'For your Sweetheart' recipes

This is a long overdue post and as you can tell by Mark now being a follower I'm not the most blog savvy chic. My 'Apple Baked Pancakes' recipe will not be coming, due to the fact that something was amiss and despite persistent requests to my mom for the missing factors I've accepted the fact that it is lost in the black hole of 'oh yeah, I need to do that'. But I have included a couple of family favorite breakfast recipes in this post and sure look forward to making all the delicious new recipes from you guys!

Strawberry Spinach Salad By Becky Sellers

1/4 cup sugar

1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced

1 (10oz.) pkg washed baby spinach

1 c. sliced almonds, toasted

1 recipe Honey Celery Seed Dressing

Lightly sprinkle sugar over strawberries and toss with spinach greens just before serving. top with desired amount of tasted almonds and dressing.

Honey Celery Seed Dressing

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. honey

1tsp. paprika

1 tsp. mustard

1 tsp. finely grated onion

1/2 c. lemon juice

1 c. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. celery seed

Mix all ingredients except oil and celery seed in a blender. Gradually add oil and celery see and continue blending. Toss with Spinach salad. Refrigerate leftover for up to 3 weeks.

Jell-o Poke Cake By Karalee Monson

2 baked (9-inch) round white/or other cake layers, left in cake pans, and cooled

2 C. boiling water

2 pkg. (4 servings) or 1 pkg. (8 servings) Cherry/or other Jello

1 tub Cool Whip

Poke both cake layers randomly with a fork. Stir boiling water into jello until dissolved. Pour evenly over cake layers. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Dip bottom of one cake pan in warm water for 15-20 seconds. Unmold onto serving plate. Spread with 1 cup of whipped topping. Unmold second cake layer, place carefully on first layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or till ready to serve. Store in the fridge.

Strawberry Delight by Sara Havey

1 Angel food cake

3 oz. pkg strawberry Jello- dissolve in 1 1/4 c. boiling water

When Jello starts to gel, add 1o oz. sliced, thawed frozen strawberries.

Whip 1 carton cream- fold in strawberry mixture.

Put a little strawberry mixture in the bottom of a bowl and layer 1/4-1/2 the cake that has been ripped into pieces on top. Repeat with the strawberry mix then the rest of the cake and then top with the rest of the strawberry mixture. Chill in fridge for 4 hours or more. Enjoy!

Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies by Amy Steele

2 ¼ c flour

½ c cocoa

1 t baking soda

½ t salt

1 c. butter

¾ c sugar

¾ c brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 c choc chips

1 ½ c white choc chips

Stir flour, cocoa, soda and salt together

Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture. Stir in choc chips. Bake 9-11 min at 375.

Amy also brought me some refried beans she had bottled. They were delicious and absolutely healthy and inexpensive. Here's the link- http://creativechicksatplay.blogspot.com/2010/05/best-refried-beans-ever-according-to-me.html

Meatballs by Janna Mangum from Andrea Bake

1 lb sausage

1 lb. hamburger

1 egg

1 c. bread crumbs

pinch of salt and garlic powder

Mix together and form meatballs. Brown meatballs.

1 c. ketchup

1/4 tsp. celery seed

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1/2 c. water

4 Tbsp. brown sugar

Simmer meatballs in sauce

Here's the breakfast ones:

Five grain pancake mix by Janna Mangum adapted from Chef Brad

6 c. wheat

1 c. barley

1 c. rye

1 c. oat groats

1 c. brown rice

4 c. powdered milk

3 tsp. salt

1 c. baking powder

Mix grains together and mill into flour. Add remaining ingredients. Store in freezer until needed.

To make pancakes, mix together and cook on hot griddle.

1 c. pancake mix

1 lightly beaten egg

3/4 c. water

1/4 c. sugar (I substitute 1/16 tsp. stevia)

2 Tbsp. oil

This seems to only make about 4 pancakes, so I usually double it.

