March 7, 2012 — Rachel Ray Night — Meatloaf Muffins, Smashed Potatoes and Green beans with Bacon

This was a great RAchel Ray Night her recipes are so yummy and this definitely falls in the category of Modern Comfort food!

Here are the recipes for each one. . . .

ingedient list for meatloaf muffins

directions . ..

how to for the meafloaf muffins

smashed potaoes and beans with bacon ingredient lists and recipes

smashed potatoes and cream cheese

directions for smashed potatoes

cute pics. . .My four year old loves this cook book she just reads it sometimes 🙂

The title of this cookbook is “Cooking Rocks! Rachel Ray 30 minute meals for kids”

the rest of the meatloaf recipe

the bean and bacon recipe ingredients

I used canned green beans. . .and it worked out great. .

the recipe instructions for green beans and bacon

so I started everything by cooking the bacon

the recipe called for 6 pieces but i ended up only using 3 and saved the other 3 for BLTS the next day

bacon

this is the exact amount of potatoes I used for Sabra and I, and had very little left over 🙂

potatoes cooking up!!

I used 1/3 of an onion and 1/2 lb of beef and a whole green pepper to make the meatloaf mix 🙂

ingredients for the sauce

i added a splash of milk and one egg (beaten) to hamburger/meatloaf mix

beaten egg added to meatloaf. . .then sabra helped me mix it with her hands!! 🙂 kinda messy but so yummy

these were all added to the meatloaf mixture next 🙂 i ran out of the plain bread crumbs and added a little of the italian. . it turned out really good

after adding spices. . .and more hand mixing !!

then i added half of the barbeque sauce . .. save half to top muffins

Make sure you oil the muffin tins. . .I used olive oil.

 

then i used an ice cream scoop to add the muffin meatloaf mix to the muffin tin

ready to top with the remaining sauce

 

and then place in oven .. . .

 

at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. . .they came out moist and thoroughly cooked !!

 

while muffins cooked I did the green bean bacon dish

 

finished green bean and bacon dish

 

finished smashed potatoes with cream cheese and scallions !!

 

Sabra's plate 🙂 ready to eat!

 

 

Sabra lee enjoying her eats!!

March 5, 2012 — Family Home Evening — Crockpot Chili

So this recipe is froma woman named Kay Morse in a book called “Community Cookin” that My Mother’s M.O.P.S. group made many years ago. . . I recognize a few of the women’s names from people who were friends with my Mother when I was younger. . .Tonight I had 2 Family Home Evenings. . .One with my daughters and one with the Singles group that meet the first Monday of every month at the Stake center.  I ate a small bowl of chili with Sabra then took some to the great group there.

It was so easy to make . . . it sat in the crockpot all day and Sabra and I made butterfly necklaces . . .she picked the idea out of a book called The Toddler’s Busy Book. . . sometimes when she is antsy we just look through until she finds something she wants to do. . .they can be quite fun.  I have a couple pics of that too, she is so sweet.

The Butterfly necklace!

Here is the recipe. . .definitely a keeper!!

Crockpot Chili!!

first, I browned the hamburger

Sauces and spices that I put in the Crockpot with the hamburger

Then I let sit for 6-8 hours . . . it turned out great!

all done and ready!!

February 29, 2012 — Relief Society Night — 7 up cake from Ingrid Alexander

This recipe was from a relief Society Sister Annette Hill’s Big book of recipes that she gave me when I first joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and met her, this particular recipe was from someone named Ingrid Alexander.

 

Here is a pic of the recipe. . . I used a angel food cake pan instead of a bundt cake pan and it needed to cook about another 10 minutes.

Recipe for 7 up Cake

 

it is a very dense cake. ..

I would like to say that my kitchen floor is being tiled and it’s been interesting getting in and out . . .tomorrow is definitely a no go in my kitchen . .. so we will not be cooking tomorrow.

I started with creaming the butter and sugar and then I added one egg at a time, the lemon extract and then the flour!!

butter

 

3 cups of sugar!

 

butter and sugar creamed mixture

 

5 eggs. . . one egg at a time

 

 

after adding all 5 eggs. .  I added lemon extract

then i added 3 cups of flour a little at a time

 

after adding flour . . .

 

the I added the 7 up

and it fizzed up . . .it took a few folds before completely mixed

fizzy dough 🙂

 

 

My sweet Sabra did her part with flying colors!

 

And then in the oven at 325 for 1 hour and about 29 minutes. . . I used an angel food cake pan instead of a bundt pan.

 

 

 

 

It stuck to the pan but it tastes great!!

a ittle crumbly on edge but the middle reminded me of a pound cake!

