Quinoa Cakes

This one is for you, Losaunne, and any other vegetarians out there. Actually, my family is about as far from being vegetarians as you can get, and we absolutely love this. We ate these as a main dish with the poached egg on top, like Annie does in her recipe, but I had a leftover patty for lunch the next day and just melted some cheese on it - delicious! It would make a great veggie burger with a bun or on a piece of toast with some cheese and cucumber and/or tomato. Plus, you can spread the preparation time out for those with busy school schedules (again, that's you, Losaunne). Truly, quinoa is a great grain, very versatile and high in protein, so break out of your ordinary and try these. (Original from Annie's Eats)

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Ingredients

2 C cooked quinoa, at room temp (I like to cook mine in broth)

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 C minced fresh chives

1 shallot, finely chopped (original said 2, but that was a bit much I think)

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 - 3/4 C bread crumbs

Olive oil for frying

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Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, chives, shallots, Parmesan and garlic. Stir to blend. Mix in the bread crumbs and stir gently until evenly incorporated. Form the mixture into six evenly sized patties, about 3 - 4 inches in diameter.

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Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the pan so that they are not touching. Let cook about 4 minutes or until the first side is lightly browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and let the second side cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional olive oil if needed.

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Optional serving suggestion: Top each patty with a bit of shaved Parmesan, a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper.

California Chowder

Yum, yum, yum, and packed full of veggies (for those who care about that...).

Originally from the Lion House Classics, via Sisters Cafe.

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Ingredients

4 T. butter

½ c. flour

½ T. chicken soup base (chicken bouillon)

1 c. heavy cream

2 c. whole milk

2 c. water

1 c. diced carrots

2 c. diced potatoes

1 c. diced celery

1 clove fresh minced garlic

½ T. salt

½ T. Worcestershire sauce

½ c. finely chopped onions

½ T. butter

1 c. fresh broccoli

1 c. fresh cauliflower

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Directions

Melt butter in a soup pot. Add flour and mix well. Add chicken base, then slowly and steadily mix in the cream, whole milk, and water. Bring to a low boil; then add carrots, potatoes, celery, garlic, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 30 - 45 minutes until veggies are just starting to soften. Sauté onions in butter for 3 minutes and add to soup along with broccoli and cauliflower. Cook another 15 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender (the vegetables give only a little resistance when pierced with a fork - mostly tender, but not mushy). Makes 6 servings as a side dish, more like 4 if serving as main dish.

Provencal Tomatoes

Ryan is about the least picky eater in the world. There's pretty much only two things he doesn't like: beets (eww gross, does anyone like these?) and raw tomatoes. He loves tomatoes cooked in things, tomato sauce, and these baked tomatoes. Funny how even just a few minutes of heat can change the tomato so that he loves it. This is one of his favorite sides - and one of my favorites to make since it's fast, easy, and cheap (when tomatoes are). Source - Julia Child in Julia and Jaques, Cooking at Home

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Ingredients

3 large firm ripe tomatoes (you want them to be round, not romas)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 1 1/2 C bread crumbs

2 Tbsp shallots, minced (I have substituted other onions and they all work)

1 tsp herbs de provence

3 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

2 -3 Tbs chopped parsley

3-4 Tbs olive oil

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Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Core the tomatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Squeeze each half gently to force out the seeds. With your fingers, clean the cavities of any clinging seeds. Arrange in a shallow baking dish, cut side up. Season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper to taste.

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In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, shallots, dried herbs, grated cheese, and chopped parsley. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, tossing well to moisten the crumbs evenly.

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Spoon the stuffing into the tomato halves, pushing it down into the cavities and mounding on top. Drizzle a scant teaspoon of oil over the top of each half.

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Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the topping has browned and the tomatoes are hot but still keep their shape.

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Note: The tomato halves can be stuffed several hours in advance and refrigerated before baking.

Delicata Squash and Kale Salad

Part of the reason I never post is that I always want to eat the food before I take its picture - and the times I do photograph my plate, well, let's just say no one will be paying me to take family photos any time soon. So if you'll endure some recipes without previews, I'll try to post a little more often. Maybe someone else can make the recipe and add a picture later. (Actually, I found this picture online, so you can enjoy your preview.)

