Couples Night- Rachel Anderson and Michelle Beattie

Chicken and Vegetable Stir fry

Sugar Snap Peas (2 cups)

Fresh Mushrooms (1.5 cups)

Carrots (chopped) (1 cup)

Water Chestnuts (2 cans)

Sprouts (1 can)

3-4 lbs. chicken (chopped)

Sauce:

2 packs Chicken gravy

½- ¾ c. soy sauce

thickener-I used baking power 

*I made an insane amount of stir fry for 20 adults, use as many veggies/chicken as you want, these are estimated amounts

Jaudz

2 pkg. wonton skins

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

½ head, finely shredded and chopped cabbage

3 Tablespoons finely chopped green onions

4-6 Tablespoons Sesame Oil

4-6 Tablespoons LaChoy Soy Sauce

1-2 Cloves garlic – minced fine

1-2 teaspoons ginger – chopped fine

Combine ingredients for filling.  Place 1 teaspoon of filling inside each round jaudz skin.  Moisten the outer edge of each skin – then crimp closed.

Place 4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and add jaudz when the oil is hot.  Fry until golden brown on each side, on medium heat, then turn the heat down and cover, cooking for an additional minute or two.  Place on a paper towel in a pan in the oven (180 degrees) to keep warm.

Sauce –

Equal parts of white vinegar and soy sauce

They may be steamed as well.  Just place cabbage leaves in the steamer – and place steamer in a wok that has been filled with water.  Boil on medium for about 30-40 minutes.

Homemade Cinnamon Ice cream

2 cups milk
1 ¾ cups sugar
Stir together and then microwave in a glass bowl for 3 min. to scald the milk

Cool in the fridge for about ½ hr. if you want the ice cream to mix more quickly in your ice cream machine.

If you don’t cool it first, it takes about 30 min. extra to freeze the ice cream=more ice

Add ½ t salt
1 c milk
1 T vanilla
5 c cream
1-2 T cinnamon (I used 2)

Mix ingredients together and pour into ice cream freezer.  Add about 1 ½ “ ice cubes then 2-3 T rock salt on each side of freezer until you reach the top.

Continue to add salt and ice as needed.

Freezing time is about 40 min.  

Kymberly Burgess -Pasta and Cannoli's

Cranberry Lime Drink

100 % Cranberry juice

Sprite

Limes, sliced or cut in wedges

Equal parts juice and Sprite, or start with Sprite and add juice until you feel good about yourself. 

Watermelon, Mint, Feta Salad

½ medium watermelon

½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 handful baby greens

Cut the watermelon into large dice, or approximately ¾-inch cubes. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, baby greens and mint leaves. Combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and whisk until combined. Drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Makes about 6 servings.

Creamy Balsamic Vinegar Pasta 

1 lb. Italian sausage or turkey sausage

8 oz. mushrooms

1-2 butternut squash, peeled & cubed

1 bundle spinach

2 TBSP olive oil

1 lg onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt & Pepper

8-16 oz. penne pasta

1 c heavy cream

1/2-3/4 c milk

2 tsp. sage

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1/2 c parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375⁰ . Coat roasting pan or glass dish w/ olive oil. Place squash, onion, garlic in pan & season w/ salt & pepper. Roast for 30 mins. to 1 hr., or until squash is tender. 

Cook sausage, add mushrooms. Once mushrooms are cooked, add cream, milk, sage, garlic, cheese & vinegar. Combine well, but do not let too much liquid cook off. Toss in roasted vegetables.

Make a bed of fresh spinach; add cooked hot pasta to wilt spinach, and then top with sausage sauce. 

Cheesy Garlic Bread Rolls 

1 TBSP yeast

1 ½ c warm water

1 ½ TBSP sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 TBSP vegetable or canola oil

1 egg yolk

5 ½ c flour

Combine the yeast, water and sugar and let stand 10 mins, until yeast is bubbly. Add salt, oil and yolk, then up to the 5 ½ c flour. Dough should be soft, and barely sticky. Knead for 2-3 mins. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour. Mix up your butter mixture. 

