Angel Drops

Mix together:
2 cubes Softened Butter (1 cup)
2 cups Flour
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Salt

Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar while still hot.
Place on a plate to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.

Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

Recipe from Hanna Griffiths

This recipe is for fresh sweet potatoes.  You will need to start by either boiling them or baking them in the oven (just like a baked potato). Then peel them, slice them and layer them in a casserole dish. After each layer, sprinkle with dabs of butter and brown sugar. You can put marshmallows on top too. Heat uncovered in 350* - 400* oven (whatever you have your oven temp set at for other Thanksgiving recipes is usually fine) until potatoes are nice and warm, and marshmallows are a little toasty. 

Candy Crunch Pudding Pie

Candy Crunch Pudding Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg. (5.9 oz.) chocolate instant pudding

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed, divided

2 milk chocolate English toffee candy bars (1.4 oz. each), chopped, divided
   (I just used packaged HEATH English Toffee Bits from the baking section)
1 OREO pie crust (6 oz.)

1 square BAKER'S semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions:Beat milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1/2 the Cool Whip and all but 3 Tbsp. candy bits.  Spoon into crust. Top with remaining COOL WHIP and candy.  Drizzle with chocolate.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Dinner Rolls

Recipe by Donna Harrison

Stir to dissolve and set aside:
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp sugar (heaping)

Put in mixer bowl:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup warm water
3 well-beaten eggs
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 - 6 cups flour (First add 3 cups of the flour, then add yeast mixture and continue to beat with wire beaters.  Now switch to dough hook beaters and add remaining flour until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky.

After dough is mixed, set aside to rise at least one hour.  Punch down, form into rolls and put in greased pans to rise again.  Can raise from one to thee more hours.  Cook at 350* for 12 - 15 minutes until light golden brown.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Whole Wheat Pizza

(Adapted from original pizza dough recipe posted on this site.)

1 cup hot water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour (approx.)

Mix together water, salt, honey, yeast and about 1/2 of flour. Slowly add rest of flour to make a soft dough - not too runny to work with, but not quite as stiff as bread dough.


Let dough rise 5 or 6 minutes. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal or corn muffin mix (I usually just use the muffin mix - it's handy).


Roll dough out on pan and let rise 5 or 6 minutes more.


Spread with pizza sauce and top with cheese and toppings of choice.

*Bake at 375 degrees on bottom rack of oven for about 10-12 minutes. Makes 1 large pizza.


*Note: Temperature may need to be adjusted according to the type of pan you use.  Darker pans work better with a lower temp (like 375) and lighter pans and pizza stones would probably be fine at a higher temp (like 4).  You may have to play around with it to get a temp that works well for your oven and pan.

MAYONAISE

In blender, blend:
3 eggs
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Add and blend:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or expeller pressed sunflower oil

Then add while blending:
1 1/3 cup more oil, pouring in slowly so that it goes in, in a small stream.
The mixture will thicken as you do this.

When thickened, add:
Pinch of paprika if desired

Stop blending and pour/scrape into container for the refrigerator.

Icebox Cake

From the Keri Fisher collection

Serves

12

Introduction

This dessert is like a very rich chocolate-cream pie — with no baking necessary. Read more about no-bake summertime desserts in Keri Fisher’s article “Chill out.”

Ingredients

Filling

	¼	cup cornstarch
	¾	cup sugar
	½	cup unsweetened cocoa powder
	~	Pinch of salt
	2	cups whole milk
	8	oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish (see Note)
	2	Tbsp. unsalted butter
	1	Tbsp. vanilla
	1	box (14 oz.) graham crackers (see Note)

Topping

	1½	cups heavy cream
	2	Tbsp. sugar
	2	tsp. vanilla

Steps

1. Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, and pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan, then gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in chopped chocolate and butter until melted and smooth. Stir in the 1 tablespoon vanilla and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Arrange one single layer of graham crackers in a pie plate or a 9-inch-by-11-inch baking dish. Top with one-third of the chocolate pudding. Repeat with remaining graham crackers and pudding, ending with a layer of pudding. Refrigerate while you prepare the whipped topping.
3. Combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream in an even layer on top of pudding. Garnish with grated chocolate.

