Friendly Kitchen

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2012-02-10T22:24:00.011-06:00

This post has at least three times more pictures than it does ingredients. But Chocolate Dipped Strawberries are just so beautiful - I couldn't help myself. They are also the perfect accompaniment to any romantic evening, and with Valentine's Day approaching I just had to make some.

Ingredients:

16 oz chocolate chips

2 Tb shortening

1 lb strawberries

toothpicks

floral foam block

Wash and completely dry the strawberries. You don't want any water getting into your melted chocolate so be sure they are dry. Make sure that you leave the stems on and place a toothpick into the center of the stem of each strawberry - you'll see why later.

Place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate - I've done it both ways, and I think I prefer the milk chocolate. However, these were semi-sweet and they were delicious as well.

Add the shortening and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave, stir and then continue to microwave for 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted.

You can do this on a double boiler, but the microwave was a lot faster.

This is where that toothpick comes in handy. Lift the leaves - holding the leaves and the toothpick above the strawberry - and dip the strawberry into the chocolate.

You want the red strawberry covered about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up with chocolate.

You can twist the strawberry to get off any excess chocolate.

Now, place the other end of the toothpick into a foam block - the kind you use for flower arrangements. This is a great way for your strawberries to dry without becoming flat on one side.

Dip another strawberry and place it on the foam block as well. Don't let them touch! You don't want smudges in your chocolate.

Keep dipping and placing until your foam block is completely filled up. Be sure to start in the middle and work your way out. This will keep them balanced allow you to place new strawberries without disturbing the others.

Allow the strawberries to stay here until they are completely dry.

psst...See those toothpicks!

Once they are dry, you can pull them off and place them on a dish.

Aren't they beautiful? I had to get a lot of pictures because I knew that they wouldn't last long.

If you want to be really fancy, you can take some white chocolate and drizzle it over them.

But I'm rather traditional and enjoy the simple elegance of the red and brown.

So beautiful - so delicious.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Goody Bars

2012-01-31T14:21:00.008-06:00

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Stefannie. She is always making the most amazing desserts. Since acquiring this recipe, I've made it for many group gatherings and it is always a huge hit!

Just be warned that when you make it for your family only, you will be tempted to eat the entire pan!

Ingredients:

1 pkg fudge brownie mix (around 19.8 oz)

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1-16 oz can vanilla frosting

3/4 cup chopped peanuts

3 cups crisp rice cereal

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1-12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease a 9x13 baking pan. In a large bowl, stir together the brownie mix, oil, eggs, and water.

Pour and spread into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 28 to 30 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Usually I'm running out of time, so I throw mine in the freezer for a while to help it cool down quickly.

Once it has cooled down - and not before! - frost with vanilla frosting.

Chop up those peanuts (or buy them pre chopped and save a step). I was using very precise measurements when I threw a handful of nuts on the cutting board and started to chop. : )

The nuts don't have to be exact, but you do need enough to evenly coat the top of the frosted brownies.

Sprinkle the peanuts evenly on the top.

Don't skip this step just because you may not like peanuts - the frosting and the peanuts are the glue that hold the two parts of this brownie together. And believe me, you will love the peanuts in this recipe!

Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Heat and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Put in cereal and mix to combine.

Spread mixture over frosted brownies.

Cover and chill in refrigerator until chocolate layer is set.

Once chocolate is set, cut into small squares and serve.

So yummy!

Mimi's Macadamia Nut Pancakes with Coconut Syrup

2012-01-26T16:05:00.008-06:00

My mother-in-law got this recipe from her friend, Mimi. I'm not exactly sure who Mimi is, but I'm really glad that she had this recipe!

We ate this for breakfast on Christmas morning and it was a wonderful treat.

Ingredients:

Batter:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3 Tb oil

2 to 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Syrup:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 to 3/4 cup angel flake coconut

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add eggs, oil and buttermilk. Mix until lumps are gone and batter is smooth. Stir in macadamia nuts.

This is when I make the syrup. If I have someone to help me, I put them to work on cooking the pancakes. However, since it's just me I make the syrup first.

Place butter (not margarine), buttermilk and sugar in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Once it's off the heat, add the vanilla, baking soda, and coconut. The soda makes the mixture foam up - don't be alarmed.

Now back to the pancakes. Pour the batter on a hot griddle - around 400 degrees.

Cook until little bubble start to form around the edges.

Flip pancakes and cook on the other side until golden brown.

Serve pancakes topped with the coconut syrup.

We didn't put extra butter on ours - I figured there was enough in the syrup. However, if you want to add more butter go right ahead!

These are so good!

Go ahead, give them a try!

Dinner

2012-01-20T23:01:00.003-06:00

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken

This was our dinner tonight.

I posted this recipe last summer, but truthfully the pictures didn't do it justice. So as I made dinner tonight I decided to snap a few pictures and update this post.

If you haven't already, give this recipe a try. I guarantee you will love it!

Talapia Fillets

2012-01-18T12:57:00.007-06:00

I have to admit, I was not a fan of fish in my youth. Growing up I had tuna fish sandwiches and the occasional trout when we caught one from the river. As an adult, I have expanded my palate and discovered that I really do like fish. Hmm...who knew?

Luckily, my kids are not as reserved and they love fish. My five year old even asked for this as her birthday dinner - it's definitely a favorite in our house!

Ingredients:

8 small talapia fillets

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp Mrs. Dash

1 tsp salt

3 Tb olive oil

I always tend to buy my talapia in the frozen, individually vacuum sealed packages. So...if you're like me you want to take your fish out of the freezer and allow it to thaw before you begin cooking it.

Now, if you're even more like me, you will have forgotten to take your fish out of the freezer until right before you need it. If this is the case, then you're in luck! Talapia doesn't take very long to thaw, so all you do is fill a sink with cool water and place your individually vacuum sealed packages into the water for about 5 to 10 minutes. This will obviously not work unless your talapia is completely air tight.

Once your fish is thawed, you're ready to go!

Place the flour, salt, and Mrs. Dash seasonings in a shallow dish (like a pie plate). Mix them together with a fork.

Place 2 Tb. of olive oil in a skillet on the stove over medium to high heat.

Once your oil has had a few moments to heat up, place your fish in your flour mixture. Completely coat both sides of the talapia.

Then use a fork to transfer the talapia over to the frying pan. Do the same thing with the remaining fillets.

Don't over crown the frying pan - mine holds four at a time.

Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes and then.....

flip the fillets over and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes (usually closer to 5).

Because I can only cook 4 fillets at a time (and I need 8 for my family), I will take the cooked tilapia and place it on a plate in a warm (not hot) oven while I cook the next batch.

This is where the additional oil comes it. Place 1 to 2 Tb. oil in the fry pan and start the process over again.

In the end you will have some yummy, and easy, talapia fillets.

You could just stop there and eat it with some rice. However if you want something a little fancier, you can make a sauce to go over the fish.

Take 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (or chicken stock) and add it to the fry pan. The flour left in the bottom of the pan from cooking the fish will act as a thickening agent. Stir constantly while you add the liquid and within a few minutes you will have a nice little sauce to go on your fish.

Whether you have it with the sauce, or without, your family will definitely enjoy this dinner!

*Served with herbed rice

German Pancakes

2012-01-12T21:03:00.007-06:00

I was going through all of my pictures and I found these - mmmm...German Pancakes. This is a favorite around our house, and they are super easy. I'm not sure how many generations we've been passing this recipe down, but I know it's been at least three.

I hope you make them and enjoy them as much as we do. Oh..and please be forgiving as far as the pictures go - they were taken with my son's camera.

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1 cube butter

6 eggs

1 cup flour

1 Tbs sugar

1 cup milk

1 scant tsp salt

Cut up butter into squares and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Turn oven on to 350 degrees and immediately put dish inside.

You want the butter to melt before you put in the batter. The original recipe calls for 1 cube, but I usually do 1/2 cube instead - you know, to make it healthier and all that stuff. : )

While the butter is melting, put the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk until well beaten. You can you a hand mixer if you would like.

Add the sugar, salt, and flour. Mix as much as possible and then add the milk. If you throw the milk in too early, it will be lumpy. You really have to whisk a lot to keep out the lumps.

That hand mixer doesn't sound like such a bad idea now, does it.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour in the batter. Do not mix it! You want the butter to float to the top so that it creates a nice crust when it cooks.

Place back in the 350 degree oven and bake for about 28 - 30 minutes, or until the edges are puffed up and golden brown.

Remove from oven, cut into 6 rectangles, and serve topped with maple syrup.

I have also had this with fresh fruit and whipped cream - I think it was peaches. Very good!

Enjoy!

Italian Tortellini Soup

2012-01-05T12:17:00.004-06:00

Have you ever found a soup that your kids just gobble right up? Well, in our family this is that soup!

It is comforting, delicious, and simple to make - exactly what I love.

Ingredients:

1 pound italian sausage

1 medium onion - chopped

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

2 carrots - sliced

1 medium zucchini - halved and sliced

3 cups water

2 cans tomato soup

8 oz. tortellini

Brown sausage and onions in a large pot - I like to use my enameled cast iron dutch oven, it's the perfect size.

Throw in all the remaining ingredients - except the tortellini.

That would be the veggies, seasonings, water, and tomato soup.

Bring it to a boil and reduce the temperature. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. Then throw in the tortellini and boil for 10-12 more minutes or until the tortellini is soft.

You can cover this and keep it on a simmer for a longer amount of time. Just remember, DO NOT add the tortellini until the final 10 minutes or else you will have a soggy, gross mess.

This is seriously some good eats - especially if you serve it with some Rosemary Bread....

