5 Things Cooking

Pumpkin Praline

2009-12-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to cooking! I'd like to pretend I haven't cooked a meal since I last posted here in May, but I've just been too busy doing everything else. Now that I'm just a stay at home mom again with lots of time on my hands (ha! don't we all wish...) I'm back to enjoying my quickie meals in the kitchen.

This is a GREAT one, and a perfect fall/holiday/Thanksgiving/Make your house smell like Yankee candles dessert.

Pumpkin Praline

16 oz. pumpkin
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
3 tsp. pumpkin spice (I use pumpkin pie spice)

Whip all ingredients with a wisk. Set aside.

1 yellow cake mix (dry)
3/4 cube of melted butter
3 oz of your favorite nut, chopped (I put them in a ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin. my toddler loves this part)

Spray a 9 x 13 pan. Pour pumpkin mixture on the bottom. Spread the yellow cake mix on top. Sprinkle with nuts and spread the butter on top of the entire cake. Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

I've already made this twice since discovering it last week. It makes your house smell amazing and is great with vanilla ice cream, whip cream, or just plain. I bet it would be great with a spice cake. Try adding a tsp of cinnamon for extra holiday flavor!

Happy baking.

Italian Marinated Chicken

2009-05-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Don't have any good marinade on hand? This is a simple marinade that tastes great!

Italian Marinated Chicken

1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp. canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Mix everything but the chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken and shake gently to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Grill chicken for 15 minutes or until cooked through, brushing often with stock mixture.

Oriental Chicken

2009-05-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Another Campbell's recipe that's worth trying.

Oriental Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen green beans
2 green onions, chopped

Saute chicken in oil over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, heat to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes. Serve over rice.

*Try assorted oriental veggies or add carrots!

Campbell's Week: Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

2009-05-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Super easy!

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack is great!)
6 flour tortillas, warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (opt.)
1 green onion, sliced (opt.)

Heat oven to 350. Stir soup, sour cream, salsa, and chili powder in a medium-sized bowl.

Stir 1 cup of the sauce mixture with chicken and cheese in a large bowl. Divide this mixture up between the six tortillas. Roll tortillas and place them seam-side up in a 2 quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled tortillas. Cover.

Bake for 40 minutes or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with tomato and onion.

Add a little protein and fiber by stirring in 1/2 cup rinsed black beans with chicken before filling tortillas.

Campbell's Week: Lemon Asparagus Chicken

2009-05-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Lemon Asparagus Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can condensed cream of asparagus soup
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
lemon slices (optional)

Saute chicken in 1 Tbsp. oil until brown. Add soup, milk, lemon juice, and pepper. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook 5 minutes on low heat. Serve with lemon slices. Serves four.

Serve with pasta!

Campbell's Week: Citrus & Salsa Pork Roast

2009-05-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

Citrus & Salsa Pork Roast

1 jar (11 oz.) chunky salsa
1 large can (11 oz.) Mandarin orange segments, drained
2 lbs. pork tenderloins (or chicken, if that's what you've got!)
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Heat over to 425. Stir salsa and oranges in a small bowl. Place meat in a shallow 3 quart pan. Rub meat with oil, pour on salsa mixture. Bake for 35 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Remove from pan and let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime.

Try this with peach slices or pineapple chunks! Serve with rice.

On a budget? Check the manager's special section of the meat department for great deals on cuts you wouldn't normally buy.

Campbell's Week: Tomato-Basil Chicken

2009-05-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Another Campbell's recipe--a great way to turn basic soups into great dinners!

Tomato-Basil Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 cups hot cooked tube pasta

Saute chicken in 1 tbsp. oil until browned. Add soup, milk, cheese, basil, and garlic. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Serve with pasta.

Campbell's Week: Green Bean Casserole

2009-05-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

This week features some Campbell's recipes that are on my "to try" list.

Green Bean Casserole

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. soy sauce
4 cups cooked green beans (use 1 16-20 oz. frozen package or 2 cans)
1 1/3 cup french fried onions
dash of black pepper

MIX soup, milk, soy, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole.

BAKE at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot.

STIR . Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.

Serves 6.

Try this with broccoli instead of green beans, or omit soy sauce and add cheddar cheese instead. This can be made a day ahead--just cover and refrigerate!

Cocoa-Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothies

2009-05-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is a Betty Crocker recipe. Perfect for adding some health into dessert, right?

Cocoa-Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothies

1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt (buy a 2 lb container)
1 cup chocolate milk (or skim milk and chocolate syrup)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 small bananas, sliced
3-5 ice cubes
1 cup Cocoa Puffs cereal, coarsely crushed (optional)

Place all ingredient except cereal in blender. Cover, blend on high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into four glasses, sprinkle with cereal. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Microwave Fudge Pudding Cake

2009-04-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

Fudge Pudding Cake (microwave!)

1 c. all purpose flour
¾ c. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. baking cocoa
1 ¾ c. boiling water

1. Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. cocoa, baking powder, and salt in 2-quart
microwavable casserole.
2. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly in casserole. Mix brown
sugar and ¼ c. coca; sprinkle over batter. Pour boiling water over batter.
3. Microwave uncovered on medium (50%) 9 minutes; rotate casserole ½ turn. Microwave
uncovered on high 5-6 minutes or until top is almost dry. Serve warm with ice cream or
whipped cream.

Stuffed French Toast

2009-04-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Another twist on a traditional recipe. Great for an easy dinner or breakfast in bed (*hint* Mother's Day is coming up! *hint*)

Stuffed French Toast

12 slices French bread (we just used regular and it was still good)
6 Tbsp cream cheese
¼ c. jam (any flavor)
3 eggs
½ c. skim milk
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Cinnamon and/or vanilla as desired

1. Spread cream cheese on one slice, jam on the other, and make 6 sandwiches.
2. Mix everything else together, dip both sides, and cook.
3. Great with syrup and powdered sugar!

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

2009-04-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Chicken Enchilada Pizzas

4 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chopped cooked chicken breast
½ c. green salsa (red also works)
1 can (2¼ oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Heat oven to 400, place tortillas on ungreased cookie sheet, bake about 5 minutes or
until crisp.
2. While tortillas are baking, heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Cook onion in oil, stirring frequently, until tender; remove from heat. Stir in chicken,
salsa and olives.
3. Spread sour cream on tortillas. Top with chicken mixture and cheese. Bake 5-6 minutes
or until cheese is melted.

