A couple of new podcast episodes

For your Holiday enjoyment...





Oil
Chicken
1 cup water chestnuts
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 Tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Ice Berg Lettuce

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

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Overnight Oatmeal muffins: a recipe worth returning to again and again

1 cup regular oats
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup dried blueberries


1. Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350

3. Mix flour, buttermilk mixture, and next six ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Fold in blueberries (or any dried fruit)

4. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 24 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately, place on a wire rack.

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Cake Snowballs

Maybe you've seen this recipe before floating around the internet but oh well. Here it is again. Cam and I made some yesterday and oooooooooo baby. Seriously. I took them to my 12-13 year old Sunday School class along with some peanut butter cup cookies and they ALMOST were more popular than the peanut butter ones. That's a big deal. Especially since they were lemon and most 12 year olds prefer chocolate. According to scientists. I'm just saying.

Here's what you need:
A cake
Some frosting
Some dipping chocolate.
Don't be mad if this feels like the other fat free recipe I posted a week ago.

Here's what you need to do:
Make the cake (from a box, from scratch, whateva). I whipped up a lemon cake from Mrs. Duncan Hines. The best part is the cake can look horrible because the next step is to
Let the cake cool and the crumble the puppy up. Just smash it to pieces. Then you
Add 1/2 a thing of frosting (if you buy it from the store. if you make your own, just add until the concoction gets gooey enough to form into balls). I used a cream cheese frosting container and it was quite cream cheesy. Yum. After that,
Form the cake frosting mixture into balls. Whatever size you like but I think average would be like a quarter size or maybe the size you'd use when making regular cookies. Next,
Put the balls in a container and then freeze them for a couple of hours.This step is sort of important if you don't want to get cake floaties in your chocolate.
When that's through, get them out, melt some chocolate chips or almond bark or white dipping chocolate, etc. and dip them.

Cam (my dear husband who I boss around) did all the dipping of the cake balls. We used a fondue pot and some awesome white chocolate melting thingies. We were so proud of ourselves afterward because they were BEAUTIFUL (like soft, delicate snowballs on a winter's day) and delicious and looked like we knew what we were doing. Always important.
You can obviously use any combo you like. Lemon/cream cheese/white chocolate, Red velvet/buttercream/dark chocolate, etc. etc. And you can also get super fancy and decorate them even more after they've been dipped. We didn't do that because maybe we didn't feel like it, okay?
Okay.
The End.

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Soup, soup, all the time

Follow these links to four of my favorite:

Creamy Tomato Soup with Dill

Garlic Stracciatella

Potato Leek Soup

Soy Ginger Soup with Tofu and Noodles

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file under "eggplant"

I don't like eggplant. It's slimy! But this week I tried ordering the box of organic produce from Winder with our dairy order, and what did my eyes behold when I opened the box? An eggplant. And I paid good money for that thing so I was determined to eat it. I've read in many cookbooks about roasting vegetables and kind of making them into a room-temp sauce for pasta. This seemed like a good time to try that.

After determining via Google that it's okay to eat eggplant skin (lots of people do), I just chopped it into chunks, and chopped a small organic onion that also came in the order. I tossed the eggplant and onion with about 1.5 T. of olive oil, a generous pinch of kosher salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. I put that in an 8x8 Pryrex dish and stuck it in the toaster oven at 400 for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, I put water onto boil and also discovered half a can of chopped tomatoes in the fridge. While the whole wheat spaghetti cooked, I put the eggplant mixture in a bowl with the tomatoes, a spoonful of capers, and a little bit of fresh grated Parmesan. When the pasta was done, tossed that all together, and served. It was yummy! Even the slimy eggplant was good. It helped that I was starving to death.


P.S. The medium eggplant and 5.5 oz. of pasta was perfect for two people.

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Perfect For That Holiday Party You're Hosting

Peppercorn Buttermilk Dip

1 C sour cream
2 T buttermilk (I like mine a bit runnier so I add more)
1 t ground pepper
2 t minced chives (or scallions )
1/2 t chopped freesh thyme (or dry)
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 t kosher salt
It is good for 48 hours.

This is the yummiest dip in the universe. Seriously, I could drink it. And no mayo, baby. Serving suggestion below:

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Toffee

Try this delicious Toffee recipe. Sorry no picture but if you were at THE party of '08 you probably saw it, and you probably ate it and you hopefully liked it.

Toffee
2 C Sugar
2 C Butter (4 sticks, 1 lb (enjoy the holidays))
4 T Water
2 C Chopped Pecans
2 bags of Milk Chocolate Chips

Spread pecans out evenly on a cookie sheet. In a large pan mix sugar, butter and water. Boil until it's a caramel color (if using a candy thermometer it'll be over 300 degrees (you don't have to have a thermometer.)) Stirring constantly (this process takes a while and you have to continue stirring it so give yourself some time. I'm not talking ALL day. Just maybe 10 min. or so. Be patient, is what I'm trying to say. And look for a caramel color. Think of what color those little (delicious) caramel squares are, and go for that color.) Pour mixture over nuts on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. (the chips will melt but I usually spread them out with a knife so it looks pretty.) Let it cool completely (short on time? throw it in the fridge for a bit.) And then break it apart by kinda like stabbing a butter knife around breaking it into chunks.
And that's it.
And I've also halved the recipe and just used half of the cookie sheet, works great.

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Oreo Circles

The possibilities are endless.
Plus these are fat free.
And they make great stocking stuffers.
Please add your favorite holiday treat if you even want to. Thanks and goodbye.

Oreo Balls Recipe Ingredients

* 8 ounces softened cream cheese or whipped cream cheese
* 18 ounces package of Oreo cookies, crushed
* 2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (or a big block of dipping chocolate that you can get at Maceys or somewhere else like a candy dipping store)
* 1 tablespoon shortening (except I think shortening is sort of sick so I don't use it usually)

Oreo Balls Recipe Instructions

Mix cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy. Add the crushed Oreos and beat on high until well mixed. Chill for at least 2 hours in the freezer. Then roll Oreo cookie mix into one inch Oreo Balls.

Next, melt the chocolate chips and shortening with a double boiler (why would you use a double boiler if the other option is a microwave?) or in the microwave.

Dip the Oreo balls completely into the melted chocolate using tongs or a toothpick.

