Stone Soup

"Macaroni Grill" Rosemary Bread

2011-01-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

My friend brought this bread to dinner at my house one night and I just had to get the recipe. It is supposedly the recipe for the bread you eat at Macaroni Grill. It is SO yummy! I made it to take to a friend's house on Sunday and made an extra loaf for us to keep at home.

Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons rosemary
1 teaspoon salt

Mix first three ingredients and let sit to nice and foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients. Let dough rise in greased bowl til double the size. Roll dough into one large round loaf, or two smaller loaves. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown. When out of the oven, melt butter all over the top and sprinkle with salt.

****Here are my edits. I used SAF yeast, so I didn't let it foam in the sugar water. Just added it to my dry ingredients and it was good to go. I only use half the amount of rosemary. I have made it with the full amount, but I think it is too much. I let my loaves rise again before I cook them. I think it makes them extra fluffy and yummy. The last time I made it I left the extra loaf on the pan to cool (I cooked it on a cookie sheet) and covered it with a towel. Later that night when I went to put it away, the bottom was a little soggy right in the middle. Next time I will leave it on a cooling rack.

This bread is perfect to eat with oil and vinegar, for dipping in chili or soup, or just plain. Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2010-12-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

Finally, right? Sorry to make you wait so long for this, Ang!!! Here is the creamy, yummy goodness! (FYI: this is the recipe from the book, I didn't do everything they said, like I didn't cook the bacon in a dutch oven because I don't have one! :) )

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
From The Cook's Country Cookbook

8 slices bacon, chopped
3 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 lg onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbls all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus additional for garnish
1 cup sour cream, plus additional for garnish
3 scallions, sliced thin

1. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. While the bacon is cooking, use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of peel from the potatoes; reserve the peels. Cut the peeled potatoes into 3/4-inch pieces. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the reserved potato skins to the bacon fat in the pot and cook until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potato skins to the plate with the bacon,

2. Add the onion to the fat remaining in the pot and cook over medium heat until golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth and cream, stir in the thyme and potatoes, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 7 minutes.

3. Transfer 2 cups of the cooked potatoes to a bowl. Puree the remaining soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and warm over medium-high heat. Off the heat, stir in the cheese until melted, then whisk in the sour cream. Return the reserved potatoes to the pot and season the soup with pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with the bacon, fried potato skins, scallions, cheese and sour cream.

MMMMM!!! Hope you LOVE it!

Three Bean Chili Deluxe

2010-02-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on the blog Design Mom. I'm not a huge fan of chili, but I was in the mood for some last winter and decided to try this. It is really yummy. I think the ranch adds a great flavor. Thanks Design Mom (and her kids who developed the recipe)!

Three Bean Chili Deluxe
from Design Mom

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 heaping tsp garlic, chopped
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz. cans light kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans dark kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans black beans
1 entire packet of Ranch dressing powdered mix
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t salt
2 teaspoons cream cheese

Brown the ground beef with the onions and garlic. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients (don't drain the beans) and simmer for 30 minutes. Or all day.

Here is what I do different. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef. It has way less fat and tastes the same for this recipe. I think you can use any combination of beans. Last time I made it I didn't have any cans of light or dark kidney beans. I had a can of cannellini (white kidney) beans, so I used that, along with a can of pinto beans. I cooked some dried kidney beans (about 1 2/3 cup cooked beans equals a can) and used those since I didn't have canned kidney beans. So my chili had 4 different kinds of beans (black, kidney, cannellini, and pinto). I thought it was still as good as the time I made it with the beans listed in the recipe.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

2010-02-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

My friend, Lauren, has been making this ever since I have known her. I love it. I always wanted to make some, but I never had a popcorn popper. I finally bought one a couple of days ago and this is what we made to break it in.

Peanut Butter Popcorn
2 poppers popped corn
1/2 cup light karo (corn) syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
m&ms (optional)

Mix karo syrup, honey, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix til peanut butter is melted and all mixed in. Pour over popped corn and stir.

Easy, right?

Here is what I did different. I only used 1/2 cup sugar. I wanted to see if it would still taste good with less sugar. I didn't notice any difference. I wanted to add m&ms, but my husband doesn't like them, so I left them out.

Enjoy!

Eugenia's Potato Soup

2010-02-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

My mom found this recipe in a book and tried it last week. Everyone loved it enough that she emailed it to all us girls. I tried it tonight and it was delicious! Potato Cheese Soup has always been my favorite, and I think this may even be better! And it's REALLY easy!!!

