Turkey Bone and Dumpling soup

My Favorite Thanksgiving tradition, in fact I almost look forward to this meal more than Thanksgiving!


Put Turkey Bones in large pot ( You can take off some of the skin, but other than that you can just throw the whole thing in!). Add some salt and pepper and some leftover dressing for flavoring. Fully cover Turkey in water and boil for several hours until meat is falling off bones. (We did it for over 6 hours, but I bet you can do it in 3-4 hours.)


Once the meat is falling off the bones, pull out big bones with tongs and then strain the rest of the meat keeping the broth for the soup (keep all and take out 1/4 cup-1/2 cup for dumplings). Once the meat is a little cooled sort through it getting all the bones out as much as possible. We sifted through it 3 times and still had some when we ate it, so just be a careful.

1. Put broth back in pot.

2. Make Dumplings (see recipe below) and drop them in pot in small balls (they don't have to be round, just drop in).
3. Cut up 2 cups of carrots and 2 cups of potatoes put into broth and boil.

4. While boiling put in dumplings it takes 10 minutes for them to set up.
5. Once dumplings are going, add 1 cup of chopped celery and any left over peas/corn from Thanksgiving dinner. ( I just added a can of corn. It kinda gets lost in the soup so you could add more if making it for a large group)

6. Put in a package or two of Top Ramen noddles (not the flavoring)

7. You may need to add a can of chicken broth for more liquid

8. Add Turkey meat back in and heat through

9. ENJOY!!

Recipe for Dumplings (our family likes to double this and we have a LOT of dumplings)

1 egg beaten
3 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup half and half cream
1/4 cup soup stalk
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
Mix above ingredients then add flour a little at a time, mix with fork, keep adding until your fingers don't stick to dough. (When doubling it I probably added 3-4 cups of flour when all was said and done).

This recipe FILLED my largest pot it could serve 12-15 people! I plan to freeze some of the leftovers for later. ( I haven't tried it before, but I am pretty sure it will work).

Mr. Turkey and the stuff that goes inside

I have notes jotted down from last Thanksgiving from many phone calls to my mom to be able to make our first Turkey and stuffing. Here are my mom's recipes ( I hope I can piece it all together)

STUFFING (The YUMMIEST recipe ever!)

4-5 large carrots -peel and grind
4-5 stalks of celery -chop fine
2-3 medium size onions (depending on your preference)- grind

1/2 cube butter (about 4 TBSP)

Add altogether in saucepan and cook until soft (about 10 minutes)

Add stuffing and about 1/2 cube of butter ( don't you love how my mom cooks- just add a little of this a little of that)

You can do this the night before to help make the day a little easier.

TURKEY

Wash the whole turkey inside and out (pull out those yucky gizzards)
Salt inside and out of the Turkey including the legs

Stuff from both ends and stuff as full as you can

Use skewers to close and pulls skin of both sides

Put in pan -coat with butter

Put foil over each leg and wing to prevent from burning

Put 1 big piece of foil over the whole turkey
(It will brown well with foil)

1/2 way through cooking - baste

If not brown towards the end take off big foil

Cook Turkey for 20 minutes per pound @ 325 degrees

Hot Sausage Dip

Since we're right in the middle of football season I thought I'd share one of my favorite chip dips. It's delicious.

1 Jimmy Dean hot sausage
1 pkg cream cheese
16 oz. sour cream
1 large tomato
1 medium green pepper
1/2 of a large onion
1 can green chilies

Brown sausage and chop into small pieces. Chop tomatos, green peppers, onion and green chilies. Mix all is a crockpot on low until warm and cream chesse is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Fruity-Nutty Oatmeal

I made this yummy oatmeal this past weekend for breakfast. It is delicious and really fills you up. I omitted the raisins simply because I don't like them. I also used quick oats, chopped almonds instead of walnuts, and chose the Pear over the apple. The recipe is from http://www.prevention.com/. It is the perfect Autumn breakfast!

Fruity-Nutty Oatmeal

1 cup water
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk, divided
1 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 large pear or medium Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dark or golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp brown sugar

Bring water and 1 1/2 cups of the milk to a boil in large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Stir in oats. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 minutes, stirring often, until oats start to soften.