I'm not really a fan of olives, so I substituted a small can of diced green chilis to add some zest!

Back in Business! Thai Chicken Pizza

2009-04-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the recipe hiatus: it was finals week here and both computers bit the dust! My rented desktop had to be returned before my husband could graduate (congratulations Eric! I love you!) and my husband's laptop suddenly gave up the ghost.

NOW it's time to get back to cooking (the easy way!). I love pizza, but homemade pizza either requires a lot of work to make everything from scratch or money to buy all of the ingredients. I was so excited when I found these recipes for variety pizzas that use tortillas and other easy to find ingredients.

Thai Chicken Pizza

6 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 c. chopped cooked chicken breast
1 lb. frozen (or canned) stir-fry vegetables, thawed and drained

1. Heat oven to 400. Place tortillas on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 5 minutes or 
until crisp.
2. Mix peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar; spread over tortillas. Top each with 1/4  c. 
cheese. Spread chicken and vegetables evenly over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 
cheese.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until pizzas are hot and cheese is melted.

Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-04-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

I've been baking to drive away the stormy gray weather outside, and I stumbled across the perfect mix for cream cheese frosting.

Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese (1 pkg.), room temperature (I use fat free to induce less guilt!)
2-3 cups powdered sugar (depends on the humidity)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (works better if you have a clear extract or the frosting gets darker)

Mix butter and cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth (about three minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness.

Want to add decorative frills or writing but don't have the equipment? add a few drops of food coloring into a plastic bag, mix in frosting, and cut a tiny hole in the tip. No messy cleanup--just throw away the used bag!

Crock Pot Lasagna

2009-04-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok guys, here's a new one that I waited a LONG time to try! My husband loves lasagna but I can never make it like his mom did and it's just a lot of work....until this recipe! I found this from A Year of Crockpotting, and am seriously coveting her new cookbook.

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 box of regular lasagna noodles
1 jar of pasta sauce
ricotta cheese
1 pkg of Italian mix shredded cheese
1/4 cup water
assorted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms--even hard boiled eggs work great!)
optional meat

If you decide to add meat, brown 1/2 lb meat with minced onion first. Pour in entire jar of sauce with meat (don't rinse or throw away the jar!) Simmer for a few minutes. Spoon one ladle-full into the bottom of the crockpot. Top with a layer of dried noodles (you'll have to break them!). Smear on a layer of ricotta cheese. Add a layer of veggies and a handful of shredded cheese. Repeat layers until the crockpot is full! Put 1/4 cup water in the empty pasta jar and shake; pour the tomato-water over the entire mix. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.

Check noodles an hour before serving and push them down into the water if they are getting hard or curling up.

Quick Chocolate Cake

2009-04-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick single serving size cake you make in the microwave! It's not the BEST cake ever, but it's still good and extremely simple. Thanks to Linds for passing this one on.

Quick Chocolate Cake

4 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil

Mix flour, sugar and cocoa in a microwavable mug. Spoon in 1 egg. Pour in milk and oil, and mix well. Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt). Wait until it stops rising (it will rise over the top of the mug!) and sets in the mug. Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

For an extra boost, add a Tbsp. of powdered sugar to the dry ingredients and add a handful of chocolate chips or a drizzle of chocolate syrup before cooking.

Cheesy Mostaccioli and Giveaway Winner!

2009-04-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe was submitted by Rachael Wood--thanks for contributing! Want to send in your own favorites? shoot me an email: <5thingscooking@gmail.com>

Cheesy Mostaccioli

Ingredients:
1 pkg mostaccioli pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cheddar cheese soup
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Combine cooked pasta, cooked meat, cheddar cheese soup, and spaghetti sauce. Add pepper, seasoning and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Mix to combine. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes.

Rachael W. was the winner of Mary Ellen's Best of Helpful Hints books! I also have a special bonus prize for Sam B., so Sam, let me know when I can drop it off!

Fruit and Veggie Muffins

2009-03-31T14:28:00.000-07:00

These muffins are a great way to incorporate more fruits and veggies into a food that's perfect to snack on! Recipe courtesy of $5 dinners (see the button in the sidebar!).

Fruit and Veggie Muffins

1 cup flour*
3 Tbsp. canola oil**
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs***
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup mashed or grated fruit or veggie

Healthy tips!
*use 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour
**use half oil and half applesauce
***substitute mashed bananas for eggs if you want to eat the batter raw

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, and mashed fruit or veggie. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Pour into muffin cups.
Mini-muffins: bake 8-10 minutes.
Regular muffins: bake 15-20 minutes.
Tops will turn golden brown.

Make a double batch and freeze the extras! Mini-muffins thaw in just a few minutes of sitting out, or in the microwave (10 seconds). Some fruit/veggie ideas to try: mashed banana, grated apple, peeled and grated zucchini, mashed blueberries. Or, double the recipe and try carrot + raisin, squash + apple, banana + strawberry...

Updates and Cake Wrecks

2009-03-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

I hope you've gotten a chance to try some of the recipes from the past few weeks! They're all tried and trued but up for tweaking. Please let me know if you change something and love it! I made the Taco Quiche the other day with a few revisions and it was great! I prepared the meat the same way, but added a can of corn, a can of black beans, and mexican rice (if you haven't tried the cheapo rice sides mixes, you're missing out!). It was delicious and much improved.

Second bit of news: the 5 Things Cooking giveaway is still going for one more day! Thanks for those of you who have submitted recipes and keep them coming! Please add your votes to the poll in the sidebar as well. I'm always looking for new things to try so they might as well be things that interest you as well...

Third, I have to pass on one of my favorite blogs, which isn't really a cooking blog, but celebrates the worst of professional cake decorating. If you're looking for a good laugh on a gray day, this is it. Cake Wrecks. Check it out--I promise you won't regret it! Click on the "best of" links in the sidebar to see some of the most popular wrecks.

BBQ Potato Wedges

2009-03-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

This one is a little bit more than 5 things, but it's so perfect with grilled meat!

