Chicken Burritos

4 chicken breasts
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 cup cheese

Place chicken breasts (can be frozen), taco season, chicken broth, beans, corn and salsa in crock pot. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and add cheese and sour cream in last 30 minutes of cooking. Serve on tortillas.

Chicken Burritos Grenada Style

2-4 chicken breasts cooked and shredded (I use one 8 oz. and it is plenty)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup rice, cooked
tortillas, cheese and other garnishings

Place the shredded chicken into a sauce pan with taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low. Add beans and corn. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Mix in rice. Serve on tortillas with cheese and other garnishings.

Wassail

1 Qt. water
2 1/4 cup sugar
10 whole cloves
8 allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece of ginger root (medium size)
2 Qt apple cider or juice
1 Qt orange juice
1 cup lemon juice

bring water and sugar to a boil for 5 min., remove from heat and stir in cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks and ginger. let it stand 1 hour or more and then strain it. stir in the apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice. heat on low and serve warm.

Serves 16

Enjoy! This is a holiday favorite at our house, I hope you can get the ingredients down here!

Easy Italian Pasta Bake

1 lb. ground beef
3 cups penne pasta or rotini pasta, cooked, drained
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup parmesan and romano cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown meat; drain. Add pasta, sauce and half of the parmesan and romano cheese; mix well. Put into 13x9 baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan and romano cheese. Bake 20 minutes at 375 F or until heated through.

Cinnamon Syrup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water

DIRECTIONS
Stir together the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir in vanilla extract and water. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue to boil and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Bread/Navajo Tacos

2 c flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c milk

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and mix until dough comes together. Knead until smooth, at least 5 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Fry in oil until lightly golden.

Top with chili, olives, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream.

Taco Soup

I think this might be Sara J's recipe, but I love it.

1 lb. ground beef
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 c chopped onions
1 8 oz can tomato soup
3 c water
1 env taco season
2 cans stewed tomato
2 cans kidney beans
sour cream
chips
shredded cheese

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Top with sour cream, cheese, and chips.

Cake Mix Cookies

Snickerdoodles

1 pkg yellow or white cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c oil
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and roll into balls. Dough is pretty sticky and may need to refrigerate for a bit. Roll into cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sugar Cookies

1 pkg white cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c oil

Mix together and roll into balls or flatten and cut into shapes. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Cookies

1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1/2 c butter softened
2 eggs
1 c white choc chips

Mix together and roll into balls. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lemon Chicken Tenders

1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a bowl, stir together paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle seasoning over chicken pieces. Dip pieces in egg, then dredge in bread crumbs. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in an aluminum foil-lined 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, turning once.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together sugar, lemon juice, and curry powder, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle lemon sauce over chicken, return to oven, and bake 5 minutes more.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Drain excess fat. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet. Add the onion, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green pepper and garlic.
Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Baked French Fries

1 large baking potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Cut potato into wedges. Mix olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder together. Coat potatoes with oil/spice mixture and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven.

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Snickerdoodles

1 3/4 cups shortening
1/2 cube margarine
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
5 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar for coating


Cream shortening, margarine, sugar, and eggs together. Then add the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. mix well. Form into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly (we use the bottom of a cup or something else that is completely flat)
Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 min or until the edge is slightly brown.
This makes quite a few cookies, you can freeze the balls of cookie dough you just have to thaw completely before cooking.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. softened butter
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. almond extract

Cream powdered sugar and butter. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract. combine flour, baking soda and cream of tarter and add to mixture. Add cream cheese and thoroughly incorporate it into the dough mixture. Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Flour and roll out 1/2" thickness. Bake for 10 minutes.

Frosting
3 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. softened butter
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Mix all ingredients.

Play Dough

Play Dough
(to be played with not eaten)

1 C. flour
1/2 C. salt
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. alum
1 C. boiling water
food coloring

Bring water to boil. Remove from heat. Add food coloring and remainder of ingredients. Begin stirring w/spoon, eventually knead with hands.

*I wait and put the food coloring in after the play dough is done. I divide it into 4-5 pieces, make a cave in each piece, drop some food coloring in each, and let the kiddos knead in the color and create their own.
I have been able to store it for a few months in Ziploc bags.

Easy Taco Salad

Easy Taco Salad



Ren & I love making this when we don't know what to have for dinner. It is pretty easy and tasty!

Ingredients:
1 lb. of ground beef
1 can of corn
1 can black beans
16 oz. jar of Salsa- (I use the Mild Pace Picante and I use a little more than 3/4.)
Garlic Salt (I just put in however much I want. Not too much though.)
Frito's or Tortilla chips or Scone bread.
- You will also need adequate cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and lettuce to put on top.