Stir in pear. Cover and simmer about 3 minutes more or until it is tender but still a bit crsip. Stir in cranberries and raisins. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 minute to soften.

Divide evenly among 4 warm bowls. Sprinkle each with 2 Tbsp. walnuts and 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Top each bowl with 1/4 cup of the remaining milk.

Makes 4 servings.

Raspberry Velvet Melange

(Rasp. Chocolate Ice Cream)

I found this recipe in BHG and loved the picture so I tore it out. It wasn't until I read through the directions that I realized how EASY and CHEAP it is (especially for homemade ice cream). We made it up at Dave's cabin and it was delicious!

Ingredients
1 - 6oz pkg or Rasp.-flavored gelatin
2- cups boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
Fresh Raspberries (optional-but yummy!)

Preparation:
In a large bowl combine gelatin and boiling water. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the cold water, 1/2 cup choc syrup, and whipping cream. Stir well to combine. Cover and child about 1 hour or until cool but not set. Pour into a 1 - 2 quart electric ice cream maker;freeze gelatin mixture according to manufacturer's instructions. Ripen (freeze/harden) if desired.

2. Top each serving with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate syrup, and serve with raspberries.

Makes 8 servings

Rolo Cookies

Okay I know I am posting a lot of randoms, I am just trying to get rid of all my random little pieces of papers. This one was given to me from a friend (though I cannot remember who) and I know that they are YUMMY!

1 package fudge cake mix
1 package devils food cake mix
3/4 cup shortening (do not use oil)
4 eggs
Rolo candies (large bags, unwrapped)

Combine first four ingredients and mix until smooth dough forms. Mold until tablespoon of the dough around a piece of candy (unwrapped) and place two inches apart on parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes;remove from pan and cool on rack.

Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Strawberry Cream Freeze: Three Delicious Way

This is an ad that looked delicious! It said for more recipes go to dessert.com.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 Cup Milk
1 pkg (3.4 oz) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 1/2 cups thawed Whipped Topping
20 Vanilla Wafers, corsely broken
1 cup Sliced Fresh Strawberries
1/2 Cup Strawberry Ice Cream Topping

Make the Filling
Beat Cream Cheese in a large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mis;beat for 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping, wafers and berries. Swirl in ice cream topping.

8 inch Pie: Spoon filling into 6 oz oreo pie crust ( or I would try graham cracker). Freeze until firm. Serves 8.

Waffle Bowls: Freeze filling 6 hours or until firm. Scoop into 8 waffle bowls.

Mini Pies: Sppon Filling into 12 muffin liners. Top with more strawberries for prettier look. Freeze for 4 hours and remove fillings.



(about 25mins)

Chocolate Bonbon Pops

I found this recipe in my BHG magazine and want to try it. I am posting it here so I don't have to hold on to this torn out page. If you try it let me know how it goes!

"We used Oreos to get the intense chocolate flavor of these no- bake bonbons. Find lollipop sticks in the bakin section of large supermarket and baking supply stores."

Prep time: 30 mins Freeze: 30 minutes Chill: 1 Hour
18 chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling.
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted ( I might leave these out)
2 TBSP Orange liqueur or orange juice
1 TBSP corn syrup
2 TBSP unsweetened Cocoa powder
20 Lollipop sticks
1 - 12 oz pkg milk or semisweet chocolate chips
1 TBSP shortening

1. in a large food processor bowl combine cookies and 3/4 cup of nuts; pulse until cookies are crushed. Add Orange juice, corn syrup, and cocoa powder process until combined. Add remaining nuts pulse until coarsely chopped.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape cookie mixture in 1 inch balls. Place on baking sheet, insert a lollipop stick,and freeze for 30 minutes

3. In a small saucepan combine chocolate chips and shortening. Cook and stir over medium- low heat. Dip pop in chocolate. Return to baking sheet loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set If using liqueur , flavor will mellow after a day or two. Makes 20 pops!
( I left this last sentence in for everyone (: )

Can keep up to a week in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Melanie's carribean chicken salad

Have you ever tried the carribean chicken salad at Rumbi Grill? One of my favorites. I was craving it today so I thought I'd try my hand at something close to it. I skipped the rice and added a few different ingredients. It was sooooo good. I think I could have eaten the whole bowl. Really. I could have.

