Black-Eyed Peas for New Years?

So I never was a huge fan of Mom's "black-eyed peas on New Years for good luck!" But here's a recipe that after only a sample tasting became a hit with me! You've got to give it a try!

Bean Salsa

2 cans black beans (drained & washed)
2 cans shoe peg canned corn (drained)
1 can black-eyed peas (drained & washed)
2-3 avacados, chopped or diced
6-7 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 pkgs (dry) Zesty Italian dressing (Good Seasoning brand) - Mix it as directed, but use only half the amount of oil.

Toss together and enjoy with tortilla chips - it's a light meal all by itself!

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

Mom asked me for this recipe yesterday, so I thought I'd share! I like it because it's very much like pumpkin cake roll, but much faster and simpler. It's also not as sweet - a good recipe for kids, especially if you use whole wheat flour. Cutting the sugar in the pumpkin part makes even makes it breakfast worthy!

1 8oz pgk cream cheese, softened
1/4 c sugar
1 egg, beaten

Combine the above, beating until smooth, then set aside.

1 3/4 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c pumpkin
1/2 c butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c water

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 1 5x9-in loaf pan - grease & flour, or spray.

Combine the dry ingredients and spices. Combine the wet ingredients, then mix together with the dry until moistened. Reserve 2 cups - pour the rest into prepared pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over pumpkin batter, then top with reserved batter. Cut several times with a knife to swirl.

Bake 1 hour. Allow to cool to facilitate cutting. Enjoy!

Note: If you're like me and just eyeball it, be generous with the amount you hold back for putting on top of the cheese mixture - I always find I should have saved a little more. Maybe I should actually measure next time!

General Conference Quiz

(Note to Tonya and kids - this is kind of a family tradition that we've previously done by email - we thought we'd just use the blog this time. Sorry to confuse you - we'll get back to recipes soon! :-))

Mom's questions:
1. Which apostle mentioned one of Mom's favorite movies?
2. What repentant early apostate's great-great-grandson is now president of the Recife Brazil temple?
3. What beautiful imagery did Elder Jay E Jensen use to describe how the "seeds of testimony" have grown in his life?

I'll have to get back to you with my answers to your questions :-)

Conference Questions

1. What was the opening hymn for the first session?
2. What was the theme (in your opinion) for this conference?
3. Who spoke to teachers in the church?

Have fun!!!

Testing, Testing... Conference Quiz!

So how did you like conference? I know, that's a silly question. :) Here are my questions - I can't wait to see yours!

1. Who talked about walking across a newly varnished floor?
2. Which virtue did President Monson suggest was the parent of all other virtues?
3. How many times was President Benson's 14 Points of Following the Prophet quoted? (It seemed to us that lots of people quoted President Benson on various topics this conference!)

Talk to you all soon - And I have recipes to post - check back soon!

Convenient, Fast, Delicious Dessert!

In case you need something to take to a potluck or just feel like having dessert but didn't make anything ahead, this is perfect! I got the idea from Bob Evan's Lemon Supreme pie.

Take a regular cheesecake mix (generic is fine), and prepare according to package directions. Except instead of a shallow pie plate, you'll want to use a deep dish.

On top of the cheesecake, spread lemon pie filling (canned or box mix made accordingly).

If desired, add a layer of whipped topping.

If you can find little lemon candies to decorate it with, it looks cute. This is really delicious. I made one along with cherry delight and a pasta salad to take to a cookout yesterday, and before we got home Derek asked me to please make another one for today. I just finished it. So, once we've had a big dinner, we're going to veg out on the couch and eat pie/cheesecake and watch a movie. (I suppose if you don't like lemon, you can use another flavor pie filling.)

Apple Butter

I learned to can last year, and to make apple butter. I was going to write out the whole process, but I think sharing the link to the site that helped me the most would be better. That way you can look around in case there is something else you want to know to do. This lady does an excellent job of talking a novice through the processes, and after you figure things out you will know what you can skip (like how to can it and such). I will say that I loooove cinnamon, so I add way more than what the recipe calls for. After the first batch, I got a little more relaxed and would add nutmeg or ginger. Be careful with the cloves...it'll make your butter bitter if you add too much. Nobody wants bitter butter. hehehe My friend made hers with just sugar and red hot candies. I made mine with Splenda due to trying to get off of sugar. Okay, enough of all of that. I'm tired this morning, and tend to get babbly when I'm tired. I hope this helps any of you looking to make apple butter. .If you have any questions I'll try to answer them for you. Oh, I just thought to mention....whatever you use to stir the apple butter once it starts cooking down will get stained, so don't use your favorite pearly white serving spoon or your Great Aunt Ethel's 90 year old wooden spoon. :)

http://www.pickyourown.org/applebutter.htm

Chicken Salad (like Arby's...ssshhhh)

We had a wonderful visit with Jenna and the kids today, and she asked I post this recipe as well as the broccoli salad. It turned out super yummy! I served it on croissants that I'd stuck the ends together so they were a circle and made buns out of. Yum!

