Meatball Stew

I prepared this stew a few days ago using potatoes, carrots, and onion from my parents garden.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Slow-Cooked-Meatball-Stew

It was smelling so yummy within 1 hour of putting it in the slow cooker. By the time supper rolled around, I was so ready to eat it. The first time I made this (the recipe is from an old Quick Cooking issue) I followed the recipe and put a note by it -- "yum, try cream of mushroom soup next time". So this time I tried Cream of Mushroom Soup rather than the tomato soup. It was very tasty. So if you prefer a non-tomato based stew, don't be too nervous about making a substitution.

Savory Pork Roast

I've never baked a roast in the oven because I'm too scared of making it too dry. Well, I finally got brave enough to try. This recipe was awesome! I found it in an old Quick Cooking magazine. I used some of the leftovers to make the Italian Pork Hoagies that was in the same issue. So here are a couple recipes that were tasty. Paige even like the roast, especially the edges with the herbs. I had to leave while it was baking and Bryce took it out of the oven, so he did great.

1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried margoram
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage (which I didn't have so I used poultry seasoning)
1 boneless pork loin roast (4 pounds)

Combine the seasonings; rub over roast. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. (I put my little metal cooling rack in a glass baking dish and put the roast on that, as you can see in the picture.) Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Yield: 9-12 servings.


Italian Pork Hoagies
(The second time I made this I used sliced cheese, slightly heated the leftover pork in the microwave, and broiled the sandwiches until the cheese melted and the top bun was toasted. It was a little quicker and not as much cheese mess.)

6 hoagie buns, split
1/2 cup pizza sauce
12 slices cooked pork (1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Open hoagie buns and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on the bottom half of each bun. Top with pork; drizzle with salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops of buns are lightly toasted. Replace bun tops. Yield: 6 servings.

Superior Meat Loaf

Hi, everyone. It's been a while since I've posted a recipe. Not that I haven't been cooking -- just busy and crazy most of the time. Have any of you tried the meat loaf recipe on the back of the Lipton onion soup & dip mix box? Well, this is it. I thought it was very tasty.

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
2 lbs ground beef
3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs (I used Italian because that is what I had the most of)
2 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Shape into loaf in 13 x 9 inch baking or roasting pan. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until done. Let stand 10 minutes. (8 servings) (I use diet lean ground beef, so I didn't have too much "fat" in the pan. I know my mom has mentioned cooking meat loaf on a rack placed in the pan so it's not soaking in its juices, so people could try that approach.)

Oven-Roasted Veggies

This is a recipe that Bryn and Bryce and I really like. It is my adaptation of the recipe on the back of the Lipton onion soup mix box. We cook it in the oven and we cook it in the dutch oven. Yummy!!

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
potatoes, washed & cut into bite size pieces
carrots, peeled & cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the potatoes and carrots in a gallon size ziploc bag. I usually cut enough to fill the bag at least 1/2 to 3/4 full. (You need room to shake everything together.) Dump in the oil (sometimes I use vegetable oil and sometimes olive oil, depending on what I have). (I actually don't usually measure the oil, so I might not even use a full 1/4 cup.) Sprinkle in the onion soup mix and garlic powder. Zip the bag shut and shake to cover the veggies with the seasoning. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and then spread the veggies on it. Bake, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender and golden brown.

Swedish Pancakes

These our my family's most favorite pancake! They are awesome and so easy and fast.

Basic Recipe:

1 C Flour
1 C Milk
1 egg

Mix and fry

My family of 6 will usually eat 4-5 batches of this, I usually melt a few tbs. of butter and pour off into batter with  some sugar/honey just before frying to make it supreme! This also greases the pan.

THESE ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!

Pumpkin Cookies

This recipe is from my friend April. They are very yummy. My kids ate a lot of them. We made them before Thanksgiving and took them to all of their primary teachers.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups shortening
2 cups white sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons milk
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Cream shortening, white sugar and pumpkin. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together the baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Drop from spoon to cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To Make Frosting: Cook butter, milk, and brown sugar until dissolved. COOL and add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over warm cookies.

