Brownies

These are fantastic!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

yummiest chocolate chip oatmeal cookies ever!

This recipe is from April's blog: http://winkfromheaven.blogspot.com/
(I added it here just so I can have quick access to it when I have a craving for oatmeal cookies)

I like recipes that make a lot so this is a great one!

1 1/2 c shortening or margarine

1 1/2 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar
4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

5 c oatmeal

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I add more because I think it's tasty!)

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 c of chocolate chips (I add more because you can never have too much chocolate)
Mix the first 6 ingredients. Then mix dry ingredients and add to the sugar mixture. Blend well and drop on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Ribs

So I got me a new cookbook. It has 1400 slow cooker recipes. Kenny and I decided that we will have "Crock-pot Sundays" for the next several cold months, and today was the first dinner I made from this cook book. As a courtesy to ya'll, I will only post the ones that actually turned out yummy. I was successful on my first recipe attempt...(I am basing my success on that fact that I like it, Kenny likes, Tyler likes, and Zachary tried it)...here goes:

3-4 lbs. boneless country-style pork ribs
20-oz. can pineapple tidbits
15-oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

1. Place ribs in slow cooker
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over ribs.
3. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
4. Serve over rice.

Meat Loaf

Meat loaf. Beat loaf. I hate meat loaf.  I think I remember complaining whenever Mom made meatloaf but then scarffing it right up.  It took me well into my adult years to figure out I actually like it even though I've been eating it all along.  And it's easy.  Just think of it as a low-carb hamburger.  This isn't how Mom makes hers but I sure like it.

17 saltines, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup milk
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley (or less, or none at all)
1 1/2 T  Dijon mustard
1 large egg
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs meat loaf mix (I never buy that, just ground beef for me)

Mix everything in a bowl but the meat.  Then add the meat. (This is where I deviate from the recipe.  It actually instructs to shape into mini-loaves and fry on the stove. The oven is easier) Then mold it into a loaf shape and place in a pan. Cover in ketchup just like Mom did.  Bake at 350 uncovered until no longer pink. (Do you have a meat thermometer?  You're looking for 160 degrees. No? Then keep checking til its not pink.)

Mac and cheese, meatloaf and squash.  What a wonderful fall meal.

Classic Macaroni & Cheese

Not to sound like a food snob or anything, but boxed Mac & Cheese has nothing on homemade. I've tried lots of recipes and this is my favorite.

I usually half this recipe for the 3 of us and we still have plenty for leftovers. 

1 T plus 1 tsp salt

1 lb macaroni  (I would put in more noodles.  Like an extra cup)

5 T butter

6 T flour

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

5 cups milk

8 oz Monterey Jack cheese (2 cups)

8 oz cheddar cheese (2 cups)  (or whatever you have on hand.  I don't like all medium cheddar but mild is good)

1. Boil water. Add noodles and 1 T salt.  Cook until tender.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the now empty pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add flour, mustard, cayenne, and 1 tsp salt. Whisk to combine, about 1 minute.  Add milk gradually while whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until consistency of heavy cream (5 minutes).
3. Off the heat, stire in cheeses until fully melted.  Add pasta, stir, cook 6 minutes until heated through. 

The recipe goes on and says to transfer to a broiler safe pan and broil the mac n cheese with bread crumbs on top.  But I don't.  Who wants to dirty another dish?  So we top with crumbled saltines. Tasty!

Hot Collard Slaw - Eat Your Greens!

A year or so ago, I decided to make friends with vegetables. So I went on a quest for recipes to make vegetables taste good. This has become my favorite. I could eat this every day. If I'm just cooking them for me, I use one bunch of greens, and if someone else is around who will eat them too, I use two bunches...it will seem like a lot, but really, they shrink way down. If I can make someone else a collard green lover, I'll be happy :-)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed (or 2...I love garlic)
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
  
• 2 T whole grain mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 bunch collard greens (cut the hard center stems out, then chop the leaves into 1 inch strips)
• 1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips, cooked*

1. In small bowl, combine 3 T olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, sugar. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining olive oil in large skillet. Add crushed garlic & greens and saute until greens are tender (5 - 6 minutes).
3. Add vinegar mixture and toss to cover evenly.
4. Transfer to serving dish and top with bacon pieces.

*I've never actually used bacon, although I'm sure it's a great addition. I have added thinly sliced steak, or slices of polish sausage, and made it a one-dish meal, and it's delicious that way.

