to waste.

(It tastes just like Chilis salsa, I am convinced that is all they do anyway).

Yummy Guacamole

Yummy Guacamole

INGREDIENTS
2 avocados
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons salsa



DIRECTIONS
Cut the avocados into halves. Remove the seeds, and scoop out the pulp into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado. Stir in lemon juice, onion, salt, and olive oil. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Lisa's Quick Breadsticks...

1 Tablespoon Yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water...let dissolve with yeast for about 5-7 minutes

add
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups flour (till dough does not stick to sides of the bowl)

Roll into a big rectangle. Use pizza cutter and cut strips. Fold stripes together and twist.

Melt 1/2 cube butter on a cookie sheet, roll strips in butter and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. (until light brown on top)

I sprinkle the top with Garlic salt and bake. So QUICK and so EASY.

Pizza Loaf

1 loaf (1pound) frozen bread dough, thawed

2 eggs, spearated

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces sliced pepperoni

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can (4 ounces) mushrooms (opt.)

1/4 to 1/2 cup pickled pepper rings (opt.)

1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained (opt)

1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce

On a greased baking sheet, roll out dough into a 15 in. rectangle. In a bowl, combine, egg yolks, parmesan cheese, oil, parsley, oregano, garlic powder and pepper. Brush over the dough. Sprinkle with pepperoni, mozarella cheese, and other toppings of your choice. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam side down; brush egg whites. Do not let rise. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Warm the pizza sauce; serve with sliced loaf. Yield: 10-12 slices.

Caramel Apple Pie

BTW- this won for best pie when I made it for a pioneer ward activity.

1 Pastry crust for a deep dish 9" pie (you can make one or purchase a ready-made one)
1/2 C Sugar
3 Tbsp Flour
1 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt
6-8 Cups Apples, sliced thinly (use my apple/peeler/slicer/corer from Williams Sonoma)
Caramel
Chopped pecans

Crumb Topping:
1 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 C Flour
1/2 C Butter

Directions for crumb topping: Stir together brown sugar, flour & oats. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until topping resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, spice & salt. Add apples & toss to coat. Put into pie shell.
2. Add all of the crumb mixture on top of the apples (until all the apples are covered with the mixture). You will need to press it onto the apples to make it stay. Pre-heat oven at 375. Make sure to place on cookie sheet while cooking to prevent juices from dripping in your oven. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil for the first 25 minutes to prevent burning, then put back in the oven for 20 more minutes without the foil. Allow the pie to cool for 10-15 minutes & drizzle the top with your favorite caramel & pecans.

Southern Fried Chicken by Paula Dean

This is the best fried chicken recipe. My kids love it. I use chicken tenderloins. It is not spicy. My kids love it! It comes from Paula Dean from the Food Network. I make almost once a week. Notice it gives directions for a "house seasoning". You only have to make that one time and store it. So this is a really fast recipe.

3 eggs

1/3 cup water

About 1 cup hot red pepper sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)

2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon pepper

House seasoning, recipe follows

1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces

Oil, for frying, I use Canola oil

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the house seasoning. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.
Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer then white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

New York Style Cheesecake

This truly tastes just like something you would get in a deli in New York. It is worth trying if you like cheesecake. I got the recipe off of All Recipes and it had 5 stars and is listed on their top 20 recipes. It was so good!

Crust: 15 graham crackers, crushed- 2 T Sugar- 1/4 C melted butter
Filling: 4- 8 oz pkg cream cheese, 1 1/2 C white sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 3/4 C milk, 4 eggs, 1 C sour cream, 1 T vanilla, 1/4 C flour
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch spring form pan. In a medium bowl mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cake in the oven for 5-6 hours .
Tips: I cooked mine in a water bath because that helps it cook better. If you have no clue what a water bath is (that was me) it is putting the springform pan in the center of a jelly roll pan and filling the jelly roll pan with water. I also wrapped tin foil around the springform pan to keep the water from seeping into the cake. Once it has been in the oven for 6 hours take it out and put it in the fridge to help it set up. The reason you are supposed to leave it in the oven is because it keeps it from cracking and sinking.

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

This is such a great recipe. I got it off of All Recipes. It had 5 stars and it is on their top 20 recipes. So good!

INGREDIENTS

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced

8 ounces raspberries

1 pound strawberries

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

butter flavored cooking spray

2 cups cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit and spice mixture.