Brown ground beef in large saucepan. Season with garlic salt and salt and pepper. Drain then add corn and black beans and salsa. Bring to a good simmer and let sit for about 5 min. We like to eat ours over Frito's, but any of the above things are yummy.
Serve in bowls. Put Fritos in first, then top with meat, then put on the cheese, etc. Enjoy and eat a ton.

(Ok, so yours might not look just like the picture posted, but it will still be really yummy. I just liked that taco salad picture.)

Two Requests?

Hey Gals,
I have two request that I would love posted on here! The first one is Mrs. Hill's sugar cookies. They are SOOOOO good. Please post them for me. Please. ha. And the 2nd one is also addressed to the one and only Mrs. Hill,...it is for her pliable play-dough. She has claimed to have found a good recipe that doesn't dry out and is of good consistency, so please do share!
Thanks!
Case-a-roo.

Kid Friendly!

Check out THIS cute site for fun kid foods!!

I added it to the links on the right if you want to check it out...

Easy Pork Chops

6 pork chops (we just used a package of Stew Pork from IGA)
Seasoning salt
1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I only used one)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Season the pork and brown on both sides. Remove the chops to a 9x13 pan. Put the soup and wocestershire sauce in the frying pan to heat and absorb flavors of the meat. Pour over the pork chops, cover with foil and bake at 300 for 2-3 hours. (This would work great in a slow cooker as well!) The longer they bake, the more tender they are. Serve over potatoes or rice.

*Both Dustin and I could hardly believe how delicious these were and it made a lot of food! It's almost a crime to have something this easy taste so good. We had them over the Weir's baked potatoes: scrub and poke the taters, coat in olive oil then salt, bake uncovered at 350 for 45-60 min. HEAVENLY!! (Did I get the potatoes right, Sara?)*

Hamburger buns, sub rolls, heck even cinammon rolls

prepare: 1/4 cup warm water, 1 1/2 tbsp active yeast, a pinch of sugar....let it foam

in a microwave safe bowl, add 1 1/2 cup milk, 1 cube margarine or butter (1/2 if you want)and microwave till the butter is melting/melted. Set aside.

In a blender, or just a bowl, add 2 eggs 2-3 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp salt. Mix this with the milk, and blend (super soft fluffy rolls) or just whip together, best you can.

In a large bowl, or mixing bowl, add the yeast mixture, 4-5 cups of flour, and then the liquid ingredients. Mix well, and when able to handle, knead (you made have to add flour). Knead until velvety and smooth, not worrying if it is slightly sticky - the wetter the better with bread. Form into a ball, and place into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Punch down and:

roll out, add butter and cinammon sugar, and make cinammon rolls
roll out, cut out circles (with the mouth of a mug, brush with milk and add sesame seeds (hamburger buns)
form into balls and make rolls, or form into balls, roll them into small strips and make hotdog/subway rolls.

Let rise again till double and then bake at about 375 for 20 minutes, until they smell done. Try to use a lighter colored pan to eliminate burnt bottoms. CKs also has rolls of cheap parchment paper, so you can prepare all the rolls on the sheets and just transfer them when the pan is ready. Hope this works.

oh, if you want them wheat or whole grain just substitute 2 cups or wheat/whole grain flour for some of the white flour. 100% wheat will be disappointing, and if you look it up in the scientific journals there isn't that much better about it anyway (for more on that story just ask Sara Weir)

Spice Chiffon Cake

Everything is better with cool whip...


separate 4 eggs, set whites aside with a bit of cream of tartar or lemon juice

sift together 4.5 oz flour, 1/2 tbsp baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice (about 1 tsp each)

in a bowl/mixer add egg yolks, and 2 oz brown sugar, 3 oz white sugar. Mix these until the ribbon stage is reached. (about five minutes with a mixer) Add 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp vanilla, and the flour mixture until smooth.

in a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, then add 1 oz sugar, beat for about 2 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.

Fold egg whites into rest of the mixture in stages, taking care not to mix too much. Pour into cake pan, or loaf pan that is not non-stick, and bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take out the spices above, and use all white sugar and you have a low-fat shortcake, or any other kind of cake you want to make (we like lemon, strawberry rum, etc, according to the filling)

When cooling, turn upside down immediately and let cool in the pan. The cake needs to stick to the pan, so no greasing is needed, or you will have a thick pancake at the end.

PBP

its easy, you just mix 1 cup of PB, cream cheese (8oz), 1/2 cup sugar. After mixed, fold in half a thing of cool whip, and it is ready to fill into a pie-crust/graham cracker crust/my favorite oreo cookie crust. You can also top it with a ganache, which is just half of a large cadbury bar, and about 1/4 cup milk melted in the microwave.