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Anyway, Kaitlyn asked for some good vegetable recipes, so here's an amazing salad. When I wanted to make a really nice meal for Ryan on Valentines Day, we started with this beauty. It's easy enough to put together, but tastes absolutely heavenly. (source - The Wall Street Journal)

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Ingredients

1 medium squash

olive oil for drizzling

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

zest of 1/2 an orange

1/2 shallot, minced

1/2 C raw kale, shredded in thin ribbons

1/4 C shaved parmesan (I like to use a vegetable peeler)

1 Tbsp shaved radish

1 Tbsp crushed pecans, toasted

1/2 Tbsp chives, chopped

3 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

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Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Peel the squash skin off with a knife, not a vegetable peeler, then cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut it into pieces about 2 inches long and 1 inch thick. Spread the squash on a baking sheet lined with foil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 25 minutes, until very tender.

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Remove the squash from the oven and toss with 1/2 the parsley, the orange zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool.

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In a mixing bowl, toss the cooled squash with shallot, kale, parmesan, radish, pecans, parsley, chives, and lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Serves 4

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Since there's plenty of moisture in this salad, you don't want to save it. If you want to make a bunch to have leftovers, prepare the squash and store it separately. Then mix together the veggies and herbs, but leave out the lemon juice and olive oil. Store this in its own container. Right before serving, toss in the squash, lemon juice, and finish off with a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper. Kale is a pretty rugged green, so it keeps for quite a while.

Herbs de Provence

This post is not actually a recipe, but a highlight of one of my favorite ingredients - herbs de provence. This is a french mixture of herbs and spices including basil, thyme, savory, and lavender blossoms (among other things). I seriously don't know how I cooked before Ryan introduced me to this wondrous delight. My local closed-on-Sunday little grocer doesn't carry it, but most well-stocked spice aisles should have it. I usually buy it at Target, but I would imagine that Smith's or Kroger carry it as well, and we have found it at Harmon's too. It's priced about typical for spice blends - a regular size jar is several dollars, but a little bit goes a long way, so it's not like you'll be buying more every other week. I use this in pretty much anything, here's just a few examples:

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Meat: throw some in the cavity of a roast chicken, add it to your pot roast, use as a pre-grilling rub for steaks, or sprinkle it on fish before baking.

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Veggies: sprinkle on mixed veggies before roasting, toss in a salad, or mix with bread crumbs and stuff in tomatoes (see recipe for tomatoes Provençal).

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Bread: add to mayo with garlic and lemon to make a savory sandwich spread, mix in olive oil and vinegar for a yummy dip, mix in butter to toast on french bread.

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A little addition of these herbs really adds new life to your meal! Try it, I'm begging you ...

Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream Pie

I have been looking for an excuse to make this pie ever since I stumbled across it months ago. So when Sam's mom and brother were in town, I decided the time had come and took the plunge. And let me tell you, this pie is amazing!!! Words really don't do it justice. You'll simply have to try it for yourself.

Recipe adapted from Kevin & Amanda and Allrecipes.com

1 pkg. Double Stuf Oreos

6 Tbsp. melted butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 cup butter

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 cups sugar

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Finely crush 2/3 of the package of Oreos, combine with the melted butter, and press into the bottom of a 10-inch or larger round pan. Freeze for at least 10 minutes.

While the crust freezes, make the hot fudge. Whisk together evaporated milk and cocoa. Strain into a large saucepan to remove cocoa lumps. Add 1 c. butter and 3 c. sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Combine sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla, and then gently fold in whipped cream. Spread half of cream mixture over frozen crust. Top with a layer of the hot fudge. Spread remaining cream mixture over hot fudge, drizzle some hot fudge on top (you will probably only use about half of it), and finally top with remaining Oreos, roughly crushed. Freeze for at least 6-8 hours before serving.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Feta Rounds

We just love these! My Mom introduced them to us as part of the South Beach Diet, but they are a wonderful appetizer or side dish for non-dieters as well. The feta and sweet potatoes complement each other beautifully, and the feta isn't too overpowering as it sometimes can be.

