April Fool's Sushi, Smutz, and Fruit Dip

This is probably not the best thing to make for Enrichment but I think it would be super fun to do with your kiddies!
It's just green fruit roll-ups, gummy worms, and warm rice crispy treats! Cute huh?!

Anyways, I realized as I searched for a recipe for Beth that I too am lacking in the appetizer area so I hope some more of you post some lovelies to try! This is a recipe that my mom's sister made when we were kids. I always liked it.

Smutz
1 Cup Diced Celery
1 Cup Diced Onion
1 Cup Diced Green Peppers
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (Mild Cheddar)
1 Cup Frozen Peas
¾ Cup Bacon Bits
1 Cup Mayonnaise

Combine all the ingredients and let sit in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Serve with nacho cheese flavored Dorito brand tortilla chips.

I'm not sure what type of ladies are in your group...mine would go through 5 or 6 bags of Nachos! Yours might like this light fruit dip/crepe filling a little better!

Fruit Dip/Crepe Filling
Berry flavored cream cheese
Cool whip
Powdered sugar

Good Luck Beth!

-Starving in Seattle
(Emily)

Calling all HORS DE VORS!!!! (Beth)

I am looking for an interesting, but not too difficult appetizer recipe to make and bring to our Relief Society Enrichment night tomorrow. It is so fun to have something new and so yummy to share with people. It is also hard to keep up the reputation of "good cook", but I love it! And I know you all do too, otherwise we would not have this awesome website to simultaneously obsess over food.

So... send me your love and best dishes, from your kitchen to mine!

Who can name the person that says something very close to this?
If you can you are indeed a food network junkie!

Tagged!!!

I hereby tag Laura G., Adrianne, Jerica, and Bridgitte (and anyone else who wants to!) to post the recipe to the most romantic meal that you would make/have made to impress a man! Muhahahahah. Inspire me!!!!

-Starving in Seattle (Emily)

P.S. Those of you tagged by Beth for the pasta recipes...we're still waiting!!!

Key Lime Pie

Ever since making those Key Lime Cupcakes (see older post), I have been craving treats of a tart tasting nature. I have never had Key Lime Pie before but since I have all this extra lime juice on hand...I decided to give Logan an incentive to study for finals and try to make one! It is now a new favorite treat and SO FAST and EASY to make!!!

Key Lime Pie
9 inch pastry or graham cracker pie crust
3 egg yolks
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ c key lime juice
cool whip
lime zest

Whisk together 3 egg yolks. Don’t over beat! Whisk in sweetened condensed milk until very well incorporated. Slowly add lime juice a bit at a time and whisk vigorously until it thickens. This is a fab arm workout! Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool and set. Zest a little lime over the top. Top with cool whip or for an extra delicious and lovely treat, make the coconut meringue from the cupcake recipe! It was so amazing on the pie!

Enjoy!

-Starving in Seattle (Emily)

A Meal To Write Home About...

Hey all, it's Di! We had the missionaries over for dinner, and we had a Mexican Feast! I thought I would post what we had in honor of Cinco de Mayo (sp?) tomorrow!
We had Chicken Enchiladas!
This is how I made them. You'll need:
Corn tortillas
1 Bag Frozen Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small jar or 2 cups of salsa
Chicken taco seasoning (or just regular taco seasoning)
3 c. sour cream, divided
chopped onions (I prefer green)
3 cans cream of chicken soup
Shredded pepper jack cheese
Shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. milk
1 minced garlic clove

Follow the directions for Beth's crock pot chicken that she posted previously only with larger portions. The one where you add chicken, salsa, taco seasoning to a crock pot. So, when it's all done cooking and you add the sour cream, add one cup of sour cream instead of 1/4 cup, and also add a can of cream of chicken soup. If it's too dry, add some milk. This is the filling for the enchiladas.
Next, saute the onion and garlic with a little oil in a pot. When it's soft, add 2 cans cream of chicken soup and 2 cups of sour cream and 1/2 c milk. This is your sauce.
Assemble the enchiladas in a greased 9x13 baking dish by spooning the filling into the corn tortillas, sprinkle in some pepper jack cheese and roll them up (my tortillas always break apart, just smoosh them down or something). When you are finished rolling, pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I'm sorry I don't have measurements. I just throw it all together, and a lot of times there is leftover filling and sauce, so I make a smaller pan and freeze it.

