Granola

I've had a couple of requests for this recipe, so I figured I'd add it to the blog. My family loves this granola, and it's actually the only cereal that graces our table, since I know what goes into it. I'm sure the calorie count is up there, but you can feel good about most of the ingredients (it just wouldn't be the same without a little sugar :).

Granola

6 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 c slivered almonds

3/4 c raw sunflower seeds

1 1/2 c unsweetened coconut

1/4 c flaxseed

1/2+ c coconut oil (yes, it's a little pricey, but the health benefits are well worth it... plus, the flavor is YUMMY)

3/4 c honey (I use raw... again, because of the health benefits)

1/4 c packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

dried fruit (optional)

In small pan, combine coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and heat on medium until oil is melts (this doesn't take long - don't overcook it). Combine oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and flaxseed in large bowl. Slowly add the oil/sugar mixture and stir well until everything is evenly coated. Divide onto two baking sheets and spread out. Cook at 325 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir granola, rotate sheets in oven, then cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool, add dried fruit, break up and store in airtight container.

Mexican Skillet Pasta

So, this is a very simple meal, but I think we are always in need of more last minute meals. It's humble, hearty, and it's something that isn't too hard to get my kids to eat :). I apologize ahead of time for my vagueness in measurements... this is just one of those meals that you throw in whatever until it tastes good to you... oh, and I'm really bad at writing things down.

Half a box of elbow macaroni

1 lb burger (you could use chicken if you prefer)

1 small onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

+/- 1 c. salsa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can green chiles

2-3 tsp chili powder

1/2-1 tsp cumin

S & P to taste

2 c shredded cheese

Cook macaroni according to package. Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook burger, onion, peppers, and garlic until burger is browned, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, beans, chiles, and seasonings. Top with cheese, cover and cook until heated through and cheese has melted (5-10 minutes).

Focaccia Bread

I love focaccia bread. But, you know what I love about this focassia bread? It's quick and easy. It dresses up soup nights when I finally decide what I'm making for dinner with only an hour to go (someday I'll be on the ball and try out that "planning ahead" thing). I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and made a few changes. I don't have a picture at the moment, but I wish I did, because it is very pretty... I'll have to take one next time I make it.

Focassia Bread

adapted from allrecipes.com

1 c very warm water

1 Tbl active dry yeast

1 Tbl sugar

2 1/2 - 3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbl oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 Tbl olive oil

A few sprinkles of course salt

4-ish Tbl grated parmesan cheese

1/2 - 1 c mozzarella

*Pre-note: I do this in my mixer, so the instructions go that route. Obviously, it would be easy to do this by hand - you just don't get to be lazy in the kneading process.

Proof the yeast in your mixing bowl with the water and sugar. Add flour, salt, oil, and seasonings and mix in. Knead with dough hook for about 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add enough flour that it pulls away from bowl, but no more than that. Remove dough from bowl to lightly oil the bowl, then return it to bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch dough down and place on a greased baking sheet. Pat it into 1/2 inch rectangle (err on the side of thicker, rather than thinner). I bake this on a jelly roll pan, but it does not fill the entire sheet. Brush the top with olive oil, sprinkle with course salt, then sprinkle on the parmesan and mozarella. Cook at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Amy's Jumbleberry Pie with Variations

This has become one of our favorite pies, and has graced our Thanksgiving table for the last couple of years.  I got the recipe from Amy, who is the baking queen in my book!  It's also got an open faced variation and a cream cheese variation, which I haven't tried because of Sarah's lactose intolerance.  But cream cheese?  Of course it must be wonderful.  Amy also included a pie crust recipe.

So here you go.  This is exactly as Amy e-mailed it to me.  I'll take a picture on Thanksgiving if I remember before it is all gone.

