Yummy Dressings....

This first dressing is similar to Cafe Rio's dressing or the El Torito dressing. It is a little bit spicy but still so yummy. I can't take credit for it but still I think it is yummy enough to pass on....

Creamy Cilantro Dressing
In your blender or food processor add:
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 tomatillos
then add:
1 C. mayo
1/3 C. buttermilk (or use 1/3 C. whole milk, plus 1 tsp vinegar and let sit for 5 min)
1/4 tsp red pepper (more if desired)
1 pkg dry Ranch Dressing mix
Blend and Chill

This next one reminds me a little of the Balsamic Vinegerette on the Waldorf Chicken Salad at CPK.....not exactly the same but yummy...

Balsalmic Dressin:g
Take one Italian Dressing packet...I used the cheapest one which was the von's store brand.
Instead of using Red wine vinegar use Blasalmic vinegar and I used olive oil. Follow the directions on the packet. Blend in the blender or food processor to get the creamy form of the dressing. You can also add a packet of sweet in low to make it a little more sweet.
This dressing is so yummy and then if you buy the mixed greens at costco you can create your own waldorf chicken salad. So yummy!!

Peach Pie

I grew up with a peach tree. My sisters and I found this recipe years ago so we could make our own yummy peach pies. It is really yummy. I use the Betty Crocker's Buttermilk Pastry for the pie crust. It is so flaky and easy to handle, for the pie crust challenged like myself.

10 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 recipe for a 9 inch double crust pie, use your favorite (I used the Buttermilk Pastry found in Betty Crocker's Cookbook- The BIG RED Cookbook)

1. Mix flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon into crumb stage.

2. Place one crust in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Line the shell with a layer of sliced peaches. Sprinkle some of the crumb mixture on top of the peaches, then put more peaches on top of the crumb mixture. continue layering until both the peaches and the crumb mixture is gone.

3. Top with pie pastry (either a lattice top or covered with some slits cut out for air to escape).

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden. Allow pie to cool before slicing. Best when eaten fresh.

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 1/2 lb. Chicken breast tenders, cut into small bite sized pieces (easier to chop when partially frozen

1/3 cup Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce (I buy it at Costco)

1/8 cup Soy Sauce

1/8 cup Water

2 Tbsp. Oil

1 Tbsp. flour

1- 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained & sliced into strips

1 cup chopped cashews

1 head of lettuce, seperate the leaves

1 package of Maifun Rice Sticks (found in Asain food aisle), fried according to package directions

1. Place chicken in a bowl with Mr. Yoshida's sauce, soy sauce and water. Mix together and let chicken marinade 15-30 minutes.

2. While chicken marinades cook rice sticks, slice water chestnuts, chop cashews, and prepare lettuce.

3. Put oil in a stir-fry pan and put over medium high heat. When oil is hot place the chicken in the oil with the marinde and cook about five minutes. Then add the flour to the chicken and stir.

4. Mix in water chestnuts and cashews and let it cook a minute or two more.

5. Place chicken on lettuce leaves and top with rice sticks. Serve with steamed white or brown rice.

Parmesan Chicken

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com and it is titled "My Mom's Parmesan Chicken".

It was super yummy. I pounded the chicken out a little before I cooked it but next time I would just like to flatten it out a little more. Super moist and super tasty.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (I used four boneless, skinless breasts)

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used white cooking wine)


DIRECTIONS:
Measure salt and pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and bread crumbs into a bag. Shake chicken pieces in bag until well coated.
Oil roasting pan lightly, and arrange chicken in pan. Sprinkle with melted butter or margarine.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and pour wine over all. Cover, and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Must I Do Everything?

So, when we started this blog I thought that my sisters were totally on board with it, but maybe they weren't. Or, maybe they are just as busy this summer as I am. I have been having camera issues again and so I haven't been bloggin the last couple months but I think I am up and running again. I am kidding about the title...I just really wish my sisters would take some time to share some of their super yummy recipes.

Here is a yummy recipes for taquitos that I got years ago. The ingredients may seem a little strange but I promise that they are super yummy for how easy they are to make. My husband loves these! Whenever we have lots of avocados around he asks if I can make some guacamole and these taquitos to go with it.

Taquitos
corn tortillas
canned roast beef
vegetable oil

Heat up a stack of corn tortillas wrapped in a damp kitchen towel in the microwave until soft . Open the roast beef, drain, and break up (shred) into a bowl. With your warm tortilla in hand, place some roast beef on one end and then roll up (be sure not to overstuff--a little meat goes a long way). Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining roast beef and tortillas. Get your vegetable oil heated up in a pan, I use enough to cook up one side of the taquito and then flip when it is nice and brown. Drain on paper towls. Sprinkle with salt if desired and serve with homemade guacamole.

I know that the canned beef ingredient may seem a little strange but these really do have a great flavor.

