Scones

Scones

1/2 c. warm water
1/2 t. yeast
1/2 c. warm milk
1/2 t. baking soda or powder
3 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. canola oil
2 1/2-3 c. flour

Mix warm water and yeasts together.
Add in milk, sugar, baking soda, salt and oil.
Stir in flour a half cup at a time.

Knead for 5 minutes then cover with plastic and let rise 1 hour or overnight. (If refrigerated, let dough come to room temperature before using it.)

After dough has risen, roll out into a large square. (I roll it on a large, wooden cutting board that has been sprinkled with flour. If you don't have one use your counter.) Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into squares.

Frying: Add a couple of inches of oil to a pan or skillet. Turn skillet on to 350 degrees or if using a stove top (I have a gas range,) set heat to medium. Test a small piece of dough. It should rise quickly to the top of the oil and sizzle. Fry until golden brown.

Serve with honey butter or use as the base for a Navajo taco: Top w/chili, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and sour cream.

Breakfast for Dinner

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER

This can be done in the oven or in a Dutch oven when camping.

2 lb. bag frozen, shredded hash browns, thawed
1 lb. cooked sausage or bacon cut into pieces
10 eggs mixed with 1/2 cup milk
shredded cheddar cheese

Mix meat and potatoes together then place in a 9 x 13 pan. Pour egg mixture over potatoes. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove and stir cooked areas into the center of the pan. Cook 10 minutes more until egg is cooked. Remove and top with cheese. Additions you could include would be green peppers, onions, or celery

Chicken and Rice Casserole

CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

I hate the word casserole. To me it implies that the dish is a combination of yucky leftovers. This is one casserole that we like though, it is my brother's birthday request every year.

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
1 pkg. dry onion soup
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or one fryer chicken cut up
2 c. cooked rice

Combine soups and milk, set aside. Steam rice, place in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Arrange chicken on rice. Pour soup mixture to cover all chicken pieces and moisten rice. Sprinkle dry soup mix over the top. Cover with foil and seal tightly. Bake and 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours until chicken is done.

White Enchiladas

WHITE ENCHILADAS

1 can green chilies
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
1 c. sour cream
2 c. grated cheese
1 pkg. flour tortillas
2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
chopped green onions

Mix chilies, 1 can soup, sour cream, half of cheese and chicken. Spray a 9 x 13 pan. Put chicken mix in tortillas, roll and place in pan seam side down. Mix remaining can of soup and milk and pour over tortillas. Top with cheese and chopped green onions. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Smothered Chicken

SMOTHERED CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
montreal steak seasoning
1 T. vegetable oil
1 small carton of mushrooms, quartered
1 lb. bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (about 3 Romas)
4 T. BBQ sauce

Pound chicken to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with Montreal seasoning. In an electric skillet set at 350 degrees, brown chicken in the vegetable oil. Cook it until it is almost done, 6-8 minutes each side until juices run clear. In a separate pan, saute mushrooms and bacon until bacon is crispy. Drain excess grease. On each cooked chicken breast place the following: 1 T. BBQ sauce, a pile of mushrooms and bacon, and one slice of cheese. Cover and let cheese melt. Remove from heat and top with diced tomatoes and chopped onions. Serve with mashed potatoes, black pepper gravy, and steamed broccoli.

Chicken Po' Boys

Chicken Po' Boys

2 c. diced, cooked chicken
1 1/2 c. diced celery
1/2 c. toasted, slivered almonds
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 c. grapes, sliced in half
1 t. salt
1/2 c. mayo
1 loaf French bread
1/4 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
toasted sesame seeds

Cut off the top of the bread. Scoop out the center and set aside. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt. Add everything else to the mayo mixture with the exception of cheese and sesame seeds. Put chicken mixture in the hollowed out bread. Sprinkle with cheese and sesame seeds. Place on a large cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese bubbles. About 10 minutes.

Ranch Garlic Pizza Sauce

Ranch Garlic Pizza Sauce

1 c. Ranch dressing
2 t. basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix together and spread over pizza crust.

EZ Steak

EZ Steak

2 lb. round steak
1 can cream of mushroom soup
a/2 can water
1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

Cut meat into pieces and place in greased pan. Combine soup and water and pour over emat. Sprinkle soup mix over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours or use crock pot. I prefer the crock pot on high for 3-4 hours.

Zucchini

Many of us have an abundance of zucchini at this time of year. I managed to kill my zucchini plant but thanks to good neighbors I can still enjoy this vegetable. I heard a funny saying once, "If you see someone buying zucchini at the store there's a good chance that they need a friend." Here are my favorite recipes for zucchini bread and zucchini. Both were given to me by neighbors and friends.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs
2 c. peeled, grated zucchini
3 c. flour
1 t. soda
1 t. baking powder
3/4 t. ground cloves
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. raisins (optional)

1. Beat eggs, add sugars, then oil.
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Add dry ingredients alternately with the zucchini.
4. Stir in vanilla, raisins, and nuts.
5. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.
6. Bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.
7. Let stand 10 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

ZUCCHINI BROWNIES

1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
4 c. peeled, shredded zucchini
4 c. flour
1 t. salt
3 t. soda
1/2 c. cocoa
4 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 pkg. chocolate chips

1. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
   
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Add dry ingredients alternately with zucchini.
4. Spread batter in a sprayed jelly roll pan.
5. Sprinkle raw batter with chocolate chips.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted int he center comes out clean.
   

