Chocolate Pudding Cake

This is a new twist using Shirley J, on an old recipe that my mom used to make. I have very fond memories of "Chocolate Pudding Cake". Sorry I forgot to take pictures before we gobbled it up.
Somehow it makes a yummy chocolate pudding on the bottom of the cake.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 3 cups Shirley J Muffin mix, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 1/2 cup water. Mix well. Spread batter in the bottom of a 9 inch square ungreased pan. Combine 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small bowl. Sprinkle over top of cake batter. Gently pour 1 1/2 cup bliling water over top of mixtures. Do not stir. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipping cream.

Hungry-Girl

I'm sure there are others out there like me who are trying to be healthy and lose weight. This website is my of my favorites right now. I have her cookbook too. She tries to make healthier versions of typically high calorie meals and treats. Its has been a great help for me and given me lots of good ideas so I thought I would share. Hope you all find it interesting!!

www.hungry-girl.com

sour-cream-pumpkin-crumb-cake

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3 cups pumpkin puree
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter (melted)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
1. Mix the flours, baking powder and soda in a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl.
3. Mix the vanilla extract and eggs into the butter and sugar.
4. Mix 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the wet followed by 1/2 of the sour cream and repeat.
5. Mix the pumpkin puree, egg, sugar and spices in yet another bowl.
6. Mix the flour, rolled oats, cinnamon and butter until they for crumbs.
7. Mix the nuts into the streusel.
8. Pour half of the batter into a greased baking dish.
9. Sprinkle on half of the streusel.
10. Pour the pumpkin mixture on next.
11. Pour the remaining batter on top.
12. Sprinkle on the remaining streusel.
13. Bake in a preheated 350F until a toothpick pushed in to the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Pumpkin Cake

This is the easiest, most delicious cake- we love, love, love it!!

1 yellow cake mix
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. We serve it with whip cream. It is supposed to be better if you let it sit for a day or two before eating it, however, I can't be sure of that because we have never made it that long before eating it. Hope you enjoy!

Tomato Penne Pasta with Cheese

Tomato Penne Pasta with Cheese
4 cups penne pasta (cooked)
2 T. Shirley J Pizza & Pasta Seasoning

1 tsp. garlic
1 cup Shirley J Universal Sauce
4 cups water
1 cup tomato sauce
½ cup Mozzarella cheese (grated)
1 cup fresh spinach chopped

Directions:
Combine Shirley J Universal Sauce and water, then tomato sauce, seasoning, garlic, spinach and cheese and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour sauce mixture over cooled pasta, stir to combine and serve hot.

Serves 6

Turkey, Brie, & Apple Grilled Sandwich

First I should tell ya'll that my neighbors are overwhelming me with fresh apples so I am looking for every healthy recipe on the planet that contains apples, so I'm sure more apple recipes will follow. Second, of all of the sandwiches I've ever had, I don't think any have been quite so perfectly decadent. Go try it and you'll thank me forever! Third, I got this on the Tasty Kitchen website which is actually quite helpful.

• 4 slices Sandwich Bread; Sturdy Enough For Grilling (I used French Bread)
  
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Apple Butter (You Can Substitute Apricot Preserves, Cranberry Dressing, Or Just More Mayonnaise)
• 1 teaspoon Mayonnaise
• 4 ounces, weight Brie Cheese (rind Removed Or Left On)
• 1 whole Apple Of Choice (make It A Crispy And Tasty Choice!)
• 2 slices Turkey Breast, Or More To Taste
• 2 pinch(es) Salt And Pepper (to Taste)

Begin by preheating your panini press, grill pan, skillet or oven. If using a grill pan or skillet, heat over medium heat; if using an oven, set to broil (on the low setting, if that’s an option).

Start building the sandwich by laying out your sandwich bread and lightly brushing the insides with olive oil. On one piece of bread, spread apple butter; on the other, mayonnaise. You don’t need much of either.

Cut the brie into thin slices. To make the brie easier to slice (and to remove the rind, if you’re like me and want your cheese to be free), put the brie in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a serrated knife with long, smooth, strokes for happy brie slicing. Place one layer of brie slices on one piece of the bread.

Next, thinly slice your apple of choice. I used a Granny Smith, but you can use what you’d like. Just make sure it’s nice and crispy. Top the layer of brie with a layer of apple slices.