½ c butter, softened

1 ½ TBSP garlic bread seasoning ( ¼ c parmesan cheese, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 TBSP garlic powder, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. marjoram, 1 tsp. parsley. Keep this in the fridge and use it often.)

When dough is ready, roll it into an 18x6” rectangle on a lightly floured or Pam sprayed surface. Smear butter over entire surface and cover with 1 ½ c shredded mozzarella cheese (I use a bit more.)

Roll up dough jelly roll style and use dental floss to cut into 12 or more equal slices. Place in two greased pie pans or greased muffin pan. Cover with cloth and allow to rise while oven is preheating to 350⁰. When the oven is ready and the rolls look like a good size bake for 18-22 mins. Lightly place a sheet of foil over them if the cheese starts to brown too much. 

Stuffed Strawberries

2 lbs strawberries - Use fresh, firm berries. Leave the leafy cap on. Wash & slice them from the tip almost to the stem, and slice again 90⁰ away (make a plus sign in the bottom of the berry). Lay them out to air dry on a flour sack towel while you prep the filling. They need to be thoroughly dry, and can’t be filled a day in advance, or the berry starts to weep.  

Combine:

8 oz cream cheese, beat smooth

¾ c powdered sugar

1 tsp. almond flavoring (can use any flavoring – vanilla, orange, lemon are also good)

Fill decorator bag and pipe the mixture in the berries. 

Cannoli

Cannoli shells:

1 ¾ c unsifted, all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

2 TBSP granulated sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 TBSP firm butter, cut in small pieces

¼ Sauterne (white wine, so I used white cooking wine)

Sift flour with salt and sugar. Make a well in the center; add in egg and butter. Stir with a fork, working from the center to moisten mixture. Add wine, 1 TBSP at a time until dough begins to cling. Form into a ball, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface 1/16” thick. Cut into 3 ½ circles, and roll with a rolling pin into very thin ovals. Wrap around cannoli forms, seal edges in the middle with the egg white, and flair the ends slightly. 

Heat oil to 350⁰ and fry a few at a time until golden, about a minute. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels, cool a few seconds and slip the form out of the shell. Proceed with the rest of the dough. Cool shells completely before filling.

Ricotta filling:

4 c ricotta (2 lbs) (Drain ricotta overnight for a thicker filling.)

1 ½ c powdered sugar

4 tsp vanilla

¼ - ½ c lemon and orange zest 

¼ chopped chocolate or mini choc chips

Blend ricotta until smooth. Fold in powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix in lemon and orange zest and chopped chocolate or mini choc chips. Chill mixture for several hours or overnight. Pipe filling in shells, and garnish with chocolate. 

These shells are yummy with other fillings as well, cream cheese mixtures, mascarpone mixtures. Look up cannoli recipes, there are hundreds of variations. Shells can be made in advance and stored in a dry container on the counter. The filling can be made in advance, but do not fill them in advance. 

Angela Miller's Holliday Meal

PORK LOIN WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

 FROM: THE PIONEER WOMAN :

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/12/pork-loin-with-cranberry-sauce/

Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce

Prep Time:

 15 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 20 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

6

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole Pork Tenderloin, Trimmed Of Fat
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided
• 3 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion
• 1/2 cup Red Wine (optional)
• 3/4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup (generous) Cranberry Sauce (homemade Or Canned Is Fine!)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Generously season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy, oven-proof skillet over high heat. Sear tenderloin on all sides, using tongs to move it around. Remove pan from heat and place in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thermometer inserted registers 155 to 160 degrees. Set pork on a cutting board to rest.

In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook for a minute, then pour in wine (if using) and chicken broth. Add rosemary. Stir together, then add cranberry sauce. Heat mixture over medium heat and cook for two or three minutes. Add more chicken broth to achieve desired consistency.

Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed.

Slice pork loin and place on a platter. Spoon cranberry sauce over the top.

BUTTERED ROSEMARY ROLLS

Buttered Rosemary Rolls

Prep Time:

 3 Hours

 

Cook Time:

 20 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

7

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• Frozen, Unbaked Dinner Rolls
• Melted Butter, Regular, Salted
• Fresh Rosemary, Coarsely Chopped
• Coarse Sea Salt

Preparation Instructions

Spray a small iron skillet with cooking spray (or coat with olive oil). Place frozen rolls in the skillet, leaving plenty of room for rising. Cover and allow to rise for several hours.