For one double crusted pie:

3-4 cups of berries (frozen or fresh) - depending on the size of your pie plate & whether or not you add a layer of cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
2-3 Tbl cornstarch (I'm not exactly sure how much cornstarch you would use because I use Ultragel for my pies.  It says that 1 Tbl cornstarch = 2 Tbl Ultragel, so I guess this amount is about right.)
1/4 c. lemon juice

Mix sugar and cornstarch together, then toss berries in the mixture and add lemon juice.  If you are not adding a layer of cream cheese, then just mound this into your unbaked pie shell, top with other crust, and seal edges.  Make slits in the top of the pie crust then brush on an egg wash (1 egg and a couple Tbls of milk).  Cook at 400 for 20 min, then reduce heat to 350 for another 35-45 minutes or until crust is a deep golden brown and juices are bubbly.  If edges are browning too quickly, cover with foil ring. 

Something that I read, but haven't tried yet (because I never have paper bags) is to cook your pie in a paper bag the entire time.  Just make sure it's not touching the sides of the oven.   It's supposed to make it brown perfectly.

If you want to add a layer of cream cheese:

1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add egg and vanilla.  Smooth into bottom of unbaked pie crust.  Add berries on top of layer and finish off as above.

If you want to do an open faced pie:

Cook pie shell and let cool.  If you want the cream cheese layer, then cook the pie shell with the cream cheese layer on the oven rack below the middle.

For berry filling:

3/4 c water
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c sugar
5-6 Tbl cornstarch (again, not exactly sure on the amount.  Add more if it's too thin, and more water if too thick)
3-4 c berries

Mix sugar and starch together, then whisk into water and lemon juice.  Add berries and cook on medium heat until bubbly and thickened.  Let cool a bit, then add to cook pie shell and chill in fridge.

I'm not sure if you needed the pie crust recipe as well, but here it is if you want:

2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1 c butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/4 - 1/2 c ice water

In food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 sec).  Pour 1/4 c. water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched.  If necessary add more water.  Do not process more than 30 seconds.  Turn dough out onto surface and gather in a ball.  Divide in half, flattening each half into a disk.  Cover w/ plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour before using.  After it's chilled, remove one portion & roll out on lightly floured surface.  Roll out to 12" circle.  To help prevent sticking, lift shell up as you roll out and add a little more flour if necessary - also make sure to keep your rolling pin floured as well.  Transfer to pie plate, and let the magic happen :)

To bake pie shell:  Prick sides and bottom of shell and cook at 400 for about 15 min? (with cream cheese: 375 and about 20 min) or until it's slightly browned.  *Keep an eye on it - I'm not positive on those times - I'm too lazy to go and look :)

Green chili enchilada sauce

Lately, I've been trying to rid my house of MSG & GM products (which equals pretty much any processed food). It gets a bit tricky to find decent replacements for some of the products I use on a regular basis (does anybody have a really good ranch recipe?), but by darn, I'm on a mission. It requires a lot of label reading, and wouldn't you know it, the canned enchilada sauce that I use to use was full of MSG. So, here is a recipe for a homemade version that I found. I can't remember where in the world wide web that I found it, so unfortunately, I can't give due credit.

2 Tbl oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 lrg garlic clove, chopped

3 Tbl flour

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 c. chicken broth (I use the concentrated veg. broth. Thanks again Heather!)

1 c. anaheim or poblano chilies, roasted & peeled OR 1c. canned chopped green chilies (I usually use the canned)

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt (I just use more veg broth, to taste, to add a little more flavor along with the salt - this stuff has been the best substitute for boullion (holy MSG!)

2 tsp chopped jalapenos (optional)

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onions, but not browning them. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes while stirring (it will clump up with the onions, but it's okay). Gradually pour in broth, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon - if it's too thick, add a little water. You can store this in the fridge for a week or so. It congeals when cold, but will return to liquid when reheated.

*If you prefer a less chunky sauce, then blend it in a blender until smooth.

A really good recipe to use this in is these honey lime chicken enchiladas. I highly recommend giving them a try if you haven't done so already. My sister in law brought these to us after I had the baby, and they are now one of our favorites. They are also really good with shredded pork.

Broccoli and bacon salad

I had a request to post this recipe, so here it is. A big pile of broccoli may not sound all that exciting, but trust me, once you add the rest of the not-so-healthy ingredients, it's down right yummy.