We also had chips and Salsa. Here is my Pantry Salsa...
3 cans diced tomatoes (with or without chilies)
1/2 can jalapenos or one cut up jalapeno pepper
4 diced green onions or 1/2 a regular onion
1 cup of cilantro or parsley (cilantro is obviously better)
Juice of one lime
1 minced garlic clove
3 drops of hot sauce like Tabasco
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Throw all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix until desired consistency. Play around with the spice. If you don't like spicy then add fewer drops of hot sauce. Remember, you can always add more heat, but you can't take it away!

We also had salad and corn and for dessert, we had Adrianne's Mexican Cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream! MMMmmmmmmmmm!! The above are pictures of Adrianne's cheesecake, so you know we really tried it! Post more, girlfriend! And of our Elders enjoying dessert!

best salad ever!

Hey everyone!
I had a huge dinner earlier today with a bunch of friends and I made this salad that everyone LOVES! They wanted me to post it so I though maybe you guys would be interested too. On Easter Sunday I served a similar version to Jordan and Mike, to which Mike responded, "I think this is the best salad I've ever had!" That's probably not saying much for an Idaho boy :) but if he liked it maybe you guys will too. I'm sure you've all had it before but it's my favorite so here it is.


Ingredients:
spring mix lettuce
1 yellow pepper
1 granny smith apple
red onion
bacon pieces (real bacon)
craisins
shredded Parmesan cheese
sliced almonds

dressing:
olive oil
apple cider vinegar
sugar
lemon juice (opt.)
salt and pepper (opt.)

directions:
Thinly slice the pepper and red onion
chop into small pieces the green apple
mix in with greens (however much you want)
*I don't have any measurements of anything because I do it all by looks and taste so add however much of the other toppings that you want.
*for the almonds heat a small frying pan with just a few drops of olive oil. toast the almonds until they are golden brown and add a touch of salt (or sugar). Add the browned almonds to the salad.

For the dressing I blend in a separate cup a 1/4 cup olive oil and a little more than a 1/4 cup vinegar. Again I just go by taste. I like mine a little tangier. Then I add a pinch of sugar. Stir it very well and pour over salad. Toss thoroughly and serve immediately.

Enjoy my very favorite salad!
love maggie

Aaron's Stuffed Breakfast Biscuits (Beth)

Start your coals NOW!!!

2 cans refridgerated biscuits
6-8 fried eggs (we did this the night before, while we were cooking dinner)
12-14 pieces Canadian Bacon (or use a sausage patty, or regular bacon)
6-8 slices American cheese

Line the Dutch Oven with foil and butter the bottom. Flatten out the biscuits. Start with one biscuit, put an egg on it, then 2 slices bacon, then cheese and top it off with another biscuit. Squeeze the edges shut and place in Dutch. Fit as many in as you can without stacking. (We only got 6 in a 14" oven, they are big!) Put 8-10 coals on bottom and 10-14 on top. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until brown. Everything inside is all cooked, you just have to worry about warming it up and making sure the biscuits are done.
These were way good and you can just hold them in your hand to eat!
Aaron came up with this all by himself!!!!
(Note:Make sure you salt and pepper the eggs while you are cooking them!)

I'm sure you could do this in your oven for a fun weekend brunch!

Flank Steak Marinade - Laura

1 1/2 lb flank steak
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder (or garlic salt) or 1 lb minced garlic clove
1 tsp ginger
2 tbls lemon juice
2 tbls oil
1 tbls minced onion
1/4 tsp pepper

Cut steak into thin strips
Marinate for 1-4 days
Broil or cook on outdoor grill

Mmmmmexican Cheesecake

Alright Family, it's Adrianne, and this is my very first post on here! So please, for my sake, READ and MAKE because it is soooooo easy and muy bien!

Ingredients:
2 cans of crescent rolls
1 cup sugar
2 packages of cream cheese
1 tbsp vanilla

For topping:
1 stick butter
½ cup sugar
Cinnamon

Cover bottom on a 9x12 Pyrex with one can of crescent roll dough. Pinch edges together so they become one uniform piece. Mix softened cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl. Cream out all lumps. Spread over dough with spatula. Cover mixture with remaining can of crescent dough. Again, pinch together to form one uniform piece. Melt one full stick of butter. Pour over top of dough, sprinkle ½ cup of sugar over butter, and sprinkle cinnamon over sugar; use as much as you’d like. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

Before:


After:



This is so quick and easy! Enjoy!