This recipe is disgusting....try it

Dry:
12 oz flour (maybe a cup and a half)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 tsp cinammon, or allspice, or whatever you want

sift these together, set aside

Wet:
1 cup yogurt (plain)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup oil

mix these together

add dry to wet, stir 10-12 times (will be somewhat lumpy), then pour into a greased 9X13

pour about 1/2 C brown sugar in a line down the middle (hot-dog style) and then drage a butter knife through it to spread the BS.

You can also add your favorite strudel topping to this, or maybe put in a can of peaches for a cobbler type of feel (cut down on some of the oil in that case)

we usually eat it with cool whip after baking for about 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven, but you can also drizzle it with whatever frosting you want.

Oatmeal Muffins

1 c oatmeal
1 c buttermilk (just add 1 Tbsp vinegar to 1 c milk)
1 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
*Optional: raisins, chocolate chips or coconut.*

Combine oats and buttermilk. Sift flour with salt, baking powder and soda into oatmeal mixture. Add oil, sugar and egg mixing only enough to moisten. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash
3-4 cups chicken broth
3 Tbs. finely chopped onion
Milk
Sour Cream
Salt
Pepper
Pinch of cumin

Make chicken stock with bullion ( I use Better Than Bullion brand, but you can use whatever). While chicken broth is coming to a boil, peel the squash with a potato peeler. Cut the ends off, cut it in half, scoop out the guts and seeds. Slice the squash into about 1” x 1” cubes ( about what you would slice if you were making mashed potatoes). Chop up the onion. Place onion and chopped squash into boiling chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of cumin. Boil for 20-30 minutes or until squash is soft. Remove from heat for a few minutes, then puree. I use a stick blender, but you can use a regular blender or food processor. If the soup is too thick you can add milk and/or sour cream. I like to add a little of both to make it the right consistency and the sour cream makes it a little creamier. Makes about 6-8 servings.

*My friend (who is an excellent cook) just posted this recipe. It looks delicious, easy and cheap. Let us know if you try it!*

Bean Pie

2 frozen pie crusts (or homemade if you are ambitious)
1 large onion
1 large Green pepper
1 small red pepper
1 can Black beans, drained
1/2 can corn, drained
2 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Chili powder or fajita seasoning
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups cheese

Saute green and red peppers then add everything else (minus the cheese) in a pot for 20 minutes.
Line bottom of crust with 1 cup cheese, add bean filling, add 1 cup cheese on top. Put crust on and cut slits in the top.

Bake 350 for 30-40 min or golden brown.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
4-5 chicken breasts- cooked and cut up
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 T Poppy Seeds
6 T melted butter
2 Tubes Ritz crackers- crushed

Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppy seed. Crush crackers and add melted butter. Layer pan with 1/2 of cracker mixture. Add chicken mixture. Top with remaining cracker mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Ren's Amish White Bread!

I am finally posting this. Sorry it has taken so long for those of you that wanted me to post it a while back. Here it is!!

Ren's Amish White Bread

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 40 Min
Ready in: 2 Hrs & 30 Min
Yields 2-9x5 inch loaves




Ingredients:
- 2 Cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 Degrees C)
- 2/3 cup of white sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 6 cups bread flour

Directions:
In a large bowl dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof, until yeast resembles a creamy foam. Mix salt & oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes and then divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 min, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 min.

This recipe is from allrecipes.

I hope you like this as much as we do. Ren also likes to make rolls with it! (If you make rolls, it yields about 18)

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip whipped topping thawed
¼ cup caramel topping
½ cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 (9 in.) round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake 20 to 22 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, remaining pumpkin, and ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, mix well. Stir in whipped topping.

Remove cooled cake layers from pans; cut each layer horizontally in half with a serrated knife. Stack the layers on a serving plate, spread the cream cheese mixture between the layers. Do not frost the top layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Mango Moose

I found THIS on the mission website. I thought maybe it would something we'd all like!!

Asian Beef with Broccoli

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef, sliced thinly
1 can (10 oz) beef broth
1/2 cup oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen - but fresh is better)
hot cooked rice sesame seeds (if desired)

Place sliced beef in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour broth and oyster sauce over beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Combine cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of the cooking liquid in a cup. Stir well. Add to slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer until thickened.

Cook broccoli until bright green - just a few minutes. Drain and stir into crockpot. Stir gently to mix.

Serve over cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

Serves 4-6 (more like 4)

**So, here's the deal with this recipe. I haven't tried it yet but it looks delicious. My mom sent it to me. I checked and there is oyster sauce at IGA (in the oriental section) but it's pretty pricey. Casey had the idea of splitting a bottle between two people to cut down on the price. So, if you decide to try it out let me know how it is!**

Chicken Veggie Casserole

I got this from another recipe blog and tried it tonight. Both me and Justin really liked it. Another bonus was that it was super easy to make and you can get all these ingredients here.