After rising, brush rolls with melted butter.

Sprinkle on chopped rosemary. Brush with additional butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Bake according to roll package directions (usually 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes), until rolls are a deep golden brown on top.

Serve skillet on the table.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

12 oz cranberries

1 cup white sugar

1 cup orange juice

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

STUFFED BLEU CHEESE POTATOES

FROM "OUR BEST BITES" 

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/stuffed-bleu-cheese-potatoes/

Stuffed Bleu Cheese PotatoesRecipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

4 medium baking potatoes
½ Cup sour cream
1 oz (1/4 cup) crumbled bleu cheese
¼ Cup milk or buttermilk
4 Tbs real butter, cut into chunks
¾ tsp salt
Dash pepper
½ t garlic powder
8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Wash and dry potatoes.Rub them lightly with a bit of shortening or vegetable oil (helps crisp the skin) and place directly on oven rack, or a cookie sheet.Bake for one hour or until potatoes are done.

2. Remove potatoes and let cool just a bit.Cut an opening on the top and hollow out each potato, OR cut each potato in half (as shown in photos) to make 8 servings.You may want to hold them with a potholder as they will still be hot!

3. Scoop out the insides and place in a bowl. Mash, and add butter, sour cream, bleu cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic. Beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. Carefully spoon mixture back into potato shells. Place in a baking dish.
Return to hot oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.

4. Remove and sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese over each potato

bake an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly

GLAZED BABY CARROTS

1lb bag baby carrots

salt

2 tblsp butter

1 garlic glove, cut in half

3 tblsp maple syrup

1/8 tsp ground pepper

1 tblsp snipped fresh chives for garnish

Add carrots and 2 tsp of salt to boiling water.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 7min. or until carrots are tender.  Drain well.

In separate pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for 2 min, stirring occasionally   With slotted spoon, remove and discard garlic.  Add syrup and stir until blended with butter.  

Add carrots, peper, and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are lightly browned, about 10 min.  Garnish with snipped chives to serve.

SPINACH MANDARIN POPPY SEED SALAD

FROM "OUR BEST BITES"

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/01/spinach-mandarin-poppy-seed-salad/

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed SaladRecipe from Our Best Bites

8 oz. (1/2 bag) of baby spinach

1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion

1 large avocado, cubed

8 oz. mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded

1 12-oz. package bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 large can Mandarin oranges, drained

Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately. If you anticipate leftovers, just let your eaters dress their own salads because the dressing will make the greens wilt.

Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Our Best Bites

1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the “hairy” end and where the green part starts to get floppy)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. 

RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CAKE

1 package (18.25 oz) devil's food cake mix

1 package (3 oz) raspberry gelatin

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese

3 eggs

1 container (8oz) sour cream

1 cup water

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1/4 cup almonds, slivered

1 pint fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350*

Spray bunt pan with cooking spray.  Combine cake mix and gelatin in bowl.  Whisk together and set aside.  In small bowl, microwave cream cheese on hight 1 minute, beat until smooth.  Add eggs and sour cream and water. Beat until smooth.  Add cream cheese mixture to cake mix, mix until smooth.  Pour in bunt pan.  Cook for 35-40 min.

Remove cake from pan, allow to cool.  Melt chocolate morsels and half of whipped topping in microwave.  Microwave 15-30 seconds or until melted; stir until smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cake.  Garnish with almonds, raspberries and remaining whipped cream if desired.

Soups/Chilli/Pie (Michelle Thurber's recipes)

Mexican Lime Soup with Chicken
 (Here is the original recipe... I did a easier crockpot version.)

• 3 or 4 limes
• 4 chicken breasts or 8-10 tenders
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano (I just used regular oregano)
• 1 Haas avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
• 2 oz. queso fresco or mild feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Cut 1 lime into 4 to 6 wedges; set aside for serving. Juice as many of the remaining limes as needed to measure 1/4 cup.

