Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wanted to make soft chocolate chip cookies the other day and I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. They are cake-like but oh so good. I didn't have nuts and then I added a little more flour because the dough is super soft. I like them cooked a little longer so they are crispy around the edges and then make them bigger so they are big and soft in the middle and crispy around the edges. I also didn't flatten the dough, I just piled it on top and let the oven do the flattening.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda, stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded ice cream scoops onto a cookie sheet, and press down slightly to flatten. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.
3.Bake for 11 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you make them into big cookies then I would rate it an 8 but with small cookies I would rate them a 5.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

I found this recipe on bakingbites.com. I didn't have real lemons, so I used lemon juice and omitted the zest. They turned out so good. I would rate them an 8.


Lemon Blueberry Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, chilled
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into 6-8 chunks and add to flour mixture, tossing to coat. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until mixture is sandy and butter is well distributed, with no pieces larger than a big pea.
Add in milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir until dough comes together. If dough is too wet, add an additional tablespoon of flour to the dough.
Either keeping the dough in your mixing bowl, or turning it out onto a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 1 minute. Flatten dough and add blueberries. Knead gently for 30-60 seconds to distribute them. Divide dough into two balls and press each into a disc about 3/4-inch thick. Use a knife to divide each disc into quarters and place scones on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 17-22 minutes, until scones are golden brown.

Lemon Glaze (optional)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth, then drizzle over still-warm scones before serving

Beet Bread

I was going to make beet pancakes with the beet puree from the day before but realized that I had bought bread flour and not all purpose flour at the store the other day, so I wanted to try beet bread. I found this recipe while searching on line on mysisterskitchen.wordpress.com.

I boiled my beets for a while until soft and then I let them cool, pulled the skin off (it will come off really easy if soft) and then puree them together.

This recipe calls for 1 2/3 cup beet puree. Combine it with 1/2 cup warm milk.

In a kitchenaid, or bowl ( I had a bowl), combine together:

puree,
1/3 cup warm water
an egg
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon pepper

let bubble together for about 20 minutes.

Add about 4 cups more flour until it turns into a big ball. I do it by feel.
Let rise for about an hour, until it doubles.
Shape into 2 round loaves and cover and let rise again, about an hour.
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or so.
Let cool, or slice right away if you like your bread right out of the oven.

Even though the bread is pink, you cannot taste the beets. It was really tasty. I would rate this an 8.

Haunting Hot Chocolate

When planning meals for my family I was looking through my halloween cookbooks and found this hot chocolate. It sounded so good.

In a saucepan put 1/4 cup whole milk, dash of nutmeg, 3/4 cup white chocolate pieces ( I used white chocolate chips) and orange peel from a whole orange. On low heat, whisk until the chocolate is melted ( I kept it on a little longer to let the orange flavor set in a little more. Remove the orange peel and add 2 3/4 cup more milk. Heat through. Once warmed through, remove from heat, add 1 tablespoon vanilla. Pour in cups. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with more nutmeg.

This recipe made enough for only the two of us. It was so good we had it two nights in a row. It is a new family favorite.

I would rate this a 10.

Ranch Chicken Pizza

I found this recipe on "Our Family Treat" blog (on the side of our family blog). It looked so good and easy.

Take your favorite pizza dough recipe, or buy one at the store. If you have a pizza stone heat it in the oven for a few minutes and then place your dough on the heated stone. Spread ranch dressing (I used bacon ranch because that is what I had in the fridge). Top with cooked chicken (seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic salt), crumbled up bacon, arugula and mozzarella cheese ( I used colby and jack mix). Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.

This was so good and I would do it again. Don't be so hesitant about the arugula. I had never used it before and really liked it. I would rate this a 9.

Rachael's (Ray) Chimichurri Chicken Bites with Sauteed Carrots

I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com. It is one of Rachael Ray's recipes. I ended up marinating the chicken for a couple of hours and not using the rest as dipping sauce. I also didn't grill the chicken, I just cooked them in a little butter in a pan.

