No Bake Cookies September 28, 2009

A favorite late-night treat! (Could this explain why our diet goals are hard to reach??)

2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 cups oats (quick or regular)

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cocoa, milk  and margarine.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
4. Stir in vanilla, salt, peanut butter and oats.
5. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper.
6. Allow cookies to cool for at least 1 hour.

Creamy Chicken Casserole September 28, 2009

This is a yummy recipe that makes a lot without too much effort. I have made this a couple times at the date of this post, and prefer to make the cream mixture and just pour it over the pasta, rather than combine the pasta with the cream mixture. That way if I have extra sauce, I can freeze it for later (since you can’t freeze cooked pasta!). This recipe could also be served over rice instead of noodles.

4-5 chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil (or garlic flavored oil, if you want extra flavor)
2 cups sour cream
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
salt & pepper to taste (we happen to like lots of salt & pepper)
2 1/2 cups frozen vegetables** (any kind; I use the carrots/corn/peas/green beans mix)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. noodles, cooked & drained
**Cook frozen vegetables before adding to the creamy mixture.

To cook the chicken:

1. Heat 5-liter waffle bottom pressure cooker until drops of water roll into balls.
2. Place boneless skinless chicken breast in pan.
3. Fry on medium heat until chicken releases itself from the bottom of the pan.
4. Turn over with a pigtail.
5. Brown second side for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add oil and onion. Saute until onion is translucent.
7. Place lid on cooker. Bring to the second red ring and maintain for 5 minutes.
8. Drop pressue with cold water on the rim of the pan.
9. Shred the hot chicken in the Bosch with the wire whips (make sure the chicken is hot and don’t do too much at one time! The bowl and whips can break!!)

Cream mixture

1. Mix together sour cream, sour cream, soup, cooked vegetables, and cheese.
2. Add this mixture to the pressure cooker with shredded chicken & onions.
3. Simmer with glass lid on until vegetables are tender.
4. Add noodles. Mix gently and serve.

Source:  Shar Lomax

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade July 5, 2009

Summertime is here and it’s time to cool off with a refreshing drink.

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon extract (*optional)
4 cups ice water

1. In small saucepan, make a syrup by adding water and sugar. Stir on medium low heat until sugar dissolves completely. Cool.
2. In a large pitcher, combine syrup and lemon juice.
3. Add ice water water to pitcher and stir well. Serve immediately.

Source: e-How.com

Bestest Chili-Bacon Beans July 5, 2009

Great side dish for a BBQ (like we just had today!).  And of course, anything with bacon captures my heart   Makes enough for a crowd!  I doubled this recipe recently, and would probably do a little *less* bacon next time (GASP!).  But even with 20 people, I had tons of leftovers for a week. I’ll stick with a single batch next time, and when it’s gone — it’s gone!

1 large can (28oz) Bush baked beans (or 2 regular 16oz cans)
1 small can butter beans
1 small can kidney beans
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tblsp. vinegar
3 Tblsp. hickory smoke flavor (“Liquid Smoke”)
1 lb. bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces and fried
1 lb. ground beef, cooked & drained
1/2 cup onion, diced and browned

1. Cook bacon on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Broil until crisp.  Dry on paper towels (Or fry bacon in a pan and drain grease.  I just find the cookie sheet method less messy and faster).
2. Cook onion & ground beef together.  Drain grease.
3. Add all ingredients together and

a) bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes OR

b) combine all in a crockpot, put on low, and cook for 2-3 hours.

Source: Debbie Van Dusen

Apple Goody (aka Apple Crisp) July 5, 2009

A classic apple dessert – similar to apple pie, but with a yummy crumble topping made of oatmeal & brown sugar (among other things).

FILLING:

6 to 8 tart apples (I like to use Fuji though)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tblsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. Slice apples as for pie.
2. Mix with rest of ingredients.
3. Place in 9″ x 12″ baking dish.
4. Cover with following topping:

TOPPING: (which I always double for extra goody-ness)

3/4 cup oatmeal (1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup flour (1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup brown sugar (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 tsp. baking soda (1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. baking powder (1/2 tsp.)
1/2 cup melted butter (1 cup or 2 cubes)
1 cup chopped walnuts (I don’t double this)

1. Mix all together, adding the butter last. Stir until well incorporated.
2. Spread on top of apple filling.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 Degrees.
4. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream

Source: Leta Smith

Gramma Green’s Homemade Ice Cream July 5, 2009

A delicious treat for any celebration.  Can have several fruit variations, as well as yummy vanilla.