Add the turkey* on top of the apple. I used turkey breast from my local deli, which was fine, but I can’t wait to try it with that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!

(*If you’d like to make a version without the turkey, add a second layer of brie in place of the turkey for a fancy pants grilled cheese.)

Season with salt and pepper to your liking. I like lots of pepper.

If you’re using a panini press, grill pan or skillet, lightly brush the heated surface with olive oil before placing the sandwich on.

Panini/grill press users: place the sandwich on and “press” for about 4 minutes. Check every minute or so to avoid burning. You want the cheese to melt and the sandwich to warm but not burn. And the little grill lines are cool, too.

Grill pan or skillet users: place the sandwich in the pan, then place another pan on top to press the sandwich. Or press the sandwich with a spatula. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook on other side for about 2 more minutes. Again, you’ll want the cheese to melt and sandwich to warm but be careful to watch for burning.

Using your oven on broil? Lightly brush the outside of the sandwich with olive oil. Place sandwich on a baking sheet or directly on the oven baking rack in a heated oven. Be very careful to watch for burning. After about 2 minutes, carefully (carefully!) flip sandwich and continue heating for another minute or two. Cook time will depend on your oven and your bread choice. Don’t walk away—keep an eye on it.

Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt to taste

Bring the rice, water, and chicken bouillon to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, cilantro, and salt; fluff with a fork and serve.

Renae's Hot Fudge

2 c. sugar
4 T.butter
4 T. cocoa
1 can evaporated milk

Blend together and dissolve. Boil gently 2-4 minutes,according to how thick you like it. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. If it should curdle, put in blender and whip. Makes 2.5 cups.

(Thanks Sam for typing it and e-mailing it to me).

Fresh Tomato and Spinach Creamy Soup

I have made this soup twice lately and I just love it. Sad that the fresh tomatoes are gone now.

In a large soup pan, saute in olive oil:
diced onion
red pepper flakes
garlic
fresh or dried basil

When onion is soft and transparent add:
diced fresh tomatoes
cut up fresh spinach

Stir for a minute or two then add:
4 cups of water with 1 cup of Shirley J White Cheddar Cheese sauce mixed together.

Bring to a boil to thicken and serve.

Broccoli Cheese Soup with Potatoes

In a large saucepan, combine and heat on medium:
2 c. water
2 tsp. parsley flakes
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. pepper

When boiling, cook (stirring frequently):
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. carrots
1 c. celery
2 c. potatoes
2 c. broccoli or cauliflower

When tender, combine flour and milk mixture (after having whisked it until smooth):
3 c. milk
4 tbsp. flour

Stir in 1 pound Velveeta cheese and enjoy. Absolutely delicious!

Orange-Cashew Chicken & Rice

So fast and tasty. It's worth remembering to buy the cashews next time you're at the store.

Prep/Total time: 30 min

1 cup cooked rice
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges
1/4 cup chopped cashews (I didn't chop them and it was fine)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1 Tbsp. canola oil (I skipped this)
1/2 cup chopped bok choy (didn't kow what it was so skipped it)
1/4 cup minced chives (didn't have any so...skipped)

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain the oranges reserving 2 Tbsp. juice. In a small bowl, combine the cashews, broth, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and reserved juice; set aside.

In a large wok or skillet, stir-fry chicken in oil until no longer pink. Add cashew mixture; cook 1 minute longer. (At this point I wanted the sauce a little thicker to pour over rice so I thickened it with corn starch and water.) Add the bok choy, chives and reserved oranges; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork; serve with chicken mixture.

Sausage Potato Soup

Ingredients
16-24 oz smoked sausage (put in as much or as little as you'd like), cut into 1/2" pieces
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped onion (I used half an onion)
2 cans cream of potato soup (or 3 if you'd prefer less corn)
2 cans creamed corn (Next time I make this, I think I will do three pototao soups and only one corn because it made for a lot of corn)
1 1/3 cups milk

Directions
* Over medium heat, melt a tiny bit of butter. Add sausage, green pepper, and onion and cook until sausage is brown. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat through. Enjoy!As you can see, I'm a fan of easy. Let me know if you like it.

