Pizza Stromboli

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This is a really versatile recipe (see notes below).  It makes a great lunch and is super easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 package Pillsbury French Loaf (or store brand if you are lucky enough to have it)
1 package pepperoni slices
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Open up the dough package.  Find the seam and unroll the dough carefully onto a greased cookie sheet.
2.  Cover the dough with pepperoni slices to within 1/2″ of edges (use as much as you like).  Sprinkle with cheese.
3.  Roll dough back up and center the loaf on the cookie sheet, seam side down.  Pinch ends and tuck under slightly to seal ends.  Make a few shallow cuts along the top with a serrated knife.
4.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes and slice.  Serve with marinara, pizza, or spaghetti sauce.

Notes:

  • I like to use the extra large pepperoni slices for this.  Makes it easier to roll up the dough because those slices are usually thinner.
  • Variations with other deli meats:  roast beef with cheddar, turkey with provolone, ham with swiss.
  • Serve the deli versions with mustard, dressing, or other condiments for dipping.
Source:  Quick Cooking magazine

Sugar Cookies with Marbleized Icing

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A good sugar cookie can be hard to come by. Who wants to eat cookies that are to floury, cakey or dry? This is a great basic sugar cookie recipe that is sure to be a hit! Crunchy on the outside and tender in the middle.

Ingredients:
1 C. real butter
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla or almond extract
3 C. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add in egg and extract and mix until incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.
3. Separate the dough into 2 balls and wrap each in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Flatten to speed up chilling time. Place in the fridge to chill about 1-2 hours.
4. When the dough is properly chilled, sprinkle a small amount of flour on a work surface and roll dough out with a rolling pin. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick. (don’t use excessive amounts of flour while rolling. It toughens the dough.)
* lets take a break for some sugary cuteness!
5. Use cookie cutters or a paper pattern and knife to cut out your cookies to desired shapes.
*So easy a toddler can do it!

6. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F. for 8-12 minutes. The longer you bake, the crunchier your cookies will become. For soft cookies, go for about 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

Now let’s get to the marbleized icing technique! The icing is a powdered sugar glaze, which stays bright and slightly glossy when it dries. Gorgeous!

Ingredients:
1 lb. powdered sugar
6 T. whole milk
6 T. light corn syrup (gives it that nice gloss)
1 t. vanilla or almond extract.
food coloring of your choice
Directions:
1. Wisk sugar and milk until smooth. Then stir in the corn syrup and extract. Glaze should be slightly thin and slowly run off a spoon.
2. Separate glaze to desired containers before adding different food colorings. If you want to have brown icing, use a spoonful of cocoa powder.
To marbleize the icing, start by spreading a base color all over the cookie.
Lightly drizzle a second color in a random stripes or dots on top of the base color. Then, run a toothpick through the glaze in several stripes diagonally, then again in the opposite direction diagonally. The glazes will run together and make a marbleized effect.
Let the icing dry completely, about 2-3 hours before trying to package them. Have fun and be creative!!
Sources: www.ourbestbites.com and Martha Stewart

The Race of Life

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shutterstock_150366119
 
From almost the very moment we are born, competition lurks around every corner. Even if you find yourself saying, “I’m not a competitive person,” I’m sure there has been some point in your life where you compared yourself to someone else. For example, “Our baby is DEFINITELY cuter than their baby,” “Is our kid as fast as their kid?” “Am I as smart as her?” “Do I talk, sing, dribble a basketball like him/her?” “Am I as skinny or as stylish?” “Is my car as shiny?”
 
Our Saviour taught about the Prodigal Son. I’m sure we’ve all heard the story, but as Elder Jeffry R. Holland points out, sometimes we get so caught up in the plight of the son who loses his way, that we forget the story of the second son. You know who I’m talking about. The son who was ever loyal, never faltered in duty, and was his father’s right-hand-man.
 
The point of the Second Son’s story is that yes, he was loyal. Yes, he was dependable, but when push came to shove, he himself was guilty of comparing himself to his wayward brother. As Elder Holland says, “the older brother lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable to break out of the prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of jealousy. 2 He feels taken for granted by his father and disenfranchised by his brother, when neither is the case. He has fallen victim to a fictional affront.”
 
Do we not all fall victim, in some way or other, to these very things? Do we find ourselves saying, “Why does that person get that recognition when WE have done it all along?”
 
Elder Holland asks, “Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies. 3 It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, ‘Give me thine honor.’”
 