French Bread

This is the best, fastest, easiest french bread recipe there it. It makes 4 loaves so you can stick them in the freezer and use them for several meals. I used a baguette pan but mom told me you don't have to have a baguette pan!

3 C. hot water
1 1/2 T yeast
1 1/2 T sugar
3 tsp salt (I use kosher but you don't have to)
6 C flour
1 heaping T rosemary*

* (for just plain french bread don't add the rosemary..but we love the italian taste of the rosemary)
Directions: Mix water, yeast, sugar, & salt in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes (will be bubbly). Add flour & rosemary and mix until smooth and not sticky. (It may take little more flour). I put a little olive oil in a bowl and then put the dough back in it and make sure all of the bread is coated with a little oil. Then you let the dough rise until it is double in size. - Tip: I turned my oven on to WARM while I was mixing everything together and then when it was all warm I turned the oven off, put the dough in the oven with the door open just a little. That way it raised faster. I think I left it in there for 20-30 minutes.
Then take the dough out and put it on lightly floured surface & knead until smooth. Divide into fourths and roll into baguettes and let raise another 10 minutes. (My baguette pan only has a spot for 3 loaves so I only did 3, not 4) Put onto a baguette pan. Click here if you don't know what a baguette pan looks like. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?select=C74&byCategory=C86&id=5394
Take an egg white and a little salt and mix in a bowl. Take a pasrty brush and brush egg on top of bread (it gives it a shinny look). Bake @ 400 for 20-30 minutes.
It is very simple and very fast. I started at 5pm and it was ready in about an hour.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

This recipe is the best pumpkin bread recipe I have ever used. Again, it came from All Recipes. It had 5 stars and is on their top 20 recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

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

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.Bake for about 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Oreo Cookies

This is my kids favorite. It also won the dessert contest at my ward party!

2 Devils Food cake mixes
1 C shortening
4 eggs

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 1 lb powdered sugar
milk as desired

Mix dry cake mix with shortening and eggs. Roll into 1" balls. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool. Mix filling and put between 2 cookies.

Super Easy Almond Toffee

I had a friend bring this toffee to me for Christmas one year. It was so good so I asked her where she got the recipe and she told me if was from All Recipes. I made it for neighbors and friends this year and everyone asked for the recipe. It is so simple. Don't let the fact that you need a candy thermometer scare you away...SUZANNE!!!

2 cups butter
2 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips (recipe calls for semisweet but I only use milk)
1 c finely chopped almonds

Directions:
1. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F. Stir occasionally.

2. While toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

3. As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. Spread the chocolate into a thing even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.

4. Place the toffee in the fridge to chill until set. Break into pieces and store in airtight container.

Orange/Cresent Rolls

Note: You can also make these as crescent rolls

Crescent or Orange Rolls
2 tablespoons (heaping) yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Imperial (margarine), melted

3 cups warmed milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon (rounded) salt

8-10 cups flour
Combine yeast, sugar and salt in Kitchen aid. Melt butter, then add milk and warm in the microwave (or on stove) Then add to yeast mixture. Let yeast sit 5-10 minutes, mix in eggs and add flour. Dough should be soft and barely sticky, mix for 10-15 more minutes with dough hook. Cover and let rise to a generous double, punch it down. Divide into desired portions and roll into circle on a floured surface.Brush with melted butter (margarine) and roll up, starting with wide end. Place on greased pan and bake at 350 for 15-20 min. (The silpat is a great alternative to greasing, bakes rolls nice and evenly) (At this point the rolls can be frozen on cookie sheet and stored in a Ziploc bag.)
Orange rolls:Prepare as above, then sprinkle cinnamon/sugar and orange zest over melted butter, and nuts if desired. Roll and bake. Cool slightly then frost with creamy orange glaze.

Orange glaze:

Mix together

1 stick imperial softened

1 2 pound bag powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

2 tbs. orange concentrate

2 tbs. finely grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla

This will be fun

Hi family! I have seen this family recipe blogs and thought we have so many awesome recipes in this family it would be fun to keep track of them.

Please add recipes you use all the time, or as you try new ones and you think they are worth sharing. This will be so fun to see all the fun recipes we can collect.

I am going to try and figure out so you can add them. If you don't have time to add a recipe feel free to send it to Sarah and I will add it. If you do add a recipe make sure you add a Label. You will need to put your name and what catergory it would fall into ie: main dish, dessert, etc.