...Mmm.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

2011-12-23T22:11:00.005-06:00

This is my first year making these for Christmas. How could I not when I absolutely love the combination of chocolate and peppermint!

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter (softened)

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp peppermint extract

4 - 5 Tbsp milk

5 peppermint candies

Make cake mix according to package directions. I used the Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake. It had small chocolate chips in it that won me over.

Pour prepared cake mix into 24 paper lined cupcake tins. Bake according to directions and allow the cupcakes to cool to room temperature.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the peppermint frosting.

In a large bowl, combine the shortening and butter. Add powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and 3 Tbsp of milk. Once the frosting is combined, continue to add 1 to 2 more Tbsp until you reach your desired consistency.

Place peppermints in a small resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to get out all your aggression on those peppermints.

Believe me, it won't take very long and before you know it you will have small chunks of peppermints to accent the cupcakes.

Put your frosting in a large pastry bag. You can use a large round tip, or you can do what I did and just cut off the tip of your pastry bag. I cut it about 1-1/2 inch up from the tip.

Frost the cupcakes by squeezing the bag while making a circular motion on the cupcake.

Remember those crushed peppermints?

Now is the time to use them. Sprinkles the peppermint all over the top of the cupcakes. The larger chunks may not stick, so you will probably have to lightly press them into the frosting.

And now you're done. That's it!

Simple and delicious.

Grandma's Caramels

2011-12-21T21:44:00.006-06:00

By now you've probably looked at the English Toffee recipe - well this is another one of my Grandma's amazing candy recipes.

These caramels are creamy and smooth and delicious. Plus, this recipe makes a ton, so you don't feel bad about sharing.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 cups light corn syrup

dash of salt

1/2 can evaporated milk (about 3/4 cup plus 1/8 cup)

3 cups whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Put the sugar, corn syrup and salt in a large pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a smaller pan scald together the milk, cream, and vanilla.

Once the sugar mixture has boiled for 10 to 15 minutes, very slowly stir the milk mixture into the sugar mixture while it is cooking. Watch closely (and stir quickly) so that it doesn't boil over while pouring it in.

Continue to stir and cook on medium heat until the caramel mixture gets to 235 degrees. This will take a very long time.

So long, in fact, that I got out my Kindle and read while I stirred. The color of the caramels darkened, so I began to think that I was almost done.

But, no.

Still had to stir.

Seriously, this will take over 30 minutes. But be patient and don't increase the heat or you may burn your caramels. Just keep stirring and know that eventually it will get to the correct temperature.

Oh...see...look!

Now it is at the correct temperature - 235!

Pour the caramel into a greased 9x13 glass dish.

Cool completely (overnight works well) and then cut into small squares or rectangles. I usually cut mine into 3/4 inch x 1/2 inch rectangles.

Wrap squares in wax paper, twisting the ends, and now you're ready to go!

Dipped Gingersnap Cookies

2011-12-20T20:50:00.007-06:00

My friend, Olivia, made these cookies for a party and they were absolutely amazing - I had to get the recipe! When Olivia makes them, she dips half of them in white chocolate, and half in milk chocolate. I however, decided to do all of mine in white chocolate - just because.

This is a huge batch - I made up half of mine and then refrigerated the cookie dough until I was ready to make more. This dough refrigerated really well. When you're ready to make more cookies just pull it out, wait until it's at room temperature and then shape and bake. It works great!

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking soda

1 Tbs ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

additional sugar to roll cookies

1 package white and/or chocolate candy melts

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in molasses.

Combine dry ingredients...

...gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

This is what your dough will look like:

Shape into 1-1/4 inch balls and roll in sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes or until cookie springs back when lightly touched.

Cool on wire racks.

Melt candy according to package directions. I decided to use white chocolate instead of candy melts because that's what I had available.

Dip cookies halfway into chocolate.

Place dipped cookies on waxed paper lined sheets to harden.

This recipe makes around 6 dozen cookies - seriously, tons!

But, believe me, they are so good you will have no problem getting rid of any of them!

English Toffee

2011-12-19T16:00:00.001-06:00

This recipe has been in my family for generations - my grandma learned it from her mother, then passed it on to my mother who passed it on to me.

This is one of my staple recipes during the holidays...it's just not Christmas without homemade English Toffee.

Ingredients:

1 pound butter (yep, that's 4 cubes - don't use margarine)

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup white corn syrup

1/2 cup water

2 large hershey bars

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup together in a 6 quart heavy duty pan. Turn the burner on to medium heat, and stir to combine.

You will have to cook this for a while, so put that candy thermometer in a move on to the chocolate bars.

You can use symphony bars, but I prefer the Hershey - make sure and get the kind without nuts.

Use a cheese grater, and grate one chocolate bar into the bottom of a 12 x 14 pan. If you like nuts, put half of them on top of the grated chocolate.

If you have a salad shooter, it really helps speed this process up - unfortunately, I do not so I had to do it the old fashioned hand grater way.

Take the other candy bar and grate it into a bowl - you will use it later.

Now check on your candy - you should have checked on it a couple of times while preparing the chocolate.

It should be boiling and you will need to stir it to make sure it isn't burning on the bottom.

As it gets closer to being done, the color will change to a golden brown.

Watch closely until your candy gets to hard crack stage - 285 degrees.

Immediately remove from heat.

Pour candy over the top of the chocolate. Make sure that it is evenly spread.

Sprinkle remaining chocolate (and nuts if desired) on top of the toffee. Use a spoon - if you use your hand, the chocolate will melt all over you!

Let the chocolate melt, and then place the toffee in the fridge to cool.

Once it has cooled completely (at least 2 hours) - break into small bite size pieces.

Can you see that yummy toffee center surrounded by chocolate? Mmmm, Mmmmm!

You can put this in small baggies as gifts, but remember to keep some out for you and your family. Believe me, you will want to eat some of this!

Coconut Bread

2011-12-18T23:47:00.006-06:00

My family has been making this bread for as long as I can remember. While I associate it with Christmas, it could just as easily be made anytime of the year. However, there is just something about a sweet bread with a crunchy sugar coating that screams, "Christmas!"

Ingredients:

Bread:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 tsp coconut flavoring

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Syrup topping:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tb butter

1 tsp coconut flavoring

Before you start the bread, you need to prepare your pans. This recipe makes 2 large loaves, or 4 small ones. I think my pans are slightly small, so it actually makes 5 small loaves for me.

Grease your pans with shortening, and then cut strips of wax paper to fit into the pans as shown below. Once the papers are in the pan, grease over the top of the wax paper.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar, oil, and coconut flavoring.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Alternate dry ingredients with buttermilk and gradually add to egg mixture. Beat well after each addition.

Fold in flaked coconut and chopped nuts (if desired - I never put nuts in mine).

Spoon (or pour) batter into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes for small loaves (or 1 hour 15 minute for 2 large loaves).

When there is about 10 minutes left in baking time, start making your syrup.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter and water.

Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Do NOT boil this for longer than 5 minutes. If you do, you will get a syrup that hardens white instead of clear. The bread will still taste okay, but it will not look near as pretty.

ONLY 5 MINUTES!

After 5 minutes, remove the syrup from the heat, and add the coconut flavoring.

During this time, you will also have to remove your bread from the oven - it should be golden brown.

Use the wax paper to lift the loaves out of the pan, remove the wax paper, and place the bread back into the pan. They will be really hot, so move quickly and don't burn yourself.

Now, use a pastry brush to paint the syrup on the tops of the loaves. Make sure that the syrup goes down the sides of the bread - you want it everywhere!

Once you've used all the syrup, allow the bread to sit for about 4 hours before you remove it. I have sped up this process by putting the pan of bread into the freezer or fridge.

Just make sure that your syrup is set and hard before you remove the loaves.

You can eat this immediately, or you can wrap it in plastic wrap or cellophane bags and give it as gifts.

Just watch out or your two year old will get ahold of it and eat the entire thing!

Merry Christmas, from our kitchen to yours!

Thanksgiving 2011!

2011-11-25T16:12:00.004-06:00

This year for Thanksgiving, I was in charge of the Turkey and lots of pie - oh boy, lots of pies.

So...here's what we came up with:

Traditional Thanksgiving Turkey

Chocolate Oreo Pie

Southern Pecan Pie

Classic Pumpkin Pie

We also made Turkey Gravy and Mashed Potatoes, but I didn't get any pictures of these, sorry.

If you want any recipes, just click on the links above.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Buttery Syrup

2011-11-21T14:49:00.004-06:00

I was making pancakes the other day and got a crazy idea. What if I made pancakes that tasted like pumpkin pie? Wouldn't that be delish? Why, yes...yes it would.

Ingredients:

Syrup:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

12 Tb. butter (1 1/2 cubes)

Pancakes:

2 cups flour

2 Tb. baking powder

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup pumpkin (from a can)

2 eggs

4 Tb. melted butter

1 3/4 to 2 cups milk

We're going to start with the syrup, since it takes the longest to make.

Combine all syrup ingredients into a saucepan Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil from 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin, eggs, and butter. Slowly add milk until you get to desired consistency.

Pour batter onto a hot greased griddle - the pumpkin will cause it to stick a little, so make sure you put a little butter on there.

Once bubbles start to form in the batter, it is time to flip them.

Once pancakes are golden and both sides, place them on a large plate and pour the hot butter syrup over the top. No need to add extra butter - the syrup will be enough.

We did discover that a dollop of whipped cream really brought out those pumpkin flavors, so go ahead and throw some of that on.

These were really good and the recipe makes a ton. In fact, you could probably half the recipe and be just fine.

Happy eating!