3 long, thin sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt

1 pkg. feta cheese (I believe I use a 4 oz. pkg, but it might be 6 oz)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into discs about 1/2 inch thick. Scoop out a small dish-shape in the middle of each disc, being careful not to cut through the bottom of the potato. Toss with a small amount of olive oil and salt to taste. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 15-25 minutes until tender. (But not too tender! You'll still be cooking them a bit more, so take that into account.) Combine feta cheese with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to make a thick paste. Scoop a small amount into the center of each sweet potato round and bake at 350 degrees for another 5 minutes until cheese is heated through.

Spinach & Tomato Pesto Pasta

I got this recipe from a ward recipe exchange. The original recipe calls for a pound of chicken, grilled and cubed, but it tasted great without as well. I'm always on the lookout for good pasta recipes, and this one is surprisingly zesty and full of flavor!

12 to 16 oz. pasta
1 jar Classico Traditional Basil Pesto (or 1 cup of homemade pesto)
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 bag of fresh spinach, shredded
2 medium roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. red onion, diced (optional)

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Rinse in cold water. Mix Classico pesto sauce in to taste with lemon juice. Add chicken (if using), spinach, tomatoes, and onion and toss. Serve with powdered parmesan cheese.

Chicken Broccoli Stirfry

Sam doesn't particularly care for stir-fry, but this one is an exception. I love how tender the chicken gets because of the marinade.
Original recipe from $5 Dinners


3 chicken breasts, cubed
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
salt and pepper
1 head broccoli or equivalent frozen broccoli
1 onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 green bell pepper

Toss uncooked, cubed chicken with oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a skillet. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes or more (if more than 30 minutes, put in refrigerator). Chop broccoli, onion, and bell pepper into small pieces. Cook chicken in marinade, adding broccoli, onion, garlic, and bell pepper about halfway through the cooking process. Serve over rice.

Cheddar Bacon Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

This salad is a staple at White family gatherings. Even those who don't like raw broccoli and cauliflower (namely me) love this salad!

1 head broccoli
1/2 head cauliflower
1 pound bacon
1 pound cubed cheese

Sauce
1/2 c. Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
1/8 c. milk
seasoning salt and sugar to taste

Cut up broccoli and cauliflower into small, bite-sized pieces (really tiny pieces are best so all the parts of the salad come together in one bite). Cut up bacon and fry. Mix with cheese, broccoli, and cauliflower. Mix 1st 3 ingredients of sauce until smooth, then add seasoning salt and sugar and mix with salad.

Lasagna Buns

This meal is perfect to make and take to people! I love it because you can wrap the sandwiches in foil and give them to whomever with the baking instructions. It leaves no cooking mess for them since you just stick the foil-wrapped sandwiches in the oven, and it is filling, kid-friendly, and easy. Pair it with a side salad and you're set! This is one of our favorite dinners. One time and money saving tip is to use hoagie, sub, kaiser, etc. rolls from the "Oops! We baked too much!" rack at Kroger or the equivalent at your local grocery store.

Recipe from $5 Dinners

6 sub rolls (or other rolls--I prefer the oblong kind, but I have even used circular rolls with good results)

2 cups spaghetti sauce with meat (this one works well)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg white

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Slice off the tops of the rolls and scoop out some of the bread from the inside, being careful to not make a hole in the bottom of the roll. Spoon some spaghetti sauce into the rolls. In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, egg white, spices, salt, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon over the spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese over the top of the sour cream mixture. Place the bread top back on. Wrap securely in foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Salted Caramel Brownies

Cake mixes are cheap and convenient, but not all that tasty, right? This recipe is a good way to use a cake mix. I wish the picture did a better job showing just how amazingly gooey that middle layer of caramel is, and the salt in it adds just the right zing to make the flavors more complex.