Spiced Wassail

Ingredients
1 can cranberry juice
1 can pineapple juice
1 can apple juice
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon, broken

Directions
* In large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Discard orange and lemon slices, cloves and cinnamon before serving.Warning: only make this recipe if you are okay with cranberries. It isn't as strong as straight up cranberry juice, but you can definitely taste them.

Chicken Cranberry Braid

I made this braid for dinner tonight. It was quite a hit! It was so easy and really worked up fast.
I was out of Shirley J Honey White Bread Mix so I made this one out of the Shirley J Honey Wheat Bread Mix.

Mix bread according to package directions, use 1/2 batch recipe. Let bread rest for 15-20 minutes after mixing, per instructions on bag.

Mix filling: 1 (12oz.) canned chicken, 1/2 c. chopped celery, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 4 oz. Mozzarella cheese, 1/4 c. almonds, slivered, 1/2 c. mayo, 2 TB Dijon mustard.

Remove bread to floured surface; roll out into approximately 12x18" rectangle. Place dough rectangle on 12x18" sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Make 4" cuts approximately 1" wide along each edge of the rectangle, leaving 4" in center for filling. Place filling in middle of dough rectangle, smooth to fill to the edge of dough cuts. Fold the edges of the dough over to middle of the pan, covering the fillings.

Alternate sides and tuck strips of dough under each other, giving the appearance of a woven top. Cover and let rise for 10 minutes in a warm place. Brush with egg whites and bake in 350 oven for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.















Slice and serve with Shirley J White Cheddar Sauce over the top.

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

Ingredients
Filling
1 package Cream Cheese (8 oz.)
1/4 cup granulated Sugar
1 whole Large Egg, lightly beaten
Batter
1-3/4 cups All-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups granulated Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1 whole Large Egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Water

Preparation Instructions
-Combine cream cheese, sugar, and egg, mixing well until blended; set aside.
-Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
-In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, butter, egg, and water, then add to dry ingredients, mixing just until moistened. Reserve 2 cups of the pumpkin batter for later use.
-Pour remaining batter into greased and floured loaf pans. Pour equal amounts of cream cheese mixture over each loaf, then top with equal amounts of reserved pumpkin batter. Cut through batters with knife several times for swirl effect.
-Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, remove from pan.

Notes:
-This bread freezes beautifully. It's easier to cut when frozen or cold.
-You can add nuts or chocolate chips to pumpkin batter if desired. It's extra delicious.
-My cook time ended up being 40-50 min.

Tomato, mozzarella,and fresh basil

I learned about this delightful combination in New York. I have been making different versions of this all summer and I never get tired of it. It tastes so fresh and light. It looks beautiful on a platter too.

Slice homegrown tomatoes.

Slice fresh mozzarella cheese

Top with fresh basil, chopped

Mix olive oil and Shirley J Pizza Pasta seasoning to taste.

Pour oil and seasoning mixture over tomato, mozzarella and serve.

I have also made it with cherry tomatoes and cubed chesse.

Shirly J Lemon Bars

I made lemon bars in about 40 minutes total mixing and baking. They were so easy and fast and turned out delicious!

4 cups Shirley J Universal Cookie Mix

2/3 cups water

Mix together and press dough into prepared 9x13 pan.

Spread 1/2 can of lemon pie filling on top of dough.

Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cool and enjoy.

Cheeseburger Paradise Soup

6 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
3 cups water
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp beef bouillon granules (I used Shirley J)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp pepper
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 Tbsp butter
5 cups milk, divided
6 Tbsp flour
1 package (16 oz) process cheese (Velveeta), cubed (I used Shirley J to taste...sorry, I don't have any idea how much I put in)

In a soup kettle, combine the first nine ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add to soup. Stir in 4 cups milk; heat through.

In a small bowl, combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Notes:
First, I would really pay attention to how much water they said to use because it'll never thicken if you don't. Live and learn.

Second, I used Shirley J for the beef bouillon and the cheese sauce. It was fabulous!

Third, I would really suggest letting it thicken before you add in the cheese. No matter how hungry you are it'll be worth it to wait for just 2 more minutes. :)

Pina Colada Pound Cake

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
3 eggs
1 can 14 oz. coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 can 8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained, 3 tablespoons juice reserved
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, and coconut milk with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in coconut and pineapple. Pour into pans.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool 50 minutes.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and reserved 3 tablespoons pineapple juice. Poke tops of cakes every inch with toothpick. Pour sugar mixture over cakes. Cut each cake into 8 thick slices, using serrated knife.