Clafoutis by Janna Mangum adapted from the Friend magazine

4 eggs

2 cups milk or rice milk

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

1/2 c. fresh or frozen fruit (cherries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches)

Place eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt and extract in blender. Blend on low for 30 seconds. Pour into a quiche dish or glass 9x13 dish. Put fruit on top. Bake 375 for 35 minutes or until it isn't jiggly.

Fruit and Nut Toss Salad by Karlie Himle

Dressing:

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. plus 2 tsp. sugar

2 T. white vinegar

1 T. minced fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)

1/4 tsp. salt

Salad:

4 c. spinach leaves

4 c. romaine

1 (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 c. sliced strawberries

4 green onion, chopped

1 c. pecans

Sorry, I'll remember to take pictures next time. Send me your recipes if they're not here and I'll get them added on!

!

Hey everyone!
This is Sara Havey. Sorry about the late notice. I am a first time blogger and have had to figure all of this out. Karlie is laughing as she reads this I am sure. Well, we will be having recipe group next Thursday the 13th at 10:00 am. I want to do a brunch theme so we are doing it earlier in the morning. Brunch recipes could include anything from maindishes to breads or drinks. Whatever you are craving that morning. My address is 175 Hancock Circle which really is not helpful if you don't know where I am. There are no street signs. We are on the North side of the stake center. The house number is on the garage. Let me know if you have trouble finding me. I look forward to seeing all of you next week. It will be motivation to get my Christmas tree down.

APPETIZERS RECIPES

Thank you to everyone who came. Everything was so delicious. Sorry it took so long to get these on the blog. It took me a while to figure out how to do this blogging thing. Anyway, here are the delicious recipes from our december get together.


Plum-Orange Freezer Jam

3 lbs. plums (about 10 medium)
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/4 c. orange pulp (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. mace
1 pouch freezer jam pectin

Wash plums, drain. Pit and finely chop plums. Combine plums and water in a saucepot. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Measure 3 3/4 c. cooked plums. Combine cooked plums, orange peel, orange pulp, sugar and mace in a medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Gradually stir freezer jam pectin into friut mixture. Stir 3 minutes, let stand 5 minutes, landle into freezer jars or containers. Leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Freeze. (I usually make a few batches at the end of the summer to use through the winter.)

I pour one small container Plum-Orange Freezer Jam over 1 8 oz. cream cheese block and serve with crackers.






Green Chili Bread - Karalee Monson


1 loaf French bread
butter
garlic salt
2 cans green chilies
2 c. mozzarella cheese
less than 1/4 c. miracle whip
parmesan cheese
parsley



Cut bread in half lengthwise. Butter both halves, sprinkle with garlic salt. Mix chilies and cheese and enough miracle whip to make spreadable. Spread on buttered bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley.



Bake in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes or till cheese is bubbly.








Pesto Sun Dried Tomato Torte - Becky Sellers


3 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 7 oz. container refrigerated pesto
1 8 oz. jar minced, oil packed sun dried tomatoes, well drained
Baguette slices


Place cream cheese, parmesan and garlic in food processor. Blend, and divide into thirds. Line a 5 cup mold or loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spoon 1/3 of cheese mixture in bottom of mold. Smooth top. Spoon pesto evenly over cheese layer. Spoon 1/3 cheese mix over pesto. Smooth top. Spoon tomatoes evenly over cheese layer. Spoon 1/3 of cheese mix over tomatoes. Strike filled mold on counter to pack down. Cover and refridgerate at least 24 hours.


When ready to serve, turn mold upside down onto platter. Remove plastic wrap. Serve with baguette slices.





Hot Pizza Dip - Becky Sellers


1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 8 oz. can pizza sauce
2 TB green onion
2 TB chopped bell pepper

Combine cream cheese and Italian seasoning. Spread in bottom of 8 inch pan. Combine mozzarella and parmesan cheese and sprinkle half over cream cheese layer. Spread sauce on next. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Top with bell pepper and green onion.


Bake in 350 oven for 15-18 minutes. Serve with sliced French bread.