Barbecued Potato Wedges

2 lbs. small red potatoes, cut into wedges
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. honey

Seasonings (use whatever you have, but I like these)
3 tsp. chili powder (I use about half that--these are spicy!!)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place potato wedges on large cookie sheet sprayed with pam or covered in aluminum foil. Drizzle with butter and honey. Sprinkle with seasonings. Toss to coat. Bake uncovered at 450 for 25-30 minutes, turning once.

Classic White Sauce

2009-03-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone should have a basic white sauce handy at all times. It can be used with chicken broth for gravy, with cheese for alfredo sauce, or for topping any type of meat or pasta.

Classic White Sauce

4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cup milk

Over low heat, melt butter. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. cook on low till thick, stirring constantly.

Homemade Brownies

2009-03-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it, I usually use brownie and cake mixes. Let's be honest, though, mixes only save you a few ingredients! So here's an easy recipe for great homemade brownies that don't require a mix.

Homemade Brownies

2 squares butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
dash salt

Beat together everything except the flour and salt. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

For an extra treat, sprinkle chocolate chips on top before baking!

Sweet Pasta Salad

2009-03-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

This pasta salad is the perfect side dish for any picnic or meal. It's one of my mom's best. Happy birthday, Mom! I love you.

Sweet Pasta Salad

2 12 oz. packages rainbow Rotini
4 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cups mayo/salad dressing
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar

Boil rotini till barely tender (don't overcook!) Drain. Whisk together mayo, sugar, and rice vinegar. Add veggies to pasta, stir in sauce. Chill.

Best served chilled. Make sure you don't overcook the pasta or the entire salad will get mushy.

Rice Pudding

2009-03-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is a classic dessert that's a great way to use leftover rice. This one comes from my mom, which means it's tailored for a quick fix in the microwave!

Rice Pudding

2 cups cooked rice
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Raisins (optional)

Beat eggs and milk well. Add sugar and cinnamon, beat again. Stir in rice and raisins. Microwave covered on high for 15-20 minutes or until it's the texture you prefer!

Broccoli, Rice, & Chicken

2009-03-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

This crockpot recipe received an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up!

Broccoli, Rice, & Chicken

2 lb. boneless chicken, cut in strips
1 1/4 cup uncooked rice
1 can cream of broccoli soup
1 can water
pepper and minced onion to taste

GREASE CROCKPOT WELL. Add rice. Sprinkle with onion and pepper. Top with chicken. Pour soup and 1 can water over chicken and rice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

This recipe cooks the rice well and is moist without being runny. Would be great with extra veggies--simply add frozen veggies before pouring on the soup.

P.S. Don't forget to submit your recipes and vote in the poll!

A little contest

2009-03-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, fellow 5 Things Cooks. It's time for a little contest. Think for just a second of that recipe. The never-fail dish you always fall back on when you need to cook unexpectedly for a large group, or it's too late to run to the store and you need to make something. The recipe you know off the top of your head that tastes good and is super quick to throw together. I know you all have at least one!

I have an extra copy (used) of Mary Ellen's Best of Helpful Hints book that I'd love to giveaway in exchange for your recipe ideas. All you need to do is email your recipes to <5thingscooking@gmail.com>. Send as many as you want! Each recipe counts as one entry, so the more you send, the better your chances of winning this amazing book.

Want more chances to win? Get one extra entry for following my blog (post a comment letting me know).

Hopefully you've had a chance to try some of the recipes you've found here! I know it's been good for me to find new recipes and try new things in order to post them here, so hopefully it's been useful for you as well.

What recipes have you tried? What have you liked best? What would you like more of? Vote on the poll in the sidebar and let me know! (post a comment letting me know you voted and you'll get ANOTHER entry!)

Giveaway ends March 31, 2009 at 12 pm MDT. Winner will be picked by random.org from all the comments and recipes received. Make sure you leave me a way to contact you!

Easiest Ever Bean Dip

2009-03-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

This bean dip is super quick to make and tastes great every time! Perfect for dipping chips or making nachos.

Bean Dip

1 pkg cream cheese
1 can chili with beans

Place cream cheese in a microwavable container and heat until soft. Stir in chili. Microwave until warm.

Not the best looking, but oh so tasty!

P.S. this recipe is honoring my best friend's birthday--Linds, ever wonder how many pounds of this we ate back in high school?!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-03-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

This frosting is super simple and quick to make--great with spice or carrot cake!

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg cream cheese
powdered sugar
milk/evaporated milk

Beat cream cheese (helps if it's slightly warmed). Add milk and powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency--it should be spreadable but not liquid.

The actual amounts of milk and sugar depend on your taste (some people like things sweeter) and the temperature and humidity. This one requires lots of tasting to know when it's right!

Swedish Delight Casserole

2009-03-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is a family favorite recipe for a beef, noodle, and veggie casserole. It's quick to make and bake and hearty. Hope you like it!

Swedish Delight

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 green pepper (chopped)
1/2 onion (chopped)
2 can crushed tomatoes
1/2 lb. corn
1 lb. pasta (wide is better--I usually use elbow macaroni)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup cheese, grated

Brown beef with pepper and onion. Mix everything together in a casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 15 minutes at 375 or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

Chicken Divan Casserole

2009-03-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

I think it's time for a break from dessert. This is a traditional chicken broccoli and cheese casserole.

Chicken Divan

4 chicken breasts
1 onion (green or white)
1 pkg. frozen broccoli
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup mayo or salad dressing
1 cup grated cheese
2 Tbs. lemon juice

1. Boil chicken with onion. For a faster fix, cut and saute. Place cooked chicken in a casserole dish.
2. Cook broccoli according to package directions. Microwaving preserves more vitamins and nutrients than cooking on the stove top! Put over chicken.
3. Mix soup, mayo, cheese, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken and broccoli.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

This casserole can be microwaved for an even faster meal!

Orange Creme Cake

2009-03-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ready for a variation on sponge cake? Try an orange twist!

Orange Creme Cake

1 round 10" angel food cake (buy one or use this easy 5 things recipe)
2 6 oz. containers of orange creme yogurt
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate

1. Cut cake in half horizontally; separate layers.
2. Spread yogurt between layers and re-stack.
3. Beat cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Add OJ concentrate until just blended. Use as frosting or serve by the side.