Eugenia's Potato Soup
4 lbs. potatoes
2 cans chicken broth
8 oz. monterey jack cheese (and/or pepper jack cheese)
1 pint half & half
2 cans cream celery soup
1 8 oz. sour cream
Cook potatoes in broth until tender but still firm, approx. 12 - 15 min. Grate cheese and stir into potatoes until melted. Add soups, half & half and sour cream. Cook on low, stirring constantly until hot.

SO yummy!

Very Veggie Lentil Chili

2009-10-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Hey! Come on over to my other cooking blog to see my latest yummalicious recipe: Very Veggie Lentil Chili. It is budget friendly, really easy to make, and kid approved. Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Didn't that sound like a great commercial?

Brazilian Beans and Rice

2009-08-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

My husband served his mission in Brazil, so he loves Brazilian beans and rice. I have been trying to find a good recipe since we got married 7 years ago, but to no avail. At Thanksgiving we visited my sister-in-law and met her friend that is from Brazil and she told us about how she makes it and promised to get us the recipe. We finally got it yesterday. And lucky enough for me, it included peppers! Here is the recipe:

Brazilian Beans and Rice
from Luciane

For a traditional lunch, serve rice and beans with a green salad with tomatoes and Italian vinaigrette dressing (not ranch) and meat, as below.

The beans (crockpot style):
1 lb bag dry beans, pinto or black (or canned--but watch the salt--none my be needed)
2 bay leaves
copious amounts of water
2-3 T olive oil
smoked sausage or 1/2 package bacon (optional)
1/2 of an onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper, to taste
2 beef bullion cubes
Mrs Dash, to taste (optional, no pepper needed if using Mrs Dash)
Seasoning salt (optional, without lemon)
Whatever you like to season with as long as it has no lemon
bell pepper, 1 1/2 inch wide strip chopped finely (optional)
a little cilantro, to taste (optional)

Look through your beans before rinsing them to make sure to remove small pebbles or other debris. Rinse well. Soak for 1/2 hour in plenty of water. Rinse again and pour the beans into a crockpot. Add the bay leaves. Cover with about 5 inches of water (at least double the amount of beans) and cook on high, overnight.

Remove the bay leaves. If using meat, saute until cooked and use 2-3 T of its oil (instead of olive oil) to saute the onion, until clear. Add pressed garlic and stir until fragrant. Pour some of the beans/water into the saute pan to dislodge all the yummy bits and pour it all back into the crockpot with the meat. Add bouillon cubes and salt and pepper to taste (or other seasonings, as mentioned above).

Cook until the beans are done, checking every once in a while. When cooked, you can stir in the bell pepper and/or cilantro, if using. Experiment and taste, adjusting the recipe to your liking.

The rice:
2 cups jasmine rice (old crop, not new crop--from Asian store if possible and definitely not storehouse rice)
4 cups water
2 shallow teaspoons salt
1 T olive oil
1/4 of a small onion
1 clove garlic, pressed

Cook the onion and garlic the same way as above, adding to the rice. Put the rice, salt, and water into a pan and heat to boiling, then simmer, uncovered, until almost all the water is soaked up. Then cover with a lid and finish cooking.

The salad:
You can make your own vinaigrette with 1 part lemon juice, 3 parts olive oil, cilantro, tomato, green bell pepper (if desired, all cut finely), salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.

The meat:
At a Mexican store, purchase thinly sliced beef. Pound it out more thinly still. Marinate for an our in olive oil, pressed garlic, and a little salt. Sear meat quickly on each side in a pan on high heat, using a little olive oil in the pan (if using nonstick, no oil needed). Remove meat. Add a few onion ring slices and a little more oil to the hot pan. Saute them quickly, then return the meat to the pan with the onion rings and cook until meat is finished cooking. This can be done with chicken or fish, too.

****I pretty much followed the recipe. I added the bell peppers, but not the cilantro. I didn't have any Mrs Dash, so I used Tony Chachere's spices n' herbs seasoning, but not very much. I used bacon, and after I cooked it I crumbled it into the beans in the crockpot, then used some of the bacon grease to cook the onions. According to my husband the Brazilians never put bell peppers in their beans, so I don't know if I will next time I make it. I think it would be good either way. I got some salad, but we didn't end up eating it. And I didn't get any meat, so we just had the beans and rice. Next time I will probably make 1 1/2 times the rice recipe because we had lots more beans left over than rice. I will have to make more rice to finish the beans.

