Chicken Casserole

I know I am terrible about posting pictures, but you just have to trust me, this tastes great! It is my sister in law's Chicken Casserole.  So yummy!

Chicken Casserole

2 C cooked and cubed chicken (roughly 3 chicken breasts)
1 1/2 C celery
2 C cooked rice
1 C mayonnaise, DO NOT use miracle whip!
2 tsp onion minced
2 tsp lemon juice
1 can uindiluted cream of mushroom soup
2 cans water chestnuts, sliced
1 tsp salt

Mix and put in ungreased casserole dish. In saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter (you can use less, just make sure everything gets coated). Add 1/2 C slivered almonds and 2 1/2 C cornflakes until all are entirely coated in butter. Spread on top of casserole and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Daring Bakers Challange!

Lavash Crackers~

So the DB challange was delicious this month.  I loved them!  We made some Lavash Crackers, and I am in love with them.  So, just to give you all a little idea of a quick and healthy movie snack... it is a vegan and gluten free recipe.

The key to a crisp lavash,...is to roll out the dough paper-thin. The sheet can be cut into crackers in advance or snapped into shards after baking. The shards make a nice presentation when arranged in baskets.

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

* 1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)
* 1/2 tsp (.13 oz) salt
* 1/2 tsp (.055 oz) instant yeast
* 1 Tb (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar
* 1 Tb (.5 oz) vegetable oil
* 1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature
* Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2.  Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-if-Bre … ong-Enough for a discription of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.


3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

4. Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors. 

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) {I used some Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and seseame seeds.  I also c\hopped up some sun-dried tomato and  sprinkled everything on the top.  I would recommend spraying the top with cooking spray to help the seasonings stick better.} Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first. 

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

6. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

For diping, I didn't have much in the house, so I chopped up two tomatoes, and about a handfull of parsley.  I added the same garlic seasoning that I sprinkled to the top of my crackers... except the lid feel off, and about 1 tbsp fell into the bowl.  I mixed it all together, and it was surprisingly delicious!  Yumm.  I love these, and since they are so simple to make, i am going to have to make them about once a week or so!

Tortellini Antipasto Salad

I forgot to take a picture of this divine dish.  It is so yummy that it dissappeared before I had a chance to pull out the camera.  At anyrate, I got this picture off of Kraft Foods and it is almost as good as mine was.  I found the recipe at Macey's and am loving it!  Thank you Macey's for having meal soultion cards out for free!  So, without further ado...

Tortellini Antipasto Salad

What you will need:
2 pkg Three Cheese Tortellini, cookes, drained, and rinsed
1 envelope Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix, prepared using less oil directions
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 pkg. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can sliced pitted ripe olives, drained

Putting it all together:
Combine all ingredients; cover.
Refrigerate several hours or untill chilled

I actually shredded the cheese, and halved the olives, and it was so pretty and yummy.  It makes a great picnic or pot luck dish!

Chocolate Éclairs by Pierre Hermé

I am now a proud member of the Daring Bakers Club!  This month's challange was to make eclairs.  I have never made anything more challanging than a cake from scratch, so it was an interesting time.  I procrastinated and made it at the very last second, but... they turned out alright.  I made a few mistakes, and I learned a few things, but that just means that the next time I make them, there will certainly be changes, and it will taste a whole lot better.  So, without further ado, here is my masterpeice!

Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• Cream Puff Dough (see below for recipe), fresh and still warm

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) { I woul actually recommend to heat your oven to 425 degrees F.  I did mine at 375 and for some reason the dough would not rise... I eventually had them cooking for aobut 45 minutes, and they still hadn't completely risen}. Divide the oven into thirds by
positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with
waxed or parchment paper.

2) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough.
Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 41/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers.
Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff.
The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.

3) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the
handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the
oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue
baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking
time should be approximately 20 minutes.

Notes:
1) The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.

Assembling the éclairs:

• Chocolate glaze (see below for recipe)
• Chocolate pastry cream (see below for recipe)

1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the
bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.

2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40
degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of
the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the
bottoms with the pastry cream.

3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms
with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream
and wriggle gently to settle them.

Notes:
1) If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water,
stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create
bubbles.

2) The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• ½ cup (125g) whole milk
• ½ cup (125g) water
• 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the
boil.

2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium
and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very
quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You
need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough
will be very soft and smooth.

