Water Chestnut Dip

Does everyone already have this dip from your mom? I am just copying and pasting, so I'm adding it.


1 C sour cream
1 C Mayo
2 tsp beef boullion
½ tsp worchestershire sauce
¼ tsp garlic powder
2 T green onion
1 can water chestnuts chopped

Hamburger Hot Pot

I don't know if this qualifies to be on here, but my kids love it, it's pretty basic meat and potatoes.

1 1/2 lb ground beef
6 med. Potoes, peeled and sliced
¼ tsp garlic powder
3 med onions sliced
1 tsp salt
1 can mushroom soup
¼ tsp pepper
½ cup water
(I add a layer of carrots and sometimes some mushrooms)

Brown ground beef and add seasonings to the meat. Stir together soup and the liquid you are using. In crock pot layer 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 carrots, 1/2 onions, all of the beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, then liquid.

I usually add milk instead of water and a little sour cream. I also sprinkle on paprika and seasoning salt. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low 6ish maybe. My crock pot cooks really hot, so yours might take longer.

Artichoke chicken with capers

4 chicken breasts
1/3 -1/2 cup half and half
Seasoned flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 or more tbsp of capers
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup chicken broth + 1/4 cup white grape juice
Salt and pepper

1. Pound chicken until very flattened. Dredge in milk and coat with seasoned flour.
2. Heat olive oil in saucepan. Add garlic and cook till tender. Add chicken and sauté in hot oil on one side until browner. Turn chicken and sauté for two minutes.
3. Add capers, artichoke hearts, chicken broth, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook ingredients until mixture is reduced half, then cover until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. (add half and half to make yummier)
5. Serve over pasta with freshly steamed vegetables.

This recipe originally called for wine, my mom made the adjustment with the white grape juice and chicken broth. I like it saucier than this recipe, so I sometimes double the sauce ingredients.

Apple syrup (we use with aebleskivers)

1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 pint apple juice
Splash of lemon
1/2 cup butter

Combine all ingredients then heat over medium heat until desired thickness. Serve warm.

Aebleskivers (Recipe I use)

2 eggs separated
2 cup low fat buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grd. Cardamom
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted

Beat the 2 egg whites in bowl until stiff, but not dry. Combine 2 egg yolks, buttermilk, flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cardamom, vanilla, and melted butter in bowl and mix until smooth. Fold in egg whites.

Pour about 3/4 tsp oil into each round of an aebelskiver pan and heat over low heat. Add heaping tbsp of batter. When bubbly around edges, turn each round upside down with chopsticks, a fork, or a skewer. Continue cooking, turning frequently, until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

(I have never used cardamom, I have sprinkled some cinnamon or nutmeg in to replace it, don't know if it makes a difference)

Sweet Garlic Chicken

Here's yet another way to dress up your chicken, brought to you by Kelli (found on pinterest, linked to here).

I would say use the following amount for every two chicken breasts. It says four, but I say two:

3 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced
4 T brown sugar
sprinkle of salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil, add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, remove from heat, add the brown sugar.
Rub the concoction on the chicken breast. Cook in the oven at 450 for 20-30 mins.

I suggest cutting your chicken breasts in two, or pounding them down or something. I just don't like giant thick breasts because they don't get coated in the flavor, you know?

This is super easy for nights you just decide last minute what you're having. I served mine with baked potatoes (and probably some other colorful veggie would be good too...like fresh green beans...but I didn't have anything like that so give me a break).
Both my kids loved it. Of course - it's covered in brown sugar!

Asian BBQ Chicken

Here's a really good marinade if you're looking to dress up some chicken for dinner.
I cooked mine on the Foreman grill.

Asian BBQ Chicken

Roasted Cauliflower and aged white cheddar soup

This is one I found on pinterest.  I really liked it.  Light, yet filling.