Homemade Barley Bread & Butter

So the other day Sam and Porter were talking about what it was like for the pioneers without electricity and it sparked this idea that Sam had to make flour from our Barley food storage and to make butter in a jar to go with it. Sam and Porter used a wheat grinder to make the barley into flour.

I then researched recipes that used barley flour and told Sam that most the recipes called for a mix of barley, wheat and white flours. He wanted to use all barley flour and it was very, very dense bread. I won't share the recipe because we won't be making it that way again but Sam said from now on he wants to have some of this barley flour on hand to use in place of parts of regular flour in recipes. I told him I would try it because barley is really supposed to be very good for you.

We did make the butter by shaking about a pint of Heavy Whipping Cream in a jar for a really long time, about twenty minutes. Sam got it to the point of really thick whipped cream and then we decided to do the rest in the mixer. We threw the contents of the jar in our Kitchenaid mixer, put the splash guard on and set it to high until it separated. Once it got to that stage I drained & reserved the liquid (which is buttermilk to use for another recipe) and rinsed the butter and kind of patted it dry. If you have cheesecloth you can put the contents in there and squeeze out the liquid but we didn't have any on hand. Anyway, I then added some salt, to taste and the end result was SUPER yummy, creamy butter that made the SUPER dense barley bread yummy. When we put it on the table Carter said "that looks like butter". I think he was a little confused that we had made it but he sure couldn't keep out of it.

Many of you may have already known how to make your own butter but this was a first for us that surely won't be a last!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies

I am not a huge fan of most cake mix cookies but these, in my opinion, are really yummy!

I got the recipe from my friend Joanna who makes some really good cookies and these are no exception.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies

2 eggs

1/3 c. butter

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 yellow or white cake mix

1 c. chocolate chips

Mix ingredients together and drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet.

Bake @350 for 8-12 minutes.

Carter is definately a huge fan!!!

(you think his face looks chocolatey--you should've seen his clothes)

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas

For those of you who may or may not know, my new found passion is searching food blogs. I love to read cookbooks and so what do I find myself doing now more than anything? That's right, I'm finding lots and lots of yummy recipes on great blogs. I came across this one on The Sisters Cafe, the link is to the right if you want to check it out, and it was a little different and really tasty!

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas



6 Tb honey

4.5 Tb lime juice

1 Tb chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded

flour tortillas

colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded

10 oz. can green enchilada sauce



Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. Let it "marinate" for at least a half hour. Pour some green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 10x10 casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese. (When using a 9x13 I like to use 1 1/2 10 oz. cans) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Put it under the broiler at the end to make the cheese brown and crispy on the top.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I am finally posting a recipe! I can't claim it as my own recipe but it is one of my favorite soup recipes. This is a Rachel Ray recipe so it has a fun name. This chicken tortilla soup is absolutely delicious and it's loaded with veggies! I don't put cheese and sour cream on mine just to keep it a little healthier. This is one of her 30-min. meals. I have actually gotten it down to 35 min. but it is worth it even if it takes a little longer to make.

Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe-Tastic Tortilla Soup

Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 Tbsp. -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream

3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted

1 red bell pepper, split and seeded

1 lb. chicken breast tenders

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. cumin

Salt and pepper

1 small medium zucchini, small dice

1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 to 2 chipotle peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped-- available in small cans in the Mexican and Spanish food section of market

1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces (I usually take some kitchen scissors and chop the tomatoes right in the can since I like smaller tomato chunks)

1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces

3 cups chicken stock

4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces ( I prefer regular round tortilla chips or I make my own by cutting tortillas in half and then into strips and frying them myself)

1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese

1/2 cup cour cream

Optional garnishes:

1/4 red raw onion, chopped

2 to 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat a grill pan to high (I cook the corn and pepper on the bar-b-que grill) and a soup pot to medium high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes (Put the pepper in a Ziploc bag and close it. The steam in the bag makes it easier to remove the skin). Remove charred skin from the pepper.

While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 Tbsp. oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions, and garlic, add chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.

Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in (I put the chips as a garnish in each bowl. I don't like mushy chips.) Serve soup immediately with scatter of cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes (yummy with avocado).

Mom's Tin Roof Pie

So this is a long time family favorite and every time I have made it for someone else--they love it! The recipe is kinda hard to share because it is just throwing a bunch of things together but you really can't go too wrong!

Start out with Honey Nut Crunch Cereal, Corn Flakes, or as a last resort Frosted Flakes. (I tried Honey flavored Frosted Flakes and it was pretty good, but I think I would go with Corn Flakes again if I can't find Honey Nut Crunch). Crush them into a large bowl. Then add about 2-3 large spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter and then about 3 large swirls of Light Karo Syrup. Combine together thoroughly until they all kinda stick together. (Add more peanut butter and Syrup if needed).

Pour into 2 pie tins and press to form a crust.

