Lately

Some good recipes that I have tried lately:

blogging about them for documentation purposes & for you all to enjoy if your interested. They are all pretty easy to make =)

dessert

*Peach crumb cake (recipe)

* Non crust topping Apple Pie (A favorite)


1 9inch frozen pie crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6-8 granny smith apples (depending on size)
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 


Topping: (can double but not necessary)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Fill pie crust with apples (mounted slightly). Pour the sugar and butter mixture over the apples. 


mix together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar and butter until evenly distributed and crumbly in texture. Sprinkle over apples. Put pie in the oven on a cookie sheet to catch the juices that may spill over. Bake 45 minutes.

*Chocolate Mint cookies -made with chocolate cake mix (1 tsp vanilla, one less egg, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, and 3/4 cup chopped Andes mints/ sprinkle powdered sugar on top)

*Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes (recipe)
With Reeses peanut butter chip icing (just melt the chips and add a little oil)

*Paula Dean's Cream Cheese Frosting (for cupcakes)
yield 24 cupcakes. I usually half the recipe.

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Perfect Sugar Cookie Frosting (glazes on and dries quickly)
1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp almond extact

*Best Scotcheroos (recipe)

*flourless peanut butter cookies (successful experiment-rich like fudge)

1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Bake at 350 for 8-10 min. Shape and push down with fork-otherwise will bake as is.

* Favorite Hot Fudge Sauce (heavenly with ice cream and brownies) -Silvia Allen recipe with added help

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cube butter

1 can evaporated milk

Mix sugar and cocoa together thoroughly. Heat all incgredients in a two quart sauce pan at medium heat stirring constantly (about five minutes DO NOT let mixture overboil). Look for the sauce to darken and thicken testing it in ice water occasionally.  Most important part. When done pour mixture into another container so it will not continue to cook otherwise it will crystalize.  Serve or let cool and then refrigerate until ready to use. Can stir in 1 tsp vanilla (optional). Before serving, stir to make it shiny.

* Creamy Fruit Dip (Mom's recipe)

1 (8oz package of cream cheese, softened

3 tbl orange juice

1 jar marshmallow creme

1 tsp grated orange rind, optional

In mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and orange juice until smooth. Fold in the marshmallow cream. Serve with fruit. Store in the refrigerator. 

drinks

*Orange Julius 

1 6 oz can frozen OJ concentrate

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup white sugar

10 ice cubes

strawberry smoothies (recipe)

Breakfast

*Vanilla Crepes (recipe)  (great with lemon juice and powdered sugar, bananas and syrup, or of course strawberries and creme)

*Puff Pancakes (mom's recipe)

3 eggs                                                

1/2 cup all purpose flour                

1/2 cup milk                                     

1/4 tsp salt                                       

2 tbl butter

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set 9inch glass pie dish in hot oven on lowest shelf until very hot. Mix everything together in small mixing bowl besides the butter. Remove dish from the oven; add butter and rotate pie dish around till butter is melted. Add batter immediately. Bake on lowest shelf for 20 min. Serve immediately.


Dinner

*Grilled Pineapple Orange Chicken (recipe) with strawberry smoothies and salad 

*Apricot Chicken (recipe) with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes

*Chicken Enchiladas (recipe)

*Chucks Favorite Mac and Cheese (recipe)

*Lemon Grilled Chicken

1 package boneless skinless chicken thighs (Sam's Club/Costco size)

6 cups water

3 tbl salt

1 tbl pepper

3 cloves garlic, ground in blender

3 tbl lemon juice

Add all ingredients in a zip-lock bag to marinate chicken. Marinate 4-6 hours. Grill until done on medium heat.


* Roasted Asparagus
1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher Salt
Freshly grated black pepper
Lemon Juice (optional)


Preheat oven to 400. Rinse and clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard. Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Place in oven and cook 9-10 min, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

*Seasoned Baked Potato


4 medium baking potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• Scrub potatoes and cut in half lengthwise; place cut side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with oil. Sprinkle with basil, onion salt and garlic powder. Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Yield: 4 servings.

*Chicken Cobb Salad (orange pepper, celery, boiled eggs, black beans, beats, olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, bacon, cucumbers, chicken cut in cubes) great colorful combo thats tasty with ranch

*Crockpot Pasta- an experiment that the fam enjoyed

* 1 lb ground turkey (since I add pepperoni can't taste the difference + a little healthier)

* Add a package of pepperoni slices (8 oz)

* 1 large onion, finely chopped

* 1 large jar spaghetti sauce 

* (8 ounces) penne regate noodles uncooked 

* 3 cups colby jack cheese

*1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

* 1/4 cup water

* 1 egg

Brown the beef and onion in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain off any grease.

Add the spaghetti sauce into the browned meat mixture. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the cheese, milk, and egg.  

Grease the slow cooker/Crock Pot with some vegetable oil on the bottom and sides.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the crock pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that. Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.