Wonderful Low-fat Banana Bread

,Dear Angie,

Here is my healthy Banana Bread recipe you asked for... sorry it took me so long!

Enjoy!

Shayla

2 and 1/4 cups flour (I use half white and half wheat flour)
1 and 2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 and 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 and 1/4 tsp. soda
2/3 cup skim milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
2/3 cup egg whites or egg beaters
1 and 1/4 cup mashed ripe bananas
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pam 2 loaf pans. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl and blend for 1-2 minutes on low, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 min. on high and pour into loaf pans. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. (Batter is very runny).

Aloha Chicken Salad (Quick and Easy)

I LOVE chicken salad (especially in the summertime). The other day, I decided to make it for the first time. It was so easy and made for a fun cool summer meal that I have eaten all week. Don't be hesitant about the pineapple--I was before I tried it, but I will definitely make this recipe again. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
*2 cups diced chicken meat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced celery
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 cup crushed pineapple, thoroughly drained
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Dash of pepper
Cashews for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Toss chicken meat, celery, parsley, and pineapple in large bowl. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, seasoned salt, and pepper **; fold into chicken mixture. Refrigerate.

*Note: You can use canned meat as well; I bought chicken tenderloins and cut them into small pieces, cooked them, then put them in the freezer--this took longer than cans would, but tasted great)

**The salad wasn't dry, but it could have used a little more dressing mixture, in my opinion. Feel free to make extra and add fold in until it's the right consistency for you.

No Fuss Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe creates moist, delicious chocolate chip cookies with little hassle. Delicious.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melt & cool
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine meltled and cooled butter and brown sugar. Mix well.
4. Stir in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
5. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. For each cookie, drop a heaping tablespoon of dough onto a cookie sheet, leaving about 2 1/2 inches between each. Bake at 350 F for 9-11 minutes or until edges harden and centers are still soft.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Simmer

This Velveeta recipe is delicious! It's a great way to get those veggies in and your kids won't even realize they're eating them. I'd double the sauce and veggies part (it's a bit skimpy).

INGREDIENTS

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover skillet. Cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
2. Add milk, Velveeta, broccoli and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese to skillet. Cook, uncovered, on medium heat 4 min. or until Velveeta is melted and broccoli is heated through, stirring occasionally.

3. Return chicken to skillet. Cook and stir 1 min. or until chicken is coated and heated through.

4. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Sausage Supper

This is a flavorful and delicious meal that doesn't take much time. I'm sure you could throw in a variety of whatever vegetables you have on hand (next time I make it, I'll add potatoes). The basil and oregano add a sophisticated and professional flair.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can (16 oz) tomatoes--juice and all

1 can (4 oz) mushrooms

2 TB flour

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tube (7 1/2 oz) refrigerator biscuits

1/2 diced green pepper

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown sausage and onion in a large onion-proof skillet (I don't have one, so I transferred ingredients into casserole dish when time to bake). Drain.

2. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, and seasoning. Mix well.

3. heat until hot and bubbly. Stir until slightly thick. Reduce heat.

4. Simmer while preparing dough. Cut each biscuit into four pieces. Arrange biscuits over hot meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

5. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

*Note: at Christmas time, you can arrange green and red peppers like a wreath on the top. This is Grandma Guymon's recipe from the family cookbook, so leave it to her to be so festive.

Banana Bread (Low Fat and Delicious)

I was shocked when I tasted this banana bread because it's supposed to be so healthy-tasting and I couldn't stop eating it! I didn't even feel guilty, because there's no butter, oil, or crisco. It was moist and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar

2 slightly beaten egg whites
1 cup mashed banana (about 2-3 extra ripe)
1/4 cup applesauce (or cooking oil)
Non-stick spray coating

DIRECTIONS

(Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees)
1. In medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients
2. In larger bowl, mix egg whites, banana, sugar, and applesauce
3. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture until moistened
4. Spray an 8x4x2 loaf pan with nonstick spray and spread batter into pan.
5. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes

*Note: Makes one loaf. Double or triple recipe if desired.