Sweet Potato Puff

2011-11-21T14:03:00.006-06:00

My friend, Gwen, has made these Sweet Potatoes the last few times we've done Thanksgiving together. It's hard to believe that they have about half the calories and about one third the fat of regular sweet potatoes.

Now, some of you might not care about that sort of thing, but for people like me who eat sweet potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner - it's something to think about.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Mixture:

3 cups fresh (cooked) sweet potatoes

4 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbs. flour

Topping:

3 Tbs. flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Peel sweet potatoes and cut up into small 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a pot of water and bring to boiling. Boil until potatoes are soft - about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain. Use a potato masher and mash those sweet potatoes.

In a medium bowl, mix together egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and flour. Whisk to combine.

Now add those sweet potatoes and continue to stir until well combined.

Spread into the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish that has been greased (or sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray).

In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar and butter. Stir in pecans.

Sprinkle topping mixture over the sweet potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees form 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm - but really these things are good cold too.

Here are the ingredients for the regular Sweet Potatoes - if you're the type of person that likes all that melted butter and stuff. : )

Just follow the other instructions and swap out these amounts for the previous ones.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Mixture:

3 cups fresh (cooked) sweet potatoes

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbs. flour

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Apples

2011-11-21T13:21:00.007-06:00

Do you know what my favorite part of any Fair is? I'll give you one guess - and no, it's not the rides.

By far, it is the caramel apples. Ooey gooey outside with a crunchy juicy center...mmmm. I just lapsed back into childhood memories...

Well, I decided to share some of this wonderful goodness with my family. My girls and I decided to make Caramel Apples. I know this is generally thought of as a Fall treat, but really these never go out of season. I once got a Caramel Apple as a Christmas gift and I loved it!

Ingredients:

1 14 oz package caramels - or use the 11 oz pkg of caramel bits

2 Tb. heavy cream

5 medium or 3 large apples

popsicle sticks

white chocolate chips - optional

semi-sweet chocolate chips - optional

Wash and thoroughly dry all of your apples. Some people like really tart apples for this - I, however, do not. I think we used Fuji or Jonagold - slightly tart, but not too tart.

Once the apple are dry, insert a popsicle stick into the top of the apple.

Now, unwrap all of the caramels and place in a large saucepan. This is where the caramel chips come in really handy. However, regular caramels were on sale, so we went with them.

Add the cream and turn the stove on medium to medium-low heat. This will be fairly quick if you have the caramel bits.

Stir constantly so it doesn't burn, until all the caramels are melted. Now you're ready to dip those apples.

Dip your apple until most (but not all) of the apple is coated. I like to twirl mine around over the pot of caramel so that all the excess will drip back in for future use.

Once the apple is dipped, place it on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Continue with all the other apples.

Place the apples in the fridge until they get nice and cold. We actually dipped ours in the afternoon and then put them in the fridge overnight. Just don't leave them in for days - not good as the apple and the caramel will both get soggy.

Now you're wondering what to do with the extra caramel - you know, when there isn't quite enough to dip another apple but still enough that you don't want it to go to waste.

Well, cut up another apple and dip the wedges into that extra caramel. Think of it as a taste test of sorts.

Once your apples have had a chance to cool down, you'll want to prepare your chocolates. Put your chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl - white in one bowl, regular in another. You're only going to need about 1/2 cup of each kind.

Microwave each bowl on high for about 30 seconds. Stir and microwave another 15 seconds if needed.

Place the softened chocolate into a small zip-lock sandwich bag. Cut the corner off the bag (not too large of a cut) and squeeze the bag to drizzle each apple with semi-sweet chocolate and then white chocolate.

Put the apples back into the fridge and allow the chocolate to harden. The apples are easier to remove from the wax paper when they are cold.

Once the chocolate has hardened, you are ready to eat!

How do you like them apples?!

Creamy White Chili

2011-11-10T22:55:00.004-06:00

This recipe is perfect for these crisp fall days. It is so good, in fact, that I won 1st place at my church's Chili Cook-Off with this recipe. Of course, any recipe that has cream and sour cream must be good - it's a law of nature.

Ingredients:

1 Tb. vegetable oil

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 onion, chopped

14 oz. can chicken broth

2 cans (15.8 oz.) Great Northern beans, rinsed & drained

1 can (7 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

8 oz. container sour cream

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Heat oil over medium heat; add chicken and onion. Sauté 10 minutes or until chicken is done; set aside.

Add broth, beans, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add sour cream and whipping cream, stirring well. You can top it with shredded cheese, however, I did not. I figured with all the various creams, I didn't really need the cheese.

This is seriously amazing, go make some tonight!

Scary Guacamole and Chips

2011-11-03T12:56:00.003-05:00

I actually got this idea from the Tostitos Halloween Tortilla Chips that were on sale in the store. The orange and black was perfect, so I decided to make some guacamole to go with them - my family absolutely LOVES guacamole!

Ingredients:

Tortilla Chips

3 medium avocados

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

juice from 1/2 a lime

1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

finely chopped jalapeño pepper (optional)

This is a classic Guacamole Recipe. Some people like their guac filled with all sorts of things (tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, etc.), but our family subscribes to the minimalist approach when it comes to guacamole - often the simplest recipe is the best!

So...here's what you need to do.

Take your ripe avocados and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the seed and use a spoon to scoop the avocado into a bowl.

Once all your avocados have been added, use a fork to smash them up. You have to do this before you can add any of the ingredients.

Once your avocados are smashed add the onions, lime juice, salt, and pepper. You can always add a little more salt or pepper, so start small and work your way up. My kids don't like the heat from the jalapeño, so we didn't add it.

Once you've added all the ingredients, mix it together and get ready to eat!

Did I mention that I loved these chips?

Whether you have this for Halloween or just a weeknight treat, you're going to love it!

Deviled Eye Balls

2011-11-03T11:47:00.002-05:00

So...I realize that Halloween was a few days ago, but with my last minute trip out of town just before Halloween, I've been thrown off by a few days. I realize this is late, but maybe someone will want it for next year - and since I have pictures, I figured I would post it.

Ingredients:

Eggs

Mayo - the good kind (Best Foods/Hellmanns)

Salt

Pepper

Garnishes - pickles & ketchup or pimento filled olives

Boil your eggs. Once they are done (hard boiled), allow them to cool down - refrigerate if necessary.

Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out yolk and place in a bowl. Continue with all the eggs, placing the egg whites cut side up on a platter or plate.

Use a fork to smash all of the yolks and then add enough mayonnaise to make it creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. I can't really give you exact amounts, because it all just depends on how many eggs you're doing, and how you like your deviled eggs.

Once the yolk mixture is nice and creamy, spoon it back into the holes on the yolks. You can use a pastry bag and pipe it in if you want - or just throw it in a small plastic sandwich bag with a hole cut in the corner (homemade pastry bag).

Once the eggs are filled, you want to decorate them to look like eye balls. You can do this with olives that have a pimento in the center. Just cut the olive in half and place it on the egg. However, I didn't have olives, so I sliced up some baby dill pickles and set them on the egg. Then I placed a small dot of ketchup for the center of the eye.

Be sure to refrigerate until you serve - you want these nice and cold.

These Deviled Eye Balls were super easy and very fun to make - plus, my kids ate them all!

Halloween Dinner

2011-11-01T13:40:00.007-05:00

Last night we had our Spooky Halloween Dinner.

Along with our Mummy Dogs (mentioned here), we also had....

Scary Guacamole and Chips

and....

Deviled Eye Balls

I searched and searched for dry ice, but to no avail. It seems that stores stopped selling it because people were getting burnt. Thank you unintelligent people for ruining my Halloween tradition of Dry Ice Root Beer.

Oh well, we still had a fun time.

I'll get the recipes for the Scary Guacamole and Deviled Eye Balls up within the next couple of days.

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

We sure did!

Mummy Dogs

2011-10-26T23:55:00.004-05:00

I've made this every Halloween for the last 5 or 6 years. I know that may seem a bit boring, but they are super easy and a huge hit at this house. I once made them for a Halloween party and one of the moms had 4!

So, Yeah, we'll be making these Mummy Dogs again!

Ingredients:

16 frozen rolls

16 hot dogs

mustard and poppy seeds (optional)

Thaw frozen rolls according to package directions. Allow them to rise until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using one roll for each, wrap hot dogs to look like mummies, leaving an opening for the eyes. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Now, this part is optional - Place dots of mustard and poppy seeds for eyes. I never do this final part, just because it takes too long - there's no way I'm trying to grab a small tiny poppy seed with my huge fingers. ; )

Yum Yum!

Dry Ice Root Beer

2011-10-24T22:20:00.005-05:00

I've finally figured out my Halloween menu, so I thought I would try to post it throughout the week. I had to start with one of my all time favorites - Dry Ice Root Beer.

This stuff is great anytime, but I really like creepy smoke that crawls through the air when you throw in the dry ice.

My family has been making this stuff as long as I can remember - hopefully you'll like it as much as we do.

You can make this in a small batch for your family, or a large batch for a huge crowd. I will give you both measurements.

Small Batch Ingredients:

2-2/3 cups sugar

1 ounce root beer extract

6-1/2 quarts water

2 pounds dry ice

Large Batch Ingredients:

4 pounds sugar

1 bottle root beer extract

5 gallons water

5 pounds dry ice

Mix the first four ingredients (make sure your container is large enough to handle the "boiling" that occurs when you put in the dry ice).

Then add the dry ice and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Serve.

Giveaway Winners!

2011-10-21T00:00:00.010-05:00

I just want to start off by saying that this drawing was done on a website that randomly generates the winner....no drawing out of a hat. I input everyone's info and the website throws out one person. So...without further ado...

