Browned Butter Frosting

This is my favorite!

3/4 C. Butter
6 C. Powdered Sugar
3 T. Milk
1 1/2 t. Vanilla

In small saucepan heat butter over med-low heat until melted and turns a delicate brown. Remove from heat. Combine with sugar, milk vanilla. Beat with mixer. Add more milk if necessary.
Makes about 3 cups.

Soft Sugar Cookies

We made these this week to decorate and take to neighbors and I thought I'd share the recipe.  It makes plenty to share!  (Does anyone have a really good frosting recipe?  I hate store-bought frosting but try as I may, I haven't found the perfect recipe yet!) 

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

5 1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

6 tsp. baking powder

Mix wet ingredients, then add dry and mix well.  Chill in fridge for 45 minutes.  Roll and cut into cookies.  Bake at 375 for 5-8 minutes.  (Do not wait until edges brown.)

Basil Pork Chops

I know this isn't vegetarian, but it's really quick and easy to make.

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (I use olive oil)

4 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 4 ounces each)

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, basil, salt and chili powder. Gradually stir in 1 tablespoon oil until crumbly. Rub over both sides of pork chops. In a large skillet, cook pork in remaining oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Granola Cereal

I got this recipe from my neighbor at a Food Storage Fair our stake hosted. With 3 cups of margarine I'm not sure how heathy it is for you, but it does make a lot and doesn't the word 'Granola' just make you feel good? Plus this is really good mixed in yogurt or just plain with milk.

(This is a double batch)

Granola Cereal

3 cups margarine
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 tsp vanilla

Mix all of the above in a sauce pan until butter is melted.

12 cups dried cereal (oats, chex, cherrios, whatever, I have only used oats to keep it gluten-free)
2 pkg dried fruit
2 cups raisins

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl.

Pour melted butter mixture over cereal and fruit and mix to coat. Pour onto 2 cookie sheets and spread evenly.

Bake 350 for 25 minutes.

Cool and let air dry (couple of hours). Store in air tight container.

A suggestion

Could everyone label their posts so that we can look them up in categories? Just put dinner, lunch, dessert, etc. The label area is on the bottom when you post. Thanks!

Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Pancakes

I'll continue on with the pumpkin theme. I've made both of these recipes just this week. In fact we had the pumpkin bread for dinner the other night, that's an okay dinner isn't it? We did have the pancakes for breakfast but that doesn't mean we've never had them for dinner.

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Cream the sugar and oil together.
2. Add eggs and pumpkin, mixing well.
3. Mix together the dry ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture alternately with water.
5. Pour into 2 well greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until tests done.
7. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from pan to cool.
8. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick off center and if it comes out clean the bread is done.
*** Instead of 2- 9x5 pans, I made 3 mini loaves, which took about 40-45 minutes to cook and one 9x5 which took a little over an hour.

Thanks to Lisa F. for the recipe and the picture, I stole it from her blog and it is a picture of the actual finished product.

Good Morning Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c. pancake mix (like Bisquick)
½ cup canned pumpkin
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. vegetable oil
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ c. (12oz. can) evaporated milk

In large mixing bowl combine pancake mix, sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Add evaporated milk, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour ¼ c. batter onto hot griddle.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

With Halloween coming up, I thought I'd share "Dinner in a Pumpkin". I got the recipe from my Aunt Margie and it has been our traditional Halloween dinner ever since. Enjoy!

1 medium 10-12" pumpkin

1/2 lb. hamburger

1 small onion- chopped

1 clove garlic- minced

1 small green pepper

1 can (14 oz.) kidney beans, drained

1 can (11 0z.) corn, drained

1/4 cup olives, chopped

1 can (8 oz.) stewed tomatoes

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. pepper



Fry hamburger, saute onion, garlic and green pepper with hamburger. Combine all ingredients together and add to cleaned out pumpkins. Put lid on top. Cook until lid starts to fall in.



Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cup pumpkin

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 package chocolate chips (semi sweet, milk, or white - or a combination)

Cream sugars and butter.  Add eggs and beat until smooth.  Mix in vanilla and pumpkin.  Add dry ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 14 minutes or until lightly browned.

Your house will smell lovely.

Chicken Salsa Verde Bake

This is a Rachael Ray recipe--yummo!

Chicken Salsa Verde Bake

2 TB vegatable oil
2 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 16 oz jars salsa verde
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup shredded mexican-style cheese

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Let stand until cool, then shred the meat into a large bowl. Stir in salsa, kidney beans, onion and sour cream.