1 rounded tablespoon sweet paprika
3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, a couple of handfuls
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 small white onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 3 splashes
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds chicken tenders

Preheat a grill pan over high heat.

In a food processor combine paprika, parsley, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, onion, garlic and cayenne. Finely chop the mixture by pulsing.

Heat oil in a small pan over medium low heat. When oil is warm, stir herb and garlic mixture into oil and heat 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from heat. The oil will become infused with the flavor of the herbs and garlic. Transfer to a bowl and stir in vinegar and salt. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Cut chicken tenders into thirds and place in a shallow dish. Wash hands.

Spoon half of your chimichurri over the chicken and coat completely and evenly. Using tongs, transfer the bites to the hot grill and cook 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Transfer bites to a serving plate. Serve with party picks and reserved chimichurri sauce for dipping.


Sauteed Carrots

I got this one also from Ina Gartin on foodnetwork.com. I added a little flour to thicken up the sauce.

2 pounds carrots
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

I thought they were both excellent. I would rate them both an 8 or 9.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Sorry about the blurry picture. It was so good so I wanted to share it with you. I found this recipe on Our Family Treat Blog (on our family blog side bar). It sounded so good so I had to make them. The only problem was was that I got the wrong green sauce at the store. The recipe calls for green enchilada sauce in a can and I accidently got the taco sauce in a bottle. The sauce in the bottle is thicker so I had to thin it out and add more flavor. I added chicken broth, olive oil, onion, salt, oregano, garlic salt and about a quarter cup of canned tomato pieces (with sauce). The recipe rolls the chicken up inside the tortilla but I grew up with enchiladas sort of casserole style (layered with tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese). We had company over when I served it and everyone loved it. We ate almost all of it. I also served it with sour cream on the side.

4 chicken breasts-shredded
4 tablespoons lime juice-or juice from a lime
5 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
6-8 flour tortillas
mexican cheese or cheddar-we only had cheddar on hand
1 can green enchilada sauce


Mix together the chicken, lime juice, honey, chili powder, and garlic powder. Layer a small amount of your enchilada sauce on the bottom of your 9x13 pan. On your tortillas put about 1/4 a cup of your chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese and roll up. Place seam side down. Once all rolled up, pour the enchilada sauce on your enchiladas. Then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

I would rate this a 9 out of 10. I forgot to rate the last two posts so I will now. The pie would have been definately a 10 and the calas would have been a 6 or 7.

Luscious Layer Lemon Pie

My dad came down the weekend of his birthday and I knew he needed a birthday pie, I say pie because he likes pie more than cake. I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com and it was so good. It took a bit of time to make but it was so worth it. I thought it would be really sweet but it wasn't.

Pie Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Bottom Layer Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup cold water
3 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
3 drops yellow food coloring

Second Layer Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups cold whole milk
2 packages instant lemon pudding

Top Layer Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces whipped cream or dessert topping

Pie Crust: Whisk flour with a fork while still in the bag or cannister. Gently spoon out flour into measuring cups. (This reduces flour by as much as 1/8 to 1/4 cup).

Then sift flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add shortening and cut into pea sized bits with pastry blender. Add cold water gradually until just dampened. Place on waxed paper and gather into ball from the outside corners. Press dough into a 6-inch pancake shape. Wrap with plastic wrap.

Chill at least 30 minutes and then roll out between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Remove 1 side of plastic wrap, lightly flour, if necessary, and place into a 9-inch clear glass deep dish pan.

Remove plastic wrap and flute edges. Prick bottom and sides with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Bottom Layer: In saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Mix with wire whisk; blend in lemon juice and cold water; then add egg yolks and blend until smooth. Add butter and gradually stir in boiling water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 2 minutes; remove from heat and add lemon extract, zest/peel, and food coloring. Partially cool for 30 minutes, and pour into the baked pie shell. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before adding second layer.