We had friends over for dinner (the husband also served a mission in Brazil) and our friend and my husband both thought this was the most authentic tasting beans and rice they have had since their missions. We all loved it.

Italian Lentil Soup

2009-06-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Lauren. We love it. And lentils are really good for you. We have tried it both with and without the cabbage and it was great both ways.

Italian Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups water
1/2 head cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cubes chicken bullion (depends on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30-45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Can top with Parmesan cheese.

Swedish Meatballs

2009-06-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

We had Swedish meatballs at the home of a friend who is from Finland a couple of years ago. I remembered that experience last week and decided I wanted to make her meatballs, but she was in the process of moving to Finland and had already packed her cookbooks, so I found a recipe online. The recipe I found comes from the Food Network website, courtesy of Alton Brown. I have to say that I just had Swedish Meatballs at IKEA last month and I think these ones are better.

Swedish Meatballs
from FoodNetwork.com

2 slices fresh white bread (I used 1/2 cup bread crumbs)
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided (I used normal butter)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used bottled)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth (I used 3 cups of water and 3 beef bullion cubes)
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk (or mix bread crumbs and milk). Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds. (I don't have a scale, so I just made meatballs the size I like them.)

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in a warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. (I had to add a little more flour than it calls for to get my gravy to thicken.) Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

The recipe says it makes about 30 meatballs, but I made around 60. I guess I like my meatballs smaller than Alton Brown.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

2009-06-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

You are probably wondering why I am posting another bread recipe. This one is better than the last one I posted, so I thought I would share. It comes from the blog of a long-time friend, Mrs. Mordecai. This recipe is really easy and super yummy. It is definitely worth a try!

100% Whole Wheat Bread
from Be It Ever So Humble

1 2/3 cups very warm water
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup instant potato flakes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/3 - 2 cups additional whole wheat flour

Combine first 3 ingredients, then slowly add oil, honey, salt, potato flakes, and lemon juice, mixing as you go. Add remaining flour a little at a time until the texture is right. Knead about 10 minutes (I use my KitchenAid). Shape into two loaves and place in two greased 8" loaf pan. Let rise until double, about 30 minutes. (I put them on top of the stove and preheated the oven at the same time.) In another blog post Mrs. M suggested letting the dough rise for about 30 minutes prior to the loaf shaping and rising step. I tried this (I put the dough in a greased bowl and covered it with a towel) and think it made the bread even softer, although I haven't tried it without the extra rising time so I can't say for sure. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Cool on rack. For a softer crust, cover the loaves with a towel as they cool.

Garlic Herb Pizza Dough

2009-06-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

I love herb pizza dough. Every time I go to Trader Joe's I get at least one. TJ's pizza dough is so yummy! But since I don't get to TJ's very often I decided it was time to find a recipe to make my own herb dough. After looking at lots of websites that had the same recipe I found this one. It was so easy to make and turned out delicious. I used it for both pepperoni pizza and chicken Alfredo pizza for dinner tonight. We had a friend over for dinner and he seemed to like it, too. Wes couldn't get enough (which doesn't happen very often).

I changed this recipe a little bit because some of it was kind of confusing or didn't make sense, or just sounded weird.

Garlic Herb Pizza Dough
from Homemade Pizza Made Easy

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil (I used canola)
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast (I used SAF instant yeast)
1 Tablespoon fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon Oregano, fresh, chopped (if using dried herbs, cut amounts in half)
1 Tablespoon Parsley, fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon Basil, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
2 cups bread flour (I used wheat flour)

Dissolve yeast in water. Place flour in bowl of electric mixer. Add dissolved yeast, oil, water, salt, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, onion powder and black pepper. Using dough hook, mix well at medium-low speed (or follow mixer instructions) until all ingredients are incorporated. Knead for a few more minutes. Dust or oil dough ball and place in a large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft free area for 1 to 3 hours.

This is where the recipe stops. I spread my dough onto large cookie sheets and covered with my desired toppings. The recipe didn't give cooking directions, so I cooked each of my pizzas at 400 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. The pizzas turned out great, so I think this temperature was a good choice.

Note: If you are using instant yeast you do not need to dissolve the yeast in the water first. You can add it straight to the flour, mix, and then add the other ingredients as directed.

I doubled the batch and was able to make two nice-sized pizzas that almost filled my large cookie sheets.

Ham 'n Cheese Calzones

2009-06-14T19:16:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe in the Kraft Food & Family Magazine. I love calzones and was really excited to find such an easy way to make them. I look forward to being creative and putting in my own fillings.