About 3 bunches of romaine lettuce, rinsed and chopped
3 cooked chicken breasts, cooled and diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 small cans or 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
3/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
2 handfuls of tortilla chips, crushed
Ken's honey mustard dressing

Mix all together in a large bowl and serve with honey mustard dressing.

Turkey Burgers with Mustard Sauce

Oh turkey burgers! I love them! I think I've already posted another one of my favorite turkey burger recipes but this one is fabulous too. You really should try them both. Recipe comes from BHG.

4 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns (I use toasted hamburger buns)
1 lb. ground raw turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. honey mustard
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive or cooking oil
1/3 cup light may
1 medium tomato
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup bread crumbs


In large bowl combine turkey, egg, bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp. of honey mustard, and the salt and pepper. Shape turkey mixture into four patties.

In an extra-large nonstick skillet cook turkey patties in hot oil over medium heat for 12 minutes, turning once, or until no longer pink.

For mustard sauce, in small bowl combine mayo and remaining 2 Tbsp. honey mustard. Layer buns, burgers, tomato, avocado, sauce.

*I usually make about 6 burgers out of this recipe. Last night I just made the turkey burgers and ate them without buns. I skipped the rest of this recipe and topped the burgers with the coleslaw recipe from this recipe. So delicious and you skip out on those all those bun calories.

Carmelitas

This is the YUMMIEST treat EVER! My mother in law makes these quite a bit. If you are a carmel lover like myself you will not be able to stop.

Crust:
1 C oatmeal
1 C flour
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/4 t Salt
3/4 C Melted Butter

Mix above all together. Put half of ingredients in pan. Cook at 350 for 10 minutes.

Combine:
1 C Chocolate Chips
1/2 C Pecans (chopped)
Mix Together 3/4 C Caramel Ice-Cream Topping & 3 T Flour
Then pour on top.

Put rest of crumbs on top. Bake 15-20 minutes. Chill and cut into bars.
ENJOY!

Banana Bread Recipe | Simply Recipes

After getting a message that I posted this illegally I have tried to change it a little bit. opps!

I am posting this in a different way. I just googled a recipe, found this, and now I've highlighted the whole things and it gave me the option of positng to a blog, so here we go! (The batter is yummy but the bread is still in the oven, hopefully it is good, I will comment later!)

Banana Bread Recipe Simply Recipes:

Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 C melted butter
1 C sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp anilla
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 Cups of flour

How to:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix butter into the mashed bananas. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last and mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and enjoy!

Beef Teriyaki (or chicken, pork, or shrimp)

Beef Teriyaki
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 lb Top Sirloin, cut in 1' cubes

Marinate 1-2 hours in fridge. Drain Beef and discard marinade. Thread Beef on skewers and cook on grill- close grill for 4 minutes. Turn skewers and cook for 3- 6 minutes or until done.

Hint: Soak Wooden skewers in water to prevent burning

Can Substitute chicken, pork, and shrimp

Apple Crisp Parfait

Yet another one I haven't tried, but want to put somewhere where I'll remember it.

APPLE CRISP PARFAIT

3 cups sliced and peeled apples (about 3 medium apples)
1/2 cup old fashioned cooking oats
3 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP water
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients above together
Cook
*Microwave oven: cover with wax paper microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes, rotating 1/4 turn halfway through.
*Conv. Oven: Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve Hot or chilled with Topping.


Topping
4 oz nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup light whipped topping
Mix together

Peach Popsicles

I haven't tried this,but it looks interesting. I have had it on a random scrap of paper and am ready to throw it away so I thought I would put it here.

Peach Popsicles
1 can (16oz) sliced peaches, packed in juice, not drained
1 TBSP Sugar

Blend in blender until smooth. Pour into Popsicle containers. Freeze 3-5 hours or until firm.

The Yummiest Crepes and Filling

I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens Supplemental recipe pamphlet and we love making it! The almond filling is the best!



