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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Chicken Quesadillas

So this recipe was kinda a spur of the moment plan. I have always wanted to make a good "homemade" quesadilla. & I finally did it!! Yay me!!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken tenders
1 can El Pato tomato sauce
3/4 C brown sugar
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil (for the skillet)
Fresh uncooked Tortillas
Grated cheese

Rice & Beans for a side.

Directions:
Brown chicken tenders in a skillet flavor with salt and pepper. Once they are done cooking remove from heat and shred. (The easiest way I know of shredding is putting it in my kitchen aid with the paddle attachment and turn on low until chicken is shredded to desired consistency.) Return the chicken back to the skillet and add the El Pato tomato sauce and brown sugarand let simmer until hot. While chicken is simmering cook tortillas. Serve the quesadillas with cheese and rice and beans.

Paige's opinion: This was really good, It is pretty spicy, so you have been warned. If you add some sour cream and cheese it should mellow out the spiciness just a little bit.

Friday, December 9, 2011

A few more Cakeballs

Cookies N' Cream

Mint Chocolate

Thursday, December 8, 2011

German Chocolate Cakeballs


This is just a picture of what I accomplished today..

Salted Caramels

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Grease a 8x8 pan with vegetable oil.

In a small pot, bring the cream, butter, and one teaspoon of the sea salt to a simmer, over medium heat. Do not let it boil. Once it has reached a simmer, turn off the heat, and set it aside.

In a deep saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar. Over medium-high heat, stir only until the sugar has dissolved. Then allow the mixture to boil, without stirring, until the mixture is a warm, golden brown. Watch very carefully, as the caramel can burn quickly toward the end. (It can be helpful to use a wooden spoon and drip some of the caramel onto a white plate to gauge the exact color).

When the sugar mixture is done, remove it from the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful because it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla.

Return the mixture to the heat and cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball), about 10 minutes. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. (Don’t scrape the pot). Refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.

Remove the caramel from the refrigerator and allow it to come close to room temperature. Pry the caramel from the pan. On a cutting board, cut the square in half. Using parchment paper, roll each piece of caramel into a tight 8- to 10-inch log. Sprinkle the logs with sea salt. Cut each log into 3/4-inch or 1-inch pieces. Individually wrap each caramel in glassine or parchment paper, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator or in an air-tight container.

Paige's opinion: These caramels were delicious! I think the BEST homemade caramels I have ever had. I could have eaten the whole pan but thankfully, I didn't!

Velveeta Fudge

Ingredients:
8 oz velveeta cheese
2 lbs powdered sugar
1/4 C cocoa
1 cube butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 C nuts (pecans or walnuts) optional

Directions:
grease a 8x8 pan. Mix in a large bowl the sugar, cocoa, and nuts; set aside. Melt butter & cheese in a sauce pan stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Once all melted pour over sugar mixture and vanilla, and stir until it's too hard to continue. Then finish kneading and mixing with hands until completely mixed together. Then press into greased pan. Let cool completely then cut and enjoy.

Paige's opinion: This really is yummy, but the thought of cheese in my fudge kinda weirds me out. It it really creamy, and has good texture. Give it a try and see for your self. I asked Ray to see if he could taste the cheese and he said he couldn't, it may be in my head.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Traditional Conference Cakes

Conference Cakes AKA Danish Coffee Cake

2 C scalded milk
3/4 C sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 C butter
2 tsp yeast
5-6 C flour

Mix milk, butter, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 15 minutes. Add eggs then add flour, one cup at a time. Roll out about 1/2 inch thick. Melt shortening and brush on top, then sprinkle with sugar. Cut into odd & different shapes. Bake at 375* for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with homemade real whipping cream and hot cocoa. You can also add "belly buttons" before baking by pinching brown sugar and melted butter inside some of the cakes.

Paige's opinion: These too are a "wow" factor. As a tradition in my family we would have these for General Conference Sunday hence the name "Conference Cakes" they are rich & sweet enough for a bi-yearly tradition. Oh soo yummy. Don't be lazy either. Make sure you use "REAL" whipping cream.

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter*
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

In a large saucepan, bring buttermilk, sugars, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in soda and vanilla. It will bubble up a lot. Hopefully you used a large saucepan like I told you. As it cools, the bubbles will go away.