Slow Cooker Roast

I couldn't find the recipe on the website I got it from (http://www.slowandsimple.com), but here it is from memory. Paige even ate this one and asked for seconds. Bryn told me that I need to make it again sometime. It was very tender and yummy. Logan kept asking for more chicken. (Every meat is chicken to that boy.) I used a pork roast because that is what I had in the freezer.

3 to 5 pound roast (beef or pork)
1 can chili sauce
1 package onion soup mix
1 can coke (Yes, I used the caffeine free coke I had such a hard time purchasing a while back)

Place the roast in the slow cooker. Mix the other three ingredients together and pour over the roast. I started this in the morning and cooked it on low all day. We ate it for supper with Heavenly Hashbrowns and salad.

Dinner for a Friend, Part 4

Yesterday was my last meal to finish out the baby gift for my friend. I decided to be brave and experiment with a new recipe that got Bryce's and one sister's vote as something to try. It was not "spicy hot", though I was worried it might be. I'll just say it was interesting. As Bryn said: "It doesn't look too appetizing. . . it has a weird texture. . . but it tastes pretty good." I served this soup with a green salad, butter dips, and another sister's Weight Watchers Key Lime Pie.

Satisfying Lentil Soup

* 4 medium carrots, chopped
* 2 celery ribs, chopped
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
* 2 teaspoons curry powder
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
* 5 cups water
* 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Progresso ® Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth or vegetable broth
* 1 package (16 ounces) dried lentils, rinsed
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* Dash pepper

In a Dutch oven, saute the carrots, celery and onion in oil until tender. Add the ginger, curry, garlic, cumin and coriander; cook and stir 1 minute longer.

Add the water, broth and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-55 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in the cilantro, salt and pepper. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 203 calories, 3 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 415 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 15 g fiber, 14 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Butter Dips
These are a favorite from when I was a little girl. We would beg Mom to make these when we had soup. My kids love them, too.

1/3 cup butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (or buttermilk)

Melt butter in 450 degree oven in 13x9" pan. Remove the pan from oven as soon as butter it melted.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add 1 cup milk. Stir slowly with fork until dough just clings together (about 30 strokes).

Turn onto well-floured board. Roll over to coat with flour. Knead lightly about 10 times

Roll out 1/2 inch thick into a rectangle, 12x8". With a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 16 strips. Dip each strip in butter on both sides and lay close together in two rows in pan.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Key Lime Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 (4 serving size) package sugar-free lime jello
1/4 cup boiling water
2 containers (6 oz each) key lime pie light yogurt
1 (8 oz) container fat-free whipped topping

Dissolve the jello in the boiling water. Whisk in yogurt. Fold in the whipped topping and then fill the pie crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Thanksgiving is coming up!!

Thinking about Thanksgiving and all the possibilities of yummy food this holiday season had me looking through my recipes for some of my favorite pies that still have the "traditional" apple or pumpkin flavor, but not necessarily the traditional presentation. Here are a few recipes that I like and maybe you might want to try them for your holiday meal this year.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

1 can (21 oz) Apple Fruit Filling, divided
1 10" graham cracker crust (I tried a 9" the first time and it was very full)
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup caramel topping
12 pecan halves plus 2 Tbsp chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 3/4 cup apple filling. Spoon remaining filling into crust.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs and mix well. Pour over apple filling. Bake 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature.

Mix reserved apple filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan. Heat, about 1 minutes. Arrange apple slices around outside of edge of cheesecake. Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly. Decorate with pecan halves around the edge. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8-12 servings.

Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp milk or half-and-half
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups thawed cool whip
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 cup cold milk or half-and-half
2 pkgs (4 serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Mix cream cheese, 1 Tbsp milk and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread on bottom of crust.

Pour 1 cup milk into bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whist until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. (Mixture will be thick.)