The Winners are.....

Camille Turner

and

Kayla Hall!

I'm grateful to everyone that participated. In fact, I would like to have all of your recipes. So...if you are willing to share, please email them to me at friendlykitchenblog@gmail.com.

Then I can start making all of those yummy recipes!

Fall Giveaway

2011-10-17T11:20:00.009-05:00

I absolutely love this time of year - the cooler weather, the changing leaves, Halloween decorations, little kids dressed up in costumes, and the food! All that yummy, decorative, amazing food.

As I was thinking about this the other day, I decided that it would be a great time for a Giveaway here at Friendly Kitchen - because I would really like some new Fall Recipes.

There are two gifts that will be given away, so everyone has two chances to win. Here is how you participate:

1. Comment on this post and tell me your favorite Fall recipe.

Is it a particular soup? Or Bread? What about a Halloween Treat - do you like Witches Brew?

Goblin Dip?

Spider Cupcakes?

Or Mummy Hot Dogs?

Write a comment and let me know! I really want to hear your recipes.

2. Follow our Friendly Kitchen blog or "Like" our Facebook Page.

This will give you another chance to win. It's quick and easy - just click a button.

Click Here to go to our Facebook Page

Look on the right side column of our Blog to find the Follow Friendly Kitchen section

Now you're asking yourself, "What do I win?"

Each winner will receive two decorative kitchen towels and a small casserole dish with a lid - perfect for an artichoke spinach dip, or potatoes au gratin, or an individual pot pie, or...I better stop, I'm beginning to salivate.

Go enter now!

You can enter until Thursday night at 11:59 pm - at exactly 12:00 am I will do the drawing.

Winners will be announced Friday Morning on the blog!

Can't wait to hear all those yummy Fall recipes!

Back Home!

2011-10-11T00:18:00.004-05:00

It's always fun to go on vacation - especially when there are people that make your food, clean it up, and clean your room for you!

But even though I absolutely loved our Disney Cruise, it's still good to be home. And...since it's below 80 degrees (I think it was 79 today) we were able to have an excuse for Chili and Cornbread.

Now, I know that I've posted this recipe before...but seriously people! It is one of our FAVORITES! My almost 5 year old asks for chili and cornbread all. the. time.

So...if you're feeling in the Fall mood, go make you this for dinner. You won't be sorry.

Easy Texas Chili

Buttery Corn Bread

Pear Jam

2011-10-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

What tastes better than a hot piece of toast smothered in homemade jam? In my opinion, not much!

Fresh pear jam is absolutely amazing, and really simple to make. So, if you haven't ever tried it before, go ahead. You'll be surprised by how much you like Pear Jam and how easy it is to make - you'll never buy jam again.

Ingredients:

4 cups pear puree (about 3 lbs. fully ripe pears)

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 box fruit pectin (I like Sure Jell - do not buy the sugar free kind)

5 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. butter

6 jam jars (or 3 pint jars)

6 canning lids

6 canning rings (hold the lids in place - the piece you screw on)

Prepare Jars - There are two ways to do this. The 1st method involves a large pot of boiling water. The 2nd involves the dishwasher....definitely use the 2nd method. Place your jars and rings in the dishwasher - make sure the "heated dry" is on. Add detergent and turn it on. The jars will be sterilized and ready to use when the dishwasher is done.

Prepare Lids - Place new canning lids (ones that fit your jars - wide or small mouthed) in a small pan of water. Place on the stove and bring the water to boiling. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and let the water simmer. The lids will stay like this until you need them.

Prepare Fruit - Peel and core pears. I like my fruit pureed so I stick it in the blender (or a food processor). If you like yours with more chunks you can use a potato masher or just chop the pears into small pieces. Either way, you need 4 cups of prepared fruit.

Okay....now that everything is ready, here goes.

Place fruit in a large pot. Add the lemon juice and butter. In a small bowl, place 1/2 cup of your sugar and the pectin. Stir to combine. Now add this pectin/sugar mixture to the pears.

Bring to a boil on high heat.

Once it boils - a full rolling boil - add the remaining sugar (4 1/2 cups).

Stir to combine. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly one minute. If your pot is too small, you'll have to really stir this so that it doesn't boil over.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon. I put this foam into a small bowl and let my kids eat it the next day.

Pull those hot jars and lids out of the dishwasher and get ready to fill them up. I use a 1 cup measure to scoop the jam into a larger 2 cup measure with a handle. Then pour the jam into the hot jars. Fill them up to within 1/8 inch of the top.

Use a clean damp cloth to clean the tops of your jars. You don't want any jam on the top to prevent the lids from sealing.

Remove your lids from the simmering water (I use a butter knife to help pull them out) and place on top of the jars. Now, take the rings and screw them on tight - but not too tight.

Turn your jars over and place on a dish towel. Allow them to stay this way 12 hours or if you're like me and you made your jam at midnight, let them sit overnight.

If you boil your lids and place the jars upside down, there is no need to do a water bath to process the jam. This method is only recommended for jam, so please don't do this with fruits or vegetables.

Now your jam is ready to eat - or place on a shelf until later.

It really is easy to make jam, and it tastes divine. Give it a try...you'll really enjoy it!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that these are my favorite cookies - Ever! They are quick and easy and oh so good - an absolute MUST HAVE recipe.

I got this recipe from my friend, Amy, many years ago in college. I've tweaked it a bit, but overall it's the same recipe. Please, do yourself a favor and go make some of these. Your family will thank me.

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. almond extract

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

9 oz. (3/4 package) chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugars together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until nice and fluffy. Sift flour, soda and salt into the bowl and mix to combine.

If you live at a higher elevation you may need to add more flour - add a little at a time up to an additional 1/2 a cup.

Once your cookie dough is formed stir in those chocolate chips. Now you must resist the urge to eat it...well, at least not all of it.

I like to use a medium sized ice cream scoop and place rounded balls of dough onto a large cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until slightly golden brown on the top - just ever so slightly.

Remove from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack - make sure they're out of reach of your kids or else you won't have any cookies left.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cake

2011-09-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

I was trying to organize all of my food pictures when I came across these. I made this cake a while ago - like beginning of summer a while ago, before nice camera a while ago.

But, since I probably won't make it again anytime soon, and everyone should absolutely have this recipe - I decided to post it.

Seriously, one of the best cakes ever!

Cake Ingredients:

3 sticks butter - at room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 extra large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup milk

4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Then line the bottom with wax paper or parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy.

Crack eggs into small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; that's okay.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With the mixture on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in three parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife.

Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling off.

Now onto the frosting -

Frosting Ingredients:

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature

2 sticks butter at room temperature

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 pound powdered sugar, sifted

6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and almond extract on ow speed. Add the powdered sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).

To assemble, place one layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

This cake is perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, or Sunday nights - really, anytime. Believe me, you should try it....absolutely divine!

Roasted Summer Vegetables

2011-09-24T15:07:00.004-05:00

These vegetables are perfect for the summer - such a beautiful collection of colors. Plus, they're super easy - a lot like the Roasted Potatoes I did a few weeks ago.

Ingredients:

1/2 a yellow pepper

1/2 a red pepper

1/2 a green pepper

2 small zucchini

1 small yellow squash

half an onion - yellow, red, it doesn't matter

1 to 2 Tb. olive oil

2 tsp. garlic powder

salt (usually around 1 1/2 tsp.)

pepper

Seed all the peppers and cut all the vegetables into chunks that are roughly the same size.

Spread all the vegetables on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to mix vegetables all around and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Place in 400 degree oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes - depending on the size of your vegetable chunks. Remove from oven when vegetables are tender and transfer to a serving dish. Let them cool a bit and then eat.

Black Bean & Mango Salsa

2011-09-17T16:06:00.003-05:00

I've had this a few times at my friend Emily's home, but I never actually made it until I got some large mangos in my Bountiful Basket.

You can eat this on fish, on chicken, with tortilla chip, or straight out of the bowl with a fork - like I do!

Ingredients:

2 ripe mangos - peeled, pitted, and diced

1 15 oz. can of black beans - drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped red onions

1 small green pepper - seeded and chopped

1 small red pepper - seeded and chopped

1/2 cup Italian dressing - any kind

salt and pepper to taste

In a blender or magic bullet, blend 1/4 cup of mango with the Italian dressing until smooth.

In a bowl, combine the rest of the mayo with the beans, onions, and peppers. Add the mango puree and stir.

Season to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

Chicken Spinach Roll-Ups

2011-09-10T15:10:00.005-05:00

There is an amazing restaurant called Zoes Kitchen. If you've never heard of this place, you really need to check it out. They have these amazing spinach roll-ups that you can get with or without chicken. The first time I had them, I just knew that I would be trying to make these at home.

So....after a bunch of tries (ask my family - I think there were 7 or so), I finally came up with a recipe. These Chicken Spinach Roll-Ups are absolutely to die for!

Ingredients:

1 Tb. olive oil

1 lb. chicken cut into small slices

1/2 medium red onion - diced

1/2 red pepper - diced

3 cloves garlic - diced

1 lb. frozen spinach - thawed and drained

1 1/2 tsp. salt

4 oz. feta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

9 to 10 flour tortillas

Heat olive oil in skillet until hot. Add chicken, onions, and pepper. Cook over medium high heat until chicken is done and onions and peppers are tender. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add drained spinach. (I like to to place my drained spinach in a cheesecloth or paper towel and squeeze all the extra water out - you want it nice and dry).

Add salt and stir to combine all ingredients.

Now throw in all that cheese. Yes...I know you are thinking that this can not be healthy with all that cheese, but if you really consider how many portions you are making this this, it's not that much cheese per person.

