PB cookies, so easy!

Preheat oven to 350
1 c Peanut Butter
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 c chocolate chips

mix in a bowl and bake for 10 minutes

no flour, seriously. so easy.

Chili

I love soups but never want to make them in the summer. One more reason why I love the Fall :)
Here is a recipe I recently tried and it was so good! You may not know this, but Ruby Franke has a recipe blog with some great recipe's.

http://goodlookinhomecookin.blogspot.com/2009/08/hungry-man-chili.html

good lookin home cookin

Bruschetta....................Courtney Brown

a nice appetizer from the garden

4 roma (doesn't have to be roma) tomatoes
hand full or so of fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons or so of olive oil
salt
baguette

chop it all up (but keep the tomatoes somewhat chunky) throw it in a bowl, let the flavors marry each other for a while and serve on top of sliced bread. My husband likes to toast his bread in the oven first. The smell alone always gets me, love it!

Honey-Lime Chicken

Melt 2 T butter in baking dish.

Place 1, 1/2 lbs chicken strips in dish over butter.

In a bowl mix the following:

3 T garlic, minced
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2 TB soy sauce
1 tsp lime zest

Pour over the chicken. Top with sliced red onions. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Cook longer if your chicken is extra thick.

When the chicken is done cooking remove chicken. Pour juices into sauce pan with 1/3 cup water and 2 TB cornstarch. Cook until simmering and thick.

Serve chicken and sauce over hot buttered rice.

Trail Mix Cookie

Little Sis had her baby. I knew I would be in the hospital for a long time. I added a few changes to a classic recipe so as to take the edge off my hunger. They turned out wonderful!

Beat on high for 2 minutes (do NOT skip this):

1 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1, 1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat in one at a time:

2 eggs
2, 1/2 t vanilla

Add and mix until barely encorporated:

1, 3/4 cup flour
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon

Add and mix until barely encorporated:

3 1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut

make mounds the size of about 1, 1/2 Tbl. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the hot pan for 10 minutes. The place them on your cold counter top for another 10 minutes.

Common Cookie Blunders

-Using butter that is room temperature. You want to use cold butter. It takes more work to blend in the sugar. But it is well worth it!

-Over cooking! The butter gets too hot and thinned that it can't support the flour. Another reason to use cold butter. I cooked this first batch for only 8 minutes. The second batch I left for 8 minutes, 45 seconds so you can see what a huge difference this makes!

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce..............Courtney

I can never go wrong when I throw this together, a favorite among my family members.


1 can chicken broth
about 12 ritz crackers, finely crushed
2 T parmesan cheese
4 chicken breast (I don't really use only 4, but just for writing a recipe sake)
oil ( I prefer olive)
1/2 c chive and onion cream cheese ( I usually just use the whole tub
2 cups rice (give or take according to your family)


cook rice using 1 1/4 c of broth and 1/2 cup water

mix cracker crumbs and Parmesan in a dish. Dip chicken in crumb mixture, turning to evenly coat both sides. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken; when done, transfer to plate; cover to keep warm. add remaining broth and cream cheese to skillet; bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. cook 3 minutes or until thickened; spoon over chicken. Serve with rice and some veggies.

Smores Brownies

Found this recipe bloggin! Thought I'd share!


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup graham cracker, roughly crushed with your hands
12 big marshmallows (I also diced 6 additional marshmallows and stirred them into the batter. These marshmallows dissolve when baked, so you can leave them out, or throw them in. Up to you!)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9×13-inch baking pan with 2-inch-high sides. Combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Stir butter and chocolate in a medium sized bowl over a heavy saucepan of simmering water. Stir chocolate and butter in this double boiler until melted and smooth.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Stir in warm chocolate mixture, then dry ingredients. Fold in graham crackers. Pour batter into prepared pan. Dot with 12 large marshmallows. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30- 40 minutes minutes.

Marshmallows will be browned and puffy but will deflate as the brownies cool. Cool for at least 20 minutes than slice with a sharp knife, cleaning the knife with hot water if it gets too messy and sticky. Serve or wrap individually in wax paper for storing.

Easy Chocolate Trifle - Kristy

Sorry this has taken a while.

2 (4 serving) instant chocolate puddings
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tubs cool whip
prepared brownies, cubed
1 lb strawberries or raspberries

1. Add milk to the 2 pudding mixes. Beat with whisk until well blended. Mix in 1 tub of cool whip.
2. Layer brownie cubes, pudding mixture, strawberries and additional cool whip in a trifle bowl or glass bowl.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

BBQ Beef Brisket

1 Beef Roast
1 onion chopped
2 Tb. butter
2 cups ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Put roast in crock pot on high until thawed then turn on low till meat falls apart. (At least 8 hours.) Remove all fat. Saute onions in skillet in butter and add to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and leave on medium for an hour or two. Put meat on sandwich bread.

This is Melanie's recipe and it is soooo good. We make it up and it provides sandwiches for a week.