 A creamy white cheddar cauliflower soup with a hint of thyme
Ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tablespoons oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded (I used whatever the heck cheese I had in my fridge)
• 1 cup milk or cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
2. Roast the cauliflower in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
6. Add the broth and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
7. Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender.
8. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with salt and pepper.
9. Mix in the milk and remove from heat.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 4

From closetcooking.com

Mom's Red Potatoes and Peas

Boil and drain about 4-5 small/medium red potatoes

In a saucepan, make a rue -
3 T butter
add 2 T flour - let it cook in the butter for a minute or so
1 C milk
stir until thickened
salt and pepper to taste

Combine sauce and potatoes and add frozen peas

Remember this recipe? A favorite around red potato harvest season.

Spinach Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Dressing:
3/4 c. oil
1/3 c. rice vinegar
1/3 c. cider vinegar (I usually use white)
1/2 c. teriyaki sauce
6 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a blender (or not).

16 oz. bow tie pasta cooked
4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 1/2 bags fresh spinach
1 6 oz bag craisins
3 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds
6 oz. honey roasted peanuts (I leave this out, not a fan of nuts in salads)
1/2 c. freshly chopped parsley (sometimes this doesn't make it into the salad either)

Pour dressing over cooked pasta and diced chicken at least 2 hours before serving.  Combine all other ingredients in a giant salad bowl.  Add pasta, chicken and dressing just before serving.  Garnish with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese. 

Great as a one dish meal or potluck.

Yummy Blueberry Muffins

2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1 cup sugar

4 tbsp. melted butter (cooled)

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Topping:

4 tbsp. melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add frozen berries to these dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk egg and sugar together. Add melted butter a little at a time. Add sour cream to combine.

Add sour cream mixture to dry ingredients. Mix for 25 to 30 seconds. The batter will be really thick.

Use a big scoop and cooking sprayed muffin tin. Cook until light brown. (20-25 mins) 

Let cool for 5 minutes and dip in butter then dry topping.

postpartum meals anyone?

I'm always trying to think of the perfect meal to take to a friend who has just had a baby or whatever.  (yep, lots of babies born in my ward)

What is your go-to meal for this???

Lately I've been doing creamy chicken taquitos, green salad with creamy cilantro dressing, and black beans from a can.

Mexican-style corn on the cob

This is a great recipe for having corn on the cob as a meal.


Step by step instructions:

1. Spread a thin layer of mayo on cooked corn.

2. Roll mayo covered corn in cotija cheese (or Kelli, you could use queso fresco but cotija is saltier, or Mary - parm). I used to just spoon it on the corn, but rolling it in it covers it better. I just crumble the cheese onto a plate for rolling.

3. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on the corn.

4. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper (or hot sauce).

 And devour.


Andy ate this every day on his mission. Took me a few years to believe that it was good. And it's delicious! On our honeymoon, the corn street vendor guy just rubbed a sliced of lime on the corn as the first step. I used to do this, but the lime juice would make it hard for the mayo to stick, so I just squeeze it on later.

creamy lime cilantro dressing

Here is a dressing that is much easier and faster than the recipe I have for Cafe Rio dressing. It doesn't taste quite as much like Cafe Rio, but easier than messing with fresh tomatillos and stuff. I made it for a salad to have with these beef tacos the other day, and quickly learned that I could put the meat, tortilla, salad, and dressing together to have a complete Cafe Rio style salad. It was yummy. (btw, that meat is good for lots of meals ... tacos, salads, nachos, etc)

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa
hot sauce

This is tough folks. Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend ‘er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

chocolate chip cookies

So, here is the made-famous-by-Instagram chocolate chip cookies from my friend. I've tried making them before and they NEVER turn out like her's. She tells me to have room temp butter and make sure the dough is cold (put it in the fridge) before baking. Doesn't work for me. But here it is if you wanna give it a try. I always make Kim's recipe from the family cookbook. PS - this friend of mine is from St. George and went to high school with Jimi ... and had a crush on him. lol. Small world.

 

 

 

2 1/4 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 egg

1 c. softened / room temperature butter (not margarine)

chocolate chips (I never measure)

 

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  You might want to write on the recipe that dough should be refrigerated before baking.  Each batch makes 24 cookies that are pretty good size.  Not too small, not too big.