Red Beans and Rice with Turkey Kielbasa

So I needed something fast and easy and tasty and I knew I had turkey Kielbasa I got on sale a couple months ago.  This hit the spot and all the kids ate it happily! (Sorry no pictures :)

1package Turkey Kielbasa, sliced diagonally
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans drained
1/2 tsp ground oregano
pepper to taste

Cook the sausage for about 5 minutes, add onion and garlic cook another 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, beans and seasonings.  Simmer for about 20 minutes (I was busy so it simmered for 40 minutes, it was great).  Serve over rice

CheeZit Chicken

I found this recipe in an old recipe-swap email and since all the the ingredients were on hand I gave it a whirl! SOO glad I did! YUM!

CHEEZIT CHICKEN

BLSL Chicken breasts

Sour Cream

Cheezit Crackers, crushed

1/4 c. melted butter

garlic powder

(yep...really...5 ingredients!)

"Frost" chicken with sour cream. Roll in crackers. Put in a 9x13 baking dishes that has been lightly sprayed with oil. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic powder.

Bake at 350 for about 50-60 min. or until juice runs clear.

Moist, tender, flavorful... everyone loved it here! :D

Served with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Homemade Hamburger Helper?

This recipe was taken from my Ward Cookbook, the Bishop's wife contributed it. And my kids LOVE it! Super simple... so why would I ever buy Hamburger Helper again for a quick meal?

 

The secret is in this great Season Salt we found! No MSG!! And it tastes GREAT!

(found at Costco, and more recently at Wal*Mart) 

Cook some pasta, al dente. It doesn't matter which kind, though my kids like the shells for some reason! LOL 

Brown your Hamburger, seasoning generously with the season salt.

Add a can of drained corn, heat through.

Drain the pasta. 

Add the meat to the noodles and smoother with grated cheese.

That is it!!

Isn't she brilliant?

5 ingredients and it is tasty!!!

And no added preservatives or funny "boxed food taste".

Serve with a great side salad and you are done!

Cake Mix Cookies

These are some of our most favorite treats...

Super simple recipe where you can have 2 dozen cookies in less than 20 minutes, perfect for that last minute potluck! And the possibilities are ENDLESS... 

You Need:

1 cake mix (any flavor)

2 eggs

1/3 cup of oil

Mix together, add desired extras, place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes.

This particular batch was made with our favorite combinations:

Yellow cake mix with semi-sweet chocolate chips & butterscotch chips.

More Great Combos:

Chocolate with nuts and marshmallows, for Rocky Road Cookies

Strawberry with cream cheese frosting

Devil's Food with cream cheese frosting (homemade Oreos!)

Cinnamon, rolled in sugar for great snicker doodles

Plain yellow or white, served with strawberries and whipped cream

Classic Chocolate chip with a butter yellow or white mix

White with frosting for a sugar cookie

Chocolate Fudge with Mint Chips

See??

Endless possibilities! Play with it! Your family will thank you!

Sloppy Joes

I needed a quick dinner... and the canned version did not sound good! I found this recipe in a friend's ward cookbook and I tweaked it! :) Isn't that what we do?  

I added a healty dose of onion powder - as I didn't have an onion.

And I only used 1 lb. of hamburger.

Then I added a healthy sprinkling of our new favorite seasoning! YUM!!

It was the first time that everyone in my household ate a sloppy joe!

Definately a do over! :)

p.s. try this seasoning on steaks... it is divine!

What did you have for dinner?

I have been trying to be good and plan what we will have for dinner. Some weeks I am great at this, others are more fly by the seat of your pants. This last week I was prepared. I tried to gauge where we had to be with how long it would take to make. Here is our list:

Monday: Tacos and Tapioca pudding. The tacos were traditional, the tapioca was the recipe from the box titled Tapioca egg cream. It was really easy to make, I did this in the afternoon so it would be ready for our family night treat. Why this combination? My Grandma Thiriot was known for her tapioca and when we would go to her house for family home evening this was usually what we would have for dinner and dessert. The only difference was that she would heat the corn tortillas in oil. They are tasty that way but a little more fattening than just warming them in the microwave.

Tuesday: This was a crazy day I made some Minestrone Soup and Pizza Grilled Cheese. We only ate the pizza grilled cheese and saved the soup for later.

The soup is souper easy, pun intended:

1 bottle of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1-2 cans chicken broth
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
macaroni or other small noodles
1-2 cans of garbanzo beans, juice included.
Mix together in a crockpot all day or on the stove for about an hour. Serve with parmesian cheese. You could add meat, but this is one of our meatless meals and is really satisfying.