Second Layer: In a small bowl, cream sugar and cream cheese with spatula until smooth. Add milk and stir until well blended. Add pudding and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes until thickened. Pour on bottom layer. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Top Layer: Cream together the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the whipped dessert topping and spread on top of cooled lemon pudding. Garnish with extra pastry cutouts, citrus or mint leaves. Chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Calas

I had some leftover coconut rice and I hate having leftover rice because it never gets eaten so I decided to use it in a different way. I found this Calas recipe online on some community site. It was so easy and tasted so good, even Porter liked them.

CALAS

Ingredients
6 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cooked rice
2 eggs
pinch of nutmeg
canola oil
powdered sugar

Directions
Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Mix the rice and eggs together in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the rice and egg mixture and stir until thoroughly blended. Heat about ½-inch of oil in a cast iron skillet until the oil shimmers, about 360 degrees. Drop spoonfuls of the rice mixture into the hot oil and fry until brown. Place fritters on paper towels to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (or serve with honey) and eat them while they’re hot.

Piggy Pudding

My mom and I were watching the Food Network and Paula Dean was having a Piggy Party. One of the things she made was piggy pudding. It sounded kind of wierd but good at the same time.

16 link pork sausages
4 to 5 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 (7 1/2-ounce) package yellow cornbread mix, batter prepared according to package directions
1 cup maple syrup, for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cook sausages in a skillet until done, piercing with a fork to let out fat. Drain and then arrange in a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer sliced apples on top. Pour corn bread batter over all and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until corn bread is done. Serve with warm maple syrup.

It was good. You could chop your sausages into bite size pieces and add more apple or omit the sausages.

It was like a pigs in a blanket. I would rate it a 9

Banana Stuffed French Toast

A couple of months ago I was watching Down Home with the Neelys' on the Food Network and they were making banana stuffed french toast. It looked so good and I have been dying to make it. While my mom and sister Kimberly were in town a few weeks ago it was time to make it. It was so good and can be done with about any fruit or filling that you like.

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
3 ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 large unsliced loaf French bread, bread cut into 8 slices
4 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon rum extract
Nonstick cooking spray
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Maple syrup, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Melt butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted add the brown sugar and pinch of cinnamon. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts into the butter and becomes a sauce. Add bananas and toss together. Let cook until the bananas are soft and incorporated into the sauce. Remove to a bowl and let cool completely. Once cool, add cream cheese and mash with a wooden spoon.

Using a paring knife, cut a 2-inch-long slits in 1 side of each bread slice, cutting 3/4 of way through bread and creating pocket that leaves 3 sides of bread intact. Divide banana mixture equally among the bread pockets.

In a large bowl, add eggs, heavy cream, milk, cinnamon and rum and whisk to combine. Pour mixture into a 13 by 9-inch casserole dish. Put the bread into the egg mixture and let soak for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the bread from egg mixture, using a spatula, letting the excess drain off.

Spray a wire rack with nonstick spray and put the rack on a baking sheet. Put the bread on the rack and transfer to the oven.

Bake the French toast until it is golden brown and filling is hot, about 25 minutes. Transfer the toast on a serving platter and garnish with confectioners' sugar and maple syrup.

My mom thought that the crust was too crispy, which I kind of liked because the middle was super soft with all the filling. You could cut the crust off of your bread and do it that way.

I would rate this about a 9 or 9.5. Definately try.

Cranberry Chicken

Mix together 16 oz can of cranberry sauce, 1 cup french dressing and i pkg onion soup mix.

Cut up chicken into strips. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

This is a great freezer meal. Place in baggies and then pull out and bake later.

This was great over rice. I would rate it about a 7 or 8.

Chicken-Spinach Pockets with Gravy

This is good for any kind of leftovers.

I rolled out pop biscuits and placed in the middle some cooked spinach (frozed, thawed and water sqeezed out), chicken and onion cooked in a little red pepper flakes and olive oil.

