Merry Cranberry Orange Smoothie

This is one of my favorite Christmastime smoothies/drinks. It is healthful, packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, and satisfies that snacking craving. 
All you need is a handful of fresh Cranberries, some Orange Juice concentrate to taste, a few Ice Cubes, then fill the rest with Water. I use my Nutri Ninja to blend a single serving.
It is tart but I love it!

Great Tips to Know for Storing Fresh Produce and Foods

http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/how-to-store-your-groceries#.qg5G8Wa68

Hawaiian Haystacks

There isn't really a "recipe" per say for Hawaiian Haystacks except for the sauce, the rest is up to you as long as you keep it Hawaiian that is.  I get lots of compliments on my sauce and people ask for the recipe often.  It just makes me laugh because I can't take credit for it.  You will see when you read it.

Chicken Cream Sauce:
- 2 cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
- 1 can of milk
- 1 can Kirkland Signature  premium chunk chicken breast (we just LOVE this chicken)

Stir together in a pot as you warm it on the stove.  Done!

 Prepare a pot of rice as your base.  I always use our rice cooker which is super easy as well.

Toppings:
First are the must haves or it just can't be called Hawaiian,
- tidbit pineapple chunks, I prefer this size
- shredded coconut

Other Typical Toppings:
- shredded cheese
- sliced almonds
- diced onions, white and green
- diced peppers
- diced tomatoes
- sliced mushrooms
- black olives
- diced celery

Other things we have tried that we have liked:
- Chow Mein Noodles
- chickpeas aka garbanzo beans
- kidney beans

Now you build it how you like it.  My husband loves it when I make meals like this.

-Put the rice on your plate or bowl first, add the sauce, and put on any toppings that you would like.

If I am in the mood for this I always check that I have the essentials first or I won't make it.  The rice, sauce, pineapple and coconut.  Whatever else I put out is whatever I have in the fridge and cupboard at the time.  Always turns out great!

Strawberry Cream Smoothie

Another Smoothie favorite of my family.  This one fits more in the dessert category than a healthful meal since we use ice cream, but it is GOOD.
I used my Blendtec and did a full jar so the measurements are for quite a bit since my family is so large but you can modify it as you wish.  I just love that about smoothies, everything is to taste and relative, easy peasy!

Strawberry Cream Smoothie:

- 3 cups milk
- 1 whole peeled banana
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt
- 1/2 package instant vanilla pudding powder
- 2-3 cups frozen strawberries

Use the smoothie setting and it comes out beautifully.

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows for Christmas treats

This is something I started about five years ago and it has always been a huge hit.  I use the large marshmallows with plastic forked picks, straight ones are a little harder to keep a good hold on the marshmallow but are ok.  One year I tried the huge campfire roasting marshmallows and used a popsicle stick.  They were enormous and fun but I prefer the standard ones.

What you will need:
- trays
- wax paper
- forked tooth picks
- double boiler (or two pans of different sizes that have the same effect)
- chocolate chips or melting chocolate
- marshmallows
- toppings of your choice

Preparation:
- line the trays with wax paper
- place the marshmallows standing up on one tray and push the picks in all the way to the bottom
- prepare several saucers with the toppings you wish to roll the chocolate covered marshmallows in,
  Suggestions:
  Chocolate = use hot chocolate mix
  Chocolate Orange = use Tang powder, this has quite a punch and tastes great
  Smore = use graham cracker crumbs
  Cinnamon = sprinkle with cinnamon sparingly, or you can use cinnamon candy bits
  Chocolate Mint = use crushed peppermint candy pieces or chocolate mint hot cocoa mix
  Chocolate Nut = use diced nuts, pecans/walnuts/peanuts/etc...
  Sprinkle = any sprinkles you would like, we use holiday ones to be festive
  *anything else you can think of that would taste good and adhere to the melted chocolate
- place your melting chocolate in the double boiler on med/low to melt the chocolate
  I suggest reading up on how to properly temper chocolate, too hot too fast too long can all cause problems.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_evlqvYZOM

 Rolling the Marshmallows:
- Using a spatula, scoop up some chocolate
- Holding the stick, roll the marshmallow in the chocolate on the spatula until the sides are coated
- Dip in the chocolate to cover the bottom and use the spatula to drop enough chocolate to cover the top
(If your chocolate is deep enough you could dip the entire marshmallow, but the weight may pull it right off the stick)
- Next, roll (don't slide) the dipped marshmallow in the topping
  For heavier toppings, like nuts and sprinkles, I only coat two opposite sides by laying one side down at a time on the dish
- Set on a tray with wax paper to cool and dry, it takes an hour or two

Now they are ready to eat or to bag up and give away as Christmas Treats!  Enjoy!


