As a request from Cassidy, I am creating "rules" for the recipe blog. (hope this suffices!)
1. I will gladly accept any requests and get back to you in a timely manner.
2. If you try a recipe and change it a bit - let me know! I am always looking for new changes.
3. If you try a recipe and it doesn't work - you best be asking me some questions. I would love to help!
4. If you try a recipe and don't like it, I don't care. No - just kidding. I care. I still want to hear about it.
5. If you want to give me some of your recipes I would LOVE it! E-mail them to me at kristen.faux@hotmail.com
6. Cooking questions are accepted however I'm not an expert and don't understand all the chemistry and science of cooking. I'm just really good at eating.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Best Chicken and Rice Soup
This soup is super delicious and nice for a cold autumn or winter evening. The nice thing is it can be made to be very low in fat. I got this one from Better Homes and Gardens Kids Favorites Made Healthy.
Ingredients
1 medium onion chopped
1 stalk sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrot or mushroom (or both)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 14 oz. can chicken broth (fat-free if you wish)
1 can cream of chicken soup (fat-free if you wish)
1 cup water
1 6 and 1/4 oz package of chicken-flavored rice pilaf mix (rice-a-roni)
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups cold milk (skim if you wish)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (or you can cook it with the veggies, which is easier)
Directions
In large saucepan cook onion, celery, carrots, and chicken until chicken is done.
Add broth, soup, and water. Stir in entire rice mix and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in milk and cooked chicken (if you pre-cooked it without the veggies) and heat through.
I have found that this soup is rather thick. Add more milk for desired consistency.
Ingredients
1 medium onion chopped
1 stalk sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrot or mushroom (or both)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 14 oz. can chicken broth (fat-free if you wish)
1 can cream of chicken soup (fat-free if you wish)
1 cup water
1 6 and 1/4 oz package of chicken-flavored rice pilaf mix (rice-a-roni)
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups cold milk (skim if you wish)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (or you can cook it with the veggies, which is easier)
Directions
In large saucepan cook onion, celery, carrots, and chicken until chicken is done.
Add broth, soup, and water. Stir in entire rice mix and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in milk and cooked chicken (if you pre-cooked it without the veggies) and heat through.
I have found that this soup is rather thick. Add more milk for desired consistency.
Yummy Pork Marinade
This recipe is sweet, yet feel-good at the same time if you know what I mean. It can be done with pork or chicken. This one came from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
Ingredients
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 c vinegar
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c water
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. cornstarch
(I usually double it or make a batch and a half, but it depends on how much meat you are cooking)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Grease a crockpot and set it for LOW for at least 6 hours or HIGH for 4. Throw your meat in the crockpot and top with marinade. A half hour before you are ready to eat, break up the meat into small pieces so that juices can be soaked up. After you remove the meat you can use the remaining juice to make gravy by putting it in a saucepan, boiling it, and adding some cornstarch mixed with some water.
Ingredients
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 c vinegar
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c water
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. cornstarch
(I usually double it or make a batch and a half, but it depends on how much meat you are cooking)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Grease a crockpot and set it for LOW for at least 6 hours or HIGH for 4. Throw your meat in the crockpot and top with marinade. A half hour before you are ready to eat, break up the meat into small pieces so that juices can be soaked up. After you remove the meat you can use the remaining juice to make gravy by putting it in a saucepan, boiling it, and adding some cornstarch mixed with some water.
Dutch-Oven-Lake-Powell-Potatoes
Good news. You don't have to be in Lake Powell or even own a dutch oven for this recipe. One day during the summer I was craving these amazing potatoes that Thom Richards always makes for us in the dutch oven at Lake Powell. I decided that I was going to try to make the same potatoes without the dutch oven. What came of it? Heaven. These potatoes are SUPER easy and so so so good.
Ingredients
5-6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices. (if you are serving more, just add more potatoes)
1 onion cut into wedges (or more if needed)
1/2 pound of bacon cut into small pieces and slightly cooked in the microwave (I stick it in a bowl and heat it for a few minutes.)
salt and pepper
Lots of Cheese - any kind you like will do. I prefer cheddar
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a roasting pan. A casserole dish will do too. Add potatoes, onions, bacon, salt, and pepper. Mix all ingredients in the pan with your hands.
Add a small amount of water to the potato mixture. DO NOT add too much. If too much is added the potatoes will end up watery and more like mashed potatoes. Start with a small amount - just enough to cover the bottom of your pan or dish. Stick it in the oven and cook for an hour and a half. Check it periodically to make sure it has enough water (too little will make the potatoes stick and be tough) Each time I check it I taste it to see how close it is to being done.
Once it is finished, take it out of the oven and top with cheese. If your pan has a cover, place the cover over the top to melt the cheese. If not, just throw it back into the oven to melt the cheese.