Ham 'n Cheese Calzones

Prep time: 10 minutes Total: 28 minutes

Serves 4

1 can (13.8 ounce) refrigerated pizza crust

16 slices shaved honey ham

1 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese

1/4 cup Ranch Dressing

1 tomato, cut into 8 thin slices

Heat oven to 4oo F. Unroll pizza dough on lightly floured surface. Pat out dough to form 16x12-inch rectangle. Cut into quarters.

Top dough with ham to within 1/2 inch of sides. Mix cheese and dressing; spread on ham. Top with tomatoes. Fold each rectangle in half; seal edges with a fork. Put on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown

Make ahead: Prepare calzones up to 8 hours in advance. Wrap baking sheet with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. When ready to eat, unwrap and bake one or more as directed.

***I made it twice, the first time using the store-bought dough, the second time using homemade dough. The homemade dough didn't brown but it was still good and definitely cheaper. The ranch dressing was an awesome filling.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

2009-06-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

Shepherd's Pie is a family favourite and so I was excited to find a new and improved recipe to mix it up. I think I have found a new favourite way to eat Shepherd's Pie. And it's sooo fast and easy. I found this recipe in the Kraft Food & Family Magazine.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

Prep time: 10 minutes Total: 30 minutes

Serves 6

1 pound ground beef

2 cups hot mashed potatoes

4 ounces (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg) cream cheese, cubed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 cup beef gravy

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brown meat in large skillet. Drain.

Mix potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and the garlic until well blended.

Stir vegetables and gravy into meat.

Spoon into 9-inch square baking dish.

Cover with potato mixture. Don't worry about it being perfectly even; the more rustic it looks the better.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Shortcut: Use instant mashed potatoes. Prepare potatoes as directed on package, omitting the milk. This way when you add the cream cheese, the potatoes stay fluffy.

Grilled Pineapple Curry Chicken

2009-06-14T18:31:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from the Reynolds Wrap Cooking With Foil Cookbook. It was really easy and cleanup was awesome. And it was seriously so good. I'll definitely be cooking this again soon.

Grilled Pineapple Curry Chicken

Prep time: 20 minutes Grill time: 13 minutes

Serves 4

Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick Foil

Curry Rub

2 tablespoons curry powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

Coconut Lime Sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon Curry Rub

Juice from 1/2 fresh lime

Honey Barbecue Sauce

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup honey

Ingredients

4 (4 to 6 ounches each) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves [we used smaller tenders so that the chicken didn't get dry]

1 medium red onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 medium pineapple, cored and sliced, 1/4-inch thick

Preheat grill to medium-high. Make drainage holes in sheet of Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick Foil with large grilling fork; set aside.

Combine ingredients for Curry Rub, Coconut Lime Sauce, and Honey Barbecue Sauce in separate bowls; set aside. Sprinkle remaining Curry Rub over chicken [we rubbed it into the chicken to give it more flavor]. Brush onion slices with oil.

Place foil sheets with holes on grill grate with non-stick (dull) side toward food; immediately place chicken, onion slices, and pineapple slices on foil.

Grill chicken, onion, and pineapple 3 to 5 minutes; turn. Brush chicken and onion slices with Honey Barbecue Sauce; grill 5 minutes longer. Remove pineapple and onion slices from foil. Turn chicken and brush with barbecue sauce.

Continue Grilling 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is tender or meat thermometer reads 170 F. Discard sauce. Place onion and pineapple slices on top of chicken. Drizzle with Coconut Lime Sauce. Grill 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is heated.

***We didn't do as much chicken as the recipe called for, so we had a lot of sauce. Also we just poured it on instead of brushing it. The picture looks kind of terrible, but it was so yummy. It stuck to the foil a bit the first time we turned it but other than that it worked out as planned***

Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2009-05-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a gourmet restaurant-tasting recipe, this one is amazing! I made it with mashed potatoes, and it really tasted like something from a nice restaurant! Kim took pictures of it, but I have waited long enough to post it!! I will add the pics when I can!

Cheesy Basil-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
(From the Cook's Country Cookbook)
Serves 4

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ½ lb, trimmed)
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into large pieces and pulsed in a food processor to coarse
crumbs
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1.Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the cheese, 2 tbsp of the basil, the cream, lemon juice, 2 tsp of the garlic, ½ tsp salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.
2.Cut a pocket in each chicken breast, stuff with the cheese mixture, and seal. Transfer the stuffed breasts into a 13 x 9 in baking dish and spread the tops evenly with the mayonnaise.
3.Combine the bread crumbs, remaining 2 tbsp basil, remaining tsp garlic, and 1 tbsp oil. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the chicken, pressing lightly to adhere.
4.Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange in the baking dish around the chicken. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the thickest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 25 mins. Serve.