                     

Mushroom Cream Sauce

Another super easy, super quick recipe to enhance your meal.

Mushroom Cream Sauce
 - 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
 - 1/2 can milk
 - 1 small can mushroom slices or pieces (optional)
 - 1/2 cup sour cream

Stir this together in a medium saucepan on med high heat with a whisk until hot, avoid boiling.
Enjoy!

I like to pour it over rice but pasta would be great too.

Cream of Soup Substitute

I borrowed this from afrugalsimplelife.wordpress.com.

Cream-of-Whatever Soup Substitute

September 7, 2011 

Basic White Sauce (thick):

• 3 Tablespoons butter or oil
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• dash of pepper
• 1-1/4 cup liquid, milk or stock

Melt butter or oil in saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, stirring with wire whisk to prevent lumps. Cook until thick. Makes 1 cup or 1 can of condensed soup.

Tomato Soup: Use tomato juice for the liquid. Add dashes of garlic, onion powder, basil and oregano.

Chicken Soup: Use chicken broth for half the liquid. Add 1/4 t. poultry seasoning or sage.

Mushroom/celery/chive soup: Saute 1/4 C chopped mushrooms, celery or chives and 1 T minced onion in butter before adding flour.

Allergy Suggestion:  If you use a gluten-free flour (rice, tapioca, etc.), you can make the soup gluten-free.  And if you use a stock rather than milk, you can make it milk-free, too.

Old Apples Note 2

The crock pot applesauce recipe I wrote in before works best with Granny Smith apples. 

For red delicious or other, already sweet apples, it works out just as well with a half cup of lemon juice added in to tarten it up a bit. 

Low-Fat Ground Beef

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. 
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking. 

BYU Brownies--And More!

The most commonly requested recipe at BYU among its alumni is for its mint brownies. BYU Alumni is providing it, along with three other university favorites.

Bon Appetit!

Note: Many ingredients are listed in ounces. A cup contains eight ounces.

BYU Brownies
1 cup butter or margarine
½ cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
½ tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions: Melt butter.  Add cocoa and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour batter into a greased 9X13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Let cool then ice with mint icing.  Place into freezer for 5-10 minutes to stiffen the icing.
Remove from freezer and carefully smooth on a layer of chocolate icing.

Mint Icing
12 oz. powdered sugar
2 ½ oz. Crisco shortening
Dash of salt
2 oz. cold water
½ tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

Directions:  Combine all ingredients except shortening.  Mix until smooth.  Add shortening and mix 10 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.

Chocolate Icing
12 oz. powdered sugar
1.5 oz. hot water
1.5 oz butter or margarine
1.5 oz. melted chocolate chips
1 tablespoon corn syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Mix the hot water, margarine, and powdered sugar until smooth and margarine is fully melted.  Add the fudge base, corn syrup, and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.

 Chocolate Road Bars
11 oz. butter
3.5 oz. cocoa paste
3 ½  cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3 cups chopped walnuts
5 oz. miniature marshmallows

Directions:  melt butter and stir in the cocoa paste.  Whip eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until very light and fluffy and fold in the cocoa past mixture.  Fold in the flour by hand until texture is smooth and consistent.  Pour into greased half sheet pan.  Sprinkle walnut pieces, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips over the batter evenly.  Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, they turn up the heat to 350 degrees for another 20 to 25 minutes.