The pizza grilled cheese are sooooooo yummy:
Butter one slice of bread, place on a hot griddle or skillet.
Top with provolone or mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and another piece of cheese and end with a buttered piece of bread. Cook both sides till golden and the cheese is melted.
Serve with spaghetti sauce as a dip. YUM!

Wednesday: Henry's birthday: Pizza, Root Beer and Cake

Thurdays: Creamy Chicken Taquitos, from Our Best Bites. We had these with rice and beans and they were a huge hit. These will definately be made again. I think I will keep them in the freezer and pop them out when I need them.

Friday: Italian Drip Beef from Pioneer Woman . Oh my, these were so yummy. I only added half the italian seasonings and it was almost too much. I will reduce it next time to maybe a quarter.

Now what are we going to have this week?

Variations of Buttercream

So besides tasty chocolate, this week I made a lemon cake for a funeral at church. I'm not sure why I made lemon, but it sounded springy and it felt like the right thing to do, maybe it would bring joy to someone at the funeral, I don't know. I couldn't decide what to put on the top of the cake. Should I make a 7-minute frosting, maybe some coconut. I called my mom for suggestions and she thought buttercream would be perfect, and of course it almost always is. So here is my variation of buttercream, I call it Lemonade buttercream, it would also be great with orange or lime. Mmmmmmm, yum.

Lemonade Buttercream
1lb powdered sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
pinch of salt
lemon zest from one lemon
juice from half a lemon
milk to the right consistency

Combine the powdered sugar, zest, salt and butter together, add juice and mix. Slowly add milk till it's thick, but not too thick. Spread on just about anything. Yum!

Buttercream Frosting

Oh, this stuff is yummy. It may result in you never, ever buying the stuff in the plastic container on the baking aisle. The nice thing is that it is easy. My Grandma Thiriot was the best cook ever. She even worked as a cook at the daycare I worked at as a teenager and the long-time teachers all remembered Miss Oma and her cooking. When I was little I would go and have impromptu lessons on cooking and making due with what you have. It is still one of my favorite memories of her. One time we were making frosting and I noticed the secret ingredient, salt. She told me it balanced out the sweetness and made it even better. And oh boy is she right. I guess we all need a little salt in our lives to make things sweeter. Try this on a cake, or ice cream cake, which is divine! This is a dump until just right recipe, make it how you like it by adding a little at a time and tasting.

Oma's Buttercream frosting (also good in chocolate)
1 lb powdered sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
pinch of salt
milk
cocoa powder if adding

Mix the powdered sugar, salt and butter together. Add milk in small increments till the consistancy is thick, but not too thick. Add food coloring if desired and slather on a cake, ice cream or graham crackers. Yum.

For chocolate, I alsways add the cocoa powder after I get everything mixed together. I usually add about a 1/4 C, but you can decide how chocolatey you want it and add more or less. Add more milk if it gets too thick.

Homemade Icecream Cake

It's so much prettier when it isn't melting! LOL

25 ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped

1 batch Amy's Butter Cream Frosting

On a serving platter, lay 5 ice cream sandwiches side by side to form a rectangle. Spread top with a layer of frosting. Top with another layer of ice cream sandwiches, followed by frosting, continuing 5 layers high. Cover entire "cake" with remaining frosting. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours. To serve, let soften for about 5-10 minutes. Slice down short side for a very pretty cake! :)

Be creative!

Use cookies and cream or Neapolitan flavored, or colored ice cream, chocolate frosting... sky's the limit with this super simple dessert!

Amy... your turn! (lol) We need a frosting lesson! ;)

Pumpkin Pancakes w/ Cinnamon Syrup

1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
6 T. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
dash of ground cloves
dash of nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 2/3 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. canned solid pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. melted butter

Mix all dry ingredients together to blend. In another bowl whisk wet ingredients. Pour into dry ingredients and whisk until mostly smooth. Spray skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Drop batter by 1/4 cups and cook until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook about 2 min more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with warm cinnamon syrup.

CINNAMON SYRUP
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. water

In large sauce pan, stir together dry ingredients. Add water and vanilla and bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue to boil, stirring often, until mixture begins to thicken (about 5-8 min). Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes before serving.

We REALLY enjoyed these last night for dinner, served with a sausage patty and scrambled eggs. YUM!

Pizza Sauce

Tastes just like Pizza Hut's sauce! I couldn't believe it! Super easy and Holy-cow-I-can't-believe-it cheap! :)


1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. dry basil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Combine and let sit for about an hour before use to allow flavors to blend. Makes enough for 1 large pizza.