I can 98% Fat Free Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup Fat Free (skim) milk
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 large boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 can (16oz.) whole kernal corn, drained (she used a can of creamed corn-undrained and really liked it)
2 cups frozen cut green beens
2 cups sliced cooked potatoes
small amount of cheese

I boil my chicken so it's cooked though and easy to shred.In a large bowl combine the soup, milk, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken, corn, beans, and potatoes. Pour mixture into a greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. I topped it with a very small amount of cheese, just enough to barely cover the top (but you can leave this out if you want to make it more healthy). Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.
Recipe from: Taste of Home's/Budget Suppers

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup rice
1 tsp cumin
1 can mexican style corn (we used a small can of regular corn)
1 tsp cilantro
1 cup salsa
2 tbsp lime juice
1 lb cooked diced chicken

Put chicken broth, rice and cumin in large pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and warm.
Feeds 4-6
Top with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Very easy, quick and a perfect meal for a rainy Grenadian day.

I can't just leave those fingers as the first thing you see...

So, I am introducing you to another "food blog" that I love. My cousin Megan is a great "baker" (which just happens to be her last name) so I added her link to the list on the right ------> over there

She's a stay-at-home mom to one "nursling", one picky little boy and one not-so-picky husband. She enjoys cooking, baking and creating. She loves to try new recipes and swap with cousins, sisters and friends. She tries to involve her son in meal preparation as often as possible, because their not just making food - their making memories!

Check it out for yummy new menu ideas and fun "kid friendly" recipes!
www.foodswelove.blogspot.com

SCARY halloween fingers

What you need for a SCARY treat:

Pretzel rods
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/4 cup powdered milk
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
almonds (slivered)
Wrap dough around pretzel. Put almonds on for fingernails.

They really do look spooky!!!

smore brownie

(image and recipe courtesy the food network website)

Try not to lick the screen....

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Sunday Conference brunch - baked french toast

This is a recipe my sister just posted on her blog. I thought I'd share it with all of you. Who's making it this weekend??

"Here's my newest favoritest recipe for brunch (please note that it must be refrigerated overnight). Of course it has tons of butter, cream and sugar: deliciously sinful. A perfect dish to balance out all the spiritual stuff of Conference!"

Baked French Toast Casserole
(From Paula Deen, of course)

Serves: 6 to 8 servings
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
Butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Praline Cookies

15 Graham crackers (roughly)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1 tsp vanilla (opt)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil and keep it boiling for 1 minute. Meanwhile, lay out graham crackers in greased 9x13 pan. Pour in pecans while the sauce is still hot. Pour mixture over the crackers. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then move the cookies to wax paper or a plate.

SO EASY and SO YUMMY!

Artichoke Dip

8 oz. mayonnaise
8 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves

Mix all ingredients
Bake at 325 for thirty minutes

I thought it was a little strong on the may-o, so I added some mozzarella cheese and then grated more parm cheese to cover the top before I baked it. The artichoke hearts can be found on the very bottom shelf underneath the canned vegetables at IGA.

Alton's Southern Biscuits

I used to have a huge problem making good biscuits. Until a good friend introduced me to the one and only Alton Brown (I'm sure you can guess who that was...). Now, I get really excited to make them. Here's a link to the recipe. And here's a link to the episode on YouTube. They're easier to make if you watch him do it first. Enjoy!

Atomic Chicken

I got this from a Real Simple magazine a while back.

- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/4 jar of Smuckers Apricot Preserves (I just eye it)
- 1/4 cup of Wishbone deluxe French dressing (I use any of the ones at IGA & again I eye it)
- 1/4 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix (I divide one of the packages up into 4 different baggies and use one.)

Mix all together, pour sauce over thawed chicken breasts and bake @ 350 for 45 min. Serve over rice. This does have a bit of a bang to the taste, but we like it! I hope you do to!

BBQ Chicken with a Twist

Place thawed chicken pieces in 9x13 pan. In a small bowl, combine:

1/2 c ketchup
1/4 c barbeque sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 env. onion soup mix
1/4 c water

Blend and pour over chicken. Cook at 350 for 45 min. This can be used over pork chops or steak in the same way. It's great over rice or potatoes. If you want more of a twist, just put some slices of raw bacon on top of the chicken before cooking. Yum!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1-2 c. cooked chicken
1 c brown sugar
3-4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 c. water
¼ c vinegar
1 c ketchup
Shake of salt
Shake of soya sauce

Combine the brown sugar and cornstarch together before adding to other wet ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Mixture will thicken. Add desired vegetables (pineapple, green pepper). Add bite-sized, cooked chicken or pork pieces. Serve over rice.