Here is what it says:

"A French import, crepes realized great popularity in the U.S. during the 1970s and epitomize eleganct in desserts. We featured this fabulous recipe in our September 1976 issue. "



1/3 cup sugar

3 TBSP flour

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 TBSP butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract (it is worth buying if you don't have it)

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted (you don't need these, but it makes it that much better)

1 recipe Crepes

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toaster

sifted powdered sugar

mixed fresh berries (optional but so yummy with it,actually any fruit would be good.)



1. For Filling, in a small saucepan combine the sugar and flour. Add Milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more. Using a fork, beat whole egg and the egg yolk together slightly. Gradually stir half of the hot moisture into the beaten eggs. Return all of the mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir over low hear for 2 minutes (so not boil). Remove from heat/ stir in the butter, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in almonds.



2. You can fill however you like this is the instructions from the recipe if you want to make them elegant looking: To assemble, spread about 1 TSBP of the filling onto half of one of the Crepes; fold other half over filling. Fold in half again to form a triangle. Repeat with remaining filling and crepes. serve immediately/ Sprinkle with sliced almonds and powered sugar and serve with fruit. Makes 10 servings.



CREPES: In a large bowl combine 2 beaten eggs. 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup flour, 2 TBSP sugar, 1 TBSP cooking oil, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat with a rotary beater until well mixed. Lightly grease a 6 inch skillet with shortening (Pam works just fine). Heat skillet over medium heat;remove from heat. Spoon 2 TBSP of the batter into skillet; lift and tilt skillet to spread batter evenly. Return skillet to heat; brown crepe on one side only. (Or cook on crepe maker). Invert skillet over paper towels remove crepe from skillet. Repeat with all batter, occasionally greaseing pan.
Makes 20 crepes

BBQ Chicken Burgers with Slaw

Oh boy, get ready to eat one awesome burger! These are soooo yummy. The recipe is from Rachel Ray. I substituted ground turkey for ground chicken and didn't work very well. The burgers didn't hold up at all and I ended up having to turn them into a sloppy joe consistancy. But they still tasted great. If you make these make sure you use chicken or ground beef unless you want sloppy joe type burgers! :) Oh, and I only used about a tsp. of butter, omitted the hot sauce and toasted the buns.

1 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
1 small red onion, 1/2 finely chopped, 1/2 thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. hot sauce
1 1/4 lb. ground chicken
1 Tbsp. grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick brand)
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp. honey
1 lemon, juiced
3 rounded Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
2 cups shredded cabbage mix
salt and pepper
4 Keiser rolls or big hamburger buns

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chopped onions and garlic and sweat them for 5 minutes to soften and sweeten. Sprinkle in sugar and remove from heat. Cool in a bowl, 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, hot sauce to bowl and combine. Add chicken to the bowl then grill seasoning and combine the burgers well to evenly distribute the flavors and form 4 patties.

Heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 6 minutes on each side.

Combine the honey, lemon juice, and remaining olive oil in a bowl. Add relish, cabbage mix and sliced onions and season with salt and pepper. Toss the slaw to coat.

Serve burgers on bun bottoms topped with slaw and bun tops.

Perfect Low Fat Potato Salad

Really yummy potato salad. I only used half of the mayo it called for and it still tasted great. 180 calories and 7.8 grams of fat (1.2 g sat fat) per 1 cup serving.

2 lbs. large red or russet potatoes
1/4 cup seasoned red wine vinegar or seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 hard boiled egg whites and 2 hard boiled egg yolks, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup celery
4 large sweet pickles, chopped
1/4 cup regular mayonnaise
1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Peel potatoes and place them in a large stockpot of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer potatoes until tender (about 30 minutes...do not cover with pot lid). Drain and cool potatoes slightly then chop them into 3/4" cubes. Transfer them to a large bowl and gently toss together with vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.

Mix mayonnaise and mustard together in a small bowl and set aside.

When potatoes are cool, toss together with all remaining ingredients, including mayo and mustard mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cheesy Baked Cauliflower

This recipe is from allrecipes.com. It's a great and tasty side dish.