 
It is hard to remember sometimes. I think for most people, if not everyone. It is so easy to find fault with ourselves or others around us. I think one of the most important things we can do is to be generous, uplifting, and supportive to those around us. Remember that we are ALL children of our Heavenly Father, doing the best we can to get back to Him. Our Father in Heaven sees us each, individually, as we TRULY are and loves each the same as the other. And so must we learn to see.
 
We are ALL apart of this race of life, but as Elder Holland so eloquently puts it, “The race is against SIN, not against each other.”
 
 
 
 
*Photo courtesy of sportscience-kathy.blogspot.com
 

Broccoli Soup with Homemade Croutons

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Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (I used a handful of large baby carrots)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons AP flour
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cream

1.  Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add broccoli, onion, carrot, salt, and pepper and saute until onion is translucent.

2.  Add flour, cook for a few minutes or until flour has changed to a light brown.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

3.  Simmer uncovered until broccoli and veggies are tender (about 15 minutes).  Add cream.  Use an immersion or countertop blender to puree soup.  If using a countertop blender you’ll have to puree soup in small batches. 

4.  Return soup to pot and add additional salt and pepper (if needed).  Serve hot with homemade croutons.

Croutons:
day old french bread (I used ciabatta)
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Cut bread into cubes and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3.  Spread seasoned cubes onto a jelly roll pan and bake for about 15 minutes, turning once.

*This soup makes only 3-4 servings.  I would double or triple the recipe for a family.
*If you don’t have french bread you can use any bread you have on hand for the croutons.  I’ve used regular white, wheat, and multi-grain sandwhich bread as well as french and ciabatta.  ALL of them taste good!  
Source:  FoodNetwork.com

Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili

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I love chili, especially non-traditional ones. I first had this chili at a church chili cook-off about 3 years ago, it left a big impression on me! So much that, three  years after the fact I finally got around to getting the recipe. I made it the night I got it (for another chili pot luck). It comes together so easily and I bet you have most of the ingredients in your pantry. I also love that it uses barley. I’m always looking for new ways to introduce healthy grains into our meals.

 Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili

Makes: 11 – 1 Cup Servings
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce or salsa
1 can (14.5 oz) fat-free chicken broth
1 cup Quick Barley (I used Quaker brand)
3 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (mine were seasoned)
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn
3 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces(about 1-1/2 lbs boneless before cooking)

Preparation
In 6-qt saucepan, combine first 7 ingredients. Over high heat bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans, corn, pepper and chicken; increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender.
If upon standing the chili becomes too thick, add more chicken broth or water until chili is desired consistency.

(Recipe Source: Quaker Barley Box)

Honey Chicken

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This is one of my kids’ favorites! It can also be done in a little over an hour and has only 5 ingredients. WHO CAN BEAT THAT?! Don’t let the curry fool you. This recipe has a sweet, savory flavor that is fabulous on the tongue.
 
We serve this over rice with a little of the juice drizzled on top.
 
Ingredients:
1/4 C (1/2 stick) Butter, melted
1/2 C Honey
1/4 C Mustard (your favorite. We use regular ol’ French’s)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Curry
3 – 5 Large Chicken Breasts
 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix first five ingredients.
3. Lay the Chicken in the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
4. Poor honey mixture over and bake, covered, for 1 hour.
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES:  I have used thawed or frozen chicken with little difference. You may have to adjust cooking time, but it really turns out the same. This is also GREAT in the crockpot!! 3-4 hours on Medium heat should do it.
 
Source: My Grandma
 
 
 

Apple Annie Coffee Cake

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We wanted to take a General Conference invitation to our neighbor across the street a couple of Sundays ago so I thought I would sweeten the deal with something homemade from the kitchen.  I quickly checked out the recipes for coffee cake in a cool Bed & Breakfast cookbook that I picked up at a Scholastic Book Fair years ago when the girls were at Helen Ball Elementary School in El Paso, Texas.  This is the recipe I chose because, well, I had all the ingredients and it looked quick and easy.  It was.  I took it right out of the oven and we headed over to Annette and Rodney’s farmhouse.  She brought the empty pan back the next day, raving about how good it was and that she and Rodney were fighting over who got the last of it. Thought I had better fix some and see for myself.  I might take this to our Relief Society Fall Activity this month–it’s going to have to be a double batch, or I might have a one-man mutiny at my house.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups peeled, thinly-sliced apples (I used Galas)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (I used ground)
1/3 cup melted butter

1.  Preheat oven to 400.
2.  In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then cut in shortening.
3.  Combine the egg, milk and vanilla, and beat lightly until well mixed.
4.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix until moistened–batter will be stiff.
5.  Spread the batter into a well-greased 8-inch square pan.  
6.  Arrange the sliced apples evenly over the top of the batter.
7.  Combine the cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar and sprinkle over the apples.
8.  Drizzle the melted butter over the sugar and spices.
9.  Bake about 25 minutes.
10.  Serve warm.  MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS.
Source:  Angel Arbor Bed & Breakfast Inn, Houston, TX, as published in “Rise & Dine America.”

Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta, and Grape Tomatoes

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This is in honor of one of my favorite grocery stores (Kroger) that has since closed in our area. This recipe came from a conversation with a “guest chef” at a Kroger while we were in Ohio. (Do you spend too much time in a grocery store if the guest chef knows you?) It has been adapted by one of our daughters and is a favorite “go to” recipe for a side or a Main dish.

Ingredients:

1# Bow Tie Pasta (farfalle) 4 oz Angelino’s Pesto (or other brand with Basil)

3-4 oz (to taste) flavored crumbled feta cheese (we use the one with sun dried tomatoes)

1/2 pint Grape Tomatoes or 2 medium Roma tomatoes chopped

8 Fresh Basil leaves chopped or 1/2 tsp dried basil

Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper if desired

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes.

2. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming.

3. Put the pasta into a large serving bowl and stir in the pesto until pasta is coated.

4. Toss in feta, basil and tomatoes.

5. Season with salt and pepper if desired

Main Dish Ingredients:

2 Cups diced or shredded chicken or beef
1 cup shelled Edamame
3/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

Source: Adapted from a Kroger’s Chef’s recipe

Franken-Fingers

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I saw something like this last October passing by a Singles Ward Potluck.  “That’s too cool!”  I said to myself.  So here it is:  a simple spooky snack!

Ingredients:
Pretzel Rods
Vanilla Almond Bark
1 T Crisco (vegetable shortening…not oil, butter or margarine.  It says so on the almond bark package =)
Green food coloring
Twizzlers Nibs

  1. Have a piece of wax paper ready on a cookie sheet or such. 
  2. Melt the candy coating and shortening using your preferred method (microwave/double boiler) and stir in a few drops of green food coloring to form a Frankenstein skin tone.
  3. Dip the pretzel rods into the candy coating, leaving about an inch or more for holding onto
  4. Lay the pretzel rod out on the wax paper to dry and immediately press 1 “Twizzlers Nibs” onto the end of the pretzel rod for the red fingernail.  Dry at room temperature or in the refrigerator.  

Enjoy…Mwaaa ha ha ha ha!

      Taco Pizza

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      This is easy and yummy! The kids will love this crust, and ask you to make cheesy breadsticks with the leftovers for an after school snack!

      1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
      1-1/2 c warm water
      4 cups all-purpose flour
      1 tsp. kosher salt
      1/3 cup olive oil
      1 can (14 ounce) Black Beans
      1 tsp. Taco seasoning
      4 whole corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips
      1/2 cup canola oil, for frying
      1 cup grated sharp cheddar
      1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
      1 head green leaf lettuce, sliced/shredded thin
      2 whole rip tomatoes, diced
      1/2 cup cilantro leaves
      1/4 cup sour cream
      3 Tbsp. hot sauce (more to taste)

      Make the pizza dough: Mix yeast with warm water and set aside for 8-10 minutes. Mix flour, salt, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. With speed on low, drizzle in yeast/ water mixture. Allow to mix until totally combined. Cover bowl with a towel and set bowl in a warm, draft-free place. Allow to rise for 1-2 hours.

      Pour black beans into a saucepan. Add seasonings to taste and heat up beans over med-low heat. Use a potato masher to mash the beans to desired texture. Continue cooking /heating beans over md-low heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer runny (should be the texture of refried beans). Set aside.

      In a small skillet, heat canola oil over med heat. When hot enough to fry, drop in the tortilla strips in batches, frying quickly and removing from oil with a fork when crisp – about 30-40 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

      Place oven rack in the bottom position in the oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove half the pizza dough from the bowl. Place remaining half in a large plastic bag and refrigerate, saving for another use. With hands, spread pizza dough on an oiled baking sheet, making sure its relatively thin. Spread layer of beans all over pizza crust. Sprinkle mixed grated cheeses over the top. Place pan on bottom rack in oven and bake for 9 to 12 min. Watch it to make sure crust doesn’t burn.

      Remove pizza from oven. Sprinkle on shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cilantro leaves.

      Mix together sour cream and hot sauce, adding enough hot sauce to make the mixture pourable. With a spoon ( or you can put it in a pastry bag) drizzle mixture over finished pizza.
      Sprinkle with tortilla strips. Cut into squares and serve immediately with good quality salsa.

      recipe from The Pioneer Woman
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