Spinach Dip - Karlie Himle

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, excess juice squeezed out and chopped a little more1

1 pkg knorr leek soup mix

1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

1 c. sour cream

1 c. mayo

Mix together and refridgerate overnight. Serve with crackers, bagel chips, or french bread.

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies - Karlie Himle

1 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. white sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 c. white flour

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in almond extract and then add flour, mixing until dough comes together. If dough is too soft refridgerate for 30 minutes. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Make indent and fill with raspberry jam.

Bake in 350 oven for 14-18 minutes. Let cool. Melt a little semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Place in a ziploc bag and snip off a small corner. Drizzle over the cookies.

Jalapeno Poppers - Miriam Deru

Jalapeno peppers

Cream cheese

Bacon

Wearing gloves wash the jalapenos and slice them lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Using the back of a spoon push cream cheese into each jalapenos half center, filling the center. Slice bacon in half. Wrap each jalapeno with bacon.

Lay on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 oven for 1 hour or until bacon is crispy.

Rosemary Bread - Janna Mangum

1 1/4 c. warm water

2 TB yeast

1 TB rosemary

1/4 c. olive oil

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add and mix ingredients into soft dough. Flatten out like a pizza. (I flatten it out right on my pizza stone.) Poke holes with a finger half way through dough about 1 1/2 inches apart. Let raise 30 minutes. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. (I like to cut mine like breadsticks before I bake it.)

Bake at 400 oven for 15 minutes. Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip it in.

Appetizer Anyone?

We all have an array of exciting get togethers at this time of year so, for the month of December come get some good ideas for appetizers that will amaze even the most hard to please.

I thought this would be fun because there is such a broad range of sweet, savory and salty flavors in this group. So feel free to bring your favorite(s), (I don't think I can narrow it down to just one!)

Hey, this is Karalee, I thought you all should know the next recipe group will be at my home. It will be 9 DECEMBER, 2010. We will meet at 11 am. It is so fun to visit and we know some of you have kindergartner's so if you can't make it right at 11 please still come! Hope to see you there . . . or here!!!

Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanks to everyone who came, and sorry this is so late! Here are the recipes:

Candied Sweet Potatoes (Karalee)
We agreed that Thanksgiving sweet potatoes are often too sugary. Karalee's recipe makes 'em just right.

4 large yams
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
sprinkle of salt for balance
1/2 bag marshmallows

1. Cover the yams with water in a large pot and boil for 25-35 minutes or till tender. When they are cool to the touch, peel and dice them. Put in an 8x10 pan.
   
2. Pour melted butter over yams; sprinkle with sugar. You can add more sugar/butter if you want them to be sweeter.
   
3. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Top with the marshmallows and put in oven for 5 more minutes till marshmallows are toasted. EAT UP!!!

Super Easy Homemade Stuffing (Karalee)
So, I forgot to take pictures of the recipes... But here's a great look-alike! Just imagine the mushrooms you see are slices of sausage. Even better.

12-14 pieces of bread, diced or torn, dried on a cookie sheet overnight. (Just cover them with a thin dish towel.)

1 whole onion, chopped

3-5 stalks of celery, chopped

1 frozen box any flavor sausage links

1-2 cups chicken broth

Sage or poultry seasoning

1. Saute onion and celery in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. When tender put aside in 8x10 dish.
   
2. Add sausage links to pan. Heat till thoroughly cooked, slice in 3-4 pieces each.
   
3. Add dry bread, sausage, and a shake or two of sage or poultry seasoning to onion and celery mixture.
   
4. Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth over stuffing mixture; stir to combine. Add another cup of chicken broth if needed, I usually need about 1 1/2 cups. Don't add too much, you don't want soggy bread.
5. Heat, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. DEVOUR!!!
   

Lion House Dinner Rolls, Simplified (Kirsten)
These were particularly light, fluffy, moist, delicious, mouth-watering...

2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)
2 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1. Put warm milk in a large bowl or electric mixer. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed.
   
2. Add 2 more cups of flour and mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about 1 more cup of flour and mix again by hand or mixer. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff.
3. Scrape dough off sides of bowl and spray with cooking spray to prevent the dough from sticking to the sides of bowl or drying out. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.
4. Make little balls of dough (about 1.5 inches in diameter), and place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Allow to rise in a warm place again until about double in size, about 1 hour.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter.
   