Continue to cook mixture until cheese melts.

Remove mixture from heat - it's time to make those Roll-Ups.

Scoop up some chicken spinach mixture and place it on top of the tortilla. Roll into a tube. You can get between 9 and 10 of these, so think of that when you're trying to come up with the exact amount of filling - I want to say it will be around 1/3 cup....ish....

Place your rolled tortillas onto a cookie sheet. You could brown these on a griddle or in a sauté pan on the stove, but I chose to do it in the oven - it's a little easier.

Turn your oven on Broil and bake just long enough for the tops to turn brown and the tortilla to get crunchy. You have to watch these constantly because you don't want them to burn.

See that? Nice and golden brown on the edges.

Remove from pan, slice in half on a diagonal and serve!

So good!

Roasted Potatoes

2011-09-08T12:26:00.007-05:00

Growing up in Idaho, I absolutely love potatoes. So, I was grateful that there were some in my basket last week. I decided to make a family favorite - Roasted Potatoes!

Now...have you ever known someone that just throws all the ingredients together, never telling you how much of this or how much of that to add to it? You know - that person that drives you nuts?! Well, today I'm going to be that person. But don't worry....with only 4 ingredients it's near to impossible to mess up these potatoes.

Ingredients:

Potatoes - preferably red or yukon (russets aren't quite as good for this)

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Additional Seasonings - optional

Wash and scrub your potatoes. Cut into 1 inch uniform chunks. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet. You know your own family, so only do as many potatoes as you think your family will eat.

Drizzle some olive oil over the potatoes. For an entire cookie sheet of potatoes, I usually use about 2 Tablespoons (more or less) of oil. Once you've drizzled it on, use your hands to toss the potatoes.

Now it's time for some salt! Potatoes always need salt, and sometimes you might feel like you're using too much. But, those potatoes need it - just remember that.

Sprinkle on the salt, the pepper, and any additional seasonings you like. I decided to use my remaining Mrs. Dash - I had about 1 tsp. You could also use fresh chopped rosemary.

After the seasonings are all sprinkled on, you're going to need to get those hands dirty again. Use your hands to toss and mix the potatoes. This will evenly coat each one with all the seasonings.

The key to roasting these potatoes is the high temperature. Cook them at 415 degrees for about 20 minutes. I have heard to push that up to 425, but I've not tried that - if you do, let me know how it goes.

This next step is completely optional, but I will help to give the potatoes a golden look.

After the potatoes are nice and tender (use a fork to test them), turn up the oven to Broil and cooked them an additional 3 to 5 minutes to give them a more golden brown appearance.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Allow them to cool slightly and then place in a serving dish. They will be really hot, so let them cool slightly before serving.

Chicken Salad

2011-09-03T17:47:00.005-05:00

I was wondering what to do with my food from my Bountiful Basket and this recipe was my first idea. Well....not my first idea, but the easiest one to throw together for dinner. Absolutely delish!

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts

1 1/2 cup grapes

1 cup chopped celery - about 2 stalks

3/4 cup mayo

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Lightly drizzle some olive oil on the bottom of the chicken and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn chicken over and do the same thing on the top. Place on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken and let it cool. Once it has cooled down, chop it into small cubes (or shred it, but I like cubes).

Put grapes and celery in with chicken. If you have large grapes, cut them in half - mine were small, so I left them whole.

In a small bowl, add the mayo and the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour over chicken, celery, grape combo and mix together.

Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. It tastes better chilled.

You can serve this a couple of different ways.....

You can have it just plain - by itself or on a piece of lettuce.

Or...you can add some carbs!

The traditional way is on a croissant bun.

Absolutely yummy and served at every wedding reception you go to. : )

I really like it this way, however, I would have to say that my favorite way to eat this is on a piece of toasted whole wheat bread.

Take two slices of bread and toast them (no butter). Place one piece of toast on the bottom, cover with chicken salad, and then place the other piece of toast on the top.

You'll probably want to eat this with a fork!

The crunch of the toast goes great with the creamy chicken salad. It's just a great combination - and a lot healthier than the croissant.

Enjoy!

Bountiful Baskets

2011-09-03T10:46:00.003-05:00

Have any of you ever heard of Bountiful Baskets? I'm sure that most of you have, but for those of you who haven't, here's the scoop.

Bountiful Baskets is s Food Co-op. You register online, pay $16.50 and get tons of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you are interested, go online to their website and register. You can also read more about how it all works.

As for me, this is only the second time that I've done this. I picked it up this morning, and now I have to decide how to use all of this yummy food.

What do you think I should make?

I have some ideas, but I'd love to hear yours.

Take a look at the picture above, and tell me what types of things you would make with this food!

Chicken Ranch Pitas

2011-08-26T07:46:00.006-05:00

School Lunch Week

Day 5

Chicken Ranch Pitas

I have a difficult time with pitas. They always look so good, but mine never seem to turn out as well as the ones pictured on the internet.

However, these turned out alright. I do have to admit that I didn't roll the kids' pitas up in parchment paper and slice them in half. Instead I stuck them whole into a zip-lock bag -- so much cleaner and easier for their lunch boxes.

Ingredients:

cooked chicken breast

romaine lettuce - cut into bite size pieces

tomatoes - cut into small chunks

feta cheese

Ranch dressing

Pitas

Cut the chicken breast into 1/4 inch slices. This is a great lunch the day after you've had chicken for dinner. Use up those leftovers!

In a bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, and feta. It looks like you're making a salad. You want about 3/4 cup of lettuce per pita and then add the other ingredients according to your tastes - more feta, less tomatoes, tons of chicken....you know how that goes.

At this point, take out your favorite ranch dressing. Around here we have a couple. If I want a light dressing, I go for Hidden Valley Ranch Light. But....if you don't mind those extra calories and fat, the Litehouse Homestyle Ranch is to die for - absolutely wonderful. Just remember to get the Homestyle kind.

Put some ranch on top of your bowl of lettuce. Stir to combine. Add more ranch if needed - you want the salad to be evenly coated throughout.

Cut 1 to 1 1/2 inches off the top of the pita and slowly open being careful not to crack it. Stuff the pita with your salad mixture.

Once it's stuffed, you can take it whole and put it in a plastic bag. Or you can wrap the whole thing in parchment paper and then cut it in half. Either way it tastes great!

Nutella & Banana Sandwich

2011-08-25T08:03:00.004-05:00

School Lunch Week

Day 4

Nutella & Banana Sandwich

There are two different ways that you can make this sandwich - one with toasted bread, one without. I will give you both ways today - preparation may be different, but ingredients are the same.

Ingredients:

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 1/2 to 2 Tb. Nutella Spread

1/3 of a banana

Sliced lemon

Toasted Recipe:

Toast both slices of bread. In a small bowl, smash your banana with a fork. Add a little lemon juice to keep the banana from going brown.

Spread Nutella on one slice of bread and smashed banana on the other.

Slap the two sides together, and you've got a sandwich! Eat immediately and this is amazing! The crunchy toast is a perfect combination to the creamy fillings.

However.....

If you are making this for your child's school lunch, crumbly toast may not be the best way to go. So, here is option number two...the non-toasted recipe:

Spread Nutella on one piece of bread. Slice banana into round slices. Gently rub the banana slices on a cut lemon to keep them from turning brown. Place slices on piece of bread.

Fold the two sides together, and there you have it! The texture of the sliced bananas goes well with the non-toasted bread.

I personally have to say that the toasted version is a bit better. However, knowing my kids and their inability to eat anything without getting it all over themselves, I decided to go with the slightly less messy version and send them to school with non-toasted sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Chicken Caesar Wraps

2011-08-24T07:55:00.004-05:00

School Lunch Week

Day 3

Chicken Caesar Wraps

This has quickly become a staple in our School Lunch routine. It's an absolute favorite and so simple to make.

This is one of those recipes that has no exact amounts - you just make them a couple times and then you'll have it down.

Ingredients:

Chicken

Parmesan Cheese

Romaine lettuce

Tortillas

Caesar Salad Dressing

Lay out your tortilla and place chicken on top. If your tortilla is at room temperature it seems to work best. Also, you can use any leftover chicken that you have in your fridge - that chicken breast you had for dinner? Slice it into thin slices - or use the leftover shredded chicken from your asian salad - that's what I did.

Take your salad dressing and put a zig-zag line over the top of the chicken. Then sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese.

We like to use the Kraft Classic Caesar Salad Dressing - it's perfect for this.

Place your romain leaves on top of the chicken. You can use whole leaves or shredded leaves - either one will work.

Don't use other types of lettuce. Ice burg lettuce tastes different and red and green leaf don't stay crispy with the dressing.

Add another zig-zag of dressing and roll that thing up!

Sometimes it stays together just fine, and other times it wants to roll apart. So, I often take a toothpick and stick it right through the middle, just to keep it all together.

This is one that I typically don't slice - I just give them the whole tube.

You can also add more or less of any of the ingredients. Make this a few times and I'm sure you'll have it down perfectly!

Asian Chicken Salad

2011-08-23T00:00:00.003-05:00

School Lunch Week

Day 2

Asian Chicken Salad

I'm actually quite surprised that my kids like this and eat it! But, hey...I guess they're culinarily adventurous - who knew?

This is a nice crunchy salad that can be made the night before - which truthfully every mom loves because the mornings are so crazy!

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded chicken

1 cup carrots

3 cups cabbage

1/4 cup chopped chives

1/2 cup asian salad dressing

peanuts (optional)

bean sprouts (optional)

Begin by cooking your chicken. I like to boil mine and then shred it. Once your chicken is shredded, place it in a bowl.