 

And another yummy recipe I have never heard of  that turned out great!

 

February 27, 2012 — My Mom’s Homemade lasagna recipe– Family Home Evening

So,  for our family home Evening last night We studied this scripture,

1 Timothy 4 : 12

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

 

I love this. . . I think as adults we can look back and wish things differently, instead I believe we should be grateful for our upbringing and know it was designed for our growth and purpose. Even as adults we should take care of our inner child and help our children develop creativity.

 

I made my Mom’s Lasagna. . .Here is the recipe.

 

My Mom's lasagna recipe

 

So, first things first. . . I browned the sausage.

sausage . . . browning

 

Then I drained the sausage and added the next 6 ingredients. . .basically.. . I added some flavorings of my own.

here is what I used for the tomatoes and sauce. . .

tomato stuff

 

and I added some flavorings. . .

ready to simmer for about 2 hours. . .

 

after about an hour I started the lasagna noodles and mixing the cottage cheese mixture and cut up the Mozzarella cheese.

mozarella .. .2 big old things sliced up

 

cottage cheese, eggs, parsely and parmesan ready to layer with noodles and sauce

 

i added a whole box a few at a time

 

 

the sauce after simmering about an hour. ..

 

I waited about another hour then started to layer. . . its the key to this sauce picking up flavor.

the layers. . . I ended up doing 3 layers of noodles and 4 layers of filling with the perfect amount of all ingredients

 

all layered and ready to cook in oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, 35 minutes covered with tin foil

 

covered and ready to cook

 

at 400 degrees for 35 minutes covered and then 10 more minutes uncovered

 

uncovered and cooking for 10 more minutes

 

done and ready to serve. . .This makes the best leftovers as well and I am not a leftover fan.

 

 

This is what I am going to freeze and keep for the days I don’t cook or am not well.   There was anough for some leftovers for lunch today as well.

 

perfect for later

 

My dinner last night! 🙂

 

 

 

 

February 24, 2012 — Raisin Sandwich cookies — Food storage Recipes

I started these on Friday and ended up getting a little sidetracked in a good way. . .My friend took me out to get a manicure. That was fun. .. I made the dough on friday and it sat in the fridge and today we finished it.  One of my daughters was sick so we stayed home from church, my other daughter helped make these old fashioned cookies.

I got this recipe from the local bishop storehouse cookbook. Here is the cover page.

cover page

 

they were a little bit of a process but well worth it. . .I call them Homemade fig newtons 🙂

just followed this basic recipe

recipe for raisin sandwich cookie

brown sugar and shortening

 

mixed until soft and fluffy

 

wheat flour

 

and white flour

 

all dry ingredients mixed throughly

 

ad alternately with water to brown sugar and shortening mixture

 

then make 2 rolls wrap in plastic wrap and put in refridgerator

dough. . .setting up in fridge

 

I would wait at least 2 hours before starting filling. .. it sets up very quickly . . .

raisins, sugar and water

the beginning of a filling

 

sweet raisins

 

the sandwich. . .

 

this batch made 20 cookies this size 🙂

 

Voila. . . these are extremely filling. .

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 23, 2012 — International Night — Szechuan Shrimp

I got this recipe from a book called “Women of Great Taste”  I got a little caught up this weekend and didn’t blog it. .. but here it is. . .it is a little spicy but my sweet 4 year old did eat it 🙂

Here is a picture of the cover of the book.

cover page of "Women of great Taste"

 

I have never made shrimp at home. . . so I was surprised at how well it turned out. . . awesome leftovers as well.

 

the recipe

 

and the ingredients

all ingredients needed

 

the first sauce mixture

 

i set that aside and then made the cornstarch and water mixture

 

chopped garlic, ginger root, scallions, and strung snow peas didn't have bamboo shoots so I used water chestnuts

 

then i put it all in a wok. . .and cooked it up

 

meanwhile i was steaming rice in a rice cooker. . . those things come in mighty handy!!

and ready for consumption!!

 

i had some leftover. . .but it really yummy heated up. . .didnt freeze. . .just kept in fridge for a couple days

February 22, 2012 — Rachel Ray Night — Presto! Pasta and Pesto Salad

I think I was thinking it would be warmer wen I planned this dish. . .But we had a snow storm today.!!  It was still a yummy dish, but it would make a perfect summer dinner. I have made this one before and it is a favorite of mine and my daughter, Sabra, my four year old.

The "Recipe" part 1

The"Recipe" part 2

this is an easy one and so flavorful. . .I didn’t have cherry tomatoes so I used regular tomatoes chopped up. . and I dont have any basil. . .but it is flavorful and yummy regardless.