Ingredients
5-6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices. (if you are serving more, just add more potatoes)
1 onion cut into wedges (or more if needed)
1/2 pound of bacon cut into small pieces and slightly cooked in the microwave (I stick it in a bowl and heat it for a few minutes.)
salt and pepper
Lots of Cheese - any kind you like will do. I prefer cheddar
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a roasting pan. A casserole dish will do too. Add potatoes, onions, bacon, salt, and pepper. Mix all ingredients in the pan with your hands.
Add a small amount of water to the potato mixture. DO NOT add too much. If too much is added the potatoes will end up watery and more like mashed potatoes. Start with a small amount - just enough to cover the bottom of your pan or dish. Stick it in the oven and cook for an hour and a half. Check it periodically to make sure it has enough water (too little will make the potatoes stick and be tough) Each time I check it I taste it to see how close it is to being done.
Once it is finished, take it out of the oven and top with cheese. If your pan has a cover, place the cover over the top to melt the cheese. If not, just throw it back into the oven to melt the cheese.
Lemon Bars...Seriously?
Yes - Lemon Bars. Does anyone ever consider lemon bars to be a stand-out-can't-live-without dessert? NO! But let me tell you. These were delicious. I got this one from the Kraft Food and Family Magazine.
Ingredients
20 Nilla Wafers Finely Crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold margarine
1 package of cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp lemon zest, divided (I only used 1 Tbsp. and it was still delicious)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp powdered sugar
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press onto bottom of prepare pan and bake for 15 minutes. For a softer crust, only bake for 5 minutes.
While that is baking, beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.
Bake 25-28 minutes (mine needed more like 30) or until center is set. Cool. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest. use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting.
This dessert is not really appealing to the eye but amazing to your taste buds. I didn't garnish the top with the extra lemon zest because I had no one to impress but myself. Originally I considered just making this in a premade Nilla Wafer pie crust (because I HATE making crusts) But I am SO glad I didn't. The crust is a huge part of the deliciousness of this dessert. I used real butter rather than margarine, and I would recommend doing that again. YUMMY!
Ingredients
20 Nilla Wafers Finely Crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold margarine
1 package of cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp lemon zest, divided (I only used 1 Tbsp. and it was still delicious)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp powdered sugar
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press onto bottom of prepare pan and bake for 15 minutes. For a softer crust, only bake for 5 minutes.
While that is baking, beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.
Bake 25-28 minutes (mine needed more like 30) or until center is set. Cool. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest. use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting.
This dessert is not really appealing to the eye but amazing to your taste buds. I didn't garnish the top with the extra lemon zest because I had no one to impress but myself. Originally I considered just making this in a premade Nilla Wafer pie crust (because I HATE making crusts) But I am SO glad I didn't. The crust is a huge part of the deliciousness of this dessert. I used real butter rather than margarine, and I would recommend doing that again. YUMMY!
Pumpkin Pleasure
Lately I've been into making desserts because I've never been that great at it. Since then I have made some fabulous things! This one is my husband's favorite and is great for this time of year. It will surely become a fall and Christmas tradition at our house. The recipe for the cake and frosting both came from allrecipes.com
Cake
INGREDIENTS
Frosting - The frosting is a MUST! When it is done I put it in a ziploc bag, snip a tiny portion of the corner and drizzle it ALL OVER the cake. It looks very cool. Save extra frosting to serve on top of each piece of cake.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Dash of Pumpkin Spice (optional)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (For something healthier, substitute 1/2 cup of cinnamon apple sauce with 3/4 cup of vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12x18 inch pan. (I use a bundt cake pan which makes it look especially beautiful.) Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. (and pumpkin spice if you so choose) Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine sugar and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread batter into prepared 12x18 inch pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. (If you are using a bundt cake pan, it takes 50-60 minutes.)
Frosting - The frosting is a MUST! When it is done I put it in a ziploc bag, snip a tiny portion of the corner and drizzle it ALL OVER the cake. It looks very cool. Save extra frosting to serve on top of each piece of cake.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- Dash of Pumpkin Spice (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Cream together butter or margarine with the cream cheese. Then stir in vanilla.
- Next, add the powdered sugar, slowly, keep beating until mixture is smooth.
Recipe Blog
As many of you know I LOVE to cook. It seems so cliche that I have become this domesticated mormon wife/1st grade teacher, but that's who I am and I'm not ashamed. Since I got married I have cooked like crazy and found tons of awesome recipes. Two websites I use a lot to find recipes are allrecipes.com and Kraft. I'm not smart enough to make up my own recipes but I definitely tweak them to my own tastes. Anyway, I try at least 1 new recipe each week, usually more. I will only post the delicious ones!
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