Blue Ribbon Sponge Cake

2009-03-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

This is a no fail recipe--works every time and super easy!

Blue Ribbon Sponge Cake

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 cup hot water

Beat eggs, add sugar, and beat well. Mix flour with baking powder (don't skip this step!) and add to egg mixture. Pour in hot water all at once and beat until smooth. Pour into bundt pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes until cake springs back when touched lightly. Cool 15 minutes and tip out of pan.

Serve with strawberries and whip cream!

Dessert Fondue!

2009-03-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

Variations on a theme, perhaps? This chocolate marshmallow fondue is irresistible!

Chocolate Fondue

16 oz. chocolate (chocolate candy bars or regular chocolate chips work great)
30 large marshmallows
1/3 cup milk
1/2 pint whipping cream

Grease crockpot with 1 tablespoon butter. Cook marshmallows, chocolate, and milk on high for ~10 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Gradually add cream. Cover and cook on low 2-6 hours.

Can also be made in a fondue pot. My favorite treats to dip are graham cracker (reverse s'mores!), strawberries, bananas, and mangoes.

Cheese Fondue

2009-03-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Ready for a week of great recipes? I'll be posting a ton this week to get everyone inspired...pick out your favorite recipes and get ready to win!

We'll start with a party favorite: fondue.

Cheese Fondue

1 lb. grated cheese (typically swiss or cheddar, but the pre-grated mixes can be great too!)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 cups white grape juice

Toss the cheese, flour, and salt together. Heat grape juice to a gentle boil and gradually add cheese mixture. Remove immediately from heat. Serve with breads, broccoli, ham, apples, grapes, celery...

A fondue pot works great to keep the cheese warm but prevent it from burning. Or, pour the hot mixture into a greased crockpot for insulation! This can be a great party food where you provide the fondue and ask your guests to bring dipping food.

Add a spicy twist: my family has a rule that if you drop something into a fondue pot someone has to kiss you before you can pull it out!

Creamy Mustard Sauce

2009-03-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

This sauce is great for meats (especially pork chops or grilled chicken) and also works as a twist on gravy for potatoes!

Creamy Mustard Sauce

1Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 can cream of mushroom soup (use the reduced salt/fat free to make it healthier!)
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

optional:
1 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

Sprinkle the meat with lemon pepper seasoning if you're using it. Heat butter in a skillet and brown meat for ~10 min. Add soup, milk, and mustard and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until meat is cooked.

Best served with steamed veggies and egg noodles or with a side of mashed potatoes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

2009-03-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe is great for chicken or stir-fry veggies. You can pour it over chicken in the crockpot (cook on low 7 hours or high 3.5 hours) or coat breaded chicken for a quick but classy meal.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. water
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. pineapple juice (open a can of pineapple chunks to serve with your chicken or veggies and just pour the juice in)

My favorite combination of veggies includes green and red peppers, thinly sliced onion, and pineapple chunks. Serve over rice and top with low mein noodles for extra crisp!

Keeping Food Fresh!

2009-03-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful book called "Mary Ellen's Helpful Hints" that covers topics from stain removal (getting anything out of just about any material!) to food preparation and everything in between.

She includes some great tips for keeping food fresh!

Toss freshly peeled bananas in lemon juice and they won't darken. If they've already darkened, peel and beat slightly. Put into a plastic container and freeze until you have enough bananas and time to bake bread, cake, muffins, etc.

If your bread dries out or gets stale before you use it, or you want to stock up while it's on sale but won't use it all right away, put a rib of celery into the bag--it will keep it fresh and appropriately moist!

Cottage cheese will keep twice as long if you store it upside down in the fridge.

Press a piece of waxed paper against the surface of your ice cream after it's been opened to prevent freezer burn or film.

Lettuce and celery keep longer if stored in paper bags in the fridge instead of the cellophane ones.

Lining the vegetable drawer of the fridge with paper towels will keep all of your fruits and vegetables fresher longer!

Before opening a can of soup, shake well and open it at the bottom end instead of the top. The soup will slide out nicely.

Peach Crisp

2009-03-08T17:18:00.000-07:00

This is a perfect pick-me-up dessert that works great with any type of fruit!

Peach Crisp

1 quart fruit, sliced
1 box cake mix (spice or yellow work best)
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Pour fruit--with juice--into 9" by 11" baking pan or casserole dish. Pour cake mix (just the dry portion!) on top. Slice butter into small chunks on top of the cake mix to help it brown. Bake at 375 for ~10-15 minutes until the top is nicely browned.

Best served warm with ice cream, but also great cold. Can even be microwaved! Again, this works with any kind of fruit: peaches, pears, plums, cherries, etc.

Taco Quiche

2009-03-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

This one comes from a great website geared toward kid-friendly food. Check out Recipes for Moms for more tips and tricks!

Taco Quiche

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. biscuit mix (i.e. Bisquick)
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk

Brown meat with onion, pepper, and taco seasoning. Spread into greased 9" pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese. In a bowl, combine biscuit mix with egg and milk; mix well. Pour over cheese and meat. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

**To make this one healthier and cheaper, use half of the meat and add beans (refried or black) after browning. Less cheese provides the same flavor with less fat! Serve with a side salad and use fat-free plain yogurt instead of sour cream for an extra boost.

***Remember, you can save yourself prep time by dicing a whole onion and storing what you don't use in an air tight freezer bag for next time! Using frozen vegetables lets you saute without adding oil. Also works great for bell peppers--cut a whole pepper into strips and dice before using.

Make any recipe healthier!

2009-02-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

One of my old chemistry friends runs a "healthy eating" group back east. Last month they talked about how to make any recipe healthier. There are so many great ideas that I want to share them here (with credit to the Beans)!

1. Make a food goal - Don't try to switch everything at once, but start with a simple goal, like reducing refined sugars, adding more fiber, eating more vegetables.

2. Start with small changes - Make tacos with less ground beef (if any) and more beans. Instead of mixing cheese into a recipe, shred it over the top. You'll get the same flavor (sometimes more!) with less.

3. Quick Breads - Anything made with baking powder and/or soda rather than yeast is considered a quick bread. That includes pancakes, muffins, cornbread, etc.