I baked it at 350 for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

For a gravy I mixed a little flour and butter and then added some chicken broth and salt and pepper.

I would rate it about a 5. Not but, but I could do something better. Maybe different filling or pop biscuits.

Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheese
3 cups chopped, cooked broccoli
1 cup chopped, cooked ham
4- 6 baked potatoes

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and stir to make a smooth paste. Stir in milk and cook over low heat until thickened. Add mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheese and cook until melted. Fold in broccoli and ham. Serve over hot baked potatoes.

I would rate this a 7. You could probably put this over pasta or turn it into a casserole by adding hashbrowns on the bottom and then pouring this on top and sprinkling with cheese and breadcrumbs.

Zucchini Soup with Bruschetta

Bruschetta

I did this a while ago and can't really remember EVERYTHING i put in it. I will try. Great northern white beans, parsley, lemon juice, salt, garlic. I pureed it together and put in on toasted bread.


Curried Zucchini Soup

2 pounds of zucchini, sliced (about 4)
5 green onions, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large saucepan, combine all ingrediants. Simmer, covered, until zucchini is soft (about 15 minutes). Puree in SMALL batches in a blender on low speed; return to pan and heat through.

I might have added a little too much cayenne pepper so it was a little spicy. You can omit the cayenne pepper altogether if you don't like the kick it gives.

It froze great. I would rate it a 8 out of 10. It has a light feeling and went great with the bruschetta. I dipped the bread in the soup.

Grapenut-Basil Chicken

I cut up chicken into bite size cubes.

In a small bowl I mixed together parsley and grapenut cereal. I tossed the chicken in a little olive oil and rolled it in the grapenut mixture and baked it at 350 for about 20 minutes, flipping half way through.

I would rate it about a 7.

Chicken & Asparagus Pasta Salad

Cook whatever kind of pasta you have or like according to the package.

Cut up asparagus and cook it for a few minutes.

In a bowl mix together your pasta, asparagus, tomato, fresh mint and some cooked chicken.

In a small bowl combine honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and basil.

Toss the pasta salad with the dressing.

It was good warm or cooled. I would rate this about a 4.

Molten Lava Chocolate Cake

Melt 8 oz chocolate and 2 sticks of butter together and let it sit and cool.

Combine 4 eggs and 1/2 cup of sugar and whisk it until puffy. It might be about 10 minutes.

Stir in the cooled chocolate and 4 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or 1 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract if you want a mint flavor).

Pour the chocolate mixture into buttered and floured ramekins (or mugs) half-way. Place chocolate chips in the center and then pour the remaining mixture to cover the chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for about 14-17 minutes.

This recipe needed less nutmeg and more lava. Maybe I cooked it too long. It was really good and my family rated it a 4.2.

Bread Pudding with Apples and Raisins

I have never had bread pudding before because I didn't know what I would think about "soggy bread" pudding style. Not my kind of thing, but I thought I would give it a shot when I had extra hamburger buns.

I tore up four hamburger buns and placed them into a greased pan. I cut up one apple and tossed it with the bread with a handful of raisins.

In a seperate bowl I combined 5 eggs, 2 cans of canned milk, some extra milk, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. I poured the mixture over the bread and let it sit for about 1/2 hour.

I baked it at 350 for about 30-45 minutes, until set and the fork comes out clean.

It was not bad for my first time, but I think it needs some more flavor. I would rate it about a 2.5.

If anyone has a recipe for a really good bread pudding I would love to try it.

Orange Pull-Aparts

This is a combination of our family's favorite cinnamon pull-aparts (also known as monkey bread to some of you) and orange rolls.

Cut up 3 packages of pop up biscuits (each biscuit into quarters).
In a ziploc bag combine sugar and one zested orange.
Shake the biscuits in the sugar. (You might have to do some at a time.)

