Monday, September 29, 2008

Crash Hot Potatoes

Got this recipe HERE. Trying it tonight with leftover pork roast and the buttermilk rolls.

Red Potatoes
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
whatever other herb you want (ex Rosemary, Thyme, Chives, etc)

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Generously drizzle olive oil on a cookie sheet, make sure it is enough so potatoes don't stick. When potatoes are tender place on the cookie sheet, and mash gently with a potato masher once, then turn masher 90 degrees and gently mash once more to flatten the potato. Brush the tops with more olive oil. Sprinkle Kosher salt (you can use regular, but the Kosher will adhere better since it is bigger). Next sprinkle with black pepper and then whatever herb you want to use. Put in 450 degree oven on the top rack and bake for 20-25 minutes.

I highly recommend jumping over to the blog they came from, she has nice step by step pictures of everything and I don't!

Pork Roast

Got this recipe HERE. It was super moist and EASY!

Favorite Pork Roast

Pork Sirloin Tip Roast (they come in a 3 pack at Costco-and (BONUS)are 98% Fat Free)
Ranch dressing mix (the dry packet)

1/2 cup of water

You simply put the roast in the crockpot(they are about 2lbs), sprinkle on about 1/2 of the ranch dressing packet. Fill the crockpot about 1/2 cup of water and cook on low for about 5-8 hours. The roast is done when you can easily shred it up with your fork. Super tender and flavorful!

*I started with my roast partially frozen and so I cooked on high in the crockpot for the first 1 1/2 hours or so then flipped to low and kept at low for another 6-7 hours.

Buttermilk Rolls

Got this recipe from HERE, and trying it out this morning, they look super yummy!

Buttermilk Refigerator Rolls

3 cups Buttermilk (room temperature)
3 cups flour
1 T. yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water (first let rise a few minutes)
½ cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten with a fork
2 tsp salt
5 cups flour (sometimes you need a cup more--it should not be too sticky)
½ cup oil
1 tsp baking soda

Dissolve yeast in ¼ c. warm water and let proof a few minutes. Mix the buttermilk, flour and yeast together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Let this stand at room temperature until double in size, about 2 hours.Add sugar, eggs, salt, flour, oil, and baking soda. Mix well and kneed for 7-10 minutes. Roll out what you want and place the rest in the refrigerator, covered. The next time you want some fresh baked rolls, take from the bowl what you want and again put the rest back in the refrigerator. It will keep for 7 days. (This is perfect for Sunday meals because you don’t have a lot of mess to clean up and it’s quick.)Let rolls rise on baking sheets until double in size. Time depends on the room temperature, usually 1½ - 2 hours. Dough from the refrigerator will take longer because the dough is cold.Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Brush with melted butter if you like

Monday, August 11, 2008

FHE

Family Night is courtesy of Deseret Book's LDS living (thanks for the link Tam!). It is on the Holy Ghost and you can all get the entire lesson HERE.

It includes a snack, but we already had a request in for Root beer floats tonight so that will be our treat. You can sign up for emails from that site and get an FHE idea and lesson emailed to you weekly, how much easier is that?

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Shepard's Pie

This is one recipe I use the rest of that roast (from recipe below) for. I found it on another blog (love blog hopping) and have made a few adjustments to it.

1lb of shredded beef
1/2 onion finely diced
6-8 red potatoes (peeled and boiled)
1 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 beef bullion cube
A couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 cups of carrots sliced
2 cups of sweet frozen corn
2 Tbs butter
1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Litely butter a 9x8 pan. Peel and boil potatoes. While potatoes are boiling, in a skillet heat up beef and onion. In a bowl whisk together tomato paste, water, milk and bullion cube. Once onion is cooked and beef is heated up add the sauce to the beef. Saute until the liquid is absorbed a little bit and thickens, add a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce.

Transfer meat to the buttered pan. In same pan heat 2 Tbs butter, add carrots and cook til tender, then add corn to heat. Add to pan on top of meat.

Mash the potatoes, add the 1/2 stick of butter, sour cream and any more milk you may need and mash until they are at a consistency you like. *Add in cheese if you would like.