Stuffing the chicken breasts:
1.Working carefully, use a sharp paring knife to cut a pocket in the thickest area of the chicken breast. Gently work the knife back and forth until the pocket extends down into most of the breast.
2.Use a small spoon to scoop ¼ of the filling into each chicken breast. Seal in the filling by threading a toothpick or wooden skewer through the chicken about ¼ from the opening.

Black Bean Burgers

2009-05-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Here is a yummy recipe using black beans.

Black Bean Burgers

1 can black beans, rinsed/drained, and smashed with fork
1 egg
2 tablespoons salsa
chopped and sauteed onions and green peppers
1/2 cup bread crumbs
spices (cumin, oregano, pepper)

Mix everything together, and form into 4 patties. You can either brush them with oil and bake them, or cook them in a pan with olive oil (flipping once), which is what I did. Then dress and eat as you would with a normal burger.

Dunkley's Famous Macaroni Salad

2009-05-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

This macaroni salad is very yummy! My family loved it. I think it is the perfect recipe for a summer picnic or potluck.

Dunkley's Famous Macaroni Salad
From RecipeZaar

1 (16 oz) package salad macaroni (or ditali pasta)
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup yellow onion or white onion, diced
1 cup medium cheddar, diced
1 cup Swiss cheese, diced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup dill pickles, sliced
1 cup salami, diced
1 cup black olives, drained and sliced or diced
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
1-2 tablespoon garlic salt
1-2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 (3 oz) jar pimentos, rinsed and drained
1-1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil.

2. Add macaroni and cook until it is al dente, approximately 7 to 9 minutes.

3. DO NOT OVERCOOK the pasta or it will fall apart when the salad is tossed together

4. Rinse macaroni until cool.

5. Drain well and let it dry out slightly.

6. Place pasta in a large bowl.

7. Carefully fold in celery, red onion, white onion, Cheddar, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, dill pickles, salami, and black olives.

8. Refrigerate the mixture, covered, overnight (or refrigerate for at least 2 hours).

9. Mix the garlic salt, minced garlic, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, and celery salt together. Add to the salad.

10. Fold in pimentos.

11. Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise and horseradish; fold into the salad (You may use up to another 1/2 cup mayonnaise, if needed).

12. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.

Makes 25 servings

******First of all I cut the recipe in half. I didn't want to have leftovers of this for the rest of our lives. I didn't use horseradish or pimentos (I couldn't find the pimentos at the store). I didn't use the full amount of cayenne pepper and added the lower amount of the black pepper because I didn't want it to be too spicy. I mixed the spices with the mayo instead of the pasta/veggie mixture because I thought the spices would be more evenly spread out that way.

Double Chocolate Waffles with Berry Sauce

2009-04-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

I found a link to this recipe on my friend's blog. My boys love waffles (when you ask my 4 year old what he wants for dinner, he always says "waffles"), so I thought it would be fun to mix things up a little and try these. (note: I edited the recipe some, so if you want to see the original one, click here.)

Picture courtesy of Our Best Bites

Double Chocolate Waffles with Berry Sauce
from Our Best Bites

Waffles
2/3 C flour
1/3 C corn starch
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/8 t cinnamon
6 T granulated sugar
1 C milk
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/2 C mini chocolate chips

Berry Sauce and Topping
3 C berries*
1/4 C raspberry jam (you could use strawberry if you prefer)
2 T hot tap water
optional: powdered sugar to taste

whipped cream
cocoa powder for dusting

*You'll need about 3 cups of berries and you can use any combo you like.

Start by making the berry sauce since it can sit while you make the waffle batter. Combine jam and warm water and whisk until combined. Add in the berries and gently stir until combined. Depending on the sweetness of the berries, you can add a little powdered sugar if you'd like.

Set berry sauce aside and make waffle batter.

Waffles:
Preheat a waffle iron.

Combine flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Use a whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk for a minute so it gets a little frothy.

Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry a little at a time, whisking to combine. Just stir until they're combined and don't overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips. This is a pretty thin batter, so don't be expecting something that looks like a pancake batter. It's supposed to be thin.

You shouldn't need to grease your waffle iron. Place batter in and cook according to your iron. Be careful to not overfill. This batter has plenty of levening so it will expand.

