May 31, 2010

Caramel-Chocolate Layered Rice Krispy Treats

from Nicholle

1 pkg. (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
6 cups crisp rice cereal
1/2 lb caramel (unwrap and melt or make your own)
chocolate (I used milk chocolate chips)

1. Melt marshmallows and butter. (I do it in the microwave in 30 second intervals; stirring in between until melted and smooth) Add crisp rice cereal. Stir until covered. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan and pat down with greased fingers. Let set up and cool.

2. Pour carmel on top of rice krispy treats. (I used the carmel recipe from the twix bars). Let carmel set up.

3. Cut into bars. Melt chocolate chips or chocolate melts and dip bars in the chocolate. Set on carmel layer to let chocolate set up.

May 26, 2010

Teriyaki Chicken


from Annette

Chicken (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts)
equal parts: soy sauce & sugar (I usually use 1-1/2 cups of each so I have enough to use as a sauce and marinade)

1. Mix together soy sauce and sugar. (*Set some aside to use for sauce and to baste chicken while cooking). Add chicken. Let marinate in fridge for awhile. (I did for a couple of hours.)

2. Grill chicken; basting often until done. After meat is done cut in slices.

3. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

*Note: If you want sauce to use on the rice and vegetables; heat soy sauce and sugar in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved.

May 24, 2010

Maple Sticky Bread


from My Favorite Recipes

2 cans refrigerator biscuits (I used Grands Flaky big biscuits-8 per container 16.3 oz)
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease well.

2. Melt butter; add brown sugar, syrup, and cinnamon stir together well.

3. Pour a little of the brown sugar mixture in your bundt pan.

4. Stand the biscuits up in the bundt pan. (I pulled the layers apart a little first). Pour the rest of the brown sugar mixture on top and around biscuits. Let it soak in for 5 minutes.

5. Bake at 350℉ for 25-35 minutes or until golden. (Mine took about 31 minutes). Let cool for 10 minutes and then place plate upside down on bundt pan and quickly turn it over. Remove pan and enjoy.

May 20, 2010

Peanut Butter Bars


From Betty

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oatmeal

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. Cream shortening and sugars together. Add rest of ingredients and mix well.

3. Press evenly in prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. Frost immediately after you take out of oven.

Frosting

1 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 to 8 TBS. milk

1. Mix together using enough milk to make into desired frosting consistency. Gently spread on warm bars.

**You can double the recipe and bake on a 13x18 inch cookie sheet or you can halve the recipe and use an 8 inch square pan. Just watch the baking time closely and adjust as needed.

May 19, 2010

Tender Pork Chops with Apples & Onions and Garlic-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

from My Kitchen Cafe

Onion and Apple Pork Chops

4 bone-in pork chops (at least 1/2-inch thick)
2-3 granny smith apples (Or any baking apple), peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1-2 yellow onions, sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325℉. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. Place the onion slices in an even layer over the bottom of the dish. Top the onion slices with the apple slices. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the apples and onions.

3. Season the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer on top of the apples and onions.

4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for three hours. Do not open the oven and lift the foil – the pork chops, apples and onions need to be tightly covered the whole time to not dry out.

Serve each pork chop with Parmesan Mashed potatoes and topped with the apples and onions.

Garlic-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and diced
2 teaspoons salt

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 TBS butter
¾ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
4-5 cloves roasted garlic, smashed ** see note

1. In a large pot, place the potatoes and cover with water. Add the salt.

2. Bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes).

3. Drain and return to the hot pot. Begin mashing the potatoes. Add the butter and mash in to the potatoes. Add the milk, cheese, smashed roasted garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the potatoes are smooth. Serve immediately.

This makes enough mashed potatoes for 7-10

**Note: To roast the garlic trim the pointy end off a head of garlic, place sprout-side down on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, fold sides of foil up to enclose the garlic completely and cook at 350 degree for 20 minutes, or until the garlic is tender; the cloves squeeze right out of their skins when they are ready. Smash the garlic so you don't have big clumps in the potatoes.

May 17, 2010

Mango Salsa


from Betty

1-1/2 cups mango or peaches, diced
1 medium red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (seeds removed)
3 TBS olive oil
2 TBS lime juice
1/2 tsp finely shredded lime peel
1 TBS vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Stir everything together.

2. Let sit together for awhile before serving.

Serve on tacos or as a dip for tortilla chips, etc.

Yield 2 cups

May 15, 2010

Baked Potatoes-Crockpot Style


potatoes, as many as you need

1. Place washed potatoes in crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

2. Serve with desired toppings.

May 11, 2010

White Chocolate Berry Pie







5 squares (1 oz each) white baking chocolate, divided 
2 TBS. milk 
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened 
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar 
1 tsp. grated orange peel 
1 cup whipping cream, whipped or use cool whip 
1 graham cracker crust ( 9 inch) 
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries or raspberries

1. In microwave or double boiler, melt four squares of chocolate with milk. Cool to room temperature. 

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Beat in orange peel and melted chocolate. Fold in whipped cream. 

 3. Spread into crust. 

 4. Arrange strawberries on top. Melt remaining chocolate; drizzle over berries. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

from Annette

May 9, 2010

Parmesan Crusted Chicken


6-7 boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 or 4 oz each)
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs or panko
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 egg
olive oil or vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

1. In a small bowl beat egg. In another shallow bowl mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together. Add salt and pepper. Trim fat off chicken. I prefer mine cut pretty thin so I trim them down.

2. Dip chicken in egg and then parmesan mixture.

3. Pour oil in skillet and cook chicken on medium heat. Turn over once and cook until chicken is cooked through.

May 1, 2010

Blackberry Pie




4 cups blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tapioca
1 TBS lemon juice


double crust for 9 inch pie- I used this recipe
3 TBS butter, optional
1 TBS milk
additional sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 425℉. Place one crust in bottom of pie pan. Set aside.

2. Mix blackberries, sugar, flour, tapioca, and lemon juice together. Stir until flour doesn't show white anymore.

3. Pour fruit mixture in bottom crust. Top with butter cut in tablespoons. Put top crust on. Flute edges and cut some slits in top. Brush with milk and then sprinkle with sugar.

4. Bake at 425℉ for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375℉ and bake for 20-25 more minutes.

5. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.