Stir in pumpkin and spices with wire whisk; mix well. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Garnish with additional whipped topping and nuts if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Curry Chicken Cranberry Salad

This is a recipe my friend told me was awesome. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like a possible use of leftover turkey (since Thanksgiving is close and most of us will probably have leftovers). And since I now have curry in my pantry and I'm getting braver about trying new things, I'm thinking of giving this one a try.

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp lime juice
3/4 tsp curry powder
1 medium apple, diced
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup sliced celery
3/4 cup dried cranberries (I'm thinking Craisins)
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine the first 3 ingredients well. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to mix. Chill. If making ahead, add the pecans and onions just before serving. Serves 4-6.

Dinner/Breakfast for a Friend, Part 3

This time I decided to take my friend a breakfast, rather than a dinner. I was planning on making three flavors of scones, but accidentally purchased the wrong ingredient and didn't want to make another run to the grocery store at 9pm. So she got two flavors: Hazelnut Chip Scones and my sister's Double Chocolate Scones. I made the scones as mini scones by making twice as many as the recipe said it would make. (e.g. divide the batter into four portions instead of 2 and then pat out and cut into 8 or 6 pieces, depending on the recipe). I also made a baked omelet and fruit salad to go with it. I was initially planning on just taking these breakfast foods for dinner, but ended up delivering it for breakfast on Saturday. Maybe her hubby even served it to her as a breakfast in bed -- wouldn't that have been sweet?

Hazelnut Chip Scones
These are yummy, yummy, yummy. Definitely use the hazelnut creamer.



* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 3/4 cup cold butter
* 1 egg, separated
* 1-1/2 cups refrigerated hazelnut nondairy creamer or half-and-half cream
* 1-1/2 cups HERSHEY’®S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
* Additional sugar

SPICED BUTTER:
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. In a bowl, whisk egg yolk and creamer; add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times. Divide dough in half. Pat each portion into a 7-in. circle; cut into eight wedges. Separate wedges and place on greased baking sheets.

Beat egg white; brush over dough. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake at 425° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the spiced butter ingredients; beat until smooth. Serve with warm scones. Yield: 16 scones.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 399 calories, 22 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 52 mg cholesterol, 333 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Double Chocolate Scones

2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter (1 stick cut into pieces and 1 stick softened)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the pieces of butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Transer to a large bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, mix the egg with the buttermilk until just combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and place on the prepared baking sheet. With lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a flat, round cake about 6" in diameter. Using a sharp, straight-edged knife, cut each round into 6 equal wedges, leaving them in place. Sprinkle the tops with the granulated sugar and bake until firm in the center when lightly touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool slightly before breaking into wedges.

In a small bowl, using a hand mixer or fork, beat the softened butter with the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until light and fluffy. Serve with the warm scones. Yield: 12 servings.


Baked Omelet Roll
Bryn requested ham in the omelet, so I also chopped up some ham to sprinkle on when I put the cheese on.

* 6 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Place eggs and milk in a blender. Add the flour, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until eggs are set.

Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up omelet in pan, starting with a short side. Place with seam side down on a serving platter. Cut into 3/4-in. slices. Yield: 6 servings.

Breakfast Fruit Salad

* 2 cups cubed cantaloupe
* 2 large red apples, chopped
* 1 cup red or green grapes
* 1 medium firm banana, sliced
* 1/2 cup lemon yogurt
* 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate

In a serving bowl, combine the fruit. Combine the yogurt and orange juice concentrate; drizzle over fruit. (I included some honeydew and both red and green grapes since my bananas were pretty green and not ready to use.) Yield: 6 servings.