Saute  garlic, onion, and chili until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add to crockpot.  Also add the broth, lime juice and oregano, and raw chicken

Cook in crockpot for 6 hours on low or 4 on high.  Remove chicken and shred the into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken into the soup. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Put the avocado, cheese and lime wedges in separate small bowls. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Pass the avocado, cheese and lime wedges alongside. Serves 4 to 6.

Cafe Rio’s Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• a dash (or two) cayenne
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 5 c. chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime
• pepper, to taste
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I used black beans)
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• vegetable oil (to taste)
• pico de gallo (click HERE)
• 2-3 avocados, diced
• 2 c. pepper jack cheese
• tortilla strips (Click HERE)
• cilantro (for garnish)
• lime wedges (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a small skillet, saute onion in 1 Tbsp. oil until onions become slightly soft. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and chili powder and saute an additional minute or two.
• Transfer seasoned onions to a small crock pot (or medium-sized saucepan). Add chicken broth, cliantro, lime juice, pepper and pinto beans to onions and simmer on low-heat for at least 2-3 hours.
• In the meantime (when you are close to serving), combine taco seasoning and paprika. Brush chicken with oil and rub with taco seasoning/paprika mixture. Grill chicken over medium-heat until cooked through (try to turn only once during the grilling process). Remove from grill and shred.
• In individual bowls layer chicken, about 1/3 c. pico de gallo, 1/3 c. diced avocado, and 1/3 c. pepper jack cheese. Ladle about 1 cup of chicken broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

(I grilled the chicken and just threw it in the crock pot about an hour before serving.)

Spiced Pumpkin Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper..
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas. Cover and chill 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin and honey until well blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 or 4 times, gradually adding additional flour as needed. With floured hands, press or pat dough into a 1/2-inch-thick 9 x 5 inch rectangle. Sprinkle top of dough with additional flour. Fold dough over onto itself in 3 sections, starting with 1 short end. (Fold dough rectangle as if folding a letter-size piece of paper.) Repeat entire process 1 more time, beginning with pressing into a 1/2-inch-thick 9 x 5 inch rectangle.
Press or pat dough to 3/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with a 3-inch round cutter. Place biscuits, 1 inch apart, on prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool 2 minutes on wire racks. Serve warm.

Perfect Pie Crust
4 cups flour
1 T sugar
2 t salt
1 3/4 shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)

Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.  Then cut in the shortening until crumbly.  Then beat the following a in small bowl or measuring cup:
1 T vinegar
1 large egg
1/2 cup water
Mix well with fork until moistened and forms into one large ball.  (Make sure not to over work the dough.)  Divide into 5 small balls (for small pie tins) or 3 balls (for large pie plates).  Chill for 30 minutes before rolling out between two pieces of plastic wrap.  You can also freeze for later use.
(I never chill it before I roll it out, but it helps :)

I made a video of how I roll out the dough, because it is sooooo much easier this way.

 

 French Silk Pie

Recipe makes enough filling for a small pie tin.  I doubled it for my larger glass pie plate.

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 1/2 cupbutter, room temperature
• 3/4 cupwhite sugar
• 2 (1 ounce) squaresunsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
• 2eggs (I used the the equivalent in egg beaters egg whites, because they are pasteurized.)
• 1prepared 8 inch pastry shell, baked and cooled.

Directions

1. Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the sugar with an electric mixer until light colored and well blended. Stir in the thoroughly cooled chocolate, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Spoon the chocolate filling into a cooled, baked pie shell.
2. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

***It's really important to serve this cold.


Nell’s Cream Apple Pie
1 prepared pie crust
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
4-5 golden delicious apples
1/4 to 1/2 cup additional sugar for dusting (optional)
1 to 1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Place pie crust in a 9” pie plate and crimp edges. Mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar in bottom of the crust. Peel, core and thinly slice apples and mound them on top of flour/sugar mixture. Dust with additional sugar, to taste. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Pour whipping cream over the apples. Try to get each apple covered with just a bit of cream. Bake at 350 degrees 40-50 minutes.

Pecan Pie
1 cup Corn Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 t salt
1/3 cup melted butter
1 t vanilla
1-2 cups pecans (The original recipe calls for 1 cup, but I always add a ton more.)