Best Cupcake on Earth

To understand my obsession with cupcakes you can read 'C is for Cupcakes' on my blog.  In honor of my passion for cupcakes, we had a cupcake party in Mommy's Group yesterday.  Out of all the incredible cupcakes we made, this one was the best.  It may truly be the closest thing to heaven I have ever tasted!  Please PLEASE make these and swath your taste buds in divine pleasure.

Key Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Meringue – Emily Bohman

If you are in a hurry, frost them, unfilled, with a little whipped cream, or lighten up the filling mixture with a little whipped cream and use it as a frosting instead. Or just fill the cupcakes and dust them with confectioners' sugar instead of adding the meringue. But if you go all the way, serve them when they are still a little warm, and you will have one stupendous cupcake with a surprise inside.

Cupcakes
1 large lime, scrubbed (for 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)

4 large eggs

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

Filling
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup Key lime juice

Coconut Meringue
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Reserved 3 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. With a citrus zester, zest the lime and reserve 1 teaspoon. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice over a strainer into a small bowl; you should have 2 tablespoons. Set aside. Separate 3 of the eggs, place the whites in a large clean mixing bowl and the yolks in another mixing bowl.

2. Add the remaining egg, cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, coconut flavoring and lime zest and juice to the yolks. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. Place the pans in the oven. Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 22 minutes. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before filling.

3. Place the sweetened condensed milk and Key lime juice in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip. Press the tip 1/4 inch into the top center of each cooked cupcake and squeeze the bag to release about 1 tablespoon filling into the cupcake. Scrape off any excess filling with a rubber spatula.

4. For the meringue add the cream of tartar to the reserved egg whites and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until frothy, about 45 seconds. Add the coconut flavoring and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Continue beating on high, adding 1 tablespoon sugar at a time, until the whites form stiff peaks. Spoon 2 tablespoons meringue onto the top of each cupcake and swirl to spread it just to the edges with a spoon. Bake until the meringue is light nutty brown in color, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve warm!

Orca Point Salmon

I really don't like fish all that much, but every couple of months I start craving salmon.  I guess it's my body's way of telling me that I need some omega-whatevers.  So...this is what we had for dinner tonight!

This little guy has been sitting in our freezer for awhile and I finally decided on the perfect recipe to use him in.  In Juneau, Alaska there's a GORGEOUS lodge called Orca Point.  You have to take a boat or a whale watching ship to get out there.  They serve an incredible Salmon lunch and this is the recipe for it.  Seriously guys...if you don't like fish, you will after eating this!  Enjoy!

Orca Point Salmon

1 fresh Alaska salmon filet

1/2 c butter (1 stick)

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c soy sauce

1 Tbls lemon juice 

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Add brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemon juice.  Mix together and then set aside to cool.

Rinse the salmon filet with fresh water and pat dry.  Cut the filet into serving size pieces if desired.  Place fish (skin side down) in a shallow glass dish.  Pour the cooled marinade mixture over the filets and make sure they are well coated.  Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and uncover the pan.  Bake the fish for 30 minutes or until it just begins to flake.  Coat the fish with the marinade every 5 or 10 minutes.  For the last 10 minutes of baking, dump out the majority of the marinade so that it forms a nice crispy glaze over the fish.

Serve with rice pilaf, steamed veggies, or dinner rolls!  

-Starving in Seattle (Emily)

Overnight Pull-Aparts (Beth)

I made these last Sunday for General Conference and Aaron's family went nuts!!! I'm not a huge fan of orange rolls, but I thoughts these were pretty good. And way easy to make!
This recipe is from ABC4 news viewer Laura Powell.

12-16 frozen white roll dough--STILL FROZEN (Rhodes)
1 (3.4 oz) package vanilla instant pudding
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 orange rind, grated
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
Frosting (recipe below)

Sprinkle cranberries in bottom of a greased bundt pan. Arrange rolls evenly in pan. Mix sugar and dry pudding together and sprinkle over rolls. Combine orange rind with melted butter/margarine and spoon over rolls. Cover pan with sprayed plastic wrap. Place pan in cold oven overnight (8-10 hours). Remove rolls from oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap from pan and bake for 25 minutes. Immediately invert pan onto serving platter. Cool slightly and drizzle with frosting.