Put on wax paper. After the Oreo balls harden, keep them in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3 or 4 dozen Oreo Balls, depending on the size

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Santa Baby

This is Mr. Santa with a little marshmallow and butter and cereal.
Is it weird how marshmallow is spelled? I think it's weird.
Please deliver these to my door.

* 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
* - OR -
* 4 cups miniature marshmallows
* 6 cups Rice Krispies®
* Canned frosting or decorating gel
* Assorted candies

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool slightly. Using 4-inch cookie cutter coated with cooking spray cut into Santa faces. Decorate wtih frosting and/or candies. Best if served the same day.

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Guacamole

This is for Ann Dee so she will quit bugging me about it.

Mash 2 pitted and peeled avacados with fork. Stir in 1 tablespoon grated onion (or more), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon chili powder. Spread 1/3 cup mayo over mixture sealing to edges of the bowl; chill. At serving time, blend mayo into mixture.

Makes 1 and 1/2 cups.

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Quick Posole

This is a great remedy for turkey and potato overload. It is good with or without chicken.

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

3 tablespoons oil

1-2 chicken breasts

1 (10 oz) can red or green enchilada sauce

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 cups (or more) chicken broth

1 can diced green chilies

2 (15 oz) cans white hominy

In a 3 to 4 quart pan, brown the chicken until nearly done in the oil, remove to a plate. Add garlic and onion to pot and saute one minute or less, cube chicken and add to pot. Add enchilada sauce, oregano, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add hominy, reheat to simmer. Add garnishes of choice to serve.

soup garnishes:

iceberg lettuce

lime wedges

sliced radish

queso fresco (or monterey jack)

cilantro

tortilla strips

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Christmas Prep Party

Hey Utah People and People Who Want to Fly to Utah for This Event . . .



We're thinking with the holiday rush it might be fun to get together for a Christmas Prep Party. We're thinking this Friday at Megan's house.
We're thinking around seven.
We're thinking if you want more details click below, otherwise, we love you and all your recipes.

Here's some things that we could/should do at the PARTY:
1. Sit around and eat Christmasy food (that we each bring to share, along with the recipe, of course)
2. Make presents--bring your current project along.
3. Teach each other how to make presents (can you knit a scarf? Can you make an earrings? Please teach us how . . .)
4. Sell stuff to each other (actually I don't want to knit a scarf but I'll buy the scarf you knitted or the earrings you made, etc.)
5. Get rid of stuff that maybe someone else might want (I have this rocking vase that I know you want to give you grandma and what about that old Lego set? Ehh?)
6. Wrap presents (bring your supplies)
7. Order stuff together so that we can split the shipping.
8. Sit around and eat Christmasy food*

If you want to come (and you know you do) email Ann Dee at anndeeellis@gmail.com
Come even if you are shy, you'll be happy you did.

*this is the only mandatory thing. If we end up sitting around eating and watching Project Runway reruns, the night will a success.

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Cranberry Salsa

This is a fun recipe for Thanksgiving. Something a little different...

Cranberry Salsa

1 pkg. fresh cranberries
3/4 C sugar
1 medium jalapeno
1 green onion
1-2 T cilantro
1/4 t cumin

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until coarsely shopped. Store in fridge over night to allow flavors to blend.
Serve with tortilla chips or crackers and cream cheese. A perfect little appetizer.

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turkey & broccoli weeknight stir-fry*

I spent a few days over the weekend traveling for work and eating delicious restaurant food but very few vegetables, and got home with a major broccoli craving. Threw this together tonight, and it's very quick, easy, healthy, and delicious. It makes about four servings.



Read on for the complicated instructions...

You will need:

1 package of Jenni-O turkey breast tenderloins (when these go on sale, I always get two or three and throw them in the freezer). You could also use a pound or so of boneless chicken breasts.

1 package of steam-in-the bag broccoli florets (like Broccoly Wokly). This is easiest, but not cheapest. For cheapest, just get a bunch of broccoli. The bag is 12 oz. of florets, but precision is not important.

onion and/or garlic (optional - like half an onion, 1 clove of garlic) Fresh ginger would also be good.

some kind of interesting Asian sauce in a bottle. I used Whole Foods peanut sauce. Thai red curry would also be good. Or teriyaki.

soy or tamari sauce

some broth or water

some kind of oil (I used peanut)

cooked rice (I use brown, and I use a rice cooker, which makes this whole thing easy)




If you're using onion and/or garlic, chop it. Cut the turkey or chicken into bite-sized chunks. Follow the instructions on the broccoli bag, or otherwise cook in microwave to your likeing. Heat a large pan over medium heat, add about a T. of oil, then the turkey, onion, garlic. Stir, then add maybe 1/2 cup liquid (broth or water). Splash some soy or tamari sauce in at this point - not too much! When the broccoli is done, add that to the pan. Stir-fry some more, adding liquids as necessary. When the turkey or chicken is cooked through, serve over rice and top with your desired amount of bottled Asian sauce. If you don't have or don't like a pre-made sauce, a blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and some peanut butter would work. I sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on mine to make it look pretty. The whole process (not counting the rice, which cooked on a timer while I was gone during the afternoon) took about fifteen minutes.

*Also known as the "post-travel colon cleanse."

(Also, I know I'm messing up the thing where the post gets divided into two sections. The template makes half my font size really teeny tiny then when I fix it, the break goes away. Sorry!)

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A Better Cranberry "Sauce"

2 cups frozen fresh cranberries
1 Tablespoon orange rind zest
Two or more whole oranges, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup or more cane sugar

Simply process all ingredients together in a food processor and voila! Eat immediately for a frostily sweet-tart refreshment or store in closed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and serve juicily with turkey and stuffing later on.

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Great Thanksgiving Salad

I went to a shower the other night. Not so much to go to a shower but to get out of the house. Alone. It was fantastic. But here was the best part: This Salad. I got the last plateful of it and couldn't get over its flavors. Granted, it could be pregnancy or hormones or whatever. But still, I hunted down the recipe and can't wait to make it. It will be on our Thanksgiving table. And it's nice that you can buy the dressing or make it. Whichever you prefer. I might try both.