Fill with Vanilla Ice Cream (slightly softened). Put in freezer to let set up until ready to serve.

Serve with Hot Fudge drizzled on top!!!

Steak Salad

This was ridiculously easy -made in less than 20 minutes at 7:00 at night after running in late from the gym. I had all but the steak on hand, and the entire family LOVED it.

1 Tbs Dijon mustard (I didn't have any so I doubled the next ingredient)
1 Tbs grainy mustard
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 lb skirt steak, cut crosswise into 2 equal pieces (I couldn't find this so I used thin round steaks -which are much leaner anyway)
1/2 pound fresh green beans
2 medium heads red-leaf lettuce, torn into pieces (I used Romaine)
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
4 ozs goat cheese-feta or Gorgonzola would work just as well. I accidentally left the cheese out and it was still great


1. In a small bowl, whisk together mustards, vinegar, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. Salt and pepper steaks and broil for 4-6 minutes. Thinly slice.

3. Boil green beans until crisp tender, 4-6 minutes; drain. Run under cold water.

4. Combine dressing, steak, beans, lettuce, and tomatoes; toss. Sprinkle with cheese.

Danish Dessert Strawberry Cake

White cake mix - mix as directed on box (use egg whites only)
Pour into greased jelly roll pan and bake

Filling:
11 oz cream cheese; softened
1 cup sugar
8 oz cool whip
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese and sugar together. Fold in Cool whip and vanilla until smooth.
Pour onto cooled cake

Danish Dessert (here in Temecula this can only be found at Winco)
use the pie glaze directions on box.
Fold in 4 cups sliced strawberries.
Pour on top of cake

Chicken Lasagna Alfredo

This recipe comes from Aimee, who has lots and lots of yummy recipes and who I hope will start contributing her recipes to this blog soon!

Chicken Lasagna Alfredo
10 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 16 oz jar alfredo sauce
1/4 cup milk1 tsp oregano
3 cups coarsley cooked chicken1
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (4 oz) package crumbled feta cheese
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach (4 oz)

Preheat oven to 375. Cook noodles; drain. Combine Alfredo sauce, milk and oregano. Whisk until blended; set aside.Coarsely chop chicken. Chop artichokes, bell pepper and onion; place all in bowl. Press garlic over bowl. Add mozzarella and feta cheeses; mix well.To assemble, spread 2/3 cup of sauce over bottom of 9x13. Top with half of the noodles, overlapping to fit. Layer half of the spinach leaves over noodles; top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers, starting with half of the remaining sauce. After layering, pour remaining sauce over top of lasagna.
Cover with foil. Bake 45 min. Remove foil. Continue baking 10-15 min or until bubbly.
Remove from oven and let stand 15 min.

Sweet Chex Mix

Sorry there is no picture but really it is very yummy and highly addictive!

CHEX MIX
1 box chex mix (12-15 oz) I use corn or rice chex
1 can nuts of choice
1 c. butter/margarine
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light karo syrup
1/2 tsp. baking soda
I also like to use M&M's because they make them in every holiday color

Put the cereal and nuts in a big brown paper bag. Over the stove mix butter, brwon sugar, and karo syrup. Bring to a boil for 11/2 min. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Mix well and pour over cereal and nuts in bag. Stir and close bag. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, remove and shake bag EVERY minute. Spread on wax paper and let cool. Add M&M's.

BBQ Chicken Salad

So this is a super easy thing to make and I'm not sure anyone will be "wowed" by it but this is a family favorite and really yummy.

Torn lettuce-Romaine is my favorite but use what you want

1 can of corn, drained

1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed

1 lb chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

BBQ Sauce

Ranch Dressing

Tomatoes, chopped

Avocado, chopped

French Fried Onions

(Any other toppings you might like)

Toss the cooked chicken with BBQ sauce to make it as saucey as you like, then toss with the remaining ingredients and drizzle with Ranch and additional BBQ sauce. Super Yummy with lots and lots of flavor!

Red Velvet Cake Balls

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 9x13 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)wax paper1.

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I found this recipe on one of my new favorite blogs: http://www.bakerella.blogspot.com/. Check it out!

Four Cheese Pasta and Beef

I get to be the first one to post--yea! We eat this meal at least twice a month because it's so easy, and I'm a sucker for cheesy pasta. I leave the green onions out of the recipe for the kids, and they have been known to pick around the tomatoes, but I figure they ingest at least some of them. I usually serve this with a salad. Enjoy!

6-8 oz. penne (or any tube) pasta
1/2-3/4 lb. ground beef
1 (14 oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook pasta as package directs; drain. In skillet, brown meat. Salt and pepper to taste; drain. Add tomatoes to skillet; cook uncovered until slightly thickened. Stir in green onions and cream cheese. Toss with remaining ingredients. Cook 2 more minutes to melt the cheese. Makes 4-6 servings.