Paige's opinion: Oh. My. Goodness. You will never EVER buy store bought syrup after having this. If it wasn't filled with such "goodies" I would probably be caught drinking this.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add dry ingredients, and mix on low until smooth. Fold in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Makes ~ 18 cupcakes.



Salted Caramel Buttercream

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth. Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable. Alternatively, you could use just under 1/2 cup of your favorite caramel sauce.
In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the caramel. Beat on medium high speed until light and airy, and completely mixed (about 2 minutes). Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration. If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny. If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Paige's opinion: These little beauties were fabulous. Perfect for that fall day. Super sweet & super moist.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Cheesy Bacon Potato Rounds

... This is what we are having for dinner tonight, I will post if I approve..

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup
4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 Tablespoons real butter
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (directions are below)
1- 1 1/2 Cups warm skim milk (any milk will do, I used skim)
1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.
Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stove top over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, Parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consistency.
Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork chops and soup gravy from crock pot. I put a little parsley on top to serve.

Roasted Garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bulb of garlic with skins on, wrap lightly in tin foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from foil and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove garlic from skins, place in a bowl and mash with a fork until completely mashed. Set aside. One garlic bulb will have around 12 cloves.

Paige's opinion: This was oh so scrumptious! When I made it I didn't roast the garlic. I only used chopped garlic that you buy in the produce department in the tiny little jar. It still turned out way good. Something beside chicken or beef!

Pumpkin Cheesecake


Super easy, super rich, super yummy! & NO BAKE

Ingredients:
3 8ounce packages lowfat cream cheese
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 15ounce can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
13.5 full-sized graham crackers

Directions:
Beat cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl until completely combined and cream cheese has softened up. Add pumpkin puree, whipping cream and vanilla, beating until the mixture is completely combined and fluffy.

Line a 9"x9" ungreased baking pan with 4.5 graham crackers, followed by 4-5 big scoops of the filling. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with the filling as the top layer.

Cover cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Do not cheat, do not eat early! Because I promise you, if you let it set up overnight, the filling will become thick and rich and the layers will be like thin thin cake.

Paige's opinion: When I made this i cut it into nine pieces.. The pieces were good sized. I suggest cutting them a little smaller, maybe do 16 pieces. It's super sweet, rich, decadent and hit's the spot. & yes don't forget to chill OVERNIGHT!

The "truest" homemade Cafe Rio Pork

Copy Cat Cafe Rio Pulled Pork Salad

Pulled Pork
3-4 lb. Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast
2 small cans El Pato Tomato sauce (found in the mexican aisle, this is a key ingredient)
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups brown sugar

Directions:
Wrap pork completely with foil, place in crock pot and pour ½ cup water around roast. Cook for 8 hours on low. (YES, 8 hours! The longer you cook a pork roast, the easier it is to shred, the more tender it is, the more delicious it is. 8 hours is key!) Remove roast, drain juices, remove fat and shred. Dump the tomato sauces and brown sugar into the crockpot, stir together and add shredded pork back in. Cook two additional hours on low.

Cilantro Lime Rice
2 cups white rice
4 cups chicken broth
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. salt
2 limes, juiced
1 Tbs. butter

Combine rice, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and the juice from 1 lime in a rice cooker or saucepan. Cook according to package directions. When rice is cooked, juice the additional lime and add in butter. Stir to incorporate.

Spicy Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 envelope Buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro,
2 large tomatillos, or 4 small, chopped
2 serrano peppers with seeds removed and chopped

Puree the above ingredients in a blender or food processor and refrigerate to thicken.

Additional ingredients
8 Tortillas, preferably homemade or uncooked tortillas for authentic flavor
1 cup colby jack cheese
crisp lettuce, shredded or finely chooped
1 can black beans, warmed
Salsa
Tortilla strips

To assemble:
Cook tortillas and melt ⅛ cup cheese on one side, leave open faced on plate. Top with lettuce, rice, pork, black beans, salsa, tortilla strips, and Spicy Cilantro Ranch Dressing.

Paige's opinion: Carolyn actually had dreams about this Pork after we had it for my Birthday. It's soo yummy. As said in the recipe use UNCOOKED tortillas. They are the best. The ones in Kemmerer are found in the dairy section. The best EVER! (You won't want anything else ever, I crave the darn things 24/7) This also works for burritos. Just omit the lettuce & salad dressing and make it burrito style.

Homemade Chili

This is delicious wholesome and hearty recipe. Perfect for cold weather.