Cherry Chews
1.5 lbs. granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
12 oz. egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla
14 oz. cake flour
8 oz. shortening
4 oz. butter or margarine
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts
6 oz. red glazed cherries (can substitute drained maraschino cherries patted dry)

Directions:  Melt the shortening and margarine; set aside for later.  Beat sugar, salt, egg whites, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add the shortening and margarine and mix until smooth.  Add the flour and mix until just incorporated.  Add the cherries and nuts to the mix, mixing just until combined.  Pour into greased half sheet pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  

Pumpkin Crumble 
2.5 lbs. white cake mix
12 oz butter or margarine
2 cups chopped walnuts
3 lbs canned pumpkin
5 eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
15 oz. evaporated milk

Directions:  mix the cake mix and the margarine until crumbly.  Be very careful not to over mix.
Divide the crumb mixture in half.  Press one half into the bottom of a greased 2 inch buffet pan.
Add the chopped walnuts to the remaining half and set it aside for later.  Mix the pumpkin with the eggs, sugar, spice, and evaporated milk.  Pour the pumpkin mixture over the flattened crumb mixture in the pan.  Sprinkle the remaining crumb/ nut mixture over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until the pumpkin mixture is firm.

Keep Bananas Fresh Longer

If you take your bananas apart when you get them home, they'll ripen slower.  I just don't know how you keep them from bruising if they aren't hanging from a bunch.  Also, don't put them in a bag, or they will ripen faster.

Thick Marinara with Ground Turkey

J - I hope you don't mind that I share this recipe that I made a little while ago!

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 whole onion, chopped
4-5 basil leaves, chopped
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp. oregano
1 lb. of ground turkey
1/2 bag of spinach
6 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
pot of water
1 box of whole wheat penne pasta
Paprika (optional)

Step 1: Sautee the garlic in the olive oil until brown.  Add in the onions and sautee until the onions are transluscent.  Meanwhile, get a big pot of water going for the pasta!  I add a tablespoon of olive oil so the noodles are less likely to stick to the bottom.

Step 2:  Add the ground turkey and oregano.  Mix until the turkey is cooked/light brown.

Step 3: Pour in the jar of spaghetti sauce.  Add the can of diced tomatoes and basil leaves.  Stir.  Add in spinach.  Stir.  Cover until it begins to boil.

Step 4: Once you see the boiling bubbles, add the sugar and stir.  Lower the heat to low and let it simmer. 

Step 5: After your pasta is ready, pour the sauce over the noodles and serve.  This is a thick sauce.

Sweet and Sour Treat - Sugared Lemons

This is a quick refreshing snack that my kids enjoy from time to time.

Sugared Lemons:

- Cut a lemon into slices or wedges

- Prepare a small dish or bowl with sugar and serve

My kids dip them in the sugar and have a wonderful time sucking lemons.

It's just like Lemonade

Buttercream Frosting

This frosting is a big hit with Everyone!

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, mix with beaters until VERY smooth
- 2 cups powdered sugar, slowly blend into butter making it very smooth and fluffy
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt, blend in to taste (Note: 1/4 enhances flavor, 1/2 you can taste the salt)
- 1 tsp. vanilla, blend in until very smooth again
- Add up to 4 T milk and up to 2 more cups powdered sugar adding alternately and a little at a time until the consistency you want

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
Prepare as above, then
- Mix in 2-4 T cocoa powder to taste.
- To thin add 1 to 2 T milk

Tip: When working with frosting, if you need it stiffer but not thicker, refrigerate for an hour or so and then pipe or frost. If you need it less stiff, just stir until the consistency you want or you can even microwave it for a few seconds before stirring.

Tombstone Cookies for Halloween

I attended a Halloween party recently and was asked to bring a dessert. Late the night before I was searching the Internet for Halloween themed ideas and found several that I liked but nothing that I had all the ingredients for. I didn't have any time to shop so I had to come up with something else.

I made a "Haunted Graveyard" using No Bake Oatmeal Cookies shaped and decorated like tombstones.

Here is the recipe I like (It doesn't use any peanut butter).