Blonde Brownies

Melt in large pan: 2/3 cup butter (I use 1 square)
Mix in: 2 2/3 cup brown sugar
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing after each
Add 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Spread in greased 12 by 17 inch cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Carrot Cookies

Beat together:
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening

Add:
1 cup cooked, mashed carrots
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Drop by spoonful on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or lightly browned.

Frosting:
1/2 orange, juiced
little grated rind
1 T. butter
1 cup powdered sugar

Heat juice, rind and butter. Mix in powdered sugar. Spoon over cookies.

Sweet Rice with Mango

1.5-2 c. uncooked STICKY rice My steamer can only handle 1.5 cups of uncooked rice and I can only find STICKY rice at the Asian market. Just ask for sticky rice, they know...This is different than jasmine rice or any other rice you find at the grocery store.

**soak rice for 2-3 hours, drain off water
**Steam rice in steamer as you would any other rice according to your steamer instructions

Coconut Milk sauce:
1 can coconut milk
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. veg oil

Combine above ingredients in pan, cook over medium heat stirring constantly, bring to boil, remove from heat.

Pour 3/4 of mixture over cooked rice and stir well, cover for 15 minutes.

Cut fresh mango into slices and place on serving of sweet rice,
drizzle some of remaining coconut milk over mangoes....yummy!!


Just for fun information:
Thai sticky rice (also known as "sweet rice" or "glutinous rice") is a tasty, sweet rice that does a great job of filling the stomach--but be careful not to eat too much... According to Thai tradition sticky rice can put you fast asleep if more than a couple handfuls are eaten.

Chicken Broccoli Pasta Goodness

This recipe was given to me from a friend here in the Carolina's. She didn't mention any given name, but it's delicious.

A nice alternative to the run of the mill pasta salad. Good enough for a meal.

• 1 box of penne pasta
• 1 jar of alfredo sauce
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 1-2 bags of "steam in a bag" broccoli (depending on how much you want)
• parmesan
  

Boil pasta. Cook chicken. Cut up chicken. Microwave broccoli. Combine alfredo sauce and cream of chicken soup on the stove until hot. When everything is done, mix in a pot on the stove until nice and hot and I pour into a disposable roasting pan, cause it feels like a potluck when you do that. Top with parm cheese if you do so desire. It is really tasty, quick and easy.

Homemade Lemonade

• 6 or 7 lemons
• 1 cup of sugar
• 6 cups cold water

This is a recipe I got off recipes.about.com. It's so refreshing and beats any lemonade you buy.

Lemonade Simple Syrup

While you can simply mix the juice water and sugar together some people recommend making a simple syrup. This creates a more even distribution of sugar and eliminates the need for stirring up each glass individually.

Boil the Simple Syrup

Make the simple syrup first – so it can cool while you squeeze the juice from the lemons. To create a simple syrup – combine your sugar and water and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Boil for approximately five minutes and remove from the heat. Now that the sugar has dissolved let the syrup cool to room temperature.

Squeeze the Lemons

Prior to squeezing your lemons roll them firmly between your hand and a flat surface – this helps the juice rise to the surface and promotes easier juicing. You should squeeze enough lemons, 6 to 7, to make one cup of pure lemon juice.

Mix Lemonade Ingredients

Add your lemon juice to the water and sugar mixture and refrigerate.

Black Bean & Avocado Salsa

• 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
  
• 1 can shoepeg corn (getting harder to find this...it's a sweet corn, and if you can't find it, I'd buy frozen sweet corn and use that because other canned corns have a definite canned corn taste that you don't want, or at least I don't :-)
• 2 large avocados, diced
• 2 - 3 roma tomatoes, diced
• a bunch of chopped cilantro (how much you use depends on your taste for cilantro. I use a lot. If you're Meredith, you'll get this far and decide not to make this recipe)
• juice from 2 - 3+ limes, depending on how much you like lime
• a little bit of salt
  
• 1 envelope Good Seasons Italian dressing, prepared as directed

Mix it all together and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Definitely not low fat, and when I've made it for the family get-togethers, I double the recipe.