*I usually half this recipe and still have leftovers. This is a fast, easy meal that can be ready in 10-15 minutes. My kind of cooking!*

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

to bring a little "fall" to Grenada - try these!

1 box Spice Cake mix
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 16 oz. can of pumpkin

mix together and bake for 10-12 min @ 375 degrees
so easy and so yummy!

Ziti Parmesan

12 oz pasta (ziti, or penne)
16 oz cottage cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper
pinch of oregano
pinch of basil
1 can of spaghetti sauce
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

cook the pasta to al dente. mix the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, red pepper, oregano, and basil together. add the pasta and mix till pasta is covered.
put half the mixture in a baking dish. cover with half the spagetti sauce and then half the mozzarella. repeat the layers.
Bake at 350 (or 180 here) for 30-40 min.

We usually serve this with garlic bread or breadsticks with balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make us think we are at the Macaroni Grill! (yeah, right huh!)

Vegetarian Chili

Since I'm lazy I'll just post the link where you can find this yummy yummy recipe!!

Sweat and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 lb hamburger
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. cornstarch
15 oz. can of crushed pineapple, juice included
1/3 c. vinegar
1 T. soy sauce (Terryiaki sauce is also good)

Method:
Meatballs- Squish all ingredients together until mixed well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Preheat oven to 400 F and bake for 20-25 min.

Sweet and Sour sauce- Mix everything together. Simmer over medium heat until it is a little thick. Add meatballs and simmer for about 5 min. Pour over rice.

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas

2/3 C. or more picante sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 C. chopped cooked chicken
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 flour tortillas
2 T. margarine or butter, melted

Mix picante sauce, cumin, oregano, chicken, cheese, and onions. Place about a 1/2 c. chicken mixture in center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling. Roll up from bottom and place seam side down on baking sheet. Brush with butter. Bake at 400* for 25 minutes, until golden. Garnish with additional cheese and green onion. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Here in Grenada, I usually toss all the ingredients in the crock pot and let it cook to save on the heat in the house. Then I put in the tortillas and bake.

Black Bean Burritos

Ingredients
2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

I know I have shared this recipe with a lot of you, but I thought I would post anyway. It is quick, easy, and delicious. You can put shredded chicken in it as well.

Asparagus Chicken

Sauce

¾ c. water

½ c. soy sauce

¾ c. brown sugar

¼ t. garlic

1/8 t. ginger

1 t. lemon juice

Simmer for 2 min.

Chicken breasts

Asparagus

Swiss cheese

Place chicken breasts in a casserole dish and pour sauce over top and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.Discard juice until you have about 1/8 inch on the bottom and cover with tinfoil. Cook chicken 375 for 15 min till chicken is almost done. In the mean time wash and steam enough asparagus 4 to every breast of chicken you have. Place 4 spears on each breast and lay one slice of swiss cheese on top of each breast of chicken. Return to oven uncovered and cook for 10 more minutes till cheese is melted and chicken juices run clear.

I use canned asparagus in Grenada and it has been fine. Fresh is better, but the canned is a good substitute.

"Sloppy joes...slop, sloppy joes"

1 lb. browned hamburger
1 c. celery-diced (optional)
1 c. chopped onion

cook together and drain grease then add...
1/2 c. catsup
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 Tbs. mustard
2 Tbs. vinegar
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4-1/2 c. bbq sauce
salt and pepper

simmer until thick. serve with rolls, enjoy!

Mexican Cornbread

1 C sour cream

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

2 eggs

2 T sugar

1/2 C butter

14 oz. creamed corn

1 can diced jalapenos chilies (opt.)

Melt butter in a 9x9 pan, move butter around to coat the bottom of pan. Mix all other ingredients together. Pour into melted margarine. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes until the top cracks and sides are golden brown.

Cafe Rio Salad (or as close as it can get)

We LOVE this recipe!! I haven't used it in Grenada yet, so let me know if you can't find some of these ingredients, but it's soooooo delicious! Hopefully it will help with your Cafe Rio with drawls :)

Cafe Rio Pork Simplified

3/4 lb pork shoulder

1 bottle taco sauce (Pace Mild Taco Sauce 3/4 bottle)

1 T cumin

1 C brown sugar

1 can Coke

salt and pepper to taste

Put roast in crock pot in enough water to cover and cook on low overnight.  In the morning, shred the meat with a fork.  Put back in the crock pot and add additional ingredients.  Cook at least one more hour.

Can serve as burrito or salad.  

Additional fixings: shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, green onions, black olives.