3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your
handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time,
beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough.
You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do
not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you
have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it
should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs as directed above.

Notes:
1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.

2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking
sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the
piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Pastry Cream 
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by PierreHermé

• 2 cups (500g) whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp (75g) sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Velrhona Guanaja, melted
• 2½ tbsp (1¼ oz: 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1) In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan.

2) Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture.Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.

3) Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat).Stir in the melted chocolate { I made mine vanilla by simply omiting the chocolate and adding 11/2 tsp of vanilla} and then remove the pan from the heat.

4) Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.

5) Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.

[bNotes:[/b]
1) The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

2) In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.

3) Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble. 

Chocolate Glaze 
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 1 cup or 300g)

• 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream 
• 3½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
• 7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature 

1)In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.

2) Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce. 

Notes: 
1) If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly in the microwave or over a double boiler. A double boiler is basically a bowl sitting over (not touching) simmering water.

2) It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze. 

Chocolate Sauce
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé 
(makes 1½ cups or 525 g)


• 4½ oz (130 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 
• 1 cup (250 g) water
• ½ cup (125 g) crème fraîche, or heavy cream 
• 1/3 cup (70 g) sugar 

1) Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens.

2) It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon

They didn't turn out the best.  I accidently added all of the chocolate sauce to the chocolate glaze, so it was very bitter.  In the end, I sprinkled some dried coconut across the tops of all the eclairs just for presentation, and I think they look a lot better than they tast... mainly because I had so many problems with them.  However, I know better now, and that was the whole point of becoming a Daring Baker in the first place, so I can honestly say "Mission Accomplished!"

Baked Carrots

I don't like cooked carrots. They get all mushy and are just not fun to eat. I like my carrots to have a good crunch to them. Well, for some odd reason, I decided I wanted to cook my carrots. I put them in a baking pan, drizzled some olive oil on top, drizzles a bit of honey, chopped up an onion, stirred it in with the carrots, added some basil and put it in the oven for 15 min. at 350. YUMMY! This is now a favorite of mine, and I plan to cook a whole lot of carrots in the future... I am going to make some tonight so I can post a picture for all to see. Try it, it is delish!

Summer Fiesta Salad

I guess I have a summer theme going on.  at any rate, my wonderful sister gave me this recipe over the phone, and I had to try it.  What a yummy to get your veggies!  It just tastes so good!

Ingredients

2 cans corn drained
1 can black beans drained
2 tomatoes
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
4 green onions
1/2 onion
handfull cilantro
chilli powder
cumin

Directions

Put drained corn and beans into a large bowl (remember, drained but not rinsed).  Chop up all the rest of the veggies and toss them into the corn and beans.  sprinkle with the chili powder and cumin to taste.  Refrigerate a few hours before serving so flavors have a chance to mingle.  Serve with tortilla chips or fritos, and grated cheese on top.

Summertime Tomato Sandwich

This is our most favorite thing to eat right now. It is so tasty and full of summer goodness! And, it is simple, healthy, and doesn't leave a mess! What more could you ask for?

Ingredients
1 tomato (works best if fresh from your yard)
2 slices of bread (again, works best if homemade wheat)
mayo
2 leaves fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

Slice tomato into large slices. Spread thin layer of mayo onto one slice of bread (this is healthy remember?). Roll basil and slice into ribbons. Place basil onto mayo. Put tomatoes onto other slice of bread, add a little salt and pepper for taste, put both mayo side and tomato side together, enjoy (with a large glass of raspberry water!)

P.S. Not to worry, pictures are coming soon.

California Spaghetti

Before I go any further, I have to say I stole this recipe from Jenni Toller's blog. I made a few adaptations, and we had it for dinner last night. It was GREAT! Jeffrey loved it! He has been begging me to make spaghetti for a while, but I don't like spaghetti, so we rarely have it. At any rate, here it is with my adaptations. If you want the whole real recipe (which I am sure tastes a ton better than what I made) check out Jenni's cooking blog.

INGREDIENTS
16 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons Cajun-style blackened seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans of Garlic and Olive Oil diced tomatoes

2 zucchinis sliced
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, and cook, stirring until browned on the outside. Stir in the garlic, basil, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper, then mix in the tomatoes and zucchini. Cook until tomatoes are semi soft.