Pistachio Salad

Mixed greens
Cubed chicken breast (I would omit if just a side salad)
Red grapes, halved
Dried cranberries
Pistachio nuts
Goat cheese (soft chevre style), sliced into about 1 oz. slices
Dark cherry balsamic vinaigrette (bottles may be purchased at Nordstrom cafe or recipe follows)

Mix greens, cubed chicken breast, red grape halves, Craisins, and pistachios together. Right before serving, toss with Dark Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette. Place on serving plates. Warm goat cheese by placing slices on foil lined baking pan. Broil on high for about 4 minutes (6-8 inches from heat source) or until cheese is just heated through and faintly browned. Place one heated slice goat cheese atop each serving salad. If this is too much time/work/effort just buy the crumbled goat cheese instead. Still really good.

Dark Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. minced roasted (or sautéed) garlic
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup canola oil
Kosher (or sea) salt
Freshly ground pepper

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the balsamic vinegar and sugar to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cherry preserves and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and let cool. When room temperature, whisk in the red wine vinegar and then the canola oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Or buy it at Nordstrom.

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Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

This is kind of a cheat, because it is really just the recipe on the back of the Tollhouse bag. Then why am I posting it you, ask? Because two easy modifications made these turn out kind of semi-gourmet...

1) I used the chocolate chunks instead of the chips and 2) I used chopped hazelnuts for the nuts. I'd never actually noticed chopped hazelnuts in the store before, but there they were in their not-so-festive Kroger bag. Maybe it's a new item, or maybe I just haven't been paying attention. Anyway, hazelnuts have a distinct flavor that makes these taste like not-your-average cookie.

Also: we are a household of two, and don't really have sweets during the week, so I only baked about half the batch. The rest, I double-wrapped in plastic then put in a labeled Ziploc for the freezer. So we can have yummy homemade cookies all over again in a couple of weeks without all the work.

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New Podcast

New Podcast - Jewel is killing me!

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Moroccan Chicken Pot Pie

This is sort of a cross-post from my other cooking blog, where I'm trying to cook my way through my collection of cookbooks and magazines (which will never happen even if I live to be 250). I really liked it, but am not sure how kid-friendly it would be. Also, note in my comments that though the recipe says 6-8 servings, that is a laughably conservative estimate. 

Here's the link to the post, picture, and recipe!

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Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

I adore apple cake and this is my favorite apple cake recipe. Tangy apples are surrounded by moist, cinnamon-laced cake and then it's glazed with lovely caramel. It's even better on day 2 or 3 and it serves a lot of poeple. So good. (I make it without nuts and it's just as good.)
http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1120896

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Sweet Pork and Pineapple Enchiladas

For the enchiladas:

1 recipe Pulled Pork (below)

10 soft taco size tortillas, trimmed by 1 1/2 inches on both sides

1/2 can pineapple tidbits

8 oz. Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

For the sauce:

4 Tbl, olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 28 oz. can tomato sauce

1/2 can pineapple tidbits and juice

2-4 pablano peppers in adobo sauce, depending on how spicey you like it

salt and pepper to taste

In a small frying pan, saute garlic and onion in about 4 Tbl. olive oil until golden, 5-8 minutes. Pour in to blender. Wipe frying pan clean with paper towel and reserve for next step. To blender, add tomato sauce, pineapple and juice, peppers and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour half of the sauce in a 9X13 baking dish. Set the rest aside.

Cut 1 1/2 inch edges off two sides of the tortillas (refer to picture). In small frying pan, heat 1 cup vegetable oil on med-high and lightly fry tortillas on both sides for 30-45 seconds and drain/cool on papertowel-lined plate. Set aside. (This step is optional and reserved for those who don't mind squandering their health sometimes. It really adds to the texture and taste.) Once cooled, place about 1/2 cup of pulled pork, a few pinches of cheese and pineapple in each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seamside down in baking dish. You should get about 10 enchiladas to fit. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and bake in 350* oven for 35 minutes until golden and bubbly. For the last 10 minutes, sprinkle with cheese and bake until melty goodness. Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Easy Pulled Pork

1 3-3 1/5 lb. pork butt or shoulder roast, bone-in

Rub: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbl. cumin, 2 Tbl. paprika, 1 Tbl. each Onion and Garlic Powder, 1 Tbl. thyme, 2 Tbl. salt, 1 tsp. cayenne

Rub pork thouroughly with spice rub, cover and let refrigerate overnight. Let pork warm to room temperature, preheat oven to 250* and bake covered for 6-7 hours. Pull apart with forks and serve on sandwiches, tacos, etc.

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New Episode of "Cooking for One With Katy"

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Squash Rolls (for Thanksgiving, or any time)

I made these a couple of Thanksgivings ago, and they are very, very yummy. A nice change from your regular white yeast rolls, and kind of cheerfully orange, too. The squash gives them a moistness and sweetness that goes great with turkey. And SO good if you have leftover rolls and and leftover turkey and a dab of cranberry sauce for a snack! It's from an old Betty Crocker book. When I made them, I used the frozen pureed butternet squash option.

Squash Rolls
4 1/2 - 5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups very warm milk (120-130 degrees...I don't have a thermometer so I just heated it on the stove and kept testing with a finger. my finger.)
1 cup mashed cooked winter squash (or 1 cup frozen squash, thawed and brought to room temp)
2 T. butter

Mix 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add milk, squash and butter. Beat on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; kneed about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 1/2 hours until doubled.

Grease 24 medium muffin cups. Punch down dough; divide into 24 equal pieces. Shape each piece in to 3 smooth balls. Place 3 balls in each muffin cup. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes or until doubled.*

Heat oven to 400. Bake 15-20 minutes or until light brown.

*This is just one way to do it, obviously. They come out looking like Parker House rolls if you do it that way, very classy. You could also make free-form rolls, or what my grandma called "pocketbook rolls" - flattened then folded over. Or butterhorn shape, if you have the patience for that.

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Rosemary Garlic Focaccia

This recipe is tried and true, super easy and highly rewarding. The smell alone....

