FYI

I'm doing a blog for my ward/relief society. It's going to have lots of recipes, food storage ideas and helps and other preparation information from the wiser and more experienced sisters in my ward. Feel free to visit.

http://cascadesisters.blogspot.com/

Wassail

Just posted a recipe for Wassail.

It's a hot drink made with apple cider, lemon and orange juice. Drink it and it will for sure put you to sleep on a cold winter night.

Dijsalsa Chicken & Cream cheese Potatoes

Dijsalsa Chicken

3 or 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1 small jar Pace Picante Sauce (we use Medium for more spice)

6 Tbsp brown sugar

3 Tbsp dijon mustard

Cut chicken either into strips or chunks. Mix all other ingredients together in bowl. Place cut chicken in 8x8 or 9x13 pan (depending on amount of chicken). Dump liquid mixture over & cook at 375 for about 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked through. Goes really well served over rice or served with Cream Cheese Potatoes.

Cream Cheese Potatoes

5 or 6 red potatoes

block of cream cheese

1 stick of butter

Wash & cut potatoes. Boil till soft & then drain. Put butter & cream cheese in pot & melt together. Add potatoes back to pot & mash till well mixed. (We also like to add a little garlic salt to it. )

Sylvia's Potato Soup

I got this recipe from Cristina who got it from her mother-in-law, Sylvia. It is fab-u-lous.

Yields: 8 Servings

Ingredients:
1 medium to large Onion chopped
2 large ribs Celery chopped
1 small Turnip finely diced – Yes! A turnip – It isn’t the same without it – They are the purple and white ones, not the orange w/purple, those are rutabegas :)
2-3 cups Potatoes diced (2 good-sized bakers)
1 medium to large Carrot grated
3/4 cup Melted Butter
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1 quart Half-and-half cream
1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 pound Bacon cooked and crumbled

Instructions:
Place vegetables in large cooking pot. Cover with water and cook until tender - approximately 15 minutes after they come to a boil. Fry bacon and crumble. In a saucepan combine butter and flour; add half 'n' half and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Mash vegetables. Add cream sauce to vegetables. Add remaining ingredients.

Anne's Fabulous Grilled Salmon (allrecipes.com)

(this is really easy and really yummy!)
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 (3 pound) salmon fillet, with skin


DIRECTIONS
Make a pan out of aluminum foil by doubling up layers of foil large enough to hold your fillet. Place the foil onto a cookie sheet. Lay the fillet onto the foil with the skin side down. In a small bowl, stir together the oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, ginger, honey, basil and shallots. Pour over the salmon and let it marinate while you preheat the grill, about 20 minutes.
Preheat a grill for medium-low heat. Slide the foil with the salmon off of the cookie sheet and onto the grill. Cover with the lid and grill the fillet for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, about 20 minutes. Salmon should be able to flake with a fork, but not be too dry. When you serve the salmon, the skin will stick to the foil and your grill will remain clean. Simply slice and use a spatula to scoop the fillet off of the skin to serve.

What to do with leftover pasta??

So I accidentally made WAY too much pasta the other night and I was tired of eating it for leftovers, but I didn't want to throw it away. Here's what I did:

Mix in with leftovers:
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 can of corn
A handful of cheese
Add anything else you want -- more meat, more veggies, more sauce
Add extra seasonings if you're good at that kind of stuff. (I'm not, so I added some pepper)

Put into a casserole dish and pile a ton of cheese on top.

Bake at 350 F for 10-20 min (Just keep checking to see how melted the cheese is. Before you eat it, check to make sure the pasta in the middle of the dish is warm --that's the spot that took me the longest to heat up.)

PS it was SO good -- way better than the original pasta dish!

Ilini Bars

(I know this is a dessert...and most everything on here is real food, but I LOVE these and they're SO good...And you'll *hopefully* love them too!!!)

1 14 ounce bag Kraft Caramels

1 5 fluid ounce can of Evaporated Milk – divided

1 German Chocolate Cake Mix w/pudding in mix

½ cup Margarine, melted

1 cup Chocolate Chips

1 ½ cup chopped walnuts, divided

Preheat oven 350°

In medium saucepan, melt caramels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

In large bowl, mix together remaining evaporated milk, cake mix, and melted margarine. Press ½ of cake mixture onto bottom of ungreased 9” x 13” pan. Bake 8 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips and 1 cup walnuts over crust (and coconut if you prefer!); top with caramel mixture spreading to edges of pan. Top with teaspoonsful of remaining cake mixture; press gently into caramel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Bake 16-18 minutes. Cool.