Dinner for a Friend, Part 2

Yesterday I took the following to my friend: Chicken Rice, Plain Jello topped with whipped topping, lettuce salad, apple crisp, and homemade vanilla ice cream. When Bryn got in the van to help me deliver it, she said, "It smells so good." I said, "Yup. Let's hurry so we can come home and eat dinner." I love Chicken Rice and it has been a while since I've made it, so I really enjoyed dinner last night. I even convinced Bryce to just drive home from Rexburg last night without stopping for dinner, so he could enjoy the home-cooked meal I had waiting for him. I don't think we've posted Chicken Rice yet, so here is the way I make it.

Chicken Rice

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups minute rice
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 Tbsp dry parsley
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp dry celery flakes
1 Tbsp dry minced onion
3 cups water

Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/2" thick and then slice into 3 to 5 pieces depending on the size of the chicken breast. Dredge chicken in flour and then brown in hot oil in a frying pan. (You don't have to cook the meat through, just brown it to make it look nice and pretty.) Set aside.

Put the two cups minute rice in a 13x9" baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Pour this mixture over the rice and stir to mix it up well. Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture and sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. This should probably serve 6 people.

Dinner for a Friend

Today was the first day of my baby gift to a friend -- one meal a week for four weeks. This is what I fixed for her family (and my family). In addition to these foods I also took some frozen corn from my parent's garden that I did this year. These recipes are all from Taste of Home or Quick Cooking.

Italian Mini Loaves


* 2 to 2-1/4 cups bread flour
* 4-1/2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
* 1 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 cup water
* 2 tablespoons butter, divided
* 1 egg
* 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, sugar, yeast, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and parsley. In a saucepan, heat milk, water and 1 tablespoon butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add egg; beat until smooth. Stir in 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough; beat until smooth.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into thirds; shape into loaves. Place in three greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.
Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3 loaves (4 slices each).

Sausage Pasta Sauce
This one has a little bit of a kick, so it doesn't taste like a regular spaghetti sauce. But it is yummy, and the veggies are all blended up, so you just have the chunks of the sausage in the sauce.


* 2 pounds bulk Italian sausage
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
* 2 medium green peppers, chopped
* 6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cans (29 ounces each) tomato sauce
* 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes, drained
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 4 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1-1/2 pounds uncooked bow tie pasta
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* Shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a Dutch oven, saute the onions, peppers and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, brown sugar and seasonings.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a blender, process tomato mixture in batches until smooth. Return to the pan. Add sausage; heat through. Gradually stir in cream. Cook and stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Drain pasta; top with sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 12 servings.



Chocolate Chip Cookie Tart
I used my sister's chocolate chip cookie recipe today and just measured out 18 ounces to put in the pan. I'm thinking this could also be made in a pie pan for those people who don't have a springform pan.

* 1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
* 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
* 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
* 1 tablespoon butter, softened
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled

Press cookie dough onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and butter until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Place crust on a serving plate. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust to within 1/2 in. of edge. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Bread Pudding

I made this recipe up today and it turned out really well.

4-5 pieces of Wheat Bread
eggs
around 1 cup of milk
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
1-2 teaspoons powdered sugar(I used powdered because we're out of regular who does that?)
additional powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar

break up bread in medium sized bowl and add enough eggs for the bread to be thoroughly coated add milk(amounts vary depnding on size of bread slice), vanilla and measured p. sugar. Grease pan(I couldn't fin the right kind of pan so I used a pie pan) and pour into pan. Sprinkle top with lots of cinnamon sugar and p. sugar. Bake at 350 until it sets. Mine took about 30 minutes.

Zucchini, Zucchini Galore

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Have you ever wondered what to do with zucchini? I have some great recipes that I really enjoy. But this year I came across this one. It turned out great. Very, very chocolatey. My mom has made it with only 1/2 cup cocoa and she is planning on trying it with 1/3 cup. But the 3/4 cup makes an almost "death by chocolate" experience. YUM! YUM! Go to http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/chocolate-zucchini-cake-recipe to see a picture and even see pictures of step by step instructions.


1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounce) Dutch-process cocoa
2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional but tasty (I left this out)
2 cups shredded zucchini (about one 10" zucchini, about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup (3 ounces) chocolate chips
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips, for icing

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the eggs.