Pour some melted butter on the butter of a bundt pan and pour some of the sugar on top of it. Place about a third of the sugar covered biscuits in the pan, pour some butter on the biscuits and sprinkle with a little sugar. Repeat these steps until the biscuits are all done.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

I love cinnamon pull-aparts. This was the first time i've tried the orange ones. To make the cinnamon was you do the cinnamon and sugar instead of the orange zest and sugar.

I would rate this about a 5 because I love love love them.

Thai Red Curry with Green Beans and Eggplant

Job loves curry, especially curry with eggplant. I've made pineapple curry, which was good and probably the easiest curry to make. I thought I would try a different kind. I found this recipe on-line. It doesn't have meat, but you can put meat in it if you want to. Job also likes his saucier so he can "sop" his rice in it. I added extra coconut milk.

In a saucepan combine 1 lb eggplant and 2 tablespoons oil. Cook for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 3-4 tablespoons of coconut milk with 1 tablespoons ginger, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 tablespoon red curry paste.

To the saucepan, add 1 lb green beans (i cut mine into smaller pieces), 1 red onion, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (more if you want it saucier).

Stir in your curry paste mixture and simmer for about 8 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup thai or sweet basil leaves and 2 teaspoons lime juice.
Serve with rice.

This was actually really easy and better than I thought I could make. It makes me want to try more currys, especially since my husband is a fan of them.

I would rate it about an 8 because I think there might be a better red curry recipe and my eggplant was soft to begin with.

Recipe Overload

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted anything. It's not that I haven't made anything yummy ... I have. Here are lots of yummy meals from over the last couple of weeks. Enjoy. Tonight .... Thai food. Coming soon ... Tangelo Creme Brulee. Wish me luck because I have not made Creme Brulee before.

Chickpea Pot Pie

This is an alternative to a classic Chicken Pot Pie. Instead of chicken ... chickpeas. It was actually really good. It made a ton of stuffing, enough for 2 pie pans and 2 small individual servings. I froze 1 pie pan and passed along the individual ones for Job's brother and sister-in-law to freeze them.

In a large saucepan cook 1 onion and 2 tablespoons. Add 2 garlic cloves, 3 celery ribs, 2 carrots and 5 cups of broth (i used chicken, the recipe called for vegetable).

Add 2 cups frozen corn, 15 oz garbanzo beans, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 tablespoon sage, 1 tablespoon marjoram and 2 bay leaves to the broth. Simmer for 30 minutes and then remove the bay leaves.

Stir in one 16 oz package of pot pie or egg noodles and cook for 5 minutes.

Mix together 1 more cup of broth with 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and then add to the pot. Stir in 4 oz cream cheese (i added 8 oz) and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.

Remove from heat and mix in 2 cups of peas and 2 cups of green beans.

Pour into a greased pie pan and top with a sheet of frozen pastry puff. (i made my own pie crust).

Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

This was really good and i would rate it a 9.

Macaroni & Cheese with Garlic-Herb Braid Bread

I found this recipe off of another blog and it looked so good.

4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 pkg (1/4 oz each) quick-rise yeast
2 tsp dried basil
1 3/4 tsp dill weed
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 egg
(1 Tbsp melted butter)

-in a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and seasonings.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, and butter over medium heat until butter is melted.
add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened.
add egg, beat until smooth
stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough

-turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes.
(that was a fun part)
cover and let rest for 10 minutes

-divide dough into thirds. shape each into a 15 inch rope.
places ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under.
cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes.

-bake at 375' form 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

I think it probably had a little too much herb to it, but overall it was not bad. I would rate it a 5 for all the herbs. Tone down the herbs and it would be a 7.



Melt 1 tablespoon of margarine in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon onion powder (i didn't have onion powder so i added dried minced onions instead) and 2 teaspoons garlic powder. Slowly add 2 cups milk. Simmer the milk for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and 2 cups cooked macaroni. ( I added more cheese because i wanted it extra cheesy and i cooked my macaroni al dente (just under perfect softness because it will cook more in the oven).)

