Cooking it Up in Toledo

Apple Brownies

2010-10-13T16:17:00.001-07:00

submitted by Cyndi and found online

Apple Brownies
Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 3 medium apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, sugar, and egg until fluffy. Fold in the apples and walnuts. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture until just blended. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.

3. Bake 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Peaches

2010-09-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

Paula Dean's Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

8 tablespoons butter (if using a 9x13 pan, 4 Tbsp for a 9x9 dish)

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

4. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

5. To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

summer recipes - pound cake, tortellini salad, blueberry muffins

2010-08-04T16:11:00.001-07:00

taste-of-summer

light pound cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (6 ounces) fat-free lemon yogurt
GLAZE:
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, then egg, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and extracts. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with yogurt.
Transfer to a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For glaze, in a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel until blended. Stir in apricots. Drizzle over cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition facts: 1 slice equals 276 calories, 8 g fat

(Healthy Cooking August/September 2010, p30)

tortellini salad

7 oz cheese tortellini

1 cup broccoli florets

1/2

cup fresh parsley, chopped

6 oz. marinated artichokes, drained

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup italian salad dressing

2 1/2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Rinse and drain again.

Combine tortellini with broccoli, parsley, artichokes, and green onion in a large bowl; toss lightly to mix.

Pour salad dressing over tortellini mixture; sprinkle with basil and toss gently.

Arrange tomatoes on top and sprinkle with cheese.

best

blueberry muffins

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

1 cup milk

4 tsp. baking powder

2 2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

Mix all ingredients well. Add 2 cups of blueberries which have been coated with flour. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Works best with fresh blueberries.

Summer Food

2010-08-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

Summer Vegetable Tortellini

1 pkg. cheese tortellini
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, sliced
1.5 cups frozen corn
½ cup vegetable broth
2 cups coarsely chopped roma tomatoes
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil (2-3 tsp. dry)
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook ravioli as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and
garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add zucchini, corn and broth; mix well. Bring to a boil
Reduce heat; summer 3 to 5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender.
3. Add tomatoes, basil and cooked ravioli; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated
and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. If desired, add salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle with cheese.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Ingredients

8 oz. Cream Cheese

1/4 c. Brown Sugar

1/4 c. Strawberry Yogurt

3 tsp. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions

Mix cream cheese, sugar and yogurt together until creamy texture. Add lemon juice and

vanilla and continue to mix together. Refrigerate 1 hour and serve.

Asparagus, Tomato & Feta Orzo Salad

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound asparagus - cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked and drained
1 (4 ounce) container crumbled feta
1 large tomato, diced
1 green onion, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Whisk together the rice vinegar, white sugar, sea salt, sesame oil, and olive oil in the bottom of a salad bowl. Add the asparagus, feta, tomato, green onion, and cilantro to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

2010-04-20T15:28:00.001-07:00

This is a fabulous summer appetizer! if you remember, mine weren't nearly this cute or perfect looking- but they were delicious.

1 sliced cucumber (I left the peel on)

soft fresh bread (any sort will do- I used a white presliced italian bread loaf from the bakery) cut into small pieces

4 oz cream cheese softened
ranch packet seasoning to taste. It's really strong so I suggest starting with just a few shakes
1 dallop sour cream

mix it all together and let sit six or more hours if possible. I didn't do this and they were still very good.
spread dip on bread. place cucumber on top. you can sprinkle with dill if you have it.

Fruit Salsa

2010-04-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 apple
8 strawberries
handful of grapes
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons applesauce

Cut up fruit into bite size pieces and then mix with other ingredients. Serve with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips.

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
(4) 6 inch flour tortillas
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Mix cinnamon and sugar together. Set aside.
2. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush tortillas with water. Sprinke each one with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
3. Stack tortillas on top of each other. With pizza cutter, cut stack into 8 wedges.
4. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place in preheated oven fro 8-9 minutes.

Apple Snickers Salad

2010-04-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

5 apples ( i used fuji, but you can use any kind)
5 snickers
1 tub of cool whip
sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

chop up the apples.
chop up the snickers.
mix together
stir in cool whip.

best if chilled before serving.

*It is easier to chop the snickers if they are cold, so put them in the freezer or fridge before you cut them.

Steak Tacos with Avacodo Lime Salsa

2010-03-04T14:20:00.001-08:00

Steak Tacos with Avocado Lime Salsa
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• A pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/4 pound top sirloin steaks cut 1-inch thick
• 12 small corn tortillas (5 to 6 inches in diameter)
• 3 cups shredded red cabbage ( I like to use broccoli slaw mix instead since it’s got red cabbage, carrots, and broccoli silvers)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 2 cups Avocado Lime Salsa, recipe follows
Directions
In a small bowl stir together chili powder, garlic, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper. Rub spice mixture on both sides of steaks.
Grill or broil steaks for 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium rare, turning once. Remove from grill and let meat sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve into thin slices.
Warm tortillas by placing them on the grill, for about 30 seconds, turning once. Or place 6 tortillas at a time between 2 moist paper towels and microwave for 45 seconds. Wrap in cloth napkin or place in a tortilla warmer to keep warm. Place the carved steak, warm tortillas, cabbage, cilantro, lime and Avocado Lime Salsa in serving dishes and let diners make their own tacos at the table.
Avocado Lime Salsa:
1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
2 avocados, cut into chunks
1/2 red onion, diced
2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
Salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 jalapeno chiles, chopped, plus more to taste
Place cucumber, avocado and onion in a large bowl and add lime juice and salt. Add cilantro and chiles and toss gently.
Yield: 2 cups (1 serving is 1/3 cup)