Spread Potatoes over the top of the veggies and sprinkle with more cheese if you would like.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Sunday Roast

2-3 lb Eye of Round
2 Tbs Oil (Olive or Canola)
1 can Beef Broth/Beef Consume (either one)
1 envelope of Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 can of water
Onion (sliced) *Opt.

Optional:
Red Potatoes
Carrots

Place oil in a skillet and sear roast on all sides, just enough to brown it and seal the juices. Then place in crock pot. Pour in 1 can of soup, water and sprinkle onion soup mix on top. If you do the onion slice and place over roast (we don't eat the onion, it just gives the roast some good flavor).

If you are adding your veggies to cook halve the potatoes and tuck around the roast and throw in the carrots.

Cook on High in Crock Pot for 3-4 hours then flip to low and cook for at least another 4-5 hours.

**We eat half the roast for one dinner and then I use the rest of it in another meal.**

Monday, June 30, 2008

Monkey Munch (aka Puppy Chow)

Courtesy of Jon and Kate plus 8! And for the record I think Monkey Munch sounds much better than Puppy Chow!

1 box Chex mix (any flavor, I did Rice)
2- 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

12 oz of Chocolate Chips
1 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter

Place those three items in microwavable bowl and melt (approx 2 minutes)

In a large bowl to mix everything, put entire box of Chex mix in. When p.butter, chocolate chips and butter are all melted and mixed well, pour over cereal and mix to coat well.

In a large Ziploc bag (or you can use a large paper bag) place 1 1/2 cups of powder sugar, spoon in cereal mix, place another 1/2 cup of sugar on top, seal bag and then mix to coat cereal with powdered sugar, if you need more add another 1/2 cup.

When it is all well coated, dump on wax paper to harden up, enjoy!

*My kids love this show and when they saw the kids help making it the other day they started begging me to make it.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Punch

1 46oz bottle Pineapple Juice
5 smashed bananas
1 Large (12 oz) can of frozen Orange Juice
1 Large can of frozen Lemonade

Boil:
6 cups water
1 cup sugar and add to the above mixture. Mix well and then when cooled you can freeze in portions of Gallon Ziploc bags. When ready to use take out 1 bag from freezer, let sit at room temp for approx 30 minutes and then add with 2 bottles of room temperature Sprite.

Carmel Popcorn

1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 15 oz can of condensed milk
1/2 tsp of vanilla
5 qt of popped PLAIN popcorn

Combine sugar, butter and corn syrup in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in milk and simmer until mixture comes to a soft ball stage, stir in vanilla and poor over popcorn. You can then form into balls if you want.

Banana Bread

1 cup butter
2 cup sugar
6-7 smashed bananas
4 eggs- well beaten
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk + 3 tsp vinegar (combine in a small dish)
Chopped Walnuts (Opt)

Cream butter and sugar together, blend in bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Mix together flour, salt and soda and add to the mixture, alternating with milk. Add chopped nuts if you want. Makes 2 loaves. Bake at 325 for 1 hour 20 minutes or if glass dishes bake 300 for 50-55 minutes.

Buckwheat Pancakes (Jeff's favorite)

1 pkg active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups cold water
2 cups Buckwheat flour
1 cup Gold Medal Flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter-melted
1 Tbs molassas
1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in a 1/2 cup HOT water

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add cold water. Blend in flours and salt, stir in. Beat vigorously until smooth. Cover and refridgerate overnight (at least 8 hours +). In morning stir in butter, molassas, and soda dissolved in the HOT water. Let stand at room temp for 30 minutes and bake on your griddle.

7 Layer Bean Dip

Refried Beans
3 avocados- smashed with a small amount of lemon juice

Combine:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 envelope taco seasoning

Cheese
Tomatoes- diced
Green onion- chopped
Sliced Olives

In a 9x13 pan, layer beans, avocados, cream mixture, cheese, tomatoes, green onion, olives. Chill until needed and serve with tortilla chips.