Cut your carrots into thin long strips - or just buy the prepackaged matchstick carrots and measure out a cup. ; )

Place the carrots in the bowl with the chicken.

Take a head of green cabbage (washed, of course) and thinly slice. You want the same style of cabbage that you would use for coleslaw.

Throw in the chives - if you don't have chives, just cut the green tops off of some green onions. They work just great.

Throw the cabbage and the onions into the bowl.

Now for that dressing. I like to use Newman's Own Lowfat Sesame Ginger. But you can use whatever you prefer. I also like the Kraft kind (can't think of the name) but this one is my favorite.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine and coat all ingredients.

If you want to throw in some bean sprouts or peanuts, now's the time. I thought I might be pushing my luck if I added any, so I decided to go with the basic salad for my kids...no need to scare them away with something new.

Eat salad immediately, or place in fridge until ready to serve. Personally I like mine cold.

The kids had the Asian Chicken Salad with grapes (no those are not olives), water, go-gurts, and granola bars.

Yum, yum.

Turkey Spinach Wraps

2011-08-22T00:00:00.003-05:00

School Lunch Week

Day One

Turkey Spinach Wraps

This is our basic wrap in this family. Everyone likes it and it's so simple to make - great for those school lunches.

Ingredients:

Basil & Chive Cream Cheese (click for recipe)

Turkey Lunch Meat

Flour Tortillas - can use whole wheat

Baby Spinach Leaves

Tomatoes

Make the Basil & Chive Cream Cheese mixture.

Lightly spread it all over your tortillas with an offset spatula (you have enough cream cheese to make 4 to 5). Then place the turkey meat on one side of the tortilla. Place spinach and tomatoes on top of the meat.

Starting on the meat side, roll your tortilla into a tube. Slice in half on a diagonal and you're ready to eat!

This was for one of my kids that didn't like tomatoes.

However, I LOVE tomatoes on mine, so here it is.

I also decided to go for the whole wheat tortilla. Both are great, it just depends on your preference.

So simple...so good!

Basil & Chive Cream Cheese

2011-08-21T22:30:00.000-05:00

This is a basic cream cheese spread. It is good for so many different things, so I decided to type it up as it's own post - then I can just reference it whenever I need to!

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese - at room temperature

2 green onions - chopped

3 large basil leaves - chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. If your cream cheese is soft, you should be able to do this with a fork. Once everything is combined, use it on your wraps, or toasted bagels, or crackers, or....well, you get the idea.

Here's a little hint. I like to use the neufatel cheese - since it has 1/3 less fat - however, NEVER use the fat-free cream cheese. That stuff if just plain gross!

Back-to-School Lunches

2011-08-20T16:43:00.003-05:00

For the past two years my children have taken lunch to school. There are occasional days that they get school lunch (if mom oversleeps and we're rushing, or if it's breakfast for lunch day at school), but for the most part they take it from home.

Believe me, we didn't start out this way. I'm all about convenience, and when my oldest started Kindergarten, it was just easier on our mornings to not have another thing to worry about. However, after a couple years I began to really analyze this choice I'd made. At $1.95 per lunch, and two lunches per day (two kids) I was paying $78 per month just for their lunch - and this year the price has gone up to $2.50!

I also noticed that the food was very unhealthy. They were having pizza at least once a week, chicken nuggets every Monday, chocolate milk everyday, and gross soggy vegetables.

So...that was it. We made the switch and I have to say that my kids have never complained. In fact, they've really enjoyed being able to actually eat a good meal. : )

Now you know why I've decided to do this "School Lunch Week" - it's to help out all those people looking for ideas of what to send with their child to school. Please, let me know what you think and also give me some feedback and ideas of lunches that you like to send with your child.

Come back on Monday, it all starts on the First Day of School!

Tomato & Basil Capellini

2011-08-18T21:52:00.005-05:00

I have to say that this dish is amazing. It's light and simple and tastes so good after a hot summer day. I just made a little bit to share with my husband (seeing as how my kids don't like chunks of tomatoes), but I should have made a whole lot more. We ate it within seconds.

Don't take my word for it, go make some....NOW!

Ingredients:

2 Tb. olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes - washed and cut in half

4 cloves garlic - finely chopped

1 tsp. salt

1 T. fresh basil - julienned (that's chopped in thin slices)

fresh parmesan cheese

12 oz. capellini pasta (angel hair)

mozzarella

Cook pasta according to package directions. A few minutes before you place the pasta in the water, start your sauce.

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatoes.

Hurry and chop up that garlic and the basil. Add the garlic and half the basil then sprinkle on the salt. Don't forget to put your pasta in the water.

Continue to cook until the tomatoes are heated through and starting to pop open.

When your pasta is done, drain it and then add it to the tomato mixture. Stir to combine and then sprinkle with the remaining basil and a handful of parmesan cheese.

The cheese is really up to you, put on as much as you like. You can also add a little mozzarella if you like. I chose to try and make mine a little more healthy...just a little. : )

Grilled Sea Bass

2011-08-12T19:11:00.006-05:00

My parents recently went fishing to Alaska. They brought home over 150 lbs. of fish, and I was lucky enough to be able to bring some home with me. Boy, I planned that trip well!

So, now I'm trying to find different ways to serve fish. This one is a definite keeper. The whole family loved it!

This recipe was intended for a grill, however I didn't want to lose my fish between the grates of our grill so I opted for The George Foreman. I placed the fish on the bottom side of the grill and didn't pull down the lid - basically using it as a grill pan....hmmm....grill pan....maybe I should invest in one of those.

Ingredients:

2 pounds sea bass

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 Tb. butter

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tb. chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

lemon pepper

kosher salt

Preheat your grill. Chop the garlic and parsley. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the garlic and parsley. Saute for a moment and then remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

Sprinkle seasonings over both sides of the fish. Then add lemon pepper and salt to your liking - we like a lot of lemon pepper around here, so I was generous.

Place fish on lightly oiled grill. Grill fish for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Turn the fish and drizzle with butter. Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork. Remove when done, and serve imediately.

This was great with the bass, but I'm sure it would also be great on any white fish. I'm really glad I used The Foreman, as my fish was really flaky and would have fallen into my grill had I cooked it outside.

This was absolutely wonderful! You'll love it!

Frijoles Negros

2011-08-11T23:12:00.004-05:00

I love having Black Beans whenever we have mexican food. After a few test runs, I've finally found some that my family loves!

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1 Tb. olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped onions

1/3 cup finely chopped green pepper

2 cloves finely chopped garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

finely chopped jalapeño (optional)

1 can black beans (undrained)

In a small pan heat the olive oil. Sauté the onions and green peppers (jalapeño too if you want the heat) until soft - about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add the undrained beans, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer the beans for 15 minutes to incorporate all the flavors.

Serve with your favorite meal - or just eat them on their own.

Enjoy!

Salt

2011-08-09T12:16:00.003-05:00

Sunday evening we pulled into the driveway after an 8 state, 3,855 mile, 3 week vacation and I realized that I didn't have anything for us to eat.

Luckily my husband informed me that there were some potatoes in the pantry (he bought them before he flew out to join us). We were quickly able to whip up a simple potato bar - potatoes, chili, broccoli, ranch, salt & pepper. It was very simple and nothing special, but it was good to be eating at home.

Then, as I reached over for the salt, I had this huge feeling of gratitude - I was grateful for my salt! Who else can say that they've felt that way before? Probably not many - Yes, I know I'm weird. But I was grateful for my simple little bowl of large grain kosher salt.

It just looks so beautiful and coats those vegetables so well! Oh, it is good to be home!

Fruit Pizza

2011-07-18T09:31:00.001-05:00

This is an easy one - and a crowd pleaser. It's one of our favorite summer desserts.

This recipe is for a pizza stone, so if you decide to make this on a cookie sheet, you may have to increase the ingredient amounts to compensate.

Ingredients:

3/4 of a package sugar cookie dough (I use Pillsbury)

4 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 oz. whipped topping

lots of different types of fruit - strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, kiwi, etc.

Lightly dust your cooking stone with flour and roll out the sugar cookie dough to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Leave 1/2 inch of blank space between the cookie dough and the edge of the pizza stone as the dough will expand when cooked.

Place in the oven and cook according to package directions. Usually about 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove dough from oven and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl. Once the mixture is combined, fold in the whipped topping.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the pizza, leaving a 1/4 inch edge of cookie showing. Place fruit on the top in a circular pattern. Continue to add fruit until you get your desired effect.

Put it in the fridge and keep it cool until you're ready to serve. Slice with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

Dinner

2011-07-11T22:03:00.003-05:00

Keys Style Citrus Chicken

I made this a few nights ago. I've posted this recipe before, but not with pictures. So...here you have an updated post with pictures!

You can find the recipe here.

Enjoy!

Bistro Pasta Salad

2011-07-07T17:11:00.004-05:00

My kids absolutely love this salad. And the best part is, you can go as simple or as crazy as you want with this. It can be a perfect side dish, or add a little chicken and you have dinner.

I'm going to give you the full recipe, but remember that there are only four absolutely necessary ingredients - the pasta, the cheese, the dressing and the basil. The other stuff is just extra goodness that can enhance the flavors.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked pasta (penne, or spirals, or bowtie)

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

2 to 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil, cut into strips (julienned)

1/4 cup chopped red onions

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1/2 cup italian dressing (I like the Good Seasons Italian Dressing or the Good Seasons Garlic & Herb)

If you use the Good Seasons dressing, make it according to package instructions.

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Place in refrigerator until chilled.

Top with chicken.