****I doubled the batch and got about 10 waffles (in a round Belgian waffle iron). For the berry sauce I used frozen blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries and added some fresh strawberries. It turned out really yummy. I only did one batch of the berry sauce and it was enough for nearly all of the doubled batch of waffles. I ended up making way more waffles than I needed, so I froze the extras. They froze well and thawed great. My family loves these waffles, so I'm sure I will be making them a lot more in the future.

Chicken Curry

2009-03-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Chicken Curry
By Jenny Lynn Furr

2-3 Chicken Breasts
3-4 Potatoes
1 Onion
1/2 bag carrots
1 can Coconut milk
1 can Water Chestnuts
1 portion fresh Ginger
1 cube/tbls Golden Curry
Olive Oil
Salt/pepper/Garlic Powder to taste
White/Jasmine/Brown Rice

Start the rice. Dice potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cook potatoes and carrots on medium heat for 20-30 mins. Set aside. Cook chicken, then slice into small bite size pieces. Saute onions, ginger, and water chestnuts. Mix everything together then add the coconut milk, curry, and other spices. Basil gives it a unique flavor if you wish. Let spices set into the food for 1-3 mins. Serve over rice and enjoy!
______________________________________________________________________________________

*I love this curry recipe! I got it from my friend Jenny, who made it for an enrichment cooking activity for our ward. A few things I have found for this recipe: I LOVE jasmine rice! If you have never cooked with it, try it! Even the smell is wonderful while it is cooking! When cooking the potatoes, carrots, and onions, I just put them in a large skillet and add water for the 20-30 mins. If you want a thicker curry and softer potatoes, cook them a little longer. I usually drain out some of the water after the allotted time, which helps to minimize how runny it gets. Keep some of the onions aside to add to the ginger and water chestnuts later. When adding the curry, add to taste- a tablespoon is usually not enough. (I just got the yellow curry powder, in a spice bottle, from the store, and that's what I use.) You will have to add more salt than you may initially realize, but don't worry, if you add too much, like I did the first time I made this, just add more coconut milk, and that will even it right out! Flavor it to your own taste. I have never added the garlic powder or basil, but they may give it a more unique flavor. You can add as little or as much ginger as you would like, the more ginger you put in, the spicier it will be. I love ginger, but I have never used an entire root, just a small portion of it. If you have never cooked with fresh ginger, just cut off the outside and then chop the inside into really fine pieces, as small as you can get them. Fresh ginger is wonderful!
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Zesty Chicken Pot Pie

2009-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

(from Kraftfoods.com. Click here to see their version of the recipe.)

Picture from Kraftfoods.com

12 oz. (1 1/2 pkg [8 oz. each]) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 env. Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1 refrigerated ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg)

PREHEAT oven to 425 F. Place cream cheese in large saucepan. Add broth; cook on low heat until cream cheese is completely melted, stirring frequently with wire whisk. Stir in chicken, vegetables and dressing mix.

SPOON into 9-inch pie plate. Cover with pie crust; seal and flute edge. Cut several slits in crust to allow steam to escape. Place pie plate on baking sheet.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown.

Serves 8

**************************************************************

I love pot pie, so when I saw this recipe I decided I had to try it. I made everything as it is listed, except I used Neufchatel cheese and when it came time to add the seasoning packet I realized that I only had Ranch and not Italian, so I just went with the Ranch. It was really easy to make. My family actually ate it. My husband couldn't stop saying how good it was. My sons, who are very picky eaters and normally won't eat anything with vegetables in it, didn't complain about the veggies and seemed to liked it. I am excited to try it again with the Italian seasoning and see what the difference is in the taste.

Emilie's Whole Wheat Bread

2009-02-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

I love homemade bread. I bought a KitchenAid mixer just over a year ago for that reason. I decided I was going to make homemade bread and not buy it from the store any more. That lasted for about 7 months until it got too hot to turn the oven on. I have been trying to get back into the groove since last fall, but the recipe I used (from the KitchenAid users guide) just wasn't what I really wanted. Sure, it was good for toast, but when it left a lot to be desired. Today I was reading a blog called "My Food Storage Deals" and found this recipe. The author of the blog got the recipe from her friend Emilie (thus the name) and posted it for all to enjoy. And I am spreading the joy. And a joy it is. It is the squishiest homemade bread I have ever eaten. I am hooked! Give it a try and see for yourself!