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from grated peeled orange!)

FYI: When I make these pull-aparts I have to make sure the sides have not stuck to the pan after I they have cooked. Just run a knife around the edge and inside tube to make sure it will come out all together.

The following recipe is the Caramel Pull-Aparts version:

use 3/4 cups nuts instead of dried cranberries
4 oz. package butterscotch pudding instead of vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar instead of white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon instead of orange rind

Then you don't even need the frosting, but if you really want it use milk instead of the juice.

(I made this for Christmas morning breakfast and it was fabulous!!!!!!)

Million-Dollar Cookies (Beth)

Am I the only one that checks this?!?!?!?!?? Maybe you all just have a life, I should get one sometime! I guess I just get too excited about food and recipes.
Anyway, I got this recipe of off a local morning show. I haven't made it, but it looks really good and very vercitile. It is out of the Lion House Christmas cookbook.

2 cups shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tarter

(You can add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, rasins, chopped dried fruits, other chocolates, coconut, M&Ms, candies, etc. You can add whatever you want---this is why it is called a Million Dollar cookie!!)

Cream shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Add gradually to creamed mixture. Chill dough for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mold dough into 1-inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a drinking glass that has been dipped in sugar to prevent sticking. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a covered container. Makes 5 dozen

On the show they made these with pecans, chocolate chips, PLAIN (no mix-ins), pistacios and white chocolate chips, and as sandwich cookies. Apparently the dough freezes well.
So have fun mixin' it up!!!!

I am hosting a cookie swap this week and I'm thinking of making this dough and just putting out a bunch of mix-ins for my guests to use to make their own cookie dough to take home.

Coconut Bread (Jerica)

To me, this should be called coconut cake because it's honestly the sweetest bread you will ever taste. This is my fabulous mother's recipe and it brings back wonderful memories of high school, Christmas, and special occasions that I love so much. So please, enjoy!

Bread:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup crisco
2 tsp. coconut extract
3 cups flower
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup coconut
1 cup nuts

Blend eggs sugar, crisco, and coconut extract. Add flower and dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Add nuts and coconut. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes.

Topping:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. coconut flavoring

Boil on low for about 4- 5 min. Pour over bread.

Makes two delightful loaves.

TAG!!!! (Beth)

NOW IT'S MY TURN!!!!!
I tag Jordan, my mom-Val, Aunt Laurie, and Aunt Joan for their favorite pasta recipes! I know you have them and I want them!!!

Love you all!

Chicken Foil Dinners (Beth)

I got this recipe from a former co-worker, Jen Grimm McFarland. (I have to give name recognition!) I was tired of the old hamburger patty/potato foil dinners. And you can make this in the oven! But if you want the best Hamburger patty/potato foil dinner, call my mom-she makes the best!!!!

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 medium sliced zucchini
1 sliced red pepper, or green or orange or yellow (I going for color here!)
1 small chopped onion
1/4 cup BBQ sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
2 minced garlic cloves
Layer in the middle of a square piece of foil. Fold up and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
OR throw it in the fire IF you are camping!!!! And roast a twinkie while you wait!

Creamy Pesto Chicken (Beth)

Thanks for the tag for a chicken recipe Di. I have been wracking my brain to choose just one, I even asked Mom! She said I should post Melanie's Pesto Chicken recipe so I am, in honor of her birthday. Maybe I'll post another one, if I can narrow my favorites down!

Thanks Mel!

(This has a 3 hour cook time, turn oven off after second hour, but leave in for the third hour.)

10 FROZEN boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1 large (I think she means a family size) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream (not the light or fat free)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 package alfredo sauce mix
2 tablespoons pesto
1/2 cup flour

Mix all together and then layer around the frozen breasts in a deep roaster/casserole pan.

(Something bigger than a 9x13 pan so it won't boil over.)

Mel says, "Yes, it's really thick and lumpy bit it thins way out with all the chicken juices!"

Cover with foil. Cook 2 hours at 375. TURN OVEN OFF, let it sit in oven for the next hour.