Pumpkin Pie Cake (Anya)

Ah, pumpkin pie cake. This was the hardest picture to find-- very few show the moistness of Anya's recipe. So good!

1 large can Libby's pumpkin (NOT pie filling)

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 24 oz. can evaporated milk
1 box yellow cake mix

1. Mix pumpkin according to directions on back of can (I only do half the sugar and just the cinnamon for the spices, but it's good with all of it too!). Pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan.
2. Sprinkle 3/4 of a yellow cake mix to cover the top of prepared pumpkin. Using a fork or whisk, gently turn the cake mix down into the pumpkin leaving very little mix on top. The more you leave on top, the less cake-y it will be. I don't mix it too much though, so that there are little pockets of cake-y and little pockets of pumpkin.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.
4. Top with whipped cream (the real stuff is the best!).

Pumpkin Bread (Amy)
Amy drizzled a sweet glaze over the top, making this delicious recipe even more mouth-watering.

3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup water

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center.
2. In a separate bowl combine oil, eggs, pumpkin, sugar and water.
   
3. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
   
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes.

Apple Crumb Pie (Miriam)
Look-- the first actual picture of one of our recipes! I've made this pie, um, 5 times in the last month. It's that good.

Pastry:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 Tbsp. cold water

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-sized.
2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
3. Between two pieces of wax paper, roll dough into a circle a little larger than the pie pan's diameter. Peel off the top layer and invert into pie pan. Crimp edges. Set aside.

Pie Filling:
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples (I've tried all sorts, and Granny Smith are my favorite)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated. Pour into pie pan.
   

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp. butter

1. Combine flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples.

Place pie on a cookie sheet to catch drippings. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour, or until apples are tender and filling is bubbly. If your oven "runs hot", line pastry edges with foil to prevent over-browning. Remove the foil after 40 minutes of baking.


Lemon Mint Ice (Becky)
A light, zippy slush-- the perfect appetizer to a heavier Thanksgiving meal.

8 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 12 oz. can pink lemonade

1 handful fresh mint leaves w/ stems removed

1. Put water and sugar into a large pot. Heat enough to dissolve sugar. Stir often. Remove from heat.
   
2. Add lemonade and mint leaves. Stir. Cool mixture. Remove leaves.
   
3. Pour into 9x13pan. Put in freezer. Freeze solid. Break up with a fork or potato masher. Serve in small cups.

Warm Artichoke Dip (Janna)
Mmmmm...

2 cans artichoke hearts
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 small package shredded Parmesan cheese
1 small can mild chopped green chiles
1 cup mayonnaise
Slivered almonds

Drain artichoke hearts and cut into bits. Mix rest of ingredients, combine and bake in a 350 oven until hot. Sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Recipe Group For: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH @ 11:00 A.M.

Miriam has had a scheduling conflict and will no longer be able to host at her home this month.  Instead we will be meeting again at my home and we will meet at 11 a.m.

Because Thanksgiving is upon us we will go ahead and do any recipes from this holiday that you love to have.  That can mean just about anything, salads, breads, desserts, pies, mashed potatoes, etc.  Whatever you love to have at Thanksgiving and are excited to share we will be excited to eat!!

Next month we will meet at Karalee Monson's home and she will be deciding the theme soon.  Hope you all can make it!!

-Karlie

Change of Plans...

So Thursday the 11th is turning out to be busier than expected for me, and since it's also Stake Temple day (afternoon session at 1:00, evening session at 6:45), that affects all of us. I'd like to reschedule Recipe Group to be the following Thursday, November 18th.

Does that work for you?

With that change, I want to change the theme. It is, after all, the week before Thanksgiving, and I think that merits some preparatory baking! I'd like to change the theme to pie. We can do Mexican another time.


So Thursday, November 18th at 11:00, bring your favorite pie and its recipe, and let's eat!

Thanks all,
Miriam