Toss with pasta, and serve with crumbled feta cheese on top. Also top with fresh basil if desired.
So I have to be honest, I added the canned tomato because I want to save my fresh tomatoes for tomato sandwiches, which are my favorite thing right now. I just couldn't part with them. However, like I said, Jeffrey LOVED it, and wants me to make it again. It makes quite a bit, and by evening, it was all gone!
Buen Provecho!

Jeffrey's Famous Bean Dip

Okay, so this recipe is really just a bunch of stuff thrown together, and it changes each time depending on what we have in the cupboards at the time.  However, it is so yummy for parties and the like, I thought I would share it with you.  Keep in mind, that there is no exactness for this recipe, and it is more of a taste as you go.

Ingredients:
Refried beans
black beans
onions
chili peppers
olives (green or black or both... your preference)
guacamole
sour cream
hot sauce
taco seasoning mix
cheese

Combine all the ingredients into a baking dish. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top, and put in the oven at 350 untill the cheese on top has melted. Eat with tortilla chips (I recommend the Tostitos Lime).

Grandma's Zucchini Casserole

So I am not a huge casserole fan. I am not entirely opposed to them, but they are not my favorite. However, it is zucchini season, and in trying to find different creative ways to use up the zucchini, my wonderful grandmother came up with the best recipe in the world, and I was waiting for the zucchini to come into season so I could make this.

Grandma's Zucchini Casserole


10-11 c. cubed zucchini, cooked to make 6 cups
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. cheese (shredded)
1 med onion, sauted in 1 T. margarine
1 pkg. stove top stuffing + 1 c. bread crumbs
1/4 lb. butter

Boil zucchini 5-10 minutes and drain. mix with chicken soup and sour cream. Mix stuffing mix, not as directed on box, but with melted 1/4 lb. margarine only. Mix onions with zucchini mixture, then in casserole dish, layer stuffing mix and zucchini mix alternately (also shredded cheese) ending with crumbs on top. Bake 30 minutes at 350 F. in a 9x13 pan.

This casserole just brings summer at grandma's house back to the mouth and the memories! I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Roasted Asparagus and Yellow Pepper Salad

So this is a pretty tasty salad.  I made it for dinner tonight with all the delicious asparagus that I had in the refrigerator.  Yummy!  However, the next time I make it, I am definetly going to halve the onions, and Jeffrey suggested adding some potatoes or rice.  He said it needed more starch.  Maybe some nice red tomatoes.  Something like that.  Anyways, I really like it.  It is going to be invited to dinner as often as I can find (or grow) the asparagus.  

 Roasted Asparagus and Yellow Pepper Salad


1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
2 medium yellow bell peppers, seeded and diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into strips
1/4 cup toasted almond slices
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
salad seasoning mix to taste
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DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange the asparagus spears and bell peppers in a single layer on the baking sheet, and drizzle or mist with 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Roast 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender, turning occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat, and cool completely.
In a bowl, toss together the asparagus, bell peppers, onion, almond slices, and Parmesan cheese.
In a separate bowl, mix the 1/2 cup olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, lime juice, sugar, hot sauce, and salad seasoning. Pour over the salad, and toss to coat.

Summer Zucchini and Grilled Chicken Spaghetti with Leeks and Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Okay, so I got this great recipe from Picky Palate.  A delicious recipe blog with great food and what not, so... I have to add it to my blog, because it has become one of my favorite foods now.  I made a few alterations.  I am not a huge fan of spaghetti, so instead I used the curly colorful veggie noodles.  Another time I used tortellini.  Jeffrey liked it best with the tortellini, I liked it best with the veggie noodles.  Also, I didn't add any chicken.  Any way you make it, it is like a great celebration of food in your mouth.  Also, I didn't have the fire roasted tomatoes, so I used fresh.  Fresh is always great, right?  You can't go wrong there.
So, without further adu:

Summer Zucchini And Grilled Chicken Spaghetti With Leeks and Fire Roasted Tomatoes


1 lb whole wheat Barilla thin spaghetti noodles
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large zucchini, diced, about 3 Cups
½ Cup finely diced onion
½ Cup finely diced leeks (you can substitute onion, if desired)
pinch of kosher salt
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 Cups grilled chicken breast, about 2 medium breasts
1 14 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes
10 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced into ribbons (chiffonade)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Place olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Saute zucchini, onion and leeks for 5 minutes, until softened. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, chicken, basil ribbons, cooked pasta, salt, garlic salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss to combine all ingredients and reduce heat to low. Taste and season according to your taste, I tend to like it a little salty! Enjoy!