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
olive oil
about 5 oz. of Swiss cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cauliflower in a microwave-safe baking dish with just enough water to cover bottom of dish. Cook in the microwave on high for 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange tomato slices around the cauliflower. Drizzle with olive oil and top with cheese. Bake for 40 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Spice-Rubbed Salmon with Cucumber Relish

{Spice-Rubbed Salmon with Cucumber Relish} - From the Cooking Light Cookbook 2006

1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt (for fish)
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
4 (6 oz.) salmon fillets
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp. capers
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt (for relish)

Preheat broiler. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl then rub evenly over fish. Place fish in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Broil 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Combine 1/4 tsp. salt, cucumber, red bell pepper, onion, mint, capers and vinegar; serve with fish. Makes 4 servings.

*(Note: I didn't use capers and I substituted cilantro for mint simply because I didn't have any mint leaves. I served with roasted asparagus and boiled artichokes.....it was a fabulous dish.)

Sloppy Joes

"Sloppy Joe, slop, sloppy Joe...." How can you not think of Chris Farley singing this song when you make sloppy Joe's? Haha This recipe is great. And who doesn't love sloppy joes? I got it off of allrecipes.com

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp. brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Brown beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain fat and then add onion and green pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes and then stir in garlic powder, mustard, ketchup and brown sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Curried Turkey Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Walnuts

Another recipe from my R.S. dinner

Curried Turkey Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Walnuts

(i substituted the turkey with either potatoes or chicken)
4 cups cooked and chopped turkey
1/2 cup diced apple (pref. granny smith)
1/3 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

*Curry Dressing (recipe below)In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well. Serve on yourfavorite bread as a sandwich or on a bed of greens as a salad. Servesfour to six.

Dressing:1/2 cup thick yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons curry powder**
1 tablespoon honeygenerous pinch of saltfresh ground black pepper
Whisk all ingredients until well combined.Recipe Notes: *To toast walnuts, spread a handful of walnuts on abaking sheet. Toast in a preheated 350 degree oven for about fiveminutes or until they are fragrant. Don’t leave them in too long!Allow to cool slightly before chopping and adding to salad.

**If you prefer less spice in your salad, start with one tablespoon of currypowder then taste dressing and add more if desired. I used a full twotablespoons. For the turkey, I used a roasted half turkey breast fromthe deli section of the grocery store, but this would be perfect ifyou have lots of turkey left over from the holidays!

SaladTOSSED SALAD WITH POPPY SEED DRESSINGRomaine lettuceIceberg lettuceParsley sprigsCelery, choppedGreen onions, choppedMandarin orangesWalnutsDRESSING:3/ 4 c. sugar1 tsp. dry mustard1 tsp. salt1/3 c. wine vinegar1 c. salad oil1 tsp. poppy seedTear lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Toss ingredients and chill. Pourdressing over tossed salad just before serving.Dressing: Combine sugar, mustard, salt and vinegar. Add oil slowly,beating constantly with electric or rotary beater. Stir in poppy seedslast.

Asian Pasta Salad

This is a recipe from a R.S. dinner we had. It was YUMMY!

Asian Pasta Salad(adapted from Simply Classic: Junior League of Seattle)

Salad:1/2 lb. spaghetti1 cup snow peas,
slivered1/2 cup celery,
sliced1/4 cup green onion,
chopped1/4 cup cilantro,
chopped1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

*original recipe includes 1/2 lb. shrimp, cooked

Dressing:1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp fresh ginger,
minced1 medium clove garlic,
minced1 tsp orange zest,
freshly grated1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
serves 4

1. In medium bowl combine dressing ingredients except sesame andpeanut oils. Add oils in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantlyuntil well-blended and slightly thickened.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse incold water. Drain again. Transfer to large serving dish or bowl.Add rest of salad ingredients.

3. Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss well. Serve at roomtemperature.

Chicken and Green Beans in a Peanut Sauce

I have tried several peanut sauces and have finally mixed several recipes to make my own. Let me know if you like it.

2 chicken breasts
1 lb green beans
rice
chopped green onions

I cooked two chicken breast in peanut sauce (see below) for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Trimmed and cut the green beans and cooked the rice.

