Sunday, November 27, 2011

SPINACH STRAWBERRY SALAD


Spinach Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
  • 6 oz (approx 6 cups) baby spinach leaves
  • 1 pint (approx. 16 medium-size) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered or sliced
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 3-4 tablespoons raspberry poppy seed dressing*
  • 1/2 cup candied pecan pieces**
Directions
In large bowl, toss spinach, strawberries, onion, and cheese with dressing. Sprinkle candy pecan pieces on top just before serving (so they remain crisp).

Chicken Bacon Pasta

Chicken Bacon Pasta


1/2 pound bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or less if you don't want the heat)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 whole eggs
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 grilled chicken breast, sliced (I marinated the chicken in Lawry's Garlic & Herb marinade)


Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until done (according to package instructions).

Place cream and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and pepper and whisk until blended.

Drain pasta (reserving 1/2 cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the white sauce and toss to coat. The hot pasta will cook the eggs. Stir in the bacon, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.  Top with grilled chicken.




To make this recipe even faster, you can use Hormel "real bacon" in place of frying and chopping your own bacon, and a bag of Tyson "grilled chicken breasts" ( found in the frozen section of your grocery freezer) 

Thursday, November 17, 2011

BUBBLE UP PIZZA

BUBBLE UP PIZZA


Ingredients:
  • 2 containers refrigerated biscuit dough, 6 biscuits each (I used Pillsbury)
  • 1 jar pizza sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 cup pepperoni (or other favorite toppings)\
  • dried or fresh basil (to taste)
Preparation: Preheat oven as per directions on dough. With a sharp knife, divide each biscuit into 4. In a large bowl, combine diced biscuit dough, sauce, 1 1/2 cups cheese and toppings. Stir to combine.
Pour mixture into greased oven safe  9×13 baking pan.  sprinkle basil on top along with remaining cheese. Bake according to directions on dough, checking to make sure dough is cooked through and cheese is bubbling (I always bake mine for an additional 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

EASY CROCK POT POTATO SOUP

Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup


1 bag of Ore Ida 30 oz hash browns
3 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. finely diced onion
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (8oz) pk. cream cheese... do not use low fat, it will not melt

Empty the bag of hash browns into the crock pot, then all the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and diced onion, and pepper. mix all together. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. One hour before serving add the cream cheese, stir to dissolve. In the mean time fry up some bacon, dice some green onion and shred some cheddar cheese for topping. You could use the package of real bacon, and a bag of already shredded cheese.

Top the potato soup with a little bit of cheese, chopped green onion and some crumbled bacon.

This is the easiest and very yummy potato soup. When my husband ate it, he came in the kitchen and said, You have to make this for Thanksgiving, but you have to make a lot of it!" Needless to say it was a big hit with everyone... and not very much was left over... Yummo!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

EMPANADA GRANDE

Empanada  Grande ~ by Pampered Chef


1 pk. (15oz.) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts needed)
1/2 lb. lean ground beef, cooked
1/3 c. pitted ripe olives, sliced
1/3 c finely chopped onion
3 tbs. snipped fresh cilantro
1 c. shredded mexican cheese blend
1/3 c. thick and chunky salsa
1 1/2 tsp southwestern seasoning - or taco seasoning
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 egg, beaten
sour cream and additional salsa

Pre heat oven to 400. let pie crust stand at room temp. 15 min. meanwhile, cook and stir ground beef until meat is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain. Slice olives, chop onions, snip cilantro, combine ground beef, olives, onion, cilantro, cheese, salsa and seasoning mix and pressed garlic

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Place one pie crust on a pizza stone of cookie sheet. brush with a portion of the beaten egg. Spread beef mixture evenly over crust to with in 1 in. of the edge. Place 2nd pie crest on top of the meat mixture and press around the edges. Brush with remaining egg mixture and place in oven to bake. 15 to 20 min or until golden brown.

PUMPKIN FLUFF DIP

PUMPKIN FLUFF DIP

1 (16oz) cool whip
1 (5oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15oz.) can pure pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

mix pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice together, stir in vanilla pudding mix, then fold in cool whip.


This is a very creamy vanilla pumpkin dip that is served with graham crackers or ginger snaps.

Brown sugar, white sugar, powdered sugar or raw sugar!

One of my favorite things, is to bake with my grandchildren. Gianni loves to bake pumpkin bread with me. I believe because he loves to taste the sugar... and best of all he loves to eat the white chocolate chips as he is putting them in the batter. Sugar is permitted in grandma/mema's house... especially sugar kisses! All of my grand babies know kisses from mema are called sugar! I love that we are making memories every time we cook together. I love my babies!

SWEET CORN MUFFINS

Sweet Corn Muffins

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 tbs. butter ( melted)
2 tbs. honey
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTION:
Pre-heat oven to 400. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl , stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, stir together milk, oil, eggs, butter, honey and vanilla until blended. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture. Stir just to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, about 2/3 full. Bake 15 - 20 min or until golden brown. Cool slightlly. Makes 6 - 8 medium  size muffins. add butter or mixture of honey and butter. Eat while hot!

YOSHINOS SALAD DRESSING

Yoshino's Salad Dressing

1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. oil
2 tbs. rice vinegar
1 tbs. chopped ginger root
1 tbs. chopped celery
1 tbs chopped carrots
1 tbs. soy sauce
1  1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt


Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Process until almost smooth. Any unused portion may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. 

GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

Ginger Dipping Sauce

1/4 c. chopped onion 
1 small piece of ginger root (peeled)
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in a blender or bullet until smooth
Serve with Japanese vegetables  or fried rice and meat


HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

Homemade Ice Cream

1 sm. package vanilla instant pudding mix
6 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tbs. pure vanilla extract
dash of salt
milk to fill line in ice cream maker

Directions:
Mix all ingredients  together, except milk. Pour into ice cream maker / freezer
then add milk. Follow ice cream makers instructions. 


if using old fashioned ice cream maker: add ice and rock salt on outside of the ice cream container.

CHICKEN SALAD DRESSING ~ by Charisse

Chicken Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
2 tbs. vinegar
1/4 c. apple juice
1/2 c. oil
2 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 envelope of Italian dressing mix

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, in a jar with a lid. Shake dressing to mix. Pour over salad. Store in refrigerator.

CHEDDAR CHEESE BISCUITS

Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

2 c, all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. cream tarter
1 stick butter (unsalted)
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
2/3 c. milk

Mix dry ingredients together, add shredded cheddar cheese. work softened butter into flour mixture & cheese. add milk, work dough until mixed all together. flatten out dough, use a biscuit cutter. Bake @ 375 8 to 10 min.

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. softened butter
2 tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

mix well, blend until creamy and smooth

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Creamy Banana Pudding

1/4 c. lemon juice
6 or 7 medium bananas
3 c. milk
2 (4oz.) packages instant vanilla pudding
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
16 oz. whipped topping ( cool whip)
1 (16oz.) box vanilla wafers cookies

Drizzle the lemon juice over the bananas. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and instant pudding mix together, for 3 to 4 min. Add the sweetened condensed milk, stir to combine.

Layer the vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture, alternately in a large bowl. Layering until all the ingredients are used, ending with pudding mixture. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Note: This looks great in a trifle bowl.