Chicken Pillows

These are one of my favorite entertaining recipes. They are always a big hit, and Jeffrey's favorite food.

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 chicken breasts, cooked
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine cream cheese, chicken, 1/2 of the soup and seasonings in medium bowl. Mix well. Flatten each crescent roll triangle. Put a spoonful of chicken mixutre in the center of each triangle. Fold the corners up into the center, layering it like flower petals so that the roll is sealed. Repeat with all triangles. Place the pillows on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. Heat the remaining soup and pour on top of each of the triangles. Serve with rice.

Fresh Berries

Cooking tip:
So I just learned that to keep berries fresher, wash them and dry them off, then put them in an air tight container that is lined with a paper towel. Really, I just put mine in a paper towel and then put them in a container before putting them back in the refrigerator. It really works! I am always going to preserve my berries that way from now on.

Cookie Dough Brownies

So I got this fabulous recipe from my sister in law Tisha. They are such great brownies, fusing the best of the cookie world, and the best of the brownie world into one. How great is that?

1 Fudge brownie mix (or make your own batch of fudge brownies)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 T. vegetable oil

Bake brownies as directed and cool. Cream sugars and butter together. Add milk and vanilla. Mix in flour (dough will be thick). Spread over cooled brownies. Melt one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and one T. oil in microwave. Spread on cookie dough. Chill and keep chilled.

Unfuzzy Navel

So I decided to have a mocktail party. It was a lot of fun. We had little finger foods, a veggie tray, and I got to be the bar tender and mix all the drinks. Can I just say the Unfuzzy Navel is by far my favorite! I halved the pineapple juice a bit on mine, but aside from that, it was fantabulous! I recommend it for all to try.

Unfuzzy Navel

3 oz Peach Nectar
3 oz Orange Juice
3 oz Pineapple Juice
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
Dash of Grenadine

Combine in shaker half filled with ice.

Drink outside on a porch swing for best effect.

Balsamic Tortellini

So I made this for dinner last night, and Jeffrey loved it! I don't think it is my favorite food, but then again, I really don't like vinegar, so there you go. I didn't even add as much as it called for, and it was still too strong, but Jeffrey sure loved it, so we will see if I make it again. Maybe just for him. But for those of you who like vinegar in your foods, here it is:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 slices bacon
1 (9 oz) package cheese-filled tortellini
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and bacon until onion is translucent and bacon is brown; remove from skillet and drain on paper towel
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Return onion/bacon mixture to skillet and add cooked tortellini. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and heat through. Place in serving dish or bowl, sprinkle with vinegar and cheese and serve immediately.

P.S. Just a few notes. First, you can use red pepper instead of bacon, and it is still delish. Also, a few healthy tips that if I had known about, I would have done, and if I make it again, I will do again: cook bacon first alone. Don't use oil to cook it, because it makes enough of it's own. When the bacon is finished drain the grease, and blot or soak up the excess grease on the bacon. Once you have drained as much of the grease as you can, add the onion and cook it in the same pan. Cooking them together causes the onion to soak up all the bacon fat, and the bacon didn't seem to cook to a crisp like it should. Also, you don't have to salt the water for the tortellini. True, it makes the water boil faster, but just be patient and leave out the extra sodium that you really don't need. Another tip, you don't need 2 tbsp of olive oil to add to the onion/bacon/tortellini mixture. 1/2 tbsp would suffice, and probably only 1 tbsp of vinegar. I used 1 1/2, and it was still too much. Other than those few changes, it was pretty good.

Veggie Stew

So this isn't anything origional or fancy, but really, it is very tasty. This is my favorite diner in the winter. It is so tasty and healthy, and really fills you up. It goes best with some fresh baked bread.
Veggie Stew

Ingredients:

1 can chopped tomatoes (any kind you like, I generally use the Italian style)
1-2 cups frozen corn (or canned. All is optional for fresh, frozen or canned. Whatever you have on hand)
1 can green beans
1 can black or red beans
2 handfuls fresh spinach
1/2 onion cut into chunks
(anything else you have on hand that sounds good)

Combine all ingredients and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until onion is clear. If desired, cooked chicken can be added, but is not necessary.