Broccoli and bacon salad

2 bunches of broccoli, cut up
1/4 c. chopped green onion (or red onion, if that's what you prefer.. personally, I prefer green)
1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. dried cranberries

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sugar
4 Tbl vinegar

Mix up dressing, add to the rest of ingredients and coat thoroughly.

Zucchini cupcakes with caramel frosting

I figure it's that time of the year again; more zucchini recipes. I guess I'll go ahead and post the first one. I found this recipe at tasteofhomes.com and really like it. The frosting is heavenly and goes great with the yummy cupcake.

Zucchini cupcakes:
slightly adapted from Taste of Homes

3 eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil (I'm sure applesauce would work... if you're into that)
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder (I actually didn't add this - I like my cakes more dense)
2 c shredded zucchini

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice, extract, and vanilla. Sift in dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in zucchini. Fill lined muffin tins two thirds full. Bake at 350 for 17-22 min. (or until set). Makes 18-24 cupcakes.

Caramel frosting:

1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 c powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan and bring to boil over med heat. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until thickened a little. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to luke warm. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until spreading consistency.

Fry Bread, a.k.a. scones

So, I'm posting two recipes today: What I think of when I hear the word 'scone' (deep fried goodness), and also the more biscuit-like, English version of the word. Both recipes are yummy and easy.

I believe I got this recipe from my sister in law, Dani. What I like about this recipe is that it is fast. I love scones, but I don't usually plan ahead and get the dough going in advance. These don't require much raising time, so it works very well with my unorganized self. These are great for Navajo tacos (I use the 'taco plate' meat mixture that I sort of posted on here a while back).


Fry Bread

4 c. flour (more if needed)
2 tsp salt
1/3 c sugar
2 oil
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c very warm water
1 Tbl yeast (I usually use regular yeast, but I imagine that quick-rising would be better)

Dissolve yeast & half the sugar in the warm water and let sit for a few minutes. Mix flour, salt, and the rest of the sugar. Add milk, oil, and yeast mixture to the flour and mix to a soft dough (until it pulls away from your bowl). Add more flour if necessary. Knead for about 5-7 minutes. Let rise in warm place for about 20-25 min. Punch down. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into lengths (I just pull off pieces of dough and stretch to the thickness I want). Fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Strawberry scones

I found this recipe at Annies Eats. I love this type of scone and these were a good and easy recipe. The strawberries are yummy in them, but I think it would be good with other things as well (blueberries, craisins, currents, etc).


Strawberry scones

1 large egg
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (I didn't have yogurt, so I used sour cream)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. orange or lemon zest
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I had to add a little extra)
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling (I bumped it up to about 1/3 c)
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 heaping cup diced fresh strawberries
I also added 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and citrus zest until blended; set aside. In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse briefly to blend. Add the butter pieces to the bowl with the dry ingredients and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour, until the largest butter pieces are the size of small peas. (If you don't have a food processor, you can just as easily mix up the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives or forks.) Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the strawberries to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a fork or spatula until a sticky dough has formed. Knead just a few times to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough is cohesive. (Only if absolutely necessary, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to hydrate the remaining dry ingredients.)

Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and pat into a disc about 7-8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar. Slice the disc into 8 wedges.

To bake the scones, preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the shaped scones on the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

To freeze, transfer the baking sheet with the shaped scones to the freezer and let them chill until they are firm, 30-60 minutes. Wrap the scones individually and store in a freezer-safe bag until ready to bake. Bake as originally indicated, adding a few minutes to the baking time.

Alfredo sauce with a little less guilt

This is what I make when I need/want an alfredo sauce. I hate the bottled stuff and I also cringe at all the cream that 'real' alredo sauce recipes call for, so this is what I came up with. I guess it might not taste like the real deal, but my family really likes it.