Chicken Salad

• Either a rotisserie chicken cooled and meat removed and cut down to desired size, or the packaged Tyson diced chicken, OR the canned diced chicken (by the tuna in the market). Whatever you have time or desire to use.
• Grapes, halved or quartered (we used white and red)
• Celery, finely chopped (as much or little as you want)
• Apple, finely chopped or finely shredded with a grater like I do (as much or little as you want)
• Crushed Pecans
• Mayonnaise (a good thick one like Hellman's) (Again, as much as you want.)

Mix all together, and enjoy! :) I think I'll go make a sandwich out of the leftovers now. :) Thank you, Jenna, for coming today with the kids. I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we enjoyed having you.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces (I don't use the stems, but you can.)
1 good size head of cauliflower, cut in bite-size pieces like the broccoli
1 red onion (looks purple), chopped but not super small
Bacon Bits (I use the "real bacon" ones, but you can fry and crumble your own.), 1-2 pouches as desired

Optional:
Raisins
Nuts
Sunflower Seeds
Craisins
Pretty much anything you think would taste good in it! :)

Dressing:

1 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar.)
1/2 c. granulated sugar

Toss veggies and optional ingredients together. Stir in dressing. Serve right away or refrigerate until the next day for even better flavor! :)

Enjoy!

Green Almond Salad

I actually got this recipe from Bethany so it is originally her recipe, and I am not sure what the exact name of the recipe is.

1/4 c. canola or very light olive oil
2 T. sugar
2 T. malt vinegar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. almond extract
Shake together and refrigerate overnight

6 c. torn greens
3 medium apples, sliced
1 c. thinly sliced celery
2 T. chopped green onions
Toss together. Toss with dressing right before serving.

1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds
sprinkel over salad right before serving.

Bethany made it one time with pears instead of apples, that was very good. I added craisins to mine and it gave it a nice tange.

Rhubarb or Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Make the flour pie crust recipe for a 2 shell pie. Any that you have is fine, or use this one.

2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shortening or 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter
mix until crumbly, then add:
1/2 c water, 1 egg, and 1 Tbls. vinegar (that are mixed together)

Mix this carefully, just until moist. Do not stir or it will be tough.

Filling recipe:
Custard: 1 1/2 cup sugar, 4 Tbsp. flour, 3 large eggs.
Beat this together and add 3 cups of the cut up fruit - rhubarb alone or with strawberries.

Bake between fresh pie crust 375 for 45-50 minutes.

Brazilian Lemonade

Hey everyone,
Here is a recipe for the best lemonade ever. The original recipe calls for:
6 c. water
1 c. sugar
4 limes
6 Tbs. sweetened condensed milk
Ice cubes

You wash the limes, cut off the ends and then cut them into eighthes. Mix sugar and water together, place half the limes and half the sugar water into a blender and pulse about 4-5 times, then you strain that into a pitcher, repeat with the remaining limes and sugar water. Add the sweetened condensed milk and then adjust acourding to your own tastes. Add ice cubes.

I don't have a blender so I squeezed the juice from 6 limes and 3 lemons, and zested the peel from 2 limes and 1 lemon into the sugar water, let it sit a little while to let the peels give off some flavor, then I strained it and added the milk. It turned out great. I used more citrius then the recipe called for and I like how it tastes but if you do use the blender, the recipes says that you get more of the oils from the limes, not just the juice so you might not need extra.

Anyway I hope you all enjoy this.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

Hi all! Over the past few weeks I have tried a few new muffin recipes, most of them from the Williams-Sonoma web site. I grew up with a few of their cookbooks-oh the goodness! Anyway, since these recipes are free, life is that much better!

Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

8 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs, separated

1 1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

Grated zest of 2 lemons

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons strained fresh lemons

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven at 350 F. Grease 10 muffins cup, filling the unused with water to prevent warping.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition until well blended.

In another bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, lemon zest and salt. Using the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, then add the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat just until smooth.