Mix together and pore into unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Strawberry Spinach Salad Dressing-at gourmet Group

That evening I served the salad with:
Raspberry Vinaigrette Kraft, lite, Anything Dressing

Couples' Chili/Soups/Pie Night (Rachel's recipes)

Grandma Audrey's Chili

Brown 4 lbs. of hamburger with 2 finely diced onions.

Drain off the grease.

Add 4 cans of Chili Beans

2 – 3 cans of stewed tomatoes

1 can of Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup Ketchup

3-4 Tablespoons brown sugar

4 Tablespoons Chili Powder (or more to taste)

Simmer together for several hours in a crock pot – then serve with homemade rolls.

Creamy White Chili

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon oil

2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth

2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using) in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Option: In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them. Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet! Reduce the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you’ll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time). Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces. Stir back into the slow cooker. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream  until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the soup cook until heated through. Serve.

Sixty Minute Rolls

Dissolve:

1 T yeast and 1/3 c. sugar in ½ c. warm water

In the meantime:

1 ½ c. scalded milk

1/3 c. butter (place in warm milk to melt it and to cool the milk)

*cool to lukewarm before adding yeast mixture to it

then add:

2 eggs-well beaten

add:

4 ½ cups flour (measure before sifting)

1 t. salt

Stir all ingredients together about 100 times.  This will be very sticky. 

Let rise 20 minutes.

Stir down.

Shape rolls and let rise another 20 minutes.  Sprinkle flour on top of the dough as you shape them-use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers)  It is a very soft dough!

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes

*How I shape them: 12-14 round circle about ½ - ¾ inch thick and use a pizza cutter.  Cut 12 triangle pieces. From the wide end roll each one to the end.  

Creamy Coconut Lime Bars

Foil line your 8 by 8 pan, lightly spray with oil spray.  Set aside.

MY CRUST I DO: (can do your favorite crust)

325 degrees for about 15-18 min.

1.5 cups crushed graham crackers or animal crackers

¼ c. brown sugar

1/3 c. butter

Filling

2 ounces cream cheese , room temperature

1 tablespoon grated lime zest (I used 2 limes & that was fine too) 

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (I TOTALLY used some bottled lime juice after squeezing 2 limes)

Topping

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut , toasted until golden and crisp

Pour mixture into foiled lined pan and press down firmly and evenly using a bottom of a measuring cup.  Bake until crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool while making the filling.

Using a hand held mixer in a medium speed, mix softened cream cheese and condensed milk until just combined, add lime zest, salt, and egg yolk until incorporated.  Using a rubber spatula, add lime juice and fold in until combined.

Pour filling into the prepared crust and bake until just set, about 15-18 minutes, longer if doubling or tripling the recipe (cover loosely with foil if top is getting too brown).  Cool to room temperature and then chill, covered in refrigerator, 2 or more hours.

Using the foiled edges, gently lift the cheesecake out of the pan, cut into 16 squares, top with toasted shredded coconut flakes and serve.

Spinach Salad

Baby Spinach rinsed and drained

fresh strawberries, sliced

Feta Cheese, crumbled

Slivered almonds (saute with brown sugar over the stove until caramelized) 

        Ratio can be flexible: almonds 2: 1 Brown sugar

Serve with your favorite vinaigrette (I prefer a nice strawberry one or Brianna's Poppyseed!)

Caramel Cookies (I made it into a pie that night, but best as bars/cookies) 

Crust:

1/2 lb. butter (2 cubes)

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

Mix the ingredients above together and then press into a 9 x 13 sprayed baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. or until edges begin to brown slightly.

Topping:

1/2 lb. butter (2 cubes) *BUTTER, not margarine) 

3/4 c. sugar 

1/2 c. (8 T.) corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Chocolate chips to taste (optional)

Nuts (optional)

In a saucepan melt butter.  Add sugar and corn syrup.  Cook over medium heat until sugar mostly dissolves (otherwise it will be grainy).  Add sweetened condensed milk and continue cooking over medium heat until light brown in color.  Pour over crust.  (sprinkle with chocolate chips and spread them around as they melt.  Top with nuts if desired.)  Optional