3 Tbl butter
1/4 c flour
3 c milk
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
about 1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 tsp chicken bouillon
3/4 - 1 c parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat along with garlic. Let garlic cook a couple of minutes, then whisk in flour and cook another minute. Add half of the milk and whisk until smooth and thick. Add the rest of the milk, pepper, bouillon and whisk frequently until it thickens up (about 10-15 min - be patient). Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

*So, I apologize for the vague measurements - I don't really measure things out (except the first 3 ingredients), I just add everything to taste. This is what I like, but you may not be as big a fan of bouillon as me, so you could just add some salt and other seasoning you feel would work. Also, you can adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more/less milk.

Biscuits

Adam loves biscuits and sausage gravy (because they're so heart healthy). I love them because biscuits are super quick and easy to make, and my boys will also eat them up. So, if you have a hankerin for some biscuits, give these a try.


2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
4 Tbl butter, chilled, cut into pieces
4 Tbl shortening (I use butter flavored shortening)
3/4 c. milk (or 1 c. buttermilk)

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Cut in butter and shortening (I use my fingers), until it's a coarse meal (don't over-work the fat). Make a well in the center and pour in milk. Stir until dough just comes together - will be sticky. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust with flour and fold over about six times (try not to add too much additional flour). Press into a 1 inch thick circle. Cut out (I just use a 3 inch cup for this) and place on greased cookie sheet so that they are just touching. You can gather scraps and reform into another circle. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 10-12 biscuits, depending on the size you make them.

*Notes:

You can use all butter, if you don't care for shortening.

Lightly brushing the tops of the biscuits with a little melted butter after taking them out of the oven, gives a nicer look, and an extra bit of buttery goodness (I didn't do it in this picture).

Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes

My sister-in-law, Dani, gave me a recipe for some yummy oatmeal pancakes. I had some pumpkin that needed to be used up, so I thought it would be good to use some in the recipe. They turned out really good! We really like the regular recipe, but everyone agreed that it was even better with the pumpkin. Here is the recipe... I'll also put the recipe for the regular oatmeal pancakes for those who may not love pumpkin, or just don't want to use it.


Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes

1/4 c. melted butter
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 c. pumpkin puree
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. quick oats
1/2 - 3/4 c flour (I usually have to use about 3/4 c.)
3 Tbl sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of cloves

Mix everything together well and cook just under medium heat (these are pretty dense, so you don't want to cook them too high or they won't cook all the way through). Make sure to spray your pan well. Top with your favorite syrup, or some other clever topping. Makes about 12 pancakes. These are very filling, so I recommend making them a little smaller than your average pancake.

**To make regular oatmeal pancakes: leave out pumpkin and use 2 c buttermilk or about 1 c regular milk.

**For either recipe: Add more flour, if too runny, or more milk, if too thick.

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

So, this isn't really a recipe - just yet another idea for that pork roast. I just wanted to include it because it is one of my boys favorites. All I do is: Cook a pork roast in a crock pot (in beef broth) on low all day, take it out and shred it. Dump the juices, put the pork back in and add bbq sauce. I think the most important part is to use a really good bbq sauce - not the cheap stuff. Once again, I would like to promote Danielle's bbq sauce on this blog - it's great. If I use a bottled sauce, I usually add some apricot preserves to my liking (Danielle's recipe is usually sweet enough). Also, I know some people add a little pop (i.e., sprite) to their sauce, which is also good. Serve on a yummy role and I'm sure your kids will love it (or are mine the only ones obsessed with bbq sauce?).

Southwestern Pulled Pork

I got this recipe from Taste of Home. It's another one we all like. I'll have to add a picture later.

Southwestern Pulled Pork
adapted from tasteofhome

3 lb-ish pork roast
1 c. barbecue sauce (make sure it's a good one. I suggest trying the one Danielle posted - it's fantastic!)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cans chopped green chiles
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbl chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano

Cook the roast in 1-2 cups of beef broth, with some S&P and garlic powder in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hrs (or you can just cook the roast in all of the ingredients, if you don't care about draining off the drippings). Remove pork and shred. Remove juices from crock pot and add the rest of ingredients. Add shredded pork and continue to cook for about 2 more hours. Serve on tortillas with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.