Mac and Cheese

2010-03-04T14:19:00.001-08:00

Mac and Cheese (I used half the sauce and saved the rest)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/
Ingredients
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash
• 2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
• 4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 2 ounces Monterrey jack cheese , grated (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until it is defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

Chicken Sate and Peanut Sauce

2010-03-04T14:18:00.001-08:00

Chicken Sate and Peanut Sauce (You can use the sauce for pad thai and spring rolls too)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/
Ingredients for chicken sate
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup lite coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (or 2 additional teaspoons low sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast pounded slightly and cut into 1-inch strips
Directions
8 (8-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes
• 3/4 cup Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, recipe below
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and ginger. Add the chicken strips and marinate for 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high flame. While pan is heating, thread chicken onto skewers. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, until meat is cooked through and has light grill marks.
Serve chicken skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce, and garnish with basil or cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Yield: 4 servings (2 skewers and 2 tablespoons peanut sauce per serving)
Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce:
• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon red curry paste
• 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Sauce can be made 1 day ahead of time, and will keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

Teriyaki Sauce

2010-03-04T14:17:00.001-08:00

Teriyaki Sauce (I use it on chicken and pork tenderloin and like to serve it with brown rice/quinoa or veggie spring rolls)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with a garlic press or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 pound pork tenderloin
Directions
Combine the soy sauce, oil, sugar, sherry, vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and add the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag and marinate the pork in the refrigerator, turning once, for 1/2 hour, or up to 8 hours.
Preheat the broiler. Place the pork on a roasting pan and broil for 15 minutes, turning once.

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-03-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

Chicken Pot Pie
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks ( do less and more veggies)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
• 2 leeks, bottom 4 inches only, washed well and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 sheets frozen phyllo dough , thawed
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 4 individual-sized baking dishes with cooking spray.
Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few turns of pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add 2 more teaspoons of the oil, the leeks, and the celery to the pan and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, green beans, garlic, and remaining salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the milk to the pan. Stir the flour into the chicken broth until dissolved and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken, peas, parsley, and thyme. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dishes.
Put the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil into a small bowl. Unroll the phyllo dough and cut it into quarters. Place a quarter sheet on top of each baking dish and brush with olive oil. Repeat with remaining 3 baking dishes. Tuck the edges of the phyllo into the dish rim. Top each pie with Parmesan.
Place on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Eric's Favorite Enchilada Casserole

2010-03-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

2 cups diced chicken breast meat

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained

1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce – MILD

8 (6 inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 (8 oz) container low fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Sauté chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.

Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.

Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.

Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is from The Sisters' Cafe and is one of Eric's favorite dinners ever!

K-Mo's Pot Roast

2010-03-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

2-3 lb roast

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 package Lipton onion soup mix

1-2 Tbs milk

3-4 large carrots, peeled and sliced

3 med potatoes, peeled and cubed

Brown the meat in a pan on both sides before putting in crock pot. This will help keep the flavor in. Then in a large crockpot put meat, soups and onion soup mix. Cook on low for 1-2 hours. Then add carrots and potatoes, and cook for 4-5 more hours on low.

It turns out delicious and makes its own gravy.

Stromboli

2010-03-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

1 loaf Rhodes bread dough

1/4 lb ham, sliced

1/4 lb hard salami

1/4 lb provolone

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 tsp dried basil, divided

1/2 tsp dried oregano, divided

melted butter or olive oil

cornmeal

Set out bread dough to thaw. Once thawed, spread the dough out on a cookie sheet. Layer the ham and then the salami along the middle of the dough going lengthwise. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp each of basil and oregano then layer on cheeses. Sprinkle with remaining basil and oregano. Wet edges of the dough and fold over the long edges and roll up the ends. Brush olive oil over dough and sprinkle lightly with corn meal. Carefully flip stromboli over and repeat on other side. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Serve with hot spaghetti sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

This is from The Sisters' Cafe...and is one of Sam's favorite dinners!

Boyer's Caramel Brownies

2010-02-17T15:55:00.000-08:00

1 (14-oz) package caramels, unwrapped

2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided

1 package German chocolate cake mix

½ cup butter, melted

1 (6-oz) package milk chocolate chips

Melt caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk together in saucepan; set aside.

Grease and flour 9x13 inch pan. Stir cake mix, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and melted butter together by hand and press half of the mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and pat chocolate chips into crust, then pour melted caramel over. Daub remaining half of cake mixture on top and bake for another 15-18 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

This makes a TON of cookies so you can half it if you want. I hesitate to post this since I don't know how much flour goes in it. I never measure because I just do it until it feels right. Sometime I should measure because I feel that the right amount of flour is the most important part. I would guess it is somewhere between 4-7 cups. I just do it until the dough is still a little sticky but not too sticky that you can't roll it into balls. I also don't know how long to cook them for, somewhere between 6-10 minutes. I like them almost doughy still.

4eggs
2 cubes of butter (melt it just enough but not totally runny; I think it helps the cookies)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup crisco
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 T Karo syrup
1-2 cups oatmeal
Flour ? (read above)
1-2 bags chocolate chips (however you like it)

BAKE: 350 6-10 minutes

Chocolate Scotcheroos

2010-02-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut putter

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 package (6-ounce, 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

1 package (6-ounce, 1 cup) butterscotch chips

Combine corn syrup and surgar in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13x9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2x1-inch bars when cool.

