Recipes

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Layered pea salad

This is the hubs favorite salad, I hope you'll enjoy it too!

Layered Pea Salad

3 C shredded lettuce
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped bell pepper (any color)
1 C frozen peas, thawed and drained

1 C mayonnaise
2 TBS prepared ranch salad dressing
2 TBS granulated sugar

1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C crumbled queso fresco
fresh ground pepper

Layer the lettuce on the bottom of a deep serving dish, top with the remaining vegetables one layer at a time, ending with the peas on top. Combine the mayonnaise, salad dressing and sugar and mix well. Drop onto the layer of peas and carefully spread to cover the salad. Top with the cheddar cheese and queso fresco. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
*You can also top with crumbled bacon.

 
 
 


Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think I'm going to end up with a thousand chocolate chip cookie recipes that I can create a cookbook for just that! These are nice and chewy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C margarine (2 sticks), softened
1/2 C peanut butter
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

2 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1/2 C milk chocolate chips
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the margarine until smooth, add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Add the sugars and vanilla beating until completely smooth and fluffy then beat in the egg. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to the creamed mixture until completely incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by heaping tablespoons full onto a parchment paper lined (or greased) cookie sheet. Bake for 13 minutes and let cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Chili Soup

There is nothing better on a cold day than a bowl of hot chili soup! Here's my recipe and I hope you love it as much as my family does!

Chili Soup
1 - 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, browned and drained
2 TBS oil
1/2 C chopped onion (set aside 2 TBS to brown with beef)
1/4 C chopped bell pepper (any color)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 - 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes (chili ready)*
3 - 15 ounce chili beans in sauce
1 - 15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 - 29 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 tsp. crushed or ground oregano
1 TBS Cumin
3 TBS Chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Brown the ground beef with a couple tablespoons of the chopped onion and set aside. In a large stock pot or 5 qt. Dutch oven, add the oil and sauté the remaining onion, the green pepper and garlic over medium low heat for about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes and beans stirring to combine. You can use any combination of beans such as chili beans and only red kidney beans, your choice. Pour in the tomato sauce and add the spices. Add the cooked ground beef, stir all to combine and bring to slight boil, turn the heat to low and let simmer for half an hour.

 
*You can substitute the diced tomatoes for a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilies for an even spicier soup.
You can also spice it up by adding 1/2 teaspoon or more of cayenne pepper, use sparingly though!


Sunday, January 19, 2014

B.E.A.U.TIFUL Day outside!

It is such a beautiful day here in central Nebraska! January 19th and it is 65°F!!!
Fabulous! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use my outdoor grill and luckily I knew ahead of time we were going to experience this glorious weather so I made sure I thawed some country style pork ribs for lunch.
I usually use Sweet Baby Rays barbeque sauce, but I didn't  have any on hand and I really didn't feel like making an extra trip to the grocery store for something I could make myself! You can find my barbeque sauce recipe here, and I served the ribs with macaroni and cheese, Yum!


I hope you are having nice weather where you are!
:) Fran

Macaroni and Cheese

One recipe Basic White Sauce
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 C shredded Fontina cheese
1 C shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1 C shredded Mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, drain and return to the cooking pot.
To the basic white sauce in a saucepan, add the shredded cheeses and stir until completely melted and combined.  Pour over the cooked macaroni and stir.

Barbeque Sauce

1 C Ketchup
1/4 C vinegar
1/4 C water
2 T brown sugar
1 T honey
1/2 tsp. ground dry mustard
1 T prepared mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. onion powder

Combine all in a mason jar or other lidded container, shake or stir to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Basic White Sauce

4 T butter, divided
2 T onion, chopped fine
4 T flour
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 C heavy cream or half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

In a saucepan over medium low heat, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining butter to melt, then add the flour. Stir to combine until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Pour the milk and cream into a measuring cup and slowly pour into the butter and flour mixture. Add the salt and pepper. Stir constantly until thickened. Use this for casseroles, as a base for cheese sauce, etc.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been obsessing about making the perfect chocolate chip cookie, here's my spin on a chocolate chocolate chip cookie, I think they are perfect! Enjoy! ~Fran

1 C butter, softened
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 TBS cocoa powder
1 C white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease lightly. Melt the unsweetened chocolate bar in a microwave safe bowl for 20 seconds about 3 times or until almost melted, (be careful the bowl will be hot!), stir until completely smooth. In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter until fluffy on medium speed. Add the melted chocolate, mix on low speed until combined. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth, add the egg and beat on medium speed until fluffy about 2 minutes. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. With the mixer on medium low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until completely incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate chips. With a medium scoop (I use the pampered chef medium size-about 1 1/2 TBS) place the cookie dough 2" apart on the baking sheet. Bake 13 minutes, let set for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack, let cool 10 minutes before storing in an air tight container. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

 
 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Hot Legs

8 - 12 chicken legs
salt and pepper to season
oil for frying
1/3 C hot wing sauce*
1/3 C butter, melted
2 TBS vinegar
3 TBS plum jelly

Preheat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the legs to season. Heat 1/2" of oil in a frying pan, fry the legs on each side until browned. Mix the wing sauce, butter, vinegar and jelly well. Place the cooked chicken legs on a rack on top of a baking sheet. Brush or pour the sauce on to coat each piece. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked through.
*Add more hot sauce if you like spicier food, this makes a mild sauce with a little bite.