Lime Rice

1 C rice

2 C chicken broth

juice of 1 lime

chopped cilantro

Brown the rice in butter.  Add chicken broth to cook.  Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Ranch Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkt Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1 C buttermilk

1 C mayo

1-2 tomatillos

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 t lime juice

1/2-1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Mix together and refrigerate.

For the "cafe rio" salad just mix all recipe's together with the black bean and corn salad (below) and lettuce. Voila! Hope you enjoy as much as I do!

black bean and corn salad

2 can black beans, drained

1 (15 oz) can corn, drained

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 C diced red pepper

1/4 C diced green pepper

1/4 C diced red onion

2 T chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

4 T red wine vinegar

3 T honey

1 T salt

1 t pepper 

generous pinch of cumin

Mix all ingredient together.  Marinate in the refrigerator.

I am a salad fanatic, and I also like that they are cold so they don't heat up the kitchen!

Chicken Couscous

This is a family favorite at our house! I haven't tried it here yet, but I've managed to find all the ingredients, so I will let you know how it turns out. It's nice and light but filling enough for a main course.

Half of a roasted chicken, shredded
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups corn, frozen or fresh off the cob
1 1/2 cups couscous, uncooked
1 cup tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup peppers, green, red or orange
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice (Use fresh it is so much better)
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (I just shake in a couple of drops of sauce)
2-3 green onions chopped

Saute turkey or chicken breasts, with salt and pepper to taste (I just shred 1/2 of a Costco roasted chicken), set aside.
Place broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add corn to pan and boil for 3 minutes if using frozen corn. Otherwise remove from heat and add couscous. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Combine meat and couscous with remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Yields 6 meal size servings of 1 2/3 cups.

in case anybody cares : (353 calories, 47.7 grams CARB, 6.1 g FAT, 27 g PROTEIN, 4.5 g FIBER, 47 mg CHOL, 2 mg IRON, 377 mg SODIUM 34 mg CALCIUM)

Tin Foil Dinners!

Ok, I lied. That was not my last one for today. These are fun to make anywhere. Not just while you are camping,...you can do them at a bar-b-cue or even in your own oven. You can add or subtract from these things if you don't like them. I am pretty sure these calculations are for one tin foil dinner.

Ingredients:
- Tin foil
- 1 Potatoe (cut up)
- 1/3 lb of hamburger
- 1/2 onion (add however much you would like)
- Mushrooms (sliced)
- Baby carrots
- Salt and Pepper (lots of it)
- Butter cut into little cubes
- Suggestion: After it has cooked, we like to eat it with ketchup.

Get two pieces of tin foil and lay them in a "t" shape. Mix everything together and add it onto the tin foil. Put the butter on last, cut up into little pieces, then wrap the tin foil up. Bake @ 350 for 30-40 min. Enjoy your hearty meal!

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken!

Last one for today. Gabe is asleep so this is working out well. This is a good flavorful dinner for Sunday or any day of the week. I am improvising with this one a little here in Grenada. I will let you know how it goes.

Ingredients:
- 2-3 boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 (10 1/2 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (or favorite cream soup)
- 1 pkg dry Italian salad dressing mix ( I usually use the Zesty Italian one, but they don't have the dry packets here so I bought the Kraft Zesty Italian dressing already mixed up. We will see how it goes)
- UPDATE: It went well. I would recommend using half the bottle of the actual Kraft dressing, instead of the whole bottle. It was a tad strong for me, but if you like the flavor stronger, use the whole thing!

Place all ingredients in crock pot and simmer on LOW all day (8-10 hrs.) I have always done it in 4-6 hrs and it still tastes delicious. Shred or chunk chicken about an hour before serving; continue to simmer. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles or French bread. Make a big pot and freeze for several dinners.

Saturday Chicken

It's me again. Sorry, I am all over this blog. This recipe is really good and again, it's easy. I am all about that. Oh, it does take a little while to cook, though, so you have to plan ahead.

Ingredients:
- 6 pieces of chicken (I usually use 4)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 c. cream (I use half & half- don't use milk)
- Salt
- Garlic salt
- Paprika
- Chopped Parsley

Take chicken, salt, garlic salt & paprika it thoroughly. Next, spread chicken out in one layer in shallow baking pan. Dilute the soup with the cream; pour it over the top of the chicken and sprinkle the chopped parsley on top. Bake, uncovered, @ 350 for 1 1/2 hrs.

Casey's Slush Berry Dessert!