Makes 4 dozen

(Recipe can easily be halved which is how I normally make it)

Gooey Cake

2010-02-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 Egg
1 Stick butter, melted

Stir all together and mix by hand.
Smooth in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

2 Eggs
1 lb Powdered Sugar
1 8oz Package Cream Cheese

Beat together.
Put on top of other layer.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Asparagus Soup

2010-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

1 lb fresh asparagus
3 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Put chicken stock in pot and boil.
Cut 1 inch off the bottom of asparagus and discard. Break the remaining asparagus into pieces (i usually break each stalk into 4 pieces).
Add asparagus to the pot (even if the stock isn't boiling yet). Bring to boil and let it cook until the asparagus is soft.
If you are using a chicken stock that isn't very flavorful you can add a little chicken boillion granuales for extra flavor.
Pour the entire pot (liquid and asparagus) into a blender. Blend until smooth.

I like mine just like that, but if you want to spice it up, after it is blended, you can add cayenne pepper or curry or any other spice you like.

Tortellini Soup

2010-02-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Tortellini Soup

1 tsp canola oil (if needed)
2 cups of onion chopped
2 garlic cloves finely minced
1 1/2 cups of chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
6 cups of chicken broth (I used more since the tortellini takes up so much liquid)
3 oz chopped baby spinach
9 oz fresh deli section spinach tortellini

heat oil and add onions cook until softened and then add garlic until onions are transparent and garlic is cooked. Then add carrots, celery, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the veggies are softened. Then add the tomatoes with the juice and chicken broth bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the tortellini and spinach and cook until pasta is cooked.

Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

2010-01-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

I like this recipe because I usually have all the ingredients on hand. It is a warm and cozy meal, but low in fat and easy to make.

Ingredients:
8 oz boneless skinless chicken (cut into bite-size pieces)
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. coat pan with cooking spray. add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add celery and ingredients through bay leaf to pan; saute 5 min or until onion is tender. return chicken to pan; bring mixture to a boil. cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 min.
Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, stirring just until moist. Spoon by the teaspoonful into broth mixture; sitting the batter on top of the pieces of chicken (not submerging). Cover and simmer for 10 min or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley and bay leaf. yield: 2 servings of 2 cups each.

Note: i usually double the dumpling portion because i like lots of dumplings with mine.

Cheeseburger in Paradise Soup

2010-01-15T12:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeno
3 cups water
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 lb ground beef
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
5 cups milk, divided
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 16oz package velveeta, cubed
crumbled cooked bacon (for garnish)

In a soup kettle, combine the first nine ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 min or until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook beef and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add to soup. Stir in 4 cups of the milk; heat through.
In a small bowl, combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in velveeta until melted. Garnish with bacon. Yield: 14 servings (about 3 1/2 quarts)

2010-01-15T06:08:00.000-08:00

Chilled Berry Soup. I read lots of different recipes and then melded them together to create this one. Everything can be increased or decreased to find desired level of sweetness and consistency.

3 cups frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 c frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 container plain (or vanilla or fruity) ff yogurt
1/4-1/3 c sugar (to taste)
1/3 cup orange juice (can be increased/decreased to taste)
a little bit of sour cream. mmmmm!!
dash of cardamom (or ginger or Cinnamon since I don't have cardamom)
diced sour cream pound cake (bundt cake or pudding cake or whatever you call it)

liquefy in the blender and serve chilled. It can be frozen and re liquefied- but it needs to be a little warmer to make soupy. Top with pound cake croutons!!

Soups and Stews

2010-01-14T16:58:00.001-08:00

La Madeleine Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients

4 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice
12 - 14 washed fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sweet, unsalted butter, softened
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Crusty bread (optional)

Directions

Combine tomatoes and juice in saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes over
medium-low heat. Cool slightly, then place in a blender or food
processor. Add basil and process to puree; this will have to be done in
batches.
Return mixture to saucepan. Add cream and butter. Stir over low heat
until butter and cream are incorporated. Stir in salt and pepper before
serving. Garnish with more fresh basil and serve with fresh, crusty
bread. Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: Cal 237 Fat 22g Fiber 1g Chol. 67 mg Sodium 165 mg Carbs 10g Calcium 45g
Recipe by: La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe, Dallas TX
Notes: When I don't have fresh basil I use 1 Tablespoon dried. When making this soup for my family for a quick meal I often use half and half in place of the the heavy cream and cut back on the butter. It is still yummy, but the real thing is divine!

Pumpkin Crunch Pudding Cake

2009-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

30 oz can pureed pumpkin
12 oz can evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. your favorite pumpkin pie spice (I ended up using 2 t. each of cinnamon and nutmeg)

Mix together. Pour into greased 9x13 pan.
Lightly spread 1 box yellow cake mix on top (unmixed, just the powder)
Pat 1 cup chopped pecans into the cake mix.
Melt 1/2 lb. (two cubes) butter and pour over.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Top with whipped cream. (When I brought this it had not been refrigerated for very long, maybe 15 min.)

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing

2009-11-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. pureed pumpkin
3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. (I just lined the pan with wax paper and didn't spray it)

2. Combine all the ingredients and mix well until smooth, about 2 minutes.

3. Spread the batter on the cookie sheet and smooth with the spatula. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes (mine was done in 10 min), until the top appears set and teh cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove pan from oven and let the cake sit for 3 minutes. Turn the cake our onto a kitchen towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar (be generous with the sugar, this keeps the cake from sticking to the towel). Starting at the narrow end, roll up the cake in the towel and let it cool completely, seam side down, for 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese icing.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Cream together cream cheese and butter, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Beat until smooth.