1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mayo
2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 T lemon juice (use fresh lemons, not the bottled stuff)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the can...get the real stuff, which can be expensive, so I've used Italian blend cheese that has parmesan in it and it's worked fine)

• Mix cream cheese & mayo in a bowl until smooth
• Add everything else and stir
  
• Pour into baking dish, cover with foil, bake 375 for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 5 minutes more,
• Or, do what I do and dump it all in a crockpot and stir it every once in a while until it's hot and bubbly
  

Carmel Apple Dip

This is Justin's mom's recipe. I eat it with a spoon when no one's looking.

1 8 oz package cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together with hand mixer. Dip in your apples and enjoy. I like equal parts apple and dip. Cover and store in the fridge (if there's any left over).

Focaccia Bread

2 tsp rapid rise yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup plus 2 T warm water
1 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 cups flour

For Top:
2-6 T. olive oil
1/4 to 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
rosemary
pepper

In large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, water, olive oil, pepper, salt, rosemary and half of the flour. Stir with wooden spoon. (If you have a free-standing mixer, put in all of the flour and let the machine do the work.) Work in the remaining flour, using your hands and kneading when necessary. Knead dough 5 minutes. Cover and let rise for one hour. (The dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with saran wrap and store in fridge.) Preheat oven to 425. Press dough into 12-inch circle. Don't worry about being perfect; you're going for rustic Italian here. Press the dough all over with your fingertips to make indentations. Cover dough with olive oil, cheese, rosemary and black pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve.

Good for You Creamy Tomato Soup

This is the best served with Focaccia Bread. If you do, start the bread first.

1 T. olive oil
1 onion chopped (I do more like 1/4 onion)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14 oz) cans Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chicken broth
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar (I've used white vinegar and it was fine but balsamic is better)
1 tsp honey
3/4 cup evaporated milk or half and half or 4 oz cream cheese or (cream cheese is best)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute additional minute. Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper flakes, vinegar and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. If you want a creamy soup (I know I do) transfer to bender and blend or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Just before serving, add evaporated milk or cream cheese, or half and half. Warm through but do not boil. Serve with warm focaccia bread.

Easy Creamy Pasta Sauce with Chicken

I'll be honest, I made this up. It's inspired by a few recipes, adjusted to how I like it.

2 T. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
8 oz cream cheese, cut into squares
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
1/4 cup frozen spinach (optional)

Cook chicken in frying pan with olive oil. Remove from pan. On medium heat, add cream cheese and chicken broth to the pan, cook until cream cheese is melted. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Add tomatoes and spinach if desired. Return chicken to pan. Add milk if it's too thick or let simmer uncovered if it's too thin. Serve over angel hair or fettuccine.

Sweet Jalepeno Pork Chops

This isn't too hot if you remove the jalepeno seeds. I like to serve over rice with some yummy vegetables.

6 pork chops
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp petter
3 jalepenos, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup apple juice

In frying pan, place chops and season with salt, garlic powder and pepper. Cook pork chops until done. Mix jalepenos, brown sugar, honey and apple juice and pour over chops. Lowe heat and let simmer until thick but before jalepenos brown.

All-In-One Pork Chop Bake

Pork chops are cheap and there's nothing better than a one-dish dinner.

4 bone-in pork chops
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 potatoes, cut into thin wedges
2 tbsp. Italian dressing
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup cheese of choice

Preheat oven to 400. Coat pork chops with crumbs. Place in foil lined 13x9 baking pan.

Add potato wedges, drizzle with dressing.

Bake 30 minutes. Top each pork chop with 2 tbsp BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup cheese. Bake ad additional 5 min. or utnil cheese is melted.

Jello Cookies

(sorry about the photo, couldn't find a red version)

3/4 c. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 pkg (3 oz) cherry jello
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix and bake in waffle iron

Coffee Cake

topping:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, room temperature
1 tsp cinnamon

cake:
1 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla

Topping. In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Cake. Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.

Peach Cobbler

2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

sift dry ingredients

then add:
1 c sugar

cut in:
1/2 c shortening

then add:
1 c. milk

mix will and pour in 13x9 pan

1 bottle peaches sliced
place slices on top of batter
sprinkle:
1 c sugar
then pour:
2 c. peach juice. (you will need to add a little water to the peach juice to make 2 cups.)

bake at 350 degrees for 40 min or until top is golden brown and bubbly
serve hot with vanilla ice cream!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can of chicken and rice soup
1-1/3 cups water
1 cup salsa
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen or canned corn
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 tsp. ground cumin

tortilla chips
shredded cheese
sour cream

In large saucepan, combine the first 8 ingredients, cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream. Yield 5 servings.