After thoroughly cooled, cut into bars.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

SO PERFECT ERIN! I didn't know that, I'll have to go look for it and let you guys know where I find it.

I've decided that I'm going to make BBQ pizza tonight! Actually, we might make a couple and freeze the ones we don't bake.

I got the idea from fabulesslyfrugal.com.

1 Pizza Crust (Buy one or make your own)

2 C. Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 Red onion2 Chicken Breasts

2-3 C BBQ Sauce (I got like 8 bottles under .50 cents or free from Alberstons a few weeks back!)

Cilantro

Optional: Pineapple or bacon bits

I'm guessing on the temp and cook time, but I'd think to cook it for about 400-450 F for 15-20 min. I'm hoping the store bought pizza crust will tell me :-) If we actually get around to baking the pizza, I'll take be sure to report the deliciousness (and pics)!

Pizza

This is more a recipe idea than an actual recipe...

At Walmart/Target (anywhere I'm sure) you can get $.50 "just-add-water" pizza dough. Get some mozzarella cheeze, some tomato sauce, and some topping and you're good to go. Very easy and very tasty!

For an even easier meal, cut up your topping when you have time prior to the meal. Then when it's making time, making your pizza(s) is super fast.

Pita Pizzas

6 Pita Breads

6 Tbsp Marinara or Pizza Sauce

2 Tbsp chopped Parsley or 3/4 tsp Dried Parsley

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Bell Peppers

1 cup sliced Mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced Black Olives

3/4 cup sliced Pepperoni

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

(You can use any pizza toppings that you like. This is just what we use.)

Heat over to 450 degrees. Place pitas on a backing sheet. Spread each Pita with 1 tbsp sauce. In a small bowl, combine parsley & parmesan cheese. Divide Parmesan mixture evenly between pitas. Place the sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, olives & pepperoni evenly on top of each pita. Sprinkle with Cheddatr & Mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter & Fudge Swirl Pie

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese ~ softened

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

2 cups Whipped Topping ~ thawed

1 Oreo/Chocolate Pie Crust

1/4 cup Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping

Beat cream cheese, sugar & peanut butter together until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon into pie crust; drizzle with WARM fudge topping. Swirl gently with knife. Refrigerate 4 hrs. or until firm.

This is rich, but yet addicting!

Mini Meatloaves

1 lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix

1 cup Water

3/4 cup Marinara Sauce

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Heat over to 375 degrees. Mix meat, stuffing pkg, water, & Italian seasoning together. Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Press meat mixture into miffun cups. Make an indentation in center of each mini meatloaf with finger or spoon. Fill with marinara & sprinkle with cheese. Cooke for 30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Cheesy Chicken & Salsa Skillet

2 cups Multigrain Penne Pasta ~ uncooked

1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts ~ cut into bite sized pieces

1 1/4 cups Thick & Chunky Salsa

1 cup Frozen Corn ~ thawed

1 large Green Pepper ~ cut into short thin strips

1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, heat a large non stick skillet, sprayed with cooking spray, on medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook & stir 2 minutes. Stir in salsa, corn & peppers. Bring to a "boil." Simmer on medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally.

Drain pasta. A dd to chicken mixture, fold lightly. Sprinkle with cheese. remove from heat, cover. Let stand 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

5 Minute Southwest Layered Salad

(I always double this.)

6 cups Torn Romaine Lettuce

1 can (15 oz.) Black beans ~ drained & rinsed

1 can (11 oz.) Whole Kernel Corn ~ drained

1/2 cup Thick & Chunky Salsa

1/2 cup Cheese Crumbles or Shredded Cheese

1/2 cup Ranch Dressing

1 cup Brocken Tortilla Chips

Put torn Romaine onto serving platter or in bottom of serving bowl. Cover lettuce with layers of Beans, Corn, Salsa & Cheese. Drizzle with dressing & Sprinkle with Chips.

*Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each.

Satay Chicken Pizza

So this chicken pizza was SUPER easy!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, chopped
1 cup prepared Thai peanut sauce
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 small (4 inch) pita breads
4 slices provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Saute chicken pieces in hot oil for 6 to 7 minutes. Do not overcook!
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
To Assemble Pizza: Spoon 1/4 of peanut sauce onto each pita. Sprinkle 1/4 of the browned chicken and 1/4 of the scallions on top of each. Top each 'pizza' with 1 slice cheese. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes outside of oven before you cut with a pizza cutter.


(So instead of using pita bread (which I couldn't find) I used individual sized Boboli already prepared pizza crust and they were awesome! I Also drizzled some of the peanut sauce over the chicken instead of just the pizza dough. Also, I used kikkoman Thai peanut sauce that I found at Smiths for like $2.05 and it was quite good!)