Mel says, "This is perfect for Sunday dinner if you can program your oven to cook 2 hours and then automatically turn off. Let it sit the final hour of church block and it's done right when you get home." She was telling me that when she makes this it's usually as the family is running out the door to church and honking for her to come! I can totally visualize her doing that!

Serve with pasta and veggies.

FYI: sauce thickens as it cools

Just to let you know, my mom has accomplished making this recipe gluten-free if any of you would like that give her a call!

Mel-Thanks for the great Sunday dinner idea! We all love this recipe!

Banana Bread (Beth)

Here is the recipe for the muffins I brought to Sharon's today to celebrate the gorgeous Aunt Melanie's birthday. And props to me for posting this the SAME day!

4 eggs
1/2 lb butter
5 large bananas
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt

Bake at 300 for 75 minutes.

This recipe was given to me by one of my college roommates, Melissa Kirkham. She would make this and freeze it. I think it tastes better frozen!
But today I made it into muffins because I didn't want to wait for an hour and half for it to cook! I was hungry! I think I let them cook about 30 minutes. I just kept checking them until they were browned on top and the toothpick came out clean. I also added about a 1/2 cup of flax seed and quite a few teaspoons of cinnamon. I was thinking later that I should have used whole wheat flour because I'm running low on white flour. It would probably taste the same, that's a quote from my mom so you can trust it.
I only make banana bread when the black bananas in my freezer start multiplying. Yes, I put my over-ripe bananas in my freezer. I think it helps with the moistness of the bread. Is moistness a word??? If not I just pulled a Rachel Ray and invented my own lingo!!!!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Hi everyone! Here's my favorite chicken dish! I'm seriously crazy over this salad. I know its nothing that fancy and you've all probably had it many times, but here it is anyway! The girls I served with in Kirtland were crazy about this salad too! I gained a lot of friends because of it! :)

Chinese Chicken Salad

3 Chicken breasts
1/2 cabbage
3 green onions, chopped
1 pkg. Chicken flavored Ramen noodles
3/4 c. toasted slivered almonds
1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

* as always with me, you can add more or less of any of these ingredients to make it exactly how you want it. I usually add more cabbage than it says.

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. vinegar
Chicken flavor packet from Ramen noodles

Cook chicken in salted water, cool, and cut in bite-size pieces. Thinly slice and chop like slaw the cabbage. Break Ramen noodles into bite-size pieces. Brown nuts by heating a frying pan coated with Pam spray and stir till lightly browned. Cool and add to salad. Repeat process for seeds. Add all ingredients, except dressing, together. Mix well. Mix together dressing ingredients and add to salad. Mix well. Serve soon after.

enjoy! love maggie

Italian Crockpot Chicken

Well, Di-Nanner tagged me with the chicken recipe, so I guess I'll stop trying to run and hide and just figure out how to post on the blog, finally!

You know those cute moms you see playing outside with their kids until just before dinner time, when you see them casually make their way inside?  I always thought, "I wonder how they do it, play and still have a nice dinner?"  I watch them from my kitchen window, where I am desperately trying to get dinner going with 25 pounds of loud love tugging on my leg and climbing up my torso....until, with my hair caught in a small fist, I decide that Mac & Cheese actually sounds GREAT!  Well....those fun moms?!  I finally figured out their secret!  Crockpot!  They do their work early and then get to have fun....clear up til dinner time!

So that's why this is one of my favorite recipes....and it's delicious!

Italian Crockpot Chicken

4 to 5 chicken breasts (I actually only use 2 with this same recipe)

1/8 cup butter, melted

1 pkg. Italian dressing mix (I use the Western Family that go on sale for 4/$1)

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 10oz. can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom (You can add 2 cans if you need a little extra sauce or have company over)

Take cream cheese out of fridge to soften.  Put chicken in crockpot.  Drizzle with butter and sprinkle with italian seasoning.  Cook on low 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Take chicken out and cut into cubes or strips.  Mix creamed soup and cream cheese together, then add it to the buttery broth in the crockpot.  Mix well, then add the chicken back in and let it cook for another 1/2 hour to warm up.  Serve with favorite pasta, rice or potatoes.  

Try cooking chicken with italian salad dressing mix (dry) as a seasoning for any meal.....it is SOOOO good!  Hope you love this recipe and that maybe one day this week you can play until dinnertime!