Peanut Sauce
In a sauce pan combine:

1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used creamy)
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp chile powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

With about 15 minutes remaining to bake add the green beans to the chicken and peanut sauce. I cut up the chicken and serve over rice with green onion.

Barefoot Contessa's Parmesan Chicken

I confess. I am a food network junkie. And Ina Garten (from the Barefoot Contessa) is one of my faves. Pretty much everything she makes is fabulous. This recipe was so delicious! The egg and flour coating before the breadcrumbs made all the difference. I didn't have any baby greens on hand so I left out that part but I did spritz the chicken with fresh lemon juice after it had been cooked and it tasted amazing! I also left out the butter and cooked each chicken breast for about 8 minutes on each side. And of course, I forgot to take a picture! I promise to be better about that.

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter (I left this out)
Good olive oil
Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Pound chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or rolling pin. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 Tbsp. of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Coat chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into egg mixture and dredge both sides in bread crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of butter and 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and olive oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with Lemon Vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), 1/2 cup good olive oil, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper.

Berry smoothie

I was in the kitchen this afternoon looking for something to eat when I noticed this recipe sitting on Michele's counter. So I decided to whip it up. I'm sipping it as I type this and it is yummy!

3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup frozen fruit (I used the frozen berries from Costco)
1 frozen banana (I don't like bananas so I just added more berries)

Mix in your magic bullet or blender.

Yum!

Salmon with Basil Pesto

I found this recipe in better homes and gardens. I am always looking for new ways of cooking Salmon and liked it. It definitely needed the pesto for full flavor.

4 - 5 oz fresh or frozen salmon fillets ( I used 1/2 of Costco salmon which I think was about 20 oz
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt or 1/8 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto ( I only used 1/2 of the container and hope to find a good recipe to use the other half!) I will try to post what I find.

1. Thaw salmon, if frozen. Place salmon fillets on greased unheated rack of broiler pan. Measure thickness of salmon. Brush salmon with 1 TBSP of balsamic vinegar; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil salmon from heat for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, in bowl whisk together remaining vinegar and pesto until combined and eat along side of salmon. ( I honestly didn't measure the pesto and balsamic vinegar).

Carly's Salsa

My sister Carly makes the most delicious salsa. It's a perfect meal for little G because of all the nutrients and she loves it. I usually make half of the recipe at the beginning of the week and then the other half in the middle of the week so it's fresh. Our family noshes on it all week long. If you're making it for a party then definitely make the entire recipe. Enjoy!

2 cans black beans, drained well
2 cans corn, drained well
2-3 large tomatoes
2 large avocados
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
1 Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

Chop up the tomatoes, avocados, cilantro and green onions. Mix all together in a bowl with the black beans and corn. Sprinkle Italian dressing mix over everything and then stir to coat.

Chicken and vegetable Quesadillas

I saw this recipe on the food network the other day and thought it looked mighty scrumptious. I haven't tried it yet though. If you make it let me know what you think.

{Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas}

2 cooked chicken breast halves
8 (6-8 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
1/2 cup sliced artichokes
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese for each quesadilla

Coat a large skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Set pan over medium heat to preheat. Using fork or your fingers, pull chicken meat from bone in shreds.
Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top 1 side of each tortilla with an equal amount of chicken, mushrooms, red peppers, and artichokes. Top vegetables with shredded cheese. Fold over tortillas, making a half moon. Place quesadillas in prepared pan and cook 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cheese melts.

Chocolate Snickerdoodle's

This recipe is from BHG. I made them a few days ago and they are so yummy!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
1 egg
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In large mixing bowl, beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the the 1 cup sugar, soda and cream of tarter. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in cocoa and flour. Drop by slightly rounded teaspoons 2 i nches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Stir together remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle dough with the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 9 1/2 mintues. Makes about 30 cookies.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits (Red Lobster)

I found this recipe in my old ward's cookbook. It said "Red Lobster" and that was all I needed to read. Dave and I were just saying the other day how much we love these things! They were yummy in our kitchen tonight as well and really easy to make!