Emilie's Whole Wheat Bread
Makes 4 8x4 loaves

7 C. whole wheat flour (grind your own if you have a wheat grinder)
2/3 C. vital wheat gluten
2 1/2 Tbsp. instant yeast

5 C. steaming hot water (120-130 F)

2 Tbsp. salt
2/3 C. oil
2/3 C. honey or 1 C. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. bottled lemon juice

5 C. whole wheat flour

Mix together the first three ingredients in your mixer with a dough hook. Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes (this is called sponging). Add salt, oil, honey or sugar, and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This makes very soft dough.

Pre-heat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves, place in oiled bread pans. Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches top of pan. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks. This recipe can be halved to make 2 loaves.

*Emilie only uses Bakers Secret 8x4 inch non stick pans (which can be found at Smith's grocery store).

**Another tip--when the dough is put into the bread pans, squish the dough softly into the corners of your bread loaf pans. This will make your bread cook more evenly and not have the large lump in the middle of your loaf.

Angie's notes:
*I halved the recipe and it turned out fine. My mixer can't handle that much flour at once.
*I used Pyrex 8.5x4.5 inch bread pans and the bread came out of the pan without any problem.
*I tried to squish the dough into the corners of my pans, but I think I squished too hard and one of my loaves has big dents in the top of it.

Whole-Wheat Mac-n-Cheese for the Family

2009-02-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

I got a new cookbook today called Yum-o! The Family Cookbook by Rachel Ray. This recipe is from that cookbook. We had it for dinner and it is pretty yum-o!

Whole-Wheat Mac-n-Cheese for the Family

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used honey mustard)
1 pound whole-wheat pasta, cooked al-dente and drained
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets and steamed until almost tender, 6 to 7 minutes

In a sauce pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat, add the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and milk. Thicken the sauce for 5 minutes, then stir in the cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the secret ingredient (the mustard).

Toss the sauce with the whole-wheat pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

Serves 4 to 6 (at least - it made lots)

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

2009-02-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

My mom found this recipe on the Betty Crocker Website. It's so easy to make and is my favorite Enchilada recipe! Next time I think I will try putting rice in it, just to see how it tastes! Sorry I don't have a picture, I didn't think about it before we started eating!

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 med onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pkg (11.5 oz) flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas), heated
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8oz)
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce (green)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2oz)
Salsa, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 11x7-inch (2 qt) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cumin; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in beans.

2. Place about 3 tbls bean mixture in center of each warm tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup monterey jack cheese. Roll up tightly; place, seam side down, in baking dish. Spoon enchilada sauce over tortillas. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish, sprayed side down.

3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Serve enchiladas with salsa.

(*Hint: I just bought a 2 cup bag of shredded Mexican cheese blend from the store and used that for the whole thing. I ended up with a little cheese left over. It was enough for the whole dish, without needing the shredded cheddar.)

Spicy Potato Tacos

2009-02-11T19:26:00.001-08:00

I found this recipe on the Food Network website and it has become a family favorite. We call these our glorified tacos because you can add in anything you want. It's such an easy recipe and definitely worth the effort.

Spicy Potato Tacos

Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee, 2008

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 teaspoon fajita seasoning

1 (16 oz) bag pre-cooked diced red-skin potatoes

1/3 cup cheese

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

3/4 cup cilantro salsa, plus more for serving

large taco shells [we usually get the burrito size]

tomato, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, etc. for serving

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet and set it aside.

-In a large mixing bowl, stir together oil and fajita seasoning. Add potatoes and toss until well coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 minutes.

-Meanwhile, stir together beans and salsa and heat.

-Put tacos together to your liking and enjoy

Yield 6 servings

***I usually don't worry about using red potatoes. I will use whatever we have and it turns out great. Also, I microwave the potatoes on the baked potato setting to make them soft before cutting them to be seasoned***

Lettuce Wraps

2009-01-29T16:47:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a cookbook that I love, "Quick & Easy Chinese" by Nancie McDermott. It is just as good as something you'd order at PF Changs. It was a hit with the family and is high on the favorites list. We doubled the recipe and would probably make even more next time because it really doesn't make a lot. Biggest selling point: it is super quick and easy to make.

Spicy Beef in Lettuce Cups

"This Szechuan-style dish is quite delicios, quick to prepare, and fun to eat. You can use flatter lettuce leaves, such as romaine or oak leaf lettuce, and fold them into small packets for eating. Or enjoy the filling in tortillas or pita bread, along with a handful of shredded lettuce and a dollop or two of spicy salsa. We love it with rice and greens for a weeknight supper"

-3 tablespoons soy sauce
-2 tablespoons dry sherry, white wine, or Shaoxing wine [we substituted water and it seemed to work out fine]
-2 teaspoons cornstarch
-1/2 teaspoon sugar
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 pound ground beef
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
-1 tablespoon chopped garlic
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
-1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
-About 20 cup-shaped lettuce leaves, such as Bibb, Boston, or iceberg [I don't know if this recipe size makes enough for 20 lettuce cups, unless you are very skimpy on portions]

*In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry [or water], cornstarch, sugar, and salt, and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch and combine everything into a smooth sauce.

