Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Pumpkin Stuff Just Tastes Good this time of Year! Try these Frosted Pumpkin Bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tspns baking powder
2 tspns ground cinnamon
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn ginger
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin (not the pie mix)
3/4cup butter
3 eggs
3/4 chopped dried cranberries (I use chocolate chips instead)

Mix in a large bowl ~wet ingredients first then add the dry~
Bake @ 350 for 25 minutes in a sheet cake pan
Cool completely before frosting

Frosting:
Whip 1 cube softened butter
abt 1/8 cup milk (m/l depending on desired consistency)
2 cups pwdrd sugar (m/l depending on desired consistency)
1 tspn vanilla

Very Delicious Applesauce Cake

Arlo used to make this for the kids in the morning before school. This isn't his recipe but is very GOOD!

Whip 2 cups applesauce, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 egg until fluffy.

Add in 2 cups flour, 1 tspn salt, 1 tspn cinnamon, 1/2 tspn nutmeg, 1/4 tspn cloves, 2 tspns baking soda and 1 cup chopped nuts if desired.

Mix thouroughly

Spread into 9 x 13 pan and bake @ 350 for 50 minutes

When you pull out of the oven sprinkle pwdrd sugar over the top.

Jess' Pasta Salad

1 lb. cooked pasta
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 c. cooked peas
1 c. cooked corn
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 Tblsp. parsley
1 Tblsp. Basil
3 Diced green onions (if wanted)
1 c. Zesty Italian Dressing
Add a little Apple Cider Vinegar

Cook pasta, then cool. Add all other ingredients in order of appearance. Cool til ready to serve. If you are going to make a while before serving, add the dressing just before serving.

If anyone tries this, let me know what you think cause I made it up from a few recipes I've seen and whatever I had in my kitchen! :) I hope you like it!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Cheesy Drop Biscuits! (red lobster style)

These are soooo yummy! This is one of the best parts to eating at Red Lobster! These are really easy and go good with anything!

2 c. flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/4 c. milk
Chives (optional)

Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter with pastry cutter until mixture is fine. Add cheese and mix well. Add milk and stir until just moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle top with chopped dried or fresh chives if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 15 minutes.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Cheesy Potato Soup


This is my most favorite soup! Add some french bread or rolls and your set! It's perfect with all these cold days we've been having! I usually double it or 1 1/2 it so we have leftovers! It's soooo yummy!

4 Cups Chicken Broth
2-3 medium potatoes, diced
1 Cup onions, chopped
2 large carrots, grated

Parboil that for 45 minutes in an open kettle.

White Sauce:
6 Tbsp. Butter
6 Tbsp. Flour
3-4 Cups Milk

Add white sauce to the veggie broth and add 3 Cups Monterey Jack or Colby Jack Cheese shredded at the very last. Let it all settle in together for at least 20 minutes.

Note: You might want to make it in a big stock pot so when you add your white sauce and cheese you have enough room :)

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Stew

This is my first post to the kitchen, yeahhh! I made this today, and it is very yummy - just throw it all in the slow cooker and its ready in 8 hours. It is from WW so very low fat and calories.
This is also known as Tzimmes, a classic Jewish recipe.

2 Cups chopped onions
3 pound lean beef chuck shoulder, or brisket, or pot roast boneless, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large garlic cloves (I used 5-we like garlic)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 pound baby carrots, cut in half if large
8 small uncooked new (i used small baby red) potatoes cut in half
16 prunes or dried apricots
4 TBS fresh lemon juice, divided (from 2 small lemons)
5 tsp honey, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup beef broth or beef stock

Place onion, beef, garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots, new potatoes, prunes, 2 TBSP of lemon juice and 1 TBSP of honey in a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon and broth: stir well.

Cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in 2 tsp honey and 2 TBSP lemon juice, cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.

For a thicker gravy, spoon 1 TBSP of flour into a cup and stir in 1/4 cup of the liquid from stew until it is lump free. Add the flour mixture to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.

8 serving

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Zucchini Bread = yum!

Zucchini Bread
+1 cup sugar
+1 cup brown sugar
+3 eggs, beaten
+1 cup oil
+2 cups zucchini, grated
+3 tablespoons vanilla
+1 teaspoons baking soda
+1 teaspoon baking powder
+1 teaspoon cinnamon
+3 cups flour
*optional - 1/2 cup chopped nuts or milk chocolate chips

Combine the sugars, oil and eggs. Beat well. Add the zucchini (I squeeze mine a bit to get some of the juice out) and the vanilla. sift the dry ingredients and stir into the creamed mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes ... check with a toothpick before taking out of the oven.

makes: 2 large or 3 smaller loaves.