Transfer to a greased baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spray your bread crumbs with cooking spray and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This was my first homemade mac & cheese. I think it needed something else, maybe a little heat. i would rate this about a 6.

Baquette with Roasted Red Pepper Spread and Potato Chips

I had a potato chipper, which made it easy to cut the potatoes into thin strips. I soaked them in water for 15 minutes and then deep fried them for several minutes until golden brown. I placed them on paper towels and sprinkled with garlic salt.
Not bad. I want to figure out how to put different taste to them, but I would rate them a 4 because I like more flavor to my chips then just salt.



Combine 8 oz cream cheese, 17 oz roasted red pepper (i roasted my own red peppers and it worked just fine), 3 tablespoons minced onion and 1 minced garlic clove in a food processor.

Cut a baquette lengthwise and tear out some of the middle to make room for your mixture. Spread your mixture and top with lettuce and radicchio (i used red cabbage).

I think it had too much garlic, i would use a smaller clove.
It was fantastic, so i would rate it a 7.

Glazed Graham Crackers

Place your broken up graham crackers on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with slivered almonds (I broke up whole almonds). Meanwhile, boil 1/2 cup margarine and 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter for 2 minutes without stirring. Pour over crackers and bake for 11 minutes at 350. Remove from the pan at once.

These were excellent. I think they are better the day after you make them. I would give them a 9.

Mexi Shells

Cook a box of 18 jumbo pasta shells according to package.
In a medium bowl combine: 4 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
set aside

In a saucepan cook 3/4 lb ground beef (or turkey, i used turkey), and 1/4 cup chopped onion. Drain the oil and add 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 4.5 oz can green chilies and 1 15 or 16 oz can chili beans.

Spread about 1 cup of the sauce mixture on the bottom of your pan.

Drain pasta and stuff with the beef and bean mixture and place in your pan. Repeat until all shells are stuffed. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and let sit for 10 minutes.

This is a great freezer meal. Since there were just the two of us, I did half in one pan for dinner and half in a pan for the freezer. Just be sure to write what is in it and directions.

This was actually really good. It has a little spicy kick to it but it was not too bad. I would rate this an 8.

Pesto Italian Turkey Burger with Fries

Homemade french fries are the best. Personally, I think they are way better than fast food fries. Hint: cut your fries, soak them in water for about 15 minutes to get the starch out of them and then bake them OR freeze them for later. Lay your fries on a greased baking sheet, spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle them with desired seasonings. The ones I made were Garlic Salt with Parsley. Bake them at 425 for about 15-20 minutes (depending on desired crispiness), flipping half way through. I prefer crispy fries. I give crispy homemade fries with 10.



Put your ground turkey in a big mixing bowl. Add about 2 Tablespoons of basil pesto, about 1/2-3/4 cups of italian bread crumbs and about the same of parmesan cheese. Mix together with your hands and separate into four sections. Shape your burgers leaving it thinner in the middle and cook. They may have taken about 5-7 minutes on each side. I put dijon mustard as my sauce with tomatoes and lettuce and cheese.

Overall, it needs a better sauce to compliment the burger. I would give it about a 5.

Boneless Ribs and Mashed Potatoes

This picture was taken after dinner so it is not the best.

Mix together:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2/3 cup vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup molasses
a dash of pepper and paprika

Brown your ribs in a frying pan and then place in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the ribs and bake at 350 for 2-2 1/2 hours, flipping the meat periodically.

I put a twist on mashed potatoes. I boiled a can of southern white beans for about 10 minutes and then I pureed them with a piece of garlic. Meanwhile, I started boiling 3 large russet potatoes. After the potatoes are done cooking, drain (reserving about a cup of water) and mash and then add the pureed beans and reserved water.