2 eggs (beat well)
2 1/4 cup sugar
1 pint whipping cream
2 quarts (8 cups) milk  (use whole milk if wanted)
1/2 tsp. salt
*2 Tblsp. vanilla (only if you are having vanilla ice cream)

1. Beat eggs in large saucepan.
2. Add sugar, 1 qt (4 cups) milk, cream, and salt.
3. Cook on stove until lukewarm and sugar is dissolved.
4. Add rest of milk to fill ice cream freezer

VARIATIONS:

Strawberry, Peach or Apricot

1. Add an additional 1 cup of sugar and delete the vanilla.
2. In blender, add 2 cups of fruit and 3/4 cup lemon juice; blend.
3. Add fruit flavoring to ice cream after it has started to set and gets a little hard to turn.
4. Mix well, and continue freezing until very hard.

Lemon

1. Add an additional 1 cup of sugar and juice of 5 or 6 large lemons.

Creamy Sweet Rice Pudding March 29, 2009

Mmmm… a yummy comfort food with flavors of real vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, orange, fresh nutmeg and cranberries.  This is made in a pressure cooker.

1 cup white basmati rice
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp. orange oil (optional)
1 (2 inch) piece of orange pee
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 whole vanilla bean (optional)
3/4 cup half and half
3 large egg yokes
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. In a waffle bottom pressure cooker, add rice, water, orange oil, orange peel, cinnamon stick, salt, nutmeg and vanilla bean. Bring mixture to a boil, secure lid.
2. Bring to the second red ring of pressure cooker and maintain pressure for 3-5 minutes. Drop pressure under cold water around the outer rim only. Remove lid.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together half & half with egg yolks.
4. Add butter, honey, sugar and egg mixture to the rice in pressure cooker.  Stir gently.
5. Remove cinnamon stick, orange peel and vanilla bean
6. Continue to cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes (cooking the eggs) until mixture comes to a simmer; stir constantly.
7. Stir in cranberries and vanilla.
8. Spoon pudding into individual dishes and enjoy!

*Note: you can try something new by adding almond extract, maple extract, etc.

Source:  Shar Lomax

Chicken Pasta Salad with Cashews & Cranberries March 28, 2009

This is a fabulous pasta salad dish for a large group of people.  I made a single recipe of this and took it over for a dinner of 13 people and had to BEG them to all take some leftovers home.  It was a ton, but Oh So Yummy!

Salad

1 lb Potpourri Pasta (or whatever you have on hand), cooked, drained & cooled
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
5 stalks celery, sliced thin
15 oz. water chestnuts, drained & diced
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups red grapes cut in half
1 – 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits
15 oz. can Mandarin oranges
1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken, cooked, cooled & diced

Dressing

12 oz. sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups mayonnise

1. Combine salad ingredients.
2. Top with dressing. & Fold together.
3. Let chill in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to marry together.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Hawaiian Dream Cake March 28, 2009

This is a yummy cake that blends coconut, pineapple and lemon for a nice tropical taste.  Let this one chill for at least 5 hours so the flavors can blend.  Makes for a really moist and yummy dessert!

1 yellow cake mix
1 small box (3 oz.) instant lemon pudding
2 cups cold milk
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained really well
1 – 8 oz. Cool Whip
coconut

1. Bake cake according to box directions in a 9″ x 13″ glass dish.  Allow to cool.
2. Beat together pudding mix, milk and cream cheese, then fold in pineapple.
3. When cake has cooled, spread with mixture.
4. Spread Cool Whip over mixture and sprinkle with coconut (amount to your desire)
5. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight.

Swedish Pancakes May 19, 2008

4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
7 Tbsp. flour (heaping)
about 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups milk (generous)
1/2 cube butter (melted)

1. Beat all ingredients (except milk and butter) until smooth.
2. Add milk and butter and beat well.
3. Cook in Plett pan.
4. Serve with melted butter and warm syrup.