Again, this is just a rough recipe, and it changes every time I make it, but during the winter months I make it a lot! A good hearty soup to warm your bones and give you the energy that you need. Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry I don't have any pictures of it. We ate it all last night. Ooops.

Congo Bars

My grandmother always made these cookies, and they are so good! I don't know if I like them more for the memory or more for the taste, but either way, they sure make the mouth water.

Congo Bars
3/4 cup butter, melted

2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

3 eggs

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 TBS vanilla extract

.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325* degrees.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar; cool slightly. Beat in eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to sugar mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Pour batter into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 25 - 30 mins. When almost cool, cut into squares. Eat with milk and lots of other people, or you may end up eating them all by yourself.

Biscuits on a Stick

So last night we went up into the mountains for Family Night and I learned the yummiest dessert. First you have to find a branch. You need to shave all the bark off of it. Next you get a container of refrigerator biscuits, take 1.5 and roll them into snakes. You then wrap your snake around the bark less stick making sure that the end of the stick is completely covered and the end is sealed off. Next you roast it over the fire until it is nice and golden brown. Pull the biscuit off of the stick, and fill it from the open end (there should only be one open end) with honey butter. Yummy!

Finnish Berry Dessert

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups blueberries
• 1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered
• 1 cup unsweetened raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1-1/2 cups apple-raspberry juice
• Frozen vanilla yogurt, optional

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine fruit and 2 tablespoons sugar. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool for 10 minutes. Pour over fruit; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve in individual dessert dishes; top with frozen yogurt if desired.

By the way, this is super scrumptious, and super healthy! It only has about 78 calories, so for the health conscientious out there, enjoy this!

Flaxseed Bread

1 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 1/3 cups whole wheat bread flour
1/2 cup flax seed, coarsely ground
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1. Add ingredients to bread machine pan according to manufacturers directions.
2. Select Basic White cycle and press Start.

Makes one (1 1/2 pound) loaf.

***Disclaimer***
Yes, I know homemade bread not made in a machine is so much better, but I don't have the time to knead all that dough by hand. If I tried to do that, the baby would be into everything, so I cheat and use the bread machine. If you want a recipe that is made from hand, click here.

Hobo Dinners

First off, I have to apologize, I didn't take any pictures of our dinners, so you will just have to use your imagination. Hobo dinners aka tinfoil dinners are perfect for camping!

Meat of your choice (however much you want)
1 Potato
1 celery stalk
5-6 baby carrots
Onion
salt and pepper

Take the meat of your choice (Steak is always good, as is chicken but ground beef will do as well) cut it up into small pieces and place in a large piece of tinfoil. Chop the potato into cubes (about the size of a dice), add to tinfoil. Throw the carrots into the tinfoil as well. Dice the onion, and add to your concoction (I didn't specify an amount, because everyone likes different amounts of onion). Salt and pepper to taste.
Roll the tinfoil tightly so no juice can escape, and no ash can get in. Put the package of food onto hot embers. Let sit for about 45 minutes, turning once.

Open and enjoy!

This recipe is very general. The beauty of hobo dinners is that it is completely to your taste. Add whatever you want, or subtract whatever you want. Just make sure it is wrapped tightly, and you enjoy it when it is finished!

Strawberry Blossoms or Stuffed Strawberries

Strawberry Blossoms

12 large, fresh strawberries, washed
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 T confectioner's sugar
1 T sour cream

Cut stems off the strawberries to make a flat base.  Cut the berries in thirds (to form 6 "petals") vertically to within 1/4 inch of the base (Don't slice through the base).  Pull "petals" apart slightly.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and sour cream; beat until light and fluffy. With a pastry bag (or if you don't have one, a sandwich baggie with the end cut off works great too) and star tip or small spoon, fill strawberries with cream cheese mixture.

Tasty!

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

(adapted from Taste of Home website)

Makes: 6 servings

Time: 15-20 minutes

2 Tbs. chopped green onion

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 ½ tsp. olive oil

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 can condensed chicken broth (undiluted)

1 1/3 cup water

¼ tsp. pepper

¾ c. heavy whipping cream

2 Tbs. chicken broth

2 Tbs. minced fresh basil

2 tsp. sugar

1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, water, and pepper
3. Stir in cream, additional broth, basil and sugar
4. Cook for 1 minute or until heated through.