Texas Sheet Cake

I'm not a big cake fan but when I tasted this I couldn't resist asking for the recipe. It has turned in to one of my favorite choco-holic recipes. It's rich, sweet, and more dense than regular cake. You'll probably find that one piece is more than enough. After all, it contains 3 sticks of butter. Yum! For an Oreo-like flavor I like to use black cocoa powder. For those of you in Utah you can find it at Kitchen Kneads. This dessert takes a little longer to put together than a cake-mix cake but you'll appreciate that effort later.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

In a saucepan combine:

2 cubes of butter
4 T. cocoa powder
1 c. water

Bring to a boil.

In a bowl combine:

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda

Pour the hot liquid over the flour/sugar mixture and combine well. Then add:

1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then pour the frosting over the top

FROSTING:

Boil the following:

1 cube butter
4 T. cocoa powder
6 T. milk

Add the following to the above mixture:

1 lb. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
nuts (optional)

Combine well and pour over the cake.

Limeade

I love the sweet, tart flavor of limeade. On a hot summer day this is one of my favorites. You'll need 6 or 7 limes to make one cup of lime juice. Roll the limes on the counter, cut them in half, and squeeze through a juicer. If you don't like pulp strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer. Follow the instructions below and freeze into one cup portions to use for later. I hope you enjoy it!

LIMEADE CONCENTRATE

1 c. lime juice (fresh limes please)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water

1. Heat one cup of water.
2. Stir in sugar and lime juice.
3. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and divide into 1 cup portions. I use Ziploc bags. You should have enough for three bags of concentrate.
   
4. To make into juice combine 1 cup of concentrate with 2 cups of water.
   

Brownies From Scratch

I love brownies but I've never loved the ones that come from a box. The texture is either too dry or too gooey. I think this recipe is perfect. The brownies are dense, and not too "cakey" or too flat and gooey. The best part is, it's a simple recipe; you dump everything in together, pour it in a pan and bake it for 30 min. Let it cool and voila! Perfect made from scratch brownies. I have three different options for topping them off. With all of the potlucks that are just around the corner this is one recipe you'll have to try.

BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH

2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. baking cocoa (I use Dutch or Black Cocoa)
1 t. salt
5 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Topping variations:

#1 Sprinkle 1 c. chocolate chips on raw batter BEFORE baking.

#2 Sprinkle 1/2 c. chocolate chips & 1/2 c. white chips on raw batter BEFORE baking.

#3 Mint layer ingredients. Combine the following while brownies are baking/cooling:

Mint Layer:

2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. melted butter
2 T. milk
1/2 t. peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Beat until smooth, spread over cooled brownies then...

Glaze:

3/4 c. chocolate chips
3 T. butter

Combine chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. Be careful so you don't scorch the chocolate. If you burn it, it will not spread well. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread evenly over the mint layer. Refrigerate brownies until ready to serve.

Where have I been?

So, where have I been since there haven't been any new recipes? Well, Papa Murphy's just opened down the street (been there twice,) McD's, Carl's Jr., and Mimi's just to name a few.

Seriously, I've been outside. This is one of my favorite times of year. I love planting my vegetable garden and flowers in the spring. This year I got 7 new trees that I'm looking forward to enjoying and I still have several flats flowers that need to be put in the ground. Spring clean up is not for the weak! This leaves little time for kitchen experiments. I must say, however, that I'm tired of eating out. It takes it's toll on the stomach and the wallet. I will do my best to get new stuff on here soon.

Lack of New Posts

Please forgive the lack of new posts. We've been dealing with the loss of our Grandpa this past week. I hope to be back to posting more yummy recipes next week.

Calzones

Once you make these you'll never want to eat another Hot Pocket. Trust me! I got this dough recipe from a good friend, (thanks SS!) It has just the right amount of herbs and makes a great bread to wrap up whatever yummy ingredients you have on hand. The recipe makes between 6 to 8 meal-sized calzones or you can make them smaller, (like a Hot Pocket, ) and freeze them.

CALZONES

3 c. flour
2 1/2 t. yeast
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
1 t. salt
1 T. olive oil
1 c. warm water
1 egg white, beaten (for brushing on top of the calzones)
kosher salt or toasted sesame seeds (for sprinkling on top)
pizza sauce or ranch dressing

FILLING COMBINATIONS

Pepperoni, mozzarella, pizza sauce
Ham, Swiss, tomatoes, green onions, ranch dressing
Salami, Swiss or mozzarella, pizza sauce
Hamburger, cheddar, onions, pizza sauce
Chicken, mozzarella, artichokes, ranch dressing

1. Add 2 c. flour, oregano, basil, salt, yeast, and sugar to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add warm water and olive oil.
3. Combine well and then add remaining flour a half cup at a time. It usually takes around 3 - 3 1/4 cups of flour. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Knead for 5 minutes.
4. Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
5. Separate into 6 - 8 balls of dough.
   