If you watch sales you can get the cans of tomato sauce for less than $.25!

(I tried cooking this to speed up the flavor blending, and it boiled... did not turn out nearly as good. If you are going to heat it up I suggest NOT allowing it to boil - it becomes a little too strong.)

Charlotta's tasty toffee

My sweet sister-in-law makes the best candy, wow! YUM. Over Thanksgiving she taught me how and gave me the tools to keep doing it. Today I finally made a recipe sheet with the pictures I took, it was so yummy, oh and addictive, enjoy!

Great Grandma's Spiced Peach Preserves

Ever wonder if there was a quick and easy recipe that will make your house smell divine at the same time to use up all those extra peaches? Well... here is a family favorite! :)

Great-Grandma's Spiced Peach Preserves
Heather Dorius

10 cups of peaches
7 1/2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground cloves

Blanche peaches, remove skins and pits and cut into quarters (I always blanche them a few minutes longer and then I can do all of the above almost in one quick movement! *grin*). In a large pot mash peaches with potato masher. (it's better chunky) Add sugar and spices. Cook on low heat until desired consistency (about 60-90 minutes). Fill into hot sterilized jars, wipe rim and place hot lid and secure with ring. Tip upside down on kitchen towel to cool and seal (I leave them overnight). According to extension guidelines it is good to process them in a water bath for 10 minutes - but that is to sterilize - so I just do it how Grandma said to and we have never had a problem! :)

Tastes great on sandwiches, sugar cookies and warmed up over vanilla icecream! YUM!

Pear Honey

One of Amy's and my many adventures included a new beloved favorite! Many of the neighbors in our neighborhood can't wait for Christmas to receive their new jar of pear honey!

PEAR HONEY
(adapted from an online recipe)

8 cups almost too ripe Pears, run through a food mill
1 cup 100% pineapple juice
8 cups sugar

Bring to a boil in large pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once reaching a full boil (still boils when stirred) reduced to medium (I do medium low) and cook until mixture is the color and texture of pure honey (almost like it needs melted just a little bit)

It takes 2 1/2-3 hours. Stir frequently!! The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets. ;)

Laddle into hot jars, filling to 1/4" of top. Wipe rims and seal with hot lids and rings. Process is water bath canner for 10 minutes (in Utah we should increase that to 15-20). Enjoy!!!

It is BY FAR my MOST favorite thing to can and to eat! :)

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

1 Large Can of Pumpkin (not pie mix)
2 Boxes Spice Cake Mix
1 bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix and Bake on parchment covered cookie sheet for 9-12 minutes @ 350. Let cool on pan for 3-5 minutes, then cool completely on wire rack. YUM! Happy Fall!

Chicken Cabonera

I know that this is not real italian cabonera sauce. I haven't found a recipe I think my family will eat, so here is what I have been playing with. This sauce is good doubled and made into a casserole with chicken, sundried tomatoes, penne, mushrooms,provolone and swiss cheeses, but that is a post for another day. I've tried to make the sauce with cream cheese and it was too thick and didn't coat well. This has been the best so far. Oh, pictures are forthcoming, I forgot and started eating, it was really good!

Chicken Cabonera
Sauce:
3 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
3 cloves roasted garlic
½ C parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

6 slices bacon
2 chicken breasts cut into small pieces and cooked in a little bit of bacon fat (1/2 tbsp)
1 package mushrooms sliced or diced, we have mushroom texture issues at our house so the smaller the better
1 pound spaghetti
1 tomato diced

Instructions:
Cook bacon until crispy, drain on a paper towel and cook diced chicken and mushrooms until done, set aside.

In a saucepan melt butter and add flour, stir and cook for a few minutes to reduce the floury taste. Add the garlic cloves and milk, stir on medium heat until thick and bubbly, remove from heat and add cheese and salt and pepper. Add chicken, bacon and mushrooms to sauce and then add to 1 pound of drained spaghetti.

Top with tomatoes and serve. Half my family dislikes tomatoes so I usually put them on the side.

Heather's Famous Bread Machine Rolls

I have finally come into good graces with my husband with these rolls. It has taken me awhile to find the perfect roll recipe and here it is. I have started making this in my Kitchenaid mixer starting with the water and yeast and then add the other ingredients and mixing for 2-5 minutes until it's really smooth. You can double this in the kitchenaid as well. Makes 12-15 rolls.