I boiled pasta and put olive oil in the water. ..

water ready to boil

and voila. . .pasta al dente!

ready to add all ingredients

I chopped the boccocini . . .

I added tomato to pasta . ..

added

i squeezed a lemon and added as much juice as possible

than I added scallions

and then it is done PRESTO!!

yummy!

February 20, 2012 — Sloppy Joes (My Mom’s recipe)– Family Home Evening Night

So I am a tad late posting this. . .but I had an eventful night putting kids to bed last night and thought I could postpone until today.   I got up early this morning to work at Montana Public Radio. . .I love getting up early. Last night was Family Home Evening Night at our house and I made my Mom’s Sloppy Joes.  I remember eating them so much when I was a kid.  They are really delicious, I didn’t have any tomato juice so I used tomato sauce and it came out great. I got this from a book called Community Cookin’ that features my mom’s recipes and a bunch of friends from her M.O.P.S. group quite a few years ago.

 

the recipe

 

So simple and yummy. . . I chopped up the green pepper and onion first.

 

half an onion and a green pepper

 

I put in frying pan and added beef.

 

I added sugar and salt and cooked these up and then drained , I even took it out and patted down with paper towel, added back to pan and then added all the other flavorings. . .

like i stated previously, I added tomato sauce instead of juice, dry mustard, ketchup, and mixed it up until it thickened

 

and then served on whole wheat hamburger buns. . .

ready to serve 🙂

 

I hope you, Enjoy!!

February 17, 2012 — Whole Wheat Brownies — Food Storage Night

Title Page of Our Local Bishop Storehouse Cookbook

Tonight I reheated dinner from last night and made some whole wheat brownies. . .some I will test freeze to see how well they taste after thawing and some I will feed to guests and such.    They were a lot better than I thought they would be, but they are not your sweet gooey brownie 🙂  They are a little more cake like but very soft.  the recipe was a simple one and I was glad for it, I worked at the radio station today early in the am from 5-7am and this afternoon from 12:30-4.  Both girls were needing more attention than normal when I got home, neither do to well when I leave for more than a couple hours.  But we all adjusted and I got them into bed and started cooking.

So here is the yummy recipe . . . Go Wheat!

the recipe for whole wheat brownies from the Bishop storehouse cookbook

I melted the shortening and beat 4 eggs and combined them, then  added 4 pretty heaping teaspoons of cocoa and 1 cup of sugar. . .and beat them.

melted 1 cup of shortening

I then added this to the eggs and cocoa and sugar. . .

heaping tablespooon (3 of them)

this is the brand i used. . . i usually use hershey but this is what i had in my storage

i mixed beaten eggs, sugar, cocoa, and melted shortening

until arriving at this consistency. . .

ready to put in pan . . .9x13

i oiled and floured the pan first

then smoothed out mix as best as I could and put in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

and man . . .! does my house smell yummy!

Voila!! All done. . .it has a smooth dense cake consistency. . .very good, would be awesome with strawberries and some whipped cream. . .but great on its own

February 16, 2012 — International Night from a book called “Women of Great Taste”

So, Thursday Nights at my house are International Night, and yes, I know this recipe kind of borders that title, but hey, bear with me. . there will be many more Thursdays to come.  I truly, have to say, about making pie type dishes. . . My four year old thinks they are from Heaven itself. 🙂  Not one of my personal highlights but definitely one of hers, Sabra’s, and she had a lot of fun making it with me.  Her first introduction to avocados and they were a big hit!

The book, where I found this recipe is called “Women of Great Taste”, I bought it fairly cheap right after my divorce, two years ago.  Here is a picture of the cover.

Cover of "Women of Great Taste"

 

And here is the recipe–

 

The recipe

 

I cooked the pie crust first

pie crust

 

at 450 degrees for nine minutes

 

While that cooked I started the hamburger, onion, green chiles, and taco seasoning. . .

hamburger, onion, green chiles and taco seasoning

 

I pulled the pie crust out and put cheese in first. . .

yea its not going to win any awards at the fair but my four year old loved it!

Then I mixed 3 eggs, salt and pepper, and half and half. . .

then I added hamburger mixture and egg mixture

 

ready for the oven

 

Put in oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

While that cooked I made the Avocado salsa . . . and let chill in fridge to pick up the flavor.

2 avocados

 

I added 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

 

I then added garlic salt. . . a little taco seasoning and 2 small tomatoes

avocado salsa

and our pie has finished!!

ready to serve!

 

a colorful plate. . .

 

A wonderful Thursday Night!!