Friendship Fudge

This is a versitile, decadent, fun, and did I mention DELICIOUS treat. It's perfect for family gatherings, camp, family home evening, or whenever you need that chocolate fix.


The first time I had it was at a leadership girl's camp outing. We all took turns squishing the ingredients in a bag while we told something unique about ourselves. By the time we were done, it was the right consistency to roll into a log and cut into slices. Yum!


INGREDIENTS

4 cups powdered sugar
3 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup softened margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)



DIRECTIONS

1. Mix ingredients together by squeezing the bag and passing it around the group (you can have fun with games, get-to-know-you activities, etc)
2. When it is mixed together, roll into a log and sprinkle nuts if you choose.
3. Slice and enjoy!

*Note: you may need extra powdered sugar or eat with spoons. You may want to double or triple the batch if you have more than a few people--believe me, you'll want lots of extra.

Mandarin Orange, Spinach, & Almond Salad

This is the perfect zesty salad that cools off a hot summer day. If you like the ingredients, you'll love the salad.

INGREDIENTS

10 oz. bag fresh spinach, washed and drained

11 oz. can mandarin oranges, 2 TB juice reserved

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 TB balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey roasted almond slivers

DIRECTIONS

1. In large salad bowl, combine spinach and mandarin orange segments

2. In another bowl, wisk together olive oil, vinegar, and mandarine orange juice

3. Pour dressing over spinach and oranges and toss gently

4. Top with almonds

To make almond slivers

1. Combine alminds, 3 TB sugar and 1 TB water over low heat, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook until almonds are coated with sugar and appear dry. Cool on a paper towel.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

I've never had homemade sloppy joes before this recipe, but I was impressed. It had a sweet, home-cooked flavor. For those of you who aren't too fond of the typical Manwich joes (Brandi), this is a must-try.


INGREDIENTS


1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste
black pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS


1. Brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper in medium skillet. Drain off liquids.
2. Add garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar. Mix thoroughly.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve on buns (I like them toasted) and enjoy!

Beef Taco Skillet

A Campbell's 1-2-3 Dinner recipe that is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious! As I was eating it, I kept thinking, "Wow, I can't believe this tastes so good and was so easy!"

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) tomato soup

1 cup Pace chunky salsa or Picante sauce

1/2 cup water

8 flour or corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup shredded cheddar cheesee

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.

2. Add soup, salsa, water, tortillas, and HALF the cheese. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low for 5 minutes or until hot.

3. Top with remaining cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

"cran-tastic" baked pear slices

Ok my pictures don't really do this justice. I don't know if any of you have heard of this website/cookbook, but its my new absolute favorite! It is www.hungry-girl.com. The cookbook I have is 200 recipes all 200 calories or less. I've tried a few recipes now and LOVED all of them- this is just the only one that I have stopped to take a picture of :) So here is the incredibly east recipe straight from the book!

Ingredients:
-4 med. pears, sliced
-1 1/2 cups Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Spray
-Dash Cinnamon

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Spray a large baking dish lightly with nonstick spray. Lay pear slices flat in teh dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and pour cranberry drink on top.
-Bake 45 minutes, or until pear slices are soft.
Remove from teh oven and let pears sit in the "juice" for at least 30 minutes.
-Drain any excess liquid from pears. Enjoy hot, cold, or anywhere in between!

A serving is one whole pear. Per serving: 98 calories, 0g fat, 20 mg sodium, 26g carbs, 5g fiber, 17g sugars, 0.5g protein.

Pioneer Woman’s Key Lime Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crust
18 graham crackers (the 4-section large pieces)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

Crush crackers in a food processor or Ziploc bag. Pour them into a bowl and stir in sugar and melted butter. Press into a pie pan and bake for 5 minutes or until golden and set. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Filling
1 heaping tablespoon lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice
2 egg yolks
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Mix lime zest, lime juice, and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add in condensed milk and mix on high until smooth and thick. Pour mixture into crust and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour—more if possible.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream and more grated lime zest.

Enjoy every single bite!