*I chose the simple recipe for my family. Mostly because I was out of red onion and sun dried tomatoes. Remember, it can be as simple or as complex as you like. Also - don't use zesty italian dressing, it just doesn't taste very good...really....don't do it!

Good luck!

Roadside Lemonade

2011-07-04T10:56:00.004-05:00

Nothing quenches your thirst on a hot summer day better than a cold glass of homemade lemonade. I absolutely love this recipe. I found it years ago in a magazine..I think. Give it a try, you'll love it!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups lemon juice (about 8-9 large lemons)

water

ice cubes

Cut lemons in half and extract juice. Strain, removing seeds and crushed pulp.

In a 3 quart saucepan, combine 2 cups water and the sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and stirring occasionally, cook until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Remove sugar syrup from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Stir lemon juice into sugar syrup.

In a 2 1/2 quart container, combine 4 cups water and the lemon syrup; cover and refrigerate until chilled. When ready to serve lemonade, pour over ice cubes in individual glasses.

The Steak

2011-07-02T00:01:00.011-05:00

Grill Week

Day 6

The Steak

For the final day of Grill Week, I decided to go for the Big Daddy, the king of all barbecues - The Steak!

The first time I ever made a steak for my husband, I put it on the grill, flipped it over, then flipped it over again...and again...and...well, you get the idea. At this point my sweet fiance came running over (that's right, we weren't even married yet) and promptly informed me that you NEVER flip a steak more than once.

And so began our relationship and me NEVER cooking a steak again. Never. I've just watched him do it. And since he cooks them so well, I don't think I will ever cook a steak.

So, really this post will be typed by me, but dictated by my hubby. And he really is the best at cooking steak...so listen up!

Great Grilling Cuts of Meat:

Ribeye (as shown here - the Cowboy Ribeye with the bone in) - fantastic flavor - very tender

Filet - most tender cut of meat, more lean than other cuts

New York Strip - high quality cut - not as much fat as Ribeye so easier to trim

Porterhouse / T-Bone - basically a combo of Filet and New York described above

Sirloin - step down in quality, more affordable - still can be a great steak if done right

Ingredients:

Steaks - cuts of meat described above

Seasonings of your choice (my husband keeps his a secret) - but it could include:

Salt,

Pepper,

Onion Salt

Garlic Salt

Dehydrated Onions

Seasoned Salt

...or just cheat and grab the Montreal Steak Seasoning...

-----

Cooking Instructions

It's important to do two things in preparation for grilling steak:

1. Always grill the steak at room temperature. There is nothing worse than pulling out a frozen steak - or even one out of the cold fridge - and throwing it down on the grill.

2. Season your steak prior to putting it on the grill. I prefer to let it rest a little with the seasonings on both sides.

Now it's time to cook those steaks.

Always preheat your grill. Again you'll want to be using a hot grill - with little flame. Once you place them on the grill you'll want to close the lid and let them work on getting a good sear on the first side. The searing of the meat helps to lock the flavor and juices into the meat.

As you are cooking the steaks, you'll want to take a peek at the bottom to see how quickly they are cooking - and how done the steak is on the first side. Your decision of when to turn the steak will dictate the doneness of the steak. The quicker you turn the steak the closer to 'Rare' it will turn out.

Once you've reached the appropriate cooking time on the first side and turned your steak - work toward having the same level of cooking on the second side. This helps you to have an evenly cooked steak throughout.

Most experienced grillers know that the firmness of the meat when cooked can indicate how done a steak is. As a general rule - the more firm it feels, the closer to 'well done' it is. But also keep in mind that a high quality cut of meat, like a filet or ribeye, won't feel extremely firm until you've completely crispified it.

Once your meat is done, remove it from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes. This will help to finish the cooking process and keep the meat moist, juicy and flavorful.

Now it's time to eat!

Pageant Turkey

2011-07-01T08:11:00.006-05:00

Grill Week

Day 5

Pageant Turkey

I am from a small town in central Utah. Every year this town has a huge pageant telling the story of how our valley was settled and what brought the people there.

Along with the pageant, there is a dinner that people can purchase. As fas as I know, this dinner has always been the same thing - Pageant Turkey!

So today, you are getting the secret community recipe (well, not really secret) and believe me, you will love it!

I did realize that unless you live in a small community with a turkey plant in your midst, you probably will not be able to find turkey breasts. So, for this recipe I just used chicken.

Give it a try - you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

1 cup oil

1 cup soy sauce

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp horseradish sauce (optional)

2 cups Sprite

5 lbs turkey breast - cut into long strips about 1-1/2 inches wide

Mix all first 5 ingredients together to make a marinade. Place the turkey in the marinade and cover. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat your grill for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium/low and place turkey on the grill perpendicular to your grate. This will give you the nice grill lines on your turkey.

Cover and cook until the turkey is seared on the bottom and starting to cook up the sides.

Once it has cooked about 1/4 to 1/2 way up the side, flip the turkey.

Continue to cook until the turkey is done. It will feel firm to the touch - not soft (about 165 degrees if you want to do it that way). Hopefully, after you've cooked a few times, you'll be able to know when it's done by the way it feels.

Remove that turkey and put it on a plate - it's time to eat!

All American Burger

2011-06-30T00:00:00.005-05:00

Grill Week

Day 4

All American Burger

Have you ever gone to a barbecue and the burgers are processed frozen meat that's been thrown on the grill with absolutely no seasonings? Yeah...me too. And I have to say, it is one of my least favorite things to eat.

I mean...come on! A great hamburger is really not that difficult to make. If you feel at all intimidated, just keep reading and you'll realize that it really isn't that hard. And who knows, maybe you'll be tempted to make a great burger at your next barbecue.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

2 tsp garlic salt

1 Tb Montreal Steak Seasoning

1/4 cup chopped dehydrated onions (you can use chopped real onions, but make sure they're chopped really well - use 1/2 cup)

Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands to combine. Don't over mix or it will make the meat tough.

Once all the ingredients have been combined, divide the mixture into 6 to 8 equal parts. We did four huge burgers and 3 small burgers. You could get 8 regular sized ones as well - you choose the combo that works for you.

Take one of your sections and roll into a ball, pressing the edges in with your right hand while flattening the ball with your left palm.

Once the edges are nice and tight, flatten the burger even further with your left palm and right fingers.

Place the burger on a plate that has been covered with a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Continue to stack the completed burgers with a sheet of wax paper between each one. This will make it a lot easier to transfer them to the grill.

At this point you can throw those burgers back in the fridge (once they're covered in saran wrap). Or you can use them immediately - which is what we're going to do.

Preheat your grill. Turn that baby on high and give it about 10 minutes to heat up.

This is the point where I hand the plate of burgers over to my husband and head back into the house for a nice cold glass of water. But, since the purpose of this blog is to teach you how to barbecue, I guess I'll have to go ask him what you do next.

Once your grill is ready, turn the flame down to medium/low. Place the burgers on the grill and close the lid. You want to make sure that they get a nice sear on the bottom. When grilling beef you want to only turn it once. The more you flip your meat, the drier it will become. So, keep an eye on those burgers.

When the sides (not middle) of the burger look cooked, put your spatula underneath and lift slightly. The bottom should be seared - not burnt. If this is the case, flip that thing. If not, give it a few more minutes. If it's burnt, feed it to the dog.

After you've flipped that burger, you now want to test doneness by feel. A burger that is done will be firm but not hard. It should not be jiggly or squishy.

*Side note*

I'm being told by my husband that some people like their burgers medium - who are you people?! But, if you're out there, the trick to getting that pink center is to flip your burger before the sides look done. Don't let the side turn entirely brown. After you've flipped it, sear the next side and feel for firmness.

No matter how you like your burger, at some point they will be done - and hopefully not burnt or hard.

At this point, toast those hamburger buns if you want to and then transfer buns and burgers to a plate.

This is what I was inside working on while my hubby was cooking burgers.

Now comes the fun part. Take that burger and load it up.

We're building an All American today, so this is what we used:

Mayo - Hellmans is the best

Slices of cheese - the real stuff

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Pickles

Red Onion

Ketchup

Mustard

The nice thing about hamburgers is that you can add pretty much whatever you want - avocados, bacon, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, ANYTHING. Really the sky's the limit.

Now you don't have any excuse. Go out and make yourself a burger.

Enjoy!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

2011-06-29T00:01:00.002-05:00

Grill Week

Day 3

Grilled Corn on the Cob

This was a fun one. Easy and very few ingredients - my kind of cooking.

Ingredients:

Corn on the Cob

Water

Grill

Take your corn, still in the husks, and trim off anything that can burn. This includes the extra corn silk on the ends, the fly-aways on the sides, and even those long handles on the bottom.

Once they're all trimmed up, soak the ears of corn for 15 minutes in water. This will help prevent burning as well as help steam the corn during cooking.

This is also a good time to preheat that grill - set it on high, close the lid, and let it get hot.

Remove corn from water and pat dry. Turn the flames down to low and place the corn on the hot grill. Placement will be similar to kabobs - perpendicular to the grill so you can rotate them left to right.

Close the lid and let those things cook. Check them every 3 to 5 minutes and rotate to ensure equal cooking on each side.

The whole cooking process will take 15 to 20 minutes.

The corn is done when the husk looks wilted and dry. It will be a slightly faded, almost gray, color - but not burnt (remember that low flame).

Place the corn on a platter and take inside. Now you have to remove the husks - but be careful, they are very hot.

Once the husks are removed, you're ready to eat! You can use butter, salt, pepper, etc.

I decided to make a little herbed butter for our corn (recipe below).