Notes

If you have a zester or, even better, a Microplane, use it to create chocolate shavings for the garnish.

Graham crackers that aren’t made with hydrogenated oil and high-fructose corn syrup can be hard to find. As a substitute, use any dry, crumbly, neutral-flavored cookie, such as a thin butter cookie.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

I had a friend over to dinner last night and she made this yummy recipe for dessert.  I wanted to remember it so I can make it again sometime!

Pop 1/2 cup kernels or 2 bags microwave popcorn. Sort through and get rid of unpopped kernels.

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
20 large marshmallows (or 2 cups miniature marshmallows)
Melt those in the microwave. Then add:
1/4-1/2 cup peanut butter
Pour over popcorn and stir. Put in the fridge to unstickify it!! YUMMY!


Thanks Heidi!

Hash-brown Potato Casserole

A Basic and Easy Potato Casserole Recipe

This is a dish I've always been a fan of, but never really made in my house before.  This was so easy and yummy I wanted to add it to the collection!
Ingredients:

1 2-pound bag frozen hash brown potatoes, defrosted
2 cups sour cream
1 10 3/4-ounce can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups corn flakes, crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, pepper and cheese in a large bowl. Fold in hash browns and pour into a 3-quart casserole that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Combine melted butter owith the crushed corn flakes and sprinkle over top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 8 

Green Pepper Steak

 Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb buttock steak (to make it really simple, use pre-sliced stir-frying strips of beef)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup cold water
a little oil
2 medium sized green peppers (other colors are fun too!)
1 medium sized onion
5 stalks celery
1 tsp cornstarch
extra 1/2 cup water


Directions:
Cut the steak into thin strips. Combine the soy sauce, crushed garlic and water and marinate the meat in this mixture for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Heat enough oil in a heavy base frying pan to cover the surface of the pan. Add the meat and brown it quickly all over then push it to one side of the pan. Slice the peppers and onion thinly and cut the celery into pieces diagonally.
Add peppers, onion, and celery and cook in the pan until the vegetables are tender crisp. Mix the reserve marinade with the cornstarch, blending until smooth. Add the extra water and pour into the pan. Cook everything together, stirring well until the mixture boils and thickens. If the meat has not cooked enough, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes more. Serve over hot rice.

Chicken Cacciatore

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Found this on http://thecraftingchicks.com/.  Loved it!

Ingredients:

1-2 chicken breasts

1 packet of Spaghetti Sauce mix (I love the cheap brand the best!),

1- 8oz can of tomato sauce

olive oil

water

(You can double this if you have a larger family.  Or if you want more sauce, you can double everything but the chicken.)

Note: As a super simple alternative, just combine the chicken and some pre-made spaghetti sauce. 

Directions:

Spray your crock pot with a non-stick spray.  Combine the spaghetti sauce mix, the tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cans full of water, and about 2 tbls. of olive oil.  Stir together. 

Add your chicken.  Frozen chicken works great! Cook this on high for about 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-7 hours.   (I usually cook mine on high and it still turns out so moist and tasty.)

After about 3 hours, or when the chicken is cooked through, separate or pull the chicken.  This will help the flavors seep into more of the chicken making it super yummy.  After it is pulled, cook if for about 30 mins-1 hour longer.

Cook some spaghetti noodles (whole grain noodles are great with this recipe) and serve your Chicken Cacciatore over top.  You can sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.  This is a yummy alternative to regular old spaghetti.

Yummy Tuna Casserole

This version of tuna casserole is really easy, and it was a hit at our house so I wanted to remember it. A great budget meal too!

Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked macaroni (about 1/2 16oz package)

2 cans tuna, drained (5 oz)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz) (cream of chicken works also)

1/2 cup milk (or water)

1 cup frozen veggies (we like peas and carrots) (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups French fried onions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a 9x13-inch baking dish, combine the macaroni, tuna, soup, milk, veggies, and salt and pepper. Mix well, then top with the cheese.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle with fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Meatballs

Simple Baked Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1/3 - 1/2 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Mix together first 6 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Oil hands. Form meat into 1-inch balls. Place in baking dish. Bake until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Heat sauce in heavy saucepan. Add meatballs and toss to coat. Serve immediately. use for spaghetti and/or for meatball sandwiches. Makes about 30 meatballs.

Festive Popcorn Balls

We made these on St. Patrick's Day, but the recipe could be used for so many different occasions! Just use a different box of jello for a different flavor and color!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 small box lime jello

Directions:
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and jello in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook just until jello and sugar dissolve. (Be careful not to overcook). Pour over popcorn. Butter hands and shape into balls. Makes 10-12 popcorn balls.

Chipotle Chocolate Chili

This recipe comes from Our Best Bites.  The original recipe came from Cooking Light. Any of you who know me, know of my love of chocolate.  So when I saw this recipe this week, I had to try it out!

Chipotle Chocolate Chili

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can beef broth

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (NOT Nesquik! That would be very bad!)

1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Chipotle sauce (from the can of chipotle chilies)

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (1/2 unsweetened baking cube), chopped (optional; use to taste as needed; be careful, because too much will make your chili bitter)

Light sour cream

Chopped green onions

3-4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Shredded cheddar cheese

Heat some olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground turkey until meat is cooked through. Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, tomatoes, beans, and beef broth. Add all of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies. Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until thickened as desired (I like it about 30-40 minutes). If desired, add some chopped chipotle chilies. Add 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar and a small amount of chopped chocolate at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors.

When thickened and seasoned as desired, serve with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.

 My 8-year-old son, who can be a picky eater, ate two bowls!  The chocolate added a unique, but delicious taste.  Next time I make it I will probably add less chili powder.  It had quite a kick to it.  I also used chipotles in adobo sauce because it was what I had on hand.  I just added some of the sauce and not the chilies and that also contributed to how spicy the chili turned out.  It was very yummy.  I just wish I had this recipe in time for the last chili cook-off!!  We'll be having this one again!!

Tortilla Bread Pudding

This recipe is from Rachael Ray's magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray, March 2010.

• 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 6 oz. cured chorizo sausage, finely chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 4 large flour tortillas (about 9 inches), ground into coarse crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Using a food processor, puree 1 cup corn.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup corn and cook until the corn begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chorizo.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, pureed corn and tortilla crumbs. Add the onion-chorizo mixture and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes; let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions.
   
   
   
   My husband made this dish for me last Sunday after I had seen it in her magazine.  We didn't have chorizo so he put some finely shredded chicken and some bacon.  It was really yummy and easy! Much easier than a quiche because you don't have to make a crust.  I know the picture isn't the best, but it gives you an idea of the texture.  We'll be making this one again and again.

Colorado Calzone

First, I want to thank Shelley for inviting me to post on her blog.  I'm always looking for new recipes to try, and  I hope to share recipes that will be easy and delicious for you as well.

This recipe is a favorite of ours, it works great as an appetizer or for dinner.

Colorado Calzone
Creme de Colorado Cookbook

1 loaf frozen Rhodes bread dough
1 egg white

Spinach filling:
6 oz. center cut bacon, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a medium skillet, cook bacon until almost crisp; drain grease.  Add spinach and garlic salt and cook several minutes.  Stir in cheese and mix well. Spread over prepared dough.

Roll out bread dough on floured counter to thickness of 1/4-1/2 inch.  Prepare filling and spread over dough.  Roll up carefully so loaf looks like a long loaf of French bread.  Seal long edge and tuck under ends.  Place rolled loaf on greased baking sheet, seam side down.  Glaze with egg white before baking.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 min. or until golden brown.  Slice into 3/4 inch slices.

We usually use marinara sauce for dipping.