Ramen Asian Salad

1 pack cabbage coleslaw mix OR broccoli slaw mix ( I used the cabbage)
1 bunch of Green Onion
1/2 Cup of Sesame seeds OR sunflower seeds
1 pack of slivered almonds ( 1/2 cup)
1 or 2 packages of Ramen noodles
Optional - 1 grilled chicken breast, cut up


Directions:
Chop up the Green Onions and mix with the coleslaw. Put a small amount of butter in a pan and fry the sesame seeds. Set aside and then brown the 1/2 Cup of slivered almonds. Break up the ramon noodles and brown them. Let the the sesame seeds, slivered almonds and noodles cool off and toss in the salad. (Or just skip the toasting and toss them in the salad)

Dressing:
1/3 Cup Vinegar
1/4 Cup sugar (granulated or brown)
1/4 Cup oil
2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce OR flavoring packet from the Ramen

Mix till sugar is dissolved When ready to serve, pour dressing over salad and mix all together.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

This was the month's winning recipe from the Shirley J Blog: Creamy White Chicken Chili submitted by Jessica Olsen of Michigan. We're having it for dinner tonight.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Shirley J Universal Cream Sauce Base
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts(3-4), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 TB garlic powder
1 TB oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup of made up Shirley J Chicken Broth (see Shirley J Chicken Bouillon label for recipe)
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup water

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Make Shirley J Universal Cream Sauce in separate pan. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and Shirley J Universal Cream Sauce mixture. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Makes about 6 servings.

Strawberry Fruit Leather

I have always loved fruit leather. I never knew how to make it though. Homemade is So Yummy So easy and so Cheap (assuming the fruit is in season and cheap. Buy from the Farmer's Market if you can) 

You'll need:

2 cups strawberries (or fruit of your choice)

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Cut out the leafy part and cut up the strawberries. Blend them smooth in the blender. Add the honey and lemon juice and blend it some more. Then spread it out on plastic and dry. When they're done, roll them up and store. 

Sun Dry: Spread the mixture out on plastic wrap and place outside in the sun with a screen over it so the sun and air can get in, but the bugs can't. This takes about 24 hours (Longer for Strawberries)

Oven Dry: Place plastic wrap on cookie sheets. Spread the fruit mix on it and put it in the oven on the lowest temp. Place a hot pad or wadded up towel in the door so it satays open and the moisture can escape. This should take about 4-8 hours. Rotate the pans every hour.

{ I did it in the oven, but I wanted to make smaller rolls so I did 6 smaller sheets of plastic instead of 2 big ones. My oven's lowest temp was 170 instead of 140 so that and the fact that I spread them a little thin, made it so they only took 2 hours to dry. }

Are they Done? 

They are done when you touch them and they are still a little sticky, but you can peel the sides off easily. Don't be afraid to make the layer a little thick cause if it's too thin, it'll get crispy fast. 

Storage:

Room Temp = up to 30 weeks

Fridge = Months

Freezer = Years

Although really it won't last that long, it's too yummy.

I can't wait to try more fruit!

Lettuce/Spinach Salad with Strawberries

This is a salad I made for Brandi's Graduation BBQ a few weeks ago.
LETTUCE SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES

1 head romaine lettuce and/or spinach
1 Bermuda onion
1 pt. strawberries, sliced
1/2 c. mayonnaise, not lite
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. low-fat milk
2 tbsp. poppy seeds

Whisk last 5 ingredients together. Dressing makes enough for 2 salads.

Mix dressing as desired with lettuce, onion, and strawberries.

Sliced brie cheese and almonds is also a good addition.

Texas Sheet Cake

A few people were interested in this Texas Sheet Cake recipe so here it is.(sorry I didn't take a picture)

Texas Sheet Cake
Mix: 2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt


Boil: 1 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup water
Pour over flour mixture
Add 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs
1 tsps. vanilla

Beat together and put in large pan. Bake 20 min. 400 degress

Frosting
1 cup butter
5 tbl. canned milk
1/4 cup cocoa
1 Tbl. vanilla

Bring to boil. Cool slightly and add 1 pkg. powdered sugar. Beat and spread on warm cake.

Mexican Lasagna

Here is one I needed documented online. It's fabulous and oh-so flexible. I originally found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website here.