Good Cooking Site

Hello all you fellow Cookers & Bakers. I know this isn't a recipe & I will be posting some soon, but I thought I would share this blog with ya. It is http://365daysofcrockpot.blogspot.com/ The pictures aren't very good & make the food look kind of questionable, but the meals are pretty good. I have made a few & they are thumbs up. Hope you guys enjoy!

No-bake Peaches 'N Cream Cheesecake: Kraft Foods

2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 cup sugar,
divided 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Peach Flavor Gelatin
2 fresh peaches, chopped
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, thawed


MIX graham crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

BEAT cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add dry gelatin mix; mix well. Stir in peaches and whipped topping. Spoon over crust; cover.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

This cheesecake is heavenly! It is nice and refreshing on a hot summer night! It super easy to, if I can make it anyone can!

Key West Chicken

Key West Chicken

PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
READY IN: 1 Hr

Ingredients

3 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 Tbs Honey
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp chopped garlic
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. In a shallow container, mix soy sauce, vegetable oil, honey, lime juice and garlic. Add chicken breasts to the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes

2. Preheat outdoor grill to high heat

3. Lightly oil grill grate, discard marinade, grill chicken on each side for 6-8 minutes

Mmmm...this is such good chicken. The flavors blend together nicely and it tastes like summer (I know how lame that sounds). We've tried this recipe grilled outside, grilled inside on the Foreman, and baked in a conventional oven. It was great each way, but I think just about everything tastes better grilled. Also, even though it says to marinade for at least half an hour, I've never let it sit for less than 3. Not sure if half an hour is long enough to get the flavors to mix well.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in thin strips
4 tsp. Cajun seasoning
4 Tbs. Butter or margarine
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 green pepper, sliced thin,
2 pkgs linguine noodles cooked and drained
grated, fresh parmesan cheese
1 bunch green onion, sliced
2 c. heavy cream (I think it's also called heavy whipping cream)
½ tsp. Dried basil
½ tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Garlic powder
½ tsp. Pepper

Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a resealable plastic bag; toss or shake to coat.
In large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter until almost tender.
Add peppers and onions; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat. Add cream and seasonings; heat through. Add pasta and toss; heat through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Baked Pesto Chicken

This recipe is super easy and fast to make! I serve this with pasta (with butter and parmesan)

Baked Pesto Chicken

PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 25 Min
READY IN: 30 Min

SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 5 oz. each)
1/2 cup BUITONI® Refrigerated Pesto with Basil
2 plum tomatoes, sliced (optional)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.
Place chicken and pesto in medium bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes and cheese. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Taco Soup from a can

Ok, this is the easiest recipe. The soup is decent, not amazing, but it can pass for a pretty decent meal. And sometimes when I am really lazy or there is nothing in the fridge, I leave out the cheese, and chips and optional extras. It's the perfect recipe for food storage too, since it's all cans.

So are you ready?

1 can Stewed Tomatoes (the mexican kind is good, or regular, but don't get italian-that's just weird)
1 can Yellow Corn
1 can Black Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Green Beans (Just the regular cut kind)
Taco Seasoning (I usually use half the packet, to cut down on sodium)
Shredded cheese
Tortilla Chips

Optional:
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Browned Beef

So open all the cans and dump them into a big pot. Yes, even the juices from the cans. Then I cut up the stewed tomatoes a bit. Turn the heat on medium or medium-high. Add your taco seasoning and beef (optional). It should be warm in about 8 minutes. Pull the pot off the stove and serve into bowls. Top with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream and guacamole.

So easy...open cans, pour them in a pot.

White Chicken Chili

1 lb chicken tenders or skinless breast cubed (use any chicken you have)
medium onion
1 tbl oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 7 oz can chopped green chilies
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin
1 can chicken broth
2 cans white beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream or half & half

Saute chicken, onion & garlic. Add beans, broth, chilies & other seasonings. Boil & reduce heat. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat & add sour cream & half & half. Serve.

My notes:
Will use a little less onion next time.

Sante Fe Wraps by Kraft

Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 20 min

Makes: 4 servings, two wraps each

Ingredients:

4 cups torn romaine lettuce

1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Southwestern Seasoned or Grilled Chicken Breast Strips

1 large tomato, chopped

1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

1/4 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

8 flour tortillas (6 inch)

Cook chicken, mix everything together, roll up in tortillas and eat.

My notes:
1. Just used a normal chicken breast.
2. Used whole wheat tortillas.
3. Could have left out the ranch and would have tasted just as good, but a little healthier.
4. Had enough mixture to make more than 4 tortillas worth.

Recipe details here.