Adapted from this and this recipe by The Pioneer Woman

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 c. chocolate chips

1/3 c. half and half

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c. half and half

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tsp. salt

Combine cake mix, chocolate chips, 1/3 c. half and half, and 1/2 c. melted butter in a mixing bowl. Press half the mixture into a greased square baking pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350.

Warm 1/2 c. half and half in a small saucepan. In a seperate tall saucepan, dump water and sugar but do not stir (make sugar evenly distributed in water so it is all wet). Place over medium heat and wait without stirring until mixture turns an amber color, which will likely take around 10 minutes. When it is amber, remove from heat and add warm half and half, 1/4 c. butter, and salt. Stir until mixture is smooth and well combined.

Pour over baked brownie mixture. Press remaining brownie mixture into large, flat pieces and lay them over the caramel to cover the top. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Cool to room temperature before eating.

Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza

I love Papa Murphy's Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza, but Papa Murphy's isn't here in Houston and even if it were the price tag is a bit high for our graduate school budget. This is an adaptation of a copycat recipe I found online here. 

I use a lot of approximation for the pizza crust, but here are the basics I follow:

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
pinch sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Combine water, yeast, and sugar and let sit until yeast foams. Add salt, flour, and olive oil and knead in stand mixer with dough hook or by hand. Continue to alternate adding olive oil or water as needed. Dough should not be sticky at all but should form a cohesive ball. Lightly coat ball of dough with olive oil, cover with towel, and let rise until double. Makes enough for 1 large jellyroll pan or 2 8-9 inch round pizzas.

Mix together:

1/2 c. ranch dressing

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (the kind from the jar works great)

Spread sauce over pizza and top with:

2-3 c. cooked, diced chicken (seasoned according to your desires)

3 medium roma tomatoes, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped (minus the lower inch or so of white and the floppy ends)

2 c. mozzarella cheese

Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.

Oreo Cream Cheese Cake

Remember how last year for Sam's birthday I made this Peanut Butter Cup Layered Cake? This year I wanted to do the same kind of thing with Oreos. Then I saw a recipe for Oreo Ice Cream Fudge in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook, and I instantly envisioned the fudge sandwiched between the cake layers. This cake takes a little bit of time to put together, but if you make the fudge and the cakes the day before, it will come together fairly quickly.

Do you like my cake stand? I actually don't own one. This is a plastic plate balanced on a mug. :)

For the cake...

Mix together:

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup water

Pour over the flour mixture and add:

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Liberally grease and flour 2 8-inch round pans. Pour half of the batter into each pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For the fudge filling:

Line an 8-inch round pan with plastic wrap. Crush enough Oreo cookies to cover the bottom of the pan. Melt 3 cups milk chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 15-20 seconds. Add 1 c. cookies-and-cream ice cream and stir until incorporated. If needed, stick it back in the microwave for a few seconds to get it all uniformly combined. Pour over the crushed Oreo cookies, and spread a layer of crushed Oreo cookies on top. Store in the freezer until ready to put in the cake.

For the frosting:

Whip until smooth:

2 8 oz. bricks cream cheese

1 stick butter

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

enough milk to make a good consistency

To assemble:

With a serrated knife, cut the rounded tops off both cakes to level them. Brush off any loose crumbs. Place one cake on a cake plate and spread the top with a thin layer of frosting. Unwrap the fudge and place it on top of the cake. Spread another thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top of the fudge and top with the other cake. Frost the entire cake with frosting and decorate with Oreos in desired design.

Sweet Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango

This is another gem from that little Thai cookbook I got at the Asian Market in Provo. It is normally served as a dessert, but we eat it as a main dish. :) It is so refreshing in the summertime! It is traditionally served warm, but I actually prefer it cold. Either way is tasty! I just recommend not reheating the mangoes, so if you serve it warm you should serve the mangoes on the side rather than combining everything together. Enjoy!

2 1/2 cups uncooked Mahatma jasmine rice (Important! It needs to be Mahatma jasmine rice! It comes in a shiny purple package.)