5. Carefully unroll the cake and spread with icing (I used all the frosting). Reroll the cake (without the towel) and place seam side down on waxed paper. Wrap tightly and keep in the refrigerator.

Spiced Pumpkin Fudge

2009-11-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

Here is the recipe from the Nestle Very Best Baking website. The only difference is I omit the nuts and grease my foil. I found that the timing to get to soft-ball stage was the full 12 minutes and maybe even a few extra depending on your pot/stove.

Spiced Pumpkin Fudge
Estimated Times:Preparation - 10 min Cooking - 20 min Cooling Time - 2 hrs cooling Yields - 48 servings (2 pieces per serving)

This classic holiday recipe delivers on the taste of the season -- a wonderful gift for your family and friends.
Source: www.verybestbaking.com

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:

LINE 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil. (I spray the foil with pam)

COMBINE sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and spice in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234° to 240º F (soft-ball stage).

QUICKLY STIR in morsels, marshmallow crème, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until morsels are melted. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let stand on wire rack for 2 hours or until completely cooled. Refrigerate tightly covered. To cut, lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Makes about 3 pounds.

FOR BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE:SUBSTITUTE 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels for Premier White Morsels.

2009-11-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup white sugar (or ¾ cup white sugar)

½ cup vegetable oil (or ½ cup unsweetened applesauce)

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 Tbs vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil (or applesauce), and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

2. Add vanilla and chocolate chips, stir well.

3. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

2009-11-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin marble cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs

½ cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

6 tbsp butter, melted

Filling:

3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Dash ground cloves

Crust:

Mix crumbs, pecans and butter; press onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 9-inch spring form pan.

Filling:

Mix cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, mixing on low speed just until blended. Reserve 1 ½ cups batter. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar, pumpkin and spices to remaining batter; mix well. Spoon ½ of the pumpkin batter over crust; top with spoonfuls of plain batter. Repeat in layers. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.

Bake at 325 for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loose cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

gooey delicous caramel corn

2009-11-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 c br. sugar
1 c karo syrup
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the first four ingredients and bring to soft ball candy stage (when dropped in cold water, it will lose some elasticity- but when removed can be formed into an oozyish softball). I just let mine boil (while stirring) for two minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and let sit for five minutes. Pour on top of six quarts (twenty-four cups popped or about 3/4 c kernals) popcorn.

I halved my recipe and still made plenty!

Very Low Fat Banana Bread

2009-11-03T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1 egg (or 2 egg whites)

1 t vanilla

1 cup banana, mashed

1/3 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In separate bowl mix egg, vanilla, bananas and applesauce. Add to dry ingredients and stir just till combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack and allow to cool before slicing.

Tip: Use very ripe bananas, the riper the bananas the better the bread will be. When I made it unfortunately my bananas were not ripe enough.

"Fried" Rice

2009-10-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

2 beaten eggs or egg whites
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
4 scallions
1 TBSP minced ginger
3/4 C red, yellow, or orange diced bell peppers
1/4-1-2 C shelled edamame
1/2 C corn
4 C brown rice or white rice
6 oz (about half a package) of firm tofu cut into bite size pieces
3-5 TBSP low sodium soy sauce depends on how seasoned you like the rice

* To make it easier you could add a frozen bag of mixed veggies instead.

Saute garlic, ginger, and scallions until fragrant and soft (takes about 2 minutes). Add in the pepper, corn, edamame,tofu, and rice cook until warm and then make a hole in the middle of the rice mix. Pour the egg in the hole and cook until almost cooked then mix egg mix/scrambled egg in with the rest of rice mixture. Add the soy sauce and mix in . Serve Warm
Serves 4-6

sweet potato,sausage, and cider soup. mmmmmm.

2009-10-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

1 Box of chicken stock (3-4 cups)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans ( a few recipes I found online used black beans instead- we may try that)
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb- 1lb Cooked chopped sausage or even chicken chunks. We did lean turkey sausage.
1 large or two small sweet potatoes chopped in small cubes
1-2 cups apple cider (or apple juice- or half the concentrate)

you could also add carrots- or any other veggies.

Let it all simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender. about 15-25 minutes.

Salad (Leisy Miller)

2009-09-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

California Pizza Kitchen's bbq chicken salad

I HIGHLY recommend SWEET BABY RAYS hickory and brown sugar bbq sauce.
serves 4-8

SALAD

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored, rinsed, dried, and chopped up into small pieces
1/2 head romaine lettuce leaf, separated, trimmed, rinsed, dried, and chopped into small strips/squares
you can add some spinach for more nutrition :)
1 lb jicama, cut 1/4 by 1/4 X 3/4-inch strips
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup canned black bean, rinsed, drained
1 cup canned sweet white corn kernels, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup good-quality sweet-&-spicy barbecue sauce
1/4 cup thinly-sliced scallion top
tortilla salad strips (we got them at GFS in maumee)

CHICKEN. marinate in first four ingredients for 15 minutes. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Chop into cubes- chill- and coat in bbq sauce.

1 1/3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 Oz Ea)
1/4 cup good-quality sweet-&-spicy barbecue sauce

Lemon Curd (Maria Carter)

2009-09-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Lemon Curd Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)

1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces [I felt like this was a little too much butter, I would probably go with 3 Tbsp].

[Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. I put the lemons in the fridge and when I was ready grated them while they were cold then put them in the microwave for like 20 seconds and then squeezed them.]

Instructions from the Joy of Baking web site:

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. [I did not do this, if there are lumps it is from cooked egg white and that doesn't bother me so I didn't strain it]. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml).

If you want a lighter lemon curd whip 1/2 cup (120 ml) of heavy whipping cream and fold into the lemon curd.

Sauces and Dips

2009-09-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

French Brie Fondue

13 oz. ripe French Brie 1/4 cup butter
1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup flour 1 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 cup heavy cream 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
salt freshly ground black pepper

To Serve: grapes, cubes of French bread, raw button mushrooms

Cut away find from Brie and slice cheese thinly. Set aside.

Melt butter in teh fondue pot ( I have an electric fondue pot and made the whole thing in it.) over a low heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook gently for 10 minutes until softened. Sprinkle flour over and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Gradually add stock and continue to stir until mixture thickens. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.

Stir sliced Brie and ceam into the fondue. Cook, stirring, until cheese has melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the fondue pot to the lighted spirit burner. To serve, spear grapes, bread, and mushrooms on to skewers or fondue forks and dip into the fondue. Serves 4-6.

Ham and Potato Casserole (Cyndi Ericksen)

Ingredients

4 large potatoes (peeled and cubed)

8 oz ham (cubed or diced)

8-12 oz sour cream

½ - 2/3 can of cream ck soup can

Cheddar cheese grated for the top

Steam or boil cubed potatoes until soft (if boiling in water it takes about 20 minutes). Salt and pepper potatoes and put in 8x8 casserole dish. Stir in ham, sour cream and cream ck soup (Don’t actually make it into a soup. Just take directly from the can.) Make sure all of the potatoes are covered in the sauce. Top with cheese and bake in oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

PASTA

2009-08-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

Pasta Night Cooking Group (if you're not in the picuture, come next time!)

Macaroni and Cheese (Karinda Wieland)

Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz elbow macaroni (or other noodle)
3 Tbs butter or margarine
3 Tbs flour
2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp or extra
sharp is best, but mild or medium will do in a pinch)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs (optional - we don't
like this, but if you, feel free to do it!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the macaroni according to package directions
and keep an eye on it as you prepare the cheese sauce.

Melt butter in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium-high
heat. Add the flour and stir briefly. Add the milk to the
butter and flour mixture and bring just to a boil, then
reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 cups of the cheese
(reserve 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top).

When macaroni is cooked, drain, then pour into a
9 x 9 baking dish. Pour the hot cheese sauce over
the macaroni, and sprinkle the bread crumbs (if using)
and remaining cheese over the mixture.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.

This dish can easily be doubled and also freezes very well.

Vegetable Lasagne (Jeannette Monson)

Tomatoe Pesto (Leisy Miller)

BBQ Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad (Beth Stewart)

BLT Bow Tie Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

6 cups torn romaine
2 1/2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast (about 2 breasts) (I grill mine with BBQ sauce the day before)
1 small box grape tomatoes, halved
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoon barbecue sauce
3 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
water

DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta, romaine, chicken, tomato and bacon. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, water (as needed to thin), barbecue sauce, vinegar and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture (I usually reserve about 1/3 of the dressing); toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Homemade Pitas & Basil Pesto (Karinda Wieland)

Pesto

3 cups fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In food processor (or blender) blend together basil,
walnuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Pour in oil slowly
while still mixing. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Freezes
well.

Pita Bread

1 cup plus 3 Tbsp warm water
1 Tbs shortening
3/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour (I do at least 1/2 whole wheat)
2 1/4 tsp (or 1 pkg) active dry yeast

Mix dough in bread machine on dough cycle (or you
can do this by hand  kneading until it forms a soft dough
and allow to rise until double).   Remove from machine
and place on lightly floured surface.
Cut dough in half and cut each half into 6 equal pieces,
making 12  pieces (sometimes I do more or less depending
on how big I want them  in the end).  Shape pieces into
smooth balls.  With a rolling pin,  roll each ball into a flat
4 inch disk.  It is important to roll  without stretching the
dough and without folding the dough over on  itself, otherwise
it will not "puff" up and form a "pocket".  Don't  worry about
making them perfect circles.  Cover with a clean kitchen
cloth and let rise 30 minutes.

Place baking pan in oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Place 4  pitas on preheated baking pan and bake for 5
minutes or until breads  puff up and just begin to brown.
Remove from oven and place pitas in  a brown paper bag to
cool (you can also place them on a wire rack to
cool, but the brown paper bag keeps them softer).  Breads
will  collapse as they cool.  If they don't, prick them with a fork.
Often  there will be some that just won't form a "pocket", but
they are still good:)
Eat within a couple days or else freeze for future use.

Options:
Whole Wheat - substitute 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour for
1 1/2 cups  white flour.
Onion and Garlic - Add 1/2 tsp each onion and garlic powder
to dry  ingredients when preparing the dough.  Use as bread
or Tex-Mex - Add 1/2 tsp each chili powder and paprika to dry
ingredients  when preparing the dough.  Split them in half to
make tacos or serve  them as chips with guacamole.