Sweet Pork

I got this recipe from the Sister's Cafe. I am a sucker for sweet + pork anything, so it's one of my favorites.

Sweet Pork
adapted from the Sister's Cafe

3 lb pork roast
1/2 c worcestershire sauce (the original recipe calls for 1 c. - I think it's unnecessary to use an entire cup)
1/2 c beef broth (to make up for the above)
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbl minced onions

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hrs. One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out juices, reserving about a cup. In crock pot mix 1 c. red enchilada sauce and 1 cup brown sugar, then add shredded pork. Add 1/2 - 1 cup of juices to your liking (the original recipe doesn't have you add any of the juice back in, but I think it adds to the flavor). Serve on tortillas with beans and rice, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Chile Verde

Okay. So I LOVE pork loin roasts. They are yummy, cheap (we buy the huge ones at Sam's and divide them into 3-4 smaller roasts), easy and the possibilities are endless. And, since about half our meals end up being some form of pork loin, I decided to list a few of the regulars... sorry, if it's a bit much pork to swallow.

First up, chile verde (or my americanized version anyway).


Chile Verde

3-4 lb pork roast
1 lrg can (28 oz) green chile enchilada sauce
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cans of green chiles (when I'm in a good mood, I like to roast, peel and chop my own)
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
chicken boullion to taste (about 2 tsp)

To cook the roast you could just combine everything in a crock pot, add the roast and cook all day, but I prefer to cook the roast first without the other stuff, so that I can drain off all the fat drippings and gunk. I cook my roast in the crock pot on low with about a cup or two of beef broth, with some S&P and garlic powder on the roast, for 6-8 hrs. A couple of hours before eating, combine the rest of the ingredients in a med. sauce pan and simmer, so that the veggies are soft. About an hour before serving, shred the pork, return to crock pot, and add the sauce . Serve on tortillas with beans and rice, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, etc.

Darn good chocolate cake

I got this recipe from my sister, Steph, a while ago but since then I have seen it on various blogs as well. I'm sure it has made it into most people's recipe box's, but just in case any of you don't have the recipe, here you go. I normally steer clear of cake mixes. Not that I am too good for simplicity - I just think they're weak. But, there are two recipes that I have that use them, and doctor them up terrifically... this is one. It's super easy, and SUPER yummy.


Darn good chocolate cake:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix
1 pkg 4 oz instant chocolate pudding
4 large eggs
1 c sour cream
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 semi sweet choc. chips

Mix everything together very well, add choc chips. Cook in greased and floured bundt pan (12 cup?... whatever the bigger one is). Bake at 350 for 45-50 min, or until toothpick comes out clean... just don't overbake. Cool about 30 min before removing. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or use a chocolate glaze. Here is what I use:

Chocolate glaze:
On stove, melt 1 pkg chocolate chips, one can sweetened condensed milk and 2 tbl butter together. Remove from heat, then add 1 tsp vanilla. You may want to add a couple tablespoons of milk as well, if it is thicker than you want. Drizzle over cooled cake. Also, I usually only use half of the amount that this makes and just save the rest for something later.

** A couple of side notes:
A yummy variation of this is to use butterscotch pudding and butterscotch chips instead of the chocolate. I know that sounds weird (or yucky), but my sister did this when she didn't have chocolate pudding one time, and it was quite yummy.

Another variation I've tried is to substitute 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree for the oil and 3 of the eggs. Again, it sounds odd. I saw this on the Today show and decided to give it a try. The lady said to replace the oil and eggs in a cake mix recipe for the pumpkin. Cake mix recipes call for 3 eggs and this one uses 4, so I did still added one egg (impressive math skills, right?). Now, I'm not going to say that it tasted exactly the same, or that it was as good as the normal recipe (because I hate when people claim you can't tell the difference). But, I was pleasantly surprised. However, I did notice that it took just a bit longer to cook. I took mine out just a bit too early, and it was a little doughy.