6. Roll each piece of dough into a circle. Spread sauce on the whole circle leaving a 1/2-inch bare (so you can seal it.) Add fillings on half of the dough. Just a note, add more cheese than you think you need. When it is melted you'll wish you had more.
   
7. Fold the dough over to create a half circle shape.
   
8. Pinch edges tightly so cheese doesn't leak out. If you need to, lightly wet the edges of the dough so it sticks better and then press with a fork.
   
9. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and then sprinkle it with corn meal.
   
10. Brush the calzone tops with a beaten egg white and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, or kosher salt (if desired.)
11. Let rise for 30 minutes.
12. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly browned.
    

Orange Knots

I love orange knots! They are sweet, gooey, and full of flavor. This recipe is from Rhodes (you know, the frozen dough.) You can use thawed Rhodes rolls or, if you want them to be really yummy, use the Lion House roll recipe. I use the Lion House recipe and make half (15) for Orange Knots and the other half to make dinner rolls. Good luck and enjoy!

ORANGE KNOTS

12-15 dinner rolls (If frozen, thawed but still cold.)
1 orange-Grate the rind and squeeze the juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted

GLAZE

1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. butter, melted
3 T. orange juice
1/2 t. vanilla extract

1. Mix the grated orange rind with the sugar.
2. Roll each roll into a 9-inch rope. Tie it in a loose knot.
3. Roll each knot in melted butter, then in the sugar/rind mixture.
4. Place on a large sprayed cookie sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let double in size.
5. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degree for 15-17 minutes.
6. Remove and brush with citrus glaze while still warm.
   

Lion House Rolls

If you've ever eaten at the Lion House you know their rolls are fantastic. They are soft and have the perfect texture. I found this recipe online and used it for dinner rolls and for Orange Knots. I had to add more flour than the recipe called for so I was worried the result might be rolls that were too heavy and dry. After all was said and done, I was very pleased with the results. It's also a good way to use up powdered milk from you food storage. I hope you try these and enjoy them too!

LION HOUSE ROLLS

2 c. warm water
2 T. dry yeast
2 t. salt
1 egg
2/3 dry milk powder
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted
4-5 1/2 c. flour (The recipe says 4, I added close to 5 1/2.)

1. Combine the warm water and milk powder in your mixer. Stir until the powder is dissolved.
2. Add yeast, sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 c. flour. Mix well.
3. Add two more cups of flour on low and mix until combined. At this point change over to your dough hook. Continue adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough clings together and leaves the sides of the bowl.
   
4. Knead for about 5 minutes. Dough should be soft and elastic, not overly sticky but not stiff.
5. Place ball of dough in a sprayed bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in size. About one hour.
6. After one hour, punch down dough and then shape into rolls.
7. Place in sprayed 9 x 13 pan, cover, and let rise until doubled. About 45 minutes to an hour.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. The rolls should be golden brown.
9. Brush tops with melted butter.
10. This will make about 30 rolls-15 per pan.
    

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe came about because I didn't pay attention when measuring my ingredients and failed to follow the instructions. The instructions were too complicated. That is something I have neither the time nor the patience for. I did it my own way, which means I plopped spoonfuls of dough on the pan and, the result was great. The best part is that I remembered what I did and wrote it down. I love a chewy cookie and this one satisfies that craving. I hope you enjoy it too.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 c. plus 2 T. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. butter, melted (Unusual I know, but it works. Generally you want softened butter.)
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2/3 c. white sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 t. vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips

1. Combine butter and sugars.
2. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients.
4. Stir in chocolate chips
5. Drop on greased cookie sheet using about a tablespoon per cookie.
6. Bake @ 350 degrees for 13 minutes or until light brown.
7. Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes then move to wire rack to cool completely.
   

Pita update

Since posting the pita bread recipe I've done a few experiments. Increase your temperature to 450 degrees. I've discovered that the key to puffy pitas is heat. Also, make sure your stone is preheated before baking. Your results should be great! Coming later today...Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies.

Potato Salad

Summer is right around the corner. Along with that wonderful time of year comes invitations to picnics and potlucks. What are you going to take? This is my favorite recipe for potato salad. There is nothing weird in it but it does have an ingredient you don't normally taste in potato salad...BACON! Yum! Bacon makes everything taste good. This recipe makes a ton so if you're making it for just your family you'll need to cut the recipe in half or even in thirds. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

POTATO SALAD

8 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cut, and boiled
1 lb. bacon, from the deli is best, cooked and cut up
6 dill pickles, diced
12 eggs, boiled and chopped-save some pretty slices for the top
1 jar mayonnaise
2 1/2 heaping T. mustard
salt and pepper to taste
paprika

1. Combine mayo and mustard, add diced potatoes, bacon, diced pickles, and chopped egg. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with egg slices. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika to make it pretty.
2. TIP: For perfectly boiled eggs, start timing as soon as the water reaches a full boil. Let them boil for 10 minutes. Immediately rinse with cold water and let cool. Also, older eggs are easier to peel. Doing them this way you avoid the greenish looking yolk and older eggs won't stick to the shell.