In a large bowl, using a mixer with spotlessly clean whisks, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold the egg whites into batter until blended.

Spoon into muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes till springy and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm, or, cool completely and serve with lemon curd! So yummy!

I don't have time to type the recipe out today, but wanted to share this link with you, for Rachel Ray's BLT Bowtie Salad. I saw it one day a couple of weeks ago and just remembered it today. I'll be trying it soon! Here's the link: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/blt-bowties/ I'm sure there's a bunch of other good recipes there as well. :-) Love you all - Mom

Chocolate Chip Chiffon Cake

Hello! Thank you Jenna for starting this blog! I've really enjoyed reading the recipes. We're having the quick version Italian chicken tonight! Thanks, Mardeana!!! :) I thought for my first contribution I'd put up the recipe for one of my favorite cakes, chocolate chip chiffon. It's super yummy, and always a hit as gifts or at carry-ins. It's not overly sweet but sweet enough. I hope you enjoy it if you try it.

This is Derek holding the cake with a chocolate glaze on it.


Chocolate Chip Chiffon Cake

Preheat oven to 350.

Finely grate 3 squares of baker's chocolate (whatever variety you like..we use semi-sweet).

2 c. flour

1 3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. cold water

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla

8 large eggs, separated (best if brought to room temperature first)

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. beat in water, oil, vanilla, and egg yolks until smooth. This is the batter.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tarter until stiff peaks form.

Gradually pour batter in a small, steady stream over beaten egg whites folding in just until blended. Fold in the grated chocolate.

Pour into an ungreased tube pan (angel food cake pan).

Bake for one hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Invert pan onto a glass bottle to cool.

Yes, it's a beer bottle. No, I don't drink. Yes, I got some very strange looks from the neighbor I asked for it. I've since bought a glass bottle of some really nasty mineral water so I'd have a cooling bottle. LOL

Once cool, loosen the sides and center from the pan with a knife. Remove from pan and place on serving platter. This is delicious plain, with a simple chocolate glaze, or with what my Mom always ices hers with...Betty Crocker's Fluffy White Icing (box mix). Enjoy! :)

Quicker Italian Chicken

I've probably made Italian Chicken for all of you this way before, but Tonya recently asked me for the recipe, so I thought I'd post it here in case any of you want it. It's not quite as fancy as the original baked version, but still tastes great!

I sautee in a little olive oil, in a large cast iron skillet, as many pieces of chicken as we need. We like the boneless breasts - sometimes they are big enough to cut in half or even thirds. If you want to stick closer to the original Italian chicken recipe, you can dredge the pieces in melted butter and then in crushed cracker crumbs and parmesan cheese first. But I usually skip that step, which makes the recipe a bit healthier. When the chicken is done, I pour spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce, really whatever Italian sauce you like, over the chicken, cover and simmer for ten minutes or so. Sprinkle (or smother, if you prefer, as we do!) with shredded mozarella cheese. I usually stick the skillet in the oven or under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Serve with a salad and rice or pasta. Mmmmmm!

White chili

Hey guys, I thought I'd pass on two of my favorite recipes that I can eat and that Miles and Elisabeth love as well.

Both are fairly simply simple and soul satisfying!

White Chili

In a large pot, bring to boil:

3 cans of great northern bean

1 can Chicken broth-or chicken bullion and water to equal 2 cups

While that is cooking:

Brown 1 lb of chicken breast with

1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion powder to taste

Once pot is boiling, add browned chicken and

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp black pepper

salt(optional)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can green chilies if desired

1 can corn

Let simmer 25-35 minutes uncovered. Serve with cheese and tortillas chips. It's great like taco soup--guacamole, sour cream and all the trimmings! I've cut out all of the good extras from my diet-except baked tortillas chips and the guacamole! This is super yummy!

La pasta d' Lueas

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 onion, minced

veggies--zuchinni-portabello mushrooms-spinach, use anything you like!

1/2 lb of meat-beef, chicken or pork in any form, ground or chunks

5 tomatoes-roma are best, diced-or 1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 can of tomato sauce

In large dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add veggies. Brown the meat in 1 TBS of Italian seasonings and 1 TBS of basil. Add meat to veggies. Add tomatoes and sauce. Add more seasonings if desired and salt to taste. Let simmer until thick.

Prepare favorite pasta and toss with tomato sauce. Serve!

I have rarely used pasta--we eat it with a spaghetti squash, and I can't tell the difference! I also didn't like pasta growing up until I found this recipe. Experiment and let me know what everyone uses!