Generally, you can substitute up to 1/2 whole wheat flour without much of a difference. That means if the recipe calls for 2 cups all purpose flour, you can use 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.
You may need to use 7/8 c. whole wheat flour for 1 cup of all purpose flour, or add a bit extra liquid if you find the end product too dry. I seldom need to do this, however.
The #1 complaint with whole grain baked goods is the texture. They have a tendency to be dense, chewy, or heavy. In my experience, this can be avoided almost entirely by using proper technique. Always follow the recipe and combine dry ingredients together and keep wet ingredients separate. Make sure your pans are ready to go and your oven (or griddle) is preheated. Then, combine wet with dry gently and with as few strokes as possible. Pour into pans promptly and bake immediately. Overstirring develops the gluten (the stretchy strands of dough you’re used to seeing in yeast breads) and that will create a dense, chewy result. Baked goods should be light and tender. The instant you mix wet with dry, the acid and base contained in baking powder (or the base in baking soda and the acid found in the liquid ingredients) combine and start generating gas. The batter will go “flat” much like a bottle of soda pop if you don’t get it into the oven fast. You want to keep all those air bubbles safely inside the batter so the heat can expand them and give your baked goods a desirable texture.

4. Oil substitutes -

Use applesauce for up to half the oil, but realize the flavor will change. I do this routinely for things like banana bread and muffins and have no problem. If you go 100% applesauce the result may be gummy. The fat from the oil contributes to the “tender” texture and it’s hard to do away with it entirely.
Believe it or not, pureed black beans are a great oil substitute--and added protein! They can chance the color, so they work best in "chocolate" or "grain" colored foods.

5. Reduce sugar -

Cut down on sugar and salt by 1/2 to 1/3. I do that automatically and seldom notice a difference in the final product.
Cutting down on sugar gives us our tastebuds back and we appreciate more subtle flavors such as ground almond or sprinkled orange zest, so take advantage of that! Dress up your baked goods with something fun. Try sprinkling brown sugar on top and using less in the batter. The sweetness will be noticed and appreciated on top and you can get away with using less inside. Try adding almond extract or toasted pecans. Even adding some chocolate chips to the batter can make the healthiest muffin (packed with zucchini and whole grains) seem like a special treat.

6. Use less meat -

Calorie for calorie, meat is much less nutritionally dense than any vegetable. Use half the ground beef you usually do in your spaghetti sauce. It’ll be more economical and your family won’t notice. Add extra of the other ingredients and the meat will take a backseat. It’ll be flavoring, not the main attraction.

7. Reduce salt -

Cut added salt by half; in some dishes you can even eliminate it entirely. A lot of the ingredients that you’ll use for recipes (e.g., canned tomatoes) come to your home pre-salted. You can salt stuff to taste on the table or just before serving. You’ll use less and you’ll be more conscious of it when you do add it.

Banana Muffins

2009-02-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, i'm violating my "5 things" rule but these are worth it. A nice but reasonably healthy treat.

Banana Muffins

1 stick butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and bananas. Dissolve baking soda in water, add with flour. Stir in vanilla. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes. Makes 12 medium-sized muffins.

Kyoto Salad Dressing

2009-02-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

This salad dressing is amazing! It's a personal favorite as it looks classy, goes on anything from chicken to fruit salad, and has a bit of ethnic flair.

Kyoto Salad Dressing

1/2 c. rice vinegar (sold on the Ethnic aisle--NOT white vinegar!)
1/3 c. yellow mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar (scant)
1 c. canola oil
1 tsp. black pepper

Blend rice vinegar, mustard, salt, and sugar until well mixed. Add canola oil and blend again. Stir in freshly ground coarse black pepper. Pour into glass bottle or salad dressing bottle. Refrigerate.

Takes less than 5 minutes in a blender, chills quickly. Try it with anything!

Mini Spinach Quiches

2009-02-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

Again, another recipe I've been drooling over for weeks now, but finally got around to trying and giving a wholehearted approval too. I know, I'm breaking my "5 things" rule but these are great, and SO easy!

This is a picture from the Pillsbury website where I found this recipe, but I was proud to say that mine turned out looking just as good!

Mini Spinach Quiche

2 cans crescent rolls (garlic butter is perfect)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1/4 c. chopped onion
9 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Prep 16 muffin cups with cooking spray. Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles, press one into each muffin cup.

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in onion, spinach, salt, and pepper. Fold in cheese.

3. Fill each cup to the top (but don't overfill, they rise when they bake!).

4. Bake at 350°F for 15-25 minutes, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown. Best served warm. Enjoy!

PF Changs Lettuce Wraps

2009-02-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

I think I have a new favorite recipe! I've been waiting to post this one until I tried it--and it really is THAT good.

Lettuce Wraps

4 chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless, frozen is okay)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. white wine (I used white vinegar, rice vinegar, and a pinch of sugar)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
garlic powder (or 5 chopped cloves)
dash of allspice

Put chicken in crockpot with onions and garlic powder. Mix everything else together and pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6, stirring occasionally. Shred chicken ~30 minutes before serving. Serve buffet style in lettuce wraps.

I added chow mein noodles for a bit of crunch and some stir-fry veggies and rice to balance out the meat. Add hoison or plum sauce if needed!

Stay Soft Caramel Corn

2009-01-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe because it stays pull apart soft and just a touch chewy...*sigh*

Caramel Corn

1 c. Karo syrup
2 c. brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick butter
2 batches of popcorn

Boil Karo syrup and sugar for 2 min. Add sweetened condensed milk and butter. Stir until melted. Pour over popcorn!

Best if you let it set up for about an hour before trying to eat it...

Menu-planning Monday! (+ Cacciatore recipe)

2009-01-26T10:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've been menu-planning off and on for a year, and I've decided to get back into it. In fact, I found a great site that has an official "Menu Plan Monday" and links to everyone's menu's for the week, so if you don't find something interesting here, go to the Organizing Junkie and check out more links.

I try to plan my weekly menu with some variety, but using similar ingredients and incorporating leftovers into new dishes. I cook with my crock-pot at least once a week because it's so easy and makes my house smell great!

Week Menu

Monday - Chicken Salsa Fajitas served in tortillas with cheese and lettuce. YUM!