1 can coconut milk

1 cup sugar

3/4 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

4 mangoes

Cook the rice according to package directions. Put coconut milk, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when it boils. Pour the coconut milk mixture over the cooked rice and cover for 10-15 minutes to let it soak into the rice. Chill or serve warm with fresh, diced mango.

Blender Rolls

Most of you family members probably have this recipe, but I decided to post it anyway because I have so many people exclaim over it and ask for the recipe. Mom says they tend to get dried out after a couple of days, but here in Houston we don't have that problem...both because of the humidity and because they usually don't last that long. :)

Blend up:

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. real butter

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. yeast

2 c. very warm water

Pour liquid into a bowl containing 5 1/2 cups of flour. Mix well with a fork (it will be very sticky). Let rise until double. Spread 1 cup of flour out on counter and scrape dough onto it. Knead a little (add more flour if needed) and divide in half. Roll dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick and cut pizza style into 12 pieces. Roll into crescent rolls. Repeat with the other half of the dough and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (or until lightly browned) after letting rise a little on pan. Rub butter over the tops immediately after taking them from the oven.

Cream of Mango Soup

I bought some half-and-half on closeout at Kroger the other day and was looking for a recipe to use it in. We love mangoes, so this recipe caught my eye. It has a pretty mild, yet rich taste. It is best eaten very cold and with full-fat half-and-half, although I have used fat-free half-and-half and it still worked out fine. Recipe reviewers suggested omitting the sugar and adding in ginger for a more savory soup, although I haven't tried that option. It would be a nice appetizer for this dish.

Recipe Source: Allrecipes.com

2 mango-peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks

1/4 c. sugar

zest and juice of one lemon

1 1/2 cups half and half

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Chill thoroughly before serving. Optional: Garnish with fresh strawberries or blueberries.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

Most of the oatmeal muffin recipes I have tried have left me sorely disappointed. They are overly tough, flat, and often have an oily texture. These muffins are a different story entirely. With only 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter per pan, you don't even have to feel too bad about the chocolate chips. They really do taste like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie!

Original recipe from How Sweet It Is

**Note-the recipe says it makes 12 muffins, but I only get 11 out of it.

1 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. milk

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Add oats to a bowl and add 1/2 c. of the milk. Let soak for 5-10 minuteswhile you prepare the first steps of the muffins. In a large bowl, combine egg and brown sugar and whisk until smooth and caramel in color. Add in vanilla and butter, whisking well. Try to smooth the batter as much as possible-there still may be some small butter chunks. Add flour, oat/milk mixture, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix. Add remaining milk and combine until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into muffin tins and bake 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Serve warm! If you're eating a leftover muffin, I highly recommend popping it in the microwave for 15 seconds or so. Yum!

When I broke open the warm muffin and saw this, I knew we had a winner. Talmage readily agreed.

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

This recipe is kind of time-intensive, but it's not too labor intensive. You just have to plan ahead a little for all the rising/baking time. Like Annie says, it really does taste like that inner part of a cinnamon roll. Yum!

Original recipe from Annie's Eats via Joy the Baker

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1/4 c. granulated sugar

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 large eggs

To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook (or mix/knead dough with a fork/your hands). Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted. Set aside and let cool briefly until it feels warm but not too uncomfortable to touch (115-125 degrees F). Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla, and eggs to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. Knead about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Let rise until doubled.

While the dough rises, melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan and cook until browned. Set aside. Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg in a small bowl.

When dough has doubled, transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently deflate. Roll into a ball, cover with a towel, and let rest 5 minutes. Roll dough out into an approximate 12x20 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the browned butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the butter (it will seem like a lot, but put it all on). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Slice the dough into rectangles--6 down, 6 across. Stack all the squares on top of each other and put into the prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise 30-45 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. (That's important! The top of mine looked great but the middle was all goo.) Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes. Run a knife around the outer edge and turn out onto a plate. Serve warm.

Swiss Bacon Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

This is another one of those BYU cooking class recipes. The original recipe says to marinate 1 1/2 c. thinly sliced mushrooms in the dressing for a while before mixing them into the salad with the dressing, but I still despise mushrooms, so I put in toasted almonds instead. But if mushrooms are your thing, feel free to take that route! It also calls for 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (which I didn't use this time around). This is one of my favorite salads...so yummy.