(Side note from Heather: I never dissolve my yeast first, I put it in last, on top of the dry ingredients. It does make little gritty spots of yeast in your dough... but when it is baked it makes delicious little pockets of fluff! *grin* I also only knead it for about 3-4 minutes. Bottom line... these are hard to mess up! They really ARE tasty!)

Peach Raspberry Jam

This is my most favorite Jam and that's saying something because I love jam. I've been tweaking this recipe for years and finally feel it's ready, or close enough to share.

Peach Raspberry Jam

3 Cups pureed peaches

1 cup pureed raspberries

7 1/2 C sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 package pectin ( I prefer Certo liquid pectin)

Butter as needed

Combine the peaches, raspberries, sugar and lemon juice together, cook until it starts to boil, add butter a teaspoon at a time to reduce the foam. When it boils and doesn't stop bubbling when you stir it, it's ready for the pectin. Add the pectin and stir for one minute. Remove from the heat and ladle into hot jars. Seal with a hot lid and process according to package directions.

Enjoy!!!!

Orange Yogurt Muffins

We had these at our family reunion and I just got the recipe, I don't want to forget it so I'm posting it here, this is from Austin's Aunt Gail Hamilton. YUMMY!


Orange Yogurt Muffins
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
8 oz. carton orange yogurt
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla [less if it is pure vanilla]
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons orange juice

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well and then add egg mixture all at once. Stir just until moistened [will be lumpy]. Fill muffin tin cups 2/3 full

Bake in 400 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes. Drizzle with powdered sugar/orange juice mixture while still warm.

Makes 12 muffins

Grilled Peaches

Here is a sweet treat that is healthy and yummy!

Grilled Peaches

5 peaches (not too soft, not too ripe works best)

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 hot grill

Make sure your grill is really clean, otherwise your peaches will taste like steak, or chicken or fish, you get my drift.

Melt the butter and add the brown sugar, stir till dissolved and drizzle over cut peaches.

Place the peaches cut side down on the grill and cook for about four minutes then turn and cook on the other side for four minutes. Enjoy! We had this with vanilla ice cream, it was almost like having cobbler, it was SO yummy

Italian Fried Rice?!?

So it was one of those nights. You know the type, when potatoes don't sound good and would take too long anyway and we had pasta last night and it's too hot to do anything but grill, but you need more than just meat at the table. Since we were having London Broil tonight and I had leftover rice, I decided to try this concoction, it was really good and very easy to make.

Italian Fried Rice

1/2 white onion diced

1 clove garlic minced

2 tbsp sun dried tomatoes

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

4 + Cups rice (brown or white or mix, whatever you have)

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese to taste

Saute the onions, garlic, tomatoes in the olive oil. Cook till the onions are translucent and soft, add the rice and cook until hot, season with salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese when you're ready to serve.

Cabbage Salsa or Slaw, you choose :)

OK, so this is a little weird but yummy. I first had it in Grand Junction, CO when we met Austin's boss for his internship. We were invited out to lunch and the waitress brought the usual salsa's and this green concoction. It was different but oh so yummy. Fast forward to our move to Ely. The local Mexican restaurant serves something similiar and it was just as yummy. So now I'm craving it and this is what I've come up with:

Amy's Cabbage Salsa or Slaw if you like:

1 bag cole slaw mix
1/4 red onion sliced thinly
1/4 white onion sliced thinly
1 can marinated jalapeno's and liquid
1 bunch cilantro
1/8 tsp oregano
juice of 3-5 limes
salt to taste

Add all the ingredients together, add the jalapeno's to taste, I like fewer, they are way hot, plus some liquid to the salsa. Ad cilantro to taste, lime juice and salt. Trust me on the oregano, it really makes it taste good.

Refrigerate for at least an hour and serve. Great with chips, fish tacos etc. Enjoy

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting
Heather Dorius

3 eggs
2 ½ C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 C oil
½ tsp salt
2 ½ C Flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 ½ C grated zucchini

Beat eggs, sugar vanilla and oil together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread into 9x13 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frost with cream cheese frosting while cool
¼ C butter
2 ¼ C powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
Mix until smooth and spread over cooled cake

Grandma Stoddard's Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake from Heather’s Grandma Stoddard

2 C Sugar
1 C oil
3 eggs
2 ½ C Flour
¼ C Cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ C milk
2 C shredded zucchini
1 Tbsp vanilla

In large bowl mix sugar and oil; add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each. Combine dry ingredients and gradually alternate with milk. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until done. While baking make frosting:

½ C butter
¼ powdered cocoa
6 T evaporated milk
4 C powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla

Mix until creamy – frost HOT cake. Serve when cooled.

Yummy!!!!!