Rosemary Garlic Focaccia
makes 2 round loaves or 1 sheet pan


2 cups warm water (105-115*)
4 tsp sugar
4 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbl olive oil
5-6 cups flour
3 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1-2 Tbl fresh garlic, minced or chopped
Cornmeal

In a Kitchenaid or Bosche, combine water, sugar and yeast. Let the yeast activate until frothy about 5 minutes. Add oil, flour, rosemary, salt and garlic, and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is just slightly sticky. Scrap out into a large, oiled bowl and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450*. Prepare two 8-9 inch cake pans or one 10x15 in baking sheet with Pam and a sprinkling of cornmeal. Divide the dough and drop in the prepared pans. Grease your fingers with olive oil and press the dough down to the edges. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes until golden. Pull and tear or cut into squares, wedges. Best served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (Freezes well up to two months)

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Impromptu Salad

It was the day after Halloween. Garbage gut was in full effect and I was pillaging the fridge and cupboards for something non-candy and this is what happened: mixed greens, leftover green apple slices used to make Monster Mouths at my daughter's class party, a near empty and soon-to-expire tub of blue cheese, and gorgeous golden raisins from the bins at Sunflower Market. I finished it off with my favorite vinegarette and a drizzle of honey. Sometimes the best things aren't planned.

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Tin Angel Cafe, Salt Lake

So, hi, I am Sara and I know Ann Dee from Writing and she knows I like food, cooking, eating, thinking about eating, and pictures of food, so she invited me to join in. I'm enjoying all the posts and am now a big fan of Katy's cooking show, especially the soundtrack.

Anyway, today I ate lunch for the second time at the Tin Angel Cafe, and it's now one of my new favorites in Salt Lake City. (I realize that sort of sounds like I had two lunches today. Only one. It was the second time I ate there.) It's especially convenient for you gals coming from the south on I-15 because it's practically right off the highway - so if you are coming to town, give yourself an extra hour to stop here for lunch or dinner (dinner is a lot more expensive). I failed to take pictures of my lunch (what was I thinking???) but here are my thoughts...

First of all, it's a unique space with lots of paintings and things by local artists. Both times I've been, the service is great...friendly but not too friendly (HI MY NAME IS CHUCK I'LL BE YOUR WAITER). It's cozy. A little loud when it gets busy. I met a friend there today at 11:30 and that was perfect. By the time we left it was getting very crowded and noisy. The first time I went I had one of the specials, which happened to be a house0made chick-pea burger that was very tasty - kind of like falafel with not quite so much tahini in it. I had it with a cup of butternut squash soup that was highly yummy.

Today I was craving MEAT, maybe because it was pouring down snow and 30 degrees out? I ordered something I had my eye on the first time I went:

House Roasted Lamb Ciabatta, described as "Slow roasted Lamb with Feta Cheese, Balsamic-Red Onion Jam and Pesto served on Toasted Ciabbata Bread." I had it with the side salad and told the server to tell the chef to pick whatever dressing he thought would go best. This was maybe the best sandwich I have ever had in my life. I really love lamb when it's done right but never cook it at home. It was almost like a pulled pork kind of sandwich, but with lamb and pesto instead of pork and bbq sauce, and the onion jam and feta gave it nice sharpness. The lamb was tender and juicy but not greasy. Warm but not hot - just the right temperature to show off the flavors. The bread was obviously fresh and locally made. Mmmmmmm. Another thing I like about this place is that the servings are not GIANT.

There is a small parking lot on the north side of the building. Maybe the north side. Directions are not my strength. They also do Sunday brunch.

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A New Request

Not to be pushy but I really really want some Indian food recipes: curry, naan, etc. I tried to make curry the other night and while it made the house smell quite fragrant and saturated my newly washed hair (very sad), it didn't really taste all that great. ALSO, what about some Thanksgiving love? Or how to use your food storage love (possibly could be combined with Indian food love? Garbanzo beans?)? Maybe? I think that's all. Happy Vote Day.

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Cute enough to eat . . . Baby A

I know this is not exactly the site for this post, but it was the easiest way for you all to see how very cute Ann Dee's little guy is. I offered to take some shots of baby A when I first ran into Ann Dee and I was so happy when she called and took me up on the offer! I am a photographer, but I don't shoot babies or children very often (except my own, of course). I offer this to many of my friends who have newborns, but it was especially fun to do it for an old freind. There are more on my blog: http://charolettewinder.typepad.com/
It is a private blog, but the pass and user name are both my last name (see if you can figure it out from the web address).

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Soft Pretzels

This is a great recipe for pretzels, but can also be used to make cinnamon sugar twists, bread sticks, crazy bread, or even great dipping bread. Very quick and easy. Kids love it because they can play with the dough and make shapes, etc. Enjoy!

Igredients:

1 Tsp. dry yeast

1 1/2 C. warm water

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

4 C. flour

Directions:

Mix all ingredients (either by hand or in bread mixer). Knead by hand until smooth texture. Divide into 8 pieces. Shape into pretzel shape (or kid's initials, twists, bread sticks, the list goes on). Baste with 1 beaten egg. Sprinkle with course salt (opt.) or after baking coat with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (hhhmmmm). Bake 10-12 min. at 450 or until golden brown. (That's right, no time needed for rising, just make and bake; they puff right up in the oven). Time: 20 min. (baking time included)

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Pumpkin Soup

Velvet Pumpkin Soup
What could be more seasonal in October than pumpkin? And my father-in-law grew it in his yard. Perfect!!

I went out to my porch and picked a medium sized pumpkin. I split it in half and roasted it cut side down on a cookie sheet in the oven for about an hour at 400". It gave me 5 generous cups of pumpkin which I used to make a double batch of soup. I cut down the cayenne to only about an 1/8 tsp. for a double batch. With the curry it was the perfect spiciness for my taste.

If your pumpkins aren't moldy after Halloween is over you can cut them up and roast them or boil them (let the pumpkin cool and then scrape the pulp off the skin). You will end up with lots of cooked pumpkin to make cookies, soup, muffins etc. You can even freeze it and use it for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. It substitutes 1 to 1 for canned pumpkin and tastes so much better!!



Velvet Pumpkin Soup
"The name of this soup refers to its texture, not its taste. Though it's smooth in the mouth, it's fiery on the tongue! Red pepper, garlic, coriander and curry give this soup its heat. "

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
3 cups chicken broth
16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin (or squash)
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Melt butter or margarine in a large saucepan, and sauté garlic and onions till golden brown. Add curry powder, salt, coriander, and cayenne pepper; simmer gently for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

Add pumpkin, stirring till smooth. Add evaporated milk. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes; don't allow soup to boil (but a simmer is OK).