Chicken Rolls

2 packages crescent rolls (8 ct)
6 oz cream cheese- softened
3/4 cup butter- room temp
1 bundle green onion chopped
1 lb. cooked chicken- shredded

Combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl, add green onion and chicken, set aside. On a floured surface take a crescent roll and slightly roll out, add a spoonful or two to the bigger end and then fold roll around it and pinch closed. Place in a greased 9x13 pan, do to all rolls lining up in pan. Top with some melted butter or margarine and crushed croutons if you want. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

There is a sauce for these, but we like it just like this, and I have never used the sauce and don't have the recipe for that.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

I got this recipe from a copy cat website and it tastes just the same, although the cheeses can be a bit expensive, BUT you can freeze them to make them last, just make sure you freeze them in the amount you need them for this recipe. This is Jeff's favorite dish out and so I made it for our anniversary one year.



1/2 Tbs Garlic Puree
1 cup Butter
1 qt. heavy whipping cream

4oz of whole or 2% milk

1/2 a pound of Parmesan Cheese (fresh if possible)
2 oz of Fontina cheese (found in the specialty cheese area)

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp of Pepper




In a saucepan brown Garlic Puree in some of the butter, add rest of butter and melt. Then add the Heavy Cream, milk, both cheeses, and salt and pepper. Stir on Med/High until cheeses melt and sauce starts to thicken (about 10 minutes). Turn heat to low and continue to stir occasionally, sauce will thicken more over the next 10 minutes or so. As it is simmering I like to add some steamed broccoli and cooked shrimp or chicken and then serve over fettuccine.

Monday, June 2, 2008

FHE

The Plan of Salvation

Lesson: This Site. It has some cutouts to print off and cut out, and I have some clear contact paper that I am going to use and a magnet roll so they will all get magnets on them so we can do it on our front door/fridge/or I will pull out a cookie sheet or something.

Activities: For older children a story and using scriptures for younger children a coloring page.

Snack: Since we are short on time we will probably go and get something from Sonic or just do brownies.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Love IT!

Some things I found and want to try over the next couple of weeks, and some things that will help with keeping the kiddo's busy this summer. I will also be making up some bibs and burp cloths and hope to get some pics and put up a tutorial of it over the next couple of weeks so watch out for that!


Saturday, May 17, 2008

Pasta Salad (Chicken or Tuna can be added)

This salad can be made with Tuna or Chicken, but I like it without so I have never made it with either one.

Box of bowtie pasta (cook the pasta as directed)
1 can chicken, drianed and flaked (or tuna Optional!)
2 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
Grape or Chrry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Add cooked, cooled pasta to the veggies and chicken.

In a small bowl, blend:
1 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp salt
some black pepper
Add to salad mixture, toss to coat, cover and chill.

Thanks to my sister in law Melanie for this yummy salad!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Chicken and Broccoli

I have heard of this called Chicken Divan also, but this is my own variation of it to what my family likes.

Chicken-cooked and shredded
Broccoli- 4 cups cooked
2 Tbs Butter/Margarine
Basil Seasoning
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can of water
1/2 cup Mayo
Shredded Cheese (I use colby jack or whatever I have on hand)
Cooked Rice

Cook Broccoli and put in a greased 9x13 pan, then put cooked and shredded chicken on top of that. Take your 2 tbs of margarine (or butter) melt it and add some Basil seasoning (I usually add about a Tbs or so) mix and drizzle over the chicken and broccoli. In a separate bowl mix up Cream of Chicken Soup, 1 can of Water (if I boiled chicken I will use the water that I used for that for some extra flavor) and the mayo, mix together and pour over Chicken. (Now we all hate the little pieces of Chicken from the soup mix so I run it through a strainer to eliminate that). Top with some shredded cheese if you have it and want it. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Cook up some rice and put the chicken mixture over the top of it and enjoy!

Baked Spaghetti

Yummy twist on an old favorite!

Noodles- Cooked

1 egg
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Sauce- Favorite kind, for us I just brown up 1/2 lb of ground hamburger and add the Prego meat spaghetti sauce.

In a bowl combine egg and both kinds of cheese and mix, when noodles done cooking and drained put in bowl (while still hot) and mix and let cheese melt. In a greased 9X13 pan put noodle mixture then top with sauce and some more shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, until cheese is melted.

I came up with this when Jeff and Corbin complained about not liking plain spaghetti, Corbin wouldn't eat it because it was saucy and he didn't like that, so I decided to try this out and see how they liked it. The noodles absorb some of the sauce, and it gets thick just like with Lasagna, but easier to make!