1 lbs ground beef
1 onion (chopped)
1 can "homemade" chili sauce
1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion. Drain and rinse all beans except chili beans and add to crock-pot. Add the chili beans, tomatoes, and hamburger and cook on low 6 hours or until hot.

Paige's opinion: This chili is mild and sweet unless you add some kick to it. You can add chili powder, or your favorite "hot sauce" Very crowed pleasing. & Can easily be doubled for a large group of people.

Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
4 Chicken breasts
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 dry Italian dressing packet
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk

Directions:
Put in a crock-pot and cook on low 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender and falls apart.

Paige's opinion: This is a super easy delicious Italian tasting dish. We love this over our favorite noodle. You could also put it over rice.

Crock-pot french dips

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients:
approx 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
16-oz. beef broth (1 1/2 cans)
1 10.5-oz. can condensed French onion soup
6-oz red wine
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls
sliced provolone cheese, optional

Directions:
Trim excess fat off of beef roast and season meat all over with salt and pepper.
Pour beef broth, condensed French onion soup, red wine and garlic powder into slow cooker and place beef roast into liquid.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Slow cookers have different time intervals that you can select, so work with your cooker. Depending on how the settings on your slow cooker work, the time will vary. Since this is cooking in liquid, you don’t have to worry about the meat drying out in the same way you might if you were roasting the meat in the oven. Mine took 7 1/2 hours and was falling apart tender.
Take beef out and rest it, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes. Slice beef and return to slow cooker on low or very low for 30 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread and evenly distribute cheese between rolls, if using. Divide beef onto rolls and spoon the beef juice* into ramekins or other small bowls and eat everything while it is hot. Serve each sandwich with its own dip.

Seves 4-6.

Paige's opinion: This meal was very easy. Ray enjoyed these and he's not much of a french-dipper!

3 Packet Pot Roast

My oh my! This one is delish!!

Ingredients:
1 Beef roast (any size)
1 Packet Dry Italian Dressing Mix
1 Packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Packet Brown Gravy Mix

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Put roast in crock-pot. Cover roast with dry ingredients. Pour 1/2 cup warm water over roast. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Paige's opinion: OMGosh is what we had to say about this one. We had it with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies and it was so juicy and full of flavor. Dax even scarfed it down!

Pizza Casserole


This is a new little twist on Pizza.
Ingredients:
1 bag of Egg Noodles
1 extra large can of Ragu sauce {or any tamato sauce you prefer}
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese {or more depending on how much you ♥ cheese!}
1 1/2 lbs hamburger meat
1 package pepperonis

Directions:
Brown the meat & Drain. Boil noodles until soft, then drain. Preheat oven to 350* Start by spreading a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Then half the noodles, next half of the meat and top it off with more sauce then the rest of the noodles and half of the cheese. Then the rest of the meat, sauce and cheese. Top with pepperoni's.
Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes is up remove foil and finish baking for 15 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before you cut into it so the juices will soak in.

Paige's opinion: Dax & Ray loved this. It is really important you let it sit after baking, or it will all fall apart. Serve with salad, and you have a yummy meal!

Red Velvet Brownies w/ White Chocolate Icing

RED VELVET BROWNIES
Recipe from: Southern Living

4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate baking bar, chopped
3/4 cup Butter
2 cups Sugar
4 large Eggs
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 (1 oz) bottle liquid Red Food Coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2-3 inches to extend over sides. Grease with cooking spray.

Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwavable-safe bowl. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes until melted and smooth, stirring at 30 second intervals.

Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended. (Be sure not to whisk too much) Gently stir in flour and the next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 42-45 minutes or until wooden tooth pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 1 hour. Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides. Let completely cool before frosting.

WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
Recipe from: How Sweet It Is

1/2 cup (8 tbsp) Unsalted Butter, softened
2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
4 oz good quality White Chocolate (not chips), melted
2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
Directions for Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until soft and fluffy. Then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time. Allow the sugar to mix in before adding each half cup. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, pour in the melted white chocolate and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Add in the heavy cream and continue to beat until it is at your desired consistency. Spread frosting over brownies and slice.

Paige's opinion: These brownies were very dense and moist, and oh so rich. I love me some yummy red velvet!

The Beginning

Hello!! Thanks for stopping by. I have started this blog for an easy reference to my family's favorite meals. I will be posting Main Meals, Yummy sides, Desserts, and even some drinks. Check back often for more scrumptious creations.