Grease 9x13 inch baking dish, scatter 1 cup tortilla chips on the bottom and top with half of the chicken mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat layers and cover with remaining 1 cup tortilla chips. Bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes.


**I have used canned chicken from the cannery, shredded it and it works great and takes even less time. I also saute the onions before I mix them in, I like the onions more cooked.

Note from Racheal-- Instead of shredded chicken, stir in 3 cups sauteed vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, corn and mushrooms. I have never tried this, but all you veg lovers let me know.

Enjoy--Kris

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

I got this recipe from my sister in law Rachel and I could seriously eat this salad for lunch every day.  It's also a great way to get my kids eating broccoli and cauliflower.  I don't have exact amounts for the recipe, but I'll just put down what I use.  (By the way, I took this picture and believe me, the salad looks way better in real life.  How come the pictures on google images are so much better than mine?!)

BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER SALAD

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 head (or is it a floret?) broccoli, chopped 

1/2 to 1 head lettuce (this is one of the only times I use iceberg)

1 1/2 cups Craisins

1-2 cups chow mein noodles

1 1/2 cups cubed cheese (I usually use cheddar, but you could use any kind)

Bacon (optional, but really the only way to get Garreth to eat a salad!)

Dressing:

1/3 cup each of sugar, mayo, and red wine vinegar, whisked

Sweet Pork and Tomatilllo Dressing

I was telling my mom and Kris about this just last weekend and thought this would be a great way to give them the recipe. The pork and the dressing are kind of like the stuff they use at Cafe Rio. We love to make pork salads using this. We layer tortillas, rice, beans, corn, pork, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, broken up corn chips, cheese and the dressing. It's almost like being there. We have also used the pork in buns for pork sandwiches. The dressing is great on any kind of salad and my kids love to dip quesadillas and chips in it for a little snack.

Sweet Pulled Pork

3 lbs. pork roast

1 tsp. chili powder
1 c. dark brown sugar

1 T. garlic powder
1 c. worchestershire sauce

2 T. dried minced onion
1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1 tsp. salt

1 c. dark brown sugar

1 c. red enchilada sauce

Cook first 9 ingredients in a crock-pot all day. One hour before serving shred meat. Dump out juice. Put shredded pork back in crock-pot and add final 2 ingredients (brown sugar and enchilada sauce) and then cook until warmed through.

**The pork roasts from Costco shred the best and are not very fatty.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Place the following in a blender:
3 tomatillos peeled and cut in quarters
juice of ½ lime
½ c. buttermilk
½ c. mayo
½ c. sour cream
1 pkg. dry ranch buttermilk dressing
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
6 green onions with ends
2 cloves crushed garlic
3 tsp. sugar
1 jalapeno sliced thin, optional

Mix well in blender and refrigerate 1 hour. It will be pretty runny until it sets up in the fridge.

Taco Soup

Here is a favorite at our house:

TACO SOUP

1 lb. hamburger (browned)

1 can mexi-corn

2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes

( I run the tomatoes through the food processor because I don't like the tomato chunks)

1 pkg. taco seasoning.

Mix together and let simmer for about 10 minutes. This works great in the crock pot if you want to make it in advance.

We top ours with just cheese, but you can put sour cream on it also, if you wish.

Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Potato Cheese Soup

This is by far my most requested recipe and one of my favorites.  If I am taking dinner to anybody, they'll most likely receive this with a crusty loaf of bread and a salad.  (By the way, I totally stole this picture from some other cook, but this is a lot like what my soup looks like!)

POTATO CHEESE SOUP

4 medium potatoes, diced

1 lg onion, chopped

5 cups water

1/4 cup butter

3 Tbls flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp seasoning salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

chopped chives

Boil potatoes and onion in water.  Simmer until tender.  Add butter.  In a bowl, whisk milk and flour together, then add to saucepan.  Mix and heat until thickened.  Add cheese.  When melted, add seasonings.  Garnish with chives.

That is the basic recipe.  The best part is that you can easily add or change it to what your family likes.  For example, we love strong cheeses, so I use a mix of sharp cheddar and whatever other strong cheese we have.  (Have you tried Costco's Coastal Cheddar?  It's yummy!)   You can also add carrots, corn, or other veggies.  

Enjoy!

We're Up and Going!

Thanks to everyone who is co-authoring with me!  I am ready to be inspired!