1 large pkg. spinach, coarsely chopped

3/4 lb. grated Swiss cheese

3/4 lb. cooked and crumbled bacon

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

3/4 c. toasted almond slivers

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. If you have a glass salad bowl, layering the ingredients creates a very pretty effect. I like to spoon the cottage cheese over the spinach, then top with the remaining ingredients and repeat the layers.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. grated onion (not dry onion. Use actual onion and grate.)

3/4 c. oil

1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients except oil and poppy seeds. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in oil and beat well. Stir in poppy seeds. Cover and chill. Start by topping the salad with 2/3 of the dressing mixture and add more as desired.

**Note: this salad needs to be served right away since the dressing and cottage cheese will make the spinach wilt. We ate it with rolls for dinner one night and used it as a main dish, or you could obviously cut the recipe down to make the amount you need.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

A friend of mine brought fruit salsa and cinnamon chips to our house when we had them over for dinner over a year ago. When I asked her how to make it, she mentioned the things that were in it, but no amounts, so I just kind of tried my own thing. I discovered that this recipe has a lot of flexibility to it. For this batch I believe I used:

1 mango

2 kiwi

1 apple

2-3 Tbsp. apple jelly

You simply combine them in the mini-chopper/food processor, or you can chop finely/crush the fruit by hand. For a prettier version, I have used strawberries in place of the mango. The apple and apple jelly provide a good foundation to give the salsa some solid matter to hold the whole thing together so you don't end up dipping chips into fruit juice that slides right off. Other than those 2 ingredients, though, the recipe is pretty adaptable. Just use a couple of different kinds of somewhat soft, juicy fruits you think would go well together. For the chips, you simply cut tortillas into strips, spray with Pam, sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar, and bake at 350 until tortilla chips are crisp (usually 10-20 minutes).

Do not use homemade tortillas. They are TOO thick, and if they are cooked until they are crisp, they will be very difficult to chew.

If you do, you may decide they just are not getting crispy after 30 minutes in the oven.

Then you may think it would be a good idea to broil them.

If that happens, you will be startled to see that the sugar has been carmelized and burned after just a couple of minutes.

You will take the pan out of the oven and set it on the table to take a picture of your ruined chips.

For the split second your back is turned, your toddler will reach up to get a chip and burn himself on the pan which has just been in the broiler.

After you get that taken care of, you will spill the chips all over the floor.

While you are cleaning those up, dinner will burn too.

Of course, all of that trauma is just hypothetical...not that I know from experience or anything. :) Here is what I imagine such burned, carmelized chips would look like:

Okay, so it wasn't hypothetical. Suffice it to say, next time we make these chips, I will be getting tortillas from the store. I would rather avoid all of the trauma listed above. And my teeth will thank me, too, as these chips were more like rocks.

Sweet Potato Fries with Ranch BBQ Sauce

I have such fond memories of Guru's because that is where Sam and I went on our second date. He recommended the cilantro-lime quesadilla, and I was highly impressed with him and the food. So when Mom wanted to take me out to lunch one time, I suggested Guru's, and while we were there she made the enlightened decision to order some sweet potato fries. That was the beginning of the end of our days in Provo, sadly, but Mom and I managed to get those fries at least a couple more times.

Although these fries aren't anywhere near as good as the fries at Guru's, they are a good alternative. The dipping sauce tastes somewhat similar to theirs, but once again, theirs is much better. Really, if you haven't gone to this eclectic little cafe, please fix that as soon as possible. :)

1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4" match-sticks (you want one pound after they are peeled and cut with the ends and short pieces discarded, so buy 1 1/4 pounds or so. Fries should be fairly equal in length.)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
 1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. basil
1/2 t. oregano
additional seasonings as desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle olive oil over the top of potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle seasonings on potatoes and toss again. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and carefully flip with a spatula. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until browning on the ends. Enjoy!