Pumpkin carrot bread/muffins

I like veggie/fruit breads. I like them a lot. I make them a lot. For some reason, my mind has justified these as being 'healthy', as opposed to cakes or cookies or other baked goods. But, that's probably not quite the case, since I end up eating a good half loaf of bread or half dozen muffins vs. a couple of cookies. Anyways, since I eat them a lot, I like to come up with new combos, or new ways of cutting out some lard, while keeping in some moisture, or adding more hidden veggies in them so that I can use the word 'healthy' with less guilt. So, here is a recipe that I came up with that is moist and 'healthy'. I guess it's very similar to the pumpkin zucchini bread I posted, but it's more on the pumpkiny side and even more moist.


Mix:
2 cups pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/2 c milk

1/2 c oil
1 3/4 c sugar

Add:
2 c shredded carrot

Add:
3 c flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

You can also add 1 cup of choc. chips for some extra yumminess. For bread (makes 2 loaves): grease loaf pans and bake at 325 for 50-65 min, or until toothpick comes out clean, cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pans. For muffins (makes about 24): grease muffin tins, fill almost to top and bake at 350 for 18-22 min, or until set, cool for a few minutes before removing. For mini muffins (makes about 48): grease tins, fill almost to top and bake at 350 for 12-16 min, or until set.

Cheeseburger Soup

Sorry, no pic at the moment. But, this is a super duper yummy soup. I got this recipe from my sister, Steph, and it won me the 'Best Soup' award at a ward party a few years back. If that isn't a testament of a great soup, then I don't know what is :) It does take a bit more time, than a throw-everything-in-a-pot soup, and dirties a few more dishes, but I (and my family) would say it's worth it. Here is the recipe along with way too many side notes. If you have a large family, or like leftovers, then I would definitely double the recipe.

Cheeseburger Soup:

1/2 pound burger (more if you like a lot of meat)
3/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. grated carrots
3/4 c. chopped celery (I always add a bit more carrot and celery)
4 c. diced (smaller is better) potatoes
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 Tbl. butter
1/4 c. flour (I like it a tad thicker, so I use more like 1/3 c)
3 c. chicken broth
8 oz velveeta, cubed (I add an extra ounce or two for more cheesiness)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream (optional - it's good either way)

Brown burger and set aside. In large skillet, saute veggies and spices in 1/2 of the butter until potatoes are soft (I cover it with a lid until almost done to prevent the veggies from burning before they are cooked). In a large pot, melt the rest of the butter and add flour to form a paste, then add 1/2 of the broth and boil until thick. Add veggies, the rest of the broth and other ingredients (I also add chicken boullion to taste - at least a few teaspoons, maybe more?). Simmer 15-20 minutes. This is a really good soup to serve in a bread bowl.

Sugar Cookies

This is a great sugar cookie recipe that I got from my sister-in-law, Dolly. Jessica, tell Taylor I'm sorry it took me so long to get this posted :)

Sugar Cookies:

Cream:
1 c. butter or shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1/2 c. sour cream

Add:
4 c. flour (more if needed)
1 1/2 tsp b. soda
1 tsp salt

If your dough is really sticky/tacky, then you may need to add a little more flour... just don't add too much. Chill dough for at least an hour. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch (or a little thicker) on a floured surface (helps to make sure you rolling pin stays floured as well). Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes - DO NOT OVER BAKE! They will taste like any other dry sugar cookie, if you do. Error on the side of under cooked - they shouldn't really have any brown on them.

It's just as important to use a good frosting recipe as it is to use a good cookie recipe - so that you end up with a great sugar cookie. Here's the one I use, in case you don't have one:

Frosting:
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c shortening (or use all butter if you don't care for shortening)
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl milk
5 - 6 c powdered sugar (I'm not exactly sure how much I use - I just add a little at a time until it's at the consistency that I like)
A few dashes of salt

Beat butter and shortening together. Add powdered sugar about a half cup at a time until it's smooth and stiff. Add milk, vanilla, and salt, and mix well. Add a bit more p. sugar to get it back to the right consistency, if needed.