Herbed Butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cube butter - softened

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp parsley

Mix together all the ingredients. Place on a sheet of saran wrap and lightly fold the saran wrap around the butter to form a log. Place in the fridge until it hardens.

Remove from fridge, place on a plate and roll your corn in the herbed butter.

Grilled Pizza

2011-06-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Grill Week

Day 2

Grilled Pizza

Making Pizza on a grill was something new for our family, but I have to say we really enjoyed it. The kids had a great time "decorating" their pizzas and Grandma was even here to help us out. I highly recommend trying this!

There are three components to this recipe: the dough, the pizza sauce, and the toppings. I chose to make my dough and sauce from scratch. However, if you would rather, you can purchase the "just add water" dough mix and the bottled pizza sauce. Your choice.

This post will be divided into three sections to help keep thing clear and concise.

The Pizza Sauce

I start this post with the sauce first, since it needs to be prepared in advance. You could make it while your dough is rising...but if you're like me, you would be stressed trying to fit it all in. I just made mine in the morning and stuck it in the fridge...hence the not so great picture and the ugly container. Sorry.

Ingredients:

1/8 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Put the oil into a sauce pan. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds on medium to high heat. Then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

The Dough

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

2 Tb yeast

1 tsp sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tb oil

Mix together the water, sugar and yeast. Once the yeast is foaming (approximately 5 minutes) add 3 cups of flour, the salt and the oil. Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms and the sides of the bowl come clean. Add additional flour if needed.

Place dough in a greased bowl and allow it to rise until double in size - about 1 hour.

Before you go any further - go turn on that grill. You want to heat it up.

Remove dough and cut into 6 equal pieces (or 8 if you want smaller pizzas). Stretch and form dough into a circle (or oblong, or square, or any shape your little helpers can make).

Place the dough on a floured cookie sheet, and then take them out to the grill - we grilled three pizza crusts at a time.

You want your grill to be nice and hot, but you don't want the flames to burn your pizza. The best option is to leave half of your grill on high and the other half on low. Place the pizza crusts on the low side of the grill.

The easiest way to get the pizza off is by using a spatula - believe me, I tried other things as well. A spatula is your best bet!

Once your pizza crusts are on the grill, cover that baby and let them cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Check them occasionally, but remember that every time you open the lid you loose heat and your grill is acting as your oven.

Once the bottom side of your crust is done, take it out and flip it over on to a cookie sheet. You will be putting your toppings on the side you just cooked.

Now on to the good stuff.....

The Toppings

You can use whatever you want. These are just some of the things we like in our family.

Ingredients:

Sauteed Onions and Peppers

Pepperoni Slices

Ham Chunks

Spinach

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (Part Skim)

Whole Milk Mozzarella (sliced)

Start by placing some pizza sauce on each crust - not too much or it will be soggy. Then add all the other good stuff.

We did discover that the whole milk mozzarella melted a lot better - and tasted better- than the part skim kind.

Once your pizzas are decorated, take them back out to the grill. Again, put them on the low side and close that lid.

They need to cook for 5 to 7 more minutes (I think ours took 10 - perhaps I was checking them too often).

Once they're done, pull them out and get ready to eat!

Here are some of our crazy concoctions:

Pepperoni & Mozzarella

Peppers, Onions & Spinach with Mozzarella

Ham & Mozzarella

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

2011-06-27T02:01:00.001-05:00

Grill Week

Day 1

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

I posted about this recipe a while back. I had tried to make these, only to discover that I was completely out of skewers. Well, this time I was prepared!

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, and I have to say that I have never tasted kabobs that are quite this juicy and tender - absolutely amazing!

See all of those kabobs pictured above? Yeah...my family of 6 ate every...single...one. We didn't have any leftovers - they're that good!

Ingredients:

Marinade

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1 clove garlic

1 Tb. oil

1 tsp. ginger

2 to 3 large chicken breasts - cut in 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks

Vegetables

2 small zucchini cut into 1 inch chunks

1 onion - chunked

1 red pepper - chunked

1 can diced pineapple

salt and pepper

wooden skewers

Combine marinade ingredients into a 9x13 pan.

Place chicken in pan, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to marinate 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken over half-way through the marinading process.

Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (this will help keep them from burning during the cooking process). While they're soaking, go turn on that grill - we want it to be nice and hot.

Lightly sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper, then remove the skewers from the water and begin assembling the kabobs.

Randomly place chicken, vegetables, and pineapple on the skewers. I like to cap the ends of the skewers with vegetables, as well as place lots of pineapple by the chicken. But, that's just me.

Once they are assembled, take them out to the grill. By now your grill rack and the interior of the grill should be at high heat.

This is the point where I turn it over to my husband. I prepare the food and he grills it - that's just how our relationship works. So...my husband, Elliott, will take over the post from here.

Just before placing the kabobs on the grill - turn the grill down to Low. There should be very few flames so the kabobs don't char.

Depending on the speed of cooking - you'll want to use little to no flame during the cooking process. Remember - the more flame you have - the more charring you'll end up with on your kabobs. If you need to have a flame, use an indirect heat - for example keep the far left burner on high but have your kabobs on the right side of the grill.

I like to put the kabobs perpendicular to the front of the grill - allowing you to turn them to the right or left, instead of turning them from front to back of the grill. This will also keep you from burning your hand reaching inside the grill to grab any kabobs at the back. Tongs are the easiest way to work with kabobs.

Keep the grill lid closed as much as possible to keep the heat in - but check them periodically to ensure they aren't burning. With chicken and kabobs, you'll end up turning them more often than other grilling meats.

Cook them until the chicken is firm to the touch - and done on the inside (temp should be 165 on the inside). The more often you grill - the better you'll be at gauging the doneness by feel.

Since the chicken chunks aren't very thick, and you'll be turning them to cook on all sides, the whole cooking process won't be very long - 10-15 minutes or less.

When the kabobs are done, remove them from the grill and place them on a clean plate (not the one you brought them to the grill on) and take them in to be devoured. There is no need to let them rest like other meats - so at this point it's time to EAT!

A Big Thanks to my hubby for helping me out this week. Be sure to check back tomorrow to see what we're grilling!

Grill Week!

2011-06-23T10:24:00.000-05:00

Since it's summer - and since Grilling is the favorite method of cooking in the summer - we will be having Grill Week here at Friendly Kitchen!

Starting next Monday, June 27, we will have six days of Grill Recipes - a new one each day! So be sure to check back every day next week and see what we have for you.

There are some old favs as well as some new recipes. Plus, I've convinced my husband to help me out since he's the Master Griller in the family.

This will definitely be fun!

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken

2011-06-19T14:01:00.004-05:00

This is a new recipe for our family. I got it from my friend, Jen, while at swim lessons a few weeks ago.

I did, however, make a few changes. Jen likes to use broccoli and carrots in hers - but I chose to use red and yellow peppers with zucchini. There is just something about this combination of vegetables that says "Summer" to me.

Other than that, the recipe is the same. It's a wonderful, light meal for the summer - especially here in Texas where we all feel like we're melting.

I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbs olive oil (divided)

2 chicken breasts cut into small slices

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

half a yellow pepper - cut into small cubes

half a red pepper - cut into small cubes

1 small zucchini - cut into cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

12 oz angel hair pasta

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon fresh basil - chopped

1/3 to 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Begin heating water for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tb oil n medium skillet over medium heat; add chicken and onions and cook about 5 to 7 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from skillet and drain on paper towels.

Heat remaining 1 Tb of oil in the same skillet. Add vegetables and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds.

When water in boiling, cook pasta according to package directions.

Add chicken broth and basil to the vegetable mixture. Return chicken to the skillet. Add salt, reduce heat and simmer.

Drain pasta and add to the vegetable/chicken mixture. Lightly stir to combine. Place in a large serving bowl and sprinkle generously with fresh parmesan cheese.

*Notes*

You must use real cheese. In fact, I highly recommend buying the kind that you find in the refrigerated section - not the powdery, located on the shelf kind. I used that kind, because it was all that I had, however you must learn from my mistakes. Buy the real stuff!

Dessert Weekend

2011-06-12T21:25:00.001-05:00

I decided to make this for my piano recital on Friday. But then I figured if I was going to make one, why not make two? We had one for the piano recital and one with our neighbors tonight. A great way to end the weekend.

I've posted this recipe before, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to show it to y'all again.

Here's the recipe.

Let me know what you think!

Creamy Potato Salad

2011-06-07T16:42:00.000-05:00

Tis' the season for Barbecue - and you can't have a barbecue without potato salad.

I absolutely love this salad...it's chuck full of dill and it's always a crowd pleaser. Normally when I make this, I just throw everything in...I've never taken the time to actually figure out the amounts.

Well...I finally did just that! And this is what I came up with. Just remember that everyone is different, so if you like a little more of one thing and a little less of another...go ahead and do it your way. After all...this will be your potato salad.

Give it a shot! I really don't think you can go wrong with this.

Ingredients:

4 cups potatoes - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

5 hard boiled eggs - cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3/4 cup onions - chopped

1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles

1 1/2 cups mayo

1 Tb Dill weed

1 tsp mustard

1 to 2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Place potatoes in a pan of water on the stove. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender when poked with a fork. Drain potatoes and put in a bowl to cool.

Once the potatoes are cool add the eggs, onions and pickles. In a separate bowl add the mayo, dill weed, mustard, 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Stir to combine. If you feel that this mixture is a little too thick, you can add a tsp or two of the pickle juice (optional).

Pour the mayonnaise sauce over the potato mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add additional tsp of salt if desired.

Chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours before serving. This is even great the next day.

* As a side note, I like to use Hellman's Mayonnaise. It seems to be the best. You can use regular or low fat.