In batches, transfer soup to blender or food processor. Process till very smooth. Serve hot.

The recipe is from King Arthur Flour.

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Easy Schmeasy Punkineasy

Have you ever made these Pumpkin Cookies? They're the easiest things in the world.


3 ingredients. That's it!

Pumpkin Cookies

1 Spice Cake Mix
1 Large can of Pumpkin (29 oz.)
Chocolate Chips
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min. on a greased cookie sheet.

That's it people. Easy huh?
Happy Halloween!

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Pork and Sauerkraut

Today my house smells like Christmas because I made this for dinner tonight. It is the easiest recipe in the world! My mom usually makes this for Christmas every year. And we always have kraut for Thanksgiving too. It's just so good. (I considered posting the picture I took of our meal but YIKES! it didn't look so good.)

Pork and Sauerkraut
2 ingredients. That's it!

1 Pork Tenderloin or Roast (I get smallish ones since I'm just feeding 4 people)
1 Can or Jar of Sauerkraut

Put in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
Disclaimer: This dish really smells up your house. I don't recommend making it when you're pregnant.

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Easy, Yummy, Sloppy Joes

I'm not sure where my mom picked up this recipe for sloppy joes, but they're way easy, and not your traditional joe.

~Brown and drain 1 lb. of hamburger
~Pour in one can of Campbell's Chicken Gumbo soup
~Add 1 cup of ketchup (more or less to taste)
~Add 1/4 cup of mustard (more or less to taste)
~Simmer 5 minutes
~Eat!

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Super Easy Chicken Enchiladas That I Make All the Time and Freeze So That I Can Be Lazy

This recipe is a family staple because even toddler will eat it. Plus one time we tripled it (maybe? I don't really measure the ingredients because you don't have to) and we ended up with thirty individual enchiladas. It was awesome. I don't know if you'll like it because maybe it's a burrito not an enchilada because I don't know what the difference is and this one doesn't have enchilada sauce so maybe it's a black bean and chicken burrito. I don't know. The end.

1 can black beans (15 oz)
3 C roasted chicken meat (or whatever. Just shredded chicken meat or any other meat)
2 T chopped fresh cilantro (or half the bunch or the whole bunch or whatever you like)
2 C shredded jalapeno Jack or Monterey Jack cheese (or whatever you have)
1 jar (about 10 oz) prepared salsa (this is where you can really go crazy. Use homemade, use Pace Picante, use Smith brand, use peach salsa--Your choice)
8 large flour tortillas (or 10 small ones or tons of little little ones)

In a mixing bowl combine the beans, chicken, cilantro, 1/2 the cheese (or most of it), and 1/2 of the salsa (or more if you feel like it). Then you fill each tortilla with 1/2 C of the chicken mixture. Roll it up and place the seam side down on a foil lined baking pan (if you want to cook (or freeze) a whole pan--I always sprinkle cheese on top of each one and wrap them individually in foil and then put them in freezer bags and voila!) and put the rest of the cheese on top. Cook at 350 for twenty minutes or until heated through (or pop them in the microwave (foil removed, of course) for two minutes or so) and eat with remaining salsa. The end again.

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Whole Wheat Love

D- this is the wheat bread that I make every week. I have it now so that I can make 5 loaves of bread, bake them and clean up in exactly an hour.

This recipe is a combination of my mother's and my mother in laws recipes. So much of it is just practicing and perfecting it in your own way. The amount of flour you use can be different each time depending on even the humidity in the air. So, you have to learn what consistency of dough performs best and the only way you can do that is trial by error.

5 cups of hot water
1 to 2 Tbs salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey

Mix these ingredients for thirty seconds in a mixer

Add 5 cups of whole wheat flour, mix
Add 3 more cups of flour, mix
Add 3 TBS of SAF instant yeast (it is the same thing as bread machine yeast)If you do not use INSTANT be sure to soak your yeast in a little bowl of warm water before you put it in.
Add 2-3 cups more of flour (you want to use around 12 cups total of flour)

Knead dough on high for five minutes
Turn dough onto a well greased surface and split dough into four equal parts
Form into well greased pans (I spray with natural pam stuff)
Set oven to WARM
Put loaves into oven and let raise for 15-20 minutes or so then bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

I love to add Irish Oatmeal to my bread, my mother in law also swears that dough enhancer makes a difference, it is too expensive for me but I think it is basically gluten.

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Invites and Wheat Bread

Dear Micah, Ann, and Kathy,
I sent out invites for you three but you have not yet accepted. Did you get the invites? Are they not working? I want it to work. And Charolette, please get me your email address so I can invite you too. And anyone else who feels like it.

Also, wheat bread. I have a recipe that is good. Really good. But the list of ingredients is lengthy (gluten, powdered milk, dough enhancer, etc. etc.). I can post it if any of you are interested but what I'm interested are tried and true recipes for wheat bread with less ingredients. Meg gave me one but I'm collecting. Please? And thank you.

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Cooking for One with Katy

My first Video Podcast! Check it out here.

If you subscribe to this podcast and use iTunes to watch the episodes you'll be able to see them in a larger screen.

If you want to be a guest cook on my show... leave a comment and tell me what you want to cook.


This of course was Ann Dee's idea. She knows that if we can find a way for me to get a lot of attention and to play with technology I might just stay motivated to cook. Thanks to Megan for shopping with me and helping me cook dinner last night. Thanks to Milli for inviting me over to make dinner with her on Monday night - I'm looking forward to it.

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Teryiaki Grilled Chicken

Duane's parents make this chicken all of the time. It is delicious and easy. When I started eating meat again after I had Jane, it was this chicken and only this chicken that I liked to eat because the flavors are so strong - it didn't taste like chicken.

6 chicken breasts I like the breasts thin. I fillet them and Duane's parents mash them flat with a meat tenderizer. The thought of owning a "meat tenderizer" is a little gruesome to me but just thin your breasts however you would like.
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup olive oil
1 can 7-up
Tons of fresh garlic minced
Lots of fresh ginger

Marinade the chicken over night and grill.

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Red Looks-Like-Blood Cookies

I didn't take a picture because they were too scary.