Chicken Spaghetti (Julie Sacks)

Chicken Spaghetti

2 c cooked chicken, cut-up
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c sour cream
1/2 c chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1 can of mushrooms
1 small jar of pimentos
1 pat of margerine
1 c grated cheese
spaghetti
1 c chicken broth

Saute onion, celery and mushrooms in margerine. Add chicken, both soups, sour cream and pimentos.
Cook spaghetti. Add spaghetti and chicken broth (broth makes it juicy).
Pour it all into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with cheese.
Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees, until bubbly.
*Serves 8-10.

Garlic and Oil Pasta (submitted by Eric Marks)

Garlic and Oil Pasta

garlic
red pepper flakes
olive oil
grated parmesan or romano cheese
spaghetti or fettuccine

Saute garlic and red pepper flakes in some olive oil. Prepare pasta, spaghetti or fettuccine. Drain pasta and return it to pot. Add garlic and oil mixture to the pot and stir. Add grated parmesan or romano cheese. He added some cut up grape tomatoes to it as well. This is best served hot, and is a traditional italian light dinner.

Sensational Salads

2009-07-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust. MAKE SURE YOU "SEAL" the edges so the next layer doesn't seep into the crust!
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in still frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.

Grapefruit Pork Salad

1/4 c grapefruit juice
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T canola oil
2 t honey
1 t mustard
1 t poppy seeds
1/8 t salt
MIX in jar and set aside.

1 lb. pork tenderloin, julienned
1 bunch leaf lettuce, torn
1 medium grapefruit, peeled and sectioned (no skin)
1 medium white grapefruit, peeled and sectioned (no skin)
1 1/2 c halved green grapes
1 c quartered fresh strawberries

In large skillet coated with cooking spray, stir fry pork with 1/4 t salt.

Place lettuce on a platter, top with warm pork. Arrange grapefruit, grapes and strawberries around pork. Shake dressing; drizzle over salad.

Cashew Chicken Rotini Salad

1 pkg. rotini or spiral pasta (16 oz.)
4 c cubed cooked chicken
1 can pineapple tidbits (opt)
1 1/2 c sliced celery
3/4 c green onions, thinly sliced
1 c seedless green grapes
1 c seedless red grapes (or 2 cups of one kind)
1 pkg dried cranberries
1 c ranch salad dressing
3/4 c mayo
2 c salted cashews

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl combine chicken, pineapple, celery, onions, grapes, and cranberries. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water. Stir in chicken mixture.

In a small bowl whisk ranch dressing and mayo. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refridgerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in cashews. Yeilds 12 servings.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Cook 3 chicken breasts in 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup soy sauce for 2 hours in 375 degree oven...cool,chop and set aside

Dressing...Make at least 2 hours before serving and shake every 20 minutes (I usually double or triple the recipe)

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. MSG

1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil

3 Tbsp Vinegar

1 Tbsp Sesame oil

1 tsp salt

1 head or lettuce or bag of salad mix (I also add cucumbers and grape tomatoes)

1 cup almonds

2 Tbsp chopped green onions

2 oz Wonton skins cut into thin strips, deep fry in 400 degree oil until golden brown

2 handfuls of rice sticks, deep fry in 400 degree oil until it pops like pop corn...will not be brown

Place salad in a bowl, toss in wontons, rice sticks and chicken right before serving...toss all with dressing or serve it on the side

Picnic Foods

2009-06-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

Layered Jello

6 (6 oz) boxes of Jello (I get three different flavors, 2 boxes of each flavor)
2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk

Directions
1. Dissolve 1 box gelatin in 3/4 cup hot water.  Once dissolved add 3/4 cup evaporated milk.
2. Allow to set before doing the next layer
3. Use second box of the same flavor gelatin used in first layer, and dissolve in 3/4 cup hot water.  Once dissolved add 3/4 cup cold water.
4. Allow to set
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the other 2 flavors.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs - Robert Thomas

2009-06-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Rub ingredients:

4 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne

This makes enough rub for 2-3 racks of ribs depending on how spicy you like them.

Preparation:

Mix ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. Lightly coat ribs in olive oil. Sprinkle rub evenly over ribs, covering both sides. Rub into meat and refrigerate for 3-24 hours.

If you don't have a smoker and like a smoky flavor, sprinkle ribs with mesquite or hickory liquid smoke after rub has been applied but before "rubbing" it around.

Bake ribs in aluminum foil in oven for about 4 hours at 250 degrees or if in a hurry, for 3 hours at 300 degrees. Remove from foil and coat in favorite barbecue sauce.

Our favorite is Mississippi Barbecue Sauce made right here in Fremont, Ohio. Grill on a hot grill until sauce and ribs are charred to desired degree. The BBQ sauce will burn quickly because of the high sugar content. Should take no more than 10 minutes to finish the ribs this way. Add any additional sauce desired and enjoy!

Now go run on the treadmill for at least 60 minutes!

Sausage Potato Soup by Candace Slater

2009-05-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sausage Potato Soup

1/2 lb Smoked Kielbasa or Polish Sausage, diced
6 medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used red potatoes)
2 c frozen Corn
1 1/2 c Chicken broth
1 Celery rib, sliced
1/4 c sliced Carrot
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 1/2 c Milk
2/3 c shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp minced fresh Parsley (I used dried)

In large saucepan, brown sausage over medium heat; drain. Set sausage aside. In same pan, combine the potatoes, corn, broth, celery, carrot and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 
Add the milk, cheese, parsley and sausage.
Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.
Serves 6

Candace Slater

Grandma Verda's Spudnuts by Lindsay Dockter

2009-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Grandma Verda’s Spudnuts

Yeast Mixture:
3 packets yeast cakes
1 ½ T. sugar
½ cup warm water
Stir to dissolve yeast.

