A note...

Once you try any of these recipes, please comment on what you think!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Stuffed Shells

I made this for my bunco group this week. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it. I got the recipe from my sister Kim, she saved me by helping me get it all ready for the party. Thanks, Kim!

1 (16 oz.) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups small curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano or 2-3 tbs. fresh oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley or 2-3 tbs. fresh parsley
1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
*You can add one package frozen chopped spinach (thawed, liquid squeezed out)

Directions
1. Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
2. Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
3. Spread 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Tips
You can pipe cheese filling from a gallon size zip-loc bag, 1/3 at a time works best. Cut a whole about a dime size so all the filling can come out.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers

Submitted by: Mary M.
From http://eatingwell.com

Makes Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Canola oil cooking spray
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 ½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large egg whites
1 pound chicken tenders (see Ingredient Note)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
2. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.
3. Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Place the tenders on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side.
4. Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

Tips
Ingredient note: Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Broccoli Madness Salad

Submitted by: Mary N.

I got this recipe from my Aunt who I think got it from Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant. It is a really big hit with everyone, so I thought I would pass it along!

Ingredients for Salad:
1 bunch of broccoli washed, uncooked and cut into bite size florets
1/2 C cooked bacon crumbled (you can cook it yourself or buy the Hormel bacon crumbles)
1/2 C cashews- I like the roasted salted ones better than the plain
1/3 C. raisins
1/4 C red onion finely chopped


Ingredients for Dressing:
1 C. Mayo
1/3 C. sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar


To Prepare:
Throw all salad ingredients into a big bowl together. Prepare the dressing by mixing the three ingredients until smooth. Pour over the salad. Then toss it until evenly coated. Put in the fridge until cool.- I just think it tastes better cold- but not required

Yogurt Cake

I have been searching and trying to figure out where I found this recipe. I know it was from another recipe blog, but can't for the life of me find it. Anyways try it out it is very light and yummy. I used raspberry yogurt, but next time I think I'll try lime because Dustin loves lime.

Cake:
1 white cake mix
8 ounces flavored yogurt(Yoplait is the best!)

Topping:
8 ounces whipped topping
8 ounces flavored yogurt(same as used in cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

With electric mixer, slowly mix cake ingredients according to package directions. Gently stir in yogurt with spoon or plastic spatula. Pour batter in a greased 9x13 pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden on top. Use a toothpick to determine if cake is done. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Before serving, stir whipped topping and yogurt together and frost cake with it. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Yummy Lemon Bars

I love Paula Deen - all her recipes call for an obsurd amount of butter...

Ingredients & Directions:
Crust 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
pinch of salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing

Filling
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13x2-inch pan.
Make the crust by combining flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You may need to dip your fingers into a little flour or confectioners' sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, when the bars are done.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Easy Chile Verde Burritos

Submitted by: Val H.

5-6 pork chops
1 can chopped green chilies
3 cans old El Paso Green chile sauce
tortillas

Cook pork chops in crock pot covered in sauce and chilies for 2 and 1/2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. When meat is cooked and tender shred the meat with a fork and return to crock pot in green chile sauce. Spoon meat onto tortillas roll and cover in sauce then smother with cheese. Microwave for about 45 seconds to melt the cheese on the tortillas.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Pig Pickin' Cake

I got this recipe from Rachel Alldredge (Black) - it is such a light, moist and yummy cake:

1 box yellow cake mix (or whatever you want-chocolate, white, whatever)
3/4 c oil or 1 c applesauce
4 eggs
1 small can mandarin oranges, undrained
1 med can crushed pineapple, drained but save that juice!!
1 small pkg vanilla instant pudding
12 oz cool whip

Mix cake, oil, eggs and oranges with mixer for 3 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan (or 3 round pans). Bake 350 for 30 minutes or til a toothpick comes out clean. (duh.) While cake is warm, prick cake with fork at intervals and pour juice from drained pineapple over top. Fold pineapple and dry pudding mix into the cool whip. Spread over cooled cake. Chill in the freezer. Very moist and so yummy!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Okay, okay...if you are looking for a super easy and super yummy dessert then you've got to try out this recipe. Check out the Bakerella for the pictures. I made these last night and have been trying to stay out of the kitchen so I don't eat them all. I made them without the frosting, but with frosting would be yummy too.

1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate pouch)
vegetable oil, water, and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1 pouch Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix
butter and egg called for on cookie pouch
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Chocolate frosting or the Chocolate Ganache at the end.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in pan.

2. Make cookie dough as directed on pouch. Drop by rounded spoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with Betty Crocker frosting or chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping gream
6 Tbsp butter

* In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter until just before the boiling stage.
* Pour over the chocolate morsels.
* Let stand about 20 seconds and stir until smooth.
* Pour over brownies and let set before cutting

Monday, January 12, 2009

Peanut Butter Popcorn

This is delicious! And oh, so easy.


1 cup popcorn kernels
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karol syrup
1 cup peanut butter

Pop popcorn kernels and set aside. Then in a sauce pan bring to boil sugar and Karol syrup. Take off heat and add peanut butter. Pour over popcorn and toss until covered.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Rhodes Buttery Breadsticks

These are so yummy. You can find the recipe on the back of the Rhodes Dinner Rolls.

Ingredients

24 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
garlic salt

Directions

Pour melted butter on an 11x17-inch baking sheet. Roll each roll to about 6-inches and then roll in butter until completely coated. Place cheese in separate bowl and roll buttered bread stick in cheese. Place bread stick on baking sheet in 2 rows of twelve each. Sprinkle with garlic salt, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.