Ingredients
2 c. unprepared rice
3-4 c. low sodium chicken broth
2-4 tomatoes
1-2 onions
4-5 large cloves of garlic
1 lb. ground beef
1- 16 oz. bag of mexican cheese blend
2 cans corn (drained)
1 can of black or pinto beans
1 jar of salsa verde
1-8 oz. jar of enchilada sauce
Taco seasonin (or Chili powder, paprika, and cumin) to taste
sour cream
cilantro
butter

Directions:
Prepare rice by boiling it in chicken broth. Once prepared, salt to taste. Chop up tomatoes, onions, and garlic as small as you prefer. Saute in a pan with a tablespoon or so of butter. Add approx. 2 Tbs. chili powder, and 1 Tbs. of both paprika and cumin (or your little taco seasoning packet). Stir until nicely combined. Feel free to add beans (don't drain). Mix cooked rice together with tomato/onion/garlic mixture. Brown the groud beef using about 2 Tbsp. chili powder, 2 Tbsp paprika and cumin and salt to taste. You may have to add water to create the taco beef.

Spread one container of salsa verde in the bottom of a casserole or baking dish. Layer on tortillas covering salsa verde. Some overlapping is exprected. Spread half of rice mixture over tortillas. Use half of the chese layered on top of the rice layer. Add another layer of tortillas on top of cheese. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas and spread it out evenly. Add layer of browned groud beef. Add 2 cans of corn (drained) on top of beef layer. Then the remaining amount of rice mixture on top of corn layer followed by the remaining jar of salsa verde. Sprinkle top with the remaining cheese. Can also sprinkle top with some taco seasoning or cayenne pepper.

Bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown a bit.

Decadent Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is one of my favorite desserts. It is delicious, light, fluffy, and perfect for picnics and spring dinners. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Crust

2 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup melted butter

Filling
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Topping
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin mix
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl combine crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons confectioner's (powdered) sugar and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool.

4. To make the filling, combine in a medium bowl the cream cheese and 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar; beat until smooth. Stir in whipped topping; spread mixture in crust and refrigerate.

5. Meanwhile, combine gelatin mix and boiling water; add strawberries. Let gelatin mixture thicken slightly, and then pour over the crust and filling layers. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

My current favorite snack

I get on and check every now and then but I haven't been much of a cook since Ava was born (pretty pathetic about it really).  I thought I would share my new favorite snack anyway, even though it has nothing to do with cooking whatsoever.  Chocolate graham crackers.  Yummy.  Just dip in milk and there you are.  I feel like I'm eating cookies, but I'm not. . . so much better for you.  I can only find them in the Western Family version right now though.  Anyway. . . just thought I'd share :)

Biscuits and Gravy

Ok, I've gotta say, the very hardest part of actually making dinner is coming up with a functional meal idea that doesn't require a ton of wild ingredients that I never have on hand and will take 3 hours to cook. If I could just have a list of brilliant ideas that I could come to this website for, I would be one happy camper. If any of you have go-to no-nonsense simple meal ideas, please share them. I'm not looking for anything involved, I just need simple last minute meal ideas.

I came up with a brilliant one tonight! I never have liked biscuits and gravy much, but tonight I had a thing of pillsbury biscuits and thought I'd give it a try.


First, I browned some sausage and the biscuits in for the meantime. While the sausage was browning I stirred up a package of country gravy. First I've gotta say I couldn't have been 15 min. total before it was ready to eat. Second, it tasted so good! I don't know if it will work for you, but it's a new favorite for me.

Pasta Al Forno aka Sweet Heaven

1 lb. sausage (optional)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
2 mushrooms finely chopped
3-5 cloves garlic minced
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
1 pint heavy whipping cream (or canned milk)
1 lb. Rigatoni pasta
mozzarella cheese
fresh or dried Basil

Brown sausage. Remove sausage, leaving pan dippings. (Add some olive oil if you choose not to use sausage). Add carrots, celery, and mushrooms to pan and "sweat" (cook for several minutes until tender). Add onion and garlic and saute for several minutes.

Add can of tomatoes, with salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Simmer about 20-30 minutes.

Cook pasta al dente. In large baking dish, put a tiny bit of sauce on bottom. Layer 1/3 pasta, the 1/3 cream (if you're being healthy use canned milk), then 1/3 cheese, then 1/3 sauce twice. On the last layer, switch sauce and cheese so you end up with cheese on top. Cover and bake 45 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake til cheese is bubbly. Add Parmesan at table.