Tuesday - busy day, so I'm sticking with a simple veggie stir fry served over rice (make extra to use later in the week)

Wednesday - Mexican leftovers. We call these "burrangos" in our house. Essentially, any of the leftover fajitas in addition to some extra corn, spanish rice, and green peppers, or whatever we have handy! You can crisp them in a frying pan, similar to a chimichanga. The perfect sauce for these is a half and half mix of salsa and ranch dressing--trust me!

Thursday - Take a break from ethnic and make a simple pasta dish, such as spaghetti, or this amazing Fettucine Cacciatore (see recipe below!)

Friday - go for something easy, like crockpot chili--and throw in any mexican leftovers from earlier in the week! or, try this crockpot chicken teriyaki and serve it over leftover rice.

Saturday - BBQ honey mustard chicken with stuffing and baked potatoes. I use the easy box stuffing :o) Mix sauces with a few tablespoons of margarine, whisk together, and pour over chicken. Bake at 325, basting every 15 minutes until cooked through. Also works great in the crockpot, but I like to cook my potatoes in the crockpot and I only have one... You can also try this homemade BBQ sauce!

Sunday - homemade meatloaf! and of course, no-bake cookies for dessert.

Fettuccine Cacciatore

1/2 lb fettuccine, uncooked
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 c. Zesty Italian dressing
1/2 c. shredded Italian cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, etc.)
extras:
1 c. green pepper strips
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta as directed. Saute peppers and mushrooms in oil for 3 min, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes and dressing. Reduce heat to med, simmer 5 minutes. Drain pasta, toss with veggies and dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

If you like a LOT of cheese, it's easiest to dish each serving first and then top with cheese and basil. Makes four 2 c. servings.

No Bake Cookies

2009-01-25T16:08:00.001-08:00

There are lots of no-bake recipes out there, but this is my personal favorite. Despite my addiction to peanut butter, I prefer the plain "fudge" variety. This recipe only calls for things I usually have handy and always sets up.

No Bake Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 stick butter/margarine
3 Tbs. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. oatmeal (not instant kind!)

Heat everything except the oatmeal on medium, stirring regularly to avoid burning the sugar. Boil one minute. Remove from heat, add oatmeal. Drop by spoonful on wax paper.

Makes 2-3 dozen.

Some of my favorite recipes call for evaporated milk (see: Meatloaf, fudge frosting) so I try to make these in the same week.

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

2009-01-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Tried and tested!

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

4 lb. chicken
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp. red vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix sauce, pour over chicken in crockpot. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Serves 6.

I halved this for my smaller family. Can be shredded as it cooks. Best served over rice with steamed veggies. Add pineapple for extra zest!

One Easy, One Gourmet

2009-01-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

Apologies for being so slow to update--I just got a new cookbook and I was waiting to test these out before I posted them!

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts
1 pkg. Italian dressing seasoning mix
1/2 c. water
1 (8 oz) block cream chese

Place the chicken, italian seasoning, and water in the crock pot, cook on LOW for ~3 hours (longer if using frozen chicken). When chicken is fully cooked, use a fork to shred it, add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly. This makes a creamy chicken topping that is great over rice or noodles. Serves 6-8.

Wedding Chicken - a la Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 chicken breasts
6 slices of ham
6 slices of Swiss cheese
6 slices of bacon
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 c. sour cream

Lay chicken breasts flat in a large pan. Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each, wrap with bacon and tuck the ends under. Mix together mushroom soup and sour cream, pour over the chicken. Let set overnight. Sprinkle with paprika before baking at 250 for four hours.

Actually a faster recipe than it seems, because you can make them in the evening, make room in the fridge, and then let your house smell wonderful while they bake the next day!

On a side note, I made a two-pan batch of Peanut Butter Fingers last night and they are WONDERFUL, as always. If you haven't tried this yet you're missing out!

Breakfast favorites: french toast and banana pancakes

2009-01-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

So it's kind of a tradition in our house to make breakfast for dinner on Sundays when we're feeling lazy, as they take little time, satisfy my sweet tooth, and can be thrown together when there's practically nothing left in the house.

Classic French Toast

1 cup milk
4 lg. eggs (use 5 med.)
cinnamon
vanilla
10 slices of bread

Whisk the milk and eggs together, add as much vanilla and cinnamon as you want (I've never overseasoned and I tend to add a LOT). Dip bread, cook on griddle or frying pan. Great with syrup, peanut butter, honey, powdered sugar...whatever is left lying around.

Banana Pancakes

2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 3/4 c. milk
2 eggs
1/4 c. oil
bananas

Mix all ingredients except bananas. Pour on griddle or frying pan, and add a few banana slices to each pancake. Cook on medium heat. Best served with peanut butter and syrup, but jam, butter, or just plain syrup also work well.

Even faster: simply use a baking mix like bisquick or generic. Follow instructions on the package, and add bananas as they cook.

New cookbook....

2008-12-31T17:28:00.000-08:00

Guess who got a new cookbook for Christmas! It's nice and thick and full of words I actually recognize--both positive signs.

In keeping with tradition, I want to try them out before I post them here, so it'll be at least another week. Still, keep your eyes open for new stuff, and in the meantime, feel free to email me with your favorite recipes! I know you all have at least one "fall back" recipe...

Who likes Eggnog???

2008-12-16T23:11:00.000-08:00

So, I'm married to the unofficial Eggnog King of the Universe. Since we're cutting costs this year, we haven't bought eggnog (or eggnog ice cream...), but I knew he couldn't make it through finals week with his head on straight without it.

Here's what we came up with, and it's expert approved.

Homemade Eggnog

6 eggs
3 cups milk
8 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

In a large bowl, beat the eggs using an electric beater. Alternate adding milk & sugar,
Continue beating until mixture thickens slightly.
Add in the vanilla essence & ground nutmeg.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (at least 3 hours).

I actually whipped it up in a plastic pitcher using our handheld mixer with the wisk attachment.

Serves: 8 (or one Eggnog-loving husband)

Amazing Crockpotter!

2008-12-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

As I wandering around the internet this weekend, I stumbled upon a wonderful lady who made a 2008 New Year's Resolution to cook something different in her crockpot every day for an entire year. Luckily for the rest of us, she decided to blog the whole thing!