This is where I need to work on the recipe. I added some salt, pepper, milk and parsley to the mashed potatoes but because of the bean texture and taste, something wasn't quite right. We ate it anyways. They were not too bad.

You can use some of the extra rib sauce as gravy.

I would rate the ribs about a 9 and the mashed potatoes about a 5.

Lemon Mint Biscuits

Mix 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter and 1/4 teaspoon salt together. (I added some minced fresh mint and some lemon zest) Cut in 1/2 cup butter until crumbly. Make a small well in the mixture and pour in 3/4 cup milk. Stir until moisten. Knead a few times and then roll out with flour until 1/2 inch thick. Cut out and then bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

These are the best biscuits that I have made personally, but not the best biscuits I have ever had. The pillsbury pop biscuits are better than these. If anyone has a better biscuit recipe I would love to try it.

I would probably rate this a 3 out 10 (being the best biscuits.)

Coconut Shrimp

Take 3 bowls.
In the first one: 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning
In the second one: 2 eggs
In the third one: 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (i used small shrimp so i put my coconut in a small food processor and broke it down a little bit)

Dip your shrimp in the first bowl and then the second bowl and finally the third bowl. Put on baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes. (I flip my shrimp half way through.)

Here is a Pina Colada Dipping Sauce (like the one at Red Lobster if you have had it there):
In a saucepan combine 1 cup pina colada mix, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon coconut (again I broke it down to make the pieces smaller) and 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar.
Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
In a small bowl mix 3 teaspoons water and 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch together until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add to the sauce after it simmers. Simmer again 3-5 minutes. Bring to room temperature.

This sauce is good with rice also.

This is definately one of our favorites so I would rate it about a 9.

Orange Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt, pepper and paprika
1/4-1/2 cup oil

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk (or water)
6 oz frozen orange juice
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
sprinkle of nutmeg

Place chicken in plastic bag. Put flour, salt, pepper and paprika in the bag also. Shake the chicken until coated and then brown in the hot oil. (I skipped this part because I did not want a fried version of the recipe. Instead, I put a small amount of oil in a pan and cooked the chicken with the seasoning (omitting the flour).) Place the cooked chicken in a 9x13 pan. Combine the rest of the ingrediants in a bowl and pour over the chicken. Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes. If you are using bone-in chicken, bake for about 45 minutes. Serve with rice.

Since I have not made orange chicken before, I cannot compare it to anything but from a restaurant, but I think I did pretty good. I added some orange zest to the cream of chicken mixture and it helped give it a more orange bite. I only did two pieces of chicken and so there was a lot more sauce. This sauce was good over the rice we had and the leftovers were fantastic over baked potatoes the next day.

I think there is a better orange chicken recipe out there without needing to fry the chicken. If anyone has one let me know.

I would rate this about a 6.

Lemon Coconut Muffins

I was going to make brunch the other week and wanted muffins to go along with my sausage, eggs and hashbrowns. With about 6 lemons on my counter, I wanted to use them in the muffins. I found two recipes that I wanted to combine. This is a little sweet and fantastic warm with vanilla ice cream.

Muffin Part:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup coconut and oatmeal
mix these in a small bowl and put aside

cream together:
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup margarine
3/4 cup sugar

add 1 egg and 2 tablespoons to margarine mixture
add 1 cup milk, alternating with flour mixture to margarine mixture

Bake at 375 for 18-20 min or until toothpick comes out clean.
I used all the batter for 12 muffins

While the muffins are baking, make the coconut topping:
In a saucepan dissolve 1/4 cupLset on heat for a couple minutes.
When the muffins are done, take out of pan and poke holes in the tops and spoon sauce into and on top of. It's really good if you stuff some of the coconut down inside.

If you don't have toasted coconut you can make some by spreading coconut evenly in shallow dish and baking at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until golden. You may need to toss the coconut a little.

Because this could be a breakfast or dessert, I would rate it about a 7 because they are best just out of the oven.