Broccoli Salad - Kristy

2 large bunches broccoli, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tb. cider vinegar

Combine and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Picnic in the Park

Friday, March 20th 11:30 am (after the Mom and Me fire station activity) at the park between the homes.

Come celebrate the last day of Winter! Bring your picnic, a blanket or chairs, and sunscreen.

Pass the word on and See you there!

Calling all Ladies!

Doesn't ice cream sound good?
Spanish Fork Cold Stone
TONIGHT(3/05) 8pm
Help spread the word and carpool!

Santa Fe Soup or Chili- Sheia

This one is for you Sara-glad you liked it!

1-1 ½ lb. Ground beef
Brown with a medium size onion-diced
2 small cans shoe-pegged corn (drained)
1 can red kidney beans (don’t drain)
1 can black beans (don’t drain)
1 other can of beans (or 2 of one of the above beans)
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
2 envelopes ranch dressing mix
1 large can whole tomatoes (can chop or puree)

Dump everything into a crock pot and cook for approximately 2 hours.

Serve with sour cream, grated cheese and Frito scoops, or corn bread.

valentine glazed sugar cookies.......................Courtney

I saw these on the channel 2 news and thought they looked really good. I'll be making them sometime from now and Saturday.

7 cups flour
1 cup butter
2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup dairy sour cream
1-8 oz package cream cheese
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together.
Cream together butter, sugar, and cream cheese.
Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend to incorporate.
Add flour mixture and mix until combined.
Chill in refrigerator.
Roll out, cut in desired shape and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.

Cookie Glaze:

1 stick butter
½ cup milk plus 3 tbsp
¼ cup light corn syrup
32 ounces powder sugar (2 pounds)

Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix together until smooth.
Dip cookies in glaze and place on a wire rack. Allow glaze to set for about 1 hour. Enjoy!!!

Here's the site if you want to see the video or at least what the finished product looks like.

Abuela's Macaroni & Cheese - Erin Abrams

8 oz. bag elbow macaroni (I usually cook up more than 8 oz.)
1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup more milk
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese (or about 2 - 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese (can use powdered kind from can or fresh grated)

Cook macaroni as package directs. Make a white sauce by melting butter in small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and add flour. Return to heat and when it has the consistency of a cream, add 2 cups milk. Continue to stir on stovetop until it has the consistency of a thick sauce. Remove from heat and add cheese. Back on fire till cheese is melted completely. Add the extra 1/4 cup milk. Salt, pepper and garlic salt the macaroni before pouring the cheese sauce on. Mix well. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Serve!

Oven French Toast Sticks - Sheia

In keeping with the breakfast theme I had to post another of Sheia's delicious recipes that our family tried tonight!

8-9 pieces Texas Toast
1/4 cup melted margarine
4 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup orange juice (drinking strength)

Using pizza cutter, cut each slice of bread into thirds to make "sticks." In bowl, mix margarine, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and orange juice. Dip breadsticks into mix. Place on greased cookie sheet. Pour any remaining dip over the French toast. Bake 25 minutes at 350. Turn sticks once half way through the baking time.

We enjoyed these dipped in Nauvoo Syrup - also a recipe I got from Sheia (see below.)


NAUVOO SYRUP/BUTTERMILK SYRUP

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cube margarine
1 tsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together (except vanilla) in a large saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla

*Can use 2 Tbsp. powdered buttermilk + 1/2 cup water. Since I didn't have either of these I used 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice.

Chickie Pig Eyes-Sheia

Chickie Pig Whats???
So that is the name our family came up with for this breakfast creation, which you may have had a variation of at some time in your life.To make Chickie-Pig-Eyes you need:
1 loaf Texas Toast bread
1 egg/person (and a little milk if you prefer your eggs scrambled)
butter or margarine
ham slices
cheese slices
salt and pepper
a biscuit or circle cutter
a griddle

Butter one slice of toast per person on both sides.
Cut out a hole from the middle of the toast with the circle cutter and save the centers.


Cut out 2 ham circles and one cheese circle per person.

Heat griddle to about 350-375 degrees and get ready to assemble FAST when griddle is hot.

Lay the bread on the griddle and start filling the holes in this order:
1 ham circle
1 egg (just crack it in there or pour in some eggs scrambled with a little bit of milk-enough to almost fill the hole)
salt and pepper the egg
1 cheese circle
1 ham circle

Let it toast on that side for a couple of minutes and then carefully flip over and toast on the other side. Toast your bread circles at the same time.

Wall-Ah! Chickie-Pig-Eyes!


Can serve with hot maple syrup. Works well to cut pizza style with a pizza cutter for little fingers to dip in syrup.

Let me know what you would call these and other variations you have heard of!

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup - Kristy

This is for Sarah.

1 med. onion, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock or water
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (15 0z) can black beans, drained
2 cans (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tb curry powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
20 blades fresh chives, chopped

Saute onion in some oil - 5 min. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin. Stir and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, and cayenne and salt to taste. Simmer 5 min. and serve with chives.

*This is a thick soup and is very Indian tasting. I think you could also serve over rice and it would be really good.