*Place the ground beef in a medium bowl, and use a spoon to separate it into five or six big clumps. Add about half the soy sauce mixture, and gently mix the seasonings into the ground beef, using your hands or a large spoon. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

*To cook, heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the vegetable oil; swirl to coat the pan, and then toss in the ginger and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, tossing once, until fragrant but not browned.

*Crumble in the seasoned ground beef, and use your spatula or a big, slotted spoon to break it up and spread the meat out over the hot pan to help it cook evenly. Let it cook until it changes color on one side, 1 to 2 minutes.

*Toss the mean just enough to turn the uncooked side onto the hot pan, and let it cook another minute undisturbed. Then toss well, using your spatula to break up any large chunks. When the meat is cooked, add the red pepper flakes and the green onion, and toss well. Add the sesame oil and remove from the heat, tossing once more to mix everything well.

*Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Arrange lettuce cups on a serving platter, and fill each one with a spoonful or two of the cooked beef. Or provide lettuce cups and the serving plate of beef and invite guests to make up lettuce packets themselves.

Serves 4

[We found that there is no instruction for use of the other half of the soy sauce mixture, so we poured it over the top like a runny sauce, which worked well]

Gingerbread Waffles

2009-01-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had a hankerin' for something waffley for dinner, so I googled "waffle recipe" to see what kind of yumminess I could find. I stumbled across a recipe for gingerbread waffles. It was perfect! Since I am on my low-sugar diet I am trying to not eat lots of syrup and other sugary waffle toppings, which leaves my waffles pretty dry and blah. But not this recipe. No toppings needed, although it would probably be extra good with a little whipped cream. Maybe next time...

Picture courtesy of Inn Cuisine

Gingerbread Waffles
From Inn Cuisine, who adapted it from Taste of Home's Holiday and Celebrations Cookbook, 2005
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, separated
3/4 cup buttermilk (may substitute regular milk if necessary)
1/4 cup molasses (may substitute syrup if desired)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients (flour through ground cloves); blend thoroughly. In a medium-sized bowl, mix brown sugar and egg yolk with an electric mixer until fluffy; add buttermilk, molasses and butter. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined--do not over mix.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white and cream of tartar using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the existing batter.

Quickly (and evenly) spoon batter onto a preheated waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's directions, until light golden brown.

Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired, and/or garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon sticks. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Yeild: 8 waffles (mine only ended up making 4, so I had to double the batch)

Strawberry French Toastwiches

2009-01-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Southern Living Kids Cookbook. It is a good twist on french toast (and I love that because I have never liked french toast!) and is nice for a different breakfast!!

1/3 cups tub-style cream cheese
12 white bread slices
6 tablespoons strawberry jam
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
cooking spray
powdered sugar
fresh strawberries

1- Spread cream cheese evenly over one side of 6 slices of bread. Spread 1 tbls jam evenly over cream cheese; top with remaining bread slices.

2- Whisk eggs, milk, and salt in a shallow dish.

3- Cook: Spray skillet with spray, place over medium heat until hot. Dip 1 sandwich into egg mixture, coating both sides. Cook sandwiches 1-2 mins on each side or until golden brown. Continue with the rest of the sandwiches and top with powdered sugar and fresh strawberries.

(Just a note: I think next time I will mix the cream cheese and strawberry jam before putting it on the bread. I also added fresh strawberries to the inside of the sandwich, which I would definitely do again!)

Yum!!

Tomato Basil Pasta

2009-01-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from my mom. When I have fresh tomatoes this is what I use them for. It is a favorite in our house.

Tomato Basil Pasta

1 pkg. Penne pasta

14 oz. can diced tomatoes

tomato juice as needed

½ C heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

½ C grated parmesan cheese

1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 F. On stovetop, boil pasta in tomatoes (add tomato juice/water if needed) as directed on box. Once the pasta is cooked, add cream, basil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Take off heat and cover with mozzarella cheese. Cook in pre-heated oven for 10 min, until cheese is bubbly.

Add Italian seasoning if you want it more spicy.