Ok, here is one of my favorite dessert recipes!! It is very refreshing and you can make it here in Grenada, plus it is easy. It is the total package!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 gallon of Pineapple sherbet ( I buy the Blue Bunny tub they have here)
- 1 (12 oz) bag of frozen raspberries
- 3-4 banana's sliced (firm)
- 1 can of crushed pineapple (drained)

(I usually use half the tub of ice cream, a little more than half the raspberries, 3 banana's and a can of crushed pineapple)

Soften sherbet, and mix everything together. Put back in freezer for a couple of min. so everything can slush up. Enjoy and think about eating more and more and more of this,....forever. Ha! j/k.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

So, I have been a little behind on posting any recipes, so I might play catch up right now. he.

Ingredients:
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (32 oz) bag of frozen vegetables (but I only use about half of it)
- 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (They have a delicious one at IGA-"Betty Crocker" Pie crust, makes 2 and all you do is add water!)
- Salt
- Suggestion: You might want to try and add a can of "Libby's" sweet cream corn or use as a side.

This is seriously very easy, and so yummy!
Boil or steam chicken until done. Dice up. Mix together undiluted soup, vegetables & diced chicken in a bowl. Make pie crusts. Pour mixture into pie shell, and cover with second crust. Crimp edges, and make slits in the top crust. Bake @ 375 degrees for 40-45 min, or until crust is golden brown.

Da Big Kahuna's!

This is a favorite between Ren & I. Great for bar-b-cue's and any other time,...like feeding the missionary's! ha!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb of hamburger
- Any type of ham, sliced thick & grilled
- Pineapple slices (in the can)
- Bar-b-cue sauce (we have been using "Kraft- Hickory Smoke" from IGA)
- Mayo
- Some good buns

Make the hamburger's into Patties and put them on the grill. Toast the buns and put a good amount of mayo on them. Next comes the Bar-b-cue sauce, then a slice and a half of the pineapple slices. Put on the hamburger and the ham and presto,....you got one big Kahuna!

Can I make a request for the recipe Jayson uses for his hamburger buns? My second request is for Casey's Kahuna Burgers!

Fondant

(definitely not the most beautiful cake you've ever seen, but
it's one of the cutest ones I've made! It was for Zane and
Renny's white coat ceremony.)

Sara mentioned fondant the other day and so I really wanted to try and make it. I found this fabulous recipe online. Here's the link.

I used Alton Brown's cupcake recipe for the cake: here.
You can find the recipe written here.
Then just pour half of the batter in one 8 inch round cake pan and the other half in the other one.

And then Jayson just melted down frozen strawberries with sugar to make the filling in the middle of the two layers. Plus some buttercream frosting.

After assembling the cake put a thin layer of buttercream frosting over the entire cake then decorate with the fondant! Have fun!

Pasta Al Forno

This recipe comes from my friend Ugo who is a born and bred Italian! We really like this and it makes a TON! - Penne pasta
- Ragu' sauce (meat sauce);
- Bechamel sauce (white sauce);
- Shredded mozzarella cheese;
- Shredded Parmesan cheese;
- Dry basil.

For the Ragu' sauce:
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil;-
1 carrot finely chopped;-
1/4 onion finely chopped;-
1 bouillon cube;-
1lb lean ground beef;-
2 cans of tomato sauce (15oz. each);-
salt and pepper to taste;-
1 pinch of sugar.

Saute the carrot and onion in the oil in a medium size sauce pan. Add the bouillon cube and ground beef. Stir well until beef is brown. Add tomato sauce and 1/2 can of water (about 1 cup). Add salt, pepper and sugar. Continue to cook on low heat for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.

For the Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 cup of butter
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 pinch of black pepper
1/2 cup of white flour
1 qt. milk.

Place butter, nutmeg and black pepper in a sauce pan and melt on low heat. Mix half of the milk with the flour in a blender and add it to the butter together with the rest of the milk. Stir continually on low-medium heat until sauce thickens.

Putting it all together:
Cook and drain pasta. Mix with Ragu' sauce and place in a pyrex pan (13x9). Pour the bechamel on the past with the help of a large spoon. Generously sprinkle the cheeses and add a touch of dry basil for color and taste. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat it. At that time, bake it for 1 hour at 350F, remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Brazilian Lemonade

This drink is so refreshing and so Easy! Give it a try and anyone who wants to borrow my blender is welcome to do so! I got this recipe from Allrecipes. A site I love and where I get 90% of my recipes. Enjoy! Let me know how you like it!
2 limes
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
3 cups water
ice

Wash limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and slice into eight wedges. Place limes in a blender with the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, water, and ice.
Blend in an electric blender, pulsing 5 times. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove rinds. Serve over ice.

so can we make requests for recipes? if we can I would like the recipe for Shauna's pasta with the white and red sauce. (I think it got deleted off my email, sorry Shauna!)

Honey Mustard Chicken

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

8-9 Chicken Breasts
1 cup honey
1 tsp. curry powder
½ cup butter
½ cup mustard
Salt

Melt butter and whip in the rest. Cover chicken and bake at 375 for one hour.