Stir in the sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt alternately with the flour. Then add the cocoa and espresso powder, mixing till smooth. Finally, fold in the zucchini and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, till the top springs back lightly when touched, and it seems set. Slide the cake out of the oven, sprinkle it evenly with the 1 cup chocolate chips, and return it to the oven for 5 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and use a cake spatula or rubber spatula to spread the chocolate chips into a smooth glaze. Cool on a rack. Yield: 24 servings.

Best Veggie dip ever!

So Fast, Easy and Yummy!


From Feminine Farmgirl

She Said to use homemeade Mayo. Her recipe can be found HERE

• 1c. Mayonnaise (I used Store bought Mayo with Olive Oil instead of Homemade)
  
• 
  
  2T. Chopped Chives
• 
  
  2T. Grated Onion
• 
  
  2T. Chili Sauce
• 
  
  2t. Vinegar
• 
  
  1/4t. Curry Powder
• 
  
  1/4t. Salt
• 
  
  1/8t. Thyme

Mix and refrigerate until serving!

I didn't use the curry powder because I didn't have any. I also Think it would be good with a little bit of Garlic?

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-fry

This is an easy yummy stir-fry that I like to have in the freezer.

1 1/2 lbs of chicken, sliced into strips or use tenderloin strips, marinated in teriyaki sauce (see recipe below)
1 bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables
Cooked rice
Chow mein noodles

Teriyaki marinade:
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup soy sauce (I recommend using the less sodium kind)
1 tsp garlic
2 tbsp molasses

Combine all marinade ingredients. Put chicken strips in a container and pour marinade over. If freezing, see directions below. Otherwise, let it sit in the fridge overnight or for several hours to marinate. To prepare, pour chicken and marinade into a large skillet. Cook until meat is cooked thorough and marinade boils for at least 5 minutes (to kill any bacteria from chicken). Add in the vegetables and stir constantly until done. Serve over cooked rice and top with chow mein noodles.

Freezing directions: Place meat and marinade in a freezer bag. To prepare thaw meat in the frig and prepare as recipe states, or place in a slow book for 2-3 hours. When chicken is done, add to skillet with vegetables and stir fry.

Note: Since I use frozen ck breasts I don't cut into strips I put the whole piece in the crock pot with marinade and then shred the ck after it cooked for a while and then put back in the crock pot a little longer.

Lion House Poppy Seed Cake

This is a yummy cake I made for my daughter's 3rd birthday yesterday. It really is delicious and moist.

1 yellow cake mix
1 pkg (3 oz) instant vanilla pudding (I used white chocolate)
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1 tsp rum flavoring (I used almond)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Blend with beaters on low speed. Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Cool 15 minutes. Turn cake out of pan onto a cake rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Crockpot Lasagna

My sister posted this on our family's recipe blog. It tried it tonight and it was way yummy. I did use cottage cheese instead of ricotta.

Sauce: (you could make your own favorite sauce; just make sure it's about 65 oz. of liquid before adding the meat)
1 lb. ground sausage or beef (I used Reduced-Fat Jimmy Dean Sausage)
2 1/2 cans (a total of 65 oz.) spaghetti sauce
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
Ricotta:
1 lb. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 T. parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Cheese:
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese
Noodles:
9 lasagna noodles, uncooked

For sauce, brown ground beef or sausage in large fry pan. Add remaining sauce ingredients and heat until just bubbling. Remove from heat.
For ricotta, mix the ricotta ingredients in a mixing bowl.
To assemble lasagna, spray 6-quart crock pot with baking spray (such as Pam). Pour 1/4 of sauce in bottom of crock pot. Layer 3 noodles (may have to break them to get them to fit). Layer 1/3 of ricotta mixture, and sprinkle 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Turn crock pot to KEEP WARM until ready to eat. Approximately 5 minutes before eating, you can sprinkle additional cheese on top.