For the sauce I just combine equal parts honey bbq sauce and sour cream mixed with this seasoning (1 small carton to 1 Tbsp. of seasoning).

Even Talmage loves these (probably because they are dipped in sour cream), so they must be good!

Orange Teriyaki Pork with Noodles

This recipe is from my the cooking class I took at BYU. (It provided me with a great recipe arsenal! Such a great class...) The original recipe calls for beef boneless sirloin, but I can never seem to find it, and the similar things I see are really pricey. So I used boneless pork sirloin, which was much cheaper. The beef is more tender, but I like the pork as well.

1 lb (I used more like 3/4 lb and it was plenty) beef (or pork) boneless sirloin, cut across the grain into thin strips like sticks of gum

2 cans (14.5 oz each) beef broth, divided

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 cup orange marmalade

3 cups snap pea pods (I use frozen since they're much cheaper)

6 oz. uncooked extra thin spaghetti noodles

Spray 12 inch skillet with cooking spray. Cook meat in skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Remove meat from skillet; keep warm. Mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup of beef broth. Set aside to thicken sauce later in recipe. In same skillet as used to cook meat, mix remaining broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and marmalade. Heat to boiling. Stir in noodles; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook about 5 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in snap pea pods, broth/cornstarch mixture, and meat. Cook uncovered 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened.

**Note: The peas in this recipe tend to get quite shriveled and unappetizing when reheated. If it's not all going to be eaten in one sitting, I would suggest only adding peas in to the amount you estimate you will consume, and adding in others as needed. You can heat up the peas seperately and then stir them into the amount you estimate you will consume.

Double-Chocolate Nutrient-Rich Oil-Free Bran Muffins

I got this recipe from a ward member while at BYU. She taught a lesson on nutrition and gave out these amazing muffins as well as the recipe. I love them because they taste almost like a cupcake but are packed full of nutrients. They make a lot (24-36, depending on how much you fill the muffin tins), but they freeze well and make an excellent on-the-go (read: college student) breakfast. We never end up freezing them though because the three of us love them so much! The chocolate chips stay melty and gooey even after the muffins are cooled!

3 c. wheat bran (I usually use Bob's Red Mill)

1 c. boiling water

2 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. canned pumpkin

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cocoa

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. chocolate chips

Let 1 c. bran+1 c. boiling water stand for 5 minutes. Add buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin. Combine flour, remaining bran, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add pumpkin mixture and chocolate chips. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. They don't rise very much, so you can fill the muffin tins pretty much to the top.

Veggie Rice

This recipe came from Bill Welsh's wife (although I added in measurements). Bill brought it to a work party once, and Jocilyn and I just loved it, along with the rest of the office. I rediscovered this a few weeks ago and we have been loving it!

2 1/2 cups brown rice, measured dry

2 cans chicken broth

1 cup water

2 anjou pears, diced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 red onion, minced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 green pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. parsley

1/2 bottle Italian dressing

3-4 Tbsp. mayonnaise

juice from 1 small lime

Combine rice with water and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 35-40 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Mix in pears, vegetables, and parsley. Combine dressing, mayonnaise, and lime juice and stir into rice/vegetable mixture. Serve slightly warm, but not hot. The pears and cucumbers become quite disgusting if this dish is heated up too much, but we think it tastes best when it's a bit warm. Adjust the veggie quantities to suit your tastes!

Sloppy Josés and Homemade Tortillas

I came up with this recipe one night when I decided we would have sloppy joes for dinner, but substitute in rice for hamburger. After I made the filling, I realized it would be even better with tortillas. Sam and I like thinking of weird names for my inventions (like "Party in a Pan," or "The Brady Twist"), but I was just calling these Mexican Sloppy Joes. The next day Sam informed me that he had thought of the perfect name...and so we have Sloppy Josés! They taste best with homemade tortillas, but if you are crunched on time you can get some from a tortillaria (Kroger and some Walmarts have them, so Smith's probably does too). Don't settle for thin, dry flaky ones from a package, though! They won't do this dish justice.