This is a great recipe you can throw together with items you usually always have on hand. I 1/2 the recipe for our family and only cook it for 35-45 minutes and serve with rice. The sauce is really good to pour over the rice.

Easy to Find

Last post from me today - I promise! I just thought of a few ideas that would make recipes easier to find for future use.
- It's easier to see the title of the recipe if it's in bold type.
- And labels. At the bottom of each post there's a 'labels for this post' section where you can type key words. Just type all the words in your recipe' s title - eg for Sara's Turtle Cake I typed: chocolate, cake, caramel, turtle. Then when I click on one of these words it will pull up all recipes that have that word in the 'labels for this post' section. So they'll all be linked together. Also if anyone knows how to add a google search on the blog that would be great to have!

I was also thinking that it does link our names to the blog as contributors, but what if we also posted a picture of ourselves along the side? There's so many of us down here that like to practice photography we should be able to get fabulous looking portraits. Just an idea. Let me know!

What's in a name?

When I created this blog I couldn't really think of anything clever to name it. So let's rename it! Just leave a comment with your suggested name and in a week I'll put up a poll list on the side and the name with the most votes wins! Here are some of the suggested ones all ready:

The Biga - it's the yeast concoction that makes bread taste so yummy
Domestic Goddess
Fixn's 'n Mix'ns

So suggest away!

Brittany's Poppy Seed Dressing

I love this dressing! Brittany, I hope you don't mind that I'm sharing it before you, but I seriously always have this dressing in my fridge!

1/4 c sugar
1 c oil
1/3 c cider vinegar
1 T. chopped dried onions (I almost never have the dried ones so I use fresh ones sometimes)
1T poppy seeds (they're cheap in Grenada)
1 tsp dry mustard (I've used sandwich mustard for this before and it was fine)
1 tsp. salt

I hope you like it as much as I do!

easy dinner idea

Chicken Parmesan Pasta

• 1 12 oz package of pasta (we use bow tie)
• 2-3 chicken breasts boiled and shredded (we use canned chicken sometimes)
  
• 1 cube margarine or butter
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbs garlic powder
• 1 Tbs parsley flakes

Cook pasta and add the chicken. In a separate pan melt the butter and add the cheese, parsley flakes and garlic powder stir together and poor over the pasta mixture.
serve immediately (it is better hot). We usually have biscuits with jam on the side.
Enjoy!

Turtle Cake

This is a variation I made of a cake my mom has made for a long time. It's usually made with a toffee candy bar melted into a thick sauce. Instead, I used a caramel sauce recipe we already had. If anyone has a suggestion on how to make the caramal sauce thicker, it would be greatly appreciated. That way the caramel layer would be more distinct in the cake. But regardless, this is very delicious!

Turtle Cake

Swiss (or regular) chocolate cake mix
1 c. pecans
1 bag chocolate chips
Caramel Sauce

Make cake mix and pour half into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup corn (Karo) syrup
Bring to a boil, and let boil for a couple of minutes. Done.

Pour most of the caramel sauce over baked cake and sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips. Pour remaining cake batter on top. Bake for 30 minutes. When the cake has cooled a bit, you can pour the remaining caramel sauce on top. It makes the cake even more divine!

Let me know how it works out for you.

New Ideas

This blog was an idea - and easy solution - to a problem we all have, what to make for dinner. So my friends and I have decided to make a communal blog of what we make for dinner. And when we get together and someone asks for a recipe they only have to type it out once and then it's forever stored on the blog where we can all use it again and again without the risk of it getting lost. Hope you enjoy!

And the first recipe is ...

Alton Brown's Leek & Potato Soup

3 Tbl butter
1 lbs leeks (about 3-4 leeks)
14 oz potatoes (about 3-4 potatoes)
1 qrt (4c) veggie broth
1c cream
1c buttermilk (substitute 1Tbl vinegar and 1c milk - let it sit for a few minutes)
1 tsp white pepper

- melt the butter in a soup pot on medium
- add leeks and a pinch of salt - hear sizzle then turn it down so you don't really hear anything to 'sweat' the leeks for 20-25 minutes
- add the peeled and chopped potatoes
- add beggie broth
- bring to boil then turn down to a low simmer for about 45 minutes
- puree the soup
- add your dairy
YUM!

Note: Honestly, I wouldn't add that much dairy the next time I make it. I think I'll try it with just a cup of milk. That's a lot of fat and I don't think it makes that much of a difference.

So if you make this and you like it leave a comment so we all know! Or if you make variations to the recipe to make it better - again let us know so we too can enjoy!

Hopefully this will become a fabulous reference for us all - not only those in Grenada - but all of us around!

Ciao