1 Red Velvet Cake Mix
1/3 C oil
2 Eggs
Mix

Add chocolate chips if you feel like it. Or whatever else you want.

Cook at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Hand them out to spook people.

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Whole Wheat Light&Fluffy Pancakes

I realize we already have a pancake recipe on here, but Tod made these this morning and I can't hold back. Try them sometime.

Light&Fluffy Pancakes

1 ½ to 2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons oil


4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix wet ingredients together well in one bowl. Combine dry ingredients in another. Add together and stir until mixture is even. Blueberries, raspberries, or flaxseed can be delicious in the batter as well.

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Join Us

Seriously. If you would like to join, please comment. I promise I will be really good about sending out invites this time. I'm not so savvy and I'm completely flaky at times (although at other times I'm quite on top of things--it goes in cycles) but I want you all to know we want you. We need you. So let me know if you'd like to join and include your email. I'll send along an invite. The End.

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Souper Bowl/Project Runway/Halloween Extravaganza

In honor of my love of all things October/Soupy/Project Runway, I am hosting a Souper Bowl.

The Rules:
You bring a soup.
There will be lots of soups.
We all take small samples of each soup.
We all vote.
There are winners.

There will be lots of categories so even if you are not a good souper, you could win something. The Project Runway/Halloween Details do not involve soup and thus do not belong on a food blog so I will hold off. However, if you are interested in participating, and you know you are, please say aye. Sorry for all my girls who live so far far away. Maybe you could package your soup and send it along?

Oh, and I'm thinking later October. Weekend before the big day? Maybe?

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Bean Salad

If you like beans you'll love this bean salad recipe. So easy and so good. Perfect for a party, great for a picnic. I'm even considering putting it into a pita and making a bean salad sandwich. That's just how much I love this bean salad. I usually serve it with a big bag of Frito's for dipping.

Bean Salad

1 can of kidney beans, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
Catalina dressing (start with 1/4 C. Add more if necessary.)
salt to taste

Throw everything into a bowl. Stir it up. Chill in refrigerator 5+ hours. Enjoy!
And then feel good about getting your legumes for the day!

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HELP

I just bought this book.

I'm actually getting a bit sick of eating out. Did I say that out loud? No - I just typed it in a public blog post. So anyway, I'm asking for your help - all you domestic diva chicks.

I need some recipes that fit these requirements (in the order of most importance):

1. easy & fast
   
2. portions for one or two
   
3. good (by good I mean yummy)
4. healthy - notice that this is my last priority but I do sorta care about it. However I am not willing to sacrifice taste. Gotta remember to be intuitive!

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Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these tonight. They are pretty delicious. If you're into that sort of thing. I also made this weird pear couscous thing and I'm not sure if it's good. I asked Cam and he said it was good but he says everything is good and I think it might actually be gross. But maybe gross good? I don't think I'll post it. ALSO and off cookies and couscous topic, I'm thinking of having a SOUPER BOWL in October.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 C Unsalted butter
1 C Sugar
1 C Light Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 eggs
2 Cups sifted Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 C Flour
1/2 C Oatmeal
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 C Milk chocolate chips

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter & sugars in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix in vanilla & eggs. Combine flours, baking soda & salt. Gradually blend flour mixture into butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and drop onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with silpat or that has been greased. Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before placing on a wire rack.

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Tres Leche Picture

I found this picture from last year.

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Tres Leche

You may all make Tres Leche regularly already but in case you don't . . . it is so yummy! Duane's birthday is today and I have made it every year for his birthday so I thought I would post the recipe.

It is a very easy cake to make but so dang good you will be licking the pan. I will tell you how we do it but there are many varying ways. The basic idea is to soak cake in three different milks.

1 white cake mix (boxed) Make the cake according to package directions and let cool.
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups cream
fresh seasonal fruit (lots of it!)

Poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Mix all three of the milks together in a pitcher, stir well then slowly pour milk mixture over the entire cake. Try your hardest to make sure the milk is sopped up in equal portions over the entire cake. Cover the top of the cake with sliced, or diced or chopped fruit. My favorite fruit for this cake is strawberries, kiwis and mangoes. Tonight I did pineapple and nectarines because I had them. Be sure to serve the cake as cold as you can. It is yummy!

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Pork Chops with Chipotle, Onions and Cream

If it's the last thing you do this week, make these pork chops. I'm serious. Here's how...

Pork Chops with Chipotle, Onions and Cream

1 T olive oil
4 pork chops (whatever kind you like. I like thin-ish boneless ones.)
1 lrg yellow onion (cut into wedges)
1 T McCormick Gourmet Collection Chipotle Chile Pepper seasoning (apparently this is found in the spice section at your local grocer. I haven't ever found it. BUT I did find a McCormick Chipotle marinade pack (usually near the little packs of taco seasoning, maybe gravy mix stuff, crock pot seasoning stuff. Do you know what I'm talking about?) I have also just used some spices from the cupboard too (like a steak rub or even Season All. Whatever I have.)
1/2 t salt
1 C heavy cream
2 T fresh cilantro, minced

Cook chops, onion, chipotle seasonings in oil in pan. Cook thoroughly. Remove chops (throw them on a plate or something.) In same pan add remaining ingredients, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the goodness up. Heat and then add chops back into sauce. YUM!
It's really good on rice.

I make this almost every week. Everyone loves it including the kids. Hope you enjoy it too!

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How can I get famous? and Peach Salsa

You guys, I just found this whole huge list of food blogs and this one lady, she's totally famous because she decided to cook in her crockpot for 365 days straight. So now she's famous. I was thinking, what should I make or cook or do 365 days in row that would make me famous? Because I want to be. Bad. Maybe I should make a different jam a day. Or smoothies? Salad dressings? Desserts? Halloween decorations?
Help.
Also, here's a recipe for peach salsa that we've been making and canning the past two weeks. Cam does most the work and I sit at the table and watch. It's good. Really good.