In a large bowl, place
2 cups scalded and cooled milk
1 cup mashed potatoes (could use instant potatoes made according to recipe)
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter-- melted and cooled
2 eggs, beaten

Mix all of these ingredients with the yeast mixture

Add 7 cups of sifted flour—a little at a time… Maybe need a little more flour so the dough isn’t too sticky. Knead and cover with cloth.   Let rise until double in size, about 1 hour. Roll out on a floured board ½ to ¾ inches thick. Cut with a donut cutter. Let rise again until dough is double in size, about 1-2 hours. Cover with a cloth. Deep fry in heated oil.

Heat your oil to when you put a little dough in the grease, it sizzles and browns… Don’t let the grease smoke… Turn donut when light brown and cook on both sides. Drain on a rack, covered with paper towels. Glaze while still hot.

Glaze:
1 package powered sugar
½ cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla
      May add a little water to keep glaze thin. You can sprinkle with nuts, little sprinkles, coconut, etc while the glaze is wet. Enjoy.

Potatoes

2009-05-14T05:24:00.000-07:00

Hamburger Hot Pot (crock-pot)

1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 medium potatoes-peeled and sliced
3 onions-sliced
1 can golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup water

Brown meat and drain. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix, set aside.
Place 1/2 the potatoes and 1/2 the onions in greased crock pot. Add browned beef mixture. Top with remaining potatoes and onions. Combine soup and water and spread over the top, be sure to moisten and cover evenly. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 3-4 hours.

yields 4-6 servings

*I add one sweet potatoe-sliced, in there for a nice flavor.

Crock Pot

2009-04-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Crock Pot Creamy Chicken

1 stick of butter
1 package of Good Seasonings Italian Dressing (or 2 Tbsp of spices you like)
6 chicken breasts (or 4 large ones)- you can cut up the chicken make it go further
1 can of cream of chicken soup
6 oz. cream cheese

In crock pot, melt a stick of butter and one package of Good Seasonings Italian dressing.

Add 6 chicken breasts. Cook on high for 2 hours.

Add cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Cook on high for 1 hour.

Turn the crock pot down and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve over rice (brown rice is yummy).

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower - Karinda Wieland

2009-03-19T04:16:00.000-07:00

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

from Allrecipes.com
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a large casserole dish.

Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.

Hommuos - Jessica Hanson

2009-03-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hommuos

1 19 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans(drain and save the liqiud)
1/4 C Tahini
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender (it's suppose to work better in a processor-I use a blender though cause I don' t have a food processor) add saved liqiud from beans to get desired texture.

You can pretty much do anything you want with the recipe I usually add a little more garlic and lemon juice cause I like thin hummus.

Sweet Potato Fries

2009-03-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato Fries

sweet potatoes (for a family of 4, I use 2)
E.V.O.O.
brown sugar
Lawry's Seasoned Salt

-Preheat oven to 350
-Peel and cut the sweet potatoes (into fries, or rounds)
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
-Place the cut potatoes on the paper
-Drizzle with a little oil
-Sprinkle with brown sugar, or seasoned salt

Bake for about an hour, based on how soft you prefer them!

Chicken Enchilada Ring - Candace Slater

2009-02-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

Chicken Enchilada Ring

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts)
¼ cup chopped olives
1 cup shredded cheddar & monterey jack cheese
1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies (do not drain)
½ cup mayo
1 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 plum tomato (I used roma)
1 lime (1 tsp juice)
crushed tortilla chips
2 packages (8oz each) crescent rolls
salsa & sour cream

1-Preheat oven to 375. Chop chicken and olives and place in bowl. Add cheese, green chilies, mayo and seasoning.
2-Seed and chop tomato. Add tomato and lime juice and 2 Tbsp crushed tortilla chips and mix well.
3-Sprinkle crushed chips on cutting board (a cookie sheet or counter top works fine too). Press crescent roll into crushed chips and arrange triangles, chip side down in a circle on round pizza stone (I just used a round cookie sheet) with wide ends overlapping in the center and points toward the outside. Scoop chicken mixture onto the widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 
5-Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Ginataang Minok (Coconut Chicken) - Karinda Wieland

2009-02-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ginataang Minok (Coconut Chicken)

This is a filipino dish that my husband enjoyed eating when he served his mission in the Philippines. We have "Americanized" it somewhat since they do not eat potatoes there and they use much less meat. This can also be made with fish and no potatoes.

1 Tbsp oil

1-2 chicken breasts, cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 jalepeno pepper, sliced (optional)

4-6 potatoes (or about 1 small potato per person), peeled and chopped

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp curry powder (optional - I often forget this)

salt to taste

cooked rice

Using a large frying pan, brown the chicken, onion, and pepper in the oil. Put chopped potatoes on top of chicken and pour coconut milk over. You can add up to 1/2 can water, but the liquid does not have to cover the potatoes. You do not need to stir. Just bring to a boil, cover with a lid, lower the heat so it doesn't boil over, and simmer until potatoes are done (about 15-20 minutes depending on how big the potatoes are). When done, sprinkle with curry powder - still no need to stir! Also sprinkle with salt as this dish usually need at least a little salt. Serve over rice.