A Year of CrockPotting

With her permission, I plan to post some of these recipes here, but for now, please check it out! There is a handy alphabetical list of all the recipes she's made so far, as well as a search by category feature. There's something for everyone here--she even makes holiday soaps with her kids in her crockpot!

More guest recipes! Homemade perogies

2008-12-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

Pagachi (like homemade perogies)

Ingredients:
1 pkg instant potatoes (the cheesy kind is best!)
1 pkg biscuits

Prepared potatoes, let them cool to room temp. Roll biscuits out flat on a floured surface until they about 6 inches in diameter. Add 2-3 spoonfuls of potatoes into each of the big flat biscuits and fold them closed. (they'll be a half moon shape.. like a perogie)

pinch edges closed and brush with butter, back at 375 for ~ 20 min.

Great with stew or chilli, also you can add chicken or cheese or whatever and make them a total meal on the go type of food. They even refrigerate--just wait to brush the butter on until right before baking.

More guest recipes--Nebraska Steak and BBQ Sauce

2008-12-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

Nebraska Style Steak


Use tenderized round steak, big round steak, or cube steaks (enough for your family)
Brown Steak after flouring
add 1 can of cream of celery soup 
1/2 can of water
1 small onion diced
Let simmer for about an hour or until tender.

Make mashed potatoes to use with the gravy that the soup makes.

This is very good and you can make a lot and then freeze for later.  Its
always good even after frozen.

Homemade BBQ Sauce


2 tsp salt                    1/2 c water
1/2 c chopped onion           1 garlic (optional)
18 oz tomato paste            1 c ketchup
3/4 c brown sugar             1/2 c vinegar (+ or-)
2 T prepared mustard

Great to pour over any meat in a crockpot all day or season veggies!

Guest Recipes!

2008-12-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

This week I'm featuring recipes submitted by the rest of you :o) Thanks for the help!

Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

Ingredients:
1/3-1/2 bottle Kraft's Sun-dried Tomato salad dressing
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Marinate the chicken in the dressing for 2-3 hours. Bake at 425 for 15-17 minutes.

Great with baked potatoes and salad!

Crockpot Dip Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
8 oz cream cheese, soft
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
one packet zesty italian salad dressing mix.

put chicken in crockpot, cover with cream cheese mixture
cover and let cook 6-8 hours.
serve over rice or noodles.

you can use almost any dip mix! (use about 1 1/2-4 Tbsp)

World's Best Peanut Butter Fingers.

2008-12-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

Another violation of the 5 things rule, but it's junk food so it's TOTALLY worth it. I'm participating in the Virtual Cookie exchange, so feel free to browse for other great recipes!

Word of warning, this is my grandma's recipe, so without scaling it down it makes 2 full pans--better get them out of the house quick!

Peanut Butter Fingers

2 squares butter
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal

Mix all ingredients and press into two 9 x 13 pans. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes. Cool 5-12 minutes and frost with peanut butter and chocolate frosting. Best with the fudge frosting below!

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1/3 c. evap. milk
1 c. sugar
5 large marshmallows
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook milk, sugar, and marshmallows until melted on medium heat. Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients. When chocolate chips melt pout immediately (great on cake as well!)

You can add mint to part if you want to make double layered mint/chocolate frosting (i.e. brownies).

Sweet tooth

2008-12-04T22:20:00.002-08:00

Ok, anyone who knows me understands that I am a complete dessert junkie...so I have MILLIONS of recipes (though some violate the 5 ingredient rule...)

I don't make a lot of "basic" cookies, and I usually use cake and brownie mixes. So, here are some of my favorite unique desserts...

Mint Meringue Cookies
2 egg whites (post a comment if you're not sure how to separate eggs)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp peppermint flavoring (i've also used mint, orange, and almond!)
1/8 tsp food coloring (totally optional, but i like green so people expect mint!)
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. chocolate chips

Beat egg whites w/ cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks (i.e. when you poke it it lifts up and the tip folds over into a peak that's till fairly soft). Gradually add sugar, beat until the meringue holds shape. Fold in color, flavor, and chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 250 for 15 min, let cookies cook in oven (i.e. turn it off but don't take the cookies out). These are best warm and melt in your mouth....makes 24 small.

Easy Pie Crust--making homemade pies is actually really easy!
1 c. shortening
2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 c. cold water

Blend shortening, flour, and salt with fingers. Should be moist but crumbly. Add water and mix. Roll out, place in pie tin, prick with fork, and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Fill with chocolate pudding, banana pudding and sliced bananas....whatever sounds good! Makes 2 bottom pie crusts.

For a great fruit pie, put the bottom crust in the pie tin, prick with fork, and add a can of pie filling (i prefer apple or peach). Roll out the second crust and use cookie cutters to make a decorative top (small stars or hearts typically work best). Make it extra creative by attaching the cut out portions to another part of the crust with a drop of water. Cover the pie, pinch edges together to seal, and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Yes, it's probably best to make apple pie with real apples, but the cost and time of growing, slicing, and cooking them doesn't always seem worth it...and most store bought fillings are actually pretty good.

A misunderstood dish.

2008-12-04T22:20:00.001-08:00

So, growing up there were two foods my mom made that I love: meatloaf and fruit cake. It wasn't until I got older that I began to realize that most people crack jokes about these two and avoid them at all costs. CLEARLY they're not eating the same things I am!

I quickly converted my husband to this meatloaf recipe when we got married, and I still use it for a few reasons: 1) it cooks quickly 2) it's always a warm, homemade kind of meal 3) having evaporated milk open in the fridge means i make no-bake cookies!

So here it is, my mom's meatloaf:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
~1/3 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pkg saltine crackers, crushed
1-2 lrg. eggs
salt and pepper as desired

Mash it all together (easiest to just get your hands dirty)
Bake at 350 until cooked through.

the best tip to this recipe is to make it in a greased cupcake pan. Makes individual servings, no cutting required, and cooks faster! Takes 20-30 minutes and makes 12.

Crock-pot feasting

2008-12-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

My sister in law made a fabulous dinner on Saturday for the whole family, and still had lots left over. Haven't quite decided what to call it, but it's a slow-cooked, super tender, chicken fajita type mix :o)

Chicken Salsa Fajitas

Ingredients:
24 oz. salsa
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 packet taco seasoning
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Put in crock-pot on low for 4-5 hours. Shred chicken, serve in tortillas with cheese and sour cream and anything else you have laying around!