6 cups peaches -- diced
1 1/4 cups red onion -- chopped
4 jalapeno peppers -- chopped
1 red bell pepper -- chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro -- loosely packed
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey -- or sugar
3 cloves garlic -- finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Cut all these up and put in a pot. We tripled our recipe the last time we made it and it barely fit in our big big pot. We also used a food processor that we found in a cupboard that we both forgot we had. Our neighbor gave it to us and we'd never used it. The first time we made the salsa we did A LOT of chopping and it took like fifty hours but I liked the consistency a bit better. And it wasn't really fifty hours because it was only like an hour but I was nine point eight months pregnant and tired.
Cam recommends gloves when chopping.



Simmer for 5 minutes. Pack into hot jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (0-1000 ft.), 15 minutes (1001-6000 ft.), and 20 minutes (above 6000 ft.).

What it looks like before you put it in bottles:

another picture. because I have it.

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Lemon Fusilli with Arugula (or whatever vegetables you want) adapted from Ina Garten

This is another great recipe for the harvest season. Holly asked for it a long time ago but I was lazy. You can adapt it however you want.


Lemon Fusilli with Arugula
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups heavy cream (you can do half and half if you're worried about the fat)
3 lemons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli (you can actually put whatever vegetables you want--I add zucchini, banana squash, peppers, whatever I have and it's always delicious).
1 pound dried fusilli pasta
1/2 pound baby arugula (or 2 bunches of common arugula, leaves cut in thirds)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside. (See, I omit this whole step and just throw in my zucchini, etc. in with the pasta. You could also saute them or roast them before if you want).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

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Oat Chip Banana Bread

Check me out... here I go...
This is a yummy banana bread recipe. At least I think it is. And Ann Dee says she likes it too. It's delicious with or without the chocolate chips. (Sorry no picture. Not that fancy yet.)

1/2 C Shortening
1 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 C Mashed Ripe Banana (3-4 med.)
2 C Flour
1 C Oats
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
In a large mixing bowl cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg. Add bananas. Mix well. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in Chocolate Chips. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min. or until toothpick comes out clean

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Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Here is another great recipe for your end of the summer garden harvest. This is chock full of yummy garden produce, it is fast, delicious and beautiful. Again, I am sorry I don't have a beautiful picture to put with this - just use your imagination!

1 large zucchini
1 large yellow squash
3-4 roma tomatoes
Any variety and color of bell pepper
1 TBS capers
Tons of fresh basil chopped
2-3 chicken breasts but it is good without the chicken
olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic minced
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Cut everything up into large chunks, Place veggies and meat on a large cookie sheet pour enough olive oil and balsamic vinegar to cover everything (probably several TBS of each but don't use too little, you want to coat everything and have enough liguid to allow everything to steam). Add the garlic and basil (if you prefer, you can add the basil after the veggies are cooked for a fresh powerful flavor. I have cooked the basil and added it after - both ways are delish!)and salt and pepper liberally. Mix everything together really well. Turn your oven on to High Broil or if you would rather roast everything slower just turn your oven to 425 degrees. Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through. Remove from oven and pull off the tomato peels. Add to a large pot of your favorite cooked pasta, I prefer bow tie for this recipe. Toss well with fresh Parmesan and serve with bread to sop up the yummy balsamic juice.
You can omit or add any veggies that you think would be yummy.

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Zucchini Carrot Muffins

I find that I don't post because I never have pictures. To heck with pictures - I am going to post without one today. I just made these muffins this morning and they are awesome!

Zucchini is probably pouring out of many of your ears right now so here is one way to use it. These muffins are also a great way to get your picky eater's to get some veggies. They do however have a lot of sugar and oil and white flour so . . . you can substitute with healthier alternatives if you feel so inclined. I use half wheat flour but they are too heavy if you use all wheat flour. I have used honey instead of sugar before but it takes sooo much honey and honey is expensive! If you figure out how to make these healthier and still yummy let me know! I make these in my mini muffin tins and Kate and Jane pop them in their mouths. Enjoy!

2 Cups shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrot
1 apple cored and diced
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 Tbs cinnamon or less, depending on how cinnamony you want it
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

Mix everything together, the batter is pretty runny. Bake at 350 until they are done.

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Lon's BBQ

Warning: Orem store does not have a fryer!

I ate for the first time ever at the Orem location and I was so bummed when I learned that they did not have a fryer which meant, NO FRIED CAULIFLOWER or fries or anything else fried. I got a pulled pork sandwich and coleslaw. The best pulled pork I have EVER had was in Lexington, NC with Kim and Duane only a week or so ago. Lon's is OK - better BBQ than the Smokehouse but I have had better BBQ in Texas, Oklahoma, and NC. As far as I can see it, the only reason to go to Lon's is for the fried cauliflower.

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Megan's Chicken Fajitas (oh so fresh)

This is a favorite at our house and it's full of fresh ingredients. You'll never make fajitas another way again...

4-6 boneless chicken breasts

One pack McCormick Grill Mates seasoning pack (I prefer Citrus Lime, but they are all good)

For Pico de Gallo: 4 tomatoes, 1 yellow onion, bunch of cilantro, 1-2 tsp salt, 1 Tbs lemon juice

Four avocados (chunked)

Colby Jack cheese

Combine the chicken breasts and all the juice into a 9x13 glass pan; marinate the chicken all day (or overnight). Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. While baking, cut avocado into bite sized chunks and shred Colby Jack cheese. Make pico de gallo by dicing all ingredients and combining. Warm flour tortillas. When chicken comes out of the oven, I slice it into long strips and leave it in the pan in the juice to serve from...so dang good. Thanks, Megan.

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Cranberry Chicken

Aka: Four ingredients and dinner's ready...

I'm actually making this tonight with some cornbread and watermelon. Delish.

1 small container Russian dressing
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup
1 can whole cranberries
4-6 chicken breasts

Combine first three ingredients in a bowl and pour over rinsed chicken in a 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over rice, serve with a nice salad, whatever you want. I want cornbread and watermelon.

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Beef Tacos

Want an easy, CHEAP, DELICIOUS DINNER? AND, do you want to see pictures I took of this actual dinner?! I never thought I'd take food pictures, but I did. And I feel okay about it...




Once again, this is another Megan recipe. My good friend Megan gives me the best ideas and best recipes so I owe yet another one to her. Beef tacos (maybe not a meal for our organic, natural, no preservatives or out-of-the can friends)(I know you're out there and you won't like this), but the rest of you should try this:

First you need some small yellow corn tortillas...