Coconut Chicken (Thai) - Cynthia Ericksen

2009-02-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

Coconut Chicken (Thai)

6 servings rice

2 cans coconut milk

1 tbsp. red curry

5 small potatoes, peeled, cubed

1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs or breasts (boneless, cut up)

1 tbsp fresh ginger grated (I used powdered ginger and that works too)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp basil

1/6 cup fish sauce

1/4- 1/2 cup flour mixed with water

8 oz frozen peas

chopped cilantro

In large pot, bring milk to simmer. Mix curry paste with small amount of water to dissolve. Add curry and potatoes to pot. Cook until nearly done (15 min). Add uncooked meat and remaining spinces and fish sauce. Cook 5-10 minutes until meat is done. Thicken by adding flour and water paste and peas. Cook for a few more minutes. Serve over rice (sweet rice is best). Sprinkle with cilantro.

January Cooking Group - 2009 - 30 minute meals

2009-02-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

Honey Barbeque Pork Tenderloin

Alisha Jeppesen

½ Pork Tenderloin, cut into thin slices or large chunks

½ Onion thinly sliced

2 TBS butter or olive Oil

¼ Cup BBQ sauce

2 Tsp. Lemon juice

3 TBS honey

¼ cup water

Melt butter in pan, add onion and cook until tender (5 min) Then add your pork, season with salt and Pepper. Cook pork until done and has a nice brown color. Mix BBQ sauce, Lemon Juice water and honey in a bowl. Add to pork and onion. Also this to gently boil and reduce down (about 10 minutes). We like to eat over mashed potatoes but it would also be good over rice.

Chicken and Rice

4-6 chicken breasts (or chicken pieces)

2 cups rice

2 cups milk

2 cans cream soup

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

cheese (optional)

Mix milk and soups in a bowl. Add rice and chicken and pour into a

large pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2

hours. Stirring it a couple times while it is cooking will help keep

the outside from being more done than the inside. Top with cheese the

last 15 minutes if desired. This can also be cooked in a crockpot on

low for 7-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Cranberry Salad

1 pkg fresh cranberries

4-5 apples, cored

4-5 oranges, peeled

2 cups sugar

1-2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 8 oz container thawed whipped topping

1 cup chopped walnuts

Grind cranberries, apples, and oranges using a meat grinder (I use the

grater part of my food processor. I think that pulsing it in the

blender would work also as long it wasn't blended too much. You want

small pieces). Strain out the juice and throw away. Stir the sugar

into the fruit mixture and put in refrigerator overnight (since this

makes a lot, I usually freeze 1/2 of it here). Just before serving,

add whipped topping, marshmallows, and chopped nuts.

Chipper Trout/Fish

2 lbs. of trout or other fresh fillets

1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing

1 cup crushed potatoe chips

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Dip filets in salad dressing and place in greased casserole dish. Combine chips and cheese and sprinkle over fillets. Bake at 500 degrees for 15 minutes. Serves 4.

Buttery Dill Carrots

bagged baby carrots - whatever your desired amount

1-2 Tbsp butter

dill

In microwave covered bowl, put the carrots and a little water in and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and add the butter and sprinkle dill on the carrots. Mix it enough to coat the carrots and serve warm.

Tomatoe Tortellini Soup

2009-02-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Tomato-Tortellini Soup

3.5 cups (2 cans) chicken broth

10 ounces frozen tortellini (we used more then what it calls for)

4 ounces cream cheese with chives and onion

1 can condensed tomato soup

Fresh chives, snipped (optional)

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Add tortellini; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of the hot broth into the cream cheese spread until smooth. Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through. Sprinkle with chives before serving.

Recipies and Tips

2009-02-01T15:32:00.000-08:00

This is a ward-plus blog for recipes, advertise sales going on for food, clothes; tips for anything provident living related that you think others might benefit from.

Cooking it Up in Toledo

Apple Brownies

Peaches

summer recipes - pound cake, tortellini salad, blueberry muffins

DIRECTIONS

Summer Food

Fruit Salsa

Apple Snickers Salad

Steak Tacos with Avacodo Lime Salsa

Mac and Cheese

Chicken Sate and Peanut Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce

Chicken Pot Pie

Eric's Favorite Enchilada Casserole

K-Mo's Pot Roast

Stromboli

Boyer's Caramel Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Scotcheroos

Gooey Cake

Asparagus Soup

Tortellini Soup

Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

Cheeseburger in Paradise Soup

Soups and Stews

La Madeleine Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients

Directions

Pumpkin Crunch Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing

Spiced Pumpkin Fudge

gooey delicous caramel corn

Very Low Fat Banana Bread

"Fried" Rice

sweet potato,sausage, and cider soup. mmmmmm.

Salad (Leisy Miller)

Lemon Curd (Maria Carter)

Sauces and Dips

PASTA

Sensational Salads

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

INGREDIENTS

Picnic Foods

BBQ Baby Back Ribs - Robert Thomas

Sausage Potato Soup by Candace Slater

Grandma Verda's Spudnuts by Lindsay Dockter

Potatoes

Crock Pot

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower - Karinda Wieland

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

from Allrecipes.com2 tablespoons minced garlic3 tablespoons olive oil1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheesesalt and black pepper to taste1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a large casserole dish.

Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.

Hommuos - Jessica Hanson

Sweet Potato Fries

Chicken Enchilada Ring - Candace Slater

Ginataang Minok (Coconut Chicken) - Karinda Wieland

Coconut Chicken (Thai) - Cynthia Ericksen

January Cooking Group - 2009 - 30 minute meals

Tomatoe Tortellini Soup

Recipies and Tips

from Allrecipes.com
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)