Author: Julie

Homemade Magic Shell

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Not that I’m a huge fan of Magic Shell, but I have to admit the coolness of instant-hardening chocolate sauce is pretty hard to resist.  The kids think this is pretty awesome.  And truth be told, so do I.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Place coconut oil and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and cook on HI for 1 minute.  Allow the bowl to set for just a minute or two so the hot oil can melt the chips.  Stir well with a whisk.
2.  Pour sauce over ice cream servings!

Notes:

  • Coconut oil is a solid at room temperature so look for a jar of it, not a bottle.  The brand I bought is Spectrum.
  • Store your leftover sauce in something that you can microwave later.  It helps to have a bottle that is microwave safe so you can pour easily, but you don’t have to.  We just spooned it on.
  • Store in the fridge.  To use, reheat in microwave at 30 second intervals until it’s liquid again.
Source:  alphamom.com, who has way cooler photos than I do

Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

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This is a definite go to soup, especially if you have leftovers. It’s actually even better the next day. I’ve made this for friends when they are sick and, magically, they have recovered!

Ingredients:

1 6 oz. box long-grain and wild rice mix (such as Uncle Ben’s)
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 8 oz. package mushrooms, halved
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 t. dried tarragon
1/4 t. dried thyme
2 cups water
2 tablespoons sherry
32 oz. chicken broth
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 cups shredded roasted skinless chicken

Directions:

1. Prepare wild rice mix according to package directions; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through mushrooms); saute for 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.

3. Stir flour, tarragon, and thyme into onion mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups water, sherry, chicken broth, and evaporated milk; bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until slightly thick.

4. Stir in cooked rice and chicken, cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Source: Cooking Light

And the winner is……

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Congratulations, truckerlover, on winning the Pampered Chef giveaway! 

Please email us at mormonmavens@gmail.com before Monday, December 19th, with your shipping address.  If we don’t hear from you by then, another winner will be chosen.

Merry Christmas!

One-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Waffles (and our FIRST GIVEAWAY!!)

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Okay, I know this is a really easy recipe since you don’t have to actually make anything.  But when I saw it on Pinterest I just had to try it.  You see, I love to have supplies on hand for emergency meals.  You know, when you don’t have time to cook but don’t want to get junky fast food or when someone comes over for a meal unexpectedly…..it’s nice to have a few quick-fix meals on hand.  THIS is an amazing quick-fixer.  In fact, I think this would be a fantastic Christmas morning breakfast.  I love cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, but who has time to make those amidst all the other goings-on?

 

Couldn’t be easier!

Ingredient:
refrigerated, uncooked Cinnamon Rolls

1. Place one roll on each square or section of your waffle iron.  Close the lid and cook until the done (when they don’t wiggle when you press on them).
2.  Drizzle with the icing that came with them (or make your own).

DONE!!  Seriously…is that not amazing?  They taste really good too.  I bought two packages (8 rolls in each can) and that wasn’t enough for my family.  Next time I’d do 3-4 packages.  They cook up so quickly that they would be great for a family get-together.  They’re not very big, so they look like baby waffles.  Great for a brunch!  Oh, and by the way, you can also use any other refrigerated sweet roll or biscuit.  I think I need to try Orange Roll Waffles next…….<drool>

One serving is 2-4 rolls, depending

Oh my.

Source:  A Hen’s Nest

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

And now, what you have been waiting for:  The giveaway!  

To celebrate Christmas, the Mormon Mavens are hosting a great giveaway from Pampered Chef consultant Heather Lima.  Heather has graciously agreed to offer some great Pampered Chef products that are sure to help you with your holiday baking!

Get on with it, you say? Okay, okay…..here’s what Heather is giving away to ONE lucky Mormon Mavens reader:

 

  • one set of Bamboo Prep towels–soft, plush, and absorbent towels; 22″ x 14″; machine washable and made from renewabale/sustainable bamboo; sells for $17.50
  • a set of Easy Read Measuring Cups–so great for measuring liquids (no more bending over and looking sideways);  standard and metric measures that you can read from above, flared rims prevent drips; set of 3 cups–1-cup, 2-cup, and 4-cup;  microwave- and dishwasher-safe; sells for $23
 
I don’t know about you, but I am drooling over those measuring cups!
 
Interested?  Yeah.  We thought you would be.  
 
Here are the details:
  • You can have up to 5 entries.
  • Continental U.S. residents only (sorry!).
  • YOU MUST LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  Leaving one comment with all your stuff in it counts as one entry!!
  • Giveaway will run from Monday, December 12 through Friday, December 16.
  • Winner will be announced on Saturday, December 17. (If we can get your address before Monday, we can get these goodies shipped to you by Christmas Eve!)
  • You MUST include your email address in each entry you submit so that we have a way of contacting you if you win!
  • Entries that don’t meet the above requirements will not be considered.
  • Winner will be chosen using random.org.
 