OK - here goes! Hi everyone! Thanks for starting this, Jenna - I think it's going to be fun sharing recipes this way. I haven't made this one yet. I just saw it on my daily email from LDS Living from Deseret Book. They look great - and of course you could use homemade bread dough in place of the Rhodes rolls, and homemade meatballs, too. Let me know if you try it before I do. Love you all!

Meatball Muffins -Powered by Rhodes
These muffins will surprise everyone! Great Italian taste, simple to make!
Prep Time: 20 min Bake Time: 25 min Servings: 12

12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
1/4 cup marinara sauce
12 frozen cooked Italian style meatballs
3 sticks mozzarella string cheese, cut in fourths
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
extra marinara sauce, if desired

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Flatten each roll into a 5-inch circle. Place 1 teaspoon marinara sauce in the center of each circle. Top with 1 meatball and a piece of string cheese cut in half. Place a piece of cheese on two sides of the meatball. Pull dough up around filling to completely enclose and pinch to seal. Place one seam side down in each cup of a sprayed 12 cup muffin tin. Brush each one with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350F 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with warm marinara sauce, if desired.

Marshmallow Popcorn

This is Peter's and my favorite new treat that we like to eat after the kids go to bed :). It is quick and easy and yummy! It is basically rice krispie treats, but with popcorn instead of rice krispies.

Marshmallow Covered Popcorn

1 bag microwave popcorn (you want at least some butter flavor, but doesn't have to be drenched in butter)
1/3 to 1/2 bag of marshmallows
1-2 Tbsp butter

Melt the butter in a pan on the stove, then add marshmallows and stir until they are melted. Don't turn the heat up too high or they will burn. While you are melting the marshmallows, pop the popcorn in the microwave and then dump into a large bowl (you need room to stir). Pour the melted marshmallows over the popcorn, stir until coated, and enjoy! Yummmmmm.

Ok, so here goes! Those recipes you all have posted already look great! Will definitely try them! And I'll get some of our favorites up here soon - any requests? ;) In the meantime, just wanted to say hi!

This is fun!

Wow, this is going to be incredible! Can't wait to see what we can put on the table!

So I made Lemon Sugar cookies yesterday--I was feeling stressed- and needed comfort! They were just what I needed!

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

grated rind of 1 lemon

Beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat till just blended. Add grated rind. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add to the butter mixture, and mix till just blended. Roll and cut out. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes.

These are really yummy, but I also added the juice of half of the lemon that I used. And when I baked them, I just spooned it onto a cookie sheet instead of rolling out it out. I like soft cookies and that's why I did it that way. If you like crisp cookies, have fun rolling and cutting! The lemon is accentuated by the nutmeg---ooh, they were good!

Hey I don't have any recipes to post yet, but since I have never blogged before I just wanted to figure out how to do this. I hope this works!

Sweet Potato Pizza

I made this for dinner tonight, and it was amazing! Peter even liked it, after watching me make it and saying "yeah I'm not eating that." I made him try a bite, and he wouldn't leave my leftovers alone! Hayden tried it and said it was good, but he didn't like all the "green things" on it, so he didn't eat much. I LOVED it, it was hard to not eat the whole pizza.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
5 oz. Marscarpone cheese, softened (in a pinch, you can use 5 oz. cream cheese mixed w/ 2 Tbs. sour cream)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Pizza crust of your choice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into very thin slices. Lightly drizzle olive oil over pizza crust then spread with marscarpone cheese. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Layer potatoes over the marscarpone and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, and kosher salt. Drizzle olive oil over entire pizza (about 1 T). Bake at 425 degrees for 18-25 minutes, until potatoes are soft and crust is crispy. Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

I just used one large sweet potato, and didn't even need the whole thing. I sliced the rest and made chips out of it. I also just sprayed mine with olive oil instead of drizzling, and only used 4 oz of the cheese and it was enough. I also used dried herbs because that is what I have. And it was still so good, so I can just imagine what it would be if you actually use fresh!

I found this recipe on this blog. You can check it out for more fun recipes. This one is definitely going into the dinner rotation!

Let's get this party started!

Snow Ice Cream

1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
4 cups clean snow

Mix the half and half, sugar and vanilla.  Pour this mixture over your snow, and mix thoroughly.  Keep mixing until it reaches the consistency of soft ice cream.  Now enjoy!

You can set out a bowl when it starts snowing to collect the snow, or just scoop it up (and make sure it is clean :))

For a video demonstration, go here.