1 cup Flour
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Salt

1/3 cup margarine
3/4 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup milk

Cut Margarine into dry ingredients. Add grated cheese. Cover well with flour and stir in milk. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 8 biscuits.

Yummy Salmon

This is copied from kraft foods.com. I had some Salmon from costco that I wanted to use and found this yummy recipe! WE LOVED IT!

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 35 min

Makes:
4 servings

What You Need
1 medium each: zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper, chopped (about 4 cups total)
4 skinless salmon fillets (1 lb.)
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
2-2/3 cups hot cooked brown rice

Make It
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Combine zucchini, squash and peppers in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with salmon. Mix tomatoes and dressing; spoon over salmon.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until salmon flakes easily with fork.
SERVE wth the rice.

Chicken Cashew Salad

3 cups uncooked bowtie pasta
2 cups uncooked rainbow pasta
8 oz. pineapple tidbits, drained
8 oz. sliced water chestnuts, drained
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup cashews
2 cups cooked diced chicken (about 2-3 chicken breasts)
11 oz. mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup halved green or red grapes
1 cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper

Dressing:
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups miracle whip
1/4 tsp celery seed
2 Tbsp. sugar

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water until pasta is chilled; drain well. Add drained pineapple and water chestnuts, celery, cashews, cooked chicken, oranges, grapes and dried cranberries. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat; salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 4-6 hours to blend flavors.

For dressing: Whisk together milk, miracle whip, celery seed and sugar. Add more or less milk to create desired consistency.

Italian Crockpot Chicken

This is just one of those staple dinners that I have in my head to cook on busy days. Our family loves it. You can either cook it in the crockpot or if you didn't have time earlier in the day, just cook it in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Tonight I'm serving it with roasted seasoned potatoes and peas. It really goes with just about anything



4 chicken breasts

1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken

1 pkg. cream cheese (at room temperature)

1 packet Italian dressing mix



Mix together soup, cream cheese and Italian dressing mix. Place chicken in crockpot and pour soup mixture over chicken. Cook either 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Who doesn't love this dish? So yummy and good for you too. This is a recipe I got off of allrecipes.com but adapted to my liking. The following is my version of it.

6 green bell peppers
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with lime juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup water or beef broth
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 small cans tomato sauce

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper and set aside.
In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off fat and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stuff each pepper with the beef mixture and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over tops of peppers. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Chicken Parsley Pizza

Pizza Dough (the best recipe ever)
This dough recipe is from allrecipes.com. It's called Jay's Signature Pizza Crust. My sister has used this for a long time and tonight was my first night making it. It's really tasty.

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

Mix the top three ingredients and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then add the following ingredients.

1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour

Let the dough rise until it has doubled. Roll it out, top with toppings and bake at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Chicken Parsley Pizza

Rub olive oil on the unbaked crust. Then spread on your choice of tomato sauce and garlic powder. Add onions, chicken, and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 425. Three minutes before the pizza is done, sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on it and bake for remaining three minutes.

Yummy Enchiladas

I was really skeptical to try this recipe about a year ago when I first found it. When I tried it, I absolutely loved it. It has become one of our favorites. Enchiladas are usually so unhealthy but with these ingredients, it is a great healthy meal for your family. It even has homemade sauce....yumm! Make sure you really get all of the water out of the spinach before adding it. I also use the tortillas from Costco that you have to cook instead of the corn tortillas. I have tried it both ways though, and it's great either way. I have also done this as a layer casserole instead of individual enchiladas.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 can reduced sodium vegetable broth (14 oz.)
Salt and Pepper
3/4 cup water
3 cups grated pepper jack cheese
1 can black beans (15 oz.) rinsed and drained
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed VERY dry
1 can (15 oz.) corn
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
16 corn tortillas

Make the sauce by heating oil in a saucepan. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper, tomato paste. Wisk in broth and water then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, black beans, 2 cups of cheese, corn, green onions and cilantro. (I add a little more cumin and chili powder here as well).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To soften the corn tortillas, wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave. Top each tortilla with filling and carefully roll up tightly, placing them seam side down in dish. Top with sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and or green onions.

Enjoy!