Here’s how you can enter:
 
MANDATORY ENTRY:  Send an email to Heather at heather_lima@yahoo.com and request a subscription to her Pampered Chef newsletter, then come back here and leave a comment telling us that you did so.  (make sure and tell her your first name so she knows how to greet you in your newsletter)
 
OPTIONAL ENTRIES:  
  • Be a follower of the Mormon Mavens in the Kitchen (and leave a separate comment telling us that you are).
  • “Like” Heather’s Pampered Chef page on Facebook (and then come back here and leave a separate comment here telling us that you did).
  • Leave a comment on Heather’s Pampered Chef page on Facebook telling her what Pampered Chef product you wish was under the Christmas tree for you (and then come back here and leave a separate comment here telling us that you did)!
  • Leave your contact info for Heather on her “Contact Me” page (and then come back here leave a separate comment here telling us that you did).
Good luck, everyone!  And MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
 

 

Creamy Italian Tomato Sauce

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Here’s another new recipe from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook that I reviewed here a little while back.  I’m not a big fan of red sauces, in general, so when I saw a creamy version I was very interested.  It’s got a nice flavor and is a perfect replacement for marinara or spaghetti sauce.  It also made a LOT.  I served my family a generous portion of rotini pasta and still had two quarts to spare.  Those went straight to the freezer for future meals.  My next adventure with this sauce will be to try it on pizza in place of traditional pizza sauce!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. dried basil
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
dash salt
3 (29 ounce) cans tomato sauce
7 ounces Gouda cheese
1 pint heavy cream

1.  Heat olive oil and butter in large pot over medium to medium-high heat.  Add basil, red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, and salt and cook until onion is tender.
2.  Add tomato sauce and simmer over medium heat for at least 20 minutes.
3.  Cut Gouda cheese into chunks and add to sauce, stirring until melted.  Add heavy cream and remove from heat, stirring until well combined.
4.  Serve over pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Source:  adapted from Worldwide Ward Cookbook

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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My husband LOVES anything mint and chocolate.  So I recently made this for him from The Ice Cream Deck.  It was a big hit, especially with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce.  Hot fudge would also be great and be lend a little more sweetness.  It was a little strong for me, so next time I’ll use half the peppermint extract (1 tsp instead of 2).  I also think I might try semisweet chocolate in place of bittersweet, just for fun.

Ingredients:
2 cups half-and-half
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1-2 tsp. peppermint extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated or chopped

1.  Prepare a large bowl or pan with ice water.  This will be used as an ice bath for the custard you make.  The depth of this ice bath should be about half the depth of your double boiler.
2.  In the top of your double boiler, heat the half-and-half over simmering water until steaming.  Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until blended, then whisk in the sugar.  Whisk some of the steaming half-and-half into the egg mixture.  Then pour the whole thing into the double boiler.
3.  Stir and cook over the simmering water until the mixture forms a custard and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and place the top of your double boiler in the ice bath.  Stir occasionally until it cools to room temperature.
4.  Strain into a container and stir in the cream and the extract.  Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
5.  Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.  When almost frozen, add the chopped or grated chocolate and allow to churn until it’s mixed in well (about 15 seconds).
6.  Transfer to a container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Makes about 1 quart of ice cream.

Source:  The Ice Cream Deck

Spring Green Risotto

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Whenever I heard “risotto” I always figured it meant “super complicated fancy food”.  But when I saw Ina Garten make it on Barefoot Contessa, I knew it was as easy as it looked.  It just takes a little babysitting on the stove.  And it is SO worth it!  Such an amazing comfort food.  It’s one of my favorite dishes EVER! We eat it as a meal, but you could have smaller portions and use it as a side.  The key ingredient, in my opinion, is homemade chicken stock.  It just improves this dish so much, giving it a depth of flavor unequaled in any store-bought stock, broth, or bouillon cube!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
3 cups chopped leeks (about 2 leeks, using white and green parts)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 quarts simmering chicken stock (homemade if you can at all help it!)
1 pound thin asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 1/2″ lengths
10 ounces frozen peas
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving if desired)
3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives

1.  Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the leeks and saute for 5-6 minutes until tender.  Add the rice and stir till all the rice has been coated with oil/butter.
2.  Add a ladle of chicken stock and simmer over medium to low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the stock has been absorbed.  Continue adding chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be nearly absorbed before adding more.
3.  When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, add the asparagus, peas, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, until rice is tender but still firm (another 10-15 minutes).
4.  Whisk lemon juice and mascarpone cheese together in a small bowl.  When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture, Parmesan cheese, and chives.  Allow to set aside a few minutes before serving.

Source:  adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe

Harry Potter Butterbeer

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I found a recipe on Pinterest for Harry Potter Butterbeer and was so excited to try it.  I made it, but was disappointed with the flavor of the actual drink (the topping was pretty good).  But I decided it was worth trying to salvage so I tried again.  The original recipe calls for butter flavoring and rum extract in the cream soda, but I found that this made the soda taste diet-y and weird so I just used plain cream soda.  Hence, there is no “butter” in this “beer”.  But I ran this by a ten-year-old expert who has been to the Harry Potter theme park and tasted “real” Butterbeer….he liked it.  So I guess I’m good to go.

 
Ingredients:
2-liter bottle of cream soda*
1 cup whipping cream
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp. rum extract
 
1.  Chill the soda completely before “assembling”.
2.  In a mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, marshmallow creme, and rum extract until smooth and combined.
3.  Pour cream soda into cups, allowing head room.  Drop the topping by spoonfuls into soda.  It will float and fizz.  Serve!

Source:  adapted from Design Dazzle Blog

 
*The first time we tried this we bought A&W Cream Soda, but didn’t realize until after we drank it that it has caffeine.  I was able to find a no-caffeine cream soda at Lowe’s Foods….Polar brand soda.