Sloppy Josés Filling

2 1/2 c. brown rice, measured dry

1 1/4 c. ketchup (adjust according to your tastes)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 medium onion

1 Tbsp. mustard

1-2 Tbsp. lime juice

Sour cream+additional limes, if desired, for serving

Cook rice according to package directions. Combine remaining ingredients in a large frying pan and cook until onions begin to get tender. Stir in rice and heat through.

Homemade Tortillas

Now for a quick note on these--most flour tortilla recipes I have tried tend to be very tough and excessively floury in taste. This recipe is different! Because there is a fair amount of butter in it, the dough stays quite tender (and is consequently easier to roll out) and they taste much better. (Recipe adapted from cooking class at BYU.)

4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. salt

1 c. warm water

1/3 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix milk and water, and heat to just below boiling. Remove from heat and stir in butter, letting it sit in liquid until completely melted. Add milk/water/butter mixture to flour mixture and knead to a soft dough. Break into 16 balls and let rest 10-20 minutes. Roll out tortillas and cook over medium heat, flipping occasionally with a pancake turner until both sides start to have light brown spots on them. Tortillas may still appear doughy, which is okay. If they are cooked until dark brown spots appear and the tortillas have no doughy spots, they will not be very tender and will likely break when you try to roll them up. Eat warm rolled around sloppy josé filling and topped with sour cream and lime juice, if desired! (Although I highly recommend the sour cream...it adds just the right touch.) Enjoy!

Yice for Dinduh

This special recipe comes straight from the kitchen of Peter May.

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1. Grunt and groan as you pull the rice cooker out of the corner cupboard - if you have to pull a few other things out in the process, that's okay.

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2. Go over to the pantry and stand up on your very tippy toes, reaching as high as you can. If you still can't reach the rice, say "Yice, yice..." repeatedly until Mommy gets it down for you. If you're in a really good mood, you can add a "hep pweess," and that should get it a little sooner.

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3. Carry the bucket of rice over to the rice cooker.

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4. Open the rice cooker and carefully place the whole bucket of rice inside.

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5. Close the cooker.

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6. Open the cooker and bang the rice bucket around with the rice paddle a few times, then close the cooker.

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7. Repeat step #6 until you get bored or Mommy says it's time for dinner.

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8. Make a pose and say "cheeeess" when Mommy wants to take a picture of your amazing Yice for Dinduh.

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Brazilian Lemonade

I got this recipe here, and it quickly became a favorite of ours! I never really thought sweetened condensed milk and citrus fruit would be a good pair, but it turns out they're fabulous together! It's perfect for those times you need a light, refreshing treat.

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)

1 c. sugar

6 c. cold water

6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time. Wash limes thoroughly with soap. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths. Place half of the limes and half of the sugar water in the blender, put the lid on, and pulse 5 -7 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Discard pulp and peel remnants in strainer. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk. Taste test and add more sugar and/or sweetened condensed milk if needed. It tastes best if served over ice!

Note: the original recipe says it doesn't keep well, but I usually double the recipe and it still tastes great the following day or two.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

I made these for dessert yesterday and they were a hit! I adjusted this recipe a bit to come up with them. They're quite rich, so I suggest cutting them kind of small.

8 oz. brick cream cheese

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

3 Tbsp. milk

Brownie mix (I used Duncan Hines)

Additional ingredients needed to prepare brownies according to directions on box

12 oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips

Whip cream cheese until smooth. Beat in peanut butter, sugar, egg, and milk and set aside. Prepare brownie batter as directed on box. Add chocolate chips. Spread into greased 9x13 pan, reserving a few tablespoons to swirl on top. Spread peanut butter/cream cheese mixture on top of brownie batter. Make 5 thin horizontal lines with remaining brownie batter. Insert butter knife into batter in one corner of the pan and drag it through the batter vertically, alternating directions with each column made with the knife, until the batter is sufficiently swirled together across the pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean. Let cool before eating.

**These brownies taste best if allowed to sit for at least 12 hours after baking to allow everything to set up and the flavors to come together.