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies:

In a pot put,

- 2 cups sugar

- 1/2 cup butter

- 1/2 cup milk

- 1/3 cup cocoa powder

-Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly

- Boil for only 3 minutes, stirring constantly

- Remove from heat

- Stir in 3 cups Quick Oats

- Using two spoons to scoop and drop mix onto wax paper in the shape of an oval or rectangle

- Shape each one with the spoons as you drop them by arching the top and flattening the bottom
- Now let them cool

Tip: You will need to move quickly so they don't harden too much to shape. If you want to do a double batch, Either get help when you form them or make the batches separately so you will have enough time.

While they are cooling, prepare your frosting (or just use premade frosting)

I made Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate Buttercream.

Tip: To make it chocolate I just made the vanilla and then added cocoa powder until it was the flavor that I wanted. If it is too thick, add a tad more milk.

Tip: To pipe frosting without the piping equipment, simply put some frosting in a Ziploc bag and squish it into one corner at the bottom. Then snip (a very small section) the corner off with scissors and start squeezing the bag to force the frosting out the opening.

Piping:

When the cookies have cooled, turn them over and pipe onto the flat side. You can pipe an outline of the tombstone if you choose, I did this on some of them and letters I could fit 4 characters across max, but that depends on the size of your piping bag hole.

Here are some ideas,

- C. U. Soon

- U. R. Next

- U. R. DEAD

- RIP

- FRED DED

- WHY TRY

- I. CRY

- I. M. DED

- NO MO

After piping, place the cookies on a baking a sheet and put them in the fridge to set the frosting

Display as a Haunted Graveyard:

I placed the headstones at an angle in lines in a baking dish.

-First I melted Crunch bars and rubbed it on the bottom of the dish.

- Then I dusted it with cocoa powder

- Using the Chocolate Buttercream I adhered the cookies to the bottom. This worked pretty well, but it did take a lot of frosting to keep them in place.

It may be easier to just make a large cake, frost it with the chocolate buttercream, push the cookies down into the cake, sprinkle with chocolate rice crispies and dust with cocoa powder. Everyone gets more dessert this way as well.

You can also add gummy worms and bugs, plastic spiders and bugs, or if you are even more ambitious and happen to have an at home cotton candy machine (I do), you can spin plain white sugar and make edible cobwebs.

Have Fun!

Quickly Thicken Soups

I have tried a few different things to thicken soups

(make a rue, puree cooked vegetables, corn starch...)



Sometimes I don't want to take the time for the above methods and it often doesn't thicken them enough for my taste.



I started looking around my kitchen for something else that may work and I found it. Being a mom of little children, I happen to have on hand Baby Rice Cereal. Yes, it sounds odd, but boy does it work. I just dumped a little in the pot, stirred and voila I could already see the difference. I poured in a little more and a little more until it was the consistency I wanted.

Quick, Easy, Works, and Nutritious!

Baked Carrots

Baked carrots!

These are easy to make and easy to eat.

- Peel about 10+ carrots and cut them into sticks

- Place them one layer deep in a 9x13 baking dish

- Place a few pats of butter on top and cover with foil

- Bake at about 400 deg. for about 20 minutes, until they are as tender as you wish.

These always come out tender and super sweet. All of my kids will eat these even my daughter who hates carrots. My mother-in-law does it with both carrots and parsnips, also very delicious.

Berry Orange Julius

I have been experimenting with smoothies lately and this is a mix that is a favorite with my husband. I call it...

Berry Orange Julius:
- Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate (6-8 oz)
- Ice (1-2 cups)
- Milk (enough to fill the blender half way) (soy and powdered also work well)
- Tang Powder ( 1-2 Tablespoons)
- Berry Go-Gurt (one tube)
Mix it all together in the blender and your done.

I do it all to taste so I don't have measurements but for those of you who can't stand recipes without them, I included approximations.

If you don't have a Berry Go-Gurt, then a cup of frozen mixed berries can be used instead.
It is delicious!

Stuffed Crust Pizza

Make your homemade pizza into stuffed crust pizza!

Tip:
Roll your dough out a little wider and roll mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese) into the edge of the crust. Make sure the cheese is completely covered and bake your pizza like normal.

This is a BIG hit.

Keep Cut Fruit Fresh

This tip goes back to my days in food service.

Tip:
When using cut apples and bananas, dip them in pineapple juice and they keep their color much longer.