Cooking!

Hi.  I figured because no one ever checked this, I would just merge it into a cooking blog for me.  A place to keep some of my fav. recipes.  I admit, I stole the idea from Tricia, but I think it is a good idea, so I want to do it to, so there!  :)  Sorry to all the girls.  It just seemed no one wanted to participate on this, so I am taking it over.

Open Blaahg.

So, I decided that I am going to make this an open blaahg. It will be easier for all concerned, and just be fun in general. Always striving to make things easier!

Moved to another night. Sorry

Okay, so I really don't like planning these, because the times are always debated, and it means tons of phone calling... but in the end, it is worth it because I sure love visiting with all my friends, so here goes...
After talking with some of you, it was concluded that it is better to meet on a weeknight, because everyone is super busy on the weekends. So, we were thinking of this Thursday at 5:00. After thinking about it for a little bit, I remembered that on Thursdays, skating is only $1.00 at Classic Fun Center in Layton, and skate rentals are the same... so it would be a lot of fun if we all just went skating together. Just a heads up, bring a glowy thing so you can skate the whole time. they turn the lights off, and if you don't have it, you can't skate. Okay, any questions or comments, let me know.... again. Thanks.

Good idea, Sharon.

May 10th sounds great. I would like to do it at my house. I finished painting it, and all I have left is the ceiling, but it still looks nice. Please respond everyone. I am going to say May 10th at 6:00? Let me know please if that will work out for all of you. Thanks.

May 10th please

If we have a party next weekend I vote for Saturday :-)

Girl's Night Out!

Okay, so after having talked with a few of you, we thought it would be good to have another night to play. Kind of a celebration of school being out, and what not. I am thinking the 9th or 10th of May. Does that sound good for everyone? Hopefully that is enough of an advanced notice for everyone to arrange your calendars so we can all play. We can do the usual, or it might be fun to have everyone meet at a restaurant, or we could do a cultural food night where everyone choses a country of either their heritage, a country they really like, or a mission food. Just some ideas. Let me know what you want. Also, I found a free Frisbee Golf course that would be fun to play at. Just throwing some ideas out there, and all your ideas are welcome too. Thanks for your input.

Room-mate wanted

So Carrie, Rose, and Denise are looking for someone who wants to move into a way cute little house with them in Kaysville.  It is a 5 bedroom house, so everyone would get their own room.  They need to find someone soon, so please let them know.   Thanks.

The Tick wakes up with a mustache

So The Tick is my favorite cartoon, and this had me laughing pretty hard. Hope you all enjoy it!

Darkwing Duck Intro

Because we were reminiscing about this, I thought it would be fun to see it again.

By the way, if everyone could please leave their favorite song here, I can get some music that everyone likes posted.  Thanks a ton!

Just some Pictures

More pictures

Keri Ann's house

So on Saturday we finally had another girl's night+Gibbs.  It was a lot of fun.  While just chatting and having the television as background noise, a KFC commercial came on, and suddenly a craving for fried chicken was uncontrollable, and a chicken run was much needed.  Rose, Denise and Becky rushed to our rescue, and we had fried chicken, a wonderful orange dessert provided by Carrie and Death by Chocolate dessert.  After much debate we settled on watching How to Steal a Million with Peter O'toole and Audrey Hepburn.  It is a great film, and I am pretty sure everyone enjoyed it.  After the movie, we decided on our next book for the book club.  We will be reading Prince Caspian, and we need to finish it by May 15th.  When the book is through, we will go see the movie Prince Caspian, and compare and contrast :)  

The next girl's night hasn't yet been planned, but if anyone wants one soon, just say when, and we will plan it.  Thanks everyone for coming, it was a lot of fun!

P.S. Beware, there is a "Girl's night egger" on the loose.  Our cars that were parked in front of Keri's house were decorated while we were inside enjoying the chicken and movie and company.  Just a head's up.

Meeting Memo

Welcome all to the Finer Things of Life official blog page. This page has been brought to you by all those days where you just need a friend to talk to, the letter Q and the number 7. Feel free to post thoughts, invitations, and ideas on this blog. We are all authors, and everyone is welcome. Just so you all know, our first meeting is this Saturday, 12 April, 2008 at 6:00. If you have any questions, just give me a call and let me know.