Stir-fry in seconds...

2008-12-04T22:18:00.002-08:00

So I'm a huge fan of variety and for that reason I LOVE "ethnic" food. I think by ethnic I mean something other than pasta, because that seems to be the cheapest and easiest for college student budgets.

There are tons of ways to make good stir fry and chinese food, but here are my quick suggestions.

1. Good sauce
2. Chinese veggies
3. Meat optional
4. Rice

Again, I love my rice cooker so I can't imagine living without it, but instant rice is not too bad either and takes about the same amount of time to stir fry.

There are lots of different kinds of veggies that work great for stir fry, I usually buy what is cheapest. In the frozen food section there is usually a bag of "chinese starters" or something like that that includes basics like mini-corn and water chestnuts. The type in a can tends to include more sprouts and such but they both work well.

If I have chicken or pork I add that, but if I don't have it or only have a little, I make up the difference with vegetables and it's still great.

There are lots of different sauces. If you have to pick simply one, I recommend a teriyaki merinade or sauce--it's a common flavor that everyone likes but it's not just salt like soy sauce. I also favor Hoison sauce if you're looking for a little more authentic.

Other than that, it's super easy. If you add a little sauce before adding meat you never have to add oil, which makes it healthier. Saute meat over med-high heat until brown, add veggies and more sauce, cook until medium soft (don't want mushy vegetables!) or until the rice is done. Works great as leftovers as well.

Also, if you check out the foreign food aisle of most grocery stores you will find sauce packets for a variety of chinese food that usually are pretty good. My favorites are sesame, hot & spicy, and honey teriyaki. The sweet and sour are generally NOT good, but I have an awesome quickie recipe for that if you're in the mood!

3 ingredient specials!

2008-12-04T22:18:00.001-08:00

Ok, here are two of my favorite recipes, both of which had three ingredients (or less)!

Crock-pot Chicken Salsa
Ingredients:
crock-pot
chicken
salsa
(lemon slice or lemon juice if you REALLY feel domestic)

Instructions:
Spray crock-pot for easy clean up.
Add bite size pieces uncooked chicken
Cover with salsa (about 3/4 a jar for a few pounds of chicken)
Add lemon if you're feeling up to it/have it around
Cook on high 3-4 hours

Best served over rice. Salad is a good side if you have it. Serves groups large or small depending on how much chicken you add.

bonus: Makes the house smell fabulous! Also, very easy to remember by the descriptive title.

The other three ingredient special is also served over rice, so I sometimes make these in the same week and just make lots of rice the first time (I consider a rice-cooker an essential gadget).

Thai Peanut Chicken
Ingredients:
chicken, small breasts work best
peanut sauce mix (check the asian section of the grocery store)
1 can coconut milk (also in the asian section)

Instructions:
Preheat to 375
Place chicken in glass casserole dish
Whisk together peanut sauce (usually comes with 2 packets, I use one unless I'm in the mood for serious spice!) and coconut milk. Pour over chicken.
Cover with tin foil, bake for 1-1.5 hours.

Serving depends on amount of chicken, can go farther if you stir-fry or steam vegetables as well. Most gourmet when served with cooked carrots and dished over fresh spinach leaves (found by the salad-in-a-bag in any grocery store). Great for entertaining because it's Thai and different from traditional dinner.

Chicken Lattice Casserole

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This is like an upside-down pot pie, super fast and easy to make, while including all food groups at once so there's no need for side dishes! i used to think casserole were "grandma-ish" until i discovered how nice is it to eat something homemade, fast, and healthy without extra work.

Chicken Lattice

2 cans cream soup or chicken gravy (I often use one can chicken gravy and one can cream of celery)
1/2 onion, diced (buy onions when they're on sale and chop them all at once. Store 1/2 onion sections in plastic bags in the freezer--handy and precut whenever you need them, and no need to add any oil to saute!)
1 1 lb. bag assorted frozen vegetables (i.e. California style)
1/2 c. cheese
1 tsp pepper (sometimes I put in a little garlic salt as well)
1 lb. chicken, cooked, chunked
1 package crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375. Cook vegetables according to package directions (microwave works great). Combine all ingredient except rolls in a large saucepan, heat on medium until warm. Pour into glass baking dish. Unroll package of crescent rolls, press seams together. Cut into 1" strips and weave on top of casserole. Bake for ~15 minutes or until rolls are done.
Serves 6-8, great for leftovers.

Sometimes i make a large amount and put it into two square dishes. I can either cook both and take a meal to someone else or keep the second for the next week--just add the rolls and bake!

5 Buck Chili

2008-12-04T22:16:00.001-08:00

I call this "5 buck chili" because it takes 5 cans of food that is easy to store and often on hand (and each one costs ~$1). Perfect for chilly days or whenever you want to feel domestic!

1 can chili w/o beans (get the spicy kind if you want it hot)
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can baked beans (i like the generic brown sugar kind)
1 can corn
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes (i often get the "mexican" kind with pre-added seasonings)

Combine everything in a crockpot (spray it first for easier cleanup!) and let it simmer anywhere from 2 hours to all day--the longer it cooks the more the flavors mix, but really, as long as it's warm you can eat it anytime).

Top with shredded cheese if you have any on hand :o) Sometimes, I also add a can of black beans. Makes 4-8 servings, depending on how much you like chili!

Welcome to 5 Things Cooking!

2008-12-04T22:15:00.001-08:00

You've seen a lot of "cooking blogs" with fabulous pictures and gourmet foods. I am definitely NOT that type of chef. I fit more into the "what can I throw together with what I have in the cupboard" type who figures that if something cook fast on medium it cooks even faster on high. I am into recipes involving 5 ingredients or less--preferably ingredients that I always have laying around somewhere. I get excited about cooking junk food in the microwave--a faster fix for my sweet tooth! This blog is for the "real" SAHM who never makes her own bread and considers mac & cheese with broccoli a respectable meal--with serious props to you classy cooks out there.

If this sounds at all like you, welcome to my cooking :o)

Feel free to share your favorite recipes and quick fixes!