And then a few cans of this (I know, I know -- canned beef?! But it's good.)(I use two cans for two people and there's always extra). Combine two cans of (drained) beef with one can of sweet corn (drained)...heat up over medium heat. You can add onion, too, but I usually don't.

While you're heating up the meat, lay a few tortillas on the skillet and grate some cheese over them to melt on medium heat.
Once your tortillas are a little crispy, add some meat in the middle and top it with whatever you like. I top with tomato and avocado (sometimes sour cream, sometimes just tomato...whatever I have). And there it is! Very delicious, economical and easy.

Aren't you excited that I took food pictures?! Let me know how you like it.

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Crème Brulee French Toast (aka you will die it's that good)

One time my in-laws stayed at my house for several days.

What was I going to feed them? How would I make them comfortable? What would be easy but DELICIOUS all in one? Simple - I made them the best, most delightful, melt-in-your-mouth French toast and it was a HUGE HIT. Try it and you will not be disappointed. And it's not hard.

Crème Brulee French Toast
(As prepared by Megan Peterson)

½ cup butter
1 cup packed brown suger
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 loaf Texas toast bread (extra thick slices)
5 eggs
1 ½ cups half-and-half cream
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe Syrup Butter (see below)

In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture onto large, greased jelly roll pan (18x13x1 inch). Spread to cover surface. Place 12 slices Texas toast bread in a single layer to cover pan. Mix together eggs, cream, salt and vanilla. Spoon mixture over each piece of bread (NOTE: USE ALL THIS MIXTURE AND COVER EACH PIECE THOROUGHLY. SOAKED). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes. Remove from pan and serve. If not serving immediately, turn each slice of bread over (this will prevent bread from sticking to the bottom of pan). Serve with syrup butter. [ONE MORE NOTE: THE SYRUP BUTTER IS GREAT BUT NOT NECESSARY. THIS DISH IS SWEET AND RICH ON ITS OWN. YOUR CALL.]

Syrup butter:

1 ½ cups butter
3 cups maple syrup.

Melt together and serve over toast.

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Canning Please

If you are canning/bottling/anythinging of that sort sometime soon, I want to invite myself. No biggie. I love to do that sort of stuff but I am definitely not motivated to do it on my own. I guess I could organize something here and actually if you want to do it my house, please, feel free. Just remember, I have a wild one year old and I waddle and sometimes I sweat profusely.
OR
Let's say you don't want to invite me or maybe you don't like sweaty pregnant women (who can blame you?) maybe just post a good salsa recipe on here (one good for canning or just eating). Because I want that too. But maybe you are scared of jalepenos? Don't be. I think the scare is over. Plus you just are supposed to watch out for ones from Mexico. No disrespect, I just read it in the paper.
AND
My husband, you may know him, he's going on a fifty miler with the scouts. For six days. Do you wish you were him? Or me? So if any of you are feeling fancy free one of these next few evenings and want to ditch your family/obligations and sit on my porch with me in the evening cool, let me know.
OK
That's all.

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Local Food

Does anyone know where to get local (meaning within an hours drive from Provo) produce, eggs, dairy, chicken, other meat, etc? I went to the Provo Farmers Market and it was pretty bare. I know about the Springville meat company and I am going to check where the meat they sell comes from. I saw a sign for eggs somewhere in Grandview. I know a place in South Jordan that sells goat cheese. That is about the extent of my knowledge. I want to eat more local foods and I am hoping someone has more information than I do. Millie??? Anyone???

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Citrus Bars

I really love these citrus bars. My aunt made them for a family get together and when I tasted them I knew I had to have the recipe because they were noticeably the best citrus/lemon bars I had ever tried. I called her to get the recipe and she said they were from Martha Stewart. The recipe is for a jelly roll pan (technically a half-sheet size). I was excited about that because I can make a big pan of these and a big pan of Spencer's mom's brownies and have a ton of really good dessert that will please everyone (at least everyone that isn't on a diet:).


Ingredients

Makes 48.

* FOR THE CRUST
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup wheat germ
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound (4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* FOR THE FILLING
* 8 large eggs
* 4 cups granulated sugar
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, confectioners' sugar, and salt. Add butter, and cut in using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers, until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas.
2. Press evenly into a 12 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool.
3. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together, eggs, sugar, and flour. Add lemon and lime juice, lemon and lime zest, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour over cooled crust.
4. Bake until center is set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Will keep, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 2 days.

NOTE: I made the filling in a batter bowl. When it was ready to pour into the crust I set the pan on the oven rack and carefully poured the filling in. I had to slide the rack in after a bit, so it would be level and then even more carefully pour the rest in. This way you aren't trying to move a pan that is really full of liquid into your oven without spilling.

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Black Currant Jam

My neighbor has a ton of black currants. Does anyone have a good jam or jelly recipe? I want to try it.

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Jenny Cook's Granny Smith Applesauce

If I were entering an applesauce contest at this time of year, this is the one I would make.
Buy enough Granny Smith apples (don't substitute another kind) to fill the biggest, heaviest, pot you have (at least 8 quarts). Wash them, and then use an apple corer, peeler, slicer, to core, peel, and slice them. Cut them in 1/2 to make the rings into 1/2 circles. Make sure all the peel is off because it doesn't taste good in the final product. Put all the apples in your pot and put in 1 C to 1 1/2 C water. The water is just to help the apples to steam and start to make their own sauce, so don't worry that it isn't very much water compared to apple. Put in 1/2 cinamon stick at this point if you like cinamon. Turn the burner to Medium-low and then up to Medium if you have to and get them simmering. The apples scortch really easily so you will want to watch them carefully. Stir them with a wooden spoon until they cook to the consistency you want. We like ours really chuncky (about 1/2 sauce and 1/2 chunks). Take the pot off the burner and leave it to cool for an hour or two. Add sugar to taste. We like tart applesauce so we add only 1/4 to 1/3 C per batch.
Once the applesauce is at this point you can always put a little in some cups and then add things like minced crystalized ginger, or more sugar, or anything you can think of, to see if you think it will make your recipe stand out even more for the contest. We make a lot and freeze it. Our favorite way to eat it is to thaw it about 1/2 way and eat it really cold with icy chunks in it. That sounds really good in this heat, maybe I will go check my freezer.

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